Robert Saleh Wants Jets to Stay Focused During Bye Week, Get Ready to 'Attack' Second Half
Robert Saleh's message to the Jets as New York enters their bye week is simple.
This is not a week off.
"Don't just go home or go to the beach and sit back and have a cocktail and relax for a week," the head coach told reporters on Monday. "There's a workout regimen that we've got to achieve. We've got to be able to attack this week, you've got to be able to attack your regen and make sure we're walking, we're moving, we're taking care of our bodies, still putting all the good stuff in there and treating this as not a week off, it's just a breather. We're still getting our work in."
Saleh warned that in all his years coaching in the NFL, he's seen players derail the rest of their season by acting irresponsibly during their bye week.
"I've seen players that went into a bye week and absolutely destroyed their entire season because they went to the beach, drank beer and ate nachos for an entire week and came back 10 pounds heavier," Saleh said.
That might sound like a solid week off for your or me, but not for a player on a football team that's 6-3, poised to make the playoffs this season and end the longest postseason drought in the NFL.
"It's a week to get away from the building, get away from your coaches and it's a week to take care of yourself, getting away from the physical aspect where you're beating up your body," Saleh added. "But as far as regen and mental and working out and keeping your conditioning, that is not off. The message is to continue taking care of your body, consume things that help your body so we can attack the second half of the season."
New York's bye week is coming at the perfect time. The Jets are midway through their season, ready to capitalize on an opportunity to recuperate from what's been a grueling (and extremely rewarding) first nine games of the year.
Plus, the Jets are coming off their best win in recent history, upsetting the Bills on Sunday. That gives this entire roster and coaching staff a confidence boost and plenty of momentum as they leave the building for a quick break.
With a shot to accomplish something special in the second half, Saleh wants his team to keep the end goal in mind while focusing on the moment. If the Jets can treat each day like a "championship moment," they'll be able to return next week recharged and ready to continue taking care of business.
"While what's happened in the past—which is the first nine games of the season—has been awesome and fun and it's cool to get all those affirmations, it doesn't mean anything if we don't attack the second half in the same exact manner," Saleh said.
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- Bills' Von Miller Praises Sauce Gardner, Jets' 'Great' Defense After Upset
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