Muhammad Wilkerson says New York Jets aren’t a playoff team right now but will get there
Jordan Todman (30) is tackled by New York Jets defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson (96) during the game at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Perlman/THE STAR-LEDGER via USA TODAY Sports
New York Jets star defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson is one of the best players in the game, and he is among the most disruptive defensive linemen in the entire league. Wilkerson seems to blow up running plays with relative ease, and he’s a nightmare for quarterbacks. We all remember just how important he was in the Jets huge upset over the New Orleans Saints, as he manhandled a solid offensive line and never gave Drew Brees an easy night. The Jets defensive line is one of the best in the NFL, and Wilkerson is the best of a starting triumvirate of probable DROY Sheldon Richardson, big breakout NT Damon “Snacks” Harrison, and, uh, himself.
Wilkerson spoke to WFAN’s Joe Benigno and Evan Roberts on a radio interview today, and he was asked whether or not he thinks the Jets are currently a playoff team. His blunt response was a “no”, but he did say that he thinks the Jets will get to that point. He said, “If we keep having mental breakdowns the way we have … I don’t think as of right now that we are. But I think we will get there. We have six games left and we pretty much need everyone to find themselves and find a way to help the team as best they can so we can pull together and finish this thing strong.”
It’s definitely a fair assessment from Wilkerson, who wisely points out to the Jets frustrating mental breakdowns. This team is too inconsistent to be a legitimate playoff team, because they are prone to miscues when they throw the ball and when they defend the pass. The secondary is too burn prone and bipolar in coverage, and Geno Smith has games like…well, we all saw what happened. Consistency is incredibly important in the NFL, and Wilkerson definitely knows that.
“I think we just have to do a better job of being consistent. If it’s a win, we, all right, we should enjoy the win, but we gotta get ready for the next opponent. We can’t be too happy about getting a good win. We need to put it behind us and get ready for the next opponent. At the end of the day, anybody can be beat on any given Sunday.”
The Jets have been the model of inconsistency this season with their alternating win-and-loss ways, but they are definitely right in the thick of the playoff hunt. The sixth seed in the AFC is open for the taking (ditto to the NFC, but that’s an even more uncertain can of worms), but the Jets will indeed have to be more consistent down the stretch in order to secure a playoff birth that was deemed impossible before the season.