The Steelers and their fans will invade MetLife Stadium on Sunday trying to secure a playoff berth. The Jets (and maybe a few of their fans) will try to stop them.
For the 5-9 Jets, their playoff dreams ended long ago. But they do not want to see the 8-6 Steelers move closer to the postseason against them.
“We can’t allow them to clinch on us,” defensive lineman Steve McLendon said. “That’s the mindset you have to have. If we’re going home, you don’t want anybody to just come in and get an easy win. You don’t want to quit. You don’t want to lay down and give somebody the berth to get into the playoffs.”
Pittsburgh can’t actually clinch a playoff spot Sunday, but the Jets are taking the mindset of making their road to the playoffs more difficult. For the Jets, this week against the Steelers and next week against the Bills are their postseason.
Jamal AdamsGetty Images“It’s two playoff games for us,” Jamal Adams said. “We don’t go out there to lose ballgames, no matter the record. People say we might as well tank. Nah, to hell with that. We’re going out there to win. Everybody in the building’s treating these like two playoff games. We’re out for war. It’s gonna be fun. The atmosphere is gonna be fun, I know they’re gonna bring a lot of fans, so we’re looking forward to it.”
The Jets have been terrible in December in recent years. They have not won two games in December/January since 2016. McLendon said if the Jets want to become a playoff team, they need to play better late in the year.
“For me, personally, you want to win in December so you know what it feels like to win in December,” said McLendon, a former Steeler. “Regardless of what the record is, you still need to know what it feels like in December to start going into the postseason.”
McLendon, who is one of the team captains, said he believes the Jets are improving.
“We’re heading in the right direction,” McLendon said. “Guys are staying later than normal. Guys are putting in work. I can say this, no guy is coming in here planning to lose. Every guy is coming in with the right mindset, the right preparation every single week regardless after a big win or a loss.”
The Jets have one last game at home to make their fans believe that next year could be better.
“I look at it like this,” McLendon said, “this is the last time we get to play in our stadium this year, make it the best one.”
For more on the Jets, listen to the latest episode of the “Gang’s All Here” podcast:
