There’s been this notion that the Jets, with no playoffs to fight for, have had nothing to play for since their 1-6 start.
Not true. In recent weeks, it’s become clear what the Jets are playing for: Bill Parcells and his coaching staff. They want them back intact for another year. For one more run at it.
That was the most distinct message emanating from the Jets’ locker room yesterday in the wake of their emotional Monday night 38-31 win over the Dolphins in Miami.
“I would be shocked, definitely, if he didn’t come back for one more year,” Jets’ upstart quarterback Ray Lucas was saying yesterday. “He wants to go out on top, as a winner. Coach is a winner, and if we go out 8-8, that wouldn’t be a winning season. I’m sure he wants to come back and have a better go of it without worrying about who’s having surgery this week and who’ll get hurt next week. He wants to win.”
Lucas, a remarkable project of Parcells who’s developed before the NFL’s disbelieving eyes, added that “the only thing that wouldn’t surprise me is if his health is a factor … and we do have a tendency to drive him crazy. But I would be shocked if he didn’t come back.”
A funny thing has happened to these 1999 Jets: They’ve become a good team. And, despite their 1-6 start, they’ve managed to have some fun along the way.
A win Sunday over the Seahawks, who are desperate for a win to get to the playoffs, and the Jets would finish 8-8 having won their last four games and seven of their last nine.
Fact is, right now the 7-8 Jets are one of the NFL’s hottest teams, having won six of their last eight, and they’re a tough out for any team, whether a Super Bowl contender or not.
“Hopefully, [Parcells] will stick around for another year and give everybody another shot,” Jets’ SS Victor Green said. “I think if everybody is healthy here we’ll have a great shot of making it next year. It’d be great if he came back and gave us another chance to succeed.
“I think [Parcells] is just believing, and now the team is believing. We believe in each other. He might be looking to give it another shot. We’ve given him the reason to. He sees some positive things here. If we come out with a victory this week, he’ll have to think long and hard about coming back.”
Curtis Martin credited Parcells for single-handedly turning the season around.
“Everyone in this locker room feels like we’re playing for the Super Bowl, and we’re not even going to the playoffs,” Martin said. “I believe that’s a reflection of the mentality of the head coach and his staff.
“I think that every player on this team enjoys playing for Bill,” Martin went on. “One thing I appreciate most about him is his mentality as a coach. We were 1-6 coming from an AFC Championship Game last year. A lot of coaches may have tanked it in, not had the same mentality. But, speaking of the mentality of Bill, he pressed us even harder.
“In his mind, he didn’t count it as over. He counted it as, ‘Look, we’re going to get this together one way or the other.’ He demands what he wants and usually he gets what he wants.
“Bill has accomplished feats that in my mind, and in many people’s minds, he is the greatest coach there has been, and there is. I don’t think he has anything to prove. It’s just his decision. He’s entitled, and I believe that anything he decides is the best thing for him. For me, as much as I want him to be here, more importantly I want Bill to do what’s best for Bill.
“He’s a good man, and he’s done right by many of us. I think he deserves to do whatever he sees fit.”
Jets’ TE Fred Baxter said he hopes the way the team has played will sway Parcells to stay.
“With the way we’ve played in the month of December, I’m hoping that he’ll come back and lead us to the Big Dance,” Baxter said.
“I’m not trying to cloud this issue here,” Parcells said of his avoidance of talk about his future. “It’s the same as it’s always been. I’ve been doing this the same way for the last eight or nine years.
“I’m going to know. I’m not going to have any doubt in my mind that I’m going to know that it’s time to step out. I just won’t be able to commit to … I won’t be looking forward to beginning the process again.”
Essentially, Parcells has already begun the process, already begun thinking out some upcoming economic and personnel decisions to be made.
“This is just about 365 days now, it really is,” Parcells said. “And it’s fun. It beats working, it really does. And, when you win a game like [Monday] night it makes a lot of your work worthwhile; you feel good about it.”
Parcells has said on a number of occasions that he likes the makeup of this team, likes the players. That has to play into his decision.
“I do like the players; I even like some of you guys [reporters],” Parcells quipped. “But business is business.”
The belief here, as it has been all along, is that Parcells’ business is coaching football for one more year.