Jets' Robert Saleh hopes to clear COVID protocols after 'weird' day watching team on TV
New York Jets coach Robert Saleh watched Sunday's win over the Jaguars the same way most fans did: on television.
Yes, a weird day at MetLife Stadium was even stranger for Saleh who was forced to watch from his hotel room after he tested positive for COVID-19 last week and didn't clear the league's protocols before the game.
So Saleh traded his headset for his cell phone, and he even was forced to endure some of the same inconveniences that all of us sports fans have to put up with: this one came courtesy of a good friend, Packers coach Matt LaFleur whose Packers won on Saturday night, so he was free to FaceTime Saleh and watch the isolated Jets coach.
"We were watching the game at the same time, but he was like five seconds ahead of me," Saleh said. "And I’m yelling at him to stop telling me what’s happening."
Saleh is hopeful he won't have to watch Sunday's game against the Buccaneers on television. He said Monday, on a video call with reporters, that he's feeling "great" and that he's getting closer to reaching the viral load threshold set by the NFL in its recently updated return protocols.
"My numbers have been trending up for a couple days," Saleh said. "So hopefully I can get back here in the next day or two."
Last week, Saleh said he expected to be miserable if he couldn't coach against the Jaguars. Less than 24 hours after enduring the experience, Saleh didn't seem to be interested in doing it again.
"It was frustrating, just obviously not being there — seemed like an awesome game," Saleh said. "The guys absolutely played their butts off. But at the same time it was awesome to see the ending. It was a weird experience, but at the end of the day, it was a cool experience because we won."
Saleh said that since he tested positive last Wednesday morning, his routine has been pretty limited: he's isolating in a hotel room near the team facility, he goes to the facility daily to test and sometimes grabs a to-go meal. And that's about it.
"Missed Christmas with the kiddos," Saleh said. "But they’re happy and that’s what’s most important."
The Jets had 20 players on the reserve/COVID list for Sunday's game against the Jaguars, including five defensive starters and both their starting guards.
Tight ends coach Ron Middleton filled in for Saleh and was impressive, rolling the dice several times on fourth down with mostly good results. Several players mentioned that they were impressed by Middleton's energy and focus all week, and his halftime speech clearly resonated with the players.
Unsurprisingly, Saleh was happy with the way Middleton handled everything and the result.
"I thought he did a great job," Saleh said. "I heard he did a wonderful job at halftime, thought he did a great job upholding the game plan with being aggressive and wanting to take our shots, take our opportunities, loved the fake field goal, loved all of it. Obviously, a couple of them didn’t work and like I told him after the game, I said, ‘Hey, if it works, you’re good. If it doesn’t work, I’m going to question you.’ I thought he did a great job."
Saleh was also excited about the performance by rookie quarterback Zach Wilson, who completed 14-of-22 passes for 103 yards and a touchdown and also ran for 91 yards and a touchdown on four carries.
He was particularly impressed with Wilson's third-and-9 throw to Braxton Berrios to keep a critical late drive alive, eating up clock and allowing the Jets to kick a field goal to force the Jaguars to score a touchdown. He seems to already be engaged in debate with offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur (younger brother of the Packers coach) about just how good the throw was.
"I’ll argue with [Mike] LaFleur that was probably the best throw he’s made all season," Saleh said. "In terms of tempo, had a six-man pressure in this face, ripped the ball knowing that he was going to get hit, put it exactly where Berrios needed to catch it to protect him from the safety. I mean it was awesome, it was a clutch throw, clutch catch, and a critical down to keep the chains moving."
That of course was not the most memorable play of the game for most.
By the the game reached the fourth quarter, Matt LaFluer had stopped spoiling the action for Saleh. But moments before backup offensive lineman Conor McDermott's spectacular, game-winning touchdown catch played out on Saleh's screen, LaFleur couldn't help but tip his hand about what he had just seen.
"I could tell something happened, because he was like, 'Oh,'" Saleh said. " So when [McDermott] it caught it, I was just laughing and like, ‘Oh my god, I can’t believe that happened.’ But it was a really cool moment."
Will top WRs play?
The Jets were without their top three receivers in Sunday's win, with Corey Davis out after season-ending core muscle surgery and Elijah Moore (quad) and Jamison Crowder (calf) both injured.
Saleh said that both Crowder and Moore will be day-to-day this week. Crowder didn't practice last week and never seemed particularly close to playing — he was listed as doubtful on the final injury report.
Moore is eligible to come off injured reserve this week after missing the last three games with a quad injury that surfaced in the days after the Week 13 loss to the Eagles. But his return is further complicated because he remains on the COVID list. Saleh seemed hopeful that Moore would come off the list, but made it sound like he has an uphill battle to play.
"It's a little of both," Saleh said of the hurdles Moore has to clear from being on the COVID list and coming back from injury. "He hasn’t been able to do anything because of COVID, but at the same time it’s just trying to get into the field to work and there’s a lot of things he has to clear from protocol standpoint to make sure that leg is where it needs to be."
Connor McGovern done for the season
The Jets put starting center Connor McGovern on injured reserve Monday, ending his season after he suffered a knee injury in Sunday's win over the Jaguars. Saleh said that McGovern dodged an ACL injury, but said there is concern about his MCL. McGovern is currently seeking a second opinion and Saleh said he's unsure if surgery will be required.
McGovern played every snap for the Jets this season before he was injured late against the Jaguars. Next year is the final season of a three-year, $27 million deal. McGovern is owed $10.33 million in 2021 — he seems likely to stay after a strong season, but the Jets could cut him and save $9 million in cap space while carrying $1.33 million in dead cap.
Tight end Trevon Wesco was also placed on season-ending injured reserve after suffering a knee injury late against the Jaguars. Wesco had three catches for 35 yards this season, but set a career high playing 40 percent of special teams snaps in 12 games.
Noteworthy
The Jets added two players to the COVID list on Monday: cornerback Bryce Hall and tight end Tyler Kroft. They now have 23 players on the list.
But Saleh said several players are ready to be activated, presumably before Wednesday's practice: defensive end John Franklin-Myers and defensive tackle Folorunso Fatukasi. Also coming back, tight end Kenny Yeboah and linebacker Hamsah Nasirildeen. Saleh said a few practice squad players will be activated as well: cornerback Lamar Jackson, linebacker Noah Dawkins defensive tackle Tanzel Smart and linebacker Noah Dawkins.
Saleh said he's hopeful that three key contributors on defense will be activated later this week: cornerback Michael Carter II, and safeties Ashtyn Davis and Sharrod Neasman.
Andy Vasquez is the Jets beat writer for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to all Jets analysis, news, trades and more, please subscribe today and download our app.
Email: vasqueza@northjersey.com
Twitter: @andy_vasquez
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: NY Jets Robert Saleh feeling 'great,' hopes to test out of COVID list
