NY Jets: Wilkerson Calls Out Secondary, Then Says He's Not Calling Out Secondary

New York Jets defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson has had a tough year.  Perhaps it is getting to him.

When asked why the Jets pass rush only registered one sack against a Colts team that had allowed multiple sacks in every prior game this season, this is what Muhammad Wilkerson had to say:

Maybe a little tighter coverage and we get those sacks.

Offensive coordinators are game planning and quarterbacks are getting the ball out quick, and they're making plays.  It's not an excuse. We just have to ... like I said, have tighter coverage and we have to get to the quarterback.

That's not the best of looks for one of the highest paid defensive linemen in the NFL who is going through a terrible year.  No doubt there is some truth to the answer.  No doubt the Jets secondary shares some culpability for the anemic 2016 Jets pass rush. No doubt if the secondary did a better job covering receivers the pass rush would have more opportunities to get sacks.  None of what Wilkerson said is disingenuous, none of it is necessarily untrue.

Still, this is not a good look for the highly compensated, poorly performing Jet.  There are times when candor is not the best choice.  Throwing your teammates under the bus, even if richly deserved, is generally frowned on in NFL circles.

Perhaps realizing this, Wilkerson pivoted and backtracked.  Sort of.

I'm not calling out the secondary. We all know, as a defense, we work together and we play for each other, but it works hand-in-hand. We can get to the quarterback, like I said, but if they're not holding them up for that one second, the ball is going to get out.

Sigh. It's been a tough season for the Jets.  This one can be filed under the things that perhaps are better off left unsaid category.  Truth and candor have their merits, but perhaps not so much in interviews in which you call out your teammates and then immediately claim you were not doing anything of the kind.