robert saleh jets
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The season-ending injuries to Breece Hall and Alijah Vera-Tucker on Sunday in Denver could put a damper on any mood. But, the Jets are still 5-2. That’s certainly something worth being excited about.

I mean, it’s a great thing when you surpass the previous year’s win total in less than half a season, right?

Head coach Robert Saleh has been steering the ship for a rejuvenated Jets squad. He tries to set the standard when it comes to mindset for his players, but he isn’t immune to making his own mistakes. Saleh mentioned one on Wednesday when addressing the media. It was regarding his comment about taking receipts on Jets doubters after a 24-9 Week 1 loss at home vs. the Baltimore Ravens.

Here’s a quick refresher:

We’re all taking receipts on all the people who continually mock and say that we ain’t going to do anything.

I’m taking receipts. And I’m going to be more than happy to share them with all y’all when it’s all said and done.

This was the day after that rough showing against Baltimore. It was undoubtedly still a fresh wound being opened back up by having to talk with the media. As New York prepares to host the New England Patriots at MetLife Stadium in Week 8, he’s already wishing to have that moment back:

The reasoning is sound but was it actually a distraction? Reports surfaced soon after saying the players loved it, and it’s not hard to see why. The opening game of any season is exciting. It’s the culmination of all the offseason and pre-season work that’s been done, and it’s time to get after it. To go out there and get your butt whooped stings a little more than usual.

In the wake of that defeat, Saleh very clearly stood behind his players and the work they’ve done, knowing it’d lead to better results. I’d argue that while Saleh’s comment wasn’t the best for the media, it probably helped keep the Jets focused.

This is Saleh’s second year coaching in the New York media market. That simple comment about taking receipts will follow him for the remainder of his tenure. Two months after initially saying it, he’s probably realized that which might be partly why you can sense regret. If I had to choose the thing that stays with me forever, I’d definitely take Saleh’s situation over Rex Ryan’s, that’s for sure.

The best thing for Saleh is that at the moment, the narrative following him because of those comments is positive. That helps, too.

Matt Musico can be reached at [email protected] and you can follow him on Twitter: @mmusico8.

Matt Musico is an editor for ESNY. He’s been writing about baseball and the Mets for the past decade. His work has been featured on numberFire, MetsMerized Online, Bleacher Report, and Yahoo! Sports.