Jets' Bradley McDougald, Avery Williamson Call out Team for Poor Practice Habits

For two New York Jets defenders, the team's slow start the season is attributed to the way they practice.

"It all goes back to practice. We've had some slow practices and it correlates to the game," safety Bradley McDougald told SNY TV after a 31-13 loss to the San Francisco 49ers in Week 2 (h/t ESPN). "We need to have a complete, full week of just great practices, and I don't think we've had that yet. The sooner we realize that and hone in on how important practice is and coming out and winning at practice, then it will translate to the games on Sunday."

The Jets also fell to the Buffalo Bills in Week 1, 27-17. In both outings, the Jets were down 21-3 at halftime. A slow start in Week 2 allowed 49ers running back Raheem Mostert to peel away on the first play from scrimmage, resulting in an 80-yard touchdown. 

"Until we dominate at practice on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, Sunday is going to be a toss-up," McDougald said. 

McDougald, who was acquired by the team when they sent safety Jamal Adams to Seattle this offseason, wasn't the only one to publicly question the practice habits of the Jets. Linebacker Avery Williamson criticized his teammates in a radio appearance Tuesday on WFAN.

"Sometimes, in practice, guys are missing tackles or we're not doing things right," Williamson said. "We haven't been as crisp as we should be at times. ... We don't start fast at practice."

Jets head coach Adam Gase said he wasn't aware of the sentiments expressed by his players, and Williamson texted him to apologize, according to ESPN's Rich Cimini. Despite the 0-2 record, Gase, who is 7-11 at the helm of the Jets, said he didn't feel the same way.

"Nobody said anything during the week," Gase said. "I felt like we had really good tempo to practice. Sometimes an individual guy, if he wants to change something, we talk about it every week. It's not like it's not an open forum. If somebody doesn't like the way something is going, we can easily speak up."

The Jets have a chance to right the ship when they head to Indianapolis on Sunday to take on the 1-1 Colts, who earned their first win of the season with a 28-11 win over the Minnesota Vikings.