Somehow, optimism remains for Jets

Somehow, in the wake of two awful outings in losses to Miami and Seattle, the Jets talk about remaining confident, about turning things around, about eliminating the mistakes that are killing their chances.

Indeed, after coach Rex Ryan again emphasized that Mark Sanchez is the starting quarterback despite his sinking play, Sanchez mentioned Monday how "once things go right, they turn around so fast it will make your head spin."

Others might call that spin. The Jets (3-6) describe it as staying optimistic.

"I'm confident in who I am and my abilities, and I've said it a million times, I'm confident in the guys who coach with me and play for me," Ryan said after the Jets dropped the ninth game in their last 12, including the 2011 collapse in which they lost their final three games to miss the playoffs for the first time in his tenure.

"I know we have the talent, not just as players but in our coaching staff. We're going to get this thing done."

Getting anything done, beginning next Sunday in St. Louis, must start with cleaning up their on-field act. Although they are in the middle of the pack with a minus-2 turnover differential, the Jets are destroying themselves in the red zone. In Sunday's 28-7 loss at Seattle, Sanchez pretty much threw away at least six points and perhaps more with bad decisions.

Richard Sherman's interception on third-and-goal despite Sanchez having plenty of time to survey the field was costly. So was a fumble on a sack.

"Two plays really stood out," said Sanchez, who turned 26 Sunday, but had nothing much to celebrate. "The sack-fumble and the interception, especially as well as our defense was playing in the game early. We had a chance to take the lead and I have got to make better decisions. Careless mistakes. Totally on me."