AFC Notes: Amari Cooper, Jerod Mayo, Aaron Rodgers, Bills, Jets, Patriots

Bills

In his first game after being traded, Bills WR Amari Cooper scored a touchdown on 66 receiving yards in the team’s rout of the Titans. Cooper discussed how being traded in-season before has helped the transition despite having a million thoughts running through his mind.

“There was a lot to ponder on. Just making the drive, thinking about my new team, my new teammates,” Cooper said, via SI.com’s Albert Breer. “That’s pretty much it. Those things were cycling in my mind.”

“It’s easier to go through something that you’ve been through before. The thing I would say in that situation is that it was eerily similar to the situation—in October, the first game playing against the Titans, a couple of other things, too. Being able to go out there and in that same year really helping the Cowboys win, that’s what gave me the confidence.”

• The Bills worked out two kickers this week including Tanner Brown and Brayden Narveson, per Aaron Wilson.

Jets

When appearing on the Pat McAfee Show, Jets QB Aaron Rodgers said he isn’t concerned about their 2-5 start and recalled starting the 2014 and 2016 seasons with losing records with the Packers. 

“We’ve been in this spot before,” Rodgers said, via NFL.com. “We, meaning myself and some of the guys I’ve played with. There’s the semi-famous R-E-L-A-X statement that was after three weeks going into Week 4 (of the 2014 season) where we turned it around. But people maybe forget about 4-6 in 2016 when we weren’t playing well at all, and went though a rough stretch and just got kind of waxed in Tennessee and came back home and we ran the table. Won eight straight and went to the NFC Championship Game, eventually losing to Atlanta. But that was a fun, fun stretch. We got hot and we started to believe. The power of belief is a snowball that can start an avalanche. And that’s what we need and it starts with me.”

Rodgers mentions how they’ve been practicing well throughout the week, but seem to tighten up on game day. 

“I feel like we’ve been loose. We’ve been having good practices, but for whatever reason there’s been a little bit of tightness on game day and that’s got to start with me,” Rodgers said. “I’ve got to bring the same energy during the week and lead with that energy. I think there’s been some good leadership moments but I need to be a great leader. … Just doing as much as I can to make sure those guys play free and not worry about making mistakes. When something bad does happen how do we all respond? Myself included? I think we can do that a little better and that starts with me and I’m going to set the tone this week with that.”

Rodgers is curious to see how they respond to its recent 37-15 loss to the Steelers. 

“It’s going to be interesting to see how we respond to this,” Rodgers said. “We’re in the fire for sure, it’s been a rough four-game stretch for us. Coming off of a win that had everybody feeling really good about on a Thursday night. We’ve got to reset and get this thing moving in the right direction starting Sunday at New England.”

Patriots

Patriots HC Jerod Mayo said the team was playing “soft” and needs to do a better job at executing the fundamentals.

“I felt like we just went out there and played soft,” Mayo said, via PFT. “We’re playing soft at the moment. When I say playing soft, it means stopping the run, being able to run the ball, and being able to cover kicks, which we weren’t able to do. Now in saying that, do I think we have the guys in there that can turn this ship around? 100 percent. But that comes through hard work and getting better each and every day.”

Mayo said he’s going to continue to coach the team hard and stands by his philosophy of being “demanding without being demeaning.”

“That’s in my DNA,” Mayo said. “Once again, a lot of these things are about relationships and treating people as human beings. That doesn’t mean we’re out there coaching these guys soft. I think the coaches do a good job of coaching them hard. Obviously, it would be easy if we were sitting here at 6-1 to continue to have that message. But at 1-6, l guess it’s a natural question from you, ‘Should we change up our coaching style?’ I just think we need to continue to work hard and continue to push the players to get the results on the field.”