Jeff Ulbrich: I don't feel players checked out

After Sunday's 40-14 loss to the Bills, Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner shared his view that the team's effort level wasn't where it needed to be during the game.

Gardner said "some people might be checked out" at the end of a losing season and that their performance in Buffalo reflected that lack of commitment to finishing strong. During a Monday press conference, interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich was asked if he shared Gardner's view of what happened on Sunday and he said he didn't see signs of what the cornerback was talking about.

"I did not. I took a real hard look at the tape in all three phases and I was looking for that," Ulbrich said, via SNY. "In moments like this, it's a great opportunity to really evaluate the character of a man and the truth is I couldn't find it. I couldn't find a lack of effort and strain. I couldn't at all. Did we lack execution? Absolutely. Did we miss opportunities and not play to the standard of this organization? Absolutely did not do that. As far as the effort, strain, finish — I still felt it was there."

Sunday's game was particularly ugly, but the underlying issues with penalties, offensive sloppiness and sluggish defense have been present throughout the season. That means the issue may not be with players checking out, but with the overall construction of a team that failed to meet any of the expectations that it had heading into the year.