FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – A look at what's happening around the New York Jets:

1. Still in Echo: Let's call it a war of words, but not in the usual sense.

According to players and coaches, Davante Adams' speech after Sunday night's game resonated with the Jets throughout the week. Interim coach Jeff Ulbrich was so touched by it that he brought it up again in a midweek team meeting, telling reporters later that it allowed them to fix the problem highlighted in Adams' heated speech – lack of energy. Ulbrich even went so far as to say that they spent the week “reinventing themselves.”

On the other side are the New England Patriots, against whom the Jets will play on Sunday at Gillette Stadium. They also made headlines after an ugly defeat. First-year coach Jerod Mayo accused his players of being “soft” in his postgame press conference.

So which approach will prove more inspiring: a coach's stinging criticism or a combative plea from a player who arrived on the scene just a few days earlier?

Ulbrich said Adams' words sparked one of the best weeks of training he's experienced in his more than three years on staff. This statement will make fans roll their eyes. They've heard this from several coaches over the years; Usually it doesn't carry over to the game. It certainly helps that the Jets are facing an opponent with a 1-6 record who is on a six-game losing streak.

Maybe Adams' speech will be a turning point in the season. At 2-5 and on a four-game losing streak, there is virtually no room for error.

Some may find it strange that after the 37-15 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, a new player who barely had time to unpack took the floor. Even Ulbrich admitted that it “sounds crazy” that a newcomer could have such an impact, but he believes Adams' impressive resume gives him that influence.

Captain CJ Mosley agreed. If any player objected to this, they would be “sorted out very quickly because that doesn't mean winning football,” Mosley said. “That doesn’t mean being a teammate. That doesn’t mean holding yourself accountable.”

2. Past pep talks: Adams wasn't the first Hall of Fame-caliber player to give a motivational speech to the Jets. In 2010 and 2011, LaDainian Tomlinson was known for his fiery pregame speeches. Players said it reminded them of the movie “Gladiator.”

In 1994, Ronnie Lott attempted to rally the team after a devastating season-ending loss to the Miami Dolphins in what Dan Marino called the “Fake Spike Game.” After addressing the team, Lott handed out a copy of the AFC East rankings to every player in the locker room, making it clear that they still had a good chance of making the playoffs.

Lott's trick didn't work. The Jets have lost their last four games. No playoffs.

3. Future Beer Commercial: Speaking of memorable speeches, let's not forget Herm Edwards' celebrated rant “You play to win the game” in 2002. It wasn't exactly a pep talk, as it came in response to a question on a news conference. But the Jets were 2-5 then, as they are now.

The '02 Jets won four straight to win the division after Edwards' fiery response. They haven't won it since.

4. Grin and bear it: quarterback Aaron Rodgers is banged up, probably more than he lets on.

In practice, he rode a stationary bike while the team jogged to warm up before the game. He missed a few rounds of quarterback drills. In last week's loss to the Steelers, Ulbrich admitted he missed “a few” chances to make a mess.

Rodgers is listed with hamstring and knee injuries and also recently suffered a sprained ankle. He was a full participant on Friday, but it's clear his mobility – once a strength – is compromised.

However, his toughness is undeniable. You're talking about someone who played with a partially torn ACL from the end of his high school career through his freshman year at Cal.

“To have someone at this stage in his career who is willing to do that – obviously things aren't going well at the moment – and still be able to go out and do that for everyone, it really shows how much you care he cares,” tight end Tyler Conklin said.

5. Red Flag: While Rodgers deserves praise for hanging in there hard, his performance wasn't nearly as good as usual. His six interceptions over a three-game span are the first of his career.

What's concerning is that he's struggling in a clean pocket. According to Next Gen Stats, he was not under pressure in six of his seven interceptions, a league high.

His inability to get the team out of deficits is another worrying trend. Behind, he has seven touchdown passes, six interceptions and a passer rating of 76.2. In his previous 16 seasons as a starter, his lowest pass rating from behind was 88.6 (2014). Now more than ever, the Jets need Rodgers to show some of his old magic.

6. Flipping the Script: For years, the Jets have had to answer questions about their losing streak to the Patriots – 15 in a row leading up to their win in the 2023 Finals. Now, for the first time since 2000, Bill Belichick's first season as Patriots coach, the Jets have a chance to beat them in one to defeat the season.

7. Uh, oh – a newbie: Given the Jets' recent history against rookie quarterbacks, they shouldn't discount the Patriots starting Drake Maye.

Since 2022, the Jets are 1-3 against rookie starters, most recently Bo Nix (Denver Broncos). They allowed a total of 37 points in the three losses, but lost because…well, you know.

8. Silent King: Remember all the draft hype surrounding wide receiver Malachi Corley, the “YAC King”? It was a quiet season for the third-round pick — two offensive snaps, one reception and three games as a healthy scratch.

Todd Downing, who took over playcalling duties in Week 6, said that the Jets have “an embarrassment of riches” at receiver and that the lack of playing time was not due to Corley.

“I think he’s maturing and understanding this game as a career,” Downing said. “It’s not like college where you show up and you’re the best guy on the team and things just always go your way.”

With Allen Lazard (chest) doubtful, Corley could be active on Sunday.

9. Swiss Army Knife: Isaiah Oliver was the Jets' first free agent of the 2024 offseason and he is proving to be one of the best players (one year, $2.5 million). In the secondary, he played nickel, dime, outside corner and safety for a total of 223 defensive snaps. He is expected to start in safety on Sunday. Sometimes it's the unannounced steps that prove to be the most helpful.

10. The Last Word: Last week was a stressful game for Jets receivers coach Shawn Jefferson, who was facing off against his son, Steelers wide receiver Van Jefferson. In fact, the younger Jefferson scored a touchdown in the Steelers' 37-15 win.

“It's a damn emotional roller coaster, isn't it?” Jefferson said he played his son. “Because if he messed up, I can't say, 'Hey, you have to do this.' When he scores, I'm like, 'Damn.' You know what I'm saying? It's an emotional roller coaster, I'm literally driving home and I'm really exhausted.