FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- The New York Jets remember what happened last season when they visited the Jacksonville Jaguars -- and it has some players seething.
"Simply put, it was disrespectful as hell," linebacker Brandon Copeland told ESPN on Thursday, three days before a return trip to TIAA Bank Field.
The Jets believe Jaguars coach Doug Marrone showed no class by running up the score in the final two minutes of a 31-12 victory. Instead of taking a knee, the Jaguars ran three times inside the Jets' 9-yard line and scored, even using a timeout after the second play. The capper was an attempted 2-point conversion, which failed.
"I thought it was pretty disrespectful," defensive lineman Leonard Williams said. "The game was already won. There was only a minute-and-a-half left to go. Not only did they keep running the ball to try to score again, they also went for two points, which was even more over the top.
"I felt it was even putting their own players at risk for getting injured even though the game was already over," Williams continued. "You know what I mean? I think it's a little disrespectful."
The Jets are using that sequence as motivational fuel this week, according to players, who said they've reviewed it multiple times in their defensive meetings.
"I don't want to say anything that's bulletin-board material, but, yeah, it doesn't sit well with us," Copeland said.
Marrone was a candidate for the Jets' head-coaching vacancy in 2015, fueling speculation that he ran up the score as payback for not getting the job. Marrone denied that was his motivation, explaining that his reasoning for the 2-point try was simple: Several players in the PAT team were banged up and the chart said he should go for two.
Williams said the bad feelings still resonate.
"I mean, definitely," he said. "It's the same team. Obviously, we're not going to play out of our system or do anything extra that we're not supposed to do. We're going to focus on winning the game. It's not like a personal vendetta or something like that, but it's something we remember. It is in our minds."
Asked if it has come up this week in meetings, Williams said, "Yeah, it's been talked about."
The Jets have a new coaching staff, with Adam Gase having replaced Todd Bowles, but they have 10 defensive starters from last year's team.
More than anything, the Jets (1-5) need a win. They were embarrassed on Monday Night Football -- a 33-0 loss to the New England Patriots -- and they're looking to redeem themselves.
"It's going to be a nasty game because they have a highly touted run offense and we have a highly touted run defense, so it's going to be an old-school, SEC bar fight," linebacker Jordan Jenkins said. "It's going to be a nasty game, regardless. It's going to be physical, and tempers are going to flare. It's going to be a real edgy kind of game."