NFL

C’Mon Man: Tom Jackson Says He Picked A Patriots Blowout To Motivate Bart Scott, Jets

After the New York Jets shocked the New England Patriots Sunday to advance to the AFC championship, an angry Bart Scott let out his emotions in an interview with Sal Paolantonio.

ESPN initially showed a clip with Scott screaming “Anybody can beat!” into the camera. While we all assumed Scott was talking to the general sports-watching world, it turns out he was speaking to one person in particular: ESPN analyst Tom Jackson.

In fact, the entire interview, which ESPN later showed, began with Scott screaming “To all the nonbelievers, especially you Tom Jackson!” Scott was referring to Jackson’s pregame prediction of a 30-10 Patriots blowout.

Apparently the linebacker startled the ESPN commentator as much as he did the rest of us, because during an interview on “Mike and Mike in the Morning,” Jackson felt the need to explain the “psychological game” he was playing with the Jets with his “premeditated” prediction.

Here is audio of Jackson’s appearance on “Mike and Mike.”

The former Pro-Bowl linebacker said his prediction was made in order to inspire New York, by reminding the team that the majority of the population believed the game would be similar to the 45-3 massacre that occurred the last time they played.

“I wanted to further fuel them in a little of a cement—cement them in that bunker mentality of ‘us against the world.’ And so, I accept Bart’s comments for what they were, but I hope that he understands that I actually am a fan of the Jets, and Rex Ryan, and that defense. I think that they were well served by the fact that, yes they were angry and they got a little angrier, and I think it served them well on the field.”

Jackson is a great analyst, but this statement, that he somehow sought to motivate the Jets by picking against them, just seems weird. He went on to say:

“I certainly knew that they had a chance to win, and I thought that they certainly might win the game. But I knew that when they saw 30-10, that I think they would be reminded of what most people were feeling, and I knew that they needed to be a little bit angry going on the field.”

I guess Scott and the Jets should consider sending Jackson a gift basket for this extra piece of inspiration.

[h/t Jason Whitlock]