FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) -Kris Jenkins needed a few days to get his thoughts together.
He was unhappy with his performance in the New York Jets' loss to Denver on Sunday, and wanted a break from speaking with the media.
"I know for the past couple of days nobody has seen me," the big nose tackle said Thursday. "I just decided that I was going to take a couple of days off from y'all just to unwind. Sometimes you need a second to just kind of put things into perspective.
"We got our bubble burst. We went out there with all the best intentions and, honestly, we didn't get it done."
Jenkins has been a dominant force this season while anchoring the Jets' defensive line, but was frustrated with the way Broncos center Casey Wiegmann manhandled him in New York's 34-17 loss. He finished with only three assisted tackles, while rookie fullback Peyton Hillis became the first to rush for 100 yards against the Jets this season.
"As far as I'm concerned, I can take full blame for the fact that I didn't get it done," Jenkins said. "I could've done better shedding. I was in place a lot of times, but just didn't shed. We didn't get the tackling done, things like that, and I take it upon myself because the responsibility on me is big and I've always known that.
"If I'm doing good, then it's good. If I'm doing bad, then it shows. It's just one of those things that I have to take it like a man, suck it up and now it's San Francisco week."
The Jets (8-4) are heading west hoping to bounce back from one of their worst all-around defensive performances in an otherwise solid season. They allowed Jay Cutler to pass for 357 yards, Hillis to run for 129 and for tight ends Tony Scheffler and Daniel Graham to beat them short time and again with 13 catches for 149 yards.
"I just think we came out too flat," linebacker Calvin Pace said. "We just didn't have the energy. For whatever reason, we didn't get started well. Sometimes, you're not going to win them all. Ideally you want to, but to play against a team of that caliber who has been to the playoffs and who's looking to go again to the playoffs this year, you can't come out like that."
The defense could get a huge boost this weekend with the return of linebacker David Harris, who has missed the last five games with a groin injury after being hurt against Kansas City on Oct. 26. Harris was leading the team in tackles, and coach Eric Mangini indicated the second-year player would be back.
"Yes," Mangini said. "I'm pretty optimistic."
The Jets are still ranked fourth against the run, but are 30th against the pass - and that's a concern. While cornerback Darrelle Revis and safety Kerry Rhodes have been solid, Mangini has struggled to find the right combination of complements with cornerbacks Ty Law, Dwight Lowery, Hank Poteat, David Barrett and safety Abram Elam all taking turns.
"It's not just the secondary," Rhodes said. "I've said it a couple of times. In pass coverage, everything has to be in synch, not just the defensive backs. The front has to get pressure, linebackers have to get their drops and make sure they have the right man. It's a combination of everything. Everything has to be intact for a pass defense to be effective. It's multiple things, not just as defensive backs."
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