FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — A week and a half ago, Matt Forte, soft-spoken but firm, stood in front of television cameras and tape recorders and proclaimed his distaste for Thursday night games. In a sport that asks so much of its athletes, he said, short weeks are a recipe for injuries.
A few days later, he scored two touchdowns on a team-high 14 carries as the Jets rushed a season-high 41 times; it was his best game of the season. And a little over a week after that, he stood in front of those same television cameras. His right knee was in a brace Friday and he spoke of the disappointment and frustration — the swelling that usually goes down after games had only gotten worse, and he will not play Sunday against the Buccaneers.