~ ~ jets 'D'... # 2 ? ? ?

[kelly]

Today's question : With the additions of Darrelle Revis, Antonio Cromartie and Leonard Williams, do the Jets have the best defense in the division ? The AFC ?

 

Mike Rodak, Buffalo Bills : Revis makes it close, but former Jets coach Rex Ryan makes all the difference in this race. With one of the weakest personnel groups at secondary in recent memory, the Jets finished 29th in opposing QBR (69.6) last season, but I have little doubt they would have finished dead last if it wasn't for Ryan. Adding one of the NFL's best defensive minds to a Bills defense that was among the NFL's best last season tips the scales in favor of Buffalo, even with the Jets' addition of Revis. For Jets coach Todd Bowles, his group will have a lot to prove before it can be considered the best.

 

James Walker, Miami Dolphins : On paper, the Jets have the best defense in the AFC East -- but not the conference. New York has the most defensive talent in the division on all three levels, whereas the Dolphins (linebacker), Patriots (cornerback) and Bills (safety) have clear holes. But it's not always easy implementing a new scheme. There will be a learning curve under Bowles. I expect New York to have some rough patches early. Many also underrate how important a good offense is to a defense. New York's sluggish offense and deficiency at quarterback won't do the Jets' defense many favors. Quarterback Geno Smith, if he wins the starting job, has 44 career turnovers in 30 games. That's going to put a ton of pressure on the Jets' defense.

 

Mike Reiss, New England Patriots : After watching first-hand the type of difference that Revis made with the Patriots last season, it's hard for me to say otherwise. His presence alone changed everything for the Patriots in the secondary, so it's reasonable to expect it do the same for the Jets. Their defensive line was already one of the best in the NFL with Muhammad Wilkerson, Sheldon Richardson and Damon Harrison, and now they have Williams, too. That will be stacked group when Richardson returns from his suspension. Assuming the linebackers hold up, and the safeties benefit from the presence of Revis, this looks like the best overall defense in the division, with the potential to contend for the title as best in the AFC.

 

>  http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/51873/afc-east-qa-do-jets-have-the-best-defense

[kelly]

Today's question : Which AFC East team will have the best pass rush? The Buffalo Bills led the NFL in sacks in 2014, but there's plenty of competition within the division.

 

James Walker, Miami Dolphins : It is close between the Bills and New York Jets, because each team has playmakers throughout the front seven. But the Rex Ryan factor makes me lean toward Buffalo. The Bills led the NFL with 54 sacks in 2014 -- and I wouldn't be surprised if their defense is even more aggressive this season. Ryan will add some complicated blitz schemes that he brought from the Jets, and he has athletic playmakers such as Mario Williams and Jerry Hughes at his disposal. I've watched Ryan's Jets and Ravens defenses in person for years, and it is still difficult for me to predict where his blitzes are coming from pre-snap. Ryan is very good at disguising, and that element will add more to an already stellar pass rush.

 

Mike Reiss, New England Patriots : In a close call, I'll go with the Miami Dolphins. With Ndamukong Suh and Earl Mitchell pushing the pocket and Cameron Wake and Olivier Vernon attacking off the edges, that's a nice combination in the 4-3 scheme. Wake, specifically, has given the Patriots fits and last year's season opener (two sacks) is a prime example of how he can disrupt a game. The Jets and Bills are both worthy, and I wouldn't be surprised if the Patriots' revamped front generates their fair share of heat, but Miami gets my vote because I think Suh is the most dominant defensive tackle in the division and Wake the most explosive edge rusher.

 

Rich Cimini, New York Jets : I think the Jets will overtake the Bills for most sacks in the division. The Jets replaced one pressure-oriented coach (Rex Ryan) with another (Todd Bowles), so they will be just as aggressive as they were last season, perhaps more so. The Jets finished with 45 sacks last season, and that was with a lousy secondary. With the additions of Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie at corner, the Jets will rack up more coverage sacks than before. Unlike the Bills, Dolphins and Patriots, the Jets don't have a pure edge rusher, but they have a couple of standout interior rushers: Muhammad Wilkerson and, when he's available, Sheldon Richardson. The Bills will be tough again, but they had career years in 2014 from Mario Williams and Marcell Dareus. I question whether they'll get another 24.5 sacks between them; that's a big number. Ndamukong Suh will help the Dolphins, but not enough to take the "crown."

 

>   http://espn.go.com/blog/buffalo-bills/post/_/id/19218/afc-east-qa-who-has-the-best-pass-rush

[kelly]

more re our  D..  

 

  Baldinger : Jets Have Pieces to Be 'Dominant' D

NFL Network Analyst and Former Player Says Darrelle Revis Is a Head Coach Playing Corner

 

video -

>  http://www.newyorkjets.com/videos/videos/Baldinger-Jets-Have-Pieces-to-Be-Dominant-D/089530f7-53ac-40e0-9d9d-d7557da6800c

[kelly]

Veteran CB Records His Highest 'NFL Top 100' Ranking Since 2012

 

 

After eight years in the National Football League, Darrelle Revis continues to expand his game. Voted No. 17 on NFL Network’s Top 100 Players of 2015, Revis doesn’t find too much time to vacation on his Island. Instead he is always looking for new ways to perfect his craft." He trusts in his technique, so whenever you have a guy who’s fundamentally sound along with being gifted athletically -  you bring those two together (and) that makes a great player,” said Lions WR Golden Tate.

 

Revis, who will turn 30 on July 14, rejoined the Jets in March after spending a season in Tampa and then in New England. He has made the Top 100 each of the past five years and is the fourth Jet to appear on the 2015 list.“I know when I play against Revis, I have to be fundamentally sound,” said Broncos WR Emmanuel Sanders. “He doesn’t bite on the first move, so you have to really work him.”The 5’11”, 198-pound Revis, who was selected No. 14 overall by the Green & White in 2007, has totaled 23 career interceptions and an NFL-high 123 PD since his rookie year. Revis, who matched up with many of the game’s top wideouts last year - Brandon Marshall, Demaryius Thomas, Calvin Johnson A.J. Green and T.Y. Hilton to name a few - led the Patriots with 14 PD.“His game changes every game because he’s studying the receiver he’s going to face,” said Dolphins WR Jarvis Landry. “His ability to adapt to that is one of the reasons why he’s one of the best in the league.”

 

Jets GM Mike Maccagnan believes Revis can consistently perform at a high level for years to come.“I was around Champ Bailey when we drafted him back in Washington years ago and Champ was able to play at a very high level well into his 30s, and I kind of view Darrelle in the same status, really,” Maccagnan said. “I think he’s playing at a very high level and we thought he could potentially be able to play at that really high level for a number of years going forward, so we thought it was worth the financial investment we made.”After reconstructive knee surgery in 2012, Revis vowed to get back to where he was before the injury. But after two full seasons, Revis actually thinks Jets Nation will get the best 24 yet.“I think I am better than I was before, when I played earlier in my career. I think I am way smarter, way more intelligent at the game and at the position,” he said this spring. “I had a great learning experience last year with Bill (Belichick), and he helped me in a lot of ways. I see the game a different way, but at the same time I think just the growth, me growing as a player and growing as a unit has helped me tremendously. I think now I am a different type of player, a better player than I was last time.”

 

> http://www.newyorkjets.com/news/article-7/Jet-Uncorked-Revis-Like-a-Fine-Wine/ecdf6e0a-7c96-4be8-9bb4-093dc1853c01

 

[kelly]

New York Jets: The NFL's Best Defense  ?

 

The Jets really went out of their way to improve the team in free agency this year. According to Sportrac.com and Business Insider, the Jets' $181.3M 'potential' money spent (the maximum possible value for all free agent contracts) was more than any other team in the NFL. In fact, it was over $10M more than New England, Denver, Tampa Bay, Seattle, Minnesota, Carolina, Detroit, Pittsburgh, and Green Bay combined in 2015. A massive portion of that money went to upgrading the secondary, with the additions of Darrelle Revis ($70M), Antonio Cromartie ($32M), Buster Skrine ($25M), and Marcus Gilchrist ($22M.) The Jets also threw over $21M in mostly guaranteed money to Jets faithful David Harris, pushing their total spending (free agency plus resignings) to over $200M, almost entirely on defense. Now add this to four first round defensive linemen, including two still-ascending NFL Top 100 studs, and the Jets were the only team to land two spots on Bucky Brooks' Top 10 Scariest Position Groups list; both on defense. You could certainly argue that this is the best defensive roster the Jets have ever fielded.

 

Not only did the Jets add some elite defensive talents, they also imported a new, defensive-minded HC in Todd Bowles, a quality DC in Kacy Rodgers, and a well-established DL coach in Pepper Johnson. Bowles has proven himself capable of putting his players in position to succeed, even when injuries strike. Rodgers has helped make the Dolphins' defensive line an intimidating force in 2014. Pepper Johnson has been coaching up talent for decades, including turning the Bills' defensive line into one of the most intimidating position groups in the entire league last season. With the addition of so many talented players and ascending coaches to the defense, it stands to reason that expectations would be high.

 

Many fans have argued that the Jets should be a top 5 defense in 2015 and honestly, it's hard to argue against that. Darrelle Revis, Antonio Cromartie, and Buster Skrine are probably the best CB threesome in football. Even after Richardson's suspension, the Jets are easily in the conversation for the NFL's top defensive line. The linebackers and safeties are arguably league average, making the unit as a whole quite impressive. Sheldon Richardson claimed that the Jets should have the best defense in the NFL. Marcus Gilchrist says that this is the most talented defense he's ever played on at any level. This raises the million dollar question: Do the Jets have the NFL's best defense in 2015?

 

Personally, I don't expect the Jets to lead the NFL in total defense. I wouldn't be shocked by a monster defensive year from Seattle, Houston, Buffalo, St. Louis, or even Miami. I do think the Jets have their best opportunity in years to be that #1 defense, but it's a pretty tall order. I really couldn't blame anyone for being convinced that the Jets will have the best defense, but as long as the offense is turning over the ball and failing to control the clock, it will be hard to compete with a team like Seattle. However, I do think that this is an incredibly talented unit, and I would really be disappointed if the Jets didn't finish top 5 in at least a few defensive categories. I wasn't a huge supporter of how fast and loose Maccagnan played with the cap space, but I have to admit that I'm very excited to see this defense on the field.

 

> http://www.ganggreennation.com/2015/7/7/8894703/new-york-jets-the-nfls-best-defense

[kelly]

" D " dept. -

 

~ ~   As the Jets get close to training camp, I am going to examine the roster and give you my top 25 players. Each weekday, we will reveal another person on the list, leading right into camp. I am not including rookies on this list because I do not feel it is possible to fully evaluate them before they play a game.

 

No. 13 : Quinton Coples

Last year’s ranking : 11

Position : Outside linebacker

Age : 25

How acquired: Selected in the first round of the 2012 Draft

Years left on contract: 2

2015 Salary Cap figure: $2.8 million

 

Looking back at 2014: If Coples was not a first-round pick, you would look at his 2014 season and say he played OK. Problem for Coples is he is a first-round pick and he has failed to live up to the expectations that come with that.He had another up-and-down season, playing pretty well at times and then disappearing for long stretches. He finished with 35 tackles, a career-high 6 ½ sacks and one forced fumble.The Jets moved Coples to outside linebacker two years ago after drafting Sheldon Richardson, and Coples still does not look comfortable in the position. I thought he played his best last year when Muhammad Wilkerson was injured and he had to slide to defensive end, his natural position. But with Leonard Williams now added to an already deep defensive line, forget Coples moving back.Pro Football Focus ranked Coples 40th out of 46 outside linebackers by their grading. He had 21 quarterback hurries to go along with the sacks.Coples is not good at coverage, and the Jets hardly asked him to do it at all last season. He rushed the passer on most plays.One thing Coples is very good at is tackling. He ranked first in tackling efficiency at outside linebacker, according to PFF. That is a measure of how many tackles a players makes versus misses. Coples rarely lets a running back get away, and he has been known to deliver some bone-crunching hits in the backfield.

 

Outlook for 2015 :  Of all the players on defense, I think Coples could benefit the most from the arrival of Todd Bowles. The new Jets coach is known for playing to his players’ strengths. If Bowles can figure out ways to get Coples inside more and design some blitzes for him, he could have a big year.This is a crucial season for Coples. The Jets exercised his fifth-year option for 2016, but that money is only guaranteed for injury, meaning the Jets could release him after this season if they don’t like what they see. Coples probably will show enough to stick around, but if he is thinking about that second NFL contract, it’s time to stop talking potential and start talking production.

 

> http://nypost.com/2015/07/10/its-on-todd-bowles-to-unlock-quinton-coples-first-round-hype/

[kelly]

damon Harrison declared himself the best nose tackle in football in an article that appeared on NFL.com today. That comment has generated some attention, but I found another thing Harrison said more interesting.

 

Helping Harrison is the fact that the Jets did not undergo a dramatic change in defensive principles this offseason. A shift from Rex Ryan to Todd Bowles is merely a change in terminology. Their fronts look relatively similar. The only pressure on Harrison is to convert the language from one coach to another and, according to Harrison, Bowles' way of relaying his defense is a bit more black and white.

"It's the same schemes," he said. "I don't want to say it's the exact same, but it's the same scheme with different verbiage."

 

A coaching change means an adjustment period as teams learn a new system. Todd Bowles and Rex Ryan have similarities as defensive coaches. Both are flexible and adaptable. They like to mix things up out of a lot of different fronts. It is impossible to judge right now how much overlap there is. The effect will be difficult to quantify even once the season starts, but a large degree of overlap does seem like a plus.

 

>   http://www.ganggreennation.com/2015/7/14/8966075/damon-harrison-its-the-same-scheme

[kelly]

 -- To understand why Jets nose tackle Damon Harrison is able to speak this way, one must first pull a graveyard shift at the WalMart in Lake Charles, La.Seven years ago, Harrison was hauling mammoth bags of cat and dog food and stocking them in shelves after he was cut by a junior college football team. It was a promotion from the cosmetics department.

 

Now, he's universally viewed as one of the best nose tackles in football. According to Harrison, he is the best.

 

"If you would have asked me after my first year starting about how I am as a player, I would have given you a humble answer. Not too confident but humble," Harrison told Around The NFL on Tuesday following a training session at Parabolic Performance & Rehabilitation. "But when you ask me now, I feel like I'm the best nose tackle in football. If you look at a nose tackle's job description, nobody does it better than me and I'm confident in saying that."I've watched Vince Wilfork my entire life. Dontari Poe, Haloti Ngata even though he moves around. Paul Soliai, I watch everyone because you can always take something from someone. But it's my time now."

 

Harrison will be one of the more interesting cases in free agency this offseason. The Jets nose tackle is playing this season under a $2.356 million restricted free agent tender, but could find himself in a buyer's market come March. As the league transitions back into a power-oriented game, nose tackles will see a bump in value despite relatively low snap counts. At 33, Vince Wilfork signed a two-year deal with the Houston Texans worth $9 million. More than half the money was guaranteed.Over the last four years and through his work with Parabolic, he's dropped 50 pounds and maintained the weight loss. He also shaved more than a second off his initial 40 time, aiding in a transformation that has him in the best shape of his life heading into his most important season.

 

Helping Harrison is the fact that the Jets did not undergo a dramatic change in defensive principles this offseason. A shift from Rex Ryan to Todd Bowles is merely a change in terminology. Their fronts look relatively similar. The only pressure on Harrison is to convert the language from one coach to another and, according to Harrison, Bowles' way of relaying his defense is a bit more black and white."It's the same schemes," he said. "I don't want to say it's the exact same, but it's the same scheme with different verbiage."It's a good problem to have for a player once so firmly planted on the cut line. Seven years after WalMart and three years after his first NFL snap, he's ready to take another step.

 

Said Harrison: "Times have changed, man."

 

>   http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000501549/article/damon-harrison-i-feel-like-im-the-best-nose-tackle

[kelly]

The pass-happy nature of the NFL has led observers to focus extensively on pass rushers and their sack totals, but championship defenses excel at stopping the run behind the play of a disruptive force on the interior. These defenders often toil in anonymity on game day, but defensive coaches covet the presence of a monster in the middle. While most run stuffers are positioned at the nose tackle spot in a 3-4 or 4-3 scheme, the NFL has seen an influx of 3-technique defensive tackles who blow up opposing ground games.

 

After poring over oodles of All-22 Coaches Film, here is my list of the most destructive run stuffers in the league today :

 

~ ~   4) Damon Harrison, NT, New York Jets

 

It's easy to overlook Harrison on a defensive front that features a pair of spectacular talents in Sheldon Richardson and Muhammad Wilkerson -- not to mention Leonard Williams, the No. 6 overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft -- but coaches around the NFL can't stop raving about the fourth-year pro as one of the league's premier run stuffers. Checking in at 6-4, 350 pounds with exceptional strength, power and hand skills, Harrison is the centerpiece to the Jets' dominant defensive line. He is immovable off the point, yet flashes the agility and athleticism to run-and-chase within the box. Although he doesn't ring up impressive numbers or stand out as a pass rusher, it's possible that Harrison is the most important piece to the Jets' defensive puzzle. Pretty crazy to think he went undrafted in 2012.

 

rest of above article :

> http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000501759/article/ndamukong-suh-marcell-dareus-headline-nfls-top-run-stuffers

[kelly]

more re our " D "...

 

~ ~  Position: Defensive line

Projected starters: Muhammad Wilkerson (DE), Damon Harrison (NT), Leonard Williams (DE).

Projected backups: Leger Douzable, T.J. Barnes, Kevin Vickerson.

 

Notables on the bubble : Stephen Bowen, Deon Simon (seventh-round pick).

 

Player to watch : It was supposed to be a gradual, stress-free transition for Williams, the No. 6 overall pick in the draft, but Sheldon Richardson's four-game suspension for violating the NFL's substance-abuse policy changed that. Now the pressure is on Williams to secure a starting job. Richardson is allowed to practice and play in preseason games, but he goes bye-bye for the first four games of the regular season. Coach Todd Bowles will have to formulate a two-pronged plan in training camp: Give Richardson enough work to stay in shape, but make sure Williams is ready for the opener. You could argue he's the Jets' most-hyped rookie since Mark Sanchez in 2009. The former USC star jumps out because of his size (6-foot-5, 310 pounds) and movement skills; he plays like a 260-pound guy. Only 21, Williams still is a raw talent with skills that need refining, especially his pass rushing technique. Teammates are curious to see how he handles himself when the pads go on.

 

Top storyline: Wilkerson's contract situation will be an ongoing story. Richardson's absence gives him short-term leverage, but a holdout still is unlikely. Under the collective bargaining agreement, a player under contract can be fined $30,000 per day if he doesn't show up for training camp. The team also has the right to dock the player the equivalent of a game check if he misses a preseason game. Wilkerson lost significant leverage when the Jets drafted Williams, but the landscape changed slightly with the Richardson news. The defense would be crippled without Richardson and Wilkerson in Week 1, but is Wilkerson willing to go to the mattresses in a contract war? Wilkerson is due to make $6.97 million, hardly chump change. Presumably, the two sides will negotiate through the preseason, but it will take considerable compromise to get a deal done.

 

Training camp will be a success if ...: Williams nails down Richardson's position. If he does, everybody will be happy and general manager Mike Maccagnan will look like a genius for making what seemed to be a luxury draft pick. If Williams is overwhelmed and can't handle a full-time job, the Jets will take a committee approach. They could rotate their grizzled veterans, with Douzable, Vickerson and Bowen the leading candidates.

 

Wild card: Outside linebacker Quinton Coples. If Williams struggles, they could slide Coples to the defensive line. He's a natural lineman who was comfortable and productive when he replaced an injured Wilkerson for three games late last season.

 

By the numbers: It's a matter of fact: When Harrison is on the field, it's hard to run against the Jets. Opponents averaged only 3.11 yards per rush with Big Snacks in the game, 3.81 when he was on the sideline, according to the NFL. The .70 differential was the highest among starters on the Jets.

 

> http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/52156/jets-dl-preview-important-questions-for-teams-top-unit

[kelly]

Position: Secondary

Projected starters: Darrelle Revis (CB), Antonio Cromartie (CB), Buster Skrine (slot), Calvin Pryor (SS), Marcus Gilchrist (FS).

Projected backups: Darrin Walls, Marcus Williams, Jaiquawn Jarrett, Antonio Allen, Dexter McDougle.

Notables on the bubble: Dee Milliner (PUP candidate), Rontez Miles, Curtis Brown.

 

Player to watch : Pryor expects big things in his second season. After an underwhelming rookie season, the former first-round pick loves the idea that he'll be playing more strong safety than free safety. In 2014, he lined up 80 percent of the time as a free safety. What's the difference? Pryor is more comfortable on the strong side, which allows him to play in the box and be a thumper near the line of scrimmage. That's great, but the league's shift to wide-open passing requires safeties to be versatile. You can't hide a one-dimensional safety in the box. To be an elite player, a la Earl Thomas, Pryor must prove he can play the pass as well as the run.

 

Top storyline: We know what Revis and Cromartie can do. The unknowns (at least in terms of a New York perspective) are the other free-agent additions, Skrine and Gilchrist. They're versatile players who can line up in more than one spot; you can bet Todd Bowles will try to exploit that. Skrine can play inside and outside; Gilchrist can play both safety positions and slot corner. Skrine has better ball skills than Gilchrist who, quite frankly, didn't make many big plays with the San Diego Chargers (five interceptions in four years). Skrine's problem is penalties. He was flagged 15 times last season (11 accepted) with the Cleveland Browns, according to ESPN Stats & Information. Only one player in the league (offensive tackle Demar Dotson) had more penalties (16). To live up to the hype, the secondary needs Skrine and Gilchrist to deliver. Gilchrist's surgically repaired shoulder, which caused him to miss the entire spring, bears watching.

 

Training camp will be a success if ...: The secondary has developed chemistry by opening day. It will be hard to quantify, of course, but the job of the coaching staff is to galvanize the talent. The only player familiar with Bowles' system is Cromartie, who played last season in Arizona. Otherwise, you're talking about new players from different backgrounds, trying to become a cohesive unit.

 

Wild card: Milliner, the ninth overall pick in 2013, is likely to begin training camp on the physically-unable-to-perform list. He could be removed at any time in the preseason, but the Jets won't rush him because of the nature of his injury (a surgically repaired Achilles' tendon) and because of the influx of talent at cornerback. It's hard to believe that only a year ago Milliner was touting himself as the best corner in the league. Oh my. Anything they get out of Milliner this season is a bonus as far as the Jets are concerned. He's signed through 2016, so it's not the end of the road.

 

By the numbers: Here are two stats that epitomized last season's struggles on defense: The Jets had only 13 takeaways, the fewest in the NFL and the fewest in franchise history. They allowed league-high 14 touchdown catches by tight ends. It can only get better, right?

 

> http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/52202/jets-db-preview-new-kind-of-improved-unit-stresses-chemistry

[kelly]

Position: Linebacker

 

Projected starters: David Harris (ILB), Demario Davis (ILB), Quinton Coples (OLB), Calvin Pace (OLB).

Projected backups: Jason Babin, Lorenzo Mauldin, Jamari Lattimore, Trevor Reilly.

Notables on the bubble: Erin Henderson, Joe Mays, IK Enemkpali.

 

Player to watch: Coples finished last season with 3.5 sacks in the final three games, giving him a career-high 6.5 for 2014. Was it a harbinger or just a tease? We'll find out. The former first-round pick is a gifted player, but he usually leaves his coaches wanting more. It's a new coaching staff, so Coples should be motivated to prove he deserves a long-term contract (he's signed through 2016 after the team exercised its fifth-year option). This will be his third season at linebacker, but you will see him a lot in a three-point stance, as usual. There are no more excuses; it's time for Coples to shut up his critics.

 

Top storyline: How long will they stay with the old dudes Pace and Babin? Neither is guaranteed a roster spot. Pace, 34, is coming off a down season in which his sack total (five) dropped by 50 percent from the previous year. His third-down role was reduced, but he still was a solid run defender on first and second down. If he loses that, he'll have little value to the team. For Babin, 35, it's all about getting to the quarterback as a situational pass rusher. The man has 64.5 career sacks, but he managed only two last season in 400-plus defensive snaps. It will be a mild surprise if two guys in their mid-30s make the 53-man roster.

 

Training camp will be a success if ...: One of the young players, perhaps Mauldin, challenges Pace for this starting job. It could be asking a lot because the position isn't easy to learn, which will lead to growing pains, but the tradeoff is having younger, faster legs on the field. Mauldin, a third-round pick, is a high-energy player with size and athleticism.

 

Wild card: Henderson, who signed a one-year, minimum-salary contract, is looking to compete for NFL Comeback Player of the Year. The former Minnesota Vikings starter sat out last season as he battled substance-abuse issues, hoping for another chance. Henderson, 29, was a good player in 2013, before a drinking problem derailed his career. If he can stay sober and regain his old form, the Jets will have an experienced inside linebacker to back up Harris and Davis.

 

By the numbers: Harris and Davis have played a lot of football together. They rank third and sixth in total defensive snaps for inside linebackers over the last two years -- 2,016 and 1,961 snaps, respectively, according to ESPN Stats & Information. They played a lot because former coach Rex Ryan used them on third down. It remains to be seen whether new coach Todd Bowles has a similar philosophy. This is a contract year for Davis, who's ready to have a big year. Harris is back with a new three-year contract.

 

> http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/52192/jets-lb-preview-solid-across-the-board-but-unit-needs-breakout-star

[kelly]

The Jets might be flush with cornerbacks thanks to an offseason overhaul at one of the game’s most pivotal positions, but Todd Bowles is still hoping to get some help from Dee Milliner. The oft-injured former Top 10 pick was limited this spring in his comeback from a season-ending torn Achilles suffered last October, but Bowles remains optimistic that he’ll be physically able to show his skillset to the new coaching staff.“I just hope he’s healthy and he’s able to compete,” Bowles told the Daily News this week. “If he’s healthy, then we can get him to the football stuff. I just hope he’s healthy to give himself a chance.”

 

The Jets acquired Darrelle Revis, Antonio Cromartie and Buster Skrine as part of an offseason makeover of one of the most anemic secondaries in the league last year. Bowles praised Darrin Walls and Marcus Williams this spring, so Milliner, who was the team’s top cornerback entering last year’s training camp, won’t be guaranteed anything.“I don’t have any expectations on him, so I don’t know if it’ll surprise me one way or the other,” Bowles said. “He was a good football player in college. If he gets healthy, he still has a chance to be a football player.”The Jets received inquiries about Milliner’s availability in the wake off the cornerback additions this offseason. The Jets are holding on to him for now to get a better gauge of what he can do when healthy. Bowles said he’s unsure whether the team will place Milliner on the preseason physically unable to perform list after players report to camp on Wednesday.

 

Bowles said that Milliner and running back Stevan Ridley, rehabbing a torn ACL suffered with the Patriots last season, are both candidates for the preseason PUP. (Players can be taken off the preseason PUP at any time and re-join their teams at practice.)“I won’t know that until they get back,” Bowles said of Milliner and Ridley. “That will be something I have to see. I got to see them move around… Running straight ahead usually isn’t a problem. You got to see them move side to side and do those types of things and then you kind of get a gauge on it.”

 

Bowles isn’t the biggest fan of self-promotion, but he didn’t take umbrage with Damon Harrison’s recent claim to NJ.com that he’s the best nose tackle in the NFL.“I think everybody wants to be the best,” Bowles said. “I think if you ask somebody, ‘Who’s the best?’ they’re probably going to say themselves. You can probably ask 90 percent of the league that and they’re going to say themselves. But I know the context that he meant it in. He wants to be the best. He plays hard. He works at it. That’s just him. I have no problem with that.”

 

Bowles wasn’t floored by Brandon Marshall’s recent twitter proclamation that the Jets will be his last stop. The 31-year-old wide receiver likely has enough football left in him to play elsewhere if the Jets part ways with him after the season, but he claims that green-and-white will be his last colors.

“I didn’t make too much of it,” Bowles said. “Brandon’s played a long time. He’s had a great career. Some guys get to the age where they don’t want to move anymore. He still plays at a high level. Just kind of respect what he says.… I understand where he’s coming from.”

 

> http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/jets-hoping-dee-milliner-healthy-compete-job-article-1.2306492

[kelly]

more re our D...

 

~ ~   On the first day of New York Jets' training camp, a lot of eyes were on a defensive lineman with an odd jersey number.

 

Leonard Williams already is hard to overlook due to his 6-foot-5, 302-pound frame and unique hair. But the Jets' rookie also stood out a bit during the opening practice on Thursday with the No. 62 jersey he was wearing."Actually all the [higher] numbers are gone right now and that is what they gave me," Williams said. "That is what I am playing with."If Williams and the Jets have their way,the sixth overall pick out of USC will be standing out early this season with his play more than anything else.Getting reps with the first team, Williams hopes to show that he can fill the massive void the Jets' defense will have in the first four games of the season without the suspended Sheldon Richardson.And considering that news came out late Thursday that Richardson has been charged with resisting arrest after a July 14 incident in which police say he was driving a car engaged in a high-speed road race near his home in St. Louis, Williams' progression becomes even more vital.

 

"He'll get a bunch of snaps at it," head coach Todd Bowles said of whether Williams will get the majority of Richardson's first-team snaps before the Richardson' resisting arrest news emerged later in the day. "I mean we have [Leger] Douzable, [stephen] Bowen and we have [Kevin] Vickerson. We have a bunch of guys that will get reps. But Leonard, we'll take a long look at him."Like any rookie in his first training camp practice, Williams had some moments he would rather have back. He was pushed backward onto the ground on one running play by right guard Dakota Dozier during practice which was not in full pads."There were just a few times where they coached me up and said I have a good initial get off and punch," Williams said of the feedback he heard on Day 1. "But there were a few times where I didn't run my feet and my feet didn't follow and I fell down like two times."

 

"[The] biggest challenge is getting adjusted to the speed, learning the communication and just bonding with my teammates. Now that I am out there with the ones, I just got to learn to communicate with everybody."Williams was considered almost a luxury when the Jets drafted him in the first round. But now with Richardson's future perhaps a bit hazier with the latest off-the-field incident, Williams could find himself playing a key role from the start.The USC product said that he did think about his role increasing when he heard news of Richardson's four-game suspension for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy."Whether what happened to Richardson happened or not, I was still coming to camp with the same mindset to work and see where I fit in and try to earn a spot on the field as soon as possible," Williams said before news emerged of Richardson's July 14 incident.

 

Williams said Richardson, who practiced with the second team, was keeping a close eye on the rookie and offering pointers throughout the day."Strong, physical guy," defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson said Williams."Of course he got some things to work on. We all do.It is the first day.Looking forward to playing with him,definitely."With more first-team reps, Williams could eventually impress. And perhaps that might lead to a new jersey number and perhaps a starting job for at least the first four games of the season."Going into rookie camp, I was kind of nervous," Williams said. "After going through OTA's and mini camp, it definitely built my confidence up a little bit. I've only been here for a few months and had a few practices. There's still so much that I have to prove to myself and teammates and coaches before I go in full of confidence this season."

 

"The first day of camp went well for me and I want to go into film and fix those missed assignments and hopefully have guys like Sheldon Richardson and Muhammad Wilkerson still help me out and coach me up on those things."

 

>  http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/52503/leonard-williams-works-with-first-team-on-first-day-of-camp

[kelly]

-- It's early August, the New York Jets haven't even played a preseason game yet. But the team's swagger, at least on defense, is in midseason form.

 

Cornerback Antonio Cromartie spoke with the media for the first time this Tuesday & predicted opposing quarterbacks are going to have their hands full in 2015. "Honestly, there's not gonna be a lot of time to drop back and throw the ball, or take a five-step drop and throw the ball," Cromartie said. "You see how quick we're moving now -- things are gonna get even quicker when the games pick up."Cromartie is back with the Jets after spending the 2014 season with the Arizona Cardinals, where his defensive coordinator was Todd Bowles.Bowles, of course, is now the head coach of the Jets, and he spoke highly of Cromartie on Tuesday after getting a chance to work with him last season."I didn't know the work ethic, the way he studies film during the season," Bowles said. "Game week, come Monday he's already got a jump on the opponent. Because I didn't know the person, I didn't know how professional he was and the way he carries himself. And I thought that was outstanding."

 

Cromartie played for the Jets from 2010 to 2013 under former coach Rex Ryan, and made the Pro Bowl twice during that stretch. But he sounds excited to play in Bowles' system in his second stint in New York."It's fun," Cromartie said. "Honestly, it should be [more] fun for the front seven than it is for the secondary, because we're gonna be in a lot of Cover 1. But from the standpoint of Rex's defense, a lot of guys played two-gap schemes. This defense is totally different. You can get more pressure on the quarterback, you're gonna get more stuff on the run because you've got guys just flying to the ball."Cromartie isn't the only new face in the Jets' secondary this season. Six-time Pro Bowler Darrelle Revis is back in the fold. Free safety Marcus Gilchrist is a free-agent addition as well, and strong safety Calvin Pryor is only entering his second year in the league.

 

It's a new group, under a new coach, but Cromartie is very pleased with the communication between the players in the secondary right now."Honestly it's actually pretty good -- even better than I thought it was gonna be coming into training camp," he said.You'll see this group in action for the first time a week from Thursday, against the Detroit Lions in the preseason opener. But one thing you probably won't see is Cromartie lining up on offense, something the Jets had experimented with in previous years."Nah, I'm done with that," Cromartie said, chuckling. "I'm getting too old to play both ways."

 

>  http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/52699/antonio-cromartie-highly-confident-in-jets-defense

[kelly]

— Lorenzo Mauldin walked into the Jets' facility on Wednesday, preparing for his first NFL training camp. It was report day at Jets camp, and Mauldin, their third-round draft pick, was about to begin his professional football career in earnest. Then the Jets' outside linebackers coach, Mark Collins, approached Mauldin. This wasn't unusual, since Collins is Mauldin's position coach. But what Collins told Mauldin caught him off-guard: The coaching staff, during camp, would lock in Mauldin as a strong-side linebacker. 

 

During spring practices, Mauldin worked at both outside linebacker spots, strong side and rush linebacker. The coaches wanted to see what he did well. He played primarily defensive end at Louisville, so you'd think he'd be better suited to play rush linebacker, instead of on the strong side, which demands more coverage. "Yeah, I asked myself that question, too," Mauldin said of his surprised reaction to Collins' news. "My strength is to rush. Why drop back into more coverage ? " 

 

Collins told Mauldin the coaches want to look toward the future at the strong-side linebacker position, where the starter, Calvin Pace, is about turn 35. If the Jets cut Pace after camp, it would cost them next to nothing — just $125,000 in dead money against their salary cap. But at this point, after five camp practices, Mauldin doesn't envision himself seriously challenging Pace for the starting job coming out of camp. "I wouldn't say I'm challenging him," Mauldin said. "Calvin has way more experience than I do. Of course, they'll probably want to put him out there, just to have him out there, so I can learn more." 

 

Mauldin expects to spell Pace during games, to give the 13th-year veteran some rest. But Mauldin isn't thinking about taking Pace's job.  "I wouldn't want to jump in front of him," Mauldin said. "I'm still in the learning phase, so I can't just jump in front of someone that knows what to do. If I go out there and I mess up, then it's going downhill." Mauldin believes the Jets' coaches see him as more than just a situational pass rusher, and that's also why they assigned him to the strong-side spot. "That's how I took it," he said. "I don't want to be a situational [rusher], because I'm stout enough to stop the run, too, and be on the strong side of the defense." In order to not botch this transition to strong-side linebacker, Mauldin must learn how to play coverage. When he played as stand-up linebacker at Louisville, he said he almost always rushed, and rarely dropped into coverage. "I probably dropped like three or four times at Louisville," Mauldin said. "I really didn't understand [coverage] at that point."

 

Now, becoming a better coverage linebacker involves "understanding where my eyes need to be," he said.For instance, if he is responsible for handling the tight end in a certain coverage, Mauldin can't let his eyes stray to other motioning players in the offensive formation. Mastering this eye discipline is Mauldin's main focus early in camp. He thinks the physical part of covering in space won't be a problem for him.  What is one thing Todd Bowles didn't know about Cromartie?New York Jets head coach Todd Bowles talks about cornerback Antonio Cromartie and how "he talks a lot" after training camp practice. Florham Park ,NJ 8/4/15 (Video by Amanda Marzullo | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

"Back pedaling?" he said. "It comes natural. That comes with talent or whatever. But your feet have to follow your eyes. Back pedaling and sprinting and actually running to a spot, that just comes natural. I guess they want to see me move more in space [with this position assignment]. I'm fast enough to move in space."

 

Your feet have to follow your eyes.This sure sounds like a parroted coaching point Mauldin has heard a few times. "I've heard it a couple times," Mauldin said with a smile. During the spring, Collins said Mauldin "doesn't concern me in space," so even then, it seemed the coaches felt OK about asking Mauldin play coverage. Mauldin said he's "an open book" for getting advice from Pace — something Mauldin considers a "very intriguing" experience. Pace sometimes approaches Mauldin during practice and corrects his mistakes. If Mauldin notices his own mistake, he'll ask Pace what he should've done. "He's very open to me," Mauldin said. "I feel like he wants to see me succeed, as an older guy, getting close to his time of getting out of the NFL." And so it begins for Mauldin, learning a new role during his rookie season, as the future awaits. 

 

"I've been getting better out here in coverage," he said. "I'm understanding the concept of the coverage aspect. [The coaches] see that I'm getting better and better at it, and it's something to look forward to." 

 

> http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/08/jets_rookie_lorenzo_mauldin_now_a_full-time_strong.html

[kelly]

-- Darrelle Revis is a star on Sundays -- everybody can see that -- but it's what he does Monday to Saturday that makes him special.

 

He's one of the first to arrive in the morning and one of the last to leave at night. He might as well show up with construction boots and a lunch pail because he approaches his job with an everyman mentality, always grinding.Bill Parcells once said the reason he signed Curtis Martin was because he relished the idea of knowing his best player also would be the hardest worker on the team, a rare combination that sets an example for the rest of the roster. It's a similar dynamic with Revis, whose impact off the field has exceeded the expectations of the New York Jets.

 

What follows is an inside look at the Revis most people don't get to see, based on the views of five people who see the Pro Bowl cornerback every day :

 

Todd Bowles, in his first season with the Jets, always admired Revis from afar. Now he knows what makes him tick."He has a young spirit. He plays like he's 23 years old. Everybody plays for a different reason and they make a lot of money, but he truly loves the game. He takes care of his body. He understands what he has to do, stretching-wise. He gets in the trainer's room and he treats his body like a temple. His mindset is rare and it helps our team gain a mental toughness."He doesn't flinch if things are in dire straits or if things are going well. He's the same all the time. He's proud of his work. He demands everything he does at that position to be the best -- not to please everyone else, but for himself. Mental toughness is something you have to have, and he's got it. That's rare."I always heard stories about him, about how everybody loved him, but I didn't get to see it until now. He's one of the guys. He doesn't see himself as any bigger or better than anyone else, but when you want to challenge him, he's going to step up to the challenge. He has kept himself grounded. His demeanor is the same as it was when he came out of college."

 

The Rookie

 

Safety Durell Eskridge, an undrafted free agent, is the only rookie in the Jets' secondary."I've been getting calls and texts since I got to the Jets -- from my Syracuse teammates, from guys at home, from players on my high-school team. Everybody wants to to know, 'What's it like to play with Revis and [Antonio] Cromartie?' I always tell them, 'It's a great opportunity. They teach you how to be pros.' They don't take one day off, not one bit."Revis is a student of the game. No, let me change that. He's a professional of the game. He studies film. He's a film guy. He knows routes. He knows route combinations. He knows the different releases that receivers are going to take. He's a smart guy, along with how good a player he is. That's what makes him so special."He's a guy I always wanted to grow up and be like. I never thought I'd ever get a chance to play with him. I thought he'd be retired by the time I got here. It's a dream come true. The first couple of days, sitting [in the meeting room] and watching these guys, you're like, 'I can't believe I'm in the same room as him and Cro.' I'm working with my role models. Like I said, it's a dream come true."[Revis] is a humble guy, he's to himself, but he speaks up. Him and Cro talk a lot in the room. They're the leaders of the room. They're talking a lot, but not as much as us young guys, because we're asking questions -- the questions they already know. They're correcting us -- the questions we ask and the mistakes we're making on the field."

 

The Homey

 

Safety Rontez Miles grew up in the Pittsburgh area, as did Revis. They played in the same public-school league, four years apart."Funny story: On my recruiting day, on my official visit to Pitt, he was supposed to show up to Dave & Busters [as a host]. But he didn't show. I was really looking forward to meeting him. I never imagined he'd be my teammate in the NFL."I've seen so many amazing things from him. His patience as a cornerback is one of the hardest things to do. He never seems rattled. He never seems scared or worried. It's just amazing to see him work out there. He's a hard worker. No matter what it is -- extra film work, you name it -- he's willing to do it. Just watching him practice, his feet and his ability to cover -- even at his age -- it's crazy, man."We'll be in meetings, watching film, and the ball will be nowhere near his side. You'll see guys in the room, whispering, 'Man, oh, man.' Here's what I mean: The quarterback will roll in the other direction and [Revis] knows the ball isn't coming to him. He's still white on rice. He's covering the man like the ball is coming to him every single play. He doesn't take a play off -- ever."His pre-snap reads are amazing. He knows what he's about to get before the snap of the ball. A lot of people probably don't realize that. It puts him in the best position. He knows the route based on certain formations and where they are on the field ... and he takes it away immediately. He takes away half the work just by his alignment."He is who he is. To watch him do it consistently, every day, that's the type of player I want to be one day. It's not just Monday or Thursday. Throughout the whole week, he's Revis."

 

The Old Coach

 

Retired coach Mike Westhoff was an NFL assistant for 30 years, coaching special teams for the Miami Dolphins and Jets. He worked for the Jets during Revis' first tour with the team, 2007 to 2012. Westhoff, an ESPN radio analyst, has been observing practice this week."I've been around some great players, including [Dan] Marino, and I can say that Revis works as hard in practice as any player I've ever seen. He wants to win on every play. I remember when Rex [Ryan] used to have the defensive walk-through. Rex played quarterback and he'd throw his passes. Revis wouldn't let Rex complete any passes even in his little walk-through."Watching practice, I've noticed that Revis is the only guy, when he gets called for a penalty, who goes up to the officials and asks for an explanation. Instead of yelling and complaining, he wants to know why he got called. That tells me a lot about him."If you're grading practice, he'd get a 93, 94 maybe a 98. He never loses. He hates to lose. The really, really good ones -- the great ones, like Peyton Manning -- they have that mentality. If I had to pick a singular reason for New England winning the Super Bowl, it would be [Revis]. He allowed them to play a style of defense they hadn't played in 10 years. They're going to miss him."

 

The General Manager

 

Mike Maccagnan, in one of his first moves with the Jets, signed Revis to a five-year, $70 million contract.

"Obviously, we thought he was one of the best players in free agency. Everybody we spoke to about him, they all said the same thing: a very good worker and a pro's pro. I probably underestimated what an influence he'd have on [the defensive backs]. We knew he was a guy we'd want to get back in here, but the way he has imparted that positive energy, not just as a player, but his persona ... his work ethic ... We expected it when we signed him, but I probably underestimated how impactful he'd be."The first few days, we saw Brandon [Marshall] match up with Cro. They had a very good dialogue; they were chirping back and forth. Then it got around to Revis and Brandon, and I felt when that happened, it was a different sort of level. Obviously, it was a very good matchup, very exciting to see, but just the feeling at practice -- I don't know, it was just an organic thing."It's his presence on the field. It's kind of weird. There's more confidence in the group. I wasn't here last year, but just sensing it, that's something that really comes through. It's hard to quantify. There's just a different feeling out there. I knew he was one of the better players in recent Jets history, but Revis has impacted the whole group. In reality, in the previous season, they had a lot of struggles back there. Now, all of a sudden, it's a whole different game."

 

>   http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/52759/what-makes-darrelle-revis-great-lets-pull-back-the-curtain

[kelly]

Whether he is hunting the man with the ball in his hands, or walking around his Morristown, N.J., digs wearing something other than his green-and-white 62 jersey, Leonard Williams stands out in a crowd, and it is virtually impossible to keep your eyes off him.Of course, there aren’t many 6-foot-5, 310-pound young men nicknamed Big Cat with hair sprouting from the top of their head, and that is why he is recognized once he leaves the Atlantic Health Training Center.“Yeah, more often than I want to,” Williams said politely. “It’s definitely the hair.”Then he laughs. This isn’t a complaint from this gentle giant, merely an observation.“They’re all nice, yeah,” Williams said, “but it’s just that sometimes I’m sitting down eating dinner and then like a person comes up to me and takes a picture, but then even if the other people don’t recognize me, once they see someone take a picture of me, everyone starts doing a picture, you know, so that’s why I can’t sit down and enjoy my meal sometimes.”

 

He had better get used to it.

 

If he isthe star everyone expects himto be,once BigCat grows into BigLion,it might behoove him to consult with Odell Beckham Jr. about the trappings of celebrity and the loss of privacy that comes with it.Because one man’s pain is another man’s gain; the suspended Sheldon Richardson is forced to watch the first-round draft pick take his spot with the 1s on the defensive line.“Once I found out about it, I knew that there was going to be pressure on me, but I try not to listen to everything outside and I try to just to come to work every day and listen to what the D-linemen tell me, listen to what my coaches are telling me and just watch film and just get better every day,” Williams said.“I think I could definitely make an impact and help out the team and prove to the coaches that they made the right choice by picking me. I think I’ll be able to judge after our first preseason game.”

 

Nick Mangold likens him to a young Muhammad Wilkerson.“He’s very similar to Mo — Mo’s got similar strength and speed burst,” Mangold said. “Obviously Mo, his technique is much better, but I’m sure with time, Leonard’s will come.”Outside linebacker Trevor Reilly recalls Big Cat dominating his Utah team.“He was at [uSC], I think he was only a freshman or sophomore — he was a man among boys in college,” Reilly said. “He tore us up. And every game I watched on film, he pretty much was the best player on the field. He has the ability to change direction extremely fast. You don’t see too many guys that big with that kind of weight moving that quickly. Him and Muhammad, very similar bodies. But the one thing about Leonard ishe’s 21,which isjust crazy to thinkabout.He’s got thewhole world in his palm basically.” Williams likes watching J.J. Watt.“I see myself as like a relentless player,” Williams said. “I play pretty aggressively. I also have a lot of size and speed for my position. I don’t know. … Just a hard worker, I guess.”

 

Working hard to be great. Not necessarily the next J.J. Watt.“I just want to be Leonard Williams, and hopefully I’ll be better than that,” Big Cat said. “I want to be the best that I can be. Hopefully one day I’ll be the best D-lineman out there. I’m just going to work every day for that.”He can play all over the defensive line.“I did the same thing in college,” Williams said. “I prefer it that way, because you don’t get used to one position and one type of get-off and one type of technique and all that type of stuff. Moving around a lot I think confuses the offense sometimes.

 

”There isn’t an NFL quarterback who is not on his list.“I want to get as much sacks as possible,” Williams said. “It’s my rookie year. I think it’s awesome playing against a lot of quarterbacks that I grew up watching. It’s going to be crazy getting sacks in a big stage like that. Every quarterback I play against I want to sack.”He sang an Usher song for the veterans last week.“I forget what it’s called, but it starts off [begins singing, snaps fingers], ‘It’s 7 o’clock, on the dot … I forget how it goes,” Williams said of “Nice and Slow.”

 

How was it received ?

 

“I mean, it was pretty funny, like some of the guys were snapping along with me and stuff like that, and then at the end, they were all like, ‘Boooo,’ like I had to sit down,” Big Cat said, and chuckled.He turned 21 on June 20. He is asked if he got his driver’s license.

 

“Yes, sir,” Williams said.

 

Just got it ?

 

“Yes, sir.”

 

And when he gets his car … tinted windows, please.

 

> http://nypost.com/2015/08/07/jets-camera-shy-top-pick-eyes-being-better-than-j-j-watt/

[kelly]

Buster Skrine wanted to be Darrelle Revis. He wanted to be Antonio Cromartie. This was years ago, when he was a promising young defensive back in Georgia, watching them make a name for themselves in the NFL, hoping to follow in their footsteps one day.

 

“Those were the guys I looked up to,” Skrine said.

 

These days, he’s their teammate, part of an overhauled secondary that hopes to go from one of the league’s worst to possibly its best. The way Skrine sees it, opposing passing attacks should be wary of them.“Knowing they both signed, I knew we had the potential to be the best secondary in the NFL,” the 5-foot-9 Skrine said. “We can be the best group of defensive backs, best group of corners, we can be the best in the NFL. We have the potential to do it.“Everybody’s going to know. It’s no secret. We’re coming at them almost every play and we’re playing man-to-man. We’ve got elite talent on our defense.”

 

The offseason couldn’t have worked out any better for Skrine, who left Cleveland after four solid seasons with the Browns after they selected him in the fifth round of the 2011 NFL Draft out of the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga. He got his money — a four-year, $25 million deal from the Jets — and gets to join two of his idols in the team’s defensive backfield.He was the first newcomer to the revamped secondary. Revis and Cromartie followed, giving the Jets a potentially dominant cornerback trio. He couldn’t have been happier.Watching Revis has been eye-opening, seeing how calm he is at all times, his body almost always in control. Skrine wants to work that into his physical game.“Being able to pick their brains, talking to them in meetings and stuff like that, you can’t get that anywhere else,” Skrine said. “It’s a special feeling, just because I’ve seen those guys playing [when I was in high school]. I looked up to them and now I’m right there with them.”

 

Skrine, at 26 years old just entering his prime, comes to the Jets following his best year as a pro, a four-interception, 18-passes defensed, 55-tackle season. The Jets haven’t had a game yet — their preseason opener is Thursday in Detroit against the Lions — but Skrine, fast, physical and smart, has already opened eyes with his work ethic. He doesn’t practice like a guy who just got his big pay day.“The biggest thing about Buster is he comes to work every day,” first-year Jets coach Todd Bowles said. “He grinds. He tries to be perfect every day. He’s one of the hardest working guys out there. You don’t know that about a guy coming in.“Practice habits tell you a lot about him. He’s humble, he’s hungry. He can play inside and outside, and so far he’s been a delight.”The one downside? He was whistled for 15 penalties — seven for pass interference, six for defensive holding — and 11 of them were accepted. Skrine attributed it to the Browns’ secondary’s press style, which the Jets also plan to utilize.

 

“It’s something I can clean up,” he allowed.

 

He will begin as the Jets’ No. 1 slot defensive back, which isn’t foreign territory. According to ESPN, Skrine played 655 snaps on the outside and 308 in the slot. He even lined up at safety for 119 snaps and played the second-most snaps on defense of anyone on the Browns.Skrine made it clear he wants to start — who doesn’t? — but he also understands he was brought in to play all over the field, where his versatility can be a major asset. He’s more than content with that role.“I just want to help anyway I can,” Skrine said. “They took care of me and my family. I’m here to take care of the Jets, play my best.”

 

“I compete. I don’t care how big a reciever is, how fast he is. I compete every play.”

 

>  http://nypost.com/2015/08/09/third-wheel-in-the-jets-secondary-thrilled-to-play-with-his-idols/

 

[kelly]

Harris: 'It's Grind Mode'

Jets ILB Says Team Ready to Roll with Fitzpatrick

 

video..

>  http://www.newyorkjets.com/videos/videos/Harris-Its-Grind-Mode/c6ab0841-9b04-4430-b8ee-d140f758bc3c

[kelly]

Coples Learning a New Language

 

video..

>  http://www.newyorkjets.com/videos/videos/Coples-Learning-a-New-Language-/8e578817-8446-4957-ba1e-2019c29cc393

[kelly]

Quinton Coples smiles broadly, like the Cheshire Cat, every time he discusses his new role with the Jets. He has a twinkle in his eye and a “just wait” attitude.

After being used more in coverage the past two seasons by former head coach Rex Ryan, the Jets outside linebacker said he expects to return to his pass-rushing roots this season.“It’s great. I think it’s a new opportunity to rush the passer, something I’m passionate about,” Coples said recently. “I’m pretty happy with the role I’ve got and the position I play on this defense.”Coples is so confident about the way he has been told he will be utilized in new head coach Todd Bowles’ system he predicted double-digit sacks.“Ten isn’t good enough,” he said with a cocky smile. “Got to keep going, the highest of the highest. Whatever number is possible.

“Sky is the limit.”

Coples emphasized he will do whatever is asked, and he did get exposed in coverage during Friday night’s preseason victory over the Falcons. He was beat on a short reception by running back Collin Mooney, who turned it into a 60-yard gain. Afterward, Bowles absolved Coples of blame, saying a miscommunication allowed Mooney to get free.“I still do cover,” Coples said. “I have a lot less responsibility of covering. We have a great secondary, so they don’t really need me as much — if at all.”After all, now that Darrelle Revis, Antonio Cromartie and Buster Skrine have been added to the secondary, it could be one of the league’s best.Coples hasn’t been a bust since the Jets selected him in the first round (16th overall) of the 2012 draft out of North Carolina, but he hasn’t been a boom, either. He has failed to produce more than 6.5 sacks in a season. He has shown flashes, but has lacked consistency.He was ranked 39th among 46 of the league’s 3-4 outside linebackers by Pro Football Focus — 27th as a pass rusher, 17th in coverage, and 42nd against the run. Those numbers were somewhat down compared to his first year at outside linebacker, when PFF ranked him 31st overall, 38th as a pass rusher, 22nd in coverage and 18th against the run.But, it should be noted, Coples was used more in coverage last season because the Jets were so weak in the secondary. He was asked to line up outside and bump wide receivers.

Shortly after the new staff was hired, Coples spoke with Bowles and defensive coordinator Kacy Rodgers. They both told him they planned to use him on the line of scrimmage much more.“I kind of missed that the past couple of years,” he said. “I was there for the team. It feels good to be back in a natural position that you’re good at.”Coples has a lot riding on this season, which could be his last with the Jets. If he doesn’t take a significant step forward, the team could cut him at no cost, and save the $7.8 million he is due on the final year of the fifth-year option in his rookie contract. The presence of impressive — yet raw — third-round pick Lorenzo Mauldin could make Coples expendable.Coples, however, said he isn’t thinking that far down the line.“I’ve just got to go out and do my job, be productive and help this team,” he said. “If I’m not helping the team win or getting to our goal, which is the Super Bowl, I’m defeating the purpose of everything.

“I understand the business side. If that day comes [when the Jets don’t bring him back], you make the adjustments.”

>  http://nypost.com/2015/08/23/jets-coples-is-unleashed-and-predicting-huge-sack-totals/?ref=yfp

[kelly]

Skrine : 'We Can Be a Special Group'

Jets Continue to Work on Chemistry in the Defensive Backfield

 

video..

> http://www.newyorkjets.com/videos/videos/Skrine-We-Can-Be-a-Special-Group/4c43081c-1281-4304-a380-e0d41bc6c2f9

[kelly]

Dexter McDougle saw a formation in Wednesday’s practice that confused him. So, the second-year cornerback did what he has done all summer in this situation: He scanned the field for No. 24.Darrelle Revis soon explained to him what the coverage was and what his assignment is in that situation and McDougle was on his way.“You can just tell his game is at a different level,” McDougle said a few minutes later.

“You can tell he’s seen everything. He has a lot of knowledge of the game. Sometimes when he’s out there it looks like he’s playing in slow motion. He really just sees everything. He has a good understanding of what he’s going to get from certain receivers, certain formations. He’s a competitor. He’s a real pro and you can see that.”The Jets gave Revis a five-year, $70 million contract with $39 million guaranteed in March for several reasons. First, he’s still the best cornerback in the game. Second, he gave the franchise credibility again with a legit star in the building. But the Jets’ brass also hoped Revis could rub off on the young defensive backs in their locker room.In 2013 and ’14, the Jets used first-round picks on cornerback Dee Milliner and safety Calvin Pryor, respectively. They took cornerback Dexter McDougle in the third round in 2014. The players all had talent, but no one was there to teach them how to be a pro.

Enter Revis.

“ just lead by example,” Revis said. “If guys want to ask questions I’m always open. Sometimes I might see something technique-wise that maybe I can give them a couple of pointers. For the most part, I just try to lead by example.”

People around the Jets have seen a difference in Revis’ second stint with the team. He is opening up more and trying to bring guys along. You see it on the sideline at practice, where he is showing techniques and always talking to the younger guys. Maybe that is because he has younger defensive backs in the meeting room with him now than during his first run with the team. Maybe it has to do with turning 30 last month and taking on more of a mentoring role. It also could have to do with what he learned over the last two seasons in Tampa Bay and New England.“[I’m] a little bit smarter,” Revis said when asked how he is different at 30 than 22 or 23. “I think that just comes with you growing as a football player and the experiences I’ve had and the years I had here and going other places as well. I took a big learning curve going to other places and being under different coaches. When I was 22, those years were great, too. At the same time, I think you’re running with your head cut off like a chicken.”

Revis always has practiced like no one else. He is relentless. He does not want one pass completed on him. He used to prevent Rex Ryan from completing a pass during the team’s walkthrough when the coach played quarterback. Early in camp, Geno Smith tucked the ball and ran. The defenders froze because you can’t hit the quarterback (insert IK Enemkpali joke here). Smith took off like he was going for the end zone. Revis ran 30 yards downfield and got in front of Smith, not allowing him to get by.Pryor and McDougle have even started wearing sweat pants and long sleeves to practice like Revis.“He just goes about his business and wants to get the job done,” Pryor said. “That’s something I’ve picked up from him. You can’t be all talk. You have to put in the work in the film room and out here on the field. I’m starting to see that and pick up on those tendencies and see how he does things. I’m just trying to follow in his footsteps.”The greatest impact Revis will have on the Jets this year is shutting down wide receivers such as the Colts’ T.Y. Hilton in Week 2 or the Giants’ Odell Beckham Jr. in Week 13. Yet his impact could last longer than what he does in uniform if he gets through to Pryor, Milliner and others to help them become longtime contributors.

“He’s going to make us better as players,” Pryor said, “and at the same time teach us how to be professionals and go about our business.”

> http://nypost.com/2015/08/27/the-hidden-intangible-darrelle-revis-brings-to-jets/

[kelly]

The Sunday notes -- a look at what's going on around the New York Jets  :

1. All 3-4 defenses aren't created equal: The Jets have played a 3-4 base since 2006, when Eric Mangini replaced Herm Edwards, but the current scheme is different from the previous two incarnations. Under Todd Bowles, they will use eight-man spacing in the box, meaning it's a one-gap system. Translation: Each of the eight players, including a safety, is responsible for only one gap. Rex Ryan did things a little different, often employing seven-man spacing and a two-gap system, according to players. Ryan actually used a hybrid, mixing both concepts, whereas Mangini ran an old-school 3-4, a pure two-gap scheme.The new approach hasn't generated much buzz outside the team -- granted, it's kind of technical -- but I can tell you this: The players love the Bowles way. Linebacker Demario Davis told me, "It allows you to run free a lot more, play a little faster because you don't have to worry about playing two gaps. You have one gap. It opens you up to play a lot faster."Linebacker David Harris took it a step further, predicting the change will be most noticeable on the defensive line. He said, "Guys like Mo (Wilkerson) and Sheldon (Richardson) can come off the ball. I think you'll see a lot of TFLs" -- meaning tackles for loss.The downside to Bowles' system is that it leaves the cornerbacks in single coverage, but that's why they spent big bucks on Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie. You can't play the system without corners who can play press-man coverage.The happy talk sounds good. Now all they have to do is ... you know, do it.

2. In it to win it: The Jets have the second-highest cash payroll in the NFL at $173.5 million, according to OvertheCap.com. They trail only the San Diego Chargers ($177.6 million), who moved into the top spot after re-upping with Philip Rivers. Make no mistake, this is not a rebuilding year for the Jets.

3. Diamond in the backfield: The Jets have a lot of big names and big salaries, but one of the most respected players in the locker room -- this may surprise you -- is Bilal Powell. He doesn't have a glittering resume, but he's a diligent worker who executes his assignments. He's a tough dude with no ego. He just shows up and does his job, and that carries a lot of weight among his teammates. Willie Colon told me, "Bilal is the hidden gem. He's the most underrated guy on our team, maybe the NFL. I've never seen him make a mistake."Wow, that's lofty praise. The coaches trust Powell, one of the reasons why he's the third-down back. They know he won't get the quarterback killed by blowing up a blitz pickup. Bowles, too, has spoken highly of Powell, who, like his running mate Chris Ivory, will be a free agent after the season.

4. The third wheel and his wheels: Revis is one of the most accomplished cornerbacks in recent history, but he's a bit envious of one particular teammate: Buster Skrine, the Jets' No. 3 corner. Revis said of Skrine, "Buster, he's awesome. He's probably the best corner we have in terms of footwork, change of speed and change of direction." Skrine might have great feet, but he has to watch his hands. He was penalized 15 times last season for the Cleveland Browns (11 accepted), and that's simply too many.

5. The wisdom of Bart: I haven't always agreed with Bart Scott over the years, but I think the former Jets linebacker-turned-CBS-analyst is right on with his comments about the Geno Smith/IK Enemkpali altercation over $600. Scott told the New York Post, "I’ve never heard anyone get into it with the quarterback. In my opinion, if you put Mark Sanchez into that same situation and he couldn’t make it to the charity event or whatever happened, what a quarterback is supposed to do is to give you your $600 and donate $1,000 to your charity. That’s what a leader does. Maybe Geno is too young in the process to understand that and he has to mature more.”I can add this: Sanchez, I'm told, absorbed the cost of many unused plane tickets while hosting his "Jets West" camp for teammates in 2010 and 2011. And you never heard anything about it.It's not a host thing, it's a quarterback thing. As Scott said, Smith should've used the ATM in the players' lounger to repay Enemkpali.

6. Revisionist history: Upon arriving at his new gig with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Michael Vick suggested to reporters the Jets pulled a switcheroo on him last season. He said, “Last year took a lot of adjusting and, I admit, I didn’t do it as well as I wanted to because, in my mind, the position I was in was supposed to be different."Say what? From Day 1, Vick's mantra was, "I know what I signed up for," saying he expected to serve as Smith's backup. It was Vick, more than team officials, who downplayed any notion of an open competition. To his credit, he did so without complaining. Now he's saying it was supposed to be different? Maybe it could've been different if he hadn't mailed in the season. He was never emotionally invested in the Jets, perhaps because he knew he had no shot to unseat Smith.

7. The Todd Effect: You've heard this a thousand times: Teams reflect the personality of their head coach. Here's a perfect example.During the run-up to last year's preseason game against the New York Giants, the Jets did a lot of chirping. This was Colon: "At the end of the day, that's our house and we consider it our house. There's only one way to solve it. That's to win it and beat them." This year, Colon and his teammates took a watered-down approach with their comments. That they face the Giants in the regular season probably had something to do with it, but the change in coaching philosophy also was a factor. Bowles doesn't get caught up in the trash-talk scene, preferring the "every-game-is-the-same" mantra. It's boring, but it ultimately will be more effective than screaming.

8. Churning the roster: The Jets have made only 14 transactions since Aug. 1. By comparison, the New England Patriots have made 31. What does it mean? I don't know. Just thought it was kind of interesting.

9. Nick Mangold, crime stopper: The Pro Bowl center has received a lot of publicity for calling 911 last Sunday morning, when burglars were trying to break into his car at his home in Chatham, New Jersey. The suspects, believed to be responsible for a crime spree in the area, were apprehended by police."Shoot, I remembered three digits and was able to punch them into a phone," said Mangold, downplaying his role. "The fine men and women in uniform did their jobs." The car alarm, he said, "woke my son up, which woke my wife up, which woke me up -- a chain of events. Saw the garage door open, which was kind of a scary thought with kids in the house. Luckily, I had a phone right there and dialed 911. The police officers did the heavy lifting."

>   http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/53517/subtle-defensive-change-could-lead-to-more-big-plays-for-jets

[kelly]

EA Challenge: Skrine Schools Reporter

Buster Teaches Man Press, Off-Coverage Techniques

 

video..

> http://www.newyorkjets.com/videos/videos/EA-Challenge-Skrine-Schools-Reporter/faa82337-1b6d-4177-b0c0-5c8d901c5760

[kelly]

Running on about three hours of sleep, New York Jets safety Ronald Martin doesn't care about the time change or the obvious fatigue as he practiced with his new team on Monday for the first time. 

Claimed off waivers from the Seattle Seahawks, Martin found out on Sunday morning in a phone conversation with his agent that the Jets were interested in claiming him off waivers.After he was claimed off waivers, he arrived at Newark International Airport at 1:00 A.M. on Monday morning following a cross-continental flight and was at the team hotel an hour later. Then an hour after that he said he fell asleep. It was admittedly not a very good sleep.

He got about three hours of shut-eye before waking up and being over at the team facility by 6:30 A.M. for breakfast and to begin to study the playbook.. "It's been a fast process. Just looking to embrace it," Martin told Metro on Monday."Can't wait to get back to football and help my new team. It's a different challenge and definitely embrace it like I said. At the end of the day it's about football." He said he'll stay after team meetings on Monday afternoon to get more playbook study time but "I definitely will be getting to bed early." 

Given the depth of the vaunted Seahawks secondary, Martin is finding himself in pretty good shape with the Jets. In fact, the team cut third-year safety Rontez Miles to make room for him on the roster. Miles had a very good training camp and looked comfortable last Thursday in the preseason finale; it was a surprise to see him not make the 53-man roster given his growth and development. 

Head coach Todd Bowles on Monday praised Martin for his awareness and that they liked what they saw of him on film. He was an undrafted rookie free agent signed by the Seahawks after a solid career at LSU. "I think this a great opportunity for me over here. It's a great scheme, kind of similar to something I did back in college. I'm just looking to settle in," Martin said. "I'm getting ready to get everything kicking, get the system down because right now it's a little bit shaky. But getting out there is helping, I feel like I can do things over here and help."

>  http://www.metro.us/sports/after-cross-continental-flight-and-three-hours-of-sleep-new-jets-safety-yawn-practices/zsJoig---ToELwOfYjujM/

[kelly]

Every year, every team pins its hopes on something.

A rookie who can make an impact, maybe. Improved play from a developing quarterback, perhaps. Or, for the 2015 Jets, the return of a great secondary.The Jets were bad enough last year to post a 4-12 record. It’s tough to have optimism after that. They needed a serious influx of talent to have a prayer of contending. And that’s just what new GM Mike Maccagnan got them at one of the game’s most important positions.

Consider the Jets’ top three cornerbacks to start the season a year ago: Darrin Walls, Antonio Allen, Kyle Wilson.Now look at the current group: Darrelle Revis, Antonio Cromartie, Buster Skrine.That the Jets once again have a strong secondary has some wondering if they can rekindle the magic they had in 2009 and 2010, when they made back-to-back appearances in the AFC title game.“There’s a lot of hype behind us,” Skrine said. “Big Three and all the other good stuff. Everybody’s just trying to go out there and prove that we can be the best group of DBs.”The Big Three isn’t a nickname Skrine came up with. Just one he had heard.

“The Big Three. We’ve got to run with that,” Revis said. “I like that.”The three new corners didn’t end up in New York by accident. The combination of a massive hole at the position and money to spend brought Skrine and Revis to town. Those same factors mattered for Cromartie as well, though he said the presence of the other defensive backs was an additional incentive.“I think the biggest thing, the attraction, is you see a guy like Buster and you see the way he plays,” Cromartie said. “You hear the name Marcus Gilchrist, and you know how he plays and what kind of player he can be in this system. And then you bring on Revis. That’s big. Playing in this defense ... in a Todd Bowles-type defense? Man, that’s more attractive.”

There’s no question that, on paper, the Jets have one of the best secondaries in the NFL.“Most corners, when they come into free agency, they want to be the No. 1 guy,” Cromartie continued. “Guys want to be the No. 1 guy and want to be paid like a No. 1 guy. Not saying that I don’t. I look at it as, I am a No. 1 corner, I think Buster (feels) the same way, and so does Revis.”

Revis feels his value only increases when he’s playing with other good cornerbacks.“Definitely. If you can have a great secondary with guys who are covered across the board that’s pretty big,” Revis said. “Because it usually comes down to the passing game, of you winning or losing, most of the time. If you look across the league, you’ve got the Seahawks, who are loaded, Denver’s loaded. We’re loaded.”The difference is that both Seattle and the Broncos have effective offenses. The Jets, as least according to recent history, do not. So will the revamped defense be enough to make Gang Green good again? That’s the question every fan is wondering.

“You hear the hype, but I think the biggest thing for us is we try and stay as level-headed as possible,” Cromartie said. “That’s all we look forward to, is going out and playing for each other and busting our ass for each other.“We know the standards,” he added. “It’s just a point of us just going out and making sure that we do it.”

> http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/corners-back-revis-cro-highlight-green-defense-article-1.2354309

[kelly]

High expectations for the Jets’ defense did not leave the building with Rex Ryan. In fact, the expectations in 2015 may be higher than the final few years of the Ryan regime.

“I believe we can be as good as we want,” defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson said. “We can be great. We can be the No. 1 defense in the league. We just have to come in each and every week and prove it and do our jobs each and every Sunday.”The Jets invested $170 million in their defense this offseason, with nearly $150 million of that going to the secondary alone. Now, owner Woody Johnson gets to see what his investment looks like when the Jets open the season Sunday against the Browns.

The Jets defenders believe they can carry this team to the playoffs.

“It should be a playoff defense, a defense that can get us into the playoffs,” said cornerback Buster Skrine, who got a four-year, $25 million deal in March from the Jets. “We have the defense to do it. We’ve got a lot of talent on this defense. It’s just about all coming together. Game 1 will be our first test.”The Jets somehow finished No. 6 overall in defense last year, proof that the yards-per-game stat can be deceiving. They were 24th in points allowed, a more telling stat, and were tied for last in the NFL with just 13 takeaways.

When Mike Maccagnan took over as general manager in January, he knew fixing the secondary was paramount to help new coach Todd Bowles succeed. The spending spree included Darrelle Revis (five years, $70 million), Antonio Cromartie (four years, $32 million), Skrine and Marcus Gilchrist (four years, $22 million). They also extended the contract of linebacker David Harris (three years, $21.5 million) to serve as the quarterback of Bowles’ defense.“When I look at the Jets’ defense, in a lot of senses, it’s like looking in a mirror — big, physical, ability to stop the run,” Browns coach Mike Pettine said. “With that, you have to have great corners on the outside. To me, you have Revis and Cromartie, two of the best in the league, Buster in the slot, who we had here. I’m very familiar with his skills that we thought very highly of. To me, it’s a pressure defense, get up in your face and dare you to move the ball.”

The defensive line has been the Jets’ strength for years, with first-round picks Wilkerson and Sheldon Richardson leading the way along with Damon Harrison. Now, they added first-round pick Leonard Williams to the mix, making that group even more formidable. The pass rush should improve this year thanks to the secondary forcing quarterbacks to hold the ball longer searching for an open receiver.

One thing you won’t hear from Bowles that was a staple of Ryan’s is promising where the Jets will finish in the rankings. Ryan loved to predict his defense being the best in the league each season. Bowles said he does not worry about statistics. He measures his defense in other ways.“We don’t try to be good,” Bowles said. “We try to make plays and we try to stop people. We don’t put any tags on ourselves. We’re trying to do whatever we can do to win the ballgame.”

The biggest challenge for the Jets this offseason has been melding all the pieces together, particularly in the secondary where there are so many new faces.“It’s been a work in progress, but overall I think we’re building something special,” second-year safety Calvin Pryor said. “I think the chemistry is good. Every day we’re trying to get better as a unit. That’s the main goal so we compete for something special at the end of the season.”

>   http://nypost.com/2015/09/11/jets-vaunted-and-costly-defense-lacks-rex-ryans-staple-boast/?ref=yfp

[kelly]

-- The New York Jets knocked out one quarterback Sunday, and nearly knocked out his higher-profile backup.

Cleveland Browns starter Josh McCown lasted less than a quarter before exiting with a concussion, suffered when he attempted to leap into the end zone and was hit by Calvin Pryor and Demario Davis, causing a fumble.Johnny Manziel replaced McCown and was later blindsided by cornerback Buster Skrine early in the fourth quarter, but remained in the game.There's room for improvement, but the Jets’ defense got the job done in a 31-10 season-opening win.

"It feels good," head coach Todd Bowles said. "It wasn't perfect but we did what we had to do to win."

The defense didn’t look good early, giving up 90 yards on the Browns' opening drive before McCown fumbled just short of the end zone. But they fared better as the game went on, albeit against a backup QB.Manziel did throw his first NFL touchdown pass early in the second quarter, a 54-yarder to Travis Benjamin on third-and-19, with cornerback Antonio Cromartie trailing behind Benjamin. But the Jets allowed little else after that.It was a team effort. Muhammad Wilkerson, David Harris and Trevor Reilly had sacks, Darrelle Revis and Quinton Coples recovered fumbles, and Marcus Williams had an interception."First game of the season, there was a lot going on, it was electrifying. I think we just needed to settle down," Revis said. "We talked about that on the sideline. Just saying, 'Hey guys, just relax, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Just settle down and really focus in.'"

Pryor was credited with a team-high 10 tackles, eight solo, none bigger than the forced fumble near the end of the first quarter. It's the kind of play the Jets envisioned when they drafted him in the first round, 18th overall, in 2014."It felt great to be in the box, just to fly around and make a couple tackles," Pryor said.Davis was the second player to make contact with McCown on the fumble, right after Pryor."Coach told us that he wasn’t gonna slide. So he said don’t slide," Davis said. "And so when I saw him break through the pocket that’s all I was thinking, he’s not gonna stop. And so I knew the goal line was right there, I knew I couldn’t break down, I couldn’t set my feet, and so when I seen him lay out, I saw his shoes and just tried to hit him with everything I had."

As for Manziel, he completed 13 of 24 passes for 182 yards and rushed five times for 35 yards. He made some plays with his feet, but more importantly he turned the ball over three times.He also had a 20-yard run called back because of a holding penalty on the play when Skrine nearly took his head off.

Skrine played with Manziel on the Browns last season."I know he likes to scramble and find guys," Skrine said. "When he’s scrambling, the receivers are running around and we’re still covering 'em. Our D-line did a good job of just making him scramble."

Bowles said he would like to see his team handle that better."We have to keep guys in the pocket," Bowles said. "Obviously, we know he can run. McCown can run. We adjusted a little bit and got some plays when they turned the ball over, and we got the win."The win does come at some cost. Veteran cornerback Antonio Cromartie suffered what appeared to be a serious knee injury in the first half, and rookie linebacker Lorenzo Mauldin suffered head and neck injuries in the second half and was carted off the field on a spinal board.But on a positive note, second-year corner Marcus Williams replaced Cromartie and got his second NFL pick."Marcus played very well," Bowles said. "He did what he does in practice every day. To be a young player, the game is not too big for him. He's just about the business. He understands what he has to do.

"He is not scared of anyone out there. He is not scared to be on an island. I feel like he's a six- or seven-year player. He's one of my favorite players."All in all, it was a very good start for the Jets, who certainly got the better of Johnny Football."It’s the first week, there’s gonna be corrections on the film," Revis said. "But at the same time I think our expectations are very high, and we just gotta continue each week to improve."

>   http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/54106/johnny-football-no-match-for-jets-defense

[kelly]

Jets secondary will be fine with or without Antonio Cromartie

The Jets' feel-good Batman & Robin Reunion Tour in the secondary might temporarily be put on hold, but Todd Bowles is well-positioned to overcome the first significant injury of the season.Antonio Cromartie avoided a potentially devastating knee injury midway through the second quarter of the Jets’ 31-10 rout of the Browns on Sunday when an MRI on Monday revealed a knee sprain and no ligament tear. The veteran cornerback’s timetable for return is officially “week-to-week,” but it’s conceivable that the Jets won’t feel the sting of losing a four-time Pro Bowler regardless of how long he’s out.

The NFL is the ultimate cut-throat business where “next man up” is far from a jaded talking point. It’s reality. The next man up for the Jets might just be good enough to keep the bus rolling.GM Mike Maccagnan used the company credit card this winter to pay for more than his 42 daily cups of coffee. He also spent plenty to revamp and solidify a secondary in desperate need of a facelift. Cromartie brings valuable experience, but the Jets have the requisite pieces at cornerback to maintain a high level in his absence“Our whole secondary is full of starters,” cornerback Buster Skrine said. “You got the guys that started last year that are the second string. I started last year (in Cleveland), and I’m the nickel.”

Bowles’ secondary wasn’t exactly tested in the opener by the Broncos’ Three Amigos or The Posse in Washington from yesteryear, but there were encouraging signs that the back end will be just fine.Second-year cornerback Marcus Williams, the unexpected shining light from the John Idzik regime, had an interception and three passes defensed after Cromartie suffered what first appeared to be a grievous left knee injury when trying to twist and plant.

Skrine was sharp bouncing from outside cornerback in base defense to the slot in nickel packages for the rest of the game.“He would be a starter probably on a majority of teams in the NFL,” assistant defensive backs coach Daylon McCutcheon said of Skrine. “He’s an advantage for us. He’ll fill in and I don’t think we’ll miss a beat at all.”The organization’s reunion with Darrelle Revis and Cromartie grabbed the offseason headlines, but it was critical to bring in more to bolster the secondary. (Although Cromartie brushed off his uneven training camp and preseason, he was beat on a 54-yard touchdown on third-and-19 a few minutes before he was hurt).

Skrine and safety-cornerback Marcus Gilchrist were pivotal additions. The new coaching staff’s decision to stick with the undrafted Williams, who emerged last season as an undrafted rookie to play well for Rex Ryan, paid immediate dividends.“For a young player, he understands the game,” Bowles said of Williams. “He sees everything. He understands what’s about to happen to him on the field. He plays with a calmness that makes you feel good about him.”

The depth should make it easier for Bowles to avoid any temptation to rush back Cromartie, who hasn’t been ruled out for the road test against the Colts on Monday night.“I don’t want to rush him back anyway,” said Bowles. “The fact that we have a bunch of guys there that can play definitely helps out a lot though.”Skrine is a known commodity. He proved with the Browns that he can play effectively inside and out.

Williams, in many ways, is the key to whether the Jets can avoid a dropoff without Cromartie. He logged 30 of the 71 defensive snaps in the opener.“I thought Marcus played great (on Sunday),” McCutcheon said. “I just think he needs more experience out there. We (have to) pick our opportunities for him to be out there. I don’t know if he’s ready to start at this point and go in and play 60 snaps, but I feel very confident putting him in a nickel or dime.”

The exact cornerback deployment will be matchup driven, but there’s more confidence in Skrine to thrive in the slot in nickel packages. Depth has given Bowles flexibility.Cromartie’s absence won’t be as debilitating as you think.

>  http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/mehta-jets-secondary-fine-cromartie-article-1.2360409

[kelly]

— The Jets' defense did a terrible job of gaining turnovers last season, and a big reason was clearly their depleted secondary. Turnovers shouldn't be an issue for the Jets' defense this season, because their secondary can actually cover opponents, said rush outside linebacker Quinton Coples. "I think we're more reformed," Coples told NJ Advance Media on Wednesday. "We've got a lot of experience. I think that plays to a big advantage. We've got coverage. We've got a defensive front. I just think we've got a different mentality than what we had last year."

How so  ? 

"A lot of the focus last year was mostly on [that] we don't have any coverage," he said. "And it kind of took away from the aggressiveness that our defense is really about. Because we were so worried about them throwing the ball over the secondary. Now, we've got a secondary. We've got everything we need." 

The addition of that Darrelle Revis guy at cornerback helps. The Jets last season gained 13 turnovers, fewest in the NFL. Their six interceptions tied for the league's fewest in 2014.There is a lot of luck involved with recovering fumbles. The Jets recovered seven fumbles last season, out of the 17 times their opponents fumbled. In 2013, the Jets were just two for 18 in fumble recovery chances. That's hard to do. 

So far in 2015, the Jets are off to a good start with turnovers. In Sunday's win over the Browns, they intercepted a pass and forced four fumbles (three by the defense and one by wide receiver Brandon Marshall after an interception). The Jets recovered all four of those fumbles, including two strip sacks. At this early juncture, the Jets lead the NFL with five turnovers gained, though one was that fumble forced and recovered by Marshall.Moreover, the Jets scored 21 points off turnovers against the Browns, including a touchdown right after Marshall got the ball back, following a Ryan Fitzpatrick pick. For the entire 2014 season, the Jets scored just 20 points off turnovers. 

>    http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/09/quinton_coples_jets_secondary_cover_turnovers_andr.html#incart_river

[kelly]

-- The uniform has changed, but the Indianapolis Colts know all too well about the headaches Pro Bowl cornerback Darrelle Revis can cause an offense.

Revis gave the New England Patriots their defensive identity last season. Now he's on a defense with a group of former first-round picks in New York with first-year Jets head coach Todd Bowles.“Never fall asleep,” Colts coach Chuck Pagano said. “It’s like fine wine, they just keep getting better with age. I don’t see any difference in Darrelle. He’s a great, great player and he’s very, very smart. Great competitor and he’s got all the physical skills, but he’s so crafty and he’s so smart. I was just watching the tape, I know he spends a great deal of time watching his opponent and figuring things out.”

The Colts faced Revis twice last season while he was with the Patriots. He totaled four tackles and didn’t have any interceptions in the two games, but he allowed New England to do different things defensively. The Patriots didn’t use Revis against Pro Bowl receiver T.Y. Hilton in either matchup. They had Revis matched up against Reggie Wayne during the regular-season meeting and against Donte Moncrief in the AFC Championship Game.

Hilton's status for Monday's game against the Jets is up in the air because of a bruised left knee."We’ll have to see come game time what their plan is with Darrelle and see what they’re going to do," Pagano said. "T.Y. playing, not playing, all that stuff plays into that equation. You’ve got to know, obviously, where he is at all times."

Revis doesn’t depend solely on his raw talent to shut down receivers. He’s watches film thoroughly so that he has an understanding of the tendencies of the receivers he's going against.“You have to play great technique with him,” Moncrief said. “You can’t show what you’re going to do. You can’t put on the blinkers as (offensive coordinator) Pep (Hamilton) would say. He’s physical, but he’ll play more off technique. He wants to know where your stance is. He wants to know what the possibility is that you’re running a certain route, what you like doing the most. You can tell he studies a lot.”

Revis not only is capable of eliminating one half of a field with his coverage skills, but his presence impacts the rest of his defensive teammates. The Jets forced five turnovers, which they turned into 21 points, in their Week 1 victory over Cleveland.“One of the best in the game, if not the best,” Colts quarterback Andrew Luck said of Revis. “He’s cerebral, he’s athletic. He still plays like he’s a 25-year-old, 26-year-old in terms of athleticism, but he plays with the experience of a guy who’s been around for a bunch of years.

“He uses all of the things to his advantage. He uses the sidelines to his advantages. He uses your splits, your motions, he’s a great corner. And they have a bunch of good guys out there besides him. They’re a stiff, big, strong team up the middle. They make it hard to get a rhythm going and that’s what we need to do.”

>   http://espn.go.com/blog/indianapolis-colts/post/_/id/13729/pagano-on-darrelle-revis-like-fine-wine-just-keep-getting-better-with-age

[kelly]

 — The Jets' defense did a terrible job of gaining turnovers last season, and a big reason was clearly their depleted secondary. 

Turnovers shouldn't be an issue for the Jets' defense this season, because their secondary can actually cover opponents, said rush outside linebacker Quinton Coples."I think we're more reformed," Coples told NJ Advance Media on Wednesday. "We've got a lot of experience. I think that plays to a big advantage. We've got coverage. We've got a defensive front. I just think we've got a different mentality than what we had last year."

How so ? 

"A lot of the focus last year was mostly on [that] we don't have any coverage," he said. "And it kind of took away from the aggressiveness that our defense is really about. Because we were so worried about them throwing the ball over the secondary. Now, we've got a secondary. We've got everything we need." The addition of that Darrelle Revis guy at cornerback helps. The Jets last season gained 13 turnovers, fewest in the NFL. Their six interceptions tied for the league's fewest in 2014.There is a lot of luck involved with recovering fumbles. The Jets recovered seven fumbles last season, out of the 17 times their opponents fumbled. In 2013, the Jets were just two for 18 in fumble recovery chances. That's hard to do. 

So far in 2015, the Jets are off to a good start with turnovers. In Sunday's win over the Browns, they intercepted a pass and forced four fumbles (three by the defense and one by wide receiver Brandon Marshall after an interception). The Jets recovered all four of those fumbles, including two strip sacks. At this early juncture, the Jets lead the NFL with five turnovers gained, though one was that fumble forced and recovered by Marshall. 

Moreover, the Jets scored 21 points off turnovers against the Browns, including a touchdown right after Marshall got the ball back, following a Ryan Fitzpatrick pick. For the entire 2014 season, the Jets scored just 20 points off turnovers. 

>   http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/09/quinton_coples_jets_secondary_cover_turnovers_andr.html#incart_river

[kelly]

After Jets general manager Mike Maccagnan spent millions to upgrade predecessor John Idzik’s paper-thin depth chart at cornerback — bringing in Darrelle Revis, Antonio Cromartie and Buster Skrine — that depth may get tested in Week 2, with the status of Cromartie and Darrin Walls in doubt for Monday night against the Colts.

Cromartie was limited in practice Friday after suffering a sprained left knee in Sunday’s season opener and he did not practice on Thursday.“[Cromartie] was very limited. He did some things, but he didn’t do a lot. He’ll do a little bit more [Saturday],’’ said coach Todd Bowles, unsure if Cromartie will play. “I have to see a little more. I don’t know, I’ll see. I don’t know; I really don’t. I have to see him run side-to-side and cut and do all those types of things.’’As for Walls, he didn’t practice on Friday, and Bowles said if he can’t go on Saturday, he won’t suit up in Indianapolis.

Cromartie suffered a sprained left knee during the season opener, and though the injury is not as severe as initially feared, the four-time Pro Bowler hasn’t practiced fully since. The 31-year-old never has missed a game because of injury in his 10-year NFL career, but that streak is in jeopardy now.It’s bad timing, with Bowles describing facing Colts quarterback Andrew Luck as “a nightmare.”If Cromartie can’t play, Marcus Williams or Skrine would start in base defenses, with both on the field in the nickel.“Right now, we’re looking at a lot of different scenarios,” said defensive coordinator Kacy Rodgers, who added they would be unlikely to use Dexter McDougle inside. “The beauty about us right now is that going in, we were heavy on corners, so we’re looking at a lot different situations and we’ll kind of see how it pans out,’’

“Just in case Cro’ can’t go, I’ll definitely be ready. Let’s see what the game plan is. He took some reps today, so that’s good. If he’s not 100 percent, I’ll be ready to go,’’ Williams said. “It’s not a big deal. I’ll probably pretty much do the same thing I did last week, play more outside. But we’ll see how it goes.’’

rest of above article :

> http://nypost.com/2015/09/18/its-week-2-and-the-biggest-jets-patch-up-job-is-already-tested/

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