Jets News: 9-19

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Holmes says he's fine

September, 19, 2011

Sep 19

8:10

PM ET

By Rich Cimini

Santonio Holmes, whose playing status was uncertain last week because of knee and quadriceps injuries, said he made it through Sunday's game without any problems.

"I was good, everything was good throughout the game," Holmes said Monday. "I sat out a few plays just by choice. I didn't want to overdue it. Everything fell in the right place."

Holmes, who strained his quad last Thursday in practice, didn't seem affected by it. On the Jets' first possession, he made a brilliant, leaping grab in the end zone, a 17-yard TD catch. He called it "a perfect pass" by Mark Sanchez, who placed the ball perfectly over a defender.

"I told him, 'Anytime you throw in the end zone near 10 (his jersey number), you can guarantee it's going to come down a touchdown,'" Holmes said.

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This week, game balls for defense

September, 19, 2011

Sep 19

8:50

PM ET

By Rich Cimini

Rex Ryan was so steamed with his defense after the season-opening win over the Cowboys that he broke a tradition. He excluded the defense from the post-victory, game-ball presentation, recognizing only players from the offense and special teams.

This week, that will change, as the defense was dominant Sunday in the 32-3 win over the Jaguars.

"They'll be a couple of game balls out there," Ryan said Monday. "I think we all know one in particular that will get one. That Cromartie kid did okay, I guess."

Actually, Antonio Cromartie may have been the most spectacular player on the field, intercepting two passes for 63 yards and returning two kickoffs for 85 yards.

"Cro is zero to 60 in a second," Ryan said. "His explosiveness is unreal."

INJURY REPORT: WR Santonio Holmes (knee/quad), LB David Harris (toe) and S Eric Smith (sprained ankle), all of whom went into the game with injuries, came out fine. The key injury, of course, is C Nick Mangold (high-ankle sprain).

RUN, MARK, RUN: Mark Sanchez scrambled for a career-high 29 yards -- and Ryan is okay with that. As a matter of fact, Ryan said his franchise QB has the green light to run against certain coverages. Unfortunately for the Jets, it's never a good thing when your quarterback has the longest run on the team, 17 yards.

After two games, Sanchez's completion percentage is 63.2 percent, about eight points higher than last season. That has been an area of emphasis.

TEAMWORK: It can be a delicate balancing act, trying to keep everybody happy on offense, but so far no one is complaining about ball distribution. Ryan said he's not worried about any complaining.

"Everybody signed up to come here to win, so that's the beauty of it," he said.

During Sunday's game, Holmes was lobbying on the sideline for Plaxico Burress to get the ball, Ryan said. Burress finished with no catches.