Jets News 10-17

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Rex enlists MMA champ to fire up team

October, 16, 2011

Oct 16

9:46

PM ET

By Rich Cimini

In an attempt to motivate his in-fighting football team, Rex Ryan called upon a real fighter -- UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar.

Edgar, a Toms River, N.J., native, was scheduled to deliver a motivational speech Sunday night to the Jets at their team hotel in New Jersey, according to MMAFighting.com. They face the Dolphins Monday night in a critical game at Met Life Stadium.

If this sounds familiar, it's because Ryan enlisted Edgar last November on the eve of a home game against the Texans. In that game, the Jets staged a miraculous victory, scoring in the final seconds.

After the game, QB Mark Sanchez raved about Edgar, a fighter known for heart and toughness.

"Just talking about never giving up, being counted out, playing until the end, fighting and believing in yourself, believing in your team and the people around you," Sanchez said after the game.

"Those were the only people telling him he could win the fight. Everybody else counted him out."

The bickering Jets (2-3) face a similar theme as they head into Monday night's game. They've lost three straight games, falling short of expectations, and the adversity has caused splintering in the locker room.

Ryan likes to bring in motivational speakers when he sees fit. The best one was former Jets DL Dennis Byrd, who addressed the team before its stunning win over the Patriots in last January's divisional playoffs.

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Desperate time for Miami Dolphins, New York Jets

The 0-4 Dolphins and 2-3 Jets renew their bitter rivalry on ‘Monday Night Football,’ and oddly enough, it’s Miami that has won three in a row in New York’s stadium.

By Barry Jackson

bjackson@MiamiHerald.com

For all the failures and frustration Dolphins fans have endured in recent years (aside from the 2008 AFC East title), there’s one notable achievement that should delight them every bit as much as it exasperates Jets fans:

Under the team’s current administration, the Dolphins have never lost a road game against the Jets.

(Yes, it’s only three games, but when you haven’t won a playoff game in a decade, you find joy in little things.)

Even as the Jets ascended to two consecutive AFC Championship Game berths, even as the Dolphins descended back to mediocrity, the Jets never have had the satisfaction of beating Miami on their home field during the Tony Sparano years.

The Jets get another chance Monday, perhaps their last chance to beat a Sparano-led team.

Though owner Stephen Ross publicly endorsed Sparano after the Dolphins dropped to 0-4, the owner has made no assurances that Sparano will complete the season, and the coach is subject to re-evaluation after each loss.

The NFL never expected both teams to enter the game in such dire straits. The Jets are 2-3, losers of three in a row, and their defense and running game have declined dramatically.

“Both of us thought we’d have better records,” Jets coach Rex Ryan said. “We’ve earned what we are.”

The extreme urgency for both teams adds an extra dose of intrigue to one of the AFC’s most colorful rivalries.

“They don’t like us. We don’t like them,” safety Yeremiah Bell said. There will be “lots of trash talking.”

Several Dolphins said the team’s recent road success against the Jets gives them a jolt of confidence. Miami clinched the AFC East with a 24-17 win at the Meadowlands in 2008; won 30-25 there in 2009 largely because of Ted Ginn Jr.’s two kickoff returns for touchdowns; and beat the Jets in their new stadium, 10-6, in a defensive struggle Dec. 12.

That’s the last time the Dolphins won a regular-season game, with three losses to close last season and four more to begin this one.

“This is the best spotlight to have,” Dolphins left tackle Jake Long said. “Everyone is watching you.

We can prove we are a good team.”

Among the Dolphins’ priorities Monday night:

• Protect Matt Moore in his first Dolphins start. The Dolphins have allowed 14 sacks and rank 28th in sacks per pass play. The Jets have 13 sacks and are seventh in sacks per pass play after dumping Tom Brady four times last Sunday.

“They bring a lot of different blitzes and crazy looks,” Long said. The Jets, with a strong secondary, are fifth against the pass, and Moore won’t be effective if the Jets are constantly in his face.

• Take advantage of a suddenly vulnerable Jets run defense. The Jets rank 27th against the run (down from third last year), allow 4.2 yards per carry and relinquished a career-high 136 yards to the Patriots’ BenJarvus Green-Ellis last weekend.

The Dolphins need a healthy and productive Daniel Thomas, who is questionable with a hamstring injury but has publicly expressed confidence in playing. Thomas had 202 yards and averaged 4.9 per carry in his two games.

• Maximize Reggie Bush. During the bye week, Dolphins coaches sounded particularly determined to start using more plays that are well-suited to Bush’s skill set, and Bush said he believes that will happen beginning Monday.

The Dolphins have been working feverishly on ways to get Bush in space, with screen passes one possibility. They’ve also worked on lining him up more at receiver, something he did several times a game in New Orleans.

• Not allow the Jets to jump-start their sluggish running game. The Jets are 30th in rushing offense, way down from fourth last year. Starter Shonn Greene and backup LaDainian Tomlinson are both averaging just 3.3 yards per attempt.

Conversely, the Dolphins’ run defense ranks 14th. Miami’s defensive line hasn’t played at the level of last year, aside from Randy Starks, who has graded out well. Tony McDaniel, back from a hand injury in the opener, returns to the rotation.

• Apply pressure on Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez. The Dolphins have only six sacks and rank 30th in sacks per pass play. The Jets’ protection of Sanchez hasn’t been great; they’ve allowed 13 sacks and are 22nd in sacks per pass play.

“We have to hit him early,” McDaniel said. “If you hit him a couple times, he’s not as confident in the pocket and will get nervous.”

Bell worries that if the Dolphins don’t slow the run, the Jets will have success with play-action passes, especially involving tight end Dustin Keller, who leads New York in receptions (19) and receiving yards (268).

“We can throw the ball better than we have since I’ve been here,” Ryan said.

The encouraging news is Miami is expected to get back defensive starters Vontae Davis and Koa Misi, who are listed as probable.

Miami’s new starting quarterback hasn’t been a part of this Dolphins-Jets rivalry before.

But “I’ve learned quickly this means something to a lot of people,” Moore said.

Add a dash of desperation for both teams, and this should be more fascinating than a typical game between 2-3 and 0-4 teams.

• The Dolphins announced safety Chris Clemons (hamstring), defensive end Phillip Merling (undisclosed noninjury reasons) and tight end Will Yeatman (shoulder) are out for Monday’s game.

Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/10/17/2457597_p2/desperate-time-for-miami-dolphins.html#ixzz1b2nzud00

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Rex defends himself against critics

October, 16, 2011

Oct 16

7:55

PM ET

By Rich Cimini

Rex Ryan made some interesting comments in a sitdown interview with ESPN's Hannah Storm. Naturally, he didn't back down from his pre-season Super Bowl guarantee, and he showed his defiant side when asked about Joe Namath's recent criticisms, including Namath's contention that Ryan is "too nice" on the players.

"I'm not going to change who I am because Joe Namath makes a comment or somebody else makes one ... I really don't care," Ryan said. "This is my team. I have one shot, one shot in life. I'm going to do it my way and if the worse thing people can say about you is you're too nice, I appreciate that.

"I've been criticized my whole life and looked at a certain way," he continued. "I really don't care. I'm a lot smarter than people give me credit for. I'm a lot more competitive than people give me credit for and I can tell you this: I'm way tougher than people think."

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Kerley on deck

October, 16, 2011

Oct 16

1:39

PM ET

By Jane McManus

Dustin Keller said it’s easy to like wide receiver Jeremy Kerley. The rookie has his locker right next to the tight end, and Keller — like a lot of the players in the Jets offense and special teams — has been impressed with his work ethic.

“You always love to see a quiet rookie, a guy that’s not doing too much talking,” Keller said, “because they need to be listening they need to absorb it. So that’s what a lot of guys love about him.”

Kerley has been thrust into the spotlight as Rex Ryan and Mike Tannenbaum use the emergence of a talented young player to distract from the turmoil-filled dismissal of veteran Derrick Mason, who came to the Jets during training camp as a replacement for slot receiver Jerricho Cotchery.

“I think that’s what’s being lost a little bit in this,” Ryan said. “Jeremy, and we all saw it, I know you guys saw it in training camp. He was impressive from the day he got here and it’s just getting better and better. We’re really excited about Jeremy.”

Ryan has to talk up Kerley, but that doesn’t mean it’s all bluster. Hard-to-impress special teams coordinator Mike Westhoff was instrumental in drafting Kerley, who has done a good job on punt returns. As a result of the Mason trade, Kerley could see less time with the coach who agitated for him.

“(Kerley has) done a great job,” Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez said. “He works hard. He really does. He studies. He wants to learn. He wants to be a part of the game plan. He’s excited to play and he’s excited to practice, more importantly, than just playing on Sunday. I’m really proud of his development. The guy has no regard for his body. He will just go up and make a catch for you and sell out all the way. (He is) the ultimate team player, a heck of a rookie player.”

Kerley played high school football in Texas, where he was the Hutto High School quarterback for four years. He went on to Texas Christian University, where he looked up to former Horned Frog LaDainian Tomlinson. But despite all the accolades, being known by everyone in his home town for on-field heroics, Kerley doesn’t have the attendant sense of entitlement.

“I don’t think really those Texas high school players are normally are humble guys,” Keller said. “We have a unique one.”

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Monday night mantra: Just win

Monday, October 17, 2011

BY J.P. PELZMAN

STAFF WRITER

The Record

One of the reasons Derrick Mason came to the Jets was his hope of pursuing a broadcasting career in New York after his playing days are over.

Yet the veteran wide receiver chose not to criticize the Jets, at least not publicly, after they dealt him to Houston last week. So maybe he’s not quite ready for that second career yet, because it’s been open season for the media recently in terms of attacking the struggling Jets.

Some of that sniping is coming from within. Wide receiver Santonio Holmes again criticized the offensive line last week, and was publicly rebuked by right guard Brandon Moore the next day.

So there are plenty of reasons why tonight’s game at MetLife Stadium against winless Miami can be considered a Desperation Bowl for both teams.

"Oh, we need it. There’s no doubt about it," coach Rex Ryan said Friday. "We need to get back to winning and we know this team is gunning for a win as well. … We are going to get everything they have, there’s no doubt. But yeah, we don’t need to lose another game. I mean, everybody knows what our goal is, and what we expect from each other. We need this win."

That goal Ryan referred to off-handedly is the same one he always talks about — a Super Bowl win.

But those lofty dreams seem a long way off at the moment.

"Must-win, need a win," quarterback Mark Sanchez said. "Whatever you want to call it, we just want to win the game. … We rattle off a couple of wins in a row, all the criticism and doubt, that stuff kind of fades away and guys are confident again and ready to play."

"We’re desperate for a win," cornerback Darrelle Revis said. "It’s good to be back home and we need this game."

Especially because the schedule gets tougher after this, with San Diego visiting Sunday. After that, the Jets have their bye week, followed by games against Buffalo and New England, both of which are ahead of the Jets in the AFC East.

But the Jets don’t expect this to be an easy one tonight.

"You don’t look at the fact that they’re 0-4," right tackle Wayne Hunter said. "You look at the fact that they’re coming in on Monday night and they’re going to give us all they’ve got. If anything, [them] being 0-4 is worse for us."

"It’s the urgency of the moment," said Miami linebacker Jason Taylor, facing the Jets for the first time since his one year in green and white. "It’s not desperation. There’s no need to be desperate. Trust me, we fully anticipate they will have that sense of energy and focus, and we’re going to have the same thing."

Jets offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer has taken much of the criticism for an underachieving offense, and that bothers veteran running back LaDainian Tomlinson.

"It’s not Schotty’s fault," he said. "It’s the players’ fault. We have to get the job done."

Schottenheimer said, "The big focus this week [in practice was] you take one play at a time and when that play is over, you move on. It’s over. Good, bad or indifferent, you move on. What happens if you let that play affect you, then you’ll have a series of bad plays. And you don’t want to have that. You can have one bad play; it’s going to happen in the game. But when you have a series or two or three plays in a row that are bad, that’s when you really kind of falter."

Miami knows about that. Dolphins coach Tony Sparano said Saturday his team had its best week of practice this season, but added, "We need to go out there [in the game] and do it now."

So do the Jets.

E-mail: pelzman@northjersey.com

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Desperate Jets need to defeat Dolphins tonight

Jets Blog

By BRIAN COSTELLO

Last Updated: 8:33 AM, October 17, 2011

Posted: 2:23 AM, October 17, 2011

The Jets have shown plenty of fight inside the locker room this week, now they just have to bring it onto the field.

The reeling Jets have suffered three straight losses followed by a week of in-fighting that featured players pointing fingers at each other. The Dolphins come to MetLife Stadium without a win, but it’s hard to tell which team is more desperate.

“Oh, we need it,” Jets coach Rex Ryan said. “There’s no doubt about it. We need to get back to winning and we know this team is gunning for a win, as well. It’s not like, ‘Oh, the Jets need one.’

Well, so does Miami. We are going to get everything they have, there’s no doubt. But yeah, we don’t need to loss another game. I mean, everybody knows what our goal is, and what we expect from each other. We need this win.”

The Jets return tonight to East Rutherford, where they won their first two games this season. After the 2-0 start, they looked like they were on track to contend for the AFC East title, but they have plummeted since then.

This week, the Jets traded Derrick Mason to the Texans largely because they felt he was a poor locker-room influence, although they have denied that.

Mason was not the only mouthy receiver causing problems. Santonio Holmes, one of the offensive captains, blamed the offensive line for the Jets’ inability to throw downfield. That brought return fire from guard Brandon Moore, who questioned Holmes’ leadership.

All of this leaves the Jets needing one thing — a win. If they lose this week, imagine how out of control things will get then.

“I can honestly say, yes [there is desperation],” Holmes said. “A

feeling of desperation like we definitely have to win this game. It

will set us back at 0-2 in our division. It will set us back in losing against an 0-4 team and giving these guys a victory. We can’t give them a chance. We’ve got to come out and play New York Jet football on Monday night.”

Here is how The Post sees tonight’s game breaking down:

MARQUEE MATCHUP

Jets RT Wayne Hunter vs. Dolphins OLB Cameron Wake.

The pass protection for Mark Sanchez has been a popular topic around the Jets this week. Hunter, who had a rough debut, has played better in recent weeks. Wake leads the Dolphins with three sacks. If he gets to Sanchez often, the Jets’ offense will sputter.

FIRST THINGS FIRST

The Jets have been outscored 41-23 in the first quarter this season and have not reached double digits in the opening quarter. A fast start tonight would set a good tone for this team in disarray.

GIVE THEM MOORE

The Dolphins turn to Matt Moore at quarterback tonight after Chad Henne suffered a season-ending separated shoulder. Moore is best known in this area for leading the Panthers to victory in the Giants’ final game at Giants Stadium. The Jets expect him to run often, as Henne was doing.

Defensive coordinator Mike Pettine said the Jets have leaned on backup quarterback Kevin O’Connell, who spent training camp with Miami, for information.

THE KERLEY SHUFFLE

The company line was Mason was traded because of how well rookie Jeremy Kerley performed in practice. Kerley caught his first touchdown pass last week. It will be interesting to see if the Jets target him tonight.

BACK TO BASICS

Ryan has preached his mantra of “alignment, assignment and technique” all week because he felt his team made several key mistakes last week in New England. The Jets gimmicked up their defense to try to stop Tom Brady. Against the Dolphins, they should be able to impose their will.

FOE FACT

The Dolphins rank 31st against the pass. If the Jets can’t throw on this team, there will be some major questions to answer.

JETS FACT

The Jets are averaging 76.2 rushing yards per game entering tonight. That would be their lowest average since 1963 (69.9) if it does not improve.

Costello's call

The Jets know there is one way to quiet the noise surrounding them now — to win. They need this game badly, and the Dolphins are the perfect opponent. The Jets won’t get any style points, but they’ll get the much-needed W.

JETS 21, DOLPHINS 12

brian.costello@nypost.com

Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/jets/need_win_tonight_even_more_than_ILgo8P51tLd7y6thesmBFL#ixzz1b2sYee6F

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Jets' three-game slide can't become four

Jets Blog

Last Updated: 8:33 AM, October 17, 2011

Posted: 2:27 AM, October 17, 2011

The Jets have spent the better part of two years defiantly staring down history, aggressively putting distance between themselves and the string of banana peels that have gotten in their way through the decades.

In fact, one of the good things you might identify from this week of locker-room restlessness and restiveness is this: For all the issues confronting the Jets tonight, as they play the Dolphins in the first of what promises to be a season-long string of must-have games, is this:

You don’t hear a whole lot of angst about the Same Old Jets.

So there’s that.

But it isn’t only the Jets’ personalized history that can litter the sky with dark clouds. Sometimes history is meaningless. Sometimes statistics are meaningless. But they exist for a reason, and they always have a purpose, so there is this fact we should think about going forward with the Jets:

In the Super Bowl Era, 90 teams have qualified for the Big Game, and six of them — three winners, three losers — have suffered three-game losing streaks during the season, which happens to be the streak the Jets are sitting on right now. That’s seven percent. That’s not the kind of numerical nourishment an optimist likes with his cornflakes. And while we’re at it, we should give special notice to the 2002 Raiders.

For they are the only team — ever — to shake off a four-game losing streak and still make it to the big game, even if they did get crushed by the Buccaneers once they got there. One out of 90.

That’s a little more than one percent. That’s what the Jets would be wise to avoid.

“We had great veteran leadership starting with Rich Gannon, who was MVP of the league, and we had a lot of veteran guys who’d been around the league and had gone through the ups and downs of a season,” said Jets offensive line coach Bill Callahan, the one person on earth who can speak to the special difficulty of shrugging off a four-game losing streak, because he was the coach of those 2002 Raiders.

“We were close and we knew it,” Callahan said. “Two of those four games went to overtime, so we knew we were a good football team with good leaders and a good staff.”

Callahan pointed to one game that turned that season around, a Monday night at Denver. The Raiders carried that four-game slide into Invesco Field and buried a 6-2 Broncos team, 34-10.

Every team that has recovered from a losing streak has a story to tell, same as the Jets probably do. If not for the extracurriculars that surrounded them this week, the agenda the Jets surely would have pushed was this: How many teams do you know that would have survived a scheduling gauntlet such as this: at Oakland, at Baltimore, at New England?

The three teams that won the Big Game after suffering three-game losing streaks had those stories. The 2009 Saints were 13-0, lost Game 14, then mailed in the final two weeks. Understandable. The 2005 Steelers? They didn’t really get their sea legs until the playoffs. The 2000 Ravens? You saw the way they looked in the Super Bowl against the Giants. They were playing a lot differently in January than they were in October, when they lost their three straight.

“I wouldn’t have wanted to try and win a Super Bowl with the team we were in October,” Brian Billick said early in that Super Bowl week 11 years ago. “But I like my chances with this team.”

He had reason to. And Rex Ryan — the defensive line coach on that team, by the way — would like to have similar reason to feel that way, the moment the Jets can build a one-game winning streak again.

michael.vaccaro@nypost.com

Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/jets/three_game_slide_had_better_not_MhG4LiB12JcyjQynBWJIPP#ixzz1b2tkI3rs

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Jets, Dolphins taking 'trip' down memory lane

Jets Blog

By BRIAN COSTELLO

Last Updated: 8:27 AM, October 17, 2011

Posted: 2:37 AM, October 17, 2011

The last time the Jets faced the Dolphins, they lost 10-6 in an ugly game that is better remembered for what happened on the sideline.

Jets strength coach Sal Alosi tripped Dolphins cornerback Nolan Carroll as Carroll ran down the Jets sideline to cover a punt. Alosi was suspended by the team and then fired in the offseason.

Carroll told the Miami Sun-Sentinel he has forgiven Alosi.

"To tell you the truth, it hasn't even crossed my mind since the incident happened," Carroll said. "I put it in the back of my head after the week that it happened. Obviously, there were some bad intentions, but I forgive him at the end of the day, regardless of the situation."

Alosi is now the strength and conditioning coach at Bryant University, a small school in Rhode Island.

"I'm happy for him," Carroll says. "He got another shot at it, which is good. You start at the bottom and work your way back up. That's what he's doing."

Carroll said he accepted Alosi's apology when the two spoke after the incident.

"He's humble," Carroll says. "He sounded humble when he was on the phone. He called me and apologized. He sounded sincere."

Carroll has a hamstring injury and is questionable to play in tonight's game.

*

The Jets may end up getting nothing in return for trading Derrick Mason, according to a report.

ESPN reported the Jets only get a seventh-round pick from the Texans if Mason catches 33 passes for the team.

*

His team plagued by in-fighting, coach Rex Ryan called upon UFC champion Frankie Edgar to address the Jets last night at their team hotel, according to the MMAfighting.com. Edgar, a light heavyweight from Toms River, N.J., gave an inspirational speech to the Jets last year on the night before their comeback victory over the Texans.

*

Ryan, who generally leaves the offense to coordinator Brian Schottenheimer, said he has been more of a presence lately.

"I've been bouncing in and out of individual meetings a little more than maybe I've done in the past," Ryan said. "You look for how we can change things up and all that."

*

Defensive coordinator Mike Pettine had high praise for tackle Mike DeVito's play in last week's 30-21 loss to the Patriots.

"We probably wasted Mike DeVito's best performance of his career," Pettine said. "[He] did an outstanding job, and that kind of got lost in the mix."

Pettine noted DeVito was matched up all day with guard Logan Mankins, one of the best offensive linemen in the NFL. DeVito had three tackles.

Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/jets/trip_down_memory_lane_YfY3XxEe8TvSVmr32kut5K#ixzz1b2unWES7

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Mason says time with Jets never existed

Jets Blog

Last Updated: 8:33 AM, October 17, 2011

Posted: 1:26 AM, October 17, 2011

BALTIMORE -- The record books will tell you Derrick Mason debuted for the fourth team of his NFL career when he played for the Texans against the Ravens yesterday at M&T Bank Stadium.

Mason will tell you the Texans are his third NFL team.

The Jets?

As far as Mason is concerned, his five-game career with the Jets -- before he was unceremoniously traded to the Texans last week for what amounted to a pack of bubble gum -- is blank space on the back of his football card.

"To me, I went from Baltimore to here [the Texans]," Mason told The Post after the Ravens beat his new team 29-14. "I don't know what you're talking about when you mention that other place, but this place here I'm excited about.

"The two teams that I've played for -- Tennessee (where he spent his first eight seasons) and Baltimore (where he spent the last six) --that's all I care about. They respected what I did as a player -- inside the locker room, on the field and outside the locker room. That's all I care about.

"What went on with that other team . . . it won't tarnish my career, not one bit."

This was the beginning of a series of thinly-veiled shots Mason took at the Jets, who traded him to the Texans for a conditional seventh-round draft choice last Tuesday night, scapegoating him for the team's sluggish 2-3 start and using him to send a locker room message that no player is safe.

Mason has been careful not to lash out at the Jets, committed to keeping his good-guy reputation intact. But there were several pointed references he made about the Jets and Texans that didn't require very strong prescription glasses to read between the lines.

The Jets' public spin on why they traded Mason -- despite being thin at the receiver position even with him -- was all about his lack of production. Privately, team sources said Mason was having trouble learning the offense.

Mason heard that talk and it rankled him, which is why he took delight in the fact that, despite having less than four days to learn the Texans' system, he caught three passes for 27 yards, including an 11-yard third-down catch on Houston's opening drive.

"Listen, I'm a very, very bright young man," he said sarcastically. "I'm very smart. I was here for three or four days and I picked up on a lot of plays and they threw a lot at me."

Mason's repeated high praise of Texans quarterback Matt Schaub clearly indicated he wasn't very high on Mark Sanchez, who when Mason was traded had a very disinterested, lukewarm response -- an indication he wasn't heartbroken to see Mason dealt.

Mason said Schaub throwing to him on the first series "showed that Matt has a lot of confidence in me. I instantly smiled [when he learned about the trade] because this offense scores a lot of points and they have a very good quarterback. That's a wide receiver's best friend when you have a good quarterback."

You might wonder what all the fuss is about over a 37-year-old No. 3 receiver, and that's a fair question. But the way the Jets so cryptically handled the issue publicly added intrigue to the entire episode.

And Mason, after days of stewing about the way he's been portrayed in New York, finally vented yesterday.

"I fell, I got back up, brushed myself off and moved on," he said. "I'm very resilient. I'm in a place where I'm wanted now. I'm happy."

Asked if he felt he wasn't wanted by the Jets, Mason said, "I continued to smile. That's one thing they were not going to take away from me. Even when they did some things that I thought were a little questionable, I still smiled when I went to work."

Now the only question that remains from this saga is: Who'll have the last laugh?

mark.cannizzaro@nypost.com

Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/jets/for_jet_about_it_CiHhcOVAAHhVgR40Tdpg9K#ixzz1b2vajy1f

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Jets Gameday: Jets host Miami Dolphins

Published: Monday, October 17, 2011, 4:05 AM

Conor Orr/The Star-Ledger By Conor Orr/The Star-Ledger

Star-LedgerQuarterback Mark Sanchez and the Jets are looking to bounce back from three straight losses as they host the Miami Dolphins tonight.

Jets (2-3) vs. Miami Dolphins (0-4)

Week 6

Today, 8:30 p.m.

MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford

TV: ESPN

Radio: ESPN 1050-AM

THIS WEEK’S GAME REVOLVES AROUND ...

Mark Sanchez

There’s a lot on the young quarterback’s plate these days, with a list of targets he needs to keep happy and a run game that’s not doing him any favors. But, like he has said himself, there is nothing that will wash away all the criticism and nitpicking like a dominant performance — one that is more than possible against the Dolphins tonight. Miami surrenders more than 300 yards per game through the air and has just two interceptions to its name thus far. Combine that with the fact that Derrick Mason, who supposedly was slowing things down a bit due to his inability to digest the playbook, is now gone and Jeremy Kerley is the No. 3 receiver (GM Mike Tannenbaum, Rex Ryan and Sanchez are all very high on Kerley based on comments last week) there are no excuses not to light up MetLife Stadium. The first step will be converting the third-and-shorts through the air, something the Jets couldn’t get done against New England last Sunday. It was the only thing Sanchez said was keeping the offense from running on all cylinders against an equally leaky Patriots defense.

THE SAVVY FAN IS WATCHING …

Dolphins WR Brandon Marshall

And why wouldn’t you? On Thursday, Marshall came out and predicted he would be ejected before halftime. Among other things on his checklist, he said he might fight Jets linebacker Bart Scott and cornerback Antonio Cromartie. Marshall is mercurial in every sense, so it will be interesting to see what the first few clashes at the line with Cromartie will yield.

PAST MEETINGS

10. Oct. 15, 2006. Jets 20, Dolphins 17.

9. Dec. 25, 2006 at Miami. Jets 13, Dolphins 10.

8. Sept. 23, 2007. Jets 31, Dolphins 28.

7. Dec. 2, 2007 at Miami. Jets 40, Dolphins 13

6. Sept. 7, 2008 at Miami. Jets 20, Dolphins 14.

5. Dec. 28, 2008. Dolphins 24, Jets 17

4. Oct. 12, 2009 at Miami. Dolphins 31, Jets 27.

3. Nov. 1, 2009. Dolphins 30, Jets 25

2. Sept. 26, 2010 at Miami. Jets 31, Dolphins 23

1. Dec. 12, 2010. Dolphins 10, Jets 6

Remember when ...

Santonio Holmes finished with two catches for 57 yards on Dec. 12, 2010, but the one play that doesn’t appear in the box score was the one that would eventually cost the Jets the game. In the second quarter with 4:37 remaining, Mark Sanchez had Holmes wide open in the back of the end zone on an over-the-shoulder pass, but the ball was dropped. At the time of the pass there was nearly 5 yards of separation between Holmes and the nearest defender. The Jets lost, 10-6.

WHAT THE DOLPHINS DON’T WANT THE JETS TO KNOW

1. The bye week was very good to them

The Dolphins used the post-San Diego week to reload after a rash of injuries depleted their starters. Defensive end Tony McDaniel was able to come back from a broken thumb. Cornerback Vontae Davis, who missed the team’s last two games with a hamstring injury, is also much healthier.

Add in Daniel Thomas, the team’s leading rusher and — at times — lone bright spot has also been practicing after a hamstring injury knocked him out of two games.

2. Jason Taylor will be ready

The football lifer said last week that when he retires (soon), he plans on getting his boat, pushing it off the dock and setting sail until he hits land. Then, that’s where he’ll live. But in the meantime, he still has some fairly meaningful games left with the Dolphins and one of them is tonight. Up until the lockout ended, Taylor figured that he would be back with the Jets this season, helping to be a veteran presence on the defensive line. But as things shook out, he ended up back in a place where he’s spent more than a decade amassing ill-will toward anything in Jet green and white.

3. Losing wouldn’t be the worst thing

Like Kansas City and Indianapolis, the airwaves in Miami are being clamored with talk of the Andrew Luck sweepstakes. Barring an injury, the Stanford wunderkind will be the first overall pick in next year’s draft and, as many scouts and analysts have projected, will be a once-in-a-generation talent.

To the Dolphins, who are already situated with a lame-duck head coach, nothing could inject more life into the franchise than a player who is already garnering comparisons to — gasp — Dan Marino.

POSITION BREAKDOWNS

Quarterback

It’s not even Chad Henne under center for the Dolphins tonight. It’s former Carolina Panthers starter Matt Moore.

Edge: Jets

Running back

Miami running back Daniel Thomas is averaging more yards per game on the ground than all the Jets combined.

Edge: Miami

Wide receiver

Now that Brandon Marshall, Miami’s top WR, plans to be ejected, we’ll take the trio of Kerley, Burress and Holmes.

Edge: Jets

Offensive line

Dolphins C Mike Pouncey is an emerging talent on a front that will move some serious weight over the next few years.

Edge: Even

Defensive line

The Dolphins front has given up almost 30 yards less on the ground per game this year.

Edge: Dolphins

Linebackers

The Dolphins have just six sacks this year (the Jets have 13) and Cameron Wake has half of them.

Edge: Jets

Secondary

As much as Vontae Davis doesn’t think so, Revis and Cromartie still have the edge.

Edge: Jets

Special teams

The Jets have almost 200 more kick return yards than anyone in football.

Edge: Jets

FOUR DOWNS WITH ...

Defensive back Antonio Cromartie

1. You were courted by the Oakland Raiders in free agency this summer. What do you remember about Al Davis?

He made a great impression. He was a guy that knew exactly what he wanted. I was talking to him on the phone and he was laughing and just having a good time. He was a guy that loved what he did.

2. Switching gears, is there a lack of confidence in this locker room right now?

Not at all: The biggest goal that we have is still to win the Super Bowl. Our goal is still that, but we just need to make sure we take care of business over these next 11 weeks. We just have to go out and play football, eliminate the mistakes and go out and have fun. A lot of us started taking things a little too seriously and it’s a game we’ve been playing since we were five or six years old.

3. Good to be back in front of the home crowd after a long road trip?

I treat every game like a home game no matter who were playing. I mean, it’s going out and doing what we’re supposed to do. But I’m glad just to be back out in front of our fans for the next two weeks right before our bye week. Definitely looking forward to this Monday night game. We just need to make sure we get ready and make another run for it.

4. You’ve had some good battles with Brandon Marshall. What are those like?

This is maybe my 11th time facing him in my career and for us man, it’s always competitive, always about going out there and just enjoying it and having fun at the same time. We’re just trying to get our jobs done. We don’t really talk too much trash, but sometimes it can get heated.

ONE MORE THING …...

In Week 1, when the Dolphins lost to the New England Patriots, the teams combined for an NFL record 906 net passing yards — the most in a single game. The record they broke had been set in 1986 by the Jets and Dolphins, when Dan Marino and Ken O’Brien combined for 884 net passing yards on Sept. 21. The Jets won that classic game, 51-45 in overtime.

Conor Orr: corr@starledger.com

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Jets vs. Dolphins: Rex Ryan leans on his advisers in tough times

Published: Monday, October 17, 2011, 4:00 AM Updated: Monday, October 17, 2011, 4:08 AM

Jenny Vrentas/The Star-Ledger By Jenny Vrentas/The Star-Ledger

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Less than 24 hours after his Jets lost their third straight game, Rex Ryan stepped to the press-conference podium in Florham Park with a level-headed public message.

Improvement, the coach said, comes in two ways: You change what you do, or you get better at what you are doing.

That was, in fact, the very insight offered by one of Ryan’s assistants just a few hours earlier. Bob Sutton, a head coach at Army for nine years who now oversees the Jets linebackers, had dropped

in Ryan’s ground-level office mid-morning on that Monday, Diet Coke in hand.

Sutton passed on a saying he had once read: “The thing to remember in times like these, is there have always been times like these.” And the two kept on talking, like only those who have been head coaches can.

“We’re not in a real panic mode here,” Ryan assures. “But I will lean on guys around me.”

The Jets, 2-3 heading into tonight’s game against the Miami Dolphins, may not be in a panic mode — but Ryan admitted after last week’s loss at New England that this is one of the toughest periods in his two-and-a-half years as a head coach.

He leads a team right now searching for answers, unity, an identity and — most importantly — its first win in a month. Ryan’s vision for the team’s final destination this season is unwavering, and as the head coach he carries the road map, but he isn’t shy about asking for directions along the way.

Those Ryan counts as trusted advisers are near and far, likely and unlikely: Sutton and offensive line/assistant head coach Bill Callahan; special teams coordinator Mike Westhoff, in his 29th NFL season; offensive consultant Tom Moore; Joe Gibbs; Bill Parcells; and his father, Buddy Ryan.

This week, Ryan noted good-naturedly, would not be an ideal one to call Parcells, until recently a Dolphins executive. He planned to reach out to his father and Moore, but mostly spent a lot of time with Sutton, talking through how to get his underachieving squad playing up to standards.

“When you go through a stretch like we’ve gone through, sometimes human nature is you start what I call catastrophic thinking,” Sutton said. “But when you’re struggling, you always want to go back to center, go back to the things you believe in the most. Those are the pillars, those are your core values that you rely on in tough times.”

That has been the objective echoing off the glass walls of the Jets’ facility all week. Ryan preached “alignment, assignment and technique” on Monday, repeated by his players and all the way up to general manager Mike Tannenbaum.

Ryan’s emphasis on fundamentals is fueled by his unshaken belief that “our formula works. We’ve just got to do what we do a little bit better.”

The coach set the tone on Wednesday with a speech about how a house is not built in one day, but that instead the team must start “stacking bricks” on the first day of practice to be successful on Sunday.

The past two weeks, players began practicing at full speed for the first time this season. Assistants reminded players that the position drills are the same ones that helped the Jets to back-to-back AFC Championship games, but it’s up to them to get better from the repetitions. The punishment for a penalty is sitting out the next play, as the Jets try to break the habits that netted 31 penalties and 279 penalty yards in the past four games.

“Don’t just think you can show up on Sunday and play well,” right guard Brandon Moore said. “Rex has a little chip on his shoulder, like most people around here right now, because losing three games can have that effect.”

The Jets’ prospects are not dire entering their sixth game of the season, but they have also not put themselves in strong position.

The Jets have started 2-3 nine times since the NFL went to a 16-game schedule in 1978, making the playoffs on three occasions. League-wide, just 21 percent of teams that started 2-3 have reached the postseason since 1990, when the current playoff format was instituted, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

Parcells’ 1998 Jets were one of those teams, going on to win 10 of their next 11 regular-season games and the AFC East title, their season kept alive until the AFC Championship Game loss at Denver.

Ryan has made an example of his rookie season as a head coach, when the Jets endured two three-game losing streaks — and a stretch of six losses in seven games — but still made it to the conference title game. He has also seen the flip side, losing nine straight games after a 4-2 start while the Ravens defensive coordinator in 2007.

“It’s in there,” Ryan said, pointing to his head. “But there’s no way. It ain’t happening here. I can tell you it’s not.”

Moore, memory sharp at age 72, recently shared with Ryan a bounce-back example from his own career in one of their near-weekly conversations.

In 1989, Moore’s final season as the Pittsburgh Steelers’ offensive coordinator, the team started a young quarterback, Bubby Brister, and lost its first two games by a combined 92-10.

In the 51-0 opening loss to the Cleveland Browns, “everything that could go wrong in 10 years went wrong in one game,” Moore recalled from his home in South Carolina. The next week brought a 41-10 loss to Cincinnati, and Moore recounted to Ryan exactly how the team’s four-time Super Bowl champion head coach responded.

“I asked Chuck Noll what he was going to do,” remembered Moore, whom Ryan brought on as a consultant this offseason. “He said, ‘We’re not going to do anything different, we’re just going to get better at what we do.’”

Pittsburgh made it to the playoffs that year, falling one win — and just one point — short of the AFC Championship Game.

The son of an NFL head coach, Ryan naturally culls the insight of those who came before him. Many of his tactics, he admits openly, are learned.

He borrowed from Buddy Ryan, once the Eagles and Cardinals head coach, the gimmick of burying the ball after last year’s humiliating 45-3 loss at New England. Last week, the Jets began using a buzzer to speed up the tempo of their pass plays, an approach adopted from Parcells.

Ryan’s relationship with Parcells began when Ryan interviewed in 2008 for the Miami head coaching job, which instead went to Tony Sparano. He found that Parcells, then a Miami executive, was surprisingly open, sharing his views on topics like roster-building.

The two speak sparingly, Ryan said, in part because of Parcells’ recent connection to a division opponent. But Ryan said he put a call in to the former Jets head coach and general manager (who declined an interview request) when the Jets were struggling in 2009. Ryan has also, on at least one occasion, phoned Parcells, a noted horse-racing enthusiast, to ask, “Who do you like in the Breeders’ Cup?”

Ryan connected with Gibbs this offseason, on a visit to the former Washington Redskins coach’s NASCAR headquarters in North Carolina. Gibbs mastered work stoppages, twice winning Super Bowls in strike-shortened seasons, so Ryan sought his advice during the lockout — and said he would again, through the troughs of a season.

“Rex probably has as good of vision of what he sees this team as, as anybody I’ve been around,” Sutton said. “All we try to do is say, ‘Hey, here are some thoughts, see if it fits.’ Having been in those shoes, there are a lot of really good ideas and concepts, but it has to fit where you are going.

That’s a gut-level thing he has to do.”

Ryan also meets with Tannenbaum, his partner in running a successful football team and business, a few times each day. Tannenbaum visited Under Armour founder Kevin Plank and SAP co-CEO Bill McDermott this offseason to study their business principles. He was reminded of one this week: in down times, employees may need more internal praise and reinforcement.

Players, too, have been important allies to Ryan, though the locker room’s veteran leadership has turned over somewhat in his tenure. LaDainian Tomlinson, per Ryan’s request, now leads the

“Home of the Jets!” chant in the postgame locker room, formerly done by veteran fullback Tony Richardson. Ryan has dropped in on position meeting rooms more often this week, quizzing his stars on topics such as what routes the Miami receivers like.

The coach said he must use his five captains — Mark Sanchez, Santonio Holmes, Darrelle Revis, Sione Pouha and Eric Smith — as player ambassadors.

Ryan usually announces in Wednesday’s team meeting team goals and individual goals for each unit. But for tonight’s game, he had the captains set the goals for their units.

“Here you go players,” Pouha said. “What are you going to do with it?”

Ultimately, the product is Ryan’s. He carries a wide and wise support net for good and bad times, wins and losses. But when there are more losses than wins, the onus is on him to navigate his team back on course.

“Someone asked, ‘How do people treat me in New York after the three-game losing streak?’” Ryan said. “I was like, ‘Well, they still treat me as the man.’ Because that’s how I feel. I was the man when I came into this building, and 25 years from now, when I retire as the Jets head coach, I’ll still be the man.”

For more Jets coverage, follow Jenny Vrentas on Twitter at twitter.com/Jennyvrentas

Jenny Vrentas: jvrentas@starledger.com

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NY Jets and Rex Ryan need to finish long week with a win over Miami Dolphins, end losing streak

BY Manish Mehta

DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER

Monday, October 17th 2011, 4:00 AM

Rex Ryan and the Jets need to avoid a letdown against the winless Miami Dolphins Monday night.

Robert Sabo/News

Rex Ryan and the Jets need to avoid a letdown against the winless Miami Dolphins Monday night.

Rex Ryan ditched his weekly stand-up routine, turned serious and admitted that nothing feels good about the Jets' three-game funk that has them on the brink of free-fall. Six weeks into a season filled with high expectations, Gang Green (2-3) faces a virtual must-win against the Dolphins Monday night at MetLife Stadium.

"Everything stinks when you lose," Ryan said. "The food tastes terrible. Beer is warm, everything, when you lose. It's absolutely rotten."

Although Ryan has faced this situation before - the Jets rebounded from a pair of three-game losing streaks in 2009 to make it to the AFC Championship Game - nothing is guaranteed now. The winless Dolphins (0-4) won't be pushovers. After all, Ryan has lost both home games to that divisional foe the past two years, including a woeful performance in the 10-6 defeat last season.

"It doesn't matter what they're playing like this year," safety Jim Leonhard said. "They always play us extremely tough. Offensively, they got a lot of talent. They got guys that can beat you and will beat you if you let them."

On the surface, the Dolphins appear overmatched. Starting quarterback Chad Henne is out for the season. Journeyman Matt Moore has more career interceptions (18) than touchdowns (16). The Dolphins' 28th-ranked defense isn't scaring anyone.

None of that matters to Ryan, who's dealing with unrest among several players after his team's offensive struggles. Right guard Brandon Moore took exception to Santonio Holmes' critical comments about the offensive line last week.

Ryan admitted that he won't need any additional motivation for his players Monday night. "We look in the mirror and we see 0-3 in our last three (games)," he said.

"In baseball, you got 162 games, so basically when you lose a (football) game, that's almost like the equivalent of a 10-game losing streak," Ryan said. "So we're on a 30-game losing streak, if you will.

So that's how desperate you feel to try to get a victory."

Despite the team's poor execution on the road the past three weeks, Mark Sanchez isn't about to press the panic button.

"I feel like we just need to improve just a little bit and the wins are right there," Sanchez said. "Other than the Ravens game, we haven't been blown out. We're right in these games. We have kind of found a way to lose, where last year we really found a way to win. That's the difference. It's so small."

The sense of urgency is palpable. Although more than two-thirds of the season remains, Ryan realizes how critical it is to win Monday night. He isn't taking any comfort that there are still plenty of games left on the schedule.

"We just don't want to keep saying that, and as the losses mount we keep saying, 'We got time,'"

Ryan said. "Let's try to get it taken care of right now. We're not looking down the road."

To that end, Sanchez conveyed a simple message to his team all week: "You can't practice like you're 2-3," Sanchez said. "We got to practice like we're 5-0."

Ryan relayed his own message to build a foundation for success brick-by-brick each day in practice. Despite the Jets' early-season struggles, Ryan still believes he'll be hoisting the Lombardi

Trophy in February.

"Do I think we'll win it?" Ryan said. "Yeah, absolutely."

Before that happens, his team knows it needs to win Monday night to stop the bleeding. The national stage awaits.

"Play fast," Holmes said. "Put up some points on the board early. Just run those guys out of here.

Let them come in with their 0-4 record and leave with an 0-5 record ... I think (Monday night) is the time to definitely turn it around. The spotlight is on us. Everybody's watching."

NICK READY

Nick Mangold (ankle) is listed as questionable, but is expected to start. The Jets confirmed the Daily News report last week that CB Donald Strickland (concussion) is out.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/2011/10/17/2011-10-17_ny_jets_and_rex_ryan_need_to_finish_long_week_with_a_win_over_miami_dolphins_end.html#ixzz1b327p9cE

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Miami at Jets: Matchup to Watch

By BEN SHPIGEL

Dolphins (0-4) at Jets (2-3), 8:30 p.m. Eastern, ESPN

Matchup to Watch: Jets’ defense vs. Dolphins’ run game

New York Jets

According to the defensive coordinator Mike Pettine, the Jets wasted the best game of the noted run-stopper Mike DeVito’s career in a loss Oct. 9 in New England. Another wasted game would be demoralizing. The Jets fully expect the Dolphins, with Matt Moore making his first start at quarterback for Miami, to run and run and run, with Reggie Bush, Lex Hilliard and, if healthy, Daniel Thomas. The Jets yield 134.8 rushing yards per game. For a unit aiming to regain respectability, nothing more than domination Monday will suffice.

Number to Watch: 45.6

That is how many yards Joe McKnight has averaged on his nine kickoff returns, best in the N.F.L.

McKnight has produced two long returns — a 107-yarder for a touchdown against Baltimore and an 88-yarder against New England that led to a third-quarter touchdown — and his explosiveness could pose problems for Miami. The Dolphins have allowed 27.4 yards per kickoff return, putting them in the bottom third of the league. The Jets, though, will surely welcome fewer returns by McKnight if that means that their defense is playing well.

Quotation of the Week

“They’re still the team to beat in our division.”

Dolphins Coach TONY SPARANO, whose team lost by 14 points to first-place New England (5-1) in the season opener, on the 2-3 Jets.

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Jets To Induct Four New Players Into ‘Ring of Honor’

October 17, 2011 8:12 AMReporting Peter Schwartz

Al Toon, Freeman McNeil, Gerry Philbin, Jets, Larry Grantham, Peter Schwartz, Ring Of Honor

NEW YORK (WFAN) – To honor their past while opening their new stadium last year, the Jets created a

“Ring of Honor.”

The inaugural class, honoring the team’s all-time greatest players, had six members. Four more will be added during the Oct. 17 Monday night game against the Miami Dolphins, according to a person with knowledge of the selections: Larry Grantham, Freeman McNeil, Gerry Philbin and Al Toon.

WFAN’s Peter Schwartz caught up with Freeman McNeil to get his thoughts on being selected for the Ring of Honor, his career, and the current Jets.

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Morning take: Jets' motivational speaker

October, 17, 2011

Oct 17

8:20

AM ET

By James Walker

Here are the most interesting stories Monday morning in the AFC East:

I

n the midst of their three-game losing streak, the New York Jets enlisted mixed martial arts champion Frankie Edgar to provide a motivational speech before tonight's game against the Miami Dolphins.

Morning take: Edgar is as resilient as they come in the MMA world. The Jets have shown little fight lately besides amongst themselves. Maybe this will help bring the Jets together.

What happens if the winless Dolphins continue to struggle?

Morning take: Everything should be up for discussion in 2012. Sweeping changing throughout the organization could be looming, which is why this game against the Jets is so important.

The Buffalo Bills' flaws were exposed in Sunday's loss to the New York Giants.

Morning take: Buffalo's defense, in particular, needs improvement or the Bills will struggle after the bye. Opponents are getting too many yards, and if the Bills can't force turnovers, they're cooked.

It was Tom Brady to the rescue to help the New England Patriots improve to 5-1 with a win over the Dallas Cowboys.

Morning take: Give a lot of credit to New England's defense for keeping the team in the game. The Patriots struggled on offense. But any time you let Brady hang around in the fourth quarter, this can happen.

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The Fifth Down - The New York Times N.F.L. Blog

October 17, 2011, 10:00 am

Brandon Marshall’s Monday Night Promise

By MIKE TANIER

Dolphins (0-4) at Jets (2-3), 8:30 p.m. Eastern, ESPN

New York Jets

Miami Dolphins

Just in time for the Halloween costume season, Dolphins wide receiver Brandon Marshall vowed to “play like a monster” on Monday. He plans to make the most of what he thinks will be a brief appearance.

“I don’t know if it’s throwing a football 15 yards in the bleachers, or getting a 15-yarder, or punting the ball and getting thrown out of the game,” he said Thursday. “I’ll probably get kicked out after the second quarter.”

He said the threat of a $50,000 fine would not change his mind. At least Marshall sounds pumped up. Miami may be the flattest, most listless team in the league. The Dolphins are winless without style, their mediocre offense lacks star power, and their defense is almost incapable of producing sacks (six) or interceptions (two).

If they become any more nondescript, they will become the Jacksonville Jaguars, and Florida is not big enough for two such teams. Marshall versus His Own Impulses makes a fine undercard for Jets versus Themselves, the compelling main event Monday night.

With the backup quarterback Matt Moore under center for the rest of the season and Marshall talking like a man who hopes to clock out at 10 p.m., the Dolphins are no match for the Jets. But the fractious Jets do not need an adversary, and while Marshall’s rant was less-than-professional, he has one up on Santonio Holmes: he did not drag any teammates into it. Pick: Jets

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Foiled by Fins? Jets can't afford it

Another dud vs. Dolphins -- in prime time, no less -- could crush Rex's Super dreams

Cimini By Rich Cimini

ESPNNewYork.com

Rex: I Don't Care What Anyone Thinks

Once every decade, the New York Jets suffer a franchise-altering loss to the Miami Dolphins. There was the Mud Bowl in 1983, the Fake Spike in 1994 and the Chad Pennington revenge game in 2008 -- all of which led to head-coaching changes.

Rex Ryan isn't going to lose his job based on the outcome of Monday night's game at Met Life Stadium, but a loss could rob the Jets of a chance to fulfill Ryan's Super Bowl guarantee -- and that would be devastating.

With a three-game losing streak and a locker room on the verge of blowing up, the bickering Jets (2-3) are desperate for a victory. So are the Dolphins (0-4), who haven't won a game in 309 days -- not since their 10-6 win over the Jets last Dec. 12.

Week 6: Jets vs. Dolphins on ESPN

"Oh, we need it, there's no doubt about it," Ryan said. "We need to get back to winning and we know this team is gunning for a win, as well. It's not like, 'Oh, the Jets need one.' Well, so does Miami. We're going to get everything they have, there's no doubt.

"But, yeah, we don't need to lose another game. I mean, everybody knows what our goal is, and what we expect from each other. We need this win."

On paper, this looks like a layup for the Jets, but this is a strange, unpredictable rivalry. Just when you think it's going one way, it turns in a different direction. Remember the Midnight Miracle in 2000? Ryan, too, hasn't been immune to the fickle nature of the series.

Check this out: Ryan has a better record against the New England Patriots (3-3) than he does against the Dolphins (1-3), who are 3-0 under Tony Sparano on the Jets' home turf.

In each of Ryan's three losses to Miami, one unit suffered a major meltdown. In 2009, the Jets lost 31-27 when their defense made Chad Henne look like Dan Marino, as Ryan put it, and lost again, 30-25, on two kickoff-return touchdowns by Ted Ginn Jr. In 2010, the Jets lost 10-6, thanks to a no-show by the offense.

"We have to find a way to end that streak," said Ryan, who has a losing record against only two teams, the Dolphins and Baltimore Ravens (0-2).

This could be a tougher-than-expected game for the Jets because the Dolphins are coming off a bye week. That gave them extra time to prepare new quarterback Matt Moore, replacing the injured Henne, for the complexities of the Jets' defense. It also gave Dolphins defensive coordinator Mike Nolan extra time to create new wrinkles for Mark Sanchez.

With the Jets' recent offensive struggles and the Dolphins' season-long funk, this could be a defensive struggle.

"It's going to be ugly," Dolphins running back Reggie Bush said, "so we're getting ready for a street fight."

The Dolphins haven't won since Dec. 12, when they held the Jets to two field goals in a downpour.

What to watch for:

• Team turmoil. The spotlight will be on the Jets' offense, which appears to be cracking. Derrick Mason was traded because of concern about his attitude, Santonio Holmes and Brandon Moore engaged in a war of words and embattled coordinator Brian Schottenheimer can't seem to keep everybody happy. If the Jets start slowly again, things could get tense on the sideline.

• Run D. In two of the last three games, the Jets' run defense was exposed. The Dolphins are a running team, and they'll lean heavily on the run to take pressure of Moore, who makes his first start of the season. The Dolphins reportedly used the bye week to create different ways to get the ball to Bush, who is rotting away as a traditional runner. They will try to get him into space to exploit the Jets' linebackers. Rookie nose tackle Kenrick Ellis is expected to make his NFL debut.

• Marshall's plan. Dolphins wide receiver Brandon Marshall, in one of the most bizarre rants in years, predicted that he'll be so amped for the game that he'll be ejected by the end of the first half.

One thing is certain: Marshall will get more TV face time because of those comments.

• Welcome Matt. If the Jets don't get at least four sacks, something is wrong. The Dolphins are 28th in sacks per play, with right tackle Marc Colombo -- a human E-Z Pass lane -- on a 12-sack pace.

The Jets will have to keep a close eye on Moore, who can scramble.

• Complementary football. The Jets haven't won back-to-back quarters since Week 2 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The offense and defense take turns suffering letdowns. If the defense makes a big stop, the offense goes three-and-out. If the offense scores, the defense gives up a big play.

They need consistency.

"We've got to get this taste out of our mouth," defensive tackle Mike DeVito said. "Three in a row is awful."

Four would be disastrous.

Follow Rich Cimini on Twitter: @RichCimini

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Jets agree on this: We badly need a win

Originally published: October 16, 2011 7:11 PM

Updated: October 16, 2011 9:03 PM

By RODERICK BOONE roderick.boone@newsday.com

Darrelle Revis doesn't deal in hyperbole.

So when the All-Pro cornerback used a certain nine-letter word to describe his team's sense of urgency, it revealed some serious insight into the state of the skidding Jets (2-3) and underscored the magnitude of Monday night's game against the Dolphins (0-4) at MetLife Stadium.

"We are desperate for a win. We need one," Revis said. "We've been in a three-game losing streak, three tough road games. It's good to be at home and feel a little bit of comfort, and go in there and get a win."

Hardly anything has been comforting of late for the Jets.

There's turmoil within the locker room after Santonio Holmes twice called out the offensive line, prompting guard Brandon Moore to rip the wide receiver for thinking his captaincy gives him the liberty to publicly criticize his teammates.

Holmes and Plaxico Burress also questioned whether Derrick Mason really was traded to Houston last Tuesday because his on-field performance didn't match the Jets' expectations. And offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer has been under fire because of the Jets' weak offensive showing in successive weeks.

With so much Jet turbulence and a new episode seemingly every day in a drama-filled week, they are in must-win mode.

"Oh, we need it. There's no doubt about it," Rex Ryan said. "We need to get back to winning and we know this team is gunning for a win as well. It's not like, 'Oh, the Jets need one.' Well, so does Miami. We are going to get everything they have, there's no doubt. But yeah, we don't need to lose another game. Everybody knows what our goal is and what we expect from each other. We need this win."

Miami limps into MetLife Stadium with Matt Moore stepping in at quarterback for Chad Henne, who was placed on injured reserve with a shoulder injury suffered in the Dolphins' last game two weeks ago in San Diego. But they have won their last three road games against the Jets, including two against Ryan.

That's why Holmes knows it's imperative for the Jets' 28th-ranked offense to light it up and keep what should be an inferior opponent from sending the Jets to their fourth straight loss.

"Come out, play fast, put some points on the board early -- just run those guys out of here," Holmes said. "Let them come in with their 0-4 record, leave with an 0-5 record. We've just got to put everything together this week, and I think Monday night is the time to definitely turn it around. The spotlight is on us, everybody is watching. Time to really play some football and turn this organization around."

They can start by turning around an offense that has lacked explosiveness all season. They haven't stretched the field, posting only one play of at least 40 yards, tying them for last place in that category entering Sunday's action.

The Jets are averaging only 297 yards per game, with 76 of them coming via their rushing attack, a number higher than only Tennessee's 67. Still, Mark Sanchez thinks it's a matter of time before the offense comes alive.

"I feel like we just need to improve just a little bit and the wins are right there," he said. "We're right in these games. Other than the Ravens game, we haven't been blown out. We're right in these games and we have kind of found a way to lose, where last year we really found a way to win. That's the difference. It's so small. It's one completion here or there, it's one turnover here or there, a block, a tackle, a throw and a catch and we're right in [each] game.

"So we're right there, we're right there in all these games, and we played three good teams in a row.

We lost, unfortunately, three in a row, but this team is ready to bounce back, and we get a good one at home this week. Must-win, need a win, whatever you want to call it, we just want to win the game."

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Jets in Need of Monday Night Magic vs. Miami

By Randy Lange

The Jets have had many a memorable Monday night game against the Dolphins. Not surprising, since they have played and beaten the 'Fins more than any other opponent on that most iconic night of the NFL week.

There was the 1985 game, when Freeman McNeil and Kenny O'Brien led the Jets to a 23-7 win in a battle of 4-1 teams. The Chad Pennington gut-it-out-in-the-rain 13-10 win at Miami on Christmas Night 2006. And of course the Monday Night Miracle of 2000.

Will tonight's Jets-Dolphins game at MetLife Stadium qualify for the pantheon of top Jets games against their longtime AFC East friends and foes? It will certainly be remembered no matter the outcome. But a loss would be a bitter pill. It would come to the previously winless Aqua & Coral and would drop the Green & White to their fourth defeat in a row and to three games off the lead of those pesky, persistent Patriots, who came back to beat the Cowboys at home Sunday and rise to 5-1.

However, that's not what the Jets have in mind. They want a win and whether it's by the 41-14 count of the 2004 game or the field goal margins of the MNF wins in 1980 and '02, they'll take it.

"Oh, we need it, there's no doubt about it," head coach Rex Ryan said during the urgent week of preparation. "We need to get back to winning and we know this team is gunning for a win as well. It's not like, oh, the Jets need one. Well, so does Miami. We are going to get everything they have, there's no doubt. But yeah, we don't need to lose another game.

"We’re excited to play on a national stage," added QB Mark Sanchez. "I feel like most of the time we play our best that way. We have to come out on fire, we have to play well and start the game off fast, finish it strong, sustain drives, and execute on offense and take care of the football. It’s going to be a good matchup."

Recent Edge to 'Fins

One thing's for sure: This rivalry between these sides is never an easy matchup to figure out. Dan Marino was a great QB and had his moments vs. the Jets, but they had their moments against him:

Ken O'Brien split 14 games against Marino and they won their last four against him. From 1998-2008, in fact, the Green & White won 17 of 21 meetings.

But the Dolphins have taken four of the last five, including the two Jets home games of the Ryan era, in most unusual fashion. In 2009 in the Meadowlands, the Jets gave up a mere 104 yards yet fell to two Ted Ginn kickoff return TDs and a Jason Taylor fumble return score, all in a 7:01 span of the third quarter, in a 30-25 loss.

Last year, in their first season in their new home, the defense yielded a nearly as impressive 131 yards, yet the Sanchez offense punted eight times, managed two field goals, and the Jets fell again, 10-6.

The Jets' offensive struggles this year — and the talk it's generated outside the locker room as well as inside it — has been well-documented, especially this past week before and after the trade of WR Derrick Mason. The offense was ranked 28th overall heading into this sixth weekend of the season, the running game was 31st — the last time the Jets ranked 32nd and last in the league's rushing-yardage category was after Week 5 in 2003 — and their seven three-and-out drives at New England dropped them into the bottom three in the league in three-and-out drive percentage.

"I think we’re working through just a tough experience," Sanchez said. "Three tough road losses — that’s no fun and it’s not easy, but it’s a good test for us. It really is a good test for this team to see how we’re going to bounce back. I know we have the talent to do it and I know we have the coaching to do it. We have to work and practice. I thought we had a great day today. We have to build off today, build off of last game, get a little bit better on third down and we’re right there."

That may sound like whistling past the graveyard to the Jets' many critics, but support for Sanchez's and the offense's potential came in the past few days from a guy who changed from his aqua uniform to green last year and back to aqua this year.

"They’ll be all right," said Taylor, who'll be trying to delay that all right with some timely sacks and pressures of Sanchez tonight. "Sometimes things don’t click quite as fast as people would like, but they’ll be fine. They’ve got the players, the talent to do it, very, very good coaches, very knowledgeable coaches on both sides of the ball, so they’ll be fine. Like I said, the talent's there, the quarterback's there. They’ll be just fine."

Similarly, the Jets defense will want to apply pressure to Matt Moore, the QB who finds himself in the hot seat with Chad Henna's season-ending shoulder injury. They'd like to use their alignment-assignment-technique mantra of the week to stop the Dolphins' run and then turn the pressure loose and make Moore's life as miserable as they did Henna's in those two previous home games in 2009-10 — except this time come away with a home 'Fins win.

They Expect Much from Themselves

Tony Sparano, Miami's embattled head coach, explained why the Dolphins are so dangerous to the Jets' hopes and dreams for this game as he answered a question about what if anything he saw that might explain the Jets' recent sputtering.

"No, I wouldn’t say there’s anything that I noticed and if I did I probably wouldn’t say it," Sparano deadpanned. "I know that that team has lost three games before a couple of times and has bounced back. No different than my football team. We’ve been in this situation before and bounced back. We’ve been 0-3 and 0-4 and won our next 11 games and six of our next seven games.

"Teams get in these positions. The bottom line is you put yourself in the position by the way you play and you've got to dig yourself out of it. So there’s nothing really that I’ve watched on film that said this is the reason why the Jets are in this deal here. That’s a darn good football team in my very humble opinion. That team went to the AFC Championship Game last year and they're still the team to beat in our division."

If it's anything of an omen, it can also be said that the Jets have strong, if not perfect, through their history when faced with this similar position, facing a team that's winless in its first four games or worse. They're 13-4 in such games, including wins in three of these last such games — '97 against the 0-4 Colts, '07 against the 0-11 Dolphins, and '08 vs. the 0-5 Bengals.

But, of course, history means nothing when it comes to current events. The Jets must be what they say they are: a locker room that is more together than fans and media may give it credit for, a team of resolve and character, a group ready to put its troubles behind it and stride forward toward whatever may come.

"Everybody knows what our goal is, and what we expect from each other," Ryan said simply. "We need this win."

Late Scratches

Sunday evening, the Dolphins announced that three players had been ruled out of playing in tonight's game. Two were injured players — S Chris Clemons and TE Will Yeatman — and DE Philip Merling was a non-injury scratch. Merling, Jets and Brett Favre fans will remember, was a rookie D-lineman in 2008 when he picked off Favre and returned the ball 25 yards for a second-quarter TD in the Dolphins' AFC East-clinching 24-17 win over the Jets in the regular-season finale.

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Scouting the Dolphins' tendencies

October, 17, 2011

Oct 17

11:36

AM ET

By Rich Cimini

Let's take an inside look at the Dolphins (0-4), with help from ESPN Stats & Information

THE DISAPPEARANCE OF REGGIE BUSH

Bush has been a major disappointment in his first season with the Dolphins, averaging only 3.0 per rush. They've tried to use him as a traditional running back, and that's not his deal. He's a change-of-pace back that needs the ball in space. That's how the Saints used him. He hasn't scored a rushing TD since Nov. 15, 2009 -- a streak of 17 games. Here's a breakdown of his last three seasons:

Year --- Yds/rush -- Rush TDs

2011 ... 3.0 ... 0

2010 ... 4.2 ... 0

2009 ... 5.6 ... 5

CHAD HENNE VS. MATT MOORE

QB Chad Henne, who's had a couple of big games against the Jets, is out for the season with a shoulder injury. There's a dropoff to Matt Moore, but maybe not as much as you might think -- at least not on longer throws. Henne is a terrible downfield passer, with three TDs and 20 interception on passes of at least 11 air yards. No quarterback with 100 attempts has thrown fewer touchdowns.

Passing 11+ Yards Downfield (2008-2011)

Category -- Henne --- Moore

Comp pct .... 47.5 ...... 43.4

Yds/att ...... 9.6 ....... 9.9

TD-Int diff ... -17 ....... +1

PASS DEFENSE: 4 OR FEWERS RUSHERS

The Dolphins aren't a very good pass defense when they send a conventional pass rush. That's curious, considering Cam Wake is one of the better outside rushers in the league. Their opponents have racked up some impressive numbers, which bodes well for Mark Sanchez & Co:

68-for-93 ... 73.1% ... 889 yards ... 6 TDs ... 2 INTs ... 4 sacks ... 115.4 passer rating

PASS DEFENSE: 5+ PASS RUSHERS

The Dolphins are significantly better when they send extra pressure, which explains why the Jets expect a heavy dose of blitzing from D.C. Mike Nolan. Opponents are completing only 46.3% against extra pressure, the second-best mark in the league.

25-for-54 ... 46.3% ...375 yards ... 3 TDs ... 0 INTs ... 2 sacks ... 88.1 passer rating

OFFENSE: 3+ WIDE RECEIVERS

The Dolphins like to use 3+ WR packages, about the same frequency as the Jets do. Problem is, Miam's pass protection suffers when they spread the field. Check out the sack total:

170 plays ... 1,038 total yards ... 64-for-111, 852 passing yards ... 12 sacks ... 12 for 47 rushing yards.

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Jets vs. Dolphins Final Injury Report And Game Notes

posted by: Site Admin |

Jets vs. Dolphins Final Injury Report And Game Notes

The New York Jets have four players listed as "out" on the final injury report for tonight's game against the Miami Dolphins. While WR Logan Payne has been out since the start of the season, CB Donald Strickland, CB Isaiah Trufant and DE Ropati Pitoitua all suffered injuries in the last game against New England. Both Trufant and Pitoitua, who registered his first career sack against the Pats, missed the entire week of practice. C Nick Mangold missed practice on Thursday and Friday, but did participate on Saturday on a limited basis. He's listed as "questionable."

Here's the final injury report:

New York Jets

Out: CB Donald Strickland (concussion), WR Logan Payne (wrist), CB Isaiah Trufant (hamstring), DE Ropati Pitoitua (knee)

Questionable: C Nick Mangold (ankle)

Probable: CB Marquice Cole (hamstring), DE Marcus Dixon (shoulder), LB Garrett McIntyre (concussion), LS Tanner Purdum (low back), LB Bart Scott (toe), LB Martin Tevaseu (low back), DE Muhammad Wilkerson (shoulder), LB LaDainian Tomlinson (calf)

Miami Dolphins

Questionable: CB Nolan Carroll (hamstring), S Chris Clemons (hamstring), RB Daniel Thomas (hamstring), TE Will Yeatman (shoulder)

Probable: CB Vontae Davis (hamstring), DE Tony McDaniel (hand), LB Koa Misi (neck)

Game Notes:

- The Dolphins seek 4th consecutive win at NYJ, they have a 13-9 (.591) record after bye week

- QB Matt Moore has 7-6 record as starter & has 16 TDs vs. 11 INTs & 83.4 passer rating

- RB Reggie Bush has 7 career TDs (3 rush, 2 rec., 2 PR) on Monday Night Football

- Rookie RB Daniel Thomas (2nd round, No. 62) is averaging 101 rush yards per game (202 total in 2 games)

- WR Brandon Marshall has 17 receptions for 237 receiving yards with 2 TDs. With Miami, Marshall averages 89.6 receiving yards per game (627 in 7 games) against AFC East opponents

- The Jets are 4-0 at home vs. Miami on Monday Night Football

- QB Mark Sanchez has 6 TDs vs. 1 INT & 83.8 passer rating in 4 career games vs. Miami

- WR Plaxico Burress aims for 5th consecutive game with TD catch on MNF

- TE Dustin Keller has 17 catches for 208 yards with 3 TDs in last 3 games vs. Miami

- KR/RB Joe McKnight leads NFL with 45.6 yards per kickoff return. McKnight has posted KR of 80+ yards in consecutive games (107 TD, 88).

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Ramos Remembers Tonight’s 4 Ring Inductees

Posted by Randy Lange on October 17, 2011 – 3:19 pm

This is always a good time of year for me because when the Jets announce their Ring of Honor inductees, as they’re doing tonight, I get to chat with Frank Ramos.

Ramos, Jets fans may recall, was the team’s longtime public relations director. So longtime, in fact, that he spans the careers of the four Jets being inducted in the second ROH class at halftime of tonight’s Jets-Dolphins Monday night affair — LB Larry Grantham, DE Gerry Philbin, RB Freeman McNeil and WR Al Toon.

Here are some of Frank’s thoughts on the four Jets to enter the team’s “crown of renown”:

On Grantham…

“He’s an original. He goes back to the first year of the Titans. He was drafted by Weeb [Ewbank] in Baltimore and he saw he had an opportunity to go to the Titans and start right away. He was on the Ole Miss All-Century Team, played tight end and linebacker. And he played all those years at about 205 pounds. There are big corners today playing at 205.

“Larry was so dedicated as a player and so smart. Weeb had always talked up that Larry’d make a great coach. He had opportunities after football to go into business and he’s done a terrific job in banking and sales. But Weeb always thought he’d make a great coach because he was a coach on the field, a captain at one time. Walt [Michaels] had to employ him as the weakside linebacker and

Walt would say he’s one of the smartest players Walt had ever coached. Larry was an outstanding tackler and had a great, long career.”

On Philbin…

“Gerry was another guy who was undersized. He was playing at the University of Buffalo at 185 pounds. He was one of the first players with us to believe in the weightroom. We never had a weightroom at the complex at Hofstra or at Shea Stadium. Philbin actually built himself up to where he weight about 245 pounds. He had tremendous quickness and toughness about him.

“Gerry used to kid Verlon Biggs, ‘If I had your body …’ Biggs was just naturally built. Gerry would come off our left end and Verlon was coming from most quarterbacks’ blind side. Gerry would be chasing the QBs with his great speed and [DT John] Elliott also had great speed at 240 pounds.

Then Walt installed what was our first designated pass rusher when Carl McAdams came in for [DT] Paul Rochester.

On Toon…

“Al caught everything. The only other Jet who had hands as good as Al was George Sauer Jr. And the punishment Al took when he went over the middle. On most teams he’d have been the longball receiver but we had Wesley [Walker] then and with the Jets Al went over the middle. He was tall and very lean and muscular. He was a track star before the Jets and there was talk of him going to the Olympics.

“He took a beating going over the middle but he held onto everything. He was just a valued receiver for any quarterback. I know he and Kenny O’Brien were extremely tight while they were with the Jets.”

On McNeil…

“Freeman might’ve made more people miss than any other running back. Emmitt Smith at Dallas didn’t have great speed and neither did Freeman. But they both knew how to make people miss.

And Freeman was a great leader for those Jets teams he was on. You couldn’t pick two more worthy people to be going into the second class of the Ring of Honor than Freeman and Al.

Frank will be at MetLife Stadium tonight along with 78,000-plus other fans to welcome the second class of the Ring of Honor into the fold. We’ll tweet and blog about the night for the four inductees as well as the hoped-for victory by the current class of Jets.

And Sample’s a Finalist

In another Fame-ous venue, the late Johnny Sample is a finalist for induction this year into the Black College Football Hall of Fame. Sample was a Maryland State running back who ran for 2,381 yards and 37 touchdowns and received All-America recognition three times in his Hawks career, and he was the starting left corner on the Jets’ Super Bowl III team that rocked the Colts and the NFL.

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Three Things: Week 6 – Miami Dolphins

by Bassett on October 17th, 2011 at 3:28 pm

Quarterback Matt Moore #8 Of The Miami Dolphins Throws

The Fish have flopped all over the Meadowlands recently and I for one say its time for a Dolphin punch in the mouth. There’s nothing like rekindling your winning spirit against an old rival that’s presently reeling. The Jets should get right against Miami on Monday night.

However, the Dolphins have won four of the last five against New York, including the last three at what is now MetLife stadium. Coach Ryan has only one win against them as Head Coach of the Jets and that came in Miami. With the Dolphins being one of three winless teams left in the NFL, you’d think it’s a perfect opportunity for Green to shake off the shame of three straight conference losses.

But before we hang a W in the standings let’s take three things into account.

These teams always play each other hard.

There’s simply no accounting for the way divisional games pan out, and in my experience, especially AFC East games. They could be on opposite sides of the NFL spectrum and undoubtedly never… and when I say never I mean rarely… do you see a lopsided win. We see letdowns and miracles. They play spoilers and gauge eyes, miss field goals and break hearts. Bottom line… don’t bet this game.

Cameron Wake is a Man.

…and he scares me. Given the way the offensive line has played against elite pass rushers isn’t reassuring, even considering the moderate improvement witnessed last week. Wake is one of those guys that breaks backs and smirks about it as he helps collect your quarterback. His presence alone is enough to rattle Sanchez’s already speedy internal clock, and if he gets to him and does that creepy sack dance… look out. Wake can be exposed in the run game though, as he has difficulty setting the edge and identifying screens. Their Defense goes as he goes and if he gets momentum it’s a concern.

The Dolphins could get right against the Jets.

Don’t let the record fool you, there’s talent and speed on this team. The NFC North and the AFC East look like the toughest divisions in football currently and the Dolphins could certainly use a nationally televised game to catapult their season into acceptability. Brandon Marshall and Reggie Bush have gamebreak ability and Rookie back Daniel Thomas runs a lot like another back that wore the Jets D down last week.

But it’s not all doom and gloom. The Jets inherently are a more talented team and I expect them to come out a little lit. Matt Moore is a backup quarterback, nothing more. If he looks like anything more against the Jets defense then it’ll be disgusting.

I’m sure Brian Schottenheimer was allowed to stay up late this week scripting exceedingly exotic 3rd & 2 plays. Plays so intricate and full of smoke they will literally baffle the NFL, including his own team. But if the playcalling allows Sanchez to expose their corners, Greene , Tomlinson and (hopefully) Mcknight to run AT Wake the Dolphins should come apart at the seams in front of the Meadowlands faithful. Expect the Jets special teams to dominate and pass rushing schemes to exploit and absolutely miserable Marc Colombo.

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Three Things: Week 6 – Miami Dolphins

by Bassett on October 17th, 2011 at 3:28 pm

Quarterback Matt Moore #8 Of The Miami Dolphins Throws

The Fish have flopped all over the Meadowlands recently and I for one say its time for a Dolphin punch in the mouth. There’s nothing like rekindling your winning spirit against an old rival that’s presently reeling. The Jets should get right against Miami on Monday night.

However, the Dolphins have won four of the last five against New York, including the last three at what is now MetLife stadium. Coach Ryan has only one win against them as Head Coach of the Jets and that came in Miami. With the Dolphins being one of three winless teams left in the NFL, you’d think it’s a perfect opportunity for Green to shake off the shame of three straight conference losses.

But before we hang a W in the standings let’s take three things into account.

These teams always play each other hard.

There’s simply no accounting for the way divisional games pan out, and in my experience, especially AFC East games. They could be on opposite sides of the NFL spectrum and undoubtedly never… and when I say never I mean rarely… do you see a lopsided win. We see letdowns and miracles. They play spoilers and gauge eyes, miss field goals and break hearts. Bottom line… don’t bet this game.

Cameron Wake is a Man.

…and he scares me. Given the way the offensive line has played against elite pass rushers isn’t reassuring, even considering the moderate improvement witnessed last week. Wake is one of those guys that breaks backs and smirks about it as he helps collect your quarterback. His presence alone is enough to rattle Sanchez’s already speedy internal clock, and if he gets to him and does that creepy sack dance… look out. Wake can be exposed in the run game though, as he has difficulty setting the edge and identifying screens. Their Defense goes as he goes and if he gets momentum it’s a concern.

The Dolphins could get right against the Jets.

Don’t let the record fool you, there’s talent and speed on this team. The NFC North and the AFC East look like the toughest divisions in football currently and the Dolphins could certainly use a nationally televised game to catapult their season into acceptability. Brandon Marshall and Reggie Bush have gamebreak ability and Rookie back Daniel Thomas runs a lot like another back that wore the Jets D down last week.

But it’s not all doom and gloom. The Jets inherently are a more talented team and I expect them to come out a little lit. Matt Moore is a backup quarterback, nothing more. If he looks like anything more against the Jets defense then it’ll be disgusting.

I’m sure Brian Schottenheimer was allowed to stay up late this week scripting exceedingly exotic 3rd & 2 plays. Plays so intricate and full of smoke they will literally baffle the NFL, including his own team. But if the playcalling allows Sanchez to expose their corners, Greene , Tomlinson and (hopefully) Mcknight to run AT Wake the Dolphins should come apart at the seams in front of the Meadowlands faithful. Expect the Jets special teams to dominate and pass rushing schemes to exploit and absolutely miserable Marc Colombo.

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Jets vs. Dolphins: What to watch

October, 17, 2011

Oct 17

6:26

PM ET

By Rich Cimini

Things I'm wondering as we get closer to kickoff:

1. I can't see the Jets losing unless they do something self-destructive -- i.e. a pick six by Mark Sanchez or a breakdown on kickoff coverage (Ted Ginn, Jr., anyone?). If they play a relatively clean game, they should be able to grind out a win.

2. How are the Dolphins going to score? They averaged only 17 points per game with their starting QB, Chad Henne, and now Henne is done for the season, replaced by Matt Moore. He doesn't have much around him. Yeah, WR Brandon Marshall has talent, but he'll be a non-factor, assuming the Jets put CB Darrelle Revis on him. What, then?

3. It'll be interesting to see if O.C. Brian Schottenheimer loosens up a bit and allows Sanchez to throw on first down, attacking the 31st-ranked pass defense. I suspect Schottenheimer will take last week's approach -- fairly conservative -- but he needs to take some deep shots. The Dolphins' cornerbacks are gamblers, and they're vulnerable to double moves. How 'bout a slant-and-go for Santonio Holmes?

4. Is Holmes scores, will RG Brandon Moore run over to congratulate him? Just wondering.

5. One matchup concern for the Jets: RT Wayne Hunter vs. OLB Cameron Wake (three sacks). Wake isn't DeMarcus Ware, but he still has the ability to cause problems. In obvious passing situations, the Jets should use a back or tight end to provide help.

6. Jason Taylor returns to the Met. Does anybody care?

7. The Dolphins are going to go after the Jets' LBs, trying to exploit them in pass coverage. Look for them to get the ball to Reggie Bush out of the backfield. That's a lock.

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Kenrick Ellis active

October, 17, 2011

Oct 17

7:34

PM ET

By Jane McManus

Kenrick Ellis, a DT, could see time in his first NFL game tonight. Ellis, a rookie out of Hampton, has not yet been active for a Jets game. Part of the issue is special teams. Ellis doesn't play and the team needs utility players to be active unless they contribute significantly on offense or defense.

Jets inactives are QB Kevin O'Connell, WR Logan Payne (broken wrist), CB Donald Strickland (concussion), CB Isaiah Trufant (hamstring), C Colin Baxter and DE Ropati Pitoitua (knee).

The Dolphins won't dress RB Steve Slaton, FS Chris Clemons, LB Ikaika Alama-Francis, T Will Barker, G Ryan Cook, TE Will Yeatman and DE Phillip Merling.