Jets News 10-27

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Burress Humbled After Huge Game; Jets’ Locker Room Full Of Plax Backers

October 26, 2011 1:30 PMNEW YORK (WFAN/AP) — Thanks to three touchdown catches on Sunday, Plaxico Burress is that much closer to proving his doubters wrong.

Navigating the New York media microscope is nothing compared to what he has been through the past few years. If this weekend was any indication, the Plax of old is back.

“He’s a Jet, man. We baptized him,” cornerback Darrelle Revis said Wednesday. “Nowadays, so many players get traded or end up with other teams. Plax is a Jet now. His past is his past. He made

unbelievable plays in the past, and now he’s making them again.

“I mean, just throw it up to him.”

For the Jets’ bye week, Burress planned to hop on a plane to Florida with his family and meet up with some old friends. Mickey Mouse. Goofy. Maybe even Donald Duck.

After everything the wide receiver has endured, Disney World seemed as perfect a place as any for Burress and his family to kick back during the break.

“I’m pretty sure that they’ll enjoy that,” Burress said, “and just let them unwind and have a little fun.”

For Burress, the football field has always been that special place, and he’s relishing every play, every catch and, especially, every trip into the end zone. For a guy who’s just a few months removed from completing a nearly two-year prison sentence after accidentally shooting himself, this has been quite the Michael Vick-like storybook comeback.

And, Burress insists, he’s only getting started.

“It feels good to go out and have an impact,” he said, “and go out and make a few plays, get into a little groove and establish some consistency and just let this be a stepping stone.”

A big one, at that. His performance in the Jets’ 27-21 victory over the San Diego Chargers was a clear indication that Burress is back to being a big-time red-zone scoring threat — just as he was before his career was put on hold by a bullet in his right thigh in November 2008.

“That’s the way everybody envisioned the addition of Plaxico to our team, particularly in the red zone,” running back LaDainian Tomlinson said. “You saw it show up three times, for three big scores we needed.”

First came a 3-yard catch in the second quarter that cut the Jets’ deficit to 14-10. Next was a 4-yard grab late in the third quarter that again sliced the Chargers’ lead to four points at 21-17. The last came midway through the fourth quarter, a 3-yard reception that gave New York the go-ahead score.

Burress scanned the crowd at MetLife Stadium after each touchdown, found his family and handed them the ball. His young son, Elijah, couldn’t believe it as the souvenirs piled up.

“

After I gave him the third, he was like, ‘Daddy, you got threeee?’ And, I was like, ‘Yeah!’” Burress recalled. “He was excited, so excited that he wanted me to get up and take him to school (Monday) morning, I guess to kind of show his Daddy off type of thing. It was a great day for us and it was a long time coming for my family.”

They all wondered if there would ever be days like this again while they anxiously waited for Burress to come home while he served his 20 months in the Oneida Correctional Facility in Rome, N.Y. He cleaned toilets and counted off the days, dreaming of moments like those on Sunday.

Even in his darkest days, Burress never lost faith that he would make it back.

To his family. To the NFL. Or, to the end zone.

That’s why the former Super Bowl star with the Giants sat in the back seat of his car after his big game, stuck in postgame traffic on Route 17 near the stadium with the radio off and alone in his thoughts.

“I was just shaking my head and just envisioning getting back to having fun and playing at a high level,” he said. “Just thinking about everything me and my family have been through. It was gratifying and humbling all at the same time. It can be a very humbling game. Don’t get too high with the highs and don’t get too low with the lows. Just keep working hard, staying positive and everything will work out.”

That was what some of the 23 missed phone calls and 40-something texts he received reminded him of. With highlights of each of his touchdown grabs shown all over television, the fans and media proclaimed: Burress Is Back.

“I was back a long time ago,” he said with a smile. “I just haven’t really been able to let the practice show on Sundays.”

Burress has 18 catches for 243 yards and five touchdowns, but it hasn’t been a completely smooth return. The Jets signed him in late July and then he missed some time with a sprained ankle. That limited his opportunities to click with Mark Sanchez, and they’re still fine-tuning things. It was evident even Sunday, when they missed a few times on plays.

“People expect results right away,” Sanchez said. “We’re going through it and (Sunday) happened to be a good day, and we have to keep building on it.”

Burress said his legs aren’t completely in the shape he’d like them to be. He also acknowledged that he now goes to practice for the first time in his career truly needing to work on getting better. In the past, it all came so easily.

Some Jets players knew of Burress from charity events, Pro Bowl appearances and playing against him when he was with the Giants and Pittsburgh Steelers. They also wondered about reports that maybe he wasn’t the hardest-working guy, a player who perhaps wasn’t always fully dedicated to the game.

“Yeah, you hear stuff, but you’ve got to leave that in the past,” Revis said. “I think he has grown as a man and a human being. He does what he needs to do. I can’t say all that he went through taught him a lesson because I don’t know. And, I’m not saying it didn’t. But, we accepted him the day he got here. Nobody pointed any fingers, like, ‘Oh, you’re a bad person.’”

Burress still gets questions about the day he shot himself, what prison was like and how difficult the journey has been. That’s OK, he says. With more days like Sunday, that stuff will start to fade.

“I really don’t focus on what everybody’s saying about my past,” Burress said. “I mean, it’ll always be a part of my history. I’ve dealt with it and moved on, and one day, I hope everybody else will, too. I’m here just trying to get back to being a good football player and playing at a high level, and I know the only way that is going to come is through hard work.”

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Dolphins coach Sparano puts home up for sale

AUTHOR: Marc A. Greenberg

It’s not a good sign when your head coach puts his house up for sale.

It’s definitely not a good sign when your team is 0-6 as well.

According to Jorge Sedano of 790 The Ticket in Miami, Dolphins head coach Tony Sparano has put his house up for sale.

This of course comes immediately after reports of Dolphins Owner Stephen Ross expressing interest in former Steelers coach Bill Cowher.

The Fins play the New York Giants this Sunday at MetLife Stadium.

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Sources: Colin Baxter chooses Chargers over Jets

BY Manish Mehta

The Daily News has learned that center Colin Baxter chose to return to the Chargers rather than sign with the Jets’ practice squad one day after Gang Green waived him. The rookie center started two games this season while Nick Mangold was out with a high ankle sprain. He signed with San Diego's practice squad after he cleared waivers earlier today.

The Jets initially claimed Baxter off waivers after he was one of the Chargers’ final cuts after the preseason.

The Jets will also sign a pair of offensive linemen to the practice squad in the coming days. Matt Kroul, who was

released from the practice squad yesterday, and Dennis Landolt, who was previously on the team, will rejoin Gang Green, according to sources.

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Jets' Wayne Hunter appears to have shaken off tough start

Published: Thursday, October 27, 2011, 4:15 AM Updated: Thursday, October 27, 2011, 8:49 AM

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

Earlier this season, Wayne Hunter asked Matt Slauson for advice.

The Jets’ right tackle had watched Slauson compete last year for the left guard job, a spot previously occupied by nine-time Pro Bowler Alan Faneca. Slauson faced a steady diet of criticism and doubt, from sources including Jets legend Joe Namath, and Hunter wanted to know how he handled it.

“I said, ‘You’ve just got to keep on playing, put it out of your mind because if you start getting into all that, it can really mess with you,’ ” Slauson said. “He’s done a great job of not worrying about anybody else, just continuing to improve every week.”

Hunter called the transition as the Jets’ starting right tackle “a learning process.” Last year, coach Rex Ryan frequently hyped Hunter as the “best backup tackle in the league,” and he filled in admirably for the injured Damien Woody in five spot starts late in the season and the playoffs.

But when he signed a four-year deal with the Jets during free agency this summer, Hunter suddenly became “the guy” at right tackle for the first time in his career, a new challenge.

“It was different pressure-wise,” Hunter said. “Being the jumbo tight end, you come in for a play, you do well and you take five plays off; come in for another play, do great, and take five plays off. It’s like a fireman’s schedule.

“But coming in and being the guy for 60, 70, 80 plays — consistency has been my issue, always been. So if I could just find a way to stay more consistent, I’ll be fine. And I’ve been consistent over the last four, five weeks, so I’m just trying to string them all together.”

Hunter admits he had a tough start to the season, as the line as a whole drew criticism for its protection of quarterback Mark Sanchez. He saw elite pass-rusher DeMarcus Ware early and often in the opener against the Dallas Cowboys, yielding a sack on the Jets’ first play of the game. He had a bumpy follow-up against Jacksonville the following week, too, drawing two penalties and getting pushed back by defensive end Matt Roth on the hit that bruised Sanchez’s throwing arm.

But Hunter kept working, spending extra time in the film room with his linemates and working on technical nuances with offensive line coach Bill Callahan. Sanchez has said he is “proud” of how Hunter weathered the early storm and, after Hunter held his own against the Miami Dolphins' Cameron Wake two weeks ago, Ryan awarded him a game ball.

“I want to try to at least match (left tackle D’Brickashaw Ferguson) and try to be — try to be — that Pro Bowl tackle,” Hunter said. “I really just want to be consistent is my thing; I want to be consistent throughout the game. I’m still learning. We’ve got nine more games left. It’s a long season, so I still have a long way to go.”

Hunter critiqued his performance after Sunday’s victory against the San Diego Chargers, pointing out that he gave up “two or three pressures.” Outside linebacker Shaun Phillips used a spin move to come inside Hunter on one play in the first half, hitting Sanchez as he threw an incompletion to tight end Dustin Keller.

“It’s not bad, but my standards are really high for myself,” Hunter said. “And the people I know, their standards are high for me, too.”

But while working to meet his own expectations for his play, Hunter made sure not to let others’ doubts enter his mind. Slauson, who had been through ups and downs like Hunter, is as happy as anyone to watch him emerge as a stronger player.

“He has done a phenomenal job,” Slauson said. “He has been growing and building, and now he’s just locking guys down. He doesn’t care who it is, he just locks them down.”

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

Jenny Vrentas: jvrentas@starledger.com

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Jets’ Burress glad he’s making impact

By TIM BONTEMPS

Last Updated: 8:31 AM, October 27, 2011

Posted: 3:34 AM, October 27, 2011

Entering Sunday’s game against the Chargers, Plaxico Burress had spent several weeks having a minimal impact on the Jets’ offense.

But that all changed against San Diego. Burress torched the Chargers’ secondary for three touchdowns in the Jets’ 27-21 win, including the go-ahead score midway through the fourth quarter that put the Jets ahead for good.

“It feels good to go out and have an impact and go out and make a few plays and kind of get in a little groove and establish some consistency, and just let this be a stepping stone,” Burress said.

“We’re going to keep getting better.

“That’s what you come to work, and work hard for, to play at a high level. You know those times will come, but you’ve just got to be patient.”

The next step for Burress, whose three touchdown catches combined to cover 10 yards, is to become a threat all over the field for Mark Sanchez. But after his dominant performance in the red zone Sunday, Burress said he expects to see the Jets’ offense open up near the goal line as defenses place their focus on keeping the ball out of his hands and up opportunities for his teammates.

“You would think it’s going to change the next couple of games, because teams know we still have a good shot of making some high-percentage throws in the red zone,” Burress said. “All it’s going to do is open up guys like Santonio [Holmes] and Dustin [Keller].”

After seeing the way Burress was able to exploit San Diego’s secondary on Sunday, Keller also could see the beginnings of big things to come for the Jets offense.

“It’s close,” Keller said. “I think we can be better in the red zone, coming away with touchdowns rather than field goals. There’s another step we can take.”

It has been an up-and-down season for Burress, who caught a touchdown pass in two of the Jets’ first three games -- sandwiched around a game where he didn’t catch a pass -- then spent the past three weeks mostly in obscurity.

As he has attempted to resurrect his career this season after missing the last two seasons and spending 20 months in prison for shooting himself in his right leg, Burress said that he has had to change his work habits in order to try to get back up to speed.

“It’s probably the first time in my career where I’ve really had to just come to practice, and really just focus on getting better,” he said.

That said, Burress had no regrets about the way he went about his business in practice in the past.

“You just mature as you grow older in this business,” Burress said. “The longer you play in it, you just love it more. When you’re young, you want to come in and make a big splash. You want to go to the Pro Bowl. You want to make all the money. But as you grow older you just want to enjoy the game and enjoy the competition and try to win championships.”

Burress, who spoke at a fundraiser at the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence on Monday night, said he isn’t worried about what anyone else is saying about his past, either.

“It will always be a part of my history,” he said. “I’ve dealt with it and moved on. One day, I hope everybody else will, too.

“I’m here, just trying to get better.”

tbontemps@nypost.com

Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/jets/plax_catching_fire_KzArl0Y4MLViuWeE0ebdyH#ixzz1bzGFPABI

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Morning take: Waiting on Haynesworth

October, 27, 2011

Oct 27

7:00

AM ET

By James Walker

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

The New England Patriots are waiting for defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth to get back to his old form.

Morning take: Chad Ochocinco's lackluster production actually took pressure off Haynesworth, who has been in and out of the lineup. But the Patriots need Hanynesworth to have a good second half of the season more than they need Ochocinco.

Dolphins starting tight end Anthony Fasano is tired of the "Suck for Andrew Luck" talk in Miami.

Morning take: Miami needs to win games. That's the bottom line. If the Dolphins remain winless and in the hunt for the No. 1 overall pick, talk of Luck won't go away.

The Buffalo Bills' work this offseason helped with their fast start.

Morning take: Buffalo has good chemistry in the locker room, which usually is the case with winning teams. Sunday's game against Washington is a big opportunity for Buffalo to improve to 5-2.

The New York Jets are in the top third of the NFL in penalties committed.

Morning take: New York plays aggressive. Penalties come with that style of play. The Jets could get better, but there are bigger concerns on the team.

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Jets Work Out P Matt Dodge

Manish Mehta is reporting via Twitter that the Jets worked out former Giants punter Matt Dodge yesterday. Dodge is most famous for his failure to kick out of bounds last year, leading to a punt returned for a touchdown to win the game for the Eagles as time expired. Dodge was replaced this year by our very own former punter Steve Weatherford. Dodge is in his second year in the league.

I've heard that Mike Westhoff has been somewhat disappointed in P TJ Conley. Conley has been what we thought he was; a first-year starter. He's had some great punts and some terrible ones. Inconsistency seems to be his biggest flaw.

This may just be a warning shot across the bow for Conley, for him to get his act together. I would be surprised if Dodge is signed, not only because of his ominous history but also because it seems to me to take longer than 7 weeks into the season to know if your first-year will be any good. It's not like Conley has been absolutely terrible or anything.

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Vacation time sending wrong message

Rex Ryan is making a huge mistake by giving the Jets a six-day break during the bye

Plaxico Burress is planning a family trip to Disney World. Darrelle Revis, he of his own mythical island, will stay on the mainland, relaxing on a beach near his home in Fort Lauderdale.

Rex Ryan gave the New York Jets a six-day vacation during their bye week, prompting Burress, Revis and many other players to get out of town and enjoy what amounts to spring break in the fall.

It's a mistake. Ryan, of all people, should know better.

Ryan is 0-2 coming off bye weeks, and that includes an absolutely dreadful performance last Halloween against the Green Bay Packers. That, too, came after a six-day break, and the Jets responded by sleepwalking through a 9-0 loss.

The Jets were lucky because they still had a 5-2 record, and the loss didn't damage their playoff chances. This season, they don't have that luxury. At 4-3, every loss is a blow to the solar plexus, and you could make the argument that the next two games -- against the Buffalo Bills and New England Patriots -- will determine their season.

But instead of focusing on X's and O's, the Jets are taking R & R.

The new collective bargaining agreement requires at least four consecutive days off during the bye week, including the weekend. That probably explains why teams are experiencing the post-bye blues -- a 3-9 record coming off the bye.

Armed with that information and with the knowledge that his team has a history of struggling on long rest, Ryan still went ahead and decided to stick with last season's bye-week schedule. It's a unique approach in the AFC East.

The Bills practiced once last week, followed by four days off. They return Sunday to face the Washington Redskins.

The Patriots practiced twice last week before five days off. Bill Belichick must have been in a generous mood. We'll see how they respond against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Dolphins practiced three times, received a four-day vacation and lost to the Jets on a Monday night, but you can't put too much stock in that because they lose to everybody.

The Jets won't practice until Monday. They will have missed one or two practice opportunities to address their many issues.

"We just have to be smart in that first practice back on Monday, or whenever it is, and not have the typical 'Oh, you-guys-look-like-you-took-a-week-off' day," guard Brandon Moore said. "We really have to zero in and get a lot out of that day, and gain a little bit of an advantage there after losing a little bit during the week off."

A veteran GM once told me he'd never consent to a six-day break, saying, "The players get too familiar with life again. That's not good. You want to keep them in a routine."

Bill Parcells never used to let his players know their bye-week schedule because he didn't want them making travel plans ahead of time, figuring they'd be more apt to stay in town on short notice.

Look, every coach has his own philosophy, but they all share this belief: If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

You can't say Ryan's approach is broke -- 0-2 isn't a large sample size -- but there's enough evidence to warrant a tweak or two.

Ryan likes his way because, "The bye is not just for one game; it's for the rest of the season. We'll do it business as usual; the only difference is, we're going to win coming out of the bye this year."

But here's the problem with that: It's not about the rest of the season; it's about next week. The Jets should be in a week-to-week survival mode, with no let up on the gas pedal.

There was a lot of self-congratulation after beating the San Diego Chargers, creating a palpable sense of relief in the locker room. It was a huge win, to be sure, but the Jets acted as if they had accomplished something by getting back above .500.

This is no time to be content; the sense of urgency should be greater than ever. A six-day vacation sends the wrong message.

Follow Rich Cimini on Twitter: @RichCimini

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Defense at the Bye: 'Real High Ceiling'

By Eric Allen

Posted 7 minutes ago

During the bye week we're presenting midseason reports on the three phases of the Jets attack. Today: Defense:

The 12th Man, a common football phrase that traces its origin back to 1922 and Texas A&M, is usually used to describe the fans and their impact on the game. But Jets defensive coordinator Mike Pettine says star cornerback Darrelle Revis allows him to call a game like he has a bonus defender.

“We do a good job as far coming up with coverage concepts that are different each week that allow Darrelle to take advantage of his ability,” said Pettine on “Inside the Jets.” “For me as a coordinator, you almost feel like you have a 12th defender.”

Entering the Week 8 bye, the Jets are tied for the NFL lead with 16 takeaways. Revis, who had zero interceptions in 2010, has seen more action on his Island in 2011 and leads the way with four INTs.

Three of Revis’ four picks have been huge momentum changers as he set up Nick Folk’s game-winner over the Cowboys in Week 1, jump-started a flat team in Week 5 by equaling a team record with a 100-yard return for a score against the 'Fins, and flipped the game with his Week 6 fourth-quarter pick of Chargers QB Philip Rivers.

You wonder why Jets opponents even bother to throw to No. 24’s side of the field.

Funneling Foes to 'the Island'

“Sometimes we set it up that way. We’ll overload coverage so dramatically away from him that a lot of times a quarterback has no choice,” said Pettine. “A quarterback’s normal read will be he’ll read the weak safety, he goes to the middle of the field, and you’ll work your split end side, and that’s Revis.”

The Jets will at times employ Cover-2 Man (man coverage with over-the-top safety help, allowing bracketed coverage) to the field and then leave Revis in Cover-Zero (no safety help) to the boundary.

“Do I throw to a guy who is doubled or do I throw to a guy who is being covered by Revis? So we set that up from a scheme standpoint, but not just give teams a steady diet of where that’s all that they’re getting,” Pettine said.

Secondary smarts across the board allow the Green & White to be adaptable on the back end by mixing up coverages. With the Chargers up, 21-17, early in the fourth quarter Sunday, the visitors were driving when the Jets threw a curve at Rivers.

“It was a coverage concept we’ve been working on for a while,” said the defensive coordinator, in his third season at the helm. “It was a third-and-intermediate type thing where they were expecting man coverage and trying to run a quick route. It was a slant and we were basically lined up as if we were playing man, and then everybody basically just zoned out over top of their player.

“We were fortunate that when [Vincent Jackson] broke inside Darrelle, I think he thought he had him beat,” Pettine said. “Cro came off his player and was sitting in that window, and that’s how the ball probably ended up to the back shoulder and it deflected through to Darrelle.”

D's Youth Being Heard From

Then with the Jets ahead, Revis’ apprentice helped seal away the team’s fourth win.

“Inside we talk about the slot. Kyle Wilson is very quietly having an exceptional year,” Pettine said.

“It was great to see Sunday that he finally kind of broke through with that first interception. He made a heck of a play, undercutting that crossing route.

“That was a huge play for us in the game, but all he does is show up and work and study tape. He’s a guy who kind of attached himself to Revis in the offseason, who isn’t a bad guy to want to learn from, and it’s paid off.”

The youth movement is well under way along the defensive line. Pettine considers rookie DE Muhammad Wilkerson “ahead of the learning curve” and he’s very high on former Cowboys DE Marcus Dixon. The rotation also includes rookie Kenrick Ellis, a rookie who saw the field the last two games, Ropati Pitoitua and Martin Tevaseu.

“The ability to have a rotation there, to roll guys through, I think has been very beneficial for us,” Pettine said.

The Jets, who are tied for sixth in sacks with 18, rank just 26th against the rush. The middle is strong with NT Sione Pouha and DT Mike DeVito on the line and David “Hitman” Harris and Bart Scott at ILB. Teams have had success with some perimeter runs as the Jets have yielded 126.9 yards per game on the ground and the “D” lost one of its mainstays in OLB Bryan Thomas to an

Achilles injury.

“To me it’s a work in progress as far as the edges, but I think Sunday showed we’re going to be able to get it done. To credit the guys inside, I think a lot of the balls end up getting bounced outside because we’ve been getting so stout inside,” said Pettine. “Mike DeVito is having a career season and fortunately we should be able to get him back after the bye week.”

"Chance to Be Special"

Pettine and the defensive staff are pleased with the production they’re getting out of both veteran OLB Calvin Pace and newcomer Aaron Maybin — the two are tied for the team lead with three sacks apiece. Josh Mauga has been cross-trained on both the inside and outside, and he could possibly take over the full-time role at OLB.

This defense, which ranked ninth overall after seven games, has a unit that possesses a lot of swagger. And rightfully so, considering they’ve got a super man out there on his Island. Revis is playing the best football of his career and that only figures to help this talented group down the stretch.

“We definitely got younger on defense and are looking forward to take advantage of it. Coming out of the bye week, we’ll be that much better,” Pettine said. “I have a real high ceiling for this group. I think we have a chance to be special down the stretch.”

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Defense at the Bye: 'Real High Ceiling'

By Eric Allen

Posted 7 minutes ago

During the bye week we're presenting midseason reports on the three phases of the Jets attack. Today: Defense:

The 12th Man, a common football phrase that traces its origin back to 1922 and Texas A&M, is usually used to describe the fans and their impact on the game. But Jets defensive coordinator Mike Pettine says star cornerback Darrelle Revis allows him to call a game like he has a bonus defender.

“We do a good job as far coming up with coverage concepts that are different each week that allow Darrelle to take advantage of his ability,” said Pettine on “Inside the Jets.” “For me as a coordinator, you almost feel like you have a 12th defender.”

Entering the Week 8 bye, the Jets are tied for the NFL lead with 16 takeaways. Revis, who had zero interceptions in 2010, has seen more action on his Island in 2011 and leads the way with four INTs.

Three of Revis’ four picks have been huge momentum changers as he set up Nick Folk’s game-winner over the Cowboys in Week 1, jump-started a flat team in Week 5 by equaling a team record with a 100-yard return for a score against the 'Fins, and flipped the game with his Week 6 fourth-quarter pick of Chargers QB Philip Rivers.

You wonder why Jets opponents even bother to throw to No. 24’s side of the field.

Funneling Foes to 'the Island'

“Sometimes we set it up that way. We’ll overload coverage so dramatically away from him that a lot of times a quarterback has no choice,” said Pettine. “A quarterback’s normal read will be he’ll read the weak safety, he goes to the middle of the field, and you’ll work your split end side, and that’s Revis.”

The Jets will at times employ Cover-2 Man (man coverage with over-the-top safety help, allowing bracketed coverage) to the field and then leave Revis in Cover-Zero (no safety help) to the boundary.

“Do I throw to a guy who is doubled or do I throw to a guy who is being covered by Revis? So we set that up from a scheme standpoint, but not just give teams a steady diet of where that’s all that they’re getting,” Pettine said.

Secondary smarts across the board allow the Green & White to be adaptable on the back end by mixing up coverages. With the Chargers up, 21-17, early in the fourth quarter Sunday, the visitors were driving when the Jets threw a curve at Rivers.

“It was a coverage concept we’ve been working on for a while,” said the defensive coordinator, in his third season at the helm. “It was a third-and-intermediate type thing where they were expecting man coverage and trying to run a quick route. It was a slant and we were basically lined up as if we were playing man, and then everybody basically just zoned out over top of their player.

“We were fortunate that when [Vincent Jackson] broke inside Darrelle, I think he thought he had him beat,” Pettine said. “Cro came off his player and was sitting in that window, and that’s how the ball probably ended up to the back shoulder and it deflected through to Darrelle.”

D's Youth Being Heard From

Then with the Jets ahead, Revis’ apprentice helped seal away the team’s fourth win.

“Inside we talk about the slot. Kyle Wilson is very quietly having an exceptional year,” Pettine said.

“It was great to see Sunday that he finally kind of broke through with that first interception. He made a heck of a play, undercutting that crossing route.

“That was a huge play for us in the game, but all he does is show up and work and study tape. He’s a guy who kind of attached himself to Revis in the offseason, who isn’t a bad guy to want to learn from, and it’s paid off.”

The youth movement is well under way along the defensive line. Pettine considers rookie DE Muhammad Wilkerson “ahead of the learning curve” and he’s very high on former Cowboys DE Marcus Dixon. The rotation also includes rookie Kenrick Ellis, a rookie who saw the field the last two games, Ropati Pitoitua and Martin Tevaseu.

“The ability to have a rotation there, to roll guys through, I think has been very beneficial for us,” Pettine said.

The Jets, who are tied for sixth in sacks with 18, rank just 26th against the rush. The middle is strong with NT Sione Pouha and DT Mike DeVito on the line and David “Hitman” Harris and Bart Scott at ILB. Teams have had success with some perimeter runs as the Jets have yielded 126.9 yards per game on the ground and the “D” lost one of its mainstays in OLB Bryan Thomas to an

Achilles injury.

“To me it’s a work in progress as far as the edges, but I think Sunday showed we’re going to be able to get it done. To credit the guys inside, I think a lot of the balls end up getting bounced outside because we’ve been getting so stout inside,” said Pettine. “Mike DeVito is having a career season and fortunately we should be able to get him back after the bye week.”

"Chance to Be Special"

Pettine and the defensive staff are pleased with the production they’re getting out of both veteran OLB Calvin Pace and newcomer Aaron Maybin — the two are tied for the team lead with three sacks apiece. Josh Mauga has been cross-trained on both the inside and outside, and he could possibly take over the full-time role at OLB.

This defense, which ranked ninth overall after seven games, has a unit that possesses a lot of swagger. And rightfully so, considering they’ve got a super man out there on his Island. Revis is playing the best football of his career and that only figures to help this talented group down the stretch.

“We definitely got younger on defense and are looking forward to take advantage of it. Coming out of the bye week, we’ll be that much better,” Pettine said. “I have a real high ceiling for this group. I think we have a chance to be special down the stretch.”

That doesn't bode well for Westerman. he is on the team as the DPR. Maybin has replaced him in that role. Westerman has been a victim of the outside running game. Seems like he is taking the inside route for the sack, and getting beat to the outside.

If Mauga can play the outside run better, Westerman is in trouble

[flgreen]

Sanchez discusses Joe Namath, NY media

October, 27, 2011

Oct 27

10:57

AM ET

By Rich Cimini

Mark Sanchez took a few minutes out of his bye week to speak with Fox Sports Radio in Los Angeles, discussing the Jets' No. 1 fan/critic Joe Namath, the fickle nature of New York fans and how his "briefing" sessions with the team's PR department help him handle the big, nasty, unforgiving New York media.

Sanchez said Namath "still cares a lot about the team, I know that," according to a transcript by Sportsradiointerviews.com. "Some of that stuff may be taken out of context and the other stuff, he just wants us to do well, so he is critical of anybody."

Sanchez said he understands the quarterback and the head coach are lightning rods.

"That’s just kind of the roles we bought into, but it’s good when you are playing well, and like I tell people all the time, you beat the Patriots in the divisional game last year and you're wise beyond your years, your footwork is the best, you're making the best reads in the world and you're going to be one of the best quarterbacks ever. And then you lose a couple of games in a row and it’s like,

'Man, this guy isn’t maturing at the right rate, he’s making bad decisions and his footwork sucks.'

That’s the way it goes and especially in New York.

"Joe Namath is the ultimate Jet, and he’s probably the biggest icon this franchise has, winning that Super Bowl and guaranteeing it the way he did. We have a lot of respect for him and I know he wants the best out of our team. It’s no big deal.”

Sanchez, speaking on the "Petros and Money Show," provided some insight into how he handles the media.

"I don’t go out and buy a newspaper or whatever, but whenever I do…my press conferences…you are obligated to talk to the media on Wednesdays during the week," he said. "Our PR department kind of lets me know what is going on, so I have a heads up going in that I don’t get caught off guard with a question about Joe Namath or what Rex [Ryan] said to Norv Turner or Darrelle Revis and Mike Francesa. It’s like there's always something.

"They give me a quick little reminder and say, 'Hey, did you hear about this?' I say, 'No, what happened?' It is a cool little five minutes before I go and talk to the media about what is going on, and I get my briefing and then head in and jump in. It’s been fun. Some of it’s funny and some of it is just the way things go.”

Considering the lengths they go to make sure their players don't say the wrong thing, the Jets still have a lot of incidents where the players (and coach) say ... well, the wrong thing. Or hang up on radio talk-show hosts.

[KSJets]

Vacation time sending wrong message

Rex Ryan is making a huge mistake by giving the Jets a six-day break during the bye

Plaxico Burress is planning a family trip to Disney World. Darrelle Revis, he of his own mythical island, will stay on the mainland, relaxing on a beach near his home in Fort Lauderdale.

Rex Ryan gave the New York Jets a six-day vacation during their bye week, prompting Burress, Revis and many other players to get out of town and enjoy what amounts to spring break in the fall.

It's a mistake. Ryan, of all people, should know better.

Ryan is 0-2 coming off bye weeks, and that includes an absolutely dreadful performance last Halloween against the Green Bay Packers. That, too, came after a six-day break, and the Jets responded by sleepwalking through a 9-0 loss.

The Jets were lucky because they still had a 5-2 record, and the loss didn't damage their playoff chances. This season, they don't have that luxury. At 4-3, every loss is a blow to the solar plexus, and you could make the argument that the next two games -- against the Buffalo Bills and New England Patriots -- will determine their season.

But instead of focusing on X's and O's, the Jets are taking R & R.

The new collective bargaining agreement requires at least four consecutive days off during the bye week, including the weekend. That probably explains why teams are experiencing the post-bye blues -- a 3-9 record coming off the bye.

Armed with that information and with the knowledge that his team has a history of struggling on long rest, Ryan still went ahead and decided to stick with last season's bye-week schedule. It's a unique approach in the AFC East.

The Bills practiced once last week, followed by four days off. They return Sunday to face the Washington Redskins.

The Patriots practiced twice last week before five days off. Bill Belichick must have been in a generous mood. We'll see how they respond against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Dolphins practiced three times, received a four-day vacation and lost to the Jets on a Monday night, but you can't put too much stock in that because they lose to everybody.

The Jets won't practice until Monday. They will have missed one or two practice opportunities to address their many issues.

"We just have to be smart in that first practice back on Monday, or whenever it is, and not have the typical 'Oh, you-guys-look-like-you-took-a-week-off' day," guard Brandon Moore said. "We really have to zero in and get a lot out of that day, and gain a little bit of an advantage there after losing a little bit during the week off."

A veteran GM once told me he'd never consent to a six-day break, saying, "The players get too familiar with life again. That's not good. You want to keep them in a routine."

Bill Parcells never used to let his players know their bye-week schedule because he didn't want them making travel plans ahead of time, figuring they'd be more apt to stay in town on short notice.

Look, every coach has his own philosophy, but they all share this belief: If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

You can't say Ryan's approach is broke -- 0-2 isn't a large sample size -- but there's enough evidence to warrant a tweak or two.

Ryan likes his way because, "The bye is not just for one game; it's for the rest of the season. We'll do it business as usual; the only difference is, we're going to win coming out of the bye this year."

But here's the problem with that: It's not about the rest of the season; it's about next week. The Jets should be in a week-to-week survival mode, with no let up on the gas pedal.

There was a lot of self-congratulation after beating the San Diego Chargers, creating a palpable sense of relief in the locker room. It was a huge win, to be sure, but the Jets acted as if they had accomplished something by getting back above .500.

This is no time to be content; the sense of urgency should be greater than ever. A six-day vacation sends the wrong message.

Follow Rich Cimini on Twitter: @RichCimini

This was too funny, considering as soon as I started reading it I was thinking to myself "this reads like a Cimini article" and sure enough, it was. Easy to spot his as they are always slanted toward the negative.

[flgreen]

Oct 27th by Alan Schechter

Mid Year Jets Report Card

Well, not quite mid-year, as the team has only played seven games. But, the week off is a natural time to take a look at where the team has been, and where they need to go. So here are some mid-year grades for the New York Jets:

Quarterback: B-

Although Mark Sanchez has not met his goal of a 60% completion percentage

yet, he has not been bad. 129-231 1,545 yards, 12 TD 6 INTs and an 83.0 passer

rating is not bad. He has made some bad decisions in the first half of the

year, but not all his fault. His offensive line has not been great so far, so

Mark has been under duress a lot. He has been sacked 16 times so far, which

adds to happy feet in the pocket. The inaccuracy, the untimely interceptions,

and still all too frequent bad decision making keeps the grade down.

Running Backs: C

The running game, although improving, has been a disappointment. LaDainian

Tomlinson is there, but he is no longer an every down back. He has taken to his

3rd down role, and taken to it well. But it is still limiting. Shonn Greene,

primed for a breakout season in 2011, has been anything but. An average of 3.8

yards per carry is not going to cut it. He is showing signs of life, with his

first 100 yard game of the year against the Chargers. The offensive line hasn’t

been much help, and the running game is going to have to get better for the Jets

to make a run in the second half.

Receivers and Tight Ends: C+

The corp has shown signs of brilliance, but not enough to take the grade

above a C+. Until this week, Plaxico Burress has been a disappointment, clearly

not on the same page as Mark Sanchez. 3 TDs this week is a start, but I need to

see more. They traded their 3rd receiver, Derrick Mason, and Jeremy Kerley has

done some nice things. Santonio Holmes has been off as well, some moments, but

off the page with his quarterback as well. Dustin Keller leads the team with 25

receptions for 372 yards, and become a nice security blanket for Mark Sanchez.

But overall, as a group, they have been average, and they need to get

better.

Offensive Line: C

The return of Nick Mangold brought this grade up from being lower. It’s a

tale of two grades, D- without Nick Mangold, B with Nick Mangold. The

protection of Sanchez has improved, and the running game is improving each

week. The progression is there, keep Nick Mangold and the rest of the group

healthy, and this grade will improve in the second half.

Defensive Line: D+

Have to give the defensive line a bad grade here, because the run defense

has been awful, and it starts up front. Even in the wins, teams are having

success running on the Jets. Sione Pouha and Mike Devito have not been the

factors that they need to be yet. With 21 and 19 tackles respectively, they

need to step up. If the Jets don’t stop the run, they won’t go anywhere.

Linebackers: C+

Key with this group has been inconsistency. The run defense being as bad

as it has been, keeps the grade below a B. The pass rush is improving, with the

surge of Aaron “Mayhem” Maybin, and his three sacks. Bart Scott, David Harris,

and Calvin Pace have 7.5 sacks between them, so the pass rush is coming along.

Jamaal Westerman and his 2.5 sacks have been a nice surprise as well. But with

the rush defense being so bad, we have to keep it at a C+.

Defensive Backs: A

Revis Island, enough said? Revis and Antonio Cromartie have 7 INTs between

them. Safety Eric Smith has led the team with 44 tackles, although that’s not a

good sign for the rush defense. Have to give the defensive backfield credit for

the job they have done.

Special Teams: A-

With Mike Westhoff as your coach, you are set up to peform well. As a Nick

Folk hater, I have to give him credit for not missing a kick yet. Joe McKnight

has been all-world as a kickoff returner, have to give him a lot of credit as

well. Average punting from TJ Conley keeps the grade from being a full fledged

A

Coaching: B-

The coaching has been inconsistent, but brought up to a B by the great job

out of Mike Westhoff. It comes down from an A because the team hasn’t been

consistent yet, and some of that has to fall on the coaching staff. Brian

Schottenheimer’s play calling has been inconsistent, and the defense’s up and

down play has to come back on Rex a little bit.

[flgreen]

Oct 27th by Alan Schechter

Mid Year Jets Report Card

Well, not quite mid-year, as the team has only played seven games. But, the week off is a natural time to take a look at where the team has been, and where they need to go. So here are some mid-year grades for the New York Jets:

Quarterback: B-

Although Mark Sanchez has not met his goal of a 60% completion percentage

yet, he has not been bad. 129-231 1,545 yards, 12 TD 6 INTs and an 83.0 passer

rating is not bad. He has made some bad decisions in the first half of the

year, but not all his fault. His offensive line has not been great so far, so

Mark has been under duress a lot. He has been sacked 16 times so far, which

adds to happy feet in the pocket. The inaccuracy, the untimely interceptions,

and still all too frequent bad decision making keeps the grade down.

Running Backs: C

The running game, although improving, has been a disappointment. LaDainian

Tomlinson is there, but he is no longer an every down back. He has taken to his

3rd down role, and taken to it well. But it is still limiting. Shonn Greene,

primed for a breakout season in 2011, has been anything but. An average of 3.8

yards per carry is not going to cut it. He is showing signs of life, with his

first 100 yard game of the year against the Chargers. The offensive line hasn’t

been much help, and the running game is going to have to get better for the Jets

to make a run in the second half.

Receivers and Tight Ends: C+

The corp has shown signs of brilliance, but not enough to take the grade

above a C+. Until this week, Plaxico Burress has been a disappointment, clearly

not on the same page as Mark Sanchez. 3 TDs this week is a start, but I need to

see more. They traded their 3rd receiver, Derrick Mason, and Jeremy Kerley has

done some nice things. Santonio Holmes has been off as well, some moments, but

off the page with his quarterback as well. Dustin Keller leads the team with 25

receptions for 372 yards, and become a nice security blanket for Mark Sanchez.

But overall, as a group, they have been average, and they need to get

better.

Offensive Line: C

The return of Nick Mangold brought this grade up from being lower. It’s a

tale of two grades, D- without Nick Mangold, B with Nick Mangold. The

protection of Sanchez has improved, and the running game is improving each

week. The progression is there, keep Nick Mangold and the rest of the group

healthy, and this grade will improve in the second half.

Defensive Line: D+

Have to give the defensive line a bad grade here, because the run defense

has been awful, and it starts up front. Even in the wins, teams are having

success running on the Jets. Sione Pouha and Mike Devito have not been the

factors that they need to be yet. With 21 and 19 tackles respectively, they

need to step up. If the Jets don’t stop the run, they won’t go anywhere.

Linebackers: C+

Key with this group has been inconsistency. The run defense being as bad

as it has been, keeps the grade below a B. The pass rush is improving, with the

surge of Aaron “Mayhem” Maybin, and his three sacks. Bart Scott, David Harris,

and Calvin Pace have 7.5 sacks between them, so the pass rush is coming along.

Jamaal Westerman and his 2.5 sacks have been a nice surprise as well. But with

the rush defense being so bad, we have to keep it at a C+.

Defensive Backs: A

Revis Island, enough said? Revis and Antonio Cromartie have 7 INTs between

them. Safety Eric Smith has led the team with 44 tackles, although that’s not a

good sign for the rush defense. Have to give the defensive backfield credit for

the job they have done.

Special Teams: A-

With Mike Westhoff as your coach, you are set up to peform well. As a Nick

Folk hater, I have to give him credit for not missing a kick yet. Joe McKnight

has been all-world as a kickoff returner, have to give him a lot of credit as

well. Average punting from TJ Conley keeps the grade from being a full fledged

A

Coaching: B-

The coaching has been inconsistent, but brought up to a B by the great job

out of Mike Westhoff. It comes down from an A because the team hasn’t been

consistent yet, and some of that has to fall on the coaching staff. Brian

Schottenheimer’s play calling has been inconsistent, and the defense’s up and

down play has to come back on Rex a little bit.

Have to disagree on both the DL, and the LB's .

The outside running game is all on the right side OLB. The interior of the DL has been fine.

Also disagree on Westerman. He had a really good game that he had 2 sacks in. Other then that he has been a disapointment. NYJets.com has an article in the News thread that says they think that Mauga might be taking over that spot, with Maybin as the DPR. Not good news for Westerman.

[flgreen]

Jets at the bye: Three questions

October, 27, 2011

Oct 27

2:21

PM ET

By James Walker

The New York Jets (4-3) are enjoying their bye week following a two-game winning streak. Overall, the Jets have underachieved in their first seven games, but remain in the postseason hunt.

Here are three issues facing the team:

Can the Jets win on the road? The Jets are a stellar 4-0 at Met Life Stadium. That's keeping the them afloat. But New York has looked awful on the road, where the team is 0-3. The Jets have to play much better away from home to make a push for the playoffs. The biggest surprise is the Jets haven't "packed their defense" when they travel. New York has allowed an average of 32.7 points per game on road. The Jets are not built to win shootouts and have little chance when the defense allows that many points. Three of New York's next five games are on the road.

Is ground and pound here to stay? Jets running back Shonn Greene had his first 100-yard game of the season in last week's win against the Chargers. That's a good sign, but certainly not enough to say the Jets' ground-and-pound offense is officially back. New York rushed for a season-high 162 yards against the Chargers. The Jets' much-maligned offensive line had its best game of the season. But I need to see this group dominate the line of scrimmage for three or four games in a row before I feel comfortable saying New York's offense has turned the corner.

Will New York stay together, play together? It is no secret the Jets can be a volatile bunch. Maybe it's the collection of personalities. Maybe it's the pressure of playing in New York, or a combination of both. But things were very close to imploding during the Jets' three-game losing streak. Players began pointing fingers and lacked focus. The Jets are a talented bunch when they have their act together. They need to do a better job of staying together, especially during rough times. It's a long season.

[flgreen]

Is the Jets Mark Sanchez playing the best football of his career?

AUTHOR: Marc A. Greenberg

Numbers don’t lie.

Which is why it’s surprising to see that New York Jets QB Mark Sanchez is playing the best football of his career. Off to a 4-3 start, the team, and Sanchez, are clearly in need of improvement. After all, this is a team that has gone to two straight AFC Championship Games and we can all agree this 2011 version of the Jets is nowhere close to the 2009 or 2010 team.

But look at Sanchez’ numbers.

Entering 2011, his third season, he had 29 touchdown passes and 33 interceptions in 30 regular-season games. (12 TDs, 20 INTs in 2009; 17-13 in 2001).

This season?

How about 12 TD passes and only six picks through seven games. His 1,595 passing yards put him on pace for a career high and his 83.0 passing rating and 55.8% completion are both career highs.

Could this be a case of where numbers don’t paint an accurate picture or is Sanchez really playing the best football of his career?

[flgreen]

Former Jets punter Gregg Gantt dies

Published: Thursday, October 27, 2011, 6:22 PM Updated: Thursday, October 27, 2011, 6:33 PM

Star-Ledger Wire Services By Star-Ledger Wire Services

Punter Gregg Gantt played two seasons for the Jets: 1974-75

Former Jets punter Gregg Gantt, who may be best known for having two punts blocked while playing for Alabama in a 17-16 loss to Auburn in 1972, has died. His sister, Patricia Gantt of Gardendale, Ala., said Gantt died Wednesday of complications from heart disease and diabetes.

Gantt punted for two seasons for the Jets (1974-75). In 28 games, he punted 134 times for an average of 36.2 yards, including a long of 71 yards.

At Alabama, Gantt led the Southeastern Conference in punting for three seasons from 1971-73 and also kicked long field goals for the Crimson Tide. He is tied with two other kickers for the longest field goal in Cotton Bowl history, a 50-yarder against Texas in 1973.