Jets News 11-1

flgreen · November 1, 2011

Bills cashing in with pass rush

By JOHN WAWROW

Associated Press

ORCHARD PARK -- Marcell Dareus was bursting at the seams with such enthusiasm the defensive lineman had difficulty containing himself Monday, a day after putting the charge back in the Buffalo Bills pass rush.

The rookie first-round pick backslapped teammates, chuckled as reserve defensive tackle Kellen Heard made faces at him from behind reporters gathered at Dareus’ locker, and he greeted every question with a wide, toothy grin.

“I’m a smiling guy, man,” Dareus said. “So I can look over at Dwan (Edwards), who’s locker is right next to me and say, ‘Hey, we played good last night.’ It feels good, there’s a lot of smiling faces around here, not just mine.”

The Bills defenders have plenty to be happy about after Dareus led the way in a 23-0 win over the Washington Redskins on Sunday. He had 2 1/2 of Buffalo’s nine sacks in helping the team improve to 5-2 heading into an AFC East showdown against the visiting Jets (4-3) this weekend.

Buffalo is tied with New England for the division lead, and is one win short of getting off to its best start since going 7-1 to open the 1993 season.

Most encouraging is how the defense finally made a difference on a team that was becoming overly reliant on an offense that’s scored 20-plus points in each of its seven games.

The nine sacks in one game are the second-most in franchise history, and two short of the team record set in 1964. Buffalo matched its season total with four sacks in the first half alone in eventually handing Washington’s Mike Shanahan his first shutout loss in 24 seasons as an NFL coach or coordinator.

And Dareus warned, this was “just the tip of the iceberg.”

He was referring to the entire defensive front, which created havoc against a banged-up Redskins offense missing five regulars, including a pair of starting linemen.

And yet it was an unexpected showing by a Bills unit playing without two key regulars: defensive tackle Kyle Williams (foot) and after linebacker Shawne Merriman (Achilles tendon) was placed on i

injured reserve last week.

Most of the sacks came with Buffalo using a four-man rush. Dareus used his 6-foot-3, 340-pound frame to drive up the middle and collapse the pocket around John Beck, who was caught holding the ball too long.

By the second half, Beck was over-throwing receivers over the middle and into double-coverage to avoid the Bills’ rush.

Buffalo had two interceptions to up its NFL-leading total to 14 — three more than last season. And the Bills once-leaky defense limited the Redskins to 178 yards after allowing 400 in each of its five previous games.

“I think guys got a taste of playing well and gained confidence as the game went on,” coach Chan Gailey said. “We’ve pressured the quarterback this year, but we weren’t getting sacks, but it created interceptions. This week, (Beck) was holding it and not wanting to throw interceptions. And we got sacks. It probably was going to happen, but I just didn’t think it would happen nine-worth in this ball game.”

Linebacker Chris Kelsay was impressed by Dareus.

“He’s a force to be reckoned with,” Kelsay said. “He’s got a number of years ahead of him playing like that. We’re fortunate that he’s on our side.”

After opening the season at defensive end, Dareus shined in his first start at tackle in place of Williams. It’s a position he played at Alabama, and Dareus spent part of Buffalo’s bye week off dusting up on his tackle technique at his alma mater.

He was driven after vowing to make an immediate impact shortly after being drafted third overall.

And Dareus was growing tired of hearing questions about the defense’s poor start.

“I kind of had a heart-to-heart with the D-line to start cracking down on it altogether,” Dareus said.

“We went out there, we prepared well, and handled business.”

Dareus wasn’t the only one in a jovial mood in what was an upbeat locker room on Monday.

Many were getting a big kick out of a picture receiver Stevie Johnson posted on his Twitter account of him dressed up as Gailey for Halloween. Johnson had on the sleeveless vest the coach prefers, and wore a pair of beige slacks that were perfectly creased — “Gailey fresh” as the player called it.

Gailey acknowledged he’s heard about the picture, but not yet seen it. With a half-smile, he suggested Johnson might have too much time on his hands.

Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick loved it.

“Somehow, I don’t know how Stevie makes every outfit he wears look cool,” Fitzpatrick said. “Not to say that Chan doesn’t look cool, but that vest, Stevie made it look cool.”

Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/jets/bills_cashing_in_with_pass_rush_nPqL4kVUjda10XmyOIaTlL#ixzz1cSTDQV00

flgreen · November 1, 2011

Bills without starting tackle against Jets

Jets Blog

Associated Press

Buffalo Bills starting left tackle Demetrius Bell is in jeopardy of missing his fourth straight game because of a right shoulder injury that isn't healing as quickly as expected.

Coach Chan Gailey provided the update Monday, stopping short of ruling out Bell from playing Sunday, when the Bills (5-2) host the Jets (4-3). Gailey said injured backup left tackle Chris Hairston has a better shot at returning than Bell.

Hairston has missed one game with a right ankle injury.

Gailey said receiver Donald Jones (sprained left ankle) has a chance to play Sunday after missing two games. Starting defensive tackle Kyle Williams (left foot) has already been ruled out for a third straight game.

Buffalo is coming off a 23-0 win over Washington at Toronto on Sunday.

Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/jets/bills_without_starting_tackle_against_NWkbGrdSvWBiundJEzkdIP#ixzz1cSU2c0Oq

flgreen · November 1, 2011

Coach Rex Ryan is confident his Jets are prepared after bye week

Monday, October 31, 2011 Last updated: Monday October 31, 2011, 9:44 PM

BY J.P. PELZMAN

STAFF WRITER

The Record

FLORHAM PARK – The Jets cleared off one of their snow-covered fields, the one with artificial turf, so they could practice outdoors Monday despite the remnants of Saturday’s historic snowstorm.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

The Jets are 0-2 off bye weeks during the Rex Ryan era.

Fortunately, they almost certainly won’t have to deal with similar conditions when they visit Buffalo for their next game. The long-range forecast for Sunday in Orchard Park, N.Y., is for a chance of rain and temperatures in the low 50s.

So instead of the weather, the Jets will concentrate on stopping a Buffalo offense that is 10th overall in the NFL and fifth in rushing. The Jets are 0-2 off bye weeks during the Rex Ryan era, but the third-year coach believes they’re ahead of where they were when they went back to work after the bye in previous seasons.

In other words, they won’t be rusty on their trip to the Rust Belt.

“We’re ahead of the game right now as far as preparation goes for Buffalo,” Ryan said after practice Monday, noting the Jets already were running plays from this week’s game plan. “So we have a head start that way.”

Despite having lost coming out of the bye in each of the last two years, Ryan only slightly tweaked his ap

proach, still giving the players six days off before they returned Monday.

“The time off, I always like to give them that,” he said, adding that the bye “is not just about one week,” meaning he believes the extra time off keeps his team fresher for the stretch run of the season.

“It always takes you a little time to get back in the groove, but I think it’s fine,” safety Jim Leonhard said when asked if he noticed any rust during the practice. “It’s an extra day. You’re used to starting your week on Wednesdays. So today is a great day to get back in the building and get your mind back on football and knock the rust off.”

“We just have to make sure that we come back and focus in and get back into a rhythm as quick as we can,” left guard Matt Slauson said. “I think that’s kind of where we were lacking over the last two years. Everybody gets away and kind of rests a little bit, and you fall out of that rhythm. And as far as today went, we were right in it, right in a groove; everything was going great. I’m really pleased.

… It’s just a focus thing and I really feel like everybody’s focus is right there and we’re doing well.”

Pittsburgh’s win over New England (5-2) on Sunday means the Jets (4-3) are one game behind AFC East co-leaders Buffalo and the Patriots. After they visit Buffalo, they host New England in a prime-time game Nov. 13.

“The teams we have to beat are right in front of you,” Ryan said. “These next few weeks are going to be critical for us.”

BRIEFS: Slauson responded to former Jets right tackle Damien Woody, now an ESPN analyst who sometimes has been critical of the offensive line this season. “I watch a lot of things on NFL Network and ESPN and stuff,” Slauson said, “and they’re all saying the Jets can’t run the ball because they’re not the same team [and] they don’t have those guys that can grind on you play after play.

But that just isn’t true. We have the guys; our offensive [line] guys are the same except we have Wayne [Hunter], and in our opinion, that’s an upgrade.” Slauson went on to praise the retired Woody as a “really good player.” … TE Shawn Nelson, signed by the Jets on Monday morning, practiced later in the day. He was waived by Buffalo on Sept. 3.

flgreen · November 1, 2011

After a Bye, the Jets Are Eager to Pick Up Where They Left Off

Barton Silverman/The New York Times

Mark Sanchez being sacked by the Packers' Brandon Chillar in the Jets' loss to Green Bay after their bye last season. They face the Bills on Sunday.

By DAVE CALDWELL

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Calvin Pace, a Jets outside linebacker, apparently likes playing football a lot more than watching football. He spent Sunday flying to New Jersey after six blissful days off, paying little attention to how the axis of the football world tilted back the Jets’ way.

The latest news, notes and analysis of the N.F.L. playoffs.

The Jets (4-3), who had a bye, are only one game out of first place in the A.F.C. East, behind New England, which lost to Pittsburgh, and the Buffalo Bills, whom the Jets play Sunday. Just 22 days after the Jets lost their third straight game, Pace was referring again to an old Jets goal.

“For the past few years, the teams that have won the Super Bowl didn’t start out so well,” Pace said, smiling.

One weekend off and one loss by the Patriots — oh, and the Jets’ two-game winning streak — seem to have magically pushed the Jets back on track toward trying to win it all. The bye week could not have come at a better time, the Jets agreed. They are refreshed and refocused.

As they began preparing for the Bills, the Jets even addressed what has become an unpleasant trend under Coach Rex Ryan. In his two previous years as their coach, the Jets have lost both games that followed a bye: 24-22 to Jacksonville in 2009 and 9-0 to Green Bay in 2010.

“We need to do something about that trend,” Ryan said Monday.

Even though he was required by the league’s collective bargaining agreement to give his team only four days off, not six, Ryan had the Jets take as much time off as they had in each of the last two years, which suggests that he has not changed much at all.

But Ryan said Monday after practice that his team had already run through some of its game plan for the Bills, putting it ahead of the old schedule. He said he and his staff are much more conscious about avoiding the lethargy that can follow a bye.

“Our focus was really good today, really crisp,” said left guard Matt Slauson, who is in his third N.F.L. season. “I think this year is going to be a lot different.”

The Jets rediscovered their old blueprint before the bye, employing a stout running game — and a defense that has not been overworked as a result — to beat Miami and San Diego. Under Ryan, the Jets have rushed for an astonishing 1,116 yards in four games against Buffalo.

The Jets concede that the Bills are much better than they used to be. Buffalo running back Fred Jackson is fourth in the N.F.L. in rushing, with 721 yards, and the Bills’ defense had nine sacks and two interceptions while defeating Washington on Sunday, 23-0.

“They’re beating up on some pretty good teams,” safety Jim Leonhard said of the Bills, who beat the Patriots on Sept. 25.

The two-game winning streak, especially since it followed a three-game losing streak, has bolstered the Jets’ confidence. If they can beat the Bills and the Giants can win at New England, the Jets would be in a tie for first.

Their perspective has changed, compared with each of the last two seasons. The Jets had lost four of five going into the bye week in 2009 (and lost their first two games after the bye). They won five straight games going into the bye week last season. This year feels different to them.

“You can’t say enough about how important these next three, four games are for us,” Leonhard said, “so we need to come out of this bye strong. We can’t afford to come out flat. We need to carry over that emotion that we’d been playing with before the bye.”

Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis was enjoying his vacation in Florida so much that he was not paying much attention to what was happening elsewhere — other than fielding text messages and phone calls from friends and family up north about the bizarre snowstorm.

New England’s loss, he said, helped the Jets, though he said that the Steelers are “not no slouch team.” The Jets caught a break to jump right back into the division race, but he said Ryan told his players Monday they need to continue to make the most of their opportunities.

Asked if he thought the bye benefited the Jets or slowed them down, Revis looked up, smiled and said, “I’m just following the schedule.” It was time to resume playing as hard as they have in the last two games, and that is exactly what the Jets at least say they intend to do.

EXTRA POINTS

The rookie center Colin Baxter, who started two games in place of the injured Nick Mangold before he was waived last week, decided to join San Diego’s practice squad instead of the Jets’ practice squad. Rex Ryan said he could understand why Baxter took what he saw as the best opportunity, adding, “And you’ve got the best center in football in Nick Mangold.”

flgreen · November 1, 2011

NY Jets need to start winning big games on road, starting Sunday against Buffalo Bills

Gang Green must overcome tough AFC East squad and miserable weather conditions

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Monday, October 31 2011, 11:46 PM

The weather forecast for Buffalo on Sunday is rain with 14-mph winds. It is not good, in other words, because the weather in Buffalo is never good.

“It’s goofy sometimes, weather-wise,” said Jim Leonhard, who played three seasons in that upstate purgatory. “You don’t know what you’re going to get. You just know it’s not going to be nice.”

But the way this works from now on with the Jets is that they better start winning big games on the road, regardless of conditions, against good opponents, because that’s once again become the most likely path to a title.

They are one game behind two teams — New England and Buffalo — and have three conference defeats already. They play five of their last nine games on the road. They have to win in cold climates such as Buffalo and Denver. They have to win in Philadelphia. And even after Pittsburgh helped their cause on Sunday by beating the Pats, the Jets may be the only ones around here who actually think they’ll actually win the division crown.

That means there is probably a wild-card race in their future, and then more road games in the postseason. This is a route the Jets know well, because they’ve traveled it with considerable success the past two seasons. Both years, they made it halfway, winning two of the four playoff games they needed.

But that’s getting way ahead of ourselves, because this Sunday the Jets really need to prove they can still win on the road. They met the first challenge two weeks ago, finally defeating a winning team, San Diego. Now they need to show this version of the Jets still has the composure to deal with hostile conditions.

And yes, Buffalo is hostile.

“I’ll take a little wind,” Calvin Pace said on Monday. “I’m cool with that. Hopefully, no snow though, no crazy rain.”

It’s not just the howling gusts, though, the Jets were saying. The fans are loud, and the 5-2 Bills are much better than anyone thought. An argument can be made right now that the Bills, not the Giants or Jets, are the best team in New York. They’re surely the biggest overachievers.

They’ve got the same players on the team,” Darrelle Revis was saying, a bit mystified. “They’re just playing better.”

The Bills are playing better than expected and the Jets are not playing quite as thunderously as their roar, at least not away from the Meadowlands. They’ve gone 0-3 in trips to Oakland, Baltimore and New England, while the Bills are 4-0 in the wind tunnel that passes for Ralph Wilson Stadium.

This is a very resistible force meeting an immovable object.

You never know. The Jets could win the next two weeks and move into a first-place tie, or even better, just like that. All would be forgiven, forgotten. More likely, the way their offense has been sputtering, the Jets will find themselves fighting the Bills and others down to the wire for the two wild-card spots.

I s this any way to win a title? Probably not. The Jets have a long way to go, even, to match their considerable accomplishments of the past two years.

They can start Sunday by showing some moxie, some poise, in unfriendly climes. Rex Ryan talked Monday about how he would love to have that game back in Oakland, up 10 points late. “We can’t get it back,” Ryan said. Not exactly, but this game in Buffalo is a way of pulling one back, getting a tough one on the road.

“We’re at our best right now,” Ryan said.

The coach was speaking boldly in Florham Park, N.J., not Orchard Park, N.Y. Makes a difference.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/ny-jets-start-winning-big-games-road-starting-sunday-buffalo-bills-article-1.970241#ixzz1cSWF9ZcB

flgreen · November 1, 2011

Greener pastures for NY Jets can make move to top of AFC East

Despite their road woes and shaky start, Jets can change tone of season in no time

BY Manish Mehta

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Tuesday, November 1 2011, 12:01 AM

Simmons, Howard/Simmons, Howard

The Jets have a chance to back up Rex Ryan's notion that the Jets are Super Bowl contenders.

Winners of two in a row, the Jets (4-3) will play three division games in November with a chance to leapfrog the 5-2 Bills and Patriots. Thanks to New England’s loss to the Steelers on Sunday, it may not take very long for the Jets to climb atop the division standings.

“People write you off after one week in this league,” linebacker Bart Scott said Monday. “Now, it’s like, ‘Oh man . . . the Steelers are the greatest team ever. They beat the Patriots.’ Blah, blah, blah. .

. . Any team can beat any team.”

A Jets’ win in Buffalo on Sunday coupled with a Patriots’ loss to the Giants would result in a three-way deadlock atop the AFC East with the Jets-Patriots showdown looming in Week 9. Not long ago, Gang Green was immersed in locker room dissension and injuries amid a three-game losing streak.

“You get caught up sometimes with your own ups and downs that once you look around, a lot of times things aren’t as bad as you think,” safety Jim Leonhard said. “We put ourselves in a hole a little bit early in the season. We’re trying to fight out of it.”

Bookended by a pair of games against the Bills, the next four weeks will be the most pivotal stretch of the season.

“The teams you have to beat are right in front of you,” Ryan said. “These next few weeks are going to be critical for us.”

The Jets haven’t fared well in the game following their bye in each of Ryan’s first two seasons. The defense imploded late in a loss to the Jaguars in 2009. The offense looked lost in a 9-0 loss to the Packers last season.

Ryan admitted that his coaching staff made some adjustments during its week of self-scouting, hoping to jump-start the team this week. To that end, Ryan and the players said that they had a crisp Monday practice in their first day back from a six-day hiatus.

"We just have to make sure that we come back and focus in and get back into a rhythm as quick as we can," left guard Matt Slauson said. "I think that s kind of where we were lacking over the last two years. Everybody gets away and kind of rests a little bit and you fall out of that rhythm."

Although there s no magic formula to ensure the Jets don t lose the momentum of their two-game winning streak before the bye week, the sense of urgency remains for a team with high expectations.

"Everything we do is building for an opportunity to get into the tournament," Scott said. "We didn't play our best football (in the first month), but we found out a lot about ourselves. We had a lot of adversity. . . . We could have handled it better. We could have handled it worse. The team didn t fall apart. We stuck together. At the end of the day, we re not where we thought we would be, but we re still in striking distance."

"We didn't want to lose three games in a row, obviously," linebacker Calvin Pace said. "But we weren't left for dead, either."

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/greener-pastures-ny-jets-move-top-afc-east-article-1.970249#ixzz1cSWzLmpL

flgreen · November 1, 2011

Slauson: Hunter an upgrade over ex-mate Woody

Left guard takes shot at former teammate who has been critical of Gang Green

BY Kevin Armstrong

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Tuesday, November 1 2011, 1:17 AM

Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images

Matt Slauson (r.) says Wayne Hunter does a better job protecting Mark Sanchez than former teammate and current ESPN analyst Domien Woody.

Left guard Matt Slauson took a subtle jab at former teammate Damien Woody Monday by calling his replacement, Wayne Hunter, “an upgrade” at right tackle. Told that he won’t be getting a Christmas card from Woody this year, Slauson cracked, “I never did, so it's okay.”

Woody, now an analyst for ESPN, has been critical of his former team for what he considers a departure from its ground-and-pound approach. Hunter struggled early against the likes of Cowboys star pass rusher DeMarcus Ware, but has settled into his role in recent weeks. “I like Damien. He’s a really good player,” Slauson said. “He’s had a hell of a career. But Wayne’s an incredible athlete.”

Hunter leads the team with three sacks allowed and four penalties for 35 yards.

RYAN WATCHES PATS, STEELERS GAME DESPITE LOSING POWER

Like many in the suburbs surrounding the Jets' Florham Park training facility, Jets coach Rex Ryan was without power Sunday due to the winter storm, but he did sneak in some game watching. He watched part of the Patriots' 25-17 loss to the Steelers, and noted Pittsburgh ostensibly has the formula to beat New England.

"I'd sign up for that," Ryan said.

He also watched his brother, Rob, the defensive coordinator of the Cowboys, get manhandled by the Eagles, 34-7.

"I could only stand to watch half of my brother’s game,” Ryan said.

Defensive lineman Mike DeVito, slowed by knee injury of late, worked with Bill Hughan, the strength and conditioning coach, on agility drills during practice. Ryan maintained that he expects DeVito to be available Sunday against the Bills.

NELSON IN

Jets signed tight end Shawn Nelson because of his size (6-5, 273 pounds) and pass blocking ability, as the Daily News first reported. Ryan wanted to draft Nelson in 2009, but the Bills selected before the Jets could grab him in the fourth round. "I thought what was interesting for a basketball body-type guy was that he can pass block," Ryan said.

Nelson was suspended for the first four games of 2010 for violating the league s substance abuse policy.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/slauson-hunter-upgrade-ex-mate-woody-article-1.970277#ixzz1cSXcbzF9

flgreen · November 1, 2011

Jets set to face a crucial stretch, starting with Buffalo Bills matchup

Published: Tuesday, November 01, 2011, 4:00 AM

By Jenny Vrentas/The Star-Ledger

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Frances Micklow/The Star-LedgerDarrelle Revis and the Jets return from the bye week to face the Buffalo Bills on the road Sunday.

When Rex Ryan spoke to his team Monday, the Jets ’ first day of work after a six-day bye week break , the coach made certain to cite the AFC East standings.

Despite the Jets’ ugly three-game losing streak early this season, they enter November with the chance to make a move: they are just one game back of the Buffalo Bills and New England Patriots, both 5-2, with games against each in the next two weeks.

“It’s right there in front of our face, all we’ve got to do is go get it as a team,” cornerback Darrelle Revis said. “That’s why he let us know; that’s the focus. Win these next couple games, and we’ll be right back where we need to be.”

Revis went so far to call this week’s game at Buffalo a “must-win,” because of what it can do for the team’s standing. The following week, the Jets host the Patriots, who were handed their second loss of the season by the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday and have never beaten the Jets in New Jersey under Ryan.

To make up ground, the 4-3 Jets will have to sustain the momentum they built before the bye week, with their 27-21 comeback victory against the San Diego Chargers. Ryan normally gives his players nearly the entire week off, explaining he thinks about the season as a whole rather than just one week.

Teams around the league had been struggling this year coming out of their week off, posting a 3-9 record, before that trend was rebuked Sunday with post-bye teams going 5-1. Ryan’s teams are 0-2 after bye weeks, with losses to the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2009 and Green Bay Packers in 2010.

Ryan and several players cited a lack of offensive rhythm after the layoff both years, which they are

aware of and working to avoid this season. Ryan did not provide specifics but said the team has changed its approach somewhat this year, and also got ahead for the week by running Buffalo-specific plays in practice Monday.

Plus, with three division games in the next four weeks — Buffalo twice, and New England — the post-bye urgency is amplified.

“You can’t say enough about how important these next three or four games are for us,” safety Jim Leonhard said. “We have to come out of this bye strong; we can’t afford to come out flat, we need to carry over that emotion we’ve been playing with after the bye.”

Many of the players, as well as Ryan, lost power at their homes over the weekend due to the snowstorm that hit the area. Ryan said he still caught some of Sunday’s games — including the big assist from Pittsburgh.

Ryan had challenged the rest of the league in training camp to beat the Patriots, and the Steelers’ win boosted the Jets as they work to climb out of their early hole.

“It’s always good to get help from other teams, and Pittsburgh did us a slight favor,” outside linebacker Calvin Pace said. “... So we’ve got to do our part, go out and handle business on Sunday in a hostile environment. They’re riding high. We just have to go up there with a lot of energy, go out there and put them away early, and get a win.”

Pace cited three examples of recent Super Bowl champions who hit their stride late in the year when it mattered most: The 2010 Packers, the 2007 Giants and the 2005 Steelers, each wild-card teams.

The veteran identified November as the point in the season when a successful team hits its stride. Well, it’s now November.

“We know where we’re at, in terms of being one game back and still fighting for first place,” Revis said. “Out of all the stuff that has been going on, it’s kind of surprising, it really is. But we are making strides, and we’re on a two-game winning streak. ... This is a good game for us to get our third win.”

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

Jenny Vrentas: jvrentas@starledger.com

flgreen · November 1, 2011

Palladino: For Jets’ Maybin, A Nasty Homecoming In Buffalo?

November 1, 2011 8:38 AM

aaron-maybin.jpg?w=300

(credit: Nick Laham/Getty Images)

‘From the Pressbox’

By Ernie Palladino

Ernie is the author of “Lombardi and Landry.” He’ll be covering football throughout the season.

When you tune in to Sunday’s Jets-Bills game, you may want to keep a close eye on the outside linebacker who stands up at the edge of Mike Pettine’s 3-4 front.

That would be Aaron Maybin. And things might get awfully interesting rather quickly at that spot, especially on passing downs.

You see, Maybin has every reason to up his three-sack total against the Bills. They were the ones who cut him following two sackless seasons after Buffalo made him the 11th pick overall in the 2009 draft.

Not that they used him properly. They took a 21-year-old kid who left Penn State two years early and stuck him on the line, an undersized defensive end in Buffalo’s 4-3 alignment. That didn’t quite work out, and they finally cut him this year.

The Jets picked him up, cut him out of training camp, and then re-signed him after the Week 3 loss to the Raiders. They stood him up as a pass-rushing linebacker in the 3-4, and off he went. Maybin, nicknamed “Mayhem” because of how Penn State coach Joe Paterno once mispronounced his name, is now the Jets’ biggest surprise.

And in time, he could become the Jets’ most valuable defensive player.

Rex Ryan is already saying they need to get the 6-foot-4, 228-pound pass rusher on the field more as the Jets try mightily to improve on a stuttering 4-3 start. Of course, unless they move Maybin to the other side on first and second down, that could cut into Calvin Pace’s snaps, and that’s the last thing Ryan probably wants to do.

But there’s no doubt Maybin is a player, and a hitter, having forced three fumbles to go along with his team-high tying sack total. But even Ryan didn’t quite see that at first, given his initial reluctance to allow him to survive the final camp cuts.

So here he is, producing in a spot pass-rush role, looking for more time. He can make a great case for himself by becoming a force against the 5-2 Bills, the AFC East co-leaders with the Patriots.

It won’t be easy. Opponents have sacked the elusive Ryan Fitzpatrick just nine times, and the Bills have kept teams off-balance through a strong running game behind the out-of-nowhere Fred Jackson.

It won’t help that the Bills just knocked the stuffing out of the Redskins behind a 21-of-27, 262-yard, two-touchdown passing game. The Bills head into this one full of confidence.

Meanwhile, the Jets come off a bye, potentially rusty after the six-day vacation Ryan granted them after their comeback win over San Diego.

But there are those 16 takeaways that tied the Jets for the league lead going into Sunday. And Maybin’s forced fumbles have helped.

Meanwhile, with playmaking DL Mike DeVito due to come back this week — he didn’t practice Monday, but Ryan said he’s optimistic about him — the pass rush should be as strong as ever. And that means Maybin will be on display.

This is a tough one in an opposing stadium, one the Jets need for credibility heading into the New England game. And Maybin, looking to make his homecoming a nasty one, might be just the guy to look to in a key spot.

flgreen · November 1, 2011

Rex wears Namath jersey; Namath zings Rex

November, 1, 2011

Nov 1

7:59

AM ET

By Ian Begley

Joe Namath has ripped Rex Ryan for many things this year.

But, according to a joking Ryan, "nothing has hurt more" than when Broadway Joe cracked on Rex's weight.

The subject arose after Ryan admitted to wearing a Namath jersey during a trip to the mall over the bye week.

Namath, on his regular spot with Kay, said, "I'm just stunned that the jersey with No. 12 come in that size."

Ryan laughed off the barb, giving Namath credit for his wit.

Namath has been critical of Ryan all year, saying his team wasn't prepared for their game at Oakland and claiming Ryan was too nice to his players.

"Shoot, hey it doesn't matter," Ryan said when asked about wearing the jersey. "I'm still a huge Joe Namath fan."

He added: "Any fan or any Jets alum is welcome to their opinion. It doesn’t mean I have to like it or agree with it."

flgreen · November 1, 2011

This time it’s personal: Namath makes a fat joke at Rex’s expense

Posted by Michael David Smith on November 1, 2011, 8:56 AM EDT

j-namath.jpg?w=133 AP

Joe Namath has made it clear he has no intention of ceasing his criticism of his former team, and now he’s taking cheap shots at Jets coach Rex Ryan’s weight.

After Ryan was spotted wearing a Namath jersey, Namath went on the radio and said he questioned how Ryan could pull the jersey over his ample gut.

“I’m just stunned that the jersey with No. 12 comes in that size,” Namath said, via ESPN.com.

Namath has been extremely critical of the Jets this year. At the start of the season he said he didn’t think Plaxico Burress would make it through the year. He later said Ryan had the team thinking they were better than they were. And as the season has gone on, Namath has ripped the Jets again and again and again.

Ryan has been admirably restrained in his responses to Namath’s constant criticism.

“Shoot, hey it doesn’t matter,” Ryan said. “I’m still a huge Joe Namath fan.”

The “huge” part is the one thing Ryan has said this year that Namath would agree with.

flgreen · November 1, 2011

Slauson Jabs Damien Woody, Praises Wayne Hunter

by Bassett on November 1st, 2011 at 8:00 am

If anyone on the Jets roster understands what it’s like to take over a legend’s veteran spot and work through early adversity, it’s LG Matt Slauson. Before the Jets left on vacation, Hunter told the press that he had been working with a number of people to get advice and get better, and one of his sources of help was Slauson.

Now back from break, reporters spoke to Slauson about Wayne Hunter, asking for his assessment of his fellow starter on the Offensive Line. Slauson had a slight dig at his former teammate and kind words for his fellow starter.

Left guard

Matt Slauson

took a subtle jab at former teammate

Damien Woody

Monday by calling his replacement,

Wayne Hunter

, “an upgrade” at right tackle. Told that he won’t be getting a Christmas card from

Woody

this year,

Slauson

cracked, “I never did, so it’s okay.”

Woody, now an analyst for ESPN, has been critical of his former team for what he considers a departure from its ground-and-pound approach.

Hunter

struggled early against the likes of Cowboys star pass rusher

DeMarcus Ware

, but has settled into his role in recent weeks. “I like Damien. He’s a really good player,” Slauson said. “He’s had a hell of a career. But Wayne’s an incredible athlete.”

It might be that Hunter is a better athlete right now than Woody would be this year, but Woody never got repeatedly beat, even by the best most athletic defensive ends or outside linebackers either.

It looks like Hunter is getting it together, which is good, but he’ll have some of his toughest work yet ahead of him this season … so we’ll see about Slauson’s assessment. I think Hunter will work for the Jets in the short term, but It would be a stretch to say he’s the answer for the team for the next five years.

Integrity28 · November 1, 2011

Oh look, bye week is over... and its right back to all the talk... fighting out battles in the press... awesome.

Everyone needs to shut up.

The next 2 weeks ARE the season.

flgreen · November 1, 2011

Oh look, bye week is over... and its right back to all the talk... fighting out battles in the press... awesome.

Everyone needs to shut up.

The next 2 weeks ARE the season.

Your right about the next two games. Slauson is just sticking up for Hunter. Woody took a shot at him a few weeks ago.

Namath really needs to zip it. I liked him a lot better as a loveable drunk. The new sober Joe, not so much

Integrity28 · November 1, 2011

Your right about the next two games. Slauson is just sticking up for Hunter. Woody took a shot at him a few weeks ago.

Namath really needs to zip it. I liked him a lot better as a loveable drunk. The new sober Joe, not so much

Namath is fine, he's doing what he does. The problem is that Rex feels compelled to fire back every time. Rex needs to stop responding to every comment Joe makes. Rex is letting himself be sucked in by a heckler at this point... some times "no comment" is the best comment.

As for the rest of Rex's goon squad, I'm only interested in hearing their soundbytes when they are asked questions after a big win... if this team comes out flat after the bye and loses to Buffalo... then its just more of the same, the new same old Jets.

flgreen · November 1, 2011

Pace Plan for Dealing with Bills’ Homefield Edge

Posted by Eric Allen on November 1, 2011 – 10:04 am

The Jets have a sterling mark at home, but they haven’t tasted a road victory as November commences. And now after a bye week, they have a tough challenge ahead as the Bills lie in wait in Western New York.

“We do have our work cut out for us, but I feel confident,” OLB Calvin Pace said this week. “We’ve been some places that nobody gave us a chance to win and came out with a win.

“The thing to playing on the road, I just look at it like when we’re getting booed or people are talking crazy to me — I just think they’re cheering for us. You just have to take that mindset that if you play well enough, you can eventually make it your home field because the crowd will bow down and you can switch the momentum back to your side.”

The 5-2 Bills, one of the NFL’s early surprises near the midway point, own a 4-0 record at home. They dominated the Washington Redskins by a 23-0 score in Week 8, but that contest was played in Toronto.

“We do have some challenges in front of us, but I think we do a good job of staying in the moment,” said Pace, who is tied for the team lead with three sacks. “This week is about Buffalo. Everything else doesn’t matter if we don’t take care of business this week.”

The Jets will play host to the New England Patriots in Week 10 and then travel to Denver for a Thursday night game against the Broncos to start Week 11. Then the Bills will visit New Jersey in Week 12 for a return matchup.

Chan Gailey’s crew is a confident bunch and the Bills’ offense has been clicking all season. The wagons have circled as the Jets’ next opponent is averaging 30.1 points per game.

“You have to give credit to the players. I think they have bought in what Chan Gailey is trying to do and it’s working,” Pace said. “Fred Jackson has been there for a long time, [Ryan] Fitzpatrick has been there, Stevie Johnson. They have guys who know the system and it’s working for them.”

Fitzpatrick owns a 67.7 completion percentage and has thrown four of his 14 TDs to Johnson. Jackson is putting up MVP-like numbers, having rushed for 721 yards and six TDs and added 353 receiving yards.

“I haven’t had a chance to watch them too often, but I do know Fred Jackson is a hell of a running back who still doesn’t get the credit he deserves. We watched plays today and it seems like everything he was running — screen passes, straight run plays — were like for 20 yards or more,” said Pace. “He is very effective and Fitzpatrick is a good quarterback. He does the right things and you definitely respect his game.”

The Jets have won five of the past six in the series and they’ve won the past three they’ve been visitors. The Bills need this game not only to stay ahead of the Jets in the standings and hold serve at home but to take that next step as an emerging contender. New York’s AFC representatives have steadied themselves after their 2-3 start and now find themselves just one game out of first place behind the Bills and Pats.

“It’s going to be pretty loud. They definitely want to beat us and they probably think it’s overdue. It’s still in New York, so hopefully we’ll have some Jets fans come up and give us some support,” Pace said. “It’s a situation where I think we have to go out there and set the tone and put an end to all that. It’s an environment where if you let them get started, it’s going to be tough, it really is, so we have to go out there and set the tone early.”

flgreen · November 1, 2011

Ryan ‘Very Optimistic’ for DeVito vs. Bills

Posted by Randy Lange on

Health can be wealth, especially in the NFL, and Rex Ryan said today that his available roster looks pretty healthy to take on the “second half” of the Jets’ season, beginning with the Bills at Buffalo on Sunday afternoon.

DT Mike DeVito’s sore knee, which kept him out of the pre-bye comeback win over the Chargers, has been a sore spot but Ryan saw it improving all this week.

“I’d be shocked if DeVito wasn’t ready to do more,” the head coach said at today’s news conference, adding later of DeVito suiting up for the Bills, “I am optimistic about that. Very optimistic.”

Ryan also noted that CB Isaiah Trufant (hamstring) and rookie DT Kenrick Ellis (ankle) joined DeVito today working exclusively with strength and conditioning coach Bill Hughan on the sideline while their teammates practiced.

“I think Trufant as well” will be ready to increase his workload this week, Ryan said. “Kenrick, I’m not so sure. We’ll see how he looks.”

All of the other Jets coming off of injury listings — C Nick Mangold (ankle), LB David Harris (foot/ankle), DT Marcus Dixon (knee) and DE Ropati Pitoitua (knee) — got outside today and knocked the rust off from six days away from the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center.

There were also a few new Jets running around with the holdovers. Ryan was asked about two — TE Shawn Nelson, the former Bill, who’s been added to the active roster, and LB Ricky Sapp, the former Eagles fifth-round pick in 2010 who signed on to the practice squad.

Nelson, said Ryan, is “a guy I always wanted. Buffalo took him [in the '09 draft] before we had an opportunity to. The thing I was impressed about on the college tape, the thing that jumps out to you is how big he is, a 6’5″ target, but he can really run — a 4.6 guy in the 40. And then the thing that really got my attention is he can pass-block as well.”

Sapp, Rex said, “was another young man we liked coming out of college. We worked him out early this year and he wasn’t ready [from knee rehab]. We said, ‘We’re going to give you X amount of weeks and then bring you back during the bye.’ I never thought he’d be all the way back like he is, so we’re excited to give him the chance to come onto our practice squad.

flgreen · November 1, 2011

How We Matchup Against the Bills

by GangGreenMag on Nov 1, 2011 10:13 AM EDT

Kathy Willens - APMore photos »

Well I hope everyone had a wonderful bye week. A week without anything really relevant to the Jets is pretty painful during football season. I usually do this on Wednesdays, but I want to get back to Jets football ASAP. We got a break with the Pats losing to the Steelers. The Bills, on the other hand, came out of the bye strong, as they destroyed the Redskins. Buffalo is going into week 9 with some force. I hope the 6 days off, Rex gave the guys, pays off.

On Defense:

The name of the game this week, on defense, is stop Fred Jackson. The guy has come out of nowhere to have an All-Pro season. His stats are pretty intimidating. He is the 4th ranked RB right now, and is on pace to have a 1400+ yard season. He is also a very decent receiving option out of the backfield. He is on pace to pull in about 600+ yards as a pass catcher. Fred is public enemy number 1.

We are getting healthy this week. Our D-line was decimated by injuries in our last game against the Chargers. Mike DeVito, Kendrick Ellis, Pitoitua, were all either out or hampered by an injury.

Everyone will be back this week on the line. David Harris should also be back and healthy at the ILB position. These are the men that will have to control the line. This game will ride on what these guys accomplish. If the Bills are able to run successfully on us early, they won't let up. We can not allow Fred jackson to get 5 yards a pop. Penetration is key to stopping him and most RBs. If you stop him before he can even blow through the line, than we doing something right. As far as I can tell, the Bills O-line is nothing special, especially on the left side. The Bills would be wise to not run on the side that DeVito and Pace aren't on. If we can help Wilkerson out with extra bodies on the left side of the line, we should be able to win a few battles in the trenches.

The matchups in the secondary are interesting ones. We have Steve Johnson, who is their go to WR, and David Nelson, who is their reliable safety net. Nelson also happens to be 6'5", and very physical. I would put Revis on Nelson for most of the game, and let Cro try to ground Johnson. Even though Cro matches up better with Nelson speed wise, his strength and size would be a huge problem for Cro. Revis also seems to shine against receiver that are both physical, and big. They bring out the best in him. I have confidence in Kyle Wilson to clean up their TE, or slot receiver.

On a side note... Ryan Fitzpatrick is a threat to run the ball. We can't ignore the fact that if nothing is open downfield, he is a threat to tuck the ball, and make a run for it. He has ran the ball more times than C.J. Spiller. If we are overloading for the run, we should be able to have guys there to stop anything if he tries something. We also can't forget about our old friend Brad Smith. Look for the Bills to try and play off of the whole former team thing. He has only thrown the ball once this season, so if he's in there, expect the run. We should play off of the whole former team thing ourselves. I would love to see a lot of Aaron Maybin out there. My girlfriend's brother pulled him over a few days ago, and said he is a great guy. It would be nice to see him rewarded with playing time against the team that thought he was a bust.

On Offense:

Our "ground and pound" attack has been picking up speed the last two games. This is the game to take it to the next level. The Bills are weak against the run. They are ranked 19th, behind both the Dolphins and the Chargers. We will be getting back a healthy Shonn Greene, and LT for this match. Joe McKnight might even see some rushing touches, considering the field day he had against this defense last year. The Bills are an improved defense, but can still give up big games to RBs.

Marcell Dareus is a force for the Bills on the left side of their line. Brandon Moore is going to have his hands full trying to move that mountain. Luckily for us, we are better at running the ball in the other direction. The Bills All Pro NT, Kyle Williams is believed to be out for the season. This leaves his backup, Torell Troup, to fill in. Our O-line should win this battle.

As far as pass rush goes for the Bills, they don't have much. Before the game against the Redskins, they had 4 sacks through 6 games. The 9 sacks they picked up had more to do with the Redskins than the Bills figuring out how to rush the passer. Dareus is also the team leader in sacks. When I see a DE in a 3-4 defense leading the team in sacks, it tells me that QBs get some time to throw, but wind up going down in coverage sacks. With Shawne Merriman out, there is very little pass rushing talent left at the OLB position. D'Brick and Hunter should be licking their chops for this game.

The Bills pass defense is ranked 24th, but don't let that fool you. They know how to turn the ball over. They are a very opportunistic group. It wasn't too long ago that Mark Sanchez had a 6 INT game against them. Of course Mark is a better QB than his rookie season, and thankfully, hasn't had a game like that in a while. *Knock on wood* If our O-line can handle what the Bills throw at them in terms of pass rush, our guys should be able to get open. I would love to see more Plaxico in the Red Zone, and more Joe McKnight in the open field. Nick Barnett is a decent cover LB, but shouldn't be able to keep up with McKnight.

Don't be fooled by the history of the Bills. They are a very good team this year. If you doubt me, just take a look at who is on top of the AFC East. This game will tell us a lot about both of these teams. It will show us who is actually a playoff contender. I am expecting a playoff like atmosphere for this game. The winner will have a clear advantage going forward in any contest for division title or wild card spot. If we are able to pound the rock as effectively me and Rex hope, we should be OK offensively. If we can contain Fred Jackson and Ryan Fitzpatrick from running wild on us, our D should hold strong. It's a winnable game folks, we just have to execute.

flgreen · November 1, 2011

Two big games on tap for Jets: Bills, Pats

Originally published: October 31, 2011 7:34 PM

By RODERICK BOONE roderick.boone@newsday.com

Photo credit: AP | New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan, center, looks on during the second quarter of NFL football game against the San Diego Chargers, Sunday, Oct. 23, 2011. (Oct. 24, 2011)

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- Darrelle Revis doesn't take a weekly peek at the standings and try to gauge what the Jets are up against in their push for a third consecutive postseason berth.

So when the Jets returned from their bye week Monday, when Rex Ryan delivered the scenario heading into Sunday's AFC East road game against the Bills (5-2), Revis' ears perked up.

"It's like, 'Wow,' " the All-Pro cornerback said. "We still have a chance to compete and fight for first place."

Yes, even with all the turmoil they've been through, the Jets (4-3) are right in the chase for the division crown and should have a better idea of where they stand in two weeks. They begin the second half of their schedule against the Bills before hosting the Patriots Nov. 13. Those teams are tied for first, one game ahead of the Jets.

A win over the Bills would draw the Jets even with them, and depending on the outcome of Sunday's Super Bowl XLII rematch between the Giants and Patriots, it could pull the Jets into a three-way tie for the division lead.

"We have it right in front of us," Ryan said. "The teams you have to beat are right in front of you. So we'll know. These next few weeks, they are going to be critical for us.

"We know what this game represents. You have Buffalo coming in, one of the hottest teams in the league, tied for first in our division. We've got to play at their place and so you've got to be excited about playing the No. 1-rated team in our division -- them and New England.''

If the Jets lose both games, they will be 1-3 in the division, with two losses to the Patriots. They'll probably need to at least split to have a good shot at making the playoffs.

"We know where we are at, one game back and still fighting for first place," Revis said. "So out of all the stuff that's been going on, it's kind of surprising. It really is. But we are making strides and we are on a two-game winning streak. We are back and this is a good game for us to get our third win."

Buffalo's offense is averaging 30 points and 380 yards a game. The Bills' rushing attack ranks fifth at 140 yards a game, and Fred Jackson's 721 rushing yards rank fourth. He has nine runs of at least 20 yards, tying him for first with Chicago's Matt Forte.

"This is going to be a tough challenge," linebacker Calvin Pace said, "but I think it's one that we definitely are up to. We know what's at stake."

The Jets are continuing to climb out of the 2-3 hole they dug with that three-game road losing streak.

"It's huge," safety Jim Leonhard said. "You can't say enough about how important these next three, four games are for us. So we need to come out of this bye strong. We can't afford to come out flat. We need to carry over that emotion that we've been playing with before the bye."

flgreen · November 1, 2011

<p>

Bob Glauber

2011 NFL Power Rankings: Week 9

Newsday football columnist Bob Glauber brings order to the NFL with his weekly power rankings.

Rank Change Team Record Comments

1. - Packers 7-0 Hottest team in football had a bye week, and now goes on road to face a Chargers team coming off a monumental Monday loss in Kansas City.

2. 3 Steelers 6-2 Statement game for the Steelers, as Ben Roethlisberger outduels Tom Brady for Pittsburgh’s fourth straight win. Next up: home to a Ravens team that pummeled the Steelers 35-7 in the opener.

3. 1 49ers 6-1 Heady times for Jim Harbaugh’s gang. Last time they were 6-1 was last century. Niners match best start since 1998.

4. 2 Patriots 5-2 This time, Brady couldn’t solve Pittsburgh’s defense. And the Pats’ defense went belly-up ... again. Next up: home to the Jints in a rematch of Super Bowl XLII.

5. 1 Lions 6-2 Lions snap a two-game losing streak by waxing the Broncos in Denver. Now for a week off.

6. 1 Giants 5-2 Giants finish off easy part of schedule by having to claw back from an 11-point deficit to the winless Dolphins at home. Pats one of four first-place teams the Giants face in a monster schedule over the next nine weeks.

7. 1 Ravens 5-2 Ravens need a franchise-best comeback from 21 points down to the Cardinals at home. Now they face a Steelers team on the road that they routed at home in the opener.

8. 5 Saints 5-3 After scoring the most dominating win of the week at home against Indy, they fall victim to the upset of the week against the previously winless Rams in St. Louis.

9. 3 Bills 5-2 Ryan Fitzpatrick celebrates new contract with a 20-0 win over the Redskins in Toronto. Nice effort by a defense that produced nine sacks.

10. 1 Falcons 4-3 Falcons get an extended bye; after a week off, they play at the winless Colts.

11. 1 Jets 4-3 Jets rested and ready for a huge divisional matchup in Buffalo. Can’t remember the last time we’ve said that about Jets-Bills.

12. 9 Eagles 3-4 Hard to imagine a team playing much better than Philly in a 34-7 win over Cowboys. Just one question: Where was this team the rest of the season?

13. 2 Chiefs 4-3 That’s four straight for the Chiefs, who survive a late fourth-quarter scare against Chargers and move into a first-place tie in the division. Not bad after an 0-3 start.

14. 1 Bears 4-3 Still not sure what to make of the Bears. May get a better idea after they face red hot Philly on Monday night at the Linc.

15. 1 Texans 5-3 Houston remains in first place in the weak AFC South thanks to a home win over the Jags. That’s the best eight-game start for a Texans team in franchise history. Not saying much, but they’ll take 5-3.

16. - Cowboys 3-4 Back to the drawing board for everybody in Big D. Rob Ryan’s defense gets smoked by Michael Vick and LeSean McCoy, while Jason Garrett’s offense does a whole lot of nothing.

17. - Raiders 4-3 Raiders went into the bye week off a 28-0 home loss to the Chiefs. They resume the schedule at home against the Broncos, as the Carson Palmer era begins.

18. 7 Chargers 4-3 Philip Rivers’ fourth-quarter fumble prevents the Chargers from winning a close one in Kansas City. The mistake comes back to haunt the Chargers, who lose in OT. Next up: home to the defending champion Packers.

19. 1 Buccaneers 4-3 Up-one week, down-the-next Bucs visit the Big Easy on Sunday in a rematch with the Saints. Bucs beat New Orleans at home, now face a team ready for a bounce-back after Rams loss.

20. - Bengals 5-2 Quietly, ever so quietly, the Bengals have won four straight.

21. 2 Titans 4-3 Tennessee ends two-game losing streak by beating the Colts. Up next: Cincy at home.

22. 7 Vikings 2-6 First career win for first-year quarterback Christian Ponder, who one-ups Cam Newton in Carolina.

23. 1 Panthers 2-6 Newton has a career-high three TD passes, but also loses two first-half fumbles that Minny turns into touchdowns.

24. 1 Redskins 3-4 The freefall continues. Three straight losses and counting.

25. 1 Browns 3-4 Mediocre Browns didn’t have a chance against the Niners. May not get much better at Houston on Sunday.

26. 1 Jaguars 2-6 Looks like that Monday night win last week over the Ravens will go down as the highlight of the season.

27. 1 Broncos 2-5 No Tim Tebow magic this time as the Broncos are waxed at home by the Lions.

28. 3 Rams 1-6 Rams take a page from their World Series champion counterparts in St. Louis and score the week’s biggest upset against the Saints.

29. 2 Seahawks 2-5 No offense, Seahawks fans, but still no offense in Seattle this season. Another ugly one in a 34-12 home loss to Cincy.

30. 2 Cardinals 1-6 Cardinals were in the midst of a huge upset in Baltimore. Instead, they melt down in the second half and suffer their sixth straight loss.

31. 1 Dolphins 0-7 The Dolphins keep fighting hard for Tony Sparano, but keep losing anyway. After road trip to Kansas City, the Dolphins have four of their next five at home. Does the coaching change happen next week?

32. - Colts 0-8 Plenty of attention focused on the offense without Peyton Manning. But what about that defense? Colts have given up an NFL worst 252 points.

flgreen · November 1, 2011

Jets’ Hunter leading resurgence on line

GETTY IMAGES

Wayne Hunter struggled early, but has come on as of late for the Jets.

As far as Jets right tackle Wayne Hunter is concerned, he’s finally earning his keep and it is all thanks to fellow offensive lineman D’Brickashaw Ferguson.

Hunter had just two starts in his previous seven NFL seasons, but he was rewarded during the offseason with the starting right tackle position and a four-year, $13 million dollar contract.

In his first two games, Hunter had a rough start, including consistently being beaten by Cowboys linebacker DeMarcus Ware. That’s when Hunter turned to Ferguson, a former first-round pick, for advice.

“After Week 2, I had another rough one and I was really beginning to doubt myself, doubt if I could do it. The fans, the media, were all on me, so I went up to ‘Brick’ and asked him for advice,” Hunter told Metro. “We had a two-hour meeting and it was great. He went through a lot of the things I went through. He was a former first-round pick, a top pick and he had a couple rocky first seasons here. I only had a rough few games. It put it all in perspective.

“I realized I needed to move on, get my mind focused and start focusing in on what I knew I could bring to this team.”

Hunter drew on the sit down with Ferguson to help him turn the corner. He knew he had the talent to play the position. Guard Matt Slauson calls Hunter the “most athletic lineman on our team, and maybe the league,” but there were still doubts. For a player who, despite entering his eighth year in the league was very much still a raw, developing product, it was a lot for him to handle.

Now, there was pressure – and it was pressure he could all to clearly feel. Like pressure he had never felt at any other point of his career.

“To be honest, I felt more pressure in that Week 1 game then I ever did in my career, and that includes the AFC Championship Game or any time during the playoffs,” Hunter said. “I had gotten this contract. I had gotten the starting job I wanted, but now people also expected me to play and perform at a certain level. I wasn’t sure I could do that. It all weighed on me.”

His talk with Ferguson alleviated that pressure and Hunter likened himself to a rookie needing to make adjustments and learn. Instead of cracking under the pressure and criticism, he began to quietly work and piece together a good series of practices before Week 3. Despite his renewed mindset, doubts persisted.

He remembers a conversation he had with offensive line coach Bill Callahan in the days leading up to the Week 3 game in Oakland.

“I just expressed my concerns that I needed to get this thing right, that I needed to play better because if it didn’t it might just snowball and become game after game after game,” Hunter said. “Bill said to me that he never doubted in me as a player, that he believed in my abilities to perform. That meant a lot to me.”

Hunter went out and performed well despite the Jets loss. The next two weeks, despite Jets losses, Hunter put in solid showings. It has been uphill stuff from the first-year starter ever since.

“It was his first season starting. He’s not a rookie per se, but he had things to learn like a rookie might have to,” right guard Brandon Moore told Metro. “We never lost our confidence in him though; we learned what he could do in the playoffs and how he can perform. Every day in practice, we see how athletic he is, how much effort he put in. He had nothing to prove to us.”

Now the media isn’t clamoring with headlines pinning blame on Hunter.

“I feel like the past few weeks, I’m performing the way I want to, the way I should. I am justifying the money, the contract that they’ve given me,” Hunter said. “After that rough start, I wasn’t sure but I think I’ve turned that corner and that, finally, I’m backing up that contract.”

flgreen · November 1, 2011

Sanchez-Fitz-Moore Watch

November, 1, 2011

Nov 1

11:00

AM ET

By James Walker

Only two quarterbacks were in action for our latest edition of the "Sanchez-Fitz-Moore Watch."

Here are our latest grades for Week 8:

Ryan Fitzpatrick, Buffalo Bills

Result: W, 23-0 against Washington

Stats: 21-for-27, 262 yards, two TDs, one INT

QBR: 84.1

Analysis: Fitzpatrick played great against the Washington Redskins. It was just days after signing a $59 million contract and becoming the new face of the Bills. He was too aggressive on his interception where he threw into coverage and got picked in the end zone. But Fitzpatrick's aggressiveness is part of what makes the Bills' offensive successful. Buffalo doesn't want to curtail that too much. Fitzpatrick seems to be getting back in the grove.

Walker's grade: A-

Matt Moore, Miami Dolphins

Result: L, 20-17 against Giants

Stats: 13-for-22, 138 yards, one rushing TD

QBR: 65.2

Analysis: Moore also played one of his more efficient games against the New York Giants. He played safe, mistake free football and also made a few plays down the field. It was nearly a winning performance. But the Dolphins became too cautious in the fourth quarter and gave up 10 straight points to New York. But Moore is improving the past two weeks and putting the Dolphins in position to win.

Walker's grade: B-

This week's winner: Fitzpatrick (three points)

Second place: Moore (two points)

Overall standings (second quarter)

First (tie): Fitzpatrick and Mark Sanchez (nine points)

Third: Moore (five points)

Stay tuned for next week. It's fitting that Sanchez and Fitzpatrick will go head-to-head this weekend to determine who wins the second quarter of the "Sanchez-Fitz-Moore Watch."

flgreen · November 1, 2011

ith Patriots loss to Steelers and three AFC East games on tap, NY Jets can make run to top of division

Despite their road woes and shaky start, Jets can change tone of season in no time

BY Manish Mehta

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Tuesday, November 1 2011, 12:01 AM

Simmons, Howard/Simmons, Howard

The Jets have a chance to back up Rex Ryan's notion that the Jets are Super Bowl contenders.

For all the bad vibes surrounding the Jets a month ago, here’s the truth for Rex Ryan’s team coming out of its bye week: Believe it or not, Gang Green is positioned to take control of the AFC East.

Winners of two in a row, the Jets (4-3) will play three division games in November with a chance to leapfrog the 5-2 Bills and Patriots. Thanks to New England’s loss to the Steelers on Sunday, it may not take very long for the Jets to climb atop the division standings.

“People write you off after one week in this league,” linebacker Bart Scott said Monday. “Now, it’s like, ‘Oh man . . . the Steelers are the greatest team ever. They beat the Patriots.’ Blah, blah, blah. . . .

Any team can beat any team.”

A Jets’ win in Buffalo on Sunday coupled with a Patriots’ loss to the Giants would result in a three-way deadlock atop the AFC East with the Jets-Patriots showdown looming in Week 10. Not long ago, Gang Green was immersed in locker room dissension and injuries amid a three-game losing streak.