Jets News 11-9

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Patriots struggles add importance for Jets win

KRISTIAN DYER

NEW YORK

Published: November 08, 2011 10:29 p.m.

Last modified: November 08, 2011 10:36 p.m.

Suddenly, the Jets are 5-3 and sitting tied atop the AFC East with a 2-1 mark in the division.

The Jets control their own destiny and don’t look anything like the team embroiled in a three-game losing streak one month ago.

A win on Sunday over the Patriots would go a long way toward the Jets winning the division and at least hosting a playoff game. The Jets have only won the AFC East twice in their history, most recently in 2002. The Jets universally speak with respect about New England, but these Patriots are also a team in a mess right now, having lost their last two games.

“It happens. They’re not invincible. They’re a great football team, but they’ve got beat by some pretty good teams, as well,” safety Jim Leonhard said. “I don’t think they’re going to panic up in New England, and we’re not going to feel sorry for them either.”

This isn’t the dominant New England team that ran through the regular season with a 14-2 record last year. They’re still searching for an identity, having difficulty on both sides of the ball. The Chad Ochocinco experiment has failed and the defense has been its own worst enemy.

“A team like New England is always going to be hungry. They’re not a team that takes the vulnerable route too easily,” linebacker Aaron Maybin said. “Obviously, anybody that knows anything about football knows that Bill Belichick knows what he’s doing back there. So, from our standpoint, we know that they’re going to be ready to play. We’re not expecting that they’re going to come out sluggish or anything. We know that they want to win just as bad as we do, and we’re going to have to come with our ‘A game.’”

But the key for the Jets is not as much to focus on their rivals up I-95 and their tailspin over the past two weeks as much as it is for them to key in on their own play. New York overcame three rough road games in October to rebound with three big wins, including last Sunday’s 27-11 victory in Buffalo. If the Jets show up and perform the way they have the past three weeks, then they should be able to match the talent of what will be a fired up Patriots team.

Center Nick Mangold credits “execution” for their success over the past three weeks, but Leonhard acknowledges that the team knew that they just had to get out of a funk and start playing their brand of football.

“We’ve known all along that it’s going to come down to November and December. We had our rough patch earlier this year, but we came out of it and now everything’s in front of us,” Leonhard said. “We know we need to play well. They are who they are. They’re a great football team and we need to come out and play well.”

Follow Jets beat writer Kristian Dyer on Twitter @KristianRDyer.

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Bart Scott: It isn't a rivalry until there's fighting over strippers

ANDY LYONS/GETTY IMAGES

Bart Scott.

KRISTIAN DYER

NEW YORK

Published: November 08, 2011 10:37 p.

Last modified: November 08, 2011 10:45 p.m.

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Rivalries can be measured in many ways – on- and off-the-field altercations, the sound bites coming out from each team’s locker rooms throughout the week and the intensity of how a game plays out.

And now, according to Jets linebacker Bart Scott, a rivalry can be measured in how many black eyes you get or give over a stripper. Yes, that kind of a stripper.

In an interview on ESPN 1050’s Michael Kay, Scott said that there isn’t a rivalry between the Giants and the Jets like there was between the Ravens and the Redskins. The former Baltimore linebacker divulged that the animosity between those two teams spilled over from the field with the players wanting to wrap a stripper’s pole around each others’ necks. Scott talked about the rivalry with the Giants and the meeting between the two teams on Dec. 24.

“Like I said, when I was in Baltimore I could remember with the Redskins you had guys fighting over strippers and all kind of stuff. I don’t sense that here. I think it is a mutual respect. I think the town is big enough for both of us,” Scott told Kay. “I think we were just trying to make a statement that hey we wanted a little bit bigger piece of the spotlight because when I got here my sense was pretty much all Giants type of town. We played in Giants Stadium. We just want to get our piece of the pie. We respect them, but we would definitely love – we look forward to that game. I believe it is the 24th of December for bragging rights and hoping that’s the game that could help us win this division.”

Scott went on to further elaborate on his comments, including giving a glimpse into the life of how NFL players spend their downtime, apparently with one hand filled with dollar bills and the other clutched in a fist. There won’t be the same concern with the Giants and Jets, he says. In New York, there are more than enough strippers to go around.

“When you are in a small place like Baltimore and the temperature is relatively cold – hey you compete over the same chicks. That’s a football players’ favorite spot. Especially young football players,” Scott said. “It was always a rivalry. Guys fight about hey that is my girlfriend and that’s my girlfriend, but here? Five million people, maybe more. There is plenty for everybody.”

Not surprisingly, Scott also chimed in with an opinion on Rex Ryan’s acting gig. Last week, actor Adam Sandler told the NFL Network’s Rich Eisen that the Jets head coach was set for a small role in the upcoming movie “I Hate You Dad.” Ryan shot the scene during this past offseason and is playing the role of an avid Patriots fan.

“That’s a Jedi mind trick. You know what I mean?” Scott said in the interview with Kay. “That is part of the comedy.”

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Rex Ryan and Darrelle Revis earn high grades on NY Jets midseason report card

Jets overcome three-game losing streak to get back on track

BY Manish Mehta

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Wednesday, November 9 2011, 12:30 AM

Nick Laham/Getty Images

Darrelle Revis, who has tallied 25 tackles and four interceptions this season, is the Jets' defensive MVP through Week 9.

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The Jets have overcome locker-room bickering and dissension to give themselves a legitimate chance at the AFC East title with a 5-3 record.

Rex Ryan’s team looked lost during an early three-game skid only to return to familiar form with a solid rushing attack and air-tight defense.

“We certainly didn’t count ourselves out,” Ryan said of his team’s 2-3 start. “We knew that our team could improve. We knew we put together a good football team. (We) thought we could get better.”

Gang Green has gone 5-3 in the second half in each of Ryan’s first two seasons. A repeat of that would likely push them into the postseason once again.

However, the Jets face a challenging second-half schedule that features the Patriots, Bills, Giants and Eagles.

“We’ve known all along that it’s going to come down to November and December,” safety Jim Leonhard said. “We had our rough patch earlier this year, but we came out of it, and now everything’s in front of us. We know we need to play well.”

Here are their midseason grades:

QUARTERBACKS C

Mark Sanchez is still a work in progress who needs to improve his accuracy and take better care of the ball. His 57.5 completion percentage ranks 26th in the league. He’s also on pace for a career-high 24 turnovers. Although Ryan measures his third-year quarterback by wins, there’s little doubt he’d like to see better play from him to make obtaining those victories a little easier.

RUNNING BACKS C-

Shonn Greene (502 yards) was invisible for the first month before showing some signs of life over the past four games for the league’s 25th-ranked rushing attack. The third-year running back has topped 100 yards just once and averages only 3.8 yards per carry in his first season as the feature back. LaDainian Tomlinson ( 23 catches for 290 yards) has carved out his role on third downs.

WIDE RECEIVERS C-

Neither Santonio Holmes (24 catches, 340 yards) nor Plaxico Burress (23 catches, 322 yards) is on pace to reach 700 yards. Holmes still possesses game-changing skills, but has been underutilized despite having signed a 5- year, $45 million deal. Over the past two games, Burress has showed signs of breaking out of his funk.

TIGHT ENDS B+

Dustin Keller has the sixth-most receiving yards among tight ends (436) and has shown flashes of being a premier player at his position. The fourth-year tight end, who leads the team in catches and yards, is on pace for a career-high 58 receptions.

OFFENSIVE LINE C

The most reliable unit of the offense in the past couple years appears to be back on track after a rocky start. All-Pro center Nick Mangold’s high ankle sprain that forced him to miss the better part of three games is a thing of the past.

DEFENSIVE LINE B+

The younger and deeper unit is improving every week. Nose tackle Sione Pouha and Mike DeVito are still run-stuffing beasts, but they’ll need more help from Marcus Dixon and rookies Mo Wilkerson and Kenrick Ellis in the second half.

LINEBACKERS B+

OLB Bryan Thomas’ season-ending Achilles injury created an opportunity for Aaron Maybin, who has provided the Jets with a legitimate edge rusher. Calvin Pace is quietly having the best year of his career. Inside linebackers David Harris and Bart Scott are steady. A once shaky run defense has looked much better in recent weeks.

DEFENSIVE BACKS A

Darrelle Revis is having a Defensive MVP-type season. Antonio Cromartie has been inconsistent at times, but has made plenty of game-changing plays for the league’s seventh-ranked pass defense.

SPECIAL TEAMS A

It’s no surprise that Mike Westhoff boasts one of the best special teams unit once again. Joe McKnight is having a Pro Bowl season with a league-high 40.2 kickoff return average. Nick Folk has missed just one field goal in 13 tries so far.

COACHES B-

Offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer’s return to a more balanced attack has served the Jets well after a failed experiment to try to air it out in the first month. Defensive coordinator Mike Pettine has helped rectify the team’s inability to stop outside runs earlier in the year. Ryan’s admission that his team needed to return to its ground-and-pound roots might have saved the Jets’ season from spiraling out of control.

FRONT OFFICE C

General manager Mike Tannenbaum’s draft picks have yet to make a difference, and signing WR Derrick Mason was a mistake, but his decision to bring back Aaron Maybin after cutting him right after the preseason deserves kudos.

THREE REASONS TO HOPE

1. The defense looks like it has regained its 2009 form. Pettine used a brilliant plan to stymie the Bills last week.

2. The renewed commitment to the run has jump-started the offense with three straight 100+ yard efforts on the ground during the current winning streak.

3. Ryan’s team finally seems to have a home-field advantage, which will serve it well with four tough remaining games at MetLife Stadium against the Patriots, Bills, Chiefs and Giants.

THREE REASONS TO WORRY

1. Mark Sanchez is still prone to making one or two critical mistakes per game.

2. Although Shonn Greene has played better in recent weeks, can he carry the load when the weather turns nasty and the offense needs him the most?

3. The Jets are happy spreading the ball around to all their offensive options rather than consistently feeding Holmes, who is clearly their best weapon. Maybe a few more Sanchez-to-Holmes hookups would make it easier for the Jets to pull away earlier in games.

Offensive MVP

TE Dustin Keller

Defensive MVP

CB Darrelle Revis

Special Teams MVP

KR Joe McKnight

Biggest Surprise

OLB Aaron Maybin

Biggest Disappointment

RB Shonn Greene

Best Rookie

DL Mo Wilkerson

Best acquisition

OLB Aaron Maybin

Worst acquisition

WR Derrick Mason

Best-kept secret

ST Nick Bellore

Best coaching move

Returning to their ground-and-pound roots after realizing that’s the best offensive formula to win for this team.

Worst coaching move

Trying to open up the offense at the start of the season by leaning on Sanchez too much.

Best moment

Shutting down the Chargers in the second half of a 27-21 win in Week 7.

Worst moment

The four-turnover meltdown in a 34-17 loss to the Ravens in Week 4.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/rex-ryan-darrelle-revis-earn-high-grades-ny-jets-midseason-report-card-article-1.974872#ixzz1dDQiHCik

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Jets fans need to pump life into MetLife this week

Jets Blog

Last Updated: 8:14 AM, November 9, 2011

Posted: 12:56 AM, November 9, 2011

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Brian Costello

ON THE JETS

The Jets have called MetLife Stadium home for 15 months. But Sunday feels like opening night for their $1.6 billion digs in East Rutherford.

When the Patriots take the field for a mammoth AFC East showdown with the Jets, it will be a test to see whether this stadium can feel like the home of the Jets or just an overcrowded Manhattan cocktail party.

This is the biggest game the Jets have played in their new home. The question is whether it will feel like it.

Let’s face it, MetLife, formerly known as New Meadowlands, has not been a hit. Fans justifiably hate the PSLs. They hate the gray exterior. They hate the soulless feel to the palace on Route 3.

MAKE NOISE!: The Jets want fans at MetLife Stadium on Sunday vs. the Patriots to give Gang Green a home-field advantage it hasn’t had since moving into the new building.

But maybe this game is what the place needs. Maybe Tom Brady walking in will bring the building to life. The sight of No. 12 has done it before. The most memorable home game of Jets coach Rex Ryan’s tenure was his first. On that September Sunday in 2009, Giants Stadium rocked as the Jets toppled Brady and the Patriots.

On Monday, Ryan asked the fans to duplicate that effort.

“Now this week, my shout-out is going to be to our fans,” said Ryan, who is 2-0 against the Patriots at home. “Our fans, we need them. Just like that first year when we called out our fans, we challenged our fans. They made the difference in that first game, there’s no doubt.

“As I look at it, the fans are coming off a bye week and they had a road game, so we’re rested. Our fans are rested. We’re ready for a huge performance, and we need you. That’s what we talk about, that home-field advantage. That’s where I think our fans can be the difference again.

“[We] expect a huge performance from our football team, but also from our fans, and I’m excited about it. I’m excited that the game’s here.”

The last three years have been a period of adjustment for sports fans around here. We’ve seen the old Yankee Stadium, Shea Stadium and Giants Stadium razed. In their place have risen buildings that feel more about revenue than rabidness, that cater to the beautiful people rather than the face-painters.

The last few years have been filled with stories of fans who watched Joe Namath play at Shea get priced out of watching Mark Sanchez at MetLife. Tales of longtime season-ticket holders getting fed up and forced out have been plentiful for all of the local teams.

For the Jets, this new stadium was supposed to represent their first true home. The franchise has lived a nomadic existence in other people’s buildings, starting with the Polo Grounds. MetLife is a 50/50 split with the Giants, but the franchise does everything possible to make fans forget about Big Blue on game day.

Like the new Yankee Stadium and Citi Field, though, the organization can only do so much to make it feel like home. Most of it has to do with what’s happening on the field. Yankee Stadium felt like an imposter until the Yankees played some meaningful games with the Red Sox there late in 2009. Citi Field needs a Mets makeover before it becomes a tough ticket.

On Sunday, the moment arrives for the Jets and their fans. The Jets have a chance to see what their home field can truly sound and feel like. They have played 12 games there already. Brett Favre’s return last year had some juice. The season opener with the Cowboys this year got loud when Joe McKnight blocked a punt in the fourth quarter.

MAKE NOISE!: The Jets want fans at MetLife Stadium on Sunday vs. the Patriots to give Gang Green a home-field advantage it hasn’t had since moving into the new building.

Nothing compares to this, though. Bill Belichick and Brady enter this game looking human. With both teams at 5-3, this feels like a division title game. It could determine whether the Jets bring a playoff game to MetLife this year.

Is that enough for the high rollers to put down their Chardonnay and shrimp cocktail? At about 8:30 Sunday night, we’ll find out.

Rex fixes early mistake

Rex Ryan the showman sometimes overshadows Rex Ryan the coach.

It’s tough to get past the headline-making quotes and jokes, but Ryan may have saved the Jets’ season by acknowledging his own mistake.

Ryan admits now that he fell in love with the idea of a wide-open offense featuring S antonio Holmes, Plaxico Burress and Derrick Mason. After the Ravens took the Jets apart in Week 4, Ryan scrapped the pass- happy plan and went back to more of a run-first attack.

The move seemed questionable at the time because the Jets were about to play the Patriots in Foxborough, and the Pats were the worst team in the league against the pass, as they still are. The Jets lost 30-21, but Ryan and his players came away from that loss feeling like they had made progress by returning to their “Ground and Pound” roots.

Four weeks later, the progress is obvious. The Jets offense moved the ball with ease Sunday at Buffalo. Their success was obscured by two Mark Sanchez turnovers in the first half, but it is clear this offense is hitting its stride.

Where the Jets offense is now can be traced back to Ryan’s decision in early October. Look past the shtick and you will see Ryan is putting together a nice coaching job.

* A look at the remaining schedules for the three teams tied for first in the AFC East shows that the Jets have the toughest slate of games.

The combined record of the Jets’ remaining eight opponents is 30-34; the Patriots’ opponents are a combined 24-41; and the Bills’ are 27-37.

The Patriots and Bills face no one outside the division with a winning record. Their biggest tests come when they face each other and the Jets.

The Jets have a showdown with the 6-2 Giants on Christmas Eve that could hold huge playoff implications.

As for gimme games, the Patriots take on the 0-9 Colts and the 1-7 Dolphins. The Bills get the Dolphins twice down the stretch, and the Jets end the season in Miami.

brian.costello@nypost.com

Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/jets/place_called_home_1QpANQ1wwcoY2vmp4aES2K#ixzz1dDSCGpK6

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Pelzman: Jets defense not as basic as it looks

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

The Record

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A questioner suggested to Rex Ryan after the Jets’ win over Buffalo on Sunday that his defense simply had lined up and beaten the Bills without any tricks.

Ryan reacted as if Adam Sandler had just asked him to do another take of their scene after doing it perfectly.

"You’d need to bring that up to [buffalo quarterback Ryan] Fitzpatrick," Ryan said angrily, "and ask him if he saw anything unusual."

Ryan added that Fitzpatrick threw into "trap coverage" on his first interception, to linebacker Calvin Pace. "Maybe it’s not as vanilla as it looks."

More like rocky road mint chocolate chip cookie dough, with a pistachio or two thrown in. Ryan and defensive coordinator Mike Pettine have done an excellent job this season in varying their defenses, especially in passing situations. The Jets aren’t blitzing nearly as much as they did in 2009, Ryan’s first season as head coach.

Instead, they often are using the threat of the blitz to fool opposing passers. That’s what happened on opening night, when the Jets used Pettine’s call of "Jet Mike Mix’’ late in the game to bait Dallas’ Tony Romo into thinking he had Darrelle Revis in single coverage on Dez Bryant. Granted, throwing at Revis in single coverage isn’t the smartest move in the first place, but even dumber when the Jets had safety Brodney Pool in the area providing deep help so Revis could play underneath Bryant and jump the route.

Ryan and Revis termed it a "trap" call afterward.

They also fooled San Diego’s Philip Rivers into thinking they were in man-to-man on the pivotal ricochet interception by Revis, who was in position to grab the carom off Vincent Jackson because he was in zone. Both of those Revis picks set up go-ahead fourth-quarter scores.

Pace’s interception Sunday wasn’t a game-breaker, but certainly was unusual. He got only the third pick of his nine-year career because he was in intermediate zone coverage in the vicinity of wideout David Nelson, the intended target. Pace normally is an edge pass rusher.

So can the Jets confuse New England’s Tom Brady on Sunday? They held him in check in their January playoff victory by rarely rushing more than four and flooding the secondary with defenders. Brady looked out of sorts at times in the Patriots’ loss to the Giants. He has 10 interceptions through eight games, very un-Brady-like numbers.

"Obviously, it’s a copycat league," Jets linebacker Aaron Maybin said when asked about what defenses are doing against Brady and the Pats. "You’ve seen teams playing a lot of man coverage, trying to throw the receivers off those short and intermediate routes; keeping somebody deep to make sure that they can’t throw the deep ball, and it’s rattled them a little bit.

"You’ve got to also recognize that they’re doing self-scout, too," Maybin said. "They understand what these things are and they’re going to be trying to correct those mistakes."

It could be a fascinating chess match Sunday night.

E-mail: pelzman@northjersey.com

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November 9, 2011, 6:00 am

Football Outsiders Has Jets Rated No. 1

By TONI MONKOVIC

You get the sense, in reading Aaron Schatz’s explanation for how this is possible, that even he is scratching his head — at the same time as Rex Ryan would be nodding his.

In the weekly Football Outsider DVOA ratings, the Jets are the top-ranked team in the N.F.L.

Schatz, the creator of Football Outsiders, acknowledges that it’s not exactly a consensus opinion:

Obviously, this will be a bit controversial. It’s hard to find anyone out there who doesn’t rank undefeated Green Bay as the top team in the league right now, and even harder to find anyone willing to consider the Jets as being in that class.

Normally, the various advanced ratings systems on the Internets are mostly in agreement about which teams are overrated and underrated. Not this year. DVOA is going out on a limb with its Jets love. The Jets are tenth in the league in point differential. Pro-football-reference’s Simple Ratings System has the Jets ranked 11th. Jeff Sagarin has the Jets ranked eighth. Advanced NFL Stats doesn’t have its power ratings up as I write this but last week they had the Jets a mediocre 14th.

It’s only the second time in the 20-year history of the Football Outsider rating that the Jets are No. 1.

Schatz says the ranking reflects the Jets’ excellence on defense and special teams. And the offense has a high percentage of successful, or at least not negative, plays.

Extra point Last week, the Jets seemed to be fighting for their playoff lives. Had the Jets lost to the Bills, their chances of winning the division would have been around 2 percent, according to NFL-Forecast.com. Now they’re better than the Packers? Take a look at Schatz’s post and let us know what you think of his reasoning.

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Scouting the Patriots

November, 9, 2011

Nov 9

6:00

AM ET

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By Rich Cimini

A quick take on the Jets' upcoming opponent, the Patriots, who visit Met Life Stadium on Sunday night:

• Something is rotten in Foxborough. Bill Belichick is getting second-guessed, Tom Brady is throwing interceptions, the offense isn't scoring, Chad Ochocinco is quiet -- on the field and off. The Patriots have lost two straight for the first time since 2009. The only time they've lost more than two straight in the Belichick-Brady era was in 2002.

• Brady was off to a terrific start, but he has come down with Philip Rivers disease. He has 10 interceptions, tied for the third-most in the league -- six more than his 2010 total. Brady has been particularly vulnerable to conventional pass rushes, as nine of his 10 INTs have come against rushes of four or fewer, according to ESPN Stats & Information. It just so happens the Jets rushed four or less on 78 percent of the pass plays in the last two games vs. Brady.

• The Patriots have been held under 21 points in three straight games, only the third time that's happened in the Belichick-Brady era. The lack of a legitimate deep threat has been a factor. They acquired Ochocinco, but he's been a non-factor. In Sunday's loss to the Giants, he was targeted five times for no catches. He looks done. Opponents are playing the Patriots with man-to-man coverage, and it's working. The Steelers are getting the credit for starting the trend two weeks ago, but the Jets have been playing man vs. the Patriots for two-plus years.

• You want more bad? They've converted only eight of 25 third downs over the last two games, and they've already committed 14 turnovers, four more than last season's record low.

• The defense has been struggling all year. Belichick switched to a 4-3, made several bad personnel decisions, drafted poorly ... and now we're seeing the results. They're 32nd in total defense, 20th in points allowed and 28th in third-down defense. They stink.

• DT Albert Haynesworth received a pink slip Tuesday after getting benched in the second half of Sunday's loss. All told, he played nine snaps in the game. On Monday, Belichick said the decision was "rotation related." Right. They rotated him out of town. It cost the Patriots a fifth-round pick and $1.5 million. He became their version of Derrick Mason.

• Wes Welker is the most-targeted wide receiver in the league -- 93 targets, 66 catches, 960 yards. He'll see a lot of Mr. Revis.

• The Patriots won the last meeting, 30-21. Since then, the Jets are 3-0.

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Keefe To The City: Giants, Jets Just Getting Started

November 9, 2011 7:50 AM

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(Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

By Neil Keefe

Wall Street is the place to be right now. Well, it’s the place to be if you don’t have a job or any responsibilities at home, or if you don’t have a home, or if you don’t mind sleeping in a tent in the middle of the city in freezing temperatures, and if you can deal with people protesting everything and anything around you.

New York City is the place to be for football right now. It’s the place to be if you’re a Giants fan with the G-Men at 6-2 and in first place in the NFC East. And it’s the place to be if you’re a Jets fan with Gang Green at 5-3 and in a three-way tie for first place in the AFC East. One city with two first-place teams. It’s a glorious thing.

With New York City currently serving as the center of the football world along with the center of the business and news world, I thought it would be a good idea to combine everything going on in the city to help recap where both of the city’s football teams are at midseason.

Last season I handed out some midseason awards for the New York Football Giants, but this year I decided to do it a little differently. Instead of awards, I thought we would use quotes from the movie Wall Street with what’s going on in New York (and also in honor of “Kappo” wanting to be called

“Young Gekko” in this season of How To Make It In America) to celebrate New York’s two first-place teams at midseason and analyze the first eight games.

“It’s a zero sum game. Somebody wins, somebody loses. Money itself isn’t lost or made, it’s simply transferred from one perception to another.”

I couldn’t read this quote without thinking about what I wrote on Monday following the Giants’ win over the Patriots.

The perception of New York City right now is that it’s a Giants town (or at least that’s what the Daily News told us on Tuesday). Sure, it sort of swings depending on who reaches the postseason and who doesn’t, and who lasts longer in the playoffs, but hasn’t it always been a Giants town?

It’s actually kind of crazy to think the city would be considered a Jets town because of their two AFC Championship appearances. It would be like the Mets being referred to as King of the City after their 2006 NLCS loss. (I actually know Mets fans who were under this impression). The Yankees hadn’t won in six years and had lost in the World twice and the ALCS once, but one NLCS appearance apparently was good enough for some Mets fans to think that their team was the king.

Now Jets fans are under a similar impression after back-to-back AFC Championship Games (despite losing both).

It’s been a miserable three-plus year drought since the Giants last won a Super Bowl. That’s way longer than 42 years.

“Blue Horseshoe loves Anacott Steel.”

There is a whole group of people that loved the Kings of Leon well before “Sex on Fire” and “Use Somebody” were played on the radio more times than Adele is now. That’s how I feel about Eli Manning. Giants fans have known what he is capable of for years, it’s just taken everyone else a lot longer to catch on.

Everyone is buying stock in Eli after beating the Patriots and leading his team to a 6-2 record. It almost seems like the perfect time for everyone to board the Eli bandwagon as the Giants’ gauntlet continues this week in San Francisco, and the football world waits for Eli and the Giants to falter, so they can say, “I told you so.” Maybe the Giants will lose in San Francisco (though I don’t think they will), but it won’t be enough and shouldn’t be enough for any sensible person to give up on the Giants or their quarterback.

“This is the kid. He calls me 59 days in a row. Wants to be a player. Oughta be a picture of you in the dictionary under persistence, kid.”

I said after the Jets beat the Patriots in the playoffs that I didn’t know what Mark Sanchez is. I still don’t. Yes, I root against him and hope he throws five interceptions every Sunday, but he’s still someone you can kind of, sort of pull for even though he’s a Jet.

Sanchez has only thrown two picks in his last four games (the Jets are 3-1) after throwing five in the first four games (the Jets went 2-2). He’s only in his third year in the league and already has four playoff wins (all on the road), which is as many as Tom Brady has since the 2006 divisional round.

But the Jets still have the training wheels on him and whenever they take them off to see if he can keep his balance, he rides his bike off the sidewalk and into a bush.

The reason I don’t think Sanchez gets as much respect as he should outside of New York (and I’m not sure he gets that much here) is that he came into the league in a great situation. The Jets were a team built to win when he showed up in 2009. (They were built to win in 2008 before Brett Favre lit their season on fire). Sanchez didn’t take over for a three-win team and wasn’t forced to be part of a rebuilding process. He was given a “now” team and asked to manage the game and to not do anything spectacular, but also to not screw anything up either. He has basically been given the same responsibilities as a 16-year-old babysitting for the first time. “Make sure the kids don’t run away or light the house on fire for the three hours we’re gone and make sure that they’re in bed by 10.” Basic stuff. It’s not Sanchez’s fault, he’s being treated this way, and you do have to give the Jets credit because it’s worked to an extent.

I don’t think the clock is ticking on Sanchez to prove himself the way it ticked on Tim Couch and David Carr and Joey Harrington because those three were in some rotten situations. But Rex Ryan isn’t doing his 25-year-old franchise quarterback any favors by guaranteeing things every time he opens his mouth like Ray Zalinsky in Tommy Boy. Let’s give the kid a few years to learn how to perform at a high level consistently in the NFL without Brian Schottenheimer holding his hand while he crosses the street. It pains me to say this, but I think Sanchez will be worth the Jets trading their first-round pick, second-round pick, Kenyon Coleman, Abram Elam and Brett Ratliff to the Browns for the fifth pick.

“If you need a friend, get a dog.”

There’s nothing really to this other than that I can picture Tom Coughlin saying this to his team in training camp or after a loss.

I have been waiting for Coughlin to give us his patented confused look after the Giants allow an improbable comeback this season. You know the face. The one where he looks like he is trying to solve the equation on the hallway chalkboard in Good Will Hunting. The one he gives Matt Dodge and his special teams after the DeSean Jackson punt return for a touchdown last season. So far we haven’t seen it, and I’m hoping we don’t.

Coughlin entered the season on the hot seat and right now it has cooled off. I still think he has to reach the postseason to come back in 2012. So far, that doesn’t look like a problem for a guy getting a lot of recognition for Coach of the Year.

“I don’t throw darts at a board. I bet on sure things. Read Sun Tzu’s “The Art of War.” “Every battle is won before it is ever fought.” Think about it.”

I doubt that Rex Ryan has ever read “The Art of War” or any book that isn’t full of “X’s and O’s” or starring The Berenstain Bears. I realize that Gordon Gekko’s quote is about how properly preparing for battle leads to victory, and while I think Rex does that, I also think he feels he will win no matter what preparation steps he takes.

In Rex’s mind the Jets are a perfect team every season and therefore they have nothing to work on and nothing to improve. At least that’s what it sounds like when he opens his mouth. Then the Jets lose a couple of games, Rex backtracks and makes some wild statements to cover up his original wild statements, and soon enough he’s like a guy on Cops handcuffed in the back of a cruiser digging himself a hole full of fiction. It happened in 2009 when he thought the Jets were eliminated from the playoffs. It happened in 2010 when the Jets were dominated by the Patriots on Monday Night Football and started a late-season slide. It happened this season when they lost three games in a row and he almost went Jim Mora on us.

I like Rex Ryan. He’s good for football and good for the Jets, and he’s an easy guy to root for (unless you’re a Patriots fan) as he straddles the line between being a public relations dream and a public relations nightmare. I just wish he would use his back page material for big games and meaningful situations, and not just any time there is a microphone or a camera or a cell phone or a

Talkboy in front of his face.

“Just remember something. Man looks in the abyss, there’s nothing staring back at him. At that moment, man finds his character and that is what keeps him out of the abyss.”

Brandon Jacobs has regressed since his 1,089-yard 2008 season (which he amassed in only 13 games). Back then, Earth, Wind and Fire dominated the NFC, and the Giants were the best team in football. Since then Jacobs has dropped to 835 yards in 2009, 823 yards in 2010 and just 198 yards in 2011. He’s averaging his lowest yards per carry (3.3) since his rookie season in 2005 when he averaged 2.6 yards per carry (but he only had 38 carries in 16 games that year).

Jacobs had to take a $1.75 million pay cut just to stay with the Giants this season, and he will most likely be an ex-Giant this March when he is due to get a $500,000 roster bonus before a $4.4 million salary in 2012. With the drop in production, he hasn’t been able to compensate for his decline by being a positive locker room presence or a team player. Instead he has complained about his playing time, pouted about his use and touches and gone off to the media about his displeasure with the organization. I’m not sure if it’s a bigger upset that Fred Armisen is still on Saturday Night Live or that Brandon Jacobs is still on the Giants.

On Sunday, Jacobs was given a chance to redeem himself and prove to the Giants and the other 29 teams that he isn’t as washed up as we all think he is. Jacobs ran for 72 yards on 18 carries and had four receptions for another 28 yards for a total of 100 yards on the day, including a 10-yard touchdown run in the third quarter. It was his best game in two years. (He hasn’t had a 100-yard rushing game since Week 10 against the Eagles … in 2008!)

If Ahmad Bradshaw doesn’t get healthy soon then Jacobs is going to be counted on and given more chances to prove his worth to the NFL. He will most likely be cut by the Giants in March, but he can use the next eight weeks to try and recreate an image he has tarnished the last two years for potential suitors for 2012 and beyond, and hopefully help the Giants win in the postseason too.

“Greed clarifies, cuts through and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit.”

When Steve Johnson had a 52-yard reception against Darrelle Revis on Sunday, I thought Twitter was going to crash. An NFL team’s No. 1 wide receiver caught a pass against Darrelle Revis!

History! That’s what it felt like when it happened. No one does that on Revis Island. No one.

I’m not being sarcastic or joking. I’m serious. No one does that to Darrelle Revis. It’s such a rare accomplishment that people felt the need to tweet about it. Could you imagine if people felt the need to tweet when big plays occurred against the Giants’ secondary?

“There goes Rob Gronkowski over the middle untouched for 27 yards.”

“DeSean Jackson with a 39-yard reception against Corey Webster.”

“There’s Miles Austin behind Aaron Ross for 21 yards.”

“Wes Welker has it for 24 yards before being brought down.”

Revis is so good that it feels like, maybe, he should have held out for even more money last year. I know that the $32 million of guaranteed money is a lot of money, but the guy is so much better than the next best guy at his position and anyone else in the league that he deserves it, and more. With Antonio Cromartie jumping routes and trying to catch balls himself instead of making sure they aren’t caught by the other team, where would the Jets secondary be without Revis, and with Cromartie and with Kyle Wilson? Not in first place.

“It’s not always the most popular guy who gets the job done.”

When the Giants were marching down the field with 1:36 left against the Patriots on Sunday, and Ramses Barden and Jake Ballard were the guys putting together the winning drive, how many Patriots fans turned to the person next to them and said, “Who the hell is Ramses Barden?” or

“Who the hell is Jake Ballard?” in the same voice that Verne Lundqvist uses in Happy Gilmore to ask that same question about Happy Gilmore.

Prior to the season the Giants lost Steve Smith (Philadelphia) and Kevin Boss (Oakland) to free agency. They lost cornerback Terrell Thomas (knee), linebacker Clint Sintim (knee), defensive tackle Marvin Austin (pec), cornerback Bruce Johnson (Achilles), cornerback Brian Witherspoon (knee) and Jonathan Goff (knee). And on top of that, cornerback Prince Amukamara (foot) still hasn’t played in a game.

Even after all the injuries and the season-opening loss to the Redskins and the embarrassment at home against the Seahawks, the Giants are 6-2 and have a two-game lead over the Cowboys in the division. And when Ahmad Bradshaw and Hakeen Nicks and Kevin Baas were ruled “out” for Sunday’s game, the Giants turned to Barden and Kevin Boothe and D.J. Ware to play significant roles, and the Giants came away with a win.

The same way the Patriots have amazed everyone with their ability to replace proven stars and long-time Patriots with new and unproven names, the Giants have done that this season by getting production from guys who most of the league doesn’t even know exist. Last Sunday, it was Ballard and Barden. Who knows who it might be this Sunday?

“

Wake up, will ya, pal? If you’re not inside, you are outside.”

I will never get over what happened to the Giants in 2008 and what could have been if Plaxico had just stayed in on the Friday before the Giants’ Week 13 game. I have little doubt that the Giants would have reached the Super Bowl and probably won it. Forget probably. They would have won it.

The final four teams in the postseason were the Cardinals, Eagles, Steelers and the Ravens. The Giants beat all four of those teams in the regular season. But they lost in the divisional round to the Eagles because they were relying on Domenik Hixon to be their deep threat and became one-dimensional because of a lack of receivers.

I thought Plaxico Burress was going to have more of an impact with the Jets than he has. Sure, he’s 34 now and hadn’t played in an NFL game in almost three years when he came back, but the man who gave me one of the best sports moments of my life has just 322 receiving yards this season (he had 1 catch and 16 yards combined in Weeks 2 and 6). He does have five touchdowns, but three of those came in one game, and his season high for receiving yards in a game is 79.

Maybe Plaxico isn’t going to be the safety blanket for Mark Sanchez the way he was for Eli Manning and maybe the two won’t ever build the same chemistry he had for the other New York team, and that’s OK with me. I’m over Plaxico.

“

Well, you’re walking around blind without a cane, pal. A fool and his money are lucky enough to get together in the first place.”

Did anyone see Rob Gronkowski and Wes Welker on Sunday? They were Tom Brady’s only two targets and they ran around the middle of the field like streakers trying to evade security guards and police officers. Their presence somehow caught everyone by surprise and caused the Giants secondary to have delayed reactions as if Zack Morris called timeout to give the Patriots receivers a head start.

This is a problem for the Giants. Yes, it’s more of a problem for some of the other teams in the league, but when Aaron Ross (you might know him by his birth name of Fumbles Magee) is tracking down open receivers like it’s a game of two-hand touch, and when Deon Grant is leaving Gronkowski open on fourth down for potentially the game when the whole world knows Brady is going to Gronkowski in the end zone, you know things are bad.

This wasn’t only a problem against the Patriots. The Giants let Rex Grossman (who isn’t good enough to start over John Beck) throw for 305 yards against them in Week 1. They let Sam Bradford go for 331 yards in Week 2. Charvaris Whiteson (the combination of Charlie Whitehurst and Tarvaris Jackson) threw for 315 yards in Week 5, and Tom Brady put up 342 on them in a losing effort. The good news: They are 6-2 despite this. The bad news: Drew Brees in Week 12 and Aaron Rodgers in Week 13.

“When I get a hold of the son of a b-tch who leaked this, I’m gonna tear his eyeballs out.”

Remember when Derrick Mason complained that there were “cracks” in the offense after Week 4 against the Ravens? Then before Week 5 against the Patriots, Mason, Burress and Santonio

Holmes reportedly went to Rex to complain about Schottenheimer’s play calling.

And then after losing to the Patriots, Plaxico said, “Whoever wrote that story, they’re just making up stories. I would like to get the name of the guy who wrote it, because that never happened.

Whoever wrote it … is just trying to make himself look good, but it’s all rumors.”

When asked about the meeting, Rex Ryan said, “If [the meeting did happen], then maybe I got hit in the head or something. I don’t remember that.”

And Santonio Holmes said, “I honestly have no idea where that came from [or] who could’ve said it. Me, personally, I have no issue with Coach Schottenheimer and I didn’t go and talk to Rex about anything.”

Two days later the Jets traded Mason to the Texas for a conditional seventh-round pick.

Mike Tannenbaum talked about the trade by saying, “What he said after the Baltimore game had nothing to do with the decision we made last night.”

Everyone believes you, Mr. T. No, really, we believe you…

“You’re on a roll. Enjoy it while it lasts, ’cause it never does.”

Jerry Reese was on top of the world after Super Bowl XLII. Then he went down a few notches after the divisional loss to the Eagles in 2008. Then he went down a few more after the 2009 collapse.

Then he went down even more after the 2010 collapse. Then he was at rock bottom of his time as Giants general manager when the Giants preseason looked like a controlled demolition video. But now at 6-2 and in first place, Reese’s stock is slowly climbing back up as the Giants have shown exceptional depth on both sides of the ball.

Mike Tannenbaum has watched the Jets transform themselves from the “Same Old Jets” into an elite team in the league with back-to-back AFC championship appearances under his reign. He has made some questionable decisions and some exceptional ones, and has earned his self-proclaimed title as “one smart SOB” at times. But with Rex continuing to guarantee rings for a team that last won 42 years ago, Tannenbaum’s approval rating is going to mirror the success of the Jets in the second season.

“Well, life all comes down to a few moments. This is one of them.”

Three years ago this weekend, the Giants were 9-1 (on their way to 11-1 and then 12-4), Plaxico Burress hadn’t gone to the Latin Quarter with sweatpants on and a gun in those pants, and everyone expected the Giants to appear in the Super Bowl for a second straight year.

After missing the playoffs in 2003 and 2004, the Giants returned to the playoffs in 2006, and 2007, and 2008, and it felt like they weren’t going to miss the playoffs again. Then the collapse of 2009 happened after a 5-0 start to the season, and then the collapse of 2010 happened with 7:18 left against the Eagles in Week 16, and they haven’t been back since losing to the Eagles in the 2008 divisional round.

Things can change in a second in the NFL. Right now the Giants are coming off their biggest win since beating the Panthers in overtime in Week 16 in 2008, and New York Football Giants hype is selling better than Four Loko was at this time last year. The G-Men survived one week of the nine-week gauntlet, but have to travel to the West Coast this weekend to face the 7-1 49ers, and then they get the Eagles, Saints, Packers and Cowboys. A loss against the 49ers will get the collapse buzz brewing again like it would have if they had lost in Foxboro. The stench of late-season failure will follow the Giants until they can reach the postseason again, and right now they are set up for that to be this year.

But, once again, things can change and they can change quickly, and once they begin to change, it’s hard to stop them. It happened in 2009. It happened in 2010. The schedule has the Giants facing a perfect storm of devastating events that could make it happen again in 2011.

The NFL season comes down to a few moments. This Sunday is one of them for the Giants. Next Sunday will be another one, and the Monday after that, and the five Sundays after that. I have desperately wanted the Giants to get back to the postseason and with eight games left in the regular season, they are already there.

Follow Neil on Twitter @NeilKeefe

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Morning take: Beck returns to Miami

November, 9, 2011

Nov 9

8:30

AM ET

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By James Walker

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

• Former Dolphins draft pick John Beck will make his return to Miami as the Washington Redskins starting quarterback.
  

Morning take: Beck was once considered the future quarterback of the Dolphins. But that didn't work out. Now, Beck has a chance to show his former team that he's an improved players.

• Is Bill Belichick's talent evaluation the reason the New England Patriots are struggling on defense?
  

Morning take: Yes, this article is exactly right. Missed draft picks have prevented New England from replenishing defensive talent that was lost from its glory years. The ceiling for this unit just isn’t very high.

• Guess who has the most penalties this season for the New York Jets?
  

Morning take: If you guessed cornerback Antonio Cromartie, you guessed right. “Cro” has six penalties in eight games. The Jets hope that number decreases in the second half of the season.

• What's next for Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Kyle Williams?
  

Morning take: Now that he's officially out for the season, Williams has to get the proper rehab and come back 100 percent next year. He's a great player, when healthy, and one building block in Buffalo's defense.

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Pats-Jets II: Revisiting Revis vs. Welker

November, 9, 2011

Nov 9

9:05

AM ET

By James Walker

Want to hear a crazy statistic?

New England Patriots receiver Wes Welker is on pace for 132 receptions, 1,920 yards and 12 touchdowns this season.

Time for Round 2

Patriots receiver Wes Welker had a productive first game against the Jets and cornerback Darrelle Revis. The Patriots won the game 30-21. TExt Receptions Yards TDs Vs. Jets 5 124 0 Season Avg. 8.5 120 .75 Whoa!

Enter Darrelle Revis of the New York Jets -- the best cornerback in the NFL. Revis mostly will be responsible for slowing down Welker, who leads the league in receiving. Jets head coach Rex Ryan used Revis a lot on Welker in the first game, which New England won, 30-21.

Round 1 went to Welker.

Now only New England get the win, but Welker had a good day. He caught five passes for 124 yards. Most of his yards came when he beat zone coverage by Revis and safety Eric Smith for a 73-yard reception. Outside of one big play, Welker had just four catches for 51 yards.

Expect New York to put even more emphasis on slowing Welker in the rematch. In the first meeting the Jets mixed it up with mostly Revis, but also some coverage by Kyle Wilson and Donald Strickland in the slot. I think New York should keep Revis on Welker on nearly every play and see if someone else for New England can beat the Jets.

It also helps that New England's offense has struggled lately. Surprisingly the Patriots haven't scored more than 20 points since Week 5.

Revis vs. Welker is one of the biggest chess matches to watch between the Jets and Patriots. The winner of Round 2 has a good chance to lead their team to victory and first place in the AFC East.

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Jets not interested in Haynesworth

Posted by Mike Florio on November 9, 2011, 9:07 AM EST

AP

In recent years, a pipeline of sorts has been established between the Jets and the Patriots.

Unwanted by one team, a player finds his way onto the other team’s roster.

But that approach has its limits. The Pats had no interest in Vernon Gholston, even though some still believe that New England bluffed the Jets into taking him with the sixth pick in the 2008 draft.

And now the Jets have no interest in Albert Haynesworth, a failed New England offseason acquisition.

Jenny Vrentas of the Newark Star-Ledger reports that the Jets don’t want Haynesworth. The fact that the Jets run a 3-4 likely was a major factor, given that Haynesworth wants nothing to do with that specific defensive alignment.

Any team that wants him has until 4:00 p.m. ET Wednesday to submit a waiver claim.

Given that no claims were made for Leigh Bodden, the last veteran defender jettisoned by the Pats, it would be a surprise if anyone attempts to secure dibs on a guy who has shown little interest in being the best football player he can be since winning the NFL’s version of the Powerball jackpot in 2009.

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Jets midseason report card

Updated: Nov 08, 2011 04:05 PM

By RODERICK BOONE

Multiple Page View

Rex Ryan thinks the Jets are flying at their highest altitude, playing as well as they have all season.

"This is the best team so far," he said Monday.

It's hard to argue that. Even when the Jets got off to a 2-0 start, they weren't doing it in the same fashion they are now. They've returned to the winning formula that helped vault them into successive AFC Championship Games in Ryan 's first two seasons.

The Jets have reversed course from their three-game losing streak, turning it around by winning three in a row leading into Sunday's big game against the Patriots. But there's still plenty of room for improvement and things they'll have to correct if they want to make the playoffs for a third straight season.

Here's how they grade out at midseason:

OFFENSE: C

In the preseason, there was big talk about the offense having the talent and personnel to average 30 points per game. However, the Jets are scoring 24.9 points per contest, and they've been inconsistent. They're ranked 28th in the NFL in offense, averaging 306 yards a game, and their rushing attack is just now starting to find its mojo. Shonn Greene is running much better, carrying the ball no fewer than 20 times and rushing for at least 74 yards in his last three games. Mark Sanchez 's play has been erratic. He's completed only 57.5 percent of his attempts for 1,775 yards, throwing 13 touchdown passes, seven interceptions and losing five fumbles. The QB must improve his decision-making. He can't throw silly drive-killing interceptions in the end zone, like he did in Week 3 in Oakland and this past Sunday against the Bills. They must find a way to keep Santonio Holmes , Plaxico Burress and Dustin Keller involved in the passing attack each week.

DEFENSE: B-

After struggling mightily and finding themselves in the lower echelon of the league's rankings, Mike Pettine 's troops have slowly regained that feisty, playmaking form, and are ranked eighth overall. They suffocated the Bills on the road in a hostile environment, easily their top performance of the season. The Jets have already eclipsed last year's interception total, posting 13 compared to the 12 they had in 2010. Darrelle Revis leads the team with four, which includes the 100-yard return for a TD against the Dolphins, and is making a strong case for defensive player of the year honors. Rookie DE Muhammad Wilkerson looks like he could be a keeper, and DT Sione Pouha has quietly once again been a steady force in the middle. LB Aaron Maybin is a key addition, tying for the team lead in sacks with three and aiding their pass rush.

SPECIAL TEAMS: A

The seamless transition of Mike Westhoff 's unit can be amazing at times. No matter who he plugs in, it always somehow works out. Joe McKnight , who took over the kickoff-return duties in Week 4 after Antonio Cromartie was banged up in Oakland, has been great in that role. His 40.2-yard average is tops in the league among regular returners. He had a 107-yard TD against the Ravens, and has at least one lengthy return in each game. Rookie Jeremy Kerley has been steady, averaging nearly 10 yards per punt return. Kicker Nick Folk made his first 11 field goals before missing his first kick of the season Sunday. The weakest link is punter T.J. Conley , whose 37.8-yard average ranks 23rd in the league.

COACHING: B

At times, the staff didn't appear to be making adjustments quickly enough. They were at a loss for answers on how to get the offense and defense off to quicker starts. Rex Ryan left Sanchez in a blowout in Week 2 just to get try to get Burress a touchdown, nearly getting the QB injured. But Ryan should get credit for managing the mini-crisis when Holmes called out the offensive line and guard Brandon Moore fired back. Sending them both out to midfield for the coin toss in their Week 6 contest with the Dolphins was a way to try to keep the team intact, especially in light of the Derrick Mason trade during what was a tumultuous week. Whenever the Jets seem headed for chaos, Ryan finds the right way to calm things down.

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Nov 9th 2011

Jets vs. Patriots: Meet the Patriots

AUTHOR: Marc A. Greenberg | IN: Jets | COMMENTS: None Yet |

Home » Jets » Jets vs. Patriots: Meet the Patriots

Does it get any better than a New England Patriots vs. New York Jets game?

Throw in a home game to determine first place with the Patriots coming off back to back losses and you’ve got the recipe for a thriller.

Quarterback: Tom Brady is still Tom Brady. With a 66% completion ratio and 20 TDs through 8 games, he’s still the top quarterback in the AFC. But look a little closer and you may see some cracks in the armor.

William Perlman/The Star-Ledger

Brady has 10 interceptions, tied for the third-most in the league, and already six more than his 2010 total. In addition, the Pats have scored under 21 points per game in 3 straight games; only the third time that’s happened in the Belichick-Brady era.

Running Back: BenJarvis Green-Ellis has taken over the running responsibilities and has 452 yards (4.2 avg.) with 5 Tds on the season. We’re not sure what happened to Danny Woodhead but he’s a non-factor so far this season.

Wide Receiver: Wes Welker has 66 catches for 960 yards. Just think about that for a second. In 8 games, Welker has 138 fewer yards than Dustin Keller, Santonio Holmes and Plaxico Burress combined. After Welker… well, it’s anyone’s guess as Chad Ochocinco has been a bust and Deion Branch hasn’t been the long-ball target the Pats need.

Tight End: Rob Gronkowski (44 catches, 596 yards) has become a reliable weapon for Brady and Jets safety Eric Smith will have his hands full Sunday night.

Defense: You want bad? Take a look at the Pats defense. It’s horrible. The fact that they are 32nd in total defense, 20th in points allowed and 28th in third-down defense, doesn’t show how bad they really are. With the release of Albert Haynesworth on Tuesday, the defense is in disarray.

Season Analysis: At 5-3, the Patriots remaining 8 games are as follows:

At Jets, Chiefs, At Eagles, Colts, At Redskins, At Broncos, Dolphins, Bills

In other words, the schedule is light. Count on at least 6 wins (Chiefs, Colts, Redskins, Broncos, Dolphins, Bills), which would bring their record to 11-5. That means, Sunday night is a must win for the Jets if they want to win the division.

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Pats-Jets II: Chad Ochocinco doubt?

November, 9, 2011

Nov 9

10:28

AM ET

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By James Walker

Now that receiver Chad Ochocinco is tweeting again, we can get a sense of what's on his mind during his struggles with the New England Patriots.

Here is what Ochocinco tweeted Tuesday night:

"You ever work hard at something but it never pans out the way you want or expect to?" Ochocinco said. "Curious how many of you gave up? Be honest?"

Are these seeds of doubt with Ochocinco? He had success all his career with the Cincinnati Bengals. But after eight games, it's clear that Ochocinco has not been a good fit with the precise, detail-oriented offense in New England.

I still think Ochocinco is capable of having productive games if he ever gets on the same page with quarterback Tom Brady. But time is running out to produce. Patriots coach Bill Belichick is showing he has no time to wait for players to come around.

Ochocinco has nine receptions for 136 yards in eight games. He's on pace for just 18 receptions and 272 yards, which would be career lows for the 11-year veteran.

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Jets Sign WR Dexter Jackson to PS

by bobdolethesnapplelady on Nov 9, 2011 10:58 AM EST

Jim McIsaac - Getty ImagesMore photos »

2 months ago: EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - AUGUST 29: Jarron Gilbert #71 of the New York Jets blocks a field goal attempt from Rhys Lloyd #3 of the New York Giants against during their pre season game on August 29, 2011 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

The Jets have signed wide receiver Dexter Jackson to the practice squad. To make room, they have waived DT/TE Jarron Gilbert. Jackson was Tampa Bay's second round pick in 2009, and most recently spent time on Marty Schottenheimers UFL team, the Virginia Destroyers, in 2011. Jackson is 5'9" and 182 pounds. He apparently ran a 4.27 40-yard dash at the Combine.

This obviously isn't a huge move. I liked Gilbert and his potential, but I imagine Marty said to his son that there might be something hidden with Jackson. Moves with the practice squad rarely have any effect on the team, although it is curious how many small manuevers the team has made this year.

Let us know what you think below.

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Jets Sign WR Dexter Jackson to PS

by bobdolethesnapplelady on Nov 9, 2011 10:58 AM EST

Jim McIsaac - Getty ImagesMore photos »

2 months ago: EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - AUGUST 29: Jarron Gilbert #71 of the New York Jets blocks a field goal attempt from Rhys Lloyd #3 of the New York Giants against during their pre season game on August 29, 2011 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

The Jets have signed wide receiver Dexter Jackson to the practice squad. To make room, they have waived DT/TE Jarron Gilbert. Jackson was Tampa Bay's second round pick in 2009, and most recently spent time on Marty Schottenheimers UFL team, the Virginia Destroyers, in 2011. Jackson is 5'9" and 182 pounds. He apparently ran a 4.27 40-yard dash at the Combine.

This obviously isn't a huge move. I liked Gilbert and his potential, but I imagine Marty said to his son that there might be something hidden with Jackson. Moves with the practice squad rarely have any effect on the team, although it is curious how many small manuevers the team has made this year.

Let us know what you think below.

Have to assume this was a recommendation from Marty to junior

[Bleedin Green]

Have to assume this was a recommendation from Marty to junior

I'm sure... I can hardly contain my excitement.

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I'm sure... I can hardly contain my excitement.

2nd round pick. 4.27 speed. Recommendation from a successful HC to his son.

Worth a look

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Jets: A look ahead to Patriots

Wednesday, November 9, 2011 Last updated: Wednesday November 9, 2011, 10:58 AM

The Record

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Jets (5-3) vs. Patriots (5-3)

At MetLife Stadium

Sunday, 8:30 p.m.

TV: Ch. 4; Radio: ESPN-AM 1050

Early line: Jets by 1 1/2

If the Jets still are the favorites by game time, it will mark the first time the Patriots have been underdogs against the Jets since Sept. 15, 2002, when the Jets were favored by a point and lost, 44-7. The Patriots are trying to avoid their first three-game losing streak since that season, when they dropped four straight. New England may have been sending a message Tuesday when it released DT Albert Haynesworth, who failed to turn around his career with the Patriots.

On the hot seat

Matthew Mulligan: The Jets' running game still isn't as consistent as they would like it to be, and better play by their blocking TE would help them reach their potential. He had two penalties Sunday, giving him five this season. One of his infractions against Buffalo was a holding call that negated a 41-yard run by Shonn Greene. Mulligan, who has three receptions this season, does a good job blocking on kickoff returns, but must improve his play on offense.

Game plan

The Jets must do a better job against RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis, who rushed for a career-high 136 yards in the Patriots' 30-21 win over the Jets on Oct. 9. A malfunctioning running game would allow the Jets' pass rush to turn up the heat on Tom Brady, who is not having a great season by his lofty standards. Brady has 20 touchdown passes, but his two interceptions in the loss to the Giants on Sunday gave him 10 picks halfway through the season. His career high for interceptions is 14, in 2002, 2004 and 2005. The Jets could use a faster start on offense after not getting a first down until the second quarter of last month's game. The Jets also need to make some big plays on special teams.

— J.P. Pelzman

[Bleedin Green]

2nd round pick. 4.27 speed. Recommendation from a successful HC to his son.

Worth a look

Could be... I just don't have a whole lot of faith in the Schottenheimer family at this point in time.

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Haynesworth the latest personnel miscue by Belichick

Posted by Gregg Rosenthal on November 9, 2011, 10:20 AM EST

AP

We wrote last week how the Patriots have mismanaged their secondary over the last few years.

They have spent a lot of resources there, with very little to show for it.

It’s not like Bill Belichick has been on a roll picking players to help the pass rush either. Albert Haynesworth’s release highlights how desperate this team has been to get consistent pressure on the quarterback. For a while.

Remember Adalius Thomas? How about Derrick Burgess? While Haynesworth got most of the attention as a bust this year, he was making a bigger impact than Shaun Ellis this year. Ellis is making $4 million.

Our buddy Tom Curran of CSNNE.com goes through the list of recent Belichick personnel blunders.

Most of them are on defense. They haven’t been able to find a pass rusher in the draft.

There have been successes too: Free agent pickups Brian Waters and Andre Carter have brought a lot to the team this year. New England’s 2010 draft was a huge success.

In the end, the Patriots have two big weaknesses: Their pass rush and their secondary. The Patriots were always great at fixing problems in the past, but these issues have plagued them for years now.

Belichick has to go back to the drawing board, because signing Haynesworth didn’t solve anything.

[flgreen]

RichCimini

Beat Writer / Columnist

Power out in #Jets press room. Cut off in middle of Deion Branch conf call. Belichick responsible? Actually area around facility also dark.

[JetsFanInDenver]

Haynesworth the latest personnel miscue by Belichick

Posted by Gregg Rosenthal on November 9, 2011, 10:20 AM EST

AP

We wrote last week how the Patriots have mismanaged their secondary over the last few years.

They have spent a lot of resources there, with very little to show for it.

It’s not like Bill Belichick has been on a roll picking players to help the pass rush either. Albert Haynesworth’s release highlights how desperate this team has been to get consistent pressure on the quarterback. For a while.

Remember Adalius Thomas? How about Derrick Burgess? While Haynesworth got most of the attention as a bust this year, he was making a bigger impact than Shaun Ellis this year. Ellis is making $4 million.

Our buddy Tom Curran of CSNNE.com goes through the list of recent Belichick personnel blunders.

Most of them are on defense. They haven’t been able to find a pass rusher in the draft.

There have been successes too: Free agent pickups Brian Waters and Andre Carter have brought a lot to the team this year. New England’s 2010 draft was a huge success.

In the end, the Patriots have two big weaknesses: Their pass rush and their secondary. The Patriots were always great at fixing problems in the past, but these issues have plagued them for years now.

Belichick has to go back to the drawing board, because signing Haynesworth didn’t solve anything.

Late last nite when i switched on ESPN they were talking about the Haynesworth and the title on the screen was Haynesworth Experiment!

[flgreen]

Annual Food Drive at MetLife Sunday Night

By Jets Staff

Posted 11 minutes ago

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The New York Jets in conjunction with Wise Snacks and A-1 First Class-Viking Moving and Storage will hold their annual food drive to benefit the Interfaith Nutrition Network on Sunday night at MetLife Stadium before the Jets host the New England Patriots at 8:20 p.m.

Fans are encouraged to bring non-perishable food donations (no glass items), which will be collected at all gates upon entering the stadium. Wise Snacks is donating 1,000 bags of potato chips to the INN in support of the food drive.

The Interfaith Nutrition Network, founded in 1983, addresses the issues of hunger and homelessness on Long Island by providing food, shelter, long-term housing and supportive services in a dignified and respectful manner for those who seek their help. They are a not-for-profit, volunteer-based organization with a dedicated staff, a broad base of community support and a commitment to educate the public about these issues.

The New York Jets take great pride in playing an active role in making a year-round commitment to the tri-state community. Programs funded by the New York Jets Foundation touch the lives of countless young men and women in the tri-state area.

Over the past 11 years, the Jets and their charitable foundation have raised or contributed more than $11 million to promote youth health, fitness and education, particularly in disadvantaged communities. From fighting childhood obesity through the Generation Jets: Be Lean & Green initiative to launching a football team in an urban high school, urging students to eat right and move more, and supporting the efforts of the Alliance for Lupus Research, the New York Jets invest in programs that make a difference in the lives of others. In addition to the Jets Foundation, which supports our own extensive youth initiatives, the Jets partner with numerous established charitable organizations and participate in causes sponsored by the NFL.

[flgreen]

Rex Ryan.

• Today at 11:55 AM
  
• 1Comment
  

The Jets Are the Top-Rated Team in Football, at Least According to One Formula

• By Joe DeLessio
  

We’ve heard before that the Jets are the best team in football, but it’s usually Rex Ryan saying so, and we’re beginning to think that guy’s a little biased. But this week, one formula tells us the same thing: Football Outsiders' DVOA ratings — that's Defense-adjusted Value Over Average — has the Jets ranked number one after Week Nine. Even Football Outsiders' Aaron Schatz admits it's controversial, noting that other systems (such as ones used by pro-football-reference.com and Jeff Sagarin) don't show the Jets nearly as much love. So how are the Jets rated higher than every other team, including the undefeated Packers? As you'd imagine, the Jets' high ranking is based largely on the strength of its defense and special teams, though Schatz also notes a few positive things about their offense, like how they rarely lose yardage and have a lot of what he calls "partial successes," meaning plays that gain yardage, but not much yardage. By the way, this is only the second time in the twenty-year history of DVOA that the Jets are rated number one. The other came back in Week Four of 1993.

[flgreen]

Rest Up Them Lungs!!

posted on November 9th, 2011 at 10:15 am

… this week, my shout-out is going to be to our fans. Our fans, we need them. Just like that first year when we called out our fans, we challenged our fans. They made the difference in that first game, there’s no doubt.

“As I look at it, the fans are coming off a bye week and they had a road game, so we’re rested. Our fans are rested. We’re ready for a huge performance, and we need you. That’s what we talk about, that home-field advantage. That’s where I think our fans can be the difference again. [We] expect a huge performance from our football team,

but also from our fans

, and I’m excited about it. I’m excited that the game’s here.”

–

Rex Ryan

, imploring the fans to GET LOUD at MetLife this weekend

[flgreen]

Jets' Plaxico Burress, Brodney Pool, Joe McKnight held out of practice

Published: Wednesday, November 09, 2011, 12:44 PM Updated: Wednesday, November 09, 2011, 2:23 PM

By Jenny Vrentas/The Star-Ledger

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Tim Farrell/The Star-LedgerWR Plaxico Burress played through a low back injury against the Bills.

WR Plaxico Burress (low back), S Brodney Pool (knee) and RB Joe McKnight were not dressed for practice today as the Jets prepare to play the Patriots.

Burress was questionable for last week's game but was able to play a full load. It's assumed the same injury is keeping him out today, but coach Rex Ryan will update these players' status later this afternoon. Pool was injured in the first quarter at Buffalo but finished out the game. No information is known on the nature of McKnight's injury.

Burress was in sweats, tossing the ball on the sidelines, while Pool and McKnight headed indoors with the strength and conditioning staff.

TE Dustin Keller (head) and RB Shonn Greene (head) were in uniform for the padded practice (and did not need a red no-contact jersey). DL Mike DeVito (knee), NT Kenrick Ellis (ankle) and CB Isaiah Trufant (hamstring), who missed the last game, were practicing.

* * *

DL/TE Jarron Gilbert was cut from the practice squad. The Jets signed WR Dexter Jackson, who formerly played for Marty Schottenheimer's UFL team, in his place.

* * *

Linebacker David Harris, who had five tackles, two quarterback hits and an interception in Sunday's win against Buffalo, was named the AFC's Defensive Player of the Week.

[flgreen]

Has Plax dressed for even one padded practice this year?

Wonder what's up with McKnight?

[JiFtheOracle]

Bart Scott: It isn't a rivalry until there's fighting over strippers

Really Bart? lol Weird.

[

Has Plax dressed for even one padded practice this year?

Wonder what's up with McKnight?

Thats what thd dude does...remember he was a game time decision with the Giants ever week.

I came in here to find some news on DeVito and I'm very excited to see that he's practicing.

Have no clue what happened to McKnight.

[flgreen]

Midseason report: AFC East MVPs

November, 9, 2011

Nov 9

1:00

PM ET

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By James Walker

» Midseason MVPs: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

Here are my picks for midseason most valuable player for each team in the division:

[+] Enlarge

Jared Wickerham/Getty ImagesThrough the first half of the 2011 NFL season, there's little doubt Tom Brady is the Patriots' MVP.

New England Patriots: QB Tom Brady

There is no debate about this one. Brady was clearly New England's MVP in the first half of the season. Here is all you need to know about Brady: When he plays well, the Patriots are very hard to beat. But when Brady struggles, New England is an average team. Brady started the year hot and got New England off to a 5-1 start. Since then, Brady hasn't been his dominant self, and the Patriots are winless in their last two games. Brady has thrown for 2,703 yards, 20 touchdowns and 10 interceptions on the season. He has a 100.0 passer rating.

New York Jets: CB Darrelle Revis

I knew Revis was phenomenal before covering the AFC East. But after watching Revis up close for half a season, he is even better than I projected. Revis is undoubtedly the best cornerback in the NFL. A strong case can be made that he is the league's best defensive player. But that's an argument for another day. Right now, Revis is New York's MVP after eight games. He leads the Jets with four interceptions, including one returned for 100 yards for a touchdown. Revis is always around the ball. He also has 12 pass defenses. Even the few times Revis gives up a completion, the receiver often has to make a tough catch because Revis is all over him. It's really something to watch.

Buffalo Bills: RB Fred Jackson

Jackson is one of the NFL's most underrated players. But the Bills know he is the engine that makes the offense both dangerous and balanced. Jackson is third in NFL -- and first in the AFC -- in rushing with 803 yards. He's on pace to have a 1,600-yard season. Jackson also is an underrated receiver with soft hands. He's third on the team with 30 receptions for 391 yards. Jackson was in the early season NFL MVP race when Buffalo go off to its 3-0 start. But the Bills have cooled off since then, dropping three of their last five games.

Miami Dolphins: P Brandon Fields

This isn't a joke. This is serious. Fields, Miami's punter, is the only Dolphin who has performed well in Games 1-8. No other Miami player can claim that. Dolphins receiver Brandon Marshall has been great in some games and had problems with drops in others. Tailback Reggie Bush is playing his best football only in the past two weeks. Linebacker Cameron Wake has 5.5 sacks but few have been impact plays. Fields has been the one consistent force for Miami. He's putting up Pro Bowl-type numbers. Fields averages 48.6 yards per punt and has 17 punts inside the 20-yard line.

[JiFtheOracle]

bwahhahahahahahah....Miami's punter.

[flgreen]

Harris Is a Hit: Named AFC Defensive POW

Posted by Randy Lange on November 9, 2011 – 1:04 pm

David Harris is on a roll.

One day after we reported that Harris was named to PFW’s Midseason All-Pro Team, Harris picked up another honor today when the NFL announced that the Jets’ middle linebacker has been named the AFC Defensive Player of the Week.

Harris had a productive day at Buffalo in the Jets’ 27-11 triumph over the Bills. His leap-tip-and-grab interception took away promising field position from the Bills late in the second quarter, and he added two quarterback hits on Ryan Fitzpatrick and was in on a tackle for loss of Fred Jackson. He finished with five tackles on the game.

This is Harris’ second career Player of the Week honor. He also took the award after the 2009 opening-day 24-0 shutout of the Texans at Houston, Rex Ryan’s inaugural game as Jets head coach. “The Hitman” also was named the AFC Rookie of the Month for November 2007.

It’s also the Jets defense’s third POW award this season and its second in the past three games.

Antonio Cromartie won the title after his showing vs. Jacksonville in Game 2, and Darrelle Revis was similarly rewarded his Week 6 primetime effort against the Dolphins. Then last week Joe McKnight was named the AFC’s Special Teams Player of the Month for October.

We’ll get some comments from David and post them here as soon as we can following today’s practice, and we’ll have plenty more on newyorkjets.com today and this week from the latest “New England Week.”

The news so far at the Atlantic Health Jets Training Complex is that the building lost power late this morning due to tree cutting that brought down a wire that took down electrical feeds in the Florham Park area and specifically to the complex. But the outage didn’t affect the team, which is now conducting today’s practice on the grass fields, and the power is back on.

[stoicsentry]

The Revis stats are amazing. He's top 5 in the league in PD's despite the fact that most teams don't even challenge him.

[flgreen]

Patriots WR Deion Branch says two-game losing streak did not reveal blueprint to beat New England

Published: Wednesday, November 09, 2011, 2:00 PM Updated: Wednesday, November 09, 2011, 2:20 PM

By Conor Orr/The Star-Ledger

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US PresswireDeion Branch said the Patriots aren't doubting themselves after a two-game losing streak.

Despite the Patriots facing the threat of their first three-game losing streak since 2002, Deion Branch said the mood has remained consistent, and upbeat, around the locker room.

"The atmosphere is still the same, guys are still enthusiastic about coming in and getting game plans for this week and getting out to practice and seeing what our game plan is for this game against the Jets," Branch said on a conference call this morning.

He views this Jets game just as any other, which in recent times has meant two teams jockeying for division leads late into the season.

"Overall this game is what it is each and every time we play the Jets. It's always a big game, it's always -- the most important thing right now is we're all battling for the top position in our division, let alone talking about the conference and stuff," Branch said. "But in order to get anywhere you have to win your division first and here's an opportunity for two teams to grasp control of it if we get out and take care of business."

Branch used the word "coachable" several times to describe the mounting penalty issues, assignment gaffes and troubles inside the red zone which have led to the consecutive losses to Pittsburgh and the Giants.

"As far as the two losses, we looked at the film once we came in and we could see the mistakes that we made during the course of the game -- very coachable and that's why I do know and understand why the coaches aren't all down on us," Branch said. "I mean, hey, we're all mad about the losses but at the same time they're very coachable mistakes we made throughout the game and hopefully we'll try to go out and eliminate those mistakes."

Branch doesn't believe that a blueprint has developed to counteract the Patriots' video-game offense.

"You look at it and it's...basic football," Branch said. "Not converting on third downs, not scoring touchdowns in the red zone. Period. Those are our things, we're killing ourselves mainly with all the penalties we're getting, not converting on third downs...sometimes us not executing an actual assignment, not doing what we're supposed to be doing whether it be blocking, running the ball or running the route.

"But those are things that are very coachable, those mistakes that we're making as far as the penalties, those are things that we really need to straighten out."

* * *

Bill Belichick had this to say when asked about game planning against the Jets for the second time in a few weeks:

"Well, it's one of those deals where they know that we know that we know that they know that we know, and the Jets do a solid job in all three phases of the game, they definitely have a lot of changeups to keep you honest.

"We have our tendencies and things we like to do as well, you have to balance a little bit with what you do well and how much you want to keep doing it with keeping them honest and not being overly-predictable to where they know exactly where you're coming. So that's a fine line."

He was also asked about Rex Ryan's role as a Patriots fan in an upcoming Adam Sandler movie.

"I’ll tell you, he’ll have to do some acting on that one," he said. "That’s a new one. I’m sure it’ll be entertaining."