flgreen Posted November 14, 2011 Share Posted November 14, 2011 Frustrated QB: ‘All You Want to Do Is Play Again’ Posted by Randy Lange on November 14, 2011 – 2:25 am The Jets’ division title hopes suffered a major blow Sunday night and Mark Sanchez pointed the blame at himself. “We would have liked to win. It would have set us up real well in the division, but unfortunately I didn’t play well enough for this offense to be successful and for us to win,” he said after the Jets dropped a 37-16 contest to the Patriots at MetLife Stadium. “To have two turnovers like that and taking a couple of sacks is never good for our offense. We just didn’t play well enough and hats off to them for playing well.” Sanchez threw for 306 yards, but he was picked off twice in the second half by Pats LB Rob Ninkovich and those turnovers led to 10 points for the visitors. He was also sacked five times as DE Andre Carter was virtually unblockable with 4.5 sacks. “We’re not really surprised by them doing anything new,” said LG Matt Slauson. “They always do different stuff against us. They’ll play every game a certain way and then, against us, completely change. It’s obvious that their goal is to beat us badly every time.” Instead of inside stunts, that Pats executed outside stunts with the tackles and the ends. But the Jets had the Pats on their heels early, moving right down the field on their first possession, only to come up empty when Nick Folk’s 24-yard field goal try sailed left. After spotting the Patriots an early lead, it seemed like the Jets had weathered the storm late in the second stanza. Sanchez called his own number on a 2-yard keeper and his third rush TD of the season gave the Jets a 9-6 advantage. But they mismanaged the clock as Sanchez called timeout after a second-down play and 1:24 left in the half. “You can’t do that,” said Sanchez. “We had a running clock and we have to use all the time. It was poor clock management on my part.” “Time management is an absolutely critical error and that’s my responsibility,” added Rex Ryan. The Patriots responded with an 80-yard scoring drive and the Jets trailed, 13-9, at the break. The second half was marked by self-inflicted wounds. First Joe McKnight muffed a punt and that led to a field goal, and then Sanchez threw a little hot to Shonn Greene. Ninkovich corralled the bounce and Tom Brady capitalized with a 57-yard scoring drive that ended on a 5-yard toss to TE Rob Gronkowski in the end zone. “I threw a little too hard to Shonn. You can’t do that,” said No. 6. “He has good hands, but he’s a halfback. You have to give him a good ball. It bounced right off his head and the ball should be in his numbers. It’s an accuracy thing right there.” Down, 23-9, late in the third, Sanchez led a 10-play, 71-yard march that culminated on a 7-yard red zone score to Plaxico Burress. But Brady responded with an 8-yard connection to Deion Branch and the Jets were down 14 with just 8:10 remaining. Two plays later, Ninkovich sent thousands to the exits when he returned his second pick 12 yards for a TD. There would be no magic at the Met on this night. “He made a pretty good play. He hit Dustin, so I’m going to my checkdown [LaDainian Tomlinson], and he jumped in front of the back and he takes it back for a touchdown,” Sanchez said. “So get to the back quicker or see in front of him and don’t make that throw.” Sanchez and the Jets had their three-game win streak snapped and they’re 5-4 with a very short week on the horizon. They’ll leave for Denver on Wednesday and will battle the Broncos on Thursday evening in another critical contest. “I’m just excited to get back out on the field. Anytime you don’t play your best, it’s frustrating, and all that you want to do is play again,” said Sanchez, who got his 306 yards on 20-of-39 passing. “If there’s any time to get rid of a loss quickly, this is the time. “But we’re going to have our work cut out for us. Denver is playing pretty well, they’re running with some emotion. [Tim] Tebow’s got them playing well, so we need a great road trip. We need to be focused. We need to get rid of this loss and move on and know we have to play well down the stretch.” Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted November 14, 2011 Author Share Posted November 14, 2011 Jets turn around and fly to Denver Jets Blog By BRIAN COSTELLO Last Updated: 8:37 AM, November 14, 2011 Posted: 3:10 AM, November 14, 2011 More Print JETS NOTES The Jets have no time to dwell on last night's loss to the Patriots -- they have three days to prepare for a game against the Broncos in Denver on Thursday night. "We have to put this game behind us as fast as we can," coach Rex Ryan said. Ryan's squad will get two days of practice before traveling to the Mile High City to take on Tim Tebow and the Broncos, who have won three of their last four games. It will be challenging for the Jets to prepare for the Tebow option-style attack in a short week. It will also be tough for the Jets to move on from the brutal 37-16 loss to the hated Pats. "We have no choice," guard Brandon Moore said. Though the players have not been looking at the Broncos, the assistant coaches have been game-planning for them already. The Jets have played a Thursday night game in each of Ryan's three years as coach. They have gone 2-0 in those games. In 2009, the Jets defeated the Bills 19-13 four days after beating the Panthers. Last year, they beat the Bengals 26-10 on Thanksgiving after beating the Texans the Sunday before. NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock made some headlines a few weeks ago when he said members of the Jets organization were upset the team had to play Sunday night and then Thursday night in Denver. * Running back LaDainian Tomlinson injured his leg near the end of the game. He said he will have an MRI exam today. Tomlinson had 38 yards rushing on seven carries and caught two passes for 22 yards in the loss. * The Jets gave up a season-high five sacks. . . . Safety Brodney Pool was inactive for the game with a sprained left MCL. The Jets clearly missed him as they had a ton of confusion lining up in the secondary. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell conducted a forum on football safety with high school players at MetLife Stadium before the game. Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/jets/rocky_road_FTSHkjcgJr5KvAr5H38p7O#ixzz1dgl49Zo2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted November 14, 2011 Author Share Posted November 14, 2011 Patriots coach mocks Jets' defense with vulgar phrase Jets Blog By BRIAN COSTELLO Last Updated: 8:37 AM, November 14, 2011 Posted: 3:05 AM, November 14, 2011 More Print Who says Bill Belichick is a boring quote? As the Patriots coach walked off the MetLife Stadium field, he threw his arm around his son, Stephen, and added an exclamation mark to the Patriots’ 37-16 victory over the Jets. “Thirty-seven points on the best defense in the league, s--- my d---,” the Patriots coach said in celebration. The remark just adds to the humiliating defeat the Patriots handed the Jets. The man in the hoodie doesn’t deliver gems like that to the press, but he clearly relished in beating the brash-talking Rex Ryan and the Jets. brian.costello@nypost.com Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/jets/belichick_mocks_NttHuMbgQETsHT03ogwp3J#ixzz1dglsPhMS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted November 14, 2011 Author Share Posted November 14, 2011 Mistake-making Jets pummeled by Patriots Jets Blog By BRIAN COSTELLO Last Updated: 8:55 AM, November 14, 2011 Posted: 3:05 AM, November 14, 2011 More Print Jets coach Rex Ryan begged teams to beat the Patriots this summer. He should have spent more time drilling that message home into his own team. The Patriots swept the season series from the Jets with a 37-16 victory at MetLife Stadium last night. New England now has a one-game lead in the AFC East and owns the head-to-head tiebreaker, putting the Jets’ division title hopes on life support. “ It looks doubtful right now,” a somber Rex Ryan said. “Maybe I should guarantee we’re out of it [like he did in 2009]. ... We’ve got no chance.” The Jets have no one to blame but themselves. They made mistake after mistake -- missing a chip-shot field goal, calling a stupid timeout, muffing a punt, dropping an interception and throwing two picks of their own. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post BIG STOMPIN': Mark Anderson celebrates after sacking Mark Sanchez during the second quater of the Jets' 37-16 loss to the Patriots last night. “Unfortunately when you have too many mistakes against a team like that you can’t expect to win,” guard Matt Slauson said. The Jets are now 5-4, one game behind the Pats, who also hold the head-to-head tiebreaker after winning both games between the teams. It turns out reports of the Patriots’ demise were premature. While Tom Brady and Co. does not look the vintage version, they still came up with big plays when they needed to. The Patriots (6-3) seized control of the game in the third quarter, taking advantage of two Jets turnovers. The second turnover was a Mark Sanchez interception that bounced off Shonn Greene’s fingertips into the hands of Rob Ninkovich. Brady led them on a drive that ended with him finding tight end Rob Gronkowski with a five-yard touchdown, his second of the game, that put the Patriots up 23-9. The Jets sliced the lead back down to a touchdown when Sanchez hit Plaxico Burress with a seven-yard score in the opening seconds of the fourth quarter. The 10-play drive was the first positive for the Jets in the half. It did not take long for the Patriots to respond. They put together a six-minute, 13-play drive that ended with Deion Branch taunting Fireman Ed after catching an eight-yard touchdown from Brady. The Patriots iced the game when Ninkovich intercepted Sanchez again and returned it for a 12-yard touchdown and a 37-16 lead. Earlier in the third quarter, Joe McKnight muffed a punt that then bounced off of a trio of Jets -- Isaiah Trufant, Kyle Wilson and Donald Strickland -- into the hands of Patriots linebacker Niko Koutouvides. Brady then made a remarkable play, escaping Aaron Maybin and finding Gronkowski in the end zone for a touchdown. But the touchdown was taken away after the review showed he stepped out of bounds before coming back in to catch the ball. New England settled for a 27-yard Stephen Gostkowski field goal to make it 16-9. The Jets finally came to life with about five minutes left in the half. Linebacker Jamaal Westerman brought down Brady in the end zone, drawing an intentional grounding call for a safety to cut the Pats’ lead to 6-2. After receiving the free kick, the Jets marched down the field. Quarterback Mark Sanchez made a terrible time-management error when the Jets got down to the 2-yard line with 1:24 left in the half. Sanchez called timeout with 17 seconds left on the play clock instead of letting the clock run down to give Brady less time to work with. NBC reported that Jets coach Rex Ryan called it “the stupidest thing in football history.” “It’s my responsibility,” Ryan said, covering for his quarterback. Sanchez scored a two-yard touchdown on a quarterback draw after the timeout to put the Jets up 9-6, but he left 1:20 on the clock for Brady to work with. brian.costello@nypost.com Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/jets/jets_blasted_by_patriot_missile_xjxks0cK45cZYIzv7Z4cUJ#ixzz1dgmHD9hE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bleedin Green Posted November 14, 2011 Share Posted November 14, 2011 I would like to take this time to thank you for your effort, especially on a day like this, but I think I'll pass on actually reading any of this today. That is unless one of the news items is the cutting of Eric Smith and/or firing of Brian Schottenheimer, then I would be much obliged with a direct notification of such news so I can leave work early and go celebrate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted November 14, 2011 Author Share Posted November 14, 2011 Brady breaks out in 2nd half November, 14, 2011 Nov 14 3:55 AM ET Email Print Comments1 By Ian Begley<p>For most of his career, Shaun Ellis watched from the opposing sideline while Tom Brady worked his magic. So it was a relief for Ellis to see it from the other side on Sunday night. #12 QB New England Patriots 2011 STATS Att360 Comp238 Yds3032 TD23 Int10 Rat102.0 "It’s just amazing," said Ellis, who spent 11 seasons with the Jets before signing with New England. "That’s the only word I can say. Just to sit there and watch him go to work; I'm glad he’s my quarterback." Fifty-one other Patriots would likely say the same thing. Brady completed 26 of 39 passes for 329 yards and three touchdowns to help the Patriots snap a two-game losing streak on Sunday and take over first place in the AFC East. The three-time Super Bowl winner seemed a bit off in the first half, but carved up the Jets in the second half, connecting on 12 of 14 passes of ten yards or fewer, including two TDs, in the final two frames. He also went no-huddle in spurts, completing all five of his attempts for 65 yards in such situations, wearing the Jets' defense down. "We took advantage of some opportunities there," Brady said. "We went fast and made some pretty easy plays with the Jets not being lined up .... You are just trying to get an edge and take advantage of them. We did a pretty good job of that." ELLIS REUNION: Ellis on returning to MetLife Stadium: "It felt good, it felt good to be back. It was a little weird. A lot of fans gave me a lot of prainse [but] there were a couple hecklers out there. But for the most part a lot of them received me pretty well. They were kind of upset about the situation [of Ellis' departure for New England]." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted November 14, 2011 Author Share Posted November 14, 2011 Praise for Brady, a shot at Sanchez? November, 14, 2011 Nov 14 3:35 AM ET Email Print Comments4 By Rich Cimini EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- The Patriots lost players to injuries, but they still have Tom Brady. That, according to Rex Ryan, means everything. "You still have No. 12 back there," Ryan said after the Jets' 37-16 loss. "I don't care who else you've got. You see the difference a great quarterback makes in this league." Ryan probably didn't mean that as a dig at his own quarterback, Mark Sanchez. Then again, Ryan didn't mean to insult Chargers coach Norv Turner a few weeks ago, and he did. NO PROTECTION: The Patriots, who recorded only 15 sacks in their first eight games, made five against the Jets. DE Andre Carter had a field day, recording four sacks. LT D'Brickashaw Ferguson had an uncharacteristic game, allowing two late sacks. RB LaDainian Tomlinson said the Jets were surprised by new wrinkles in the Patriots' blitz package. INJURY REPORT: Tomlinson suffered an apparent knee injury in the fourth quarter and will have tests Monday. Tomlinson downplayed the injury, but there was concern in the organization ... WR Patrick Turner left the game with a kidney injury and didn't return. The team provided no further update. ODDS AND ENDS: Sanchez recorded his third 300-yard passing day of the season, the fifth of his career ... WR Jeremy Kerley recorded a career-high 79 receiving yards on four catches ... The Jets committed three turnovers, their second highest total of the season. They had four in Baltimore ... LB Jamaal Westerman pressured Brady into an intentional-grounding penalty. Because it occurred in the end zone, the Jets were awarded a safety. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted November 14, 2011 Author Share Posted November 14, 2011 Sanchez's struggles doom Jets November, 14, 2011 Nov 14 3:29 AM ET Email Print Comments16 By Ian Begley<p>According to his coach, Mark Sanchez made the stupidest play in football on Sunday night. If you aren't sure which play Ryan referred to, it's OK. Because there were more than a few candidates. #6 QB New York Jets 2011 STATS Att298 Comp169 Yds2081 TD14 Int9 Rat81.5 In addition to calling a timeout with 1:24 to go in the second half, giving Tom Brady extra time to work with on a Pats touchdown drive, Sanchez threw two costly interceptions and was sacked five times the Jets' ugly loss. "I didn't play well enough for this team to win," he said. Sanchez's night to forget started with poor clock management late in the first half. Instead of letting the clock wind down late in the second quarter, Sanchez called a timeout with about 18 seconds left on the play clock. He ran in a two-yard quarterback draw on the next play but left 1:20 on the clock, plenty of time for Brady to orchestrate a six-play 58-yard touchdown drive before halftime. "I have to manage the clock better," Sanchez said. "That's a rookie mistake." Ryan took it a step further, calling Sanchez's timeout the "stupidest thing in football history" in an interview with NBC before halftime. In the second half, Sanchez completed 10 of 19 passes, one for a touchdown. He also threw two interceptions, one of which was returned for a pick-six. Sanchez's first interception gave Brady a short field and he took advantage, leading the Pats on an eight-play, 57-yard touchdown drive to put them up, 23-9. Sanchez brought the Jets to within seven with a touchdown pass to Plaxico Burress early in the fourth. But on the Jets next possession, the third-year quarterback was picked off by linebacker Rob Ninkovich. Ninkovich took the pic - - his second of the night -- 12 yards to the end zone, ending any hope of a Jets' comeback. "It was the icing on the cake," Ninkovich said. And the end of a bad day for Sanchez. Facing a Pats defense that had allowed 314 yards per game, Sanchez threw for 306, 84 of which came when the game was out of reach. He finished with a quarterback rating of a 64.7, and the Jets finished the night in second place in the AFC East. "[A win] would have set us up real nice in the division," Sanchez said. "Unfortunately ... I didn't play well enough for this offense to be successful and for us to win." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted November 14, 2011 Author Share Posted November 14, 2011 Jets have no answers for Gronkowski November, 14, 2011 Nov 14 2:38 AM ET Email Print Comments By Ian Begley<p>Rob Gronkowski's 6-6, weighs 265-pounds and is deceptively fast. In other words, he's way too much for the Jets to handle. The kid they call “Gronk” hauled in eight passes for a game-high 113 yards and two touchdowns in the Pats’ Sunday night rout. Rob Gronkowski #87 TE New England Patriots 2011 STATS Rec44 Yds596 TD6 Avg13.5 Long30 YAC303 “He was outstanding,” Darrelle Revis said. “Him and Tom [brady], they were connecting every chance they got.” And they had plenty of chances. The Jets threw Revis, Eric Smith, Donald Strickland and others at Gronkowski. They even tried a zone. But nothing could slow the big fella down. “They have a lot of weapons,” Rex Ryan said. “We tried to match them up in different zones, we tried to bracket them sometimes, but the young man did a nice job of catching the football.” Gronkowski first burned the Jets late in the first half, hauling in passes of 12 and 23 yards to help the Pats get inside the Jet 20 with under 30 seconds to play. He then capped off the drive with an 18-yard touchdown reception, beating Smith, to give New England a 13-9 lead at the half. Gronkowski's third-quarter TD catch was nullified because he’d stepped out of bounds, but he didn't miss a beat. A little over five minutes later, the second-year tight end hauled in a five-yard touchdown catch, easily beating Donald Strickland on the play. His only mistake of the night was spiking the ball in close proximity to a Jets defender, which drew an unsportsmanlike conduct flag. Other than that, Gronkowski was flawless. “He’s a great player and we depend on him,” Brady said. “…. We have to keep on finding ways to get him the ball.” Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted November 14, 2011 Author Share Posted November 14, 2011 Leonhard: Division title 'unlikely to happen' November, 14, 2011 Nov 14 2:31 AM ET Email Print Comments5 By Jane McManus Jim Leonhard has been one of the most up-front players in the Jets' locker room and, after a 37-16 loss at home to the Patriots, the safety didn't shy away from the full implications of the game. "We win this game, we got kind of a stranglehold on the division -- and you let it slide," Leonhard said. "So obviously there's a lot of frustration. "It was a big goal of ours to go ahead and win this division, and we put ourselves in a hole again. Not saying it can't happen, but it's unlikely to happen at this point." AP Photo/Kathy WillensJim Leonhard and the Jets couldn't contain Rob Gronkowski, who had eight catches for 113 yards and two TDs.Coming in tied with the Patriots (6-3) and Bills (5-4) for the No. 1 spot, the Jets (5-4) are now a game back in the AFC East -- and have lost twice to New England. So for the third straight year, the Jets are unlikely to have a home game in the playoffs -- if they can get there. "We just wish we had a chance to make it different by winning this game," said cornerback Darrelle Revis, "and obviously that's not the case anymore because we lost." To add insult on Sunday night, the Jets gave up more points to the Patriots than they have to any opponent in the Rex Ryan era. The defense gave up a touchdown pass to Rob Gronkowski in the final seconds of the first half, and was gashed when Patriots quarterback Tom Brady went to a no-huddle offense in the third quarter. "It's frustrating," Jets linebacker Aaron Maybin said, "being out there and having drives like that where you know you have to get the stop, and they're out there moving the ball." The no-huddle kept the Jets from being able to substitute players, and Brady kept exploiting the mismatches. Brady got the ball to within five yards of the end zone, then found Gronkowski for another touchdown and a 23-9 lead with 4:44 left in the third quarter. Brady had a 118.4 passer rating, with 26 completions on 39 attempts for 329 yards with no interceptions. Jets safety Brodney Pool was inactive for the game, but was in the locker room afterward. He said he didn't know if he would be able to play against Denver on Thursday night. "I'm gradually getting better," Pool said. "I'm just going to take it one day at a time try to get back out there. I don't like watching, so I'll try to get back as fast as I can." Jets linebacker David Harris said he left the game briefly after re-tweaking his ankle, but said he didn't think it was anything serious. The Jets will need all available pieces with a short week of preparation ahead and then a trip to Denver. It's not an unfamiliar spot for the Jets to be in, but it's not comfortable either. "Obviously our backs are up against the wall. We gotta punch our way out," Leonhard said. "We've been here before. For some reason we feel very comfortable putting ourselves in this position. ... But we just got to fight. We've got to fight all the way through Week 17." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted November 14, 2011 Author Share Posted November 14, 2011 Rex Ryan Transcript: An Apology to Jets Fans By TONI MONKOVIC Jets Coach Rex Ryan, who will play a Patriots fan in a coming Adam Sandler movie, sounded like a fan of the Patriots when he said early Monday morning: “They beat us twice. We think we’re as good as they are, but clearly, we’re not.” The full transcript of Ryan’s remarks to reporters are below, as provided by the Jets. Among other things, he apologized to fans; he took responsibility for a Mark Sanchez timeout that Ryan had called “the stupidest play in football history” during a halftime interview; and he jokingly suggested that he should just declare the Jets’ playoff chances over — because it worked once before. HEAD COACH REX RYAN, TRANSCRIPT We wanted to win this game in the worst way. You’re not going to beat many teams when you make the mistakes that we made. We’ve been down this road before. I apologize to our fans. They were ready to go just like I thought we were. It’s disappointing, but we can’t dwell on it. We have four days until we play Denver, who is playing well. We have to put this game behind us as fast as we can. On the Jets defensive struggles against the Patriots up-tempo offense… There were a couple of times where we didn’t match up properly, and they threw a couple of quick passes. That’s what that team does. You have to be alert. We never got the matchups we wanted, so you have to give them a lot of credit. On if he was stunned by the mistakes… I thought we’d play a lot better. I thought we had really improved, I really did. I think we did improve, but when you make those types of mistakes — you fumble a punt, you have a poor timeout … time management was an absolutely critical error. That’s my responsibility. I own that one. You make that many mistakes against that team, there’s no chance. On his halftime interview with NBC when he said a timeout before the half was “the worst play in NFL history”… That’s my responsibility. That’s all it is, my responsibility. On how it’s his responsibility… I’m responsible for everything that happens with this football team. That’s my responsibility and it’s my fault. I own that. On the pass protection… When you’re up all those scores, you tee off on the quarterback. That’s exactly what they did. We’re trying to make big plays downfield, and that’s what happens. That defense is a lot better than people give them credit for. They’re 32nd in the league and all that, but when you get up a lot of scores on people, you’re going to give up yards. Clearly, we have to do a much better job protecting the quarterback. On the feeling on the bench after the first drive ended with a missed field goal… Those things happen, but that was the kind of night it was. As great as Nick has been, we missed a field goal, a chip shot. He’s been tremendous all season. He missed a 50-yard kick in a crosswind [at Buffalo], but other than that, he hasn’t missed a kick all year. It just seems that’s what happened to us. It just snowballed. On how the Patriots drove 80 yards for a touchdown before halftime… Easy – that’s the New England Patriots out there. They had two timeouts. They did a great job and executed. That’s what that team can do. On matchups difficulties with Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski… About 6’7″, I guess. That was one of the issues. The kid makes a lot of plays. He’s a factor in the red zone. You have to watch [Wes] Welker. They have a lot of weapons. We tried to match them up in different zones, we tried to bracket sometimes, but the young man did a nice job of catching the football. On if the defensive play-calling system will change… No, we’ll do what we always do. It’ll be the way we’ve done things for years here. [Defensive coordinator] Mike Pettine is a great football coach, it’s not his fault. On if the division is still attainable… It looks doubtful right now. What am I going to say? Maybe I should guarantee the fact that we’re out of it. The last time I did that, we made the playoffs. Yeah, we don’t have a chance. On the difficulty of playing against lesser known players whose skill sets aren’t known… You have a pretty good idea. They did a nice job. They’re a great football team. When you have No. 12 back there, I don’t care who else you’ve got. You see the difference a great quarterback makes in this league. You just have to look down the road at Indy. This guy’s an amazing player. You have Vince Wilfork in there. You have a lot of great players on that team. They’ve done a nice job. James Ihedigbo, I thought, played extremely well as well today. On the play of Sanchez… He was inconsistent, like the play of the rest of the team. On the disappointment that the Patriots will likely win the AFC East… Well, they have to get past Buffalo, too. It’s tough. They beat us twice. We think we’re as good as they are, but clearly, we’re not. We weren’t today, that’s for sure. On the challenge of playing a game on Thursday… The fact that we just got beat like we got beat, it’s probably a good thing, so we can’t dwell on it. That’s the thing that we have to do – we have to move on. We have to move on quickly. Denver’s playing really well on defense. With [broncos QB Tim] Tebow, to be honest with you, I have to watch him. I don’t know what he presents, but he’s been running. They’ve been running the ball no matter who’s at tailback. We’ve got to get ready to go down there. With the way Denver’s playing, we know it’s going to be a tough game, but we have to get this thing behind us and go play Denver. On Jets RB LaDainian Tomlinson’s injury… I’m not sure. I think it’s a knee, but I wasn’t real sure. I don’t know the severity of it. Mark Sanchez did not try to defend his decision to take a timeout before the end of the first half: “And I just have to manage the clock better and that’s a rookie mistake, you can’t do that in your third year. So that really put our defense in a tough spot.” Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted November 14, 2011 Author Share Posted November 14, 2011 Dream Shattered, Tough Task Ahead By Andrew LeRay Posted 1 hour ago Coming into Sunday night’s game against the New England Patriots, the Jets had a dream scenario ahead of them. A win at home over the Pats would put them in sole possession of first place in the AFC East with a full game lead over their Massachusetts rivals. The nightmarish outcome left Gang Green defeated, 37-16. “We wanted this game in the worst way,” said head coach Rex Ryan. “But you’re not going to beat many teams when you make the mistakes we made.” New England entered the night on a two-game losing skid but left with a convincing victory over the Green & White, who had been winners of three straight. “It’s tough because for the first time in the three years since Rex has been here, it was right here,” said S Jim Leonhard. “If we won this game, we would have a stranglehold on the division, and we let it slide.” The two teams share nearly identical schedules through the remainder of the season, the only difference being the Jets will face the Giants, and the Patriots will play the winless Colts. Now with a one-game lead in the division and two victories over the Jets, New England is the odds-on favorite for another division crown. Still, there are seven games remaining. No one is willing to make any concessions just yet. “It’s a long season,” said RG Brandon Moore. “A lot of things can happen in seven games.” While the season may be long, this week is dramatically short. The Jets have no time to lick their wounds, as they travel to Denver on Wednesday for their Thursday night game against the rejuvenated Broncos. Denver has won three of its last four under sophomore QB Tim Tebow. With an improved defense, a punishing rushing attack and a gritty signalcaller, the Broncos will not go down easily. “Their defense has really been outstanding,” said RB LaDainian Tomlinson. “Tebow has really given them a spark, and we’re going to have our hands full. It’s tough to play there.” Tomlinson suffered a leg injury in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s game, but would not speculate on his availability for Thursday. He and other battered and bruised Jets will try to bounce back in time for the next game, which will be no easy task at this point in the season. “We have a lot of veterans, and we have a lot of leadership,” said Leonhard. “We’ll be ready mentally for that game, but it’s getting your body back. It’s ridiculous to have to turn around in four days.” Ridiculous or not, it’s reality. The other reality is that the Jets can ill afford to lose in Denver, with their backs against the proverbial wall. After Sunday’s loss, Ryan tried to spin the short week positively. “The good thing about the way we got beat is that we can’t dwell on it,” said Ryan. “We have to move on quickly. We have to get this thing behind us and go play Denver.” Some positives to carry over from Sunday night include the fact that the Jets rushed for over 100 yards for the fourth consecutive game. Conversely, the defense allowed less than 100 yards rushing for the third straight contest. Sanchez completed passes to six different receivers en route to his third 300-yard performance of the season. The defense held New England to 4-for-13 on third downs. The successes are unfortunately overshadowed by a loss that will loom large when the Jets look back on their schedule. The biggest positive to come out of the loss may be that there is another opportunity to earn a “W” in only four days. It’s a challenge the Jets surely don’t back down from. “It’s going to be tough,” said WR Santonio Holmes. “But we’re professionals, this is our job. This is what we signed up for.” Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted November 14, 2011 Author Share Posted November 14, 2011 Around the Empire The city doesn't sleep, and neither do we. Jets-Patriots Reaction: Jets Still Don't Measure Up by Ed Valentine • Nov 14, 2011 7:57 AM EST During the week-long buildup to Sunday's AFC East showdown between the New York Jets and New England Patriots Jets coach Rex Ryan kept talking about how he thought his team had improved since a 30-21 Week 5 loss to the Pats. He kept talking about how the Patriots were the measuring stick for the Jets, saying things like "You want to see where you stack up with them ... We'll see who the better team is now." The answer to that was pretty obvious. In a game the Jets had built up a make-or-break one for their season, they did not measure up. In fact, they did not come close. "I thought we'd play a lot better. I thought we had really improved, I really did," Ryan said. "I think we did improve, but when you make those types of mistakes - you fumble a punt, you have a poor timeout...(our) time management was (an) absolutely critical error. That's my responsibility. I own that one. You make that many mistakes against that team, there's no chance." The Jets had won three straight games entering Sunday. The Patriots had lost two straight and coach Bill Belichick was actually beginning to hear some criticism. Playing at home at MetLife Stadium, things seemed set up perfectly for the Jets to take control of the AFC East. Ryan's team could not seize the moment, however. At 5-4 with seven games remaining the Jets head to Denver for a Thursday night game against Tim Tebow and the Broncos' 1940s offense (eight passes Sunday). The Jets have seven games remaining, and Sunday's loss puts them in the position of once again fighting for their playoff lives. "What am I going to say? Maybe I should guarantee the fact that we're out of it," Ryan said. "The last time I did that, we made the playoffs. Yeah, we don't have a chance." Of course the Jets have a chance. Still, though, in a game Sunday they desperately wanted to win they showed they still don't measure up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted November 14, 2011 Author Share Posted November 14, 2011 Keidel: Jets Stuck On The Runway November 14, 2011 9:22 AM Share thisNo comments Shonn Greene #23 of the New York Jets runs the ball against the New England Patriots at MetLife Stadium on November 13, 2011 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images) By Jason Keidel » More Columns By some hiccup of happenstance, nearly all my friends are Jets fans. I needn’t explain the torment of the 42-year Super Bowl drought and all its trappings, from Gastineau Games to Mud Bowls to 10-0 at halftime in Denver to 17-13 in Indy… The Jets love doing this to you, this sporting lap dance. And just when you’re all in, ready for the Champagne Room, the lights flash on and the club closes. So it was last night. With everything to gain or lose, the Jets chose the latter. The bulk of my friends are fuming over Brian Schottenheimer’s play calling, but he didn’t give up 37 points. (Perhaps you’d argue he surrendered seven at the end.) Last night wasn’t about tactics; it was about temerity. New England wanted it more. Much more. There’s no other way to explain the score despite the disparity in talent. The first drive was Exhibit A. The Jets, passing on first down, sliced the Patriots’ malnourished secondary all the way down the turf, setting up first-and-goal, with the Patriots clearly on their heels. Jets Nation rabid. National television. No points. The Jets (5-4) had countless chances to pound the Patriots (6-3). But between bungled interceptions and fumbled punts, the Jets were the ones who looked like the team shredded by injuries and clouded by incompetence, not New England. For such a lopsided score, you’d never know the Jets had so many chances to win. Of course, this doesn’t mean the Jets are out of the playoffs. But the AFC is deep this year (nine teams have at least five wins) and a spot on top of the AFC East is the only sure way to play in January, a spot they put in serious peril last night, at home, with so much at stake. New England has the easiest schedule in the NFL the rest of the year, and if the Jets miss the playoffs this season, last night is the reason. New England’s haters (and I am chief among them) accurately assert that the dynasty days are over, that the Patriots haven’t won a ring in seven years, pointing proudly to 18-1. But the Jets – and their fans – don’t have the prerogative to be derogative. Bill Parcells famously said you are what your record says you are. Using that criterion, Gang Green is gangrenous, losing a vital game on the very turf the expected to defend in January. This is the problem with Rex Ryan’s confetti shower confessions and promised parades. You actually have to back it up someday. Surely we agree that it will take at least ten wins to make the playoffs, meaning the meandering Jets must go 5-2 the rest of the way. You’ll point to the four road playoff wins over the last two years, but the Jets lost, on the road both years before the Super Bowl, because it’s so tough to win three postseason games away from home. (Only the Packers, Steelers, and Giants have done it.) This is the problem with living on the edge every year. You eventually fall off. Despite Bill Belichick’s bio as a defensive savant, his cherished defense has been brutally bad. Despite drafting 25 defenders since 2007, the Patriots have hemorrhaged yards. Predictably, the Jets were able to run the ball and pass the ball. But not score the ball. This doesn’t speak to strategy as much as mindset. Last night was a referendum on desire. I can’t name four defenders on the Patriots’ defense. I’m still trying to pronounce No. 50’s name. The whole unit reminds me of those extras from the set of the old Star Trek series. Always clad in red, you knew they’d be vaporized in the transporter or morph into a salt cube in the first five minutes in the show. Only Kirk and Spock remained. Just like Belichick and Brady. The Patriots were hurt and cold, most of America jumping off their bandwagon as though it were on fire. The Jets were healthy and hot, with their bandwagon bulging after whipping Buffalo last week. As Cris Collinsworth perfectly put it, this was supposed to be the “changing of the guard night.” How’s that going? Feel free to email me: Keidel.Jason@gmail.com www.twitter.com/JasonKeidel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted November 14, 2011 Author Share Posted November 14, 2011 Schwartz: If Nothing Changes, Nothing Changes November 14, 2011 9:57 AM Share this 3No comments (Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images) By Peter Schwartz » More Columns Here’s a guarantee that I feel pretty good about. The Jets will not be AFC East Champions. There will be no changing of the guard and the focus is now on just keeping the status quo. For the Jets to make the playoffs, they will have to go through their familiar route of getting a wild card spot. Under normal circumstances, we could spend plenty of time breaking down Sunday night’s 37-16 loss to the Patriots, but there isn’t much time to do that. The Jets have a quick turnaround to play the Broncos Thursday night in Denver. So after looking at the film of Sunday night’s disaster, the Jets will get right to work preparing for Tim Tebow and company. Given their lackluster performance on Sunday night, its probably best that they direct whatever energy that they have left towards Thursday. Sunday night was a huge letdown for the Jets and their fans. After following a three-game losing streak with a three-game winning streak, the Jets were in a position to seize control of the division away from their arch-rivals who had lost two in a row. Things were set up even better for the Jets when the Bills lost to the Cowboys yesterday afternoon, but they couldn’t take advantage of the moment. The offense sputtered throughout the night and the defense came up small at the worst possible time. There’s no question that Mark Sanchez made a huge error when he called timeout too quickly and wound up leaving too much time on the clock at the end of the first half. After he scored on a 2-yard touchdown run, there was 1:20 left on the clock and Tom Brady engineered a drive that culminated with a touchdown pass to Rob Gronkowski with :09 left before halftime. Where was the defense? It’s true that Joe McKnight’s muffed punt and a Sanchez tipped interception led to ten Patriots points in the third quarter, but where was the defense to pick up the other side of the ball? With all of the mistakes that they made, the Jets trailed 23-16 in the fourth quarter. Just like in Foxboro, the defense needed to make a stop to give the offense a chance. And they failed … again. It was an abysmal performance and it cost the Jets dearly. They now fall a game back of the Pats in the AFC East but they are really two games back since the Patriots capped off a season sweep. Could the Jets still win the division? It’s not likely. If the Jets won their remaining games to finish 12-4, the Patriots would have to lose two games. That’s not exactly a likely scenario. The interesting thing is that Rex Ryan said before the season that the Jets were going to need other teams to beat the Pats for Gang Green to have a chance of winning the division. The truth is that they got the help from the Bills, Steelers, and Giants. The Jets just couldn’t hold up their end of the bargain. And that means a shift in focus to a wild card spot. The focus begins in Denver. The upcoming schedule suggests that the Jets can win most if not all of their games. It would probably help the Jets if they just forget about the Patriots and stop talking about how it’s their time to rule their AFC East. Because time and time again, the Jets prove that they are not in New England’s class. JET LINERS The Jets lost at home for the first time this season. They are now 4-1 and drop to 9-4 during regular season play at New Meadowlands/Met Life Stadium. This is the first time that the Jets have been swept by the Patriots since 2007. You knew it was going to be a tough night when Nick Folk missed 24-yard field goal on the first drive. It was just his second missed field goal of the season. The other was from 50 yards. Ladainian Tomlinson moved into fifth place on the NFL’s all-time scrimmage yards list as he passed Barry Sanders. Ahead of Tomlinson are Jerry Rice, Emmitt Smith, Walter Payton, and Marshall Faulk. Tomlinson also suffered a leg injury on the Jets last drive of the game and will undergo an MRI today. The Jets celebrated their 12th annual Military Appreciation Day. The National Anthem was performed by the U.S. Coast Guard Choir while members from each branch of the military displayed an American flag on the field. At halftime, there was a performance from the West Point Band. Before the game, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and Jets Chairman/CEO Woody Johnson addressed health and safety issues facing young athletes. The object was to promote player health and safety and discuss the ways that the NFL is making sports safer for all athletes. The Jets held their annual food drive to benefit the Interfaith Nutrition Network. Non-perishable food donations were collected from fans as they entered the gates for the game. Wise Snacks donated 1,000 bags of potato chips. Suzanne Johnson, Woody Johnson’s wife, hosted fans at the NFL For Her Lounge that ran from pre-game until halftime. Products for women were on display and there was a meet and greet with the Jets Flight Crew. THE WEEK AHEAD It’s a short one. The Jets will practice on Monday and Tuesday before flying to Denver for Thursday night’s game against the Broncos. Ten days later, the Jets will face the Bills on Thanksgiving weekend, November 27th at MetLife Stadium. The NFL will announce flex-scheduling for that weekend today. Right now, the Sunday night game for Week 12 is the Steelers visiting the Chiefs. Word is that NBC wants to opt out of that game and a switch of the Bills/Jets game to Sunday night is possible. That’s all for now. Check back on Thursday for a Jets/Broncos preview! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted November 14, 2011 Author Share Posted November 14, 2011 Tomlinson needs MRI on knee Posted by Gregg Rosenthal on November 14, 2011, 9:07 AM EST Getty Images LaDainian Tomlinson limped off the field late in the fourth quarter after being tackled by Patriots “cornerback” Julian Edelman. With a fast turnaround before the Jets’ game in Denver, we’d be surprised to see Tomlinson on the field Thursday. He confirmed he will undergo an MRI on his knee on Monday, according to ESPNNewYork.com. Joe McKnight will get a bigger workload if Tomlinson is out for a long period of time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted November 14, 2011 Author Share Posted November 14, 2011 Politi: After loss to Patriots, it's another case of Rex Ryan's same old empty promises Published: Monday, November 14, 2011, 1:38 AM Updated: Monday, November 14, 2011, 9:17 AM By Steve Politi/Star-Ledger Columnist Follow Email Print William Perlman/The Star-LedgerRex Ryan and the Jets were unable to defeat the Patriots in hopes of earning a home playoff game. He managed to crack a pretty good one-liner as he threw in the white towel — again — in the AFC East race, so at least the Jets head coach is consistent in defeat. Because, in three seasons, the only thing he has perfected is concession speeches. Same Old Jets, meet Same Old Rex. “It looks doubtful right now,” Rex Ryan said when asked if his team still had a sliver of hope to win their division after a 37-16 loss to the Patriots. “What am I supposed to say? “Maybe I should guarantee that we’re out of it — the last time I did that, we made the playoffs.” He was referring to his first year, when Ryan declared his team dead when they still had a pulse. Last night, he listed the Jets as “doubtful” in the division race, but anyone who watched last night — or glanced at the Patriots’ soft remaining schedule — knows they better not put their luggage in storage. This was as deflating a loss as the Jets have suffered under Ryan, and this time, it has to fall on the head coach. So many of these losses were easy to pin on the quarterback, and make no mistake, Mark Sanchez had another rough night in a must-win game. But the Jets are staring up at another postseason on the road — if they even get there — because of an overall meltdown. Ryan is adored by the fan base, but this is the kind of loss, given the missed opportunity and spotty effort, that’ll chisel away at that support. There was the defense letting tight end Rob Gronkowski run wild as if this were a bye-week trip to Vegas, giving up eight catches for 113 yards and two touchdowns. There was a missed chip-shot field goal on the first drive that set the tone, and a brutal face-mask penalty on safety Eric Smith that kept a touchdown drive before halftime alive, and a fumbled punt after a crucial defensive stop. There was the clock management snafu, when Sanchez called a time out on a scoring drive before halftime that gave the Patriots an extra 20 seconds or so when they got the ball back. “The stupidest thing in football history,” Ryan told NBC, before blaming himself for the mistake after the game that Sanchez clearly made. Then, there was one play that summed it all up in the third quarter, when pass rush specialist Aaron Maybin flew past New England quarterback Tom Brady on a certain sack, then had enough time to turn around and miss him again. The Pats would kick a field goal on the drive. Enlarge Tim Farrell/The Star-Ledger The Jets' Mark Sanchez (6) is sacked by the Patriots' Kenrick Ellis (93) in the 4th quarter. The New York Jets hosted the New England Patriots at MetLife Stadium. EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ 11/13/11 (Tim Farrell/The Star-Ledger) New York Jets lose 37-16 to New England Patriots 11-13-11 gallery (64 photos) That, in 15 ugly seconds, sums up the Jets under Ryan. They are still chasing Brady and his head coach Bill Belichick, still looking up at New England in the AFC East standings. Ryan was supposed to change all that. He was the one who promised the Super Bowl. Forget that handshake with President Obama. How about just one measly home playoff game? The Jets have had just six in the 43 years since winning Super Bowl III, but here comes another winter with fans schlepping to Houston or Pittsburgh or, even worse, back up I-95 to you-know-where. This Jets team was supposed to be different. This time, they were facing a struggling Patriots team at home. Their crowd. Their chance. “It’s tough, because for the first time since Rex took over, it was right there,” safety Jim Leonhard said. “We win this game, we get a stranglehold on the division, and we left it slide. It’s frustrating.” It’s more than frustrating. It might burn any hope of a trip to Indianapolis in February. Yes, the Jets reached the AFC Championship game the last two seasons, but they did it the hard way —– and their run ended right there, in Indy and Pittsburgh, on enemy ground. Ryan made that the goal this week: Getting a home playoff game. Instead, they’ll need to win out and for the Patriots to lose twice to claim the division, and after watching last night, both scenarios are unlikely. “You’re not going to beat New England — you’re not going to beat many teams — when you make as many mistakes as we made,” Ryan said. “I apologize to our fans. Our fans were ready to go, just like I thought we were.” But the Jets weren’t ready. Last January, the Jets seemed to come up with the game plan for slowing Brady, loading up the field with enough defensive backs to clog his throwing lanes. Clearly, the Patriots quarterback has adjusted: He completed 26 of 39 passes for three touchdowns and a 118.4 passer rating, and did that on a night when he missed several throws he’d normally make in the first half. This season could have been the changing of the guard. Instead, Brady and Belichick are 2-0 against Ryan and Sanchez, still the undisputed kings of the hill. And the Jets coach was left waving the white towel. Again. Same Old Jets? Meet Same Old Rex. Steve Politi: spoliti@starledger.com; Twitter.com/StevePoliti Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted November 14, 2011 Author Share Posted November 14, 2011 Jets' Tomlinson to have MRI on leg | More Print 11:09 AM, November 14, 2011 ι By BRIAN COSTELLO Jets running back LaDainian Tomlinson will undergo an MRI exam on his left leg Monday. Tomlinson suffered an apparent knee injury on his final carry of the Jets’ 37-16 loss to the Patriots on Sunday night. Tomlinson did not say it was his knee, but coach Rex Ryan did. “I'm all right," Tomlinson said. "I'll get some more tests done (Monday) and we'll go from there. My leg got hit low and I grabbed my leg." Tomlinson’s injury came on a tackle by Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman, oddly enough. The Patriots used him as an extra cornerback late in the game due to injuries. The Jets have a quick turnaround this week, and now they may be without Tomlinson. The Jets play the Broncos on Thursday night in Denver. Tomlinson is no longer a starter for the Jets, but he plays a significant role on passing downs and as a change-of-pace from Shonn Greene. Joe McKnight would likely fill his role as Greene’s backup if Tomlinson can’t play. Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/blogs/jetsblog/jets_tomlinson_to_have_mri_on_leg_hzl6f9Y0V0Zx5tihmnf9BP#ixzz1dhQNc1Tj Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted November 14, 2011 Author Share Posted November 14, 2011 Oof by Ted Berg on November 14th, 2011 at 9:53 am Man… the Patriots. Oof. It’s bad enough that the Jets lose a winnable game at home to the Comedy Bad Guys of Football, with their stupid handsome smirks and ultimately unstoppable offense. I actually have no follow to that. That’s it. It’s bad enough. What happened there? I was sitting in section 336 so I didn’t have the luxury of instant replay as often as I’d like to figure out what the hell was going wrong, but it looked like the Jets’ offensive line decided to pay homage to the Collin Baxter era all of a sudden. S And the defense absolutely could not stop Stupid Brady and the Stupid Pats’ offense once they went to the hurry-up, all the way down to just not covering people at all. I get that it’s confusing, but did you not know the Patriots were going to come at you with that? Also filed under “suck:” The final score. This one was a lot closer than 37-16 for most of the game. Man I hate the Patriots. Why are they so stupid and bad at defense and good at beating the Jets? Oh and I don’t know if this was a Twitter thing or whatever, but why were the Jets operating out of the shotgun and with empty backfields so often? Was it because their line couldn’t stop anyone, or because the Patriots can’t stop the pass? Because it makes it a hell of a lot easier to stop the pass when you know it’s coming. Same thing all year long for Eric Smith, by the way. Go back and watch the videos I did with Bassett in September. I hate to be mean but the guy’s no good in coverage. Awesome tackler, can’t cover. Not a recipe for good safety play against a team like the Patriots. I’m tired. That’s a late game, fellas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted November 14, 2011 Author Share Posted November 14, 2011 Seven-step drop: Andre Carter on a tear November, 14, 2011 Nov 14 12:00 PM ET Email Print Comments2 By James Walker<p>Here are seven notes and observations from Week 10 in the AFC East: [+] Enlarge William Perlman/The Star-Ledger via US PresswirePatriots defensive end Andre Carter had 4.5 sacks against Mark Sanchez and the Jets on Sunday. The New England Patriots received a lot of press for making big-name acquisitions like Albert Haynesworth and Chad Ochocinco. But New England's best offseason addition turned out to be an under-the-radar free agent. Veteran defensive end Andre Carter signed with the Patriots in August and didn't create many headlines. He was one of several defensive linemen added to the team for depth, which included Haynesworth and Shaun Ellis. But Carter is on a tear with the Patriots this season. He had 4.5 sacks in Sunday's important win against the New York Jets and is tied for fourth in the NFL with nine sacks. Carter is on pace to shatter his career-best total of 11 sacks from 2009. The Patriots have depth issues at several positions, but offensive tackle is not one of them. New England flexed its muscle at tackle against the Jets and didn't allow any sacks on quarterback Tom Brady. Left tackle Matt Light and right tackle Sebastian Vollmer got the start and played great, while rookie first-round pick Nate Solder was used as a sub in heavy packages and temporarily when Vollmer was hurt. Both Vollmer and Solder were questionable heading into the game. The Patriots also have a young offensive tackle on their practice squad in Matt Kopa who has potential. The second-year player from Stanford could be additional insurance if New England has any major injuries at the position. The Jets (5-4) are essentially two games back in the AFC East and could run into issues in the wild-card race. The first tiebreaker is head-to-head meetings, and the Jets lost to a pair of wild-card contenders in the Baltimore Ravens (6-3) and Oakland Raiders (5-4). New York has to hope the Ravens and Raiders win their divisions. The Jets also have to worry about the Cincinnati Bengals (6-3) and maybe the struggling Buffalo Bills (5-4). The Jets and Bills could have an elimination game in two weeks at the Meadowlands. Speaking of Buffalo, a lot of pressure now is on Bills starting quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick. He was paid $59 million to be the long-term solution and face of the franchise. Fitzpatrick is no longer a cute, surprising story. With the $10 million per year price tag comes high expectations for Fitzpatrick to consistently produce. It's poor timing for Fitzpatrick to play his worst football of the season. He's thrown for 337 yards, two touchdowns and five interceptions the past two weeks. As a result, Buffalo has been outscored 71-18 in that span against the Jets and Dallas Cowboys. The bar has been raised and Fitzpatrick will get a lion's share of the blame when things don't go well. That's par for the course for other franchise quarterbacks around the league. Buffalo has a lot of issues defensively. But the biggest issue haunting the Bills is their lack of pass rush. Buffalo thought it fixed its pass-rush issues in Toronto after registering 10 sacks against the Washington Redskins. It was the second-most sacks in Bills history. But that proved to be a fluke. Buffalo has just one sack in its past two games, and quarterbacks are taking advantage. Dallas quarterback Tony Romo was very comfortable in the pocket. He was 23 of 26 for 270 yards and three touchdowns. Is winning the best thing for the Miami Dolphins? Miami fans have to be torn about the Dolphins' two-game winning streak. The Dolphins are finally playing well. But it comes after the team has no pressure and no shot at the postseason. On the flip side, it's a virtual certainty Miami played itself out of the Andrew Luck sweepstakes. The Indianapolis Colts (0-10) cannot win three of their final six games. Miami (2-7) also would have to lose its final seven games. That doesn't appear likely, either. Next week's game between Buffalo and Miami will be more interesting than expected. The AFC East blog will be covering that contest next week at Sun Life Stadium. I think this is a must-win game for Buffalo. The Bills are in the middle of their three-game road trip, and this is the most winnable one on their schedule. Miami, meanwhile, will have a lot of say in who wins the AFC East. The Dolphins have four division games remaining and seem to be relishing their "spoiler" role. Miami can put a huge dent in Buffalo's season next week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted November 14, 2011 Author Share Posted November 14, 2011 Winners & losers from Jets loss to Patriots | More Print 11:52 AM, November 14, 2011 ι By BRIAN COSTELLO The Jets fell to the Patriots 37-16 on Sunday night and now their AFC East title hopes are looking slim. Here’s a look at the Jets winners and losers from the game: WINNERS DAVID HARRIS – The Jets defense did not have a good night, but Harris was all over the field making plays. He had five total tackles. The inside linebacker has become the Jets second-best defender behind Darrelle Revis. SIONE POUHA – Tom Brady threw all over the Jets, but the Patriots never got their run game going. The big nose tackle was a reason why. He blew up a few running plays and is a force in the middle for the Jets. NICK MANGOLD – Take a few plays and just focus on the Jets center. Mangold controls the middle of the field. There is no doubt he is the team’s MVP after how they looked when he was injured earlier this season. Against the Patriots, he crushed Jerod Mayo on one block and pushed people around early while the Jets were still running the ball. LOSERS REX RYAN – Outcoached. There is no other way to describe it. Bill Belichick won the battle of the brains. The Jets came out flat. They had no answer for the Patriots’ no-huddle attack. The offense could not deal with the pressure the Patriots were bringing. This was a tough loss for the Jets coach, who felt his team would show improvement. Instead, they regressed. ERIC SMITH – It is hard to say exactly who was supposed to be covering Rob Gronkowski, but it seemed like Smith was chasing him an awful lot. The Jets safety is a great tackler but his coverage skills are lacking. The Jets really missed backup safety Brodney Pool against the Patriots. Smith added a face mask penalty that gave the Patriots an extra 15 yards on a touchdown drive in the third quarter. KYLE WILSON – Everyone has been singing the praises of the second-year corner lately. He had a rough go Sunday. He dropped a sure interception in the first quarter. Then, he committed a blocking in the back penalty on a punt return. Deion Branch made him look silly on his touchdown in the fourth quarter. Wilson is having a good season, but this one won’t go in his highlight reel. Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/blogs/jetsblog/winners_losers_from_jets_loss_to_V11o5MmjUjsgqMnPwaH3IO#ixzz1dhc1U1er Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted November 14, 2011 Author Share Posted November 14, 2011 Will There Be Residual Effects From This Loss? by John B on Nov 14, 2011 12:20 PM EST 5 comments Email Print Bill Kostroun - APMore photos » Last year the Jets got blown out by the Patriots in their biggest game of the regular season. This game had a lingering effect as they lost a sloppy game in the rain to a mediocre Dolphins squad the next week. This is natural. After putting so much emphasis on a game, losing it takes some wind out of a team's sails and makes it lose confidence. Fortunately for the Jets, they had banked enough early wins that they could afford their hiccup against Miami. I am worried about how this team will respond to this loss. This was different. The 45-3 loss to the Pats last year was easier to swallow in some ways. The Jets got their doors blown off from the very start. They never had a shot. Last night the Jets had a number of opportunities to take control of the game early, but they dropped interceptions, blew assignments, and saw drives stall. This game was at home in front of a fired up crowd. The Pats were reeling entering the game. This was a chance to take control of the AFC East and establish New York as the best team in the division. How can this not affect the team going forward, especially heading to a tough road venue on a short week? In real life, some breakups do not mean anything. When you really think you are going to marry somebody, and they dump you, it takes time to get over. It affects your mental state. This was supposed to be the Jets' big moment. This has to be a wounded team right now. They did not just lose. The Pats toyed with them in the second half. The Jets are not as secure in the standings as they were heading into Week 14 last year. They cannot afford residual effects. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stoicsentry Posted November 14, 2011 Share Posted November 14, 2011 Politi: After loss to Patriots, it's another case of Rex Ryan's same old empty promises Published: Monday, November 14, 2011, 1:38 AM Updated: Monday, November 14, 2011, 9:17 AM By Steve Politi/Star-Ledger Columnist Share Print William Perlman/The Star-LedgerRex Ryan and the Jets were unable to defeat the Patriots in hopes of earning a home playoff game. He managed to crack a pretty good one-liner as he threw in the white towel — again — in the AFC East race, so at least the Jets head coach is consistent in defeat. Because, in three seasons, the only thing he has perfected is concession speeches. Same Old Jets, meet Same Old Rex. “It looks doubtful right now,” Rex Ryan said when asked if his team still had a sliver of hope to win their division after a 37-16 loss to the Patriots. “What am I supposed to say? “Maybe I should guarantee that we’re out of it — the last time I did that, we made the playoffs.” He was referring to his first year, when Ryan declared his team dead when they still had a pulse. Last night, he listed the Jets as “doubtful” in the division race, but anyone who watched last night — or glanced at the Patriots’ soft remaining schedule — knows they better not put their luggage in storage. This was as deflating a loss as the Jets have suffered under Ryan, and this time, it has to fall on the head coach. So many of these losses were easy to pin on the quarterback, and make no mistake, Mark Sanchez had another rough night in a must-win game. But the Jets are staring up at another postseason on the road — if they even get there — because of an overall meltdown. Ryan is adored by the fan base, but this is the kind of loss, given the missed opportunity and spotty effort, that’ll chisel away at that support. There was the defense letting tight end Rob Gronkowski run wild as if this were a bye-week trip to Vegas, giving up eight catches for 113 yards and two touchdowns. There was a missed chip-shot field goal on the first drive that set the tone, and a brutal face-mask penalty on safety Eric Smith that kept a touchdown drive before halftime alive, and a fumbled punt after a crucial defensive stop. There was the clock management snafu, when Sanchez called a time out on a scoring drive before halftime that gave the Patriots an extra 20 seconds or so when they got the ball back. “The stupidest thing in football history,” Ryan told NBC, before blaming himself for the mistake after the game that Sanchez clearly made. Then, there was one play that summed it all up in the third quarter, when pass rush specialist Aaron Maybin flew past New England quarterback Tom Brady on a certain sack, then had enough time to turn around and miss him again. The Pats would kick a field goal on the drive. Enlarge Tim Farrell/The Star-Ledger The Jets' Mark Sanchez (6) is sacked by the Patriots' Kenrick Ellis (93) in the 4th quarter. The New York Jets hosted the New England Patriots at MetLife Stadium. EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ 11/13/11 (Tim Farrell/The Star-Ledger) New York Jets lose 37-16 to New England Patriots 11-13-11 gallery (64 photos) That, in 15 ugly seconds, sums up the Jets under Ryan. They are still chasing Brady and his head coach Bill Belichick, still looking up at New England in the AFC East standings. Ryan was supposed to change all that. He was the one who promised the Super Bowl. Forget that handshake with President Obama. How about just one measly home playoff game? The Jets have had just six in the 43 years since winning Super Bowl III, but here comes another winter with fans schlepping to Houston or Pittsburgh or, even worse, back up I-95 to you-know-where. This Jets team was supposed to be different. This time, they were facing a struggling Patriots team at home. Their crowd. Their chance. “It’s tough, because for the first time since Rex took over, it was right there,” safety Jim Leonhard said. “We win this game, we get a stranglehold on the division, and we left it slide. It’s frustrating.” It’s more than frustrating. It might burn any hope of a trip to Indianapolis in February. Yes, the Jets reached the AFC Championship game the last two seasons, but they did it the hard way —– and their run ended right there, in Indy and Pittsburgh, on enemy ground. Ryan made that the goal this week: Getting a home playoff game. Instead, they’ll need to win out and for the Patriots to lose twice to claim the division, and after watching last night, both scenarios are unlikely. “You’re not going to beat New England — you’re not going to beat many teams — when you make as many mistakes as we made,” Ryan said. “I apologize to our fans. Our fans were ready to go, just like I thought we were.” But the Jets weren’t ready. Last January, the Jets seemed to come up with the game plan for slowing Brady, loading up the field with enough defensive backs to clog his throwing lanes. Clearly, the Patriots quarterback has adjusted: He completed 26 of 39 passes for three touchdowns and a 118.4 passer rating, and did that on a night when he missed several throws he’d normally make in the first half. This season could have been the changing of the guard. Instead, Brady and Belichick are 2-0 against Ryan and Sanchez, still the undisputed kings of the hill. And the Jets coach was left waving the white towel. Again. Same Old Jets? Meet Same Old Rex. Steve Politi: spoliti@starledger.com; Twitter.com/StevePoliti BIGGEST PILE OF CRAP I HAVE EVER READ NONE OF THIS IS TRUE... STFU Here we have a head coach whose WORST season involved a loss in the AFC Championship game. Keep in mind: this season isn't over yet. This must be the most bashed coach in history relative to his excellent performance. I am sick of people disrespecting Rex, it's not fair. He has put his heart and soul into this team and he has produced GREAT results thusfar. You figure the media could wait to unleash this junk until we actually missed the playoffs once. Reminder: we still haven't missed the playoffs once under Rex. Hell, we still haven't failed to get to the championship game with him either. So STFU until that happens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted November 14, 2011 Author Share Posted November 14, 2011 Cover your eyes November, 14, 2011 Nov 14 12:29 PM ET Email Print Comments1 By Rich Cimini It was ugly, all right -- Patriots 37, Jets 16. Let's sift through the rubble: THREE UP • David Harris. There wasn't much to get excited about, but Harris had two tackles for loss and made a nice third-down stop on Danny Woodhead, pulling him down from behind. • Darrelle Revis. He did a nice job on Wes Welker, holding the Energizer Bunny to six catches for 46 yards. Not all of them came against Revis, but you get the drift. • Gene Steratore. You know you're reaching when you give a shout-out to the referee, but Steratore showed some heart. He got his face bloodied when reaching into a scrum, but he kept on doing his thing. THREE DOWN • Mark Sanchez. It's games like this that make you wonder if he's the future. He missed some open receivers, his pocket presence was awful and, of course, there was "the stupidest thing in football history" -- his ill-advised timeout at the end of the first half. Rex Ryan is going to regret that line. • Rex Ryan. He was schooled by Bill Belichick. The Jets got beat by three players -- Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski and Andre Carter -- and a bunch of no-name, bottom-of-the-depth chart defensive players. That's an indictment of Ryan and his staff. • S Eric Smith. You hate to single out one guy from the defense, but Smith got roughed up a lot by Gronowski. Smith also had a facemask penalty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted November 14, 2011 Author Share Posted November 14, 2011 Mark Sanchez owns bad timeout call vs. Patriots, NY Jets coach Red Ryan calls it 'stupidest play' in NFL history Call gives Tom Brady enough time to lead 80-yard scoring drive BY Stefan Bondy NEW YORK DAILY NEWS Monday, November 14 2011, 12:47 PM Corey Sipkin/New York Daily News Mark Sanchez tries to explain his time outcall with 1:24 to go in the first half to a befuddled Red Ryan (r.). Add clock management to Mark Sanchez’s long list of failings Sunday night. Sanchez took a timeout on the 2-yard line with 1:24 remaining in the first half, prompting Rex Ryan to tell NBC’s Michele Tafoya that it was “the stupidest play in the history of football.” So forget about the Jets getting fooled by Dan Marino’s fake spike in 1994, or Leon Lett holding out a football to get stripped in Super Bowl XXVII. Sanchez’s brain freeze — which Ryan later blamed on himself to take heat off his quarterback — takes the cake. “It’s my responsibility,” Ryan said, “because I’m responsible for everything that happens with this football team.” Sanchez ran into the end zone on the next play, leaving enough time for Tom Brady to dissect the Jets’ defense for a touchdown before halftime. Instead of a three-point lead at the break, the Jets trailed 13-9 en route to a 37-16 loss to the Pats. “Totally my fault,” Sanchez said. “I heard the coaches in my headset asking if I wanted to take a timeout, totally my fault.” Against the worst pass defense in the NFL coming into the Week 10, Sanchez completed just 20 of 39 throws for 306 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions. And he was sacked five times (4-1/2 of them by Andre Carter). His second interception — returned for a touchdown by Rob Ninkovich — was a misguided pass up the middle that sealed the defeat. The Jets seemingly held the momentum after Jamaal Westerman burst through the Patriots’ line to get a safety that cut their deficit to 6-2. They marched down the field on the ensuing possession, poised to take control of the game going into the locker room. When Justin Keller was tackled in front of the end zone, the smart play would have been to let the clock run to limit Brady’s time for a final drive. But Sanchez called timeout with time remaining on the play clock, which, of course, stopped the game clock. Brady then drove 80 yards and threw an 18-yard touchdown to Rob Gronkowski with nine seconds left. “A poor timeout,” Ryan said. “Time management was absolutely critical there. That’s my responsibility and I hold that one. You make those many mistakes against that team, there’s no chance.” Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/mark-sanchez-owns-bad-timeout-call-patriots-ny-jets-coach-red-ryan-calls-tupidest-play-nfl-history-article-1.977277#ixzz1dhpVtLLr Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted November 14, 2011 Author Share Posted November 14, 2011 Real New England Patriots show up and give NY Jets a beating AFC East rivals pound Gang BY Hank Gola NEW YORK DAILY NEWS Monday, November 14 2011, 2:49 AM Ron Antonelli/New York Daily News Tom Brady eclipses the 3,000- yard mark for the season Sunday vs. the Jets. Sunday night's game came with a pleading question for Bill Belichick’s team. “Will the real Patriots please stand up?” They did. PHOTOS: PATS MANHANDLE JETS Two straight losses may have had some people thinking the Patriots had lost their mystique. But this 37-16 victory over the Jets was a character win for a franchise that has made an art form out of winning over the years. The final statement came with Deion Branch taunting Fireman Ed after catching a fourth-quarter TD pass in the No. 1 Jet fan’s end zone. “Anytime you play the Jets, it’s a statement game,” said Matt Light, who was part of an effort that kept Tom Brady clean for most of the night. “When there’s this much on the line... look, we haven’t lost back-to-back games in a while, not a good feeling around our locker room. But guys stepped up all night.” “It’s really great to come down here and win,” Belichick said. “So many guys stepped up. Everybody who dressed played a huge role. They deserved it. They were the better team tonight.” They certainly were, and against all odds. The 32nd-ranked defense, thinned out by injuries, played perhaps its best game of the season, helped by a few guys who hadn’t stepped on the field all season year. The Pats began the game without starting safety Patrick Chung and starting linebacker Brandon Spikes. Then they lost cornerback Devin McCourty in the first half. But a strong pass rush keyed by from Andre Carter (4 1/2 sacks) and Mark Anderson seemed to rattle Sanchez, who has now turned in the two worst QB performances by any Pats opponent this year. He threw a pair of INTs, including one for a late score by LB Rob Ninkovich, who seemed to be all over the field. Tom Brady, meanwhile, got back to being Tom Brady, as he put the Jets on their heels with a no-huddle attack. After throwing five interceptions over the past three weeks, he kept the ball out of the Jets’ hands, completed 26-of-39 for 329 yards and threw for three TDs, two to tight end Rob Gronkowski (8 catches, 113 yards), the one player for whom the Jets’ defense had no answer. “There was a sense of urgency coming into this one and he tends to do pretty well in those situations,” Light said of Brady, who passed the 3,000-yard mark for the season. “He just hits the open man,” said Gronkowski. “If you get open, he finds you. Ou never know who’s going to be the main target in any game." The Patriots, who avoided their first three-game losing streak since 2002, were determined to dig within themselves. RB Kevin Faulk said the week was quiet, “both apprehensive and focused.” “They never got down,” Belichick said. “They kept their attitude up, kept their preparation up.” And now, at 6-3, they are back atop the AFC East. The season sweep of the Jets put their pesky rivals behind them and set them up for a relatively soft schedule the rest of the way. They have just one game left against a winning team, the fast-falling Bills. It’s actually almost the same schedule as the Jets, except the Pats have the Colts and the Jets have the Giants - not good for a Jets team that will have to make up two games. “We’re not even looking at that,” Gronkowski said. “There are seven games left in the regular season.” Maybe, but they just got a lot easier. Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/real-england-patriots-show-give-ny-jets-a-beating-article-1.977169#ixzz1dhuwBolf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted November 14, 2011 Author Share Posted November 14, 2011 November 14, 2011, 1:38 pm No Time to Sulk for the Jets By BEN SHPIGEL If the season ended today – and, boy, are the Jets glad it doesn’t – they would rate as the seventh-best team in the A.F.C. The problem for them is, only the top six reach the playoffs. Their hopes of winning the division were all but squashed Sunday night by a 37-16 loss to New England, a defeat that forced the Jets to recalibrate their expectations. Once again a wild-card berth – and the road games that come with it – appears their best chance at making the postseason. “We win this game, we’ve got a stranglehold on the division,” Jim Leonhard said. “We let it slide.” The Jets expected more from themselves. They expected a soaring win, not a crushing loss. They expected to sack Tom Brady, not allow five of Mark Sanchez. In the stunned silence of a frustrated locker room, Matt Slauson tried not to dwell on the defeat, all because the next part of their season begins in earnest on Thursday. That is when the Jets play the Broncos, who have won two straight. The swift turnaround, coupled with the high altitude in Denver, makes it a tricky game for the Jets. “The worst thing we can do now is let the Patriots beat us again by us hanging our heads this week,” Slauson said. Rex Ryan will not allow any head-hanging, and neither will the players. But Sunday night’s loss revealed cracks in the Jets’ offensive line, cracks that must be addressed in a short work week. Will the Jets be able to rebound and continue that push toward the wild card? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted November 14, 2011 Author Share Posted November 14, 2011 AFC East Power Rankings preview November, 14, 2011 Nov 14 2:00 PM ET Email Print Comments2 By James Walker We had an exciting Week 10 in the AFC East. The division went 2-2 in the standings. Here is how those games could impact our latest NFL Power Rankings: New England Patriots (6-3) Last week's ranking: No. 12 Result: W, 37-16 against Jets Analysis: The Patriots picked up their most important win of the season. They trounced the New York Jets to complete the season sweep. It most likely sealed the AFC East and a home playoff game for New England. The Patriots have the NFL’s easiest remaining schedule. I expect them to get hot and reel off several consecutive wins to pad their record. The Patriots, in my opinion, were rated too low last week. With several teams above New England losing, the Patriots should be back in the top 10 where they belong. Projected vote: No. 7-9 New York Jets (5-4) Last week's ranking: No. 11 Result: L, 37-16 against Patriots Analysis: The Jets had their three-game winning streak snapped by New England. But it doesn’t mean the Jets are a bad team. The Patriots simply have their number. New York is out of the AFC East race but still has a chance for a wild card in the AFC. New York doesn't have much time to hang its head. The Jets will play on Thursday against Tim Tebow and the Denver Broncos. Projected vote: No. 12-14 Buffalo Bills (5-4) Last week's ranking: No. 14 Result: L, 44-7 against Dallas Analysis: The bandwagon is getting empty in Buffalo. The Bills are crashing hard and fast after their 3-0 start. The Bills were a fixture in the top 10 in October, but they will be hard-pressed to get up there again unless they start winning. The Bills lost their fourth game in six tries. Confidence also may be an issue after getting trounced 71-18 the past two weeks. There were plenty of Bills doubters to begin with. Buffalo certainly isn't doing much to quiet those critics. Projected vote: No. 17-19 Miami Dolphins (2-7) Last week's ranking: No. 31 Result: W, 20-9 against Washington Analysis: The Dolphins didn't move up after their first win last week. But Miami certainly will move up after getting its second win in a row. The Dolphins outplayed the Washington Redskins and won their first home game of the season. Miami seems to be ready to embrace its role of "spoiler." The Dolphins have another interesting matchup at home this week against Buffalo that looks pretty even the way both teams are playing. Projected vote: No. 26-28 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted November 14, 2011 Author Share Posted November 14, 2011 AFC East Falls Out of Jets Hands in Crushing Loss to Pats by Jake Brown November 14, 2011 2:03 pm 0 comments The Jets may be loaded with talent defensively, solid receivers, and a good running game, but they do not have the one man that can make the difference to put them over the edge. That man is Tom Brady. The Jets came into Sunday night’s game against the Patriots with a great opportunity to get a win that could get them into sole possession of first place. They were riding a three game win streak coming in. They were at home where they were 4-0 on the season. The Pats had come in losing two straight games and struggling defensively. The Jets were looking for revenge for their 30-21 loss at New England in week 5. The winner would stand alone in first place. The Patriots handed the Jets a crushing loss, 37-16 to essentially take a two game lead in the AFC East. They hold the tie breaker by defeating the Jets in both games this season. The Jets had no way of stopping Brady, the three time Super Bowl champion. The future hall of famer had an extraordinary amount of time in the pocket to throw the ball. The Jets defensive line was atrocious in forcing Brady into any bad throws. Brady’s offensive line was remarkable in allowing him all the time he needed to get it to his receivers. The extra time allowed him to hit his tight ends alone for 12 receptions and 154 yards. Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez were unstoppable down the middle of the field. Pats receivers also had big games against a Jets secondary who is considered one of the best. Wes Welker and Deion Branch had 104 yards and 11 receptions combined. Even Chad Ochocinco, who has been ineffective this season had two catches for 65 yards. The Jets had no problem stopping the rush. They only allowed 60 rushing yards total. Brady was just too good throwing for 329 yards to six different receivers. The Jets had no answer for arguably the best quarterback in the league. The turning point of the game came in the second quarter with around 1:20 to go in the half instead of letting the clock run down all the way then using a timeout, Sanchez called a timeout with plenty of time still on the play clock. The Jets would score the touchdown on the next play, but they left the Patriots 1:20 on the clock and two timeouts to drive down the field. Rex Ryan told NBC at the half it was “The stupidest thing in football history.” Clearly, Ryan was in fuming that Sanchez used a timeout with so much time remaining for a Patriots team that is known for their offensive capabilities. The Patriots would end up scoring a touchdown with nine seconds left and go into the half with all the motivation in the world. The Jets were outplayed and out-coached by Bill Belichick and the Patriots Sunday night. This was a demoralizing loss for two reasons. One being that the Patriots looked dominant in both games this season against the Jets. The second being that the Patriots remaining schedule is one of the easiest in the NFL for the final seven weeks. Of their seven remaining games, the only team above .500 that they play is the last game of the season at home against a Bills team that has lost three of their last four after starting 4-1. The Jets will only play two more teams with a winning record as they face the Bills and Giants. Five of the Jets last eight games will be on the road. When asked if his team still had hope to win the division Ryan said, “It looks doubtful right now.” The division seems to be a long shot for the Jets. They will hope to get one of the two wild card spots in the playoffs. The Jets will now have a short week as they hit the road to face the Broncos in Denver Thursday night. Tim Tebow has had the Broncos playing well of late and still in the race in the AFC West. It is going to be a tough road for the Jets from here on out. The key will be to come out strong Thursday night with no signs of a hangover effect from a pivotal loss Sunday night. The Jets will need to avoid any “Tebow magic” and head back home with a victory under their belt as they face Buffalo the following week at the Meadowlands. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted November 14, 2011 Author Share Posted November 14, 2011 Dyer: “Play Like a Jet” Identity Lost on These Jets November 14, 2011 2:24 PM Share this 2No comments (credit: Patrick Smith/Getty Images) By Kristian Dyer » More Columns EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Rex Ryan apologized for the wrong thing. In the early minutes of Monday morning in the press conference following his team’s humiliating 37-16 loss to the Patriots, the Jets head coach apologized to the fans for the loss. Losing by three touchdowns at home was bad enough, but it wasn’t the fact that the Jets lost to their most heated rival that stung the most. It was the way they lost. A team once known for “Playing Like a Jet” is now lacking an identity, and that’s what Ryan should be apologizing for. In stopping short in his postgame remarks, Ryan failed to embrace the heart of the matter. These Jets just aren’t that good and more than that, they’re not playing like they have the past two seasons. That’s not to say that they’re a bad team, they should still make the playoffs and perhaps can make another postseason run. But to think that they are an elite NFL team, like the team that beat them on Sunday, is foolhardy. In fact, they’re really not much of a team at all, in the truest sense of the word. Instead, these Jets are built for goodness, not greatness. Penalties marred their play, mental lapses cost them in the secondary and the offensive line was wildly inconsistent. But most of all, they lack an identity and any sense that they are more than talented individuals in matching uniforms; what they lack is what made them great the past two seasons. Two years ago in Ryan’s first year with the team, the Jets were a scrappy underdog team that squeaked into the playoffs behind a physical, smash mouth ground game led by veteran Thomas Jones and rookie Shonn Greene. The defense lacked stars, but for the emerging Darrelle Revis, yet they played as a unit and the defense kept the team in nearly every game. Come the playoffs, the Jets shook off the ups and downs of the regular season to piece together a shocking run to the AFC Championship Game. It was a team that had come together and played as one, played with unity and played for each other. Then last year, the Jets built a similar mentality. Though they weren’t underdogs anymore, they banded together through controversy after controversy and an “Us against the world mentality” emerged to once again come within one game of the Super Bowl. They weren’t as talented as Indianapolis or New England, the two teams they beat in the playoffs, but this was a Jets team that was willing to fight for each and fight for their coach. This year’s team, who knows what their identity is and if they ever will ever find one. What has been assembled is a collection of talent, star players who provide a nucleus for the team, but an appalling lack of depth and even more worrisome, no sense of cohesiveness. The game on Sunday night was there for the taking, against a Patriots team that was beat up, had a beleaguered secondary and whose star quarterback didn’t particularly play well in the win. Rather than band together and fight like the teams from the past two years, the Jets seemed to have no answers. Now, they face nothing but questions. This could be a playoff team if they get their act together and stop playing like 22 individuals, but that’s going to take an attitude adjustment in Florham Park, a desire to start playing in the system that has accomplished so much the past two years. But the team put together by general manager Mike Tannenbaum and Ryan may not be able to accomplish that. The Jets didn’t win because of their stars the past two years, they won because their stars put winning above their own selfish desires. No one complained about getting the ball, no one called out their teammates in the media for lackluster play and Ryan never called an error by one of his players “the stupidest thing in NFL history.” Instead, they came together as one, and in turn won plenty of games. This Jets team may not have that bond, that ability to play together as a unit and not as individuals. If they don’t, there may be more nights this season like Sunday against the Patriots, where there was only one real team on the field. And it wasn’t the Jets. Kristian R. Dyer covers the Jets and Rutgers for Metro New York and contributes to Yahoo!Sports. He can be followed at twitter.com/KristianRDyer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted November 14, 2011 Author Share Posted November 14, 2011 Injury to LaDainian Tomlinson adds to Jets dreadful night Sunday, November 13, 2011 Last updated: Monday November 14, 2011, 1:36 PM BY ANDY VASQUEZ STAFF WRITER The Record Pages: 1 2 > display on one page | Print | E-mail EAST RUTHERFORD -- The scoreboard already told the sad story for the Jets. But before the clock could put the Jets out of their misery, and put an end to their 37-16 loss to the Patriots, things actually got worse. TYSON TRISH/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Jets running back LaDainian Tomlinson walks off the field after an injury during Sunday's game against the New England Patriots at MetLife Stadium. LaDainian Tomlinson was injured with less than two minutes remaining on a run up the middle. Tomlinson’s left leg bent awkwardly when he was tackled by the Patriots’ Julian Edelman. He limped off the field, and Tomlinson appeared in the locker room after the game with his leg wrapped. Tomlinson wasn’t interested in giving much information on the injury or his prognosis. “Yeah, my leg just got hit low,”:Tomlinson said. “And I felt my leg. And that's all I can pretty much say right now. … I'll get some more tests tomorrow and we'll go from there. I'm sure coach will give you an update as we get a little later in the week.” If the injury is of any significance, Tomlinson won’t have much time to make a recovery. The Jets face Denver on Thursday night. “I won't even speculate yet, ” Tomlinson said when asked about his status for Thursday. “ I can't do it. We'll see what happens.” Tomlinson, one of the team’s leaders, was especially disappointed with the result Sunday because this was two do two things: seize control of the AFC East and hand the Patriots their third straight loss for the first time since 2002. Instead, the Jets handed the Patriots the division tiebreaker and helped a struggling New England team find its confidence. “It should have been the perfect opportunity for us,” Tomlison said, “because any team that loses two in a row, you question yourself and your confidence is a little low. So for us it should have been the perfect opportunity and we didn't take advantage.” What started as promising day for the Jets turned out to be a frustrating one. On the first drive of the game, the Jets needed only four plays to march inside the Patriots’ 10 yard line. But from there, they were stopped cold on three straight plays -- and when Nick Folk missed a 24-yard field goal, the Jets had nothing to show for the drive. “It was a bit deflating,” Tomlinson said, “because we drove the ball. We came out well, and not to get any points was very disappointing. Sometimes you get in a bit of a lull from that, and what seemed to happen to us. We kind of messed around for a few drives and it kind of seemed like that first drive, not getting points, kind of effected us.” Still, the Jets bounced back well enough to take a 9-6 lead late in the second quarter. But it was short-lived. The Patriots took the lead just before halftime, and seized control of the game in the third quarter, as the Jets imploded with two turnovers. The Jets had a chance to stagger their biggest rival. They failed to take advantage. “It was a big game, we put everything into it,” Tomlinson said. “There was a lot on the line, and to not win the game obviously is a setback. “But at the same time we've still got a lot of ballgames to play. And the good thing about it is we play Thursday, so we've got to move on quickly and get a win on Thursday and put it behind us.” Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted November 14, 2011 Author Share Posted November 14, 2011 Broncos RB Moreno out for season Jets Blog By PAT GRAHAM Associated Press Last Updated: 4:01 PM, November 14, 2011 Posted: 3:55 PM, November 14, 2011 More Print ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Denver Broncos tailback Knowshon Moreno will miss the rest of the season after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee at Kansas City on Sunday. Coach John Fox said surgery is planned in the near future. One of the options to fill Moreno’s place on the roster could be to promote Jeremiah Johnson from the practice squad. Moreno left the game late in the opening quarter when he was tackled near the sideline after a 22-yard run. Moreno, a first-round pick out of Georgia, has rushed for 179 yards on 37 carries this season. He also has 11 catches for 101 yards and one score. Although Willis McGahee tweaked his hamstring Sunday, Fox said he could be ready Thursday night when Denver hosts the New York Jets. Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/jets/broncos_rb_moreno_out_for_season_f8KiLfIuqAYYqYlQmqiSNO#ixzz1dieJj9CQ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted November 14, 2011 Author Share Posted November 14, 2011 Injury report: LT, Kerley sit November, 14, 2011 Nov 14 5:08 PM ET Email Print Comments By Rich Cimini Because the Jets play Thursday night in Denver, they conducted a brief practice Monday and released an injury report. New injuries in bold. Did not practice: WR Jeremy Kerley (knee), TE Shawn Nelson (illness), S Brodney Pool (knee), RB LaDainian Tomlinson (knee), WR Patrick Turner (kidney). Limited participation: WR Plaxico Burress (back), DL Marcus Dixon (shoulder), LB David Harris (ankle), WR Santonio Holmes (foot). Full participation: DT Mike DeVito (knee), DT Kenrick Ellis (ankle), C Nick Mangold (ankle), LB Josh Mauga (low back), RB Joe McKnight (toe), LB Calvin Pace (groin), G Matt Slauson (ankle), DB Isaiah Trufant (hamstring). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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