Jets News 11-17

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November 16, 2011, 7:16 pm

Thursday Matchup: Jets at Broncos

By MIKE TANIER

Jets (5-4) at Broncos (4-5), 8:20 p.m. Eastern, NFL Network and Ch. 11 in New York area

Line: Jets by 6.

Ed Zurga/Associated PressThe Jets will have to contain Denver’s rushing attack, led by Tim Tebow.

The Broncos won, 17-10, last week against the Chiefs, an opponent that had lost by scores of 41-7, 48-3, and 31-3 (to the Dolphins) this season. The Broncos netted just 312 yards of offense, and their quarterback, Tim Tebow, completed just two of his eight passes. When running backs Willis McGahee (hamstring, questionable for Thursday) and Knowshon Moreno (knee, out) were injured,

Coach John Fox elected to give the third-stringer Lance Ball 30 carries, with Spencer Larsen, a converted linebacker, taking 5 more handoffs as a change of pace. The Broncos elected to run 10 times on third down with more than 4 yards to go, converting just one of those plays.

It takes some warping of reality and splintering of rational thought to watch a team hand off to an ex-linebacker almost as often as it passes the ball, surrender on nearly every third down and score 17 points against an awful opponent, and reinterpret all of this as a sign of its quarterback’s singular greatness.

But ignoring the obvious is the American way. The Broncos are not trying to hide an inept passer behind child-proofed game plans that can work only against terrible defenses. Instead, they are ushering in a new era of running-based football behind the paradigm-shattering talents of a player who hands off like no other.

Fox even dismissed the need for a passing game this week. This is offense based upon the withholding of success, austerity by design, and Fox is making a great show of being thrilled with it.

Of course, there’s a chance that the simplest solution is the correct one: the Broncos have gutted out close wins against bad opponents but they will collapse against a strong defense, and option-style gadget plays have a limited N.F.L. shelf life. But then, even Occam’s razor may be no match for Tebow Mania.

Pick: Jets

(Pick does not reflect the betting line)

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A closer look at Jets vs. Broncos

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

The Record

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Jets (5-4) vs. Broncos (4-5)

Sports Authority Field at Mile High

Today, 8:20 p.m.

TV: Ch. 11, NFL Network

Radio: ESPN-AM 1050

Line: Jets by 6

What’s at stake

Jets: The Jets are trying to rebound from a disheartening loss to archrival New England, which swept them this year. The combination of that sweep, plus the Patriots’ one-game lead in the AFC East, plus the Pats’ easy schedule the rest of the way, means the Jets have started to turn their attention toward their usual mode of playoff entry, the wild card. A win would help that quest and give the Jets a tiebreaker advantage over the Broncos down the road.

Broncos: Three wins in the last four games suddenly has vaulted Denver into the playoff race, and not merely the AFC’s jumbled wild-card situation. Back-to-back wins by the Broncos over AFC West rivals Oakland and Kansas City, coupled with San Diego’s four-game skid, have helped turn that division into a close race. Oakland (5-4) leads the Broncos, Chiefs and Chargers by one game. This will be the Broncos’ lone home game in a five-week span.

Key matchup

Jets CB Darrelle Revis vs. Broncos WR Eric Decker. No, the Broncos don’t have much of a passing attack, but when they try to go deep, Decker usually is the target. He leads Denver in receptions (34), yards (462) and touchdowns (seven), and Revis will have to be aware of him at all times. Revis admitted he and his teammates in the secondary cannot get so caught up in run support against QB Tim Tebow and the read option that they neglect the Broncos’ downfield shots over the top.

How they’ll win

Jets: The Jets hit some big plays against a Denver team that is allowing 26 points per game, third-to-last in the NFL in that category. Opponents are averaging 4 yards per carry against Denver, so look for the Jets to try to run first and set up play-action passing for Mark Sanchez, who threw two costly interceptions in the loss to the Patriots. The defense must be fundamentally sound and stay with its assignments against Tebow and the option, and must do a better job against perimeter runs than it did against Oakland and in the first meeting with New England. The Jets need to do well on special teams so they can get field position in their favor against Denver’s run-based offense.

Broncos: Tebowmania continues unabated as a Jets defense that had numerous missed assignments against New England’s sophisticated passing attack again has mental breakdowns versus Denver’s more Neanderthal offense. Worse yet, Tebow, who has seven touchdown passes and only one pick, hits a big play or two against a run-conscious secondary. Rookie OLB Von Miller continues a terrific debut season that has seen him contribute eight sacks, including at least a half sack in seven of Denver’s nine games. Denver’s mile-high altitude negates Jets KR Joe McKnight, who is unable to get any opportunities as K Matt Prater puts his kickoffs out of the end zone.

—J.P. Pelzman

[Bleedin Green]

It takes some warping of reality and splintering of rational thought to watch a team hand off to an ex-linebacker almost as often as it passes the ball, surrender on nearly every third down and score 17 points against an awful opponent, and reinterpret all of this as a sign of its quarterback’s singular greatness.

LOL, what a fantastic sentence.

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Jets need Sanchez to step up his game vs. Broncos

Thursday November 17, 2011, 12:36 AM

BY J.P. PELZMAN

STAFF WRITER

The Record

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DENVER – It’s about time for Mark Sanchez. Or at least, that’s how it has been for him the last few days.

AP

There are critics who say it’s about time for Sanchez to start shedding his trademark inconsistency, as well as the “young quarterback” label, if this Jets squad is to realize its potential.

It was about time when he and the Jets played New England on Sunday, and his clock-management error gave the Patriots and their potent offense 16 more seconds to score, which they did. It’s been about time the last few days, as Sanchez and the rest of the Jets have raced the clock in trying to prepare in short order for tonight’s game at Denver.

And finally, there are the critics who say it’s about time for Sanchez to start shedding his trademark inconsistency, as well as the “young quarterback” label, if this Jets squad is to realize its potential.

When asked to grade his performance prior to the Jets’ second meeting with New England, Sanchez offered that the Jets were 5-3.

And this is what he said Tuesday when asked a similar question: “At this point we’re 5-4. So, that’s how I grade myself. I think, if anything, everybody in this locker room, we’re all just a little frustrated, and a little upset at this last loss, because we thought we could’ve put ourselves in a good position.

But I grade myself at 5-4, and we’ll see how this season turns out.”

Sanchez, who took full blame for calling a timeout too soon late in the first half against New England, only hopes he isn’t grading himself at 5-5 after tonight.

Sure, Sanchez’s numbers are OK — 14 touchdown passes against nine interceptions — but many were expecting more in his third season. He still hasn’t shaken some of his bad habits, such as staring down receivers and being unable to quickly go through his progressions and get the ball to his secondary reads. Instead, he often goes straight from primary read to check-down, and it appears opposing linebackers are starting to anticipate and jump those check-down throws.

Dallas’ Sean Lee intercepted a ball intended for tight end Dustin Keller in the season opener, and New England’s Rob Ninkovich picked off a pass intended for LaDainian Tomlinson on Sunday night and took it 12 yards for a score.

But Sanchez said those two mistakes were “different plays,” explaining that on Lee’s pick, he stared down Keller and should have thrown the ball outside.

As for Ninkovich’s play, Sanchez said, “Ninkovich is basically the eighth dropper [into coverage].

They’re only rushing three, so he’s going to hit Dustin to slow him down. Once the spacing got messed up, I’m waiting for LT to turn around. As soon as he turns around, I’m throwing him the ball, and Ninkovich just kind of fell off and made the play.

“To get intercepted on a check-down, that’s like one-in-a-thousand throws. He made a good play and I have to get rid of it sooner, that’s all.”

Sanchez’s other pick against the Pats also came on a check-down, but as he noted, the problem there was different. He threw the ball much too hard, and it caromed off Shonn Greene’s facemask to Ninkovich.

Coach Rex Ryan, as expected, supports his quarterback.

“I think we’ve been better in the red zone,” he said, “which I think is attributed to Mark really knowing our system and knowing defenses and things like that. I think he is better that way. I think we’re getting better and he’s getting better with Plaxico [burress] and they’re learning each other and things like that.

“Like I said, I’m proud that Mark is our quarterback. I think he’s done a great job. Can I [say exactly] what he’s better at?

I just think overall, he’s a better player now than he was when he was a rookie quarterback. That kind of goes without saying.”

But how much better?

The Jets will find out over the rest of the season.

BRIEF: The Jets declared RB LaDainian Tomlinson (knee) and WR Jeremy Kerley (knee) out for tonight. Joe McKnight will take over Tomlinson’s role as the third-down back.

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Jets face unique challenge from Broncos QB tonight

Jets Blog

By BRIAN COSTELLO

Last Updated: 8:30 AM, November 17, 2011

Posted: 2:35 AM, November 17, 2011

DENVER — Tim Tebow is known for dropping to his knee in prayer. Tonight, the Jets hope to bring him to his knees in frustration.

The Jets come here trying to topple Tebow-mania by smacking its namesake in the mouth. The Broncos’ game plan is no secret — Tebow left, Tebow right, Tebow up the middle. The Jets answer?

Hit him hard. Hit him often. Make him use that left arm to throw, instead of throwing a stiff arm.

This is no easy task for the Jets, though. They have to shake off a disappointing loss to the Patriots with little time to do it.

UPDATES FROM OUR JETS BLOG

With just three days to prepare and heal, the Jets (5-4) traveled to the Mile High City for tonight’s game with the Broncos (4-5). The Jets moved on to preparation for Denver on Monday morning, not even watching the film of Sunday's loss to the Patriots as a team.

Last year, the Patriots blew out the Jets 45-3, and they failed to shake it off. They lost to the Dolphins the following week. The Jets said the right things this week about moving on from the Patriots, but that was an emotional 37-16 loss.

Now, we get to see how the Jets respond.

”We have to just go out there, have fun and give it to these guys, not give them a chance to make plays,” wide receiver Santonio Holmes said. “Shut them out if we can, score about 60 points if possible. Keep these guys buried down in the ground as far as possible, and I think that will jump-start our offense and defense from this point on.”

This is a tough task for the Jets. They had just three days to prepare for the unconventional offense the Broncos are running with quarterback Tebow. They have to travel 1,800 miles to play in a tough stadium.

”It’s a good challenge,” quarterback Mark Sanchez said. “There’s two ways to look at it, we can kind of hang our heads from the New England game and be upset about not being in the driver’s seat in the division, or we can turn right around, get the bad taste out of your mouth and play well [tonight].”

Here’s a look at how The Post sees tonight’s game breaking down:

MARQUEE MATCHUP

Jets OTs D’Brickashaw Ferguson and Wayne Hunter vs. Broncos OLB Von Miller. So much of the focus this week has been on the Jets defense stopping the Broncos offense, but the other side of the ball could hold the key to this game. Miller, a rookie, has eight sacks. The Jets gave up five sacks last week. They can’t allow Miller to be in Sanchez’s face all night.

RUN, RUN, RUN

Talk about Ground and Pound. The Broncos are running at a ridiculous frequency. With Tebow at the controls, they rushed 55 times last week against the Chiefs, throwing just eight passes. The Broncos have 1,077 rushing yards over their last five games, a team-record for a five-game stretch.

They were ranked 25th in the NFL in rushing yards per game after the first four weeks of the season. They are now No. 2.

NEXT MAN UP

The short week left the Jets with little time to heal. They will be without running back LaDainian Tomlinson and wide receiver Jeremy Kerley, who both have knee injuries. Joe McKnight will get more carries. The bigger issue is who replaces Tomlinson in pass protection. Patrick Turner (kidney) is listed as probable. If he can’t play, Eron Riley should see his first action.

STAY AWAKE

The game plan for the Jets defense is to hit Tebow often and force him to throw the ball. The trick for the secondary is to stay alert for when those passes come.

“You cannot go to sleep,” cornerback Darrelle Revis said.

Lapses of concentration have been a problem for cornerback Antonio Cromartie this year. Tebow will get him if he has one tonight.

Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/jets/running_qb_unique_challenge_for_1acynvZ5sItB8LBqtIWbBM#ixzz1dyVf50aH

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Broncos hand off to New Jersey's Ball

Jets Blog

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

Posted: 2:21 AM, November 17, 2011

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Mark Cannizzaro

DENVER — The transaction page on Lance Ball’s NFL bio reads like the left side of the menu in one of those all-night Jersey diners.

The list is long and there’s a lot to choose from — in this case wondering at what moment Ball might have stopped believing his time would ever come as he was being cut five times by four different teams in three years.

It’s difficult to pinpoint the exact moment the 26-year-old Broncos running back from Teaneck, N.J., figured he was never going to get a true chance to showcase his skills in the NFL.

The fact is there was no time during his journey on and off the waiver wire when Ball stopped believing, and that’s led him to tonight’s game at Mile High Stadium against the Jets, against whom he likely will have a chance to be a major factor.

Four days ago in Kansas City, Ball, who had just 54 career carries entering this season, was thrust into duty as the feature back when Knowshon Moreno and Willis McGahee were injured in the first quarter.

By day’s end, Ball ran 30 times for 96 yards — both team records for a running back who didn’t start the game. He was also the first Broncos running back in seven years to carry the ball 30 or more times in a game.

With Moreno out for the season with a knee injury and McGahee hobbled by a sore hamstring, Ball figures to be a key figure in this game for the Jets defense to deal with.

It’s a place that seems so unlikely when you look at that long transaction page.

“I’m an East Coast guy who came from a place, northern New Jersey, where you’re always taught to persevere and keep working,’’ Ball said yesterday. “My family instilled that in me, to keep the faith and trust yourself.’’

Ball said part of what kept him going despite the mounting disappointments was “taking this as something that I can’t do forever and savoring every moment of it.’’

Broncos offensive coordinator Mike McCoy has a special place in his heart for Ball because of the path of most resistance he’s had to take to get here. McCoy was a journeyman NFL quarterback who was cut by multiple teams, including the Broncos, and never made it.

“I was in his shoes at one time — chasing a dream — and I never stuck anywhere, so when you have players like Lance it has special meaning to me,’’ McCoy said. “In this business, it’s being in the right place at the right time and making the most of opportunities, and that’s exactly what Lance has done.’’

Considering how well he’s performed when given the few chances he’s had, you could nickname Ball “The Opportunist.’’

He was the Rams’ leading rusher in preseason as a rookie in ’08 but was cut anyway. Later that year, pressed into duty for one game when the Colts had injury issues at running back, he rushed for 83 yards on 13 carries but never got into another game until last season with the Broncos.

Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/jets/eyes_on_the_ball_dk5BSFYHvmZKqgsJIg377M#ixzz1dyWbNoE2

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Broncos' Decker isn't 'on-bored' with Revis

Jets Blog

By MARK CANNIZZARO

Last Updated: 8:30 AM, November 17, 2011

Posted: 2:22 AM, November 17, 2011

DENVER — If Eric Decker has his way, the Broncos offense will have Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis so lulled to sleep he’ll be able to make some big plays in tonight’s game the way he did Sunday in Kansas City, catching a long touchdown pass in Denver’s win over the Chiefs.

Revis on Tuesday told reporters the Denver offense, which ran the ball 55 times and threw only eight passes against the Chiefs, is “boring.’’

“Am I concerned about him being bored?’’ Decker, the Broncos’ leading receiver with 34 catches and seven touchdowns, said yesterday. “No, if he wants to be bored, he can be bored. But we’re going to stick to our game plan and do the best we can, and when the opportunities come hopefully he won’t be too bored at that time.’’

Decker surely will be covered all game by Revis, who always marks the opposing team’s top receiver, but he hardly sounded intimidated yesterday.

“It’s going to be a great challenge,’’ he said. “To be the best you’ve got to go against the best. You have to embrace it because you’re going to face it every year. There are a lot of guys in this league who are very good but they don’t get the attention Revis gets because of the statements he’s made and the things he’s done on the field.’’

Broncos veteran cornerback Champ Bailey, who’s long been considered one of the best in the game, has been coaching up Decker since training camp for moments like the challenge he’ll face in tonight’s game against Revis and the Jets.

The Revis-Decker battle figures to be one of the key matchups in the game.

“A lot of matchups depend on the quarterback play,’’ Bailey said. “If [Tim] Tebow is throwing the ball well, it could be a tough day for Revis. [Decker] can definitely hold up against a top cornerback like Revis. He’s a fighter and he won’t back down from anybody.’’

Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/jets/new_bored_game_decker_vs_revis_p02nZUpCk32tDb3A2JqSsN#ixzz1dyZqrKNN

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Jets QB must show he’s making progress

Jets Blog

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

Posted: 2:29 AM, November 17, 2011

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Steve Serby

DENVER — On the eve of the season opener against the Cowboys, Jets coach Rex Ryan was asked if the third year for a quarterback is a milestone.

“It seems like it, it really does, because you’re flying by the seat of your pants as a rookie,” Ryan said. “The second year you’ve now kind of grasped your system a little bit and maybe start to recognize some defenses. Now you put it all together. I think that is, I’ve never studied it, but I would assume that you hit that third year, you pretty much know what you have after that.”

On the eve of tonight’s game against Tim Tebow and the Broncos, Ryan and the Jets pretty much don’t know what they have right now in Mark Sanchez.

He has not taken that next step, during a post-lockout season when Ryan confidently called a timeout on his Ground and Pound and decided Sanchez was ready to take flight with Santonio Holmes, Plaxico Burress and Dustin Keller, never mind Derrick Mason.

That plan crashed and burned.

Some of the blame goes to an offensive line that could not protect Sanchez in Baltimore and turned Andre Carter into Bruce Smith, and sorely missed center Nick Mangold during his two-game absence.

Just because Sanchez can’t help but be the better quarterback on the field tonight doesn’t mean that he isn’t a marked man from now until the end of the season, because he will be.

“Mark is the same quarterback that took us to back-to-back AFC Championship games,” Darrelle Revis told NFL Network on Tuesday. “I know that is the past and this is the future now, but the guys that we have, we can’t point fingers. These are the guys that we have. We don’t have Steve Young, so we have to believe and trust in the guys that we have here and build confidence up for those guys.”

No one ever said Sanchez was Steve Young. But Revis saying what he said and Ryan saying what he said following the Patriots game about Brady — “You see the difference a great quarterback makes in this league, obviously” — speaks volumes about what was left unsaid about their quarterback’s development.

There is much to like about Sanchez. He is the hardest worker in the building. He proudly wears the captain’s “C” Ryan bestowed upon him. The New York stage never scared him. He is as resilient as they come. He has won four road playoff games in his first two seasons, prompting Ryan to call him an elite quarterback.

This is what he is today: a 5-4 quarterback.

“My improvement determines any kind of ceiling this team could have, and our potential,” Sanchez said before the season. “We have all of the potential in the world, and now it’s time to realize that, for me to step up my game, and up my completion percentage early in the game and cut back on the interceptions. They’ve got to be in single digits, and we’ll go from there.”

His touchdown-to-interception ratio is 14-to-9. A year ago it was 17-to-13. His completion percentage was expected to be north of 60 percent for the first time. It is 56.7, up only slightly from 53.8 as a rookie and 54.8 last season. His QB rating is 81.5, up slightly from 75.3 last season but behind rookies Cam Newton (84) and Andy Dalton (82.6).

Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/jets/sanchez_must_show_he_making_progress_7JcFkeqEn9eh91ec4mQY9N#ixzz1dyalK5JK

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Denver Broncos tailback Willis McGahee will be game-time decision against New York Jets

The Denver Post

Posted: 11/17/2011 01:00:00 AM MST

The Denver Post's NFL reporters post analysis, notes and more on this blog dedicated to the Denver Broncos.

Willis McGahee truly will be a game-time decision.

Because of the Broncos' short week of preparation for their home game against the Jets tonight, McGahee will take all the way through pregame warm-ups to decide whether his sore hamstring is healed enough for him to play.

McGahee, who was injured Sunday at Kansas City, was limited in the Broncos' two practices this week and is listed as questionable on the team's injury report.

"He's made a lot of progress," coach John Fox said. "We just follow the medical protocol, and did the things the medical people think is going to be in the best interest in getting him ready for game time."

The Broncos have two healthy running backs on the active roster: Lance Ball,

who gained 96 yards on 30 carries against the Chiefs, and Jeremiah Johnson, who was signed off the practice squad Monday. McGahee is the only Denver player listed as questionable for tonight's game.

Royal's new role.

For an option offense to be successful, it needs more than a dual- threat quarterback. A wide receiver-running back who can dash through and around the defensive front helps too.

When Tim Tebow was starring for the Florida Gators, that player was Percy Harvin, now a Minnesota Vikings wideout. The Broncos are trying to turn Eddie Royal into a similar type of flanker.

Royal had three carries Sunday at Kansas City, including one that gained 11 yards on a true triple-option play.

"You have to have faith that it's going to work," he said.

Denver's new-look offense has been a significant change for Royal and the team's other wide receivers.

"Every play, you have to hit your block," Royal said. "It's definitely different."

Practice for Prater.

Matt Prater has made only 1-of-5 field-goal attempts from 40-49 yards this season.

Prater has a missed attempt in each of the past two games, so the Broncos are addressing his slump.

Fox had Prater attempt six field goals in front of the full team this week, including three from 40-49 yards.

Prater went 6-for-6.

Mark this down.

After beating the Chiefs 17-10, the Broncos were back in Denver on Sunday night in time to watch the Jets play against New England at the Meadowlands.

What the Denver defensive players and coaches saw was a blueprint for how to rattle Jets quarterback Mark San- chez. The Patriots, who had an anemic pass rush entering the game, sacked Sanchez five times and gained control of the AFC East with a 37-16 rout.

Denver's defense has produced 12 sacks in the past four games and has 24 sacks overall, one more than the team's total in 2011.

"I think we've done a better job over the last couple of weeks of really putting some pressure on the quarterback. I think the health of our players has obviously been a factor in that," defensive coordinator Dennis Allen said. "This week, we're going to have to stop the run to earn the right to rush the passer and see if we can affect him."

Tomlinson out.

Jets running back LaDainian Tomlinson will miss tonight's game because of a knee injury.

"He was kind of their third- down back and the guy that helped them as far as protections, and then out of the backfield he's always been a special guy," Allen said. "I think it affects the offense, but we've got to prepare for a system and I think they'll still do a lot of the things they've been doing."

Lindsay H. Jones, The Denver Post

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Broncos had better hope their much-improved running game shines in prime time

By Jeff Legwold

The Denver Post

Posted: 11/17/2011 01:00:00 AM MST

The Broncos' running game was unimpressive the last time they played in prime time. That was their season opener, a 23-20 loss to Oakland on "Monday Night Football." Denver rushed for only 35 yards against the Raiders.

With the Broncos back in prime time for a home game against the Jets, they have a different starting quarterback and a much-improved ground game.

The Broncos (4-5) have won three of their last four games with Tim Tebow at quarterback. They have rushed for 177, 195, 299 and 244 yards in those four games. To keep that momentum going against the Jets, the Broncos must:

• 
  
• Stop the run. Denver's pass rush is having a lot of success. But first-year defensive coordinator Dennis Allen says the Broncos
  
  have to "earn the right to rush the quarterback." To do that, they will have to get the Jets out of their run-first mode by forcing them into situations where they have to pass.
  
• 
  The Jets run the ball about 53 percent of the time on first-and-10 plays. That's higher than most NFL teams in these pass-happy times. Green Bay, the defending league champion, runs the ball only 47 percent of the time on first-and-10 plays. And the Jets run the ball 70 percent of the time on second-and-5 plays, so it's clear which direction they would like to go.
  
• 
  
• Find Keller. Jets tight end Dustin Keller is tied for the team lead with 31 catches and leads the team with 473 receiving yards. Keller had three catches for 75 yards last season against the Broncos, including a 41-yard gain.
  
• 
  Linebacker Wesley Woodyard, one of the key players in the Broncos' pass coverages, didn't play Sunday at Kansas City because of a sore knee but is expected to play against the Jets.
  
• 
  
• Protect Tebow. Denver's offensive line needs to play well against an aggressive Jets defense.
  
• 
  The Jets were blown out 37-16 at home Sunday by Tom Brady and the Patriots, so they will come to Denver in a bad mood — especially on defense. If the Broncos' running game sputters, Tebow figures to be less effective throwing the ball.
  
• 
  
• Be ready to adjust their game plan. The Broncos have been living the good life by springing Tebow and their newly crafted playbook on unsuspecting defenses. But if their option offense turns out not to be an option, and if they have to play from behind against a strong defense intent on throwing the quarterback to the ground, the Broncos had better have a backup plan.
  
• 
  Jeff Legwold: 303-954-2359 or jlegwold@denverpost.com
  

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Five things to watch during the Broncos vs. Jets game

Kickoff begins at 6:20 p.m.on Thursday

By The Denver Post

Posted: 11/17/2011 01:00:00 AM MST

: Shonn Greene #23 of the New York Jets rushes against the San Diego Chargers at MetLife Stadium on October 23, 2011 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Getty Images North America | Nick Laham)

The Denver Post's NFL reporters post analysis, notes and more on this blog dedicated to the Denver Broncos​.

1

Jets' defense won't be bullied or bulldozed

Week 5 of the Tim Tebow​ Experience is underway. In their last two games, each a road win, the Broncos stunned the Raiders with the read-option offense and bulldozed the Chiefs by adding the triple option to the playbook. The Jets have one of the NFL's most aggressive defenses, one still willing to take chances in this age of playing the percentages. The Jets will attack the line of scrimmage more than any other team Tebow has faced, so the Broncos will have to adjust.

2

Broncos must be able to change the play

Count on Tebow being tested tonight in the seconds just before the snap. The Jets' defensive front is an ever-changing

collection of looks, with players jumping in and out of the pass rush in a variety of ways. Jets coach Rex Ryan​ simply calls it a "multiple" approach. Tebow needs to get the Broncos into good plays with line-of-scrimmage calls and get them out of bad ones. If the Broncos are going to stay with the play they broke the huddle with, it figures to be a long night.

3

Jets going Greene on the ground

The Jets started slowly in their running game this season but have created significantly more room to run in recent weeks. Running back Shonn Greene has averaged 5.6, 4.0 and 4.7 yards per carry in his last three games. The Jets like to play out of a two-back formation, and when things are going well, they're willing to pound away at the defensive front in most down-and-distance situations. Denver's defensive tackles, as well as middle linebacker Joe Mays, will need to hold their ground at the line of scrimmage.

4

Broncos must turn up the heat on Sanchez

Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez​ has taken a lot of heat this season, and Ryan routinely gets peppered with questions about whether the third-year pro from Southern California has regressed. Look for the defensively improving Broncos to give San- chez a steady diet of zone coverages to decipher, especially with the underneath routes, to go with plenty of pressure up the middle. Sanchez has made some mistakes, including Sunday night's blowout loss to the Patriots, when he doesn't locate the linebackers dropping into the passing lanes — most notably if the pass rush can make him feel uncomfortable in the pocket.

5

Broncos looking for third straight win

The Broncos, after almost two years of trying, finally won back-to-back games with their road wins over Oakland and Kansas City the last two weeks. Beating the Jets tonight would give the Broncos a three-game winning streak for the first time since that 6-0 start in Josh McDaniels​' first season in Denver. The Broncos haven't beaten a team outside the AFC West that has a winning record since Week 2 against the Bengals. That was before Denver switched quarterbacks. Last season, the Broncos had no wins against teams outside the AFC West that finished with a winning record.

The game plan

When the Broncos run

The Broncos kept Willis McGahee​ out of the final three quarters of the win over Kansas City because he suffered a hamstring injury, and they hoped he could be ready, on a short week, for this game. Should McGahee not be at full strength, the Broncos will miss his size and speed against a physical defense. It also would put a lot of the Broncos' run-game responsibilities on Tim Tebow's shoulders against a Jets defense that would be looking at him as the first option. Edge: Broncos

When the Jets run

The Jets are predominantly a right-handed team on the ground, with 69 percent of their rushing attempts having gone over the center or to the offensive right. That's a traditional look and means an awful lot of action will be headed Brodrick Bunkley​'s and Robert Ayers' way. It's also something for strongside linebacker Von Miller, who leads the team in sacks, to consider, since he will be a run-first defender far more in this game than in any other game this season. Edge: Jets

When the Broncos pass

Tebow is sitting at a 44.8 percent completion rate — worst among NFL starters — with the best secondary he has faced as a starter coming at him. The Patriots often bunched receivers on the same side of the formation to push Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis​ off the line of scrimmage, so that's something the Broncos could do to give Tebow a little more room to make safe throws, especially early. But Tebow simply has to take care of the ball. Although the overall numbers for the Jets' defense are not what people expected this season, New York still has 13 interceptions. Edge: Jets

When the Jets pass

The Jets have four players with at least 25 receptions — wide receivers Santonio Holmes​ and Plaxico Burress​, tight end Dustin Keller​ and running back LaDainian Tomlinson​. Of the four, Mark Sanchez is always looking for the 6-foot-5 Burress in the scoring zone and for Keller to get him out of trouble. The Patriots tried to knock Keller out of his routes right off the line of scrimmage, and that seemed to put the Jets' passing game out of sorts at times. Defenses have gotten to Sanchez, who will hold the ball on occasion, and he has been sacked at least three times in three games this season, eight times in the last three combined. Edge: Jets

Special teams

The potential for somebody to tip the game here rests with the Jets' Joe McKnight​, who has returned a kickoff for a touchdown this season, and with the Broncos' Eric Decker​ and Eddie Royal​, who have returned punts for TDs this season. In last year's meeting, Broncos kicker Matt Prater​ made field goals of 59 and 48 yards in what was a 24-20 win by the Jets in Denver. Edge: Broncos

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Krieger: Broncos' D key to giving offense time

By Dave Krieger

Denver Post Columnist

Posted: 11/17/2011 01:00:00 AM MST

For all the local and national fascination with Tim Tebow​ and the Broncos' counterrevolutionary attack, neither Tebow nor anybody else on the offensive unit is the most important factor in its success.

That distinction belongs to the largely anonymous guys on the other side of the ball.

If your run-pass ratio is 55-to-8, as it was last week, or even 38-22, as it was the week before, you'd better not fall behind by too much.

So, while much of the attention in tonight's game against the Jets will be on the Broncos' Paleozoic offense, the matchup more likely to determine the outcome will be Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez​, who inspires controversy of his own, against the Broncos' defense. If the Jets get out to an early

14-point lead, Denver's playbook is likely to be exposed.

"We got to do a great job early in the game of giving our offense the time to get some points on the board where now we can really be a ball- control offense and those guys don't have to come from behind," defensive coordinator Dennis Allen said Wednesday.

"So that's critical for us, just like it always is. We've got to make sure we get off to a fast start and play good early, and hopefully we can get out to a lead."

When an offense wants to get out fast, its coaches spend all week scripting early plays. But what's the defensive equivalent?

"You've got to understand what the offense is going to do," Allen said. "You've got to be well-prepared and be ready to go when the game starts. Like we talk about every week, we want to play fast and physical and we want to be emotional about it and we've got to be that way early in the game."

Despite the magazine photo shoots showered on Sanchez since the Jets made him the fifth pick in 2009 and brought his nascent Southern California star power to the country's biggest media market, he has been a pretty prosaic quarterback so far.

This year he ranks 18th among NFL starting quarterbacks, pretty much the definition of mediocrity.

The Jets' offense ranks just behind the Broncos in total yardage. The Jets' passing game ranks 20th.

When called upon to keep up with New England's Tom Brady​ in a shootout Sunday night, Sanchez couldn't do it. Brady threw for three touchdowns, Sanchez threw one touchdown pass and two interceptions. This produced the usual question in New York: Is he really all that?

"At this point we're 5-4, so that's how I'd grade myself," was how Sanchez answered it.

"I think Mark's a winner, and we've won a lot of games," Jets coach Rex Ryan​ said in defense of his quarterback. "Have we won the big one yet? No. We haven't won the big one yet. I think if we do, then maybe everybody will look at Mark in a different light.

"But I think he's a terrific quarterback. The thing that you're excited about is when you get that right, when you draft the right guy to lead your franchise, that usually is a good sign for you for 10 years.

And I think we have the right guy."

The Broncos rank 19th in pass defense, but they've been better lately. Led by rookie Von Miller's eight quarterback sacks, they rank ninth with 24. If they can put Sanchez in obvious passing situations, the Broncos have a chance to expose him.

"I think we've done a better job over the last couple weeks of really putting some pressure on the quarterback and getting to the quarterback," said Allen, who takes some of his defensive concepts from the Ryan lineage, passed down from Rex's father, Buddy, to Jeff Fisher​ and Gregg Williams​, under whom Allen coached in New Orleans.

"I think the health of our players has obviously been a big factor in that. But again, especially this week, we're going to have to stop the run to earn the right to rush the passer and then see if we can affect him."

Tebow remains an object of fascination across the country. But the Broncos can only let him operate their new collegiate-style attack if the score lets them. To pull the upset tonight, Allen's troops will have to keep them in position to make it happen.

Dave Krieger: 303-954-5297, dkrieger@denverpost.com

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Broncos' Tim Tebow gives Jets a challenge just a few days after loss to Tom Brady's Patriots

Published: Thursday, November 17, 2011, 4:00 AM Updated: Thursday, November 17, 2011, 10:12 AM

By Jenny Vrentas/The Star-Ledger

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John Rieger/US PresswireQuarterback Tim Tebow and the 4-5 Denver Broncos host the 5-4 Jets tonight.

Even before the Jets fell to the New England Patriots on Sunday night, the coaching staff was making provisions for tonight’s game in Denver.

The turnaround would be just four days. Assistant secondary coach Jim O’Neil was among those who planned to sneak back to the facility between the Sunday morning walk-through and the night game for a few hours of Broncos scouting. To craft the game plan, many coaches were counting on an all-nighter Monday night into Tuesday.

Especially on defense, the challenge loomed large: Shift from a scheme for New England’s matchup-driven, pass-heavy offense to one for a college-style option attack run through Denver’s Tim Tebow.

“We couldn’t have gotten a worse offense as far as being different,” O’Neil said. “What you usually like to do, is whatever you didn’t call that was in your game plan, you like to just carry over on a short week. But we won’t be able to do that. This is one of those deals where you’ll get to sleep on the plane.”

The Jets hope the result of this week’s labor is a formula that stops a Broncos offense that has been 3-1 this season with Tebow as the starter. Coach Rex Ryan said the Jets did not go back to the second-year quarterback’s college film at Florida, but have broken down his preseason and regular-season games for Denver.

The pitfall, Ryan added, is that “we don’t really know what they’re going to do” because the Broncos are “multiple.” In a loss to the Lions, Tebow passed 39 times and the team ran 30. Then last week, Denver beat the Chiefs with just eight pass attempts and 55 runs for 244 rushing yards.

There also isn’t much of an NFL precedent for Denver’s option-style system. Michael Vick ran some read-option plays during his time in Atlanta, Ryan said, but Tebow is a different player. Miami relied on the Wildcat in 2008, but Ronnie Brown couldn’t throw like Tebow can.

“The best way I can sort it out is let the linebackers and the defensive line take care of Tebow and the running game and the options,” cornerback Darrelle Revis said. “And us (in the secondary) just not fall asleep. I think that’s the only way.”

The Broncos’ game plan last week was certainly an NFL anomaly. Tebow attempted eight passes, completing two, and ran nine times — the first player since Buffalo’s Joe Ferguson in 1974 to attempt all of his team’s passes and have more rush attempts than passes, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

Denver put together an eight-play, 57-yard touchdown drive on its opening possession without passing once. By the time Tebow completed his first pass, with less than four minutes remaining in the third quarter, his team had rushed for 189 yards, 98 from read-option plays, per the CBS broadcast.

The Broncos run a handful of option varieties, Ryan said — read options, load options and speed options — all of which derive from the central principle that the quarterback must read the defense and either keep the ball or pitch it to another ballcarrier. Last week, six different players contributed double-digit rushing yards for the Broncos.

They have run out of unconventional formations, like an empty set, and on traditional passing downs, such as third-and-9, which can be confusing. Ryan said no matter what the Jets see, their approach will be to assume the Broncos are running, and defend the pass after that.

For that reason, nose tackle Sione Pouha said “the world falls on me and (Mike) DeVito,” his fellow run-stopping force on the front line.

But while Revis admitted “it can get boring” for defensive backs against an offense that runs and runs, he knows they carry a key role, too. He did not reveal if he would be matched up on Eric Decker or Eddie Royal (he called Decker the Broncos’ best receiver) but has studied the opponent’s penchant for double moves, trick plays and especially deep balls.

When Tebow did throw against Kansas City last Sunday, he launched bombs: four of his eight passes traveled 35 yards or more in the air. Only one of those four was complete, a 56-yard touchdown to Decker that Revis said came off a double move. The defensive backs have to mind their responsibilities, only reacting to the run when they see Tebow or another ballcarrier hitting the hole.

“The thing with (Tebow) is you have to stay disciplined,” safety Jim Leonhard said. “Because as inconsistent as he is throwing the football, all of a sudden he’ll make a throw where you look at it and go, ‘Wow, that was impressive.’ And for the most part, those throws have been touchdowns.

They’re a big-play, fast-strike offense when you throw the ball down the field, so you have to stay honest with your eyes and play good technique, or else they’re going to hurt you.”

Ryan thought the Jets may have benefitted from practicing in the past against former teammate Brad Smith, a college quarterback who ran the Wildcat offense for them. In practice this week, lefty backup QB Mark Brunell — who actually ran for 480 yards at a clip of 7.2 yards per carry as a young quarterback in Jacksonville in 1995 — mimicked Tebow on the scout team.

But Tebow brings another element: He is 6-3, 236 pounds and willing to run over defenders, more like a fullback than a usual mobile quarterback, in Leonhard’s estimation.

Revis candidly said he does not think Tebow can have success with the option offense in the NFL long-term, because opponents will figure it out. He cited Vick and Tennessee’s Chris Johnson as a rare pair of players who might have the speed to pull it off at this level.

But the Jets certainly don’t want to be the latest team to fall victim to this highly scrutinized approach the Broncos are riding. Their defensive blueprint comes down to basics: assignment football, with each player staying focused on his man and tackling well.

“This is a simpler game plan than we had playing New England,” Revis said. “This is more of us just focusing on our keys, and making sure we just dominate our guy who we are watching.”

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

Jenny Vrentas: jvrentas@starledger.com

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Jets Gameday: Denver Broncos host Jets

Published: Thursday, November 17, 2011, 4:00 AM

By Conor Orr/The Star-Ledger

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Jeff Zelevansky/Getty ImagesJets defensive linemen Sione Pouha and Muhammad Wilkerson are key in stopping Tim Tebow and the Denver Bronco's offense tonight.

Jets (5-4) at Denver Broncos (4-5)

Week 11

Today, 8:20 p.m.

Sports Authority Field at Mile High, Denver

TV: NFL Network

Radio: ESPN 1050-AM

THIS WEEK’S GAME REVOLVES AROUND ...

The Jets' defensive line

If you subtract the Detroit Lions game — the only one Tim Tebow lost as the Broncos' starter this season — Denver’s rushing numbers have been absolutely staggering since the shift from Kyle Orton. Against the Miami Dolphins in Week 7, Denver had 40 attempts for 177 yards. Against the Oakland Raiders in Week 9, they ran the ball 39 times for 299 yards and two touchdowns. Against the Kansas City Chiefs last Sunday, Denver ran the ball 55 times for 244 yards and a touchdown.

Over the last five games, the Broncos have 1,077 yards, the highest in team history over that period of time and have jumped from No. 25 in the NFL in rushing to No. 2. It’s fairly obvious Tebow will not test the Jets' secondary in the way Tom Brady or Philip Rivers did. Darrelle Revis said the biggest challenge facing the Jets DBs will be making sure they don’t fall asleep. Which leads us to Sione Pouha, Muhammad Wilkerson, Mike DeVito and Co. The best way to stop the Tebow-cat-spread-option-Wing T (or whatever you want to call it) offense will be to get pressure in the backfield and force the young quarterback to beat the Jets with his arm. If they can give the Denver offensive line some problems, the Jets linebackers will have more freedom to follow the ball and make plays, and the delayed handoffs, zone reads and quarterback draws will have less of an opportunity to get rolling.

THE SAVVY FAN IS WATCHING ...

Tim Tebow

And why wouldn’t you? He’s been the most curious and confounding NFL quarterback to play the game in decades and, since taking over as a starter, has gone 3-1. He has the size of a fullback, the height of a tight end and the arm of a seasoned backup, all making for a pull-your-hair-out game plan the Jets will unveil tonight.

PAST MEETINGS

1. Oct. 24, 2010 at Denver. Jets 24, Broncos 20.

2. Nov. 30, 2008. Broncos 34, Jets 17.

3. Nov. 20, 2005 at Denver. Broncos 27, Jets 0.

4. Dec. 8, 2002. Jets 19, Broncos 13.

5. Nov. 5, 2000. Broncos 30, Jets 23.

6. Oct. 3, 1999 at Denver. Jets 21, Broncos 13.

7. Jan. 17, 1998 at Denver. Broncos 23, Jets 10.

8. Sept. 1, 1996 at Denver. Broncos 31, Jets 6.

9. Sept. 11, 1994. Jets 25, Broncos 22 (OT)

10. Sept. 5, 1993. Broncos 26, Jets 20.

Remember when ...

The Broncos beat the Jets in the AFC Championship Game in 1998? Behind John Elway and Terrell Davis, the unstoppable Broncos beat the Jets at Mile High Stadium, 23-10, to reach (and win) their second Super Bowl in as many years. On that afternoon, with 20 mph winds and a wind chill of 27, the Jets went up 10-0 on a 1-yard Curtis Martin touchdown in the third quarter before the power of Mike Shanahan’s offense unleashed itself against a Jets defense that didn’t know what hit them.

WHAT THE BRONCOS DON’T WANT THE JETS TO KNOW

1. Their defense is ready for the spotlight

For all the talk about the polarizing Tebow, the Broncos defense has made strides this season, allowing just one team, the Chiefs, to run for more than 115 yards since Oct. 23. Von Miller, Denver’s stellar first-year linebacker, leads all rookies with eight sacks (51 total yards lost).

Defensive end Elvis Dumervil is ninth in the league in sacks per game (.66) and the tandem of veteran DBs Brian Dawkins and Champ Bailey continue to produce in the passing game. Since the start of November, the Broncos have allowed just 16 points per game — part confidence and part understanding that, with an offense in flux, it needs to be the team’s strength.

"We know we have to help our offense till they get going," Bailey told the Denver Post last week.

"They are going to make some plays, but we’ve got to carry a heavier load."

2. They have just as much reason to compete

Heading into tonight’s game, the AFC West is as convoluted as any division in football. The Broncos (4-5) are in a three-way tie for second place with Chiefs and San Diego Charges, and are a game back of the first-place Raiders, a team they clobbered two weeks ago, 38-24. Their team makeup, a collection of second-chance veterans and a quarterback known for his gamesmanship, makes them all the more dangerous at this point and just as hungry as the Jets for another victory. A few weeks ago, this was a team that a few considered a good candidate in the race for Andrew Luck. With that possibility largely out the window, why not push for the playoffs?

3. They’re a little thin at running back

Now that Knowshon Moreno is done for the season with a knee injury and Willis McGahee remains a question mark with hamstring issues, the Broncos have themselves a bit of a problem: How does one propel a run-first offense without a premiere running back? If McGahee cannot go, Lance Ball, a 26-year-old Teaneck native, will have to carry the load supplemented by Jeremiah Johnson, a second-year player from Oregon signed off the team’s practice squad. So much of Denver’s success has been weighted on McGahee, who averages 5 yards per carry and is in the midst of one of his finest seasons in the NFL at age 30. Without him, it would be difficult to see teams biting as much on run fakes, swaying their focus squarely on Tebow.

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November 17, 2011, 6:00 am

Week 11 N.F.L. Game Probabilities, and the Tebow Factor

By BRIAN BURKE

Tim Tebow is breaking the game probability model. How can a quarterback lead his team to victory while going 2 for 8, for 69 total passing yards? It’s widely accepted that passing efficiency is the main driver of team success, but what if an astounding 8.6 yards per attempt comes on only two completions?

Tebow is 3-1 as a starter this season. So how is he doing it? Is it with his arm, his called runs, or his scrambles? It’s none of the above. It’s with defense and special teams.

At my Web site, I rely on two statistics to parse apart each player’s contribution to game outcomes.

Win Probability Added (WPA) measures how much a player’s direct participation changed his team’s chances of winning the game. Expected Points Added (EPA) measures a player’s impact on the net score difference. One of the advantages of stats like WPA and EPA is that they are agnostic as to whether a play was a pass or run, or any other type of play. This allows us to measure the total contribution of a player in a single number.

Tebow is decidedly negative in both of those stats for the full season (-0.35 WPA and -13.3 EPA), but fortunately for the Broncos, the vast majority of the damage was confined to a single game: his second start in a game against the Lions. A closer look at his numbers indicates he has performed modestly well in his other three starts.

Against Miami, Tebow performed poorly until the last few minutes of regulation, when he rallied the Broncos to tie the game. His last-minute heroics may have been thrilling, but they were needed only because of the hole he had put his team in to that point. The game was ultimately won thanks to a Dolphins fumble and a 52-yard Matt Prater field goal.

The thriller against Oakland unfolded in much the same way. Carson Palmer threw three interceptions. Running back Willis McGahee tied the game with a 60-yard touchdown run at the end of the third quarter and totaled 0.30 WPA and 4.6 EPA. The Broncos took the lead for good on an Eddie Royal 80-yard punt return for a touchdown. Tebow played fairly well in his own right. He totaled 4.6 EPA and -0.03 WPA, threw no interceptions and gave up only two sacks.

Last Sunday’s victory over the Chiefs was mostly a defensive victory. Matt Cassel was held to 2.4 yards per attempt and was sacked four times. The Broncos’ defense held the Chiefs to 10 points, 7 really if we don’t count a pointless field goal in the final seconds. Tebow made a big impact in this game, as one of his two completions was a 56-yard touchdown pass.

In the three victories, Tebow totaled 0.03 WPA and 9.3 EPA, both of which are slightly above average. In other words, he helped more than hurt his team, but only barely. The Broncos’ running game, excluding Tebow, totaled 1.67 WPA and -0.1 EPA in those same games. (When the WPA and EPA are largely split like this, it indicates over-performance in game-changing clutch situations.) The Broncos’ defense was responsible for 0.72 WPA and 11.5 EPA in the three wins.

I suspect Tim Tebow’s outing tonight against the Jets’ defense will resemble his struggle against the Lions more than his three wins as a starter. Here are the game probabilities for Week 11. (For more on the prediction model and its accuracy, see this post.)

Pwin GAME Pwin

0.58 NY Jets at Denver 0.42

0.08 Tampa Bay at Green Bay 0.92

0.21 Carolina at Detroit 0.79

0.41 Jacksonville at Cleveland 0.59

0.62 Oakland at Minnesota 0.38

0.51 Buffalo at Miami 0.49

0.68 Dallas at Washington 0.32

0.28 Cincinnati at Baltimore 0.72 0.21 Arizona at San Francisco 0.79

0.37 Seattle at St. Louis 0.63

0.44 Tennessee at Atlanta 0.56

0.31 San Diego at Chicago 0.69

0.37 Philadelphia at NY Giants 0.63

0.08 Kansas City at New England 0.92

Brian Burke, a former Navy pilot who has taken up the less dangerous hobby of N.F.L. statistical analysis, operates Advanced NFL Stats, a blog about football, math and human behavior.

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Jets Set Their Jaws for a Mile-High Challenge

By Eric Allen

Posted 3 hours ago

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The Jets were a deflated bunch in their locker room early Monday morning, but they have to be up this evening in Denver as they face off against the Broncos. After an extremely short week of preparation and a four-plus-hour plane trip to the Mountain West, they’ll attempt to regain their swagger one mile above sea level.‬

“These are games that if you win, you feel great that they’re on your schedule. If you lose, then it was terrible,” said head coach Rex Ryan of the challenging turnaround following the 37-16 loss to the Patriots in Week 10. “The main thing is you have to find a way to win and obviously it’s going to be a big challenge.”‬

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Days after struggling against one of the best pure passers in NFL history, the Jets will encounter a quarterback who does most of his damage on the ground. Tim Tebow is no Tom Brady, but he’s found a way to win three of his four starts since taking over the offensive controls in Week 7.‬

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“This team is hot. They’ve won three out of their last four games,” said Ryan. “They’re feeling pretty good about themselves without question. They have the ability to run the football and they’re playing really well on defense.”‬

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The Broncos have implemented an offensive system featuring read and triple options — plays that football fans are more accustomed to seeing on Saturday afternoons. Tebow is completing just 44.8 percent of his passes, but he's averaging 6.7 yards a carry.‬

Unconventional, Yet Effective

“He’s 3-1 as a starter, he’s winning football games. Maybe for the NFL he’s a little unconventional, but he’s getting the job done,” said Jets backup QB Mark Brunell, the 19-year vet who played Tebow for the Jets' first defense in practice this week. “He’s doing what they’re asking him to do and the defense is playing great. How can you argue with success? They’re winning football games and they feel very good about where they’re at right now.”‬

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Defensively the Jets talked all week about playing assignment football. They’re going to stack the box and dare this less-than-precision passer to beat them down the field. If Tebow throws the ball a lot, the visitors will be almost impossible to beat.‬

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“It’s important for you to do your job, but it’s equally important for you to trust that the man next to you is doing their job, too,” said NT Sione Pouha. “Everyone has a role.”‬‪

The role of Mark Sanchez will be to rebound against a Broncos team that is surrendering 26 points a game. He didn’t concern himself with the Tebow hype before the team departed for Denver on Wednesday.

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“He’s doing a great job, but that’s the last thing on my mind,” Sanchez said. “Their defense is tough and they have a lot of veteran leadership. They disguise a lot of looks. If any team is going to be ready to play on a short week, it will be them.”‬

"Frustrating ... Personal"

After yielding five sacks to the Pats, including 4.5 to Andre Carter, the Jets have to protect better against a Broncos team that ranks ninth in the NFL with 24 sacks. While Elvis Dumervil has just a pair of sacks, rookie OLB Von Miller has flourished in the spotlight with eight sacks and two forced fumbles.‬

Turnovers converted a close battle between the Jets and the Patriots into a rout. Sanchez was intercepted twice and if you add a muffed punt return into the mix, the miscues led to 17 second-half Patriots points.

“You don’t like losing, you don’t like playing poorly, and you don’t like not playing well enough for your team to win,” said the third-year QB. “That’s frustrating, it’s personal. You want to go out and put your team in the right position. At times I did and at times I didn’t, so it was just inconsistent.

That’s the biggest thing.”‬

The Jets have run the ball well over the last five games as Shonn Greene has averaged 4.4 yards a carry. Greene can be a key road factor this evening, keeping those pass rushers honest and setting up Sanchez to make plays down the field. A lot of wounds against the Pats were self-inflicted and the Jets need better consistency.‬

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“On second down we were just awful," Sanchez said. "Our big push was to be good on first down.

Well, that’s great. You get 6 yards on first down, well, you can’t take a sack on second down and bring it back to third-and-11, third-and-14. Then we get a penalty on a pushoff on Plax. It was like,

‘Man we can’t get out of it.’ ”‬

Sunday's Past, Thursday's Now

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There’s nothing the Jets can do about that contest anymore. The best thing they can do in Week 11 is get a lead, tee off on Tebow and give Bronco Nation a reason to go home early.

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“We’re in it to win it,” Pouha said. “Obviously it was a disappointing one on Sunday, but the fact of the matter is we have a game on Thursday.”‬

If the Jets are able to move to 6-4, the road ahead doesn’t appear loaded with potholes. The Bills have lost two in a row, the Redskins have dropped five straight, and the Chiefs have lost back-to-back contests and are down to their backup quarterback.‬

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Seven one-game seasons remain and the Jets are far from out of it.‬

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“We’ll get better, I’ll be more accurate, and we’ll be ready to play,” said Sanchez.

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Inside the Jets-Broncos matchup

November, 17, 2011

Nov 17

9:48

AM ET

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By Rich Cimini

DENVER -- It'll be a perfect night for football -- no rain in the forecast, temperatures a chilly 44 degrees. The question is, will it be a night of perfect football?

Here's an in-depth look at Jets-Broncos, with help from ESPN Stats & Information (some Denver nuggets, if you will):

DENVER HEAT: Everybody has been focusing on Tim Tebow and the Broncos' unconventional offense, but the Jets can't sleep on the defense (not a shot at Darrelle Revis). The Broncos are a pressure defense. LG Matt Slauson told me the offensive line studied tape of the pressure schemes, and "it seemed like the pressure tape went on forever."

The Broncos have rushed five or more 149 times, the fourth-highest total in the league -- and 46 percent of their pass plays. They've recorded 14 sacks with 5+ rushes, although it has left them vulnerable on the back end -- six TD passes, only one INT. Their edge rushers are rookie Von Miller (eight sacks) and Elvis Dumervil (four sacks, all in the last three games).

SANCHEZ VS. PRESSURE: For all his recent hiccups, QB Mark Sanchez isn't half-bad against extra pressure. His problem has been the standard pass rush (four or fewer rushers). He has completed only 57.3 percent, better than only one QB -- Jaguars rookie Blaine Gabbert (50.0). Sanchez has throw eight of his nine interceptions against standard rushes, an indication that his problems stem from dealing with coverage.

SOMETHING'S GOTTA GIVE: The Broncos used to be a really good home team. Those days are gone. They've lost four of their last five at home, and they've gone 5-12 dating to Week 9 of the 2009 season. Only the Dolphins have been worse over that span.

Thing is, the Jets haven't been a good road team -- 1-4, although they're riding a one-game winning streak (Buffalo).

STOPPING TEBOW & CO.: This is a no-brainer: The game falls on the Jets' ability to stop Tebow and the Broncos' second-ranked rushing offense from running all over the place. If the Broncos are smart, they'll run left.

While the Jets' overall rush defense has been fairly solid (4.0 per carry, ninth-best in the league), they've been getting gashed on runs to their right side (the offense's left). It's hard to pin that on one or two players because the Jets adjust their personnel based on the strength of the offensive formation -- in other words, they flip flop -- but it's certainly an indictment of the DEs and OLBs. No doubt, the loss of OLB Bryan Thomas has hurt a lot. They haven't found a replacement for him, and now they're trying Garrett McIntyre in the base.

Here's a breakdown of the Jets' rush defense by direction:

Category -- Left -- Middle -- Right

Yds/rush ..... 5.41 ... 3.77 ... 3.19

20-yd rush ... 5 ....... 1 ......... 0

TD .................. 5 ........ 2 ....... 2

AIR TEBOW: Tebow doesn't throw a lot, but when he does, he's looking for the home run. He leads the league in average air yards per pass (minimum: 100 attempts), including a mind-blowing average of 20.0 on eight pass attempts last week against the Chiefs (he connected only twice. Revis is right; they'd better not fall asleep in the secondary.

Leaders in average air yards

Tim Tebow ....... 13.0

Cam Newton ..... 10.0

Christian Ponder.. 10.0

Eli Manning ....... 9.9

Jason Campbell . . 9.8

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Broncos vs. Jets: Series History

November 17th, 2011 - 8:19am by Stuart Zaas

The Broncos will host the New York Jets in a primetime matchup on Thursday night on NFL Network. It marks the second consecutive season that the Jets have traveled to Denver and the 33rd regular-season meeting between the clubs. The Jets narrowly edge the Broncos 24-20 last season.

Denver leads the all-time series 16-15-1, with a 9-8 advantage in the Mile High City.

The teams have met once in the postseason, with the Broncos earning a 23-10 victory in the AFC Championship game on Jan. 17, 1998. Denver would go on to win Super Bowl XXXII the next week.

Notable performances against the Jets:

• RB Willis McGahee: In eight career games against the Jets, McGahee is averaging 100 rushing yards per game. He has topped the 100-yard rushing mark five times against the Jets — the most 100-yard games he has recorded against any opponent.
  
• CB Champ Bailey: Has registered one interception along with four pass breakups and one forced fumble in his career against the Jets.
  
• DE Elvis Dumervil: Posted one sack and a forced fumble in his only career game against the Jets (10/30/08).
  
• CB Andre’ Goodman: Picked off two passes and forced a fumble against the Jets on Dec. 28, 2008 while playing for the Dolphins.
  
• DE Jason Hunter: Recorded his first career interception in last season’s game against the Jets and returned it 14 yards.
  

Denver-New York Jets Roster Connections

Some interesting roster connections between the Broncos and Jets courtesy of research done by Public Relations Intern Cydney Ricker:

• Jets wide receiver Eron Riley started the season on the Broncos practice squad before New York signed him to its active roster on Oct. 19.
  
• Broncos running back Willis McGahee and wide receiver Eron Riley played for Baltimore while Jets Head Coach Rex Ryan, Defensive Coordinator Mike Pettine, linebacker Bart Scott and safety Jim Leonhard were with the Ravens.
  
• Jets Running Backs Coach Anthony Lynn was a running back for the Broncos in 1993 and returned to Denver for the 1997-99 seasons. He later rejoined the franchise as a coach from 2000-02 as an offensive assistant/assistant special teams coach.
  

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Jets Cornerback Improves With Help From Revis

Ben Solomon for The New York Times

Kyle Wilson intercepted the first pass of his career Oct. 23 in a 27-21 victory over San Diego.

By DAVE CALDWELL

Published: November 17, 2011

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — After dressing for practices in a lonely corner as a rookie, Kyle Wilson became Darrelle Revis’s neighbor in the Jets’ locker room this year, apparently because Revis insisted on it. Time to move onto the block, Revis told Wilson with a smile.

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Like Revis, Wilson is a cornerback who was a first-round draft pick. Unlike Revis, Wilson does not have http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-d-GgRX7wf8. Wilson, who grew up in Piscataway, N.J., but went to Boise State, struggled through his first N.F.L. season, even though the Jets had not counted on him much.

Much has been made — too much, perhaps — of the fact that Revis invited Wilson to work out with him for six weeks in the off-season in Phoenix. Revis said he was merely trying to help a teammate mature, as former teammates like David Barrett and Andre Dyson helped him.

“Just returning the favor by seeing the potential he has, what he can do,” Revis said recently.

The tutorials in Phoenix between Revis and Wilson were only one method Wilson was using to get better. He also worked out in the off-season with Mike Adams, a native of Paterson, N.J., who plays safety for the Cleveland Browns and is a friend of Wilson’s brother, Gerry.

Kyle Wilson also took notes in training camp — copious, precise notes — about playing his position.

His focus became more technical; he looked forward to what he needed to do the next play instead of fussing over what he had done the previous play.

“I think last year he would let bad plays bother him,” Mike Pettine, the Jets’ defensive coordinator, said this month. “I know much has been made that he spent a lot of time during the lockout with Darrelle. I think that’s helped him just more from the mental toughness part of it, but again, here’s a guy that, I think, has success that comes from preparation.”

Pettine added: “He takes great notes — very much into the details of the opponent. Really does a good job studying, and it obviously has carried over to the field.”

Wilson, 24, is now the Jets’ regular nickel back. He intercepted the first pass of his career Oct. 23 in a 27-21 victory over San Diego, one sign of progress. But another sign came in Sunday’s 37-16 loss to New England, when he let an interception slip through his hands.

“I had to laugh it off,” Wilson said Tuesday. “That happened kind of quick. That’s a play I can make, but not something I can harp on, or be down about. I just had to laugh it off. I know I can make that play. I want to make that play. Next time around, I will.”

Wilson is most often asked to defend a receiver who lines up in the slot, something Jets strong safety Jim Leonhard said was as “hard a job as it gets.” This is the area of the field where there is a lot of crisscrossing traffic and collisions, some intentional, some not.

Leonhard said Wilson was thrown into the situation as a rookie and, like most rookies, had to learn a new way of playing pass defense in a hurry. Highs and lows are pretty much part of the process of getting better, Leonhard said, but fans are not patient.

“But now, it’s not like he’s going onto the field, and there’s a call being made, and he’s saying, ‘Hey, I didn’t know that call was coming,’ ” Leonhard said. “He’s become a true professional who’s learned his craft.”

Revis was, and still is, a professor. But Wilson said he had picked up tips everywhere — from watching Revis and Adams; watching Antonio Cromartie, the Jets’ other starting cornerback; and watching film of other N.F.L. defensive backs.

“I do think it was a good experience to work with a veteran in the off-season, just to see how he prepares from a physical standpoint, a mental standpoint and a psychological standpoint,” Gerry Wilson said of his brother’s working out with Revis.

But he added: “I think training with Revis was helpful, and I don’t want to say it was blown out of proportion, but it did overshadow the other work and the preparation that Kyle put into it. It’s more pleasing to see him play to his potential than that he’s playing differently. It’s being more confident.”

Wilson is listed on the Jets’ depth chart as Revis’s backup. There are not many Jets fans who would like to think about losing Revis just so Wilson can play more. But Wilson said he was better prepared for any situation than he was last year.

Revis’s holdout for a new contract during training camp in 2010 may have hampered Wilson the most, since Wilson was unable to tap Revis for knowledge in Cortland, N.Y. Revis made up for it with the invitation to work out this year, but Wilson was already getting ready.

“I got a chance to see him,” Wilson said of Revis, “but I really didn’t get a chance to work out with him, do some drills with him, see some of the things he does well, up close and personal. He’s definitely at the top of his game. I would have learned earlier. Whenever he was here, I did the same thing. I learned as much as I could.”

But now they are together, next-door neighbors and running mates, and their teammates have apparently resisted the urge to tease Wilson about being Revis’s understudy, or protégé.

“We tease him about a lot of other things,” Leonhard said.

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Q&A with NFL Network's Mike Mayock

By Gray Caldwell

Posted 1 hour ago

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NFL Network's Mike Mayock sits down with DenverBroncos.com to discuss what he's looking for in Thursday's game, an under-the-radar Bronco and his thoughts on the AFC West race.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Mike Mayock made a name for himself serving as a draft expert for NFL Network.

Now the former standout defensive back at Boston College works in the booth for NFL Network's Thursday Night Football broadcasts. Watching film on the Broncos in the team's Dove Valley headquarters on Tuesday, Mayock took a break to sit down with DenverBroncos.com for a Q&A. He gives his thoughts about the New York Jets, Von Miller, Tim Tebow and how he sees a tightly contested AFC West shaking out this season.

For Broncos fans who aren't familiar, what should they expect from the New York Jets this Thursday?

"I think at this point New York is kind of going through a little bit of an identity crisis. That's what I've seen all year long from them. (Jets Head Coach) Rex (Ryan) has kind of made his bones with ground-and-pound -- being physical on both sides of the line of scrimmage. Yet you trade up into the top five to draft a quarterback. Two years in a row you go to the AFC Championship game and lose, and you expect that in year three the quarterback is going to take a quantum leap forward. So I think they want to throw the ball more, however, the quarterback's development may not warrant it.

They haven't run the ball as well, either, so offensively I think they're still kind of struggling a little bit to understand who they want to be.

"Defensively they've had some injuries. I thought they were playing better until New England came in the other night. I thought New England just did a great job staying with their game plan, spreading the field and letting Tom Brady make decisions. Once Tom Brady eliminated the turnovers, I think it was just a matter of time before they got down the field. That's what happened."

Does New York coming off a tough loss make it a better time for the Broncos to face them, or worse?

"I think anytime you get a cornered animal, it's a little tougher. Either way, the Jets are coming off a short week with a long trip, playing at altitude -- it's a difficult turnaround. However, when you throw in the loss and the way they lost, you're going to get their best effort. I'd much rather have them fat and lazy coming off a big win. They know they've got to grind out every single day from now to the end of the year."

Are there any matchups in particular within Thursday's game you'll be keeping a closer eye on?

"I'm sitting here watching the tape right now of your defense. What I'm fascinated by is not the ability of Von Miller, because you could see that coming out of college, but I really like the creative ways they use him to get him in one-on-one situations. In base personnel, he's a Sam linebacker. In nickel situations, he's a defensive end paired with (Elvis) Dumervil. When they get exotic, they do different things -- they can line him up on the inside as an inside linebacker coming through the A-gap. So I'm looking at all this stuff on tape and I'm just really fascinated by what they're trying to do to free this young man up on the defensive side.

"On the offensive side, I was at your Oakland game in person two weeks ago. I started laughing up in the press box watching the way I thought your coaches did a really great job of one, managing Tim Tebow and not allowing him to throw the ball on third-and-long and taking him out of dangerous situations for young quarterbacks, and two, scheming him in the run game. NFL defensive coordinators absolutely hate the option game. They don't usually have to deal with it. They can't stand it. I was home yesterday watching your tape this weekend, and when you combine what they did against Oakland when they went unbalanced to the field, ran the zone read back on the boundary, there was nobody within 20 yards of Tim Tebow in a black jersey. It was phenomenal.

Then last week they actually did a couple triple options. Everybody uses that term more often than they should -- everything's not a triple option. However, they brought Eddie Royal in motion, they ran zone reads -- it was a form of triple option and they got a 12-yard gain out of it.

"That's a long way of saying that on defense the way they're using Von Miller and on offense all the different ways that they're integrating the quarterback into the run game."

As part of NFL Network's draft coverage, has Miller's rookie year been what you expected it would be?

"I can't remember if I had him as the second- or third-best player in the country -- I had him in my top three or four players. It was easy to see him as a pass rusher. The question was could he hold up at the point of attack? How heavy is he? A lot of people thought he was going to 3-4 team to be an outside linebacker. The whole playing Sam in a 4-3, people were saying, 'I don't know if that's a great fit.' I think you have to give the Denver coaches credit, as I talked about, in finding creative ways to get him involved in the pass rush in almost every pass down."

How do you feel about Tebow's performances this season as a 3-1 starter?

"I think the Broncos coaching staff has done a great job of playing to his strengths. If you look around the league at Cam Newton, if you look in Cincinnati with (Andy) Dalton, the coaches are doing a better job than they ever have in the NFL of making young quarterbacks comfortable in the system. That's opposed to just saying, 'Hey, young quarterback, here's our playbook, you go learn it.' What they're doing is they're making the kid comfortable. Tebow is way more comfortable in a quarterback-run concept, where when he throws the ball it's either off heavy play-action or he's out on the edge where he's more comfortable with clear vision. So I credit the coaching staff for putting him in a position to be successful."

From watching film, is there anyone on the Broncos that has stood out to you that people might not be talking about?

"I'm fascinated by Chris Harris. I'm mad at myself. I made several phone calls this morning around the league trying to find out more about this kid, because he was way off radar screens. Matter of fact, he wasn't invited to the combine. I did no tape work on the kid whatsoever because he was not listed as a draftable player. So here he is out of nowhere, starting in the nickel package, making plays, prominent on special teams -- I couldn't be happier for this kid. I'm going to spend the next couple days trying to figure out who this kid is, why he didn't get drafted, what did I miss, what did other teams miss. He's a kid I'm really enjoying watching."

Where do you see the Broncos finishing in a wide-open AFC West?

"I think the most important thing is what you just said -- wide open. San Diego is beat up. I did their game last week with Oakland, and they've got three starting offensive linemen out. Oakland has got some talent. They've got some big, fast skill-position people. They're coming along. If Carson Palmer continues to develop and show the positive signs that he has the last two weeks, I would say watch out for Oakland. Right now, I think Denver is the wild card. I really do. Most people look at Oakland and say if Palmer continues to develop, he's the best quarterback in the division right now because Philip Rivers isn't getting any help from his offensive line. But I think Denver is the wild card. I think they're playing with house money right now, and that's always a dangerous position."

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Schwartz: Broncos Vs. Jets Preview

November 17, 2011 10:30 AM

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Broncos (credit: Jeff Gross/Allsport/Getty Images), Jets (credit: Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)

By Peter Schwartz

Jets head coach Rex Ryan was right earlier this week.

Winning the AFC East is doubtful. At 5-4, including two losses to New England, the Jets are likely headed toward a familiar road to the postseason. They are going to have to focus on the wild card route and they are very much alive in the race for a playoff berth.

The truth is the playoffs start now. Every game must be treated as a must-win, starting tonight against the Broncos at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. It was a short work week for the Jets, who quickly turned the page from Sunday night’s disaster.

“We’re looking at Denver,” said Ryan. “That’s the only way we’re going to get in the playoffs. You have to win one game, one game per week, and that’s the way we’ll approach it.”

With such little time to prepare, the Jets crammed a lot into the three days in between games. On Monday, they had a walk-through. Tuesday brought the only full practice of the week. On Wednesday, it was another walk-through before flying out to Colorado.

“The preparation, you just have to take it one day at a time and put as much preparation as you can into it,” said Darrelle Revis. “We’ll be prepared for Thursday.”

What the Jets are preparing for is probably the most unconventional offense in the NFL, led by former University of Florida quarterback Tim Tebow (3-1 since being named the starter).

Just how unconventional are the Broncos?

Well, the option has arrived in the NFL.

“I think every week we’re trying to come up with something different and it’s not necessarily the same thing and we’re trying to just keep defenses off balance and however we can do that, we’re going to try to do that,” said Tebow.

Tebow completed two of just eight passes for 69 yards and a touchdown in Sunday’s 17-10 win over the Chiefs in Kansas City. As a team, they ran the ball 55 times for 244 yards.

It will certainly be a challenge for the Jets defense. They will be facing an offense that is the complete antithesis of what they faced against Tom Brady and the Patriots. The Broncos like to run and run and run. But, they still have to beware the erratic Tebow.

“The thing with him is you have to stay disciplined because as inconsistent as he is throwing the football, all of sudden, he’ll make a throw where you look at it and go, ‘Wow, that was impressive,’ ” said Jim Leonhard “For the most part, those throws have been touchdowns.”

It’s true.

Tebow has completed just 44 percent of his passes, but of 47 completions, seven of them have been for touchdowns. While the Broncos have the 22nd ranked total offense in the NFL, their defense has played a big role in their recent success. The Broncos are ranked 18th in total defense, but they do get pressure on the quarterback as they have racked up 24 sacks.

“I think that’s definitely their strong point,” said Mark Sanchez. “They fly around to the football.

They’re all very fast. It’s obvious on film. I think (Brian) Dawkins, Champ Bailey, (Elvis) Dumervil and even the rookie, Von Miller, have all been great players this season, so it’s going to be a great challenge for us.”

The Jets offense is a little banged up as they get set to face the Broncos.

LaDainian Tomlinson is out because of a knee injury suffered late in the loss to the Patriots. That means that fourth round draft pick Bilal Powell is expected to make his NFL debut.

He’s worked very hard in practice this season and this opportunity mirrors the chance that another Jets running back had a couple of years ago.

“Remember Shonn Greene, when he wasn’t up a few years ago?” said Ryan. “You saw the guy progressing and all that kind of stuff, and then his work on scout teams and on special teams and all that. Sometimes you get an opportunity and you never leave. That’s basically what happened with Shonn Greene. So we’ll see, but I like the way that he looks on the practice field.”

Wide receiver Jeremy Kerley is also out because of a knee injury, so it’s likely that the Jets will dress former Bronco Eron Riley for the first time.

Regardless of who plays and who doesn’t, the Jets have to win. They have a golden opportunity to make the playoffs in a weak AFC field. After facing the 4-5 Broncos, the Jets face the Bills, Redskins and Chiefs. Just taking care of business can put the Jets in position for another postseason run.

But are they still a team that should be reckoned with?

“Yeah, we’re still a playoff team,” said Antonio Cromartie. “We still have a chance at being in the playoffs. We have the guys and the coaching staff that can get us there. For us, we just have to go out every single week and just do what we’re supposed to do.”

That hasn’t always been the case with the Jets, but they do have a good track record in one respect since Ryan took over in 2009. Just when things seem bleak and they are facing adversity, the Jets seem to find a way to get things back on track.

JET LINERS

The Jets will be looking for their fourth straight Thursday victory. Last season, they beat the Bengals 26-10 on Thanksgiving night. In 2009, they knocked off the Bills in Toronto and in 2008, they beat the Patriots 34-31 in overtime up in Foxboro.

Since week five, Shonn Greene has averaged 81.2 yards per game on the ground.

The Jets defense has held opponents to a 31.3 percent conversion rate on third down, the 2nd best mark in the NFL. The Lions are first at 28.5 percent.

Plaxico Burress has scored five of his six touchdowns inside the red zone.

THE JETS/BRONCOS SERIES

This will be the 33rd regular season meeting between the former AFL teams with the Broncos leading the all-time series 16-15-1. The Jets are 8-9 all-time at Denver.

Last year, the Jets scored a 24-20 win in Denver. The Broncos won the only post-season meeting between the two clubs beating the Jets 23-10 in the AFC championship game in January of 1999.

THE PREDICTION

As I mentioned before, the Jets seem to take flight when they are facing adversity and I expect them to do the same tonight. Tebow will give them some fits, but in the end, the Jets are the better team.

Jets 23 Broncos 13

That’s all for now! Check back on Friday for more.

Enjoy the game!

[Sperm Edwards]

Nice to see Can'o'stupid write 2 fluff-pieces for the Broncos as for his gameday articles. What an a-hole.

[JetsFanInDenver]

I still do not buy the whole AFC East is done and Pats are winning it theory. Their defense still sucks plus not every team has Schotty and Eric Smith on it!

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AFC East coaching ratings

November, 17, 2011

Nov 17

2:00

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By James Walker

How do you feel about your coach this week?

ESPN.com has its head-coaching ratings for Week 11. Here is where each coach currently stands with fan approval in the AFC East:

Bill Belichick, New England Patriots

Record: 6-3

Fan approval: 88 percent

Analysis: Belichick is once again the most popular coach in the NFL. He did a masterful job leading the Patriots to a big win over the New York Jets. The win snapped a two-game losing streak and most likely paved the way for New England to win the division. The offense will be fine. Belichick's biggest challenge the rest of the season is fixing arguably the worst defense in the NFL. The Patriots’ defense played well last week against the Jets. Maybe that group is starting to turn the corner.

Tony Sparano, Miami Dolphins

Record: 2-7

Fan approval: 50 percent

Analysis: Sparano spent most of the 2011 at or near the bottom in fan approval. But a two-game winning streak has changed the outlook of Dolphins fans. It’s stunning that Sparano is the second-most popular coach right now in the AFC East. Miami didn’t pack it in after its 0-7 start. Sparano deserves a lot of credit for keeping the team motivated. The Dolphins have the talent to play the spoiler role if this group can stay focused.

Chan Gailey, Buffalo Bills

Record: 5-4

Fan approval: 42 percent

Analysis: The Bills are in their worst stretch of the season. Buffalo has lost four of its last six games and two in a row. Gailey’s offense has looked very pedestrian lately. The Bills have averaged just nine points per game the past two weeks. Opponents appear to have figured out the Bills, and it’s up to Gailey and his staff to counter.

Rex Ryan, New York Jets

Record: 5-4

Fan approval: 26 percent

Analysis: Ryan took a huge dip in fan approval. It's been a rough week for the third-year head coach. First, Ryan lost a huge game to the Patriots that probably cost the Jets the AFC East. Then, Ryan got in trouble by saying something profane to a fan at intermission. Ryan apologized for the latter, but the NFL is looking into the situation. The good news is Ryan has a chance to get the Jets back on the winning track quickly. The Jets play the Denver Broncos in a few hours.

Speaking of Ryan and the Jets, we will have postgame thoughts on New York. Be sure to check the AFC East blog after the game.

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Tim Tebow has become an intersection where football, religion meet

Published: Thursday, November 17, 2011, 2:11 PM Updated: Thursday, November 17, 2011, 2:11 PM

By Conor Orr/The Star-Ledger

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Ezra Shaw/GettyTim Tebow's religious beliefs have sparked debate about the presence of faith in pro football.

For Sione Pouha, football and personal faith were never directly connected because they didn't have to be.

There was never a conscious decision to display his beliefs on the field because doing so would make Sunday different from every other. It would interrupt how he's come to accept his religion and the way he practices it.

"I never like to distract the flow by a formal, concrete layout," said Pouha, a devout member of Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. "Obviously, there are staples of centering yourself, saying a prayer and all those types of things, but I don't really have anything set in stone.

"For me, personally, that kind of interrupts what the flow is for the day."

Pouha stressed that all players were different and that there are countless ways to express such

feelings. In Denver, for example, the buzz surrounding quarterback Tim Tebow has placed personal faith in a highly-salient spotlight alongside the NFL. Tebow's praying motion, knelt down on one knee with his head in hands, was morphed into an internet phenomena where fans posted pictures of themselves mimicking the action in exotic costumes or bizarre locations.

On game day, some fans arrive dressed as clergymen, or in custom No. 15 jerseys with the name "Jesus" written on the back.

Stephen Tulloch, a linebacker for the Detroit Lions, knelt down in mocking prayer after sacking Tebow in Week 8.

And somewhere in between, a polarizing player and outspoken Christian, one who wore Bible verses on his eye black and worked as a missionary before his days as a two-time National Champion at Florida, continues to see the attention around him grow.

"At the end of the day, it's more important who you are than how you play on the field," Tebow said Tuesday. "What is special is that we're blessed with such a big platform and if we can take that platform and influence the next generation, encourage them to do it the right way, then ultimately, we're doing something that's successful with our lives."

Jets defensive back Antonio Cromartie was asked about Tebow on Monday. Aside from the glaring statistics -- Tebow was 2-for-8 last week against Kansas City -- there was one thing that stuck out.

"The biggest thing that stands out to me is a guy that's outspoken about his Christianity," Antonio Cromartie said. "Actually, I think we need more men to be like that in this world. I think the world would be a whole lot better."

The reason for the two becoming synonymous, says Joseph L. Price, the author of "Rounding the Bases: Baseball and Religion in America" and "From Season to Season: Sports as American Religion", is multi-faceted.

He brought up Fran Tarkenton, a quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings and Giants, who was just as outspoken about his faith. The son of a Presbyterian minister, Tarkenton would write about and bring up his beliefs almost as often as Tebow, but with none of the press coverage. Many newspapers at the time, Price said, were instructed to remove religious content from sports stories.

"Part of the phenomena we're seeing with Tebow is not nearly that he is a gifted athlete and a devout Christian, but that the social media and the immediacy of it's impact have generated a great deal of the fervor about his position," Price said.

Price, a professor of religion at Whittier College, he said he's most interested in how Tebow continues to reference and utilize his faith amid the groundswell of attention and headlines, amid the taunting and support.

During Super Bowl XLIV, Tebow appeared in two 30-second ads for the socially conservative group Focus on the Family, which spawned a horde of detractors blasting him for the group's pro-life message. He co-wrote a 257-page autobiography, which detailed his faith and, in certain passages, his commitment to abstinence. In a day, it jumped into the Top 25 on Amazon.com.

Tebow, though, remains undaunted and consistent, ignoring the rants about him online and elsewhere. He said the only thing that bothered him about Tulloch's celebration was that the Broncos surrendered a sack. When asked by the Denver media about the "Jesus" jerseys bearing his number, he said it was important not to judge the owners without understanding their intent.

As with everything else, Tebow said God would have the final say.

"At the end of the day," Tebow said, "people will forget the touchdowns or championships or whatever it is you accomplished on the field, but what matters is how you treat people and how you handle yourself."

Conor Orr: corr@starledger.com

[stoicsentry]

Did you guys notice how the Denver media is more positive about the Jets than the New York media?