Jets news 12-1

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Who is the most reliable target?

November, 30, 2011

Nov 30

8:11

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By Rich Cimini

Rex Ryan said he expects his wide receivers -- "our big guns," as he called them -- to have a completion rate of at least 50 percent. He said "everyone will say the magic number seems to be 60 percent," but he thinks that's unrealistic for an outside receiver. In fact, some of the top QB-WR tandems are above 60.

Turns out the Jets' wideouts, Santonio Holmes and Plaxico Burress, are only hovering around the 50 mark, give or take. Here's a breakdown of the Jets' WRs, TEs and RBs, according to ESPN Stats & Information. Keep in mind that TEs, RBs and slot receivers have higher rates because the passes are generally shorter:

Player -- Recs -- Drops -- Targets -- Pct

Holmes ...... 37 ........ 2 ........... 72 ....... 51.4

Burress ..... 34 ........ 3 .......... 72 ....... 47.2

Kerley ........ 17 ........ 0 .......... 19 ....... 89.5

Turner ....... 5 .......... 1 ........... 10 ....... 50.0

Keller ......... 40 ........ 1 ........... 71 ....... 56.3

Tomlinson .... 25 ...... 3 .......... 35 ...... 71.4

Greene ....... 20 ....... 0 ........... 23 ....... 87.0

McKnight .... 11 ....... 0 ........... 12 ....... 91.2

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Rex: You ain't seen nothing yet

November, 30, 2011

Nov 30

7:42

PM ET

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By Rich Cimini

The ever-confident Rex Ryan (is that a redundancy?) believes the Jets haven't reached their potential. But they will, he vowed.

"I don't think we're playing our best yet," he said Wednesday. "I think the best is yet to come. Obviously, we're running out of weeks. We have to get it done right now. We recognize that. We're not ducking from that at all."

Reiterating what he said Monday, Ryan said the Jets (6-5) can do a lot of damage in the playoffs. Now all they have to do is get to the playoffs.

"Yes, I do believe we'd be dangerous once we get in the playoffs," he said.

STEVIE'S FINE: Bills WR Stevie Johnson was fined $10,000 by the league for his end-zone celebration, mocking Plaxico Burress' accidental, self-inflicted gun shot. Talk about getting off easy. Ryan gets $75,000 for a heat-of-the-moment vulgarity, and Johnson gets only $10,000 for a classless dance that was obviously scripted?

MORE COOK: Ryan didn't refute an ESPNNewYork.com report that said S Emanuel Cook was released because of an incident that occurred Monday at practice.

"Remember, I said we make decisions all the time here, what we always feel is in the best interest of our football team," he said. "We'll just leave it at that."

Cook, claimed on waivers by the Ravens, said he wasn't given a specific reason.

"I really don't know, I wasn't late, I don't know why," Cook told the Carroll County Times, adding, "I met with Mike Tannenbaum. He said we need to make a move. He said he had a better player. They made a push for somebody else."

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Rush hour in D.C.

November, 30, 2011

Nov 30

6:54

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By Jane McManus

First, a few numbers. Washington’s two starting outside linebackers, Brian Orakpo and Ryan Kerrigan, have six sacks each this season. Their team has 33 sacks on the season, third in the NFL. As the Jets prepare to face Washington, it’s clear this pass rush presents a challenge.

“They are very talented on the outside,” Jets coach Rex Ryan said on Wednesday, the first day of preparation against Washington.

The Jets offensive line, which is tasked with guarding quarterback Mark Sanchez from all the pressure Washington’s defensive front can bring, has to manage the situation.

“We’ve had challenges before,” RT Wayne Hunter said. “Against Denver, with (Elvis) Dumervil and Von Miller, Indianapolis with (Dwight) Freeney and (Robert) Mathis, but as far as this is concerned, as a defensive unit as a whole, they’re good. There are three or four guys that have combined for 16 sacks, in a 3-4 defense, which is unheard of.”

The offensive line hasn’t been as airtight this season, and Hunter, the newest piece at right tackle, has given up a team-high six sacks. When C Nick Mangold missed two games with a high ankle sprain, the line tried to plug his spot with rookie Colin Baxter, who is no longer on the roster. The line played well last week against the Bills, and didn’t allow any sacks.

“(It) may be a bigger challenge this week,” Moore said. “(Washington likes) to collapse the pocket on a quarterback and we’ve got to be firm inside — centers and guards — giving Mark the ability to step up when that comes in on him, which is natural. I think the guys are really looking forward to the week of preparation that’s going to lead into Sunday.”

Washington is scouting Sanchez, and on Wednesday linebacker London Fletcher said they have noticed that he works fast.

“He gets the ball out of his hands pretty quickly,” said Washington linebacker London Fletcher. He makes decisions pretty quickly. He knows where he wants to go (with) the football. Those are things that you look at. The ball is not going to be in his hands for a very long time.”

In the first three weeks of the season, Sanchez endured a lot of contact with opposing defenses. He needed to be checked for a concussion and had an elbow injury before the Jets started to give him a greater cushion. But that will be harder to manage with Orakpo and Kerrigan lining up across the line of scrimmage.

“Anytime you play in a 3-4 scheme, you talk about being able to pressure the quarterback and we have two outstanding outside linebackers who are really good at rushing the quarterback (and) putting pressure on the quarterback,” Fletcher said. “Those are staples of your defense, being able to rush the quarterback with your outside linebackers.”

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Jets say Mark Sanchez being unfairly singled out for team's problems

Published: Wednesday, November 30, 2011, 9:46 PM Updated: Thursday, December 01, 2011, 1:01 AM

By Jenny Vrentas/The Star-Ledger

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William Perlman/The Star-LedgerJets quarterback Mark Sanchez has shouldered much of the blame for the team's recent swoon, but coaches and teammates say it's not his fault.

Mark Sanchez’s parents have asked him if he is okay. So has cornerback Darrelle Revis. This week, the Jets quarterback has been noticeably more subdued, admitting there isn’t time for smiling or laughing or joking around — not with his team’s playoff hopes hanging in the balance.

As the 6-5 Jets try to right a bumpy season, Sanchez has shouldered much of the blame. He was booed by his home crowd multiple times during Sunday’s 28-24 victory against the Bills, as early as during the pre-game introductions.

In response, his head coach and teammates have backed him publicly. Their message: The struggles of the offense, and the passing game in particular, are unfairly pinned on Sanchez.

“Any time something breaks down, it looks like it is going to be his fault, though that’s not the case,” tight end Dustin Keller said Wednesday. “More times than not, it is on somebody else. He’ll sit there, and he’ll continue to take the blame for it, but in this locker room, we know that is not the reality.”

Rex Ryan said Monday that Sanchez is not the problem for the Jets — he is one of their strengths.

Yesterday, Ryan walked the fine line between supporting his quarterback and condemning his other players, pointing out that an incomplete pass may be attributed instead to the route or protection.

One clear example came Sunday, on an incomplete third-down pass that ended the drive prior to the Jets’ game-winning march. Sanchez threw a quick out to the flat, but Santonio Holmes was running upfield, with his back turned. After the game, Sanchez said Holmes “adjusted his route, when I didn’t think he would.”

This was a frustrating moment for an offense that has struggled to sustain drives, punting the seventh-most times in the NFL; the kind of mistake Ryan said the Jets are “trying like crazy to clean up right now.”

Sanchez, of course, later hooked up with Holmes for the game-winning touchdown. But he said the pair has talked about some of their misses from last Sunday’s game, another on Sanchez’s first-half interception, when he had expected Holmes to sit down on his route.

“I know we are better than that; I know (Holmes) and I are better than that, and we’ll get better,” Sanchez said. “It starts with me, bringing up some of the stuff. And he’s been very open, he’s working his butt off in practice, and that’s exactly what we need.”

Sanchez completed just 17 of his 35 passes Sunday, starting off 8-for-20 for 66 yards in the first half. Only two of his nine targets to Holmes were complete. For the season, Sanchez has completed 50.7 percent of his passes to Holmes, and 45.9 percent to Plaxico Burress. Ryan said a good completion percentage to the outside receivers would be 50 to 60, with 60 very optimistic, so those numbers are on the low end of the target range.

This week in practice, players said offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer and receivers coach Henry Ellard have been harping about precision more than usual. Such details include hitting route landmarks exactly or taking the correct angle on the stem of routes. If the offense doesn’t execute a play perfectly, it must run it again.

“You look yourself in the mirror and focus on what you need to do. Hold yourself accountable and be where you need to be, let the quarterback do what he needs to do,” Burress said, adding:

“When we’re not where we’re supposed to be, and we’re not disciplined, it’s kind of a helter-skelter passing game,” said wide receiver Plaxico Burress. “It’s inconsistent, peaks and valleys, those kinds of things.”

Sanchez raked through his own play against the Bills, regretting a 16-yard incomplete in-route to Burress when the running back was open underneath, and calling the first- and second-down passing game “awful.” The Jets faced an average of 6.4 yards to go on third down.

But he also acknowledged there was a rotating cast of errors Sunday, as the offense struggled to get 11 players on the same page. When Sanchez led the eighth comeback of his career in the fourth quarter or overtime, he felt the group finally worked in unison.

“When you start feeling an offense not working together, we’re going 10 out of 11 guys do it right, and then somebody’s wrong,” Sanchez said. “When it doesn’t work like that, it’s like we take our turn making mistakes, and that’s where we’ve got to get better.”

That’s part of the reason his teammates took exception to Sanchez drawing boos. Safety Jim Leonhard called the fans’ display “disappointing.” Revis said it was “shocking.” Keller promised that if any of those fans saw how hard Sanchez works, or understood what really happens on a play, they wouldn’t be booing the quarterback.

Sanchez’s response was that he is “focused.” There’s nothing to do except play better, he said. In the meantime, he may just stay subdued, as he appeared to be even after throwing the game-winner Sunday.

“I was honestly really excited, it’s just a different kind of excitement,” said Sanchez, whose voice was raspy. “Because I know what’s at stake, and I know how good we can be, and I just don’t want to miss that opportunity.”

Jenny Vrentas: jvrentas@starledger.com

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Jets coach Rex Ryan remains mum on departure of S Emanuel Cook despite reports of being late

Published: Wednesday, November 30, 2011, 6:22 PM Updated: Wednesday, November 30, 2011, 8:42 PM

By Conor Orr/The Star-Ledger

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William Perlman/The Star-LedgerEmanuel Cook was claimed by the Ravens on Tuesday.

Despite reports suggesting that the Jets cut S Emanuel Cook because he was late to a conditioning workout and was apparently “dogging” it during the workout, Rex Ryan would not elaborate on the team’s reasons.

“Remember, I said we make decisions all the time here, what we always feel is in the best interest of our football team and we’ll just leave it at that,” Ryan said.

Cook denied that he was late to any workouts when asked by the Baltimore media today. The Ravens claimed Cook off waivers on Tuesday.

"I really don't know, I wasn't late, I don't know why," Cook told the Carroll County Times.

Cook said that his lateness was not given as a reason when he met with general manager Mike Tannenbaum.

"I met with Mike Tannenbaum," Cook said. "He said we need to make a move. He said he had a better player. They made a push for somebody else."

The Jets elevated DB Tracy Wilson from the practice squad to fill Cook’s spot. Ryan subsequently called Wilson one of the hardest working players on the team.

When asked about it on Monday, Ryan said: “Every decision we make is generally for the benefit of our football team. I’m not going to get into specifics of what led us to make a decision one way or the other. He was released.

“I’m not going to get into all those things,” he added, when asked if it was a performance-based issue. “We made a decision as a team. We’ll always make a decision that is in the best interest of our football team.”

* * *

The Jets signed WR Dexter Jackson to their practice sqad today, the team announced.

[Bleedin Green]

Player -- Recs -- Drops -- Targets -- Pct

Holmes ...... 37 ........ 2 ........... 72 ....... 51.4

Burress ..... 34 ........ 3 .......... 72 ....... 47.2

Kerley ........ 17 ........ 0 .......... 19 ....... 89.5

Turner ....... 5 .......... 1 ........... 10 ....... 50.0

Keller ......... 40 ........ 1 ........... 71 ....... 56.3

Tomlinson .... 25 ...... 3 .......... 35 ...... 71.4

Greene ....... 20 ....... 0 ........... 23 ....... 87.0

McKnight .... 11 ....... 0 ........... 12 ....... 91.2

Now granted it's a smaller set of targets and where he is / the routes he's running helps the matter, but you still need to be impressed with Kerley's numbers. The guy has caught all but 2 passes thrown his way on the year and hasn't had a drop yet. Hard not to be impressed with what the Jets have gotten out of a 5th round rookie. Hopefully he's healthy and back in action this week.

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As Always, Ryan Leaves No Room for Doubt With the Jets

By BEN SHPIGEL

Published: November 30, 2011

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</p>

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — There is a big game in the Ryan household this weekend, perhaps you might have heard. A big, big game. So big that a victory could brighten Rex Ryan’s mood for days, as long as his son Seth’s Summit Hilltoppers can defeat Madison on Friday night in the New Jersey state championship.

Enlarge This Image

Jason Szenes for The New York Times

Mark Sanchez and the Jets have tried his patience, but Coach Rex Ryan, right, said he was confident about their playoff chances.

“I don’t want to make any guarantees,” Ryan said, and though he upheld that promise Wednesday, he also found a way to slip in that Summit would beat the national power Don Bosco Prep, which has won 45 consecutive games.

Whether he actually believed it is beside the point. What endures is the confidence Ryan projects, a confidence that has not wavered, as it would in a more objective man. In defeat and even in victory, the Jets have offered more than a few reasons to inspire doubt, to imagine a postseason without them. Only Mark Sanchez could throw four touchdown passes and still play poorly for three quarters as he did against the Bills.

“I don’t think we’re playing our best yet,” Ryan said. “I think the best is yet to come.”

In his next sentence, Ryan acknowledged the obvious, that not much time remains, that the 6-5 Jets cannot afford to lose even once if they expect to reach the playoffs, as they have the last two seasons. The past is a tricky thing for players to quantify, serving as inspiration on some days, shoved to oblivion, never to be discussed, on others.

When we need it, it’s there,” defensive tackle Sione Pouha said.

For Ryan, it is always there. That the 2009 team sneaked into the playoffs, despite sitting at 4-6 through 10 games, remains a source of encouragement. That the 2010 team, after three December losses, still clinched a berth the week before the season ended makes Ryan believe that this year’s bunch can reel off five, six, seven victories in a row, despite failing to exhibit any semblance of consistency.

“Is it based on history? Yeah, part of it,” Ryan said. “We have more experience than a lot of teams that people write about all the time or talk about as Super Bowl favorites.”

On some level, Ryan must realize that the Jets are plain different, though, than his previous teams, that their defense is not as strong, their running game is not as potent, their special teams are not as consistent. All of their shortcomings were on display in their last-minute loss in Denver on Nov. 17, a defeat that tore at Ryan, who walked into the interview room with his eyes red, his voice shaky.

He had just addressed the team, telling his players that he still believed in them, that they could still win — a message he repeated when the Jets convened four days later after a weekend off.

“It’s never a doubt in his mind and I think he does a great job of making sure we’re not doubting what’s going on,” Darrelle Revis said.

On Wednesday morning, Ryan emphasized to his players the importance of practice. He implored them to embrace the opportunity to improve, to work hard, to play with urgency and at full speed.

Pouha said Ryan oozed intensity. “He was really passionate,” Pouha said. “The tone was, ‘You need this win, you need to win to make the playoffs.’ Every week has a different tone, but whatever it is, Rex’s volume is still at 150 percent.”

There is nothing muted about Ryan, who sometimes apologizes for his words or actions, but not the brash and brazen personality that birthed them. After Ryan characterized the Jets’ division chances as doubtful following their embarrassing loss to New England, they did not practice any differently or play any worse (or better); it was a realistic assessment, hardly indicative of a crisis in confidence, and one implying that a wild-card berth was still in play.

Unlike Summit, whose season ends, win or lose, on Friday night, the Jets will keep playing. Starting on Sunday against Washington, the Jets have five more chances to help fulfill a prediction Ryan made at his introductory news conference in 2009 — the day after President Obama’s inauguration

— when he casually mentioned that the Jets would be seeing him soon enough. With Obama’s term expiring in January 2013, the Jets’ time is now, and Ryan said they will be dangerous when — not if

— they reach the postseason.

“We know what the playoffs are all about,” Ryan said. “We’ll do some damage.”

EXTRA POINTS

Jeremy Kerley and LaDainian Tomlinson, after missing the last two games with knee injuries, returned to practice Wednesday and are expected to play Sunday at Washington.

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NY Jets can't be Wash-outs in playoff push Sunday vs. Washington Redskins

Rex Ryan's team has to beat lowly Redskins

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Wednesday, November 30 2011, 10:52 PM

Simmons, Howard/Simmons, Howard

Rex Ryan's boasts won't amount to much if his team can't win at Washington Sunday.

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There is nothing glamorous about the Jets’ scheduled assignment on Sunday afternoon, when they travel down to FedEx Field for a non-conference, non-rivalry game they can’t afford to blow against a losing opponent with a chronic Achilles heel at quarterback.

Washington may be physical, but the team scores just 16.6 points per game, 28th in the league. Rex Grossman has made a bad habit of throwing deep interceptions (14) into coverage and owns a QB rating of just 73.6. The environment in Landover will be hostile. Mark Sanchez can expect to hear even more boos than he does at the Meadowlands, which is saying a lot, and the Jets really don’t know much about a place they haven’t visited in eight years.

Maybe because of all this dreariness, Rex Ryan was doing some foolish daydreaming on Wednesday, allowing his mind to wander prematurely again to the playoffs in January, explaining why the Jets can still play deep into the winter.

“We have a lot more experience than teams people write about,” Ryan said, although it is hard to figure out his target on this one — Green Bay? New Orleans? New England? “We know what the playoffs are all about and we’ll do damage. The best is yet to come.”

The best may or may not arrive at all, and certainly won’t materialize if the Jets drop this mundane gimme on Sunday. Their margin for error is zero now. Even the daydreamer, their coach, admits, “Obviously, we’re running out of weeks.”

So there can be no mistakes, no more missed-timing passes between Sanchez and Santonio Holmes. The Jets are plum out of bonus opportunities and alibis. LaDainian Tomlinson and Jeremy Kerley are both expected to be back, ready to go against Washington. Compared to the Giants, the

Jets are the rosy-cheeked picture of health.

Still, we wait for the Jets to be the Jets. Sanchez promises the offense is ready for its breakthrough performance, finally.

“Things are looking up. Things are looking good,” Sanchez said. “We’re right there. I see the mistakes we make on film. We’re inches away.”

Sanchez remains the great enigma. We see that he is most effective in hurry-up situations at the ends of games, in the red zone and whenever he is moving around out of the pocket, improvising.

Unfortunately, improvising is not an actual option in the Jets’ playbook.

Sanchez can use a fast start for once. The Jets can use a consistent running game. Meanwhile, the dreamers need to focus, for once, on the task at hand. Leave the big picture for the tabloid columnists, who look at the Jets’ remaining schedule and see five out of five winnable games. If they get on a real roll, the Jets can end the season 11-5 and become the playoff darlings again that Ryan was talking about on Wednesday.

Not yet, though. The way the Jets have played this season, especially on the road, they are just as likely to founder and throw away three of those five games.

When Ryan starts talking like this again, Joe Namath starts looking smart again. Namath keeps telling people that Ryan is pumping up his guys before their egos have earned such praise, and that the players are underperforming because they believe they can do no wrong.

The Jets can do plenty wrong. We’ve seen that over the past 12 weeks. Even Darrelle Revis can have a mediocre game, as he did against the Bills. There is no room for any of that in Landover.

Revis was describing Wednesday how the fans in New York can be difficult, but how that has to be expected. “It ain’t gonna be a pat on the back all the time,” he said.

If the Jets want that pat, if they wish to impress us in the postseason, they should stop scaring their fans and put away Washington early.

Otherwise, guess what? No more of that playoff experience.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/ny-jets-t-wash-outs-playoff-push-sunday-washington-redskins-article-1.984913#ixzz1fIM0081M

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NY Jets' Darrelle Revis ready for whatever Washington Redskins throw at him

Cornerback wary of mind games from Washington coach Mike Shanahan

BY Kristie Ackert

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Wednesday, November 30 2011, 11:00 PM

Sam Greenwood/Getty Images

Redskins coach Mike Shanahan, whose team faces Jets Sunday, says don't expect Darrelle Revis to be "surprised" again by throws in his direction.

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Darrelle Revis does not want Redskins coach Mike Shanahan messing with his mind. The Jets’ All-Pro corner is coming off one of the toughest games of his career against the Bills, and despite praise from Shanahan, he expects the Redskins to test him again Sunday.

“I think he was probably surprised. He wasn’t ready for that, because nobody does that,” Shanahan said of Bills QB Ryan Fitzpatrick targeting Revis. “Probably caught him a little bit by surprise. I don’t think anybody’s going to catch him by surprise anymore. You might do that once, but that’s not going to happen again. If you watch him on tape, any time he’s challenged he plays at a very, very high level.”

Fitzpatrick targeted Stevie Johnson 13 times, and Johnson caught eight passes for 75 yards and touchdown, mostly against Revis.

Revis said it did not bother him that the Bills challenged him. He was a little suspicious of Shanahan’s praise in a conference call with Jets reporters.

“That may be him wanting me to relax and then they do come after me, prepare the same way every week,” Revis said. “It really doesn’t matter how many times the ball gets thrown to my side. They are going to throw, they are going to test me and I know that. I just got to keep my mind-set focused to what they are going to keep on doing.”

Receivers Revis has guarded this season have been targeted 210 times; Revis has allowed 75 completed passes. Rex Ryan said the defense asked a lot of Revis against the Bills and no one should doubt hi s dominance. “He’s a great, great player, and a great competitor,” Rex Ryan said.

“Knowing him he can’t wait to play this game.”

PAY IT FORWARD

Plaxico Burress was not surprised by reports that Johnson will be fined $10,000 by the NFL for his dance that mocked the Jet receiver last Sunday. “He can pay it,” Burress said with a smile. “He can pay it.”

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NY Jets' Mark Sanchez is driven in clutch, proves to be more accurate in crunch time

Despite numbers, team can count on QB in crunch time

BY Manish Mehta

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Wednesday, November 30 2011, 10:41 PM

Patrick Smith/Getty Images

Mark Sanchez has had trouble getting a grip on things this season but the Jets quarterback has shown a knack for coming through with the game on the line.

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For all the criticism that Mark Sanchez has taken for being inconsistent during his career, he’s consistently been on point down the stretch.

Sanchez orchestrated his ninth comeback win in the fourth quarter or overtime in the Jets’ 28-24 victory over the Bills on Sunday. Seven of his 18 touchdowns this season have come in the fourth quarter. Sanchez has also kept his mistakes to a minimum with a 93.8 passer rating and only one interception in the final quarter.

“Your great competitors find a way,” Rex Ryan said on Wednesday. “They rise up to the occasion.

They find ways to get it done. That’s almost in all sports. You can always tell: This guy’s a clutch player. His competitive desire is phenomenal. That’s what you see in Mark. We’ve seen it around here: The bigger the game, the bigger the time in the game, the better he plays.”

How can Sanchez repeatedly flip on the switch during crunch time?

“Some things you don’t have an answer for,” wide receiver Plaxico Burress said. “(Maybe) it’s being a competitor or (maybe) it’s the moment or focus that you play with when the stakes are high or the pressure is up. A lot of guys rise to the occasion. He seems to be one of those guys.”

Before Sanchez’s late-game heroics, before he even took a single snap on Sunday, he was booed by fans during introductions, a not-so-subtle reminder that taking your team to two consecutive AFC Championship Games means little when you’ve lost two games in a row.

“It ain’t gonna be a pat on the back all the time,” Darrelle Revis said of hearing his quarterback get booed before the game. “It wasn’t fair. But you got to live with it. . . . It’s just a matter of us helping him deal with it and lifting him up so he doesn’t go in the tank.”

Sanchez says that he hasn’t let the boo birds affect him. “You got to understand, and I do, even (as) just a third-year player, that this is the market we’re in,” Sanchez said. “These fans expect a lot.

They expect us to win just like we do. We put so much pressure on ourselves that you can’t let that stuff get to you. They want results. That’s fine. Whether they are booing or cheering, we need to play our best.”

Ryan likened Sanchez’s leadership skills to those of Steve McNair, who helped the Ravens win the AFC North in 2006. He also admitted that his third-year quarterback has plenty of room for growth.

Although Sanchez’s 56.3 completion percentage is better than his results in 2009 (53.8) and 2010 (54.8), he still ranks 27th in that category in the league. Ryan admitted that he’d be happy if Sanchez could complete “50-5 60%” of his passes to his outside receivers.

“Everybody will say that the magical number seems to be 60%,” Ryan said. “Sometimes on the outside, I don’t know if that’s really realistic.”

Sanchez has proven to be much more accurate than that with the game on the line.

“We’ve all been better in the fourth quarter,” Sanchez said. “We all just get a little bit sharper. I just feel like there’s a sense of urgency for all of us. When we get off track is when we have nine or 10 guys do it right and one guy doesn’t. In the fourth quarter, we all seem to do it right every time.

That’s why the plays work. That’s why we sustain drives. That’s why we come back and win games.”

With five games left, the Jets are among four teams (Bengals, Broncos and Titans) within a game of each other for the final wild-card spot. Despite this topsy-turvy season, Sanchez believes that the Jets are well-positioned to make another late-season run to the playoffs.

“It sounds crazy, but things are looking up. Things are looking good,” Sanchez said. “I’m feeling more and more comfortable. It’s not shown quite yet, but I know it will.”

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/ny-jets-mark-sanchez-driven-clutch-proves-accurate-crunch-time-article-1.984902#ixzz1fINUpcZR

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Jets notes: Stevie is $10K lighter

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

BY J.P. PELZMAN

STAFF WRITER

The Record

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FLORHAM PARK — Buffalo wideout Stevie Johnson was fined $10,000 by the NFL on Wednesday for pretending to shoot himself in the leg after his touchdown reception against the Jets on Sunday.

TYSON TRISH/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Buy this photo

Bills’ Stevie Johnson, left, failing to make catch in game’s final play vs. Jets.

The move was an obvious reference to Plaxico Burress’ infamous self-inflicted gunshot wound of November 2008 that eventually wound up ending his career with the Giants.

When Jets wideout Burress was asked about Johnson’s fine Wednesday, he said, "He can pay for it."

But when asked to expand on his feelings about Johnson, Burress added, "I don’t have a problem with Stevie at all. I think he’s a great young talent. ... I’m a fan of his. I think he’s a very charismatic guy as far as the things he does for celebrations and trying to have fun and bring a different spirit to his team. I think he’s going to continue to grow as a player and a person."

Johnson will have to do all that with a lighter wallet.

Jets nose tackle Sione Pouha was critical of Johnson’s antics the other day, indicating he believed Johnson mimicking a crashing plane was insensitive to those affected by the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

But when asked about Johnson’s fine, he said, "I haven’t really thought much about that. I’m just getting ready for this game on Sunday."

Does he think Johnson will learn from this?

"I’m not sure," Pouha responded.

BRIEFS: RB LaDainian Tomlinson and WR-PR Jeremy Kerley returned to practice Wednesday, and both practiced fully. Both hadn’t practiced since suffering knee injuries against New England on Nov. 13. Coach Rex Ryan said both are "fresh and ready to roll" and he expects both to play Sunday at Washington. The only Jet who didn’t practice Wednesday was DE Mike DeVito, who suffered a sprained MCL in his left knee Sunday against Buffalo. He won’t play Sunday.

Safety Emanuel Cook, waived by the Jets on Monday and claimed by Baltimore the next day, reported to the Ravens’ training facility in Owings Mills, Md., Wednesday. He told reporters, "I don’t know why" the Jets cut him.

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Jets' Cromartie claims, 'I still have it'

Jets Blog

By BRIAN COSTELLO

Last Updated: 9:07 AM, December 1, 2011

Posted: 2:45 AM, December 1, 2011

Antonio Cromartie arrived at Jets training camp four months ago armed with a new four-year contract and something to prove.

The Jets signed Cromartie to a $32 million deal only after missing out on prized free agent cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha. When Cromartie showed up for the Jets’ first day of camp, he promised big things this season and said he would play with a “chip on my shoulder.”

“I still have it,” Cromartie said yesterday.

But it has been a season filled with ups and downs for Cromartie, one of the most inconsistent players on a team that has several. The 27-year-old found himself in the middle of another huge sequence in Sunday’s game with the Bills. Cromartie was called upon as an emergency punt returner in the third quarter and muffed the punt. A play later, Bills receiver Brad Smith caught a tipped ball over him for a game-tying touchdown.

“I’ve had my ups and downs, but I think overall [the season has gone] pretty well,” Cromartie said. “Some of the plays, if you look at it, there are some plays that didn’t go my way: fighting for a touchdown against Dallas, this past week for a touchdown.”

Jets coach Rex Ryan said he has been happy with Cromartie’s play.

“I think Cro, at times, has played well,” Ryan said. “He had a tough break on the one Brad Smith caught. He had great coverage, tips the ball up and the kid stays with and makes the catch for a touchdown. The fumble I think was leading into that a little bit. ... Overall, I’ve been pleased with the way Cro has played. Do I think he can play better? I absolutely do. I really do, but I feel that about a lot of guys.”

Cromartie’s biggest problem this season has been penalties. He has drawn seven penalties (one declined) for 56 yards. According to profootballfocus.com, only three cornerbacks in the NFL have drawn more flags. Cromartie had four of those penalties against the Raiders in Week 3 of the season.

The website, which does film analysis and grades players, has Cromartie ranked 37th out of the 45 cornerbacks who have played 75 percent of their team’s snaps. He has given up five touchdowns, tied for fourth most in the league.

Cromartie has had some good games this year, earning AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors for his game against the Jaguars in Week 2. But he knows that there is a lowlight reel for him this season featuring two touchdowns allowed against the Cowboys, losing Brandon Marshall against the Dolphins and Smith snagging the ball over him this week.

“If you have one mistake, things can look very bad,” Cromartie said. “We’re out there on that island all by ourselves. Half of the people don’t know what they’re talking about because they don’t know what kind of coverage we’re in or what kind of scheme we’re in.”

Earlier this season, defensive coordinator Mike Pettine spoke about Cromartie’s inconsistency and did not hold back.

“That’s something we’ve had many discussions about behind closed doors,” Pettine said. “ I’m not sure [what the cause is]. ... It could be a horoscope thing. I’m at a loss. I think we’re all searching for that answer.”

Pettine said at the beginning of games he usually asks defensive backs coach Dennis Thurman if the Jets have the good Cromartie or bad Cromartie that day.

Cromartie might be coming under more fire if Asomugha had lived up to expectations in Philadelphia this year. Their big signing has been a disappointment so far this year.

Playing opposite Darrelle Revis, Cromartie is going to be tested in the coming weeks. His teammates hope that the good Cromartie shows up for the playoff push.

“I think it just comes down to technique,” safety Jim Leonhard said on WFAN this week. “When he’s patient and puts his hands on receivers, he’s extremely tough to beat. He’s got away with his physical gifts for a long time. There’s times where it comes up and bites him, just being off on his technique.”

brian.costello@nypost.com

Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/jets/rex_covers_up_for_inconsistent_cro_csqOrQGZTdSzVpEXHAIJXJ#ixzz1fIOr1t00

[flgreen]

Jets say fans booing Sanchez 'ridiculous'

Jets Blog

Last Updated: 8:52 AM, December 1, 2011

Posted: 3:07 AM, December 1, 2011

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Mark Cannizzaro

The following is a public service announcement from Jets players to their fans: “We’ve got Mark Sanchez’ back.”

This is the direct message Jets players delivered in unison yesterday in the aftermath of the abuse Sanchez has been getting this week despite throwing four touchdown passes in the Jets’ win over the Bills Sunday: Back off!

Sanchez has had his share of odd and twisted things happen to him in his three eventful NFL seasons. Let’s not forget, after all, that Yankees manager Joe Girardi was brought in to teach him how to slide and Sanchez had color-coded cards flashed to him from the sidelines for remedial decision-making instruction during his rookie year.

But listening to the home fans at MetLife Stadium boo Sanchez before Sunday’s game against the Bills might have been a low.

His teammates looked at it that way — and for good reason.

As someone who has covered this team since the mid-80s and witnessed a good share of sketchy quarterback play leading to a lot more losses than wins, here’s my message to Jets fans as it pertains to Sanchez: Let the man breathe.

Sanchez hardly is perfect. We know that. He knows that. His coaches know that. His teammates know that.

But he hardly is the sole reason for the Jets’ maddening inconsistencies this season, as they stand at 6-5 entering Sunday’s game at the Redskins with their playoff hopes on the brink.

And that’s what has his teammates steamed about what went down in the Meadowlands last Sunday.

“It’s ridiculous that the starting quarterback of your team that’s taken the team to the playoffs the last two years — in his first two years — and you’re going to boo him,’’ tight end Dustin Keller said.

“You don’t know what’s going on here. You don’t know what’s going on in the locker room, in the film room. You don’t see all the time he puts in.

“If all the guys on this team absolutely have his back, then why don’t you have his back? If we have trust in him you should trust the rest of us to know he’s doing his job.’’

Right tackle Wayne Hunter said Sunday “was the first time in my nine-year career that I’ve heard a home crowd boo their starting quarterback before the game started.

“It doesn’t start the game off right for us as a team,’’ Hunter said. “A home game is supposed to be a home game. It’s a home field.’’

In Sunday’s 28-24 win over the Bills at that home field, where the Jets are 5-1 this season, Sanchez engineered his eighth fourth-quarter comeback victory in the last two years — most of any quarterback in the NFL.

The likes of John Elway and Joe Montana used to be celebrated for their fourth-quarter comeback wins. While those guys were building their respective legends as clutch QBs, they weren’t ripped for having left their teams in the positions of having to come back.

Why does that always seem to be the focus with Sanchez — all the things he did wrong before leading his team to the comeback victory?

To his credit, restraint and maturity, Sanchez yesterday went anti-Brandon Jacobs when the booing of the home crowd was broached.

“That is the market we’re in,’’ Sanchez said. “These fans expect a lot. They expect us to win. You can’t let stuff like that get to you. There’s nothing to do about [the boos] except to play better.’’

Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis called the pregame boos “kind of shocking.’’

“You can’t forget what this guy has done,’’ Revis said. “He’s taken us — at a very young age — to two AFC Championship games. [The booing] is disappointing because we feed off our fans. I think it’s unfair. This is not tennis. This is not a one-man sport. This is a team sport. Everybody has to play their part.

“The one thing playing football you need chemistry. You need unity to win games. You need everybody on the same page.’’

Herein lies the problem for the Jets. Too often they’ve lost their bookmark and been scattered all over the book, far from being on the same page.

“When you see something go wrong on offense, more often than not it’s not Mark’s fault,’’ Keller said. “People don’t realize that. He gets a lot of undeserved negative attention. Hopefully that turns around. I know it will.’’

mark.cannizzaro@nypost.com

Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/jets/team_fans_pregame_booing_of_qb_is_iDUoq7i6nmo0eMCIZt4zcK#ixzz1fIPaUc7z

[Bleedin Green]

Receivers Revis has guarded this season have been targeted 210 times; Revis has allowed 75 completed passes.

There is absolutely no way these numbers are anywhere close to correct. We're expected to believe Revis has been thrown at over 19 times per game and given up nearly 7 completions per game? Not a chance.

[flgreen]

Bills' Johnson fined $10,000 for mocking Jets' Burress

Jets Blog

By BRIAN COSTELLO

Last Updated: 8:48 AM, December 1, 2011

Posted: 2:50 AM, December 1, 2011

The NFL slapped Bills wide receiver Stevie Johnson with a $10,000 fine for pretending to shoot himself in the right leg after scoring a touchdown in Sunday’s game against the Jets, according to a source.

Johnson drew a 15-yard penalty for the second-quarter celebration in which he mocked Jets receiver Plaxico Burress, who went to prison after accidentally shooting himself in a Manhattan night club three years ago.

“He can pay for it,” Burress said yesterday when told of the fine. “He can afford it.”

Johnson did not comment on the fine to reporters in Buffalo but said he had received a Federal Express envelope from the league.

On his Twitter account, Johnson made light of the envelope by referring to it as “the Random FedEx Package in My Locker” and posting a picture of it.

“If I do, I get fined. But we’ve got to move on,” he said. “It’s the Tennessee Titans. I’m not really worried about a fine right now. ”

* The Jets did not give any reason publicly why they released safety Emanuel Cook on Monday, but ESPN reported that he was dogging it during conditioning drills that day and was marked as late to a session with the Jets strength coach. Jets coach Rex Ryan would not say whether that report was accurate.

Cook was claimed off of waivers by the Ravens. In his first day in Baltimore, Cook said he was not late for the session.

“I wasn’t late. I don’t know why,” Cook told reporters. “I didn’t talk to Rex. I talked to [general manager] Mike Tannenbaum. He said they had a better player.”

The Jets signed Tracy Wilson off the practice squad to take Cook’s roster spot.

* RB LaDainian Tomlinson (knee) and WR Jeremy Kerley (knee) both practiced fully yesterday for the first time since they were injured against the Patriots on Nov. 13. Both players have missed the last two games. ... DT Mike DeVito (knee) did not practice and will not play. ... Redskins DE Stephen Bowen (knee), FB Darrel Young (head), LB London Fletcher (ankle) and S LaRon Landry (groin) did not practice.

Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/jets/johnson_fined_2j9B9MvgC5bQuISEPzYoBP#ixzz1fIQFNKQ2

[flgreen]

Morning take: Rex Ryan defends Cromartie

December, 1, 2011

Dec 1

8:20

AM ET

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By James Walker

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

• New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan defended starting cornerback Antonio Cromartie, who has been inconsistent.
  

Morning take: I expected Cromartie to make more big plays this season. He signed a big free-agent contract and hasn't had an interception since Oct. 9. He also allowed a long touchdown pass last week against the Buffalo Bills.

• The Miami Dolphins will face a tough challenge against Oakland Raiders quarterback Carson Palmer.
  

Morning take: It would have been better if Miami played Oakland a few weeks ago while Palmer was learning the playbook. Now, the Raiders are playing their best football of the season. This is a good matchup of two hot teams.

• Will the New England Patriots (8-3) and quarterback Tom Brady look past the winless Indianapolis Colts?
  

Morning take: Highly unlikely. The Patriots usually are a focused group. I expect a romp for New England this weekend.

• The Buffalo Bills are suffering from a lack of pass rush.
  

Morning take: This should be Buffalo’s biggest concern entering the draft and free agency next year. The Bills desperately need an edge rusher to put pressure on the quarterback.

[flgreen]

WR Jackson Returns to Practice Squad

By Jets Media Relations Department

Posted 1 hour ago

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The New York Jets have signed wide receiver Dexter Jackson to the practice squad. The announcement was made by general manager Mike Tannenbaum.

Jackson (5'9", 182) was signed to the Jets practice squad Nov. 9 and released eight days later. He spent time with the UFL’s Virginia Destroyers during the 2011 season before being released.

Jackson was selected by Tampa Bay in the second round, (58th overall) of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played in seven games for the Buccaneers in 2008, returning 20 punts for 97 yards and 14 kickoffs for 327 yards. He was signed by Carolina Oct. 12, 2009, after being waived by Tampa Bay on Oct. 31, 2009, and spent the final 12 games of the 2009 season on the Panthers' practice squad. He also saw time with Carolina in the next year's training camp before being waived on Aug. 31, 2010.

Jackson played 55 career games (25 starts) for Appalachian State, helping the school win three consecutive NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision titles.

[flgreen]

Madden Names Jets Best OL for Week 12

By Special Contributor

Posted 14 minutes ago

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Anchored behind the powerful protection of their offensive line, the New York Jets played one of their most complete games of the season, allowing Mark Sanchez (USC) to have a career passing day.

The Jets now join the list of this year’s contenders for the third annual Madden Protectors Award, presented by Prilosec OTC. The award honors the NFL’s best offensive line and will be presented during the week of Super Bowl XLVI, which will be played on Feb. 5 in Indianapolis. Past Madden Protectors Award recipients include the New England Patriots (2010) and the New Orleans Saints (2009).

The Madden Protectors Award recognizes the fundamental role offensive linemen play in their teams’ success by providing consistent and powerful protection day in and day out, just as Prilosec OTC can provide 24-hour heartburn protection when used as directed for 14 days. For more information on the Madden Protectors Award presented by Prilosec OTC, visit

nfl.com/prilosecotc.

The Jets needed a 16-yard touchdown pass from Sanchez to Santonio Holmes (Ohio State) with just over a minute remaining to seal the win against the Bills and keep their team in the hunt for a spot in the playoffs. The offensive line provided great protection and allowed Sanchez to throw a career-high four touchdown passes in the game.

During the game-winning drive, on a crucial third down, Plaxico Burress (Michigan State) made a terrific 18-yard catch along the sideline that set up the touchdown pass to Holmes. The Jets were also able to rush for 138 yards, which included 78 yards from Shonn Greene (Iowa).

“One of the keys to the Jets victory was the play of their offensive line, giving time for Mark Sanchez to have one of his best days as a pro,” said Pro Football Hall of Fame Coach John Madden.

Starting Sunday’s game on the offensive line for the Jets were tackles D’Brickashaw Ferguson (Virginia) and Wayne Hunter (Hawaii); guards Brandon Moore (Illinois) and Matt Slauson (Nebraska); and center Nick Mangold (Ohio State). Vladimir Ducasse (Massachusetts) and Caleb Schlauderaff (Utah) also saw action on the Jets line on Sunday. Bill Callahan is the Jets’ offensive line coach. The assistant offensive line coach is Mike Devlin.

"The protection was great the whole game," head coach Rex Ryan said. "Our offensive line did a tremendous job there, and Mark was able to buy some time and kept his eyes downfield to make some big throws.”

Other offensive lines from around the league delivering powerful protection during Week 12 play included the New Orleans Saints (577 total yards, 372 passing yards, 205 rushing yards, 0 sacks allowed), Arizona Cardinals (374 total yards, 106 passing yards, 268 rushing yards), Denver Broncos (349 total yards, 141 passing yards, 208 rushing yards, 1 sack allowed, 1 QB hit allowed), Tennessee Titans (352 total yards, 150 passing yards, 202 rushing yards, 2 sacks allowed) and New England Patriots (457 total yards, 353 passing yards, 104 rushing yards, 1 sack allowed).

[flgreen]

Jets’ Plax On $10K Stevie Johnson Fine: ‘He Can Afford It’

December 1, 2011 9:21 AM

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(credit: Al Bello/Getty Images)

NEW YORK (WFAN/AP) — Stevie Johnson was expected to catch a fine from the NFL for his much-criticized touchdown celebration against the Jets on Sunday.

Well, according to multiple reports, the league has billed the Bills receiver — to the tune of $10,000.

Johnson mimicked shooting himself in the thigh during the celebration that mocked Jets receiver Plaxico Burress.

“He can pay for it,” Burress said with a straight face, when informed of Johnson’s fine. “He can afford it.”

Johnson declined to confirm whether he had been punished except to say he had an overnight courier envelope from the NFL waiting for him at his locker when he arrived for practice. Johnson left the envelope unopened because he expected to find inside formal notification of his fine.

On his Twitter account, Johnson made light of the envelope by referring to it as “the Random FedEx Package in My Locker” and posting a picture of it.

Otherwise, Johnson said he was done discussing the celebration — and the national criticism he received as a result of it — and is instead focusing on looking forward to helping the Bills (5-6) end a four-game slump on Sunday when they host the Tennessee Titans (6-5).

“If I do, I get fined. But we’ve got to move on,” he said. “It’s the Tennessee Titans. I’m not really worried about a fine right now. It’s part of the game. People get fined. But we’ve still got a football game on Sunday.”

The Bills’ leading receiver got into hot water immediately after putting Buffalo up 14-7 by catching a 5-yard touchdown pass with a little over two minutes left in the second quarter of a 28-24 loss at the Jets on Sunday.

Using his hands as pistols, Johnson pretended to shoot himself in the thigh, a move that was directed at Burress, who wound up serving 20 months in prison for shooting himself in a New York City nightclub in 2008.

Johnson didn’t stop there. He then imitated a jet in flight before crashing to the turf. That proved particularly costly, because he was flagged 15 yards for going to the ground.

One Jets player took a particular dislike to the celebration’s finale.

“Us being from New York, we like to hold ourselves to integrity, and that airplane thing, in my opinion, was kind of a dagger a little bit,” said Sione Pouha. “Considering the circumstances that we just celebrated — not celebrated, but in remembrance of what we just had on Sept 11.”

The Bills blew a squib kick on the next kickoff, leading to the Jets capitalizing on a short field to tie the score a little over a minute later.

Johnson said he was unaware he would be penalized, and added he regrets making fun of Burress and has apologized to the Jets player. He also said he plans to stop performing touchdown celebrations.

This isn’t the first time Johnson has been fined for his over-exuberance.

Last year, he shelled out a combined $15,000 after twice being fined by the NFL. He was fined $10,000 for falling back to the ground after pretending to shoot off a rifle — mimicking what the Patriots’ Minutemen do following a New England score — in a 38-30 loss at New England on Sept. 26.

Eight weeks later, he was fined $5,000 for showing off the message — “Why So Serious?” — Johnson had written in black marker on his T-shirt after scoring the first of three touchdown catches in a 49-31 win at Cincinnati.

Though he finished with eight catches for 75 yards, Johnson didn’t help his cause against the Jets on Sunday. He had two passes go off his hands — including one in which he was wide-open over the middle at the Jets 20-yard line — on the Bills last drive in the final minute.

[Jetfan13]

Who is the most reliable target?

November, 30, 2011

Nov 30

8:11

PM ET

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By Rich Cimini

Rex Ryan said he expects his wide receivers -- "our big guns," as he called them -- to have a completion rate of at least 50 percent. He said "everyone will say the magic number seems to be 60 percent," but he thinks that's unrealistic for an outside receiver. In fact, some of the top QB-WR tandems are above 60.

Turns out the Jets' wideouts, Santonio Holmes and Plaxico Burress, are only hovering around the 50 mark, give or take. Here's a breakdown of the Jets' WRs, TEs and RBs, according to ESPN Stats & Information. Keep in mind that TEs, RBs and slot receivers have higher rates because the passes are generally shorter:

Player -- Recs -- Drops -- Targets -- Pct

Holmes ...... 37 ........ 2 ........... 72 ....... 51.4

Burress ..... 34 ........ 3 .......... 72 ....... 47.2

Kerley ........ 17 ........ 0 .......... 19 ....... 89.5

Turner ....... 5 .......... 1 ........... 10 ....... 50.0

Keller ......... 40 ........ 1 ........... 71 ....... 56.3

Tomlinson .... 25 ...... 3 .......... 35 ...... 71.4

Greene ....... 20 ....... 0 ........... 23 ....... 87.0

McKnight .... 11 ....... 0 ........... 12 ....... 91.2

Greene has no drops? I don't think so. If it clanks off his hands to a lb, that isn't considered a drop?

Kerley is the man...0 drops in 19 passes

[faba]

There is no way this o/l should be considered for that award thsi year!

The Jets now join the list of this year’s contenders for the third annual Madden Protectors Award, presented by Prilosec OTC. The award honors the NFL’s best offensive line and will be presented during the week of Super Bowl XLVI, which will be played on Feb. 5 in Indianapolis. Past Madden Protectors Award recipients include the New England Patriots (2010) and the New Orleans Saints (2009).

[stoicsentry]

There is absolutely no way these numbers are anywhere close to correct. We're expected to believe Revis has been thrown at over 19 times per game and given up nearly 7 completions per game? Not a chance.

Where in the world did they get those numbers? That seems way off.

[flgreen]

Where in the world did they get those numbers? That seems way off.

Yeah I agree

Revis hasn't been what we have seen out of Revis for the last couple of years, but those #'s are BS.

Also I agree with BG. The #'s on Kerley , for a small sample, are great. he also passes the eye test. What I notice on the field. Kid catches the ball.

Hope He'll be 100% down the streach. Got all the ear marks of an impact slot receiver.