flgreen Posted December 5, 2011 Share Posted December 5, 2011 Notebook: O-line pitches another shutout December, 4, 2011 Dec 4 9:30 PM ET Email Print Comments2 By Rich Cimini LANDOVER, MD. -- The Jets' offensive line, maligned at times throughout the season, delivered another top-notch performance in terms of pass protection. They allowed no sacks in Sunday's 34-19 win over the Redskins, who entered the game with the third-highest sack total in the league (33). OTs D'Brickashaw Ferguson and Wayne Hunter did a nice job against the Redskins' bookend rushers, Brian Orakpo and Ryan Kerrigan. The Jets also gave up no sacks last week to the Bills. "Just a phenomenal job," QB Mark Sanchez said. "They're getting coached hard by Coach (Bill) Callahan. He isn't cutting them any slack in practice, and it's showing. They've taken to some tough coaching." Said Ferguson: "We just try to be consistent. This is an offensive line that has had some high success in recent years." Also give credit to Sanchez, who delivered the ball quickly to avoid the rush. TAKE THAT, DEANGELO: A few days ago, Redskins CB DeAngelo Hall called out Sanchez, saying he telegraphed passes and appeared "confused" at times. Sanchez got the last laugh. "He's a trash talker," Darrelle Revis said of Hall. "If that's how he feels, that's how he feels. We won the game. Mark managed the game very well. DeAngelo, go ahead, you can talk all you want." REVIS ISLAND: Redskins coach Mike Shanahan said they weren't going to challenge Revis, coming off his sub-par game against the Bills, and he wasn't kidding. Revis was barely challenged by QB Rex Grossman. Revis insisted he wasn't out to prove anything. "You've got to live with the great games and live with the bad games," he said. INJURY REPORT: RB/KR Joe McKnight hyperextended his right elbow and didn't return. It was swollen after the game and he will have an MRI Monday ... LB David Harris aggravated an old ankle injury, but returned ... RB LaDainian Tomlinson tweaked his left knee on his first "touch" and was limited to only a handful of plays. It's the same knee that kept him out for two games ... OLB Calvin Pace went out for a few plays in the second half, but he said it was just a cramp. ODDS AND ENDS: After a shaky start, OLB Garrett McIntyre was replaced in the base defense by Jamaal Westerman, who responded with a sack and two tackles-for-loss ... CB Antonio Cromartie was replaced by Donald Strickland for at least three plays. No reason given ... Rough game for Strickland, who had a penalty that nullified an interception by S Brodney Pool ... Rex Ryan won two replay challenges, the latter of which resulted in a change of possession -- a fumble by RB Roy Helu that was initially ruled down by contact ... Shonn Greene's three TDs were a career high. FANTASTIC FINISH: The Jets posted 21 points in the fourth quarter, the first time they scored 21-or-more points in the final quarter of a game since Sept. 28, 2008 against the Cards. The last time the Jets scored 21-or-more points in the fourth quarter on the road was Dec. 5, 1999, against the Giants, a 41-28 loss. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted December 5, 2011 Author Share Posted December 5, 2011 Muffed punt: "Ridiculous" December, 4, 2011 Dec 4 8:58 PM ET Email Print Comments7 By Rich Cimini LANDOVER, MD. -- Special team is supposed to be one of the Jets' strengths. Lately, they've been an Achilles' heel. They have six -- count 'em, six -- turnovers. Rookie Jeremy Kerley added to the league-high total, muffing a punt late in the second quarter of Sunday's 34-19 win over the Redskins. It was a costly blunder, because it set up the Redskins for a gimme field goal, allowing them to take a 13-10 lead into halftime. Afterward, Rex Ryan was ticked -- and rightfully so. He said it's "ridiculous" to have that many turnovers, and he almost sounded like he was issuing an edict to special teams coordinator Mike Westhoff: Only Jim Leonhard returns punts. "We've got to find a way to get it done," Ryan said. "Leave Jim Leonhard out there. He'll catch the ball in a hurricane. I'm fine with that." In other words, Leonhard isn't a home-run hitter, but he isn't going to cough it up. If you're keeping score at home, the Jets' giveaways on special teams: Antonio Cromartie -- muffed punt, fumble on kickoff return Joe McKnight -- muffed punt, fumble on kickoff return Garrett McIntyre -- accidental fumble on a kickoff Kerley -- muffed punt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted December 5, 2011 Author Share Posted December 5, 2011 Sorry, Schotty, Rex takes credit for TD call December, 4, 2011 Dec 4 8:48 PM ET Email Print Comments2 By Rich Cimini LANDOVER, MD. -- Brian Schottenheimer can't catch a break. The Jets' embattled offensive coordinator saw his unit score a season-high 34 points in Sunday's 34-19 win over the Redskins, but his boss -- Rex Ryan -- took credit for one of the touchdowns, Shonn Greene's 9-yard run on a direct snap. It came with 3:42 left in the game. It was a "power" play, according to Ryan. "I'll let him tell you it was my play that took the 'power' in for the touchdown, because it was, thank you very much," Ryan said, laughing. Knowing Ryan, he didn't mean to demean Schottenheimer. It was just Rex being Rex. He also revealed that it was his idea to dust off the Wildcat package. The Jets used a form of the Wildcat on seven different plays, gaining a total of 26 yards and a TD. It was their most extensive use of the Wildcat this season. (Where have you gone, Brad Smith?) A breakdown: 1. Greene, direct snap -- +3 yards 2. Jeremy Kerley, direct snap, pitched to Joe McKnight -- -1 3. Greene, direct snap -- +1 4. Kerley, direct snap -- +6 5. Greene, direct snap -- +3 6. LaDainian Tomlinson, direct snap -- +5 7. Greene, direct snap -- +9 TD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted December 5, 2011 Author Share Posted December 5, 2011 Back in the playoff chase December, 4, 2011 Dec 4 8:49 PM ET Email Print Comments8 LANDOVER, MD. -- Some folks said the Jets were dead. They ain't dead. In fact, with the Bengals' loss Sunday to the Steelers, the Jets (7-5) are in a four-way tie for the second wild-card spot in the AFC. They're tied with the Raiders, Titans and Bengals -- all 7-5. The Broncos, too, are 7-5, but they're leading the AFC West, based on a tiebreaker. After beating the Redskins, Rex Ryan was asked if the win gave him more confidence for making the postseason. The coach shrugged. "Hey, we know where we think we're going," Ryan said. "More confident than 100 percent? I don't know about that." Darrelle Revis said the dream -- you know what that is -- remains alive. "We're looking in that direction and focusing on the things we always talked about in training camp, getting to the playoffs and trying to win a Super Bowl." Check out the Jets' remaining schedule: Chiefs -- 5-7 Eagles -- 4-8 Giants -- 6-6 Dolphins -- 4-8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted December 5, 2011 Author Share Posted December 5, 2011 Mayhem" Maybin, defense step up late December, 4, 2011 Dec 4 8:05 PM ET Email Print Comments11 By Jane McManus LANDOVER, MD. -- Two seasons in Buffalo and Aaron Maybin never earned his keep on the active roster. He was like a jar of defensive potential where the cap just couldn’t come lose. He came to the Jets without a sack to his name, and now, just a few weeks later, he’s producing sacks and forcing fumbles all over the place. In a 34-19 win Sunday, "Mayhem" Maybin recorded a sack, two tackles and a forced fumble. Maybin leads the team with six sacks and four forced fumbles on the year. He’s even got coach Rex Ryan -- who was the one to finally getting that pesky cap off -- joking that he needs to get some Mayhem T-Shirts made up. “I told Maybin that fourth-quarter sacks win games and he responded to me saying, ‘I know it coach,’” Ryan recounted. “Then he went out there and got one, then I said to him that a fumble was even better, so I am proud of the effort on his part.” Before the game, according to Pro Football Focus, Maybin’s five sacks on 110 defensive snaps was the best ratio in the NFL, with five sacks being the benchmark for statistical consideration. Maybin -- a Maryland native -- had his moment in the fourth quarter. The Jets held a slim 20-16 lead on a third down for Washington. He sacked Grossman for a nine-yard loss and forced the fumble, which was recovered by linebacker Calvin Pace. The Jets got the ball at the Washington 9 and two plays later, running back Shonn Greene scored. It was just one of the instances where the Jets took advantage in a key spot. The Jets' defense, who started slow, regrouped at half time and limited the opposition to a single field goal in the fourth quarter. “We’ve been harping on this for the last couple of weeks, about not letting our worst drive be our last drive,” Maybin said. “Not allowing teams to finish in crunch time, being able to buckle down at the appropriate time.” Jamaal Westerman also recorded a sack, and Eric Smith and Pace led the Jets in tackling with six apiece. Westerman said the Jets talked at the half about improving their technique and tackling better, and Grossman was 0-4 in the third quarter. “They did a good job of mixing up all of their stuff,” Grossman said. “They never give you the same look twice. They never play the same type of scheme twice. They did a lot of unique blitzes and you can’t get a beat on them. They are a pretty damn good football team.” David Harris, the linebacker and defensive signal caller, said they were able to improve across the board in the second half. “They caught us on our heels on the first drive felt like we just did a better job of knowing how they were going to attack us and came out second half, played lights out.” Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted December 5, 2011 Author Share Posted December 5, 2011 NY Jets Shonn Greene leads the way for Gang Green in win over Washington Redskins Power back too much for Washington to handle BY Kevin Armstrong NEW YORK DAILY NEWS Originally Published: Sunday, December 4 2011, 9:54 PM Updated: Sunday, December 4 2011, 11:35 PM Andrew Theodorakis/New York Daily News Shonn Greene scores one of his three touchdowns to help power Jets to victory in Washington. LANDOVER, Md. - Shonn Greene shot through holes large and small against the Redskins Sunday afternoon, taking direct snaps into the line and handoffs from Mark Sanchez. No matter the method, the Jets tailback left his imprint on FedEx Field. “Shonn balled out today,” veteran tailback LaDainian Tomlinson said. “He hung tough and wore people down.” Greene ran the ball 22 times for a team-high 88 yards, accelerating through holes created by blockers and blasting away at a Redskin defense known more for its pass rush than run stop. His three touchdowns, a season high and the first scores he had put on the board since Oct. 9, proved to be the difference in a game the Jets eventually blew open to a 34-19 final. “We put our nose on the grindstone and didn’t let anything else influence us,” left guard Matt Slauson said of the line’s part in Greene’s production. The Jets rode Greene as the backfield’s depth chart shrunk behind him. Tomlinson went down when he tweaked the left knee that had left him sidelined the previous two weeks. Expected to take more snaps in his return, Tomlinson was relegated to pass blocking for the most part thereafter. Reserve tailback Joe McKnight hyperextended his right elbow when he was tackled at the end of a run. He could not return because the swelling precluded him from being able to hold onto the ball. “We all prepare as though we’re going to be the starter and play all 60 minutes,” Greene said. “This was no different.” Creativity also greased the rails for Greene. Rex Ryan asked offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer to include more direct snaps in the game plan this past week, and the added wrinkle kept the Redskins off balance. The end result was a nine-yard surge into the end zone off a direct snap that made the score 27-16 with 3:42 left, two plays after the Jets recovered a fumble. “I had to be patient, feel it out and take it downhill,” Greene said. Ryan’s lone regret came once Greene crossed the goal line for the third time with 1:47 remaining. The coach said he intended for Greene to take a knee at the 1-yard line to further bleed the clock, and prevent the Jets from needing to cover another kickoff and more downs on defense. Ryan accepted blame because he did not relay that to Greene during the game, and broached the topic in his locker-room address to the team afterward. Greene promised to heed it the next time. For Sunday, his explanation sufficed. “I was just running,” Greene said. Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/ny-jets-greene-lights-article-1.986677#ixzz1ffUXYn9Y Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted December 5, 2011 Author Share Posted December 5, 2011 December 4, 2011, 8:17 pm Maybin Gives Jets Key Lift With Big Sack By BEN SHPIGEL Correction Appended A capsule look at the Jets’ 34-19 victory at Washington on Sunday: NUMBER OF THE WEEK By sacking Rex Grossman, Aaron Maybin increased his season — and career — total to six. He forced a fumble deep in Redskins territory in the fourth quarter with the Jets leading, 20-16, and the Jets soon put the game away. Viewed as a bust after underperforming in Buffalo, Maybin has resuscitated his career with the Jets, so much so that Rex Ryan pleaded for No. 51 jerseys adorned with Maybin’s nickname, Mayhem, to be sold at MetLife Stadium. LITTLE ROLE, BIG PLAY Josh Baker, a rookie tight end, made the most important play of his young career in the fourth quarter. As an up back on the Jets’ return team, he fielded a short kickoff after the Redskins went ahead, 16-13, and rumbled 29 yards, giving the Jets great field position at their 49. Mark Sanchez connected with Santonio Holmes for the game-winning touchdown five plays later. TALKING POINT Have the Jets’ last two fourth-quarter comebacks restored the faith that they have the moxie to emerge as a playoff threat? Join the conversatio Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted December 5, 2011 Author Share Posted December 5, 2011 Mo Wilkerson Deletes Tweets to Hater and Apologizes for his Action Posted by Erik Manassy on Dec 4, 2011 in Main, Player Tweets, Twitter | 0 Comments and 3 Reactions Mo Wilkerson, the rookie DE for the New York Jets, was quick to reply to a “hater” in which he deleted the tweet and then later apologized for the incident. The Jets just finished defeated the Washington Redskins, 34-19 and at 5:14 (about an hour after the end of the game), Mo retweeted the message with his replies. Mo committed a cardinal sin of twitter for athletes: responding to haters directly. NotNateCopsey @mowilkerson Jets suck bro. Also, you should try playing well if you want to win…You guys are terrible this year. 12/4/11 4:26 PM mowilkerson LMAO hater go play n traffic n get a life RT @NotNateCopsey: @mowilkerson Jets suck bro. Also, you should try playing well if you want to win…You guys are terrible this year. 12/4/11 5:14 PM NotNateCopsey @mowilkerson seirous bro? Better sh*tty younger when I’m not being paid to suck like you.Accept your sh*ttiness and life will be cool #Bitch 12/4/11 5:25 PM mowilkerson Don’t be mad cuz u were a sh*tty athlete when you were younger RT @NotNateCopsey 12/4/11 5:24 PM NotNateCopsey @mowilkerson I expected a better response from someone who gets paid to suck…clearly you’re overrated, douchebag. 12/4/11 5:19 PM mowilkerson I wanna apologize to all my followers I made a inappropriate tweet 12/4/11 5:35 PM Wilkerson from today's game After going to the “haters’” timeline, I could see he was tweeting every single Jet trying to get a rise out of all the players. He targeted Dustin Keller, Damien Woody, Nick Mangold, Aaron Maybin and of course Mo. This guy also managed to then take his replies and include the commissioner’s twitter account in his tweets so he could “tell” on Mo. The fact of life is when you succeed, people want to bring you down. Haters are usually people who are jealous of your fame and celebrity. Mo is a young talented player and he made one small slip up by replying to this guy. I’ll bet that Mo will never make this mistake again. Too bad players have to learn the hard way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted December 5, 2011 Author Share Posted December 5, 2011 Mulligan gets hot on sideline December, 5, 2011 Dec 5 12:51 AM ET Email Print Comments6 By Rich Cimini LANDOVER, MD. -- An angry Matthew Mulligan barked some heated words at someone on the Jets' sideline at the start of the third quarter in Sunday's win over the Redskins. It happened moments after Mulligan came off the field after committing a false-start penalty on the first play of the second half. It was his sixth penalty of the season, clearly a source of frustration for him and the team. CBS cameras caught Mulligan snapping at someone, perhaps RB coach Anthony Lynn, who was standing a few feet in front of him. RB Joe McKnight also was in the area. Mulligan never really threatened to confront the person -- at least not that we saw on TV -- but it prompted fellow TE Dustin Keller to step in front of Mulligan, acting as a shield. OT Vladimir Ducasse also held Mulligan's arm, just in case. It wasn't the first time that a Mulligan penalty caused some backlash. In the first game against the Bills, a penalty on Mulligan nullified a long run by Shonn Greene, prompting RG Brandon Moore to give him an earful. Mulligan also heard it from O.C. Brian Schottenheimer. Mulligan couldn't be reached after the game to comment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted December 5, 2011 Author Share Posted December 5, 2011 Time for Mulligan to move on to his real career. What ever that might be. It sure isn't football Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted December 5, 2011 Author Share Posted December 5, 2011 NY Jets rookie Jeremy Kerley struggles on special teams, replaced by Jim Leonhard in return game Rex says Leonhard will 'catch it in a hurricane' BY Manish Mehta & Kevin Armstrong NEW YORK DAILY NEWS Monday, December 5 2011, 1:10 AM Andrew, Theodorakis/New York Daily News Jets LB Aaron Maybin continues to create havoc with quarterbacks as sack and forced fumble of Rex Grossman sets up insurance TD in 4th quarter. LANDOVER, Md. - The Jets’ special teams continued to sputter at FedEx Field Sunday as rookie Jeremy Kerley, in action for the first time since suffering a knee injury on Nov. 13, muffed a punt, the fourth such fumble by a Jet returner in the last four games. “It just can’t happen, there’s no other way around it,” said safety Jim Leonhard, who replaced Kerley after the gaffe. “We’ve made a lot of big plays this year, but we’ve also given up more than our share. We have to stop that. It’s going to hurt you.” Kerley’s miscue led to a Washington field goal, and it was the sixth lost fumble by a Jets return man this season. Coaches continue to search for a remedy, but the inconsistency strikes Rex Ryan as a haunting matter. “It’s ridiculous,” Ryan said. “Jeremy’s an outstanding player. We’ve got to find a way to get it done.” Issues have added up as Joe McKnight and Antonio Cromartie also lost fumbles in losses to the New England Patriots and Denver Broncos. Typically lauded by Ryan and special teams coordinator Mike Westhoff for all-around effort, the kick return teams have come under scrutiny. Reminders of the group’s potential were on display, too. In the fourth quarter, Cromartie exhibited the dynamic athleticism that he can bring to the return game. He caught an onside kick and broke free for a 17-yard sprint before being brought down. McKnight, meanwhile, will undergo an MRI on his elbow after being forced out of the game due to a hyperextension. Nick Folk was the lone bright spot, hitting field goals from 51 and 45 yards. He also made all four of his extra points. “Leave Jimmy Leonhard out there, he’ll catch it in a hurricane, I’m fine with that,” Ryan said. ‘MAYHEM’ STRIKES AGAIN Ryan heaped praise on outside linebacker Aaron Maybin for his strip sack of quarterback Rex Grossman, going so far as to offer a marketing idea. “I told him fourth-quarter sacks win games,” Ryan said. “Fumbles are even better. “ I think we need to get some jerseys out there with ‘Mayhem’ on their back.” Maybin has six sacks and five forced fumbles on the season. “That was just one of those situations where we knew as a defense it was crunch time,” said Maybin, who wore a black T-shirt that read, “Duh, winning” in the locker room. “We’ve been in those situations.” LAST STAND FOR TWO SKINS? Where would the Redskins have been without tight end Fred Davis? Before kickoff, several media outlets reported that Davis and Redskins offensive tackle Trent Williams faced pending four-game suspensions from the league’s office for violating the NFL’s drug policy. Both were allowed to play Sunday, and Davis took full advantage, catching four passes for 82 yards in the first half and finishing with six catches for 99 yards. “Guys have to be accountable,” Redskins linebacker Lorenzo Alexander said. “It’s a shame. These are two significant players on our team.” Davis offered Grossman a deep outlet for a 42-yard completion in the opening quarter and had another long reception wiped out when he could not keep his second foot in bounds. Those receptions may be Davis’ final contributions of the season. If the suspensions are meted out as expected, Davis and Williams would miss the remainder of the regular season. TALK IS CHEAP The most heated matchup of the game took place on the perimeter. Jets wideout Plaxico Burress and Redskins cornerback DeAngelo Hall repeatedly engaged in exchanges of words and subtle shoves throughout the game. “DeAngelo’s a trash-talker,” Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis said. “He can talk all he wants now.” Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/ny-jets-rookie-jeremy-kerley-struggles-special-teams-replaced-jim-leonhard-return-game-article-1.986775#ixzz1ffamK96z Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted December 5, 2011 Author Share Posted December 5, 2011 NY Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez delivers in clutch Like Tebow, Sanchez rallies Jets in fourth quarter again NEW YORK DAILY NEWS Originally Published: Monday, December 5 2011, 1:13 AM Updated: Monday, December 5 2011, 1:13 AM Getty Images Jets QB Mark Sanchez comes up big against the Redskins Sunday. L ANDOVER, Md. - Before there was Tim Tebow, there was Mark Sanchez. Sanchez is still here, actually - the original, flawed-arm quarterback who somehow, improbably, ekes out fourth-quarter, must-win victories in spite of himself. Sanchez spent most of yet another game Sunday at FedEx Field overthrowing receivers and looking utterly perplexed about his purpose in life. Illegal procedures, delay of game, wasted timeouts, confusion in the huddle. Sanchez and the Jet offense appeared irreparably broken, a customary sight by now. And with the exception of one nasty, illegal hit from Kevin Barnes, Sanchez was getting protection from his offensive line this time, which only made those wayward passes more inexcusable. “The real pattern is we’re just hurting ourselves,” Sanchez said, scolding himself later. “We need a better sense of urgency and tempo. That starts with the quarterback. We’ve got to not let the game spin out of control. (These are) little things we can control, making it tougher on ourselves.” But then, again familiarly, Sanchez pulled it together to loft one perfect 30-yard spiral to Santonio Holmes near the sideline on a double move, deep in the fourth quarter. Holmes galloped in for the touchdown, for the go-ahead points in a 34-19 victory over Washington. This leaves all of us once more to wrestle with the notion that an often dysfunctional quarterback somehow functions just enough to win just enough games. Sanchez can get away with an 83.5 quarterback rating on a day when he throws no interceptions and when his counterpart, Rex Grossman, is at 47.5. Can the Jets really make a run into deep winter on the back of a quarterback who threw for merely 165 yards on 19 completions on Sunday and was rarely trusted to look beyond a slant pattern? The coach says yes. “Mark sometimes sailed the balls, but when it counted most he found a way to get the job done,” Rex Ryan said. “It’s the competitiveness. Nobody wants to acknowledge it. But every quarterback struggles, with the exception of Peyton and Brady. You have your moments. I’ll take a guy who can roll up his sleeves and say, ‘You know what? We’re going to get it done.’ And everybody believes in him.’ ” Don’t be fooled by that final score, or by the benign AFC standings. The Jets were barely breathing Sunday against a lousy opponent with five minutes left. There were moments out there when the thought of Mark Brunell surely danced in the heads of impatient Jet fans everywhere. Turned out everybody just needed to exhale and watch Sanchez pull another victory out of his helmet. It isn’t easy to lose to Washington, a toothless club that regularly gives opponents many turnover chances. The Jets were handed several such opportunities. They got zero points out of a third-period fumble by Roy Helu at his own 29-yard line, forced by the outstretched hand of Marcus Dixon. They later clinched the victory with a touchdown after recovering a Grossman fumble on Washington’s 9-yard line. The big play, though, was that pass to Holmes with 4:57 left in the game and the Jets down by three. It was no wonder that Washington cornerback Josh Wilson bit on Holmes’ early fake slant. Sanchez had been busy exclusively throwing short passes for the first 55 minutes of the game. Holmes called the touchdown “a play that had to be made.” Sanchez made the play, keeping the Jets alive in the AFC race the way he barely keeps them in these games. He isn’t the latest rage, not like Tebow. All he’s done is win 30 games, four of them in the postseason, in his first three years as a pro. Only a half-dozen quarterbacks have done that, ever. All he’s done is lead 10 comeback wins in the fourth quarter or overtime. He loses on form every time. But on a day such as this one at FedEx Field, with all the marbles in play, Sanchez didn’t make the big mistake and then he made one perfect lead pass. Enough to beat Washington. Just enough, again. Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/ny-jets-quarterback-mark-sanchez-delivers-clutch-article-1.986780#ixzz1ffbmeoGj Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted December 5, 2011 Author Share Posted December 5, 2011 Kerley culprit on latest muffed punt Jets Blog By BRIAN COSTELLO Last Updated: 8:14 AM, December 5, 2011 Posted: 2:16 AM, December 5, 2011 More Print JETS NOTES LANDOVER, Md. — Another week, another special-teams blunder. The Jets have seen their special teams go from a strength to a weakness in recent weeks, largely because of turnovers. Jeremy Kerley muffed a second-quarter punt in yesterday’s 34-19 win, giving the Jets four straight games with a turnover on a return. Kerley is the third different player to botch a punt. Kerley dropped the ball at the Redskins’ 18, and Washington recovered to set up a Graham Gano field goal that gave the Redskins a 13-10 halftime lead. “That’s [six] returns that have been fumbles, which is ridiculous,” Jets coach Rex Ryan said. “Jeremy is an outstanding player. We’ve got to find a way to get it done. Leave Jimmy Leonhard out there. He’ll catch it in a hurricane. I’m fine with that.” Jeff Zelevansky NOTHING SPECIAL: Jets punt returner Jeremy Kerley is hit by the Redskins’ Niles Paul as he fumbles the ball during yesterday’s 34-19 road win. The sure-handed Leonhard was back on punts in the second half, and he may keep the job for the rest of the season. Kerley, Joe McKnight and Antonio Cromartie each have fumbled a punt in the past four games. * The Jets offensive line did not allow a sack for the second straight week. The Redskins entered the game third in the league in sacks with 33. “We didn’t go into the game with our knees shaking,” guard Brandon Moore said. “We know we can block people.” * McKnight left the game in the third quarter with a hyperextended elbow. The running back will have an MRI exam today. RB LaDainian Tomlinson (knee), LB Calvin Pace (cramps) and LB David Harris (ankle) all left the game with injuries but later returned. * Ryan was 2-for-2 on challenges. Tight end Fred Davis made an apparent 29-yard catch that would have set the Redskins up in Jets territory, but replays showed Davis had one foot out of bounds when he made the catch. The Redskins ended up punting. Then, in the third quarter, a replay showed Redskins running back Roy Helu fumbled, giving the Jets possession. Nick Folk missed a 40-yard field goal on the ensuing drive, though. * The Jets’ first drive of the game set season highs in plays (17) and time of possession (9:06). It resulted in their first touchdown in the first quarter since Sept. 25. * Davis and Redskins offensive tackle Trent Williams played despite facing reported four-game suspensions stemming from post-lockout positive tests for recreational drugs under a settlement between the league and players union. brian.costello@nypost.com Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/jets/return_frights_IojmRNb2klkWYUGwRHycMO#ixzz1ffcZapwO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted December 5, 2011 Author Share Posted December 5, 2011 Jets blitz Jets Blog By MARK HALE Last Updated: 1:09 AM, December 5, 2011 Posted: 1:02 AM, December 5, 2011 HERO Santonio Holmes hauled in the go-ahead TD (above)late in the fourth quarter for the second straight week. Yesterday he caught Mark Sanchez’s 30-yard pass to give the Jets a 20-16 lead with 4:57 to play. Last week, he grabbed a 16-yard score with just over a minute left to beat Buffalo. Not bad for Gang Green’s $45 million wideout. ZERO Rex Grossman is not good. The Washington QB completed just 19-of-46 passes for 221 yards, threw an interception, lost a pivotal late fumble and posted a 47.5 rating for the day. Grossman was 5-for-7 to start the game and closed it by going 14-of-39. Ouch. UNSUNG HERO Give it to Josh Baker, the Jets’ second-string fullback and third-string tight end. After Graham Gano’s 46-yard field goal put the Redskins up 16-13 with 7:56 remaining, Gano pooched his kickoff. Baker snared it on the fly at the Jets 20-yard line and scampered 29 yards to the 49. That set up the Jets well, and five plays later, Holmes’ TD gave them the lead. KEY MOMENT Holmes’ TD and Baker’s return were enormous. But the game was clinched on the Redskins’ ensuing possession when Aaron Maybin sacked Grossman, forcing a fumble that Calvin Pace recovered at the Washington 9-yard line. Two plays later, Shonn Greene’s TD run put the Jets up 11 with 3:48 to play. Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/jets/jets_blitz_ASiYakgaRT7UQ1dYJ0g7hL#ixzz1ffdFzYRW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted December 5, 2011 Author Share Posted December 5, 2011 Jets rally to beat 'Skins Jets Blog Jets 34 Redskins 19 By BRIAN COSTELLO Last Updated: 7:04 AM, December 5, 2011 Posted: 12:58 AM, December 5, 2011 More Print LANDOVER, Md. — It may be time for Mark Sanchez to trade in his No. 6 jersey and helmet for a cape and top hat. The Jets quarterback performed some more fourth-quarter magic to lift his team to a 34-19 comeback victory over the Redskins at FedEx Field yesterday. For the second straight week, the Jets offense looked putrid for 3 1/2 quarters and then turned it on in the final minutes to pull out the victory and improve their chances of making the playoffs. Sanchez waited to pull a rabbit out of his hat this week until there was 4:49 left to play. He hit Santonio Holmes with a pretty, 30-yard touchdown pass that gave the Jets a 20-16 lead for the ninth fourth-quarter comeback in Sanchez’s career. Getty Images STRIPPED DOWN: Aaron Maybin sacks Rex Grossman, forcing a fumble that Calvin Pace recovered to essentially clinch the Jets’ win yesterday at FedEx Field. Jeff Zelevansky MAGIC MARK: Mark Sanchez (left) celebrates with Santonio Holmes after the two hooked up on the game-winning touchdown late in the fourth quarter. “Whenever we need him the most is when he shows up,” running back LaDainian Tomlinson said. The Jets tacked on two more touchdowns to make the final score much more lopsided than the game actually was. The Jets needed late-game heroics to beat the Bills last week as well. The victory moves the Jets to 7-5 and into a tie with the Broncos, Raiders, Titans and Bengals in the chase for a playoff spot in the AFC. There were times yesterday when those playoff hopes looked as if they might disintegrate in suburban Washington, D.C. The offense could not get out of its own way at times, committing penalties, lacking a rhythm and failing to sustain drives. “It tells us we’ve got to get better,” Jets coach Rex Ryan said. “Sometimes you don’t like it to come down to that, but it also tells you about the character and the guts of this football team.” The Redskins had success early in the game rushing Roy Helu (23 rushes, 100 yards, TD) and throwing to tight end Fred Davis (six catches, 99 yards). It became clear, though, that once the Jets defense stopped Helu, quarterback Rex Grossman could not beat them. Grossman completed 19-of-46 passes for 221 yards and an interception. He did not complete a pass in the third quarter. Sanchez was not much better for a lot of the day. He ended up completing 19-of-32 for 165 yards and a touchdown. “At times he sailed a couple of balls, but then when it counted the most in the fourth quarter, he found a way to get it done,” Ryan said. The Jets offense failed to capitalize on several chances given to them by the defense in the second half, including three three-and-outs and a fumble deep in Redskins territory. Washington took a 16-13 lead on a Graham Gano 46-yard field goal with 7:52 left in the game. Gano botched the following kickoff, hitting the ground with his foot first and putting up a short kick that backup tight end Josh Baker fielded at the 20 and ran back 29 yards to the Jets’ 49, setting up Sanchez and Co. with great field position. Even then, it looked as if the Jets might botch another chance. The Jets were penalized for having 12 men in the huddle on second down and then had to waste a timeout when the play did not come in quick enough on third down. On third-and-4, Sanchez made a tremendous play. With Washington cornerback Kevin Barnes coming free on a blitz, Sanchez stepped up and hit Shonn Greene with a 10-yard pass to keep the drive going. Two plays later, the Jets dialed up a double move from Holmes, who faked a slant and then ran a corner route to the end zone, beating corner Josh Wilson. Sanchez pump-faked and then hit Holmes in stride to make it 20-16. “We play the game until the end of the game,” Holmes said. “We never think to win a ballgame in the first, second or third quarter. Things happen throughout the ballgame.” Sanchez was happy after the game, but quickly turned his attention to what lies ahead for the Jets over the next four games, beginning next week with the Chiefs. “Two in a row is great,” he said. “These are all for nothing if we can’t win the next few. Cherish this victory tonight on the train ride home and then get ready for a good Kansas City team coming to our place.” Any chance of a Redskins (4-8) comeback was extinguished on the next series when Aaron Maybin drilled Grossman, causing a fumble that Calvin Pace recovered at the Redskins’ 9. Greene then scored his second of a career-high three touchdowns to ice the game. Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/jets/jets_victory_is_fourth_coming_gGIslbmn485IokuHbtK74H#ixzz1ffdxrati Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted December 5, 2011 Author Share Posted December 5, 2011 Jets report card Jets Blog By BRIAN COSTELLO Last Updated: 1:02 AM, December 5, 2011 Posted: 12:54 AM, December 5, 2011 More Print OFFENSE This should be two grades: first through third quarters: D; fourth quarter: A. The schizophrenic offense did its thing again yesterday, providing little production until there was five minutes left to play. Mark Sanchez (19-of-32, 165 yards, 1 TD) pulled off another fourth-quarter comeback. Shonn Greene (22 rushes, 88 yards, 3 TDs) made some plays late. Plaxico Burress (three catches, 33 yards) did not have a catch in the second half. The line gave Sanchez time all day. B - DEFENSE Early on, it appeared Roy Helu (23 rushes, 100 yards) and tight end Fred Davis (six catches, 99 yards) were going to carve up the Jets. But the Jets started making tackles and forced Rex Grossman to try to beat them, which he couldn’t. The Jets forced and recovered two fumbles, and Aaron Maybin added another sack and a forced fumble to his growing resume. B+ SPECIAL TEAMS Jeremy Kerley became the latest fumbling Jet, botching a second-quarter punt, as the special teams turnovers have become a huge problem for this team. Nick Folk went 2-for-3 on field goals on a rough field to kick on. T.J. Conley had a few booming punts, including a 52-yarder. C COACHING Credit the Jets’ defensive coaches with making some good in-game adjustments on Davis and against the run. They shuffled a lot of personnel in and out of the game, searching for the right combination. Offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer worked in a lot of wildcat plays at the request of Rex Ryan, but Schottenheimer had some brutal calls (passing on third-and-1). Ryan needs to get things cleaned up on this team, but give him credit for having a team that usually finds a way to win. B Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/jets/jets_report_card_WVIX1N8Ssc0MJ9h4CqQOeL#ixzz1ffenfQqK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hawksown14 Posted December 5, 2011 Share Posted December 5, 2011 I like the ones that go into the stats. Where do you find these information? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted December 5, 2011 Author Share Posted December 5, 2011 I like the ones that go into the stats. Where do you find these information? Every paper has a site. Plus there are several sites, Nyjets.com that collect articles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted December 5, 2011 Author Share Posted December 5, 2011 Greene’s 3rd TD makes Ryan see red Jets Blog By MARK HALE Last Updated: 8:14 AM, December 5, 2011 Posted: 12:50 AM, December 5, 2011 More Print LANDOVER, Md. — Rex Ryan wasn’t thrilled about Shonn Greene’s hat trick yesterday. Greene racked up a career-high three touchdowns in yesterday’s 34-19 win over the Redskins, but the Jets coach thought Greene’s final score could have potentially caused a problem. The Jets led 27-19 when they recovered a Washington onside kick at the Skins’ 25-yard line with just 1:59 to play. Mike Shanahan’s crew only had one timeout left, meaning the Jets could have just run out the clock after the first play. But on first down, Greene rambled to the right for a 25-yard touchdown. It put the Jets up 15 points with 1:47 to go, an insurmountable lead. But Ryan wanted Greene to fall down at the 1-yard line and avoid the Jets’ having to play an extra possession on defense and cover a kickoff. GREENE DAY: Shonne Greene finds some running room on the way to his three-touchdown performance in the Jets’ 34-19 victory over the Redskins yesterday. “That was something that I was a little bit upset with because for the simple fact that we had to go back and play defense and cover a kick,” Ryan said. “Sometimes I’ve seen guys get injured in those situations. That was something I was disappointed in. I was disappointed in myself for not telling him. I’ll take the responsibility.” Greene said Ryan did not address the situation with him specifically after the game but did tell the team. Said Greene of the play, “I was just running.” Either way, the Jets won easily and nobody on the team was injured in the final two minutes. As for Greene, his performance was highlight-heavy but also statistically misleading. The third-year bruiser finished with 88 yards rushing on 22 carries and the three scores (he also caught three passes for 26 yards), but until the 25-yard scoring run to seal it, he had just 65 yards on 21 carries, an average of 3.1 yards. Greene had never scored more than two touchdowns in a season prior to yesterday — he had two in 2009-10, two last season and two this season coming into Washington. “Shonn did a great job of hanging tough today,” fellow back LaDainian Tomlinson said. Greene had a heavy workload to start against the Redskins, carrying the ball nine times on the Jets’ first drive of the game, a 17-play, 74-yard march that ended with Greene’s 1-yard score. He added a 9-yard scoring run with 3:42 to go before his 25-yard clincher. — Additional reporting by Brian Costello. Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/jets/greene_rd_td_makes_ryan_see_red_8eFspY6CDuwjBHVxGyrStO#ixzz1ffg75JrD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted December 5, 2011 Author Share Posted December 5, 2011 Rex Ryan riled after another fumble Sunday, December 4, 2011 BY J.P. PELZMAN STAFF WRITER The Record Print | E-mail LANDOVER, Md. — The Jets lost a fumble on special teams for the fourth consecutive game when, in the second quarter, Jeremy Kerley muffed Sav Rocca’s punt and Washington’s Perry Riley recovered at the Jets’ 18. Washington got a 23-yard field goal from Graham Gano after the miscue. Kerley returned Sunday from a knee injury that had sidelined him for the past two games. After his mistake, the Jets used safety Jim Leonhard on punt returns, and his 14-yard return to the Washington 47 in the third quarter helped set up a 51-yard field goal by Nick Folk. "We have to find a way to get it done," fed-up Jets coach Rex Ryan said. "Leave Jimmy out there and he’ll catch it in a hurricane. I’m fine with that." Joe McKnight and Antonio Cromartie also have lost muffed punt returns recently, and McKnight lost a fumble on a kickoff return at Denver on Nov. 17. MCKNIGHT, TOMLINSON BANGED UP: McKnight came out of the game after suffering a hyperextended right elbow while being tackled on a screen pass late in the third quarter. He did not return and said he will have an MRI today to determined the extent of the injury, although he hopes he can play against Kansas City on Sunday. "It’s pretty sore right now," McKnight said. "I really can’t extend it all the way." LaDainian Tomlinson, who had missed the previous two games with a left knee injury, reinjured the knee when he landed awkwardly because of a twisting tackle by Oshiomogho Atogwe at the end of a 16-yard reception in the first quarter. It appeared to be a horse-collar tackle, but no penalty was called. Tomlinson left the game and returned later, but played sparingly. He expects to play against the Chiefs. BRIEFS: Washington TE Fred Davis and LT Trent Williams both played their final games of the season, apparently. According to multiple reports, the NFL will announce today that both will receive four-game suspensions for violating the NFL’s substance-abuse policy. Davis led Washington receivers with six receptions for 99 yards. … Kyle Wilson’s fourth-quarter interception off Washington QB Rex Grossman was the second pick of the season for the second-year pro. … Washington rookie Roy Helu had 100 yards rushing and one touchdown on 23 carries. No other Redskin had a rushing attempt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted December 5, 2011 Author Share Posted December 5, 2011 Jets replay vs. Redskins Sunday, December 4, 2011 The Record Print | E-mail Turning point After his 46-yard field goal with 7:52 left had given Washington a 16-13 lead, kicker Graham Gano mish*t the kickoff, according to Redskins coach Mike Shanahan. The ball went short to one of the Jets up-backs, reserve tight end Josh Baker. He returned it 29 yards to the Jets' 49 and Mark Sanchez connected with Santonio Holmes for a 30-yard score five plays later. Unsung heroes For the second consecutive week, the Jets' offensive line didn't allow a sack. But this was much more impressive than their performance against Buffalo, because Washington has a more formidable pass rush. Give credit to LT D'Brickashaw Ferguson and RT Wayne Hunter for helping shut out OLBs Brian Orakpo and Ryan Kerrigan, respectively. Costly mistakes Jeremy Kerley muffed a second-quarter punt and Washington recovered at the Jets' 18, setting up a field goal. It was the fourth consecutive game in which the Jets have lost a fumble on a punt or kickoff return. … Cromartie and S Eric Smith apparently had a miscommunication on TE Fred Davis' 42-yard first-quarter reception, which led to Washington's only touchdown. Cromartie was replaced at times by Donald Strickland at CB in the Jets' base defense, but Strickland also had a glaring error. His penalty for illegal contact negated a first-quarter interception by S Brodney Pool. Eye-catching Former Jets WR Santana Moss had five receptions for 42 yards and passed Redskins Hall of Fame RB-WR Bobby Mitchell for fourth place in career receiving yardage for Washington(6,514). Moss, a first-round pick for the Jets in 2001, was traded to the Redskins after the 2004 campaign. … Washington P Sav Rocca writhed in pain after a running-into-the-kicker penalty on the Jets' Garrett McIntyre. But the 5-yard penalty wasn't enough for a first down and it appeared he was trying to coax a roughing penalty from the officials. It didn't work and he returned to the game, apparently not seriously injured. Coaching decisions Jets coach Rex Ryan was 2-for-2 on replay challenges. The first one wiped out a 27-yard reception by Davis, who was ruled out of bounds upon review. The second one resulted in a fumble recovery by Smith at the Washington 29, but the Jets couldn't capitalize. Looking ahead The Jets (7-5) will play host to Kansas City (5-7) at MetLife Stadium at 1 p.m. on Sunday. The Chiefs have scored only one touchdown in their last three games, but did beat Chicago and its injury-decimated offense, 10-3 on Sunday. — J.P. Pelzman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted December 5, 2011 Author Share Posted December 5, 2011 The Closer: D Finishes Strong at FedEx By Andrew LeRay Posted 2 hours ago The Jets defense allowed a touchdown 4:39 into Sunday’s game in Washington, and never let the Redskins sniff the end zone again. Another slow start for the Green & White was followed by a furious defensive performance, suffocating the Redskins. In the end, the Jets were able to come away with a 34-19 win in the nation’s capital, remaining very much alive in the playoff race. Washington came out with guns blazing, screaming down the field on an eight-play, 82-yard drive capped off by a two yard touchdown run from rookie RB Roy Helu. Helu ran it five times for 32 yards on the opening drive, displaying his combination of strength and speed. “It was pretty clear to see what our worst drive was today,” said LB Aaron Maybin. “For us to be able to buckle down and play that style of defense the rest of the game was good for us.” After the undressing they sustained in the first drive, the Jets defense turned their day around. “ They came out and were able to hit us with some things,” said S Jim Leonhard, who finished with five tackles and two pass deflections. “We had to make some adjustments and were able to shut them down most of the day.” The Jets jogged into the locker room at halftime down, 13-10, and would go on to outscore the Skins, 24-6, over the final two quarters. Instead of making wholesale changes to their approach, they took a different mentality into the second half. “We didn’t make any adjustments,” said DT Sione Pouha. “We felt confident in our game plan all week. In the second half, we just came together and were executing.” The defensive execution in the second half was immediately apparent. The 'Skins possessed the ball four times in the third quarter and failed to gain a single first down. The drives consisted of three three-and-outs and a Helu fumble forced by DT Marcus Dixon and recovered by S Eric Smith. The Jets were not able to capitalize on the turnover, but they added three points in the quarter to tie the game at 13. After the 'Skins pulled ahead with a 46-yard field goal, the Jets offense took a four point lead when QB Mark Sanchez connected with WR Santonio Holmes on a 30-yard touchdown. The Redskins got the ball back with 4:49 to go and the Jets were in familiar territory. With a small lead late in the fourth quarter, the Jets were looking to reverse their recent trend of shaky late-game defense. “It was one of those situations where we knew it was crunch time,” said Maybin. “We’ve been harping for the last couple of weeks about not letting our last drive be our worst drive.” All that harping paid off as Maybin sacked Rex Grossman and forced a fumble that was recovered by LB Calvin Pace at the 'Skins 9. “Right before the play, Rex [Ryan] came to me and said, ‘Sacks in the fourth quarter win games,” said Maybin. For “Mayhem,” it was his sixth sack and fourth forced fumble of the season. He leads the team in both categories and in his still limited time with the Jets he's one off the NFL lead in FFs. The Green & White found the end zone two snaps later behind RB Shonn Greene’s second touchdown of the afternoon. A three-point deficit turned into an 11-point lead in 1:07 of clock time. “It feels great to close a game out like that,” said Leonhard. “Anytime you can take a deficit in the fourth quarter and blow a team out, it feels really good.” It was a game that hung very much in the balance, even into the late stages. But the Jets turned it on at the right time and trained back home with a 7-5 record. “I think this week we just did a better job than last week,” said Pace. “The Buffalo game, they played pretty well. Take away a couple of drives in this game and we, to a certain degree, dominated.” Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted December 5, 2011 Author Share Posted December 5, 2011 Morning take: Patriots' finish concerning? December, 5, 2011 Dec 5 7:00 AM ET Email Print Comments63 By James Walker Here are the most interesting stories Monday morning in the AFC East: Should the New England Patriots be concerned about the team's weak finish against the Indianapolis Colts? Morning take: Fans booed the Patriots after they gave up 21 unanswered points in the fourth quarter. But I'm not worried. New England took its foot off the pedal against a winless team. If the season ended today, the New York Jets (7-5) would miss the playoffs via tiebreakers. Morning take: The Jets are the ninth seed and have losses to the Raiders (7-5) and Broncos (7-5). But winnable games coming up against the Chiefs (5-7) and Eagles (4-8) could help New York get in better position. Linebacker Karlos Dansby says the Miami Dolphins (4-8) are so good, it's scary. Morning take: It's a shame this team started 0-7. It would be interesting to see how dangerous the Dolphins would be if they were still in the playoff hunt. Buffalo Bills running back C.J. Spiller looked good in a loss to the Tennessee Titans. Morning take: Buffalo, losers of five straight, need something good to build on. Spiller showed flashes of promise by leading the Bills in rushing with 83 yards and a touchdown. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted December 5, 2011 Author Share Posted December 5, 2011 December 5, 2011, 8:20 am A Good Day for Jets’ Scoreboard Watching By GEORGE BRETHERTON The Jets know they need to keep winning as long as a playoff berth isn’t locked up. But for fans, it doesn’t mean scoreboard watching can’t be part of it. In that regard, the Jets were winners on Sunday, too. They benefited when Cincinnati (7-5), which had been a game in front of the Jets, lost to Pittsburgh, 35-7. Oakland, which had been atop the A.F.C. West, also helped the Jets when it lost a conference game in Miami. The Raiders are now among the A.F.C.’s five 7-5 teams, four of whom may fight it out for the sixth and final playoff spot. Pittsburgh (9-3) has a strong hold on the fifth spot. Denver, also 7-5, is now atop the A.F.C. West based on a better division record than Oakland. The Jets lost to Denver and Oakland, but they will probably only need to finish ahead of one of the two since the other will most likely be the West division champion. The most negative outcome for the Jets occurred at Buffalo, where the Bills (5-7) lost to Tennessee (7-5), which kept pace with the other 7-5 teams. Next week’s schedule seems favorable for the Jets: THE 7-5 TEAMS Jets vs. Kansas City (5-7) Denver vs. Chicago (7-5) Tennessee vs. New Orleans (9-3) Cincinnati vs. Houston (9-3) Oakland at Green Bay (12-0) The Jets’ 5-5 conference record puts them in the ninth position in the A.F.C. standings. But some of the teams ahead of them in this category have some difficult conference matchups in the coming weeks. Here is a look at the teams’ remaining conference schedules: CONFERENCE RECORDS OF THE 7-5 TEAMS Denver (6-3) vs. Patriots (9-3), at Bills (5-7), vs. Chiefs (5-7) Cincinnati (6-4) vs. Texans (9-3), vs. Ravens (9-3) Tennessee (5-4) at Colts (0-12), vs. Jaguars (3-8), at Texans (9-3) Oakland (5-5) at Chiefs (5-7), vs. Chargers (4-7) Jets (5-5) vs. Chiefs (5-7), at Dolphins (4-8) The Jets’ best chance at getting the final wild-card berth, other than winning all their remaining games, would appear to involve finishing with a 7-5 record in the A.F.C. Early indications are that the Jets should hope for Denver to win the West division because its superior conference record could become an issue if the Broncos fall into a multiteam tiebreaker situation for the sixth playoff spot. Extra point What do you make of the Jets’ chances to qualify for the playoffs? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted December 5, 2011 Author Share Posted December 5, 2011 Game review: Heroes and goats December, 5, 2011 Dec 5 9:47 AM ET Email Print Comments By Rich Cimini The Jets played hard-to-watch football for three-plus quarters, but they erupted for three touchdowns in a span of three minutes, burying the Redskins, 34-19, Sunday at FedEx Field. THREE UP • Shonn Greene. He scored a career-high three touchdowns and made a critical third-down catch, his second productive game in a row. He did some nice running when taking a direct snap, so look for more of that. Funny, but he's playing better since injuring his rib in Denver. But how ironic is this? The Jets have been struggling to score touchdowns all season, and yet there was Rex Ryan after the game, chiding Greene for not taking a knee at the 1 on his last TD run. • Aaron Maybin. Can anyone figure this guy out? The former Bills bust recorded his sixth sack, a strip sack of Rex Grossman that set up the cushion TD. Going from zero sacks in two seasons to six in nine games is just crazy. • D'Brickashaw Ferguson/Wayne Hunter. All week they heard about the Redskins' bookend pass rushers, Brian Orakpo and Ryan Kerrigan. The Jets' offfensive tackles answered the challenge, protecting the edges and allowing Mark Sanchez to get comfortable in the pocket. The Jets didn't allow any sacks for the second straight week. THREE DOWN • Jeremy Kerley. Welcome to the club, kid -- the club you don't want to be in. The rookie muffed a punt return, joining Antonio Cromartie, Joe McKnight and Garrett McIntyre in the Butter-Finger Brigade -- players who have fumbled punt and kickoff returns. The Jets have six giveaways on special teams. You can almost hear the screams of Mike Westhoff. • Dustin Keller/Matthew Mulligan. The Jets were penalized six times (plus two declined and one superseded), with Keller and Mulligan getting flagged three times. Each tight end had a false-start penalty in the third quarter, and Keller also had an illegal chop block that was superseded by a Redskins personal foul. Sloppy stuff. It was Mulligan's sixth penalty. • Donald Strickland. He had a tough assignment, the soon-to-be-suspended TE Fred Davis, but Strickland made it tougher. His illegal-contact penalty nullified an interception by Brodney Pool and he missed a tackle on Davis that resulted in a 30-yard gain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted December 5, 2011 Author Share Posted December 5, 2011 Schwartz: Jets Are Stayin’ Alive December 5, 2011 9:56 AM Share thisNo comments (credit: Rob Carr/Getty Images) By Peter Schwartz At this point of the season, breaking down the X’s and O’s of Sunday’s 34-19 win over the Redskins is somewhat irrelevant. Unlike the BCS, there are no style points. So the bottom line is that the Jets took care of business and kept themselves alive in the AFC playoff race. I’ll get to the game in just a moment, but the Jets victory has them in a tie with three other teams for the final AFC wild card spot. The only help that the Jets received on Sunday, aside from their own win, was the Steelers’ victory over the Bengals. That allowed the Jets and Titans to pull even, while the Broncos’ win over the Vikings gave them the lead in the AFC West. The Raiders’ loss to the Dolphins dropped them into the race for a wild card spot. AFC Wild Card Race 5th Seed: Steelers 9-3 6th Seed: Bengals 7-5 In The Hunt: Jets 7-5 Raiders 7-5 Titans 7-5 According to www.playoffstatus.com, the Jets have a 28% chance of making the playoffs as the sixth seed, 1% of making the post-season as the fifth seed, and a 68% chance of not making the playoffs. The numbers aren’t promising for Gang Green, but they are alive. With four weeks to go, the Jets don’t have destiny in their own hands, but they continue to make their next game relevant and that means another playoff type feel in Florham Park this week. As far as the win over the Redskins goes, it was another case of fourth quarter magic. The Mark Sanchez bashers were getting ready to prepare another Monday rip session until he pulled out the 10th fourth quarter comeback or overtime victory of his three-year NFL career. Someone said to me on Sunday, “How can you constantly defend this guy? He’s awful. They need to draft another quarterback.” A few moments later, Sanchez fired a 30-yard touchdown pass to Santonio Holmes that gave the Jets their first lead of the game with less than five minutes to go in the game. Bottom line? Sanchez comes up big in crunch time. End of story. The story of the defense was a little better this week. There were a couple of drives where the Redskins marched up and down the field, but overall I thought the defense took a step forward. Another sack and forced fumble for Aaron Maybin. How valuable has he been? The Jets deserve a ton of credit for giving him a chance and putting him in a role where he can succeed. Unlike his frustrating career with the Bills, the former first round pick is playing with confidence and his role is growing. Maybin leads the Jets with six sacks and four forced fumbles. That doesn’t take us away from the fact that the Jets still need to find a dominant pass rusher, but Maybin has been a godsend for Gang Green. I know that he’s made some big kicks during his Jets career, but do you trust Nick Folk? He makes a 51-yard field goal and then misses from 40. All Jets fans must cringe each time that he attempts a kick. The special teams have certainly not been very special. The unit coughed up yet another turnover thanks to Jeremy Kerley’s muffed punt. I don’t know how special teams coordinator Mike Westhoff sleeps. Another week has come off the schedule and with four games left the Jets are right there for a playoff spot. They probably have to win out to earn a postseason berth but the Jets continue to have a “one game at a time” approach. For the last two weeks, the results have been what the needed to be. Nothing pretty, but the wins still count. JET LINERS The Jets opened the game with a 9:06 scoring drive that resulted in a one-yard touchdown run by Shonn Greene. The 11-play, 74-yard drive established a season high in both plays and time of possession for the Jets. After allowing the Redskins to convert on their initial third down conversion of the game, the Jets held the Redskins without a conversion on their next eight attempts. The Redskins finished 5 of 16 on third down. The Jets scored 21 points in the fourth quarter, the first time that has happened since the scored 22 in the fourth quarter of a 56-35 win over Arizona in 2008. In that game, Brett Favre threw 6 touchdown passes. Greene rushed for a career high three touchdowns. It was his first multi-touchdown game since scored two against the Raiders in 2009. Kyle Wilson notched his 2nd career interception. THE WEEK AHEAD It’s a victory Monday for the Jets! After a review of the film and a day off Tuesday, the Jets will be back on the practice field Wednesday to begin preparations for this Sunday’s game with the Chiefs at MetLife Stadium. The Chiefs ended their four game losing streak with a 10-3 win over the Bears. Starting quarterback Tyler Palko was pulled from the game in the second quarter in favor of Kyle Orton. However, Orton suffered an injured right index finger and had to leave the game. Palko came back in and finished 17/30 for 157 yards and a touchdown. That’s all for now! Check back on Friday for a Jets/Chiefs preview! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bleedin Green Posted December 5, 2011 Share Posted December 5, 2011 Before the game, according to Pro Football Focus, Maybin’s five sacks on 110 defensive snaps was the best ratio in the NFL, with five sacks being the benchmark for statistical consideration. While this doesn't particularly surprise me given his limited snap-count, this is still impressive to see. There's been plenty of discussion about him being a limited, one-dimensional player, but when it's such an important dimension as pass rush and he's doing it at that good of a rate, he's sure as hell earning every cent and more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted December 5, 2011 Author Share Posted December 5, 2011 B&C Morning Show: Monday Morning Show Quarterbacking December 5, 2011 6:15 AM Share thisNo comments (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) From Boomer & Carton The Giants played tough, but the Packers played better and the Jets played well enough to win. Boomer & Craig opened up today’s radio program talking all about the action on the gridiron yesterday as Tom Coughlin’s Giants almost did the impossible, but came up just short against the perfect Packers on a Mason Crosby game-winning field goal as time expired. Despite the loss 38-35, at 6-6 the Giants still control their own destiny as far as a playoff birth is concerned, with two match-ups against the Cowboys remaining and a Christmas Eve tussle with the Jets, which could turn out to be very important game for both teams. Speaking of the Jets, they beat the Redskins 34-19 thanks to a late surge, as everybody’s whipping boy Mark Sanchez came up big when it counted most. The Jets are now 7-5 with the Kansas City Chiefs up next. In addition to all of the NFL news, the guys briefly discussed the news that Jose Reyes will no longer be a Met, as the 28-year-old shortstop agrees to a 6-year, $106 million deal with Miami. Plus, Boomer inquired how everything is working in his radio partner’s nether regions – only to be met by resistance – which certainly raises an eyebrow, and some talk of a ‘Secret Santa’… Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustInFudge Posted December 5, 2011 Share Posted December 5, 2011 Antonio Cromartie -- muffed punt, fumble on kickoff return Joe McKnight -- muffed punt, fumble on kickoff return Garrett McIntyre -- accidental fumble on a kickoff Kerley -- muffed punt Wait, all fumbles arent accidental? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted December 5, 2011 Author Share Posted December 5, 2011 Wait, all fumbles arent accidental? When "No Neck Tony" says to fumble, you fumble Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted December 5, 2011 Author Share Posted December 5, 2011 Green Lantern: When It Matters, More Often Than Not, Jets’ Sanchez Delivers Killing This Quarterback On A Daily Basis Is Just Getting Ridiculously Old December 5, 2011 10:29 AM Share this 11 comment Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez makes his way to the locker room following his team’s 34-19 win in Washington on Dec. 4, 2011. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) By Jeff Capellini, CBSNewYork/WFAN.com NEW YORK (WFAN) — Following Sunday’s anxiety-inducing win in our nation’s capital, fans of the victorious visiting team, seemingly several rows deep, lined the railings overlooking the player tunnel to the field. There, in their own way, they belted out a chorus or two of “Hail to the Chief.” It was fitting. Because like it or not, love him or hate him, respect him or wish the team had drafted differently nearly three years ago, Mark Sanchez is the commander-in-chief of the Jets. As far as the wacky world of Jets fans’ allegiance goes, the abuse this player takes daily is the stuff of legend. Many other players throughout the decades have been ridiculed, but with the advent of social media and a growing and seemingly instantaneous reporting process, it seems all the news fit to print — and a lot of it that really shouldn’t be — is known about this 25-year-old before he even has a chance to digest it and prepare. Be it in the media or among the so-called “Nation” of “fans,” Sanchez has somehow survived two years and 12 regular season games of constant badgering, poking and prodding. To the majority, Sanchez will never be truly accepted until he leads the Jets to their first Super Bowl championship since Joe Namath. To the rest, he’s a cross between the great green and white hope and a cautionary tale. They don’t quite know yet what to make of him, but are willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. For now. But, now seems to be a word that’s adjusted weekly. It appears when you don’t hear about Sanchez he’s doing something right, but when you do he’s invariably done something deemed unacceptable. Now is that just the nature of the beast in New York? Or is it something more, something singularly unique to this player and this player only? It’s hard to put a finger on it, really, because the other team in town has a quarterback that often finds himself teetering on the same abyss. And he’s already won a ring. Comparing Sanchez and Eli Manning isn’t really fair because football is a team sport. Would all of the things Manning is lauded for have been possible without players like David Tyree and Plaxico Burress at his side? Who knows? But history is what it is when you reach the summit of the NFL world. The bottom line is YOU won. But on the flip side of that often-two headed coin is the fact that in this town winning simply isn’t enough. Manning has rebounded from what was a largely subpar 2010 season to put up what will likely end up as the greatest season of his eight-year career. He’s on pace to obliterate his previous bests in passing yards, yards-per-game, rating, touchdown-to-interception ratio and completion percentage. But the Giants are just 6-6 and look the furthest thing from a lock to get back to the playoffs for the first time since 2008. When situations like this arise, traditionally, who gets the blame? Largely the quarterback, of course. Sanchez is in a decidedly different boat, but with the same type of ridicule attached. While he’s also on course to have his best statistical season, achieving as much will matter little to the championship-starved masses of the Jets universe because, while back-to-back AFC Championship game appearances were nice, to the rabid horde it’s not enough, not remotely close to enough. Is it “fair”? That’s not really a word the Jets fan understands. All they know is Sanchez has not made the ascension they’ve expected in his third season. While he’s had his moments he’s largely still the same kid who looks scared out there. He’s the king of the check-down toss, the deer-in-headlights signal caller who locks in on his first read and stays with him, come hell or high water. Now, you could debate, as I have, that we’ll never really know who Sanchez is until he’s had the benefit of playing under an offensive coordinator that doesn’t live in the 1950s when it comes to planning his weekly approach to winning football games. Statistics do not lie as if you look around the Internet there are reputable sites out there that show quarterbacks who have left the Brian Schottenheimer system that have enjoyed far more success elsewhere. But that’s neither here nor there at this point because Schottenheimer still has a job. And though nearly every Jets fan would love to see him move on after this season, there are no guarantees that he will, even if this 7-5 team misses out on the playoffs, something that’s all but assured to happen should it drop more than one of its remaining four games and not get massive amounts of help. The Jets have won two in a row and though his statistics have been nothing to write home about during the mini streak, there’s little doubt Sanchez is the primary reason why the Jets still have a pulse. He’s 36-of-67 for 345 yards over the last two weeks and people love nothing more than to point to that 53 percent completion rate and shake their heads, saying “I told you so. This kid is now and shall forever remain mediocre at best.” But the Jets have scored 62 points during their streak and Sanchez has thrown five TD passes to just one interception. While there’s no question he’s displayed many of the same disturbing tendencies that have been well documented, the bottom line is when it’s mattered he’s made the big throws. Sanchez followed up his career-high four-TD effort against Buffalo with just one scoring pass on Sunday in the 34-19 win in Washington. But oh what a touchdown it was. All set up by a brilliant pump fake that froze a few members of the Redskins secondary, Sanchez hit Santonio Holmes in stride down the left sideline with just under 5 minutes to play in the fourth quarter for a 30-yard score that put the Jets up for good. They would tack on two Shonn Greene rushing touchdowns to cap what was a 21-point final quarter explosion, one that kept the Jets thinking about the playoffs instead of where they may vacation in a month. The one time he was allowed to throw deep he came up massive. I say “allowed” because it became readily apparent through use of the asinine wildcat and a lot of the play-calling throughout the contest that Schottenheimer had little faith in his quarterback. Really? With the season on the line you have rookie Jeremy Kerley in the backfield taking snaps? The Sanchez-to-Holmes connection ended a five-play, 49-yard drive and while it wasn’t reminiscent of the 82-yard late fourth-quarter drive he engineered the week before against the Bills, it had the same effect. The Jets won, largely because Sanchez showed once again he’s among the toughest quarterbacks in the game. Not the best by any means, but he has guts. To say otherwise is just flat idiotic. His four playoff wins didn’t come by accident. He had incredible moments as a rookie and sophomore. He’s progressed somewhat as a junior. Why would you think he won’t continue to get better, albeit at perhaps a glacial pace at times, but better nonetheless? So you as fans really have just two choices here. You can continue to bash this player without looking at the big picture or you could hold your tongues for an entire 60 minutes and see how things shake out. That’s not really asking a lot. Just be responsible instead of emotional for a few hours. And while Sanchez will likely never be that “elite” quarterback you all crave, he is something you’ve been too preoccupied to notice or admit: He’s a winning quarterback. And when the Jets live up to the hype, play the type of defense for a full 60 minutes the way they are designed to, run the football with the ferocity you expect from largely the same unit as was present the two previous seasons, Sanchez should indeed be enough to take this team further than your pessimistic heart thinks it’s capable. All too often we forget football is a team game. It’s a 53-man exercise in patience, humility and execution. Sanchez is not ideal. He’s not prototypical. He likely would not singlehandedly lead a lesser roster than what the Jets currently possess to the promised land. But as one player on a roster such as this, with more talent per player than the vast majority of teams in the NFL, there’s no reason why he can’t. He’s already proven he has all the intangibles you need from your quarterback to win and win big when it matters most. The only thing Sanchez is truly guilty of is not presenting the total package to you with a nice red bow on top. But all leaders have their faults. The fans who made the trek to Washington on Sunday seemed to grasp that fact. They took the largely bad with the good and saw that game through to its conclusion. They then rightly showered the man mostly responsible for the win with the praise he deserved. It’s time the rest of us stop looking for the quick fix. Sanchez may forever be a work in progress, but he’s your work in progress, one that isn’t going anywhere any time soon. “Hail to the Chief?” You’re damn right. And if he keeps this up, even without your style points approval, to the victor could most certainly come the spoils. Please read more columns by Jeff Capellini. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted December 5, 2011 Author Share Posted December 5, 2011 QBR: Tom Brady No. 1 again December, 5, 2011 Dec 5 10:45 AM ET Email Print Comments44 By James Walker New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady carved up the Indianapolis Colts in a 31-24 victory Sunday. As a result, Brady put together the best performance of the weekend, according to the Total Quarterback Rating. Brady was 29 of 38 for 289 yards and two touchdowns. The ball hardly touched the ground and he received a QBR of 93.6. Matt Moore of the Miami Dolphins posted a respectable 67.4 QBR in a 34-14 victory over the Oakland Raiders. Buffalo Bills (5-7) quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick had a 46.6 QBR in a losing effort against the Tennessee Titans (7-5). Mark Sanchez of the New York Jets had a great fourth quarter but posted just a 36.2 QBR in a come-from-behind win over the Washington Redskins. Here is a look at the Week 13 QBRs for the AFC East: 1. Tom Brady, Patriots, 93.6 2. Matt Moore, Dolphins, 67.4 3. Ryan Fitzpatrick, Bills, 46.6 4. Mark Sanchez, Jets, 36.2 Overall QBR for 2011: 1. Tom Brady, Patriots, 76.6 2. Matt Moore, Dolphins, 59.1 3. Ryan Fitzpatrick, Bills, 58.7 4. Mark Sanchez, Jets, 38.3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted December 5, 2011 Author Share Posted December 5, 2011 Seven-step drop: Jets, Dolphins surging December, 5, 2011 Dec 5 12:00 PM ET Email Print Comments21 By James Walker<p>Here are seven notes and observations from Week 13 in the AFC East: [+] Enlarge AP Photo/Julio CortezThe next time Antonio Cromartie, 31, and the Jets face Brandon Marshall and the Dolphins, there could be playoff implications. I have a gut feeling the Week 17 matchup between the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins on New Year’s Day is going to be HUGE. The Jets (7-5) are fighting for their playoff lives and have little margin for error. New York has to go at least 3-1 the rest of the way to have a chance, and I can see that final game in Miami being a “win and you’re in” scenario. The Dolphins are 4-1 in their last five games and not going anywhere. Miami is 4-8 overall but could get a lot of joy in sending the rival Jets packing in the final game of the season. One of the funniest people in Miami's locker room Sunday was linebacker Kevin Burnett. There was a large group of media waiting at Burnett’s locker after he recorded four tackles, a sack and pick six in a 34-14 win over the Oakland Raiders. Burnett walked through the crowd and said jokingly “don’t try to be my friend now.” Burnett, Miami’s big free-agent acquisition, received some heat from the Miami media during the team’s 0-7 start for not making enough plays. Now, Burnett and teammate Karlos Dansby have been one of the NFL’s top linebacker duos in the second half of the season. The pair is key to Miami’s turnaround. I may be in the minority. But I was more concerned about the New England Patriots' defense in the first couple of drives against the Indianapolis Colts as opposed to the 21 points allowed in the fourth quarter. Colts backup quarterback Dan Orlovsky, the team’s fourth option, completed his first seven passes against New England to start the game. It only led to three points. But it wasn’t a good look for New England against a quarterback who hadn’t started in three years. I think the lesson we really learned in this game is we really won’t know how improved New England’s defense is until the playoffs. If the season ended today, the Patriots would have the No. 1 seed in the AFC. According to ESPN's Stats and Information, New England holds tiebreakers over the Baltimore Ravens (9-3) with the better conference record and the Houston Texans (9-3) with a better strength of victories. Most likely, all New England has to do is keep winning to force the road to the Super Bowl to go through Gillette Stadium. The Pittsburgh Steelers (9-3) own the head-to-head tiebreaker over New England and probably is the biggest threat to the No. 1 seed. But the Steelers are in second place in the AFC North, currently making them a wild card. The Buffalo Bills (5-7) are looking more and more like a last-place team in the AFC East. I gave Buffalo a lot of credit for its surprising 4-1 start. But since then the Bills are 1-6 and lost their last five games. It is not beyond the realm of possibility that Buffalo finishes 5-11 or 6-10. The Bills will be underdogs in most games the rest of the season, including next week's road game against the San Diego Chargers. There has been some talk in Buffalo about the contract situation of receiver Steve Johnson. He will be an unrestricted free agent after this season and the Bills have an interesting decision to make. As usual, this will come down to value and money. How much is Johnson worth to Buffalo? Johnson is not quite an elite, No. 1 receiver but will ask for No. 1 receiver money. The Bills also just paid quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick $59 million and have to pay starting tailback Fred Jackson in the offseason. Keep an eye on Johnson's contract talks in the coming months. Finally, I will give myself a pat on the back for going 4-0 in Week 13. It is my second straight undefeated week and brings my overall record to 8-2 picking AFC East games. I'm going to enjoy it a bit, because I don't know how long this hot streak will last. I hope you don't mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JetsFanInDenver Posted December 5, 2011 Share Posted December 5, 2011 Mulligan gets hot on sideline December, 5, 2011 Dec 5 12:51 AM ET Email Print Comments6 By Rich Cimini LANDOVER, MD. -- An angry Matthew Mulligan barked some heated words at someone on the Jets' sideline at the start of the third quarter in Sunday's win over the Redskins. It happened moments after Mulligan came off the field after committing a false-start penalty on the first play of the second half. It was his sixth penalty of the season, clearly a source of frustration for him and the team. CBS cameras caught Mulligan snapping at someone, perhaps RB coach Anthony Lynn, who was standing a few feet in front of him. RB Joe McKnight also was in the area. Mulligan never really threatened to confront the person -- at least not that we saw on TV -- but it prompted fellow TE Dustin Keller to step in front of Mulligan, acting as a shield. OT Vladimir Ducasse also held Mulligan's arm, just in case. It wasn't the first time that a Mulligan penalty caused some backlash. In the first game against the Bills, a penalty on Mulligan nullified a long run by Shonn Greene, prompting RG Brandon Moore to give him an earful. Mulligan also heard it from O.C. Brian Schottenheimer. Mulligan couldn't be reached after the game to comment. Mulligan coming in a UPS truck near you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted December 5, 2011 Author Share Posted December 5, 2011 December 5, 2011, 12:04 pm Are the Jets Back? By BEN SHPIGEL LANDOVER, Md. – Once upon a time, I covered baseball for The Times, and while reflecting on the Jets’ victory Sunday I was reminded of something I wrote about the Mets in September 2008: “There is little reason these days to tune in to Mets games before the sixth or seventh inning. Eat dinner, check your e-mail messages, read a magazine — but then, by all means, find the nearest television and prepare to be amazed or flabbergasted. Anything can happen, and it often does.” Now, substitute “Jets” for “Mets” and “fourth quarter” for “sixth or seventh inning” and we could be talking about the same team, right? After 55 minutes Sunday, the Jets trailed the Washington Redskins. On their six second-half possessions to that point, the Jets had managed one first down, and Mark Sanchez had completed 5 of 15 passes for 19 yards. And then. And then it was as if Sanchez realized, “Oh, it’s the fourth quarter. We should try to win this game.” So they did, with Sanchez revealing two elements that had eluded him for much of the afternoon – poise and deft touch – on consecutive passing plays on the game-winning drive: a 10-yard dumpoff to Shonn Greene on 3rd-and-4 and the 30-yard spiral to Santonio Holmes, a thing of beauty, that put the Jets ahead to stay. When asked afterward to assess Sanchez’s performance (19 of 32, 165 yards, no interceptions), Coach Rex Ryan stammered for a few seconds, and he might have been searching for the right words. “You have your moments,” Ryan said. “I’ll take a guy who can roll up his sleeves and say, ‘You know what? We’re going to get it done.’ And everybody believes in him.’ ” Including the postseason, Sanchez has played in 49 career games, winning 30. Exactly one-third of those 30 victories – 10 – have come in overtime or via fourth-quarter comebacks. The very nature of that statistic evokes a team that sputters early and often, that cannot hold leads, and that has been the story of the Jets’ 2011 season. That story’s ending will likely depend on whether Sanchez will put himself in position for more fourth-quarter comebacks and, of course, whether he can pull them off. Have the Jets’ recent victories against Buffalo and Washington restored faith that, with Sanchez calm and cool in the fourth quarter, they have the moxie to emerge as a playoff threat? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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