Jets News 12-14

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Playing-time breakdown

December, 13, 2011

Dec 13

10:51

PM ET

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By Rich Cimini

A look at the offensive snaps in Sunday's win over the Chiefs (press-box view, allow small margin for error):

RUNNING BACK

Shonn Greene ... 30/66 snaps

LaDainian Tomlinson ... 23

John Conner ... 23

Bilal Powell ... 6

TIGHT END

Matt Mulligan ... 37/66 snaps

Dustin Keller ... 35

Vladimir Ducasse ... 19

Josh Baker ... 5

D'Brickashaw Ferguson ... 2

WIDE RECEIVER

Santonio Holmes ... 48/66 snaps

Plaxico Burress ... 39

Jeremy Kerley ... 19

Patrick Turner ... 9

Analysis: This was a TE-oriented game plan, which explains the high snap totals for Mulligan and Ducasse, a backup OLM moonlighting as a TE in jumbo packages. This was a huge day for Ducasse ... Tomlinson actually had more snaps in the first half than Greene, but Tomlinson got a nice rest in the second half ... Powell got some garbage-time work late in the game.

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Jets guard Moore blocks out time for charity

Jets Blog

By BRIAN COSTELLO

Last Updated: 2:41 AM, December 14, 2011

Posted: 10:34 PM, December 13, 2011

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When Jets guard Brandon Moore and his wife Regina searched the area for the perfect place to host their charity event, Newark stood out to them.

“It’s kind of similar to back home,” Moore said. “She’s from Chicago. I’m from Gary, Indiana -- two tough cities to grow up in.”

So Moore got together with the Boys and Girls Club-Central Ward in Newark and held his Second Annual Moore Family Foundation Christmas Carnival on Tuesday night. They transformed the club into a carnival with video games, cotton candy, pingpong, plenty of food and an inflatable climbing wall.

“We wanted to give them a fun day to come in and just relax and be kids,” Moore said. “We forget that a lot of times these kids that live in cities like Newark or any other urban setting they have to make adult decisions that most kids don’t have to make at young ages.

“We can create a memory for them. I definitely enjoy doing it.”

Several of Moore’s teammates and coach Rex Ryan showed up to support Moore. One of those teammates was receiver Santonio Holmes, who got into a war of words with Moore earlier this season.

The kids sang “Happy Birthday” to Ryan, who turned 49 on Tuesday. The coach defeated rookie quarterback Greg McElroy in pingpong then took on a few of the kids. A few Giants fans grew quiet around Ryan.

Moore, who is the longest tenured Jets player on the active roster, said he appreciates being able to give back.

“You’ve been given so much you’re expected to give back,” Moore said. “To be in the position to do it and not even worry about it, it’s a blessing. I enjoy it. The smiles on their faces, the screaming, the laughing, that’s what I enjoy.”

As for Moore’s health, he said the week off of practice did wonders for his surgically repaired hips before the Chiefs game. The plan this week is for him to sit out Wednesday and then increase his workload Thursday and Friday.

“I went out to warm up before the [Chiefs] game and felt good,” Moore said. “I didn’t have the normal uncomfortable feeling that you have to manage through. This was something we talked about at the beginning of the year coming off surgery. The season got along and I’ve wanted to practice. It kind of got away from us. This is part of it. I’m coming off of two major surgeries. This is something we’re trying to make a playoff push. To be at my best I have to do this.”

Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/jets/jets_guard_moore_blocks_out_time_L3h9xh3ZIEV4Qi787tBc7K#ixzz1gWE1SqNZ

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NY Jets' Nick Mangold leads the way for running attack, making his ankle injury a thing of the past

Gang Green ground game gets spark from center

BY Manish Mehta

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Tuesday, December 13 2011, 11:27 PM

Boehm/Getty

Center Nick Mangold appears to be all the way back from a high ankle sprain.

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Nick Mangold flashed some of his open-field blocking skills on Sunday. He made a signature block on a 36-yard screen pass to Shonn Greene, further evidence that his high ankle sprain is a distant memory. Mangold made several highlight-reel blocks to spark a Jets offense that has found a rhythm heading into this weekend’s game against the Eagles.

“You don’t get a lot of opportunities to showcase how well you’re feeling,” Mangold said of breaking free from the trenches on screen passes. “(I) got lucky on a few of the calls where I was able to move around a little bit. It was great to see Shonn and L.T. being able to make plays off of those blocks.”

Mangold missed the better part of three games earlier this season due to the ankle injury suffered early in Week 2, but he’s been steadily getting back to his typical self.

“It’s tough to get this body moving like that,” Mangold cracked. “I wouldn’t have come back if I wasn’t able to do all the things that I wanted to do. That was my goal as soon as I was injured to make sure that I come back and not be limited.”

Mangold and the rest of the offensive line have sparked a rushing attack that helped Greene gain a season-high 129 yards against the Chiefs. Gang Green has averaged 133 yards on the ground during its three-game winning streak.

“It’s really coming together,” Mangold said. “I think Shonn’s running as hard as he always does. He’s a fantastic running back for us.

“We’ve done a much better job of execution up front and making sure we’re doing the right things,” Mangold added. “You only have to give Shonn a little bit and he’ll make a good amount. That excites us up front. We’re going to continue to keep working to try to give him as much room as possible.”

RETURN ENGAGEMENT

Rookie Jeremy Kerley will take over as the primary punt returner with Jim Leonhard out for the season. Kerley lost that role to the sure-handed Leonhard after he had some difficulty holding on to the ball in recent weeks.

“We are confident (in him),” Ryan said. “We drafted him to be our punt returner. I think he has great ability to do that. Obviously, he has to do a great job of catching the football first, then worry about the return second.”

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/n-y-jets-nick-mangold-leads-running-attack-making-ankle-injury-a-article-1.991262#ixzz1gWEey9ON

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N.Y. Jets safety Jim Leonhard out for season, bring in vet Gerald Alexander for safety depth

Knee injury puts Jim Leonhard's return to Jets in doubt

BY Manish Mehta

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Tuesday, December 13 2011, 11:33 PM

Bill Kostroun/AP

Jets safety Jim Leonhard is lost for the rest of the season.

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Two days after Jim Leonhard suffered a season-ending injury for the second straight year, the Jets bolstered their depth at safety.

As the the Daily News first reported Tuesday, the Jets confirmed they had signed veteran Gerald Alexander to take Leonhard’s spot on the 53-man roster. Rex Ryan admitted on Monday that the team was going to search for safety help after Leonhard was placed on injured reserve with a torn patellar tendon in his right knee suffered in the Jets’ win over the Chiefs on Sunday.

Alexander, who has 30 career starts, played in two games with the Dolphins before being waived last month. The five-year pro was the Lions’ second-round pick in 2007. He’s also played for the Jaguars (2009 and 2010) and Panthers (2010). Alexander played alongside Jets’ cornerback Kyle Wilson for one season at Boise State.

The Jets had only three healthy safeties (rookie Tracy Wilson and starters Eric Smith and Brodney Pool) before making the move. Depending on how fast Alexander picks up the Jets’ defensive system, he could be in on the team’s three-safety packages.

Leonhard, an unrestricted free agent after the season, will undergo surgery on Wednesday morning. He was hopeful that he’d return with the Jets in 2012.

“I’ve loved my time here,” Leonhard told WFAN radio on Tuesday. “So, I’d love to be here again.

We’ll see how it all plays out.”

Leonhard believes that he was hurt when he “went to push off” after his second-quarter interception.

“That’s kind of where your mind goes right away,” Leonhard said about his future with the Jets.

“What’s next? Obviously I don’t have a contract after this year. Coming off back-to-back injuries like this, obviously you’re going to get that tag. I loved my experience here…. Whatever happens, I’m going to be back. I’m going to rehab this thing as hard as I can. One thing I can say is that I’ve always come back from things like this stronger.”

Leonhard and his wife, Katie, are expecting their first child, a boy, in the next two weeks.

The Jets also announced they signed DB Mark LeGree to the practice squad.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/n-y-jets-safety-jim-leonhard-season-bring-vet-gerald-alexander-safety-depth-article-1.991265#ixzz1gWFCS1T6

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Jets' Maybin up for ‘challenge’ of containing Vick

Jets Blog

By DAVID SATRIANO

Last Updated: 6:25 AM, December 14, 2011

Posted: 1:10 AM, December 14, 2011

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The Jets may be chasing a playoff berth with an 8-5 record, but before they can punch their ticket to the postseason, they’ll have to chase something else this weekend: Michael Vick.

Vick, who had missed the Eagles’ last three games with fractured ribs, returned Sunday to throw for 208 yards, with one touchdown and one interception in a 26-10 win over Miami. The good news for the Jets is he had just two rushes for nine yards. Containing Vick is priority No. 1 for the Jets this weekend.

“He’s been one of the dynamic playmakers in this game since he got here. Anytime you play against [Vick], you know what kind of game it’s going to be,” said Jets linebacker Aaron Maybin, who was at Baruch College to recognize and congratulate 100 disabled students who won the “Be A Champion” essay contest.

AP

GET HIM! Aaron Maybin (right), who has six sacks on the season, and the Jets defense will look to get to Michael Vick early and often on Sunday.

“He is definitely going to challenge you, from a perspective of rushing the passer, but then you have to be smart because if you get too deep on your rushes, that guy can take off and put six on the board. I’ve been paying a lot of attention to details and studying a lot of film.”

Maybin, the Jets’ fastest defender, has six sacks and four forced fumbles this season. The Jets signed him this offseason after he was waived by the Bills following two unproductive years to start his NFL career. The 2009 11th-overall draft pick was then waived by the Jets after failing to impress in the preseason. But after allowing 234 rushing yards in a 34-24 loss to the Raiders in week three, the Jets brought him back. And thus far, Maybin has rejuvenated the Jets’ pass rush.

The Jets have already had to face one mobile quarterback this season, and that didn’t turn out so well. Tim Tebow ran for 64 yards, including the game-winning 20-yard touchdown with 58 seconds left in the Broncos’ 17-13 win. Vick has 67 rushing attempts for 544 yards, good for 8.1 yards per carry. While he doesn’t have any rushing touchdowns, he had nine last season and has 32 for his career.

“Tebow is a strong runner, he’s a guy that’s kind of like a running back in the backfield. Vick is like a receiver in the backfield,’’ Maybin said. “His speed is just unreal. I don’t know if anybody compares to him from that position.”

Maybin, who helped select the winning essays from over 700 entrants, said he felt connected to some of the kids.

“I was a kid they tried to diagnose with ADHD, so I can understand and empathize with what a lot of these kids are going through,” Maybin said. “I’m looking at a room full of champions.”

david.satriano@nypost.com

Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/jets/bird_chaser_lkDuB7WhW8bd4Rlldw367I#ixzz1gWFpvKqj

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Peyton to Jets? Way off Mark

Jets Blog

Last Updated: 5:21 AM, December 14, 2011

Posted: 12:45 AM, December 14, 2011

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Brian Costello

Follow Brian on Twitter

Blog: Jets

ON THE JETS

Right now it’s a dull whisper, but it’s sure to become a full-fledged scream should the Jets’ season end with anything short of a trip to Super Bowl XLV1 — fans and NFL analysts calling on the Jets to pursue Peyton Manning.

Forget it.

The idea of the Jets chasing Manning, who seems likely to be available this offseason, is gaining momentum already. The Jets are at the top of potential suitor lists on the internet, ESPN analyst Cris Carter called on the Jets to trade for Manning, and every time Mark Sanchez throws a bad pass the thought seems to get more attractive to fans.

AP

NOT HAPPENING! ESPN analyst Cris Carter called on the Jets to trade for Colts superstar Peyton Manning, but Brian Costello says that’s not going to happen because Gang Green is committed to Mark Sanchez.

But Joe Namath is more likely to line up behind Nick Mangold in 2012 than Manning. The Jets are committed to Sanchez. Coach Rex Ryan and general manager Mike Tannenbaum staked their reputations to him when they moved mountains to draft him in 2009. To ditch Sanchez now would be admitting that was a mistake and the last three years have been a waste.

Not happening.

“This is our quarterback, he’s going to be our quarterback for as long as I’m here, which I hope is a long, long time,” Ryan said the day after the Jets lost to the Broncos, a loss that included a brutal pick-six by Sanchez.

Ryan and the Jets front office believe in Sanchez. Earlier this season, Ryan said he believes you can’t fully evaluate a quarterback until his sixth season. Sanchez is not even through his third.

People entered this season with unrealistic expectations for Sanchez, partially because of Ryan hyping him up. But if you look at Sanchez’s work as a whole, and not just at some of the terrible throws, he has improved this year — not drastically like you might have hoped, but enough. His completion percentage is up slightly. He has thrown a career-high 21 touchdowns and is almost at a 2-to-1 ratio of touchdowns to interceptions with 11 picks this season.

The Jets have to see this through with Sanchez. The jury still is out whether he can be great, but it’s pretty clear he can be good.

The Manning talk is circulating for reasons beyond Sanchez’s inconsistency, though. The Jets have shown a penchant for making the splashy move starting in 2008 with the trade for Brett Favre through this summer when they signed Plaxico Burress. Anytime a big name player becomes available, the Jets are going to be floated as a destination.

Then, the Jets added Tom Moore as a consultant, Manning’s longtime coordinator in Indianapolis. His role has been overstated since he arrived, though, and it’s unclear how long he’ll serve in this role for the Jets.

The Colts may be looking to move Manning if they want to draft Andrew Luck with the No. 1 pick. They may trade him or opt out of his contract, which calls for a $28 million bonus before free agency opens.

Manning to the Jets makes no sense for several reasons even beyond their commitment to Sanchez.

First, Manning will be 36 next year coming off three neck surgeries over 19 months. Who knows at what percentage he will return?

Then throw in the Favre Factor. The Jets have been down this road before with a star quarterback in the twilight of his career. Favre provided some great moments for the Jets in 2008 — during October and November. When December rolled around, he could barely throw the ball.

NOT HAPPENING! ESPN analyst Cris Carter called on the Jets to trade for Colts superstar Peyton Manning, but Brian Costello says that’s not going to happen because Gang Green is committed to Mark Sanchez.

Finally, if the Colts do end up trading Manning, there is no way they would trade him to an AFC contender. Do you think Bill Polian wants to face Manning next season (and the Jets and Colts do play next year)? Much like the Packers with Favre, the Colts will be looking for an NFC landing spot.

So, please stop with the Manning talk. Even if Sanchez throws four interceptions in the AFC Championship game, Eli will be the only Manning in New York next year.

Class of ’09: Rex most likely to succeed

Todd Haley was the latest coach from the Class of 2009 to get the ax Monday after the Jets embarrassed his Chiefs 37-10.

The coaching carousel spun wildly after the 2008 season with 11 coaching changes. Veteran coaches like Mike Shanahan, Jon Gruden and Tony Dungy exited after that year.

Of the 11 coaches that took over in 2009, Rex Ryan looks like the clear best choice. So far, six of the coaches have been fired and three more could lose their jobs after this season.

Only Ryan and the Lions’ Jim Schwartz have a steady hold on their job. Schwartz is 16-29 after taking over a team that went winless the year before. Ryan is 28-17 with two trips to the AFC Championship game.

Watching Ryan’s success now, it’s hard to believe so many teams took a pass on him. That season, only the Rams gave the Jets competition to hire him.

Here is a list of the coaches who were hired that winter with Ryan who lost their jobs already: Haley, Tom Cable, Mike Singletary, Eric Mangini, Josh McDaniels and Jim Mora. (Cable and Singletary had interim tags removed after 2008 season).

There is a good chance Steve Spagnuolo, Raheem Morris and Jim Caldwell join them after this season.

Credit Jets owner Woody Johnson and general manager Mike Tannenbaum for seeing something in Ryan other teams missed.

Leonhard hopes to return

Jets safety Jim Leonhard made his first public comments since suffering a season-ending knee injury Sunday.

Leonhard, appearing on WFAN for his weekly paid appearance, said he realizes his Jets career may be over. Leonhard is a free agent after this season.

“Absolutely,” Leonhard said. “I think that’s kind of where your mind goes right away is what’s next? Obviously, I don’t have a contract after this year and coming off back-to-back injuries like this, obviously you’re going to get that tag. I’ve loved my experience here. Whatever happens I’m going to be back. I’m going to rehab this thing as hard as I can and one thing I can say I’ve always come back from things like this stronger. We’ll see what happens. You never know.”

The Jets should bring Leonhard back. He has been a positive influence in the locker room and the quarterback of the secondary for coach Rex Ryan. The 29-year-old has suffered season-ending injuries in consecutive years, but both were freak injuries. He broke his leg last year and tore his right patellar tendon this season.

Leonhard is one of Ryan’s favorite players. It would be surprising to see him in a different uniform in 2012.

The Jets signed safety Gerald Alexander yesterday to take Leonhard’s roster spot.

brian.costello@nypost.com

Read more: http://www.nypost.co...N#ixzz1gWHv8W33

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Here comes Gang Greene: Rush attack on rise, but still room to improve

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

The Record

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Rex Ryan was positively giddy about the Jets’ running game in the wake of their 37-10 trouncing of Kansas City on Sunday.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Shonn Greene stretching for the end zone during Sunday’s win over the Chiefs.

"We ran the ball really effectively [with] 159 yards rushing," the Jets’ coach said immediately after the game. "I love the 42 rushing attempts."

It was the second most rushing yards for the Jets as a team this season, trailing only the 162 they rolled up in a victory over San Diego on Oct. 23. Shonn Greene’s 129 yards on the ground marked his second 100-yard game of the season. Not coincidentally, the other one also occurred against the Chargers, when he ran for 112 yards.

The Jets’ offensive line has played very well the past few weeks, and that improvement is reflected in Greene’s numbers. Over the past three games, he has rushed for 295 yards on 57 carries, an average of 5.2 yards, well above his season average of 4.2 yards per carry.

But while this aspect of the Jets’ offense certainly is trending upward, there still needs to be more consistency. Despite having a 25-point lead against a tired Kansas City defense, the Jets had trouble running the ball in the third quarter, when they rushed for only 25 yards on nine carries.

That’s part of the reason Mark Sanchez didn’t complete any passes in the second half before he finally was relieved after an ill-advised play call on fourth-and-4 from the Kansas City 32 with 11:35 left in the final quarter left him vulnerable to a blind-side hit by Kansas City’s Tamba Hali. Sanchez got up slowly after being clobbered, but did get up.

For much of the game Sunday, the Jets used second-year backup offensive lineman Vlad Ducasse as an extra tight end in rushing situations. They also have tried rookie guard Caleb Schaluderaff in that role, but neither is as good at it as veteran backup Rob Turner, who filled that role for the Jets last season. Turner has sat out the entire season because of a fractured leg suffered in the preseason opener against Houston, and his presence definitely has been missed.

Leonhard set for surgery

Safety Jim Leonhard spoke publicly for the first time since suffering a season-ending knee injury Sunday. Leonhard told WFAN radio Tuesday that he will have surgery today to repair a torn patellar tendon in his right knee. Leonhard suffered a fractured tibia on Dec. 3, 2010, and missed the rest of that season.

Leonard, in the final season of a three-year deal, said he wants to be back with the Jets, but realizes teams may consider him injury-prone.

"I think that’s where your mind goes right away — what’s next?" Leonhard said. "I obviously don’t have a contract after this year, and coming off back-to-back injuries like this, obviously, you’re going to get that tag.

"It’s not the way you envision your season ending, but it’s the risk you take when you play this game," added Leonhard, who indicated he again will help out as an unofficial coach down the stretch. "It is frustrating, especially the second year in a row."

To bolster their depth at safety, the Jets signed Gerald Alexander, a second-round draft pick of Detroit in 2007 who already has played for four NFL teams and could be the third safety in three-safety packages.

E-mail: pelzman@northjersey.com

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Morning take: Will Bills stay in Buffalo?

December, 14, 2011

Dec 14

7:00

AM ET

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By James Walker

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

• New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said he wants to keep the Bills in Buffalo.
  

Morning take: Renovating Ralph Wilson Stadium is going to be costly, and that's a key element. That will cost the state about $100 million. But it beats building an entirely new stadium.

• Should the Miami Dolphins consider Jets offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer to be their next head coach?
  

Morning take: That would certainly be interesting. Schottenheimer may be on the list to interview. But he's not a splashy enough name to be Miami's next head coach. Some Jets fans probably wouldn't mind.

• Sunday will see a good rookie battle between New England Patriots offensive tackle Nate Solder against Denver Broncos linebacker Von Miller.
  

Morning take: Both Solder and Miller have been two of the best first-year players at their position. Disrupting Patriots quarterback Tom Brady will be key in this game.

• The New York Jets signed safety Gerald Alexander to the 53-man roster.
  

Morning take: Alexander replaces the roster spot starting safety Jim Leonhard (knee) left open. Brodney Pool is the big name in this equation. He has to step up in the starting lineup for the rest of the season.

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Rex's Christmas wish: Three wins

December, 14, 2011

Dec 14

8:27

AM ET

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By Rich Cimini

Rex Ryan made a cameo appearance Tuesday at Brandon Moore's annual charity event at a Boys and Girls Club in Newark, where the coach was presented a birthday cake. Ryan celebrated his 49th birthday Tuesday. They serenaded him with "Happy Birthday"

Because it was a Christmas party, Santa Claus was there, so the Big Fella (Ryan) made sure to tell the other Big Fella (Santa) what he wanted for Christmas.

"Give me three wins and a spot in the playoffs and I’ll be good," Ryan said, according to a press release.

Several Jets players joined Moore for the event, which attracted nearly 200 youngsters. Santonio Holmes was among them, which is interesting because he and Moore engaged in an ugly war of words earlier in the season. Recently, Moore attended Holmes' charity bowling event in New Jersey.

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Jets know they're no lock for playoffs

Updated: Dec 13, 2011 07:44 PM

By RODERICK BOONE

Multiple Page View

The Jets would be wise to continue investing in cotton balls or whatever else they're using to drown the chatter slowly growing about their supposedly improved playoff chances.

Three weeks ago, after two consecutive losses punctuated by a dose of Tebowmania, the Jets were a down bunch, unsure of their postseason possibilities. Now, after having things fall their way in domino fashion Sunday, the Jets (8-5) control their own destiny.

If they can beat the Eagles , Giants and Dolphins, they're assured of being playoff bound for the third straight season since Rex Ryan arrived.

Some observers already are thinking the Jets are a near lock for the playoffs, unimpressed with any of their rivals for the second AFC wild card. But the Jets say they are being smart and not taking the bait.

"Our approach doesn't change," cornerback Antonio Cromartie said. "We're still in a fight for the playoffs. I mean, one game could change everything for us."

Ryan said: "It's playoff time right now. We've approached it [that way] every game. We're not looking at what's past this week or anything else -- this scenario, that scenario. We're looking at this team and that's it. We have one focus and that's to beat the Philadelphia Eagles .

"I don't believe the Jets have ever won in Philly [0-4], so it's a tough place to play. We understand that. So, every bit of energy is going to be focused on playing Philly."

Rightly so, given the tenuous hold the Jets have on the last wild-card spot, a grip that could slip with safety Jim Leonhard 's season over because of a torn right patellar tendon. The Jets, who are 0-8 against the Eagles (5-8), sit two games behind the Steelers (10-3), who lead the wild-card standings.

The Jets easily could lose any of their final three games. Philadelphia has Michael Vick back, and he shook off the rust last week after missing three games with broken ribs, throwing for 208 yards and a touchdown in a 26-10 win at Miami. The Giants (7-6) could be riding high off back-to-back wins when they meet the Jets on Christmas Eve, and the Dolphins (4-9) won't be an easy out if they take the field New Year's Day knowing they could spoil the Jets' postseason plans.

And when you examine the schedules of the teams the Jets are jockeying with for that final spot, none faces a particularly daunting road. Each has its share of winnable games.

The Bengals (7-6) are at St. Louis (2-11) this week, followed by home dates with the Cardinals (6-7) and Ravens (10-3). Baltimore could have its seed sewn up by Week 17, and if so, advantage Cincinnati.

Tennessee (7-6) visits the pin- cushion Colts (0-13), hosts Jacksonville (4-9) and finishes at Houston (10-3). The Texans are currently the conference's top seed but have unproven rookie T.J. Yates at quarterback.

The 7-6 Raiders may be forced to go the wild-card route because of the magic the AFC West-leading Broncos and Tim Tebow are creating. Oakland hosts the Lions (8-5) this week. After that, it's a trip to punchless Kansas City (5-8) before hosting the Chargers (6-7) in Week 17.

Got all that, Jets?

"The only thing we're focused on is us," Ryan said. "We're not worried about anybody else. I've said it for the last three weeks. I know it's a broken record, but it's the truth."

It sure better be.

All in the family?

In Week 8, Rex Ryan s twin, Cowboys defensive coordinator Rob, faced the Eagles, whom he had called the All-Hype Team, and got drubbed, 34-7. So, will Rex dial up Rob this week?

Ill certainly talk to my brother, Rex said. I dont know if hell be answering the phone after what happened. I may talk to him about some things, but were a lot different than they are defensively.

Replacing Leonhard

With Jim Leonhard suffering a season-ending injury for the second straight year, Brodney Pool must step into his shoes again. But because of Pools experience (12 starts last season) and how the Jets use their safeties, Ryan doesnt think it will be a tough transition. The way we play our safeties, they are basically interchangeable, he said. Brodney and Eric \[smith\] can handle both roles.

Steady Sanchez

Mark Sanchez has seven TD passes and only one interception during the three-game winning streak. I just think his preparation has been outstanding, Ryan said. The way weve practiced these last three weeks has been exceptional. Everybody is holding each other accountable. If the route is not run right, its we have to get it fixed right now. Thats kind of been where we are.

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Stat check: The Leonhard factor

December, 14, 2011

Dec 14

12:16

PM ET

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By Rich Cimini

For the second straight year, the Jets will make a stretch run without dependable S Jim Leonhard (season-ending knee surgery). A year ago, their defensive efficiency slipped without Leonhard. John Choi and John Parolin, of ESPN Stats & Information, provide a breakdown of how they fared with and without Leonhard last season.

Category --- Wk 1-12 --- Wk 13-17

Pass att per TD ... 25.9 ... 15.9

Rush per TD ........ 46.7 ... 25.6

Opp PPG .............. 17.0 ... 23.4

W-L ........................ 9-2 .... 2-3

Leonhard also had a big impact on the Jets’ pass defense against throws downfield. Before Leonhard’s injury, they allowed the lowest completion percentage and yards-per-attempt on throws 15+ yards in the league. After the injury, the Jets ranked 20th in completion percentage and 12th in yards-per-attempt over the last five weeks of the season.

Throws 15+ Yards Downfield

Category --- Wk 1-12 --- Wk 13-17

Comp pct ... 28.6* ..... 41.5

Yds/att ...... 7.4* ......... 9.2

Att/TD ....... 22.4* ...... 13.7

Passer rtg 54.0* ....... 79.2

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DeVito on the field

December, 14, 2011

Dec 14

1:41

PM ET

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By Jane McManus

For the first time in two weeks, Jets DT Mike DeVito was on the practice field in uniform with the Jets. He has missed two games with a knee injury.

CB Marquice Cole was stretched on the sideline. He said he was kicked in the leg during the Jets win over the Chiefs Sunday. He missed some time but returned to that game.

Also absent was OL Brandon Moore, who played against the Chiefs with a hip injury. Jets coach Rex Ryan said the right guard would be managed each week going forward, and missing Wednesday practices would be part of that.

There was a new addition on the field in S Gerald Alexander, who has been brought in to add depth to a group that will miss Jim Leonhard. Brodney Pool will take over Leonhard's starting spot, but Ryan mentioned that they would look to add pieces.

Most notably, the Jets practice DJ played "Philadelphia Freedom." It was a bit jarring coming on the heels of "All I do is Win" and a new Jay-Z/Kanye West hit with an unprintable name. With the Eagles up this week however, Elton John was a suitable addition to the playlist.

[SenorGato]

DeVito's coming back? Huzzah!

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Keidel: NFL Crimes and Misdemeanors

December 14, 2011 2:23 PM

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(Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images) | (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

By Jason Keidel

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I’m not a very popular – or particularly smart – guy lately.

I laughed at Eli Manning when he compared himself favorably to Tom Brady. (Now Eli is playing like Tom Brady and laughing at me.) I said the Jets were dead. (Then they won three straight while their competitors collapsed, paving a wide runway for the Jets to land in the playoffs.) I didn’t like the Carmelo Anthony trade. (Now the Knicks, blessed by the new CBA, were able jettison Chauncey Billups and his bloated $14 million salary, carving out cap room for Tyson Chandler, making their front-line as formidable as any in basketball.)

Now I’m defending James Harrison and Ndamukong Suh.

Well, not defending them, per se, but the spirit their ancestors created, the violent prologues to our current, softer culture. You can hate the player, but you’ll never hate the game.

Perhaps I should recuse myself because I’ve been a Steelers fan since 1976, and any assault on my beloved black & gold is an attack on Jack Ham, Lambert, Chuck Noll, hot dogs, apple pie, and Americana. But I’ll fight my impulse to shill for the “Stillers.”

The NFL banks on the dichotomy (if not paradox) of the civil savage, wants the beast to feast on the field, but in moderation. Blast the running back but don’t hurt him, please. It’s kind of like asking Dracula to write a vegetarian cookbook.

Before you pound your keyboard and drop your invectives down the chute, please understand I’m not supporting senseless assault. I understand the need to neuter Chris “The Hangman” Hanburger and Jack Tatum. I understand that Albert Haynesworth and Suh can’t go Gene Kelly with their cleats on prostrate linemen. And, yes, I understand that James Harrison can’t jam his helmet into Colt McCoy’s face. Harrison didn’t intend to just tackle McCoy; he wanted to concuss the quarterback.

We can shave the shards of gratuitous violence, and discipline guys like Harrison, who, beyond falling way short of Mensa membership, seems to carry great contempt for rules, even when violating them hurts his team.

But it says here that the primary problem with pro football doesn’t lie on the laps of renegades, but with the inherent, inevitable physics of the game itself. As long as behemoths crash into each other, we will have concussions.

Harrison’s teammate, Troy Polamalu isn’t an overly dirty defender, yet he’s had dozens of concussions since high school. During a recent, nationally televised game against the Chiefs, Polamalu made a textbook tackle, lunging below the waist of his opponent. After his head drilled the ball carrier’s knee, Polamalu dropped like a bag of oranges, his face buried in the grass, motionless for a moment, before slowly rising and staggering around. He was removed from the game and didn’t play again.

And it’s absolutely sickening to watch the NFL’s noblemen, pioneers and dignitaries, from John Mackey to Earl Campbell – many of whom haven’t the finances or insurance for decent care – limp, stagger, stumble, and crawl to the finish line. Andre Waters, Dave Duerson, and Mike Webster died most ignoble deaths.

But could they have been prevented? It’s beyond my pay grade. But I’m inclined to think that if your brain is jackhammered for fifteen years, a biological version of “52 pick-up” is inevitable. Feel free to read Peter King’s account in Sports Illustrated of the 1986 Bengals a quarter-century later. Boomer Esiason aside, they’re all in pain, often severe, assuming they’re still alive.

And how do you legislate physics? We have increasingly large, limber men flying like comets at each other, with titanic collisions at midfield. The league says you can’t lead with your helmet. Then when you lead with your shoulder, the ref still flips a flag because you’ve hit a defenseless player. London Fletcher employed an entirely legal tackle on Tom Brady, yet was still pinched for 15 yards. What’s next? Maybe the safety sends a subpoena to the wide receiver, providing proper legal notice that he’s about to have the snot knocked out of him.

Yesterday, Mike Francesa read a letter from Pete Rozelle, written in 1977 and addressed to George Atkinson, who made hay on my Steelers more than once. Rozelle scolded Atkinson after a particularly brutal, clubbing forearm to (my beloved) Lynn Swann’s head:

“Our sport obviously involves intense physical contact, but it requires of all players discipline and control and remaining within the rules. Every player deserves protection from the kind of unnecessary roughness that could end his career.”

Quite reasonable. Indeed, Atkins’s hit on Swann made Suh and Harrison look like jaywalkers.

Rozelle’s sentiment was (and still is) sound. But I still can’t reconcile violence and protection. What if “necessary roughness” is what’s really crippling players? If Rozelle were a boxing authority,

Atkinson’s offense could be called rabbit punching, or thumbing the opponent’s eye, or, in Mike Tyson’s demonic world, biting off a man’s ear. But you can get knocked out quite legally. Just watch what George Foreman did to Joe Frazier (twice) or what Sonny Liston did to Floyd Patterson (twice). Or just watch Polamalu every week.

What we’ve now discovered is that football, even at its cleanest, isn’t that different from boxing.

Indeed, the old salt from the sweet science are marching home drunk without even drinking. We saw it in Ken Norton, Muhammad Ali, and Thomas Hearns, among thousands of fighters. But we expect punchy pugilists. What we didn’t expect was the same, neurological mess from football players because hard shells covered their splintered cells. That’s why they wear pads, we thought, to shield them from shattered bones and blood vessels. Turns out it doesn’t work that way.

I seriously doubt you were naïve enough to think football had no deleterious consequences. But, assuming you were, have you stopped watching now that you discovered the danger? Judging by the $9 billion or so the NFL inhales every year, you’re still tuning in.

The best thing that comes from any revelations, as new data trickles down from slabs to science labs to our laptops, is that parents may make a more informed decision about allowing their sons to play football. If football can indeed cause dangerous numbers of proteins to huddle in the brain, or possibly cause Lou Gehrig’s disease, dementia, depression, and suicide, mom and dad have the right to know about it before fitting Junior for thigh pads.

At some point a young man’s life forks at freedom, when he becomes the sum of his choices. And if all parties still agree to play the game, they can’t say they weren’t warned. Because I can assure you, no matter the danger to the player, we’ll watch the game.

Feel free to email me: Keidel.Jason@gmail.com

[stoicsentry]

Leonhard also had a big impact on the Jets’ pass defense against throws downfield. Before Leonhard’s injury, they allowed the lowest completion percentage and yards-per-attempt on throws 15+ yards in the league. After the injury, the Jets ranked 20th in completion percentage and 12th in yards-per-attempt over the last five weeks of the season.

Sick and tired of hearing Leonhard isn't a good player just because he doesn't "look the part"... Look at the FACTS. Being "gritty" or "blue collar" doesn't do all of that.

[The Crusher]

Sick and tired of hearing Leonhard isn't a good player just because he doesn't "look the part"... Look at the FACTS. Being "gritty" or "blue collar" doesn't do all of that.

He will fit in fine as a Patriot next season.