flgreen Posted December 15, 2011 Share Posted December 15, 2011 Jets' Ryan and Eagles' Reid at opposite ends of spectrum December 14, 2011|By Jonathan Tamari, INQUIRER STAFF WRITER Rex Ryan already had bragged about his Pro Bowl cornerback, joked about his brother, and laughed more often in a 14-minute conference call than Andy Reid might in a year of news conferences, when he was asked an odd question. What similarities are there between Ryan, the coaching king of bold statements, and Reid, whose signature public pronouncement is "we'll just see here." "Both of us are extremely handsome," Ryan quipped, pausing expertly for laughter. "I think that's the thing that really jumps out at you. They say it's a big man's game, and there you have it: two of the biggest coaches in the league going at it." Aside from the sizable waistlines, it's difficult to imagine two more different coaches than Reid and Ryan, whose teams meet Sunday and enter the game with, appropriately enough, opposing records: 5-8 for the Eagles, 8-5 for the Jets. Ryan, the stylistic heir to his iconic father Buddy, favors a "ground and pound" offense and attacking defense. Reid lives by the pass and scoring and has stuck to the same dry script for 13 years. Ryan boasted that whichever receiver faces cornerback Darrelle Revis, "it'll be a long day for that individual." Reid said tight end Brent Celek, his leading receiver, has "done a nice job catching the football." Ryan called Revis "the best corner in football; it's not even close." Reid said, "I have a couple of pretty good ones . . . so I'm fortunate." Ryan once was portrayed as Han Solo on a Star Wars-themed tabloid cover. Try picturing Reid getting the same treatment. "Rex and Andy are a little bit different," Eagles center Jason Kelce said. As an organization, the Eagles match Reid's unwavering, at times stubborn style. The Jets reflect the brash, sometimes reckless Ryan. His swagger, of course, is familiar to Philadelphia fans. The same bravado made his father a hero to many Eagles fans, while Reid is scorned by some for being too distant, even though the current coach has won far more than Ryan ever did. "The fans really did identify with him," Ryan said of his father. "He was himself, and I think the fans really appreciated that." (The appreciation was shown in an Eagles halftime tribute to Buddy Ryan earlier this year. Rex Ryan called it a "classy" move by owner Jeffrey Lurie.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted December 15, 2011 Author Share Posted December 15, 2011 Rex tweaks Giants regarding DeSean December, 14, 2011 Dec 14 10:21 PM ET Email Print Comments5 By Rich Cimini Rex Ryan couldn't resist. The Jets face the Eagles Sunday, and that means defending explosive punt returner DeSean Jackson. When asked Wednesday about Jackson, Ryan referenced one of the most painful moments in Giants history. "I think there are people around here that might be able to answer that question better than us," Ryan said, taking an obvious shot at the Giants. Jackson's 65-yard TD as time expired punctuated an epic collapse last season by the Giants, and basically cost them a playoff shot. "Let's face it, he doesn't make that return, Green Bay doesn't even go to the playoffs last year so he is that kind of guy — game on the line, he can break it any time," Ryan said. "The average doesn't look that great this year, but he's one of those guys where you have to hold your breath every time he gets it. He is a special returner." Can't wait for Jets-Giants next week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted December 15, 2011 Author Share Posted December 15, 2011 Sanchez, a Pro Bowl quarterback? December, 14, 2011 Dec 14 8:13 PM ET Email Print Comments49 By Rich Cimini For a quarterback who has taken a lot of heat, even from his own coach, Mark Sanchez is quietly posting some impressive numbers. Sanchez has 21 touchdown passes and five rushing touchdowns, putting him only four behind the team mark for combined touchdowns in a single season. In 1998, Vinny Testaverde recorded 30 (29 passing, one rushing). On Wednesday, Rex Ryan was asked about Sanchez's performance, and he started out by mentioning the Pro Bowl. Hmm, interesting. "I don't know what people look for in Pro Bowls and all that," he said. "Just take the guys that win, and you'll be better off. I think, when the season's over, he'll be right there where we expect him to be. But I think he's had an excellent year, I really do. Is he going to throw for 4,000 yards or whatever? To be honest with you, I don't really know ... I think the guy's an excellent quarterback." It's never pretty with Sanchez (three straight passing days under 200 yards), but he has cut down on the big mistakes -- two straight games without an interception. Ever since Ryan announced to the world that he had yanked Sanchez for a few practice reps, which ticked off Sanchez, his QB has seven TD passes and one interception. On Wednesday, Sanchez deflected questions about his personal improvement, preferring to talk about the offense as a whole. Lately, he has approached his media sessions with all the enthusiasm of a patient headed for a colonoscopy. He doesn't smile much. "I told you guys, I'm just focused," he said. "I'm excited, we have a great opportunity. We're in a good spot, but it could get better, hopefully. And we have to make it get better." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted December 15, 2011 Author Share Posted December 15, 2011 Asomugha: I came 'really close' to being Jet December, 14, 2011 Dec 14 6:35 PM ET Email Print Comments55 By Jane McManus Just a few months ago, Nnamdi Asomugha seemed almost certain to be a New York celebrity. The Jets called him the moment teams could officially talk to players after the lockout ended. The free-agent cornerback sparked fierce debate among fans. If the Jets got him, who would be the best corner on the team, Asomugha or Darrelle Revis? Asomugha came close to joining the Jets. “Really close, really close,” he said Wednesday on a conference call with Jets writers. “I really liked the staff there in New York. I was really close with Rob Ryan, so I know that Rex, being his twin, would be very similar to him. During the 48 hours or whatever it was that we were able to talk, they were saying some really great things. I liked how the defense played. They were doing a lot of the things that I had done throughout my career, so there wouldn’t be much adjusting or anything like that. I was really close.” That was before the Eagles swooped in with a five-year $60 million contract. (The Jets reportedly offered him four years, $40 million.) Asomugha seemed to be the final piece of the Dream Team puzzle, but things have not been so easy. The Eagles, who will host the Jets in an afternoon game this Sunday are 5-8, and have won just two of their past six games. “I think the tough part about that is the fact that the expectations were really high coming into it,” Asomugha said. “Even if my expectations were realistic, the expectations that were out there, I think, I kind of let that get to me, as well -- the expectations [that] everything will be and must be perfect with this team now that they’ve acquired these players and blah, blah, blah. I always have a realistic approach to it, but I kind of let that seep through and then that made the losing of it all a little bit tougher, a little bit more difficult to deal with.” Asomugha hasn’t played as well as he is accustomed to. He is tied for 29th in the league among defenders who have been burned when targeted. Asomugha has been targeted 28 times and burned on 13 of those occasions according STATS, LLC. Compare that to Jets cornerback Antonio Cromartie, who has been targeted 68 times and been burned 29 times, enough for 13th in the league. Cromartie has been slightly more effective on the field and he was less expensive as well, signing a $32 million, four-year deal. If the Jets had landed Asomugha, they might not have been able to sign free agents like safeties Eric Smith and Brodney Pool. “I was really close and the Eagles came in in that 11th hour,” Asomugha said, “and all along I’d always admired the Eagles and they were the team that, if they were involved, that was where I wanted to be.” But NFL fans will never know what it would have been like to have arguably the two best cornerbacks in the league on the same team. “Hey, I respect his game,” Asomugha said of Revis. “I always have. It’s a difficult thing in this league to match up, to line up and play one-on-one football. I know that first-hand, so I’ve always respected that about him and about the Jets’ scheme. Even with Cromartie, it’s a tough thing to do. I don’t know what it would have been like. It’s what we do best, so I don’t know what it would have been like.” All what-ifs aside, Asomugha said he has made his choice and doesn’t look back, even if expectations and losses made it harder than he thought. “I have never, have not and will not regret it,” Asomugha said. “Our story still isn’t over yet, so there is always something to learn and we’re still fighting.” Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted December 15, 2011 Author Share Posted December 15, 2011 Play like a Jet, just not yet December, 14, 2011 Dec 14 6:36 PM ET Email Print Comments By Jane McManus Gerald Alexander, the Jets new safety, made it onto the practice field Wednesday, but coach Rex Ryan didn't know much about his new defensive back yet. But he doesn't expect Alexander to have to prove himself right away against the Eagles. "I would think that it would probably have to be an emergency for him to get in there," Ryan said. "Like I said, we are bringing in the young man to give us depth, not be a starter or anything. We feel good about our safeties. Obviously Eric Smith, Brodney Pool and Tracy Wilson. He may or may not play." Jim Leonhard had surgery Wednesday on his torn patella, and Ryan said everything went well. Alexander, who played with Kyle Wilson at Boise State, said he was excited to get the call not just to stay in the NFL, but to play for the Jets. Standing at his new locker, Alexander said he'd always liked the line, "Play like a Jet," and that's what he plans to do when he gets a chance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted December 15, 2011 Author Share Posted December 15, 2011 DeVito, McKnight likely to play December, 14, 2011 Dec 14 5:29 PM ET Email Print Comments By Rich Cimini After missing two games with a sprained knee, DT Mike DeVito returned to practice Wednesday on a limited basis and is expected to play Sunday against the Eagles. "He looks pretty good," Rex Ryan said. DeVito, one of their top run stuffers, participated in a 9-on-7 drill and was able to hold up against double-team blocking, according to Ryan -- an indication that DeVito's knee has regained its stability. "It's huge," NT Sione Pouha said of DeVito's anticipated return to the lineup. "That's my right-hand man." The Jets have struggled to replace DeVito. Two weeks ago, rookie Kenrick Ellis got the start, but he didn't play well and was a healthy scratch against the Chiefs -- a rather dramatic fall. Ropati Pitoitua started Sunday. In other injury news, RB/KR Joe McKnight (hyperextended elbow) also is expected to play. He missed Sunday's game against the Chiefs, but he was a full-go Wednesday. Barring a setback, he'll return to his role as the primary kickoff returner. The only question mark for Sunday, according to Ryan, is CB Marquice Cole (knee). He didn't practice. Without S Jim Leonhard (knee surgery) and, possibly, Cole, the Jets would be down to six healthy, experienced DBs. Isaiah Trufant and Ellis Lankster could be pressed into expanded roles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted December 15, 2011 Author Share Posted December 15, 2011 Sullivan: Jets get down to business over final three games Wednesday December 14, 2011, 10:05 PM By TARA SULLIVAN RECORD COLUMNIST Print | E-mail FLORHAM PARK – When the Jets bottomed out in Denver, they had no idea they would end up representing a mere step on Tim Tebow’s climb to the top of the NFL’s miracle meter. Because at the time, they only felt like they were on the bottom of the NFL’s scrapheap. TYSON TRISH/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER “Nothing has changed,” quarterback Mark Sanchez insisted after practice Wednesday. “All of these games are must-wins. We need to win a lot of games in a short period of time here. … We still have a lot of work to do. We’re not out of the woods yet, and this is kind of like the halfway point. We have, hopefully, seven weeks of football or whatever it is. We have a long road.” When linebacker Calvin Pace recalled that final, excruciating, game-winning Tebow touchdown run four weeks ago, when the veteran linebacker looked back at his team’s 5-5 record and ahead to its remaining schedule, he uttered what would become the Jets’ new mantra. “We have to win out,” Pace said in the wake of that loss. For the last three games, the Jets listened well, punctuating their rebirth with their most decisive victory of the season. Sunday’s 37-10 trouncing of the Chiefs sent Kansas City coach Todd Haley to the unemployment line, but if the Jets believe they will run over their final three opponents in similar fashion, trouble is brewing. A road game Sunday in Philadelphia, a home game masquerading as a neutral site against the Giants, and a season finale in Miami mark the official end of the get-well portion of the Jets’ schedule. It only gets harder now. “Nothing has changed,” quarterback Mark Sanchez insisted after practice Wednesday. “All of these games are must-wins. We need to win a lot of games in a short period of time here. … We still have a lot of work to do. We’re not out of the woods yet, and this is kind of like the halfway point. We have, hopefully, seven weeks of football or whatever it is. We have a long road.” The good news for the Jets is they seem to have moved past the disappointment of their past mistakes, of the early season three-game losing streak to Oakland, Baltimore and New England and the two-game skid that happened when they couldn’t use a trip to underrated Denver to rebound from a second loss to the Patriots. They’ve readjusted to reconfigured expectations, moving away from Rex Ryan’s repeated Super Bowl guarantees to a hopeful wild-card path instead. They are comfortable on this road, having taken it all the way to the AFC title game the past two years. “We’ve been through this before; this is an experienced team,” Darrelle Revis said. “Right now we’re making another run.” One that must carry through the final three games of the season. At this late juncture, the early season preferred reliance on the one-game-at-a-time approach has to be replaced by a win-every-game urgency. “We put ourselves in this position,” Revis said. “At that point [after the loss to Denver], because of the position we put ourselves in, your vision has to expand a little more. You have to look at the whole schedule to see what you need to do to make the playoffs. Calvin hit it right on the head with what he said.” Three straight wins and the Jets are moving in the right direction – one convincing blowout and they are looking more like the balanced team they expected to be all season. Despite the loss of safety Jim Leonhard to injury, Revis expects the attitude adjustment he saw against the Chiefs to carry through this final stretch run. The Jets are beginning to find their inner bully again, and that is a good thing. “Coming into the Kansas City game, we wanted to play a whole, complete game, put the three phases together, and we did that,” Revis said. “We’ve got to keep building on that. It was more our attitude rather than anything to do with our personnel. It was the attitude of our team. We were getting a bit more aggressive and nasty. We’ve got to continue to do that.” The path is littered with potential potholes. The Jets’ franchise never has beaten the Eagles, a fact Ryan began hammering home Monday. “I’m sure he’ll have even more on that later in the week,” Revis said, laughing. Ryan figured Wednesday that his old tough-as-nails dad, Buddy, must have been coaching those dominant Eagles teams, but as the week goes on, he’s sure to turn more serious in the challenge the Eagles present. The Dream Team that beat the Jets out for the services of standout corner Nnamdi Asomugha has turned nightmarish: an inconsistent, injury-plagued team barely clinging to slim playoff hopes. But with Michael Vick still running around behind center, with Vick still possessing arm strength Ryan said could “throw a strawberry through a battleship,” Ryan sees danger. With a reminder that LeSean McCoy makes cuts “that have embarrassed a lot of football players,” Ryan sees danger. And with a not-so-subtle dig to the team across town that return specialist DeSean Jackson is “a game-breaker,” Ryan sees danger. “This time of year, it doesn’t matter where you play. You’d better go win. This is a big challenge down the road to Philly,” Ryan said. They’re all must-win games for the Jets now, the byproduct of lost opportunity, the chance for redemption. “Things didn’t go the way you wanted earlier in the season and you still have a chance,” is how Sanchez described his team’s approach. “What are you going to do about it?” Three games to answer: What are the Jets going to do? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted December 15, 2011 Author Share Posted December 15, 2011 Greene Provides Power for Jets’ Offensive Surge By BEN SHPIGEL Published: December 14, 2011 FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — The Wildcat may be perceived as a trick play, but as Jeremy Kerley intimated recently, there is no trickery involved when Shonn Greene receives the direct snap. “We wouldn’t use Shonn to try to hit the outside,” Kerley said. Enlarge This Image Barton Silverman/The New York Times Shonn Greene has run for 295 yards, a 5-yard average and 4 touchdowns in the Jets' last three games, all victories. The latest news, notes and analysis of the N.F.L. playoffs. Go to The Fifth Down Blog No, the Jets want Greene running between the tackles, using his 235-pound body as a wrecking ball. They want to see defenders on their backs, casualties of his punishing style. They want first downs and touchdowns and victories. Running out of the Wildcat or not, Greene has fulfilled all the Jets’ hopes and expectations during a three-game surge that has revitalized their season. It has also revitalized his own. During the streak, which has propelled the Jets from playoff pretenders to legitimate contenders, Greene has rushed for 295 yards, averaging 5.0 per carry, and 4 touchdowns, none more emblematic of his transformation than his 7-yard burst in the second quarter against Kansas City on Sunday. Taking the handoff from Mark Sanchez, Greene zipped left, leaped over a flailing Brandon Carr and then lowered his right shoulder to plow through Kendrick Lewis at the 3-yard line before strutting into the end zone. “That’s what I’m supposed to do,” Greene said. “You have to have the mentality that nothing’s going to stop you.” The Jets have seen that mentality from Greene in spurts, but not consistently since naming him in training camp as the featured running back. For two years, Greene waited behind Thomas Jones and LaDainian Tomlinson for that opportunity. For six weeks, that opportunity produced frustration, as Greene wondered what more he could do. “Things were tough in the beginning — they were,” Greene said. “You just had to keep working and believing they would get better.” A turning point came before the Oct. 9 game against New England, when the Jets aborted their plans to expand their offense, turning instead to the rushing-based attack that fueled their ascension to the past two A.F.C. championship games. “Sometimes it just doesn’t click maybe when you think it will,” Coach Rex Ryan said. One reason was an inconsistent offensive line, which struggled during center Nick Mangold’s two-game absence, and again in consecutive losses to New England and Denver in mid-November. The line responded by dominating the line of scrimmage against Buffalo and in Washington before clearing the way for Greene’s 127 yards against the Chiefs. In highlighting the team’s “Play Like a Jet” moments from Sunday’s game, Ryan on Wednesday singled out Santonio Holmes’s blocking on Greene’s 31-yard run, the Jets’ first offensive play. Holmes cleared space for Greene by blasting safety Jon McGraw, then running downfield to knock away cornerback Brandon Flowers. Guard Matt Slauson said, “Those are the blocks that go from a 4- or 5-yard gain to a 20-yard gain.” Those runs require patience, an important virtue in the Jets’ zone-blocking scheme. To that end, Greene has worked at practice with the running backs coach Anthony Lynn on finding what he called his “aiming point,” the hole that appears when patience is exercised. “Once it opens,” the offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer said recently, “you have to accelerate through it.” Greene’s next challenge comes against a Philadelphia defense that has struggled to defend against the run, allowing at least 138 yards six times this season, including a high of 174 to Seattle on Dec. 1. Greene has also emerged as an important component in the screen-passing game, which is particularly useful against teams with strong pass rushes. A 36-yard screen play, helped by superb downfield blocking by Mangold, set up the Jets’ second touchdown against Kansas City. The Eagles had nine sacks last week against Miami, and the Jets realize the advantage in gaining chunks of yards on first and second downs to avoid obvious passing situations. With colder weather settling in, the Jets are glad to have a running back of Greene’s size, someone who is difficult to bring down. Ryan said, “Those are the guys that can take the pounding and they also dish it out.” EXTRA POINTS Defensive end Mike DeVito, who missed the last two games with a sprained knee, returned to practice Wednesday and is expected to play Sunday against Philadelphia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted December 15, 2011 Author Share Posted December 15, 2011 NY Jets face obstacle to 'keep winning' in Philadelphia Eagles' Michael Vick Gang Green's defense has had problems stopping run NEW YORK DAILY NEWS Wednesday, December 14 2011, 11:07 PM Chris Trotman/Getty Images Michael Vick dazzles with running ability and, unlike Tim Tebow, his arm, too, as Jets may find out on Sunday. Lupica: Santonio and Big Ben check baggage at door before 'Goodell Bowl' Jet defense sacks QB issue In Leonhard, good things come in small packages S Leonhard signs three-year deal with Jets N.Y. Jets safety Jim Leonhard out for season, bring in vet Gerald Alexander for safety depth NY Jets confirm safety Jim Leonhard out for season; Brodney Pool will replace him as starter Just when the Jets were getting things on track come two problems that can derail the whole playoff run thing. They lost safety Jim Leonhard for the season when he tore the patellar tendon his right knee against Kansas City Sunday. And they will be facing a healthy Michael Vick when they take on the Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday. Vick, who missed three games with broken ribs, returned last week and burned Miami. How the Jets solve these problems will determine just where they land when the season is over. If they can’t get over the loss of Leonhard, who was a sure-handed punt return man and a key cog in the secondary and run support, then they’re sunk. And if they can’t stop Vick and the Eagles deal them a loss, then they will likely lose control of their own playoff destiny. Right now they’re one game up on the other AFC hopefuls in the wild-card race, and if they can keep winning, they can maintain that edge. Keep winning. That is the Jets’ mantra over the course of the final three games. Not only do they have to keep repeating that to themselves — like Dorothy clicking the heels of her ruby slippers and trying to get back to Kansas — but they have to go out and put the hammer down on opponents. That aggressive attitude will serve them well against Vick. “You got to treat him like he’s Michael Vick, but you have to take shots at him,” Rex Ryan said. “You can’t just stand there. If you do he’ll stand there and kill you throwing the ball. So you better go hit him. That’s the way you have to approach it.” That job is made more difficult with the loss of Leonhard, but not impossible. The Jets survived Leonhard’s loss last year and they will survive his loss this year. Ryan has assembled a veteran defense that is built to absorb minimal losses. The Jets are still superb at cornerback with Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie, solid at linebacker with David Harris and Calvin Pace and sound on the defensive line. The pass rush has gotten stronger since they re-signed speed-rusher Aaron Maybin, who has six sacks and four forced fumbles since returning to the team after Week 4 after being waived as training camp ended. The defensive packages will get reshuffled, and that might not be a bad thing. The only trouble is if guys start to think they have to do more to compensate and start playing out of position. That can happen with a quarterback such as Vick. Revis said you don’t want to get caught looking back at Vick while you’re in coverage. “Sometimes he scrambles to throw,” Revis said. “You have to secure your first job, and if you see him crossing the line of scrimmage to run, then you try to break up and try to tackle him.” The plan now is to start Brodney Pool and support him with Eric Smith. That was the duo that did the job when Leonhard was lost with a broken leg late last season and helped the Jets get to the AFC Championship Game. When the Jets traded Dwight Lowery in the preseason they didn’t expect a repeat with Leonhard. But that’s the gamble you take. Now the Jets have to hope they don’t come up snake eyes with Pool and Smith trying to do what they know Leonhard can do. The Jets defense was badly burned against the run in two games this year. In the third game of the season the Raiders rushed for 234 yards against the Jets on the way to a 34-24 victory. Darren McFadden, who had 171 yards on 19 carries (9.0 yards a carry) was able to break outside containment all day long. Also, Denver quarterback Tim Tebow rushed for 64 yards, including a 20-yard run for the game-winning touchdown in the Broncos’ 17-13 victory on Nov. 17. Vick is Tebow squared. Tebow is a big, strong powerful runner. Vick is a fast, elusive runner (8.1 yards a carry) with a strong, accurate arm. Plus, Vick is surrounded by some terrific weapons in receivers DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin and running back LeSean McCoy. “He’s probably faster than most guys on our defense. Our guys have to be aware at all times,” Harris said about Vick. This is where Maybin comes in. He has the kind of speed that the Jets need to contain Vick. Vick may be a little hesitant to pull the ball down and run, considering he just got back on the field from fractured ribs. He has trouble sliding and he doesn’t want the Jets to have too many free shots. That could work in the Jets’ favor, but they’re not counting on that. “We don’t know the percentage he is today. I’m expecting to see his best,” Revis said. “I’m expecting Michael Vick to be 100% and we have to approach the game that way.” Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/ny-jets-face-obstacle-philadelphia-eagles-michael-vick-article-1.991775#ixzz1gcCrbGu7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted December 15, 2011 Author Share Posted December 15, 2011 Charges upgraded to third-degree aggravated assault in beating of fan after NY Jets game Police say N.J. man acted alone in punching Queens man outside stadium on Sunday BY Kevin Armstrong NEW YORK DAILY NEWS Wednesday, December 14 2011, 10:56 PM Leslie Barbaro/AP These Jets fans don't let emotions get out of control, unlike in altercation outside MetLife Stadium following last Sunday's game. New Jersey State Police maintain that Merle Lee, a 35-year-old resident of Newton, N.J., acted alone when he punched Jets fan James Mohr, 23, in the face during an altercation in parking lot J-17 outside MetLife Stadium following the Jets’ win Sunday. Lee was originally charged with simple assault and released pending a court appearance, but the charges were elevated to third-degree aggravated assault once the extent of Mohr’s injuries was determined by medical personnel. Lee was arrested at his residence Tuesday night and was held at the Bergen County jail with his bail set at $7,500 . Meanwhile, Mohr, of Queens, was taken out of intensive care and listed in fair condition Wednesday at Hackensack University Medical Center. Police insist the preliminary investigation revealed only Lee was involved in the attack, contrary to published reports that described a group pummeling Mohr. State police spokesman Brian Polite said Mohr had been in a minor scuffle en route to the parking lot, but Lee came out of nowhere. “This is an unacceptable attack on one of our guests and we have been working with the New Jersey State Police to make sure the man arrested is prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” MetLife Stadium officials said in a written statement. The team released a statement as well. “We have reached out to James to wish him a speedy and full recovery," the Jets said. "Our organization works hard to provide fans with a safe and secure environment, and there is no place for this type of behavior. We are working with the stadium and New Jersey State Police to be certain that any and all perpetrators are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.” Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/charges-upgraded-beating-fan-jets-game-article-1.991769#ixzz1gcD7WrwD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted December 15, 2011 Author Share Posted December 15, 2011 Mark Sanchez taking flight for NY Jets, Rex Ryan pleased with QB's progress Oft-criticized quarterback heating up down stretch of season BY Manish Mehta NEW YORK DAILY NEWS Wednesday, December 14 2011, 11:17 PM Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images Jets' Mark Sanchez is fifth in NFL in touchdowns but more important to his coach is that quarterback is also racking up wins of late. The serious, subdued and steady Mark Sanchez deflected any and all praise thrown in his direction on Wednesday by crediting just about everyone around him. He took a measured tone about a white-hot offense that has scored 13 touchdowns during the Jets’ three-game winning streak. He sounded like a guy with plenty of work left to do. “Hopefully, we’re just starting to hit our stride and we’re not there yet,” Sanchez said. “There’s still a sense of urgency.” For all the criticism that Sanchez has endured this season, the numbers suggest that maybe Rex Ryan was right all along: The Jets signal-caller has made improvements in his third season. Only Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Cam Newton and Matt Stafford have more touchdowns than Sanchez, whose 26 TDs (21 passing, 5 rushing) are tied for sixth in the league with Eli Manning and Tony Romo. Sanchez has also thrown fewer interceptions (11) than Stafford, Matt Ryan, Philip Rivers and Manning. Ryan, whose team faces a daunting challenge against the Eagles on Sunday, reiterated that he’s not overly concerned with Sanchez’s stats. “I don’t know what people look for in Pro Bowls and all that,” Ryan said. “If you just take the guys that win, I think you’d probably be better off. I think when the season’s over, he’ll be right there where we expect him to be. I think he’s had an excellent year.” Although Sanchez’s 83.1 passer rating ranks in the middle of the pack and his 56.8 completion percentage is in the bottom third of the league, he’s elevated his play when it matters most. Sanchez is 10th in the NFL in fourth-quarter passer rating at 95.9. He’s thrown eight touchdown passes and only one interception in the final quarter. Sanchez has totaled nine touchdowns with only one interception during a three-game winning streak that has put the Jets in position to control their playoff fate down the stretch. The Jets offense has averaged 32.3 points in the past three games. Ryan credits crisper practices and “very few mistakes” during the week of preparation for their offensive consistency in recent weeks. “We have really high expectations, especially with the weapons that we have,” said tight end Dustin Keller. “Not very many people thought we were a bad offense as much as we’ve been an inconsistent offense. We’re really trying to put that to sleep now. This is the best time to do it.” Sanchez, of course, is only part of the reason for the offensive explosion. The Jets’ offensive line has protected him for the most part, and the running game has come alive. Offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer, who has taken his fair share of criticism for an up-and-down season, has been on point. “I think we’re extremely underrated,” left guard Matt Slauson said of the offense. “But I don’t mind that. Teams can come in and say (we) aren’t nearly as good as the other part of (our) team. “. . . We don’t really care how other people perceive us. We’re just going to go out there and put points up and win.” The players believe that there’s room for improvement on first and second downs to help limit third-and-long situations. Believe it or not, the Jets rank sixth in the league, averaging 25.2 points per game. Surely, that’s pretty good, right? “Yeah, I guess,” right guard Brandon Moore said with a smile. “You giving out awards for that right now?” n other words, the job is far from done. Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/mark-sanchez-flight-ny-jets-article-1.991788#ixzz1gcEETJGT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted December 15, 2011 Author Share Posted December 15, 2011 Nnamdi Asomugha holds 'no regrets' regarding decision to sign with Philadelphia Eagles over NY Jets Says he came 'really close' to signing with Jets BY Kevin Armstrong NEW YORK DAILY NEWS Thursday, December 15 2011, 1:38 AM Daniel Sato/AP Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha says Ryan got him excited about joining Gang Green before the Eagles swooped him last minute. In light of signing with the Philadelphia Eagles as a free agent last August and suffering through a 5-8 season to date, cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha maintains that he has “no regrets” regarding his decision to choose the Eagles over the Jets. “The thing that has been very difficult is not winning,” he said. Asomugha, who played for coach Rob Ryan, Rex’s brother, in Oakland, admitted he came “really close” to signing with the Jets, citing the familiar defensive schemes that the Ryan brothers employ as a reason for consideration. It was not until the “11th hour” that the Eagles swooped in. “Rex was great,” Asomugha said. “The whole 48-hour recruiting process, it was all fun because the way he talks, he’ll get you to laugh, he’ll get you excited. The way he recruits, I think, is the way it should be done.” SHIP SHAPE Ryan lavished praise on Eagles quarterback Michael Vick, citing his speed and all-around elusiveness as reasons for Jets defenders to be prepared for the dual threat to employ his wide range of weapons, including an arm capable of laser-like throws. “He can throw a strawberry through a battleship,” Ryan said. GETTING OUT OF DODGE The Jets, whose special teams have struggled this season, believe they have learned from the Giants when it comes to guarding against Eagles punt returner DeSean Jackson’s explosiveness. “There’s people around here that might be able to answer that question better than us,” Ryan said, referring to the Giants. The Giants allowed Jackson to take a punt back 65 yards for a game-winning touchdown last December. Tom Coughlin erupted and screamed at punter Matt Dodge on the field. Dodge was let go after the season and the Giants signed former Jets punter Steve Weatherford. GETTING MOORE Right guard Brandon Moore (hip) did not practice Wednesday and is expected to be limited Thursday as Ryan and the training staff attempt to preserve the 31-year-old for the stretch run. . . . Defensive lineman Mike DeVito (knee) was limited in practice on Wednesday and Ryan expects him to play Sunday. . . . Safety Jim Leonhard underwent surgery to repair the patellar tendon in his right knee. Ryan said the surgery was a success. Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/nnamdi-asomugha-holds-regrets-decision-sign-philadelphia-eagles-ny-jets-article-1.991827#ixzz1gcGqbrl3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted December 15, 2011 Author Share Posted December 15, 2011 Score more; sometimes the only way to beat Eagles Wednesday, December 14, 2011 BY J.P. PELZMAN STAFF WRITER The Record Print | E-mail FLORHAM PARK – The Jets have averaged 32.3 points over their last three games and have climbed to sixth in the NFL in points scored. TYSON TRISH/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Santonio Holmes, left, and Mark Sanchez have had plenty of opportunities to spread their wings lately. But quarterback Mark Sanchez isn't taking any bows. He knows these offensive outbursts need to continue if the Jets are to reach their hoped-for destination, beginning with Sunday's game at talented but underachieving Philadelphia. "I think, hopefully, we're just starting to hit our stride," the Jets' quarterback said Wednesday, "[but] we're not there yet. I think that would be great for us to feel that way. There's still a sense of urgency; there's still things we can clean up, and that's everybody, and it starts with me. Hopefully we're not settling in too early." Not only will the Jets' offense have to deal with an Eagles' defense that registered nine sacks in a win over Miami on Sunday, Sanchez and Co. could have to outscore a Philadelphia offense ranked fourth in the NFL in total yards. However, the Eagles are only 15th in points scored, partly because the offense slumped somewhat without Michael Vick at quarterback in recent weeks. But he returned at Miami after missing three games with broken ribs and guided the Eagles to 24 first-half points in a 26-10 victory. Right guard Brandon Moore, using as an example the Indianapolis Colts of recent years when Peyton Manning was healthy, said sometimes "you know you're going to have to score points [because of the opponent], so to a certain degree that goes into the game plan." But he added: "You think that anyway. You need to score touchdowns. That's your job." A job the Jets have been doing quite well recently. "I think we're all just playing a lot better across the board," said Sanchez, who has a career-high 21 touchdown passes this season. "Whether it's protection or wideouts [being] on the right landmark [when running routes], me being more accurate, whatever it is, we've all gotten better. It's the running backs in [pass] protection; it's our run game being able to change it up. … All that has been a factor. The good field position we've gotten has been huge." Yeah, that's been part of it, too. Of the Jets' nine touchdowns in the past two games, four have come off drives of 9, 25, 38 and 35 yards. Plus there was a 90-yard drive against Kansas City that was helped by 81 yards in Chiefs' penalties. In that win over the Chiefs, the Jets didn't complete a pass after halftime. "There are some things that we have to clean up from this last game," Sanchez admitted, "and we won't be shy about doing that." The Jets used screen passes effectively against Kansas City, but Sanchez completed only three passes to wideouts. "It's just a good change-up for us," Sanchez said of the screen passes, "but you can't just rely on something like that. We need to be good running the ball and throwing it downfield as well." But throwing deep won't be easy against a Philadelphia defense that is second in the NFL in sacks with 42. Defensive end Jason Babin is tied for second in the league with 15. "We're going to need to play well," Sanchez said, "and take good plays and bad plays in stride [and] understand that they're a very talented group. They're going to have good plays, and not to get discouraged, not to get frustrated and just keep pushing and trust the plan." E-mail: pelzman@northjersey.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted December 15, 2011 Author Share Posted December 15, 2011 Asomugha satisfied with decision Wednesday, December 14, 2011 The Record Print | E-mail Asomugha: No regrets Star cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha was one of the Jets' priorities during the whirlwind free agency period after the lockout ended, but he eventually spurned them and Dallas to sign with Philadelphia. The Jets' wideouts will get to see Asomugha up close Sunday. Asomugha said he came close to being in a slightly different shade of green. "During the 48 hours or whatever it was that we were able to talk," Asomugha said Wednesday on a conference call, "[the Jets] were saying some really great things. I liked how [their] defense played. They were doing a lot of the things that I had done throughout my career, so there wouldn't be much adjusting or anything like that. I was really close" to signing with them. But "then, the Eagles came in that eleventh hour or whatever it was," Asomugha added. "All along, I had always admired the Eagles. They were always the team that, if they were involved, that was where I wanted to be." Asomugha signed a five-year, $60 million contract with the Eagles on July 29. Three days later, the Jets re-signed Antonio Cromartie to a four-year deal. Asomugha currently would have a much more realistic chance of reaching the playoffs with the Jets, but said, "No, I don't regret [the decision] at all. The thing that has been very difficult is not winning. … I have never, have not and will not regret it. Our story still isn't over yet, so there is always something to learn and we're still fighting." Injury updates DE Mike DeVito (knee), who has missed the last two games, was limited in practice Wednesday. Coach Rex Ryan expects him to play. … RB-KR Joe McKnight, who sat out against Kansas City with a hyperextended elbow, practiced full and intends to play against the Eagles with a lightweight brace on the elbow. — J.P. Pelzman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted December 15, 2011 Author Share Posted December 15, 2011 Jets must contain Eagles' QB Jets Blog By BRIAN COSTELLO Last Updated: 9:31 AM, December 15, 2011 Posted: 2:23 AM, December 15, 2011 The Jets’ defensive game plan against the Eagles this week is simple — stick Vick. Eagles quarterback Michael Vick returned last week after missing three games with broken ribs. Now, the Jets hope to shut down the elusive leader of the Philadelphia offense at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday. “He is the best scrambling quarterback that this game has probably ever seen,” cornerback Darrelle Revis said. “The guy’s unbelievable. You’ve just got to contain him.” For the Jets, this week marks a new portion of their schedule. They beat teams they were expected to the last three weeks — the Bills, Redskins and Chiefs. Now their playoff hopes rest on how they perform in these final three games with the Eagles, Giants and Dolphins. The Jets face an Eagles team that was the champion of the summer but has stumbled to a 5-8 record. The Jets are saying forget the record, look at the roster. “This is an excellent offense,” Jets coach Rex Ryan said. “This is going to be a big challenge for us.” The Eagles are fourth in total offense in the NFL. The Jets are sixth in total defense and are brimming with confidence after holding the Chiefs to just four yards in the first half last week. But these are not the Chiefs. No one is going to confuse Vick with Tyler Palko. The only offense the Jets have faced that compares with the Eagles’ is the Patriots’ — and the Jets lost to them twice. The Jets’ problems start with Vick. This season has not been Vick’s best, but his physical tools make him capable of having a big game at any moment. Vick did not practice yesterday as he rested his sore ribs, but coach Andy Reid said he will play Sunday. “He’s Michael Vick,” Ryan said. “There’s only one of those guys in the league. He’s explosive. He’s a 4.4 speed guy. He can throw a strawberry through a battleship. He looks pretty good to me. He looks like the same guy to me.” The Eagles talent extends beyond Vick. LeSean McCoy is second in the NFL with 1,172 rushing yards. DeSean Jackson has 757 yards receiving and is a threat to score every time he touches the ball. The Jets are emphasizing setting an edge this week and swarming the ball-carrier. “I think the overall goal is 11 guys to the ball,” nose tackle Sione Pouha said. “[Vick] can make No. 1 and No. 2 miss and Nos. 3, 4 and 5. But it would be hard to miss 11 guys if we all get to the ball.” Ryan pointed out to his team that the Jets are 0-8 all-time against the Eagles. Ryan’s teams love nothing more than to rewrite negative Jets history. Most of the Jets have never faced the Eagles in the regular season, and those who have did so in 2007 when both teams looked very different. They seem eager to face Vick and all of the explosive playmakers the Eagles have. Many of the younger Jets grew up watching Vick at Virginia Tech and with the Falcons. Defensive tackle Marcus Dixon, who grew up in Georgia, said he had a Vick jersey in high school. “It’s actually exciting to get to play against these guys,” Revis said. “You hear a lot about them during the season. You see a lot of their plays on ‘SportsCenter.’ It’s good. Usually we play them in the last preseason game and all the starters are sitting on the bench. It’s good to finally actually play against Michael Vick and their powerful offense.” We’ll see if he’s saying the same thing Sunday night. brian.costello@nypost.com Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/jets/hound_pound_kztCpgRJwUdBze1ZSsmd3L#ixzz1gcIf7Jwy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted December 15, 2011 Author Share Posted December 15, 2011 Eagles' Nnamdi doesn’t regret spurning Jets Jets Blog By BRIAN LEWIS Last Updated: 9:41 AM, December 15, 2011 Posted: 2:23 AM, December 15, 2011 More Print When the Jets travel to Philadelphia on Sunday, eyes invariably will turn to Eagles corner Nnamdi Asomugha, who spurned Gang Green’s free-agent offer this offseason. With the way Antonio Cromartie has excelled and Asomugha has struggled — both with the Eagles’ schemes and high expectations — it begs the question of whether the Jets are lucky they missed out on the three-time Pro Bowl corner. “We’re happy we have Cromartie, and I’m sure ... Philly’s happy they got Nnamdi,” Jets coach Rex Ryan said. “That’s behind us. We’re extremely happy that we got Cro back.” Asomugha readily admits it took weeks to get used to the Eagles’ defensive schemes and that he let the outsized expectations of the so-called Dream Team get to him. After he considered joining the Jets to replace Cromartie and pair with friend Darrelle Revis, Asomugha inked a five-year, $60 million deal with the Eagles. But despite the Dream Team turning into a nightmare — Philadelphia is just 5-8 and Asomugha culpable for several TDs — he says he doesn’t rue his decision. “I don’t regret it at all. The thing that’s been very difficult is not winning. I think the tough part about that is the expectations were really high coming into it,’’ Asomugha said. “The expectations that were out there, I let that get to me as well, expectation that everything will be and must be perfect with this team now that they’ve comprised these players, blah, blah, blah. “I let that seep through, then that made the losing a little bit tougher, more difficult to deal with. But I did not and do not regret that. Our story is not over yet. There’s always something to learn, and we’re still fighting.’’ Pro Football Focus has Asomugha ranked just 39th among all corners who have played at least 75 percent of their teams snaps. Revis is first. The site gave Asomugha a negative grade in three of the first four games. He has committed six penalties and missed 10 tackles this season. “For all of the things we’ve asked him to do and all the positions we’ve put him in, I think he’s done a pretty good job,’’ said Eagles coach Andy Reid, who has deployed Asomugha as a boundary corner, in the slot as a nickel and even used him as a rover. They also have used him in zone coverage far more than in Oakland, where he essentially was a bump-and-run corner. brian.lewis@nypost.com Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/jets/db_nnamdi_doesn_regret_spurning_GkVapfkBsmhoCTquWfipVM#ixzz1gcJItFMo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted December 15, 2011 Author Share Posted December 15, 2011 Jets could learn a lot about Eagles from Giants Jets Blog Last Updated: 9:40 AM, December 15, 2011 Posted: 2:30 AM, December 15, 2011 More Print Steve Serby Rex Ryan wasted no time issuing “Beware of Michael Vick” and “Beware of Birds” warnings yesterday to his Jets. “They have so many weapons, and any given day they can play their best football, so we have to bring our ‘A’ game,” Ryan said. With the playoffs on the line, the Jets have no other choice than to brace themselves for a belated arrival of the explosive Dream Team. “This is probably the best offense that we’ll probably have faced this whole year ... and it’s probably the best receiving corps we’ll face this year,” Darrelle Revis said. Never mind the fact that list would include Tom Brady’s offense. Never mind that Vick missed practice yesterday with his broken ribs. Never mind that Jeremy Maclin (hamstring, shoulder) was limited. “Everybody’s seen ’em on TV, their games are on a lot, so you never know which team you’re gonna get,” tight end Dustin Keller said. “Some games you may see one of the best offenses, if not the best offense in the NFL. Some weeks you see the exact opposite of that. We just have to come ready to play our best football because more than likely, that’s what they’re gonna bring.” They sure brought it to MetLife Stadium when backup quarterback Vince Young drove the ball down the Giants’ throats at the end, and Big Blue coach Tom Coughlin was sick to his stomach over his pathetic 29-yard rushing night. “They can ruin your day,” Jets guard Matt Slauson said. Since they likely are to bring it to the Jets on Sunday at the Linc while they still have a pulse, Jets players should reach out to whomever they know on the Giants for assistance. Who knows the Eagles better than the Giants? And who hates the Eagles more than the Giants? And who wouldn’t want the Eagles dead and buried more than the Giants? And who would want the Jets coming to MetLife Stadium on Christmas Eve coming off a loss and even more desperate than they are right now? Wouldn’t it be a smart idea, since the Giants know them so well, for you and some guys to pick their brains about the Eagles? “I mean, It couldn’t hurt,” Keller said. “It definitely couldn’t hurt. They play ’em obviously a lot more than we do. I didn’t even think about it, but that’s a good idea. ... Might have to do that.” The Giants would love the Eagles out of their hair, and they would not want to see you guys coming off a loss ... correct? “Yeah,” Keller said. “That’s true. That’s a good point.” So, is he gonna call somebody? “I’m gonna hit somebody up. ... I’m gonna hit somebody up,” Keller said. “The more you know the better. “I gotta make sure it’s somebody that won’t lie to me. Some of ’em don’t care about anything except for seeing the Jets lose.” Eli Manning would tell Mark Sanchez to get the ball out quickly — Screen Team — against pass-rushing demons Jason Babin (15 sacks) and Trent Cole. “They’re the No. 1 pass-rush team in the league,” Ryan said. Brandon Jacobs would tell surging Shonn Greene that the Eagles’ run defense has improved dramatically. “You want a big back at the end of the year, because those are the guys that can take the pounding, and they also dish it out,” Ryan said. Jason Pierre-Paul would tell Calvin Pace and Aaron Maybin that you better not let Vick, as human as he has looked, stand in the pocket and throw a strawberry through a battleship. “You better go hit him, that’s the way you better approach it,” Ryan said. Justin Tuck and Chris Canty would tell David Harris that running back LeSean McCoy has become the most dangerous Eagle. “He can make every cut known to man, and when you watch film on him, the play’s designed to one way, and he cuts all the way back to the other side of the field and he does a great job of making the first defender miss,” Harris said. “So we gotta have 11 guys watching him and run to the ball every play.” Steve Weatherford (or Matt Dodge) would advise T.J. Conley against punting to DeSean Jackson. “I think there’s people around here that might be able to answer that question better than us,” Ryan said with a smile. “But let’s face it, he doesn’t make that return, Green Bay doesn’t even go to the [NFC] playoffs last year. He’s one of those guys you have to hold your breath every time he gets it.” All the Giants would tell the Jets to expect a hostile environment. “We’re expecting a lot of yelling, a lot of profanity,” Slauson said with a smile. "But it’s all right.” Perhaps when it is over, the Eagles will tell the Giants: Beware of the Dream Team Jets. “As long as we keep on playing like this, then I believe we are gonna win the Super Bowl,” Slauson said. steve.serby@nypost.com Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/jets/giant_clues_for_jets_qccAp8ClCZBmYpMhps0tYL#ixzz1gcJnFnMz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted December 15, 2011 Author Share Posted December 15, 2011 Rex remembers Eagles' DeSean burning Giants Jets Blog By BRIAN COSTELLO Last Updated: 9:47 AM, December 15, 2011 Posted: 1:58 AM, December 15, 2011 More Print Jets coach Rex Ryan took a little dig at the Giants yesterday when asked about the dangers of punting to Eagles returner DeSean Jackson. “I think there are people around here that might be able to answer that question better than us,” Ryan said with a smile. He was referring to Jackson’s 65-yard, game-winning punt return against the Giants last year, of course. The Jets will be leery of kicking in Jackson’s direction Sunday, even though he is averaging just 6.8 yards per return this season. “He is that kind of guy who, game on the line, can break it,” Ryan said. “Any time, he can break it. The average doesn’t look great this year, but he is one of those guys [where] you have to hold your breath every time he gets it and it’s like, ‘Oh, just get him on the ground.’ He is a special returner.” * Ryan expects both defensive tackle Mike DeVito (knee) and running back/kick returner Joe McKnight (elbow) to play against the Eagles. DeVito has missed the last two games after spraining his left MCL. “He looked good, did some nine-on-seven drills today, taking on double team and all that, and he looked good,” Ryan said. “So, as long as he doesn’t have a setback, he should be ready to go.” McKnight hyperextended his right elbow two weeks ago against the Redskins. He practiced with a custom-made brace for the first time yesterday and said he feels ready to go. * It does not sound like newly acquired safety Gerald Alexander will see any playing time Sunday. The Jets signed the five-year veteran Tuesday to take the roster spot opened up when Jim Leonhard was placed on injured reserve. Alexander practiced for the first time yesterday with the Jets. “I would think it would probably have to be an emergency for him to get in there,” Ryan said. “We’re bringing in the young man to give us depth, not to be a starter or anything.” * Guard Brandon Moore did not practice, as expected. Moore did not practice at all last week as the team tried to rest his surgically repaired hips. He did play in the game against the Chiefs. The Jets hope to have him practice in a limited capacity today and then fully tomorrow. * CB Marquice Cole (knee) did not practice and Ryan said he is questionable to play Sunday. * The Jets have scored 13 touchdowns over the last three weeks, tied with the Packers, Patriots and Saints for the most in the NFL over that span. * ESPN reported the Lions worked out Jets’ first-round draft bust Vernon Gholston. Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/jets/rex_knows_all_about_desean_eoP387L4vEZB5WDwY0r3FI#ixzz1gcKU7U1O Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted December 15, 2011 Author Share Posted December 15, 2011 December 15, 2011, 7:01 am Brighter Playoff Forecast for Giants and Jets By TONI MONKOVIC The playoff race simulations at NFL.-Forecast.com are merely a snapshot. But the snapshot this week provides a prettier picture for fans of the Giants and the Jets. The Giants are given a 63.4 percent chance of making the playoffs, after starting Sunday with a 36.3 percent chance. The Giants traded places with the Cowboys by beating them Sunday night. Dallas dropped to 38.3 percent from 68.5 percent. But there’s a much simpler way to look at it: The winner of the Giants-Cowboys regular-season finale at MetLife Stadium will probably make the playoffs by winning the division. Detroit (77 percent) and Atlanta (86) are in solid position for N.F.C. wild-card spots. The surprising Cardinals are at 6.7 percent, with the Seahawks (3.8) and the Eagles (2.7), and possibly Andy Reid’s job, hanging on. In the A.F.C., the two playoff race battlegrounds are the A.F.C. West and the sixth wild-card spot. In the West, the Broncos have an 83.7 percent overall chance of advancing to the playoffs, with the Raiders at 33.5 percent and the Chargers at 3 percent. The Chiefs http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KX5jNnDMfxA, although with a Higgs boson level of visibility (.57 percent). The Jets were given a 29.6 percent chance of making the playoffs last week, but are now at 41.6 percent after winning and getting help Sunday in the wild-card race. The Bengals are at 20.2 percent and the Titans at 17.5 after they each lost Sunday. The Raiders also lost, and if they fail to win the division, their wild-card chances are predicted to be 14.2 percent. The Jets might have caught a break with the firing of Tony Sparano as Miami’s coach. Will the Dolphins show less fight in the finale against the Jets without the emotional edge of trying to win one for Sparano on his way out? Extra point Game predictions for NFL.-Forecast.com simulations are based on team efficiency ratings at Advanced NFL Stats, which rates the Giants as the sixth-best team in the league and the Jets as the 12th best. At Football Outsiders, those rankings are almost exactly reversed: the Jets are sixth and the Giants 13th. Those differences will be settled on the field on Christmas Eve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted December 15, 2011 Author Share Posted December 15, 2011 Morning take: Mark Sanchez in Pro Bowl? December, 15, 2011 Dec 15 7:00 AM ET Email Print Comments261 By James Walker Here are the most interesting stories Thursday morning in the AFC East: Should New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez make the Pro Bowl for the AFC? Morning take: Sanchez has career highs in touchdowns (21) and passer rating (83.1), but he is not a Pro Bowl quarterback. Tom Brady and Ben Roethlisberger are locks. The third quarterback is debatable. Quarterback Tom Brady says the New England Patriots' defense doesn't put pressure on their offense. Morning take: I don’t buy that at all. New England has the worst-rated defense. The proof is in the numbers and on film. Brady is just protecting his teammates and saying the right thing. Will Buffalo Bills receiver Steve Johnson stay or go? Morning take: I think it all comes down to the price tag. The Bills have a good idea what Johnson's value is to the team. If it doesn't match up to what Johnson's reps think his value is, he will walk or get the one-year franchise tag. Miami Dolphins interim head coach Todd Bowles is taking a no-nonsense approach to running the team. Morning take: Bowles has a three-game audition for the job, and it starts in Buffalo. You never know how a team will respond to a coaching change. But the Dolphins have fought hard through adversity all year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted December 15, 2011 Author Share Posted December 15, 2011 KIMBERLY: Shopping for Some Web Sites? By New York Jets Flight Crew Cheerleader Posted 1 hour ago Happy Holidays, Jets fans. As woman on the go, I often find it hard to make time to shop. While I do live on the island of endless shopping opportunities better known as Manhattan, I constantly find myself without time to enjoy one of my favorite pastime sports, SHOPPING. Yes, my name is Kimberly, I am a shopaholic, and moving from Nashville, TN, to New York City has not helped with ending my addiction. As a modern New York woman, I wear many hats. Balancing my career in journalism and as a Flight Crew Cheerleader, working towards my masters in journalism, spending time with friends and family and squeezing in sleep, I am left with little free time. These days, I have mastered the art of online shopping, and with the holiday approaching, I am here to share some of my favorite sites. Kimberly’s Top Five Sites 1. GILT Groupe — If I ever go M.I.A. during my lunch hour at work, you can find me in a coffee shop perusing through all of the goodies on this site. Once you become a member you will receive a daily alert via email notifying you about that day's sample sales. The site offers deals up to 60% off on merchandise in clothing, home decor, delicatessen food, travel and activities. It doesn’t stop there. Ladies beware that Gilt Groupe recently joined forces with GOGO In-flight to allow flyers the luxury of shopping online mid-flight. Sales will be offered on Delta, United, Virgin America, Alaska Airlines and US Airways planes that offer WiFi. Whether you are shopping by land, air, or sea you will be hooked on this site! 2. Shopstyle.com — Shopstyle.com is amazing! It offers access to designers and stores, and you can shortlist the items you are searching. It is like having a virtual personal shopper at your fingertips. The main thing I love about Shopstyle.com is that you can build your own looks in a stylebook and view other stylebooks for inspiration. One feature I find helpful is the sale alerts. You can set alerts on items you are watching and as the product goes on sale you will be notified. Also, beauty and cosmetic products are offered on the site. Shopstyle is great when you only have a few minutes to find what you need. 3. Shopbop.com — Shopbop has the latest fashions, designer handbags and accessories. A great feature on the website is the “shop your style” option, allowing you to zero in and shop your look specifically. I personally love the fashion blogs and expert advice they offer on the site. Shopbop.com is tailored to meet everyone woman’s fashion need. 4. Asos.com — This site is such a hidden treasure because they offer so many different looks at affordable prices. I personally love the beautiful shift dresses from this site. They are iconic and have a range of beautiful colors and styles. Asos is a UK-based online store. For your convenience you can change the currency on the site before you start shopping. 5. Beauty.com — I really appreciate this site for how simple they make it to find what you need and the creativity behind it. You can personalize your beauty selection and customize your skin care and makeup needs. Also, they offer beauty tutorials, video blogs, and the option to chat with an expert. It is an all-around one-stop shop. Enjoy! I hope everyone finds the sites I suggested helpful with completing your holiday shopping this season. Remember, the holidays are about time spent with friends and family and celebrating the gifts in your life, not under the tree. There is truly no greater gift than sharing our blessings with others. I challenge everyone this holiday to give back those less fortunate. Please visit newyorkled.com for more information on the NYC 23rd annual NYCares Coat Drive, The Winter Wish Program, and Toys for Tots. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays Jets fans! —Kimberly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted December 15, 2011 Author Share Posted December 15, 2011 Where the hell is JN? Some body on here will sell her something. Maybe one of Klecko's anchors Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted December 15, 2011 Author Share Posted December 15, 2011 Rex Ryan Fires Another Shot At The New York Giants by Ed Valentine • Dec 15, 2011 9:23 AM EST New York Jets coach Rex Ryan just can't resist taking jabs at the New York Giants. The Jets play the Giants NFC East rival Philadelphia Eagles this week and Ryan took a shot at the Giants when asked if they would punt away from Philly return man DeSean Jackson. "I think there are people around here that might be able to answer that question better than us," Ryan said, obviously referencing Jackson's 65-yard game-winning punt return against the Giants on the final play of a 2010 game. "Let's face it, if he doesn't make that return, Green Bay [the Super Bowl champion] doesn't even go to the playoffs last year." So, here is a question Giants fans. Are Ryan's never-ending jabs enough to make you do the unthinkable and actually root for an Eagles victory on Sunday? Both teams can't lose, so pick a side. Also, remember that the Jets and Giants play each other in a week in a game that will have playoff implications for both teams. The buildup for that game might even be more fun than the game itself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted December 15, 2011 Author Share Posted December 15, 2011 Sanchez: Still ‘Sense Of Urgency’ For Suddenly Clicking Jets December 15, 2011 8:58 AM Share thisNo comments (credit: Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images) NEW YORK (WFAN/AP) – Remember those brutally boring first quarters when the Jets couldn’t get much going? Well, those are so four weeks ago. Mark Sanchez and the once-struggling offense have become an efficient group that has gotten on the scoreboard early and often during the Jets’ three-game winning streak. “I think we’re all just playing a lot better across the board,” Sanchez said Wednesday. And, they’ve done it against some pretty good defenses. Here comes another one this Sunday: the Philadelphia Eagles, who are coming off a nine-sack performance against Miami and playing for their playoff lives in a season that has been filled with inconsistencies. “It sounds awfully familiar to another team I know,” center Nick Mangold said with a slight grin. Big things were expected from the Jets’ offense this season, particularly in the passing game with Santonio Holmes and Plaxico Burress. Instead, there were a few impressive spurts scattered throughout an early portion of a season marked mainly by spotty play by Sanchez, the offensive line, the running game and the receivers. “I think hopefully we’re just starting to hit our stride, and we’re not there yet,” said Sanchez. “There’s still a sense of urgency.” New York is ranked 25th in overall offense, but the Jets are in a real groove offensively. They have 13 touchdowns in the last three games, which ties them with New Orleans, New England and Green Bay – the top-ranked three offenses in the league – for the most in the NFL during that span. “I don’t think our practices were quite as sharp as they’ve been lately, and I think that carries over to the game,” coach Rex Ryan said. “I think you see right now our team is feeling pretty good about themselves.” It all started in the fourth quarter against Buffalo in Week 12, when Sanchez led the Jets to a 28-24 comeback victory over the Bills with a touchdown pass to Holmes with just over a minute left. New York followed that by scoring on its first possession against Washington and then dominating the Redskins in the fourth quarter with three touchdowns in less than 5 minutes for a 34-19 win. Last Sunday, the Jets rebounded from an embarrassing timeout on their first play from scrimmage by again scoring a touchdown on their first possession, and kept going while cruising to a 37-10 victory. While no one might confuse this offense for those of the Saints, Patriots or Packers right now, it certainly has become a force during the team’s streak. “We have really high expectations, especially with the weapons that we have,” said Dustin Keller. “Not very many people thought we were a bad offense as much as we’ve been an inconsistent offense. We’re really trying to put that to sleep now. “This is the best time to do it.” Perhaps the biggest factor has been the Jets’ efficiency in the red zone – or the “money zone,” as Ryan calls it – scoring touchdowns on an NFL-high 71.4 percent of their trips inside the 20-yard line. New York has TDs in each of its past 12 red-zone possessions, the best streak by a Jets team since 1993 and the most in the NFL since Indianapolis also had 12 last season. There has also been a clear domino effect at work in the offense’s surge. The offensive line is protecting Sanchez and giving him time to throw, while also creating holes for the running game. “I think you’re seeing, for the most part, consistent play out of the offense,” right guard Brandon Moore said. “It’s finally coming to fruition as far as guys doing it on a consistent level.” With the improved blocking, Shonn Greene appears to have regained some pep in his legs. He has a career-high 868 yards rushing, including 295 and four touchdowns in the last three games. “Sometimes, it just doesn’t click maybe when you think it will, but right now, he’s running the ball extremely well,” Ryan said. “We’re getting him a lot of touches, and this is the time of year when he usually takes off.” The same can be said of Sanchez, who has played his best when the stakes are highest – usually in the playoffs. He’s in the midst of a terrific three-game stretch in which he has thrown for 526 yards and seven touchdowns and only one interception. Cutting down the mistakes has been the key factor for the quarterback, who was being booed by the home crowd just a few weeks ago. “As we’ve really gotten into probably the last five or six weeks, I think he’s probably understanding more of his role as the leader, as the guy,” Mangold said. “I think he always knew it as a quarterback, but the focus going into a playoff run and trying to make the playoffs and everything, I think he’s grasping that more and the gravity of it.” A more-focused and serious Sanchez has been present in the Jets’ locker room in recent weeks. “When I’m here, I’m working my butt off, and that’s important,” he said. “I just try my best to rack up wins and when it’s time to have fun and goof around, you do that, and then when it’s time, you have to work.” Sanchez says the Eagles (5-8) have “some of the best players I’ve seen all year on tape,” so the Jets (8-5) know better than to take them lightly. “We all know what the Eagles are capable of,” left guard Matt Slauson said. “I mean, they can ruin your day. They have a lot of weapons on their offense. On their defense, they’ve got every big man in the book. They are capable of being the best team in the NFL, so we have to be prepared for it.” But, are they the Dream Team? “No … no,” Slauson said. “But they could be.” The Jets just don’t want to help that Eagles team show up Sunday in Philadelphia. “You’ve got to keep the pedal to metal and keep going,” Mangold said. “It’s going to be a difficult test for us and it’s no time to rest.” Notes: Ryan on how Eagles QB Michael Vick looked in his return last Sunday: “He’s Michael Vick. There’s only one of those guys in the league. He’s explosive, 4.4-speed guy and can throw a strawberry through a battleship. Looks pretty good to me.” … Ryan took a playful jab at the Giants when asked if the Jets will try to punt away from the Eagles’ DeSean Jackson. “I think there are people around here that might be able to answer that question better than us.” Jackson’s 65-yard punt return for a TD late last season ruined the Giants’ playoff run. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted December 15, 2011 Author Share Posted December 15, 2011 Outsider’s View: Philadelphia Eagles Week 15 by Bassett on December 15th, 2011 at 10:30 am I know some of you are fond of Football Outsiders, (as am I) so once the season gets underway and trends start developing, looking at an opponent’s rankings on Football Outsiders helps to give fans some perspective. (As a heads up, negative percentages are good on defense, bad on offense & specials) Pass Offense: 6.6% (19th) Rush Offense: 21.5% (2nd) O-Line Ranking: Run 25th / Pass-Protection 12th Analysis: Don’t let the numbers fool you, this is a scary good offense. While Michael Vick has struggled to stay healthy, the offense is clearly suffered. But with him back in the lineup the Jets aren’t going to be taking on a creampuff this weekend. In the passing game, this team has a number of weapons between Maclin, Jackson, Avant and Tight End Brent Celek. Ironically for in Andy Reid offense, the engine of this team has been running back LeSean McCoy – seemingly always an afterthought for Reid. Even so, McCoy’s deceiving speed, excellent lateral movement, make him a serious threat out of spread sets where a defense is forced to move players away from the line of scrimmage – this allowing McCoy more open field looks. He’s a great complement to Reid’s passing offense. In case you’re not familiar with his style … see it on this highlight video. What’s interesting here is that McCoy’s production is not all that linked with his offensive line’s. What this means for the Jets is that they really need to beware of letting McCoy get into the open field. Once he’s there, he’s going to be lethal. For the Jets it means discipline and gap control — not just Michael Vick should he scramble, but for McCoy as well. The problem that the Jets face is that taking away one thing generally means giving up on something else. With some real weapons at receiver, the Jets might be forced to give up that third receiver much of the day. Brent Celek might have a big day going against the Jets safeties. As far as Revis and Cro? I’d toy with the idea of letting the Eagles dictate coverages initially. Maclin’s hamstring has limited him all season, so the two biggest WR threats over the last two months have been Avant & Jackson. If Maclin looked 100% I’d put Revis on him no questions asked while letting Cro get into a track meet with Jackson. With the Eagle’s reliance on Avant recently though, I’d almost be tempted to put Revis there. Pass Defense: 7.7% (13th) Rush Defense: 0.8% (20th) D-Line Ranking: Run 14th / Pass 2nd Analysis: Is there some serious schadenfreude that Nnamdi Asomougha has not been the impact player that the Eagles expected and payed him to be? Absolutely. Over the summer I was drooling over the thought of adding Aso to the Jets because it would have made Revis and Aso a true ‘pick your poison’ scenario. But there was one big thing that I overlooked. The Raiders were so bad, why would anyone throw the ball, let alone throw at Aso? Meaning, is he really worth whatever the Jets would have had to pay to acquire him? The answer is clearly no. While Aso is still a good player, I get the sense that he has been trading on his reputation some for the past few years. Philly has disabused anyone of those notions. Maybe it will get better in time, but it will never be worth what Philly paid to get him. The Jets shouldn’t have too much trouble running the ball on the Eagles — everyone seems to be able to do it. What the Jets need to fear about this defense is Jason Babin. Jason Babin? Jason Babin. Babin has 15 sacks so far this season – good enough for second best in the league, after corralling 12.5 last year in Tennessee. Babin has been a journeyman much of his career, but Jim Washburn who worke with him in Tennessee and now again in Philly, might be the key to his success. Babin is a freight train pass rusher, and could make it a long day for Wayne Hunter. Look to see how the Jets try to neutralize Babin, and keep Mark Sanchez upright. Special Teams: 0.5% (17th) Analysis: The Eagles are great at kickoffs and coverage this year. They are just about as good as the Jets are, and might have also figured out the formula to covering kicks with the new rules – which might neutralize one of the Jets special teams strengths. Where the Eagles struggle is in returning kicks and punts. If the Jets get into a field position game with the Eagles (not likely) the Jets might be able to score some points via field goals off of field position alone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted December 15, 2011 Author Share Posted December 15, 2011 Transcripts: Moore, Harris, Mangold 12/14 by Bassett on December 15th, 2011 at 8:38 am New York Jets G Brandon Moore 12.14 On the offense being the number six ranked scoring offense… You’re still measured by wins and losses. Like we said before, we want to play on a consistent level, which has hindered us. And I think over the past three games, we’ve seen that. The job now is to take it into four games. On how encouraged he’s been by the emergence of the screen game… It’s good, it’s something we put a big focus on coming into training camp. They weren’t working as well in the beginning of the year. Just like everything else we try to correct, whether it be up front with the O Line, running and pass blocking, that’s something we focus on and work on every day. And the running backs, and where they’re supposed to be and how they’re supposed to release and the alignment, the timing, getting out, getting downfield, whether it be cutting and all the little basic and detailed things that go into having an efficient screen game. The things we’ve been working on have been showing up on Sundays. That’s the encouraging thing to see, especially this time of year. On if bringing in an extra offensive lineman like Vladimir Ducasse can be a huge help… Yes, I mean, the more mass you can bring in there (the better). Vlad’s is a great blocker, it’s something he’s focused on and gotten better at. Bill (Callahan), between Mike Devlin and him, coaching him up, he’s doing a good job of that. Having an extra body, or an extra blocker there, that understands how to do the double teams that he would do at tackle, as opposed to doing (it) at tight end. He understands how to do that. Maybe when you use a tight end, it might be a little different because they haven’t worked on that as much or how we work on it. So he can translate that over just one man and be able to do that well. New York Jets LB David Harris, 12.14 On if there’s a danger of worrying too much about Michael Vick’s running ability… That’s a possibility, but if you worry (about) him running, you might lose track of one of those fast wide receivers getting downfield. DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin have been thriving off of that. So, you just have to play all-around good defense, because they’re one of the top rushing teams in the league and everybody knows what type of athletes (they have) on that side of the ball, so we have to go out there and do our thing. On how the Eagles have played so far this season… They’ve been up and down this year, but we know that we’re going to get their best shot, so we have to approach it that way. On how tough it is to face a quarterback like Vick… It’s very difficult because he can make plays with his feet and he can stay in the pocket, throw those deep, long passes to Jackson and Maclin. So we have to go out there and have each guy do their job. If we do that, we’ll be alright. On what it is about this time of year… We have our back against the wall. Either you’re going to lay down or you’re going to come out and fight. With the guys we have in this locker room and the experience we’ve had the last two years, we’re going to come out fighting. We know that each game counts, especially these next three games because we’re trying to make the playoffs, so we can’t afford to have a letdown. New York Jets C Nick Mangold, 12.14 On trying to keep the offense playing well… You keep working. Our guys put in a good practice today, (got) in there, (had) a good day in the classroom, and we did some good stuff on the film. You have to keep going. On if this is one of the toughest defensive lines they have faced this season… It’s shaping up to be that way. You watch them on film (and) they’re flying around. They’re getting after everybody. They have some great playmakers, so it’s going to be a big test for us. On the streaks the team seems to get on at the end of each season… I think it’s just the guys really care about each other in the locker room (and) want to make sure they do their best. It takes a little bit of time, a little bit longer than we would have liked this year, but things seem to be coming together and we want to continue that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted December 15, 2011 Author Share Posted December 15, 2011 Transcript: Mark Sanchez 12/14 by Bassett on December 15th, 2011 at 8:42 am On how the team keeps the win streak going… I think the biggest thing is just taking care of the football on offense, controlling the line of scrimmage like we try to do with our offensive line and having a great effort on offense, defense and special teams. But there are some things that we have to clean up from this last game and we won’t be shy about doing that. On the Eagles defense… (They’re) some of the best players I’ve seen all year on tape, so it’s going to be another great challenge for us. They have great pass rushers, two, three, really stellar corners, a couple good safeties and fast flow linebackers, so we’re going to have our hands full this week and we’re going to need a great effort. On scoring 13 touchdowns over the last three games… I think our third down percentage has been pretty good. I think we’ve established the run game pretty well, we’ve gotten timely completions and the biggest thing is scoring in the red zone. We’ve been probably our best since I’ve been here the last three years of scoring when we get down to the red zone, scoring touchdowns, not field goals. So that’s been huge and we need to keep that trend rolling. On Philadelphia being a tough place to play… Well, it’s noise, weather, whatever it is. We need to adjust and trust the game plan like we do every week. I think we’ve gotten off to a great start and it was a great Wednesday. We have to keep winning each day and once we get to the stadium, just focus in, let my voice carry as much as I can and communicate all the information I need to, to our guys. But, we’ll adjust on the road. On the team thriving in big spots… I think this particular group, we understood what chances we had early in the season and we kind of squandered some opportunities. So, we’re (looking) to get back on track and we know have a chance to make the playoffs still, whether it’s Wildcard (or not). We’ve taken that road before, and it might be more difficult, but we want to get in the postseason and take our shot and make a little run here. So, I think that’s the most important thing, and we’ve cleaned up a lot of mistakes, so that’s why we’re playing better. On when he looks at the talent the Eagles defense has… Get the ball out of your hand quick if you’re the quarterback. I think hanging onto it (too long is a mistake), because they know how to strip the ball from a ball-carrier. Running great routes from our wideouts, being at the exact landmark that we need them to be because they have two great cover corners and then a great nickel player. And just being physical up front. We’re going to need to play well and take good plays and bad plays in stride, understand that they’re a very talented group, they’re going to have good plays, and not to get discouraged, not to get frustrated and just keep pushing and trust the plan. On if anything has changed about their mindset over the past three games… Nothing has changed, all of these games are must-wins and we needed to win a lot of games in a short period of time here. So that’s our focus and that’s the way guys approach it each week and I’m proud of the way they practiced today. We had a great day. On if he likes the way the team has shown its professionalism in making a late-season run… Well, it’s important in late November, December, (to be) playing your best football. Right as the year ends, we have to be at our best. That means, on my part, taking care of the football and not turning it over the last couple games has been huge. So, defenses thrive off of stuff like that. When I turn it over or something, it puts our defense in a tough spot, so we try to eliminate that and just doing one little thing like that, making that one adjustment, has really helped. On how much different it is now from the Baltimore game when they didn’t have Nick Mangold… Like you said, not having Nick is a big hit for us. He’s done a great job of battling back from that injury and getting us to where we are today in our pass protection, so I’m proud of that group for making some adjustments on the fly and really playing their best football down the stretch. On screen passes… Well, they’re easy completions and if they make their way into the game plan this week, that’s great. If not, we have to do it with runs and completions down the field or whatever it is. It’s just a good changeup for us, but you can’t just rely on something like that. We need to be good running the ball and throwing it downfield as well. On if they have put their squandered opportunities behind them… I think we knew what our new opportunity was. I think, just understanding that we kind of put ourselves there and, same old thing, what are you going to do about it? Things didn’t go the way you wanted earlier in the season and you still have a chance, so what are you going to do about it? On if it was a challenge to put their struggles behind them… I think so, and the guys responded well. But we still have a lot of work to do. We’re not out of the woods yet and this is kind of like the halfway point. We have, hopefully, seven weeks of football or whatever it is, and we have a long road. On if they can draw from critical late-season experiences in the past… It definitely doesn’t hurt, playing games when it’s cold on the road. Those games help, my experience, our experience together. But they’re not always the same. Each team is different, each team is a different challenge and like I said before, we have our hands full this week. These guys are good. On if he feels more comfortable personally than any other point this season… I don’t know, I think hopefully we’re just starting to hit our stride and we’re not there yet. I think that would be great for us to feel that way. There’s still a sense of urgency, there’s still things we can clean up, and that’s everybody and it starts with me. Hopefully we’re not settling in too early. On if he has still maintained his ultra-serious side… Yes, I think so. When I’m here, I’m working my butt off, and that’s important. I just try my best to rack up wins and when it’s time to have fun and goof around, you do that, and then when it’s time, you have to work. On why he’s been so serious… I told you guys, I’m just focused. I’m excited, we have a great opportunity. We’re in a good spot, but it could get better hopefully. And we have to make it get better. On if it is possible to get better than being sixth in scoring offense… (There are still) five spots. On why the offense has been clicking… I think we’re all just playing a lot better across the board. Whether it’s protection or wide outs on the right landmark, me being more accurate, whatever it is, we’ve all gotten better. It’s the running backs in protection, it’s our run game being able to change it up, little screens, all that has been a factor. The good field position we’ve gotten has been huge. So you have to take it all into consideration, it’s not just one guy who decides to make it all better. On if he feels like he is making better decisions… I think in a couple situations, yes. I think I still made some throws that I want back and just not missing throws, but into a little bit of traffic. There’s always that temptation to want to make a play and be a competitor and all that, but you have to understand the situation we’re in in the game and what we’re playing for, the bigger picture. It’s gotten a little better, but it still has to improve. On taking extra time after practice one-on-one with Santonio Holmes… I think we’ve done a lot more even during practice, just one-on-ones with the DBs (defensive backs). Getting more and more reps full speed. He’s feeling really healthy, he’s feeling good. So, it’s obvious when he’s running in practice. The way he blocked on film, him and Plaxico (Burress). Plaxico had two balls thrown to him, one was pass interference and the other one was a little bit high, and he’s still blocking his butt off all game long. That’s the kind of effort we’re getting from those guys down the stretch, when it’s cold, when guys are tired late in the season, that’s huge. That stuff all helps. On the running game being a factor in the offense… It’s huge. It’s the running back seeing the hole, it’s coach (Bill) Callahan really pushing the offensive line. I think those guys are playing their best football right now when we need them to, and that’s huge. I have plenty of time back there, and my jersey has been pretty clean the past few weeks, so that’s huge. That’s very important, and I let those guys know that. They’re doing a great job. On Shonn Greene… He’s come on strong. He’s playing with sore ribs and he’s running harder than ever. So, it’s good, one, for him, and then for the other guys to see that a guy who is not totally healthy, just a third year guy, and he’s working hard. He’s taking care of his body, he’s in the training room all the time, working, getting stronger in the weight room, and it really shows. He’s making a great push at the end of the season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted December 15, 2011 Author Share Posted December 15, 2011 Jets: Don’t Sleep On Banged-Up Michael Vick December 15, 2011 11:35 AM Share thisNo comments (credit: Rich Schultz /Getty Images) NEW YORK (WFAN/AP) – Michael Vick watched practice from the sideline, still sore from taking a beating in his first game back after breaking his ribs last month. Vick participated in a walkthrough Wednesday morning, but was a spectator in the afternoon when the Philadelphia Eagles began preparations for Sunday’s game against the New York Jets. “I’m expecting to see his best,” said Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis. “I’m expecting Michael Vick to be 100 percent, and we have to approach the game that way.” Before practice, coach Andy Reid said he’s confident Vick would start against the Jets (8-5). The Eagles are still clinging to playoff hopes despite a 5-8 record. They’ll need Vick to be sharp this week against one of the toughest defenses in the NFL. “He was a little tender from the game (but) not as bad as before,” Reid said. “He was throwing the ball out there.” Vick was sacked four times and took several hard hits in a 26-10 victory at Miami. He missed the three previous games after breaking two lower ribs in a loss to Arizona on Nov. 13. ick showed plenty of rust against the Dolphins. He completed just 15 of 30 passes and threw another interception. But he still made enough plays to help lead Philadelphia to a win that temporarily kept them alive in the NFC East race. A Pro Bowl starter last year, Vick has struggled this season. He’s ranked 22nd with a 78.9 passer rating, and his 12 interceptions double his total from last season and are one shy of his career worst. “You have to take shots at him,” said Jets coach Rex Ryan. “You can’t just stand there. If you do he’ll stand there and kill you throwing the ball. So you better go hit him.” Despite Vick’s mediocre stats, Ryan, like other coaches and defensive coordinators around the league, are wary of the quarterback’s unique skills. “He can throw a battle ship through a strawberry,” Ryan said. “There is only one Michael Vick in this league, a dynamic playmaker, can make all the throws, strong arm and the way he can move is second to nobody.” Vick won’t have an easy time against New York. The Jets have the sixth-ranked defense and are sixth against the pass. Their secondary features the two-time All-Pro cornerback Revis. On the other side, the Eagles have three heralded cornerbacks that have failed to live up to expectations in their first season together. Nnamdi Asomugha, Asante Samuel and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie haven’t been the shutdown trio most anticipated. “He is a tremendous corner, the best corner in football. It’s not even close,” Ryan said of Revis. “Nnamdi is an outstanding corner. Samuel is an outstanding corner. They have a lot of talented guys over there, but there’s only one Darrelle Revis.” Revis likely will match up against DeSean Jackson. The two-time Pro Bowl wide receiver caught just his third TD pass of the season last week. Jackson is always a deep threat, though, having scored 21 TDs of at least 30 yards in his four-year career. “Whoever we decide to put him on, it’ll be a long day for that individual,” Ryan said. Philadelphia’s receivers are quite aware of Revis’ talents. “His ability to be patient is his biggest asset,” wideout Jason Avant said of Revis. “Usually when you have guys that are fast and quick, most DBs are frantic and they can’t get in a stance. He’s really calm and knows he’s the best, so he sits there and waits for you to declare your move. He’ll sit right there in front of you.” Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted December 15, 2011 Author Share Posted December 15, 2011 Winslow's Greene has helped Jets turn around season Shonn Greene has helped Jets turn around season 5:50 AM, Dec. 15, 2011 | Comments <p> NY Jets RB Shonn Greene, a Winslow Twp. High School graduate, will be starting Sunday against the Eagles. Zoom The Jets' Shonn Greene has helped his team find its rhythm as it fights for a playoff spot in the AFC. / ASSOCIATED PRESS GREENE’S RUSHING STATS SeasonGAtt.Yds.Avg. TD 2009 141085405.02 2010 151857664.12 2011 132078684.36 Career425002,1744.310 Shonn Greene photo gallery: cpsj.com. The New York Jets are riding a three-game winning streak into Philadelphia on the back of Shonn Greene. After a slow start this season, the third-year running back from Winslow Township High School has looked like a rookie again over the last three weeks, averaging 4.8 yards per run to carry the Jets back into the playoff picture. With Greene running like he did in the playoffs in 2009, the Jets (8-5) now control their own destiny entering Sunday's 4:15 kickoff against the Eagles (5-8) at Lincoln Financial Field. “Stats and all that, none of that really ever gets to me,” said Green, a native of Sicklerville. “Seriously, I just want to win games. With each game, we’re progressing in the run game. Hopefully, we can keep the momentum going that we have now and by the end of the season, we'll be exactly where we want to be.” Greene, who rushed for a combined 263 yards in victories at Cincinnati and San Diego as the Jets reached the AFC Championship game two years ago, doesn’t blame anyone for his early struggles this season. “I've pointed the finger at myself this year,” Greene said. “There were times where I was like, ‘Man, I need to do better. I need to do this and that much better.’ I'd stay after practice every day and watch film and try to figure what was going on.” The exemplary attitude and extra work has delivered for the rugged 5-foot-10, 235-pound running back and the reborn Jets, who are shooting for their third consecutive playoff appearance and third straight berth in the AFC Championship game under Rex Ryan. Last week, Greene erupted for 129 yards rushing on 24 carries in a 37-10 win over Kansas City. The 129 yards marks his largest output since running for a career-high 144 yards in a Week 7 win at Oakland in 2009. Greene, who opened the game with a 31-yard run on the first play from scrimmage, finished with a career-high 187 total yards. “I think it was important to start off the game fast,” Greene said. “I don't try to focus on individual stats and all that. Whatever I can do to help this team win. That's the bottom line.”Although Greene didn’t start the season fast, he is catching up now. Greene’s record-setting effort against the Chiefs came on the heels of a career-high three touchdowns at Washington, where he rushed for 88 yards. In the previous game against Buffalo, he ran for 78 yards on just 13 carries. “I think the toughest thing was just trying to get the running game going, trying to get it started,” said Greene, a third-round draft pick out of Iowa in 2009. “When you're the starting running back, you're going to get frustrated when things aren't going your way. So, that was probably the toughest part.” Indeed, this season was supposed to be different for Greene, finally starting after playing behind Thomas Jones and LaDainian Tomlinson in his first two seasons. As a rookie, Greene rushed for 540 yards on 108 carries for a healthy 5.0 average, but last season his yards per carry dipped to 4.1 with 766 yards on 185 attempts. Then, along with the Jets’ offense, Greene struggled out of the gate this year, averaging less than 13 carries and 40 yards in the first four games. Then, the stumbling Jets turned back to the running game in Week 5 against New England, which coincided with the return of Pro Bowl center Nick Mangold. Now, the doubts have simmered if Greene is truly a starting-caliber running back in the NFL. He has rushed for 868 yards on 207 carries (4.2-yard average) with six touchdowns. “I don't look into any of that stuff at all and I don’t listen to it,” Greene said. “There are a lot of people on the outside looking in that say this, that and the other. But, you know what? We’re all family in here. We know what we’ve got and who’s capable of what. So, if they didn't think I was capable of doing the job, I wouldn't be here.” Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted December 15, 2011 Author Share Posted December 15, 2011 Dream team vs. Screen team December, 15, 2011 Dec 15 12:25 PM ET Email Print Comments By Rich Cimini In seasons past, the Jets used to be a dreadful screen team, but they emphasized screen passing in training camp and you've seen positive results in recent weeks. Against good pass-rushing teams, the Broncos, Redskins and Chiefs, the Jets have made effective use of the screen. Expect more of that Sunday against the Eagles, who posted nine sacks in last week's win over the Dolphins. "It's huge," LG Matt Slauson said, referring to the screen as a weapon. "For the past couple of years, I think we were one of the worst screen teams in the NFL. When we got to training camp, we knew that was a phase we had to improve, and that's really helped a lot." Don't look now, but the Jets are racking up some serious yards with screens. Check out Mark Sanchez's numbers, according to ESPN Stats & Information: 26-for-30 ... 87.7% ... 317 yards ... 1 TD ... 0 INTs ... 121.8 passer rating ... 10.6 avg per attempt. The key stat is average per attempt. Here's a ranking of the top QBs: 1. Carson Palmer, Raiders -- 11.5 2. Mark Sanchez, Jets -- 10.6 3. Cam Newton, Panthers -- 8.4 4. Tom Brady, Patriots -- 7.5 4. Philip Rivers, Chargers -- 7.5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted December 15, 2011 Author Share Posted December 15, 2011 Jets RG Brandon Moore returns to practice field Published: Thursday, December 15, 2011, 12:45 PM Updated: Thursday, December 15, 2011, 12:54 PM By Jenny Vrentas/The Star-Ledger Follow Email Print Andrew Mills/The Star-LedgerRG Brandon Moore has been limiting his practice load because of soreness in his hips. Jets RG Brandon Moore returned to the practice field after sitting out yesterday to rest his surgically repaired hips. Coach Rex Ryan's plan was for Moore to sit out Wednesday, be limited Thursday and practice fully on Friday. Moore appears to be on track. His participation level will be listed later. DL Mike DeVito (knee) and RB Joe McKnight (elbow) were practicing for the second straight day and Ryan said he expects both to play against the Eagles, barring a setback. CB Marquice Cole (knee) was out again today, working on the side with the training staff, and is unlikely to play this week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted December 15, 2011 Author Share Posted December 15, 2011 Eagles Face Grim Reality After Such High Hopes By DAVE CALDWELL Published: December 15, 2011 Recommend Twitter Linkedin Sign In to E-Mail Print Reprints Share </p> PHILADELPHIA — Brent Celek, the feisty tight end for the underachieving Philadelphia Eagles, asked for a moment of his teammates’ time in the locker room last Sunday before they played the Miami Dolphins. Celek then began to talk to them — or, rather, shout at them. Enlarge This Image Alex Brandon/Associated Press Michael Vick, left, with Vince Young, did not participate in practice Wednesday because his ribs were still sore from Sunday’s game. The latest news, notes and analysis of the N.F.L. playoffs. Go to The Fifth Down Blog Using much saltier language, he told the Eagles not to worry about their paychecks or the outside world. The season has been an enormous disappointment, he said, but they still had a chance, albeit slim, to achieve their original goal, which is to win the Super Bowl. “You can’t worry about what everyone else thinks,” Celek, paraphrasing his speech, said in the Eagles’ locker room before practice Wednesday. “You’ve got to play for each other. Play as a team. Then you’re unstoppable.” The Eagles beat the Dolphins, 26-10, but they have hardly been unstoppable. They are 5-8 entering Sunday’s game against the Jets, and the only way they can win the N.F.C. East is to win their final three games and for both the Giants (7-6) and the Dallas Cowboys (7-6) to lose two of their final three games. The Eagles have just one two-game winning streak this season. And if Dallas beats Tampa Bay on Saturday night and the Giants beat Washington early Sunday afternoon, their division title hopes would be gone by the 4:15 p.m. kickoff. The Eagles have virtually no chance of making the playoffs as a wild card. “If we make the playoffs, it’ll be the biggest redemption for what has happened so far,” left guard Evan Mathis said. “It has been a disappointment, based on the expectations on us from the outside — and the expectations that we had for ourselves.” If Eagles Coach Andy Reid is feeling pressure from famously impatient fans, he is not showing it, but such is his nature. Even when tossed softball questions at news conferences, Reid sits grimly behind a table, cap pulled low and hands folded, as if being interrogated. On Wednesday morning he strode onto a stage at the team’s practice facility and grimly read an injury report from a sheet of paper. For seven minutes he answered questions about the game against the Jets. Then Reid was told what Rex Ryan said earlier in the day. In a teleconference with Philadelphia reporters, Ryan, the Jets’ coach, had said Reid was smart and fun to be around. Reid was asked if that was accurate, because he rarely shows any emotions publicly. “Well,” Reid said in self-deprecation, “you guys can tell all of those things are true by these press conferences.” Reid was told Ryan had also said both men, who are also very large, were extremely handsome. Reid harrumphed, then said, “Whatever floats, I’m good with.” This is about as colorful as Reid gets. Ryan and Reid are about as different in personality as coaches can be, and Reid might not have wanted to play along with Ryan this week because Ryan’s blustery father, Buddy, coached the Eagles from 1986 to 1990 and is held in higher regard than Reid by some, even though Ryan’s Eagles never won a playoff game. As the Eagles lost four of their first five games, Reid was harshly criticized for promoting his offensive line coach, Juan Castillo, to defensive coordinator. The Eagles gave up 119 points in the four losses, losing three of them in the fourth quarter. “I think the team has come together a lot more recently,” center Jason Kelce said, “and that’s what generally happens when adversity strikes — guys tend to come closer, or else everything falls apart. We’re the guys who want to win, and not only for Andy, but for the other guys in the room.” Reid has boiled down the challenge: to beat the Jets, they have to play even better than they did against the Dolphins, who fired Coach Tony Sparano on Monday. Next week’s game against Dallas does not matter now, and it might not matter at all if they lose Sunday. Asked to pick an adjective to describe the mood around the team, Mathis decided on “high energy.” The Eagles say they do not need someone like, say, Ryan to motivate them. They like Reid the way he is because, like Ryan, what the public sees is also what the team gets. “We love Andy, and we want to win every week for him,” Celek said. “But you can’t sit there and press about it. We’re worrying about winning this game. If you worry about other things, that’s when you get distracted. That’s when you start screwing up.” Celek dressed for practice outside in the brittle December sunshine. Michael Vick, the Eagles’ quarterback, did not participate because his ribs were still sore from Sunday’s game. Reid had said earlier that he was confident Vick would be able to play Sunday. It was another hurdle for the sub-.500 squad that Vince Young, Vick’s backup, had called another Dream Team when he joined Philadelphia in training camp. The Eagles still cling to their Super Bowl dream, at least for a few more days, and that is all the motivation they need. “We’re not worried about the playoff picture because that’s way out of our hands,” middle linebacker Jamar Chaney said. “We’ve just got to worry about the Jets now, because if we don’t worry about them, we can go through all these scenarios, mess around, go out and lose.” Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steveg Posted December 15, 2011 Share Posted December 15, 2011 Bart Scott says Jets aren't a Super Bowl or playoff team right now By Jenny Vrentas/The Star-Ledger The Star-Ledger The Jets have won three straight games and now control their playoff destiny. But linebacker Bart Scott sees much room for improvement. "I don’t think we’re where we need to be," Scott said. "I don’t think we’re a Super Bowl team right now, or even a playoff team. We just have to continue to get better every week, to make sure that we’re good enough to qualify. We’re playing better football, but we’re not playing the type of football that we’re capable of." Scott called the Jets' situation, in which they needed to win the final six games of the season to be assured of a postseason bid, a "predicament." He said the lapses and losses are not what "championship-caliber teams" do. "You have to be playing your best football," Scott said, of what makes a team a Super Bowl or playoffs contender. "We’re still trying to play our best football, we’re still trying to play completely as a team. You can be playing great as a unit one week or as a unit next week, But a Super Bowl team puts it together consistently. You have to be able to play three games -- if you get in the playoffs, three great games -- to get an opportunity to win the Super Bowl. You just don’t wake up and say, 'Ah I'm a Super Bowl team.' You have to be able to get better, and you have to play a certain way." But Scott did say he thinks the Jets are capable of reaching that level. They have three more regular-season games left. "Of course, that’s what we’re striving to be, that's what we’re trying to do," Scott said. "That’s what the last couple weeks have been, trying to tighten the focus up and get better at what we’re doing. And make sure that when we get there, we’re able to out-execute the opponent, we’re able to play smart, not get penalized, not have turnovers, not give up drives. When we get the opportunity to bury teams, we have to bury them." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SenorGato Posted December 15, 2011 Share Posted December 15, 2011 And make sure that when we get there, we’re able to out-execute the opponent, we’re able to play smart, not get penalized, not have turnovers, not give up drives. You know how you know Bart Scott hasn't won a SB? He says stuff like this. Out-execute the opponent...what drivel...as if everyone and their mother doesn't know that everyone is executing at the same level all the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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