Jets News 12-21

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Jets Turn Down the Volume With Season on the Line

By DAVE CALDWELL

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Bart Scott has piped down, at least publicly, in the 11 months since he became famous for blurting, “Can’t wait!” into a microphone after the Jets beat the New England Patriots to earn a spot in the A.F.C. championship game against Pittsburgh.

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Only occasionally does he show up at his locker to be interviewed during the 45 minutes that the Jets’ locker room is open to reporters four days a week, and he has tried hard not to say anything that could be regarded as outrageous.

“I just fold the tacos, man,” he said Tuesday after being surrounded by reporters.

The Jets (8-6), you may have heard, will play a significant game against the Giants (7-7) on Saturday at MetLife Stadium. The game has already been billed as “winner take all,” with only the winner likely headed to the playoffs.

Rex Ryan, the Jets’ coach, has attempted to pump up the importance of this game even more by saying he wants the Jets to be regarded as the better of the two New York teams. Scott and the Jets say they appreciate his enthusiasm and support, but they have much larger priorities.

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We’re trying to get to the tournament,” Scott said. “That’s all we can ask for. What you’ve done before means nothing. It’s all about what we do going forward, how we respond to adversity.”

He added: “There are a lot of teams in the same predicament, who have to win their last two. We’ve been in this situation before. We don’t like putting ourselves in that situation, but we know how to act in this situation. You’ve got to let it all hang out. The most important game of the season is this week.”

Scott, in his 10th N.F.L. season, has also been quieter during games than he used to be. He has 55 tackles through 14 games, a notable drop from 2009, when he had 92 tackles in 16 games in his first season with the Jets. But his opinions still carry clout.

Last week, before the Jets played the Philadelphia Eagles, Scott said that the Jets had so much improvement to make that he did not see them as worthy of making the playoffs, let alone the Super Bowl. His step backward was noticed because Scott has not lacked for confidence.

Then the Eagles, barely holding onto their own hopes of making the playoffs, scored four straight touchdowns in the first 20 minutes to rout the Jets, 45-17. Scott, who had four tackles and a sack in the game, did not seem interested Tuesday in talking about his prescience.

“We just ran into a buzz saw,” he said. “We didn’t take care of the football. We didn’t get off the field.

We didn’t execute the game plan. We had some mental mistakes that left guys wide open. When you run into a buzz saw like that, it snowballs.”

But the dismal loss did not erase the Jets’ playoff hopes. When Bob Sutton, the Jets’ linebackers coach, convened a meeting of his players Tuesday, Scott said Sutton asked how many players would have taken a deal at the beginning of the season that they could get into the playoffs by winning their last two games. Scott said everyone nodded.

So the focus at the Jets’ practice facility has been turned inward, not on the team that practices 40 minutes away.

“It really doesn’t matter who is on the schedule,” Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis said. “It happens to be the Giants. They happen to be in the same predicament we’re in now.”

Even Ryan, when pressed Tuesday about how much a topic of conversation the Giants really were among his players, replied: “I can’t really tell. I think it’s more the fact that we have to get our game plan in, and we’ve got to put what happened against the Eagles behind us, and we’ve got to focus on what’s in front of us.”

Scott complimented Giants quarterback Eli Manning’s composure and Coach Tom Coughlin’s ability to cope with his players’ injuries. Scott compared running back Ahmad Bradshaw’s elusiveness to an alley cat’s.

Sione Pouha, the Jets defensive tackle, said of running back Brandon Jacobs, “He can break tackles if he doesn’t break your arm.”

Those who are waiting for Scott and other Jets to try to whip this game into more than just a chance to keep their playoff hopes alive will be disappointed. Of course, Scott would like it better if the Jets were already in the playoffs. But Scott, now appearing in a J. C. Penney commercial that riffs on the

“Can’t wait” theme, is happy they still have a chance.

Cornerback Antonio Cromartie said: “It’s all right in front of us. All we got to do is take care of business.”

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Sanchez: Teams want to beat Rex

December, 20, 2011

Dec 20

10:10

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By Mike Mazzeo

Jets coach Rex Ryan loves guaranteeing wins and making bold statements.

He’s already guaranteed a Super Bowl title for the Jets this season, and on Monday, he made headlines by saying his Jets were “better” than the Giants. The two teams will play one another in the Battle of New York on Christmas Eve.

Fans love Ryan’s bravado -- as does the media -- but is it detrimental to his team? Does it fire up the opposition?

“I don’t know,” quarterback Mark Sanchez said in an interview with Stephen A. Smith on ESPN New York 1050’s “The Michael Kay Show.” “Other teams see that I’m sure and they’re not playing against Rex, but once again he’s speaking for the team, and I’m sure [opposing teams] wanna win maybe that much more. But that’s fine and that’s something I’ve learned to adjust to and I’m really excited that he’s my coach. I couldn’t have anybody better.”

Sanchez said Ryan’s motivation tactics are “different then anything he’s ever experienced.”

“But, at the same time, he knows how to motivate players and knows how to get guys excited for games,” Sanchez said. “Coming off a tough loss last week there’s nothing more important to us than getting back out on the field and playing and trying to get a win. So, I think whatever kind of pressure he puts on us -- saying we’re gonna win the game or guaranteeing Super Bowls or whatever -- he’s just trying to get us to play as best as we can and doing everything he knows how to do it.

“That’s encouraging as a player to know that your coach has that kind of confidence in you. And he’s willing to say anything to help us accomplish our goals and win games.”

Coming off an embarrassing 45-19 defeat in Philadelphia, Sanchez encouraged fans to “hang in there.”

The Jets quarterback also deflected a question about him being an elite NFL quarterback, saying “that’s up for everyone else to decide.” Sanchez has completed 56.9 percent of his passes, thrown for 3,009 yards, 23 touchdowns and 13 interceptions.

“I definitely think I’ve taken a step forward,” Sanchez said. “I don’t think our record shows that ... but my touchdowns are up and my interceptions are down.”

Sanchez’s counterpart, Giants signal-caller Eli Manning, made headlines before the season started when he said he felt he belonged in the conversation when it comes to “elite” quarterbacks in the NFL.

“He’s having a Pro Bowl year, and he backed up what he said. He’s playing with confidence and it really shows,” Sanchez said.

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Brick set to meet JPP, Giants' D

December, 20, 2011

Dec 20

8:51

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By Jane McManus

Getty Images/AP PhotoD’Brickashaw Ferguson and Jason Pierre-Paul will get up close and personal on Christmas Eve.D’Brickashaw Ferguson has his work cut out for him. The Jets left tackle will be getting to know Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul, who had 16 tackles in his team’s 23-10 loss to the Redskins last week and has 13.5 sacks this season.

“When you look at it, it’s the No. 1 thing on our offense, the pass rush that the Giants have,” Jets coach Rex Ryan said. “Obviously when you have those kind of end guys with Pierre-Paul and [Justin] Tuck and all those guys and [Chris] Canty, that’s a big, physical group that can really rush the passer. So that’s going to be a huge matchup right there.”

Huge. The 6-6, 310-pound offensive lineman will match up against the 6-5, 278-pound defensive lineman who has turned heads this year, both in his style of play and on sheer impact.

“I think he just takes advantage of opportunities given to him,” Ferguson said. “He has a lot of talent. Every year, there’s always one guy or a couple of guys that really have showed themselves to be improved, and I think he’s just really taken advantage of his [opportunities].”

Right guard Brandon Moore said this is another tough matchup for an offensive line that gave up four sacks in a loss to the Eagles, when defensive pressure re-injured a pinched nerve in quarterback Mark Sanchez’s neck.

“Another good pass rushing team,” Moore said. “[They] create pressure with the front four. Across the board, Tuck, I don’t know about Osi [umenyiora], if he’s out or not, but inside, especially on nickel downs, third downs, they’ve got guys, end-type guys that come down on the sides, so it’s definitely going to be a challenge.”

Ferguson was raised in Freeport, Long Island, so he understands what the local rivalry means to people in New York and New Jersey. He wouldn’t get into which team he rooted for as a kid, but he did say it should be a good atmosphere at MetLife Stadium on Christmas Eve.

“I hope to see Santa Claus in the crowd a couple times,” Ferguson said. “I just hope that everybody really gets caught up in the game. It’s a big game for us and them and sort of an important day, so hopefully it's a good game.”

Although technically it isn’t a playoff elimination game for either team, or a win-and-in game either, the Jets are looking at it as a game they need to have. Ryan has been talking big, as he sometimes does when there is a lot of hype surrounding a matchup.

“We have to win on Saturday,” Ferguson said. “We just have to win. It’s important to us, we have to win and I think Rex’s passion really shows that passion and magnifies the importance of this game.”

Does Ryan’s talk put attention on him, alleviating pressure on his players?

“I don’t know, I see a lot of media in here asking us a lot of questions so I’d say no it doesn’t,” Ferguson said. “I think he has a great personality and that’s just who he is and I respect that, we respect that.”

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Ice cream and Xs and Os

December, 20, 2011

Dec 20

8:09

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By Rich Cimini

About a month ago, Rex Ryan started a new tradition -- the weekly ice-cream social, as he likes to call it.

Ryan meets in his office with most of the skill-position players on offense, namely QB Mark Sanchez, WR Plaxico Burress, WR Santonio Holmes and TE Dustin Keller. They talk about that week's game plan and other stuff. Sometimes offensive consultant Tom Moore will sit in, if he's not tied up in meetings with the other offensive coaches.

"We just hang out," Ryan said. "We'll talk some football and we'll just hang out, a few of us."

In case you're wondering, they really do eat ice cream.

"The ice cream goes down easy, so that's no problem," Ryan said.

Considering the amount of internal strife that has occurred this season on offense, the weekly meeting probably is a good idea.

Early in the season, Holmes complained openly about the offense, criticizing the line and Sanchez and questioning the coaching staff's ability to make in-game adjustments. That didn't go over too well with the line, particularly RG Brandon Moore. There was also talk of dissatisfaction with offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer.

But everything is better over a dish of ice cream, right? And it tastes better when the offense is scoring points, as it did during the recent three-game winning streak.

Ryan explained his motivation for the meeting.

"I don't spend a whole lot of time on offense, as much as I'd like to or whatever," he said. "It's just an opportunity for me to visit with some of our offensive guys."

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Kerley, McKnight don't practice

December, 20, 2011

Dec 20

7:48

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By Rich Cimini

Preparation for Jets-Giants, Day 1:

Rookie WR/PR Jeremy Kerley didn't practice Tuesday because of an undisclosed illness. He was sent home. Turns out that RB/KR Joe McKnight (separated shoulder, hyperextended elbow) didn't practice, either. In an earlier blog post, we reported that McKnight had practiced. He was on the field and participated in some positional period, but was a bystander for team drills.

Because it was only Tuesday, the Jets weren't required to submit an official injury report, but this is what it would've looked like:

Did not practice -- RG Brandon Moore (hip).

Limited practice -- CB Marquice Cole (knee), DT Mike DeVito (knee) and S Eric Smith (knee).

Full practice -- OL Vlad Ducasse (knee), RB Shonn Greene (rib, shoulder), DE Ropati Pitoitua (hand) and QB Mark Sanchez (neck).

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Christmas Eve game between NY Giants and NY Jets biggest one since epic 1988 clash

Simms, Parcells still remember big loss vividly

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Originally Published: Tuesday, December 20 2011, 10:16 PM

Updated: Wednesday, December 21 2011, 3:48 AM

Ron Vesley

Bill Parcells (l.) and Phil Simms will never forget the year the Jets ruined their season.

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The last time two teams from around here played a game against each other that mattered, truly, as much as Giants-Jets does on Saturday was Game 5 of the Subway Series between the Yankees and the Mets. In so many ways, because the game does matter so much to both of them, this is as close as we have ever had to the Giants and Jets going against each other in the playoffs, which means as close as we have come so far to a Subway Super Bowl.

So this isn’t about the way the Giants and Jets are playing right now, it is about the game they play against each other on Saturday.

The Yankees and Mets play each other every summer, but the stakes aren’t what they will be at MetLife Stadium on Christmas Eve.

The Nets swept the Knicks in the playoffs in 2004, but the Knicks were nothing that year. Rangers vs. Islanders was big a long time ago, and we all know what Rangers vs. Devils was like in the spring of 1994, even if those two teams haven’t played more than a five-game series since.

By now you know that the biggest regular-season game the Giants and Jets played before this was Dec. 18, 1988, Ken O’Brien to Al Toon over Tom Flynn with 37 seconds left, the Jets already out of the playoffs at 7-7-1, effectively knocking the Giants out of the playoffs that year.

But you better know something else: That some of the most famous New York Giants of them all still remember that one pretty good.

“Here’s all you need to know about how much that loss hurt,” Phil Simms said Tuesday. “Even though our record wasn’t that great that year (10-5 going in), I didn’t just think we were gonna make the playoffs. I thought we were gonna win another Super Bowl.”

Simms: “When we scored (just under five minutes left), me to Lionel Manuel in the back of the end zone, I thought we’d won the game.”

Bill Parcells is more than willing to pick up the rest of the story from there:

“The first disaster after we score is the Jets getting that big kick return (out to their 48). After that, the play I still remember best was the pass to Shuler.”

Mickey Shuler. Jets tight end.

Third-and-3 from the Giants 27.

O’Brien hits Shuler for 16 yards down to the 11, 1:36 left. Giants in bad trouble now. They still had a slim chance of making the playoffs, even if they lost, if the 49ers could beat the Rams the next night. But the 49ers had nothing to play for, everybody knew that. So at Giants Stadium, we all knew that if the Jets scored a touchdown now, the Giants were as good as gone.

Parcells: “They ended up spreading us out near the goal line (5-yard line) with like 40 seconds left. (O’Brien) threw it over Tom Flynn (a Giants safety) to Toon. That was that.”

Simms completed a couple of passes. Then came a desperation heave from around midfield as time ran out on the game, the Giants. Even as Parcells was taking the long walk into next season he knew - in his mind, anyway - that he could no longer win a Super Bowl with some of his aging players, just two years after that group won him a Super Bowl.

You think that wasn’t a big Giants-Jets game?

Parcells says now that losing to the Jets that day made the Giants, as an organization, turn the page on Super Bowl XXI. Clearly he believes that loss was the beginning of the Giants’ team that would beat the Bills in Tampa.

“I remember thinking, ‘We never would have lost this game two years ago,’” Parcells said Tuesday.

“They never would have taken the ball down the field on us like that.”

Simms: “This wasn’t like ’86, when the Jets and us both started 10-1 and I was sure we were going to play them in the Super Bowl. This was one game to keep our season going, to keep playing.

Maybe that’s why all this time later it’s one of those games you don’t forget. One of those games you look back on and think, ‘Man oh man, we should have won even more than we did.’”

There have been other games between the Giants and Jets, in the preseason, in the regular season. In a time when the schedule was different, they actually ended both the 1987 and 1988 regular seasons against each other, the ’87 game completely forgettable, both of the teams showing up with losing records.

But Simms remembers that even in the week leading up to that game, he felt a different “edge” during the week. A lot of it, he says, was because of Wellington Mara.

“Make no mistake,” Simms said Tuesday. “I always wanted to beat the Jets for him. It always meant a lot to him and so it always meant a lot to me.”

But the ’88 game remains the biggest the two teams have played, because the stakes were so big for the Giants, and that last drive, O’Brien making a couple of throws to Roger Vick, a short one to Toon, the one to Shuler before the touchdown pass at the end, changed Giants history.

“That game told us we had to change,” Parcells said. “Yeah, we were 10-6. But I thought it would be 8-8 next, and then 7-9...”

All this time later, we get a December game with big stakes, both our teams. It’s not even close to a Giants-Jets Super Bowl, not the way they’ve played lately, especially not the way they both looked last Sunday. But we’ve still never had anything like it in the Meadowlands. So this one will have to do for now.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/giants/ny-giants-ny-jets-1988-clash-history-article-1.994649#ixzz1hB5uGgOQ

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NY Giants fans will have to shell out plenty of green if they want to see ‘visiting’ Big Blue battle the NY Jets at MetLife Stadium

Giants are visiting team in Saturday's Big Apple showdown

BY Christian Red

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Tuesday, December 20 2011, 6:42 PM

Robert Sabo/New York Daily NewsThe Jets-Giants game Saturday afternoon will be colored green as NFL requires home team to only set aside 500 seats for opposing team.

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It's bad enough that Jets coach Rex Ryan has already announced to the world that the Jets are the better of the two New York football teams heading into Saturday's bragging rights showdown.

Giants fans also have to contend with a paltry number of available tickets for the game, since Big Blue is the “visiting” team at MetLife Stadium, which the teams share.

The NFL requires that home teams set aside 500 game tickets for the opposing team; however, the majority of those tickets are allotted to players, team staff members and executives. With MetLife's seating capacity a robust 82,566, Fireman Ed and company will surely drown out the "visiting" fans with the customary "J-E-T-S" chant at Saturday's game.

That is, unless Jets fans are feeling generous this holiday season and want to give up their seats to Giants fans, who otherwise will have to buy tickets from scalpers or their favorite ticket broker.

The online site StubHub listed 2,370 game tickets available as of Tuesday afternoon, starting at $170 for a seat in Section 335 (top tier, along the sideline) and a whopping $1,050 per ticket for a choice field-level seat in section 139 (Great Hall Club) at the 50-yard-line.

According to TiqIQ, a website that analyzes ticket sales, ticket prices for Saturday’s game have increased 23% since Dec. 1, an indication that both teams’ fan bases are feeling the urgency of the playoff chase.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/ny-giants-fans-shell-plenty-green-visiting-big-blue-battle-ny-jets-metlife-stadium-article-1.994574#ixzz1hB6cC8HW

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oe Namath says NY Jets will win Christmas Eve game with NY Giants, but no guarantees

Joe Willie won't guarantee Jets victory

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Tuesday, December 20 2011, 10:35 PM

New York Daily News photo

Joe Namath’s prediction for Saturday doesn’t have old ring to it as he won’t guarantee Jet victory.

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Joe Namath predicts the Jets will beat the Giants on Saturday – he still bleeds green – but he’s not feeling confident enough to take the next step and guarantee it. These Jets aren’t good enough to get that kind of endorsement from Joe Willie.

Nearly 43 years ago, Namath became a legend when he guaranteed the Jets would upset the invincible Colts in Super Bowl III and then backed up his words. Of course, the Jets have never returned to the Super Bowl and it doesn’t look like it’s going to happen this year, either.

Namath, who says it’s too cold and too close to Christmas for him to attend the game at MetLife Stadium, doesn’t sound impressed with either the Jets or Giants as they desperately try to get into the playoffs.

But in a conversation Tuesday with the Daily News, he was asked for his prediction and stayed loyal to his team.

“Jets 27, Giants 16,” he said.

But that’s as far as Namath would go. He wished he felt better about the Jets, but when I asked him if he was willing to guarantee they would win this Subway Stupor Bowl, he quickly backed off.

“Hell no, I’m not,” he said with a big laugh. “I’m not betting any dinners on it.”

Why not?

“

After what I saw last week and what I’ve been watching, how do you feel confident about a team?” he said. “I wish I had seen the kind of football that would make me more confident. I’ve never guaranteed anything I wasn’t a part of, by the way.”

The Jets and Giants warmed up for this much-anticipated game by losing by a combined 68-29 to the Eagles and Redskins, teams that came in with a combined record of 9-17. Is that any way to make a playoff run? It’s the Jets at 8-6 vs. the Giants at 7-7. Real inspiring stuff.

The Giants will be eliminated if they lose to the Jets and then the Cowboys beat the Eagles. But if the Giants win their last two games, they will win the NFC East. They are out of the wild-card race.

The Jets can’t be eliminated Saturday from the wild-card hunt with a loss or clinch with a victory – it will go down to the final weekend for them in Miami. The Patriots have already won the AFC East.

“Prior to seeing the Washington-Giants game, I thought the Giants were coming around to form to some extent,” Namath said. “This last weekend, as a football fan, I was stunned to see how many teams that were supposedly good playoff-caliber teams who lost. There is no telling who is going to show up. I certainly hope the Jets win. I want to see the Jets get into the playoffs. One of the strengths of the Giants is rushing the passer and that’s been a problem with the Jets, being able to protect and run the football.”

Namath says whoever wins will own the city for now. But in the long history of the two teams, he says it’s no contest as to which team has been more successful.

“I do believe the Giants have accomplished more when it comes to winning championships. I don’t know how else to look at it,” he said. “When you look and see who has won the most championships, they have. But I’m not putting the title of owning the town on them.”

The Giants have been to four Super Bowls and won three of them since the Jets won Super Bowl III.

The Jets and Lions are the only two teams who have been around every year since the Jets’ 1968 championship season who have not been to at least one Super Bowl.

I asked Namath what his reaction would be if he was told when he ran off the field at the Orange Bowl on Jan. 12, 1969 waving his right index finger in the air, that in 2011 the Jets would still be trying to get to their second Super Bowl.

“I wouldn’t have believed that,” he said. “I wouldn’t have thought that at all.”

Namath very much wants the Jets to win Saturday. He believes it means something to own the bragging rights, just like when the Jets beat the Giants in their first meeting, in the preseason in 1969, seven months after winning the Super Bowl.

“It was a very important game for us,” he said.

Is it still that important?

“It is to me,” he said. “To each player, it’s different. I don’t know how it is to every individual on the Jets. For me individually, when I scored a touchdown, that was enough. When I see what (Santonio) Holmes did last week, in a situation where you are getting your butts beat, it shows me these generations over the years, the outlook has changed, the game has changed, the rules have changed and the players have changed. Society has changed. Still, there is the basic right and wrong.”

Namath is a big fan of Eli Manning. “I’ve liked Eli from year one,” he said. “He’s terrific. Eli is a championship quarterback. You give him equal talent, he is going to play as well as anybody is going to play.”

He feels Mark Sanchez has improved each year, but had more help from his offensive line as a rookie in 2009 than he is getting now.

“He is going to be around as long as he stays healthy,” he said.

The Jets will win Saturday, Namath says, but he’s not willing to guarantee it. Nothing with these two teams is guaranteed.

gmyers@nydailynews.com

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/joe-namath-cools-jets-article-1.994652#ixzz1hB7WKybw

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What bragging rights? NY Jets just want to beat NY Giants to get closer to clinching playoffs

Gang Green has bigger goals than beating Big Blue

BY Manish Mehta, Peter Botte & Hank Gola

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Tuesday, December 20 2011, 11:57 PM

Ron Antonelli/ New York Daily News

It's stretch to say Bart Scott and Jets will be focused on bragging rights Saturday against Giants, when Gang Green has more important things to worry about in AFC wild-card race.

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The Jets are used to their coach’s bravado, so Rex Ryan’s declaration Monday that he believes they are a “better team” than the Giants didn’t send many shockwaves through the locker room as Gang Green prepared for its Christmas Eve showdown with its MetLife Stadium co-tenants.

The serious playoff implications for both teams, most players said, far outweigh any bragging-rights scenario.

“Everybody’s blowing it up as big brother-little brother, whatever you want to call it. I really don’t give

a damn what it is. It’s just a (bleeping) football game,” Antonio Cromartie said. “People blow it up more than what it is. It’s for us to go into the playoffs, and that’s what we’re treating it like.”

Bart Scott also made it clear that local bragging rights will take a back seat to the bigger picture.

“I couldn’t care less about the Jets-Giants thing. Right now, it’s about the playoffs,” Scott said. “It’s going to be us or them. For one of us, the dream is over with.

“It’s not about bragging rights,” he added. “I spent a lot of money in the offseason. I’m depending on these playoff checks to get me by.”

Typically, Ryan didn’t back down from Monday’s statements, adding, “If we don’t win this game, it’s going to fall on one person, and that’s the way it should be. It’s coming right down on me. And I can handle it.”

REX IN GOOD HUMOR

Ryan revealed he has been holding an “ice cream social” in “the principal’s office” on Thursday nights to stay in tune with his top offensive players. Plaxico Burress, Dustin Keller, Mark Sanchez, Santonio Holmes — and occasionally consultant Tom Moore —attend.

“We go in there and throw around ideas,” Keller told the Daily News. “We know anything is fair game. You can say whatever’s on your mind. It makes guys more comfortable with what’s going on. It’s a way of us resolving some of the issues.”

DOWN WITH JPP

Jason Babin torched the Jets’ offensive line for three sacks last week, and things won’t get easier with breakout star Jason Pierre-Paul (13.5 sacks) awaiting his chance to get to Sanchez.

“He’s a great defensive end, a young guy with a lot of talent. I think it’ll be a great battle between our line and myself against him,” D’Brickashaw Ferguson said. “Every year one or two guys really show themselves to be improved, and he’s really done that.”

OH, SNAP

Joking that Sanchez was “being punished,” Ryan said backup quarterback Mark Brunell handled “a few snaps” with the first team in practice Tuesday. Brunell believes nothing should be read into that, saying, “Gosh, you’d be making a mistake. I’d highly recommend you don’t, because there’s really nothing there.”

INS AND OUTS

Jeremy Kerley (illness) and Brandon Moore (hip) sat out practice, but Shonn Greene (finger) participated. Joe McKnight (shoulder) did individual work. . . . Rex on Eli Manning: “The guy might be the most accurate quarterback down the field in the league. He is an elite quarterback. I just hope he’s not elite Saturday.”

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/bragging-rights-ny-jets-beat-ny-giants-closer-clinching-playoffs-article-1.994701#ixzz1hBBaVjOF

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10 questions for the big NY Giants-NY Jets clash answered by New York Daily News beat writers

Ralph Vacchiano and Manish Mehta determine the King of New York

BY Manish Mehta & Ralph Vacchiano

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Wednesday, December 21 2011, 12:24 AM

Lee S. Weissman for New York Daily News

Bart Scott (l.) does a lot of talking, but does he have a bigger mouth than Antrel Rolle (below)?

Andrew Theodorakis/ New York Daily News

• Myers: Road-warrior Jets need to make a home stand
  
• For Rex, father knows best
  
• Myers: After Patriot act, Jets need same intensity
  
• Sunday Morning QB: The pressure is mounting
  
• Myers: New York is now the Jets' city
  
• AFC Wild Card: Breaking down the matchups
  
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Jets beat writer Manish Mehta and Giants beat writer Ralph Vacchiano look at the burning issues heading into Saturday’s showdown.

1. When it’s all over, who’ll be the bigger star in New York, Mark Sanchez or Eli Manning?

Vacchiano: You know what makes a star in this town? Winning. Looks, personality, magazine covers, the ‘it factor’ – none of it matters if you don’t produce. Eli Manning won a Super Bowl in dramatic fashion and now he’s peaking while putting up video game-like numbers, carrying a team on his back. He may eventually be the greatest quarterback this town has ever seen. He’s not going to wear pantyhose or date super models or, you know, be interesting at all. But who cares? He’s an elite player with a ring.

Mehta: Ralph raises a great point: Winning trumps all. That’s why it’s hard to argue that Sanchez, who is only one of five quarterbacks in the Super Bowl era to win 30+ games in his first three years as a starter, is not destined for great things in his career. Manning was an inaccurate, turnover-prone signal caller before he found his way. Sanchez, meanwhile, has already won an NFL record-tying four road playoff games in his first two seasons. Vacchiano is just jealous that he doesn’t have a Dolce & Gabbana tank top and tight white Gucci pants in his closet like Sanchez.

2. Who would you rather cover, Rex Ryan or Tom Coughlin?

Mehta: Put it this way: How many times have you seen Tom Coughlin wear a wig and stuff a pillow under his sweatshirt at a press conference? That’s what I thought. Rex Ryan may be the most entertaining coach in pro sports. He’s engaging, brutally honest and a quote machine. His candor and bluster make him a walking back page. But don’t be fooled. He’s as smart as they come. Rex knows exactly what he’s doing, and saying, 99% of the time.

Vacchiano: Well, I guess it’s hard to beat wearing wigs and making fun of overweight people — and I’d pay to see Coughlin dress up like Andy Reid — but seriously Manish, didn’t Ryan’s act grow tiresome around Super Bowl Guarantee #37? How many times can you write the same thing? Coughlin may be dull and sometimes ornery, but we cover the NFL, not the circus. Yes, Rex is much more exciting. The run to Super Bowl XLII was pretty exciting, too.

3. Who has the bigger mouth, Bart Scott or Antrel Rolle?

Vacchiano: At the end of the day, Antrel Rolle might have even leaped over Rex Ryan here, not to mention Bart Scott. Rolle’s weekly WFAN spots are comedy gold (unintended, of course). Rolle once ripped the Giants’ travel schedule. He’s hammered injured players for not practicing. He manages to criticize teammates without ever mentioning their names. He shows more fire, intensity and passion with the media than the Giants’ defense usually does on game day. He loves to talk. Come to think of it, how did the Jets not sign him?

Mehta: Nobody takes greater pride in having the most swaggerlicious mouth in town than Bart Scott. But he’s taken a decidedly un-Bart-like approach this year with the media, preferring to “let his pads do the talking.” Unfortunately, those pads aren’t nearly as entertaining. Despite the uncharacteristic reticence, Scott’s mouth will likely have plenty of juice if the Jets make the postseason. "Can’t wait!"

4. Who’s the most underrated player in New York?

Mehta: Can Brandon Moore get a sniff at the Pro Bowl? The veteran right guard has toiled in virtual anonymity for years. Nick Mangold and D’Brickashaw Ferguson, both past All-Pro selections, are the offensive linemen that get most of the ink. Moore is the forgotten man. To steal a Seinfeld-ism, he’s like the third tenor that nobody knows: Placido Domingo, Luciano Pavarotti . . . and the other guy. Moore is a run-blocking force with 119 consecutive starts who deserves a trip to Hawaii.

Vacchiano: If you’re going to argue for an offensive lineman from the 21st-ranked rushing attack in the NFL, then I’ll beat you by taking a corner from the NFL’s 29th-ranked passing defense. Corey Webster played like an All-Pro in the first half, but gets no publicity because he doesn’t have his own “Island.” It’s been a rough second half for the Giants’ secondary, but Webster might be the only bright spot in that mess.

5. Who’s the most overrated player in New York?

Vacchiano: How could it not be Mark Sanchez? He gets credit for leading his team to back-to-back AFC Championship Games when he was just along for the ride, really. This year, while the Jets have rallied from a hideous Week 10 loss in Denver by going 3-1, he has averaged 169 passing yards per game. They’re winning despite him. When do we get to see the big step forward that everyone keeps forecasting for the 2009 fifth-overall pick?

Mehta: Only in New York could a QB with four playoff wins in his first two seasons be deemed overrated. That’s weak, Vacchiano. Real weak. The truth of the matter is that Ahmad Bradshaw isn’t nearly as pivotal to the Giants’ success as Big Blue fans would like you to believe. He’s seemingly banged up all the time (missed four games earlier this season) and has a robust 3.9 yards per carry. Other than last season, he’s never rushed for more than 778 yards. Bradshaw is a quality back in a time-share situation, nothing more.

6. Who who would you want coaching your team in a big game, Rex Ryan or Tom Coughlin?

Mehta: Sometimes Rex’s mouth detracts from this reality: The man can flat-out coach. He has won some of the biggest games in franchise history during his first two years at the helm. It’s funny how a guy who has reached two AFC Championship Games in his first two years as a head coach in this league can be criticized as much as Ryan has been at times. How many coaches have beaten Peyton Manning and Tom Brady in back-to-back playoff games? Ryan did it just last season.

Vacchiano: Does Ryan work some kind of Jedi-mind tricks on the media? Don’t you remember what Coughlin did to Tom Brady and Co. back in Super Bowl XLII? That whole run was filled with some all-time big-game coaching jobs. Coughlin is a brilliant football mind and his preparation is second to none. Sure, he’s had some big-game failures (as has Ryan, in case you forgot) and those second-half collapses are a thorn. In one big game, Ryan may be the better master motivator, but I’ll take Coughlin’s prepared, tactical mind.

7. Which maligned coordinator has a better chance of returning: Jets offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer or Giants defensive coordinator Perry Fewell?

Vacchiano: For better and worse, Tom Coughlin is loyal to his assistants and it’s unlikely he’ll make a change that would result in the team’s fourth defensive coordinator in five years. That said, Fewell doesn’t deserve to be fired. Yeah, his defense ranks 29th, but he’s lost half his squad to injuries. Also, he’s not the one blowing coverages and missing tackles. Fewell’s not going anywhere.

Mehta: The Schottenheimer haters will certainly hate this stat: The Jets have the No. 7 scoring offense in the league (24.7 ppg). He’s likely safe if the Jets make the playoffs this year. Schottenheimer has been linked to the Dolphins head coaching vacancy, so he may leave on his own accord.

8. Which team has a better chance to make a Super Bowl run?

Mehta: This is the ultimate no-brainer. The Jets have the playoff experience to make a run to Indianapolis if they sneak into the playoffs. It won’t be easy, but consider that a possible first-round matchup against the Texans looms. Does T.J. Yates scare anybody? I don’t think so. It’ll be a tough road in the divisional round, but would you be surprised if the Jets played — and beat — the Patriots? I seem to remember Gang Green pulling that off not long ago.

Vacchiano: This is a passing league now, and to win a championship you need a championship quarterback. The Giants have one. The Jets don’t. The Jets’ path to the Super Bowl might be easier because they won’t have to go through New Orleans and Green Bay, but the Giants have the offense to stick with anyone. Manning has been on fire most of the season. If he gets hot again, the Giants can ride him pretty far. Can the Jets say the same about their quarterback?

9. Who’s going to win Saturday’s intra-city clash?

Vacchiano: All season long the Giants have been waiting until the last possible moment to turn it on, and they’ve reached the last moment because a loss could end their playoff dreams. They have a big matchup problem with their porous secondary against the Jets’ receivers, but they have a huge advantage where it counts – at quarterback. This game will come down to the fourth quarter, and in the fourth I’ll take Manning over Sanchez by a mile. Giants 27, Jets 24.

Mehta: The Giants’ defense is absolutely putrid, so look for Santonio Holmes, Plaxico Burress and Dustin Keller to have quality games. The Jets have proven in the past two seasons that they deliver down the stretch in must-win situations. Manning will face one of his toughest challenges getting the ball to his receivers on the outside against Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie. It’ll be a white knuckler, but the Jets will win the (sort of) coveted Snoopy Trophy. Jets 24, Giants 20.

10. Is this a Jets town or a Giants town?

Mehta: There’s no debating that the Giants have had a more successful and rich tradition, but we live in a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately society. There’s no doubt that Rex Ryan has captivated this town in his three seasons in charge. The Jets are back-page gold, always colorful and entertaining. Oh, and they’ve won four playoff games in Ryan’s first two seasons. The bottom line is that younger fans gravitate toward the Jets.

Vacchiano: You know, Manish, I’m happy to cede the back pages to the Jets. The Giants had their fill of them in 2007. But can the Jets please win something before we paint everything green? It’s been, what, 43 years of false starts and broken promises? Hype and flash can get a lot of attention, but substance still matters. A team can’t talk its way into a city’s heart. At some point, it needs to walk the walk – right down the Canyon of Heroes, like the Giants did four years ago.

For much more on the Giants and Jets this week, follow Manish Mehta at Twitter.com/TheJetsStream, and follow Ralph Vacchiano at Twitter.com/TheBlueScreen.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/giants/10-questions-big-ny-giants-ny-jets-clash-answered-york-daily-news-beat-writers-article-1.994706#ixzz1hBCFAC1g

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Sullivan: Time for the Jets to back up Rex Ryan's words

Tuesday, December 20, 2011 Last updated: Wednesday December 21, 2011, 6:25 AM

By TARA SULLIVAN

RECORD COLUMNIST

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FLORHAM PARK – This was Rex being Rex again Tuesday afternoon, his self-described “bonus coverage” of media attention as the idle Giants were not around to answer any of his daily Jets boasting. This was Rex Ryan, embracing this Giants-Jets rivalry in his classic commandeering way, putting the bull’s eye on his own voluminous frame, throwing his formidable weight around in reminding us that we’re the crazy ones if we don’t understand his Jets declarations of intrastate superiority.

AP FILE PHOTO

Rex Ryan said Tuesday:: 'There’s no doubt. I want to be the team that people talk about, that are interested in, and you do that by winning. And that’s who I want to be, and I want to be the best team in the National Football League. It’s not just in this city, but clearly, when you have two teams that share the same name and share the same stadium, it’s much bigger than that and I realize it.”

Simply put, why wouldn’t he feel that way?

“Confidence” is what cornerback Darrelle Revis calls it. “That’s the best word I can use to describe why he says what he says. Rex has a lot of confidence in himself and in this team. … Yeah, we feel that way too. I don’t play for the Giants. We feel that way and I’m sure those guys, Antrel Rolle and those guys over there, feel the same way.”

Jets players have grown accustomed to parsing their coach’s comments, to being asked what motivates their leader to put himself in the middle of every verbal fray.

“Am I surprised? No,” linebacker Bart Scott said. “You never want to let him down because he puts himself out there.”

Yet as much as Ryan took to the airwaves early and often to express his belief in his team, it suddenly feels as if there’s something else at play. Like worry. Like concern.

The Jets are not the dominant AFC East-winning, Patriot-usurping team Ryan promised we would get this year. They’re not even the clear favorite in the intrastate clash of the playoff wannabes set for Saturday afternoon at MetLife Stadium, a game that looms as a win-and-survive, lose-and-go-home battle. Yet as both teams could have been caught in the negative news cycle of their twin Sundays of ineptitude, Ryan quickly changed the narrative, turning the game into an open-air referendum on which team owns this town, on how he plans to make sure it’s his.

He’s nobody’s little brother, nobody’s lesser half, nobody’s tenant in what is officially a co-owned building. He says so early and often, and as much as his honesty is admirable, it also reminds us of the one truth he is trying to change. The Jets get so much more out of a win than the Giants do.

Much as Ryan won’t admit it, the Jets have been on the wrong side of the longstanding comparison game, where two straight trips to the AFC title game cannot trump a four-year-old Super Bowl win.

“The truth of the matter is, you feel like you have to win this game,” Ryan said. “I feel like I have to win this game because I put it out there, I want to be the better team in our city. There’s no doubt. I want to be the team that people talk about, that are interested in, and you do that by winning. And that’s who I want to be, and I want to be the best team in the National Football League. It’s not just in this city, but clearly, when you have two teams that share the same name and share the same stadium, it’s much bigger than that and I realize it.”

In other words, he knows he’s wearing the primary target in green. While his coaching counterpart Tom Coughlin stays out of the verbal volleying of one-upmanship, Ryan swears he’s ready for whatever comes his way, even if his team ends up on the wrong side of the final score.

“Because look, I know it’s going to fall on one person, and that’s the way it should be. It’s coming right on top of me, and that’s fine,” he said. “And when we win, it’ll be about the Jets, and that’s where I want the attention to be. If we lose, it’s coming right down on me, and I can handle it. I hope I don’t have to.”

Ryan already had switched the story line Monday, erasing the ugliness of Sunday’s loss in Philadelphia with lobs at the Giants, setting the stage for a public point-counterpoint debate. He helped out the Giants, too, who get back to work today, done rehashing their worst game of the season against the Redskins with a chance to ratchet up the trash talk.

“This game is going to establish who’s No. 1,” said Jets tackle D’Brickashaw Ferguson, a Long Island native. “It’s a big game, for us and for them.”

Ferguson, who had close friends unwilling to buy his jersey because they grew up Giants fans, has one of the biggest football responsibilities Saturday, even if he didn’t spend much time talking about it. In taking on the surging defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul while trying to protect the shaken head and sore neck of one Mark Sanchez, Ferguson is part of one of the most intriguing matchups of the game.

Ferguson laughed off the notion that Ryan’s fightin’ words put more pressure on Jet players to pay off – “I see a lot of media in here asking us questions, so I would say no, it doesn’t,” he said. Yet there is no question that every time Ryan dismisses an opponent as barely belonging on the same field as his own, he moves that willingly claimed bull’s eye onto his players’ uniforms. He dares that opposing team to, in the immortal words of Ray Lewis, cash the checks he wrote.

That won’t stop Ryan from lobbing his barbs. Nor will it goad Coughlin into returning fire. The football truth here says the Jets have more in their arsenal, a better roster that is, in fact, better than its New York counterpart. These aren’t the 2000 Mets trying to shock the loaded World Series Yankees, or any non-Jason Kidd Nets team trying to steal thunder from the Knicks.

The Jets are better. Rex Ryan told us so. Saturday will tell us if he is right.

E-mail: sullivan@northjersey.com

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Jets notes: Plaxico Burress to share info on Giants

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

The Record

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Big game for Plax

Saturday’s game will mark the first time wide receiver Plaxico Burress will play against his former team in a regular-season game. He didn’t speak with reporters Tuesday about the upcoming contest against the Giants, but a Jets’ spokesman said Burress will address the media today.

However, he had something to say to coach Rex Ryan about the Giants on Tuesday.

"He came up to me," Ryan noted, "and he says, ‘Would you like to visit with me about the Giants and all that?’ … I’ve spent quite a bit of time with him on Thursdays and I really enjoy him. He’s a great person. He’s been a great teammate. He’s out here all the time. Guys watch him. He leads people."

Rocky road or mint chip?

Ryan indicated he likely would talk to Burress about the Giants on Thursday, at a time that Ryan regularly sets aside to meet with Burress and several other skill-position players for what he calls "an ice cream social," informal meetings that apparently give the term "vanilla game plan" a whole new meaning.

Ryan explained: "We just hang out. We’ll talk some football and we’ll just hang out, a few of us. … I don’t spend a whole lot of time on offense, as much as I’d like to. It’s just an opportunity for me to visit with some of our offensive guys."

Briefs

The Jets practiced Tuesday, unlike the Giants, who will begin their practices for Saturday’s game today. RG Brandon Moore sat out again to give his sore hips some rest. Moore is expected to practice on a limited basis today and work full Thursday. Moore followed a similar schedule before the Philadelphia game. … RB-KR Joe McKnight, dealing with a separated shoulder and hyperextended elbow, on his right arm, also sat out. His availability for Saturday is in serious doubt. WR-PR Jeremy Kerley was sent home with an illness.

—J.P. Pelzman

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Giants at Jets

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

The Record

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Giants (7-7) at Jets (8-6)

At MetLife Stadium

Saturday, 1 p.m.

TV: Ch. 5

Radio: ESPN-AM 1050, WFAN-AM 660

Early line: Jets by 3

The Elimination Bowl could determine who goes to the playoffs – or at least who doesn't. The Giants need a victory to stay in the hunt for the NFC East and their first playoff berth since 2008. The Jets need a victory to maintain their hold on the last AFC wild card spot in an attempt to get back to the conference title game for the third straight season.

On the hot seat

Giants: Tom Coughlin. The Giants have lost five of their past six. Three straight at home. And they are 3-4 at MetLife Stadium this season. The Giants' latest second-half swoon may cost Coughlin his job if they do not sneak into the playoffs. Coughlin has to take responsibility – and did after Sunday's debacle. His team again cannot show up lacking intensity with the season at stake.

Jets: LT D'Brickashaw Ferguson. The two-time Pro Bowler gets the honor of blocking Jason Pierre-Paul (13 1/2 sacks), who has been nearly unstoppable the past three games. JPP registered the Giants' only sack last weekend and made 16 tackles. The Jets are concerned enough about Pierre-Paul that Ferguson "occasionally will have help," Rex Ryan said Tuesday.

Game plan

Giants: Get after Mark Sanchez. The Jets' offensive line was abused by the Eagles, yielding four sacks – three by Jason Babin, who injured the quarterback's neck. And no one really has been able to stop Pierre-Paul. The Giants need to exploit Antonio Cromartie and anyone in the Jets' secondary not named Revis, especially with Jim Leonhard out for the rest of the season. They can help themselves if they shut down Shonn Greene and the Jets' running game, giving them an edge in pressuring Sanchez given that Osi Umenyiora (sprained ankle) likely will miss his fourth straight game. On offense, Manning needs to rebound, and the Giants have to give their running game a chance after rushing just five times in the first half last week.

Jets: Protect Sanchez. He can't find Santonio Holmes or Plaxico Burress if he's on his back. Greene will have to establish a rhythm and take the pressure off Sanchez to the keep the Giants' guessing run/pass. Dustin Keller (team-leading 50 receptions and 693 receiving yards) could play a key role, as the Giants have struggled to shut down tight ends all season. The Jets will need to stop the big-play ability of Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz and pressure Eli Manning, who has become deadly accurate throwing downfield. But they will benefit from TE Jake Ballard's sprained knee.

— Jeff Roberts

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To Jets offense, Rex is ice-cream man

Jets Blog

By BRIAN COSTELLO and STEVE SERBY

Last Updated: 8:50 AM, December 21, 2011

Posted: 2:26 AM, December 21, 2011

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Think of it as offense a la mode.

Jets coach Rex Ryan revealed yesterday he has been meeting every Thursday for about a month with some of his key offensive players. The group meets informally in his office to eat ice cream, discuss that week’s game plan and tell some stories.

Ryan’s “ice cream cabinet” consists of quarterback Mark Sanchez, tight end Dustin Keller and wide receivers Santonio Holmes and Plaxico Burress. Offensive consultant Tom Moore has also been stopping by since he has been in New Jersey. Noticeably absent is offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer.

“I don’t spent a whole lot of time on offense, as much as I’d like to or whatever,” Ryan said. “It’s just an opportunity for me to visit with some of our offensive guys.”

Keller said Ryan approached him last month and asked him what his favorite flavor of ice cream was (it’s cookie dough). The group meets for 60-to-90 minutes after the players finish with their film work.

“We all sit down every Thursday and kind of go over the game plan, watch film, throw ideas around, what we like, what we don’t like,” Keller said.

Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/jets/to_jets_offense_rex_is_ice_cream_T2i6dZXHMKFHt69i35DXxO#ixzz1hBEbKZgc

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Ryan needs Jets to back up boasts against Giants

Jets Blog

By BRIAN COSTELLLO

Last Updated: 9:12 AM, December 21, 2011

Posted: 1:49 AM, December 21, 2011

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Rex Ryan knows what happens if his Jets lose to the Giants on Saturday. He knows his critics are waiting for the Jets to fail so he has to eat his words.

“If we lose, it’s coming right down on me, and I can handle it,” Ryan said yesterday. “I hope I don’t have to.”

Ryan painted the bull’s-eye on his chest Monday when he said the Jets were better than the Giants and were the “big brother” of the city football rivalry. The two teams meet Saturday afternoon at MetLife Stadium to determine whether Ryan will be proven right or forced to admit inferiority to the Giants.

Getty Images

Rex Ryan

“I expect to be the best team for the next 10 years,” Ryan said. “I recognize the rich tradition of Giant football. There’s no question. I’m not trying to take a run at the Giants or a shot at the Giants. I want to be the best team in the National Football League. The fact that we share the same stadium, the same state, both New York teams, hey, I don’t want to be the one that is looked at as not the best team in my own state. There’s no way. I want to be the best team, period.

“Do I have the courage to say it? Absolutely. If it doesn’t happen and we get beat by the Giants, I’ll be the first one to tip my hat to them.”

Ryan has used this tactic before. He puts all the pressure on himself to take it from his team. He also successfully changed the narrative from how poorly the Jets played Sunday in their 45-19 loss to the Eagles. Ryan went down this road in the playoffs last year, making it personal between himself and Peyton Manning and then with Bill Belichick.

The Jets players appreciate Ryan’s confidence in them.

“Rex always puts pressure on himself,” linebacker Bart Scott said. “He can’t get the opportunity to play. He’s a tremendous motivator. We feed off that passion. We feed off that confidence. It’s like anything. Sometimes when your coach or your mom, or somebody you look up to, has more belief in you than sometimes you have in yourself, it inspires you to try to make them right.”

Many Jets players said they are more focused on making the playoffs than the rivalry with the Giants. A loss Saturday damages the Jets’ postseason chances. If the Jets win their final two games, they most likely are in the playoffs.

“[Linebackers coach] Bob Sutton laid it out for us in our linebackers meeting: ‘If at the beginning of the year, Roger Goodell said, hey you’ve got two games to win and you’re in the playoffs, would you take that deal?’” Scott said. “Everybody in there had a unanimous yes. Two games to try to get to the tournament. That’s all you can ask for.”

Ryan has talked a big game for his team to back up.

“Do I believe, in my heart, that we’re the better football team? Yes,” Ryan said. “Did I believe we were the better team two years ago and last year? Yes. I’ll stand by everything I’ve ever said.”

If the Jets lose, there will be a long line of people ready to remind him of that.

Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/jets/ryan_needs_gang_to_back_up_his_big_Fbehte9jN8bQjz0svXxrHO#ixzz1hBF9tKxf

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Manning gives Giants edge over Sanchez, Jets

Giants Blog

Last Updated: 9:07 AM, December 21, 2011

Posted: 1:52 AM, December 21, 2011

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Steve Serby

It is a Jets fan’s worst nightmare, and should be: Jets 14, Giants 10, two minutes left, Eli Manning with the ball, and the season, and very possibly two seasons, and very possibly his coach’s job, in his hands.

Super Bowl XLII all over again. This one for the Bloomberg Trophy, which gives you the right to keep playing for the Lombardi Trophy.

It apparently is every last Jet’s nightmare, and should be.

“You could definitely see by the Dallas game what he can do,” Jets guard Matt Slauson said. “He is an incredibly talented player, so we have to make sure that we don’t keep it close. Because we can’t give him the opportunity at the end to go down and score.”

Manning is the anti-Rex Ryan, because he talks exclusively with the actions of his right arm rather than his words.

The Giants now need that right arm to talk loud and clear, the way it has so often this season, above the riotous din of eggnog-fueled Jets fans on Christmas Eve.

Jets-Giants is destined to be a 60-minute fight to the finish, last quarterback standing wins.

There is only one elite quarterback in this ARMaggedon, and he will be wearing No. 10, no matter what Ryan tells you.

Of course, the Giants fan won’t be feeling anywhere close to how he or she felt when Lawrence Taylor or Michael Strahan was around to play the part of Mariano Rivera, should Mark Sanchez have the ball at the very end.

Sanchez, like Manning, has a history of saving his best for last. Over the past two years, he has directed no fewer than eight fourth-quarter/overtime comeback victories.

Manning’s fourth-quarter passing numbers: 114-for-171 (66.7 percent) for 1,602 yards with 14 TDs and two INTs. A 111.8 QB rating, tops in the NFL, just ahead of Aaron Rodgers (66-for-97; 68 percent) for 897 yards with nine TDs and four INTs and a 111.1 QB rating.

Sanchez’s fourth-quarter passing numbers: 59-for-111 (53.2 percent) for 780 yards with nine TDs and one INT for a 98.9 QB rating, ninth in the NFL.

“Those situations happen, and when they happen, I’m excited to be the guy with the football in my hand making decisions,” Sanchez said, “and that’s kinda the way I’ve always been — give me the ball, and let’s make something happen and try to win the game.”

Jets linebacker Bart Scott knows the dangers Manning can present when he has the ball with the game on the line. But Scott knows his quarterback can instill some fear as well.

“You don’t want it to come with that,” Scott said. “That’s with anybody, I’m sure any Giants fan’s [fear] would be to have Mark Sanchez with the ball in his hand going down trying to do one of his last-minute game-winners. It’s worked both ways. Mark has a lot of game-winners this year, too. You never want it to come down to one possession.”

These are the moments when the franchise turns its lonely eyes to its franchise quarterback, and Manning (seventh in the NFL with a 91.7 QB rating) fits the profile more than Sanchez (16th in the NFL with an 82.2 QB rating) does at this juncture in their careers.

It doesn’t mean Sanchez isn’t capable, because the four playoff victories on his resume tell us the bigger the game, the better he usually plays.

It’s just that Sanchez has to worry about Jason Pierre-Paul wrecking the game for him, and Manning does not.

“You’d be crazy to say you haven’t noticed [Pierre-Paul],” Sanchez said. “He’s a great player, he finishes to the whistle, and I think that’s one of the biggest things, he’s just relentless.”

On the other hand, Manning, who won’t have the services of tight end Jake Ballard, has to worry about Darrelle Revis, and Sanchez does not.

“He’s not as fast as Michael Vick,” Revis said, and laughed. “But he’s a pocket passer and he’s one of the best in the league. He can make all the throws, and you gotta respect him, you gotta respect a guy like Eli Manning.”

Ryan certainly does.

“Look at the God-given ability he’s got — he’s a Manning, so that goes without saying,” Ryan said.

“It’s in his blood. He’s smart. ... He can make every throw. The guy might be the most accurate ... down-the-field thrower in the league. He’s got tons of talent, a lot of weapons around him. ...

Remember, I said he was an elite quarterback early in the year. He is an elite quarterback, [but] hope he’s not an elite quarterback on Saturday.”

In a season where Manning would be in the MVP conversation were it not for Rodgers, Giants fans will be trusting their quarterback more than Jets fans will be trusting theirs.

“The ball’s on the money,” Revis said of Manning ‘s throws.

Sanchez was asked: Would you rather be the guy with the ball at the end of the game, or Eli, in that same situation?

“I mean, whatever happens, happens,” Sanchez said, “but if we need a touchdown to win, I think this team has confidence in me, and I got confidence in the guys around me.”

ARMageddon. Advantage, Giants.

Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/giants/it_gonna_be_arm_ageddon_Hu1OoUXjYGI1BIOhkBVgkJ#ixzz1hBFru9Lk

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In praise of Plax

Jets Blog

Last Updated: 9:11 AM, December 21, 2011

Posted: 1:46 AM, December 21, 2011

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Mark Cannizzaro

In between making dynamic game-changing plays, see the Jets receiver preen and prance after catching touchdown passes, call out teammates for poor play when the team is struggling, pout when he’s not getting enough balls thrown his way and grow defiant when his actions are called into question.

Go ahead, admit if you were asked before the season, you’d figure that diva receiver’s name would be Plaxico Burress.

Burress, after all, arrived to the Jets almost straight from the penitentiary after doing 22 months for gun possession, and with that comes an assumption he’s a bad guy.

AP

JUMP STREET: Since joining the Jets after his release from prison, Plaxico Burress has been nothing but a model citizen.

Ask Burress’ Jets teammates what kind of teammate he is and what you get is consistent praise — even more than they give him for his play on the field.

And all Burress has done on the field is catch eight touchdown passes, draw double coverage and almost single-handedly transform the Jets’ red zone offense from a weakness to a strength this season — they’re ranked No. 1 in the NFL in that category, scoring TDs on 68.1 percent of their trips inside the 20.

It will be fitting if he’s a central figure in Saturday’s game between the Jets and Giants at MetLife Stadium with their respective seasons hanging precariously in the balance, because there won’t be a more polarizing figure involved in the game than Burress.

He’s as much responsible as any player on the Giants for their Super Bowl victory four years ago. That makes him as much a reason as anyone that Tom Coughlin is still employed as the Giants’ head coach.

But Burress is as much a reason for the Giants’ and Coughlin’s demise since that Super Bowl win. They haven’t been the same since Burress shot himself in the leg on that fateful November night in Manhattan in 2008.

The loss of Burress for the rest of the 2008 season derailed the Giants. They were bounced from the playoffs in the first round and haven’t been back since.

For those of you scoring at home, the Giants haven’t won a postseason game since Burress caught the game-winning pass in the Super Bowl in February 2008.

So wouldn’t it be fascinating to see Burress contribute to the Giants’ 2011 demise by making a game-changing play or two for the Jets on Saturday?

Coupled with the Giants’ inexplicable show of disinterest in their home loss to the Redskins Sunday, a loss to the Jets leading to an end to their playoff chances could be the end for Coughlin.

That would be sadly ironic, particularly if Burress has something to do with it.

Does that make him a bad guy?

Not if you ask his teammates, who yesterday offered effusive praise of the way he has handled himself in the searing spotlight of pressure with so many waiting for him to ether slip up off the field or be ineffective on it after being away from the game for those nearly two years in prison.

“A man of character,’’ defensive tackle Sione Pouha said.

“A lot of people thought it may be over for him, but he’s stood tall,’’ right guard and team captain Brandon Moore said.

“You never see him complaining about anything or bringing any negativity to the team,’’ said cornerback Darrelle Revis, another team captain. “The guy is a class act.’’

Even as you find yourself scratching your head wondering why Mark Sanchez doesn’t throw to him more often, not once this season have you heard even a hint of Burress complaining about not getting the ball.

Not once have you heard Burress come close to throwing a teammate under the bus or making an imbecile of himself with one of those look-at-me TD celebrations that draw excessive celebration or taunting penalties.

If those unsavory actions sound familiar to Jets fans, Burress isn’t the receiver you might have been thinking would be that guy.

That guy is Santonio Holmes, who wears the “C’’ on his jersey as a team captain — a title that too often belies his boorish behavior.

The truth is Burress has conducted himself more like a captain on this team than Holmes has.

Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/jets/in_praise_of_plax_FzmTZ3LO5duFJ32GxDEqKK#ixzz1hBGdzTSx

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Jets wary of new star on Giants line

Giants Blog

By DAVID SATRIANO

Last Updated: 8:50 AM, December 21, 2011

Posted: 2:27 AM, December 21, 2011

The Jets’ offensive line didn’t do much to help out their quarterback in Sunday’s 45-19 drubbing by the Eagles. And with standout Jason Pierre-Paul and the Giants’ defensive lined up next for the Jets, things could get ugly again when the teams meet Saturday.

Jets offensive tackle D’Brickashaw Ferguson will have his work cut out for him, as he will have to go up against the rising star. After being named NFC Defensive Player of the Week two weeks ago with eight tackles, two sacks, a forced fumble and a blocked kick, Pierre-Paul was the only bright spot for the Giants in an embarrassing 23-10 loss to the Redskins with 16 tackles (11 solo, 5 assists) and a sack.

END GAME: The Giants’ Jason Pierre-Paul figures to be a handful for the Jets’ offensive line Saturday.

“He just takes advantage of the opportunities given to him. He’s got a lot of talent,” Ferguson said after the Jets’ practice yesterday afternoon in Florham Park, N.J. “Every year, there is always one guy who proves himself, and I think he has really just taken advantage of that this year.”

Ferguson, the left tackle who has made the Pro Bowl the past two years and has a good shot to make it again this season, probably will be lined up against Pierre-Paul, who usually lines up on the right side for the Giants.

“I think it challenges myself, as well as the line,” Ferguson said. “This is an individual matchup, but I wouldn’t necessarily make it more than anybody else’s. I think that they have some great defensive ends.”

The Giants have allowed an average of 36 points over their past four games, but not much of that can be blamed on Pierre-Paul. He has 76 tackles, and his 13.5 sacks this season rank fourth in the NFL.

While injuries to Justin Tuck and Osi Umenyiora have hurt the Giants’ pass rush, and it clearly isn’t what it used to be in years past, the Jets aren’t taking anything for granted. Guard Matt Slauson didn’t try to hide his admiration for Pierre-Paul.

“You can see it when you turn on the tape,” Slauson said. “The guy is awesome. He has incredible ability to rush. It will be a challenge.”

Pierre-Paul has recorded a sack in 10 of 14 games this season, including seven of the past eight. Not good news for the Jets, who have allowed eight in their past two games.

Added Ferguson: “[The Giants] do something special with their defense, but our O-line has had success this year, as well.”

Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/giants/gang_wary_of_jpp_fOnotRNk5xOhRtPHy7gWaI#ixzz1hBK5bmoB

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Morning take: Should Buffalo draft a QB?

December, 21, 2011

Dec 21

7:00

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By James Walker

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

• Buffalo Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick says he's not worried about the team drafting a quarterback.
  

Morning take: Nor should he be. Fitzpatrick's $59 million extension virtually guarantees he will be Buffalo's quarterback for at least two seasons. But Fitzpatrick, as the face of the franchise, needs to play much more consistently next season.

• New England Patriots receiver Chad Ochocinco said it was "cool" to finally catch a touchdown pass from quarterback Tom Brady.
  

Morning take: The Brady-to-Ocho connection has been a disappointment this season. But that doesn’t mean the pair can’t get more production down the stretch and into the playoffs.

• There is no quit in the 5-9 Miami Dolphins.
  

Morning take: Miami is 5-2 in its last seven games and could give the Patriots a scare. But I don’t think the Dolphins have the explosiveness to keep up with New England on the road.

• Coach Rex Ryan says if the New York Jets lose to the Giants and don't make the playoffs, he accepts the blame.
  

Morning take: That’s noble of Ryan, but I can think of plenty of reasons the Jets are in this situation. Ryan could have toned down the talk a bit, but he’s not the biggest reason the Jets are down to their last strike.

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Mark Sanchez Set To Face Giants, ‘Sore’ Neck And All

December 21, 2011 6:43 AM

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(credit: Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images)

NEW YORK (WFAN/AP) — Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez was a full participant in practice Tuesday, as expected, despite an injury that he said was “similar” to the one that landed him on the injury report a few weeks ago.

Sanchez was hurt Sunday when he was hit by Philadelphia’s Jason Babin in the third quarter of the Jets’ 45-19 loss.

“It’s just been a little sore, and I’ve taken some good shots,” Sanchez said. “It’s just part of the game and you just keep going.”

Sanchez took all but a few snaps Tuesday as the team prepares for its showdown with its New York-area rivals. Coach Rex Ryan said Sanchez might have had a “stinger” or a “burner,” but wasn’t sure — and the quarterback also said he was uncertain.

Sanchez has taken some hard hits throughout this season, but the one Sunday in which he was injured didn’t appear to be violent.

“Maybe on the fall,” Sanchez said. “Just a little sore. He might’ve gotten me in the right spot. I don’t know.”

Running back Joe McKnight, the NFL’s leading kick returner, sat out with a separated right shoulder, and his status for the game Saturday was uncertain. He is also still recovering from a hyperextended elbow on the same arm.

Wide receiver Jeremy Kerley (illness) and right guard Brandon Moore (hip) also didn’t practice. For Moore, who had offseason hip surgery, the plan is to rest on the first day of practice, do a little more the next day and be a full participant for the final session — just as he did last week.

Defensive back Marquice Cole, safety Eric Smith and defensive lineman Mike DeVito were all limited with knee ailments.

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Jets’ Sanchez: Nothing But Respect For Eli, Jeter

December 21, 2011 8:50 AM

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Mark Sanchez (credit: Jim McIsaac/Getty Images), Eli Manning (credit: Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

NEW YORK (WFAN/AP) – The New York spotlight started shining on Mark Sanchez the day the Jets made him the face of the franchise.

There were inevitable comparisons to Joe Namath: the impressive talent, the GQ looks, a young quarterback in the big city trying to lift an organization hungry for a Super Bowl title. This was the guy Rex Ryan wanted, so badly the Jets traded way up to get him.

“It’s going to be a blast,” Sanchez said hours after he was drafted in April 2009. “And I am excited for these next few years.”

Well, he might not have realized what he was in for.

Sanchez, now in his third season, has set career highs with 23 touchdown passes and five rushes for scores, but has been knocked for inconsistencies in his decision-making and overall play. He has been the target of lots of criticism as the Jets (8-6) head into their showdown Saturday with the rival Giants (7-7).

It might not get any easier against the Giants defense.

“Their pass rushers are some of the best in the league. Their experience in the secondary is great,” said Sanchez. “They make a lot of plays and they get after the quarterback pretty well.”

Sanchez should be better by now, some say. He’s not an elite quarterback and might not ever be, other critics say. He heard the boos when he was introduced with the offense before a recent game, and insisted they didn’t bother him. Sanchez has taken a more buttoned-up approach in interviews lately, saying he’s focused only on the game ahead and winning.

While Namath embraced the attention and thrived – on the field and off – Sanchez is still learning how to deal with it all. He looks around at other New York-area athletes and appreciates the way both Derek Jeter and Eli Manning have handled being team leaders.

“I think Jeter has done a great job,” Sanchez said of the Yankees’ shortstop and captain. “He’s one of the standout players in this town. He’s been the captain of his team and had the most amount of pressure of anybody, very similar to a quarterback position. That’s a great example.”

Sanchez is a laid-back Southern California kid who experienced very few bad days in high school or college. After all, he rarely lost during his short time as a starter at USC. But, he has also seen that winning hasn’t always eliminated the criticism, especially in New York. Manning still occasionally takes his lumps despite winning a Super Bowl a few years ago and putting the finishing touches on an impressive statistical season.

“For me, being younger than Eli, he’s done a great job, as well,” Sanchez said. “That’s been somebody I’ve watched on the field and he’s done a heck of a job for his team.”

Sanchez and Manning have met a few times over the years, and don’t know each other well, but have a mutual respect.

“He’s very nice,” Manning said. “A good kid and a good football player.”

Sanchez called him “a great guy” and said he’s “excited to see him having a great year.”

Manning said during the summer that he thought of himself of being in the same class as Tom Brady, and Ryan said the Giants quarterback was “pretty darn good.” Ryan also added that Sanchez was also “pretty darn good,” and called his guy an elite quarterback.

“They’re both excellent quarterbacks,” Ryan said Tuesday. “There’s no doubt about that.”

Manning is having one of the best years of his career with 4,362 yards passing, 25 touchdowns and 15 interceptions.

“He’s put this team on his back and you’re talking about a guy that’s playing at an elite level,” Jets linebacker Bart Scott said. “I believe he is an elite quarterback, and you’re talking about a guy that’s won the Super Bowl.”

Meanwhile, Sanchez’s numbers this season haven’t been as eye-popping as Manning’s, but he’s also having a career year. Sure, there’s plenty of room for improvement, and he knows that. But, he also has four fourth-quarter comeback victories this season and has firmly established himself as a team leader – if going to the AFC championship game in his first two years hadn’t already done that.

His teammates gush about his confidence in the huddle and how he has matured in three short seasons to be someone they believe in with the game on the line.

“Whatever the game brings your way, those situations happen,” Sanchez said. “When they happen, I’m excited to be the guy with the football in my hand making decisions. That’s kind of the way I’ve always been: Give me the ball, let’s make something happen and try to win the game.”

While Sanchez might have a long way before he lives up to those lofty Namath comparisons, he can shoot to be elite. Just like Manning.

“They’re two different guys, and Eli’s been around a lot longer,” Jets backup quarterback Mark Brunell said. “I think time will tell and history will tell how their careers went, but we’ve got a pretty good quarterback over there who truly only is going to get better as the years go on. I’m excited to see that happen.”

Notes: Ryan reiterated his comments from Monday that he believes the Jets are better than the Giants. “I feel like I have to win this game because I put it out there,” he said. “I want to be the better team in our city. … When we win, it’ll be about the Jets, and that’s where I want to attention to be. If we lose, it’s coming right down on me, and I can handle it. I hope I don’t have to.” … Ryan said he holds “ice cream socials” with WR Plaxico Burress and other key offensive players every Thursday in his office. “We’ll talk some football and we’ll just hang out, a few of us,” Ryan said. The coach wanted to keep quite who he meets with, saying, “I probably slipped that out a little bit,” but Sanchez and WR Santonio Holmes are believed to be in the small group.

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Would You Sell Your Ticket To A Giants Fan? Jets, Rex Hope To Keep MetLife Green

December 21, 2011 10:05 AM

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(credit: TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/Getty Images)

NEW YORK (WFAN) – Christmas, Christmas time is near. Time to sell your seats this year?

Travel. Family obligations. Last-minute shopping trips.

The holiday season — and everything that comes with it — has arrived in full force. What’s usually not on the docket is a Jets home game against the Giants on Christmas Eve.

Rex Ryan understands some fans won’t be able to make it out to MetLife Stadium for the game. But he hopes to at least ruin Saturday for any Big Blue backers that happen to snatch up tickets.

“Obviously, there is going to be a lot of Giants fans in the stadium, so we expect that,” Ryan said during a conference call earlier this week. “At the end of it, all that matters is that the Jets fans leave the game happy and the Giants fans leave the game sad.”

“This is one of the premier matchups in the league,” he added. “Quite honestly, this is bragging rights. To say it’s not is foolish because it is for bragging rights, but it’s also for more important things. Both teams are fighting for the playoffs.”

As of Wednesday morning, there were still 2,203 tickets for sale on StubHub, ranging from $40 to $6,050 per seat.

How many of those will turn from green to blue, like a super-sized game of Othello?

“Well, I hope he doesn’t do that, number one,” Ryan said of the Jets fan who might consider selling their ticket to a Giants fan. “I hope the Jets fans keep their tickets, but I understand it’s Christmas time and all that stuff, and if the price is right I’m sure it’ll be tough not to let those things go.”

Offensive lineman D’Brickashaw Ferguson said Tuesday that it’s just not going to happen.

“It goes against what Jets fans are,” he said.

One thing’s for certain: whoever shows up ought to be in for a treat with both teams fighting for their playoff lives.

Christmas will come a few hours early for one set of NY rooters. For the other fans, the ones on the losing end — not even the latest gadget will be able to wash off the stink come Sunday morning.

As for the boos that plagued Jets home games earlier this year? Ryan hopes those days are over. They’ll have enough to contend with if Giants fans end up taking over East Rutherford.

“The atmosphere ought to be great,” said Ryan. “I hope everybody will be safe and enjoy the football game, but cheer for your team and cheer for your Jets. Forget about cheering for the Giants.”

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Mark Sanchez can silence skeptics with Jets win

Updated: Dec 20, 2011 09:42 PM

By NEIL BEST

Multiple Page View

FLORHAM PARK, N.J.

Rex Ryan said it Monday, and he said it again Tuesday, and he was right both times. The Jets are better than the Giants , and have been most of the time since Ryan arrived as the Jets' coach in 2009.

"Facts are facts," he said, referring, among other things, to the Jets' 4-0 edge in playoff victories in that span and, presumably, to their slightly better record so far in 2011.

But the tale of the tape shows one particularly important position at which the Giants have a clear edge: yup, quarterback.

Ryan reminded reporters Tuesday that he called Eli Manning an "elite" quarterback early this season, and linebacker Bart Scott said he, too, considers Manning among the NFL 's "elite."

Even Mark Sanchez 's most avid supporters don't tend to throw that term around (although Ryan did call him that in August).

All of which makes the quarterback matchup one of the fascinating subplots of Saturday's Giants-Jets postseason death match at MetLife Stadium, and presents Sanchez with an excellent opportunity.

If the Jets win and Sanchez plays well -- especially if he outplays Manning -- he'll take another big step in winning over his many remaining skeptics.

Maybe that's unfair, given all Sanchez has done already. But such is life in the quarterback spotlight, something Manning grew up understanding but which Sanchez has had to learn on the job.

If he bombs in the quadrennial showdown and the Jets don't reach the playoffs, Sanchez will not hear the end of it until something big happens in 2012 or beyond. If he wins, well, that would be much better.

This is the life these guys have chosen.

Who does Sanchez look to for how to deal with such ups and downs in the New York sports spotlight? As Manning has before, Sanchez cited Derek Jeter as a role model.

"I think Jeter's done a great job," he said. "He's been a captain of his team, had the most amount of pressure of anybody, very similar to a quarterback. That's a great example.''

Then Sanchez added someone with whom he has more in common, and who has been on the job five years longer: Manning himself.

"I think he does a great job, off the field and on the field," Sanchez said.

Like Manning, Sanchez has proven durable, but he will go into Saturday's game with a somewhat mysterious neck ailment that landed him on the injury report. Ryan hesitated before characterizing it, looking to the Jets' public relations chief for guidance, but he downplayed any concern.

Sanchez took all but two first-team practice repetitions and refused to go into detail about what he was experiencing, insisting he feels "great."

"It has just been a little sore," he said. "I've taken some good shots but it is part of the game; you just keep going."

Sanchez left the field Sunday with his right arm hanging after a seemingly innocuous hit by the Eagles' Jason Babin . The last time he was listed with a neck injury was after the Nov. 17 loss to the Broncos; the Jets won their next three after that one.

Now they likely need a two-game winning streak to get them into the postseason for the third time in three seasons, with bonus points for probably knocking the Giants out in the process.

If they make it three wins in a row by advancing past the wild-card round again, Sanchez would have five playoff victories.

If you're scoring at home, that would be one more than Manning.

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Dec 21st 2011

Giants ‘Rolle’ with their own drama before Jets game

AUTHOR: Marc A. Greenberg | IN: Jets | COMMENTS: None Yet |

Home » Jets » Giants ‘Rolle’ with their own drama before Jets game

For every Rex Ryan there is an Antrel Rolle to stir the pot. Sure the New York Jets have had their share of drama this season, but the New York Giants Safety has taken it to a different level this season.

Consider his comments last week about players needing to practice through injuries that aren’t significant:

“It starts in practice man. This s— starts in practice. And you know what? We need to have everybody on the field. If you are injured, then so be it, you are injured, we understand that. But nicks and bruises, everyone needs to be on the field man. Because we are not getting better like this.”

Antrel Rolle and the Giants are trying to hold on to a playoff spot. (Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images)

While saying he was calling anyone in particular out with his comments, Rolle went on to talk about defensive end Justin Tuck.

“I am not pointing fingers, I don’t even know who practices half the time,” he said. “It is not anything that happened today. I am just speaking in general. For example, Justin Tuck didn’t practice throughout the week but I think he had a pretty positive game. It’s hard for me to tell what defensive linemen do but I think he went out there and fought each and every play and was very productive.”

For his part, Tuck believes Rolle and just wants to move on.

“If you know ‘Trel, then you know he’s one of those guys who try to light fires under guys,” Tuck said on his weekly interview on WFAN on Monday night. “And if it was directed at me then whatever. But I don’t think it was and I’ve talked to him since.”

“Sometimes in the heat of the moment, I know ‘Trel, he’s a competitor and I know he was frustrated after this loss,” Tuck continued. “So, sometimes you say things and not necessarily knowing what the ramifications are gonna be. I talked to ‘Trel since and we’re on the same page –- there’s no animosity either way between me and him and I know a lot of people are going to ask that question this week.”

Rolle, if you remember, declared that the Giants, who lost to the Washington Redskins after Week 1, were a better team and that, “If we played them 100 times they might win five.”

The Redskins, of course, used those comments as motivation and beat the Giants last week 23-10.

[Integrity28]

Sanchez: Teams want to beat Rex

December, 20, 2011

Dec 20

10:10

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By Mike Mazzeo

Jets coach Rex Ryan loves guaranteeing wins and making bold statements.

He’s already guaranteed a Super Bowl title for the Jets this season, and on Monday, he made headlines by saying his Jets were “better” than the Giants. The two teams will play one another in the Battle of New York on Christmas Eve.

Fans love Ryan’s bravado -- as does the media -- but is it detrimental to his team? Does it fire up the opposition?

“I don’t know,” quarterback Mark Sanchez said in an interview with Stephen A. Smith on ESPN New York 1050’s “The Michael Kay Show.” “Other teams see that I’m sure and they’re not playing against Rex, but once again he’s speaking for the team, and I’m sure [opposing teams] wanna win maybe that much more. But that’s fine and that’s something I’ve learned to adjust to and I’m really excited that he’s my coach. I couldn’t have anybody better.”

Sanchez said Ryan’s motivation tactics are “different then anything he’s ever experienced.”

“But, at the same time, he knows how to motivate players and knows how to get guys excited for games,” Sanchez said. “Coming off a tough loss last week there’s nothing more important to us than getting back out on the field and playing and trying to get a win. So, I think whatever kind of pressure he puts on us -- saying we’re gonna win the game or guaranteeing Super Bowls or whatever -- he’s just trying to get us to play as best as we can and doing everything he knows how to do it.

“That’s encouraging as a player to know that your coach has that kind of confidence in you. And he’s willing to say anything to help us accomplish our goals and win games.”

Coming off an embarrassing 45-19 defeat in Philadelphia, Sanchez encouraged fans to “hang in there.”

The Jets quarterback also deflected a question about him being an elite NFL quarterback, saying “that’s up for everyone else to decide.” Sanchez has completed 56.9 percent of his passes, thrown for 3,009 yards, 23 touchdowns and 13 interceptions.

“I definitely think I’ve taken a step forward,” Sanchez said. “I don’t think our record shows that ... but my touchdowns are up and my interceptions are down.”

Sanchez’s counterpart, Giants signal-caller Eli Manning, made headlines before the season started when he said he felt he belonged in the conversation when it comes to “elite” quarterbacks in the NFL.

“He’s having a Pro Bowl year, and he backed up what he said. He’s playing with confidence and it really shows,” Sanchez said.

You know what is more likely to make the Jets players play to their maximum potential? Not Rex's press conferences... keep guessing... keep guessing.... discipline, practice and more practice.

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New ‘Wonderwall’ at the Jets Training Center

Posted by Randy Lange on December 21, 2011 – 12:18 pm

Before we get into today’s reports off of the Jets’ practice for the game against the Giants at MetLife on Saturday, here’s a report of another development at the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center, which also happens to involve the new home of the two teams.

There’s a new wall wrap gracing the second floor of the building where the business folks, including yours truly, work. It’s right at the top of the stairs, facing all the folks who use the servery during lunch.

It’s a panoramic photo 50 feet long by 8½ feet high of Nick Folk’s game-winning kick against the Cowboys on Sept. 11, this year’s opening night.

“I think it’s really impactful and bright,” said Rob Krolick of NCG, the New York graphics firm that laid out, produced and, just this morning, installed the 12 panels of adhesive vinyl on the recently bare walls. “We’d been pushing for well over a year for the right photo for the wall. I’ve been working on it since last October.”

The action on the field — small figures of the officials with their hands in the air as well as Folk, holder Mark Brunell and the Jets celebrating and the scoreboard just having been updated to 27-24, Jets, with 27 seconds to play — is ringed by the full, tumultuous stadium, including fans both large near the camera and small all the way around the MetLife bowl, videoboards pulsating with images of the decisive play.

It’s an inspiring photo, so much so that Jets executive vice president Matt Higgins earlier today tweeted a photo of the photo, almost completely installed. You can see Matt’s shot on Twitter here, and Joe Rey will have another view of the wall posted on the site this afternoon.

The new image replaces an equally sizeable artist’s rendering of the outside of the new stadium, produced well before the stadium opened for business on Aug. 16, 2010, for the Jets-Giants preseason lidlifter. That image had been on the servery wall since the AHJTC opened its doors on Sept. 1, 2008. And when that wrap was taken down, the bare white wall dominated the area for a few days.

And today the NCG team has turned the wall jubilantly multicolored, with a definite accent on the green, once more. It’s the kind of look we’re all hoping and planning for on Saturday for the Giants — a green blur of emotion in the stands and another big play that brings a Jets victory in the final home game of the season.

“There’s a whole new market out there,” Krolick said of the wall-wrap concept. “A lot of people like putting large photos like this up in their homes. And from a corporate standpoint, the wrap doesn’t even have to be a photo. It could be a work of art. We did something like that recently for The Johnson Co. [owner Woody Johnson's firm] in Manhattan. We do much large-format now. It’s exciting.”

NCG also has a West Coast office and is currently involved in lots of large-image and graphics work for the Rose Bowl, around the Staples Center and up in the bowl’s home of Pasadena, Calif.

Indianapolis in February as well? “We’ll try to have our presence there for the Super Bowl,” said Krolick. “We usually have our fingerprints on the NFL’s big game in some fashion.”

It could be on the credentials that will be seen around town, or something as grand as a wall wrap on a building or two in downtown Indy. And it would be exciting if somehow it can be arranged for the Jets and Giants to get together there for a rematch. But for this week, Jets-Giants at MetLife is the only game in town.

Buzz, Buzz, Buzz

The Jets-Giants game is creating a stir all around the New York/New Jersey area, such as in ticket sales. The game is listed as the No. 2 most popular NFL Matchup on the NFL Ticket Exchange Buzz Index. The “Buzz Index” has its own page that will be updated today at ticketmaster.com/nflbuzz.

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Kerley misses second practice

December, 21, 2011

Dec 21

12:48

PM ET

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By Jane McManus

WR Jeremy Kerley, who got the starting punt return job back when S Jim Leonhard sustained a season-ending knee injury, missed his second straight Jets practice with an undisclosed illness. The team could use Kyle Wilson or Antonio Cromartie at that spot if Kerley is not 100 percent by Saturday when the Jets play the Giants.

It may be a day or two early to start worrying about special teams, but the Jets could also need to keep Cromartie as the team's kick return. Cromartie has been returning kickoffs ever since RB Joe McKnight sustained an elbow injury. McKnight played last week, but didn't return kickoffs and sustained a right shoulder injury, on the same arm with the elbow injury. McKnight was at practice on Wednesday.

QB Mark Sanchez (neck) and right guard Brandon Moore (hip) both practiced with their groups during the portion of practice the media can watch.

[flgreen]

Big Blue Over Gang Green

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Published: December 21, 2011 at 12:49 PM ET

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New York, New York. If you can make it there, you can make it anywhere.

The latest news, notes and analysis of the N.F.L. playoffs.

Go to The Fifth Down Blog

Unless that anywhere is the playoffs, in which case the loser of the Big Apple showdown Saturday between the Giants and Jets will need loads of help to get in. Even the winner will be guaranteed virtually nothing.

It's not exactly a battle of the elite of the NFL; more like grounded airplanes hosting Lilliputians.

But they're excited in the five boroughs, Westchester, Rockland, Long Island and, of course, New Jersey, where both teams actually live and work.

"We're playing for our playoff lives here and they are too," Jets guard Brandon Moore said. "(It) definitely will be that kind of atmosphere coming up, so I think, to us, that's the biggest focus. Whatever rivalry there is, that'll be taken care of with all of the other type of things that come into play."

The Jets are 3-point favorites, and don't anyone dare say that's for home-field advantage. Somehow, Pro Picks thinks the Giants will be comfortable at Met Life Stadium on Christmas Eve.

"It's one of those environments that is electric," Giants linebacker Mathias Kiwanuka said. "You have two teams that share a building, we hang out, we live and everything within close quarters. We share some fans. We just understand that it's a big game regardless of how often we're going to see them just because of how passionate the fans are on both sides."

There will be plenty of passion, for sure. And probably not much defense, because neither team has shown an ability to cover receivers. That bodes far better for Eli Manning, who's having an excellent year despite the Giants' 7-7 record, than it does for Mark Sanchez and the Jets (8-6).

Jets fans will be Big Blue afterward.

GIANTS, 30-20

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Kerley misses practice again

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1:11 PM, December 21, 2011 ι By BRIAN COSTELLO

Jets wide receiver and punt returner Jeremy Kerley missed his second straight day of practice Wednesday with an undisclosed illness.

Jets coach Rex Ryan said they sent Kerley home Tuesday because he was so ill. If Kerley cannot play Saturday, Antonio Cromartie would most likely replace him returning punts and Patrick Turner would see more time as the slot receiver.

Guard Brandon Moore was practicing during the portion open to the media. The Jets have been resting Moore, who had hip surgery in the offseaso

Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/blogs/jetsblog/kerley_misses_practice_again_TCuhh4emwqQeyVRxX25fUI#ixzz1hCCmeDQi

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Jason Pierre-Paul vs. D'Brickashaw Ferguson is top Giants-Jets matchup

Updated: Dec 20, 2011 08:19 PM

By BOB GLAUBER

Multiple Page View

FLORHAM PARK, N.J.

For all its complexity on game days, when 22 players match up on each and every play and it looks more like organized chaos, football is often a game of individual matchups, the outcomes of which will usually determine who wins and loses.

There may be no bigger matchup in Saturday's Jets-Giants game at MetLife Stadium than the one between Jets left tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson and Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul .

This game within the game will determine in large part whether the Giants' vaunted pass rush, which is the strength of their defense, can put enough pressure on quarterback Mark Sanchez to disrupt the Jets' offense.

"That pass rush that the Giants have, that's a big, physical group right there, so that's going to be a huge matchup," Jets coach Rex Ryan said.

Pierre-Paul is a second-year defensive end who leads the Giants with 13 sacks. Ferguson is the Jets' most reliable pass blocker who protects Sanchez's blind side.

The other critical matchup for the Jets' offensive line is on the opposite side, where right tackle Wayne Hunter , who has had repeated problems in pass protection, goes up against Justin Tuck , who has been in and out of the lineup with neck, groin and foot problems the last several weeks.

Ferguson has done a good deal of video work and he knows he has his work cut out.

"He's a good athlete," Ferguson said of Pierre-Paul, 22. "He's a young guy who has already had success in this league. With his long arms, he kind of reminds me of Muhammad Wilkerson. He's a rangy type player. Luckily, I have long arms, too, so that kind of cancels out the benefit , but I think it's going to be a good battle."

The Jets' inability to adequately protect Sanchez has been a problem. In games in which Sanchez is sacked twice or more, the Jets are 3-6 and Sanchez has thrown nine of his 13 interceptions. In games in which Sanchez has been sacked once or not at all, the Jets are 5-0, and he has just four interceptions. Cause and effect? Absolutely.

Pierre-Paul has a combined three sacks in his last two games, and he led the Giants with a whopping 16 tackles in last week's 23-10 loss to the Redskins. He keyed a dramatic 37-34 win over the Cowboys the week before with two sacks, one of which went for a safety, and a blocked field-goal attempt in the final seconds.

Sanchez has taken note.

"He's been having a heck of a year," he said of Pierre-Paul. "It'd be crazy to say you haven't noticed him. He's a great player. He finishes to the whistle and I think that's one of the biggest things, he's just relentless. We're going to have to play well, give a great effort and be real sharp."

Sanchez has been sacked 32 times this season, five more than last year's previous career high. He's tied for the seventh most sacks among NFL quarterbacks this season. In Sunday's 45-19 loss to the Eagles, Sanchez was sacked four times, including three by defensive end Jason Babin , who was lined up against Hunter. This time, Ferguson draws the Giants' best pass rusher, although Tuck is surely looking to take advantage of the inconsistent Hunter on the other side.

"[Pierre-Paul] works hard, and obviously, I want to make sure that everybody on our team is kept safe," Ferguson said.

That starts -- and ends -- with Sanchez. If Ferguson and his linemates keep him clean, then it's advantage Jets.