D dept. : Mo Wilkerson ~ ~ ~

[kelly]

Mo Wilkerson Has Been Poison to Opponents

 

Charlie Frankel Reporter

 

 

Buffalo DE Mario Williams had more sacks in Week 2 alone (4.5) than our entire defense had in the first two weeks combined (4).

On Sunday, Williams and Co. sacked QB Geno Smith zero times, while seven — yes, seven — different Jets sacked Bills QB EJ Manuel during our 27-20 victory at MetLife Stadium.

“As long as somebody’s getting doubled, that means someone has a 1-on-1,” DE Muhammad Wilkerson told newyorkjets.com senior reporter Eric Allen Monday on Jets Replay, “and our motto is you’ve got to win your 1-on-1.”

The 6’4”, 315-pounder certainly won his matchups against the Bills.

“Muhammad Wilkerson, OK, a so-so game,” head coach Rex Ryan joked during Monday afternoon’s news conference. “Two sacks, five hits on the quarterback, I don’t know how many tackles [six, according to pressbox stats]. So I’m happy with him.”

The Temple product also forced a fumble by RB C.J. Spiller during the first two-sack performance of his three-year NFL career in what would be a great day for most but in what has become just a typical day for No. 96.

Though statistics can often be deceiving, some stats are simply too eye-popping to ignore. During Big Mo’s last eight games, dating to Week 13 of the 2012 season, he has six sacks and 15 QB hits. Projected over the course of a 16-game season, that would be 12 sacks and 30 hits on the quarterback.

To put these numbers in perspective, throughout Ryan’s four full seasons as head coach of the Jets, LB Calvin Pace has had the most sacks in a season with eight in ‘09, while the most hits on the QB have come from LB Quinton Coples with 14 last season. In fact, only J.J. Watt, Cameron Wake and Ndamukong Suh unofficially had more than 30 QB hits across the entire NFL last year.

Wilkerson’s simply one cog in the D-line machine, though.

Damon “Snacks” Harrison has taken his game to a whole new level this season, becoming one of the team’s most improved players.

“Last year, he’d get in and his eyes would be real big,” Muhammad told EA, “but now he’s playing like he’s used to it.”

The addition of first-round rookie Sheldon Richardson has also helped significantly revamp this defensive front, and Wilkerson recognizes the importance of his trenchmates’ contributions toward his own success, pointing out to reporters that Richardson was double-teamed often during Sunday’s game.

“At the end of the day," Wilkerson said, "we have so many different guys who are talented on the defensive line that I feel like offensive coordinators are going to have to pick their poison if they want to double-team somebody.”

Individual stats matter only to the point of helping the team.

After three weeks, the Jets’ defense ranks second in the NFL in sack rate and in the top seven in rush yards, pass yards, total yards, third-down efficiency, and points allowed per game.

And team stats matter only to the point of earning a win. Through three games, the Jets have won two.

Opposing offensive coordinators may want to pick a different poison.

 

> http://www.newyorkjets.com/news/article-5/Mo-Wilkerson-Has-Been-Poison-to-Opponents/13184fd1-6742-4e95-b667-20054be95931

[kelly]

Bad defensive day turns into slapstick  -- Can we please postpone the coronation of the New York Jets' defense?

Full of confidence after last week's eight-sack beat down of the Buffalo Bills, the Jets were sliced and diced by Jake Locker and Ryan Fitzpatrick, who combined for four touchdown passes in the Tennessee Titans' 38-13 victory at LP Field.

The final indignity occurred with 7:06 remaining in the fourth quarter, when cornerback Antonio Cromartie, Nate Washington and back judge Billy Smith collided on a 77-yard touchdown pass -- another Jets blooper.

Cromartie said he asked the official, "What the hell are you doing back here?" He said Smith apologized.

Jets cornerback Antonio Cromartie, back judge Billy Smith and Titans receiver Nate Washington collide. The result was a 77-yard score for Washington.

That pretty much captured the disastrous day for the Jets.

Truth is, Cromartie was beaten cleanly by Washington, who had to slow down because Fitzpatrick's throw hung in the air like a punt. Once Washington made the catch, the collision occurred with Cromartie and Smith.

"No, he didn't interfere with the play," Cromartie said. "That's on me fully. Me being the number one corner on this team, I need to make sure that I go up and intercept that ball or bat it down."

It was a tough day for the Jets' corners. Earlier, Cromartie slipped on the wet grass and allowed a 4-yard scoring pass to Washington. Darrin Walls, who started in the Dee Milliner-Kyle Wilson slot, allowed a 16-yard touchdown pass to rookie receiver Justin Hunter. It was a terrific catch by Hunter, but Walls could've played it better. The Titans use Hunter almost exclusively in the red zone, so it shouldn't have been a surprise that he got the ball -- especially in the final seconds of the first half.

"That's a killer," Rex Ryan said. "There's only one play they can run and that's the shot in the end zone. You know it's coming and everybody in the ballpark knows it's coming. The only time they put that kid in the game is to throw the jump ball, and there's a reason he came down with it."

The cornerback spot opposite Cromartie has turned into musical chairs. Walls started for Kyle Wilson, who last week started for Milliner, the struggling rookie who pulled a hamstring in practice. Ryan is running out of competent corners and, frankly, Cromartie was off his game as well.

Give credit to the Titans; they had a masterful game plan. Recognizing the Jets were focusing on running back Chris Johnson, the Titans put the ball in Locker's hands, letting him throw from the pocket. That's what the Jets wanted, but they got more than they expected from Locker, who completed 18 of 24 passes for 149 yards and three touchdowns. The Jets underestimated Locker, not known for his passing exploits.

"Maybe that's why it surprised us," rookie defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson said.

The Jets were held to two sacks and produced no takeaways for the third straight game. That's simply not acceptable. By the way, the Titans have yet to commit a turnover. In fairness to the defense, it had to play on a short field throughout the game because of Geno Smith's turnovers. The Titans' first three touchdown drives were 18, 26 and 46 yards.

No matter. Linebacker David Harris was visibly irked by the performance.

"Just say we lost," he said. "We got our butts kicked by a better team today. Simple as that."

Asked if the Titans might simply be a better team, Harris snapped, "We lost. Did you see the score?"

 

> http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york/jets/post/_/id/28159/bad-defensive-day-turns

[kelly]

REX : We’ve Got a Lot of Work to Do, No Question

Transcript of head coach Rex Ryan's conference call with Jets reporters on Monday:

Obviously, when you look at the tape, you’ve been beat the way we were beaten, as soundly as we were beat, you go back and you look at the tape and in the coaching business there’s always a saying that “It’s never as good as you think, it’s never as bad as you think.” And that’s probably the case with this as well. But with that being said, we’ve got to fix a lot of different things. Penalties are obviously one. We have to take care of the football better. And we’ve got to really look at what we’re doing and are we putting our players in the best situation. We’ve got to take a hard look. Not just with the players but the coaches as well and that’s exactly what we’re going to do.

On what he meant by taking a look at what they’re doing…

Just what position we’re putting our players in. There could always be schematic changes. I know week to week you look at a specific opponent and you try to change your system up accordingly. It’s not that you’re just going to run the same stuff over and over. What we’re asking them to do, whether it’s offense, defense, special teams, how we can give our guys opportunities to be successful and certainly we’ll be looking at that.

On Stephen Hill’s condition…

Well right now I can tell you this, he’s going through the concussion protocol, the NFL’s concussion protocol. So I think that he got a concussion during the game, apparently. So that’s why he’s going through that protocol now.

On Santonio Holmes’ condition…

Nothing new on him with the hamstring. Obviously, he didn’t finish the game, so we’ll see where that is. And the same thing with [Chris] Ivory and [Dee] Milliner that stayed back. We’ll see how they progress and maybe we’ll have more of an update on Wednesday for you on those two. But as far as Holmes is concerned, I know he didn’t finish the game and it was a hamstring injury.

On Smith and offensive line’s protection…

First off, some of those things were screen passes. It looked like Katy-bar-the-door, whatever you want to call it. We just have to get rid of the football in those situations, dirt the ball if you will, instead of taking the sacks. I think that happened a couple of times with screened passes. The protection, overall, I think at times our protection was outstanding. It takes one guy to miss and all of a sudden, obviously we give up five sacks and that’s not good.

On the team up until this point and where they are heading…

Well, we've got a lot of work to do, there’s no question. We have to get better. You mentioned the protection, that has to get better. We have to catch the football better. We have to make better decisions, we have to quit turning the ball over. That’s killing us right now. It wasn’t obvious until this past game. The reason it wasn’t obvious was because we played a really good red zone defense. That wasn’t the case yesterday. We gave up 28 points off of turnovers. That wasn’t case and that’s not what happened in this game. That has to get better.

On defense, being consistent, we've got to play better in the back end and we’ve got to start creating some turnovers. I think that’s the big thing. Obviously, it’s going to be a tremendous challenge in front of us playing against a Falcon team that has a ton of weapons. That’s going to be a major challenge for us. We do have to attack the football down the field more on defense and we have to start creating some turnovers.

On how you go about forcing those turnovers…

I think the big thing is just playing the ball in the air. We were in position to make some plays and two times we give up two touchdowns that obviously can’t happen. Those are areas, whether it’s in individual drills or whatever, there are several things we can do. It starts with position and it’s going up and making plays. We have to work on that.

On if they might give Bilal Powell more touches…

We’ll look at everything. Sure, that’s a possibility. But we’ll definitely take a look and try to do what’s best for our team. You’re right. Bilal Powell’s doing a tremendous job for us. I can’t say enough good things about him.

On if his experience with Mark Sanchez as a rookie will help him coach Smith…

It’s not just on the one person, it has to be on the team. And the team picks each other up. I understand that you can’t buy experience, but with that being said, we still have to do a much better job of, with Geno in particular, we have to protect the football at all costs. And you can’t be nonchalant about it. You have to protect the ball. You can talk about it until you’re blue in the face, but when it happens, now you see it over and over that that’s the way we can improve. We can improve in two areas quickly in my opinion and that could be substantial, protecting the ball and the other is the penalties.

On if he believes Smith can stop the turnovers…

Absolutely, I do believe it. But I think sometimes it’s something that you have to see. I’m reminded of the time we threw the six interceptions against Buffalo. We ran for 320 yards [and] lost the game because we threw six picks. Again, it has to get better. We talked about it. We have to see it. Now, I will say this, the young man [smith], when you look at his college background, I think he threw six picks all season. I believe it’s going to get better. I don’t think there’s any doubt it’s going to get better.

On if it’s a possibility that Smith will be benched to have him learn from the sidelines…

It’s not a thought at this point right now. Not a thought.

On if he thought Smith was nonchalant in the way he handled the ball on the two fumbles against Tennessee…

Well, no I think and that’s probably not the most accurate thing. But, just a little bit of, when I say it is [nonchalant], I think you have to be more aware of it. That I’ve got to put two hands on the ball. I can’t just have one hand on the football. In particular the one where he fumbled for the touchdown, he’s trying to avoid the rush, but at what cost. To me, it’s we’ve got to put two hands on the ball and if we’ve got to roll our shoulders over the ball and take the sack, then that’s what we have to do. But we can’t’ afford to turn the ball over.

On the plays when Hill got the concussion and Locker left the game…

Well, as far as when Locker got hurt, obviously unfortunate without question, same thing with Hill, but clearly in my opinion, I thought Muhammad [Wilkerson] did what you’re supposed to do, lower your target, he did that and obviously there wasn’t a malicious intent on his part at all. So in my opinion I thought it was a clean hit. As far as the hit on Stephen, it was not flagged.

 

> http://www.newyorkjets.com/news/article-5/REX-We%E2%80%99ve-Got-a-Lot-of-Work-to-Do-No-Question/34039a52-a4ae-4030-ac2b-03aded713495

[kelly]

You know that saying, “Every cloud has a silver lining”? Well, the New York Jets have one, and it is a beautiful shining silver one. It’s name? Karl Dunbar, defensive line coach. The work he has done with this group in just a little over one year is astounding.

Even if we forget the pass rush, which has been the best Jets’ pass rush in probably two decades and just look at the play against the run, we see it. So far in 2013, the Jets have faced a top-flight running back each week, in Doug Martin, Stevan Ridley, C.J. Spiller, and Chris Johnson. This tweet from Evan Silva shows the production so far:

 

That is a pretty awesome set of statistics if you ask me. You can’t do a much better job than that.

So what has that translated to on a team level? Well, the Jets defense is fifth overall in rushing, giving up 317 yards on the ground, and a mere 79.2 yards per game on the ground. If you look at the category of yards per carry, the Jets are tied for second, allowing just three yards per carry.

Absolute dominance.

Let’s look at the grades against the run of our three main guys, Damon Harrison, Mo Wilkerson, and Sheldon Richardson, courtesy of Pro Football Focus:

Mo Wilkerson: 0.5

Sheldon Richardson: 10.5

Damon Harrison: 11.8

Did anyone ever think that this line would have Mo Wilkerson with the LOWEST grade?  I know I did not.  To think they are this good, that Mo would be bringing up the rear?

It’s absolute dominance, and we have Karl Dunbar to be grateful to.

 

> http://thejetpress.com/2013/10/02/the-new-york-jets-damon-harrison-muhammad-wilkerson-sheldon-richardson/

[kelly]

-- Rex Ryan may borrow a page from his brother's defensive playbook Monday night in an attempt to slow down Atlanta Falcons TE Tony Gonzalez.

In the season opener, Rob Ryan, defensive coordinator of the New Orleans Saints, shut down the most prolific tight end in history by jamming at the line with two players. They held him to three catches for 36 yards and a touchdown.

The New England Patriots used the same technique in the final minute of last Sunday night's game. The Falcons, down by a touchdown, had four shots from the Patriots' 13-yard line, but they failed to score. On three of the four plays, they double-jammed Gonzalez at the line. It was pretty remarkable; he was like a gunner being doubled on punt coverage. On the one play he wasn't doubled at the line, the Patriots used a two-man, bracket coverage -- an incomplete pass to Gonzalez.

Gonzalez finished with a career-high 149 yards, but he couldn't deliver in crunch time. The Falcons' red-zone woes continued, and they lost, 30-23.

Asked about the Gonzalez coverage on the final drive, Rex Ryan smiled.

"I certainly saw it against New Orleans as well," he said. "I saw that coverage. [The Patriots] might have seen it, too. So I think I'll give my brother credit for that one first."

Ryan doesn't have fond personal memories of Gonzalez. In the 14th game of the 2009 season, Gonzalez caught a 6-yard touchdown pass in the final minute, lifting the Falcons to a 10-7 win. Afterward, Ryan infamously proclaimed the Jets had been eliminated from playoff contention. He can laugh about now because they made it and reached the AFC Championship Game.

"I knew we'd make the playoffs that year," he joked. "It kind of worked out for us. Another guarantee that I made that never came out.

ICYMI: The Jets are dealing with a handful of key injuries. On Thursday, WR Santonio Holmes, WR Stephen Hill, CB Dee Milliner and RB Chris Ivory didn't practice. Officially, no one has been ruled out, but Holmes is out for sure. Hill and Milliner are not expected to play. Ivory probably is less than 50-50. ... Tone being Tone: "I can't throw it to myself and catch it. Otherwise, I would." You get that? ... One last time, Ryan talks about the color-coded wrist band that won't see the light of day. ... As expected, Muhammad Wilkerson and Quinton Coples will appeal their fines for the hit on Tennessee Titans QB Jake Locker. ... Check out the Week 5 "Gang Green Report," with insider stuff on Jets-Falcons.

 

>    http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york/jets/post/_/id/28392/green-day-rex-may-steal-from-brother

[kelly]

-- You don't trade a player the caliber of Darrelle Revis and not feel the impact. Through four games, the New York Jets experienced only a dull ache, but that changes Monday night. The Revis withdrawal turns into a sharp pain.

The Atlanta Falcons (1-3) aren't having the kind of the season they expected, but they still have Matt Ryan throwing to Julio Jones and Roddy White and future Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez. In Rex Ryan's words, "Wow, what a collection" of talent.

In the past, Ryan relished this type of matchup because he had the luxury of rolling out two premier cornerbacks, Revis and Antonio Cromartie. The Jets' defense was built around the man-to-man coverage skills of the two players, affording Ryan the freedom to scheme up ways to neutralize other threats. More often than not, it worked.

The post-Revis Jets have acquitted themselves quite nicely -- they're No. 2 in total defense -- but they knew there would be times when they'd feel Revis' absence. This is one of those times. Jones and Gonzalez are among the best at their respective positions, and the Jets' secondary ... well, it ain't what it used to be.
 

Antonio Cromartie (31), the Jets' No. 1 corner, gave up a 77-yard touchdown last weekend.

Cromartie's play has slipped, possibly because of a nagging hip injury, and the other cornerback position has turned into a revolving door. First-round pick Dee Milliner probably will miss his second straight game with a cranky hamstring -- he was struggling before the injury -- and his replacements, Kyle (Flags) Wilson and Darrin Walls, haven't distinguished themselves.

Last Sunday, the Tennessee Titans turned misplays by Walls and Cromartie into touchdowns, and you can bet the Falcons will go to school on that.

"They're seeing the tape," Ryan said, "and they're going to take shot after shot after shot, because that's what they do."

Too bad they couldn't borrow Revis for this game. And maybe the game next month against the New Orleans Saints. He probably wouldn't mind; he's probably already tiring of life with the winless and dysfunctional Tampa Bay Buccaneers -- the new New York Jets.

The Jets already have allowed seven touchdown passes, including two on blown coverages. In 2009, the heyday of Revis and Ryan's defense, they surrendered a total of only 11.

Cromartie, coming off a career year, has allowed two touchdowns and a 105.6 passer rating, according to Pro Football Focus. In Tennessee, he was embarrassed on a 77-yard touchdown reception by Nate Washington, colliding with the back judge at the time of the catch. Cromartie misplayed the football, according to Ryan, who said: "Even the great ones have that happen to them."

Cromartie isn't a great one; he's a very good corner when he's on his game. On Monday night, he'll face a great receiver in Jones, who has three straight 100-yard receiving games. If he's in man-to-man coverage, Cromartie will have trouble keeping up with the Jones, who can wreck a game.

"He's been doubled almost the whole year and I think he still leads the league in receiving yards," said Ryan, who was correct with his factoid -- 481 yards, to be exact. "That might be a problem."

The usually dangerous White has been slowed by an ankle injury, but the Falcons are getting a terrific season out of Gonzalez, the most prolific tight end in history. If you're Ryan, how do you cover Gonzalez? With second-year safety Antonio Allen? Gimme a break.

When he had the Cromartie-Revis tandem, Ryan sometimes used another corner to cover the top receiving tight ends. He doesn't have that kind of flexibility anymore because he's down a couple of thoroughbreds in the secondary, meaning Revis and safety LaRon Landry, who bolted in free agency.

Let's be clear: The Jets made the right move by trading Revis for a first-round draft pick, which they turned into promising defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson. It would've been insanity to meet Revis' asking price, $16 million a year, especially for a rebuilding team. Someday, everyone will see the benefit of the trade.

Someday won't be Monday night.

 

> http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york/jets/post/_/id/28393/jets-will-really-miss-revis-on-monday-night

[Bleedin Green]

Revis isn't what he used to be either.  He got slapped around by Larry Fitzgerald, so I see no reason to believe he'd do any better against Julio Jones.  We'll see how well he can supposedly "shut down" Julio in just weeks.  Of course, that's not to say the Jets secondary wouldn't be better with him, there's obviously no question about that, but pretending like he can stop absolutely anyone he wants at any time like it's still 4 years ago is a bit of a reach.

[kelly]

Mo Wilkerson knows only one way to play, and that way is physical. He is going to play that way, no matter what the NFL has to say about it.

 

If you haven’t heard by now, Wilkerson was fined $15,785 for his role in the hit that sidelined Locker. Quinton Coples was fined $7,875. Wilkerson is appealing his fine, and was going to, no matter how much he was fined.

“I was going to appeal, regardless,” Wilkerson said. “It didn’t matter the amount. If it was $5,000, I still would’ve appealed. I don’t think it was a dirty hit. I don’t think I should’ve gotten fined.”

Rex Ryan, of course, threw his support to his player. But the interesting fact is, so did the victim, Jake Locker:

“I didn’t feel like that on the field and after watching it, it wasn’t anything malicious,” Locker said from Tennessee. “I kind of got bounced into the second guy. I didn’t feel like they were out to get me, no.”

Wilkerson is going to do what he does, no matter what:

“I just play hard, physical football like I’m supposed to and how I was brought up and taught,” Wilkerson said. “I’m going to continue to do that and play ball the way I know how to play ball.”

> http://thejetpress.com/2013/10/05/jets-mo-wilkerson-will-play-way-knows-matter/

You know what there was no flag? Because the hit wasn’t dirty. Thank goodness, from a fan perspective, that Mo is going to continue to play his way. We need him.

[kelly]

Jets defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson has been a game-changer this season. So many intriguing storylines emerged during the Jets' win over the Falcons on Monday night, including the progression of Jets rookie QB Geno Smith under the tutelage of offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg. Atlanta WR Julio Jones working against DC Antonio Cromartie late in the game and TE Tony Gonzalez continuing to defy Father Time at 37 years young were also fun to watch.

There's one storyline that stands out more than the others, though, and it's the way the Jets' defensive front manhandled Atlanta's offensive line.

The Jets have invested three of their past four first-round picks on defensive linemen and those investments are paying off. They took DE Muhammad Wilkerson out of Temple with the 30th pick in 2011, they took DE/OLB Quinton Coples out of North Carolina with the 16th pick in 2012 and they took Sheldon Richardson out of Missouri with the 13th pick this year. Let's focus on Wilkerson and Richardson, who shined Monday night.

Wilkerson recorded seven tackles, two tackles for loss and a strip sack. At 6-foot-4, 315 pounds, Wilkerson has impressive versatility for a man his size and the Jets moved him all over the front, making it tough for Atlanta to locate him and adjust its blocking schemes to account for him. His 35-plus inch arms, upper body strength and active hands were noticeable regardless of where he lined up. He discarded blockers with relative ease whether he was rushing the passer or defending the run.

The strip sack is an excellent example of how good Wilkerson is with his hands right now. He beat the right tackle with a quick swim move to the inside and knocked the right guard's hands down before extending that long left arm and knocking the ball out of QB Matt Ryan's hands. The way he played Monday night reminded me of Texans defensive end J.J. Watt, who was selected 19 picks earlier than Wilkerson in 2011.

Players like Wilkerson and Watt are rare. There is one draft-eligible player who has that kind of frame and upside in this year's class, though. Even if Notre Dame's Stephon Tuitt isn't quite as big (as I suspect) as his listed size of 6-7, 322 pounds, he's more than big enough to hold his own on the inside and agile enough to play on the outside. He's an above-average hand fighter who appears to have long arms and shows above-average upper body strength on film. If he can refine his technique and improve his consistency in terms of pad level, he has the potential to be a difference-maker at the NFL level. This is why he projects as a first-round pick.

 

> http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york/jets/

[kelly]

MNF Review: Jets' defensive front

Wilkerson has been a game-changer this season.

So many intriguing storylines emerged during the Jets' win over the Falcons on Monday night, including the progression of Jets rookie QB Geno Smith under the tutelage of offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg. Atlanta WR Julio Jones working against DC Antonio Cromartie late in the game and TE Tony Gonzalez continuing to defy Father Time at 37 years young were also fun to watch.

There's one storyline that stands out more than the others, though, and it's the way the Jets' defensive front manhandled Atlanta's offensive line.

The Jets have invested three of their past four first-round picks on defensive linemen and those investments are paying off. They took DE Muhammad Wilkerson out of Temple with the 30th pick in 2011, they took DE/OLB Quinton Coples out of North Carolina with the 16th pick in 2012 and they took Sheldon Richardson out of Missouri with the 13th pick this year. Let's focus on Wilkerson and Richardson, who shined Monday night.

Wilkerson recorded seven tackles, two tackles for loss and a strip sack. At 6-foot-4, 315 pounds, Wilkerson has impressive versatility for a man his size and the Jets moved him all over the front, making it tough for Atlanta to locate him and adjust its blocking schemes to account for him. His 35-plus inch arms, upper body strength and active hands were noticeable regardless of where he lined up. He discarded blockers with relative ease whether he was rushing the passer or defending the run.

The strip sack is an excellent example of how good Wilkerson is with his hands right now. He beat the right tackle with a quick swim move to the inside and knocked the right guard's hands down before extending that long left arm and knocking the ball out of QB Matt Ryan's hands. The way he played Monday night reminded me of Texans defensive end J.J. Watt, who was selected 19 picks earlier than Wilkerson in 2011.

Players like Wilkerson and Watt are rare. There is one draft-eligible player who has that kind of frame and upside in this year's class, though. Even if Notre Dame's Stephon Tuitt isn't quite as big (as I suspect) as his listed size of 6-7, 322 pounds, he's more than big enough to hold his own on the inside and agile enough to play on the outside. He's an above-average hand fighter who appears to have long arms and shows above-average upper body strength on film. If he can refine his technique and improve his consistency in terms of pad level, he has the potential to be a difference-maker at the NFL level. This is why he projects as a first-round pick.

 

> http://insider.espn.go.com/blog/nfl-draft/post?id=1207

[kelly]

For David Harris, It's Never About His Numbers

 

Randy Lange Editor-in-Chief, newyorkjets.com 

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David Harris, as the Jets' annual 100-tackle man and leading tackler, has had more than a few double-digit games in his seven-year Jets career. But it's been a while since he was as dominant and animated as he was in the win against the Falcons on Monday.

But Harris declines to get worked up about his game-high 14-tackle outing, which included all or parts of four tackles at or behind the line.

"Nobody on this defense is about individual stats," David told me today after practice at the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center. "Everybody just comes out there and does his job and puts his piece into the puzzle. If everybody keeps putting in one more piece each day, we'll get closer to completion. We still have a long way to go, and hopefully we'll just keep getting better."

Quinton Coples, now a fellow linebacker partner, says Harris doesn't say a whole lot during a game, "so it's kind of like you expect him to be great." But "Q" has words of praise for the Hitman.

"I just think he's an overall great guy," Coples said. "He's the heart of our defense. He lets his work speak for itself. He's well-deserving of all the recognition he gets. The defense relies on him a lot — a lot — as far as personnel calls and stuff like that. You've got the coaches in the building but he's the coach out on the field and we appreciate it."

David Harris appreciates the praise but lets it all roll off his back. Some players mouth those platitudes about team before individual but David has lived that philosophy since before he arrived on the Jets as the second-round pick in 2007.

So it didn't mean a whole lot to him that his 14-tackle game at Atlanta was his most since he had a 15-tackle showing at New England in '09, or that his 3.0 tackles for loss/no gain were his most since a 3.5-tackle game at New Orleans earlier that season. In fact, Harris' tackle and TFLNG totals against the Falcons were both his most in a Jets victory in his career.

More important was that he and his defense and his team still aren't where they want to be.

"The defense was playing well, but we can always get better," he said. "We allowed too high a percentage on third down, we gave up way too many first downs, we didn't make the crucial stop when the team needed it. There's always room for improvement."

That's the best way for individual leaders and their teams to approach their seasons. This week it's not in any way about David Harris trying to equal or top one of the finest individual games of his career on Monday night.

"The guys in this locker room, we don't buy into all the up-and-down stories in the media," he said. "We just try to focus on this game against the Pittsburgh Steelers and what we can control."

Garrard Redux

As Eric Allen reported for us this morning, David Garrard is back on the Jets, but with a two-week roster exemption. The current Jacksonville resident and former Jaguars QB who left the Jets in the spring due to his aching knee, said that after a summer of rest and then a recent return to running, "my knee's been feeling great."

"I've been going out just about every other morning and running three miles on concrete and I really thought that would be the real test on if my knee would swell back up and get sore again. And it hasn't," he said.

After that, he said, his thinking then turned to "I don't want to turn 50 one day and look back and say, 'What if I just called somebody to say, "Hey, you know, if there's an opportunity, I'm really thinking about trying to get back." ' "

As Rex Ryan said, Garrard's roster exemption "is almost like a two-game trial. We'll see where he's at. ... Obviously with Mark [sanchez] being out on IR, this is really more about let's see where David is, can he help our team or not."

Garrard said the help he's offering now is as an experienced mentor to Geno Smith and Matt Simms. (And maybe even Brady Quinn? But that's four QBs on the active roster again.)

"Geno has the job," he said. "If my number is ever called, I need to be ready for that. So my thing is to help these guys out and just be as much of a leader as I can in the locker room and as much of a mentor and leader as I can be in the quarterback room, because I was a rookie once and I know how it is."

Injury Update

The Jets' injury report flipped from Wednesday, when eight players didn't participate and three were limited. Today three players were DNPs — WR Santonio Holmes (foot/hamstring), TE Kellen Winslow (knee) and CB Dee Milliner (hamstring) — and eight were limited — T Oday Aboushi (knee), LB Quinton Coples (ankle), CB Antonio Cromartie (hip/knee), WR Clyde Gates (knee), RB Chris Ivory (hamstring), S Jaiquawn Jarrett (knee), WR David Nelson (hamstring) and CB Darrin Walls (shoulder).

 

> http://www.newyorkjets.com/news/article-randylangeblogfb/For-David-Harris-Its-Never-About-His-Numbers/9b504f87-ec43-4c70-a08c-0f62ab6df7ec

 

[kelly]

Thurman ‘10/10’ Press Conference

 

> http://www.newyorkjets.com/photos-and-videos/videos/Thurman-%E2%80%981010%E2%80%99-Press-Conference/37eafed9-5008-4cf1-be6b-ab6182597e87

[kelly]

if the Jets want to prove they are for real, if they are serious about giving New York a football season no one imagined, then Mo Wilkerson and his boys will chase Ben Roethlisberger all the way back to the Monongahela River on the day they induct Marty Lyons, one of the storied members of the New York Sack Exchange, into their Ring of Honor.

Lyons was the fiery leader who wreaked havoc and terrorized quarterbacks alongside Joe Klecko, Mark Gastineau and Abdul Salaam, and from his current perch as Jets radio color analyst, he is excited about the promise of the steely curtain the Jets have assembled and hopes they can one day earn a nickname of their own.

“I think they can be something special for years to come,” Lyons said.

The prominent names today are Wilkerson, Sheldon Richardson, Kenrick Ellis, Damon “Snacks” Harrison and Quintin Coples. Lyons, who once accidentally put his fist through a window delivering a pregame speech before a bloody playoff game against the Raiders, knows exactly what he would tell these Jets now.

“It’s time,” Lyons said. “It’s time to take the next step.”

You can’t upset the Falcons on the road on Monday night and call yourself a contender if you lose to these 0-4 Steelers, however desperate they may be.

“We understand we can’t take nothing for granted,” Jets guard former Steeler Willie Colon said. “We just can’t have a good game Monday night and come out here and crap the bed.”

Lyons loves that mind frame.

“You can’t win one, lose one, win one, lose one — good teams don’t do that,” Lyons said.

JetLife Stadium is eager for Geno Smith to again play with a poise and precision beyond his years, and for Big Ben Roethlisberger to run for his life, as is his wont behind his reshuffled offensive line, with Rex Ryan’s young predators in hot pursuit.

“They’re not the Pittsburgh Steelers of the ’70s,” Lyons said.

Lyons, the Jets’ No. 1 pick out of Alabama in 1979, knows all about the Pittsburgh Steelers — strongmen Mike Webster, Jon Kolb — of the ’70s.

“They might have been the first ones with taped-up jerseys around their shoulder pads,” Lyons said. “Their arms were the size of legs. They were men.”

So were the men of the New York Sack Exchange.

“It wasn’t, ‘Are they gonna get to the quarterback?’ Iit was, ‘How many times will they get to the quarterback?’ ” Lyons recalled.

Klecko and Gastineau were the sackers, Lyons and Salaam the run-stuffers. Lyons was asked if he saw fear in the quarterback’s eyes.

“I don’t think I would ever use the word fear, not for a professional athlete,” he said. “I think he knew he was gonna get hit.”

What makes these current Jets all the more dangerous is the diabolical mind of Rex Ryan, who has had to compensate for the loss of Darrelle Revis. Wilkerson (four sacks) is emerging as a beast and a surefire Pro Bowl candidate.

“I think he is a combination really maybe of myself and Mark,” Lyons said.

Richardson? “Sheldon reminds me more of Klecko,” Lyons said. “He doesn’t have the size but he’s got great quickness off the ball.”

Ellis? “He’s a big kid in the middle you have to double.” Lyons said.

Snacks? “Snacks is the blue-collar worker,” Lyons said. “He does exactly what the coach asks him to do and he never complains. He’s a perfect example, if you have the determination, anything’s possible.”

Coples? “He’s got long arms, he’s got good speed,” Lyons said. “He’s just gotta learn that every play, you’ve gotta keep the motor going.”

Lyons always had the motor going. For 11 seasons.

“No question I definitely gave 100 percent every game,” he said. “I tried as hard as I could.”

Lyons chuckles at the memory of his ill-fated pregame speech during the 1982 playoffs.

“We knew the Raiders were known to try to intimidate other teams,” he said. “I was just trying to get our guys fired up.”

He got his pants stained with blood. No stitches for Marty Lyons.

“I just wrapped it up,” he said.

The Sack Exchange became so popular that there were shoe contracts, autograph sessions, posters and, of course, a trip to the New York Stock Exchange. That was then. This is now.

“Don’t put expectations on this group,” Lyons said. “Let them play. Let them have fun. I hope they get to that point where they do get a nickname.

“If they do, then they’re playing the game of football the way it’s supposed to be played.”

> http://nypost.com/2013/10/13/jets-ne...sack-exchange/

 

[kelly]

Jets safety Dawan Landry, who is responsible for the team's only pick this season, bobbles a fumble recovery against the Buccaneers.

 

MORE FROM  

The Jets defense is ranked No. 4 in the NFL, but the unit must start forcing turnovers if it is going to be a truly dominant defense and help out the offense.

The Jets have just one interception this season, the fewest in the league. They have three takeaways total, tied with the Texans and Chargers for second-worst, ahead of only the Steelers.

All of this has left coach Rex Ryan scratching his head. His front seven has been tremendous this season and shut down the run. You would think by forcing teams to throw, the Jets would at least luck into a pick.

“Am I shocked that we have one interception all year? Yeah. I’d be shocked if we only had one a game,” Ryan said. “Quite honestly, yes, it’s very disappointing.”

Ryan said he’s tried calling traps and schemes on defense to get some picks, but it has not worked. Throw in Geno Smith’s penchant for throwing the ball to the other team and the Jets have a cocktail that leads to losses.

It’s time for the Jets secondary to catch up to the big guys up front and come up with a turnover or two to help out the offense.

 

> http://nypost.com/2013/10/15/jets-need-some-ints-asap/

[kelly]

-- It is hard not to love the Jets during Patriots week. Something inevitably just comes over them.

This time, the twist is the 5-1 Patriots coming to town Sunday riding a five-game winning streak against the Jets. And yet, the Jets' defense began the work week by trotting out the most dog-eared trick in the playbook when asked about the Pats: New York defenders groused about feeling disrespected, overlooked, even a little irritated. They cited the grudge within this grudge match.

Did they not hold Tom Brady to 19 completions in their first showdown, in Week 2? Did not the Patriots barely escape with a 13-10 win?

 

The Jets plan to carry out their grudge against the Tom Brady's Patriots on Sunday afternoon.

"It had nothing to do with us, I understand -- we were just out there," Jets coach Rex Ryan sarcastically said Wednesday.

Then, Jets' rookie defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson picked up where Ryan left off the past two days.

Richardson is a big, strong, friendly kid with mischief in his eye. He is having a terrific season. Until this year, the biggest rivalry game he ever played in was Missouri versus Kansas, with the winner earning the glorious right to keep something called the .. um ... "Indian War Drum" traveling trophy. But when asked about Brady, Richardson poked the All-Pro quarterback in the ribs with a string of remarks and critiques that included:

"The only thing I'm thinking about right now is beating Tom Brady. The way you do that is pretty much the way you do all quarterbacks. You hit him. Put pressure in his face. No quarterback likes pressure. ... He gets less accurate. ... He had a few rough spots the first time we played.

"I'm not treating him like Superman. ... No one really treats him like [superman] around here."

Well, check that.

Some of the Jets kinda, sorta are.

The Jets' defenders know they have to approximate the results against Brady from four weeks ago for the Jets to win this division game and pull within a loss behind the Patriots in the AFC East standings. And so, as refreshing as Richardson's honesty and ambition are, he also hasn't been in New York long enough to experience the trail of tears that New England has caused for the Jets since the Gang's "Can't Wait!" victory in the 2010 playoffs.

Richardson doesn't carry the psychic scars that older Jets, like Calvin Pace and cornerback Antonio Cromartie, acknowledged a little Thursday as they smirked and brushed off questions about whom Brady won't have to throw to Sunday.

 

 

Yes, Wes Welker is gone, but "they have a Welker-like guy" in Julian Edelman, Pace said. Pats tight end Rob Gronkowski and receiver Danny Amendola are both hurt and seemingly unlikely to play again Sunday. But as Pace pointed out, though "the pieces change" for the Pats year after year, their grip on the division title hasn't loosened a bit.

Smiling a little forlornly now, Pace reminded everyone of 2008, the year Brady had season-ending ACL surgery and the Pats beat the Jets with unproven Matt Cassel, who hadn't started a game since high school.

"Different pieces, same philosophies," Pace said. "I respect what they do. They have a system, and they do a lot of things well. You look out there and they have a bunch of guys you don't know. But they find a way. They always do."

And the Jets? They want to find a way to avoid putting rookie quarterback Geno Smith in the position of having to win the sort of 30-27 shootout that Brady and Drew Brees got into last Sunday, before Brady stunned the Saints with a touchdown pass on the next-to-last play of the game. With New England missing nose tackle Vince Wilfork and linebacker Jerod Mayo, the Jets may try to run the ball and burn the clock more than they have in other games.

 

Jets blog

Cromartie's insistence that he feels healthier than he has all year should improve New York's spotty secondary play, too. Cromartie says if he had to grade his play this season, he'd give himself just a C so far.

The Jets know the Pats are better than they were earlier this season. And that's a concern, too. They've heard the stories of how Kenbrell Thompkins  the receiver Brady hit for the game-winner against New Orleans, may notice his cell phone buzzing around 10:30 p.m. with text messages from Brady. The quarterback will ask him if he's noticed this detail or that as he's studying game film -- the presumption being that Thompkins couldn't possibly be doing anything else that late at night but working as feverishly on the next game plan as Brady.

"You can see they're all getting more comfortable with each other," Richardson allows.

So how do the Jets find a way to beat the Pats again, at last? That is, beside the "Green Out" plea Ryan sent out to Jets fans Thursday, or inventing examples of how the world is against them, or insisting their five-game losing streak against New England hasn't crawled into their heads?

"I think the challenge is not beating ourselves, as we often find a way to do," Pace said.

Then he called out the Jets defense.

"You've got to affect Tom Brady," he said. "If that doesn't happen, you don't have a chance."

 

> http://espn.go.com/new-york/nfl/story/_/id/9840760/new-york-jets-d-bring-game-vs-tom-brady-new-england-patriots

[kelly]

Damon Harrison, 'Ready to Get My 1st Sack'

 

video...http://www.newyorkjets.com/photos-and-videos/videos/Damon-Harrison-Ready-to-Get-My-1st-Sack/53a08c20-2a10-4b68-bf8b-02e56ad86acd

[kelly]

Patriots Today - Wilkerson leads emerging Jets D

 

The focus of the Jets season has been their rookie quarterback, Geno Smith. But New York's defense, with stud defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson, is keeping the Pats rival in the hunt. Here is this week's opponent preview.

 

video...http://www.patriots.com/media-center/videos/Patriots-Today---Wilkerson-leads-emerging-Jets-D/2efefcf5-ebdb-4314-8e48-a4233aa0f058

[kelly]

The New York Jets and New England Patriots are already getting ready for their second rivalry matchup of the season here in Week 7, and we’ll see if the Jets are able to avenge a Week 2 loss and pull off an upset against the 5-1 Pats. The Patriots have suffered significant injuries through the first six weeks, so that’s definitely something on the Jets side. They are returning to full strength at cornerback, too, which will be key when going up against a quarterback as good as Tom Brady, even if his receivers have been incredibly inconsistent (Brady hasn’t been consistent either, though he was brilliant last week for most of the game).

Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News reports that Jets starting cornerback Kyle Wilson has been cleared from a concussion and was able to practice fully to end the week of practices. Per Mehta, Wilson “will play” this week against the Patriots, and the New York Jets will have both Wilson and rookie CB Dee Milliner back in the fold for this week’s highly anticipated rivalry rematch in 2013.

Wilson suffered the concussion in last week’s loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, and his return is huge for the Jets. Even with Danny Amendola set to miss this week, covering the slot is still vital with Brady throwing the ball and both Julian Edelman and Austin Collie being two worrisome presences in the slot for opponents to worry about. The Jets secondary is at full strength at the right time, and they won’t have any depth issues with Wilson and Milliner ready to play.

 

> http://nflspinzone.com/2013/10/18/new-york-jets-kyle-wilson-will-play/

[kelly]

-- Rex Ryan was so sure that Rob Gronkowski would play against the New York Jets, he had young tight end Zach Sudfeld, dubbed "Baby Gronk" this summer, play the role of the Patriots tight end on the scout team all week.

"Like we said from day one, I assumed he'd play," Ryan said. "[And] I'm assuming [Tom] Brady will play. But that's how much we assumed this guy was going to play. I don't know if they were saving him for us or whatever, but I had a funny feeling he was going to play. After that first game, I felt for sure he'd play against us the second game."

 

the green and white?

On Friday morning, Gronkowski's agent, Drew Rosenhaus, told reporters Gronkowski had been cleared to play after undergoing forearm and back procedures during the offseason.

The 6-foot-6, 265-pound tight end has been particularly effective against the Jets, and especially in the red zone. In his last three games against New York, Gronkowski has 21 catches for 222 yards and four touchdowns.

"That's where, in particular, he presents a huge problem," Ryan said. "He's 6-7 or whatever, and he goes up and gets it. We saw [Falcons tight end] Tony Gonzalez have success against us just as he's had against New England and everyone else. Those guys are hard to cover. Even when you think you've got them covered, they're still open just because of their size and catching radius."

The Jets have tapped safety Antonio Allen to cover Gronkowski. The team will get injured cornerbacks Dee Milliner (hamstring) and Kyle Wilson (concussion) back this week as well, strengthening the backfield.

Still, Allen sees that he is the first line of defense and has prepared all week for Gronkowski.

"I know he's a strong, big type of dude," said Allen, who defended Gronkowski in the first game last season. "He's a big target. [i've] just got to stay in front of him and stay aggressive. Strong guy. I remember a couple times he came off the ball and fired off and he kind of, like, hit me and got me off balance, so I have to change up something."

Sudfeld, a rookie whose first stop was New England, is actually an inch taller than Gronkowski. He was undrafted but signed with the Patriots in May and spent time learning from Gronkowski -- hence the nickname. The Jets picked him up off waivers Oct. 4.

Ryan said Sudfeld had another role as well -- providing information to the Jets.

"You obviously pick his brain," Ryan said.

Still, Sudfeld is an unrefined version of his namesake -- or he'd still be on Bill Belichick's roster.

Even if Gronkowski isn't 100 percent, his frame makes matchups tricky.

"You know he's a big target, so you know that's where the ball is going to go in certain situations," Wilson said.

 

> http://espn.go.com/new-york/nfl/story/_/id/9844948/rex-ryan-assumed-rob-gronkowski-play-new-york-jets

[kelly]

Jets secondary coach Tim McDonald wants more picks, production from his players

Nearly 20 years have passed since Tim McDonald played in one of the greatest defensive backfields in NFL history.

In 1994, the San Francisco 49ers played 19 games in the regular season and playoffs. They won 16 of them, including the Super Bowl, largely because their secondary composed of McDonald at strong safety, Merton Hanks at free safety and Eric Davis and Deion Sanders at cornerback.

Davis was the only one not to make the Pro Bowl that year.

Those 49ers tied for the league lead with 23 interceptions — seven by Hanks, six by Sanders, two by McDonald and one by Davis. Sanders returned three interceptions for touchdowns. McDonald returned one, and also ran back a fumble for a touchdown.

McDonald is new to high-level coaching, in his first season as the Jets’ defensive backs coach after occupying that role last season at Fresno State. Before that, he coached high school football.

Despite his coaching inexperience, he is not naïve enough to think every secondary he mentors will mirror the 1994 49ers. Yet he still maintains high standards.

On Friday afternoon, he stood in the hallway outside the Jets’ locker room, between planning sessions for today’s game against New England and its future Hall of Fame quarterback Tom Brady.

McDonald listened, for a beat, as he was told the Jets’ passing defensive numbers weren’t all that bad this season — 12th in the NFL with 228.2 yards allowed per game. Then he cut in, like he would have jumped in front of a pass two decades ago.

"Not good enough," he said. "Not where we want to be."

What gnaws at McDonald more than anything is the Jets’ baffling lack of interceptions. Safety Dawan Landry had one in the season-opening victory over Tampa Bay. In the next five games, the Jets picked off zero of the 188 passes thrown by opposing quarterbacks.

The Jets did a solid job against Brady in a Week 2 loss, though he was clearly not yet comfortable with his rookie wide receivers, Aaron Dobson and Kenbrell Thompkins. The Jets held Brady to a 48.7-percent completion rate. In Week 3, they limited Buffalo rookie EJ Manuel to 45.2. The next three starting quarterbacks they faced — Tennessee’s Jake Locker, Atlanta’s Matt Ryan and Pittsburgh’s Ben Roethlisberger — combined to complete 77.8 percent of their passes. Ryan threw for 319 yards, Roethlisberger 264.

Though the Steelers leaned on screen passes, Roethlisberger did hit Emmanuel Sanders for a 55-yard touchdown pass that helped send the Jets to a 19-6 loss. The play came on a deep ball against the Jets’ best cornerback, Antonio Cromartie. All told, Roethlisberger threw at Cromartie nine times, for five completions totaling 92 yards.

In the past three games, Cromartie has been thrown at 22 times for 11 completions. He allowed 65 yards against Atlanta, with a long gain of 46. He surrendered 99 yards against Tennessee, with the long gain coming on a 77-yard touchdown — one of two scores against him that day.

The Jets’ defensive scheme relies on man-to-man coverage and demands a lot from its top cornerback. While Cromartie gave himself a grade of C through six games, coach Rex Ryan said he has "played really well" under challenging circumstances.

"Unlike a lot of teams, we put him in some tough situations, put him in coverages where he has no help (from a safety)," Ryan said. "But I’ve done that because I believe he’ll make the play. Sometimes it works out. Sometimes it doesn’t."

SEARCHING FOR TURNOVERS

The Jets rebuilt their secondary in the offseason. They traded their best overall player, cornerback Darrelle Revis. They signed Landry, after both of their safeties, LaRon Landry and Yeremiah Bell, left in free agency. There were going to be hiccups for a position group that began the season starting second-year safety Antonio Allen and rookie cornerback Dee Milliner alongside Cromartie and Landry.

Yet the Jets, like their defensive backs, still have a chance to make something out of this season. They are 3-3, having alternated win and loss every other game — a larger trend underscored by the spotty play of their secondary. It is too soon to opine that Revis’ departure portended disaster for this group.

But with Brady today, and New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees — another future Hall of Famer — coming to town in two weeks, McDonald will see his defensive backs’ mettle tested. For now, he is not pleased.

"We’ve got to get turnovers," said McDonald, who was a six-time All-Pro and Pro Bowler. "We’ve had our chances. When you get those opportunities, you’ve got to make those plays. Those plays are huge in the game. It’s pretty surprising (that the Jets have just one interception). What’s surprising is that we work on: You touch it, you catch it. And we’ve had our hands on quite a few balls. We haven’t come down with them — and that’s got to change."

The Jets’ defensive coordinator, former nine-year NFL cornerback Dennis Thurman, is taking the long view with turnovers. His defense, which ranks fourth in the NFL in yards allowed per game, has recovered just one fumble.

"Usually, when they come, they come in bunches," Thurman said.

Ryan, who calls the defensive plays during games, said he is shocked the Jets have just one pick. He said a defense that does not take the ball away cannot be considered elite.

"I’d be shocked if we only had one (interception) a game," Ryan said. "Quite honestly, yes, it’s very disappointing. Right now, that’s probably what’s keeping us from taking that (next) step."

BACK TO BASICS

Cromartie has been the Jets’ most prominent defensive back since last season’s fourth game, after Revis was sidelined for the year with a knee injury. He played like a No. 1 corner, and earned a Pro Bowl spot for the second time in his career. But he believes his eighth season hasn’t even sniffed last year’s success.

"This year has been a tough year for me," he said. "I don’t consider this (is) me playing at a Pro Bowl-caliber at all."

Cromartie said he feels healthy now, after dealing with hip pain and playing through a hyperextended knee against the Steelers. He believes he is physically capable of correcting his recent technique problems — microcosms of a bigger issue for the secondary, whether with attacking deep jump balls, or being assertive at the line.

"We’re not playing at the level we need to be playing at when it comes to being technically and fundamentally sound," said Thurman, who coached the Jets’ defensive backs for the past four seasons.

In particular, Cromartie is displeased with his passivity in defending wide receivers immediately after the snap. He is a large cornerback — 6-2 and 210 pounds — and has long arms that make it "tough to throw the ball over him," McDonald said. Yet too often this season, Cromartie’s arms and hands have remained too inactive.

"Use your hands," is an edict McDonald frequently repeats to his players. As Cromartie’s body has healed, he regained confidence that he can pop a receiver after the snap, without worrying about getting beat down the field. Now, Cromartie believes, his press coverage can actually provide more physical pressure. This could, in turn, relieve whatever anxiety McDonald might feel about his secondary’s less-than-legendary performance so far.

"I’m letting receivers get too many free releases, even when I’m in press," Cromartie said. "I think last year, I was doing a better job of making sure I got my hands on the receiver at the line, to try to disrupt the timing of the route. That’s something I haven’t been doing in the first six games, and that’s something that I’ve got to get back to."

> http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/201...s_players.html

 

 

[kelly]

Antonio Allen‘s Up to the Task of Covering ‘Gronk’

Just how difficult is it to stop TE Rob Gronkowski?

“When he’s covered, he’s open,” head coach Rex Ryan said of the Patriots' 6’6”, 260-pound tight end who made his season debut during our 30-27 overtime thriller today.

That being said, the Jets decided to go ahead and try their best to cover him anyway, and Ryan and coordinator Dennis Thurman decided on second-year S Antonio Allen as the man for the job.

“He’s a guy that’s a long body,” Rex said of his own 6’1”, 210-pound safety. “He has playmaking skills. I know he was a Sam linebacker at South Carolina. But he’s a baller. The guy’s a football player.

"We thought about [5’8” Isaiah] Trufant,” Rex joked, “but we were like, ‘Oh, maybe not.’ We had to go with some length on him and that’s really why we made the move.”

Allen was up for the task, though he conceded it was his most difficult assignment of the year.

“You’ve just got to be physical with him at the line of scrimmage,” Allen said, “just play with your feet, make sure your eyes are in the right spot and just play. He’s a big physical guy. I knew he’d be getting a lot of balls so I knew I’d have an opportunity to make a couple big plays.”

The precise number on “a lot” turned out to be 17 targets, more than twice the amount of the next-highest New England receiver.

“A couple of big plays” turned out to be a pair of first-half pass defenses along with what ended up being perhaps the biggest play of the game, a 23-yard pick-six of QB Tom Brady not even one minute into the second half.

“It’s always in my mindset to come out with a big play,” said Allen, who added he was “sort of, kind of” baiting Brady on the play. “Every game I’m trying to get a pick somewhere, but coming out of halftime, we just knew we needed to do something to shift the momentum. I came out and made a play and it was pretty big for us.”

It was more than pretty big.

“It was huge,” QB Geno Smith said, “to put points on the board, to cut the deficit to four. The defense came out that second half and played a phenomenal game. My hat goes off to them because they really sparked us.”

Gronkowski finished with eight receptions and topped the century mark with 114 yards, but Allen and the defense made the stops in the crucial moments as the Pats ended the game 1-for-12 on third-down conversions.

For just the second time in the last 55 weeks, QB Tom Brady was held without a touchdown pass, and for only the third time in the last eight years, a defender returned one of his rare interceptions for six points.

“I guess I’m feeling pretty good about how I played at the end of the day,” the 25-year-old safety said.

And so is the rest of the team.

 

“Double-A, man, I'm proud of him,” LB Calvin Pace said. “He's young, he's finally getting his shot and he's making the most of it."

“He’s a physical specimen,” CB Antonio Cromartie said of Gronkowski. “He’s a guy who can go out over the top and catch the ball. He knows how to use his body to try to catch the balls underneath. But Antonio did a heck of a job just playing him the way we needed to play him.”

Of course, Brady almost pulled a Brady.

Starting from his own 8-yard line down three with 2:10 left in regulation and all three timeouts remaining, the future Hall of Fame quarterback marched his team down the field into Jets territory, setting up 1st-and-10 from the 26 with just over 30 seconds remaining.

Gronkowski sneaked past Allen on a seam route up the middle toward the goalpost. Brady’s throw hit him in the right hand, but it was overthrown just a bit as he couldn’t bring his surgically repaired left arm around quickly enough to reel it in, and MetLife Stadium exhaled in a temporary sigh of relief.

“I’m mad at myself,” Gronkowski said of what would have been a spectacular stick-to-the-mitt, one-handed grab. “I had it, I brought it in, then I dropped it.”

Allen’s status as one of the game’s many heroes was preserved, the Pats had to settle for a field goal, and the rest is history.

 

> http://www.newyorkjets.com/news/article-5/Antonio-Allen%E2%80%98s-Up-to-the-Task-of-Covering-%E2%80%98Gronk%E2%80%99/c64742bb-3bbc-4cf0-b6a4-efe077c7b6cc

[kelly]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

-- For Antonio Cromartie to lock down Cincinnati's A.J. Green on Sunday, Jets defensive coordinator Dennis Thurman believes some divine intervention is needed.

"What does he need to do? Put his hands on him and pray, pretty much," Thurman joked. "[Green]'s a talented guy. Very talented."

2013 STATS

• Rec43
• Yds619
• TD5
• Avg14.4
• Long82
• YAC204

{C}Cromartie will have the most pivotal defensive assignment on Sunday as he will likely shadow one of the best receivers in the game at Paul Brown Stadium. It's the first matchup between the two.

"It's a tough task. He's a great receiver for that team and he's one of the best receivers in the NFL right now," Cromartie said. "They want to try to get the ball to him."

Green, in his third year, is putting together another great season. He's caught 43 balls for 619 yards and five touchdowns, and ranks fourth in the NFL in receiving yards.

Jets coach Rex Ryan said he believes Green is probably the best receiver in the AFC, and Cromartie compared Green to Randy Moss and Calvin Johnson with his ability to be a deep-play threat, and how he gets after the ball. Green hauled in an 82-yard touchdown catch last week.

"He's an athletic guy that does a very good job of attacking the ball down the field. Can make all the catches and make the difficult catches look easy," Cromartie said. "It's a point of just being there and trying to make plays when the ball is in the air with him."

Cromartie, who has been shaky this season according to statistics, said there's no extra excitement in facing perhaps the best young receiver in the game. He approaches each assignment the same way, whether he's shadowing a future Hall of Famer or a rookie.

The Bengals line Green up in different positions, including the slot, and Cromartie said he can play all the different positions needed to follow Green on Sunday. Cromartie is your prototypical corner who sticks to outside receivers, and doesn't usually cover slot receivers.

The veteran has made it a point recently to be more physical with receivers, and Thurman said there was "no doubt" Cromartie did a better job of doing so last Sunday against New England. Being physical in coverage will be key to disrupting Green and getting him off his routes.

"[When] he plays to his height and his length, he's hard to deal with," Thurman said. "It's a matter of continual focus: 'Hey, you need to play like this, you need to play like this.' When he does that he's hard to throw at."

Cromartie said his height may give him a weapon other cornerbacks don't have when guarding Green, who stands at 6-foot-4.

"I think we're about the same height. That's the only difference it's going to be out there," Cromartie said. "Just not facing a 5-11, 6-foot DB. He's facing a 6-2, 6-2 1/2 DB. Just the matchup being two tall guys going out there and matching up against one another."

Just as Cromartie expects to have his hands full on Sunday, Green believes he's going to have just as tough of an assignment in trying to separate from the Jets' top cornerback.

"He's a great corner. Like I said, he's been around this league a long time," Green said. "Corners are going to get beat here and there but I think he’s one of the best in the league."

 

> http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york/jets/post/_/id/29984/sundays-big-matchup-cro-vs-green

[kelly]

Did your eyes get wide when you saw Tom Brady's pass coming at you?
 

Allen: I don't think I had time to look at the quarterback. I think the ball was already there. As soon as I turned, it was already in my hand. [i'm like], "Appreciate it." It was a good spark for the team and we came out victorious.

What kind of reaction have you received from friends and former teammates?

Allen: A lot of people made me feel good, saying it's the greatest play they've ever seen and what a good job I did on Rob [Gronkowski]. There were a lot of things to keep me uplifted. Old high-school coaches have been calling me, former teammates. I mean, I've been getting calls from everybody. After the game, I had 40 texts. It was crazy. It was the most I've ever had.

I think fans want to know: What's it like lining up opposite Gronkowski, play after play? He's huge -- 6-foot-6, 265 pounds -- and dangerous.

Allen: (Laughs) I remember, the whole second half we were just in single-high coverage or "zero" [no safety help]. That whole second half, it was just crazy. But, I mean, lining up against a guy like that, you have to respect him because he's done a lot in this league. You have to be fearless, no mercy, just, "I'm about to get into him." He had to get me some other way because I was about to put my hands on him and secure my work.

Did he say anything to you during the game?

Allen: We didn't say one thing to each other the whole game. I was so focused in, I wasn't trying to trash talk.

You were cut twice last season by the Jets. How much did that sting?

Allen: At first, I was so frustrated: "What am I doing wrong?" I was taking the blame for everything. That's how it works sometimes. After a while, my whole mindset was, "Stay with it, stay strong, I'm going to have my chance." I was always looking at the roster, seeing, "Oh, they released this player, they released that player." They let [LaRon Landry and Yeremiah Bell] go. I'm like, "They're really trying to give me a shot. I'm going to take it and run with it."

You were drafted in the seventh round in 2012, the 242nd player overall. Was that a humbling experience?

Allen: Throughout that whole process, man ... I felt like I should've went higher. I was so hurt. I remember just crying -- literally. I remember thinking, "Man, I'm not going to get drafted." So many thoughts were running through my head, like, "What am I going to do?" It was hard, but I'm here now and making the best of my situation.

 

> http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york/jets/post/_/id/29987/two-minute-drill-antonio-allen

[kelly]

Quinton Coples: Jets' linebacker? Defensive end? 'Just call him a ballplayer'

During the offseason, Quinton Coples provided Jets coaches with an answer to this riddle: How do we get our best 11 defensive players on the field at once?

Coples led the Jets with 5 ½ sacks during his rookie season a year ago, playing on the defensive line. But with fellow first-round draft picks Sheldon Richardson and Muhammad Wilkerson also on the line, the Jets sought a creative solution to hassle offenses with all three players simultaneously.

“If you put him at end, where do you put Muhammad?” Karl Dunbar, the Jets’ defensive line coach, said. “If you put Muhammad at three-technique (lined up between the offensive guard and tackle), where do you put Sheldon? Q is probably the most athletic of the three, so he’s the guy who can fill that role at rush linebacker or rush end because he has the best God-given genes.”

Coples' physical abilities -- with a 6-6, 290-pound frame and 4.78 speed in the 40-yard dash -- have allowed a smooth transition beyond the defensive line, where he also played in college at North Carolina.

“Big men who can run are just like pretty women,” Dunbar said. “There are not a whole bunch of them and everybody wants them.”

After missing the first two games of the regular season with a fractured right ankle, Coples has spent five games at the new position. He has grown accustomed, he said, to starting each down without his hand in the dirt. He has new responsibilities -- minding running backs and tight ends -- though snap counts show his primary objective remains unchanged from last season: Pressuring the quarterback.

“It’s not like I’m a safety now,” Coples said.

Dunbar said Coples favored his right ankle after he returned in the Week 3 victory over the Buffalo Bills.

“I think the first two or three games he was a little tentative because of the leg. He didn’t want anybody to hit it. He was wearing a big pad on it. Now the pad has come off and I think he has a little more confidence.”

Against the New England Patriots last Sunday, Coples flummoxed Tom Brady, signifying a return to form.

On the first play of the second half, Coples dipped around left tackle Nate Solder and poked the ball out of Brady’s hand, his first sack of the season. The following play, Coples again bulled past Solder, forcing Brady to hurry a throw intercepted by Antonio Allen and returned for a touchdown.

The two plays highlighted Coples’ largest shift of the season. He participated in all but one of 79 plays on defense, according to stats compiled by ProFootballFocus. Nearly two thirds of those plays were spent rushing the quarterback.

Envisioning the grand plan for Coples, Jeff Weeks, who coaches the Jets’ outside linebackers, points to Terrell Suggs, a player Rex Ryan used to torture offenses when with the Baltimore Ravens.

“As time went on, (Suggs) had more drops and stuff,” Weeks said of the amount of time Suggs rushed compared to covering receivers. “With guys like that who get sacks you’re not going to drop him a lot but you will drop him enough to get a disguise.”

Coples has dropped into pass coverage on just four of the 281 snaps he has played this season, according to ProFootballFocus. By contrast, he has rushed the passer on 64 percent of those plays.

Weeks used the analogy of a baseball pitcher with an exceptional fastball to relate the Jets’ strategy. Every so often that pitcher will toss a curveball, just to put another option in hitters’ minds. The Jets will drop Coples infrequently but enough to provide quarterbacks a wrinkle to consider.

“When you talk about our defense, is it 3-4 or 4-3? It’s Rex Ryan defense,” Weeks said. “It’s a little sprinkle of it all.”

Dunbar has stressed to Coples, though, that “not every down is a pass rush.” Situations dictate different levels of restraint, an understanding that comes with experience, Dunbar said.

As Coples has collected more time on the field and his responsibilities made more clear, it begs the question. Should he be labeled a defensive end with coverage commitments or a pass-rushing linebacker?

“I think you just call him a ballplayer,” Dunbar said. “I think he’s more of a hybrid type. He can play end. He can play linebacker. But he gives us a chance to put our best 11 on the field. Whatever you want to call it, you call it.”

> http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/201...allplayer.html