10 things to know about... the Oakland Raiders ~ ~ ~

[kelly]

Ten things to know about the Oakland Raiders, the New York Jets' upcoming opponent  :

1. The Raiders (3-3) and Jets (4-2) have something important in common: They've already matched their win totals from last season, both with new coaches. The Raiders are coming off a 37-29 road win over the San Diego Chargers. Don't read much into the final score; it wasn't that close. The Raiders led at halftime, 30-6, the first time in five years they led by at least 20 points at halftime.

2. If Jets' fans are frustrated by the team's four-year streak without a winning record, imagine the feeling in Raider Nation. Oakland's last winning season was 2002, the year they reached the Super Bowl and got embarrassed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Since then, the Raiders are 59-139, the worst record in the league. In case you're wondering, the Jets are 93-105 over that span (18th).

3. Yep, optimism is building under Jack Del Rio, their ninth coach (repeat, ninth!) since Jon Gruden left after the 2001 season. Now it's time for the wet-blanket stat: The Raiders' three wins have come against opponents with a combined 5-16 record -- the Chargers, Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens. There's a Jekyll-and-Hyde quality to the team, especially on offense. They're either very good or very bad.

4. The Raiders have one of the most exciting rookies in the league, wide receiver Amari Cooper, the fourth overall pick. Cooper (49 catches, 579 yards, three touchdowns) is everything scouts were saying about him before the draft -- a smooth, polished route runner with an uncanny ability to make plays with the ball in his hands. He already has 295 yards-after-catch, second in the league. One of the quirky aspects to his fast start is that most of his production has occurred in the first half of games -- 22 receptions, 428 yards and three touchdowns. That's a lot of damage for 12 quarters. Cooper is the first rookie since Hall of Famer Mike Ditka (1961) to have three 100-yard receiving days in his team's first six games. He will be tested by cornerback Darrelle Revis, who said of the former Alabama star, "He's a talent." That's an understatement.

5. It's hard to find a franchise quarterback in the second round (ask the Jets), but the Raiders have a good one, Derek Carr, who's sixth in passer rating (101.0). Before Carr, you have to go back to Andy Dalton and Colin Kaepernick (both 2011) to find productive second-round quarterbacks. Only 22 starts into his career, Carr carries himself like a seasoned pro. He makes good decisions, throws a good deep ball (though he doesn't go long that often) and has enough athletic ability to get out of trouble. He snapped out of a two-game slump last week with a career-best 95.2 Total QBR. Carr won't be a pushover for the Jets, who still could experiencing Brady fatigue.

6. Remember Austin Howard? He was the solid starter for the Jets in 2012 and 2013, but he took a big free-agent deal to sign with the Raiders. He has settled in at right tackle after playing guard last season, but he has experienced a few hiccups with regard to penalties. He's tied for the league lead among tackles with eight penalties (plus two declined), according to Pro Football Focus.

7. Speaking of familiar faces, former New York Giants Super Bowl champion Justin Tuck (torn pectoral muscle) is out for the season. Tuck, 32, could be finished with the Raiders. He signed a two-year deal in 2014 and will be a free agent after the season.

8. Defensively, the Raiders are good news/bad news. They're No. 3 against the run (84 yards per game), but No. 32 against the pass (388). Every quarterback they've faced has thrown for at least 266 yards. A closer look at the metrics reveals the Raiders aren't as bad as the numbers indicate. In fact, they have at least two takeaways in five straight games, their longest such streak in 15 years.

9. The Raiders are 29th in penalties. In other news, the New York Mets' starting pitchers throw hard.

10. Lastly, how 'bout a shout-out for Charles Woodson? The ageless wonder, 39, still is playing at a high level in his 19th season. The cagey free safety is tied for the league lead with four interceptions, bringing his career total to 64. Consider: He broke into the NFL in 1998, when Vinny Testaverde was leading the Jets to the AFC Championship Game. Woodson was a freshman at Michigan when Leonard Williams was born. That's crazy.

>      http://espn.go.com/blog/newyork-jets/post/_/id/55447/jets-will-face-improved-raiders-led-by-rookie-star-amari-cooper

[AzogtheDefiler]

Woodson is just a legend. Cannot believe he is still playing.

[kelly]

Amari Cooper continues to impress

The Oakland wideout now has 64 fantasy points through his first six games. Only 10 rookie receivers since 1960 have produced at a more efficient clip through their first six games than Cooper.

>     http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/oak/oakland-raiders

[kelly]

Pennington   : 'You Have to Win This Game'

>     http://www.newyorkjets.com/videos/audio/Pennington-You-Have-to-Win-This-Game/975cc9ad-0a36-4ba2-8e26-47fed9d6b387

[kelly]

The early returns from the 2015 rookie class thus far are giving a pretty good glimpse of what the NFL draft often looks like a few years out when you review a class. Sure, you'll get a number of the best overall players from Round 1, but the pie gets split, and plenty of big names come from Rounds 2-4 as well. Then you get the occasional star from day three. That's how this class looks so far. Half of the top 10 are first-rounders, but we've seen some breakout performers from Rounds 3 and 4 as well.

Here are the parameters, same as always  :

• This is a measure for all games this season, not just last week.

• Total snap count matters. Staying on the field is a measure of value.

• Positional value matters, but overall performance and impact on the team matter more.

• Relative value matters. I ask: Would this player be a starter on most teams or on a good team?

Here's my latest ranking of the top 15 rookies in the NFL.

---

1. Amari Cooper, WR, Oakland Raiders

In terms of raw performance, Cooper probably isn't clearly ahead of Darby. I give him a slight edge because of his impact on the team. He's already arguably the most important offensive player on the Raiders aside from the QB. He's on pace for 88 catches and nearly 1,400 yards, and he hasn't dropped a pass in the last two games. He is, frankly, what we thought he was.

> http://espn.go.com/nfl/insider/story/_/id/13985186/oakland-raiders-wr-amari-cooper-tops-mel-kiper-rookie-rankings-nfl

[kelly]

Rich Cimini ESPN Staff Writer 

Recapping the early look-in at Jets practice: S Calvin Pryor (ankle) wasn't spotted. C Nick Mangold (neck) isn't practicing. It also appears that WR Eric Decker and RB Bilal Powell (ankle) aren't practicing, either. With Decker, it's his knee, presumably. P Ryan Quigley (shin) was punting.

>  http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/nyj/newyork-jets

[kelly]

-- The New York Jets had a lot of wonderful things to say Wednesday about Oakland Raiders rookie sensation Amari Cooper, with the most colorful praise coming from fellow wide receiver Brandon Marshall.

"I've been a fan of Amari Cooper since he was in college," Marshall said. "He's a stud. He's a stud muffin."

Bet he never heard that from Nick Saban at Alabama.Cooper, the fourth overall pick, already has three 100-yard receiving days, the first rookie to have three in his team's first six games since Hall of Famer Mike Ditka in 1961. The Jets, who face him Sunday in Oakland, were effusive.

A sampling of their comments on Cooper:

Marshall: "He's so smooth. He's like a ... I don't even know how to explain this guy. I've never really seen this type of player before. He's fast, he's smooth, he can run routes, he releases at the line of scrimmage. It's like a mix between Ocho Cinco and AJ. Green. He has sweet routes, but it's not unorthodox. It's so smooth. I can't explain it. I'm a fan of his."

Coach Todd Bowles: "Doesn't play like a rookie. Great pattern runner. Rarely do you see receivers come out of college and they're able to run patterns. He's got body control, great hands, he can catch it in traffic. He's got the full gamut. ... A route runner is more dangerous than just a big guy or a speed guy. He can do both. He's as advertised. He's smart, he's quiet, he's humble, but on the field he plays like a demon."

Nickel back Buster Skrine: "He reminds me of A.J. Green. He came in and made an impact right away. He's just a complete receiver. He's advanced to be a rookie. He's one of the top receivers in the game right now."

>     http://espn.go.com/blog/newyork-jets/post/_/id/55510/brandon-marshall-on-raiders-rookie-amari-cooper-stud-muffin

[afosomf]

-- The New York Jets had a lot of wonderful things to say Wednesday about Oakland Raiders rookie sensation Amari Cooper, with the most colorful praise coming from fellow wide receiver Brandon Marshall.

"I've been a fan of Amari Cooper since he was in college," Marshall said. "He's a stud. He's a stud muffin."

Bet he never heard that from Nick Saban at Alabama.Cooper, the fourth overall pick, already has three 100-yard receiving days, the first rookie to have three in his team's first six games since Hall of Famer Mike Ditka in 1961. The Jets, who face him Sunday in Oakland, were effusive.

A sampling of their comments on Cooper:

Marshall: "He's so smooth. He's like a ... I don't even know how to explain this guy. I've never really seen this type of player before. He's fast, he's smooth, he can run routes, he releases at the line of scrimmage. It's like a mix between Ocho Cinco and AJ. Green. He has sweet routes, but it's not unorthodox. It's so smooth. I can't explain it. I'm a fan of his."

Coach Todd Bowles: "Doesn't play like a rookie. Great pattern runner. Rarely do you see receivers come out of college and they're able to run patterns. He's got body control, great hands, he can catch it in traffic. He's got the full gamut. ... A route runner is more dangerous than just a big guy or a speed guy. He can do both. He's as advertised. He's smart, he's quiet, he's humble, but on the field he plays like a demon."

Nickel back Buster Skrine: "He reminds me of A.J. Green. He came in and made an impact right away. He's just a complete receiver. He's advanced to be a rookie. He's one of the top receivers in the game right now."

>     http://espn.go.com/blog/newyork-jets/post/_/id/55510/brandon-marshall-on-raiders-rookie-amari-cooper-stud-muffin

ya mon, tried to convince everyone he was best player in draft

[BroadwayJoe12]

ya mon, tried to convince everyone he was best player in draft

Second best, Gurley always held that title. His injury just made people forget it. Cooper's the real deal though, I'm pretty excited to see how White compares whenever he gets into the league. 

[afosomf]

Gurley is great for sure, but RB's do not have a long shelf life, have to go with Coop

[AzogtheDefiler]

If we lose this game, we will once again be a joke in the NFL. Cannot lose. More nervous about this game whan vs. NE. 

[GKnight83]

6. Remember Austin Howard? He was the solid starter for the Jets in 2012 and 2013, but he took a big free-agent deal to sign with the Raiders. He has settled in at right tackle after playing guard last season, but he has experienced a few hiccups with regard to penalties. He's tied for the league lead among tackles with eight penalties (plus two declined), according to Pro Football Focus.

Austin Howard was not a solid starter for the Jets and he had the same issue with penalties while he was here.  As I recall he showed promise at times but I was happy when Clinkscale took him to the Raiders.

[afosomf]

Second best, Gurley always held that title. His injury just made people forget it. Cooper's the real deal though, I'm pretty excited to see how White compares whenever he gets into the league. 

White is damaged goods like like it will 2016 before he takes field

[Beerfish]

I sure hope we are smart and put Revis on Cooper all over the field. 

[BroadwayJoe12]

White is damaged goods like like it will 2016 before he takes field

Most likely, but hopefully not. I like seeing young talent on the field. 

[kelly]

Rich Cimini ESPN Staff Writer 

The Jets probably will be without S Calvin Pryor and WR Devin Smith on Sunday. Both have ankle injuries and were spotted at practice wearing walking boots. Dion Bailey would replace Pryor. The Jets are banged up at safety and receiver. C Nick Mangold (neck) isn't practicing, but I think there's still a chance he plays. Looks like WR Eric Decker (ankle) will practice.

>    http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/nyj/newyork-jets

[ylekram]

Austin Howard was not a solid starter for the Jets and he had the same issue with penalties while he was here.  As I recall he showed promise at times but I was happy when Clinkscale took him to the Raiders.

howard was solid enough for the jets

[kelly]

— Amari Cooper, the Raiders' prodigious wide receiver, is off to a strong start in his rookie season.

He has three touchdown catches, and he ranks 14th in the NFL with 86.5 receiving yards per game. He already has three 100-yard games — 109 against the Ravens, 134 against the Browns, and 133 (on just five catches) last Sunday in San Diego. 

This Sunday, Cooper gets his biggest test yet — a matchup with Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis, one of the finest players of his generation. "He's a talent, man," Revis told NJ Advance Media. "He makes plays. Overall, he can play. He's one of the premier guys coming up in the league." 

The Raiders drafted Cooper fourth overall, two picks before the Jets selected defensive end Leonard Williams. The Raiders have made their share of draft mistakes over the years (see: Russell, JaMarcus). But Cooper seems legit. 

Buster Skrine, the Jets' slot cornerback, offered high praise for Cooper."He reminds me of A.J. Green, because A.J. came in and made an impact right away," Skrine said of the Bengals receiver. "He's a complete receiver. He's advanced to be a rookie. He's one of the top receivers in the league right now." 

Jets coach Todd Bowles echoed those comments about Cooper."He doesn't play like a rookie," Bowles said. "Great pattern runner. Rarely do you see receivers come out of college and they're able to run patterns [so precisely]. He's got body control, great hands, can catch it in traffic."He's got the full gamut. He can get off the ball. He's got speed. He can catch the ball. He runs routes. A route runner is more dangerous than just a speed guy or a big receiver. And he can do both." 

Cooper, who is 6-foot-1 and 211 pounds, interviewed with the Jets at the NFL Scouting Combine."He's everything as advertised," Bowles said. "He's smart, he's quiet, he's humble, but on the field, he plays like a demon. He's a tough player." 

Skrine praised Cooper's ability to gain yards after the catch. That is one of Cooper's biggest strengths. He is currently fourth in the NFL with 9.2 yards after the catch per reception, according to Pro Football Focus. 

What else makes Cooper so unlike a rookie ? 

"Catches with his hands," Skrine said. "He doesn't slow down when he comes out of his breaks." Most young receivers tend to catch the ball into their bodies, rather than extending their hands, Skrine said.

What did Revis notice on film, in terms of Cooper catching the ball with his hands extended  ?   "That's Buster's comment," Revis said. "I didn't pay attention to that." 

>      http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/10/why_jets_think_oakland_raiders_amari_cooper_doesnt.html#incart_river

[kelly]

@eallenjets with the tough part of pats schedule coming up, can the jets emerge as number 1 afc east ?

EA: Hold your horses. After six games, the Jets are off to a good start with a 4-2 record and a 1-1 mark inside the division. But the Patriots have an unblemished 6-0 record and a 2-0 mark inside the division. The defending Super Bowl champions are an elite ball club and I think they’ll probably favored in seven of their next eight – perhaps the Pats are a slight underdog when they visit the Broncos in Week 12. The Jets, who won’t face the Patriots again until Week 16 at MetLife Stadium, truly cannot afford to look past the Raiders. This is an improving Silver & Black outfit and Jack Del Rio’s club is gaining with confidence after a road smack-down of the Chargers.  In a few weeks, let’s see how the AFC East looks. The general consensus nationally is the Green & White impressed in defeat against the Pats, but can they stack some wins together and put themselves to be in position to make a run in the winter   ?

@eallenjets are the Jets going to put Revis on Cooper,if so is this a good idea, if not who/why  ?

EA: It would seem likely, but that does not mean he will shadow the explosive rookie every play. Darrelle Revis is the NFL’s top cornerback and Amari Cooper is the Raiders’ most explosive weapon. Cooper, an Alabama product who is the first rookie to record three 100-yard receiving games in his team’s first six games since Mike Ditka in 1961, is the real deal and young QB Derek Carr loves him. "He's amazing, he's awesome and he's one of the best in this league," Carr said Sunday. "Obviously because he's a rookie and hasn't done it for a certain amount of time people won't say that but he's one of the best."  High praise for Coop (and Brandon Marshall said Wednesday that the rookie seems like a cross between Chad Ochocinco & A.J. Green) , but he’ll see an all-time great on Sunday.

@eallenjets @nyjets @NFL any truth to the rumor we are finally getting new uniforms  ?  ?

EA: Here is your uniform alert today – the Jets will don green jerseys at home for their remaining five contests at MetLife Stadium. That’s all… for now.

@eallenjets what's ivory's status for this week ?

EA: Ivory, who’s hamstring tightened up on him Sunday, practiced full on Wednesday. That is a good sign as the Jets will face a Raiders rush defense that is ranked third in the NFL.

@eallenjets @nyjets .:!:. Why did the Jets only rush 4 on that third and 17 giving Brady all day to find his receiver right down the middle

EA: It’s execution. I spoke to Chad Pennington about this on Jets Audibles and he said zone was the right call. They blitzed on Gronk’s late score, but nobody is talking about that one. Calvin Pryor played very well against the Pats and he was out of the ball game on the third-and-17. You also have to give Edelman credit for the adjustment he made on the play and of course you have to give Brady a tip of the cap as well. If the Jets brought heat and they got beat (like the Brady long toss to Chandler up the home sideline), then everyone would be barking. You weren’t happy with the result.  Todd Bowles and Kacy Rodgers called a good game – again.

@eallenjets well the injuries are piling up don't like them but its part of the game. How are ivory and skrine doing?

EA: Both are doing well. Skrine (shoulder, hand) was limited in practice, but he told reporters he will play Sunday. And Ivory (hamstring) practiced full on Wednesday.

@eallenjets what's a bigger issue: the lack of turnovers since week 2 or the the lack of a pass rush?

EA: The Jets had averaged three takeaways per game until Sunday and that marked the first time in 2015 that the defense failed to pick up one. One game against an all-time great QB does not make it a trend. When you analyze the pass rush, you can’t measure it by sacks alone. Sure the Jets are T25 in the NFL with 11 QB takedowns, but Brady gets that ball out quick and they got to him a few times at Gillette. The Jets strength in rushing has always been the interior when you think about guys like Muhammad Wilkerson (5 sacks) and Sheldon Richardson (1.5 sacks in two games).

>    http://www.newyorkjets.com/news/article-1/EA-QA-Revis-Cooper-Should-Be-Fun/e555eaeb-040c-4c4d-bd00-bee44c4f3dbb

 

[kelly]

Fitzpatrick: Raiders Make It Difficult to Run

video..

>  http://www.newyorkjets.com/videos/videos/Fitzpatrick-Raiders-Make-It-Difficult-to-Run/4bbf4cd7-531c-45d2-8ac0-85a064f32457

[kelly]

-- Facing the New York Jets for the second time in his young NFL career gives Derek Carr a chance to reflect on his growth.

In the midst of a productive second NFL season, Carr will lead the 3-3 Oakland Raiders in a home game Sunday against the 4-2 New York Jets. It will be the 23rd NFL game for Carr, a second-round pick last year. Carr made his NFL debut in a road game against the Jets in Week 1 last year, completing 20 of 32 passes for 151 yards. He threw mostly short passes and never looked comfortable in the first of 10 straight losses for the Raiders.

This year, Carr, who is coming off a game in which he completed a season-high 77 percent of his passes at San Diego, knows the Jets will see a more much comfortable quarterback."It's definitely not the same me," said Carr, explaining why he won't watch the tape of his first game to prepare for this game. "The game has slowed down so much that I'm not out there just at the snap like, I think I know what I'm doing. I play it more confidently, because the game has slowed down. That comes with experience, that's just going to happen naturally. I'd say that's probably the area where the game has slowed down has made the biggest impact."

New Jets coach Todd Bowles was the Arizona Cardinals' defensive coordinator last season. He coached against Carr last October and knows this is a different player who is clearly more accurate, better with the deep pass and improved against the blitz."I think he's a lot more possessed this year," said Bowles of Carr. "He can make every throw. He has more command of the offense. He's just playing great."

>    http://espn.go.com/blog/oakland-raiders/post/_/id/13076/derek-carr-not-the-same-me-wholl-face-jets-for-second-time

[kelly]

oh ,..jets by 10  

[kelly]

-- The New York Jets have been lucky with injuries, but no team is immune. With injuries mounting at safety and wide receiver, plus a concern at running back, they might have to use three players Sunday who weren't on the roster at the start of the season: Dion Bailey, Kenbrell Thompkins and Stevan Ridley.If center Nick Mangold (neck) isn't available to face the Oakland Raiders, the Jets will be forced to start Dakota Dozier or Wesley Johnson, neither of whom has significant NFL experience.

A closer look at the players   :

Dion Bailey, strong safety: He's expected to start for Calvin Pryor, who will miss time with a significant ankle sprain. Bailey started in Weeks 1 and 2 for the Seattle Seahawks, who cut him as soon as Kam Chancellor ended his holdout. The Jets picked him up on waivers and he ended up playing a few days later in the Week 4 win over the Miami Dolphins. He's in the lineup because Jaiquawn Jarrett was placed on injured reserve.The Oakland Raiders were interested in claiming him on waivers, according to Bailey, who suspects they have a healthy respect for his talent and won't attack him. He's a very good tackler but he can be exposed in pass coverage, which was the case last week on the game-turning, third-and-17 conversion by the New England Patriots.Bailey is no stranger to Raiders quarterback Derek Carr. In college, Bailey (USC) met Carr (Fresno State) in a 2013 bowl game."We put a whupping on him the Vegas Bowl," said Bailey, alluding to USC's 45-20 victory.

Kenbrell Thompkins, wide receiver: It has been a quick rise for the former Patriot. He was signed to the practice squad Oct. 5 and to the 53-man roster Oct. 20. He was inactive last week against his former team, but that will change. With Devin Smith (ankle) and Chris Owusu (concussion) nursing injuries, Thompkins will dress Sunday to give them four healthy receivers."He has to be ready," said offensive coordinator Chan Gailey, who likes to use four-receiver packages."He’s very conscientious, he works hard, he’s got more speed than maybe I thought he had," Gailey added. "If he knows what to do, he’ll play fast. He’s caught it when we’ve thrown it to him. That’s all we can ask from the guy. I mean, it will take time for him to work in to where [Ryan] Fitzpatrick has a feel for him, but if he’s in generally the right spot, we’ll be just fine."

Translation : He has a ways to go before he's comfortable with his plays.

Stevan Ridley, running back: It looked like he'd be activated last week from the physically-unable-to-perform list, but the coaches decided to carry only two backs while Bilal Powell sat out with an ankle injury. Because of Chris Ivory's temperamental hamstring, it makes sense to go with three. It will be Ridley or Powell, if he's healthy.Ridley, who suffered a major knee injury last season with the Patriots, hasn't played a game in a full calendar year. Now, after nearly two weeks of practice, he's ready.

"He looks better this week than he did last week, and I think he’s more comfortable running now," Gailey said. "He was a little ginger the first few times. It’s been better lately. He seems to be running with more confidence and doing things with more confidence. He looks pretty good to me."

Dozier/Johnson, center: The Jets are singing the "next man up" song, but it's a bit off key as it pertains to a potential Mangold replacement. Neither Dozier (four NFL snaps) nor Johnson have started an NFL game. Neither player is a natural center. Johnson started seven games at center for Vanderbilt, but it hardly makes him a seasoned pivot man. Without Mangold, who handle the in-line communication, they'd have to rely on the four other linemen to help the new center. It could get messy, especially in a hostile stadium.

>     http://espn.go.com/blog/newyork-jets/post/_/id/55528/jets-will-be-counting-on-new-faces-to-play-key-roles-against-raiders

[kelly]

 The Jets might not have center Nick Mangold, due to a neck muscle injury, for Sunday's game at the Raiders. 

Mangold said he plans to play, though that's not entirely up to him. If he can't play, the Jets will turn to Dakota Dozier or Wesley Johnson.They are both second-year pros. Dozier replaced Mangold for three snaps after he got hurt last Sunday in New England. Other than that, Dozier has played just one NFL snap, in this season's opener. Johnson has never played in an NFL game.Johnson is a more natural and experienced center than Dozier, who just learned the position this past offseason. But that alone won't mean the Jets will pick Johnson as Mangold's potential replacement. 

Either way, if Johnson has to make his NFL debut Sunday at the Oakland Coliseum, that would be a tall order for him. The entirety of his regular season game experience at center consists of seven starts in 2011 at Vanderbilt, though he did get center action in the Jets' preseason games this year.This week, Johnson, 24, took some time to discuss his potential challenge for Sunday, and his interests away from football. 

You've played every position on the line, at some point in college and the NFL, so what is the position-to-position transition like? And what about the challenge of making the offensive line's blocking calls at center? 

"I'd say center and guard are a little more similar, just because you have to be able to play in space at tackle, so you're going against linebackers and ends more. I have a good grasp on the offense. I'm going in between four guys that are great players already, if I do go in. So I'll have a good grasp of reading defenses." 

Since you grew up in Nashville, would it be a big assumption to say you're a country music fan? Did you get to attend any memorable shows growing up?

"I like older country more than new country. There's a lot of bad new country songs out. Honestly, Garth Brooks is almost considered old now. I was a big Garth Brooks fan. Garth Brooks had a relief concert when [Nashville] flooded back in 2009. You really get to see a lot of people [in concert while growing up in Nashville]." 

You grandfather, Al Vadnais, played football at Hofstra and then was briefly with the Baltimore Colts, right? 

"He went to camp with the Colts. He was at Hofstra in the '50s. His team was the Tiny 20. [The 1956 Hofstra team dressed just 20 players, but still went 10-3.] When we went and practiced at Hofstra [during training camp this year], there was a picture of his team up on the wall of fame. I took a picture and sent it to him. His 80th birthday is the day before Thanksgiving. My granddad is all about my career. He follows me and we talk once a week." 

With Halloween right around the corner, do any of you guys here in the Jets' locker room plan to dress up? 

"We've got a group of about five or six guys, and we're going to be a mariachi band. We're trying to recruit guys right now." 

>     http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/10/jets_vs_oakland_raiders_4_downs_interview_wesley_j.html#incart_river

[kelly]

Bill Williamson ESPN Staff Writer 

Raiders' 53-man roster is extremely healthy for this time of year. Only rookie linebacker Neiron Ball is currently set to miss game against Jets.

>    http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/oak/oakland-raiders

[kelly]

There are no easy answers against the Jets’ defense, no obvious solutions to slicing up a unit whose strengths sit on every level. Through five games, Todd Bowles’ team had provided no hints of what could pass for a successful formula, holding teams to 15 points per game while becoming the league’s top-ranked defense, before their battle for first place against the Patriots.

In Bill Belichick’s biggest challenge of the season, the four-time Super Bowl champion coach threw away much of his playbook and opted for a one-dimensional offensive attack, running the ball only nine times — only five carries came from running backs — while having Tom Brady throw 54 passes. Despite 11 drops by receivers, New England gained 355 yards through the air and pulled out a 30-23 win, the most points dropped on the Jets this season.

Now the Jets are aware that opponents might very well mimic what has been the most successful strategy against their defense thus far.“We’re really tough against the run and I think Bill really respected our front seven going into the game,” linebacker Trevor Reilly said. “It’s a copycat league. I think teams may try to go pass-heavy.”

Raiders coach Jack Del Rio said he wasn’t surprised New England conceded the running game, but said that their success didn’t necessarily mean that he would utilize similar play-calling against the Jets on Sunday when the Raiders play host to Gang Green.“Every team is different in how they approach game planning,” Del Rio said on a conference call Wednesday. “I think the Patriots have shown over the years that they’ll do something like that. We’ll put a plan together and look forward to competing ourselves come Sunday.”

With the 13th-ranked passing offense and the 23rd-ranked rushing attack in the league, the Raiders may be more likely than most teams to follow the Patriots’ playbook.After completing 58 percent of his passes in his rookie season in Oakland, Derek Carr has shown tremendous growth in his second season, throwing for 11 touchdowns and three interceptions while completing nearly 66 percent of his passes. Helping him has been star rookie receiver Amari Cooper, whose devastating blend of blazing speed and precise route-running has allowed him to average more than 86 yards per game.

So, given the Raiders’ strengths, Reilly said the defense is preparing for the possibility of a second straight week of aerial action.“Most teams won’t go into a game saying they’re gonna throw 54 times and run nine times, but it could happen,” Reilly said. “They could try it.”

The reason they may not? There’s only one Brady.

“He’s one of the best quarterbacks in the league,” cornerback Buster Skrine said. “He goes through his reads really fast. Not every team has Tom Brady.”

Or Rob Gronkowski.

“The X-factor they have is Brady and Gronk,” Reilly said. “Brady’s unbelievable, but they also have the best pass-catching tight end in the NFL. They have a special situation going on over there.”

So does the Jets’ secondary.

Even after being shredded by Brady, the Jets still have the third-ranked pass defense in the league, having posted a league-best 54.8 completion percentage and as many interceptions as passing touchdowns allowed (eight).

So, if similar-styled attacks are coming, the Jets will be smiling.

“Todd will be the first to tell you we put a lot of trust in those guys,” Reilly said. “It shows in the calls we make. It shows with how aggressive we are on defense.”

>   http://nypost.com/2015/10/28/how-raiders-might-use-patriots-blueprint-to-attack-the-jets/

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-- Calvin Pryor's left ankle is out of the protective boot it had been in since Sunday's loss to the New England Patriots, but the second-year safety did not make the trip to Oakland for this Sunday's game against the Raiders.

With Pryor out, second-year man Dion Bailey will start at strong safety, and he and Marcus Gilchrist are the only two safeties on the 53-man roster. The Jets could sign a safety from their practice squad -- either Rontez Miles or Ronald Martin -- to add depth, but coach Todd Bowles indicated they weren't planning to do that."We'll go with just the two. All the corners can play backup safety," Bowles said, although he hedged by saying the team could still make a move Saturday.

Bowles said all the cornerbacks have practiced at safety, but second-year man Dexter McDougle said he had not. He did, however, express confidence he could play safety if he were pressed into duty."If you play corner in our defense, you can play safety, because as much as we communicate, we pretty much know what they do," McDougle said. "If they call me to, or if they ask me to, I would be able to."

Safety isn't the only position of concern for the Jets defense. Slot corner Buster Skrine was limited in practice Friday with a shoulder problem and bruised fingers. He is officially listed as questionable for Sunday.

Pryor, meanwhile, is hoping for a fast recovery.

"The swelling has gone down," he said. "There's not too much of a swelling, just really, like tightness and soreness in my ankle. And it's really more of a high [sprain]. But every day I'm progressing, every day I'm getting better, so I just have to keep taking steps forward."

>   http://espn.go.com/blog/newyork-jets/post/_/id/55584/calvin-pryor-is-out-so-jets-plan-to-face-raiders-with-two-safeties-on-roster

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Pro Bowl center Nick Mangold, who hasn't practiced all week after suffering a neck injury in the New York Jets' 30-23 loss to the Patriots, was listed on the official injury report Friday as doubtful. That means the team believes there's a 75 percent chance he won't play Sunday against the Oakland Raiders.

On Thursday, Mangold told reporters, "Right now, I'm planning on playing." Jets coach Todd Bowles, however, didn't sound optimistic Friday."It's possible," Bowles said, when asked if Mangold would be able to play even if he hadn't practiced. "But the longer the day is gone and he doesn't do anything, the less possible it becomes."

Mangold, perhaps the most important piece of the Jets' offensive line, isn't the only member of that unit hurting. Right guard Willie Colon was limited at practice and listed as questionable with an ankle injury. Going into Oakland without two starters on the offensive line would hardly be ideal.In case Mangold can't play, a couple of second-year guards, Wesley Johnson and Dakota Dozier, have been splitting the practice snaps at center this week. Johnson said it would be "an honor" for him to play if Mangold can't go.

"I'm really just looking forward to the opportunity," Johnson said Friday. "I'd get to play with four really good offensive linemen; it's kind of an honor for me to even get some snaps with them."The Jets are feeling the squeeze from injuries right now. Besides Mangold, second-year safety Calvin Pryor (ankle), rookie wide receiver Devin Smith (ankle), and running back Bilal Powell (ankle) did not practice Friday and all were ruled out for the game. In addition to Colon, wide receiver Eric Decker and slot corner Buster Skrine were limited in practice Friday. All are listed as questionable for Sunday.

Mangold, who has played before after not having practiced, was tight-lipped Friday when asked for hints as to whether he might play."I don't know, we'll see," he said, when asked about when he thinks he'll be able to make the decision.

Bowles, though, said Mangold is still in pain from the shot he took against New England. During the game, Mangold had to lay on the field for a long moment, before finally getting up and walking off. He was carted to the locker room and eventually taken to a hospital for tests, which were negative.

Bowles was asked what Mangold would have to tell him to get in the lineup Sunday."He's got to say he's not in pain," Bowles said. "If he's not in pain, that'll take care of most of it, you know? But if he's in pain, obviously, he can't go."

>   http://espn.go.com/blog/newyork-jets/post/_/id/55573/jets-center-nick-mangold-doubtful-for-game-in-oakland

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Rich Cimini ESPN Staff Writer 

The Jets took a calculated risk by not having an experienced backup center on the roster, and now they're about to get burned. Nick Mangold (neck) is doubtful for Sunday, meaning G Dakota Dozier (4 career snaps) or G Wesley Johnson (zero) will start against Oakland. Johnson started 7 games at center in college, but that doesn't make him a rock-solid insurance policy. The Jets goofed.

>    http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/nyj/newyork-jets

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Jets are cleared for takeoff

The Jets should have a big day through the air against the Raiders' 32nd-ranked pass defense. Eric Decker, Brandon Marshall and Ryan Fitzpatrick could potentially all have big games against Oakland.

>     http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/nyj/newyork-jets