Game Day 4 - JETS- news articles 9/30

[Kentucky Jet]

NY Sun

Storming To Buffalo

by: Brian Bohl | Senior Writer - NY Sports Day |

HEMPSTEAD, NY

[Kentucky Jet]

Jets Look To Stay On Track

by: Joe Pietaro | NY Sportscene Magazine | Saturday, September 29, 2007

No wins and two losses is not a death sentence, even in the competitive short regular season that is the NFL. Although the Jets dropped their first two games to quality opponents, they have an opportunity to get even with a win on Sunday in Buffalo after defeating Miami last weekend.

The schedule makers were not kind to Gang Green by having them open up against New England and Baltimore, but seeing the away game at Buffalo anywhere before December may be a little payback. The cold temperatures that usually await the Jets later in the season will not be there during the last weekend of September, and it will be even milder than normal with the late surge of a little remaining summer.

The Jets may be catching the Bills (0-3) at a good time, too. Their starting quarterback, J.P. Losman, suffered a knee injury last week and backup Trent Edwards is scheduled to make his first career start. He was a third-round (92nd overall) pick in the 2007 NFL Draft, so look for the Bills to keep the ball on the ground for the majority of the game to alleviate some of the pressure on the young signal caller.

[Kentucky Jet]

Jets' Baker is a touchdown maker

Sunday, September 30, 2007

By J.P. PELZMAN

STAFF WRITER

Chris Baker has had one touchdown reception in each of the past two games. And both of those scores weren't made official until reviewed by replay.

Potential controversy aside, maybe people just wanted to see those catches again to marvel at how excellent they were. Even Baker admits to stealing a look at the video screen while waiting for them to become official.

Hey, who can blame him? The Jets' sixth-year tight end has developed a knack for making the brilliant reception, especially in the red zone and in the end zone. He just wishes he could make more catches everywhere on the field.

"In the flow of the game, if I could have a few more balls come my way, that's obviously what I would like," Baker said Friday after a week of preparation for today's game at Buffalo.

Baker has the kind of talent that could get him more exposure, and not just when replay reviews occur.

"He can do the same things [elite tight ends] do," wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery said. "But a lot of times in our offense we have a lot of options, and sometimes you may not get as many catches as you think you should get. He's a good route runner. He has great hands. He does a lot of things."

"I think he's been under the radar," quarterback Chad Pennington said.

Baker, the Jets' third-round pick in 2002, had a career-high 31 receptions last season. If he could increase those numbers this season, maybe he finally would get some recognition around the league. But through three games, Baker has only four receptions, although two of them have been for touchdowns.

Part of the problem is that he sometimes has to stay in and block on obvious passing downs when the Jets choose to use maximum protection for Pennington.

"In the past I have said things [about wanting to be used as a receiver more often],'' Baker said. "But nothing's really changed, so it's just one of those things. Whatever happens, happens. When I get a chance to make a play, just make a play."

Baker also is an excellent blocker in the Jets' running game.

Said Pennington, "Anytime you have a tight end that is crucial to your run game, but can also make big catches for you in the pass game, he's a bigger threat and more valuable to our offense because we can keep him on the field at all times."

"When the ball is in his vicinity," offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer said, "he finds a way to pull it in."

Cases in point are the touchdowns that were reviewed and eventually upheld. Against Baltimore, Baker made a sliding catch in the back right corner of the end zone with a fingertip grab of the top of the football. Against Miami, he had excellent position on Miami safety Travares Tillman in the middle of the end zone, and used his right hand to tip Pennington's pass to himself.

"He's definitely a guy that's always in our plans," Schottenheimer said. "The ball maybe does not always go to him, but he's definitely a viable option."

"It's one thing to have good hands," Pennington said, "and another thing to run crisp routes and have a good tempo with your routes where the quarterback knows exactly where you're going to be. That's where he's made his biggest improvement."

E-mail: pelzman@northjersey.com

* * *

Jets (1-2) vs. Bills (0-3)

Ralph Wilson Stadium, today, 1 o'clock

TV: Ch. 2. Radio: ESPN-AM 1050, WABC-AM 770

Line: Jets by 3

[Kentucky Jet]

BY RICH CIMINI

DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER

Sunday, September 30th 2007, 4:00 AM

PLAYBOOK

BY HANK GOLA

Jets at Bills at Ralph Wilson Stadium, 1 p.m.

The Line: Jets by 3.5

TV: Ch. 2 (Ian Eagle, Solomon Wilcots)

Radio: WEPN 1050-AM, WABC-770 AM (Bob Wischusen, Marty Lyons)

Forecast: AMostly sunny and warm.

Injury Impact

J.P. Losman is out with a sprained knee, putting rookie Trent Edwards behind center in his first NFL start. The Bills already have placed seven players on IR, including CB Jason Webster and S Ko Simpson. The only good news is that CB/KR Terrence McGee returns from a rib injury this week, which should help a usually superb special teams unit that has been particularly decimated by the injury epidemic. Jets WR Jerricho Cotchery (shoulder) was limited in practice, but he's been playing through it without much problem.

Feature Matchup

WRs Laveranues Coles and Jerricho Cotchery vs. CBs Ashton Yobouty and Terrence McGee: The lack of a pass rush hasn't helped a devastated Buffalo secondary and we could see some decent passing numbers from the Jets for the first time this year. The Bills have given up 281 yards per game through the air and have come up with just one INT. Both Coles and Cotchery have had big games against Buffalo in the past with Cotchery using his height advantage. RB Marshawn Lynch vs. Jonathan Vilma and the Jet LBs: The Bills will try to make it easier on Edwards by pounding it against the Jets' rubbery run defense, which turned Miami's Ronnie Brown into Jim Brown last week. Running out of a single back formation behind zone blocking, the rookie from Cal has averaged four yards a carry against three teams that play the run extremely well. The Jets will certainly bring Kerry Rhodes into the box on first and second down.

Scout Says

"The Bills' linebackers have been very susceptible to play-action, a Pennington forte. Thomas Jones picked up some confidence last week and if the Jets get any kind of ground game going, an accurate Pennington will pick this defense apart. Edwards has good size and a strong arm but he's not ready to start in the NFL, particularly behind a line that can't pass protect very well (eight sacks allowed). The game plan will be simplified for him and since the Jets have had problems defending the screen, that may be one of the staples. We should see a big blitz package from the Jets on third down."

Intangibles

The Bills traditionally play the Jets tough, even in down years, and the Jets have a history of letdowns, losing last year to both the Browns (1-5 at the time) and Bills (5-7). Eric Mangini, of course, has talked up the Bills all week and his team can take nothing for granted after starting out 1-2 and getting fourth-quarter complacent against winless Miami last week. The mood in Buffalo can't be good but after starting out against the Broncos, Steelers and Patriots, the Jets have to look like a comparative breather.

Prediction

Jets, 31-13. If not, something is wrong in Jetland.

[Kentucky Jet]

ORCHARD PARK - Two days after signing a five-year, $20 million contract extension last December, Bryan Thomas went out and recorded a strip/sack on the first possession of a game in Green Bay. He wound up with four sacks in the final six games, providing an immediate return on the Jets' investment.

After four disappointing seasons, Thomas finally had shed the "bust" label and was playing like a first-round pick. The problem with a breakout season, though, is you're expected to deliver an encore.

He isn't. But he isn't the only one.

Thomas' slow start (no sacks, no quarterback pressures, only nine tackles) is one of many troubling issues facing the defense. It's being pulled and stretched like a hunk of Silly Putty, fueling a torrent of questions, big and small:

Is Eric Mangini making a mistake by staying committed to the 3-4 scheme even though it seems clear the personnel is better suited to the 4-3? Is coordinator Bob Sutton too predictable with his play calling? Is Sutton on the hot seat? Where's the pass rush?

"Everybody needs to do a better job and continue to improve - coaching, playing, right across the board," said Mangini, who has to be more concerned than he's letting on. "We all need to get better."

The road to recovery should start today against the winless Bills at Ralph Wilson Stadium, but if the Jets' defense expects a cake walk, they could get a pie in the face.

Yes, the Bills have scored only 24 points (the NFL's second-lowest three-game total since 1970) and, yes, rookie quarterback Trent Edwards will be making his first start. But the Bills have an offensive line the size of Mt. Rushmore and a talented rookie in the backfield in Marshawn Lynch.

"It's going to be a knuckle-up game," said safety Kerry Rhodes, expecting the Bills to run, run, run behind their big people.

A defensive turnaround must start with Thomas. As the weak outside linebacker, he plays the most important position in the 3-4, a stand-up rusher in the base package. Most successful 3-4 defenses have a big-time rusher in this role, and Thomas did a good job last season with a team-high 8.5 sacks.

Comfortable with Thomas, the Jets decided not to pursue any speed rushers last offseason. They considered Anthony Spencer (Purdue) in the draft. If they hadn't traded up for cornerback Darrelle Revis, they would've picked Spencer with the 25th choice. Spencer is off to a nice start as a pass-rushing specialist with the Cowboys, but Revis looks like the real deal.

But the Jets' lack of speed on the edge is apparent; they have only one sack. Could the scheme be the problem? An opposing general manager, speaking on the condition of anonymity, believes the Jets are misusing their top three defensive players, Thomas, nose tackle Dewayne Robertson and linebacker Jonathan Vilma.

"Robertson is an under-tackle or a 3-technique in the 4-3," the GM said. "If you use him in the 3-4, he can do it, but that's not his strength and he'll probably never reach his ceiling. Same thing with Thomas. Coming out, I thought he was the ideal 4-3 end.

"We all know what Vilma is," he added. "He's a weakside

[Kentucky Jet]

Jets' Spencer has brother heading back to Iraq

BY BARBARA BARKER | barbara.barker@newsday.com

September 30, 2007

Cody Spencer has a dream.

It's nothing fancy, nothing that hasn't been done every day by fathers and sons and brothers through the ages.

The Jets' backup linebacker wants to start a family business with his older brother, Jeremy, something to do with hunting and fishing, which has been their passion since they were young boys growing up in rural Seadrift, Texas.

Until a few months ago, the dream looked as if it soon would be a reality. Jeremy, an Army sergeant stationed at Fort Carson in Colorado Springs, was due to be discharged in January. The plan was for him to move his family to coastal Texas, where Cody owns a house. There he would lay the groundwork for their future together.

And then the call came. Shortly after Cody reported to Jets training camp, he picked up his phone and heard the last words he ever expected to hear.

"I'm going back," Jeremy said in a hoarse voice.

Jeremy, who already has done two tours of duty in Iraq, now is scheduled for a third. Instead of packing up his family for Texas this November, he will be heading to Iraq for 15 more months. "It's what you call an involuntary re-enlistment," Jeremy explained in a recent phone interview. And it means that instead of getting out in January 2008, he won't start his life as a civilian until early 2009.

That is if all goes well.

Jeremy, who has spent more than a decade in the Army, already has spent a total of 2

[Kentucky Jet]

Ex-Missouri star QB Smith is versatile with Jets

BY TOM ROCK | tom.rock@newsday.com

September 30, 2007

A typical game for Brad Smith is anything but typical. Just take a look at what the second-year player accomplished last Sunday.

He caught three passes for 24 yards. He had two rushes for 14 yards. He returned two kickoffs for 54 yards. And he made a fantastic special-teams tackle when he shadowed a series of jukes by Ted Ginn Jr. before wrapping up the Dolphins' speedy first-round draft pick.

"His production is exactly what we are looking for," Jets coach Eric Mangini said.

The idea, of course, is to make other teams stop looking for him. For most of his career, Smith has had a hard time sneaking onto the field. Whenever he made his way to the huddle, opposing teams figured something was up. Trick plays, gadget routes, even having Smith take the snap at quarterback while Chad Pennington was lined up wide as a receiver. Those were the type of things Smith brought to last year's offense.

This year, however, he's working on assimilation. And with wide receiver Justin McCareins' opportunities dwindling, Smith could be considered the Jets' No. 3 receiver for today's game against the Bills.

"Hopefully I'm blending into the offense, trying to be a part of it on a more consistent level," he said. "Hopefully that won't give people a chance to say something is up, it's going to be a trick play. We can just run our offense."

The red flags are quickly fading away. So has the red jersey, the one Smith changed in and out of in training camp when he was working as a quarterback. He did, after all, set 69 school, Big 12 and NCAA records at Missouri as a quarterback, prompting some of his current teammates to call him "The Legend."

But since the regular season started, Smith hasn't been as immersed in quarterbacking. Each week he has a package of plays he can run as a quarterback, but he's yet to use any this season. Mangini said Smith is mostly relying on what he picked up in training camp to keep his skills sharp.

"I always feel comfortable whenever I go in at quarterback," Smith said. "It's just something I've done for such a long time."

For now, though, Smith is a receiver. And he's turning into a pretty good one. Safety Kerry Rhodes said Smith makes some unbelievable catches in practices. He caught one pass for 5 yards in the fourth quarter Sunday and could have made the first down, but an early whistle stopped the play before he could break a tackle.

"The best thing about him is he has great hands," Jets starting receiver Jerricho Cotchery said. "That's kind of crazy to see, coming from a quarterback, a guy with hands like he has. He's also very natural and he's progressed very fast."

Even Smith said that when he looks at himself on tape, but looks with the eyes of a quarterback, he sees a target he'd like to throw to.

"Oh, yeah," he said. "I'd trust myself."

The Jets are trusting him to do a lot of different things. Eventually Smith may become just a receiver. But he'll never be just another player.

Jets at Buffalo, 1 p.m.

TV: Ch. 2Radio: WEPN (1050), WABC (770)

Meet the enemy

MARSHAWN LYNCH, RB

The good news for the Jets is that Willis McGahee is out of the division. The bad news is that his replacement, Marshawn Lynch, could be ready to start tormenting them just as McGahee did. Lynch is a 5-11, 215-pound tailback who was taken as the 12th overall selection in April's draft. Though the Bills said they would try to use a balanced running attack with other backs, in three games Lynch has taken 57 of the 68 handoffs and run for 228 yards. In college at California he also was known for his pass receiving, and he has five catches for 36 yards. "He's got really good balance, excellent hands to catch the ball and he can be very elusive," Bills coach Dick Jauron said. "To this point, I don't think it's shown as much on game day as we would like it to, but hopefully it will as the team gets better and more consistent. He'll get more opportunities to get in the open field and make people miss."

Looking back

JETS 37, BILLS 31

Sept. 8, 2002

Chad Morton returned a pair of kickoffs for touchdowns, including the opening kick of overtime, to give the Jets the win. Morton took a second-quarter kickoff 98 yards to cut the Bills' lead to 10-7, then raced 96 yards after the Jets won the extra coin toss. Vinny Testaverde hit Wayne Chrebet on an 18-yard touchdown pass and then threw to Anthony Becht for a two-point conversion to give the Jets a 31-24 lead with 4:47 remaining. The Bills tied it on a touchdown with 26 seconds left, capping a 14-play, 76-yard drive. Curtis Martin had only four carries but caught five passes and left the game with an ankle injury.

Looking ahead

The Jets are on the "road" again and face the Giants next Sunday in the stadium that they usually call home.

THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS

Rookie quarterback Trent Edwards will make his first NFL start today in place of the injured J.P. Losman. The last time the Jets faced a rookie starting quarterback was 2004 when Ben Roethlisberger of the Steelers made two starts against them. He was a combined 26-for-49 for 325 yards, one TD and four interceptions in the two games, but the Steelers won both, including the playoff game in overtime.

[Kentucky Jet]

Jets know to expect the unexpected against the Bills

By ANDREW GROSS

THE JOURNAL NEWS

(Original publication: September 30, 2007)

ORCHARD PARK - Nothing can ever be guaranteed when visiting Ralph Wilson Stadium, with the Jets having struggled at the Bills' boisterous facility in recent years.

But Jets center Nick Mangold is sure of one thing. He'll be hoarse tomorrow.

"Even though I don't do a ton of talking on the field, that little amount I do has to be extra loud," Mangold said.

Ralph Wilson Stadium has more of a college feel to it, with the stands close to the action. As a result, the Jets spent extra time this week practicing communicating in a loud environment. Plus, even though today is supposed to be sunny and 72 degrees, the weather in Buffalo can change rapidly.

The Jets (1-2) will face the injury-depleted Bills (0-3) and rookie quarterback Trent Edwards, starting because J.P. Losman sprained his left knee last week, at 1 p.m.

"You never know what to expect when you go to Buffalo," said Jets quarterback Chad Pennington, adding that he worked on voice inflection this week and joking that he needs to add some bass to his voice when he calls signals. "Opening day in 2002, it was over 100 degrees. Last year, we had about a 30 mile-an-hour wind. When you think you have a pretty day, something always happens."

The Jets won last year's game 28-20 to snap a three-game losing streak in Buffalo, although they nearly blew a 28-13 lead after the Bills recovered an onside kick following Losman's 12-yard touchdown run with 1:15 to play.

Overall, the Jets are 14-19 at the stadium since it opened in 1973.

But these Bills not only don't resemble last year's team, they don't resemble the team that started this season.

Edwards, a third-round pick out of Stanford, last week became the first Bills rookie quarterback to lead the team to a touchdown on his first NFL drive since Jim Kelly in 1986. Edwards completed 10 of 20 for 97 yards with one interception, but the Bills lost 38-7 to the Patriots in Foxborough, Mass.

"I'm sure he's going to be very nervous; he hasn't played hardly at all in the NFL," Bills coach Dick Jauron said. "We'll have to downsize (the playbook) some. I don't think there's any way around that just because he doesn't have any real experience behind him."

In other words, the Jets can expect to see a lot of rookie running back Marshawn Lynch today after the Dolphins' Ronnie Brown had a combined 211 rushing and receiving yards and three touchdowns in the Jets' 31-28 win last week.

Plus, Lynch is running behind an offensive line that averages 332 pounds.

"Take last year's game," Jets safety Kerry Rhodes said. "They came into the game averaging, like, 200 yards a game, and we gave them their best day (475 total yards). That is one reason we can't overlook them. They have playmakers, and you can never overlook playmakers."

But, defensively, Buffalo already has lost three defensive starters - free safety Ko Simpson, cornerback Jason Webster and middle linebacker Paul Posluszny - to season-ending injuries and already has used nine defensive linemen, seven linebackers and 10 defensive backs.

Plus, tight end Kevin Everett was nearly paralyzed in Week 1.

"It is hard, because you have guys who one week were practicing at this position and then somebody gets hurt and they have to play another position," said defensive end Aaron Schobel, who will make his 95th straight start for the Bills. "It is hard to get a rhythm and feel comfortable when it changes every snap and every week. There are guys that weren't even here three weeks ago that are starting now."

Schobel's presence, though, is definitely an asset for the Bills. His 46 1/2 sacks since 2003 are the second most in the league behind the Dolphins' Jason Taylor.

"When you face a good pass-rush team, I think that's one of their advantages of playing at home," Pennington said. "That crowd eliminates some of the snap counts that you can use and some of the cadences that you can use to your advantage."

Reach Andrew Gross at apgross@lohud.com and read his Jets blog at

[Kentucky Jet]

September 30, 2007

Carl Kotala's fearless NFL picks for Week 4

Daunte's determined, but it's time for Dolphins' first win

Oakland Raiders (+4) at Miami: Forget Joey Porter's declaration the Dolphins will win today. In talking to Dolphins players, they are very determined to turn this miserable season around. It's always tough for teams to have to play on the other coast, and even though Daunte Culpepper will be jacked up for this one, I think the Dolphins finally break through. Dolphins 23, Raiders 17

Tampa Bay (+21/2) at Carolina: With Jake Delhomme hurting, it looks like David Carr will get the start for the Panthers. That makes this one a little tougher to call, because we haven't really seen Carr work in this offense. Tampa's defense has been playing well, and if the Buccaneers can get Joey Galloway the ball they have a chance. Buccaneers 20, Panthers 17

Houston (-3) at Atlanta: As if Falcons fans needed another reminder of what a mistake it was to trade quarterback Matt Schaub . . . this is it. The Texans are one of the up-and-coming teams in the NFL. The Falcons are heading for a top-three pick. Texans 24, Falcons 10

Baltimore (-4) at Cleveland: The last time I made a crack about how bad Cleveland is, the Browns put up 51 points on the Bengals. That's not going to happen this week. Cleveland running back Jamal Lewis will be highly motivated against his old team, but the Cleveland defense is giving up an average of 176 yards rushing a game. Willis McGahee could have a big day. Ravens 20, Browns 13

Chicago (-3) at Detroit: Brian Griese finally gets the start as all the Rex Grossman haters out there get their wish. If only it were that easy for the Bears, who are really hurting on defense and haven't been getting the kind of production they need from running back Cedric Benson. Will Griese's presence be enough to get the Bears back on track? I'll take the Bears, but a win by the Lions wouldn't surprise me a bit. Bears 27, Lions 23

Green Bay (-11/2) at Minnesota: The Vikings have an excellent defense, but you have to like the Packers going into this one. Brett Favre is on the verge of breaking Dan Marino's all-time record for touchdown passes and has done a much better job of taking care of the ball. Besides, the Packers can play a little defense, too. Packers 17, Vikings 13

St. Louis (+13) at Dallas: Give Isaac Bruce credit for guaranteeing a win for the Rams and thus setting himself up for a "random" NFL drug test. As much as I like Rams coach Scott Linehan, his team is simply overmatched in this one. Cowboys 31, Rams 10

N.Y. Jets (-31/2) at Buffalo: Marshawn Lynch could have a big day running against the Jets' defense. Unfortunately, the Bills are missing three-fourths of their secondary, two linebackers and . . . oh yeah, quarterback J.P. Losman. The Jets offense finally has a chance to get rolling. Jets 24, Bills 13

Seattle (-2) at San Francisco: The Seahawks dropped both games against San Francisco last season, and the 49ers are better this season than last. While Frank Gore is what makes this offense go, San Francisco will need to make some plays in the passing game to keep the Seahawks at bay. 49ers 26, Seahawks 23

Pittsburgh (-6) at Arizona: Ken Whisenhunt has done a nice job in Arizona, but last week's decision to go back and forth between Matt Leinart and Kurt Warner wasn't smart. Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who was not a fan of Whisenhunt, will take pleasure trying to stick it to his former offensive coordinator. Steelers 27, Cardinals 17

Kansas City (+111/2) at San Diego: Norv Turner hasn't exactly been riding the shirttails of what Marty Schottenheimer did last season in San Diego has he? The Chargers offense is in need of a big game, something that will make LaDainian Tomlinson want to hug Philip Rivers when they come off the field. The woeful Chiefs will oblige. Chargers 31, Chiefs 17

Denver (+91/2) at Indianapolis: The Broncos have struggled to win at the RCA Dome even when they have had better teams than this. Denver really flopped last week at home against Jacksonville. Facing Peyton Manning isn't exactly what you would call a rebound game. Colts 30, Broncos 17

Philadelphia (-3) at N.Y. Giants: It's all about Brian Westbrook, who is listed as questionable with an abdominal strain and will likely be a game-time decision. If Westbrook can play, the Eagles have too many weapons for the Giants. Eagles 27, Giants 20

New England (-7) at Cincinnati: No Rudi Johnson and no defense spell big trouble for the Bengals in this one. Tom Brady and Randy Moss will have a nice duel going with Carson Palmer and Chad Johnson, but in the end the Patriots are just too strong. Patriots 34, Bengals 20

Last week: 11-5 straight up; 9-4-3 against the spread.

Season: 31-17 straight up; 23-20-5 against the spread.

Contact Kotala at 242-3692 or e-mail ckotala@floridatoday.com

[Kentucky Jet]

Jets Gameday vs. Bills

Sunday, September 30, 2007

BY DAVE HUTCHINSON

When the Jets have the ball: The Jets hope to establish their running game against a banged-up Bills defense behind Thomas Jones, who rushed for 110 yards on 25 carries last week vs. the Dolphins. It'll be interesting to see if the Jets feed him the ball or rotate him with Leon Washington. LT D'Brickashaw Ferguson goes against DE Aaron Schobel, who had three sacks and a forced fumble in their last meeting. QB Chad Pennington (ankle) is ready to play.

When the Bills have the ball: Rookie QB Trent Edwards, a third-round pick out of Stanford, is making his first career start in place of the injured J.P. Losman (knee). Look for the Bills to play it conservative and give the Jets a heavy dose of rookie RB Marshawn Lynch (57 carries, 228 yards, 2 TDs). The Bills have a massive offensive line. WRs Roscoe Parrish (10 catches, 108 yards) and Lee Evans (5 catches, 29 yards) have skills.

Special teams: The Bills have one of the most explosive special teams units in the league with KR Terrence McGee (28.2-yard average on 10 returns) and PR Roscoe Parrish (two returns, 44-yard average, 74-yard TD return). The Patriots kicked away from Parrish last week. Jets KR Leon Washington took one 98 yards to the house last week vs. the Dolphins. PK Mike Nugent is off to a great start.

Four Downs

Will the Jets' run defense show up?

The much-maligned unit ranks 28th in the NFL in total defense, allowing an embarrassing 386 yards per game, including 121.3 yards rushing. They have 4-3 talent but coach Eric Mangini insists on employing a 3-4 scheme. The Bills have made it no secret that they plan to pound the ball. It could be a long day if the Jets don't man up.

Can the Jets run the ball?

The Bills are missing eight key players on defense, including MLB Paul Posluszny (forearm), who was their second-leading tackler. Outside LB Keith Ellison (ankle) is also out. CB Terrence McGee (ribs) returns. The Jets offensive line finally found some chemistry with RB Jones last week vs. the Dolphins and hope to continue it.

Will Pennington be able to victimize the Bills' injury-depleted secondary?

Bills S Ko Simpson (ankle) and CB Jason Webster (forearm), both starters, are out for the season. The Jets have a formidable WR duo in Jerricho Cotchery and Laveranues Coles and TE Chris Baker is underrated. If the Jets establish the run, Pennington is excellent in the play-action game. Ferguson, however, must control Schobel.

Who'll win the special teams battle?

Field position could be big in this one. Fortunately, temperatures are expected to be in the mid-70s and the weather shouldn't be a big factor. Both teams have good return games and solid kickers and punters. The Jets' coverage teams have been shaky and one mistake could cost them six points vs. the Bills.

History: The Bills lead the all-time series, 50-42, and are always tough. The Jets haven't swept the home-and-home series since 2002 and have won just once in four visits to Buffalo since then.

One more thing: If the Bills run over the Jets as if they're rolling down the New Jersey Turnpike, it'll be time for coach Eric Mangini to take a hard look at his 3-4 scheme and defensive coordinator Bob Sutton. The Jets defense has yet to fool anyone or make a clever adjustment on the fly this season.

JETS: OUT: LB Cody Spencer (illness). QUESTIONABLE: WR Jerricho Cotchery (shoulder), CB Andre Dyson (foot), G Brandon Moore (shoulder), QB Chad Pennington (ankle), DT Dewayne Robertson (knee), S Eric Smith (thigh). PROBABLE: RB Darian Barnes (shoulder), CB David Barrett (thigh), LB David Bowens (hand), RB Thomas Jones (calf), TE Joe Kowalewski (shoulder), DT Sione Pouha (foot). BILLS: OUT: DE Ryan Denney (foot), LB Keith Ellison (ankle), QB J.P. Losman (knee), LB Paul Posluszny (forearm), G Jason Whittle (hamstring), LB Coy Wire (knee). PROBABLE: WR Sam Aiken (groin), CB Terrence McGee (ribs).

[Kentucky Jet]

Baker at best with heat on

Sunday, September 30, 2007

BY M.A. MEHTA

Star-Ledger Staff

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. -- When his mind wanders, Chris Baker is going catch-for-catch with the best in the business, executing crisp routes, barbequing defenders and showcasing those soft, dependable hands.

When he snaps back to reality, the Jets tight end knows his numbers through three games -- 4 catches for 36 yards -- are hardly threatening.

"Obviously, I'd love to be more involved in the passing game," Baker said. "I would like a few more balls to come my way. But it's just one of those things."

Despite the lack of sheer volume, Baker, 27, has been extremely efficient with his opportunities, developing into a viable red zone threat this season. Baker, who has scored each of the past two weeks, could give the Bills problems in a pivotal AFC East road test today in Orchard Park, N.Y.

"I think he's been under the radar," quarterback Chad Pennington said. "It's one thing to have good hands and another thing to run crisp routes and have a good tempo with your routes where the quarterback knows exactly where you're going to be. That's where he's made his biggest improvement."

Baker, a non-factor in the passing game in the Herman Edwards era, has made strides in offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer's scheme, recording career-highs in catches (31), yards (300) and touchdowns (four) last season. Schottenheimer, who was on the Chargers staff that molded All-Pro tight end Antonio Gates, lauded Baker's improvement, but cautioned not to soley judge his success on the number of catches.

Despite last year's career numbers, Baker has toiled in anonymity for much of his career, disappearing for weeks at a time. He had nine games with either one or no catches last season.

Through three games, only one starting tight end (Cincinnati's Reggie Kelly) has fewer catches and only two (Kelly and Denver's Daniel Graham) have fewer yards than Baker.

"Chris is a guy who's definitely in our plan," Scottenheimer said. "The ball might not always go to him, but he's definitely always a viable option in the progression as we set it up during the course of the week."

Jets coach Eric Mangini also downplayed the importance of the stats, routinely praising Baker's blocking prowess. The 6-3, 258 pounder helped stymie Jason Taylor and Joey Porter in the Jets' first win of the season, against the Dolphins last week. He also opened plenty of holes for Thomas Jones, who gashed Miami for 92 second-half yards on the ground.

"Chris does a really nice job blocking some guys that are in some cases substantially bigger than he is," Mangini said. "He's a stout guy who gets good drive at the line of scrimmage."

Baker, who has developed a knack for making pivotal plays in tight spaces, seems to have all the requisite tools to make a consistent contribution to the passing game. He was on the receiving end of Kellen Clemens' first touchdown pass -- which drew the Jets to within seven points in the fourth quarter against the Ravens two weeks ago. His athletic 4-yard TD last week -- his only catch of the day -- gave the Jets a spark just before halftime.

"I know that he's made some very good plays for us and not just touchdown passes," Mangini said. "There's been some difficult balls that he's come down with, and that comes back to concentration and really how well you're able to run the route and how well you are able to separate from the defender."

Baker's biggest hurdle to becoming a consistent pass-catching weapon may ultimately be the Jets offensive philosophy of spreading the ball around. With viable options like Laveranues Coles and Jerricho Cotchery, Baker will probably never put up numbers like elite tight ends Tony Gonzalez, Alge Crumpler and Kellen Winslow.

Although the Bills have surrendered a pair of touchdowns to tight ends the past two weeks, don't expect Pennington to force feed Baker in the red zone. In other words, Baker isn't likely to morph into a fantasy football star anytime soon.

"When you watch the film and look at a lot of tight ends around the league, he can do some of those same things they can," Cotchery said. "He definitely has the ability. But sometimes when you're in a system with a lot of options, you can get lost in the shuffle."

M.A. Mehta may be reached at mmehta@starledger.com.

[Kentucky Jet]

http://www.newyorkjets.com/news/articles/show/1649-jets-set-to-weather-the-bills-and-their-crowd

[Kentucky Jet]

As promised, here are some snippets from my discussions yesterday with defensive line coach Dan Quinn and linebackers coach Jim Herrmann.

Quinn came to the Jets this season from the Dolphins and Herrmann has had experience with Jets linebackers David Harris, Victor Hobson and David Bowens from his time at Michigan.

As a reporter, I

[Kentucky Jet]

GETTING EVEN NOW THE GOAL

By MARK CANNIZZARO

Thomas Jones

September 30, 2007 -- ORCHARD PARK - The Jets' 0-2 start can be erased by about 4 o'clock this afternoon if they can take care of business and defeat the beaten-up Bills at Ralph Wilson Stadium.

A win would get the Jets to 2-2.

"Getting back to even ground would mean a lot," WR Jerricho Cotchery said.

The Jets' psyche could be elevated with a win, but Eric Mangini warned his players to not get too caught up in standings at this point in the season.

"When we were in New England in 2001, Bill (Belichick) showed some horse race," Mangini said of the Patriots' 0-2 start that year en route to the Super Bowl. "I can't remember which one it was, but at the midway point he asked a question, 'Who's in front?' Four or five guys said, 'No. 14.' He said, 'It doesn't matter. What matters is who finishes first at the end.'

"That to me summarizes the approach. Whether it's a two-game winning streak, a two-game losing streak, whatever it is, the important thing is the next game (and) taking care of that. Then see how the race finishes at the end."

Here's a look at how we see today's game unfolding and finishing:

BEST BATTLE

Jets LT D'Brickashaw Ferguson vs. Bills DE Aaron Schobel. For the second consecutive week, Ferguson is a big focus. Last week, he played one of the best games of his NFL career, helping neutralize Miami DE Jason Taylor. Since 2003, only Taylor has more sacks in the NFL than Schobel (46 1/2), who had three against the Jets in the teams' second meeting last year.

Schobel is a different kind of challenge than Taylor. Schobel's strength is his motor; he's relentless for 60 minutes, and Ferguson will have to be at his best to protect QB Chad Pennington's backside.

WHERE'S THE BEEF?

On the Buffalo offensive line, where 6-6, 335-pound LG Derrick Dockery; 6-8, 355-pound RT Langston Walker; 6-4, 328-pound LT Jason Peters; 6-7, 325-pound RG Brad Butler; and 6-3, 310-pound C Melvin Fowler reside. That's an average of 330.6 pounds.

The Jets' three-man defensive line of Dewayne Robertson (310 pounds), Shaun Ellis (285) and Kenyon Coleman (295) averages 296.6 pounds. That makes Buffalo certain to try to mash the Jets with its running game.

"I never saw a defense that likes to be pounded on," Dockery said. "The Jets have a good defense. Their front seven is quick and athletic. But if we execute, there's no reason why we can't control the line of scrimmage, move the ball and control the clock."

RUSH TO JUDGMENT

Jets RB Thomas Jones, with 110 yards on 25 carries last week against Miami, finally broke out. The question is, can he keep the momentum going today against an injury-riddled Bills' defense, which will be without three of its top four linebackers? Undersized John DiGeorgio (229 pounds) and Leon Joe (235 pounds) are expected to start for the Bills, which should allow the Jets to overpower in the running game.

The Bills have allowed 532 rushing yards this season, an average of 177.3 per game, 87 more than the Jets have averaged on the ground.

HERE'S THE KICKER

The Bills have a very good kicking game. Their punter, Brian Moorman, who averages 45.9 yards gross, has pinned opponents inside their 20-yard line six times on 17 punts this season. Their kicker, Rian Lindell, is one of the best long-range field-goal kickers in the NFL, having made five of five attempts from 50 or more yards since 2005.

The Jets counter with the consistency of Mike Nugent, who's made 21 of his past 22 field-goal attempts dating to last season. He has three touchbacks on kickoffs, as many as he had all last season.

ISN'T THAT SPECIAL

The Jets are feeling much better about their special teams after a solid performance against Miami, highlighted by Leon Washington's 98-yard kickoff return for a TD and improved kickoff coverage. They'd better be at their best today, because the one strength the Bills have shown this season is in their return game. Terrence McGee averages 28.2 yards per kickoff return with a long of 63 yards, and Roscoe Parrish has averaged 44 yards on two punt returns, one of which went for a 74-yard TD.

NUMBER TO KNOW

32. That's where the Bills' defense and offense rank among the NFL's 32 teams entering today's game.

FOE FACT

Opposing teams have nearly a nine-minute advantage in time of possession on the Bills this season.

JETS FACT

The Jets have been penalized nine times in three games for losses of 56 yards; their opponents have been called for 24 penalties for 172 yards in losses.

mark.cannizzaro@nypost.com

CANNIZZARO'S CALL

JETS - 27

BILLS - 10

The Jets will run the ball successfully on the injury-decimated Bills' defense, and their maligned defense will create multiple turnovers. They must beware, however, of the Bills' superior special teams.

[Kentucky Jet]

ROOKIE QB ACTS LIKE VETERAN

By MARK CANNIZZARO

September 30, 2007 -- ORCHARD PARK - Bills rookie QB Trent Edwards, who was forced into action last week when starter J.P. Losman hurt his knee, has shown immediate leadership and confidence in the huddle, according to some of his teammates.

TE Robert Royal, for example, noticed a veteran demeanor in Wednesday's practice, Edwards' first as the starter.

"The first thing he said was, 'Fellas, let's go. No balls hitting the ground in 7-on-7 today,'" Royal said. "Coming from him it kind of threw me off, like, whoa, hold up. That's what I need to hear.

"It just shows you that he's comfortable and it shows the guys that he's ready to play. I could never tell he was a rookie."

Edwards, a third-round pick out of Stanford, led an 80-yard scoring drive to give the Bills a 7-3 lead over the Patriots after Losman was hurt. Edwards and the Buffalo offense did struggle the rest of the game, able to produce 104 yards and six first downs on their final 10 possessions.

Edwards, who finished the game 10-of-20 for 97 yards and an intreception, wasn't happy with the way he played and would accept no excuses.

"I don't take mulligans in golf," he said. "You have to be able to go in there and be able to perform, whether it's the first play of the game or the last play."

The 23-year-old said he was nervous as today's game approached.

"Yeah, I think it's a little of everything: anxious, nervous, excited," Edwards said. "There's a lot of emotions that I haven't felt for a long time, so I need to handle those with some maturity and be able to perform (today)."

Bills coach Dick Jauron said the playbook has been downsized to accommodate Edwards' inexperience.

"I'm sure he's going to be very nervous," Jauron said. "He hasn't played, hardly at all, in the NFL until last week. He's going to be nervous, but he'll handle it well."

Edwards will become the eighth Bills rookie to start a game at quarterback. Of the previous seven, four came against the Jets: Dennis Shaw in 1970, James Harris in 1969, Daryle Lamonica in 1963, and John Green in 1960 (vs. the Titans).

*

You wouldn't be crazy to expect the Jets to have at least one return for a touchdown today considering that, in the previous 10 seasons, they have 10 returns for TDs against the Bills.

The Jets' TD returns have come in different forms: five kickoff returns, four fumble returns, and one interception return. The Jets are 6-1 in games against the Bills when they have at least one return. The Jets are coming off a game against the Dolphins in which Leon Washington returned a kickoff 98 yards for a TD.

In the Jets' previous meeting with the Bills in Buffalo, S Kerry Rhodes had two strip sacks, one recovered by LB Victor Hobson and returned for a TD.

*

Watch out for QB Chad Pennington in the second quarter today. Pennington is 14-of-15 for 291 yards and four TDs in the second quarter this season. His only incomplete pass was an intentional spike to stop the clock against Miami in the closing moments of the half.

Pennington enters today's game with a 32-23 record as a starter.

*

Bills DE Aaron Schobel on his team's poor start and the injuries that have sabotaged them: "You are irritated and frustrated. We had a rough start."

[Kentucky Jet]

SMITH ISN'T ANONYMOUS

MAKING NAME AS RECEIVER

By DAN MARTIN

MR. VERSATILITY: Brad Smith (right) had seven touches for the Jets in last week's win over Miami, and his role could expand tomorrow in Buffalo. Brad Smith's versatility has been known since the Jets drafted him a year ago, but it never was on display more than it was in last week's win over the Dolphins.

Smith and the Jets are hopeful that was a sign of things to come after he rushed twice for 14 yards, caught three passes, and returned two kickoffs.

"His production last week overall was exactly what we are looking for," Eric Mangini said of the former Missouri quarterback, who is gaining ground as the Jets' third wide receiver heading into tomorrow's game at Buffalo.

Now he has to show he can be a legitimate part of the offense and not simply a player used for trickery.

"I see myself as a football player," Smith said. "I want to prove that I can do that every week."

At least one of his fellow receivers believes he can.

"He catches the ball like he's been a receiver all his life," Jerricho Cotchery said.

That has a lot to do with the fact Smith is more familiar with what he needs to do within the offense.

"I understand the basis of what we're doing and I'm trying to expand my role," Smith said. "To go from quarterback to where I am now, I feel a lot more comfortable. I've built chemistry with Chad (Pennington) and want to earn the faith of the coaches."

Smith already is making progress in that area.

"I've always trusted Brad," offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer said. "The way he would compete for the ball and in the running game. You always feel good when 16's in the game."

Part of the reason for his quick acclimation into his broader role is that he played quarterback for so long.

"He's a rare player," Cotchery said. "He has the ability to catch onto a lot of information fast. I noticed that right away."

Schottenheimer also pointed to Smith's experience at the position as a reason he has developed in the NFL.

"One thing about former quarterbacks that I like is that they understand what the quarterback is thinking," Schottenheimer said. "They understand what it's like standing back there with people flying all around, trying to knock your head off and try to get in the right spot."

*

The Jets' defense is ranked 28th in the NFL, but don't expect any panicked moves from defensive coordinator Bob Sutton.

"We're not going to change dramatically our structure or plan," Sutton said. "Obviously, we're not where we want to be."

That includes last week, when safety Erik Coleman led the team with 12 tackles.

"You never want your safeties making 15 tackles," Mangini said. "But you're happy that they do make the ones they make because that's the last line of defense."

*

A year ago, the Chargers went 14-2 but fired Marty Schottenheimer after another playoff ouster. Brian Schottenheimer refused to dwell on San Diego's problems so far this season.

"I'm not touching that," Brian said of the Bolts' 1-2 start under Norv Turner. "You can call my father. He might have some ideas . . ."

Brian Schottenheimer worked out Bills QB Trent Edwards before this year's draft and liked what he saw from the Stanford product, who'll make his first NFL start tomorrow.

"He's got some ability," Schottenheimer said. "He's a big guy, a physical guy. He looks the part."

dan.martin@nypost.com

[Kentucky Jet]

Jets

[Kentucky Jet]

and look very good in doing it! Jets 31 to 7 Enjoy the game and have a great weekend! GO JETS!

[Kentucky Jet]

By JUDY BATTISTA

Published: September 30, 2007

Rex Grossman can look on the bright side of his benching: at least he played three games before Chicago gave him the hook last week. Charlie Frye got less than a half for Cleveland. Byron Leftwich did not even make it to opening day with Jacksonville.

Failure, injury and the occasional federal indictment have combined in the first month of the N.F.L. season to reshape the quarterback landscape with breathtaking swiftness, creating a turbulent tableau for nearly half of the 32 teams. For the most scrutinized position in sports, the leash has never been shorter, the hook never quicker. The old saw in the league is that the backup quarterback is the most popular guy in town. Now, we are seeing more of them than ever.

[Kentucky Jet]

LAWSUIT PREVENTS PATS FROM MOVING ON

At the conclusion of paragraph 18 of the class-action lawsuit filed against the New England Patriots and coach Bill Belichick in the wake of the cheating scandal that erupted on September 10, the formal complaint quotes Belichick's statement of three days later, after the league's punishment was announced: "With tonight's resolution, I will not be offering any further comments on this matter. We are moving on with our preparations for Sunday's game."

And the next sentence of the initial filing says it all. "The New York Jets ticket-holders who have purchased tickets to watch the Jets play the New England Patriots are not willing to move on."

The full text of the lawsuit appears on a blog maintained by the plaintiff, who also is a New Jersey lawyer. The paperwork reads like any other document that launches a civil lawsuit. Though it's too early to tell whether any of the various legal theories (tortious interference with contractual relations, common law fraud, deceptive business practices, federal and state racketeering, violation of ticket-holder rights as third-party beneficiaries, breach of contract, and consumer fraud) will survive an aggressive and comprehensive effort to dispose of the case before guys like Belichick and Matt Estrella and Roger Goodell are asked to swear and affirm that their testimony is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, the mere existence of the lawsuit forces the team, and the league, to re-open matters that had been proclaimed closed.

That fact, standing alone, makes this lawsuit newsworthy, and significant. The team wants to move on, but the team can't move on. Not until the lawsuit is over and all appeals are exhausted.

Also, even if the Pats prevail on a motion to dismiss all eight counts of the complaint on the basis that each theory fails to state a claim on which any relief can be granted, the Pats will have to reduce to writing an argument that, from a P.R. perspective, might be less than ideal.

Basically, the Pats' legal team will write in the brief in support of the motion to dismiss that folks who buy tickets to pro football games have no recourse, under any circumstances, regardless of the existence and extent of cheating. Great care will need to be taken in the crafting of the sentences, because it will be easy for folks in the media to lift segments of the brief that, when considered out of context, won't reflect favorably on the whole customer satisfaction side of the business.

The Patriots also might try in the motion to dismiss to argue that the cheating provided no meaningful benefit, and that the common nature of the practice required teams like the Jets to take steps to shield their defensive signals. But injecting such facts at the outset of the case makes the motion to dismiss something other than a motion to dismiss, and it will invite an argument that formal discovery (i.e., depositions of witnesses and written requested for information and documents) should be allowed before any ruling is made as to whether the case may proceed.

And, as we mentioned last night, the prospect of engaging in discovery in this case is a bit more troubling than in a normal civil action because all of the evidence of cheating has been surrendered by the Pats to the league office, which then destroyed it.

Moving forward, the Patriots and Belichick will have 30 days to respond to the complaint after being formally served, presumably through the New Jersey Secretary of State. The defendants' first move undoubtedly will be a motion to dismiss. Discovery will be permitted to commence after the parties engage in a Rule 26(f) conference, which typically occurs a couple of months after the lawsuit is filed. At some point after the Rule 26(f) conference the Court will enter a scheduling order that contains various dates and deadlines, including (most importantly) the day on which the trial will begin.

Another important portion in the process will be the filing of a motion by the plaintiff to certify the class. It's a necessary step in class actions; before the case can proceed as a class action, the Court has to agree that the legal requirements of class treatment are met. Defendants often oppose motions to certify aggressively, since preventing certification essentially destroys the class action.

So this case will be around for awhile. And we'll be keeping an eye on the developments. And we'll likely be boring all of the non-lawyers in the audience with some of the details from time to time.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[JetCane]

Jets

[SoFlaJets]

Wow. What an article. KAREN CROUSE has been excellent.

Thanks KJ.

yea Lady Jet has had a good season so far...oops did I say that?