Jets News 8-17

flgreen · August 17, 2010

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August 17, 2010, 6:15 am Victories for Jets During a Preseason Defeat

By GEORGE BRETHERTON

Nobody likes to lose, and some Jets defensive backs will no doubt cringe when they watch film of Victor Cruz’s three second-half touchdowns for the Giants on Monday night.

But there was a lot to like from the Jets in their preseason opener, and most of it came from the offensive and defensive starters in the first half, when the Jets took a 13-10 lead.

A look at the statistics gives proof to what was visually evident: The Jets dominated play for most of the first 30 minutes. It was only Step 1 of a long season, but the performances of the Jets’ veteran leaders can only be viewed in a positive light.

Before getting to the statistics, let’s look at the numbers (21, 6 and 17) that really mattered for the Jets, not the 31-16 score.

21, LaDainian Tomlinson If first impressions matter, it looks as if Tomlinson and Shonn Greene are going to be a two-headed force. Greene showed his bull running style early, and Tomlinson demonstrated his classic burst and power on a 14-yard catch-and-run on 3rd and 13 in the first quarter, setting up the Jets’ first touchdown.

6, Mark Sanchez If his interception on his first throw made you think back to the 2009 regular season, the flashback didn’t last long. Sanchez (13 of 17, 119 yards, TD, INT) was nearly flawless as he played the rest of the first half. He expertly spread the ball to six receivers and showed a command of the offense he simply did not have last year.

17, Braylon Edwards Targeted three times by Sanchez, Edwards made catches on all three chances. His 9-yarder for a first down at the Giants’ 23 on the drive that gave the Jets a 13-10 lead was a gem; Edwards twisted and reached behind his back shoulder to catch a bullet from Sanchez. If Edwards can be what the Jets need him to be — a dependable No. 1 receiver who forces opponents to devote attention to him — the rest of the receiving corps will only become more dangerous.

Statistically, the Jets dominated the first half in time of possession (19:08 to 10:52), first downs (10 to 4) and rushing yards (43 to 12). The Giants’ 12 rushing yards in the first half came on 10 carries (1.2 average) and the Jets’ defense held the Giants to 97 first-half yards, 51 of which came on Ahmad Bradshaw’s scamper on a broken-play shuffle pass from Manning. Manning and Jim Sorgi were held to 6 completions on 17 attempts in the half.

flgreen · August 17, 2010

Scenes, stories from New Meadowlands Stadium as Jets, Giants christen home

Published: Tuesday, August 17, 2010, 6:00 AM

Star-Ledger Staff

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Aristide Economopoulos/The Star-LedgerMichael Campione, 14, left, and his friend Matt D'Aleffamdro, both from Colonia, throw the football in the parking lot prior to the start of the preseason game between the Jets and Giants while tailgating with their families, who have been season ticket holders for the past 20 years.

In the hours before the Jets played the first NFL game at New Meadowlands Stadium, team owner Woody Johnson walked out of the West Gate with executive vice president of business operations Matt Higgins.

The pair wanted to make the rounds in the parking lot of tailgaters. But they also had something else in mind: Determine how far back the giant green “Jets” sign in the stadium’s Great Hall could be seen.

The answer?

“As far back as the Giants facility,” Higgins said, beaming. “As far as the eye could see.”

The source of their pride was no secret. The Jets played 26 seasons in a stadium named for the other NFL team in town, and no matter how much they decorated, the “Giants Stadium” nameplate always sat atop the structure.

Today, it was their own signage they could see almost back to Route 3. And on a night when the Jets opened the new stadium, with a high-profile coach, players and Super Bowl aspirations, they felt like the Jets were in the place they had been trying to get for quite some time.

“It means that everything has come together for the New York Jets,” Higgins said. “It was a long time in the making.”

THE JETMOBILE

Kurt Paschke said the JetMobile was a tribute to his late grandmother, Elvira. If it weren’t for her, the 35-year-old wouldn’t have been a Jets fan. He drove it to New Meadowlands Stadium for the first time this afternoon.

“When I was born, she used to play me the (audio recording) of Super Bowl III on vinyl record,” Paschke said. “So ever since I was a kid, I’ve been a Jets fan."

He bought the JetMobile — once an old school bus — for $3,000 four years ago, gutted it and painted it green and white. He added five seats for his friends and family. The inside is plastered with vintage trading cards from his favorite Jets and features a flatscreen television and DVD player.

But the prime feature was another addition from Elvira, who passed away about two months after Paschke bought the van. Her Joe Namath plaque sits just behind the driver's seat.

“It started from there,” Paschke said, pointing to the plaque, “and then it built up to all of this.”

Aristide Economopoulos/The Star-LedgerLou Testa, left, beats his friend Jon Stark in a hot dog eating contest while tailgating outside New Meadowlands Stadium before the preseason game against the Giants. The two from West Caldwell were excited to see the inside of the new stadium.

Though Elvira couldn’t be here to see the first game at the new stadium with her grandson, Paschke took a good look at it and knew how she’d feel.

“I think she would love it,” Pashke said.

PARKING CREWS

A car pulled up to the parking lot Clinton Forer oversees down by the Meadowlands Racetrack on the outskirts of the new stadium parking lot. The driver wanted to know where Lot G was.

Forer, 52, who’d worked this same lot at the old Giants Stadium for two years, fumbled through his pocket to find a map.

“Everything is confusing now,” Forer, a Clifton native, said. “It’s like taking a test everyday.”

With the advent of a new stadium, the parking crew at New Meadowlands Stadium is adjusting to a new experience as well as the fans. As many of the regulars pile in for the first time, they’re finding all the parking lot numbers have changed from a year ago.

The ends of the stadium, which used to be named A, B, C and D, are also renamed for sponsors like Verizon and Pepsi, making things more of a scramble. It was only 4 p.m. at this point, though, and Forer wasn’t worried just yet.

A few hours from now, though...

“I don’t know,” Forer said. “Right now it’s early but another hour and it’ll start getting busy. From 7 p.m. to 8:30, it’s going to be insane."

Aristide Economopoulos/The Star-LedgerGiants fan Nancy Wilder, left, of Danbury, CT, waits for the rain to pass prior to the start of the preseason game against the Jets. She waited David Cannon of Long Valley while tailgating outside New Meadowlands Stadium.

WEATHER

Outside one of the main entrances, Don Glock waited underneath an overhang in a rain-soaked Curtis Martin jersey longing to see his first glimpse of New Meadowlands Stadium. He’s been a season ticket holder for 40 years, back when the Jets were known as the Titans.

Normally, he gives his preseason tickets to his son, but today had the potential to be special — if the rain subsided.

“I would not like to be sitting out in the rain,” Glock said. “If I could drag my son out of here if it’s raining hard I’ll probably leave a little early.”

When Glock left his home in Mahwah, the 70-year-old anticipated more of the same sunny weather. But by the time he’d reached the overhang, around 6 p.m., a heavy rain blanketed the main concourse.

Security guards confiscated umbrellas at the door, saying that they would create a distraction and a safety concern inside the stadium.

Glock also realized that in the new stadium, he couldn’t just move back a few rows into some empty seats like he could at the old one.

“It was so nice before I left home, that I thought the weatherman was bad, you know how bad weathermen are,” Glock said. “In the old stadium, if we moved back a couple rows we could be covered. Here, I’m not sure. I don’t think we’ll be covered.”

TAILGATING HASN'T CHANGED

Five friends from West Caldwell set up their tailgate nearly five hours before the game. Whether it’s freezing in December or raining in August, tailgating and football remains their bond. Four are Jets fans, happy that the new stadium no longer includes “Giants” in the name and sorry there are no longer spirals on the sides of the stadium.

They owned season tickets last year, but the PSLs and troubling economy priced them out. Now, they go on a game-by-game basis. And always five hours before kickoff. They cook burgers, hot dogs and sausages. They raise an American flag and a Jets flag. The four Jets fans make fun of the one Giants fan in the group.

“We tried to drop him off at the gate before the game,” joked Lou Testa, 20. “No one wanted him there, either.”

They wonder if the same fans that made the old stadium memorable will fill New Meadowlands Stadium. Testa said tonight's crowd will be filled only with the fans who could afford to purchase tickets. Mickey Luongo, 20, thinks the charm will remain from the old Giants Stadium, but certain areas of the stadium will feel more corporate.

Regardless, it will not affect the old classmates from James Caldwell High. They want to tailgate, watch football and spend time together. They’d buy PSLs if they could. Instead, they’ll purchase “as many as we can.”

RETURNING HOME

Six months ago, Cpl. Christian Perez was in Iraq with the 6th Motor Transportation Batallion.

Tonight, the 24-year-old Union City native stood at the end of Tunnel D with his arms crossed, watching players warm up on the freshly-soaked green FieldTurf at New Meadowlands Stadium. Behind him was a bevy of personnel wadding through puddles, working to prepare items to be brought onto the field for the pregame festivities -- the stage the Jersey Boys sang the national anthem from, Ring of Honor player boards and an oversized American flag.

Aristide Economopoulos/The Star-LedgerPrior to the start of the game, U.S. Marine Cpl. Christian Perez, right, stationed out of Red Bank, jokingly asks a Jets cheerleader if she would marry him. Military personnel was in the tunnel with the cheerleaders waiting to bring out a huge American flag for the pre-game ceremony.

Perez, a Jets fan who jokingly proposed to a cheerleader in the tunnel before the game, was joined by Giants fans Sgt. John C. Sardine (Rahway), Sgt. Eric Giannolla (Emerson-born, now living in Ocean) and Sgt. Albian Meshaj (Brooklyn, NY), 6th Motor Transportation Batallion. Each left for duty in Iraq, but Sardine was transferred to Afghanistan. They all returned home Feb. 9.

Tonight, they were part of a group of 125 military personnel that brought the oversized American flag onto the field before the playing of the national anthem. The flag stretched from sideline to sideline and from 30-yard line to 30-yard line.

Perez, Sardine and Giannolla returned to the tunnel after the cast from "Jersey Boys" finished singing. Wet from a light drizzle and his arms weary from shaking the flag, Perez had only a smile on his face.

"It was great," he said. "Seeing the Jets take the field and the crowd cheering was awesome."

Said Sardine: "You don't think about being on the field when you are out there. Two months ago, we were in the desert."

A FEW MISTAKES

Rex Ryan walked into the press conference room following the Jets' 31-16 loss to the Giants.

He saw all the media he usually sees following games. But this time, he saw fans outside a glass divider, inside the Toyota Coaches Club, watching back.

Fans who purchased the Toyota Coaches Club seats paid $20,000 for their PSLs per seat. They also paid $700 per ticket. For all that dough, theose fans get a glimpse of what no other fan in the NFL can see in person -- the postgame press conference.

As Ryan took the podium, one fan yelled, "Go get ‘em Rex."

Aristide Economopoulos/The Star-LedgerJoey Scarpelli, aged 2 1/2, is held in the arms of his mother Tara as his father Joe watches them just prior to halftime. The family from Staten Island have been season ticket holders for the past 15 years.

Another hoisted his young daughter onto his shoulders for a better view.

Adam Leon, a Jets fan who traveled from Miami to see the game, barked through the glass divider for a member of the media to move over so he could get a better view.

"Hey, we paid a lot of money for these," Leon said.

John Cunningham, from Long Island, knew he could. But he wasn’t pleased with all the bang he got for his 700 bucks. Even if Ryan and Mark Sanchez were just mere feet away.

"They had some preseason jitters," Cunningham said. "The seats were fantastic, but they can do better in the hospitality section."

Cunningham said there was a shortage of food and water, something Nicole Wasiklewski, a Coaches Club manager confirmed.

"The whole stadium is short on water," Wasiklewski said. "We put out everything we had. But when we ran out, we had to go to our warehouse to get more. And on a game day, that can take some time."

Jon Tripicchio, one of two Coaches Club supervisors, said they needed this night to gauge what they’ll have to improve on in the future.

"We were all nervous," Tripicchio said. "We knew we had some mistakes. The ice machine stopped working at one point. But we did it all to the letter and had accurate numbers. It will be better the second go-around."

Wasiklewski said they'd be fully stocked with water Saturday for the Giants preseason home opener.

Jenny Vrentas, Conor Orr, Zach Berman, and Dan Worthington/Star-Ledger Staff

flgreen · August 17, 2010

Mark Sanchez shakes off dust as Rex Ryan plays starters for an entire half in 31-16 loss to Giants

BY Manish Mehta

DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER

Tuesday, August 17th 2010, 4:00 AM

Sipkin/NewsNew York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez is intercepted on his first pass attempt of the evening but finishes Monday night's preseason debut 13-for-17 with 119 yards and a touchdown. Take our PollGiant Risk?

Does Eli Manning's injury scare Monday night prove that the preseason needs to be shortened?

No, it's football, guys are going to get hurt

Yes, he's the franchise quarterback, I was holding my breath seeing all that blood

When Mark Sanchez was intercepted on his first pass Monday night, four words likely popped into the minds of every Jets fan at the Meadowlands: Here we go again.

But the second-year signal-caller overcame the early interception and showed flashes of brilliance in the Jets' 31-16 loss in the preseason opener to the Giants, looking every bit like a quarterback ready to take a significant step in his second season. Sanchez was 13-for-17 with a touchdown and the interception en route to leading the Jets' revamped offense to three scores in five drives.

"I felt confident," Sanchez said. "I felt great in the huddle. I felt definitely in control."

Rex Ryan's unconventional decision to play his starters for the entire first half of the first preseason game gave Sanchez plenty of opportunities to erase the memory of his first-quarter mistake. Sanchez made a terrible decision on the Jets' second play from scrimmage by trying to squeeze a pass into a double-covered LaDainian Tomlinson. The throw was behind Tomlinson and deflected into Antrel Rolle's waiting arms for an easy pick. Rolle's 59-yard return set up a short Giants' touchdown for the first score of the game.

"I don't think you could script a worst start," Sanchez said. "Maybe last year I would have been really upset (and) down in the dumps. This year, it was easier to (say) no big deal. Let's get back. ... It was more important to move on and get to the next play, but I wanted to make sure I wasn't trying to force anything after that."

Sanchez was resilient on the next drive, taking advantage of nearly all his weapons. He completed six of eight passes for 49 yards and found five different receivers to lead a 17-play, 68-yard scoring drive. The second-year pro made a pair of key third-down completions and capped the drive by flashing his intelligence. After recognizing that the Giants were scrambling with too many men on the field, he quick-snapped it and threw to his left to a wide-open Brad Smith for an easy 4-yard touchdown to tie the game at 7-7 late in the first quarter.

"Maybe last year if that would have happened, his head would have been spinning and he would have been down on himself," tight end Dustin Keller said. "But this year, he just knows that he needs to bounce back. He made all kinds of great throws all over the field after that."

Sanchez exposed the Giants' second-team defense midway through the second quarter by completing all six of his passes in a drive capped by Nick Folk's second field goal of the half.

He insisted that he "want(ed) to hopefully get hit" to eliminate any lingering doubt that he was fully healed from offseason arthroscopic left knee surgery. The Giants only had one clean shot - a sack by Jason Pierre-Paul late in the first half, which didn't appear to faze Sanchez, who didn't wear a protective brace or sleeve. Six months after Sanchez had the patella stabilizing procedure, he believes he's healthier than ever.

The QB felt the surgery was a blessing in disguise, allowing him to fix the injury once and for all. It also gave him a chance to log plenty of hours in the film room, accelerating his understanding of pass protections and defensive schemes.

After that first mistake, he proved that he's learned a lot.

"He's looked great all training camp," Ryan said. "So he came in and did what we expected him to do."

flgreen · August 17, 2010

Deep trouble in shallow Jets secondaryLoss to Victor Cruz -- and the Giants -- exposes the shaky subs in Revis-less ,

New York Jets

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Mark Sanchez started with a hiccup, but settled down nicely. LaDainian Tomlinson provided a couple of moments that made you think there's still some life in those old legs. There were other positives for the New York Jets, but something was missing in Monday night's preseason opener.

That something is named Darrelle Revis, and the ripple effects of his holdout were apparent in the 31-16 loss to the New York Giants in the football grand opening at the New Meadowlands Stadium.

Nothing that happened in the $1.7 billion PSL palace will dramatically alter the Revis negotiations, which are dragging into Week 3 of training camp, but the outcome provided a sobering look at the lack of depth in the Jets' secondary.

Without Revis, everybody in the cornerback crew moved up a notch in the pecking order. Beyond the starters, Antonio Cromartie and rookie Kyle Wilson, the cornerback depth chart looked like this: Drew Coleman, Marquice Cole and Dwight Lowery.

Shaky, shakier and shakiest.

Did someone let Lito Sheppard back on the team?

Alan Maglaque/US Presswire

Victor Cruz beat three different Jets corners for TDs. It was Dwight Lowery's turn on this play.The Jets surrendered three touchdown passes, and the victims were, in order: Lowery (64 yards), Coleman (34) and Cole (5). They were all burned by a rookie free agent named Victor Cruz, a Jersey kid via UMass. Cruz, crafting a Wayne Chrebet-like story, finished with six receptions for 145.

Coach Rex Ryan cracked a joke after the game, saying, "That No. 3 is pretty darn good. I hope they cut him because I know one team that would sign him -- us." Ryan laughed at his own line, but know this: He's concerned about his Revis-less secondary.

And with good reason, considering the Giants played without their best receiver, Steve Smith. Granted, all three touchdowns came against the Jets' No. 2 and No. 3 defenses, but if Revis isn't around for the regular-season opener against the Baltimore Ravens, Coleman, Cole and Lowery will be on the field in the nickel and dime packages.

"Those guys are going to have to step in," said Ryan, who seemed uncomfortable discussing the prospect of life without Revis.

The Jets are trying to hammer out a new contract for their All-Pro cornerback, who apparently isn't going to show until they show him the money. Neither side is talking about the negotiations -- they agreed to a gag order -- so it's difficult to say where things stand.

In Ryan's mind, this is how they stand: Until Revis is here, he's not here. It's still too early to panic, but the preseason will be over in 16 days. Then, it's panic time.

"Obviously, it's a concern," safety Jim Leonhard said. "You take the best corner off your defense, and it's going to hurt. ... We want Darrelle here, but that's the business side of this game. We can't get caught up in that. We have to get better, obviously."

Ryan said he was "totally disappointed" with his backups on defense, although he tried to explain that Coleman wasn't totally to blame (a miscommunication in the secondary, he said). Lowery actually had good coverage on Cruz, who ran a deep sideline route, but he lost his balance as the pass arrived. And that was all she wrote.

And let's not forget, that wasn't Eli Manning making those throws. It was Jim Sorgi and Rhett Bomar. As Ryan might say, Jim Bleepin' Sorgi?

The starting corners, Cromartie and rookie Wilson, held up well, although Cromartie did drop two would-be interceptions. He's supposed to have amazing ball skills, but he reacted to those passes like a New York Mets infielder. Wilson wasn't really tested, so it's difficult to evaluate him.

On the positive side, Sanchez (13-for-17, 119 yards) played well after throwing an interception into double coverage on his first pass. He wanted Tomlinson in the seam, but the throw was behind him. It was batted up in the air and picked off by Antrel Rolle.

"I don't think you could script a worse start for a first play of a second season," Sanchez said.

After that, Sanchez showed patience in the pocket, throwing underneath and spreading the ball to six different receivers. One of those was Tomlinson, who turned a short crossing route into a 14-yard gain on third down. That set up the Jets' first touchdown, a 4-yard pass to Brad Smith.

On opening night, there were plenty of good things for the Jets. But it also served as a warning: With no Revis Island, it will be hard to find a survivor.

Rich Cimini covers the Jets for ESPNNewYork.com. Follow him on Twitter.

flgreen · August 17, 2010

First D Packed a Punch Against the Giants

Posted by Eric Allen on August 17, 2010 – 1:10 am

The Jets started their preseason slate without the NFL’s top cornerback, but the league’s best defense lived up to its standards Monday evening. Coach Rex Ryan let his starters play almost the entire first half in the annual battle and they responded with a fine effort that included one of the most vicious hits you’ll ever see.

Veteran outside linebacker Bryan Thomas, donning an unfamiliar No. 58, let the Giants know early that they’d have a tough go of it on the ground as he attacked on the first play and stopped Ahmad Bradshaw for a 4-yard loss behind the line. Two Eli Manning incompletions followed and the Jets were off the field.

But the D was put in an unenviable position a minute later when Giants S Antrel Rolle intercepted Mark Sanchez’s first preseason pass and returned it 59 yards to the Jets’ 1-yard line. The run defense, which finished eighth in the NFL last season and had a healthy Kris Jenkins back, dug in and stopped Brandon Jacobs twice, on first and second downs. Jacobs fought through on third down, barely crossing the goal line over the right side and giving the visitors a 7-0 first-quarter advantage.

“Sometimes you get put in situations like that and no matter how close they are, you have to find a way,” said OLB Calvin Pace, who finished with four tackles. “Our motto is they’re not in until they’re in. We would have liked to have a better goal line stand there, but you have to tip your hat to them.”

“It felt great. It’s been a long time coming,” said Jenkins of his on-field return. “I knew it was something I had to get out of my system. Today was rather great when I got on the field.”

After a long Jets scoring drive, the starting defense came out and forced another three-and-out. Then backup S Eric Smith blocked Matt Dodge’s punt, setting up a Nick Folk field goal, and the Jets were out in front, 10-7.

With Darrelle Revis engaged in a holdout, the Jets proved to be difficult to both run on and pass on before a nationally televised audience. Over the course of the first 15 minutes, the Giants ran the ball six times for 0 yards and Manning’s 6-yard pass to Ramses Barden was his only completion.

Manning avoided a blitz early in the second stanza, stepping up and dropping off a ball to Bradshaw, and the speedy runner advanced it 51 yards to the Jets’ 14. But three plays later, Pace got a free shot from behind on the Giants’ QB and the result would be a three-inch laceration that required 12 stitches to repair.

“I guess when I hit him, Jim [Leonhard] kind of hit him, too,” said Pace. “So it was kind of a double whammy right there. You never want to see anybody get hurt, especially in a preseason game, and hopefully he’ll be fine.”

Facing a third-and-1 from the Jets’ 5, Manning went to the gun and lost control of the rock when Jacobs came rumbling through. Amidst the chaos, the 6’4”, 265-pound Pace, who had a career-high eight sacks in 2009, unleashed a huge shot on the quarterback, snapping Manning’s helmet off, and he eventually wound up caroming into Leonhard. Jacobs recovered and the Giants tied things up on Lawrence Tynes’ 32-yarder, but they were forced to watch their woozy leader head to the exits.

“A hellacious hit by Calvin. I think Brandon Jacobs should send Eli some flowers,” said WLB Bart Scott. “That’s why you finish the play and Mr. Butterfingers here didn’t pick up the ball. I’ll work on that this week. It’s still preseason.”

The Jets, who emptied their defensive bench in the final two minutes of the half, held their opponent to 97 yards on 26 plays. If you remove the Bradshaw play from the equation, you’re talking 46 yards on 25 plays or 1.84 yards per snap.

“In the first half, we established ourselves and got some three-and-outs,” Scott said. “They got a big play with Eli coming out and dumping it to Bradshaw. I think we responded. We could have responded a little bit better on the goal line and hopefully next time will get a stop. I think all in all we looked great.”

While failing to create a turnover, CB Antonio Cromartie had a couple of near thefts in the second stanza.

“We had three opportunities to come up with some turnovers and we came up with none, so that’s something we would like to improve on,” Ryan said. “I was kidding with Cromartie that we’re not getting our money’s worth. He did drop the two but he played great. I was really happy with the way our first defense played.”

flgreen · August 17, 2010

Shonn Greene, LaDainian Tomlinson share running back load for Jets in loss to Giants

Published: Tuesday, August 17, 2010, 12:37 AM Updated: Tuesday, August 17, 2010, 7:05 AM

Conor Orr/The Star-Ledger

NOTEBOOK

A little before halftime of the Jets' 31-16 loss to the Giants Monday night, a running box score offered little insight into how the Jets planned to divvy up the load between Shonn Greene and LaDainian Tomlinson.

Greene had five carries, Tomlinson had six. Both had one reception. Each had roughly 30 yards of total offense.

Share But then again, what came of the first go-round between budding young running back and aging superstar ran along the lines of expectation.

Greene would be the workhorse, using his stocky 226-pound frame in the role as excavator, clearing out the first line of defenders in the intermediate game. Tomlinson would be the finesse, harnessing what was left of the breakneck speed that once lent itself to 28 touchdowns in a single season.

“We were going back and forth, you know he got some plays, I got some plays, it was fine,” Greene said. “I just go with the flow, whenever they tell me to go in I go in, whatever the team needs."

The proof was in the first two plays. Greene took the ball to the right side for a yard. And on the second, Tomlinson — despite the interception by Antrel Rolle and the impending 59-yard return — was the immediate checkdown target for quarterback Mark Sanchez.

A role Tomlinson stayed in for the rest of his time Monday, floating just behind the first line of Giants defenders waiting to turn a broken play into a breakaway.

“Well I mean I think he did a great job,” Jets head coach Rex Ryan said. “I thought he ran the ball well, did a great job receiving the ball.”

Though Tomlinson, who finished the night with eight carries for 17 yards, did pound it inside at times, it was moments like his longest play — a 14-yard reception with 3:52 remaining to set up a Jets touchdown — that looked to sum up his role Monday night.

Just like the Jets' second drive, an 18-play 67-yard drive, summed up Greene’s. On third and short he pounded the ball right for eight yards. On second and long, he took a cutback for seven yards. Short powerful bursts to set up the pass.

In total, Greene had five rushes for 26 yards and one reception for five.

“You know, regardless of who’s in there, we’re going to get the job done,” Greene said. “So just go with the flow.”

With each replay it was unclear whether or not Jets defensive end Calvin Pace had enough time to react and soften the blow on Giants quarterback Eli Manning, perhaps preventing the cut that required 12 stitches to close.

Pace’s take — have another look. There was no way he could slow down.

“I think if you really watch it you can see I wasn’t trying to hurt the guy,” Pace said. “It just happens man, you gotta take your shots when you can. It’s not like I said ‘Hey it’s preseason, it’s Eli, hey I’m just gonna tag him off.' I’m not the kind of person trying to go out there and hurt anybody.

“People are going to think what they think, but if you really take another look, I wasn’t trying to hurt the guy.”

The goal for Santonio Holmes tonight was to prove he’s motivated.

He dismissed leading the team in catches (four for 55 yards), that’s just preseason. There were more important things on his mind.

“The main thing was to be focused,” Holmes said. “Show the coaches you’ve been working. You know, take the necessary steps to take control.”

Holmes, who will serve a four-game suspension to start the season, stayed in tonight’s game longer than most of the Jets starters Monday for some extra repetitions. He said he wasn’t completely comfortable within the offense yet, but that it’s a work in progress after admittedly feeling a little behind from a late start to training camp.

“It’s coming along, it’s going to take a while for us all to get on the same page,” Holmes said. “But we’re getting there.”

Though all of his catches came after Sanchez left the game, Holmes said he wasn’t upset about missing an opportunity to work more with the starter.

“Nah, doesn’t matter,” Holmes said. “I’ll be here for the next couple years so I still got time for that.”

C Nick Mangold did not play after hitting his head in practice last week. Ryan said him sitting out was a precaution, after he had a headache yesterday. The team never called his injury a concussion. LBs Brashton Satele (ankle) and Josh Mauga (concussion) also did not play.

Conor Orr: corr@starledger.com

flgreen · August 17, 2010

Aug 1712:43PM ETEmail Print Comments By Rich CiminiIf you checked out the New York Jets for the first time Monday night, not knowing anything about their running-back situation, it would lead to only one conclusion:

LaDainian Tomlinson, not Shonn Greene, is the No. 1 back. Tomlinson dominated the playing time by a 3 to 1 margin over Greene. Obviously, there were extenuating circumstances. Tomlinson is new to the offense and unfamiliar with the offensive line, so he needs more reps than Greene. Nevertheless, the division of snaps was interesting.

Here’s an unofficial breakdown of the playing time for the Mark Sanchez-led starting offense, which had 31 plays (all in the first half):

RUNNING BACK (No. of snaps)

LaDainian Tomlinson – 23

Shonn Greene – 8

WIDE RECEIVER

Jerricho Cotchery – 27

Braylon Edwards – 27

Brad Smith – 15

Santonio Holmes – 6

Comment: Smith was used in most three-wide packages, not Holmes.

TIGHT END

Dustin Keller – 24

Ben Hartsock – 9

Matthew Mulligan – 3

Comment: No surprises here.

FULLBACK

Tony Richardson – 8

John Conner – 7

Comment: The Terminator gets to roll with the big boys. Watch out, Tony, he’s coming.

flgreen · August 17, 2010

Grading Out The Jets

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Quarterbacks (B+) - Outside of his interception, Mark Sanchez was accurate (13/17, 119 yards) and spread the ball around to all his weapons. It was also encouraging to see his knee hold up when he was sacked in the second quarter. How about Kellen Clemens? The quarterback we love to hate put up a solid 7/10 performance and looked like the Jets second best option behind Sanchez. Mark Brunell only threw three passes and Kevin O'Connell loodke like he is trying to play his way off the roster.

Running Backs (B+) - Shonn Greene picked up right where he left off last season, gashing defenses up the middle for 5 yards a pop. LaDainian Tomlinson showed his value catching passes out of the backfield and had good burst on a touchdown that was called back. Joe McKnight has a long way to go. It didn't seem like anybody distinguished themselves in the battle at fullback. I don't know if Danny Woodhead is technically a receiver or running back but he looked good and outplayed McKnight.

Wide Receivers (A) - Great balance and production from this group, who avoided any costly drops or mistakes. Jerricho Cotchery had his 3 receptions for 32 yards, with the first of many key third down conversions. Braylon Edwards added 3 receptions for 35 yards. Santonio Holmes looked crisp with the second unit, pulling in 4 receptions for 55 yards. Brad Smith caught a touchdown. Aundrae Allison finished with 40 receiving yards and Larry Taylor had a pair of receptions. M.I.A. - David Clowney and Laveranues Coles.

Tight Ends ( - Dustin Keller had a pair of nice catches and was targeted frequently by Sanchez. How about Matthew Mulligan with a nice sliding grab of a Brunell pass?

Offensive Line (C+) Minus Nick Mangold, the unit had a holding penalty that brought back a touchdown (Rob Turner) and Damien Woody was beat for a sack. However, the run blocking was solid and the pass protection was good beyond the one sack.

Defensive Line ( - Quiet night for the guys up front. No recorded stats from Vernon Gholston. Ropati Pitoitua finished with 3 tackles.

flgreen · August 17, 2010

Someone Tell Rex Ryan and the Jets This is the Preseason3

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.8/17/2010 10:40 AM ET By Andy Kent

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Andy Kent

NFL Writer

Clearly, winning the first football game to be played at the New Meadowlands Stadium was very important to New York Jets coach Rex Ryan and his players, even though it's only the preseason.

Ryan kept his first team offense in for the entire first half of last night's showdown with the New York Giants, the team that will share the $1 billion stadium with the Jets. He watched second-year quarterback Mark Sanchez rebound from an early interception to Antrel Rolle that was returned to the Jets' 1 and set up a Brandon Jacobs touchdown to complete 13-of-19 passes for 119 yards and a touchdown.

Defensively, the Jets bloodied Giants starting quarterback Eli Manning late in the first half after Manning collided with his running back, Brandon Jacobs, on a botched play, lost the ball and then was crushed by Jets linebacker Calvin Pace. His helmet flew off and on his way to the ground his exposed head hit someone's face mask and left a three-inch gash. He hustled off the field, had a towel pressed against the open wound and was taken inside for stitches.

But with no Darrelle Revis to cheer on, Jets fans were eager to see how their newest acquisitions, running back LaDainian Tomlinson, linebacker Jason Taylor, cornerback Antonio Cromartie and wide receiver Santonio Holmes, would perform. They did not disappoint, as Tomlinson carried the ball eight times for 17 yards and had a 14-yard touchdown run called back due to a holding penalty.

Holmes caught three passes for 37 yards on the Jets' opening drive of the second half to set up a Nick Folk 36-yard field goal that extended their lead to 16-10. Holmes' longest reception on the drive was 18 yards as he hopes to get as many snaps in as he can in the preseason since he will be suspended for the first four games of the regular season. Meanwhile on defense, Cromartie made one solo tackle and had one pass defensed, and though he did not show up in the stat sheet, Taylor looked fast coming off the edge on pass rushing downs and disrupted Manning's ability to throw. It was still a strange sight seeing the enigmatic Taylor in Jets colors after wearing the title of Public Enemy No. 1 during his 13 seasons wearing the aqua and orange of the Miami Dolphins.

Probably the highlight of the first half had to be the minor confrontation in the stands between Fireman Ed and a territorial Giants fan when Ed attempted to claim his spot on the railing and lead his infamous J-E-T-S, JETS, JETS, JETS cheer. Fireman Ed was visibly not amused by the Giants fan and jabbed him twice with his fireman's helmet.

Yep, football is back in the Big Apple and New Jersey.

flgreen · August 17, 2010

Joe Namath to Rex Ryan's Jets: 'Payback' looms if wins don't back up big talk

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Recommend Hall of Fame QB Joe Namath some words of warning for the big-talking New York Jets: Back up what you say.

The man who guaranteed the Jets' victory in Super Bowl III said Rex Ryan and his confident risk "payback" from other teams if their win total fails to match their bravado.

Namath told Newsday:

"If they can win, it's great. I make of it less than what the opposition does. I take it with a good laugh and a good sense of humor. But you look around the league, and 31 other teams don't like it a little bit.

"You better get out there and put up because (the Jets) are going to have to shut up big-time if they don't keep putting up."

Ryan has enhanced the chest-pounding style with which he arrived in New York in 2009. It has moved from last year saying he won't kiss Bill Belichick's rings to this year signing "soon-to-be-champs" next to his name on an ESPN bus that was set to visit Patriots camp.

Namath, who said he likes the Jets' chances, told Newsday he's not advising Ryan to cut down on the confident tone:

"That's not for me to say. If they can win that way, God bless 'em. Keep on, carry on. Do more. As long as the wins add up, that's fine. But as soon as the wins — if that were to stop happening — then the payback will be coming."

flgreen · August 17, 2010