Jets News 8-20

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Camp Cortland

Jets BlogBy BART HUBBUCH

Last Updated: 5:44 AM, August 20, 2010

Posted: 2:28 AM, August 20, 2010

FEAT OF THE DAY

After punter Steve Weatherford put on a show in Wednesday’s practice because Rex Ryan wanted to give kicker Nick Folk the day off, Folk reasserted himself in the morning practice by making all six of his field-goal tries, including a 55-yarder to end it.

FLOP OF THE DAY

Rex labeled Mark Sanchez the most improved player in camp this year, but you wouldn’t have known it from the morning practice. Sanchez had a 50-yard TD pass to Braylon Edwards, but completed just 5-of-12 with an interception in team drills.

GETTING TO KNOW YOU

After nearly two full seasons in practice-squad purgatory, ILB Kenwin Cummings might have found a role with the Jets. The undrafted free agent from Division II Wingate, promoted last year in time to play on special teams in the playoffs, was praised by Ryan. Teammates agree, letting him have the day off from practice by voting him an “Iron Jet.”

Today’s Schedule: Walk-through practice (closed to the public).

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Jets add new wrinkle to passing game, as QB Mark Sanchez tries to connect with running backs

Published: Friday, August 20, 2010, 6:30 AM

Jenny Vrentas/The Star-Ledger

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Tim Farrell/The Star-LedgerJets QB Mark Sanchez knows his team's success on offense could come down to his ability to utilize running backs in his passing game.

Share CORTLAND, N.Y. — They’re among the easiest throws to make. But Mark Sanchez says checking down to a running back has always been a “struggle” for him.

“It’s so easy,” the Jets quarterback said, “that sometimes you forget it’s that easy.”

The Jets hope getting their backs involved in the passing game will become, as Sanchez said, “a key part to our success” on offense this season. One piece of that is the addition of running back LaDainian Tomlinson. The other is Sanchez, in his second year, having the maturity to not go for the home run when it’s not there.

“When you’re a stubborn rookie, and trying to make plays down the field and forcing things, you don’t get a chance to see that,” Sanchez said. “Leon (Washington) was our leader last year with like 15 (catches out of the backfield). Which for a rookie, was understandable; but in your second year, unacceptable.”

The coaches hammered home the importance of that element in their offense with a study Sanchez shared Thursday. He said they pulled the numbers to show him that the top NFL offenses in the past six years had a running back with more than 40 catches. Included on the list last season were the Colts, Saints and Vikings — all teams with an elite quarterback.

Some of those completions, Sanchez pointed out, no doubt came on screen passes in the quarterback’s first progression. But the bulk were check-downs. Those are the kind of high-percentage passes that keep an offense running and boost third-down conversion rate, which was just 37 percent for the Jets last year.

Washington’s 15 catches for 131 yards topped the list for the Jets in 2009 — even though the running back, now with Seattle, only played seven games before landing on injured reserve. The Jets hope that part of their offense will flourish with Tomlinson, who has 530 career catches and topped 50 receptions in eight of his nine seasons.

“These backs know when to get out,” Sanchez said, pointing out that Tomlinson has brought along Shonn Greene in this area as well. “They know when to stay in and protect. So it’s making things a lot easier on me.”

Positive reinforcement came on Monday night in the preseason opener against the Giants, when the Jets’ 14-play, 68-yard touchdown drive was kept alive on a check-down to Tomlinson. On third-and-13, Sanchez found him on a 5-yard “balloon route” out of the backfield. The running back cut upfield and past cornerback Terrell Thomas for a 14-yard gain.

Tomlinson, acquired in the offseason, has worked hard to build chemistry with his new offense after nine years in San Diego. On Monday, he was in for nearly three times as many snaps as Greene, the starter, to reinforce his familiarity and comfort level. His versatility was on display, as he lined up in multiple spots on the field.

Head coach Rex Ryan called Tomlinson “one of the premier receivers in the game.” It’s up to Sanchez to take advantage, something Ryan believes he will do. Asked where the biggest improvement has been since the start of training camp, Ryan gave a clear answer: His franchise quarterback.

“He’s improved everywhere,” Ryan said. “Every facet of the game. His knowledge of the offense, being able to read defenses, knowing where the (hot reads) are and how to check the ball down. He’s definitely improved his game.”

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New York Jets QB Mark Sanchez understands value of quick-hit routes in Brian Schottenheimer offense

BY Kevin Armstrong

DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER

Friday, August 20th 2010, 4:00 AM

Perlman/Star-LedgerNew York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez likes having options such as LaDainian Tomlinson out of the backfield, Jerricho Cotchery across the middle, and Santonio Holmes out wide. CORTLAND - Even as second-year quarterback Mark Sanchez's understanding of the Jets offense deepens, it is the shallow crosses and short routes that have become more attractive. Once thought of as a compromise, checking down has become a charted path.

"Sometimes you just have to say 'uncle.' Dump it to your back, and see what they got," Sanchez said of his learning process. "It's a tremendous luxury."

Additional outlets have opened up for Sanchez. As the beneficiary of GM Mike Tannenbaum's acquisitions, he now has LaDainian Tomlinson emerging out of the backfield, receiver Jerricho Cotchery racing across the middle and Braylon Edwards displaying greater consistency deep. Santonio Holmes, his roommate, has shown dual abilities, breaking off routes or staying home for early, easy receptions.

The mapping-out process has been part of the quarterback's maturation.

"You can't dial us in," Rex Ryan said. "There's flexibility."

Sanchez spoke Thursday of his discussions with offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer in between plays, maintaining playbook language even in casual exchanges. His list of options has also expanded, leading him to vary his distribution patterns. Against the Giants last Monday, he threw to six skill position players.

"Even the dump-offs or quick outs can grow into long gains, especially with guys like Santonio out there," Schottenheimer said.

During the offseason, Jets coaches performed a study of the top five offenses over the last six years. Each one, be it the Patriots, Saints or Colts, had a back with 40 catches - an average around 35, according to Sanchez. Last year's main Jet threat, Leon Washington, had 15 catches for 131 yards before being lost to a broken leg.

"It really opened it up to me," Sanchez said. "That's going to be a key part of our success."

In regards to Tomlinson, in particular, Sanchez said, "You just give him a chance and space, it really gives you the opportunity to convert on drives, to get a great third-down percentage and help your completion percentage."

Ryan noted Sanchez's marked improvement as the biggest part of camp. He identified Tomlinson as "one of the premiere receivers out of the backfield" and smiled upon Holmes' "humbling" willingness to be inquisitive about new roles. The bearded Edwards, who hauled in two impressive receptions Thursday, garnered his highest praise.

"Braylon's been phenomenal," said Ryan, who spoke breathlessly of Edwards' juggling grab as well as a 55-yard catch.

Cotchery, last year's leading Jets receiver with 57 catches, also mentioned timing and tempo have helped the routes. He added, "We're threatening the whole field so it keeps more teams' defenses honest."

Sanchez promised to no longer be deceived by the importance of throwing deep. As short as his patience could be in his rookie year, he believes the simpler route may take the team farther.

"It's always been a struggle for me because I want to throw it down field," Sanchez said. "I love making big plays, but sometimes those check-downs can be the big plays for us."

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/2010/08/20/2010-08-20_new_york_jets_qb_mark_sanchez_understands_value_of_quickhit_routes_in_brian_scho.html?r=sports%2Ffootball%2Fjets&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+nydnrss%2Fsports%2Ffootball%2Fjets+%28Sports%2FFootball%2FJets%29#ixzz0x9Eo4qbx

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Camp Cortland

Jets BlogBy BART HUBBUCH

Last Updated: 5:44 AM, August 20, 2010

Posted: 2:28 AM, August 20, 2010

FLOP OF THE DAY

Rex labeled Mark Sanchez the most improved player in camp this year, but you wouldn’t have known it from the morning practice. Sanchez had a 50-yard TD pass to Braylon Edwards, but completed just 5-of-12 with an interception in team drills.

That is pretty bad, but I guess that is because he is facing one of the best defenses in the league. Well I hope that it is the reason.

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Jets' Kris Jenkins leaves ACL tear, stress behind him

Friday, August 20, 2010

BY J.P. PELZMAN

The Record

STAFF WRITER

CORTLAND, N.Y. — Riding on a Bobcat vehicle across the track at SUNY Cortland last week and handling the corners as if he were at nearby Watkins Glen, a grinning Kris Jenkins appeared to be a man without a care.

And in this case, what you saw is what you got.

Jenkins said Thursday that he is "stress-free. ... I come out, I do my job. It doesn’t seem like it’s a pain anymore to get out on the field to do training camp. We have great coaches out here to take care of us. I can’t complain about anything here. I have everything that I need."

The Jets’ veteran nose tackle has reached this Zen state after getting past an injury last season that could have been career-ending. On Oct. 18 against Buffalo, he sustained a torn ACL in his left knee and had season-ending surgery shortly thereafter. But Jenkins’ rehab went well, even though he wasn’t sure he wanted to return until he spoke with his family.

"It was actually pretty quick," said Jenkins, who has three sons, Kris Jr., Marcus and Jesse. "[i said], ‘What do you all think about me getting back out on the field?’ My wife [Tashia] said, ‘Look, I think you still have a lot of football in you. I don’t think you’re ready to leave the game yet. Bye.’ It was relatively quick. I talked to my father [and] it was the same thing. Those are the two people that I really confide in.

"Then on top of that, [there was] ‘Super Jerry Maguire,’ who’s been my agent the whole time that I’ve been in this game, Tony Paige," Jenkins continued. "Tony has always been with me, every step of the way. If it wasn’t for Tony then I probably wouldn’t be in the game at this point."

Jenkins also is lighter than he has been in the past, currently weighing 359 pounds. The Jets still had the top-ranked defense in the NFL without his services for the last 10 regular-season games.

"The fact that he’s got his weight down, I think that’s really a positive," coach Rex Ryan said. "He’s feeling good about himself. He’s able to move. He looks like a young guy out there. In fact, I think he’s better this year than he was last year."

Jenkins began practicing on the fourth day of camp after recovering from a minor hamstring problem. Doctors had used tendon from his left hamstring to graft onto the ligament repair, because Jenkins didn’t want to use a graft from a cadaver, saying earlier in camp, "I don’t do dead people."

But the 10th-year veteran certainly is aware of his own NFL mortality.

"Every year," said Jenkins, who is 31, "I’m going to think about where I am, where my health is and where is my family, and then I will make a decision every year from this point forward. Now, I hope that I can have a long career, but like I said, if there’s anything, such as my family, that supersedes this game, I’ll see you later."

The Jets hope that day is much later.

E-mail: pelzman@northjersey.com

CORTLAND, N.Y. — Riding on a Bobcat vehicle across the track at SUNY Cortland last week and handling the corners as if he were at nearby Watkins Glen, a grinning Kris Jenkins appeared to be a man without a care.

DAVID BERGELAND/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

After a torn ACL put his career in jeopardy, Jets nose tackle Kris Jenkins has gotten perspective on his life in football. And in this case, what you saw is what you got.

Jenkins said Thursday that he is "stress-free. ... I come out, I do my job. It doesn’t seem like it’s a pain anymore to get out on the field to do training camp. We have great coaches out here to take care of us. I can’t complain about anything here. I have everything that I need."

The Jets’ veteran nose tackle has reached this Zen state after getting past an injury last season that could have been career-ending. On Oct. 18 against Buffalo, he sustained a torn ACL in his left knee and had season-ending surgery shortly thereafter. But Jenkins’ rehab went well, even though he wasn’t sure he wanted to return until he spoke with his family.

"It was actually pretty quick," said Jenkins, who has three sons, Kris Jr., Marcus and Jesse. "[i said], ‘What do you all think about me getting back out on the field?’ My wife [Tashia] said, ‘Look, I think you still have a lot of football in you. I don’t think you’re ready to leave the game yet. Bye.’ It was relatively quick. I talked to my father [and] it was the same thing. Those are the two people that I really confide in.

"Then on top of that, [there was] ‘Super Jerry Maguire,’ who’s been my agent the whole time that I’ve been in this game, Tony Paige," Jenkins continued. "Tony has always been with me, every step of the way. If it wasn’t for Tony then I probably wouldn’t be in the game at this point."

Jenkins also is lighter than he has been in the past, currently weighing 359 pounds. The Jets still had the top-ranked defense in the NFL without his services for the last 10 regular-season games.

"The fact that he’s got his weight down, I think that’s really a positive," coach Rex Ryan said. "He’s feeling good about himself. He’s able to move. He looks like a young guy out there. In fact, I think he’s better this year than he was last year."

Jenkins began practicing on the fourth day of camp after recovering from a minor hamstring problem. Doctors had used tendon from his left hamstring to graft onto the ligament repair, because Jenkins didn’t want to use a graft from a cadaver, saying earlier in camp, "I don’t do dead people."

But the 10th-year veteran certainly is aware of his own NFL mortality.

"Every year," said Jenkins, who is 31, "I’m going to think about where I am, where my health is and where is my family, and then I will make a decision every year from this point forward. Now, I hope that I can have a long career, but like I said, if there’s anything, such as my family, that supersedes this game, I’ll see you later."

The Jets hope that day is much later.

E-mail: pelzman@northjersey.com

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Jets' Ryan talks with Dungy

By Dennis Waszak Jr. • The Associated Press • August 20, 2010

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Twitter FarkIt Type Size A A A CORTLAND — Rex Ryan smoothed things over with Tony Dungy.

The Jets' coach spoke with Dungy about his criticism of him during HBO's "Hard Knocks" series. The former NFL coach said that Ryan used too much profanity.

"I wanted him to know how I felt," Ryan said Thursday. "We talked man-to-man. He told me his position and I definitely told him my position. So, it was good."

Ryan was disappointed Wednesday, saying Dungy, a devout Christian, unfairly judged him for his foul language on the television show. Dungy told "The Dan Patrick Show" on Monday that NFL commissioner Roger Goodell should talk to Ryan about his excessive cursing.

While Goodell won't be talking to Ryan about his foul language, Dungy will take up the Jets' coach's invitation to spend a day with the team later this season.

"He knows some people that I know and there's a lot of positive things being said about me," Ryan said, adding that Dungy spoke to someone close to him. "We'll just leave it at that. Look forward to having him come up and seeing what we're all about."

Ryan said he has never met Dungy, but had coached against him in the past. Dungy, currently an NFL analyst for NBC, won a Super Bowl with Indianapolis and also coached Tampa Bay.

"It was definitely heated," a smiling Ryan said of the conversation. "We just talked man-to-man. It was good."

Ryan's first appearance on "Hard Knocks" last week was criticized by some media and fans for what they thought was an excessive use of profanity. There were a few less foul-mouthed moments in the second episode, which premiered Wednesday night.

Ryan said last week he only cared that he disappointed his mother, Doris, but apologized if he offended "more people than I usually offend." He reiterated Wednesday that he will always be himself — colorful language and all — and "I'm a good person."

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Brian Jackson, your King Ugly

August, 19, 2010 Aug 1910:34PM ETEmail Print Comments By Jane McManusThe Jets chose their King Ugly last night, and Brian Jackson's unusual day continued. The rookie CB who was tied to the goalpost earlier in the day won first place in the contest. And in a twist, rookie guard Vladimir Ducasse took second and third place.

The tongue-in-cheek contest was followed by the annual rookie show.

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It's a wrap

August, 19, 2010 Aug 195:22PM ETEmail Print Comments By Jane McManusThat's it here in Cortland. Brian Jackson went from subject of a prank verging on cruel to hero when he took the challenge to throw a 65-yard pass. The rookie CB threw the ball so far that it hit the back of the end zone, and Jets coach Rex Ryan made good on his word to end practice early.

Ryan had mentioned last week that Jackson had a mean arm, and the challenge may have been tailor made to get Jackson back in the team's good graces. In the earlier practice, Jackson was tied to the goalposts and doused in Gatorade. You can read more about it in the post below.

As for the other exceptional passes and plays from the 25 minute afternoon practice, there really weren't a lot. The players were in shorts and jerseys, with no live hits.

It looked like Matt Slauson sat out the practice because of the Iron Jet award, which Jamaal Westerman did in the morning session. Brashton Satele (ankle) was dressed for both practices, but Josh Mauga (head) was not though he did come out for the morning practice. FBs Jason Davis (ankle) and John Conner (knee) are both back on the field.

The Jets will enjoy the rookie show tonight and crown their King Ugly, and have a late curfew tonight. Tomorrow they return to New York and New Jersey and fly to Carolina in the evening to prepare for Saturday night's game.

Practices will resume on Monday, but at the team's Florham Park facility. On Aug. 25th, the Jets have a 6 p.m. practice at Hofstra.

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"Then on top of that, [there was] ‘Super Jerry Maguire,’ who’s been my agent the whole time that I’ve been in this game, Tony Paige," Jenkins continued. "Tony has always been with me, every step of the way. If it wasn’t for Tony then I probably wouldn’t be in the game at this point."

That's awesome. I didn't realize that "Touchdown" Tony Paige was his agent. #49 was a good FB for the Jets for some years in the 80's. Scored 15 TDs his first two years. In another of those ingenius Walton era moves the team drafted Roger Vick despite already having Faaola and let him go.

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During the offseason, Jets coaches performed a study of the top five offenses over the last six years. Each one, be it the Patriots, Saints or Colts, had a back with 40 catches - an average around 35, according to Sanchez. Last year's main Jet threat, Leon Washington, had 15 catches for 131 yards before being lost to a broken leg.

"It really opened it up to me," Sanchez said. "That's going to be a key part of our success."

Interesting. This is probably what led to the Jets pushing hard for LT and drafting McKnight on top of that. John Conner caught about 25 balls in college, too, and they cited his receiving skills when they drafted him as well. I don't think Shonn Greene will ever be a receiver, so Conner being out there and able to catch in the base package could be a big plus.

The key is the importance of sustaining drives. A short gain on second down beats an incompletion. And Sanchez got to see the jints only real positive play from their starters come on a shovel pass to a RB on a broken play. Even Greene could've caught that one.

He has to get his completion percentage up above 60%, and learning to dump it off oughta help. His natural tendency is to go downfield, so it's something the coaches will have to stay on top of all season.

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What to watch: Panthers vs. JetsBy Bryan Strickland

Posted 1 hour ago

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CHARLOTTE – "It's not whether you win or lose; it's how you play the game."

That cliché doesn't fly in the NFL – unless it's the preseason.

"I don't put much thought into winning and losing in the preseason, but putting together drives and gaining momentum is what the preseason is for," Panthers tight end Jeff King said. "When we break it down play-by-play, we want to see some success. You need to build that confidence and go into that first game and know what needs to be done.

"Hopefully, we can build toward that."

The Panthers get their first chance to play winning football at home on Saturday night at 8 when they welcome the New York Jets to Bank of America Stadium. The game can be seen on the Panthers Television Network.

Carolina dropped its preseason opener, 17-12, at Baltimore on Aug. 12, with the expected mix of good and not-so-good moments. The starters are slated to double their playing time Saturday – head coach John Fox said they would essentially play the first half – making the need for progress paramount.

"We just need to tighten some things up," quarterback Matt Moore said. "If we follow through with the things we need to do, it will be a success.

"That's what we're shooting for this week."

Here are a few things they'll be aiming to see against the Jets, who dropped their preseason opener to the New York Giants, 31-16, on Monday.

RIGHT UPFRONT: The offensive line, viewed as a strength with four starters returning, struggled some in the opener. Linemen accounted for seven of the Panthers' nine penalties, and the Ravens racked up seven sacks.

Fox downplayed the performance, pointing to it being the first game. Chemistry on the offensive line is an important component – and one that the Panthers had last season – but it typically takes time for that to develop.

The continued absence of starting right tackle Jeff Otah (knee) could slow the process, but look for the Panthers to take strides forward in Game 2.

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PASSING FANCY: The problems in protection limited the effectiveness of the passing game, but the Panthers need to help themselves as well.

With pressure coming fast and furious, the running backs and tight ends were active in the passing game, but the wide receivers were mostly silent.

With things nowhere close to sorted out at wideout, the Panthers' quarterbacks need time to throw so the coaches have time to evaluate the receivers. The holdout of Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis should help, but New York is still strong in the secondary one season after limiting opponents to 30 fewer passing yards per game than the next-best defense.

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SECONDARY STRENGTH: Despite the Panthers getting pressure on the passer against Baltimore – they collected six sacks and dropped starter Joe Flacco twice in the first quarter – the Ravens had success throwing the ball.

The return of cornerback Chris Gamble should help.

Gamble missed the Baltimore game and a good amount of practice time leading up to it with a hyperextended knee. He returned to practice shortly after the Ravens game and declared himself 100 percent.

Gamble is first in team history in starts at cornerback (93) and second in interceptions (24). Clearly, he's a key part of the reason the Panthers ranked fourth in the NFL in passing yardage allowed a season ago, and his return can only help against the Jets.

A fellow secondary starter, safety Sherrod Martin, isn't expected to play with a groin injury. That could open the door for Marcus Hudson, a former San Francisco 49er who played at North Carolina State, to possibly start.

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KICKING THEMSELVES: Special teams were an area of concern much of last season, and the preseason opener did little to change that.

Some of the problems against Baltimore were familiar, like a long punt return allowed by a Panthers unit that was 29th in the NFL in that category in 2009. Some were new, like John Kasay missing a PAT and Jason Baker dropping the snap on a field goal attempt.

The problems in placekicking appear to be an anomaly. Against the Jets, the Panthers hope to take a step toward making the problems in other special teams situations go away as well.

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STARGAZING: Panthers fans might want to break out some vintage jerseys and perhaps a pair of binoculars, as the first Panthers Homecoming will take place in conjunction with the game.

A multitude of former players will be on the field at halftime as a part of the festivities -- Wesley Walls, Steve Beuerlein, Pat Terrell and Doug Evans among them.

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Panthers offense will face big test from Jets

Jets BlogBy MIKE CRANSTON

Associated Press

Last Updated: 3:11 PM, August 20, 2010

Posted: 3:02 PM, August 20, 2010

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Carolina Panthers quarterback Matt Moore has collected praise from all directions in the preseason.

Teammates have staunchly defended him and squashed any talk he might lose the starting job to rookie Jimmy Clausen. Coach John Fox thinks he’s more comfortable than a year ago. General manager Marty Hurney describes Moore’s performance in training camp as “excellent.”

Moore, longtime starter Jake Delhomme’s replacement, has seemingly done everything except get the Panthers in the end zone. Sustained drives are a priority for Carolina as it plays host to the Jets on Saturday night in the second preseason game.

“Where are we? I’m sure we can still get better,” said Moore, expected to play the entire first half against the Jets. “We can still improve on some things as a whole. There are still steps we need to take, but I think we’re where we want to be.”

That’s despite the offense’s struggles in a team scrimmage and then again in the opening exhibition game against Baltimore. The Panthers were held without an offensive touchdown in the 17-12 loss to the Ravens, with Moore finishing 4 of 7 for 32 yards. He was sacked once and fumbled, which Carolina recovered.

Fox blamed much of the struggles on poor pass protection and penalties. With right tackle Jeff Otah (knee) still sidelined and Mackenzy Bernadeau and Duke Robinson competing for the open right guard spot, the offensive line seeks a better performance when it faces a tough Jets defense.

The Jets will be without star cornerback Darrelle Revis, who is holding out in a contract dispute. Though receiver Steve Smith (broken arm) practiced in full Friday for the first time, he’s not expected to play.

Moore’s targets will be Dwayne Jarrett, Kenny Moore, Brandon LaFell and Wallace Wright. No receiver has jumped to the front in the competition for the starting job opposite Smith.

“I think it’s still shaking out,” Hurney said. “We feel like we’ve added speed to the position. We’ve added guys there. We’ve got some guys who have been here that have had very good camps in Dwayne Jarrett and Kenny Moore. And then we have some guys. We’ll see how it plays out.”

Running back DeAngelo Williams will play some, while Jonathan Stewart is expected to sit out again as he slowly recovers from offseason heel surgery.

With Moore far ahead of Clausen, the more intriguing competition for starting jobs is on defense as the Panthers rebuild their line after Julius Peppers signed with Chicago.

The line is further jumbled with defensive end Tyler Brayton, the only returning starter, to miss Saturday’s game with a sprained left ankle.

Free safety Sherrod Martin (groin) is also likely out after missing practice again Friday. Marcus Hudson, the free-agent signing in the offseason from San Francisco, is expected to start in a secondary that gets cornerback Chris Gamble (knee) back after he missed the Baltimore game.

“I feel like we’re growing every day,” Hudson said Friday. “There’s a lot of talent out there. I haven’t seen this much competition in different positions in a while. As far as I know, from what I’ve seen in camp, we’re a pretty good team. But we still have youth we need to get out of us, as far as growing up, maturity.”

Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/jets/panthers_offense_will_face_big_test_f71TmCHdwfjwvaxL3PUm8L?CMP=OTC-rss&FEEDNAME=#ixzz0xB9RBXuC

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HBO Cameras Help Locate Previously MIA Vernon Gholston1

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.8/20/2010 2:30 PM ET By Andy Kent

Andy Kent

NFL Writer

It's amazing that it took a reality television show heading up to Cortland, N.Y. to help take Vernon Gholston off of the missing persons report. But now that the curtain has been pulled back on his switch from linebacker to defensive end, it's apparent that Gholston still has a chance to live up to his first-round expectations.

Jets coach Rex Ryan bragged about how Gholston agreed to take a cut in salary as a show of his dedication and commitment to getting better, and thought up alternate methods of motivation to stay focused. The most entertaining method was when Ryan set up a fight between Gholston and offensive lineman Robert Turner. That lit a fire under Gholston as he threw Turner to the ground and Ryan got a chuckle out of watching it back on film.

But just to show he was paying attention, Ryan told the media during one of his press conferences that Gholston has been impressing everyone and is on the verge of turning around his career. He has the right mix of veterans on defense to help Gholston, namely Jason Taylor, Kris Jenkins and Bart Scott. He has been showing off the foot speed that made him so attractive in the 2008 NFL Draft.

Clearly, "Hard Knocks," is shining a lot of light on the inner working of the Jets organization and the method to Ryan's madness, and it's hard to determine whether or not Ryan would have told Turner to instigate that fight with Gholston had the HBO cameras not been there. I'm willing to bet he would have done it regardless but Ryan has shown that he dances to the beat of a different drum.

The bottom line is if Gholston winds up putting up big numbers for the Jets defense this season, Ryan's methods will be championed. And it was Gholston who went on record as saying after the series premiere, "I wish this show came out during my rookie season because it would have made me want to play for them then."

To each his own.

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Schotty's new wrinkles on offense

August, 20, 2010 Aug 201:37PM ETEmail Print Comments By Rich CiminiOne of the main items on the New York Jets' offensive agenda this week in practice was to concentrate on positional flexibility. In other words, coordinator Brian Schottenheimer wanted to move around his chess pieces, familiarizing them with different positions in the system.

"The good news is we don't have to put people in specific spots anymore," Schottenheimer said.

A year ago, WR Braylon Edwards was used primarily in the split end (X) position, WR Jerricho Cotchery at flanker (Z). With the Pittsburgh Steelers, Santonio Holmes was mostly a split end, although he lobbied (unsuccessfully) to move around. In those positions, Edwards and Holmes were stationary, rarely in motion and rarely in the slot.

On Monday night, the Jets provided a sneak peek of their 2010 offense, deploying their skill-position players in multiple spots. Edwards, Cotchery and Brad Smith appeared in all three receiver postion -- split end, flanker and slot. Obviously, it makes them more unpredictable and more difficult to defend.

An unofficial film breakdown of the first 16 plays (the first two drives) illustrates the new flexibility. The positions are listed in order, starting with the spot they were used most often.

Edwards: Right side of the formation, left side, slot, wingback, motion into the slot.

Cotchery: Slot, left side, right side, motion into the slot.

Smith: Right side, slot, left side.

TE Dustin Keller: In-line left, in-line right, right wing, left wing, slot, backfield.

Holmes: Right side (only two plays)

Schottenheimer also moved around his backs. On the second play of the game, LaDainian Tomlinson motioned into the slot, creating an "empty" look. Unfortunately for the Jets, QB Mark Sanchez forced a ball to Tomlinson, resulting in an interception. On one play, FB Tony Richardson was split out to the left as a receiver. In perhaps the biggest surprise, RB Shonn Greene, not known for his receiving prowess, was used in the slot in an "empty" look.

"Braylon has been phenomenal, just seeing the improvement that he has made (by) learning all of the positions," Rex Ryan said. "Santonio told me that in Pittsburgh, he only learned one position. Right now, Santonio has challenged himself to try and learn everything. So it's easy to say I want Braylon to play the X or I want Santonio to play the Z. Of course, Jerricho knows all of (the positions). (We have) flexibility ... The combination of those three guys (is great to see)."

[flgreen]

Aug 2010:43AM ETEmail Print Comments127 By Tim GrahamThere are a lot of reasons to love Mark Sanchez, and most of them don't have to do with Sanchez.

So writes John Clayton in his latest column for ESPN.com.

SanchezClayton examines the upside for Sanchez with the New York Jets compared to Detroit Lions classmate Matthew Stafford and St. Louis Rams rookie Sam Bradford. Clayton notes "Sanchez might be the least talented of the trio," but predicts he will look far better early in his career because of his situation.

Sanchez, similar to Ben Roethlisberger's arrival to the Pittsburgh Steelers, has an enviable supporting cast. The Jets have an elite offensive line, a talented receiving corps and the top-rated defense from a year ago. As long as Sanchez can stay out of his own way, the Jets should win a lot of games.

Clayton explains his "Theory of 50," a premise that a good offense can add up its number of completions plus rushing attempts and reach 50. A great offense can hit 52. In Sanchez's rookie season, the Jets averaged 51.

A year of maturity plus the additions of receivers Santonio Holmes and Laveranues Coles and LaDainian Tomlinson as a threat out of the backfield (something the Jets didn't have for most of last season when Leon Washington broke his leg) will give Sanchez the chance for a big 2010.

[flgreen]

Former Bill Parcells draftee seeking a spot on the offensive line with Miami Dolphins

Posted: 10:55 a.m. Friday, Aug. 20, 2010

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DAVIE — Randy Thomas has become almost as famous for his southern-style ribs at his Atlanta-area restaurant, RT's, as he has for mauling defensive tackles for 11 seasons in the NFL.

But Thomas, 34, isn't ready to retire to the kitchen quite yet.

"I didn't want to go into cooking," Thomas, a right guard, said Thursday. "I got tired of cleaning up.

"Landscaping - I can't keep straight lines.

"I don't have the itch for anything but football."

The Dolphins are giving Thomas - who started all 143 games he has played during his career with the New York Jets and Washington Redskins - a chance to keep playing.

After being cut by the Redskins on March 4 after suffering a season-ending triceps injury last September, Thomas received a call from Bill Parcells on Wednesday morning, and was in Miami practicing with his new teammates by 2 p.m.

When Parcells was with the Jets, he drafted Thomas in the second round in 1999. Parcells told Thomas that he has a shot to make the Dolphins' 53-man roster.

Thomas also played for current Dolphins offensive coordinator Dan Henning while with the Jets. Thomas is temporarily replacing Nate Garner, who is out for eight weeks with a broken foot.

"They told me to come in and compete and earn a spot. Nothing is given," Thomas said. "That's probably why I played 11 years. I never thought I had a spot. I always worked to get it."

Thomas said he is rusty and behind his new teammates in terms of learning the playbook, but, "I didn't forget how to hit people."

Note-taking: Quarterback Chad Henne said he has picked up a thing or two while watching the rival Jets on HBO's series Hard Knock the past two weeks.

"Sometimes you feel like you're getting some of their terminology, and you're kind of getting a feel of what they're doing out there," Henne said. "I don't know if our program would be willing to do that. I think we kind of keep it under wraps."

Noteworthy: Channing Crowder sat out practice again with an apparent leg injury, and likely won't play much, if at all, Saturday against Jacksonville. Same with receiver Greg Camarillo, who has sat out all week with a groin pull. Safety Reshad Jones also sat out with an ankle injury, and his status for Saturday is uncertain. ... Running back Tristan Davis returned to practice, and likely will return kickoffs against the Jaguars.

[flgreen]

Personal-Best Pace? LB Seeks 10+ Sacks

Posted by Eric Allen on August 20, 2010 – 10:16 am

After 2½ weeks, 20 full-team practices, six special-teams workouts, one scrimmage and two “Hard Knocks” episodes, the New York Jets waved goodbye to Cortland, N.Y. this morning. While the team has a championship plan, OLB Calvin Pace hopes to help the Green & White get there by racking up a double-digit sack total.

“That’s my goal. I need to get there, just to be more consistent with my pass rush, especially with the additions that we’ve made with Antonio Cromartie, Jason Taylor and Brodney Pool,” Pace told me this week. “A lot of guys haven’t talked about him, but Brodney’s been a good addition for us and that’s the way you get sacks. It’s not just a guy beating a guy, it’s good coverage behind you and right-place-right-time sometimes. I definitely need to take my game to another level and get double digits.”

Despite missing the first four games last season, Pace’s career-high eight sacks led the Green & White. The 6’4”, 265-pounder, in his third season with the Jets, has enjoyed working with another sackmaster in Taylor.

“It’s been great. He’s bought into our team’s goals and our mentality. You would think he’s been here for years. It’s been fun playing with him and just watching him. There’s a reason why he has 120-something sacks [actually 127.5] — he’s been playing this long and he works at it every day,” said Pace. “It’s always good for me to have another player’s perspective. He might see something different than me and just talk about different formations, how an offensive tackle might set. He might beat a guy on a certain move and we just talk and just share notes.”

The Jets had a very good defense in 2009 but they failed to close out three games, tied for 18th in sacks (32) and tied for 13th in interceptions (17). It’s fair to expect more pressure early in September as the Jets will have Pace to start the season, Taylor can still bring the heat from the edge and his presence means more rest for CP and Bryan Thomas. Other teams must be praying for a long Darrelle Revis holdout because this has the makings of a special defense.

“This year our focus has been playing a full 60 minutes, not just playing 58 and giving a team a two-minute drive to win it or tie it. That’s what we have to do,” Pace said. “Instead of just being good, we have to be dominant. We’re just focusing on closing games out and you always can have more turnovers to get the ball to the offense to help them out. But be dominant — that’s our goal this year.”

Weeks: Rex a Knockout on “Knocks”

A college roommate and teammate of both Rex and Rob Ryan at Southwest Oklahoma State, Jets OLBs coach Jeff Weeks stopped by the Jets TV tent Thursday to give us his take on “Hard Knocks.”

“Rex, he is the show, he is unbelievable,” Weeks said. “Everything he says is funny, but the big thing I like about Rex is he has such a great sense of humor and he’s a great football coach and I think that’s what you’re seeing after show No. 2. He doesn’t have to use F-bombs and as you noticed, he didn’t. They showed him coaching a little bit and he coaches every day. He’s an unbelievable coach, a great coach and a great leader for us.”

One of the funniest moments of Episode 1 was when the coaches looked at the video of Weeks’ locker and spotted tanning spray.

“I just had to continue my tan. I’m from South Texas, living down at the beach, and I was minding my own business out here tanning,” said Weeks. “Vito [Contento], our equipment guy, started telling me, ‘Hey, put on your shirt.’ I was just trying to come out here and get some peace of mind in these beautiful hills of upstate New York.

“One thing about our staff is when they find one thing about somebody, they’re going to bust you. The next thing I know, I had a jogging-without-a-shirt fine and a tanning fine. But I’m waiting for Hawaiian Tropic or Banana Boat to contact me because I think we could have a hell of a commercial.”

When we got down to talking some serious football, Weeks called Pace a “star” and he’s also been impressed with Taylor’s complete game.

“Jason knocked three balls down in the last two practices, so there have been a lot of batted balls with him,” the coach said. “He can come in and rush the passer. I think everyone knows he can rush the passer. But he’s buying into what we do on the run. An excellent football player, he’s a great leader in the locker room and he’s going to fit in with BT and Calvin.”

Nobody on the Jets’ coaching staff was happy with the team’s second-half performance Monday night and Weeks says the reserves have to step up Saturday night against the Panthers.

“We’re going to go out to Carolina and see who’s going to be a Jet. We know our ones and I think we proved that on Monday Night,” he said. “We’re going to go out and see who can come out — offense, defense and special teams —and make our 53.”

More Weapons = More Headaches

The Jets are excited about Mark Sanchez’s development. Before the team left for Charlotte, N.C., head coach Rex Ryan said Sanchez was the facet in which the Jets have improved the most this offseason. The fact that they added a pair of tremendous receiving targets in WR Santonio Holmes and RB LaDainian Tomlinson haven’t hurt things, either.

“I think we’ll be able to beat you both ways now,” said veteran WR Jerricho Cotchery during a recent JetsTV interview. “Last year we were a great running team but once everyone took away that run, we weren’t able to be as efficient in the passing game. Now I think we’re going to be able to do so. We have a lot of weapons that are going to give you a lot of headaches. I think we’ll be hard to handle this year.”

Last season the Jets finished first in the NFL in rushing and next to last in passing. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see them remain a top-five rushing team but move into the top half of the league in passing.

“Mark has taken control of this entire team,” said Cotchery of the second-year passer who against the Giants completed 13 of 17 for 119 yards with 1 TD and 1 INT. “Speaking offensively, he has done a great job of getting us in and out of the huddle, making sure we’re playing with that great tempo, the way we were playing the other night. He did a great job this entire offseason and training camp.”

No matter how the Jets start out of the gate, they’ll have the luxury of knowing that Holmes is slated for a Week 5 return after serving his four-game suspension. Holmes, who averaged 15.8 yards on 79 receptions last year in Pittsburgh, is a fantastic route runner, blessed with great hands, and he’s been a sponge this summer learning the new system.

“I’ve been very impressed with him since he’s been here. He’s done a great job of picking up the offense, communicating with everyone, making sure he knows the details of everything as far as concept-wise in the passing game,” J-Co said. “He’s going to be hard to handle out there and he’s going to open it up for everyone on the field, so I’m looking forward to it

[JerryK]

So this week...after a year in the NFL, and years playing NCAA football....

He discovers checkdowns? And everyone things this is just 'cute'????

How do you say "oops, I never bother with all my checkdown options" and not get a FOOT up your BUTT??

If I'm Rex and my star QB has been ignoring checkdown options for a YEAR, I'd feed him X-lax and make him run 5 miles.

In related stories this week:

Dale Earnhardt Jr said: ...ohhh, so THAT'S a blindspot!

Pudge Rodriguez said: All those times struck out swinging...I could have walked?

Vernon Gholston said: So if I knock them down...that's good?

Lance Armstrong said: You won't believe what these cool lever-thingies on my handlebars do!

[BroadwayJ667]

That is pretty bad, but I guess that is because he is facing one of the best defenses in the league. Well I hope that it is the reason.

Waiting to see what tomorrow beings. Even then, I still don't really care until after week one.

[Ghost]

I'm happy to hear Folk made a 55 yarder.

[LWC611]

Waiting to see what tomorrow beings. Even then, I still don't really care until after week one.

"Tomorrow" was much worse....Sanchez looked pretty bad against Carolina.