Jets News 8-21

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New York Jets nose tackle Kris Jenkins adjusts technique, feels rejuvenated after training camp

BY Kevin Armstrong

DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER

Saturday, August 21st 2010, 4:00 AM

Pereira/GettyNew York Jets nose tackle Kris Jenkins (l.) has a successful training camp despite tearing his ACL on Oct. 18, 2009 against the Buffalo Bills and missing the remainder of last season. Related NewsNT Kris Jenkins strains calf on first day of Jets' training campO-line in a rush to help out SanchezJenkins to participate in June minicampSuper Bowl talk dominates first day of Jets campRex continues to credit Revis despite holdoutRex and Dungy speak 'man-to-man'

CORTLAND - During three weeks of training camp, Jets nose tackle Kris Jenkins sniffed out tailbacks, jogged backward while jawing in the face of rookie left guard Vlad Ducasse and exchanged words with fans who heckled the 359-pounder as he lumbered. Before heading home, he declared this his first stress-free season since 2002 with the Panthers.

"It doesn't seem like a pain anymore," Jenkins said before leaving for New Jersey Thursday afternoon. "I can't complain about anything here."

Rex Ryan, who helped talk Jenkins out of considering retirement after last year's season-ending knee surgery, added: "We're seeing a phenomenal Kris Jenkins."

Jenkins, 31, faced a decision in the offseason. On Oct. 18 against the Bills at Giants Stadium, he tore his left ACL and missed the Jets' run to the AFC title game. Rehabilitation went well, but Jenkins was uncertain of returning until he had separate sit-down conversations with his wife, Tashia, and father, Darome. Both encouraged him to continue, as did his agent, Tony Paige, whom Jenkins refers to as "Super Jerry Maguire."

"It's not about how everybody feels about my thoughts and decisions," Jenkins said. "I have to be a man for my own life."

Saturday night, Jenkins returns to Charlotte, where he played his first seven seasons with the Panthers. His oldest son, Kris Jr., still lives in the area, and Jenkins intends to retire in North Carolina. He has 10 acres on a lake somewhere quiet nearby.

"That's for retirement, though," Jenkins said.

In regards to his departure from Carolina, where he was a Pro Bowl tackle and made it to Super Bowl XXXVIII against the Patriots, he said, "I'm over that situation."

The road to recovery began with rehab and included a cookie diet. Jenkins and offensive lineman Damien Woody, entering his 13th season, were challenged to a weight-loss contest before camp, and Jenkins won, dropping 33.3 pounds. The result has been an invigorated defender.

"He's feeling good about himself," Ryan said. "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."

More than his endless talk on the field, Jenkins' technique has drawn Ryan's attention. He has tinkered with his own fundamentals, readjusting in order to better his positioning. Jenkins said his left knee has sustained several hits and collisions thus far.

"When you have a veteran who is willing to accept coaching, willing to do things and look at himself critically from a teaching standpoint, he's willing to improve regardless of age," Ryan said.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/2010/08/21/2010-08-21_new_york_jets_nose_tackle_kris_jenkins_adjusts_technique_feels_rejuvenated_after.html?r=sports%2Ffootball%2Fjets&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+nydnrss%2Fsports%2Ffootball%2Fjets+%28Sports%2FFootball%2FJets%29#ixzz0xEqICB78

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The 'Knock' against Mark Sanchez: He's no star yet

Jets BlogLast Updated: 5:51 AM, August 21, 2010

Posted: 4:10 AM, August 21, 2010

Comments: 0 | More Print

George Willis

Follow George on Twitter

Blog: By George

There's no question Jets head coach Rex Ryan is the star of the HBO reality show "Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the New York Jets." He's a camera hog whether he's coaching, cussing or sneaking M&Ms.

But when the series ends and NFL the season begins, the real star of the Jets can't be Ryan, it has to be quarterback Mark Sanchez. But is Sanchez ready to be all that he wants to be?

If you've watched the first two episodes of "Hard Knocks," you still don't know the answer, which why it's good the cameras will be rolling tonight when the Jets meet the Panthers in a preseason game in Charlotte, N.C.

Getty Images

FACE FACTS: Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez looks concerned during Monday's preseason loss to the Giants. It's just a exhibition game, but it's another important step for Sanchez, who had offseason knee surgery following an inconsistent rookie season sweetened by an appearance in the AFC Championship game. The color-coded handcuffs are supposed to come off this year, but three weeks into training camp, it's clear Sanchez still has some growing to do.

"Hard Knocks" has shown us Sanchez wants to be viewed as a leader, generally bubbles with enthusiasm and doesn't mind making fun of unsuspecting teammates. But we've also learned he has a tendency to pout when he is corrected by his coaching staff and has trouble letting go of failed plays, such as interceptions.

Thanks to HBO's cameras, we got to be a fly on the wall when quarterbacks coach Matt Cavanaugh and offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer had a chat with Sanchez about his body language after making a mistake.

"Start challenging yourself," Cavanaugh said to Sanchez as the quarterback fiddled with something in his travel bag as if half paying attention.

You hoped Sanchez might have gotten past some of this by now, past needing backup Mark Brunell to remind him that his early interception against the Giants came in a preseason game and there was no need to brood.

Maybe it's easy to forget Sanchez is just 23 and this is just his second NFL season. He still has much to learn about being a pro and a leader.

Still, there's something special about Sanchez, and it's more than his strong arm and athleticism. Ross Greenburg, the president of HBO Sports, has been around the Jets since the beginning of the summer. He knows a budding crossover star when he sees one. And that star is not Ryan. It's Sanchez.

"He definitely has the it factor," Greenburg said. "He's got the charismatic smile and a swagger on and off the field. It's the way he walks, the way he talks, the way he acts around his teammates. I was around when he and Joe Willie [Namath] were at camp and they obviously identified with each other. It's going to be fun to see if Sanchez can blossom into this Joe Willie-like character."

Full disclosure, Greenburg is a Jets fan, who sat in the cheap seats at Shea Stadium. But he knows athletes and he knows cameras and he knows the potential for Sanchez to be one of the biggest stars in sports. Television appearances, commercials, movies, endorsements; all he needs is a Super Bowl ring.

"When you're the starting quarterback of a New York franchise that's winning, you're automatically in a certain upper level," Greenburg said. "After last year, to get to that championship game means something. The sky is the limit for him. I don't think it hurts he's 23 and single. If he starts producing, New York will be in a frenzy."

But first Sanchez has to grow into his job, and into being the leader he wants to be. He's not there yet. The camera never lies.

george.willis@nypost.com

Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/jets/the_knock_against_mark_he_no_star_89pKTnzVtAmndkxLEUWkLM?CMP=OTC-rss&FEEDNAME=#ixzz0xEqw96H5

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Jets get travel tested

Saturday, August 21, 2010

BY J.P. PELZMAN

The Record

STAFF WRITER

Rex Ryan made it a point earlier this month to say he and his staff don't game plan at all for preseason contests.

Of course, with all the packing and unpacking Ryan and Co. have had to do this week, they might not have had time for it, anyway.

A hectic week of travel will culminate with tonight's 8 o'clock preseason game at Carolina. Both teams are 0-1, but as always, the goal is to get better on the field and not necessarily worry about the scoreboard.

The Jets hosted the Giants on Monday at New Meadowlands Stadium, and then bused back up to Cortland, N.Y., for two more days of camp at SUNY Cortland. They bused down to their Florham Park facility Friday, before hopping on a flight to Charlotte.

The players say fatigue won't be a problem.

"It's a good way to simulate distractions during the season," quarterback Mark Sanchez said. "It's a good way for us to really test our mental focus and our toughness. Physically and mentally, when you travel that much, when you fly around so much, it's good for us. ... We'll be ready for Carolina."

"That's as hard as it gets," defensive tackle Sione Pouha said of the travel, but he added, "if you kind of load up your circumstances early in the year, you know how to manage them later. You've just got to adjust to the way the schedule is set."

The feeling is that going through a demanding travel schedule this week will prepare the team for any strange situations during the season, such as the Thanksgiving night game against Cincinnati off a short week.

Plus, limited time between games isn't unusual during August's crazy-quilt schedule of games.

"It's preseason," wide receiver Braylon Edwards said. "Once you get past your first two years [in the NFL], you get used to it. That's the extent of preseason. Your coaches will take care of you as needed. Rex does a great job of letting guys rest when they need it."

"It's the schedule," center Nick Mangold said philosophically. "It is what it is. I don't make the schedule. It doesn't really matter to me."

Mangold is expected to start tonight after sitting out the loss to the Giants because he felt "foggy" Monday after being accidentally hit in the head during practice the previous week. Ryan expects Mangold and the rest of the starters to play about a quarter after the first-team offense played the entire first half versus the Giants.

Ryan admitted that he "flipped" the usual preseason schedule in that the starters will see less action tonight than they did in the preseason opener— explaining the Jets had only four days to prepare for this game after having more than two weeks to get ready for the Giants.

What Ryan is most interested in seeing is better play from the defense, especially the reserves, who allowed three touchdown passes against the Giants.

"Our defense looked great today," Ryan said Thursday morning after the team's final practice in pads leading up to this game. "Let's see if we've improved since last week's performance. The backups, I assume, will be better. [They] have to be."

The second-stringers likely will get to play against Carolina's starters in the second quarter, as the Panthers' first-stringers are expected to play the entire first half. Carolina didn't score a touchdown in its 17-12 loss to Baltimore last week and is missing starting right tackle Jeff Otah (knee). Matt Moore is trying to hold off rookie Jimmy Clausen for the starting quarterback job.

E-mail: pelzman@northjersey.com

Rex Ryan made it a point earlier this month to say he and his staff don't game plan at all for preseason contests.

Of course, with all the packing and unpacking Ryan and Co. have had to do this week, they might not have had time for it, anyway.

A hectic week of travel will culminate with tonight's 8 o'clock preseason game at Carolina. Both teams are 0-1, but as always, the goal is to get better on the field and not necessarily worry about the scoreboard.

The Jets hosted the Giants on Monday at New Meadowlands Stadium, and then bused back up to Cortland, N.Y., for two more days of camp at SUNY Cortland. They bused down to their Florham Park facility Friday, before hopping on a flight to Charlotte.

The players say fatigue won't be a problem.

"It's a good way to simulate distractions during the season," quarterback Mark Sanchez said. "It's a good way for us to really test our mental focus and our toughness. Physically and mentally, when you travel that much, when you fly around so much, it's good for us. ... We'll be ready for Carolina."

"That's as hard as it gets," defensive tackle Sione Pouha said of the travel, but he added, "if you kind of load up your circumstances early in the year, you know how to manage them later. You've just got to adjust to the way the schedule is set."

The feeling is that going through a demanding travel schedule this week will prepare the team for any strange situations during the season, such as the Thanksgiving night game against Cincinnati off a short week.

Plus, limited time between games isn't unusual during August's crazy-quilt schedule of games.

"It's preseason," wide receiver Braylon Edwards said. "Once you get past your first two years [in the NFL], you get used to it. That's the extent of preseason. Your coaches will take care of you as needed. Rex does a great job of letting guys rest when they need it."

"It's the schedule," center Nick Mangold said philosophically. "It is what it is. I don't make the schedule. It doesn't really matter to me."

Mangold is expected to start tonight after sitting out the loss to the Giants because he felt "foggy" Monday after being accidentally hit in the head during practice the previous week. Ryan expects Mangold and the rest of the starters to play about a quarter after the first-team offense played the entire first half versus the Giants.

Ryan admitted that he "flipped" the usual preseason schedule in that the starters will see less action tonight than they did in the preseason opener— explaining the Jets had only four days to prepare for this game after having more than two weeks to get ready for the Giants.

What Ryan is most interested in seeing is better play from the defense, especially the reserves, who allowed three touchdown passes against the Giants.

"Our defense looked great today," Ryan said Thursday morning after the team's final practice in pads leading up to this game. "Let's see if we've improved since last week's performance. The backups, I assume, will be better. [They] have to be."

The second-stringers likely will get to play against Carolina's starters in the second quarter, as the Panthers' first-stringers are expected to play the entire first half. Carolina didn't score a touchdown in its 17-12 loss to Baltimore last week and is missing starting right tackle Jeff Otah (knee). Matt Moore is trying to hold off rookie Jimmy Clausen for the starting quarterback job.

E-mail: pelzman@northjersey.com

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Escape from Al-cro-traz

August, 20, 2010 Aug 2011:37PM ETEmail Print Comments By Rich CiminiThe New York Jets believe they landed a treasure by trading for CB Antonio Cromartie. The Chargers considered him trash and, as far as they're concerned, it's good riddance.

A couple of Chargers defensive backs, quoted in the San Diego Union-Tribune, dumped on Cromartie, whose aversion to contact apparently ticked off many in the San Diego locker room. Here's S Eric Weddle:

“Me and Cro had conflicts. That’s just the way it is.”

With Cromartie gone, Weddle said, "It’s refreshing. I can’t tell you how nice it is to come to work every day and not have that in the room and just knowing everyone is on the same page, everyone is behind each other.”

Even Quentin Jammer, one of Cromartie's friends, sounded glad he's gone.

“We all know there were guys in the locker room who didn't like him,” Jammer told the newspaper. “He didn't like them. We don't have to deal with that now."

Jammer added, “It’s easier for me now... I tried my best to put out fires, tried to keep the room intact, but it was too much.”

When you're best friend leaks on you, wow, that's rough.

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More on Rookie Hazing

By Bassett on 21. Aug, 2010

Hopping on a plane this morning … more later.

Bart Hubbuch ran down some notes after Hard Knocks episode two aired. While Lisa gave us an update yesterday on the rookie hazing situation as the Jets broke camp, it’s unclear exactly how Brian Jackson took the incident when he was tied to a goalpost … it seems … not well.

Jackson went ballistic in response to what Rex Ryan described as rookie hazing — "a training-camp tradition," the coach said. But players said it was payback for Jackson spouting off to secondary coach Dennis Thurman.

"I haven’t talked to Brian yet, but I heard he’s taking it as a personal thing, which is unfortunate," Ryan said between workouts.

Jackson redeemed himself in the afternoon, hitting the goal post with a 65-yard throw after Ryan told the rookie that he would end practice early if Jackson were successful.

Jackson had been nicknamed ‘Brain’ by his teammates at the start of camp, mostly because of a misspelling in on some internal team materials that were distributed among players, but maybe there’s been more than these two incidents that have grated him and this was the straw that broke the camel’s back.

Meanwhile Santonio felt like he had some ‘splaining to do to Joe McKnight about some of his comments.

McKnight […] refused to watch the episode after being told ahead of time that he would be featured.

"I heard about it," McKnight said.

McKnight said teammate Santonio Holmes spoke to him after the show, apparently to clear up a scene in which Holmes lobbied running backs coach Anthony Lynn to make McKnight run a punishment lap.

[Sperm Edwards]

More on Rookie Hazing

By Bassett on 21. Aug, 2010

Hopping on a plane this morning … more later.

Bart Hubbuch ran down some notes after Hard Knocks episode two aired. While Lisa gave us an update yesterday on the rookie hazing situation as the Jets broke camp, it’s unclear exactly how Brian Jackson took the incident when he was tied to a goalpost … it seems … not well.

Jackson went ballistic in response to what Rex Ryan described as rookie hazing — "a training-camp tradition," the coach said. But players said it was payback for Jackson spouting off to secondary coach Dennis Thurman.

"I haven’t talked to Brian yet, but I heard he’s taking it as a personal thing, which is unfortunate," Ryan said between workouts.

Jackson redeemed himself in the afternoon, hitting the goal post with a 65-yard throw after Ryan told the rookie that he would end practice early if Jackson were successful.

Jackson had been nicknamed ‘Brain’ by his teammates at the start of camp, mostly because of a misspelling in on some internal team materials that were distributed among players, but maybe there’s been more than these two incidents that have grated him and this was the straw that broke the camel’s back.

Meanwhile Santonio felt like he had some ‘splaining to do to Joe McKnight about some of his comments.

McKnight […] refused to watch the episode after being told ahead of time that he would be featured.

"I heard about it," McKnight said.

McKnight said teammate Santonio Holmes spoke to him after the show, apparently to clear up a scene in which Holmes lobbied running backs coach Anthony Lynn to make McKnight run a punishment lap.

Santonio's reply to McKnight should be, "Hey, first of all, I know all too well what gets through to a young punk who won't listen. Second of all, man up. Take care of your business and there won't be any laps to run. In a team sport everyone's got to pull his own weight and, even for a rookie, you ain't been pulling yours. So now, go get your f***ing shine box."