**** Official New York Jets vs Green Bay Packers Game Thread ****

[war ensemble]

The Jets come off their bye week, looking for their sixth win in a row. They take on the pass-heavy Green Bay offense at home, with a Darrelle Revis at 100%. The team is at a point where they seem to be passing out of the "Same Old Jets" mantra, and a win here would do much to destroy this legend. The Offensive Line will be tested, especially Woody, who will have to fend off Clay Matthew's 8.5 sacks. Sanchez will have to come back from a poor performance two weeks ago, against a team that causes many turnovers. Establishing a solid ground attack and controlling the flow of the game will force Rodgers to throw early and often, so the secondary better be ready. Here's some songs to help get them ready for this vertical attack tomorrow:

J-E-T-S! JETS JETS JETS!!!!

[SoFlaJets]

I have a great feeling about this game War E...6-1 here we come. Oh yea, and the Pats and Fins are going to lose tomorrow too...

[war ensemble]

I have a great feeling about this game War E...6-1 here we come. Oh yea, and the Pats and Fins are going to lose tomorrow too...

We can only hope you dream about the game tonight. A Pats loss would be nice.

[THE ILK]

LETS GO JETS!!!

[SoFlaJets]

We can only hope you dream about the game tonight. A Pats loss would be nice.

no they haven't been dreams W.E., they are more like psychic feelings. Either I'm nervous or very calm about an upcoming game and this one I feel very calm and happy...I'll take that as an upcoming win...I have been pretty much right on so far this season.

[Maxman]

If they lose we are circling back for the heavy metal.

[slowmoe57]

J-E-T-S JETS JETS JETS ---

WTF am I doing up so late.

[stoicsentry]

Dunno how everyone is so damn confident about this game - Rodgers and Matthews are back and doing well. This is a very tough game and everyone is acting like it's the Browns or something.

Either way GO JETS!!!!!!!

[Midget Love 20]

IMO this game is a litmus test and a WAY bigger game for the Packers than Jets. The Jets are healthy, home and have lived up to the hype. A win for the Pack is HUGE for them moving forward, hopefully Rex and the staff have their guys focused for a tough game. I'm hopeful for a W, but this game was one that scared me since I saw it on the schedule

[Bergen Jet]

12:02... Come on War! You can do better than that kid!

[Bergen Jet]

Almost forgot. Jets win this one going away. 42-3. Huge game for Sanchez, LT2, he'll the entire offense and our secondary. We will also put some serious pressure on Rodgers.

[GaNGGreeN4LyFE]

I have a great feeling about this game War E...6-1 here we come. Oh yea, and the Pats and Fins are going to lose tomorrow too...

Hopin big time for a pats losss...only way I seee this happenin is if peterson runs wild for about 200 yds n 3 scores....anyway ill go wit 31-21 jetts cmonn boyss let's do thiis!!

[AFJF]

Ever since watching a Pack game a few weeks ago and seeing Clay Matthews I've said this game is going to be tough. The guy has 8.5 sacks having missed 1 1/2 games this season and IMO is the most disruptive player in the league right now. Non-stop motor and a great talent. I'm hoping to see some runs his way with John Connor running in to him one-on-one.

This will be a close one.

[SoFlaJets]

Ever since watching a Pack game a few weeks ago and seeing Clay Matthews I've said this game is going to be tough. The guy has 8.5 sacks having missed 1 1/2 games this season and IMO is the most disruptive player in the league right now. Non-stop motor and a great talent. I'm hoping to see some runs his way with John Connor running in to him one-on-one.

This will be a close one.

he has a tender hamstring, and it takes longer than a week to get back to normal-no matter who you are-or who people THINK you are.

[SoFlaJets]

Braylon has 'air' of confidence in offenseBy MARK CANNIZZARO

The Jets, aware that things were far from perfect the last time they played, enter today's game against the Packers looking to right the wrongs from their offensive performance against Denver.

"We as an offense were missing it the last game, whatever it is," receiver Braylon Edwards said. "But, we found enough it at the end to win the game."

Asked how much better the Jets' passing offense can get, Edwards said, "There's no ceiling on this passing offense. When we get this thing going -- I'm going to stop saying if, because if leads you to believe if can go one way or another way -- when we get this thing rolling, which we will, there's no limit to what we can do.

"We can come at you from so many different angles there really is no ceiling to what we can do."

Jets running back LaDainian Tomlinson warned that the team should not be seduced by its 5-1 record.

"I mean just the way some of the games turned out, we look at ourselves on film and say, 'God, we could've played a whole lot better.' "

*

Veteran linebacker Jason Taylor, asked about the 5-1 start, said, "We're not satisfied and we're not surprised. I think people sometimes look at you to see if you're surprised to be 5-1, and by no means are we surprised.

"We understand we have a pretty good football team," said Taylor, 36, who, according to an Internet report, plans to retire after the season, not a surprise considering his age. "We have a long way to go to get better, but we expect to be there, we expect to be in this situation, expect to win our games and have the kind of success that we're having."

*

After posting a disappointing 4-4 home record last season, the Jets have placed a significant emphasis on making their new stadium a true home-field advantage. After losing the opener to the Ravens, that plan took a significant hit, but the Jets enter today having won their last two home games.

"That's a key for us, winning at home," Edwards said. "That was a big thing for us last year -- winning at home -- and we lost to Miami, Buffalo and Jacksonville [and Atlanta]. But this year, we want to make a stand. We've got to utilize our home-field advantage."

*

Kicker Nick Folk ranks fourth in the NFL in points scored with 55. He's 13-of-15 on field-goal attempts with a career-long 56-yarder in the Denver game

[SoFlaJets]

After rest, Jets resume their quest to be best

By MARK CANNIZZARO

October 31, 2010

It has been 48 days since the Jets lost a game. They have won five in a row since suffering their only loss, in the season opener against the Ravens, and today they play the Packers at the Meadowlands coming off their bye week.

Perhaps the most pressing question for the Jets as they take the field today is whether their six-day hiatus will play a part in interrupting their momentum.

“There’s always a worry about that,” Jets tackle Wayne Hunter said. “That’s always the scary thing about a bye week. Guys are afraid of coming out the next week playing soft and losing that mojo. Judging by the practices this week, I think we’ll be fine.”

Right tackle Damien Woody said the off time didn’t divert the players’ attention from the prize, which is to win the most games in the NFL.

“We’re definitely hungry,” Woody said. “We’re riding a nice winning streak and no one wants to lose. I know there’s been a lot of talk about whether the bye week will disrupt our flow. That remains to be seen.”

Here’s a look at how we see the game breaking down:

MARQUEE MATCHUP

Woody vs. Packers LB Clay Matthews. Coach Rex Ryan called it out early in the week. Matthews, who leads the NFL with 81⁄2 sacks, will work mostly on Woody’s side.

POCKET PROTECTORS

How well the Jets offensive line protects Mark Sanchez will go a long way toward determining the outcome of the game. The Jets have allowed just nine sacks this season. The Packers, who play an aggressive 3-4 alignment, are third in the NFL with 22 sacks.

RUNNIN’ RODGERS

The Jets defense must beware of the scrambling quarterback. In their last game, Denver’s Kyle Orton hurt them with some runs. Packers QB Aaron Rodgers not only is unafraid of running with the ball, he sometimes runs on designed keepers. Rodgers is the third-leading rusher on the team with 127 yards, a

4.9-yard average and a team-leading three touchdowns. He ranks third in the NFL among quarterbacks running the ball, behind only Michael Vick and Josh Freeman.

RUSH TO VICTORY?

This could be a big day for Jets running backs LaDainian Tomlinson and Shonn Greene because the Packers’ run defense, ranked 23rd in the NFL, has struggled of late. Green Bay, which gave up 196 rushing yards to Minnesota last week, has injury issues with

DL Ryan Pickett (ankle) and DE Cullen Jenkins (calf) hurting. The Packers allow an average of 4.7 yards per carry while the Jets average 4.9.

SPECIAL DELIVERY

Though the Jets own one of the best special teams groups in the league, the Packers have struggled in some areas, such as punt coverage, allowing 15.8 yards per return, including a 62-yard touchdown. Jets special teams coach Mike Westhoff said that touchdown skews the numbers, but quietly, Jets S/PR Jim Leonhard (12.3-yard average) is capable of making a game-turning play.

TURNING TIDE

The Jets lead the NFL with a plus-10 turnover ratio, and the Packers are minus-1, so that would figure to be a big edge. But the Packers, who are third in the league with 10 interceptions, are one of the best in the league at converting turnovers into points. Of the Packers’ 12 takeaways, eight have led directly to touchdowns. The Packers’ 56 points off turnovers this season rank second in the league. So they make you pay.

ISLAND CLOSED

The consensus among the coaches and players is that Jets CB Darrelle Revis is back, his left hamstring healed after the bye week. Look for Revis to patrol his island with authority and perhaps even make a pick today.

NUMBER TO KNOW

11.8. That’s the margin of victory for the Jets in their current five-game winning streak.

FOE FACT

Of the Packers’ seven games this season, six have been decided by seven points or fewer and the last five have been decided by four points or fewer.

JETS FACT

The Jets lead the all-time series against the Packers, 8-2, have won the last four and are 4-0 against the Green Bay at home.

CANNIZZARO’S CALL

The feeling around the team is that it’s fired up to play again after the bye and not worried about a letdown. Look for a sharper Mark Sanchez today and for the Jets’ running game to control the Green Bay defense. Aaron Rodgers will hurt the Jets here and there, but the rested Jets defense will make more plays.

JETS 27 PACKERS 20

[SoFlaJets]

Jets' special teams guru Mike Westhoff has honed craft over 28 years in NFL

Sunday, October 31, 2010, 5:00 AM

by Jenny Vrentas/The Star-Ledger

The phone call came on a Tuesday night, two days after the Jets defeated Miami. An 80-year-old coaching legend, eager to hear from his former pupil, breezed through the pleasantries.

“How’d you do it?” Don Shula asked.

Hundreds of miles and more than a decade removed from their South Florida chalkboard sessions, Mike Westhoff released his youthful grin. Shula wanted to know how the Jets blocked a Dolphins punt in their September victory. The special teams mastermind couldn’t wait to tell him.

Westhoff described, with detail and glee, how Brad Smith engaged the blocker on the left edge, and Eric Smith looped inside through a free path to the punter. Ah, Shula thought, one of Westhoff’s favorite blocks. It had worked for the Dolphins in a preseason game against the Redskins in 1989 — during the decade Westhoff was on Shula’s staff in Miami.

“All of the emphasis used to be on offense and defense,” Shula recalled by phone recently. “When Mike came along, the special teams game plan became a booklet, it was so detailed.”

That booklet has now become a binder, measuring exactly 70 pages thick for the Jets’ game today against Green Bay. Through six games, special teams has been the strength of this 5-1 team, coach Rex Ryan declared this week — and this is their road map.

Big plays do not happen by accident. The Jets’ blocked punt, their recovery of Buffalo’s muffed kickoff in Week 4, the league’s second-best kickoff return average, were all born of intricate scheming. Mistakes, like Denver’s successful on-side kick two weeks ago, send Westhoff grumbling to the white legal pads he burns through at an unnatural pace.

Through 28 seasons in the NFL, Westhoff has honed a knack for breaking down opponents’ weaknesses and targeting them — yielding the plays that keep him at the forefront of his field week to week, and year after year.

Shula, who used to have a designated easy chair in Westhoff’s office even in retirement, passed on to him a cardinal rule: Start with what your team has.

This is why Shula’s Dolphins were a running team with Larry Csonka and a passing team with Dan Marino. And why Westhoff’s game plan each week opens with the Jets’ depth chart.

Next comes the opponent’s personnel and scouting report. Then, what the opponent does. Then, how the Jets can attack what the opponent does. Westhoff never strays from this sequence.

Like offense and defense, special teams is a game of mismatches. Westhoff keys in on players with poor technique, or injured men, or rookies. In meetings — twice a day three times a week, and once on Saturdays — he points to the weakest links, the guys he claims even he could block.

Westhoff, who has his master’s degree in educational psychology, once read a Harvard study saying the best learning follows intricate note-taking. It’s no surprise his most valued tools are paper and pen. He copies each opponent’s kick and punt returns on 8 1/2-x-11 form sheets, bringing them to life with a low-tech neon green stencil and blue needlepoint pen. On those white legal pads, he sketches ideas for new schemes, always with a red marker. He is superstitious about pen color, and will never deviate.

Westhoff says coaches who complain about a lack of time are making excuses. He has time to scour the league for new ideas, sketching and evaluating. He works ahead. In his office Friday morning, he drew up a kick return by the Texans, whom the Jets play in Week 11.

“I think I can do this faster than anybody in America,” said Westhoff, not short on confidence at age 62.

Assistant special teams coach Ben Kotwica is charged with turning Westhoff’s sketches — sometimes delivered on Continental Airlines napkins — into neat computer printouts via Visio, Excel and Power Point.

By 10 p.m. Tuesday, their game plan is collated but by no means final. This past week, Westhoff installed a block Monday and threw it out by Wednesday. On Thursday, he added a different one.

He’s been known to draw up plays on the bus ride to games, and he calls out for Kotwica so often that they playfully requested a drive-through window between their adjacent offices.

“How does Mike’s mind work?” Kotwica said. “Wow. That would kind of be a million-dollar question for a lot of people. I think it’s constantly going. It seldom takes a break.”

The special-teams players break the huddle by saying, “Play-makers!”

Westhoff is so confident in his ideas, Brad Smith said, that they can’t help but believe they will work. Plus, they see the results.

Since Westhoff joined the Jets in 2001, their kickoff-return scheme has been one of the most successful in the league. This year, Brad Smith is averaging 31.8 yards per return. He broke a long one at Miami, when Westhoff put a trap on. Safety Brodney Pool hid behind a double team, surprised the blocker and leveled him. A seam opened for Smith, who ran 54 yards.

At Buffalo, Westhoff played the odds and won. The Jets were kicking into the wind, and Westhoff liked his chances against the 261-pound “up man.” He bumbled the catch, and the Jets got the ball back.

Near-misses gnaw at Westhoff. Against New England, the Jets nearly blocked a punt. In the third quarter, Westhoff called for a rush from the right side of the formation. James Ihedigbo burst between the tackle and guard, but punter Zoltan Mesko got the ball off in a blazing fast 1.91 seconds.

“Like Dan Marino used to say,” Westhoff mused, “you can’t beat a perfect pass.”

On game day, the Jets work off large printouts of their schemes, laminated so Westhoff can scribble in-game adjustments with a Sharpie. Against the Giants in the preseason, he flopped Eric Smith to a weak blocker on the left side of the punt formation. They blocked the punt.

On the sideline at Denver, Westhoff drew up a punt return on a piece of paper, noticing the punter was playing the wind. He’s confident it would have gone for a touchdown — if rookie Kyle Wilson hadn’t let the ball bounce.

William Perlman/The Star-LedgerJets special teams coordinator Mike Westhoff talks with wide receiver Brad Smith during a recent practice.

Sometimes, the players roll their eyes, but they wouldn’t want any other coach.

“This is all I’ve known,” Brad Smith said. “If I go play somewhere else and it’s not like this, I’ll go, ‘Whoa, something’s not right.’ Because this is the way it should be.”

Westhoff is, at turns, encouraging, philosophical, fatherly and chastising.

When his unit makes a mistake, he won’t hold back.

He was still incensed about the botched on-side kick recovery 11 days later, taking responsibility for it in a news conference, then blurting out that he “started the damn thing.”

Ryan, not one to leave a joke hanging, promptly retrieved a Wikipedia page that traced the technique to 1906. In the next breath, though, he called Westhoff “the best special teams coach I’ve ever been around.”

Shula, who has more victories than any other NFL coach, deemed Westhoff an important part of that legendary career. Before Westhoff, Shula’s special teams game plan was merely longhand notes scribbled on the back of his offensive call sheet.

“Even now, when I watch the Jets play,” Shula said, “and I know Mike is the special teams coach, I know something good is going to happen.”

Westhoff, who is a cancer survivor and has endured at least nine surgeries, signed a one-year extension with the Jets this summer. Barring a change of heart, he plans to retire after 2011.

Until then, Shula will continue to place that same phone call: “How’d you do it?” And Westhoff will always release that same grin.

“It’s where I learned it,” Westhoff said, pointing to the framed photo of Shula on the wall behind his desk. “And there will be people who will have learned it from me. But that’s where I got it — a pretty darn good place.”

[AFJF]

he has a tender hamstring, and it takes longer than a week to get back to normal-no matter who you are-or who people THINK you are.

Tender isn't all that big of a deal when it happened a few weeks ago. I'm sure he's fine by now. I mean, I hope he's only at 60% but I'm not going to assume he's anything less than 100.

[Smashmouth]

This is potentially a game we can win big. The Pack does not match up well aganist us on offense and the team has a ton of injuries.

Aaron Rodgers is a very good QB but his one flaw is he holds onto the ball too long. This will hurt him because you can guarantee Rex knows this little flaw and will blitz the hell out of him.

Keys to victory

1. Blitz the hell out of Rodgers, relentlessly

2. Run the ball down their throats setting up play action in the second half.

3. Kill Shotty before the game starts If I see one gadget play while our QB tries to get in rhythm early Im going to explode.

[slats]

I'd expect a lot of ground & pound from the Jets offense today, but I'm not sure. Supposedly they spent a lot of time self-scouting over the bye, and will probably be looking to play against any trends they picked up on themselves. Could be a different kind of game from the team. My biggest concern might be them over-thinking it, which happened in the opener. This is a game where they'll want to run the ball because they can, and also because it will slow down the Packers' pass rush.

Looking forward to seeing a healthy & wealthy Darrelle out there.

[T0mShane]

Considering the talent they have, that Packers team plays some of the sloppiest football I've seen this year. I was always confused as to how Mike McCarthy ends up on so many "Hot Seat" lists, but I understand after watching them a few times.

Jets: 34

Packers: 21

[Maxman]

Go Jets!

[T0mShane]

Btw, what's up with this thread starting at 12:02?! Getcha head out of your a$$, war ensemble.

[T0mShane]

[The Mytee Markjets]

I dont mind the occasional gadget play...But occasional!! Not impressed with Packers. Im sick of hearing the whining excuses about injuries. We've had MAJOR injuries too! No one's feeling sorry for us! Im not in any way overconfident ( thats not reality !), What Im going to do is trust the Coaching Staff to make the right calls. Id like to see more running between the tackles. Im tired of hearing how our tackles have this BIG challenge every week, be it this guy or that guy, to protect Sanchez. Id like to see our road pavers firing out and pounding on these guys. I truly believe that one of our main keys this week is to RUN THE BALL BETWEEN THE TACKLES!!!!! Im not saying we shouldnt pick/choose when to ground & pound, its just that to me , this game is going to be about who dominates the L.O.S no more no less!!! One more opponent, one more victory.......Go Jets!

[war ensemble]

Almost forgot. Jets win this one going away. 42-3. Huge game for Sanchez, LT2, he'll the entire offense and our secondary. We will also put some serious pressure on Rodgers.

Btw, what's up with this thread starting at 12:02?! Getcha head out of your a$$, war ensemble.

The Jets are undefeated when I start game threads at 12:02. Don't hate the player, hate the game.

[jetscanes331]

UPDATE: The Packers elected not to activate either Al Harris or Atari Bigby this weekend, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Given that they could certainly use the help in the secondary (as we mention below), it may mean that both men are behind in their recoveries.

---

The New York Jets are renowned for having a fearsome ground game on offense, but the pass-catchers are no slouches either. One would figure that opposing defenses would want all hands on deck when matching up with Santonio Holmes, Braylon Edwards, Jerricho Cotchery and Dustin Keller. When it comes to this week's opponent, that is still undecided.

Jason Wilde of ESPN 540 Radio (Milwaukee) reports that there has been no word either way on the status of defensive backs Harris and Bigby. Both men started the season on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list, but both have been eligible to return as of last week.

- Tim Kavanagh

[Bugg]

Expect to see a lot of LT and Greene for 2 reasons; keeping Matthews off Sanchez, and the wind. Forecast is for steady 25 MPH breeze with up to 50+ MPH gusts as the day goes on. No idea what it's like in Rutherford right now at 1015 hours, but in Brooklyn the wind has picked up a bunch since earlier this morning. Want to see Revis at 100%, meaning the Jets can feel way more comfortable adding LBs and safeties to the pass rush.

[BP]

If they lose we are circling back for the heavy metal.

Shut up! the Jets are undefeated since you were FIRED! and I promoted war ensemble to official game thread starter! it's all your fault we lost the opener!

GO JETS!

[Sperm Edwards]

Lucky for us, BS has had 2 weeks to come up with new forms of pre-snap motion. GB won't know where we're coming from or what we're doing on offense. This game is a lock.

[The Mytee Markjets]

I know, like the rest of the universe, that Rex LOVES to blitz! With Revis back, and AC playing "lights out", I think we should be able to make some HUGH plays defensively today!! Gonna keep my eyes on Trevor Pryce today. He's kinda becoming one of "my" guys! Like Revis, Hes starting to get his feet under him, I expect him to be DOMINANT! Another weapon...wow! Jets-34 Pack-20

[SMC]

J-E-T-S!

JETS!

JETS!!

JETS!!!

[THE ILK]

Cheese heads, Heh heh, Huh huh...

[ZachEY]

Since Max gave the game tickets to some slapdick poster, I'm stuck home watching the game.

I guess I'll be deep frying some halloween candy.

[SoFlaJets]

Since Max gave the game tickets to some slapdick poster, I'm stuck home watching the game.

I guess I'll be deep frying some halloween candy.

Hey EY, you know what's a good show? Celebrity Ghost Stories a new season started last night-they usually have actors of musicians and they are great natural story tellers and very believable stuff too. Oh yea GO JETS!!!!