What We Learned After Jets Lose To Pittsburgh

The Jets fell to the Pittsburgh Steelers 19-6 for their first home loss of the year. Geno Smith had a bad game finishing 19-34 201 yards, no touchdowns and two interceptions. Dick LeBeau is 16-2 against rookie quarterbacks and he showed that Sunday. He consistently gave Geno different looks and pressures he probably hasn't seen before and made him get rid of the ball quickly. Both of Geno's turnovers were in the red zone and that took away points for the Jets in the end.

It also hurt with Santonio's Holmes missing his 2nd straight game with a hamstring injury as it is clear that the Jets WR's struggle to create any separation from the defenders. Geno has to consistently throw into tight windows and that can lead to mistakes. The Jets will definitely need to look at upgrading their offense in this years draft or look at the possibility of trading for a receiver. Rumors are stating that the Giants are looking to trade Hakeem Nicks which would greatly help the Jets as they are void of playmakers. They can also look to trade for Josh Gordon, even though the Cleveland Browns say he is not on the trading block if they Jets give a good enough offer the Browns will most likely take it. The Jets are void of playmakers and Geno needs receivers who can make plays and get open.

The Jets also have a dominant front 7. Holding Pittsburgh to under 80 yards rushing. The weak spot in the defense is the secondary. They have been playing poorly compared to the front 7 and teams are starting to take advantage. In the last three games for the Jets, the last three quarterbacks have completed 77 of 99 attempts for 732 yards, six touchdowns and no interceptions. That's a 117.7 passer rating. The Jets need Cromartie to play well as he is replacing Revis as the number one corner on that defense. If he can play at the elite level that he played at last year, Rex can roll more help to the middle and the other side of the field to help the inexperienced corners.

The Jets face the New England Patriots Sunday and the Jets need a win as they need to keep pace with the Patriots if they have any hope of winning the division or making the playoffs.

Injuries Mounting For Jets, Goodson Likely Out For Season

The Jets can't seem to stay healthy this season. Jeremy Kerley has missed a game, Chris Ivory, Santonio Holmes, Dee Milliner have all been hurt some time during this season and they are only 6 games in. 

Most recently against the Steelers, Bilal Powell left the game with an injury but isn't believed to be serious. Kyle Wilson hurt his head, Clyde Gates hurt his arm and Mike Goodson hurt his knee. Out of all those injuries it appears Mike Goodson is out for the season with a knee injury. This is a big blow for the Jets because in the two games Goodson has appeared in, he has shown quickness and speed that the Jets need for their offense that is lacking in playmakers. 

The Jets will have more information on all these players injuries later in the week. Hopefully most of them will be ready to go against the New England Patriots. 

Jets Defense Needs To Take Down Big Ben

The Jets defense are ranked second in the league in yards allowed per game (299.0), first in rushing yards allowed per attempt (3.0), and tied for fifth in sacks (16). They need to get after Ben and not just with one guy, multiple guys. They know how hard he is to take down. He is 6'5 250.

"The guy can seriously be a nightmare because once the play breaks down, that's where you really begin to worry about him," Jets defensive coordinator Dennis Thurman said Thursday. "He starts to run around and move around and it basically becomes playground football and there's no one in the league that does it better than he does by extending plays, looking around and all of sudden he finds somebody that's open and boom. A play that looked good for you ends up being a good play for them because of his ability to extend plays."

The Jets D-line anchored by Wilkerson and Richardson need to make sure Ben stays in the pocket as he is most dangerous when he escapes and is able to extend plays. Ben has also fumbled four times this year and the Jets know how he carries the ball when he leaves the pocket.

"He's just like any other quarterback when they're scrambling out the pocket they tend to have the ball away from their body which makes it vulnerable to strip," Jets defensive lineman Damon Harrison said. "Just like any other quarterback when he feels the pressure he gets out the pocket and they don't do a good job keeping the ball to their body."


The Steelers won't be able to run the ball on this Jets front 7 as they are dominant this year. The Jets rookie Sheldon Richardson is rated as the best rookie so far this year. He has played outstanding through five games with 24 tackles and 2.5 sacks.

"He's been consistently disruptive," Kiper wrote, "showing tremendous quickness and athleticism, eliminating the chance for blockers to move him and then getting to the second level."

"I don’t think about what people say good about me, I know what I do good," Richardson said. "I take it with a grain of salt. Thank you for the compliment, but I knew this was gonna happen."

Sheldon Richardson is on pace to winning defensive rookie of the year and has to continue to show it especially in next weeks game as the Jets need to win to keep pace with the New England Patriots. The Patriots are playing a tough Saints team who are undefeated and if they happen to lose and the Jets win they will be facing the Patriots week 7 for first place in the division which no one saw coming. Remember, the Jets were ranked 32nd in the preseason power rankings by ESPN. They have a chance to shock all of us but will have to prove it Sunday by not falling to Pittsburgh at home.

Winslow Suspended, Cromartie Questionable, Holmes, Milliner Out Vs Pittsburgh

Kellen Winslow was suspended by the NFL today for violating the league's policy on performance-enhancing substances. This is a big loss for the Jets as Winslow is number one in receptions (17) for 169 yards and two touchdowns. He is a big part to their offense and when he is on the field they are averaging more yards per play. A 6.53 average when he is on the field compared to a 5.66 average when Cumberland is on the field. However, this suspension came as a surprise to Winslow.

This is from a statement from his publicist and Winslow apologized

"I have investigated all possible sources since learning of the positive test, including possible medical causes, but frustratingly, I do not know the source," Winslow said in the statement. "I do not take supplements that list any banned ingredients, but the NFL policy is very strict, so I am accountable for the results.

"I sincerely apologize to my teammates, coaches and Jets fans for this situation. I will work extremely hard during this time away from the field and look forward to contributing to the team as soon as the suspension ends."

The Jets need to find a way to step up in Winslow's absence as these next 4 games are the toughest for the Jets. It includes Pittsburgh this Sunday, New England, Cincinnati, and New Orleans. Jeff Cumberland is going to be a key for this team and needs to perform how he did Monday night against Atlanta. 3 catches for 79 yards and a touchdown. His production will be a key for this Jets offense as it waits for Winslow to return.

WR Santonio Holmes and CB Dee Milliner were ruled out for Sunday's game against Pittsburgh as they are both recovering from hamstring injuries. This will be Holme's 2nd game missed and Milliner's 3rd game. Look for both of them to be back vs New England.

Antonio Cromartie was hurt during practice after experiencing a non-contact injury. Rex said he cut and just went down holding his knee. Good news is it was only a hyper extended knee and he will be a game-time decision come Sunday. Losing Cromartie for Sunday would be huge as Milliner is already out and the Jets secondary has struggled a little bit this year especially on the outside.

Geno Comes Up Clutch, Jets Win 30-28

The Jets went into the Georgia Dome where Matt Ryan was 34-5 and never lost back to back home games until last night. Geno Smith played his best game of the year, 16-20, 199 yards, and 3 touchdowns. The most important stat was no interceptions. After the holding call that gave the Falcons a fresh set of downs, Matt Ryan threw a touchdown to Levine Toilolo who made a leaping grab over Dawan Landry which gave the Falcons a 28-27 lead. Geno started at his own 20 and drove the Jets into field goal position with 1:54 on the clock with 3 timeouts. Smith went through his reads and delivered the ball on time accurately where his receivers can catch and run with the ball to get extra yards. He finished 4 of 4 on that drive and had a crucial 8 yard scramble that brought the Jets closer into field goal range. When Smith plays turnover free football the Jets will be in every game because of the defense they have. The defense played solid even though they gave up 28 points, they had 2 sacks and forced a turnover that led to a Jets touchdown. The Falcons run game was virtually non existent mainly because of Muhammad Wilkerson, Damon Harrison, and Sheldon Richardson up front. They were constantly in the backfield a long with Demario Davis and David Harris. Wilkerson finished with 7 tackles, a forced fumble, 2 tackles for loss, and a sack. The Jets defense looks better every week and they will start forcing more turnovers.

Geno Smith was without WR Santonio Holmes but still had his most efficient game passing. Smith connected with Cumberland early and often in the first half a long with Jeremy Kerley who both had touchdowns. The return of Mike Goodson helped as he only played in 11 snaps but had a couple big plays and showcased his speed. Chris Ivory had one big run for 19 yards that set the Jets up for another touchdown. And Powell had a solid day, even though he didn't put up impressing rushing numbers, he mad crucial plays late in the game that set the Jets up for the game winning field goal. The Offensive line played well too as they constantly gave Geno time to throw, even though they gave up 4 sacks, the running game was also efficient as well.

The Jets improve to 3-2 on the season and are home against the Pittsburg Steelers coming off a bye and are 0-4. The Jets need to win this game to keep pace with the Patriots and will match up with them in two weeks. Look for Geno to play another mistake free game against the Steelers while they come out with the win.

Injuries Piling Up For The Jets

Injuries continue to mount for the New York Jets as Santonio Holmes and Stephen Hill are likely to miss Monday nights game against the Atlanta Falcons. Hill was injured the second play of the game after Geno threw a pick the safety hit Hill right in the head as a defenseless receiver as that hit should be looked at by the league and warrant a fine. 

Holmes was hurt running a route and fell, much like last year except he hurt his hamstring and reports say he is likely to miss a month. This would be a huge blow to the Jets offense as they are void of playmakers. To try and add some depth to the WR corps, the jets plan to sign David Nelson, and they also worked out Josh Cribbs again who will mainly provide solid special teams play as Clyde Gates just isn't cutting it. 

The Jets will also be getting back Mike Goodson who has been suspended the previous four games for violating the substance abuse policy. No update has been given on Dee Millner and Chris Ivory as they too are both recovering from hamstring injuries. 

Titans Rout Jets, 38-13

The Jets were 2-1 coming into Nashville to face the Tennessee Titans. This was their chance to start 3-1 before starting this grueling October stretch which is the toughest in the league. On the Jets second play Geno Smith threw an interception that was intended for Stephen Hill and it was intercepted and returned back to the Jets 20 which resulted in a Titans touchdown. All four of Geno Smith's turnovers were turned into 28 Tennessee points.

The Jets contained Chris Johnson as he rushed for 21 yards on 15 carries. Jake Locker was a different story. Locker was 18-24 for 149 yards and 3 touchdowns. The Jets were in their base package for most of the game because they were worried about Chris Johnson, but Locker made them pay by continuously making smart decisions and getting rid of the ball fast. He was carted off of the field early in the third quarter after a combination of hits from Wilkerson and Coples.

This was by far Geno's worst game of his career with 2 lost fumbles and 2 interceptions. He tried to force the ball too many times and the ball got away from him. It also didn't help that the offensive line was not the same as they were last week surrendering 5 sacks.

The Jets are on the road again next Monday night against the Atlanta Falcons. If the Jets want to be in the playoff contention they have to start 3-2 with the Patriot game after that. It will be a tough game for Geno but he will have a new RB in the backfield. Mike Goodson is returning from his 4 game suspension for substance abuse. It will be his first game as a Jet and look for him to add a new dimension for this offense as he has game breaking speed. Chris Ivory might also be back a long with Dee Milliner as they look to come back from their hamstring injuries.

Big Game For The New York Jets

The Jets are going into Nashville needing this win to improve to 3-1. The Jets need to win every game they can because their October schedule is the toughest in the league. The Jets face Atlanta at the Georgia Dome, New England at home, Steelers at home, Cincinatti away, and then they finish off against the Saints at home. These are all going to be tough games for the Jets unless the offense improves. Geno Smith will not be able to throw multiple picks against these teams and expect the defense to hold every single time. Geno will need to play smart, go through his progressions and take what the defense gives him. He can not afford to force passes against these teams.

The bigger game for the Jets on this brutal schedule is the New England Patriots who are 3-0. By the time the Jets play them, the Patriots should have Gronkowski back a long with Danny Amendola. If the Jets have any hope of making the playoffs they will need to split the season series with the Patriots. Divisional games are the most important. Division wins essentially counts as a game and a half.

Look for the Jets to try and shut down the speedy Chris Johnson and contain Jake Locker. If Locker feels pressure he will not hesitate to run to pick up extra yardage. If you look back at the San Diego game last week, Locker ran a bootleg, faked the linebacker and ran for a 39 yard gain. The Jets will try and make Locker throw as much as possible.

Chris Ivory Hurt Again

Chris Ivory was injured in the first quarter against the Buffalo Bills Sunday. Rex learned that it was a hamstring injury, the same hamstring that sidelined Ivory for 2 weeks of practice and the first preseason game. Rex Ryan has confirmed that this time the hamstring injury is the same leg but in a different location. "Right now we'll let you know on Wednesday when the injury report comes out," Jets head coach Rex Ryan said. "It is a hamstring, though, I'll let you know that."

Ivory has been disappointing so far. He has rushed 26 times for 72 yards through the first three games, and has averaged 1.5 yards and still hasn't scored a touchdown. It is somewhat expected with Marty's offense as he is known for being pass happy, evident over the past 3 weeks. Even with Marty being pass happy the Jets still expect Ivory to produce when given the chance as Bilal Powell rushed for a career high 149 yards on 27 carries. Powell has been the starter and if he keeps being as consistent as he has been he will remain the starter for the season.

Don't forget about Mike Goodson's return which will be able to return September 30th the day after the Titans game. If this injury sidelines Ivory for a couple of games and Goodson plays well look for Goodson to pass Ivory in the depth chart. Even so the Jets will have a staple of backs to choose from and they need everyone to be fresh to prevent injury. "I think the way the game is played now I think you have to have a stable of backs," Ryan said. "I think you're trying to have fresh backs."



By Sandy Ng, follow me on twitter @DaBest1128

Jets Beat Bills, 27-20

The Jets gave the Bills every chance to win this game by committing 20 penalties for 168 yards constantly giving the Bills first downs and keeping drives alive. Kyle Wilson had a meltdown in the 4th quarter committing 3 straight penalties that resulted in a Bills td late in the game. Rex benched him on the rest of that series and later moved him to safety. However, the Jets defense stayed solid as they have all year and consistently came up with big stops when needed. They held EJ Manuel to 243 yards passing and 1 td. He finished 19-42; the Jets mixed up their coverages and clearly confused Manuel throughout the day. The Jets defense held CJ Spiller and Stevie Johnson to a combined 87 yards. They also finished with 8 sacks, they previously had 4 in the last 2 games. The Jets front four are the best they had in years and are constantly getting pressure and QB hits. EJ Manuel was only sacked once in the past 2 games and he was sacked 8 times today, and hit plenty more. With this defense that the Jets have they will be in every single game this season.

Geno Smith clearly outplayed EJ Manuel today finishing 16-for-29, 331 yards, 2 passing touchdowns, and a rushing touchdown. Geno threw 2 picks but immediately after the first one, Smith threw a 51 yard pass to Stephen Hill. After the Bills tied the game up late in the fourth quarter Geno threw a beautiful ball down the field and connected with Santonio Holmes for a 69 yard touchdown pass. It was the first time two Jet receivers had a 50 yard touchdown catch since 1999 when Ray Lucas was the QB. Bilal Powell took over the RB role as Chris Ivory hurt his hamstring early in the first quarter. Powell carried the ball 27 times and rushed for 149 yards, showing the ability to make cuts, escape on the edge and break tackles. Powell consistently fought for extra yards and showed his toughness. The Jets offense finished with 513 total yards, the most in the Rex Ryan Era.

The Jets face the Tennessee Titans next Sunday on the road. The last time these teams met was last seasons monday night game and that resulted in Sanchez's benching. The Titans won on a last second touchdown pass to beat the San Diego Chargers. Look for the Jets to contain Chris Johnson and make Locker beat them with his arm. Remember the Jets defense is a lot better than it was last year. The Jets could go 3-1 heading into the Georgia Dome in 2 weeks against the Falcons.



By Sandy Ng, follow me on twitter @DaBest1128

Jets Game Plan VS Bills

The New York Jets face the Buffalo Bills Sunday afternoon. The Jets need to focus on containing CJ Spiller. Spiller ran all over the Jets last year producing 325 yards from scrimmage. Spiller excels when he hits the edge of a defense and then shows his real speed. The Jets linebackers have to set the edge against him because he can break an 80 yard run at any moment. The Jets defense is much more improved than last years. They held Doug Martin and Stevan Ridley to a combined 105 yards averaging 2.6 yards a carry, thanks to Muhammad Wilkerson, Kenrick Ellis, Damon Harrison, and Sheldon Richardson who have dominated upfront.

Lastly the Jets need to try and confuse EJ Manuel. Manuel has completed 75 percent of his passes under 10 yards. The Bills like to run a no huddle offense, averaging one play every 22 seconds which believe it or not makes them the fastest offense in the league. Manuel is mainly a dink and dunk passer always looking for his hot read and consistently throwing to them. The Jets need to take that away and let Manuel display his arm strength and throw it downfield where the Jets can force some turnovers. Look for Rex to throw everything at this rookie QB as the Jets look for their 2nd win this season.




By Sandy Ng, follow me on twitter @DaBest1128

Sanchez Put On IR

Mark Sanchez was put on Short Term Injured Reserve today. Sanchez won't be able to return for eight weeks. Sanchez has a labral tear in his right throwing shoulder and he agreed with the decision that Idzik made. Sanchez doesn't want to get surgery so he said he is ok with being put on short term IR as this will give him the opportunity to fully rehab the shoulder so he can resume throwing the ball in a couple weeks without having to rush back and further injuring it.

If Sanchez returns healthy and Geno Smith is struggling expect the quarterback competition to be back as Rex might give Sanchez a shot in his return back to see what he can do in this west coast offense, which suits Sanchez well as it is predicated on quick reads. Sanchez can return to practice in eight weeks and is eligible to play week 11 against the Buffalo Bills. Contrary to reports Sanchez is looking to stay at the Jets facility and rehab his injured shoulder.

John Idzik chose to put Sanchez on the short term IR which is strange because with the new designated for return rule only one player is allowed to return from the list, and Idzik chose to put Sanchez on it instead of saving that spot for another player if they get hurt. "He's a quarterback. He's a very important player to our team," Idzik said during the conference call."The designation is tailor made for someone like this."

Look for Sanchez to attack his rehab with the idea that he is going to start when he gets back on the field. He has said multiple times it was his job to lose and the other day Sanchez said there's no doubt in his mind he won the QB battle. Look for the controversy to begin again come week 11 if Geno Smith plays poorly.

Patriots Steal One In Foxboro

The New York Jets went into foxboro feeling confident they would come out with a victory, and they should have. With Tom Brady missing his top 3 targets (Rob Gronkowski, Danny Amendola, and Shane Vereen), he was left throwing the ball to Julian Edelman and Kenbrall Thompkins. Other than the first drive of the game the Jets defense played great. They held Brady to under 50% passing, they were under 40% on third down conversions, and they shut the patriots out in the second half but the Jets offense still couldn't capitalize and they couldn't take advantage of all the Patriots injuries. The Patriots stole this game in Foxboro. 

With a nice scoring drive in the 3rd quarter to cut the lead to 3, the Jets got the ball back and after a couple nice completions from Geno Smith in the pouring rain the Jets were inside the 20. Geno rolled out to his left and threw to Holmes who was open, however Geno threw it behind him and it was tipped and resulted in an interception. If the Jets score there they go up by 4 or atleast tie the game. It was a crucial mistake in the game. 

Geno finished with 3 interceptions to end the game. However, the rookie was plagued by dropped passes by his wrs. By my count there was 7 drops. After so many drops a QB may be hesitant to deliver the ball to that wr and it could throw off their timing which might have had something to do with the other 2 interceptions. 

Geno Smith is still a rookie but has showed the poise and skill set to last as a QB in this league and become a franchise Quarterback. But only time will tell. 

Sanchez's season likely over

Mark Sanchez has a torn labrum in his shoulder after getting injured during the Jets 3rd preseason game against the Giants. Sanchez visited with Dr. James Andrew and was told he needed season ending surgery to repair it. However, Sanchez has chosen to rehab his shoulder instead so he still has a chance to play this season. If Sanchez receives season ending surgery it will likely be the last we see of Sanchez as John Idzik will most likely cut him and free up some salary cap space for 2014. Sanchez is scheduled to make around 12 million for the 2014 season and Idzik will be looking to cut ties with Sanchez and the contract former GM Mike Tannenbaum gave him which should bring the Jets salary cap to around 30-40 million in free space. It will be a fall from grace for Sanchez as he led the Jets to back to back AFC Championship games his first 2 years in the league and has a passer rating of 94 in the playoffs. Look for Sanchez to rehab his shoulder and try to play once again this season to try and save his spot even though it is highly unlikely he will be on the Jets after this season.




By Sandy Ng, follow me on twitter @DaBest1128

Jets Notes: Pats Next, Kerley Hurt, Holmes Frustrated

1. The New York Jets are playing the New England Patriots this Thursday night at Foxboro. The Jets were major underdogs heading into this game but with injuries to Danny Amendola and Shane Vereen, it finally looks like the Patriots offense is vulnerable. The Jets defense only allowed 250 yards against the Buccaneers Sunday and their D-Line continually got after the QB. The key for the Jets is to get to Tom Brady early and often and contain Steven Ridley as they did Doug Martin, limiting Martin to only 65 yards.

2. No rookie quarterback has gone into Foxboro and beat the Patriots. Actually all rookie quarterbacks have lost by at least 14 points. Geno Smith will want to change that stat Thursday night as he hopes to get a victory and be 2-0 on the season. Look for Geno Smith to target Kellen Winslow early and often as Jeremy Kerley will likely miss the game with a concussion. Kerley passed both tests before and after the game was over on sunday but told trainers he felt dizzy during mondays practice.

3. Santonio Holmes played just 45 snaps and sat out 28 plays during the Jets 18-17 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. "I was frustrated for myself, and respecting the coaching staff and the decision that they made that I understood from the beginning, that I had to play a certain amount of plays because it was my first game back," Holmes said in a press conference on Wednesday. "I wanted to play more myself, but I had to understand what they had planned for me."

Holmes doesn't know if the Jets will give him increased playing time on a short week, but added his foot has felt fine and with all the therapy and treatment he was given this offseason look for Holmes to have a more impactful role in the offense especially with Kerley out.


By Sandy Ng, follow me on twitter @Dabest1128

Final Score: Jets 18, Buccaneers 17

The New York Jets were down 2 with 38 seconds left and no timeouts starting at their own 20 yard line. After a completed pass deep down the middle to Kellen Winslow, Geno scrambled for a first down and LB Lavonte David was penalized for a late hit that gave the Jets an extra 15 yards. That penalty set up the game winning 48 yard field goal for Nick Folk which gave the Jets the win, 18 to 17.[

The Jets defense started off solid. They forced a safety and Dawan Landry had an interception. Rookie Sheldon Richardson was all over the field, getting a sack and having multiple tackles throughout the game. They held RB Doug Martin to 64 total yards after having a huge rookie season last year. Dee Milliner started off slow giving up a touchdown to WR Mike Williams but really settled down and had a solid game overall. Muhammad Wilkerson was man handling the Bucs O-line having a sack and providing multiple pressures. Rex Ryan said the Jets will have a top 5 defense and that D-line is no doubt the strength of this team now.

Geno Smith was a tale of two halves. First half he looked a little rattled, throwing an interception and fumbling the ball inside their own 10 yard line. Toward the end of the first half, Geno led a td drive down the field which brought the Jets within 2 points heading into halftime. The 2nd half he looked calm and composed, setting up 2 field games, the latter which won it. Smith finished 24-of-38 for 256 yards. The moment wasn't too big for Geno and he showed his confidence in the game winning drive.

Chris Ivory was a non factor in this game as he was constantly stuffed at the line of scrimmage and showcased his lack of receiving skills dropping a crucial 3rd down pass. Give credit to Tampa Bays run defense as they showed why they were number 1 in the league last season. Look for a bounce back game for Ivory thursday night against the Patriots.



By Sandy Ng, follow me on twitter @DaBest1128

Jets vs. Tampa, W2W

1. Geno Smith is the starter. The Jets will see if he can make solid reads, and make smart and good throws against the revamped Tampa secondary, which was ranked dead last in pass defense last season. With the free agency additions of Darrelle Revis and Dashon Goldson the Jets need to make quick reads and test revis and see how his surgically repaired knee holds up. I expect a lot of quick passes and some shots deep with new Offensive Coordinator Marty Morhinweg.

2. Can they rattle Josh Freeman early? The Jets will have 7 new starters on defense and the ones to watch will be Dee Milliner who will be opposite Antonio Cromartie. He will be matched up against Mike Williams racked up over 900 receiving yards last year. Sheldon Richardson is the other. Rex raved about his versatility and his ability to get to the QB, which will be key in this game as Freeman has thrown 39 interceptions in the last 3 years which is 3 more than Mark Sanchez. Muhammed Wilkerson thinks if they can get to Freeman early he will be uncomfortable and make bad reads and the Jets will force turnovers.

3. Revis Island Returns To New York. Darrelle Revis will make his return to his MetLife Stadium but this time as a member of the Tamp Bay Buccaneers. Revis is coming off of an ACL injury he sustained in week 3 last year against the Dolphins. The Jets need to find out if he is the same player by testing hime early with quick passes and making him play the deep ball as well as coming up for the run. Rex Ryan says they won't test him but i have a feeling they will early and often until he shows he is the same Revis as old.




By Sandy Ng, follow me on twitter @DaBest1128

Jets Ready To Move On From Sanchez

According to the Daily News, Rex Ryan and John Idzik and most of the teams personnel are on board with moving on from Mark Sanchez and starting Geno Smith week 1. Sources told the Daily News that Ryan believes Geno is the better option and the right move to start this season if his ankle is 100 percent. Sanchez isn't likely to suit up against the Buccaneers anyway come week 1 so it is a no brainer that Geno is going to start, this decision that Rex has made though is for Geno to play throughout the entire season and evaluate him. The Jets want to see how Geno does through an entire season to see if they will take another QB in next years draft.

A starter would have been named earlier if Rex rested Geno during practice after he hurt his ankle in the preseason game against the Jaguars. Even though Sanchez was solid through practice and was accurate in games he kept making rookie mistakes against the lions where he threw a pick that was returned for a touchdown and when he failed to recognize the clock against the Jaguars which resulted in no points for the Jets before halftime. It was his repeated red zone mistakes that made this decision that much easier for Rex and co.

The Jets will find out week 1 if Geno is the answer at the QB position.

By Sandy Ng, follow me on twitter @DaBest1128

Jets Latest Cuts

This is the time of the year all players hate; cut day. The Jets have to trim their roster down from 90 players to 53 players. Here are some of the cuts they made so far:

- Antonio Garay, DT

- Billy Cundiff, K

- Dan Carpenter, K

- JoJo Dickson, LB

- Junior Aumave, DL

- Eric Cook, OL

- Mike Edwards, CB

- Greg McElroy, QB

- Rontez Miles, S

- Mossis Madu, RB

- Mohamed Massaquio, WR

- Lanier Coleman, DL

- Tevita Finau, DL

- Jacquies Smith, LB

- Chris Pantale, TE

- Ben Obomanu, WR

- Troy Davis, LB

- Royce Adams, DB

- Jason Smith, OL

- JB Shugarts, OL

- Michael Campbell, WR

- Zach Rogers, WR


The final depth chart will be updated soon.

New York Jets Likely To Make The Final 53 Man Roster

Their are a couple of Jets that are likely to make the final roster based on their preseason play this last month. The first is RB Khalil Bell; Bell has had a great preseason even though he only appeared in 2 games for the Jets. Bell has shown good speed with great vision and the ability to break tackles and make plays which will definitely keep you in this league. Bell has also been able to catch passes out of the backfield and gain positive yards. He has 4 touchdowns this preseason which will keep him on this roster especially since the Jets cut Joe Mcknight and are waiting for Mike Goodson to return week 4.

Next up is Ryan Spadola. Spadola has shown that he can catch the ball and has above average speed with average strength. He has one fumble this preseason along with a couple drops but the Jets need depth at the WR position. Don't be surprised if he is released sometime after week 1 to bring back Braylon Edwards as his contract wouldn't be guaranteed after signing him then.

Ricky Sapp is going to make the final cut because of the injury to Quinton Coples that will keep him out up until about week 3. The Jets need depth at that position and Sapp would be a good addition if he can bring over his preseason performance into the regular season. He showed that he can generate pressure and can play well in the run game setting the edge and getting into the backfield.

Legar Douzable and Danny Lansanah are likely to make the roster too. Douzable has shown a surprising pass rush ability and has shown he can provide consistent pressure to the QB and also play the run game. He will be playing behind Sheldon Richardson and Muhammad Wilkerson and will get some playing time in dime packages and goal line formations. Danny Lansanah is a 6-1, 255 pound LB. He has played well against the run and can make open field tackles, again will provide depth to the LB corps and will likely be on special teams also.


By Sandy Ng, follow me on twitter @DaBest1128

Jets First Half Notes

The New York Jets are playing their last preseason game against the Philadelphia Eagles. The game started off with Matt Simms throwing with what should've been an interception but the linebacker dropped it. The drive ended with two sacks and Simms getting sacked in the endzone for a safety. The Jets defense held its own limiting Philly to 5 points and getting a couple sacks a long with a forced fumble by Ricky Sapp who has finally showed up in preseason and is likely to make the final 53 man roster. Simms bounced back with a couple of nice throws and escaped some pressure. Simms is playing for the 3rd quarterback spot and might take Greg McElroys spot since he is hurt and unable to play in the final preseason game. Running back Khalil Bell might make the final cut as Mike Goodson is suspended the first four games of the season. Bell showed good speed along with some nice cuts and vision behind this Jets backup line. Bell lined up in the wildcat and ran in it for a touchdown from about 10 yards out.

- Recently acquired Jason Smith struggled mightily against the backups of the Eagles defensive line. Smith was beaten multiple times off the edge and showed that he can't block in the run game. He is likely to be cut and once again a free agent.

- According to NFL.com, Mark Sanchez is unlikely to play in the season opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as he is still recovering from a deep right shoulder bruise and has yet to throw since he suffered the injury in last weeks game against the Giants. Look forward to seeing Geno Smith behind center come week 1.


By Sandy Ng, follow me on twitter @DaBest1128

Geno Smith Brutal, Sanchez Injured

Geno Smith got the start in tonights game against the New York Giants. As
Rex Ryan would say he was “brutal” throwing three interceptions and running out
of the back of the end zone for a safety. Geno had a chance to take the starting job
by performing well tonight but showed how much of a rookie he really is. Smith
completed 16-of-30 passes for 199 yards, which included a 22-yard strike to Ben
Obamanu in the first quarter. However, that was the only bright spot for Geno Smith
as the rest of his night was filled with rookie mistakes.
After replacing Geno in the fourth quarter Mark Sanchez again was up and
down. He threw some nice passes and escaped pressure but on his first drive he
fumbled a shotgun snap that hit him right in the hands and the Giants took
possession. Later on in the fourth, Sanchez escaped a couple of defenders and threw
a comeback to WR Muhammad Massaquio, but was hit by Marvin Austin and hurt
his right shoulder. He was on the ground in significant pain but managed to walk off
and was done for the night. It was a questionable decision to even have Sanchez in
the game playing behind the backup offensive line and 3
were seriously injured Rex Ryan would have been the joke of the league for the rest
of the season for putting their likely starting quarterback in the 4
preseason game.

This competition will no doubt head into preseason game number four with
the starter to be named after the game against the Philadelphia Eagles. Whoever
performs best will be the week one starter against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but
for now it is up in the air on who Rex will pick.

By Sandy Ng, follow me on twitter @Dabest1128

Jets Practice Notes

The biggest headline coming out of practice today was that Geno Smith is

going to be the starter against the Giants this Saturday. Rookie Geno Smith took the

majority of the first team reps for the second consecutive day. His ankle may not be

100 percent but it looked way better today as he had a very accurate day, especially

in team drills as he went 11 of 12. His only downfall at practice was an interception

he threw in a 7-on-7 drill and he failed to break a huddle in time.


Mark Sanchez worked with the second team today and looked decent during

team drills. He finished 4-for-7 with one drop but he overthrew a wide-open Clyde

Gates that would have resulted in a touchdown.

Antonio Allen worked with the first team defense after Jaiquawn Jarret was

named the starter for last week’s game against the Jaguars. He had a great practice

and finished with two interceptions. Rex Ryan was very happy with his

performance. “It was the opposite of a brutal practice,” said Ryan, alluding to his

“brutal” comment from last week about Smith. “It was a great day.” After his

performance in practice Rex named Allen the starter for the Giants game Saturday

night. Jarrett will get the final start against his former Eagles team and a starter for

opening day will be named after the last preseason game.


LG Stephen Peterman worked at center today behind Nick Mangold, as that

spells bad news for Caleb Shlauderaff. It seems the Jets aren’t high on him and are

looking to fit Peterman in incase of an injury. Vladmir Ducasse worked at left guard

with the first team and didn’t look good. He got driven back and couldn’t block the

first team defense.


RB Joe Mcknight finally participated in practice without a red non contact

jersey. WR Braylon Edwards rested as part of his pitch count. CB Dee Millner was

out with a sore calf, NT Kenrick Ellis was out with his back injury, LB Josh Mauga out

with a back injury also, and FB Lex Hilliard was seen heavily in pain during practice

with an apparent shoulder injury.



The Jets got a visit from more than 20 former Jets who came out to watch

practice. They all played from 1960 to 1980 and Ryan and GM John Idzik got to

speak with them for a while as they enjoyed watching their former team practice.


By Sandy Ng, follow me on twitter @DaBest1128

Jets QB Battle is Wide Open

The battle for starting QB is wide
open after Sanchez inconsistent performance tonight against the Jaguars. Sanchez
started off great with an opening drive that led to a 23-yard TD pass to Jeff
Cumberland. Sanchez started out 3-3 for 48 yards. Sanchez soon reverted back to
his old form as the Jets were in the red zone and threw a pick in the end zone
intended for Kellen Winslow. The next drive the Jets had six seconds on the clock
and it was third down, Rex wanted to run one more quick play before halftime and
at least get a field goal. Sanchez held onto the ball the whole six seconds and threw
an incompletion in the end zone leaving the Jets with zero points in two straight
trips in the red zone.
After such an inconsistent performance Rex will let Geno Smith get a lot
of time with the starters next Saturday against the Giants since he was unable to
go tonight and Sanchez played three quarters. Geno Smith will get a chance to
showcase his talent for a couple quarters considering he was only in for three drives
the first preseason game. His ankle should be healed up and ready to go come next
Saturday and if he performs well Sanchez job will definitely be in jeapordy.

By Sandy Ng, follow me on twitter @Dabest1128

Sanchez Has A Chance To Win Starting Job Tonight

Mark Sanchez was
named the starter heading into tonight’s game against the Jaguars and will play the
entire first half with the starters. He has a very good chance to win the starting job
going into week 1 because Geno Smith might not be able to play with his mild ankle
sprain. If Geno isn’t available to go, and if Sanchez plays well he will most likely be
the starter purely based on availability during practice and solid performances in
preseason. However it seems from Rex Ryan that Geno Smith still has a chance,
“This competition is not complete,” Ryan said. “When it is, when we feel like we have
enough information, then we’ll make our decision. We’re not going to get into who’s
ahead, who’s not. Ill say right now the competition is not complete. There’s still time
to make that decision.”
Sounds like words echoed straight from John Idzik the general manager. We
all know Geno Smith is his guy, he drafted Smith in the 2nd round he wanted him to
be the starter. He also said he is going to have a major say in who the starter is
which really is a job for the coaches not the general manager. His job is to bring in
guys to compete and make the best possible roster but he wants his imprint on this
team. However, as hard as Idzik tries to rig this competition in Geno’s favor, because
of his sprained ankle and if he truly can’t go tonight it looks like it Sanchez job to
lose.


By Sandy Ng, follow me on twitter @Dabest1128

Chris Ivory Finally Practices

Chris Ivory finally took the field with the Jets yesterday in practice. He
participated in some drills and finally got some team reps with no tightness in his
hamstring afterwards. This is encouraging for the Jets considering they only have
Bilal Powell and Kahlil Bell on the roster with goodson still out with legal issues
and Mcknight with a rash of injuries. Coach Rex Ryan hopes to see Ivory Saturday
against the Jaguars, “I hope he does play Saturday” Ryan said. “He’s a big powerful
man. I think every Jet fan is looking forward to seeing him run.”
Ivory took the first two handoffs in team
drills and coaches said he looked great. Rex
again liked what he saw. “He looked
excellent,” he said of Ivory. “I mean, that’s a
big, powerful man. That’s the guy we’ve
been waiting for. I think every Jets fan has
been looking forward to seeing this guy
run, and today we got to see it some. I was
encouraged to say the least.”
Hopefully Ivory can take the field Saturday
which will add a different dimension to
their running game considering he is a one
cut back. It also adds depth and takes some
of the load of Bilal Powell.

By Sandy Ng, follow me on twitter @Dabest1128

Early Exit for Geno Smith

Geno Smith’s first preseason game ended quickly after a couple series. Smith
escaped pressure and twisted his ankle attempting to run for extra yardage. He got
up and immediately went to the sideline as Greg McElroy came in to relieve him.
Geno made a couple good passes and showed zip on the ball but penalties hurt the
Jets, as Geno could never get a consistent drive going. He finished 6 of 7 for 47 yards.
Jet fans got to see a lot more of Mark Sanchez than Geno Smith. Sanchez
played the whole first quarter and got a couple series with the starters. His third
pass of the game was picked off on a screen play by Ezekial Ansah and returned
for a touchdown. After all the emphasis of protecting the ball in training camp and
Sanchez turned it over quickly on his first drive. However, he responded with a
drive that led the Jets to their first preseason touchdown since 2011. Mark went 5 of
5 for 76 yards and threw a 26-yard strike to Jeff Cumberland. Sanchez finished the
night 10 of 13 for 125 yards, 1 TD, and 1 INT.
Smiths injury shouldn’t be too bad but if it is Sanchez will likely gain
momentum in this QB battle because Geno will be unable to practice or play in the
preseason.

By Sandy Ng, follow me on twitter @Dabest1128

Jets Rookies to Watch vs. Detroit

The New York Jets play the Detroit Lions tomorrow as their first preseason game
kicks off. Preseason is the time to evaluate rookies and who will make the final 53-
man roster.
Sheldon Richardson:  who is getting the start at DT. The 13
praised for his athleticism and explosiveness by Ryan. He gets to work alongside
Muhammad Wilkerson, Quinton Coples, Kenrick Ellis, and Antonio Garay. Lets see
how he does against the Lions weak offensive line.
Dee Millner who is getting the start opposite Antonio Cromartie. He beat out Kyle
Wilson who will now move back to the nickel spot. Millner is going to be the number
two corner so we won’t get to see him against megatron. He might not get a lot of
reps in simply because he was limited at practice with tightness in his calf.
Geno Smith will be the rookie everyone has their eyes on. He wont be the starter
but he will get a chance to work with the first team offense and should play for
atleast a quarter Friday night. He will display his arm strength and his knowledge of
the playbook and defenses, as he will likely go up against the starters for the Lions
also. We will see how he reacts to the Lions aggressive front four and if he can get
the ball out quickly and accurately to his playmakers.


By Sandy Ng, follow me on twitter @Dabest1128

Jets Training Camp

The Jets have been in training camp for almost two weeks now and there are battles
going on at multiple positions, players fighting to make the roster. Some
notable players who have been absent from team workouts are Santonio
Holmes who continues to rehab from his lisfranc injury he sustained last
year. A source close to Holmes suggests he will be out for the first four
weeks of the regular season, which doesn’t bode well for the Jets since they
are still without any premier weapons on offense. It doesn’t help that Chris
Ivory has barely participated in team drills and is doubtful for tomorrow’s
preseason game at Detroit because of a hamstring injury that has kept him
out of practice for almost a week now. Also, Mike Goodson still hasn’t
returned to the team because of his legal issues from when he was arrested a
couple months ago. So at the Running Back position, which was thought to
be a deep position for the jets is now down to Bilal Powell, because Joe
Mcknight is, also out with appears to be a mild concussion.  Bilal Powell
has been a bright spot for the Jets in training camp and has been having the
most consistent camp. He showed last year when given the opportunity that
he can run the ball between the tackles and can also pass protect as well as
catch passes out of the backfield. He should get the start in the first
preseason game against the Lions.
Kellen Winslow and Braylon Edwards have been on a pitch count
to monitor their reps as they have been injury prone the past couple years.
Winslow goal is to catch 100 passes this year and if he can stay healthy
it might not be out of reach. Winslow is a very talented tight end and can
stretch the field down the seam. Many Jet fans have clamored for Braylon
for a while now and many were sad to see him leave in 2011. He has a
good rapport with Sanchez and can be a very reliable receiver if he can
stay healthy. Two bright spots in training camp have been Stephen Hill and
Clyde Gates. They have been very consistent in training camp catching
the ball and have greatly improved their route running. The Jets need these
two to step up especially if Holmes can’t make it for the start of the regular
season.
Geno vs. Sanchez has shaped up to be a good battle in training camp so far.
The battle was going back and forth at the beginning of training camp but it
looks like Sanchez has earned the starting spot for the first preseason game
at Detroit. "I feel like I'm putting together a good camp and think I earned
the right to start in this first game," Sanchez said. "We'll see how it goes
from there, but I have to keep playing well to stay on the field and that's the
plan." Marty gave the nod to Sanchez after saying “He’s earned it. He’s had
an outstanding training camp, so that’s the first thing. The second thing is,
he’s been the starter here. The first game would typically be his, but he’s
earned it as well, so those two things kind of go together.” Sanchez will start
Friday but don’t be surprised if Geno starts next Saturday against the jaguars
as that is a home game for the Jets and it will be easier for him than on the
road. Training camp continues and these battles will be interesting to watch.

By Sandy Ng, follow me on twitter @Dabest1128

Sanchez or Geno?

The Quarterback battle continues as Mark Sanchez and Geno Smith fight for the
starting job. Sanchez and Geno have split first team reps so far as Rex and the staff
evaluate both of them in practice. So far it seems that Sanchez has the upper hand
as some have said that Geno hasn’t impressed many in practice. He can make any
throw but he is learning a new system and the Jets are without many starting wide
receivers in practice. Santonio Holmes still hasn’t practiced because he is still
rehabbing the foot injury from last season and has spent most of the time on the
stationary bike on the sideline. Stephen Hill has returned but drops are still plaguing
him.
“ You should be surprised if you ever drop the ball. Yesterday, I was surprised when
we caught it, Ryan said. You’re an NFL player, catch the football. You’re paid to catch
the football.”
Rex Ryan clearly not happy with the second group of Wide Receivers. Kerley and
Hill joined the injury plagued Receiving group and it didn’t help. Kerley has had his
worst day of practice dropping a touchdown and many passes in team drills. Rex
will pick a starter when the Wrs get healthy and both quarterbacks have a chance
to throw to them. Since the Jets are injured at the Wr position they should look into
bringing in Braylon Edwards who has always played great with them, and look into
bringing in Brandon Lloyd who is a great route runner and has excellent hands.
This battle will continue and a starter will most likely be announced before the
preseason unless Geno shines during preseason. Even if Sanchez is the starter
Rex said they would still use Geno in the read option and add that extra threat
that the defense has to prepare for. The option has worked wonders with mobile
quarterbacks as Russel Wilson, Caepernick, and RG3 have shown. The Jets would be
smart to use Geno Smith in that role.
However, for now Mark Sanchez has the upper hand and will most likely be the
starter come week 1. If Sanchez slips up Geno will be right there waiting for his
opportunity to get on the field.