NEW YORK JETS DAILY CLIPS. November 4, 2015 Table of Contents

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1 NEW YORK JETS DAILY CLIPS November 4, 2015 Table of Contents NEWSDAY... 1 Muhammad Wilkerson: Jets' defense loafed in loss to Raiders (Kimberley A. Martin)... 1 Brandon Marshall stumps for Geno Smith on 'Inside the NFL' (Kimberley A. Martin)... 2 THE RECORD... 3 Jets look ahead: Week 9 vs. Jacksonville (J.P. Pelzman)... 3 Pelzman on the Jets beat: No time to panic (J.P. Pelzman)... 4 ESPN NEW YORK... 5 Could QB-needy Jets pull off a trade for 49ers' Colin Kaepernick? (Rich Cimini)... 5 Jets QB Ryan Fitzpatrick can call ex-mate Carson Palmer for thumb tip (Rich Cimini)... 6 The Idzik Bowl: Former Jets GM returns to MetLife as Jaguars exec (Rich Cimini)... 7 NEW YORK POST... 8 Why it s the perfect time for the Jets to start Bryce Petty (Brian Costello)... 8 John Idzik visiting scene of his Jets stench? He won t dare (Brian Costello)... 9 NJ ADVANCE MEDIA If Jets' Geno Smith has to start Sunday, what did he learn from watching Ryan Fitzpatrick? (Darryl Slater) NFL power rankings roundup: Where are Jets after Oakland Raiders thumped them? (Dom Cosentino) Jets' Brandon Marshall on Geno Smith: 'Can we give a kid a second chance?' (Darryl Slater) Muhammad Wilkerson joins David Harris in calling out Jets' lack of hustle (Dom Cosentino) Why Kurt Warner thinks Jets' Ryan Fitzpatrick will play through torn thumb ligament (Darryl Slater) After 2 straight losses, how much have Jets' chances of making playoffs dropped? (Darryl Slater) NEW YORK DAILY NEWS Who is the Jets quarterback? That's no snap decision (Seth Walder) METRO NEW YORK Ryan Fitzpatrick's status very much up in the air (Kristian Dyer) TUESDAY S SPORTS TRANSACTIONS NEWSDAY Muhammad Wilkerson: Jets' defense loafed in loss to Raiders (Kimberley A. Martin) Newsday November 3, P a g e

2 There's no "perfect answer'' to explain last week's no-show by the Jets' defense at Oakland, Muhammad Wilkerson said. But the defensive end delivered a damning indictment of the unit's performance in a loss to the Raiders that included 19 missed tackles, according to Pro Football Focus. "Guys were loafing,'' Wilkerson said Tuesday during his weekly radio spot on WFAN. "Guys thinking that somebody was going to make a play and then he doesn't make a play and then it's a change of speed. It's just a whole bunch of things that normally this defense is not usually doing. Seeing guys loaf and miss tackles, that's not this defense.'' Wilkerson's comments came a day after linebacker David Harris said "it was disgusting to look at'' video of their performance against the Raiders, who totaled 451 yards, including 118 rushing. Second-year quarterback Derek Carr threw for four touchdowns, including scores of 36, 49 and 59 yards. "Playing at this level, there's no reason why we should be missing tackles,'' Wilkerson said. He also noted there were "one or two practices'' last week in which coach Todd Bowles "felt like the energy wasn't there. And even the day before the game, we had our night meetings and he told us the key to the game is to come out and bring energy. "And we came out flat and had no energy on offense or defense,'' said Wilkerson, who added that "everybody has to bring fire, not just one or two guys.'' Wilkerson refused to use the West Coast time-zone change as an excuse, instead pointing to the importance of forcing turnovers, which the Jets failed to do against the Patriots and Raiders. "We lost two weeks in a row, so clearly we have to create turnovers to have some type of chance of winning,'' he said. Asked about the lack of a consistent pass rush, Wilkerson said the D-line works hand in hand with the secondary. "Neither one did a good job on Sunday,'' he said. "So we need those guys to cover a little bit better and we need to get off blocks up front and get after the quarterback.'' Jets stand pat. The league's 4 p.m. trade deadline came and went without any moves by the Jets or any other team. With Ryan Fitzpatrick (thumb) and Geno Smith (shoulder) banged up, the team still could sign another quarterback this week. If not, the Jets might be forced to start rookie Bryce Petty against the Jaguars. Brandon Marshall stumps for Geno Smith on 'Inside the NFL' (Kimberley A. Martin) Newsday November 4, Jets fans may have their doubts about Geno Smith, but Brandon Marshall believes the third-year quarterback deserves "a second chance" to lead the Jets offense. "I've been a fan of Geno Smith's since that day [I got to the Jets]," Marshall said on Tuesday night's episode of Showtime's "Inside the NFL." "So I'm going to stick to that. I love it. I'm proud of the kid." Smith made his first appearance of the 2015 season Sunday, when he replaced Ryan Fitzpatrick in the first quarter of an eventual loss in Oakland. Fitzpatrick tore ligaments in his left thumb when he scrambled for a 12-yard gain and was tackled by Raiders safety Charles Woodson. Smith also injured his left shoulder and abdomen against the Raiders, but finished the game. It's unclear if he'll be healthy 2 P a g e

3 enough to play this week against Jacksonville (2-5). But if he is, Marshall believes the Jets (4-3) will be in good hands. However, his "Inside the NFL" co-host, Boomer Esiason, isn't sold. Esiason, a Long Island native who played quarterback for the Jets from , said the perception is that Smith "can't do the job" as a starting NFL QB. "I believe that perception does have a tinge of reality to it because I haven't seen it," Esiason added. "I've seen some moments where he can throw the ball, physically. But I think, mentally, there are just times where he's clueless on the field." Marshall immediately came to Smith's defense. "Now I'm not just going to take this stance because I'm his teammate," said the star receiver, who was Smith's roommate in the offseason. "But you take a kid who hasn't played all year and you throw him in that game, and look what he did... He finished the game a little banged up... Can we give a kid, a young kid, a second chance?" Quipped Esiason: "He's had like three different chances, hasn't he?" Smith -- who lost the starting job to Fitzpatrick after his jaw was broken Aug. 11 during a locker-room altercation with then-teammate Ikemefuna Enemkpali -- completed 27 of 42 attempts for 265 yards and two touchdowns in Sunday's loss. After the game, he was asked if he views this week as a second chance to be a starter. "Every chance I get to step on the field is a way for me to prove my worth to whoever's watching," Smith said. However, the Jets' QB plans are still up in the air. Fitzpatrick will have surgery at some point, possibly after the season. But for now, the coaching staff wants to see if he can practice Wednesday and Thursday before making a call on this week's starter. If Smith's left shoulder is still bothering him, the Jets -- who stood pat at Tuesday's 4 p.m. trade deadline -- may opt to start rookie Bryce Petty against the Jaguars or sign a free agent. THE RECORD Jets look ahead: Week 9 vs. Jacksonville (J.P. Pelzman) The Record November 4, Jaguars (2-5) at Jets (4-3) At MetLife Stadium Sunday, 1 p.m. TV: CBS Radio: ESPN-FM 98.7 Early line: None Well, lowly Jacksonville seems to have one major advantage over the Jets going into this game: At least the Jaguars know the identity of their starting quarterback. Improving second-year pro Blake Bortles has 15 TD passes and eight interceptions this season and engineered the winning drive in the Jaguars' victory over Buffalo in London. There was no point spread on this game as of Tuesday night because of the Jets' 3 P a g e

4 muddled situation at QB, with Ryan Fitzpatrick (thumb) and Geno Smith (shoulder, abdomen) having been injured in the loss at Oakland. In the spotlight Jets offensive coordinator Chan Gailey. This figures to be quite a challenge for Gailey, who likely will have to draw up different game plans tailored to the strengths of whoever might start whether it's Fitzpatrick, Smith or untested rookie Bryce Petty. If Smith gets the nod, expect more of an emphasis on the deep ball, because Smith has a stronger arm than Fitzpatrick. If fourth-round pick Petty must start, Gailey will have to scale back the playbook a bit. Game plan With some much uncertainty at the QB position, the Jets need RB Chris Ivory to return to his earlier form. New England and Oakland have stuffed the box in the last two weeks and limited him to a total of 58 yards on 32 carries. It also is unclear if C Nick Mangold (neck) and WR Brandon Marshall (ankle, toe) will be healthy enough to play. The defense must stop a pedestrian Jacksonville running game (3.9 yards per carry) and put heat on the young Bortles, who has been sacked 19 times. Pelzman on the Jets beat: No time to panic (J.P. Pelzman) The Record November 4, Mike Maccagnan didn t make any transactions Tuesday. That is, unless the Jets java-loving general manager traded two leftover pumpkin lattes for a Frappuccino to be named later, and it went unreported. But in terms of NFL moves, he didn t make any on the day the league s trade deadline of 4 p.m. came and went without any team consummating a deal with another club. Nor did the Jets sign a veteran free agent. That s not necessarily a bad thing, even given the Jets very cloudy quarterback situation. Signal callers Ryan Fitzpatrick (thumb) and Geno Smith (shoulder, abdomen) got hurt in the Jets loss at Oakland on Sunday, and the status of each is uncertain for the game against visiting Jacksonville on Sunday. Coach Todd Bowles indicated Monday the Jets will give third-string rookie quarterback Bryce Petty more snaps than usual in practice this week in case he has to start the game. It is possible the Jets are waiting to see what happens in practice today, when they begin their on-field preparations for the Jaguars. The Jets will get an idea of whether Fitzpatrick can function despite the torn ligament in his left thumb (non-throwing), an injury that Bowles said eventually will require surgery. The pain makes it difficult for Fitzpatrick to execute snaps under center and handoffs. Smith has a "big bruise" on his left shoulder, Bowles said, but Smith seemed confident after the loss to the Raiders that he would be able to play against Jacksonville. Once the Jets see both players in practice, they should be better able to determine who might be able to start Sunday. The timing of the two injuries gave the Jets a reason to think about trading for a veteran quarterback. But even an experienced player wouldn t be able to start immediately, unless perhaps he has at least some experience in the system of offensive coordinator Chan Gailey. 4 P a g e

5 That s why it wouldn t be surprising if the Jets sometime this week decide to sign journeyman Matt Flynn as insurance. He signed with the team in August after Smith suffered a fractured jaw and played for the Jets in the preseason finale. Maccagnan has made it clear he believes in building a team through the draft. So to give up even a lateround draft pick or two for someone such as Washington s forgotten man, Robert Griffin III, or the recently benched Colin Kaepernick of San Francisco, makes little sense. Especially from a long-term standpoint, given that the object in the NFL is to find and develop a franchise quarterback. Both Griffin and Kaepernick seemed to fit that bill at one time, but haven t lived up to increased expectations. Plus, both like to run, and that s what has gotten the Jets in this mess in the first place, with both Fitzpatrick and Smith declining to slide after scrambling. Also consider how Dallas traded with Buffalo for Matt Cassel after starter Tony Romo was injured earlier this season. Cassel took over the starting job Oct. 25 against the Giants after Brandon Weeden, Romo s initial replacement, was benched. Cassel has compiled a 58.5 passer rating in two games, both losses, while throwing one touchdown pass and three interceptions. One of those miscues was a devastating pick-six in the loss to the Giants. It was prudent for the Jets not to panic at the trade deadline, simply because any quarterback whom a team is willing to trade probably will not be a long-term answer for his new team. And in the case of Cassel, perhaps not even a short-term solution. ESPN NEW YORK Could QB-needy Jets pull off a trade for 49ers' Colin Kaepernick? (Rich Cimini) ESPN New York November 3, So this is interesting. The New York Jets are in such bad shape at quarterback that they claim to have no idea who will start Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars. It's not just a this-week problem; their quarterback issue stretches beyond While the Jets are looking for an answer, the San Francisco 49ers have reportedly benched their onetime franchise quarterback, Colin Kaepernick. The timing is most curious, considering the NFL trade deadline is 4 p.m. ET Tuesday. Could the Jets trade for Kaepernick? Logistically, it's not out of the question. That massive six-year, $114 million contract Kaepernick signed last year is team-friendly because there is no fully guaranteed money beyond the $5.5 million owed to him for the remainder of this season. He has six years, $77.2 million left on the deal that runs through 2020, but it's deceiving. Right now, Kaepernick's 2016 salary ($11.9 million) is guaranteed for injury only -- which, of course, would present a risk for the Jets if he was to suffer a severe injury this year. It could put them on the hook for that $11.9 million. The salary becomes fully guaranteed on April 1. The bigger question: Is Kaepernick salvageable? He's having a poor season, continuing a two-year decline. There have been reports that he has alienated teammates. On the other hand, we're talking about a 5 P a g e

6 quarterback who started in the Super Bowl after the 2012 season... a player with a 4-2 playoff record... a guy who is only 28 years old. In fact, he turns 28 on Tuesday. The way Kaepernick's deal is structured, the Jets could bring him on for the remainder of the season without having to make a long-term commitment. In essence, he'd be a hired gun, charged with getting a win-now team to the playoffs. If it doesn't work out, they can cut or trade him before April 1. On Monday, Todd Bowles was cagey when discussing Ryan Fitzpatrick, Geno Smith, Bryce Petty and his options. No doubt there was an element of gamesmanship in Bowles' comments, especially if the Jets are exploring trades -- and he acknowledged they are. Bowles didn't want to tip his hand or hurt the team's leverage in trade talks, so he basically revealed nothing. At one point, Bowles didn't rule out the possibility of this week's starter not being on the current roster. Hmm. The quarterback would have to be a pretty accomplished player to walk in and be handed the starting job. The 49ers probably could get more for Kaepernick by waiting until the offseason, when teams are in a rebooting mode. Right now, it would depend on a team such as the Jets succumbing to desperation, making an offer the 49ers couldn't refuse. Hey, the Jets might be desperate. I find it hard to believe Fitzpatrick (torn ligament in non-throwing thumb) will be ready any time soon. Do they really want to entrust their season to a banged-up Smith? Obviously there are many variables to a potential trade. Would the Jets surrender a high draft pick? Would they include someone such as linebacker Quinton Coples? We know general manager Mike Maccagnan isn't afraid of high-profile moves. Dealing for Kaepernick would be a game-changer, a season-changer and, potentially, a franchise-changer. Jets QB Ryan Fitzpatrick can call ex-mate Carson Palmer for thumb tip (Rich Cimini) ESPN New York November 3, Can Ryan Fitzpatrick play a football game with a torn ligament in his non-throwing thumb? It'll be tough, but it wouldn't be unprecedented. Carson Palmer did it for the Cincinnati Bengals in He suffered ligament damage in Week 5, yet he started every game, led the Bengals to a division title and made the Pro Bowl. As soon as the season was over, with a playoff loss to the New York Jets, Palmer announced he was having thumb surgery. Fitzpatrick, too, will need surgery at some point, according to coach Todd Bowles. No two injuries are exactly the same, but are some obvious similarities between the Fitzpatrick and Palmer situations. That Palmer needed surgery is an indication it wasn't just a minor thing. Palmer wore a black, protective glove on his left hand for the remainder of the season, learning to execute right-side handoffs with his right hand. It's unorthodox, but it worked, as the Bengals finished ninth in total rushing. The center-quarterback exchange had to be uncomfortable, but he adjusted his hand alignment to soften the blow. Bowles has yet to rule out Fitzpatrick for Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars. 6 P a g e

7 "Until I see him take some snaps, there s a chance he could play Sunday," Bowles said Monday. "It s all according to his pain tolerance. We ll try to get him some snaps on Wednesday and Thursday and see. Under center will be the big thing, I don t think the (shotgun) will be the problem, but we ll have to look at him take some snaps." Fitzpatrick and Palmer are friends -- they were teammates in 2007 and so it wouldn't be a surprise if Fitzpatrick reaches out this week for some advice. The Idzik Bowl: Former Jets GM returns to MetLife as Jaguars exec (Rich Cimini) ESPN New York November 4, Ten things to know about the Jacksonville Jaguars, the New York Jets' upcoming opponent: 1. Normally, no one cares about the opponents' front-office executives, but this is an unusual case. The Jaguars' special assistant to the general manager is John Idzik. Yes, that John Idzik, the Jets' general manager in 2013 and It was a stormy tenure for Idzik, whose solid work in 2013 was overshadowed by a disastrous 4-12 season that resulted in an organizational house cleaning. Only 11 months ago, a blood-thirsty fan group bought billboard space near MetLife Stadium, demanding Idzik's ouster. As of Tuesday, he was planning to attend Sunday's game. There will be no "Welcome Back, John" billboards near the stadium. The Jaguars declined to make Idzik available for an interview. 2. The Jaguars' offensive-line coach is Doug Marrone. Yes, that Doug Marrone, the early frontrunner for the Jets' head-coaching vacancy last January. Marrone opted out of his Buffalo Bills contract because he was led to believe he'd have the inside track on the Jets' job -- or at least that's what some people think. This game will be special for Marrone, a native New Yorker and a former Jets assistant. 3. Let's talk about the team. The Jaguars are only 2-5, ranked 29th in ESPN's latest NFL Power Rankings, but they have played well against the AFC East. Their wins came against the Bills and Miami Dolphins. They won a wild game over the Bills in London, 34-31, after blowing a huge lead. The Jaguars don't play well when they're ahead. They blew fourth-quarter leads to the Indianapolis Colts (Week 4) and Houston Texans (Week 6). 4. The win over the Bills snapped a four-game losing streak and made it a bearable bye week for Gus Bradley. The Jaguars are 9-30 under Bradley, who's starting to feel the heat. Ownership already has said it won't make any changes during the season, but it would've been ugly if they had lost to the Bills, who scored 28 unanswered points amid some questionable coaching decisions by Bradley. If he's going to turn around the season, it has to start now, especially coming off a bye. 5. After a rough rookie year, quarterback Blake Bortles (third overall pick in 2014) is making nice strides, especially on his deep throws. He has 15 touchdown passes, tied for fifth in the NFL and four more than his rookie total. This is hard to believe, but he's only eight behind the Jaguars' team record, held by David Garrard (2010). On the downside, Bortles is tied for sixth with eight interceptions. Get the picture? Bortles makes a lot of big plays -- some for his team, some for the bad guys. In fact, he has seven pick-6s in 21 career games. Against the Bills, he was terrible for three and a half quarters, but he rallied his team with a late touchdown pass to Allen Hurns. 6. Hurns has been a nice find for the Jaguars. Undrafted out of Miami in 2014, the 6-foot-3 wideout has 31 receptions, a 16.6-yard average and five touchdowns. He moves around the formation, so you could 7 P a g e

8 see him in the slot or the outside. He could be a matchup problem for the Jets. Hurns and Allen Robinson are a young, underrated duo at wide receiver. Fantasy owners probably know this, but Hurns has scored a touchdown in five straight games. 7. Tight end Julius Thomas doesn't need an introduction at MetLife. Playing for the Denver Broncos last season, he burned the Jets for two touchdowns. After one of them, he screamed in the end zone, "It's so f---ing easy! It's so easy!" -- and his words made it to live TV because of a nearby mic. It was easy because he had Peyton Manning throwing to him and the Jets' pass defense was awful. It hasn't been easy in Jacksonville. Thomas, who signed a five-year, $46 million contract in free agency, missed the first four games with a broken hand and was limited in the last game with a groin injury. If healthy, his athleticism will cause problems for the Jets. 8. The Jaguars are a below-average rushing team, but they're getting some production out of rookie T.J. Yeldon (406 rushing yards, 16 catches). They use him a lot out of the backfield, which automatically qualifies him as a threat to the Jets. Toby Gerhart is their short-yardage specialist, but he was stuffed on four straight runs from the Bills' 1. Questionable play calling, for sure. 9. Under Bradley, a former Seattle Seahawks assistant, the Jaguars run a 4-3, attacking defense. Overall, they aren't very good (31st in scoring), but they're stout against the run (league-leading 3.52 yards per carry). They caught a bad break in the preseason when No. 1 pick Dante Fowler, Jr. suffered a seasonending knee injury in a pass-rushing drill. 10. If the game comes down to an extra point, don't assume Jason Myers will make it. He already has missed three PATs, which explains why they auditioned free-agent kickers last week. NEW YORK POST Why it s the perfect time for the Jets to start Bryce Petty (Brian Costello) New York Post November 4, Todd Bowles faces the toughest call of his short time with the Jets this week against the Jaguars. He s got a quarterback crisis on his hands. It looks as if Ryan Fitzpatrick will be unable to play due to a torn ligament in his left thumb. Geno Smith is also hurting, dealing with a bruised shoulder. The Jets are looking at options in free agency, had explored trades before Tuesday s 4 p.m. deadline and might even go to the local punt, pass and kick competition to see what s out there. But the answer is right in their locker room. This is the perfect time to give rookie Bryce Petty his first start. This is a no-pressure situation for Petty. No one is expecting him to come in and win the job for the rest of the season. This is not long-term just give him a game, build a game plan around his strengths and see what happens. If he stumbles, Smith, and maybe Fitzpatrick, should be ready by Nov. 12 when Rex Ryan s Bills come to town. If Petty plays well, then everyone has more time to heal. People will cry that Petty is not ready. He came from Baylor, where they ran an offense that did not prepare him from the NFL. Blah, blah, blah. Football is not the rocket science we sometimes make it out to be. 8 P a g e

9 The kid has tremendous physical tools. His arm is as good as anyone on the Jets roster or available in free agency. Petty is built like a quarterback at 6-foot-3, and you don t go 21-4 at Baylor simply because of the system. He can play quarterback. Bowles said Monday that Petty would get some reps with the first team this week as they figured out the health of the other quarterbacks. If Fitzpatrick can play, then he should. But if the decision is between Geno Smith, at less than 100 percent, and Petty start Petty. Everyone knows what Smith is at this point. It was on display again Sunday in Oakland. A few moments that made you say, hey, maybe he s gotten better interrupted by boneheaded (his word, not mine) decisions in the fourth quarter. He is a third-year quarterback who still does not know how to get rid of the ball to avoid a sack. Enough with Geno. Jacksonville is a soft landing spot for Petty, too. The Jaguars defense is 21st overall in the NFL and 25th against the pass. They only have three interceptions, tied for the fewest in the league. The Jets would get a boost from Petty s presence alone. The players would feel the need to rally around the rookie making his first start. The defense has to be embarrassed after last week s performance against the Raiders. Now, Bowles could point to Petty and tell the defense it s on them to pick him up. Offensive coordinator Chan Gailey could devise a run-heavy game plan and also cut the field in half to give Petty easier reads. We just have to rally as a team and not put so much weight on that position and we have to play better everywhere else, Bowles said Monday. The Jets plan was for this to be a redshirt year for Petty. Let him watch and learn and then see if he can compete for the job in I don t like where he is, but I like where he s headed, Gailey said in September. As the philosopher Mike Tyson once said, Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth. The Raiders punched the Jets in the mouth last week, and now Fitzpatrick and Smith are going to be passing by each other in the trainer s room. Bowles expressed belief in Petty on Monday, but what other choice did he have when asked the question? I have confidence in Bryce, Bowles said. Obviously, he doesn t know what Ryan knows, doesn t know what Geno knows, but he knows a good portion of our offense that he can function and go in and play a game. Now, we will find out if Bowles believes those words. There is no need to pull a quarterback off the scrap heap. Let Matt Flynn, Christian Ponder and Rex Grossman sit this one out. Petty has spent the past six months learning the Jets offense and making the adjustment to the NFL. Give him a shot, Todd. John Idzik visiting scene of his Jets stench? He won t dare (Brian Costello) New York Post November 3, Rex Ryan s return to MetLife Stadium next week is going to get a ton of attention. Another former Jets employee s new team comes to MetLife this week, but with much less fanfare. 9 P a g e

10 Former Jets general manager John Idzik is now working for the Jaguars as their assistant general manager. It is highly unlikely Idzik will make the trip to New Jersey. He has been at some of the Jaguars road games this year, but not all of them. I would think this is one he would skip. If he does come to Jersey, he could show his new co-workers where the billboards were on Route 3 calling for his firing last year. The two-year Idzik disaster will go down in Jets lore as one of the darkest chapters in team history and there are some very dark chapters. He was miscast in the job, and owner Woody Johnson had the courage to admit hiring him was a mistake after just two seasons. Idzik did leave the Jets with some good things, like $50 million in salary cap space going into this year, Sheldon Richardson, his best draft pick, and Chris Ivory, whom he traded for. Unfortunately for Idzik, the list of bad he left the Jets is about four times as long. Idzik declined an interview request this week. That is not surprising on several levels. Idzik never took any accountability for his mistakes. That led to a general dislike for the media, who pointed out his mistakes. The Idzik hire set the Jets franchise back a few years and they are still paying the price. His successor, Mike Maccagnan, did his best to fill the holes this offseason, but he still has work to do. The stench of the Idzik Era has not fully gone away yet. NJ ADVANCE MEDIA If Jets' Geno Smith has to start Sunday, what did he learn from watching Ryan Fitzpatrick? (Darryl Slater) NJ Advance Media November 3, l#incart_river As of Monday afternoon, all quarterback options were on the table for the Jets, as they prepare for next Sunday's home game against the Jaguars. Starter Ryan Fitzpatrick might start. Or backup Geno Smith might. Or rookie project player Bryce Petty might have to make his NFL debut. Or the Jets could even sign or trade for a quarterback who winds up starting Sunday, though that seems the least likely scenario, by far. Fitzpatrick is nursing a torn ligament in his left (non-throwing) thumb. Smith is nursing a "big" bruise to his left (non-throwing) shoulder, according to coach Todd Bowles. Both players were hurt in Sunday's loss at the Raiders. Neither has been ruled out for Jaguars-Jets, but Bowles is preparing to play without either guy. Smith's injury seems less severe than Fitzpatrick's, because a busted left thumb one that will eventually require surgery could limit Fitzpatrick's ability to take snaps from under center and hand off to his right, even if he can still throw the ball with his good, right hand. When Smith replaced Fitzpatrick in Oakland, it was Smith's first action of Fitzpatrick, of course, replaced Smith as the Jets' starter after then-teammate IK Enemkpali punched Smith in the locker room in August and broke his jaw. 10 P a g e

11 If Smith has to start Sunday against Jacksonville, what did he take from watching Fitzpatrick for the season's first six games? "I think he's learned a lot," Bowles said. "Any time a young quarterback can be in the [meeting] room with an older quarterback, you're going to learn some things, whether it's on the field or off the field. I think he's picked up a few things." This is Smith's third season, while Fitzpatrick is in Year 11. Smith is more physically talented than Fitzpatrick, especially with throwing downfield. But Fitzpatrick is a savvy, level-headed quarterback who brought a steadiness to the Jets' offense to begin this season. That's something the Jets absolutely needed, after enduring Smith's often-poor in-game decision making for two seasons. "I think he's given them a calmness and the ability for those guys to go out and know that he's going to put them in the right place and right situation," Bowles said of Fitzpatrick. But Bowles also said he liked Smith's "leadership" when he replaced Fitzpatrick on the first drive in Oakland. So Bowles isn't panicking, at least not publicly, about perhaps having to play without Fitzpatrick on Sunday and perhaps beyond. "I think they will be OK if he doesn't play," Bowles said of his players. Much of Bowles' lack of panic probably stems from Smith's injury not appearing to be a long-term problem. A bruised non-throwing shoulder can heal on its own while a quarterback plays through it. A torn thumb ligament really can't. Even if the Jets have to start Petty on Sunday against the Jaguars, they're going to have a healthy Smith at some point. And that'll be Smith's chance to show perhaps in his final year with the Jets just what he picked up from Fitzpatrick. NFL power rankings roundup: Where are Jets after Oakland Raiders thumped them? (Dom Cosentino) NJ Advanced Media November 3, ml#incart_river_mobileshort Sunday's loss at the Raiders was the Jets' second-straight defeat. It also dropped them to 4-3 and a full three games behind the Patriots in the AFC East. But what did it do to the Jets' standing in various NFL power rankings? We consulted the internet so you wouldn't have to: Pete Prisco, CBSSports.com: No. 12 (No. 9 last week) Prisco's take: "Two consecutive losses has the Jets fading fast. With the quarterback problems, they could be in big trouble." Fox Sports: No. 14 (No. 6 last week) Fox Sports' take: "The Jets certainly need a quick return from injured quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, but his absence can't explain the defensive collapse in the past two games the Jets have allowed 804 yards of total offense and 64 points. NFL.com: No. 11 (No. 7 last week) NFL.com's take: "It's Geno Smith's fault the Jets lost in Oakland. Wasn't he wearing No. 31 in white on that Michael Crabtree touchdown? Why wasn't his coverage on Andre Holmes tighter? Everyone in America 11 P a g e

12 watching a short Jets-Raiders highlight package probably said 'Uh huh' when learning Smith was the quarterback for this defeat. The inconvenient truth is that No. 7 didn't fare too poorly. His lone turnover did not result in any Raiders points, and while he didn't set the football world on fire, he did make plays to keep the offense viable. Especially when you consider that Chris Ivory and Zac Stacy rushed 18 times for 28 yards." ESPN.com: No. 12 (No. 8 last week) ESPN.com's take: "Todd Bowles said Ryan Fitzpatrick tore ligaments in his thumb in the loss to the Raiders. Fitzpatrick has the league's third-best Total QBR (78), which also is the best by any Jets quarterback in the past 10 seasons." Yahoo Sports: No. 13 (No. 10 last week) Yahoo's take: "Geno Smith and Ryan Fitzpatrick are both injured. There's a chance that rookie Bryce Petty will have to start this week. It seems like either Fitzpatrick or Smith or both will be able to play through the pain, but it's still a situation that could really affect them." USA Today: No. 11 (No. 9 last week) USA Today's take: "Were Raiders defenders also trying to break Geno Smith's jaw? Jets' spirit sure seemed to break after he entered Sunday's game." Peter King, Sports Illustrated and The MMQB: No. 14 (No. 6 last week) King's take: "Big drop this week, from six to 13. Deservedly so. Who's playing quarterback? And for that matter, who kidnapped the defense?" Bob Glauber, Newsday: No. 15 (No. 8 last week) Glauber's take: "Linebacker David Harris called the Jets' defensive effort against the Raiders 'disgusting' after his team literally had dozens of missed tackles. Throw in quarterback injury problems, and the Jets face the first in-season crisis of the Todd Bowles era." Jets' Brandon Marshall on Geno Smith: 'Can we give a kid a second chance?' (Darryl Slater) NJ Advance Media November 3, cart_river_mobileshort Jets wide receiver Brandon Marshall sounded off about his potential new quarterback, Geno Smith, during Tuesday night's episode of Showtime's "Inside the NFL." The Jets might have to start Smith, their backup, in Sunday's game against the Jaguars. Starter Ryan Fitzpatrick is dealing with at least one torn ligament in his left (non-throwing) thumb. For his part, Smith is nursing a badly bruised left (non-throwing) shoulder. Both players were hurt Sunday in Oakland. It's not clear yet if either quarterback will be ready to play Sunday, but neither has been ruled out. After Smith replaced Fitzpatrick in Oakland, where the starter was injured on the game's opening drive, Marshall praised Smith. Marshall continued to support Smith on Tuesday during his regular "Inside the NFL" appearance. 12 P a g e

13 "When did I get here [with the Jets]?" Marshall said. "April? May? Since that day, I've been a fan of Geno Smith. I'm going to stick to that. I love him. I'm proud of the kid." Marshall said it's a "reality" that Smith can get the job done in 2015 as the Jets' starting quarterback, if they need him. Marshall's fellow panelist on the show, former Jets quarterback Boomer Esiason, disagreed. "The perception out there is that he can't do it," Esiason said. "I believe that that perception does have a tinge of reality attached to it, because I haven't seen it. I've seen some moments where he can throw the ball physically, but mentally, there are times where I just think he's clueless on the field." Marshall interjected. "Now I'm not just going to take this stance because I'm his teammate," Marshall said. "But you take a kid who hasn't played all year and you throw him in that game, and look what he did." Esiason then brought up the whole IK Enemkpali incident. "But [Smith] also got punched in the face by a teammate in the locker room," Esiason said. "And we can't forget that. That tells me volumes about what his teammates think of him." Marshall continued to defend Smith. "Can we give a kid, a young kid, a second chance?" said Marshall, who had previously defended Smith for his role in the Enemkpali punch. Esiason fired back. "Well, he's had like three different chances already, didn't he?" Esiason said. "Geno's had ample opportunities to really show that he can do it. He screwed up a major opportunity at the beginning of this year to play with what I thought would be his best offensive team." Smith, in Oakland, completed 27 of 42 passes for 265 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. During his first two seasons, , Smith threw 25 touchdown passes and 34 interceptions in 30 games, with 29 starts. If neither Smith nor Fitzpatrick is healthy enough to start against Jacksonville, the Jets almost certainly will go with rookie Bryce Petty, who has never played in an NFL regular season game. Muhammad Wilkerson joins David Harris in calling out Jets' lack of hustle (Dom Cosentino) NJ Advance Media November 4, l#incart_river Make that two veterans on the Jets' defense to have spoken up publicly about the unit's lack of hustle during Sunday's drubbing at the Raiders. This time, it was defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson, who echoed what inside linebacker David Harris had to say a day earlier when Harris had called out the team's effort. "Guys were loafing," Wilkerson said Tuesday during his weekly WFAN radio appearance with Joe Benigno and Evan Roberts. "Guys thinking that somebody's going to make the play, and then he doesn't make the play, so then it's a change of speed." 13 P a g e

14 Good for Wilkerson and Harris for being so candid. But their words speak to what could be a major problem for the Jets. The Jets missed a whopping 19 tackles against the Raiders, per Pro Football Focus. They also allowed the Raiders to pile up 210 of their 333 receiving yards after the catch. This from a defense that had come in ranked No. 2 in DVOA by Football Outsiders. "Playing at this level, there's no reason why we keep missing tackles," Wilkerson told Benigno and Roberts. "Basically, if you're seeing missed tackles, it's not the impression that we didn't want to play. It's just we're doing a bad job." After the game, head coach Todd Bowles had questioned the Jets' "energy." But Wilkerson's words were similar to those those made on Monday by Harris, an inside linebacker and veteran leader who typically doesn't speak so forcefully. "The effort was poor all across the board," Harris said. "We had way too many guys not hustling on every play, and [that] hurt us." Harris also vowed that what happened Sunday wouldn't happen again. It's not exactly the most ringing endorsement for Bowles that two of his best defenders have now called out the defense for not hustling. Cornerback Antonio Cromartie, who had a noticeably poor game, owned up to his share of the blame by admitting he had "played like [bleep]" during Sunday's loss. In an appearance Tuesday night on SNY's "SportsNite," Cromartie said there was no reason to worry about the defense. This is where things now are for the Jets, who have given up a combined 804 yards while forcing zero turnovers in their last two games. "I don't think it's anything you can find concerning," Cromartie said. "We're all professionals; we know what we have to do. I think the biggest thing is you just have to go out with a different mentality. That's going [into] how you attack practice, that's going into how you attack the film room, and your whole aggression [will come out] when you're going to take the field on Sunday." Now the Jets come home to play the Jaguars on Sunday, with their first game against former head coach Rex Ryan's Bills to follow four days later on "Thursday Night Football." The Jets don't play another team with a winning record until their Week 16 rematch at home against the undefeated Patriots. But at this point, nothing's a given anymore. "This is going to tell a lot," Wilkerson said, referring specifically to the upcoming home games against the Jaguars and Bills. "These two weeks is going to tell a lot about this team, our confidence, and our character, and what type of team we want to be the rest of the season." Why Kurt Warner thinks Jets' Ryan Fitzpatrick will play through torn thumb ligament (Darryl Slater) NJ Advance Media November 4, cart_river_mobileshort 14 P a g e

15 Ryan Fitzpatrick, the Jets' starting quarterback, tore at least one ligament in his left (non-throwing) thumb during Sunday's loss at the Raiders. The injury will eventually require surgery, but there is a chance Fitzpatrick can play through it, and return as soon as this Sunday's game against the Jaguars. Geno Smith replaced Fitzpatrick after he was injured on the Jets' first drive in Oakland. Jets coach Todd Bowles is concerned about a couple things with regard to Fitzpatrick's injury his ability to take a snap from under center, and hand off with his left hand, on running plays when the back comes from Fitzpatrick's right. In short, Bowles isn't sure how well Fitzpatrick can grip the ball. Bowles hopes to have a better idea when the Jets resume practice Wednesday. He wants to see Fitzpatrick take some snaps before determining if he can play Sunday. In the meantime, former NFL quarterback Kurt Warner said during a conference call with reporters Tuesday that he expects Fitzpatrick to play through the injury. Keep in mind, Warner was just speculating. He didn't claim to have any inside knowledge about the situation. He was just discussing it Tuesday since he's an NFL Network analyst. It's his opinion. So keep that in mind as you read on. "I have a feeling that Ryan's going to play through it," Warner said. "Just knowing him and the toughness that he has, he'll probably play. There are some issues that you face." Warner, a right-handed passer, dealt with a left elbow injury during his career. He discussed Fitzpatrick's potential "issues" in the context of his own elbow injury. "I think the hardest thing for him will be handing off, more than throwing," Warner said. "When I hurt my elbow, I ended up having to hand off everything with my right hand, which is kind of a unique thing that you've got to get used to. But I think that's the hardest thing, is being able to grip and have strength on the football when you're going to hand it off, and control it that way with his left hand, depending on how bad the damage is and where his strength is. "But I think if you can work around that issue, I definitely think that you can play through something like that. When you lose some of that strength and you guys saw me play with gloves later in my career with some of those issues like that where you lose the strength, it might be beneficial to throw a glove on there, which gives you just a little more tack to control the football." That's an interesting point about the glove. Might Fitzpatrick give that a shot, if he plays against Jacksonville? Warner believes Fitzpatrick's thumb injury is "manageable" since it's on his non-throwing hand. He does agree with Bowles' concerns about taking snaps and handing the ball off. Those are Fitzpatrick's biggest hurdles, Warner said. After 2 straight losses, how much have Jets' chances of making playoffs dropped? (Darryl Slater) NJ Advance Media November 4, l#incart_river_mobileshort The Jets are 4-3 after losing two straight games for the first time under rookie head coach Todd Bowles. 15 P a g e

16 Next up is Sunday's home game against the Jaguars, followed by a short week Thursday night home game against the Bills, who are coached by some guy named Rex Ryan. After two straight defeats, what are the Jets' latest chances of making the playoffs? (Here's a look at where the Jets were entering last Sunday's loss at the Raiders.) The folks at numberfire.com have run all the information through their fancy computers, and here's what they came up with for the Jets: Projected wins: 9.42 (decrease of 1.04 wins) Chance of making playoffs: 68 percent (decrease of percent) Chance of winning AFC East: 3.46 percent (decrease of 9.52 percent) Chance of making Super Bowl: 6.2 percent (decrease of 5.3 percent) Chance of winning Super Bowl: 2.64 percent (decrease of 2.86 percent) Power ranking: 7 (Jets were 4th last week) As you can see with these numbers, for what they're worth, the Jets still have a pretty decent chance of making the playoffs. And that makes sense, since they are 4-3 and have a favorable schedule ahead. Of their next six games, five are at MetLife Stadium, including a "road" game against the Giants. After hosting the Jaguars and Bills, the Jets visit the Texans a winnable road game. If the Jets take care of business against the Jaguars, and hit the midpoint of their season at 5-3, they'll be in decent shape to chase a wildcard berth down the stretch. A division title might be already out of reach, since the Patriots are 7-0, including a win over the Jets. NEW YORK DAILY NEWS Who is the Jets quarterback? That's no snap decision (Seth Walder) New York Daily News November 3, With the injury status of both Ryan Fitzpatrick and Geno Smith in question, the Jets will need to add a QB if neither will be able to play Sunday against the Jaguars. If they don t sign a quarterback and as of Tuesday evening, they hadn t that would signal that they expect at least one of the two QBs to be ready. As Tuesday s trade deadline passed without the Jets making a move, Todd Bowles indicated the team could sign a QB as late as Wednesday morning. A new QB could come in to be the backup or, potentially, to start, if both Smith and Fitzpatrick are out and the Jets don t want to start rookie Bryce Petty. The Jets quarterback situation was thrust into flux when Fitzpatrick suffered a torn ligament in his thumb in the team s loss to the Raiders. Smith suffered shoulder and abdominal injuries in the same game. Bowles said Monday that both Fitzpatrick and Smith have a chance to play Sunday, but he didn t seem particularly confident. Seven players tried out for the Jets on Tuesday, but none of them were quarterbacks. 16 P a g e

17 Smith played the majority of Sunday s game in relief of Fitzpatrick, with mixed results. At times the young QB looked competent throwing two TDs but he also threw an interception and was careless in lategame situations. Wide receiver Brandon Marshall, who has been a big supporter of Smith since he joined the team, defended his quarterback on Showtime s Inside the NFL. You take a kid who hasn t played all year and you throw him in that game, and look what he did, Marshall said. He finished the game Can we give a kid, a young kid, a second chance? DON T COUNT OUT FITZ Kurt Warner is among those who think Fitzpatrick will power through his left thumb injury. I have a feeling that Ryan s going to play through it, Warner, now an NFL Network analyst, said on the network s midseason conference call. Just knowing him and the toughness that he has, he ll probably play. The former Rams, Giants and Cardinals quarterback faced thumb issues himself as a player, albeit to his throwing hand, and also an elbow injury to his non-throwing arm. When I hurt my elbow, I ended up having to hand off everything with my right hand, which is kind of a unique thing that you ve got to get used to, Warner said. But I think if you can work around that issue, I definitely think you can play through something like that. Another issue facing Fitzpatrick will be receiving snaps. When he came back into the Raiders game in the fourth quarter, both snaps he took were in shotgun. Going under center with the left thumb injury could be more challenging. The other thing that I would say is when you lose some of that strength... with some of those issues like that where you lose the strength, it might be beneficial to throw a glove on there, which gives you just a little more tact to control the football, Warner said. Dr. Michael Hausman, the chief of hand and elbow surgery at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, also thought it was possible that Fitzpatrick could play through the injury. Hausman believed based on the circumstances that the injured thumb ligament likely was the UCL, a common athletic injury. In that case the pain level would decrease with rest, Hausman said. The first few days, it s pretty painful, he said. And then it kind of settles down to a dull ache when you try to use it strenuously. METRO NEW YORK Ryan Fitzpatrick's status very much up in the air (Kristian Dyer) Metro New York November 3, SMDTTrFM5BduE/ Ryan Fitzpatrick has a torn ligament in his left thumb, this much is known. But as for recovery time, how much (if any) he can practice this week and his availability for Sunday is anyone s guess. Last Monday during a conference call with the media, New York Jets head coach Todd Bowles said his starting quarterback is day-to-day with regards to availability for Week 9. It is a prognosis clouded with uncertainty, perhaps on purpose, as the Jets ready for an opponent on Sunday in the Jacksonville Jaguars 17 P a g e