NEW YORK JETS DAILY CLIPS

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1 NEW YORK JETS DAILY CLIPS October 18, 2013 Table of Contents ASSOCIATED PRESS... 2 Jets' Ryan: I didn't ban players from having sex (Dennis Waszak)... 2 Jets' Cromartie gives himself 'C' for subpar start (Dennis Waszak)... 3 NEWSDAY... 4 Rex Ryan asks Jets fans to show their colors (Anthony Rieber)... 4 Rex Ryan tells Jets to focus totally on Patriots (Anthony Rieber)... 5 Antonio Cromartie needs to snap out of slump against Tom Brady, Patriots (Bob Glauber)... 6 THE RECORD... 7 Jets notes: Rex Ryan wants a 'Green Out' on Sunday (J.P. Pelzman)... 7 STAR-LEDGER... 8 Dee Milliner nearing return to field after latest injury setback (Michael J. Fensom)... 8 Jets wide receiver Santonio Holmes, probably out vs. Patriots, says he receives seven hours of treatment per day (Darryl Slater)... 9 NEW YORK POST Rex wants fans to be green-dyed monsters (Brian Costello) Antonio Cromartie gives himself low grade for performance (Brian Costello) Jeff Cumberland enjoying bigger role with Jets (Zach Braziller) Ex-GM Bill Polian likes Geno Smith (Justin Terranova) Jets rookie: NFL babies Tom Brady (Steve Serby) Rex hasn t gotten out of chores before Patriots game (Steve Serby) NEW YORK DAILY NEWS NY Jets tight end Jeff Cumberland is heard, loud and clear (Manish Mehta) Antonio Cromartie disagrees with Rex Ryan, gives himself 'C' on performance this season (Seth Walder) NY Jets' Santonio Holmes blames media for hindering injury rehab (Seth Walder) NEW YORK TIMES Top Pick Aims to Return to Field and to Form (Tom Pedulla) WALL STREET JOURNAL Gang Green Rolls Out Red Carpet (Stu Woo) ESPN NEW YORK Antonio Cromartie: I must play better (Jane McManus) Jets' D must bring A-game vs. Pats (Johnette Howard) METRO NEW YORK P a g e

2 Trash talk muted between Patriots, Jets with win of utmost importance (Kristian Dyer) Jets not told to refrain from having sex before facing Patriots (Kristian Dyer) THURSDAY S SPORTS TRANSACTIONS ASSOCIATED PRESS Jets' Ryan: I didn't ban players from having sex (Dennis Waszak) Associated Press FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) -- Rex Ryan has provided plenty of memorable quotes during his four-plus years as coach of the New York Jets. This one, though, might have topped them all. No, it wasn't a guarantee or bold prediction. In an attempt to clarify what he told his players at a team meeting earlier this week, Ryan offered this declaration Thursday to avoid some apparent confusion: ''I did not tell our players that they couldn't have sex,'' Ryan said. ''I did not say that.'' Newly acquired Josh Cribbs said Wednesday he could tell how much Ryan wants to beat New England, telling his players to put off doing chores around the house until next week. ''He was like, 'Rest your legs and go home,''' Cribbs said. ''Don't do anything for your wife. Say, 'Baby, next week. I'm going to do it next week. I'm going to take out the trash next week. I'll take the kids to practice next week. But I've got to rest for this game.''' Some players mistakenly thought Ryan implied that sex was also on his banned ''honey-do'' list. ''Somebody misinterpreted the message apparently,'' Ryan said with a smile. Rookie defensive lineman Sheldon Richardson told one newspaper Wednesday that Ryan's message to the team ''most definitely'' included sexual relations. On Thursday, Richardson said he was only kidding. ''It was a joke,'' Richardson said. ''People take jokes seriously in the media, so let me be real right now. It was a joke. He wants us to know that the game is important. It's a rivalry game. It's a division game, and we have to win it.'' As for his message of banning household duties until next week, Ryan said it didn't apply to him. ''No, of course not,'' he said, smiling. ''I took out the trash and everything. I run things in my house. Remember that old comedian? I run the vacuum cleaner, the dishwasher, the lawnmower. You name it, I run everything.'' NOTES: WRs Santonio Holmes (hamstring, foot) and Greg Salas (knee) didn't practice and aren't expected to play. At his weekly media availability, Holmes was asked about his health. ''How am I feeling right now?'' he asked. ''Like you guys are interrupting my treatment time right now. That's how I'm feeling.'' When asked if he thought the 10-minute media session was taking away from his rehab, Holmes answered: ''I was just on the rehab table when I had to get taken off the table to come to do interviews, so yes, I do.''... CBs Dee Milliner (hamstring) and Kyle Wilson (concussion) were limited, but both hope to play Sunday. Milliner, the team's top draft pick in April, has missed three straight games. Wilson practiced with a red no-contact jersey.... Ryan called for a ''green-out'' for Sunday's game, asking fans to wear green. Fans will also receive green towels to wave at MetLife Stadium. 2 P a g e

3 Jets' Cromartie gives himself 'C' for subpar start (Dennis Waszak) Associated Press FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) -- Antonio Cromartie refused to sugarcoat his subpar start. The New York Jets cornerback expects a lot more from himself, and that's why he thinks he deserves no more than a mediocre grade for his performance so far. ''A 'C,''' Cromartie said Thursday. ''I'm blunt honest. I give myself a 'C.''' Cromartie, who has replaced Darrelle Revis as the team's top cornerback, has routinely taken on teams' top receivers, and done a fairly good job. But he has also given up a few big plays, including Emmanuel Sanders' 55-yard touchdown catch in New York's loss to Pittsburgh last Sunday. He has also allowed two other touchdowns this season, both against Tennessee three weeks ago. ''It's been a tough year for me,'' he said. ''I don't consider this being me playing at a Pro Bowl-caliber level at all. I definitely want to pick my game up and make sure I'm playing to the best of my ability.'' Cromartie was refreshingly candid and brutally honest talking about his season. For a guy who has some built-in excuses - a hip ailment early this season; a knee injury last week; getting little help at times in coverage - he refuses to use any of them. ''I'm the guy who's supposed to be leading this group and supposed to be playing at a high level every single week,'' he said. ''That's disappointing to me. The young guys are looking to me to come out and play the way I'm supposed to be playing. That's something that I haven't been doing. ''That's the only part that's been disappointing to me.'' Still, coach Rex Ryan thinks Cromartie is still having a Pro Bowl-worthy season, especially given the amount of responsibility placed on him with as much man-to-man coverage the Jets' defense plays. ''Everybody gets beat,'' Ryan said. ''There's no question I'm glad he's on our team, though. I'll say that. He takes the tough down and never flinches.'' When Revis went down with a season-ending knee injury early last season, Cromartie stepped right in and there was very little drop-off. It was perhaps the best performance of his career, one that resulted in his second career Pro Bowl appearance and made the Jets feel a bit more comfortable with parting ways with Revis before the draft in April. Cromartie doesn't want his team's confidence in him to waver one bit. ''My thing is trying to be the best I can be for this football team and playing at the All-Pro level I know I can play at,'' he said. ''I haven't been playing at that level. I don't feel like I have. I'm always going to be hard on myself, make sure I'm doing the things I need to do to and not just for me, but the guys on the back end. ''I can't say that I'm doing something and I'm not doing those things and expect the younger guys to do it also.'' 3 P a g e

4 While many of those ''younger'' players - rookie Dee Milliner, Kyle Wilson and Darrin Walls, to name a few - look to Cromartie for guidance, he leans on defensive coordinator Dennis Thurman and defensive backs coach Tim McDonald to help him work on improvements. ''I think he's playing well enough,'' Thurman said. ''When you're going against a team's top receiver most every game, the other guy is going to be good, too. He gets paid just as well. I think he's performing pretty well, but we can always do better.'' One area, in particular, that Cromartie wants to get better at is being more physical with wide receivers at the line of scrimmage. The knock on him during his first four NFL seasons in San Diego was that he would shy away from hits. He has done a good job of putting that ''soft'' label aside during his time in New York, but Cromartie knows he can do more. ''I'm letting receivers get too many free releases even when I'm in press (coverage),'' he said. ''I think last year, I was doing a better job of making sure I got my hands on the receiver at the line and tried to disrupt the timing of the route. ''That's something I haven't been doing in the first six games, and that's something I've got to get back to.'' Cromartie insists that despite a knee injury last week in practice that he initially feared was a torn ligament, he feels the healthiest he has all season. Not that he needed any proof of that, but Ryan said Cromartie confirmed just how good he's feeling by making a spectacular one-handed interception in practice Thursday, ''Yeah, I did that,'' Cromartie said with a big smile. ''But you've got to transfer that over to the game.'' NEWSDAY Rex Ryan asks Jets fans to show their colors (Anthony Rieber) Newsday FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- Rex Ryan said he didn't really notice all the "Terrible Towels" that Pittsburgh Steelers fans were twirling at MetLife Stadium last Sunday. But others noticed. It may not have hurt the Jets, but it certainly didn't help to have a sizable amount of the other team's fans in their building. Ryan Thursday asked Jets fans going to this Sunday's game against the Patriots to wear green. Fans also will be given "Jet Up! Green Out" towels upon entering. Green beer will be on sale in some locations. "What I'm looking at is a sea of green so the Patriots get to see that," Ryan said. "We'd like to have our fans wear green for this game if they wouldn't mind. That would be fantastic to support us that way." Ryan said it wasn't his brainstorm to ask this of fans. "I just kind of like the idea," he said. "You know what, New England, it's our last shot at you this year. Let's green up here a little bit and show our colors. You just don't have to beat us, you have to beat our fans. I like that combination." 4 P a g e

5 Cribbs notes Special-teams coordinator Ben Kotwica said Josh Cribbs will return kickoffs Sunday and could team with Jeremy Kerley on punt returns. Kotwica said of Cribbs: "I'm excited to integrate him in there and get him going. He's got that burst we've been looking for." Jet streams Santonio Holmes still hasn't run since suffering a hamstring injury on Sept. 29. Ryan said "it doesn't look good" for a return this week. Holmes said he was annoyed that he had to interrupt his treatment to meet with the media. "How am I feeling right now?" he said. "Like you guys are interrupting my treatment time right now. That's how I'm feeling."... Offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg said quarterback David Garrard has "done very good... He's gotten extra work after practice, he's gotten extra work with the conditioning. We see how that works here pretty quick." The Jets have until Monday to decide whether to add Garrard to the roster. Rex Ryan tells Jets to focus totally on Patriots (Anthony Rieber) Newsday FLORHAM PARK, N.J. - For two days, Rex Ryan has been talking about how "unusual'' it is for the Jets to finish their season series against the Patriots by Week 7. But that's what the schedule-makers came out with. So Ryan has resorted to creative methods to get his players to give Week 15-type focus to what he calls "a game and a half.'' "There's a lot to play for,'' Ryan said. With that in mind, Ryan told his players this game is so important that they can't help around the house this week. No chores, no taking out the trash, no mowing the lawn, etc. "I was just saying that if you have errands to run, if your wife wants you to mow the yard, whatever, just kind of put that at arm's length and say, 'We'll get to that next week,' '' Ryan said Thursday. "All the 'honey-dos' and all that stuff next week. We'll focus on this game, really being ready to roll on this game.'' It's unlikely he was being literal -- Ryan said he "of course'' took out the trash himself at home on Wednesday -- but most of his players seem to have gotten the message despite some initial confusion. "It's about being focused, understanding what we've got to try to do,'' cornerback Antonio Cromartie said. "We understand where he's coming from from that standpoint. He wants everybody to be focused on what they need to try to do. This is a big week for us.'' Said defensive lineman Sheldon Richardson: "It was a joke. People take jokes seriously in the media, so let me be real right now: It was a joke. He wants us to know that the game is important. It's a rivalry game, it's a division game and we have to win it. That's about it.'' How big a game is it? Well, the Jets were supposed to be one of the worst teams in football. Instead, they are 3-3. A victory at home against the 5-1 Patriots would give the Jets some credibility as a possible Cinderella team in the AFC. The Jets have lost five straight to New England, including a defeat in Week 2. 5 P a g e

6 "I respect them,'' linebacker Calvin Pace said. "I respect what they do. They have a system and they do things well. The thing I respect the most is they don't beat themselves. You've got to beat them.'' How that can be accomplished is what the Jets' real focus has been this week. Not trash bags, lawn clippings or anything else related to husbandly duties. If yesterday's practice was any indication, Ryan feels good about how his message has been received. "I thought it was outstanding,'' Ryan said. "Today was a great practice. I could tell the tempo was up, the focus was up. It has to be. It's sometimes tough to prepare for the no-huddle and all that that we get from New England. But we're doing our best to do that.'' Antonio Cromartie needs to snap out of slump against Tom Brady, Patriots (Bob Glauber) Newsday Antonio Cromartie has provided plenty of bulletin-board material for Patriots Week, once famously telling Tom Brady what he thought of him by using some unprintable words and other times expressing his enmity toward the Jets' AFC East rivals with some similarly colorful language. Not this time. Not when he's playing like this. If Cromartie has some choice words for anyone, it's for himself. The veteran cornerback, who's being counted on to be the team's top cover corner -- especially now that Darrelle Revis is gone -- admits he hasn't gotten the job done so far. Even if coach Rex Ryan contends that Cromartie is playing at a Pro Bowl level. "I don't think I am," Cromartie said Thursday. "I think I can play a whole lot better." What grade would Cromartie give himself? "I give myself a 'C,' " he said. "I haven't been playing up to the level that I expect myself to be at." If there's one statistic that underscores his frustration, it's this: Cromartie has given up three passes of at least 50 yards this season. That includes a 55-yard touchdown pass from Ben Roethlisberger to Emmanuel Sanders in last Sunday's loss to the Steelers. Cromartie was fooled on the play, thinking it was going to be a run. He was beaten badly on the coverage, and Sanders rubbed it in by somersaulting into the end zone. "That's something I've taken a lot of pride in, and that's something that can't happen on the back end of this defense," Cromartie said of the long passes he has surrendered. "I feel like I need to step up my game a lot more. It starts with critiquing myself and it starts in practice." How many long passes should he give up in a season? "Zero," he said, adding that he has, in fact, gone through a season without giving up a pass that long. Injuries may have something to do with it. He suffered a hip injury near the end of training camp and a hyperextended knee in practice last week. Cromartie said he initially thought he tore his ACL when he went down in practice, but it turned out to be far less serious. He said he aggravated the injury late in the Pittsburgh game. Even so, no excuses. 6 P a g e

7 "I'm never going to involve injuries in making an excuse for my play," he said. "If I'm out on the football field, my teammates expect to get my best and I expect to give it my best." His best can't come soon enough, especially with the Pats next. And no nasty talk about Brady this time, just respect. "Me going against Tom Brady, a future Hall of Fame quarterback, that's something you thrive on," he said. "You've got to go out and play your best, make sure you're on your 'A' game, because you know he's going to be on his 'A' game and his young receivers are, too." Cromartie and the secondary continually frustrated Brady in their first meeting this season, a Jets loss in Week 2. But Brady, who has an almost entirely new set of skill-position players this season, seems to be adjusting to his new teammates. The Patriots are coming off a thrilling comeback win over the Saints on Sunday. "We created some things, and I thought we got to the quarterback pretty well," Cromartie said. "We gave them different looks, and his young receivers dropping deep passes can get you frustrated. But I think his young receivers are understanding what they need to do. We're going to get their best, and that's what we expect." Cromartie said he needs to give his best, too, and he thinks he knows how: by being more physical. While watching tape, he has noticed a tendency to use finesse against opposing receivers, especially close to the line of scrimmage. "I try to be physical with receivers, but that's something I haven't been doing," he said. "When I'm up in press coverage, I need to be more physical with receivers, getting my hands on them." No better time than now to put the change in technique to work. It's Patriots Week, and it's time for Cromartie to make a big statement. With his play, not his words. THE RECORD Jets notes: Rex Ryan wants a 'Green Out' on Sunday (J.P. Pelzman) The Record October 18, Rex_Ryan_wants_a Green_Out on_su nday.html FLORHAM PARK There was a lot of yellow in the stands at MetLife Stadium, which made the Jets see red. But they say that's not the reason they are looking for a lot of green in the stands Sunday when the Jets host New England. Coach Rex Ryan announced Thursday that the Jets will have a "Green Out" against the Patriots, which will include fans receiving green towels. Also, fans are encouraged to wear green to the game. "I look at it as a sea of green," Ryan said, "so the Patriots get to see that. We'd like to have our fans wear green for this game if they wouldn't mind. It would be fantastic [to] support us that way." A team spokesman said the idea had been in the works for a while, and was not a reaction to what happened in the Jets' previous game. As usual, Pittsburgh's legion of fans traveled well, and the stands 7 P a g e

8 were filled with plenty of black-and-gold-clad spectators during the Steelers' 19-6 victory, many of whom were waving the Steelers' trademark Terrible Towels. Right tackle Austin Howard likes the Green Out idea. "That would be sweet," he said. "I'll look forward to that." Howard, who played in college for Northern Iowa, said that school has both whiteouts and blackouts for the fans during his tenure there. "It shows unity," he said of the concept. BRIEFS: WR Santonio Holmes isn't expected to play Sunday. He hasn't practiced since suffering a hamstring injury at Tennessee on Sept. 29, and said Thursday he hasn't run since then, either. CB Dee Milliner (hamstring) practiced on a limited basis for the second straight day and Ryan indicated he likely will play against the Patriots, although the coach wouldn't say what his role would be. Milliner had lost his starting job before being injured in practice prior to the Tennessee game. CB Kyle Wilson (concussion) practiced on a limited while wearing a red no-contact jersey. STAR-LEDGER Dee Milliner nearing return to field after latest injury setback (Michael J. Fensom) Star-Ledger etback.html There is a corollary that the Jets employ when analyzing a player of Dee Milliner s pedigree. Health will ensure playing time. Playing time will ensure experience gained. That experience will lead to success. Approaching the seventh game of the season -- Sunday s pivotal showdown against the division-leading New England Patriots -- Milliner has stumbled in reaching that third proposition. In fact, he has barely left the starting blocks. Tightness in Milliner s left hamstring -- an injury picked up during practice prior to Week 4 -- has caused the Jets top draft choice to miss three games. The total is one more than Milliner missed during his three-year career at Alabama, and has stunted the development of a player the Jets penciled in as a starter the moment the cornerback arrived at training camp. The name has since been erased from the starting lineup and scribbled somewhere in the margin. It has worked against him a lot, Dennis Thurman, the Jets defensive coordinator, said of Milliner s injury. He is extremely talented. It is a matter of getting him healthy, getting him out on the field for practice, making sure he stays up to speed in the classroom. But there is no substitute for experience. Milliner is on the verge of a return from his hamstring injury, with Sunday a realistic target after participating in practice this week in a limited capacity. But the tendon tightness marked the most recent setback in a series of injuries since the rookie arrived at Florham Park. More talk has centered on injury updates than success on the field. Offseason surgery to repair a labrum tear in his right shoulder caused Milliner to miss the Jets offseason workout program. An Achilles injury cost Milliner two valuable preseason games. Once he returned for 8 P a g e

9 the start of the regular season, the missed snaps translated to unsteady play. Rex Ryan benched Milliner for the second half of the Week 2 game against the Patriots, worried about the No. 9 pick s confidence. It s been frustrating at times because I want to be out on the field, Milliner said. I want to play. Thurman mentioned that it is not uncommon for a rookie to struggle with injuries. In addition to learning a playbook, young players must learn how to take care of their bodies in a more physically strenuous league -- from eating properly to sleeping well, lifting weights and keeping hydrated. Though Thurman did not specifically criticise Milliner s physical condition, the coach pointed out that other rookies on the team -- notably Sheldon Richardson, picked four spots after Milliner in the first round -- have impressed the Jets coaching staff with an NFL-ready body. Four rookies, including Richardson, will start Sunday. In between stints on the trainer s table, Milliner has put extra focus into studying the tendencies of wide receivers on game film and absorbing the Jets defensive playbook. During practice, Milliner stands by Thurman s side, eyeing the game from a coach s perspective. Kyle Wilson and Antonio Cromartie, the veteran leaders among Jets corners, said Milliner has demonstrated a better understanding of the Jets defense the past three weeks. Milliner is inquisitive, they say, and more assured of how to communicate on the field with fellow members of the secondary. The key now is to apply those principles in pads and a helmet. Watching film can put you there mentally, Cromartie, the Jets top cornerback, said. The physical part is being out on the field and putting it all together and understanding where everything is coming from and how you want to be. Jets coach Rex Ryan put it more succinctly: Experience is the best teacher. The only way to get experience is to get out there so hopefully he ll get out there real soon. Jets wide receiver Santonio Holmes, probably out vs. Patriots, says he receives seven hours of treatment per day (Darryl Slater) Star-Ledger riots_says_he_receives_seven_hours_of_treatmen.html Santonio Holmes said he arrives at the Jets complex in Florham Park at 6:30 a.m. every day and leaves at 6:30 p.m. He said he spends more than half of that time, about seven hours total, receiving treatment for his ailments. When the Jets began the season, Holmes, their most talented wide receiver, was returning from a left mid-foot fracture that required two offseason surgeries. In the fourth game, a week after he had a career-best 154 receiving yards in a win over Buffalo, Holmes suffered a less serious but still concerning injury, when he pulled his right hamstring at Tennessee. He hasn t practiced since. During Thursday s practice, Holmes was limited to pedaling on an exercise bike, pumping his arms and catching softly tossed passes from a trainer. Jets coach Rex Ryan said it doesn t look good that Holmes will play Sunday against 5-1 New England a huge AFC East game for the 3-3 Jets. Holmes has missed two games since getting hurt, and he seemed none too pleased to be asked how he was feeling during his weekly 10-minute media session Thursday. 9 P a g e

10 How am I feeling right now? he said in response to that very question. Like you guys are interrupting my treatment time right now. That s how I m feeling. I was just on the rehab table, and I had to get taken off the table to come to do interviews. Holmes would only say that his hamstring injury is one day at a time and would not offer specifics when asked if he has been able to do more exercises this week as compared to last week. Making progress every day, and that s all I m looking forward to doing is continuing to make progress each day, he said. Holmes said he was not giving a graded severity for his hamstring injury. So what do the trainers need to see in order to clear him? I need to get healthy, he said. There s a lot of muscles to heal by themselves, to be able to do what we do, (which) is run. I don t know anything else to do but run fast, and to allow the muscle to heal up on its own and be able to do what it s been doing for all these years. As for whether this time off has allowed his left foot to further heal, he said, I haven t been able to run since the Tennessee game, so I really don t know what I can do. His daily routine involves stretching and icing of his hamstring, and on Thursday, he tried to simulate a game-like, pass-catching situation as best he could, while riding the bike. It s part of my game, something I can t allow myself to slack up at any point, he said of catching passes. So the more I push myself on the bike and get fatigued, I want to continue to keep fresh in my mind that I still catch the ball at this time and just work on the little mechanics. NEW YORK POST Rex wants fans to be green-dyed monsters (Brian Costello) New York Post MetLife Stadium looked like a Steelers home game late in last week s game. This week, the Jets are hoping to create a home-field advantage. The Jets are asking fans attending the Patriots game Sunday to wear green and will be distributing green towels to fans entering the stadium, creating a Green Out. I look at it as a sea of green, so the Patriots get to see that, coach Rex Ryan said. The Jets have been planning this for months and it was not in reaction to their stadium being overrun by Steelers fans last week. In addition to the green towels, the Jets will have some green-themed items for sale in the stadium, such as green beer at certain concession stands. I think it s a way to, hey, you know what, our fans are behind us, Ryan said. I think it s a way to show the support that our fans have for our players and our organization and I think that s why we re doing it. Ryan said he did not notice the Steelers fans last week until the end of the game when they were waving their Terrible Towels. 10 P a g e

11 They re only terrible when you re losing and I think that s when you notice them, Ryan said. I never noticed those guys until late, right at the end of the game. I ve been in Arizona. That s a lot of Steeler fans or Cowboy fans or Packer fans or somebody else fans. *** The Jets could have a full complement of cornerbacks to face the Patriots. Rookie Dee Milliner has practiced on a limited basis this week and sounds optimistic he ll play. Milliner has missed the last three games with a hamstring injury. I m feeling good, I m feeling great, been doing some more stuff at practice, Milliner said on Thursday. Hopefully, I ll be out there. Cornerback Kyle Wilson also may play. Wilson suffered a concussion on Sunday but returned to practice Thursday. He wore a red jersey signifying no contact, but could be cleared by doctors Friday to play. *** The Patriots could be missing several key pieces Sunday. NT Vince Wilfork and LB Jerod Mayo are out for the season. Now, WR Danny Amendola (concussion) and CB Aqib Talib (hip) have missed practice the last two days, making it seem unlikely they will play. TE Rob Gronkowski (forearm) has not played all season, but has been practicing. He was limited on Thursday. *** Ryan said it does not look good for WR Santonio Holmes to return this week from a hamstring injury. Holmes spoke to reporters Thursday for seven minutes, a weekly occurrence, and complained it was taking him away from his treatment. How am I feeling right now? Holmes said. Like you guys are interrupting my treatment time right now. That s how I m feeling. Holmes contempt for the media is no secret and it shined through again Thursday. He was asked if he truly believes doing one interview a week is interfering with his rehab. I was just on the rehab table and I had to be taken off the table to come do interviews, so yes I do, he said. Antonio Cromartie gives himself low grade for performance (Brian Costello) New York Post Antonio Cromartie graded his season through six games and it was not pretty. C, Cromartie said. I m blunt honest. I d give myself a C. I haven t been playing up to that level that I expect myself to be or my teammates expect me to be. The slip in Cromartie s play has been one of the most surprising things about the 2013 Jets, but he promises that will change. Coming off a Pro Bowl season, Cromartie was expected to fill the big shoes left by Darrelle Revis as the team s No. 1 cornerback. Instead, he has given up three touchdowns and three pass plays of more than 45 yards. Despite all the evidence to the contrary, Jets coach Rex Ryan said Cromartie is playing well. 11 P a g e

12 He s probably still had a Pro Bowl year, Ryan said, sounding a tad delusional. I just think sometimes as much man [coverage] as we play and we give him the tough down down after down. Sometimes you re going to get beat. He s been beat on a couple of them. I think he s given up three touchdowns. Everybody gets beat. I m glad he s on our team, though. He takes a tough down and never flinches. It s true the Jets ask a lot of Cromartie. He is often matched up against the opponent s best receiver and many times has no safety help. But Cromartie showed he could handle the tough assignments last season after Revis went down with a season-ending knee injury in Week 3. Cromartie disagreed with Ryan s assessment he is playing at a Pro Bowl level. I don t think I am, Cromartie said. From my standpoint I think I can play a whole lot better. I m always going back and trying to critique myself. I think over these past six games I ve given up three passes over [45] yards. That s something that for me I take a lot of pride in and that s something for me that can t happen. The Steelers Emmanuel Sanders was the latest receiver to burn Cromartie when he scored a 55-yard touchdown Sunday. He also gave up a 77-yard touchdown to Nate Washington against the Titans and a 46-yard catch to Julio Jones against the Falcons. The website Pro Football Focus, which does statistical breakdowns of games, has Cromartie ranked 103 out of 104 cornerbacks in the NFL. According to PFF, quarterbacks have a rating throwing at him and have completed 53.7 percent of passes against him. It s been a tough year for me, Cromartie said. I don t consider this being me playing at a Pro Bowl caliber at all. That s something I definitely want to pick my game up and make sure I m playing to the best of my ability and these guys understand that also. Cromartie has been dealing with a nagging hip injury since training camp and then hyperextended his knee last week in practice. The 29-year-old refused to blame his struggles on his injuries, though. I feel fine now, Cromartie said. Honestly, coming into these past couple of days, this is probably the healthiest I ve felt for the entire season. I m happy about that. I feel like I m moving a lot better. I m excited from that standpoint. In practice Thursday, Cromartie opened some eyes with an athletic interception. He looked pretty good today, Ryan said. He made a one-handed interception today that it would be hard for a guy to catch a tennis ball the way he caught a football today one-handed. Now, Cromartie has to translate that to the games. The Jets have just one interception as a team this season. Cromartie is the leader of the secondary and the highest-paid member at $6.5 million this season. It s on him to start making some plays. Cromartie said he needs to be more physical. I m letting receivers get too many free releases even when I m in press [coverage], Cromartie said. I think last year I was doing a better job of making sure I was getting my hands on the receiver at the line to try to disrupt the timing of the route. That s something I haven t been doing in the first six games. Jeff Cumberland enjoying bigger role with Jets (Zach Braziller) New York Post 12 P a g e

13 At 6-foot-4 and 260 pounds, Jeff Cumberland is hard to miss, but he s easy to overlook. The Jets tight end s entire career has been spent in the shadows. After a productive four years at Illinois the first three as a wide receiver before moving to tight end his senior season his name wasn t called during the 2010 NFL Draft. And he s been mostly an afterthought in his first three seasons in New York the other tight end with the Jets, a second fiddle to Dustin Keller. Being undrafted, I feel I ve always been the underdog, he said. Quiet and unassuming, Cumberland enjoys that role. It s always good being the underdog because a lot of people aren t prepared for you as much if you were somebody with a big name and they really have to pay attention to you, he said. When Keller left via free agency and the Jets picked up veteran Kellen Winslow, Cumberland, 26, was again the forgotten man. His production is starting to make it impossible for him to settle back into his preferred underdog role, especially with Winslow suspended for four games for violating the NFL s policy on performance-enhancing substances. Coach Rex Ryan called Cumberland a young stud tight end recently, and for good reason. Cumberland has emerged as rookie quarterback Geno Smith s top target, a large yet surprisingly quick tight end who has a knack for making big catches. Since Santonio Holmes suffered a hamstring injury in a Week 4 loss to the Titans, Cumberland has elevated his play. He has 11 receptions for 198 yards and two touchdowns, and that is without a catch over the season s first two weeks. Even more impressive, Cumberland has been targeted 13 times in the last four weeks, and has only failed to come down with the ball twice. Cumberland has steadily climbed the ladder with the Jets, going from the practice squad to the team s No. 1 tight end. He got over a torn Achilles tendon in It s just me standing there working hard, trying to get better day by day, Cumberland said. Hopefully, soon enough, the underdog [label] will disappear. No matter how you draw it up or line up, as long as I m doing what I need to do, things should work out. Of course, when you re catching the ball, you re gaining confidence, he added. I ve been confident since [training] camp from Day 1. Now Geno is getting more comfortable with the offense and things are clicking a lot more. With guys out, you have to depend on certain guys, and I have been one of his targets. Jets offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg dismissed the notion Cumberland has begun to break out quietly. His play has jumped out at the Jets coaching staff for a while. He had just an excellent preseason if you remember, Mornhinweg said. Jeff is a fine football player, an important part of our offense. He s got size, he s got skill, he s got quickness, he s got durability, he s got good hands. Cumberland doesn t sound like much of an underdog anymore. Ex-GM Bill Polian likes Geno Smith (Justin Terranova) New York Post 13 P a g e

14 Bill Polian knows a couple of things when it comes to franchise quarterbacks. The former NFL general manager drafted and watched one, Peyton Manning, lead the Colts franchise for 13 seasons, including a win in Super Bowl XLI. He also witnessed another, Tom Brady, do everything in his power to have the Patriots stand in the Colts way of their title goals. Though Polian cautions six games is far too small a sample to put any franchise label on Geno Smith, let alone put him in Manning-Brady territory, he has been impressed with what he has seen from the Jets rookie quarterback this season. The arrow has been up since Foxborough, said Polian, an analyst for Sirius/XM and ESPN, of Smith s three-interception performance in a Week 2 loss to the Patriots. He had two difficult throws against the Steelers on Sunday, but that s to be expected with young quarterbacks. The red zone is the hardest place for them because things get a little bit more congested, a little harder to see and make the right decision and make the right throw down there. But, to me, he s improved week after week and for a rookie quarterback or a young quarterback that s all you want. Smith and the 3-3 Jets get another shot at Brady and the 5-1 Patriots when they come to MetLife Stadium on Sunday. The Jets hope to get a performance from Smith similar to the one he produced in the upset of the Falcons, when he threw for three touchdowns and no interceptions. The thing that s most impressive about him is that he s very even-keeled. Bad throw, shrug it off, move on to the next one, said Polian, who called the Jets loss to the Steelers for ESPN Radio. So, all the signs are positive. They are all going to make rookie mistakes. They all do. Though questions remain about Smith, Brady has the Patriots in their usual spot atop the AFC East. Under Polian, the Colts were thwarted twice by New England in the playoffs. While Rex Ryan s greatest moment as Jets coach came in a win over the Patriots in a divisional-round playoff game in 2011, he has been unable to end the Patriots AFC East dominance. The Patriots have won the division nine of the past 10 years, only coming up short in 2008 when Brady missed the final 15 games with a torn ACL. If the Jets want to have any shot of ending that run this year, they likely will need to pull off the upset on Sunday. He s amazingly accurate. He s been a quick read ever since he was first in the league, Polian said of Brady. He now knows and has seen everything there is in terms of what defenses can do to him. That makes him awfully dangerous because he instantly knows what guy to go to and that cuts down reaction time the defense has. His leadership and toughness is off the charts, and he s the guy they all look to when the chips are down, and more often than not he comes through. Jets rookie: NFL babies Tom Brady (Steve Serby) New York Post Sheldon Richardson, blunt force trauma on the field and off, can t wait for the opportunity to mete out justice Sunday in the rematch against Tom Brady and the Patriots. It s very intense. Cheap shots and all, Richardson told The Post. 14 P a g e

15 Asked if the Patriots were doing stuff other teams don t, the rookie defensive tackle said: It s on film. Go back and watch. You re going to see a lot of stuff, man, that the Patriots can do to you, that they get away with, that we can t do to the Patriots. It s just the way it is. Why is that? It s just the way the world works, Richardson said. The NFL for years has gone out of its way to protect its golden goose quarterbacks. Some golden geese more than others. The Jordan Rules in the NBA. The Brady Rules in the NFL. Why do we make rules after he gets hurt? Richardson asked. I don t know why a bunch of stuff. They made the Tuck Rule back when? 2000 when? Tom Brady rule, right? OK, a lot of great quarterbacks have hurt a knee before, but now we can t hit quarterbacks in the knees now cause Tom Brady gets hurt [season-ending knee injury in the 2008 season opener]. Doesn t it seem that way? Right or wrong? Why would there be focus on protecting Tom Brady? Cause if you take Tom Brady away from the Patriots, they win no more championships, Richardson said. You can say the same thing about Peyton Manning. He only won one, Richardson said. The Tuck Rule, instituted in 1999, was eliminated in March, 11 years after it was instrumental in the Patriots surviving the Raiders in the snow during the 2001 playoffs and marching on to their first Super Bowl championship. Richardson is a fearless New Age Jet who isn t afraid to speak his mind. Sort of the way Rex Ryan used to be. He isn t criticizing the zebras, only stating what has become an exasperating way of life and rule of the jungle for predators, young and old alike: Don t hurt the Pretty Boy. Or else. That s the way it looks like to me, man, you can t touch him, Richardson said. He recalled the Jets Week 2 loss in Foxborough. I remember a play, a referee made it his business to tell me I was too close to hitting him, Richardson said. He chuckled and added, It gets crazy out there. I got close to him, shoved him a little bit, the referee said, I could ve threw the flag on you for that. Richardson s response: He didn t even fall. He heard back: It doesn t matter. Can t touch Tom Brady unless he s got the ball in his hand, Richardson added. So knowing this, how do you approach it? 15 P a g e

16 Not caring, Richardson said. Simple as that. Can t care sometimes, man. If it s a play where you can make a sack, you re not going to slow down. You just got to play through it. Richardson s first taste of the Jets-Patriots rivalry leaves him hungering for a second Sunday at a greenhouse called MetLife Stadium. To say the mayhem left Richardson ticked off would be an understatement. I m ready for this game, he said. Ready. I m ready for this game. Sunday can t come fast enough. Because it s the Patriots? Yeah. Exactly. Just because it s the Patriots, Richardson said. I m ready to go get another shot at these guys, it s Tom Brady. As a defensive lineman, you look to play certain people, and he happens to be one of em. To be the best, you have to beat the best. Against all odds, sometimes. He s a Hall of Famer quarterback. He doesn t make mistakes. It doesn t matter who his wideouts are, he s going to win the game, especially when he plays the Jets apparently. So I just can t wait to play against him again, Richardson said. Rex hasn t gotten out of chores before Patriots game (Steve Serby) New York Post Rex Ryan s don t-take-out-the-trash, take-out-the-patriots-instead suggestion has failed to spare him. I took out the trash I run things at my house, remember that old comedian? Run the vacuum cleaner, the dishwasher, the lawn mower you name it, I run everything, Ryan said. Ryan said he would sign a note absolving Jets players from household chores to show their better halves if necessary. Austin Howard was asked if he takes out the trash. Absolutely, he said. But you know what though? I have one of the best fiancées in the world because there have been times where I d go home, and the entire house is clean. There s food on the table, the car is washed. She makes my life a ton easier. I really found a good one. Ryan s message did not help Antonio Cromartie at his home. Nah, nah I still got to do those duties, Cromartie said, and laughed. But Sunday s Patriots game is no laughing matter. It s just all about being focused, understanding what we got to try to do, Cromartie said. This is a big week for us. Ryan simply wants the Jets rested and ready for a big effort. Rex is one of those coaches who s always looking out to take care of his players to help us out any way he can, Howard said. Ryan reiterated he did not urge the Jets to abstain from sex. 16 P a g e

17 I did not tell our players that they couldn t have sex, I did not say that, OK? Ryan said. I was just saying if you have errands to run, your wife wants you to mow the yard, whatever, just kind of put that at arm s length and just say, We ll get to that next week. Honey, I ll do all the Honey Do s and all that stuff next week. We re focused on this game, really being ready to roll in this game. But I did not say the other thing. NEW YORK DAILY NEWS NY Jets tight end Jeff Cumberland is heard, loud and clear (Manish Mehta) New York Daily News Jeff Cumberland didn t have a master plan on that Monday afternoon three weeks ago. He didn t rehearse his lines. He wasn t nervous. When the Jets finished reviewing the film from their forgettable Week 4 loss to the Titans, the tight end walked up to offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg: Hey, can we talk? The meeting changed everything for one of the emerging players on an offense desperately searching for difference-makers. Cumberland didn t pound the table in Mornhinweg s office. He didn t have demands. He simply wanted clarification on his role. They know I m not selfish, Cumberland told the Daily News. I never complain. I always do what they say. I just went in and asked him what was my role and how can I help. He always says that if you want to know something, don t hold it in. Come and talk to him and he ll let you know. You might not like it, but he ll let you know. Mornhinweg agreed with Cumberland without making any guarantees. He knew that the former college wide receiver needed to get more opportunities. Cumberland played second fiddle to Kellen Winslow through the first month. He was shut out in the first two weeks against the Buccaneers and Patriots, who come to MetLife Stadium for the rematch on Sunday. Cumberland was targeted just four times with four catches for 60 yards in the first four games. So, he decided to speak up in a productive way. Mornhinweg was true to his word by dialing up more vertical routes in the first game after the meeting to take advantage of Cumberland s speed against the Falcons linebackers. Cumberland played nearly twice as many snaps as Winslow en route to a three-catch, 79-yard breakout performance on a national stage. He beat Falcons linebacker Joplo Bartu on a seam route for a 20-yard touchdown. They just said, Well, we ll just cover him with a linebacker, said Jets tight ends coach Steve Hagen. You can t cover Jeff with a linebacker. Cumberland will have every chance to expand his role during Winslow s four-game suspension for violating the league s policy on performing-enhancing substances. He played a season-high 84% of the snaps against the Steelers last week. 17 P a g e

18 Cumberland, who transitioned from tight end to wide receiver midway through his sophomore year at Illinois, is a matchup quandary for defensive coordinators. He beat Bernard Pollard on a 34-yard catchand-run touchdown that left the Titans safety irate on the sidelines in Week 4. He beat Steelers safety Ryan Clark on a 29-yard pickup last week. Cumberland s 18 yards per catch (11 receptions for 198 yards) makes him a potentially scary weapon in Mornhinweg s West Coast system. A year after Tony Sparano used Cumberland more to block rather than feature his hands, Mornhinweg s creativity has been beneficial for the young tight end. It s always better if you can take a guy with receiving skills to play in our offense because of what we do with him, Hagen said. We move our tight ends around a lot. They re in the backfield. They re on the line. They re flexed out. So it s always better to start out with a receiving-type tight end and then develop him from there. He s also starting to develop better chemistry with Geno Smith, who has spread the ball around. Only 53% of Smith s completions have been to receivers. Cumberland is tied for the most catches (seven) and has the most receiving yards (138) in the past two games. I look at him as another receiver, Smith said. He s fast enough where he ll run by you. I feel like I can have big impact, said the 26-year-old Cumberland, who signed a one-year restricted free agent tender in the offseason. Tight ends are like a security blanket for a lot of quarterbacks around the league. I feel like that could also be for this team. I m not saying I got to be the No. 1 guy. Rex Ryan told the fantasy football world before the season that Cumberland was your Jets sleeper pick. Draft the fourth-year tight end and thank him later. It s looking more and more like Ryan who described the 6-4, 260-pound tight end with one word: Stud hit the bull s-eye with this prediction. The Jets put no limits on how many receptions Cumberland can have in this system: There s no number, Hagen said. Catch them all. You re waiting for your turn, Cumberland said. Maybe you feel like you ve done everything (asked) by your team... and you re really not getting a chance. You go ask about it, so you and the coach are on the same page. Because you might think you re doing something that you re really not. So you go ask... and that s what I did. It s made all the difference. Antonio Cromartie disagrees with Rex Ryan, gives himself 'C' on performance this season (Seth Walder) New York Daily News If Rex Ryan were picking the AFC Pro Bowl team right now, he d make at least one homer selection. The Jets head coach said Thursday that he believes that Antonio Cromartie has played at a Pro Bowl caliber thus far this season, despite general belief to the contrary. Cromartie, who so successfully replaced Darrelle Revis after the former Jet tore his ACL early last season, hasn t been the same shutdown corner this year. Well, he s probably still had a Pro Bowl year, Ryan said. I just think that sometimes as much man as we play, we give him the tough down, down after down. Sometimes you re going to get beat and he s been beat on a couple of them. 18 P a g e