NEW YORK JETS DAILY CLIPS

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1 NEW YORK JETS DAILY CLIPS November 12, 2013 Table of Contents ASSOCIATED PRESS... 2 Jets return from bye looking to string together Ws (Dennis Waszak)... 2 Jets move TE Winslow back to active roster (Dennis Waszak)... 3 NEWSDAY... 3 Former Bill David Nelson is stoked to play former team (Kimberley Martin)... 4 Geno Smith is the key to the Jets' playoff hopes (Bob Glauber)... 4 Rested after bye, Jets hope to finally string two wins together (Kimberley Martin)... 5 THE RECORD... 7 Jets notes: David Nelson's homecoming (J.P. Pelzman)... 7 Kellen Winslow Jr. back in the fold for Jets (J.P. Pelzman)... 7 STAR-LEDGER... 8 As Jets return from bye, quarterback Geno Smith says, 'Our best football is ahead of us' (Darryl Slater)... 8 Rex Ryan on Santonio Holmes status vs. Bills: 'I think he'll play' (Michael J. Fensom) Jets' David Nelson found out Bills parted ways with him on Twitter (Michael J. Fensom) NEW YORK POST Santonio Holmes looks ready to return to Jets (Brian Costello) Geno Smith searching for better balance (Brian Costello) The Jets may be a circus, but they ll make the playoffs (Steve Serby) Winslow back with new sense of purpose (Howie Kussoy) NEW YORK DAILY NEWS NY Jets come back from bye week with plenty of confidence (Seth Walder) NY Jets WR David Nelson aims for revenge against Bills (Seth Walder) New and improved Santonio Holmes could be NY Jets answer to playoff run (Manish Mehta) NEW YORK TIMES After Watching Rivals, Jets Turn Focus to the Bills (Ben Shpigel) WALL STREET JOURNAL Well-Timed Bye Week Has the Jets Refueled and Ready (Stu Woo) ESPN NEW YORK Jets' Santonio Holmes to return (Rich Cimini) METRO NEW YORK Demario Davis: God told me Jets will do something special (Kristian Dyer) Santonio Holmes returns to practice, eyes playing Sunday (Kristian Dyer) P a g e

2 MONDAY S SPORTS TRANSACTIONS ASSOCIATED PRESS Jets return from bye looking to string together Ws (Dennis Waszak) Associated Press FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) -- Rex Ryan welcomed his players back to work after the bye-week break, and immediately sensed something different around the New York Jets' facility. There was overwhelming enthusiasm throughout the halls and meeting rooms. And that had been missing in previous years when the team returned to work. ''I don't know if I really felt that coming back in, that energy or as Brian Billick would say, that synergy,'' Ryan said Monday. ''Just that kind of, 'Wow. We're excited to be back here.''' At 5-4, Ryan's Jets have been one of the NFL's biggest first-half surprises, shaking off outside projections for a dismal season. They're still holding a playoff spot in the AFC, but know they have plenty of work to do to stay there. For one, they have alternated wins and losses all season, tying an NFL record through nine games, and are looking for their first winning streak. But Ryan insisted his team is looking only at trying to beat the Bills (3-7) at Buffalo on Sunday. ''Nobody's thinking about, 'Hey, let's run seven in a row off,''' Ryan said. ''Yeah, I'll sign up for it. The only way to get there is to handle your business, and that's what we have to do.'' Ryan even visited his brother Rob, the Saints' defensive coordinator, in New Orleans to catch up and ''get some intel on Buffalo'' since the Saints beat the Bills two weeks ago. New York faces just one opponent with a winning record the rest of the way - Carolina (6-3) in Week 15 - although Miami (4-4) was playing Tampa Bay on Monday night. Buffalo, Baltimore (4-5), Oakland (3-6) and Cleveland (4-5) are all sub ''To place ourselves for the playoffs, (we have to) take it one game at a time, but that's our goal, make the playoffs and go from there,'' tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. said. ''I don't see why we can't win them all, though.'' That's the confidence that a promising start has bred for the Jets, a team some said would be lucky to win four games all season. ''Winning definitely helps,'' rookie quarterback Geno Smith said. ''I think we have a great opportunity in front of us and that's where the excitement lies because we know that as a team, our best football is ahead of us.'' But in order to reach that point, the Jets have a handful of things to take care of in order to keep those playoff hopes well into late-december: - Good Geno. Just as the team has gone, Smith has been up and down from game to game with eight touchdown passes and 13 interceptions. That inconsistency needs to change, but the Jets are doing all they can to not put too much pressure on the rookie. ''Understand that you're one of 11 and you don't need to do it all by yourself,'' Ryan said of Smith. ''With that being said, he's got tools where he can make a difference in a positive way.'' 2 P a g e

3 - Getting Healthy. The Jets' wide receivers and tight ends have been the walking wounded this season, with Santonio Holmes, Stephen Hill, Jeremy Kerley, Jeff Cumberland and Clyde Gates all missing time with injuries. Holmes, who has missed five games with a hamstring injury, could return this week. ''I think he'll play,'' Ryan said. ''He looks good. I certainly hope so.'' The Jets are getting Winslow back, which should be a big help, after he served a four-game suspension for violating the NFL's policy on performance-enhancing substances. - Running The Ball. Despite offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg's love for throwing the ball, he has shown he is willing to adapt and that has made this year's Jets similar to the team's ''Groundand-Pound'' offense. Chris Ivory has put hamstring issues behind him and been the hard-running presence the Jets expected when they traded for him in April. He has run for 254 yards in his past three games, teaming with Bilal Powell to form the NFL's ninth-best running attack. That will be huge as the weather turns cooler - and will help Smith from trying to do too much with his arm. - Better Pass Defense. Once the strength of the team, the Jets' secondary has been suspect while ranking 23rd in the league against the pass. Antonio Cromartie, who replaced Darrelle Revis as New York's No. 1 cornerback, has been shaky at times. Top draft pick Dee Milliner has also had a rough start to his career, dealing with injuries and ineffectiveness. But, the good news is this: The Jets don't face a top passing offense the rest of the season. The best is Baltimore, which is 14th. ''We have been inconsistent and we've shown flashes of being a good team, but we've also had moments where we haven't looked so good,'' Smith said. ''We know that as long as we clean up our mistakes and we handle the things that we can control, we'll have an opportunity. ''It's right here in front of us.'' Jets move TE Winslow back to active roster (Dennis Waszak) Associated Press FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) -- The New York Jets have reinstated tight end Kellen Winslow Jr., to the active roster, and he will be available to play Sunday against the Buffalo Bills. Winslow was suspended by the NFL last month for violating the league's policy on performanceenhancing substances. He returned to the team last Monday, but the Jets received a roster exemption in which they had until 4 p.m. this Monday to decide whether to move him back to the 53-man roster. New York waived safety Rontez Miles to make room for Winslow, who is still unsure what caused the positive test. He said last week he suspected it might have been a new allergy medication. Winslow was dealing with a balky right knee at the time of the suspension, but says he feels ''fresh.'' NEWSDAY 3 P a g e

4 Former Bill David Nelson is stoked to play former team (Kimberley Martin) Newsday FLORHAM PARK, N.J. - For David Nelson, Sunday's game is about more than just a "W.'' It's about pride. And it's about proving a point. Though now a proud member of the Jets, the former Bills receiver said he still hasn't gotten over his exit from Buffalo. "That's kind of been my motivation," said Nelson, whom the Bills chose not to re-sign after "It's kind of what's still driving me. So to return back there and to have that continually in the back of my head, it's going to be exciting." In three seasons with Buffalo, Nelson caught 94 passes for 1,042 yards and eight touchdowns. But he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in the 2012 opener against the Jets and later learned via Twitter that the Bills had no intention of re-signing him. "It's still kind of a little difficult for me to swallow," he said, referring to the Bills not tendering him as a restricted free agent. "But at the same time, I'm glad to be here." Nelson, who signed as a free agent on Oct. 2, has become a fixture on offense, catching 16 passes for 199 yards. That's why he's even more stoked to get a victory this week. Asked about facing his former team, he smiled and said, "Anybody who tells you it's just another game is lying to you. Because this is definitely more than just another game for me." Santonio a go It appears the Jets finally will get wide receiver Santonio Holmes (hamstring) back. Holmes, who hasn't played since Sept. 29, made a positive impression Monday, according to his teammates. "He looks good to me," said Rex Ryan, adding that he expects Holmes to play Sunday. Jet streams Though not ready to rule out Jeremy Kerley (dislocated elbow), Ryan said: "It doesn't look good right now."... The Jets reinstated Kellen Winslow Jr. (suspension) to the active roster and waived safety Rontez Miles... Nelson's $7,875 fine for an unnecessary-roughness penalty against the Bengals was rescinded on appeal... Jeff Cumberland and Antonio Allen (concussions) wore red non-contact jerseys in practice. Geno Smith is the key to the Jets' playoff hopes (Bob Glauber) Newsday It is all right there for the Jets: seven games to play, a schedule that softens up after a brutal midseason stretch, and in the driver's seat for the second AFC wild-card spot. The 5-4 Jets returned from their bye week Monday refreshed, recharged and with a sense of optimism. But as much as they like what they see in their immediate future, this still will come down to the rookie quarterback. 4 P a g e

5 If Geno Smith sorts out his turnover problems, the Jets will have a chance to play into January. If he doesn't, they won't. Smith had an opportunity to get a little rest and relaxation during the bye week, and he took time to reflect on the good and the bad from the first half. The good: He was mostly terrific in wins over the Falcons, Saints and Patriots. The bad: Most of his 13 interceptions were costly against the Patriots, Titans, Steelers and Bengals. "Every single one of them crushes me," he said. "I hate affecting my team in a negative light. Every single one hurts me." For the Jets to make the playoffs, Smith has to cut down on his turnovers. And there might be a trend emerging with the interceptions: Many of them have come in road games. In the Jets' three road losses, Smith has seven interceptions. The only road game in which he didn't throw a pick was the win over the Falcons, who have taken a nosedive after earning the NFC's No. 1 seed last year. At home, the Jets are 4-1 and Smith has six interceptions. For the Jets to break their streak of win one, lose one, Smith needs to be more consistent in the next seven games, four of which are on the road. They are at the Bills and Ravens, host the Dolphins and Raiders, and have two of their final three on the road against the Panthers and Dolphins (sandwiched around a home game against the Browns). "It comes down to execution in those [road] games," Smith said. "I've had good games, but the interceptions and the turnovers can hurt us. I hope eventually we'll get to the point where we won't be talking about it." Now would be a good time to reverse the trend. The Jets will face a 3-7 Bills team coming off yet another dispiriting loss. Rex Ryan acknowledged that the acclimation process can be tough for first-year players on the road. "It starts with the noise," he said. "You play at home, you're in the friendly confines and everyone is behind you. [On the road], you have to relish it. It's really you and 60 or 70 people in the organization that represent the Jets, and that's all you got." This is all so new for Smith, who's still getting used to the different venues around the NFL. Every rookie must experience it, but Smith is trying to push the learning curve and get up to speed for the stretch run. Much of Smith's mission revolves around not "going off the reservation" with the game plan, as quarterbacks coach David Lee has told him. "You can't put things on your shoulders. You can't try and be a hero," Smith said. "You have to stick with the game plan and let it play out. Last game, I didn't force the ball. It starts with me being smart with the football." The Jets have a strong enough running game and a good enough defense that all Smith needs to do is be a game manager, not commit the big mistake and make a few plays when necessary. It's a formula that has worked well in the Jets' wins but one that Smith hasn't followed in the losses. He hopes it's out of his system. So do the Jets, because that's their only chance to finish off their season of surprise with a playoff run. Rested after bye, Jets hope to finally string two wins together (Kimberley Martin) 5 P a g e

6 Newsday FLORHAM PARK, N.J. - Sage words came from one of the quietest voices in the Jets' locker room Monday. Nick Bellore missed Rex Ryan's Jets in their heyday, when they reached the AFC Championship Game after the 2009 and 2010 seasons. The linebacker and special-teams fixture knows the playoffs again are within their reach this season, but to play in the postseason, the Jets must break free of their win one, lose one routine. "It's something we've kind of gotten away with to this point," said Bellore, 24, who was signed as an undrafted free agent in "But if we want to be a playoff team, which we all know we are, we've got to break that trend. We can't get complacent." Fresh off their bye, the Jets (5-4) not only are healthy but energized for the second-half stretch. Players and coaches received a much-needed reprieve from the NFL grind. Some jetted off to island destinations; others used the bye week to visit family and friends. Ryan, on the other hand, used his bye-week trip to New Orleans for both business and pleasure -- gathering intel on the Bills from his twin brother, Saints defensive coordinator Rob Ryan, and helping himself to servings of gumbo and jambalaya. "It still goes down with the lap band," he said with a laugh. The Jets returned to practice Monday with one goal -- to build on what they've accomplished. Ryan said he felt "that enthusiasm to be back" as he walked through the facility, noting a sense of "synergy" he said was lacking after last year's bye. "I don't know if I felt that energy," he said, referring to last year's group. Under Ryan, the Jets are 1-3 after the bye. But they're determined to break that trend as well, starting Sunday at Buffalo. Former Bills receiver David Nelson said Ryan's message to the team was simple. "To not settle," he said. "To not go back to the rut we were in, as far as win, loss, win, loss. We have seven games left in the season and everything we want is there for us if we just go out there and take it. "We put ourselves in a great position leading into the bye week, we're coming out healthy, we're coming out motivated." Tight end Kellen Winslow Jr., who was reinstated Monday after a four-game suspension, conceded that the Jets haven't fared well on the road. But when asked about their remaining seven-game schedule, he said matter-of-factly: "I can't see why we can't win them all." The Jets were lucky at times during the first half of the season but also played extremely well at times. Their offense has been managed fairly well by rookie quarterback Geno Smith. But the Jets have more to accomplish, he said. "I think we have a great opportunity in front of us, and that's where the excitement lies," Smith said. "We know, as a team, our best football is ahead of us." Each dramatic win, however, has been followed by a loss. And that has to change, Bellore said. 6 P a g e

7 "We have to learn how to handle a big win, like the Saints game or the Patriots game. And we haven't done that yet this year,'' he said. "We have to prepare like our backs are against the wall -- like they are, really." THE RECORD Jets notes: David Nelson's homecoming (J.P. Pelzman) The Record November 12, David_Nelson_s_homecoming.html Nelson s homecoming The Jets David Nelson has excelled as a slot receiver in the NFL partly because he is a deceptive and crafty route-runner. But he made no attempt Monday to conceal his intentions and emotions concerning his return to Buffalo on Sunday to face his former team. "I m not one of those people that tries to answer it politically correctly," Nelson said, "and act like it s just another game, because it s not. This is going to be an extremely personal and emotional game for me, one that I m excited to take on." Nelson, who was signed by the Jets on Oct. 2 and has become an integral part of the offense, originally was signed by the Bills as an undrafted free agent in He had 92 receptions and eight touchdown catches his first two seasons before suffering a torn ACL in his right knee in the 2012 opener against the Jets. In February, the Bills decided not to tender Nelson, then a restricted free agent. "They made a decision not to re-sign me and I know it was a business decision," he said, "but for me, I took it personally. That s what I m going to use for motivation. But I don t know their thought process. "All I know is I feel I had a pretty successful tenure there and for whatever reason, whether it be the knee or whether they didn t think I fit into the new [offensive] system, they didn t see me in their longterm plans." Briefs Nelson said he won his appeal of a $7,875 fine imposed on him by the NFL for an unsportsmanlikeconduct penalty in the loss to Cincinnati on Oct. 27. Safety Rontez Miles was waived to make room for reinstated TE Kellen Winslow Jr. on the 53-man roster. Miles likely will be re-signed to the Jets practice squad if he clears waivers. QB Geno Smith went home to Florida during the bye week, but said he began studying tape of the Bills before he left. Kellen Winslow Jr. back in the fold for Jets (J.P. Pelzman) The Record November 12, FLORHAM PARK Kellen Winslow Jr. had a quiet bye week. The veteran tight end said he went home to San Diego last week, where he bicycled and ate some Mexican food. 7 P a g e

8 So maybe Winslow can provide some zest to a passing attack that has been somewhat bland in recent weeks. Winslow was activated from the exempt list by the Jets on Monday and reinstated to the 53-man roster after missing four games while serving an NFL-imposed suspension for violating the league s policy on performance-enhancing substances. In his last game before the suspension, Winslow had only one reception, but it was for a 1-yard touchdown in the Jets win over Atlanta on Oct. 7. Despite the missed time, he enters this week fourth on the team in receptions with 17 for 169 yards and two touchdowns. Rookie quarterback Geno Smith has thrown only one touchdown pass in the last four games, as the Jets have been staying afloat via their strong defense and rushing attack. And one positive thing about the unplanned and unpaid time off is that Winslow, who has a chronic knee problem, should be fresh for the Jets stretch run. At 5-4, the Jets would be the second AFC wildcard team if the season ended today. Definitely, any rest helps me, Winslow said. That is the upside. I m well-rested and I feel fresh. [The knee] feels good. Winslow participated Monday in practice for the first time in over a month. It felt good, he said. It felt good just to run around a little bit and be back with my team. Winslow was asked about the importance of winning Sunday at struggling Buffalo (3-7), which has lost five of its last six games. I think it s important for us to win all the games, Winslow responded. To place ourselves [in position] for the playoffs, [we must] take it one game at a time. But that s our goal: make the playoffs and go from there. I don t see why we can t win them all, though. To win them all, the Jets will have to get off the seesaw that has defined their season. Beginning with a last-second victory over Tampa Bay on opening day, the Jets have alternated wins and losses. Since the beginning of the 2012 season, they have put together consecutive victories only once (in December of last year). We re going to peak at the right time, the confident Winslow said. Guys are coming back healthy, including myself, so we re excited. Although the Jets lost wide receiver Jeremy Kerley for an undetermined amount of time because of a dislocated elbow suffered against New Orleans on Nov. 3, the pass-catching corps indeed is getting healthier. Tight end Jeff Cumberland (concussion) is expected to return after missing the win over the Saints, and wide receiver Santonio Holmes (hamstring) is expected to play for the first time since he was injured Sept. 29. I think he ll play, coach Rex Ryan said of Holmes. He looks good to me. Teams peak at certain times of the season, Winslow said, and we re kind of at that point where you want to make a decision: How good do you really want to be? We re really good defensively and we ve got a great running game. That s what you want in the playoffs, and that s what goes far in the playoffs. STAR-LEDGER As Jets return from bye, quarterback Geno Smith says, 'Our best football is ahead of us' (Darryl Slater) Star-Ledger 8 P a g e

9 ur_best_football_is_ahead_of_us.html Sitting at his locker Monday afternoon, Willie Colon pulled layers of athletic tape and a thick pad off his left calf, which sustained a deep bruise in the Jets Oct. 27 loss at Cincinnati. He played through pain in the next week s victory over New Orleans. The Jets bye, last week, came at an ideal time for Colon and his 5-4 team, which will attempt a push for an unlikely playoff berth in its final seven games. The time away allowed for relaxation, recuperation and refocus as the Jets try to prove wrong everybody who thought they would be one of the NFL s worst teams this season. Colon s physical appearance Monday reflected the transition back to football life. While he changed out of his practice clothes, he recounted his four-day, last-minute trip last week to Nassau, Bahamas. A few flecks of sand appeared to be nestled in his dreadlocks. All I did was sleep on the beach, said Colon, the Jets' right guard. I ve still got sand in my hair from sleeping on the beach. He returned to gloomier weather, but also to a locker room eager about the possibilities for the final seven games, beginning with trips to Buffalo and Baltimore the next two weeks. Coach Rex Ryan said he felt a greater zest from his team Monday than he sensed after last year s bye, when the Jets were 3-5. I think we have a great opportunity in front of us, and that s where the excitement lies, said rookie quarterback Geno Smith. We know, as a team, our best football is ahead of us. The Jets get tight end Kellen Winslow back from suspension this week, and should also have wide receiver Santonio Holmes, who missed the past five games with a hamstring injury. But receiver Jeremy Kerley (elbow) is probably out. Tight end Jeff Cumberland had an extra week to recover from the concussion that sidelined him against the Saints. With their roster replenishing and a favorable schedule ahead, the Jets likely are angling for the final wild card spot. So are four teams who emerged from Sunday with 4-5 records Cleveland, Baltimore, Tennessee and San Diego. The Browns, who visit the Jets on Dec. 22, were off. The Titans and Chargers lost. The Ravens won. Tennessee beat the Jets earlier this season, but the Titans on Sunday probably lost quarterback Jake Locker for the year, to a foot injury. On Sunday, the Jets get a 3-7 Buffalo team that has lost three straight games and might not have receiver Stevie Johnson (groin). This is a prime opportunity for the Jets to win back-to-back games for the first time all year, and for Smith to play better on the road. The Jets are 1-3 on the road this season, and Smith threw seven interceptions and one touchdown in those losses. The good teams take off and they don t look behind them, Colon said. This is a game that we need. We put ourselves in a great position to have a spot at the table, and right now, the worst thing we could do is look back and say, We blew that. Right now, I m over the shoulda, coulda, woulda. It just has to happen. Rex said it today: If we re not where we need to be at the end of this race, then it s shame on us. And that s true, because we have the chance to do it. Everything is in our possession. Some Jets were unaware about how fortunately Sunday turned out for them. Defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson didn t watch football while traveling back from seeing family and former college teammates in Missouri. 9 P a g e

10 But wide receiver Josh Cribbs caught some games while lounging around his home near Cleveland with his wife and two children, who stayed in Ohio after the Jets signed him last month. Between a family trip to the movies, buying his 10-year-old daughter her first cell phone so she can send him text messages about her homework, and Sunday s NFL results, Cribbs returned to the Jets a happy man, and confident about their chances. On paper, it looks as though we re a better team (than the Bills) because of their injuries, but they re also getting a lot of players back on defense, Cribbs said. Some people can play their best and still lose. But if we play our best, we ll win. Because of injuries, the Bills didn t have Pro Bowl safety Jairus Byrd or cornerback Stephon Gilmore when they lost to the Jets in Week 3. But both are back. Smith said this could help the Bills in their manto-man coverage, which they prefer to play. But Smith, whose game against the Saints was his second without a turnover, also said his decision-making has improved since Week 3. On his flight back from visiting family in Florida, Smith studied video on his ipad. Ryan, too, spent part of his time away pondering football. He traveled to New Orleans to see his twin brother, Rob, the Saints defensive coordinator. The Saints beat the Bills on Oct. 27, but the Bills didn t have rookie quarterback EJ Manuel, who returned Sunday from a knee injury. After picking Rob s brain about the Bills, and putting down some gumbo, Ryan came back to New Jersey hopeful that these Jets will emerge from the bye more successful than last year s group, which closed 3-5. Ryan mentioned the Jets different faces Monday five new offensive starters and seven defensive, with five rookies and four second-year players among them and then made a statement that he hopes also proves true for the final analysis of this season. It s a different team, he said. Rex Ryan on Santonio Holmes status vs. Bills: 'I think he'll play' (Michael J. Fensom) Star-Ledger _play.html For the first time since Santonio Holmes limped off the field in Nashville Sept. 29 with a strain of his right hamstring, Rex Ryan affirmed the wide receiver is close to a return. "I think he'll play," the Jets coach said, when asked this afternoon if Holmes will be available Sunday, when the Jets travel to face the Buffalo Bills. "He looks good to me. I certainly hope so." Certainly, Ryan has Week 3 on his mind. In his last full game before getting hurt, Holmes posted a career-high 154 receiving yards against the Bills at MetLife Stadium, including a 69-yard, game-winning touchdown grab. "This is a legit receiver. He has strong hands. You can play him anywhere -- X, Z, S, wherever else, any other letter you got," Ryan quipped. "I know he had a big game the last time we played Buffalo. I hope it will be the same this time." Jeremy Kerley, the Jets' leading receiver, will not likely not play Sunday due an injured right elbow. Ryan said Kerley's arm is in a sling. "It certainly doesn't look good but I'm not going to rule him out right now," Ryan said. 10 P a g e

11 But much like the Bills' secondary, which now has a full of defensive backs after Jairius Byrd, Leodis McKelvin and Stephon Gilmore recovered from injury, the Jets are returning players to the field. Jeff Cumberland has not cleared the NFL's concussion protocol yet, but practiced today wearing a red jersey signifying he can't be hit. Geno Smith said he expects the tight end to play Sunday after missing Week 9 against the New Orleans Saints. For the first time in four games, Smith will have Kellen Winslow. The tight end was Smith's favorite target with 17 catches through four games before a suspension for a violation of the league's performance-enhancing drug policy. "To have them out on the practice field is a huge boost for us, in terms of communication, timing, precision -- every single part of our offense," Smith said of Holmes, Cumberland and Winslow. Jets' David Nelson found out Bills parted ways with him on Twitter (Michael J. Fensom) Star-Ledger _on_twitter.html For David Nelson, the closure he has sought since February, at last, will come Sunday at Ralph Wilson Stadium. The Jets wide receiver will for the first time face the Buffalo Bills, the team that signed him to a contract as an undrafted rookie in Anybody who tells you when you go play an old team or team who cut them that it is just another game is lying to you, Nelson said. This is definitely more than just another game for me. It is going to be an emotional game, a fun game. This game holds a little more in my heart than most others. Those sort of feelings are to be expected from a player lining up against his former employer, but Nelson said the circumstances of his departure from Buffalo rubbed salt in a wound. Recovering from a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee suffered in Week 1 of the 2012 season, Nelson was at a Chicago Blackhawks hockey game last February. Someone alerted him on social media that the Bills decided not to tender a one-year offer, parting ways with the restricted free agent. I found out through Twitter, like a lot of other things in life, Nelson said. The Bills had not alerted Nelson s agent of their decision, either. In the months that have followed, Nelson said he has kept hold of his emotions from that moment. For them it was a business decision; for me, I took it personally, Nelson said. I thought we had developed a great relationship over there so I could get a phone call or at least some acknowledgement. That decision is driving me and motivating me every since day. It has made me the player I am today. Nelson, who said today he won his appeal of a fine for a late hit in Week 8, has become an important piece of the Jets offense in recent weeks after signing Oct. 2. As injuries have felled prominent members of the Jets receiving corps, Nelson has stepped into the first team and hauled in 13 passes for 179 yards over the last three games. He competes his tail off. The fact he was able to pick up the offense in the short amount of time he did, that has been very impressive, Rex Ryan said. I know he has gained all the respect in the world from all his teammates. 11 P a g e

12 Nelson maintains that Buffalo holds a special place in my heart -- during his last full season there, he caught 61 passes for 658 yards -- but the Bills decision to cut him has led to an opportunity with the Jets. From a difficult moment, Nelson said, came a blessing. NEW YORK POST Santonio Holmes looks ready to return to Jets (Brian Costello) New York Post Jets wide receiver Santonio Holmes looks as if he might be ready to return to the field. Holmes, who has missed the past five games with a hamstring injury, participated in the entire 30 minutes of practice that were open to the media on Monday, a sign he might return this week against the Bills. That is the first time he has done everything during that portion of practice since suffering the injury Sept. 29 against the Titans. I think he ll play, Jets coach Rex Ryan said. He looks good to me. The Jets certainly can use Holmes. Fellow wideout Jeremy Kerley was not at practice on Monday. Kerley dislocated an elbow against the Saints on Nov. 3. Tight end Jeff Cumberland and safety Antonio Allen, who are both dealing with concussions, wore red jerseys signifying no contact. Linebacker Garrett McIntyre, who injured his knee against the Saints, rode a stationary bike during the media period. Geno Smith searching for better balance (Brian Costello) New York Post Geno Smith has led the Jets to four comeback victories in the fourth quarter or overtime in his first nine games. Still, the Jets want Smith to be better in late-game situations, and the rookie quarterback knows he has to improve if the team plans to go anywhere this season. I ve basically learned my lesson the hard way, Smith said Monday. You can t put things on your shoulders, you can t try to and be a hero, you can t make plays on your own. You just have to stick to the game plan and let the game play out. That s something that I think in the last game [against the Saints], that I did a better job of not forcing the ball. We needed some first downs but it wasn t there. I just didn t force the ball. [We] put the game in the hands of our defense. We have a really good defense here, a defense that can win us games. They ve done it in the past and I think they ll continue to do so. It starts with me being smart with the football. Last week, quarterbacks coach David Lee said Smith will leave the game plan in some late game situations when the Jets are trailing. Smith said Lee cautions him not to get off the reservation, something he s working on. 12 P a g e

13 Five of Smith s 13 interceptions have come in the fourth quarter. He had three against the Patriots earlier this season and threw one against the Bengals Adam Pacman Jones that was returned for a touchdown. Smith has thrown some passes he should not have based on how the cornerback is playing the receiver. Smith said he s naturally aggressive and does not want to lose that. Still, he knows he can t turn the ball over. There were times where I felt that I could fit the ball into some really tight windows, Smith said. I m an aggressive player that s something that [the coaches] never want to take away from [me] and something that I never want to shy away from doing. But it just comes with experience in this league, knowing when to be aggressive, knowing when to try and fit the ball in that window and knowing when to back off and just live to see another play. Smith went home to Florida during the bye week and said he studied some tape on the plane ride and spent some time with his playbook at home. The Jets are counting on Smith to keep improving as they make a playoff push over the final seven weeks of the season. At 5-4, they re in the thick of the wild card-race and still have an outside shot at the division title if the Patriots stumble. But they can t survive if Smith continues to be inconsistent. He has had some good moments this season and some awful ones. The 13 interceptions have been the biggest problem. Every single one of them crushes me, Smith said. It hurts me because I hate throwing interceptions. I hate having turnovers. I hate affecting my team in a negative light. So every single one hurts me, but like I ve always said, I just put those things into perspective and I look at it in the right way, use it as motivation and use it as something to learn from. I don t let it get me down or put me in a bad mood. Instead, I just work harder and try to correct it. In the victory over the Saints before the bye, the Jets asked Smith to do very little. They relied on their running game and defense to carry them. Coach Rex Ryan said he just wants Smith to understand he doesn t have to win games by himself. He was asked what he d like to see from Smith down the stretch. I just think, go about your business, Ryan said. You ve got great coaches, work with them. Work on your fundamentals, the timing. Those are things that are going to come and don t press it. Just go out and play the position and you ll be fine. Understand you re one of 11. You don t need to do it all by yourself. That being said, he has tools where he can make a difference in a positive way. The Jets may be a circus, but they ll make the playoffs (Steve Serby) New York Post Let me be clear: The Jets won t be hosting Super Bowl XLVIII in their stadium. But I have seen enough from them, seen enough mediocre imposters elsewhere, to guarantee the Jets, aka the laughingstock Jets, the circus Jets, will make the playoffs. You can ask everybody in here and they ll tell you that we re a playoff team, Sheldon Richardson told The Post. The Jets are a throwback team navigating a quarterback-driven league. If Geno Smith cuts down on the interceptions, he will drive them into the postseason. 13 P a g e

14 That s our goal, make the playoffs and go from there, Kellen Winslow said. I don t see why we can t win them all, though. Winslow is expected back for the playoff push. And barring a setback, it could be Tone Time Santonio Holmes, a sight for sore eyes at practice Monday, as well. It puts a smile on my face to have those guys back, Smith said. The Patriots next face a Monday nighter in Carolina and then Peyton Manning and the Broncos six days later, but the Jets know better than to fantasize about finding themselves tied atop the division in two weeks. There s a bounce in their step, like Man, let s play, coach Rex Ryan said. Why the Jets will make the playoffs: Sunday at Buffalo: EJ Manuel is rusty and reeling. Ryan, with two weeks to prepare for Manuel, is better than Mike Pettine with one week to prepare for Smith. On the other hand, it s tough sweeping a division opponent, and Smith has mostly struggled on the road, and Bills safety Jairus Byrd is back. Top corner Stephon Gilmore (wrist) is struggling, however, beaten on a fade by Jerricho Cotchery for a touchdown Sunday. Their comfort level at home is huge, Willie Colon said. They play stronger, they play faster. When that crowd gets behind em, it can be a very hostile environment. We have to come out swinging. We got to bring our hardhats. Jets receiver David Nelson will be bringing his. He found out the Bills cut him on Twitter. But Ryan falls to 1-4 after byes. Roller-coaster Jets lose and fall to 5-5. Nov. 24 at Baltimore: A forbidding place where a desperate team with a championship heart waits in ambush. The Jets defensive line should dominate the line of scrimmage, and is that Ray Rice or Condoleezza Rice? Lady Cro thinks her man can handle Torrey Smith in a game with huge wild-card implications. I like getting booed, Richardson said. When the crowd goes quiet, you feel like you re at practice, it s your stadium. Then they start booing their own team, then you know you took their house over. No Ed Reed for Smith to worry about. You can t put things on your shoulders, you can t try and be a hero, you can t make plays on your own, Smith said. Jets win, go to 6-5. Dec. 1 vs. Miami: Forget about a greenout, Rex implores Jets fans to wear Richie Incognito masks inside MetLife. Ryan Tannehill will be under siege, leaving Mike Wallace frustrated again. We re a team, that s who we are, Ryan said. I think that makes us dangerous. Jets finally win second straight to get to 7-5. Dec. 8 vs. Oakland: A second cross-country trip in four weeks for Terrelle Pryor? Good luck with that. Chris Ivory Andre Browns the Silver & Black. Surging Jets win again, moving to 8-5. Dec. 15 at Carolina: Pryor was a nice warmup for Cam Newton, but Smith hasn t seen a front seven this good. He won t like the tapes of Eli Manning and Colin Kaepernick getting their heads handed to them. 14 P a g e

15 Jets lose to fall to 8-6, but at least it s outside the conference. Dec. 22 vs. Cleveland: A low-scoring slugfest that very well could come down to a late Nick Folk field goal. Cromartie blankets Josh Gordon, and Antonio Allen limits tight end Jordan Cameron. I was released by Cleveland after the last preseason game, so for four weeks, I was at home, Nelson said. A second revenge game for him, and one for Josh Cribbs as well. But you know the Jets. Just when you think it s safe to hop aboard the bandwagon a Jason Campbell fake spike burns Dee Milliner for the game-winning dagger, dropping Jets to 8-7. Dec. 29 at Miami: Jets fans show up in force in their Incognito masks. Rex gives a fiery Saturday night speech for the ages, pleading with his players not to make it about him, even though no one had planned on making it about him. Jets win and, at 9-7, earn the AFC sixth seed, general manager John Idzik makes like Yogi to Rex s Don Larsen, lame-duck Rex earns contract extension, Happy New Year. Being in this league long enough, once you re in the dance, just bring your shoes, Colon said, cause it s all 0-0 from there. We just got to get to the dance floor. Boogie. Winslow back with new sense of purpose (Howie Kussoy) New York Post Kellen Winslow Jr. spent the bye week in San Diego with his family, waiting to return to practice and to game action after serving a four-game suspension for violating the NFL s policy on performanceenhancing drugs. He said he watched most of the Jets games while away from the team, but admitted sometimes watching was too difficult a task. It was weird, Winslow said. It was frustrating at times. Sometimes, I just didn t watch because it was too hard to watch. But, as the team earned upset wins over the Patriots and Saints, pounding the ball with Chris Ivory on the ground, Winslow saw what can make the team successful. The tight end, who said after Monday s practice he still doesn t know what triggered his failed test because the NFLPA has not gotten back to him, was frustrated after a reduced role in his last game before being suspended, a Week 5 victory over the Falcons. He said the time away allowed him to gain clarity on his role. He left as the team s leader in receptions. He returned humbled. I had to accept it. It s maturing, Winslow told The Post. I haven t been on this type of team before great defense, a good run-option, good running game. If they say, Kellen, we don t need you right now, it s OK. It s just something that you have to grow with and I have. When I was away, I had time to think about that, so it was good for me. We re winning. It s all good. 15 P a g e

16 Winslow also returned rested. The 30-year-old, whose troublesome right knee has limited him since training camp and has caused him to miss multiple practices, said he feels as good as he has all season. And after targeting Winslow 24 times in the first five games for 17 receptions, 169 yards and two touchdowns rookie quarterback Geno Smith was excited to have him back for his first practice on Monday. It was great. We missed him those four weeks, Smith said. To have a guy like that out there definitely helps us. A veteran guy, a guy who knows how to get open and has made plays for us in the past. Also, a guy who is a leader, a guy who can share stories with a guy like Zach [Sudfeld], who is a rookie, and also help Jeff [Cumberland]. Winslow recognizes the team is playing to its strengths by running the ball and knows his knee issues have robbed him of much of the incredible athleticism that warranted his being the sixth overall selection in But the former Pro Bowl tight end still thinks even in a role-specific situation, he can make a difference. My thing is, whenever it s thrown my way, I want to make the play, Winslow said. As long as they throw it, I m going to catch it. That s what I do. Anywhere you throw it on the field, I m going to catch it. NEW YORK DAILY NEWS NY Jets come back from bye week with plenty of confidence (Seth Walder) New York Daily News For a 5-4 team, confidence is flying high at Florham Park. The Jets, coming off a win over New Orleans and a bye week, have a little pep in their step as they find themselves in a playoff spot with seven games left. To Rex Ryan, the team felt different coming off its bye compared to seasons past. That s kind of what I felt when we got in the building today, I felt that enthusiasm to be back in, Ryan said Monday. And that s sometimes different. Last year in particular, really struggling, I don t know if I really felt that coming back in, that energy. It s easy to imagine how last season s team, which scuffled early and had lost Darrelle Revis and Santonio Holmes, wouldn t have been quite as thrilled to return to work. But Ryan credited the difference in the team s mentality to the young guys. Maybe it s the fact that these young guys are starting to be in different roles, said Ryan. Our team is much younger. It s a different team. Of course, winning also cures all wounds. And with a record above.500, the Jets are unquestionably and surprisingly in the hunt for the postseason. That very well may explain the positive vibe Ryan says he senses. Winning definitely helps, said rookie QB Geno Smith. I think we have a great opportunity in front of us and that s where the excitement lies because we know that as a team, our best football is ahead of us. 16 P a g e

17 Veteran tight end Kellen Winslow, recently returned from a four-game PED suspension, is buying in to the fact the team has its best football left to play. In fact, he one-upped Smith by suggesting a feat few would dare to predict. I don t see why we can t win them all, Winslow said of the final seven games. You want to make a decision: how good do you really want to be, Winslow added. I ve been on a lot of teams. We re right there. We can peak when we need to. The pieces to the puzzle mostly fell right for the Jets on Sunday. With the Titans losing to the Jaguars and also losing quarterback Jake Locker for the season and the Chargers falling to the Broncos, the Jets playoff stock rose. For most players, the playoff talk has been a recent phenomenon. At the beginning of the year, few would bring up the postseason on their own. But Winslow said the confidence to broach the subject had come after wins over New England and New Orleans, teams he termed elite. Demario Davis, however, said he had felt the Jets could go far right from the beginning. People are starting to believe and guys are starting to look, but I ve been saying it the whole time, said the second-year linebacker. I knew what we had in OTAs. You just feel the environment, it was different, it was electric. Ask anybody that talked to me: I told them, Something special is going to happen. NY Jets WR David Nelson aims for revenge against Bills (Seth Walder) New York Daily News David Nelson isn t holding anything back: this week s game has extra meaning for him. The wide receiver spent his first three seasons with the Bills before the team declined to tender him a contract in the offseason. Nelson said he s looking forward to facing his old squad. Anybody who tells you when they go play an old team or a team that cut them, they tell you it s just another game, is lying to you. Because this is definitely more than just another game for me, Nelson said. That s kind of been my motivation for the past seven, eight, nine months since that happened. That s kind of what s still driving me. To return back there and have that continually in the back of my head is going to be exciting. He spoke highly of his time with the Bills but clearly wasn t happy with how his relationship ended. He found out they weren t tendering him a contract on Twitter while attending a Chicago Blackhawks game, he said, and was given no explanation. It s going to be an emotional game, it s going to be a fun game, this game holds a little more in my heart than most others, Nelson said. That s just the way it is. Nelson has been somewhat of a pleasant surprise for the Jets, catching 16 passes for 199 yards in his five games with Gang Green since joining the team in October. KERLEY HURTING Even as one health issue at wide receiver seems to dissipate, another crops up. Jeremy Kerley suffered a partial dislocation of his elbow against the Saints, and though Rex Ryan wouldn t rule him out of the game, he said, It doesn t look good. The coach said Kerley was in a sling. With Kerley out for the foreseeable future, the team is working out wide receiver free agents. 17 P a g e