NEW YORK JETS DAILY CLIPS. October 26, 2013 Table of Contents

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1 NEW YORK JETS DAILY CLIPS October 26, 2013 Table of Contents ASSOCIATED PRESS... 1 Jets O-line's tough task vs Bengals: Protect Geno (Dennis Waszak)... 1 Jets WR Santonio Holmes out vs Bengals (Dennis Waszak)... 3 NEWSDAY... 4 Rex Ryan pleased as Jets pick it up in practice after sluggish Thursday (Anthony Reiber)... 4 THE RECORD... 5 Jets guard Brian Winters can take the heat (J.P. Pelzman)... 5 NFL: Jets Jeremy Kerley quietly thriving (J.P. Pelzman)... 6 STAR-LEDGER... 7 Quinton Coples: Jets' linebacker? Defensive end? 'Just call him a ballplayer' (Michael J. Fensom)... 7 Jets' Santonio Holmes out for Bengals game; Nick Mangold questionable, but expected to play (Darryl Slater)... 9 NEW YORK POST... 9 Bengals Geno big challenge for Jets line (Howie Kussoy)... 9 Santonio will miss 4th straight game for Jets (Howie Kussoy) A win over the Bengals could save Rex Ryan s job (Steve Serby) NEW YORK DAILY NEWS NY Jets glad it s Dee Milliner time (Stephen Lorenzo) NY Jets WR Jeremy Kerley wants win against former college teammate Andy Dalton (Stephen orenzo & Manish Mehta) NY Jets owner says he doesn't have an issue with Pam Oliver after 'idiot' comment (Mitch Abramson) WALL STREET JOURNAL Geno Smith Is Now Heard Loud and Clear (Stu Woo) ESPN NEW YORK Sunday's big matchup: Cro vs. Green (Matt Ehalt) FRIDAY S SPORTS TRANSACTIONS ASSOCIATED PRESS Jets O-line's tough task vs Bengals: Protect Geno (Dennis Waszak) Associated Press October 26, FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) - Willie Colon is used to taking on the Cincinnati Bengals' rugged defensive line. 1 P a g e

2 He did it twice a season in his seven years with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Now in his first season with the New York Jets, the right guard gets to face the Bengals' pass rushers and run stuffers again. And this time around, Colon sees an even better bunch. "These guys play hard, they play physical," Colon said Friday. "It's one of those teams that you've got to bring your hard hat for. You've got to play them all four quarters tough. "You can't have any letup." Or else. The Jets' offensive linemen know they face a big challenge Sunday in protecting quarterback Geno Smith from the Bengals' aggressive and sack-happy defense. Cincinnati has 18 sacks this season, which puts the Bengals in the middle of the pack in the NFL. But they're a disruptive group up front, led by defensive tackle Geno Atkins. Cincinnati also ranks eighth in the league against the run, adding to the importance of Smith and the passing game. "Their D-line is one of the best out there," Smith said. "They are stacked at every position. It's going to be a challenge for us, but we just have to just go into the game with the right mindset and just execute the game plan." Sounds like a simple enough plan. But the Bengals have hardly made things easy on opposing offenses. Atkins is one of the best defensive tackles in the league, a dominant force who is a two-time Pro Bowl selection and was a first-team AP All-Pro pick last season. He has 16½ sacks in the last two years, including four this year. Rookie left guard Brian Winters, a third-round pick from Kent State, likely will go up against Atkins for most of the game while making just his fourth NFL start. "Well, that's the NFL," Colon said. "There's great (defensive) linemen out there and there's going to be challenges every week. He's just got to knuckle up and get ready to go." The Bengals also have Carlos Dunlap, who has four sacks, and Michael Johnson at defensive ends, and Domata Peko at nose tackle to form a formidable front four. Throw in the playmaking linebacker trio of leading tackler Vontaze Burfict, James Harrison and Rey Maualuga, and the Jets have plenty to prepare for. "Oh man, they're tough, there's no question," coach Rex Ryan said. "It's an outstanding group. I like what they do defensively. They'll challenge you, they're multiple in what they do, so it's certainly going to be a challenge." Added offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg: "They're just excellent. They're very good schematically. They make few mistakes and they all have high motors." The Jets have allowed 25 sacks this season, but not all of them have been the result of breakdowns on the offensive line. Some have come from Smith holding the ball a bit too long, something the rookie has been working hard at improving. But there have been a few instances where some of the linemen have gotten beat, including Winters and left tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson each allowing two sacks last week against New England. "It's going to be an all-around challenge for all of us," Colon said. "If the game comes down to us five up front getting the job done, if we're able to do that, we should be successful." 2 P a g e

3 Ryan has liked what his offensive line has been able to do overall this season, and it appears to have improved a bit from last year. "We knew that would be a real strength of our team, both our offensive line and our defensive line," Ryan said. "And I think that's a true statement." Despite the sacks, Smith has been regularly getting quite a bit of time to throw - which, of course, is helping cut down on his mistakes. The line also is creating running room for the backs, as the Jets rank 11th in the league in rushing. That's a surprisingly high position for an offense run by Mornhinweg, whose reputation for loving to throw the ball is well-documented. "As long as we're good at it," Mornhinweg said, smiling, "I like to run the football." The Jets know, however, that the Bengals are going to do everything they can to shut down anything they try against them on offense - run or pass. "All those guys are paid to be there and they paid a lot of money, and all those guys play hard," Colon said. "I've watched over the years this team kind of be a bottom of the barrel team. And, now, they're legit contenders." Jets WR Santonio Holmes out vs Bengals (Dennis Waszak) Associated Press FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) - Santonio Holmes won't be back this weekend. Maybe next Sunday. Or, maybe after the bye week. It's uncertain when the New York Jets wide receiver will return from a hamstring injury that will sideline him for the fourth straight game. Coach Rex Ryan ruled out Holmes on Friday for the Jets' game Sunday at Cincinnati against the AFC North-leading Bengals. Holmes did not participate in practice all week while recovering from the injury that occurred in the Jets' loss at Tennessee in Week 4. Holmes said Thursday that the hamstring "feels good," but then seemed to indicate he could wait until after the team's bye-week break to return on Nov. 17 against Buffalo. The Jets play one more game before the bye - next Sunday against New Orleans, whose defense is coached by Ryan's twin brother Rob. "That logic probably makes sense, but in this league, if a guy like that is ready to go, you want him playing," Rex Ryan said of possibly waiting until after the bye. "He's a difference maker and if he's healthy to go, we want him playing." Then, Ryan joked: "And, we're playing my brother so, yeah, he's playing." Center Nick Mangold was listed as questionable with a rib injury, but Ryan wasn't concerned about his availability for the game. "Nah, he's good," Ryan said. "We're going to leave it questionable, put some doubt in their mind. I don't know, it doesn't look good. No, he's fine." 3 P a g e

4 Wide receiver Greg Salas is also questionable with a knee injury, and unlikely to play. Wide receiver Jeremy Kerley fully participated a day after being limited with a hamstring issue, while tight end Jeff Cumberland was limited, also with a hamstring. Both are probable. NEWSDAY Rex Ryan pleased as Jets pick it up in practice after sluggish Thursday (Anthony Reiber) Newsday October 26, FLORHAM PARK, N.J. - How big would it be for the Jets to beat the Bengals in Cincinnati on Sunday? "It would be huge," coach Rex Ryan said Friday. "It would be a huge win. But I don't think they're just going to give it to us. They're one of the better teams in this league, so obviously we've got our work cut out for us. We have to be at our very best, there's no question, to have a chance to beat these guys." Ryan made his remarks after what he considered an improved practice. On Thursday, he said "the execution wasn't where we wanted it to be" and the receivers had too many drops. Receiver Jeremy Kerley went a step further Thursday, saying: "Practice was a little lackadaisical today, but we've got to pick it up. We know what's ahead of us. We know Cincinnati's a great team. We know they've got a great defense. We know we've got to catch the ball, snatch it down every chance we get. Practice tomorrow will be a lot better." Was it? "Today, they were outstanding," Ryan said. "It was a great practice and we responded... I think the focus was great. I don't think we dropped any passes today, so I think that's a good thing." If that all sounds slightly familiar (and perhaps alarming) to Jets fans, remember Ryan also wasn't pleased with a midweek practice before the Week 6 game against the Steelers. Back then, the Jets were coming off a huge Monday night win at Atlanta. The Jets then lost to Pittsburgh at home. This time the Jets are coming off a huge win over New England and facing a tough foe on the road. The AFC North-leading Bengals (5-2) have won three in a row and are 3-0 at home. So it's a good thing the Jets (4-3) found their focus Friday. "We all want the same thing," Ryan said. "We want to go out there and perform at a high level, and to do that, it has to get done on the practice field first and in the classroom. Sometimes it happens when you put new things in. You're facing a team that you're really not familiar with and it takes you a day or two and then you get dialed in. And that's really where we are now." Notes & quotes: WR Santonio Holmes (hamstring) will not play. Ryan rejected the notion of Holmes sitting out against New Orleans next week, too, even if he's ready, so he can get more healing time with the bye week after that. "If a guy like that is ready to go, you want him playing," Ryan said. "He's a difference-maker, and if he's healthy to go, we want him playing." Ryan, noting that the Saints' defensive coordinator is his brother Rob, joked, "And we're playing my brother, so yeah, he's playing."... C Nick Mangold (ribs) was listed as questionable but Ryan said, "He's good."... TE Jeff Cumberland (hamstring) was limited in practice but is listed as probable. 4 P a g e

5 THE RECORD Jets guard Brian Winters can take the heat (J.P. Pelzman) The Record October 26, age=all FLORHAM PARK The molten steel burned hot, glowing a fluorescent shade of orange. Jets left guard Brian Winters returns home to Ohio ready to face the Bengals (5-2) and All-Pro tackle Geno Atkins. ASSOCIATED PRESS Jets left guard Brian Winters returns home to Ohio ready to face the Bengals (5-2) and All-Pro tackle Geno Atkins. Steam rose off it in thick sheets as it was poured, filling the air with the acrid smell of metal. Brian Winters would be summoned into the hellish cauldron that is a steel mill at any hour by his dad, whenever the brick lining of a ladle the equipment that pours molten metal needed to be replaced. It meant trekking to mills throughout Ohio and Pennsylvania. It meant climbing into a two-story ladle or a furnace, with temperatures hovering near 400 degrees. And it meant having the Jets 6-foot-4, 320- pound left guard lay 12- or 15-inch refractory bricks manufactured by the company employing his father, Bill. "It was wild, wild to experience," said Winters, sitting at his locker after Friday s practice. "It was kind of breathtaking. "It sort of looks like a war zone in there." Having worked in the mills, the rookie lineman remains undaunted by the prospect of blocking Bengals All-Pro defensive tackle Geno Atkins on Sunday in Cincinnati. The third-round pick will make his fourth start, having supplanted Vlad Ducasse in Week 5. And Winters a Kent State product will do it in a return to his home state, playing about four hours from his hometown of Hudson, Ohio. After all those long days in the mills, he has no fear of a challenge. He has been shaped by the ethos of the Rust Belt. And he carries its blue collar work ethic with him. "My family s been in the steel mills forever," Winters said. "My grandfather was in there for his whole life. My dad s been in the business for 40-plus years. It s something I ve been raised on." The calls sometime would come from Bill Winters at 3 a.m. when his son was on summer break. "Steel mills are not clean, pretty places," said Bill in a phone interview. "It can be a very dangerous environment." It was a glimpse into the life Brian might be living if it weren t for football. But the most difficult part of getting him into the family business was finding size 4XL flame-retardant safety clothing. 5 P a g e

6 Brian has always been "self motivated," according to his father "Just about every day he would actually wake me up at 5 o clock so I could drive him to the school weight room," Bill Winters said. "Most 15-, 16-year-old kids, you have to light a fire under them to get them out of bed. He was getting me out of bed." Brian enjoyed working in the mills, no matter how hot it got. No matter if he was "always sweating." No matter if the bottom of his shoes would melt when he worked in a furnace. Winters, 22, faces heat of a different kind on Sundays. He has endured the predictable trials of a rookie. He played well against Atlanta in his first start, but yielded two sacks last week against New England. And he s still transitioning from left tackle his college position to guard. This weekend, Winters faces maybe his toughest test in Atkins and the Bengals (5-2). "It s about as big a challenge as it gets," Rex Ryan said. But Winters has been "learning, growing and playing hard" for the Jets, right guard Willie Colon said. Lessons learned in the steel mill. "It carries over to football big-time," said Winters, an avid fisherman and hunter. "It taught me a lot about having a good work ethic could take you far." BRIEFS: WR Santonio Holmes (hamstring) will miss his fourth straight game. But Ryan joked Holmes will be back next week against New Orleans because "we re playing my brother," Saints defensive coordinator Rob Ryan.... C Nick Mangold (ribs) is questionable, but Ryan said "he s fine."... RB Chris Ivory was named FedEx Ground Player of the Week after his 34-carry, 104-yard performance against New England. NFL: Jets Jeremy Kerley quietly thriving (J.P. Pelzman) The Record FLORHAM PARK Sporting his trademark bushy beard and wearing a hooded sweatshirt, Jeremy Kerley appeared to be trying to go incognito in the Jets' locker room Thursday. But if he keeps playing like he has been, the Jets' third-year wide receiver will be very easy to spot. Except maybe for opposing defenders. Kerley, who leads the Jets with 24 receptions, had an outstanding game in the victory over New England on Sunday. Of his eight receptions, six converted third downs into first downs. That's the most such catches in a game for a Jet since the 1970 merger. But when asked about his third-down success, Kerley was his usual matter-of-fact self. "It's just stuff that we had practiced and practiced over and over again," he said, "so it wasn't like it was a surprise. Every third down I felt like the ball was coming to me, as [I do] every play, but more [so] if it's on third down. So I just made sure that I made the catch, secured the position, [and] got the yards." Kerley is second in the NFL this season with 15 third-down catches, despite missing the first game against New England because of the effects of a concussion. He and rookie quarterback Geno Smith have forged an obvious chemistry, particularly in crucial situations. 6 P a g e

7 "I think we have got a real good feel for each other," Kerley said. "We've been making sure that the [practice] reps have been consistent over and over again, making sure that we capitalize on every opportunity that we have. If we don't capitalize on it right there, we try to get it again, if not on the field [then] in the film room. I think as long as we stay consistent we'll have success together. "It has really helped us out because we're now beginning to see the same things and get on the same page," Smith said. "It helps us out on the field because it's kind of like a symbiotic relationship. He's thinking one thing and I'm thinking the same. "When we're on the same page, it's kind of hard for defenses to stop us." Teammate David Nelson had 92 receptions in with Buffalo, mostly as a slot receiver. And he's quite impressed with Kerley. "The best thing I see with him is that he never makes the same mistake twice," Nelson said. "Some guys can take coaching but they don't apply it. He does a great job of applying it. I understand the slot. I understand the game and I think he's one of the best at it. I honestly do and I'm not just saying that because I'm his teammate. I thought that before I even came here." "Jeremy's a valuable player for us," offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg said. "He's done well and he's worked hard to get to where he's at." Yet he's far from a household name around the rest of the NFL. But Kerley doesn't care. "I don't worry about that," he said. "That's life. I'm always underrated. I've got my own motivations." Kerley was limited in practice Thursday because of a hamstring problem, but indicated it was merely a precaution because of the suddenly chilly weather. And after politely answering several questions, Kerley was gone, his beard and hoodie doing a much better job of covering him than have his opponents. STAR-LEDGER Quinton Coples: Jets' linebacker? Defensive end? 'Just call him a ballplayer' (Michael J. Fensom) Star-Ledger m_a_ballplayer.html During the offseason, Quinton Coples provided Jets coaches with an answer to this riddle: How do we get our best 11 defensive players on the field at once? Coples led the Jets with 5 ½ sacks during his rookie season a year ago, playing on the defensive line. But with fellow first-round draft picks Sheldon Richardson and Muhammad Wilkerson also on the line, the Jets sought a creative solution to hassle offenses with all three players simultaneously. If you put him at end, where do you put Muhammad? Karl Dunbar, the Jets defensive line coach, said. If you put Muhammad at three-technique (lined up between the offensive guard and tackle), where do you put Sheldon? Q is probably the most athletic of the three, so he s the guy who can fill that role at rush linebacker or rush end because he has the best God-given genes. 7 P a g e

8 Coples' physical abilities -- with a 6-6, 290-pound frame and 4.78 speed in the 40-yard dash -- have allowed a smooth transition beyond the defensive line, where he also played in college at North Carolina. Big men who can run are just like pretty women, Dunbar said. There are not a whole bunch of them and everybody wants them. After missing the first two games of the regular season with a fractured right ankle, Coples has spent five games at the new position. He has grown accustomed, he said, to starting each down without his hand in the dirt. He has new responsibilities -- minding running backs and tight ends -- though snap counts show his primary objective remains unchanged from last season: Pressuring the quarterback. It s not like I m a safety now, Coples said. Dunbar said Coples favored his right ankle after he returned in the Week 3 victory over the Buffalo Bills. I think the first two or three games he was a little tentative because of the leg. He didn t want anybody to hit it. He was wearing a big pad on it. Now the pad has come off and I think he has a little more confidence. Against the New England Patriots last Sunday, Coples flummoxed Tom Brady, signifying a return to form. On the first play of the second half, Coples dipped around left tackle Nate Solder and poked the ball out of Brady s hand, his first sack of the season. The following play, Coples again bulled past Solder, forcing Brady to hurry a throw intercepted by Antonio Allen and returned for a touchdown. The two plays highlighted Coples largest shift of the season. He participated in all but one of 79 plays on defense, according to stats compiled by ProFootballFocus. Nearly two thirds of those plays were spent rushing the quarterback. Envisioning the grand plan for Coples, Jeff Weeks, who coaches the Jets outside linebackers, points to Terrell Suggs, a player Rex Ryan used to torture offenses when with the Baltimore Ravens. As time went on, (Suggs) had more drops and stuff, Weeks said of the amount of time Suggs rushed compared to covering receivers. With guys like that who get sacks you re not going to drop him a lot but you will drop him enough to get a disguise. Coples has dropped into pass coverage on just four of the 281 snaps he has played this season, according to ProFootballFocus. By contrast, he has rushed the passer on 64 percent of those plays. Weeks used the analogy of a baseball pitcher with an exceptional fastball to relate the Jets strategy. Every so often that pitcher will toss a curveball, just to put another option in hitters minds. The Jets will drop Coples infrequently but enough to provide quarterbacks a wrinkle to consider. When you talk about our defense, is it 3-4 or 4-3? It s Rex Ryan defense, Weeks said. It s a little sprinkle of it all. Dunbar has stressed to Coples, though, that not every down is a pass rush. Situations dictate different levels of restraint, an understanding that comes with experience, Dunbar said. As Coples has collected more time on the field and his responsibilities made more clear, it begs the question. Should he be labeled a defensive end with coverage commitments or a pass-rushing linebacker? I think you just call him a ballplayer, Dunbar said. I think he s more of a hybrid type. He can play end. He can play linebacker. But he gives us a chance to put our best 11 on the field. Whatever you want to call it, you call it. 8 P a g e

9 Jets' Santonio Holmes out for Bengals game; Nick Mangold questionable, but expected to play (Darryl Slater) Star-Ledger d_questionable_but_expected_to_play.html As expected, the Jets most talented wide receiver, Santonio Holmes, won t play in Sunday s game at Cincinnati. Holmes will miss his fourth straight game because of a right hamstring injury sustained Sept. 29 at Tennessee. He hasn t practiced since. He ran one route in Thursday s practice, but officially did not practice. Nor did he practice Friday. After the Bengals game, the Jets host New Orleans, whose defensive coordinator is Rob Ryan, the twin brother of Jets coach Rex Ryan. Then the Jets have their off week. Holmes said Thursday that the off week, which precedes a Nov. 17 home game against Buffalo, would benefit his rehabilitation. At this point, I think the bye week is coming at a great time, Holmes said. It will give me five, maybe six weeks to get healthy and I should be ready to roll. But Holmes insisted he was not ruling himself out for the Bengals or Saints games, though he is now officially out for the Bengals game. Sitting Holmes against the Saints and letting him recover through the off week would give him a significant amount of time to heal, but Ryan said he wants to get Holmes back on the field as soon as he is able If a guy like that is ready to go, you want him playing, Ryan said. He s a difference maker and if he s healthy to go, we want him playing. And we re playing my brother, so yeah, he s playing. Ryan, as he is wont to do, was joking with that last part, about Holmes definitely playing against the Saints. Since Holmes has yet to actually practice since getting hurt, his return remains unclear. Just two Jets players are listed as questionable for the Bengals game: center Nick Mangold (ribs) and wide receiver Greg Salas (knee). Both were limited in Friday s practice. Every other injured player is probable for this game, and participated fully in Friday s practice, Ryan said. Mangold and Salas were limited in practice on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Salas, who the Jets recently signed off the Eagles practice squad, will almost certainly not be a significant factor in Sunday s game. Mangold is one of the Jets most important players, but Ryan expects him to play against the Bengals, despite being listed as questionable. He s good, Ryan said. We re going to leave it (as) questionable, put some doubt in their mind. Nah, he s fine. NEW YORK POST Bengals Geno big challenge for Jets line (Howie Kussoy) New York Post October 26, P a g e

10 Jets rookie left guard Brian Winters has never battled someone like Bengals All-Pro defensive tackle Geno Atkins. But he has seen someone like him every week. He kind of reminds me of Sheldon Richardson, Winters said, comparing Atkins to the Jets rookie defensive tackle. This week in practice I ve asked to go against him, just to kind of get a feel for [Atkins] because they play similar. [Atkins has] got the leverage and he s really aggressive. He s a tough player. He goes to the end of the whistle. You can t ever give up or go light on him. You always got to attack. On Sunday in Cincinnati, Atkins will lead one of the league s most dangerous pass rushes against a Jets offense that has allowed 25 sacks this season, the fifth-most in the league. Winters, who allowed two sacks last Sunday and will be making his fourth straight start since replacing Vladimir Ducasse, will face the toughest test of his young career, going against a player with 20 sacks over the past two seasons and four this year. Atkins is a new challenge for Winters he played left tackle at Kent State and is learning a new position but is a familiar foe for right guard Willie Colon, who played Atkins twice a year for the past three years while with the Steelers. The thing that people don t understand is he s not a tall guy, but as short as he is, he s strong as a bull, Colon said of the 6-foot-1 Atkins. If your hands and your feet aren t correct, he ll take advantage of that. His center of gravity and my center of gravity are two different places. You just have to be extremely conscious of where your hand placement is at. Some of the things you may do against a bigger guy, you can t do against him or he ll take advantage of that. Jets coach Rex Ryan said Atkins is as difficult a player to stop as any his line will see all season, but the coach also noted the rest of the Bengals unit Carlos Dunlap, Michael Johnson and Domata Peko can be just as troublesome, earning an additional eight sacks this season. This defensive line, it s outstanding, it really is, Ryan said. Man, [Dunlap s] really playing well as the left end. Of course, the Atkins kid is becoming a household name having 12½ sacks last year, a Pro Bowl guy. And he earns that reputation, he really plays hard. Then Michael Johnson, the big, huge guy they franchised last year. It s a huge challenge for us. The Jets have alternated wins and losses since the season-opening win against the Buccaneers, and though Colon can t figure out why, he admitted the team s preparation and focus suffered in the weeks they lost. An identity, he said, is emerging though, seen in the Jets throwback ground-and-pound performance against the Patriots, with Chris Ivory running 34 times for 104 yards. Cementing that identity is what Colon thinks can make them great. One thing I give credit to about the Patriots and I hate to even talk about them, they re just good at what they do, Colon told The Post. They don t blitz a lot, they don t give you a whole lot of exotic things, they re just great at what they do. They re disciplined, they re focused and that s what makes them a great team. 10 P a g e

11 We have to get on a level where what we do is just great. Pittsburgh, they re just great at power, that s just what they do, they run the football. We want to find that niche and just perfect it. If we come out and play physical and we block them up front, the sky s the limit for this team. Santonio will miss 4th straight game for Jets (Howie Kussoy) New York Post The clock is still blinking eights. It isn t Tone Time yet. Jets receiver Santonio Holmes did not practice again on Friday and will not play on Sunday in Cincinnati. It will be the fourth straight game the receiver has missed since suffering a hamstring injury on Sept. 29 against the Titans. Holmes said his hamstring felt good on Thursday and he ran one route during wide-receiver drills that day, but he said he is being cautious to avoid a setback. Holmes could have an extra two weeks of rest with a bye week following next Sunday s home game against the Saints, but coach Rex Ryan said Friday the team would not look at the potential additional week of recovery as a deciding factor in Holmes status next week. I can understand where you re coming from with that, that logic probably makes sense, but in this league, if a guy like that is ready to go, you want him playing, said Ryan. He s a difference maker and if he s healthy to go, we want him playing. Ryan then joked, And we re playing my brother [Saints defensive coordinator Rob Ryan], so yeah, he s playing. The No. 1 receiver in Holmes absence, Jeremy Kerley (hamstring), was limited on Thursday, but practiced fully on Friday and is listed as probable. Kerley is coming off his best game of the season, in which he caught eight passes for 97 yards and a touchdown against the Patriots. *** Tight end Jeff Cumberland (hamstring), center Nick Mangold (ribs) and wide receiver Greg Salas (knee) were limited participants in practice, with Mangold and Salas being listed as questionable for Sunday. Ryan said Mangold will play. He s good. We re going to leave it questionable, put some doubt in their mind, Ryan said with a smirk. I don t know, doesn t look good (joking) He s fine. *** After committing nine penalties in their last game, the Jets remain the most penalized team in the NFL, averaging 9.1 per game. Last season, the team averaged 5.2 penalties per game, which was tied for the third-best mark in the league. This season, 22 of the team s 64 penalties have come on false starts (tied for second) and offsides calls (most in the league). Clearly we have to do a better job of that. Those are the ones that get you, said Ryan. Sometimes there s combat penalties that are aggressive, you can live with those. You can t live with the selfinflicted ones. It s still a work in progress and we have to do better still in that area. 11 P a g e

12 *** Running back Chris Ivory was voted the FedEx Ground NFL Player of the Week after rushing a careerhigh 34 times for 104 yards in the win against the Patriots. *** Though the Jets may shadow Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green with Antonio Cromartie, Ryan said there may be times when the team may not have a choice but to help out their top cornerback against the 6- foot-4, two-time Pro Bowler. Obviously Cro is the best corner we have and A.J. Green s clearly their best receiver, so I think that matchup, if you re playing true man coverage, that s probably your best matchup, said Ryan. If you re not, then there s probably other things that you can or you may have to double him. And we may double him if Cro s on him. Who knows? He s really talented guy. Like I said, [Green s] probably the best receiver in the AFC. *** Ryan said he was pleased with cornerback Dee Milliner s return against the Patriots. The 22-year-old had missed the previous three games with a hamstring injury. After benching the first round selection in Week Two against New England, the coach said he has seen consistent improvement from Milliner. At no point did we ever think he wasn t a player, said Ryan. It s just, those things happen. The fact, you know he played well last week and he did a good job in what we asked him to do. So, we ll see how it goes this week. This a tough group we re up against, but I think you re going to see steady progress with him all that stuff should be behind him now. A win over the Bengals could save Rex Ryan s job (Steve Serby) New York Post October 14, This wasn t supposed to work, this shotgun marriage between Rex Ryan and rookie general manager John Idzik. It is working. It is working so well that if Idzik were to walk into the team meeting Saturday night at the team hotel in Cincinnati and announce, We have decided to offer Rex an extension, Jets players, almost to a man, would stand and cheer. I have seen enough from this Jets team, witnessed the growth of Geno Smith and the young, developing muscle and swag in the trenches on both sides of the ball to dismiss the likelihood of any second-half collapse. I recognize a lot can happen between now and the end of the season, of course these are the Jets, where any moment can be a Buttfumble moment but I say if they can beat the Bengals on Sunday on the heels of beating the Patriots, get to 5-3 and establish themselves as legitimate playoff contenders, it would not necessarily be too early for Idzik to seek owner Woody Johnson s consent to begin Rextension talks. 12 P a g e

13 Because it is clear these Jets are Rallying Round Rex. I think that we re building something here, Austin Howard said. It definitely would not be anything that anyone would be upset about, that s for sure. Ryan is far from perfect on game day he is challenged by coach s challenges, sacrificing Mark Sanchez for the Snoopy Bowl would have been a fireable offense in some circles and letting Nick Folk attempt a 56-yard field goal could have been catastrophic against Tom Brady but who could have possibly imagined he would be closer to MetLife Stadium s Super Bowl than Tom Coughlin? Winning, and winning against all odds, with a rookie quarterback and no A.J. Green for him to throw to, is a great deodorant. Perhaps most importantly, the buffoonery is gone, but what remains is a master motivator who once again has his finger on the pulse of the locker room. He has shown himself to be a team player, more Corporate Rex than Corpulent Rex, able to navigate the treacherous back room minefield as he fights to keep his dream job as an erstwhile lame duck whose contract is up after the 2014 season. He s just being himself. He s not uptight. He gets the guys playing where they can play loose. You don t have to worry about making a mistake, you just go ahead and play. It s not how some coaches can be like drill sergeants or something, like, You have to do this right here, Jeff Cumberland said. I would love to play for him however long that I can. This arrangement can work as long as Ryan and offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg continue their effective working relationship You got offense, I got defense. If the Jets win, Ryan won t have to hear the constant reminders he needs to be the coach of the whole team. A big key will be whether Mornhinweg can continue to nurture and mold Smith into a franchise quarterback. You could see each game that he s ready, like if he can put some pads on and go out there and play he would, Cumberland said. It is all well and good to be a so-called players coach, but that by itself won t save you if you are not respected. He has that type of fight in him that makes you want to go out there and fight hard in the fourth quarter and just lay it on the line for that type of dude because you know he makes you feel like he would do it for you, Jeremy Kerley said. He s a great motivator, he has a great scheme, everything about him kind of motivates people. I asked Kerley if he senses guys would love to play for Ryan for years and years. Definitely, he said. Like I said, he s just that type of guy. You can t really put your finger on it, it s just the vibe when you get around him. To some degree, there is always an element of lip service to questions about the coach. But there should be no downplaying the connection this coach has made with these players. Walking around, I ve never heard anything said bad about Rex, or some guys questioned his judgment on how he goes about things, Willie Colon said. Whatever Rex says, we just go with it, because that s our belief in him. The Bengals are 12-1 to win the Super Bowl. The Jets are One of the reasons I came here was for Rex, Colon said. I came to be a Jet because of Rex, cause of his passionate side, his fearless side. That s how [Steelers coach] Mike [Tomlin] was. Coach Tomlin 13 P a g e

14 was a fearless, confident, compassionate person probably not as outspoken as Rex is, but nevertheless, he had no problem stepping up to the plate. That s what you want a coach to do stand behind the guys and you stand behind him. This game is about fighting for each other. Rex is definitely that coach you know he ll fight for you. As Darrelle Revis has learned, the grass is not always greener. Has anyone heard a Buccaneer say he loves Greg Schiano? I love Rex, man, on the field or off the field, Colon said. NEW YORK DAILY NEWS NY Jets glad it s Dee Milliner time (Stephen Lorenzo) New York Daily News Way back in Week 2, rookie Dee Milliner got a crash course in humility when the Jets benched him in the second half against New England for fear of what Tom Brady s arm would do to the young cornerback s psyche. With Dee, it wasn t that we were unhappy with what we were seeing, it's just that the situation for us called for, OK, they re getting ready to take some shots at this kid, defensive coordinator Dennis Thurman said then. Rather than have him in a situation where he can get himself deflated, we decided to make a move and get a more experienced guy in there. And we did. That special treatment for Milliner seems to be decreasing by the day. After missing three games due to injury, Milliner made a noticeable return against Brady and those same Patriots last Sunday, recording six tackles in the Jets victory. While being injured admittedly left Milliner frustrated, the rookie says watching from afar helped him gain more confidence in his mental approach to the game. Oh yeah, very much. You just want to get back out there and do something, and I was able to go against the team who I didn t play very well against the first time, he said. Being around coach DT (Dennis Thurman), players like Dawan (Landry) and Cro (Antonio Cromartie)... just talking to them and trying to get acquainted with the playbook and everything we do. I just try to be more alert on the field when I m doing things. The Jets, of course, aren t rushing anything with their No. 9 pick. On Thursday, Thurman said they purposely eased Milliner into coverage against the Pats, not wanting him to be isolated without help on the back end. Massaging Milliner s confidence is certainly not the worst thing the Jets could have done, especially given the growth he has shown since his benching. At no point did we ever think that he wasn t a player, it s just those things happen, Rex Ryan said Friday. I think you re going to see steady progress with him. While Cromartie will undoubtedly have the toughest matchup in Cincinnati on Sunday against the electric A.J. Green, Milliner will certainly face his own challenges against the Bengals ninth-ranked offense, including one he s seen before. Cincinnati tight end Tyler Eifert and Milliner played opposite each other in last season s BCS title game, a game in which Eifert tallied six receptions for 61 yards for Notre Dame and Milliner finished with three 14 P a g e

15 total tackles and two passes defended for Alabama. Ryan noted that the Bengals like to flex the tight end out, which could lead to déjà vu for the two rookies. I know he s a big guy, a vertical guy who goes up and gets the ball like he did in the championship game, Milliner said. I ve just got to be alert for him and I m looking forward to matching up with him again. Milliner, of course, had the last laugh last January, as he and his Crimson Tide thrashed the Fighting Irish, 42-14, something he might have to remind the tight end of come Sunday. You ve got to mess with him a little bit, Milliner said. It s all fun out there though. NY Jets WR Jeremy Kerley wants win against former college teammate Andy Dalton (Stephen orenzo & Manish Mehta) New York Daily News #ixzz2ipcQ8gLu\ Andy Dalton might have helped Jeremy Kerley become a fifth-round draft pick, but don t expect the Jets wideout to take it easy on his former quarterback when they meet on Sunday. It d be a good thing for me to get a win against my old teammate. I m going in there with a little competitive edge between me and him, said Kerley, who played alongside the Bengals QB at TCU. We keep in touch here and there. He s busy with his family (and) I ve got my family. Most of the time when we see each other it s on ESPN. RELATED: GANG GREEN GLAD IT S MILLINER TIME Kerley had a breakout game last Sunday against the Pats, with a career-high eight catches for 97 yards and a touchdown. A FINE DECISION The Daily News has learned that defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson has won his appeal stemming from a play involving Titans quarterback Jake Locker in the Jets loss in Week 4. The league rescinded Wilkerson s $15,785 fine for his hit on Locker. The QB was carted off the field after suffering a hip injury. There was no flag thrown on the play. Locker said afterward that Wilkerson and Quinton Coples, who was also fined for a hit on that play, should not have been. Locker missed two games before returning last week. NOBODY HOLMES Santonio Holmes (hamstring) was a no-show once again at practice on Friday and will not play Sunday. On Thursday, Holmes made several veiled comments about his return possibly coming after the Jets bye in two weeks, but Rex Ryan maintained that Holmes will play as soon as he is physically able. If a guy like that is ready to go, you want him playing, Ryan said. He s a difference-maker and if he s healthy to go, we want him playing. And we re playing my brother (Saints defensive coordinator Rob Ryan), Ryan joked about next week s opponent. So yeah, he s playing. NICK TRICK 15 P a g e

16 Nick Mangold (ribs) was limited on Friday and is officially considered questionable for Sunday, though Ryan seemed optimistic about his center s availability. Nah, he s good. We re going to leave it questionable, put some doubt in their mind, Ryan said.... After being limited in practice earlier in the week, TE Jeff Cumberland (hamstring) practiced fully on Friday and is probable. WR Greg Salas (knee) is questionable. NY Jets owner says he doesn't have an issue with Pam Oliver after 'idiot' comment (Mitch Abramson) New York Daily News Read more: #ixzz2ipcjH3eU Though she basically called Jets fans "idiots" on Thursday, Gang Green owner Woody Johnson doesn't have a problem with Fox sideline reporter Pam Oliver working the Super Bowl in February at MetLife Stadium, which is after all, home of the Jets (and Giants). "No, no, no issue at all," Johnson told the Daily News on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange Friday morning after ringing the opening bell with Giants co-owner Jonathan Tisch. The pair joined forces at the NYSE to mark the 100-day countdown to Super Bowl XLVIII on Feb. 2. Tisch and Johnson have basically been arm-and-arm at a myriad of events this week to celebrate the big game. Along with fielding questions on their teams, they have also found themselves answering for Oliver's bizarre performance during a Super Bowl event she emceed on Thursday in which she managed to insult Jets and Giants fans, as well as New Yorkers in general. When Al Kelly, president and CEO of the NY/NJ Super Bowl host committee, made an awkward joke Thursday about fans being "idiots" if they can't dress themselves properly for the first cold-weather, outdoor Super Bowl, Oliver responded with an equally cringe-inducing comment, saying, "They're probably Jets fans." Still, Johnson chose to excuse the remark, believing it wasn't meant to be malicious. "I don't know how intentional that was," Johnson said on Friday. "She may have been (joking around). I don't know. I don't think that's the point. The point of the thing is to launch this gigantic event, which we've never really had on this scale." Later during the roundtable discussion on Thursday, Oliver asked Tisch if New York fans will be able to behave themselves at the Super Bowl. "How are we going to instruct the people of this area, particularly, New Yorkers to be nice, to say please and thank you?" she asked. Not satisfied with that, she later queried Tisch, "What the hell is wrong with the New York Giants?" Tisch dismissed the comments as an attempt at levity on Oliver's part. "Pam did a very good job moderating the panel," Tisch said. "She was trying to inject a little humor into it. New Yorkers are tough, they're resilient, but they're also very generous and very kind and I don't think this needs to live on forever." 16 P a g e

17 All week, Tisch has been pelted with questions about the Giants disappointing 1-6 start and the status of head coach Tom Coughlin. Wearing an accommodating look, Tisch told CNBC, "Were not out of it mathematically," during an interview on the floor on Friday. He later gave Coughlin a vote of confidence in response to a question on whether he thought the coach was on the hot seat. "I believe in the coach and he's doing a very good job," Tisch told the News. But Johnson declined to go into Ryan's job status beyond the season, just as he refused to do so the day before. Ryan's contract runs through the season. Johnson has always been a strong advocate for Ryan, who has the Jets off to a surprising 4-3 start. "I said it all yesterday," said Johnson. "It's the same thing." WALL STREET JOURNAL Geno Smith Is Now Heard Loud and Clear (Stu Woo) Wall Street Journal FLORHAM PARK, N.J. Since the start of the season, Jets rookie quarterback Geno Smith has progressed in obvious ways. He has learned to scramble when there are openings, to tuck the ball while running and to (mostly) avoid passing to covered receivers. He has also gotten better at something that only the other 10 guys in the offensive huddle have noticed: enunciating. Smith is not a mumbler. In the locker room, he speaks clearly to his teammates and to the media. But earlier this season, his words would occasionally get lost in the huddle amid the bedlam of more than 50,000 screaming fans. That led to penalties, which hampered an already inconsistent offense. "There was a little confusion," said offensive guard Brian Winters. The Jets (4-3) can't commit too many fouls in Cincinnati Sunday if the Bengals (5-2) play as well as they have played all season. The AFC North division leaders have beaten both the Packers and Patriots this year and have no obvious weaknesses. They rank 12th in the league in offensive yards per game and ninth in defensive yards surrendered per game. The Bengals' quarterback, Andy Dalton, is steady and cautious, while their defense has held opponents to an average of fewer than 100 rushing yards per game. "We have to be at our very best, there's no question, to have a chance to beat these guys," head coach Rex Ryan said Friday. For Smith to be at his best, his offense must be in sync. And for that, he must make sure they comprehend every sound that comes out of his mouth during a huddle. A code for a certain play can be long. Backup quarterback Matt Simms gave an example: He said the word "falcon" and then rattled off a string of colors, numbers and directions. There were 15 syllables in all. "Every word in that is important to one individual or another," Simms said. The words he uttered described what formation the players will use, how the blockers will block, where the running backs and receivers will run, and when the center will snap the ball. 17 P a g e

18 If anyone misunderstands a syllable, it could trigger a penalty a false start, an illegal formation, an illegal shift or lead to a sack or interception. "If someone doesn't get the communication clearly, the possibilities of things going wrong are endless," Simms said. A second-year player, Simms said young quarterbacks tend to hesitate when calling a play, "to not say it with conviction," because they're initially unfamiliar with the playbook. Center Nick Mangold said Smith also hurried through play calls in huddles earlier in the season. Sometimes the calls were so long, Smith was worried he wouldn't have enough time to finish saying everything before he had to start the play, Mangold said. Now, Smith is talking at a slower pace. "Geno has taken charge in the huddle, speaking clearly and enunciating," said offensive tackle Austin Howard. He added that while Smith never had problems enunciating, he now "over-enunciates" to make sure everyone understands him. Smith's teammates said this has helped reduced preventable penalties. Excluding intentionally taken penalties, the Jets offense had nine infractions for either a false start, delay of game or illegal shift in the first three games. In its past three games, the offense had only three. Part of the improvements comes from a focus on avoiding penalties. The Jets lead the league with 64, and Ryan makes everyone do pushups if a player commits a penalty in practice. "Sometimes there are combat penalties that are aggressive; you can live with those," Ryan said. "You can't live with the selfinflicted ones," such as a false-start foul. Even with Smith's improved diction, there are times when his teammates still can't hear him. Offensive guard Willie Colon said that was the case in Atlanta's loud Georgia Dome two weeks ago. Colon said that, on one play, he tried to read Smith's lips. And then, to make sure he was right, "I asked the guy next to me." Mangold, the center, told Colon the play, and they ran it. ESPN NEW YORK Sunday's big matchup: Cro vs. Green (Matt Ehalt) ESPN New York FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- For Antonio Cromartie to lock down Cincinnati's A.J. Green on Sunday, Jets defensive coordinator Dennis Thurman believes some divine intervention is needed. "What does he need to do? Put his hands on him and pray, pretty much," Thurman joked. "[Green]'s a talented guy. Very talented." Cromartie will have the most pivotal defensive assignment on Sunday as he will likely shadow one of the best receivers in the game at Paul Brown Stadium. It's the first matchup between the two. "It's a tough task. He's a great receiver for that team and he's one of the best receivers in the NFL right now," Cromartie said. "They want to try to get the ball to him." Green, in his third year, is putting together another great season. He's caught 43 balls for 619 yards and five touchdowns, and ranks fourth in the NFL in receiving yards. 18 P a g e