NEW YORK JETS DAILY CLIPS

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1 NEW YORK JETS DAILY CLIPS December 12, 2013 Table of Contents ASSOCIATED PRESS... 2 I, Robot? No more for Jets' Geno Smith (Dennis Waszak)... 2 Cromartie, Hill don't practice for Jets (Dennis Waszak)... 3 Jets-Panthers Capsule... 4 NEWSDAY... 4 Despite ups and downs, Geno Smith keeps an even keel (Bob Glauber)... 4 Geno Smith wary of Panthers' outstanding defense (Anthony Rieber)... 6 Knee injury could sideline Stephen Hill the rest of season (Anthony Rieber)... 7 THE RECORD... 8 Jets QB: I was playing like a robot (J.P. Pelzman)... 8 Jets' Stephen Hill in limbo (J.P. Pelzman)... 9 On the Jets beat: No need to lean on Reed (J.P. Pelzman)... 9 STAR-LEDGER Jets linebacker Calvin Pace putting together strong year after offseason release, pay cut (Darryl Slater) Antonio Cromartie a doubt to face Panthers due to concussion (Michael J. Fensom) NEW YORK POST Richardson proving to be top tackle over Panthers Star (Brian Costello) Geno: Thinking less means playing better (Brian Costello) Jets defender on Pace for most productive sacks tally (Brian Costello) Giants to Jets: Get pressure on matured Cam Newton (Steve Serby) NEW YORK DAILY NEWS NY Jets' Sheldon Richardson gaining confidence and playing like top draft pick (Seth Walder) NY Jets quarterback Geno Smith loosens up and is different player (Seth Walder) Struggles of NY Jets WR Stephen Hill magnified by Alshon Jeffery's breakout season in Chicago (Manish Mehta) NEW YORK TIMES No Longer Robot, Smith Reprograms Outlook (Zach Schonbrun) ESPN NEW YORK Geno Smith: I was like a robot (Rich Cimini) Richardson: I'd go No. 1 in draft redo (Matt Ehalt) Calvin Pace benefiting from young D-line (Matt Ehalt) METRO NEW YORK P a g e

2 Rex Ryan touts Sheldon Richardson for Rookie of the Year (Kristian Dyer) Rex Ryan defends fledgling receiver Stephen Hill (Kristian Dyer) Ellis Lankster ready to step in if Antonio Cromartie can t go for Jets (Kristian Dyer) NJ.COM Geno Smith wants you to know he's not a robot (Dom Cosentino) Rex Ryan: 'I don't know' if Stephen Hill is done for the year (Dom Cosentino) WEDNESDAY S SPORTS TRANSACTIONS ASSOCIATED PRESS I, Robot? No more for Jets' Geno Smith (Dennis Waszak) Associated Press FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) - Geno Smith was more R2D2 than NFL quarterback for a few dismal weeks. Playing stiff and pre-programmed, the New York Jets' rookie signal-caller just needed to loosen up and let his skills take over. "It just comes down to playing football," Smith said Wednesday. "You're not a robot out there and, at times, I was playing like a robot." Offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg talked last week about wanting to have Smith "turn it loose" more freely. Smith needed a boost in a big way, especially with no touchdowns, six interceptions and being benched during the Jets' three-game skid. "I was dropping back, five-hitch and throwing it," Smith said. "I know that's the way it's drawn up in the game plan and the way it's supposed to be run, but everything is not ideal on the field. Sometimes you've got to improvise, so I think that's what Marty was speaking of." Smith and the Jets' offense got positive results in a win over the Oakland Raiders. He worked out of the shotgun more than usual, allowing him to roll out easier when the passing lanes were clogged. He threw for 219 yards and added 50 yards on five carries - including a 32-yard scramble. "Throughout the game, I was just playing freely," Smith said. "It goes back to not thinking about all my past mistakes. I think I kind of got into this zone where I just tried to be way too perfect and that's almost impossible to do at any level, especially as a rookie. There were times where I was so caught up in running the play and executing it to perfection that I didn't allow my natural ability to take over at times." The problem was that the miscues were piling up at an alarming rate, and there were few positives to take from his performances. After all, he went into the game last Sunday with just one touchdown pass and 11 interceptions in his last seven games. Against the Raiders, Smith threw his 20th interception, but had his best game in weeks by throwing for a touchdown and running for another as the Jets (6-7) set a season high for points. Coach Rex Ryan took the blame for being too conservative with Smith in the passing game during the three-game losing streak. It was a stretch in which Smith completed a total of 21 passes. 2 P a g e

3 "Maybe when you look back on it, maybe I did a poor job of that of just stressing it," Ryan said. "And maybe that took away from us a little bit. So, I'm obviously the guy responsible for that." Smith appreciated the coach saying that, but insisted he didn't feel he was being limited by the conservative playcalling. "Not in my mindset," he said. "I always think to go out there and just cut it loose. Marty, he coaches me that way and he calls the plays. Rex, he made that statement, I don't know how he feels about that. But in my mind, I just go out and execute the plays that are called. "I love to throw the ball, obviously, as a quarterback." But, as he has learned the hard way, there are times when an NFL quarterback must be conservative, depending on what the defense is doing, and others when they can just fling the football. It's that balance that is still a work in-progress for Smith. The Jets might need their young quarterback to be able to improvise and make plays on the run quite a bit this weekend against the Carolina Panthers, who have the league's second-ranked defense behind only Seattle. "I see many challenges," Smith said, pointing out the Panthers' run-stuffing defensive line and playmaking linebackers. Carolina, though, knows to possibly expect a more active Smith from the one that scuffled during the stretch that put his starting job in jeopardy. "I think one thing with him is he's more athletic than I think guys give him credit for," Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly said. "He runs the read-option well, he can get out of trouble in the pocket. Guys will be swarming around him, he'll sneak out and make a throw." Despite his struggles, Smith has already set the Jets' rookie passing record with 2,475 yards, surpassing the mark set by Mark Sanchez (2,444) in Smith also has four rushing touchdowns, the most by a rookie QB in franchise history. Smith did it all last week. Now, he gets to show whether his "robot" days have been terminated. "Execute the game plan and do the things that I'm coached to do and we're coached to do as an offense," Smith said, "but just have fun and play freely." Cromartie, Hill don't practice for Jets (Dennis Waszak) Associated Press FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) - New York Jets cornerback Antonio Cromartie and wide receiver Stephen Hill didn't practice, and both might not play Sunday at Carolina. Cromartie suffered a concussion during the win over Oakland last Sunday, but finished the game. He complained of headaches after the game and coach Rex Ryan says Wednesday that Cromartie is still going through the NFL's mandatory protocol on head injuries. Hill, dealing with a sore knee for several weeks, sat out against the Raiders after it swelled up a bit. Ryan wouldn't rule out the possibility that Hill could miss the last three games. Tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. also sat out practice, getting his regularly scheduled rest day. 3 P a g e

4 Wide receiver Santonio Holmes (foot, hamstring) and linebacker Garrett McIntyre (knee) were limited. Jets-Panthers Capsule Associated Press NEW YORK JETS (6-7) at CAROLINA (9-4) Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET, CBS OPENING LINE Panthers by RECORD VS. SPREAD New York 7-6, Carolina 8-5 SERIES RECORD Jets lead series 3-2 LAST MEETING Jets beat Panthers 17-6, Nov. 29, 2009 LAST WEEK Jets beat Raiders 37-27; Panthers lost to Saints AP PRO32 RANKING Jets. 19, Panthers No. 6 JETS OFFENSE OVERALL (30), RUSH (11), PASS (30) JETS DEFENSE OVERALL (11), RUSH (2), PASS (24) PANTHERS OFFENSE OVERALL (26), RUSH (9), PASS (29) PANTHERS DEFENSE OVERALL (2), RUSH (1), PASS (5) STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES Jets are 3-0 against NFC South.... QB Geno Smith set Jets franchise rookie record for yards passing in season with 2, Jets are 4-0 when Smith has QB rating of 80 or better.... WR Jeremy Kerley leads Jets with 388 yards receiving on 32 receptions.... OT D'Brickashaw Ferguson has started all 125 consecutive regular games since joining NFL.... DE Muhammad Wilkerson has career-high 10 sacks.... LB Calvin Pace has career-high 8 sacks.... S Ed Reed has 62 career interceptions, most among active players.... K Nick Folk is 28 of 29 on field goal attempts.... Jets are 1-5 away from home.... Jets are 4-0 when scoring on first possession.... Panthers QB Cam Newton is only player in NFL history with 10,000 yards passing, 50 touchdowns passing, 1,000 yards rushing, and 25 touchdowns rushing in first three seasons.... TE Greg Olsen has six TDs receiving in past seven games vs. AFC opponents.... DE Greg Hardy has 16 sacks in past 22 games.... Panthers fourth in NFL in third down efficiency at 45.7 percent.... Carolina has converted 8 of 9 fourth-and-1 attempts since Week Panthers defense has allowed fewest points per game (14.5) and touchdowns (16) in NFL.... Panthers have 26 takeaways, fourth most in NFL.... K Graham Gano is 6 of 6 on field goals of 50 yards or more.... Gano's touchback percentage (78.1) is best mark in NFL. NEWSDAY Despite ups and downs, Geno Smith keeps an even keel (Bob Glauber) Newsday 4 P a g e

5 Look, I don't know if Geno Smith is going to be a capable long-term NFL starter the Jets are so desperately seeking. No one knows, not after just 13 games in which he has enjoyed some promising moments and some hideous ones, too. It's just too soon, even in our need-an-answer-now world of instant analysis. But after watching Smith operate for the better part of eight months since being drafted by the Jets, I do believe Smith has the one attribute that is essential for any competent starter. It's not an easily definable quality -- I like to use the "it" factor -- but it's something that any decent quarterback in this league needs. And if you don't have it, you don't have a chance. Call it consistency. Call it accountability. Call it dependability. Whatever you want to call it, Smith has it. Again, that doesn't mean he'll go on to be a reliable quarterback over the long haul; only his talent, his durability and his ability to grasp the game at this level will determine whether he's what the Jets are looking for. But there is a trustworthiness about Smith that his teammates gravitate toward, a genuine feeling about the guy that gives him credibility inside his locker room and his huddle. Some guys have it, some guys don't, but most times, it makes all the difference about whether a guy will last at this level. You see it in Smith when he responds to the adversity he has faced during the difficult stretches, which is why you often get a better idea about a player by how he gets through the hard times, not when he's riding the wave of success. "I've seen a lot of guys want to fold under pressure with the kind of circumstances [Smith] has faced, and Geno hasn't,"" veteran backup quarterback David Garrard said. "He has a strong mind, and that's very important. When you have a guy that has that strong mindset, that strong will, he's not easy to break. The game is tough, and there are going to be moments where it seems like, 'Here we go again' or the world is coming to an end. But the guys with strong minds, they withstand it, they stare it right in the face and keep right on moving. I've seen other guys get glassy-eyed and the game appears like it's bigger than them. Geno doesn't do that." Smith has experienced plenty of good and bad so far. The good: He has beaten the Patriots and Saints, put in a transcendent performance in a Monday night win at Atlanta, and outdueled fellow rookie EJ Manuel at MetLife Stadium. The bad: He lost three straight after the bye, and went more than a month without throwing a touchdown pass. At one point, he had just one scoring throw and 11 interceptions over a seven span before he finally broke the embarrassing skid in Sunday's win over the Raiders. But through it all, Smith has shown poise and composure, making his teammates appreciative of his even-keeled demeanor. "He's someone you can rely on to be consistent with that attitude," wide receiver David Nelson said. "If he's down and frustrated, then the whole offense is frustrated. I really appreciate the way he's handled that. Usually young guys wear their emotions on their sleeves. Body language is a big thing. If they make a mistake, you can see their frustration. But with Geno, there's been none of that." Players know when a guy is a genuine leader, and they'll always sniff it out if there's even a trace of phoniness in their quarterback. "In this line of work, if a guy looks like a rat, smells like a rat, he usually is a rat," said Matt Simms, who replaced Smith after he was benched at halftime of a loss to the Dolphins on Dec. 1. "People like that get exposed quickly. But Geno's not like that. He does a tremendous job, especially in this [New York] area, being a rookie. Here's a guy that's struggled, had to deal with the whole thing with me [replacing him 5 P a g e

6 against Miami] and came back and played a great game against Oakland. Right there shows you how tough he really is and how he can handle the situation." Smith knows people are watching for any little hint of weakness. He also knows that what he' showing on the outside is also what's on the inside. He's no phony. "I don't fake it," he said. "I'm just going to come in and be myself every single day. I think it's very important at the position of quarterback to always remain that even-keeled, steady guy. There are going to be a lot of ups and downs, things aren't going to always go your way, but the thing is you have to work hard and be even-keeled. I think that evens out the team and keeps guys level-headed. For what it's worth, it also keeps me levelheaded and allows me to put things in better perspective." Again, it's too soon to know if Smith will make it at this level. Only time and talent will make that determination. But it's not too soon to see that Smith does have what it takes when it comes to leadership, poise and accountability. And no quarterback, no matter how talented, can win without that kind of inner strength. Geno Smith wary of Panthers' outstanding defense (Anthony Rieber) Newsday FLORHAM PARK, N.J. - Rex Ryan recognizes that the Panthers present a unique challenge to the Jets going into Sunday's game in Charlotte, N.C. And not just because Carolina is 9-4. The Jets haven't played the Panthers since a 17-6 victory in 2009, and they haven't played at Carolina since Brooks Bollinger was the Jets' quarterback in a 30-3 defeat. Perhaps that lack of history is why Ryan Wednesday called the Panthers "a brand-new opponent we're really not familiar with.'' Good thing for the Jets: The Panthers are not familiar with rookie quarterback Geno Smith. At least the Jets hope that's a good thing for them. The Panthers, with one of the league's better defenses, think it might be a good thing for them. "He'll be out of his element,'' Carolina defensive end Greg Hardy said Wednesday. "It's a home game for us, so naturally, hopefully, he will be out of his element here at Bank of America Stadium with our awesome fans and just drop back a little deep, be a little slow on his reads, mess up a few handoffs.'' The Panthers should come out snarling after taking a nationally televised, pasting in New Orleans on Sunday night that ended an eight-game winning streak. Facing Drew Brees on the road is not the same as facing Smith at home, even if Smith did have an excellent game Sunday against the Raiders. "We're going to try to make him uncomfortable,'' Panthers rookie defensive tackle Star Lotulelei said. "I think that's been the big emphasis that our coach has tried to get through to us. With a rookie quarterback, you always want to make him uncomfortable.'' Smith, who wasn't even assured of starting last week after being pulled at halftime the week before, had one of his better outings in the victory over Oakland. He was 16-for-25 for 219 yards with a touchdown and an interception and ran five times for 50 yards and a score. 6 P a g e

7 The Jets have been studying up on the Panthers since Sunday and were impressed by what they saw from the league's second-ranked defense. "I see many challenges,'' Smith said. "Up front, they play hard; they have a good rotation of guys on the defensive line. They have one of the best middle linebackers in the game right now in [Luke] Kuechly, and Thomas Davis is not too far off of it. He's been playing great. Chase Blackburn -- veteran guy. Second, they've got guys who play hard, are smart, very opportunistic. So it's up to us to be ready for that challenge. It's going to be another tough road game, but we've got to prepare with the right mindset.'' Smith was asked if the Panthers have "the most complete'' defense he's seen this year. His answer showed an awareness of just how tough it is for a rookie quarterback to go up against any NFL defense. "Every defense I've seen has been pretty good,'' Smith said. "I've only been in the league one year -- it's not even been a full year -- so every one of those defenses are very challenging to me. It's going to be another challenge and I've just got to prepare myself.''--with Seth Lakso Knee injury could sideline Stephen Hill the rest of season (Anthony Rieber) Newsday FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- Stephen Hill's season may be over before it ever really got started. Rex Ryan Wednesday would not rule out Hill missing the final three games with a knee injury that kept him out of practice. He also said the knee could be the reason why the second-year receiver has only 24 catches for 342 yards and one touchdown. "I think we've all been like, 'What's going on here?' " Ryan said. "I think it's become clear he's had some swelling, some issues with his knee where he hasn't been able to burst out of breaks and things like that." The Jets traded up in the 2012 draft to get Hill with the 43rd pick. It hasn't worked out. But Ryan said he hasn't given up on Hill. "Really, by Year 3, I think that's the big one," Ryan said. "You'll know if this guy has really hit it [or if] this guy maybe hasn't been as good. Certainly by the numbers, I understand you expect a certain amount of production, but there's some contributing factors here. I know one thing: He had a great training camp and we were all excited. I was excited about seeing him make those steps." Geno likes Rex Add Geno Smith to the list of Jets players who are behind Ryan. "Rex is a great coach and we all enjoy playing for him and we all buy into what he's saying," Smith said. "He's very passionate. He loves his players. He loves this game. He exudes that. You can tell right off the bat. It just makes you want to go out and play well and to see that big smile after wins. It's just great to have a coach like that. We always want to play well for him and we love him here." Jet streams 7 P a g e

8 CB Antonio Cromartie (hip, concussion) and TE Kellen Winslow Jr. (knee) did not practice. WR Santonio Holmes (foot, hamstring) and LB Garrett McIntyre (knee) were limited... Panthers TE Greg Olsen (foot) did not practice. THE RECORD Jets QB: I was playing like a robot (J.P. Pelzman) The Record December 12, I_was_playing_like_a robot I_was_like_ a robot_.html?page=all FLORHAM PARK Geno Smith believes he knows one of the reasons for his recent and prolonged slump. The Jets' rookie quarterback said Wednesday that at times recently, he was "playing like a robot." If that's the case, it's no wonder Smith seemed, well, Lost in Space while compiling eight interceptions and zero touchdown passes during a five-game span. But unlike the automaton in that classic, campy, 1960s sci-fi TV series, Smith is very mobile. That mobility and his adaptability helped him break out of his funk against Oakland, and could help Smith and the Jets succeed again when they visit Carolina on Sunday. Smith had 16 completions and threw for 219 yards in the victory over the Raiders, marking the first time since Oct. 27 at Cincinnati that he had double-digit completions and the first occasion since Oct. 20 against New England that he compiled over 200 yards passing. What helped was that he also had five rushes for a season-high 50 yards, including an 8-yard score for his fourth rushing touchdown as a pro. "Throughout the game," Smith said Wednesday, "[I was] just playing freely. It goes back to not thinking about all my past mistakes. I think I kind of got into this zone where I just tried to be way too perfect, and that's almost impossible to do at any level, especially as a rookie. There were times where I was so caught up in running the play and executing it to perfection that I didn't allow my natural ability to take over at times." He said offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg had encouraged him in the week leading up to the game to be less conservative. "It just comes down to playing football," Smith said. "You're not a robot out there and at times I was playing like a robot. Sometimes you've got to improvise, so I think that's what Marty was speaking of." Coach Rex Ryan suggested that perhaps he was to blame for Smith's mechanical tendencies because he relentlessly preached to Smith to not turn the ball over. "Maybe when you look back on it," Ryan said, "maybe I did a poor job of that, of just stressing it. And maybe that took away from us a little bit. So I'm obviously the guy responsible for that." Smith said he doesn't blame Ryan. "In my mind," he said, "I just go out and execute the plays that are called. I love to throw the ball, obviously, as a quarterback. I like to challenge the defense and go out there and compete. But there's times where you need to be conservative, and there's others where you should go out there and let it fly." 8 P a g e

9 The Jets also went with more no-huddle plays than usual against the Raiders, giving Smith the freedom to improvise and call an audible with a faster tempo. The Jets took an early 10-0 lead for their first double-digit advantage since they led Atlanta, 27-14, in the fourth quarter Oct. 7. The Jets could use another fast start against a Carolina team that is 5-1 at home and has allowed visitors an average of only 10.3 points. Of course, the Panthers may know a thing or two about defending against a mobile signal caller, considering third-year pro Cam Newton is their starting quarterback. "We have some read option plays that we've ran and we've been successful with," Smith said, "so [the Panthers] are going to game plan for us and I expect it. It comes down to us executing. As long as we just prepare ourselves for the tough game that we're about to face, the tough team that we're about to face and we go out and execute, I think we'll have a pretty good chance." Jets' Stephen Hill in limbo (J.P. Pelzman) The Record December 12, Stephen_Hill_in_limbo.html Second-year wide receiver Stephen Hill missed practice Wednesday, three days after being scratched against Oakland because of a chronic knee injury. Coach Rex Ryan was asked if Hill s 2013 season could be over. "I don t know," Ryan replied. "We ll see. Obviously, we d like to get him out here if he can play and can be effective. We ll see how it progresses." Hill had only one reception in the previous four games before being sidelined against the Raiders, and has had a disappointing season, with only 24 receptions. But Ryan said his leg woes are a major reason for his lack of production. "I think it s become clear that he s had some swelling," Ryan said, "some issues with his knee where he hasn t been able to burst out of breaks. He was practicing. He s gutting it out. He s tough. We re just trying to get him back to where he can really run and burst out of cuts." Hill missed the last three games of his rookie season because of a knee injury. Briefs CB Antonio Cromartie (concussion) missed practice. Ryan said Ellis Lankster or Darrin Walls would start in Cromartie s place if he cannot play Sunday. Carolina LB Luke Kuechly, a second-year pro, said on a conference call he s happy to see former Boston College teammate Chris Pantale on the Jets roster. "That s my guy," Kuechly said. "Chris is a good dude. He s physical and he catches the ball." Pantale, a former Wayne Valley standout, is helping emulate former Wayne Hills star Greg Olsen for the scout team this week. However, Pantale said teammate Zach Sudfeld is getting most of the reps mimicking Olsen, Carolina s starting TE. Olsen sat out practice Wednesday because of a foot injury. On the Jets beat: No need to lean on Reed (J.P. Pelzman) The Record No_need_to_lean_on_Reed.html?page=all 9 P a g e

10 The question was about rookie cornerback Dee Milliner and the solid game he had against Oakland. But Rex Ryan couldn t resist taking a shot at Ed Reed s detractors. "I told you guys about the extra time, the extra meeting time that [the players] are putting in themselves," the Jets coach said Monday. "[Milliner] was certainly a part of that Ed Reed study group with the secondary. I know there s benefits to having a player like Ed. The expertise he brings, his study habits and all that, he s trying to bring to this team as well." Unfortunately, Ryan kind of missed the point. Yes, any young defensive back can learn plenty from Reed, a nine-time Pro Bowl safety with Baltimore who will be a cinch Hall of Famer after he retires. Nobody is disputing that. But Reed simply isn t the player he used to be. There s no shame in that, because time he is 35 catches up with everyone. Nonetheless, Ryan immediately put Reed into the starting lineup three days after he was signed on Nov. 14, and he played all but two snaps in a loss to Buffalo. But against Oakland on Sunday, he played only 46 of 69 defensive snaps, and sat out the entire series when mobile Terrelle Pryor took over at quarterback for the Raiders. Reed said after the game he wasn t upset with the reduction in playing time. "Coach [Ryan] just wanted to keep a good rotation of the safeties, like he has been," Reed said. "We ve been doing that since I ve gotten here. He wants to keep those guys acclimated to what the defense is doing. For me to get a rest at any point, it s welcome, but at the same time, you want to compete and play. I know those guys want to play. We all watch film together." Reed s addition to the Jets after being released by Houston hasn t significantly helped a secondary that has struggled against the deep ball all season. In fact, his presence has taken a starting job and playing time away from improving second-year pro Antonio Allen, who returned a Tom Brady interception for a touchdown in the win over New England on Oct. 20. How rare is that? Well, it s the only pick-six off Brady in his last 47 games, so Allen must have been doing something right before Reed came along. The Jets shouldn t sacrifice his development so that Ryan, a former Baltimore defensive coordinator, can appease one of his all-time favorite players. Much like Ryan, Reed gets testy when people question him. "I have nothing to prove to nobody," he said Sunday, "especially not anybody holding a microphone or a camera. I just go out and do what I m supposed to do. Nobody is perfect playing this game. I welcome anybody who wants to watch film with me. There s a reason why I m on this side of the fence, and you re on the other side." That defiance also manifests itself on the field. Reed still uses his incredible instincts and savvy to take chances, but he doesn t win as many of those gambles as he used to. In the second quarter Sunday, he correctly read rookie quarterback Matt McGloin s intentions, and jumped a route for his 62nd career interception. It was a classic veteran move that resulted in a big play. But when he tried the same thing in the third quarter, he collided with teammate Antonio Cromartie, leading to an easy Oakland touchdown. At this stage of his career, Reed still can help. But he isn t an every-down defender. Ryan needs to realize that and limit his playing time. 10 P a g e

11 STAR-LEDGER Jets linebacker Calvin Pace putting together strong year after offseason release, pay cut (Darryl Slater) Star-Ledger _after_offseason_release_pay_cut.html Linebacker Calvin Pace, already a multi-millionaire from a 10-year NFL career, faced a decision after last season if he wanted to remain a viable player in this evolving league: Improve his pass-rushing skills, or fade away. "Obviously, in this league now, it s all about sacks," Pace said. "It took me 10 years to realize that, so I m putting my work into it and it s paying off." Last winter humbled Pace. Before the 2008 season, the Jets signed him to a six-year contract worth $42 million, including $22 million in guaranteed earnings at the time, one of the most lucrative deals ever given to a linebacker. This season was going to be that contract s final year. But after Pace had just three sacks last season his fewest since 2006 the Jets cut him and let him test the free-agent market. Pace wound up resigning with the Jets for a significantly reduced wage, by NFL standards a one-year contract with a $940,000 base salary and $65,000 signing bonus. "I m man enough to realize that last year wasn t my best work," Pace said. "I had some deficiencies in my game I needed to strengthen, and that s pass-rushing. It s the type of league it is pass, pass, pass. You ve got to have guys who can put pressure on quarterbacks. So it s a situation where I had to go get better. I m not great at it, but I feel more comfortable." The numbers show it. Pace has eight sacks this season, tied for his career-high. He had seven in his first year with the Jets and eight in his second. Pace, 33, is the Jets third-oldest player, behind two midseason acquisitions: quarterback David Garrard and safety Ed Reed. Pace is the Jets fourth-longest tenured player. But the Jets prodigious defensive front this season has helped reinvigorate Pace s pass rush. With budding stars such as third-year end Muhammad Wilkerson, second-year rush outside linebacker Quinton Coples and rookie tackle Sheldon Richardson, the Jets have often been able to get away with rushing just the four linemen. That bodes well for Pace, an outside linebacker. "I m playing with great players up front, so it s easier for me," Pace said. "(Opponents) have got to focus on somebody and more times than not, it s not me. I m left with some one-on-ones (matchup situations), and just capitalizing and making plays." With three games remaining, starting Sunday at Carolina, Pace said he is also a bit fresher than normal this late in the season. He is in fewer packages than in previous years. The past six games, he played 77, 90, 91, 85, 69, and 72 percent of the snaps. Even in the twilight of his career, he said he still believes he has two or three more seasons left, "in the right situation," and said he wants to retire a Jet. If this season is Pace s last with the Jets, he will go out with remarkably consistent contributions. This year, he has at least a half sack in nine of 13 games. Last season, he had 13 sack-less games. Pace does not have any multi-sack games this season, but he has a full sack in seven games. 11 P a g e

12 Over the past seven games, he has accumulated five sacks a strong, late-season push for an older player. Sunday brings the challenge of trying to sack Cam Newton, the Panthers 6-5, 248-pound quarterback. Though Newton has thrown 20 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, and run for six TDs, opponents have pressured him this season. Newton has been sacked on 8.3 percent of his drop-backs, the NFL s ninthhighest clip. "We have to affect him," Pace said. "Obviously, a player of his stature, we re not going to stop him completely. But we ve got to make his day difficult. It might not be a four-, five-sack game. As long as we re getting to him, hitting him, making him feel our presence, it s going to be good for us." Star-Ledger staff writer Michael J. Fensom contributed to this story. Antonio Cromartie a doubt to face Panthers due to concussion (Michael J. Fensom) Star-Ledger cussion.html With the Jets' playoff hopes in danger of being severed this weekend, the team will have to agonize over Antonio Cromartie's availability for Sunday's game against the Carolina Panthers. Cromartie suffered a concussion against the Oakland Raiders last weekend. The Jets' top cornerback was one of three absentees from practice Wednesday in Florham Park. Cromartie stretched with teammates inside the Jets' practice facility, then exited the field. Per the NFL's protocol for concussions, a neurologist not employed by the Jets must clear Cromartie before he can participate fully in practice or play in a game. Stephen Hill also did not practice. The wide receiver is resting a swollen knee that caused him to miss last weekend's victory over the Raiders. Kellen Winslow, the tight end who led the Jets in receiving yards against the Raiders, was rested Wednesday as part of his normal practice regimen. Winlsow is expected to practice Thursday, as he did last week. Garrett McIntyre, the linebacker who has a knee injury, and Santonio Holmes, the wide receiver with right hamstring soreness, were limited in practice, though both participated against the Raiders with their injuries. Despite Cromartie's struggles at times this season due to a right hip injury, his absence would create a void in the Jets defense should he not be cleared to play. The Panthers spread the ball to four receivers (three of them wide receivers) who have at least 30 catches this season. Cromartie's primary matchup would be against Steve Smith, the wide receiver who leads the Panthers with 60 catches and 681 receiving yards. If Cromartie doesn't play, coach Rex Ryan said Ellis Lankster might draw that matchup. "That s certainly a possibility," the Jets coach said. "If that s the case, they might as well put two boxing gloves on those kids. We d pay to watch that one, because they re both the same kind of guys, Steve Smith and him. Very competitive guys." Ryan added that Darrin Walls is another option to cover Smith. 12 P a g e

13 NEW YORK POST Richardson proving to be top tackle over Panthers Star (Brian Costello) New York Post Sheldon Richardson has not forgotten. He remembers the pre-draft talk, the rankings and all of the talk. Richardson, the Jets rookie defensive tackle, remembers being ranked below Florida s Sharif Floyd and Utah s Star Lotulelei by ESPN s draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. and he could not believe he was considered the No. 3 player at his position. In Richardson s mind, he was the No. 1 player overall. [I was] a little bit irritated, felt a little unappreciated, Richardson said Wednesday. If you compare numbers, they didn t match up. I got over it and kept working. That was what the [NFL] combine and private workouts were for make sure I put myself over the hump and I think I did that. Richardson will see Lotulelei on Sunday when the Jets face the Panthers. The Jets took Richardson with the 13th overall pick and the Panters grabbed Lotulelei with the 14th. Both are candidates for Defensive Rookie of the Year, but most NFL observers believe Richardson will win the award. The 23-year-old has been everything the Jets could have asked for when they took him with the draft pick they received from the Buccaneers in the Darrelle Revis trade. He has been a force against the run and disruptive for opposing quarterbacks. Richardson has the confidence of a 10-time Pro Bowler even though he s only been in the NFL for a few months. Asked if the Jets made the right decision by making him the first defensive tackle drafted, Richardson s confidence showed. He said he should have gone No. 1 overall. I think 13 was 12 picks late actually, if you ask me, Richardson said. Richardson has 85 tackles this season, third most on the team. He has just 3 ½ sacks, but is credited with 27 quarterback hits, third highest on the team. His play is remarkably consistent for a rookie with him rarely having a bad game or even a bad play. I just think it s his mind-set, veteran linebacker Calvin Pace said. In Sheldon s mind, he s second to nobody, which is a good way to think. Sometimes as a rookie you re trying to feel your way, find your way, but I think in his mind he s been here for 10 years. He plays with a lot of confidence. I think that every single play he thinks he s going to win. Richardson was shocked when he heard the experts pick his game apart prior to the draft. [They said] I didn t hold the point of attack in the run game. I was weak in the run game, Richardson said, shaking his head. That was one of my red flags and I had character issues. Richardson believes those character issues stem from the comments he made at Missouri before the Tigers played Georgia and he said the Bulldogs played old man football. The comments drew a lot of attention in the SEC, and his coaches were not thrilled with them, but it hardly qualifies as a red flag in a draft process that has players who must explain arrests and problems at home. There s a lot of worse things in this world that have been said on camera, Richardson said. Richardson believes Floyd, who eventually went No. 23 to the Vikings, and Lotulelei were rated ahead of him because of the success their college teams had while Missouri went 5-7. Richardson used the slights 13 P a g e

14 as motivation and Ben Dogra, his agent, told him film doesn t lie and teams would notice him before the draft. I got noticed, Richardson said with a smile. I was the first D tackle taken off the board. The Jets have not regretted the decision to draft Richardson, who has teamed with Muhammad Wilkerson and Damon Harrison to give the Jets one of the best defensive lines in football. He s had a tremendous year and I think he has a great future here, Jets coach Rex Ryan said. Ryan believes Richardson should win Rookie of the Year. I just look at the film, base it on production, he said. The production is a huge part of it and the way he plays. He s got that relentless motor. For a defensive tackle and being as productive as he is the tape doesn t lie. Geno: Thinking less means playing better (Brian Costello) New York Post Geno Smith believes he was playing too mechanically during the team s recent three-game losing streak, calling his play pretty much awful. At times, I was playing like a robot, Smith said Wednesday. I was dropping back, five hitch and throwing it. I know that s the way it s drawn up in the game plan and the way it s supposed to be run, but everything is not ideal on the field. Sometimes you ve got to improvise. Offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg said last week he wanted Smith to play more naturally and it worked against the Raiders. Smith played his best game in a month, throwing a touchdown pass and running for another. He ran for 50 yards as he used his legs more than he had been. Throughout the game, [I was] just playing freely, Smith said. It goes back to not thinking about all my past mistakes. I think I kind of got into this zone where I just tried to be way too perfect and that s almost impossible to do at any level, especially as a rookie [in the NFL]. There were times where I was so caught up in running the play and executing it to perfection that I didn t allow my natural ability to take over at times. WR Stephen Hill did not practice as he deals with a knee injury. Hill missed Sunday s game against the Raiders and coach Rex Ryan would not rule out the possibility Hill s season could be over. I don t know. We ll see, Ryan said. Obviously, we d like to get him out here if he can play and be effective. Obviously, that would be the best scenario for us. We ll see how it progresses. Ryan said no when asked if he regretted taking Hill with in the second round of the 2012 draft. Hill has just 24 catches for 342 yards and one touchdown this season. Ryan said Hill has been dealing with the knee injury for a while and that has hurt his production. It doesn t look good but the knee may be a major contributing factor with that, Ryan said. Obviously, when you look at the numbers it looks like he has not progressed. Ryan on who has simulated Panthers QB Cam Newton this week in practice: I thought about putting Calvin [Pace] out there since they re the same exact size. Ryan is not that far off. Newton is 6-foot-5, 245 pounds. Pace is 6-4, 265 pounds. 14 P a g e

15 My offensive days are long gone, Pace said. I don t like to get hit. I ll pass. Ryan said QBs Matt Simms and David Garrard have split time playing the role of Newton on the scout team. CB Antonio Cromartie (concussion) did not practice. Ryan said if Cromartie can t play either Ellis Lankster or Darrin Walls will start in his place. WR Santonio Holmes (foot, hamstring) and LB Garrett McIntyre (knee) were limited in practice. Panthers TE Greg Olsen (foot) did not practice. Jets defender on Pace for most productive sacks tally (Brian Costello) New York Post When the Jets signed Calvin Pace in 2008, the thought was he would become the pass rusher the team had been missing since trading John Abraham. Pace had a total of 15 sacks in his first two seasons, but then his production dropped and the criticism began to mount. Things bottomed out in 2012 when he had just three sacks. But Pace, 33, has regained his old form this season. He has eight sacks, tying his career high reached in 2009 and has a shot at his first double-digit sack season. It would be great, Pace said of getting 10 sacks. It s something that I had a goal of in the beginning of the season. I m not going to say it s the ultimate goal. I d love to keep playing, but it would be nice to show some of the people that the old man s got a little something left. The Jets cut Pace in the offseason as a salary-cap casualty, but then brought him back for a cheaper price two months later. The move has paid off as Pace has been the team s second-best pass rusher behind Muhammad Wilkerson. Pace saw what life away from the NFL was like and returned to the Jets a bit more motivated than he was last year. If you play this game long enough, you ll get cut at some point in time, Pace said. That played into it and the fact that I m man enough to realize that last year was not my best work. I had some deficiencies in my game, which I needed to strengthen and do better, which is pass rushing. That s the type of league it is now it s pass, pass, pass. You have to have guys that can put pressure on the quarterback. It s a situation where I had to go get better [at rushing the quarterback]. I m not great at it, but I feel more comfortable. It took me 10 years to finally realize it. Pace said he also has benefited from the play of Wilkerson and rookie Sheldon Richardson. I m not going to say it s easy, but they have to focus in on somebody and more times than not it s not me, Pace said. I m left with some one-on-ones so it s about capitalizing and making plays. After the way he has played this season, Pace would like to keep it going for two or three more years in the right situation, he said. For him, that would be staying a Jet. In a perfect world, Pace said, I d like to retire a Jet. Giants to Jets: Get pressure on matured Cam Newton (Steve Serby) New York Post 15 P a g e

16 The Giants can tell the Jets all about the night they not only tugged on Superman s cape, they ripped it off, and turned Cam Newton into The Incredible Sulk on the bench. It is a tape Rex Ryan should show his desperate Jets as they steel themselves for Newton and the Panthers on Sunday in Carolina, because it provides the blueprint for success: Stop the run. Get in Newton s face. Spy Cam. Start fast and make him play catch up. Seahawks sensation Russell Wilson is the Giants problem Sunday. Newton is the Jets problem. Yeah, and it s a bad problem to have, especially right now, Giants linebacker Jon Beason, the former Panther, told The Post. [The Panthers are coming] off a disappointing big-game loss down in New Orleans, a very tough place to play. I know how those guys are wired over there, and they ll be ready to play, so it s going to be a tough task for the Jets. Newton is the Jets problem because he is not the same quarterback who was humbled 36-7 in Charlotte early in the 2012 season. He looks a whole lot more of a confident guy, he s not making stupid mistakes. I thought last year he was more of a showboat, Justin Tuck told The Post. This year he seems like he s all about the business of winning football games. Newton gave the Giants the business 38-0 in Week 3. I think he s a more athletic [Ben] Roethlisberger, Tuck said, and I think this year he s played smarter, too. He s not making the silly mistakes and the silly interceptions, carrying the ball loose and getting stripped from behind like you see in previous years with him. He s protecting the ball, and if it s not there, he s throwing it away. He s played smarter. Tuck considers the 2013 Newton an MVP candidate. When I look at MVP candidates, I look at guys that if you take him off that team, what kind of team are they? Tuck said. The Jets are No. 2 in the league in run defense behind the Panthers so that s a plus for them. Tuck s advice for the Jets: It s easier said than done, but stop the run game, and put a lot of pressure on him, he said. Indeed, this season against the Giants, the Panthers rushed for 194 yards, with Newton (15-for-27 passing, 223 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT) contributing 45 yards and a touchdown on the ground. In the 2012 game, the Panthers rushed for only 60 yards, including six and a touchdown in six carries by Newton (16- for-30, 0 TDs, 3 INTs). If he s able to get his play-action pass going, you can t rush him because you re sitting on your heels thinking, run, run, run and by the time you trigger the pass, he s already completed a ball or he s already five yards down the field past you, Tuck said. So it always starts with making sure he doesn t have a two-way sword. 16 P a g e

17 Muhammad Wilkerson is the Jets best pass rusher, but it is unlikely the Jets can get in Newton s face the way the Big Blue pass rushers did a year ago. I think the pressure we put on him rattled him a little bit, Prince Amukamara said, and I think it was a great scheme, we covered all the windows that he wanted to put the ball in. Jayron Hosley had one of the three picks against Newton on a ball that deflected off the hands of Brandon LaFell. The D-line got to him early, and he got a little reckless with the ball, Hosley said. The Jets have enough speed on defense to spy Cam with a Sheldon Richardson or a Demario Davis or an Anthony Allen. It was a bunch of us, Tuck said. We tried to change up the spies, because obvious if you have one guy spying, they can pick into that pretty quickly. The Giants intended to spy Cam this year. We didn t really get a chance to, Tuck said. They rushed the ball pretty well against us. The biggest fly in the ointment is the Geno Smith Jets lack the firepower to jump out quickly and force Newton to play from behind for long stretches. With an offense like that, you get em behind, they re not built to score points quickly, they re built to wear you down, and things like that, Tuck said. It was just kind of a perfect storm for us kind of like what they did to us this year. Beason was there when Newton arrived as the first overall pick of the 2011 draft. Right away, you noticed the physical specimen that he is, Beason said. His ability to run and throw the football was impressive right away. And I remember during the preseason, offensively things weren t going well. We were struggling, and he was still learning the offense, very complex Rob Chudzinski offense. And then all of a sudden, Week 1, we re at Arizona, and he goes out and lights it up. So then you knew he had the IT factor, he s a gamer, and that was impressive to see. And Beason was there for Newton s struggles at the start of his sophomore season. What you have to learn in this league is that people are going to scheme you, Beason said. They re going to learn a little bit more about you, and you have to evolve as well. And the beauty of it was to see how things didn t start well, but they finished well. He transitioned well, and by midseason he was playing at a high level again as opposed to just kind of falling off completely. Newton isn t the speed threat RGIII was as a rookie. Cam s more elusive because of his physical stature it s hard to tackle a guy that big and fast, Beason said. And, I think he throws the ball just as good if not better than all those guys. The Giants players cut the interviews short so they could get back to preparing for Wilson, Marshawn Lynch and the Seahawks. The Jets have been warned. NEW YORK DAILY NEWS NY Jets' Sheldon Richardson gaining confidence and playing like top draft pick (Seth Walder) 17 P a g e