NEW YORK JETS DAILY CLIPS. November 25, 2015 Table of Contents

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1 NEW YORK JETS DAILY CLIPS November 25, 2015 Table of Contents ASSOCIATED PRESS... 1 Jets sign linebacker Josh Martin off Colts practice squad (Dennis Waszak)... 1 Pass rusher Coples claimed by Miami after parting with Jets (Dennis Waszak)... 2 NFL players talk openly to help destigmatize mental illness (Kristie Rieken)... 2 NEWSDAY... 4 Muhammad Wilkerson: Todd Bowles ripped Jets after loss to Texans (Kimberley A. Martin)... 4 Willie Colon on retiring at end of season: 'We'll see' (Erik Bacharach)... 5 THE RECORD... 6 Jets look ahead: vs. Miami (J.P. Pelzman)... 6 Jets need to focus on wild-card situation (J.P. Pelzman)... 7 ESPN NEW YORK... 8 Jets replace Quinton Coples with linebacker from Colts' practice squad (Rich Cimini)... 8 Closer look at Darrelle Revis' bad day in Houston reveals interesting twist (Rich Cimini)... 8 Jets coach Todd Bowles 'went off' in locker room after Houston loss (Rich Cimini)... 9 Attention, Dee Milliner: Jets' former No. 1 picks aren't safe (Rich Cimini) NEW YORK POST Todd Bowles too calm? Don t tell that to under-performing Jets (Brian Costello) Why it s unfair to put most of the blame on Ryan Fitzpatrick (Brian Costello) The Bowles-Fitzpatrick era hits put-up-or-shut-up breaking point (Steve Serby) Ex-Jet Quinton Coples claimed off waivers by Dolphins (Brian Costello) NJ ADVANCE MEDIA Jets' Brandon Marshall says Johnny Manziel was a 'better' player 'when he was sober' (Darryl Slater) After Jets cut Quinton Coples, Mike Tannenbaum's final 5 drafts keep looking worse (Darryl Slater) Jets' Brandon Marshall on showing passion: 'It's tough to do that in a losing environment' (Darryl Slater) NEW YORK DAILY NEWS Dolphins claim Quinton Coples off waivers a day after linebacker dumped by Jets (Seth Walder) Jets need to get Drew Brees if Saints make him available (Gary Meyers) TUESDAY S SPORTS TRANSACTIONS ASSOCIATED PRESS Jets sign linebacker Josh Martin off Colts practice squad (Dennis Waszak) Associated Press 1 P a g e

2 FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) The New York Jets have signed outside linebacker Josh Martin to their active roster from the Indianapolis Colts' practice squad. Martin has 28 career tackles with a half-sack and a forced fumble in 21 NFL games, all with Kansas City. He has also spent time with Tampa Bay. He replaces Quinton Coples, the Jets' 2012 first-round draft pick who was waived on Monday. Martin was signed by the Chiefs as an undrafted free agent in 2013 out of Columbia University, where he was an All-Ivy League first-team selection. He spent two seasons in Kansas City before being signed by Tampa Bay in September. He was waived/injured by the Buccaneers last month and signed to the Colts' practice squad on Oct. 31. Pass rusher Coples claimed by Miami after parting with Jets (Dennis Waszak) Associated Press DAVIE, Fla. (AP) Pass rusher Quinton Coples was claimed Tuesday by the Miami Dolphins, meaning he may get to play Sunday against the team that just released him the New York Jets. The former first-round draft pick played outside linebacker in the Jets' 3-4 defense this year, but will be an end in the Dolphins' 4-3 scheme. Miami lost Pro Bowl end Cameron Wake to a season-ending torn Achilles tendon last month and has struggled to mount a pass rush all season. The 6-foot-6, 290-pound Coples played end at North Carolina. New York's decision to part with Coples on Monday was a surprise despite his diminished role this season. The Jets made him the 16th overall pick in the 2012 draft. Coples had 16 1/2 sacks in three seasons under coach Rex Ryan, including 6 1/2 in 2014, but none this season while starting only two games for coach Todd Bowles. Miami first-year executive vice president of football operations Mike Tannenbaum was the Jets' general manager when they drafted Coples. To make room on the roster for Coples, the Dolphins waived cornerback Zack Bowman. NFL players talk openly to help destigmatize mental illness (Kristie Rieken) Associated Press HOUSTON (AP) Arian Foster was in a bad place, drinking heavily to self-medicate and deal with the problems in his life. The Houston Texans running back knew he needed help but was reluctant to seek it because of the stigma surrounding mental health issues. He overcame that fear, sought therapy and it changed his life. "It just got to a point where I just threw my hands in the air and I was like: 'This is going to kill me,'" Foster said. "So I went and got help and it was the best decision I ever made." 2 P a g e

3 Now that he's embraced the benefits of counseling, Foster has joined the Jets' Brandon Marshall's PROJECT 375, a nonprofit organization dedicated to eradicating the stigma surrounding mental illnesses and disorders. Foster is the first of what Marshall hopes will become a group of athletes, entertainers and business leaders who will talk openly about the issue as members of what he calls the organization's founders circle. Marshall, a receiver for the New York Jets, was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder in 2011 when he sought treatment after off-the-field issues threatened to derail his NFL career. He and his wife, Michi, formed the organization and dedicated themselves to helping others with mental illnesses. Doing this gave Marshall purpose and looking back he's so thankful he received his diagnosis and treatment when he did. "I had a chance to lose my wife, possibly my career, and that would have been a lot, especially at the age of 27. I probably wouldn't have been able to cope and deal with that," Marshall said. "So I'm glad that we took the proper steps, did the work, and now we've went from patient to provider." Foster and Marshall sat down for a deeply personal chat to mark the running back's partnership with PROJECT 375. Marshall asked the questions and Foster was open and shockingly candid. Foster said he grew up in a home with domestic violence where there wasn't enough food at times. When he made it to the NFL, he found whole new set of problems related to money and whom to trust. "It's just so much pressure and nobody tells you how to deal with it," Foster said. He didn't see counseling as an option. "I was drinking heavily. I was," he said. "I'm not proud of it. But it was something that helped me because it was numbing and what I found out, which was extremely powerful, was the emotions that you numb you can't be selective with. So everything that you numb that you're trying to numb you also numb everything good. So I was blocking out a lot of love" He didn't hit rock bottom until his then-wife, Romina, made a life-changing decision. "It was when my wife decided that we were going to get a divorce," he said. "This is extremely personal, but I was just not the best husband. I just wasn't. And that was because I didn't know how to be a husband.... I was out there just trying to wing it." His time in counseling helped Foster stop his destructive behavior. But soon after he started to feel happy again, he tore a groin muscle in training camp. He says he was OK though, because of the mental work he'd put in. He returned on Oct. 4 and was riding high. Happy on the football field, proud of the father he'd become and enjoying life overall. Just four games after his return came another blow; Foster tore his Achilles tendon and would miss the rest of the season. "It's like... man I can't catch a break," he said. "But I've done so much emotional work that it didn't really faze me either." Foster's passion for this cause isn't only because of his struggles. He has another big reason for wanting to help. "My sister is bipolar," Foster said. For many years Christina Foster's illness went undiagnosed. 3 P a g e

4 "We didn't have money to get any kind of diagnosis so we just thought that she was an (jerk)," Foster said. "... It got to the point where I stopped talking to her because I couldn't deal with it, and I didn't know what she was going through. So we lost years of our life because we didn't know she was suffering from this disease." Foster choked back tears as he spoke of his sister. He said she was living in government housing and using food stamps. She finally got help and is better now, which has allowed the two to repair their fractured relationship. A condition of allowing Foster to share her story was that he include the happy ending. "She said absolutely, but make sure that you tell them that it's a story of triumph," Foster said. "She takes the proper medicine and it's a struggle still, but every single day she fights it and she's on her way to get her master's (degree) now." Marshall loves hearing people's stories because each one is valuable in starting to erase the stigma of discussing mental illness. "The thing that is therapeutic... is when I'm helping other people," Marshall said. "It's so freeing and rewarding. It also holds me accountable to continue to take the proper steps when I'm not feeling well, I'm having a bad day to... use the tools and skills that I have to make sure I get back on track." Foster writes poetry and songs, plays the piano and reads to keep centered. "I'm on the brink of a career-ending injury according to pundits," he said. "I'm divorced. I'm supposed to be underneath the table drinking myself to death. But I've never been happier and it's because of the work I've put in and the want to change my life. I wouldn't change a thing man because that's what made me me. All these scars on my body, all these scars on my soul made me who I am and I like me." NEWSDAY Muhammad Wilkerson: Todd Bowles ripped Jets after loss to Texans (Kimberley A. Martin) Newsday Todd Bowles does indeed have a temper. He was visibly irritated Sunday after the Jets' mistake-filled loss in Houston, and it wasn't long before his players felt his wrath. "Coach Todd, after the game, went off on us and told us, 'Losing is not acceptable,' '' defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson said Tuesday during his weekly radio spot on WFAN. "He doesn't like losing. I'm pretty sure that everybody in the locker room definitely needs to have that spark lit under them this week, and we need to get these wins rolling quickly.'' After a 4-1 start, the Jets are in danger of missing out on the playoffs after losing four of the past five games. Their sloppy effort in the loss to the Texans infuriated Bowles. "I'm extremely upset, but I'm not going to take it out here,'' Bowles told reporters after the game. "We'll discuss that in-house when I get back in the locker room and we get in the meeting.'' And he wasn't kidding. 4 P a g e

5 "He's an emotional guy,'' Wilkerson said. "He yells at us when things are not going as they should on the field, and they're not looking the way he expects it to be. He definitely gets on us.'' It didn't take long for Quinton Coples to find a new home. Miami claimed the former Jets defensive endturned-outside linebacker off waivers Tuesday, just a day after the former first-round pick was released. The move wasn't surprising, considering the Dolphins' executive director of football operations, Mike Tannenbaum, drafted Coples 16th overall in 2012 when he was the Jets' general manager. On Monday, Bowles called Coples' release a "business move'' and that it was "nothing personal.'' "We're just trying to play good football players, to play guys that want to play and that are ready to play,'' he said. Behind closed doors, there were questions about Coples' passion for playing, sources said. It was only a matter of time before Coples and the Jets parted ways. The North Carolina product finished his disappointing tenure with the Jets with 161/2 sacks in four seasons. The Jets used the roster spot vacated by Coples to sign outside linebacker Josh Martin off the Colts' practice squad and add him to their active roster. Martin. who played for Columbia, went undrafted in He had a half-sack, a forced fumble and 28 tackles in 21 games with the Chiefs ( ). Martin was waived/injured by the Bucs last month and was signed to the Colts' practice squad Oct. 31. Willie Colon on retiring at end of season: 'We'll see' (Erik Bacharach) Newsday When Willie Colon looks in the mirror, he sees a 10-year NFL veteran. He thinks of his injury-plagued right knee, his lost 2015 season. And it forces him to look long term. "[Retirement], it's always going to be at the center of the conversation when you're 10 years in and have the injuries that I've had, so we'll see,'' Colon, 32, said Tuesday at his third annual turkey drive at Bronx Works Classic Center. "After the end of the season, I got to have an honest conversation with myself and what my future's going to be and move on from there.'' The Jets placed the right guard on injured reserve Nov. 11, ending a season in which he played in only six games. "It's extremely frustrating because in my mind and my heart, I'm still very battle- ready,'' Colon said. "I love the guys that I play with and I really love the direction this team is headed, in the big scheme of things. So to not be the guy that's pulling the anchor is tough on me.'' Colon, who signed a one-year, $950,000 contract in March, hopes this isn't the end. He said he has no plans for surgery and will rely on rehab. "It's all about taking it slow,'' he said, "and being patient with the situation and myself. "The toughest part is I want to be out there with Nick [Mangold] and [D'Brickashaw Ferguson] and those guys. We're all 10-year guys and obviously there's not a lot of juice left in us, so you want to give it all you got every chance you get. When you're not able to do that, it's frustrating.'' 5 P a g e

6 Colon had been hampered by knee issues all season and sprained an MCL in Week 3. He started in every game of his first two seasons with the Jets since signing in "We're going to miss him,'' Ferguson said. "He's a veteran that's always been able to back up his words with his play.'' Colon's replacement on the offensive line is Brian Winters, a third-round draft pick of the Jets in "He's been a role model for me,'' Winters said. "He taught me how to play the game when I first came in as a rookie.'' For Colon, an alumnus of Cardinal Hayes High School in the Bronx and Hofstra, playing for his hometown team is special because of days like Tuesday. His charity event, in which he donated more than 150 turkeys to those in need, appeared more like a family reunion. "Lot of hugs, lot of squeezing on my cheeks,'' Colon said. "They still see me as the chubby little kid running around the neighborhood, but now they're wearing my jersey. I appreciate it. I'm humbled by it.'' THE RECORD Jets look ahead: vs. Miami (J.P. Pelzman) The Record Dolphins (4-6) at Jets (5-5) At MetLife Stadium Sunday, 1 p.m. TV: CBS Radio: ESPN-FM 98.7 Early line: Jets by 3 1/2 This is a must-win for the skidding Jets, who have dropped four of their last five games. Perhaps the alsostruggling Dolphins will provide a tonic for Gang Green. Miami's early momentum from the firing of Joe Philbin and the hiring of interim coach Dan Campbell has faded, as the Dolphins have lost three of their last four. Miami claimed OLB Quinton Coples off waivers from the Jets on Tuesday to help their injuryravaged front seven, but he also should be able to provide some inside info on the Jets' defense. Miami has beaten the Jets at MetLife in six of the Past seven years. In the spotlight Jets QB Ryan Fitzpatrick. Coach Todd Bowles' slight delay in officially naming Fitzpatrick the starter may have been calculated to put the veteran on notice. He must play better, but he also needs help from playcaller Chan Gailey. Getting forgotten WR Jeremy Kerley involved in the game plan would be a good idea, as would playing another solid WR, Kenbrell Thompkins. He was benched at Houston in favor of struggling rookie Devin Smith. 6 P a g e

7 Game plan RB Chris Ivory figures to get a lot of carries, but the Jets shouldn't forget about backup RB Bilal Powell, who was effective catching the ball out of the backfield against the Texans. The defense should be able to put the clamps on a Miami offense that went 1-for-10 on third downs in a loss to Dallas three days ago. The Dolphins' offense has the worst third-down conversion rate (27.8) in the AFC. Jets need to focus on wild-card situation (J.P. Pelzman) The Record November 23, Five weeks ago, the Jets were 4-1 and brimming with confidence as they prepared for a first-place showdown at perennial nemesis New England. Seems like a lifetime ago, doesn t it? The Jets blew a fourth-quarter lead in that game and thus squandered a chance to tie for the top spot in the AFC East. Since then, as has been their habit over the years, the Patriots have zoomed away from the Jets and the rest of the division. In fact, if the undefeated Patriots win at Denver on Sunday and the Jets lose to visiting Miami, New England will clinch the AFC East before the calendar turns to December. With the Jets sights now squarely fixed on obtaining one of the two wild-card spots in the AFC playoffs, here s a look at what must happen for them to shake off their recent doldrums and reach the postseason for the first time since Recapture the FitzMagic. Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick has struggled in the last two games, throwing four interceptions three in the fourth quarter. Worse yet, he and the offense have gotten off to slow starts and had to play catch-up unsuccessfully in losses to Buffalo and Houston. It s not time for a switch to backup Geno Smith, but that should be a consideration if Fitzpatrick cannot find his early-season form in the next week or two. 2. Is Smith the long-term answer? Probably not, but a change could shake things up and provide a spark if the offense continues to sputter. 3. Get more creative on offense. Offensive coordinator Chan Gailey s play-calling has become predictable, and maybe he needs to take a page from what Houston coordinator George Godsey did Sunday against the Jets. With journeyman T.J. Yates making his first start since January 2012, Houston used the Wildcat several times and also executed a trick play for a touchdown. The Jets don t necessarily need to dust off the Wildcat, but they need to start giving opposing defenses something different to prepare for other than forcing the ball to Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker. 4. Take advantage of a weak schedule. The Jets should be thankful for parity, given the fact that only four teams in the AFC are over.500. Three of those teams New England, Cincinnati and Denver are division leaders, and likely won t be in the wild-card mix anyway. Other than the undefeated Patriots, the rest of the teams remaining on the Jets schedule have a cumulative record of If the Jets win four of those games, they would finish at 9-7, which could be good enough to make the playoffs in the mediocre AFC. Then again, the Jets also are mediocre at this point, one reason why they ve lost to the likes of Oakland, Buffalo and Houston in the past four weeks 5. Get defensive. The Jets highly touted defense hasn t lived up to preseason predictions, even though it ranks fifth in the NFL in total yardage allowed. Still, the Jets permitted four long scoring drives against 7 P a g e

8 Yates and the Texans. Worse yet, they haven t been making many big plays on that side of the ball. The Jets had 15 takeaways in their first five games, a large reason for their 4-1 start. Since then, they ve forced only five turnovers and are 1-4 during that span. The front seven must get more pressure on opposing quarterbacks, and the expensive secondary must live up to its high price tag. 6. Coach them up. Bowles calm demeanor and firm hand helped the Jets avoid some potential distractions during the 4-1 start, but the first-year coach has made some questionable decisions in recent weeks in terms of game and clock management, including some ill-advised fourth-down tries. That s not surprising, because navigating all the intricacies of game day often is a problem for rookie head coaches. Still, Bowles needs to learn rapidly on the fly. The Jets figure to be in more tight games down the stretch, and a right or wrong decision can make all the difference in such contests. ESPN NEW YORK Jets replace Quinton Coples with linebacker from Colts' practice squad (Rich Cimini) ESPN New York The New York Jets replaced former first-round pick Quinton Coples with another outside linebacker, Josh Martin. Who? Martin was a member of the Indianapolis Colts' practice squad, but he was lured away by the Jets' offer to join their 53-man roster. He has NFL experience. He played 21 games with the Kansas City Chiefs, recording a half-sack and 28 tackles. He also spent time with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He broke into the NFL in 2012 as an undrafted free agent out of Columbia -- yes, the Ivy League school. Why drop a former No. 1 pick in favor of another team's practice-squad player? Here's the deal: Coples had virtually no role on defense, and he had only a small part on special teams (46 snaps, only 18 percent of the plays). At 6-foot-3, 245 pounds, Martin should have the ability to help the beleaguered special teams. As Todd Bowles noted Monday, when they waived Coples, it was a business decision. The Jets knew they were going to cut Coples in the offseason, so they took a proactive approach, eliminating the risk of getting stuck with his salary. Coples' 2016 salary is $7.75 million, and it's guaranteed against injury. If he suffered a major injury while playing for the Jets, the team could've been on the hook for the full amount. The Miami Dolphins accepted that risk by claiming Coples on waivers. He could make his debut Sunday against the Jets. If he dresses, there's a good chance he'll be a game captain. Because why not? Closer look at Darrelle Revis' bad day in Houston reveals interesting twist (Rich Cimini) 8 P a g e

9 ESPN New York By now, you've seen the play over and over: Darrelle Revis getting beat for a 61-yard touchdown by DeAndre Hopkins. It was a rare and stunning sight, akin to Steph Curry missing a chippy. One Revis apologist on the radio said the New York Jets star cornerback tried to bait T.J. Yates into an interception by purposely giving a cushion, figuring the Houston Texans third-string quarterback would underthrow the deep ball. It doesn't look that way on tape. To me, this was a great corner getting toasted by a great receiver. Hey, it happens. What struck me as I reviewed the tape was what happened after the touchdown, which occurred with 3:04 remaining in the second quarter. Revis, who matched up with Hopkins almost exclusively in the first half, was deployed differently in the third quarter. It wasn't Revis versus Hopkins on every play. Revis played only 14 snaps in the third quarter, leaving the game after suffering a concussion. Unofficially, he covered Hopkins on seven of those plays. He was on Nate Washington for three plays and Cecil Shorts for three, with one play undefinable. Compare that to the first half: Revis matched up with Hopkins on 36 of 42 plays. He covered Washington twice, Shorts once. We'll put the other three in a miscellaneous category. Did the coaching staff lose confidence in Revis after the big touchdown? The coaches will say no, but the evidence suggests otherwise. Maybe they felt more comfortable doubling Hopkins with two others, leaving Revis in single coverage on the No. 2 receiver. To be fair, it's possible that Revis' responsibilities changed in the third quarter based on the Texans' formations. It also was a small sample size because of the head injury; we'll never know how the rest of the game would've played out. What we do know is this: Revis will be under intense scrutiny when he returns from his concussion, with observers wondering if he's still an elite corner at the age of 30. As for the actual touchdown, it was a tough cover. Revis had no safety help and Yates held the ball for 3.6 seconds, according to my stopwatch. The Jets went with a alignment to counter the Texans' heavy package. It was well-executed by Houston, which used play-action and max protection (eight blockers) to give Yates plenty of time. He had only two receivers on pass routes, and his throw to Hopkins traveled 56 yards in the air. "He gave up a touchdown," coach Todd Bowles said of Revis. "That's about the size of it." It was a difficult spot for a cornerback, but Revis built his reputation by delivering in difficult spots. Jets coach Todd Bowles 'went off' in locker room after Houston loss (Rich Cimini) ESPN New York P a g e

10 New York Jets coach Todd Bowles, always composed in public settings, ripped into his team after Sunday's ugly loss to the Houston Texans. "Coach Todd, after the game, went off on us and told us, 'Losing is not acceptable,'" defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson said Tuesday in his weekly spot on WFAN radio. "He doesn t like losing, as well. I m pretty sure that everybody in the locker room definitely needs to have that spark lit under them this week, and we need to get these wins rolling quickly." Ordinarily, this would be a "Dog-bites-Man" headline. After all, how is a coach supposed to react after a pitiful performance? It's a little different with Bowles because he's known for his low-key personality. You see his stoic persona on the sideline and in news conferences and you wonder if the guy has any fire. Bowles has mentioned on a few occasions that he's more emotional than people realize, and that he gets that way behind closed doors. He doesn't like to talk about it and he doesn't like when his players talk about it. Several players clammed up when asked about Bowles' immediate reaction to the loss. So did Bowles. "I'm extremely upset, but I'm not going to take it out here," he said after the game. "We'll discuss that inhouse when I get back in the locker room and we get in the meeting." Was he still ticked off in Monday's team meeting? "That s a personal thing, that s inside the team," Ryan Fitzpatrick said. "Obviously, none of us are happy with the effort, none of us are happy with how the game went down. I think the message was clear that we ve got to put our focus into this week and make sure we get this thing back on the right track." Attention, Dee Milliner: Jets' former No. 1 picks aren't safe (Rich Cimini) ESPN New York Now that Quinton Coples is gone, we're left to wonder: Which former high draft pick moves to the hot seat? You're the next man up, Dee Milliner. In case you missed it, Milliner was inactive Sunday in the New York Jets' loss to the Houston Texans. The former first-round pick was, in the words of Todd Bowles, a "healthy scratch." The coach explained. "He was sick all last week, so he missed a lot of practice time and when he came back Friday, everything was already etched in stone," Bowles said. It's true, Milliner missed the Wednesday and Thursday practices with an illness, but he was listed as probable for the game. The Jets dressed six cornerbacks, and it speaks volumes that Milliner -- the ninth pick in the 2013 draft -- couldn't crack the top six, even with the missed practice time. Coaches will re-etch the stone, if you will, to accommodate a good player. Look at Sheldon Richardson. When his four-game suspension was complete, he was thrown into a full-time role after only one week of practice. Milliner? He couldn't beat out Dexter McDougle on the game-day P a g e

11 The injury-plagued Milliner isn't in danger of cutting cut, at least not this season. His 2016 salary, the final year of his rookie contract, is fully guaranteed -- $2.1 million. That includes a $1.46 million roster bonus. Teams are hesitant to eat guaranteed money, so that works in his favor. This season has been a washout for Milliner, who underwent wrist surgery in the preseason and spent the first eight games on short-term injury reserve. If the front office views him as some sort of ace in the hole, a potential 2016 replacement for Antonio Cromartie (a likely cap casualty), it'll be a mistake. I spoke to two talent evaluators about Milliner, one of whom studied him closely at Alabama. Neither one called him as an elite talent. They both said he doesn't possess the quick-twitch athleticism to thrive in a man-toman scheme. I suspect Bowles and general manager Mike Maccagnan have the same concerns about Milliner. We found out Monday they're not afraid to dump a highly drafted player, especially one drafted by the previous regime. NEW YORK POST Todd Bowles too calm? Don t tell that to under-performing Jets (Brian Costello) New York Post Todd Bowles calm sideline demeanor is sometimes a bad optic on TV, making it look like Bowles is uninspiring or lacks fire. But just because Bowles prefers a poker face in public does not mean that is what his players see behind closed doors. Those doors rattled Sunday in Houston after the loss. Coach Todd, after the game, went off on us and told us, Losing is not acceptable, defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson said Tuesday on WFAN. He doesn t like losing, as well. I m pretty sure that everybody in the locker room definitely needs to have that spark lit under them this week, and we need to get these wins rolling quickly. That should appease some fans, who have been begging Bowles to show more fire on the sideline. People who have coached and played for Bowles say he does not yell often, but when he does he gets his message across. Sunday was a day he needed to get that message across. When Bowles met with the media a few minutes after tearing into his team, it was clear he was angry. He usually shows no emotion to the media, but his agitation was visible. I m extremely upset, but I m not going to take it out here, he told reporters. We ll discuss that in-house when I get back in the locker room and we get in the meeting. Why it s unfair to put most of the blame on Ryan Fitzpatrick (Brian Costello) New York Post Ryan Fitzpatrick has a target on his back at the moment. 11 P a g e

12 Media and fans want to point the finger at Fitzpatrick for the Jets losing four of their last five games because the easiest thing to do is blame the quarterback, and the quickest fix is to switch quarterbacks. But Fitzpatrick is not the problem with the 2015 Jets. He has not played well, but he was never supposed to be the answer for this team. Going back to the summer, this team was built to win with defense and a strong running game. The quarterback? He just had to stay out of the way and not lose games for the Jets, whether it was Fitzpatrick or the pre-punch Geno Smith. The formula worked through the first five games. The Jets were gaining 146 yards per game on the ground with Chris Ivory near the top of the league leaders in rushing. On defense, the Jets allowed yards per game and forced 15 turnovers as they opened the season 4-1. Then, everything changed. Over the past five games, the Jets have the fifth-worst rushing offense in the NFL, according to the Elias Sports Bureau, gaining just 78 yards per game. On defense, they are tied for 12th, allowing yards per game. They have forced five turnovers in that stretch, four coming in the win over the Jaguars. If the rushing game and defense are not working, Fitzpatrick has no chance. This team is set up to win without Fitzpatrick having to carry it. He showed early in the season he is a nice complementary piece, but he is what he is a journeyman quarterback. This is not Tom Brady or Aaron Rodgers, who can carry a team. But the Jets should not need him to carry them. The mystery is what has happened to the two key areas the Jets are built around. Let s start with the run game. Ivory put together two huge back-to-back games against the Dolphins (166 yards) and Redskins (146 yards), but those are the only two times this season he has cracked 100 yards (he had 99 against the Bills). On Sunday, he only carried the ball eight times for 36 yards. The first question is: Is Ivory healthy? He had hamstring problems against the Patriots at the beginning of this bad run, but returned to practice that week and the Jets say he is fine. Against the Texans, he banged his knee on the first play of the game but returned shortly after. Ivory has not looked like the same relentless runner he was early in the season, and that may be because he is hurting. On third-and-1 in the second quarter Sunday, he bounced the run outside and was tackled for no gain. No way that happens early in the season. The other major issue has been the offensive line. That group has suffered with Willie Colon being lost for the season and Nick Mangold being in and out of the lineup with neck and hand injuries. Mangold may have proven he is the MVP of this team with how poorly the offense functions when he is out. Offensive coordinator Chan Gailey also seems to get away from the run too quickly. The Jets have fallen behind early in all four of their recent losses, but only the Raiders game was out of control by halftime. There was no reason to abandon the run against the Texans (unless Ivory was injured worse than the Jets said). A bigger concern may be the defense, which was expected to be one of the best in the league. Instead, it looks totally mediocre. The pass rush is nonexistent despite having a defensive line filled with first-round picks. The linebackers can t cover me. Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie look like a band from the 1960s on a reunion tour the songs sort of sound the same, but not quite. The Jets are not particularly good at tackling, coverage or preventing the big play. They have allowed 39 passes of 20 yards or more, tied for fourth-most in the league. 12 P a g e

13 Jets coach Todd Bowles blitzing schemes that worked well early in the season are no longer effective. It is on Bowles to adjust and figure out a way to create a pass rush. So, you can blame Fitzpatrick if you d like. There s plenty of ammo there. But let s remember who was supposed to carry this team and how those units have stumbled in the past five weeks. The Bowles-Fitzpatrick era hits put-up-or-shut-up breaking point (Steve Serby) New York Post The season is on the line now, a season that began with so much promise, suddenly threatening to spiral out of control and out of the playoffs for the fifth straight season. And it is on the journeyman quarterback and the rookie head coach to prove they are the right men right now for their respective jobs. The head coach is 10 games into his rookie season, and a restless, anxiety-riddled fan base is asking him not to resemble a rookie coach across this six-game season that awaits him and the Jets. Todd Bowles doesn t rattle easily, but he has never been in the football Oval Office presiding over a crisis, in a town without pity that shines a light so bright that even the most unflappable become flappable. The rookie coach of the Jets closed the can of worms he opened in Houston on Sunday with ambiguous support of his starting quarterback when he resisted pressing the panic button all Jets head coaches have embedded in their desks and announced matter-of-factly that Ryan Fitzpatrick is still his man I do think I m the right man for the job, Fitzpatrick says. Fitzpatrick says this even though there has been little FitzMagic lately from the journeyman quarterback, but what else would you expect him to say, that Geno Smith is the right man for the job? If Fitzpatrick gets off the canvas and reminds Bowles why he remains the right man for the job, then Bowles has a much better chance to reveal himself as the right man for his job. Asked if Fitzpatrick now has a shorter leash, Bowles said: No, he s the starting quarterback. But what else would you expect him to say, his next pick will be his last pick? Bowles believes Fitzpatrick is the right man for the job two more stinkers and he might not be in part because he apparently believes Smith is the wrong man for the job. Bowles labeled the surprise release of former No. 1 pick Quinton Coples a business decision, but it won t bother him one bit if it is perceived in the locker room as a message sent that it can happen to virtually anyone. Fitzpatrick is the right man for the job because he has earned the respect of his teammates with his professional, mature, selfless, even-keeled approach and competitiveness. If Tom Brady or Cam Newton is Apollo Creed, then Fitzpatrick is Rocky. He has had a rocky career, but he won t stop fighting. His greatest attribute, beyond his experience, may be that he accepts the responsibility of being a stand-up guy, although it would behoove him to not have to stand up too many more times. I d have no problem shouldering any blame that gets thrown my way, and all the blame that I deserve, and don t deserve, Fitzpatrick said. I think I m the right guy to get this thing going back in the right direction. 13 P a g e

14 All well and good, but Bowles needs the quarterback s actions fewer interceptions to speak louder than his words. You don t give up on a quarterback just like that, Bowles said. The quarterback, meanwhile, needs the rookie coach to help him by fixing what ails the underachieving defense. Especially with Darrelle Revis in the concussion protocol even though it wouldn t be a terrible thing if Revis has little recollection of his nightmare day against DeAndre Hopkins. We ve just gotta get that confidence back, Fitzpatrick said. It is Bowles job to help the Jets get their swagger back in time for the 4-6 Dolphins visit on Sunday. Bowles, of course, will need Revis against Jarvis Landry, Odell Beckham Jr., Dez Bryant and Sammy Watkins in the final six weeks. He wasn t feeling any better today, Bowles said. Anytime somebody gets a concussion, you re kinda pessimistic about him the next week. Some people recover faster than others. It is Bowles job to light a fire under his defensive line and ignite a pass rush with his defensive genius. It is Bowles job to find Fitzpatrick a smashmouth running game even as he keeps his fingers crossed that invaluable center Nick Mangold (six or seven stitches for his hand laceration) can deal with the pain. It is Bowles job to find a way to counter defenses taking away Brandon Marshall even though he is without a pass-catching tight end. It is Bowles job and Fitzpatrick s job to start faster and avoid playing catchup. We got to find a way as coaches to get that out of the way and get em started faster earlier, Bowles said. The past four years gave us Rex Ryan and Mark Sanchez, followed by Ryan and Smith at the critical positions of head coach and quarterback. Now it is Todd Bowles and Ryan Fitzpatrick. Right head coach for this job? Prove it. Right quarterback for this job? Prove it. Ex-Jet Quinton Coples claimed off waivers by Dolphins (Brian Costello) New York Post November 25, The Jets won t have to wait long to see their former teammate, Quinton Coples. The Dolphins claimed Coples off waivers Tuesday, one day after the Jets waived him. Miami faces the Jets on Sunday at MetLife Stadium. Dolphins vice president of football operations Mike Tannenbaum was the Jets general manager in 2012 when the team selected Coples with the 16th overall pick. 14 P a g e

15 The Jets dumped Coples on Monday after his playing time dwindled to almost nothing under new coach Todd Bowles. The Dolphins are a better fit for Coples, who will slide onto the defensive line in their 4-3 scheme rather than being a stand-up outside linebacker in the 3-4. To take Coples spot on the roster, the Jets signed outside linebacker Josh Martin off the Colts practice squad. Martin, who went to Columbia, spent two seasons with the Chiefs before joining the Buccaneers this season and then the Colts practice squad. Martin will contribute on special teams, something Coples did not do. NJ ADVANCE MEDIA Jets' Brandon Marshall says Johnny Manziel was a 'better' player 'when he was sober' (Darryl Slater) NJ Advance Media November 25, ml#incart_river_index The Browns on Tuesday demoted quarterback Johnny Manziel from starter to third stringer, after video of him partying surfaced. The video shows Manziel holding a champagne bottle and dancing at a club. According to TMZ, which released the video, Manziel was on "a bender," but "didn't get into any trouble," during the Browns' bye week. Manziel's apparent/reported drinking is noteworthy because he went to rehab earlier this year. The Browns invested a lot in Manziel, whom they drafted 22nd overall last year. So they clearly don't want him drinking at all, even though it isn't illegal to have a few drinks (or even a lot of drinks) during the bye week. Jets wide receiver Brandon Marshall spoke about Manziel's current situation on Tuesday's episode of Showtime's "Inside the NFL." Marshall is concerned, and thinks the video could indicate a significant "problem" for Manziel. Marshall on Tuesday debated fellow panelist Boomer Esiason, who doesn't see what all the fuss is about. Here's a transcript of Marshall and Esiason's back-and-forth about Manziel: Marshall: "Recovery, addiction, and mental illness is serious. So we don't know his diagnosis. But the guy, he went to rehab. So if he is an alcoholic, and this came up, it's a problem." Esiason: "He's 24 years old [actually, about to turn 23]. Is he supposed to spend Friday night at church?" Marshall: "We're talking about addiction, though." Esiason: "I understand." Marshall: "If he's an alcoholic, and he's doing this, this is problematic. This is a big issue. When he was sober, he was definitely a better teammate, and a better player. So that's the player that the ownership wants." Esiason: "I think we're all overreacting right now. That's how I feel about it. Let him play." 15 P a g e

16 Marshall has seen Manziel play in person this year. The Jets beat the Browns in the opener. Manziel threw for 182 yards, one touchdown, and one interception, after he replaced concussed starter Josh McCown, who is now the starter again. After Jets cut Quinton Coples, Mike Tannenbaum's final 5 drafts keep looking worse (Darryl Slater) NJ Advance Media November 25, l#incart_river_index Let's start with a couple obvious points. One, the NFL Draft process is an inexact science. As Jets general manager Mike Maccagnan has said, leading up to this year's draft, it is also an unpredictable way to fill positional needs. Two, the Jets' former general manager, Mike Tannenbaum, got off to a strong start with his drafts. Tannenbaum, as you'll recall, was the Jets' GM from Then came two years of John Idzik, and now Maccagnan. In 2006, the Jets' first two picks were offensive tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson and center Nick Mangold, who are still starting for the Jets. In 2007, Tannenbaum got cornerback Darrelle Revis and middle linebacker David Harris to open the draft. Not too shabby, eh? But in Tannenbaum's final five drafts, , he mostly failed. On Monday, the Jets cut their 2012 firstround pick, rush outside linebacker Quinton Coples, before his fourth season was even complete. Coples' release seems like a good time to revisit some of Tannenbaum's draft mistakes, since they are a big reason for the Jets' struggles in recent seasons. (Tannenbaum on Tuesday claimed Coples off waivers.) Tannenbaum, who now heads up Miami's front office, didn't make these picks on his own. The Jets' coach (Rex Ryan) and senior personnel executive (Terry Bradway) during those years also must shoulder responsibility for the draft shortcomings. Now that we've allowed enough time for these picks to play out this is why it's way too early to label rookie receiver Devin Smith a bust which selections wound up being Tannenbaum's biggest mistakes? Jets' Brandon Marshall on showing passion: 'It's tough to do that in a losing environment' (Darryl Slater) NJ Advance Media ml#incart_river_index The Jets desperately need to win Sunday's home game against Miami. They are 5-5 after losing four of five games, since starting 4-1. On Tuesday night's episode of Showtime's "Inside the NFL," Jets receiver Brandon Marshall said teams that play with passion in November and December wind up in the playoffs. But he said it's not easy to bring out that fire when you're losing. 16 P a g e

17 Marshall hopes the Jets can turn things around soon, after starting November 1-3. (The Jets are 6-11 in November during their current playoff drought, since 2011.) "Let's pay attention to the teams in November and December," Marshall said. "This is when you're going to start to see teams separate themselves. There's a lot of football left. You look at the AFC and how their playoff picture is starting to develop. Everyone's sitting right there, even us. We could be the walking dead [if the Jets continue to struggle]. We are the wounded warriors right now. "But it comes down to seeing what we saw in Carolina with [quarterback] Cam Newton that passion, that fire. It's tough to do that in a losing environment. But if we can find that one play that can turn into one drive that can turn into one game, you might see a change." As the Jets chase one of the AFC's two wild card spots, they're in a muddle with 6-4 Steelers, 5-5 Bills, 5-5 Texans, 5-5 Colts, and 5-5 Chiefs. The Jets have lost to the Bills and Texans. The Jets beat the Colts. Also on Tuesday's "Inside the NFL," NJ Advance Media's Dom Cosentino appeared on a panel which also included Newsday's Kimberley Martin and the Daily News' Manish Mehta to discuss the relationship between reporters and players. Like Cosentino, Martin and Mehta also cover the Jets. Marshall said on last week's "Inside the NFL" that the "clash" between Jets players and reporters is an "epidemic." Marshall and the three reporters on Tuesday further discussed that issue, and what can be done to improve relations. "I think Bill Parcells and Bill Belichick have kind of ruined this for everyone, because they put these restrictions now in place," Cosentino said. "The access now is so restricted. And it gets more and more restricted, I feel like, with each passing year, that it's difficult now to build those relationships and build that trust. "Because frequently now the star players in particular, they're herded out to be talked to in a group. There's no opportunity to really get to know us or you [players], and that creates a real divide between the players [and reporters]." NEW YORK DAILY NEWS Dolphins claim Quinton Coples off waivers a day after linebacker dumped by Jets (Seth Walder) New York Daily News Quinton Coples will be at MetLife Stadium on Sunday he ll just be wearing teal instead of green. The Dolphins claimed Coples on waivers Tuesday, meaning that for the second time in his career, Coples has been claimed by Mike Tannenbaum. Tannenbaum, the Dolphins executive vice president of football operations, drafted Coples with the 16th pick in the 2012 draft when he was the Jets general manager. The Jets surprisingly cut the outside linebacker on Monday. He had barely been playing in Todd Bowles system. Coples first game as a Dolphin will come against his old team, as the Jets play host to Miami. The scheme change ought to be good for Coples. He entered the league as a defensive end, but was transitioned to outside linebacker in Rex Ryan s 3-4 scheme after his rookie year. Bowles indicated 17 P a g e

18 Monday he wanted someone faster than Coples for that position. In Miami, Coples should have his hand in the dirt again as he will presumably become a 4-3 defensive end. However, it is worth noting that the Jets have played a lot of 4-3 this year and still did not use Coples all that much. The Jets signed outside linebacker Josh Martin off the Colts practice squad on Tuesday to replace Coples. That the team had eyes for a player at the same position on another team s practice squad shows the Jets did not think highly of him. Coples was not expected to be with the Jets next season, but it was surprising that the team decided to let him go mid-year, given his pedigree as a first-round pick. I was shocked, Jets defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson said on WFAN on Tuesday. Late Monday, after being released by the Jets, Coples thanked the fans and the team that drafted him. To all the incredible New York Jets fans and supporters, I am humbled and most grateful for you, Coples wrote on Twitter. I wish the Jets nothing but the best. Coples accumulated 16.5 sacks in his career with the Jets, but none in He played just five snaps in his last game with Gang Green, the loss to the Texans on Sunday. Jets need to get Drew Brees if Saints make him available (Gary Meyers) New York Daily News The Jets desperately need a quarterback. Has anybody seen that movie over the last 40 years? It didn t take Ryan Fitzpatrick digging up worms with passes nosediving into the turf against the Bills or two late interceptions in the loss to the Texans to come to this conclusion: He is what he is. What is that? He s a journeyman quarterback good enough to start for six different teams but bad enough that none of the first five wanted to keep him. He is what Bill Parcells calls a hold the fort guy, meaning someone who will keep things respectable until GM Mike Maccagnan finds a short-term fix to take over a win-now team or a long-term solution who can provide stability for the next 8-10 years. Geno Smith is a pack your bags guy, meaning he will not be around next season. There are three intriguing offseason scenarios for the Jets that include Drew Brees, Matthew Stafford and Colin Kaepernick: If the Saints make him available, go get Brees. I like this scenario the best for the Jets: Trade for Brees and draft a quarterback in the first round in the 2016 draft. There could be a complete rebuild in New Orleans after the season starting with Sean Payton moving. The Saints will find a team willing to trade for Brees if he agrees to a restructured contract or they could cut him if he won t take a salary reduction to facilitate a trade. Brees is scheduled to make $19.75 million next season in the final year of his contract. He will be 37 in January; he had a shoulder issue a few weeks ago that forced him to miss his first game due to injury since he had shoulder surgery after the 2005 season. But since coming back, he tied the NFL record with seven TD passes earlier this month against the Giants. He has 20 TDs, nine INTs and is completing 69.5%. Brees would be the perfect mentor if the Jets use their first-round pick on a quarterback. They will likely be picking in the middle of the round. Although there is no quarterback expected to go first overall, Cal s 18 P a g e