NEW YORK JETS DAILY CLIPS. October 12, 2013 Table of Contents

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1 NEW YORK JETS DAILY CLIPS October 12, 2013 Table of Contents ASSOCIATED PRESS... 1 Jets' Cromartie questionable with knee injury (Dennis Waszak)... 1 Jets' Winslow suspended 4 games by NFL for PEDs (Dennis Waszak)... 2 NEWSDAY... 4 Jets' Kellen Winslow Jr. suspended for four games for PED use; Antonio Cromartie hurts knee (Jim Baumbach).. 4 THE RECORD... 5 Jets' Winslow suspended 4 games by NFL for PEDs (J.P. Pelzman)... 5 STAR-LEDGER... 6 Jets catches leader Kellen Winslow apologizes for performance enhancing substance suspension (Darryl Slater) 6 Antonio Cromartie, Jets cornerback, questionable to face Steelers with knee injury (Michael J. Fensom)... 7 NEW YORK POST... 8 Jets Wilkerson might be best football player in New York (George Willis)... 8 Kellen Winslow s PED suspension a huge surprise (Howie Kussoy) Cromartie sits during Jets practice, day after knee injury (Howie Kussoy) NEW YORK DAILY NEWS Jets TE Kellen Winslow gets four-game ban for violating NFL s performance-enhancing policy (Seth Walder) Antonio Cromartie will be a game-time decision for NY Jets on Sunday (Stephen Lorenzo) ESPN NEW YORK Bilal Powell lets his feet do his talking (Johnette Howard) Kellen Winslow hit with 4-game ban (Kieran Darcy) Jets' Antonio Cromartie questionable (Kieran Darcy) WALL STREET JOURNAL Jets' Kellen Winslow Suspended for Four Games (Stu Woo) The Weary Have Gotten the Best of the Rested (Andrew Beaton) NEW YORK TIMES Jets Willie Colon Tends to His South Bronx Roots (Ben Shpigel) Winslow Is Suspended for Four Games (Ben Shpigel) FRIDAY S SPORTS TRANSACTIONS ASSOCIATED PRESS Jets' Cromartie questionable with knee injury (Dennis Waszak) Associated Press 1 P a g e

2 FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) - The New York Jets might be without their top cornerback against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Antonio Cromartie was listed as questionable on the team's injury report Friday after hyperextending a knee during practice Thursday. Coach Rex Ryan announced that the cornerback will be a game-time decision Sunday. Cromartie was injured when he tried to change direction on a goal-line drill during the portion of practice the media aren't permitted to watch. "His knee gave and he went straight down," Ryan said. "My initial reaction obviously wasn't good. You're thinking, 'Oh, great.'" Cromartie had an MRI exam, which revealed the nature of the injury - and relieved initial fears that it might have been worse. "To be honest with you," Ryan said, "it was one of those hold-your-breath type deals." It was unclear which knee it was, but Ryan said he believed it was the opposite of the one Cromartie injured while in college at Florida State, which was the left. Ryan said he and his staff will lean on the trainers to determine whether Cromartie, who routinely takes on teams' top receivers, will be able to play Sunday. If Cromartie can't go, Kyle Wilson and Darrin Walls would fill in while Isaiah Trufant would take over Wilson's usual nickel spot. "We just have to come together and jell as a unit if that's the case, or whatever happens," safety Dawan Landry said. "We have to make sure we just communicate. We have guy who have played multiple games, and we're comfortable with whoever's out there." Rookie cornerback Dee Milliner, the No. 9 overall pick in April, will not be in the mix against the Steelers. He will miss his third straight game with a hamstring injury. "I won't say I'm very frustrated because injuries are going to occur," Milliner said. "I wish I was out there on the field. I wish I was out there playing." Wide receiver Santonio Holmes was also ruled out for Sunday, as expected, as he recovers from a hamstring injury that occurred in New York's loss at Tennessee two weeks ago. Tight end Kellen Winslow had initially been listed as doubtful on the team's injury report while dealing with an ailing right knee, a few hours before the NFL announced he had been suspended four games without pay for violating the league's policy on performance-enhancing substances. Rookie tackle Oday Aboushi is questionable after returning to practice on a limited basis this week after dislocating his right knee last month. Jets' Winslow suspended 4 games by NFL for PEDs (Dennis Waszak) Associated Press FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) - New York Jets tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. was suspended without pay for four games by the NFL on Friday for violating the league's policy on performance enhancing substances. 2 P a g e

3 Winslow, the team's leading receiver with 17 catches, is immediately beginning his suspension, meaning he will sit out the Jets' game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday. "It came as a huge surprise to me when I learned that I tested positive for a banned substance," Winslow said in a statement issued by his publicist. "I have investigated all possible sources since learning of the positive test, including possible medical causes, but frustratingly, I do not know the source. "I do not take supplements that list any banned ingredients, but the NFL policy is very strict, so I am accountable for the results." He will be eligible to return to the Jets' active roster on Nov. 4, following New York's game against New Orleans on Nov. 3. The Jets have a bye-week break after they play the Saints, so Winslow's next opportunity to play would be on Nov. 17 at Buffalo. "I sincerely apologize to my teammates, coaches and Jets fans for this situation," Winslow said. "I will work extremely hard during this time away from the field and look forward to contributing to the team as soon as the suspension ends." Winslow had been listed as doubtful on the Jets' injury report on Friday, and coach Rex Ryan excused him from participating in practice but declined to go into details. "I'd rather not get into it," Ryan said. "I excused him. I'll just say that." The 30-year-old Winslow, in his first year with the Jets, has been dealing with a balky right knee all season that kept him out of practice all week. He hasn't missed any games, though, and had two touchdown catches, including one in New York's victory at Atlanta on Monday night. But he didn't speak to reporters after the win, and uncharacteristically chose to not speak in the locker room after practice all week. That led to speculation that perhaps he was unhappy with his role in the offense. Last season, Winslow played in just one game with New England before asking to be released because he anticipated a lack of playing time behind Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez. Ryan said on Friday that he hadn't been approached by Winslow about his role, which is the No. 2 tight end behind Jeff Cumberland. He was unsure, however, if Winslow had spoken to offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg. "We have to look at it this way: We have a really good tight end in Jeff Cumberland, and this is a guy who's a young stud tight end," Ryan said. "You look at him, he's a big guy, can block and he does a nice job receiving. He's a good player." Before the suspension was announced, Ryan was asked if he expected Winslow to remain with the team, and the coach answered simply, "Yes." Ryan was then asked if he thought Winslow might not want to remain with the team. "I think you'd have to ask him those types of questions," Ryan said. "What I can tell you about Kellen is he's done a tremendous job here and a guy, and I laughed about it, I said he's a warrior. He wasn't lying when he said that. We got the video out of it. But that's him: a great competitor. "That's what he's brought here." It is likely that tight end Zach Sudfeld, claimed off waivers from New England last week, will make his debut with the Jets on Sunday with Winslow out. Along with Cumberland, New York also has Konrad Reuland on the roster at the position. 3 P a g e

4 Since Winslow will be placed on the suspended list, the Jets will have an open spot on their 53-man roster. Winslow was offered a tryout by the Jets in minicamp in June, and signed him a few days later. The former Pro Bowl tight end had a terrific debut, catching a team-leading seven passes for 79 yards and a touchdown. He is only two years removed from catching 75 passes for Tampa Bay in 2011, but his surgically repaired right knee made him a low-risk, high-reward option for the Jets. NEWSDAY Jets' Kellen Winslow Jr. suspended for four games for PED use; Antonio Cromartie hurts knee (Jim Baumbach) Newsday FLORHAM PARK, N.J The Jets, riding high in the wake of their surprising 3-2 start, have received a double dose of unwanted news regarding two of their top players. The NFL suspended tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. for four games Friday for violating the league's policy on performance-enhancing drugs. The Jets also said cornerback Antonio Cromartie is questionable for Sunday's home game against the Steelers after dropping to the ground with a non-contact knee injury in practice Thursday. Winslow, who leads the Jets with 17 receptions, was excused from practice on Friday, and coach Rex Ryan declined to go into any detail regarding why he wasn't there. The league's suspension announcement came several hours after practice ended. Winslow, in a statement from a publicist, said the news that he had tested positive for a banned substance "came as a huge surprise to me." "I have investigated all possible sources since learning of the positive test, including possible medical causes, but frustratingly, I do not know the source," he said. "I do not take supplements that list any banned ingredients, but the NFL policy is very strict, so I am accountable for the results." Winslow has been dealing with a knee injury all season, and it kept him out of practice all week. When Ryan was pressed about Winslow's unexplained absence, he hinted that the team might have to look in another direction for help at tight end. "Guys, we got to look at it this way: We have a really good tight end in Jeff Cumberland," Ryan said when pressed about Winslow's absence. "The guy's a young stud tight end." Winslow won't be eligible to play until Nov. 17 in Buffalo. The Jets hope they have Cromartie back at full strength by then after what they described as a fluke injury. But the way Cromartie fell without getting hit during the goal-line drill left Ryan thinking about possible worst-case scenarios. "To be honest with you," he said, "it was one of those hold-your-breath-type deals." In an effort to see if Cromartie can recover to the training staff's satisfaction, Ryan said the Jets "will give him every benefit of the doubt" and wait until the last minute before they set their roster on Sunday. 4 P a g e

5 Ryan described the injury as a hyperextension and said the team expects him to recover in due time. "What happened was he just changed directions and he went straight down," Ryan said. "His knee gave, [he] went straight down and my initial reaction, obviously it wasn't good. You're thinking, oh, great. "It's unbelievable because a guy like him who is in phenomenal shape, you're not thinking he's ever going to get hurt. He never takes a play off and there he is on the ground." Complicating matters, rookie cornerback Dee Milliner was ruled out for the third straight game with a hamstring injury. If Cromartie can't play, the two starting cornerbacks are expected to be Kyle Wilson and Darrin Walls. Wilson declined to comment about a possible increased role, saying he will speak after the game. "You know Cro's one of the best corners in the NFL," Walls said. "If he can't go, it's going to be unfortunate to not have him. But I think me, Kyle, Ellis [Lankster] and Tru will treat the day like any other day. It's our job to be ready." THE RECORD Jets' Winslow suspended 4 games by NFL for PEDs (J.P. Pelzman) The Record FLORHAM PARK Rex Ryan was very evasive when discussing the situation of tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. during his news conference Friday. The reason became obvious later in the afternoon, when it was announced that the ninth-year veteran had been suspended for four games by the NFL, effective immediately, for violating the league s policy on performance-enhancing substances. Winslow, who battles chronic pain in his right knee and hadn t practiced this week, will miss the next four games and isn t eligible to return until Nov. 4, the day after the Jets host New Orleans. The Jets then have their bye week, so the next game Winslow could play in would be on the road in Buffalo on Nov. 17. It came as a huge surprise to me when I learned that I tested positive for a banned substance, Winslow said in a statement issued by his publicist. I have investigated all possible sources since learning of the positive test, including possible medical causes, but frustratingly, I do not know the source. I do not take supplements that list any banned ingredients, he said, but the NFL policy is very strict, so I am accountable for the results. I sincerely apologize to my teammates, coaches and Jets fans for this situation. I will work extremely hard during this time away from the field and look forward to contributing to the team as soon as the suspension ends. Winslow has been contributing a lot, with a team-leading 17 receptions. However, his playing time diminished in the win over Atlanta on Monday. He had only one catch, but it was for a 1-yard touchdown. Ryan excused Winslow from practice Friday, but didn t say why. I d rather not get into it, Ryan said. I excused him. I ll just say that. 5 P a g e

6 Fourth-year tight end Jeff Cumberland, who got the bulk of the playing time against the Falcons, also had a scoring reception in that game, and Ryan said he has plenty of confidence in Cumberland. We have a really good tight end in Jeff Cumberland, and this is a guy who s a young stud tight end, Ryan said. He s a big guy, [he] can block and he does a nice job receiving. This also could mean more playing time for blocking tight end Konrad Reuland, and Zach Sudfeld, claimed off waivers from New England on Oct. 4. CROMARTIE QUESTIONABLE: Antonio Cromartie is questionable for Sunday s game against Pittsburgh, but Ryan indicated he was relieved to find out the No. 1 cornerback s injury isn t that bad. Cromartie suffered a hyperextended knee Thursday in practice while changing direction. There was no contact involved. His knee gave [out] and he went straight down, Ryan said. My initial reaction obviously wasn t good. To be honest with you, it was one of those hold-your-breath type deals. Ryan added, It seems like he s going to be OK. In fact, the coach said Cromartie s availability Sunday will be a game-day decision, even though Cromartie left practice Thursday and sat out Friday s workout. If Cromartie is unable to play against the Steelers, fourth-year pro Kyle Wilson, who normally plays in the slot as the nickel back, would start in his place. Wilson declined to speak to reporters Friday. Isaiah Trufant would be the nickel corner if Wilson starts. We just have to come together and jell as a unit if that s the case, safety Dawan Landry said, referring to Cromartie s possible absence. We have to make sure we just communicate. We have guys who have played multiple games, and we re comfortable with whoever s out there. STAR-LEDGER Jets catches leader Kellen Winslow apologizes for performance enhancing substance suspension (Darryl Slater) Star-Ledger mance_enhancing_substance_suspension.html In June, the Jets brought in tight end Kellen Winslow for a tryout during minicamp. The team had nothing to lose. Winslow had everything to gain. He said he felt grateful for the opportunity and believed he still had years left in his career, which began with much promise when he was drafted sixth overall in 2004 but had been pockmarked with off-field mishaps and injuries. Winslow not only made the team and signed a one-year, $840,000 contract with the Jets, but he is also their leader in receptions with 17 through five games. He has 169 receiving yards and is tied for the team lead with two touchdown catches, both in close games an win over Tampa Bay in the opener and Monday night s victory at Atlanta. But Winslow s career took another sour turn today when the NFL suspended him four games without pay for violating its policy on performance-enhancing substances. Winslow is eligible to return to the Jets active roster Nov. 4, a day after the previous day s game against New Orleans. The Jets are off Nov. 10, so Winslow s first game back would be Nov. 17 at Buffalo, the Jets 10th game. 6 P a g e

7 The Jets will enter tomorrow s game against Pittsburgh with Jeff Cumberland and Konrad Reuland as their primary tight ends. Before the Atlanta game, the Jets claimed tight end Zach Sudfeld off waivers from New England. His role could increase as well, though he is an undrafted rookie who doesn t have any NFL catches yet. Reuland, a third-year pro, has 12 in his career and one this year. Cumberland s opportunities in the offense will increase with Winslow suspended. Cumberland has seven catches for 139 yards and two touchdowns. He is coming off the best game of his career: three catches, 79 yards and a touchdown against Atlanta. Cumberland, a fourth-year pro who had 29 catches last year, has played 178 snaps this season, compared with 209 for Winslow. The Steelers rank fifth in the NFL in pass defense (199 yards allowed per game), and the Jets also will be without their best receiver, Santonio Holmes, for the second straight game because of a hamstring injury. "It came as a huge surprise to me when I learned that I tested positive for a banned substance," Winslow said in a prepared statement. "I have investigated all possible sources since learning of the positive test, including possible medical causes, but frustratingly, I do not know the source. I do not take supplements that list any banned ingredients, but the NFL policy is very strict, so I am accountable for the results. "I sincerely apologize to my teammates, coaches and Jets fans for this situation. I will work extremely hard during this time away from the field and look forward to contributing to the team as soon as the suspension ends." Winslow, 30, was intent on playing in the NFL this season, despite having to fight through chronic pain in his surgically repaired right knee. Through the first four games, he played 62 percent of the Jets offensive snaps. But Monday at Atlanta, he played just 20 of 47 snaps. His only catch was a 1-yard touchdown. Winslow didn t practice this week leading up to tomorrow s game because of his knee, according to the Jets, who have limited his practice time since training camp to keep his knee healthy. Today, he was listed as doubtful for the game, but Jets coach Rex Ryan said he didn t think Winslow s knee had taken a turn for the worse. Ryan said only that he excused Winslow from the practice for a reason unrelated to his knee, but he didn t specify. Soon thereafter, the NFL announced Winslow s suspension. It is just the latest setback in Winslow s career. Two games into his rookie year with Cleveland, he broke his right leg and was sidelined for the season. He missed all of the next season after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during an accident while riding his motorcycle. Winslow returned for He had 875 receiving yards and 1,106 in 2007, the best year of his career. He had 428 yards in 2008, when he dealt with a staph infection and played just 10 games. Winslow was traded to Tampa Bay following the 2008 season and spent the next three seasons there after signing a six-year, $36 million contract at the time the richest ever given to a tight end. The Buccaneers shipped him to Seattle following the 2011 season. The Seahawks waived him before the 2012 season and he landed with New England but played just one game before asking for his release. After spending almost all of 2012 out of the NFL, Winslow arrived with the Jets seeking a fresh start, even if his old knee injury still required frequent treatment. His knee will get rest now, just not in a manner he ever would have wanted. Antonio Cromartie, Jets cornerback, questionable to face Steelers with knee injury (Michael J. Fensom) 7 P a g e

8 Star-Ledger steelers_with_knee_injury.html A goal line drill in practice Thursday could have tilted the course of the Jets season. Without contact from another player, Antonio Cromartie sank to the turf. Trying to quickly change direction, his right knee buckled. Watching his Pro Bowl cornerback crumble, Rex Ryan said, was one of those hold your breath-type deals. The Jets coach added, A guy like him, who is in phenomenal shape and all that, you re not thinking he s ever going to get hurt. He never takes a play off. And then there he is lying on the ground. The Jets sent Cromartie for an MRI, and the results confirmed that the knee is only hyper-extended, giving the Jets a reason to exhale. Cromartie did not practice today and is listed as questionable for Sunday s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Jets don t expect to know whether their top cornerback will play until moments before kickoff at 1 p.m. If we think he s good to go, let s go, Ryan said. If not, clearly we re not going to put him out there if he is at risk. How many snaps that means, I m not sure. Along with Dawan Landry, the Jets safety, Cromartie has not missed a play on defense this season. If the sideline beckons Sunday, other defensive backs will see snaps increase. In Cromartie s absence, Kyle Wilson will shift from the nickel position to the left corner opposite Darrin Walls. Isaiah Trufant will hover over Antonio Brown in the Steelers slot, and Ellis Lankster will provide extra cover on the outside. Ryan assured that the understudies can handle a starring role for one game, even if Lankster and Trufant have combined to play 22 snaps in five games, according to ProFootballFocus. These guys are true pros, Ryan said. They study, whether they re not going to play a snap or whether they re going to play 50 snaps. Even with Cromartie, the task of covering Brown is difficult. The speedy receiver has caught 32 of the 39 passes thrown to him in four games. NEW YORK POST Jets Wilkerson might be best football player in New York (George Willis) New York Post Muhammad Wilkerson walked to his locker inside the Jets training facility this week, put down his cell phone and turned around to see he was surrounded by a group of reporters and cameras. Wow, what s all this? Wilkerson said. He had better get used to the attention. 8 P a g e

9 If it takes three years to properly evaluate a draft, then the Jets hit a home run by taking Wilkerson in the first round in Five games into his third season, the defensive end from Temple and Linden, N.J., has not only emerged as the best player on the Jets defense, but the best player in New York football. Name someone else who deserves that label more. Eli Manning? Not this season. Victor Cruz? Not enough salsa. Anyone else on the Jets? Not even close. Wilkerson had a monster game in the Jets triumph in Atlanta Monday night, collecting seven tackles, a sack and a forced fumble on quarterback Matt Ryan that led to a Nick Folk field goal. For the season, Wilkerson leads the Jets with four sacks, and has seven over his last 10 games, dating back to He s dialed in, Jets linebacker Quinton Coples said. This is his third year. He s figured out his role. He s figured offensive schemes and how to play the game and what we need him for. That s been great for him. I m impressed. At 6-foot-4 and 315 pounds, Wilkerson has emerged into a disruptive force on the field, but just as importantly, a leader in the locker room. With Darrelle Revis traded to the Buccaneers, Bart Scott retiring and veteran linemen such as Mike DeVito and Sione Pouha having moved on to other teams, the Jets needed someone to fill their leadership void. Wilkerson, by nature a quiet guy, has accepted his role, saying all the right things. On the Jets 3-2 start: We ve still got to get better: offense, defense, and special teams. Hopefully, one of these weekends we can get all three phases playing good enough. On proving people wrong: We always had confidence in each other. People might have talked negative about us, but we paid no attention to it. We re brothers in this locker room. We ve got each other s back and we re going to keep playing ball like that. On people saying he s headed for the Pro Bowl: I feel like there s always room for improvement. Monday was one of the best games I ve put on tape, but there are many more to play. It s a long season. I appreciate all the kind words, but at the end of the day I ve got to play each game. It helps that there is no Mo Island. Wilkerson does his work in union with his teammates. The development of nose tackle Damon Snacks Harrison, in his second season, and rookie Sheldon Richardson has given the Jets a formidable defensive front that s just starting to scratch its potential. Opponents have averaged just 76.2 yards a game rushing and Wilkerson s presence has freed Coples and fellow linebacker David Harris to make plays. Calvin Pace looks like a new man. The internal competition to be the one who makes the big play serves as constant motivation throughout the defense. We re real competitive, Wilkerson said. Snacks is always talking about he s going to be the first one to the ball. And someone else will say, I m going to get the ball or the sack. We re always competing with each other out there. It s a kid s game. We re making plays and we re having fun while we re doing it. The Steelers probably didn t foresee playing a 3-2 Jets team, while the Jets certainly didn t think the Steelers would start 0-4. But Wilkerson is spreading the message that records mean nothing. In this league, anybody can get beat on any given day or night, he said. Those guys are talented. That s the kind of talk you like to hear from the best player in New York. 9 P a g e

10 Kellen Winslow s PED suspension a huge surprise (Howie Kussoy) New York Post It only took four days for the Jets to go from ecstasy to adversity. Tight end Kellen Winslow, the Jets leading receiver this season, will be suspended four games without pay for violating the NFL policy on performance-enhancing substances, the league announced Friday. Winslow s suspension begins immediately. He will be eligible to return to the team s active roster on Nov. 4, meaning his return could not come before the Nov. 17 game in Buffalo. The suspension will cost Winslow $197,647. In a statement released through his publicist, Winslow said he was shocked by the results. It came as a huge surprise to me when I learned that I tested positive for a banned substance, Winslow said. I have investigated all possible sources since learning of the positive test, including possible medical causes, but frustratingly, I do not know the source. I do not take supplements that list any banned ingredients, but the NFL policy is very strict, so I am accountable for the results. I sincerely apologize to my teammates, coaches and Jets fans for this situation. I will work extremely hard during this time away from the field and look forward to contributing to the team as soon as the suspension ends. Winslow is the second Jet to be suspended this season, following running back Mike Goodson s seasonopening four-game ban for violating the substance abuse policy. It is just the latest setback for Winslow, a former first-round pick. Traded out of Tampa last year, the oft-injured tight end was released by Seattle before ever playing a game for them after refusing to take a pay-cut. He then played one game with the Patriots before asking for his release because of a lack of playing time. Though Winslow has been troubled by a knee injury this season, he leads the Jets with 17 receptions in his first year with the team, while tying the team lead with two touchdowns. His 24 targets trail only Stephen Hill (25). In Monday night s win in Atlanta, the 30-year-old was limited to one catch, for a touchdown, and afterwards, Winslow seemed frustrated with his limited role, having played only 19 snaps. Coach Rex Ryan, whose press conference came before the suspension was announced, said Winslow hasn t vocalized any complaints to him and he expects Winslow to remain with the team. The tight end hasn t spoken to the media all week and didn t practice after Monday due to the knee injury. He hasn t come to me and said that. I don t know if he s gone to [offensive coordinator] Marty [Mornhinweg] or something, said Ryan. Though Winslow s absence could hamper an offense that just cracked 30 points for the first time and will come against the capable defenses of the Patriots, Bengals and Saints Ryan said he s been thrilled with what the tight end has been able to do since earning a spot on the team and a one-year contract following June s mini-camp. What I can tell you about Kellen is he s done a tremendous job here, and he s a guy and I laughed about it I said he s a warrior. He wasn t lying when he said that. We got the famous video out of it, 10 P a g e

11 said Ryan, referring to Winslow s infamous soldier remarks that brought massive criticism upon the then-miami Hurricane. But that s him. He s a great competitor. That s what he s brought here. Without Winslow, Ryan said he doesn t think the loss of Geno Smith s leading receiver will affect the development of the rookie quarterback. In the win over Atlanta, fourth-year tight end Jeff Cumberland broke out with his best game of the season, catching three balls for 79 yards and a touchdown. [Smith s] too young to know that here s the safety valve, I think, Ryan said, referring to Winslow. [Jeremy] Kerley has caught a lot of balls, Cumberland, all these guys. Like you said before, Kellen wasn t in there every snap. We have to look at it this way: We have a really good tight end in Jeff Cumberland, and this is a guy, a young stud tight end. You look at him, he s a big guy, can block and he does a nice job receiving. He s a good player. Tight end Konrad Reuland, who has caught one pass for seven yards in his second season, will see an expanded role. Ryan said Zach Sudfeld will make his debut with the team on Sunday after being claimed off waivers from the Patriots last week. Cromartie sits during Jets practice, day after knee injury (Howie Kussoy) New York Post The Jets secondary could be their primary concern on Sunday. Top cornerback Antonio Cromartie, who hyperextended his knee as a result of a non-contact injury during Thursday s practice, did not participate in practice on Friday and is listed as questionable to play against the Steelers. He will be a game-time decision. When Cromartie s knee gave out and he fell to the ground while changing directions on a goal-line play in Thursday s practice, coach Rex Ryan immediately feared the worst. But the Jets coach said the injury does not appear to be serious. He went down and to be honest with you, it was one of those hold-your-breath type deals. I did at least, Ryan said after Friday s practice. It s unbelievable, because a guy like him who s in phenomenal shape, you re thinking he s never going to get hurt, never takes a play off and then there he is laying on the ground. Obviously, there s a big concern, but later we found out he s going to be OK. I don t know if he s going to play in this game or not, but it seems like he s going to be OK. If Cromartie is able to play, Ryan said he was unsure if the two-time Pro Bowler who rarely comes off the field would be limited. We ll give him every benefit of the doubt, Ryan said. If we think he s good to go, let s go, but if not, clearly we re not going to put him out there if he s at risk. Cromartie s potential absence puts the Jets in a more precarious position, with rookie cornerback Dee Milliner ruled out for the third straight game with a strained hamstring. The first-round pick had been hoping to play on Sunday, but said he definitely would expect to be ready for the following week s game against the Patriots. 11 P a g e

12 I m feeling better each day, Milliner said after doing some individual work at practice. It s just some tightness when I m running. When I get to a certain level when I run I feel uncomfortable, but it s been getting better each time that I ve been doing it. Ryan said Darrin Walls and Kyle Wilson will be the starting cornerbacks if Cromartie is unable to play, with Isaiah Trufant working in nickel packages. *** Wide receiver Santonio Holmes (foot/hamstring) has been ruled out for Sunday s game and tackle Oday Aboushi (knee) is listed as questionable. Steelers rookie wide receiver Markus Wheaton (finger) will not play. *** After winning the AFC Player of the Week award, quarterback Geno Smith was voted by fans as the Pepsi Next NFL Rookie of the Week. *** Jets guard Willie Colon spent his first seven seasons with the Steelers, and despite their slow start, he said he still thinks Pittsburgh s defense is one of the most dangerous in the league because of safety Troy Polamalu s unpredictability. You can t account for Troy, Colon told The Post. You better have your antennas up. He s one of football s phenomenons. There s some things you see, you re like, What did he see to make him do that? It s just his instinct. He ll forever be an enigma in that regard. All you can do to prepare for him is do your best and try and control him. The Jets plan on signing LB Troy Davis off the practice squad, according to a source. NEW YORK DAILY NEWS Jets TE Kellen Winslow gets four-game ban for violating NFL s performance-enhancing policy (Seth Walder) New York Daily News Kellen Winslow Jr. was in a cranky mood after the Jets electric win over the Falcons on Monday night. He also wasn t his usual talkative self during the week, in which he didn t appear on the practice field. Now we apparently know why. Winslow, 30, was suspended Friday by the NFL for four games for violating the league s performanceenhancing drug policy. The ban will keep him out until Monday, Nov. 4, after the Jets Week 9 game against the Saints. Winslow s suspension clarifies the curious situation that had begun unfolding around him this week. The veteran tight end, who leads the Jets with 17 receptions, was excused from practice Friday without much of an explanation from Rex Ryan. 12 P a g e

13 Winslow released a statement via his publicist. It came as a huge surprise to me when I learned that I tested positive for a banned substance, the statement read. I have investigated all possible sources since learning of the positive test, including possible medical causes, but frustratingly, I do not know the source. I do not take supplements that list any banned ingredients, but the NFL policy is very strict, so I am accountable for the results. I sincerely apologize to my teammates, coaches and Jets fans for this situation. I will work extremely hard during this time away from the field and look forward to contributing to the team as soon as the suspension ends. Winslow declined all media requests this week, which is very unusual for him. On Wednesday and Thursday, the reason listed for him missing practice was his knee. On Friday, Ryan said Winslow was excused from practice and listed as doubtful, adding that his knee had not taken a turn for the worse. The coach wouldn t elaborate on why Winslow missed practice beyond it being a non-injury. I excused him, I ll just say that, Ryan said. The coach was asked if he expects Winslow to remain a member of the team. Yes, Ryan said. The suspension will cost Winslow $197,647, according to overthecap.com. Jeff Cumberland will be the No. 1 tight end Sunday, after he and Winslow split most of the work in the first five weeks of the season. We ve got to look at it this way, we have a really good tight end in Jeff Cumberland, Ryan said Friday as he tried to shift the subject away from Winslow. The guy s a young stud tight end. Winslow played in just 19 of the team s 46 offensive snaps last week after being questionable heading into the game. Tight end Zach Sudfeld will also play now that Winslow is out, according to Ryan. Ryan said Friday he wasn t concerned that rookie quarterback Geno Smith would be losing a safety net in Winslow. One thing about playing the quarterback position, you just throw it to the open guy, Ryan said. He s too young to know that here s a safety valve. Winslow was a late addition to this Jets team after he excelled at a minicamp tryout. The Jets have placed him on a so-called pitch count for his knee, meaning he takes at least one practice off per week. Winslow played just one game for the Patriots in 2012, before he requested his release after he realized he wouldn t get much playing time. Antonio Cromartie will be a game-time decision for NY Jets on Sunday (Stephen Lorenzo) New York Daily News On Sunday, the Jets secondary might be the team s primary concern. 13 P a g e

14 Rex Ryan confirmed on Friday that cornerback Antonio Cromartie had suffered a hyperextended knee at Thursday s practice and would be a game-time decision for the Jets matchup with Pittsburgh. Ryan did say the Jets would give Cromartie every benefit of the doubt to play. He went down and to be honest with you it was one of those hold your breath type deals, Ryan said of the noncontact injury. I don t know if he ll play in this game or not, but it looks like he ll be OK. If Cromartie sits, he ll join Dee Milliner (hamstring) on the sidelines. Milliner was ruled out for Sunday after missing practice Friday. He says he is still experiencing tightness, but has improved gradually throughout the week and expects to be healed in time to play the following week against New England. Cornerbacks Kyle Wilson and Darrin Walls will be forced to pick up the slack against Pittsburgh. Wilson would slide from slot cornerback to outside cornerback if Cromartie can t go and Isaiah Trufant would play during nickel situations. While getting pressure on the quarterback has been the key to the Jets defense this season, the secondary will have to be sharp against the evasive Ben Roethlisberger. I think he biggest thing for us is being able to run with his receivers down field, Walls said. We know he extends plays and that s one of the big things that makes that team successful. The defensive line has been playing really good and that s why we re ranked so high defensively, but I think we can t really rely on them. We ve got to get our job done on the back end. MUST CLOCK BEN A banged-up secondary puts even more pressure on the Jets pass rush to get after Roethlisberger before the former Super Bowl MVP can find options down field. After finishing last season with 30 sacks tied for 25th in the NFL the Jets have 16 sacks in the first five games. We re just playing Jet football. Last year we didn t play Jet football the way we re capable of playing, Muhammad Wilkerson said. The pass rush will have their work cut out for them against Roethlisberger, who is renowned for his ability to make something out of nothing when a pocket collapses. It doesn t get us out of our game plan, Sheldon Richardson said. We ve still got to rush him, we ve still got to keep in pass rush lanes and try to get to him while he still has the ball. WR Santonio Holmes (foot/hamstring) did not practice on Friday and will not play OL Oday Aboushi (knee) was limited at practice and questionable. Jets LB Troy Davis will be added to active roster, according to a source. ESPN NEW YORK Bilal Powell lets his feet do his talking (Johnette Howard) ESPN New York FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- Third-year Jets running back Bilal Powell is not a household name. Not even close. But heading into this season, he ranked among the unsung players who had to play well if the Jets were going to get off to a surprising start. And on Sunday in Atlanta, there he was, making the run of the game after Jets quarterback Geno Smith made the call of the game -- a daring audible out of a shotgun 14 P a g e

15 pass into a handoff to Powell that was either going to cement a last-minute comeback against the Falcons or doom it. There were only 34 seconds left to play. After blowing a 13-point second-half lead, the Jets trailed by one. Powell, standing by his locker at the Jets' practice facility Thursday, smiled slightly as he recalled the situation. He admitted his first thought when Smith had the guts to change the play was: What is he doing? "It was so loud [in the Georgia Dome] I couldn't exactly hear him make the check at first," Powell said. "But then I looked at the defense and saw what Geno saw, and I thought, 'Wow. He is going to be special.' For him to make that check? In that situation? I think you can take that rookie label off him right now." Powell's next thought, once he got the handoff? That remained uncomfortable. The Jets were staring at a game-winning, 49-yard field goal attempt if they didn't gain another yard. But they didn't dare lose any yardage, either. And Falcons defensive tackle Jonathan Babineaux was running at Powell nearly untouched, threatening to blow up the play. Until Powell juked him and gained 6 yards instead. "He's always had that talent," Jets coach Rex Ryan said. Then Nick Folk remained perfect on the season by booming a 43-yard field goal as time expired. "I'm glad we had to win it this way," Ryan said repeatedly after the game. And what he meant was the Jets' all-hands-on-deck approach, the same formula they have to keep using the rest of the season, starting with their game against the winless Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday at MetLife Stadium. If the Jets (3-2) win this game, too, there won't be much room left on the bandwagon next week ahead of their rematch against New England. By now, Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger -- who already has five fumbles this season -- has no doubt noticed how Jets defensive tackle Muhammad Wilkerson stripped Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan of the ball to keep driving the talk that Wilkerson is heading for his first Pro Bowl. Smith, who played his college ball just an hour and a half from Pittsburgh at West Virginia, was a perfect 4-for-4 on the last drive against Atlanta after getting the ball at the Jets' 20 with 1:54 to play. And Powell, whose job status was unclear in the offseason after the Jets obtained Chris Ivory and Mike Goodson, tightened his grip on the starting job a little more. It wasn't the first time Powell has had to make himself noticed. If you took a team vote, Powell would probably be chosen the most introverted man on the Jets' roster. And he admitted that's funny, considering whom he plays for. "I'm not really a big talker, to tell you the truth -- and that's not him," he said with a smile about Ryan. But what Powell does say reveals how he's been constantly listening, learning, working and thinking about how he can excel at his job since he joined the Jets as a fourth-round pick out of Louisville in "One of the things that really stand out for me now, looking back," said Powell, "is when Coach Ryan first brought me in, he said, 'I don't really need anything out of you but 100 percent.' That just makes it that much easier, you know? The idea that you don't have to change who you are -- just give me your best shot. "That's what I try to do. Every day." 15 P a g e

16 Having Hall of Fame-bound back LaDainian Tomlinson as a teammate, when "I wasn't really getting any reps on offense in my rookie year," helped immeasurably too, Powell said. What was Tomlinson's advice? "Protect the quarterback. Catch the ball. Be able to run inside the tackles. Be able to run outside the tackles. Just try to do anything and everything possible to situate yourself to take advantage of every opportunity that's given you, you know? "It's just a mindset," Powell continued. "I try to learn as much of the playbook as I can. And instead of focusing on the things I'm good at, focus on my weaknesses, improve in those areas. And just take coaching. I just try to be a professional every day." It shows. A less astute back might've frozen in the situation Powell found himself in against Atlanta: Game on the line. No room for error. A surprise audible from your rookie quarterback. The ball in your hands and a defensive tackle in your face with the crowd howling. But Powell's mental sharpness has always been impressive. Ryan said, "I remember [running backs coach] Anthony Lynn telling me he came into a game -- I believe we were playing Denver -- [and] as a rookie, he had no mental mistakes. He's just one of those type of guys." Ryan likes Powell's heart, too. By training camp, Powell was projected as no better than the third-string back on the Jets' roster. But Goodson got arrested and suspended. Ivory got hurt. Joe McKnight got cut. And a message Ryan said he always delivers to the team came true again. "I just mentioned to the guys again today how you can think you're on practice squad one minute and you might be starting the next," Ryan said Thursday. "[Powell] is a guy that took this to heart and was there, ready to go." Later, by his locker, Powell did finally admit after some prodding that he was "a bit" of a hit earlier this week in the Jets' running back meetings. When he and the others sat down as a group to watch video of the Atlanta game, there he was again -- escaping Babineaux, making the most of Smith's willingness to put the game in his hands, making Folk's game-winning kick a 43-yarder instead of, say, a 55-yarder. "It got complimented," Powell allowed. "Everybody said it was kind of a critical situation. But... " Yes? "As a running back, that's what I'm supposed to do," he added, his voice barely above a whisper. Powell may indeed be the quietest man on the Jets. But he keeps proving there are a lot of ways in the NFL to get noticed. Kellen Winslow hit with 4-game ban (Kieran Darcy) ESPN New York FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- New York Jets tight end Kellen Winslow has been suspended four games by the NFL for violating the league's policy on performance-enhancing substances. 16 P a g e

17 Winslow, who has a team-high 17 receptions for 169 yards and two touchdowns, will miss games against Pittsburgh, New England, Cincinnati and New Orleans. He'll be eligible to return to the Jets on Nov. 4, the day after the Jets host the Saints. Winslow was suspended without pay, meaning he will lose $197,647 in salary. In a statement from his publicist, Winslow apologized and said the news "came as a huge surprise." "I have investigated all possible sources since learning of the positive test, including possible medical causes, but frustratingly, I do not know the source," Winslow said in the statement. "I do not take supplements that list any banned ingredients, but the NFL policy is very strict, so I am accountable for the results. "I sincerely apologize to my teammates, coaches and Jets fans for this situation. I will work extremely hard during this time away from the field and look forward to contributing to the team as soon as the suspension ends." The news was announced two hours after coach Rex Ryan's early afternoon news conference. Winslow was excused from practice on Friday morning, and was listed as doubtful on the team's official injury report. When asked for further information, Ryan was evasive. "I'd rather not get into it," the coach said. "I excused him, I'll just say that." The Jets signed Winslow to a one-year contract in June, following a three-day tryout. The 30-year-old was looking to resurrect his career, after playing in just one game last season, for the New England Patriots. After he was signed, Winslow said his goal was to catch 100 passes this year. Winslow was the sixth overall pick in the 2004 draft by the Cleveland Browns, and made the Pro Bowl in 2007, when he had 82 catches for a career-high 1,106 yards and five touchdowns. But he has also worn out his welcome in multiple places, being traded away by the Browns and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and subsequently released by the Seattle Seahawks and Patriots. He has also been injury prone. Winslow broke his right leg just two games into his rookie season, and tore the ACL in his right knee in a motorcycle crash a year later. He's had multiple surgeries on that knee, and the Jets have been managing his practice time because of them. Winslow is the second Jets player suspended by the NFL this season. Running back Mike Goodson was also banned four games for violating the NFL's policy and program for substances of abuse. Without Winslow, the Jets will lean more heavily on tight end Jeff Cumberland, a four-year veteran who had three catches for a career-high 79 yards and a touchdown in a win against the Atlanta Falcons on Monday night. Ryan praised Cumberland on Monday, before the announcement of Winslow's suspension. "This is a guy who's a young stud tight end," Ryan said. "He's a big guy, can block, and he does a nice job receiving. So he's a good player." The Jets also have Konrad Reuland and Zach Sudfeld at that position. Reuland had 11 catches for 83 yards last season as a rookie, and has one catch this year. Sudfeld, an undrafted rookie, was claimed off waivers from the Patriots last week, and Ryan said he would play if Winslow could not. Jets' Antonio Cromartie questionable (Kieran Darcy) ESPN New York 17 P a g e