NEW YORK JETS DAILY CLIPS. November 27, 2015 Table of Contents

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1 NEW YORK JETS DAILY CLIPS November 27, 2015 Table of Contents ASSOCIATED PRESS... 1 Gailey searches for consistency, execution from Jets offense (Dennis Waszak)... 1 NEWSDAY... 3 Ryan Fitzpatrick, Todd Bowles making trims to help Jets improve (Kimberley A. Martin)... 3 Jets' Chan Gailey confident Devin Smith can bounce back (Kimberley A. Martin)... 4 THE RECORD... 5 Jets rookie Mauldin feeling at home in NFL (J.P. Pelzman)... 5 ESPN NEW YORK... 6 Emerson Boozer's last run: Scores place in Jets' Ring of Honor (Rich Cimini)... 6 New York Jets' Black Friday shopping list includes 'Bonnie & Clyde' movie (Rich Cimini)... 7 Thanksgiving a turkey day for Jets -- no ifs, ands and butts (Rich Cimini)... 8 NEW YORK POST... 9 The one person who helped Jets Devin Smith get over drop funk (Brian Costello)... 9 Bryce Petty takes cues from Fitzpatrick while at the ready to replace him (Mark Cannizzaro) Jets Mangold takes 1st step to return as Revis in doubt (Brian Costello) NJ ADVANCE MEDIA Miami Dolphins-Jets matchups to watch, including Brent Grimes vs. Brandon Marshall (Dom Cosentino) Darrelle Revis still absent, Nick Mangold snaps Jets-Miami Dolphins Thanksgiving injury report (Darryl Slater) 13 NEW YORK DAILY NEWS Jets CB Darrelle Revis sits out again, long shot for Dolphins (Seth Walder) Same Old Jets? Gang Green changing for the better under Todd Bowles, Mike Maccagnan (Manish Mehta) THURSDAY S SPORTS TRANSACTIONS ASSOCIATED PRESS Gailey searches for consistency, execution from Jets offense (Dennis Waszak) Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) Chan Gailey repeated a couple of buzz words that summed up what the New York Jets are searching for from their struggling offense. Consistency is one. Execution is the other. 1 P a g e

2 A day after coach Todd Bowles talked about the Jets going back to basics "algebra" instead of "trigonometry" Gailey echoed his sentiments while breaking down the focus this week as New York prepares for Miami. "I think we have to just try to execute our base stuff," the offensive coordinator said during a conference call Thursday. Sounds simple enough, right? But both Gailey and Bowles acknowledged that the Jets have perhaps tried to get a little too creative with things as defenses have zeroed in on what they're running. The end result has been a ton of slow starts, halftime deficits and trying to come from behind. For the Jets, that's added up to four losses in their last five games. "Maybe if we get back to just our base offense and things we've been working on since training camp, hopefully our execution will be better and we can start faster," Gailey said. "That's the goal." When the Jets opened the season 4-1, the running game powered the offense. Chris Ivory got off to the best start of his career, rushing for 460 yards and four touchdowns in his first four games. He didn't play in one game because of a quadriceps injury, but is healthy now yet, he hasn't topped 100 yards since last month and has only two touchdowns in that span. Injuries on the line and inconsistency all around have contributed to the team's struggles. "We try to run it every week," Gailey said. "If we can run it, we're going to run it. That's just what I believe in and what we want to do with our football team is run the football. But when you don't have early success, the situation dictates that you can't run it as much as you'd like, and it pushes you away from it a little bit." Sluggish starts have been a factor. The Jets have had to punt on each of their first two possessions in the last two games against Buffalo and Houston, and on each of their first drives in the last three games. "The key has been consistent execution in all phases: running the ball, throwing the ball, pass protection all of those things," Gailey said. Again, it all sounds very elementary. But Gailey doesn't necessarily think the move away from the basics in offense is solely to blame. Rather, it's simply more about not being able to execute. New York has tried to switch some things up, as all teams do, to keep defenses off balance. Instead, the Jets have been the ones struggling for answers. Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick has shouldered a good chunk of the blame, saying he hasn't been as sharp as he needs to be. His 11 interceptions rank him sixth in the NFL, and four have come in the last two games two each in the losses to the Bills and Texans. Fitzpatrick is also tied for 26th in completions of 40 or more yards, with just four all season. The Jets have tried to take shots downfield more often in recent games, but there have been few connections for significant plays. Rookie Devin Smith, the team's second-round draft pick, has not yet been able to establish himself as a consistent vertical threat. "Sometimes, earlier in the year, we were able to make some bigger plays earlier in ballgames and it got us off on the right foot," Gailey said. "That doesn't mean we're going to be bombs away and wait for a big play to jumpstart us. We've got to go jumpstart ourselves and not wait on a big play to jumpstart us." NOTES: CB Darrelle Revis remained sidelined as he recovers from a concussion that could cause him to miss Sunday's game. Safety Dion Bailey (ankle) also sat out.... C Nick Mangold, who needed six or seven 2 P a g e

3 stitches to close a deep gash in his right hand Sunday, took a few snaps at practice. He was limited Thursday after not participating in team drills Wednesday. "He didn't look any worse for the wear out there," Gailey said. "I don't know if that's exactly the bandage or whatever you want to call it that he'll use in the game, but what he had on today allowed him to go out there and be fairly effective."... WR Brandon Marshall (toe) was a full participant after being limited Wednesday. NEWSDAY Ryan Fitzpatrick, Todd Bowles making trims to help Jets improve (Kimberley A. Martin) Newsday FLORHAM PARK, N.J. - The Jets are scaling things down -- in more ways than one. In an attempt to shake things up and start anew, Ryan Fitzpatrick made his own personal sacrifice this week. He decided to bid adieu to his trademark bushy beard. "It seemed like it was time," said the starting quarterback, who turned 33 on Tuesday. "Switch up the mojo a little bit. "I was going to make a funny joke about Rex Ryan, but I'm not going to," he added, referring to the former Jets coach who said Fitzpatrick wasn't "a real handsome kid" and called the quarterback's beard "disappointing." After some playful prodding by reporters, however, Fitzpatrick obliged. "OK, I will," he said, smiling. "This is what I was going to open with: 'Well, after the last few games, I decided that I just need to look in the mirror and figure out what I can do better and when I looked in the mirror, I realized Rex was correct, and I was pretty ugly and I think this is a better look for me right now.'" It was a lighthearted moment in a string of frustrating days for the Jets, who are on the brink of a freefall. Losing four of the past five games hasn't shaken their resolve or lessened their confidence. But at 5-5, they're under no illusions about their predicament. Something needs to change with this team. And fast. Ten games into the season, they're regressing, not improving. But coach Todd Bowles has a solution for his struggling team -- mathematics. "We probably tried to go to trigonometry when we should have stayed with algebra," he said. "And I think we're getting back to basics." What does that mean exactly? "Algebra was running the ball, throwing it when we can, play-action and doing the things we need to do and playing the right type of football and playing complementary football," Bowles said. "And so we're trying to get back to that." After starting 4-1, the coaches tried to get "more creative" on both sides of the ball, he said. But that came at a price, especially on offense. The Jets are 14th in scoring (23.4), 19th in passing offense (239.2 yards), and 14th in rushing (112 yards). Said Bowles: "It gets to a point where it's too creative and you've got to... get back to basics and get your feet back under you." 3 P a g e

4 Fitzpatrick agreed: "I think we try to complicate things too much at times and you almost end up outsmarting yourself... We're going to play to our strengths and do what we're good at and not try to be too cute." Math wasn't the only analogy used to describe the Jets' wayward offense. "It's just like basketball," receiver Brandon Marshall said. "When you're three-pointer is off, you've just gotta go to the bucket... Our jumper has been off and we've just gotta get back to driving and getting to the foul line... hitting some free throws." Jets' Chan Gailey confident Devin Smith can bounce back (Kimberley A. Martin) Newsday Devin Smith's recent struggles may have shaken his confidence, but the Jets still believe in the rookie receiver. "I haven't lost confidence in him,'' offensive coordinator Chan Gailey said on a conference call after Thursday's practice. "I've just got to make sure that he's got confidence in himself.'' Smith, a second-round draft pick, dropped a potential touchdown pass in last week's loss at Houston. He also was the intended receiver on one of two fourth-quarter interceptions thrown by Ryan Fitzpatrick. It was the latest stumble for the former Ohio State speedster, who missed offseason workouts because of the birth of his first child and later was sidelined for most of training camp with a rib injury. After the loss to the Texans, receivers coach Karl Dorrell and wideout Brandon Marshall spent several minutes talking to Smith. "After the game he was hurt, which you expect,'' Gailey said. But Smith bounced back this week and "he's gone back to work,'' Gailey said. "So that's been a positive.'' Gailey said Smith has been more focused in practice and "doing the little things a lot better.'' "He had a rough game last week, and I think that as time goes on, he'll end up being a good player. But right now, we've got to get his confidence back. That's the biggest thing. "We've got to keep letting him have the opportunity. The biggest thing is, he was open. You know? If he's open, he'll eventually catch it. And I think he just needs to get his confidence back.'' Gailey also highlighted the importance of getting back to basics on offense, which coach Todd Bowles stressed Wednesday. "You try to get some things going in some different areas at times... because you think sometimes they're zeroing in on what you're doing,'' Gailey said, "and maybe if we just get back to our base offense and things we've been working on since training camp, hopefully our execution will be better and we can start faster. That's the goal.'' The offense's success is tied primarily to its efficiency in the running game, so it's no surprise that during the Jets' 1-4 streak, featured back Chris Ivory has averaged only 44 rushing yards a game. 4 P a g e

5 "If we can run it, we're going to run it,'' Gailey said. "That's just what I believe in and what we want to do. But when you don't have early success, then the situation in the game dictates you can't run it as much as you'd like, so it pushes you away from it a little bit. "We're trying to make sure we execute properly so that we can have better early success and we can stay with it longer.'' Notes & quotes: Cornerback Darrelle Revis (concussion) again did not practice, and it's looking more and more unlikely that he'll be able to suit up against Miami... Gailey said center Nick Mangold (lacerated hand) took limited snaps, adding: "That was positive. He didn't look any worse for the wear out there.'' THE RECORD Jets rookie Mauldin feeling at home in NFL (J.P. Pelzman) The Record November 27, ?page=all Unlike most people, Lorenzo Mauldin didn t sit down at a familiar Thanksgiving table every year. Mauldin, a Jets rookie outside linebacker, spent time in 16 different foster homes while growing up because both of his parents were in prison at various times. Still, it s a special day for him, even though he has celebrated it with so many different people in his lifetime. "I ve had Thanksgivings with many families," Mauldin said Wednesday after practice at the Jets Atlantic Health training facility in Florham Park. Players were not made available to the media Thursday. "I ve seen different cultures," he added. "I ve seen different ways of [celebrating] Thanksgiving. I ve always been a thankful person because of where God has put me." He was especially looking forward to his first Thanksgiving as an NFL player, because he was planning on spending it with his girlfriend, Tiara. "I can start my own [Thanksgiving] tradition," he said, "based off the traditions that I ve encountered. I m glad to start my own tradition and hopefully, later on down the line, I can have a family and carry on that tradition." Mauldin, a third-round draft pick, had two sacks in a win over Jacksonville on Nov. 8, but has none other than those. Still, coach Todd Bowles sees plenty of upside in the young pass-rusher. "He s fast enough" to come off the edge, Bowles said Wednesday. "He s getting more snaps as he goes. I think he ll be a very good pass rusher. "He s got to learn some things. Obviously, he s got a lot to learn about the game. As a pass-rusher, I think he s got potential." So what must Mauldin do to improve? "It comes with every rookie," Bowles said. "He s got to learn the mental part of the game. It s not just a pass-rush thing. There s a whole bunch of things that go into it." 5 P a g e

6 Mauldin said Bowles is correct. "Right now I m still in the learning curve," Mauldin said. "Physically, I have the speed. Mentally, I don t. I feel like I ve learned a lot with [outside linebackers] coach Mark Collins helping me out a lot. [I m] learning what I need to do when it comes to down and distance." BRIEFS: Offensive coordinator Chan Gailey agreed with Bowles pronouncement Wednesday that the Jets must get "back to basics." Gailey said in a conference call Thursday that, first and foremost, the team must run the ball effectively to be successful on offense. "We try to run it every week," Gailey said. "If we can run it, we re going to run it. That s just what I believe in and what we want to do with our football team is run the football. "But when you don t have early success [in a game], the situation dictates that you can t run it as much as you d like, and it pushes you away from it a little bit." Gailey added, "We have taken more [downfield] shots lately. The bottom line is we haven t hit those shots. We ve come close, but we haven t hit them." Rookie speedster Devin Smith dropped a perfect deep pass from Ryan Fitzpatrick in the loss to Houston. Had he caught it, it would have been a touchdown. "If he s open, he ll eventually catch it," Gailey said of Smith. "I haven t lost confidence in him. I ve just got to make sure he keeps confidence in himself." C Nick Mangold wore a wrap on his mending right hand in practice after sitting out Wednesday. Gailey said Mangold was "fairly effective" snapping the ball in limited tries. CB Darrelle Revis (concussion) again didn t practice. ESPN NEW YORK Emerson Boozer's last run: Scores place in Jets' Ring of Honor (Rich Cimini) ESPN New York November 27, When Emerson Boozer arrived in 1966, the New York Jets already had Joe Namath, Don Maynard and Matt Snell -- a strong and young nucleus. What they lacked was a dynamic presence in the backfield. "I was probably the last piece," Boozer said last week in a phone interview. "They needed a breakaway back and I provided that." Yes, he did. It finally came together in 1968 and they became the Jets' one and only forever team -- Super Bowl III champions. On Sunday, Boozer will be inducted into the Jets' Ring of Honor, joining former '68 teammates Namath, Maynard, Winston Hill, Larry Grantham, Gerry Philbin and the late coach Weeb Ewbank in the franchise's elite fraternity. Fittingly, Snell, Boozer's old backfield mate, will be inducted, too, but he's not expected to attend the halftime ceremony. Snell, embittered with the franchise for at least 30 years, told ESPN.com last week he won't show up. 6 P a g e

7 That won't spoil Boozer's day. In many ways, he's the anti-snell. He's devoted to his old team, frequently participating in alumni events in the New York area. Boozer, 72, settled on Long Island after his playing days and he lives in Huntington Station. He retired 11 years ago after serving as his town's director of parks and recreation for 20 years. His name might not be instantly recognizable to the younger generation of Jets fans, but the older crowd knows all about him. You hear the name "Boozer" and it's impossible not to think of the late 1960s and early 1970s teams. "His hit-and-spin was unbelievable," said John Schmitt, who played center on the Super Bowl team. "He'd run full speed to the hole and, if there was no room, he'd spin out and keep his feet going. His spinning was amazing. He was great." Boozer said he learned that move in high school, back in his native Georgia. His old high school coach taught him how to roll off a block and find the open area. It served him well. "I helped me my entire football life," he said. "It was one of my patented moves, especially when there was no place to go." Boozer is the third-leading rusher in team history (5,135 yards), behind Hall of Famer Curtis Martin and Freeman McNeil, both members of the Ring of Honor. Boozer had a nose for the end zone. Among nonkickers, he's the third leading scorer in team history (65 touchdowns), trailing only Hall of Famer Maynard and Wesley Walker, another Ring member. Boozer, Snell and Bill Mathis formed a potent backfield in the Super Bowl season. In particular, Boozer and Snell became synonymous with the Jets' rushing attack. Snell was power, Boozer was speed. "We were a headache for a lot of defensive coordinators," Boozer said. "They knew we could pound the ball. Those defensive linemen and linebackers, they had to buckle their chin straps. They knew we were coming full force. That's the way I played, that's the way Matt played." They were a great tandem, Boozer and Snell. They should be side by side to hear the cheers one last time, but it will be a single-back formation on Sunday. The missing piece won't be missing.. New York Jets' Black Friday shopping list includes 'Bonnie & Clyde' movie (Rich Cimini) ESPN New York A shipment of energy drinks for Chris Ivory: The Jets need him to stay healthy and fresh because, quite simply, he s the key to the stretch run. When Ivory gets at least 20 carries in a game, the Jets are 4-0. When he s under 20 carries, they re 1-4. (He missed one game because of injury.) Ivory is only 34 carries shy of his career high for a season (198), so soon he will be in uncharted territory. His physical style of running takes a toll on his body, but he can t afford any slippage. The Jets need him to take the pressure off QB Ryan Fitzpatrick, who's at his best when he s throwing less than 35 times per game. The more Chris Ivory touches the ball, the better the outcome for the Jets. Al Bello/Getty Images A DVD of the most recent Bonnie & Clyde movie: This is a gift for the defense. Why? Because it needs to be reminded of how great thieves operate. So much of the Jets success is predicated on stealing the football. Sometimes they re very good, sometimes they re very bad. In their five wins, the Jets have 18 7 P a g e

8 takeaways -- impressive. In their four losses, they have only two. Takeaways are paramount for the Jets because of their style of play. The offense, which lacks explosiveness, functions best when it s operating on a short field. It s up to the defense to provide that; it s called complementary football. So sit back, have some popcorn and enjoy the movie, fellas. A sequel to the Wells report: The Jets could use some unexpected, incriminating evidence to emerge regarding Tom Brady and Deflategate. A secret witness, perhaps? The way Brady is playing, dismantling opponents with his better-than-ever passing, the Jets have no shot in the AFC. The same probably could be said for every team in the conference. The Jets host the Patriots on Dec. 27 in what figures to be a massively important game for New York's playoff hopes. The ideal Christmas gift would be a start by Jimmy Garoppolo. Impossible, you say? Probably, but the Jets can always wish for a Christmas miracle. Thanksgiving a turkey day for Jets -- no ifs, ands and butts (Rich Cimini) ESPN New York FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- The New York Jets aren't steeped in Thanksgiving history. Unfortunately, their most memorable moments on the holiday are the infamous kind. They involve the rear end -- the human and equine varieties. We're talking about the Butt Fumble and the "horses' asses" speech. In fact, this Thanksgiving is the 20th anniversary of the latter. The late Leon Hess made it a Thanksgiving tradition to watch practice and say a few words to the team -- one of the few times each year he made it out to the team's old facility on Long Island. He was a handsoff owner, all right. On Nov. 23, 1995, with the team spiraling toward another disastrous season, Hess made his Thanksgiving visit and addressed the troops. The players gathered around him on a grassy knoll, and the then-81-yearold Hess showed his salty side. The team was 2-9 and was coming off a two-point loss -- a sign it hadn't quit under new coach Rich Kotite. "Let's go out with dignity," the billionaire oil man growled, "and show 'em we're not a bunch of horses' asses." Reporters overheard the speech, and Hess' words were plastered across the back pages of the city's tabloids. If Twitter had been in existence, Hess would've been trending. Shockingly, the Jets traveled to Seattle that weekend and upset the Seahawks. Everybody credited Hess's fiery pep talk. A turnaround for the team? Not exactly. They proceeded to lose 19 of the next 20 games, and that was the end of Kotite, culminating the darkest period in franchise history. Seventeen years after the Hess speech, the Jets encountered a different kind of backside. On Nov. 22, 2012, they found themselves trapped in another disappointing season. They played the New England Patriots on Thanksgiving night, hoping to pull an upset, improve to 5-6 and get back into the playoff race. None of that happened. Everything unraveled in a matter of seconds -- the game, the season and careers. 8 P a g e

9 The Jets allowed three touchdowns in a span of 52 seconds, one wacky play after another -- an 83-yard touchdown pass, a 32-yard fumble return and a 22-yard return on a mid-air fumble on a kickoff. It was the middle play that became known as the Butt Fumble, when quarterback Mark Sanchez -- on an aborted handoff -- ran into the behind of right guard Brandon Moore. Sanchez was knocked backward with such force that he lost the ball. Steve Gregory, a New York native, made the scoop-and-score for the Patriots. In 30 years of covering the NFL, it was the most bizarre sequence of events I've ever seen on a field. The Butt Fumble was more than a play, it was a phenomenon. It became an ESPN staple consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the "Not Top 10" highlights. It also was remembered in song, thanks to Adam Sandler. The play also has its own Wikipedia page. The downside is that two good people, Moore and Sanchez, will be linked in infamy by the play. Sports can be cruel that way. Maybe, one of these years, the Jets will reverse their Thanksgiving karma. In the meantime, enjoy the day, your family and the football. NEW YORK POST The one person who helped Jets Devin Smith get over drop funk (Brian Costello) New York Post November 27, Devin Smith replayed the pass in his head for the entire trip home from Houston. The would-be 46-yard touchdown pass from Ryan Fitzpatrick, the ball hitting his hands then the ball hitting the turf. The Jets rookie wide receiver beat himself up until he got home and saw his 5-month-old son, Devin Jr. When I got home to see my son, I just kind of forgot about the whole thing, Smith said. That is what his teammates and coaches are encouraging him to do. It has been a rough rookie season for Smith, who the Jets drafted in the second round out of Ohio State. Broken ribs sidelined him for nearly all of training camp, costing him valuable time. When he returned, he had to play immediately and has been learning on the job. Over the past two weeks, he fumbled a kickoff return that was returned for a touchdown by the Bills, then had two drops against the Texans, one coming on the sure touchdown. Smith has just seven catches this year and has yet to score. Despite all that, Smith said he has not lost his confidence. I m good, Smith said. At the end of the day, it s football. Things happen in the game. Me, being the person I am, I m just going to move forward, forget about that and keep working. Fellow wide receivers Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker have been encouraging Smith to move on from the drop on Sunday and just concentrate on what lies ahead. We expect him to come down with that, but he didn t, Marshall said. But when you lose or you make a bad play, you can t put your head down and when you make a good play you can t hang from the rafters. You ve got to balance yourself out. It s a long game. It s a long season. If you lose your confidence and you stop believing in yourself, you re done. You may as well retire. 9 P a g e

10 Marshall said the situation with Smith reminds him of Alshon Jeffery with the Bears. Jeffery also dealt with injuries as a rookie and was not as productive as expected. Then, he exploded in his second season. Smith s season got derailed when he broke his ribs and could not learn the lessons a rookie needs to in the preseason. He returned in Week 3 against the Eagles and played most of the game with Decker sidelined. He got thrown into the deep end fast, Marshall said. He just hasn t been able to make that one play. But comparing him from the first half of the season to now is night and day. I think the last couple of weeks he has been getting into a groove in practice. You re seeing a better Devin in meetings and practice, taking things we re saying in the film room and transitioning to the field. Decker said the Jets have seen Smith make big plays in practice, now it is a matter of bringing it to the games. There s a lot of playmaking ability potential there, Decker said. It s now finding the consistency. That s something where I think missing training camp, missing three or four weeks when he was injured, that all factors into not getting all the repetition and experience that you need as a rookie. It s going to come for him. We re going to need him to make a big play in one of these games coming up. Coach Todd Bowles was critical of Smith after the game Sunday, saying all of the rookies need to stop playing like rookies. On Wednesday, Bowles was more positive when asked about Smith. Devin played a lot faster this game, Bowles said. The results didn t show, but I thought he did some very good things this ball game. I just look forward to him getting better. Bowles said Smith will have a similar role this week against the Dolphins as he had against the Texans. Smith said he is confident when the ball comes his way next time, he will redeem himself. I ve made that play so many times, Smith said of his thoughts on the drop. Whenever I get another opportunity, just make the play. Bryce Petty takes cues from Fitzpatrick while at the ready to replace him (Mark Cannizzaro) New York Post The education of Bryce Petty has been a slow, steady process. Where exactly it leads and when we get to see the Jets fourth-round draft pick quarterback out of Baylor, fans are fascinated to see. The way this Jets season is trending entering Sunday s game against the Dolphins at MetLife Stadium (four losses in the past five games), we could see Petty under center faster than anyone imagined. The faster the Jets fade from relevancy in the AFC wild-card chase, the sooner we might see Petty play. But, for all of the curiosity that exists about how good the kid might be, his presence in a game represents a worst-case scenario, because it would mean either starter Ryan Fitzpatrick is injured or the Jets have been eliminated from playoff contention. 10 P a g e

11 By several accounts that of Fitzpatrick, who has become the best veteran mentor Petty could have asked for, and of Petty himself the rookie has made significant progress as this season has played on despite not having played in a game yet. The Jets plan for Petty has been to take it slowly and let him learn without being force-fed, which is a sound plan considering how raw his skills are having played in a one-read spread offense in college and not having been exposed to reading defenses. It s a nice luxury to be able to sit back and learn, but at some point you ve also got to be thrown in there, Fitzpatrick told The Post. Unfortunately for a lot of young guys, they ve been thrown in there before they re ready, and that either kills confidence or hurts their careers. Bryce is a guy that kind of understands his role, but he s not satisfied with it. He wants to be out there playing, as a competitor. But he also understands that there s a lot that he needs to learn. He s been doing a good job of that, and the last four practices are probably the best he s thrown the ball since he s been here. Petty recalled the Jets loss to the Raiders last month as a turning point for him, because when Fitzpatrick went down in that game with a left thumb injury and his status was in question the following week, Petty suddenly became the next man in the next-man-up scenario. I was like, Holy [cow], I might have to play, Petty told The Post. I d been serious about my preparation before that, but that got me more focused. Petty s daily internal battle is balancing his burning desire to play and contribute with understanding his role and making the most out of it. It s about understanding your role, but then understanding, too, that you can get something out of everything that you do, he said. Some guys take that quote-unquote red-shirt year and just do whatever with it. But for me, I try to get something out of what I m doing. And the last couple of weeks it s been even more so. It hurts Petty not to play, but he has the confidence that his time will come and when it does, he can be the Jets future quarterback. The toughest thing about being a backup quarterback is the fact that there is no sense of contributing to the team wins, losses, tough losses, tough wins, he said. Those moments that as you look around the locker room after a game you see everybody celebrating a win or hurting because they lost there s a part of that that you don t get because there was nothing that you did to contribute to the win or trying to help in a loss. That s the tough part about where I m at, because you can t do anything about it. What Petty can do and does on a daily basis is take full advantage of Fitzpatrick s knowledge. Though Fitzpatrick s focus is on beating the Dolphins and keeping the Jets playoff hopes alive, even he acknowledges his curiosity to see what Petty has when he gets his chance to play. I am extremely invested in Bryce s career, Fitzpatrick said. With [Fitzpatrick] watching film with me and us getting together on Tuesdays and game-planning together, I can tell you that I would feel confident playing right now, Petty said. There are so many guys that are not like that guys who maybe had to learn on their own so they just feel like everyone should learn it on their own, too. 11 P a g e

12 Fitz isn t like that. It s a pay-it-forward kind of deal. Hopefully, if I have the career that he s had I can do that for somebody else. Jets Mangold takes 1st step to return as Revis in doubt (Brian Costello) New York Post It looks like the Jets will be without cornerback Darrelle Revis against the Dolphins this week, but they could have center Nick Mangold. Revis, who suffered a concussion in Sunday s loss to the Texans, was not at practice Thursday, making it extremely unlikely he will recover in time for Sunday. Mangold, who sustained a deep cut on his right hand that required stitches, did practice on a limited basis and was able to snap the ball. He didn t look any worse for the wear out there, offensive coordinator Chan Gailey said on a conference call with reporters. I don t know if that s exactly the bandage, or whatever you want to call it, that he ll use in the game, but what he had on today allowed him to go out there and be fairly effective. We limited his snaps today so we didn t take the chance of getting it banged up even more. Mangold has been in and out of the Jets lineup in recent weeks because of neck and hand injuries. The offense has suffered with him off the field. If Revis does not play, the Jets could start Marcus Williams or Buster Skrine in his place. NJ ADVANCE MEDIA 3 Miami Dolphins-Jets matchups to watch, including Brent Grimes vs. Brandon Marshall (Dom Cosentino) NJ Advance Media November 27, A quick breakdown of three individual matchups that could sway the outcome in Sunday's Dolphins-Jets game, which kicks off at 1 p.m. at MetLife Stadium. Jets WR Brandon Marshall vs. Dolphins CB Brent Grimes Grimes, the Dolphins' top corner, sprained his knee in the first quarter of the teams' first meeting last month in London. But he's been back for several weeks, and he'll be tasked with taking away Marshall, whose production has slipped in recent weeks as teams continue to double him. Marshall had burned Grimes for three catches and 89 yards in a matter of minutes out in London. Look for the Dolphins to give Grimes some help and to dare the Jets to have someone other than Marshall or Decker beat them. It's worked for a lot of other teams of late. Jets RG Brian Winters vs. Dolphins DT Ndamukong Suh 12 P a g e

13 Winters more than held his own in the London game, when he was a temporary fill-in for Willie Colon. But with Colon now on injured reserve, the job is Winter's the rest of the way, and the task this week is Suh, who's playing much better than he did at the time of the London game, after which the Dolphins fired head coach Joe Philbin. Also important will be whether center Nick Mangold (hand) plays. The Jets have lost four of five, and they've been without an injured Mangold for much of that time, perhaps not coincidentally. Jets CB Marcus Williams or Buster Skrine vs. Dolphins WR Jarvis Landry In the London game last month, Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis shadowed Landry, even in the slot. Landry caught just one pass on Revis for two yards, per Pro Football Focus. (Landry had four catches total that day, for 40 yards.) But Revis hasn't practiced all week because of a concussion, so it's safe to say he won't play. Jets head coach Todd Bowles said Williams or Skrine would fill in. The questions are whether the Jets will have either of them guard Landry no matter what, or if cornerback Antonio Cromartie takes Landry, or if the Jets mix it up, or if they play some zone to compensate for Revis' absence. Darrelle Revis still absent, Nick Mangold snaps Jets-Miami Dolphins Thanksgiving injury report (Darryl Slater) NJ Advance Media incart_river_index The Jets practiced Thursday, even though it is Thanksgiving, as they prepare for Sunday's game against the Dolphins. Before we get to the Thursday injury report, here is a look at Wednesday's. And here is the Thursday report, along with some thoughts on what it means: Jets Did not practice: CB Darrelle Revis (concussion), S Dion Bailey (ankle) Limited in practice: C Nick Mangold (hand) Full practice participation: TE Kellen Davis (hand), WR Brandon Marshall (toe), OLB Calvin Pace (toe), DE Sheldon Richardson (hamstring), CB Buster Skrine (shoulder), CB Marcus Williams (knee), ILB Demario Davis (ribs), WR Devin Smith (foot), WR Eric Decker (knee), QB Ryan Fitzpatrick (left thumb), P Ryan Quigley (right knee) Dolphins Did not practice: OT Ja'Wuan James (toe), LB Chris McCain (hip) Limited in practice: S Walt Aikens (ankle), LB Jelani Jenkins (ankle), WR Jarvis Landry (knee), CB Brice McCain (knee), LB Koa Misi (abdomen), LB Spencer Paysinger (neck), LB Kelvin Shephard (hamstring) Full practice participation: OT Branden Albert (not injury related), RB Jay Ayaji (elbow), S Reshad Jones (pectoral) 13 P a g e

14 Analysis It looks like Revis won't play Sunday. He was not even at practice Thursday, according to a pool report provided by the New York Post's Brian Costello. Mangold participated in position drills and did shotgun snaps to quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick a sign of progress for Mangold, who appears to have a decent chance of playing Sunday. Revis and Mangold were both sidelined at Wednesday's practice. Both players were hurt in Sunday's loss at the Texans. Revis entered the NFL's post-concussion assessment protocol. Mangold sustained a deep gash to his right (snapping) hand that required seven stitches. Revis hasn't missed a game since a season-ending knee injury limited him to two games in 2012 with the Jets. Mangold has missed just four games in his 10-year career, including one earlier this season, due to a neck muscle injury. Wesley Johnson replaced Mangold in that game, and in Houston. Jets coach Todd Bowles did not address reporters Thursday, because of the holiday. He will speak about the final injury report, as usual, on Friday. Davis returned to practice Thursday after missing Wednesday due to a personal issue. Bailey was at practice, but didn't have his helmet with him. Expect Bailey, a backup, to miss Sunday's game. NEW YORK DAILY NEWS Jets CB Darrelle Revis sits out again, long shot for Dolphins (Seth Walder) New York Daily News November 25, Darrelle Revis (concussion) missed his second straight practice on Thursday, making it even more unlikely the star cornerback will play for the Jets against the Dolphins Sunday. Nick Mangold participated in positional drills and practiced some shotgun snaps with Ryan Fitzpatrick, a good sign for his availability. Mangold officially was a limited participant in practice. Same Old Jets? Gang Green changing for the better under Todd Bowles, Mike Maccagnan (Manish Mehta) New York Daily News The Jets midseason swoon has sparked irritated fans to lose any semblance of rational thought and common sense. Some predictably have dusted off the most annoying mantra in pro sports: Same Old Jets. It s the masochists rallying cry, a stupid phrase and crutch for the frustrated. S.O.J. is nonsense. 14 P a g e

15 The 5-5 Jets, losers of four of the last five entering Sunday s game against the Dolphins, might not be Super Bowl bound, but the football gods haven t cursed this franchise. The coaching staff and new front office deserve a chance to navigate through their first season together without being anchored by a strange ritual bonding their disgruntled followers. It s not the Same Old Jets, cornerback Antonio Cromartie told the Daily News. There s nothing the same here from my first go-round. It s a whole different mentality having Todd (Bowles) here. We re going to get things turned around and get it done the right way. Patience is a four-letter word in the NFL universe, but general manager Mike Maccagnan and Bowles should have an opportunity to lay the proper foundation to help the organization reach the promised land for the first time in nearly a half century. Neither Rome nor a roster left barren by a glorified accountant was built in a day. The Jets have already exceeded last year s four-win total before Thanksgiving. The team s 4-1 start to the season raised expectations and masked some obvious deficiencies. The playoffs are still possible, but it s important not to lose sight of the bigger picture: A true culture change doesn t happen in 11 weeks. It takes time. Bowles said the organization made a business move by releasing 2012 first-round pick Quinton Coples this week. These Jets are in the business of finding players who love football, play with passion and, frankly, get pissed off when they lose games they shouldn t. A lackadaisical mindset will get you a oneway ticket out of Florham Park. The Same Old Jets would have kept Coples. The fans, who have been fans since the 60s, probably can see a different culture with how Todd handles stuff, Cromartie said. Nothing s the same. Everything is different. Some things may not have gone our way midway through the season, (but) the true fans that have been here since the Joe Namath Era or even the 70s and 80s know that there s something different about this coaching staff and this organization. Memo to Jets fans, who have resigned themselves to S.O.J. life: The woe-is-me act is tiresome. You re not the only ones starving to hoist the Lombardi Trophy. The poor saps in Cleveland and Philly have as many, if not more, reasons to sulk and whine. Same Old Jets is an easy emotional release to explain away anything during tough times. The truth is that the Jets didn t hit this rough patch because they couldn t stand prosperity. They hit the rough patch because they haven t made enough plays. They haven t made enough plays because gasp! they need more talent and depth across the board. Maccagnan was required per league rules to spend the boatload of money at the team s disposal in free agency last offseason. He was far from perfect, but made some solid choices to address short-term concerns without sacrificing his long-term vision of setting the foundation through the draft. I don t know what to think of it, Eric Decker said of the catchphrase. From a player s standpoint, it s frustrating because I understand where they re coming from if you re a lifelong fan of the team. This is my second year here. I block it out. If I let that start eating away at me or making conversation of it, then all of a sudden that wins and takes over my thought process and confidence. So we try to keep it out. 15 P a g e

16 Fans are reactionary by nature. Lose a few games and it s time to clean house, but perspective is needed right now. Woody Johnson found a general manager who has a wealth of experience scouting talent rather than a glorified pencil pusher. He hired a level-headed coach, who will undoubtedly make some rookie mistakes, but possesses the skillset and temperament to weather rocky moments. The two most important pieces are in place, but Until we start winning, safety Calvin Pryor said, I m pretty sure that s what they re going to think. Take a deep breath and exhale. S.O.J? Silly Old Judgments. Expect more smart business decisions moving forward. THURSDAY S SPORTS TRANSACTIONS BASEBALL American League OAKLAND ATHLETICS Released RHP A.J. Griffin. Designated LHP Daniel Coulombe for assignment. National League COLORADO ROCKIES RHP John Axford refused outright assignment and elected free agency. FOOTBALL National Football League ARIZONA CARDINALS Placed LB Lamarr Woodley on injured reserve. Signed DT Red Bryant. ATLANTA FALCONS Waived LB Joplo Bartu. Signed PK Shayne Graham. CAROLINA PANTHERS Placed G Amini Silatolu on injured reserve. Signed LS Danny Aiken. DENVER BRONCOS Placed DE Kenny Anunike on injured reserve. Signed QB Christian Ponder. MIAMI DOLPHINS Released DT Deandre Coleman from the practice squad. Signed DB Dax Swanson to the practice squad. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS Placed WR Aaron Dobson on injured reserve. Signed DB Dewey McDonald. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS Placed CB Keenan Lewis on injured reserve. Signed CB Chris Owens. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES Waived LB Emmanuel Acho. Signed WR Jonathan Krause from the practice squad. HOCKEY National Hockey League CALGARY FLAMES Recalled C Markus Granlund from Stockton (AHL). 16 P a g e

17 CAROLINA HURRICANES Assigned D Ryan Murphy to Charlotte (AHL). DALLAS STARS Placed G Kari Lehtonen on injured reserve, retroactive to Nov. 24. Recalled D Patrik Nemeth and G Jack Campbell from Texas (AHL). NASHVILLE PREDATORS Recalled F Colton Sissons from Milwaukee (AHL). WASHINGTON CAPITALS Recalled RW Chris Brown from Hershey (AHL). COLLEGE WASHINGTON Signed football coach Chris Petersen to a contract extension through the 2020 season. 17 P a g e