NEW YORK JETS DAILY CLIPS

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1 NEW YORK JETS DAILY CLIPS August 3, 2014 Table of Contents ASSOCIATED PRESS... 2 Smith, Vick can't find end zone in Jets scrimmage (Dennis Waszak)... 2 Cut by Jets, hard-luck Hardin wonders what's next (Dennis Waszak)... 2 NEWSDAY... 4 Offense fizzles during Jets' Green and White scrimmage (Kimberley Martin)... 4 Quinton Coples is ready to be great (Kimberley Martin)... 5 Will Chris Johnson have a speedy recovery with Jets? (Kimberley Martin)... 6 THE RECORD... 8 Jets' offense struggles in scrimmage (J.P. Pelzman)... 8 Jets notes: Concussion keeps Pryor sidelined (J.P. Pelzman)... 9 THE STAR LEDGER... 9 Jets' offense sputters in intrasquad scrimmage, failing to crack end zone in 12 drives (Darryl Slater)... 9 NEW YORK POST Jets offense goes nowhere fast in scrimmage (Brian Costello) At least one member of the Jets offense played well (George Willis) Eric Decker: Our offense in scrimmage wasn t so bad (Brian Costello) Humanitarian work inspires Jets TE Zach Sudfeld (Brian Costello) NEW YORK DAILY NEWS NY Jets offense struggles in Green & White scrimmage: Zero touchdowns on 12 drives (Seth Walder) NY Jets receiver Eric Decker out to prove he's not a Peyton Manning product (Manish Mehta) NY Jets running back Chris Johnson's knee holds up during scrimmage (Manish Mehta) NEW YORK TIMES Jets Lineman Prepares for Shift From Interviewee to Interviewer (Ben Shpigel) NJ.COM quick takeaways from the Jets' green and white scrimmage (Dom Cosentino) Jets' secondary 'spending a lot of time taking care of the deep ball' (Dom Cosentino) things to look for at Jets' green and white scrimmage (Dom Cosentino) Brian Billick on Jets, Geno Smith, Mike Vick: 'I think they're in a good situation' (Dom Cosentino) Rookie receivers 'have a long way to go,' Jets position coach says (Dom Cosentino) Heading to Jets' green and white scrimmage? Here's the Cortland weather forecast (Dom Cosentino) quick takeaways from the Jets' green and white scrimmage (Dom Cosentino) FRIDAY S SPORTS TRANSACTIONS P a g e

2 ASSOCIATED PRESS Smith, Vick can't find end zone in Jets scrimmage (Dennis Waszak) Associated Press August 2, Daily Clips Cont. CORTLAND, N.Y. (AP) Geno Smith and Michael Vick failed to get the New York Jets into the end zone Saturday night as the defense shut down the offense in the team's scrimmage at the SUNY Cortland Stadium Complex. Smith, looking to retain the starting job, finished 7 of 14 for 84 yards and had two passes nearly intercepted and two others dropped by receivers. Vick, expected to back up Smith or step in if he falters, was 7 of 13 for 47 yards and also ran for 35 yards. Greg Salas, trying to win a roster spot, had five catches for 54 yards, and Stephen Hill had a 41-yard reception on a throw from Smith. Rex Ryan's defense had an impressive goal-line stand, capped by Garrett McIntyre's sack on fourth down. Cut by Jets, hard-luck Hardin wonders what's next (Dennis Waszak) Associated Press August 2, CORTLAND, N.Y. (AP) Brandon Hardin is tired of the injuries. The free-agent safety just wants to play football, but his body keeps defying him. "I don't know too many people who have had the luck that I've had," Hardin said. "I'm really just trying to prove everybody wrong." Including his own body. The latest setback a foot injury sidelined him in camp with the New York Jets, and now Hardin is looking for a job after being released Friday. "Whenever you're an athlete and you get hurt, your career definitely flashes in front of your eyes," Hardin told The Associated Press in telephone interview Saturday. "You start to think, 'What's next? What's going to happen to me?'" That's the reality for the 24-year-old Hardin, who has plantar fasciitis, a condition in which a ligament in the foot becomes inflamed and painful. It's just the latest in a string of injuries that has made some question his durability, and put the hard-hitting safety's NFL career in doubt. "Everybody's been writing me off," he said. Hardin missed a few days of practice during the week after injuring his foot, and was told he could be sidelined a week or two. The plan was to keep rehabilitating and hope to be ready for the preseason opener next Thursday night against Indianapolis. 2 P a g e

3 Then, after practice Friday, Hardin got the call that the Jets were cutting him to make room for running back Michael Smith. "It definitely took me by surprise," Hardin said. "I thought I had done enough here to show the coaches they needed to see more from me in games. In my mind, this injury could be a very hard one to come back from. Not the injury itself, because it might be the easiest I've had to come back from. "But the timing could make it one of the hardest in my career. That's because Hardin was aiming to participate in all four preseason games and put some plays on film for the Jets or another NFL team. Now, he needs his foot to heal and then wait for someone to give him another opportunity. But Hardin knows that could take a while. "Unfortunately, I'm just going to be known as that injury-prone guy who doesn't have any game film on him," he said. "It stinks." It's a scenario that players in every NFL camp go through every summer. But Hardin has been through it way too often. He missed his final college season at Oregon State in 2011 with a shoulder injury, but was still drafted in the third round by Chicago in During a preseason game that summer against Washington, Hardin who had been converted by the Bears from cornerback to safety lowered his head and slammed into Redskins tight end Logan Paulsen. He suffered what appeared to be a serious neck injury, but never lost movement or consciousness. "I may have said the wrong thing on the field when they came to see what was wrong," Hardin recalled. "I said, 'I have a stinger in my neck,' and they took all the necessary precautions and told me not to get up." Hardin's head was immobilized and he was carted off the field and hospitalized. He was later placed on injured reserve with a sprained neck. Hardin ended up being fine a few weeks later, but his season was over before it even started. Hungry for another opportunity, Hardin had a solid camp with the Bears last summer until the injury bug got him again. In the preseason finale against Cleveland, Hardin made a hard hit over the middle and broke his left shoulder blade. Season over. Again. Career in jeopardy. Again. "That's when I had some depression because I was like, 'Now this?'" Hardin said. "After a point, when you have the season off, you have to ask yourself, 'What do I know how to do?'" Playing football was the answer every time for Hardin. So, he kept his NFL dream alive. In mid-january, the Jets called and signed him to a reserve-future contract. "He's got great size and athleticism," Jets defensive backs coach Tim McDonald said during camp. "He's got some real potential there. It would be nice to get him out here so he has a fighting chance." Hardin was getting limited snaps even when he was healthy, partly because the Jets are loaded at safety. But he felt good about maybe opening some eyes in the preseason. 3 P a g e

4 That opportunity will likely come somewhere else now. If, of course, it comes at all. The Hawaii native was preparing to head back to Oregon State to rehabilitate his foot and then continue to train and wait for another chance. "It will make, as long as I'm successful," Hardin said, "for an interesting comeback story." NEWSDAY Offense fizzles during Jets' Green and White scrimmage (Kimberley Martin) Newsday August 2, CORTLAND, N.Y. - The fireworks came well after the Jets' offense walked off the field. Literally. Not a single touchdown was scored during last night's Saturday's Green and White scrimmage, despite four straight chances from the 1-yard line on a second-half drive led by starter Geno Smith and the secondteam offense. "Let's enjoy the fireworks," Smith said, as the rapid-fire explosions illuminated the nighttime sky. "That's the best part of the whole night right now." That was certainly true for Smith, who was almost picked off by both Antonio Allen and Darrin Walls and was sacked several times. Unofficially, the second-year quarterback was 7-for-14 for 84 yards. Backup Michael Vick finished 7-for-13 for 47 yards and rushed for 35 yards. The only points came courtesy of two field goals from Nick Folk (34 yards) and Andrew Furney (47 yards). "We didn't score enough points as an offense," said a frustrated Smith. "We got down to the red zone two or three times, had an opportunity to score and only came away with three points. So we've got to do a better job of capitalizing once we get down to the red zone." Greg Salas was the breakout star on offense, hauling in five catches for 54 yards, including a leaping 14- yard catch over the middle from Vick. A pass interference penalty on a deep-ball heave from Smith to Salas in the end zone resulted in first-andgoal from the 1. But running back Alex Green was stuffed three straight times and on fourth-and-goal, linebacker Garrett McIntyre "sacked" Smith. "That was awesome," Rex Ryan said of the goal-line stand. "You love it as a defensive coach." Ryan, however, didn't seem troubled by the offense's inability to get in the end zone. "We don't anticipate giving up a whole lot of points with that (defensive) group and it's just great competition," said the coach. "And I think we'll just continue from there. I think when we tee it off for real on Thursday night (against the Colts), I think we'll probably put up some points." Vick, meanwhile, generated some cheers from the crowd thanks to his legs. He still has some moves despite being 35. "Try chasing him," said defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson. "And he most definitely was jogging today." 4 P a g e

5 New Jets Eric Decker and Chris Johnson were eased into the offense. Decker said he was limited to plays after suffering a mild hamstring injury Thursday in practice. Johnson, on the other hand, said it felt good to finally test his surgically-repaired knee in a game situation. Quinton Coples is ready to be great (Kimberley Martin) Newsday August 2, CORTLAND, N.Y. - Quinton Coples finally knows what he is. He's confident in his ability and his defined role within the Jets' defense. But it's taken the former firstround pick two seasons -- and 20 fewer pounds -- to get to this point. And he admits his NFL learning curve was a bit steeper than others'. Coples, the 16th overall pick in 2012, registered 51/2 sacks as a defensive end his rookie season. But when he arrived for camp his second year, he learned his new role would be as a rushing outside linebacker. "Oh yeah, I was put in a tough position," he told Newsday as he strolled from the practice field to the locker room Thursday afternoon. "I wasn't told until I got here," he said. "I'd been working D-line and stuff like that [in the offseason], but then when you get here, it's like, oh, then you've got to cover receivers; oh, then you've got to cover running backs; you've got to do this, do that. You've got to drop in zone coverage, you've got to do all this and that. "So it was just like...," he said before letting out a small sigh. "It was just a bunch of blurred lines. But I got it, I got it. It's cool. I understand it now... So this year, I'm prepared for whatever they throw at me. I understand the defensive scheme, I understand what they're asking of me and I'm ready to attack." Coples was in the early stages of his transition to outside linebacker when he suffered a hairline fracture in his right ankle in the second preseason game against the Jaguars. Though he missed the first two games of the 2013 regular season because of the injury, he showed flashes and finished with 41/2 sacks, three of which came in three straight games. Coples transformed his 6-6 frame in the offseason, arriving at camp 20 pounds lighter. And now that his strict diet has him down to 270, the Jets expect him to be a consistent playmaker. "He looks phenomenal," coach Rex Ryan said after his Friday media conference. "He's in great shape, which I think is the first thing that jumps out at you. He's changed his body, but he's still strong. I think he's a little more sudden having that weight off. He's doing a better job and he's getting off the football. "I think he understands what we're putting him in, coverages, all that type of stuff. He's much further along than he was last year." But don't let Coples' throaty Southern drawl and carefree demeanor fool you, Ryan said. Contrary to the criticisms of Coples' work ethic and motor before the 2012 draft, the former North Carolina stud is anything but lazy. "The kid cares," Ryan said. "He's more of a laid-back guy, but when that ball's snapped, I'll tell ya, the kid's made some great plays for us in the short time he's been here. And he's one of the guys you have to be mindful of. He's a talent. There is no question. There's a reason we took him where we took him. 5 P a g e

6 "I'll never forget [Muhammad Wilkerson] telling me, 'He's a much better athlete than me,' and I was like, 'Wow. Did you just say that?' And now we've got those two guys." Defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson noted that "this is not a one-man defense" but acknowledged that expectations are higher for Coples this season. "Yeah, eyes may be on him because this is the third year of his contract, so yeah, man, you want to play harder just to get your payout," Richardson said. "I tell him that all the time: He's got to come in and get his money." But Coples isn't focused on a big payday. He's fixated on building a legacy. "I ain't doing it for the big check. The big check is the motivation," he said. "I don't want to just be a player. You know what I'm saying? It's not so much about the money -- although you've got to be rewarded for how you play. But at the end of the day, it's about what you leave behind, how you affect other kids." So what will people say about Quinton Coples after he's done playing? "He was a great player," the outside linebacker said with a smile. "Even if you don't get a gold jacket, but you were mentioned with one of the greats -- that's what I think everybody plays this game for. You want to be mentioned as one of the greats. " 'He was a great pass rusher, he was a great linebacker, he was a great something.' " Will Chris Johnson have a speedy recovery with Jets? (Kimberley Martin) Newsday August 2, CORTLAND, N.Y. - Big hair. Big teeth. Big plans. It's safe to say there is nothing understated about Jets running back Chris Johnson. Johnson got his first tattoo in seventh grade. He bought his first set of gold teeth as a high school senior. Off the field, he likes to pal around with rapper Lil Wayne and has his own record label, appropriately called Flashy Lifestyle. Of course, it was Johnson's dash, not flash, that the Jets were after when they handed him a two-year, $8- million contract in the offseason. The three-time Pro Bowler and 2009 All-Pro is known as one of the fastest men ever to play the game, so fast that he once raced a cheetah on a National Geographic television special. (The cheetah won, but it was close.) When it comes to human opponents, few have been able to catch Johnson. He is one of six rushers to gain at least 1,000 yards in each of his first six seasons, and his 2009 performance is considered one of the greatest in NFL history -- a record 2,509 yards from scrimmage. Johnson is the only NFL player with six touchdown runs of more than 80 yards, one of which was a particularly devastating 94-yard run against the Jets on Dec. 17, "The whiplash that I got from watching him run 94 yards against me, that's one reason," Jets coach Rex Ryan said when asked why he has so much confidence in Johnson. "You watch him on tape. Did we see 6 P a g e

7 the 2,000-yard guy? Maybe not, but I know one thing, he's still pretty darn effective. That was the kind of guy we saw. He still went for more than 1,000 yards last year." Barely. Last year, Johnson rushed for 1,077 yards, the second-lowest total of his career. He tore the meniscus in his right knee in Week 3 and played 13 games injured. The Titans, betting that he is on the downside of his career, released him, but Johnson -- who turns 29 in September and had arthroscopic surgery in January -- believes he still has some pretty big years left. And that, more than anything else, motivates him as he gets ready for his first season as a Jet. "Almost all of last year, I was hurt," Johnson said. "Now I feel good, really good. I just want to get back on the field, help the team and continue making plays like I have my whole career and not worry about anybody else." Johnson has never been a guy who cares what others think, believing in himself when no one else did. He said that attitude is what has helped him overcome a number of serious injuries during his career. A highly sought track and football star in high school in Orlando, Florida, Johnson broke his leg his senior year and missed seven games. That scared away every major program, and Johnson opted for East Carolina, the only school to offer him a scholarship. He suffered a neck injury during his sophomore year of college that required surgery and was limited by turf toe in his junior year. "I just overcame it all," Johnson said. "You just have to have focus. You have to believe in yourself." Johnson totaled nearly 3,000 all-purpose yards his senior year at East Carolina and was projected to be a third-round draft pick when he headed to the 2008 NFL Combine. He felt pretty good as he got ready to run the 40, and he remembers telling a few coaches there that he was looking to run a After he finished, he remembers hearing Deion Sanders screaming that he had broken the record. Johnson's 40 time of 4.24 remains the fastest since the implementation of electronic timing in It's a badge of honor that Johnson continues to wear -- literally. He has the time tattooed on his right calf. Speaking of tattoos, Johnson has no idea how many he has, but he is running out of ink-free skin. "I was up to 25 when I got to college,'' he said, "and then I lost count." His current favorite is an intricate portrait of his face on the upper part of his right arm. Johnson also knows how to appreciate artwork on others, and appeared on an episode of Spike TV's Ink Master as a guest judge last season. There are plenty of athletes with tattoos, but Johnson's gold teeth are highly unusual. The often-told story that he once missed a team bus because he left his teeth in his hotel room is not true, Johnson said. His teeth are permanent, not the run-of-the-mill removable grill that some players sport, though he has had them redone several times during his career. "I can't tell you if he brushes or polishes them," said quarterback Michael Vick, his roommate at training camp. "But I can tell you they're shiny every morning." Vick and Johnson share the same agent and have been friendly over the years. Since signing with the Jets, however, the two have become close, and both believe they have a lot more football to offer. "It's a crazy situation, both coming to the same team," Johnson said. "It's always helpful to be with someone in a similar situation, and we have the same mindset where we want to work and work and get better." 7 P a g e

8 THE RECORD Jets' offense struggles in scrimmage (J.P. Pelzman) The Record August 3, 2014 Daily Clips Cont. CORTLAND, N.Y. As he finished his interview session, Geno Smith gestured to the pyrotechnics filling the air to his right, and told reporters, "Let s enjoy the fireworks." Might as well, considering there certainly weren t very many on the field. The Jets held their annual Green and White practice Saturday night at the SUNY Cortland Stadium Complex. It s a controlled scrimmage that pits the White (offense) against the Green (defense). And on this night, it was almost all Green. The offense managed only two field goals on 12 possessions, and was kept out of the end zone on one sequence despite having a first down at the 1-yard line after a pass-interference penalty in the end zone. Coach Rex Ryan, when asked if the performance of the offense was disappointing, replied, "Not really." Ryan also said, "I think when we tee it off for real Thursday night, we ll probably put up some points." Well, the preseason opener against Indianapolis on Thursday won t count in the standings, but it will give the Jets an indication of where their offense is. For most of this night, it was nowhere. As has been the case throughout most of training camp, Smith got the bulk of the work with the starters. He was in for five series, four with the first-stringers. He went 7-for-14 for 84 yards, with his best play a 41-yard connection with wide receiver Stephen Hill, who beat cornerback Dimitri Patterson That hookup led to a 33-yard field goal by Nick Folk, who later missed a 53-yard attempt wide right. In his one possession with the backups, Smith guided the offense to the 1-yard line, benefiting from cornerback Darrin Walls being called for pass interference against Greg Salas in the end zone. However, Walls nearly had an interception against Smith earlier in the night. From the 1, running back Alex Green ran three times for no gain. On fourth-and-goal, Smith bootlegged right, but was "sacked" by Garrett McIntyre. Quarterbacks weren t allowed to be hit, so sacks were judged on the discretion of the officials. "We re very disappointed that we didn t score enough points," Smith said. "We re going to look at tape and see exactly what went wrong and then correct it and get better at it. "I ve got to do a better job," he added. "I thought it was pretty decent," Ryan said when asked about Smith s night. "He did hit the one deep ball. I think you ve got to give credit to the defense." Michael Vick, who has been working mostly with the second-stringers during camp, went 7-for-13 for 47 yards. He was in for four possessions, one of which was with the first string. On that one series with the starters, he guided the offense to a 47-yard field goal by rookie kicker Andrew Furney. "A night like this," Vick said, "makes you want to get in the film room, study extra hard, and get back on the practice field." As for his still-nimble legs, he said, "At 34, it s amazing I feel as good as I do." 8 P a g e

9 Salas, fighting for a roster spot, had the best night among the wide receivers with five catches for 54 yards. Former Don Bosco star QB Matt Simms played two series with the third-stringers, and rookie Tajh Boyd got one. Simms went 2-for-4 for 3 yards and was sacked three times. He also threw an interception while under heavy pressure. Boyd was 1-for-3 for 10 yards with one sack. Running back Chris Johnson, who had off-season knee surgery, had 14 yards on five rushes. Jets notes: Concussion keeps Pryor sidelined (J.P. Pelzman) The Record August 3, CORTLAND, N.Y. Safety Calvin Pryor, the team s first-round pick, sat out the Green and White practice Saturday night. Pryor, who had a reputation as a hard hitter at the University of Louisville, is recovering from a concussion suffered July 26 and has yet to be cleared for physical contact. Pryor, who said it is the first concussion he has had, has returned to practice on a limited, non-contact basis. Pryor, who was hurt in a special-teams drill, said the injury won t change his aggressive approach to the game. "Not at all," Pryor said Friday after practice. "I still have to be myself. I play physical out there and aggressive, try to make the correct tackle and lead with my shoulder pads. "Like I said, that hit came from a shot when I wasn t looking. I took it out of nowhere. And it came from one of my teammates. I just have to be aware and play football like I know how to play football." Three of the Jets top five picks in May s draft missed the practice because of injury. Cornerback Dexter McDougle, the Jets third-round pick, also sat out. McDougle suffered a groin injury Thursday and missed practice Friday. Wide receiver Shaq Evans, one of three fourth-round selections, sat out with a shoulder problem. BRIEFS: Second-string LB Jermaine Cunningham, who is battling for a roster spot, left the practice with an injury to his lower right leg. Coach Rex Ryan didn t have any further details on the injury, but indicated he was concerned. Ryan said reserve CB Jeremy Reeves was "stepped on" late in the practice, but Ryan said he thought Reeves would be OK. The Jets return to practice Monday at 10 a.m. They will practice Monday and Tuesday before coming back to New Jersey. The Jets then will host Indianapolis on Thursday in the preseason opener at MetLife Stadium before resuming practice in Cortland, N.Y., on Saturday. THE STAR LEDGER Jets' offense sputters in intrasquad scrimmage, failing to crack end zone in 12 drives (Darryl Slater) The Star Ledger August 2, P a g e

10 _crack_end_zone_in_12_drives.html CORTLAND, N.Y. The Jets offense had just looked lackluster Saturday night in their annual Green and White intrasquad scrimmage, mustering just two field goals and botching a goal-line scoring opportunity. Quarterback Geno Smith, standing beyond the end zone that his unit so glaringly failed to crack in 12 total drives, was being peppered with questions that sounded awfully familiar to the dozens (hundreds?) he fielded about this topic last season. How disappointed was he that the Jets, they of a dismal offense the past three seasons, could not score a single touchdown in their first true game-like action of the summer? Smith strained to listen, as postgame fireworks crackled into the sky a few hundred feet away. Just one second, he said to a group of reporters, looking up at the fireworks. How about we all stare at the fireworks for a second? To Smith s credit, this was a fantastic deflection, one of the more amusing lines he has offered in an interview since he debuted as the Jets starter last season, as a rookie. Ah, yeah, so back to your question, Smith said with a smile. Sorry. We were very disappointed that we didn t score enough points. We understand that we ve got to take full advantage of our opportunities in the red zone. This was but one night in early August and coach Rex Ryan maintained he was not really disappointed in his offense s inability to score a touchdown yet the Jets offensive shortcomings were the biggest issue they tried to address in the offseason. And on Saturday, at least, it appeared as though little had changed from last season. Smith and presumptive backup quarterback Michael Vick each played four drives. Smith played entirely with the starters, except for one final drive with the second team. Vick got all second-team work, except for one possession with the starters. Each quarterback led a field goal drive. Smith completed 7 of 14 passes for 84 yards, and was victimized by two drops. He hit Stephen Hill on a 41-yard deep ball, but also almost threw two interceptions. Vick was 7-of-13 passing for 47 yards. He ran twice once for 15 yards, once for 20, moving as fluidly as ever. The offense s low point came on Smith s final drive, with the second team. Smith had first and goal at the 1-yard line. Surely, the offense would be able to punch this in. But after three straight runs by Alex Green, who is the Jets fourth or fifth running back, it was fourth and goal at the 1. Offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg decided to go for it. He sent receiver David Nelson in motion. Smith dropped back to pass, but had no time, as outside linebacker Garrett McIntyre burst into the backfield for what would have been a sack, if training camp rules allowed the quarterbacks to be tackled. Smith, clearly frustrated, fired the ball out the back of the end zone. Some factors mitigated the offense s problems. On the goal-line series, Smith played behind second-string offensive linemen who are unlikely to see action. Moreover, the Jets two biggest offensive free agent pickups running back Chris Johnson and wide receiver Eric Decker barely played all night. Johnson carried five times for 14 yards, with a long of 6. Decker made one catch for 7 yards, as the coaches decided to mainly rest him. He is nursing a tender hamstring, but the injury is not considered serious. 10 P a g e

11 Then there is the matter of the Jets defense, which finished 11th in the NFL last season and that was its worst ranking in Ryan s five seasons. So while Johnson said not scoring was disappointing, he added, I feel like we re facing one of the top defenses there is going to be in the NFL, so if we can continue to practice against and execute against those guys, I feel like the game will be easier than practice. Defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson relished shutting down the offense, even in a game without score officially being kept. I m pretty sure that goes as a win in my book, he said of allowing no touchdowns. Ryan, who runs the defense, has to feel good about that unit entering Thursday night s preseason opener against the Colts, when he expects his offense to produce more. We don t anticipate giving up a whole lot of points with that group, he said. I think when we tee it up for real on Thursday night, I think we ll probably put up some points. But on Saturday night, the Jets offense still remained quiet. Smith, more than anyone, is acutely aware that the Jets need more from his side if they are to break their three-year playoff appearance drought. As his postgame interview concluded, he remained in the middle of a scrum of reporters. The questions were finished, at least for a night. Let s enjoy the fireworks, he said. That s the best part of this whole night right now. NEW YORK POST Jets offense goes nowhere fast in scrimmage (Brian Costello) New York Post August 3, CORTLAND As Jets quarterback Geno Smith began to answer questions from the media after Saturday night s Green and White Scrimmage, fireworks began going off to his right. How about we all stare at the fireworks for a second? Smith said to the reporters. It was the first fireworks anyone had seen all night. The Jets offense was about as effective as a wet firecracker, and scored just two field goals as Smith and Michael Vick failed to get the team into the end zone. That new and improved Jets offense still has a lot of improving to do. We didn t score enough points as an offense, Smith said. We got down to the red zone two or three times and had an opportunity to score and only came away with three points. We ve got to do a better job of capitalizing once we get down to the red zone. Of course, Jets coach Rex Ryan felt the scrimmage was proof of how good his defense is, not how poor his offense is. Overall I was really pleased, Ryan said. If we re looking at it from the numbers perspective, hey, we never threw X amount of touchdowns, all right no touchdowns. It was much more competitive than that. OK, Rex, whatever you say. 11 P a g e

12 The offense looked dismal. Smith nearly threw two interceptions and the running game was stuffed all night long. The offense also committed several penalties that put them in bad situations. Smith finished the night 7-of-14 for 84 yards, with 41 of those coming on a long pass to Stephen Hill, the lone offensive highlight of the night. Vick went 7-of-13 for 47 yards and ran the ball twice for 35 yards. Vick was the team s leading rusher. Each quarterback had four series; Smith had three with the starters while Vick had one. It could have been better, Vick said. As an offense, you always want to strive to put points on the board. Our defense is extremely tough. I don t know if they game planned for us in one day or what, but they did a good job. We did some good things on offense, but there are a lot of corrections to be made and I think we ll be all right. The new additions did not add much. Running back Chris Johnson gained 14 yards on five carries. Wide receiver Eric Decker had one catch for 7 yards. The Jets have three practice days to fix things before their first preseason game Thursday night at MetLife Stadium against the Colts. I think when we tee it off for real on Thursday night, we ll probably put up some points, Ryan said. The closest the Jets came to a touchdown was on Smith s drive with the second team. He connected with Greg Salas, Jalen Saunders and Clyde Gates to move the ball into the defense s territory. He then threw a ball up to Salas on fourth-and-5 in the end zone that fell to the ground, but cornerback Darrin Walls was called for pass interference. The offense had four shots from the 1-yard line, but running back Alex Green was stuffed three times near the line of scrimmage. On fourth down, Garrett McIntyre sacked Smith on a rollout. Ryan, forgetting he coaches both sides of the ball, was thrilled by the goal-line stand. That was awesome, Ryan said. You love it as a defensive coach. The good news for the Jets is it s just early August. The bad news is we ve seen this script before under Ryan when the defense plays lights out and the offense sputters. They have a month to figure it out. At least one member of the Jets offense played well (George Willis) New York Post August 3, CORTLAND Perhaps there will be a time when the Jets offense finds a productive rhythm that can make it the kind of point-scoring machine that can challenge for a playoff berth. Until then, it s the little signs of progress that offer encouragement. As a unit, the offense wasn t much to brag about during Saturday night s Green and White scrimmage at SUNY-Cortland, but the surprise play of Greg Salas will keep his name in the mix of wide receivers vying for a spot on the final roster. The offense might not have scored a touchdown, but Salas made the biggest impression of any player in the annual scrimmage by catching five passes for 54 yards. He had one drop that won t look good on the film, but his catches had Jets head coach Rex Ryan complimenting his game. 12 P a g e

13 He s not a blazer by any means, Ryan said. But he can certainly catch the football. He gets open and he competes as a blocker. Those are all good things. The receiving corps is crowded without much unproven talent. Eric Decker is the high-priced free agent brought in from Denver. But otherwise the Jets are hoping someone emerges from the list of familiar faces. Stephen Hill has had a good camp thus far. So have Clyde Gates, Jeremy Kerley and David Nelson. Saalim Hakim, Michael Campbell and Jacoby Ford are also competing for a roster spot. But it was Salas who separated himself from the group on Saturday night. It felt great to get out here and make a couple of plays, he said, just making an impression on the coaches, I guess. Salas played with both quarterbacks, Geno Smith and Michael Vick. He caught a 14-yard pass over the middle from Vick and a 15-yarder from Smith. Greg Salas had a great night tonight, Vick said. I threw one ball across the middle and I cannot believe he caught it. I tried to put everything I had into it. He has great hands and he s one guy that s been a good friend of mine since my days in Philadelphia. Salas was signed off the Eagles practice squad last October, and appeared in eight games for the Jets, catching eight passes for 143 yards. But he is in a battle to remain on the squad, which is why making a solid impression Saturday night was especially important. There are some players here that have something locked up at wide receiver, said Salas, who was probably referring to Hill and Decker. But behind those guys, I feel like it s pretty open. The coaches are giving guys a pretty fair shot at those spots behind them. Salas, a former standout at Hawaii who was drafted by the Rams, spent the offseason trying to bond with Smith, hoping to improve his chances of making the team. Salas traveled to Florida to train with Smith and worked diligently with him during OTAs and mini-camp. He also has a relationship with Vick, having been a part of the Eagles practice squad. I m looking to bond with both of them and do what I can to make this team, Salas said. If not for Salas, it would have been a dreadful night for the Jets offense, whose best weapon was the scrambling legs of Vick. Smith did hit Hill for a 41-yard gain during an early series, but otherwise the offense didn t do much except for the catches by Salas. The Jets are still looking for playmakers. You should want to be flashing, Salas said. You should want to show the coaches how bad you want it and how hard you re willing to play for it. That s all I ve been doing. If I was the starter or not, I d want to flash. Salas flashed the brightest Saturday night. Eric Decker: Our offense in scrimmage wasn t so bad (Brian Costello) New York Post August 3, CORTLAND Eric Decker has to be missing Peyton Manning already. Decker had just one catch for 7 yards for the Jets in Saturday night s Green and White Scrimmage. To be fair, Decker saw limited action as he nurses a tweaked hamstring. But Decker has gone from a recordsetting offense in Denver to a Jets offense that failed to score a touchdown in Saturday s scrimmage. 13 P a g e

14 I thought it was good, Decker said. We moved the football. Some guys made some plays. The biggest thing we have to work on is eliminating the penalties that put us behind 10 yards. We had first-and-15, first-and-25, first-and-30 a couple times. You re not going to win football games if you re in those positions. Making sure we eliminate those mental mistakes and move the ball forward. Decker did not sound overly concerned about his hamstring. He was limited in practice on Friday, too. I had a little bit of a hamstring thing, Decker said. I just wanted to make sure I was smart and got good reps in. I m looking forward to Thursday night [when the Jets face the Colts in the preseason]. Running back Chris Johnson saw his first live action since he underwent knee surgery in January. He rushed the ball five times for 14 yards, and said he felt good to be back out there. I got a lot out of it, Johnson said. It s my first time being in contact since last year. You know those butterflies, and just going out there and wanting to test my knee out against full contact and tackled to the ground. I came up feeling good. The defense came away thrilled with its performance. We re better off than where we were last year at this point, defensive lineman Sheldon Richardson said. Everybody is in the right positions to make plays. We re either making the play or not. I d rather have that than just blown coverages or blown assignments in the box 7. That s something I think is a pretty good job all around from [coach] Rex [Ryan] all the way down to the last guy on the depth chart. CB Jeremy Reeves intercepted a pass from Matt Simms. DT T.J. Barnes recovered a Daryl Richardson fumble. CB Darrin Walls and S Antonio Allen nearly picked off Geno Smith. OLB Jason Babin had two sacks. Humanitarian work inspires Jets TE Zach Sudfeld (Brian Costello) New York Post August 2, CORTLAND Zach Sudfeld took a look at the Jets practice fields here after another long training camp session and said, This is great. Sudfeld, fighting to be the Jets third tight end, knows how fortunate he is to even have the chance to make an NFL team. He spent two weeks this offseason in Uganda, working for a humanitarian organization his grandfather founded. It was mind-blowing, Sudfeld said. To go from that to here, playing in the NFL, is something else. It really puts things in perspective. I m really fortunate to be able to come out here and practice and all this. I definitely got a lot more out of it than any of the kids that I was able to play with. During his first trip in January, Sudfeld helped build a water pump to help local farmers irrigate their crops. He returned in June and worked with Sister Rosemary Nyirumbe, who has been helping save children from Ugandan warlord Joseph Kony and his Lord s Resistance Army for more than 30 years. It was an incredible trip, Sudfeld said. The time in Uganda was just about the only time Sudfeld spent away from the Jets complex in Florham Park. 14 P a g e

15 The Jets picked up Sudfeld last October after the Patriots released him. At 6-foot-7, Sudfeld is an intriguing prospect, but he never had a chance to really pick up the Jets offense fully last year. This offseason, his two goals were to learn the Jets offense and to get stronger. Really, the first thing I needed to do was immerse myself in the Jets playbook and everything they had going on, Sudfeld said. I was kind of learning on the fly all year last year. To be able to spend an offseason really working through the plays and really understanding the concepts of the way [offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg] runs the offense, that s been huge. I spent a lot of time with our strength program. I spent almost the entire offseason in Florham Park. I was really just trying to get stronger and getting myself into a position where I could compete this year. The early returns look good. Sudfeld has had a strong training camp, becoming one of backup quarterback Michael Vick s favorite targets with the second team. This week, Sudfeld saw some time with the first team and is turning heads. He s earning it, Ryan said of Sudfeld s extra playing time. He s really developed, he s studying like nobody s business, learning how to run routes, great hands, great athlete, multisport athlete. He never really trained for football specifically till this last season. I ll say this about him: He was there every single day in the offseason, every single day. He wanted to change his body, get stronger, and he has. New England fans will tell you Sudfeld looked good last season as a rookie in their camp, when he became known as Baby Gronk, but it did not carry over into the regular season. Sudfeld laughs when told Patriots fans love to bring that up whenever there are positive tweets about Sudfeld. This year, Sudfeld is in a position group that features a high draft pick with Jace Amaro, the Jets secondround choice, and Jeff Cumberland, who received a three-year contract in March. It would appear Sudfeld is fighting an uphill battle for playing time. It s one of those things, you just have to go out and compete, Sudfeld said. You can t think about outside situations that are out of your control. You can just go out there every day and have some fun and compete and just try to compete against yourself every day and just get better. NEW YORK DAILY NEWS NY Jets offense struggles in Green & White scrimmage: Zero touchdowns on 12 drives (Seth Walder) New York Daily News August 3, CORTLAND Here s a familiar problem: the Jets offense doesn t look so hot. Rex Ryan s defense beat up on the Jets offense all night long in the live-tackling Green & White scrimmage at SUNY Cortland Saturday evening. The most important statistic: zero touchdowns on 12 drives. We re very disappointed that we didn t score enough points, Geno Smith said. Ryan tried to put a defense-positive spin on it, but there s no denying the fact that no matter who the quarterback Smith, Michael Vick, Matt Simms or Tajh Boyd the offense couldn t hit pay dirt. 15 P a g e

16 Not really (disappointed) because I think, again, we had the one s with the one s and it wasn t like we re softening up, Ryan said. We hope we don t give up a whole lot of points. We don t anticipate giving up a whole lot of points. Smith started with the first-team offense, although Vick did get one drive with the first team. Smith completed 7-of-14 passes for 84 yards and narrowly avoided throwing interceptions to Antonio Allen and Darrin Walls. Vick completed 7-of-13 for 47 yards, adding 35 yards on the ground off two rushes. I m pretty sure that goes as a win in my book, defensive lineman Sheldon Richardson said of the defensive effort in the scrimmage. Ryan added he was pleased with the team s tackling overall. The closest the Jets came to scoring was after Greg Salas drew a defensive pass interference penalty from Walls on a pass from Smith in the end zone, giving the Jets a first-and-goal from the one-yard line. Three times the Jets ran Alex Green, and three times he was stuffed by the second-team defense. On fourth down, Garrett McIntyre sacked Smith. Ryan, as per usual, took the defensive point of view on the play. That was awesome, Ryan said when asked about the goal-line stand. The lone big play from the offense was a 41-yard completion from Smith to Stephen Hill, who had a big day in practice on Friday, but the receiver was quiet for the rest of the scrimmage. As Ryan often points out, a lopsided performance in a scrimmage like the one more than 7,000 fans witnessed on Saturday indicates both positives and negatives for the team. But as has been the case since Ryan took over as head coach in 2009, there is much more to worry about with the offense than there is with the defense. Granted, new receiver Eric Decker was limited with a hamstring injury and new running back Chris Johnson had only five carries in his first live action of the preseason, but there s no question the offense needs work. One positive sign for the offense: Vick can still run. The quarterback had 35 yards on the ground without putting in maximum effort. I just wanted to see how I was going to move, Vick said. You always want to test the instincts, and you never know what the feel of the game is going to be or how you re going to react to certain types of blitzes and pressure, but I thought I moved real well in the pocket. Fireworks blasted off after the scrimmage ended, right as Smith spoke to reporters. Let s enjoy the fireworks, Smith said. That s the best part of this whole night. For the offense, he might just have been right. NY Jets receiver Eric Decker out to prove he's not a Peyton Manning product (Manish Mehta) New York Daily News August 3, CORTLAND He fights for respect each day and knows that none of the cartoonish numbers on his resume mean a damn thing now. Heck, some people don t even believe he had much to do with them anyway. 16 P a g e

17 Life After Peyton Manning can be sobering. So, we wonder whether the guy having his way with a suspect Jets secondary on a practice field in August is the real deal or a product of a system orchestrated by one of the NFL s all-time great quarterbacks. Who is Eric Decker? The NFL annals are sprinkled with cautionary tales of free-agent wide receivers that were more mirage than magic. Decker left Manning s record-setting offense in Denver as a statistical giant with 172 catches, 2,352 yards and 24 touchdowns in the past two seasons. He came to the Jets this offseason as a man of mystery, leaving nirvana for the Phantom Zone. Decker is a sure-handed, solid upgrade for an offense that had 42 fewer touchdown passes last season than his previous employer. 42! Jets receivers totaled seven touchdowns in 2013, while the Broncos had four players who caught at least 10. The Jets have had more than 17 touchdown passes in a season only once in Rex Ryan s five years. It s a different world east of the Rockies. Decker, a self-described grinder, is simply better than anyone at offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg s disposal a year ago, but nobody really knows how effective he ll be in his new surroundings. He s going to run good routes and catch every ball, one NFL scout said. That s what you know for sure. He ll be good for Geno (Smith) in the sense that he s going to be where he s supposed to be. Geno can always count on that but Eric Decker as a legitimate No. 1? Not so much for me. No. Manning has been a blessing and a curse for Decker, who benefitted from the future Hall of Famer s smarts and accuracy, but has been left to explain that, believe it or not, he played a role in racking up those gaudy numbers too. Decker, 27, cashed in on that two-year Mile High run by signing a five-year, $36.5 million deal (structured more like a two-year, $15 million pact) with the Jets this offseason. He won t speculate whether he would have enjoyed the same success without Manning. From Year 1 to Year 5 now, I ve gotten better at my craft, Decker told the Daily News. I ve become a better receiver. I m not going to make assumptions because assuming doesn t really do anything. In this league, you re only as good as your last play. That s what people remember. Numbers and statistics come and go away. And then you start over. Decker insists that he doesn t believe in No. 1, No. 2 or No. 3 receivers, but the X s and O s truth is that defenses rotated coverage to second-team All-Pro Demaryius Thomas on the outside and attempted to bracket Wes Welker in the slot, creating plenty of 1-on-1 matchups for Decker, who proved that he could consistently beat single coverage. His reality is much different now on a team with a second-year quarterback and no other proven players at his position. The Jets paid more attention to Decker s skill set than the stat sheets before signing him, impressed with technical aspects of his game such as the ability to beat press coverage at the line of scrimmage, threaten defenses vertically and get in and out of breaks with good suddenness. Decker s career year ended with a 1-catch, 6-yard dud at MetLife Stadium in the Super Bowl six months ago, fueling his critics. People want to knock him for the Super Bowl or hate on him a little bit, defensive end Sheldon Richardson told the News, But truth be told, that whole offense disappeared, even Peyton Manning. But I see a No. 1 receiver in him. 17 P a g e