NEW YORK JETS DAILY CLIPS

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1 NEW YORK JETS DAILY CLIPS September 11, 2014 Table of Contents ASSOCIATED PRESS... 2 Jets CB Milliner practices for 1st time in a month (Dennis Waszak)... 2 NEWSDAY... 3 Sheldon Richardson: Jets can pressure Aaron Rodgers (Kimberley Martin)... 3 Dee Milliner may return Sunday as Jets face first of six straight elite quarterbacks (Colin Stephenson)... 4 Michael Vick says that what he did doesn't compare to Ray Rice situation (Kimberley Martin)... 4 THE RECORD... 6 Jets notes: Rodgers talks about Rex (J.P. Pelzman)... 6 Jets' Rex Ryan gets reason to smile (J.P. Pelzman)... 6 STAR-LEDGER... 7 Jets prepare for 'chaos' of Packers' up-tempo offense, which should move faster this week (Darryl Slater)... 7 Dee Milliner's status for Jets-Packers could be determined by Thursday's practice, says Rex Ryan (Darryl Slater). 9 NEW YORK POST Jets get encouraging sign from banged-up secondary (Brian Costello) Jets Milliner could be back to face the Packers (Brian Costello) Jets out to follow Seahawks plan and run down Packers (Mark Cannizzaro) Packers will be the true test of Jets defense (Brian Costello) NEW YORK DAILY NEWS NY Jets secondary may be turning corner as Dee Milliner practices (Seth Walder) Don t expect miracles out of healed NY Jets cornerback Dee Milliner (Manish Mehta) NEW YORK TIMES Dee Milliner Returns to Jets in Time for Encounter With Aaron Rodgers (Ben Shpigel) WALL STREET JOURNAL Jets' Ryan Gets Creative With Secondary (Stu Woo) ESPN NEW YORK Milliner boosts Dee-leaguered secondary (Rich Cimini) Could Jets unleash 'jet sweep' vs. Pack? (Rich Cimini) METRO NEW YORK Michael Vick: Ray Rice deserves a second chance (Kristian Dyer) Dee Milliner returns to practice, hopes to play Sunday (Kristian Dyer) NJ.COM P a g e

2 Michael Vick on Ray Rice: 'He has a friend over here' (Dom Cosentino) WEDNESDAY S SPORTS TRANSACTIONS ASSOCIATED PRESS Jets CB Milliner practices for 1st time in a month (Dennis Waszak) Associated Press FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) -- Dee Milliner is getting closer to making his season debut for the New York Jets. The team's top cornerback returned to practice Wednesday for the first time in a month after a high ankle sprain kept him sidelined since Aug. 10. Milliner was a limited participant, and his status for the Jets' game at Green Bay on Sunday is still uncertain. But it was a promising development for Milliner, who injured his left ankle during training camp. ''I feel great,'' Milliner said. ''I feel good. I did some things the other day and moved around a lot.'' Rex Ryan said a big test to gauge whether Milliner might be able to play this weekend is how the ankle feels Thursday. Milliner worked in team drills, and participated in individual drills with the defensive backs. ''Let's see how he comes back,'' Ryan said. ''(Green Bay) had 75 snaps on offense, and I don't expect Dee to play 75 snaps on defense. But we'll see how he progresses. ''I'm cautiously optimistic that he'll be able to go.'' That means the Jets could have their main cover guy against Aaron Rodgers and the Packers' potent offense - even if he's not on the field the entire game. ''Look around, if he can play in a limited role, let's play him in a limited role,'' Ryan said. ''That's how I see it. In his case, I don't believe the injury can get worse. It's pain, it's a lot of different things, but he's healed. I think it's just now working through some soreness and everything else, mental things.'' The Jets started safety Antonio Allen and backup Darrin Walls at cornerback in the season-opening win over Oakland last Sunday. Both Allen and Walls were solid, particularly with open-field tackles, but the return of Milliner - who proclaimed during camp that he believes he's the NFL's top cornerback - would be a huge boost to Ryan's secondary. New York has been thin at the cornerback spot since Milliner was injured, rookie Dexter McDougle was lost for the season with a knee injury and veteran Dimitri Patterson, an expected starter, was released after the Jets said he left the team before a preseason game and didn't speak to anyone in the organization for 48 hours. The Jets have been scrambling to find depth since, and hoping for Milliner to return sooner rather than later. ''I'm very optimistic,'' Milliner said. ''Just have to get out there and do what they tell me to do, just keep working. Basically, just do what they tell me to do, and if I feel good, I'll be out there.'' Right guard Willie Colon (calf) and rookie linebacker Ikemefuna Enemkpali (foot) were limited at practice. Colon isn't concerned about his injury and doesn't think it'll be an issue Sunday, while Enemkpali missed the opener. 2 P a g e

3 Safety Josh Bush (quadriceps), linebacker A.J. Edds (hamstring) and tight end Jeff Cumberland (personal reasons) did not practice. NOTES: The Jets drafted S Calvin Pryor with the No. 18 overall pick in May, choosing him over Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, considered by some to be the top safety available. Clinton-Dix ended up being drafted by the Packers three spots after Pryor. ''Both guys were excellent players,'' Ryan said during a conference call with Packers reporters. ''We would have been happy with either guy. But I took the guy who will knock your face in.''... QB Geno Smith on the Ray Rice situation: ''The NFL's made a decision and the Ravens have made their decision. I have met Ray and, personally, I think he's a good dude. I think he made a mistake, and in a time like that, you just have to let the powers that be do their job, and they have.''... Packers QB Aaron Rodgers on his team's last meeting with the Jets, a 9-0 win for Green Bay in 2010: ''We had a great game. We scored nine points, they scored zero. So, it was a barn burner.'' NEWSDAY Sheldon Richardson: Jets can pressure Aaron Rodgers (Kimberley Martin) Newsday FLORHAM PARK, N.J. - The Jets know they're not the Seahawks. But they still expect to get a win when they get their crack at Green Bay. Armed with a vaunted defense and a strong running game, Seattle spanked the Packers, 36-16, a week ago in the league's regular-season opener. Jets defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson expects to have similar success getting after Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers on Sunday. During an interview with Newsday, Richardson cut short a question about the Jets' front seven to pose one of his own. "Is our front seven better than the Seattle Seahawks'? I think that. I think that,'' he said, flashing a wide smile. Surrounded by a crowd of reporters a few minutes earlier, Richardson called Sunday's game in Green Bay "a big challenge'' and praised the "shifty'' Rodgers for his "pocket awareness.'' But nevertheless, Richardson said he's confident the Jets can exploit the Packers' "few weaknesses.'' Rodgers was sacked three times and threw an interception against the defending Super Bowl champions. "No, we do not think we're the Seattle Seahawks,'' the 2013 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year said, laughing. "We've just got to get after it. He's a great quarterback -- but no one likes pressure.'' The teams haven't met since the Packers beat the Jets, 9-0, at MetLife Stadium in It was Rodgers' only start against the Jets, and he completed only 15 of 34 passes, his lowest completion percentage (44.1) in a game since becoming a starter in 2008, according to ESPN Stats and Information. Although the Packers' personnel has changed considerably since then, Rex Ryan is studying tape of that game. "He seems like the same guy because he's got a bazooka for an arm and he's accurate and he can move,'' Ryan said of Rodgers, who is 5-1 in home openers and has thrown for 300-plus yards in each of the Packers' past three home games. 3 P a g e

4 "A Peyton Manning, a Tom Brady can just pick you apart with accuracy,'' Ryan said. "This kid combines accuracy with escapability, and I think that's really what separates him from most quarterbacks in the league.'' Notes & quotes: Josh Bush (quadriceps), Jeff Cumberland (personal) and A.J. Edds (hamstring) did not practice, while Dee Milliner (ankle), Willie Colon (calf) and IK Enemkpali (foot) were limited... Packers RB Eddie Lacy (concussion) did not practice. Dee Milliner may return Sunday as Jets face first of six straight elite quarterbacks (Colin Stephenson) Newsday FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- That daunting gauntlet of superstar quarterbacks the Jets are going to face for six straight games begins Sunday, when Rex Ryan's team heads to Green Bay to take on Aaron Rodgers and the Packers. Thankfully for Ryan and the Jets, help looks as if it's on the way for the beleaguered secondary. Dee Milliner, the second-year cornerback who sat out the season-opening win over Oakland last Sunday and has been sidelined the past four weeks by a high ankle sprain, practiced Wednesday for the first time since Aug. 10. The former first-round pick could be in the lineup when the Jets (1-0) visit Green Bay (0-1). "I'm very optimistic," Milliner said when asked about his chances of playing on Sunday. "[I] just have to get out there and... basically, just do what they tell me to do. And if I feel good, I'll be out there." Milliner's return would be coming at a perfect time, as the Jets begin a stretch in which they face six consecutive elite quarterbacks. After staring down Rodgers this weekend, the Jets will face the Bears' Jay Cutler, the Lions' Matthew Stafford, the Chargers' Philip Rivers, the Broncos' Peyton Manning and the Patriots' Tom Brady. Milliner, who finished a rocky rookie season last year on an upswing -- he was named Defensive Rookie of the Month for December, and had two interceptions in the Jets' final game against Miami -- was supposed to be the No. 1 cornerback on the Jets this season, with the departure of Antonio Cromartie and following the front office's decision not to sign a high-profile free agent at the position in the spring. But Milliner sprained his ankle in training camp, on the same day that rookie Dexter McDougle, slated to be a backup, suffered a season-ending knee injury. Then, when veteran free-agent cornerback Dmitri Patterson skipped out on the preseason game against the Giants and subsequently was cut, that left the Jets with journeyman Darrin Walls and converted safety Antonio Allen to start at corner against Oakland in the season opener. On Wednesday, Milliner rotated in with the rest of the corners and did team drills during practice, according to Ryan, who said the Jets will want to see how Milliner feels Thursday before making any decisions about his availability on Sunday. "This was the first time he's really worked football drills," Ryan said of Milliner. "Let's see how he comes back [Thursday]... [Oakland] had 75 snaps on offense; I don't expect Dee to play 75 snaps on defense. But we'll see how he progresses... I'm cautiously optimistic that he'll be able to go." Michael Vick says that what he did doesn't compare to Ray Rice situation (Kimberley Martin) 4 P a g e

5 Newsday FLORHAM PARK, N.J. - Michael Vick knows that he has become the NFL's poster child for career rehabilitation. In recent days, the Jets backup quarterback has fielded dozens of questions about Ray Rice, who was suspended indefinitely by the NFL on Monday after TMZ.com released a video showing him punching his then-fiancée inside an elevator at an Atlantic City hotel. But Vick doesn't think his involvement in an organized dogfighting ring is comparable to the Rice situation because "you're comparing dogs and humans." "This one is tough," he told Newsday Wednesday. "I think what I did doesn't compare to what this case is and what came out of this. It's just a situation where men have to understand that we're men. Women are a lot smaller and not as physical as us. We just have to think before we react. It's not man-on-man. It's man-on-woman and that's unfair." Vick, who was suspended indefinitely from the NFL and spent 23 months in federal prison, clarified that the Rice situation isn't worse than the crime he committed. "It's just as bad," he said. "I won't compare dogs to humans in this situation. But you're talking about a man putting his hands on a woman, so it's a totally different realm. You're not talking about somebody abusing an animal. You're talking about a man abusing a woman." The former No. 1 overall pick in 2001 resurrected his career in 2009 and went on to play five seasons in Philadelphia. In March, he signed a one-year, $4-million deal with the Jets. It's unclear if Rice's return to the NFL will ever happen. But until then, Vick knows he'll continue to field questions about athletes re-establishing their images and their careers. And he's OK with that. "Yeah, once again, I'm being used as a prime example," he told Newsday. "But that's cool though. It's cool, it's all right. You can set the guidelines based on my situation. Obviously, everything is not going to be to that magnitude, maybe worse, maybe a bit more easier to deal with. I just think it all depends on the crime that's been committed." Vick admitted Wednesday that he often wondered whether he'd get a second chance. "I doubted it, yeah. I mean, I didn't know," he told reporters. "You got the whole world coming at you and everybody looking at you like you're the worst person in the world... You've just got to keep the faith and lean on the people who've always been there for you and the people that are there to help you. And I think that'll get you through. Hopefully that'll work for Ray." Vick reiterated that Rice deserves another chance to play again, but he isn't sure if that will happen. "Honestly, I think everybody deserves a second chance. Everybody... But there's going to be a grace period and we all just have to sit back and reflect on what's been done," he said, adding that he plans to reach out to Rice. "Ray Rice is a great football player, but I think there's some things he has to work on, some issues he has to deal with." 5 P a g e

6 THE RECORD Jets notes: Rodgers talks about Rex (J.P. Pelzman) The Record September 11, 2014 Daily Clips Cont. Rodgers on Ryan Since taking over as Green Bay s starting quarterback in 2008, Aaron Rodgers has faced a Rex Ryancoached defense only once. On Halloween in 2010, the Packers were held without a touchdown by the host Jets, but still managed a 9-0 victory. That Green Bay team went on to win the Super Bowl. "I think they are very creative," Rodgers said Wednesday on a conference call when asked about the Jets defensive schemes. "Anytime you have a creative schemer like Rex, you can come up with some stuff that you just don t see all of the time with the different personnel packages they put out there and types of looks, fronts and pressures behind it. They have a lot of variance in their pressures and in their coverages behind it. There are not a lot of things you can really key on. It s about trying to trust your protections and trying to figure out who is coming [to rush the passer] each play." Colon limited Right guard Willie Colon (calf) was limited in practice, but neither he nor Ryan believe the injury will keep him out of Sunday s contest at Green Bay. "Sometimes those things can be bothersome," Ryan admitted, but added, "I don t think it s going to keep Willie out." Linebacker Ikemefuna Enemkpali (foot) also was limited at practice. Safety Josh Bush (quadriceps), linebacker A.J. Edds (hamstring) and tight end Jeff Cumberland (personal reasons) missed practice. Packers progressing For Green Bay, starting right tackle Bryan Bulaga (knee), who was injured in the season-opening loss at Seattle, was limited in practice. Running back Eddie Lacy (concussion) still hasn t been cleared to return to practice, although coach Mike McCarthy was optimistic about his status on a conference call. "He s progressing," McCarthy said. "He looked good [Wednesday]. He s actually in a workout right now. Once we get the results from that and see how he progresses, we ll see if he ll be available" today. Jets' Rex Ryan gets reason to smile (J.P. Pelzman) The Record September 11, FLORHAM PARK It had been a long time since the Jets received some good news about the cornerback position, but Wednesday s events put a smile on the face of coach Rex Ryan. Second-year cornerback Dee Milliner practiced Wednesday for the first time since suffering a high-ankle sprain Aug. 10. It s possible that he could return to action Sunday just in time for the Jets visit to Wisconsin to face Green Bay and a high-powered passing attack led by quarterback Aaron Rodgers. 6 P a g e

7 "I m very optimistic" about playing Sunday, Milliner said after practice. "[I] just have to get out there and, like I said, do what they tell me to do, [and] just keep working. Basically, just do what they tell me to do, and if I feel good, I ll be out there." Milliner was asked if he felt any rust while participating in team drills. "No, it s not rust," he said. "You just have to get back into it.... I haven t been out there in a while; I have to get back to normal and get back in a rhythm." Ryan also is optimistic about Milliner s availability on a limited basis for Sunday, but cautioned that the Jets will have to see how he feels today after practicing Wednesday. "Let s see how he comes back [today] after he did work," Ryan said. "I don t expect Dee to play 75 snaps on defense [Sunday]. But we ll see how he progresses. Like I said, I m cautiously optimistic that he ll be able to go. But I think [today] will be a big tell for us." Milliner was listed as limited, meaning he didn t take part in all of the 11-on-11 drills. However, Ryan said he did "quite a bit" of work in those drills. "I feel great," Milliner said. "If he can play in a limited role, let s play him in a limited role," Ryan said. "That s how I see it. In his case, I don t believe the injury can get worse. It s pain, it s a lot of different things, but he s healed. I think it s just now working through some soreness and everything else mental things." Milliner also missed some time in the spring because of a nagging hamstring injury, so he likely will be a little rusty whenever he returns. Still, his presence would be a welcomed addition to what is a patchwork secondary. Milliner, the ninth overall pick in the 2013 draft, struggled for much of his rookie season before coming on strong in the final four games. He was projected as the team s No. 1 corner this year before he sprained his left ankle last month in practice at Cortland, N.Y., when he landed awkwardly after trying to defend a long pass. On that same day, third-round pick Dexter McDougle suffered a season-ending knee injury, and in late August, the Jets released veteran cornerback Dimitri Patterson after they said he was AWOL for a game. All of this attrition at cornerback led to the Jets starting converted safety Antonio Allen and career backup Darrin Walls at the cornerback spots on opening day. They played well in the win over Oakland. But that was against rookie Derek Carr, as opposed to a veteran superstar such as Rodgers. Still, the Jets aren t in awe of Rodgers and Co., who need a victory to avoid Green Bay s first 0-2 start since "He s a great quarterback," defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson said of Rodgers, "but no one likes pressure. "It s a big challenge," Richardson added, "but they ve got a few weaknesses and we re going to exploit that as much as possible." STAR-LEDGER Jets prepare for 'chaos' of Packers' up-tempo offense, which should move faster this week (Darryl Slater) Star-Ledger 7 P a g e

8 FLORHAM PARK Thursday is the final full day of practice for NFL teams, the time when they fine tune their game plans for the coming Sunday. But Jets coach Rex Ryan wants this Thursday to bring organized chaos for his defense. Ryan s goal, when taken at face value, seems counterintuitive, and a potential step backward in game preparations. For Ryan, though, it is all part of readying his defensive players for what they will face Sunday at Green Bay, whose no-huddle, up-tempo offense can leave defenses confused and scrambling, even as the ball is snapped into the hands of Aaron Rodgers one of this generation s finest quarterbacks. Ryan hopes to get the chaos out of the way during Thursday s practice. So he will do what he did last year before the Jets faced the Patriots fast-paced offense. When the scout team offense faces the starting defense in practice, Ryan won t send in his defensive call until the offensive players have lined up. He would never send in a call this late during a game, of course. By forcing his defenders into an exaggerated, chaotic situation during practice, he thinks they might be better equipped to handle it Sunday at Lambeau Field. That way, when you get in a game, it s no big deal, Ryan said. The Packers hope to run 75 plays per game faster than they ve ever been under ninth-year coach Mike McCarthy, who said in the offseason that he wanted to make a concerted effort to increase his offense s tempo. Green Bay has gradually increased its pace in recent years. In 2010, when the Packers won the Super Bowl, they ran 62.5 plays per game. That number dipped to 61.8 in The Packers leaned more on no-huddle plays in the next two years, during which they averaged 65.1 and 67.1 plays per game 11th in the NFL last year. More NFL teams are moving faster these days, especially franchises that have elite quarterbacks like Rodgers. In 2012, Tom Brady and the Patriots led the league with 74.4 plays per game. In 2013, they were second, with 71.1, and Denver and Peyton Manning topped the list, with 72.3 plays per game. Taking into account offensive time of possession, the Patriots last season ran 2.34 plays per minute of possession time. The Packers ran The Jets defense got experience against this break-neck pace while splitting their meetings with the Patriots in In a loss at New England, the Patriots ran 2.46 plays per minute. They were even faster while losing at the Jets in overtime 2.96 plays per minute though New England possessed the ball for just 23 minutes and 40 seconds of that game, so it wasn t a totally exhausting day for the Jets defense. But games against frenetically paced teams can tax defenders bodies and minds. Everybody has to be in shape and know exactly what you re doing, said Jets nose tackle Damon Harrison. When you get tired and you re in better shape, you don t resort back to old, bad habits. If you re a guy that s in shape, the quick tempo shouldn t bother you that much. It s always tough for defensive linemen when guys are running the hurry-up offense. But I think we ll be fine. In the Packers season-opening loss at Seattle, their tempo was limited. Green Bay ran just 57 plays 2.14 per minute. The extreme noise level in Seattle slowed their tempo down drastically, said Jets coach Rex Ryan. As the Packers return home this week, to a friendlier environment for clear communication at the line of scrimmage, Ryan and his players expect the pace to quicken. 8 P a g e

9 Them being at home, I m sure it ll be a lot easier for them to really get into it, Harrison said. Rodgers is the sort of sharp-minded quarterback who perfectly fits a no-huddle offense. The NFL first saw this approach in earnest with quarterback Jim Kelly and the Bills K-Gun offense in the early 1990s. Like Kelly then, Rodgers is now in the prime of his career. Rodgers, 30, is beginning his seventh year as the Packers starter. Over the past five seasons, he has completed 66.5 percent of his passes for 159 touchdowns and 38 interceptions. The Packers went over that span in games he started. A broken collarbone last season limited Rodgers to nine games, and prevented the Packers offense from getting a full season with him running the no-huddle system. Rodgers is responsible for calling most plays at the line of scrimmage, after he surveys the defensive alignment and determines how best to attack it. Being able to see the defense, and then call a play, gives no-huddle teams a better chance of using the optimal play. Or at least that is the goal of this increasingly popular approach. It seems like there are more full-time teams that have a higher pace, said Jets linebacker Jason Babin, an 11th-year veteran. Babin said Rodgers often does not approach the line and immediately snap the ball. Usually, he surveys the defense, alerts his teammates of the play call and then gets the snap. This gives the Jets defense at least some time to adjust and move around, to counter whatever motioning and formation alterations Rodgers calls for. For this defense, (pre-snap shifting) is something we re accustomed to, because there s a lot of communication, a lot of moving parts, Babin said. It won t be something necessarily that is out of the realm of what we do normally. The challenge, Babin said, is trying to determine when Rodgers will take his time at the line, after hurrying to get there, and when he will want the snap instantly after lining up. It s a feel, like: Are they really hurrying up? Or are they trying to look like they re hurrying up? Babin said. This is the sort of game the sort of tempo that will test Ryan s assertion that his team is deeper this season. Babin, for instance, was signed on the eve of training camp to provide pass-rushing depth, as the backup rush outside linebacker behind Quinton Coples. Might this be a game in which Babin sees more than just occasional, situational action, in order to keep Coples fresh? Defensive substituting can be a challenge against an offense that doesn t want to substitute a lot, in order to run plays in rapider succession something McCarthy has stated as a mission. But Ryan expects the Jets to roll guys in quite a bit this week. No, the Jets don t have to visit Lambeau in the frigid days of December. Ryan said he expects the Packers offensive tempo might slow by then, at least in snowy games. The first few weeks of the season, though, are ripe for no-huddle offenses to try to exhaust defenses, Ryan said. I think a lot of times, you see it even more so earlier in the season than you do late, because the (players ) conditioning sometimes weighs in, he said. It s hot, humid. We pride ourselves on being in shape. We know it s going to be a challenge that way. Dee Milliner's status for Jets-Packers could be determined by Thursday's practice, says Rex Ryan (Darryl Slater) Star-Ledger 9 P a g e

10 FLORHAM PARK Dee Milliner returned to Jets practice Wednesday, exactly a month after he sustained a high left ankle sprain in a training camp practice. While the Jets are hopeful about Milliner s progress, they won t have a true read on whether he can play Sunday at Green Bay until Thursday s practice unfolds. Jets coach Rex Ryan wants to see how his No. 1 cornerback responds after receiving limited action in Wednesday s practice the first time he has practiced, period, since he got hurt. I m cautiously optimistic with his return, Ryan said of the possibility that Milliner could play at Green Bay. Ryan said Milliner participated quite a bit Wednesday, in both position and team drills. Milliner rotated in with guys during team drills a good sign for Milliner s recovery. Ryan didn t want to put any expectations on Milliner s potential return until after Thursday s practice. We re just now scratching the surface, Ryan said. Let s see how he comes back tomorrow after he did work (Wednesday), the first time he s really worked football drills. Let s see how he comes back. Ryan is particularly interested in seeing just how his body recovers. Sometimes, you can feel good. You get out there and you think you can do it, and then the next day, it s like, Oooh. It s almost where you can t run even. I ve seen that happen. Hopefully it doesn t happen this time. The way the Packers play makes it extremely unlikely that Milliner would be able to participate in a full game Sunday. They want to have 75 snaps on offense, Ryan said. I don t expect Dee to play 75 snaps on defense. But we ll see how he progresses. Like I said, I m cautiously optimistic that he ll be able to go. I think tomorrow will be a big tell for us. If Milliner does play Sunday, he is not limiting his personal expectations about what he can do. "If on the field, I m playing," he said. "So if I m out there, expect the most out of me." Milliner said he didn't feel physically limited in what he was able to do Wednesday. He said he had done "a little bit" of cutting and back pedaling before Wednesday, but not as much as he did Wednesday. "I feel great," Milliner said. "I m very optimistic (about playing Sunday). If I feel good, I ll be out there." The things he has to do in order to play: "Just moving around, basically," Milliner said. "Breaking, and just doing different things that I haven t done in a while. I haven t been out there in a while. I have to get back to normal and get back in a rhythm. If you rush it and come back too fast (from the injury), you can hurt it again and just cause more pain or more heartache on the injury you already have." As Ryan alluded to, the Packers no-huddle offense can tax defensive players who are on the field for every snap. But even if Milliner can play Sunday, Ryan probably isn t going to throw him out there for the entire game, as Ryan mentioned. In the season-opening win over the Raiders, the Jets started converted safety Antonio Allen and backup Darrin Walls at the cornerback spots. It remains unclear whose playing time would be most limited if Milliner does indeed return Sunday, even in a limited role. Ryan doesn't exactly have a ton of proven options at cornerback, so he would not hesitate to play Milliner in a limited role. 10 P a g e

11 "Look around," Ryan said. If he can play in a limited role, let s play him in a limited role. That s how I see it. In his case, I don t believe the injury can get worse. It s pain (tolerance). He s healed. I think it s just now working through some soreness and mental things. NEW YORK POST Jets get encouraging sign from banged-up secondary (Brian Costello) New York Post Jets cornerback Dee Milliner was back on the practice field for the first time in four weeks on Wednesday, a sign he may play Sunday against the Packers. Milliner went through positional drills, backpedaling and running, during the portion of practice open to the media. The team will release an injury report later Wednesday to indicate how much he was able to practice. Milliner missed the end of training camp and last week s season opener with a high left ankle sprain. The Jets started unproven Darrin Walls and converted safety Antonio Allen at cornerback last week against the Raiders. Both players fared well, but Aaron Rodgers is a different challenge than Derek Carr. Milliner, the No. 9 overall pick in 2013, had a rough rookie season, but the Jets were encouraged by how he finished the year. He showed improvement during the first two weeks of training camp and in the team s first preseason game before suffering the injury. Jets Milliner could be back to face the Packers (Brian Costello) New York Post The Jets are optimistic Dee Milliner will play Sunday against the Packers after the second-year cornerback practiced on a limited basis Wednesday. Milliner has missed the past four weeks with a high left ankle sprain. Wednesday was the first time he was on the field in uniform since suffering the injury in Cortland on Aug. 10. I m very optimistic. Milliner said about playing this week. [I] just have to get out there and, like I said, do what they tell me to do, just keep working. Basically [I have to] just do what they tell me to do, and if I feel good, I ll be out there. Ryan said Milliner did quite a bit in practice and did some team drills. Even if Milliner can play Sunday, it sounds as if it will be in a limited role. [The Packers] want to have 75 snaps on offense. I don t expect Dee to have 75 snaps on defense, coach Rex Ryan said. We ll see how he progresses. I m cautiously optimistic that he ll be able to go. I think [Thursday] will be a big tell for us. The Jets need reinforcements in the secondary, where Darrin Walls and Antonio Allen started at cornerback against the Raiders. Ryan was asked if it would be better to wait until Milliner can play a full game than play him in a limited role. 11 P a g e

12 Look around. If he can play in a limited role, let s play him in a limited role, Ryan said. That s how I see it. Milliner said if he plays, he ll be ready to go. If I m out there, expect the most out of me, he said. The Jets took safety Calvin Pryor with the 18th pick in May s draft. The Packers took safety Ha Ha Clinton- Dix three picks later. The two were considered the top safeties in the draft, but some people had Pryor No. 1 and others had Clinton-Dix on top. Ryan was asked in a conference call with Green Bay media why the Jets took Pryor instead of Clinton-Dix. Both guys are excellent players. We would have been happy with either guy, but I took the guy that will knock your face in, Ryan said. Clinton-Dix fired back at Ryan. I m not afraid to do that at all, and you re going to continue to see that out of me, Clinton-Dix said. If that s what they thought, then hey, that s up on him, and I m going to show him. TE Jeff Cumberland (excused for personal reason), S J osh Bush (quad) and LB A.J. Edds (hamstring) did not practice. G Willie Colon (calf), LB Ikemefuna Enemkpali (foot) and Milliner were all limted. For the Packers, RB Eddie Lacy (concussion) did not practice and RT Bryan Bulaga (knee) was limited. Jets out to follow Seahawks plan and run down Packers (Mark Cannizzaro) New York Post It was only two games: One in Seattle, one at MetLife Stadium. So there s not nearly enough of a sample section from a lopsided Packers loss to the Seahawks and a Jets win over the Raiders to truly tell what will happen when the Jets play the Packers Sunday at Lambeau Field. But even the small, two-game sample size is enough to give you a glimpse at how the Jets can fly out of Green Bay with a 2-0 record. Start with the two guys named Chris Johnson and Ivory who will be toting the ball for them. Chris Johnson and Chris Ivory combined for 170 rushing yards on 23 carries Sunday in the Meadowlands, with Ivory gaining 102 yards on 10 carries, one of which went for a 71-yard touchdown, and Johnson gaining 68 yards on 13 carries. The Packers defense yielded 207 rushing yards to the Seahawks, good for a 5.6-yards per carry average. There is an age-old axiom in football that states: The tape doesn t lie. This is what the Jets saw on tape: Seattle s lead back, Marshawn Lynch, who ran for 110 yards, looking like he was being treated to a spa day while roaming through the belly of the Green Bay defense. By one published account, the Packers defense missed 16 tackles in the game and 50 of Lynch s 110 yards came after the first hit. 12 P a g e

13 Surely, those 16 missed tackles must have Johnson and Ivory salivating at the possibilities Sunday. Complacency, though, can be the most dangerous equalizer in sports. The Jets assuming they ll be able to push the Packers around the way the Super Bowl champions did will be a big mistake. We re looking for a dog fight, right guard Willie Colon said. I don t think we re going into this thinking that we re going to do what Seattle did. We ve got to respect them on their home turf. We understand we re going out there to hostile territory. They re coming off a tough loss. We know they re going to be fired up, they re going to be home. So it s going to be important for us to being our A game. The Jets A game must lean heavily on the running game, because that will not only take pressure off second-year quarterback Geno Smith but it will keep Packers gunslinger quarterback Aaron Rodgers on the sideline longer. I feel confident we can run the ball, Rex Ryan said. Each game is a little different. They may play you a certain way that maybe they didn t play Seattle. But we go into every game no matter who we play we want to run the ball and run it effectively, and we feel like we have the players to do that. Colon said: We have great backs, and [when] we get those guys the ball and get them in a rhythm, anything s possible. This has potential to be a big game for the Jets offensive line based on the way Packers nose tackle Letroy Guion, who played sparingly in preseason, was manhandled by the Seattle line. Guion s struggle last week surely have Packers fans longing for B.J. Raji, who s on injured reserve with a torn biceps muscle. The Packers also have issues at inside linebacker, where Brad Jones struggled against Seattle, missing three tackles, dropping a potential interception and being called for two penalties. After the game, Seattle defensive end Michael Bennett excoriated the Green Bay defense when he said to NFL.com: I saw supposedly some of the best players in the league not want to tackle Marshawn Lynch. So as bad as the Packers looked in Seattle, the Jets must beware of the wounded animal in its own house. Any time you re playing against a defense that s missing a lot of tackles, that s always a good thing for a running back, Johnson said. But we can t go in there and dwell on the things they did wrong [against Seattle]. Each week everything is always different. Just like we watched the film, Green Bay went back and watched the film and tried to correct some of the mistakes they made. Johnson and Ivory, with a little bit of Bilal Powell mixed in, looks like it could be a legitimate force for the Jets. It could be just the formula to get them out of Green Bay, where they are more than a touchdown underdog, with an upset victory. Packers will be the true test of Jets defense (Brian Costello) New York Post The Jets believe they can be one of the best defenses in the NFL. This week, we get to find out if they are right. Facing the Packers and superstar quarterback Aaron Rodgers at Lambeau Field will be the barometer of whether this Jets defense is as good as it thinks it is or just good when facing teams such as the Raiders and their rookie quarterback last week. 13 P a g e

14 The Jets are embracing the challenge of facing Rodgers. He s considered one of the best quarterbacks in the National Football League, so going against him is going to be very difficult, rookie safety Calvin Pryor said. But he has to understand we re no slouches. He s going against a great defense as well. When everybody thinks about Aaron Rodgers, they have to think about the New York Jets defense as well. We re playing on an even playing field. Rodgers numbers are staggering. He has the highest passer rating in NFL history at In his past 30 starts in Green Bay (minimum 10 passing attempts), he has a 28-2 record with a rating, 75 touchdowns and just 17 interceptions. The numbers left the normally brash Rex Ryan wishing he was playing a New Jersey high school team. I d like to see us play Delbarton or somebody, Ryan joked. It will be a big test. Green Bay lost its opener in Seattle and is trying to avoid its first 0-2 start since The Seahawks beat up the Packers last week 36-16, and the Jets think Green Bay has some holes. It s a big challenge, but they ve got a few weaknesses, defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson said. We re going to exploit that as much as possible. Get em unsettled. While Richardson did not get specific, it sounds as if he believes the Jets front seven can get to Rodgers. The Packers offensive line is missing its starting center, J.C. Tretter, and right tackle Bryan Bulaga injured his knee last week and was limited in Wednesday s practice. He s a great quarterback, but no one likes pressure, Richardson said. Rodgers may not have running back Eddie Lacy behind him this week. Lacy suffered a concussion against Seattle and did not practice Wednesday. But the Packers were never going to attack the Jets on the ground anyway. The holes on the Jets defense come in the secondary, not up front. The Jets are hopeful cornerback Dee Milliner can play after missing last week with a high left ankle sprain. On the other side will probably be Antonio Allen, who made his first start at corner against the Raiders. Oakland never really tested the Jets defensive backs. Derek Carr spent most of the game throwing short passes and the Jets did a good job of keeping the receivers in front of them. That won t happen this week. Rodgers is sure to test the unproven defensive backs with deep throws to receivers Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb. He s got an arm to make throws to every spot on the field, Ryan said. He s got great movement skills. A lot of times with great quarterbacks a lot of guys can do one or the other. They can either really run well or they can sit back a Peyton Manning, a Tom Brady and just pick you apart with accuracy. This kid combines accuracy with escape-ability. I think that s really what separates him from most quarterbacks in the league. The Jets think they have a defense that is better than most. We re about to find out. Being that it s Aaron Rodgers and he s one of the most talked about quarterbacks in the league, cornerback Darrin Walls said, it will say a lot about our defense and who we are. NEW YORK DAILY NEWS NY Jets secondary may be turning corner as Dee Milliner practices (Seth Walder) New York Daily News 14 P a g e

15 The Jets might actually be able to play a starting cornerback against Aaron Rodgers. That that sentence even has to be written is indicative of the problems the Jets have in the secondary, but the good news for the Jets is that they are 1-0 and Dee Milliner may be able to play on Sunday. Milliner was able to practice for the first time Wednesday since he suffered a high ankle sprain on Aug. 10. Rex Ryan said he was cautiously optimistic that the cornerback will be able to play this week. Milliner went even further, saying he is very optimistic, that he ll be ready to go. If he can play in a limited role, let s play him in a limited role, Ryan said. After Milliner hurt his ankle and Dimitri Patterson went AWOL and was released, the Jets were left without either of their starters at what was already a tenuous position to begin with. The Jets started safetyturned-cornerback Antonio Allen, and depth corner Darrin Walls last week against the Raiders, but were barely tested by rookie QB Derek Carr, who hardly threw downfield. Should Milliner return, it isn t known who would start opposite him, although Allen seems the more likely candidate after playing better than Walls did against the Raiders. The benefit of possibly having Milliner return pales in comparison to the challenge the Jets face from Rodgers and Co. As Ryan pointed out Wednesday, Rodgers is the NFL s all-time career leader in QB rating. His top receivers, Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb, should be a handful for the secondary to deal with no matter who is playing cornerback. (Rodgers) combines accuracy with escapability, and I think that s really what separates him from most quarterbacks in the league, Ryan said. The Jets talked themselves up all summer with Calvin Pace telling the Daily News they have the best defense in the league and Milliner proclaiming himself the top corner in the league so clearly, their own expectations are high even against an explosive offense such as Green Bay s. Going against the elite competition, it can be a game that you can prove yourself, Milliner said. Because... you re going against the best. Sheldon Richardson was pleased that Milliner might be able to play against the Packers, but cautioned against coming back too early from injury. It will be a good thing. Finally get the starting cornerback, Richardson said. Hopefully he s 100%, don t want him out there if he s not 100, so no excuses really. PRYOR COMMITMENT: The Jets took Calvin Pryor with the 18th pick of this year s draft while fellow safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix was still on the board. Clinton-Dix went to the Packers. Both guys were excellent players, Ryan said on his conference call with Green Bay reporters. We would have been happy with either guy. But I took the guy who will knock your face in. RUSH JOB: Chris Johnson sounded pretty pleased with the state of the Jets running game after Sunday s victory over the Raiders. We rushed for over 200 yards so nothing I can complain about, Johnson said. I think (offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg) knows how to get the ball in his playmakers hands. Don t expect miracles out of healed NY Jets cornerback Dee Milliner (Manish Mehta) 15 P a g e

16 New York Daily News Dee Milliner practiced Wednesday without shiny red boots, a bright red cape or the 19th letter of the alphabet emblazoned on his chest. According to eyewitnesses, he didn t leap tall buildings in a single bound or exhibit feats of superhuman strength, either. Milliner s impending return from a month-long hiatus due to a high ankle sprain has turned into the stuff of legend in the run-up to the Jets road test against the Packers on Sunday. Somewhere along the way in the past 30 days, Milliner morphed into Deion Sanders... or that other guy (No. 24) with the fictional island (five-time Pro Bowler) who was the engine of Rex Ryan s defense for years (rhymes with Leave us ). Milliner, who did his most extensive football-related work since suffering the injury on Aug. 10, would be a welcomed addition, but he s far from a secondary savior. Ryan admitted that he s cautionary optimistic, and Milliner proclaimed he s very optimistic that he ll be earning his paycheck at Lambeau Field this weekend, but everyone should temper their expectations. Milliner isn t a panacea for the Jets issues on the back end. Although defensive lineman Sheldon Richardson believes it ll be a major boost if Milliner plays on Sunday, he has realistic hopes for the second-year cornerback. Everybody gets beat, but he covers. Richardson told the Daily News. He s one of the best ones we got. We ve been waiting on him to get healthy so he can prove that. Milliner, the ninth pick of the 2013 draft, provided plenty of agita for Jets fans last season. He missed much of the offseason program recovering from shoulder surgery before an Achilles injury cut short his preseason. He missed three regular-season games due to a hamstring injury. Ryan benched him three times before a solid December that included three interceptions and earned him Defensive Rookie of the Month honors. Milliner grabbed headlines during training camp by telling The News that he was the best cornerback in the NFL. I m not going to say somebody that plays the same position is better than me, Milliner said at the time. Don t care if they ve been in the league 10 years and I ve been here five months. That s how it s going to go. I m the best. I m not going to say that another man that plays the same position... and say he s better than me? I can t do that. He had an uneven camp, sometimes getting beat by Eric Decker and even Stephen Hill in practice, before hurting himself defending a deep pass to rookie receiver Quincy Enunwa. The Jets dire cornerback situation only magnified Milliner s importance. Before long, the narrative became bizarre: Somehow, Milliner would be the elixir for the cornerback woes. His flaws receded into the background. Ryan wasn t ready to say that Milliner is a shoo-in to face Aaron Rodgers & Co. How his body responds to his first real day of backpedaling, breaking and turning in a month will go a long way toward determining if he ll play on Sunday. 16 P a g e

17 The Jets wisely have taken a cautious approach in Milliner s rehab to avoid a potential setback, but Ryan suggested that his second-year corner could be used in a limited fashion against Green Bay. The Packers break-neck tempo that aims for 70+ offensive plays per game makes it highly unlikely that Milliner will be out there for every snap. Look around, Ryan said of his cornerback options. If he can play in a limited role, let s play him in a limited role. That s how I see it. Ryan has been told by team trainers that Milliner is healed, so it s simply about working through some soreness... and mental things at this point. You got to be careful, Milliner said. Because if you rush it and get back too fast, you could hurt it again or just cause more pain or heartache. Ryan s cornerbacks held up fairly well against Raiders rookie Derek Carr in the Jets season-opening win, but Rodgers, surely seething after getting embarrassed by the Seahawks in Week 1, will be exponentially harder to handle. The Jets held Rodgers to a 44% completion rate in their last meeting four years ago his lowest since becoming a full-time starter in 2008, according to ESPN Stats & Information but Ryan had Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie at his disposal. Those guys aren t walking through the door. Milliner is the best they got now. If I m out there, Milliner said on his availability this weekend, expect the most out of me. Just don t expect any miracles. NEW YORK TIMES Dee Milliner Returns to Jets in Time for Encounter With Aaron Rodgers (Ben Shpigel) New York Times FLORHAM PARK, N.J. Rex Ryan and John Idzik stood beside the aerial lift separating the Jets two practice fields and fixed their gaze on the player wearing a green jersey, No. 27. There was Dee Milliner, in a helmet and shoulder pads, doing all the things that cornerbacks healthy cornerbacks are supposed to do. He backpedaled. He sprinted. He shadowed receivers. He caught passes. He accomplished these tasks with aplomb, without grabbing at the left ankle he sprained a month ago Wednesday, so after practice Ryan declared that he was cautiously optimistic that Milliner would play Sunday at the Green Bay Packers. Look around, Ryan said, referring to the depleted secondary. If he can play in a limited role, let s play him in a limited role. The Jets need Milliner as much as they need Antonio Allen, or Darrin Walls, or Kyle Wilson, or Muhammad Wilkerson, or Sheldon Richardson, or Calvin Pryor, or anyone, really, who can help contain Aaron Rodgers, one of the league s elite quarterbacks, and the Packers prolific up-tempo offense. 17 P a g e