NEW YORK JETS DAILY CLIPS

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1 NEW YORK JETS DAILY CLIPS October 23, 2015 Table of Contents ASSOCIATED PRESS... 2 No bluster as Jets prepare to face Brady, Patriots (Barry Wilner)... 2 Patriots tweet 'Butt Fumble' picture on eve of Jets game (Brandon Moore)... 5 NEWSDAY... 5 Stevan Ridley fired up to play Patriots, who let him leave (Kimberley A. Martin)... 6 Todd Bowles: M-E-T-S, Mets, Mets, Mets! (Kimberley A. Martin)... 6 Thinking of ways to deal with Rob Gronkowski has Jets a little queasy (Kimberley A. Martin)... 7 Patriots troll Jets on Twitter with 'Butt Fumble' photo (Kimberley A. Martin)... 8 THE RECORD... 9 Bowles impressed by Mets (J.P. Pelzman)... 9 Ridley may make Jets debut Sunday (J.P. Pelzman)... 9 ESPN NEW YORK Todd Bowles caught up in Mets' pennant fever (Rich Cimini) Sheldon Richardson: Comments on Pats game taken out of context (Rich Cimini) Jets defense bracing for Rob Gronkowski (Ohm Youngmisuk) Stevan Ridley in line to be activated by Jets ahead of Pats showdown (Rich Cimini) What would beating Pats mean to Jets' Todd Bowles? 'It just means we're 5-1' (Colin Stephenson) Darrelle Revis changed address, but not balance of power in AFC East (Rich Cimini) Pats tweet about 'Butt Fumble' ahead of tilt vs. Jets, then delete it (Rich Cimini) NEW YORK POST How in the world do you stop Rob Gronkowski? 1 Jet provides hint (Brian Costello) Herm Edwards knows challenges Bowles will face against Belichick (Justin Terranova) A storybook quality to potential return for Jets Stevan Ridley (Brian Costello) Patriots can t stop raving about Jet who can rip them apart (Mark Cannizzaro) The Jets unbelievable weapon the Patriots have no answer for (Steve Serby) Bill Belichick probably made Patriots staffer regret trolling Jets (Howie Kussoy) NJ ADVANCE MEDIA Jets vs. New England Patriots 4 downs interview: Damon Harrison on jawing with Pepper Johnson (Darryl Slater) Jets' Sheldon Richardson didn't guarantee win over New England Patriots. What he really meant (Darryl Slater) Brandon Marshall, Buster Skrine, Ryan Fitzpatrick Jets-New England Patriots injury report (Dom Cosentino) Kacy Rodgers Jets takeaways, on Rob Gronkowski making him want to puke (Darryl Slater) P a g e

2 5 Chan Gailey Jets takeaways: What makes Bill Belichick, New England Patriots so effective? (Dom Cosentino). 27 Jets' Stevan Ridley says he's not 100 percent, but feels 'ready' to play at New England Patriots (Darryl Slater) Jets' Stevan Ridley on departure from New England Patriots: 'It's in the bank of motivation for me' (Darryl Slater) Buster Skrine (concussion) shows signs of progress at Jets' Thursday practice (Darryl Slater) Jets' Todd Bowles, a Yankees fan, is rooting for Mets in World Series (Dom Cosentino) Fantasy football Week 7: Jets start 'em/sit 'em vs. New England Patriots, including Brandon Marshall (Dom Cosentino) New England Patriots smack-talk Jets with Buttfumble tweet, then delete it (Dom Cosentino) Jets' Todd Bowles explains which defensive stats he values most, and why (Darryl Slater) NEW YORK DAILY NEWS Stopping Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski a near-impossible task for Jets (Manish Mehta) Patriots tweet out Butt Fumble picture ahead of Jets game (Kevin Armstrong) METRO NEW YORK things to watch for as Patriots face Jets (James Toscano) Buster Skrine, Marcus Williams could be ready for returns vs. Patriots (Kristian Dyer) Sheldon Richardson confident in a Jets win at Patriots (Kristian Dyer) Patriots send a Buttfumble #TBT tweet the Jets' way ahead of game (Kristian Dyer) THURSDAY S SPORTS TRANSACTIONS ASSOCIATED PRESS No bluster as Jets prepare to face Brady, Patriots (Barry Wilner) Associated Press The bluster is gone, now residing in Western New York with Rex Ryan and the Bills. In his stead as coach of the Jets is Todd Bowles, who has them off to a 4-1 start in his tenure. New York is the league's dominant defensive team, has a penchant for takeaways, and will blitz you from the time the team leaves the hotel until the final seconds tick off the clock. Now comes the big test, and a chance to make a huge statement. The Jets travel to Foxborough, and a win Sunday over the 5-0 Patriots would establish New York's credentials as a contender. But don't expect any outlandish statements from Bowles or his players. "I don't discourage anybody," he says of holding back what his players say. "I just try to make sure we act professionally and we do the things that we need to do to win. It's not about talking or discouraging or monitoring guys' conversations or anything like that. "It's about being mature as a football team and understanding where we are and what we need to do." What the Jets need to do is try to slow down Tom Brady. New England barely has been tested so far, and the 38-year-old Brady who said this week he would like to play another 10 years needs 43 yards 2 P a g e

3 passing to become the fifth quarterback in NFL history to reach 55,000. Brady is 21-6 vs. the Jets, and few quarterbacks can handle the blitz the way he can. "They bring everybody," he said. "So it looks like everybody gets a turn, and they're just very aggressive with the blitz. They blitz a lot. You've got to be prepared for it at all times. They have big guys that blitz, outside linebackers. They've got the inside linebackers that blitz. They've got, you know, secondary players who are involved, so they come from everywhere." This week's action began Thursday night with Seattle's 20-3 victory at San Francisco. Russell Wilson threw a 43-yard touchdown pass to Tyler Lockett late in the first half, and Marshawn Lynch jumped the pile for a 1-yard score for Seattle (3-4). San Francisco dropped to 2-5. Off this week are three 6-0 teams: Green Bay, Denver and Cincinnati. Chicago (2-4) has a bye, too. Philadelphia (3-3) at Carolina (5-0) Each team comes off a big win attained in diametrically opposite ways. The Panthers staged a sizzling comeback at Seattle, making all kinds of clutch plays in the fourth quarter. It could be a defining win for this bunch provided Carolina gets past Philly. If the Eagles are as sloppy Sunday night as they were in prime time in their win over the Giants, the Panthers, who have nine straight regular-season matches going back to last season, should remain perfect. Running back DeMarco Murray, the Offensive Player of the Year with Dallas in 2014, had 109 yards rushing and a touchdown vs. the Giants and could be ready to break out. Baltimore (1-5) at Arizona (4-2), Monday night After a stumble in Pittsburgh, when the Cardinals did nothing in the second half, they look to rebound against another AFC North team, the bumbling Ravens. Baltimore has some history on its side, having made its biggest comeback the previous time these teams met. In 2011, Joe Flacco led Baltimore back from a 24-3 second-quarter hole and won The Ravens spend a month without hitting the road after this one, while the Cardinals play four of the next five away from University of Phoenix Stadium, including all three NFC West trips. Atlanta (5-1) at Tennessee (1-4) Atlanta has had plenty of time to stew after its first loss, at New Orleans on Oct. 15. Falcons QB Matt Ryan needs 83 yards passing to reach 30,000 in his career, and RB Devonta Freeman leads the NFL with 10 TDs more than any Falcon scored all last season. In another scheduling quirk, the Titans wrap up a homestand of four home games and a bye. They last played on the road Sept. 20 at Cleveland, but ahead are three road games in four weeks. Rookie quarterback Marcus Mariota is battling a sprained left knee. Dallas (2-3) at New York Giants (3-3) Very little has gone right for Dallas in the past month after a 2-0 start. Injuries have ravaged the roster, though the Cowboys hope to get back star receiver Dez Bryant on Sunday. He would be catching passes from Matt Cassel, who takes over for the benched Brandon Weeden while Tony Romo rehabs. New York was abysmal on offense in a prime-time loss at Philadelphia, but a defense missing some key players has shown signs of life. 3 P a g e

4 The previous time these clubs met at MetLife Stadium, Giants wideout Odell Beckham Jr., made that onehanded catch considered by many to be the best play of New Orleans (2-4) at Indianapolis (3-3) One thing the Colts do well no, not fake punts is win after a defeat. They are 16-2 following a loss under coach Chuck Pagano. And they claim that abominable play against New England already is forgotten. "This is one play," said receiver Griff Whalen, who snapped the ball. "Was it an important play? Yeah. Was it an important game? Yeah. Every game is important. But I put all that behind me Monday afternoon." New Orleans would love to repeat its performance in knocking Atlanta from the ranks of the unbeaten, and is well rested. Minnesota (3-2) at Detroit (1-5) The Vikings rank last in passing offense, and the Lions can't run the ball. Any clues there on how the gameplanning will go for this one? Minnesota has dominated Detroit over the past 15 years (24-8), but Vikings coach Mike Zimmer has not won a road game in the division (0-3). Detroit got off the schneid with its win against Chicago, but already has fallen to the Vikes this season. Buffalo (3-3) vs. Jacksonville (1-5) at London Exciting news for the folks in North Florida: The Jaguars have extended their deal to play a home game in London each year through So far, Jacksonville is 0-2 at Wembley as the host. If you're looking for this game on the telly in the States, forget it unless you live in Western New York or the Jacksonville area. It's only being streamed. So try: It also can be found on Amazon Fire TV, AppleTV, ChromeCast, Roku, Samsung, TiVo, Vizio P-Series and XBOX 360 and XBOX One. Pittsburgh (4-2) at Kansas City (1-5) With Ben Roethlisberger and Mike Vick unlikely to play, unproven QB Landry Jones should get the nod against an angry bunch of Chiefs. Kansas City is among the most disappointing teams in the league, and has shown little life. Minus star RB Jamaal Charles, the Chiefs need the defense led by All-Pro LB Justin Houston to really step up. That's what Pittsburgh's D has done despite dire predictions before the season kicked off. The Steelers are most effective against the run and are plus-6 in turnover margin, tied for the league lead. Houston (2-4) at Miami (2-3) Dan Campbell's first outing as interim head coach was a rousing success at Tennessee. The Dolphins showed plenty of spark, led by WR Jarvis Landry, whose punt return work has him atop the league with a 19.1-yard average. He also tops Miami in receptions with 31. But this is one of seven NFL series where one team has never beaten the other, and only one such matchup involves more games: the Eagles, 10-0 against the Jets. Oakland (2-3) at San Diego (2-4) A strange matchup for these teams as both franchises have partnered on a potential new stadium in Los Angeles even while beating up each other in the AFC West. 4 P a g e

5 The Raiders rank 31st in pass defense, and Philip Rivers has been tearing it up for San Diego. Helped by league receiving leader Keenan Allen, Rivers set club passing records with 503 yards, 43 completions, 65 attempts in the loss at Green Bay. Oakland safety Charles Woodson, tied for the NFL lead with four interceptions, needs one to surpass Ed Reed (64) and tie Ken Riley (65) for fifth all time. Cleveland (2-4) at St. Louis (2-3) Cleveland has done extra work in its past two games, splitting overtime matches. The star in Cleveland has been Gary Barnidge, the first Browns tight end to catch a TD pass in four straight games since Hall of Famer Ozzie Newsome in The Rams can run the ball now that first-round draftee Todd Gurley is healthy, and Cleveland ranks last in rushing defense. Tampa Bay (2-3) at Washington (2-4) The Bucs seem to be getting their offense straightened out, and now is a perfect time: Washington's secondary is banged up. Tampa receiver Mike Evans had his best game as a rookie in 2014 when he became the youngest player in NFL history with a 200-yard receiving game with seven catches for 209 yards and two touchdowns. Washington needs to rediscover its running game, which has stagnated after a terrific start. Patriots tweet 'Butt Fumble' picture on eve of Jets game (Brandon Moore) Associated Press FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) The Patriots' official Twitter account sent out and then deleted a picture of the New York Jets' infamous "butt fumble" as the AFC East rivals approach Sunday's game in New England. With a hashtag for "Throwback Thursday" and the caption, "This seems relevant," the Patriots sent the picture of Mark Sanchez losing the football after running into the rear end of offensive lineman Brandon Moore in The tweet was deleted, but a screenshot of it was published by the New York Post. Patriots spokesman Stacey James did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Patriots (5-0) host the Jets (4-1) on Sunday for the division lead. Jets coach Todd Bowles said he was unaware of the tweet and wasn't "a Twitter guy." But running back Stevan Ridley, a former Patriot, said New England coach Bill Belichick would not take kindly to the team's social media department stirring things up. Asked what he thought the strict Patriots mentor would do to the employee who sent the tweet, Ridley said with a smile, "There's no telling, man. "I wouldn't be surprised if he wasn't there (anymore)," he said. NEWSDAY 5 P a g e

6 Stevan Ridley fired up to play Patriots, who let him leave (Kimberley A. Martin) Newsday FLORHAM PARK, N.J. - Stevan Ridley's face said it all. This is the moment he's been envisioning. And this is the team he wants to face most of all: New England. "The story couldn't be written any better,'' said the former Patriots running back, who signed with the Jets in April. "Just to say that I went out a year ago and I'm coming back against my old team, it's kind of crazy. I don't think you can make a movie better than that. How much I'll play is totally up to Coach and I'm fine with whatever he calls, if it's two plays or it's 20 plays.'' The ACL and MCL tears he suffered last season, and the year-long recovery that awaited him, were the impetus for Ridley's departure from Foxborough. When the Patriots chose not to re-sign him, Ridley found a new home in New Jersey. "It's in the bank of motivation for me,'' he said of parting ways with the defending Super Bowl champions. "That's the team that I was on, that was the team that I was connected to. And I'm no longer there. So guess what? I'm with my new boys, man. And I'm with a new team that's doing tremendous.'' Ridley became eligible to return to practice this week after beginning the season on the physically unable to perform list. But Todd Bowles has yet to say definitively that he'll play. "It all depends on what we determine, whether we need a third or fourth back and those type of things,'' Bowles said Thursday. "He ran around more today. Again, he's been out for a while.'' Ridley, however, spoke as if he expects to be on the field Sunday at Gillette Stadium. "I mean, wouldn't you be if you were able to come back?'' he asked, smiling. "I can't go into the game saying that I'm ready to sit on the bench. No. I'm ready to play. And I'm excited about that chance.'' Ridley has amassed 2,817 rushing yards and 22 touchdowns on 649 carries since entering the NFL in But although he said "my body's fresh and I'm ready to go,'' he added, "I'd be lying if I said I could just go out there and I'm just 100 percent right now, today. I mean, nobody is that good.'' He's just trying to ease his way into an offense that is flourishing behind workhorse running back Chris Ivory, who was named the FedEx Ground NFL Player for the second time in three weeks. "There's a group of guys that have been getting it done all year,'' Ridley said. "So I'm not the magic piece to come in and push everybody to the side. No. I'm just trying to come in here and find my role, find my niche, whatever that may be.'' Notes & quotes: CB Buster Skrine (concussion) practiced on a limited basis wearing a red, non-contact jersey. WR Brandon Marshall, an addition to the injury report because of a sore calf, also was limited, as were G Willie Colon (knee), WRs Eric Decker (knee) and Chris Owusu (knee) and CB Marcus Williams (hamstring). Todd Bowles: M-E-T-S, Mets, Mets, Mets! (Kimberley A. Martin) Newsday 6 P a g e

7 FLORHAM PARK, N.J. - Todd Bowles is a proud supporter of the #LGM movement. Despite his long-standing allegiance to the Yankees, the Jets' coach made it clear Thursday that he's fully backing the Mets in the World Series. "The Yankees are out," the Elizabeth, New Jersey, native said with a smile. "[The Mets are] still in. I'm still a Yankees fan but I'm a New York fan." The Mets beat the Los Angeles Dodgers in five games in the NLDS and the Chicago Cubs in four games in the NLCS to reach the World Series, and that has Bowles pretty pumped. He insisted he's not ditching his beloved Yankees for the Mets, though. "I'm not jumping on the bandwagon," he said. "I just like their pitchers." Jets players also have shown their support for the Mets, who clinched a spot in the World Series with an 8-3 win at Wrigley Field on Wednesday night. "Ny Mets just went Back to Back! (DRAKE VOICE) Bye bye Cubs...,'' right guard Willie Colon tweeted after the game. "[Daniel] Murphy a beast... Go Mets," wrote safety Calvin Pryor. Thinking of ways to deal with Rob Gronkowski has Jets a little queasy (Kimberley A. Martin) Newsday FLORHAM PARK, N.J. - Devising ways to stop the Patriots' high-octane offense has Kacy Rodgers sick to his stomach. Immediately after stepping behind the podium Thursday, the Jets' defensive coordinator was asked how he intends to contain Rob Gronkowski, Julian Edelman and Danny Amendola. His response was priceless. "You just made my stomach want to throw up," he said, laughing. "But really, it's hard. It's very hard. When you look at them on tape, they pose a lot of problems. You kind of see it on their film with the matchup issues they create. They really do. The guy running the show is outstanding, so it's a difficult task." The first-place Patriots (5-0) have the second-best overall offense in the NFL, behind the San Diego Chargers. They're averaging a league-leading 36.6 points per game and are second in passing yardage (325.2). Bill Belichick has a host of weapons at his disposal, but the 6-6, 265-pound Gronkowski is one of the toughest matchups the Jets will face Sunday. "I would say he's one of the hardest," Rodgers said of the three-time Pro Bowl tight end. "There's a lot of really good tight ends throughout the league, but when you start listing them, his name is going to be one, two or three. His size, his strength, his catching ability, his blocking ability, versatility, I could keep going on and on. He's a very talented player." 7 P a g e

8 Jets coach Todd Bowles mentioned Gronkowski's size but also highlighted his intelligence. "His size overshadows everything," Bowles said. "I think what everybody fails to realize is he's a very smart player. He's just not big and tough, he's a smart player and he has very good feet. When you line up somebody like that at the wideout position, that's a tough cover." So how have other teams covered Gronkowski this season? "I don't see anybody covering him," Bowles said, laughing. "That's the problem... Everybody has tried everything. He's probably seen every coverage that he's going to see in his lifetime. Doubles, triples, vices, top, he's seen everything. You just have to be smart and be able to make your share of plays." One of the challenges of game-planning for Gronkowski is the fact that it's hard to mimic his size and speed in practice. Rodgers said the coaching staff has resorted to using several players to imitate him, but 6-4, 235-pound practice-squad tight end Wes Saxton "has been running around for the speed," he said. With so many targets to cover, Bowles and Rodgers must figure out the best way to deploy their players. That won't be an easy feat, considering slot cornerback Buster Skrine still is in the concussion protocol and Marcus Williams (hamstring) still is practicing on a limited basis. Asked if the Jets have considered moving Darrelle Revis into the slot to cover Gronkowski or Edelman, Rodgers said: "That's the case right there when you have Edelman and Gronk. Where do you put your best cover guy? They create a lot of problems that way. For us, we're bouncing around a lot of different things and see what works for us." Patriots troll Jets on Twitter with 'Butt Fumble' photo (Kimberley A. Martin) Newsday FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- "Patriots Week" was apparently too dull for New England. It was the Patriots -- and not the Jets -- who delivered the first salvo of the season, posting a "Throwback Thursday" photo of the infamous "Butt Fumble" on the team's official Twitter account Thursday morning with a caption that read: "This seems relevant #TBT." The tweet was deleted later Thursday. In contrast, the Rex Ryan-less Jets have been relatively quiet all week. Keeping in line with their low-key head coach Todd Bowles, the Jets (4-1) have expressed confidence in their team, but also respect for Patriots head coach Bill Belichick and his future Hall of Fame quarterback Tom Brady. That, of course, is a departure from previous years when Ryan and his players made headlines heading into Patriots Week. But New England (5-0) didn't pass up an opportunity to show up the Jets with a humbling reminder. It's been three years since former Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez mistakenly ran head-first into the rear end of right guard Brandon Moore. But that hasn't stopped New England from continuously trolling its AFC East rival with the haunting image. Before their Thursday Night Football game last October, the Patriots tweeted a "Butt Fumble" photo hours before kickoff. 8 P a g e

9 Sanchez's infamous face plant resulted in a fumble that was returned for a touchdown in a Thanksgiving night debacle at MetLife Stadium on Nov. 22, It was one of three Jet turnovers in a 52- second span that resulted in 21 points for the Patriots. THE RECORD Bowles impressed by Mets (J.P. Pelzman) The Record October 23, Jets head coach Todd Bowles may be a fan of the Yankees, but he likes what he sees with the National League champion Mets. "I m a big pitching-matchup guy," Bowles said Thursday at the Jets practice facility in Florham Park. "They ve got some great pitchers. They re young, they re tough, they re great. They ve got some good hitting. I m enjoying it." "[The] Yankees are out," Bowles added. "I m still a Yankees fan, but I m a New York fan. I m not jumping on the bandwagon. I just like their pitchers." Ridley may make Jets debut Sunday (J.P. Pelzman) The Record October 23, FLORHAM PARK Stevan Ridley s narrative has been set up perfectly. Now all he needs is for the Jets coaching staff to sign off on it. Ridley, who suffered a major knee injury last October in his fourth and final season with New England, has been on the physically unable to perform list since the beginning of training camp. By NFL rule, he sat out the first six weeks of the season. He is eligible to return to game action Sunday against of all teams the Patriots. "The story couldn t be written any better," Ridley said Thursday after practice. "I m fired up about it. It s my distant family. I ve got so many friends that are over there. Just to say that I went out a year ago and I m coming back this week against my old team, it s kind of crazy. I don t think you could make a movie any better than that." But for that movie to be produced, Ridley must continue to impress the coaches in what amounts to the NFL s version of a pitch meeting practice. Coach Todd Bowles was noncommittal Thursday, saying it s "possible" Ridley could be moved off the PUP list and onto the 53-man roster in time for Sunday. The Jets may need a running back for the game, considering that second-stringer Bilal Powell hasn t practiced this week because of a sprained ankle. 9 P a g e

10 "It all depends on what we determine, whether we need a third or fourth back and those types of things," Bowles said. "[Ridley] ran around more [Thursday]. Again, he s been out for a while." "He looks OK," offensive coordinator Chan Gailey said. "You don t see the same burst that you saw, but you shouldn t. That s got to come, and I think it will come. You can see flashes that he has good feet and he has good balance and good vision, but just that little burst isn t quite there yet." Ridley tore the ACL and the MCL in his right knee on Oct. 12, 2014, and missed the rest of the season. Ridley rushed for 2,817 yards, 22 touchdowns and a 4.3-yard average while with New England. Yet the Patriots chose not to re-sign the free agent, perhaps over concerns about his knee, and he agreed to a deal with the Jets in April. "That s an obvious question, man," Ridley said when asked if there would be extra incentive in playing against his former team, one that didn t want him anymore. "I m motivated, of course, because I m a competitor. I m motivated because I m going against my old team. I m motivated because this is my first game back. "It s in the bank of motivation for me," he added. "That s a team I was connected to and I m no longer there. So guess what? I m with my new team, with my new boys, and I m with a new team that s doing tremendous." The Jets have started 4-1 for the first time since 2010 and are trying to match that team s 5-1 record. A victory Sunday would mark their first regular-season road win over the Patriots since "I m just trying to come in here and find my role," Ridley said, "and what my job s going to be going forward. All I can do is work hard and hopefully I can slide in there and get in the rotation. How much I ll play is totally up to coach [Bowles]. I m fine with whatever he calls. If it s two plays, if it s 20 plays, whatever this team needs. That s the kind of player I am." Jets notes: Pats recall the Butt Fumble (J.P. Pelzman) The Record October 23, Pats Twitter feed tweaks Jets The New England Patriots official Twitter feed attempted to stir things up Thursday morning by recalling the Butt Fumble. In honor of what Twitter calls "throwback Thursday," the Patriots tweeted a photo of the infamous play from the Jets loss to the Pats on Thanksgiving night 2012, when Mark Sanchez lost the football after colliding with the rear end of right guard Brandon Moore. New England returned the miscue for a touchdown. The picture was accompanied by a caption that read, "This seems relevant." The tweet was taken down later in the day. Jets center Nick Mangold said he was surprised by it, but didn t elaborate. Coach Todd Bowles said, "I have no reaction. I m not a Twitter guy." Running back Stevan Ridley, a former Patriot, said he didn t think New England coach Bill Belichick would be pleased with whoever put up the tweet. 10 P a g e

11 "There s no telling, man," Ridley said, smiling, when asked what Belichick might do to that employee. "I wouldn t be surprised if he wasn t there [anymore]." Briefs Slot CB Buster Skrine, who suffered a concussion Sunday in the victory over Washington, returned to practice on a limited basis. Skrine, who still is in the NFL s concussion protocol, wore a red no-contact jersey. It s unclear if he will be able to play against New England on Sunday. "He ran around. He ran fast," Bowles said. "He s still going through some of the protocol but he did run around some more." QB Ryan Fitzpatrick practiced full with what Bowles indicated is a minor injury to his right (throwing) elbow. Bowles said he will play Sunday. Fitzpatrick is "just sore," said Bowles. "He just banged it. We have to report those things" to the NFL. CB Dee Milliner (wrist) practiced full. However, Milliner, who is on the injured reserve list with a designation to return, must sit out at least two more games before being eligible to play. ESPN NEW YORK Todd Bowles caught up in Mets' pennant fever (Rich Cimini) ESPN New York October 23, FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- Todd Bowles is a self-proclaimed New York Yankees fan, but he's putting his pinstripe piety aside to jump on the New York Mets' bandwagon. "I like it," the New York Jets' coach said of the Mets in the World Series. "I'm a big pitching-matchup guy. They've got some great pitchers. Boy, they're young, they're tough, they're great. They've got some good hitting. I'm enjoying it." It's not a surprise to hear a defensive-minded football coach expressing an affinity for superb pitching. It's all about keeping the other team off the scoreboard, right? That said, Bowles grew up in Elizabeth, New Jersey, so he should know the deal in these parts: It's either Mets or Yankees, not both. "The Yankees are out," he said. "I'm still a Yankees fan, but I'm a New York fan. I'm not jumping on the bandwagon. I just like their pitching." Sheldon Richardson: Comments on Pats game taken out of context (Rich Cimini) ESPN New York FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- Unlike past years, the New York Jets -- under new coach Todd Bowles -- are staying quiet and businesslike as they prepare for Sunday's showdown against the New England Patriots. Outspoken defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson appeared to step out of bounds by predicting a win in an interview with Metro New York, but he took to Twitter on Thursday night to say his comments were taken out of context. 11 P a g e

12 "This is why I don't want to do interviews anymore roger hope y'all enjoy that BS," Richardson said, alluding to commissioner Roger Goodell. In a story posted late Thursday afternoon, Richardson was quoted by Metro New York as saying, "This is going to be another win for us. We'll let you all write the columns about validating wins and stuff like that. This is going to be another win in the win column if we go out there and execute and do what we're supposed to do." Richardson was responding to a question about whether a win over the defending Super Bowl champions would validate the Jets, according to a person with knowledge of the situation. Essentially, he replied by saying no, it would be just like any other win, the person said. Basically, he was echoing what Bowles has been saying throughout the week. Richardson also was quoted as saying, "We're going to be up in the division. That's how we're going to look at it. We're going to be the front-runners. That's how we look at it." In this case, it appears he was speaking hypothetically about how a win would affect the standings. Richardson is known for making brash statements, but it's not like him to back away. He usually owns his quotes. After last week's win over the Washington Redskins, he said the Jets were "licking our chops" at the prospect of facing the first-place Patriots. Jets defense bracing for Rob Gronkowski (Ohm Youngmisuk) ESPN New York FLORHAM PARK, N.J. - Todd Bowles chuckled when asked what defenses are consistently doing when facing Rob Gronkowski. I don t see anybody covering him, Bowles said. That s the problem. New England s monster tight end could be a serious problem for the New York Jets on Sunday. Since catching three touchdowns in the season opener against Pittsburgh, Gronkowski has scored just twice and has posted two 100-yard receiving games. Gronkowski is due for a big Gronk game. And that's a concern for Jets defensive coordinator Kacy Rodgers since he basically has to pick his poison between trying to slow down Tom Brady, Gronkowski and Julian Edelman. You just made my stomach want to throw up, Rodgers joked when asked to reveal his plan for stopping the Pats Big Three. Just trying to simulate defending against the Patriots tight end has been a challenge in practice for the Jets this week. Seen any super athletic 6-foot-6, 265-pound specimens running around Florham Park? That s really hard, Rodgers said of replicating Gronkowski in practice. Our guys have done a good job with the speed with how he gets down the field, but with the size and total package, that is really hard. Fortunately, the Jets do have some options in covering Gronkowski. They have cornerbacks Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie, who has the height to possibly match up with Gronkowski. 12 P a g e

13 Safety Calvin Pryor wouldn t comment when asked if he will see a lot of Gronkowski on Sunday. But he says the Jets could try to get physical with the tight end. Like Bowles, Pryor said he s seen a commonality in how defenses have covered Gronkowski. They don t cover him, Pryor said with a laugh. You know? Guys tend to play off of him and different things like that. But with us, it is definitely going to be different. We are going to try to get up in his face and do different things, Pryor added. I can t say what the game plan is going to be. We are going to do different things to try to challenge him to make plays and that is going to be tough. Bowles knows one thing - no matter what scheme he throws at Gronkowski, the tight end has seen them all. Everybody has tried everything, Bowles said. He s probably seen every coverage he is going to see in his lifetime. You ve got to be able to make your share of plays. Stevan Ridley in line to be activated by Jets ahead of Pats showdown (Rich Cimini) ESPN New York FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- One year removed from his last football game, running back Stevan Ridley sounded confident Thursday he will make his New York Jets debut Sunday. He didn't try to hide his emotions about the possibility of facing his former team, the New England Patriots. "The story couldn't be written any better," said Ridley, who began practicing Wednesday after six weeks on the PUP list with a surgically repaired knee. "I'm fired up about it." Ridley acknowledged he'd have extra motivation because the Patriots didn't try to re-sign him last offseason. He spent four years on the other side of the intense AFC East rivalry, but he's already talking like a grizzled Jet. "I'm with a new team that's doing tremendous," he said. "We're not crowning anybody early." Ridley played for the Patriots from 2011 to 2014, rushing for a career-high 1,263 yards in His touches decreased, and he suffered torn knee ligaments last October. The Patriots made no effort to retain him as a free agent. "You can put it on the business; you can put it on whatever you want to put it on," he said. "It'll be in the bank for me as motivation." With good depth in the backfield, the Jets (4-1) have been able to take a conservative approach with Ridley's return. But No. 2 back Bilal Powell might not play this week because of a sprained ankle, so there's a good chance the Jets will put Ridley on the game-day roster with Chris Ivory and Zac Stacy. Coach Todd Bowles has remained noncommittal about Ridley playing, but it's definitely a consideration. Offensive coordinator Chan Gailey conceded the running back's burst "isn't quite there yet," but the Jets are hopeful it'll be close to normal after a full week of practice. By rule, they have a three-week window to add him to the 53-man roster or put him on season-ending injured reserve. 13 P a g e

14 Ridley conceded he's not 100 percent in football shape. He also said he's "not the magic piece to come in and push everybody to the side." The Jets don't need magic -- Ivory is the No. 3 rusher in the NFL -- but a pair of fresh legs always can help. "I'm motivated because I'm going against my old team; I'm motivated because it's my first game back; and I'm motivated because it's a tremendous blessing to play in the NFL," said Ridley, who signed a one-year, $1.25 million contract with New York. "Wouldn't you be [excited]? Hey, this is my first time on the field in a year, so I'm excited. I can't go into a game saying I'm going to sit on the bench. No, I'm ready to play." Ridley said he's not surprised his former team, and quarterback Tom Brady in particular, are playing so well in the aftermath of Deflategate. "Boston is a different place, and it starts at the top," he said. "Tom is a competitor. The attitude he comes in with, it trickles down throughout the roster. "The attitude we're coming in with -- we haven't been there. We're hungry. We're not going to give anybody the victory early. Yeah, they're going to be fired up; a lot of people are talking bad about the Patriots. That's what makes football -- the fans. However you slice the cake, we're trying to get a win as much as they are.... May the best team win." What would beating Pats mean to Jets' Todd Bowles? 'It just means we're 5-1' (Colin Stephenson) ESPN New York FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- Patriots Week has a much different feel in the New York Jets locker room with Todd Bowles as the coach, as opposed to the departed Rex Ryan. Whereas Ryan, now filling reporters' notebooks in Buffalo, couldn't help but say stuff to hype games against the New England Patriots, Bowles would have everyone believe that playing New England was the same as playing against Tennessee. Asked what a victory over their archrivals Sunday would mean for the Jets, Bowles deadpanned: "It just means we're 5-1 and we gotta get ready for Oakland." The players are on board with that approach. "I think it's a different approach for us this time around and that's how we have to follow behind Coach Bowles," cornerback Darrelle Revis said with a laugh. "Rex, he has his way of doing things in the past, and now it's different. This is how we approach it. "We're not saying we're backing down or anything. It's how we approach it. We know it's a long season. The first quarter of the season we did pretty well, and the second quarter of the season, we'll see how it goes." Darrelle Revis changed address, but not balance of power in AFC East (Rich Cimini) ESPN New York 14 P a g e

15 FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- Seventeen years ago, the New York Jets captured a very important piece from the New England Patriots' chess board -- running back Curtis Martin. Not coincidentally, the rivalry tilted in the Jets' favor for the next few years. The objective was the same last offseason, when they swooped in -- checkbook a-blazing -- and signed Darrelle Revis the minute he became a free agent. Revis is a transcendent cornerback -- he will join Martin in the Hall of Fame one day -- but he won't alter the balance of power between the AFC East rivals. Why not? Keeping with the chess analogy, it's because the Patriots still have their king -- not to mention a grandmaster controlling the board -- in Tom Brady and Bill Belichick, respectively. Revis closes the gap between the two teams, and maybe he'll be the difference in Sunday's first-place showdown, but a great cornerback isn't enough to swing a rivalry -- not this rivalry, not as long as Belichick and Brady are on the Patriots' payroll. "That's overrated, it's a media story," said a former general manager, responding to the notion that Revis puts the Jets even with the Patriots. "Revis helps you win, but it's also about [Sheldon] Richardson and [Muhammad] Wilkerson and those guys. The way you beat the Patriots is you have to get to Brady. Rex Ryan had the blueprint. Revis helps because he's a great corner, but you have to get to Brady, get him out of his comfort zone. That's hard to do." Darrelle Revis has given the Jets an elite defensive playmaker, but his presence alone is not enough to put the Jets on the Patriots' level in the AFC East. Stephen Pond/Getty Images The Jets spent a league-high $87 million in guarantees last offseason to improve the defense, sinking most of the money into an overhaul of the secondary. The Revis-Antonio Cromartie reunion has made a huge impact on the pass defense. Any quarterback takes a big risk when he throws to the perimeter, as opponents' Total QBR on throws outside the hashmarks is a meager 28.0, including five touchdowns and seven interceptions, according to ESPN Stats & Information. Brady could live on the outside, as his Total QBR (84.1) and touchdown-interception ratio (11-1) suggest. The thing about Brady, though, is he can mine the middle of the field, throwing to Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman. Revis can't be everywhere. He can neutralize the man he's covering -- perhaps it will be Edelman -- but his powers are trumped by a true franchise quarterback like Brady. No one appreciates Revis more than Todd Bowles, but even the Jets' coach had to acknowledge the obvious: It takes more than a great corner to turn the corner in a New England-controlled division. "No, I don't," Bowles said, when asked if believes Revis can create a critical shift in the AFC East. "They've lost players in the past and they continue to do the same things that they do. They have good football players on their team, they have tradition and they win games. Us getting Revis is a bonus for us. I don't think it deters anything that they do." Revis isn't the first star the Patriots lost/cut loose in the Belichick era. Actually, it happens more than you think. They've faced 16 of their former Pro Bowl players, and the Patriots' record in those games is 20-11, according to the NFL Network. That's just a snapshot statistic, focusing on individual games and not the big picture, but it illustrates the Patriots' ability to move on and thrive. Their defense isn't the same without Revis -- they've gone from good to average -- but they're undefeated, so how can you criticize them? 15 P a g e

16 Likewise, you can't criticize the Jets for doling out $39 million in guarantees for Revis. He's giving them bang for the buck (a league-high six takeaways) and he's raising the performance level of those around him with his strong intangibles. He's not a vocal leader by any means, but the younger players look up to him. In training camp, you'd see the kid defensive backs congregate around Revis on the sideline, perhaps thinking there would be osmosis at work. In another era, or another division, Revis would be good enough to level the playing field with the top dog. But not now, not in a division with the winningest coach-quarterback tandem in history. Pats tweet about 'Butt Fumble' ahead of tilt vs. Jets, then delete it (Rich Cimini) ESPN New York FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- Three days before their showdown for first place in the AFC East, the New England Patriots trolled the New York Jets on social media, tweeting a photo of the 2012 "Butt Fumble" -- one of the low points in Jets history. As part of Throwback Thursday, the Patriots' official Twitter account tweeted: "This seems relevant. #TBT" with a picture attached of the infamous play. The tweet was deleted later Thursday. A since-deleted tweet from the Patriots' account mocked the Jets' infamous "Butt Fumble" from The teams play Sunday in The "Butt Fumble" took place in a game in 2012, when then-quarterback Mark Sanchez, on an aborted play, ran into the rear end of guard Brandon Moore. Sanchez fumbled, and it was returned for a touchdown by the Patriots, who won a blowout on Thanksgiving night, New England's public relations staff runs the Twitter account. The Patriots usually are the more buttoned-up team of the two sides. But under new coach Todd Bowles, the Jets have refrained from any pregame trash talking. Jets running back Stevan Ridley, who played with the Patriots from 2011 to 2014, found some humor in the tweet. Asked what he thinks might happen to the staffer who posted it, Ridley said, "There's no telling. I wouldn't be surprised if he's not there [anymore]." On a serious note, Ridley said he doesn't think coach Bill Belichick would get involved in that type of peripheral issue. "I know Bill and I know that team,"he said. "Nobody is worried about what they're putting up on the Internet. They're focused on the Jets; we're focused on the Patriots." The tweet definitely caught the attention of people at One Jets Drive, though Bowles said he was unaware of it. "I didn't know that and I have no reaction," he said. "I'm not a Twitter guy." The Patriots (5-0) and Jets (4-1) meet at 1 p.m. on Sunday at Gillette Stadium. NEW YORK POST 16 P a g e

17 How in the world do you stop Rob Gronkowski? 1 Jet provides hint (Brian Costello) New York Post October 23, Don t expect Jets coach Todd Bowles to steal other teams game plans for stopping Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski. Bowles was asked Thursday how teams are covering Gronkowski. I don t see anybody covering him. That s the problem, Bowles said with a laugh. Everybody s tried everything. He s probably seen every coverage he s going to see in his lifetime doubles, triples, vices, top he s seen anything. You ve just got to be smart and be able to make your share of plays. Gronkowski has 23 catches for 425 yards and five touchdowns for the 5-0 Patriots. The 6-foot-6 matchup nightmare now has 60 career touchdowns, one of just five tight ends to ever accomplish that feat. The Patriots offense has plenty of weapons, starting with quarterback Tom Brady, but Gronkowski is the big one in the middle of the field the Jets have to stop. Jets safety Calvin Pryor promises the Jets won t be one of these teams that lets Gronkowski run free. Guys tend to play off of him and different things like that, Pryor said. But with us, it is definitely going to be different. We are going to try to get up in his face and do different things. I can t say what the game plan is going to be. We are going to do different things to try to challenge him to make plays and that is going to be tough. No one around the Jets is revealing their game plan for Gronkowski, of course. In the offseason, the team actually had hoped to throw safety Antonio Allen, who performed well in 2013 on the task, at Gronkowski, but Allen tore his right Achilles tendon in camp. It could be some combination of safeties Pryor and Marcus Gilchrist or the Jets could involve cornerbacks Antonio Cromartie or Darrelle Revis. The problem if you move a cornerback inside on Gronkowski is who covers Julian Edelman and Danny Amendola? Tom does a great job of finding ways to get the ball when he is in different positions, Pryor said. Whether he is lined up on the line of scrimmage at tight end or split out, giving him different looks. But they have other guys that they focus in on Edelman, Amendola, [Keyshawn] Martin has come along, [Dion] Lewis out of the backfield, he is like a receiver. He does a great job of getting balls out to the receivers and running backs so you can t just focus on one guy. Pryor would not say whether he expects to see a lot of Gronkowski on Sunday. Pryor covered him last season and got beat for a touchdown in the teams second meeting in December. Pryor is just 5-11, so he would be giving up 7 inches to Gronkowski. It s not just Calvin. It s everybody on our team. It s everybody on every team, Bowles said. You re not going to have a 6-7, 6-8 corner go out there and cover Gronkowski. You ve just got to play football. You can t worry about the height thing. Bowles was quick to point out Gronkowski is more than just a big, fast target. Despite the off-field persona of Gronk, the fun-loving, goofy guy, Bowles said Gronkowski is a deep thinker on the field. His size overshadows everything, Bowles said. I think what everyone fails to realize is he s a very smart player. He s not just big and tough. He s a smart player and he has very good feet. When you line up somebody like that at the wideout position, that s a tough cover. 17 P a g e

18 Herm Edwards knows challenges Bowles will face against Belichick (Justin Terranova) New York Post October 23, Bill Belichick was the Patriots coach when ESPN analyst Herm Edwards became Jets coach in Edwards talks Belichick and more with The Post s Justin Terranova before Sunday s AFC East showdown. Q: What is important for Todd Bowles in his first matchup against Belichick? A: You play to your strengths. When you start changing your identity and who you are, the players feel that and they are like, Coach, we ve done this to get to 4-1, why are we changing? We re pretty good at what we do. New England s game plan is pretty consistent, so Todd will have a plan early in the game and then they ll probe you try and figure out what you are going to do, how you are going to adjust. Q: What makes Belichick difficult to coach against? A: You have to be able to adjust. Offensively, they are always trying to look at ways to spread you out and find the weaker spots of your defense and attack it whether it s running the football, going no-huddle. Against Buffalo, he wouldn t give them time to rotate guys out and he tired them out. So, there s always going to be an attack. Todd has been coaching a long time and knows what he wants to do there. Q: Are you surprised at Bowles early success? A: He was given a really outstanding front seven and they did a great job of acquiring secondary guys with [Darrelle] Revis, [Antonio] Cromartie, [Marcus] Gilchrist and the rest of them. You knew these guys were going to be an outstanding defense, it was just a matter of how fast they can gel. And they seemed to do that very quickly, so that s good coaching on his part. They are a very confident group. Q: What are the Patriots weaknesses? A: When Tom Brady is pressured inside and you stay in your lanes, that gives him problems. Now, they have to get the ball out quickly, if they don t then their tackles can t hold up. That s the problem when you re spread out, you can get to him quickly off the edge. You can t allow him to step up in the pocket that s where he does most of his work. They do a great job of crossing routes and a lot of rubs and picks if you play man-to-man. Todd has to be alert about that, all of a sudden someone gets picked off and it s a big play. Q: What would it mean for the Jets confidence to win this game? A: If you are going to win the division it goes through New England, and everyone knows that. If you beat them up there, that s saying a lot. They ve won the division 12 out of 14 years it doesn t take a math major to figure it out. A storybook quality to potential return for Jets Stevan Ridley (Brian Costello) New York Post October 23, Jets running back Stevan Ridley returned to the practice field this week. Now, he s hoping to return to the game field against his old team, the Patriots, on Sunday. 18 P a g e