NEW YORK JETS DAILY CLIPS

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1 NEW YORK JETS DAILY CLIPS December 2, 2013 Table of Contents ASSOCIATED PRESS... 2 Dolphins stay in playoff mix, top Jets 23-3 (Dennis Waszak) things to know after Dolphins humble Jets 23-3 (Dennis Waszak)... 4 Jets bench brutal Smith in 23-3 loss to Dolphins (Mike Farrell)... 6 NEWSDAY... 7 Geno Smith benched in Jets' 23-3 loss to Dolphins (Kimberley Martin)... 7 Jets' defense made Dolphins' Ryan Tannehill look like Dan Marino (Greg Logan)... 9 Dolphins find way to run against Jets and remain in playoff hunt (Anthony Rieber) Jets grades: Offense, coaching get F's after falling flat against Dolphins Frustration catches hold of Jets receivers (Greg Logan) Jets Q&A: Kellen Winslow Jr. confused about lack of playing time (Kimberley Martin) Four games left for Geno Smith to prove a point... or score one (Bob Glauber) THE RECORD Dolphins rout Jets 23-3; Geno Smith benched at half (J.P. Pelzman) Jets cornerback Dee Milliner has another rough day (Jeff Roberts) Jets replay: Week 13 vs. Miami (J.P. Pelzman) STAR-LEDGER Geno Smith wasn't ready to handle the weight of the hunt for a playoff spot (Dave D Alessandro) Jets offense inept in loss to Dolphins (Michael Fensom) Dee Milliner benched for third time this season as Jets secondary struggles to defend Dolphins (Michael Fensom) Jets stumble again in 23-3 loss to Dolphins, and playoff hopes fade even more (Darryl Slater) NEW YORK POST Failure to develop another QB could ultimately cost Ryan (Steve Serby) Jets Milliner benched after TD burn (Brian Lewis) Once resurgent Jets now head for disaster (Mark Cannizzaro) Jets TE Winslow sees minimal action again in loss (Brian Costello) Scandal behind them, Dolphins get back into playoff race with win (Zach Braziller) Jets report card: Failing and flailing in loss to Dolphins (Brian Costello) Jets blitz: Sunk by Dolphins QB Tannehill, WR Hartline (Mark Cannizzaro) Free-falling Jets searching for QB answers after loss (Brian Costello) NEW YORK DAILY NEWS P a g e

2 Geno Smith not the answer as NY Jets must restart quarterback search (Gary Myers) Jets bench Geno Smith, but Matt Simms can't stop ugly loss to Dolphins (Seth Walder) Rex Ryan disappointed in NY Jets' secondary tackling (Seth Walder) Santonio Holmes a nonfactor in NY Jets' passing game (Seth Walder) Rex Ryan not one to blame for struggling NY Jets (Manish Mehta) NEW YORK TIMES Jets Flop in Their Third Straight Loss (Ben Shpigel) Transition Year for the General Manager Is a Fragile One for the Coach (Harvey Araton) ESPN NEW YORK Jets shouldn't give up on Geno (Ian O Connor) Rex Ryan doesn't name starting QB (Jane McManus) Rex Ryan has four weeks to save his job (Rich Cimini) Winslow perplexed by lack of snaps (Matt Ehalt) Dee Milliner picking splinters after benching (Matt Ehalt) WALL STREET JOURNAL The Jets' Offense Is Offensive (Stu Woo) METRO NEW YORK David Garrard says he is ready to play if called upon (Kristian Dyer) Jets playoff hopes all but over with humbling loss to Miami (Kristian Dyer) Geno Smith benched at halftime as Jets struggle to find consistency (Kristian Dyer) Jets Dee Milliner continues to struggle in rookie season (Kristian Dyer) NJ.COM Kellen Winslow: 'Not my place' to ask Jets for more playing time (Brendan Kuty) reasons the Jets could fire Rex Ryan (Brendan Kuty) Santonio Holmes: Jets, Rex Ryan didn't tell me I'd play less (Brendan Kuty) SUNDAY S SPORTS TRANSACTIONS ASSOCIATED PRESS Dolphins stay in playoff mix, top Jets 23-3 (Dennis Waszak) Associated Press EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) - The Miami Dolphins entered the final month of the regular season knowing exactly what's at stake. Win, and their postseason hopes look a lot better. Lose, and they might have to start considering next year. Ryan Tannehill threw for 331 yards and two touchdowns, leading Miami to a 23-3 victory over the listless New York Jets on Sunday that helped the Dolphins keep pace in the AFC postseason picture. 2 P a g e

3 "We didn't talk about it a lot," Tannehill said. "We knew the situation. We're not stupid. Everyone was aware of it." The Dolphins also drove struggling rookie Geno Smith out of the game, sending the Jets' shaky quarterback situation into a mess of uncertainty while severely damaging their playoff dreams. "It was an awful performance by us," coach Rex Ryan said. "We got outplayed in all three phases of the game, and I know our fans deserved a hell of a lot better than that." Brian Hartline and Mike Wallace caught touchdown passes for Miami (6-6), which converted two turnovers into 10 points. Tannehill finished 28 of 43 with an interception as the Dolphins took control in the second half after dominating the stats sheet in the first two quarters. Miami is still the only team in the league to score fewer than 28 points in every game, but the Dolphins improved to 3-2 since the bullying scandal involving Richie Incognito and Jonathan Martin rocked the franchise. "December is where you either step up or fall down," Tannehill said. "We knew that coming in. I think the guys are ready to buckle down and take it one game at a time." The Jets (5-7) lost their third straight, and now Ryan is forced to consider who will be under center next week against Oakland: Smith, Matt Simms, who replaced him to start the second half, or David Garrard, who hasn't played in a regular-season game since "I can't answer that question right now," Ryan said. "We need to see it and get everybody's opinion and do what we think is in the best interest of our team." Smith was booed loudly at times throughout by the MetLife Stadium crowd while going 4 for 10 for 29 yards with an interception and an 8.3 quarterback rating. He has one touchdown and 11 interceptions in his past seven games, and overthrew receivers a few times in this one and couldn't get the offense moving. "I have complete confidence in myself," a defiant Smith said. "It's been tough these last three weeks, but I think I am the best option for this team." Simms, the son of former Giants star Phil Simms, came in to cheers to start the third quarter, but didn't fare much better while going 9 for 18 for 79 yards with an interception. He was sacked three times Philip Wheeler recovered a fumble by Simms on the Jets' second possession of the third quarter. The Dolphins took advantage, getting a 31-yard catch-and-run for a score by Hartline that made it Nick Folk finally got the Jets on the scoreboard with a 20-yard field goal in the third quarter. New York's momentum was quickly squashed as Wallace caught a short pass from Tannehill and ran through a poor tackle try by Dee Milliner for a 28-yard touchdown and a 20-3 lead with just over a minute left in the third quarter. That sent many Jets fans heading for the exits early. "We haven't been finishing this whole season," said Dolphins defensive end Olivier Vernon, who had 2½ sacks. "That's one thing the coaches have stressed to us. I feel like we got that job done today." Caleb Sturgis ended a scoreless snoozer with a 34-yard field goal with 44 seconds left in the opening half, making up for an earlier miss. Smith gave the ball back to Miami moments later with his 19th interception on a pass he tried to force to Greg Salas. Dannell Ellerbe stepped in front of Salas with 22 seconds remaining, leading to a 43- yarder by Sturgis. 3 P a g e

4 The Dolphins dominated during the first two quarters, outgaining the Jets 265 yards to 39, with 16 first downs to New York's 2. Miami also held the ball for 24 minutes, 12 seconds, with New York having it for just 5:43. The Dolphins ran more plays (50) in the first half than the Jets had total yards. Miami finished by outgaining New York "We had some opportunities and we were moving the ball well," Tannehill said. "We came with the mindset we are going to score touchdowns in the second half." NOTES: Hartline led the Dolphins with nine receptions for 127 yards, and Tannehill topped 3,000 yards passing for each of his first two seasons.... Jets KR-WR Josh Cribbs left in the second quarter with a shoulder injury and didn't return.... Jets WR Santonio Holmes was active after not practicing all week with a hamstring issue, but saw few snaps and had no catches. "It was a coaches' decision," Holmes said. Ryan said the team was trying to "pace" Holmes. AP Sports Writer Steven Wine and freelance writer Sandra Harwitt in Davie, Fla., contributed. 5 things to know after Dolphins humble Jets 23-3 (Dennis Waszak) Associated Press EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. The talk all week by both teams was of desperation, a must-win showdown between the Miami Dolphins and New York Jets. One of the AFC East rivals brought that sense of urgency to the game. The other might need to start thinking about next season. Ryan Tannehill threw for 331 yards and two touchdowns, leading Miami to a 23-3 victory over the listless Jets on Sunday that helped the Dolphins keep pace in the AFC postseason picture. "December is where you either step up or fall down," Tannehill said. "We knew that coming in. I think the guys are ready to buckle down and take it one game at a time." Brian Hartline and Mike Wallace caught touchdown passes for Miami (6-6), which converted two turnovers by the Jets (5-7) into 10 points and drove struggling Geno Smith out of the game. Tannehill finished 28 of 43 with an interception as the Dolphins took control in the second half after dominating the stats sheet in the first two quarters. Miami is still the only team in the league to score fewer than 28 points in every game, but the Dolphins improved to 3-2 since the bullying scandal involving Richie Incognito and Jonathan Martin rocked the franchise. "It was big," Hartline said. "You go the opposite way and you fall to 5-7 and it's pretty slim pickins the rest of the year." The Jets will find that out after losing their third straight game since stunning the New Orleans Saints a month ago. New York controlled its playoff destiny after that win on Nov. 3. Now, the Jets are barely hanging on in the postseason picture. "It was an awful performance by us," coach Rex Ryan said. 4 P a g e

5 Ryan is also now forced to consider who will be under center next week against Oakland: Smith, Matt Simms, who replaced him to start the second half for "a spark," or David Garrard, who hasn't played in a regular-season game since Here are five things that led to the Dolphins' victory over the Jets at MetLife Stadium: QUARTERBACK QUANDARY: Smith has been brutal the last seven games, with one touchdown and 11 interceptions. Is it time for the second-round pick to sit? Or, should the Jets let him try to work himself out of his funk? With the playoffs an unlikely scenario, New York might opt to find out if Smith could be the quarterback of the future or if they need to find another one in the draft. Smith was booed loudly at times throughout while going 4 for 10 for 29 yards with an interception and an 8.3 quarterback rating before being replaced by Simms. The son of former Giants star Phil Simms didn't fare much better, going 9 for 18 for 79 yards with an interception. He was sacked three times. "I have complete confidence in myself," a defiant Smith said. "It's been tough these last three weeks, but I think I am the best option for this team." STRANGE STAT SHEET: The Dolphins dominated during the first two quarters, outgaining the Jets 265 yards to 39, with 16 first downs to New York's 2. Miami also held the ball for 24 minutes, 12 seconds, with New York having it for just 5:48. The Dolphins ran more plays (50) in the first half than the Jets had total yards. Despite all that, Miami still only led 6-0 at halftime. "Obviously, there were some opportunities we didn't capitalize on," coach Joe Philbin said. "We would've liked to have more points at that stage of the game, but the feeling was good." Miami took control in the second half and finished by outgaining New York SPUTTERING JETS: New York appeared to be a legitimate playoff contender just a few weeks ago. Now, there have to be real questions about whether Ryan can survive as coach if the Jets finish below.500, and if he can keep the locker room together amid the losing. "I love playing for Rex, and everybody does," cornerback Antonio Cromartie said. "When our backs are up against the wall, we're going to come out fighting and Rex is right there beside us." DOLPHINS' D: Miami came in with the 19th-ranked defense, but certainly made things miserable for Smith and the Jets. Olivier Vernon had 2½ sacks, Koa Misi also had a sack and Philip Wheeler had a half-sack and a fumble recovery. Dannell Ellerbe and Brent Grimes each had an interception as the Jets couldn't get anything going all game. LEAKY DEFENSE: The Jets' defense couldn't get off the field in the first half, and things weren't much better in the last two quarters. They couldn't get much of a pass rush on Tannehill against an offensive line that has allowed him to be sacked a franchise-record 45 times. Quinton Coples had the only sack, and the 28th-ranked offense piled up the yards as the Jets missed tackles throughout. "That was the biggest disappointment," Ryan said, "without question." 5 P a g e

6 Jets bench brutal Smith in 23-3 loss to Dolphins (Mike Farrell) Associated Press EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) - The New York Jets' starting quarterback is uncertain, and their playoff hopes are fading. It looks as though they're in for a rough final four games. Geno Smith was benched in favor of Matt Simms to start the second half of the Jets' 23-3 loss to the Miami Dolphins on Sunday, sending New York's shaky quarterback situation into a mess of uncertainty. "We'll take a look at the tape and we'll evaluate it at the appropriate time," Jets coach Rex Ryan said. "Obviously, I can't tell you who's starting. It's safe to say we will put the guys in who we think will give us the best opportunity to be successful. I think that's the way it always is, and that's the way it'll be moving forward. I can't answer that question, though, right now. "We need to see it and get everybody's opinion and do what we think is in the best interest of our team." Smith had a brutal first half, going 4 for 10 for 29 yards with an interception and an 8.3 quarterback rating as the Jets (5-7) trailed 6-0. Smith, who has one touchdown and 11 interceptions in his last seven games, overthrew receivers a few times and couldn't get the offense moving. "I've got to look at myself in the mirror and figure out ways to get better," Smith said. "It seems like I say this every week, but there's always a way to get better and I've got plenty of room to improve, so I've just got to continue to plug at it and got to keep working." Simms, the son of former Giants star Phil Simms, jogged in to loud cheers from the MetLife Stadium crowd as the Jets opened the third quarter after Ryan and offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg converged on him in the locker room at halftime. "They just told me to be ready," Simms said. "Rex came up to me and said, 'Are you ready to go? Do you know the game plan? Are you good to go?' "I said, 'Yes sir, I'm ready to go.' That was it." Smith acknowledged that the benching stung. "It's tough to not be out there with my guys fighting, no matter what the score is," Smith said. "But, you've got to suck it up and be a man about it. That's what I try to do my best to do." The move took Dolphins defensive end Olivier Vernon by surprise. "I didn't think they would do it like that, but we knew that we were getting in their heads," he said. "It worked in our favor. We knew we were doing something right." The quarterback change did nothing to alter the game's momentum as the Jets lost their third straight and looked every bit like a bunch that needs to start thinking about next season. "It was an awful performance by us," Ryan said. On the other side, Ryan Tannehill and the Dolphins played like a team trying to keep its playoff hopes alive. 6 P a g e

7 Tannehill threw for 331 yards and two touchdowns as the Dolphins kept pace in the AFC postseason picture. Brian Hartline and Mike Wallace caught touchdown passes for Miami (6-6), which converted two turnovers into 10 points. "It was big," Hartline said. "You go the opposite way and you fall to 5-7 and it's pretty slim pickins the rest of the year." Tannehill finished 28 of 43 with an interception as the Dolphins took control in the second half after dominating the stats sheet in the first two quarters. Philip Wheeler recovered a fumble by Simms on the Jets' second possession of the third quarter, and the Dolphins took quick advantage with a 31-yard catch-and-run by Hartline. Nick Folk finally got the Jets on the scoreboard with a 20-yard field goal with 4:30 left in the third quarter. But, New York's momentum was quickly squashed as Wallace caught a short pass from Tannehill and ran through a poor tackle try by Dee Milliner and zipped into the end zone for a 28-yard touchdown and a 20-3 lead with just over a minute left in the third quarter - and sending many Jets fans heading for the exits early. The Dolphins dominated on offense during the first two quarters in every statistic, outgaining the Jets 265 yards to 39 with 16 first downs compared to New York's 2. Miami also held the ball for 24 minutes, 12 seconds, with New York having it for just 5:43. The Dolphins ran more plays (50) in the first half than the Jets had total yards. Miami finished by outgaining New York "We're not making enough plays across the board," tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. said. "That's pretty much it." NOTES: Jets KR-WR Josh Cribbs left in the second quarter with a shoulder injury and didn't return.... Jets WR Santonio Holmes was active after not practicing all week with a hamstring issue, but saw few snaps and had no catches. "It was a coaches' decision," Holmes said. Ryan said the team was trying to "pace" Holmes. NEWSDAY Geno Smith benched in Jets' 23-3 loss to Dolphins (Kimberley Martin) Newsday The Jets arrived at MetLife Stadium with the intention of inching closer to that final AFC wild-card spot. Instead, they left their home turf embarrassed, outplayed and unsure of even who will be their starting quarterback next week. The seven-week regression of Geno Smith reached a tipping point Sunday against the Dolphins, culminating in an 8.3 first-half passer rating and his third benching of the season. But his replacement, Matt Simms, failed to deliver the spark Rex Ryan so desperately needed. The Jets' 23-3 loss dropped them to 5-7 and distanced them further on the playoff periphery. They entered the game as one of six teams -- including the Dolphins (6-6) -- vying for the final playoff berth. 7 P a g e

8 But after a week of chatter about a much-needed sense of urgency down the stretch, the Jets looked absolutely awful. "We did nothing well today,'' said Ryan, whose team hasn't won since Nov. 3 against the Saints. "I feel bad for our fans, especially the ones that were here in the stadium. They deserved better than that. It was an awful performance by us. "We better get better in a hurry.'' The problem is, he and his players have been saying that for weeks. And now no one on the team -- not even Smith or Simms -- knows who will start Sunday against the Raiders. "I can't answer that question right now,'' Ryan said. "I need to see it, get everybody's opinion and do what's in the best interest of our football team.'' This is how bad things have gotten for the Jets: After trailing 6-0 at halftime, Ryan and offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg turned to Simms in the locker room. "Rex came up to me and said, 'Are you ready to go? Do you know the game plan?' '' Simms said. "I said, 'Yes, sir. I'm ready to go.' '' But the quarterback switch -- which coincidentally came almost a year to the day after Ryan benched Mark Sanchez in favor of Greg McElroy in a 7-6 victory over the Cardinals on Dec. 2, did little to change the outcome. Now the Jets are left to figure out whether Smith, Simms or the always-inactive David Garrard will start against Oakland. But it came as no surprise that although Smith (4-for-10, 29 yards and an interception) said the past three weeks have "been tough,'' he still believes he's the man for the job. "I have complete confidence in myself,'' said the rookie, who hasn't thrown a touchdown pass since Oct. 20 and has accounted for 23 turnovers. "I think I am the best option for this team.'' Although several players refused to talk after the game, those who did expressed irritation and genuine surprise about their lack of execution in recent weeks. "They do frustrate everybody,'' linebacker Calvin Pace said of their three straight losses. "It's sickening, man. But we've got another week, so we'll see.'' Tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. cited bad practice habits carrying over to game day, but tackle Austin Howard said he thought the team prepared "very well'' this week. "It's just frustrating that we couldn't pull it out,'' Howard said, "because we all were very focused on how big this game was and the fact that we really needed to get the 'W' today.'' Basically, the game was out of reach after Caleb Sturgis nailed two second-quarter field goals to put Miami up 6-0. Brian Hartline's 31-yard touchdown catch and Mike Wallace's 28-yard TD reception after Dee Milliner whiffed on a tackle added insult to injury on a day the Jets surrendered 453 yards of total offense. Mornhinweg's unit mustered only 177 yards, the fewest allowed by Miami this season, and finished 2- for-12 on third-down conversions. The Dolphins dominated time of possession, 38:52-21:08. Inserting Simms was supposed to provide a lift. Instead, it highlighted the many things wrong with this team. "We did absolutely nothing offensively in the first half, so I was just trying to give us a spark somehow,'' Ryan said. "When games go on like that, you try and find ways to pick the team up.'' 8 P a g e

9 A quarterback controversy very well could be headed to Florham Park. At the very least, there's a real chance that resentment will begin to fester among overworked defensive players. But cornerback Antonio Cromartie maintained that won't happen. "Look, if you want to try to make a story out of a story,'' Cromartie said to reporters. "We don't have any resentment. We're teammates. We understand what we got to try to do. "This is a tight-knit group. And that's how we're going to keep it.'' Ryan, and his quarterbacks, had better hope Cromartie is right. Jets' defense made Dolphins' Ryan Tannehill look like Dan Marino (Greg Logan) Newsday Was that Ryan Tannehill or Dan Marino playing for the Dolphins Sunday? No one would mistake Tannehill for the Hall of Famer, but the Miami quarterback put up Marino-esque numbers in a 23-3 victory over the Jets at MetLife Stadium. Tannehill completed 28 of 43 passes for 331 yards and two touchdowns and scrambled three times for 22 yards. The Dolphins managed only a 6-0 halftime lead despite controlling the ball for just under 25 minutes, but when the Jets' defense needed to put a hammerlock on the second-year quarterback, Tannehill connected on TD passes of 31 yards to Brian Hartline against veteran cornerback Antonio Cromartie and 28 yards to Mike Wallace, who stepped out of a missed tackle by first-round rookie cornerback Dee Milliner, who was benched for the third time this season. "With Dee, we've got to know situations," Jets coach Rex Ryan said. "That's where I was disappointed most. We tell you certain things for a reason, and if you don't do it, it just adds to the problem." Milliner indicated Ryan told him he should have expected a quick outlet pass because the Jets "were in an all-out blitz." The missed tackle compounded the misplay. "I just didn't go in there," Milliner said. "I should have put my shoulder in there and made the tackle. I tried to go grab him." Milliner had his good moments, knocking down a couple of deep passes, but it was clear that Tannehill was targeting him for as long as he was in the game. "Yeah, we knew he was going to do that," Milliner said. "We knew Hartline was going to do some comebacks and hitches, and that's exactly what he did." Hartline caught nine passes for 127 yards, and Wallace, who more often than not was matched against Cromartie, caught seven for 82 yards. Although Cromartie said his right hip injury is feeling better, Wallace thought it had an impact on him. Whatever pain Cromartie was feeling was compounded by the Jets' failure to keep the game close in the third quarter when the Jets' offense was struggling. Two plays after the Dolphins recovered a Jets fumble, Tannehill found Hartline against Cromartie for a 13-0 lead. On the next Miami possession, Tannehill hit Wallace for a TD and a 20-3 lead. 9 P a g e

10 "When your offense is not clicking, you know things aren't going to go right when we're giving up touchdowns," Cromartie said. "Field goals are fine. One thing we cannot do is give up touchdowns when our offense is struggling because it's going to be hard [to come back]." Dolphins find way to run against Jets and remain in playoff hunt (Anthony Rieber) Newsday On this day, the Miami Dolphins were proud of their offensive linemen. Miami ran the ball for 125 yards against the Jets' top-ranked rushing defense and held the ball for nearly 39 of the game's 60 minutes in a 23-3 victory at MetLife Stadium Sunday. The hazing scandal that cost the Dolphins starting offensive linemen Richie Incognito and Jonathan Martin sullied the franchise's image around the NFL. It also had a big impact on the field, as the Dolphins were forced to shuffle the unit in front of quarterback Ryan Tannehill. But Tannehill praised the offensive line as one of the keys to the Dolphins improving to 6-6 and having a chance at the final AFC wild-card spot. "We knew we were going against a good defense, especially on the run," Tannehill said. "The offensive line came out with the mind-set that we were going to rush the ball. The backs did a great job of hitting holes when they were there and obviously that kind of set the tone for the game." Tannehill, who was sacked 44 times in Miami's first 11 games, went down only once Sunday. He was 28- for-43 for 331 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. Lamar Miller led the Dolphins with 72 yards on 22 carries. Tannehill (three carries, 22 yards) and Mike Gillislee (six carries, 21 yards) chipped in to give Miami the offensive balance it had been seeking. "You can't say enough about the run game today against the No. 1-ranked run defense coming in," Tannehill said. "We knew it was going to be tough to run, but the offensive line did a great job opening up holes, which opened up some play-action stuff and was able to get the ball downfield a little bit." The Dolphins have stabilized their line without Incognito, who remains suspended indefinitely for conduct detrimental to the team. Martin, who alleges he was the victim of hazing from Incognito and others, left the team Oct. 28. Martin has been placed on the non-football injury list and will not return this season. Along with the scandal, the Dolphins also have had to overcome a four-game losing streak in the middle of the season. They came into Sunday with the same record as the Jets and considered it a virtual elimination game for the team that lost. Or, as Tannehill put it: "We knew the situation. We're not stupid." Jets grades: Offense, coaching get F's after falling flat against Dolphins Newsday 10 P a g e

11 OFFENSE F For the second straight week, the Jets' only points were courtesy of their kicker. Geno Smith (8.3 passer rating) was terrible and backup Matt Simms never gave the team the "spark" Rex Ryan was looking for. The offensive line allowed four sacks, David Nelson led all receivers with three catches for 37 yards. The Jets were 2-for-12 on third downs. Their 177 yards of total offense were the fewest allowed by the Dolphins this season. DEFENSE D Their quarterbacking issues continue to put the unit in difficult spots. The defense was on the field for 24:12 in the first half, compared to 5:48 for their offense. But good defenses know how to tackle -- especially by Week 13. Despite occasional flashes of decent play, Dee Milliner again was exposed on the deep ball and was benched for the third time this season after whiffing on a tackle of Mike Wallace on a 28-yard score. The 453 yards given up are the third-most allowed under Ryan and the Dolphins' highest output this season. Bright spots: Antonio Cromartie had an interception and Quinton Coples recorded his second sack. SPECIAL TEAMS C Nick Folk remains one of the few steady sources of scoring for the Jets. The kicker nailed a 20-yard field goal in the third quarter and is 25-for-26 this season. In place of the injured Josh Cribbs, Cromartie broke a 41-yard kickoff return that set up Folk's field goal. Cromartie finished with a 31.5 average on four attempts. Ryan Quigley had a 39.6-yard net average on punts. COACHING F Whatever Ryan and Marty Mornhinweg are doing isn't working. Smith continues to take steps backward and receivers can't get open or hold on to the ball. The Jets have two inexperienced quarterbacks, but Ryan continues to make David Garrard inactive. Just about every unit (aside from the defensive line) has been subpar over the past month. Frustration catches hold of Jets receivers (Greg Logan) Newsday Ever since his three-touchdown pass night on Oct. 7 in Atlanta, Geno Smith has turned into the Incredible Shrinking Quarterback. It reached the point Sunday at MetLife Stadium where the Jets' offense almost disappeared completely along with him in a first half where it controlled the ball only 5:48, running just 16 plays from scrimmage that resulted in 39 yards and two first downs. The Jets showed marginal improvement with backup Matt Simms at quarterback for the second half of a 23-3 loss to Miami, but the frustration of receivers running pass routes to nowhere was evident in the aftermath. "It's disappointing," wide receiver Santonio Holmes said. "We pride ourselves on scoring touchdowns. At the beginning of the season, we were in the top five or top 10, and suddenly, there's a big drop-off." There was some question whether Holmes would play with a hamstring injury. He suited up but played only a few snaps early, never saw a ball thrown his way and sat the rest of the game. 11 P a g e

12 "It was a coach's decision, limited plays, coming off an injury," Holmes said. Asked if he thought he could play the entire game, Holmes said, "No. I didn't think that, no." Holmes probably is the most dangerous receiving weapon in the Jets' limited arsenal, but even if he had been 100 percent, it wouldn't have mattered because Smith's execution was so bad that he finished with a quarterback rating of 8.3. "What was seen on the football field wasn't a great performance, and the outcome showed it," Holmes said. In the second half, Simms completed 9 of 18 passes for 79 yards, led a field-goal drive and threw an endzone interception moments after receiver David Nelson dropped a potential TD pass. "He's ready to go when his number is called," Holmes said of Simms. "He's going to continue being our backup and eventually be our leader if he's called upon." Given the sharp downward progression of Smith's ability to execute, that might be as soon as Sunday against Oakland. Tight end Kellen Winslow Jr., who questioned why he was used sparingly despite catching all three passes thrown to him, said for the second time this season the Jets' play mirrors their practice. "Whatever happens in practice usually happens in a game," Winslow said. "In our case, that's what's been going on." Early in the first half, Nelson was wide open at the Miami 40-yard line for a potential 30-yard gain. Smith's pass sailed far over his head and out of bounds. "It's just a feeling of a missed opportunity," said Nelson, who led the Jets with 37 receiving yards on three catches. "This is the National Football League. You don't get many opportunities like that. You never want to walk away and say, 'Man, if we just completed that one pass.' It's a momentum shifter." By the same token, Nelson was the problem on a slant from the Miami 20 that he dropped inside the 10 with room to run. "Yes," Nelson said, "that was a touchdown." But overall, Nelson said the game plan put the receivers in position to make plays, but they weren't made. "From the receivers' standpoint, we were getting open, and guys were doing a good job," Nelson said. "I don't pretend to know what's going on at other positions. All we can control is what we can control. I'm not putting the blame on anybody by any means." Jets Q&A: Kellen Winslow Jr. confused about lack of playing time (Kimberley Martin) Newsday Is Kellen Winslow Jr. frustrated that he's not a bigger weapon in the Jets' offense? He stopped short of using that word, but it's safe to say the tight end isn't happy about his diminished role. Shortly after the Jets totaled only 177 yards against Miami -- the fewest allowed by the Dolphins this season -- Winslow seemed perplexed about why he's not being allowed to contribute more. "When they throw it, I catch it,'' he said. "So I don't know why.'' Winslow was right about that -- at least on this particular day. He caught all three passes thrown to him for 26 yards, including a 12-yarder from Geno Smith with 43 seconds left in the first quarter. But 12 P a g e

13 Winslow wasn't targeted again until the fourth quarter, when Matt Simms hit him for completions of 9 and 5 yards on the same drive. Before serving a four-game suspension for violating the league's performance-enhancing drug policy, Winslow caught 17 passes for 169 yards and two touchdowns in the Jets' first five games. Since then, he has only six catches for 77 yards and no TDs. But he said he won't discuss his playing time with offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg because "that's not my fight.'' "My job is just to make plays when it comes,'' Winslow said. "When my number's called, I make plays. And when it's not, I try to help the other guys. And that's all I can do. Some things you just can't control.'' But he went out of his way to avoid using the word "frustrated.'' "I don't know how to feel,'' he said. "I'm just trying to do the best I can with the situation I'm in. Like I said, when the ball's thrown to me, I'm going to catch it every time. And that's that.'' Do the Jets need more offensive weapons? According to Winslow, a lack of talented skill-position players is the least of the Jets' problems. "We have more than enough offensive weapons,'' he said. "That's definitely not the case.'' Wide receiver David Nelson agreed, adding that the Jets' issues stem mostly from a lack of execution. Rex Ryan, however, avoided the topic altogether. "Right now, this is what we have,'' Ryan said, "and you focus on what you have, and we certainly have to find a way to get better.'' What happened on the botched handoff between Simms and Bilal Powell? A week after Nick Mangold's snap to Smith hit Greg Salas in motion and the Ravens recovered, Simms was charged with a lost fumble after Powell fumbled the ball on the exchange. Two plays later, Brian Hartline caught a 31-yard touchdown pass to make it "The ball just slipped between me and Bilal,'' Simms said. "That's a mistake on myself... That's a heartbreaker, especially when they come back and score.'' Any injury update on Josh Cribbs? The kick returner/wide receiver injured a shoulder making a tackle on a Dolphins' punt return in the second quarter and did not return. That forced Kyle Wilson to handle the punt-return duties and Antonio Cromartie, who has been battling a hip injury, to return most of the kickoffs. Four games left for Geno Smith to prove a point... or score one (Bob Glauber) Newsday December 2, Another mistake-filled performance -- the latest in a string of them -- and Rex Ryan was left with no other choice than the one he made at halftime Sunday against the Dolphins: With the Jets' playoff hopes 13 P a g e

14 slipping away and with Geno Smith managing only two first downs, four completions and zero points, the coach benched his rookie quarterback in favor of the untested Matt Simms. The move didn't provide the spark the Jets were looking for in what turned out to be a 23-3 loss, but the increasing dissatisfaction with Smith is further verification that the Jets' quarterback problems are only getting worse. It remains an open question whether Smith is good enough to be considered the team's franchise quarterback. His regression has become downright worrisome. In his last seven games, Smith has one touchdown pass and 11 interceptions. His pick near the end of the first half Sunday was the latest evidence of a downward spiral that shows no signs of slowing. The fact that Simms wasn't much better in throwing for 79 yards with an interception and a fumble suggests that Ryan ought to keep going with Smith in hopes he somehow can right himself. But Smith's dismal recent performances also suggest that the Jets will be looking very carefully at the likes of 2014 draft-eligible quarterbacks Johnny Manziel of Texas A & M, Zach Mettenberger of LSU, Teddy Bridgewater of Louisville and Marcus Mariota of Oregon to see if one of them can answer the team's need for a franchise quarterback. Smith has another month to show the Jets he can be the guy. He said after yesterday's dismal effort that he wants to remain the starter. "I have complete confidence in myself," he said. "I think it's been a tough three weeks, but I think I am the best option for this team. I know as of late, we haven't produced on the field, but sometimes that happens in the NFL. Not to make any excuses, but we just got to look ourselves in the mirror, get better from this and find a way." Smith is hardly the first rookie quarterback to struggle and find a seat on the bench during a difficult NFL apprenticeship, but he takes no solace from examples of young passers paying early dues before flourishing. "I don't look at it like that," he said. "I'm my own person, and quite frankly, what anyone did in the past does not reflect what I do on the field. I'm not trying to find any reassurance in that. The reassurance I find is the trust in my teammates and my coaches, and me going out there on the practice field and working hard and getting better. Pretty much that's the only way I can deal with it." Smith's problems have been well-documented, but the one consolation had been that he seemed to play better in home games. MetLife Stadium is where he helped the Jets beat the Patriots and Saints in a three-game span earlier this season, and the Jets were 4-1 at home entering Sunday's game. But after brutally ineffective efforts in Buffalo and Baltimore the previous two weeks, Smith was just as bad when he returned home to face the Dolphins. With both teams 5-6 and still in the thick of it for the second wild-card slot in the AFC, this was a huge spot in which Smith needed to show the poise and playmaking ability the Jets needed. He showed none of it, and the offense was simply awful while he was in there. The Jets had the ball for less than six minutes in the first half, and after seeing Smith produce only two first downs, Ryan made the switch to Simms. But Simms didn't provide the spark Ryan sought. On his second series, he and running back Bilal Powell botched a handoff, and the Dolphins turned it into a touchdown for a 13-0 lead. Simms moved the team on the next drive but stalled at the Dolphins' 2, and the Jets settled for their only points of the game on Nick Folk's 20-yard field goal. Miami went up 20-3 on its next possession, and that was it. 14 P a g e

15 So now Ryan is left with the unenviable choice of going back to his struggling rookie on Sunday against the Raiders or staying with Simms after his own mistake-prone performance. Might as well go back to Smith and hope he can respond to the benching with a better effort against a beatable opponent. But after what we've seen the last several weeks, the expectations shouldn't be that high. Being a rookie quarterback in the NFL usually is a painful experience, and Smith is simply the latest example. "Individually, I've got to look myself in the mirror and figure out ways to get better," he said. "It seems like I say this every week, but there's always a way to get better, and I've got plenty of room to improve, so I've got to continue to plug at it and continue to keep working." Four more weeks to prove that the Geno Smith era deserves to continue. Or needs to go in a different direction. THE RECORD Dolphins rout Jets 23-3; Geno Smith benched at half (J.P. Pelzman) The Record =all EAST RUTHERFORD Matt Simms finally got his chance Sunday with the game still in doubt. But the Franklin Lakes native wasn t that much better than the man he replaced, Geno Smith. Miami s defense shut down the Jets anemic offense and Ryan Tannehill threw two touchdown passes as the Dolphins routed the Jets, 23-3, at MetLife Stadium on Sunday. The Jets (5-7) lost their third consecutive game and fell behind Miami (6-6) in the AFC wild-card race. Smith, who has thrown only one touchdown pass since a three-td effort at Atlanta on Oct. 7, was 4-for- 10 for 29 yards with one interception before being yanked. Simms was 9-for-18 for 80 yards with one interception. The former Don Bosco standout was victimized by a dropped pass by David Nelson before throwing the pick. Nelson misplayed a perfect pass that could have resulted in a touchdown. Miami dominated the first half, amassing 16 first downs to the Jets two. The Dolphins also outgained the Jets, , in total yardage. However, they only led 6-0, thanks to some questionable decisions and the ability of the Jets defense to stiffen when it counted most. Caleb Sturgis missed a 41-yard field-goal attempt wide right after the Dolphins moved 69 yards in a drive that took 9:06 but stalled at the Jets 23-yard-line. In the second quarter, Tannehill was intercepted by Antonio Cromartie on third-and-12 at the Jets 31. Muhammad Wilkerson hit Tannehill hard as he threw, and Cromartie outleaped Miami wideout Mike Wallace for the wobbly pop fly that resulted. The Dolphins were stopped on downs at the Jets 1 on their next drive when Tannehill threw an incompletion on fourth down. But the Jets couldn t move the ball, going three-and-out. The resulting punt gave Miami the ball at its own 46, and the Dolphins finally capitalized. Tannehill hit two passes to tight end Charles Clay for a total of 44 yards to set up Sturgis 34-yard field goal with 44 seconds left in the first half. 15 P a g e

16 On the third play of the Jets next possession, Smith was picked off by linebacker Dannell Ellerbe, who returned it 16 yards to the Jets 44. Tannehill connected with Brian Hartline for 11 yards and Clay for 8 to get Sturgis in position for a 43-yarder and a 6-0 lead with five seconds left in the first half. Simms warmed up before the second half began, and entered on the Jets first possession of the second half, greeted by cheers from the home crowd. But he completed only one pass on that series, for zero yards, and the Jets punted after three plays. Simms second possession at quarterback ended on a fumble when he was trying to hand the ball to running back Bilal Powell. Powell never secured the ball, and Simms was charged with the fumble. Miami s Philip Wheeler recovered at the Jets 48. Two plays later, Tannehill hit Hartline for a 31-yard score on a crossing pattern. Hartline beat Cromartie on the play and safety Ed Reed missed a tackle. Miami led, 13-0 with 9:42 left in the third quarter. The Jets finally moved the ball on their next series, driving 64 yards in 11 plays to a 20-yard field goal by Nick Folk, cutting their deficit to The key play was Chris Ivory s 32-yard run to the Miami 34. Simms had one completion on the drive, an 18-yard pass to David Nelson to the Dolphins 5. But the Jets were stopped at the 2 and settled for the field goal. Miami quickly responded and took a 20-3 lead. Marcus Thigpen returned the kickoff 50 yards to the Miami 44. The Dolphins covered the 56 yards in six plays, with the payoff Tannehill s 28-yard touchdown to Wallace. Rookie cornerback Dee Milliner was beaten on the play as Wallace broke through his attempted tackle on the short pass. Milliner was benched after the play. Jets cornerback Dee Milliner has another rough day (Jeff Roberts) The Record December 2, Jets_cornerback_Dee_Milliner_has_another_ro ugh_day_for_rookie_milliner.html?page=all EAST RUTHERFORD The rookie buried his helmet in his hands. There was nowhere for Dee Milliner to hide as he slowly walked off the MetLife Stadium field. The Jets cornerback was about to be benched Sunday for the third time this season. And he was about to face an exacerbated coach Rex Ryan, who would kneel in front of the first-round pick lecturing him as he sat dejectedly on the bench. The final straw came when Milliner whiffed on a weak arm-tackle attempt of Mike Wallace near the Jets' 19-yard line. The Miami receiver then sprinted for a 28-yard, third-quarter touchdown and the final dagger in the Dolphins' 23-3 romp. "I've been struggling here," said Milliner, who previously had been benched against New England (Sept. 12) and Cincinnati (Oct. 27). His disappointing season continues, as do the issues facing the entire Jets secondary, where poor tackling and coverage led to Ryan Tannehill's 331 passing yards and two touchdowns. In addition to Milliner's mistake, the Jets allowed a 31-yard touchdown pass when Brian Hartline beat Antonio Cromartie on a quick slant. He then broke tackle attempts by Demario Davis and Ed Reed. 16 P a g e

17 Milliner who replaced All-Pro Darrelle Revis in the lineup admitted he did not expect to struggle like this. "Nah, not really," he said. Tannehill (28-of-43) picked on him all day, most often with Hartline (nine catches, 127 yards). The Jets (5-7) expected more out of the ninth overall pick; out of a two-time national champion at Alabama; and out of a cornerback who signed a four-year, $12.66 million contract. Milliner entered the game ranked the 103rd-best corner in the NFL out of 111, according to the analytic website ProFootballFocus.com. He admitted he did not know if he would remain a starter. Darrin Walls, Kyle Wilson and Ellis Lankster are candidates. Milliner also admitted that he has struggled with assignments, sometimes not fully understanding his responsibilities. With the Jets blitzing on the Wallace touchdown, Milliner gave the receiver too much space allowing an easy reception and Miami to take a 20-3 lead. "[Ryan] just said, 'You should have known that it's going to be a quick gain,' " Milliner said. "I should have known that too." Milliner also failed Tackling 101: He didn't drive his shoulder into Wallace and wrap him up. But the expectations remain high. "We're on a one-man island," Cromartie said of the corners often playing with no safety help. "But that's what we get paid to do. That's the standard here." Cromartie who also struggled with his tackling thinks the rookie will turn it around. "He's a tough kid. He's mentally strong. And that's what it takes as a cornerback," he said. "You got to move on to the next week and move forward." The Dolphins gained 453 net yards, the third-most allowed by a Ryan defense in his four-plus years in New York. Cromartie had an excuse a nagging right hip that seemed to slow him down although he didn't use it. He still recorded his third interception. "I feel I'm about 60," Cromartie joked. "It held up. I felt good. This is the best I felt just having confidence in my hip." But Milliner has had plenty of issues. The rookie has dealt with injuries (shoulder, calf and hamstring); being targeted by savvy opposing coaches; and tasked to play in an aggressive defense. But he has to get better. "I'm just going to continue to play. Continue to work. Get better each day," Milliner said. "That's all I can do." Jets replay: Week 13 vs. Miami (J.P. Pelzman) The Record 17 P a g e

18 December 2, Week_13_vs Miami.html?page=all Turning point Despite being stopped on downs at the Jets' 1-yard line late in the second quarter, Miami still managed to score six points in the final 44 seconds of the first half. First, the Dolphins forced a three-and-out and a punt to help set up a 34-yard field goal by Caleb Sturgis, and a subsequent Dannell Ellerbe interception and 16-yard return of a Geno Smith pass led to another Sturgis three-pointer and a 6-0 lead. That was more than enough against the Jets' meager offense. Star of the game WR Brian Hartline consistently beat the Jets' secondary, catching nine passes for 127 yards. His 31-yard catch-and-run touchdown grab in the third quarter gave the Dolphins an insurmountable 13-0 advantage. He also had an 11-yard reception that led to Sturgis' first field goal and a 24-yard catch to set up his last one. Costly mistakes Miami QB Ryan Tannehill was intercepted by Antonio Cromartie on third-and-12 at the Jets' 31 in the second quarter. DE Muhammad Wilkerson hit Tannehill hard as he threw, and Cromartie outleaped Miami WR Mike Wallace for the wobbly pop fly that resulted. WR David Nelson dropped a perfect pass from Matt Simms inside the Miami 10 on the Jets' next-to-last possession. Simms threw an interception to Brent Grimes in the end zone two plays later. Coaching decisions Miami coach Joe Philbin and offensive coordinator Mike Sherman made some questionable calls in the first half, but were saved by the Jets' horrible offense. With second-and-18 at the Jets' 28 in the first quarter, the Dolphins used an off-tackle run and short pass instead of attacking the vulnerable secondary. Sturgis then missed a 41-yard field-goal try. With the game still scoreless late in the second quarter, Philbin went for it on fourth-and-goal from the 1, but a fade pattern fell incomplete. Miami still led 6-0 at halftime. Looking ahead The Jets (5-7) will play their second straight home game when they face Oakland (4-8) at 1 p.m. on Sunday at MetLife Stadium. The Raiders will have had three extra days to prepare for the game after losing a lead at Dallas on Thanksgiving Day. STAR-LEDGER Geno Smith wasn't ready to handle the weight of the hunt for a playoff spot (Dave D Alessandro) Star-Ledger shoulders_of_a_rookie_and_geno_smith_was_flatte.html Geno Smith keeps telling us that there was never anything wrong with his confidence, and if that s truly the case, there s little left between the kid s ears other than a cave full of bats. He was sacked on his 18 P a g e