DAILY CLIPS – September 20, 2013

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Table of Contents

Associated Press Jets O-line's task: stopping Bills' Super Mario (Waszak) AP source: Jets' Colon fined $34,125 by NFL (Waszak)

Newsday Marty Mornhinweg gradually learning about Geno Smith (Logan) Willie Colon to appeal $35,000 fine (Logan)

The Record Jets trying to keep rookie's confidence high (Pelzman) Jets notes: Rex Ryan doesn't see Matt Simms as a starter (Pelzman)

New York Post Cromartie: Hip injury won’t hinder me from stopping Johnson (Costello) Jets wide receivers coach: Drops ‘unacceptable’ (Costello) Jets lineman: ‘We can take the division’ (Serby) Bills rookie QB can make Jets pay for passing on him (Cannizzaro) Rex: Simms no threat to Geno as Jets starter (Costello) Jets’ Colon upset with $35K fine for bumping official (Costello) Mario a monster matchup for Jets’ Howard (Brian Costello & Steve Serby)

Star-Ledger Jets offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg trying to find balance between run and pass (Slater) Steve Johnson presents 'unique' challenge for Jets secondary (Michael Fensom) Jets safety Antonio Allen on how to slow Bills running back C.J. Spiller: 'Hit him in the mouth' (Darryl Slater) Dennis Thurman explains reasoning behind benching Dee Milliner (Michael Fensom) Jets injury updates: Full roster practices, but Oday Aboushi gets hurt (Michael Fensom) Three matchups to watch for the Jets as they face the Bills (Darryl Slater)

New York Daily News NY Jets receivers catching flak from coaches (Walder) Rex Ryan and NY Jets need to give Dee Milliner a chance (Mehta)

New York Times Jets Are Taking a Pass On the Running Game (Pedulla)

Wall Street Journal So Far, Jets' Philosophy Is 'Run Because You Have To' (Sielski)

Metro New York Jets Notebook: Quinton Coples continues to progress in return (Dyer) Dee Milliner unsure whether he will start against Bills (Dyer) Jets prepare to face defense of Rex Ryan protege Mike Pettine (Dyer)

Jets O-line's task: stopping Bills' Super Mario By DENNIS WASZAK

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Associated Press September 19, 2013

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/jets-o-lines-task-stopping-231828453--nfl.html

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) -- Super Mario is back, and the New York Jets are well aware.

They've watched the game film. Several times.

Mario Williams was all over the place in a dominant performance in the Buffalo Bills' win over the Carolina Panthers last Sunday. He had a franchise record 4 1/2 sacks, and looked very much like the game-changing force Buffalo has expected him to be since signing him to a huge deal last year.

''He's one of those dual-type defensive ends who has it all,'' Jets right tackle Austin Howard said Thursday. ''He has speed and can get your edge pretty good with his speed and athleticism, and at the same time, he's really strong, so he can get you really good with a power move.''

That's been the book on Williams throughout his career, including his first six NFL seasons with Houston when he made two Pro Bowl teams and was one of the league's most feared defensive players.

''God touched this guy,'' Jets coach Rex Ryan said. ''Like, gave him unbelievable gifts. He's got the height, the size, the length, the arms, the speed. That's kind of what jumps out.

''And he plays hard, he's smart.''

Buffalo made him the NFL's first $100 million defensive player before last season, and the expectations skyrocketed. He had 10 1/2 sacks, which wasn't too shabby, but he wasn't as effective as the Bills imagined, and a wrist injury didn't help matters. With a new defensive coordinator in Mike Pettine this season, Williams seems to be pretty comfortable.

Bad news for the Jets, and the rest of the Bills' opponents.

''I think he's a very good football player all around,'' Bills coach Doug Marrone said. ''I tend not to try to label him as an elite pass rusher. I think he's an excellent pass rusher. I think he plays very well against the run and is really a complete player for us who can do a lot of things.''

Howard will likely draw much of the assignment to block Williams, although the Bills move him all around the line. Howard and the rest of the Jets' offensive line did a solid job against Williams last season, holding him without a sack. Williams also managed just four total tackles in the two games, and Howard said the line will review the film of those games, too.

The Bills star did, however, claim that Howard was blocking him illegally while using his hands to Williams' face. Howard said he didn't remember too much about the allegations, but knew that he wasn't called for a penalty for doing any of that.

''We know the challenge we face for this weekend,'' Howard said. ''We're not naive to it. You never know how good you are until you go out there and get tested, so we're not going to shy away from any challenge.''

Williams is just a piece - a major one, of course - of the Bills' big defensive line that includes Kyle Williams, Marcell Dareus and Alex Carrington.

''They're a physical outfit,'' right guard Willie Colon said. ''We've got a lot of physical matchups coming up ahead, so it's important that we start getting the mentality and start setting the tone that when we hit the field, we've got to be the most physical team. The most physical team normally wins the game.

''That needs to be us.''

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The Jets showed some feistiness last Thursday night at New England when Colon and left tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson were ejected for their roles in a sideline skirmish. It started when center Nick Mangold dived low at Aqib Talib, who intercepted Smith to seal the victory.

Ferguson appeared to take a swing at a Patriots player, and Colon got into it with another player and also made contact with an official. Both Ferguson and Colon said they have been fined by the league for their actions, but wouldn't reveal the cost. A person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press that Colon was fined $34,125. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the league hadn't yet announced the fine.

Mangold said he had ''cautious optimism'' Thursday because he hadn't yet heard from the NFL.

''I saw Nick and Brick over there in a scuffle, saw a wave of Patriots and my initial reaction was to go help them out, and help my brothers,'' Colon said. ''I'm always going to play like that, and obviously, it costs me a lot of money to play like that.

''But we've got to stand for something.''

---

NOTES: Ryan downplayed a report that backup QB Matt Simms has lots of support in the organization and could replace Smith if the rookie struggles. ''I think there's a lot of guys that like Simms, I don't think there's any doubt,'' Ryan said. ''But to say as our starting quarterback? I don't see that. Again, I'm obviously not saying that that couldn't happen or whatever, but we see Geno as our starting quarterback now.'' ... CB Antonio Cromartie, hampered by a sore hip, said he's feeling the best he has since the first day of training camp. ''I was playing on one hip,'' he said.

AP source: Jets' Colon fined $34,125 by NFL By DENNIS WASZAK Associated Press September 19, 2013

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/ap-source-jets-colon-fined-014917851--nfl.html

NEW YORK (AP) -- Willie Colon's wallet might take a heavy hit from the NFL.

The New York Jets right guard was fined $34,125 by the league Thursday for his actions during a sideline skirmish at New England last week, according to a person familiar with the situation.

Colon said he will appeal the fine, but declined to say how much he was docked. ''Too much,'' he said, later adding that it ''was way more than I expected.''

The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the league had not announced the amount of the fine. The NFL usually announces fines for the previous week on Fridays.

Colon made contact with an official and threw a punch after Jets center Nick Mangold set off a shoving match along the Patriots sideline when he hit Aqib Talib low after Talib's interception sealed New England's 13-10 victory last Thursday night.

''I didn't really see the ref,'' Colon said. ''I was looking past, looking at where Nick and them were at.''

Several Patriots players and coach Bill Belichick took exception to Mangold's hit, and players on both sides began yelling at and shoving each other. Colon and Jets left tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson appeared to take swings at Patriots players and were ejected. Mangold was called for a personal foul penalty.

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Colon was relieved he wasn't suspended, as some speculated he could be, and will be available Sunday against Buffalo.

''They got me for contact with an official and I guess I was throwing some jabs when I was in the crowd,'' Colon said. ''I kind of got the double whammy, so to speak.''

Ferguson was also fined for his role in the melee, but declined to reveal how much it would cost him. Mangold had ''cautious optimism at the moment,'' saying he hadn't heard from the league as of late Thursday afternoon.

Talib said earlier this week that he didn't think Mangold's hit was dirty.

Marty Mornhinweg gradually learning about Geno Smith By GREG LOGAN Newsday September 19, 2013

http://www.newsday.com/sports/football/jets/marty-mornhinweg-gradually-learning-about-geno-smith-1.6106702

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. - The last time Rex Ryan's Jets broke in a rookie quarterback, the organizational mantra was "Ground and Pound.'' Against all odds, that approach took Mark Sanchez and the Jets to two straight AFC Championship Games.

But that was under former offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer, who was more conservative by nature. Now, Ryan's OC is Marty Mornhinweg, a devotee of the West Coast offense, and the rookie quarterback is Geno Smith, who has a stronger arm than Sanchez and speed to escape the pass rush.

Those physical gifts were on display as Smith led a last-minute comeback victory over Tampa Bay in the opener, and his lack of experience was exposed in a three-interception fourth quarter the following week at New England. So, the question heading into Week 3 against Buffalo on Sunday at MetLife Stadium is one of balance.

The Jets have run 61 times compared with 83 pass plays, including four sacks. It's not exactly "Chuck and Duck,'' as Ryan's father, Buddy, a former coach, derisively called some of the NFL's pass-happy offenses of the past, but even Mornhinweg admitted Thursday that "balance'' is a concept he's only now embracing.

Reflecting on the New England loss, Mornhinweg said, "I thought we were pretty balanced throughout the game on purpose for many different reasons. Look, this is more than I've ever run the ball as far as numbers-wise. We're in attempts rushing. We're running the ball quite a little bit more, and there's several different reasons for that.

"Certainly a rookie quarterback is one of them . . . You saw, shoot, I ran the ball on third-and-7. I haven't done that in I can't remember how long.''

In the opener, Smith scrambled for 47 yards to outrush the combined 44 yards of running backs Bilal Powell and Chris Ivory. But at New England, Powell and Ivory totaled 100 yards rushing to 17 for Smith. It was an encouraging development, and that trend is likely to continue against Buffalo, if only to slow a pass rush featuring Mario Williams.

Ryan said he prefers a more balanced attack, but he expressed support for Mornhinweg's play-calling and Smith's ability to execute the passing game. "I'm confident in Geno,'' Ryan said, "so to me, there really are no restrictions.''

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Thanks to four interceptions and a 53.4 completion percentage, Smith's 55.2 quarterback rating is a lowly 32nd in the NFL. Mornhinweg and Ryan point to the drops by receivers as a mitigating factor along with injuries to some skill players and ill-advised throws while trying to come back against the Patriots.

"I will tell you, he has great poise,'' Mornhinweg said of Smith. "He's way ahead of the game in many ways. However, the other fellas have to just jack their game up, including me. All of us can help just a little bit.

"I'm learning a lot about Geno as we go, and I'm learning about all the players as we go. That big ol' line is something we can sort of rely on week after week after week.'' '

Willie Colon to appeal $35,000 fine By GREG LOGAN Newsday September 19, 2013

http://www.newsday.com/sports/football/jets/willie-colon-to-appeal-35-000-fine-1.6106683

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. - The verdict is in from the NFL, and while Jets guard Willie Colon escaped a suspension for his role in a scuffle at the end of a Week 2 loss at New England, he vowed to appeal the substantial fine he received. The formal announcement of the fine will come today, but Newsday learned from an NFL source that Colon was docked $35,000.

"It's way more than I expected, so, all I can do is appeal," Colon said.

The melee began when center Nick Mangold dove at Patriots defensive back Aqib Talib on the sideline after a New England interception. Some Pats went after Mangold, and Colon and tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson came to his defense. Ferguson was fined $15,000 earlier this week.

Colon was informed his fine was for making contact with a referee and for throwing punches. "I kind of got the double whammy, so to speak," said Colon, who explained he never saw the official because he was focused on helping his teammates.

Mangold was exonerated by Talib for the hit and has yet to hear from the NFL. "When I first heard he had missed a practice, I was concerned," Mangold said. "But I'm glad that's he's all right." As for the prospect of escaping a fine, Mangold said, "I'm cautiously optimistic."

Simms a backup plan

Responding to a recent ESPN report that some in the Jets organization want backup quarterback Matt Simms to replace Geno Smith if he plays poorly, coach Rex Ryan said, "I think there's a lot of guys that like Simms. But as our starting quarterback? I don't see that."

Jet streams

Quinton Coples, who is coming back from ankle surgery, was limited in practice. WR Santonio Holmes (foot) sat out practice as part of his weekly routine. Limited players include DL Sheldon Richardson (shoulder) and Kenrick Ellis (back) and TE Kellen Winslow (knee). OL Oday Aboushi suffered a knee injury in practice.

Jets trying to keep rookie's confidence high By J.P. PELZMAN The Record September 20, 2013

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http://www.northjersey.com/sports/224523201_Jets_trying_to_keep_rookie_s_confidence_high_CB_Milliner_from_attack.html?page=all

FLORHAM PARK – Rex Ryan and defensive coordinator Dennis Thurman are good at presenting confusing looks for opposing offenses.

And judging by what they’ve said this week, perhaps they are extending that philosophy to some of their comments to the media.

Thurman said the Jets still have plenty of confidence in first-round draft pick Dee Milliner, and that the rookie cornerback only was pulled at halftime against New England last week to preserve his own confidence, not because they were disappointed in his performance.

But meanwhile, they still haven’t said whether he will be the starter against Buffalo on Sunday.

Got all that?

"With Dee, it wasn’t that we were unhappy with what we were seeing," Thurman said. "It was just that the situation for us called for, ‘OK, they’re getting ready to take some shots at this kid.’ Rather than have him in a situation where he could get himself deflated, we decided to make a move and get a more experienced guy in there."

The Jets used Kyle Wilson and Darrin Walls in Milliner’s spot during the second half. Milliner was picked on throughout the first half, and was beaten badly on a ball that was caught by Kenbrell Thompkins for an apparent 25-yard score, yet later reversed to an incompletion after video review.

"We’re not down on him at all," Thurman added.

"He has a chance to be a hell of a football player. You don’t want a rookie to get out there, get shell-shocked and not be able to come back from it."

Milliner said Thursday he must work on "being more alert and just knowing the situation. … You’ve just got to focus in at practice. … You’ve got to carry it over to the game."

When asked if he was having any problems with his technique, he replied, "Not at all. It’s just the mental part, knowing the situations and being where I’m supposed to be."

He also knows that as a rookie, he will continue to be a target for opposing teams, especially with 2012 Pro Bowler Antonio Cromartie at the opposite corner. Cromartie, who has been bothered by lingering effects from a hip injury, said Thursday he is very close to 100 percent after not being healthy for the first two games.

Cromartie said Milliner has handled his benching "like a pro," adding, "he’s made sure he’s come out and worked hard and he’s [paid] a lot more attention to detail. … He’s still learning the defense, [and] a lot of stuff technique-wise. … It’s a learning curve for him and he understands that."

"It was very difficult not to be out there on the field," Milliner said. "I want to be out there with my teammates. … I’ve got to do better."

Jets notes: Rex Ryan doesn't see Matt Simms as a starter By J.P. PELZMAN The Record September 20, 2013

http://www.northjersey.com/sports/Jets_notes_Rex_Ryan_doesnt_see_Matt_Simms_as_a_starter.html

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Jets’ coach Rex Ryan was asked about an ESPN report that there is “support” within the organization for Matt Simms as a potential alternative to Geno Smith as the starting quarterback should Smith falter. “I think there’s a lot of guys [in the organization] that like Simms,” Ryan said. “I don’t think there’s any doubt. But as our starting quarterback? I don’t see that. … I’m obviously not saying that that couldn’t happen, but we see Geno as our starting quarterback now.”

Ryan then was asked how much Smith would have to struggle for Simms to be inserted. “I’m not going to get into that stuff,” Ryan said. “No, I don’t go into the game thinking about that.”

Simms, a former Don Bosco Prep star, had no reaction to Ryan’s comments. “He’s the man,” Simms said with a smile, adding, “nothing changes for me.”

Simms has refused to get caught up in the hype surrounding him since he beat out former No. 3 QB Greg McElroy for that job last month, and then was promoted to No. 2 after former starter Mark Sanchez suffered a shoulder injury that has him sidelined until at least November.

Colon fined

A source confirmed a Newsday report that right guard Willie Colon was fined $35,000 by the NFL for making contact with an official during a brawl near the end of last week’s game. Colon, who was unhappy with the amount of the fine, indicated the contact was inadvertent and that he never saw the official. Left tackle D’Brickashaw Ferguson was fined $15,750 for throwing a punch at New England CB Alfonzo Dennard.

Briefs

Rookie reserve offensive tackle Oday Aboushi left practice with a knee injury, Ryan said, adding the team should know more about the severity of the injury friday. Aboushi, a fifth-round pick from Virginia, has been inactive the first two games and struggled during the preseason. He allowed a pressure that forced Sanchez to escape the pass pocket on the ill-fated play in which Sanchez was injured against the Giants. … Wideout Santonio Holmes sat out practice in what was a planned day of rest. He will play Sunday against the Bills. … Ryan said DE/OLB Quinton Coples, who is coming off surgery last month to repair a hairline fracture in his right ankle, “looked good” in practice Thursday. Although Ryan wouldn’t commit to it, it appears likely that the second-year pro will make his 2013 debut Sunday.

Cromartie: Hip injury won’t hinder me from stopping Johnson By BRIAN COSTELLO New York Post September 19, 2013

http://nypost.com/2013/09/19/cromartie-hip-injury-wont-hinder-me-from-stopping-johnson/

Jets cornerback Antonio Cromartie has not been himself through the first two games. He revealed why on Thursday.

Cromartie has been playing through a hip injury he said made it feel like he was “playing on one hip.” The Pro Bowl corner suffered the injury in training camp, but it had not been considered serious. He missed some practice time late in camp, but never was in jeopardy of missing game time.

But on Thursday Cromartie said the hip has been bothering him, but he finally said he feels like he’s getting over it.

“This is probably the best I’ve felt in about five weeks, probably since the first day of training camp,” Cromartie said. “For me, it’s just been a nagging injury that is finally starting to feel a whole lot better.

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This is probably the closest to 100 percent that I’m going to get so I’m feeling real good right about now.”

Cromartie did not identify which hip has been the problem or the exact nature of the injury. The injury could explain a slight drop-off in his play this season. According to Pro Football Focus, Cromartie has given up eight passes for 98 yards through the first two games. He has not been bad, but Cromartie raised expectations with the way he played last season.

“It did [affect me],” Cromartie said. “I was only playing on one hip. For me, that’s no excuse at all. When I’m out there my teammates, my coaches, everybody expects for me to be 100 percent. I’m never making an excuse for myself. For me, I finally feel like I’m 100 percent. I’m healthy.”

The Jets better hope so. Cromartie is expected to draw the difficult assignment of covering Bills star receiver Stevie Johnson this week. Johnson has tormented the Jets in the past, even having success against Darrelle Revis. Ryan even admitted Thursday that Johnson bothered Revis as much as any receiver he ever saw.

“Yeah, I think that’s a fair statement,” Ryan said. “And I think everybody, even the All-World guys, have a guy out there that they struggle with, and I think he did as good a job as probably anybody against Revis.”

Now, it’s Cromartie’s turn.

In the past two seasons, Johnson has 21 catches in four games against the Jets for 325 yards and two touchdowns.

“The thing that is unusual about him, his style is unique, the way he gets off the line of scrimmage, off press coverage in particular,” Ryan said. “There are guys that are faster than him, but he gets open. He gets separation. And I think it starts with the way he is at the line of scrimmage. He’s a little different but he’s excellent at getting off press coverage in particular.”

Cromartie said Johnson is “crafty” and he is as good as anyone at getting off the line.

“I think he [gets off jam coverage] better than any other receiver in the NFL,” Cromartie said. “I think the biggest thing is just trying to get your hands on him as quick as possible and just go from there.”

The Jets know containing Johnson is a key Sunday, so that rookie quarterback EJ Manuel does not have an easy target to throw to. Cromartie is familiar with Manuel because both went to Florida State.

“He’s a guy that’s not going to turn the ball over,” Cromartie said. “He was the same way in college. He doesn’t want to make any mistakes. He wants to make every throw the perfect throw. He wants to make sure every decision he makes is the right decision.”

Jets wide receivers coach: Drops ‘unacceptable’ By BRIAN COSTELLO New York Post September 19, 2013

http://nypost.com/2013/09/19/jets-wide-receivers-coach-drops-unacceptable/

It has been a long week for Jets wide receivers coach Sanjay Lal.

He watched his players drop six passes (by his count) against the Patriots last week in the 13-10 loss. He called the drops “unacceptable” and struggled to figure out what led to the bad night in Foxborough.

“It’s hard because there’s not one thing we don’t do in practice,” Lal said. “We do every drill from Juggs to honing in on the nose of the ball to eyes to the tuck to grip strength. So, it is hard when that happens.

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“You don’t want to make the excuse that it was a downpour because we are at the highest level of football and the best athletes. If the ball is in the air, we’re paid to catch the ball and that’s what we should do. No excuses were made. We know it was unacceptable.”

Lal said they have not changed the drills they do, but he has emphasized concentrating on the ball.

“We talked this week and said when that ball is in the air there is no sunlight that can blind you, there’s no lights, there’s no rain drops, my knee doesn’t hurt, my kids didn’t do poorly in school today and my mind is there, not even one iota of your thinking should be on anything other than that ball when it’s in the air,” Lal said. “The world should go black and you focus on the nose of the ball, that’s it. That’s the thing I tried to drive home. Let’s see where that takes us.”

By Lal’s count, Clyde Gates had four drops, Stephen Hill had one and Ryan Spadola had one.

***

The Jets raised a lot of eyebrows last week when they did not send a punt returner back deep on three Patriots punts. Special teams coordinator Ben Kotwica got a chance to explain the thinking on Thursday.

“We thought it gave us the best opportunity to make a play,” Kotwica said. “We saw something on tape that we could take advantage of and we darn near got [the block] on the first time. We had a free runner there. Given the circumstances, and that time, we thought it was something that we saw that gave us an opportunity to make a play and we decided to go with it. We look at the risk, we look at the reward and at that time that’s the way we went with it.”

Kotwica said it is something the Jets have done before when Kotwica was Mike Westhoff’s assistant.

“We’ve done a variant of it where we put a lot of pressure on a punter a few years ago, a few years back,” Kotwica said. “We kind of took that variant and ran with it. It’s nothing we haven’t done before. We’ve done that before. Like I said, we just kind of changed it up a little bit and went with it.”

Jets lineman: ‘We can take the division’ By STEVE SERBY New York Post September 19, 2013

http://nypost.com/2013/09/19/jets-lineman-we-can-take-the-division/

Willie Colon looks around and doesn’t see a rebuilding team with a rookie quarterback and weapons who apparently think it is better to give than to receive. He doesn’t see a running back-by-committee to pity. He sees a tough team for a tough town that, in the immortal words of Bobby Bonilla, will show you the Bronx in a Big Apple minute. A quality and a mentality that can take you places no one else thinks you can possibly go.

“I think we can take the division,” Colon tells The Post.

When the naysayers who smoke the objective pipe stop laughing, we will let the right guard speak his piece.

It started when I asked him what the toughness level is on this Jets team that awaits the Bills Sunday.

“As far as like 1 to 10?”

“Yeah.”

“About a 7. … We could be better.”

“How do you get better?”

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“Finishing games. I think one of the biggest things we have to do mentally, when we get four minutes and our defense gives us back the ball, they shouldn’t be back on the field.”

“Have you ever been on a 10?”

“Yeah. Pittsburgh [in the 2008 season]. Super Bowl year.”

“Describe the infield mentality of a 10.”

“From the defensive side, there’s been games where I haven’t seen an opponent get past three or seven points. … Special teams, I can remember, we had at least three or four guys that will fly down and put the hammer on people. … We had a great punter, we had a great kicker in Jeff Reed at the time. And offensive line-wise, we relished running the power game. We kinda got charged up, and then, all of a sudden, a lot of teams come by the third quarter, they were tired. They didn’t want to see the power no more.

“They got tired of seeing big Chris —. You couldn’t sack Ben [Roethlisberger]. They got tired of ‘James Harrison coming at me,’ they got tired of finding Troy [Polamalu].

“I just remember teams, by the third quarter, submitting. Like, ‘Hey guys, all right, you guys won.’ You see it in their eyes, you see it in their body language. That’s when you know you got a tough team.”

“Can this team be a 10?”

“I think we’re still kinda finding our identity, I think it’s coming. I think each week goes on, we get tougher. I think the defense is playing lights out, and I think they keep giving our offense a chance to get better. I think overall, we could be a 10 by the end of the year without a doubt.”

(Look, these Jets are far from those Super Bowl XLIII Steelers. But let our Jet continue).

“You can never underestimate the human spirit. When you get guys that grab on each other, lean on each other, the sky’s the limit. I’ve been with Steeler teams that people say, ‘Oh, this team doesn’t have it.’ Then sure enough we’re competing for the championship.”

“Was there a sense after the New England melee that this team had that kind of fight?”

“I do. I think the biggest thing, when I looked around the locker room, everybody was hurt, everybody was crushed by it. It wasn’t this sense that, ‘Oh well, maybe we’ll get ’em next time.’ That’s the worst feeling to have, I think. If you’re a true competitor, it should hurt, it should piss you off, you should feel something in your stomach that’s uneasy and unsettling. When I looked around the locker room, you could tell guys were pissed off, guys were angry, guys were heartbroken, ’cause we had a chance to pull it off in Foxborough. We had the Patriots on their heels, but we didn’t execute, we didn’t get it done.”

Colon, hefty fine aside, knows protecting his teammates’ backs in Foxborough is well worth it.

“If your brother’s in a foxhole, you better be with him,” Colon said. “I can’t go to sleep anytime if my brother was out on the street and he got jumped and I wasn’t there to go rescue him or go fight next to him.”

“Can a team that’s a 7 on the toughness scale hang in the division race?”

“No question, no question. I think the sky’s the limit for us, man. Obviously this is a big game for us Sunday, we gotta win it, you don’t want to go 0-2 in the division. I think we got enough guys, enough firepower where we can take this thing, but we have to do it together.”

“You can take what thing?”

“1 think we can take the division.”

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“You just made headlines with that.”

“I don’t care. What do you want me to say? I’m supposed to say the Dolphins or New England can take it? I believe in the Jets. I believe in this team. I believe if we stick together and do what we need to do, We can take it. We can ball.”

“You’re going to be a popular figure with Jets fans.”

“I just speak my heart.”

Bills rookie QB can make Jets pay for passing on him By MARK CANNIZZARO New York Post September 19, 2013

http://nypost.com/2013/09/19/bills-rookie-qb-can-make-jets-pay-for-passing-on-him/

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — As much as the game pits two AFC East teams each searching for its first division win, when the Jets play the Bills Sunday at MetLife Stadium it will represent an early referendum on the respective directions of the two franchises based on the rookie quarterbacks leading them.

The Jets with the ninth and 13th picks in the first round of April’s NFL Draft, twice passed on EJ Manuel. The Bills, passing on Geno Smith despite having worked him out, picked Manuel with the 16th overall pick. That left Smith hanging until the second round, where the Jets picked him.

The fact the Jets did not pounce on Smith with one of their first-round picks is a clear indication they were not 100 percent sure of him as their future quarterback The Bills, however, never wavered on Manuel, whom they targeted all along.

The early results, just two games into the season and their respective careers, indicate Manuel might be the better, more polished, more NFL-ready quarterback, which also would indicate the direction the Bills are headed is better than that of the Jets.

Manuel’s numbers are better than Smith’s, with his 95.9 rating, 68.2 completion percentage and only one interception. Smith’s rating is a weak 55.2. thanks to four interceptions and a 53.4 completion percentage.

The Jets, who publicly have not committed to Smith as the man for the rest of the season, seem to be hoping he works out well for them. This, of course, comes after the Mark Sanchez outperformed him in preseason only to lose out on the job when he suffered that shoulder injury against the Giants.

Conversely, the Bills, who are all in with their commitment to Manuel being the guy, sound as if they know they have something special.

If it indeed turns out Manuel is superior to Smith, beginning with Sunday’s first head-to-head showdown, it will be an indictment on Jets new general manager John Idzik, who already has a spotty record bringing in veteran personnel with his embarrassing offseason gaffes of quarterback David Garrard (who never made it through minicamp before retiring) and running back Mike Goodson (who never made it to training camp because of legal troubles).

The Jets enter Sunday’s game hoping Smith can cut down on the three picks he threw in last week’s 13-10 loss to the Patriots. The Bills enter the game still high from the game-winning comeback drive Manuel engineered to beat the Panthers in the final seconds last Sunday.

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“I’m very impressed, but you could see it was evident from him when he first walked in here,’’ Bills veteran running back Fred Jackson said Thursday. “You saw a guy that was poised, getting everybody in the right position, knowing where everybody was supposed to be. It was like he was a veteran out there, like he had been there, seen what he was supposed to see. He made the throws that were given to him and didn’t try to force anything. That’s all we can ask of him.’’

All the Jets are asking of Smith is not to throw the game away the way he did in New England and the way Sanchez has done too many times to count in the last two seasons. Smith looked lost too often against the Patriots, a contrast to the cool Manuel exuded when the pressure peaked last Sunday.

“EJ just always seems to be in control, always seems to understand what the defense is trying to do to him and he never really gets flustered,’’ Bills — and former Jets — safety Jim Leonhard said Thursday. “It’s what you like to see out of your quarterback and you don’t always get that out of a lot of young guys.’’

Leonhard, who played for coach Rex Ryan in Baltimore and the Jets, knows the complexities of Ryan’s defense as well as anyone and he, too, knows how much Ryan loves to feast on rookie quarterbacks. Based on what he has seen from Manuel, Leonhard said he believes Manuel will hold up to the Ryan defensive pressure.

“The Jets are going to create problems; they do it for everybody,’’ Leonhard said. “Especially with young quarterbacks, they like to bring heat. They know there are going to be things they can do to [Manuel] during the game that he’s never seen. EJ understands that and he’s done a great job of preparing this week and it’ll carry to the game.’’

Rex: Simms no threat to Geno as Jets starter By BRIAN COSTELLO New York Post September 19, 2013

http://nypost.com/2013/09/19/rex-simms-no-threat-to-geno-as-jets-starter/

Jets coach Rex Ryan threw cold water on any thought that Matt Simms could replace Geno Smith at starting quarterback anytime soon.

Ryan responding to a question about an ESPN report that Simms has a lot of support within the organization and if Smith should struggle that Simms could replace him.

“I think there’s a lot of guys that like Simms,” Ryan said. “I don’t think there’s any doubt. But to say as our starting quarterback? I don’t see that. But again, I’m obviously not saying that that couldn’t happen, or whatever, but we see Geno as our starting quarterback now and that’s how we see it.”

Simms won a roster spot with a strong training camp and preseason, beating out Greg McElroy for the third quarterback spot. With Mark Sanchez injured, Simms has become the No. 2 quarterback.

Jets’ Colon upset with $35K fine for bumping official By BRIAN COSTELLO New York Post September 19, 2013

http://nypost.com/2013/09/19/jets-colon-upset-with-high-cost-of-fine-for-bumping-official/

The Jets received another FedEx envelope from the NFL on Thursday with guard Willie Colon getting fined for making contact with an official in last week’s game with the Patriots.

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Colon was fined $35,000, according to a source, for twice bumping an official during the brawl at the end of the game. Colon said he will appeal the fine.

“It’s way more than I expected,” Colon said. “So, all I can do is appeal it. Hopefully, I’ll get some justice.”

Interestingly, center Nick Mangold has not received any notice from the NFL that he has been fined. It was Mangold’s tackle of Patriots cornerback Aqib Talib out of bounds that sparked the scuffle between the two teams.

“I don’t think I did anything wrong,” Mangold said. “I’m not pulling a fast one on anyone, but there is cautious optimism at the moment, pocketbook-wise.”

Tackle D’Brickashaw Ferguson was fined on Wednesday in the amount of $15,750, according to a source.

Colon said he was just trying to defend his teammates and never even saw the officials he shoved away when they tried to stop him.

“That’s the only reason I ran over there,” he said. “I saw Nick and Brick in a scuffle. I saw a wave of Patriots. It was my initial reaction to go help them out, help my brothers. I’m always going to play like that. Obviously, it’s costing me a lot of money to play like that. But we’ve got to stand for something.”

Mario a monster matchup for Jets’ Howard By BRIAN COSTELLO & STEVE SERBY New York Post September 19, 2013

http://nypost.com/2013/09/19/mario-a-monster-matchup-for-jets-howard/

You can bet the Jets’ offensive coaches are spending plenty of time this week trying to figure out how to slow down Bills defensive end Mario Williams.

Williams had 4 ½ sacks last week against the Panthers and is showing signs of becoming the force the Bills were hoping he would be when they gave him a monster free-agent contract before last season.

Jets right tackle Austin Howard faced Williams twice last season and fared well. Now, he gets to see him again.

“Mario’s one of those guys that kinda has it all, one of those dual guys who can give you a good speed rush from the outside, get your edge, as well he’s strong, so he can give you good power,” Howard said. “He has a lot of mobility, a lot of strength.”

Williams had just one tackle in the Jets’ 2012 season opener against the Bills, and after the game Williams complained about the replacement officials not calling Howard for penalties.

“Going out there and just trying to play the game, not trying to play outside of the rules at all,” Howard said. “I don’t know what was said about the accusations or anything, but I know that he is a very good defensive end, and I learned a lot from that game, physically and technique-wise.”

Jets offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg trying to find balance between run and pass By DARRYL SLATER Star-Ledger September 19, 2013

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2013/09/jets_offensive_coordinator_marty_mornhinweg_trying_to_find_balance_between_run_and_pass.html

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When head coach Rex Ryan hired Marty Mornhinweg as his offensive coordinator during the offseason, Ryan knew Mornhinweg’s arrival could bring a marked departure from the Jets’ offensive strategy in Ryan’s first four seasons.

In Ryan’s first season, the Jets ran the ball 60.7 percent of the time. In the next two seasons, they ran it 50.4 and 44.7 percent of the time. Last season, the Jets had 493 passes and 494 rushes.

The West Coast offense used by Mornhinweg typically relies more on throwing than running, and Ryan understands this approach fits the modern NFL, a quarterback-driven league where downfield passing is critical.

"Do I expect us to run more than pass? Not really,’’ Ryan said.

"Would I prefer to run the ball than throw it? Yeah, of course,’’ he continued. "With that being said, the way the game is played now, I also like to attack down the field. And I think we can do both now."

In the Jets’ season-opening win over Tampa Bay, the Jets ran 29 times. They passed 39 times, including 38 by rookie quarterback Geno Smith. In last week’s loss at New England, where it poured rain the second half, the Jets ran 32 times and Smith threw 35 passes. Against the Patriots, the Jets saw increased production from running backs Chris Ivory and Bilal Powell. They combined to run 25 times for 100 yards, after having just 44 yards on 22 carries in the opener.

"It’s a start," said Ivory, who ran 12 times for 52 yards at New England. "I’m not pleased, but it’s a start. I think it can only get better."

The Jets rank 25th in the NFL in total yards gained. As they and Mornhinweg try to find a reliable balance between running and passing, it is clear that however the Jets split the ratio, they must effectively run the ball to make life easier for Smith.

Entering Sunday’s home game against Buffalo, Smith has completed just 53.4 percent of his passes for one touchdown and four interceptions, though the Jets’ wide receivers dropped six passes at New England.

Few rookie quarterbacks can thrive when opponents expect them to pass because the running game is unproven. The Bills have a ferocious pass rusher, end Mario Williams, who could ruin Smith’s day if the Jets don’t make the Bills honor the run.

Run the ball well, Ryan said, and most defenses will have to keep eight men along the line of scrimmage, allowing fewer to drop into pass coverage. Sunday’s game could present more opportunities for Smith because the Bills play a lot of man-to-man coverage, tight end Kellen Winslow said. Because Mornhinweg said Smith is "seeing some things for the first time," Mornhinweg altered his game plan from Tampa Bay to New England and "tempered it down a little bit" to run more and ease the pressure on Smith.

"This is more than I’ve ever run the ball," Mornhinweg said of the New England game. "There’s a bunch of different reasons, but certainly a rookie quarterback is one of them. I ran the ball on third-and-7. I haven’t done that in I can’t remember when."

He laughed and slapped the table in front of him. Mornhinweg, who admitted he is a more patient coach than he once was, knows his own history with pass-focused offenses in his 15 previous seasons as an NFL offensive coordinator or head coach. He also knows a passing game will be important for the Jets to eventually establish.

But he said he is now just "trying to do the right thing with the group that we have," which includes a No. 1 receiver, Santonio Holmes, who got essentially no practice time with Smith before the opener.

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"I thought years ago, ahead of the game, because you do score passing the football," Mornhinweg said. "Now, everybody has sort of caught up just a little bit. Everybody is throwing the football. So you have to attack in this league, in the long run. For the finality of it, you have to be able to score at the end of the half and in two-minute (offense). Passing the football will become important at some point."

Steve Johnson presents 'unique' challenge for Jets secondary By MICHAEL FENSOM Star-Ledger September 19, 2013

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2013/09/steve_johnson_presents_unique_challenge_for_jets_secondary.html

Over the last three seasons, Stevie Johnson has relished Jets week. In the six meetings with the Jets over that stretch, the Buffalo Bills wide receiver has caught 29 passes for 428 yards, three touchdowns and 20 first downs.

The Jets coach Rex Ryan said that Johnson, as much as any player could, tormented Darrelle Revis, the former Jets cornerback who blanketed nearly every receiver who lined up across the line of scrimmage.

Revis is now gone from the Jets secondary, which this season features three new members and has allowed 154 yards in a game to Vincent Jackson and 13 catches the next week to Julian Edelman. As stout as the Jets defense has been, the secondary has at times struggled to track receivers. Sunday, Johnson, a serial nuisance and player who riled the Jets in 2011 with a controversial touchdown celebration, visits MetLife Stadium.

Ryan called Johnson's style of play "unique." He combines quickness with excellent body control and an understanding of how to shield defensive backs.

"The way he gets off the line, he just has nice, subtle quickness," said the Jets safety Antonio Allen. "You’ve just got to keep your eyes on him at all times. He’s real slippery."

One reason that Johnson is difficult to track is that the Bills line him up on both sides of the field wide and in the slot. This season, Johnson has caught 11 passes for 150 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winner last Sunday with two seconds remaining against the Carolina Panthers.

"He knows how to get back underneath a defensive back," the Jets cornerback Antonio Cromartie said. "That’s what he does best, trying to get off the jam. I think he does it better than any other receiver that’s probably in the NFL. I think the biggest thing is just making sure to try to get your hands on him as quick as possible and just go from there."

The Jets are hoping to get their hands on Johnson before he can get his on the ball.

Jets safety Antonio Allen on how to slow Bills running back C.J. Spiller: 'Hit him in the mouth' By DARRYL SLATER Star-Ledger September 19, 2013

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2013/09/jets_safety_antonio_allen_on_how_to_slow_bills_running_back_cj_spiller_hit_him_in_the_mouth.html

Not many people in the NFL are more familiar with Bills running back C.J. Spiller than Jets safety Antonio Allen.

They both grew up in north central Florida, with Spiller attending Union County High in Lake Butler and Allen attending Trinity Catholic in Ocala, separated by 77 miles.

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In 2005, Spiller was a high school senior, Allen a junior. Their teams played twice, once in the regular season, once in the playoffs. Spiller went on to play from 2006-09 at Clemson. Allen attended prep school in 2007 and played at Clemson’s rival, South Carolina, from 2008-11.

After meeting Spiller twice in 2005, Allen crossed paths with him during the annual South Carolina-Clemson game in 2008 and 2009, when Spiller ran for 88 and 18 yards, though he also had an 88-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the 2009 game.

Allen will meet Spiller again Sunday, when the Jets host the Bills. Spiller, a former ninth overall pick, is in his fourth season in the NFL. Allen, a seventh rounder, is in his second season, and first as a starter. Allen doesn’t know Spiller that well, but they said hello to each other after the Jets and Bills played last season.

Now, Allen can put his knowledge of Spiller to good use, and the Jets could use all the help they can get against Spiller, who had the best game of his career against them in last season’s opener: 14 carries for 169 yards. In the teams’ second meeting, Spiller ran 24 times for 59 yards. Spiller is coming off a 16-carry, 103-yard game in a win over Carolina and has run for 100-plus yards in three of his past five games, dating to Week 14 last year.

“I’m familiar with Spiller,” Allen said. “He’s still talented to this day. He’s still the same guy to me (as he was in high school). I think you’ve just got to hit him in the mouth. Nobody likes to get hit in the mouth. Be aggressive with him, be physical and that should take care of it. You’ve just got to hit him in the mouth. Since high school, he’s been that type of guy. If you hit him in the mouth, he’s always looking for you once you lay that wood on him one time. He’ll be looking for you next time.”

Does Allen believe laying a lick on Spiller can affect him more than other backs?

“Yeah, I think so,” Allen said.

Jets cornerback Antonio Cromartie knows slowing Spiller comes down to one thing.

“Got to tackle,” Cromartie said. “I think last year, in the game he had 150-some yards on us, we didn’t do a great job of tackling. That’s one thing that we have to do.”

Jets defensive coordinator Dennis Thurman said Spiller “can take the football and put it in the end zone from anywhere on the field. He is dynamic, he's fast, he's explosive. You've got to pay attention to him.”

Thurman echoed Cromartie’s sentiments, saying Spiller was so good against the Jets last year “because we didn't tackle him.”

Spiller, fellow running back Fred Jackson and receiver Stevie Johnson are doing a nice job of easing the transition for rookie quarterback E.J. Manuel, who Allen also faced in college, in the 2010 Chick-fil-A Bowl. Manuel replaced an injured Christian Ponder and led Florida State to a 26-17 win by completing 11 of 15 passes for 84 yards and a touchdown. He also ran seven times for 46 yards.

Manuel is a big guy – 6-5 and 237 pounds – and Allen has noticed something about Manuel as he reacquaints himself with the quarterback this week.

“He doesn’t like to slide (after he scrambles),” Allen said. “From what I’ve seen on film, he wasn’t sliding at all. He did not slide. That gives us an opportunity to get some free hits off him. He ain’t scared.”

Manuel is completing 68.2 percent of his passes this season for 446 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. He has a quick release – something Jets coach Rex Ryan has mentioned often this week.

“That’s their offensive tempo,” Allen said. “They try to get the ball off quick and try to get the defense to react really quick. They run their hurry-up, too.”

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Cromartie knows Manuel well because Cromartie also played at Florida State, and though he didn’t play with Manuel, he met him while attending games.

“He’s a guy that’s not going to turn the ball over,” Cromartie said. “It was the same way in college. You try to make sure that when you get an opportunity to try to make a play on the ball, we’ve got to make sure that we make it.”

In his final two years of college, Manuel had 18 touchdowns and eight interceptions as a junior and 23 and 10 as a senior. Manuel completed 65.3 and 68 percent of his passes in those seasons. Ryan sees the Bills doing things to help Manuel remain efficient with his completion percentage.

“He’s got guys getting open,” Ryan said. “I think that’s the key thing. They’re pretty creative with what they do. They do a lot of bunch formations, snug formations, and then they’ll put the back in it as well. They put four guys on one side. They do a lot of creative things with it. He’s not holding the ball long. If somebody is open, he’s getting the ball out of his hand.”

So what sort of challenges does Manuel’s quick release pose for a Jets defense that ranks second in the NFL through two games with 482 yards allowed?

“It’s just making sure that we can get our eyes back on our receiver and back through our receiver to the ball,” Cromartie said. “That’s the biggest thing we’ve got to make sure that we do. He does get the ball out quick. He does check down to his running backs a lot, too. But I think we can take advantage of trying to make sure that we get our hands on receivers, to knock off their timing routes that they try to do, also.”

Allen likes where the Jets’ defense is heading, especially as it progresses toward getting last year’s team sack leader, rush outside linebacker Quinton Coples, back from an ankle injury.

“When he gets back, he’s going to be putting up big numbers,” Allen said.

As he prepares for Manuel and his old, familiar opponent Spiller, Allen said he believes the Jets will wind up leading the league in defense this season.

“We’re going to be first,” he said. “We strive to be the best. I don’t have no doubts on us being first.”

Dennis Thurman explains reasoning behind benching Dee Milliner By MICHAEL FENSOM Star-Ledger September 19, 2013

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2013/09/dennis_thurman_explains_reasoning_behind_benching_dee_milliner.html

Dennis Thurman, the Jets' defensive coordinator, explained today why a week ago in New England, he and Rex Ryan decided to bench Dee Milliner in the second half. Until that point, the Jets' top draft choice had been a starter since stepping on the field at training camp. Here's Thurman:

"With Dee, it wasn't that we were unhappy with what we were seeing. It's just that the situation for us called for, OK, they're getting ready to take some shots at this kid. Rather than have him in a situation where he can get himself deflated, we decided to make the move and get a more experienced guy in there. And we did. We felt like it was the right thing to do. We're not down on him at all. He's got a chance to be a hell of a football player. And we don't want a rookie to go out there and get shellshocked and not be able to come back. And we were concerned about that.

Asked if a loss of confidence, such as what happened to Kyle Wilson his rookie season, can really disrupt a defensive back's growth, Thurman said: "You learn from your experiences. Young corners, young

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nickels, when they're out there they become big targets. And you get an experienced offensive coordinator, like they have in New England, with an experienced quarterback, they're not dumb. They're looking to score points. In any situation like that, you expect a guy to go out and perform, but if you see an opportunity to make sure his confidence doesn't get shattered and he's gotta fight back -- if we can ward that off we're gonna do that.

Thurman was asked if having only three days to prepare for the Patriots was detrimental to Milliner.

"Things happen quickly for all of them. Being a short week, going up against a team with an up-tempo offense and an experienced quarterback, not being able to practice full speed all week. The beginning of that game, things were going to happen very quickly. We were trying to impress upon our players was because we're basically walking through and we're not really going full speed in practice, you have to accelerate your mind to think, 'I'm playing right now.' When you're young, those are just words to you. So when you get out there, you get back on your heels a little bit and you're not really understanding how fast things are going to go. So when they're happening, they're happening very quickly. From a mental standpoint, yeah you get, 'Oh, what's the call? What was my assignment? Now I have to go play.' Those things are taking place. So sometimes a young player will get discombobulated."

Will Milliner jump back into the lineup this weekend against the Bills?

"He's been practicing. I guess you'll have to wait until Sunday."

To Milliner's credit, he has been candid about his benching. He spoke again today.

"Coach still hasn’t made a decision, but I’ll be out on the field somewhere," Milliner said. "Practice has been going great so far this week. I’ve had no problems out there."

Jets injury updates: Full roster practices, but Oday Aboushi gets hurt By MICHAEL FENSOM Star-Ledger September 19, 2013

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2013/09/jets_injury_updates_full_roster_practices_but_oday_aboushi_gets_hurt.html

The Jets began practice in Florham Park today under sunny skies with a full complement of players. All 53 members of the active roster were on the field, as were the eight members of the practice squad.

That group included Quinton Coples, who participated in team drills today in his first week back at practice after a fractured ankle. Coples reiterated that he is not in pain, and that his availability for Sunday's game against he Buffalo Bills will be decided by the Jets' medical staff.

Coples said he feels fortunate to have returned to practice ahead of the timetable provided by doctors. The Jets coach Rex Ryan is also excited to have his starting outside linebacker on the field again.

Asked if Coples will play, Ryan said, "Who knows? I hope he plays because this guy has worked his tail off. We’ll obviously lean on the trainers and the doctors, but man, he looks good out there."

Ryan said Santonio Holmes was given the day off from practice. Holmes was on the field with teammates during the portion of practice open to the media, but also spent time on the exercise bike on the sideline.

"As far as Buffalo knows, he's very questionable for the game," Ryan joked.

Sheldon Richardson (shoulder), Kenrick Ellis (back) and Kellen Winslow (knee) were limited but participated in practice.

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The only low point of what Ryan called a tough and physical practice came when Oday Aboushi, the rookie offensive lineman, hurt his knee during one-on-one pass rushing drills. Ryan said an update on the fifth-round pick's condition would come Friday.

Brian Winters, a fellow rookie lineman and friend of Aboushi's, said it did not seem the injury was serious.

Aboushi has been inactive for both Jets games this season.

Antonio Cromartie said today that he has finally overcome the hip injury he suffered in training camp.

"I was only playing on one hip, but for me, that’s no excuse at all," the Jets cornerback said. "I’m never going to make an excuse for myself.

"Honestly, this is probably about the best I’ve felt in about five weeks, actually probably my first day of training camp. For me, it’s just been a nagging injury. I’m actually finally starting to feel a whole lot better. This is probably as close to 100 percent as I’m going to get, so I’m feeling real good right about now."

Three matchups to watch for the Jets as they face the Bills By DARRYL SLATER Star-Ledger September 19, 2013

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2013/09/three_matchups_to_watch_for_the_jets_as_they_face_the_bills.html

THREE MATCHUPS TO WATCH IN BILLS-JETS

AUSTIN HOWARD VS. MARIO WILLIAMS

The Jets, and Howard in particular, did a good job against Williams last season, limiting him to zero sacks in two games. Williams had one tackle in the season opener against the Jets and three in the season finale. After the first game, Williams said Howard was using illegal hands-to-the-face techniques throughout the game that replacement officials continuously missed. Jets coach Rex Ryan said he disagreed, and he praised the way Howard performed against one of the NFL’s best pass rushers. Howard, now in his second season as the Jets’ starting right tackle, gets another crack at Williams this week. Williams is coming off a franchise-record, 4½-sack performance against Carolina. The Jets won’t be able to double-team him a lot because of the threat posed by defensive tackle Kyle Williams.

STEVIE JOHNSON VS. ANTONIO CROMARTIE

Johnson is the Bills’ best receiver and he showed why in the 2012 regular season finale, when he had six catches for 111 yards, after having four for 55 in last season’s first matchup. In 2011, Johnson had eight catches for 75 yards and three for 84 against the Jets. Cromartie, the Jets’ best cornerback, was thrown at six times in last year’s second game. All six passes went to Johnson and he caught four for 45 yards. Darrelle Revis covered Johnson in the first game last year, and held him to two catches for 14 yards on the seven times the Bills threw at Johnson when Revis was covering him. Can Cromartie perform better than he did in his last meeting with Johnson?

BILAL POWELL AND CHRIS IVORY VS. BILLS’ FRONT

The Jets need a running game to take pressure off rookie quarterback Geno Smith. Powell and Ivory combined to run 22 times for 44 yards in the opener against Tampa Bay. They were better in the Week 2 loss at New England, where they had 25 combined carries for 100 yards and a touchdown by Powell. Buffalo’s defensive line is the best part of its defense. With one Williams at the end spot and another at

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the tackle position, the Bills’ front is tough to crack, said Jets players, though teams have been able to run the ball against them so far. The Bills have allowed 283 rushing yards through two games, 30th in the NFL. The Bills’ 4.2 yards per carry allowed ranks 23rd in the league.

DID YOU KNOW?

With the Jets starting Smith at quarterback and the Bills starting fellow rookie E.J. Manuel, this will mark the first time in Jets-Bills history that both teams have started a rookie quarterback in the same game. This is the 105th game in the series’ history. The only other time the Jets played in a game with two rookie starting quarterbacks was 1987, when David Norrie started for the Jets against Kevin Sweeney of the Cowboys. But that was the first game with replacement players following the players’ strike that year.

THE NUMBER

1998

The last time the Bills ranked in the top 10 in the NFL in points scored and yards gained. That season, Bills were seventh in points and sixth in yards. They made the playoffs, and also made it in 1999. They haven’t made it since, though they did rank 11th in both points and yards in 2002, when they finished 8-8. They ranked seventh in points in 2004, when they went 9-7. Last season, the Bills were 21st in points and 19th in yards. This season, through two games, they are 16th in points and 15th in yards, as Manuel has some weapons with Johnson and running back C.J. Spiller.

NY Jets receivers catching flak from coaches By SETH WALDER New York Daily News September 19, 2013

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/jets-receivers-catching-flak-article-1.1462064

As bad as Mark Sanchez was in 2012, the obvious caveat was: He had no one to throw to. There’s no question Sanchez’s play didn’t cut it, but the receiving crew of Stephen Hill, Jeremy Kerley and Clyde Gates wasn’t making life any easier for him.

Even the likes of Tom Brady looked mortal, or worse, playing with a depleted receiving corps against the Jets last Thursday. Two games into the season, it’s worth asking, does Jets rookie QB Geno Smith have better weapons than Sanchez did the year before?

Against the Patriots, it didn’t look like it, as the Jets wideouts had six drops, according to wide receivers coach Sanjay Lal.

“You can’t afford to drop the ball that many times, there’s no way. You’re leaving a lot of plays out there,” Rex Ryan said Thursday. “If we would have caught half of those balls we dropped, the outcome might have been a lot different. Clearly, you’re an NFL receiver, you’re paid to catch the football and we certainly do need to do it.”

“Unacceptable, in any conditions. It doesn’t matter what they were,” Lal said. “The good thing about our group is they know that. There were no excuses. There was full accountability.”

Smith had a poor night statistically in the 13-10 loss to New England, but the Jets easily might not have been in the situations they found themselves in had, for example, Gates clung on to the touchdown pass he dropped.

“The other fellas have to just jack their game up, including me,” offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg said. “All of us can help, just a little bit there. It takes an awful lot for a quarterback to play

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well in this league. Just an awful lot. The players around him have to play well . . . and it makes it just a little bit easier for a quarterback."

Jeff Cumberland said the drops make it harder for Smith to get in a rhythm.

“When you got a rookie quarterback, those things can boost his confidence up, when he see guys catching the ball,” the Jets’ tight end said. “Anybody who’s out there, a rookie, a veteran, you see completions, you see them running with the ball, you start getting in the groove. Anytime you complete a ball, I don’t care if you’re a 10-year vet or you’re a rookie, it’s always a boost of confidence.”

The receiving corps largely looks the same as last year’s group. Kerley, Hill and Gates are all still with the Jets, albeit with another year of experience under their belts. Santonio Holmes has returned, but not at full capacity; the receiver himself said Wednesday he isn’t close to 100%. One big addition, however, is Kellen Winslow, the veteran tight end who has already paid off as a low-risk, high-reward minicamp tryout. The tight end said he aims not only to be a target but also someone who can draw defenses toward him.

“I hope so. I will. I just need to continue to get better,” Winslow said. “Guys are going to key on me, and that’s a good thing. If they’re going to jam me more or double me or whatever, that’s OK, because other guys are going to get open.”

“We’re still learning about each other. Jeff (Cumberland), you saw in the preseason was quite dynamic,” said Mornhinweg, who is in his first season with the Jets. “I’ve got to put him in some better spots there. And Santonio hasn’t practiced with us much, but I’ve got to put him in some better spots. Kellen I’ve got to put in. So we’re still learning, just a little bit. I’m learning a lot about Geno as we go.”

Rex Ryan and NY Jets need to give Dee Milliner a chance By MANISH MEHTA New York Daily News September 19, 2013

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/mehta-milliner-time-rex-jets-article-1.1462066

The Jets’ decision-makers may have turned into Fisher-Price pull-string dolls complete with an assortment of clichés and programmed talking points, but they shouldn’t apologize for breaking their own rules with Dee Milliner.

New general manager John Idzik’s continuous competition-at-every-position mantra was never believable, so it’s silly to blame Rex Ryan (or anyone else) for handing Milliner the starting cornerback job opposite Antonio Cromartie.

Ryan & Co. shouldn’t let the appearance of hypocrisy dissuade them from starting Milliner. Idzik didn’t draft a project with the ninth pick of this year’s draft. Milliner, who thrived in college football’s fiercest conference — the SEC — is an NFL-ready prospect who should have been the starter from Day One given the Jets’ needs in the secondary.

Ryan’s decision to pull Milliner during the Jets’ 13-10 loss to the Patriots last week wasn’t an admission that the rookie was rushed into the starting role. Kyle Wilson and Darrin Walls filled the gap for one night, but Milliner is the long-term solution to help fill the secondary void in the post-Darrelle Revis years.

“We’re not down on him at all,” defensive coordinator Dennis Thurman said on Thursday. “He’s got a chance to be a hell of a football player. You don’t want a rookie to get out there and get shell-shocked and not be able to come back from it. We were concerned about that.”

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Milliner played every snap in the season opener before logging only 37 of 65 snaps (57%) in Foxborough due to some mental gaffes. Cromartie admitted that the rookie “still is learning the defense,” but has improved various technique and leverage nuances needed to thrive in the league.

Ryan coaches by a simple credo: You lose games fastest at quarterback and cornerback.

When Milliner had technique issues and struggled with identifying and adapting to certain checks against Tom Brady, Ryan decided to replace him for the night. He hasn’t publicly named Milliner a starter for Sunday’s home game against the Bills, but made it clear that “it’s not like Dee’s sitting there riding the pine forever.”

The Jets’ talking points about endless competition have been met with skepticism within their facility.

“Competition seems to be the answer for everything these days,” an organizational source told the Daily News with more than a hint of sarcasm.

Milliner’s case is a perfect example of how the Idzik-inspired talking points can come back to unnecessarily make some people look disingenuous. A few weeks after the Jets drafted Milliner, Thurman told fans that the former Alabama star would have to earn the starting job.

“We feel like he’ll come in and compete with the others, and may the best man win,” Thurman said on a conference call with Jets season-ticket holders on May 15. “We’re always about competition here. You’ve got to go out and you got to compete and you’ve got to earn the job. . . . If he earns the job, great. If he doesn’t, it just means that someone else stepped up and performed at a high level throughout OTAs, minicamp and training camp. We’re going to play the best guys, no matter where they were drafted.”

Milliner missed the entire offseason program, including OTAs and minicamp, while rehabbing from shoulder surgery. Shortly after Milliner signed his rookie contract a few days into training camp, Thurman toed the company line once again.

“He’s got to earn it, like everybody else,” Thurman said on July 30. “He knows that. We know it. We don’t just give anybody anything in this league. You have to earn it.”

Milliner, however, immediately began to practice with the starters in the ensuing days. He started in the preseason opener against the Lions after only eight practices. Ryan voiced his displeasure with the rookie after the second preseason game against the Jaguars before a calf/Achilles injury sidelined Milliner for the final two preseason games.

Thurman wouldn’t delve into the particulars of why Milliner was thrown into the starting lineup right away. “It was a decision that was made,” Thurman said Thursday. “And we won’t second-guess it. . . . That’s team business.”

The Jets may been hypocritical to give Milliner the starting job even though no objective person would conclude that he earned it, but it was the smart play. If Idzik and Ryan believed that Wilson was the long-term solution, the Jets wouldn’t have drafted Milliner.

Milliner attributed his early struggles to “simple mistakes” similar to the ones he made as an Alabama freshman. Nick Saban pulled him in a couple of games.

His biggest challenge right now is quickly grasping Ryan’s changing coverages after the initial pre-snap defensive call and sharpening technique. “I’ve just got to move faster and be alert,” he said.

Ryan will probably be frustrated with Milliner again this season, but the coach needs to start the rookie and trust that he’ll learn from his mistakes.

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There’s no reason to apologize for circumventing the rules.

Give him a chance to be great.

Jets Are Taking a Pass On the Running Game By TOM PEDULLA New York Times September 19, 2013

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/20/sports/football/shifting-focus-jets-take-a-pass-on-ground-and-pound.html?_r=0

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — When Rex Ryan was hired to coach the Jets in 2009, he insisted on running effectively, a philosophy that he captured in the catchphrase “ground and pound.” Even as the Jets develop Geno Smith, a rookie quarterback who understandably lacks polish, that is no longer Ryan’s mantra.

“Do I expect us to run more than pass? Not really,” Ryan said after Thursday’s practice. “I’d like to be close to balanced. I think that’s where we’ve been the first couple of games. So I think that’s pretty good.”

The Jets, who will host the Buffalo Bills on Sunday in a meeting of A.F.C. East teams with 1-1 records, have attempted 74 passes and 61 rushes. Smith dropped back 42 times in a 13-10 loss at the New England Patriots on Sept. 12 in a game that raised questions about how committed Marty Mornhinweg, the new offensive coordinator, would be to the run. The Jets backed off the ground game despite rushing 32 times for 129 yards; Smith threw three interceptions in the fourth quarter.

Mornhinweg is well known for his pass-first approach — “This is the most I’ve ever run,” he said — and Ryan appears to welcome that.

“The old football mentality about, Would I prefer to run the ball than throw it? Yeah, of course,” Ryan said. “But that being said, the way the game is played now, I also like to attack down the field.”

Smith’s statistical line at New England, and his forgettable fourth quarter, raise questions about his ability to lead that kind of offense so soon. He completed only 15 of 35 passes for 214 yards. The Jets scored their lone touchdown on Bilal Powell’s 3-yard run with five minutes left in the third quarter. Powell carried 13 times for 48 yards. Chris Ivory, who was expected to play a major role after he was acquired from the New Orleans Saints during the off-season, had 12 carries for 52 yards. But Ivory carried only once after Powell’s score.

Mornhinweg sounded as though he was willing to stay the course. “He is learning on the job just a little bit,” he said of Smith, “and that’s O.K.”

Mornhinweg, the third offensive coordinator under Ryan, has far more experience than his predecessors, Brian Schottenheimer and Tony Sparano. Sparano had never held the position before and lasted only one season before he was dismissed and Mornhinweg was hired.

Mornhinweg, who learned the West Coast offense under Bill Walsh, the former 49ers coach, built a strong résumé with San Francisco and then, for the last 10 years, with the Philadelphia Eagles. During Mornhinweg’s time with Philadelphia, the Eagles set single-season franchise records for completions (367 in 2012), total net yards (6,386 in 2011), completion percentage (62 in 2010), points (439 in 2010), average yards per rush (5.4 in 2010), third-down percentage (42.4 in 2007) and net passing yards (4,119 in 2006), among others.

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With that background, members of the Jets readily accept whatever he presents them. “I’ve always been a fan of running the ball early so you get into a rhythm,” right guard Willie Colon said. “But that’s not the way we’re built right now. We’re built to have Geno get the ball in the air.”

Ryan believes that the greatest issue for the Jets involves execution, not approach. They had a number of dropped passes against the Patriots.

“You’re leaving a lot of plays out there,” he said. “If we could have caught half of those balls we dropped, the outcome might have been a lot different. Clearly, you’re an N.F.L. receiver, you’re paid to catch the football, and we certainly need to do it.”

EXTRA POINTS

Coach REX RYAN opened his news conference by offering condolences to TOM COUGHLIN, his Giants counterpart. Coughlin’s younger brother, John, 63, died on Monday. “That’s as tough as it gets there,” Ryan said. John Coughlin is to be buried Tuesday in Waterloo, N.Y. ... Linebacker QUINTON COPLES, who sustained a hairline fracture of his right ankle Aug. 17, continues to progress as he practices on a limited basis. ... WILLIE COLON declined to say how much the N.F.L. fined him for his role in a fracas with the Patriots in the final minutes on Sept. 12, but he said he was appealing. “It was totally too much,” said Colon, who made contact with an official who was attempting to restore order.

So Far, Jets' Philosophy Is 'Run Because You Have To' By MIKE SIELSKI Wall Street Journal September 19, 2013

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323808204579085642366812598.html?mod=WSJ_NY_Sports_LEFTTopStories

FLORHAM PARK, N.J.—Chris Ivory didn't know much about Marty Mornhinweg before he played for him. While Ivory was in high school and college, Mornhinweg was building his résumé and reputation as an NFL offensive coordinator. But Ivory was too busy playing football to watch it, or really to follow it at all. "I didn't know much," he said.

During his first two games as a running back with the Jets, then, Ivory has gotten his first glimpse at how Mornhinweg calls a game, what plays he selects and why he selects them. The funny part is that Ivory is actually seeing a different Mornhinweg—one who has subtly tempered his compulsion for throwing the football to accommodate the Jets' personnel.

Because the Jets are starting rookie Geno Smith at quarterback and don't have an especially accomplished group of wide receivers (with the exception of Santonio Holmes), Mornhinweg has tried to dial down the number of pass plays he calls. Though 61% of their offensive snaps have been called passes, Smith and the Jets have actually thrown the ball just 54.8% of the time. (Smith has taken off on eight scrambles.)

That figure is a significant drop from the 57.7% that Mornhinweg posted over the previous seven seasons (2006-12), when he was the Philadelphia Eagles' coordinator. In fact, it's below the NFL average (55.4%) over the same period.

"We're trying to do the right thing with the group we have," said Mornhinweg, who was also the San Francisco 49ers' offensive coordinator from 1997 through 2000 and the Detroit Lions' head coach in 2001 and 2002. "This is more than I've ever run the ball, numbers-wise."

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He's right. The Jets have run the ball 61 times in two games. If they were to average 30.5 rushes a game over the entire season, they'd finish with 488 attempts, the most for a Mornhinweg-run offense since 1998, when the 49ers had 491. The shift that he's made in his play-calling this season is more pronounced when one considers that Mornhinweg has coached several of the best running quarterbacks in NFL history: Steve Young, Jeff Garcia, Donovan McNabb and Michael Vick, all of whom had the necessary speed and talent for improvisation to turn a called pass into a running play, and often did.

Mornhinweg said Thursday that the Jets' first game this season, an 18-17 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, made it clear to him how much help he had to give Smith by having him hand the ball to Ivory and Bilal Powell more. Smith has shown a tendency to hold on to the ball too long in the pocket, and the Buccaneers sacked him four times, forcing a fumble on one of those hits.

Ivory, whom the Jets acquired in the off-season from New Orleans to be their No. 1 tailback, would seem to benefit most from that change in strategy. He has 25 carries so far, and after missing much of training camp with a hamstring injury, he appeared to be rounding back into form last week against the Patriots, picking up 52 yards on 12 attempts.

"I'll take it as it comes," he said. "I'm not just dying to have touches. It all depends on the game, what kind of scheme we run and what kind of defense they're playing."

It will also depend on Ivory improving an intrinsic weakness in his skill set, one that could keep him on the sideline in a game's defining moments. Mornhinweg has long had a fondness for running backs who were excellent receivers, including Garrison Hearst, Brian Westbrook and LeSean McCoy. Ivory is not that sort of running back. Smith has only targeted him once in two games, according to the statistical and scouting service Pro Football Focus, and Ivory dropped that pass. For now, he's just a runner, but in Mornhinweg's offense, that's a busier role than it used to be.

"I ran the ball on third and 7," Mornhinweg said. "I haven't done that since—shoot, I can't remember when."

Jets Notebook: Quinton Coples continues to progress in return By KRISTIAN DYER Metro New York September 19, 2013

http://www.metro.us/newyork/sports/nfl/2013/09/19/jets-notebook-quinton-coples-continues-to-progress-in-return/

A right ankle injury suffered in the first preseason game and subsequent injury has kept defensive end/linebacker Quinton Coples off the field for the past five weeks. That looks likely to change heading into this Sunday’s game.

Coples was again on the practice field, albeit limited on Thursday, as he makes strides and looks ready to play in some capacity. He participated in some team drills as the Jets were in pads on Thursday.

He was among those in pads but he’s not certain about his status or how many snaps he can play Sunday.

“I don’t know. The trainers, they have set time limits a time scale,” Coples said. “They give estimates. But other than that, I didn’t know. I’ve never been injured before, so I didn’t know.”

Head coach Rex Ryan gushed over the recovery time of Coples and his work ethic to get back on the field so fast.

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“Man he looks good out there,” Ryan said.

Jets notes …

» Defensive end Sheldon Richardson was limited on Thursday as he continues to heal from a left shoulder injury. Richardson told Metro yesterday that the injury was merely “a stinger.”

» Ryan said that rookie tackle Oday Aboushi suffered a knee injury in practice on Thursday morning. Metro has learned that it is a right knee injury but the source said it isn’t serious.

» Santonio Holmes was held out of practice, part of the “pitch count” to help the wide receiver stay healthy just 11 months after a season-ending Lisfranc injury last year. Ryan made it clear the absence by Holmes was planned but joked, “As far as Buffalo knows, he’s very questionable for the game.”

Dee Milliner unsure whether he will start against Bills By KRISTIAN DYER Metro New York September 19, 2013

http://www.metro.us/newyork/sports/nfl/2013/09/19/dee-milliner-unsure-whether-he-will-start-against-bills/

The early season struggles of rookie cornerback Dee Milliner are well documented and will likely keep the No. 9 overall pick from starting this Sunday against the Bills.

Milliner has had difficulties adjusting to the professional game, looking very uncomfortable in press coverage. His cushion on wide receivers is too great allowing them to get inside on slants and a variety of dig routes.

Those struggles led him to being benched last week in the Jets loss at the Patriots in favor of cornerback Darrin Walls.

Milliner said that “practice has been going great” so far this week but he doesn’t know yet if he will start. He will be on the field in some capacity, however.

“I don’t know. Coach still hasn’t made the decision,” Milliner said. “I will be on the field somewhere.”

There is always going to be a learning curve when adjusting to the NFL and the cornerback position in the Jets defense is a vital one. Head coach Rex Ryan’s defense calls upon cornerbacks to press and be physical at the line, something Milliner still needs to improve on.

What hasn’t helped matters is that Milliner missed the offseason — from rookie minicamp to offseason workouts to June’s minicamp — as he recovered from shoulder surgery. Then he missed the first several days of training camp with a holdout. He started behind the curve and hasn’t fully caught up.

The rookie, who the Jets rated as the top cornerback in the draft and one of the four best players on their board, doesn’t see the time away from the field as hurting his transition.

“I did miss some time but I don’t feel like that’s an issue,” Milliner said. “I’m just out there again getting into a rhythm and doing more reps. I’ll be fine.”

Jets prepare to face defense of Rex Ryan protege Mike Pettine By KRISTIAN DYER Metro New York September 19, 2013

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http://www.metro.us/newyork/sports/nfl/2013/09/19/jets-prepare-to-face-defense-of-rex-ryan-protege-mike-pettine/

For one game at least, the mentor to Bills defensive coordinator Mike Pettine hopes to be his tormentor.

When the Jets hired Rex Ryan to be their head coach five years ago, Pettine was one of two assistants who left the Ravens to join Ryan with his new team. After rising from being a coaching assistant to outside linebackers coach during seven years in Baltimore, Pettine became the Jets defensive coordinator and Ryan’s right hand man. But Pettine left the Jets this past January after four seasons with the team for the same position in Buffalo.

“I’d be a liar if I stood here and said this game didn’t mean more to me or I didn’t want to win it. Coaches in the NFL were born with a competitive gene, a hyper-competitive gene, and you want to win at everything,” Pettine said. “When I went on vacation with Rex and we were throwing washers on the beach, I wanted to beat him just as bad as I want to beat him on Sunday. It comes down to it’s a team thing and I can’t get drawn in to the emotion of that. I have a job to do to put my players in the best position to be successful and that’s what we’re going to do. I think it makes for a good story and it’s like going against your brother. As I’ve referred to it before, [it is] brothers who fight a lot.”

Over the past four seasons, the Jets were among the best units in the league. The same can’t be said of the Bills.

A season ago, the Bills conceded 362.9 yards per game — No. 22 in the league. They also gave up the seventh-most points in the league.

The turnaround hasn’t been dramatic but the unit is playing faster, stronger and limiting major mistakes. Those characteristics were the hallmark of Ryan’s defenses in Baltimore and now in New York.

“We want to be an attacking defense and we want to cause turnovers obviously,” Bills head coach Doug Marrone said. “Right now we have a good mix of what’s going on. I think we’re getting a lot of good play out of some players that we really didn’t know we’d have to count on coming in here.”

In theory, Pettine should be able to give strong insight on a Jets offense he faced every day in practice. But Marty Mornhinweg’s West Coast offense was implemented this offseason, meaning Pettine doesn’t have the inside scoop on it.

As much as the Bills’ 3-4 alignment looks like the Jets defense and attacks like the Jets defense, it isn’t a mirror image. Much like how Ryan, who had offseason lap band surgery, doesn’t look much like the husky Pettine.

Just ask him.

“Obviously, I’ll look better than Pettine in physical appearance,” Ryan said with a smirk. “In fact, I might weigh less than him now. Just throwing it out there.”

On Sunday against an opponent they know all too well, the Jets hope that the scale will tip in their favor.

Thursday’s Sports Transactions Associated Press September 19, 2013

http://www.chron.com/sports/article/Thursday-s-Sports-Transactions-4828207.php

BASEBALL National League CHICAGO CUBS — Named Allen Hermeling as senior director, corporate partnerships.

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WASHINGTON NATIONALS — Acquired LHP Matthew Spann from Tampa Bay to complete an earlier trade. American Association EL PASO DIABLOS — Released LHP Carlos Teller and OF Gabe Suarez. Frontier League GATEWAY GRIZZLIES — Signed LHP Drew Bryson. Released INF Max Ayarza, OF Jet Butler, C Scott Dalrymple, RHP Chris Enourato, INF Jose Flores, LHP Logan Mahon and C Michael Pair. LAKE ERIE CRUSHERS — Sold the contract of OF Daniel Bowman to Arizona (NL). SCHAUMBURG BOOMERS — Sold the contract of OF Sean Mahley to Arizona (NL). TRAVERSE CITY BEACH BUMS — Traded 1B Chase Burch to Fargo-Moorhead (AA) for a player to be named. Released RHP Matt Miller. United League SAN ANGELO COLTS — Exercised the 2014 contract options for RHPs Chandler Barnard, Alex Bates, and Corey Frerichs; INFs Miguel Alfonzo and Jordan Marks; and OFs Cody Hudson and Joseph Hicks. BASKETBALL National Basketball Association TORONTO RAPTORS — Signed F Chris Wright, G Carlos Morais and G Julyan Stone. FOOTBALL National Football League CAROLINA PANTHERS — Signed CB Drayton Florence. Waived C Brian Folkerts. CINCINNATI BENGALS_Signed LB J.K. Schaffer to the practice squad. CLEVELAND BROWNS — Signed RB Willis McGahee. HOCKEY National Hockey League NHL_Suspended Tampa Bay F Adam Erne for three preseason games for delivering an illegal check to the head of St. Louis F Vladimir Sobotka and Detroit F Teemu Pulkkinen for four preseason games for boarding Chicago D Michael Kostka. CAROLINA HURRICANES — Recalled G Mike Murphy from Charlotte (AHL). COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS — Assigned Fs Alex Aleardi, Sean Collins, Jake Hansen, Andrew Joudrey, Jeremy Langlois, Broc Little, Spencer Machacek, Jonathan Marchessault, Lukas Sedlak, Dalton Smith and Trent Vogelhuber; and D Thomas Larkin, Joe Lavin, Austin Madaisky, Patrick McNeill, Blake Parlett and Frederic St. Denis to Springfield (AHL) and F Kerby Rychel to Windsor (OHL). EDMONTON OILERS — Signed C Ryan Nugent-Hopkins to a seven-year contract extension. PHOENIX COYOTES — Assigned F Darian Dziurzynski, F Brett Hextall, F Philip Lane, F Mark Louis, F Jordan Martinook, F Tobias Rieder, F Ethan Werek, D Mathieu Brisebois, D Daine Todd and G Louis Domingue to Portland (AHL). ECHL BAKERSFIELD CONDORS — Signed F Luke Greiner. UTAH GRIZZLIES — Agreed to terms with G Aaron Dell, F Kenton Miller and D Darren Rowe. COLLEGE BROWN — Named Paul Halas men's assistant basketball coach. GEORGIA SOUTHERN — Announced RB Torrance Hunt was suspended indefinitely from competition on the football team for a violation of team and University rules. NYU — Named Gene Kobilansky assistant wrestling coach. RPI — Named Derek Alfama women's assistant hockey coach. SPRING HILL — Named John W. Dotson, Jr. men's tennis coach.