NEW YORK JETS DAILY CLIPS

December 22, 2015

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Table of Contents

ASSOCIATED PRESS ................................................................................................................................................ 1

Playoff hopes for Jets in hands of 'football gods' (Dennis Waszak) .......................................................................... 1

NEWSDAY .............................................................................................................................................................. 3

Darrelle Revis says Odell Beckham Jr.-Josh Norman scraps were ‘crazy’ (Tom Rock) .............................................. 3

Todd Bowles thinks Patriots look as tough as ever (Kimberley A. Martin) ............................................................... 4

THE RECORD .......................................................................................................................................................... 5

Jets' Todd Bowles focused on his team (J.P. Pelzman) .............................................................................................. 5

THE NEW YORK TIMES ........................................................................................................................................... 6

Chasing a Playoff Spot, the Jets Must Win and Hope (Ben Shpigel) ......................................................................... 6

ESPN NEW YORK .................................................................................................................................................... 8

Todd Bowles' ideal scenario for Jets: Two wins and nod from 'football gods' (Rich Cimini) ..................................... 8

Sheldon Richardson's hearing on misdemeanor charges postponed (Rich Cimini) .................................................. 8

New Jets approach to rivalry with Pats: 'Why can't we be the big dogs?' (Rich Cimini) ........................................... 9

NEW YORK POST .................................................................................................................................................. 10

The functional, winning Jets are stealing NY from imploding Giants (Brian Costello) ............................................ 10

Steelers’ Jets-crushing win was news to Todd Bowles (Brian Costello) .................................................................. 11

The wins — and hugs — that prove Jets’ culture change (Brian Costello) .............................................................. 12

Hyped 1st-round pick can’t get on the field — or off the Jets (Brian Costello) ....................................................... 14

NJ ADVANCE MEDIA ............................................................................................................................................ 14

Jets' Antonio Cromartie was right about Giants' Odell Beckham Jr. (Darryl Slater) ................................................ 14

What did Jets' Darrelle Revis think of Giants' Odell Beckham Jr.'s behavior vs. Carolina Panthers? (Darryl Slater) ................................................................................................................................................................................. 15

Latest on injuries to Jets' David Harris, Dee Milliner, Muhammad Wilkerson (Dom Cosentino) ............................ 16

How Todd Bowles believes Jets have transformed since loss to New England Patriots (Darryl Slater) .................. 17

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS ...................................................................................................................................... 17

Jets need to beat Patriots before even thinking about AFC playoffs (Manish Mehta) ........................................... 17

MONDAY’S SPORTS TRANSACTIONS .................................................................................................................... 19

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Playoff hopes for Jets in hands of 'football gods' (Dennis Waszak) Associated Press December 21, 2015

http://www.pro32.ap.org/article/playoff-hopes-jets-hands-football-gods

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NEW YORK (AP) — Two more wins — and the New York Jets still might not be in.

That's the reality Todd Bowles and his players are facing, knowing they have no control over their postseason destiny.

"If the football gods deem that we're worthy, and somehow we win these last two games, maybe we will, maybe we won't (get into the playoffs)," Bowles said Monday. "But you can't worry about it because you can't control it."

It's still possible that the Jets (9-5) could end the season on a six-game winning streak — which would mean victories over New England and Buffalo — and miss the postseason.

That's because both Kansas City and Pittsburgh hold tiebreakers over New York. So, if both the Chiefs (home vs. Cleveland and Oakland) and the Steelers (at Baltimore and Cleveland) each win their final two games, the Jets would be on the outside looking in at the playoffs.

"All I can worry about is us," Bowles said. "I can't control what Pittsburgh or Denver does, so we've just got to get ready for New England this week and however it plays out, it plays out. But we've got to try to win our last two games."

The Jets could end up making some dubious history if all three teams finish with wins. They would join the 1985 Denver Broncos and 2008 New England Patriots as the only 11-5 squads to not make the playoffs since the NFL went to a 16-game season in 1978.

"We don't know what our chances are," Bowles said. "We don't control our own destiny. We can just control the two teams that we play against."

There are several other scenarios that could shape the AFC playoff picture, but one that could directly affect the Jets is what the Broncos do in the final two weeks.

Denver is 10-4, but has lost two straight and has an unsettled quarterback situation. The Broncos play host to Cincinnati next Monday night and San Diego in their final regular-season game.

If they lose both, Kansas City needs to win just once to win the AFC West — and New York would assure itself of getting in if it wins its last two. If Denver splits its last two, the Chiefs would win the division if they win out — and the Jets (again, if they win their last two) would get in over the Broncos because of a better conference record.

Got all that?

"We're just going to try to win those two games," Bowles said, "and make positive steps going forward."

First things first, of course. And for the Jets, that's a date with Tom Brady and the Patriots (12-2), who will be playing for something in this one, too, at MetLife Stadium.

New England could clinch home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs with one more win, either against the Jets or in the final weekend at Miami.

"It's a different feeling about the game, but it's not necessarily the Patriots," Bowles said. "It's just about the position we're in as far as giving ourselves a chance to make the postseason. We have to give ourselves a chance. It doesn't matter who we're playing this week, it would be an important game."

The first time they played the Patriots this season in October, the Jets held a lead in the fourth quarter. But some bungled clock management, a late Brady-led drive and a 10-second runoff penalty to end the game with New York trying for the tying score short-circuited the Jets' chances.

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Many of the players were angry after the game, knowing they let New England off the hook. Bowles believes the team is different than the one the Patriots faced two months ago.

"I hope we are," he said. "We've grown some. You have to play the game on Sunday to find that out."

With their playoff hopes on the line, Bowles has not given any indication that he's feeling any pressure. In fact, just the opposite.

"I thought there were other big games that led up until this point, so you just take them all consecutive," Bowles said when asked if this was the biggest game of his coaching career.

"I don't think there's a big game, there are important games. The biggest game of my career — hopefully I have a long career and have bigger ones to go over, so, I don't worry about that."

NOTES: Bowles said X-rays were negative on LB David Harris' bruised back and he is day to day. ... CB Dee Milliner has a strained hamstring and is also considered day to day, as is TE Kellen Davis, who has a sore back after taking a hard shot against Dallas. ... DE Muhammad Wilkerson is fine after leaving the game to be evaluated for a concussion. ... Bowles on the antics of the Giants' Odell Beckham Jr., who was suspended a game for "multiple violations of safety-related playing rules" against Carolina: "I hadn't seen anything on it yet, but it's not my fish to fry, so I'm just getting ready for New England."

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NEWSDAY

Darrelle Revis says Odell Beckham Jr.-Josh Norman scraps were ‘crazy’ (Tom Rock) Newsday December 21, 2015

http://www.newsday.com/sports/football/giants/darrelle-revis-says-odell-beckham-jr-josh-norman-scraps-were-crazy-1.11251070

Darrelle Revis said watching Odell Beckham Jr. and Josh Norman go at it Sunday was “pretty crazy” and added that he was surprised that neither of them was ejected from the game.

“It’s must-watch TV, but at the same time, I think that incident got a little bit out of hand,” Revis told SiriusXM’s NFL Radio yesterday morning.

Beckham, Norman scrap early and often

“It really did. I’m surprised nobody got thrown out of the game, but at the same time, I understand where both players are coming from trying to compete. It’s a lot of emotion out there on the field, but yesterday was a lot. It was a lot to see.”

Revis was able to watch the game live because the Jets played Saturday night.

He said there are always plays that go unnoticed by officials and TV cameras. He also said players have a responsibility to themselves to act a certain way.

“You definitely have to protect yourself at all times,” he said. “It’s like NASCAR playing out there sometimes. Everybody’s fast and you definitely have to protect yourself.”

Revis said it reminded him of his teenage years when he saw two other premier players square off.

“It kind of brought me back to the Deion Sanders-Andre Rison fight years back,” he said.

Still, Revis thought the Beckham-Norman actions crossed a line.

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“What happened yesterday . . . I’m just surprised that somebody didn’t get thrown out of the game, or both guys. I can’t sit here and say if the refs ignored it or not. They probably tried to do the best they could, tried to defuse the situation. But it was pretty crazy, it was pretty crazy.”

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Todd Bowles thinks Patriots look as tough as ever (Kimberley A. Martin) Newsday December 21, 2015

http://www.newsday.com/sports/football/jets/todd-bowles-thinks-patriots-look-as-tough-as-ever-1.11253204

t’s been almost two months since the Jets faced the defending Super Bowl champions, and Tom Brady and the Patriots look just as dominant, Todd Bowles said.

“Not much different,” he said with a chuckle during a Monday conference call. “They’re winning. They’re beating everybody. They’re finding different ways to do it.”

In the run-up to their Oct. 25 meeting in Foxborough, which the Patriots won, 30-23, the Jets repeatedly referred to it as just “another game.” But now their season is on the line. The Jets (9-5) will be eliminated from playoff contention if they lose and the Chiefs, Steelers and Broncos win. At this point, they could really use divine intervention.

“You’ve got to win the last two games and then just hope for the best,” Bowles said. “We don’t control our own destiny. We can just control the two teams that we play. So we’re just going to try to win those two games and make positive steps going forward.’’

Speaking of making the playoffs, Bowles said, “If the football gods deem that we’re worthy somehow, and we win these two games — maybe we will, maybe we won’t. But you can’t worry about it because you can’t control it.”

Although the Jets, Chiefs and Steelers are 9-5, Pittsburgh jumped ahead of the Jets in the AFC wild-card race after Sunday’s comeback victory over the Broncos (10-4). The Steelers own the common-opponents tiebreaker against the Jets. But if the Jets win twice and the Chiefs wind up winning the AFC West, the Jets could get in as a wild card because they own the tiebreaker over Denver.

Bowles didn’t see Sunday’s slate of games because he and his staff were busy breaking down tape of their 19-16 road win over the Cowboys on Saturday night and preparing for New England.

The Patriots (11-2) no longer are undefeated, but Brady still is “a great quarterback,” Bowles noted. The Jets, however, may have changed for the better. “We’ve grown some,” he said. “We’re on our way just getting better each week. I think the guys are trusting each other more and they just play for each other a lot more now.”

Sunday’s game now is the most important of their season, but Bowles wouldn’t call it the biggest of his career. “It’s the biggest game this week, because it’s the only game this week,” he said. “Hopefully, I have a long career and have bigger ones to go over, so I don’t worry about that.”

Notes & quotes: X-rays of LB David Harris’ lower back were negative, Bowles said. He is day-to-day, as are CB Dee Milliner (strained hamstring) and TE Kellen Davis (sore back) . . . Sheldon Richardson’s Missouri court case has been continued again, until Jan. 25, according to The Associated Press. The defensive tackle, who was arrested July 14 after a high-speed chase with police, is facing five misdemeanor charges . . . Players will practice Wednesday and Thursday but can spend Christmas morning with their

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families before coming to the facility at noon . . . Bowles had little reaction to the Odell Beckham Jr.-Josh Norman antics from Sunday’s Panthers-Giants game: “Not my fish to fry.”

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THE RECORD

Jets' Todd Bowles focused on his team (J.P. Pelzman) The Record December 21, 2015

http://www.northjersey.com/sports/football/jets/bowles-focused-on-jets-1.1478020

Todd Bowles wasn’t interested Monday in discussing the embarrassing antics of Odell Beckham Jr., or Pittsburgh’s tremendous comeback over Denver, or even the potential playoff scenarios that surround his own team.

That’s understandable, because if the Jets don’t find a way to beat New England on Sunday, their playoff hopes might be squashed before the final day of the regular season.

Two days after his team outlasted woeful Dallas on the road, the Jets’ coach spoke to reporters on a conference call. He was asked for his reaction to the Steelers’ 34-27 comeback win over Denver on Sunday, a victory that certainly dented the Jets’ playoff chances.

"Good for them," Bowles said with a chuckle. "All I can worry about is us. I can’t control what Pittsburgh or Denver does. We just have to get ready for New England this week and however it plays out, it plays out, but we have to try to win our last two games."

And even winning those two might not be enough, because if Pittsburgh (9-5), Denver (10-4) and Kansas City (9-5) all win out, the Jets (9-5) will miss the postseason for the fifth consecutive year, no matter what they do. If each of those teams wins this weekend and the Jets lose to the Patriots, the Jets will be out.

But the confident Jets, who have won four consecutive games, should be buoyed by two factors as they prepare to play the AFC East champions.

The first is that they have played very well against Tom Brady and Co. recently. Although the Patriots have won eight of the last nine meetings, the last four Jets losses have been by seven, one, two and three points. The seven-point defeat was in their most recent contest, a 30-23 New England victory on Oct. 25 in which the Jets led 20-16 in the fourth quarter.

"I hope we are," Bowles said when asked if the Jets are a different team than the one that came up a bit short in that last meeting. "We’ve grown some. You have to play the game on Sunday to find that out. We’ve matured a little bit."

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The Jets also might be helped by the fact that New England continues to be ravaged by injuries. Wide receiver Danny Amendola (knee), linebacker Dont’a Hightower (knee) and safety Patrick Chung (hip) exited the 33-16 win over Tennessee because of injuries and didn’t return. It’s unclear what their status will be for Sunday’s game.

Of course, the Patriots (12-2) already have placed 17 players on injured reserve, yet keep rolling along behind Brady and a bend-but-don’t-break defense.

"They’re not much different" from the first encounter," Bowles said. "They’re winning and they’re beating everybody, they’re finding different ways to do it. They’re a well-coached team [with] a lot of good athletes. They’re the same team that they’ve always been. They do what they do and they do it well."

New England would clinch home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs with a win Sunday, so Brady and the Pats won’t lack for motivation.

BRIEFS: Bowles said X-rays on LB David Harris’ bruised lower back were negative and that he is "just sore." Bowles characterized him as day to day. The coach said TE Kellen Davis (back) also is day to day. Both players were injured Saturday night. … Bowles said, "Not my fish to fry" when asked about Beckham. … The Jets will practice today, Wednesday and Thursday so players can have off Christmas morning before reporting to the facility at noon that day.

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THE NEW YORK TIMES

Chasing a Playoff Spot, the Jets Must Win and Hope (Ben Shpigel) New York Times December 21, 2015

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/22/sports/football/chasing-a-playoff-spot-the-jets-must-win-and-hope.html?ref=football&_r=0

Instead of going Christmas shopping, as he thought he might wind up doing, Todd Bowles spent much of Sunday at the Jets’ complex. He and his staff analyzed film from the Jets’ 19-16 victory over the Dallas Cowboys and then started to prepare for their rematch with the New England Patriots.

Those responsibilities prevented Bowles from watching any of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ comeback against the Denver Broncos, whose loss after they led by 17 points foiled the Jets’ hopes of improving their playoff status. Despite sharing a 9-5 record with Pittsburgh and the Kansas City Chiefs, the Jets slipped behind them in the A.F.C. wild-card standings on tiebreakers.

“You’ve got to win the last two games and just hope for the best — that’s all you can do,” Bowles said in a teleconference Monday. He added: “We’re just going to try to win those two games and make positive steps going forward. If the football gods deem that we’re worthy and somehow we win the last two games, maybe we will, maybe we won’t” — make the playoffs — “but you can’t worry about it because you can’t control it.”

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As Bowles said, the Jets are at the mercy of other teams. By this time next week, they will be preparing for a finale, at Buffalo, that could determine their presence in the postseason. Or they could be eliminated from contention, failing to reach the playoffs for a fifth consecutive season.

The only certain way to maintain relevance is to defeat the Patriots. Even if that happens, the Jets will need some assistance.

Winning their final two games, and finishing the season on a six-game streak, would not guarantee the Jets a postseason berth. Pittsburgh, Kansas City or Denver would have to lose once. Only two 11-5 teams have missed the playoffs since the season expanded to 16 games in 1978, the 1985 Broncos and the 2008 Patriots.

The Jets could slide in at 10-6 as long as one of those three teams lost their last two.

According to the N.F.L., four A.F.C. teams can clinch a playoff berth in Week 16, but the Jets are not one of them. They could be eliminated, though, by a combination of results: a loss to New England coupled with victories by Pittsburgh (at Baltimore), Kansas City (versus Cleveland) and Denver (versus Cincinnati), which plays next Monday night. If the first three outcomes happen, chances are that Bowles will find a way to have the television on.

There could surely be worse positions for the Jets — heading into their Week 16 meeting with New England last season, they were 3-11 — but it must frustrate them that winning the last four games has hardly improved their standing.

The Chiefs keep winning, with eight victories in a row. So do the Steelers, who have won five of six. And now the Jets face an opponent vastly superior to the teams they have dispatched during this streak. Those four victories came against teams — the Miami Dolphins, the Giants, the Tennessee Titans and Dallas — that are a combined 18-38 this season. The A.F.C. East champions, the Patriots, are 12-2, and with a victory Sunday, they would clinch home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.

“There’s a different feeling about the game; it’s not necessarily the Patriots,” Bowles said, adding; “We’ve got to give ourselves a chance. It doesn’t matter who we were playing this week — it would be an important game; it would be a big game.”

The last time the Jets played New England, on Oct. 25, they held a 20-16 lead with less than eight minutes left but allowed two late touchdown passes by Tom Brady. That loss showcased a team struggling to handle late-game situations.

Since then, the Jets have bungled away potential comebacks in losses to Buffalo and at Houston, but they went on to demonstrate impressive composure in comebacks against the Giants and Dallas, which led by 13-9 with nine minutes remaining. Until the Jets edged the Giants on Dec. 6, all six of their previous victories had come after they led at halftime or went ahead early in the third quarter.

Across the fourth quarter and overtime against Dallas and the Giants, Ryan Fitzpatrick completed 71.8 percent of his passes (28 of 39) for 326 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. More than any Jets quarterback in years, Fitzpatrick has inspired confidence and belief among his teammates.

“We’ve grown some,” Bowles said. “You have to play the game on Sunday to find that out.”

That game will reveal whether the Jets are a potential force or if they have just beaten inferior opponents. It will decide their playoff viability. It will also be the most important of Bowles’s tenure, although he does not choose to view it that way.

“Hopefully, I have a long career,” he said, “and have bigger ones.”

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EXTRA POINTS

Todd Bowles said the back contusion that sidelined linebacker David Harris for the final three quarters Saturday night should not jeopardize his availability for the New England game. Bowles said cornerback Dee Milliner, who strained his hamstring on special teams, was day to day.

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ESPN NEW YORK

Todd Bowles' ideal scenario for Jets: Two wins and nod from 'football gods' (Rich Cimini) ESPN New York December 21, 2015

http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/57300/todd-bowles-ideal-scenario-for-jets-two-wins-and-nod-from-football-gods

Todd Bowles said he didn't watch any of Sunday's games, which means he didn't see the Denver Broncos cough up a 17-point lead to the Pittsburgh Steelers -- an outcome that ultimately could doom the New York Jets in their wild-card playoff bid.

Bowles insisted he's not paying any attention to the playoff race.

"If the football gods deem that we are worthy, and somehow we win these last two games, maybe we will, maybe we won't (get in)," the coach told reporters Monday on a conference call. "But you can't worry about it because you can't control it."

The Jets (9-5) face the New England Patriots (12-2) in a virtual must-win game Sunday at MetLife Stadium.

Best-case scenario for the weekend: The Jets win and they get help from the Broncos or Steelers or Kansas City Chiefs. A loss by one of those three teams would give the Jets control of their own destiny, heading into the season finale.

Worst-case scenario: The Jets lose and the three other contenders all win. The Jets would be mathematically eliminated in Week 16.

Before facing the Patriots in Week 7, Bowles downplayed the significance of the game. Obviously, he can't follow the same script. This game is huge.

"It's a different feeling about the game," he said. "It's not necessarily the Patriots, it's just about the position we're in as far as giving ourselves a chance to make the postseason. We have to give ourselves a chance. It doesn't matter who we're playing this week; it would be an important game (regardless)."

Obviously, it's the biggest game of his head-coaching career, but Bowles wouldn't go there.

"The biggest game of my career? Hopefully, I have a long career and have bigger ones to go over," he said, laughing. "So I don't worry about that."

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Sheldon Richardson's hearing on misdemeanor charges postponed (Rich Cimini) ESPN New York December 21, 2015

http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/57250/brandon-marshall-eric-decker-set-jets-td-record-for-receiving-duos

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New York Jets defensive end Sheldon Richardson, facing five misdemeanor charges stemming from a July high-speed police chase in suburban St. Louis, received a third postponement Monday on his court case. It was rescheduled until after the regular season.

A judge in St. Charles County issued a continuance, setting Jan. 25 as a hearing date. Previously, it was postponed in October and November.

Richardson, who could be disciplined by the NFL for violating the personal-conduct policy, said earlier in the season he didn't expect to hear from the league until the case was adjudicated. The latest postponement means it won't happen until the offseason, barring a long postseason run by the Jets.

On July 14, Richardson was arrested on a charge of resisting arrest, among other traffic violations, after police records say he tried to elude police, driving his Bentley at speeds up to 143 mph. There was a child in the car and the smell of marijuana, police said, but there were no marijuana or child-endangerment charges.

Richardson pleaded not guilty on Aug. 31.

He served a four-game suspension at the start of the season for violating the league's substance-abuse policy, which he has said was related to marijuana.

In nine games, Richardson, a former first-round pick, has four sacks and two forced fumbles.

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New Jets approach to rivalry with Pats: 'Why can't we be the big dogs?' (Rich Cimini) ESPN New York December 21, 2015

http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/57262/a-new-jets-approach-to-rivalry-with-pats-why-cant-we-be-the-big-dogs

Erin Henderson is in his seventh NFL season, but his only experience with the New York Jets-New England Patriots rivalry occurred in Week 7, a Jets loss. He's not among the Tortured 10 -- the post-2010 players who have endured eight losses in the last nine meetings with the Patriots. To Henderson, the Butt Fumble is just a play on a blooper reel.

That explains why the mild-mannered linebacker took umbrage Saturday night in Dallas when a reporter asked about the Jets' mindset as they prepare for a rematch with "the big dogs."

"We're the big dogs," Henderson shot back.

"I mean, why can't we be the big dogs?" he continued. "I don't really look at it [the same way]. This is my first year here with the Jets. I don't really have that same mentality that a lot of people may have, people that are familiar with [the Patriots]. I'm not familiar with them.

"To me, they're just another team. Somebody has to win. Somebody has to be the team that comes out on top. Why can't it be us? Why shouldn't it be us?"

The Jets, winners of four straight for the first time since 2010, should adopt Henderson's words as their mantra as they get ready to face the big ... er, Patriots on Sunday at MetLife Stadium. The Jets need to erase their hard drive and reboot, eliminating the bad vibes from games and seasons past.

For 15 years, they've been pushed around by the Patriots. In the Tom Brady era, the Jets are 7-23 against them, including the postseason. Other than one moment of glory (the 2010 playoffs) and a few feel-good wins that tricked people into believing they were closing the gap, it has been utter frustration for the Jets.

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Who can forget the scene at the end of a 2008 loss, when Shaun Ellis -- scarred by too many defeats -- lost his cool and flung his helmet on the field? What about Rex Ryan punching a wall before his postgame news conference last year at Gillette Stadium?

Sunday means everything for the Jets (9-5), who need two wins and some help to secure a wild-card berth. An 11-5 record, coupled with one loss by the Kansas City Chiefs or Pittsburgh Steelers or Denver Broncos, would get the Jets into the playoffs. The Patriots (12-2) already have clinched a first-round bye, but they need one win to claim the home-field advantage.

"We've got the G.O.A.T. coming to town, Tom Brady, so we have to be on point," said linebacker Calvin Pace, a member of the Tortured 10. "We know what type of talent he brings. That's where it's going to start, trying to affect the game and trying to disrupt him."

The Jets could've -- should've? -- won the last meeting, but isn't that always the narrative? They're usually close games. Ever since the Butt Fumble in 2012, the games have been decided by three, three, two, three and seven points.

So close, yet so painful.

In Week 7, the Jets held a fourth-quarter lead, 20-16, but Brandon Marshall dropped a pass in the end zone, the defense allowed a pair of 10-play touchdown drives, and Todd Bowles made questionable clock-management decisions. And they lost, 30-23.

"We know how good they are and they're the Super Bowl champs, so we've got to clean up a lot of mistakes before we get to them," Bowles said Saturday night.

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NEW YORK POST

The functional, winning Jets are stealing NY from imploding Giants (Brian Costello) New York Post December 21, 2015

http://nypost.com/2015/12/21/the-functional-winning-jets-stealing-ny-from-imploding-giants/

Welcome to New York football’s Bizarro World.

Up is down. Down is up. The Giants are a franchise in disarray, complete with an out-of-control player, a coach letting him run wild, brutal losses stacking up and possible wholesale changes coming at the end of the season. The Jets? Suddenly, Gang Green is the model of stability, quietly putting together a memorable season with leadership that looks like it will be around for years.

After six years of the Rex Ryan show and all of the good and bad that came with it, the Jets are about football again.

The circus has moved to East Rutherford, changing its tent colors from Green and White to Blue and Red.

Jets fans should soak up this moment. They have waited long enough for it to arrive. They have endured years of snickering from Giants’ fans at Ryan’s failed guarantees, the Buttfumble and the Tim Tebow fiasco.

But things are different now. Todd Bowles and Mike Maccagnan have done a solid job in Year 1 of their regime, rebuilding the roster and getting the team to 9-5 with their playoff hopes still alive on Christmas.

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Make no mistake, this is still a Giants town. They can still flash their four Super Bowl rings and quiet any argument about the two teams, but right now the Jets are the ones with stability at coach and GM and less needs this offseason.

Perhaps the most refreshing thing about this season has been how the Jets have gone four months without a true controversy. Even their worst off-field moment of the year benefited them when IK Enemkpali’s right hook to Geno Smith’s jaw put Ryan Fitzpatrick in the starter’s spot. All Fitzpatrick has done since is throw 26 touchdowns, tied for the second most in a season in franchise history, and given the team the stability under center it has not enjoyed since the early days of Mark Sanchez.

While Tom Coughlin is coming under fire for how he handled Odell Beckham Jr. on Sunday, Bowles deserves praise for calming things down with the Jets. The organization has wanted to quiet the noise around it for several years. That led to the hiring of John Idzik and some tense moments with Ryan, when he felt team management wanted to phase him out. After those hiccups, though, the Jets got it right with Bowles and Maccagnan. The duo has struck the right tone and put out any brushfires that have popped up.

Bowles deftly handled the Smith/Enemkpali scuffle by cutting Enemkpali immediately and saying Smith might not get his starting job back. When Smith was healthy enough to play a few weeks into the season, Bowles was emphatic Fitzpatrick was the starter based on how he played in the early season, avoiding any quarterback drama.

Players have praised Bowles for the way he has held players accountable all year, some to the annoyance of Ryan. That was never more on display than when the Jets faced the Giants and Bowles benched star defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson for a quarter after Wilkerson was late to a team meeting.

Even with Sheldon Richardson’s arrest this summer, Bowles struck the right tone. He was upset, but offered support. The discipline for Richardson will come from the court system and/or the NFL. Bowles made his unhappiness with the player clear, but also showed compassion for the person.

So Jets fans, while you are wrestling with playoff scenarios and what the Jets have to do and whom they have to get help from to make the postseason, take a moment and enjoy this.

Ryan’s dealing with a player revolt in Buffalo after the Bills failed to make the playoffs again. The Giants are the piñatas of sports-talk radio for once. And your Jets are preparing for a showdown with the Patriots riding their first four-game winning streak in five seasons.

Welcome to Bizarro World. Enjoy your stay.

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Steelers’ Jets-crushing win was news to Todd Bowles (Brian Costello) New York Post December 22, 2015

http://nypost.com/2015/12/22/steelers-jets-crushing-win-was-news-to-todd-bowles/

Coach Todd Bowles spent Sunday studying film of his team and the Patriots, the Jets’ next opponent, not focusing on the teams the Jets are fighting with for a playoff spot.

He did not see the Steelers’ dramatic comeback win over the Broncos that hurt the Jets’ postseason chances. The Jets now need help to make the playoffs. If they win their final two games to finish 11-5, they need either the Steelers, Broncos or Chiefs to lose a game. If they go 1-1 to finish 10-6, they need one of those teams to lose both of its games.

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“You’ve got to win the last two games and just hope for the best,” Bowles said Monday on a conference call. “That’s all you can do. We don’t know what our chances are. We don’t control our own destiny. We can just control the two teams we play against.

“We’re just going to try to win those two games and make positive steps going forward, and if the football gods deem that we’re worthy, and somehow we win these last two games, maybe we will, maybe we won’t. You can’t worry about it because you can’t control it.”

The Jets face the Patriots at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, followed by a trip to Buffalo to see Rex Ryan’s Bills in Week 17. The Jets downplayed their first meeting with the Patriots this year, but this one feels huge.

“There is a different feeling about the game,” Bowles said. “It’s not necessarily the Patriots, it’s just about the position we’re in as far as giving ourselves a chance to make the postseason. We’ve got to give ourselves a chance. It doesn’t matter who we were playing this week. It would be an important game and a big game for that reason.”

The Jets suffered a few injuries Saturday night that all sound relatively minor. LB David Harris has a back contusion and is day-to-day, Bowles said. Harris had X-rays that showed no structural damage. Bowles said he is just sore. TE Kellen Davis also has a sore back and is day-to-day. CB Dee Milliner suffered a hamstring strain. He also is considered day-to-day.

Bowles did not see the Giants-Panthers game, but heard about the Odell Beckham Jr. drama. He would not touch that one.

“It’s not my fish to fry,” Bowles said. “I’m just getting ready for New England.”

DE Sheldon Richardson’s court hearing in Missouri was postponed Monday for the third time. It is now scheduled for Jan. 25. Richardson faces five misdemeanor charges in relation to his July arrest.

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The wins — and hugs — that prove Jets’ culture change (Brian Costello) New York Post December 21, 2015

http://nypost.com/2015/12/21/the-wins-and-hugs-that-prove-jets-culture-change/

The Jets defeated the Cowboys 19-16 on Saturday night to keep their playoff hopes alive. They are 9-5, their best record since 2010 through 14 games, and riding a four-game winning streak. Here are some thoughts and observations on the game:

1. The Jets are going through what Pat Riley called “the innocent climb.” They are learning how to win and gaining confidence in one another. The game in Dallas is one the Jets would have lost earlier this season.

If you look at four of the Jets’ five losses (Oakland is the exception), they had a chance to win in the fourth quarter, but came up short. But for the second time in three weeks, the Jets figured out a way to get it done. The wins over the Giants and Cowboys are encouraging signs for this team.

Coming off a 4-12 season and four straight years without making the playoffs, the Jets had become used to losing. Jets coach Todd Bowles had to change that culture when he arrived. It is safe to say he has.

Several players said even when things were not going well, there was a constant belief that they would win the game. That is a credit to Bowles and to quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick. Fitzpatrick’s teammates believe in him in a way the Jets have not believed in their quarterback in some time. There is a faith that he will find a way, something Geno Smith and Mark Sanchez never had from their teammates.

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I went to the area outside the locker room just before the end of the game. I was curious to see how the players would react to the win. Would they be upset with the way they played for three quarters? Not a chance. They were whooping it up as they walked to the locker room and owner Woody Johnson was greeting everyone with hugs and handshakes.

The Jets knew this was a game they would not have won last year or two months ago, but they feel like they are never out of a game now.

2. Fitzpatrick is having a career year, and he is moving up the career passing lists in the process. You would not think of Fitzpatrick in the same way as some of the names he is going by on the NFL’s career lists, but he is doing it.

Saturday’s performance gave Fitzpatrick 22,701 yards in his 11-year career. He moved past Hall of Famer Roger Staubach into 86th place all-time. He now has 2,045 completions, moving him past Terry Bradshaw and Joe Theismann into 64th place all-time in that category. His 149 career touchdowns have him tied for No. 83 with Frank Ryan and Daunte Culpepper. He is three behind Bart Starr and Billy Kilmer and four touchdowns behind Staubach.

Another cool note about Fitzpatrick: He was taken by the Rams in the seventh round with the 250th pick of the 2005 NFL Draft. The first pick in that draft was Alex Smith by the 49ers. Fitzpatrick has 149 touchdowns. Smith has 138.

3. The Jets defense returned to a familiar formula on Saturday night when they forced turnovers. The Jets picked off four passes — three from Kellen Moore and one from Matt Cassel.

It was clear from the start of the season that this defense could be opportunistic. They had 10 takeaways in the first two games, but that pace obviously slowed. They returned to that form on Saturday night.

The Jets now have 28 takeaways this season, third in the NFL behind the Panthers and Cardinals. The Jets had only 28 takeaways combined in 2013 and ’14. It’s amazing what $150 million can buy you in the secondary.

For the Jets to keep winning, they need to keep forcing the turnovers. It is one of the simplest tenets of football that the team that wins the turnover battle usually wins. The Jets are 7-1 when they win the turnover battle this season.

4. Kenbrell Thompkins made one of the biggest plays of the game with his 43-yard catch that set up the game-winning field goal from Randy Bullock. Fitzpatrick complimented Thompkins after the game for seeing the hole in the Cowboys’ coverage earlier and alerting him.

So why have we not seen more of him this year? Thompkins, the former Patriot, has played well when he has gotten a chance.

I give Bowles credit for playing his best players and forgetting about contracts or draft position for the most part. This is the one position where I think he let it influence him. Rookie Devin Smith playing over Thompkins was not the right decision. Thompkins has six catches against the Raiders when Smith was injured and played well against the Jaguars, but he was inactive for three of the four games before last weekend. It seemed like once Smith was healthy, Thompkins was no longer needed. But Smith had very little success, and you wonder if he could have made a play like Thompkins did on Saturday. Smith was the second-round pick by the team, and it feels like the coaching staff forced him into the lineup rather than playing the better receiver.

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Revealing number: The Jets had seven penalties in the first half and one in the second half. The penalties were killing them early in the game, wiping out some big plays (and a field goal). But credit Bowles and his team with cutting down on the costly mistakes in the second half.

Surprising snap count: Running back Bilal Powell saw most of the action for the Jets, playing 36 snaps. Chris Ivory played 28. Early in the season, this would have been unthinkable with how Ivory was playing, but he has slowed down and Powell has picked up the slack. Powell has become a nice piece of the Jets offense, able to do damage as a receiver and a runner. He had seven catches for 54 yards while rushing it six times for 25 yards and a touchdown. When the offense was scuffling, Fitzpatrick was able to rely on Powell as a checkdown option.

Game ball: Quincy Enunwa only had four catches, but his 24-yarder on third down in the fourth quarter was huge. It was a tough catch on a poorly thrown ball that gave the Jets a first down and set up Eric Decker’s go-ahead touchdown. Enunwa has been an unsung player on this offense, but he has made some big contributions.

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Hyped 1st-round pick can’t get on the field — or off the Jets (Brian Costello) New York Post December 21, 2015

http://nypost.com/2015/12/21/hyped-1st-round-pick-cant-get-on-the-field-or-off-the-jets/

Dee Milliner, the Jets’ 2013 first-round pick, hurt his hamstring in Saturday’s win over the Cowboys and is now “day-to-day,” according to coach Todd Bowles.

Bet the over.

This is just the latest in a string of injuries for the cornerback. Milliner must have suffered the injury on special teams, because he did not play a snap on defense, something that has been the case since he returned from short-term IR last month. In the five games he has been active for this season, he has not played one snap on defense. Think about that. Milliner was the ninth pick in the draft two years ago, and he can’t even get on the field.

The Jets face an interesting decision with Milliner this offseason. The coaching staff clearly thinks very little of him, choosing to put him behind Darrin Walls and Marcus Williams on the depth chart. But he has a guaranteed salary of $2 million in 2016 and would count $4 million against the cap if he is cut. Those numbers likely will keep him on the team, not any statistics he has put up on the field.

The likelihood is the Jets will release Antonio Cromartie this offseason (an $8 million cap savings) and then let Milliner compete with Williams and Buster Skrine for the starting corner spot opposite Darrelle Revis.

Chances are he’ll lose that competition by default when he suffers another injury.

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NJ ADVANCE MEDIA

Jets' Antonio Cromartie was right about Giants' Odell Beckham Jr. (Darryl Slater) NJ Advance Media December 21, 2015

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/12/jets_antonio_cromartie_was_right_about_giants_odel.html#incart_river_index

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So Giants receiver Odell Beckham Jr. went full-on Rocky Balboa and even used his helmet as a weapon against Panthers cornerback Josh Norman on Sunday? Who could have possibly seen that coming?

Jets cornerback Antonio Cromartie sure did.

Back in October, Cromartie had discussed Beckham on ESPN's "SportsNation." That was the conversation in which Cromartie grabbed headlines—and didn't exactly endear himself to Giants fans—by referring to Beckham as a "one-year wonder."

Beckham had played exactly 16 games at that point, or the equivalent of a full NFL season.

But Cromartie also said Beckham had to learn to keep his cool when other teams got rough with him. Only that part got drowned out by the decidedly negative connotation of Cromartie's "one-year wonder" sound bite.

Think back to Week 5, to the Sunday just before Cromartie made his Beckham remarks. The Bills had pounded Beckham off the ball, and they held him to five catches for 38 yards, though the Giants won.

Beckham more or less lost it. He even threw a punch at Bills safety Duke Williams late in the game, which later drew a fine from the league. And several Bills players went on to call Beckham a "prima donna" and a cheap-shot artist.

The full context of Cromartie's famous "one-year wonder" comments addressed all of that.

Said Cromartie (emphasis mine):

"Right now, [he's] a one-year wonder. I'm just being honest. It's just one year. I need to see it on an every-game basis, not him getting penalties, or something like that, or sucker-punching somebody.

"I think it's all about how you carry yourself throughout your whole entire career. He's very young. Has he had productive years [sic] in 16 games? Yes. I give him the utmost [respect] for that. He's had the most production out of any receiver I've seen in 16 games since Randy Moss.

"But you have to do it week-in and week-out, and depend on that person, no matter if you're getting double- or triple-teamed. Randy Moss didn't complain when he got triple- or double-teamed, and people went after him, also."

Beckham's talent is undeniable. And he ought to continue to be a marketable star. But now that he's looking at a hefty fine and a possible suspension with the Giants still clinging to some hope of maybe winning the NFC East, it's safe to say Cromartie was right.

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What did Jets' Darrelle Revis think of Giants' Odell Beckham Jr.'s behavior vs. Carolina Panthers? (Darryl Slater) NJ Advance Media December 21, 2015

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/12/what_did_jets_darrelle_revis_think_of_giants_odell.html#incart_river_index

Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis chimed in Monday on Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.'s dangerous, emotional antics in Sunday's game against the Panthers and their star cornerback, Josh Norman.

Revis didn't get a chance to face Beckham earlier this month, in Jets-Giants, because Revis was sidelined by a concussion.

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On Monday, Revis appeared on ESPN Radio's "Mike & Mike" show with Mike Greenberg and Mike Golic. (You can listen to the interview here. It begins around the 25-minute mark.)

Here's what Revis said: "What happened yesterday, it kind of brought me back to the Deion Sanders-Andre Rison fight years back. I was a little kid at the time. I was probably a teen. It was a brutal fight. As a corner, yes, we want to go into a game and use those tactics of: 'Hey, let's go in here and try to get into his head.' That's one of the tactics we use as a DB."

Revis — who did his share of jawing Saturday night with Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant — noticed that Norman clearly got into Beckham's head Sunday.

"Yeah, most definitely," Revis said. "Odell is playing awesome. He's one of the electrifying players in the league today. You can see the frustration a little bit during the game. There was a lot of stuff going on. I'm waiting to see how this is going to pan out [with potential NFL discipline]. What happened yesterday, the game of football is very emotional. Sometimes, the emotion gets the best of you. That's what it looked like happened Sunday."

Revis also did a Sirius XM NFL Radio interview Monday in which he talked about this stuff.

"I watched the whole game," he said. "It was a great game. It's must-watch TV [when guys fight like that]. But at the same time, I think that incident got a little bit out of hand. It really did. I'm surprised nobody didn't actually get thrown out of the game. But at the same time, I understand where both players were coming from, trying to compete.

"It's a lot of emotion out there on the field. Yesterday was a lot. It was a lot. There's a lot of stuff that does happen out there on the field that doesn't get seen. You've definitely got to protect yourself at all times. It's like NASCAR out there playing sometimes. Everybody is fast, and you've definitely got to protect yourself."

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Latest on injuries to Jets' David Harris, Dee Milliner, Muhammad Wilkerson (Dom Cosentino) NJ Advance Media December 21, 2015

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/12/latest_on_injuries_to_jets_david_harris_dee_millin.html#incart_river_index

Head coach Todd Bowles on Monday gave a quick rundown on the Jets' injuries off of Saturday night's 19-16 win at the Cowboys at AT&T Stadium:

• Inside linebacker David Harris has a back contusion and is "day to day." Harris left the game in the first quarter and played just 13 snaps. Bowles said Harris did not have an MRI, but that he did have an X-ray, and that the results were negative.

• Backup cornerback Dee Milliner, who plays exclusively on special teams, has a hamstring strain. He, too, is "day to day," per Bowles.

• Tight end Kellen Davis, who left the game after an especially violent (but clean) hit while trying to a pass, has a "sore back" and is also "day to day," according to Bowles.

• Wide receiver Eric Decker briefly left Saturday night's game with a left knee injury before returning—and catching a fourth-quarter touchdown pass. Bowles said Decker sustained no serious damage to the knee other than standard post-game soreness.

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• Defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson, who left the game to get a concussion evaluation before returning, showed no lingering concussion symptoms and will not be subject to the league's brain injury protocol. "Mo's fine," Bowles said.

The Jets (9-5) host the rival Patriots (12-2) on Sunday at 1 p.m. at MetLife Stadium. The Jets have won four in a row and have wrapped up their first winning season in five years, but they need some help to make the playoffs.

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How Todd Bowles believes Jets have transformed since loss to New England Patriots (Darryl Slater) NJ Advance Media December 22, 2015

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/12/how_todd_bowles_believes_jets_have_transformed_sin.html#incart_river_index

The Jets get the Patriots again Sunday, this time at MetLife Stadium, in a huge rivalry game. The last time these teams played, the Jets lost 30-23 on Oct. 25 in New England. It was a major missed opportunity for coach Todd Bowles' team.

But this is a different team since then. Or so Bowles believes.

The Jets were 4-1 entering that Patriots loss, which began a 1-4 slide. Since that skid, the Jets have won four consecutive games, including fourth quarter comebacks against the Giants and Cowboys.

The Jets (9-5) have clinched their first winning season since 2010, which is the last time they made the playoffs, and also the last time they won four games in a row. They are in the thick of the AFC wild card race, but don't control their fate.

In short, they essentially need to win out — over the 12-2 Patriots and at the 6-8 Bills — and hope they get some help.

Bowles thinks his team has transformed from the group that lost in New England, after leading 17-16 entering the fourth quarter, and 20-16 with 12:50 remaining. The Jets couldn't finish, as the Patriots answered with two touchdowns, to go up 30-20, and held on for the victory.

The Jets are better at finishing now. Just look at the games against the Giants and Cowboys, though neither of those teams is as good as the Patriots.

"We've grown some," Bowles said. "You have to play the game on Sunday to find that out. We've matured a little bit. We've got some wins behind us. We've executed. We've played with a little more poise than we played with [previously], even though we made some mistakes last game [in Dallas].

"We're learning how to finish. I think we've learned in two games [against the Giants and Dallas] how to finish, from the ones we failed with [during] the middle of the season. I think the guys are trusting each other more, and they just play for each other a lot more now. That's part of the growth of a new team."

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NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Jets need to beat Patriots before even thinking about AFC playoffs (Seth Walder) New York Daily News December 21, 2015

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http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/jets-beat-patriots-thinking-afc-playoffs-article-1.2473353

Before Jets fans start worrying about the possibility of going 11-5 and missing the playoffs, the team needs to clear a major hurdle. It’s their old nemesis, the New England Patriots.

Gang Green has come close but fallen short against the Patriots so many times in recent years. And that was the case again in Week 7 this season, when they held a fourth-quarter lead but blew it against their hated rival.

But now the Jets are hot, on a four-game winning streak, and fighting for an AFC wild-card spot. And so Todd Bowles is hoping it’s the newest version of his Jets — the one that makes plays down the stretch rather than surrendering leads — that shows up at 1 p.m. Sunday at MetLife Stadium. Does Bowles think they are truly a different team now than they were the last time they faced New England?

“I hope we are. We’ve grown some,” Bowles said. “You’ve got to play the game on Sunday to find that out.”

The coach believes the Jets have matured and that “they just play for each other a lot more now, and that’s part of the growth of a new team.”

Beating the Patriots, obviously, is no easy task. And while Bowles is hoping to get a different performance from his team this time around, he doesn’t see much change from New England.

“They’re winning. They’re beating everybody,” Bowles said. “Same team they’ve always been. They do what they do and they do it very well.”

Patriots Week always comes with a certain type of buzz, even if that was dulled in Week 7 by Bowles’ philosophy to not treat New England differently than any other opponent. Back then, it was just another game.

But even Bowles admitted on Monday that the stakes are higher this week.

“It’s a different feeling about the game. It’s not necessarily the Patriots, it’s just about the position we’re in as far as giving us a chance to make the postseason,” Bowles said. “So, we’ve got to give ourselves a chance. It doesn’t matter who we were playing this week, it would be an important game, it would be a big game for that reason.

“The fact that it’s the Patriots makes it a division rival game, but for us, we’ve got to win regardless,” he added.

Despite their 9-5 record, the Jets do not control their own destiny. Even if they win their final two games against the Patriots and Bills, respectively, the Jets will need either the Steelers, Chiefs or Broncos to lose in order to reach the postseason. They nearly got that Steelers loss on Sunday, but Pittsburgh battled back to beat the Broncos.

Technically, the Jets could still have a shot at making the playoffs even if they lose to New England — it would require two losses from one of the three aforementioned competitors — but that obviously is not a road the team would like to go down. If the Jets lose to the Patriots and the Steelers, Chiefs and Broncos all win this week, Gang Green would be eliminated.

“We don’t know what our chances are, we don’t control our destiny,” Bowles said. “So we’re just going to try and win those two games and make positive steps going forward. If the football gods deem that we’re worthy, somehow, we win these last two games, maybe we will, maybe we won’t. But you can’t worry about it because you can’t control it.”

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MONDAY’S SPORTS TRANSACTIONS

BASEBALL

American League

CLEVELAND INDIANS — Agreed to terms with LHP Tom Gorzelanny and LHP Joe Thatcher on minor league contracts.

SEATTLE MARINERS — Named Tyrus Bowman, Amanda Hopkins, Jackson Laumann, Taylor Terrasas, Stephen Tromblee and Ross Vecchio area scouts. Promoted area scouts Ben Collman, Chris Pelekoudas and Mike Moriarty to regional supervisory scouting positions.

TEXAS RANGERS — Agreed to terms with RHP A.J. Griffin on a minor league contract.

National League

COLORADO ROCKIES — Agreed to terms with RHP Adam Ottavino on a three-year contract.

LOS ANGELES DODGERS — Named Bill Haselman manager of Oklahoma City (PCL), Ryan Garko manager of Tulsa (Texas), Drew Saylor manager of Rancho Cucamonga (Cal), Gil Velazquez of Great Lakes (MWL), Shaun Larkin manager of Ogden (Pioneer) and John Shoemaker manager of the Arizona League Dodgers.

PITTSBURGH PIRATES — Acquired LHP Kyle Lobstein from Detroit for cash considerations.

SAN DIEGO PADRES — Agreed to terms with LHP Buddy Baumann on a one-year contract. Designated C Josmil Pinto for assignment.

Frontier League

FLORENCE FREEDOM — Signed RHP Cody Gray, OF Josh Henderson, LHP Pat McGrath and LHP Zach Wendorf to contract extensions. Signed 1B William Beckwith, RHP Kaddidy Gaines, 1B Eric Kalbfleisch, 1B Zach Mathieu and catcher Matt Rubino.

LAKE ERIE CRUSHERS — Signed RHP Fernando Gallegos and OF Connor Oliver.

SOUTHERN ILLINOIS MINERS — Sold the contract of RHP Adam Lopez to San Diego (NL).

FOOTBALL

National Football League

NFL — Suspended New York Giants WR Odell Beckham Jr. one game for his conduct during a Dec. 28 game against Carolina.

ATLANTA FALCONS — Reached an injury settlement with G Jon Asamoah.

GREEN BAY PACKERS — Activated TE Andrew Quarless from injured reserve-return. Placed WR Ty Montgomery on injured reserve.

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS — Placed WR Griff Whalen and DT Billy Winn on injured reserve. Waived RB Zurlon Tipton. Signed DE Earl Okine and DT Kelcy Quarles from the practice squad and RB Trey Williams from Miami's practice squad.

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OAKLAND RAIDERS — S Charles Woodson announced his retirement, effective at the end of this season.

WASHINGTON REDSKINS — Placed WR Andre Roberts on injured reserve. Signed WR Colin Lockett to the practice squad. Placed TE Ray Hamilton on the practice squad injured list.

HOCKEY

National Hockey League

NHL — Suspended Boston F Max Talbot two games for interference against New Jersey F Jiri Tlusty during a Dec. 20 game.

CAROLINA HURRICANES — Recalled D Michal Jordan from Charlotte (AHL).

MINNESOTA WILD — Signed D Jared Spurgeon to a four-year contract extension.

American Hockey League

AHL — Suspended Binghamton D Mark Fraser two games for his actions during an altercation in a Dec. 18 game at Syracuse and Rockford C Marko Dano one game for slew-footing in a Dec. 19 game at Chicago.

CHARLOTTE CHECKERS — Released F Drayson Bowman from his professional tryout contract.

SAN ANTONIO RAMPAGE — Signed F Nick Drazenovic to a professional tryout contract.

SOCCER

Major League Soccer

NEW YORK RED BULLS — Signed M Derrick Etienne and F Brandon Allen.

SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC — Signed F Andy Craven and G Tyler Miller to one-year contracts.

North American Soccer League

JACKSONVILLE ARMADA FC — Signed M Pekka Lagerblom.

MIAMI FC — Signed F Dario Cvitanich.

COLLEGE

ARIZONA — Announced cornerbacks coach David Lockwood will not return next season. Promoted football analyst Jahmile Addae to cornerbacks coach.

AUSTIN PEAY — Named Will Healy football coach.

DENVER — Announced the resignation of director of intercollegiate athletics and recreation services Eric Ziady, effective Dec. 31.

FLORIDA — Announced RB Kelvin Taylor, WR Demarcus Robinson and DE Alex McCalister will enter the NFL draft.

GEORGIA — Suspended LB Tim Kimbrough for the TaxSlayer Bowl.

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MICHIGAN — Named Don Brown defensive coordinator.

SOUTH FLORIDA — Signed football coach Willie Taggart to a three-year extension through 2020.

TEXAS A&M-COMMERCE — Announced the retirement of men's and women's golf coach Louie Bledsoe.

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