NEW YORK JETS DAILY CLIPS

November 6, 2015

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Table of Contents

ASSOCIATED PRESS ................................................................................................................................................ 2

Jets' Mangold practices for first time since neck injury (Dennis Waszak) ................................................................. 2

After hot start, Jets' Ivory trying to find running room (Dennis Waszak).................................................................. 3

NEWSDAY .............................................................................................................................................................. 4

Look: Jets unveil new 'Color Rush' uniforms for upcoming meeting with Bills ......................................................... 4

Ryan Fitzpatrick's return to the pocket puts Jets in comfort zone (Kimberley A. Martin) ........................................ 5

Jets laugh off Darren Woodson's harsh critique of Darrelle Revis (Kimberley A. Martin) ........................................ 5

Nick Mangold expects to return for Sunday's game against Jaguars (Kimberley A. Martin) .................................... 6

For Chris Ivory, it's what's up front that counts (Kimberley A. Martin) .................................................................... 6

After bad game, Antonio Cromartie shrugs off criticism (Kimberley A. Martin) ....................................................... 7

THE RECORD .......................................................................................................................................................... 8

Jets notes: Mangold’s health improving (J.P. Pelzman) ............................................................................................ 8

Jets need better day at the office (J.P. Pelzman) ...................................................................................................... 9

ESPN NEW YORK .................................................................................................................................................. 10

Jets center Nick Mangold (neck) returns to practice, plans to play (Rich Cimini) ................................................... 10

To slide or not to slide? Tough question for Jets QB Ryan Fitzpatrick (Rich Cimini) ............................................... 11

Slumping Chris Ivory: 'We have to do a better job up front' (Rich Cimini) .............................................................. 12

Jets will have different look for next week's prime-time game (Rich Cimini) ......................................................... 13

Demise of Jets' dynamic duo? Holy over-reaction, Batman (Rich Cimini) ............................................................... 13

NEW YORK POST .................................................................................................................................................. 14

Jets are 0-1 minus Nick Mangold — he plans to keep it that way (Howie Kussoy) ................................................. 14

Jets’ Cromartie shrugs off struggles, but numbers tell ugly story (Mark Cannizzaro) ............................................. 15

Trent Green: Why Jets are ‘definitely’ playoff favorites (Justin Terranova)............................................................ 16

How ‘copycat’ NFL is suddenly silencing Jets’ big-name pass rush (Howie Kussoy) ............................................... 17

Jets are hopeless unless Ryan Fitzpatrick finally learns lesson (Mark Cannizzaro) ................................................. 18

NJ ADVANCE MEDIA ............................................................................................................................................ 19

How worried should Jets be about Eric Decker's lingering knee injury? (Darryl Slater) ......................................... 19

Jets' Darrelle Revis sees plenty of improvement in Jacksonville Jaguars' Blake Bortles (Dom Cosentino) ............. 21

Jets' Eric Decker jokes that he's in elite touchdown group all due to Peyton Manning (Darryl Slater) .................. 21

5 Kacy Rodgers Jets takeaways: Is he worried about Antonio Cromartie? (Darryl Slater) ...................................... 22

5 Chan Gailey Jets takeaways: No issues with Ryan Fitzpatrick's injury (Dom Cosentino) ..................................... 23

Jets have less than a week to make a Dee Milliner decision (Dom Cosentino)....................................................... 24

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NEW YORK DAILY NEWS ...................................................................................................................................... 25

Jets CB Antonio Cromartie dismisses slump talk after stinker vs. Raiders (Daniel Popper) .................................... 25

Jets, Bills will wear one-color uniforms Thursday as part of NFL's 'color rush' (Bill Price) ...................................... 26

Will the real Jets defense please stand up? (Manish Mehta) ................................................................................. 27

WALL STREET JOURNAL ....................................................................................................................................... 29

Who’s Teaching These NFL Quarterbacks to Slide, Anyway? (Stu Woo) ................................................................. 29

METRO NEW YORK .............................................................................................................................................. 31

Dyer: The Jets kingdom for a Bortles (Kristian Dyer) ............................................................................................... 31

THURSDAY’S SPORTS TRANSACTIONS .................................................................................................................. 32

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Jets' Mangold practices for first time since neck injury (Dennis Waszak) Associated Press November 5, 2015

http://www.pro32.ap.org/article/jets-mangold-practices-first-time-neck-injury

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — Nick Mangold took a big step toward playing again for the New York Jets.

The veteran center was limited at practice Thursday, the first time he participated in team drills since injuring his neck late in New York's loss at New England on Oct. 25.

That has the Jets feeling optimistic that Mangold could be back to start Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

"I sure plan on it," Mangold said.

He said he was "pretty close" to playing last week at Oakland, but doctors advised against that. Backup Wesley Johnson made the start in his place and was mostly solid.

"There were no major gaffes in the ballgame, so to me, that was encouraging that he could go out there and play and get us through a game," offensive coordinator Chan Gailey said. "He's not Nick Mangold, but there's very few of those out there."

Wide receiver Brandon Marshall (toe/ankle) was also limited at practice, while wide receiver Eric Decker (left knee), safety Calvin Pryor (sprained left ankle) and guard Willie Colon (knee) sat out.

Decker has already said he expects to play, while Marshall declined to comment Wednesday about his injuries. Jeremy Kerley and Kenbrell Thompkins could see increased roles if either Decker or Marshall is sidelined.

As expected, quarterbacks Ryan Fitzpatrick (left thumb) and Geno Smith (left shoulder) were again full participants Thursday. Fitzpatrick is still on track to start Sunday against Jacksonville despite a torn thumb ligament.

"When you play with your hand taped up, you face a little bit of limitation, but the mechanics of quarterback look almost the same," Gailey said. "He'll be limited a little bit, because of the protection on his hand, but it hasn't made a difference in practice."

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When asked to specify what types of limitations Fitzpatrick might have, Gailey clarified that it might just be a bit awkward for the quarterback to wear a protective glove when he's not used to having anything on his hand during games.

"You just don't have the full range of everything, but he's adjusted very well," Gailey said. "That's probably a better way to say it: He's adjusted very well, so I'm not staying awake at night."

Rookie wide receiver Devin Smith (foot) was limited after sitting out Wednesday. Cornerback Buster Skrine (shoulder/hand) and running back Bilal Powell (ankle) were also limited, while tight end Kellen Davis (hand) was a full participant a day after he was limited.

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After hot start, Jets' Ivory trying to find running room (Dennis Waszak) Associated Press November 5, 2015

http://www.pro32.ap.org/article/after-hot-start-jets-ivory-trying-find-running-room

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — Chris Ivory is a marked man.

The New York Jets running back knows it. Defensive coordinators around the league sure do, too.

"Yeah," Ivory said with a smile after practice Thursday. "But I don't like to say that."

He speaks with his play — loud, physical runs that set the tone for the Jets. Stop him, teams surmise, and you can derail New York's offense.

"Chris is a great running back and he's definitely the jumpstart to our offense," fullback Tommy Bohanon said. "When he's having a good game, we're all having a good game. He's kind of the cog that keeps us running."

So, it makes sense that the offense has struggled a bit the last few weeks as Ivory tries to find the running room that got him off to such a great start.

He ranks 11th in the NFL, and second in the AFC, with 518 yards rushing. But in his last two games, losses at New England and Oakland, Ivory has just 58 yards on 32 carries. That's after a combined 312 yards rushing in his two previous games.

"It starts up front," Ivory said. "We have to do a better job up front and know our assignments. We prepared well this week, so maybe it'll show out on the field."

Ivory has been consistent in his assessment of what made the running game so effective early on, complimenting wide receivers such as Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker for their presence outside, and his offensive line for opening holes and making the running backs' jobs easier.

Last week at Oakland, Ivory was held to just 17 yards on 15 carries as the Jets moved away from the run after falling behind early and eventually losing 34-20.

"I feel like there were a lot of missed assignments," he said of the offensive line, "but coming in this week, we corrected those missed assignments."

The next test will be Sunday at home against Jacksonville, a defense that ranks 14th against the run.

"He can make something out of nothing, and his will, I think, is what shows up," Jaguars coach Gus Bradley said. "So, definitely have a tackling plan for him — a lot of guys to the ball taking good angles."

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Ivory is expecting, from what he has seen on film, that the Jaguars will try to load up the box and try to stifle the run game.

That could potentially open some lanes on the outside, which is how Ivory was battering teams at the start of the season. He said he was able to turn the corner and beat defensive ends, but then linebackers started containing the outside, making him less effective in the past few games.

Ivory was asked if, in his third season with the Jets — and first as a true featured back — teams know who he is now. He was buried on the depth chart during his first three years in New Orleans and then shared carries the last two seasons in New York.

"I think they already knew who I was, at least the guys in our division," Ivory said. "To me, they've shown that they know we have a good running game and they know that so far, these past two weeks, the focus has been on stopping the Jets' run game."

Ivory insisted he doesn't think it's all about him when it comes to opponents drawing up plans to stop the Jets' offense, which ranks seventh in the league in rushing. He talked about the run game as a whole being a threat, and again mentioned how everything starts with the offensive line.

"Defensive coordinators from other teams are watching and seeing how the offensive line gets off their blocks, how aggressive they are, and seeing what I'm able to do after I get into the secondary," he said. "It makes it tough for them where they say, OK, we're going to focus on stopping the run.

"They feel like when they stop the run, we're one-dimensional."

Ivory is still well on pace for his first 1,000-yard season — and, finally, earning lots of respect around the league.

"I think my play," Ivory said after pausing to choose his words wisely, "is being noticed."

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NEWSDAY

Look: Jets unveil new 'Color Rush' uniforms for upcoming meeting with Bills Newsday November 5, 2015

http://www.newsday.com/sports/football/jets/look-jets-unveil-new-color-rush-uniforms-for-upcoming-meeting-with-bills-1.11064574

Gang Green is taking it to a whole new level.

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The Jets unveiled a new uniform combination during the Thursday Night Football pregame show as part of Nike's "Color Rush" initiative.

The new look consists of Kelly Green jerseys, pants, sleeves, socks and shoes with the Jets' normal white helmets.

The uniforms will be used next week when the Jets face the Buffalo Bills in a Thursday night showdown.

The Bills also showed off new uniforms Thursday night and will be wearing all red when the teams meet.

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Ryan Fitzpatrick's return to the pocket puts Jets in comfort zone (Kimberley A. Martin) Newsday November 5, 2015

http://www.newsday.com/sports/football/jets/jets-qb-ryan-fitzpatrick-s-return-puts-team-in-comfort-zone-1.11063975

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. - On the flight back from the West Coast, Jets offensive coordinator Chan Gailey could think of only one thing: How could he get rookie quarterback Bryce Petty ready to play?

But only four days later, the Jets are right back where they started -- with Ryan Fitzpatrick under center despite torn ligaments in his left thumb.

"It's always next man up . . . but it was tough to see him go down knowing that he makes this thing go," running back Chris Ivory said. "He makes a lot of great calls."

Right guard Willie Colon said there "definitely" was a sense of relief seeing Fitzpatrick back on the field this week. "He's done a hell of a job since he's been our QB. We have a lot of faith in him and we just want to see him out there leading the charge," Colon said.

Gailey said Fitzpatrick's mechanics "almost look the same" and that he has no issues handing off the football.

Fitzpatrick sustained the injury on a 12-yard scramble minutes into the first quarter of the Jets' 34-20 loss in Oakland. Asked if he thinks he will conclude his scrambles by sliding from now on, Gailey joked: "I'll believe it when I see it. [A] broken leg didn't do it. I don't know if a hurt thumb will."

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Jets laugh off Darren Woodson's harsh critique of Darrelle Revis (Kimberley A. Martin) Newsday November 5, 2015

http://www.newsday.com/sports/football/jets/jets-laugh-off-darren-woodson-s-harsh-critique-of-darrelle-revis-1.11064459

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. - On Wednesday, Darren Woodson delivered a shot at Darrelle Revis. But the Jets cornerback and his teammates weren't the least bit fazed by it.

"I just think his time as being the elite No. 1 cornerback is pretty much over," Woodson, a three-time Super Bowl champion with the Cowboys and current ESPN analyst, said Wednesday on the "Mike & Mike" show.

"He's a 30-year-old corner now. Let's just call it what it is. Just watching him this past week against [Raiders rookie] Amari Cooper . . . That matchup, if they really wanted to go at Darrelle Revis the entire game, Amari Cooper would have had at least 150 yards. He would have had a huge game against Darrelle Revis."

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The Raiders won the game, 34-20. But despite a poor performance by the Jets' defense, which included at least 20 missed tackles, Cooper was held to his lowest production of the season: five catches on nine targets for 46 yards.

Told of Woodson's comments, cornerback Antonio Cromartie said: "He doesn't play anymore, so who cares?"

What was Revis' reaction?

"He's a comedian. Definitely," Revis told the Daily News. "I think it's funny."

Woodson may no longer see Revis Island as a terrifying destination for NFL receivers, but the Jets still view Revis as a shutdown corner. "He's lived up to everything -- and then some," defensive coordinator Kacy Rodgers said.

Asked for his thoughts on Woodson's remarks, coach Todd Bowles said matter-of-factly: "I don't think anything about it. Analysts talk. I think [Revis is] good for us."

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Nick Mangold expects to return for Sunday's game against Jaguars (Kimberley A. Martin) Newsday November 5, 2015

http://www.newsday.com/sports/football/jets/jets-center-nick-mangold-expects-to-return-for-sunday-s-game-against-jaguars-1.11064186

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. - Nick Mangold practiced on a limited basis Thursday for the first time since injuring his neck against the Patriots on Oct. 25.

It's an encouraging sign for the Jets center, who was inactive Sunday against the Raiders. Asked if he expects to play this week against Jacksonville, Mangold said, "I sure plan on it." But the 10-year veteran said similar things in the lead-up to the Oakland game.

He did say he came "pretty close" to starting against the Raiders, but team doctors decided against it.

"It was disappointing," he said.

Despite Mangold's optimism about facing the Jaguars, coach Todd Bowles isn't 100 percent sold. Though it was "encouraging" to see the center on the field, Bowles said, "He still has to do a little more."

Backup lineman Wesley Johnson made his first NFL start in Mangold's absence.

So how did he do?

"Not bad," offensive coordinator Chan Gailey said. "I thought he handled everything fairly well. He had some rookie breaking-into-the-position minor issues, nothing major. There were no major gaffes in the ballgame, so to me, that was encouraging that he could go out there and play and get us through a game. He's not Nick Mangold, but there's very few of those out there."

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For Chris Ivory, it's what's up front that counts (Kimberley A. Martin) Newsday November 5, 2015

http://www.newsday.com/sports/football/jets/for-jets-rb-chris-ivory-it-s-what-s-up-front-that-counts-1.11064720

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FLORHAM PARK, N.J. - Chris Ivory knows he's a marked man.

"But I don't like to say that," the Jets running back said, smiling.

Thanks to his violent running style and tough-to-tackle frame, defensive coordinators are taking notice each week. And in some ways, that's both a blessing and curse for Ivory.

"Defensive coordinators from other teams are watching and seeing how the offensive line gets off their blocks, how aggressive they are, and seeing what I'm able to do after I get into the secondary," he said Thursday. "It makes it tough for them where they say, OK, we're going to focus on stopping the run. They feel like when they stop the run, we're one-dimensional."

In games against the Dolphins and Redskins sandwiched around the Jets' Week 5 bye, he rushed for 166 and 146 yards, respectively. But the soft-spoken running back has always been quick to credit his success to the players around and in front of him.

Asked what makes the offense go, he replied: "I feel like the offensive line does that."

Ivory also noted that the effectiveness of Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker in the passing game opens up the field for him.

But in the past two weeks, the running game has stalled. Not surprisingly, the Jets are on a two-game losing streak. In losses to the Patriots and Raiders, Ivory rushed for a total of 58 yards, well below his 115-yard average coming into Week 7.

Each week, he expects opponents to stack the box, and he said Sunday's contest against Jacksonville will be no different.

So how do you counter that? "It starts up front," Ivory said, adding that his balky hamstring is fine. "So we have to do a better job up front and just know our assignments."

Asked how he felt the offensive line blocked in last Sunday's 34-20 loss in Oakland, Ivory said: "I felt like there were a lot of missed assignments, but coming in this week, we corrected those."

To turn their season around, the Jets (4-3) must get their ground game going again. And, according to Chan Gailey, Ivory doesn't need to do anything differently. "He just needs to keep running hard. It'll come," the offensive coordinator said of the sixth-year back, who ranks 11th in the NFL and second in the AFC with 518 yards rushing.

The Jaguars (2-5) rank 14th against the run, and coach Gus Bradley will make sure his defense keys on Ivory. "He can make something out of nothing," Bradley said this week.

After being buried on the depth chart for three seasons in New Orleans, Ivory knows NFL teams are watching him closely, though he was, at first, hesitant to admit it.

After pausing for a few beats, he said: "I think my play is being noticed."

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After bad game, Antonio Cromartie shrugs off criticism (Kimberley A. Martin) Newsday November 5, 2015

http://www.newsday.com/sports/football/jets/after-bad-game-antonio-cromartie-shrugs-off-criticism-1.11064548

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. - "Is he losing a step?''

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"Is he getting old?''

"Is he overpaid?''

Antonio Cromartie hears all the chatter. And he said he doesn't care.

"That's what everybody wants to say when you get old,'' the 31-year-old Jets cornerback told Newsday after Thursday's practice.

The Raiders steamrolled the Jets' defense last week, totaling 451 yards, including 118 rushing, as the Jets missed more than 20 tackles. Cromartie admittedly played his worst game of the season and heard it from everyone, including his wife, Terricka.

"She critiques me when I'm not home and she critiques me when I get home. I'm always hearing it,'' he said, smiling. "But I love it. It's my wife. She pays attention to football, she understands the game. You hear it from her. You just hear it.''

Constructive criticism from a spouse is one thing, but Cromartie said he doesn't care to listen to the outside noise.

"I hear it, but I don't worry about none of that,'' he said, adding that his hip isn't an issue. "I know my talent, I understand it. Like I said, I didn't play up to my standards, I didn't play up to the standards that my teammates hold me to. So when I said I played like [expletive], I really played like [expletive]. Even going back and looking at it, I still played like [expletive].''

As painful as it was for Jets fans to watch the game, Cromartie said it wasn't difficult to watch tape of his mistakes.

"You always want to see what you're doing wrong,'' he said. "I don't look at it like, ah, man, I'm going to hang my head and this is going to be held over me. This is a long season. I'm not worried about that or if anybody else says, 'Has he lost a step? Is he losing [his] game?' Or this one: 'He's overpaid.'

"I'm not worried about what the outside people say because I know what I've got in this locker room, I know what I have in this organization. That's all that really matters.''

Coach Todd Bowles fielded several questions about Cromartie's play, and each time he refused to single out any player. Instead, he said it was "a bad day at the office'' for everyone. Added defensive coordinator Kacy Rodgers: "No, we don't worry about Cro.''

Notes & quotes: Nick Mangold practiced on a limited basis for the first time since injuring his neck Oct. 25 against the Patriots . . . Eric Decker and Willie Colon (knees) and Calvin Pryor (ankle) didn't practice for a second straight day . . . Former first-round pick Dee Milliner (wrist) is eligible to play, but Bowles said: "At the moment, he's just practicing. If we can make room for him,'' he'll be added to the active roster. Milliner, who was placed on short-term injured reserve Aug. 7, has been practicing since Oct. 21. According to league rules, the Jets have 21 days from the first practice (including that practice) to add the cornerback to the active roster or place him on season-ending IR. In Milliner's case, that means Tuesday.

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THE RECORD

Jets notes: Mangold’s health improving (J.P. Pelzman) The Record November 5, 2015

http://www.northjersey.com/sports/jets-notes-mangold-s-health-improving-1.1449730

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Jets center Nick Mangold returned to practice Thursday, working on a limited basis. It was the first time he had practiced since suffering a neck injury in the final minute of a loss to New England on Oct. 25, and his improving health means his chances of playing Sunday against Jacksonville are increasing.

“I sure plan on it,” Mangold said when asked if he expects to play against the Jaguars.

Mangold sat out the loss to Oakland five days ago, marking only the fourth game he had missed in his 10-year NFL career. He made the trip and said he was “pretty close” to playing, but that the Jets’ doctors advised against it. Wesley Johnson started in his place and didn’t make any big mistakes.

“There were no major gaffes in the ballgame, so to me, that was encouraging that [Johnson] could go out there and play and get us through a game,” offensive coordinator Chan Gailey said. “He’s not Nick Mangold, but there’s very few of those out there.”

Fitz still on track

Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick practiced full for a second consecutive day despite a torn ligament in his left thumb and remains on track to start Sunday. He is wearing a protective glove on the hand.

“When you play with your hand taped up, you face a little bit of limitation, but the mechanics of quarterback look almost the same,” Gailey said. “He’ll be limited a little bit, because of the protection on his hand, but it hasn’t made a difference in practice.

“He’s adjusted very well,” Gailey added, “so I’m not staying awake at night.”

Briefs

Backup QB Geno Smith (left shoulder) also practiced full. WR Brandon Marshall (toe, ankle) practiced on a limited basis. WR Eric Decker (left knee), SS Calvin Pryor (sprained left ankle) and RG Willie Colon (knee) sat out. … Coach Todd Bowles said CB Dee Milliner, who is eligible to be activated off injured reserve, is healthy enough to return. He indicated the Jets are deciding whether to add him to the 53-man roster. “If we can make room for him, we’ll bring him up,” Bowles said. “If we can’t, we won’t.” The Jets must activate Milliner by Tuesday or he will be on IR for the rest of the season.

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Jets need better day at the office (J.P. Pelzman) The Record November 6, 2015

http://www.northjersey.com/sports/football/jets-need-better-day-at-office-1.1450042

FLORHAM PARK – Coach Todd Bowles and defensive coordinator Kacy Rodgers both said the Jets' defense "had a bad day at the office" against Oakland.

Of course, the problem is it's more noticeable in their profession than when the new hire in accounts receivable messes up an invoice.

The Jets allowed 333 passing yards and four TDs to second-year Oakland QB Derek Carr. Worse yet, their defense had more than 20 missed tackles, according to Bowles.

"We felt like we had really good practices" last week, Rodgers said Thursday. "We just chalked it up to we had a bad day at the office. The problem is we only get one shot at it. We just had a bad day. … We did some things that were very uncharacteristic of us."

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It was so bad that two veteran Jets called out their teammates. Linebacker David Harris said Monday the Jets' effort on defense was "poor" and that the performance was "disgusting," and defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson said Tuesday on WFAN that "guys were loafing" on defense.

"Those two individuals are very passionate players and [I'm] glad to have them," Rodgers said when asked about their comments. "They'll do anything you ask of them and when we don't have success, particularly with those guys as a whole, they're a tight-knit group. We have pretty high standards and that wasn't up to our standards."

Free safety Marcus Gilchrist said Thursday he is "very confident" the Jets can fix the problem of missed tackles.

"We've got a veteran group," he said, "guys that come to work every day."

But he doesn't think the defense will be motivated more Sunday against Jacksonville.

"We try to go into it with the same mentality every week," he said. "I think when you try to change your mentality week by week, that's when you can kind of fall into a lull."

"On defense, it's [on] us to go out there and create turnovers and get off [the field] on third down and give the ball back to the 'O,'" corner Darrelle Revis said. "So there is a big sparkplug for us [as a] defense and we felt, overall, we didn't showcase that on Sunday."

Veteran cornerback Antonio Cromartie had a particularly bad game Sunday, allowing one touchdown catch and whiffing on a tackle on another Raider TD.

Rodgers defended Cromartie.

"I guess from our standpoint we don't view him as struggling," he said. "If we saw him as struggling, then you can always make a change, roll up, help the guy coverage wise. We watch this guy prepare week in and week out. [He's a] consummate professional, studies tape, can tell you tendencies and in our hearts-of-hearts we don't believe he's struggling. He had a bad day."

As for the missed tackles, Revis said, "Guys are hustling and getting to the ball. … But then guys maybe expect the other guy to make the play instead of just finishing the whole play out. … Moving forward we've got to continue to stay on that and be consistent."

BRIEFS: Center Nick Mangold returned to practice Thursday, working on a limited basis. It was the first time he had practiced since suffering a neck injury in the final minute of a loss to New England on Oct. 25. "I sure plan on it," Mangold said when asked if he expects to play against the Jaguars. …

QB Ryan Fitzpatrick practiced full for a second consecutive day despite a torn ligament in his left (non-throwing) thumb and remains on track to start Sunday. He is wearing a protective glove on the hand. "He's adjusted very well" to the protective glove, offensive coordinator Chan Gailey said, "so I'm not staying awake at night."

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ESPN NEW YORK

Jets center Nick Mangold (neck) returns to practice, plans to play (Rich Cimini) ESPN New York November 5, 2015

http://espn.go.com/blog/newyork-jets/post/_/id/55778/jets-c-nick-mangold-neck-returns-to-practice-plans-to-play

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FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- Center Nick Mangold practiced Thursday for the first time since injuring his neck, an indication he could return to the New York Jets' lineup when they face the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday at MetLife Stadium.

Asked if he expects to play, Mangold said, "I sure plan on it."

You might recall he said the same thing last week, but he didn't play in the Jets' 34-20 loss to the Oakland Raiders. It was only his fourth missed game in nine-plus seasons. He was replaced by Wesley Johnson, who made his NFL debut. Mangold said he was "pretty close" to suiting up, but he never got clearance from the doctors.

On Thursday, Mangold sounded more optimistic than last week, but he still hasn't received the green light. He was limited in practice; a lot will hinge on how he does Friday.

"[I'm] encouraged to see him out there, but he still has to do a little more," Todd Bowles said.

Johnson received lukewarm reviews for his performance. He was thrown into a tough situation, especially on the road. Offensive coordinator Chan Gailey said Johnson was "not bad. ... There were no major gaffes."

Wide receiver Brandon Marshall, who sat out Wednesday with ankle and toe injuries, returned on a limited basis. He's expected to play. Fellow receiver Eric Decker didn't practice for the second day in a row, stemming from his knee sprain in Week 2. The Jets are hopeful he will play, but it sounds like it will be a game-day decision.

Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick (left thumb) practiced fully again, wearing a protective glove on his left hand. He will wear it against the Jaguars. Gailey said he doesn't anticipate any major issues on Sunday, adding that he won't have to adjust his game plan.

"It's just awkward to have something on your hand -- you don't have the full range of everything -- but he's adjusting very well," Gailey said. "I'm not staying awake at night."

Gailey said Fitzpatrick will be able to take snaps from under center and execute handoffs with his left hand. He admitted that at the start of the week, he was worried if the damaged left thumb would inhibit Fitzpatrick's ability to perform those functions.

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To slide or not to slide? Tough question for Jets QB Ryan Fitzpatrick (Rich Cimini) ESPN New York November 5, 2015

http://espn.go.com/blog/newyork-jets/post/_/id/55786/to-slide-or-not-to-slide-tough-question-for-jets-qb-ryan-fitzpatrick

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- Todd Bowles wants his quarterbacks to be smarter when they're running with the ball. That request sounds weird, considering Ryan Fitzpatrick -- Harvard, Class of '05 -- is one of the smartest players in the NFL.

But the New York Jets' starter also is fiercely competitive and he doesn't like to slide to avoid contact. He paid the price Sunday, tearing a ligament in his left thumb while trying to gain a few extra yards. Surely, he learned a hard lesson.

Then again, maybe not.

"Yeah, I’ll believe it when I see it," offensive coordinator Chan Gailey said Thursday.

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Gailey doesn't think Fitzpatrick is a lost cause; he believes quarterbacks can learn to adopt a slide-first mentality.

"We all have a level, a point, where we say, 'OK, enough is enough,'" he said. "Ryan just hasn’t gotten to that point yet, but maybe he will. Maybe this will be the one. Broken leg didn’t do it, I don’t know if a hurt thumb will do it or not."

Fitzpatrick has rushed for 124 yards, ninth among quarterbacks. One of the highlights of the season was his 18-yard touchdown run against the Washington Redskins, a great play that provided an emotional spark to the team. The players feed off his aggressive style. There has to be a balance.

"There’s times where I’ve gotten into a little bit of trouble, this kind of being a fluke deal, but I could have slid three yards before and it wouldn’t have been an issue," Fitzpatrick said. "I’ve got to try to be a little bit smarter, probably."

Easier said than done, especially in the heat of the moment.

"Yep, there’s a fine line," Gailey said. "There's a fine line and I haven't found out where that is yet."

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Slumping Chris Ivory: 'We have to do a better job up front' (Rich Cimini) ESPN New York November 5, 2015

http://espn.go.com/blog/newyork-jets/post/_/id/55781/slumping-chris-ivory-we-have-to-do-a-better-job-up-front

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- Mired in a two-game slump, New York Jets' running back Chris Ivory said Thursday the offensive line needs to step up its game.

Ivory offered a few theories for his sudden downturn in production -- only 58 rushing yards in the last two games. He mentioned loaded boxes and schemes designed to take away his outside runs, funneling him back to the inside. He was asked how the Jets can counter those defensive tactics.

"It starts up front," said Ivory, who has slipped to 11th in rushing yards (518). "We have to do a better job up front and just know our assignments. We prepared well this week. Maybe it will show out on the field."

Ivory said there were "a lot of missed assignments" in last week's loss to the Oakland Raiders, perhaps his worst game in two-plus seasons with the Jets -- 17 yards on 15 carries.

Ivory has been complimentary of the line throughout the season, so this comes as a bit of a surprise. Obviously, the line was missing a key ingredient in Oakland -- injured center Nick Mangold, who directs the traffic in the trenches. He was replaced by a guy making his NFL debut, Wesley Johnson. You can't blame Johnson, who was forced into a difficult situation, but his inexperience certainly had a domino effect on the run blocking.

Ivory was one of the hottest backs in the league after rushing for a combined 312 yards in back-to-back games last month. Obviously, teams watch film and they make adjustments. That's the way it works in the NFL.

"I think my play is being noticed," he said.

Asked if he feels like a marked man, Ivory smiled.

"Yeah, but I don't like to say that," he said.

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Ivory will have to face a stout run defense on Sunday, as the Jacksonville Jaguars have allowed a league-low 3.5 yards per rush.

"I expect to see a lot of guys in the box," he said.

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Jets will have different look for next week's prime-time game (Rich Cimini) ESPN New York November 5, 2015

http://espn.go.com/blog/newyork-jets/post/_/id/55808/jets-will-have-different-look-for-next-weeks-prime-time-game

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- The New York Jets will be wearing a different style of green when they face the Buffalo Bills next Thursday night at MetLife Stadium.

Check out these threads. What do you think?

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Demise of Jets' dynamic duo? Holy over-reaction, Batman (Rich Cimini) ESPN New York November 6, 2015

http://espn.go.com/blog/newyork-jets/post/_/id/55793/demise-of-jets-dynamic-duo-holy-over-reaction-batman

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- When Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie reunited last March after a two-year separation, the New York Jets' fan base rejoiced, thinking the return of Batman and Robin would restore the defense to its 2010 dominance.

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Our (almost) midseason conclusion: Gotham City is impatient.

Cromartie played a terrible game last week, triggering panic in the streets. Revis, of all people, is catching flak because ... well, he's not perfect.

Everybody needs to relax.

On Wednesday, ESPN analyst Darren Woodson was critical of Revis, saying on the "Mike & Mike" radio show, "I just think his time as being the elite No. 1 cornerback is pretty much over." Woodson, a former star safety with the Dallas Cowboys, said Revis would've been torched by rookie Amari Cooper last Sunday if the Oakland Raiders had made a concerted effort to attack him.

My opinion? I'd like to see the man have a bad game, as opposed to a bad play here and there, before we remove his crown and kick it in the sewer. Revis has surrendered only one touchdown -- Pierre Garcon, on a quick slant. Yes, he caught a break on another -- a Julian Edelman drop in the end zone -- but two hiccups don't qualify as a trend.

"He's a comedian," Revis told the New York Daily News, referring to Woodson.

Not surprisingly, the Jets dismissed Woodson's comments.

"I don't think anything about it," Todd Bowles said. "Analysts talk. I think [Revis] is good for us. I don't worry about what everybody else thinks."

Cromartie chimed in, saying of Woodson, "He doesn't play anymore, so who cares?"

If Revis has lost his magic, it won't take long before other teams figure it out and puncture a hole in his aura of invincibility. There is no mercy in the NFL; opponents will attack as soon as they smell blood. That hasn't happened yet with Revis.

Could it be happening with Cromartie? He allowed two touchdowns against the Raiders, easily his worst game of the season. That brings his total to five in seven games, according to Pro Football Focus, which rates him as one of the worst corners in the league. The man has been a good player for a decade; he's entitled to a little slack.

Cromartie took accountability, admitting he "played like s---" last week, but he doesn't believe that game is emblematic of his season. And, no, he won't call it a slump.

"Only pitchers or hitters have slumps, if that's what you want to call it," he said. "I look at it as one game. I've got nine more to improve."

The Jacksonville Jaguars will test Cromartie. Blake Bortles likes to throw deep, and he has a young, dynamic receiving tandem in Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns. If Cromartie has lost some of his catch-up speed, we could find out on Sunday.

"In our heart of hearts," defensive coordinator Kacy Rodgers said, "we don't feel like he's struggling."

Cynical Gotham wants to see for itself.

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NEW YORK POST

Jets are 0-1 minus Nick Mangold — he plans to keep it that way (Howie Kussoy) New York Post November 5, 2015

http://nypost.com/2015/11/05/jets-nick-mangold-takes-first-step-toward-playing-sunday/

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Jets center Nick Mangold made progress Thursday after missing just the fourth game of his 10-year career last weekend against the Raiders, returning to practice as a limited participant for the first time since injuring his neck against the Patriots the previous week.

Todd Bowles said Mangold still needs to do more activity before he is cleared to play against the Jaguars, but the coach was encouraged seeing the center on the field and snapping balls to Ryan Fitzpatrick, which Mangold plans to do Sunday.

“I’m preparing for it,” Mangold said. “I’m studying and getting ready and hopefully everything works out. … I felt pretty good and am feeling better than the day before.”

Mangold said he was pretty close to playing at Oakland, but was advised by doctors it “wouldn’t be the best choice.”

Filling in for Mangold was Wesley Johnson, who was signed off the practice squad a few days before his first career start. If Johnson is needed again, offensive coordinator Chan Gailey said the 24-year-old’s performance against the Raiders gives him more confidence going into the next game.

“I thought he handled everything fairly well,” Gailey said. “He had some rookie, breaking-into-the-position minor issues. There were no major gaffes. That was encouraging that he could go out and play and get us through a game. He’s not Nick Mangold, but there’s very few of those out there.”

Though former first-round pick Dee Milliner has fully recovered from a wrist injury, according to Bowles, the coach said the third-year cornerback might not be activated for Sunday’s game.

“At the moment, he’s just practicing,” Bowles said. “If we can make room for him, we’ll bring him up. If we can’t, we won’t. It’s just a roster decision.”

Wide receiver Eric Decker (knee) didn’t practice for the second straight day, along with offensive lineman Willie Colon (ankle) and safety Calvin Pryor (ankle). Brandon Marshall (toe/ankle) was limited after missing Wednesday’s practice, as was receiver Devin Smith (foot), cornerback Buster Skrine (shoulder/hand) and running back Bilal Powell (ankle).

Bowles said Decker was sore, but didn’t suffer a setback. Despite Decker’s optimism Wednesday that he wouldn’t miss Sunday’s game, the coach wasn’t yet positive the receiver would play.

“We’ll see how he feels Sunday morning,” Bowles said. “I know he says he wants to play, but until you see him run [you don’t know].”

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Jets’ Cromartie shrugs off struggles, but numbers tell ugly story (Mark Cannizzaro) New York Post November 5, 2015

http://nypost.com/2015/11/05/jets-cromartie-shrugs-off-struggles-but-numbers-tell-ugly-story/

Antonio Cromartie said Thursday his abysmal performance in the Jets’ 34-20 loss to the Raiders last Sunday was a one-time deal, not a trend indicating his skills have diminished.

“It’s over with. It’s a whole new week,’’ the cornerback said as the Jets prepare for Sunday’s home game against the Jaguars. “That game is over with. To me, I’m all about Jacksonville. I’m not worried about anything in the past.’’

Cromartie was only one of many who played terribly against the Raiders, but a couple of his gaffes stood out.

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He was one of several Jets’ defenders who missed a tackle on receiver Michael Crabtree’s 36-yard catch-and-run touchdown that put the Raiders up 14-3, and he was beaten on a 49-yard touchdown pass to Andre Holmes that gave Oakland a 21-3 lead.

After the game, Cromartie was brutally honest in assessing his play, saying, “I feel like I played like s—t, to be honest with you.’’

So all eyes will be on Cromartie on Sunday with the Jaguars bringing a potentially potent passing attack to MetLife Stadium, with second-year quarterback Blake Bortles having thrown 15 touchdown passes and receivers Allen Robinson (34 catches, 17.2-yard average) and Allen Hurns (31, 16.5), having combined for 11 of those scoring receptions.

“They do have a good vertical game with a young quarterback that keeps the plays going,’’ Cromartie said. “I think the biggest thing for us to make sure nothing goes over our heads.’’

Through seven games, Cromartie, 31, has yielded two deep touchdowns — a 54-yarder to the Browns’ Travis Benjamin in the opener and the 49-yarder in Oakland.

According to Pro Football Focus, Cromartie is ranked 100th out of 113 NFL cornerbacks, including 89th in coverage with five touchdowns allowed and five missed tackles.

Asked if he’s in a slump, Cromartie said: “Only [baseball] pitchers and hitters have slumps. So, no, I just look at it as one game. I’ve got nine more to keep improving on.’’

Head coach Todd Bowles called last Sunday “a bad day at the office’’ for Cromartie and the entire defense.

Defensive coordinator Kacy Rodgers called it “a bad day’’ for Cromartie.

“From our standpoint, we don’t view him as struggling,” Rodgers said. “If we saw him struggling, then you can always make a change, roll up, help the guy coverage-wise. We watch this guy prepare week in and week out. Consummate professional. Studies tape, can tell you tendencies. In our heart of hearts, we don’t believe he’s struggling.’’

Asked if he considers himself a good “bounce-back’’ player after a poor game, Cromartie said: “Honestly, a corner has got to have a short-term memory. You can’t worry about anything else. You’ve got to move on. We’ve got nine games left in the season and most important one is Jacksonville.’’

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Trent Green: Why Jets are ‘definitely’ playoff favorites (Justin Terranova) New York Post November 5, 2015

http://nypost.com/2015/11/05/trent-green-why-jets-are-definitely-playoff-favorites/

CBS analyst Trent Green talks Jets and a little Giants with The Post’s Justin Terranova. Green, who played quarterback for four NFL teams from 1997-2008, is calling Jets-Jaguars on Sunday.

Q: What was the reason for the Jets’ defensive breakdown against the Raiders?

A: The biggest shock was how effective and easy it was for Derek Carr to the move the ball in the passing game. I am not saying it was an intentional thing, but they had very high expectations going into New England and that was a close game. It was more of a letdown, if you look at what the Raiders have done the past few years. If you don’t have the right mindset — and run into a team like Oakland that’s starting to believe — this can happen.

Q: Did Geno Smith impress you with his fill-in work?

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A: My biggest thing with Geno over the years — and from this game — is his consistency, or lack thereof. Sometimes he looks like he has it figured out, and then there are other times where you don’t understand what he’s thinking. Was it a poor decision? Poor footwork?

Q: Are they still better off with Ryan Fitzpatrick starting Sunday against the Jaguars?

A: I have always been a fan of his. He runs the offense well. But you are going to get some interceptions because that’s just who he is. He’s going to take some chances and throw the ball down the field, but for the most part he’s got a good grasp of what [coach] Todd Bowles wants him to do.

Q: Do you think the Jets are the favorites to win a wild-card spot?

A: I definitely do. I’ve been impressed with what Todd has been able to do. It’s a completely different atmosphere and a completely different approach than the previous regime and the players have responded to it.

Q: How does a team move on from a game (52-49 loss to Saints) like the Giants had last week?

A: Unfortunately, you have to recover very quick. It’s tough. I played on a lot of teams where we scored a ton of points and gave up a lot of points. And from an offensive standpoint, I like the approach that Eli [Manning] took, saying we left some plays out there and could have done more. But from a defensive standpoint, you have to move on and understand you are not going to face a Drew Brees every week.

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How ‘copycat’ NFL is suddenly silencing Jets’ big-name pass rush (Howie Kussoy) New York Post November 5, 2015

http://nypost.com/2015/11/05/how-copycat-nfl-is-suddenly-silencing-jets-big-name-pass-rush/

All season, the Giants’ pass rush has been mocked as one of the league’s worst, but their MetLife Stadium co-tenant hasn’t been much more successful at reaching opposing quarterbacks.

After ranking sixth in the NFL last season with 45 sacks, the Jets enter Sunday’s game against the Jaguars tied for the third-fewest sacks in the league with 11, having recorded none in their past six quarters of play. Over the past two losses, Tom Brady faced little pressure while dropping 355 yards and two touchdowns, followed by Derek Carr hanging 333 yards and four touchdowns on the Jets.

The names on the defensive line — Muhammad Wilkerson, Sheldon Richardson, Leonard Williams and Damon Harrison — make such a drought sound impossible, as does the overall success of the defense in Todd Bowles’ aggressive schemes, but defensive coordinator Kacy Rodgers says the lack of pass-rushing impact from the front seven stems from opposing quarterbacks making quicker throws.

“A lot of the quarterbacks are getting the ball out pretty fast because of the way we pressure and the different things we do,” Rodgers said Thursday. “What happens with us with the way we try to play defense, people try to block it up and [use] max protection … sometimes when people know you have a tendency to come after them, they get the ball out faster.”

Linebacker Quinton Coples said the defense didn’t expect Carr to be able to operate so quickly or so easily.

“To a degree they caught us off guard a couple times doing that quick stuff,” Coples said. “This is a copycat league so I expect [the Jaguars] to go out there and try it, too. We know what we’ve got to do. We’ve just got to do it.”

Against Jacksonville, pass-rushing opportunities may open against an offensive line tied for the 11th most sacks allowed this season (19). To combat the quick releases, Rodgers said the front seven and secondary

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need to communicate better, though he believes the defensive talent is spread evenly enough to allow them to employ different tactics.

“You can go force him and send as many as you can,” Rodgers said. “If he’s getting it out fast anyway, drop eight and fill up all the zones. … The beauty about our defense I think is the multiplicity, because we have the characteristics if we want to come get you, we feel like we can. If we want to drop into zone, we feel like we can. We feel like we have some options.”

When the Jets opened with four wins in their first five games and their defense was being hailed as the league’s best, sacks didn’t come much easier, but the team was averaging three turnovers per game. In the two recent losses, the Jets haven’t forced a turnover.

“The first five weeks, we were getting turnovers so people weren’t keyed in on sacks,” defensive tackle Leger Douzable said. “We were getting hits and hurries and that’s why we were getting turnovers. We just got to get back to doing that, causing quarterbacks to turn it over and making them hold the ball longer. We love getting sacks, but we’ll take turnovers and three-and-outs all day.”

Having allowed 68 points over the past two games — after giving up 64 points in the first four games — the Jets’ defense understands another similar outing could send the season slipping away at the halfway point.

“We’re not panicking, but we know what time it is,” Coples said. “It’s not desperation, but we need to win out. We’re well aware that our future is in our hands.”

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Jets are hopeless unless Ryan Fitzpatrick finally learns lesson (Mark Cannizzaro) New York Post November 5, 2015

http://nypost.com/2015/11/05/jets-are-hopeless-unless-ryan-fitzpatrick-finally-learns-lesson/

Decide to slide.

This needs to be Ryan Fitzpatrick’s mantra every time he takes off on a scramble, because every time he runs and doesn’t slide he risks putting the Jets’ season in peril.

Fitzpatrick has not been Tom Brady or Aaron Rodgers to the Jets in that he is not a quarterback who puts the team on his back and carries it across the finish line. But what he has been is a consistent, smart, calming veteran force behind center the Jets have not had for a few years.

He has been one of the two or three most critical pieces to the Jets 4-3 start entering their game against the Jaguars Sunday at MetLife Stadium.

But Fitzpatrick has little chance to go the distance, last the full 16 regular-season rounds, if he does not decide to slide.

The fate of the Jets season flashed before their eyes Sunday in Oakland when Fitzpatrick got up shaking his left hand after being tackled by Charles Woodson at the end of a scramble on the first offensive possession.

The diagnosis was ligament damage, and Fitzpatrick was out of the game.

Later, there was Fitzpatrick’s backup, Geno Smith, trying to gain an extra yard or two along the sideline during a scramble, lowering his shoulder into a Raiders defensive player instead of stepping safely out of bounds untouched.

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Smith injured his shoulder on the play.

So, by the time the ink was dry on the Jets’ 34-20 loss to the Raiders, it looked like they might be without two of their three quarterbacks for a week, two or maybe more, leaving raw rookie Bryce Petty as the only healthy quarterback on the roster.

So this is what dominated the mind of Jets offensive coordinator Chan Gailey for the balance of the five-hour cross-country flight home Sunday night:

“Trying to figure out what we’ll have to do to get Bryce Petty ready to play,’’ Gailey said Thursday.

Fortunately for the Jets, both Fitzpatrick and Smith have practiced fully this week and it is business as usual for them with Fitzpatrick scheduled to start Sunday. But Fitzpatrick got away with one in Oakland. He cannot afford to be reckless any longer. He needs to decide to slide.

“I’ll believe it when I see it,’’ Gailey said when asked if he thinks Fitzpatrick will start sliding. “We all have a level, a point where we say, ‘OK, enough’s enough.’ Ryan just hasn’t gotten to that point yet. But maybe he will. Maybe this will be the one. If a broken leg didn’t do it, I don’t know if a hurt thumb will do it or not, so… ’’

The broken leg to which Gailey referred is the injury that ended Fitzpatrick’s season with six games remaining last year in Houston.

It is a conundrum, because Fitzpatrick’s scrambling ability is a weapon. But it is a weapon he can still utilize while being smarter. He can still get his positive scramble yards and slide before he gets hit.

“Yeah, it is a fine line,’’ Gailey said, “and I have not found out where that is yet.’’

The Jets are fortunate they did not lose Fitzpatrick for any extended period of time. By all accounts, the special protective glove on his left hand has not affected him in practice this week.

“He looked good; he looked normal,’’ head coach Todd Bowles said Thursday.

Gailey revealed he was prepared to alter the game plan if Fitzpatrick was going to be hampered by the left hand, perhaps playing out of the shotgun more often to keep him from taking snaps from under center.

“We were going to do that, but he worked on that earlier in the week and assured us there were no issues and there have been no issues,’’ Gailey said. “He’s adjusted very well, so I’m not staying awake at night.’’

If Fitzpatrick gets hurt again and misses time, he will.

“It was tough to see him go down, knowing that he makes this thing go,’’ running back Chris Ivory said of Fitzpatrick, who has 124 rushing yards.

Ivory, one of the hardest runners in the game, appreciates Fitzpatrick’s toughness and scrambling ability, saying, “I like it … until it gets to the point where somebody gets hurt.’’

Repeat after every concerned Jets fan: “Ryan, decide to slide.’’

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NJ ADVANCE MEDIA

How worried should Jets be about Eric Decker's lingering knee injury? (Darryl Slater) NJ Advance Media November 5, 2015

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http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/11/how_worried_should_jets_be_about_eric_deckers_ling.html#incart_river

FLORHAM PARK — Wide receiver Eric Decker has been dealing with a nagging left knee injury since the Jets' second game of the season, Sept. 21 at the Colts.

Decker landed awkwardly on his knee, as cornerback Jalil Brown fell on top of him. Decker said the initial diagnosis was a posterior cruciate ligament injury. It turned out to just be a sprain.

But these injuries can linger, and Decker's has. Decker missed the next week's game against the Eagles. But he has played in all four of the Jets' games since.

He remains a vital part of their offense. Over those four games, he has 20 catches for 259 yards and three touchdowns.

He said he doesn't believe his knee injury will eventually require surgery. Nonetheless, he said, it remains a "frustrating" issue for him.

In order to be fresh for games, Decker needs to limit his practice action. That's why he didn't practice Wednesday — a rest day — even though he said he'll play Sunday against Jacksonville.

This is standard stuff for NFL players, as they try to play through an injury that's not serious enough to sideline them for the year, but still bothers them.

Last week, Decker did not practice Wednesday, and was limited Thursday and Friday. He probably will have the same progression this week. It's all about maintaining his knee, because game reps mean more than practice reps.

Here's a look at Decker's practice participation since he returned to game action:

• Miami: did not practice, limited, limited

• Washington (after bye week): full, full, full

• New England: full, limited, limited

• Oakland: did not practice, limited, limited

• Jacksonville: did not practice, TBD, TBD

Decker would prefer to practice, but he understands why he shouldn't push himself during the week.

"The smartest thing, as far as maintenance, is trying to take a few days off after a game, and then get as much work as I can toward the end of [the week]," he said, well aware that the 4-3 Jets still have nine games remaining in their playoff push.

Last year, Decker battled a hamstring injury for much of the season. So he's annoyed that he has to deal with another lingering leg injury.

"I feel like it's kind of been my M.O. since I've been here, just nagging injuries," said Decker, in his second season with the Jets. "Now it's just battling the soreness, the swelling. It is getting better, so eventually it will go away, and I'm back full go, unless something obviously happens [with a setback]."

Decker wants to practice more so he can establish timing within the weekly game plan installation.

"You always want to take the reps in the new stuff," he said. "We've got a base offense that we carry over week to week. But the new stuff that we put in and just the different looks that defenses give you, you want to be able to hit some of those throughout the week and feel comfortable."

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Decker said that as long as he gets some practice work on Thursdays and Fridays, he'll feel fine going into a game, while also being able to rest his knee.

"I like to practice, but at the same time, you've got to be smart about it," he said.

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Jets' Darrelle Revis sees plenty of improvement in Jacksonville Jaguars' Blake Bortles (Dom Cosentino) NJ Advanced Media November 5, 2015

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/11/jets_darrelle_revis_sees_plenty_of_improvement_in.html#incart_river_mobileshort

FLORHAM PARK — Since last year's draft, Blake Bortles has borne all the expectations that come with being a quarterback taken with the No. 3 overall pick by the Jaguars, a franchise that hasn't had a winning season in eight years.

Bortles took over as Jacksonville's starter in Week 4 of his rookie season, and he took his knocks: a 3-10 record as a starter, 11 touchdown passes against 17 interceptions, a Total QBR of 25.22, which ranked dead last in the league among qualified starters.

And even though the Jags are off to a 2-5 start this year, Bortles is getting better. And heading into Sunday's game at the Jets (4-3) at MetLife Stadium, star cornerback Darrelle Revis is among those who's noticed.

"He's improving," Revis said. "He seems more poised and more relaxed in the pocket."

It hasn't helped that Bortles hasn't had outstanding receivers or a great offensive line. His top target from a year ago, Cecil Shorts, made just 53 catches (and is now with the Texans). And Bortles was sacked a league-high 55 times as a rookie behind an offensive line ranked dead last in pass protection by Football Outsiders.

This year, though, Bortles' Total QBR is a much-better 61.4, and he's thrown 15 touchdowns versus just eight interceptions. He's got two receivers—Allen Robinson and Allen Hurd—with more than 30 catches and 500 yards receiving. And Bortles has also taken just 19 sacks, a pace that's much improved since last year.

Bortles also isn't afraid to take off and run: 23 carries for 146 yards.

The biggest thing Revis has noticed in Bortles' arm strength. The stats bear that out, too: Bortles has taken plenty of shots downfield—52 passes of more than 20 yards, per Pro Football Focus. And he's completed 19 of those for 635 yards and four touchdowns.

Bortles can therefore challenge a defense by stretching the field.

"I'll tell you one thing, his arm is—he's probably got one of the strongest arms in the league," Revis said. "He can make all the throws. Their passing attack is very vertical. I think it's because of his arm. He can throw."

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Jets' Eric Decker jokes that he's in elite touchdown group all due to Peyton Manning (Darryl Slater) NJ Advance Media November 5, 2015

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http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/11/jets_eric_decker_jokes_that_hes_in_elite_touchdown.html#incart_river_mobileshort

FLORHAM PARK — Since Jets wide receiver Eric Decker entered the NFL in 2010, he has the fifth-most touchdown catches (43) among all the league's receivers.

Here are the guys ahead of him: teammate Brandon Marshall (44), Jordy Nelson (45), Dez Bryant (56), and Calvin Johnson (56).

That's elite company, especially since Decker had just one touchdown catch as a rookie in 2010. He followed that with eight, 13, 11, five, and five so far this year.

"That's pretty cool," Decker said. "That's a lot of touchdowns."

Decker couldn't resist making a wisecrack about how some people perceive him: "I mean, yeah, I'm a product of Peyton Manning, so it's all because of Peyton."

Decker played with Manning in Denver from 2013-14, when he had 13 and 11 touchdown catches.

Seriously, though, Decker sounded impressed to hear he's in that group of the highest-scoring receivers over the past five-plus seasons. He was unaware about that statistic until a reporter informed him Wednesday.

"I guess I'm surprised myself, a little bit," he said. "It's pretty neat."

He was asked if he's now a product of Ryan Fitzpatrick, the Jets' journeyman quarterback.

"Of course," he said with a smile. "We're all a product of something. Regardless of who you are, you're in a system. This is how I look at it: If you can be in the right spot, if you can do the right things ... Obviously, there are really talented guys that can go one-on-one and make some ridiculous catches.

"But if you do things the right way, eventually you're going to get enough targets. And if you've got a quarterback that trusts you, that's how statistics are built. That's how you get opportunities."

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5 Kacy Rodgers Jets takeaways: Is he worried about Antonio Cromartie? (Darryl Slater) NJ Advance Media November 5, 2015

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/11/kacy_rodgers_takeaways_jets.html#incart_river_mobileshort

FLORHAM PARK — The Jets' defense is coming off a stinker of a game, Sunday's 34-20 loss at the Raiders.

On Thursday, defensive coordinator Kacy Rodgers addressed what went wrong, as well as some other issues related to his defense.

Here are five takeaways from what Rodgers said:

1. Those missed tackles. The Jets' total in Oakland was in the 20s. Moreover, coach Todd Bowles said the defense had some minor issues with loafing during the loss. "It was just very uncharacteristic of us as a whole," Rodgers said. "We've just got to get back to fundamentals. We have pretty high standards there, and that wasn't up to our standards."

2. Blake Bortles. The Jaguars' quarterback has taken steps forward from last season, when he was a rookie. He has 15 touchdowns and eight interceptions this season, compared to 11 touchdowns and 17 picks last year. "You can really see him taking a major leap," Rodgers said. "It seems like he's more controlled and

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managing the offense better. He's more looking to make plays with his feet, getting outside the pocket, extending plays. Rather than just scrambling, he's getting the ball downfield."

3. Antonio Cromartie's rough game. Yes, Cromartie did play poorly against the Raiders. Rodgers admitted that. But he's not worried about bigger-picture problems with Cromartie, a 10th-year cornerback. "When we look at Cro, the answer to that would be no," Rodgers said. He did acknowledge that Cromartie allowed a 54-yard touchdown pass in the opener against the Browns, in addition to his problems in Oakland. "But otherwise, no, we don't worry about Cro," Rodgers said. "I guess from our standpoint, we don't view him as struggling. If we saw him struggling, then you can always make a change, roll up, help the guy coverage-wise. We watch this guy prepare week in and week out. Consummate professional. Studies tape, can tell you tendencies. In our heart of hearts, we don't believe he's struggling. He had a bad day."

4. Pass rush shortcomings. Why haven't the Jets been able to get a major pass rush presence lately? "A lot of the quarterbacks are getting the ball out pretty fast, because of the way we pressure and the different things we do," Rodgers said. "A lot of times, we're not a 4-3 Cover 2 team, and we'll drop out [besides the four pass rushers] and play soft zone. That's just not our style of play. Sometimes, when people know that you have a tendency to come after them, they get the ball out faster." How can the Jets counter quarterbacks who want to get the ball out quickly? "You can go force him, send as many as you can," Rodgers said. "Some people want to drop eight. He's getting it out fast anyway, so drop eight and fill up all the zones. The beauty about our defense is the multiplicity. If we want to come get you, we feel like we can. If we want to drop into zone, we feel like we can. We feel like we have some options."

5. Darrelle Revis through seven games. So far, so great, according to Rodgers. "I would say he's lived up to everything, and then some," Rodgers said of the Jets' star cornerback. "When we go to game plan, there's no doubt: This guy, we have total and ultimate confidence in."

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5 Chan Gailey Jets takeaways: No issues with Ryan Fitzpatrick's injury (Dom Cosentino) NJ Advanced Media November 5, 2015

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/11/5_chan_gailey_jets_takeaways_no_issues_with_ryan_f.html#incart_river_mobileshort

FLORHAM PARK — It's been a week in which the quarterbacks have been a focus for the Jets (imagine that), thanks to injuries to starter Ryan Fitzpatrick (non-throwing thumb) and backup Geno Smith (non-throwing shoulder).

Both both are expected to be in uniform Sunday against the Jaguars at MetLife Stadium, with Fitzpatrick as the starter. Offensive coordinator Chan Gailey on Thursday assessed his quarterbacks, and so much more.

A quick summary.

• Fitzpatrick's injury limitations. Gailey said Fitzpatrick has been able to do what he normally does at practice. His mechanics are the same, snapping ought to be the same, handoffs ought to be the same, and taking shotgun snaps ought to be the same. The only issue? Fitzpatrick will wear a protective glove on his left hand, and he's consulted with Cardinals quarterback (and former Bengals teammate) Carson Palmer about how to adjust to the situation. So is there any issue at all? "It's just awkward to have something on your hand," Gailey said. "You just don't have the full range of everything, but he's adjusted very well."

• How Smith played against the Raiders. Gailey said Smith "did pretty good" for having to come off the bench six plays into the game after not having played in a game in 11 months. "I want him to slide or step

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out of bounds," Gailey said, referring to the play in which Smith injured his shoulder at the end of a long scramble. "And I don't want him to take those two sacks [in the fourth quarter]. But if you take two plays—the two sacks—he did pretty well." Asked if he was OK with the interception Smith threw into double coverage downfield in the second quarter, Gailey said, "Oh, yeah. I called it."

• Why is Chris Ivory getting stopped? Ivory, after a bang-up start, has been held to 58 yards on 32 carries in his last two games, though he had also been limited by a hamstring injury the week before at the Patriots. Seven of Ivory's 15 carries against the Raiders came on the Jets' first possession. The reason they stopped going to him? The Jets were playing from behind. "I think we'd have eventually been OK had we been able to stick with it," Gailey said. "But when we got behind we ended up going to the spread offense." Gailey also said Ivory no longer has any issues with his quad or his hamstring, and that neither had affected Ivory against the Raiders. "He just needs to keep running hard," Gailey said. "It'll come."

• Why didn't Stevan Ridley play? Ridley, a running back who had been activated from the physically unable to perform list (knee) last week, did not play against the Raiders. Gailey said that, too, was related to the Jets getting away from the running game early on after falling behind. He wouldn't reveal whether Ridley would play any snaps this Sunday against the Jaguars.

• More Jeremy Kerley and Kenbrell Thompkins? With Eric Decker (knee) and Brandon Marshall (toe, ankle) both nursing injuries—though Decker has already said he would play—Gailey said Kerley and Thompkins could continue to see a bigger role in the offense. Against the Raiders, Kerley caught four passes (on five targets) for 63 yards, while Thompkins had six catches (on seven targets) for 41 yards. "We're going to rely on them to do quite a bit," Gailey said. "Especially if neither (Decker nor Marshall) or one can't play."

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Jets have less than a week to make a Dee Milliner decision (Dom Cosentino) NJ Advanced Media November 5, 2015

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/11/whats_the_latest_on_dee_milliners_status_with_jets.html#incart_river_mobileshort

FLORHAM PARK — Dee Milliner has now been back at practice for two weeks, which leaves the Jets with only five more days to decide whether to place him on the 53-man roster or to shut him down for the season.

Milliner, a cornerback and 2013 first-round draft pick, had wrist surgery in August, and he was placed on injured reserve/designated for return just before the start of the regular season. That meant he couldn't practice until after Week 6 and couldn't be added to the roster until after Week 8, which is this week.

Head coach Todd Bowles said Wednesday that Milliner's health is no longer an issue; Milliner is ready and able to return.

"It's just a roster decision at this point," Bowles said.

Milliner had officially returned to practice on Oct. 21, or just after Week 6. According to the injured reserve/designated to return rules (also known as short-term IR), the Jets have 21 days from that date to place Milliner on the 53-man roster—which would give them until Tuesday at 4 p.m. to do so.

If the Jets don't put Milliner back on the roster by that time, they'll have to put him on season-ending injured reserve.

Milliner, who is under contract for one more season (with a team option for 2017), declined an interview request on Thursday, saying he wouldn't speak to the media until he's active again.

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Milliner has battled injuries since the Jets selected him No. 9 overall in 2013; he only played 16 games in his first two seasons, and he missed most of last season with an Achilles tear. He's also dealt with injuries to his hamstring, quadriceps, and ankle.

The Jets currently have six cornerbacks on the 53-man roster: Darrelle Revis, Antonio Cromartie, Buster Skrine, Marcus Williams, Darrin Walls, and Dexter McDougle.

Bowles wouldn't reveal anything about the Jets' plans for Milliner, both in terms of where he might fit in the rotation and whether the team even planned to activate him by Tuesday's deadline.

"At the moment, he's just practicing," Bowles said. "If we can make room for him, we'll bring him up. If we can't, we won't."

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NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Jets CB Antonio Cromartie dismisses slump talk after stinker vs. Raiders (Daniel Popper) New York Daily News November 5, 2015

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/jets-insider-antonio-cromartie-dismisses-slump-talk-article-1.2425255

The Jets defense put on its worst performance of the season Sunday in a loss at the Raiders, and Antonio Cromartie was a big part of the problem. Of the nine passes thrown Cromartie's way in the game, seven were completed for a total of 140 yards and two touchdowns, according to Pro Football Focus.

Todd Bowles and defensive coordinator Kacy Rodgers called the overall defensive showing a "bad day at the office," and Cromartie is sticking with a similar explanation for his personal play.

He's not in a slump; it's just one poor game.

"Only pitchers and hitters have slumps," Cromartie said. "I just look at it as one game and I got nine more to keep improving."

Rodgers noted that Cromartie had played well in recent weeks after a tough start to the season. Travis Benjamin burned the cornerback for a 54-yard touchdown in the Jets' 31-10 win over the Browns in Week 1, but since then, Rodgers had seen consistency from Cromartie.

"From our standpoint, we don't view him as struggling," Rodgers said. "We watch this guy prepare week in, week out, consummate professional, studies tape, can tell you tendencies…and in our heart of hearts we don't believe he's struggling. He had a bad day."

INJURY CONCERNS

The Jets' injury report is long and littered with important names. But the team did get several players back at practice Thursday as it prepares for this this weekend's contest against the Jaguars.

Both wide receiver Brandon Marshall (toe/ankle) and center Nick Mangold (neck) returned to practice in a limited role Thursday after missing practice altogether Friday. Mangold, who sat out the loss to the Raiders, believes he will play Sunday.

"I sure plan on it," Mangold said.

Safety Calvin Pryor (ankle), wide receiver Eric Decker (knee) and guard Willie Colon (knee) were the only three Jets not to practice Thursday.

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Bowles said Decker was "still sore" before practice. Whether the receiver plays Sunday will be a game-time decision. He already missed a game against the Eagles in the Week 3 because of a knee injury.

"I'll see how he feels Sunday morning," Bowles said.

IVORY STALLING

After a tremendous start to his 2015 campaign, running back Chris Ivory has slowed down over the past two weeks, compiling just 58 yards on 32 carries against the Patriots and Raiders. His worst game of the season came last week in Oakland when he rushed for 17 yards on 15 carries.

Todd Bowles and offensive coordinator Chan Gailey attributed some Ivory's poor production against the Raiders to the Jets falling behind and being forced to throw. But Ivory knows his team needs to execute better.

"We have to do a better job up front," Ivory said.

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Jets, Bills will wear one-color uniforms Thursday as part of NFL's 'color rush' (Bill Price) New York Daily News November 5, 2015

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/jets-bills-wear-one-color-uniforms-thursday-article-1.2425363

Rex Ryan is coming to town next week, but it might as well be Santa Claus.

In what will certainly feel like a 60-minute commercial for Christmas, the Jets, wearing kelly green jerseys, and Bills, in scarlet red from head-to-toe, will battle Thursday night on NFL Network.

In an NFL campaign titled “Color Rush,” the league tweeted out pictures of the uniforms both teams will wear.

Too bad they weren’t playing on Boise State’s blue field, now that would be something.

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Will the real Jets defense please stand up? (Manish Mehta) New York Daily News

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November 6, 2015

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/mehta-real-jets-defense-stand-article-1.2425487

Championship defenses don’t loaf, kind of loaf or nap after kickoff.

The scariest part of the Jets’ self-described “disgusting” performance in the Black Hole last weekend?

It’s unclear whether the shaky defensive play was an aberration or a sneak peek of the second half of the season.

Todd Bowles’ matter-of-fact disposition can’t erase this recent smorgasbord of slop. The poor energy in the loss to the Raiders was inexcusable. If Bowles is who we think he is, then that shouldn’t be an issue anymore. There’s been a heightened intensity at practice this week, according to players.

“We’ve been practicing with a chip on our shoulder,” Bowles said Thursday. “It was a setback last week … It didn’t shake the confidence any.”

Despite the front office’s free-agent splurge this offseason, there are legitimate personnel concerns on defense. There were plenty of culprits in last week’s defensive meltdown, but a few guys simply haven’t played well enough entering Sunday’s game against the Jaguars.

Antonio Cromartie has had his fair share of challenges even if defensive coordinator Kacy Rodgers insisted that “in our heart of hearts we don’t believe he’s struggling.”

The numbers aren’t pretty for the four-time Pro Bowl cornerback. The 31-year-old Cromartie has allowed five touchdowns and missed five tackles, including three last week, in seven games. Opposing quarterbacks have a 132.5 passer rating when throwing into his coverage, according to Pro Football Focus.

Cromartie has accepted responsibility for his subpar play, but he was expected to be an anchor opposite of Darrelle Revis, who is no longer Superman, but still a quality No. 1 cornerback. Nickel corner Buster Skrine, an invaluable piece to Bowles’ scheme, has been playing through shoulder and finger injuries in recent weeks. Marcus Williams, who has been used at cornerback and safety, missed at least six tackles against the Raiders.

Bowles’ issues, however, extend beyond the rebuilt secondary. Linebacker Demario Davis has consistently been beaten in coverage by running backs. Although Rodgers maintained that “we’re not sweating” Davis’ ability to cover, your eyes tell you a different story.

Davis, who missed at least four tackles against the Raiders, has struggled in coverage against running backs and tight ends for the better part of his four-year career. He got bailed out a few times this season by errant throws or drops after clearly getting beat. There’s no denying that the Jets need to improve in that area.

The Jets defensive line, loaded with young talent, didn’t even sniff Derek Carr last week. Bowles explained away the lack of heat on the passer by pointing to a Raiders scheme that called for quick passes. Sheldon Richardson, the team’s best defensive lineman, didn’t have a quarterback pressure in 33 pass-rushing snaps, according to Pro Football Focus. (Mo Wilkerson leads all 3-4 defensive ends in missed tackles this season, according to PFF).

Raiders’ running back Taiwan Jones’ 59-yard catch and run for a touchdown on the opening drive of the second half was a microcosm of the Jets’ recent issues. Davis, responsible for covering Jones, missed a tackle in the flat, Williams missed a tackle, Marcus Gilchrist whiffed after getting juked and Richardson missed on his last-ditch effort. Four strikes and you’re out.

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“That probably will be our worst performance of the year,” Skrine said. “We never want to re-live that. ... The way we played wasn’t us. So, we just want to get back to doing what we do … and be the No. 1 defense in the league.”

Strip away all the entertaining bakery imagery (loafs, minor loafs) and headline-grabbers (disgusting, sleeping) and the Jets could be left with a real problem.

Are they the elite defense that we presumed after the offseason overhaul … or just decent?

It’s easy to overreact after two sub-par performances against the Patriots and Raiders — the Jets still rank third in total defense — but it’s fair to wonder what to expect in the final nine weeks. Playoff defenses don’t log eight consecutive quarters of this type of play.

Bowles defense ranked in the top five in nearly every meaningful statistical category before the issues surfaced two weeks ago. The Jets tumbled to 12th in scoring defense after giving up 64 points to the Patriots and Raiders.

They’ve given up 784 total yards, including 688 through the air, and six touchdown passes the past two weeks. Bowles’ defense has allowed 6.2 yards per play in the pair of losses. An opportunistic team that racked up 10 takeaways in the first two games has forced only five in the past five games, including none against New England and Oakland.

Do the Jets have a special defense or an overhyped one?

The status quo isn’t good enough. Changes aren’t optional.

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WALL STREET JOURNAL

Who’s Teaching These NFL Quarterbacks to Slide, Anyway? (Stu Woo) Wall Street Journal November 5, 2015

http://www.wsj.com/articles/whos-teaching-these-nfl-quarterbacks-to-slide-anyway-1446757976

FLORHAM PARK, N.J.—Two preventable injuries nearly upended the Jets’ promising season last Sunday. In the first quarter, starting quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick tore a ligament in the thumb of his left, non-throwing hand. Then in the fourth, backup passer Geno Smith suffered a bruise to his left, non-throwing shoulder.

Both were the results of needless mistakes, with the quarterbacks taking unnecessary hits because they neglected to surrender themselves by making a baseball-style slide to the turf.

“I could have slid 3 yards before and it wouldn’t have been an issue,” said Fitzpatrick, who exited the game after the hit from Oakland’s Charles Woodson. Despite the torn ligament, Fitzpatrick will start this Sunday against Jacksonville with a protective glove on his left hand. “I’ve got to try to be a little bit smarter.”

Smith was singing the same tune after the loss to the Raiders: “The smart thing to do is always to slide, protect yourself. That’s what I should’ve done.”

Quarterbacks are almost always an NFL team’s most important player. Yet in spite of their multiyear, nine-figure contracts, their teams often neglect to have them practice the simple technique of sliding feet-first to the turf to avoid collisions and protect their bodies—and the ball.

Smith, who said he would be available to play despite his shoulder injury, said he hasn’t practiced sliding since the Jets drafted him in 2013.

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Longtime Giants quarterback Eli Manning, who is known to avoid sacks at all costs, admitted, “I don’t think I’ve done a sliding drill. Maybe in college once.”

The NFL rule book states that any ball-carrier can declare himself down by sliding to the ground, and that “a defender must pull up when a runner begins a feet-first slide.” The downside is that game officials often mark the spot of the ball where the quarterback began his slide, rather than where he actually landed.

There are a couple reasons why today’s NFL quarterbacks, many of whom have been training for their jobs since they were teenagers, can’t execute a seemingly simple slide.

“I didn’t have to do it a whole lot in high school,” Manning said. “I was bigger than a lot of guys I was going up against. But in college, all of a sudden, you realize there are some big boys up there.” Manning said his family doesn’t teach the high-school quarterbacks who attend the annual Manning Passing Academy how to slide.

It’s also difficult to practice sliding safely, especially when the weather gets colder and teams practice indoors on artificial turf. During a slide, a quarterback risks getting a cleat caught in the turf, or at least a nasty rug burn.

“It’s hard to think of a nice drill to figure out that,” said Giants backup quarterback Ryan Nassib, who pointed to a two-inch stretch of gnarled skin just to the right of his right shin. “If you look at this right here, this is just from years of sliding.”

Nassib said it’s also tough to remember the proper sliding technique while dodging ferocious linemen in the midst of a game. After all, defenders aren’t allowed to hit quarterbacks during practice. “If you’re in the heat of the moment, it’s not something you’ve been training,” Nassib said.

Smith said it also goes against basic instinct: “You’re not used to running full speed and hitting the ground.”

When they do slide, quarterbacks say the best way to do it is to cover the football with both arms while mimicking a baseball slide—extending the dominant leg straight ahead while tucking the other leg. “Pretend like you’re sliding into second base,” Manning said. It’s no coincidence that one of the NFL’s best sliding quarterbacks, the Seattle Seahawks’ Russell Wilson, was drafted by the Texas Rangers as an infielder.

Former Eagles backup quarterback GJ Kinne said his coaches there emphasized sliding because his two fellow passers, Nick Foles and Michael Vick—the latter of whom actually took lessons from the Atlanta Braves when he played for the crosstown Falcons—found it hard to do. Kinne said quarterbacks coach Bill Musgrave found a fun way to do so, setting up a Slip ‘N Slide, the kind children play on every summer.

“After practice we had pads on and then they got a little Slip ‘N Slide to work on it,” said Kinne, who now plays safety on the Giants’ practice squad.

There appear to be no imminent sliding drills planned at 1 Jets Drive. Fitzpatrick said his left thumb still hurts enough that he can’t change diapers at home, but that he’ll be able to play without any hindrance, even with the protective glove.

Still, he called his injury a fluke and questioned whether sliding is the panacea that it’s made out to be. “I could have slid and hit my thumb on the ground,” he said.

Sometimes it’s a matter of who—that is, how valuable—the quarterback is. Some coaches want their quarterbacks to fight for an extra yard or two rather than perform a pre-emptive glide to the turf. Kinne said he ran into that scenario while in college at Tulsa. “My coach got kind of mad at me,” he said. “One time I slid, he told me I wasn’t Troy Aikman. I needed to keep running.”

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METRO NEW YORK

Dyer: The Jets kingdom for a Bortles (Kristian Dyer) Metro New York November 5, 2015

http://www.metro.us/new-york/dyer-the-jets-kingdom-for-a-bortles/zsJokf---cRg0zD3qJ1PYI/

Undoubtedly, the New York Jets are envious of the quarterback situation they face this weekend, even as the Jacksonville Jaguars young quarterback is still flawed and developing.

That the Jets figure Ryan Fitzpatrick and his broken ligament in one hand is better than their starter from the past two years, a highly-touted draft pick, is very telling in just how this team perceives the future of Geno Smith moving forward. It was Smith, a second round pick of the Jets two years ago, who was anointed as the replacement for Mark Sanchez, who himself was supposed to be the team’s franchise quarterback.

That this team has essentially lacked a building block quarterback for four decades is underscored this weekend: Jets management trusts a quarterback with one healthy hand over Smith, the talented by frustrating quarterback of their past two years. Very much to his credit, Smith came into last weekend’s game at the Oakland Raiders and while it was far from perfect, showed some quality through the rust of having not played this season.

But on the opposite sideline this weekend, the Jets face a team that has drafted a quarterback that looks like their franchise’s future. Blake Bortles had a tough rookie season by any meaning of the word but he has come along nicely this year. He’s showing more poise, more composure and great pocket awareness as his comfort level is clearly growing.

“I think when we drafted Blake, we really liked his competitiveness and his toughness and I think that was a couple of things we wanted to make sure to continue to build on and he’s done a good job of that. We kind of took him with the idea of a race to maturity I guess you would say. How can we help him mature through this process as fast as possible? Our intent was not to play him last year, but through circumstances, he got an opportunity and did some good things like any young player, and then did some things that he learned from,” Jaguars head coach Gus Bradley told Metro this week.

“I think in this offseason was where he made his greatest strides. He really looked at how to handle his body, how to (get into) a routine in pre-practice and was around some guys – Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees – I think he took a lot from them. I think he wanted to have a better understanding of protections and the mental part of the game and he’s achieved great growth in that aspect. His competitiveness, his toughness, I think he has a better understanding of not only during the game with protection and schemes, but also just a routine for himself and he’s in a groove right now as far as that concerned.

“His consistency is something we constantly work and challenge him with and you see signs of it. I think with that Buffalo game it shows some of his resolve, coming back where he threw a pick-six and came back and led us to a game-winning drive. I think those traits are showing up more consistently.”

And the Jets don’t have a Bortles on their roster.

Yes they have Bryce Petty, a fourth round pick, but the rookie still faces a steep learning curve as he transitions from an offense in college that masks a quarterback’s deficiencies. But in the injured Fitzpatrick, the Jets only have a stop-gap quarterback who can fill the void under center for a season or two before time will eventually force him out from a starting role. He isn’t a franchise quarterback.

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And in preferring a banged up Fitzpatrick over Smith for this game, it is clear that this new regime doesn’t think much of the last general manager’s quarterback pick.

Like so many quarterbacks who have come and gone with this franchise, Smith was supposed to be the answer. In Smith, there is a quarterback who can’t seem to get out of the way for his abilities to shine forth, his clock management in the Oakland game showing someone who just doesn’t get it after three years in the league.

What the Jets would do with a Bortles is anyone’s guess. They might screw up his development, like they did with Sanchez. Or this new regime might be able to maximize his skillset and grow him into someone finally worthy of taking the mantle that Joe Namath has held all these years. But we will never know, in large part because the Jets haven’t drafted an offensive player since 2009.

That pick? Sanchez.

Bortles isn’t perfect but he’s something for the Jaguars to cling to in hope and good faith. Look what a competent quarterback like Fitzpatrick has been able to do around these parts, building some momentum and confidence not just in the offense but the organization as a whole.

Imagine now what a bright young quarterback with good pedigree could do for this franchise. Franchise quarterbacks don’t grow on trees but that the Jets have committed so little over the past few years to finding the one to lead them back to the Super Bowl puts them in this predicament now.

The reality of the situation is that there is no easy solution to this, that the Jets inability to draft a marquee quarterback over the past decade isn’t something that can be easily rectified in one draft or one offseason. But it does underscore on weekends like this that the Jaguars have their young quarterback to build around, no matter how rough the growing pains might be.

The Jets can’t say the same thing right now.

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THURSDAY’S SPORTS TRANSACTIONS

BASEBALL

American League

BOSTON RED SOX — Named Troup Parkinson executive vice president/partnerships, David Beeston senior vice president/strategic planning and senior counsel, Adam Grossman senior vice president and chief marketing officer and Tim Zue senior vice president/finance, strategy and analytics. Promoted Naomi Calder to vice president/ticket services and operations, Katie Haas to vice president/Florida business operations, Pam Kenn to vice president/community, alumni and player relations and Marcita Thompson to vice president/Fenway Park Tours. Named Dr. Charles Steinberg president, Dan Rea senior vice president/general manager and Jeff White treasurer of Pawtucket (IL).

KANSAS CITY ROYALS — Exercised their options on RHP Wade Davis and SS Alcides Escobar. Declined their option on OF Jonny Gomes. Reinstated LHPs Tim Collins, Brian Flynn and Jason Vargas from the 60-day DL.

SEATTLE MARINERS — Reinstated LHP Charlie Furbush from the 60-day DL.

TAMPA BAY RAYS — Reinstated LHP Jeff Beliveau from the 60-day DL.

TEXAS RANGERS — Assigned C Bobby Wilson outright to Round Rock (PCL).

National League

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ATLANTA BRAVES — Reinstated LHPs Paco Rodriguez and Mike Minor and RHPs Chris Withrow, Shae Simmons and Jason Grilli from the 60-day DL.

LOS ANGELES DODGERS — LHP J.P. Howell exercised his option.

MIAMI MARLINS — Reinstated RHPs Aaron Crow and Henderson Alvarez from the 60-day DL.

NEW YORK METS — Selected the contract of LHP Josh Smoker from Binghamton (EL).

PITTSBURGH PIRATES — Declined their option on RHP Radhames Liz.

ST. LOUIS CARDINALS — Selected the contract of OF Anthony Garcia from Memphis (PCL).

SAN DIEGO PADRES — Assigned INF Cody Decker outright to El Paso (PCL). Reinstated RHP Cory Mazzoni and 1B Yonder Alonso from the 60-day DL.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS — Named Mike Maddux pitching coach and Davey Lopes first base coach.

BASKETBALL

DENVER NUGGETS — Waived G Erick Green. Signed F Kostas Papanikolaou.

FOOTBALL

DETROIT LIONS — Fired president Tom Lewand and general manager Martin Mayhew. Named vice president of pro personnel Sheldon White acting general manager and Allison Maki interim chief operating officer.

NEW YORK GIANTS — Placed DE Owa Odighizuwa on injured reserve/designated for return. Signed TE Jerome Cunningham from the practice squad.

PITTSBURGH STEELERS — Clailmed WR Jacoby Jones off waivers from San Diego.

HOCKEY

ARIZONA COYOTES — Assigned F Michael Bunting from Springfield (AHL) to Rapid City (ECHL).

CALGARY FLAMES — Reassigned D Keegan Kanzig from Stockton (AHL) to Calgary (WHL).

CAROLINA HURRICANES — Assigned F Joakim Nordstrom to Charlotte (AHL) for conditioning.

CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS — Reassigned F Ryan Hartman to Rockford (AHL).

COLLEGE

COMMONWEALTH COAST CONFERENCE — Named Doug Chin assistant commissioner.

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