Sports News and Trade Rumors: Pro Sports Daily

Comment

November 20

New York Post

columnist Jay Greenberg

"One minute Leon Washington was closer to forcing the Jets to give him the $6 million a year he wanted. And then his right leg got twisted under the Raiders' Tommy Kelly on a first-down play even simpler than, seemingly, what to do when someone puts $5 million on a table. "One thing with business I learned, it's risk and reward," Washington said yesterday of his training-camp decision to turn down the Jets' proposed contract extension that reportedly averaged $5 million per season and guaranteed him $10 million, though the new money wouldn't kick in until next season. "I knew coming into the season that was a risk. "That said, things happen for a reason," he added. "With my faith in God, my ..."

Jets look for big returns from new special teamers

Comment

November 20

New York Post

"With just a couple of days separating the Jets from the most important game of their season, they're still sorting out their kickoff and punt returners for Sunday in New England. With safety Jim Leonhard (fractured thumb) not able to return punts, it looks as if receiver Jerricho Cotchery will return punts against the Patriots. Cotchery, who returned kickoffs early in his career, approached special teams coach Mike Westhoff and asked to return punts and, according to Westhoff, looks like the best option. "He's sure-handed and completely smooth back there," Westhoff said. When the Jets use their two-man return tandem, it looks as if receiver Brad Smith will be the second player back for ..."

Revis ready to face Moss again

Comment

November 20

New York Post

"The numbers, pedestrian at best by NFL standards, speak for themselves: four catches for 24 yards. Those were Randy Moss's receiving statistics when his Patriots lost to the Jets on Sept. 20 at Giants Stadium. They were, in large part, a result of the work Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis did on him, shadowing him from the moment he got off the team bus to the moment he walked out of the tunnel a 16-9 loser. Afterward, however, Moss refused to give Revis his props, going as insulting far as saying he could be a good cornerback himself if he so chose. "All week he was talking about being a shutdown corner, but there really are no shutdown corners in the league because they have help most of ..."

Edelman taking notes from Welker

Comment

November 20

Boston Globe

"Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman made his NFL debut against the Jets in Week 2, filling in for Wes Welker, who had a knee injury at the time. Edelman caught eight passes for 98 yards in the 16-9 loss. Edelman has had his share of opportunities in his rookie season but missed two games due to a broken forearm. He returned to the lineup against the Colts on Sunday and said throughout the season he has taken notes watching and playing with Welker."

Jets' Revis has bravado covered

Comment

November 20

Boston Globe

"The debate out of Foxborough yesterday wasn't about fourth-down calls but how the Jets defended Randy Moss in Week 2. Flash back to Sept. 20, when the Jets held Moss to four catches for 24 yards in their 16-9 win at the Meadowlands. Moss's only catch of the second half was an 8-yard grab. After the game, Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis got the praise for shutting down Moss, blanketing him throughout the game. But Moss wasn't so quick to extend Revis much credit."

Patriots come to the defense

Comment

November 20

Boston Globe

"At this time last year, Tedy Bruschi was a leader on the Patriots defense. This week, in an indirect way, he may have sped the passing of those duties to linebacker Jerod Mayo, already a captain in his second season. Bruschi, now an ESPN analyst, criticized Bill Belichick's decision to go for it on fourth and 2 from his 28 in Sunday's game against the Colts because, he said, as a former defensive player, it would have "been enough to make my blood boil.'' Yesterday, Mayo further asserted himself as the team's defensive leader by offering the strongest rebuke yet by a Patriots player of the sentiment Bruschi championed."

New York Jets bring out worst

Comment

November 20

Boston Herald

"Hate the Jets. Loudmouths. Crybabies. Losers. And it's been going on forever. It's their lineage. For all their proclamations, exhortations and blowhardedness, what have they got to show for it? Nothing! How 'bout three division titles since Joe Namath's Jets won Super Bowl III to cap the 1968 season. That's three division titles in 40 years. Yet, the Jets strut, and pose and act like NFL hierarchy seemingly every year. This year is no different, led by the latest loudmouth, coach Rex Ryan. When they beat the Patriots in Week 2, the Jets acted as if they'd conquered the world. Today, Chelsea High would give them a game . . . a good game. From cornerbacks then, Johnny Sample, to cornerbacks ..."

Bill Belichick, Patriots rebound against reeling Jets

Comment

November 20

Boston Herald

"Football fans are tough to please, right coach Belichick? Right, coach Ryan? The guiding genius behind the Patriots dynasty, Bill Belichick enjoys enormous success in Foxboro along with a well-earned reputation as the most cerebral of NFL administrators. The three Super Bowls his teams have won make him a certain Hall of Famer. But off one bad call in Indianapolis, Patriot Nation is ready to turn on their coach. The nicest thing they're calling Belichick is "stupid" and he suddenly has the football acumen of a Vince Lombardi wannabe coaching his kid's Pop Warner team. The same thing is happening in New York where Rex Ryan, an inspirational leader after the Jets' 3-0 start, morphed into a ..."

Jerod Mayo insists defenders not upset

Comment

November 20

Boston Herald

"Jerod Mayo came out in support of Bill Belichick yesterday regarding the coach's controversial decision to go for it on fourth-and-2 against the Colts rather than punt. The Patriots linebacker and defensive captain said he didn't think Belichick was sending a message to the defense that the coach didn't have faith in it to stop Peyton Manning & Co. "We looked at it as a challenge. People say it was a lack of confidence in us. But we looked at it as a challenge," Mayo said. "We looked at it as coach having enough confidence in us to have a short field. Unfortunately, we were unable to step up to the challenge and get the job done. Hopefully, we can get it done this week." Former Pats ..."

Jets must punch New England Patriots in the mouth

Comment

November 20

New York Daily News

"Oliver McCall once had an emotional breakdown in the middle of the ring during a fight against Lennox Lewis. His sobbing and tears threw Lewis off his game. Lewis went back to his corner and asked what he should do with a man who was crying uncontrollably in the midst of a boxing match. After thinking about whether McCall was trying to lure Lewis into a trap, Emanuel Steward, Lewis' trainer, gave Lewis some simple advice. "Hit him," he said. That is probably the advice Bill Belichick will give his Patriots when they meet the Jets in Foxborough on Sunday. Hit 'em. New England will be facing a reeling Jets team that is trying to sneak back into the AFC East race. The Jets will be ..."

Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis wants to cover Randy Moss man-to-man

Comment

November 20

New York Daily News

"Put yourself in this situation: You have a great day at work, maybe your best day ever. You're feeling good, but your competitor questions the performance, calling it misleading. There's no let-up, and you start to wonder if it's a smear campaign. Now you know how Darrelle Revis feels. The Pro Bowl cornerback held Randy Moss to four catches for 24yards in the Jets' victory over the Patriots in Week 2, but Moss refused to acknowledge that Revis got the best of him. Now, with the rivals preparing to meet again Sunday in Foxborough, the message from the Patriots is the same. It's like they have affixed an asterisk to Revis' performance: Solid game, but not a one-man operation. Covered Moss ..."

Facing Patriots, Jets Know It's Now or Never Mind Playoffs

Comment

November 20

New York Times

"The season is in a free fall and with New England next up on Sunday, urgency has replaced normalcy at Jets headquarters. Coaches wore extra stubble and vacant stares from lack of sleep. The team parted ways with a defensive assistant (Kerry Locklin) and a special teams veteran (Ahmad Carroll). Running back Thomas Jones addressed his teammates in a players-only meeting, the theme of his speech summarized in two words - last chance."

Ryan's missteps no joking matter

Comment

November 19

New York Post

columnist Jay Greenberg

"Have to give the man his props. Rex Ryan brought the props, first the Kleenex box to mock himself, then the statement to lampoon his quarterback. "It says here New England's pretty good," he said yesterday. "Any questions?" The Jets coach has shtick. Also, a rookie quarterback on a teeter-totter, a defense likely without signal caller Jim Leonhard for Sunday's game at Foxboro, and four last-minute losses in the last five games. "When I was a kid I was reading about Sugar Ray Robinson," Ryan said. "I never brought this up with the players because they don't even know who Sugar Ray Leonard is. "But [Robinson] made a great statement, something like 'to become a champion you have to believe in ..."

Belichick dodges fourth-down talk

Comment

November 19

New York Post

"The fallout over the controversial failed fourth-and-2 call Bill Belichick made in Sunday night's loss to the Colts continues to resonate around the NFL. And it has opened a door of opportunity to the Jets. Speaking yesterday on a conference call, Belichick predictably didn't waver from his decision to go for that first down from his on 28-yard line in the closing moments Sunday night. He, too, didn't flinch when asked about the rash of criticism he's received from so many people, including some of his own former players, who publicly lashed out at the move. Two prominent former Patriots, Rodney Harrison and Tedy Bruschi, ripped Belichick's decision in separate TV forums. "Everybody is ..."

Brady: No tears from Bill

Comment

November 19

New York Post

"Bill Belichick a crier? Don't think so, Tom Brady says. "I can't ever imagine Coach Belichick doing that in front of us," Brady said yesterday when asked about Cryin' Rex Ryan. "Every coach has a different style," Brady said, according to NESN.com. "It's an emotional game. I think we all put a lot into it every week. Physically, it's pretty demanding. Psychologically, in weeks like this, it's pretty demanding. So you try to convey a message. "Our coach always conveys a message: the truth. 'This is how I feel, this is the truth, this is what we need to do.' I think we always find a way to respond to that.""

Sanchez decides to scrap the scripts

Comment

November 19

New York Post

"Mark Sanchez stepped to the podium for his weekly press conference yesterday, surveyed the room full of reporters and deadpanned, "You guys want to start or you want me to start?" It was Sanchez's way of defusing what became a controversial postgame press conference after the Jacksonville loss Sunday when he read notes from a sheet of paper, trying to cover all the topics he figured he would be asked about. Sanchez was apologetic if he offended anyone by his actions. "I thought I had everything figured out, of course, as a 23-year-old rookie would, but probably not the best way to go about it," he said. "It didn't go over very well, so. Trial and error and hopefully a one-time mistake." ..."

Jets' Week 2 win could be costly

Comment

November 19

New York Post

"Allow us to set the scene that'll await the struggling Jets when they arrive to Gillette Stadium on Sunday to play the Patriots in what can only be termed as a last-stand game for them. *The 6-3 Patriots are coming off one of the most devastating losses of the Bill Belichick era, in the form of their 35-34 choke job to the Colts on Sunday, and they're certain to be in an ornery mood. *Since 2003, the Patriots are 20-1 in regular-season games following a loss, meaning they simply do not lose consecutive games. *The Jets' home win over New England in Week 2 still is fresh in the minds of the Patriots players, and it's no secret they don't like the Jets and the Jets don't like them. Suffice ..."

Ryan deals with his tissue issue

Comment

November 19

New York Post

"Rex Ryan brilliantly defused the tsunami of attention that's engulfed him since The Post first revealed the emotional, teary-eyed speech he delivered to his players in a Monday meeting. Ryan opened his press conference yesterday with a box of Kleenex in hand. Ryan, comfortably displaying his self-deprecating sense of humor while a storm of criticism has brewed around him and his struggling team, playfully announced, "I've got a new sponsor. The Jets have Toyota and I've got Kleenex .?.?. for obvious reasons. "I'm man enough to be me," Ryan said, not showing any shame for shedding tears in front of his players. "If I don't fit the stereotype of coach speak or anything else, so be it. I'm ..."

Jets remain confident in locker room unity

Comment

November 19

Boston Herald

"There were no notes, no crib sheets in Mark Sanchez's hands as he strode to the lectern Wednesday. That's just as well, considering the test he really needs to ace will be administered Sunday in Foxboro, Mass. Three days after his odd postgame news conference Sunday, when he gave a rambling opening statement in which he referred to notes he had scribbled moments earlier, Sanchez met again with reporters. "I just changed things up a little bit," Sanchez said when asked to explain his previous public appearance. "I thought I had everything figured out, of course, as a 23-year-old rookie would, but (it was) probably not the best way to go about it. It didn't go over very well, so trial and ..."

NFL backs decisive call

Comment

November 19

Boston Herald

"Upon further review, the NFL says the call stands. NFL vice president of officiating Mike Pereira said yesterday on the NFL Network's "Total Access" that he believed the spot on Patriots running back Kevin Faulk's catch on fourth-and-2 was "hard to dispute" Sunday night in Indianapolis. Faulk briefly bobbled the ball just past the first-down marker at the Pats 30-yard line before being tackled at the 29."

Rex Ryan still confident

Comment

November 19

Boston Herald

"New York Jets coach Rex Ryan said yesterday he couldn't question Bill Belichick's controversial decision Sunday to go for it on fourth-and-2 against the Colts. "He is the best coach in football . . . he has such confidence in his offense. It wasn't a lack of confidence in his defense, I just think he has such confidence in that offense, in Tom Brady, in (Kevin) Faulk," Ryan said. "How can you question a guy that's won three Super Bowls and has the record and success he's had? I'm definitely never going to question that." Does that mean he would have done the same? "If I would have made that decision and it wouldn't have worked, I'd be hanging from the Empire State Building," Ryan cracked ..."

Memories Wayne for Jonathan Wilhite

Comment

November 19

Boston Herald

"Jonathan Wilhite is human. He won't deny that he took a few extra moments to think about Colts receiver Reggie Wayne beating him in coverage for the game-winning, 1-yard touchdown catch Sunday night. "You wouldn't be a football player if you didn't think about it," Wilhite said. "But Wayne made a good catch, Peyton (Manning) made a good throw, and it happened. It's football." The play came at the tail end of an eventful game for Wilhite, one that included making an interception and shadowing Wayne for the majority of the night. Wilhite has moved on the best way he knew how. "Me personally, I focus on this week," Wilhite said. "I have a load this week (against the Jets), too. Moving on is ..."

Revis says he had Randy Moss in a corner

Comment

November 19

Boston Herald

"Darrelle Revis claims he means no disrespect. And he has no intention of getting into another trash-talking battle with Patriots receiver Randy Moss. But the Jets star cornerback is still adamant that in Week 2, he "shut out" Moss one-on-one, without safety help. "Everybody saw the game, everybody knew I was in man coverage," Revis said, getting agitated. "He's supposed to say that - (that) day wasn't his day. He got shut out, and he was frustrated about it. Cool. I don't have nothing against him. I still think he's one of the best receivers in the league. If that's what he said, that's on him." Moss had just four catches for 24 yards in the loss, but bristled at praise for Revis. "I mean, ..."

Belichick's Patriots know how to bounce back

Comment

November 19

Boston Herald

columnist Karen Guregian

"The New York Jets should be a little nervous about facing a Patriots team coming off a loss, and a devastating one at that. Looking back over the previous nine seasons that Bill Belichick coached the Pats, an impressive pattern developed with respect to what happens the week after a defeat. Belichick's teams rarely lose back-to-back games. The Patriots have demonstrated an amazing ability to bounce back after a loss. Forget about any hangover or lingering effects. They have only lost consecutive games once since 2002, while only losing two games or more six times since Belichick took over the team in 2000. In other words, the Pats have gone on what would be considered a losing streak just ..."

Without safety Jim Leonhard, David Harris will get defensive calls for New York Jets

Comment

November 19

New York Daily News

"The Jets' defense had communication problems last week against the Jaguars - and that was with S Jim Leonhard, the "quarterback" of the unit. Leonhard (thumb surgery) isn't expected to play Sunday at the Patriots, so it could be an issue again. LB David Harris will wear the helmet headset instead of Leonhard, receiving the calls from the sideline. The Jets also tweaked their communication system, hoping to alleviate confusion with regards to substitution. It burned them against the Jaguars, as they had to waste a timeout because of too many men on the field. The Jets have incurred three penalties for 12 men. The substitutions now will be handled by new defensive-line coaches Jeff Weeks ..."

New York Jets, Daily News partner with JetBlue to display historic photos

Comment

November 19

New York Daily News

"Airliners will not be the only high-flying jets at Kennedy Airport in coming months - thanks to award-winning Daily News photography. An eye-catching photo exhibit celebrating 50 years of Jets football kicked off Tuesday at JetBlue's Terminal 5, to the delight of Gang Green players and fans alike. "Being here and seeing these photos bring back so many great memories," said former running back Emerson Boozer as he checked out an image of a touchdown catch he made to beat the Baltimore Colts in 1972. "When I see it, it sets in motion the actual play," he said, vividly recalling how a safety helplessly chased him some 37 years ago. "He can't get me. Now, I'm heading for pay dirt.""

Thomas Jones puts rap on negativity, delivers Super speech to New York Jets

Comment

November 19

New York Daily News

"There were no tears Wednesday, only fire and focus from the Jets, who realize they're out of mulligans. The sense of urgency was amplified behind closed doors, where Thomas Jones addressed his teammates for nearly five minutes in a players-only meeting. Jones is known for his fiery locker-room speeches on game day, but Wednesday was Sunday for Team Desperation, which faces a virtual do-or-die game at the Patriots. According to several players, Jones' impassioned message was this: This is our last shot. Blow it, and there could be big changes to the team in the offseason. "To me, being an older guy, being a veteran and understanding how this works - how the playoffs work - it's a big ..."

New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan still has a long history, culture to overhaul

Comment

November 19

New York Daily News

columnist Gary Myers

"Rex Ryan should have waited a year or two - until he turned the roster over - before introducing New York to his weekly "Rex Unplugged" routine that has made some of his promises look so empty because his team is not good enough to back him up. In Wednesday's episode, Ryan reiterated his claim from his first day on the job in January that the Jets will win the Super Bowl in the first term of the Obama administration. "I believe I will be a champion here," he said. There is still too much of a culture change that needs to take place before Jets owner Woody Johnson will have to clear air space for a charter flight to Washington. "I understand we found ways to lose games, more than I dreamed ..."

New England Patriots quickly put Indianapolis Colts loss behind them, prepare for New York Jets

Comment

November 19

New York Daily News

"The Patriots are no strangers to controversy or drama, which gives them some pretty good practice for reacting to it. They got back to practice Wednesday for the first time since Bill Belichick's Barry Switzer imitation in Indy, vowing to put the Colts loss behind them and to focus on Sunday's rematch against the Jets. With this team, you believe them. "We've won so many games in this locker room, we're quick to turn it off and turn it back on," Junior Seau said. "Right now, we need to have a short-term memory. That's the only reason you're going to succeed in this league, whether it's good or bad. Go to work the next day." "We're playing the Jets. It's always a good week for us," Tom ..."

Ryan Hasn't Changed: He Still Believes in the Jets

Comment

November 19

New York Times

"As Coach Rex Ryan stepped behind the lectern for his Wednesday news conference, he placed a box of tissues next to the microphone. It was Ryan's way of answering those who wondered how he would respond to reports that he was in tears by the end of an emotional speech he gave to the Jets on Monday."

New York Jets rookie QB Mark Sanchez explains his Sunday script

Comment

November 19

New York Daily News

"Mark Sanchez wryly smiled and paused as he looked out at the crowd of reporters. "Do you guys want to start or do you want me to start?" Sanchez asked Wednesday as reporters laughed. The rookie quarterback started his weekly Wednesday press conference with a jab at himself and his Sunday postgame press conference in which he opened by rattling off thoughts on the game while reading hand-written notes. Sanchez explained in more detail why he started his postgame session in unorthodox fashion and admitted that it backfired even though his intentions were good. "I answer the questions and you guys ask the questions," Sanchez said. "That's the rule. I'm not here to do your job, just like ..."

Ryan's message needs bite

Comment

November 18

Bergen Record

"Maybe Mark Sanchez was onto something with his strange post-game interview tactic Sunday. He scribbled some notes, anticipating the questions he would get from reporters and trying to answer them before they were asked. Not a bad idea in hindsight, considering the Jets need some answers right now. And lots of them. Monday brought more questions and some upheaval, with the exit of defensive line coach Kerry Locklin, plus the release of reserve cornerback Ahmad Carroll. Although coach Rex Ryan said Locklin's departure was a "mutual decision," it raises more questions, coming one day after Maurice Jones-Drew shredded the Jets' formerly stout rushing defense for 5.1 yards per carry in ..."

Jets have run into some turbulence on this approach to Foxborough

Comment

November 18

Boston Globe

"An AFC scout provides a look at the New York Jets, this week's opponent: "One thing that's interesting is that at the beginning, with [Mark] Sanchez, they weren't asking him to win games, and that was based on the run game with Thomas Jones and Leon Washington. "Shonn Greene wasn't playing as much then. But ever since they got Braylon Edwards, it's like they have this new toy, and they're losing their identity to a certain degree, and now they're putting too much on Sanchez's plate."

Shedding tears no way for Rex Ryan to break down Patriots

Comment

November 18

Boston Herald

columnist Ron Borges

"Late Sunday night Bill Belichick felt like crying. Monday morning Rex Ryan did. That's the difference between having three Super Bowl rings and having none. Belichick's chuckle-headed decision to go for it on fourth-and-2 at his 28-yard line with 2:08 to play contributed mightily to a bitter 35-34 loss to the undefeated Indianapolis Colts but he could live with it. He could even stand firm a day later, insisting he'd done "what gave my team the best chance to win." If giving the ball to Peyton Manning 29 yards from the game-winning touchdown gave his Patriots the best chance to win then they really had no chance, or so he seemed to be saying. Whatever he said though, he could always fall ..."

Rex Ryan breaks down, cries in front of New York Jets players

Comment

November 18

New York Daily News

"In the span of a few days, Rex Ryan went from "swagger-licious" to Jimmy Swaggart - from predicting a Jets playoff berth to choking up in a heartfelt speech to his team one day after the crushing loss to the Jaguars. Those who know him the best say it was just Rex being Rex. "He's always been an emotional guy. That's why he's a good coach," retired coach Buddy Ryan, Rex's father, said Tuesday in a phone interview. "There have been some good ones that were like that. (Dick) Vermeil cried every day and he was a good coach." Former Ravens defensive tackle Tony Siragusa, who played three seasons under Ryan, said he wasn't surprised at all to hear his old defensive-line coach got teary-eyed in ..."

New York Jets acknowledge Mark Sanchez may need help dealing with media after Sunday's script

Comment

November 18

New York Daily News

"Mark Sanchez may receive a lecture on his lecture, if he hasn't already. His bizarre postgame news conference, which included a long-winded, rapid-fire opening statement from prepared notes, definitely raised eyebrows within the Jets' organization. The rookie quarterback needs to polish his act, GM Mike Tannenbaum acknowledged Tuesday."

Rex Ryan must handle emotions for New York Jets to succeed

Comment

November 18

New York Daily News

"Rex Ryan needs to be the emotional rock of the Jets, a franchise in desperate need of stability and leadership. He has to find a way to pace himself through the ups and downs of the long NFL season or he's going to become a candidate for burnout before he even reaches Thanksgiving of his rookie year. The Jets have tortured more than their share of coaches over the last 40 years with their unique ability to find ways to lose. Those who haven't been fired have instead developed bizarre exit strategies after getting swallowed up by the Same Old Jets. They have surely made their fans cry over the years, but the coach can't turn into a water works extravaganza. It was a poignant scene in the ..."

Keep on yappin'

Comment

November 18

New York Post

columnist Mark Cannizzaro

"Those who are calling for Rex Ryan to shut his mouth now that his team has lost five of its last six are taking a knee-jerk route to criticism. If Ryan changes now by clamming up, he would be showing himself as a phony, making it seem as if his previous bravado was all an act, and the same people ripping him now for talking too much would be ripping him for being a fake. Ryan needs to stay true to himself, whether his critics like it or not, and simply become a better head coach who prepares his team better and makes better in-game decisions such as not wasting timeouts because of disorganization and miscommunications on his sideline. Sure Ryan's bravado has put a XXXL bull's eye on his ..."

Papa Ryan believes Rex will leave Pats crying

Comment

November 18

New York Post

columnist Steve Serby

"Rex Ryan may cry us a river between now and Sunday's game against Bill Belichick's Patriots, but Buddy Ryan is certain that his emotional son will soon be swimming — not sinking — in it, and the tears will turn into cheers. Ryan once rode the roller coaster of NFL head coaching emotions, especially when he engaged in brass-knuckle brawls with Bill Parcells' Giants in the 1980s. From his old Kentucky home, he's watching Rex, the rookie head coach of the Jets, once 3-0 and now 4-5, take the same trip. As a father, he doesn't want his son to stay down, and doesn't expect him to. "He's a real emotional guy," Buddy told The Post last night. "He's a great motivator. We know he knows the game. ..."

Jets rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez's scripted performance deflects attention from loss

Comment

November 17

New York Daily News

columnist Bob Raissman

"Football scholars who went gaga over the Jets at 3-0 have turned tail, eliminating them from playoff contention with seven games remaining in Gang Green's season. If the all-knowing are correct, interested parties will have to wait another year to find out whether Mark Sanchez can operate efficiently under postseason pressure. All is not lost. Other important questions concerning the quarterback have been answered. Sanchez has already proven to be a champion multitasker. He can mustard-up a hot dog before swallowing it on the sidelines. And on Sunday, sometime between Josh Scobee kicking Jacksonville to a 24-22 win and Sanchez's postgame press conference, the QB found time to prepare a ..."

Jets fire defensive line coach Kerry Locklin, cut defensive back Ahmad Carroll

Comment

November 17

New York Daily News

"With the Jets free-falling out of the playoff picture, Rex Ryan started shaking things up Tuesday. The rookie coach announced that the team had parted ways with defensive line coach Kerry Locklin and that he had cut Ahmad Carroll, a popular special teams veteran. The team said Locklin, who coached with Ryan at Moorehead State in the early '90s, had left by "mutual decision." "It's never just one thing," Ryan said. "There were some disagreements. Really there were some issues, some personal issues. "It's unfortunate about the timing, but I think it was in both of our best interests." The once-boastful Jets' defense has sputtered in the past month. It flopped on Sunday against the ..."

Jets head coach Rex Ryan fires defensive line coach Kerry Locklin

Comment

November 17

New York Daily News

columnist Rich Cimini

"Just a few weeks ago, the Jets' defense was the talk of the NFL. Rex Ryan was living up to his "Mad Scientist" reputation, a blitz-and-bluster coach who seemed like the perfect fit for a team in search of an identity. Now, after yet another defensive meltdown, he's the head coach of a team in the early stages of turmoil - well, at least on the defensive side of the ball. Things turned ugly Tuesday in Florham Park, where Ryan dismissed his defensive-line coach, a guy named Kerry Locklin. Ryan painted it as a "mutual decision," but let's be real. He was fired. "There were some disagreements, let's put it that way," Ryan acknowledged. "There were some issues, some personal issues that are ..."

These Jets oughta be ashamed

Comment

November 17

New York Post

columnist Steve Serby

"THE men who play for Rex Ryan should be ashamed of themselves. Maybe if all of them cared as much as their rookie head coach does, had as much pride and passion as he does, they wouldn't be The Team That Talks The Talk But Does Not Walk The Walk. The emotional rookie coach of the freefalling 4-5 Jets broke down in tears in front of his team yesterday morning because it is a team he loves, it is a team he truly believes in, it is a team he has put his heart and soul and faith and trust in, it is a team, remember, he wants to take to the White House one day to shake the president's hand. Rex Ryan was a young man when he watched the defensive players of the 1985 Bears -- the Mike ..."

Jets reaching out for Tuna help

Comment

November 17

New York Post

"Even NFL coaches need a hand now and then. Jets coach Rex Ryan revealed to The Post yesterday that in the wake of his team's disastrous 24-22 loss to the Jaguars, he plans on reaching out for advice to more than a few people outside the organization, including his father, Buddy Ryan, Brian Billick, Jack Del Rio, Marvin Lewis . . . and former Jets and Giants coach Bill Parcells. "It's not like Bill Belichick's gonna talk to me," Ryan said. "Parcells may. I may put a call out to him. I know a lot of guys in this business. . . . I'm searching right now." Would the Dolphins' czar field a call from a division foe? "I don't know," Ryan said. "But there's no doubt, I'll put a call in to him." ..."

Jets D-Line coach Locklin shown the door

Comment

November 17

New York Post

"The Jets yesterday parted ways with defensive line coach Kerry Locklin, citing "personal reasons" and said it was a "mutual decision" between the team and Locklin. Defensive assistants Jeff Weeks and pass rushing instructor Chuck Smith will take over Locklin's duties, according to head coach Rex Ryan, who coached with Locklin when the two were at Morehead State from 1990-93. "It was a mutual decision that Kerry is no longer going to be with us," Ryan said. "This is a real sensitive issue and unfortunate timing. It was in both our best interests that we mutually agreed upon this." Asked if there were philosophical issues, Ryan said: "It's never just one thing. There were some ..."

Loss makes Jets coach an emotional Rex

Comment

November 17

New York Post

"Who said there's no crying in football? The Post has learned that Jets coach Rex Ryan, with his team gathered before him for the morning meeting yesterday in the wake of the previous day's devastating 24-22 loss to the Jaguars, delivered an impassioned speech to his players that was so emotionally-charged it brought him to tears. The memorable moment simultaneously stunned his players and made them want to run out of the auditorium right then and there and board the bus to Foxborough, Mass., for Sunday's last-stand game against the Patriots. "He didn't bash us at all; he was just very emotional . . . he was crying," right tackle Damien Woody told The Post. "Rex believes in our team so ..."

Asst. coach leaves, player cut

Comment

November 17

Bergen Record

"It certainly wasn't business as usual for the Jets on Monday, one day after their fifth loss in their last six games. One player was released, an assistant coach is no longer with the team and it was announced that strong safety and punt returner Jim Leonhard would undergo surgery to repair his right thumb Monday night. Just another day, right? Although for the currently free-falling Jets, maybe it was. In the morning, reserve cornerback and special-teams stalwart Ahmad Carroll was released, one day after he was inactive for the second straight game. In the afternoon came the news that the Jets were parting ways with defensive line coach Kerry Locklin in a move coach Rex Ryan termed a ..."

No late confusion on 'D'

Comment

November 17

Bergen Record

"Jets on the 'freeway' Jets' players said Monday there was no confusion over the defensive call of "freeway" late in the game, when coach Rex Ryan wanted them to deliberately allow Jacksonville's Maurice Jones-Drew to score with the Jets leading by two and the Jaguars already in easy field-goal range. Jones-Drew went down after a 4-yard gain up the middle to the Jets' 10, and Maurice Douglas and Sione Pouha were credited with the tackle. "I was more concerned about getting the ball than getting the tackle," said Pouha, who explained that he did swipe at the ball, desperately trying to force a game-saving turnover. He indicated that Jones-Drew went down because he was tripped up in the ..."

Another Late Loss Leaves Jets Baffled

Comment

November 17

New York Times

"As the Jacksonville Jaguars sliced up the field in the fourth quarter of Sunday's game, the Jets' defensive players signaled to one another and shouted between plays to restore some order. But the more they waved their hands and shifted before the snaps, the less effective they seemed. Communication was breaking down, and so were the Jets. For the fourth time this season, the Jets lost in the final moments of a game, having squandered a chance to win through bad luck, incompetence, or both. And by Monday afternoon, after sitting through another painful film session, they were still trying to figure out which. "It's a comedy of errors, but it's not funny," Coach Rex Ryan said. "We're just ..."

Jets waive cornerback Ahmad Carroll in surprising move

Comment

November 16

Newark Star-Ledger

"In somewhat of a surprising move, the Jets waived cornerback Ahmad Carroll Monday. Carroll, one of the team's better special teams players, was inactive for the past two games."

Jets News