NEW YORK JETS DAILY CLIPS

October 8, 2015

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Table of Contents

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

New coaches getting fast results with Falcons, Broncos, Jets (Paul Newberry)........................................................ 1

ESPN NEW YORK .................................................................................................................................................... 3

Chris Ivory, Darrelle Revis head our Jets quarter-season awards (Rich Cimini) ........................................................ 3

O'Connor: Doug Williams discovered a coach in a safety named Todd Bowles (Ian O’Connor) ............................... 4

NEW YORK POST .................................................................................................................................................... 6

Jets must find way to sign Muhammad Wilkerson long-term (Brian Costello) ......................................................... 6

NJ ADVANCE MEDIA .............................................................................................................................................. 8

Jets defense dominating: The ridiculous numbers through 4 games (Dom Consentino) ......................................... 8

Could the Giants or Jets play a road game in Mexico in 2016? (James Kratch) ........................................................ 9

Why has Jets' Brandon Marshall been so effective through 4 games? | Offensive film review (Darryl Slater) ...... 10

How are Jets doing a quarter of way through season? | Bye week grades (Darryl Slater) ..................................... 14

NFL.COM.............................................................................................................................................................. 15

Jets, Giants suddenly trending up: Two contenders in New York? (Kimberly Jones) .............................................. 15

WEDNESDAY’S SPORTS TRANSACTIONS............................................................................................................... 18

ASSOCIATED PRESS

New coaches getting fast results with Falcons, Broncos, Jets (Paul Newberry) Associated Press October 7, 2015

http://www.pro32.ap.org/article/new-coaches-getting-fast-results-falcons-broncos-jets

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP) — Dan Quinn cranked up the music and turned up the energy for the Atlanta Falcons.

So far, the results have been nothing short of amazing.

The Falcons, who won only 10 games the last two seasons, are 4-0 for their new coach.

It's much the same in New York, where Todd Bowles has the Jets sitting at 3-1 — just one victory shy of their 2014 total. Gary Kubiak took over a winning team in Denver and kept it going, guiding the Broncos to a perfect start through the first month.

"I don't think there's any kind of magic to it," Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan said Wednesday. "I think Dan believes in what he stands for. I think guys respond to that."

It's not unusual at all for a new coach to have a positive impact right away.

A check of the last 20 years by The Associated Press showed that two-third of coaches who took over a team before the start of a season — 82 out of 122 — led their new team to a better record than the

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previous year. The study did not include those who got the job during the season, often on an interim basis.

In many cases, the new coach starts with a low bar of expectations.

In Atlanta, Quinn took the obvious step of changing up the schemes on both sides of the line. But he also focused on the camaraderie of his players, who seem to have taken to a frenetic, high-energy approach that includes loud music blaring at every practice.

"When you're really close in the locker room and that carries over to the field — the looks, the communication you have with one another, how hard you want to play for one another — that's what I see with our team," Quinn said. "That's exactly what I was hoping for."

Often when coming to an organization that has been at the bottom of the standings, a new coach can seize on his players' hunger for improvement and willingness to work just a little bit harder than they did before.

"I saw it right off the bat," Quinn said. "We made tapes for everybody saying, 'Here are some things that you're doing really well, and here are some things you can improve upon.' To a man, the challenge was, 'Can you have the best offseason you've ever had? The best training camp you've ever had?' A lot of guys took that challenge right to heart and said, 'Yeah, I can do that."

The bigger challenge is to maintain that initial level of success.

The rush of a new coach can wear off quickly, which happened before with the Falcons. In 2004, Jim Mora took over a team that went 5-11 the previous season and promptly went 11-5, winning a division title and guiding Atlanta to the NFC championship game.

Two years later, he was gone. The Falcons fired Mora after he followed up his memorable debut by going 15-17, missing the playoffs both seasons.

Not all new coaches are instant successes.

The Chicago Bears (1-3) have continued to struggle despite making the switch to John Fox. Jim Tomsula is off to a rocky start in San Francisco, where the 49ers are also 1-3 and have been outscored 107-28 the last three weeks.

Then there's Rex Ryan, who promised to transform the Buffalo Bills but has yet to show things are much different with a 2-2 start. Of course, that same record looks pretty good in Oakland, where Jack Del Rio could match the win total for all of last season with an upset Sunday of the Broncos.

Despite that mixed results from this year's new sideline crop, the evidence shows a coaching change usually helps, at least in Year 1. Going back to the 1995 season, the AP found that teams improved by an average of 1.56 victories when they made an offseason coaching change — a significant result given the parity of the league within a 16-game schedule.

In Denver, Kubiak and new defensive coordinator Wade Phillips installed an attacking, fight-to-end mindset that Denver general manager John Elway complained was lacking under previous coach Fox. In his four years, the Broncos were outscored 150-66 in the final game of the playoffs.

"The thing that I love about the football team is I think it has the belief that it's going to find a way," Kubiak said.

Kubiak had immediate creditability in the locker room because of his long ties to the organization, as both a player and an assistant.

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"Having history here and us knowing that history, that helps," running back C.J. Anderson said. "You want to get back to those glory days this organization has had in the past."

In the end, a new coach can only go as far as his players will take him.

"We've got a long way to go," Ryan said, "a long way to go."

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ESPN NEW YORK

Chris Ivory, Darrelle Revis head our Jets quarter-season awards (Rich Cimini) ESPN New York October 7, 2015

http://espn.go.com/blog/newyork-jets/post/_/id/54854/chris-ivory-darrelle-revis-head-our-quarter-season-awards

The New York Jets reached the quarter mark of the season with a 3-1 record. A quick review:

MVP: Chris Ivory. It's rare for the Jets to have an offensive player win this category, but there's no denying Ivory's impact. He's the NFL's third-leading rusher (314 yards), not bad considering he missed a game. He leads the league in yards-after-contact per rush (2.94). All you need to know about Ivory is this: The offense fell apart without him against Philadelphia.

Biggest Surprise: Buster Skrine. He built a solid reputation during his years with Cleveland, but Skrine has exceeded expectations in New York. He does everything. He can cover the slot and the outside, and he's the best blitzer on the team. In the win over Miami, Skrine blitzed 12 times, rattling Ryan Tannehill with his well-disguised rushes. He's already well respected by his teammates.

Biggest Disappointment: Quinton Coples. The former No. 1 pick frustrates teammates because his production doesn't match his talent. Coples has more penalties (a team-high four) than solo tackles (three). His playing time has dipped, although coach Todd Bowles claimed it has nothing to do with performance. It's worth keeping an eye on.

Best Play: Brandon Marshall's strip in Week 1. His quick reaction to an interception -- ripping the ball loose from safety Tashaun Gipson -- was a game-changing play in the victory over Cleveland. It set up the first touchdown of the season and it showed the fans that Marshall is a team player, not the "me" guy from Chicago.

Worst Play: Yep, Marshall again. This time it was his ill-advised lateral against the Eagles -- "probably the worst play in NFL history," he called it. It wasn't that ugly, but it was bad enough to make our little list. At least he owned it.

Best Off-Season Addition: Darrelle Revis. He cost half a mint ($39 million, fully guaranteed), but his presence has changed the dynamic on defense. He already has been involved in five of the 13 takeaways by the defense -- two interceptions and three fumble recoveries.

Worst Off-Season Addition: Stevan Ridley. It's too early to draw a conclusion -- he still could turn out to be a key role player -- but for now he's just an injured guy, waiting for a shot. His return from knee injury took longer than expected; he's eligible to come off the physically-unable-to-perform list in Week 7.

Most Improved: Calvin Pryor. This was a no-brainer. As a rookie, Pryor made no splashy plays. In Year 2, he already has a key forced fumble and an interception. He still needs to clean up his tackling, but the Jets are happy with his improvement.

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Best Coaching Decision: (Tie) Bowles made a tone-setting move by releasing IK Enemkpali immediately after he punched out Geno Smith. Bowles also deserves points for the way he has handled the Ryan Fitzpatrick-Smith situation. After sending mixed messages in the offseason, he has clarified the quarterback position. No confusion, no controversy. Fitzpatrick is a better fit than Smith. Period.

Worst Coaching Decision: It still doesn't make sense why Jeremy Kerley is buried on the bench. Granted, he's not an every-down receiver, but he still can make plays and contribute on offense. None of the other backups are lighting it up, as Chris Owusu, Quincy Enunwa and Devin Smith have combined for only 15 catches. Kerley had six catches in the one game he was granted a "Get-out-of-jail free" card.

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O'Connor: Doug Williams discovered a coach in a safety named Todd Bowles (Ian O’Connor) ESPN New York October 7, 2015

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/13827479/doug-williams-discovered-coach-safety-named-todd-bowles

Doug Williams never knew the finer points of what it took to play safety in the NFL -- not that it really mattered. When he watched from the Washington sideline as Todd Bowles covered receivers in a 1987 season that would meet a historic end, Williams did not see a defensive back.

"I saw a quarterback," he said.

The first African-American quarterback to win a Super Bowl was quite familiar with the intricacies of that position. Having played under Hall of Famers Eddie Robinson (Grambling State) and Joe Gibbs (Washington), Williams had also spent enough quality time with natural-born coaches to know one when he saw one. So when Morehouse College made him a head coach for the first time in 1997, Williams had only one man in mind to run his defense.

But he didn't have Bowles at hello.

Williams had been a scout for the Jacksonville Jaguars, and Bowles had been a scout for the Green Bay Packers. "Come coach with me," Williams told him.

"Man, I don't know," Bowles responded. "I don't think I want it."

"Come on, man," Williams said. "You can do this."

Williams ultimately talked Bowles into believing he had the requisite savvy and motivational skills to be a coach. They were together for one season at Morehouse and then for two at Grambling before the new head coach of the New York Jets, Al Groh, called Williams to ask for permission to speak with his defensive coordinator. Williams told Groh he didn't need permission.

"Just hire him," he said.

Fifteen long NFL years later, Bowles is the rookie head coach of the Jets, and he's already making a strong impression around the league. For starters, it only took Bowles four games to expedite the removal of one AFC East rival (Joe Philbin). He is 3-1 without a first-string quarterback to speak of, and he has already proven himself capable of managing multiple crises (the Sheldon Richardson suspension, the locker room punchout of Geno Smith) with a steady hand.

As a personnel executive with Washington, the Jets' next opponent, Williams has watched with considerable pride. "No question, I'm living through Todd now," he said, which is kind of funny because an entire generation of African-American players, coaches and executives once lived through Williams.

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He routed John Elway's Broncos in Super Bowl XXII, overcoming a Saturday root canal and an early Sunday knee injury to ring up 42 unanswered points, including 35 in the second quarter, and to throw for four touchdowns (all in that quarter) and what was then a record 340 yards. Of greater significance, of course, were the vile racial stereotypes he shredded in the process. Robinson, the Grambling legend, found his old quarterback in the tunnel of Jack Murphy Stadium that night and told Williams that what he'd just accomplished reminded Robinson of Joe Louis' knockout of Max Schmeling in Yankee Stadium in 1938.

Bowles shared in the experience as the Redskins' starting free safety. "We had three interceptions against Elway in that game," Williams recalled by phone the other day, "and a lot of that was Todd Bowles. Todd wasn't the most talented guy on the field, but he was the quarterback of that defense. He played smart and made sure guys were always in position.

"You weren't looking for Todd to be a Deion Sanders. But if you had a Deion Sanders on your team, you'd want Todd back there to put him in the right place."

As a defensive coordinator with the Arizona Cardinals, Bowles would put enough players in enough of the right places to earn his standing as one of the league's best assistants. He made perfect sense for the Jets as an even-tempered antidote to Rex Ryan, who had blustered his way to four straight non-winning seasons. And yet Bowles wasn't Woody Johnson's first choice for the job -- the owner was initially hot on Doug Marrone. Although he went to high school in nearby Elizabeth, N.J., Bowles wasn't even the preferred candidate from the Garden State -- Johnson reportedly favored Morristown, N.J.'s Dan Quinn, now 4-0 with Atlanta.

But Jets fans don't care anymore that Johnson likely would have hired Quinn had his Seattle Seahawks lost earlier in the playoffs. They only care that Bowles has won three games by a combined 47 points in a parity league, and that he has provided the poise and consistency that were forever lacking under the combustible Ryan, who might've requested a ticker-tape parade after beating the Dolphins in London.

Bowles? "We haven't accomplished anything," he said after the victory that sealed Philbin's fate.

Yes, it's early, and Jets fans have endured too much pain and punishment to count on much of anything just yet. But for the optimists in that notoriously pessimistic bunch, Williams did point out that his guy is actually 5-2 as a head coach -- Bowles won two of three games for the 2011 Dolphins as the interim replacement for the fired Tony Sparano.

"Todd never gets ruffled by anything," Williams said. "When he gets mad, he doesn't get carried away. The same guy you see today is the guy you're going to see tomorrow, and he's not going to worry about being a personality. Nobody's going to carry himself better than Todd, and he's never given anybody any ammunition to tell you a story about him. So he really likes Gladys Knight. That's about all you're going to get."

Bowles was firm in firing the Jet who broke Geno Smith's jaw, IK Enemkpali, and in expressing disappointment in a starting quarterback who didn't have the big-picture sense to pay off a small debt in the name of team harmony ("It takes two to tango," the coach said). Bowles was also firm in committing to Ryan Fitzpatrick as long as the journeyman keeps winning and in eliminating the very evil -- penalties -- that Bowles' predecessor, Ryan, treats in Buffalo as some twisted badge of honor.

"Todd's never going to B.S. you," Williams said. He remains in constant touch with his former assistant, texting him after victories here and abroad.

"We're like big brother, little brother," Williams said.

Bowles has often talked of his admiration for Williams and of how his former boss taught him the proper way for coaches to relate to players. Williams won 52 of 70 games and three conference titles over six

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seasons at Grambling before taking a front-office job with the NFL team that drafted him, Tampa Bay. Williams returned to Grambling in 2011, immediately won eight games and another conference title, and then lost 12 of 13 games before being fired early in the 2013 season after what he described as a dispute with the university president over fundraising.

When Williams accepted a job with Washington last year, his legacy as one of the sport's most significant difference-makers remained untouched. Twenty years after his breakthrough victory over Denver, Williams presented the Vince Lombardi Trophy to the New York Giants and the first African-American general manager to win the Super Bowl, Jerry Reese, the great-grandson of a sharecropper. "I will keep pushing," Reese wrote Williams in an email two days after defeating the 18-0 New England Patriots in Arizona. "I won't let you down."

Reese was speaking for a generation of NFL winners that includes the head coach of the Jets.

"They're all going to respect Todd," Williams said, "because he's going to handle the Geno Smith thing and every other situation like a grownup. To me, Todd was overdue to get this chance. I want him to win every week except when we play them."

So on Oct. 18, the Sunday after Todd Bowles' bye week, Doug Williams will be rooting for the visiting team at MetLife Stadium. Every other Sunday, he'll live through the former safety he once recognized as a quarterback destined to become a coach.

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NEW YORK POST

Jets must find way to sign Muhammad Wilkerson long-term (Brian Costello) New York Post October 7, 2015

http://nypost.com/2015/10/07/jets-must-find-way-to-sign-muhammad-wilkerson-long-term/

Muhammad Wilkerson stood in a corner of a crowded Wembley Stadium locker room, putting his jacket on when a few reporters approached Sunday. Wilkerson smiled and pointed out the reporters had been busy talking to other guys before him.

That’s the way Wilkerson must feel these days — overlooked.

Overlooked by the organization that did not sign him to a long-term deal this offseason, and largely overlooked by the media and fans despite a red-hot start to the season.

While new acquisitions Brandon Marshall, Darrelle Revis, Ryan Fitzpatrick and Buster Skrine are drawing much of the attention, along with bruising back Chris Ivory, Wilkerson is doing what he always does, going about his business and making plays.

Wilkerson has been an absolute beast for the Jets so far. He leads the team with 3.5 sacks, which is tied for fifth in the NFL. He has a forced fumble and 12 quarterback hurries.

But statistics never tell the full story with Wilkerson, part of the problem for him as he and his agent argue for a new deal with the Jets. You have to actually watch Wilkerson to appreciate him. The way the Jets’ front office has refused to give him a new deal makes you wonder if they have.

The Jets ask Wilkerson to play multiple spots on the defensive line. He can be anywhere from the tackle’s outside shoulder to right over the center, and he never seems to flinch.

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For his performance against the Dolphins, Wilkerson was given his second game ball of the young season and named defensive player of the game by the team. Wilkerson was in the Miami backfield all day, harassing quarterback Ryan Tannehill and shutting down the Dolphins’ run game.

This comes two weeks after he tore up the Colts. In that Monday night game, he caused two interceptions with his pressure, almost blocked a punt and drew two holding calls because the Colts could not stop him any other way.

The website Pro Football Focus has him graded as the No. 2 defensive end in a 3-4 system in the NFL behind all-everything J.J. Watt.

You might think Wilkerson is on a mission because of his contract, but that’s not Wilkerson’s style. This is simply how good he is, which makes it puzzling why the Jets failed to get something done with him before the season started. Wilkerson cut off negotiations when the season started.

Those familiar with the negotiations said the sides never even came close to a deal. Despite proclamations from general manager Mike Maccagnan that the team’s “intention” was to sign Wilkerson long-term, the Jets never made an offer Wilkerson had to seriously consider.

Wilkerson is thriving in coach Todd Bowles’ one-gap system and should lead to bigger pass-rushing numbers for him. Bowles is not Rex Ryan. He does not lavish praise on players just for the heck of it. But he speaks about Wilkerson with admiration.

“I think Mo is good in any scheme,” Bowles said a few weeks ago. “He’s just one of those players. He can play two-gap, 3-4, 4-3. His ceiling is as high as he wants it to be. He’s a heck of a player.”

Now, Wilkerson’s price just continues to climb with each week he plays like this.

Depending on whom you ask around the NFL, the Jets may be able to pay both Wilkerson and Sheldon Richardson long-term or they may have to choose. No one can deny Richardson is a dynamic player, but if the Jets have to choose it should be Wilkerson. He is more versatile and less of a headache. Richardson is one bad night away from a 10-game suspension. The Jets won’t have to pay Richardson until 2017, at the earliest, but that is on the horizon when considering whether to pay Wilkerson.

The Jets can put the franchise tag on him this winter, which will cost them about $16 million. People have floated the idea of a tag-and-trade, but those are very difficult. The Jets also should learn from trading Darrelle Revis two years ago that trading one of your best players is not smart.

With Revis, the Jets missed a chance to have a homegrown star in their uniform from the start of his career to the finish. How many of those have they had in their history? Wayne Chrebet, Al Toon, Mark Gastineau, Wesley Walker, that’s about it. Even Joe Namath finished his career in a different uniform.

The Jets can’t make the same mistake with Wilkerson. He has been overlooked for too long.

Playoff talk not crazy

It is safe for Jets fans to start dreaming about the playoffs. Now, you may think that is crazy because they are just 3-1 and Ryan Fitzpatrick is their quarterback. But take a look at their remaining schedule. Of the 10 teams left, only one opponent currently is above .500 and looks like it is actually good — the Patriots (who else?).

But line up the Redskins, Raiders, Jaguars, Bills, Texans, Dolphins, Giants, Titans and Cowboys and tell me which one you are certain about.

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At best, they are a question mark — like the Cowboys waiting for the return of injured stars Tony Romo and Dez Bryant. At worst, they are a dysfunctional mess — like the Dolphins, who fired coach Joe Philbin on Monday after the Jets’ 27-14 goodbye present.

The others are mostly mediocre. They will have some good weeks and some bad weeks.

You might argue the Jets fall into the same category. But the Jets’ defense looks elite, and the running game with Chris Ivory is going to carry them to some wins. With traditional AFC North powers the Ravens and Steelers looking like they might have down years, the door is open for a wild-card spot from the AFC East.

There is a long way to go until January, but Jets fans who are dreaming of playoff football for the first time in five years are not crazy.

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NJ ADVANCE MEDIA

Jets defense dominating: The ridiculous numbers through 4 games (Dom Consentino) NJ Advance Media October 7, 2015

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/10/jets_defense_dominating_the_ridiculous_numbers_thr.html#incart_river

It's safe to say that, through four games, general manager Mike Maccagnan's upgrades to the Jets' defense have been perfectly suited to head coach Todd Bowles' aggressive style.

The addition of cornerbacks Darrelle Revis, Antonio Cromartie, and Buster Skrine, plus free safety Marcus Gilchrist and rookie defensive end Leonard Williams, have transformed the Jets' D from a unit that was flinging crud against the wall last year to one that's no longer handcuffing the offense, but also winning games.

Even in the Jets' only loss—a 24-17 setback against the Eagles in Week 3—the defense still did a fantastic job. And in Sunday's thrashing of the Dolphins in London, the two touchdowns the Jets allowed were helped along by 58 yards in pass-interference penalties and a short field after a long punt return.

And they've done all this without defensive end Sheldon Richardson, arguably their most talented defender after Revis. Oh, and hey, Richardson is now eligible to return from his four-game suspension. Gulp.

The Jets have a bye this weekend, which gives them a chance to rest and to heal before their 12-game haul through what's left of the regular season. Click here for a statistical look at where their defense stood at the end of last year. Below is a glimpse at where they are through four games. In nearly every category, the Jets are ranked in the league's top five.

If there's any real caveat in these numbers, it's that Football Outsiders has ranked the Jets' schedule through four weeks at 28th, based on the offensive DVOA (Defense-Adjusted Value Over Average) of their opponents.

So: Long way to go. And Bowles knows it.

"All we did was get off to a good start," Bowles said. "We haven't accomplished anything, and we know we have a lot of work to do, and our mindset is such."

Jets' Defense Statistical Rankings Through Week 4

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DVOA (via Football Outsiders): minus-25.5 percent (2nd)

Pass defense DVOA (via Football Outsiders): minus-21.3 percent (4th)

Rush defense DVOA (via Football Outsiders): minus-31.2 percent (3rd)

Total defense (yards per game): 280.3 (3rd)

Points per game: 13.8 (1st)

Passing yards per game: 185.5 (2nd)

Rushing yards per game: 94.8 (12th)

First downs per game: 16.8 (5th)

Third down efficiency: 32.14 percent (5th)

Red zone efficiency: 33.33 percent (1st)

Sacks: 7 (tied for 19th)

Sack rate: 4.26 percent (22nd)

Takeaways: 13 (1st)

Interceptions: 6 (tied for 3rd)

Interception rate: 4.26 percent (5th)

Forced fumbles: 7 (tied for 2nd)

Fumbles recovered: 7 (1st)

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Could the Giants or Jets play a road game in Mexico in 2016? (James Kratch) NJ Advanced Media October 7, 2015

http://www.nj.com/giants/index.ssf/2015/10/could_the_giants_or_jets_play_a_road_game_in_mexic.html#incart_river

EAST RUTHERFORD — Giants and Jets fans should not starting making travel plans just yet.

But, it appears there is a chance one of the two local teams will be playing a road game in Mexico next season, according to a report.

AS.com is reporting the Pittsburgh Steelers are in talks to play a 2016 regular season home game in Mexico, at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. It would be the first NFL regular season game in Mexico since 2005.

Both the Giants and Jets are scheduled to play road games in Pittsburgh in 2016. The Steelers are also scheduled to play home games against the Cowboys and Patriots next year, in addition to a to-be-determined AFC West team, so they will have plenty of options to choose from.

The Steelers played an exhibition game in Mexico in 2000, and team president Art Rooney II said during training camp the franchise was interested in a return to Mexico, according to ESPN.com.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported last week prior to the Jets' game against the Dolphins in London the league was planning on a Mexico City game in 2016, as well as an extension of the current International Series. The NFL is also reportedly considering playing games in Germany, as well as Brazil, in the future.

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Why has Jets' Brandon Marshall been so effective through 4 games? | Offensive film review (Darryl Slater) NJ Advance Media October 7, 2015

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/10/why_has_jets_brandon_marshall_been_so_effective_of.html#incart_river

Through four games, wide receiver Brandon Marshall has been extremely effective for the Jets, in his first season with them.

He has 30 catches on 44 targets, for 400 yards and three touchdowns. That's 13.3 yards per catch. Marshall ranks sixth in the NFL in both catches and yards.

A nice start, wouldn't you say?

In Sunday's win over the Dolphins in London, Marshall became the first Jets receiver with three straight 100-yard games since Al Toon in 1988.

Here's a rundown of Marshall's game-by-game performances so far:

Browns: nine targets, six catches, 62 yards, one touchdown

Colts: 10 targets, seven catches, 101 yards, one touchdown

Eagles: 14 targets, 10 catches, 109 yards, one touchdown

Dolphins: 11 targets, seven catches, 128 yards

Marshall's 128 yards in London marked his best yardage output since 2013, when he had 139 yards for the Bears against the Lions. All told, over the past two-plus seasons (2013-15), Marshall's 128 yards in London were his second-most.

Marshall made most of his impact in the first half Sunday, when he had five catches for 107 yards, to help the Jets lead 20-7 at halftime.

So what did Marshall do well against the Dolphins on Sunday? Let's take a look at three of his biggest catches, in our weekly film review, and assess what they demonstrate about him as a game-changing receiver.

The situation: First-and-10 at Jets' 27 (their opening play)

The score: 0-0, 12:14 remaining in first quarter

The result: Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick hit Marshall with a deep ball down the left sideline. The play gained 58 yards. Two plays later, the Jets scored a touchdown.

Analysis: The Jets opened the game with receiver Eric Decker on the sideline, and rookie Devin Smith starting at the outside receiver spot opposite Decker. It was a two-receiver formation. Marshall aligned to Fitzpatrick's left. The play called for straight go routes (deep patterns) by Smith and Marshall. As expected, cornerback Brent Grimes was on Marshall. The Dolphins had one deep safety. Grimes gave Marshall room, by playing coverage about 5 yards off the line of scrimmage. Fitzpatrick looked briefly to his right, at Smith, but then turned and saw Marshall had a step on Grimes. Marshall made a great catch, because Grimes was actually able to stick his right hand in at the last second. Marshall clearly had a step on Grimes by the time they reached midfield. But a closer look shows that a slight inside fake by Marshall, around the Jets' 40, caused Grimes to hesitate. And then Marshall was gone. That subtle move made

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Grimes turn, ever so briefly. He was finished after that. Marshall, having sold the jab-step fake, continued straight on down the field, and Grimes could only chase him. This play underscored Marshall's impressive combination of size, speed, strength, and smarts.

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The situation: Third-and-5 at Jets' 44 (their second drive)

The score: Jets up 7-0, 7:57 remaining in first quarter

The result: Marshall made a catch and run for a 22-yard gain, sustaining a drive that ended in a field goal and a 10-0 Jets lead.

Analysis: This the play on which Grimes sprained his knee. The injury sidelined him for the remainder of the game. Marshall lined up in the slot, to Fitzpatrick's left, with Grimes across from him. Marshall ran a crossing route, and as Grimes pursued, he pulled up lame and limping just past midfield. That's why Marshall was able to get so open, on the right side of the field. Marshall caught the ball at the Dolphins' 49, and was able to shove off Grimes' weakened tackle attempt, to gain 15 yards after the initial 7-yard catch. A big third-down catch here. Marshall has done an excellent job on third down so far this season for the Jets. He's shown a knack for playing well in these crucial moments.

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The situation: Third-and-5 at Dolphins' 27 (Jets' final first-half drive)

The score: Jets up 13-7, 1:20 remaining in second quarter

The result: Fitzpatrick hit Marshall for a 10-yard completion. Another key third-down catch. Two plays later, the Jets scored a touchdown, to go into halftime up 20-7.

Analysis: The Jets didn't have to settle for a long field goal attempt on this drive because Marshall was able to make this play. Though Marshall didn't have any touchdown catches in London, he had these two key third-down grabs in the first half that resulted in the Jets scoring a field goal and a touchdown. Consider these stats: On third down this season, Marshall has been targeted 14 times. He has 11 catches for 164 yards and a touchdown. Ten of his third-down catches have resulted in first downs. That's impressive stuff. So what did Marshall do on this third down? The Jets used a five-receiver set, with Marshall to the left, at the outside edge of the formation. Backup cornerback Jamar Taylor played off coverage against Marshall. When immediate pressure forced Fitzpatrick to get rid of the ball, Marshall was open, having run a quick stop-and-turn route. Marshall caught the ball 2 yards behind the line of scrimmage. But he was able to attain the first down because of a lead block by running back Zac Stacy, and because Marshall, after making the catch, correctly read the positioning of Taylor's pursuit and Stacy's block. Marshall wisely broke toward the sideline. He was physically quick enough to run away from Taylor, who had inside positioning. But Marshall was also mentally sharp enough to choose the right angle on this play. Those are the type of skills and decisions that win games.

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How are Jets doing a quarter of way through season? | Bye week grades (Darryl Slater) NJ Advance Media October 8, 2015

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/10/grading_the_jets_at_the_bye_week.html#incart_river

The Jets are 3-1 at their bye week — their best record through four games since 2010, when they started 3-1 and stretched that to 5-1.

They've done a lot of good things to this point, in coach Todd Bowles' first season. And they've done some not-so-positive things, too.

They've set themselves up well, considering their fairly favorable remaining schedule, to make a run at their first playoff appearance since 2010.

But there's a long way to go.

With that in mind, let's grade the Jets, a quarter of the way through their season.

Offense: The Jets rank 15th in the NFL in yards and points per game. They are 16th in Football Outsiders' offensive DVOA. But here's the biggest number of all for the Jets' offense: It ranks fifth in the league in red-zone efficiency. That was a major weak point for the Jets in recent seasons. Wide receiver Brandon Marshall has been superb. He's on a run of three straight 100-yard games. When Marshall and receiver Eric Decker are both on the field, with Decker often creating mismatches in the slot, defenses have a hard time focusing coverage on just one receiver. Running back Chris Ivory is a huge key to the Jets' offense, because of their shortcomings at quarterback. He's averaging 5 yards per carry and is coming off a 166-

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yard game against the Dolphins. Ivory missed a game with a quadriceps injury, but he currently leads the NFL with 104.7 rushing yards per game, at this early juncture. Turnovers have been a problem for Jets quarterbacks in recent seasons (Mark Sanchez and then Geno Smith), and Ryan Fitzpatrick has six interceptions through four games, including three in one game (a loss to the Eagles). He's come close to picks a few other times. He is an extremely suspect downfield passer. Will that cost the Jets at some point? Their defense and running game have been strong enough so far to atone for Fitzpatrick's issues. The job is his to lose, and he hasn't done enough to lose it. At his best, he is a serviceable, steady quarterback, but that might be all this team needs right now.

Grade: B

Defense: How many different ways can you say it? The Jets' defense has been spectacular. And the Jets have dominated without one of their biggest stars, defensive end Sheldon Richardson, who is now back from a four-game marijuana suspension. The Jets lead the NFL with 13 takeaways (including 12 by the defense). The Jets' defense has six interceptions and six fumble recoveries. The Jets rank first in the NFL in fewest points allowed and third in fewest yards allowed. The Jets are second in defensive DVOA. Just how good will this group be with Richardson in the mix? The Jets also have the NFL's best red-zone defense and rank fifth in third-down defense. Cornerback Darrelle Revis has been a difference maker, as expected. He has two picks and three fumble recoveries. Yes, the Jets still have to face the Patriots and star quarterback Tom Brady twice. But this defense did just fine against Colts quarterback Andrew Luck. Will the Jets have similar success against Brady, now that Richardson is back? Defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson has 3½ sacks through four games, so Richardson will have that carrot to chase.

Grade: A+

Special teams: Not great. The Jets rank 27th in special teams DVOA. They've allowed an 89-yard punt return touchdown, and haven't had any game-changing punt or kickoff returns of their own. Nick Folk has already missed two field goals, out of eight tries. He has missed from 40 and 48 yards. Ryan Quigley ranks 29th in the NFL with 42.1 yards per punt. The Jets rank 31st in the NFL in punt coverage and 13th in kickoff coverage, though with a small sample size, the long punt return touchdown skews that ranking. In terms of their own returns, the Jets rank 15th in punts and 27th in kickoffs.

Grade: C-

Coaching: For a rookie head coach, Bowles has handled everything that's happened since his hiring (especially Richardson's suspension/arrest and Smith being punched by a teammate) remarkably well. The Jets did just fine with the taxing London trip, as they manhandled the Dolphins. Bowles' defensive schemes have thrived. His blitzes are unpredictable (slot cornerback Buster Skrine has been involved in a bunch), and the blitzes have worked hand-in-hand with Bowles' skilled coverage guys in the back end. Yes, the Jets laid an egg against a sputtering Eagles team in Week 3. But through all of the Jets' success so far — and that hiccup against Philadelphia — Bowles has handled himself with sense of poise and calm that is clearly rubbing off on his team.

Grade: A

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NFL.COM

Jets, Giants suddenly trending up: Two contenders in New York? (Kimberly Jones) NFL.com October 7, 2015

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http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000551741/article/jets-giants-suddenly-trending-up-two-contenders-in-new-york

At the quarter mark of the NFL season, the New York Jets and New York Giants are still living, breathing, winning and possibly -- possibly -- on their way to being contending football teams.

And if you don't think that's news around here, then you probably haven't been paying attention lately to Gang Green and Big Blue, to Fireman Ed (he's back) or Tom Coughlin's jumping jacks (we'll get to that).

The Jets and Giants -- who share MetLife Stadium -- both won on the road Sunday, the Jets over the Dolphins in London, the Giants against the Bills in Orchard Park.

That alone is relatively significant. It marked the first time this year -- and only the fifth time in their past 36 games, dating to the beginning of the 2013 season -- that the Jets and Giants won in the same NFL week.

Break out the bubbly.

The Jets, who won their season opener in 2014 then dropped eight games in a row, are getting it done with a new coaching staff led by Todd Bowles, who likes Chips Ahoy cookies and Gladys Knight's music, but really likes winning. The Jets are 3-1 for the first time since 2010, which is the last time they finished with an above-.500 record or made the playoffs.

The reaction of the 51-year-old Bowles as his team enters its bye week? Typically stoic, almost understated, with his eyes downfield.

"We understand that we've only played one quarter of the season and all we did was get off to a good start," he said. "We haven't accomplished anything, and we know we have a lot of work to do, and our mindset is such."

Two veterans who've become invaluable for the Jets were acquired in March trades: wide receiver Brandon Marshall (along with a seventh-round pick) came from the Bears for a fifth-rounder, and quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick came from the Texans for a conditional late-rounder.

Marshall, so far, seems happy and has given the Jets the kind of receiver they haven't had since at least Keyshawn Johnson and perhaps Al Toon. Fitzpatrick got the job by default when Geno Smith was punched in his own locker room, and the veteran QB has been a steadying influence, to say the least. A Harvard graduate, Fitzpatrick has ascended to near cult hero within the training facility. When leaving for London last Thursday, Eric Decker wore a green "Fitzmagic" T-shirt, featuring a Jets helmet and Fitzpatrick's beard:

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Mostly, and importantly for the Jets, Fitzpatrick is an adult. None of this, whatever it becomes, will be too big for him. He has been largely effective in getting the ball to Marshall and Decker, both big targets and savvy route-runners, and handing it off to running back Chris Ivory, a human sledgehammer. That quartet has seen a combined 33 NFL seasons, including this one.

"It's a lot of fun to be in the huddle with such experienced guys," Fitzpatrick said. "All of them have the right look in their eye."

As for the Giants, they were nearly left for dead after two mind-boggling, largely self-inflicted-wound losses to start the season. As you've probably heard, they became the first team in NFL history to start 0-2 after leading both games by 10-plus points in the fourth quarter.

Once Coughlin's inspirational goal, "Finish" quickly became a desperate plea. When the Giants were facing a short week -- it helped that their Week 3 Thursday night game was at home, against the Redskins -- and negativity was swirling, Coughlin remained positive and encouraging, according to players. He told them they were good enough. He pointed out that the NFC East is a mess, though his characterization was likely more eloquent.

Every game, all season

And he did jumping jacks in front of his players in the team auditorium.

"I would say he's come in with more energy, more enthusiasm," linebacker Jon Beason said. "The guy is 69 years old [and] it's a joy to see how much he loves to do what he does and how much of a competitor he is. It's easy to go out and fight for a guy like that."

Said Coughlin: "Whether the energy level came up from whatever level it was, I don't know about that. But I do know that it put some fire in our belly to be 0-2. I didn't think we were an 0-2 team, and we needed to do something about it."

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The Giants lost six games in a row to start the 2013 season and dropped seven consecutive games in the middle of last year. They remain without three of their four highest-salaried players due to injury: DE Jason Pierre-Paul, WR Victor Cruz and LT Will Beatty.

Inside the locker room, there is the belief by the Giants that they should be 4-0, that they are good enough.

They are an interesting group, particularly on defense. The G-Men stop the run better than anyone (yielding just 69.8 rushing yards per game) ... but give up more passing yards than anyone (316.2 passing yards per game), don't blitz effectively and don't have much of an organic pass rush.

"It's been done before [with a] no-name defense," veteran defensive lineman Cullen Jenkins said. He added, "We don't look at ourselves like that."

Eli Manning has reformed his turnover-prone ways; he's thrown just one interception on the season. The run game has been spotty and there were just four healthy receivers on the roster before the team added Myles White from the practice squad Wednesday. It helps, of course, that one of those wideouts is Odell Beckham Jr., who now has played a full 16 NFL games and done so with unprecedented production for a newbie (115 catches, 1,612 yards, 14 TDs over that span).

The Giants' win in Buffalo was defined by two physical marvels: Rashad Jennings' tackle-breaking, stiff-arm-serving, 51-yard catch-and-run touchdown, and a goal-line stand in the fourth quarter where six different players were credited with touchdown-saving tackles.

"We don't have any quit in us," said defensive end Kerry Wynn, who had one of those tackles. "We never back down, no matter what."

Coughlin has convinced his players that they are relevant in a wide-open division. To a defense that is willing to play hard, defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo preaches relentlessness. Maybe for now, for these Giants, that's enough.

It's October and there will be football that matters at MetLife Stadium. For now, that's enough, too.

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WEDNESDAY’S SPORTS TRANSACTIONS

BASKETBALL

INDIANA PACERS — Signed F Kadeem Jack.

MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES — Waived C Holyfield. Signed F-C Alex Stepheson.

FOOTBALL

BUFFALO BILLS — Signed K Billy Cundiff and WR Denarius Moore. Released K Jordan Gay and KR Marcus Thigpen.

CHICAGO BEARS — Signed S Demontre Hurst from the practice squad. Signed G-C Ryan Seymour to the practice squad.

DETROIT LIONS — Signed DT Andre Fluellen. Placed DT Tyrunn Walker on injured reserve.

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS — Signed QB Josh Johnson. Placed CB Jalil Brown on injured reserve.

NEW YORK GIANTS — Placed TE Daniel Fells. Signed WR Myles White from the practice squad. Signed TE Dominique Jones and WR Julian Talley to the practice squad.

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TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS — Signed LB Orie Lemon. Waived-injured DE Josh Martin. Signed WRs Rannell Hall and Adam Humphries to the practice squad.

HOCKEY

DETROIT RED WINGS — Waived F Daniel Cleary.

MINNESOTA WILD — Assigned C Jordan Schroeder to Iowa (AHL).

ST. LOUIS BLUES — Signed C Scott Gomez to a one-year contract. Placed C Patrik Berglund on long-term injured reserve.

VANCOUVER CANUCKS — Recalled G Richard Bachman from Utica (AHL).

SOCCER

Major League Soccer

MLS — Announced Sporting Kansas City and Portland were in violation of the Mass Confrontation Policy following an incident in the 79th minute of their Oct. 3 match. Fined Portland MF Diego Valeri an undisclosed amount for instigating/escalating the incident.

COLLEGE

DELAWARE — Named Dana Wilber and Chris Selva men’s assistant lacrosse coaches.

DOANE — Announced the addition of a coed shotgun sports team to begin competing in the 2016-17 season. Named Rick Marshall shotgun coach.

FORDHAM — Named Camille Everett compliance assistant for athletics.

OLD WESTBURY — Named Bill Murphy men’s assistant soccer coach.

RUTGERS — Reinstated WR Leonte Carroo.

ST. JOHN’S — Named Dan Matic director of men’s basketball operations and Dru Anthrop men’s basketball graduate assistant.

TENNESSEE — Dismissed senior WR Alton Howard for a violation of unspecified team rules.

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