NEW YORK JETS DAILY CLIPS

September 13, 2014

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Table of Contents

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

Landry a stabilizing force in Jets' secondary (Dennis Waszak) .................................................................................. 2

Jets CB Milliner will play vs. Packers (Dennis Waszak) .............................................................................................. 3

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

Michael Vick won't appear on Mike Francesa's show after all (Neil Best) ................................................................ 4

Jets confident they can slow Packers' run game (Greg Logan) ................................................................................. 5

THE RECORD .......................................................................................................................................................... 6

Jets front 7 tough against the run (Jeff Roberts) ....................................................................................................... 6

STAR-LEDGER ......................................................................................................................................................... 7

Jets vs. Packers: 3 key matchups to watch as Jets play first road game (Darryl Slater) ............................................ 7

As Dee Milliner prepares for debut in Jets-Packers, Ed Reed explains the advice he gave him last year (Darryl Slater) ........................................................................................................................................................................ 9

NEW YORK POST .................................................................................................................................................. 11

Jets will have Dee Milliner against Packers (Tim Bontemps) .................................................................................. 11

Jets bring back CB Ellis Lankster (Tim Bontemps) ................................................................................................... 12

Rex Ryan, Pryor out to make laughing stock of Ha Ha (Tim Bontemps) .................................................................. 12

Wilkerson opted to put team ahead of a restructured deal (Mark Cannizzaro) ..................................................... 13

Sheldon Richardson is ‘D’ perfect complement for Mo Wilkerson (Mark Cannizzaro) ........................................... 14

Michael Vick stiffs Mike Francesa and WFAN (Tim Bontemps) ............................................................................... 15

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS ...................................................................................................................................... 16

Chris Ivory, Chris Johnson and Bilal Powell give NY Jets plenty of options with running game (Kevin Armstrong) 16

NY Jets backup QB Mike Vick will not be weekly guest with Mike Francesa (Seth Walder) ................................... 16

WALL STREET JOURNAL ....................................................................................................................................... 17

Jets Aren't Facing Oakland Anymore (Stu Woo) ..................................................................................................... 17

ESPN NEW YORK .................................................................................................................................................. 18

Covering Nelson likely to challenge Allen (Mike Mazzeo) ....................................................................................... 19

METRO NEW YORK .............................................................................................................................................. 19

Jets vs. Packers: 3 things to watch (Mark Osborne) ................................................................................................ 20

NJ.COM ................................................................................................................................................................ 21

To blitz or not to blitz: What's best way for Jets to stop Aaron Rodgers? (Dom Cosentino) .................................. 21

Jets re-sign CB Ellis Lankster, who will play special teams Sunday (Dom Cosentino) ............................................. 22

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Michael Vick won't appear weekly on Mike Francesa's show after Jets influence arrangement (Dom Cosentino) ................................................................................................................................................................................. 22

FRIDAY’S SPORTS TRANSACTIONS ....................................................................................................................... 23

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Landry a stabilizing force in Jets' secondary (Dennis Waszak) Associated Press September 12, 2014

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/landry-stabilizing-force-jets-secondary-193738315--nfl.html

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) -- Dawan Landry remembers the hit, when his head collided with Jamal Lewis' knee.

And then, he felt nothing.

Face down on the ground during the second quarter of the second game of the season against the Cleveland Browns in 2008, the then-Baltimore Ravens safety couldn't move his legs. Or his arms. Or anything else.

''I was just thinking, 'Man, we were having a good game and I was having a real good game on tackles,''' Landry recalled after practice in the New York Jets' locker room Friday.

''It was just unfortunate. I was just lying there and thinking, 'Well, if this is what it's going to be, and this is what God's plan is, I'm going to have to embrace it.'

''Fortunately, it wasn't.''

Landry regained feeling in his extremities after about 15 excruciating minutes - and he was carted off the field after his facemask was screwed off and his head immobilized, his career in jeopardy.

''That was a devastating injury, certainly,'' said Jets coach Rex Ryan, then the Ravens' defensive coordinator. ''To look back on it and to realize now that this young man's playing and there's no signs of the injury, he's never tempered his play one bit and it's just amazing. But that was a scary injury.''

Landry suffered a spinal cord concussion, an injury that ended his season and required fusion surgery in the offseason. There were initial doubts, Landry acknowledged, that he'd ever get back on the football field.

''I was having pain and tingling and things like that, but once I had the surgery, everything went away,'' he said. ''That's when I knew it was time to get back to work.''

He returned in 2009, and started every game for the Ravens that season. In fact, Landry has started every game since - 81 consecutive - including two seasons in Jacksonville and last year with the Jets and the season opener last Sunday against Oakland.

The 31-year-old Landry is the glue in the Jets' otherwise turbulent secondary. He's known to his teammates as ''The Mentor,'' the player the other defensive backs look to when they need some help. And the Jets have needed plenty during the past several weeks.

A few cornerbacks were injured, including Dee Milliner, and another projected starter - Dimitri Patterson - was cut after being suspended for leaving the team for 48 hours without permission. Safety Antonio Allen has been playing cornerback, and rookie Calvin Pryor is learning life in the NFL as a safety.

Through it all, Landry has been a constant in Ryan's secondary, even when it appeared his job could be in jeopardy this offseason.

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''The best way I can describe him is like he's a robot, in a good way,'' fellow safety Josh Bush said. ''You know what he can do. He's going to do the same thing every day at the same level, every single game, every single practice.''

When the Jets drafted Pryor in the first round in May, some speculated that Landry could be on the way out.

Not so fast.

Landry is still playing nearly every snap - and even playing special teams.

''Since Day 1, he's one of the main guys who took me under his wing and just showed me the ropes of how to be a professional and how to play the safety position,'' Pryor said. ''He's definitely been a big help since I stepped through the door.''

Landry was in Pryor's shoes once, a wide-eyed rookie looking to make an impact. He was a fifth-round pick by Baltimore in 2006 out of Georgia Tech, and impressed enough to earn a starting spot on a defense that included playmakers such as Ray Lewis and Ed Reed.

''I always looked up to Ray Lewis, even when I was in college,'' Landry said. ''To get drafted by Baltimore, for me that was like getting to play with Michael Jordan each and every day.''

Lewis and Reed helped make him better on the field, and in the locker room and film room.

''It's just a blessing that the game has come full circle for me in that regard,'' Landry said.

He's not nearly as flashy as his younger brother LaRon, whom he replaced in New York and is known for bone-rattling hits and having a pet monkey named Mr. Gucci.

''You can definitely tell they're both Landrys from the work they put in,'' Bush said, ''but they're so different personality wise.''

Dawan is a mellow, understated guy who has been, in some of his teammates' estimation, underrated throughout his career.

No Pro Bowls. No headlines. No big endorsements.

''I try not to get caught up in stats or anything like that,'' said Landry, who had the Jets' first sack of the season last week. ''I don't get involved in the Pro Bowl voting, thinking this guy did this or that guy did that. I can only play my game and be myself.

''Anything I can do to help my team win, that's just my motto.''

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Jets CB Milliner will play vs. Packers (Dennis Waszak) Associated Press September 12, 2014

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/jets-cb-milliner-play-vs-181941657--nfl.html

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) -- Dee Milliner is ready for his season debut.

The New York Jets cornerback is expected to play Sunday against the Green Bay Packers after recovering from a high ankle sprain that kept him out of last weekend's opener.

Milliner, the team's top cornerback, was listed as probable on the Jets' injury report Friday after being limited in practice three straight days.

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''I think he'll play,'' coach Rex Ryan said, ''but we'll see how much.''

Antonio Allen and Darrin Walls are expected to start at Green Bay, but Milliner could play a significant role in the secondary.

''It helps us a whole lot,'' safety Calvin Pryor said. ''It makes us more dimensional, causes us to do a lot of great things and put more DBs out on the field who can cover. We're definitely going to need it this week because the Packers like to pass the ball a lot.''

Milliner injured his left ankle on Aug. 10 during training camp, and returned to practice for the first time since on Wednesday. He struggled throughout his rookie season last year, but finished with a solid final month.

''Oh, I expect great things from him, there's no question,'' Ryan said. ''I think the young man has a ton of ability.''

Safety Josh Bush (quadriceps) was listed as questionable, while linebacker A.J. Edds (hamstring) will sit out.

Right guard Willie Colon (calf) and rookie linebacker Ikemefuna Enemkpali (foot) were listed as probable - although Ryan said Enemkpali would likely not be active against the Packers.

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NEWSDAY

Michael Vick won't appear on Mike Francesa's show after all (Neil Best) Newsday September 12, 2014

http://www.newsday.com/sports/football/jets/michael-vick-won-t-appear-on-mike-francesa-s-show-after-all-1.9299688

Michael Vick will not appear on Mike Francesa's WFAN show on Tuesdays this season, as he had been contracted to do, a decision that became official Friday.

The Jets' new backup quarterback said Sept. 5 he was leaning against coming on weekly but might do so periodically, to which Francesa responded he was not interested in that arrangement.

Vick did appear Tuesday and answered questions at length; he seemed to imply he would return soon.

Francesa said on the air between Yankees games Friday that the Jets had barred Vick from appearing weekly. The team said earlier in the day that it merely had encouraged him to reconsider.

Responding to an inquiry from Newsday, a team spokesman said in a statement, "We weren't aware of the request initially. Upon learning [of it], we discussed it with Michael and his representatives.

"Appearing on a weekly basis didn't seem so practical in-season, but he is willing to be a guest on occasion and we have no issue with scheduling other players on Mike's show so long as it's in a manner that's respectful of our relationship with our flagship station, ESPN 98.7 FM.''

Francesa said on the air, "Here's the bottom line: The Jets pulled him. You want to say my frosty relationship with the Jets continues? Well, I guess it does, because the Jets pulled him.''

Francesa said he has "no problem'' with Vick or his agent and said the player is welcome on the show. "I think they both acted in good faith,'' he said. "The Jets, of course their story changes, as it always does. Obviously, as soon as they knew there was a deal, they got involved in a hurry and broke the deal.''

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WFAN will let Vick out of his contract. "No one wanted to put Vick in a tough spot,'' Francesa said.

Chris Shigas, Vick's spokesman, said, "Michael Vick wanted to remain focused on the season and be respectful to the Jets and its partners. Vick truly enjoyed being on Mike Francesa's show.

"Francesa is a legend in the market and Vick hopes that he will be invited back on air in the future.''

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Jets confident they can slow Packers' run game (Greg Logan) Newsday September 12, 2014

http://www.newsday.com/sports/football/jets/jets-confident-they-can-slow-packers-run-game-1.9301409

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. - Rex Ryan crowed last Sunday after his Jets defense basically wadded up Oakland's running game like a piece of paper and threw it into a wastebasket, allowing only 25 yards rushing. Things figure to be different Sunday in Green Bay against a great quarterback in Aaron Rodgers who can hand off to 230-pound back Eddie Lacy to keep a defense honest.

But Ryan figures the other guys will have their hands full blocking his line. "Our front seven is pretty good, and we don't care who we play," he said. Naming the offensive linemen from the Packers' dynasty in the mid-60s, Ryan added: "You could have Jerry Kramer, Fuzzy Thurston, Jim Ringo, Forrest Gregg and [Bob Skoronski] out there if you like. Our guys are showing up to play."

Last season, Ryan's defense led the NFL in allowing the fewest yards per carry (3.4), but the Packers' running game is a real challenge. Since the beginning of last season, they rank eighth in rushing per game (130.4 yards) and fifth in average carry (4.62). The reason for that was the addition of Lacy, who ran for 1,178 yards and 11 touchdowns as a rookie last season.

Lacy left Sunday's game in Seattle with a concussion but is probable after receiving medical clearance to play the Jets. As Ryan noted, Rodgers' passing ability helps open things up for Lacy -- who ran for 34 yards on 12 carries against the Seahawks -- and the rest of the running game.

"They do a lot of creative things with their blocking," Ryan said. "They'll get you going one way and then bend the ball all the way back. They try to create angles on you. Because of the guy pulling the trigger [Rodgers] is why you've got a light box."

Lacy might be vulnerable while recovering from a concussion, but he's not the sort to tiptoe through the line. He hits like a linebacker.

"He's definitely at the top," said Jets rookie safety Calvin Pryor, a noted hitter in his own right. "He doesn't want the hit delivered to him. He's the one that brings it. He makes sure you feel his presence . . . a downhill runner."

"I watched him since his college days at Alabama. We have to do a great job of tackling him."

Ryan indicated the secondary might get some help from the return of cornerback Dee Milliner (sprained ankle), who was limited in practice Friday but listed as probable. Darrin Walls and Antonio Allen again are expected to start at the corners, but Milliner should see time in situations with extra defensive backs.

Notes & quotes: The Jets re-signed cornerback Ellis Lankster, who is expected to see considerable action on special teams . . . Linebacker Calvin Pace was fined $16,537 for roughing Oakland quarterback Derek Carr in the opener . . . Linebacker A.J. Edds (hamstring) is out and cornerback Josh Bush (quadriceps) is

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listed as questionable. Probables include guard Willie Colon (calf) and tight end Jeff Cumberland (non-injury-related).

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THE RECORD

Jets front 7 tough against the run (Jeff Roberts) The Record September 13, 2014

http://www.northjersey.com/sports/football/jets-front-7-ready-for-the-run-1.1087298?page=all

FLORHAM PARK — Maurice Jones-Drew never had a chance.

Quinton Coples met him in the backfield almost as soon as he took the handoff. He was unblocked. Unimpeded. Unobstructed.

The Jets linebacker sped past a pulling guard and wrapped up Jones-Drew with such force that he sent the running back falling backward. The football popped out of his arms, and he accidentally punted it into the air as he fell to the turf.

It landed in the arms of quarterback Derek Carr on the fly eight yards behind him, a play worthy of a "good poster," according to Jets defensive lineman Sheldon Richardson.

"Your eyes just get big and you wait for the results," Coples said of the hit. "You just know something crazy is going to happen."

That play illustrates just how formidable — and fearsome — the Jets’ talented front seven can be against the run.

They allowed only 25 rushing yards (on 15 carries) in their victory Sunday over the Oakland Raiders, the NFL low in Week 1. But the Jets face a stiff test in Green Bay this weekend in running back Eddie Lacy and the Packers (0-1). Last season’s Offensive Rookie of the Year is listed as probable after suffering a concussion in Week 1.

The Jets (1-0) say they’re ready after yielding the fewest rushing yards in a game in the Rex Ryan era and the least since November 2006.

They finished No. 3 in rush defense (88.2) last season, holding opponents to a league-low 3.4 yards per carry.

"We want to be No. 1 in every defensive category. We want to be the best defense," lineman Leger Douzable said. "We’ve come out and said it in the paper plenty of times. Now it’s time for us to prove it."

But the 5-foot-11, 230-pound Lacy represents a step up in competition.

As a rookie, he ran for nearly 1,200 yards and 11 touchdowns. And the Packers finished seventh in the NFL in rushing in 2013 (133.5 yards per game).

"He’s a big power back, but he’s a spinner, too," Ryan said. "Most big backs are just boom, straight-ahead, no fare-dodging. … But he’ll also spin out of tackles as well."

Lacy is a special back.

But Coples made a special play on Sunday in a game in which the Jets produced a special defensive performance (only 158 yards allowed).

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Something will have to give.

"For a guy to get hit and kick the ball at least 30 yards up in the air and go back 10, I’ve never seen anything like that," Douzable said.

It is the kind of play the Jets want to make. The kind they can watch on film and marvel at. The kind that is remembered.

"At the end of the year that’s when you look to see if you accomplished your mission — when you see big plays like that," Richardson said. "Highlights."

MILLINER WILL PLAY: CB Dee Milliner was listed as probable and will play for the first time since suffering a high-ankle sprain Aug. 10. But Antonio Allen and Darrin Walls again will start.

"I think he will play," Ryan said. "We’ll see how much."

BRIEFS: The NFL fined LB Calvin Pace $16,537 for last week’s roughing the passer penalty in which he delivered a blow to the head of Raiders QB Derek Carr. … The Jets re-signed CB Ellis Lankster. … Michael Vick will not appear on Mike Francesa’s WFAN radio show on Tuesdays this season after the Jets strongly discouraged the arrangement, Newsday reported.

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STAR-LEDGER

Jets vs. Packers: 3 key matchups to watch as Jets play first road game (Darryl Slater) Star-Ledger September 12, 2014

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2014/09/jets_vs_packers_three_key_matchups_to_watch.html

FLORHAM PARK -- The Jets opened the season last Sunday with a win over the Raiders at MetLife Stadium. Things are about to get tougher for Rex Ryan and Co., as they travel to Green Bay on Sunday to begin a six-game stretch against quality opponents with prominent quarterbacks.

The Packers opened their season three days before the Jets, on a Thursday night at Seattle, probably the toughest place to play in the NFL. The defending Super Bowl champion Seahawks steamrolled the Packers 36-16. With all due respect to the Jets, the Packers hosting them is not as daunting of a game, for the Packers, as that trip to Seattle.

But that's all semantics anyway. What matters, as always, are the matchups on the field. Here are three major ones that will determine the outcome of Jets-Packers:

JETS' SECONDARY VS. AARON RODGERS

Jets cornerback Dee Milliner is probable, coming off a high ankle sprain, but Ryan said he will again start Darrin Walls and converted safety Antonio Allen at the cornerback spots. Rodgers is one of the NFL's sharpest quarterbacks. He essentially calls all of the plays at the line in the Packers' up-tempo offense. Now that Rodgers is back home, he will be able to use his cadence and audibles as weapons -- something he was limited in doing at Seattle, said Ryan. Rodgers can use a hard snap count to get defenses to show their blitz early, and then he can shout an audible to his teammates, changing to a play that will work better against what the defense has shown. Then there is the matter of his arm. Ryan said defenses typically must play with just seven men in the box against Rodgers, leaving the others in coverage to account for his precision passing. Walls and Allen weren't tested much with the deep ball against the Raiders. How will they handle the potential of more long throws in Green Bay? And how will Milliner

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respond after practicing just three times since sustaining his injury Aug. 10? Will he be physically and/or mentally rusty? The Jets are about to find out, against one of the NFL's elite quarterbacks.

ERIC DECKER VS. SAM SHIELDS

Decker had a strong debut against the Raiders -- five catches for 74 yards. Decker's only career game against Green Bay came in 2011, when Decker played for Denver. He was targeted 10 times in a Green Bay win, and caught five passes for 56 yards and two touchdowns. According to Pro Football Focus, Decker was targeted just once when Shields defended him. Shields primarily covered Brandon Lloyd that day. Decker caught his only pass with Shields on him, for 5 yards. Decker did most of his damage against strong safety Morgan Burnett, who is still with the Packers. Decker was targeted twice with Burnett on him, and caught both passes, for 34 yards. Tramon Williams is the Packers' other corner. He was on the team in 2011 as well. Decker was targeted three times with Williams on him in Packers-Broncos. Decker made one catch in those situations, for 13 yards.

CLAY MATTHEWS AND JULIUS PEPPERS VS. GENO SMITH

The Packers' outside linebackers have combined for 169 career sacks -- 50 for Matthews, a sixth-year pro, and 119 for Peppers, a 13th-year pro who signed with Green Bay in free agency and moved from defensive end to outside linebacker. Over the past two seasons, Matthews had 20.5 sacks in 23 games played. He and Peppers will try to not only pressure Smith, but keep him hemmed in the pocket as well, because Smith has significant running ability. Yes, Peppers is 34, but he hasn't missed a game since 2007. The past three seasons, he made 11, 11.5 and 7.5 sacks. Mathews and Peppers will also test the Jets' offensive line, which was flagged for four penalties in the opener, including three on right guard Willie Colon. Left tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson got another on a field goal attempt.

DID YOU KNOW?

Lambeau Field is one of the toughest places to play in the NFL, but the Jets are 4-2 there all-time. They lost in 1973 and 1994, and won in 1979, 1985, 2000 and 2006. Three of the Jets' six trips to Green Bay have occurred in September, when the weather is usually nice. The forecast for Sunday's game calls for a high of 65 degrees, with no rain. Here is a look at the game-time weather conditions for the Jets' previous six trips to Green Bay:

• Sept. 17, 1973: 54 degrees, Jets lost 23-7

• Nov. 4, 1979: 34 degrees (26 windchill), Jets won 27-22

• Sept. 22, 1985: 64 degrees, Jets won 24-3

• Nov. 13, 1994: 51 degrees, Jets lost 17-10

• Sept. 3, 2000: 69 degrees, Jets won 20-16

• Dec. 3, 2006: 17 degrees (2 windchill), Jets won 38-10

So even though the Jets faced cold weather in just two of their previous six trips to Green Bay, they won both of those games. And they lost there on an unseasonably warm day in November of 1994. Go figure.

THE NUMBER

159

Touchdowns thrown by Rodgers from 2009-13. He threw 38 interceptions over that span, while completing 66.5 percent of his passes for 19,830 yards -- 279 per game. Rodgers debuted as the Packers' starter in 2008, when he threw 28 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. The Packers went 6-10 that year. Since then, they are 52-19 in games he has started. As a first-year starter, Rodgers threw touchdowns on

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5.2 percent of his passes and interceptions on 2.4 percent of his passes. From 2009-13, his touchdown percentage was 6.7 and his interception percentage was 1.6.

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As Dee Milliner prepares for debut in Jets-Packers, Ed Reed explains the advice he gave him last year (Darryl Slater) Star-Ledger September 12, 2014

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2014/09/as_dee_milliner_prepares_for_debut_in_jets-packers_ed_reed_explains_the_advice_he_gave_him_last_year.html

FLORHAM PARK – During the final month and a half of last season, the seating arrangement in the Jets’ defensive backs meeting room resulted in rookie cornerback Dee Milliner finding himself, every day, next to one of the NFL’s greatest safeties.

Milliner – whom the Jets drafted ninth overall last year – was 10 years old when Ed Reed entered the league in 2002, as an outspoken, natural leader from a swashbuckling college program, Miami. Last season found Reed in the twilight of his career, a still-proud 36-year-old player with grays sprouting from his head and bushy beard.

The Jets signed Reed in November, after the Texans cut him. Reed spent the season’s final seven games with the Jets. They decided not to re-sign him in the offseason. He is now essentially, but not officially, retired, and working as an analyst on Showtime’s “Inside the NFL.”

Last season, Reed knew his time with Milliner would probably be limited. So he wanted to impart as much knowledge as possible while they sat next to each other in the meeting room – and even after meetings, during the informal film study sessions that Reed held with the Jets’ defensive backs.

“We had so many conversations,” Reed said of his relationship with Milliner. “It wasn’t always football talk that he was getting in his ear. We had a lot of conversations, just about life and football, how to take care of your body.”

One thing Reed discussed with Milliner was his approach to the deep ball – among the toughest plays for a young cornerback. Milliner played in 13 games last season, missing three due to a hamstring injury. He sometimes struggled against the deep ball, like when he gave up a 40-yard completion at Buffalo and a 66-yard touchdown at Baltimore.

Milliner allowed seven touchdowns last year, according to Pro Football Focus. That tied for the fourth-most among NFL cornerbacks. He was rated 87th out of 110 NFL corners in PFF’s coverage grading. Some of that owed to his problems with long throws.

Reed gave Milliner advice about the deep ball that he will bring into Sunday’s game at Green Bay. Milliner is probable to play after being sidelined with a high left ankle sprain. Jets coach Rex Ryan would not say how much he expects Milliner to participate, but he said he plans on starting backup Darrin Walls and converted safety Antonio Allen at the cornerback spots for the second straight week.

This probably won’t be the full-fledged debut Milliner expected to make in 2014, as he tries to build off a rocky rookie season that he closed strong, by making his only three interceptions of the season in the final two games combined.

Two came in the finale at Miami, where he was assigned to cover receiver Mike Wallace. Ryan Tannehill targeted Wallace 10 times when Milliner covered him. Tannehill completed just four of those passes, for 29 yards and a touchdown. He was picked off twice by Milliner when throwing to Wallace.

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But even if Milliner’s action is limited Sunday in Green Bay, the game will launch his second season, a year in which he attempts to show he is more patient and confident, especially on deep balls. Those are two major points Reed made to him last year.

“I remember having a conversation with him just about being confident and believing in his ability to make a play,” Reed said. “Because a lot of times, he was in position, but he wouldn’t look back or stuff like that. Or he would panic, and the ball would be right there and he just would miss it. It was a matter of just telling him to have the confidence to go up and make the play, believe in your technique, but really getting him to understand to truly trust his technique.”

Those seemingly minute details about footwork and angles and which way to turn – they are all the things that hamstrung Milliner last season, and all the reasons why his coaches believe greater achievements could be in store for him this year.

“Dee is much more mature now,” said Jets defensive backs coach Tim McDonald. “I think the biggest thing with me with Dee is technique. When he’s on top of his technique, he’s smart as they come. When he’s on top of his technique, he’s a damn good player. It’s like when you get a little hitch in your step, you can become very average in a hurry. He’s got to make sure that he’s concentrating and working on his technique at all times. When he is, he can be as good as anybody.”

The Jets need him to be. Their secondary was a huge question mark even before he got hurt, and before the other starting cornerback, Dimitri Patterson, went AWOL for a preseason game, which resulted in the Jets cutting him. All along, significant responsibilities were going to fall on Milliner, to make sure the Jets’ improved their pass defense from 2013, when they ranked 22nd in the NFL in passing yards allowed.

Starting as a rookie cornerback is an enormous challenge. Eric Davis, a cornerback who played in the NFL from 1990-2002 and picked off 38 passes, didn’t start until his third season. Davis is now an analyst for the NFL Network, and as he studied Milliner from afar last season, he saw many mistakes typical of young corners. In the NFL, Davis said, rarely is a cornerback beaten because the receiver is physically better than him. More often, a cornerback’s technical mistakes cost him.

“DBs get themselves in trouble when you don’t turn in time, your feet aren’t where they’re supposed to be, your hands aren’t where they’re supposed to be,” Davis said. “If you’re a press (coverage) corner, and if you’re not getting the proper hand, based on the receiver’s release, on the receiver at the line of scrimmage – it seems like a little thing – but it can make you have a false step. And a false step at the line of scrimmage, a six-inch step at the line of scrimmage, can cost you three yards down the field. And if a guy is three yards wide open, I don’t think a quarterback is going to miss him. Those are the little things that Dee is still learning – the importance of your technique.

“Dee, that’s what I see – a talented kid that’s still learning how to be where he’s supposed to be, how to position himself properly, so that you don’t get in what I call DB panic mode, where the (deep) ball is in the air and you’re scrambling and you’re out of control. Because the game is about doing everything as fast as you can, right up to the edge of losing control. That’s what he’s working on. If you slow everything down, he’ll do it perfectly. The game speed, he sometimes gets himself caught up in, because he’s still learning what he can and cannot do.”

Still, Davis said he believes Milliner will “be a very, very good player,” partly because he is being coached by Davis’s former 49ers secondary mate, McDonald, and Jets defensive coordinator Dennis Thurman, who played defensive back in the NFL from 1978-86.

“(Milliner) has every advantage that he could possibly have, with his age, his physical ability and then the teachers that he has,” Davis said. “I expect big things from him. But where he is right now, he’s still learning. That’s what I see, when I watch him on film.”

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Part of that learning process involved listening to Reed last season. The Jets’ coaches encouraged Reed to show the other defensive backs the finer points of watching film. Almost every day, they sat with Reed and observed a master film tactician at work.

“Any time those guys asked me, I was available to them,” Reed said. “I was truly like a coach, man. They put me in a situation where I was like an assistant DB coach.”

For a month and a half, Milliner had Reed as a resource, a voice in his ear, just like Reed had caught the ear of so many others in the NFL for so long.

When Reed spoke to Milliner about trusting his technique on deep balls, “I really had to get on him about how he practiced,” Reed said. “That was a big conversation I think we had.” He wanted Milliner to understand “that you practice how you play.”

How, then, after all the advice and advancement, will Milliner play this year, his second season in a career that everybody around him has such high hopes for?

“I expect great things from him,” Ryan said. “There’s no question. I think the young man has got a ton of ability, and I expect that he’s going to play really well.”

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NEW YORK POST

Jets will have Dee Milliner against Packers (Tim Bontemps) New York Post September 12, 2014

http://nypost.com/2014/09/12/jets-will-have-dee-milliner-against-packers/

Jets coach Rex Ryan made it official Friday: Cornerback Dee Milliner will make his season debut Sunday afternoon at Lambeau Field.

“He will play,” Ryan said, “but we’ll see how much.”

Milliner, who has been sidelined since suffering a high ankle sprain during training camp in Cortland on Aug. 10, was limited in practice Friday — his third straight day of work — but Ryan said the 2013 first-round pick was probable for Sunday’s game.

What Milliner won’t do, however, is step right back into a starter’s role, as Antonio Allen and Darrin Walls will remain in the lineup.

“I think it’s great to have a number of corners who can go out and play,” Walls said. “Depth is always good. Dee brings a lot to the table, Antonio has been playing well, and it’s only a good thing for us to have healthy guys that can go out there and play.”

Depth is something the Jets have been searching for at cornerback ever since both Milliner and third-round pick Dexter McDougle (torn ACL) suffered injuries on the same day during training camp. Now, at least in a limited capacity, they’ll have their best corner out there against a Packers offense that’s got plenty of weapons to neutralize, and Ryan is hoping Milliner can build off a rookie season that saw his play improve as the year went along.

“I expect great things from him, there’s no question about that,” Ryan said. “The young man has got a ton of ability, and I expect him to play very well.”

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Daily Clips Cont.

12 | P a g e

Jets bring back CB Ellis Lankster (Tim Bontemps) New York Post September 12, 2014

http://nypost.com/2014/09/12/jets-bring-back-cb-ellis-lankster/

The Jets re-signed cornerback Ellis Lankster on Friday morning.

Lankster, who practiced Friday, spent the last three years with the Jets – playing 15 games in both 2012 and 2013 – and was also with them through training camp before being cut on Sept. 1.

He took the spot vacated by the team waiving fellow corner Leon McFadden, who had been inactive for Sunday’s home win over the Raiders. By adding Lankster, the Jets now have six corners – including converted safety Antonio Allen – on the roster.

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Rex Ryan, Pryor out to make laughing stock of Ha Ha (Tim Bontemps) New York Post September 12, 2014

http://nypost.com/2014/09/12/rex-ryan-pryor-out-to-make-laughing-stock-of-ha-ha/

Jets safety Calvin Pryor couldn’t help but smile when he was asked Friday what he thought about the back-and-forth between Rex Ryan and Packers safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix — who happened to be selected three spots after Pryor in May’s draft — this week.

“There’s been a back-and-forth?” Pryor asked, failing to conceal a smile. “Oh, I haven’t really paid much attention to it.”

Pryor, of course, was well aware of the verbal sparring match between Ryan and Clinton-Dix through the media this week before Sunday’s game against the Packers at Lambeau Field, one that began Wednesday when Ryan was asked on a conference call with Packers reporters why the Jets chose to take Pryor ahead of Clinton-Dix in the draft.

“Both guys were excellent players,” Ryan said on a conference call with Packers reporters Wednesday. “We would have been happy with either guy.

“But I took the guy who will knock your face in.”

When told of Ryan’s comments Thursday, Clinton-Dix fired back.

“I’m not afraid to do that at all,” Clinton-Dix told reporters in Green Bay. “And you’re going to continue to get that out of me. If that’s what they thought, hey, that’s on him. I’m going to show him.”

For his part, Pryor said he appreciated Ryan’s support, and said it has been there ever since the Jets selected him.

“Every since I met Rex, he’s been going to bat for me since day one, so I expect that from him,” Pryor said. “He’s my head coach, and I’m proud to play for him, and I’m just looking forward to playing the Green Bay Packers and going out and trying to get a win this week.”

Although they won’t be on the field at the same time, Pryor and Clinton-Dix will be linked, something that has been the case ever since both players decided to forgo their senior seasons at Louisville and Alabama, respectively, and enter the NFL Draft.

As the clear-cut top prospects at safety in this year’s draft, Pryor said the two of them became close as the process unfolded.

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“It was kind of cool,” Pryor said. “It was more laid-back than anything. We spent a lot of time together, just talking about things, what we want to do in our careers and how we want things to play out. But it’s all positivity, all good things. There wasn’t too much bad [about it] … we were just enjoying the process.”

Pryor said, however, the two men didn’t spend any time worrying about who would be picked ahead of the other.

“Not at all,” he said. “We can’t control that. The only thing we can control is once we get to a team, how we do for that team.

“That was the only thing we were worried about, not who was going to go first. It’s always good to be first off the board, but it’s more important to fit into the system, fit into the scheme of things.”

Pryor, who as Ryan alluded to, is known for his physical, heavy-hitting style, has fit in nicely with the Jets’ secondary, immediately stepping in as a starter next to Dawan Landry.

“I think his instincts,” cornerback Darrin Walls said. “I think he’s very instinctive. He understands where to be, and when to be there. A lot of our defensive blitzes are about timing, and he’s done a great job of understanding what he has to do on each specific play.”

Pryor had a nice debut in Sunday’s win over the Raiders, recording four tackles and a pair of passes defensed — though he also dropped an interception that very well could have been returned for a touchdown in the second quarter of the 19-14 Jets win.

Still, Pryor was happy with his performance, and said now it’s just a matter of getting more comfortable whenever he takes the field.

“It was good,’ he said. “I got my feet wet. I was just trying to get in the rhythm of things … get used to my teammates, flying around, and that’s what I expect this week.

“I’ve been doing this since I was little. It’s just another football game. For most people, on the outside looking in, it’s a big thing, but to us in the locker room, it’s just another game where we have to go out and compete.”

This week, while they won’t be on the field against one another, he’ll be going up against his friend in Clinton-Dix, as both players — while possessing different ways of doing it — will try to help lead their teams to a win.

“When you look at it and compare us, our games are totally different,” Pryor said. “He’s more of a rangy, cover guy, where I am more of a downhill, being aggressive guy. So we are two totally different players and people, but he’s a good friend of mine, and I respect him on and off the field.”

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Wilkerson opted to put team ahead of a restructured deal (Mark Cannizzaro) New York Post September 12, 2014

http://nypost.com/2014/09/12/wilkerson-opted-to-put-team-ahead-of-a-restructured-deal/

One thing about Mo Wilkerson that commands universal respect in the Jets locker room is the way he has handled his awkward contract situation.

Three years in and coming off a career-high 10 ½ sack season, Wilkerson has far outperformed his rookie contract.

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But, because they don’t have to, the Jets have opted not to renegotiate the contract, leaving Wilkerson making $1.2 million for 2014 when he could — should? — be making money approaching what Houston’s J.J. Watt just signed for (six years, $100 million).

The Jets can hold Wilkerson’s rights through 2016 without giving him an extension.

“He shouldn’t have did [training] camp,” fellow defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson said. “I was wondering if he was going to [hold out] or not, and he told me he was going to be there from Day 1. That’s just a good dude who puts the team first. I know some guys who wouldn’t have come to camp after having a season like he had [in 2013].

“Of course he wants his payday and he could have it a lot earlier [by holding out]. But he’s dedicated. He’s committed to the team. A lot of guys don’t do that in this league — like 85 or 90 percent of guys.”

The contract situation is a sore subject for Wilkerson, but he has not ranted about it, nor did he even consider holding out.

“If people treat me with respect and I treat them with respect then I guess my time will come,’’ he said. “I’ve got to wait. If they respect me and they feel highly of me, then I guess they’ll take care of me, right? Time will tell.”

What gave him the strength to not hold out (are you listening, Darrelle Revis)?

“I guess I’m just different,’’ Wilkerson said. “I look at things differently. That’s how I was bought up. I’m a patient person. I’m going to just wait. I’ve just got to wait.”

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Sheldon Richardson is ‘D’ perfect complement for Mo Wilkerson (Mark Cannizzaro) New York Post September 12, 2014

http://nypost.com/2014/09/12/sheldon-richardson-is-d-perfect-complement-for-mo-wilkerson/

They are the two monsters in the middle for the Jets and, on Sunday in Green Bay, they represent perhaps the best chance to get to Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

Rodgers figures to see a lot of Jets defensive tackles Muhammad Wilkerson and Sheldon Richardson at Lambeau Field.

Wilkerson, in his fourth season, and Richardson, in his second, play alongside each other on the field and are good friends off of it. That, however, is where the similarities end. Their styles and personalities differ so much it complements their production on the field.

Wilkerson goes about his business quietly. He does not have a “look-at-me’’ bone in his body. Wilkerson, as best as he can at 6-foot-4, 315 pounds, tries to make himself invisible when off the field.

Conversely, Richardson always seems as if he’s waiting for his Hollywood close-up. Unlike Wilkerson, who quietly dresses at his locker and slinks out of the room unnoticed, the personable Richardson seems to revel in holding court with reporters as much as he does in harassing quarterbacks and stuffing running backs for 2-yard losses.

“They’re hot and cold as far as character and personality,’’ linebacker Demario Davis said. “Sheldon is a loud guy. Mo is quiet, calm, cool and collected. But they both have a phenomenal work ethic and both want to be great.’’

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Leger Douzable, a backup on the defensive line, said Wilkerson and Richardson are “definitely the best tandem in the league in pass rush and against the run.’’

“Both guys are stout against the run and can get after the passer,’’ fellow interior lineman Damon “Snacks” Harrison said. “I think it’s virtually impossible to block those guys one-on-one in run or pass situations. You’re putting your team in danger if you block those guys one-on-one.’’

Kenrick Ellis, who backs up Wilkerson and Richardson up on the line, paid Wilkerson the highest compliment when he said: “If you’re looking to build a team, Mo is a guy you’re going to look to have in the locker room. His play demands respect. He doesn’t ask for it, you just have to give it to him.’’

Right guard Willie Colon called Wilkerson “the ultimate professional,’’ adding, “He’s not a ‘me’ guy. That’s not his personality. He’s a blue-collar guy who puts in his work. I don’t think he’s all about being showtime. He believes in himself and his work.

“Sheldon is kind of the new kid on the block who has tremendous talent. I can see him being in this league for a long time, doing big things. You can tell Sheldon looks up to Mo. Mo is the leader of the D-line. They play off each other really well.’’

Receiver David Nelson said he believes that, because of their contrasting styles and personalities, Wilkerson and Richardson “complement each other really well.’’

“You’ve got a guy who loves the spotlight, loves to talk, the other guy is very chill and calm and it just a grinder who gets the job done,’’ Nelson said. “But man, when they get on the football field together they just feed off each other. It’s like opposites attract. In my opinion, the best thing that could have happened to Mo was Sheldon. Now teams can’t key on Mo with Sheldon there. Mo understands he needs Sheldon and Sheldon understands that he needs Mo.’’

There is some discrepancy among Jets players about just how quiet Wilkerson is.

“I’m quiet; I don’t say too much off the field,’’ Wilkerson said.

“Don’t let Mo fool you. Mo has a little Sheldon in him, too,’’ Harrison said.

“I don’t want you to get it twisted, because he’s not quiet like you [reporters] see,’’ Richardson said. “He’s not as vocal to the media like I am. But he’s not the quiet saint that he makes himself out to be.’’

Said Wilkerson: “I choose to let people see a side of me and to others I don’t show it.’’

“He keeps it bottled in, he doesn’t let people see it. Only we see it,’’ linebacker Quinton Coples said.

“When Mo says something it’s usually pretty important,’’ defensive end Jason Babin said. “It’s good to hear him talk.’’

And make plays.

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Michael Vick stiffs Mike Francesa and WFAN (Tim Bontemps) New York Post September 13, 2014

http://nypost.com/2014/09/13/michael-vick-stiffs-mike-francesa-and-wfan/

Michael Vick will not continue to appear on WFAN with Mike Francesa on Tuesdays during the season. Vick said last Friday that he wouldn’t be a weekly guest on the show, before going on with Francesa on Tuesday.

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“We weren’t aware of the request initially,” a team spokesperson said in a statement. “Upon learning, we discussed with Michael and his representatives.

“Appearing on a weekly basis didn’t seem so practical in-season, but he is willing to be a guest on occasion, and we have no issue with scheduling other players on Mike’s show, so long as it’s in a manner that’s respectful of our relationship with our flagship station, ESPN 98.7 FM.”

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NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Chris Ivory, Chris Johnson and Bilal Powell give NY Jets plenty of options with running game (Kevin Armstrong) New York Daily News September 12, 2014

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/jets-running-wild-depth-rushing-attaack-article-1.1938265

There was never true competition between quarterbacks Geno Smith and Michael Vick in training camp, but the best battle for touches in the Jets’ offense may be located in the team’s backfield. Through one game, it was tailback Chris Ivory emerging with a 71-yard run against the Raiders, but offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg knows that there are two more capable pairs of legs looking to pick up the slack on every possession.

“Now, everybody has different strengths,” Mornhinweg said, “so I try to play to them just a little bit.”

Ivory, Chris Johnson and Bilal Powell combined to gain 174 rushing yards in Week 1, and Smith added another 38 yards with his legs. The ground performance will be necessary to keep defenses honest, particularly in Green Bay Sunday afternoon as the Jets continue to improve a unit led by a second-year quarterback. Whether it is Ivory’s aggressiveness running straight ahead or Johnson’s ability to dust defenders with his speed, coach Rex Ryan and Mornhinweg both insisted that the key to long-run success will be keeping legs fresh and minds occupied.

“We have a whole stable of backs and, obviously, that’s probably a strength of ours,” Ryan said.

Johnson, a three-time Pro Bowl rusher, offers the Jets a dynamic slasher with the ability to carry the load as a lead back, and proved that there is a spark to him with 68 yards against the Raiders. If he can haul in catches running routes out of the backfield, that would offer another level of security to Smith. Johnson capped his receiving performance with a 5-yard scoring catch. The flexibility is an added tool that Mornhinweg enjoys employing in his offense.

“I don’t think he really was utilized a whole lot in the passing game in the past,” Ryan said. “I saw where he really worked on it in training camp and I think he’s gotten better at it.”

“Yeah, (Johnson) is pretty good at just about everything.” Mornhinweg added. “He could probably if you wanted to, be a great dart player or pool player. Some guys are just so talented athletically. He can do an awful lot of things at a real high level.”

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NY Jets backup QB Mike Vick will not be weekly guest with Mike Francesa (Seth Walder) New York Daily News September 12, 2014

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http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/mike-vick-longer-weekly-appearance-mike-francesa-article-1.1938053

Mike Vick's weekly radio appearance on Mike Francesa's show on WFAN lasted exactly one interview. The Jets backup QB will not be a regular guest on the show going forward.

There was plenty of hoopla surrounding Vick's maybe-or-maybe not regular spot last week after Francesa announced that the Jets approved the deal but the team claimed they weren't aware of such an arrangement.

"We weren't aware of the request initially," a Jets spokesperson said in a statement Friday. "Upon learning, we discussed with Michael and his representatives. Appearing on a weekly basis didn't seem so practical in-season but he is willing to be a guest on occasion and we have no issue with scheduling other players on Mike's show so long as it's in a manner that's respectful of our relationship with our flagship station, ESPN 98.7 FM."

Francesa wasn't buying that story, however, as he said on the air Friday that the Jets pulled Vick off the weekly spot.

"Michael Vick wanted to remain focused on the season and be respectful to the Jets and its partners," Vick's spokeperson, Chris Shigas, said in a statement. "Vick truly enjoyed being on Mike Francesa's show. Francesa is a legend in the market and Vick hopes that he will be invited back on air in the future."

WFAN boss Mike Chernoff had told the Daily News that he only wanted the deal to happen if the Jets were aware of the arrangement. When Vick signed a contract and WFAN believed the team knew, Francesa announced the weekly spot.

After the initial confusion surrounding the spot, Vick declined to speak to the media for a couple of days last week. When he broke his silence, the backup QB said he make his initial appearance but wasn't sure if the interviews would be weekly.

A regular spot would have been a risky proposition for the Jets as Vick would have been grilled by Francesa about the starting job had Geno Smith struggled on the field.

Vick's interview on Tuesday went off without incident. The QB had said he wasn't concerned that Francesa would be able to rattle him.

"I can get him riled up, he can't rile me," Vick said. "You see what I go through every Sunday? You can't rile me with words."

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WALL STREET JOURNAL

Jets Aren't Facing Oakland Anymore (Stu Woo) Wall Street Journal September 12, 2014

http://online.wsj.com/articles/jets-arent-facing-oakland-anymore-1410567442?tesla=y&mod=WSJ_NY_Sports_LEFTTopStories&mg=reno64-wsj&url=http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204168304580150070442400944.html?mod=WSJ_NY_Sports_LEFTTopStories

The Jets' season opener last Sunday was almost an extension of the preseason. They played at home, faced a rookie quarterback and beat a team (the Oakland Raiders) they trounced last year. And yet the Jets just squeaked by, 19-14, in a game that wasn't decided until the final two minutes.

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Sunday's game in Green Bay will be different. The Jets' patchwork defensive secondary will face the highest-rated quarterback in league history, Aaron Rodgers, who got an extra three days to prepare for this game because the Packers played their season opener on a Thursday. Sunday is a test of the Jets' emergency cornerback system.

Here are three things to watch for in Sunday afternoon's game.

Jets defensive backs Antonio Allen and Darrin Walls vs. Packers receiver Jordy Nelson's back shoulder

The Seahawks last week showed how to stifle the Packers offense. Their strategy was to have two of the league's best cornerbacks cover Green Bay's receivers.

The Jets don't have those. Instead, they plan to start Antonio Allen, who was converted from safety to cornerback last month, and Darrin Walls, who was projected to be a fourth-stringer at the start of the preseason. Top cornerback Dee Milliner may return Sunday, but if he does, coach Rex Ryan said he would play only part of the game.

Walls said Friday that he and Allen would each play one side of the field, rather than following a single receiver around. With Green Bay's up-tempo, no-huddle offense, the strategy of sticking to one half of the field makes things simpler for each cornerback, Walls said.

Even casual football fans watching Packers games might be able to identify Green Bay's go-to play: the back-shoulder throw from Rodgers to receiver Jordy Nelson. On these plays, Nelson runs down the sideline while Rodgers throws a pass toward the receiver's shoulder that is closer to the sideline. Nelson, who might not even see Rodgers release the ball, spins and catches the pass.

Walls said the team has practiced defending the throw all week. He said the instinct of cornerbacks on such throws is to turn their body toward the quarterback to try to see where the ball is going. That is a mistake, Walls said, because the pass is already whizzing toward the receiver and it's too late to see its trajectory.

Instead, Walls said, cornerbacks should turn their body toward Nelson and put an arm between the receiver's hands. The cornerback doesn't even look for the ball. He just hopes his arm deflects the pass. "You play the receiver's hands," Walls said.

Running backs Chris Ivory and Chris Johnson vs. the Packers defensive line

With Pro Bowl nose tackle B.J. Raji out for the year with a torn biceps, the Packers surrendered 207 rushing yards in their season-opening loss to Seattle. The only team that gave up more rushing yards were the Raiders—who played the Jets.

The Jets had the NFL's most rushing yards on opening weekend. Ivory and Johnson each scored a touchdown and gained at least 90 total yards. If the Jets manage to take a lead in the fourth quarter, they could rely on Ivory and Johnson to keep each other fresh and to run out the clock.

The Jets defensive line vs. the Packers offensive line

The Jets' three-man defensive line of Muhammad Wilkerson, Damon Harrison and Sheldon Richardson might be the league's best. They get to face a Packers offensive line that is starting a rookie center, Corey Linsley, and that might be without right tackle Bryan Bulaga, who has a knee injury. The Jets' defensive linemen could help out their defensive backs if they can hurry Rodgers into making bad throws.

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ESPN NEW YORK

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Covering Nelson likely to challenge Allen (Mike Mazzeo) ESPN New York September 12, 2014

http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york/jets/post/_/id/43034/covering-nelson-likely-to-challenge-allen

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- Ninety-nine.

That’s how many snaps New York Jets converted safety Antonio Allen has played at cornerback so far in his NFL career. Forty-eight in the preseason. Then 51 more snaps in Week 1. That’s it.

Asked Friday what the toughest challenge is in making the switch from safety to corner, Allen replied, “Just being in man a lot. Just being in man coverage.”

Allen isn’t used to going one-on-one against speedy wide receivers. He did just fine against the Oakland Raiders, allowing four receptions on six targets, according to ProFootballFocus. Granted, none of those were big plays.

That could change Sunday, however. You see, Green Bay’s Jordy Nelson is one of the best wideouts in the NFL. The Packers star caught a career-high 85 passes last season for 1,314 yards and eight touchdowns. He has developed quite a rapport with his quarterback, All-Pro Aaron Rodgers.

Bottom line: They’re a tough tandem to contain. “He’ll lose you,” Jets coach Rex Ryan said of Nelson.

But, entering just his second start at cornerback, Allen looks forward to the challenge. “He’s good and athletic,” Allen said of Nelson. “Him and the QB have a connection. I’m just gonna try to hold my own against him and make plays on the ball when I can.”

Nelson is as good a route-runner as there is in the league. Allen is known for his physical style of play and tackling skills, attributes that made him a solid safety. The Packers figure to try to exploit this matchup. On paper, Allen is definitely an underdog. He was targeted 14 times in Week 1 against Seattle, snagging nine passes for 83 yards.

Ryan opened his news conference Friday by showing the media a couple clips of his son, Seth, playing at Clemson. Ryan normally shows Jets’ film to reporters, so it was certainly an unexpected surprise that brought out plenty of laughs.

Ryan said the reason the Jets elected to waive Leon McFadden in favor of re-signing Ellis Lankster was that they wanted a special-teams presence this week.

Ryan thinks Rodgers’ biggest advantage playing at home is his cadence. The Packers run a no-huddle offense, and Rodgers is arguably the best in the NFL at recognizing defenses and coverages and then calling audibles if necessary. “He actually calls his plays,” Ryan said. “So I think you see the coach calling the first play, but then [Rodgers] is actually running it. They want to snap the ball quick and put the game into his hands.”

Ryan’s best quote came when he was asked if his team’s front seven could take advantage of Green Bay’s somewhat banged-up offensive line. “The Packers are pretty good. I’ll see this, our front seven is pretty good and we don’t care who we play. It can be anybody. You can have Jerry Kramer, Fuzzy Thurston, Jim Ringo and Forrest Gregg and Skoron [Bob Skoronski] out there if you like, but we’re going to play. our guys are going to show up and we don’t care who’s out there.”

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METRO NEW YORK

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Jets vs. Packers: 3 things to watch (Mark Osborne) Metro New York September 12, 2014

http://www.metro.us/newyork/sports/nfl/2014/09/12/jets-vs-packers-3-things-watch/

The Jets took care of business against the Raiders in their Week 1 win. Now, they hit the road for a much steeper task: stopping Pro Bowl quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

It was far from a perfect opener by the Jets, with 11 penalties and two turnovers by the offense, but positives did emerge.

“I’m really impressed with the Jets defense. I think that the depth, the size of what they have up front, and schematically what they challenge you with” Packers head coach Mike McCarthy said. “It’s an excellent defense. It’s just something we’re obviously going to spend a lot of time on.”

Metro takes a look at three storylines to watch for as the Jets travel to Green Bay on Sunday to face off at historic Lambeau Field (4:25 p.m., CBS).

1. Protecting Rodgers

The Jets aren’t the only team with injury concerns as Green Bay’s offensive line has been hit hard.

Rodgers was sacked three times last week against the Seahawks and pressured into numerous passes to his safety outlets. If given time, he is the best quarterback in the league, but that patchwork offensive line will have to protect him.

“I think we protected pretty well. This was a weekend off for most guys. The coaches had some time to prepare, but this is a normal week for us,” Rodgers said.

Packers right tackle Bryan Bulaga, the team’s first-round pick in 2010, suffered a sprained MCL in Week 1, but he was back on the practice field in a limited capacity Thursday and looks like he could be ready Sunday. He’s wearing a knee brace, and may not be quite as mobile, but that’s a lot better than losing him for the season as they feared initially.

2. Test for Allen

Last week was the first time Antonio Allen has played cornerback in a regular-season NFL game (and only the second, counting preseason).

He performed well in his coverage assignments and it was especially noticeable how sure he was making tackles in the open field. But Allen faces a step up in competition against the Packers’ weapons.

“Yeah, I guess. I’d like to see us play Delbarton somebody so we might have a better thing,” Ryan said, joking about the New Jersey prep school. “But yeah, it’s going to be a big test, there’s no question about it. It’ll be a big test. But again, this young man stepped up to all the challenges. He came into the league as an outside linebacker, so we converted him to safety, now we convert him to corner. Again, we talk about it all the time — he’s just a football player. That’s how he plays.”

Allen finished the Raiders game with five tackles.

3. Hungry Pack

After a humiliating Week 1 loss at the Seahawks in the first game of the NFL season, the Packers will be looking to make amends.

The Packers will be back home in the friendly confines of Lambeau Field where they won’t have to worry about a hostile atmosphere like they faced in Seattle.

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And while the Jets defense is good, it isn’t in the same ballpark as a Seattle unit that is already being talked about among the best of all-time.

“Well, really it feels like we haven’t played in two weeks because we’re coming off of a Thursday night game,” McCarthy said. “So we’ve had plenty of time to correct our last game, and go through that Friday and spend extra time Monday on it.”

Look for Green Bay to come out early and execute well as they look to set the tone, especially on its home field.

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NJ.COM

To blitz or not to blitz: What's best way for Jets to stop Aaron Rodgers? (Dom Cosentino) NJ.com September 12, 2014

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2014/09/to_blitz_or_not_to_blitz_whats_best_way_for_jets_to_stop_aaron_rodgers.html

FLORHAM PARK -- On the Packers' opening possession last week against the Seahawks, Aaron Rodgers dropped back to pass, stepped up in the pocket, and held the ball for approximately five seconds before being sacked by defensive end Michael Bennett.

The Seahawks brought three pass rushers on the play.

It was that way all night, the Seahawks getting after Rodgers by frequently bringing no more than their four down lineman. According to Pro Football Focus, the Seahawks blitzed Rodgers just three times, yet still managed to harass him into eight hurries and three sacks. Rodgers still made plays—he finished 23-for-33—but he threw for just 189 yards. The Seahawks won by 20.

"He's a great quarterback," Jets defensive end Sheldon Richardson said of Rodgers. "But no one likes pressure."

Might the Jets choose not to blitz when the face the Packers at Lambeau Field on Sunday? Or would they instead be better off blitzing Rodgers with more regularity?

Answer: It's complicated.

"The [Seahawks] can do about anything they want right now—they are the world champs," said Jets defensive coordinator Dennis Thurman. "But, it's pick your poison. It really is. [Rodgers] is one of the better quarterbacks in the league versus the blitz. He’s seen about every blitz you can use; he’s seen about every coverage you can run."

The Jets' front four is considered to be among the best in the league. But there's a difference between them and the Seahawks, and it's not insignificant, nose tackle Damon Harrison said.

"They have quicker guys," Harrison said of the Seahawks. "When they get in their sub packages and they’re rushing four on passing downs, they’re smaller guys. Everyone across our line is 300-plus besides Calvin Pace."

The Jets blitzed Raiders quarterback Derek Carr on 50 percent of his dropbacks last week, per Pro Football Focus. But Carr is a rookie who was playing in his first game. Rodgers, who has weapons like Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb at receiver, Andrew Quarless at tight end, and Eddie Lacy and James Starks at running back, has the highest quarterback rating of any active passer in the league.

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But Rodgers also has the ability to be elusive and extend plays, much like the Steelers' Ben Roethlisberger can. That sort of freewheeling, instinctive style presents a whole new challenge for a defense, particularly a defense that blitzes and leaves fewer players in coverage. And the Jets are again likely going to start converted safety Antonio Allen and career backup Darrin Walls at corner.

"We call it a plaster technique, where you've got to plaster your receiver, which means you've got to cover him," Jets head coach Rex Ryan said. "You can't take your eyes off him. If you do, especially Nelson, he'll lose you. [Nelson has] got a great feel for it. They're always on the same page, it seems like, and he knows when to take it up, take it back, across. They're really probably the best in the league at it."

Jets inside linebacker David Harris put the cover guys' responsibilities in even simpler terms.

"If a guy looks in the backfield, his man will run behind him," Harris said. "If you're not responsible for stopping the run, you shouldn't be coming up. Just stay with your man."

Another reason it's critical for cover guys to stay with their men: As much as Rodgers improvises, he's not a Colin Kaepernick-like threat to take off and run. For his career, Rodgers averages right around three rushes per game.

"Hopefully," outside linebacker Calvin Pace said, "the guys on the back end can plaster and allow us to corral him in."

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Jets re-sign CB Ellis Lankster, who will play special teams Sunday (Dom Cosentino) NJ.com September 12, 2014

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2014/09/jets_re-sign_cb_ellis_lankster.html

FLORHAM PARK -- The Jets on Friday morning announced that they re-signed cornerback Ellis Lankster, who had been cut on Sept. 1.

Lankster said the plan is for him to return to his prior role as a special teams gunner during Sunday's game against the Packers.

"I had talked to [head coach Rex Ryan], I had talked to [general manager John Idzik]," Lankster said. "They basically told me to stay in shape. I'm ready."

A career backup who entered the NFL with the Bills in 2009 and played in the CFL in 2010, Lankster had played for the Jets from 2011 to 2013 and was with them through training camp this summer. He was cut to make room on the 53-man roster for linebacker A.J. Edds.

But Thursday, the Jets waived cornerback Leon McFadden, who had only been added after roster cutdowns less than two weeks ago. That move left the Jets with a roster spot to fill and just five cornerbacks on the 53-man roster, including converted safety Antonio Allen, who is expected to start Sunday against the Packers.

Lankster's primary role during his previous time with the Jets was as a special teams gunner. At this time, it's not clear whether the Jets intend to play him on Sunday.

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Michael Vick won't appear weekly on Mike Francesa's show after Jets influence arrangement (Dom Cosentino) NJ.com September 12, 2014

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http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2014/09/michael_vick_wont_appear_weekly_on_mike_francesas_show_after_jets_nix_arrangement.html

FLORHAM PARK -- Mike Francesa said he and Jets quarterback Michael Vick had a contract for Vick to appear on Francesa's radio show every Tuesday.

But then the Jets got wind of it and worked to kill the arrangement. So after appearing this past Tuesday, Vick won't be a regular guest on Francesa's show after all.

The end of the weekly Francesa-Vick radiothon was first reported Friday afternoon by Newsday's Neil Best.

"[Vick's representatives] didn't believe the Jets had to sign off," Francesa said on his program Friday afternoon. "Last week, the Jets said they didn't have to sign off. It became a factor that the Jets did have to sign off.

"So, to make a long story short, Vick and his agent contacted the FAN this week and said that the FAN needed to talk to the Jets, and that the Jets would make a decision as to whether Vick could continue. The Jets got back to the FAN today and said that Vick was not allowed to continue."

After word of the Vick-Francesa arrangement first surfaced, Vick told reporters on Sept. 5 he didn't know whether he would appear every week. By then, obviously, the Jets had gotten wind of the deal.

The Jets' official position is that WFAN is a competitor of the Jets' flagship station, ESPN radio 98.7 WEPN.

In a statement, a Jets spokesman said, “We weren’t aware of the request initially. Upon learning, we discussed with Michael and his representatives. Appearing on a weekly basis didn’t seem so practical in-season but he is willing to be a guest on occasion and we have no issue with scheduling other players on Mike’s show so long as it’s in a manner that’s respectful of our relationship with our flagship station, ESPN 98.7 FM.”

Left unsaid is why Vick appearing regularly on Francesa's show would be disrespectful to ESPN 98.7. Jets defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson has an agreement to appear weekly on WFAN with Joe Benigno and Evan Roberts. It's clear the Jets don't want Vick, who tends to speak his mind and is the backup to Geno Smith, regularly making headlines with his Francesa interview.

"Vick's agent made a statement saying they enjoyed the show and they'd like to come on once in a while, but they're not going to be on every week and they're acceding to the Jets' wishes," Francesa said. "Basically, here's the bottom line: The Jets pulled it. If you want to say my frosty relationship with the Jets continues, then I guess it does."

Francesa insisted he has no issue with Vick or his representatives.

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FRIDAY’S SPORTS TRANSACTIONS

Associated Press September 12, 2014

http://www.sfgate.com/sports/article/Friday-s-Sports-Transactions-5752470.php

BASEBALL COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE — Suspended Baltimore 1B Chris Davis 25 games, including postseason, after testing positive for an amphetamine in violation of Major League Baseball's Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program. Suspended Miami RHP Anthony DeSclafani three games and fined him an

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undisclosed amount for intentionally throwing a pitch at Milwaukee OF Carlos Gomez during Thursday's game. Fined Milwaukee RHP Mike Fiers an undisclosed amount for his actions during the same game. American League KANSAS CITY ROYALS — Assigned RHP Blake Wood and LHP Chris Dwyer outright to Omaha (PCL). LOS ANGELES ANGELS — Assigned INF Ryan Wheeler outright to Salt Lake (PCL). Reinstated LHP Joe Thatcher from the 15-day DL. NEW YORK YANKEES — Reinstated RHP David Phelps from the 15-day DL. OAKLAND ATHLETICS — Reinstated LHP Sean Doolittle from the 15-day DL. Extended their player development contract with Midland (TL) through the 2016 season. National League COLORADO ROCKIES — Extended their player development contract with Modesto (Cal) through the 2016 season. LOS ANGELES DODGERS — Designated RHP Red Patterson for assignment. Selected the contract of LHP Scott Elbert from Albuquerque (PCL). Can-Am League NEW JERSEY JACKALS — Traded RHP Salvador Sanchez to Somerset for a player to be named. BASKETBALL National Basketball Association ATLANTA HAWKS — Announced general manager Danny Ferry is taking an indefinite leave of absence. Women's National Basketball Association LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS — Re-signed F Hedo Turkoglu. WASHINGTON SPIRIT — Waived F Danesha Adams. FOOTBALL National Football League NFL — Fined Chicago S Chris Conte $22,050; N.Y. Jets LB Calvin Pace, New England WR Chandler Jones and LB Dont'a Hightower, and Washington DE Jarvis Jenkins and CB Bashaud Breeland $16,537; and Pittsburgh WR Antonio Brown $8,268 for their actions during last week's games. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS — Placed OT Jeff Allen on injured reserve. Signed CB Jamell Fleming from Baltimore's practice squad. NEW YORK JETS — Re-signed CB Ellis Lankster. Released CB Leon McFadden. TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS — Placed DE Adrian Clayton on injured reserve. Re-signed DE Scott Solomon. Canadian Football League WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS — Signed WR Clarence Denmark to a contract extension. HOCKEY ECHL SOUTH CAROLINA STINGRAYS — Promoted Charles Liebenrood to equipment manager. Southern Professional Hockey League PEORIA RIVERMEN — Re-signed F Dean Yakura to a one-year contract and Gs Paul Dorsey and Eric Mihalik to training camp contracts. OLYMPIC SPORTS USA GYMNASTICS — Named Oklahoma men's coach Mark Williams coach of the men's World Gymastics Championships team. SOCCER National Women's Soccer League BOSTON BREAKERS — Waived M Joanna Lohman. CHICAGO RED STARS — Waived M Emily Van Egmond. HOUSTON DASH — Waived Fs Nina Burger and Rafaelle Souza and D Kika Toulouse. PORTLAND THORNS — Waived M Angie Kerr.

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SKY BLUE FC — Announced M Ashley Nick signed with Apollon Ladies FC (Cyprus-First Division). Waived D Maddie Thompson. WASHINGTON SPIRIT — Waived F/M Danesha Adams. WESTERN NEW YORK FLASH — Waived D Teigen Allen, Gs DiDi Haracic and Lydia Williams and M Courtney Wetzel. COLLEGE CLEMSON — Named Richie Riley men's assistant basketball coach. NYU — Named Mark Goldberg men's and women's assistant tennis coach. OHIO STATE — Announced DE Noah Spence is ineligible for Saturday's game because of a university and Big Ten Conference rule violation. OKLAHOMA CITY — Named C.J. Campbell and Matt Stevens assistant wrestling coaches and Stacy Heperi administrative assistant. RUTGERS — Named Rob Camposa men's volunteer assistant lacrosse coach. SHENANDOAH — Named David Matturro men's assistant basketball coach. TEXAS — Suspended G Martez Walker indefinitely from the men's basketball team.

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