NEW YORK JETS DAILY CLIPS

July 31, 2014

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Table of Contents

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

Jets rookie Amaro unfazed by rocky start to camp (Dennis Waszak) ....................................................................... 2

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

Chaminade coach Stephen Boyd mentoring Jets' Demario Davis (Bob Glauber)...................................................... 3

Jets rookie tight end Jace Amaro treats rough practice as learning experience (Kimberley Martin) ....................... 5

Jets' defense dominates its offensive counterparts (Kimberley Martin) .................................................................. 6

THE RECORD .......................................................................................................................................................... 7

Rough day for Jets rookie (J.P. Pelzman) ................................................................................................................... 7

Jets notes: Defense rules practice (J.P. Pelzman) ...................................................................................................... 8

STAR-LEDGER ......................................................................................................................................................... 9

4 things to look for on Day 7 of Jets camp (Darryl Slater) ......................................................................................... 9

Jets' Demario Davis on teammates' confident comments: 'The work has to precede the glory' (Darryl Slater) .... 10

8 observations from Day 7 of Jets camp, as defense has a pick party (Darryl Slater) ............................................. 11

Why slimmer Jets LB Quinton Coples could have 'a monster year' (Darryl Slater) ................................................. 13

NEW YORK POST .................................................................................................................................................. 15

Here’s why Jets tight end Jace Amaro ‘can’t catch a cold’ (Brian Costello) ............................................................ 15

Jets defense has a field day … on Jets offense (George Willis) ............................................................................... 16

Demario Davis blasts chatty Jets’ work habits (Brian Costello) ............................................................................... 17

Classic Rex Ryan trend emerges, for better or worse (Brian Costello) .................................................................... 17

Rex approves of Demario Davis’ tough love with Jets defense (Brian Costello) ..................................................... 18

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS ...................................................................................................................................... 19

NY Jets defense gets best of offense (Manish Mehta) ............................................................................................ 19

NY Jets rookie TE Jace Amaro struggling with NY Jets (Seth Walder) ..................................................................... 20

Chris Johnson, NY Jets believe there's still more to come from running back (Manish Mehta) ............................. 21

NJ.COM ................................................................................................................................................................ 23

Michael Vick vs. Geno Smith: Day 7 breakdown, a tough day all around (Dom Cosentino) ................................... 23

Jace Amaro after tough day at Jets practice: 'I'm still figuring it out' (Dom Cosentino) ......................................... 24

Ed Reed is gone, but he taught the Jets' defense a lot about watching film (Dom Cosentino) .............................. 25

How lineman Oday Aboushi balances fasting for Ramadan with Jets training camp (Dom Cosentino) ................. 26

Mike Westhoff tweaks Dee Milliner: 'I'm not sure he's the best cornerback up here in Cortland' (Dom Cosentino) ................................................................................................................................................................................. 27

NEWYORKJETS.COM ............................................................................................................................................ 28

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6 Notes & Quotes on Jets Turnovers (Randy Lange) ............................................................................................... 28

Day 6: Six-Pack of Good & Bad (Eric Allen) .............................................................................................................. 29

4 Jets Bullet Points from Pat Kirwan & Jim Miller (Randy Lange)............................................................................ 30

WEDNESDAY’S SPORTS TRANSACTIONS............................................................................................................... 32

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Jets rookie Amaro unfazed by rocky start to camp (Dennis Waszak) Associated Press July 30, 2014

http://pro32.ap.org/article/jets-rookie-amaro-unfazed-rocky-start-camp

CORTLAND, N.Y. (AP) — Jace Amaro trudged his way from the field after a particularly rough practice and was met along the way by John Idzik.

The New York Jets general manager gave the rookie tight end what amounted to a brief pep talk and then patted him on the back.

"John was just telling me what he sees in me and what he believes I can do, and he's right," Amaro said Wednesday. "I've just got to go out there and play."

The Jets are counting on that from the second-round draft pick who was perhaps the best receiving tight end in college last season. The 6-foot-5, 265-pound Amaro had 106 catches and seven touchdowns in Kliff Kingsbury's spread offense at Texas Tech, where he often lined up as a slot receiver.

But he hasn't made an immediate impact just yet — although it's still early in training camp. It's a new style of offense, which takes some getting used to. Amaro also missed a little bit of time with tendinitis in his right knee, but was back on the field Wednesday. The knee is fine now, he said, but it's the on-field mistakes that are hurting.

"A lot of people have a lot of expectations for me," he said, "And, right now, I'm just trying to figure it all out."

First off, he needs to better familiarize himself with the offensive concepts and language of plays in the pros, which has been a difficult transition.

"It's like (going from) speaking Chinese to English," Amaro said. "It's like numbers to crazy lingo from Texas Tech to here. It took me a while, and I'm still figuring it out. I feel like I'm getting there, but eventually it's going to start clicking.

"And, when it does, I feel like I'll really be able to showcase what I can really do."

On Wednesday, Amaro dropped a pass and ran a few bad routes. Quarterback Geno Smith got on him for one mistake, and offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg barked at Amaro at one point to "get in the (play) book."

He slipped on another play, leading to an interception for Michael Vick.

"We know he's got the physical skills to do it," coach Rex Ryan said. "He's got to focus, and sometimes if your head's in other places and you're thinking and all of that, it's hard to be at your best."

The Jets envision Amaro teaming with starter Jeff Cumberland and perhaps Zach Sudfeld to form perhaps one of the league's most athletic trios of pass-catching tight ends. Amaro flashes during his best moments, often getting himself free in one-on-one coverage.

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"Hopefully he can be more consistent and be the receiver that we think he can be," Ryan said.

Despite the mistakes, Amaro didn't think his day was all that bad. He acknowledged that he could have done better on some plays, but thought the coaches would also see a few positives.

"I made mistakes and stuff like that, but we're doing a lot more stuff than we did in the OTAs and minicamp and it's just figuring it all out," he said. "I missed practice yesterday and was a little behind today and kind of overthought some stuff, got some plays wrong and I'm not doing the little things right. But so far, I felt like I've done a really good job on beating 1-on-1 and running really good routes and I feel like I've been open."

Amaro routinely runs extra routes against linebacker Demario Davis and safety Antonio Allen after practice, trying to sharpen that aspect of his game.

"I have big expectations for myself," he said. "I know what I can do. I'm making a lot of things a lot more difficult than they really should be. Just because I'm not completely comfortable yet with this entire organization just from the playbook to knowing how the coaches coach and just the little things.

"It took me a little bit to get Kingsbury's offense down and once I did, I felt like I really took off."

After just 25 catches for 409 yards and four touchdowns as a sophomore with the Red Raiders, Amaro set the NCAA Division I records for tight ends with 1,352 yards receiving and 104.0 yards per game.

"I wasn't an All-American my freshman year," Amaro said. "It takes some time. I feel like I'm on a different level and I feel like I'm more advanced than I was coming into college, and that's a plus. I feel like it's going to come a lot quicker than a lot later. I'm not really worried about it."

NOTES: CB Ras-I Dowling (foot) returned to practice, but S Calvin Pryor (concussion) remained sidelined as he goes through the NFL's protocol on head injuries. ... S Brandon Hardin (foot) sat out practice, and CB Johnny Patrick left early after injuring a hamstring. WR David Nelson (groin), RBs Bilal Powell (hamstring) Alex Green (chest) and DE Zach Thompson (shoulder) all missed practice.

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NEWSDAY

Chaminade coach Stephen Boyd mentoring Jets' Demario Davis (Bob Glauber) Newsday July 31, 2014

http://www.newsday.com/sports/columnists/bob-glauber/chaminade-coach-stephen-boyd-mentoring-jets-demario-davis-1.8929221

It is a few minutes after practice, and Demario Davis is demonstrating the technique he learned over the summer from Stephen Boyd, the former Valley Stream Central football star who coaches Chaminade. It is a stunningly simple change, yet one so fundamental to the Jets inside linebacker's success that he still can't quite believe it.

Davis stands with feet slightly apart, moves his right foot one step to the side, then pulls it back. Left foot goes to the other side, then back. Right foot forward one step, then back. Left foot backward, then forward.

He looks more like a young man preparing for his first formal dance by doing the "box step'' than an NFL linebacker using the footwork he believes will help elevate him from a very good player to one of the very best.

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And maybe even the best, thanks in large part to that Long Island high school coach.

"You pretty much have a box that's about a yard outside of you,'' Davis said. "A yard in front, a yard behind, and you never want to overstep that box. You never want to cross over [your steps] inside that box while you're playing in the 'court,' because the ball can come at you and you might not be in the right position. Step by step, stay in the court, stay in position and keep good body position all the time. Shoulders over your knees, keep your feet straight ahead, not turned out. It's the little mechanics that make a big difference.''

Words to live by for Davis, who believes his career is ready to take off thanks to Boyd, a two-time Pro Bowl linebacker for the Lions from 1995-2001. The former Valley Stream Central star running back/linebacker coached Chaminade to the Catholic High School Football League AAA championship in 2012 and made it back to the title game last year. He has become a guru for Davis, who hopes to transfer those lessons to take his game to a new level.

"That's my goal every time, to be the best,'' Davis said. "That's going to take a lot, I understand. I feel like I'm a premier linebacker in this league, but if you want to be great, you have to be consistent. My job now is to prove to the world that I'm a premier linebacker so that I can get that respect. From there, I go toward being the best.''

Boyd isn't betting against his protégé. And he's not just saying that, nor is he trying to promote Davis because he happens to be imparting his football wisdom to him.

"It's a privilege to work with someone who has that desire to be better,'' said Boyd, 41, whom the Lions drafted out of Boston College in the fifth round. "There are guys in the NFL who are blessed with natural talent, but it's the guys who are looking to go the extra mile that really become the best. Demario has that. He's not going to be outworked.''

Davis sought Boyd's help at the suggestion of his New York-based agent, Jericho resident Alan Herman. He also represented Boyd during his NFL career and thought he could help Davis improve.

It was a perfect fit.

"You have to appreciate that when your agent looks you straight in the eye and says, 'This is what you're missing in terms of getting over the hump,' '' Davis said.

"He was right.''

Boyd and Davis got together half a dozen times during the offseason, with Boyd putting him through workouts that lasted about two hours. Boyd could tell right away that Davis was taking to his coaching, which included detailed tape study of Davis' movements.

"He was like a sponge with everything we went over,'' Boyd said. "When he came back for the second [session], he was really making a lot of progress.''

Boyd stresses sticking to the basics. It starts when Davis squats into position, knees bent, back straight, shoulders and head forward.

"When you get to the moment of impact,'' Boyd said, "whether it's going to be a tackle or getting off a block or changing position, the idea is to be in the best position possible, so that every movement you make is efficient and you're not wasting any time.

"When you're able to move flawlessly like that, that's when you're going to start making more plays.''

Davis believes he'll be making more plays, and hopes to count on Boyd's teaching for the rest of his career.

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"He really understands football, but he's an even better person,'' Davis said of Boyd. "Great morals, cares about people. Cares about the people at his school. Seeing a guy who's done so much with his life, and to be so humble and give back, you have a lot of respect for him.''

Boyd appreciates the kind words but believes any improvement Davis shows isn't a reflection on the coaching.

"You have to remember, this is all Demario,'' Boyd said. "I'm taking no credit. It's his attitude and his potential. It's just off the charts.''

Jets rookie tight end Jace Amaro treats rough practice as learning experience (Kimberley Martin) Newsday July 30, 2014

http://www.newsday.com/sports/football/jets/jets-rookie-tight-end-jace-amaro-treats-rough-practice-as-learning-experience-1.8929026

CORTLAND, N.Y. - The miscues began to mount as Jace Amaro's day continued.

But the Jets' second-round pick didn't seem fazed by his rough outing Wednesday or his long conversation with general manager John Idzik after practice.

Rather than hang his head or show signs of frustration after a day in which he dropped catchable passes and was chewed out by coordinator Marty Mornhinweg for running the wrong routes, Amaro maintained that mistakes are part of the NFL learning curve.

"John was just telling me what he sees in me and what he believes I can do," Amaro said. "He's right. I just have to go out there and relax and play."

It's been a rough start to training camp for Amaro, who had been sidelined since tweaking his right knee on Sunday. Wednesday's session was just his fourth training camp practice.

Geno Smith and Muhammad Wilkerson both got on his case after the 6-5, 265-pound tight end dropped what had appeared to be an easy reception. Amaro also fell while running a route, which allowed safety Antonio Allen to reel in a pick-6 on a Michael Vick pass.

But Amaro, who stated several times after the draft that he should have been the first tight end taken off the board, not Detroit's Eric Ebron, said he didn't think he had a poor showing yesterday.

"I don't really feel like I had a bad day," said the Texas Tech product, who likened learning the new terminology to "speaking Chinese to English, numbers to crazy lingo."

"There were a couple of plays I didn't do very well. But I did some really good things that people probably wouldn't take notice of that the coaches will.

"There were a couple of concepts that sounded similar," he added, when asked about Mornhinweg shouting at him. "Geno was in the huddle and I got them a little confused. But it was nothing insulting or anything like that."

Asked about Amaro's bad drops in practice, Rex Ryan defended his rookie tight end.

"Guys, he caught 106 balls [in college]. Did he drop balls? Yeah, sure," the coach said. "But we know he's got the physical skills to do it. He's got to focus. Sometimes if your head's in other places and you're thinking and all that, it's hard to be at your best."

Amaro agrees. "I have big expectations for myself. I know what I can do," he said, adding that he's done "a really good job" beating his opponents one-on-one and running routes.

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"I'm making a lot of things a lot more difficult than what they really should be because I'm not completely comfortable yet with this entire organization from the playbook and knowing how the coaches coach."

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Jets' defense dominates its offensive counterparts (Kimberley Martin) Newsday July 30, 2014

http://www.newsday.com/sports/football/jets/jets-defense-dominates-its-offensive-counterparts-1.8928859

CORTLAND, N.Y. - It was a tale of two practices.

Rex Ryan's defense was everywhere on the field Wednesday morning -- guys were jumping routes, batting down passes and giving the Jets' offense fits for hours. But at the same time, Ryan also was surveying his struggling offense.

While some of his quarterbacks were running for their lives, others were heaving passes to no one in particular. Some of his receivers let easy passes slip through their fingers.

"Obviously, defense had a pretty good day,'' Ryan said. "I've been there when it kind of snowballs into those. One play goes to another, then another, and before you know it, it's a feeding frenzy out there. And that's kind of what it looked like today, for the most part.

"So as a head coach, it's always good news, bad news. The good news: Hey, you got all those turnovers. We've been harping on it, to create turnovers. And we did today,'' added Ryan, whose team had a minus-13 turnover differential last season. "The bad news is, we've got to protect the ball.''

Ryan expressed frustration Tuesday about the offense's sloppy play. But Wednesday's performance was far worse. Demario Davis, the breakout star of the day, jumped the route on a Geno Smith screen pass intended for Clyde Gates and ran it in for a touchdown. (The linebacker nearly added another pick against Smith late in the practice.)

Rookie tight end Jace Amaro struggled mightily in his fourth training-camp practice. He caused a Michael Vick turnover when he slipped while running a route, allowing safety Antonio Allen to intercept the ball. Fourth-stringer Tajh Boyd had the worst performance of all the quarterbacks, throwing three interceptions.

"It needs to get better,'' Ryan said, adding that the team will practice goal-line and short-yardage drills Thursday. " . . . I'm expecting our offense to really pick it up.''

So does his defense.

"You just saw our defense click today,'' said Sheldon Richardson, last year's Defensive Rookie of the Year. "Hopefully, we keep it like that. But I most definitely want the offense to pick it up a little more.''

Although it was expected that the defense would be ahead of the offense this early in camp, the mounting interceptions, fumbles and drops don't sit well with Ryan. But he conceded: "Obviously, the guys over there in the green jerseys don't make it easy on you. That's for sure.''

But despite the defense's strong performances in camp, Davis isn't ready to crown it the NFL's best. During a SiriusXM NFL Radio interview after Tuesday's practice, the third-year linebacker made it clear that this isn't the time for boastful talk.

"Have we been putting in the work to be the best defense?'' Davis said. "I would say no.''

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Yesterday, Davis explained he believes the Jets can have the best defense in the league -- but the group has a long way to go. And so does he.

"We're confident in who we are,'' Davis said. "But the work has to precede the glory.''

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THE RECORD

Rough day for Jets rookie (J.P. Pelzman) The Record July 31, 2014

http://www.northjersey.com/sports/football/rough-day-for-rookie-1.1060247

CORTLAND, N.Y. – Jace Amaro's right knee seemed fine Wednesday, three days after he had tweaked it while running a pass route.

But the rookie tight end's pride might have been a little bruised after a very rough day on the practice field.

Amaro dropped a pass and slipped and fell on another pattern, leading to an interception of Michael Vick. Amaro also had problems with running the wrong routes, for which he was chastised by quarterback Geno Smith and offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg.

No wonder general manager John Idzik felt the need to have a brief conversation with Amaro after practice. He then gave him an encouraging pat on the back.

"John was just telling me what he sees in me and what he believes I can do, and he's right," Amaro said. "I've just got to go out there and relax and play.

"A lot of people have a lot of expectations for me," he added. "And right now, I'm just trying to figure it all out."

Amaro, a second-round pick from Texas Tech who starred in coach Kliff Kingsbury's "Air Raid" spread offense, is making the transition to Mornhinweg's more conventional pro-style attack. In Tech's system, Amaro often lined up as a slot receiver. The Jets believe he can be productive as a more traditional in-line tight end.

Amaro left practice early Sunday after injuring his right knee. The Jets termed it to be tendinitis and he returned to practice Tuesday on a limited basis before practicing fully Wednesday.

"I made mistakes and stuff like that, but we're doing a lot more stuff than we did in the [organized team activities] and minicamp and it's just [a matter of] figuring it all out," said Amaro, who entered the NFL Draft after making 106 catches in his junior season.

"I missed practice [Tuesday] and was a little behind [Wednesday] and kind of overthought some tuff, got some plays wrong and I'm not doing the little things right. But so far, I felt like I've done a really good job on beating one-on-one [coverage] and running really good routes and I feel like I've been open."

As for the mistakes in grasping the playbook, Amaro said, "There were a couple of concepts that sounded similar [to Texas Tech]. … And I got a little confused.

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"It's like [going from] speaking Chinese to English," Amaro added. "It took me awhile, and I'm still figuring it out. I feel like I'm getting there, but I think eventually it's going to start clicking. And once it does, I feel like I'll really be able to showcase what I can really do."

"We know he's got the physical skills to do it," coach Rex Ryan said. "He's got to focus, and sometimes if your head's in other places and you're thinking and all of that, it's hard to be at your best

"Hopefully he can be more consistent and be the receiver that we think he can be," Ryan added.

Amaro is putting in the overtime to try to make the transition, often staying after practice to run routes against linebacker Demario Davis and safety Antonio Allen. Allen was the beneficiary of Amaro's slip on one play, as he picked off Vick and went in for a touchdown.

"I don't really feel I had a bad day," Amaro said. "There were a couple of plays where I didn't do very well, but I did some really good things that people probably won't take notice [of] but the coaches will.

"I wasn't an All-American my freshman year," Amaro added. "It takes some time. But I feel like I'm on a different level and I'm more advanced than I was coming into college, and that's a plus."

Jets notes: Defense rules practice (J.P. Pelzman) The Record July 31, 2014

http://www.northjersey.com/sports/football/jets-notes-defense-rules-practice-1.1060253

Defense rules

Wednesday's practice was the kind that defensive coordinator Rex Ryan would have loved. For head coach Rex Ryan it was, as he put it, a "good news, bad news" kind of day.

The defense set the tone early in practice when linebacker Demario Davis picked off a short Geno Smith pass intended for wide receiver Clyde Gates and returned it for a score. During the practice, all four quarterbacks--Smith, Michael Vick, Matt Simms and Tajh Boyd--threw at least one interception during 11-on-11 drills in what was a dismal day for the offense.

Boyd, who seems to be falling behind Simms in the competition for the No. 3 quarterback job, threw two picks. One was returned for a score by undrafted free agent linebacker Steele Divitto, a Don Bosco grad.

"That's what our coach asks of us," Davis said. "We have to be able to give him more turnovers. … Today was a step in the right direction, but we still have a long way to go to be where we really want to be. Excellence is our goal. We want to be the best, so we have to keep working hard. We have to put in the work every day."

Davis, a third-year pro, made it clear he's one Jet who doesn't want to issue any proclamations about team or individual greatness right now.

"To be great," Davis said, "the work precedes the glory."

Ryan said the Jets will work on goal-line and short-yardage situations today. Those drills are live, meaning anyone except the quarterback can be hit.

Injury update

CB Ras-I Dowling (foot) returned to practice, but CB Johnny Patrick (hamstring) was unable to finish the workout. S Calvin Pryor (concussion), WR David Nelson (groin) and RBs Bilal Powell (hamstring) and Alex Green (chest) all missed practice.

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STAR-LEDGER

4 things to look for on Day 7 of Jets camp (Darryl Slater) Star Ledger July 30, 2014

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2014/07/3_things_to_look_for_on_day_7_of_jets_camp.html

CORTLAND, N.Y. – In this first, long segment of training camp, the Jets have 11 practices at SUNY Cortland. One of those is Saturday’s Green and White scrimmage.

But in terms of the 11 practices/scrimmage, the Jets on Wednesday will cross the halfway point of this first training camp segment. On Wednesday, a week after they reported to camp, they will hold their sixth practice.

After that, they will have practices on Thursday and Friday, the scrimmage Saturday, and practices on Monday and Tuesday before heading back to New Jersey for the Aug. 7 preseason opener against the Colts.

If you’ve missed any developments and want to catch up, here are all our practice observations posts to date …

• Day 2

• Day 3

• Day 4

• Day 5

• Day 6

Here now, some things we will be watching Wednesday morning on Day 7 …

• A better offensive showing. Ryan's defense threw all sorts of blitzes at the offense Tuesday. Quarterbacks Geno Smith and Michael Vick often found themselves on the run. Throw in some penalties, and it was overall sloppy day for the Jets' offense, which was the weak point of their team last season. Just one practice, of course, so no reason to draw too many big-picture conclusions. But Ryan would surely like to see a sharper performance from his offense Wednesday.

• Calvin Pryor’s progress. Pryor on Tuesday remained sidelined with a concussion sustained Saturday. He is in the NFL’s post-concussion assessment protocol, and here is a look at what has to happen before he can get back on the practice field. Jets coach Rex Ryan said Tuesday that Pryor was “progressing.” It won’t be up to Ryan or Pryor as to when Pryor returns. Pryor just has to pass the tests laid out by the protocol, so it’s all pretty cut and dried.

• Other injured guys perhaps returning. Several players were either sidelined or limited by injuries Tuesday. Receiver David Nelson (groin), running back Bilal Powell (hamstring), running back Alex Green (chest) and tight end Colin Anderson (thumb) were limited.

In addition to Pryor, the following players did not practice: cornerback Ras-I Dowling (foot), tight end Jace Amaro (knee tendonitis) and defensive lineman Zach Thompson (shoulder). Pryor and Amaro were the Jets’ top two draft picks this year, so they want to get them back on the field as soon as possible.

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Amaro’s knee condition is a wear-and-tear injury, so that bears monitoring going forward. Amaro expected to be back on the field Tuesday, but that ended up not happening. He downplayed the severity of his injury.

• Willie Colon’s first-team work. The Jets’ starting right guard came off the physically unable to perform list Sunday. On Tuesday, after the Jets had a mandatory off day Monday, Colon debuted in team periods. He and Oday Aboushi shared the first-team snaps at right guard. Ryan said the Jets are “phasing him in right now,” so expect to see Colon get more first-team reps as training camp goes on.

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Jets' Demario Davis on teammates' confident comments: 'The work has to precede the glory' (Darryl Slater) Star Ledger July 30, 2014

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2014/07/jets_demario_davis_on_teammates_confident_comments_the_work_has_to_precede_the_glory.html

CORTLAND, N.Y. – On Tuesday, Jets coach Rex Ryan offered some quotes about quotes, backing up his players’ public and confident assertions about being very, very good at various aspects of playing football.

Wide receiver David Nelson also chimed in on this matter, saying all of the chatter was fine and dandy with him, as long as it was backed up with on-field performance.

Later Tuesday, weak-side linebacker Demario Davis said something similar in a SiriusXM radio interview, but used stronger words, as ESPN New York’s Rich Cimini noted …

“What it seems like is that, it seems like too many people are saying we can be the best defense or we are the best defense, but the work has to show it. You know, as far as me seeing it, have we been putting in the work to be the best defense? I would say no. In the first couple weeks, we’ve got to work a lot harder. Guys have to put more individual time in, you’ve got to watch a lot more film, you’ve got to stay on the field a lot longer, you’ve got to come out a lot earlier.

“It’s not just what is mandatory. If you want to be the best you’ve got to do more. Being the best doesn’t just happen. So I’ve seen a lot of people saying that. I’ve said it myself, but personally, I don’t feel like we’re putting in the work right now to be the best. We have a long way to go and right now we’re not on pace to be the best. We’ve got to start fast this year. We can’t afford to try to catch fire late in the season. We’ve got to start fast.”

Davis expanded on those comments Wednesday, after the Jets’ defense dominated for the second straight day. Geno Smith threw one interception. So did Michael Vick and Matt Simms, who seems far ahead of rookie Tajh Boyd in the competition for the No. 3 quarterback job. Boyd, brutal again, threw two picks Wednesday.

Getting more turnovers has been an emphasis for the Jets’ defense in this training camp, so Davis was encouraged by what he saw.

(By the way, talking season is almost over. A real, live, actual football game will occur next Thursday, albeit a preseason contest between the Colts and Jets. Soon, results will begin to matter more than anything that is said by anyone.)

“That’s what our coach asks of us,” Davis said of getting turnovers. “We’ve got to be able to get more turnovers. Rex made a huge point that we’ve got to be able to get more turnovers. I think that’s kind of what separates the best defense in the league from the eighth defense in the league, or whatever we

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were. [The Jets ranked 11th in total defense last year.] Today was a step in the right direction. We’ve still got a long way to go, to be where we really want to be. We want to be the best. Today was a huge step in the right direction.”

In regard to the extra effort Davis spoke about on the radio, he is beginning to see it.

“You never know until you really watch the film (of practice), but it seems like today was a step in the right direction,” he said. “A key to being great is being good consecutively. We’ll really know if it was a step in the right direction if we can do the same thing tomorrow. You can’t have a hot day and then have a bad day, and then say you’re having success. We’ve got to be able to stack those days up.

“Guys are starting to get it. We’ve got a young team. The only way that you’re going to be able to advance quickly and be ready to perform at a high level on Sundays is if you take time to do extra. You’ve got to spend extra time in the film room. We’ve got guys who are doing that. We’ve got guys who are staying out there (after practice), working on their footwork, working on things that the coaches said they need to work on.

“That’s kind of what’s starting to show up on the field. Early in training camp, I don’t know if guys were doing it as much, but now they’re starting to get it. We’re a young team, and guys need to understand what it takes to win, and everybody is starting to get it. The work precedes the results.”

Davis – who is having an excellent camp, with a Smith interception returned for a touchdown Wednesday – did not really back off his comments about his teammates from the radio interview. He basically repeated them, sort of.

“I don’t think anybody said we are the best,” he said. “I think guys said we can be the best. That’s just the way we feel. We really can, but the only way we’re going to be the best is if we’re putting in the work. It seems like we’re going in the right direction with that. Our goals are extremely high for ourselves. The things that you’re hearing are not just words. It’s coming from a place. It’s coming from deep down, and (we are) confident in who we are. But the work has to precede the glory.

“We have to be able to do the same thing tomorrow. We can’t say, ‘OK, we had a great day. Let’s just go in and act like everything is all good.’ We have to put that work in, and be able to replicate that tomorrow. If we don’t, then the success may have just been smoke.”

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8 observations from Day 7 of Jets camp, as defense has a pick party (Darryl Slater) Star Ledger July 30, 2014

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2014/07/8_observations_from_day_7_of_jets_camp_as_defense_has_a_pick_party.html

CORTLAND, N.Y. – The Jets’ offense struggled for the second straight practice on Wednesday.

Part of that stems from the offense probably not being as good as the defense, at this point. Part of it stems from Rex Ryan’s defense throwing all sorts of blitzes at the offense. And part of it is a result of who was leading the offense when those struggles occurred, because, yes, it is indeed tough to be a rookie quarterback in the NFL, in case you had forgotten.

Here is what else we noticed off Wednesday’s practice, the Jets’ sixth of training camp …

1. Quarterbacks made mistakes. Dom Cosentino has your full recap here of what occurred with the Jets’ quarterbacks on Wednesday. In short, Geno Smith threw one pick, as did Michael Vick and Matt Simms. Tajh Boyd threw two in team periods (one returned for a touchdown) and one in 7-on-7 drills. Again, part

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of this pick total comes from all the pressure the Jets’ defense – which looks like a sharp unit – threw at the offense ...

2. Tajh Boyd is playing like a rookie. ... And part of the pick problems Wednesday came from the fact that Boyd is struggling, with errant throws and the like, just as Ryan expected he would.

Boyd played in a simpler, up-tempo spread offense at Clemson. He put up prolific numbers, and attracted Ryan’s attention. (Ryan’s son, Seth, is a walk-on receiver at Clemson.) Ryan made Boyd his hand-picked selection in this draft, in the sixth round, which has resulted in the spotlight shining brighter on Boyd than most sixth-round picks.

“He is struggling,” Ryan said. “There is no question. We thought it’s going to take a little time. Right now, we are feeding him, feeding everything (during installation). That might not play to his strength, and Marty (Mornhinweg, the offensive coordinator) knows that. It’s not surprising he would struggle. I think when we snap it for real and you are able to see his movement skills and things like that, I think he’ll be a little more effective.”

For now, it is clear that Simms has a distinct lead in the competition to be the No. 3 quarterback. The Jets only keep three quarterbacks on the active roster, and only have two active on game day. So Boyd could wind up on the practice squad, or cut altogether. But it’s still early. We will see how Boyd adjusts going forward.

3. There were fights. And one for-real, punches-thrown fight, at long last. Sheldon Richardson and Brian Winters threw down during a one-on-one blocking drill. It’s always amusing when guys throw haymakers at each other despite both participants wearing helmets. Later in the drill, offensive lineman Will Campbell and defensive lineman T.J. Barnes wrestled to the ground. That would be 364-pound T.J. Barnes. (No word yet on the seismometer reading from him crashing down.) Offensive line coach Mike Devlin admonished the players after this, and no more fights happened. Still, a good time was had by all.

4. Tough day for Jace Amaro. He dropped an easy pass, fell down (leading to Antonio Allen’s pick six) and acknowledged afterward that he is still “figuring it out.” Again, we are just a week in, so this is to be expected from a rookie, even if the Jets are going to need Amaro, a second-round draft pick, much more than they will need Boyd this year.

5. Demario Davis is excelling. Davis is having a fantastic training camp. Not only did he have a pick six against Smith, he also broke up a Vick pass intended for Amaro in a 7-on-7 drill, and a Smith throw intended for Jeff Cumberland in team periods. Davis has always been good in the open field, but he is showing some serious promise in coverage – a must for any successful weak-side linebacker.

6. Greg Salas is quietly consistent. You don’t hear a lot about Salas, a midseason pickup last year. He had eight catches last year with the Jets, including two for 57 yards in the win over the Saints. But he is looking pretty good in this camp. He might just make the team, at a crowded receiver position. He caught a 60-yard touchdown on Wednesday from Smith, and later beat Darrin Walls on a jump ball.

7. Oday Aboushi got first-team work. Willie Colon got all the action as the first-team right guard, rather than rotating with Aboushi, as Colon did Tuesday in his first team period action since coming off the physically unable to perform list. On Wednesday, Aboushi played first-team left guard for the entire practice, and last year’s starting left guard, Brian Winters, worked with the second team, at right guard. The coaches are giving Aboushi a chance to show what he’s got. (Speaking of Aboushi, check out Dom’s piece about how he balanced fasting for Ramadan with training camp.)

8. Injury-related matters. Amaro (knee) was back, but first-round pick safety Calvin Pryor (concussion) missed his third straight practice since getting hurt Saturday. Pryor again did exercises with trainers on

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the sideline. He remains under the guidelines of the NFL’s concussion protocol. Cornerback Johnny Patrick left practice after hurting his hamstring. Antwan Barnes (knee) remains on the PUP list. Also out of practice Wednesday: running back Bilal Powell (hamstring), running back Alex Green (chest), wide receiver David Nelson (groin), defensive lineman Zach Thompson (shoulder, though he got some work in position drills) and safety Brandon Hardin (foot).

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Why slimmer Jets LB Quinton Coples could have 'a monster year' (Darryl Slater) Star Ledger July 30, 2014

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2014/07/why_slimmer_jets_lb_quinton_coples_could_have_a_monster_year.html

CORTLAND, N.Y. – It started with the things he took away. No cheese, bread or what he calls “white sauces,” like mayonnaise or Caesar dressing. He replaced beef and pork with chicken and fish.

“Don’t eat any of those, and you can lose five pounds easy,” said Quinton Coples, in his second year as the Jets’ rush outside linebacker.

Coples went 15 pounds further, dropping about 20 in the offseason, slimming to the 270-275 range, in hopes of getting to quarterbacks faster in his third season. The diet idea came from Norris McCleary, a former NFL defensive tackle whom Coples trains with.

He also added things, to supplement his skills as an outside edge rusher. For this part of his offseason, Coples traveled to Atlanta and sought advice from Chuck Smith, a trainer who specializes in mentoring pass rushers.

Twice a day for two months, Coples performed workouts and drills for Smith. He assessed Coples’ pass-rushing stance and altered it. Smith had Coples dig the ball of one foot hard into the grass or turf, instead of simply getting down into his stance. Coples noticed an immediate difference with this new technique.

“If you dig your feet in, it gives you that extra (push),” he said. “So when you burst out, you’ve got that leverage, like track (sprinters) in the blocks.”

Will Coples’ offseason subtractions and additions make a difference for him this year? Last season, he had just 4½ sacks, after accumulating 5½ as a rookie, when he was an interior defensive lineman in substitute packages. Coples, always a lineman, struggled at times last season with his new position, which required some pass coverage duties.

Coples last year led the Jets with 15 quarterback hits and was third with 23 hurries. But too often, he did not finish sacks. He looks the part of an elite edge rusher – 6-6, with long arms. The disconnect between appearances and results led Joe Klecko, the former Jets star defensive lineman, to tell WFAN that Coples sometimes “looks like Tarzan, plays like Jane.”

Coples, the 16th overall pick in 2012, usually aligns along the defensive front. So he is considered part of a line that features two other first-rounders, Muhammad Wilkerson and Sheldon Richardson, who are among the NFL’s fastest-rising young players. The dominance of Wilkerson, a fourth-year pro, and Richardson, last year’s NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, only spotlights the reality that Coples hasn’t played quite as well.

Having reviewed his film from last season, Coples said, “there were some times I was right here” next to the quarterback, before he got rid of the ball. Confronted with that, Coples did all he could – from dieting to footwork – to improve the first step of his rush.

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“Coming into this season, my job is (to) get there a little quicker,” he said.

Jets coach Rex Ryan said he is noticing a quicker Coples in training camp. On Wednesday, when the Jets held their sixth practice, Coples leaped during a team period to bat down Geno Smith’s pass at the line. On Tuesday, he chased down Smith when the quarterback scrambled, and was close enough to tackle Smith, if that was allowed in camp, said Jeff Weeks, the Jets’ assistant linebackers and defensive line coach.

“He made a great pursuit angle,” Weeks said. “He would’ve caught him. People don’t see that out of Quinton very often. He’s becoming a pro. He could have a monster year. The sky is the limit for him.”

Coples has always flashed at times on film, even playing heavier and at a new position last year. Weeks can still see a play he made in last year’s win over New Orleans. On a fourth-and-1 end-around with 7:54 left in the game, Coples pursued and made a tackle for an 8-yard loss, giving the Jets the ball at their own 44-yard line, with a 26-17 lead.

If not for that tackle, “they’ve got a chance to go down and score,” Weeks said. “He reminds you of a 210-pound guy, the way he moves.”

For all the changes Coples made in the offseason, he still leans, as always, on his modest upbringing and Christian faith to put criticism in context. He grew up in the poor city of Kinston, N.C., with a single mom who raised him and his sister in an apartment and, later, a trailer, while she worked as a janitor and at a gas station. Now, he is a millionaire.

“I come from a lot of tough situations, but at the end of the day, I’m in the NFL,” he said. “It’s really hard to be mad in the NFL, period. If you make it this far, you can’t really having nothing to be mad about or be down about. That’s how I look at it.”

Once a week, Coples goes online and watches a Baptist church service produced by the Atlanta-based In Touch Ministries. It reminds him to compartmentalize the supposed pressure on him to show people he can excel in the NFL.

“You can never please man,” he said. “I serve Jesus. I serve God. At the end of the day, it’ll evolve, it’ll develop, and people will still start to see it. It ain’t for me to tell them or show them, or whatever. I do it for Jesus. I do it for God. So at the end of the day, if Jesus can walk this earth and he was the only one that was perfect, and they talked (negatively) about him, why would I expect nobody to say nothing about me? Based upon my faith and how I live my life, people can never get to you, man. Never.”

Still, he acknowledges the difficulties he encountered last year. Between coverage responsibilities and needing to help to redirect running plays to help the linebackers, plus pass-rushing expectations, it marked a major change from the interior defensive line.

“I mean, who can juggle all that and still have to know all the defensive line drills?” he said.

He feels steadier in his varied responsibilities now. He also is using a new pass-rushing trick he learned from Smith in Atlanta: To get off the line of scrimmage faster, watch the offensive lineman’s left knee, because that is often the first thing he moves on the snap.

No longer new to the NFL or his position, looking sleeker and quicker, with a couple new tactics, Coples considered the expectations surrounding him this season. He smiled.

“Whatever is God’s plan,” he said. “Whatever he has set for me will happen. But definitely going into the season confident and ready to attack, and I believe God has got something special.”

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NEW YORK POST

Here’s why Jets tight end Jace Amaro ‘can’t catch a cold’ (Brian Costello) New York Post July 30, 2014

http://nypost.com/2014/07/31/heres-why-jets-tight-end-jace-amaro-cant-catch-a-cold/

CORTLAND — The ball hit the ground and the barking began at Jets rookie tight end Jace Amaro.

On one side, defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson taunted Amaro for letting a ball bounce off his hands. On another side, quarterback Geno Smith yelled and used hand gestures to demonstrate how Amaro should have run the route. A player jeered, “Can’t catch a cold,” and as Amaro walked back to the huddle, it was offensive coordinator Marty Mornhiweg’s turn to give Amaro an earful.

The second-round pick from Texas Tech is getting his introduction to life in the NFL. Wednesday, he returned to practice after injuring his knee Sunday — and he may wish he hadn’t. He had a terrible drop, ran some wrong routes and slipped on a play, allowing his defender to intercept the ball.

“I felt like I went through a similar transition in college,” Amaro said. “I struggled a lot my freshman year. It’s a process. It’s takes little bit and I ended up doing what I did at Texas Tech. I kind of play it the way I did back then. I wasn’t All-America my freshman year. It takes some time.

“But I feel like I’m more advanced than I was coming into college. That’s a plus. I feel like it’s going to come a lot quicker than a lot later. But I’m not worried about it. I just have to get better every day. I feel like I did some good things today. I won almost every one-on-one route I run. It’s just finishing the play and making sure I’m doing the little things right.

For Amaro, the learning curve is a steep one as he goes from a relatively simple offense at Texas Tech to Mornhinweg’s system. He is transitioning from a number-based play-calling system to the Jets’ system that uses words

“It’s like speaking Chinese to English, numbers to crazy lingo,” he said. “It took me a while and I’m still figuring it out. I don’t feel like I’m getting there. But eventually it will start clicking and once it does I feel like I’ll be able to showcase what I can really do.”

The Jets took Amaro in May’s draft hoping he would create matchup problems for opponents and give Gang Green a stud tight end like the ones they have had trouble defending in recent years. Amaro set an FBS record in 2013 for receiving yards by a tight end with 1,352, catching a whopping 106 passes in his junior year before turning pro.

So far, though, Amaro has been underwhelming in practice. Drops were a problem in the spring and have been again in training camp. The coaches chalk up the drops to him being bogged down by thinking too much about his assignments.

“Guys, he caught 106 balls,” Jets coach Rex Ryan said. “Did he drop some balls? Yeah. But we know he’s got the physical skills to do it. He’s got to focus. Sometimes if your head’s in other places and you’re thinking and all that, it’s hard to be at your best.”

The drops should not get Amaro down. He does not lack for confidence. In the spring, he said he wanted to catch 100 passes and be like Tony Gonzalez.

“I have big expectations for myself,” Amaro said. “I know what I can do. I’m making a lot of things a lot more difficult than what they really should be because I’m not completely comfortable yet with this entire organization from the playbook and knowing how the coaches coach. It took me a little while to get [Texas

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Tech coach Kliff] Kingsbury’s offense down and once I did, I felt like I really took us. We’ll see if it can play the same situation.”

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Jets defense has a field day … on Jets offense (George Willis) New York Post July 30, 2014

http://nypost.com/2014/07/30/jets-defense-has-a-field-day-on-jets-offense/

CORTLAND — The defensive coach in Rex Ryan had to be thrilled with how his unit dominated the Jets’ offense during Wednesday’s practice at SUNY-Cortland. Creating a half dozen turnovers and causing chaos is what Ryan wants.

But the head coach in Ryan had to be troubled by how his offense caved under pressure and didn’t have the confidence or resilience to fight back.

“As a head coach, it’s always good news, bad news,” Ryan said. “The good news is we got all those turnovers and that’s what we’ve been talking about. We’ve been harping on creating turnovers and we did today. The bad news is we have to protect the ball. It needs to get better.”

This was just one practice early in training camp, and maybe that’s all it was. But the ineptness of the offense on Wednesday, no matter who was at quarterback, was as glaring as the aggressiveness on defense, which turned the practice into what Ryan called “a feeding frenzy.”

Good news, bad news.

It’s not uncommon for the defense to be ahead of the offense this time of the preseason. Three interceptions thrown by Tajh Boyd and repeated drops by tight end Jace Amaro could be excused as a tough day for two rookies. Interceptions by Geno Smith and Michael Vick can be credited to an opportunistic defense, while a lost fumble by running back Daryl Richardson could be just one man’s mistake.

But a long-term concern could be the offense is coming along slower than expected.

Let’s stick with the good news for now. The Jets defense was clearly in an ornery mood after being scolded following a dismal practice Tuesday. They didn’t hold back physically or verbally on the struggling offense Wednesday. When linebacker Demario Davis intercepted a Smith pass and returned it for a touchdown, the defense erupted like it had just won the Super Bowl.

When Amaro, the rookie tight end, dropped an easy pass, a defensive player got in the face of the second-round pick and taunted him saying, “Can’t catch a cold.”

Good news, bad news.

“Our part is to go out there and create turnovers,” Davis said. “Today was a step in the right direction, but we still have a long way to go to be where we really want to be.”

The defense clearly has a goal to be the best. A few players might talk about it. Most of them know they have to work at it.

“To be great, the work precedes the results,” Davis said. “Our goals are way out there and the only way to get there is with discipline and consistency.”

The offense, meanwhile, had its confidence shaken. Smith’s interception on the first play of a two-minute drill isn’t a good sign. A pass into the right flat was easily jumped by Davis. Vick’s interception came off a

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batted ball that was forced into traffic, while Boyd looked overwhelmed. Meanwhile, the pass protection is getting shredded by the blitzing defense and receivers have had trouble being on the same page as the quarterback.

“The guys over there wearing the green jerseys don’t make it easy for you,” Ryan said, referring to his defense.

The competition between the offense and defense is getting chippy as the Jets head for the Green and White scrimmage on Saturday night. Defensive lineman Sheldon Richardson and center Nick Mangold tussled briefly Tuesday, while linebacker Troy Davis and nose tackle T.J. Barnes were involved in separate skirmishes Wednesday. The defense isn’t ready to have pity on the offense.

“Guys are letting guys know that we’re not pushovers,” Richardson said. “It doesn’t matter how many Pro Bowls you’ve went to, you’ve still got to put in work, too. That’s just us holding each other accountable.”

The offense has no choice but to eventually stand up for itself or get dominated the rest of training camp. Until then, Ryan can expect a few more days of good news, bad news.

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Demario Davis blasts chatty Jets’ work habits (Brian Costello) New York Post July 30, 2014

http://nypost.com/2014/07/30/demario-davis-blasts-chatty-jets-work-habits/

Jets linebacker Demario Davis apparently has not been impressed with what he’s seen from his defensive teammates, and thinks the Jets have a long way to go to become the best defense in football.

“It seems like too many people are saying we can be the best defense or we are the best defense, but the work has to show it,” Davis said Tuesday on SiriusXM NFL Radio. “You know, as far as me seeing it, have we been putting in the work to be the best defense? I would say no.

“In the first couple weeks we’ve got to work a lot harder. … It’s not just what is mandatory. If you want to be the best you’ve got to do more. Being the best doesn’t just happen. So I’ve seen a lot of people saying that. I’ve said it myself but personally I don’t feel like we’re putting in the work right now to be the best.

“We have a long way to go and right now we’re not on pace to be the best. We’ve got to start fast this year. We can’t afford to try to catch fire late in the season. We’ve got to start fast.”

Davis’ comments came on the same day coach Rex Ryan defended the team’s boastful nature, saying: “It’s who we are. It’s how we feel.”

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Classic Rex Ryan trend emerges, for better or worse (Brian Costello) New York Post July 30, 2014

http://nypost.com/2014/07/30/classic-rex-ryan-trend-emerges-for-better-or-worse/

CORTLAND – A familiar theme is beginning to develop at Jets training camp. Like nearly every other Rex Ryan team, the defense is dominating the offense.

On Wednesday, the defense notched five interceptions against the offense. Every Jets quarterback had at least one in team drills. Geno Smith, Michael Vick and Matt Simms each had one. Rookie Tajh Boyd threw two and added another during 7-on-7 drills.

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“The defense had a pretty good day,” Jets coach Rex Ryan said. “I’ve been there when it kind of snowballs into those, one play goes to another and another. Before you know it, it’s a feeding frenzy out there. That’s kind of what it looked like today, for the most part.

“As a head coach, it’s always good news, bad news. The good news is hey, you got all those turnovers and that’s what we’ve been talking about. We’ve been harping on it, to create turnovers and we did today. The bad news is we’ve got to protect the ball. That’s really what we talk about. It needs to get better.”

The defensive players who scored the interceptions were: Demario Davis, Antonio Allen, Ellis Lankster, Brandon Dixon and Steele Devitto.

Smith took 17 first-team reps to Vick’s 7 on Wednesday. Smith went 7-of-15 with the interception and two sacks in team drills. Vick was 5-of-9 with an interception and a sack.

The injuries are piling up. CB Johnny Patrick (hamstring) left practice early. Rookie S Calvin Pryor (concussion), RB Bilal Powell (hamstring), RB Alex Green (chest), WR David Nelson (groin) and S Brandon Hardin (foot) did not practice. DE Zach Thompson (shoulder) did some drills today. WR Quincy Enunwa (hip) was back out there.

Rookie TE Jace Amaro had a forgettable practice. He had a terrible drop that drew the ire of Smith and offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg. He also heard it from defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson after the play. Amaro struggled running routes and Mornhinweg was all over him about it.

Davis had an outstanding practice at linebacker. His interception of Smith was a thing of beauty. On the first play of a two-minute drill, he read a screen pass and jumped it for what would have been a pick-six. He nearly had two other interceptions and was very active around the line of scrimmage. Davis looks like he is blossoming in his third season.

Things were a little chippy in practice as guys get tired of seeing each other every day. There were three pretty good fights. WR Clyde Gates and CB Dimitri Patterson got into it. In offensive line/defensive line drills, Brian Winters and Sheldon Richardson had to be separated and Will Campbell and T.J. Barnes took each other down to the ground.

NT Damon Harrison had a nice stuff on a run by Chris Ivory. … LB A.J. Edds continues to impress. But he took RB Chris Johnson to the ground one time, something the coaches don’t want to see. … OLB Jason Babin is known for his pass rushing, but made a nice run stop. He rushed the tackle and then spun off to stop Ivory from getting the corner. … NT Kenrick Ellis saw some first-team reps. … OLB Quinton Coples looked good during pass-rushing drills. … The best pass of the day was from Smith to WR Greg Salas down the sideline for about 20 yards. … Johnson looks great catching the ball and rushing to the outside. … WR Stephen Hill made a nice catch in the corner of the end zone during a goalline passing drill. He beat CB Dee Milliner on the throw from Vick. … Salas jumped over CB Darrin Walls for a touchdown from Vick. … RB Daryl Richardson has had a nice training camp, but he fumbled at the end of practice after getting hit by rookie IK Enemkpali.

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Rex approves of Demario Davis’ tough love with Jets defense (Brian Costello) New York Post July 30, 2014

http://nypost.com/2014/07/30/rex-approves-of-demario-davis-tough-love-with-jets-defense/

CORTLAND — Jets linebacker Demario Davis sent a message to his teammates in a radio interview Tuesday, and it looks as if they got the message.

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Davis was critical of Jets players boasting in the media, and said he believes the defensive players needed to work harder. On Wednesday, the defense had one of its best practices, forcing five interceptions and shutting down the offense.

Message received?

“Guys are starting to get it,” Davis said Wednesday. “We have a young team, so the only way that you are going to be able to advance quickly and be ready to perform at a high level on Sundays is if you are taking time to do extra.”

Jets coach Rex Ryan was happy to hear Davis’ comments, and said it’s an example of the leadership that exists in the locker room.

“That’s what I’m talking about when I said it’s not just me or coaches,” Ryan said. “That’s what I’m talking about having in the locker room, the accountability to each other. He’s definitely the last player off the field every single day. He works at his craft to get better, and it’s paying off.”

Davis had a monster practice Wednesday. He intercepted Geno Smith and could have had two more interceptions. He has been extremely active all of training camp and looks like he is emerging in his third season.

Former special teams coach Mike Westhoff was at practice Wednesday. He’s not a very big fan of cornerback Dee Milliner, who recently boasted he was the best corner in the NFL.

“Dee Milliner is a guy that, it’s just taking him a little while,” Westhoff said on ESPN Radio. “I was not very impressed with his rookie year. He made the mistake — and sometimes I think it’s the way a guy phrases an answer to a question—about being the best cornerback in the league, and he said that he was. Man, I’m not sure he’s the best cornerback up here in Cortland. And I might include the university.”

Rookie quarterback Tajh Boyd has looked terrible so far. He threw two interceptions in team drills on Wednesday, and another during 7-on-7. Ryan believes Boyd is having such a hard time because the Jets are giving him the entire offense to learn, instead of playing to his strengths.

“He’s struggling. There’s no question,” Ryan said. “It’s going to take a little time. One thing we know with Tajh, if we’re tailoring a game plan for him, it’s probably going to look a little different.”

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NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

NY Jets defense gets best of offense (Manish Mehta) New York Daily News July 31, 2014

CORTLAND — If the Jets defense wants to be the best, maybe it should just keep playing the Jets offense. Days after Calvin Pace proclaimed Gang Green’s defense the best in the league, the group dominated Wednesday’s practice by taking advantage of a sloppy offense while getting what Rex Ryan wants most: turnovers.

“Obviously the defense had a pretty good day,” Ryan said. “I’ve been there when it kind of snowballs into those. One play goes to another, then another, and before you know it, it’s a feeding frenzy out there.”

The star of the show was Demario Davis, just one day after the third-year linebacker said the defense hadn’t been putting in enough work to be the league’s best. Davis got the barrage of big plays started early with a pick-six of a Geno Smith screen pass intended for Clyde Gates. Davis nearly followed it up with another interception against Smith later in practice. Michael Vick was intercepted by Antonio Allen after

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Jace Amaro fell down. The defense even recovered a fumble — rare in practices during which they don’t tackle to the ground — by Daryl Richardson. In all, Smith, Vick, Matt Simms and rookie Tajh Boyd each threw at least one interception.

The Jets have hyped themselves up recently, even beyond Pace’s comment: both Davis and receiver David Nelson called the Jets a playoff team even before training camp and Dee Milliner called himself the best cornerback in the league. Davis called the play of the defense a step in the right direction, but added it would really be making progress if it played that well several days in a row.

“Our goals are extremely high for ourselves. The things that you are hearing is not just words. . . . It’s coming from deep down,” Davis said, “but the work has to precede the glory.”

The defense deserved credit Wednesday, but it was the second discouraging practice in a row for the offense. Smith had a rough outing, completing seven of 15 passes with two sacks and the interception by Davis. Vick was a little better, completing two short TD passes to Stephen Hill and Greg Salas. Aside from another blown-coverage completion to Salas, the offense struggled to make any other impactful plays.

Ryan has been emphasizing takeaways after the Jets had a minus-14 turnover differential last season.

“The bad news is we’ve got to protect the ball,” Ryan said. “And we know it offensively; that’s really what we talk about. It needs to get better.”

As tough a time as the offense had, no one had it worse than Boyd, who threw two interceptions and added a third in seven-on-seven drills. Boyd has had about as bad a camp as one can have thus far, and even Ryan admitted, “Oh yeah, he is struggling.”

Defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson said he expects the defense to be ahead of the offense at this stage because of how vast the offensive playbook is. “You just (saw) our defense click today,” Richardson said. “Hopefully we keep it like that but I most definitely want the offense to pick it up a little more.”

There was some tension between the two sides as several scuffles broke out as the session wore on, although none ever boiled over into an all-out brawl.

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NY Jets rookie TE Jace Amaro struggling with NY Jets (Seth Walder) New York Daily News July 31, 2014

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/jets-insider-struggling-rook-amaro-article-1.1886593

CORTLAND − Rookie tight end Jace Amaro may have caught 106 passes last season for Texas Tech, but he’s having a tough time making catches in training-camp practices with the Jets. Amaro has had some issues with drops early in camp, which continued in his rough outing on Wednesday, after he sat out Tuesday’s practice with a minor knee injury.

The second-round pick dropped a pass from Geno Smith early in team drills and later fell down on a pass from Michael Vick that resulted in an interception. He also is still working on learning the offense, and admitted to making some mental mistakes.

“I missed practice yesterday, was a little bit behind today,” Amaro said. “Kind of over-thought some stuff and got some plays wrong.”

Amaro compared the transition to what he described as a struggle to adjust during his freshman year of college

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“It’s like speaking Chinese to English,” Amaro said of learning a new system. “It’s like numbers to crazy lingo from Texas Tech to here.”

With regard to Amaro’s knee problem, Rex Ryan said, “you’ve got to take care of it but you can’t be, ‘Woe is me,’ about it, you’ve got to drive through and make sure you’re on top of your playbook.”

Amaro said he has been running extra routes with Demario Davis and Antonio Allen after practice.

HOLD ON, DEE

Add former special teams coordinator Mike Westhoff to the Dee Milliner skeptics after the second-year cornerback declared himself the best in the game. The former Jets coordinator didn’t hold back when talking about the second-year cornerback on ESPN Radio on Wednesday.

“I’m not sure he’s the best cornerback up here in Cortland,” Westhoff said. “And I might include the University.”

GREEN LINE DANCE

Oday Aboushi started at left guard while Brian Winters rotated with Willie Colon at right guard. Aboushi and Winters are competing for one guard spot, and the team is trying to ease Colon (knee) back in after he missed the first couple practices of camp.

INJURY UPDATE

Calvin Pryor’s concussion kept him out of a third straight practice. There is no time line for the first-round safety’s return. . . . WR David Nelson (groin) and RB Bilal Powell (hamstring) each missed practice after being unable to finish on Tuesday with their respective injuries. . . . RB Alex Green (chest), DL Zach Thompson (shoulder), S Brandon Hardin (foot) also were kept out of practice. CB Ras-I Dowling (foot) returned to practice.

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Chris Johnson, NY Jets believe there's still more to come from running back (Manish Mehta) New York Daily News July 31, 2014

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/mehta-chris-johnson-jets-rb-article-1.1886541

CORTLAND — Chris Johnson smiles back with that gold grill like you have lost your mind.

He believes he can reverse time, find the fountain of youth and pull his soon-to-be 29-year-old body to the mountaintop once again. Age is just a number, after all, and there’s nothing anyone can say to him that will alter his truth: He will be a great running back for the Jets this season.

“These days, backs are only rushing for 1,100 or 1,200 yards,” Johnson told the Daily News. “So it’s not hard to be the top guy.”

Egos die hard in the NFL, where everyone is a legend in his own mind. Johnson was the rare guy who walked on water five short years ago with a magical 2,000-yard season. He was something to behold back then, a human blur who probably had a jet-pack strapped to his back if anyone bothered to check underneath his jersey and pads.

Now, the cool nickname is gone. He’s CJ?K until further notice, a superstar who some believe is on the wrong side of his career arc. He knows about the mileage (1,742 career carries), the recent decline in production, blah, blah, blah.

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He’s still the most dynamic offensive weapon at Rex Ryan’s disposal in 2014. The Jets believe that rumors of his demise are premature. They still see the magic.

“He’s far from done,” defensive lineman Sheldon Richardson said. “That 4.24 speed is still there, believe it or not. He’s still got it. It’s a highlight reel waiting to happen. And we need those explosive plays.”

Philly’s LeSean McCoy may be the new Running Back King, but Johnson, who is closing in on 10,000 career total yards, still believes that fantasy football owners shouldn’t forget about the man who used to occupy the top few spots in their drafts not that long ago.

“Of course, they should draft me,” Johnson said. “I went through a lot of situations last year. You look at McCoy. He got put in a great situation: great offense and great schemes. So he’s doing what he’s supposed to do. I went through three different offensive coordinators (in six years with the Titans). I feel like I now have a great offensive coordinator in Marty (Mornhinweg). And I’m going to do great things this year.”

On a 10-point scale, the confidence at Jets camp is hovering around 10,000,000,000. Johnson is no exception, fully aware of the verbal and written salvos hurled at him: He’s toast. It’s over. He’ll never be the same again. Thanks for playing. Here are your parting gifts.

It fuels him, propels him, brings out a side that only those who used to be the best of the best can truly understand. Father Time may ultimately win, but not right now. Not this year.

“Yeah, the carries are the carries,” Johnson said of his career workload, “but if you’re preparing every week and taking care of your body, it doesn’t matter.”

He’s never missed a game due to injury in his six-year career. He gets criticized for a 1,000-yard season that included 13 games with a torn meniscus. He won’t be CJ2K ever again, but history suggests that the Jets got a steal when they signed him to a two-year, $8 million deal this past offseason.

LaDainian Tomlinson racked up 1,282 total yards and six touchdowns at age 31 for Ryan in 2010. Johnson, coming off a career-low 3.9 yards-per-carry season, is more than two years younger with less wear and tear.

Although the Jets shouldn’t run him into the ground, there’s no denying that he is Ryan’s most explosive and versatile weapon out of the backfield. So, expect plenty of weeks when Johnson is the team’s unquestioned workhorse.

“I’ve been in the business long enough to know that when guys get to that seventh and eighth year in the league,” running backs coach Anthony Lynn said, “you do have to monitor their reps in practice to keep them fresh. When the guy gets in the game fresh and he’s lighting it up, you let him go. I don’t monitor reps in a game. I don’t hold back production.”

Johnson, who had six consecutive 1,000-yard seasons in Tennessee, expects to have plenty more production with his new team. He’ll play as long as any team wants him. “They got to kick me out,” he said.

Johnson isn’t quite the “first ballot Hall of Famer” Mornhinweg said he was this offseason, but he is on track to slip on a gold jacket one day.

Canton is within reach.

“I wouldn’t sit here and say that if I stopped playing today, I’d make the Hall of Fame,” said Johnson, who has 9,968 total yards and 58 career touchdowns. “I feel with the numbers that I got — and if I continue to put up numbers like I have been in my career — I don’t see why it could not happen.”

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Johnson insists that the only goal in his mind this season is making the playoffs. If that happens, he says, that means he’ll have racked up numbers to his liking.

His presence will challenge defenses in a way that no other running back has done under Ryan. He provides a dual threat as a runner and pass-catcher that will give Mornhinweg more flexibility and freedom. Johnson maintains that “I’m an every-down guy, but that’s up the offensive coordinator.” Chris Ivory and Bilal Powell will also have opportunities.

“I know I’m going to make plays,” Johnson said. “I know it.”

There are glimpses in practice, sharp cuts and bursts of speed that you believed would never resurface that make you reconsider. Maybe he’s right. Maybe there’s still some magic left.

Maybe it’s not over.

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Michael Vick vs. Geno Smith: Day 7 breakdown, a tough day all around (Dom Cosentino) NJ.com July 30, 2014

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2014/07/michael_vick_vs_geno_smith_day_7_breakdown_a_tough_day_all_around.html

CORTLAND, N.Y. – The Jets' quarterback competition is neither an open competition nor a controversy, no matter what the team's brass might still be might saying publicly.

Head coach Rex Ryan can keep calling it a competition, and general manager John Idzik can say all he wants that the situation isn't "tilted" toward Geno Smith, but the reality is obvious: Smith has the advantage over Michael Vick. It's Smith's job to lose, and it's been that way since organized team activities and minicamp. Vick, of all people, has had no problem making that clear.

But since neither quarterback has officially been named a starter, we're going to chart their progress until that happens. Here's how things looked on Day 7 of training camp on Wednesday, the sixth day of practice.

Geno Smith

Analysis: Much like Tuesday, the defense brought a lot of different blitzes and showed a number of different coverages. Smith got sacked a couple of times, had Quinton Coples bat a pass down, and saw defenders like Demario Davis and Nick Bellore get there to break up would-be completions. He also wasn't helped by drops, most especially when he had rookie Jace Amaro wide open on a check-down. He did execute the offense's one big highlight, however, by getting Dimitri Patterson to bite on a pump-fake before connecting with Greg Salas for an easy, long touchdown.

Stats (team drills): 7-for-15, two sacks, one interception on Wednesday. Overall, Smith is 36-for-58, seven sacks, two interceptions.

Number of first-team reps: 17 on Wednesday (70.8 percent), 88 to date (76.5 percent)

Quote from Smith: "The main thing is that we continue to stay focused. We’re all levelheaded. No one’s here saying we cornered the marked on anything. We believe that we have to put the work in and if we do so then we’ll have a good team."

Quote from Ryan: "The bad news is we have to protect the ball, and we know it offensively. That's really what we talk about."

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Michael Vick

Analysis: Vick had a noticeably better day than Smith did, but given how dominant the defense was, that ain't sayin' much. Vick looked great in a goal-line drill, lobbing a perfect throw to the corner that Stephen Hill was able to run under. He also put a ball in just the right spot for Greg Salas to leap and come down with a TD over Darrin Walls. And Vick's lone interception resulted because Amaro fell down.

Stats (team drills): 5-for-9, sack, interception on Wednesday. Overall, Vick is 28-for-43, four sacks, two interceptions.

Number of first-team reps: 7 on Wednesday (29.2 percent), 27 to date (23.5 percent)

Quote from Vick: "It’s getting closer to game time. We have to start focusing on correcting the little things, not missing protections, not jumping offside, get some more big plays down the field."

If the season started today ...

Vick was better overall, but he certainly didn't do enough to make anyone clamor for him to unseat Smith.

Jace Amaro after tough day at Jets practice: 'I'm still figuring it out' (Dom Cosentino) NJ.com July 30, 2014

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2014/07/jace_amaro_after_tough_day_at_jets_practice_im_still_figuring_it_out.html

CORTLAND, N.Y. -- Jace Amaro left the practice field Wednesday by walking side-by-side with Jets general manager John Idzik, the man who drafted him less than three months ago.

The conversation looked like it might have been serious. After all, it had just been a brutal practice for Amaro—a dropped pass, a missed assignment on a route, a slip that led to a pick-six—and Idzik clearly felt he had to say some things personally to the rookie tight end.

But by the time they neared the media interview area, both Idzik and Amaro were smiling. The GM had hardly been reading Amaro the riot act. Quite the opposite, actually.

"He was just telling me what expects me to do and how he sees me playing," said Amaro, a second-round pick out of Texas Tech. "It's a good thing. We have a good relationship. He was just making sure I know that he has faith in me, and we're going to get it rolling."

Amaro, who was back to practicing fully after being limited a day earlier because of some nagging knee tendinitis, is carrying the burden of big expectations. He caught a Big 12 record 106 passes last year, and as a pass-catching target in the modern Jimmy Graham mold, he's viewed as someone with the immediate ability to help jump-start the Jets' offense. But he's also holding himself to a high standard, such as when he told reporters during rookie minicamp his goal was to catch 100 passes this season.

But adjusting to the NFL—and to the Jets' west-coast offense—has been trying. As far back as May, Amaro mentioned the information overload he was already feeling now that he's with the Jets. Asked on Wednesday to compare Texas Tech's offense to the Jets', he said, "It's like speaking Chinese to English. It's like numbers to crazy lingo. I'm still figuring it out. I feel like I'm getting there. Eventually it's going to start clicking, and once it does, I'll be able to show what I can really do."

Amaro's drop on Wednesday came when Geno Smith was under a heavy rush. Amaro was wide open just beyond the line of scrimmage, and his drop brought some extended razzing from defensive linemen Muhammad Wilkerson and Sheldon Richardson, who clearly relished working the rookie over for his mistake.

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"We know he's got the physical skills to do it," head coach Rex Ryan said. "He's got to focus, and sometimes if you're head's in other places and you're thinking and all of that, it's hard to be at your best."

Michael Vick later threw an interception that safety Antonio Allen took the distance because Amaro slipped on the wet grass. And at one point, quarterback Geno Smith could be seen having words with Amaro over for having run a route incorrectly. Something clearly got lost in the numbers-to-crazy lingo translation.

"There were just a couple of concepts that sounded similar when Geno said them in the huddle, and I got a little confused," he said. "But it was nothing insulting or anything like that."

With all of this swirling around him at his first training camp, does Amaro put a lot of pressure on himself?

"Yeah," he said. "I have big expectations for myself. I know what I can do. I'm making a lot of things a lot more difficult than they should be, just because I'm not completely comfortable yet with this entire organization—from the playbook, knowing how the coaches coach, just the little things like that.

"It took me a little bit to get [Texas Tech coach Kliff] Kingsbury's offense down. Once I did, I felt like it took off. We'll see if it will be the same situation."

A little positive reinforcement from Idzik certainly doesn't hurt.

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Ed Reed is gone, but he taught the Jets' defense a lot about watching film (Dom Cosentino) NJ.com July 30, 2014

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2014/07/what_ed_reed_taught_the_jets_defense_about_watching_film.html

CORTLAND, N.Y. -- Ed Reed is a likely Hall of Famer, and while he only spent a couple of weeks with the Jets as a stopgap for the secondary toward the end of his excellent career, his impact is still being felt even though the Jets elected not to bring him back this season.

"It was big when we had Ed Reed here," said inside linebacker Demario Davis, who had a monster practice on Wednesday. "He showed us how to really watch film. The big thing he told us was, you know, you learn something, you see something, just trust what you see."

Reed, a former safety, is best known for his 11 seasons with the Ravens, with whom he won a Super Bowl two seasons ago. He came to the Jets last November after a stint with the Texans ended with an ignominious in-season release. With the Jets, Reed played seven games and mainly helped the defense cut down on big plays. He remains a free agent, but he'll be 36 in September, and his career is probably over.

Every player and coach in the league watches film. But Brian Billick, Reed's head coach for six seasons with the Ravens, said that from the time Reed entered the league, he had an uncommon gift for seeing things others weren't seeing on film.

"Ed was maybe the most intellectual player I've ever had," said Billick, now an analyst for the NFL Network. "Ed's as good as anybody I've ever had at being able to sit, look at a film, and pull something out that's tangible."

Billick said Reed's ability to develop what to see on film and how to use it also came from having worked with Donnie Henderson and Dennis Thurman when they were assistants under Billick some years back.

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Henderson, a former Jets defensive coordinator, is the Bills' defensive backs coach. Thurman, not coincidentally, is the current Jets' defensive coordinator.

"There's only so much film you can look at," Billick said. "And you can become a little blurry-eyed if you can't bring your focus to something specific that you're trying to get out of that film session."

Rather than ride a young player and encourage him to do film study, Billick said, Reed was the sort to take that player into the film room himself to nurture that player's understanding of what he's seeing, whether it's technique, coverage, schemes, or route combinations.

Jets head coach Rex Ryan, another former Billick assistant, said he frequently saw the same from Reed going back to their years in Baltimore, especially in the way he'd encourage—and gradually get—the entire secondary and defensive unit to watch film together.

"A defense is built on communication," Ryan said. "You have to be able to communicate, you have to know what your teammate's going to do and where he's going to be, to be effective. I think that's what Ed [did]."

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How lineman Oday Aboushi balances fasting for Ramadan with Jets training camp (Dom Cosentino) NJ.com July 30, 2014

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2014/07/how_lineman_oday_aboushi_balanced_fasting_for_ramadan_with_jets_training_camp.html

CORTLAND, N.Y. -- The first four practice days of training camp presented a personal dilemma for Jets offensive lineman Oday Aboushi.

A practicing Muslim, Aboushi dutifully observes Ramadan, the ninth month on the Islamic calendar, when adherents are required to refrain from eating or drinking from sunrise to sunset, though children, the elderly, pregnant women, and others who medically should not abstain from food or water are exempted.

"For me," Aboushi said, "it's a personal decision."

But this year, Ramadan began on June 28 and concluded this past Monday, by which time the Jets had four training camp practices scheduled. Aboushi had continued fasting when Ramadan coincided with early season practices during his time at the University of Virginia. But how would he balance his faith with his need to make a living, which requires him to be in world-class shape on a daily basis?

Basically, he came up with a compromise, which some imams allow if a believer has a job that involves strenuous physical activity. And trying to keep Muhammad Wilkerson, Sheldon Richardson, and Damon Harrison from clawing past you day after day certainly seems to be in that category.

Aboushi, a native of Brooklyn who moved to Staten Island in high school, was drafted by the Jets in the fifth round last year. A converted tackle, he got plenty of reps at both guard spots with the first team during the spring and in first few days of training camp while Willie Colon rehabbed a knee injury. Colon still figures to start, but Abosuhi spent Tuesday's practice rotating with Colon at the right guard spot.

Aboushi isn't the first professional whose athletic pursuits have coincided with Ramadan. Former NBA great Hakeen Olajuwon once fasted during the NBA finals. The Abdullah brothers, Hamza and Husain, once took off an entire NFL season to make a pilgrimage to Mecca, and when he was with the Vikings, Husain Abdullah also refrained from drinking water during camp practices. It didn't seem to affect him.

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Several players during this summer's recently completed World Cup also had to consider their devotion when deciding what to do.

In March, Aboushi had gone on a surgical mission with the Islamic Medical Association. The group helped provide the resources that repaired 185 cleft palates for infants in Sudan.

Coincidentally, most of Ramadan fell during the month when the Jets basically had off. Aboushi still had to stay in shape, but because he didn't have to go to practice at all, he could fast and still get in the workouts he needed to remain fit.

"We had that month off, which was great," Aboushi said. "I would get up at, like, 3:30 in the morning, have a real big breakfast. I'd go back to sleep and get up around 7:30, 8, and go train until, like, 10:30, 11. I'd get some film study in, and pretty much coast the rest of the day."

But that had to change when Aboushi got to SUNY Cortland last week.

"Once I reported [to camp], I kind of shut it down," he said of having to fast. "Coming into camp, you want your body to be up to par, and you want all pistons firing. It's kind of impossible to be fasting while you're out there."

As a compromise, Aboushi plans to make up the days he didn't fast after the season, much like he did last year. While he had made the sacrifice during camp in college, he quickly came to learn he wouldn't be able to do it in the NFL.

"I know my body well enough to know what it needs," Aboushi said. "In college, there wasn't as much pressure to perform. It's a little bit of a different game in the NFL, with different expectations—not only for yourself, but for the coaches. It's more of the business side you've got to think of."

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Mike Westhoff tweaks Dee Milliner: 'I'm not sure he's the best cornerback up here in Cortland' (Dom Cosentino) NJ.com July 30, 2014

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2014/07/mike_westhoff_tweaks_jets_cb_dee_milliner_im_not_sure_hes_the_best_cornerback_up_here_in_cortland.html

CORTLAND, N.Y. -- Former Jets special teams coach Mike Westhoff was prowling the sidelines at training camp on Wednesday, and afterward he gave an interview to ESPN radio 98.7 in which he had some especially harsh words for cornerback Dee Milliner.

"Dee Milliner is a guy that, it’s just taking him a little while," Westhoff said. "I was not very impressed with his rookie year. He made the mistake—and sometimes I think it’s the way a guy phrases an answer to a question—about being the best cornerback in the league, and he said that he was. Man, I’m not sure he's the best cornerback up here in Cortland. And I might include the university."

Over the weekend, the New York Daily News asked Milliner his opinion about the best cornerback in the league. He replied by naming himself, which naturally made him look absurd to people who fail to understand that every NFL player likely thinks he's the best at what he does—and that if he doesn't, he probably ought to go sell insurance or something.

Westhoff has a dry sense of humor, and his shot at Milliner was obviously a joke. But Westhoff also used that line make a point about what he saw from Milliner on Wednesday.

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We watched Milliner's every move at Tuesday's practice, and he had a pretty good day. But from what he saw on Wednesday, Westhoff told ESPN radio—in all seriousness—he wasn't too impressed with Milliner or the Jets' other corners.

"I saw him get blocked today," Westhoff said of Milliner. "The only thing that impressed me today with the offense—because the defense dominated—[was the] perimeter running game in the team run period of the offense. They really did a good job of getting outside. And a lot of that [was because] the wide receivers blocked those DBs all over the lot.

"I was not very impressed with that. I believe they can solve those issues, though, with a pass rush. Right now I see the Achillies heel as the cornerbacks. … Teams will come in, spread the Jets out, and try to throw the ball all over the lot. How will the Jets remedy that?"

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NEWYORKJETS.COM

6 Notes & Quotes on Jets Turnovers (Randy Lange) Newyorkjets.com July 31, 2014

http://www.newyorkjets.com/news/article-randylangeblogfb/6-Notes--Quotes-on-Jets-Turnovers/06832e17-53be-4ada-9347-2bf3dcc49baf

Rex Ryan Has Put a Priority for This Camp on Taking the Ball Away, Not Giving It Away

Talk about your rankings. Rex Ryan ranked his team priorities for training camp and recently revealed: "We've got to get takeaways — that's number one."

How are we faring at SUNY Cortland this summer at turning around the two opponents' fumble returns, minus-14 turnover ratio and one touchdown after turnovers of last season? Here are six notes and quotes about takeaways and giveaways and how they might apply to our season ahead.

1. Things are "Pick"-ing Up

After talking the talk, the defense has been walking the walk. At today's training camp practice alone, LB Demario Davis, showing improved coverage skills in his third NFL season, highlighted his monster session with a pick-six of Geno Smith and another PD that almost went the route.

Also today, Antonio Allen, he of the lone takeaway TD last year (vs. Tom Brady in Game 8), also had a return TD vs. Michael Vick. Other picks were recorded by Ellis Lankster, Brandon Dixon and free agent LB Steele Divitto

Rex: "It was sort of like a feeding frenzy."

2. Pace's View

LB Calvin Pace, the current Jet with the most takeaway plays in the past six seasons (eight TAs, eight forced fumbles, one PD that was intercepted), feels the coaches' emphasis is helping the defense's mindset.

"It's just working on it, pounding it in guys' heads," Pace told me today. "Hey, you get the ball, you can scoop and score. The running back's wrapped up? Rake the ball out. It's always the M.O. around here: Once a fumbler, always a fumbler. Some guys have trouble with ball security and you've got to take advantage of that."

3. Where Were the Recoveries in '13?

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It sounds so simple, yet last year the Jets had one of the worst fumble seasons in NFL history, recovering only two opponents' fumbles, only one of those on defense.

"The crazy thing is that the ball was on the ground a lot," said Pace. "We just, for whatever reason, didn't get to it."

Those two recoveries last fall are a big part of the reason Rex is emphasizing turnovers this summer. But with the talent on the defense, there is also good reason to think that last season was an anomaly, not a trend.

"They call them 50-50 balls, and sometimes the ball just doesn't bounce your way," said CB Dimitri Patterson said of his research on the team he would be joining this offseason after two years with the Dolphins. "I didn't really put a lot of emphasis on last year. My experience has told me you can't live in the past in this league — good or bad. If you finished as the No. 1 secondary last year, so what? You've got to come out and prove you can do it again. I just think that right now we're going in a really good direction."

4. Improving the Plus-Minus

At some point all coaches point to the plus-minus turnover stats. As assistant head coach/running backs Anthony Lynn said, "No question, if you go back and look over the last decade, turnovers determine wins and losses in this league."

We did just that for you. In the NFL the past 10 years, teams with a plus margin in game won four of every five games (1,708-432, .798 percentage). When the Jets in 2013 had a plus turnover margin, they were 4-0. When it was minus they were 1-8. In franchise history, when their plus-minus is positive, their winning percentage is .776 (257-74). When it's negative, the percentage plummets to .176 (63-294).

5. The Offense's Contribution

We were minus-14 for the second straight season last year, but it could've been lower, except that the one turnover area that we excelled in was not giving the ball away on offense with only seven lost fumbles. And that's no accident, Lynn said.

"That's something we try to emphasize every season: ball security, taking care of the football," he said. "Contact fumbles, we can control those. We drill it in practice, we see it and we make the correction. We try to give our players the least amount of coaching points possible so they don't have to think too much. We work on three points of pressure — the tip of the ball, the crease of the ball, and high and tight. And if we can get guys to think 'wrist above elbow,' most of the time everything else falls in place."

6. Taking the Takeaways to the House

The one last point we'll make today is about, similar to takeaways themselves, how important return scores are. Last season, the team in Jets games that had an advantage in takeaway TDs was 4-0. In the five seasons under Rex Ryan, the team with the takeaway-TD edge is 21-4.

"What we’re really trying to do as a team is understand in the big picture that it’s not just good enough to keep people off the scoreboard," Ryan said. "That's obviously your No. 1 goal, but it’s also to score points with turnovers, and set your offense up to score."

"Big plays breed more confidence, and that’s what we have to have," Davis added. "I think that’s why Coach put a big emphasis on turnovers, and today was a day that we actually came out there and did that. We have to be able to do the same thing tomorrow. And if we don’t, that success might have been just smoke."

Day 6: Six-Pack of Good & Bad (Eric Allen) Newyorkjets.com

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July 31, 2014

http://www.newyorkjets.com/news/article-insidewitheafb/Day-6-Six-Pack-of-Good--Bad/ba971b29-b0c9-4a53-ad38-c09604c7dff9

The Defense Came to Play on Day 6 While the Offense Struggled With Ball Security

Is that glass half full or is it half empty? Turnover margin has to improve if the Jets want to contend in 2014 and the good news is the defense found an oasis in the desert today as it amassed six takeaways. But the ball security wasn’t there for the offense and Marty Mornhinweg won’t be happy with those turnovers.

Player of the Day: Demario Davis. The Jets WLB set the tone, intercepting Geno Smith on a WR screen and then the pirates on D stole the rest of the workout.

Three Pick 6s: After Davis celebrated his score, Antonio Allen got into the act with an interception of a Mike Vick pass. Allen did benefit with some good fortune as TE Jace Amaro — the intended target — slipped. Finally, rookie LB Steele Divitto, a Boston College product, made it a trifecta when he made an athletic play on a Tajh Boyd toss and took it to the house.

Rookie Growing Pains: Safety Calvin Pryor worked to the side with trainers today and is continuing to be evaluated after suffering a concussion on Saturday. Amaro (knee) returned to practice, but he did have a drop and was not on the same page as the quarterbacks a couple of times. Boyd, a sixth-rounder out of Clemson, had two picks and is swimming a bit. Brandon Dixon, a 6th-rounder from NW Missouri State, was on the receiving end of one of Boyd's deflected passes.

Dimitri ‘Floyd’ Patterson: If you come out to camp, watch No. 24. He plays with an edge and has picked up his game in pads. The WRs don’t love him too much though as Clyde Gates took umbrage to Patterson today after David Nelson and the CB went a couple of rounds yesterday. It is cool in Central NY, but Patterson has raised the temperature

Not All Bad on Offense: This just in – Chris Johnson is fast. On the first play of team drills, the Jets went misdirection to Johnson and that dude flew up the left sideline. Nice pump from Geno Smith caught an aggressive defense by surprise and that got Greg Salas free for a long score. Salas, who has run on a number of impressive routes in camp, had a pair of TD grabs — one in individuals and one in team. Veteran RG Willie Colon, who joined me on JTL today, said the Jets got some good work in on the interior. Oday Aboushi got reps with the first unit at LG.

Goal Line on Deck: The big boys better get some rest tonight. Rex Ryan told me that a goal line scrimmage will take place Thursday.

“That’s always an exciting time. You just keep your fingers crossed that nobody gets hurt,” Rex Ryan said. “But it’s one of those things — the only way to practice it is go full speed and we’ll do that tomorrow.”

And one more note for the road...

The Doctor’s Office: Pryor (concussion), RB Alex Green (chest), S Brandon Hardin (foot), WR David Nelson (groin), RB Bilal Powell (hamstring) and DE Zach Thompson (shouler) did not practice. CB Johnny Patrick left early, but rookie WR Quincy Enunwa returned in a limited role.

4 Jets Bullet Points from Pat Kirwan & Jim Miller (Randy Lange) Newyorkjets.com July 31, 2014

http://www.newyorkjets.com/news/article-randylangeblogfb/4-Jets-Bullet-Points-from-Pat-Kirwan--Jim-Miller/1c7bf4b5-1e45-4cdf-bc4d-f2f4d8f0a914

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SiriusXM NFL Hosts Give an Exclusive Mini-Show on What They See with This Year's Team

It's always a fun and informative day at Jets training camp when Pat Kirwan, Jim Miller and the SiriusXM NFL crew arrive at SUNY Cortland to do their afternoon-drive show. Pat has been a long-time friend and one of the most knowledgeable radio voices on NFL X's and O's and ins and outs. And Miller has become one of the satellite network's rising stars.

The two graced me and reporters TJ Brennan and Jackie Lovett with an impromptu mini-version of their show up in our fifth-floor office of the Cortland pressbox. I'll call this blog "4 Jets Bullet Points from Pat and Mills" and, other than introducing those bullet points, will stand out of the way for those who want to read the duo's exclusive give-and-take today on the Green & White:

1. Speed Up and Down the WR Depth Chart

Kirwan: Jimmy, our second stop on our camp tours is the New York Jets, and there's a couple of things that jumped out at me right away. I came here with an impression, that I was wrong about, of the receivers. You saw what I saw, I think — speed all over the place.

Miller: I was shocked that Jalen Saunders got by the defense. He's got good speed. I think [Jeremy] Kerley possesses good speed. [Stephen] Hill, I know a lot of people look at him as a one-trick pony — he's got a lot of speed, and he can go vertically. You have some depth at receiver in terms of the X. I can see [David] Nelson backing [Eric Decker] up at the X spot. And we know what we're going to get from Decker.

But here's what I like about their speed. They're going to be able to run the football so well, "Ground and Pound," that you get good looks on the outside and you've got two strong-armed quarterbacks that can probably take advantage of those good looks and speed on the outside.

2. The Quarterbacks

Kirwan: I agree with you, and without disclosing their offense, which we shouldn't do after a camp observation, they have, as you like to call them, "shot plays." They're not afraid to take the deep shots with these quarterbacks. And I'll be honest about Geno [Smith]. You were a young quarterback once. The best passing game you can give him is the shot game. It's the easiest stuff for him to do: pull the ball out of Chris Johnson's belly and chuck it down the sideline. And i like No. 15, [Saalim] Hakim as much as these other guys. He's very, very fast.

No one's playing the Jets without a safety down in the box. You're going to get first-down looks of Cover-1 Man Free or Cover-3, and those guys are all smart enough to stop those routes or just take the 10-yard gain. So I think there's going to be consistent looks where I think Geno can succeed. And if Mike Vick doesn't get a couple of packages in the middle of games, I'd be surprised. They don't need to leave him on the sideline being the backup with the baseball hat on. That guy needs to go out there and scare the defense.

Miller: Yeah, I think teams will have to prepare a lot more. I can see some trick plays, gadget plays from the Jets, because we've talked about the powerful offenses they're going to face on their schedule. So maybe the Jets have to manufacture some things, and that may be a way for them to do it, whether it's dabbling in the Wildcat stuff, trick plays, i can see a little spread option from that standpoint, too, if Vick's in the game because he runs better than Geno.

3. Rex's Pressure Defense

Kirwan: Theyre a great pressure defense, we already saw it. They have more installed in pressure looks right now than I know we saw in New England and probably way more than we'll see in Buffalo, because that's their style. The question I'll ask you, Jimmy, is can they run all these safety hot calls and blitz calls

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with these corners. I don't know enough about these corners yet to say. That's not Cromartie and Revis out there. And I think they may be a little more conservative early in the season until they figure out how much those kids can do.

Miller: Yeah, and I'll say this. I dont think there's that big of a dropoff when you go from Cromartie to Dimitri Patterson. but the caveat is Patterson has to stay healthy. He's more than serviceable for what theyre trying to do. Now can [Dee] Milliner take the next big step here in year two? It's going to be challenging, the receivers he's going to face, but i think with the pressure calls, they may do a little rope-a-dope but at the end of the day Rex Ryan's about pressure and those guys will be put on an island to make sure they compete.

Kirwan: Their four-man rush on third down is awesome-looking. I saw them do it two ways, and not to disclose their packages here, but they have a three-man rush that can be as effective as most teams' four-man rush, which is how you're going to help those corners. ... [Quinton] Coples is a good player. He has to become a great player. If he becomes a great player, you can hide a corner. That would be my opinion in this whole thing

4. What's in Store for the Jets in '14

Kirwan: At this point — and we only saw the Patriots and we're heading to Buffalo next — I would think of the Jets as a contender for a wild-card spot. I was so impressed with the Patriots, and we have to talk Patriots here at Jets camp because that's their No. 1 nemesis. They were phenomenal-looking yesterday on a lot of levels. They addressed what happened to them in the championship game when they gave up 500 yards of offense. And ironically, one of them is an ex-Jet, Darrelle Revis.

Miller: My perception of this team is far different, just like Pat's. I came in here thinking "Chicken Little, the sky is falling." I dont walk away here thinking that. This team will compete. I believe that.

Lange here. If you see this post soon enough, you can still catch some of Pat and Jim's show from Jets camp on SiriusXM today and every other weekday afternoon from 3-7 p.m. ET on their training camp tour. And click here for information on Kirwan's new football e-book that will be available next month.

WEDNESDAY’S SPORTS TRANSACTIONS

BASEBALL

COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE — Suspended Atlanta RHPs Victor Joaquin and Alvaro Silvestre (DSL Braves) 72 games for violating the Minor League Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.

American League

BALTIMORE ORIOLES — Sent RHP Ubaldo Jimenez to Aberdeen (NYP) for a rehab assignment.

BOSTON RED SOX — Traded LHP Felix Doubront to the Chicago Cubs for a player to be named. Recalled RHP Brandon Workman from Pawtucket (IL).

MINNESOTA TWINS — RHP Matt Guerrier refused outright assignment and chose free agency.

TEXAS RANGERS — Sent LHP Derek Holland to Frisco (TL) for a rehab assignment.

TORONTO BLUE JAYS — Sent OF Cole Gillespie to the GCL Blue Jays for a rehab assignment.

National League

ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS — Announced the retirement of 3B Eric Chavez.

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ATLANTA BRAVES — Placed RHP Shae Simmons on the 15-day DL, retroactive to Sunday. Recalled RHP Juan Jaime from Gwinnett (IL).

COLORADO ROCKIES — Sent RHP Christian Bergman to Tulsa (TL) for a rehab assignment.

LOS ANGELES DODGERS — Sent RHP Jonathan Martinez to the Chicago Cubs to complete an earlier trade. Optioned INF Darwin Barney to Albuquerque (PCL). Designated LHP Scott Elbert for assignment.

MIAMI MARLINS — Optioned OF Jake Marisnick to New Orleans (PCL). Recalled INF Ed Lucas from New Orleans.

ST. LOUIS CARDINALS — Released C George Kottaras. Transferred RHP Michael Wacha to the 60-day DL. Traded OF James Ramsey to Cleveland for RHP Justin Masterson.

SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS — Designated 2B Tony Abreu for assignment. Optioned 3B Adam Duvall to Fresno (PCL). Selected the contract of 1B Travis Ishikawa from Fresno. Recalled OF Juan Perez from Fresno.

Frontier League

FLORENCE FREEDOM — Activated INF Jacob Tanis from the injured list. Released RHP Adam Krebs.

JOLIET SLAMMERS — Signed LHP Matt Costello and INFs Josh Scheffert and INF Matt Weaver. Released RHP Colin Gotzon and INF Danny Hernandez.

ROCKFORD AVIATORS — Signed LHP Tony Butler.

WASHINGTON WILD THINGS — Signed C Cole Martin. Released C Michael Allen

WINDY CITY THUNDERBOLTS — Placed OF Evan Button on the retired list. Signed OF Daniel Aldrich.

United League

FORT WORTH CATS — Traded INF Andres Rodriguez to Amarillo (AA) for a player to be named later and future considerations.

BASKETBALL

National Basketball Association

BROOKLYN NETS — Named Paul Westphal, John Welch, Tony Brown, Joe Wolf and Jay Humphries assistant coaches and Jim Sann assistant coach/advance scout.

MIAMI HEAT — Signed F-C Chris Bosh to a five-year contract.

FOOTBALL

National Football League

NFL — Suspended Buffalo LB Nigel Bradham one game for violating the NFL Policy and Program for Substances of Abuse.

BUFFALO BILLS — Signed RB Fred Jackson to a one-year contract extension.

CLEVELAND BROWNS — Signed WR Marlon Moore and OL Ryan Lee.

DALLAS COWBOYS — Signed OT Tyron Smith to an eight-year contract extension.

GREEN BAY PACKERS — Signed executive vice president, general manager and director of football operations Ted Thompson to a multi-year contract. Claimed WR Gerrard Sheppard off waivers from Baltimore.

HOUSTON TEXANS — Signed OT Mike Farrell.

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INDIANAPOLIS COLTS — Signed RB Phillip Tanner.

MIAMI DOLPHINS — Signed TE Brett Brackett and DE D'Aundre Reed.

NEW YORK GIANTS — Named Corry Rush director of public relations. Promoted DeAndre Phillips to director of communications.

HOCKEY

National Hockey League

COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS — Signed Fs Jerry D'Amigo and Dana Tyrell to one-year, two-way contracts.

DETROIT RED WINGS — Named Jim Hiller and Andrew Brewer assistant coaches.

LOS ANGELES KINGS — Agreed to terms with LW Dwight King on a three-year contract.

MONTREAL CANADIENS — Named Dan Lacroix assistant coach and Rob Ramage player development coach'

NEW JERSEY DEVILS — Re-signed D Andy Greene to a multi-year contract.

WINNIPEG JETS — Agreed to terms with F Matt Halischuk on a one-year, two-way contract.

ECHL

IDAHO STEELHEADS — Agreed to terms with D Patrick Cullity.

LACROSSE

National Lacrosse League

EDMONTON RUSH — Traded D Alex Turner to Minnesota for a 2015 third-round draft pick.

SOCCER

Major League Soccer

MONTREAL IMPACT — Fired sporting director Nick De Santis, who will remain with the club in an administrative role.

COLLEGE

NCAA — Granted UConn women's basketball F Morgan Tuck a medical hardship waiver.

AUSTIN PEAY STATE — Promoted part-time assistant baseball coach Derrick Dunbar to full time. Named Greg Bachman volunteer assistant baseball coach.

BARUCH — Named Rachel Carey women's assistant volleyball coach.

BUCKNELL — Named Michael Binney men's golf coach

CARSON-NEWMAN — Named Michael Graves assistant softball coach.

CENTRAL CONNECTICUT STATE — Named Tanya Kotowicz women's lacrosse coach.

HAMPTON — Named Eugene Marshall athletic director and Donovan Rose assistant athletic director for development and director of the HOPE Program.

LIMESTONE — Named Kari DeHof coordinator of compliance.

MARTIN METHODIST — Named Darryce Moore women's assistant basketball coach.

NEW MEXICO — Suspended OL Jamal Price from the football team.

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RICE — Named Taylor Fogleman women's assistant coach.

ROWAN — Named Mike Dickson baseball coach

TEXAS-PAN AMERICAN — Named Lucas Monroe assistant strength and conditioning coach.