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Buffalo Bills

The Bills signed second-round pick Cordy Glenn, an offensive tackle from Georgia; the move leaves only one of the team's nine draft picks -- third-round receiver T.J. Graham -- unsigned, Chris Brown reported.

Miami Dolphins

Lydon Murtha told the Sun-Sentinel that he's not ready to cede the starting right tackle job to second-round draft pick Jonathan Martin, the former Stanford left tackle whom the team aims to switch to the right side to challenge Murtha.

On the day he picked up the 2011 MVP from the Miami Dolphins Foundation, quarterback Matt Moore sang the praises of the West Coast offense new coordinator Mike Sherman is installing. And of comments that he's not starter material, Moore said Friday, "When I hear it over and over 100 times it gets a little annoying. I just try to win ballgames and do my best. They'll talk about me when they need to talk about me."

In his second turn as a guest host on her nationally syndicated talk show, running back Reggie Bush "mesmerized" Kelly Ripa on Friday. After Bush presented Ripa with a customized jersey -- his number, her name on the back -- during Friday's "LIVE! with Kelly" taping, Ripa gushed, "I will worship this jersey. I will wear this to bed every night ... think about our time together."

New England Patriots

The Patriots were just doing their due diligence in bringing tight end Dallas Clark, late of the Indianapolis Colts, in for a workout, writes Mike Reiss for ESPNBoston.com. The team already has three tight ends, one of whom -- Daniel Fells -- it signed in March, when Clark was on the market.

Former Patriots linebacker Ted Johnson said the recent death of Junior Seau caused him to reflect on his own post-concussion struggles after his 2005 retirement. "If that can happen to him," Johnson told a conference on pediatric concussions, "I've got to be more diligent in how I live my life."

Boston.com columnist Tony Massarotti wonders whether the Patriots are trying to keep Wes Welker, or drive him away.

New York Jets

The Tebow Takeover -- Tim taking over the starting quarterback's job from Mark Sanchez, that is -- is happening, Jeff Darlington writes, with the ongoing Phase 2 a charm offensive that's winning over veteran Jets like Bart Scott and Darrell Revis.

The team made a pair of moves in its scouting department, ESPNNewYork.com reports, promoting Midwest scout Jeff Bauer to director of college scouting; he replaces Joey Clinkscales, who left for the Oakland Raiders. Kevin Kelly, meanwhile, was named an area scout.

NFL.com has the updated AFC East salary cap numbers as of late Friday. A lot has happened through two weeks of free agency.

Let's take a look of where the division teams currently stand.

Buffalo Bills

Cap room: $9,715,709

Analysis: Buffalo entered the offseason with a ton of cap room and spent it primarily on its pass-rush. Defensive end Mario Williams became the highest-paid player in Bills history with $100 million contract and fellow defensive end Mark Anderson also reportedly got $27.5 million. Bills general manager Buddy Nix says the team will spend to the cap this offseason. They still have room to make more signings. But all of the top free agents are gone.

Miami Dolphins

Cap room: $6,470,157

Analysis: I'm still scratching my head how Miami arguably has the least amount of star power on its roster, yet remains the most cap-strapped team in the division. Jake Long and Karlos Dansby are big names. But other than that, where is all the money going? The Dolphins traded Pro Bowl receiver Brandon Marshall and cut leading tackler Yeremiah Bell to save cap room. They're also not paying for a franchise quarterback. Miami could use free agency to help fill the right side of the offensive line. But there's not much cash left to make any significant signings.

New England Patriots

Cap room: $9,944,664

Analysis: The Patriots are quietly bargain hunting in free agency, and many of their moves makes sense. Signings like receiver Brandon Lloyd, and defensive ends Trevor Scott and Jonathan Fanene were very affordable. Chad Ochocinco and Tom Brady's restructures gave the Patriots even more flexibility. I thought the franchise tag of about $9.4 million to Pro Bowl receiver Wes Welker could hurt New England this offseason. But the Patriots have plenty of room to be fine with that number if Welker and the team do not work out an extension.

New York Jets

Cap room: $7,692,283

Analysis: Several restructures and quarterback Mark Sanchez's contract extension has put the Jets back on decent footing this offseason. Safety LaRon Landry and backup quarterback Tim Tebow were New York's big acquisitions. It also appears the team will retain veteran starting linebacker Bart Scott. The Jets are one of those teams where you're not sure if the arrow is pointing up or down in 2012. This is a club just one year removed from the AFC Championship Game. But last year's 8-8 season may be a sign of where this group currently stands.

New York Jets starting linebacker Bart Scott has company.

According to the New York Daily News, the Jets have also put starting right tackle Wayne Hunter on the trading block. Hunter is coming off an awful season, during which he allowed the most sacks on the team.

The Jets turned some heads when they guaranteed Hunter's $2.45 million salary for 2012. New York was expected to search for an upgrade.

New York needs someone who can better protect the quarterback's front side, regardless of whether it's Mark Sanchez or Peyton Manning. Similar to Scott, Hunter's trade value is very low, and his salary is guaranteed. That makes it unlikely to work out a trade.

Free agency starts on Tuesday.

The New York Jets reportedly have given starting linebacker Bart Scott permission to seek a trade. Scott’s agent told ESPNNewYork's Rich Cimini that the linebacker would go to the New York Giants "in a heartbeat."

Are the defending Super Bowl champions a good landing spot for Scott? Here are some thoughts:

• I think this would be a good fit for Scott. It's well-documented that the Giants lacked linebacker depth this past season. A hard-nosed player like Scott would bring more toughness, depth and attitude to the group. For Scott, he doesn't have to go far. The Giants and Jets play in the same stadium, and the Giants also train closer to the Meadowlands.
• But there is no reason for the Giants to help the Jets by giving up a late-round pick and taking on Scott’s $4.2 million salary. Scott, 31, experienced declining production in 2011. His 66 tackles were his lowest total in seven seasons. It's doubtful there will be much (or any) interest in Scott under his current contract. The Giants, if interested, can simply wait until Scott is released, negotiate a more reasonable contract and preserve a draft pick.
• Either way, Scott’s return to the Jets appears unlikely. Having permission to seek a trade usually is the first step to parting ways. The team usually is trying to get a parting gift -- a draft pick or two -- on the way out the door. That seems unlikely for the Jets.

The New York Jets continue to do all they can to get salary-cap relief.

Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News reports the Jets have given starting inside linebacker Bart Scott permission to seek a trade. Scott is due a guaranteed salary of $4.2 million this season, according to the report.

This might be a prelude toward New York eventually releasing Scott. There are other teams in need of linebacker help. But the Jets could have a hard time getting value for Scott, 31, at his salary. This past season, Scott recorded his lowest tackle total (66) since 2004.

Scott signed a $48 million contract in 2009 and was one of coach Rex Ryan's first major free-agent acquisitions. Scott was a leader on defense during New York's back-to-back AFC Championship Game appearances in 2009 and 2010. But New York finished a disappointing 8-8 last season and need to improve several areas this offseason.

Frustration is boiling over everywhere with the New York Jets after they finished 8-8 and missed the playoffs for the first time in three years. Starting linebacker Bart Scott is another example and it ended up hurting his wallet.

Scott was fined $10,000 by the Jets for his obscene gesture toward a member of the media this week. The team described Scott's gesture as "inappropriate and unacceptable."

The Jets are getting heavily criticized for their three-game losing streak to end the season. There's been plenty of stories of internal bickering, and Jets coach Rex Ryan said he will clean it up.

ORCHARD, PARK, N.Y. -- In a rare occurrence this season, New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan stepped to the podium Sunday with very little to complain about with his defense.

"We gave up an 80-yard drive at the end of the game there when we were up a bunch of scores," Ryan scoffed. "So that was disappointing."

Ryan pointed out the only blemish in an otherwise stellar day for New York's talented but, at times, underachieving defense. The Jets' strongest unit turned back the clock -- circa 2009 and 2010 -- to cruise to a 27-11 victory over the Buffalo Bills.

More than 70,000 Bills fans came to Ralph Wilson Stadium expecting a "whiteout." They nearly witnessed a shutout, as New York battered and confused Buffalo's offense for four quarters. The Bills turned over the football three times and gained only 287 total yards.

New York's defense officially has its swagger back. That could only mean trouble for the rest of the NFL.

Jets defensive tackle Sione Pouha even has a nickname for the defense regaining its identity.

"It's totally attitude -- it's 'Jetstitude' the way we look at it," Pouha said. "It's playing like a Jet, aggressiveness, going out there in attack mode. I think today kind of displayed just what Jet football is all about."

Although they don't always put it together, the Jets have the NFL's most talented collection of defensive players.

The cornerback tandem of Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie is tops in the league. The linebackers, led by David Harris, Bart Scott and Calvin Pace, are physical playmakers. The safeties and defensive line play good, complementary roles when the Jets are at their best. All of those things came together in a big game.

"When everybody is rolling, this team is very hard to beat," Jets defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson said.

It marked the first time Buffalo was held to fewer than 20 points this season. Afterward, the Bills sounded perplexed about how the game went downhill so quickly.

"If it was one thing, we could have solved that," Bills coach Chan Gailey said. "You can always solve one thing in a game. They would bring pressure, they would play coverage. ... They would give us something we hadn’t seen or they would bring an extra guy. It was a combination. They kept us off balance and that’s what we can’t allow to happen."

The Jets' defense took apart Buffalo's offense systematically. It started with punishing Bills tailback Fred Jackson.

Jackson has bullied defenders all season. But New York matched and exceeded Jackson's physicality. The Jets even knocked Jackson (82 rushing yards) out of the game temporarily in the second half with big hit that caused a fumble and shoulder stinger. Buffalo's offense never recovered from that blow.

With Jackson not his usually dominant self, the Bills couldn't get anything going offensively.

Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick had his worst game of the season. He threw for 191 yards, two interceptions and a late touchdown in garbage time. Most of the game the receivers were blanketed, and Fitzpatrick dangerously threw into tight coverage.

"For us, we were on our heels trying to figure out what they were doing and trying to figure out what was going on," Bills receiver David Nelson said. "It wasn't because of play calling or anything like that. We only had the ball twice in the first quarter and going three-and-out. We couldn’t get in rhythm."

It didn’t take long for several Jets players to turn toward the New England Patriots. The reigning AFC East champions are up next for the Jets with first place in the division on the line. The Patriots -- currently in a three-way tie for first place in the AFC East with the Jets and Buffalo -- beat New York 30-21 in the first meeting at Gillette Stadium.

Pardon me, but the Jets "can't wait" for next week's rematch at home.

“If you can’t get fired up and ready to play for this game, you shouldn't be playing," Jets tailback LaDainian Tomlinson said. "That's plain and simple."

Last month, New York was a team close to imploding during its three-game losing streak. This month, the Jets have their sights set on first place in the AFC East after a three-game winning streak.

It's a stunning turnaround for the Jets, who have found the winning formula with an aggressive defense and a ground-and-pound style on offense.

New York showed on Sunday it has as good a shot as anyone in the second half of the season.

"We know what we're capable of doing. We know we're not a team that's going to fold in the tank," Wilkerson said of the midseason turnaround. "We lost three in a row, but it's a long season. We kept preparing like we’ve always been doing, knowing that we'd get things turned around."

The last time Buffalo Bills fans saw Aaron Maybin at Ralph Wilson Stadium, he was a struggling first-round pick failing to find his niche in the NFL. Maybin, the No. 11 overall pick in 2009, never produced anything close to what his draft status suggested. He was cut by the Bills this summer, ending the two-year experiment.

But the New York Jets' version of Maybin is a different player this season. He is getting to the quarterback and is tied for the team lead with three sacks. Maybin also leads the Jets with three forced fumbles. He is finally living up to the "Mayhem" nickname he earned at Penn State.

A rejuvenated Maybin 2.0 returns to Buffalo on Sunday in a Jets uniform. He credits a change of scenery and New York's coaching staff for his newfound success.

"To me, it's not much of a difference other than the fact it's a different team," Maybin said in a telephone interview with the AFC East blog. "There's nothing different about me physically, from a preparation standpoint, or anything else from how I've been my entire career.

"The difference is I'm here. I'm with an organization and with a coaching staff that is putting me in the position to help the team win. Those opportunities put in my lap and faith being put in me have allowed me to go out there and be able to have a little bit of success this year."

Maybin' transformation was instantaneous in New York. He had a great preseason in Rex Ryan's scheme and recorded 2.5 sacks this summer in limited playing time.

Maybin began training camp as a long shot but initially made New York's 53-man roster. He was cut soon after to make room for several roster moves. But the Jets re-signed Maybin for good in Week 4.

Since then, Maybin has made his mark as a situational rusher in New York. He's recorded a sack in three of his four games. He had his best performance against the Miami Dolphins in Week 6 on "Monday Night Football," when he recorded a sack and forced two fumbles.

Playing in the New York City market rarely provides less pressure. But that has been the case for Maybin. He no longer has the "draft bust" label that he carried every day in Buffalo. He's simply a role player with the Jets.

"Whatever he gives the Jets is gravy -- it's total opposite expectations," said Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. "Oh, by the way, Ryan, Bart Scott, Darrelle Revis, they're not going to let you sit around and be a slacker. They're going to grab you behind the scenes and say 'Hey, this is how we do it around here.' There's a lot more leadership on that side of the ball."

Maybin acknowledges he's "pumped" for his return to Buffalo. It's his first chance to show the Bills the level of play he couldn't deliver in his first two NFL seasons.

In Buffalo, Maybin played for three head coaches in two years -- Chan Gailey, Dick Jauron and interim coach Perry Fewell. Maybin speaks very highly of Ryan, his fourth NFL head coach.

"Coach Ryan is a player's coach. He's the kind of coach that every player wants to play for and every coach wants to coach for," Maybin said. "He keeps the locker room excited every day. Sometimes it's even surprising to me how he's able to do that. He will come into a room that has no energy and the whole room will be energized within five minutes of him talking.

"He is passionate and coaches with his heart on his sleeve, just like most guys in this locker room play with their hearts on their sleeve. He's an awesome leader and a guy this whole locker room stands behind."

Not only is this a big game for Maybin, it's also a big game for the Jets.

Buffalo leads the AFC East with a 5-2 record. New York (4-3) is just one game behind Buffalo and the New England Patriots (5-2). That is surprising, considering New York's three-game losing streak last month nearly crippled its season. The Jets responded by winning two straight games to keep their playoff hopes alive.

"That was the first thing coach Ryan emphasized -- that us as a team and a locker room stay together," Maybin said. "We didn't let anybody come in and start to divide us and start to convince us that we weren't the team we thought that we were. That's what we did. We never lost sight of our focus and we never lost faith in each other. Now, we're starting to come out of it."

The same can be said about Maybin. The Jets saw something in him that Buffalo did not. Now, Maybin is repaying the Jets' confidence in him with his productive play on the field.

Here are the most interesting stories Thursday morning in the AFC East:

• Quarterbacks are having a lot of success against the New England Patriots' pass defense. Will the New York Giants' Eli Manning be next?

Morning take: Manning is quietly having one of his best seasons in New York. Much of his success this hinge on the success of No. 1 receiver Hakeem Nicks, who is dealing with a hamstring injury.

• Injured Miami Dolphins center Mike Pouncey (neck) hopes to play Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Morning take: Miami needs a healthy Pouncey to be successful against Kansas City. Running the ball will be huge for the Dolphins to attempt to pull the upset. Pouncey is Miami’s best interior lineman.

• ESPN's Stats & Information takes a look at the struggling New York Jets' run defense.

Morning take: Losing the point of attack has been on of their biggest issues. The Jets are allowing 126.9 yards rushing per game. But I expect this number to go down in the second half of the season.

• Jets linebacker Bart Scott talks about the challenges of the Buffalo Bills' high-scoring offense.

Morning take: This will be a great chess match on Sunday. Both sides have a lot of talented players. We will have more on this matchup coming up next (hint, hint).

A quarter of the season is in the books. Here is our first report card of all four teams in the AFC East.

Buffalo Bills (3-1, first place in AFC East)

Offense: A

Defense: C-

Quarter-season MVP: QB Ryan Fitzpatrick

Analysis: Fitzpatrick and tailback Fred Jackson were in consideration for Buffalo’s early-season MVP. But Fitzpatrick gets the nod, because he runs the show and is off to a hot start. Fitzpatrick has thrown for 1,040 yards, nine touchdowns and three interceptions. Even in his one bad game against Cincinnati, he didn’t commit a turnover. Buffalo is ninth in total offense but fourth in scoring. This group usually doesn’t settle for many field goals. The Bills are plus-seven in turnover ratio, because Fitzpatrick is smart with the football and the defense is opportunistic. Buffalo’s defense is tied for the NFL lead with eight interceptions and two returned for touchdowns. But the group gives up more than 400 yards per game. It's going to be hard for Buffalo to win every game via shootout.

New England Patriots (3-1, second place)

Offense: A

Defense: F

Quarter-season MVP: Quarterback Tom Brady

Analysis: Brady is an easy MVP pick, although receiver Wes Welker deserves a lot of credit as well. The difference is Welker wouldn't put up monster numbers without Brady. What more can you say about New England's offense? They are first in total yards (507.5 per game) and tied for second in scoring (33.8). But the defense has been horrendous this season. There were some signs of improvement last week against the Raiders. But New England’s defense remains 32nd in the NFL. Brady is so hot that, so far, it doesn't matter. But what happens in the playoffs if New England’s offense can’t light it up every game?

New York Jets (2-2, third place)

Offense: D+

Defense: B

Quarter-season MVP: Linebacker David Harris

Analysis: New York's MVP choice was a hard one. Several players are doing well, such as linebacker Bart Scott and tight end Dustin Keller. But I went with Harris. He has 22 tackles, one sack and an interception return for a touchdown. The offense, which is ranked No. 25 in the NFL, shows flashes of potential then disappears. There are games when quarterback Mark Sanchez throws for 300 yards and others when he gets pummeled. The running game has been non-existent and the offensive line has been the worst part of the team so far. The defense isn't as dominant as previous years, but it's still solid. The Jets are ranked eighth in total defense.

Miami Dolphins (0-4, fourth place)

Offense: C-

Defense: D-

Quarter-season MVP: Punter Brandon Fields

Analysis: I was struggling to pick an early MVP for the winless Dolphins. I was thinking on the lines of tailback Daniel Thomas, but he's been hurt and in and out of the lineup. Linebacker Cameron Wake has a team-high three sacks but only nine tackles. Quarterback Chad Henne has been decent but not spectacular. So I went to Twitter to see who Dolphins fans would pick. They hit the nail on the head: Punter Brandon Fields. He's been the most consistent player for Miami. He's averaging 51.6 yards per punt and landed seven kicks inside the 20. Miami's defense hasn't taken advantage. The Dolphins have gone from sixth last year to No. 30 this season. The offense has been decent but fails to execute at key moments and in the red zone. With Henne's injury, I don't know if this unit can get much better the rest of the season.

The New York Jets re-signed former first-round pick and draft bust Aaron Maybin, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports.

Here are a few thoughts on the signing:

• You knew Maybin was on the team's short list after briefly making New York's 53-man roster this summer. The linebacker was cut by the Buffalo Bills and signed with the Jets as a long shot in training camp. But an improved work ethic and solid preseason made Maybin one of the better comeback stories in the AFC East.
• It's not a coincidence that New York re-signed Maybin after the Jets recorded just one sack in a loss to the Oakland Raiders. Maybin's specialty in college was getting to the quarterback. He had 1.5 sacks in New York's final preseason game. The Jets' defense needs to improve with pressures. Jets linebacker Bart Scott (two sacks) is the only player who has more than one sack after three games.
• This is a good opportunity for Maybin. Teams didn't touch him three weeks after he was released. So Maybin should have something to prove. The Jets run a good defensive scheme and won't ask for too much. New York has enough stars on defense. The Jets will be happy if Maybin can occasionally get to the quarterback.

We have a big, cross-division meeting between two familiar foes in Week 4.

Using our SportsNation poll, we ask who will win Sunday's prime-time matchup between the New York Jets and Baltimore Ravens? Take your pick.

Both teams are 2-1 and have similar philosophies. The Ravens and Jets thrive off their physical defenses.

New York is coming off a road loss to the Oakland Raiders. Will Jets coach Rex Ryan be able to rebound against his former team? Ryan and other former Ravens such as linebacker Bart Scott, safety Jim Leonhard and receiver Derrick Mason will be fired up for their return to Baltimore.

Or will the Ravens beat the Jets for the second time in as many seasons? Baltimore looked impressive last weekend, crushing the St. Louis Rams, 37-7. Baltimore also beat the Jets, 10-9, in the 2010 regular-season opener.

Take your pick between these two AFC contenders. You can also share your thoughts and provide a score in the comment section below.

Buffalo Bills

At age 28, Ryan Fitzpatrick is finally getting his shot as a season-opening starting quarterback. “It’s taken me seven years to get this opportunity, and I can’t look back now,” Fitzpatrick said. “I’m excited about it. This is what I’ve worked for, this shot right here.”

Donald Jones doesn't have the flashiest résumé, but he won the competition to fill the starting receiver spot vacated by Lee Evans and he's out to prove he belongs there.

The Starpress.com's Doug Zaleski has the story on Robert Eddins, an undrafted rookie linebacker who made the final roster. Coach Chan Gailey on Eddins: "Completely surprising. I had no idea really who he was. The scouting staff said, 'Hey we need to look at this guy, he's got something to him.' And they were right. The guy has really done a great job."

Miami Dolphins

The team decided to bring Larry Johnson back after rookie running back Daniel Thomas suffered a hamstring injury.

Quarterback Chad Henne is eager to unveil the Dolphins' new offense under coordinator Brian Daboll. Henne: "Overall we are excited to see what we can do with our playmakers out there and show this offense off." The AP looks at the pressure Henne is under heading into the season.

New England Patriots

Shaun Ellis, a college roommate of Albert Haynesworth's, said the "the Albert [he] saw back in college" has re-emerged with the Patriots.

ESPNBoston.com's Jeremy Lundblad examines whether a Randy Moss-Tom Brady reunion would work for the team.

New York Jets

Special-teams coach Mike Westhoff slammed former punter Steve Weatherford, who signed with Giants this offseason, saying he "was disappointed in some of the poor performances that [Weatherford] had at the end of the year."

Linebacker Bart Scott is asking fans attending Jets games to step it up and show their support. "We have to challenge the people that's in the stadium now to get off their iPads and tweets and represent the stadium and get loud and make it a home-field advantage for us."

The Dallas Morning News' Rick Gosselin expects to see a much-improved Mark Sanchez this season.

WHAT IT MEANS: So the New York Jets captured the Snoopy trophy as the winner of the first annual MetLife Bowl against the New York Giants. Yawn. Based on the way his team played, Rex Ryan should punt the trophy. Forget about the final score, 17-3; the Jets’ starters were badly outplayed in the first half, out gained 209 to 61. The offense was a disaster and the Jets made dumb penalties. Basically, they played like they didn’t give a hoot about the preseason.

WOE IS O: Mark Sanchez & Co. was brutal. Can you say “regression”? In seven possessions, the Jets’ starting offense punted five times, lost a fumble (Sanchez) and, somehow, saved face with a touchdown -- a 17-yard pass to Santonio Holmes. They probably wouldn’t have scored the touchdown if it weren’t for Antonio Cromartie, who set up the offense at the Giants’ 35 with a 70-yard kickoff return.

Sanchez (8-for-16, 64 yards) was off his game from the outset, appearing indecisive as he made his reads. But this mess wasn’t all his fault. The pass protection was shoddy and his receivers, namely Plaxico Burress and Derrick Mason, couldn’t gain separation against the Giants’ cornerbacks. That could be something to watch, as Burress and Mason -- 34 and 37, respectively -- aren’t the fastest guys around.

The starters won’t play in Thursday night’s finale against the Eagles, which means the No. 1 offense scored only three touchdowns in 5 1/2 quarters for the preseason. Blech!

DUMB & DUMBER: The Jets were undisciplined, committing five major penalties. The biggest blunder came from rookie defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson, who was ejected in the third quarter after taking a swing at running back Brandon Jacobs. Jacobs swung back, so he, too, was tossed. Wilkerson, whom the Jets are counting on to be a starter, deserves an earful from Ryan. That is unacceptable behavior.

But Wilkerson wasn’t the only guilty Jet. Right taclke Wayne Hunter (unsportsmanlike conduct), safety Brodney Pool (chop block on a punt), safety Emanuel Cook (facemask) and cornerback Donald Strickland (unnecessary roughness) all committed 15-yard penalties. Shame on them.

All told, the Jets had seven penalties for 79 yards, including a holding call on wide receiver Courtney Smith that nullified a touchdown run by backup quarterback Greg McElroy.

THE PLAX EFFECT: Burress doesn’t need to touch the ball to have an impact on the game. You saw that on Holmes’ touchdown reception. Burress lined up in the right slot, with Holmes on the outside, against the Giants’ three-by-two coverage. Safety Kenny Phillips rolled toward Burress, leaving Holmes in man-to-man against cornerback Corey Webster. Phillips tried to get back, but it was too late. Holmes ran a post route and got open in the back of the end zone.

Aside from that contribution, Burress’ anticipated matchup against his old team turned out to be a big zero -- as in zero catches. Burress, coming off his sensational debut against the Bengals, was targeted four times. In fact, Sanchez completed only four passes to his wideouts.

OPPORTUNISTIC D: For a team with a very good defense, the Jets made an alarmingly low number of interceptions last season (12). So far, they seem to be reversing the trend. Safety Jim Leonhard and linebacker David Harris intercepted two of Manning's passes, giving the Jets six picks in three games (two by Leonhard). Leonhard’s interception was set up by Harris, who came on an inside blitz and slammed Manning.

BEND BUT DON’T BREAK: Aside from the interceptions, the Jets’ No. 1 defense did some nice things in one half of play, holding the Giants to 2-for-8 on third down and 0-for-1 in the red zone. But -- and this is a big "but" -- they were pushed around between the 20s. The Jets allowed 209 total yards in the first half, uncharacteristic for a Rex Ryan-coached defense. Their conventional pass rush was nowhere to be found and there were a couple of missed tackles in the open field, including a big one by linebacker Bart Scott.

THE NEW BRAD: The Jets finally unveiled their 2011 version of the Wildcat, with rookie wide receiver Jeremy Kerley -- no surprise -- taking the direct snap and playing the role of Brad Smith. The Jets ran it four times, resulting in 39 yards. Kerley ran twice for 13 yards, handed off to Joe McKnight for eight and threw a pass -- yes, a pass! -- to Matt Mulligan for 18. That will give the Cowboys a little extra to think about as they prepare for the season opener.

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- Rex Ryan said it his first day on the job, and he’ll keep saying it until it actually happens -- the New York Jets are going to the Super Bowl.

Early on, Ryan’s bravado was a breath of fresh air. Now, after two consecutive losses in the AFC Championship Game, the brash coach will be perceived as a windbag if the Jets don’t get it done in 2011.

One more miss and the honeymoon is over.

“This is the best roster we’ve had since we’ve been here,” Ryan said.

That’s debatable. The Jets are older and slower at wide receiver, depth is a concern at some key spots, and they have middle-of-the-field issues in pass coverage. That said, they have a young quarterback on the ascent -- Mark Sanchez -- and improvement in his play could compensate for other deficiencies.

Win or lose, the Jets are a marquee team. HBO’s “Hard Knocks” show isn’t around this summer to record every word and action, but the team still is generating national news -- Sanchez’s GQ cover, Plaxico Burress' return to football, Ryan’s bold quotes, etc.

You’re just not hearing the R-rated language.

THREE HOT ISSUES

1. Can Mark Sanchez become a four-quarter quarterback? He already has won four playoff games in two seasons -- impressive stuff -- so you know he can win big games. His problem is consistency, playing well from week-to-week and quarter-to-quarter in the regular season.

Yes, quarter-to-quarter. The Jets didn’t score an offensive touchdown in the first quarter over their final 15 games (counting playoffs), and a lot of that falls on Sanchez. Part of it could be attributed to inexperience, needing time to adjust to defensive wrinkles, but a lot of it stemmed from his inaccuracy. He completed only 55 percent of his pass attempts, about six or seven points below where the Jets want him to be.

If Sanchez can eliminate the inconsistencies and settle down -- he led the league in dropped interceptions -- the Jets will have a real chance to do something special. We already know he can make plays in the fourth quarter, but now he has to play the first like the fourth. Problem is, he lost 75 percent of his receiving corps before camp opened, putting the onus on him to familiarize himself with a new group. That takes time.

2. Can the Three Amigos (Egos?) co-exist? On paper, the Jets have one of the best receiving corps in the league: Santonio Holmes, Plaxico Burress and Derrick Mason. They’ve combined for more than 1,700 receptions and 24,000 yards, not to mention two Super Bowl-winning catches (Holmes and Burress). But now there will be a transition period, especially for Burress and Mason.

Not only are they learning a new system, they’re adjusting to life as secondary options. That’s not always easy for a receiver accustomed to being No. 1. Naturally, they’re all saying the right things, insisting they’re in it for the team, not themselves. We’ll see. Holmes is the No. 1 guy in these parts, and his new teammates will have to deal with that. If not, it will put a lot of pressure on Sanchez, who realizes he has a lot of mouths to feed.

The fact that Burress missed two weeks with a sprained ankle really slowed the process.

3. Do the Jets have a pass rush? This question really bugs Ryan because, as he likes to point out, the Jets finished eighth in sacks (40). Not bad, right? But sacks don’t mean everything, as coaches like to point out when it benefits their agenda. For instance: The Jets led the league in most big plays allowed on third down, and the primary reason was the lack of a consistent pass rush.

The Jets didn’t acquire anyone to help the pass rush, unless you count first-round defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson, but he’s really not an edge rusher. He’ll be more of a first- and second-down run defender than a pass-rusher in the sub packages. If anything, the Jets lost some pass rush because they released Jason Taylor and didn’t replace his five sacks.

What to do? Ryan and defensive coordinator Mike Pettine are masters of the blitz, designing clever pressure packages that confuse quarterbacks. They manufacture pressure, and sometimes simulate pressure, to rattle quarterbacks. For the most part, it works, but it’s a dangerous way to live, as the Jets discovered last season. They have fantastic cover corners in Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie, which makes it possible to employ that kind of scheme, but sooner or later the lack of a big-time rusher will catch up to them.

The Jets took a flyer on former Bills No. 1 pick Aaron Maybin, signing him to a minimum contract, but let’s be honest: He’s not the answer. It’ll be an upset if he makes the team.

BIGGEST SURPRISE

The Jets parted ways with two of their longest-tenured players, defensive end Shaun Ellis (Patriots) and wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery (Steelers). They were two of the most respected players in the locker room, players you always figured would retire as Jets.

Cotchery, unhappy in his role as the No. 3 receiver, requested his release. The Jets didn’t handle it well, cutting Cotchery before securing Mason, but it worked out in the end. They offered Ellis a one-year deal for the minimum salary, which he found insulting. He wound up signing with the rival Patriots, a PR hit for the Jets.

It makes them look cold, but the Jets evidently felt it was time to move on. The Cotchery decision could come back to bite them because he’s 29 and still can be an effective player.

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT

After a 20-month prison sentence that cost him two seasons, Burress needs practice more than anyone. But he missed the first two weeks of camp and the first preseason game with a sprained ankle, a significant setback as he attempts to regain his form and learn the Jets’ offense.

The Jets hope that the 6-foot-5 Burress can cure their red zone issues, but he and Sanchez are having trouble connecting in practice. This is going to take time. Don’t be surprised if Burress is a part-time player in the first month of the season.

OBSERVATION DECK

• Revis is having the best camp of his career. Yes, it’s true: This is only his third holdout-free training camp. But know this: He’s locking down receivers with the same determination he did in 2009, when he shut down No. 1 receivers on a weekly basis. This bodes well for the 10 players around him.
• Burress is making most of the headlines -- Plax this, Plax that -- but the real prize of the offseason shopping spree is Mason. Ryan gets excited about reclamation projects, but let’s be honest: Burress hasn’t played in two seasons because he was in prison, and now he expects to come back to the pre-prison Plaxico. Whoa, let’s hold everything. Burress might turn out to be a good pickup, but it’s going to take time. Give him a few games into the season. In the meantime, they’ll ride Holmes and Mason.
• You may not know this name -- Rob Turner -- but the Jets will miss him. He backs up at center and guard, plays tight end in the “jumbo” package, lines up on defense in goal line and blocks from the wedge on kickoff returns. In short, he does everything but mop the floors. Unfortunately for the Jets, Turner broke his leg in the preseason opener and will be lost for at least two months. It’s a big loss, even though the average fan might not think so.
• The Jets are going to be vulnerable in the middle of the field in pass coverage. The safeties have suspect speed and the front seven also is short on the quicks. Opponents with athletic tight ends and crafty slot receivers are going to cause major issues for the Jets.
• The run defense could be vulnerable up the middle. Dependable nose tackle Sione Pouha is hobbled by a sprained knee (not serious, but a nuisance), and inside linebacker Bart Scott is taking some time off with what’s believed to be a high-ankle sprain. Again, it’s not serious, but when two of your inside guys are hurting, it’s never a good thing.
• Aside from Sanchez, the key player is running back Shonn Greene, the new feature back. No doubt, Greene has the talent to be the No. 1 tailback -- and he is -- but what about his durability? That always has been a question that dogs Greene. He’ll have to bring his A-game every week -- assuming he recovers soon from a skin infection on his right foot. When you’re a ground-and-pound team, you need a workhorse -- and LaDainian Tomlinson, 32, probably is too old to be that guy.
• Remember this name: Jeremy Kerley. He’s a diminutive receiver/kick returner from TCU, and he will bring a lot of electricity. He’s only 5-9, if that, but he has tremendous acceleration and change of direction. He’ll be an immediate factor on punt returns and, if needed at receiver, he has the ability to make plays from the slot.