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WR Santonio Holmes, CB Antonio Cromartie and S LaRon Landry didn't participate in Thursday's OTA session for various reasons.

Holmes was off to Germany on a good-will trip, visiting U.S. troops over the Memorial Day weekend, according to the team. On Wednesday night, he was still in town, as he was spotted at a Red Bulls soccer game in Newark, N.J. In fact, he was shown on the scoreboard -- and promptly booed by the crowd.

Cromartie simply skipped the session to be with his family over the holiday weekend, the team said, stressing the workouts as voluntary. Cromartie and Holmes did participate in the first two OTAs, Monday and Wednesday.

Landry has been a no-show. He has been rehabbing an Achilles-tendon injury from last season, but Rex Ryan wouldn't use the injury as the reason for Landry's absence. He didn't give a reason, although CB Darrelle Revis said Landry is dealing with "family issues."

Ryan didn't sound totally confident that Landry will be ready for training camp.

"He obviously had a significant injury, there is no question about that," Ryan said. "But we're excited to get him up to speed. Hopefully, by training camp, he's ready to go. I'm not sure medically when he'll be cleared."

The Jets improved their safety depth by signing former Dolphin Yeremiah Bell, whom the organization envisions as a starter with Landry. Bell and incumbent Eric Smith worked with the starting unit on Thursday, with Bell intercepting a Tim Tebow pass in 7-on-7s.

Smith will head to the bench at some point, assuming Landry gets healthy, but he has no problems with the addition of Bell. Smith envisions a three-safety rotation of sorts, which he believes will keep him fresher later in games.

INJURY REPORT: LB David Harris (strained calf), LB Bryan Thomas (Achilles tendon) and LG Matt Slauson (shoulder surgery) sat out team drills. No surprise with Thomas and Slauson. Ryan said Harris' injury is minor.

This is the final part in a nine-part, position-by-position analysis, breaking down the Jets' needs and draft possibilties.

Position: Secondary

Depth chart: Darrelle Revis (CB), Antonio Cromartie (CB), LaRon Landry (S), Eric Smith (S), Kyle Wilson (CB), Isaiah Trufant (CB), Ellis Lankster (CB), Julian Posey (CB), Tracy Wilson (S), DeAngelo Smith (S).

Not under contract: Jim Leonhard (S), Donald Strickland (CB).

Scouting Report: What happened to the depth here? A year ago, the Jets felt so good about their back-end depth that they traded the solid and versatile Dwight Lowery to the Jaguars. They could use him now. Defections and an injury (Leonhard) have chipped away at the unit, leaving only five players with legit NFL experience. No wonder they're checking out free agents Yeremiah Bell (Dolphins) and Chris Johnson (Raiders). They're hurting in the secondary, and we all know how Rex Ryan loves him some DBs.

The good news is that Revis-Cromartie-Wilson gives them one of the better cornerback trios in the league, essential in Ryan's man-to-man scheme. They need to add a fourth corner. Safety still is a big question, even after the signing of Landry, hardly a sure thing because of his history with Achilles' tendon injuries. They absolutely will draft a safety -- ideally, a safety with range and the ability to cover the tight end. Leonhard, recovering from major knee surgery, remains a down-the-road option.

The Last Time: The last DB pick came in 2010, when they selected Wilson near the bottom of the first round.

Potential Targets: If S Mark Barron (Alabama) slips to the Jets at 16, it would be the ideal marriage of need and value. VP of college scouting Joey Clinkscales hinted that Barron might not be the right fit in a man-to-man system -- i.e. the Jets -- but that sounded like a smokescreen. True, Barron was used primarily as an in-the-box safety last season, but he has the ball skills (12 career INTs) and athleticism to play on the hash or in man-to-man. After Barron, the next-best safety is Harrison Smith (Notre Dame), who visited the Jets. He probably won't last until the Jets' second-round pick (47th), and there's a big dropoff in talent after Smith. Brandon Taylor (LSU), Markelle Martin (Oklahoma State) and Antonio Allen (South Carolina) are third-round possibilities.

At some point, they have to pick a corner. The Jets have done extensive work on Trumaine Johnson (Montana), who has Cromartie-like size (6-foot-2, 204) and terrific speed. Some scouts think Johnson could switch to free safety, which makes him appealing. But he's also a problem child, and that raises some red flags. Johnson is regarded as a second/third-round prospect. The Jets also have expressed interest in Jayron Hosley (Virginia Tech) and Omar Bolden (Arizona State), both projected in the third-to-fifth round range.

Need Factor (on a scale of 1 to 10): S -- 10; CB -- 5.

This is the sixth part in a nine-part, position-by-position analysis, breaking down team needs and draft possibilities.

Position: Special teams

Depth chart: PK -- Nick Folk; P -- T.J. Conley, Travis Baltz; PR -- Jeremy Kerley, Joe McKnight; KR -- Joe McKnight, Antonio Cromartie; LS -- Tanner Purdum.

Not Under Contract: N/A

Scouting Report: There are no sacred cows here, especially among the kickers. Obviously, Folk will go into camp as the favorite to win the job, but the plan is to make it a legitimate competition. Folk was pushed last training camp by Nick Novak, who wound up with the Chargers, and the Jets believe the competition brought out the best in Folk. Statistically, it was an average year for Folk, whose length on kickoffs faded as the year went on. Conley, in a first full season as an NFL punter, averaged only 42.7 (gross) and 38.8 (net). The deficiencies were more glaring in light of ex-Jet Steve Weatherford's success with the Giants. In the return game, McKnight established himself as one of the most dangerous players in the league on kickoffs. Kerley showed promise as a punt returner, albeit with a couple of hiccups. The special teams have to cure the butter fingers -- six turnovers last season.

The Last Time: In 2005, the Jets used a second-round pick on PK Mike Nugent, who couldn't stay healthy and landed with the Bengals. He revived his career and was given the franchise tag this offseason.

Potential Targets: Coordinator Mike Westhoff said at the combine this is one the best groups of special teamers he's seen in a long time. The Jets have six picks in the final two rounds and they'd have no problem using one on a leg. They've expressed interest in P Brian Stahovich (San Diego State), who is regarded as borderline draftable. He was a four-year starter who averaged 43.8 gross last season. The top punter is Drew Butler (Georgia), the son of former Bears PK Kevin Butler. Drew won the Ray Guy Award in '09; he's definitely worth a late-round pick. The highest-rated PK is Blair Walsh, who has a lot of leg talent but struggled as a senior -- only 21 of 35 on FGs. This will be a critical draft for special teams. With so many late picks, it's a chance to add run-and-hit players -- i.e. linebackers, safeties, backs and tights ends -- to bolster the return and coverage units.

Need Rating (on a scale of 1 to 10): 6

Next: Defensive line

Sunday notes, thoughts and observations -- a total of 15, in honor of you-know-who's number:

1. The world waits for Mark Sanchez to comment on his new teammate, Tim Tebow. If he wants to be the leader of the Jets, Sanchez needs to say something -- anything. He can't wait two months, the amount of time that elapsed before he fired back at the unnamed teammates that ripped him after the season. He needs to be decisive. From what I'm told, Sanchez was stunned by the Tebow trade, coming so soon after the contract extension. He never saw it coming. Not many did, but now it's time to take control of the situation.

2. Sanchez, who took a physical beating last season, is taking a different approach to training in the offseason. His California-based trainer wants him to add muscle to help protect him from the wear and tear. As a result, Sanchez is up to 230, five pounds heavier than last season's playing weight.

3. The Jets are taking a lot of heat for the trade, but how about the Broncos? Tebow was their only viable backup. All they have now is a 36-year-old quarterback coming off four neck surgeries and former Bears backup Caleb Hanie, whom they signed Saturday. He proved last season he can't play. Not too smart for the Broncos. Why was John Elway in such a rush to get Tebow out of town? Said one former GM: "Who gives up a (former) first-round pick that just took your team to the playoffs? They should be at a podium, with a cigarette in their mouth, explaining that one." It was the first time in history that a QB, in his first or second year, won a playoff start and changed teams that offseason, according to Elias.

4. I spoke to Eagles WR Riley Cooper, Tebow's old college roommate, and asked (half-jokingly) to give me some dirt on his close friend. "Everybody always asks for dirt on him," Cooper said. "Tim Tebow is the closest thing to perfect as I've ever been around. The only thing I can think of is that he didn't clean up his dishes. He left dishes and cereal bowls all around our living room. That's all I've got for you."

5. Don't be surprised if Tebow has a small role on special teams. Coach Mike Westhoff probably already is scheming up ways to utilize Tebow's versatility. Coach-turned-analyst Eric Mangini said he expects to see Tebow on teams, saying: "When you look at Mike Westhoff and what he did with Brad Smith as a personal protector, I think that’s an excellent role because there’s always the threat of a fake, and it’s going to change the dynamic on that team. That’s the quarterback of the punt team."

6. So here's the short version of the Jets' offseason: They've added two backups (Tebow and WR Chaz Schilens) and a starting safety (LaRon Landry) with durability concerns.

7. I don't have an issue with the Jets wanting to use a wildcat package, but they didn't have to make a trade to find a guy to run it. They have three capable players on the roster -- Jeremy Kerley, Shonn Greene and Joe McKnight.

8. The Jets also acquired Tebow to help in the red zone and in short-yardage situations. But get this: The Jets led the league in red-zone efficiency and, over the final 11 weeks, they produced the second-best success rate (80 percent) in short-yardage.

9. Now we know why Antonio Cromartie is a good cornerback -- he can backpedal with the best of them.

10. Let's do some number crunching: The Jets had to cough up $2.5 million to close the Tebow deal and they ate a $500,000 signing bonus with Drew Stanton, who lasted a week on the roster. With that $3 million, they could've made a strong play for free-agent WR Mario Manningham, who received $3.55 million in total first-year compensation from the 49ers. He would've filled a huge need.

11. That said, the Jets did right by Stanton, trading him to the Colts after Tebow-ing him.

12. The Jets signed Landry, he of the Achilles-tendon troubles, to a favorable contract that provides protection in the event of an injury. It's a one-year, $3.5 million deal. He received a $950,000 signing bonus, a $700,000 base salary and $1.75 million in roster bonuses, according to The Star-Ledger of Newark. The roster bonus is paid out on a game-by-game basis. In other words, every time he plays a game, he receives a $109,000 bonus.

13. Landry's attendance in the off-season program bears watching. When he played for the Redskins, he "never showed up," according to former Washington GM Vinny Cerrato. "He only showed up for the mandatory stuff. He wouldn't return any calls." Landry has incentive to show up -- a $100,000 workout bonus.

14. The Dolphins didn't get Manning or Matt Flynn or Alex Smith, so you have to think they really like Texas A&M quarterback Ryan Tannehill. Here's the problem: The Dolphins own the eighth pick; they'd better hope the Browns don't take him at 4. Otherwise, it's Matt Moore vs. David Garrard in camp. Yawn.

15. Arrogance could ruin the Saints. A couple of years ago, they were the NFL's darlings, but they let it go to their head. Sean Payton, thinking he was above everybody, defied Roger Goodell and allowed to the team's bountry program to continue. Payton got his, a one-year suspension. Now the Saints are playing negotiating games with Drew Brees, the face of the franchise. They used to be easy to root for, but not anymore.

Antonio Cromartie went from cornerback to recruiter during the brief, ill-fated Reggie Nelson courtship, using twitter to lobby the free-agent safety to sign with the Jets. When the news broke that Nelson had re-signed with the Bengals, clearly his first choice all along, Cromartie raised an interesting topic.

"I guess I'm moving to FS," he tweeted, meaning free safety.

A short time later, he tweeted again, "The reason I say I'm moving to FS is because Kyle [Wilson] is becoming a good corner and I don't mind the move."

Hmm, let's think about that for a moment: Cromartie, a safety?

I don't see it.

Sure, he looks the part at 6-foot-2, 210 pounds. Sure, he has the athleticism to cover a lot of ground. But let's look at it logically:

Cromartie's strength is man-to-man coverage -- the down-after-down challenge keeps him focused -- and you'd lose that at safety. Put him at safety, and he'd be in read-and-react mode; he's better when relying on instincts and athleticism.

With his size, long arms and strength, he has a rare skill set at corner. At safety, he'd be just another guy. He's also accustomed to playing with his back to the quarterback; it's an entirely different deal at safety.

Plus, we all know he's not the best tackler, a must at safety.

Bottom line: With Cromartie and Darrelle Revis, the Jets have one of the top cornerback tandems. Why break that up? In the Rex Ryan scheme, predicated on man-to-man, corners are more important than safeties. Finally, Cromartie is making $8 million a year. That's cornerback money, not safety money.

It's an admirable gesture by Cromartie, offering to make the switch (if he was serious), but the Jets should be able to come up with a competent safety. Anybody got Victor Green's number?

WR TO VISIT: The Jets have set up a visit with former Titans and Rams WR Donnie Avery, according to Scout.com. He has 103 catches for 1,308 yards and nine touchdowns in four seasons, nearly all of it coming in his first two. Avery missed 2010 with a knee injury and had only three catches last season for the Titans.

This was a relatively quiet day for the Jets, who usually love the big splash on Day 1, but a few trends developed:

1. Despite being about $14 million under the salary cap at the start of the day, the Jets didn't get involved with any upper-tier free agents, at least none that we know of. This could indicate a more conservative approach than in the past. Remember, they spent major bucks last year, with Santonio Holmes, Antonio Cromartie and David Harris. Maybe they're going to be more like the Giants, going slow and waiting for the market to settle. Or maybe owner Woody Johnson just told his football people to chill out until next year.

2. I was surprised they re-signed OLB Bryan Thomas so soon, considering he's only five months removed from Achilles-tendon surgery, but it was only a one-year deal and it sends a message -- character counts. A year ago, the Jets unloaded a bunch of good locker-room guys and we all saw the result. It's too early to say that retaining Thomas and NT Sione Pouha signal a shift in philosophy, but it's a positive sign. Maybe they learned their lesson.

3. It doesn't look like the Jets will get their top choice at backup quarterback, Chad Henne (Dolphins). They reached out to Henne, according to a source, but he set up visits with the Jaguars and Seahawks, according to multiple reports. He will be out of the Jets' price range, and they know it, which explains why they set up a visit with Drew Stanton (Lions). Big dropoff from Henne to Stanton.

4. They investigated the safety market, showing interest in LaRon Landry, Brandon Meriweather and Reggie Nelson. This isn't a great group -- they all have flaws, especially Meriweather -- but the Jets are desperate. Prediction: They sign a veteran and look for another safety in the draft.

5. Lots of big-name receivers on the market (well, there were), but the Jets flirted with ... Chaz Schilens. Who? He's a 6-foot-4, 225-pound receiver from the Raiders, and the Raiders' former WRs coach, Sanjay Lal, is now the Jets' receivers coach. So there you go. Schilens fits the profile of what the Jets need -- size and speed -- but he's battled injury problems and he has only 72 receptions and seven TDs in four years. The Cards are also interested.

6. Cause for concern: The Bills reportedly are showing significant interest in stud DE/OLB Mario Williams -- and that doesn't bode well for the Jets, who have a major issue at right tackle with Wayne Hunter/Vladimir Ducasse. In case you're wondering, Williams was used mostly over the right tackle last season by the Texans (65 percent of all rushes from the defensive left, according to Pro Football Focus). A lot of fans are asking about RT Eric Winston, released by the Texans. So far, there is no known interest by the Jets.

7. The Jets want to re-sign free agent PK Nick Folk, according to a source, but he would have competition in camp.

Thoughts and observations on our first Sunday without a football season:

1. The new league year begins in a month and, as usual, the Jets have some cap issues. Get this: Their 10 highest-paid players will count $90 million toward the 2012 salary cap, which is projected in the $120 million to $128 million range. Break out the shoe horn. Right now, the Jets have about $128 million committed to the cap, so they will have to do some trimming. In case you're wondering, the top 10 are Mark Sanchez, David Harris, D'Brickashaw Ferguson, Darrelle Revis, Santonio Holmes, Antonio Cromartie, Calvin Pace, Bart Scott, Nick Mangold and Brandon Moore.

2. A lot of fans are up in arms over the decision to guarantee RT Wayne Hunter's $2.45 million salary. It seems like a head scratcher, but here's what the Jets could be thinking: The free-agent market has slim pickings and, even if they replace him with a high draft choice, they'll still need an insurance policy -- and you're not going to find a decent insurance policy for less than $2.45 million. Plus, keep in mind that Hunter didn't receive a signing bonus last offseason with his new contract, so it's not like they've made a huge investment. Hey, I'm just trying to come up with possible reasons here.

3. ... And another thing: It would've looked bad, real bad, if they had dumped Hunter the same week they guaranteed Fort Knox to Holmes. Remember, Hunter was the guy who called out Holmes in the huddle on that fateful day in Miami, standing up to a player many had felt quit. As ESPNNewYork.com's Jane McManus reported at the time, Hunter screamed at Holmes, "If you don’t f------ want to play, get your a-- the f--- out!” If the Jets told Hunter to get out, it would've sent a bad message.

4. Some bookkeeping: Several players, with escalators in the final year of their contracts, received salary bumps for 2012: Dustin Keller ($2 million raise) is up to $3.05 million, Mike DeVito ($300,000) is up to $2.26 million and Matt Slauson ($740,000) is up to $1.3 million and Shonn Greene ($50,000) is up to $615,000. This is pretty standard stuff.

5. As for these rumors the Jets might try to trade Keller because his blocking isn't good enough to fit in Tony Sparano's scheme ... please. It would make no sense to unload Sanchez's security blanket. Keller is a very good receiver. Figure out a way to use him.

6. Bill Belichick is taking too much grief for the Mario Manningham catch. Yeah, he implored his defense to make Eli Manning throw it to Manningham -- the coach was miked by NFL Films -- but that was the right strategy: Force the opponent to go to its No. 3 WR, not its No. 1 or No. 2. The Patriots got burned because Manning made the perfect throw and Manningham made a sensational catch, but Belichick played the right percentages.

7. Belichick's big mistake was letting the Giants score one play too late. He should've done it on the play before Ahmad Bradshaw's 6-yard TD run. The Patriots would've had the ball with 1:04 left and two timeouts instead of :57 and one timeout. Big difference.

8. A few days before the Super Bowl, I wrote a column calling Tom Brady an "average" post-season quarterback since winning his third Super Bowl. That wasn't received too well in Patriot Nation, but facts are facts: Since winning his first 10 post-season games, Brady is 6-6, with 26 TD passes and 17 interceptions. His fourth-quarter numbers from his last two Super Bowls: 16-for-33, 155 yards, 1 TD and 1 INT. He failed both times to rally his team on his final possession.

Brady's worst moment was throwing off-target to a wide-open Wes Welker. Yes, Welker had both hands on the ball and should've made the catch, but it would've been a lot easier if Brady hadn't choked. It was akin to missing a three-foot putt. The game came down to two throws: Brady missed an open receiver from 23 yards, Manning was on the money to Manningham from 38.

9. Kudos to former Jets QB Erik Ainge, who has started his own football academy in Knoxville -- the Ainge Academy. The former Tennessee standout, basically thrown out of the NFL because of drug and alcohol problems, is trying to give back. He has a powerful story to tell, and he wants to help kids avoid the same mistakes he made. Good for him.

10. Former Jets and Dolphins QB Chad Pennington, in an interview with the Palm Beach Post, all but acknowledged he's ready to retire. He's always had a passion for coaching; wouldn't be interesting if he reunited with Sparano on the Jets? Pennington had this to say about Dolphins QB Chad Henne, a free agent: "For Chad, the best thing is a change of scenery. It was for me after eight years in New York." I wouldn't be shocked if the Jets make a play for Henne.

This is the ninth part in a nine-part review of 2011, a position-by-position analysis.

Position: Special teams

Overall grade (scale of 1 to 10): 7.5

Depth chart: PK Nick Folk, P T.J. Conley, PR Jeremy Kerley, PR Jim Leonhard, PR/KR Joe McKnight, KR Antonio Cromartie.

Gold star: McKnight.

Disappointing: Conley.

Stat check: Opponents made 29 or 30 FGs against the Jets, the highest percentage in the league -- including 23-for-23 under 50 yards.

Analysis: This was a weird year for special teams. We saw a lot of good things from the Jets -- McKnight (31.6) led the league in kickoff returns by a significant margin -- but we also saw a lot of bad things, namely butter fingers. They turned it over six times -- two by McKnight, two by Cromartie, once by Kerley and once by Garrett McIntyre. That is simply unacceptable.

Folk was okay, not great. He made 76 percent of his FGs, tied for 27th in the league, but three of his misses came in the 50+ distance. Then again, he didn't have too many clutch kicks, as the Jets played only four games that were decided by seven points or less. McKnight was a revelation, delivering the longest play in franchise history -- 107-yard kickoff return. But his chance came only after an injury to Cromartie, so it wasn't like they expected great things out of McKnight.

Conley (40.1 net average, 21st) was average at best. Former P Steve Weatherford, in the Super Bowl with the Giants, isn't looking half-bad right about now. Kerley (10.9 average) wrested the punt-returning job from Leonhard and did a nice job, save for one hiccup in Washington. The coverage units, both punt and kickoff, were very good. The standouts were Nick Bellore (31 tackles) and Josh Mauga (20), but Bellore needs to be more disciplined (five penaltes for 55 yards).

2012 free agents: Folk (UFA), Leonhard (UFA).

On the bubble: Conley.

This is the eighth part in a nine-part review of the 2011 season, a position-by-position analysis:

Position: Secondary

Overall grade (on a scale of 1 to 10): 8.0.

Depth chart: Darrelle Revis (16 starts/1,036 plays), Antonio Cromartie (16/966), Eric Smith (14/966), Jim Leonhard (13/798), Kyle Wilson (6/587), Brodney Pool (6/561), Donald Strickland (1/329), Marquice Cole (0/51), Tracy Wilson (0/15), Isaiah Trufant (0/12).

Gold star: Revis.

Disappointing: Smith.

Stat check: The Jets held opposing QBs to a 69.6 passer rating, third-best in the league.

Analysis: By and large, the pass defense was pretty good. How, we're not sure. The Jets struggled to defend the middle of the field, but still finished No. 5 in pass defense. Most of the credit goes to the cornerbacks, especially Revis, who made his fourth straight Pro Bowl. He was scary good for the first half of the season, suffered a couple of hiccups (Stevie Johnson, anyone?), and regained his form. Teams picked on him more than usual (he had a team-high 24 pass break-ups), but that's because he played a lot in zero coverage -- no safety help over the top. He allowed only one TD pass.

Cromartie (six TD passes allowed, six penalties) said he had a chip on his shoulder to prove he's better than Nnamdi Asomugha. He didn't, but he graded out fairly well. He was up and down in the beginning, especially with silly penalties, but he settled down and did a better job of using his hands to jam receivers. Unfortunately, his season will be remembered for the missing tackle on Victor Cruz's 99-yard TD. Nickel back Kyle Wilson missed on that one, too, but this was a positive season. He allowed three TD passes and committed only one penalty, making nice strides after a rough rookie year. But there were times, especially in the red zone, when he gave too much cushion.

The safety play ranged from subpar to average. It's hard to believe, but only three of the 19 interceptions came from the safety position. Smith's role was too big for him, especially late in the year when he was playing on a bum knee. He was an every-down player (and also played on some special teams), put into some difficult matchup situations. He couldn't cover big, athletic tight ends. He also was responsible for missed tackles on the two biggest plays on the year, Cruz's TD and Tim Tebow's TD run. The defense missed Leonhard (knee surgery) and his intangibles because, let's be honest, Pool is just a guy. The Jets have to get better at safety.

2012 free agents: Leonhard (UFA), Pool (UFA), Strickland (UFA), Cole (RFA).

On the bubble: Smith.

Note: Play counts, which include penalties, provided by Pro Football Focus.

“The thing that has been very difficult is not winning.” -- Nnamdi Asomugha, Dec. 14, 2011

Just a few months ago, Nnamdi Asomugha seemed almost certain to be a New York celebrity. The Jets called him the moment teams could officially talk to players after the lockout ended. The free-agent cornerback sparked fierce debate among fans. If the Jets got him, who would be the best corner on the team, Asomugha or Darrelle Revis?

Asomugha came close to joining the Jets.

“Really close, really close,” he said Wednesday on a conference call with Jets writers. “I really liked the staff there in New York. I was really close with Rob Ryan, so I know that Rex, being his twin, would be very similar to him. During the 48 hours or whatever it was that we were able to talk, they were saying some really great things. I liked how the defense played. They were doing a lot of the things that I had done throughout my career, so there wouldn’t be much adjusting or anything like that. I was really close.”

That was before the Eagles swooped in with a five-year $60 million contract. (The Jets reportedly offered him four years, $40 million.) Asomugha seemed to be the final piece of the Dream Team puzzle, but things have not been so easy. The Eagles, who will host the Jets in an afternoon game this Sunday are 5-8, and have won just two of their past six games.

“I think the tough part about that is the fact that the expectations were really high coming into it,” Asomugha said. “Even if my expectations were realistic, the expectations that were out there, I think, I kind of let that get to me, as well -- the expectations [that] everything will be and must be perfect with this team now that they’ve acquired these players and blah, blah, blah. I always have a realistic approach to it, but I kind of let that seep through and then that made the losing of it all a little bit tougher, a little bit more difficult to deal with.”

Asomugha hasn’t played as well as he is accustomed to. He is tied for 29th in the league among defenders who have been burned when targeted. Asomugha has been targeted 28 times and burned on 13 of those occasions according STATS, LLC. Compare that to Jets cornerback Antonio Cromartie, who has been targeted 68 times and been burned 29 times, enough for 13th in the league.

Cromartie has been slightly more effective on the field and he was less expensive as well, signing a $32 million, four-year deal. If the Jets had landed Asomugha, they might not have been able to sign free agents like safeties Eric Smith and Brodney Pool.

“I was really close and the Eagles came in in that 11th hour,” Asomugha said, “and all along I’d always admired the Eagles and they were the team that, if they were involved, that was where I wanted to be.”

But NFL fans will never know what it would have been like to have arguably the two best cornerbacks in the league on the same team.

“Hey, I respect his game,” Asomugha said of Revis. “I always have. It’s a difficult thing in this league to match up, to line up and play one-on-one football. I know that first-hand, so I’ve always respected that about him and about the Jets’ scheme. Even with Cromartie, it’s a tough thing to do. I don’t know what it would have been like. It’s what we do best, so I don’t know what it would have been like.”

All what-ifs aside, Asomugha said he has made his choice and doesn’t look back, even if expectations and losses made it harder than he thought.

“I have never, have not and will not regret it,” Asomugha said. “Our story still isn’t over yet, so there is always something to learn and we’re still fighting.”

It was a tactical decision that will be second-guessed for days, maybe weeks. The New York Jets called an all-out blitz at the worst possible time -- and it cost them the game and, ultimately, perhaps a playoff berth.

The blitz accomplished only two things: It gave the Denver Broncos a 17-13 victory and added to Tim Tebow’s rapidly growing legend

On a third-and-4 from the Jets 20, with the Broncos already safely in range for a potential game-tying field goal, Jets defensive coordinator Mike Pettine rushed eight players. Tebow eluded the rush, beat safety Eric Smith around the corner and ran 20 yards for a game-winning touchdown with 58 seconds left -- a play that will keep the city of Denver buzzing for days.

It was a curious call. Afterward, a shaken Rex Ryan refused to reveal the exact call, saying, “I’d rather not.” It was a rare no comment by Ryan, who usually is more than happy to share specific game strategy.

Maybe he was too embarrassed.

It was a risk-reward call, but the potential reward didn’t justify it. Even if they had sacked Tebow, the Broncos still would’ve been in field-goal range. Afterward, a few players said they expected Tebow to run. “They basically had the field goal and were going to tie the game, but we called an all-out pressure -- and that’s what happened,” Smith said.

The Jets rushed eight, including Smith and fellow safety Jim Leonhard. Three players were in man-to-man coverage -- Darrelle Revis, Antonio Cromartie and Kyle Wilson, all of whom were downfield because their men ran vertical routes.

It was “Cover Zero.” In other words, there was no deep safety.

“You have to catch him because nobody else is around,” Smith said. “Everybody is running, running up the middle and in coverage with their back to the quarterback.”

Smith allowed Tebow to get to the outside. Smith chased him down and made a diving tackling attempt at the 5, but it was no use. The 6-foot-3, 235-pound Tebow, the size of a fullback, wasn’t going to be stopped.

It was a crushing end to an otherwise brilliant performance by the Jets’ defense, which held the Broncos to 134 total yards for the first 55 minutes. Up stepped Tebow, who delivered The Drive II -- with football czar John Elway in the house, naturally.

It went 12 plays, 95 yards, and all Tebow did was rush for 57 yards and pass for 35. He improved to 4-1 as a starter. If he ran for mayor, he’d win in a landslide.

The frustration among the Jets’ defensive players was palpable. Linebacker Bart Scott refused to speak to reporters. Ditto, linebacker Calvin Pace, who said, “I’ve got nothing to talk about, not one single thing.”

“You know Tebow is going to keep it in that situation, that’s what he does,” Ryan said. “You’re going to keep the ball in your playmaker’s hand. We thought he was going to carry it and he did ... He’s a competitor and he makes big plays with the game on the line. That’s why you’ve got to give him credit.”

If they expected him to run, the Jets could’ve stayed with a more conservative defense. But it was their second all-out blitz of the game, according to Tebow.

“We were kind of expecting it,” Tebow said. “They were going to be aggressive and try to stop us, and could also [have] been expecting a quarterback run or quarterback draw, or something inside. So we had a great play against it ... and I was thankful I was able to get around the end.”

The Jets abandoned their defensive strategy on the final drive, using an extra defensive back on 11 of the 12 plays, according to ESPN Stats & Information. Previously, they used their 3-4 base defense on 32 of 44 plays and limited the Broncos to eight punts, a lost fumble, a turnover on downs and a field goal.

With the game on the line, with everything on the line, the Jets strayed.

“It absolutely hurts,” Ryan said. “You’re thinking they’re going to kick the field goal and maybe go into overtime. You weren’t expecting the guy to pop out there like he did. He made a great run.”

On a questionable call by the Jets.

Thoughts and observations after reviewing the tape of Sunday night's 37-16 loss to the Patriots:

SCHOTT IN THE DARK: This performance will be a stain on Brian Schottenheimer's record, which will be reviewed after the season. The Patriots, the lowest-ranked defense in the league, used a makeshift lineup and still had their way with the Jets.

Bill Belichick started two undrafted rookies, S Sterling Moore (who never played safety) and LB Jeff Tarpinian -- neither of whom had played A SINGLE DEFENSIVE SNAP before this game. Moore, a cornerback, appeared in his first game after being called up from the practice squad. In the second quarter, they lost CB Devin McCourty (shoulder) and replaced him with Antwaun Molden, a Texans castoff.

This would be like the Jets having to use S Tracy Wilson (practice squad), LB Nick Bellore and CB Ellis Lankster in prominent roles.

Incredibly, the Jets failed to exploit the patchwork unit. Schottenheimer should've used motions and shifts to create confusion for the untested players, but there was very little of that. The formations remained static. They should've used bunch formations, the way the Patriots did to the Jets' defense, but everything was pretty vanilla. This reminded me of the next-to-last game of the '08 season, when the Jets did nothing against a Seattle offensive line that played all backups -- the game that ultimately cost Eric Mangini his job.

NO PROTECTION: The Jets allowed five sacks. Yeah, that's bad, but it's how they happened that's alarming. Three sacks were four-man rushes and one was a three-man rush. It was nothing exotic, the Patriots just won their one-on-one matchups. QB Mark Sanchez showed no pocket presence whatsoever and contributed to at least two of three sacks.

A review of the sacks.

1. Andre Carter, minus-7: The Patriots rushed four, the Jets protected with six. The Jets were in shotgun, empty backfield. TE Matt Mulligan was assigned to Carter, a bad matchup, and he got beat on an outside rush. Instead of stepping up, Sanchez slid into Carter's path.

2. Carter, minus-8: The Patriots rushed five, the Jets protected with five. Sanchez failed to recognize the front and adjust, and Carter came free, unblocked. Once again, the Jets were in shotgun/empty.

3. Carter/Mark Anderson, minus-9: The Patriots showed a double-slot blitz, but rushed only four. Sanchez, in shotgun, seemed hesitant in his pre-snap read. The Patriots stunted, and LT D'Brickashaw Ferguson and RT Wayne Hunter each got beat.

4. Carter, minus-6. The Patriots rushed four, the Jets protected with five. Again, they were in shotgun. Carter beat Ferguson.

5. Carter, minus-8. This wasn't good -- a three-man rush vs. a five-man protection. Ferguson actually did a decent job on Carter, but Sanchez held the ball too long and scrambled into Carter. Bad pocket presence.

The Patriots played a coverage-based scheme and it neutralized the Jets. In fact, all of Carter's sacks came with six or fewer men in the box -- the most sacks by any player over the last two seasons with six or less in the box, according to ESPN Stats & Information.

SO MUCH FOR GROUND & POUND: The Jets' players and coaches talked all week about how they weren't going to deviate from their run-oriented approach just because the Patriots had the 32nd-ranked pass defense. Ah, but they threw us a curve ball.

The Jets came out throwing on their first possession, going to the air on five of seven plays. They did it on the second drive, too, employing a seldom-used personnel package -- 2 RBs, 0 TEs, 3 WRs. They had the Patriots off balance, but the Jets bailed out as soon as the second drive ended with a sack. After that, it was back to Ground & Pound.

NO-HUDDLE, NO ANSWERS: The Jets reacted to the Patriots' no-huddle as if they had never seen it before. It's a New England staple, and the Jets should've been prepared. They weren't, as Tom Brady went 5-for-5 for 65 yards and one TD in the no-huddle, according to ESPN Stats. The Patriots went no-huddle on 15 of their 67 plays, accounting for 105 total yards.

The Jets were paralyzed because they rely heavily on substitution and the ability to make pre-snap checks. They also confused the Jets with several bunch formations, a great way to counter a team that plays a lot of man-to-man coverage. No doubt, future opponents will go to school on that, hoping to create similar issues.

HOT BRADY: Brady put on a clinic in the second half, completing 14-for-17 for 135 yards, two TDs. He picked on everybody not named Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie. Smart cookie, Brady. Here's a breakdown of the second-half completions/burn victims:

S Eric Smith -- Four receptions for 46 yards
CB Kyle Wilson -- Four for 44, including a TD
DB Donald Strickland -- Two for 11, including a TD
Others -- Four for 33.

LESS BLITZING: In their previous two home wins over Brady, Ryan blitzed at least one DB a total of 42 times -- and the Jets won both games. This time, there were only 14 blitzes by DBs -- and Brady tore them apart. He completed 10 of 14 passes, averaging 9.2 per attempt, with one TD, per ESPN Stats.

NO TRAFFIC JAM: At 6-foot-6, TE Rob Gronkowski is a tough cover -- we get it -- but the Jets didn't do a good job of making it hard for him. On both his TDs, they gave him a free release, allowing him to get into his pass route with no difficulty. On the first TD, he beat Smith on a post route. On the second TD, Smith blitzed Brady from the blindside, and almost got there, but Brady made a great read, spotting Strickland on Gronk. No contest.

ON THE FLIP SIDE: The Patriots did a great job of jamming TE Dustin Keller. On Sanchez's second INT, returned for a TD by Rob Ninkovich, Keller was doubled at the line and knocked to the ground by LB Tracy White, another bottom-of-the-depth chart player. Sanchez, looking for Keller, turned his focus to LaDainian Tomlinson and ... well, you saw what happened.

Dustin Keller clarified rumors that he messed up during a verbal concussion test, administered by a Jets staffer on the sideline Sunday in Buffalo.

An Internet video shows Keller reciting the months of the year -- it's easy to read his lips -- and apparently stumbling. Not true, according to Keller, who received the video from a friend.

"I was going through the months backwards, and I was absolutely correct," said Keller, who was dazed in the first quarter when he landed on his head while trying to jump over a defender.

Keller was taken to the locker room, where he underwent a battery of concussion tests, following NFL protocol. He was cleared and returned in the second half. He said his scores were actually higher than his baseline scores.

"I got smarter," he said. "(The concussion) actually knocked some sense into me."

GIVING THE FINGER: This is weird. Three players showed up on the injury report Thursday with finger injuries -- NT Sione Pouha, CB Antonio Cromartie and RT Wayne Hunter. The injuries aren't serious, as all three players practiced fully.

TOUCHY, TOUCHY: CB Darrelle Revis bristled when asked if he's surprised teams are throwing at him as much as they are.

"That's the last time you're going to ask me that," he said. "I'm not surprised teams are coming at me (laughing). I appreciate it. I wish they'd come at me all the time. You'll be giving me opportunities to make plays and compete out there."

ODDS AND ENDS: If Joe McKnight (toe) can't play, the options to return kickoffs are Cromartie and rookie RB Bilal Powell, according to Ryan. Don't bet on Powell, through; the fourth-round pick has yet to dress for a game ... Offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer said he's talked with TE Matt Mulligan about cutting down his penalties. A holding call against the Bills nullified a 41-yard run by Shonn Greene.

The run-up to a Jets-Patriots game usually means some old-fashioned trash talking from the Jets, but they've been rather subdued these last few days. They've been -- dare we say it? -- bland, reminiscent of the week leading into the AFC Championship Game against the Steelers.

Even Rex Ryan backed down Thursday. Asked if he sees this as Ryan vs. Bill Belichick, the theme he used last year, the Jets' coach said, "I don't feel that way as much. This one's about how much our team has improved."

That was downright Belichick-ian. Ryan also hasn't used any props this time. A few days before the previous meeting, he showed up a news conference wearing a blazer with a homemade "Hall of Fame" logo from his college, noting he had been selected into the school's Hall. That, he said, meant he was just like Belichick -- a Hall-of-Fame coach.

No fun and games this time, just business. What gives?

Players insisted that Ryan hasn't issued any edicts about zipping it, but there definitely was an unusual vibe in the locker room. It's possible the players, led by the team captains, decided amongst themselves to stay away from giving any bulletin-board fodder to the Patriots.

"We're just playing football," said CB Antonio Cromartie, who last season publicly ripped Tom Brady before the playoff game. "We're letting our play speak for itself."

Said LB Bart Scott: "Every year is a different vibe ... That's just the approach we're taking. Game day, we'll be ready to go."

New injuries/status change in bold

JETS

Did not practice: WR Plaxico Burress (back), KR/RB Joe McKnight (toe), S Brodney Pool (knee).

Limited participation: DL Marcus Dixon (shoulder), LB Josh Mauga (low back).

Full participation: CB Antonio Cromartie (finger), DT Mike DeVito (knee), DT Kenrick Ellis (ankle), RB Shonn Greene (head, groin), WR Santonio Holmes (foot), OT Wayne Hunter (finger), C Nick Mangold (ankle), LB Calvin Pace (groin), DT Sione Pouha (finger), LG Matt Slauson (neck), CB Isaiah Trufant (hamstring).

PATRIOTS

Did not practice: S Patrick Chung (foot), LB Dane Fletcher (thumb), LB Brandon Spikes (knee), OL Ryan Wendell (concussion).

Limited participation: CB Kyle Arrington (foot), DE Shaun Ellis (rib), RB Kevin Faulk (knee), RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis (toe), LB Gary Guyton (shoulder), LB Jerod Mayo (knee), WR Taylor Price (hamstring), OT Sebastian Vollmer (back), WR Wes Welker (rib).