New York Jets: New York Giants
Coughlin tweaks Jets, Tebow-mania
March, 28, 2012
Mar 28
11:49
AM ET
By
Rich Cimini | ESPNNewYork.com
PALM BEACH, Fla. -- The Giants are only two months removed from winning the Super Bowl, but they've been overshadowed in New York by Tebow-mania.
That's fine by Tom Coughlin. As far as he's concerned, the Jets can have the headlines, he's got the Lombardi Trophy. He doesn't think the fans have forgotten what they accomplished.
"You know who won the Super Bowl, you know who the world champions are," Coughlin told reporters Wednesday morning at the NFL meetings. "Whether we’re on the front page every day or not, it’s not that important. New Yorkers know."
This came three days after Giants co-owner John Mara mocked the Jets' acquisition of Tim Tebow, saying they were planning to have a news conference for their recently-signed backup, David Carr.
Coughlin didn't want to comment on the Tebow trade -- "That's their business," he said -- but he praised Tebow as a football player, calling him "physically tough ... a guy that's going to be a force in your locker room."
Asked if he'd ever consider removing his "guy" for 20 snaps per game, as the Jets have suggested they might do with Mark Sanchez so Tebow could run the wildcat, Coughlin looked increduously at the questioner.
"Our guy?" he asked, referring to Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning.
In a one-hour sitdown with reporters, Coughlin touched on a variety of topics:
• On this week's annoucement that the Giants will face the Cowboys in the NFL opener: Coughlin said he wasn't surprised because "the league always does a great job of making it a very attractive." That the game will be played on a Wednesday night, he admitted, will be a challenge in terms of the training-camp and practice schedule.
• On re-signing RB Brandon Jacobs: "I think it’s a possibility. Brandon wanted the opportunity to go out into the marketplace and see what he could do with the opportunity, and it was granted. We'll just see." The Giants are looking for a backup to Ahmad Bradshaw. UPDATE: Jacobs has agreed to a deal with the 49ers, a league source told ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Coughlin said it's hard to cut players that contribute to a championship, adding, "There is some sentiment involved in it, but we don’t say goodbye, we say, 'Next time.'"
• On the future of DE Osi Umenyiora: Coughlin said he has no plans to part ways with Umenyiora, who staged a training-camp holdout last summer. He wants Osi back. "I'm not thinking of anything else," he said.
• On a contract extension. Coughlin, entering the final year of his contract, expressed confidence a deal will get done shortly. He also discussed the joy of winning a title in New York.
• His hysterical recollection of his post-game hug with rap star Flavor Flav: "I finished (an interview with the NFL Network) and I get up. This guy is waiting for me with these glasses, big glasses, and a clock on his chest. He's kind of right in front of me. I walk by. I mean, I'm hugging sign posts at that time. He grabbed me and hugged me. I walked away and one of my kids says, 'Dad, you know who that was?' I said, 'No, I don't know who that was.' They said, 'Fava Flav' -- a rap singer. Then we're at the parade and (Brandon) Jacobs reaches down, grabs him by the hand, pulls him up and he's on the float. I'm on one of the floats with him, too!"
That's fine by Tom Coughlin. As far as he's concerned, the Jets can have the headlines, he's got the Lombardi Trophy. He doesn't think the fans have forgotten what they accomplished.
"You know who won the Super Bowl, you know who the world champions are," Coughlin told reporters Wednesday morning at the NFL meetings. "Whether we’re on the front page every day or not, it’s not that important. New Yorkers know."
This came three days after Giants co-owner John Mara mocked the Jets' acquisition of Tim Tebow, saying they were planning to have a news conference for their recently-signed backup, David Carr.
Coughlin didn't want to comment on the Tebow trade -- "That's their business," he said -- but he praised Tebow as a football player, calling him "physically tough ... a guy that's going to be a force in your locker room."
Asked if he'd ever consider removing his "guy" for 20 snaps per game, as the Jets have suggested they might do with Mark Sanchez so Tebow could run the wildcat, Coughlin looked increduously at the questioner.
"Our guy?" he asked, referring to Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning.
In a one-hour sitdown with reporters, Coughlin touched on a variety of topics:
• On this week's annoucement that the Giants will face the Cowboys in the NFL opener: Coughlin said he wasn't surprised because "the league always does a great job of making it a very attractive." That the game will be played on a Wednesday night, he admitted, will be a challenge in terms of the training-camp and practice schedule.
• On re-signing RB Brandon Jacobs: "I think it’s a possibility. Brandon wanted the opportunity to go out into the marketplace and see what he could do with the opportunity, and it was granted. We'll just see." The Giants are looking for a backup to Ahmad Bradshaw. UPDATE: Jacobs has agreed to a deal with the 49ers, a league source told ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Coughlin said it's hard to cut players that contribute to a championship, adding, "There is some sentiment involved in it, but we don’t say goodbye, we say, 'Next time.'"
• On the future of DE Osi Umenyiora: Coughlin said he has no plans to part ways with Umenyiora, who staged a training-camp holdout last summer. He wants Osi back. "I'm not thinking of anything else," he said.
• On a contract extension. Coughlin, entering the final year of his contract, expressed confidence a deal will get done shortly. He also discussed the joy of winning a title in New York.
• His hysterical recollection of his post-game hug with rap star Flavor Flav: "I finished (an interview with the NFL Network) and I get up. This guy is waiting for me with these glasses, big glasses, and a clock on his chest. He's kind of right in front of me. I walk by. I mean, I'm hugging sign posts at that time. He grabbed me and hugged me. I walked away and one of my kids says, 'Dad, you know who that was?' I said, 'No, I don't know who that was.' They said, 'Fava Flav' -- a rap singer. Then we're at the parade and (Brandon) Jacobs reaches down, grabs him by the hand, pulls him up and he's on the float. I'm on one of the floats with him, too!"
The Giants' decision to cut RB Brandon Jacobs, expected for weeks, will fuel speculation about a Jacobs-Jets marriage.
After all, the Jets need a back to replace free agent LaDainian Tomlinson. Jacobs, apparently forgetting he wanted to rip off Rex Ryan's head at the end of the Christmas Eve game, even commented recently that he'd like to play for the Jets. A desperate player will say just about anything for a job.
It says here the Jets should stay away from Jacobs, who turns 30 in July and has knee issues. Other reasons:
Ed Mulholland/US PresswireBrandon Jacobs
2. For a 265-pound man, Jacobs doesn't break many tackles. His yards-after-contact average last season was 1.66, which ranked 44th in the league. (In fairness, we should point out he brought it up to 2.25 in the NFC playoffs.)
3. The Giants finished last in rushing and next-to-last in short-yardage rushing, with only a 52-percent conversion rate.
4. Jacobs fumbled three times in only 152 carries.
Here's what the Jets should do at running back: Wait until the draft. Maybe Trent Richardson slips to 16. Maybe you can pick up a speed back in the second or third round. If not, then explore the secondary free-agent market.
Study: Significant drop in Jets' OL play
February, 27, 2012
Feb 27
10:58
AM ET
By
Rich Cimini | ESPNNewYork.com
In 2009 and 2010, the Jets owned the top-rated offensive line in the NFL, based on the in-depth evaluations of Pro Football Focus, a stats-based web site.
In 2011, the once-formidable line dropped all the way to ... 12th. In the grand scheme, that isn't all that bad, it just seemed worse at the time because the Jets had raised the standard so high.
Obviously, this is highly subjective, but PFF rated the Jets' line 14th in run blocking, 14th in pass blocking and 11th in penalties. C Nick Mangold graded out the best, RT Wayne Hunter graded out the worst.
Interesting side note: The Giants won the Super Bowl with the 31st-rated line, overcoming the deficiency because of Eli Manning and his uncanny ability to play pitch-and-catch with his outside playmakers, Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz. Obviously, this was an exception to the rule; teams with bad O-lines usually stink.
The Jets' line struggles had a major impact on QB Mark Sanchez, who took an inordinate amount of hits and didn't handle the pressure well. Under pressure, he completed only 36.1 percent of his passes, with only three touchdowns and an awful 37.4 passer rating, per PFF.
Clearly, fixing the line is one of the top off-season priorities, but how? Hunter's $2.45 million salary is guaranteed, so it looks like he'll be back. No doubt, the stubborn Jets will give disappointing former No. 2 pick Vladimir Ducasse another chance to win a starting job, probably at right tackle. LG Matt Slauson is coming off major shoulder surgery, so his spot could be in jeopardy. There could be opportunities to use their first-round pick (16th overall) on an O-lineman.
With Mangold, RG Brandon Moore and LT D'Brickashaw Ferguson still in place, the Jets have a solid foundation. If they can find a right tackle that can pass block, they should be able to regain their reputation as a strength, not a weakness.
In 2011, the once-formidable line dropped all the way to ... 12th. In the grand scheme, that isn't all that bad, it just seemed worse at the time because the Jets had raised the standard so high.
Obviously, this is highly subjective, but PFF rated the Jets' line 14th in run blocking, 14th in pass blocking and 11th in penalties. C Nick Mangold graded out the best, RT Wayne Hunter graded out the worst.
Interesting side note: The Giants won the Super Bowl with the 31st-rated line, overcoming the deficiency because of Eli Manning and his uncanny ability to play pitch-and-catch with his outside playmakers, Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz. Obviously, this was an exception to the rule; teams with bad O-lines usually stink.
The Jets' line struggles had a major impact on QB Mark Sanchez, who took an inordinate amount of hits and didn't handle the pressure well. Under pressure, he completed only 36.1 percent of his passes, with only three touchdowns and an awful 37.4 passer rating, per PFF.
Clearly, fixing the line is one of the top off-season priorities, but how? Hunter's $2.45 million salary is guaranteed, so it looks like he'll be back. No doubt, the stubborn Jets will give disappointing former No. 2 pick Vladimir Ducasse another chance to win a starting job, probably at right tackle. LG Matt Slauson is coming off major shoulder surgery, so his spot could be in jeopardy. There could be opportunities to use their first-round pick (16th overall) on an O-lineman.
With Mangold, RG Brandon Moore and LT D'Brickashaw Ferguson still in place, the Jets have a solid foundation. If they can find a right tackle that can pass block, they should be able to regain their reputation as a strength, not a weakness.
Rex expects a Super Bowl ring ... quickly
February, 15, 2012
Feb 15
5:09
PM ET
By
Rich Cimini | ESPNNewYork.com
Rex Ryan can laugh about it now -- a Giants-Patriots Super Bowl -- but he wasn't feeling too good about it before the game. He had to make a couple of appearances in Indianapolis during the run-up to Super Bowl XLVI, a matchup he called "a cruel joke." He decided to avoid the crowds and stay in his hotel room.
"One thing everybody had in common: Nobody liked me," he said Wednesday in Woodbury, L.I., where he, Boomer Esiason and Phil Simms addressed several hundred members of the business community at a luncheon.
Ryan, speaking publicly for the first time since the Giants' fourth Super Bowl title, gave the large lunch crowd a dose of Rex. In a rountable-style discussion with the two former quarterbacks, Ryan was funny, entertaining and, for the most part, fairly reserved -- the New Rex. But once or twice, his trademark bravado came out.
"I'm the only one (in my family) with only one Super Bowl ring," he said, alluding to the ring he won as an assistant on the 2000 Ravens. "But I'm planning on getting another one, and I'm planning on getting it quickly."
Ryan was asked by the moderator about his famous, Day 1 prediction, how the Jets would be visiting President Obama in the White House as Super Bowl champs. After joking that they're "running out of years," Ryan choked down a slice of humble pie.
"I thought we'd do it overnight," he said. "I always believed we had the best team. I've been convinced otherwise the last three years."
Speaking to reporters before the luncheon, Ryan claimed the Giants' Super Bowl title provides no additional motivation. Do you believe him?
"Nah, you can’t be more motivated than we are," Ryan said. "A goal of ours was to host a playoff game. Well, to do that, you have to get in front of New England; that’s hard to do. I drove around [MetLife Stadium] for self-motivation. Like, ‘Ooh, gosh.' I want to be playing a playoff game at our stadium next year and obviously that’s something that you try to do.
"But to be more motivated as an organization because this team won or that team won, no, absolutely not. You can’t get be more motivated than we are."
Later, during the roundtable, Ryan expressed disappointment over the 8-8 season (sounding like a broken record), but he vowed to learn hard lessons from their mistakes.
"Anybody that's successful, you have scars," he told the audience. "We got some scars this year from this. Anybody who doesn't have scars is either lying to you or never dared. One thing about us: We dare. We put it out there -- I put it out there -- that we want to be great."
Other notes from the day:
• Ryan confirmed that, as expected, he had a post-Super Bowl dinner with owner Woody Johnson to discuss the state of the team. "It was great," he said. "We all know, we’ve identified things we think we have to get better at as an organization, and we’re excited about moving forward."
• Ryan reiterated (for the umpteenth time) that Mark Sanchez will be the starting quarterback. He called Sanchez an "ascending player" with a "bright future." He added: "He does a lot of good things, but are we where we want to be? No. We want to be putting that ring on our finger as world champions."
• Ryan dodged a question about potential interest in Peyton Manning, citing the NFL tampering rule. He joked that he's already paid enough in fine money. Ryan could put a stop to the Manning speculation by declaring, "Mark's our guy and we have absolutely no interest in adding any big-name quarterback that might become available" -- but he hasn't done that. I wonder why.
"One thing everybody had in common: Nobody liked me," he said Wednesday in Woodbury, L.I., where he, Boomer Esiason and Phil Simms addressed several hundred members of the business community at a luncheon.
Ryan, speaking publicly for the first time since the Giants' fourth Super Bowl title, gave the large lunch crowd a dose of Rex. In a rountable-style discussion with the two former quarterbacks, Ryan was funny, entertaining and, for the most part, fairly reserved -- the New Rex. But once or twice, his trademark bravado came out.
"I'm the only one (in my family) with only one Super Bowl ring," he said, alluding to the ring he won as an assistant on the 2000 Ravens. "But I'm planning on getting another one, and I'm planning on getting it quickly."
Ryan was asked by the moderator about his famous, Day 1 prediction, how the Jets would be visiting President Obama in the White House as Super Bowl champs. After joking that they're "running out of years," Ryan choked down a slice of humble pie.
"I thought we'd do it overnight," he said. "I always believed we had the best team. I've been convinced otherwise the last three years."
Speaking to reporters before the luncheon, Ryan claimed the Giants' Super Bowl title provides no additional motivation. Do you believe him?
"Nah, you can’t be more motivated than we are," Ryan said. "A goal of ours was to host a playoff game. Well, to do that, you have to get in front of New England; that’s hard to do. I drove around [MetLife Stadium] for self-motivation. Like, ‘Ooh, gosh.' I want to be playing a playoff game at our stadium next year and obviously that’s something that you try to do.
"But to be more motivated as an organization because this team won or that team won, no, absolutely not. You can’t get be more motivated than we are."
Later, during the roundtable, Ryan expressed disappointment over the 8-8 season (sounding like a broken record), but he vowed to learn hard lessons from their mistakes.
"Anybody that's successful, you have scars," he told the audience. "We got some scars this year from this. Anybody who doesn't have scars is either lying to you or never dared. One thing about us: We dare. We put it out there -- I put it out there -- that we want to be great."
Other notes from the day:
• Ryan confirmed that, as expected, he had a post-Super Bowl dinner with owner Woody Johnson to discuss the state of the team. "It was great," he said. "We all know, we’ve identified things we think we have to get better at as an organization, and we’re excited about moving forward."
• Ryan reiterated (for the umpteenth time) that Mark Sanchez will be the starting quarterback. He called Sanchez an "ascending player" with a "bright future." He added: "He does a lot of good things, but are we where we want to be? No. We want to be putting that ring on our finger as world champions."
• Ryan dodged a question about potential interest in Peyton Manning, citing the NFL tampering rule. He joked that he's already paid enough in fine money. Ryan could put a stop to the Manning speculation by declaring, "Mark's our guy and we have absolutely no interest in adding any big-name quarterback that might become available" -- but he hasn't done that. I wonder why.
Six lessons Jets can learn from Super Bowl
February, 7, 2012
Feb 7
12:13
PM ET
By
Rich Cimini | ESPNNewYork.com
Tough day for the Jets. New York City is picking up confetti from the Giants’ victory parade. The Jets? Well, they're still picking up the pieces from a shattered season.
But, hey, life is a learning experience, and the Jets can learn plenty from Super Bowl XLVI. Six things they can take away from it:
1. You need a franchise quarterback. There are rare exceptions, of course, but the reality is you need an elite quarterback to win a Super Bowl. Unless they’re lying through their teeth, the Jets believe they have that guy in Mark Sanchez. We’ll find out the truth in about a month, when Peyton Manning is expected to become available.
2. Pass rush is important. Because it's a passing league, you need to have the ability to put the quarterback on the ground. Once again, the Giants proved that it’s vital to have pressure players. Instead of trying to manufacture a pass rush with scheme, the Jets need to bring in some horses. They've ignored this for too long.
3. Chemistry is key. The prevailing theme in the Giants’ locker room late Sunday night was team unity, how their belief in one another helped them navigate a turbulent season. The Giants were 7-7, and everybody wanted Tom Coughlin’s head on a platter, but the team never succumbed to the adversity. The Jets, who did, have a lot of work to do in this area.
4. Depth isn’t a luxury, it’s a must. Both the Giants and Patriots suffered a number of injuries throughout the season, but they kept it together, in many cases with no-name players. The Jets, now paying for having traded away so many draft choices over the years, have depth issues at quarterback, offensive line, wide receiver, defensive line, linebacker and safety.
5. Continuity is big. Eli Manning has been in the same offensive system his entire career. For the most part, so has Tom Brady. Both teams have a system that works, and they know how to find players to fit the system. The Jets have that on defense, but not on offense – and they won’t anytime soon. They’re starting over with a new coordinator, Tony Sparano, and a new system.
6. Strong leadership is essential. You may not like their styles, but Coughlin and Bill Belichick have a style, an unwavering philosophy on how to lead their respective teams. Rex Ryan still is finding himself, conceding he needs to tweak his approach. Ryan deserves some slack because he’s a lot less experienced than Coughlin and Belichick, both of whom are in their second head-coaching job, but it’s time for Ryan to settle in and chart a course for the Jets.
But, hey, life is a learning experience, and the Jets can learn plenty from Super Bowl XLVI. Six things they can take away from it:
1. You need a franchise quarterback. There are rare exceptions, of course, but the reality is you need an elite quarterback to win a Super Bowl. Unless they’re lying through their teeth, the Jets believe they have that guy in Mark Sanchez. We’ll find out the truth in about a month, when Peyton Manning is expected to become available.
2. Pass rush is important. Because it's a passing league, you need to have the ability to put the quarterback on the ground. Once again, the Giants proved that it’s vital to have pressure players. Instead of trying to manufacture a pass rush with scheme, the Jets need to bring in some horses. They've ignored this for too long.
3. Chemistry is key. The prevailing theme in the Giants’ locker room late Sunday night was team unity, how their belief in one another helped them navigate a turbulent season. The Giants were 7-7, and everybody wanted Tom Coughlin’s head on a platter, but the team never succumbed to the adversity. The Jets, who did, have a lot of work to do in this area.
4. Depth isn’t a luxury, it’s a must. Both the Giants and Patriots suffered a number of injuries throughout the season, but they kept it together, in many cases with no-name players. The Jets, now paying for having traded away so many draft choices over the years, have depth issues at quarterback, offensive line, wide receiver, defensive line, linebacker and safety.
5. Continuity is big. Eli Manning has been in the same offensive system his entire career. For the most part, so has Tom Brady. Both teams have a system that works, and they know how to find players to fit the system. The Jets have that on defense, but not on offense – and they won’t anytime soon. They’re starting over with a new coordinator, Tony Sparano, and a new system.
6. Strong leadership is essential. You may not like their styles, but Coughlin and Bill Belichick have a style, an unwavering philosophy on how to lead their respective teams. Rex Ryan still is finding himself, conceding he needs to tweak his approach. Ryan deserves some slack because he’s a lot less experienced than Coughlin and Belichick, both of whom are in their second head-coaching job, but it’s time for Ryan to settle in and chart a course for the Jets.
Super Sunday notes: A Jets thaw?
February, 5, 2012
Feb 5
10:30
AM ET
By
Rich Cimini | ESPNNewYork.com
INDIANAPOLIS -- Thoughts and observations, the Super Bowl XLVI edition:
1. Santonio Holmes tweeted this Saturday night: "@Mark_Sanchez @Pouha91 Hope your getting as antsy as me for the 2012-13 season to start. One more day til we start to make that journey." This came one day after Rex Ryan told me Sanchez and Holmes are planning some sort of extended sit-down, maybe a weekend retreat. (Why do I keep having images of Vince Vaughn?) These are certainly positive developments for the Jets' fractured locker room. But I wonder: Holmes' tweet wouldn't have anything to do with the fact that his $7.75 million guarantee jumps to $15 million if he's still on the roster after Wednesday, would it?
2. Ryan told reporters Saturday night he will take a more active role in the defense. In other words, he'll be calling plays again.
3. Curiously, the Jets haven't made any official announcements regarding the holdovers from the previous offensive staff -- i.e. QBs coach Matt Cavanaugh, who's still under contract. They expressed interest in former Dolphins O.C. Brian Daboll (see: Tony Sparano connection), but Daboll just landed the same gig with the Chiefs. I'm hearing Karl Dorrell is a possibility for the QBs coach job, another Sparano guy. Sources say Sparano wants to bring in his own guy, which is understandable, but Ryan prefers to keep Cavanaugh. The coaches return Monday from vacation. The Jets need to firm this up because it's unfair to keep Cavanaugh floating in limbo -- if, in fact, he hasn't been informed of his status.
4. Interesting that former Jets P Steve Weatherford, now with the Giants, wears ear plugs when he punts. I know what you're thinking: He started doing that so he wouldn't have to hear Mike Westhoff barking at him. Not true. Weatherford's close friend, K John Carney, introduced him to the idea.
5. Congratulations to Curtis Martin on his election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. My favorite Martin memory: Dec. 14, 2003 at Giants Stadium. In a driving snowstorm, Martin rushed 30 times for 174 yards. Everybody else was slipping and sliding, but Martin seemed to be on air, gliding. GM Mike Tannenbaum has a picture of Martin, parting the snowflakes, hanging in his office.
6. The life of a quarterback: After the season, Sanchez underwent precautionary MRIs on his ankles, knees and shoulders. Everything apparently checked out OK.
7. The Giants were very Jets-like during the run-up to the Super Bowl, with a handful of rather bold statements. I asked the King of Bold, Rex Ryan, if he had a comment on the Giants' bravado. He laughed and said he wasn't aware of the comments because he was in Hawaii at the Pro Bowl.
8. On Friday, I wrote a story about how the Giants discovered Victor Cruz at UMass, noting how college scout Chris Pettit did most of the leg work. Whitey Walsh, the longtime Giants scout now retired, also was involved. He used to run the Giants' local Pro Day at Giants Stadium. Walsh is in Indianapolis for the game, which is fitting.
9. Here's my opinion of Plaxico Burress: He did what he did for 12 games ... and disappeared.
10. Prediction: I'll stick with my initital feeling about the game -- a Giants victory, 31-27. I must admit, though, I'd be concerned about the vibe around the Giants. Too chatty. Bill Belichick is a master at using slights -- or perceived slights -- to his advantage.
Years ago, before the Patriots-Eagles Super Bowl, there was a report about how the city of Philadelphia already had planned a victory parade. Belichick read the exact parade route to his players, according to former Patriot-turned-ESPN analyst Tedy Bruschi. Belichick once told me that, during the run-up to the Giants-Bills Super Bowl in 1991, they took a newspaper photo of Bruce Smith, getting fitted for a ring at a jewelry store, and posted it in their meeting room.
You can bet copies of the Giants' website faux pas -- the "Congratulations, Super Bowl Champions!" page that appeared briefly Saturday night -- will be displayed prominently in the Patriots' inner sanctum.
But I'll stick with the Giants.
1. Santonio Holmes tweeted this Saturday night: "@Mark_Sanchez @Pouha91 Hope your getting as antsy as me for the 2012-13 season to start. One more day til we start to make that journey." This came one day after Rex Ryan told me Sanchez and Holmes are planning some sort of extended sit-down, maybe a weekend retreat. (Why do I keep having images of Vince Vaughn?) These are certainly positive developments for the Jets' fractured locker room. But I wonder: Holmes' tweet wouldn't have anything to do with the fact that his $7.75 million guarantee jumps to $15 million if he's still on the roster after Wednesday, would it?
2. Ryan told reporters Saturday night he will take a more active role in the defense. In other words, he'll be calling plays again.
3. Curiously, the Jets haven't made any official announcements regarding the holdovers from the previous offensive staff -- i.e. QBs coach Matt Cavanaugh, who's still under contract. They expressed interest in former Dolphins O.C. Brian Daboll (see: Tony Sparano connection), but Daboll just landed the same gig with the Chiefs. I'm hearing Karl Dorrell is a possibility for the QBs coach job, another Sparano guy. Sources say Sparano wants to bring in his own guy, which is understandable, but Ryan prefers to keep Cavanaugh. The coaches return Monday from vacation. The Jets need to firm this up because it's unfair to keep Cavanaugh floating in limbo -- if, in fact, he hasn't been informed of his status.
4. Interesting that former Jets P Steve Weatherford, now with the Giants, wears ear plugs when he punts. I know what you're thinking: He started doing that so he wouldn't have to hear Mike Westhoff barking at him. Not true. Weatherford's close friend, K John Carney, introduced him to the idea.
5. Congratulations to Curtis Martin on his election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. My favorite Martin memory: Dec. 14, 2003 at Giants Stadium. In a driving snowstorm, Martin rushed 30 times for 174 yards. Everybody else was slipping and sliding, but Martin seemed to be on air, gliding. GM Mike Tannenbaum has a picture of Martin, parting the snowflakes, hanging in his office.
6. The life of a quarterback: After the season, Sanchez underwent precautionary MRIs on his ankles, knees and shoulders. Everything apparently checked out OK.
7. The Giants were very Jets-like during the run-up to the Super Bowl, with a handful of rather bold statements. I asked the King of Bold, Rex Ryan, if he had a comment on the Giants' bravado. He laughed and said he wasn't aware of the comments because he was in Hawaii at the Pro Bowl.
8. On Friday, I wrote a story about how the Giants discovered Victor Cruz at UMass, noting how college scout Chris Pettit did most of the leg work. Whitey Walsh, the longtime Giants scout now retired, also was involved. He used to run the Giants' local Pro Day at Giants Stadium. Walsh is in Indianapolis for the game, which is fitting.
9. Here's my opinion of Plaxico Burress: He did what he did for 12 games ... and disappeared.
10. Prediction: I'll stick with my initital feeling about the game -- a Giants victory, 31-27. I must admit, though, I'd be concerned about the vibe around the Giants. Too chatty. Bill Belichick is a master at using slights -- or perceived slights -- to his advantage.
Years ago, before the Patriots-Eagles Super Bowl, there was a report about how the city of Philadelphia already had planned a victory parade. Belichick read the exact parade route to his players, according to former Patriot-turned-ESPN analyst Tedy Bruschi. Belichick once told me that, during the run-up to the Giants-Bills Super Bowl in 1991, they took a newspaper photo of Bruce Smith, getting fitted for a ring at a jewelry store, and posted it in their meeting room.
You can bet copies of the Giants' website faux pas -- the "Congratulations, Super Bowl Champions!" page that appeared briefly Saturday night -- will be displayed prominently in the Patriots' inner sanctum.
But I'll stick with the Giants.
Win and he's in. That is Plaxico Burress' take on Giants quarterback Eli Manning.
"He's one win away, I think, from being a Hall of Famer. I really believe that," Burress said Friday on "The Scott Van Pelt Show" on ESPN Radio.
Burress caught the winning touchdown pass from Manning in Super Bowl XLII. Manning will play for his second ring on Sunday in Super Bowl XLVI.
"If he goes out and wins this game," Buress said of his former teammate, "I really believe he's gonna be a Hall of Famer."
The Giants' current five-game winning started with a victory over Burress' Jets on Christmas Eve.
"He's just been lights out for the last month-and-a-half," Burress said of Manning. "His play has really just elevated to a level to where he's throwing the ball with tremendous confidence, putting it in tight places and the guys are out there making plays for him.
"He commands the offense, puts them in great position to get up and down the football field. He goes out and wins this game [Sunday], he's going to silence a lot of people."
Burress made his Super Bowl allegiance clear.
"I think the Giants win." he said. "I'm not going for the Patriots, that's for sure. The Patriots broke my heart too many times when I was in Pittsburgh, all of those AFC championships. Me and Tom Brady have been going at it ever since the Michigan-Michigan State days, so he's been a thorn in my side for the last 12 to 13 years.
"As far as from the Giants standpoint, I've built some great relationships over there and I'm still great friends with some of these guys outside of football. We hang out, even during the season when I was playing for the Jets. I'm running with Big Blue."
Burress' Giants career ended in 2008, when accidentally shot himself in the leg at a Manhattan nightclub. The incident violated New York's gun laws and led to a prison sentence for Burress.
Poll Skewing Alert: Vote against Belichick
January, 30, 2012
Jan 30
4:55
PM ET
By ESPNNewYork.com Staff
Attention, Giants and Jets fans -- Tom Coughlin needs your help.
Today's Hot Button debate on ESPN.com pits TC vs. BB, as in Bill Belichick, as in the former HC of the NYJ.
You can vote for Coughlin vs. Belichick in the ESPNNewYork.com home page poll, or by following this link to the Hot Button feature.
Vote early, vote often, and send this to all your friends. At the moment, Belichick has 78% of the vote. Let's see what Blue and Green can do.
Today's Hot Button debate on ESPN.com pits TC vs. BB, as in Bill Belichick, as in the former HC of the NYJ.
You can vote for Coughlin vs. Belichick in the ESPNNewYork.com home page poll, or by following this link to the Hot Button feature.
Vote early, vote often, and send this to all your friends. At the moment, Belichick has 78% of the vote. Let's see what Blue and Green can do.
Dear Jets fans -- An open letter
January, 25, 2012
Jan 25
5:53
PM ET
By
Jane McManus | ESPNNewYork.com
As if seeing your own NFL season crash and burn in a dysfunctional heap on New Year's Day wasn't hard enough, you have not seen the end of your misfortune this season.
It's going to be a rough two weeks.
Click here to read the complete letter.
Woody: Too much pressure on Schotty
January, 19, 2012
Jan 19
5:42
PM ET
By
Rich Cimini | ESPNNewYork.com
Owner Woody Johnson met with the beat writers for 30 minutes Thursday to discuss the disappointing season and the extraordinary fallout. We met in a conference room at the Jets' facility, sitting around a fancy wooden table that appeared to be longer than the Jets' longest pass play from the season.
Let's touch on a few topics that didn't make it into the main news story:
SCHOTTY'S EXIT: Johnson, echoing Rex Ryan, said it was a "mutual" decision to part with offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer.
"Brian felt he wanted a fresh start and I don't disagree," Johnson said. "He had a lot of pressure on him and there was almost no way he felt he could perform up to what the expectations were. This a tough place to play in New York."
I'm sure that didn't come out right. It doesn't sound like Schottenheimer, who is fiercely competitive.
QB TALK: Johnson was asked point blank if he still considers Mark Sanchez their franchise quarterback, and he began with, "I have a lot of confidence in Mark Sanchez ..." I remember Johnson saying the same thing about Chad Pennington in 2008, and he went out and traded for Brett Favre.
Johnson gave a positive assessment of Sanchez, saying all the right things. I asked him if he could say, with 100-percent certainty, that Sanchez will be the starter in 2012.
"Well, there's no such thing as 100 percent," Johnson said.
"Barring injury," I said.
"Barring whatever, yes," he replied.
Could Peyton Manning be "whatever"? Hmm.
QB-FRIENDLY OFFENSE: Johnson made another interesting comment on Sanchez. He said, "We’re going to try to make the offense maybe a little more suitable for what Mark’s development is." They hired a coordinator, Tony Sparano, who likes to run the ball. If that's what he means as "suitable," it tells me a lot about what they think of Sanchez and his ability to operate a passing attack. Two words: Game manager.
MANNING SPECULATION: Johnson was asked about Manning, and he dodged the question, refusing the squash the Peyton chatter. Later, I asked him (without mentioning Manning by name) if he'd try to acquire a star quarterback if the opportunity presented itself.
"With Mark, you have a 25-year-old quarterback that you can develop," Johnson said. "You can have a quarterback for 10 years with a guy like this. These guys aren’t available every day. We have a lot of confidence in Mark and we think that he is our guy. I think we are blessed that we have a guy that can climb the ladder and can get a lot better. He can do everything. He has the work ethic. He has all the ingredients in place to be a great quarterback."
RANDOM THOUGHT: Funny, at one point during the interview, I remember thinking to myself that Santonio Holmes has a better chance of starting for the Jets in 2012 than Sanchez.
BIG BLUE BLUES: Remember the mini-controversy at the Jets-Giants game on Christmas Eve, when the Jets tried to cover the Giants' Super Bowl logos outside their locker room? That really ticked off the Giants, but Johnson said the Jets -- as the home team -- were within their rights to cover the logos.
"Look, we played 30 years at Giants Stadium," he said. "Part of the reason we built this stadium is we didn’t want another team’s name on it. That’s clearly part of all the documents and all of it. I didn’t think it was any big deal. That’s what we do at every game."
RANDOM THOUGHT II: Johnson used the word "toxic" or "toxicity" a total of five times. He also used the word "alchemy." Felt like I was sitting in chemistry class again.
Let's touch on a few topics that didn't make it into the main news story:
SCHOTTY'S EXIT: Johnson, echoing Rex Ryan, said it was a "mutual" decision to part with offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer.
"Brian felt he wanted a fresh start and I don't disagree," Johnson said. "He had a lot of pressure on him and there was almost no way he felt he could perform up to what the expectations were. This a tough place to play in New York."
I'm sure that didn't come out right. It doesn't sound like Schottenheimer, who is fiercely competitive.
QB TALK: Johnson was asked point blank if he still considers Mark Sanchez their franchise quarterback, and he began with, "I have a lot of confidence in Mark Sanchez ..." I remember Johnson saying the same thing about Chad Pennington in 2008, and he went out and traded for Brett Favre.
Johnson gave a positive assessment of Sanchez, saying all the right things. I asked him if he could say, with 100-percent certainty, that Sanchez will be the starter in 2012.
"Well, there's no such thing as 100 percent," Johnson said.
"Barring injury," I said.
"Barring whatever, yes," he replied.
Could Peyton Manning be "whatever"? Hmm.
QB-FRIENDLY OFFENSE: Johnson made another interesting comment on Sanchez. He said, "We’re going to try to make the offense maybe a little more suitable for what Mark’s development is." They hired a coordinator, Tony Sparano, who likes to run the ball. If that's what he means as "suitable," it tells me a lot about what they think of Sanchez and his ability to operate a passing attack. Two words: Game manager.
MANNING SPECULATION: Johnson was asked about Manning, and he dodged the question, refusing the squash the Peyton chatter. Later, I asked him (without mentioning Manning by name) if he'd try to acquire a star quarterback if the opportunity presented itself.
"With Mark, you have a 25-year-old quarterback that you can develop," Johnson said. "You can have a quarterback for 10 years with a guy like this. These guys aren’t available every day. We have a lot of confidence in Mark and we think that he is our guy. I think we are blessed that we have a guy that can climb the ladder and can get a lot better. He can do everything. He has the work ethic. He has all the ingredients in place to be a great quarterback."
RANDOM THOUGHT: Funny, at one point during the interview, I remember thinking to myself that Santonio Holmes has a better chance of starting for the Jets in 2012 than Sanchez.
BIG BLUE BLUES: Remember the mini-controversy at the Jets-Giants game on Christmas Eve, when the Jets tried to cover the Giants' Super Bowl logos outside their locker room? That really ticked off the Giants, but Johnson said the Jets -- as the home team -- were within their rights to cover the logos.
"Look, we played 30 years at Giants Stadium," he said. "Part of the reason we built this stadium is we didn’t want another team’s name on it. That’s clearly part of all the documents and all of it. I didn’t think it was any big deal. That’s what we do at every game."
RANDOM THOUGHT II: Johnson used the word "toxic" or "toxicity" a total of five times. He also used the word "alchemy." Felt like I was sitting in chemistry class again.
Eli entertains idea of Peyton as a neighbor
January, 16, 2012
Jan 16
9:36
PM ET
By
Ohm Youngmisuk | ESPNNewYork.com
The idea of sharing New York/New Jersey with his older brother, Peyton -- perhaps even becoming neighbors -- is an intriguing scenario to Giants quarterback Eli Manning, even if he doesn't know if it would ever happen.
"Yeah, it would be fun," Manning joked on Monday, during his his weekly spot on ESPN New York 1050 radio. "We could probably commute to work maybe. We could come home, eat dinner together, have the kids playing ..."
Listen to the complete interview: 
"Exactly. Twin beds," Manning said. "We can share notes on opponents and watch some film together."
When asked if Peyton Manning would be coming to Eli's town if such a scenario were to take place, Manning replied with a laugh, "That's right. That's right.”
On a serious note, Eli made it clear that he doesn't know if Peyton would ever end up as a New York Jet, and that he wasn't campaigning for it to happen.
"I don't know what is going to happen in that situation,” Manning said. "Would it be fun? Yeah, I think it would be interesting to have your brother in the same city playing football together.
AP Photo/Marco GarciaWill Peyton Manning (left) leave Indianapolis? The rumor mill has been working overtime.
Manning, who will play in the NFC Championship Game against San Francisco and hopes to extend the finest season of his career, talked about the lofty expectations set for him because he shares a last name with Peyton, a four-time MVP.
“Maybe just because Peyton had a six-year head start on me," Eli said. "All of a sudden, his second year he got into playing in a high level, playing great football, and they were going to playoffs and making it to second and third round several times.
"All of the sudden people expect, 'Well, hey, here comes little brother.' and they are expecting the same thing to happen. He is going to automatically have immediate success and he is going to be in the playoffs every year.
"My first year starting, my second year in the NFL, we did make the playoffs," he continued. "Was I playing perfect football? No. But I was competing and learning and getting reps, and it is a process. I kept working on my craft and getting better and eventually it is coming around. You never know how long it is going to take."
Tisch: Jets win was like 'mini Super Bowl'
January, 13, 2012
Jan 13
3:46
PM ET
By Mike Mazzeo | ESPNNewYork.com
Giants co-owner Steve Tisch believes a 29-14 victory over the Jets in Week 16 galvanized his team and changed the course of the season.
"It was kind of like a mini Super Bowl and it was a very important game," Tisch told reporters Friday. "There was a lot more at stake than just a regular-season game against the Jets. New York City, pride, Jets fans, Giants fans, two different cultures, two different mythologies.
"It was their home game so it added just an extra level of 'We did it, we're good, we're moving on, let's go.'"
The Giants had lost five of their previous six heading into that game, but will take a three-game winning streak into their NFC divisional playoff matchup with the 15-1 Packers on Sunday in Green Bay.
Tisch wasn’t about to revel in the fact that the Jets missed out on the postseason.
"No, the Jets aren't the enemy," Tisch said. "We're partners in this stadium, we are co-hosting a Super Bowl in 2014, we both have great football teams, great coaching, great players. A fan base that is divided amongst Jets fans and Giants fans. They're our partners, not our enemies.
"I'm thrilled where we are right now, where we find ourselves on the eve of traveling to Green Bay. The other seven teams that are in the playoffs this weekend, I'm very happy for. It's going to be great. This is a great weekend for football fans and for football players and for the eight teams at this stage of the playoffs. And I'm thrilled for those of us that get to play this weekend."
Tisch sees a lot of similarities in this team and the one that shocked the world and won the franchise's third Super Bowl title in 2007.
"I do because it's the same leadership," he said. "I think coach [Tom] Coughlin has prepared this team for the Packers game. I can't talk about [it] beyond the Packers because I just don't want to go there, but I think we're ready for Green Bay Sunday afternoon and this is a very well-coached, well-prepared, very focused, extremely united team."
He didn't forget about quarterback Eli Manning, who broke the NFL record for fourth-quarter touchdown passes (15) and threw for the sixth-most yards in league history (4,933) during the regular season. He also has a Super Bowl MVP on his résumé, which doesn't hurt.
"I have tremendous confidence in Eli, week in, week out," Tisch said. "Preseason, regular season, postseason. Knowing Eli does have the experience and that Eli has a great capacity to not get frustrated and to not get flustered, and we've seen that for the last couple seasons. How focused he is.
"He's finding his receivers and he's playing with a tremendous level of confidence. I'm thrilled that he’s our guy and that he's our quarterback and he's taken us into the playoffs this weekend, and hopefully beyond."
"It was kind of like a mini Super Bowl and it was a very important game," Tisch told reporters Friday. "There was a lot more at stake than just a regular-season game against the Jets. New York City, pride, Jets fans, Giants fans, two different cultures, two different mythologies.
"It was their home game so it added just an extra level of 'We did it, we're good, we're moving on, let's go.'"
The Giants had lost five of their previous six heading into that game, but will take a three-game winning streak into their NFC divisional playoff matchup with the 15-1 Packers on Sunday in Green Bay.
Tisch wasn’t about to revel in the fact that the Jets missed out on the postseason.
"No, the Jets aren't the enemy," Tisch said. "We're partners in this stadium, we are co-hosting a Super Bowl in 2014, we both have great football teams, great coaching, great players. A fan base that is divided amongst Jets fans and Giants fans. They're our partners, not our enemies.
"I'm thrilled where we are right now, where we find ourselves on the eve of traveling to Green Bay. The other seven teams that are in the playoffs this weekend, I'm very happy for. It's going to be great. This is a great weekend for football fans and for football players and for the eight teams at this stage of the playoffs. And I'm thrilled for those of us that get to play this weekend."
Tisch sees a lot of similarities in this team and the one that shocked the world and won the franchise's third Super Bowl title in 2007.
"I do because it's the same leadership," he said. "I think coach [Tom] Coughlin has prepared this team for the Packers game. I can't talk about [it] beyond the Packers because I just don't want to go there, but I think we're ready for Green Bay Sunday afternoon and this is a very well-coached, well-prepared, very focused, extremely united team."
He didn't forget about quarterback Eli Manning, who broke the NFL record for fourth-quarter touchdown passes (15) and threw for the sixth-most yards in league history (4,933) during the regular season. He also has a Super Bowl MVP on his résumé, which doesn't hurt.
"I have tremendous confidence in Eli, week in, week out," Tisch said. "Preseason, regular season, postseason. Knowing Eli does have the experience and that Eli has a great capacity to not get frustrated and to not get flustered, and we've seen that for the last couple seasons. How focused he is.
"He's finding his receivers and he's playing with a tremendous level of confidence. I'm thrilled that he’s our guy and that he's our quarterback and he's taken us into the playoffs this weekend, and hopefully beyond."
Jets O-line not holding up lately
December, 26, 2011
12/26/11
5:02
PM ET
By Matt Ehalt | ESPNNewYork.com
The Jets offensive line isn't holding up under pressure.
As the Jets have made their playoff push in the last three weeks, the Jets offensive line has been far from steady, yielding 12 sacks in the last three games. That included the Giants sacking quarterback Mark Sanchez five times in Saturday's game, tied for the most sacks allowed by the Jets this season.
In the last two weeks, the Jets have now allowed nine sacks to the Eagles and Giants, the most in a two-game stretch by an opponent this season. Prior to this three-game stretch, the Jets didn't allow a sack in back-to-back games.
"When you look at the Eagles and the Giants, both those teams did a tremendous job rushing the passer in the game," Jets head coach Rex Ryan said. "Going into it, they're some of the best pass-rushing groups in the league and they proved it against us. They were putting pressure on us and I think that sometimes makes it difficult."
When evaluating the tape from Saturday, Ryan and offensive guard Matt Slauson pointed to the score in the second half as a big reason why the Giants were able to have their success against the Jets' front five.
The starting line did a great job in the first half of keeping quarterback Sanchez clean, allowing just one sack on the next-to-last play of the half. The Jets led for nearly the entire half, ultimately trailing 10-7 after two quarters, and ran the ball 13 times for 47 yards.
In the second half, though, as the Jets found themselves trailing the entire time and were down double digits at the beginning the fourth quarter, the team simply became fixated on the pass. The Jets threw the ball on 31 of their 47 plays and only handed the ball off nine times.
By not having to respect the running game, the Giants' pass rush found its spots and came up with some key sacks that prevented the Jets from getting into any type of offensive rhythm as they tried to mount a comeback.
Jason Pierre-Paul, Dave Tollefson, Chris Canty and Justin Tuck each recorded a sack in the second half. Canty's sack of Sanchez that resulted in a safety ultimately ended any chance the Jets had of a comeback by giving the Giants a 22-14 lead and the Giants scored on the ensuing drive to ice the game.
Ryan said the Giants put a tremendous amount of pressure on Sanchez during the game and did a great job mixing it up. Coming into Saturday's game, the Giants had just six sacks in their last three games.
"When teams are able to just tee off on you and you're playing from behind, look at the stats throughout the league, that when you're trailing in the fourth quarter of games, that's when you get more sacks and more turnovers and all that kind of stuff and that kind of plays out," Ryan said. "On Saturday, that's kind of how it played out."
As the Jets have made their playoff push in the last three weeks, the Jets offensive line has been far from steady, yielding 12 sacks in the last three games. That included the Giants sacking quarterback Mark Sanchez five times in Saturday's game, tied for the most sacks allowed by the Jets this season.
In the last two weeks, the Jets have now allowed nine sacks to the Eagles and Giants, the most in a two-game stretch by an opponent this season. Prior to this three-game stretch, the Jets didn't allow a sack in back-to-back games.
"When you look at the Eagles and the Giants, both those teams did a tremendous job rushing the passer in the game," Jets head coach Rex Ryan said. "Going into it, they're some of the best pass-rushing groups in the league and they proved it against us. They were putting pressure on us and I think that sometimes makes it difficult."
When evaluating the tape from Saturday, Ryan and offensive guard Matt Slauson pointed to the score in the second half as a big reason why the Giants were able to have their success against the Jets' front five.
The starting line did a great job in the first half of keeping quarterback Sanchez clean, allowing just one sack on the next-to-last play of the half. The Jets led for nearly the entire half, ultimately trailing 10-7 after two quarters, and ran the ball 13 times for 47 yards.
In the second half, though, as the Jets found themselves trailing the entire time and were down double digits at the beginning the fourth quarter, the team simply became fixated on the pass. The Jets threw the ball on 31 of their 47 plays and only handed the ball off nine times.
By not having to respect the running game, the Giants' pass rush found its spots and came up with some key sacks that prevented the Jets from getting into any type of offensive rhythm as they tried to mount a comeback.
Jason Pierre-Paul, Dave Tollefson, Chris Canty and Justin Tuck each recorded a sack in the second half. Canty's sack of Sanchez that resulted in a safety ultimately ended any chance the Jets had of a comeback by giving the Giants a 22-14 lead and the Giants scored on the ensuing drive to ice the game.
Ryan said the Giants put a tremendous amount of pressure on Sanchez during the game and did a great job mixing it up. Coming into Saturday's game, the Giants had just six sacks in their last three games.
"When teams are able to just tee off on you and you're playing from behind, look at the stats throughout the league, that when you're trailing in the fourth quarter of games, that's when you get more sacks and more turnovers and all that kind of stuff and that kind of plays out," Ryan said. "On Saturday, that's kind of how it played out."
Andrew Mills/US PresswireThe Giants swiped the momentum on Victor Cruz's 99-yard touchdown.The Jets didn't have Revis line up across from Cruz much during their 29-14 loss to the Giants on Saturday, but it doesn't matter.
Revis and everyone else in green surely knows Cruz by now.
He's the receiver who gashed the Jets for a 99-yard touchdown, giving the Giants a lead they never gave up and eventually setting off chants of "Gi-ants Sta-dium!" at MetLife Stadium as both sets of hometown fans filed out early to get home in time for Christmas Eve dinner.
The Jets were left to wrestle with what a compact, young and talkative receiver could mean to their postseason chances. "He backed up every word he said this week," Jets running back LaDainian Tomlinson said of Cruz.
Even Revis, who gave Cruz his due, was left to look back at the first two seasons of the Rex Ryan era, when the Jets seemed to rise to the occasion when their backs were to the wall.
"We've got to get back to playing great football like we did in the past," Revis said. "The two AFC championship berths, we got to get back to that."
Instead, the road to the playoffs looks as clear as an NFL parking lot after a day of tailgating.
The Jets will need losses from the Bengals, the Titans and either the Raiders or Broncos in order to reach the playoffs. That's a lot of help, and although the Jets reached the 2009 postseason with help, linebacker Bart Scott said they can't always expect that to work.
"You can't keep playing Russian Roulette," Scott said. "When you keep playing that way and not taking care of business, that's what you have to deal with."
And even if they can get there, will they be strong enough to do anything?
"Other teams are getting better by the minute, so we better figure it out quick," Scott said.
Kyle Wilson was the Jets cornerback who initially missed Cruz as he took a short pass from Eli Manning at the 10 yard-line. Antonio Cromartie pulled off of his man to help, but Cruz made a quick step to elude both corners.
"I just anticipated him cutting back in. Still, I've got to make that," said Wilson, who was often matched up with the slot receiver in coverage. He added there was "some miscommunication on who was going to end up where."
Safety Eric Smith tried to catch up, but Cruz hurdled as Smith lunged, and Donald Strickland and Brodney Pool followed as Cruz raced into the end zone for a 10-7 lead with 2:12 left in the second quarter.
"They saw that we were rolling the coverage the other way and they just made a good call right there," Pool said.
Jets coach Rex Ryan told the team in the locker room that it was just one play and they should shake it off. "If we tackle, they probably don't score in the first half," Smith said.
But the second half didn't get much better. Cruz had a 36-yard catch with 1:12 left in the third quarter, and there was little offense generated by quarterback Mark Sanchez and his crew.
"This is a team sport and we've been struggling as a team the whole year," Revis said. "It's been up and down. The offense may show up one week, the next week the defense may show up, the week after that special teams may show up. It's been really rough this year for us."
And Christmas Eve didn't go the way the defense hoped it would.
"We had five different ways to win the game there in the end," Scott said. "and we figured out a way to lose it."
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