NEW YORK JETS DAILY CLIPS

December 10, 2015

1 | P a g e

Table of Contents

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

TTYL: Texts, videos key to chemistry for Jets' Fitzpatrick (Dennis Waszak) .............................................................. 2

Jets' Revis (concussion) rejoins team at practice (Dennis Waszak) ........................................................................... 3

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

Ryan Fitzpatrick, Brandon Marshall communicate well (Kimberley A. Martin) ........................................................ 4

Darrelle Revis (concussion) not cleared to return yet (Kimberley A. Martin) ........................................................... 5

Bill Parcells texts warning for Jets coach Todd Bowles (Bob Glauber) ...................................................................... 6

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

Jets could see what they missed out on in Mariota (J.P. Pelzman) ........................................................................... 7

Jets notes: ‘Encouraging’ step for Darrelle Revis (J.P. Pelzman) ............................................................................... 9

ESPN NEW YORK .................................................................................................................................................... 9

Jets' Brandon Marshall: Ryan Fitzpatrick is relentless at texting (Ohm Youngmisuk) ............................................... 9

Darrelle Revis does some running but remains in protocol (Oh Youngmisuk) ........................................................ 10

Todd Bowles receives coaching tips from Bill Parcells via text message (Rich Cimini) ........................................... 11

Rookie QB Marcus Mariota is the real deal; Tennessee Titans are real bad (Rich Cimini) ...................................... 12

Apologetic Willie Colon says look from Todd Bowles 'pierced my soul' (Rich Cimini) ............................................ 13

Damon Harrison highlights New York Jets' undrafted free agents (Rich Cimini) .................................................... 14

NEW YORK POST .................................................................................................................................................. 14

The anti-Johnny Manziel: How Marcus Mariota can light up Jets (Steve Serby) .................................................... 14

Bill Parcells’ advice that Todd Bowles won’t let Jets forget (Brian Costello) .......................................................... 16

A welcome sight at Jets practice: Darrelle Revis (Brian Costello) ........................................................................... 17

NJ ADVANCE MEDIA ............................................................................................................................................ 18

Ryan Fitzpatrick: Jets 'not a good enough team' to look at Sunday's game like everyone else does (Darryl Slater) ................................................................................................................................................................................. 18

How Ryan Fitzpatrick builds chemistry with Jets' receivers through his cell phone (Darryl Slater) ........................ 18

What did Bill Parcells tell Todd Bowles after Jets beat Giants? (Dom Cosentino) .................................................. 20

Todd Bowles: Barring setback, Darrelle Revis could play vs. Tennessee Titans | Jets injury report (Darryl Slater) 20

Brandon Marshall, Darrelle Revis, Mo Wilkerson | Where Jets rank in latest Pro Bowl voting (Darryl Slater) ...... 22

Darrelle Revis attends Jets practice for first time since sustaining concussion (Darryl Slater) ............................... 23

Jets' Antonio Cromartie on Ryan Fitzpatrick: 'Our leader' (Dom Cosentino) .......................................................... 23

NFL playoff scenarios: Here's how Jets' game vs. Tennessee Titans plays a huge role (Charles Curtis) ................. 24

Jets' Brandon Marshall named AFC Offensive Player of the Week for performance vs. Giants (Dom Cosentino) . 26

Daily Clips Cont.

2 | P a g e

Why Jets' Lorenzo Mauldin thinks he has found his rhythm late in rookie season (Darryl Slater) ......................... 26

Brandon Marshall says Jets players, coaches 'had tears in their eyes' after win over Giants (Darryl Slater) ......... 27

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS ...................................................................................................................................... 28

Jets offensive lineman James Carpenter is building Pro Bowl season (Manish Mehta) .......................................... 28

Jets coach Todd Bowles receives advice from Hall of Famer Bill Parcells (Seth Walder) ........................................ 29

Darrelle Revis at Jets practice, but doesn’t look like he will participate (Seth Walder) .......................................... 30

METRO NEW YORK .............................................................................................................................................. 31

Will Brandon Marshall complete the best season ever for a Jets wide receiver? (Kristian Dyer) ........................... 31

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

ASSOCIATED PRESS

TTYL: Texts, videos key to chemistry for Jets' Fitzpatrick (Dennis Waszak) Associated Press December 9, 2015

http://www.pro32.ap.org/article/ttyl-texts-videos-key-chemistry-jets-fitzpatrick

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — Ryan Fitzpatrick uses his phone to score some chemistry with his New York Jets teammates on and off the field.

LOL?

Nope, it's more than just silly emojis.

The veteran quarterback regularly sends text messages, videos, voice memos and emails to receivers Brandon Marshall, Eric Decker and just about every other playmaker on offense. It's all about game plans, game film and thoughts and suggestions for the upcoming week.

"He sends it to us in groups, individually, and it's constant," Marshall said Wednesday. "He's relentless."

It's also working for the Jets, who rank 10th in the NFL in offense behind a 33-year-old quarterback who is on pace for a record-breaking season. Fitzpatrick has thrown 22 touchdown passes, seven short of the franchise record held by Vinny Testaverde.

A big reason has been the communication he's established with guys like Marshall and Decker, who are also enjoying outstanding seasons. Marshall has 83 catches for 1,062 yards and 10 TDs, while Decker has caught 59 passes for 801 yards and eight scores.

"Right after the game, we start texting," Marshall said. "Monday is when we move to the next game, and he'll start sending over video messages with different looks, or he's asking me what I see or what I like.

"But 90 percent of it is what he likes, what he wants. He tells us what he wants us to do."

Fitzpatrick came to the Jets in the offseason in a trade from Houston, and was expected to be New York's backup. But projected starter Geno Smith had his jaw broken in training camp by a punch from linebacker Ikemefuna Enemkpali — and Fitzpatrick suddenly found himself as the No. 1 quarterback.

He spent the weeks leading up to the season opener cramming in time with the starters on offense, trying to learn their tendencies and going over film and game plans with them. Fitzpatrick also started using technology to his advantage.

Daily Clips Cont.

3 | P a g e

"That's what it's really about, is the communication," Marshall said. "The only way we're going to bridge the gap is by constantly being in communication. It's really what Ryan has done."

It's all something kind of new for Fitzpatrick, who joked about not being able to text anyone early in his career.

"Technology back in 2005 wasn't the same as it is today," said Fitzpatrick, a rookie with St. Louis then. "I used to send stuff on my beeper."

OMG. Remember those?

All kidding aside, Fitzpatrick has seen the advantages of being able to notice something he thinks can help the Jets and immediately connect with his receivers without a phone call or waiting until the next day to show them.

"That's something I've done more here than in other places," he said. "Part of it was just kind of our schedules. Part of it is just having some guys that really understand the game — and, from a simple clip, can really get on the same page with what I'm trying to get them to see. I send individual clips. I'll send to Brandon. If it's relevant to Deck, I'll send him some stuff."

Marshall has seen it before from other quarterbacks during his career, including Josh McCown in Chicago, and Chad Pennington and Chad Henne in Miami. But he has been impressed with the urgency and diligence with which Fitzpatrick has established himself as the team's leader and being sure everyone is on the same page.

"If it wasn't for him, no telling where we would be right now," Marshall said. "I'm really honored to play with him and really follow him. When you look back and you really study the game, it's the teams who really come together at the end of November, December. If we can stay on this road, there's no telling what happens."

Oh, and the offensive linemen aren't exempt from Fitzpatrick's messages, either.

"There is a great O-line group text," the quarterback said with a big smile. "But that's usually not about football. Yeah, I snuck my way into that one."

ROFL.

Back_to_Top

Jets' Revis (concussion) rejoins team at practice (Dennis Waszak) Associated Press December 9, 2015

http://www.pro32.ap.org/article/jets-revis-concussion-rejoins-team-practice

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — Darrelle Revis is making his way back to the field — slowly but surely.

The New York Jets cornerback rejoined his teammates Wednesday, attending practice for the first time since suffering a concussion on Nov. 22.

Revis, wearing a jersey but no helmet, stretched and then sat in the rehabilitation area during the early portion of practice open to the media. He did not participate in any drills, but coach Todd Bowles was happy to see Revis at least do some physical activity.

"He ran a little bit on the side," Bowles said. "So, that was encouraging."

Daily Clips Cont.

4 | P a g e

Revis was hurt during the Jets' 24-17 loss at Houston. He attended meetings last Friday for the first time since the injury after previously only coming to the facility to receive treatment before being sent home each day.

The star cornerback has missed two games while going through the NFL's concussion protocol, and it was uncertain if he'd be cleared in time to play against Tennessee on Sunday.

"I've got to see him run and he's got to do more practice in order for me to have a little more confidence," Bowles said.

Revis still needed to pass two more tests in the protocol before he can be cleared. The Titans are practicing as if Revis will be there in the Jets' secondary.

"We're planning on him playing, that's what we're doing," said Titans interim coach Mike Mularkey, whose team took the same approach with Jacksonville's Allen Hurns last week. "The plan is he's playing and we're prepping for that. (We have to) understand his ability and what he brings to that defense. He brings a lot more than just his talent outside there. We're planning on having him lining up out there."

Titans rookie quarterback Marcus Mariota was actually looking forward to potentially going up against one of the game's premier cornerbacks.

"Any athlete will tell you that they want to play and compete against the best," Mariota said. "If we get that opportunity on Sunday, I'll do my best to make plays and win the game."

Revis was walking around in the Jets' locker room after practice, but is not required to speak to the media while he's in the concussion protocol.

Marcus Williams, Revis' backup, also didn't practice while he recovers from a sprained knee that kept him out last Sunday against the Giants.

"He's going pretty good," Bowles said. "He did some running on the side today, too. We'll see later in the week if he can go out and practice."

Cornerback Antonio Cromartie (hip) and center Nick Mangold (hand) also sat out, but Bowles said it was just a "maintenance" day for them and they'll be fine.

Safety Dion Bailey (ankle) and linebacker Calvin Pace (abdomen) were limited.

Back_to_Top

NEWSDAY

Ryan Fitzpatrick, Brandon Marshall communicate well (Kimberley A. Martin) Newsday December 9, 2015

http://www.newsday.com/sports/football/jets/ryan-fitzpatrick-brandon-marshall-communicate-well-1.11212066

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — The messages come fast and furious — from Ryan Fitzpatrick’s fingertips to the cellphones of his offensive linemen and receivers.

“It’s constant,” Brandon Marshall said. “He’s relentless.”

There’s no mode of communication Fitzpatrick won’t use. Everything from emails, text messages and video chats are in play when the Jets’ quarterback has something to say. But the barrage of messages are

Daily Clips Cont.

5 | P a g e

anything but annoying, and they may be the key to understanding the bond between Fitzpatrick and Marshall, who have spent the past decade searching for the right NFL fit.

“If it wasn’t for him, man, there’s no telling where we’d be right now,” Marshall said of Fitzpatrick, who threw for a season-high 390 yards and two touchdowns for a 107.9 passer rating in Sunday’s 23-20 overtime victory over the Giants. “So, I’m really honored to play with him.”

And the feeling is mutual.

“He’s great,” Fitzpatrick said of his star receiver. “He’s a very easy guy to throw to, and part of it is his physicalness and part of it is just his smarts. He has great awareness out there.”

Between them, they’ve played 257 games for 10 different teams, six for Fitzpatrick. Neither has made the playoffs. But now, with Fitzpatrick leading the charge, the Jets are 7-5 and their postseason hopes are still alive.

“At a certain point in your career, if you’ve played long enough, you find a calm and peace within yourself,” coach Todd Bowles said of the pair. “You grow as a person. You understand what team is. You understand what winning is. I think those two hit it at the right time.”

Fitzpatrick, 33, was supposed to be the guy charged with helping to groom incumbent Geno Smith. But when IK Enemkpali’s punch broke Smith’s jaw in training camp, Fitzpatrick was tabbed to be the starter. He immediately went to work building a rapport with teammates, especially Marshall.

“[I] moved in with Geno. Then Ryan got the ball, moved in with Ryan,” Marshall joked, when asked how the two developed chemistry so quickly.

Truthfully, communication has been the key, Marshall said. Especially of late. Shortly after games, Fitzpatrick and his teammates start texting. By Monday, they’ve moved on to discussing the next opponent and Fitzpatrick has begun sending messages with video clips.

“Technology, back in 2005, wasn’t the same as it is today. I used to send stuff on my beeper,” Fitzpatrick joked. “I send individual clips [to Marshall and Eric Decker]. But there is a great o-line group text, but that’s usually not about football.”

Marshall said this was a common practice between him and his former quarterbacks — Chad Pennington, Chad Henne and Josh McCown. But something just feels different on the Jets, he said.

“The great teams really love each other and care about each other,” Marshall added. “Talent only takes you so far. And that’s what I love about this group right here. Not only in this locker room but all throughout this building. It’s the chemistry and the love.”

Off the field, the bearded quarterback and his rock star-styled receiver couldn’t be more different. But between the white lines, they’re similar “competitive-wise,” Bowles said.

“Fashion-wise,” he added, “I would say they differ quite a bit.”

Back_to_Top

Darrelle Revis (concussion) not cleared to return yet (Kimberley A. Martin) Newsday December 9, 2015

http://www.newsday.com/sports/football/jets/darrelle-revis-concussion-not-cleared-to-return-yet-1.11211840

Daily Clips Cont.

6 | P a g e

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Darrelle Revis (concussion) still has to pass two more tests before he can be cleared to play Sunday against the Titans, but the Jets have seen encouraging signs of progress.

The star cornerback was on the practice field Wednesday for the first time since suffering a concussion Nov. 22 in Houston. Revis, who missed the past two games, did light running off to the side but did not practice.

“If he doesn’t have any setbacks,” coach Todd Bowles said, “he’ll progress to the next day [in the concussion protocol]. He’ll do more. He’ll run around, and if he can do non-contact drills, we’ll see what the progression is from there. If he’s feeling good, he may be able to practice a little bit. If he’s not, he won’t.”

Marshall the man

Brandon Marshall is the first Jets receiver since 1990 (Al Toon) to be named AFC Offensive Player of the Week. He had 12 catches for 131 yards and a touchdown in the overtime win against the Giants. But there’s one accolade Marshall isn’t sure how to handle: being the first player to post at least 1,000 receiving yards in a season for four teams — the Broncos, Dolphins, Bears and Jets.

“A lot went into playing for four teams, so I didn’t know how to take it,” said Marshall, who leads the Jets with 1,062 receiving yards. “I don’t know how to process it. I don’t see the big deal, honestly. It’s 16 games. You should be able to reach 1,000 yards if you’re a good receiver.”

The team hopes Chaminade alumnus Mike Catapano (Lisfranc) won’t need surgery. The DE, a Bayville native, was placed on injured reserve Tuesday . . . CB Marcus Williams (MCL sprain) did not practice. Neither did CB Antonio Cromartie (hip) and C Nick Mangold (hand), who were given rest days. S Dion Bailey (ankle) and LB Calvin Pace (abdomen) were limited.

Back_to_Top

Bill Parcells texts warning for Jets coach Todd Bowles (Bob Glauber) Newsday December 9, 2015

http://www.newsday.com/sports/columnists/bob-glauber/bill-parcells-texts-warning-for-jets-coach-todd-bowles-1.11211796

FLORHAM PARK. N.J. — These are the games Bill Parcells worried about most. Just like the one his protege, Todd Bowles, now faces on Sunday.

It’s why Parcells fired off a text a few minutes after the Jets came back to beat the Giants, 23-20, reminding Bowles of what lies ahead for the Jets as they host the 3-9 Titans Sunday at MetLife Stadium.

It also may be why Bowles took the opportunity on Wednesday to have his players practice in pads, a rarity in today’s NFL.

“I got that text right after the game, so I understand what he’s saying,” Bowles said of Parcells after practice.

This is the classic trap game, and Bowles knows it. Beat the Giants in an emotion-packed win one week, and then host an awful team — at least record-wise — the following week. The Titans are that team, and Bowles clearly is taking a page from his mentor’s approach in these situations.

Parcells never worried about getting his team ready for a big game, whether it be against a divisional rival or, in the Jets’ case, against the team that shares a stadium and the New York market. It was the games

Daily Clips Cont.

7 | P a g e

that offered no obvious motivation — other than winning, of course — that concerned him most. And he made a point of being much more critical of his players in the run-up to that type of game.

He also indulged in his now famous motivational ploy of placing mousetraps in his players’ lockers as a warning about not taking any team — especially one with a losing record — lightly. When Parcells was the Cowboys’ coach in 2005, he had several mousetraps hanging in the locker room when his team reported for work a few days after a dramatic 21-20 road win in Philadelphia. The Cowboys were set to host the 4-5 Lions, and Parcells was concerned that his players might be too complacent.

Why the mousetraps?

“There might be mice in the building,” Parcells said. “I don’t want mice running under the secretaries.”

Eventually, Parcells fessed up. Sort of. “There are a lot of vehicles to teach with,” the coach said. “They don’t have to be all words and pictures.”

The Cowboys beat the Lions, 20-7, to improve to 7-3.

Familiar scenario, huh?

Bowles didn’t put mousetraps in the locker room on Wednesday, but he did put his players in pads for the first time in several weeks.

Message received.

“We’re not a good enough team to overlook anybody,” quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick said. “We’ve got to treat everyone like it’s the playoffs, we’re in the playoffs right now trying to win each week. I don’t think you’ll see, hear or feel that out of our team at all.”

That had better be the case if the Jets want to continue their push toward the playoffs. At 7-5, the Jets would be in the playoffs if the season ended today. But destiny is not completely in their control. For instance, if the Steelers and Chiefs, both of whom are 7-5, win the rest of their games, they would be in the playoffs as wild-card teams and the Jets would be out. Even if they ran the table the rest of the way.

Translation: No team, even a 3-9 team going nowhere, can be taken lightly.

“They’re all big wins,” Bowles said. “It doesn’t matter who we play. We know we have to go out and perform every week. Otherwise, we’ll be in a nail-biter every week. We don’t think it’s a trap game. We know they have a good team. They got a heck of a defense. They have a big offensive line, can run the ball. We have to take care of ourselves. If we don’t, we’re not going to win.”

A word of advice that Parcells would say at a time like this: Don’t eat the cheese.

Back_to_Top

THE RECORD

Jets could see what they missed out on in Mariota (J.P. Pelzman) The Record December 10, 2015

http://www.northjersey.com/sports/football/mariota-may-show-jets-what-was-lost-1.1471454

FLORHAM PARK – Exactly 52 weeks ago this upcoming Sunday, the Jets and Tennessee played a game that was meaningless from a playoff standpoint, as both teams entered with 2-11 records.

Daily Clips Cont.

8 | P a g e

But that contest had plenty of meaning for a certain someone living in Eugene, Ore., at that time. The Jets slogged their way to a 16-11 road victory that day, which helped move them away from the top two spots in the 2015 NFL Draft. A subsequent season-ending win over Miami placed the Jets in the No. 6 draft spot.

Meanwhile, the Titans lost out and finished with a 2-14 record, giving them the No. 2 slot in the first round and enabling them to draft Oregon standout quarterback Marcus Mariota.

Mariota has lived up to the hype thus far, and has a chance Sunday to show the Jets what they missed out on when Tennessee (3-9) visits MetLife Stadium.

Mariota, not surprisingly, isn’t approaching it that way.

"I had no idea where I was going to end up," he said when asked if he thought the Jets might have traded up to select him. "I was very fortunate to be picked by the Tennessee Titans and that’s all I could have ever asked for. I wasn’t sure where I was going, I had no idea. I’m just happy to be here and look forward to the future with this organization."

Mariota has 19 touchdown passes and nine interceptions in 10 games, having missed two contests, both of them Tennessee losses, after suffering a knee injury on a low hit in a loss to Miami on Oct. 18. His passer rating is 95.1, 12th-best in the NFL.

"He’s as good as advertised," said Jets coach Todd Bowles, who watched Mariota work out in Oregon before the draft. "He’s very smart; we know he can run. Obviously, he can throw in the pocket [even though] people said he couldn’t, but he can throw in the pocket and he can do a lot of things. He’s dangerous."

Mariota had an 87-yard touchdown run in a win over Jacksonville four days ago, the third-longest run by a quarterback in NFL history. Mariota accounted for 380 yards of total offense and four touchdowns in that victory, which snapped a three-game losing streak.

"He can run like a halfback," Bowles said. "He has a lot of poise. … You can’t pressure him and hurry him and make him panic. He doesn’t rush his throws. He can make [all] the throws. He waits until the last possible minute to run.

"His maturity as far as handling the game is outstanding," Bowles added.

Still, the Titans have struggled, while the Jets (7-5) are in playoff contention behind the veteran leadership of quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, who almost certainly wouldn’t be starting had the Jets been able to draft Mariota.

Fitzpatrick has 22 touchdown passes and is threatening the franchise record of 29 by Vinny Testaverde in 1998.

For now, not getting Mariota hasn’t hurt the win-now Jets.

"I haven’t really seen [Mariota] play at all," Fitzpatrick said, "but it’s impressive to come in as a rookie and have any sort of success."

"I understood it was going to be a process," said Mariota, who played on powerhouse teams in college before coming to the downtrodden Titans. "It does get frustrating and at times, it is tough, but it’s a part of it. You’ve got to handle adversity as it comes and understand that it’s going to make this entire team better moving forward.

"No matter what, you’ve just got to stick to the grind and don’t get flustered or don’t get down on yourself for what’s going on. Understand it’s a process and do your best to get better each and every single week."

Back_to_Top

Daily Clips Cont.

9 | P a g e

Jets notes: ‘Encouraging’ step for Darrelle Revis (J.P. Pelzman) The Record December 10, 2015

http://www.northjersey.com/sports/football/encouraging-step-for-revis-in-recovery-1.1471442

FLORHAM PARK – Jets star cornerback Darrelle Revis took another step Wednesday, albeit a small one, as he continues to recover from a concussion he suffered Nov. 22.

Revis didn't practice, but he attended a practice session for the first time since being injured. He stretched alongside his teammates without a helmet and then went to the rehab area. He didn't participate in any drills, however.

"He ran a little bit on the side," coach Todd Bowles said. "So, that was encouraging."

Revis had not been able to attend meetings until Friday, and he was on the sidelines in sweats during the win over the Giants on Sunday.

Bowles said Revis still is in the NFL's concussion protocol and must pass two more unspecified tests before being allowed to return to practice full time.

"I've got to see him run and he's got to do more practice in order for me to have a little more confidence," Bowles said when asked if he believes Revis will be able to return to action Sunday against visiting Tennessee.

Marcus Williams, Revis' backup, also sat out practice. He suffered a knee injury in a victory over Miami on Nov. 29 and missed the game against the Giants.

"He's going pretty good," Bowles said. "He did some running on the side, too. We'll see later in the week if he can go out and practice."

Buster Skrine started at cornerback in place of Revis and Williams against the Giants.

BRIEFS: CB Antonio Cromartie (hip) and C Nick Mangold (hand) also sat out practice Wednesday. However, Bowles said it was a "maintenance" day for both players. Both are expected to play against the Titans. … WR Brandon Marshall was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week. He had 12 catches for 131 yards and one touchdown in the comeback victory over the Giants. It is the first time a Jets wideout won the award in the regular season since Al Toon in 1990. Keyshawn Johnson was so honored during the 1998 playoffs.

Back_to_Top

ESPN NEW YORK

Jets' Brandon Marshall: Ryan Fitzpatrick is relentless at texting (Ohm Youngmisuk) ESPN New York December 9, 2015

http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/56913/brandon-marshall-ryan-fitzpatrick-is-relentless-at-texting

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. –- Ryan Fitzpatrick and Brandon Marshall might have to improve on their celebrations.

But the New York Jets quarterback and wide receiver have their texting game down pat.

Marshall said Fitzpatrick starts texting him after games and throughout the week and that has led to their rising chemistry.

Daily Clips Cont.

10 | P a g e

“Every form of communication that is out there, he uses,” Marshall said. “Whether it is voice memos, text messages, video chats, group texts, emails -- he sends it to us in groups and individually. It’s constant. He’s relentless.”

It’s worked, though, as evidenced by Marshall’s 12 receptions for 131 yards and jump-ball touchdown in the corner of the end zone to force overtime during the Jets’ 23-20 victory over the Giants. The week before, Marshall caught nine balls for 131 yards and two touchdowns.

“He’s a very easy guy to throw to, and part of it is his physicalness and part of it is just his smarts,” Fitzpatrick said. “He has great awareness out there and then the communication factor, it’s something we’ve talked about all year long, but especially the last few weeks, we’ve really been on the same page with the routes and the throws.”

Marshall said Fitzpatrick will send him video messages of different looks to study and ask what Marshall might see and like.

“Ninety-percent of it is what he likes or what he wants and tells us what he wants us to do,” Marshall said.

Ryan Fitzpatrick and Brandon Marshall have developed a good chemistry as the season has progressed. AP/Jeff Haynes

Marshall said former quarterbacks such as Chad Pennington and Chad Henne in Miami and Josh McCown in Chicago also stayed in constant contact throughout the week much like Fitzpatrick.

Fitzpatrick noted how technology has made things much easier to stay in touch with his receivers.

“Technology, back in 2005, wasn’t the same as it is today,” Fitzpatrick cracked. “I used to send stuff on my beeper. [Sending clips to receivers is] something I’ve done more here than in other places, and part of it was just kind of our schedules and the way we do things here. Part of it is just having some guys that really understand the game and from a simple clip, can really get on the same page with what I’m trying to get them to see.”

Fitzpatrick was asked if he group-texts Marshall and Eric Decker. The quarterback said he usually sends individual clips to each, but mentioned how he joined the Jets’ offensive line group text.

“There is a great O-line group text,” Fitzpatrick joked. “But that’s usually not about football. … I snuck my way into that one.”

Marshall says being in constant communication with Fitzpatrick has produced results. Perhaps they should start texting each other on how to celebrate, as Marshall said things got awkward after the Giants’ victory and the two ended up almost kind of spooning at the end.

“We sat there for a second,” Marshall said of the end, when Josh Brown missed a 48-yard field goal in overtime. “We didn’t get up and run on the field; we just hugged each other and he put me in this weird position. It was really awkward. I was like laying on top of him, so I tried to maneuver myself into a better position.”

“It was almost like me on top of him and he was on his back. It was weird.”

Back_to_Top

Darrelle Revis does some running but remains in protocol (Oh Youngmisuk) ESPN New York December 9, 2015

http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/56910/darrelle-revis-does-some-running-but-remains-in-protocol

Daily Clips Cont.

11 | P a g e

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. –- New York Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis did some running on the side but has yet to be cleared from his concussion to practice.

Revis remains in the concussion protocol after suffering a head injury during a 24-17 loss at the Houston Texans on Nov. 22. He has missed the past two games against the Miami Dolphins and the New York Giants.

Darrelle Revis has been sidelined since suffering a concussion against the Texans on Nov. 22. AP Photo/Julio Cortez

Head coach Todd Bowles said the cornerback still has to pass two more tests to be cleared to practice. Bowles also said those tests will not take place before Thursday’s practice.

However, the mere sight of Revis doing some running is an encouraging sign.

“I got to see him run,” Bowles said when asked how confident he is in whether Revis can play Sunday against Tennessee. “He has got to do more practice in order for me to have a little more confidence in him.”

Bowles said the team wants to see how Revis feels each day before moving forward.

“If he doesn’t have any setbacks and is cleared yes,” Bowles said if Revis can play on Sunday. “He will do more tomorrow. He ran around today. He will run around tomorrow. And if he can do non-contact drills, we will see what the progression is from there. If he is feeling good, he may be able to practice. If not, he won’t.”

Back_to_Top

Todd Bowles receives coaching tips from Bill Parcells via text message (Rich Cimini) ESPN New York December 9, 2015

http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/56909/todd-bowles-receives-coaching-tips-from-bill-parcells-via-text-message

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- New York Jets coach Todd Bowles receives a text message after every game from Hall of Fame coach Bill Parcells, one of his mentors. Most of them are nuggets of coaching advice. Even from a distance, Parcells has the unique ability to read a situation. What he read last Sunday about the Jets resulted in the following text to Bowles:

"Everybody is talking playoffs. Just coach the team and worry about the next game."

After maintaining their postseason hopes with an emotional victory over the New York Giants, the Jets (7-5) find themselves in a potentially dangerous situation -- a classic trap game. The Tennessee Titans (3-9) are coming to town, so there's always the possibility of a letdown.

Bowles' challenge this week is to make sure his team plays with the same intensity it showed during the final 17 minutes against the Giants. That, in essence, was Parcells' message.

"I got that text right after the game," Bowles said Wednesday. "I understand what he's saying. To a point, you buy it, but you have to be consistent with your team. You have to do the same things you've been doing. You don't look at it as a trap game. You look at it as the next game."

Suffice it to say Bowles won't hang mouse traps from the ceiling in the locker room, as Parcells did a couple of times in his coaching career. Every coach has his own style. Bowles isn't a gadget kind of guy, which explains his every-week-is-the-same approach.

Daily Clips Cont.

12 | P a g e

Nevertheless, he appreciated Parcells' "words of wisdom," as he described the texts. During the Jets' 1-4 slump, his text from Parcells went something like: "Nobody remembers midseason losses. It's how you finish."

The Jets have won two straight, so they have a chance to finish well, maybe claim their first playoff berth since 2010. In the meantime, the texts will continue.

"He's not the only one, but it means a lot," Bowles said of Parcells. "Coach [Bruce] Arians reaches out as well. He does a good job talking to me, just keeping me grounded."

Back_to_Top

Rookie QB Marcus Mariota is the real deal; Tennessee Titans are real bad (Rich Cimini) ESPN New York December 9, 2015

http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/56884/rookie-qb-marcus-mariota-the-real-deal-tennessee-titans-real-bad

Ten things to know about the Tennessee Titans (3-9), the New York Jets' next opponent:

1. It has been another painful year in Nashville. Let's sum up the Titans' season this way (in no particular order): Six-game losing streak. Three-game losing streak. Coach fired. Marcus Mariota, savior.

2. Ken Whisenhunt, handed a terrible roster, was the scapegoat for a 1-6 start. He was fired on Nov. 3, replaced by offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey on an interim basis. Mularkey is 2-3 and hopes to get the full-time gig, but there's little chance of that happening. The front office already is performing due diligence on potential head-coaching candidates.

3. The Titans snapped an 11-game home losing streak last week with a 42-39 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, so they'll be coming to MetLife Stadium in a positive frame of mind. They haven't won back-to-back games since Dec. 22 and Dec. 29, 2013, so it'll be a big step if they can beat the Jets.

Marcus Mariota has shown he's plenty able to adapt to a pro-style offense, with 19 touchdown passes and only nine interceptions. Andy Lyons/Getty Images

4. Mariota, the second overall pick, has lived up to the hype. He's a smart, tough and athletic, with the ability to make plays inside and outside the pocket. His signature moment came in last week's win, when he beat a blitz and ran for an 87-yard touchdown -- the third-longest run in NFL history by a quarterback. He became the first player in history to pass for 250 yards and three touchdowns and rush for 100 yards in a single game. He accounted for four touchdowns, joining Fran Tarkenton (1961) as the only rookies since 1960 to have three four-touchdown games. Dude can play.

5. Mariota's rise has coincided with Mularkey's promotion. Since Week 9, Mariota's Total QBR is 81.6, second-best in the league. The only player with a better QBR over that span is Cam Newton (82.1), and he just might be the MVP of the league. All told, Mariota has 19 touchdown passes and only nine interceptions in 10 starts; he missed two games due to knee and ankle injuries. Remember all the talk before the draft about whether he could adapt to a pro-style offense? He seems to be managing nicely.

6. There's a stark contrast between the Titans' tight ends and those of the Jets, and that's an understatement. Led by Delanie Walker (67 catches for 800 yards), the Titans lead the league with 104 receptions by tight ends. The Jets are at the bottom with only seven. Walker isn't a conventional tight end in that he often lines up in the slot.

7. The Jets will be facing a Beckham for the second week in a row. This time, it's rookie wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham (no relation to Odell). It has been an inconsistent year for DGB, a second-round

Daily Clips Cont.

13 | P a g e

pick who didn't play his final season in college due to off-the-field issues. He was dismissed by Missouri and transferred to Oklahoma, but never played. He's a talent, though. He's 6-foot-5 and he can fly. He's coming off his best game -- five catches for 119 yards and a touchdown.

8. It would be a mistake to sleep on the Titans defense. The unit is coached by legendary defensive mind Dick LeBeau, known as the creator of the zone blitz. Not surprisingly, the Titans have blitzed on 185 snaps, the fifth-highest total in the league, according to ESPN Stats & Information. Led by defensive end Jurrell Casey and outside linebacker Brian Orakpo, they're ranked eighth in yards per game and 21st in scoring defense. Their Achilles' heel is the red zone (65 percent), where they rank 29th. They got lit up last week by Blake Bortles, who threw five touchdowns.

9. The Titans have invested a lot of resources in their offensive line, including two first-round picks (left tackle Taylor Lewan and right guard Chance Warmack). It hasn't help their running game much, though. Their most dangerous threat is Mariota.

10. New Jersey-born rock star Jon Bon Jovi tweeted there's no truth to the rumor that he's interested in buying the Titans. Indeed, Bon Jovi doesn't seem like a Nashville kind of guy. He's rock, not country.

Back_to_Top

Apologetic Willie Colon says look from Todd Bowles 'pierced my soul' (Rich Cimini) ESPN New York December 9, 2015

http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/56897/apologetic-willie-colon-says-look-from-todd-bowles-pierced-my-soul

New York Jets guard Willie Colon apologized for the most bizarre penalty of the season -- his unsportsmanlike-conduct flag in Sunday's win over the New York Giants. It was bizarre because Colon wasn't in uniform. He's on injured reserve, so he was on the sideline in street clothes.

Nevertheless, Colon stepped outside the sideline players' box to bark a few harsh words in the direction of Giants corner Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, who came flying into the sideline while covering an Eric Decker reception.

"When that play happened, me and [Rodgers-Cromartie] kind of got in a verbal back-and-forth, if you will," Colon said Tuesday on SNY's "Daily News Live" show. "Decker beat him on the play. He came to me. I've never [been one] to back down. I had some un-Christian-like words to say back. The ref saw it."

The Jets were driving at the time of the penalty. Fortunately for Colon, the offense restarted and scored on a screen pass to Bilal Powell.

"At the end of the day, I'm not there to be a distraction or to hurt my team, and I did, so I feel horrible about that," Colon said. "That'll be the last incident you see from me."

Coach Todd Bowles wasn't happy, to say the least.

"The look that man gave me, it pierced my soul," Colon said. "Coach, I'm sorry. My team, I'm sorry. And it won't happen again."

Before the season, Colon promised himself he'd cut down on his penalties. He was a highly penalized player in 2013 and 2014 and he knew Bowles wouldn't tolerate a flag-filled season. He succeeded, committing only one penalty in six games before landing on the injured reserve list with a bum knee.

That's what made Sunday ironic. And bizarre.

Back_to_Top

Daily Clips Cont.

14 | P a g e

Damon Harrison highlights New York Jets' undrafted free agents (Rich Cimini) ESPN New York December 9, 2015

http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/56859/damon-harrison-highlights-new-york-jets-undrafted-free-agents

Undrafted free agents: Dion Bailey, S; Deion Barnes, LB; Jeff Cumberland, TE; Leger Douzable, DE; Damon Harrison, NT; Julian Howsare, FB/LB; Taiwan Jones, LB; Jamari Lattimore, LB; Josh Martin, LB; Ronald Martin, S; Rontez Miles, S; Lawrence Okoye, OT; Chris Owusu, WR; Tanner Purdum, LS; Ryan Quigley, P; Brent Qvale, OL; Wes Saxton, TE; Kevin Short, CB; Julian Stanford, LB; Zach Sudfeld, TE; Kenbrell Thompkins; WR; Darrin Walls, CB; Marcus Williams, CB

Starts: Damon Harrison (12), Jeff Cumberland (6), Marcus Williams (3), Leger Douzable (2), Chris Owusu (2), Rontez Miles (1), Dion Bailey (1), Brent Qvale (1), Kenbrell Thompkins (1)

Highlights: Damon Harrison is the cream of this crop -- no question. Signed out of William Penn, an NAIA school in Iowa, Harrison developed quickly and became a starter in his second season (2013). He hasn't lost the job and has emerged as one of the best run-stuffing interior linemen in the league. Nicknamed "Big Snacks," Harrison is enjoying his best season and should fare nicely in his first crack at unrestricted free agency -- if he hits the open market. The Jets will make a bid to keep him. ... Williams, signed out of North Dakota State by the Houston Texans, also has a bright future. He leads the team with five interceptions, despite having played only 240 defensive snaps. Right now, he is the No. 4 corner, but he could move into a more prominent role next season, depending on Antonio Cromartie, who could be a cap casualty. Williams doesn't have blazing speed, but he is smart and instinctive and has become a favorite of the new coaching staff. ... Cumberland began the season as a three-year starter, but his playing time has slowly decreased. He played only two offensive snaps in last week's win. ... Douzable and Miles are useful backups. Miles made the biggest defensive play last week by intercepting Eli Manning at the goal line to spark a come-from-behind win over the New York Giants.

Back_to_Top

NEW YORK POST

The anti-Johnny Manziel: How Marcus Mariota can light up Jets (Steve Serby) New York Post December 9, 2015

http://nypost.com/2015/12/09/the-anti-johnny-manziel-how-marcus-mariota-can-light-up-jets/

The quickest way for the Jets to come down off cloud nine is to turn on the tape and watch Marcus Mariota play quarterback.

Many experts thought the Titans rookie — who visits MetLife on Sunday — would struggle making the transition to a pro-style system, and they thought wrong.

Dream kid, dream franchise quarterback.

“The biggest thing is you want to contain him, make him be a pocket passer, he can be deadly getting outside the pocket making plays,” Jets linebacker Trevor Reilly said. “The guy can make plays with his feet, not only running the ball, but when he’s outside the pocket, he can extend plays and hit receivers down the field.”

Daily Clips Cont.

15 | P a g e

When he was a senior at Utah two years ago, Reilly played against Mariota, who was then a sophomore at Oregon. He never thought Mariota would be a project.

“I thought he was a special kind of player,” Reilly said. “Obviously they run a different kind of system at Oregon, but he’s got a good arm and he’s smart and he takes coaching well, so I didn’t see it as that big of a learning curve for him as other rookies for that position.”

Reilly sacked Mariota in Utah’s 44-21 loss to Oregon that day. The Utes stopped Mariota, limited by a knee injury, from running (four carries for -18 yards). But Mariota threw for 288 yards and three TDs.

“He ended up killing us inside the pocket,” Reilly said. “He made some deep throws, and blew some coverages, but we were doing pretty well against him in the first half. They took over the game in the second half.”

Mariota ran for 2,237 yards and 29 TDs in three years at Oregon. Mariota has rushed for 249 yards and two TDs this season, with 20 of his 31 carries having come in the Titans’ last four games.

“He’s gotten better every game,” Jets’ cornerback Buster Skrine said. “He’s a guy you have to watch out for. You play certain coverages, he might take off and run because he’s a fast quarterback. He’s playing more advanced than a rookie.”

The Jets would have been better served confronting Mariota — who has thrown for 19 TDs and nine INTs in 10 games — earlier in the season.

“I feel like I’ve gotten better every single week,” Mariota said in a conference call.

Skrine had asked former Browns teammate T.J. Ward about Mariota during the Heisman Trophy race. Ward, now a safety with the Broncos, played at Oregon before Mariota.

“They say he’s one of those guys who takes coaching very well,” Skrine said. “He’s all-in. He’s gonna come in and just be the best he can be every day.”

Mariota’s biggest challenge adapting to the NFL game?

“Just being under center,” he said. “The game’s a lot tighter, in terms of just everyone’s kinda close up on the line of scrimmage, a lot of run-heavy sets … different things I wasn’t really accustomed to at Oregon,” he said. “But the coaches have done a great job of helping me through this process, of helping me understand things, and I’ve felt comfortable throughout.”

Mariota revealed himself as the Titans’ best running threat by virtue of an 87-yard touchdown gallop against the Jaguars. The key?

“Make him try to beat us with his arm,” Sheldon Richardson said.

Mariota likes to beat team with his arm by throwing to tight end Delanie Walker. And towering rookie wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham is starting to emerge.

It would help Mariota, of course, if Darrelle Revis (concussion) is held out for one more week.

For all of Mariota’s rookie success, the Titans are 3-9 this season.

“It does get frustrating at times, it is tough, but it’s a part of it,” Mariota said. “You got to take it, handle adversity as it comes, and understand that it’s gonna make this entire team better moving forward, and no matter what, you just kind of stick to the grind and don’t get flustered or don’t get down on yourself for what’s going on, and just understand it’s a process and do your best to get better each and every single week.”

Daily Clips Cont.

16 | P a g e

He is a gym rat who understands the responsibilities of a franchise quarterback. He is the anti-Johnny Manziel.

“I don’t think of it as really a job,” Mariota said.

The real job is not overlooking him.

Back_to_Top

Bill Parcells’ advice that Todd Bowles won’t let Jets forget (Brian Costello) New York Post December 9, 2015

http://nypost.com/2015/12/09/bill-parcells-advice-that-todd-bowles-wont-let-jets-forget/

The text message from Bill Parcells popped up on Todd Bowles’ phone Sunday night after the Jets’ 23-20 overtime win over the Giants.

“Everybody’s talking playoffs, just coach your team and worry about the next game,” the text read.

The Jets face the 3-9 Titans this week as they come off the emotional win against the Giants. This is the type of game that would always worry Parcells — a trap game. He sometimes would hang mouse traps around the locker room before games like this. So, he gave Bowles, the first-year Jets coach, a reminder to avoid the playoff talk circulating in the media and with fans and worry about the Titans.

“I understand what he’s saying,” Bowles said. “To a point, you buy it. But to a point, you have to be consistent with your team and do the same things you’ve been doing. We don’t look at any game as a trap game, we look at it as the next game. We’ve just got to take care of us.”

The 7-5 Jets enter the final four games of the season in position to make the playoffs if they don’t collapse. They are not quite in control of their playoff fate, but there are not many scenarios that will keep them out if they run the table. But the Jets are stressing that they are not thinking about the postseason, just Marcus Mariota and the Titans coming to MetLife Stadium this week.

“The way I look at it is they just put up 40 points and the defense is ranked eighth overall,” wide receiver Brandon Marshall said. “So, it’s definitely not a trap game. It’s going to be a very difficult game for us.”

Marshall is right about the Titans having the eighth-ranked defense in the NFL and coming off a 42-39 win over the Jaguars. But the Titans are 3-9 and that win was their first in four games. Mariota has played well, but he does not have much around him.

The Jets have played two of their better games this season in the last two weeks and have been getting a ton of praise. This brings another Parcells phrase to mind, “Don’t take the cheese.”

The Jets have said all the right things about taking the Titans seriously and putting the big win over the Giants behind them.

“We’re not a good enough team to overlook anybody,” quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick said. “We’ve got to treat everyone like it’s the playoffs, we’re in the playoffs right now trying to win each week. I don’t think you’ll see, hear or feel that out of our team at all.”

The Jets need to get on a run, which they have not done in a long time, to make the playoffs a reality. They have not won three games in a row since 2011 and have not won four consecutive since 2010.

“At this point, it’s about who can get hot,” Marshall said. “You’ve got to take it one game at a time, but when you look back and really study the game, it’s the teams who really come together at the end of

Daily Clips Cont.

17 | P a g e

November/December. Right now, we won two games, really big games for us, and it’s another huge one for us. If we can stay on this roll, no telling what happens.”

Bowles will be leaning on the advice Parcells gave him Sunday night. Bowles said he hears from Parcells after every game.

“After losses he has words of wisdom and after wins he wants to press and keep going,” Bowles said. “The biggest thing in the middle of the season when we were losing, lost four out of five, was, ‘no one remembers midseason losses. It’s how you finish.’ That one stuck out.”

Back_to_Top

A welcome sight at Jets practice: Darrelle Revis (Brian Costello) New York Post December 9, 2015

http://nypost.com/2015/12/09/a-welcome-sight-at-jets-practice-darrelle-revis/

Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis was able to attend practice Wednesday, the first time he has been at one since suffering a concussion against the Texans on Nov. 22.

Revis did not participate in practice, but did some running. Jets coach Todd Bowles said he is hopeful Revis will do more Thursday.

“He ran around on the side today, so that was encouraging,” Bowles said.

Revis, who has missed the last two games while dealing with the concussion he suffered while making a tackle, needs to pass two more tests to be cleared from the concussion protocol.

Bowles said Revis could play this week against the Titans.

“If he doesn’t have any setbacks and he’s cleared, yes [he could play],” Bowles said.

Revis likely will participate in non-contact drills Thursday before getting cleared to practice Friday if he does not have any setbacks.

Guard Willie Colon was penalized in Sunday’s game after he got into it with Giants cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie on the sideline. It was a strange sequence because Colon is on IR with a knee injury and not in uniform. The referee flagged him for leaving the area players and coaches are supposed to stay in on the sideline.

Colon went on SNY on Tuesday and apologized for the penalty. He said Bowles got his point across to him with the look he gave him after the flag.

“The look that man gave me, it pierced my soul,” Colon said. “Coach, I’m sorry. My team, I’m sorry. And it won’t happen again.”

Bowles laughed when told about Colon’s comment Wednesday, and said he did not just give him a look.

“I felt the need to say something at the time,” Bowles said. “Yeah, I said some things at the time. Willie, he meant well. He went outside and drifted a little bit. Anytime you see a player on the sideline get a penalty you’re going to have a piercing look.”

The Jets were in pads on Wednesday for the first time in a while. Teams are allowed 14 padded practices during the season. Bowles felt the team could benefit from some hitting Wednesday.

“We needed it,” Bowles said. “We wanted to hit. We were rusty. I thought we needed to get better at tackling and point-of-attack blocking, so we can get better at those two things.”

Daily Clips Cont.

18 | P a g e

CB Marcus Williams (knee), C Nick Mangold (hand) and CB Antonio Cromartie (hip) did not practice. Bowles said Mangold and Cromartie were held out for maintenance and neither is a concern. LB Calvin Pace (abdomen) and S Dion Bailey (ankle) were limited.

Back_to_Top

NJ ADVANCE MEDIA

Ryan Fitzpatrick: Jets 'not a good enough team' to look at Sunday's game like everyone else does (Darryl Slater) NJ Advance Media December 10, 2015

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/12/ryan_fitzpatrick_says_jets_not_a_good_enough_team.html#incart_river_mobileshort_index

FLORHAM PARK — The Jets are doing their best this week to dismiss the notion that Sunday's home game against the Titans is a so-called trap game.

The 7-5 Jets have won two straight games, most recently an emotional comeback against the Giants.

The Titans are 3-9. They just snapped a three-game winning streak by beating Jacksonville. Tennessee hasn't won back-to-back games all year.

The Titans won their opener, followed it with six straight losses, and are 2-3 since that six-game skid. They are playing under interim head coach Mike Mularkey, who replaced Ken Whisenhunt when he was fired after the 1-6 start.

The Jets pretty much have to win Sunday's game, right?

"We're not a good enough team to overlook anybody," said quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick. "We've got to treat everyone like it's the playoffs. We're in the playoffs right now, [with] trying to win each week. I don't think you'll see, hear, or feel that [overlooking] out of our team at all."

The Jets, with four regular season games remaining, are in the thick of the AFC wild card race. A loss Sunday would not bode well for their chances of reaching the playoffs for the first time since 2010.

"I don't think it's a trap game," said Jets coach Todd Bowles. "We know they've got a good team. We're just going into it playing another opponent. We know we've got to take care of ourselves — and if we don't, then we're not going to win. We don't look at any game as a trap game. We look at it as the next game."

Bill Parcells is one of Bowles' coaching mentors. When Parcells coached the Patriots from 1993-96, he once had mousetraps hung in the locker room, during the week of a trap game. Bowles laughed when a reporter relayed this anecdote to him Wednesday. Bowles doesn't have any plans to do something like that.

"No, he's got me beat there," Bowles said.

Back_to_Top

How Ryan Fitzpatrick builds chemistry with Jets' receivers through his cell phone (Darryl Slater) NJ Advanced Media December 9, 2015

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/12/how_jets_ryan_fitzpatrick_builds_chemistry_with_je.html#incart_river_mobileshort_index

Daily Clips Cont.

19 | P a g e

FLORHAM PARK — Over the summer, Jets quarterback Geno Smith and star wide receiver Brandon Marshall got together with teammates to work out in Chicago. The goal was to build chemistry between the Jets' starter and his receivers, particularly Marshall, whom the Jets traded for after last season.

But Smith lost his starting job in training camp, after teammate IK Enemkpali punched him and broke his job. Ryan Fitzpatrick took over, by necessity, and then kept Smith on the sideline even after he healed, with steady performances.

Through 12 games, the Jets are 7-5, and Fitzpatrick has 22 touchdown passes and 11 interceptions, including six touchdowns and no picks in the past two games. His quarterback rating this season is 88.1, the second-best of his career, behind last season's 95.3 in Houston, where he had 17 touchdowns and eight picks.

But even more impressive than Fitzpatrick's play recently was his ability to bring together the Jets' offensive players under his watch. It had to happen on the fly, after Enemkpali slugged Smith. (Friday marks four months since that incident.)

So how did Fitzpatrick establish chemistry with Marshall, receiver Eric Decker, and Co.? Through his cell phone, of course.

"That's what it's really about, is the communication," Marshall said. "The only way we're going to bridge the gap is by constantly being in communication. It's really what Ryan has done. Every form of communication that's out there, he uses, whether it's voice memos, it's text messages, it's video chats, it's group texts, it's emails. He sends it to us in groups, individually, and it's constant. He's relentless.

"Right after the game, we start texting. He'll say something. Monday is when we move to the next game, and he'll start sending over video messages with different looks [from film study], or asking me what I see or what I like. But 90 percent of it is what he likes, what he wants. He tells us what he wants us to do."

This isn't something Fitzpatrick, an 11th-year veteran, has always done.

"Technology back in 2005 wasn't the same as it is today," Fitzpatrick said of his rookie year with the Rams. "I used to send stuff on my beeper."

He was joking, of course. But he did say he has increased his electronic communication with his receivers this season.

"That's something I've done more here than in other places," he said. "Part of it was just kind of our schedules. Part of it is just having some guys that really understand the game — and, from a simple clip, can really get on the same page with what I'm trying to get them to see. I send individual clips. I'll send to Brandon. If it's relevant to Deck, I'll send him some stuff."

Marshall is impressed by how Fitzpatrick took charge after Enemkpali's punch derailed the Jets' starting quarterback plans.

"It's really hard to do what Ryan is doing and how he's leading us," said Marshall, who leads the Jets with 1,062 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns. "You have a bunch of different guys that you've never really thrown to, and you're thrown in it in the middle of camp and you've got to build this chemistry.

"If it wasn't for him, no telling where we would be right now. I'm really honored to play with him and really follow him. When you look back, and you really study the game, it's the teams who really come together at the end of November, December. If we can stay on this road, no telling what happens."

Marshall said other quarterbacks, during his previous stops, communicated with him and their other receivers like this. Marshall mentioned Chan Pennington and Chad Henne in Miami, and Josh McCown in Chicago. (Marshall did not mention his old pal Jay Cutler, of the Bears.)

Daily Clips Cont.

20 | P a g e

"It's common," Marshall said. "You've got a lot of guys doing it."

Back_to_Top

What did Bill Parcells tell Todd Bowles after Jets beat Giants? (Dom Cosentino) NJ Advance Media December 9, 2015

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/12/what_did_bill_parcells_tell_todd_bowles_after_jets.html#incart_river_mobileshort_index

After every game, Todd Bowles gets a text message from Bill Parcells.

The message on Sunday, after the Jets defeated the Giants in overtime, 23-20, was a simple one.

"He said, 'Everybody's talking playoffs, just coach the team, and worry about the next game,'" Bowles said.

Straightforward enough, no? But, as with most Parcellsian messages, there was a pointed meaning to it.

Parcells, the Hall of Fame former Giants and Jets coach, is a mentor to Bowles, the current Jets boss. And the Jets' situation right now—a 7-5 record, with a realistic chance at a playoff spot, but with a 3-9 Titans team rolling into MetLife Stadium on Sunday—is one Parcells would famously obsess about.

You know, the trap game. It's a bit of a nebulous concept—good team due for letdown against bad team after emotional victory, which can happen, except when it doesn't—but it has long had enough currency for a control freak like Parcells to feel like he'd have to confront it.

When he coached the Patriots and Cowboys, Parcells sometimes went so far as to have have staffers hang mouse traps in the locker room the week of a game against a weak opponent. (Get it?)

Bowles said he's not resorting to any stunts like that this week, but he and his players have certainly avoided saying much about the playoffs, or even the possibility of the playoffs.

"The way I look at it is, they just put up 40 points, their defense is ranked eighth overall," wideout Brandon Marshall said of the Titans, who, again, are 3-9.

(And while the Titans' defense is indeed eighth in yards allowed per game, they're 20th in the more-accurate defensive DVOA, per Football Outsiders.)

"It's definitely not a trap game," Marshall said. "It's going to be a very difficult game for us."

The Jets also had a padded practice on Wednesday—they're only permitted 14 during the regular season, according to the NFL's collective bargaining agreement—but Bowles said the decision to practice in pads wasn't trap-game-related.

Bowles appreciates Parcells' advice—"I always listen to what he says," Bowles said—but he's also very much his own man.

"I understand what he's saying," Bowles said of Parcells. "To a point, you buy it. But to a point, you've got to be consistent with your team, and do the same things that you've been doing.

Back_to_Top

Todd Bowles: Barring setback, Darrelle Revis could play vs. Tennessee Titans | Jets injury report (Darryl Slater) NJ Advance Media December 9, 2015

Daily Clips Cont.

21 | P a g e

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/12/darrelle_revis_jets_injuries.html#incart_river_mobileshort_index

FLORHAM PARK — Jets coach Todd Bowles still doesn't know if he'll have star cornerback Darrelle Revis for Sunday's game against the Titans.

But Revis made some progress Wednesday, when he attended practice for the first time since he sustained a concussion Nov. 22 in Houston. Revis has missed the past two games. He remains in the NFL's post-concussion assessment protocol.

Even though Revis attended Wednesday's practice, and did some light physical activity, he did not practice. He wasn't in pads and didn't have his helmet.

Still, there is a chance Revis could play Sunday, if he has no setbacks and makes enough progress in the protocol, said Bowles.

Revis still must pass two more neurological tests in the protocol, according to Bowles. When Revis passes those tests, he will be cleared to practice.

On Wednesday, Revis "ran a little bit on the side," Bowles said, adding, "so that was encouraging."

In order to feel more confident about Revis playing Sunday, Bowles said, "I've got to see him run. He's got to do more practicing in order for me to have a little more confidence in him."

Revis' next step could come Thursday, as he works his way through the gradual return to practice dictated by the protocol. That protocol alone will determine when he is cleared to participate in a game.

"I'm hopeful he can do more [Thursday] than he did [Wednesday]," Bowles said. "He's running around a little more."

Revis' activity level at Thursday's practice will be determined partly by "if he has any aftereffects" from what he did Wednesday, Bowles said.

"If he doesn't have any setbacks, he'll progress to the next day [in the protocol]," Bowles said. "He'll do more [Thursday]. He'll run around, and if he can do non-contact drills, we'll see what the progression is from there. If he's feeling good, he may be able to practice a little bit. If he's not, he won't."

• CB Marcus Williams (sprained MCL): Revis' understudy didn't play last week and didn't practice Wednesday. "He's coming along pretty good," Bowles said. "He did some running on the side [Wednesday], too. We'll see later in the week if he can go out and do anything on the practice field."

• CB Antonio Cromartie (hip): He didn't practice Wednesday because of hip soreness. "He'll be fine," Bowles said, adding that Cromartie's absence from practice Wednesday was just a rest/maintenance thing.

• C Nick Mangold (hand): He also didn't practice Wednesday, and it's also not a big deal. Just a normal rest thing. He hasn't had any setbacks with the stitched-up gash on his right (snapping) hand, Bowles said.

• DE Mike Catapano (foot): The Jets put him on season-ending injured reserve, and he does indeed have a Lisfranc injury, Bowles said. It's not clear yet if Catapano will need to undergo surgery. "Right now, we're trying to do it without surgery, but he may end up getting it," Bowles said.

Here are the full injury reports for the Jets and Titans:

Jets

Did not practice Wednesday: CB Antonio Cromartie (hip), C Nick Mangold (hand), CB Darrelle Revis (concussion), CB Marcus Williams (knee)

Daily Clips Cont.

22 | P a g e

Limited participation: S Dion Bailey (ankle), LB Calvin Pace (abdomen)

Full participation: TE Kellen Davis (hand), WR Eric Decker (knee), QB Ryan Fitzpatrick (left thumb), WR Jeremy Kerley (illness), WR Brandon Marshall (ribs, ankle), S Calvin Pryor (neck)

Titans

Did not practice Wednesday: DT Sammie Lee Hill (knee), DT Mike Martin (knee), LB Derrick Morgan (shoulder), WR Kendall Wright (ribs)

Limited participation: TE Anthony Fasano (shoulder)

Full participation: RB Dexter McCluster (knee)

Back_to_Top

Brandon Marshall, Darrelle Revis, Mo Wilkerson | Where Jets rank in latest Pro Bowl voting (Darryl Slater) NJ Advance Media December 9, 2015

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/12/brandon_marshall_darrelle_revis_mo_wilkerson_where.html#incart_river_mobileshort_index

The NFL on Wednesday announced its latest Pro Bowl fan voting results.

No Jets rank among the top 10 overall vote getters.

Here is where Jets players rank among their position groups:

• CB Darrelle Revis: second (164,016 votes)

• C Nick Mangold: third (97,492 votes)

• DE Muhammad Wilkerson: seventh (110,765 votes)

• RB Chris Ivory: eighth (135,618 votes)

• FB Tommy Bohanon: eighth (34,494 votes)

• WR Brandon Marshall: ninth (125,201 votes)

The No. 10 overall vote getter, Vikings running back Adrian Peterson, has 311,081 votes. So Revis isn't close to cracking the top 10 overall.

Among corners, Revis trails only Carolina's Josh Norman (228,632 votes). Among centers, Mangold is behind Carolina's Ryan Kalil (162,814 votes) and New England's David Andrews (108,147 votes).

Here's a look at where Revis and Mangold stood in Pro Bowl voting in mid-November. Revis and Mangold have both been selected to six Pro Bowls.

If you want to vote for this year's Pro Bowl players, you can do so right here.

Fan voting ends Dec. 15, three days before players and coaches vote for their Pro Bowl selections. The Pro Bowl players will be announced Dec. 22. The game itself is Jan. 31 in Honolulu. Players will be assigned to a team, via a draft, on Jan. 27.

The Pro Bowl no longer adheres to conference affiliation, in its selection of players — by fans, coaches, and players — or in its actual game format.

Daily Clips Cont.

23 | P a g e

Each group's vote (fans, coaches, and players) counts one-third toward the 88 players who will be selected for the Pro Bowl.

Back_to_Top

Darrelle Revis attends Jets practice for first time since sustaining concussion (Darryl Slater) NJ Advance Media December 9, 2015

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/12/darrelle_revis_concussion_attends_jets_practice.html#incart_river_mobileshort_index

FLORHAM PARK — Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis, who is recovering from a concussion, was at practice Wednesday for the first time since he sustained his injury Nov. 22 at Houston.

Revis has missed the past two games. It's still unclear if he will play Sunday against the Titans.

But it was a positive sign that he was at least able to attend Wednesday's practice. He wore his jersey, but didn't have shoulder pads or a helmet, so he wasn't going to participate in practice.

The NFL's post-concussion assessment protocol dictates that players must have a gradual return to practice before being cleared to play in a game.

It wasn't a surprise that Revis attended Wednesday's practice, considering he was on the sideline during (and in the locker room after) last Sunday's win over the Giants.

On Monday, Jets coach Todd Bowles said Revis was "feeling a lot better," and that while he remained in the protocol, he was "doing light physical activity."

During the 30-minute open portion of Wednesday's practice, Revis did some stretching and light warmup exercises, as trainer John Mellody watched.

Then Revis went over to the rehab area, but didn't do any exercise work — like pedaling on a stationary bike — during the open part of practice. He simply hung out in the rehab area and chatted with cornerback Antonio Cromartie.

Cromartie on Wednesday also didn't have his helmet or shoulder pads. He warmed up and stretched, while wearing his practice jersey, but then headed to the rehab area. Like Revis, it appeared he wouldn't practice Wednesday, though the exact reason was unclear.

Cornerback Marcus Williams, who didn't play against the Giants due to a sprained MCL, had his helmet at Wednesday's practice — a good sign for him, though it's unclear just how much he would participate Wednesday.

Jeremy Kerley left the Jets-Giants game due to a migraine, but he was at practice and participating on Wednesday, as expected.

Back_to_Top

Jets' Antonio Cromartie on Ryan Fitzpatrick: 'Our leader' (Dom Cosentino) NJ Advance Media December 9, 2015

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/12/jets_antonio_cromartie_on_ryan_fitzpatrick_our_lea.html#incart_river_mobileshort_index

Ryan Fitzpatrick has exceeded expectations as the Jets' starting quarterback this season, and with the Jets at 7-5 and in the thick of the AFC playoff race, it's safe to say he's won over the locker room.

Daily Clips Cont.

24 | P a g e

Tuesday night on SNY-TV's "SportsNite," cornerback Antonio Cromartie was asked how the Jets view Fitzpatrick, whose Total QBR of 68.5 ranks eighth in the league this season.

"As our leader," Cromartie said. "He's a guy that we honestly do believe can come out and take over a game."

Witness his performance in Sunday's 23-20 overtime comebacker against the Giants, when Fitzpatrick threw for 390 yards, led the Jets back from a 10-point deficit, and at one point in the fourth quarter and overtime completed 18 of 24 passes.

"That's what it's really all about, from a quarterback's standpoint," Cromartie said. "He has the belief in himself, and the belief in his teammates, and we believe in him. And he goes out and has fun and plays the game like he's been playing it since he was five years old."

Not bad for a 33-year-old journeyman who was brought to the Jets to be a backup, and who only got a chance because presumed starter Geno Smith had his jaw broken by a locker-room punch.

Right guard Willie Colon, in an earlier appearance Tuesday on SNY, expressed a sentiment much like Cromartie's.

"The bottom line, we believe in him," said Colon, who's on injured reserve with a knee injury. "He drives, he's confident, he knows what to do with the ball."

Back_to_Top

NFL playoff scenarios: Here's how Jets' game vs. Tennessee Titans plays a huge role (Charles Curtis) NJ Advance Media December 9, 2015

http://www.nj.com/giants/index.ssf/2015/12/nfl_playoff_scenarios_heres_how_jets_game_vs_tenne.html#incart_river_mobileshort_index

There are four weeks left of regular season football to play and despite all the teams hovering above, below and right at .500, there are still NFL franchises who can clinch playoff spots this early.

Here's a look at what could happen in Week 14 (the Jets are very much involved), courtesy of the NFL:

AFC

Cincinnati Bengals:

They can with the AFC North with:

1. A win or tie vs. Pittsburgh Steelers.

They can clinch a playoff spot with:

1. A Jets loss or a Chiefs loss.

New England Patriots:

They can grab the AFC East title with one of these scenarios:

1. A win plus clinching "at least a tie in strength of victory tiebreaker over the Jets.

2. A win and a Jets loss/tie.

3. A tie and a Jets loss.

4. A tie, a Jets tie and the aforementioned tie in strength of victory over Jets.

Daily Clips Cont.

25 | P a g e

5. A Jets loss and the strength of victory tiebreaker.

How would they get a strength in victory tiebreaker? Only "if two of the following occur: BUF win, PIT win, MIA loss, CLE loss."

The Patriots can clinch a playoff spot with any of these scenarios:

1. A win.

2. A Steelers loss.

3. A Jets loss.

4. A tie plus a Chiefs loss.

5. A tie and a Steelers tie.

6. A tie plus a Jets tie.

Denver Broncos

They can clinch the AFC West with either:

1. A win plus a Chiefs loss/tie.

2. A tie and a Chiefs loss.

The Broncos can get a playoff spot with:

1. A win plus a Jets loss/tie.

2. A win and a Steelers loss/tie.

3. A tie and a Jets loss.

4. A tie and Steelers loss.

NFC

Carolina Panthers

They've already clinched the NFC South title

They can grab a first-round with:

1. A win or a tie.

2. Or a Vikings loss/tie and a Packers loss/tie.

Arizona Cardinals

The NFC West division is theirs with:

1. A win and a Seahawks loss.

2. Or a tie and a Seahawks loss.

They can clinch a playoff spot with:

1. A win or tie.

2. Or if the Buccaneers lose/tie and the Falcons lose tie.

3. Or a Buccaneers loss/tie plus a Packers win/tie.

Daily Clips Cont.

26 | P a g e

Back_to_Top

Jets' Brandon Marshall named AFC Offensive Player of the Week for performance vs. Giants (Dom Cosentino) NJ Advance Media December 9, 2015

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/12/jets_brandon_marshall_named_afc_offensive_player_o.html#incart_river_mobileshort_index

Brandon Marshall on Wednesday was named the AFC Offensive Player of the Week for his performance during the Jets' 23-20 overtime win against the Giants.

Marshall caught 12 passes on 13 targets for 131 yards in the win, including the game-tying touchdown with 27 seconds remaining in regulation. Those 131 receiving yards equaled a season-high for Marshall, who has seven 100-yard games this season.

He has since said players and coaches had "tears in their eyes" after the win, which improved the Jets to 7-5 and put them back in control of their fate in the AFC playoff chase.

During the Giants game, Marshall also became the first Jets receiver to pile up 1,000 receiving yards in a season since Jerricho Cotchery in 2007.

Remarkably, Marshall is the first Jets receiver to be recognized as the AFC Offensive Player of the Week during the regular season since Al Toon did it way back in 1990. Wideout Keyshawn Johnson had received the honor after a playoff win against the Jaguars in '98.

The Jets haven't had anyone win AFC offensive player of the week since quarterback Geno Smith did it after beating the Falcons on "Monday Night Football" as a rookie two years ago.

Marshall had previously been the AFC Offensive Player of the Week in 2008, then again in '09, when he was with the Broncos.

Back_to_Top

Why Jets' Lorenzo Mauldin thinks he has found his rhythm late in rookie season (Darryl Slater) NJ Advance Media December 9, 2015

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/12/why_jets_lorenzo_mauldin_thinks_hes_found_his_rhyt.html#incart_river_mobileshort_index

FLORHAM PARK — During Lorenzo Mauldin's final season at Louisville, last year, the school asked him if he wanted any particular song played when an opponent faced third down at the Cardinals' home field.

Third down had become Mauldin's favorite moment in games, his chance to surge ahead, out of his stance, and rush the quarterback from the edge of Louisville's defensive line. He excelled at it — 16 combined sacks in his final two seasons.

Mauldin, now a Jets outside linebacker, can still hear that song he requested to play on third downs in 2014: "You Don't Want These Cards," by B Simm, a Louisville-based rapper.

"My favorite thing to do was to rush the passer," Mauldin told NJ Advance Media last week. "Third down, that music plays, and you just go."

Daily Clips Cont.

27 | P a g e

Third down remains an enjoyable situation for Mauldin, as an NFL rookie third-round draft pick. He has played mostly as a third-down pass rusher this season. He has three sacks, including two in Week 9 against Jacksonville and one against the Dolphins, two games ago.

Mauldin has played 38 and 25 defensive snaps the past two weeks, against Miami and the Giants. In his first nine games, he played 11, five, 20, six, zero, nine, 19, eight, and 10 snaps.

Mauldin has become a valuable part of the Jets' nickel and dime packages. The Jets generally use those packages on third down, but also in some second-and-long and even first-and-long situations.

"I feel like I'm coming along, now that I'm actually getting a chance to get a little bit more reps," Mauldin said. "Because as a pass rusher, you've got to get into a groove. Now that I'm actually getting more reps, I can produce more and be able to give the coaches what they're looking for."

It's important for Mauldin to be able to read an offensive tackle's techniques in person. Film study is fine. But it doesn't compare to feeling out a tackle in a game. That's what Mauldin meant by his "groove." He's found it recently, simply by playing more.

"I pretty much go into the game knowing what the tackle is going to give me," Mauldin said. "It's just a matter of actually getting out there. I've always been a learner to actually get out there and do it, instead of just learning it from film and putting it up on the board. I feel like it's a trial-and-error type thing, because [the tackle] can always give you something different, based off of what you give him.

"So I just go out there, and whatever he's going to give me, if I get around the edge, and he takes me with his inside arm and just runs me up the field, I know what to do the next time. Whatever he gives me, that's how I know how to read the next time I go up against him."

Mauldin's next step, likely in 2016, is to become a more complete outside linebacker, a player the Jets can use as more than just a situational pass rusher.

"Right now, I see my role as just a pass rusher," he said. "Hopefully, next year, I'll get put in a little bit more [during games], to stop the run and play on first-and-short and second-and-short."

The Jets are in a transitional period at outside linebacker. Last month, they cut rush outside linebacker Quinton Coples, a former first-round pick. The Jets' other outside linebacker, strong-side starter Calvin Pace, is 35 years old.

Everybody knew Mauldin, coming out of Louisville, could rush the quarterback. He's backed up those scouting reports this season. To do more than just pass rush — even though that will remain an important duty for him — he'll have to become a more cerebral and technical player.

"He's aggressive on the outside," said Jets coach Todd Bowles. "He's one of our more athletic guys and our faster guys. Obviously, he has to learn a little more mentally, and [with] hand placement, and get a little stronger that way. But I think the more he plays, the better he gets, and the more comfortable we feel about him.

"I think he'll be a very good pass rusher. Obviously, he's got a lot to learn about the game. As a pass rusher, I think he's got potential. [But] it's not just a pass rush thing. There's a whole bunch of things that go into it."

Back_to_Top

Brandon Marshall says Jets players, coaches 'had tears in their eyes' after win over Giants (Darryl Slater) NJ Advance Media December 9, 2015

Daily Clips Cont.

28 | P a g e

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/12/brandon_marshall_says_jets_players_coaches_had_tea.html#incart_river_mobileshort_index

Sunday's 23-20 overtime victory at the Giants was an emotional and important one for the Jets.

It improved them to 7-5, and put them in the thick of the AFC wild card race. It was also an admirable comeback. They trailed 20-10 until 4:24 remained in regulation.

Coach Todd Bowles was understandably excited (more so than usual) after the game. Owner Woody Johnson even danced in the locker room while Bowles presented him with a game ball.

On Tuesday night's episode of Showtime's "Inside the NFL," Jets wide receiver Brandon Marshall said he could feel the electricity and excitement of a playoff chase in that postgame locker room on Sunday.

"The first time I felt it was after this game against the Giants," Marshall said. "It was electric in our locker room. I saw coaches had tears in their eyes, players with tears in their eyes. To be honest, I fell back in love with the game in that locker room."

Can the Jets carry over that energy into Sunday's should-win home game against the 3-9 Titans?

Marshall certainly hopes so.

Back_to_Top

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Jets offensive lineman James Carpenter is building Pro Bowl season (Manish Mehta) New York Daily News December 9, 2015

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/mehta-jets-ol-james-carpenter-building-pro-bowl-season-article-1.2460905

From a distance, you half-expected the man to be an angry, surly S.O.B. who grunted his way through conversations. After all, you’d never actually heard him speak in the nine months since his arrival.

James Carpenter has spent this season working in the shadows for one of the league’s most formidable offensive lines. Anonymity is a part of life in the NFL trenches, but the Jets’ left guard deserves Pro Bowl consideration.

It turns out that he actually does speak, even if it’s not his preferred mode of communication.

“I don’t talk that much,” Carpenter said with a laugh.

He plays a position without concrete statistics, which makes it difficult for a fantasy-football crazed fan base to appreciate his standout play this season. Interior linemen are overlooked by the FanDuel and DraftKings crowd. For all the praise heaped on rookie general manager Mike Maccagnan for his free-agent spending spree, getting Carpenter after a couple of pricier options went elsewhere turned out to be a brilliant move. The Jets have already had solid returns on their four-year, $19.1 million investment.

“I’m very fired up to have Carp here,” offensive line coach Steve Marshall said. “The way he’s played, he’s certainly a Pro Bowl-type guard. He quietly goes about his business. He’s a guy that deserves Pro Bowl recognition. I hope that comes.”

Take the time to study the trenches and you’ll see what others around the league have noticed through three quarters of this season: Carpenter has been dominating opponents.

Daily Clips Cont.

29 | P a g e

The fifth-year lineman has allowed only five quarterback hits and went the first 11 games without allowing a sack (he gave up his first against the Giants last week), according to Pro Football Focus. “He’s been crushing people,” said right tackle Breno Giacomini, who played three seasons with Carpenter in Seattle.

Carpenter, playing between pillars D’Brickashaw Ferguson and Nick Mangold, has helped keep quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick upright for much of the season. The Jets have allowed the second fewest sacks (17) in the league. Carpenter has also been instrumental opening holes for Chris Ivory, the second-leading rusher in the AFC.

Rex Ryan made it clear that he believed that Carpenter was “playing at a Pro Bowl level” before the Bills came to MetLife Stadium last month.

Carpenter, who joined a line with four returning starters, has infused the right attitude. He might be a man of few words, but his winning pedigree has not been lost on his new teammates. He won a national championship at Alabama before hoisting the Lombardi Trophy with the Seahawks. His message to teammates every day is clear: Let’s just be great.

He has a champion’s work ethic and mindset.

“He understands what it takes to win and the preparation you have to have to be successful in this league,” said Marshall, who coached Packers Pro Bowl left guard Josh Sitton last season. “You never take anything for granted. He has prepared like that every week… He’s kind of set the tempo in that regard for a lot of our younger guys and even some of the older guys. He doesn’t back off an inch.”

Carpenter has learned plenty from Mangold and Ferguson to improve his game. Giacomini has seen clear evidence of growth from the last time they played together during the Seahawks’ Super Bowl season in 2013. “If everybody does their job, good things will happen,” Carpenter said. “So, I just try to lead that way: Do my job the best I can.”

At 6-5, 321 pounds, he often gets recognized on the street as a football player, but strangers aren’t quite sure whom he plays for. It’s likely that Jets fans wouldn’t even know what he looks like. Such is life as an NFL guard. “He’s a Wookiee,” Mangold said. “He’s quiet, he’s powerful, he’s loyal as all get-out… and he’s got a lot of hair.

Carpenter’s sheer size prompted his high school basketball coach to believe he’d have a bruising menace in the paint. “That’s what I was supposed to do,” Carpenter said of being a banger. “But I was terrible.”

His mean streak has always been reserved for a football field. He plays the way linemen are supposed to play. He plays angry even if he’s rarely angry at any other time during the day.

He’s a simple man, who spends his free time with his fiancée. Sometimes he goes into the city to have a good meal. Sometimes he just sits on his couch. “I watch some weird TV shows,” he said. “I like to watch ‘The Big Bang Theory.’ It used to be my favorite.”

Carpenter doesn’t particularly enjoy talking about himself, which is understandable given the position he plays. He doesn’t have to this season.

His performances on Sundays have said plenty.

Back_to_Top

Jets coach Todd Bowles receives advice from Hall of Famer Bill Parcells (Seth Walder) New York Daily News December 9, 2015

Daily Clips Cont.

30 | P a g e

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/jets-coach-todd-bowles-receives-advice-bill-parcells-article-1.2460897

Even after a dramatic comeback victory over the Giants, Todd Bowles’ phone flashed with a warning from an old boss and mentor: Bill Parcells.

He was cautioning against the Jets looking too far ahead and getting caught in a trap game against the Titans — the lesser opponent they face Sunday in advance of tougher challenges down the road. “I got that text right after the game,” Bowles said Wednesday. “He said everybody’s talking playoffs, just coach your team and worry about the next game.”

Parcells was known for hanging mouse traps in the locker room before potential trap games to warn his players not to overlook their opponent. The Jets’ win over the Giants — in which they overcame a 10-point, fourth quarter deficit — kept them in strong position for a wild card spot at 7-5. And certainly, the 3-9, last-place Titans qualify as a team that is ripe for overlooking, but Bowles said he isn’t worried about his players taking them lightly, though the message from Parcells was received. “To a point, you buy it, but to a point you’ve got to be consistent with your team and do the same things that you’ve been doing. We don’t look at any game as a trap game, we just look at it as the next game,” Bowles said. “I always listen to what he says.”

Bowles was a position coach with the Jets in 2000, when Parcells was the team’s general manager. Parcells took Bowles with him to Dallas in 2005 and later to the Dolphins.

And, as it turns out, he is still helping his former staff member. Bowles said he gets a text from Parcells after every game.

“It means a lot,” Bowles said. “He’s not the only one, but it means a lot. Coach (Bruce) Arians reaches out as well, and he does a good job talking to me, so they keep me grounded.”

The best advice came when the Jets were on a cold streak, having lost four of five games. “Nobody remembers midseason losses, it’s how you finish,” Bowles said Parcells told him after the loss to the Texans in Week 11.

Two wins later, the Jets look they could be well on their way to forgetting those midseason losses. Gang Green likely needs three more wins to get into the playoffs, but with New England and Buffalo still on the schedule, the Jets can’t scuffle against the Titans or Cowboys in the next two weeks.

“We’re not a good enough team to overlook anybody,” Ryan Fitzpatrick said Wednesday. “We’ve got to treat everyone like it’s the playoffs, we’re in the playoffs right now trying to win each week. I don’t think you’ll see, hear or feel that out of our team at all.”

Last week’s emotional win over the Giants has a chance to be a galvanizing moment for the team, Brandon Marshall says.

“Absolutely. At this point, it’s about who can get hot,” Marshall said. “It’s the teams who really come together at the end of November, December. And right now, we’ve won two games, really big games for us, and this is another huge one for us. If we can stay on this road, no telling what happens.”

Back_to_Top

Darrelle Revis at Jets practice, but doesn’t look like he will participate (Seth Walder) New York Daily News December 9, 2015

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/revis-jets-practice-doesn-participate-article-1.2460302

Daily Clips Cont.

31 | P a g e

Darrelle Revis was at least near a practice field on Wednesday, and come Sunday he could be ready to play. Revis, who has missed the last two games, did not practice, but he was stretching near the trainers while the rest of the team warmed up. He had not been seen at practice since he suffered a concussion against the Texans.

“He ran a little bit on the side, but he didn’t practice,” Bowles said. “I’m hopeful he can do more tomorrow than he did today.”

Revis remains in the concussion protocol, and has to pass two more tests to be cleared, the coach said. But if the star cornerback doesn’t have any setbacks and is cleared, he could play against the Titans. That, obviously, would be a big help for the Jets.

One person also hoping to see Revis play Sunday? Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota, who said he always wants to play against the best. “Of course,” Mariota said. “Any athlete will tell you that they want to play and compete against the best. If we get that opportunity on Sunday, I’ll do my best to make plays and win the game.”

The rookie QB said he thought it would make a big difference for the Jets’ defense if Revis were able to return. “Any time you get that type of player back it helps you tremendously,” Mariota said. “We’ll see what happens. I hope he gets healthy soon. If he’s out there Sunday, we’re going to need to be at our best.”

ON THE MARCUS

Mariota’s 87-yard touchdown run in the Titans’ win over the Jaguars last week caught the eye of Bowles. The coach seems wary of the rookie’s scrambling ability.

“It scares you, because he’s such a good runner and he’s got speed,” Bowles said. “Any time you get a scrambling quarterback, the minute you get out of a lane, you know you’re going to have four guys up front that (aren’t) fast enough to catch him. That’s a problem.”

CRO, NICK SHOULD BE OK

CB Antonio Cromartie (hip), C Nick Mangold (hand) and CB Marcus Williams (knee sprain) did not practice on Wednesday. Bowles indicated Cromartie and Mangold’s days off were just for maintenance.

DE Mike Catapano, who was placed on injured reserve on Tuesday, did indeed suffer a Lisfranc injury, Bowles said.

Back_to_Top

METRO NEW YORK

Will Brandon Marshall complete the best season ever for a Jets wide receiver? (Kristian Dyer) Metro New York December 9, 2015

http://www.metro.us/new-york/will-brandon-marshall-complete-the-best-season-ever-for-a-jets-wide-receiver/zsJoli---Q00D89l6GX4I2/

Much like quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, New York Jets wide receiver Brandon Marshall is on his way to one of the best personal seasons in franchise history, perhaps setting a new benchmark for several franchise marks.

And reminder, this is just his first year with the team in what is his tenth season in the league.

Daily Clips Cont.

32 | P a g e

Where he is going is impressive. Marshall is projected to finish the year with 111 yards, 1,416 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns. These are numbers that should land him in the Pro Bowl.

They are also numbers that would rewrite the Jets record books. Al Toon with 93 receptions in 1985, currently leads the franchise with most catches in a single season meaning that Marshall will be the first Jets wide receiver to get triple-digit receptions in a year. If projections hold, he would be second behind Don Maynard's 1,434 yards in 1967 and his projected 13 touchdowns would be just behind Maynard and Art Powell, who each had 14 receiving touchdown seasons of their own with the Jets.

It could go down as one of the best – if not the best – single seasons of any Jets receiver in history.

It has taken Marshall twelve games to already find himself pretty high up in the single-season tally for Jets wide receivers. In his first dozen games with the green and white, Marshall has 83 receptions for 1,062 yards and 10 touchdowns.

And with four games left in the regular season, his reception total is already ninth best for any Jets wide receiver in a single season. Receiving yards brings him in at No. 20 all-time. Then those 10 touchdowns are tied for third best all-time. That he hasn't completed a season yet but already ranks among the Jets all-time greats at the position is a testament to both his play but also Fitzpatrick's efficient quarterback play and a perfect fit in offensive coordinator Chan Gailey's offense.

Truthfully, it is hard to imagine Marshall putting up these numbers if Geno Smith was the quarterback but that is a story for another day.

His numbers point towards what a steal general manager Mike Maccagnan got this offseason in trading with the Chicago Bears to obtain one of the league's best wide receivers. The Jets gave up just a fifth round pick to haul in Marshall, a deal that might go down as one of the best in franchise history. Oh, and they also got a seventh round pick from the Bears as well.

He isn't cheap – the 31-year old is owed $16.5 million over the next two years – but he's well worth it considering his production. Last year, the Jets leading receiver was Eric Decker, who had 74 catches for 962 yards and five touchdowns. Marshall in just 12 games has already soared past those stats.

Marshall leads the Jets in targets, receptions, receiving yards, touchdowns, yards per game and receptions that have gone for a first down. He is a major reason why a passing offense that was among the worst in the league last year is ranked No. 15 this season.

Back_to_Top

WEDNESDAY’S SPORTS TRANSACTIONS

BASEBALL

American League

KANSAS CITY ROYALS — Named Jamie Quirk manager of Wilmington (Carolina).

SEATTLE MARINERS — Acquired 1B Adam Lind from Milwaukee for RHPS Daniel Missaki, Carlos Herrera and Freddy Peralta. Designated INF Andy Wilkins for assignment.

National League

ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS — Acquired RHP Shelby Miller and LHP Gabe Speier from Atlanta for SS Dansby Swanson, OF Ender Inciarte and RHP Aaron Blair.

Daily Clips Cont.

33 | P a g e

PHILADELPHIA Phillies — Signed RHP David Hernandez to a one-year contract.

SAN FRANCISO GIANTS — Signed RHP Jeff Samardzija to a five-year contract.

Can-Am League

ROCKLAND BOULDERS — Named Carlos Mirabal pitching coach.

BASKETBALL

National Basketball Association

HOUSTON ROCKETS — Recalled G-F K.J. McDaniels from Rio Grande Valley (NBADL).

MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES — Recalled F James Ennis from Iowa (NBADL).

FOOTBALL

National Football League

BUFFALO BILLS — Signed C Ronald Patrick to the practice squad.

DENVER BRONCOS — Signed S Shiloh Keo. Released QB Christian Ponder.

HOUSTON TEXANS — Signed LB Tony Washington to the practice squad.

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS — Signed LB Orie Lemon.

HOCKEY

American Hockey League

AHL — Suspended San Antonio LW Patrick Bordeleau one game for a boarding incident in a Dec. 6 game against Rockford and Providence LW Colton Hargrove one game for receiving a game misconduct for charging in a Dec. 6 game against Springfield.

SAN DIEGO GULLS — Release D Shayne Taker and G Jeff Lerg from their professional try out contracts.

ECHL

ELMIRA JACKALS — Announced F Colin Jacobs was reassigned to Rochester (AHL). Signed F Garrett Ladd.

COLLEGE

MEMPHIS — Named David Johnson tight ends and running backs coach.

Back_to_Top