The New York Jets had no choice but to “play and pray” on Jan. 1. Unfortunately, the football gods weren’t there to answer their prayers, as a 19-17 loss to the Miami Dolphins, combined with the Tennessee Titans’ 23-22 win over the Houston Texans, mathematically eliminated them from the playoffs. With the Jets losing and Titans coming away victorious, the AFC playoff picture is a bit clearer.

Sanchez was downright dirty in the playoffs in 2009, helping the Jets make it to the AFC Title Game.
Wikimedia Commons

The game was over when: Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez, who threw three interceptions in the game, was picked off by Dolphins linebacker Marvin Mitchell with 2:55 remaining in the fourth quarter. The Jets were down 16-10 at the time, but just 10 yards away from taking the lead back with a touchdown pass. Instead, Mitchell jumped in front of Shonn Greene to grab the pick, and took it all the way back to the Jets’ 36-yard line, which set up a Dolphins kicker Dan Carpenter for a 44-yard field goal to put his team up 19-10, essentially sealing the win.

The difference: Even though the Dolphins had one of the toughest defenses in the NFL to run against, the Jets reverted back to the ground-and-pound style of offense that made them so successful in 2009 and 2010. LaDainian Tomlinson, playing in what could be the final game of his career, put in a vintage performance and looked like a guy with plenty of gas left in the tank.

Tomlinson rushed for 33 yards on six carries in the first half alone, and he surpassed Jerome Bettis early in the third quarter for fifth all-time in rushing yards. The Jets also established Shonn Greene early on, utilizing his downhill, straight-up-the-middle rushing approach to wear the Dolphins out by the end of the first half. Greene had 10 carries for 38 yards by halftime. Greene finished with 55 yards on the ground.

But with the Jets falling behind in the second half and with time running down, they were forced to rely on their passing attack, and Mark Sanchez’s late-interceptions would ultimately do the Jets in. Sanchez’s final line was abysmal, as his 207 passing yards and two touchdown completions didn’t mean much in comparison to his three game-changing interceptions.

Overall: The first half was ugly on both sides. Manish Mehta, Jets beat writer for the New York Daily News, tweeted at halftime that “The Dolphins’ last four drives include three 3-and-outs and an INT. Not good.” Seconds later, Mehta tweeted “#nyjJets offense: Four 3-and-outs in six drives in the first half. Also, not good. #nyj.”

Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez didn’t do much to quiet his critics, as his interception toss nine seconds before halftime resulted in a 58-yard field goal from Dolphins kicker Dan Carpenter. With time winding down in the fourth quarter, Santonio Holmes was seen on camera screaming at one of his teammates in the huddle and was then benched. At his post-game press conference, he was asked if he wanted to return to the Jets next year and he responded by not answering the question, simply saying “Thank you guys” to the media on hand.

Even if the Jets won, they would have been out of the playoff chase with Houston falling short against Tennessee, but a well-played victory over the Dolphins could have been a nice springboard to propel them into next season. Now, after finishing 8-8 with three straight losses down the stretch, they have a long offseason to ponder what exactly went wrong this year.

Eric Holden is a lifelong New York Jets fan. Follow him on Twitter @ericholden.

Sources

www.nfl.com, NFL, player and team stats

www.twitter.com/thejetsstream, Manish Mehta tweets

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

What are your opinions.

According to a Yahoo! Sports report, Rex Ryan expects Brian Schottenheimer to be running the New York Jets’ offense again next season unless the embattled offensive coordinator becomes a head coach elsewhere. “I’ll say that, obviously, if he gets a head coaching job, then `See you later,”‘ Ryan said in the report.

Sanchez was downright dirty in the playoffs in 2009, helping the Jets make it to the AFC Title Game.
Wikimedia Commons

“I’ll be happy to see that. Do I expect him back? It’s probably 50-50 on that, because I think there is an opportunity for Brian to get a head coaching job this year. I thought it the first two years, but it wasn’t to be. He certainly will be a qualified applicant to be a head coach, that’s for sure.”

Here are the main reasons why Schottenheimer won’t get a head coaching job next season:

Window of Opportunity Is Long-Gone

Sometimes you have to strike while the iron is still hot. Schottenheimer was a hot head-coaching candidate in the 2009 offseason after helping the Jets reach the AFC Championship Game behind a ground-and-pound flavored offense led by a rookie quarterback, but it’s a whole different ballgame in 2011. The Jets offense is ranked 27th in the NFL and Schottenheimer’s play-calling has been called in question of late after his team suffered back-to-back losses to the Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants.

Regressing Mark Sanchez Takes Another Step Back

Now in his third season in the NFL, Sanchez was supposed to take another step forward this year after leading the Jets to two consecutive AFC Championship Games. But Sanchez’s worrisome performances in 2011 certainly reflect badly on Schottenheimer, as the quarterback has almost identical numbers to the regular-season stats he put up last year.

The main difference is that Sanchez shined down the stretch last season, while he’s been a flop in December of this year. In his past two games, Sanchez tallied quarterback ratings of 67.8 and 54.2 with a total of four interceptions.

Identity Crisis

The Jets were successful in 2009 and 2010 because they devised a gameplan and stuck to it. Ground-and-pound was the name of the game and it worked well down the stretch as opposing defenses were worn down by late-December.

In 2011 the Jets passed far more often then they should have, with Mark Sanchez attempting a career-high 59 attempts in a loss against the Giants and 44 times in a Week Three loss to the Oakland Raiders. Schottenheimer should have given Shonn Greene at least 20 carries a game earlier in the season, but instead he was limited to 16 or less in each of his first four contests.

Upbeat Demeanor

Schottenheimer doesn’t have the right demeanor to become a successful head coach in the NFL. His bright, upbeat nature and “buddy-buddy” shtick with the players may work as an offensive coordinator, but not as the main guy in charge of a team. “We appreciate him being the type of guy to stand up in front of us and say, `You know what, guys? My mistake on that. That was a bad call by me,”‘ running back LaDainian Tomlinson said of Schottenheimer. “He’s done that plenty of times. So who are we to criticize? When I miss a block, that’s my own fault. I missed the block. We just have to hold each other accountable and have each other’s backs at all times.”

The best leaders in the NFL are the guys that can light a fire under the players and motivate with a certain brashness that Schottenheimer doesn’t have. From Tom Coughlin to Bill Belichick to Mike Tomlin, the top coaches in the NFL are the ones who can run their ship like a military sergeant when the time calls for it.

Eric Holden is a lifelong New York Jets fan. Follow him on Twitter @ericholden.

Sources

www.nfl.com, NFL, player and team stats

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

If anybody needs tickets to games, remember to click the tickets link at the top.

That’s all for today guys, i’ll be back to blog you tomorrow.

There is the quick update of the day.

There is the quick update of the day.

According to a Yahoo! Sports report, the NFL had its usual array of intriguing storylines in 2011. From the emergence of Tim Tebow as the starting quarterback of the Denver Broncos, to the offseason lockout, to Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning losing the season due to neck surgery, the media had plenty to talk about this year.

Sanchez was downright dirty in the playoffs in 2009, helping the Jets make it to the AFC Title Game.
Wikimedia Commons

Some of the other top stories in the NFL this year were Aaron Rodgers’ emergence as one of the premier quarterbacks in the league, and the passing of the legendary Oakland Raiders owner, Al Davis. But here in New York, Rex Ryan’s weekly trash-talking and Mark Sanchez’s passing woes dominated much of the local headlines.

Here’s a look at the top five New York Jets stories of 2011:

Jets Beat Patriots, 28-21, In Instant Playoff Classic

Mark Sanchez completed 16 of 25 for 194 yards and three touchdowns to lead his team to a 28-21 win Jan. 16 over the AFC East rival New England Patriots in what Jets coach Rex Ryan called “the second biggest game in franchise history.”

The Jets were clicking on all cylinders, as Sanchez’s incredible performance was perhaps overshadowed by New York’s stellar defense, who intercepted Patriots quarterback Tom Brady once and methodically picked apart New England’s ground game. “We came here for a reason, we got the victory, and I couldn’t be happier,” said Rex Ryan after the game. “That’s a great football team, a great franchise, but we’re not afraid of anybody.”

Sal Alosi Resigns

Jets strength and conditioning coach Sal Alosi made the boneheaded decision to trip Miami Dolphins cornerback Nolan Carroll while the rookie was returning a punt in the third quarter of a Jets-Dolphins game last season, and the trip would ultimately cost Alosi his job. Carroll immediately fell to the turf and was slow to get up after Alosi tripped him. “I made a mistake that showed a total lapse in judgment,” Alosi said in a statement released by the Jets about 2 1/2 hours after the game. “My conduct was inexcusable and unsportsmanlike and does not reflect what this organization stands for.”

Perhaps to avoid creating any lingering distractions, Alosi announced his resignation in January of 2011, just a few weeks after the tripping incident occurred . “After speaking with Sal, he decided that it is best for him to tender his resignation at this time,” said Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum. “We appreciate all of Sal’s contributions during his tenure with the team. He played an invaluable role in our success and established what we feel is one of the better strength and conditioning programs in the NFL.”

Jets Lose Ground-and-Pound Identity

Early in the 2011 season, the Jets got away from much of the rush-heavy attack that made them so successful in 2009 and 2010. In the season-opener against the Dallas Cowboys, Mark Sanchez threw 44 times while the team ran the ball just 16 times. “You’ve got to give Dallas credit, both schematically and in the personnel,” Ryan said following the game.

“Going into the game, we thought we were going to run the ball more than we did. Give credit to my brother [defensive coordinator Rob] and Dallas. They took that away from us.”And even in a Week 16 loss to the New York Giants, Sanchez attempted a career-high 59 passes. Any time Sanchez is allowed to throw that much is a recipe for disaster.

Nick Mangold and Jim Leonard Injuries Loom Large

The Jets haven’t won a game since losing starting safety Jim Leonard to a season-ending knee injury in the beginning of December. Just how important is Leonard to the Jets? New York linebacker Jamaal Westerman told ESPN that Leonard “is a calming influence in the back end. If you can look back there he’ll tell you where to line up. We really need him because with him we’re so much better than without him.” Losing starting center Nick Mangold for several games early this season was another key injury, as the Jets lost 34-17 to the Baltimore Ravens when he was sidelined.

LT Mulls Retirement

LaDainian Tomlinson’s comments to reporters prior to the New Year’s Day clash with the Miami Dolphins sounded cryptically like a retirement speech in the making. “There’s definitely a thought that this possibly could be [my last game] because you never know how things shake out,” the star running back said. “For me, it just depends on the situation. I’d like to keep playing but if the situation is not right, I won’t. It’s possible that this could be my last game.”

Eric Holden is a lifelong New York Jets fan. Follow him on Twitter @ericholden.

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

What are your opinions.

Leave your comments on the news below.

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP)—Mark Sanchez has been knocked around all season,
battered by defensive linemen on the field and by critical fans and media
members off it.

It has been one trying year for the embattled New York Jets quarterback.
And, he acknowledges, he has brought a lot of it on himself. But he wants those
who criticize him to know this: You’re not going to drag him down.

“Win, lose or draw, I’m the luckiest guy in the world, I promise,” Sanchez
said Wednesday. “I’m lucky to be here. I’m lucky, fortunate, blessed, whatever
you want to call it. I’m thrilled about this job and about this opportunity this
week.”

Sanchez was referring to the chance he and the Jets (8-7) have to make right
all that has gone wrong this season, and there has been plenty. New York is
heading to play AFC East rival Miami (5-10) needing to win and also get plenty
of help from other teams to have a chance at a third straight playoff trip.

The Jets had control of their postseason hopes at this time a week ago, but
a miserable performance by Sanchez and his teammates in a 29-14 loss to the
Giants last Saturday took care of all that.

“Look, the game never worked out,” coach Rex Ryan said. “That’s not the
only game we’ve ever lost, but you’ve got to move on from it. You’ve got a
challenge right in front of you. We have an opportunity. The facts are this: I
know for sure that if we don’t win, we’re not in, so we better win, and we’ll
see what happens. We’ll do whatever it takes, light candles, we’ll do it all.”

But it could all come down to the play of Sanchez, who threw a career-high
59 passes last week—something Ryan says “there is no way” the Jets will do
again. It was much more than that, though: Sanchez threw two interceptions
against the Giants, lost a fumble near the goal line and was sacked for a safety
that sealed it.

“Have we played our best? No,” Sanchez said. “But it’s still the best
time I could possibly scheme up in my head. We just have to keep pressing, be
smart, win the game and see what happens.”

Despite two straight losses that have the Jets’ season teetering on the
brink, Sanchez appeared more upbeat than he has in weeks. He was almost sullen
while talking to the media previously.

Not on Wednesday. Sanchez answered every question as if he had snapped out
of a funk, seeming more confident and thick-skinned even while some outside the
team have wondered more than ever if he can lead the Jets to a Super Bowl. Not
only that, fans and media members are debating whether this is as good as
Sanchez will ever be.

He says there’s “no question” that he has “absolutely” improved in his
third season.

“Whether it’s defensive recognition or clock management and stuff like
that, understanding the offense and the system, I’m light years ahead,” he
said.

The numbers actually aren’t all bad. His career-high 24 touchdown passes are
the most since Vinny Testaverde had a franchise-high 29 in 1998. Sanchez is also
on pace to have career highs in completions, completion percentage, quarterback
rating and yards per game. But he also has been sacked a career-high 37 times
and lost eight fumbles, and his decision-making and ability to read defenses
have been questioned.

“I’m not out to prove anything like that to people,” Sanchez said of
whether he’s the quarterback of the future. “I just want to work hard for these
guys on the team. These guys know I’m leading by example, being vocal if I need
to. These are the guys I’m playing for right here in this locker room and in
this building.”

Sanchez has taken lots of the blame for the inadequacies and inconsistencies
of the offense, and so has coordinator Brian Schottenheimer. Ryan said it should
ultimately lead back to him, not Schottenheimer or the guy he still deems a
franchise-type quarterback—even if few outside the organization do.

“That kind of stuff happens when you’re not playing as well as you’d like
to,” Sanchez said, “and when your team is not in control of their own destiny
in the playoffs and stuff like that. That’s natural and that’s a part of this
league, so you have to handle that stuff.”

Sanchez believes he “absolutely, no question” has the support of everyone
in his locker room. Players such as Pro Bowl center Nick Mangold and tight end
Dustin Keller say they are impressed by how Sanchez has dealt with the
criticism, and insist it’s not all his fault. They say the line could block and
protect better, the running backs could churn out more yards and the receivers
could run better routes.

“He works hard, things haven’t gone particularly well for him or us, but he
comes in and works hard every day,” wide receiver Plaxico Burress said.
“There’s no doubt about it that he’s going to get better.”

Sanchez believes he can start in that direction Sunday in Miami with the
season on the line.

“I don’t think we’ve hit our potential this year, that’s for sure,” he
said, “but that doesn’t mean that we can’t accomplish a lot of the goals that
we set out to accomplish. We have a chance.”

Notes: LB Garrett McIntyre has a sprained knee and didn’t practice. His
availability for Sunday’s game was uncertain. … Ryan said LB Ricky Sapp would
be promoted from the practice squad to fill the spot vacated when the Jets
waived WR Eron Riley on Tuesday.

Thanks for visiting my blog =).

Plaxico Burress had some of his most memorable moments with the New York Giants. From his Super Bowl-winning catch to his clashes with Tom Coughlin, there’s plenty of history there.

Now a member of the Jets, Burress is on the other side of the New York-area rivalry, with lots on the line Saturday for both teams. And the wide receiver intends to have a big game against his former teammates.

He said today that he wants to score “once, twice, maybe three or four times” on Saturday and is “going to go out and try to play lights-out football.”

Burress added a bit of a playful prediction, saying that the loser of the game will “wake up with a bittersweet Christmas, and it’s not going to be me.”

Not much else going on in the NFL world today.

According to an ESPNNewYork.com report, New York Jets running back Shonn Greene heats up as the weather gets colder. “Greene is a notoriously slow starter,” says the author, Rich Cimini. “That didn’t matter much in his first two seasons, when he played behind Thomas Jones and LaDainian Tomlinson, but it showed up in a big way this season because he’s the No. 1 back.”

Sanchez was downright dirty in the playoffs in 2009, helping the Jets make it to the AFC Title Game.
Wikimedia Commons

Sure the Jets were atrocious in the 45-19 loss Dec. 18 to the Philadelphia Eagles, but things can change in a hurry. “He’s almost running like a bell cow now,” Jets coach Rex Ryan said of Greene in a New York Daily News report. “When he gets the carries, his game elevates.”

Greene was finding holes up the middle early and often in the showdown with the Eagles, ultimately finishing with 73 yards on 18 attempts.

The Jets likely would have utilized Greene far more often in the second half, but falling behind 28-0 in the early-going made it impossible to keep running the ball and seeing precious seconds come off the clock.

After rushing for more than 70 yards just twice in the first six games of his 2011 campaign, Greene has tallied 73 yards or more in each of his past four contests. Additionally, he had just two rushing touchdowns in his first 11 games of 2011, but tallied four in his past three. The numbers speak for themselves, and it’s no lucky coincidence.

“He doesn’t wear down,” Jets offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer said of Greene. “He gets better.”

If Greene’s performance against Philadelphia was any indication, he’ll be one of the top running backs to watch in the NFL in the final two games of the regular season and in the playoffs – if the Jets can sneak in.

In a 37-10 win over the Kansas City Chiefs on Dec. 11, Greene took the ball 24 times and rushed for a season-high 129 yards.

His downhill, straight-up-the-middle attack, combined with his powerful 226-pound frame, makes him the perfect back for a late-season charge to the playoffs.

In Greene’s rookie season in 2009, he rushed for 95 yards in the Jets’ 29-15 win over the Indianapolis Colts to keep his team’s playoff hopes alive. Once New York was in the postseason that year, Greene dazzled with back-to-back 100-yard rushing performances. He ran for 135 yards to lead the Jets over the Cincinatti Bengals in the first round of the 2009-10 playoffs, and then scorched the San Diego Chargers for 128 yards on the ground in the week that followed.

At this time of year, most defenses are already bogged down by injuries and the last thing they want to face is a vicious, brutally powerful force like Greene. Defensive players are already beaten up after taking blows to the body since August, so it’ll be tough to stop the Jets’ ground-and-pound style led by Greene’s bruising attack.

He also put up decent numbers in the postseason last year, running for 70 yards in a first-round win over the Colts and tallying 76 yards on the ground against the New England Patriots to propel his team to the AFC Championship Game.

Eric Holden is a lifelong New York Jets fan. Follow him on Twitter @ericholden.

Sources

www.nfl.com, NFL, player stats

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

Leave your comments on the news below.

Running low on time today, i’ll be back tomorrow hopefully with some more news.

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick showed in the 45-19 win Dec. 18 over the New York Jets that he’s learning how to protect himself from taking unnecessary hits.

Michael Vick
wikimedia commons

If his performance in the victory was any indication, it’s that his game is slowly changing and progressing. He only ran the ball five times for 32 yards, just one month after making eight attempts for 79 yards against the Arizona Cardinals.

For the most part, Vick (15 completions for 274 yards, one touchdown) stayed in the pocket, got rid of the ball quickly and limited his aggressive running style that opened him up to getting smashed by vicious tackles in the past.

With 3:26 remaining in the first quarter, Vick scrambled to the left and ran out of bounds at the Jets sideline after a 10-yard pickup. In the third minute of the second quarter, he scrambled again to the left sideline for an 11-yard touchdown run to give his team a 20-0 lead. He reached his hand with the ball into the end zone while most of his body was already out-of-bounds and out of harm’s way.

Maybe Eagles coordinator Marty Mornhinweg is finally getting through to Vick after expressing concerns this week about his aggressive style of play. “It’s going to be the death of me to get him to protect himself,” Mornhinweg said prior to the game. “I do think he’s gotten better, but not nearly as good as he needs to be for the best interests of his team and, secondly, the best interests of him.”

Perhaps Vick is finally learning that he’s useless to the Eagles when he’s spending time on the bench nursing injuries, and that his team can’t afford to lose him every season for three to four games.

In the past, Vick would have likely opted to challenge the opposing defense by making a crafty move up the middle instead of running out of bounds or sliding away from a hit.

Prior to the game, Vick basically said that he wouldn’t change his gameplan just to avoid taking hits. “That’s just my style of play,” Vick said in a Newsday report. “I take a lot of hits. I used to play football in the backyard and got hit probably 6 million times. I played Pop Warner football. It’s something I’m accustomed to. Getting knocked to the ground is like walking to me. It’s nothing.” But come gametime, he looked like a different quarterback, relying more on his powerful arm than his speed on the ground.

With the New York Giants losing to the Washington Redskins earlier in the day, and the Eagles winning big over the Jets, it puts Philadelphia in a decent spot to earn a playoff berth.

Eric Holden is a lifelong New York Jets fan, but Michael Vick is his favorite NFL quarterback because of his dynamic style of play. Follow the author on Twitter @ericholden.

Sources

www.nfl.com, NFL, player and team stats

http://www.newsday.com/sports/football/jets/vick-can-stop-slide-by-sliding-1.3396302, Newsday, Marty Mornhinweg quote

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That’s all for today guys, i’ll be back to blog you tomorrow.

Read More: New York Jets, Philadelphia Eagles

Through the first 25 minutes of this Week 15 NFL encounter, the Philadelphia Eagles led the New York Jets by a score of 28-0. Things still aren’t going great for the Jets, but they were able to chip away at that lead before the end of the first half. They still have a chance to keep their playoff hopes intact, as they entered the locker room trailing by just 28-13.

This game has been, quite simply, one of the sloppiest and worst played games in the NFL so far this season. There have already been an astonishing seven turnovers, with both quarterbacks throwing an interception. The Eagles have lost three fumbles, while the Jets have lost two.

Mark Sanchez has not looked great, but he at least managed this great touchdown pass to Santonio Holmes to get his team back in the game.

The Jets will start the second half with the ball…if they don’t fumble the kickoff.

For more on the Eagles, go to Bleeding Green Nation. For more on the Jets, go to Gang Green Nation.

If you like reading our blog, remember to bookmark it.

The Eagles expect to have Michael Vick, wide receiver Jeremy Maclin, tackle Todd Herremans, and defensive tackle Cullen Jenkins Sunday against the New York Jets, though they will likely be without defensive end Darryl Tapp.

Tapp, who suffered a broken rib last week against the Dolphins, is listed as doubtful and did not practice all week, a strong indication that he won’t be able to play.

Thanks for reading! .

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP)—The New York Jets know they’re going to have their
hands full with Michael Vick.

That is, if they can get a hand on the elusive Philadelphia Eagles
quarterback Sunday.

“You can’t stop him alone,” nose tackle Sione Pouha said. “There’s no one
person that can just match up with him.”

Vick returned last week from broken ribs, but wasn’t 100 percent in the
Eagles’ 26-10 win at Miami. Still, the Jets expect Vick, still dealing with sore
ribs, to provide a tough test. Mobile quarterbacks have given the Jets fits this
season by slipping out of pressure, and now they’re facing perhaps the NFL’s
best ever at creating plays out of nothing with his legs.

“You just have to make sure that everyone assumes the responsibility of
getting him down,” linebacker Bart Scott said. “He’s a playmaker who can keep
plays alive and he has the uncanny ability, with his strong arm, to throw the
ball across his body and across the field with just a flick of the wrist.”

Coach Rex Ryan even had a few speedy defensive backs simulate Vick’s running
skills to get the defensive linemen prepared for what they’ll see at
Philadelphia. Isaiah Trufant and newly signed Gerald Alexander were out there on
the practice field, zipping around in the backfield and trying to make guys
miss.

“They had to chase me around a little bit, so I was giving them a little
bit of the run-around,” Trufant said with a big laugh. “It gave them an early
look of what to expect and what we will get from Michael Vick. When he’s moving
around back there in the pocket, he’s hard to contain.”

And, judging from his teammates’ comments, Trufant was doing a pretty good
job being Vick.

“Slow down,” Trufant said they told him. “Stop!”

If it were only as simple as that against Vick, though. The Eagles (5-8) are
holding on to slim playoff hopes, so Vick will surely be motivated to do
whatever he can to keep them going. Despite missing three games because of the
rib injury, Vick has rushed for 544 yards—second to only Carolina’s Cam Newton
among NFL quarterbacks.

“There are times you understand he’s going to get out,” defensive
coordinator Mike Pettine said. “That’s where the challenge really starts, and
you have to prepare for it. You have to practice it. So, coverage-wise, the guys
in the back end know that they have to plaster, latch on to their receivers and
cover for a lot longer than normal.”

Linebacker David Harris says there is some danger in focusing too much on
Vick because he has so many options with running back LeSean McCoy and speedy
receivers DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin, and sure-handed tight end Brent
Celek.

“If you worry (about) him running, you might lose track of one of those
fast wide receivers getting downfield,” Harris said. “DeSean Jackson and
Jeremy Maclin have been thriving off of that, so you just have to play
all-around good defense. They’re one of the top rushing teams in the league and
everybody knows what type of athletes they have on that side of the ball, so we
have to go out there and do our thing.”

As long as they don’t repeat some of their previous performances against
some of the league’s other elusive quarterbacks. Denver’s Tim Tebow might be the
best example, running for 68 yards against them—including a 20-yard dash for
the winning score last month—and being sacked just once.

“Tebow has more called quarterback runs, but they’ve done some with Vick,”
Pettine said. “I don’t know how many we’ll get now that he’s a little banged
up. I would say Tebow’s a little more like (Ben) Roethlisberger in the style of
running where it’s hard to bring them down. It’s hard to bring Vick down, but he
makes guys miss a lot more. He’s like a wideout in open space where
Roethlisberger and Tebow are more like fullbacks.”

Blitzing Vick is almost a no-no because of the way he can side-step a
rushing linebacker or defensive back, and then take off.

“It takes all 11 guys,” Pouha said. “And, I promise you, he’ll make three
or four of you miss. That’s why you’ve got to make sure that you’ve got the
other seven or eight guys right behind you. It’s all about pursuit and being
around the ball. I think that’s how you do it, just swarm the ball.”

Ryan has previously coached against Vick twice in the regular season, both
when he was an assistant in Baltimore and the quarterback was still with the
Atlanta Falcons. Vick was 11 of 21 for 127 yards and a touchdown, while running
six times for 54 yards in a 24-10 loss in 2006. He was 12 of 24 for 136 yards
and an interception, and was held to minus-5 yards rushing on seven carries in a
20-17 win in 2002.

“We’ve done OK against him in the past,” Ryan said. “But, again, you’re
never going to be comfortable until the bus is heading home and the game’s over.
He’s a scary athlete.”

There is the quick update of the day.