The Philadelphia Eagles have plenty of reasons to be bitter at the New York Jets. First the Eagles destroyed the Jets on Dec. 18 to get their hopes up for a miracle playoff run, and then the Jets ruined that by losing to the New York Giants on Dec. 24. But while Philadelphia fans are stewing in disappointment, they can take solace in how New York fans – also like myself – are equally disappointed in their team.

The Jets have gone from potential Super Bowl contenders to playoff long shots in the span of just a few weeks. What’s more, New York has lived through this situation before – which pretty much triggered the Rex Ryan/Mark Sanchez era to begin with.

Before Ryan and Sanchez arrived in 2009, New York was just coming off the end of its stint in the Brett Favre soap opera. In 2008, the Jets had Super Bowl hype around them when Favre came to town, but they started slowly with a 3-3 record. Likewise in 2011, the team stumbled out of the gate to a 2-3 start. Yet in midseason, the 2008 and 2011 squads got on a roll and looked ready to make a big run.

The 2008 team was a bit hotter, as it won five straight games to go to 8-3. And since the defending champion Giants only had one loss at the time, hype for an all-New York Super Bowl was building up. However, once the Jets got their eighth win everything started to fall apart – like it has for the 2011 edition.

The outcomes aren’t completely similar, since Favre’s Jets did at least get a ninth win while Sanchez’s team is still stuck at 8-7. But in both cases, they had chances to lock up playoff berths and utterly collapsed in the month of December. Favre ran out of gas and was more hobbled up than usual, three years before Sanchez completely crumbled against the Eagles and Giants.

The 2008 Jets got so bad in their final two losses that it triggered a full scale makeover, as Favre “retired” again, Eric Mangini was fired and the Ryan era was ready to begin. New York seemed to get the better end of that deal with two straight AFC title game appearances, yet Ryan and Sanchez have now reached the low point of their tenure.

If the 2011 Jets complete their collapse and miss the playoffs as well, it might not get Ryan and Sanchez out of town like the 2008 downfall did to Mangini and Favre. However, after three years of talk and bluster and no Super Bowls for Ryan, and after another season of regression from Sanchez, their time is starting to run out. After this, New York might not forgive another year or two with this kind of ending – or any other ending before the first week of February.

In 2009 and 2010, the Jets proved to be experts at ending a season on a hot streak. But in between , there have been a pair of pretty ugly Decembers that have kept New York from January. The consequences for the horrible ending of 2011 may not be as severe as the ones from 2008. Yet Ryan and Sanchez’s window of opportunity is getting smaller, and that might be severe enough before long.

Robert Dougherty is a life-long Philadelphia resident who has followed the Eagles since he was eight years old.

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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.

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FLORHAM PARK, N.J. – Slow starts are a thing of the past for the suddenly clicking New York Jets.

Remember those brutally boring first quarters when they couldn’t get much going? Well, those are so four weeks ago.

Mark Sanchez and the once-struggling offense have become an efficient group that has gotten on the scoreboard early and often during the Jets’ three-game winning streak.

“I think we’re all just playing a lot better across the board,” Sanchez said.

And they’ve done it against some pretty good defenses. Here comes another one this Sunday: the Eagles, who are coming off a nine-sack performance against Miami and playing for their playoff lives in a season that has been filled with inconsistencies.

“It sounds awfully familiar to another team I know,” center Nick Mangold said with a slight grin.

Big things were expected from the Jets offense this season, particularly in the passing game with Santonio Holmes and Plaxico Burress. Instead, there were a few impressive spurts scattered throughout an early portion of a season marked mainly by spotty play by Sanchez, the offensive line, the running game, and the receivers.

New York is ranked 25th in overall offense, but the Jets are in a real groove offensively. They have 13 touchdowns in the last three games, which ties them with New Orleans, New England, and Green Bay – the top-ranked three offenses in the league – for the most in the NFL during that span.

“I don’t think our practices were quite as sharp as they’ve been lately, and I think that carries over to the game,” coach Rex Ryan said. “I think you see right now our team is feeling pretty good about themselves.”

It all started in the fourth quarter against Buffalo in Week 12, when Sanchez led the Jets to a 28-24, comeback victory over the Bills with a touchdown pass to Holmes with just over a minute left. New York followed that by scoring on its first possession against Washington and then dominating the Redskins in the fourth quarter with three touchdowns in less than five minutes for a 34-19 win.

Last Sunday against the Chiefs, the Jets rebounded from an embarrassing timeout on their first play from scrimmage by again scoring a touchdown on their first possession, and kept going while cruising to a 37-10 victory. While no one might confuse this offense for those of the Saints, Patriots, or Packers right now, it certainly has become a force during the team’s streak.

“I think hopefully we’re just starting to hit our stride, and we’re not there yet,” Sanchez said.

“I think you’re seeing, for the most part, consistent play out of the offense,” right guard Brandon Moore said. “It’s . . . coming to fruition.

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

By Chris Celletti

– Contributor

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Dec 14, 2011 – Three straight wins, with some help from others around the National Football League, have launched the New York Jets into the final playoff spot with just three games left in the 2011 season. The goal is now crystal clear for Gang Green, win and in, and they really couldn’t have asked for much more when they were .500 having come off a brutal loss to the Denver Broncos. But the final three games for the Jets won’t be as easy as the past three, starting this week when they try to do something they haven’t done in the history of the franchise — beat the Philadelphia Eagles. The once-lauded “Dream Team” Eagles have stumbled to a 5-8 record, but looked quite good last week in dismantling the Miami Dolphins 26-10. They are still alive in the mediocre NFC East race, so they will be playing with desperation.

We’re also getting down to the nitty gritty of the fantasy football season, with playoffs in many leagues in full swing. If you have any Jets on your roster, here’s your primer on how to play them this week.

Start

RB – Shonn Greene – numberFire projection: 14.86 carries, 64.73 yards, 0.41 rushing TDs, 3.65 receptions, 25.66 rec. yards, 11.69 fantasy points

Greene has earned must-start status, finally, after his solid performances the past few weeks. Last week against the lifeless Kansas City Chiefs, Greene had his best overall day of the season, with 129 yards rushing (and a score) and 53 receiving yards. He’s improved leaps and bounds as a receiver out of the backfield, and I would expect the Jets to try more screens this week against an aggressive Eagles defense. It will also likely be a close game, meaning Greene will get a lot of touches.

QB – Mark Sanchez – numberFire projection: 17.35 completions, 202.12 yards, 1.00 TDs, 0.86 INTs, 12.61 fantasy points

Sanchez has been a solid fantasy quarterback this season. He’s thrown for 21 TDs against just 11 interceptions. He doesn’t put up huge yardage numbers, but the Jets are the NFL’s number one red zone team, so Sanchez is getting them in the end zone. He’s also been a threat rushing, as he has five run scores this season.

TE – Dustin Keller – numberFire projection: 3.71 receptions, 39.80 yards, 0.36 TDs, 6.14 fantasy points

The Jets have finally started to include Keller consistently in their game plan, and he’s received a lot of targets from Sanchez in the past few weeks. I would expect the Jets to be able to get Keller in mismatch situations against the Eagles and exploit them.

WR – Santonio Holmes – numberFire projection: 3.21 receptions, 55.13 yards, 0.30 TDs, 7.30 fantasy points

It’s been a statistically disappointing season for Holmes, who hasn’t had any real breakout games. I’m not sure if one will come this week going up against a talented Eagles’ secondary, but he has touchdown catches in three consecutive games. Hopefully that streak continues this week.

Sit

WR – Plaxico Burress – numberFire projection: 3.98 receptions, 47.76 yards, 0.26 TDs, 6.43 fantasy points

Burress had no catches last week against Kansas City, so its hard to say he should be an automatic start against the Eagles, who have a talented secondary. Maybe Burress is wearing down a bit late in the year after not playing football for two years prior to this season.

Jets Defense/Special Teams – numberFire projection: 20.22 points allowed, 2.74 sacks, 2.16 turnovers, 8.99 fantasy points

NumberFire seems to really like the Jets this week, ranking them as the number four projected defense. I have my reservations, as the Jets’ aren’t equipped to matchup with fast teams. I don’t think the Jets defense gets shredded, but I don’t think it’s a banner day, either.

Read More: Santonio Holmes (WR – NYJ), Plaxico Burress (WR – NYJ), Dustin Keller (TE – NYJ), Shonn Greene (RB – NYJ), Mark Sanchez (QB – NYJ), Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, Philadelphia Eagles, Kansas City Chiefs, Denver Broncos

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

Note: The opinions expressed here are my takes on each player’s individual matchup. As always, use your best judgment and conduct your own research on who to start or bench each week. You know your individual team and/or league situation better than anyone else.

Mark Sanchez(notes), QB

Averaging 15.80 fantasy points per game, Sanchez is better than some, and a great option in leagues who start two quarterbacks. He scored 22.70 fantasy points last week against the Buffalo Bills but has a tough matchup this week against the Washington Redskins. Washington is allowing only 15.06 fantasy points per game to quarterbacks this season so I would not expect a huge performance from Sanchez this week.

Shonn Greene(notes), RB

Green had a solid performance last week scoring 9.00 fantasy points against the Bills and has a fairly positive matchup against the Redskins who are giving up 18.14 fantasy points per game to running backs this season. However, LaDainian Tomlinson(notes) should see some action this week to ease the burden on Green who has been playing through a rib injury. I would not expect huge numbers from either of these guys this week.

Plaxico Burress(notes), WR

Averaging 9.00 fantasy points per game, Burress has proven to be a solid fantasy receiver this season. He scored 11.40 fantasy points last week against the Bills and appears to have a favorable matchup this week against the Redskins. Washington is giving up 17.45 fantasy points per game to wide receivers this season leading me to believe he will have a game near his average this week.

Santonio Holmes(notes), WR

Averaging 7.50 fantasy points per game, Holmes has proven to be a stable No. 2 or No. 3 fantasy receiving option this season. He scored 11.00 fantasy points last week against the Bills but I have some concerns with his performance of only two receptions on nine targets last week. If Sanchez and Holmes can work out their issues, Holmes could have another strong game this week.

Dustin Keller(notes), TE

Keller had a fantastic game last week against the Bills scoring 18.10 fantasy points in that contest. He has a good matchup this week against the Redskins who are allowing 7.81 fantasy points per game to tight ends. Expect a good but not overwhelmingly strong performance from Keller this week.

Nick Folk(notes), K

Folk is about as average as they come in terms of fantasy kickers. He scored just 4.00 fantasy points last week against the Bills but has a favorable matchup this week against the Redskins. Washington is giving up 9.73 fantasy points per game to kickers this season allowing me to believe he will have an improved performance this week over last.

Defense

Averaging 10.30 fantasy points per game, the New York Jets’ team defense are one of the top in fantasy football. While they scored just 3.00 fantasy points last week against the Bills, they should rebound against the Redskins who are allowing 10.55 fantasy points per game. Expect a vastly improved performance this week.

Sources:

All data provided by Yahoo! Sports Fantasy Football

Paul Rados is an avid fantasy football participant and a Featured Contributor for the Yahoo! Contributor Network. Follow him on Twitter @PSRados or leave him a message on Facebook. For a complete look at his freelance work please visit his Blog.

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According to an ESPNNewYork.com report, Mark Sanchez’s(notes) teammates are rallying around him in the wake of his rude introduction Nov. 27. He was mercilessly booed by fans during the pregame festivities last Sunday at MetLife Stadium, shocking and upsetting many of his teammates. But Sanchez won’t have to deal with the home fans this week, as the Jets hit the road to play the 4-7 Washington Redskins. November was a rollercoaster month for the New York Jets, and they will need a strong push down the stretch to find their way into the playoffs. Here’s a look back at the top five most notable tweets from Jets players in November.

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

Plaxico Burress(notes)

On Nov. 30, New York Jets wide receiver Plaxico Burress tweeted “They can’t hate what’s real! Smile and laugh! RT @ImKelvinTaylor: A month ago they was hating on me now I’m hot they back l0ving on me!!!” Burress was referring to his late-season resurgence that began with a three touchdown performance Oct. 23 in the Jets’ 27-21 win over the San Diego Chargers. Prior to that game, Burress had just two touchdown receptions in his first six games as a Jet and he was starting to hear it from the fans. Follow Burress on Twitter @plaxico.

Mark Sanchez

It’s no wonder that Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez was able to rack up over 580,000 followers on Twitter. He always stays humble and takes out the time to talk to Jets fans despite recent criticism of his play. On Nov. 24, he tweeted “Happy Thxgiving to all. Gr8 day to gain perspective & realize how fortunate we are. Enjoy ur families & the important people in ur life. #fb.” Follow Sanchez on Twitter @mark_sanchez.

Dustin Keller(notes)

When President Obama went on a fundraising blitz across Manhattan on Nov. 30, New York City traffic was even worse than usual due to assigned “frozen zones” that blocked cars from passing through areas where the president would be passing through. Keller chimed in on the situation by tweeting “Pres Obama, Thanks 4 all u do but the longer ur here in NYC the longer we must deal w/ this traffic u created..safe travels to DC Dustin.” Follow Keller on Twitter @dustinkeller81.

Antonio Cromartie(notes)

On Nov. 27, Antonio Cromartie was overcome with emotion prior to the Jets game against the Buffalo Bills. He tweeted “Game Day baby. I love this feelin. The excitement of doin somethin I’ve always dreamed abt. Thank u Father 4 blessin me w/ this opportunity.” Cromartie then went out and tallied three tackles to held lead the Jets to a 28-24 victory. Follow Cromartie on Twitter @acromartie.

Nick Mangold(notes)

Jets center took out a moment to recognize the men and women doing their part to protect our freedom on a daily basis. On Veteran’s Day, Mangold tweeted “Big thanks to all of our veterans and those currently serving our great country. Very grateful for the sacrifices of you and your families.” Follow Mangold on Twitter @nickmangold.”

Eric Holden has been rooting for the New York Jets for over two decades and his favorite current player on the team is Mark Sanchez. Follow the author on Twitter @ericholden.

Sources

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

www.twitter.com, Twitter, tweets

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Not much else going on in the NFL world today.

By DENNIS WASZAK Jr.
NEW YORK — Rex Ryan still couldn’t believe it, stunned even 12 hours after his Jets left Denver with a devastating loss.

Too many mistakes. Too many blown opportunities. And, now, there’s serious doubt whether this is even a playoff-caliber team.

“It was obviously a huge, huge loss for us,” Ryan said Friday.

After the Jets (5-5) allowed Tim Tebow to cap a 95-yard drive with a 20-yard touchdown run in the final minute of a 17-13 loss Thursday night, Ryan knew exactly what went wrong: pretty much everything.

“Obviously, we had some breakdowns in protections,” Ryan said during a conference call. “We had a turnover for a touchdown, we fumbled another special teams play on a kick return after we had a huge return, and then obviously, the 95-yard drive, which is, it’s still hard to really fathom. I mean, it really is.”

At this time last week, the Jets were riding a three-game winning streak and looking to establish themselves as one of the premier teams in a wide-open AFC. Consecutive losses to New England and Denver in five days have New York instead suddenly in the middle of a muddled postseason picture.

“Our playoffs start right now, there’s no question,” Ryan said. “We have to beat Buffalo. I don’t see any breathing room. We’ve already used that up.”

Ryan wishes his team could play its next game this Sunday, but the Jets must wait until Nov. 27, when they host the Bills. That might be a good thing, considering all New York needs to clean up.

“Every area of our team has certain issues,” Ryan acknowledged.

That was clear on the field in Denver as the Jets couldn’t put away a Broncos team that was outplayed for the first 55 minutes. Then came Tebow’s latest comeback, one that could have been quashed on the first play.

The Broncos quarterback threw an ill-advised pass to Eddie Royal in the end zone, and Jets safety Jim Leonhard got him — and then lost him as Royal broke free for an 8-yard gain. It was a bad omen for a defense that had played well up until that point, but appeared gassed as Tebow started running around the field.

“It’s very disappointing,” cornerback Darrelle Revis said after the game. “A lot of people are disappointed in here of how the outcome came for the game.”

New York still had a chance to make a huge play and go back home feeling fortunate to squeeze out a win. But on third-and-4 from the Jets 20, Tebow spotted New York dialing up its first all-out blitz of the night. So he took the snap, got past safety Eric Smith, cut back and then rumbled into the end zone.

“Hindsight behind 20-20, obviously, we would’ve done something, anything but that,” Ryan said of the decision to blitz. “I even told the defense before (the play), ‘This kid is not going to take the ball out of his hand. He is going to keep it in his hand,’ and that’s exactly what he did. He ended up just making a great play. None of us saw it coming.”

So Ryan and his staff will spend the next several days trying to turn things around in what has been a mediocre 10 games of a season that the Jets’ bold and brash coach promised would be special.

“When you look at it, are we going to change a few things? Yes, I think we need to,” he said. “I think we really need to look, study some things. I won’t get into the particulars, but I think we really do, and also learn from our past, how we did things, and really try to look at that and try to get better.”

On defense, that means being able to close out games and keep consistent pressure on the quarterback. On special teams, that means holding on to the ball and clamping down on opponents’ returns. And, on offense, it’s improving the running game — granted, Shonn Greene was injured early — and making sure quarterback Mark Sanchez starts to show signs of progress.

After the game, Sanchez took the blame, something he has done a lot lately. His poor pass to Plaxico Burress in the third quarter that Andre’ Goodman picked off and returned 26 yards for a touchdown tied the game at 10 and immediately swung the momentum in the Broncos’ favor at a time when the Jets could have taken total control.

“It’s an embarrassing play on my part,” Sanchez said. “I hurt the team and lost the game.”

Ryan acknowledged that it was a bad decision by Sanchez on the play, but refused to blame him for the loss.

“It absolutely doesn’t belong on Mark’s shoulders,” Ryan said. “He’s just a player. He’s a big piece of the puzzle, but it wasn’t all on Mark Sanchez.”

But Sanchez did little to assert himself as a game-changing leader, a criticism he has heard even while he helped take the Jets to the last two AFC title games. He has not regressed in his third season, but he has made little progress behind a spotty offensive line and with some new wide receivers. That has many fans and media members wondering if Sanchez will ever be a championship-caliber quarterback.

“I’m extremely confident,” Ryan said when asked of his trust in Sanchez. “We’ll go out there and play tomorrow. That’s how I feel about Mark. This is our quarterback. He’s going to be our quarterback for as long as I’m here, which I hope is a long, long time.”

While Ryan looks for answers, his belief in his team remains typically high. It might be desperate times for the Jets, but they’ve proven the last two seasons that’s when they’re at their very best. They’ve got six games now to save their season.

“We all have to get better,” Ryan said. “There’s no doubt. We all have to get better. Again, I’m confident that this group wants it in the worst way, and it’s a resilient group. We’ve done it before, and we just have to do it again.”

What do you guys think about this.

Mark Sanchez (Getty Images file photo)

Mark Sanchez lined up daily against the New York Jets’ defense during the preseason and watches that group from the sideline during every regular-season game.

From what he has seen up close, Sanchez said on a conference call Tuesday that Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow must be crazy. Tebow has rushed 39 times for 283 yards in four starts this year.

“I don’t think anybody wakes up thinking, ‘Yeah, I’ll hold onto the ball and run at Bart Scott, Dave Harris and Calvin Pace.’ That doesn’t sound like a fun Sunday. I’d rather throw it,” said Sanchez, who will quarterback the Jets against the Broncos in Denver on Thursday night.

Miller staying aggressive.

Broncos linebacker Von Miller was fined $15,000 for a hit on Raiders QB Carson Palmer. That didn’t change the rookie’s mind-set, because he went after Chiefs QB Matt Cassel early in Sunday’s game at Kansas City. Miller drove Cassel to the ground on the fourth play of the game and sacked him on the fifth.

“It’s really just shoot first and ask questions later,” Miller said. “You really can’t think about it. It’s just a split-second decision that you have to make.”

Injury report.

Jets running back LaDainian Tomlinson didn’t practice Tuesday and appears unlikely to play against the Broncos. Tom- linson primarily has been a third-down back this season.

Three wide receivers are listed on the Jets’ injury report, with Jeremy Kerley unlikely to play. That could mean some playing time for former Bronco Eron Riley, whom the Jets signed off Denver’s practice squad this season. Riley was the Broncos’ leading receiver during the preseason.

“He’s done great,” Sanchez said. “He’s real quiet, goes about his business and has done a great job for us. He’s given us some good looks on the scout team.”

Jets safety Brodney Pool is out with a sprained left knee. Wide receiver Patrick Turner (kidney) and tight end Shawn Nelson (illness) didn’t practice

The Denver Post’s NFL reporters post analysis, notes and more on this blog dedicated to the Denver Broncos.

Tuesday. Their availability for Thursday is uncertain.

Footnotes.

The Tim Tebow Foundation announced Tuesday that it is partnering with Cure International to build a children’s hospital in the Philippines. “I know this is a big game and a big practice today, but ultimately that might be the coolest thing I’m doing this week,” Tebow said. . . . Denver offensive tackles Ryan Clady and Chris Clark, who had minor knee injuries Sunday at Kansas City, practiced Tuesday — as did linebacker Wesley Woodyard (knee), tight end Julius Thomas (ankle) and cornerback Cassius Vaughn (hamstring). Safety Brian Dawkins was limited because of a sore ankle.

Lindsay H. Jones, The Denver Post

That’s all the news for today.

Life at the top is too heady for the New York Jets right
now.

Plagued by errors on offense, defense and special teams, the
Jets were routed by New England 37-16 Sunday night. While the
Patriots took command of the AFC East, the Jets not only fell one
game behind in the standings, they fell so flat on the field that
they were thoroughly outclassed.

“It hurts bad,” star cornerback Darrelle Revis said. “We knew
what position we could have been in if we won. We wanted this very
bad.”

But they played so badly, especially in the second half, that
they had little chance of slowing Tom Brady and the team that has
dominated the division for a decade.

“We made too many mistakes and it cost us,” Revis added. “You
can’t do that against an offense and against No. 12 (Brady).

Brady threw three touchdown passes, including two to Rob
Gronkowski, and the Patriots moved to 6-3. They also have swept the
Jets (5-4), who are tied for second place with Buffalo.

While New England pulled away in the second half, the game
turned late in the second quarter. Mark Sanchez took a timeout at
the wrong time _ coach Rex Ryan took responsibility for it, but
Sanchez admitted it was his goof. The Jets didn’t take advantage of
kicking off from the 50-yard line after going ahead 9-6. And they
couldn’t get any pressure on Brady, who picked them apart on a
quick 80-yard drive.

All part of a bad night for New York, which had won three in a
row.

Ryan was so angry, he told NBC at halftime that the timeout was
the “stupidest play in NFL history.”

“They (the coaches) were talking about taking a timeout and as
soon as I heard it, I walked over to the ref. As soon as I did it,
I saw Rex when I was walking off … It was a horrible mistake and
one you can’t make,” Sanchez said.

There also was a muffed punt by Joe McKnight that two other Jets
also mishandled before the Patriots recovered, leading to a field
goal. And two interceptions by linebacker Rob Ninkovich. And a
team-record 4 1-2 sacks by Andre Carter.

“We had some big mistakes that you just can’t overcome,” said
Plaxico Burress, who caught a TD pass from Sanchez. “We kept
putting our defense in tough situations against a quarterback like
that.”

That quarterback and his coach set an NFL mark with their 117th
victory, breaking a tie with Miami’s Dan Marino and Don Shula as
the winningest duo since 1966.

After the Jets got within a score at 23-16 early in the fourth
quarter, Brady coolly led the Patriots down the field on an 84-yard
drive that was capped by an 8-yard touchdown catch by Deion
Branch.

Ninkovich then sealed the victory _ which snapped a two-game
skid _ on the Jets’ next possession with a 12-yard interception
return for a touchdown midway through the final quarter.

It was also the first home loss for the Jets (5-4) after opening
4-0, but they can’t dwell on it because they play again at Denver
on Thursday night.

Ryan insisted his team was greatly improved since a 30-21 loss
at New England on Oct. 9 and declared it a must-win if New York
wanted to get some home playoff games. Turns out, the Jets still
have plenty of work to do if they expect to dethrone the
Patriots.

New England was coming off losses to Pittsburgh and the Giants,
but said there was no concern in its locker room. It certainly
showed as the Patriots avoided their first three-game losing streak
since 2002.

Brady finished 26 of 39 for 329 yards, the 40th time he reached
the 300-yard mark in a regular-season game, breaking a tie with
Hall of Famer Joe Montana for eighth on the NFL’s list. He also
joined New Orleans’ Drew Brees as the only players to throw for
3,000 yards in their team’s first nine games. Brees also
accomplished the feat this season.

Gronkowski finished with eight catches for 113 yards and the two
scores, and Stephen Gostkowski kicked three field goals. Carter had
all those sacks as the Patriots’ defense, ranked last in the league
coming in, harassed Sanchez all night.

Sanchez was 20 of 39 for 306 yards and a touchdown, but was
intercepted twice and sacked five times.

The Jets appeared to get back in it when Burress caught a 7-yard
fade pass over Antwaun Molden in the right corner of the end zone
on the first play of the fourth quarter, making it 23-16.

But Brady led the Patriots on a typically efficient drive, going
84 yards on 13 plays using a no-huddle offense that kept the Jets’
defense off balance. Brady coolly spread the ball around to his
receivers before connecting with Branch with 8:04 remaining.

“We got caught,” Jets safety Jim Leonhard said. “We do a lot of
things where we’re trying to match personnel, and every once in a
while they get in that hurry-up and it catches us.”

The score sent many in the crowd at MetLife Stadium heading for
the exits.

Earlier, Gronkowski appeared to catch his second TD pass of the
night, but video replay showed he stepped out of bounds. Gostkowski
then booted his third field goal, from 27 yards.

But Gronkowski got into the end zone again a few minutes later
after Ninkovich returned a twice-tipped interception as Sanchez’s
throw went off the hands of running back Shonn Greene, then was
deflected by linebacker Jerod Mayo.

The Jets got on the scoreboard when they got some rare pressure
on Brady. Jamaal Westerman got to him in the end zone, and Brady
threw the ball away left-handed. He was called for intentional
grounding and a safety.

New York took the free kick and moved 65 yards on seven plays,
including a 21-yard run by LaDainian Tomlinson and a 22-yard grab
by Patrick Turner, his first catch of the season. Sanchez ran in
from the 2 on a quarterback draw for a 9-6 lead.

Adding to the frustration was New York not opting to try a pooch
kickoff following a 15-yard penalty on New England’s Vince Wilfork,
and Nick Folk kicked the ball through the end zone. Brady hit five
passes on an 80-yard drive, with Gronkowski getting open over the
middle for the 18-yard score with 9 seconds left in the half that
made it 13-9.

Folk was wide left on a 24-yard field goal attempt at the end of
New York’s opening drive.

New England took advantage, taking a 3-0 lead on Gostkowski’s
50-yard field goal that squeezed over the crossbar.

Not much else going on in the NFL world today.

Read More: Tom Brady (QB – NEP), Chad Ochocinco (WR – NEP), Nick Folk (K – NYJ), Mark Sanchez (QB – NYJ), New York Jets, New England Patriots

The first quarter of the New York Jets Vs. New England Patriots could be best summed up by missed opportunities. In their opening drive, Mark Sanchez brilliantly led his team down the field, picking the Patriots apart with expertise. He was unable to find a receiver in the red zone. Nick Folk had the opportunity to put the team up 3-0 but missed a chip shot from 26 yards out. 

The Patriots had a similar opening drive. Tom Brady finally hooked up with Chad Ochocinco several times. The team was unable to move deep in Jets territory and had to settle for a field goal. On the second Patriots drive Brady found Ochocinco for a 58 yard completion. It Chad’s biggest reception on the year. Again, the Patriots had to settle for a field goal. The quarter ended with the Jets having control of the ball and driving down the field. 

Below is Chad Ochocinco’s reception:

Thanks for reading! .

Ryan Fitzpatrick today will try to get the Buffalo Bills over what has been a giant roadblock for the franchise — the New York Jets’ defense.

Mark Sanchez will try to enhance his credentials as a clutch performer in big games for the Jets.

The one who succeeds can lay claim to being the second-best quarterback in the AFC East. More important, the winner will give his team a big boost in the playoff race.

A sellout crowd at Ralph Wilson Stadium will be fired up for one of Buffalo’s biggest midseason games of the past decade. The Bills (5-2) can take a two-game lead over the Jets (4-3) in the division and keep their edge on the New England Patriots (5-2), whom they already have defeated.

“Any time you play a division opponent, it’s meaty,” Fitzpatrick said. “It’s serious. These are the games you have to win to get to the playoffs.”

The Patriots’ Tom Brady has ruled the division for a decade. The Bills would like to think they have the edge at quarterback on the Jets.

Fitzpatrick, who has won nine of his last 14 starts, ranks sixth in the NFL in passer rating, third in completion percentage and is tied for fifth in touchdown passes.

That edge, if it exists, needs to show up today, because the Jets have owned the Bills since Rex Ryan took over as New York’s coach in 2009. In the last four meetings with New York, the Bills’ offense has scored just four offensive touchdowns, and averaged 114 net passing yards, 43 percent completions and 20 percent conversions on third downs.

“They’ve given us plenty of problems the past few years,” Fitzpatrick said. “They’re going to be in your face. They think their guys are better than yours and play man-to-man on the outside a lot.”

Like New England, the Bills will spread out the Jets’ defense. New York may have the best cornerback talent in the league, in Darrelle Revis, Antonio Cromartie and Josh Wilson. It will be interesting to see if the Jets play mostly press coverage at the line of scrimmage to try to take away the Bills’ favored quick throws.

“They press a lot and play a lot of man coverage, more man coverage than most teams,” Fitzpatrick said.

One potential drawback of extensive press coverage is it makes it harder for the cornerbacks to help against the run outside.

“You have to make a decision,” said Bills receiver Brad Smith, the former Jet. “You can man up and your eyes are stuck on that receiver, and you’re putting pressure on the inside guys [to defend the run].”

But if the Bills get in bad down-and-distance situations, the Jets will unleash their blitzes, which have given the Bills fits. New York may be the best in the league at “overload blitzes,” rushing multiple defenders off one edge or the other.

“They do it very well, and the thing is they do it with multiple guys,” Smith said. “With some teams, you can get a feel for who’s coming. With the Jets, they’ll put a corner in the linebacker spot, or a safety playing corner. They’ll change it up so much, it’s hard to get a bead on them. Everybody plays everybody else’s spots.”

Fitzpatrick’s passing numbers over the past year and a half are superior to those of Sanchez. He has thrown for more yards per game (237 to 210), more touchdowns (37 to 29) and a better completion percentage (61 to 55).

Sanchez has helped take the Jets to two straight AFC title games, in the process beating the likes of Brady and Peyton Manning on the road.

“If you’re basing everything on statistics … then maybe he wouldn’t be an elite quarterback,” Ryan said of Sanchez. “But I base things on wins. Obviously we’re not where we want to be this season; we’re at 4-3 right now. But I think when you look at his history, he’s tied for the most road playoff victories in the history of the National Football League, and that’s not bad for a guy who’s into his third season. So I’ll go ahead and take him. You can call him elite or not if you want, that’s fine. I like where he’s at.”

While Fitzpatrick has good mobility, Sanchez is a better athlete with a stronger arm.

“He’s a very competitive guy and he’s got a strong enough arm,” Ryan said of Fitzpatrick. “There’s guys with bigger arms than him, but he’s smart, he gets the ball out quick. He identifies coverages quickly and he can run with it. He’s a better athlete than some people give him credit for.”

Sanchez throws well on the run and throws a nice deep ball. Can he be accurate enough to carry the Jets’ offense? In Year Three, you would think his accuracy would be improving. But he’s completing only 55.8 percent, 28th in the NFL, this season. In his six playoff games, he has competed 60.5 percent.

If all goes according to Ryan’s plan, the Bills will put more of the game on Fitzpatrick’s shoulders than the Jets will put on Sanchez’s shoulders.

New York has taken pressure off Sanchez by running more the past three games. The first month of the season, the Jets were playing more three-receiver sets to feature their star outside receivers, Santonio Holmes and Plaxico Burress.

“We were trying to spread people out a little more and kind of got enamored a little bit — I did — with some of the talent that we brought in,” Ryan said. “What’s best for our football team is play our style of football, and we’ve gotten back to that.”

mgaughan@buffnews.comnull

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When discussing New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez(notes), it always comes down to the 25-year-old’s struggles with accuracy and—this year especially—getting familiar with his receivers. Sanchez has thrown 12 touchdowns against six interceptions this season, but his 55.8 percent completion percentage—which is actually an improvement over his first two years—ranks 28th among the league’s 34 qualifiers.

The Jets (4-3), who’re coming off a bye week, play the Buffalo Bills (5-2) on Sunday at Ralph Wilson Stadium (1 p.m. ET). They are expected to operate out of a run-first offense, but Sanchez and his receiving corps needs to show signs of improvement this weekend.

Gang Green ranks 24th in passing yards (1,454) and 27th in first downs by passing (72). The Bills’ defense isn’t particularly strong, allowing an average of 265.9 passing yards per game (ninth most in the NFL). Buffalo is also tied with four other teams for the league’s third lowest sack total (13), so if that trend continues vs. New York, Sanchez will have ample time to get the ball to Plaxico Burress(notes) (18 receptions, 243 yards, 5 TD), Santonio Holmes(notes) (22 receptions, 311 yards, 3 TD) and Dustin Keller(notes) (25 receptions, 372 yards, 2 TD).

Running back LaDainian Tomlinson(notes) (20 receptions, 260 yards, 1 TD) acts as Sanchez’s safety blanket when coverage is strong downfield, but this may be a game the Jets can use to develop an identity in the air. No matter how much they’re bent on returning to their ground-and-pound roots, the league’s stronger defenses will start stacking the box if New York shies away from using its receivers more.

Sanchez’s performance on Sunday will illustrate whether he and his teammates were able to develop some much-need chemistry during the extra time off.

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