NEW YORK JETS DAILY CLIPS

October 9, 2014

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Table of Contents

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

Jets' Decker limited; Harris, Nelson, Walls sit (Dennis Waszak) ................................................................................ 2

After sorry stretch, Jets' Smith aims to be better (Dennis Waszak) .......................................................................... 2

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

Peyton Manning believes Broncos can be even better this season (Colin Stephenson) ........................................... 4

Michael Vick says he took scout-team reps for granted last week (Kimberley Martin) ............................................ 5

Jets expect Geno Smith to bounce back on Sunday (Kimberley Martin) .................................................................. 5

Jeremy Kerley on Jets: 'Energy's gone a little bit' (Kimberley Martin) ...................................................................... 6

THE RECORD .......................................................................................................................................................... 8

Jets notes: Geno apologizes (J.P. Pelzman) ............................................................................................................... 8

NFL: Sulking Jets need spoonful of cheer (J.P. Pelzman) ........................................................................................... 8

NJ ADVANCE MEDIA .............................................................................................................................................. 9

Jets injury update: David Harris, Eric Decker, Darrin Walls, David Nelson sidelined at Wednesday practice (Darryl Slater) ...................................................................................................................................................................... 10

What they're saying: Broncos will lean on green tailbacks vs. Jets, rather than signing free agent (Darryl Slater) 10

Mike Vick suggests he wasn't prepared to play vs. Chargers because of sluggish scout team reps (Darryl Slater) 11

Broncos-Jets injury report: Rex Ryan optimistic David Harris (shoulder), Eric Decker (hamstring) will play (Darryl Slater) ...................................................................................................................................................................... 12

Raw emotion or not, Demario Davis was honest when he ripped Jets' practice habits (Dom Cosentino) ............. 14

Geno Smith apologizes to Jets teammates for missed meeting (Dom Cosentino) ................................................. 15

NEW YORK POST .................................................................................................................................................. 16

Showdown with Peyton comes at bad time for struggling Geno (George Willis) ................................................... 16

Jets’ Decker optimistic he will heal in time to play former team (Brian Lewis) ...................................................... 17

Rex knows a rebound needed to quell heightened media attention (Brian Costello) ............................................ 18

Unprepared Vick: It won’t happen again (Brian Costello) ....................................................................................... 19

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS ...................................................................................................................................... 20

Jets Insider: Michael Vick admits he’s been dogging it with preparations (Seth Walder) ...................................... 20

Jets still feel sting of Chargers flop (Seth Walder) ................................................................................................... 21

NY Jets should bench Geno Smith for Michael Vick after missed meeting movie fiasco follows cursing out fan (Manish Mehta) ....................................................................................................................................................... 22

ESPN NEW YORK .................................................................................................................................................. 24

Playing QB for Jets means always having to say you're sorry (Rich Cimini) ............................................................ 24

A desperate coach and a motivational ploy that worked once before (Rich Cimini) .............................................. 25

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Curious case of the missing Jets QBs (Johnette Howard) ........................................................................................ 26

METRO NEW YORK .............................................................................................................................................. 28

Demario Davis backtracks from Jets practice criticism (Kristian Dyer) ................................................................... 28

Rex Ryan forced to defend starting Geno Smith again (Kristian Dyer).................................................................... 29

Eric Decker back at practice, likely to play against Broncos (Kristian Dyer) ............................................................ 30

WEDNESDAY’S SPORTS TRANSACTIONS............................................................................................................... 30

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Jets' Decker limited; Harris, Nelson, Walls sit (Dennis Waszak) Associated Press October 9, 2014

http://pro32.ap.org/article/jets-decker-limited-harris-nelson-walls-sit

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — New York Jets wide receiver Eric Decker was limited at practice because of a hamstring injury that kept him out of the team's game last Sunday at San Diego.

Decker, who has been dealing with the injury since Week 2, hopes to play Sunday against Denver — the team with which he spent his first four NFL seasons before signing with the Jets as a free agent in the offseason.

Linebacker David Harris sat out practice Wednesday with a shoulder injury, but coach Rex Ryan feels good about his prospects of playing.

Wide receiver David Nelson (ankle), cornerback Darrin Walls (knee) and safety Josh Bush (quadriceps) also did not practice. Center Nick Mangold (shoulder), right guard Willie Colon (knee) and cornerback Dee Milliner (quadriceps) were limited.

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After sorry stretch, Jets' Smith aims to be better (Dennis Waszak) Associated Press October 9, 2014

http://pro32.ap.org/article/after-sorry-stretch-jets-smith-aims-be-better

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — Geno Smith has done lots of apologizing lately.

For cursing at a fan. For poor performances. For missing a team meeting.

The New York Jets quarterback is in a rut, on and off the field. But he's getting another chance to hold on to his starting job, and knows that if he doesn't improve quickly, he could end up back on the sideline — maybe for good.

"Obviously, I'm disappointed in some of the uncharacteristic things that I have done," Smith said after practice Wednesday. "But I have apologized for those things, and now it's about not letting those things occur again, and just remaining focused on football — staying grounded and remaining focused on football."

Last week, Smith was fined $12,000 by the NFL for shouting an expletive at a heckler after the Jets' 24-17 loss to the Detroit Lions at home. He talked about making progress on the field, playing at a higher level. But then came the news that he missed a meeting — along with a teammate — the night before the Jets' 31-0 drubbing at the hands of the San Diego Chargers.

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Smith was present for the rest of the meetings, missing only what was a 10-minute session. The quarterback said he told his teammates he was sorry, and coach Rex Ryan didn't consider benching him for the start of the game — saying the discipline would be taken care of in-house.

"Was this thing just an aberration?" Ryan said. "I believe it was."

Some fans and media insisted it was a display of immaturity by Smith, not exactly becoming of a team leader. There were also criticisms of Ryan, saying he was perhaps too lenient by letting him start at San Diego.

"I learned that all of my actions definitely are being watched and I know that already, but I just have to remain the guy that I have always been," Smith said. "Just continue to be humble. Don't let outside distractions affect me, and they usually don't. Unfortunately, I made a mistake and all I can do is rebound from it."

Smith was eventually benched last Sunday in favor of Michael Vick, but that was only because the Jets' offense was struggling in a big way — again. Immediately after the game, Ryan declared that Smith would start Sunday against Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos.

Publicly, Ryan remains steadfast in his support of Smith, despite the six interceptions and two lost fumbles that have been part of the reason the offense has played poorly. The passing game is ranked last in the NFL, and Smith ranks at the bottom of nearly every major statistical category.

"I see things that maybe not everybody sees," Ryan said. "I see where on his day off, he's got seven receivers in here with him watching tape. I see those types of things. I believe that this young man is going to be fine."

For some, it sounds an awful lot like how Ryan used to come to Mark Sanchez's defense in previous seasons, confident the quarterback would rise past his problems on the field.

Sanchez is long gone, a backup in Philadelphia. And the guy he replaced in that spot with the Eagles — Vick — is now waiting for his chance with the Jets while being supportive as Smith tries to find his way through his second NFL season.

"Give the man some space," he said half-kiddingly when he walked into the locker room and saw Smith at the middle of a large scrum of reporters and cameras.

"We'll find out if he has the ability to persevere," Vick said later.

The Jets are counting on that, or they might be forced to turn to Vick, who struggled just as much as Smith against the Chargers. He finished 8 of 19 for 47 yards, compared to 4 of 12 for 27 yards by Smith.

"I learned a lesson last week: Always stay ready, always be prepared," Vick said. "That left a bitter taste in my mouth, that I wasn't able to go out and put points on the board or even help this team in any fashion."

Smith is trying to do the same, and a solid performance could muffle the calls for his benching. Ryan suggested that Smith would benefit from running more than he has. After all, he has 91 yards on 25 carries, and his seven rushing touchdowns since the start of last season are the most of any NFL quarterback.

"In this league, sometimes guys are going to be covered and I have the ability to pick up a few yards running," Smith said, "so that's what I have to do to help this team and to help this offense."

And, himself.

"I just want to go out there and try to get a win for the fans and go out there and compete," Smith said, "and give them something to be excited about."

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NEWSDAY

Peyton Manning believes Broncos can be even better this season (Colin Stephenson) Newsday October 9, 2014

http://www.newsday.com/sports/football/peyton-manning-believes-broncos-can-be-even-better-this-season-1.9482324

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. - How much of a perfectionist is Peyton Manning? Well, after leading the Denver Broncos to a blowout victory over the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday -- and throwing for 479 yards and career touchdown No. 500 (as well as Nos. 501, 502 and 503) in the process -- Manning, 38, made it clear Wednesday that he thinks he can do better.

"Numbers can be misleading," Manning said on a conference call with Jets reporters. "There's still things that we need to improve on, and that's what we're trying to do . . . We study the film very hard after a win or after a loss, and we try to be very critical and constructive and try to get better."

So that's what the Jets' banged-up secondary is going to be facing on Sunday: a surefire first-ballot Hall of Famer who has thrown for 1,293 yards and 12 TDs in four games this season and isn't satisfied with that.

"Oh, that's going to be easy," Jets coach Rex Ryan deadpanned when asked about trying to defend Manning. "I've got my share of welts from him, as does every [defensive] coordinator in this league. I don't know who can stop him."

The contrast between Manning and struggling second-year Jets quarterback Geno Smith is stark. While Manning is on the verge of breaking Brett Favre's all-time record for touchdown passes, Smith was benched at halftime in the Jets' loss to San Diego and is under fire as detractors call for him to be replaced by Michael Vick.

Manning was asked on Wednesday how much importance he placed on attending a team meeting at the end of the week, after all the practices and all the preparation for the upcoming game had been completed. It was a thinly disguised reference to Smith's missing a meeting on Saturday in California. Manning wasn't falling for it.

"I think I know where you're going with that question," Manning said. "I don't have a whole lot of answer for you on that."

Meanwhile, Favre said he is happy that it is Manning who will break his mark of 508 career TD passes.

"I'm glad it's Peyton that's doing it," Favre told The Associated Press. "I think a lot of Peyton. I know him well. I know his family well. His dad was one of my idols."

For Manning, the respect is mutual.

"Brett is a guy at the quarterback position who just defines the word longevity and productivity over the course of his career," Manning said. "One of the true tough guys. Nobody will ever break that record, his consecutive [games started] streak. Well, let me say this: It'll be awfully tough. Eli [Manning] just might do it. But I think it just goes to show how impressive his starting streak was and his toughness and his longevity, and his production as a player. And Brett was always a big fan of my dad's growing up in Mississippi, and so, obviously, if you grew up in the South and liked quarterbacks, Brett Favre was always one of your favorites, because of the way he played the position."

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Michael Vick says he took scout-team reps for granted last week (Kimberley Martin) Newsday October 9, 2014

http://www.newsday.com/sports/football/jets/michael-vick-says-he-took-scout-team-reps-for-granted-last-week-1.9482675

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. - Though Michael Vick is often the one giving Jets' quarterbacks advice, the veteran backup admitted he also can do a better job of being prepared.

Vick said Wednesday that he took his scout-team reps "for granted" in advance of Sunday's road game in San Diego.

"I learned a lesson last week: Always stay ready, always be prepared," said Vick, who replaced Geno Smith at halftime with the Jets trailing 21-0. "That left a bitter taste in my mouth, that I wasn't able to go out and put points on the board or even help this team in any fashion. This week has been a different work week for me. I think throughout the rest of the year, it's going to be totally different for me, as far as my preparation."

Vick, who finished 8-for-19 for 47 yards in the Jets' 31-0 loss, said he'll probably take more of the scout-team reps (which he shares with practice-squadder Matt Simms). "For some reason, being a quarterback in his 12th year, sometimes you have a tendency to take things for granted. I think I took the scout team for granted, and I'll never do that again."

Jet streams

Demario Davis made headlines when he said the Jets aren't "practicing like a championship team" following their loss to the Chargers. But the linebacker backtracked Wednesday, saying: "My opinion of it was never that our practices were an issue . . . I feel like I, personally, need to give a better effort on the field, setting the tempo just for everybody on the defense." . . . Eric Decker (hamstring) was limited, but the former Bronco is "definitely hopeful" he'll play against his former team . . . David Harris (shoulder), David Nelson (ankle), Darrin Walls (knee) and Josh Bush (quadriceps) did not practice, and Willie Colon (knee), Nick Mangold (shoulder) and Dee Milliner (quadriceps) were limited.

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Jets expect Geno Smith to bounce back on Sunday (Kimberley Martin) Newsday October 9, 2014

http://www.newsday.com/sports/football/jets/jets-expect-geno-smith-to-bounce-back-on-sunday-1.9482763

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. - The Jets will find out exactly who Geno Smith is on Sunday.

The second-year starting quarterback will have a chance to redeem himself when the Jets face the high-powered Denver Broncos at MetLife Stadium. But while his teammates and coaches are confident Smith can rebound from a tumultuous two weeks, he still needs to prove it on the field.

"We'll find out if he has the ability to persevere," backup quarterback Michael Vick said Wednesday.

"I think this is his first time ever going through something like that. I can't really relate on that level, because I've never been put in that situation, but if I were in his shoes, I'd be willing to come back stronger than ever before.

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"That's got to be his mindset. That has to be his preparation for the entire week -- just on a totally different plane."

Smith apologized to the team for missing Saturday night's mandatory team meeting the night before their 31-0 loss in San Diego.

"[I told them] that, although it was a mistake, it can't happen," said Smith, who also was fined $12,000 for cursing at a fan following their Week 4 loss to Detroit. "I just wanted to let them know it wouldn't happen again."

Apology accepted.

"From my understanding, the guys were receptive and everyone told me, 'Hey, move on. We've got a game to play. Keep your focus there.' And from then on, I just had to move on," said Smith, who missed the meeting because he got confused by the three-hour time-zone change and was at the movies with teammate Walter Powell, according to The New York Post.

During a WFAN radio interview this week, defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson said Smith's absence was an honest mistake, adding that it's "not like Geno to be late for anything."

On Wednesday, Jeremy Kerley echoed similar sentiments.

"Things happen," the slot receiver said. "He just missed a meeting. I don't think it affected the way we played, or the way he played."

Though Vick understands it was an honest mistake by Smith, he pointed out the importance of quarterbacks being on time for team meetings.

"I'd be telling a fictitious story if I said anything different," said the veteran, who has been supportive of Smith since he arrived in March. "I think any young guy in the NFL has a lot of maturing to do. At the tender age of 23, 24, being in your second or third year, you have a tendency to make some mistakes. But the most important thing you have to do is learn from it. I think any young guy is going to go through the growing pains and has to go through the whole maturation process."

Rex Ryan refused to say whether the team disciplined Smith for the incidents, saying: "We're going to put that behind us and everything that we've done, we'll handle internally."

Meanwhile, Smith maintains that he hasn't lost confidence following a four-game losing streak. However, he was less than impressive in his last outing at MetLife Stadium, a 24-17 loss to the Lions. And despite the Jets' 1-4 record, Ryan reiterated that Smith will start Sunday.

Asked how he expects the fans to react to him, Smith said: "I don't know. I know that they're going to support the team. I know that that's what they always do . . . I just want to go out there and try to get a win for the fans and go out there and compete and give them something to be excited about."

Does he expect fans to turn on him if he makes a huge mistake on Sunday?

"I can't really focus on that," Smith said. "If that does happen, then I've just got to motor through it and keep working."

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Jeremy Kerley on Jets: 'Energy's gone a little bit' (Kimberley Martin) Newsday October 9, 2014

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http://www.newsday.com/sports/football/jets/jeremy-kerley-on-jets-energy-s-gone-a-little-bit-1.9482797

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. - Although Rex Ryan remains adamant that his Jets will resurrect their season, his players are finding it more and more difficult to shake the frustration that comes with a four-game losing streak.

With only days until Peyton Manning and the Broncos (3-1) fly into town, the Jets' latest defeat still eats away at them.

"It's tough,'' slot receiver Jeremy Kerley told Newsday, referring to Sunday's 31-0 loss in San Diego. "It's No. 4 in a row. And you've got guys who are playing hard and busting their butts, so the energy -- it's gone a little bit. So we've got to dig deep, find some way to get it back.

"We've got to go out and prove ourselves week after week, but just with the pressure of four losses in a row, and then you've got an opponent like Denver, it's just tough,'' added Kerley, who has 19 catches for 168 yards and a touchdown. "You've got to climb out of a hole already and then you've got to play an opponent like that.''

Ryan understands his players' frustration over their 1-4 record, but he also wasn't pleased with the way they began practice Wednesday.

"Today we were kind of licking our wounds a little bit,'' Ryan said. "I told our team we've got to get a little more bounce in our step, a little more energy. It was very workmanlike. That's a good thing, but we've got to move past some things and let's get it on.''

But the Jets' slump appears to have shaken their psyche.

"I feel like that's just natural,'' Kerley said, referring to their lack of energy. "When guys are playing hard and playing at a high level, people are going to get fatigued and tired, and then you put a loss on top of that. It's almost like a mental thing.

"If we can get mentally back in it -- which we will -- we'll be all right.''

Geno Smith couldn't pinpoint why guys started practice "a little sluggish'' but said everyone "picked it up'' as it went on.

Yet Ryan remains as optimistic and energetic as ever. He proclaimed Tuesday that this season will be "far from an embarrassment'' in an ESPN Radio interview.

The question is: Do his players share the same belief?

"I don't know, you'd have to ask them,'' Ryan said. "I believe that this team knows we're going to find a way to get it done and knows that we're going to find a way to win. So I would say so.''

Smith said it "can be dangerous'' when players get down on themselves, but he has "yet to see signs'' of that in the locker room. When asked if his team is "beaten down,'' Ryan denied it, but said he would prefer that his players turn the page on their dismal start.

"As a team we feel like we've let each other down somehow, that we're not where we want to be, certainly,'' Ryan said.

"But I expect that enthusiasm to pick up. I know for a fact that we'll be popping out of our skin to play this one. We're playing Peyton Manning & Co. This is as good as the NFL has to offer, and so who doesn't want to play arguably the best team in the National Football League?''

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THE RECORD

Jets notes: Geno apologizes (J.P. Pelzman) The Record October 9, 2014

http://www.northjersey.com/sports/football/jets-notes-geno-apologizes-1.1105661

Smith moving on

The NFL’s most notorious moviegoer said Wednesday he apologized to all of his teammates for missing a meeting Saturday because he was at the multiplex.

Jets quarterback Geno Smith said he "apologized to the entire team. It doesn’t just affect one person, it affects us all and in that moment I apologized, and the guys told me to move on, so that’s what I did."

Smith’s now-infamous mistake occurred one day before the Jets were blown out by San Diego. He compiled a woeful 7.6 passer rating before being benched at halftime. This came on the heels of Smith cursing out a heckling fan after the team’s loss to Detroit on Sept. 28. Still, Smith said he hasn’t lost confidence in himself.

"Obviously," he said, "[I’m] disappointed in some of the uncharacteristic things that I’ve done. But I have apologized for those things, and now it’s about not letting those things occur again, and just remaining focused on football."

Vick critiques self

Meanwhile, backup quarterback Michael Vick issued somewhat of a mea culpa of his own.

"I think I took the scout team for granted [last week]," he said, implying that perhaps he wasn’t as prepared as he could have been to enter the game Sunday. Vick was 8-for-19 for 47 yards in the second half.

With Smith getting all the first-team snaps in practice, Vick splits scout-team reps with practice squadder Matt Simms.

"Maybe I didn’t prepare or I wasn’t prepared, but let me tell you it won’t happen again," Vick said, even though he added he wouldn’t be "selfish" about the reps and would allow Simms to get his fair share because the second-year pro still is developing.

Decker optimistic

WR Eric Decker, who played for Denver the past four seasons, was limited in practice with a nagging hamstring problem. "Obviously, it’s a day-to-day thing," Decker said, "but I’m definitely hopeful that I’m going to go Sunday, as well." Decker sat out the loss to San Diego.

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NFL: Sulking Jets need spoonful of cheer (J.P. Pelzman) The Record October 9, 2014

http://www.northjersey.com/sports/football/sulking-jets-need-spoonful-of-cheer-1.1105681

FLORHAM PARK – Rex Ryan entered the interview room and noticed all the reporters and cameras crowded in there for his daily media briefing Wednesday.

The Jets coach smiled and said, "We’ve got to win so there will be two cameras here."

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Ryan and his team certainly are under the media microscope as they try to snap a four-game losing streak. The Jets (1-4) will host Denver on Sunday, then visit New England four days later in a stretch that could determine the direction of a season that’s on the verge of slipping away.

Interestingly, Ryan criticized the way his team practiced Wednesday, which was abnormal for a coach who normally praises his team’s preparation.

Ryan indicated the Jets seemed to be "kind of licking our wounds a little bit" three days after a blowout loss to San Diego.

"I told our team," he said, "we’ve got to get a little more bounce in our step, a little more energy. … We’ve got to move past some things and let’s get it on. [Today’s practice] has got to be better."

This unusual critique from Ryan seemed even stranger when he was asked about comments made by linebacker Demario Davis after the loss to the Chargers.

Davis said Sunday, "I know we’re not practicing like a championship football team, and I take responsibility for that, because I expect guys to do what I do. If we’re not giving effort in practice, that means I’m not giving effort in practice. I feel like film study needs to be increased, and I start with myself."

Ryan strongly disagreed, despite what he said about Wednesday’s practice.

"I was shocked by it, quite honestly," Ryan said, "because we’ve had some great practices and this team always practices well. And I think that’s why I was kind of taken aback a little by those comments."

However, Ryan said perhaps Davis made those comments because he was emotional in the aftermath of the loss. Then Ryan tried to explain that his only problem with Wednesday’s workout was that his players lacked emotion.

"We put the work in and guys were doing their jobs," Ryan said, "but just that enthusiam, the smiles on the faces" were missing.

Well, Rex, it’s not hard to understand why the players might have been a bit sullen only three days removed from the San Diego beatdown and facing next week’s five-day gauntlet. Plus, there’s the added distraction of Ryan saying in a radio interview Tuesday that "I don’t think for a minute I’ll be here" as coach if the Jets don’t turn things around this season.

"What I was trying to say," Ryan said, "is that I believe in this football team. … And I think we’re going to get this thing turned. … My future is what it is, but it’s about the team. And I believe 100 percent that we will get this thing going in the right direction, and quickly."

Davis was asked Wednesday if the team believes it is playing to save Ryan’s job.

"We play for each other," he replied, "and that’s not just for our coach. That’s for every coach that’s in this organization. That’s for everybody that’s a part of this organization [and] that’s for everybody in this locker room. We play for each other and that’s what it means to be a family. That’s what it means to be a brotherhood. We’re in a tough spot right now. Our back is against the wall, but we just have to continue to believe in each other and everybody faces adversity together and we’ll be all right."

Whether or not believing in one another will be enough to slow down Peyton Manning and Co. remains to be seen.

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NJ ADVANCE MEDIA

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Jets injury update: David Harris, Eric Decker, Darrin Walls, David Nelson sidelined at Wednesday practice (Darryl Slater) NJ Advance Media October 9, 2014

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2014/10/jets_injury_update_david_harris_eric_decker_darrin_walls_david_nelson_sidelined_at_wednesday_practic.html

FLORHAM PARK -- An update on the Jets' injured players, based on the 30-minute portion of Wednesday's practice that was open to reporters:

• MLB David Harris (shoulder): He got hurt in Sunday's loss at San Diego, but has no structural damage to his shoulder. It looks like he won't practice at all Wednesday. He wore a jersey and shorts and worked in the rehab area, riding a stationary bike. Then he observed the linebackers during position drills. Harris is one of the Jets' most important players. He has started every game since 2008, when he missed five games. As a rookie in 2007, Harris played in every game. His backup, Nick Bellore, is a strong special teams player, but unproven on defense.

• WR Eric Decker (hamstring): He missed the San Diego game -- the first time he had missed a game since 2010, his rookie year. He wore pads and a helmet Wednesday, but spent the entire open portion of practice doing exercises, including light sprinting, on the side with trainers. This week, the Jets host Decker's former team, the Broncos.

• CB Darrin Walls (knee): Walls also got hurt in San Diego. Like Harris, he was not in pads Wednesday. He rode a stationary bike and never left the rehab area during the open portion of practice. Walls has a patellar tendon problem, according to coach Rex Ryan.

• WR David Nelson (ankle): He got hurt in Week 4 against the Lions -- a pretty serious low ankle sprain -- but he still played in San Diego. He was in the game for 27 of 57 offensive snaps. Nelson, like Harris and Walls, wasn't fully dressed for Wednesday's practice. He also wore a jersey and shorts. Nelson spent some time in the rehab area at the start of practice, and then went inside the Jets' complex. Like Harris and Walls, it appears as though Nelson won't practice at all Wednesday.

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What they're saying: Broncos will lean on green tailbacks vs. Jets, rather than signing free agent (Darryl Slater) NJ Advance Media October 9, 2014

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2014/10/what_theyre_saying.html

FLORHAM PARK -- It's Wednesday of Broncos-Jets week, and that means game plans are beginning to take shape for both teams.

As Denver prepares to head East, and return to the site of its Super Bowl blowout loss, how will the Broncos account for the absence of running back Montee Ball (groin injury)?

It is a question we posed in this space Tuesday, while taking a look at what Broncos writers were typing about.

As it turns out, the Broncos are going to stick with the backup running backs already on their roster -- Ronnie Hillman, C.J. Anderson and Juwan Thompson. All three players are unproven, but Denver opted to not sign a free agent running back this week, after working out a couple running backs.

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Will this be a problem for the Broncos against the Jets' mostly stout run defense? Or will the presence of quarterback Peyton Manning under center make the loss of Ball not an issue at all? The Jets are currently fifth in the NFL with 3.3 yards per carry allowed.

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Mike Vick suggests he wasn't prepared to play vs. Chargers because of sluggish scout team reps (Darryl Slater) NJ Advance Media October 9, 2014

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2014/10/mike_vick_suggests_he_wasnt_prepared_to_play_vs_chargers_because_he_took_scout_team_snaps_for_grante.html

FLORHAM PARK – Michael Vick, the NFL’s most recognizable backup quarterback, got his first extended game action with the Jets on Sunday. Vick played the second half of a 31-0 loss at San Diego, after Geno Smith struggled in the first half.

It was going to be difficult for Vick to lead the Jets to a comeback victory. They trailed 21-0 at halftime, after gaining just 60 yards. But with Vick in the game in the second half, they managed just 90, though they did have eight first downs in the second half, compared to three in the first half.

Vick faced a lot of the same overarching offensive issues that hamstrung Smith in the first half – poor offensive line play, and receivers unable to get open consistently.

So Vick’s stats (8-of-19 passing for 47 yards, with a long of 11) weren’t much better than Smith’s (4-of-12 passing for 27 yards, with a long of 9, and an interception).

The 1-4 Jets will start Smith again in Sunday’s home game against Denver. If all goes well for the Jets, Vick will remain on the sideline for the entire game, or perhaps only get a play or two, in the package of plays that offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg has designed for Vick.

But even if he doesn’t play Sunday, Vick vows one thing will be different about him this week, as compared to last week in San Diego.

“I learned a lesson last week: Always stay ready, always be prepared,” Vick said. “That left a bitter taste in my mouth, that I wasn’t able to go out and put points on the board or even help this team in any fashion. This week has been a different work week for me. I think throughout the rest of the year, it’s going to be totally different for me, as far as my preparation.”

He has never been in this position before, as a second-string quarterback for this length of time, going back to basically the day he signed with the Jets in the spring. Vick is still getting used to the midweek routine required of a backup, and how he can tailor that practice time to staying ready, in case he must play on Sunday.

Throughout this season to date, Vick said, he has shared scout-team reps in practice with third-string quarterback Matt Simms, who is on the practice squad. Vick said he has taken the majority of these reps, but he wants to give some to Simms, too, because as a third-year pro, Simms is still developing.

“I understand how important it is for him,” Vick said.

But this week, after his sluggish showing in San Diego, Vick said he probably will take even more of the scout-team snaps, while still allotting some to Simms. (Vick said he does not expect to get more snaps with the first-team offense in practice this week.) More importantly, Vick said, he is going to approach his scout team work this week with more zest than he previously did.

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“I just want to take advantage of those reps,” Vick said. “And I feel like, for some reason, being a quarterback in his 12th year, sometimes you have a tendency to take things for granted. I think I took the scout team for granted, and I’ll never do that again.”

“Never take the scout team for granted. To all the young guys out there, don’t take that scout team for granted. You better take every rep and get 100 percent out of it. I’ll never do it again. Football is football.”

As Vick plans to “take full advantage” of his scout team reps, he said he will “just try to work on small things – my movement in the pocket, my presence, my accuracy,” so he feels sharper come game day.

“I think it’s just the mindset you’ve got to have when you come to the game,” Vick said. “I think that’s probably 75 percent of it. Maybe I didn’t prepare or I wasn’t prepared (against the Chargers), but I’ll tell you what, It won’t happen again.”

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Broncos-Jets injury report: Rex Ryan optimistic David Harris (shoulder), Eric Decker (hamstring) will play (Darryl Slater) NJ Advance Media October 9, 2014

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2014/10/rex_ryan_optimistic_david_harris_shoulder_eric_decker_hamstring_will_play_vs_broncos.html

FLORHAM PARK – The Jets did not have one of their most important players, middle linebacker David Harris, at Wednesday’s practice.

But coach Rex Ryan said there is a sense of optimism within the team that Harris will be ready for Sunday’s home game against the Broncos.

The Jets fell to 1-4 with a 31-0 loss Sunday at San Diego – their fourth straight defeat. To make matters worse, Harris sustained a shoulder injury in the fourth quarter.

An MRI examination on Harris’s shoulder revealed no structural damage. Harris did not practice Wednesday. Nor did wide receiver David Nelson (ankle) and cornerback Darrin Walls (knee). Wide receiver Eric Decker (hamstring) was limited.

Playing without Harris could be a huge blow to the Jets’ defense. He almost never comes off the field. He has started every game since 2008, when he missed five. If Harris is able to play Sunday, it would mark his 90th consecutive start. His backup, Nick Bellore, is a fourth-year undrafted player who excels on special teams, but has played just six snaps on defense this season, after getting two last year, five in 2012 and 11 in 2011.

But Ryan sounded hopeful Wednesday that Harris would play Sunday.

“We’ll see how it progresses, but I think he’s got the mindset that he’s going to play,” Ryan said. “I certainly hope that’s a fact. It’s a painful type (of) injury. I think the trainers were pleased with what he did today. So we’ll see how it goes tomorrow and later in the week.”

Decker missed Sunday’s game, but based on the fact that he was limited Wednesday, it looks like he will be able to play this week against his former team. Decker, whom the Jets signed in free agency during this past offseason, had not missed a game before Sunday since his rookie year with the Broncos, in 2010.

“I think we’ll see if he can do a little more tomorrow (in practice) and see how he is,” Ryan said. “But yes, I do feel pretty good about him playing also.”

Decker said he also is optimistic that he will be able to play Sunday.

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“I would say that’s pretty correct,” he said, when informed of Ryan’s sentiments. “It’s honestly a day-to-day type thing, but I’m definitely hopeful that I’m going to go Sunday as well.”

Decker was on track to playing in San Diego, but he tweaked his hamstring during Thursday’s practice. Because of that, Decker said, there was “probably a less than 50 percent chance” that he would be able to play against the Chargers.

“It just didn’t feel good enough to go out there and do something worse, or only get limited reps in,” Decker said. “Today, I felt good. I got some work in in team drills. Soft tissue are really touch-and-go type injuries. So push it as far as you can feel that’s good, and it’s not going to be worse, to set yourself back. So I thought today, I got some good work in.

“It’s hard when you’re trying to build a relationship and a rapport with a new quarterback and you can’t be out there. You’re just fighting to get back on the field. That’s something that I’m trying to work back and at least get, throughout the week, whether it is limited snaps or not, to get that chemistry built up.”

Ryan was not asked Wednesday about whether Walls, who injured his knee against the Chargers, might be ready to play against the Broncos. If Walls is out, converted safety Antonio Allen likely will slide back to cornerback, where he played the first four games. He returned to safety in San Diego and rotated with rookie Calvin Pryor, while Walls and Dee Milliner started at cornerback. Phillip Adams replaced Walls when he got hurt, and Allen remained at safety.

Nor was Ryan asked about Nelson, who sprained his ankle in the Week 4 loss to the Lions, but was able to play 27 of 57 offensive snaps against the Chargers.

Here is a look at the Jets’ full Wednesday injury report:

DID NOT PRACTICE

S Josh Bush (quadriceps)

*MLB David Harris (shoulder)

*WR David Nelson (ankle)

*CB Darrin Walls (knee)

LIMITED

*RG Willie Colon (knee)

*WR Eric Decker (hamstring)

*C Nick Mangold (shoulder)

*CB Dee Milliner (quadriceps)

And here is where the Broncos stand with their injuries, as of Wednesday's practice:

DID NOT PRACTICE

RT Michael Schofield (not injury related)

*RB Montee Ball (groin) -- already ruled out for Sunday

RB Juwan Thompson (knee)

*Starter

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Raw emotion or not, Demario Davis was honest when he ripped Jets' practice habits (Dom Cosentino) NJ Advance Media October 9, 2014

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2014/10/raw_emotion_or_not_demario_davis_was_being_honest_when_he_ripped_the_jets_practice_habits.html

FLORHAM PARK -- What exactly ails the New York Jets, besides pretty much everything?

When it comes to explanations about how they're practicing, the Jets aren't quite on the same page. A timeline of their comments this week:

•After they were embarrassed by the Chargers on Sunday, inside linebacker Demario Davis called out himself and his teammates for their preparation. Said Davis: "I feel like a team is going to do what the leaders do. I know we’re not practicing like a championship football team, and I take responsibility for that, because I expect guys to do what I do. If we’re not giving effort in practice, that means I’m not giving effort in practice. I feel like film study needs to be increased, and I start with myself. I don’t see a lot of guys putting enough effort into film, so that means I’m not putting enough effort into film. We’ve got work to do to correct it, and I’m going to start with myself."

•A day later, in a conference call with reporters, center Nick Mangold didn't entirely disagree: "I think we have had some errors in practice that we’re trying to get cleaned up. I’m not sure exactly specifically the different things that come around, but we’re getting some good work in. We need it clean it up during the week, and into game day.”

•On Tuesday, in a radio appearance on ESPN 98.7, head coach Rex Ryan said he did disagree—and that he had spoken to Davis about Davis's comments: "I think this team prepares great. I will agree that results haven’t been what we want them to be. Absolutely, I’d agree with that. But I like the way this team practices. I like the way this team prepares. With that, I will disagree with Demario. But again, he certainly has the right to his opinion and that’s fine. I was shocked by those comments, because of the simple fact that I have been part of championship teams and I’ve seen this team work.”

•On Wednesday, Ryan began his post-practice press conference by saying he saw some things he didn't like: "Today, we were kind of licking our wounds a little bit. I told out team we've got to get a little more bounce in our step, a little more energy. [Practice] was very workman-like, and that's a good thing, but we've got to move past some things and let's get it on. [Thursday's] got to be better. ... It just seemed a little off today, and so I mentioned it."

•Despite what he just said, Ryan later repeated that he disagreed with Davis's comments: "I was shocked by it because we've had some great practices, and this team always practices well. ... Today, what I'm saying is, it's the emotion of it. Yeah, we put the work in and guys were doing their jobs and stuff like that, but just that enthusiasm, the smiles on the faces and all that. And then, hey, we're 1-4. I recognize it, but we've still got to understand we're playing a kid's game and it's meant to be played a certain way and we need to play it that way with the same kind of enthusiasm."

•So is Ryan concerned he and Davis aren't on the same page? "I don't know. I'd challenge him. Maybe you can talk to him now; it might be a different thing. Sometimes after the raw emotion after a game, it might be different. But, again, I don't know. You speak to him about it. We have a lot of guys on our team that I see as leaders. There's two great examples for guys, really three, I think, on defense, when you're talking about it: [Safety Dawan] Landry—they call him the mentor for a reason. [Linebackers] David Harris and Calvin Pace, all those guys. They're kind of quiet leaders, but when they talk, [other players] listen.

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• And, finally, what was Davis's reaction to Ryan's reactions: "Well, my opinion of it was never that our practices were an issue. My statement was about me, as a leader, and I'm responsible for anything that goes on defensively. I feel like I, personally, need to give a better effort on the field, setting the tempo just for everybody on the defense.”

•But, Davis was reminded, he did say guys were neither practicing well nor watching film well. His response: "I believe I need to set the tempo as far as what it means to watch film, and guys'll follow me. I feel like guys follow me, so it's all on me as a leader to set the tempo of what it means to prepare for an opponent. And I feel like I've been letting my teammates down in the way I've been preparing for opponents, and my teammates are going to follow me in whatever I do."

Translation: Davis gave an honest assessment of the Jets' practice habits in the emotional aftermath of Sunday's bludgeoning, especially because he was among those who played a poor game. But now that he's had a chance to calm down, to think about it, and to talk to Ryan, Davis would like to walk his comments back in an attempt to put them on himself, but only because they've become A Thing Everyone's Talking About.

This is what a 1-4 football team sounds like when it's staring straight at The Peyton Manning Show.

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Geno Smith apologizes to Jets teammates for missed meeting (Dom Cosentino) NJ Advance Media October 9, 2014

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2014/10/geno_smith_apologizes_to_jets_teammates_for_missed_meeting.html

FLORHAM PARK -- If there's a Jets player miffed at quarterback Geno Smith for taking in a movie when he should have been at a team meeting Saturday night in San Diego, none was saying so publicly in any harsh terms.

Running back Chris Johnson didn't seem too perturbed by the whole thing.

"At the end of the day, the team didn't look at it like how the media is saying," Johnson said. "We know it was an honest mistake."

Backup quarterback Michael Vick came close to ripping Smith, but also said he and the rest of the Jets wanted to put the matter behind them.

"Honestly, we hold ourselves accountable, at a high standard at the quarterback position," Vick said. "So, yeah, for your peers and your teammates, I tell Geno the same thing, that’s very important. I’d be telling a fictitious story if I said anything different. It’s imperative that we’re there [at meeting], we’re in the front row. We hold ourselves responsible for that.

"Geno is here every day. The first guy in, one of the last guys to leave. Yesterday, on a Tuesday, he must have watched five or six hours of film. That’s just his will to get better. He made a mistake. Last week is last week. We’re moving on."

Smith admitted Monday that he got the time-zone difference mixed up when he went to see a movie before realizing he should have been at the meeting on the night before the Chargers game, only to rush back to the team hotel and arrive a few minutes after the meeting had ended.

The Jets keep their schedules on eastern time when they're on the west coast so their body clocks can stay adjusted to the time difference. But because cell phones automatically adjust to local time, there can be confusion when players are on their own away from team-related functions.

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16 | P a g e

Head coach Rex Ryan said Smith apologized to the rest of the team, though not in any formal, all-at-once way.

"Well, we never had a team function, so to speak, where he got up and apologized," Ryan said. "And it certainly wasn't before the game. But I know he sought out as many people as he could. It wasn't in a team setting, if you will."

Said Smith: "It doesn't just affect one person; it affects us all, and in that moment, I apologized, and the guys told me to move on, so that's what I did."

Obviously, Smith shouldn't have missed the meeting. But if he didn't have the lowest Total QBR (24.3) among NFL starting quarterbacks, if he hadn't turned the ball over eight times in five games, if the Jets weren't 1-4 and slinking through a four-game losing streak, this story would probably be a footnote. Instead, it's just another ongoing episode of Meet The Jets, not the least because because Smith also had to apologize recently for cursing at a fan.

Vick, who was in the meeting Smith missed, said the Jets "didn’t dwell on the fact that Geno missed the meeting. We wanted him to get back and first off, make sure he was OK, and then make sure he was caught up to speed on what the game plan was going to be. Whatever happened, it happened. We’re moving on from it."

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NEW YORK POST

Showdown with Peyton comes at bad time for struggling Geno (George Willis) New York Post October 9, 2014

http://nypost.com/2014/10/08/showdown-with-peyton-comes-at-bad-time-for-struggling-geno/

If Peyton Manning were sending a message to Geno Smith, it would be a reminder that a professional football career is not about being an overnight success.

“It’s a marathon. It’s not a sprint,” Manning said during a conference call with Jets media on Wednesday. “That’s the kind of the advice I’ve always gotten as a young player in college and the pros. It’s something I’ve always tried to remember.”

Manning was speaking in general terms and not about Smith specifically. But it’s a message the Jets quarterback should add to his self-help list as he prepares to face one of the best ever to play the quarterback position when the Broncos and Jets meet Sunday afternoon at MetLife Stadium.

The contrast in quarterbacks couldn’t be more extreme. Manning, 38, is a five-time MVP who needs five touchdown passes to tie Brett Favre’s all-time record of 508. He is coming off a career-high 479 yards passing in a 47-31 victory over the Cardinals last Sunday that improved the defending AFC champions to 3-1 on the season.

Smith, meanwhile, is in the midst of a firestorm after the second-year quarterback continued what has been a disappointing season by being pulled at halftime of last Sunday’s 31-0 humiliation at San Diego. It was the third consecutive loss for the Jets (1-4).

If throwing six interceptions, losing two fumbles and commanding the league’s worst passing game isn’t bad enough, Smith spent much of the weekend apologizing to his teammates for missing a team meeting Saturday. Smith, 23, was at the movies with receiver Walter Powell, confused by the three-hour time

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difference on the West Coast. That misstep comes a week after Smith was fined for yelling “f–k you” at a fan while coming off the field following 24-17 defeat to the Lions at MetLife Stadium.

“Obviously, I’m disappointed in some of the uncharacteristic things that I’ve done,” Smith said. “But I’ve apologized for those things and it’s about not letting those things occur again.”

Smith was saying all the right things again on Wednesday, and coach Rex Ryan maintained his faith in the NFL’s second-lowest-rated quarterback (63.9), while adding he would like to see him run more.

“I see things maybe not everyone sees,” Ryan said. “I see where on his day off he’s got seven receivers in here with him watching tape. I see those types of things. I believe that this young man is going to be fine.”

Any one-on-one advice Manning might offer Smith probably won’t come until after Sunday’s game. But it is clear the future Hall of Famer already has some empathy for the young QB. Proving he is as skillful at reading reporters as he is defenses, Manning didn’t touch a question about how much value he put on meetings on the eve of a game. It amounted to a trick question to get him to comment about Smith’s absence.

“I think I know where you going with that question,” Manning said. “I don’t have a whole lot of answer for you on that.”

But he did say it was important for a quarterback to earn the respect of his peers.

“I believe it’s something you want to try to earn from your teammates, from your coaches, from your opponents as well,” Manning said. “It’s over a course of a period of time. It’s something you have to experience and go through different situations together.”

The Jets and Smith are going through major adversity at the moment. The season is in a tailspin, Ryan has admitted his job is in jeopardy and Smith is showing all the signs of not being the long-term solution at quarterback. But Manning isn’t going to have pity on the Jets.

“I still see a challenging defense when I watch the tape,” he said. “The times I’ve played against Coach Ryan with the Jets or the Ravens, he’s always had good players and guys that always played his scheme well. There’s no question it presents a challenge.”

So does getting Smith to beat Manning and the Broncos.

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Jets’ Decker optimistic he will heal in time to play former team (Brian Lewis) New York Post October 9, 2014

http://nypost.com/2014/10/08/jets-decker-optimistic-he-will-heal-in-time-to-play-former-team/

Hamstrung Jets wideout Eric Decker said he is hopeful of getting healthy in time to play against his old team Sunday.

And though he admits he misses the Denver weather and Broncos organization, and acknowledges it will feel weird facing his former teammates, he is focused on getting a much-needed win for his new ones.

Decker missed last Sunday’s game in San Diego with a hamstring injury and was limited in practice Wednesday.

But Decker and coach Rex Ryan said they were hopeful Gang Green’s nominal top receiver — whose injuries have made it impossible to build chemistry with Geno Smith — will play.

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“I’d say that’s pretty correct. It’s obviously a day-to-day type thing. But I’m definitely hopeful that I can go Sunday as well,” Decker said. “Today it felt good. I got some work in on team drills. Again, soft tissue is a touch-and-go type injury. Push it as far as you feel it’s good, [to where] it’s not going to be worse, set yourself back. So I thought today I got some good work in.”

The veteran receiver did some good work in Denver, with 87 catches for 1,288 yards and 11 TDs last year to help the Broncos to the Super Bowl. But after four good years, he didn’t get a chance at a fifth, never tendered an official contract.

“I’m happy I’m here,” Decker said. “Is it going to be weird playing a former team? For sure. This is the first time I’ve ever been in this situation, where I’m going to see teammates that I played with for four years standing on the other sideline, standing on the other side of the field. Yeah, it’s going to be a little different. But for me, football’s football.

But it also is business, so he inked a five-year, $36.25 million deal with the Jets.

“Eric was a great player for our team the two years I was here,” Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning said. “We developed a good rapport early. Eric kept himself in great shape. He was healthy, not just for games but for practice, which I’ve always said is the only way to develop any type of timing and chemistry is when you’re out there every day. Great work-ethic, really took care of himself. I was sorry to see him go.”

“The business part of the NFL is the worst side of it. You’d like to keep every single player or play with every single teammate your entire career; but it’s not like college. There’s a small window and guys move on. I was happy for him with how he was rewarded by the Jets and I sent him a text last week, and if I get a chance to visit with him before or after the game, I look forward to it.”

That health Manning spoke about has been missing in New York, leaving Decker.

“For sure it’s frustrating. It’s hard when you’re trying to build a relationship, a rapport with a new quarterback [and] you can’t be out there, you’re just fighting to get back on the field,” Decker said. “I’m trying to work back and at least get back during the week, limited snaps or not to get that chemistry built up.”

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Rex knows a rebound needed to quell heightened media attention (Brian Costello) New York Post October 9, 2014

http://nypost.com/2014/10/08/rex-knows-a-rebound-needed-to-quell-heightened-media-attention/

Jets coach Rex Ryan likes to joke that you can tell how the team is playing by how many TV cameras are at his press conferences. Play poorly, and there are a ton. Play well, and it’s just the team website and the team’s partner station.

On Wednesday, the press conference room was overflowing with reporters, photographers and a row of cameras.

“We’ve got to win so there’ll be two cameras here,” Ryan said as he looked at the packed room.

The Jets and Ryan returned to practice Wednesday after Sunday’s 31-0 thrashing by the Chargers. They are 1-4 with Peyton Manning’s Broncos and Tom Brady’s Patriots looming on the schedule. It is full-blown crisis time around the Jets.

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A day after saying he believes he will be fired if the Jets do not turn things around, Ryan said he believes they will rebound.

“I believe in this football team, 100 percent,” Ryan said. “I think we’re going to get this thing turned around. I believe that.”

It’s hard to find many reasons to believe it right now. The Jets have lost four straight for the first time since 2007, when they finished 4-12 under Eric Mangini. Their offense is ranked 27th overall and dead last in passing. They are ranked 31st in red-zone offense and red-zone defense. It’s tough to win if you can’t score when you get inside the 20 and you can’t keep the other team out of the end zone after it reaches the 20.

The Jets players rallied around Ryan last season when they won three of their final four games to finish 8-8 and save his job. Can they do it again?

“We’ve been playing for Rex since training camp,” running back Chris Johnson said. “He’s the type of guy everyone loves around here. No one wants him gone or anything like that. We’re playing for him. We’re playing for ourselves. Just like Rex, everyone here has a job. Rex isn’t going to be the only guy in jeopardy of losing his job if things aren’t going well. We’re playing for Rex. We’re playing for ourselves. We’re playing for our families.”

Quarterback Geno Smith said saving Ryan’s job is added motivation.

“Obviously, you want to always go out and play for your head coach because he is your head coach,” Smith said. “Like I said, we all respect Rex, we love Rex and we enjoy playing for him. … I guess you can say that is an extra reason to go out there and play hard.”

As the Jets began preparation for Sunday’s game against the Broncos, Ryan said he was unhappy with Wednesday’s practice. He said the Jets were “licking their wounds” and lacked energy.

“We put the work in and guys were doing their jobs and stuff like that, but just that enthusiasm [was lacking], smiles on the faces and all that,” Ryan said. “And then, hey, we’re 1-4. I recognize it, but we’ve still got to understand we’re playing a kid’s game and it’s meant to be played a certain way and we need to play it that way with the same kind of enthusiasm.”

Ryan expects the team to be ready for Sunday.

“I expect the enthusiasm to pick up,” Ryan said. “I know for a fact we’ll be popping out of our skin to play this one. We’re playing Peyton Manning and company. This is as good as the NFL has to offer, and so who doesn’t want to play, arguably, the best team in the National Football League.

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Unprepared Vick: It won’t happen again (Brian Costello) New York Post October 9, 2014

http://nypost.com/2014/10/08/unprepared-vick-it-wont-happen-again/

Jets backup quarterback Michael Vick saw his first extended playing time in Sunday’s 31-0 loss to the Chargers, and he was not real happy with the results.

Vick, who completed 8-of-19 passes for 47 yards in relief of Geno Smith, said Wednesday he may have been unprepared.

“Maybe I didn’t prepare or I wasn’t prepared, but I’ll tell you what, it won’t happen again,” Vick said.

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Vick said he took some scout-team reps for granted, and he promised to not make that mistake again. Vick indicated he will take more scout-team reps this week. Usually, he and Matt Simms split those reps.

“I learned a lesson last week: always stay ready, always be prepared,” Vick said. “That left a bitter taste in my mouth that I wasn’t able to go out and put points on the board or even help this team in any fashion. So this week has been a different work week from me [and] throughout the rest of the year, it’s going to be totally different for me as far as my preparation.”

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The Jets moved Antonio Allen back to safety last week against San Diego after starting him at cornerback in the first four games. Allen said the move caught him by surprise and he did not want to discuss it Wednesday at his locker. He did acknowledge it’s tough to switch back and forth. Allen played just 24 snaps in Sunday’s game.

“I think it would be hard for anybody, man,” Allen said. “I’m just frustrated. Then, we’re losing, too. There’s just a lot of stuff going on.”

It is strange because two weeks ago, defensive coordinator Dennis Thurman said Allen would remain at safety for the season.

“He’s a safety, a corner, a football player,” coach Rex Ryan said. “Look, I don’t know guys. You tell me where he’s going to line up. We’ve got a corner out, we’ve got a safety out. We just know that he’s multiple and you can use him different ways. Depending on what we think the need is that week, that’s where we’re going to put him.”

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Ryan praised Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning’s preparation and compared it to going against a great chess player.

“He’s smart,” Ryan said. “The challenging thing, you’re going against, gosh, Bobby Fischer, I guess, as far as a chess game’s concerned or something. Is that the right name? That’s pretty good, fellas, right there. We’ve got to match wits and Rex Ryan versus Bobby Fischer in a chess match. I’ll try to find a way to knock some of those pieces off, steal them.”

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Ryan called the Jets being No. 6 in total defense “an embarrassment.” … LB David Harris (shoulder), WR David Nelson (ankle) and CB Darrin Walls (knee) did not practice. Ryan said Harris believes he can play Sunday. WR Eric Decker (hamstring), CB Dee Milliner (quad), C Nick Mangold (shoulder) and G Willie Colon (knee) were limited.

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NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Jets Insider: Michael Vick admits he’s been dogging it with preparations (Seth Walder) New York Daily News October 9, 2014

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/jets-insider-michael-vick-admits-dogging-preparations-article-1.1968248

If Mike Vick wants to be the Jets’ starting quarterback, he might want to get himself a little more ready for games. The veteran backup admitted Wednesday he may not have been as prepared as he could have

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21 | P a g e

been to play against the Chargers. Vick took over for Geno Smith at halftime of the 31-0 loss in San Diego but played almost as poorly as the man he replaced. “Maybe I didn’t prepare or I wasn’t prepared, but I’ll tell you what, it won’t happen again,” Vick said.

He completed eight of 19 passes for 47 yards. “I learned a lesson last week: Always stay ready, always be prepared,” Vick said. “That left a bitter taste in my mouth that I wasn’t able to go out and put points on the board or even help this team in any fashion. So this week has been a different work week. From me throughout the rest of the year, it’s going to be totally different for me as far as my preparation.”

Despite the fact that Smith has not played well this season and was replaced at halftime, the second-year QB will start Sunday against the Broncos.

Vick indicated that he will take a larger share of the scout team reps, which he splits with practice squad QB Matt Simms, this week. He said the lack of reps wasn’t to blame last week, but rather that he may have taken the snaps he did get for granted.

DECKER BETTER

Eric Decker (hamstring) wasn’t able to play against the Chargers, but Rex Ryan is optimistic that his best receiver will be able to make his return against his former team. Decker was limited in practice Wednesday.

Ryan also was relatively confident that David Nelson (ankle) would play, despite not practicing Wednesday. David Harris (shoulder) also did not practice but is believed to be day-to-day. . . . The Daily News had previously reported that WR Walt Powell had the same time zone confusion as Smith on Saturday. Approached on the matter, Powell declined to comment.

PEYTON PASSES

Peyton Manning decided against answering a question about Smith missing a meeting before the loss to the Chargers. Asked how much value he puts into meetings at the end of the week, Manning said, “I think I know where you’re going with that question. I don’t have a whole answer for you on that.”Back_to_Top

Jets still feel sting of Chargers flop (Seth Walder) New York Daily News October 9, 2014

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/jets-feels-sting-chargers-flop-article-1.1968246

The Jets are suffering from a hangover.

Not the sort that comes as a penance for a fun night out on the town, but rather a pain still lingering from a shellacking endured 3,000 miles from home. Rex Ryan could see it on the practice field Wednesday.

“Today, we (were) kind of licking our wounds a little bit,” Ryan said. “I told our team we’ve got to get a little more bounce in our step, a little more energy.”

It’s easy to imagine that the players haven’t forgotten about the 31-0 loss in which they were dominated so thoroughly that they didn’t cross midfield until halfway through the fourth quarter. That one had to sting.

But the Jets’ problems go beyond just the loss in San Diego: They’re on a four-game losing streak and are running out of time to save their season (and their head coach). Oh, and had you heard? Geno Smith missed a meeting because he was confused about the time difference.

Daily Clips Cont.

22 | P a g e

As for Wednesday’s practice, some players didn’t notice the lethargy Ryan brought up, but Smith concurred with his head coach. “I think guys came out a little bit sluggish, maybe feeling some after-effects,” said Smith, who added he thought it got better as the practice went along.

That’s not what Jets fans want to hear with their team backed against the wall and the Denver Broncos coming to town. Wednesday’s admission that the team perhaps is still down after the loss is interesting considering that Ryan said he was “shocked” by Demario Davis’ assertion Sunday that the Jets haven’t been practicing like a championship team. Ryan maintained that belief on Wednesday despite saying that practice seemed “off.”

Davis tried to adjust his previous comment, saying that he wasn’t criticizing the team for not practicing hard enough but rather himself for not setting a high enough example as a leader of the team.

“I feel like I’ve been letting my teammates down in the way I’ve been preparing for opponents,” Davis said. “And my teammates are going to follow me in whatever I do.”

Even if Davis blames himself, he still was indicating that he and his teammates were not preparing at the level they should have been. Presumably everyone on defense at least showed up for meetings, something that Smith cannot say after the QB missed a meeting on Saturday before the shutout loss. The QB said he was at the movies, mixed up the time, and didn’t have good cell service in the theater.

Smith apologized to at least some members of the team for missing the meeting, although there was some discrepancy over whether it was to the entire team or not. Smith said he apologized to everyone; tight end Jeff Cumberland said it was to the offense in a meeting on Monday; and Ryan said his QB didn’t speak at a team function but apologized to some players individually. Smith said he told them that, “Although it wasn’t a mistake it can’t happen. I just wanted to let them know that it wouldn’t happen again.”

“It was an honest mistake,” Chris Johnson said. “Everybody makes mistakes. It would bother me if he was out partying, but that wasn’t the case.”

Ryan again refused to discuss whether Smith has been disciplined for missing the meeting or cursing out a fan.

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NY Jets should bench Geno Smith for Michael Vick after missed meeting movie fiasco follows cursing out fan (Manish Mehta) New York Daily News October 9, 2014

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/mehta-hey-jets-time-zone-geno-smith-hit-bench-article-1.1968263

Geno Smith, the foul-mouthed, movie-goer quarterback, talks a good game, but his time-zone challenged derriere should be planted on the bench Sunday against the Broncos.

At a time when the Jets should hold Smith accountable for skipping out on a team meeting on the eve of the shutout loss to the Chargers, Rex Ryan has curiously coddled the second-year “pro,” making excuses for a player who has not earned the right to be the starter right now.

Ryan said he consulted GM John Idzik (shocking!) before deciding to play Smith in San Diego. Although Smith said Wednesday that he received support from his teammates after apologizing for his gaffe, the Daily News received less-than-favorable feedback from team members, who are not thrilled with how the quarterback has acted recently. One starter, who actually attended every meeting, believed Smith’s flop in the first half that got him benched was predictable given his sloppy preparation the night before.

Daily Clips Cont.

23 | P a g e

Members of the organization don’t want to dwell on Smith’s pair of recent slip-ups — remember, he cursed out a fan twice after a home loss to the Lions two weeks ago — but they aren’t happy with how this so-called leader has comported himself.

Smith’s convoluted explanation of the time-zone mix-up — he had a revelation 30 minutes into watching an unnamed movie that a team meeting might be taking place (insert eye-roll here) — matched Ryan’s insistence Wednesday that this player is a leader. Sometimes. Sort of. Maybe.

“Is it 100%?” Ryan said after waxing poetic about Smith’s command of the offense and work habits. “Like some of the things like missing a meeting? Obviously that’s not typical of what a leader would do.

So the 1-4 Jets have a part-time leader at quarterback. Got it.

Smith’s lack of off-field professionalism aside, he simply hasn’t produced on Sunday afternoons. Smith is tied for the most interceptions (6) and turnovers (8) in the league. Tennessee’s Jake Locker is the only current starter with a worse completion percentage.

Translation: Smith stinks right now.

For an organization rooted in Idzik’s (laughably selective) competition mantra, Smith obviously hasn’t earned the right to remain the starter over Mike Vick through the first five weeks. When asked whether he believed his production to this point warranted keeping the job over Vick, Smith predictably repeated what everyone already knows. “Those decisions are made by the coaches,” Smith said. “My job is to go out there (and) try to earn their respect every single day.”

F-bombs to Woody Johnson’s paying customers and figurative slaps in your teammates’ faces by missing meetings is no way to earn that respect. Making poor on-field decisions over and over and over is no way to earn that respect.

So, he needs to sit.

The Jets are on the edge of the cliff to nowhere, a scary place to be one week into October, but have a chance to keep the season alive if they can somehow beat the Broncos and Patriots within a critical five-day stretch.

Vick gives the Jets the best chance to pull off a couple of miracles. Smith, who has regressed after a solid final month in his rookie season, has shown no indication that he is the man to lead the Jets out of this football-field sized hole.

Ryan incredibly said that the inaccurate, turnover-prone Smith still gives the Jets a better chance to win than Vick, who has actually proven that he can rally and lead teams during his career. “We’ll find out if he has the ability to persevere,” Vick said of the guy above him on the depth chart.

Smith continued to spit out programmed answers about his recent mistakes. It can’t happen again. It won’t happen again. Work harder. Watch film. Stay humble. We’ve heard all of this before after past errors on and off the field. Sooner or later, the words ring hollow. Smith talks about “outside distractions” as if he didn’t create this mess with his potty mouth, lack of “clock management” and terrible play

He’ll return to MetLife Stadium Sunday for the first time since Jets fans booed him and started chanting for Vick a couple weeks ago. No word if the fans fall under Smith’s “outside distractions” category, but he maintained that he hasn’t really thought about how he’ll react if the home crowd turns sour if/when he doesn’t play well.

Daily Clips Cont.

24 | P a g e

“Will they turn on me?” Smith said. “I don’t know. I can’t really focus on that. I don’t know what’s going to happen when mistakes happen, because they do happen. If that does happen, I’ve just got to motor through it and keep working.”

Smith’s struggles contrast starkly with the success of his Broncos counterpart, Peyton Manning, who is the Anti-Geno in every imaginable way.

“The guy doesn’t get lackadaisical with anything he does, from the film room to the weight room to the walk-throughs on the field,” former Bronco Eric Decker said. “Everything is done with a purpose. . . . He definitely was a player-coach.”

Smith has said that Manning is one of his personal favorites. “Watching a guy like that is something I can learn from definitely,” Smith said. “I’ve been watching him for years.”

Watching is the only thing Smith should do on Sunday.

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ESPN NEW YORK

Playing QB for Jets means always having to say you're sorry (Rich Cimini) ESPN New York October 9, 2014

http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/44276/playing-qb-for-jets-means-always-having-to-say-youre-sorry

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- Call him a "sorry" quarterback.

One week after apologizing for cursing a fan, Geno Smith was back at it Wednesday, revealing that he apologized to teammates for missing a team meeting last Saturday night in San Diego. He delivered the mea culpa Monday, 24 hours after the New York Jets' ugly 31-0 loss to the San Diego Chargers.

"I definitely apologized to the entire team," the quarterback told reporters at his locker. "It doesn't just affect one person, it affects us all. In that moment, I apologized, and the guys told me to move on, so that's what I did."

This has been a terrible stretch for Smith -- three straight poor performances and two embarrassing incidents. He's the lowest-rated starter in the league (69.3), even lower than Jacksonville Jaguars rookie Blake Bortles, but Smith somehow retains his job. He will start Sunday against the Denver Broncos (3-1).

Rex Ryan is under fire for sticking with Smith. The coach acknowledged that missing a meeting is "not typical of what a leader would do," but claimed it was an "aberration." Ryan sounded like he was quoting from the movie, "The Sixth Sense," when he said, "I see things that maybe not everybody sees." No, not dead people. He used the example of Smith, on his day off, watching exta film with a group of seven receivers.

Curiously, though, Ryan didn't give a direct answer when asked if he feels Smith is the quarterback that gives the Jets the best chance to win. He did the 'ol stutter step before saying, "I do believe Geno will find a way to get it done." Maybe Ryan avoided the question out of deference to Michael Vick. Who knows?

Ryan all but confirmed that Smith will be fined, but he refused to elaborate, saying that discipline will be handled internally.

Daily Clips Cont.

25 | P a g e

Smith didn't provide many details about his apology, except to say, "Obviously, it was a mistake and it can't happen. I just wanted to let them know it won't happen."

Their reaction?

"From my understanding, guys were receptive," he said. "Everyone told me, 'Move on, we've got a game to play, keep your focus there.'"

Publicly, several players expressed their support of Smith, claiming it was a mistake that could've happened to anyone. On the eve of the game, he went to a movie with punt returner Walter Powell, got confused by the three-hour time difference on the West Coast and showed up 10 to 15 minutes after the meeting ended.

"I don't know if guys needed to hear it, but I'm just glad he did it," Jeremy Kerley said of Smith's mea culpa. "I hope it took some of the pressure off him."

There are two ways to view Smith's recent "mishaps," as Vick called them. Either he's experiencing a severe case of growing pains or he's unraveling because of the pressure. Former Broncos wide receiver Eric Decker downplayed Smith's on-field struggles, saying, "Even Peyton wasn't all glory when he was a young buck."

Ah, yes, Peyton Manning. He's coming to town to face Geno & Co., so he was asked on the media conference call if he puts much value in end-of-the-week meetings. Manning, a smart cookie, knows an end-around when he sees one.

"I know where you're going with that question," he said. "I don't have a whole lot of answer for you on that."

Smith may have to play the game of his life to get out of this jam. The home fans will turn on him in a New York minute with the first big mistake. It's a tough spot, to be sure, but he brought much of it on himself.

"We'll find out if he has the ability to persevere," Vick said.

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A desperate coach and a motivational ploy that worked once before (Rich Cimini) ESPN New York October 9, 2014

http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/44310/a-desperate-coach-and-a-motivational-ploy-that-worked-once-before

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- When Rex Ryan went on the radio Tuesday and told everyone he expects to be fired if the New York Jets' season doesn't get turned around, it smacked of a motivational ploy he used last December.

On the eve of the next-to-last game, with speculation swirling about his future, Ryan stood before his 6-8 team and made himself out to be Dead Man Coaching, telling the players his bosses already were starting to look for his replacement.

The players answered with a resounding victory over the Cleveland Browns, and another over the Miami Dolphins, creating that wonderful postgame scene in the locker room. They celebrated the return of Rex, and there was nothing fake about it. The emotion was real, as they were genuinely thrilled to have him back.

Now, once more, Ryan is hoping they have his back.

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26 | P a g e

I don't think he did it for seflish reasons, meaning self-preservation. Ryan bleeds green, and he really wants to get this mess cleaned up before it's too late. I think he'd give just about anything to win a championship in this town. He simply used himself as motivational fodder because, let's be honest, he's short on other material. He's betting on himself -- his hold on the team -- to lift the Jets out of this funk.

What, did you expect him to put it on the shoulders of Geno Smith? His quarterback has enough trouble making it to meetings, so there's no way he can carry a team.

The defense? Deep down, Ryan knows this group isn't strong enough to play shutdown football on a week-to-week basis. Until it figures out third-and-long, this defense will be nothing more than a tease.

Ryan made it about himself, putting himself on the firing line, thinking it might create a spark.

"We all respect Rex, we love Rex and we enjoy playing for him," Smith said Wednesday. "I guess you can say it's an extra reason to go out and play hard."

This is a dangerous play for Ryan, because if the Jets continue to flatline Sunday against the heavily-favored Denver Broncos, it will reflect poorly on him and his ability to push the right buttons.

Under different circumstances, he should've waited a couple of weeks before taking this approach, just like baseball managers never call team meetings on the day they have to face the opponent's ace. The Jets will face two aces in five days, Peyton Manning and Tom Brady. Problem is, when you're 1-4 and the statistics say you have only a five percent chance of making the playoffs, there's no time to wait. The Jets are in a now situation. They have to beat the Broncos.

The Ryan-coached Jets ended Manning's career in Indianapolis, although no one knew it at the time. They beat the Colts in a 2010 wild-card playoff game, the year before Manning sat out with his neck injury. Now Manning gets a chance to take out Ryan, who went on and on about Manning and his legendary brain.

"It's like you're going against Bobby Fischer, as far as a chess game is concerned," Ryan said. "We've got to match wits, and it's Rex Ryan versus Bobby Fischer in a chess match. I'll find a way to knock some of those pieces off, steal them off, but that's what I do. I'll try to challenge him as best I can, but I recognize it's a tough task."

Ryan is crazy like a fox, but it'll take more than clever schemes to upset Manning. He needs that old "Let's-Save-Rex" mentality to carryover from last season.

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Curious case of the missing Jets QBs (Johnette Howard) ESPN New York October 9, 2014

http://espn.go.com/new-york/nfl/story/_/id/11666516/new-york-jets-geno-smith-michael-vick-curious-case-missing-qbs

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- It is never good news when Denver quarterback Peyton Manning, the most devastating offensive force in the NFL the past 15 years, is coming to town to ransack your already-troubled secondary fresh off a 479-yard passing game.

But the timing of Manning's scheduled arrival Sunday particularly stinks for the 1-4 Jets, who are riding a four-game losing streak and starting to look and act as if they don't have two viable options at their unsettled quarterback position. They have none.

That was the gnawing feeling that Geno Smith and Michael Vick added to Wednesday, as the Jets began preparing for the Broncos' visit fresh off their 31-0 beatdown by San Diego.

Daily Clips Cont.

27 | P a g e

There are so many brush fires to put out, it was hard to know where to look when Rex Ryan and the players got back to work Wednesday. Tensions were high.

Ryan -- who went on the radio a day earlier and said he'd understand if owner Woody Johnson fired him -- began his news conference by looking at the larger-than-usual crowd of cameras his remarks drew and said, "Geez, we've gotta get a win so there'll be just two cameras here again, you know?" Then linebacker Demario Davis elaborated on his remarks after Sunday's rout by San Diego that the Jets didn't practice like a championship team. And defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson, one of the most gregarious Jets when things are going well, walked past the horde of reporters waiting for Smith to appear at his locker and muttered under his breath, "Vultures."

All of that was going on, and yet this still took the prize as worst: When Smith arrived, he talked about his benching for poor play Sunday and described how he apologized to the entire team for missing a pregame meeting Saturday night, just a few days after he called a players-only meeting to preach accountability. And not 40 feet away, Vick stood at his locker saying he was/wasn't/was as prepared as he could've been to replace Smith in the second half Sunday, though the chance came as no surprise.

At least I think that's what Vick said.

See if you can follow his remarks after he was asked about the importance of staying ready:

"I learned my lesson last week -- always stay ready, always be prepared," Vick began. "This is the first time I've been in this [backup] position for this length of time, and to just get thrown out there last week, it was fun to go out there and play. But it left a bitter taste in my mouth that I wasn't able to put points on the board or even help this team in any fashion. So this week has been a different work week for me than throughout the rest of the years."

Did Vick feel caught off guard, unprepared?

"I wasn't really caught off guard because I knew anything could happen, but, yeah ... I've taken the majority of the scout-team snaps," Vick said. "Never take the scout team for granted. To all the young guys out there, don't take that scout team for granted. You better take every rep and get 100 percent out of it. ... Maybe I didn't prepare or I wasn't prepared. But let me tell you what -- it won't happen again."

So you weren't as ready because of your scout-team snaps?

"I didn't say I wasn't ready because of the snaps," Vick said.

What did you say?

"I said it's no excuse. ... I felt like I, for some reason, being a quarterback in his 12th year ... I think I took the scout team for granted."

Got all that?

And if so, can you tell me what the hell he meant?

No, never mind. Here's a better question: How does this happen? How do the two most important players on the Jets right now -- Quarterbacks 1 and 1A -- allow any of that to happen while riding a three-game losing streak with Manning and the Broncos coming up?

The longer Vick talks, the harder it is to know what he wants or where his heart is. Before joining the Jets in the offseason, he said he still considered himself a starter and elite talent in this league. Now? There's an opportunity to re-establish himself glittering before him. Yet he sounds at times like a 34-year-old man who just wants to play out his one-year, $5 million contract here and get out of this goofy organization with his limbs intact and brain unconcussed rather than start for a club that is going nowhere fast.

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28 | P a g e

And Smith? Where do you start? Two weeks ago he was booed off the field and fined after he cussed out a home fan. Last weekend, he diminished any slack he might otherwise reasonably get for being only a second-year quarterback when he didn't come through on things he can control by undermining his leadership by preaching accountability and missing a meeting himself. Wednesday, Smith admitted he doesn't know what kind of reception to expect in his first game back at MetLife this week. But here's an educated guess: The boo birds will have hair-trigger tempers and megaphones for mouths.

There's a reason Ryan is on the fast track to getting fired. The players and general manager have changed around Ryan during his six-year stay here, but he continues to run a shop where the wayward, the exotic, the unforgiveable seem to constantly happen on and off the field. The offense might as well be in Nepal, not meeting just down the hall. Failing to publicly discipline Smith is just the latest oversight Ryan has committed. He should have started Vick on Sunday to discipline Smith for his two-week brain cramp and let Smith come off the bench if Vick faltered.

The NFL is a quarterback's league, all right.

The Chargers' Philip Rivers emphatically reminded the Jets of that last Sunday. Manning will underscore it a few days. And the Jets get Tom Brady after that.

Meanwhile, the Jets two quarterbacks are not just losing games, they seem to be lost themselves.

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METRO NEW YORK

Demario Davis backtracks from Jets practice criticism (Kristian Dyer) Metro New York October 9, 2014

http://www.metro.us/newyork/sports/nfl/2014/10/08/demario-davis-backtracks-jets-practice-criticism/

Jets head coach Rex Ryan likened Demario Davis’ leadership ability to a young Ray Lewis before he ever played an NFL game. But now Davis is backtracking on comments he made on the Jets’ practice habits.

The words came with little room for interpretation. Davis told the New York Daily News after Sunday’s 31-0 loss at the Chargers the Jets were “not practicing like a championship team” and did not put “a lot of effort into the film study.”

On Wednesday, Davis said his comments — despite how they read — were not necessarily about his teammates but were about himself.

“My opinion of it was never that our practices was an issue,” Davis said. “The whole statement was about me. The statement was about me as a leader and I’m responsible for anything that goes on defensively. I felt like I personally need to give a better effort on the field, setting the tempo for everybody on the defense.”

Before Davis spoke to the media on Wednesday, Ryan answered questions about his player’s stinging commentary.

“I would disagree,” Ryan said. “You know obviously everybody has a right to their own opinion. That’s fine and dandy. I was shocked by it because we’ve had some great practices and this team always practice well. I think that’s why I was kind of taken aback a little bit by those comments. I recognize that after a game — an emotional game — comments are made and things like that. But I was shocked by them because this team practices well.”

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29 | P a g e

The words from Davis, however, carry some weight in light of Wednesday practice, which Ryan said “seemed to be a little off.”

For his part, Davis is holding himself accountable for not setting a good example for his teammates.

“I believe I need to set the tempo as far as what it means to watch film and guys will follow me. I feel like guys follow me, so it’s all on me as a leader to set the tempo of what it means to prepare for an opponent,” Davis said. “And I feel like I’ve let my teammates down in the way I’ve been preparing for opponents. And my teammates are going to follow me in whatever I do.”

Player and head coach spoke at some point this week. Davis wouldn’t divulge the details of his conversation with Ryan other than to say “it was a real positive conversation.”

I came out of it a lot more respect for him after that conversation,” Davis said.

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Rex Ryan forced to defend starting Geno Smith again (Kristian Dyer) Metro New York October 9, 2014

http://www.metro.us/newyork/sports/nfl/2014/10/08/rex-ryan-forced-defend-starting-geno-smith/#sthash.rJwIaHSn.dpuf

Rex Ryan sees a dead offense. Something funny must have been pumped into the water the Jets drank at halftime of what would become a Week 2 loss at Lambeau Field.

The Jets were up 21-16 on the Packers behind a tidy, efficient offense. But the unit went cold after halftime, and has been ever since. So perhaps it isn’t a surprise that for a third straight day, the Jets head coach had to defend starting quarterback Geno Smith this week.

“Did I expect him to be here? No, I expected him to be [more] proficient on offense than we have been the past couple of games,” Ryan said. “I see things that maybe not everybody sees. I see where on his day off he’s got seven receivers in here with him watching tape. I believe that this young man will be fine.”

Smith currently has the No. 32 passer rating in the NFL.

Ryan points his fingers at other factors, including a ground game that is sixth in the league and a defense he says needs to improve.

There is a rising tide among fans for the Jets to roll out Michael Vick to replace Smith. Vick, a four-time Pro Bowl selection, came into the Jets’ 31-0 Sunday loss at the Chargers after halftime. He completed just one of his first 10 passes before he settled down to complete seven of the next nine attempts for 40 yards.

It was his first action since preseason and by the end of the game, he was looking better.

Smith’s struggles on the field have been compounded by recent breakdowns away from the huddle. Last Sunday, he cursed out fans following a home loss to the Lions. He bristled in an exchange with a reporter during the week, and Smith’s terrible, horrible, no good, very bad week continued on Saturday when he was late for a meeting at the team hotel in San Diego, something Ryan said has been addressed.

Even though Vick might offer more immediate hope, the Jets are squarely behind Smith.

“I like both our quarterbacks but again I believe Geno will find a way to get it done,” Ryan said. “I’m confident with Geno.”

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Eric Decker back at practice, likely to play against Broncos (Kristian Dyer) Metro New York October 9, 2014

http://www.metro.us/newyork/sports/nfl/2014/10/08/eric-decker-back-practice-likely-play-broncos

The worst passing offense in the league will get a shot in the arm Sunday with top target Eric Decker looking like he will play.

A hamstring injury suffered in training camp has kept Decker off the field for good portions of this season, but the Jets’ top receiver was on the practice field Wednesday. Even though he was limited, it was a positive sign for the team as Decker has emerged as one of their few game changers this season.

He missed last Sunday’s 31-0 loss at the Chargers after not being able to practice last Thursday or Friday. Decker still considers himself “day-to-day,” but seems to be improving.

“Today, it felt good. I got some work in team drills,” Decker said. “You’re getting soft tissue, I guess [it] is really a touch-and-go-type injury, so push it as far as you can feel you [can]. That’s good, it’s not going to be worse, set yourself back. So, I thought today I got some good work in.”

Even with his injuries and the missed playing time, Decker still tops the team in receiving yards.

Last week, the Jets managed just 74 passing yards in what was one of the worst offensive performances in franchise history. There is hope this Sunday against the Broncos might not be as horrific, especially if Decker is able to play. He is a good route-runner and a big target down the field, something that is very much needed as quarterback Geno Smith has struggled for the last four games, even when Decker is on the field.

Head coach Rex Ryan said “he feels pretty good” about Decker’s chances to get on the field.

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WEDNESDAY’S SPORTS TRANSACTIONS

Associated Press October 9, 2014

http://www.sfgate.com/sports/article/Wednesday-s-Sports-Transactions-5809610.php

BASEBALL

American League

LOS ANGELES ANGELS — Claimed OF Alfredo Marte off waivers from Arizona.

SEATTLE MARINERS — Announced DH Corey Hart declined outright assignment and chose free agency.

TEXAS RANGERS — Announced 3B Kevin Kouzmanoff declined outright assignment and chose free agency.

National League

ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS — Assigned OF Brett Jackson, LHP Joe Paterson and C Bobby Wilson outright to Reno (PCL).

COLORADO ROCKIES — Announced the resignations of executive vice president, chief baseball officer/general manager Dan O'Dowd and assistant general manager/senior vice president of major league operations Bill Geivett. Named Jeff Bridich senior vice president/general manager.

LOS ANGELES DODGERS — Announced the retirement of RHP Josh Beckett.

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MILWAUKEE BREWERS — Assigned INF Jeff Bianchi outright to Colorado Springs (PCL).

PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES — Announced RHP Sean O'Sullivan declined outright assignment and chose free agency. Named Johnny Almaraz director of amateur scouting.

BASKETBALL

National Basketball Association

INDIANA PACERS — Signed coach Frank Vogel to a multiyear contract extension.

MILWAUKEE BUCKS — Named Peter Feigin team president and Kelly Kauffman vice president, head of human resources/human capital management.

NEW YORK KNICKS — Signed C Didier Mbenga.

FOOTBALL

National Football League

NFL — Announced team owners unanimously approved the sale of the Buffalo Bills to Terry and Kim Pegula.

CHICAGO BEARS — Signed S Shamiel Gary to a one-year contract.

GREEN BAY PACKERS — Signed G Jordan McCray to the practice squad.

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS — Released OL Caylin Hauptmann from the practice squad. Signed OL Chris Martin and DL Joe Vellano to the practice squad.

TENNESSEE TITANS — Placed S Bernard Pollard on injured reserve. Signed CB Brandon Ghee.

HOCKEY

American Hockey League

HARTFORD WOLF PACK — Named Brian Fairbrother trainer, Paul Secola assistant strength and conditioning coach and Shawn Roche video coordinator.

SOCCER

United Soccer League

USL — Named Mike Jacobs vice president, developmental properties.

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