Run Game, Defense Propel Jets to Victory

Sunday, December 9^th, 2012

Post Game Recap

Final Score: New York Jets: 17 Jacksonville Jaguars: 10

Run Game Propels Jets to Victory

The New York Jets were able to overcome an ugly first half yesterday and pull out a victory against the woeful Jaguars 17-10 Sunday afternoon in Jacksonville.  A dominant run game mixed with a dominant third down defense equaled a victory for the Jets, who are on their first winning streak of the season. 

The Jets are capitalizing on their weak schedule right now, keeping alive their slim playoff chances as they moved to one game under .500 with a 6-7 record.  The critics will be quiet, at least for one week, as the quarterback controversy can be put to sleep as Mark Sanchez led the Jets to the win.

For at least another week, Sanchez has staved off a benching, as he bounced back from a rough start.  The play calling was ultra conservative, as Sanchez was relegated to handing it off most of the afternoon and was not able to air it out. 

This is not a cure-all win by any standards for Sanchez or Rex Ryan for that matter, as Sanchez still showed skittishness in the pocket and was only asked to make one big time throw; albeit he did complete that pass to Jeff Cumberland for 37 yards on third down to seal the win. 

Ryan did show confidence in Sanchez though just with his pre-game lineups, as he chose to start him and dress Tim Tebow as the backup, moving Greg McElroy back to third string; Tebow didn’t play a single snap as he is still battling through rib injuries.

It wasn’t the greatest played game by Sanchez, but he did not implode in the fashion he has been accustomed to at times this season.  He did a good job of handing the ball off to the Jets running backs, who had a very successful day on the ground and wore the Jaguars defense down.

Sanchez finished the game with 111 passing yards on 12 of 19 attempts.  He did not throw a touchdown or interception, but fumbled once for his 19^th turnover of the season.

The Jets running game this week was a two-headed monster led by Shonn Greene and Bilal Powell.  Each running back scored a touchdown and combined for 166 yards on 39 carries; 77 on 20 carries for Greene and 78 on 19 carries for Powell, as the Jets have moved into an equal time share at running back.

The Jets terrible luck of injuries continued Sunday as well, as rookie wide receiver Stephen Hill suffered what is thought to be a serious knee injury.  Hill slipped on a wet spot on the grass and television replays showed a gruesome scene.  An ACL injury would be awful for Hill, who has struggled at times but is a big part of the Jets future.  An injury like this would most likely sideline him through workouts and preseason, something a young player benefits greatly from participating in.

With the injuries, the Jets were without their top three receiving threats in Hill, Santonio Holmes and Dustin Keller.  This in turn forced the Jets to use an underwhelming receiving crew of other team’s castoffs and practice squad players.

The Jets defense was dominant once again, but it is nothing that was not expected.  They were facing off against an already bad offense, was also injury ridden as well.  The Jaguars were down to their second string quarterback, fourth string running back and their top receiver missed the game with injury. 

For a second straight week though, the Jets owned third down, allowing the Jaguars to convert only two of 16 attempts.  They also put immense pressure on Chad Henne, the Jaguars quarterback, sacking him three times and hitting him on multiple occasions with a vast array of blitzes and coverage schemes.

Next up for the Jets is another road game, this time on Monday Night Football against the Tennessee Titans.

Top Twenty Moments of the Year in New York Sports

It's almost the end of 2012, and that means a countdown of the greatest moments of the year for New York sports. New York saw it's share of success this season in the sports world, the Giants winning Super Bowl XLVI, the Yankees going to the ALCS once again, and the New York Rangers emotional playoff run that ended all too soon against their Hudson River rivals.

So let's get to the countdown already.

Here are numbers 20-16 for 2012:

20. Tim Tebow comes to New York

 That's right Tim Tebow made the best moments of 2012. I mean he does own the back pages wearing the jersey of the team that owns the back pages (the New York Jets if you're not sure). Tebow was traded to the Jets for a fourth round pick, or was it a fifth round pick? Does it really matter? He has 29 rushing attempts for 87 yards! But to his credit he has completed six of seven passes for 39 yards.

19. Giants win first home playoff game since 2000

 The New York Giants finished the regular season with a 9-7 record, good enough to win the NFC East and host the Atlanta Falcons during the Wild Card round. The Giants beat the Falcons 24-2 thanks to Eli Manning's three touchdown passes, and two fourth and short stops by the Big Blue defense. It was the Giants first playoff in their new home, and their first home playoff win since 2000.


18. Knicks break their playoff losing streak

April 29, 2001. That's how far back you have to go for the Knicks last playoff win. The Knicks were trailing three games to none to the Miami Heat, and were in danger of getting swept out of the first round yet again. Game 4 was in Madison Square Garden, and although the Knicks chances of actually winning the series were long gone, the Knicks had the chance to stop the franchise's thirteen game playoff losing streak. The Knicks beat the Heat 89-87 behind Carmelo Anthony;s 41 points and Amare Stoudemire's double-double. The Knicks losing streak was history, and so were the Knicks in Game 5 losing 106-94.


17. Islanders moving to Brooklyn after 2015 season

I didn't say all of these moments would be positive ones, just look at number twenty (LOL). The Islanders have decided to take their talents to the Barclays Center in Brooklyn after their lease at the Nassau Coliseum expires in 2015. Nassau County residents had the chance to keep their team, but voted against the renovation of the Coliseum. All I can say is good luck to the Brooklyn Islanders, but a new home doesn't mean the team will suddenly start winning again.


16. Wright becomes Mets All-Time hits leader

David Wright is the Mr. Met of the last twenty years, yes even more than Mike Piazza. Wright has established himself as one of the greatest players in the Mets organization, and by the time he retires, he will be the greatest. On September 26, 2012, Wright took another step towards Met greatness when he passed Ed Kranepool for number one on the Mets All-Time hit list. Wright hit a little dribbler down the third base line and beat it out for his 1, 419th career hit. Wright is a free agent this off season, but he will most likely be back in the Mets uniform, I hope.


There are still 15 moments left from 2012 for New York sports, but don't expect to see any about the Jets, we are trying to keep it positive from here on in.

Jets go Winless in Preseason

newsday.com

Jets vs. Eagles Post Game Recap 8/30

The Jets lost their final preseason game against the Philadelphia Eagles by a score of 28-10, but were able to score their first touchdown of the season thanks to third string quarterback Greg McElroy.

Greg McElroy looked very good getting the start at quarterback with Sanchez and Tebow sitting out the final preseason game. McElroy did what Sanchez and Tebow could not in the previous three games, and that was score a touchdown. McElroy was able to get the Jets in the end zone with a 6 yard pass to Terrance Ganaway. McElroy was 12 for 17 with 90 yards passing, and had 5 carries for 33 yards.

Joe McKnight and Bilal Powell got a majority of the carries for the Jets, as McKnight had 9 carries for 38 yards, and Powell had 8 carries for 26 yards.

Newly acquired Jason Smith impressed getting the start at left tackle playing the whole first half. Austin Howard’s second start didn’t go as well as his first, as Howard allowed a sack on the first series. The leash on Howard will be very short, and with Mario Williams lining up against him week one it will be a tough task for Howard to hold his starting spot if he struggles.

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Quinton Coples was the stand out player for the Jets defense against the Eagles, and throughout the preseason. Coples had a sack and a half against the Eagles giving him 4.5 sacks for the preseason, as it would seem he can get to the quarterback which is exactly what the Jets drafted him to do.

Nick Folk a few days after winning the starting kicking job over Josh Brown was able to kick a 58 yard field goal quite the accomplishment preseason or not.

The Jets had a very disappointing preseason only scoring one touchdown with the starting offense looking awful for the most part, and going 0-4. The positive for the Jets is despite how bad the Jets looked in preseason it will mean nothing once they step on the field to face the Buffalo Bills next Sunday to open the regular season.

Jets Fall to Panthers in Third Preseason Game

businessinsider.com

Jets vs Panthers Post Game Recap 8/26

The New York Jets lost their third game of the preseason to the Carolina Panthers by a score of 17-12, as the Jets weren’t able to score a touchdown yet again.

Mark Sanchez was unable to get the Jets a touchdown this preseason, as he wont be playing in the fourth game. Sanchez did look ok against the Panthers though passing for 123 yards on 11 for 18 with an interception that bounced of the hands of Stephen Hill. Sanchez also was let down by Santonio Holmes who dropped a pass that would have netted a nice gain.

Tim Tebow didn’t look very good throwing the football on Sunday night, as he threw for 55 yards on 4 for 14 passing with a head scratching interception that hit Reggie Smith in the numbers. Tebow did show that great running ability that he has rushing for 45 yards on 5 carries including a 20 yard rush that got the crowd excited.

The Jets rushing offense continued to struggle, as Shonn Greene only rushed for 47 yards on 13 carries for a mere 3.6 yards a carry. Backup running back Bilal Powell didn’t have much success either rushing 8 times for 29 yards also only 3.6 yards a carry.

The Jets receiving core was at full strength against the Panthers with Santonio Holmes, and Jeremy Kerley back in the lineup. In his first game of the preseason Holmes caught 1 pass for 8 yards, and had one bad drop. Stephen Hill was targeted the most out of the Jets wide receivers making 5 catches for 68 yards with one 32 yard catch. Hill did however had a costly drop that hit off his hands right and bounced right to the Panthers for a interception. Dustin Keller did start the game with a nice catch for 24 yards but came up hobbling with a hamstring injury and week 1 is in question for him.

The offensive line did look much better protecting the quarterback as Austin Howard was impressive not allowing any sacks, and doing a very good job on a good defensive end in Charles Johnson. Wayne Hunter did get some playing time with the second unit, and proceeded to allow Tebow to be sacked.

The Jets defense did look very good again holding one of the bright young stars in the NFL in Cam Newton to a sub-par game. Cam was only 6 for 15 with 60 yards passing, and rushed twice for 16 yards. LaRon Landry had another nice game for the Jets showing that if he can stay healthy and on the field he will be a great add. Landry had his 2^nd interception of the preseason, and had 4 tackles. Bart Scott also looked good recovering a fumble, and had 3 tackles. Jets rookie Quinton Coples seems to have a knack for getting to the quarterback, as he was able to get another sack against the Panthers.

Jets special teams was pretty solid as Nick Folk won the kicking job going 3 for 3 on his kicks, and Josh Brown who went 1 for 2 was let go on Monday. T.J Conley was able to bounce back from a tough game against the Giants with 2 punts for 113 yards for a whopping 56.5 yards per punt. Joe McKnight continued his last season kick returning success returning 3 kicks for 98 yards including a 42 yard return.

The Jets will be playing their final preseason game of the season as they look to score a touchdown against the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday.

Jets Trade Wayne Hunter to Rams

jetlifebeats.com

Jets Trade Wayne Hunter

The New York Jets have decided to trade recently benched, and struggling right tackle to the St. Louis Rams for former 1st round pick tackle Jason Smith.

Wayne Hunter was benched a couple days before the Carolina game for Austin Howard who certainly played better than Hunter in the starting spot. Hunter also allowed a sack with the back up unit in the 4^th quarter of the Carolina game.

Jason Smith has also like Hunter seen his struggles as the former 2^nd overall pick in the 2009 draft was benched by the Rams. Smith has battled poor play and injuries with a few concussions, and the Rams felt it was time to move on. Smith has played in 29 games with 26 starts in his three seasons with the Rams.

The starting right tackle spot should be safe for Austin Howard after the Carolina game, but a trade for Smith will provide some depth to right tackle spot in case Howard struggles moving forward. Jets fans will be happy to see Hunter gone after his poor play last season, and this preseason.

Nick Folk Wins Kicking Job

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The New York Jets decided to stick with kicker Nick Folk for another season releasing Josh Brown on Monday.

Josh Brown who was brought in after being cut by the Rams probably did himself in on Sunday by missing a 45-yard field goal against the Carolina Panthers, and Brown was out played in camp by a little bit too as the Jets were leaning towards Folk heading into Sundays game.

 Special team’s coordinator Mike Westhoff last Friday called it "absolutely the most efficient, competitive battle I've ever seen. I've had some great kickers in my career, but no one's had a better camp than these two guys have had. It's the best kicking competition I've ever seen."

Nick Folk was able to hit all four of his attempts this season but does lack the touchback power on the kickoffs that Josh Brown had. Last season for the Jets Folk was 19-25 on his attempts, but the Jets will hope he can get some more touchbacks during regular season.

Wayne Hunter gets Benched

newsday.com

Wayne Hunter gets Benched

The New York Jets and head coach Rex Ryan finally benched Wayne Hunter, and will be starting Austin Howard at right tackle in Sunday’s game against the Carolina Panthers.

Wayne Hunter was by far the Jets worst offensive lineman last year, and with allowing 2 ½ sacks in his first preseason game against the Giants it showed that he is clearly not a starting lineman.

Rex Ryan said "We're gonna give Austin Howard a shot to be with this first group. I thought he earned that right. He played extremely well against Cincinnati, did OK against the Giants, but really played well against Cincinnati, and this is what I wanna do. I'm gonna put him in that situation, and we'll see how he does this week."

Austin Howard was signed by the Jets last November from the Ravens practice squad, and has played in 4 games in the NFL with the Eagles in 2010.

The Jets will hope Howard is the answer at right tackle, but in all likelihood the Jets will be having problems at the position all year unless they can make a move of some sort.

Giants Hammer Jets, Win MetLife Bowl

Saturday, August 18^th 2012

Final Score: New York Giants: 26 New York Jets: 3

Giants Hammer Jets, Win MetLife Bowl

The Jets are again making all the noise in New York during the off-season, but were reminded by the Giants who the defending champs were Saturday night as the Giants dominated the Jets on all fronts en route to a 26-3 win. 

It was only a preseason game, which is good for the Jets as they struggled throughout every facet of the game, being the only team in the NFL to not score an offensive touchdown yet.  As for the Giants, they are looking to almost be in midseason form.

The defensive front for the Giants was on all night, as Jason Pierre-Paul looked great, getting two sacks.  The Giants made mince meat of Jets tackle Wayne Hunter, with Osi Umenyiora and Justin Tuck each getting in on the fun with half a sack to add to JPP’s total. 

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The game wasn’t perfect for the Giants, who had to settle for four Lawrence Tynes field goals.  Head coach Tom Coughlin would like to see the offense execute better once the regular season comes around, but this is a time to just fine tune things and keep players healthy.

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Health became a concern last night for the Giants, who had multiple players suffer injuries in the game.  Ahmad Bradshaw was forced from the game after the first series with an injury to his hand.  It was believed to be serious at first, but the x-rays came back negative and he just iced his hand on the sideline for the remainder of the game. 

Backup linebacker Mark Herzlich also suffered an injury, getting only a few plays in before encountering a hip pointer and leaving in the third quarter.  Backup defensive end Adrian Tracy also suffered an injury in the third quarter, being forced from the game with a hamstring injury.  Both players have had good preseason for the Giants, so getting them back on the field would be beneficial for all parties.   

Jayron Hosley had a strong game for the Giants, intercepting Mark Sanchez and returning it for a 77-yard touchdown in the second quarter; but was seen in a walking boot after the game.  It was Hosley’s biggest game and it ended in such a disappointing fashion.  He will undergo tests Sunday to see just how bad the injury truly is.

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With Bradshaw out, D.J. Ware got an increased workload for the game, but was unable to make anything of it.  Ware was only able to muster 15 yards on 11 carries behind below averaging blocking as there were often no holes to run through. 

David Wilson had a less than stellar night, but was the most successful at running the ball for the Giants, gaining 26 yards on eight carries.  Da’Rel Scott made his first appearance of the preseason, gaining seven yards on three carries while Andre Brown rounded out the running game Saturday night with 10 yards on four carries.

The Virginia Tech products Hosley and Wilson had strong performances again as mentioned, showing the abilities that the Giants had hoped they would bring to the table.  Not to be outdone was second round pick Rueben Randle.  Randle made the most of his limited opportunities by reeling in a 49-yard deep pass from David Carr, making an impressive jumping reception over the Jets defensive back.

Victor Cruz may not have had a 99-yard touchdown reception this time around, but the Jets were still unable to contain him.  Cruz opened the game just missing a deep reception down the sideline over Darrelle Revis, one of a few times Eli Manning and Cruz were unable to connect.  Cruz also took a big shot from Jets safety LaRon Landry, but was able to hold on and give the first down signal when he popped up.  Cruz was targeted often and reeled in five receptions for 51 yards in a half of work.

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Cruz tore the Jets up Saturday night, as him and Manning have just continued to build amazing chemistry with each other since Hakeem Nicks has been sidelined.  Nicks should resume practicing this week, giving Manning yet another weapon to use.    

The Giants will continue their preseason next Friday against the Chicago Bears at MetLife Stadium.

Jets Post Game Recap

nypost.com

New York Jets Post Game Recap 8/18

The Jets were hammered by the defending Superbowl champion New York Giants losing by a score of 26-3, as the Jets offense for the second game straight was unable to score a touchdown.

The Jets offense is a mess, and quarterback Mark Sanchez entering his 4th season is still making dumb mistakes that have fueled fans to want him replaced. Sanchez threw an awful interception trying to get the ball to Patrick Turner on a crossing pattern, with the pass well behind a well covered Turner and it was picked off for a touchdown by rookie Jayron Hosley. Sanchez was 9 for 11 with 59 yards passing, but the interception in scoring territory was a big blow to the Jets leading to a possible 10-14 point swing.

Tim Tebow started the half out pretty good making some nice sideline throws, but after under throwing a wide open Stephen Hill in the end zone the wheels came off for the second team offense. The offensive line really went down hill quick after the first drive with Tebow, as they allowed him to get sacked 4 times. Tebow ended up finishing going 5 for 14 with 69 yards passing, and 2 rushes for 5 yards.

The ground and pound didn’t see much success against the Giants, as starter Shonn Greene ran 11 times for 36 yards. Despite a good game against Cincinnati for Joe McKnight it seems that Bilal Powell is the backup running back getting more carries than McKnight. Powell ran 6 times for 21 yards, and McKnight only got 3 rushes for 3 yards.

The Jets receiver core is certainly lacking right now with no Santonio Holmes or Jeremy Kerley. Jordan White was the leading receiver against Giants catching 3 balls for 28 yards. Rookie Stephen Hill did look good with Tebow catching 2 passes for 21 yards, and was able to get wide open in the end zone but Tebow under threw him costing the Jets a touchdown.

The Jets main problem has to be the offensive line, and in particular Wayne Hunter.  Hunter allowed 2 sacks to Jason Pierre Paul, and very allowed another sack but it was nullified by an offside’s penalty from the other end of Giants line. The Jets as a team gave up 7 sacks, and run blocking wasn’t very good either, as the Jets had 24 rushes for only 65 yards.

The Jets first team defense did look good only allowing 6 points to a very good Giants offense. Their was a few bright spots as safety LaRon Landry was able to intercept Eli Manning on a overthrow, and lay a big hit on Victor Cruz. Mike Devito was able to cause some disruption up the middle getting into the backfield. Bart Scott lead the team in tackles with 5, and just missed a sack on Eli Manning. First round pick Quinton Coples looked good again, and was able to rack in his second sack of the preseason.

T.J Conley may have just opened up a new completion in Jets camp after shanking two punts in the game. There is currently no other punter on the team but that maybe changing after his performance. Punter is going to be an important position for the Jets, as he will be used a lot due to a sub-par offense.

The Jets will look to work on getting the offense fixed before facing Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers on Sunday.

Cromartie's Wish Comes True

nydailynews.com

Cromartie’s Wish Comes True

Jets cornerback Antonio Cromartie will see his wish come true, as one of the Jets better defenders will be lining up on the other side of the ball to play some wide receiver.

Cromartie has wanted to play a little receiver for years now, and came on ESPN’s show First Take telling them that he was the second best receiver on the team currently causing quite of bit of chatter. New offensive coordinator Tony Sparano has made a package for Antonio, and he was practicing on Monday with the receivers. The Jets best receiver Santonio Holmes will miss his second straight game making it likely to see some Cromartie at wide receiver against the Giants.

“I'm looking forward to it," he said. "I've been waiting for the opportunity to try to play both ways in the NFL for a while. ... It's fun. It's an opportunity to get the ball in your hands and another challenge.”

 "You're not going to have him learn the entire offense, but maybe a couple of plays," Rex Ryan said. "There's no reason he can't do it. Certainly, he can be a weapon (with) the size and speed he brings to the table. We'll see how excited he is when he gets smacked by a safety. If somebody like that hits him, we'll see if that changes anything.”

Giants Fall to Jaguars to Open Preseason

Friday, August 10^th 2012

Giants Drop Preseason Opener in Jacksonville

The first game of the preseason for the New York Giants gave an opportunity for players to show why they deserve a spot on the 53 man roster with the defending champions.  It also gave some reasons as to why some people shouldn’t. 

There isn’t much to take from preseason games other than getting a look at newcomers. 

David Wilson, the Giants first round pick out of Virginia Tech, was the last running back to take a carry on Friday night for Big Blue.  On his first carry he was sandwiched by tow Jaguars and then broke off a 26 yard burst up the middle quick enough that if you blinked you would have missed it. On his third carry he was hammered for a five yard loss. 

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Wilson also caught two passes, the first of which was a screen play in which he ran over two Jaguars.  In his short appearance, Wilson showed the ability to break the big play and toughness, two things the Giants need from their running game this season that was lacking last year. 

The battle for the backup running back position behind Ahmad Bradshaw looks like it is going to be fierce throughout camp.  In addition to Wilson, the Giants also have D.J. Ware and Andre Brown fighting it out. 

Ware was solid, getting the first crack after Bradshaw Friday night.  Ware got five carries for 30 yards, including a two-yard touchdown, showing elusiveness and quickness.

Brown got the next shot and looked impressive his first two carries which resulted in 19 yards.  He was later stuffed in a third-and-one attempt, finishing with seven carries for 25 yards and one reception for four yards. 

Second round pick Rueben Randle was not to be outshined by his fellow rookie, as he showed some glimpses of his potential as well.  Randle made two receptions on the night, the first a 21 yard catch and the second one a six-yard touchdown in the corner of the end zone.  The touchdown reception was a good look at Randle taking the size advantage he has and putting it to use.

The wide receiving corps are set at the top with Victor Cruz and Hakeem Nicks, once he returns from injury, but there will be a competition for the third receiver spot.  Randle had a strong showing but will have to hold off veterans Domenik Hixon, who sat with a hamstring injury and is returning from an ACL tear last season, and Ramses Barden, as well as second year player Jerel Jernigan. 

Jernigan just missed making a spectacular play with one hand as it seemed Jaguars corner Williams Middleton was holding down his other hand.  Isiah Stanback did make a highlight reel play later in the game, snagging the ball out of the air with one hand for a touchdown off a pass from David Carr.

Last season’s first round pick Prince Amukamara has some expectation so fill this season especially if he is needed to fill in for Terrell Thomas.  Amukamara struggled in the beginning of the game, being targeted by the Jaguars offense throughout the first drive, getting burned multiple times and eventually surrendering a touchdown to Jaguars receiver Cecil Shorts. 

Amukamara would redeem himself the next drive, stripping Shorts of the ball resulting in the Giants recovering the fumble.  Amukamara is the guy the Giants want replacing Thomas if it comes down to it, he just needs to get more reps under his belt after a rocky rookie campaign.

Free agent tight end signed Martellus Bennett has made some waves in training camp with his mouth and backed it up at least for one game Friday night.  Bennett referred to himself as the “Black Unicorn” because of his blend of speed and size and showed off some of those talents reeling in three catches for 27 yards and a touchdown.  The Giants are expecting good things from Bennett not only in the passing game but blocking as well.

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The rookies from Virginia Tech, Wilson and cornerback Jayron Hosley, had impressive showings on special teams.  Special teams for the Giants were weak last year, lacking an explosion in the return game; Wilson and Hosley have the ability to change that this season. 

Wilson averaged 38 yards a kick return, highlighted by a 48 yard return in the second quarter.  Hosley made a costly mistake muffing a punt, but did have solid returns before the muff going for 34 yards on three returns.

Hosley was also solid on defense, getting a sack and showing solid coverage skills.  If Hosley is able to limit his mistakes, he has an outstanding chance of being a real contributor this season. 

Other Giants to make positive impacts were Adrian Tracy, looking to make an impact in the spot vacated by Dave Tollefson this season.  Mark Herzlich also looked strong throughout the game at the linebacker position and could potentially push Chase Blackburn for his starting spot. 

Next up for the Giants is a meeting with the Jets at MetLife Stadium August 18^th.  It will be the first look for the Giants at Tim Tebow. 

Eric Smith to Miss Rest of Preseason

rantsports.com

Eric Smith to Miss Rest of Preseason

In the loss to Cincinnati the Jets also lost safety Eric Smith for the rest of the preseason with a sprained MCL in his left knee.

The injury occurred in the second quarter on a punt, as Smith is one of the Jets best special team’s players.

Smith wasn’t figured to be a starter before the injury but was going to be playing on defense in different formations. Smith was also the main backup for starting safety LaRon Landry who is coming of an Achilles tendon injury, and has been on a limit on how much he can play still.

The Jets may need to make a move if they think Smith might miss some regular season games, and may look to bring back Brodney Pool who was cut by the Cowboys last week, and would be familiar with the defense due to playing on the Jets last two seasons.

Jets Lose Preseason Opener to Bengals

nydailynews.com

Jets vs. Bengals Post Game Recap 8/11

The New York Jets lost 17-6 against the Cincinnati Bengals in their preseason opener.

Starting Quarterback Mark Sanchez played 14 plays going 4 for 6 for 21 yards passing. Sanchez was sacked twice as well, and had one scramble for 4 yards.

Tim Tebow made his debut with the Jets having his ups and downs in his time playing QB. Tebow threw for 27 yards on 4 for 8 passing, and had 4 rushes for 34 on broken plays, and poor pass blocking. Tebow did however throw an interception in Bengals territory in the third quarter.

Third string QB Greg McElroy coming off a good preseason last season before it was derailed by a thumb injury played pretty well again in this season’s opener. McElroy had the more passing yards than Sanchez or Tebow on the same amount of completions going 4 for 6 with 49 yards passing. McElroy was sacked 3 times however, and lost a fumble.

The Offensive Line which took a step back last year did not look good again in the first game of preseason. On 29 drop backs Jets Quarterbacks were sacked 5 times, and if Tebow wasn’t able to scramble away from some it would have been at least two or three more.

The backup running back position battle between Joe McKnight and Brian Powell is one to watch, as McKnight took the advantage in Cincinnati rushing for 32 yards on 7 carries, and catching 3 balls for 34 yards. Starter Shonn Greene didn’t see as much success as McKnight, as Greene had 5 rushes for only 11 yards.

An injury depleted Receiving core saw Patrick Turner step up catching 3 balls for 21 yards. Rookie Stephen Hill had 2 catches for 18 yards, but did have a big drop on 3rd down on a pass that would have gotten the Jets a 1st down.

Defensively for the Jets it was the Quinton Coples show, as the 1st round pick looked extremely good in his debut. Coples had 5 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, one sack, a pass deflection, and a forced fumble. A lot of Coples plays were against Bengals backups, but it is good to see him be able to dominate against backups.

The big blunder of the game came on special teams as the Bengals were able to block a punt with 22 seconds left in the half recovering it for a touchdown. Both Nick Folk and Josh Brown who are battling for the starting Kicker job were both able to hit a Field Goal. Josh Brown hit a 42 yard FG in the 2nd quarter, and last years starter Nick Folk hit 38 yard FG in the 4th.

The Jets will be heading back to Cortland before the next preseason game against the Superbowl champion Giants on Saturday.

Santonio Holmes to Miss Preseason Opener

bleacherreport.com

Santonio Holmes to Miss Preseason Opener

Jets number one Wide Receiver Santonio Holmes will not be playing on Friday in the preseason opener against the Cincinnati Bengals due to a rib injury.

Holmes injured his rib in Saturdays scrimmage with the injury occurring when Antonio Cromartie hit him. Positive news for Holmes is that the X-rays came back negative on his ribs. Holmes has not practiced since, and will probably miss the second preseason game as well.

“I’m getting better every day right now, “Holmes said on Tuesday. “I’m taking it one day at a time. When I feel the need for contact and the trainers are ready for me to have contact, then ill be ready to roll”.

The Jets will also be missing Jeremy Kerley who was a hamstring injury so Quarterbacks Mark Sanchez and Tim Tebow will be throwing to rookie Stephen Hill, Patrick Turner, and Chaz Schilens.

Jeff Otah Trade Voided

nj.com

Jeff Otah Trade Voided

The New York Jets attempt to get a right tackle to possibly start over Wayne Hunter failed as Jeff Otah was unable to pass his physical sending him back to the Carolina Panthers.

General Manager Mike Tannenbaum said "He did everything we asked for the past week and the terms of the trade weren't met so he's going back to Carolina,"

This is sad news for Otah as the former first round pick has had lots of injury problems barely playing in the last few years, and doesn’t appear to be ready to anytime soon.

For the Jets they cant be satisfied going into the season with Wayne Hunter as the starter, and Tannenbaum will probably be back out looking for another right tackle to compete for starting job with Hunter.

Revis Sits out of Practice

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Darrelle Revis Misses Practice on Sunday

Jets star cornerback Darrelle Revis missed most of the teams practice on Sunday with a tight hamstring leading many to speculate that he was sitting out because of his contract again.

When Revis was asked however he was very adamant that it was not the case "I knew you were going to ask that question, Come on, it has nothing to do with it. If I didn't want to be here, I would've held out."

Revis did however do something similar to this two years ago before eventually holding out, and ended up hurting his hamstring causing him to miss two games. If Revis is doing this again because of his unhappiness about his contract this could be a problem, as with Tim Tebow on the team there is already a ton of media distraction, and an unhappy Revis would not help that.

Jets Trade for Jeff Otah

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Jets Trade for Jeff Otah

The New York Jets were able to acquire Right Tackle Jeff Otah from the Carolina Panthers, by sending an undisclosed conditional draft pick for the 26 year old Otah.

Otah will be competing for a job with last years starter Wayne Hunter who is coming off a very bad season, as he was a glaring weakness on the line all season allowing 8 ½ sacks, and 11 penalties.

The trade for Otah will instantly start a competition for the starting spot, as the trade for Otah shows that the front office doesn’t have much faith in Hunter. Hunter does however have one supporter as offensive line coach Dave DeGuglielmo has given Hunter a vote of confidence.

"This guy is the starting right tackle," DeGuglielmo said at the time. "Until they tell me otherwise, until they ship him out of this building or until they shoot me dead in my office, that son of a gun is going to be the starting right tackle. And he's going to play well."

Jeff Otah does come with a big question mark about his health as he has missed 31 of the last 35 games due to knee injuries. Otah has also recently tweaked the same knee that cost him to miss so much time in OTAs, but a MRI showed no damage.

Darrelle Revis Not Expected to Holdout

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Darrelle Revis Not Expected to Holdout

Jets got good news that All-Pro Cornerback Darrelle Revis will be reporting to camp in Cortland on Thursday, as it was hinted by Revis at mini camp that he maybe holding out for the second time in three seasons.

If Revis didn’t show up to camp his wallet would have definitely felt it, as he would have forfeited a one million dollar reporting bonus, and would have been fined 30k per day.

The 4 year $46 million dollar deal was mostly front loaded with Revis only earning $13.5 million over the next two seasons, as the deal was believed to be a band-aid contract and that it would be addressed again this off-season.

Revis is one of if not the best Cornerback in the NFL, and Jets will need him him to anchor the secondary if they hope to get back to having one of the more dominant defenses in the NFL, and back into the playoffs in the AFC.

New York Jets Draft Preview: Wide Receiver

The Jets have lacked a real down field threat since parting ways with Braylon Edwards, and even then their down field attack was mediocre. Plaxico Burress was not the receiver the Jets were hoping they were getting. He did have a good season in the red zone but how many catches did he make of twenty yards or more? Santonio Holmes will need help if the Jets are to have a solid air attack.

 It is possible that the Jets could use their first round pick to get a receiver that is a big target for Sanchez to throw to deep. With the 16th pick in the draft the Jets will have their choice of receivers, except for Oklahoma State's Justin Blackmon (projected 6th overall).

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Michael Floyd ( 6-3 224 lbs.) out of Notre Dame, if available, is a great down field receiver with very strong hands. Floyd had some problems with Notre Dame in his first few year that led to a leave of absence from the team, but it looks like Floyd has turned his attitude around. He is a good deep route runner and he can also go up and get the ball with the best of them. Floyd had 100 catches for 1,147 yards, and 9 touchdowns for the Irish last year.

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Kendall Wright (5-10 190 lbs.) is a pure athlete. Wright, who comes from Baylor University, is a smaller receiver than Floyd, but he is a speedy receiver who can easily get behind the secondary, and can run under any ball thrown. Wright could be a Victor Cruz like receiver, he can run the inside routes, but he can be a deep threat at any point, and out of any set. Wright finished last season with 108 catches for 1,663 yards, and 14 touchdowns. That is impressive.

If the Jets are looking for a receiver a little later than the first or second round there are other good receivers out there. Nick Toon (6-2 215 lbs.) out of Wisconsin would be a good pick for the Jets, or Ryan Broyles (5-10 192 lbs.). I know Broyles tore his ACL during last season, but he had 83 catches for over 1,000 yds and 10 touchdowns before he went down. He will go in the third or fourth round for sure. If the Jets don't have a receiver after the second round and Broyles is available, they should take him with no hesitation.

I would like to see the Jets add some depth to their receiver core. Santonio Holmes, and tight end Dustin Keller will not be able to carry the load for the entire season, and Plaxico Burress is gone. Adding another target for Sanchez, and I keep saying Sanchez because he will be the starting QB in 2012, the Jets will be a real threat through the air, and that can open up the running game.

New York Jets Draft Preview: Offensive Line

The New York Jets offensive line was one of the biggest disappointments last season and is the biggest question going into the 2012 season, mainly the right tackle position currently filled by Wayne Hunter. If the Jets want to get back to their ground and pound offense, and also utilize Tim Tebow in the wildcat offense, it all starts with the offensive line. 

Rumors have been spreading that the Jets might trade up to the third pick and possibly draft Trent Richardson. I do not know who the Jets are willing to give up or what picks they will give up, but Richardson could be an upgrade from Greene. Now if the Jets make this move, the Jets should focus on finding a solid tackle in the third or fourth round to help rectify the run game for gang green. 

Jeff Allen out of Illionis is a solid pick if the Jets could get him in the third round. The 6 foot 4, 307 pounder has good quickness and is strong in the run game. He is projected to go in the second or third round, and if he is still on the board in the third round, the Jets should snatch him. 

The Jets next best option would be Mitchell Schwartz from the University of California. Schwartz is 6 foot 5 and weighs 318 pounds. He is great at getting to the second level, and is also strong in the run game. Mitchell is projected to go in the third round. 

There are plenty of options for the Jets in the draft, but the Jets need to draft players that will help fill the holes that are on their depth chart, especially the line.