NEW YORK JETS DAILY CLIPS

October 14, 2015

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Table of Contents

ASSOCIATED PRESS ................................................................................................................................................ 1

Jets' Wilkerson honors 96 breast cancer survivors (Dennis Waszak) ........................................................................ 1

NEWSDAY .............................................................................................................................................................. 3

Jets' Muhammad Wilkerson hosts breast cancer survivor luncheon with his mother, Janice, also a survivor (Kimberley Martin) .................................................................................................................................................... 3

NFL power rankings after Week 5 (Bob Glauber) ...................................................................................................... 4

THE RECORD .......................................................................................................................................................... 6

Jets: A look ahead to Redskins (J.P. Pelzman) ........................................................................................................... 6

On the Jets beat: Fitzpatrick getting the job done (J.P. Pelzman) ............................................................................. 7

ESPN NEW YORK .................................................................................................................................................... 8

Redskins carry plenty of baggage, don't travel well (Rich Cimini) ............................................................................. 8

The rarest of assignments for Darrelle Revis: Get the quarterback (Rich Cimini) ..................................................... 9

'Perfect coach' Pepper Johnson not ready to anoint Jets' imperfect D-Line (Rich Cimini)...................................... 10

NEW YORK POST .................................................................................................................................................. 11

Todd Bowles’ path to Jets began with Super Bowl hero’s phone call (Brian Costello) ........................................... 11

NJ ADVANCE MEDIA ............................................................................................................................................ 13

Jets' Brandon Marshall says he felt like quitting football a couple years ago (Darryl Slater).................................. 13

NFL Week 6: What are Jets' playoff chances? (Dom Cosentino) ............................................................................. 13

NFL power rankings roundup: Idle Jets hold steady around Top 10 (Dom Cosentino) ........................................... 14

5 Pepper Johnson takeaways: How good can Jets' defensive line be? (Darryl Slater) ............................................ 15

Why Jets believe Leonard Williams is 'beyond his time' through 4 games (Darryl Slater) ...................................... 16

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS ...................................................................................................................................... 18

Five concerns Jets face heading forward in season (Seth Walder) ......................................................................... 18

METRO NEW YORK .............................................................................................................................................. 19

NFL Power Rankings: Six unbeaten remain, Steelers climb in Week 5 (Kristian Dyer) ............................................ 19

TUESDAY’S SPORTS TRANSACTIONS .................................................................................................................... 23

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Jets' Wilkerson honors 96 breast cancer survivors (Dennis Waszak) Associated Press October 13, 2015

http://www.pro32.ap.org/article/jets-wilkerson-honors-96-breast-cancer-survivors

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ROSELLE, N.J. (AP) — Muhammad Wilkerson was 10 when his mother shared the devastating news with him and his siblings.

Janice Wilkerson had breast cancer. Lots of fear, uncertainty and praying followed.

"As a young kid, you watch movies or see stuff on TV and you hear things about cancer and you just hear a lot of negative," the New York Jets defensive end said. "You see a lot of bad. That's what I thought, that I'd never see my mom again and I wondered how life would be without my mom being there."

Ultimately, it was a scenario that Wilkerson feels blessed to have not had to deal with.

The cancer was contained in Janice Wilkerson's right breast, which was removed and she didn't need chemotherapy treatments. She has been in remission for 15 years and Muhammad Wilkerson's grandmother Joanne is at 20-plus years.

They both serve as the inspiration for Wilkerson, who honored 96 — the number of his jersey — breast cancer survivors at a three-course luncheon Tuesday at Central Park restaurant not far from where he grew up.

Muhammad Wilkerson's T.E.A.M. 96 Foundation teamed with Susan G. Komen North Jersey and Sisters Network of Central N.J. to pick the honorees for the second annual event.

His mother and grandmother were in attendance and he took pictures with each of the honorees, many of them thanking him for his work with his foundation while raising awareness for breast cancer.

"Not only are my mother and grandmother survivors, but all of these women here are survivors," Muhammad Wilkerson said. "They're all tough, strong women who are still here."

Wilkerson, in his fifth season with the Jets, leads New York's second-ranked defense with 3 1/2 sacks and is widely recognized as one of the NFL's top players at his position. Sore ribs limited him at practice Monday, but X-rays were negative and he expects to play Sunday against Washington.

And sitting in the stands will be his mother, who attends every home game her son plays in and even some on the road — including the Jets' game against the Miami Dolphins in London on Oct. 4.

"Just to think about him living his dream, it's just a blessing and it's amazing," said Janice Wilkerson, a devout Muslim. "Allah allowed me to live and for me and my son to grow together, and now we can tag-team a lot of things, like this event today."

She recalled the moment she was told she had breast cancer 15 years ago and sat in the doctor's office, feeling helpless.

"I started crying, and my doctor told me to just stay there and cry until I got myself together," she said. "I was like, 'For real?' Then, I just thought about my kids and was like, 'What's going to happen to my babies? Who's going to take care of them?' It was a scary thing. I thought I was going to die."

Janice Wilkerson started putting a game plan together, figuring out what would become of her children if she didn't make it.

"It was important to me to keep talking to them and making sure they always behaved and with whomever they wound up with, to remember the things I told them," she said. "It was rough. Even today, getting dressed, I was thinking back and remembering that it was really just a tough thing for all of us."

Muhammad Wilkerson's father, Alvin, was in and out of prison while he was growing up, and the defensive lineman recalled the strength with which his mother fought her disease while raising her family.

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"She had to take care of all of us, work two or three jobs and make sure her household was well taken care of," he said. "A lot of people know I'm kind of a quiet guy, keep to myself, but on Sundays they see me get out on that football field, getting all crazy and excited. She's one of the reasons I play so hard. Without her, I wouldn't be where I am right now."

Wilkerson and his mother still text each other a couple of times a day, speak on the phone often and she helps run his foundation's everyday operations. He's a self-proclaimed mama's boy — and the big, bad heart of the Jets' defensive line remains one to this day.

"I'm so proud of him," Janice Wilkerson said. "He was always that kid who listened, whether he wanted to or not. He was my kid that listened. I have to say he still does. We have such a great relationship where we can talk about anything, and it's really so great we can do things like this together."

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NEWSDAY

Jets' Muhammad Wilkerson hosts breast cancer survivor luncheon with his mother, Janice, also a survivor (Kimberley Martin) Newsday October 13, 2015

http://www.newsday.com/sports/football/jets/jets-muhammad-wilkerson-hosts-breast-cancer-survivor-luncheon-with-his-mother-janice-also-a-survivor-1.10956823

Occasionally, Janice Wilkerson feels little aches and pains in her bones. "But that's my knees cracking, though," she said, laughing, over the phone Monday night.

That minor discomfort is nothing compared to what she endured 15 years ago -- a breast cancer diagnosis that had her and her four children, including future Jets defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson, fearing the worst.

But after 15 years of being in remission, Janice Wilkerson counts her blessings. Along with her NFL star son, they continue to raise awareness about the disease in hopes of finding a cure.

Yesterday, Wilkerson and his T.E.A.M. 96 Foundation hosted their second annual breast cancer survivor luncheon in Roselle, New Jersey. Ninety-six women -- a hat tip to Wilkerson's jersey number -- were recognized and provided three-course meals and gifts given by Avon. "We want to continue to share with women that they need to stay on top of their medical checkups, to eat correctly and try to live a fit life and do whatever they can to remain in remission," Janice told Newsday on Monday night.

The 96 women were invited through Susan G. Komen North Jersey and the Sisters Network of Central New Jersey. Wilkerson's grandmother, also a breast cancer survivor, invited women from her church, too.

Jets

Janice was diagnosed with extensive ductal carcinoma in situ in 2000. It had surfaced "like millions of grains of popcorn" in her milk duct, she told Newsday in 2013, but because the cancer had remained contained, she did not need chemotherapy or radiation. Instead, she had a mastectomy on her right breast.

Etched in blue ink on Muhammad Wilkerson's right arm is a large breast cancer ribbon. Within it is the word "Ka'idah" -- his mother's name in Arabic.

"When he was younger, he wouldn't talk about it," Janice said. "But now that he's an adult, he's OK with it. He's making people aware that this is an ugly disease and not only breast cancer, but all cancer.

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"Because of the person that he is and because he's so close to me, he knows that this is something that touched my heart."

She said she had a checkup "about three months ago" and her bloodwork was fine. But Janice added she hasn't been seeing a doctor as often as she should. Her oncologist recently retired, and she's in the process of finding a new one. But she insisted she's doing well. "As far as the cancer goes, I've been good,'' she said. "I've been good."

Besides her full-time job, she works for her son, tending to the "day-to-day operations" of Wilkerson's schedule of appearances and charity events.

To Janice, Wilkerson's NFL star status and his charitable contributions are a testament to the lessons she instilled in her four children.

"My mother has this saying: If you honor your mother and father, your days on this Earth will be long," she said. "And there's a saying in the Quran: 'Paradise lies at the feet of your mother.' And Muhammad got that."

"I was dedicated to my mother and he's dedicated to me. He was my one child that, no matter what I said, he listened. So it's amazing that my son -- despite all the struggles that we had, the rough times that we went through -- still held his ground and listened to what we told him.

"And these are the benefits and the blessings when you honor your parents," said Janice, who, in addition to her social work, cares for her brother with Down Syndrome. "He always talks about giving back. And I like to say that he got that from me."

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NFL power rankings after Week 5 (Bob Glauber) Newsday October 13, 2015

http://www.newsday.com/sports/football/nfl-power-rankings-after-week-5-1.10956011

1. PATRIOTS (4-0) (2): The Patriots are the most complete team in the game right now, with Tom Brady performing flawlessly on offense and Bill Belichick pushing all the right buttons on defense.

2. PACKERS (5-0) (1): On a day when Aaron Rodgers was less than perfect, breaking a no-interception streak that started in 2012, the Packers were good enough to hold off the Rams at home to stay atop the NFC North. The scoring defense was on the mark in a 24-10 win, but the run defense allowed Todd Gurley to run wild for 159 yards.

3. BENGALS (5-0) (3): Andy Dalton is a legitimate MVP candidate with yet another sizzling performance, this time against the defending NFC champion Seahawks. His dramatic fourth-quarter comeback and eventual overtime win gave the Bengals their first 5-0 start since 1988 - which happens to be the last time they went to the Super Bowl.

4. BRONCOS (5-0) (4): If you'd been told before the season that Peyton Manning would have more interceptions (7) than touchdowns (6) and the Broncos would be 5-0, it would have been hard to believe. But thanks to Denver's outstanding defense, the Broncos have been able to mask Manning's problems. For now, anyway.

5. PANTHERS (4-0) (6): After fattening up early against weak teams, the Panthers will get a better sense of how good they really are when they return from the bye to face the Seahawks on the road.

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6. FALCONS (5-0) (5): Dan Quinn still hasn't lost a game as a head coach, but this one was closer than he would have liked. Atlanta wasn't at its best but was good enough to hold off Washington in OT, thanks to Robert Alford's pick-six against Kirk Cousins.

7. CARDINALS (4-1) (7): In their four wins, the Cardinals have averaged a whopping 42 points. The latest victim: the Lions in a 42-17 romp as Carson Palmer threw for three more touchdowns and the Cardinals' defense completely shut down Matthew Stafford.

8. JETS (3-1) (9): The Jets come off their bye week to host the Redskins on Sunday as Sheldon Richardson returns from a four-game suspension to add further depth to an already dominant defense.

9. SEAHAWKS (2-3) (8): It appeared the Seahawks were headed for a third straight win to answer a surprising 0-2 start, but their normally reliable defense disappeared in the fourth quarter and overtime against the Bengals.

10. STEELERS (3-2) (11): Michael Vick turns back the clock on a brilliant 80-yard game-winning drive against the Chargers. His critical 24-yard scramble up the middle and completion to tight end Heath Miller set up the deciding score. Mike Tomlin shows plenty of guts by going for it on the final play, and Le'Veon Bell gets into the end zone for the dramatic win.

11. VIKINGS (2-2) (10): The Vikings come back from the bye and host the reeling Chiefs, who will be without star tailback Jamaal Charles.

12. GIANTS (3-2) (12): Eli Manning puts together more late-game magic for his 27th regular-season comeback in the fourth quarter. The dramatic ending comes on a spectacular touchdown throw to Larry Donnell in a 30-27 win over the 49ers.

13. COLTS (3-2) (17): Matt Hasselbeck shows over the last two games why it's so important to have a viable backup quarterback. The 40-year-old veteran fills in admirably for Andrew Luck with back-to-back divisional wins, including last week's 27-20 decision over Houston in which he throws two touchdowns. Up next: the long-awaited rematch of last year's AFC Championship Game against the Patriots. Andrew Luck is back for this one.

14. RAMS (2-3) (13): Todd Gurley produces a second straight dominating game on the ground, but Nick Foles barely completes 30 percent of his passes to keep the Rams from winning back-to-back road games.

15. BILLS (3-2) (16): With his offense depleted by injury, quarterback Tyrod Taylor put the Bills on his back in a 14-13 comeback win over the Titans on the road. Without his top two running backs, Taylor rushed for 77 yards, including a 22-yard touchdown late in the third quarter.

16. COWBOYS (2-3) (14): Tony Romo can't get back soon enough as Brandon Weeden struggles yet again to get much of anything out of the Cowboys' offense. Time for Matt Cassel?

17. CHARGERS (2-3) (15): A critical pick-six from Philip Rivers and a defensive meltdown on the Steelers' final drive combine for a demoralizing home loss.

18. EAGLES (2-3) (18): Finally. After a month of misfires, Chip Kelly's offense explodes for a huge day against the Saints, but not before two red zone picks by Sam Bradford. Bradford rallied for 333 yards and a pair of touchdown passes.

19. RAIDERS (2-3) (19): The Raiders did a mostly terrific job against Peyton Manning, but Derek Carr couldn't do any better against the Broncos' smothering defense. Still, this is a much-improved Raiders team that looks like it might finally be turning things around.

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20. REDSKINS (2-3) (21): It was a terrific effort nearly the entire way on the road against the unbeaten Falcons, but Kirk Cousins telegraphed yet another interception, this one in overtime that ruined hopes for an upset.

21. BEARS (2-3) (30): Jay Cutler puts in some good work late in the game against the Chiefs as his two touchdown passes lead the way in a stunning comeback win on the road.

22. BROWNS (2-3) (26): Josh McCown has another monster game for the Browns, and this time they finish off the job by upsetting the Ravens on the road in OT.

23. RAVENS (1-4) (22): The Ravens couldn't follow up their dramatic overtime win against the Steelers the week before and instead succumb at home to the Browns in a 33-30 shootout loss in OT.

24. CHIEFS (1-4) (20): It's looking like a lost season in Kansas City. At 1-4 and without injured tailback Jamaal Charles for the rest of the season, there's little hope of Alex Smith carrying the offense.

25. 49ERS (1-4) (27): At least the 49ers have been competitive in their last two games, even if they're staggering from a four-game losing streak after an impressive season-opening win. They couldn't hold the lead against the Giants at the end, prompting Colin Kaepernick to remain upbeat about what lies ahead.

26. BUCCANEERS (2-3) (29): Jameis Winston rebounds from a miserable performance against the Panthers last week, and Doug Martin breaks out with 123 yards, two rushing scores and a receiving TD.

27. LIONS (0-5) (23): Things got so bad for Matthew Stafford that coach Jim Caldwell benched his starter. It's a stunning turnaround after a playoff run in 2014.

28. TITANS (1-3) (24): Ken Whisenhunt is a miserable 3-15 since taking over as Titans coach last season.

29. SAINTS (1-4) (25): It sure looks like the Sean Payton era has run its course in New Orleans.

30. JAGUARS (1-4) (28): Blake Bortles had a fine afternoon with four touchdown passes, but the Jags' defense doesn't show up against the Bucs.

31. DOLPHINS (1-3) (31): The Dan Campbell era, which won't last past the end of the season, opens this weekend against the Titans. We'll see if his no-nonsense approach works in the short term.

32. TEXANS (1-4) (32): Brian Hoyer nearly brings the Texans back against the Colts. He doesn't get the win, but he does get one more shot at the starting job.

Note: Last week's ranking for each team is in parentheses after their record.

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THE RECORD

Jets: A look ahead to Redskins (J.P. Pelzman) The Record October 14, 2015

http://www.northjersey.com/sports/football/jets-a-look-ahead-to-redskins-1.1431893

Redskins (2-3) at Jets (3-1)

At MetLife Stadium

Sunday, 1 p.m.

TV: Fox

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Radio: ESPN-FM 98.7

Early line: Jets by 6

The Jets, who were 1-5 coming off a bye during the Rex Ryan era, will try to reverse that trend under new coach Todd Bowles. This would seem to be a favorable matchup, although Washington appears to be an improved team in coach Jay Gruden’s second year. The Redskins are coming off a bitter overtime loss to Atlanta that was decided by a pick-six thrown by QB Kirk Cousins in OT. These teams have not met since December 2011, when the Jets routed Washington on the road.

In the spotlight

Jets DE Sheldon Richardson. The 2013 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year and 2014 Pro Bowler returns to action Sunday after serving a four-game suspension for violating the NFL’s substance-abuse policy. Richardson hasn’t played since a preseason game against the Giants on Aug. 29, and he acknowledged Monday that rust could be problem, although he quickly added that he believes he can overcome it. Thus, the Jets likely will limit his snaps, but even in part-time action, Richardson has the ability to make an immediate impact.

Game plan

As usual, the Jets figure to use a run-first philosophy on offense. That seems like a good idea against a Washington defense that allowed 153 yards rushing to Atlanta’s Devonta Freeman three days ago. However, the Redskins held star QB Matt Ryan in check for the most part, so it will be interesting to see if Jets RB Chris Ivory’s tough running will set up some deep throws by QB Ryan Fitzpatrick. Washington rushed for only 2.1 yards per attempt against the Falcons, so the Jets’ stout defensive front should be able to stuff the running game and put pressure on Cousins.

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On the Jets beat: Fitzpatrick getting the job done (J.P. Pelzman) The Record October 14, 2015

http://www.northjersey.com/sports/football/fitzpatrick-getting-the-job-done-1.1431904

Several hours after a punch by then-teammate IK Enemkpali fractured Geno Smith’s jaw on Aug. 11, Jets coach Todd Bowles was barraged with questions about how long Smith’s successor, Ryan Fitzpatrick, might hold onto his new job and if Bowles believed players can lose their starting positions due to injury.

Answering one of those many questions, Bowles said, "If the other guy is playing well and the boat is going right and there are no waves and everything is going and we’re 4, 5, 6, 7-0? Yeah, you’re not coming back to start."

Well, the first-year coach wasn’t quite clairvoyant. The Jets are 3-1 heading into Sunday’s game against Washington, but that record is more than good enough for Bowles to stick with the veteran Fitzpatrick.

Fitzpatrick’s raw numbers aren’t exactly eye-catching. He ranks 27th in the NFL in completion percentage with 60.7 percent accuracy, and his passer rating of 78.1 also places him 27th in the league.

He is tied for 12th in touchdown passes with seven, despite many of his NFL counterparts already having played one more game than Fitzpatrick and the Jets.

However, he also has thrown six interceptions, tied for third-worst. But here’s an interesting oddity that has helped the Jets win three of their first four games: None of Fitzpatrick’s picks has led to a score by the opposition.

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It also can be argued that of the six interceptions, three weren’t really his fault. In the Jets’ lone loss to Philadelphia, Fitzpatrick had one interception that occurred because the ball was tipped near the line of scrimmage. That happened because right guard Brian Winters allowed pressure from his defender, who deflected it.

Later in that same game, Fitzpatrick was on target to Brandon Marshall, but the star wideout let the ball sift through his fingers and it was intercepted. However, give Marshall credit for erasing the potential effect of Fitzpatrick’s first pick of the season by stripping Cleveland’s Tashaun Gipson of the ball and recovering it to preserve a Jets scoring drive.

Against Miami, Fitzpatrick had a deep pass picked off by Zack Bowman, but it appeared Bowman had shoved rookie receiver Devin Smith to the ground before making the play. No penalty was called despite the contact.

Part of the reason Fitzpatrick’s picks haven’t proven to be costly is that most of them have been on deep passes. Still, the 11th-year pro needs to become more consistent on his long throws. Even his 58-yard completion to Marshall against Miami, the Jets’ longest play from scrimmage of 2015, was underthrown slightly. The one major advantage Smith has over Fitzpatrick is arm strength.

Quarterbacks coach Kevin Patullo said Monday he isn’t worried about that aspect of Fitzpatrick’s game.

"Certain times we ask him to throw the ball deep" because of the game plan, Patullo said. "Other times we have go routes or something on the outside [secondary patterns] and he takes a chance because the coverage might dictate it or depending on the score. It’s all kind of relative and I understand sometimes it looks bad. … But it shouldn’t really be an issue; it’s really not right now."

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ESPN NEW YORK

Redskins carry plenty of baggage, don't travel well (Rich Cimini) ESPN New York October 14, 2015

http://espn.go.com/blog/newyork-jets/post/_/id/54958/redskins-carry-plenty-of-baggage-dont-travel-well

Ten things to know about the Washington Redskins, the New York Jets' next opponent:

1. The Redskins are a terrible road team -- 2-16 since 2013, tied for the worst road record in the NFL. In fact, quarterback Kirk Cousins has lost six straight starts away from home, including a Week 3 loss to the New York Giants. Washington will be at MetLife Stadium for the second time in three weeks.

2. When Geno Smith went down in August with a broken jaw, the Jets placed a call to the Redskins to check on the availability of Cousins, the NFL Network reported recently. The Redskins, planning to promote Cousins over Robert Griffin III, responded with a quick "no." Imagine how different these teams would look if the Redskins had parted with Cousins.

3. Cousins shows some promise, but he's dealing with consistency issues. Let's not forget, he's still a young, developing quarterback -- only 14 career starts. He struggled with his accuracy in last week's overtime loss to Atlanta. Of his 11 incomplete passes, nine came on off-target throws, according to ESPN Stats & Information. His two interceptions came on off-target throws, including a game-ending, pick-6 in overtime. He didn't get any help from his intended receiver, Ryan Grant, who slipped on the play.

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4. RG III, benched in the preseason after a controversial concussion, is making $6.7 million this year and has yet to dress for a game. If he plays and suffers a season-ending injury, it could put the Redskins on the hook for his $16.1 million salary in 2016. It means Colt McCoy is the No. 2 quarterback. What a mess. Compared to the Redskins, the Jets' quarterback situation is rock solid.

5. Despite their struggles, these Redskins (2-3) are a plucky group. Truth be told, they outplayed the undefeated Falcons and should've won the game -- and they played without eight starters. They've lost four starters to season-ending injuries and another four were missing last week -- wide receiver DeSean Jackson (hamstring), tight end Jordan Reed (concussion) and cornerbacks DeAngelo Hall (toe) and Chris Culliver (knee). They should get some of them back this week, possibly Hall and Culliver.

6. Jackson created headlines in the preseason when he called out Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis, saying: “I don’t think no one can guard me. It’s how I feel about myself. I don’t feel no one can stop me. You can get Darrelle Revis, Richard Sherman — whoever you want to get.” Jackson, limited to 13 snaps because of his cranky hamstring, hasn't been able to back up his words. We can only hope Jackson is healthy enough to play. A Jackson-Revis matchup would be a delicious subplot.

7. The Jets can thank the Redskins for Leonard Williams. With the fifth pick in last spring's draft, the Redskins had a chance to select the former USC standout. Surprisingly, they opted for offensive lineman Brandon Scherff, leaving Williams for the Jets at No. 6. Scherff has started five games at right guard and received solid grades -- only one penalty and no sacks allowed. Williams, coming off his best game, could face Scherff in head-to-head matchups.

8. The Redskins pride themselves on being a power-running offense, but there's nothing powerful about it. Alfred Morris has been held under 4.0 yards per carry in nine of his last 10 games.

9. Chris Ivory has to be licking his chops. The Redskins' run defense was shredded by the Falcons (176 yards), who gashed them with outside zone and stretch running plays. The Jets aren't a big zone running team, but they do have success when running out of spread formations. That could be critical in this game because the Redskins' nickel defense struggled against Atlanta.

10. The Jets' leaky punt coverage could be spared this week, as the Redskins average only 5.2 yards per return, 30th in the league.

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The rarest of assignments for Darrelle Revis: Get the quarterback (Rich Cimini) ESPN New York October 13, 2015

http://espn.go.com/blog/newyork-jets/post/_/id/54943/the-rarest-of-assignments-for-darrelle-revis-get-the-quarterback

Something really weird happened in the New York Jets' win in London. It was the rarest of football occurrences, an event that happens as frequently as a lunar eclipse.

Darrelle Revis blitzed.

With 7:42 remaining in the game, Revis lined up in the left slot to cover Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jarvis Landry, as he had been doing most of the day. When the ball was snapped, the Jets' star cornerback dashed toward quarterback Ryan Tannehill as part of a seven-man rush that resulted in a hurried incomplete pass.

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A Revis blitz comes along as often as an Eli Manning touchdown run. Since 2008, Revis has blitzed only eight times, according to Pro Football Focus. The previous blitz was last February in the Super Bowl, when he was playing for the New England Patriots -- his one and only blitz for Bill Belichick.

When asked about his slot blitz against Tannehill, Revis smiled.

"You noticed," he said.

Actually, no, I can't take the credit. I happened to see it in the stats furnished by PFF. Oddly, Revis didn't want to divulge any details about it, saying only, "I just do what they tell me to do."

Former coach Rex Ryan blitzed Revis only three times from 2009 to 2012 because he felt it made no sense to remove from pass coverage arguably the best cover corner in the NFL. Sound thinking. Ryan's predecessor, Eric Mangini, had different ideas. In his rookie year, 2007, Revis blitzed 11 times.

Moral of the story?

Anything is possible with a Todd Bowles-coached defense.

Or maybe it was just their European game plan.

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'Perfect coach' Pepper Johnson not ready to anoint Jets' imperfect D-Line (Rich Cimini) ESPN New York October 13, 2015

http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york/jets/post/_/id/48762/former-qbs-coach-david-lee-says-geno-smiths-mistakes-killed-us

Pepper Johnson is a Bill Parcells/Bill Belichick disciple, which means he's old school. He's a demanding coach, hard to please, not one of those Mr. Nice Guy coaches who speaks in superlatives. If a player gets a compliment from Johnson, it was earned. He believes in tough love, and if you don't like it, tough.

Johnson is "the perfect coach" for the New York Jets' defensive line, according to Todd Bowles.

So it came as no surprise Monday that Johnson refused to buy into the hype surrounding his unit. Sheldon Richardson is back from his four-game suspension, raising expectations to a new level. You get the feeling that some folks outside the organization are ready for the Steel Curtain 2.0.

Johnson won't go there, not even close.

"I want them to prove it," said Johnson, who added, "I hope and I pray for that day to come where we become that team, (where) people are preparing for us a lot different and not just looking at us as somebody who had a good run in September."

In Johnson's mind, the defensive line isn't close to realizing its potential. It's off to a fast start, especially Muhammad Wilkerson. But not even Wilkerson, who has a team-high 3.5 sacks, garnered effusive praise from his position coach.

"The stat sheet says a lot," Johnson acknowledged. "But in our room, it says a little bit more. I expect so much out of all of my guys. I’m not satisfied. I don’t want to (say), ‘Let’s go on camera and go on record and go and tell him the next time you see him that his coach said he hasn’t been playing good so he can play harder.’ We have a long road in front of us and to assess Muhammad right now, good or bad, it’s not fair to him. It’s definitely not fair to myself. I expect a lot from him just like the rest of my players. What he has shown is really what we expected from him."

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Not surprisingly, Johnson was guarded in his evaluation of Leonard Williams, only a rookie. Johnson wasn't about to fill the kid's head with glowing compliments.

"Pretty much the same thing you saw," said Johnson, describing Williams' first four games. "I saw a guy, young at times. I saw a guy with a lot of energy. I saw a guy with a lot of energy trying to play hard, trying to do all the right things. It’s up and down. I would say September was on the upside for him. I expect a lot more, and he expected a lot more from himself."

Johnson always tells his players not to dwell on past accomplishments. They tease him because he likes to talk about his playing days with the New York Giants. The chatty Damon Harrison, in particular, likes to razz Johnson.

Johnson's retort: "The difference is, I've been to championships and he hasn't."

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NEW YORK POST

Todd Bowles’ path to Jets began with Super Bowl hero’s phone call (Brian Costello) New York Post October 13, 2015

http://nypost.com/2015/10/13/todd-bowles-path-to-jets-began-with-super-bowl-heros-phone-call/

Long before Woody Johnson saw head-coaching potential in Todd Bowles, Doug Williams knew Bowles had the makeup of a great coach.

In 1997, shortly after being named head coach at Morehouse College, Williams called his former Redskins teammate and asked him to be his defensive coordinator.

“I got the job and the first person I thought about was Todd,” Williams said in a phone call this week.

At first, Bowles was unsure. He was working as a scout for the Packers and was beginning to enjoy the scouting life. Bowles had not thought much about coaching before that, but now here was Williams, the hero of Super Bowl XXII, asking him to join him.

“I was thinking, ‘Doug Williams, he could ask 500 other guys. Why me?’” Bowles said in a quiet moment this week. “He said he watched me every day in practice and he thought I’d be the perfect guy to run the defense. He saw me quarterback the defense and knew I could do it.

“He believed in me before I did.”

Before long, others would see what Williams saw. Bowles spent one year with Williams at Morehouse and two more at Grambling State before Jets coach Al Groh called to offer him the secondary coaching job, beginning an NFL coaching career that led him to becoming the Jets head coach this winter.

All Bowles has done in nine months on the job is transform the culture of the team, expertly manage every crisis that has come across his desk and manage to keep expectations in check despite a 3-1 start.

Bowles handles the highs and the lows with the same poker face.

“I watch him on the sideline at games,” Williams said. “You don’t see him screaming. You don’t see him in people’s faces. You don’t see him yelling. Not that he’s not upset, but he knows how to compose himself.”

Williams and Bowles struck up a friendship when the two became teammates in 1986. Bowles was a rookie out of Temple, signed as an undrafted free agent by the Redskins. Head coach Joe Gibbs had convinced Williams, a first-round pick of the Buccaneers in 1978, to sign with the team after a stint in the USFL.

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The two players lived 2 miles from each other and clicked.

“We were like big brother, little brother,” Williams said.

Bowles saw Williams’ charisma and his ability to rally the team around him. He treated rookies and veterans the same way and never showed any signs of arrogance. Bowles also fell in love with Williams’ mother’s sweet potato pie.

“His family cooked. I made sure I was always there to eat,” Bowles said, letting out a big laugh.

The two battled on the practice field. Williams initially backed up Jay Schroeder in Washington and led the scout team in practice. In 1987, he replaced Schroeder and became the first African-American quarterback to win the Super Bowl. But before he made history, he tore up the Redskins’ defense and Williams took notice of the young safety across the line of scrimmage.

“Doug would embarrass every day when he was over there when Schroeder was the quarterback. We got our butts kicked a lot,” Bowles said. “When he went in at quarterback, the team just rallied behind him.”

“He was always in the right place and made sure everybody else was lined up,” Williams said. “He was the quarterback of the defense.”

That was in Williams’ mind when he got the job at Morehouse. After two or three phone calls, he convinced Bowles to join him.

“I came in as defensive coordinator. I was the guy. You’ve got to be kidding me,” Bowles said. “That was my first job. It was a lot of teaching and I learned how to deal with people and kids of all different kinds and flavors. You learn a lot coaching in [college].”

Williams went 65-39 in his one year at Morehouse and nine years in two stints at Grambling. He is now a personnel executive for the Redskins.

Most weeks, Williams checks how the Jets have done, hoping his former assistant notched another win. Not this week, though. The two friends exchange text messages or phone calls often, but it might be quiet this week with the Jets facing the Redskins at MetLife Stadium.

Williams will be rooting for Washington, of course, but that won’t dull his pride in the man on the other sideline.

“I think he worked his ass off to get in that position,” Williams said. “In my estimation, he should have been a head coach sooner, but sometimes it’s not about how soon you become it, the fact of the matter is you became it.

“It’s a good feeling to know that I possibly had a hand in where he is now.”

Gang getting healthier with help on the way

The NFL trade deadline is not until Oct. 28, but the Jets are adding some players before then without making any deals that can help them down the stretch.

They’re getting back three significant bodies over the next few weeks in defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson, running back Stevan Ridley and cornerback Dee Milliner.

All of them can help.

The biggest impact will be the return of Richardson, who just finished a four-game suspension for violating the league’s drug policy. Richardson is back this week and will play against the Redskins, and makes a ferocious defense even scarier. The Jets are second in total defense (280.2 yards per game) and first in scoring defense (13.8 points per game). Richardson gives coach Todd Bowles another piece to play with.

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Milliner has been on the short-term IR list since training camp with a wrist injury, and can return to practice next week and play in three weeks against the Jaguars. Milliner no longer will be asked to be a No. 1 or 2 corner. Instead, he’ll slot in as the team’s fourth or fifth corner. That gives the Jets tremendous depth at the position.

Ridley has been on the physically unable to perform list since training camp, as he recovers from knee surgery. He also can return to practice next week, and the team has 21 days to add him to the active roster after that. Ridley will give the Jets another big back to spell Chris Ivory and provide depth at a position where Ivory and Bilal Powell both have dealt with nagging soft-tissue injuries.

The reinforcements are coming.

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NJ ADVANCE MEDIA

Jets' Brandon Marshall says he felt like quitting football a couple years ago (Darryl Slater) NJ Advance Media October 13, 2015

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/10/jets_brandon_marshall_inside_the_nfl.html#incart_river_mobileshort

A couple years ago, when Jets wide receiver Brandon Marshall was with the Bears, he didn't much feel like playing football anymore.

Marshall explained why Tuesday night during his regular appearance on Showtime's "Inside the NFL."

The show's panelists were discussing the impact and frustration of potentially career-threatening injuries. Marshall opened up with a personal story.

"I had a moment a couple years ago, and it was because my body wasn't responding to the hip surgery I had," said Marshall, who played for the Bears from 2012-14. "I had three hip surgeries. And for me, everything's in my preparation, my workout. And I didn't have it in me to get up and work out."

Marshall said his agent, Kennard McGuire, and former position coach at the University of Central Florida, D.J. McCarthy, had to visit him in Florida.

Marshall said their purpose was to "have an intervention with me, because I didn't want to go back to Chicago. This was just two, three years ago. Last year was probably when I finally got over it, when I finally started to do some of the things I felt like I was able to do in the past."

Whatever McGuire and McCarthy told Marshall apparently worked. Marshall obviously decided to stick with football and battle through his hip troubles. Marshall, 31, is now thriving in his first season with the Jets. Through four games with a 3-1 team, he has 30 catches for 400 yards and three touchdowns.

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NFL Week 6: What are Jets' playoff chances? (Dom Cosentino) NJ Advanced Media October 13, 2015

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/10/nfl_week_6_what_are_jets_playoff_chances.html#incart_river_mobileshort

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If the season were to end Tuesday—and it doesn't, just FYI—the Jets would be the No. 5 seed in the AFC playoffs, where they would be matched up against the fourth-seeded Colts, a team that already defeated on the road back in Week 2.

The Jets haven't made the playoffs since 2010, and they still have a full three-fourths of their season to play, of course. And while the Jets themselves—from head coach Todd Bowles to defensive line coach Pepper Johnson—don't want to think about anything beyond Sunday's game against Washington at MetLife Stadium, it's always interesting to gauge the Jets' playoff chances as the season unfolds.

numberFire ran the, um, numbers, and this is what they came up with as the Jets' odds on Oct. 13, heading into Week 6:

Projected win total: 9.65 (change from last week: minus-0.03 wins)

Chance to make playoffs: 66.8 percent (minus-1.22 percent)

Chance to win AFC East: 17.26 percent (minus-7.36 percent)

Chance to win AFC: 7.76 percent (minus-1.54 percent)

Super Bowl: 3.3 percent (minus-0.56 percent)

Power ranking: 11 (Last week: 11)

Yes, the numbers dipped slightly across the board even though the Jets didn't play. No, it doesn't matter that much at this point.

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NFL power rankings roundup: Idle Jets hold steady around Top 10 (Dom Cosentino) NJ Advance Media October 13, 2015

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/10/nfl_power_rankings_roundup_idle_jets_hold_steady_a.html#incart_river_mobileshort

The Jets (3-1) had Week 5 off, so there was nothing they could do to affect their standing in the various power rankings done by just about every site on the internet to garner easy page views during the season (hi!).

Sunday, the Jets return to action when they host Washington (2-3) at MetLife Stadium.

This isn't college football, so rankings are meaningless. But just for fun, here's where the Jets stand heading into Week 6, according to the internet:

Fox Sports: No. 7 (No. 7 last week)

Fox Sports' take: "With Sheldon Richardson returning this week, opposing offenses will find it difficult to move the ball on the Jets. If the explosive offensive core—Chris Ivory, Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker can stay healthy—the offense should continue to move the football and score points."

CBSSports.com's Pete Prisco: No. 8 (No. 10 last week)

Prisco's take: "They come off their bye with a home game against the Redskins. An already good defense gets Sheldon Richardson back, which helps."

NFL.com: No. 8 (No. 9 last week)

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NFL.com's take: "Off week for New York—well, not for the city that never sleeps, but for the Jets, who are 3-1 and still seeking respect following their Week 4 overseas trip. No one seems to trust this football team. There is a complex equation that is responsible for this development: TRF *2 + ATSTJ, where TRF = The Ryan Fitzpatrick Factor and ATSTJ = They're Still the Jets. Said it many times: As long as they can run the football with that defense, the Jets can win games 20-17, and that's what matters. Well, that and Leonard Williams and David Harris finding more health in the downtime."

ESPN.com: No. 11 (No. 9 last week)

ESPN.com's take: "Winning the turnover battle is key for the Jets. They're 12-0 since 2012 when winning the turnover battle (3-0 this season), but they're 9-31 when they don't win the turnover battle."

Yahoo Sports: No. 7 (No. 8 last week)

Yahoo's take: "The Jets have to play Washington before a big game at New England. If they get past that look-ahead spot, it should be a fun Week 7 game in Foxboro."

USA Today: No. 11 (No. 9 last week)

USA Today's take: "League's stingiest defense now adds a beast with return of DL Sheldon Richardson from suspension."

Peter King, Sports Illustrated and The MMQB: No. 9 (No. 9 last eek)

King's take: "Washington this week, and then New England in Foxboro, and there's your basic referendum game for the Men of Bowles."

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5 Pepper Johnson takeaways: How good can Jets' defensive line be? (Darryl Slater) NJ Advance Media October 13, 2015

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/10/5_pepper_johnson_takeaways_how_good_can_jets_defen.html#incart_river_mobileshort

FLORHAM PARK — The Jets welcomed defensive end Sheldon Richardson back into the fold on Monday, and now that Richardson has served his four-game suspension, he's "coming to eat" and promised there would be "no rest for quarterbacks."

It almost seems unfair: The Jets get to add Richardson to a defense—and a defensive line—that has already dominated its first four opponents, even in the Jets' only loss. But if there's a skeptic, it's the man charged with getting the group ready to play every day: defensive line coach Pepper Johnson, the former Giants and Jets linebacker and a self-described demanding taskmaster who expects perfection, even if he knows it's impossible to achieve.

"He is very hard on his guys, but they get him; he's one of them, but yet he's not one of them," head coach Todd Bowles said. "He gets after them as a D-line coach, and with that group you need to have somebody that can get after those guys and think and act just like them—they're not wrapped too tight."

Johnson spoke to reporters at One Jets Drive on Monday. This is qhat he had to say about the D-line, and about the addition of Richardson, arguably the most talented defender the Jets have after cornerback Darrelle Revis.

1. What does the addition of Richardson mean? Johnson—like Bowles—knows it means this defense can create all kinds of havoc by showing all kinds of different looks. Johnson's just not going to say anything

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like that right now. "I don't know," he said. "Until he gets back, until he gets out there and plays, I really don't know." OK, dude.

2. On Muhammad Wilkerson. Wilkerson, the Jets' other defensive end, is in a contract year—and he's off to a monster start: 21 tackles, 3.5 sacks, two tackles for a loss, five quarterback hits, two passes defensed, one forced fumble. But is Johnson satisfied? Nah. "I expect so much out of all of my guys," Johnson said. "I'm not satisfied. I don't want to [say], 'Let's go on camera and go on record and go and tell him the next time you see him that his coach said he hasn't been playing good so he can play harder.' We have a long road in front of us and to assess Muhammad right now, good or bad, it's not fair to him." Also: "What he has shown is really what we expected from him."

3. How will they rotate all of these D-linemen? That's the thing about the game plans Bowles and defensive coordinator Kacy Rodgers devise: They change constantly. Having a talent like Richardson to add to the mix doesn't create a crowded D-line group, it presents a new opportunity to get creative. The Jets play a lot of nickel, and they sometimes use two down linemen as a result, or even four. Johnson is all about it. "I think he does a tremendous job of communicating with us,

the coaches, on how he foresees the game, how he foresees the players playing," Johnson said of Bowles.

4. Kiss the rings. Circling back to the topic of the D-line's potential, Johnson said the group is confident, that they remind him of things they've done in the past. But that's when Johnson, who won a pair of rings as a player with the Giants, whips out his trump card. "'Snacks' [nose tackle Damon Harrison], definitely, he always reminds me that he wants me to forget my past the same way that I tell them that I want them to forget their past," Johnson said. "But, the difference is, I've been to championships and he hasn't."

5. What Johnson wants. It's simple, really, and it fits with Bowles' own mantra that at 3-1, the Jets haven't accomplished anything yet. "I hope and I pray for that day to come where we become that team [where] people are preparing for us a lot different and not just looking at us as somebody who had a good run in September," Johnson said. "That they're really grinding and preparing for us and trying to defend us off because they're going to take us serious. When that day comes, then the eyes will open, when they're going to double team Muhammad (Wilkerson), when they're going to double team Leonard [Williams], when they're going to double team Sheldon. How can you double team Snacks? There's not enough people out there on the field to do that."

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Why Jets believe Leonard Williams is 'beyond his time' through 4 games (Darryl Slater) NJ Advance Media October 13, 2015

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/10/jets_leonard_williams_sheldon.html#incart_river_mobileshort

FLORHAM PARK — The conversation was brief, a passing moment in practice leading up to the Jets' Oct. 4 game against the Dolphins in London.

Coach Todd Bowles approached his prodigious rookie defensive end, Leonard Williams, and reminded Williams of a frequent teaching point: He needed to think less, and use his hands more when trying to shed blocks.

The Jets' coaches liked how Williams used his hands during spring practices. But they saw him lag with this technique early in the regular season, as he played slowly and thought too much about his next move.

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Williams is a conscientious young man, in addition to being a supremely talented athlete. So Bowles' one-minute conversation before the London trip stuck with Williams. He resolved to use his hands and play with technique, rather than simply trying to overpower offensive linemen.

The result: Williams enjoyed probably his best game in London, as the Jets beat the Dolphins and improved to 3-1. Williams had a tackle for loss and two quarterback hits. He continued to prove he belongs on the field, even as defensive end Sheldon Richardson is now back from a four-game marijuana suspension.

"The coaches have been telling me that I've been playing pretty solid so far," Williams said. "I think that last game in London solidified that. I think that was one of my best games so far. Coach Bowles was telling me that I look like I'm playing a lot more comfortable and [doing] less thinking now, and using my hands more and just getting off the ball more. That's what he's been wanting out of me, and I gave it to him in that last game."

Through four games, Williams has just half a sack. But he also has two tackles for loss and five quarterback hits — all in the past three games, after he sputtered in the opener against the Browns. He has clearly shown his coaches he can play in the NFL.

"I do think I've shown them that," Williams said. "I think that they know that I'm just going to keep progressing each week, like I have been."

Williams — who is fine after sustaining a non-serious ankle sprain in London — has played both inside and outside on the defensive line. He's lined up on the edge in the Jets' 3-4 base alignment. In non-base looks, he has lined up inside. That versatility will help as Richardson returns, and Bowles tries to find places for Williams to contribute.

"He's getting better each and every week," said defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson. "That's what we need him to do. We just need performances like that [London game] each and every week.

"This is level is different. The league is all about technique. As a d-lineman, [hand placement] is a technique that you need to have down pat. That's why he had one of his best games. I'm sure he showed everybody already that he can play at this level. We need more performances like that."

Williams' teammates have raved about him since the moment he arrived in Florham Park. Through four games, the praise hasn't waned.

"He's beyond his time," said rush outside linebacker Quinton Coples. "Some cats, sometimes it takes time [for them] to develop. Sometimes, the scheme may not be built for them. But this is a scheme that allows him to be as explosive as he is. He's going to be great."

Defensive line coach Pepper Johnson is always hard on his players. He said Williams looked "young at times" during the first four games, and that he was "up and down," but mostly up.

"I expect a lot more and he expected a lot more from himself," Johnson said. "That's more important than what I expect from him. He has to graduate. He has to try to continue to progress and get better with his awareness. If I didn't think he could do it, then I would be highly upset right now. But I think he can [do it]. Now, [at] what pace?

"All defensive lineman are a lot better when they play with their hands. But he's kind of night and day, and he sees it. He sees that he gets pushed around by some people that shouldn't be pushing him around — and he's making a lot of plays when he's playing with his hands. Now, he just has to do it more often.

Bowles hopes his conversation with Williams before the London trip was a turning point for the rookie.

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"The talk we had, he was thinking too much," Bowles said. "You get to a point as a rookie where you start thinking too much and absorbing too much. I just told him to stop thinking and just go ahead and play and be himself. And we'll work around everything else. He did a good job of that."

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NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Five concerns Jets face heading forward in season (Seth Walder) New York Daily News October 13, 2015

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/jets-insider-concerns-team-face-heading-article-1.2396051

How things have changed.

After Week 5 a year ago, the Jets were reeling after a blowout loss to the Chargers that was made worse by Geno Smith missing a meeting because he was at the movies. A season later, at 3-1 and flying high with their new coach and an extra-strength defense, the playoffs suddenly feel like a probability.

But before anyone goes booking flights to Cincinnati or Indianapolis for a wild card game, just remember that there’s three quarters of the season left to play . . . and these are still the Jets.

As well as this year has started for Gang Green, this team is not devoid of issues. Let’s take a look at five concerns:

1. Ryan Fitzpatrick is their starting quarterback.

Is he better than Geno Smith? Yes. But that isn’t saying much.

In a league where the quarterback matters so much, the Jets are still trying to win with a deficiency at that key position.

The wins have shielded the fact that Fitzpatrick has been mediocre. He has a quarterback rating of 78.1 − just a hair better than Smith’s mark in 2014.

The veteran has thrown interceptions on 4.1% of his pass attempts, his highest rate since his rookie year. And, anyone watching the games can see that his deep passes are often ducks − though Brandon Marshall has bailed him out with some tremendous catches.

Despite some key plays that have garnered the Jets a trifecta of wins, Fitzpatrick is still a below-average quarterback. The good news for the Jets is that slightly below average might be good enough to get them to the playoffs.

2. Pass-catching running backs will cause them trouble.

Go ahead and pencil in Patriots running back Dion Lewis for a huge game in Week 7. Because as fantastic as the Jets have been on defense, they still don’t have a great way to cover receiving backs.

None of their four starting linebackers − Quinton Coples, Demario Davis, David Harris and Calvin Pace − are capable of staying with a shifty back in coverage. The issue would look much worse if Ryan Mathews and Darren Sproles didn’t each drop potential touchdown passes in the Eagles’ Week 3 win over the Jets. Lewis, LeSean McCoy and Shane Vereen still remain on the Jets’ schedule.

3. Devin Smith hasn’t shown much.

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The rookie receiver has been a non-factor. That doesn’t mean he’s the next Stephen Hill, but if Chan Gailey wants defenses to respect Smith as a vertical threat, he and Fitzpatrick are going to have to actually connect on some deep balls.

Smith has five receptions for 53 yards in his two games in the pros, but that was only after significant effort to get him some catches. Fitzpatrick is 0-7 with two interceptions on passes over 20 yards intended for Smith, according to ProFootballFocus.com. A lot of that might have to do with Fitzpatrick, but some of it might also be on Smith for not making contested catches.

Either way, those two need to get on the same page.

4. Health for skill position players is critical.

We’ve seen what happens when skill players are banged up − as the case was against the Eagles − and it wasn’t pretty.

The Jets need both Eric Decker and Brandon Marshall on the field at the same time − if one is absent defenses are able to key on the other. That simply won’t provide Fitzpatrick enough weapons.

The team also needs Chris Ivory to balance out the attack and provide a physicality their other running backs lack. The problem is that Ivory often is nicked up, so they’ll need a little luck to keep him healthy for the final 12 contests.

5. The Bills aren’t bad, either.

Realistically, the Jets are fighting for a wild card spot, with New England looking so dominant. And some of the Jets’ biggest competition for the berth might come from within the division.

The Bills (3-2) did just narrowly escape against the Titans and reportedly could lose Tyrod Taylor (knee) for multiple games.

But none of that changes the fact that Rex Ryan has a decent squad up north. If the season ended today, the Jets would be the No. 5 seed in the AFC and the Bills would be No. 6. Of course, they have yet to play each other. Keep an eye cast toward Buffalo when looking at the Jets’ playoff outlook.

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METRO NEW YORK

NFL Power Rankings: Six unbeaten remain, Steelers climb in Week 5 (Kristian Dyer) Metro New York October 13, 2015

http://www.metro.us/sports/nfl-power-rankings-six-unbeaten-remain-steelers-climb-in-week-5/zsJojm---ARzW7pHqCNQWs/

1. New England Patriots (4-0) Def. Dallas 30-6. Previously: 1

This was New England’s seventh straight win, dating back to last season’s playoffs. They’ve had some luck facing the Cowboys and Steelers without several stars, but they haven’t taken their foot off the pedal.

2. Green Bay Packers (5-0) Def. St. Louis 24-10. Previously: 2

Aaron Rodgers' interception streak ended, but the real story Sunday was the Green Bay defense, which pressured Nick Foles into four interceptions. Stud quarterbacks and ball-hawking defenses are a pretty good combination come playoff time, just ask the 2009 Saints.

3. Cincinnati Bengals (5-0) Def. Seattle 27-24 (OT.) Previously: 3

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Maybe, this isn’t our same old Bengals team. Through three quarters Sunday it looked that way, but give Cincinnati credit for refusing to fold and putting up a monster fourth quarter against the Seattle defense that had been bullying them all day.

4. Arizona Cardinals (4-1) Def. Detroit 42-17. Previously: 5

Arizona bounced back well from their first defeat of the season by dispatching the Lions in much the same blowout fashion they’d won their first three. Also encouraging: the return of Andre Ellington, who replaced Chris Johnson with the game well in hand and scored on a 63-yard touchdown run.

5. Denver Broncos (5-0) Def. Oakland 16-10. Previously: 4

The defense is playing better than any in football, but at this rate questions about the offense are going to follow them throughout the season as Peyton Manning continues to, if not struggle, not look like Peyton Manning, and the running game continues to fail to accomplish anything.

6. Atlanta Falcons (5-0) Def. Washington 25-19 (OT.) Previously: 6

So far this season we’ve all looked at Atlanta and said we believe in the offense, what about the defense? This was their week. With Julio Jones banged up, Matt Ryan throwing interceptions (and okay, Devonta Freeman continuing to tear up) it was the defense that kept Washington at bay and ultimately, won the game on Robert Alford’s overtime pick six.

7. Carolina Panthers (4-0) Bye. Previously: 7

East to west isn’t an easy trip, but it’s better than the alternative. The Seahawks have to be the favorite at home, don’t they? Maybe not. So far this season, the Panthers have been the team showing the just win mentality that characterized Seattle teams of the past, but this is clearly their biggest test yet.

8. New York Jets (3-1) Bye. Previously: 11

If they can stay focused on the here and now against the Redskins this week, the Jets might be 4-1 heading into a Week 7 matchup in Foxboro.

9. Pittsburgh Steelers (3-2) Def. San Diego 24-20 Previously: 15

It took all game, but when Mike Vick and the rest of the Steelers’ offense clicked it was beautiful. An overtime loss to Baltimore because of missed field goals and a win in San Diego are a pretty good two weeks spent without Ben Roethlisberger, and it says good things about the team that awaits him when he returns.

10. Minnesota Vikings (2-2) Bye. Previously: 12

The Vikings get two weeks to prepare for the Chiefs, but the first week might have to be thrown out after the news that Jamaal Charles has torn his ACL. This puts a damper on a potential exciting Adrian Peterson-Charles matchup at running back, but it does increase the chance the Vikings will see 3-2.

11. Indianapolis Colts (3-2) Def. Houston 27-20. Previously: 16

The Colts could probably go 8-8 and win the division, because they’d be 8-0 in the division. That said, they’re showing improvement all around after that wretched start to the season. If Andre Johnson can start performing against teams he hasn’t played for, it would be a big help.

12. St. Louis Rams (2-3) Lost to Green Bay 24-10. Previously: 8

The idea that Todd Gurley’s arrival on the scene could help Nick Foles wasn’t on display in Green Bay, as the Packers intercepted Foles four times. This is still a maddeningly inconsistent team, but it looks like Gurley on the ground will give them some semblance of an offense every week.

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13. Seattle Seahawks (2-3) Lost to Cincinnati 27-24 (OT.) Previously: 9

Well, Thomas Rawls made sure nobody missed Marshawn Lynch, but this is the second game in a row where Seattle’s defense has allowed potential game winning drives to go right up the field. Between that and coming out flat in multiple games, the killer instinct is missing in Seattle.

14. Buffalo Bills (3-2) Def. Tennessee 14-13. Previously: 10

Tyrod Taylor stepped up and delivered a win, and it certainly wasn't easy (as it had been in blowout victories over Indianapolis and Miami). It's a big step in his development. It looked like a second disappointing week in a row for Buffalo, before Taylor took over the game with some huge quarterback runs.

15. San Diego Chargers (2-3) Lost to Pittsburgh 24-20. Previously: 14

Just one of San Diego’s games so far this season (their 31-14 loss to the Vikings) has been decided by more than five points. It makes for an exciting season, but the Chargers have to start being on the right end of more of those five point spreads. This was one they let get away.

16. New York Giants (3-2) Def. San Francisco 30-27. Previously: 17

If this is the Eli Manning the Giants are getting this season, they have to be the favorites in the NFC East, at least while the Cowboys recover. Yes, a win against the Niners that took 58 minutes and 38 seconds and one leaping catch to come by isn’t the most resounding victory, but it puts them in first place in their division.

17. Chicago Bears (2-3) Def. Kansas City 18-17. Previously: 30

Suddenly that strong performance against Green Bay in the opener looks less like an aberration than it had. This was an impressive comeback, led by Jay Cutler, and featuring a defense that limited the Chiefs to 287 yards a week after they had 461 against the Bengals.

18. Washington Redskins (2-3) Lost to Atlanta 25-19 (OT.) Previously: 21

Where oh where has the running game gone in Washington? When Matt Jones and Alfred Morris are both held to 20 yards or less, any quarterback is going to throw interceptions. This was a better Redskins defense than we’ve seen in the past, as grabbing turnovers kept them in a game they were outgained in 418-270.

19. Oakland Raiders (2-3) Lost to Denver 16-10. Previously: 19

Give Oakland credit for giving Denver a good fight after a heartbreaking loss to the Bears last weekend. The defense is inconsistent to say the least, but they showed up in a big way against Denver’s struggling offense Sunday to keep the Raiders in the game.

20. Kansas City Chiefs (1-4) Lost to Chicago 18-17. Previously: 13

For three weeks, the argument that the Chiefs had simply lost close games to very good opposition was a valid one. Now? Not only have they lost to the Bears, they’ve lose their best player and are facing games against the Vikings and Steelers. They’re staring 1-6 in the face.

21. Dallas Cowboys (2-3) Lost to New England 30-6. Previously: 18

It is what it is in Dallas. A challenge to grind out enough wins while decimated by injuries that they still have a shot at the playoffs once those stars come back. Last week in New Orleans was one they could have had. This game never was. Now they have a bye to decide if Brandon Weeden is still the quarterback for them.

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22. Philadelphia Eagles (2-3) Def. New Orleans 39-17. Previously: 23

The Eagles sort of put two halves together for the first time this season Sunday, although two threatening first half drives ended in redzone interceptions. This was the offense and defenses’ best performance yet, and that’s a good place to be.

23. Cleveland Browns (2-3) Def. Baltimore 33-30 (OT.) Previously: 29

When Josh McCown throws for twice as many yards as Joe Flacco, maybe it’s not so surprising to see the Browns come out on top. A new receiver is appearing in Cleveland every week it seems. Who needs Josh Gordon?

24. Baltimore Ravens (1-4) Lost to Cleveland 33-30 (OT.) Previously: 20

Similarly, when Josh McCown throws for twice as many yards as Joe Flacco, something is very wrong in Baltimore, and it’s a defense that has now been shredded by the Browns and Raiders. The Browns and the Raiders.

25. Tennessee Titans (1-3) Lost to Buffalo 14-13. Previously: 31

This was the second straight game the Titans have blown a lead at home. They’re talented, and that will keep them playing with their opponents, but they’re inexperienced, and that might keep them blowing games. They’ll be the first team with a shot at Dan Campbell’s Miami Dolphins.

26. Miami Dolphins (1-3) Bye. Previously: 25

If there’s ever a good time to fire your coach, entering the bye week is probably it. New head coach Dan Campbell will start trying to turn around the season at Tennessee. There are worse options.

27. Houston Texans (1-4) Lost to Indianapolis 27-20. Previously: 26

Arian Foster returning and playing effectively is promising, but this is where you find yourself when you don’t have a quarterback. Until April anyway, when you find yourself at the top of the draft, drafting a quarterback.

28. San Francisco 49ers (1-4) Lost to New York Giants 30-27. Previously: 27

Isn’t losing this way more exciting than getting blown out every week? That being said, this was a step in the right direction for San Francisco and perhaps, even more importantly Colin Kaepernick, who was coming off two unbelievably poor performances.

29. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-3) Def. Jacksonville 38-31. Previously: 32

Doug Martin and the ground game getting it going like they did on Sunday changes everything for Tampa Bay. If they can keep that up, Jameis Winston will feel less pressure to be perfect, and, maybe – cut down on turnovers.

30. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-4) Lost to Tampa Bay 38-31. Previously: 24

Blake Bortles and the offense keep growing, and you have to think the sky is the limit as they continue to gain experience in the NFL.

31. New Orleans Saints (1-4) Lost to Philadelphia 39-17. Previously: 28

One week after avoiding 0-4 against the Cowboys, the Saints played badly enough to let Philadelphia’s offense get on track. They might not be the worst team, but Drew Brees is just about the only reason why.

32. Detroit Lions (0-5) Lost to Arizona 42-17. Previously: 22

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Should they have a win? Yes. Do they? No. Like, Kansas City, the argument that they’ve lost close games to quality opposition only holds for so long. A week after “almost” leading a game winning drive against Seattle, Matthew Stafford played so poorly he was benched. This team is lost.

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TUESDAY’S SPORTS TRANSACTIONS

BASEBALL

American League

BOSTON RED SOX — Promoted Eddie Romero to vice president, international scouting and Harrison Slutsky to coordinator, advance scouting. Named Adrian Lorenzo coordinator, international scouting; Brad Sloan special assignment scout and Alex Gimenez assistant, professional scouting.

LOS ANGELES ANGELS — Announced hitting coach Don Baylor and pitching coach Mike Butcher will not return for the 2016 season.

BASKETBALL

National Basketball Association

CHICAGO BULLS — Waived G Jake Anderson and Stefhon Hannah.

UTAH JAZZ — Waived Fs Jack Cooley and J.J. O’Brien.

FOOTBALL

National Football League

ARIZONA CARDINALS — Placed LB Kenny Demens on injured reserve. Signed linebacker Dwight Freeney.

BALTIMORE RAVENS — Signed CB Shareece Wright. Signed CB-KR Asa Jackson and CB Charles James II from the practice squad. Placed CB Will Davis on injured reserve. Terminated the contract of LB Jason Babin. Waived CB Rashaan Melvin. Signed WR Daniel Brown, RB Akeem Hunt and TE Konrad Reuland to the practice squad.

BUFFALO BILLS — Signed QB Josh Johnson. Released K Billy Cundiff.

CHICAGO BEARS — Signed WR Nathan Palmer and DT D<Anthony Smith to the practice squad. Waived QB David Fales. Terminated the practice squad contract of C Ryan Seymour.

DALLAS COWBOYS — Waived WR Vince Mayle.

HOUSTON TEXANS — Signed WR Josh Lenz to the practice squad. Released OT Edawn Coughman from the practice squad. Signed DT Brandon Dunn from Chicago’s practice squad. Waived WR Chandler Worthy.

PITTSBURGH STEELERS — Activated WR Martavis Bryant. Released S Ross Ventrone.

Canadian Football League

WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS — Signed WR Jace Davis and RB Steven Miller to the practice roster. Released RB Jeff Scott from the practice roster.

Indoor Football League

SPOKANE SHOCK — Signed DBs Robert Brown and Demetruce McNeal.

HOCKEY

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National Hockey League

BUFFALO SABRES Placed D Matt Donovan on waivers. Returned D Brendan Guhle to Prince Albert (WHL).

NEW JERSEY DEVILS — Assigned F Reid Boucher to Albany (AHL). Recalled G Yann Danis from Albany.

TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING — Signed D Dominik Masin to a three-year, entry-level contract.

American Hockey League

SAN ANTONIO RAMPAGE — Assigned D Cody Corbett to Fort Wayne (ECHL).

ECHL

ECHL Suspended Allen’s Mike DiPaolo three games and fined him an undisclosed amount for his actions in an Oct. 10 preseason game at Wichita.

COLLEGE

EASTERN MICHIGAN — Signed vice president and director of athletics Heather Lyke to a contract extension through the 2019-20 season.

HOWARD PAYNE — Named assistant head football coach Hunter Sims football coach, effective at the end of the semester.

SOUTH CAROLINA — Announced the retirement of football coach Steve Spurrier. Named Shawn Elliott interim football coach.

UTSA — Named Kellie Elliott as senior associate athletic director/senior woman administrator.

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