NEW YORK JETS DAILY CLIPS

September 22, 2015

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Table of Contents

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

Jets' opportunistic defense turns table on Colts in 20-7 win (Michael Marot) ......................................................... 2

Cromartie, Hilton will be active for Jets-Colts game ................................................................................................. 4

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

Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker looking like Jets' 1-2 punch (Neil Best) .............................................................. 4

Jets' Eric Decker doesn't think his knee injury is too serious (Kimberley Martin) ..................................................... 5

Jets get 5 takeaways, 3 by Darrelle Revis, in win over Colts (Kimberley Martin) ...................................................... 6

Biggest takeaway: Jets' defense is for real (Neil Best) .............................................................................................. 7

Herm Edwards on Todd Bowles' chances at success: Hello, he played the game! (Neil Best) .................................. 8

Chris Ivory's year to shine for Jets (Kimberley A. Martin) ....................................................................................... 10

Gladys Knight sings Todd Bowles praises (Kimberley A. Martin) ............................................................................ 11

Antonio Cromartie to play against Colts (Kimberley Martin) .................................................................................. 12

THE RECORD ........................................................................................................................................................ 12

Jets defense causes five turnovers, beat Colts, 20-7 (J.P. Pelzman) ....................................................................... 12

NEW YORK TIMES ................................................................................................................................................ 14

Baffling Colts, and Maybe Fans, Jets Go to 2-0 (Ben Shpigel) ................................................................................. 14

ESPN NEW YORK .................................................................................................................................................. 16

Jets find a winning formula: Darrelle Revis and a killer defense (Rich Cimini) ........................................................ 16

Like old times, Darrelle Revis dominates with big plays against Colts (Rich Cimini) ............................................... 17

Rookie WR Devin Smith inactive for Jets -- again (Rich Cimini) ............................................................................... 17

Jets' Antonio Cromartie (knee) active, keeps games streak alive (Rich Cimini) ...................................................... 18

Luck looking to beat Jets' blitz on Monday Night Football (Rich Cimini)................................................................. 18

Time is right for Jets to send message and change perception (Rich Cimini) ......................................................... 20

NEW YORK POST .................................................................................................................................................. 21

Jets report card: Wow, that defense (Brian Costello) ............................................................................................. 21

‘Best in the game’ Revis shows Jets he’s worth every penny (Zach Braziller) ......................................................... 22

Jets’ Fitzpatrick can thank the O-line for his clean jersey (Zach Braziller)............................................................... 22

Brandon Marshall may be unlocking the star in Eric Decker (Zach Braziller) .......................................................... 23

Antonio Cromartie: From carted-off agony to Week 2 stud (Brian Costello) .......................................................... 24

Jets’ Fitzpatrick exceeding all expectations — except his own (Mike Vaccaro) ...................................................... 25

One grueling, hard-nosed image represents how Jets dominated (Mike Vaccaro) ................................................ 26

Jets’ Trevor Reilly isn’t your typical linebacker prospect (Brian Costello) ............................................................... 27

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NJ ADVANCE MEDIA ............................................................................................................................................ 28

As struggling Eagles await, Jets think 'it'll be hard for any quarterback' to thrive against them (Darryl Slater) ..... 28

Jets report card, as they look like a team transformed in win over Indianapolis Colts (Darryl Slater) ................... 30

Jets' Eric Decker on knee injury: 'I don't think it's too serious' (Dom Cosentino) ................................................... 31

Look out, NFL: This Jets defense is for real (Steve Politi) ........................................................................................ 32

Jets 20, Indianapolis Colts 7: The good, the bad, the ugly, as Todd Bowles boosts turnover total (Darryl Slater) . 33

Jets' swarming defense pounds Indianapolis Colts, 20-7 | Instant analysis (Dom Cosentino) ............................... 34

Jets vs. Indianapolis Colts inactives: Antonio Cromartie, T.Y. Hilton will play; Devin Smith out (Darryl Slater) ..... 35

Antonio Cromartie to play for Jets vs. Indianapolis Colts (Dom Cosentino) ........................................................... 37

3 key Jets matchups vs. Indianapolis Colts, including Darrelle Revis vs. Andre Johnson (Dom Cosentino) ............ 37

Jets vs. Indianapolis Colts 4 downs interview: Devin Smith on adjusting to NFL (Dom Cosentino) ........................ 38

As Todd Bowles tries to start 2-0, how many first-year Jets coaches have done that? (Dom Consentino) ............ 39

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS ...................................................................................................................................... 40

Jets defense shuts down Andrew Luck and Colts, move to 2-0 with Monday night win (Seth Walder) ................. 40

Jets' defense wreaks havoc on Colts QB Andrew Luck (Manish Mehta) ................................................................. 41

Enough encouraging signs to think Jets offensive coordinator Chan Gailey could snap playoff drought (Manish Mehta) ..................................................................................................................................................................... 43

Antonio Cromartie in lineup for Jets vs. Colts (Seth Walder) .................................................................................. 44

METRO NEW YORK .............................................................................................................................................. 44

Jets' Leonard Williams works on his conditioning with David Harris (Kristian Dyer) .............................................. 44

MONDAY’S SPORTS TRANSACTIONS .................................................................................................................... 45

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Jets' opportunistic defense turns table on Colts in 20-7 win (Michael Marot) Associated Press September 22, 2015

http://www.pro32.ap.org/article/jets-opportunistic-defense-turns-table-colts-20-7-win

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Darrelle Revis' new team is getting the same results he's always had against Andrew Luck.

The veteran cornerback is still mystifying the young quarterback.

Revis picked off one pass, recovered two fumbles and helped the suddenly opportunistic Jets defense come up with five more turnovers Monday night to help New York pull away for a 20-7 victory at Indianapolis.

"It's Monday night, on a big stage, and we knew what type of game this was going to be," Revis said.

So he delivered a prime-time performance.

Revis' homecoming has been everything New York fans hoped for. With Revis and Antonio Cromartie locking down outside receivers, first-year coach Todd Bowles has been able to rely on his defensive front to stop the run and routinely pressure quarterbacks.

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In the opener against Cleveland, New York converted five turnovers into 21 points.

Against the supposedly, high-powered Colts offense, they did it again. The Jets matched that five-turnover total, kept the Colts out of the end zone for three full quarters and never gave Luck a chance to get comfortable. The result: New York is off to its first 2-0 start since 2011.

"The name of the game is turnovers and keeping the score down, regardless of whatever else happens," Bowles said.

Indianapolis (0-2) is keeping its dismal start in perspective.

After starting last season with back-to-back losses, they won five straight.

This time seems different. Luck was 21 of 37 for 250 yards with one touchdown, three interceptions and lost one fumble. After a strong start, Frank Gore finished with 15 carries for 57 yards and Donte Moncrief was the only receiver to top the 50-yard mark. Moncrief caught seven passes for 122 yards and Indy's only touchdown.

Part of the problem was Revis and his teammates.

The other problems were self-inflicted. On Monday, Indy was called for 11 penalties, Gore bobbled a handoff at the Jets 1-yard line that Revis recovered in the end zone, Adam Vinatieri missed a 29-yard field goal — the first time he's missed one from shorter than 30 yards since 2007 — and for the first time since 1997, the Colts were shut out in the first half in back-to-back weeks.

Indy has scored just 21 points in eight quarters, and inside the stadium, the fans who roared for Robert Mathis' return and Jeff Saturday's induction into the ring of honor, booed heartily as the mistakes piled up.

"You can't penalize yourself, you can't turn the ball over," Colts coach Chuck Pagano said. "We have to protect, give him (Luck) a clean pocket. You can't drive the length of the field and put the football on the ground."

The Colts' problems began early.

On Indy's first series, Calvin Pryor intercepted a pass and ran it back to the Colts 9-yard line. Four plays later, Ryan Fitzpatrick threw a 6-yard TD pass to Eric Decker.

Fitzpatrick finished 22 of 34 for 244 yards with two touchdown passes and one interception — getting his first career win at Lucas Oil Stadium. Fitzpatrick became the first player since 1950 to start five consecutive road games against one team while playing for five different teams. He was 0-4 in the previous starts.

Eric Decker had eight receptions for 97 yards before leaving with a knee injury, and Brandon Marshall caught seven passes for 101 yards and one touchdown.

But it was defense that ruled the day.

"All we talk about is trying to dominate as a defense and we take a lot of pride in that," Pryor said. "Our main focus is to come in week in and week-out, bring the intensity, try to dominate as a defense, create turnovers, get the ball back to our offense and let them go execute.

The Jets struggled to put this one away, though.

New York couldn't score again until Nick Folk made a 35-yard field goal late in the first half.

Indy finally got on the board with Luck's 26-yard TD pass to Moncrief with 10:07 left in the game.

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Fitzpatrick answered on the next series with a 15-yard TD pass to Marshall and Marcus Gilchrist's late interception set up Folk's final field goal.

"As a secondary we're trying to be the best we can be and be the best secondary unit in the league," Revis said. "That's what we're trying to showcase out there."

NOTES: Indy cornerback Vontae Davis (concussion) and tight end Dwayne Allen (ankle) left the game with injuries and did not return. ... Decker is expected to have an MRI on his injured knee Tuesday. ... Luck has already thrown five interceptions this season. ... New York scored just 20 points off turnovers all of last season.

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Cromartie, Hilton will be active for Jets-Colts game Associated Press September 21, 2015

http://www.pro32.ap.org/article/cromartie-hilton-will-be-active-jets-colts-game

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Jets cornerback Antonio Cromartie, Colts receiver T.Y. Hilton and Indianapolis linebacker Robert Mathis are all active for Monday night's game.

Cromartie and Hilton both sustained knee injuries in last week's season openers. Mathis, the 2013 NFL sacks champion, is trying to come back from a torn Achilles tendon that cost him the entire 2014 season.

Indy (0-1) had already ruled out cornerbacks Greg Toler (neck) and Darius Butler (hip). The other inactives are linebacker Nate Irving, defensive linemen T.Y. McGill and Zach Kerr, offensive lineman Denzelle Good and linebacker Jonathan Newsome.

New York (1-0) deactivated quarterback Geno Smith, receiver Devin Smith, cornerback Darrin Walls, linebacker Lorenzo Mauldin, offensive linemen Jarvis Harrison and Ben Ijalana and defensive lineman Deon Simon.

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NEWSDAY

Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker looking like Jets' 1-2 punch (Neil Best) Newsday September 22, 2015

http://www.newsday.com/sports/football/jets/brandon-marshall-and-eric-decker-looking-like-jets-1-2-punch-1.10874894

INDIANAPOLIS - The Jets' offense hardly was a thing of beauty in Monday night's defensive-oriented 20-7 victory over the Colts. But wide receivers Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker did combine for 15 receptions for 198 yards.

Most importantly, they scored the Jets' only touchdowns, including Marshall's game-clincher from 15 yards out in the fourth quarter.

The concern after the game was a knee injury that knocked out Decker, who was to have an MRI on Tuesday.

But assuming the injury is nothing serious, the Jets have a formidable one-two threat.

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Afterward Marshall joked that he would get on Decker about falling 3 yards short of 100 when both could have had 100-yard receiving days. Marshall had 101.

But seriously: "That's what you want. You can go back to his days in Denver with Demaryius [Thomas] and himself. One week it was Demaryius and the other week it was him. With us, everything starts with [running back] Chris Ivory and our offensive line.

"[The Colts] saw what they did last week and they tried to do some things up front, some stunts and some shifts. They gave us some funky looks and they gave us some holes to hit them."

Marshall said there was no inspirational huddle or meeting on the sideline before the 80-yard TD drive on which the offense at last backed up the defense after the Jets' lead had dwindled to 10-7.

He did lament the sputtering nature of the attack, though. "I think collectively we feel that we left a lot of meat on the bones," he said. "We're going to enjoy it, but we also know we have to do a better job."

On his touchdown reception, Marshall said he saw that he faced single coverage so he yelled to quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick before the snap to exercise his option to throw the ball Marshall's way.

"I wanted to make sure he was going to throw it because he had an option so I was like, 'Hey, hey, hey!'" Marshall said. "He came to me and I made a play."

Wasn't he worried about telling the defense what was coming? "It didn't matter," Marshall said. "I knew I was going to beat him. I just wanted to make sure I got the opportunity because it was tough with them doubling and rolling coverage to my side."

Marshall praised the play of Colts cornerbacks Sheldon Price and Jalil Brown, who had to take charge of that position with Vontae Davis leaving the game with a concussion and other corners having sat out the game altogether.

"I think they actually played pretty good," Marshall said. "Number 40 and 25 did a great job. They actually started getting up in our face and pressing us a little more. They did a great job, but it was our night."

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Jets' Eric Decker doesn't think his knee injury is too serious (Kimberley Martin) Newsday September 22, 2015

http://www.newsday.com/sports/football/jets/jets-eric-decker-doesn-t-think-his-knee-injury-is-too-serious-1.10874904

INDIANAPOLIS - Eric Decker assured reporters his knee injury isn't serious. At least, he doesn't think so.

His presence in the visitor's locker room was a welcome sight for worried teammates, after he was forced to leave early in the fourth quarter of the Jets' 20-7 win over the Colts on Monday Night Football.

"I don't think it's surgical though, so I don't think it's too serious," Decker said of his injury, which occurred after Colts cornerback Jalil Brown fell on top of him on a deep-ball incompletion thrown by quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick with 14:20 left in the game,

After the play, Decker went to the locker room and did not return.

He said team doctors "think' he injured the posterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. But he'll undergo an MRI on Tuesday, according to Jets coach Todd Bowles.

"I landed goofy on it," Decker said of his knee. "[The defender] landed on top of me, so I hit my knee and then, obviously, the pressure as well from him landing on me."

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Decker said he didn't feel anything "pop."

"I actually came to the sideline and I didn't feel anything," he said. "And then I tried to run and to just kind of hurt. I pulled myself out."

Decker had a huge first half for the Jets, catching eight passes for 97 yards. But he disappeared in the third quarter before getting injured.

The receiver, who dealt with a lingering hamstring injury last season that forced him to miss a game, said he'll be cautious with his latest injury.

"I'm going to be smart about it this time around," he said. "I'm not going to try to rush myself back. Obviously, I want to be out there as soon as possible. But I'll take the proper steps -- whatever that is -- for this injury.

" . . . All the tests they did, the knee held up fine. It's just they're just a little [leery] of certain tests and I guess that's why the MRI will show more of an answer."

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Jets get 5 takeaways, 3 by Darrelle Revis, in win over Colts (Kimberley Martin) Newsday September 22, 2015

http://www.newsday.com/sports/football/jets/jets-get-5-takeaways-3-by-darrelle-revis-in-win-over-colts-1.10873998

INDIANAPOLIS -- Revis Island to the rescue.

The Jets cornerback is known best for his suffocating coverage. But under the bright lights of prime time, Revis reminded the football world that there is nothing he can't do.

Not once, not twice, but three times he came through against the Colts Monday night, registering two fumble recoveries and a third-quarter interception of Andrew Luck to help lead the Jets to a 20-7 road win.

The Jets, who had a league-low 13 takeaways last season, have 10 in two games, a team record. Revis' three recoveries this season are a career high.

The Jets are 2-0 for the first time since 2011. And their defense is a big reason why.

Suddenly, the Colts' offense came alive in the fourth quarter. After struggling for much of the game, Luck marched his unit down the field, carving up the Jets' secondary. He capped an eight-play, 91-yard drive with a 26-yard touchdown pass to Donte Moncrief over cornerback Antonio Cromartie. That pulled Indianapolis within 10-7 with 10:07 to go.

Just like that, the Jets found themselves in a fourth-quarter fight. But Ryan Fitzpatrick and the Jets' defense made more plays when it counted most.

With 6:27 left, Fitzpatrick connected with Brandon Marshall, who bulled his way into the end zone for a 15-yard score with two defenders draped all over him.

Marcus Gilchrist thwarted another promising Colts drive when he intercepted a deep pass intended for Andre Johnson on the sideline. Nick Folk made it 20-7 with a 46-yard field goal.

But it wasn't all good news for the Jets. Eric Decker, who had a monster first half (eight catches, 97 yards), left with a knee injury and did not return.

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It took the Colts almost three full quarters to settle into an offensive rhythm, but their momentum was killed by Frank Gore. With the Colts trailing 10-0, the typically dependable running back single-handedly derailed a nearly 10-minute drive by inexplicably dropping the ball shy of the goal line without having been touched. Revis grabbed for the ball as Gore tried to regain possession, and Revis fell on it inches from the end zone.

Indianapolis (0-2) appeared to settle down prior to that fumble, going 4-for-4 on third down after starting 0-for-6 in the first half. But once again, the Colts missed an opportunity to score.

They also blew a chance when Adam Vinatieri hit the right upright on a 29-yard field-goal attempt late in the first quarter. It was his first miss from inside the 30 since 2007.

Fitzpatrick completed 22 of 34 passes for 244 yards, with one interception. Luck connected on 21 of 37 for 250 yards.

Todd Bowles' defense swarmed Luck, keeping him off balance with an array of creative blitzes and pressures. Decker shredded the Colts for much of the first half. Marshall overcame double-teams to make seven catches for 101 yards, including a 42-yard catch and run.

The Colts had a 55-21 rushing edge in the first half, but it was the Jets who scored first. A corner blitz by Buster Skrine forced a hurried throw by Luck, and the deflected pass ended up in the hands of safety Calvin Pryor. It was the first pick of Pryor's two-season career, and he returned it 29 yards to the 9. It didn't take long for the Jets to score.

The Colts opted to double-team Marshall, which left Decker open. The savvy Decker motioned into the slot and easily trotted into the end zone for a 6-yard score, making it 7-0 with 6:44 left in the first quarter.

The Jets made it 10-0 in the second quarter on a 35-yard field goal from Folk. But running back Chris Ivory, the lifeblood of their offense, just couldn't get going. He and Cromartie were listed as questionable but were activated. Ivory ran for only 11 yards in the first half but totaled 57 on 14 carries.

But the Colts still couldn't capitalize on the Jets' stagnant run game.

The Colts lost a key player with 3:57 left in the half, when cornerback Vontae Davis headed for the locker room with a concussion. He did not return. His absence was a huge blow for the Colts, who started the game without their two best cornerbacks, Darius Butler (hip) and Gregory Toler (neck).

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Biggest takeaway: Jets' defense is for real (Neil Best) Newsday September 21, 2015

Somewhere in Western New York, Rex Ryan still was trying to figure out what hit him Sunday when Tom Brady and the Patriots mercilessly rained pass completions on his Bills' defense.

But here in Indy Monday night, the Jets' new defensive-minded head coach was doing just fine, happily watching his unit lead the way to a 20-7 victory over the Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium.

No one is surprised the Jets' defense is turning out to be a strength for first-year coach Todd Bowles. But no one could have expected how thoroughly they would handle a team led by Andrew Luck and eager for a victory coming off an opening- day dud against Ryan's Bills.

If this keeps up, the Jets just might be a legitimate playoff team, assuming their offense can eke out enough points and avoid big mistakes.

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Not that it was easy Monday nght. With the Jets leading 10-0 and 10:07 left, Luck beat Antonio Cromartie with a touchdown pass to Donte Moncrief that covered 26 yards.

But at last the Jets' offense mounted a long, effective drive to help the defense, going 80 yards for a 15-yard TD pass from Ryan Fitzpatrick to Brandon Marshall, who bulled his way into the end zone to make it 17-7 with 6:20 left.

Marcus Gilchrist's interception with 4:35 left -- the Jets' fifth takeaway of the night, was the final blow.

The Jets had 13 takeaways all of last season. They have 10 in the first two games this season.

Luck and the Colts had problems dealing with Ryan's blitzes in a 27-14 Week 1 loss, causing much concern in Indianapolis. Sure enough, the Jets followed their old coach's lead and used the same tactic.

It was heavy pressure on a blitz by Buster Skrine that forced Luck into a bad throw that was tipped by his receiver, Andre Johnson, into the arms of safety Calvin Pryor, that set up the Jets' first score.

Pryor returned the ball to the Indianapolis 9-yard line, and the Jets took advantage on a 6-yard pass from Fitzpatrick to a wide-open Eric Decker, who had his way with the Colts' secondary.

It appeared the Colts would tie it up -- or at least score some points -- later in the first quarter but on a third-and-2 the Jets again blitzed Luck and he was unable to find T.Y. Hilton in the end zone, where he was closely tracked by Darrelle Revis.

Adam Vinatieri then missed from 29 yards out when his kick hit the right upright, and the score remained 7-0.

It appeared the Colts may have changed the momentum in their favor when Mike Adams made an acrobatic interception of Fitzpatrick in the end zone. But the Colts soon were again thwarted on a key third-down play when Cromartie broke up a pass. Cromartie played despite suffering a sprained knee in Week 1 that many initially feared might be a season-ending injury.

Nick Folk's 35-yard field goal made it 10-0, then David Harris stripped Luck during a scramble and Revis scooped it up. But the Jets got nothing out of it when the offense stumbled and Folk missed a 48-yarder as time expired.

The Jets should have been up by more than that, after holding the Colts to four first downs and 107 yards in the first half. The Colts were 0-for-6 on third downs in the half.

That stat did not last long when the Colts took the ball on a long, nearly 10-minute march to start the second half, converting no fewer than five third downs along the way.

Then, shockingly, on the Colts' sixth try at a third-down conversion, on third-and-goal from the 1, Frank Gore simply dropped the ball as he tried to run to the outside and it was recovered on the goal line by Revis.

Once again, though, the offense did nothing with the takeaway. This was against a defense that, already injury riddled at cornerback, had lost their one given, Vonate Davis, to a concussion in the first half.

On the Colts' next possession Revis intercepted Luck on a ball tipped by Muhammad Wilkerson.

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Herm Edwards on Todd Bowles' chances at success: Hello, he played the game! (Neil Best) Newsday September 21, 2015

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http://www.newsday.com/sports/columnists/neil-best/being-a-former-nfl-player-benefits-todd-bowles-as-jets-coach-herm-edwards-said-1.10872291

Herm Edwards and Todd Bowles could not be more different in demeanor, but they do share one trait that makes them different from most other NFL head coaches: They played to win the game -- at the NFL level.

In fact Bowles, who Monday night faced the Colts in his second game at the Jets' helm, is only the second former NFL player to lead one of the two New York-area teams since Dan Reeves and Rich Kotite left after the 1996 season.

The other is Edwards, the Jets' coach from 2001 through 2005 and, like Bowles, a former defensive back.

Edwards, 61, who these days is an ESPN analyst, said Bowles should and likely will benefit from his background on the field in myriad ways.

"You know how the players feel," Edwards said. "Whether you're in training camp, whether you're in a game, the outcome of certain situations, you've felt it. You've been there as a player. And so they get that part. Now, how can you help them win?"

Striking a balance between the personas of former player and current coach is key.

"Sometimes I spoke as a player, sometimes as the voice of authority," Edwards said. "And I understood the huddle. The huddle is a unique thing in football because it's diverse and when you walk in there there's a respect.

"You don't have to agree with all the guys in the huddle on your political views or the music you like or any of that stuff . . . When you walk in that huddle you have to respect the guy to the left of you. Without him we have no success."

Unlike in the NBA, where someone such as Derek Fisher can walk directly from an NBA roster into a job as head coach of the Knicks, football usually requires long apprenticeships even for accomplished players.

Edwards spent 10 years in the NFL and another decade as a coach in the league before getting the Jets' top job at age 47. Bowles, 51, spent even longer as an assistant -- including three games as the Dolphins' interim head coach in 2011 -- after an eight-year playing career.

"The players appreciate that more because you've been around other coaches," Edwards said. "You've learned from different coaching styles. And he has a head coach on his staff in Chan Gailey who you can bounce things off of.

"I was in position with Tony [Dungy, in Tampa] where I was the assistant head coach and the secondary guy and I sat in with Tony on a lot of meetings as a head coach and he would tell me, 'This is why I'm doing this' . . . I was well aware of the seat I was about to take before I took it."

Edwards knows Bowles and believes he has the knowledge and temperament for the New York fishbowl.

"He'll be fine because he'll be consistent," Edwards said. "His personality is who he is. And that's what the players are looking for . . . I thought he handled the Geno Smith [broken jaw] deal correctly. He didn't let it fester.

"The locker room didn't get into it because those are the things you have to be able to control. When players respect you, they get it. They say hey, man, let's move on, let's not make this bigger than it should be. Todd handled it pretty good. That's a lot on your plate."

So far Bowles has done a deft job handling the New York-area media, even though he is not nearly as chatty as his predecessor, Rex Ryan, or Edwards.

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Edwards said he is having too much fun on TV ever to go back to coaching. He is pleased to let guys such as Bowles deal with all that.

"I get to coach all 32 teams," he said, "and I never have to worry about my quarterback getting hurt anymore."

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Chris Ivory's year to shine for Jets (Kimberley A. Martin) Newsday September 21, 2015

http://www.newsday.com/sports/football/jets/chris-ivory-s-year-to-shine-for-jets-1.10873080

INDIANAPOLIS - Chris Ivory relishes contact, and that means defenders, beware.

He's a wrecking ball between blocks, a bruising back with little regard for his own body as he slashes through defenses -- or runs straight at them.

The 6-foot, 222-pound Ivory is physical. Powerful. Violent.

And the Jets know they're lucky to have him.

"He's one of the best running backs in the business right now," receiver Brandon Marshall said in advance of Monday night's game against the Colts. "He just runs hard, he's smart, he can do it all. Not only can he pound you, but he also has speed and agility. So, you just give that guy an inch and he'll do something with it."

That's why Ivory's injury status for the game stopped fantasy owners in their tracks. After being limited in practice Thursday, Friday and Saturday, the Jets listed Ivory as questionable, along with cornerback Antonio Cromartie. Both started.

Ivory's presence on the field is a boon for the Jets -- against the Colts and beyond. Even with explosive playmakers such as Marshall and Eric Decker and the speedy rookie Devin Smith, Jets receivers readily admit that their offense flows through their bulldozing back. That could make all the difference for Todd Bowles' team in 2015.

According to Ivory, his Week 1 performance against the Browns -- 91 yards on 20 carries with two touchdowns -- was just an appetizer of what fans can expect to see this season.

"For one, I like the scheme," Ivory said of coordinator Chan Gailey's offense. "We come in and work hard every day and we just practice as if it's a game, we take those reps as game reps. I'm just confident. If you're not confident in yourself, who else will be? You have to be, that's the only way I think you prosper and progress in this game."

It was Ivory's fourth multi-touchdown performance and his first since he scored twice against the Bills on Oct. 26, 2014.

With every stutter step and spin move, his dreadlocks whip around from underneath his helmet, creating a dramatic effect as he darts through traffic. Ivory isn't scared of taking hits. It's tacklers who should be worried.

Cornerback Dexter McDougle learned that during practice last week, according to Marshall.

"We had a play to the left and Dexter McDougle was out there and Ivory was about to get loose and he said, 'This is going to be a tough tackle,' " Marshall said, recalling the young defensive back's reaction. "We

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obviously weren't tackling each other to the ground, but that's the defender's mentality. He's a tough person to take down."

Gailey, in his first year with the Jets, said it's "very satisfying" to see the way Ivory runs. "You don't see guys that are that big and strong and that fast," said Gailey, who was the Steelers' offensive coordinator when Hall of Fame running back Jerome Bettis was named the Comeback Player of the Year in 1996.

"He can get outside with the ball in a heartbeat on you if you don't watch it. He is a big, strong runner inside and hardly ever gets knocked back. Even if we mess it up, he'll get us two yards. That's pretty good for us to be able to have that weapon."

Gailey said Ivory reminds him "a little bit" of Bettis, but there's one big difference. "Jerome was a picker and slider and a strong guy. This guy's a violent runner downhill to me."

Just a few years ago, Ivory, 27, was buried at the bottom of the Saints' depth chart. Now he's on a mission to crack the 1,000-yard rushing mark for the first time. He's come close, running for 833 and 821 yards in 2013 and 2014, respectively.

"I think the opportunity is there," Ivory said. "It's just about me making the plays and being healthy."

If the Jets are successful this season, Ivory will be a big reason why. "For us, he makes everything go," Marshall said.

For Ivory, that praise is proof his hard work is paying off. "It makes me feel good," he said. "It just lets me know they're seeing the work that I'm putting in.

"I don't really think I've changed too much, but I did have one of my better camps this year. Those guys are my peers and they're all around, so they see what I'm capable of and what I do every day, so that's probably why you hear that."

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Gladys Knight sings Todd Bowles praises (Kimberley A. Martin) Newsday September 21, 2015

http://www.newsday.com/sports/football/jets/gladys-knight-sings-todd-bowles-praises-1.10874158

INDIANAPOLIS -- Jets coach Todd Bowles scored a win even before the kickoff against the Colts Monday night -- all thanks to his favorite R&B soul singer Gladys Knight.

"I'm just now seeing all the amazing #ToddBowles posts. Hi Todd! Lol," Knight posted on Twitter Monday. "We might have to take a selfie when I get to NY next week @nyjets."

Bowles has made his love of Knight known on multiple occasions, first referencing the "Midnight Train to Georgia" singer on Sept. 11, two days before he made his head-coaching debut against the Cleveland Browns. Asked about his emotions heading into his first game as the leader of the Jets, Bowles said: "Same every day pretty much. If you want to get me excited, bring Gladys Knight in here. Other than that I'm pretty good.

" . . . Just for singing purposes," the married coach said, laughing.

The day after the Jets defeated the Browns, 31-10, Bowles was asked whether he'd received congratulatory text messages.

"I got quite a few. Lot of coaching buddies. A lot of buddies I went to school with and played ball with. I got a bunch of them," he said.

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Anything from Ms. Knight?

"Nothing from Gladys. I wouldn't be here today," Bowles said, laughing.

Now, it looks like the Jets coach will be getting more than just a text message from the "Empress of Soul."

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Antonio Cromartie to play against Colts (Kimberley Martin) Newsday September 21, 2015

http://www.newsday.com/sports/football/jets/antonio-cromartie-to-play-against-colts-1.10873998

INDIANAPOLIS -- Eight days after he was carted off the field, writhing in pain after hyperextending his left knee, Antonio Cromartie was on the Lucas Oil Stadium field warming up for a prime-time showdown with the Colts on Monday night.

The Jets' veteran cornerback is active for the game, a surprising development considering Cromartie was listed as questionable after not practicing on Thursday and practicing on a limited basis Friday and Saturday because of a sprained knee.

Cromartie has yet to miss a regular-season game because of injury in his 10-year career. He was held out of the Jets' final regular-season game of 2010, when former coach Rex Ryan rested his starters against the Bills with a playoff berth already clinched.

Running back Chris Ivory, who was questionable for the game, is also active. Ivory was limited the last three practices because of a groin injury.

The Colts (0-1) will have receiver T.Y. Hilton (knee) and linebacker Robert Mathis (Achilles) available. However, they will be without two of their two top cornerbacks, Darius Butler (hip) and Gregory Toler (neck).

Jets rookie wide receiver Devin Smith will not play, despite practicing fully the past week. Other Jets inactives include Lorenzo Mauldin, Geno Smith, Darrin Walls, Deon Simon, Ben Ijalana and Jarvis Harrison.

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THE RECORD

Jets defense causes five turnovers, beat Colts, 20-7 (J.P. Pelzman) The Record September 22, 2015

http://www.northjersey.com/sports/jets-defense-causes-five-turnovers-beat-colts-20-7-1.1415046

INDIANAPOLIS – The Jets’ hold on Monday night’s game was teetering. Indianapolis finally had scored a touchdown and had the momentum with just over 10 minutes left.

The Jets’ offense needed to answer, and did.

New York drove 80 yards in only seven plays, with Ryan Fitzpatrick’s 15-yard scoring pass to Brandon Marshall providing the necessary cushion for an eventual 20-7 victory over the Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium. The Jets are 2-0 for the first time since 2011.

“I’m very happy with the way that we responded after they scored that touchdown,” Fitzpatrick said.

His coach agreed.

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“That was outstanding,” said first-year man Todd Bowles. “It’s a good win, but it’s only win No. 2. We’re not where we want to be.”

The decisive drive included a 27-yard pass from Fitzpatrick to Quincy Enunwa, marking the first pro catch for the sixth-round draft pick in 2014. The Jets took advantage of an Indianapolis secondary that was missing three of its top four cornerbacks because of injury by that stage of the game. Star cornerback Vontae Davis exited in the first half because of a concussion.

On Indianapolis’ next possession, an interception by Marcus Gilchrist sealed the win. It was the Jets’ fifth takeaway of the night, with three by Darrelle Revis.

Indianapolis dropped to 0-2 for the second straight season.

Indianapolis faced a second-and-18 from its 21 on its first possession. Cornerback Buster Skrine pressured Andrew Luck on a blitz, and his misdirected pass wound up in the hands of safety Calvin Pryor. He returned the interception 29 yards to the Colts’ 9.

On third-and-goal from the 8, a defensive holding call on Davis — who was defending against Marshall — gave the Jets a first down. Fitzpatrick capitalized one play later by hitting a wide-open Eric Decker for a 6-yard score and a 7-0 lead.

Indianapolis seemed on its way to answering quickly. Luck’s 30-yard pass to Donte Moncrief put the Colts at the Jets’ 37, and Frank Gore then ripped off an 18-yard run to the 19. Josh Robinson’s 8-yard run gave the Colts a second-and-2 situation, but they couldn’t capitalize.

On second down, Luck overthrew backup offensive lineman Joe Reitz, who had lined up as an extra tight end. And on third down, his pass in the end zone for T.Y. Hilton was incomplete. Revis had the coverage.

The Colts got no points at all because normally reliable Adam Vinatieri was wide right on a 29-yard field-goal attempt.

The Jets blew two of their three scoring chances in the second quarter. After another holding call on Davis gave them a first down at the Indianapolis 35, Fitzpatrick threw deep for Marshall, who was bracketed by two defenders.

Davis tipped the pass and veteran safety Mike Adams, a Paterson native, grabbed the carom for an interception.

On the visitors’ next possession, they moved 54 yards in 10 plays. The drive was capped by Nick Folk’s 35-yard field goal, which gave New York a 10-0 lead with 1:51 left in the first half.

The Jets had another chance to score when Luck scrambled on the Colts’ next possession and was separated from the football by linebacker David Harris. Revis recovered and the Jets had a first down at the Indy 44.

The Jets managed one first down, but soon were stopped on third down. Folk then missed a 48-yard field-goal attempt wide right and the Jets settled for a 10-0 halftime lead.

The Colts used the first 9:47 of the third quarter, but had nothing to show for it when Gore fumbled at the Jets’ 1-yard line without being hit. It was unclear if he would have been able to score, but Revis recovered the ball in the end zone.

Indianapolis’ next possession ended with — what else? — a takeaway by Revis. This time, he intercepted Luck’s pass on third-and-8 from the Jets’ 49.

BRIEFS: Jets CB Antonio Cromartie started despite a sprained knee suffered on opening day against Cleveland. Cromartie had been listed as questionable. He hasn’t missed a game because of injury in his

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10-year NFL career. … Indianapolis’ Hilton also started despite a knee injury suffered on opening day. … Jets WR Devin Smith (ribs) didn’t play for the second straight week.

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NEW YORK TIMES

Baffling Colts, and Maybe Fans, Jets Go to 2-0 (Ben Shpigel) New York Times September 22, 2015

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/22/sports/football/baffling-colts-and-maybe-fans-jets-go-to-2-0.html?ref=football&_r=0

INDIANAPOLIS — Maybe, just maybe, this is how the Jets’ resurgence begins.

With an array of blitz packages so creative, so destructive, they might as well have been conceived in a laboratory. Or with one of the N.F.L.’s best and brainiest quarterbacks shouting at everyone and no Jet flummoxed beyond comprehension. Or with their superiority against an alleged contender, a victory that asserted the Jets — and not the reeling Indianapolis Colts — as a potential force in the A.F.C.

By the end of the Jets’ 20-7 victory Monday night, fans at Lucas Oil Stadium had long departed. The Jets forced a turnover on the Colts’ first series and then forced quarterback Andrew Luck into committing three more, as they improved to 2-0 heading into a meeting with the winless Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday at MetLife Stadium.

This victory was made possible by a smidgen of good fortune — for the second consecutive week, their opponent ended a drive of nearly 10 minutes with a goal-line fumble — and a lot of Luck (22 of 37, 250 yards, one touchdown), who threw three interceptions and lost a fumble, with Darrelle Revis accounting for three of the takeaways (two fumble recoveries and one interception).

Colts quarterback Andrew Luck (12) fumbled in the second quarter, and the Jets recovered. Luck also threw three interceptions and had only one touchdown pass. Credit Brian Spurlock/USA Today Sports, via Reuters

“They’re flying around; they’re starting to buy into the system,” said Coach Todd Bowles. “We’re not where we want to be. We’re on the way.”

The one time the Colts did breach the end zone — in the fourth quarter — the Jets responded immediately, with the second touchdown in as many games for Brandon Marshall, to secure their first 2-0 start since 2011. The Jets also dealt Indianapolis only its second loss in 16 games that immediately followed a defeat. They kept pace in the A.F.C. East with New England, which battered Buffalo. It was the Bills who last week throttled Indianapolis, and the Jets noticed. Through two games, the Jets have allowed 17 points and forced 10 takeaways.

Luck after the fumble. The Colts did not score until early in the fourth quarter, and the Jets responded immediately. Credit Andy Lyons/Getty Images

In a matchup of bearded brainiacs, Ryan Fitzpatrick (Harvard) outshined Luck (Stanford), completing 22 of 34 passes for 244 yards and two touchdowns and an interception.

The Jets had flustered Luck across the Colts’ first eight possessions — four turnovers, three punts and a missed field-goal attempt — until he engineered an eight-play, 91-yard drive capped by a 26-yard touchdown toss to Donte Moncrief that sliced the deficit to 10-7 with 10 minutes 7 seconds left.

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Taking possession at their own 20, the Jets marched 80 yards in 3:47, with Fitzpatrick showing delicate touch on two critical passes — a 27-yarder to Quincy Enunwa and a 15-yard touchdown to Marshall, who predicted that he or Eric Decker would shine on Monday night.

Both did, just in different halves. Facing a secondary missing three of its top four cornerbacks, Fitzpatrick exploited his most favorable matchup — Decker against anyone — from the first play of the game. Despite Decker’s prowess on the outside, the Jets love what the offensive coordinator Chan Gailey characterized as his “unique feel” for the slot.

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As Vontae Davis focused on Marshall (before leaving with a concussion), Decker devastated the Colts for eight receptions for 97 yards and a touchdown — all before halftime — before leaving with a knee injury.

The Jets’ season-opening romp over Cleveland augured curiosity within their locker room: Whether their offense could operate with comparable efficiency. Whether their defense could exasperate an elite quarterback like Luck as it did a backup like Johnny Manziel. And on a macro level, whether they could compete with a team like Indianapolis, which reached the conference championship game last season.

Jets running back Chris Ivory was tackled as Jerrell Freeman fell to the ground and lost his helmet. Ivory finished with 57 yards on 14 carries. Credit Darron Cummings/Associated Press

At halftime, the Jets had pummeled Indianapolis so thoroughly that Luck had completed just 5 of 14 throws for 52 yards, an interception and a passer rating of 17.6, and the Colts were 0 for 6 on third down.

Preparing for the Colts, the Jets abided by one principle, reinforced by their coach. To make Indianapolis’s struggles a trend, Bowles told his players, the Jets had to consider them an aberration. One defeat, in rowdy Buffalo, hardly dented Luck’s place among the elite, or his team’s standing as A.F.C. contender.

Marshall Muscles Way Into End Zone

“They understand that,” Bowles said. “They understand what they’re going into.”

They also understood that a component of Buffalo’s successful game plan against Luck — blitzing, blitzing and more blitzing — meshed with Bowles’s defensive philosophy.

On the Colts’ first possession, Buster Skrine broke free from the back side and forced a poor throw from Luck, which caromed off Andre Johnson’s fingertips and into the hands of Calvin Pryor, whose 29-yard return gave the Jets the ball at the Indianapolis 9. Four plays later, after a Davis holding penalty on third down extended the drive, Fitzpatrick flipped a 6-yard touchdown to Decker.

Across their first five quarters of the season, the Jets scored 28 points off turnovers. They scored 20 all of last year.

The 7-0 advantage held deep into the second quarter, after Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri clanked a 29-yard attempt, his first miss from inside 30 yards since 2007, according to Pro Football Reference, and after an acrobatic interception from the Colts’ Mike Davis, on a dubious throw by Fitzpatrick into double coverage, ruined a potential scoring drive. And after a diving deflection from Antonio Cromartie, who started at cornerback eight days after appearing to sustain a serious knee injury, thwarted the Colts on a third-and-1.

Nick Folk extended the Jets’ lead to 10-0 on a 35-yarder with 1:51 remaining in the first half, giving his team enough points to win.

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ESPN NEW YORK

Jets find a winning formula: Darrelle Revis and a killer defense (Rich Cimini) ESPN New York September 22, 2015

http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/54361/jets-find-a-winning-formula-darrelle-revis-and-a-killer-defense

INDIANAPOLIS -- The New York Jets don't have a franchise quarterback. You know it, they know it, the old lady on the bus knows it. But they still believe they have enough talent around Ryan Fitzpatrick to beat the top teams, the opponents with elite quarterbacks -- and they proved it Monday night with a 20-7 win over the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium.

When their defense dominates the way it did against Andrew Luck, the Jets can beat anybody. Their $150 million secondary locked up the Colts' receivers, frustrating Luck (21-for-37, 250 yards) for the entire game. Darrelle Revis delivered a vintage performance, intercepting a pass and recovering two fumbles. The Colts' receivers, namely T.Y. Hilton, disappeared on Revis Island. The Jets made three interceptions, with safeties Marcus Gilchrist and Calvin Pryor also contributing one apiece.

The Jets (2-0) recorded five takeaways, bringing their total to 10 in two games -- only three shy of last season's pathetic total. That, folks, is astounding.

"We're about to crush that," nickelback Buster Skrine said.

Darrelle Revis celebrates one of his two fumble recoveries Monday. He also added an interception. The Jets now have 10 takeaways on the season -- three less than they had all of last year. Joe Robbins/Getty Images

This is what the new front office had in mind when it took Woody Johnson's checkbook and bought a new secondary, bringing back Revis and Antonio Cromartie and signing Gilchrist and Skrine. Together, they choked the Colts' passing attack, making Luck wish he were someplace else, maybe filming another TV commercial.

"That's why they're worth the big money," guard Willie Colon said of his teammates in the secondary.

This was the Jets' biggest win since 2013 -- their first 2-0 start since 2011 -- and the tone setters were Revis and Skine. It started with Skrine, who caused the first interception by clobbering Luck on a backside blitz from his slot position. It resulted in an errant throw and a deflection, which went to Pryor, who set up the Jets' first touchdown with his interception return. After that, Revis took control of the game, making the splashy plays in addition to his usual brilliant coverage.

Up in the owners' suite, Johnson must have been smiling. He doled out $39 million in fully guaranteed money to re-sign Revis, getting busted for tampering in the process, but he did it for nights like this. Revis has given an identity to the defense -- the entire team, for that matter.

"He's one of the best defensive players I've ever seen," linebacker David Harris said. "He's the man."

The Jets have to play this way if they hope to challenge for a playoff spot because, let's face it, the Fitzpatrick-led offense won't put up crazy numbers. On this night, Fitzpatrick & Co.managed only two touchdown drives against a defense that was missing its top three corners for much of the game. Truth be told, the Jets slept through the second and third quarters, finally showing signs of life in the fourth

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quarter. Putting aside their conservative play calling in a had-to-have-it situation, Fitzpatrick sealed the game with a touchdown pass to Brandon Marshall.

There will be about a half dozen games in which the Jets will have a distinct disadvantage at the quarterback position, and that can't be dismissed in a quarterback-driven league. Such is life in the Jets' universe. The next Andrew Luck isn't walking through their door anytime soon. The Jets won't beat every elite quarterback, but if they play like they did in the first road game of the Todd Bowles era, they'll win half of them. And half of them just might be good enough to sneak into the playoffs.

Basically, they will try to defy conventional wisdom, riding their talented defense. We know what they have up front; now the entire nation has seen what they have in the secondary.

"That's a mean group back there," nose tackle Damon Harrison said. "You have Revis on one side and Cromartie on the other side. It's tough. Pick your poison. And you have Buster in the slot. It would be tough for any quarterback, not just Luck."

There you have it, the Jets' formula. If they can't have a franchise quarterback, they can try to make it miserable for the teams that do.

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Like old times, Darrelle Revis dominates with big plays against Colts (Rich Cimini) ESPN New York September 22, 2015

http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/54364/like-old-times-revis-dominates-with-big-plays-against-colts

INDIANAPOLIS -- Maybe tampering does pay.

The New York Jets got busted and paid a $100,000 fine for tampering with Darrelle Revis as a free agent, but it was money well spent -- that, and his five-year, $70 million contract. Revis, reminding Jets fans of the Revis from 2009 to 2011, delivered a dominating performance Monday night against the Indianapolis Colts.

Revis made a clutch interception and recovered two fumbles, his second and third of the season, to lead an impressive defensive effort by the Jets, which neutralized Andrew Luck & Co. Revis galvanized a rebuilt secondary, making T.Y. Hilton and Donte Moncrief disappear on Revis Island.

He had plenty of help from fellow corners Antonio Cromartie and Buster Skrine, two pricey offseason additions. But make no mistake, Revis' presence has changed the dynamic of the Jets' defense. His ability to shut down his man with no safety help gives coach Todd Bowles flexibility with his blitz packages, and you saw what happened.

After three quarters, the Jets led 10-0, threatening to pitch their first shutout since the final game of the 2009 season.

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Rookie WR Devin Smith inactive for Jets -- again (Rich Cimini) ESPN New York September 21, 2015

http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/54356/rookie-wr-devin-smith-inactive-for-jets-again

INDIANAPOLIS -- Devin Smith's NFL debut will have to wait at least another week.

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Despite a full week of practice, the New York Jets' rookie wide receiver was declared inactive for Monday night's game against the Indianapolis Colts. This marks the second straight week in which the Jets' second-round pick was listed as probable and didn't play. He missed the preseason due to fractured ribs and a partially punctured lung.

Once again, the Jets will dress five receivers.

This week, they added running back Zac Stacy to the offensive squad. He was a surprise inactive in the season opener, but he's needed as insurance because of Chris Ivory's groin injury. Ivory is active, but the Jets decided to dress three running backs for the game -- a smart move.

Defensively, there's one notable move. As expected, cornerback Darrin Walls (hamstring) is out. He will be replaced on the active roster by second-year corner Dexter McDougle, who will make his NFL debut.

Cornerback Antonio Cromartie (knee), whose status was a question mark, will start.

Other inactives:

QB Geno Smith

OT Ben Ijalana

LB Lorenzo Mauldin

G Jarvis Harrison

NT Deon Simon

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Jets' Antonio Cromartie (knee) active, keeps games streak alive (Rich Cimini) ESPN New York September 21, 2015

http://espn.go.com/new-york/nfl/story/_/id/13712830/antonio-cromartie-chris-ivory-new-york-jets-active-versus-indianapolis-colts

INDIANAPOLIS -- Running back Chris Ivory and cornerback Antonio Cromartie, both of whom missed practice time with injuries, are in the lineup for the New York Jets on Monday night against the Colts.

Both were declared active after pregame workouts under the supervision of the Jets' training staff.

Cromartie's status was a big question going into the game. He suffered what appeared to be a major knee injury last week, but an MRI revealed only a sprain and no ligament damage. Still, he was listed as week-to-week by coach Todd Bowles.

Cromartie's streak lives. In nine-plus seasons, he has never missed a game due to injury.

Ivory, who scored two touchdowns in the opener, practiced on a limited basis throughout the week. As a contingency, the Jets activated third-string running back Zac Stacy, who didn't dress last week.

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Luck looking to beat Jets' blitz on Monday Night Football (Rich Cimini) ESPN New York September 21, 2015

http://espn.go.com/blog/statsinfo/post/_/id/109527/luck-looking-to-beat-jets-blitz-on-monday-night-football

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Andrew Luck and the Indianapolis Colts will look to put their lopsided Week 1 loss to the Buffalo Bills in the rearview mirror on Monday Night Football (8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN/WatchESPN).

The Colts face a New York Jets defense that closely resembles that of their Week 1 opponent. The Jets, whom new Bills coach Rex Ryan coached just last season, also feature a tough line and a blitz-happy scheme, thanks to new coach Todd Bowles.

Bowles loves to blitz

No team blitzed more often in 2013 and 2014 than Bowles’ Arizona Cardinals. Bowles was the defensive coordinator when those Cardinals teams used five or more pass-rushers on 47 percent of their opponents’ dropbacks. That was nearly 4 percentage points higher than any other team in the NFL during that span.

Bowles kept that trend going when the Jets blitzed Josh McCown and Johnny Manziel on 48 percent of dropbacks in a 31-10 win over the Cleveland Browns in Week 1.

The Bills were one of two teams that blitzed more frequently than the Jets when they sent five or more pass-rushers on 49 percent of Luck’s dropbacks during the season’s opening weekend. It was the fifth-highest blitz rate Luck has seen in 49 career games. He completed 10 of 24 passes for 115 yards (4.8 yards per attempt) with two touchdowns, one interception and two sacks.

Why blitzing Luck can be a bad idea

Last week Bowles said “it’s a nightmare,” referring to what it’s like preparing for Luck. Bowles might be speaking to how good Luck has been against the blitz in his career, despite the poor results against the Bills.

Luck has thrown 3.2 touchdowns for every interception when blitzed, which is twice as often as when defenses send four or fewer pass-rushers. Luck’s Total QBR is 73 against five or more pass-rushers and 62 against standard pressure in his career.

Although Bowles’ defense in New York continues to blitz like the ones he had in Arizona, the results weren’t as good.

The Jets allowed Browns quarterbacks to complete 12 of 19 passes for 153 yards when they sent five or more pass-rushers in Week 1, and Manziel found success throwing deep.

On a third-and-19 play in the second quarter, the Jets rushed five, leaving wide receiver Travis Benjamin one-on-one with cornerback Antonio Cromartie on the outside. Benjamin easily beat Cromartie, who is questionable for Monday night’s game with a leg injury, for the 54-yard score.

The Jets were better sending four or fewer against Manziel. They held him to 3.2 yards per attempt against standard pressure (8.1 against the blitz), forcing two fumbles in the process.

They sent four on third-and-18 and second-and-10 plays early in the fourth quarter, forcing Manziel through his progressions while dropping into zone coverage downfield. Muhammad Wilkerson forced a fumble on the third-and-18 play before Darrelle Revis recovered for the Jets. Trevor Reilly came around the offense’s left side on the second-down play as Manziel went through his progressions and forced another fumble. That one was recovered by Quinton Coples.

Luck’s 50th game

Monday’s game will be Luck’s 50th in the regular season. The Elias Sports Bureau notes that Luck needs two touchdown passes to break into the top five all-time through 50 games. The group comprises Dan Marino (114), Kurt Warner (101), Peyton Manning (91), Johnny Unitas (91) and Carson Palmer (90). Luck is currently tied with Matthew Stafford, who had 88 passing touchdowns in his first 50 games.

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Time is right for Jets to send message and change perception (Rich Cimini) ESPN New York September 21, 2015

http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/54331/time-is-right-for-jets-to-send-message-and-change-perception

INDIANAPOLIS -- On Overreaction Sunday -- Week 1 of the NFL season -- the New York Jets provided plenty of fodder for those looking to inflate what they accomplished. Let's keep it real, folks. They beat up the Cleveland Browns, an inferior opponent that was forced into playing a backup quarterback who had barely practiced because of a bum elbow.

The schedule-makers served up a tomato can and the Jets took care of business. Hooray for them.

Now it's opening day 2.0.

On Monday night, the Jets step up in class, facing a 2014 playoff team and an elite quarterback in the opponent's home opener. Andrew Luck and the Indianapolis Colts (0-1) will challenge the Jets in ways the Browns never did -- or could -- and this will be a revealing indicator for Todd Bowles & Co.

This is one of a handful of games in which the Jets will have the disadvantage at quarterback. To make the playoffs, they have to win games like this, proving the rest of their roster is strong enough to beat franchise quarterbacks. It has to be their formula.

It's also a chance to do something Rex Ryan did only once in his final two seasons as the Jets' coach -- win two in a row. So there's that.

A few thoughts on Jets-Colts, which kicks off at 8:30 p.m. ET on ESPN:

1. Hello, America: These are the new New York Jets -- new coach, new quarterback, new everything. This is their only appearance on Monday Night Football, a chance to change the perception of the franchise. Right now they're known across the country as the team whose quarterback, Geno Smith, got punched in the face in the locker room. You might think it's an unfair label, but something like that sticks to a team. The Jets can send a different message with a big victory on the road. They haven't started 2-0 since 2011.

With the Colts having trouble stopping the run, Jets running back Chris Ivory could have a big night. Elsa/Getty Images

2. Be the tough guy: The Jets were a bit surprised to see how the Colts were manhandled last week by Ryan’s Buffalo Bills. At times the Colts seemed almost physically intimidated. New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, who studied the tape to prepare for the Bills, the Week 2 opponent, noted the same thing, saying the Colts "got pushed around." Look for the Jets to take the same approach, using running back Chris Ivory as their tone-setter. The offensive line believes it can do some damage against the Colts' inexperienced front.

3. Matchup of the night: Nobody in the building will be surprised if the Colts use cornerback Vontae Davis to shadow Brandon Marshall, who made an immediate impact last week. Davis hasn't allowed a touchdown reception since December 2013, so this is a classic best-on-best matchup. They know each other well; they were teammates with the Miami Dolphins (2010-11). Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick will be tempted to look elsewhere because the Colts won’t have their No. 2 and No. 3 corners, Greg Toler (neck) and Darius Butler (hip). This could be a big game for Marshall's sidekick, Eric Decker. The Jets also might unveil rookie receiver Devin Smith, a "go" route waiting to happen.

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4. Shuffling the secondary: Cornerback Antonio Cromartie (sprained knee) is a big question mark, so the Jets might have to adjust. A possible contingency plan: Buster Skrine starts for Cromartie and covers the small but explosive T.Y. Hilton, with Darrelle Revis shadowing Andre Johnson or Donte Moncrief. They leave Revis on his island and use safety help for Skrine. Johnson, who turned 34 in July, is a likely Hall of Famer but he doesn’t scare anyone anymore. Aside from Hilton, the biggest concerns are the tight ends, Dwayne Allen and Coby Fleener. You might have heard that the Jets have struggled in the past with athletic tight ends. It's why the Jets signed safety Marcus Gilchrist, who has the ability match up in single coverage.

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NEW YORK POST

Jets report card: Wow, that defense (Brian Costello) New York Post September 22, 2015

http://nypost.com/2015/09/22/jets-report-card-defense-earned-all-the-superaltives/

Offense

The offense moved the ball (344 total yards), but reached the end zone just twice. The offense exploited a banged-up Colts secondary. Brandon Marshall (seven catches, 101 yards, one TD) and Eric Decker (eight catches, 97 yards, 1 TD) gave the Colts fits. Chris Ivory (14 rushes, 57 yards) took a while to get going, but had some big runs in the second half. QB Ryan Fitzpatrick (22 of 34, 244 yards, two TDs, one INT) made a few bad throws, but played well overall.

Grade: B

Defense

This was a dominating performance by Todd Bowles’ defense. They were all over Andrew Luck with blitzes and played smothering coverage. The defense had five takeaways. CB Darrelle Revis was the star with an interception and two fumble recoveries. The Jets did not sack Luck, but were in his face all night. Muhammad Wilkerson, Demario Davis and Buster Skrine all got to him and forced him to rush throws.

Grade: A

Special teams

Nick Folk had a rare miss before halftime from 48 yards. Punter Ryan Quigley had a nice game, pinning the Colts deep with three punts inside the 20. Punt returner Jeremy Kerley made a puzzling decision on a fair catch at his own 8-yard line.

Grade: B-

Coaching

Bowles hit all the right notes in this one. He dialed up the blitzes to drive Luck crazy and had his team ready to play on the Monday night stage. Chan Gailey went conservative at times, trying to run when he could have exploited the banged-up Colts secondary, but he did go to Decker when they had a mismatch. Bowles and his staff had the Jets ready to play against a favored opponent. They showed no fear of Luck and the Colts and look like they are for real.

Grade: A

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‘Best in the game’ Revis shows Jets he’s worth every penny (Zach Braziller) New York Post September 22, 2015

http://nypost.com/2015/09/22/best-in-the-game-revis-shows-jets-hes-worth-every-penny/

INDIANAPOLIS — Woody Johnson was standing outside the Jets locker room, greeting every player with a handshake. When Darrelle Revis walked by, the two former adversaries shared a hug.

The reunion, so far, is worth celebrating. Revis got his big contract and the Jets got their money player back.

It felt like old times for the Jets, lifted by their superstar cornerback to a big victory Monday night on the road.

Revis produced three takeaways — two fumbles and his first interception of the season — in the Jets’ eye-opening 20-7 win over the Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium, spearheading a dominant defensive performance that has Gang Green 2-0 for the first time since 2011.

“It was really fun,” he said, flashing a smile. “It’s Monday Night Football. It doesn’t get better than this.

“There’s no better place to be than 2-0. This is where we want to be.”

In two weeks, Revis now has come up with four turnovers. The Jets, as a whole, had 13 all of last season. The three takeaways on Monday by Revis were all important, none bigger than his second fumble recovery.

After a dominant first half, the Jets held a 10-0 lead, but the Colts marched right down the field, going 89 yards in 18 plays to open the third quarter. On third-and-goal from the 1, Frank Gore had the edge, but he bobbled the ball, and Revis hit him before he could gather it again. Revis also secured the ball, returning the momentum to the Jets.

“You never know how the ball is going to bounce, how you’re going to create turnovers,” he said. “You got to do your job.”

This wasn’t just classic shutdown Revis — it was also opportunistic Revis. He spent time on all the Colts receivers, and though Andrew Luck thew for 250 yards, Donte Moncrief had 122 of those, few of them against Revis. He held T.Y. Hilton to four catches for 45 yards.

“He’s the best in the game at the corner position and he shows it every week,” Jets linebacker Calvin Pace. “It was sad to see him go for those couple years, but, man, that’s why we brought him back.”

Revis spent most of his postgame press briefing with reporters praising his teammates, talking up the talent on both sides of the ball, the help he has in the secondary with fellow cornerbacks Antonio Cromartie and Buster Skrine, the pass rush the Jets employ.

But everyone else on his side of the ball was focusing on him in the giddy Jets locker room. For all the offseason defensive changes the Jets made, from Cromartie to Skrine to safety Marcus Gilchrist, bringing back Revis has had the most profound effect.

“It changes a lot,” linebacker David Harris said. “He’s that guy. He’s Revis Island for a reason. He’s been doing it for a long time.

“Put him on the opposition’s best receiver and he’s always up to the challenge.”

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Jets’ Fitzpatrick can thank the O-line for his clean jersey (Zach Braziller)

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New York Post September 22, 2015

http://nypost.com/2015/09/22/jets-fitzpatrick-can-thank-the-o-line-for-his-clean-jersey/

Hero

Darrelle Revis recovered a pair of Colts fumbles and picked off his first pass of the year. The second recovery helped the Jets stay in control as he done on a Frank Gore fumble at the 1-yard-line to ruin a long Colts drive to start the second half.

Zero

Andrew Luck, one of the game’s best young quarterbacks, looked like a journeyman swallowed up by the spotlight of Monday Night Football. Luck was picked off three times and completed just 21 of 37 passes for 250 yards against the vastly improved Jets’ secondary. Luck was sacked just once, but he was hurried and hit frequently, leading to errant throws and interceptions.

Unsung Heroes

Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick wasn’t sacked, hardly touched all evening and given plent

y of time to throw by the Jets’ offensive line. While the Jets did struggle to run the ball early — they had just 21 yards on the ground in the first half — they finished with 101 yards and 3.9 yards per rush.

Key Stat

5: Turnovers forced for the second straight week by the Jets, who are already only three shy of their grand total of last season. They may surpass that number next week against the reeling Eagles and quarterback Sam Bradford.

Quote of the night

“He’s the best in the game at the corner position and he shows it every week.”

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Brandon Marshall may be unlocking the star in Eric Decker (Zach Braziller) New York Post September 22, 2015

http://nypost.com/2015/09/22/brandon-marshall-may-be-unlocking-the-star-in-eric-decker/

INDIANAPOLIS — Nobody was happier than Eric Decker when the Jets acquired Brandon Marshall.

Sure, the Jets wide receiver knew his time as the team’s No. 1 receiver was coming to an end, but he also figured playing alongside Marshall would benefit him.

Monday night was a perfect example.

Before leaving in the fourth quarter with what he expects to be a minor left knee injury, Decker enjoyed one of his better performances as a Jet, hauling in eight catches for 97 yards and a touchdown in Gang Green’s impressive 20-7 win over the Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium.

“That’s what you want,” Marshall said of the Jets’ dynamic receiving tandem. “You can go back to his days [in Denver] when it was Demaryius [Thomas] and himself. One week it was Demaryius, other week it was him.”

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With the Colts worried about Marshall and stopping Chris Ivory and the Jets running game, Decker had a field day in the first half.

Decker created havoc for the defense, beating the Colts over the middle and with precise routes, abusing their backups as Vontae Davis typically was matched up with Marshall. Decker was wide open for a 6-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter over the middle, smoking Davis on a slant pattern and faced very little resistance on several of his other catches.

That wasn’t possible last year, when Decker drew constant double-teams, forced into being The Guy. This performance was more reminiscent of how well Decker fared in Denver playing next to Thomas, taking advantage of man-to-man coverage.

Decker was taken to the locker room midway through the fourth quarter after a long incomplete pass and will have an MRI exam Tuesday. But he doesn’t expect to be out long, and believes it is a posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) injury.

“I don’t think it’s surgical, so I don’t think it’s too serious,” he said.

Decker did caution he won’t make the same mistake as he did last year, when he rushed back following a hamstring injury.

“I’m going to be smart about it this time around,” he said.

The Jets may have to wait a bit to get their two receivers over 100 yards in the same game. They came close on Monday.

“‘Deck’ couldn’t get an extra 3 yards to go over 100?” Marshall asked jokingly. “Got to get on him about that.”

Marshall took over in the fourth quarter, the new Jet hauling in a 15-yard touchdown pass with 6:20 left for a 17-7 lead. Marshall made four of his seven catches after halftime, and finished with 101 yards receiving.

The 28-year-old Decker inked a five-year, $36.25 million deal with the Jets in March 2014. His first season was rocky, a 4-12 campaign that saw him make 74 catches for 962 yards and five touchdowns. He may not catch the same number of passes or amass nearly as many yards, but the Jets already have won half as many games as last year — the most important stat of all.

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Antonio Cromartie: From carted-off agony to Week 2 stud (Brian Costello) New York Post September 22, 2015

http://nypost.com/2015/09/22/antonio-cromartie-from-carted-off-agony-to-week-2-stud/

INDIANAPOLIS — Jets cornerback Antonio Cromartie said he was not sure he could play Monday night until just before kickoff.

Cromartie went through a vigorous warm-up with doctors and trainers watching and pronounced himself ready to play, one week after suffering a knee sprain.

“I had a feeling that I could, but I just wanted to be safe rather than go out there and say I’m going to play during the week,” Cromartie said. “The biggest thing for me was to go out and see how I felt and go from that standpoint. I felt good. I felt like I could come out of my breaks and everything.”

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A week ago, this would have been unthinkable. Cromartie slammed the turf at MetLife Stadium and had to be carted to the locker room. But there was no ligament damage to the left knee, just a sprain.

Cromartie returned to practice Saturday and then convinced coach Todd Bowles he was ready to play.

“If I didn’t feel like I could go, tell him,” Cromartie said of Bowles’ message. “That’s something I discussed with him. I told him I felt I could go. I felt I was 100 percent. It didn’t bother me throughout the game. I just got fatigued.”

Cromartie gave up a touchdown to Donte Moncrief in the fourth quarter, but other than that played well. He is a key piece in the formidable Jets’ secondary.

When Eric Decker scored a 6-yard touchdown in the first quarter, it was the first time since December 2013 that Colts cornerback Vontae Davis gave up a touchdown. The play was a nice design by offensive coordinator Chan Gailey. Decker went in motion and ran a rub route with tight end Jeff Cumberland. Brandon Marshall was double-teamed on the other side, opening Decker up.

The Colts were 0-for-6 on third-down conversions in the first half, but made 5-of-6 on the opening drive of the second half. They finished 6-of-14. … Rookie WR Devin Smith was inactive. He is still nursing broken ribs. … Calvin Pryor ’s interception was the first of his career.

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Jets’ Fitzpatrick exceeding all expectations — except his own (Mike Vaccaro) New York Post September 22, 2015

http://nypost.com/2015/09/22/jets-fitzpatrick-exceeding-all-expectations-except-his-own/

INDIANAPOLIS — He may be the Accidental Quarterback.

He’s also about as good a quarterback as the Jets could possibly have asked for through two games of a season that is so far satisfactory beyond the Jets’ wildest imagination.

Better? Ryan Fitzpatrick knows something else.

“I have to be better than this,” the Accidental Quarterback said. “And I know I will be.”

Fitzpatrick was awfully good anyway Monday night, during the Jets’ 20-7 win over the Colts. The quarterbacking matchup between Fitzpatrick — starting only because of Geno Smith’s broken jaw — and Andrew Luck, one of the league’s fair-haired boys, looked to be a mismatch on paper.

And, actually, it was. While Luck was slogging through a three-interception, one-fumble nightmare of a night (replete with a woeful QB rating of 52.8) Fitzpatrick was terrific, 22 for 34, 244 yards, two touchdowns and one pick.

“We kept grinding on offense,” Jets coach Todd Bowles said, “and eventually, we broke through.”

Still, Fitzpatrick was visibly unimpressed by what he’d done, believing he should have done more with the five turnovers his defense gave him, believing he should have done more to keep those defenders rested and fresh on the sidelines by extending drives and scoring more points.

“We have to go back and look at staying on the field more,” said Fitzpatrick, who compiled a fine QB rating of 93.3. “I have to be better on third downs (the Jets were only 4-of-12 there) and making it tougher on the other defense.”

Still, in a telling sign of the confidence Fitzpatrick possesses, he led the Jets on an 80-yard drive immediately after the Colts had closed the gap to 10-7. On that drive, he was 4-for-6 for 56 yards, including

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a beautiful 27-yard toss to Quincy Enunwa (Enunwa’s first NFL catch) and the clincher, 15 yards to Brandon Marshall for the score.

“That’s a big drive for us,” Fitzpatrick said. “Our offense had stalled too much and was caught in a rut not making a whole lot of plays. It was a gut-check time for us, we had to go out and do something.”

And they did just that.

“I think offensively we didn’t play as well as we wanted — that may be an understatement,” Fitzpatrick said. “The important thing was how we responded and closed out the game. It’s an important growth area for us.”

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One grueling, hard-nosed image represents how Jets dominated (Mike Vaccaro) New York Post September 22, 2015

http://nypost.com/2015/09/22/one-grueling-hard-nosed-image-represents-how-jets-dominated/

INDIANAPOLIS — There were so many snapshots to take away from the night, so many moments when the Jets inflicted their will on the Colts, hit them in the mouth, chased the golden-boy quarterback, Andrew Luck, all over the floor of Lucas Oil Stadium.

But this is the one that will carry the day:

The football in Brandon Marshall’s hands, a flag having already been thrown because the Colts couldn’t cover him all night without tripping, grabbing, clutching and pulling at him. Three defenders surround him. Already, Marshall had made the play the Jets so badly needed. Already, they were going to be set up, first-and-goal.

But Marshall wanted more. He wouldn’t fall. He kept grinding his legs, started carrying the trio of Colts with him, somehow keeping his cleats on the proper side of the sideline even as the last line of defense was to shove him sideways.

“He plays big-boy football,” Todd Bowles, the Jets’ coach, would say.

Yes. Let that stand as the signature of this 20-7 Jets victory over the Colts. Let that stand as the valedictory for a night when the Jets had five takeaways (to go along with the five they got last week against Cleveland) when old friend Darrelle Revis had a pick and two fumble recoveries, when the offensive line didn’t allow the Colts to lay a finger on Ryan Fitzpatrick, when Fitzpatrick played efficiently and effectively.

Let that stand as the way the Jets want us to think of them as a team.

That they all play big-boy football.

“The name of the game is turnovers and keeping the score down,” Bowles said. “They were going to make some plays, we were going to make ours. We just made more than they did tonight.”

Yes: The league’s history books are littered with teams that looked like a combination of the ’72 Dolphins and the ’86 Bears after two weeks, and like the ’14 Columbia Lions by December. If you are a Jets fan, you can quote chapter and verse from seasons that started on a rocket-booster highs and descended into the abyss. It’s good to keep perspective.

But it’s also fine to be excited with what you’ve seen from these Jets after 120 minutes of season. It’s good to watch Marshall laugh off double-teams and make plays, to see Fitzpatrick coolly deliver him the

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ball. And it’s better to watch the way this defense ball-hawks opponents. It took the Jets 17 weeks last year to collect a paltry 13 turnovers. They’re at 10 already. It’s OK to say it. They’re legit.

“When you see what the defense does,” Fitzpatrick said, “it makes you want to go out there and match them.”

That didn’t quite happen, which is one reason why it was 10-7 and not 24-7 when Luck found Donte Moncrief for a 26-yard scoring pass with 10:07 left in the fourth quarter. That sparked the stadium, ignited the first real energy burst of the night for the home team, and you could almost see Fitzpatrick cursing himself for not cashing in earlier opportunities.

Almost.

Because instead of dwelling on what he hadn’t done, he gathered the players in the offensive huddle at the start of the next drive and focused on what they were about to do.

“Confidence,” he would say, describing the mood in that meeting. “Knowing what we needed to do. And knowing we could do it.”

They did it, starting with an immediate 12-yard slant to Marshall, ending with the 15-yarder to Marshall that ended with him piggybacking a hoard of Hoosiers to pay dirt. That did it. That kicked the Colts in the shins and kicked the plug out of the wall. The locals walked — actually, they ran — to the exits. Nothing more to see here.

Unless you happen to root for the Jets, of course, in which case you can’t wait to see more, can’t wait for Sunday when the Eagles come to East Rutherford, can’t wait to see Sam Bradford try to figure out Bowles’ sprawling, crawling defense. Can’t wait to see what else lies ahead for a team that has to be labeled one of the great surprises of the league so far.

Best of all? Listen to Bowles.

“It’s a good win, but it’s only win No. 2. We’re nowhere we want to be,” he said, “but the trick is to win while you’re getting there.”

Funny. Apparently it’s not a law that you must instantly guarantee the world after a terrific win. It’s OK to stay humble while you’re getting there. Imagine that.

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Jets’ Trevor Reilly isn’t your typical linebacker prospect (Brian Costello) New York Post September 21, 2015

http://nypost.com/2015/09/21/jets-trevor-reilly-isnt-your-typical-linebacker-prospect/

Trevor Reilly told his family to hold off on the celebration when he survived cutdown day two weeks ago to make the Jets’ 53-man roster. He waited through that Saturday, that Sunday and even Monday and Tuesday before allowing himself to acknowledge he had made it.

Even then, though, he recognized it was not a guarantee he would be on the team all season.

“I said, ‘Well, I think I’ll be here this week,’ ” said Reilly, the second-year outside linebacker. “That’s the [crappy] thing about the NFL. The players’ union hasn’t bargained a good deal. If you make the team, you really only made it for one week. They could let you go next week.”

Reilly was a seventh-round draft pick out of Utah in 2014, a player with bad knees and age for a rookie after spending time on a Mormon mission. He was selected with the final of 12 Jets picks in 2014, and he

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has fared better than most of them. Reilly impressed Todd Bowles and the new coaching staff enough that he has earned a significant role for the Jets.

For Monday night’s game against the Colts, Reilly is the only backup outside linebacker on the active roster behind Calvin Pace and Quinton Coples. Third-round pick Lorenzo Mauldin suffered a concussion against the Browns and could be out for a while.

Bowles has seen dramatic growth from Reilly, who primarily played special teams last year.

“I think he plays a lot smarter,” Bowles said. “Before, he was just like a train wreck. He was just running into people. He has a great awareness. Now he’s got a lot better awareness. He’s working on his feet, he’s working on his hands. He’s working on becoming a complete linebacker. I think he’s making good strides.”

Against Cleveland, Reilly had a career milestone when he sacked Johnny Manziel — the first sack of his career — and forced him to fumble. It was quickly pointed out by Jets fans that Reilly now has one more sack than former first-round pick Vernon Gholston had in his entire career.

“It was big for me as far as personal goals go,” Reilly said. “You always want to produce when you’re out on the field. That was a big play for me, a big play for the team. I’m happy the coaches put me in a situation to make the play.”

Reilly is not your typical second-year player. He is 27 years old and has three kids. For Reilly, getting cut is not an option.

“I’m happy that I’m here,” he said. “I’m happy they think I’m good enough to be here. It truly is a blessing for me. I’m in a different situation than a lot of guys two years into the league, a seventh-round draft pick. I’ve got to make the team or else I’ve got to go back to work somewhere. I’m not going home to stay with my parents in the basement waiting for a team to call. I’ve got to do something.”

Reilly credits outside linebackers coach Mark Collins with refining his technique.

“I think Mark has done a great job of teaching me the techniques and the defense,” Reilly said. “A lot of it has to do with the scheme we run and the last thing is playing time. They’re giving me more time and I think I’ve progressed a lot since OTAs.”

Like Bowles said, Reilly can be a runaway train on the field. He said that just comes from trying to make plays.

“I’ve been a guy that usually likes to play with one gear,” Reilly said. “When I’m on the field, I want to make every play. I want to do my job. When a tackle needs to be made, I want to be the guy who makes the tackle. I want to contribute to the team. Whatever that takes, I’m willing to do.”

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NJ ADVANCE MEDIA

As struggling Eagles await, Jets think 'it'll be hard for any quarterback' to thrive against them (Darryl Slater) NJ Advance Media September 22, 2015

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/09/as_struggling_eagles_await_jets_think_itll_be_hard.html#incart_river

INDIANAPOLIS — The 2-0 Jets — yes, you read that right — and their suffocating defense get the 0-2 Eagles (and their sputtering offense) this week at MetLife Stadium.

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After forcing Colts quarterback Andrew Luck to turn the ball over four times in Monday night's 20-7 win, the Jets' defenders are confident they can handle any quarterback they'll have to face.

The Patriots' Tom Brady awaits, down the road, standing in the way as the Jets pursue an AFC East title. But this week, the Jets get the struggling Sam Bradford — and maybe their old pal Mark Sanchez, depending on how things unfold Sunday.

If the Jets' blitzes and coverage were able to limit Luck on Monday, what will they do to Bradford on Sunday?

"It'll be hard for any quarterback," nose tackle Damon Harrison said of having to face the Jets' secondary. "I just don't see too many having a level of success against those guys. I say they're mean. That's a mean group we've got back there [in the secondary]. It'll be hard for any quarterback."

Between cornerbacks Antonio Cromartie and Darrelle Revis, "you've got to pick your poison," Harrison said. "It'll be tough for any quarterback. Not just Luck."

Last season, the Jets' depleted secondary had to face a gauntlet of quarterbacks from Week 2 through Week 7 — Aaron Rodgers, Jay Cutler, Matthew Stafford, Philip Rivers, Peyton Manning, and Tom Brady. The Jets went 0-6 in that stretch.

This season, the Jets' secondary is much better. And it won't have to face another brutal stretch of talented quarterbacks. Luck is out of the way, and Brady is still to come, twice. The only other proven quarterbacks whom the Jets are scheduled to face: Tony Romo, Ryan Tannehill (twice), and Eli Manning.

Other than that, the Jets are looking at playing Bradford, Kirk Cousins, Blake Bortles, Derek Carr, Tyrod Taylor (twice), Ryan Mallett, and Marcus Mariota.

How might inexperienced quarterbacks — and everybody in that aforementioned group is inexperienced, except Bradford — handle the blitzes that appeared to rattle Luck on Monday night? (The Jets also rattled a green quarterback in Week 1, the Browns' Johnny Manziel.)

"To get pressure in [a quarterback's] face and to get him off his spot, that rattles the best of them," Harrison said. "We were able to do that [against Luck]. The rush and the coverage worked well together. Once you get a couple hits on a quarterback, they have to now honor the rush. You have to watch the rush."

Said right guard Willie Colon: "I think the defense played absolutely out of their skulls. That's the sign of a great defense. They kept us in the game."

Rush outside linebacker Quinton Coples said he "wasn't surprised" by the Jets' success against Luck, because "we've got a great defense. We can be as great as we want to be. The sky is the limit."

The Jets' defense was solid over the past two seasons. But one major thing held the unit back.

In 2013, the Jets ranked second-to-last in the NFL with 15 takeaways. In 2014, the Jets ranked last, with 13. So far in 2015, through two games, the Jets have 10 takeaways (five in each game), including nine by the defense. Never before in their history had the Jets gained 10 turnovers in the opening two games.

They're adding up so fast, even Harrison can barely keep track.

"How many do we have now?" he asked Monday night in the locker room.

Ten, he was told by reporters.

"Wow," he said, well aware that gaining turnovers is what separates a great defense from a good defense. "Just keep 'em coming, man. You know what they say: When they come, they come in bunches. When

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you can't get turnovers in this league, no matter how good you are, if you can't put your offense in a better position, it's going to be tough to win."

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Jets report card, as they look like a team transformed in win over Indianapolis Colts (Darryl Slater) NJ Advanced Media September 22, 2015

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/01/in_another_arranged_marriage_of_sorts_can_jets_mak.html

INDIANAPOLIS — The Jets on Monday night got the NFL's national stage — and showed the rest of the league that they're legit.

At 2-0, after a 20-7 win over the Colts, you can certainly say that much about the Jets and their imposing defense.

It remains to be seen whether this means the Jets break their four-year drought of playoff appearances in Year 1 under coach Todd Bowles.

But for at least one night, the Jets looked every bit the equal to a Colts team expected to contend for a spot in the Super Bowl. And they made one of the sport's elite quarterbacks, Andrew Luck, wilt under their consistent pressure.

For at least one night, the memories of last season's 4-12 debacle seemed so distant.

So let's hand out some Monday night grades, shall we?

Offense: Ryan Fitzpatrick completed 22 of 34 passes for 244 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception that he foolishly forced to Brandon Marshall, despite double coverage. Fitzpatrick forced a few other balls. He wasn't particularly great Monday. But when the Jets' offense and Fitzpatrick had to answer, they did — with an 80-yard touchdown drive that extended the Jets' lead to 17-7 immediately after the Colts cut it to 10-7 with a touchdown in the fourth quarter. Fitzpatrick made a well-timed, 27-yard pass to Quincy Enunwa on this drive, to get the Jets into Colts territory. It was a clutch throw when the Jets needed one. Fitzpatrick's offensive line consistently gave him time to throw. The Jets had issues running the ball at times. Chris Ivory ran 14 times for 57 yards, Bilal Powell 12 times for 38 yards. But on that 80-yard touchdown drive, Ivory had a 16-yard run, to the Colts' 18. Another big play, just when the Jets needed one. And, of course, the Jets turned to Marshall for the clincher. His 15-yard touchdown catch/bullish run with 6:20 left essentially put the game away. He's been a fantastic addition so far. Yes, the Jets left some points on the field. In the second quarter, they had first-and-10 at the Colts' 19, and eventually settled for a field goal. On their next drive, they took over at the Colts' 44 with 1:03 left in the first half, after a fumble. That drive ended with a missed 48-yard field goal. The Jets absolutely should've gone into halftime up more than 10-0. Yes, the Jets' offense could have done more. But it did enough when it had to.

Grade: B

Defense: What a showcase for Bowles' defense. The Jets forced Luck into three interceptions, tying his career high. He also lost a fumble. The Jets have now gained 10 turnovers through two games, including nine by the defense. (Marshall had the other one, a fumble recovery.) Once again on Monday, just like in Week 1 against the Browns, the Jets gained five turnovers. Everybody on the defense had a hand in the action. Buster Skrine's back-side blitz from the slot led to a Calvin Pryor pick. Muhammad Wilkerson's tipped ball at the line led to a Darrelle Revis pick. Marcus Gilchrist made an excellent play on his pick, as he kept his feet inbounds while securing the ball. David Harris popped the ball away from Luck on the

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quarterback's fumble. And Revis scooped up the ball when Frank Gore coughed it up at the goal line. The Jets knew from film study that Luck likes to step up or shift around in the pocket, when pressure comes, so he can keep his eyes downfield and make a throw. He uses his mobility to throw, rather than to scramble. So it was imperative for the Jets to close the pocket from the sides, and pen Luck in, said outside linebacker Trevor Reilly. The Jets consistently encircled Luck with their blitzes, while Revis and Co. covered expertly, for the most part, down the field. A complete performance.

Grade: A+

Special teams: Nick Folk put the Jets up 20-7 with 57 seconds remaining by hitting a 46-yard field goal goal. The game was already really over at that point. Folk also hit from 35 in the second quarter. But he missed from 48 to end the first half. In the Jets' return/coverage areas, there were no major game-changing plays, on the positive or negative side.

Grade: B-

Coaching: Bowles and defensive coordinator Kacy Rodgers did an admirable job of drawing up blitzes that got penetration against Luck. Rodgers has raved about Bowles' ability to adjust during games. And based on what outside linebacker Calvin Pace said after the game, Bowles did tweak his approach early on, based on what the Colts showed. Offensive coordinator Chan Gailey could've been more aggressive in the second quarter. The Jets had that first-and-10 at the Colts' 19, against a depleted Colts secondary, immediately after elite cornerback Vontae Davis left with a concussion. But Gailey ran on first down, and then again on second-and-9, before Fitzpatrick finally threw a short (incomplete) pass to Powell on third-and-8. Curious. Why not take a shot or two at the end zone against the undermanned Colts secondary? That drive ended with a field goal, and a 10-0 lead for the Jets. It probably should've ended with them up 14-0.

Grade: A-

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Jets' Eric Decker on knee injury: 'I don't think it's too serious' (Dom Cosentino) NJ Advance Media September 22, 2015

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/09/jets_eric_decker_on_knee_injury_i_dont_think_its_t.html#incart_river

INDIANAPOLIS — If there was a major negative from the Jets' 20-7 victory against the Colts on Monday night—and there weren't many of them—it was the loss of wide receiver Eric Decker, who left the game in the fourth quarter with a knee injury.

Decker, however, was able to walk to the locker room without assistance, and after the game he walked around the locker room without any noticeable limp. He said the doctors think it might be a PCL injury of some sort, but the exact diagnosis won't be known until he has an MRI on Tuesday.

"I don't think it's surgical, so, I don't think it's too serious," Decker said.

Decker said he was injured early in the fourth quarter when he nearly caught a deep pass downfield that was broken up by Colts cornerback Jalil Brown. Decker appeared to land directly on the knee, but Brown also fell on top of him.

"I just kind of landed goofy on it," Decker said. "He landed on top of me, so I guess I just kind of hit my knee, and then he obviously the pressure as well from him landing on me."

Decker said he didn't feel anything on the sideline, but that the knee "kind of hurt" when he tried to run.

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"I pulled myself out," he said.

Decker had been having a terrific game. Playing out of the slot against a Colts defense that came in with three injured cornerbacks, Decker was able to exploit mismatches in the Colts' coverages, especially when he was frequently matched up against a linebacker.

"They were playing base defense right away and we ran a lot of three wide-receiver sets, and they didn't have a nickel [corner]," Decker said. "In the first quarter, they didn't bring a nickel player for I don't know how long. The second half they started to match up more."

Decker caught eight passes for 97 yards and a touchdown. All of that production came in the first half. He was targeted just once after halftime.

As for the injury, Decker said he was going to "be smart about it" and not rush back. He had a hamstring injury last year that he tried to play through for a while; the effect was that the injury lingered.

"All of the tests they did, the knee held up fine," Decker said. "[The doctors] were just a little [wary] of certain tests, and why I guess the MRI will show them more of an answer."

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Look out, NFL: This Jets defense is for real (Steve Politi) NJ Advance Media September 22, 2015

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/09/jets_colts_column_politi.html#incart_river

INDIANAPOLIS — This is how it had to look in Mike Maccagnan's best coffee-fueled daydreams this spring.

This is how he had to imagine the Jets would play in his best-case scenario when the new general manager settled into his Florham Park office, opened up Woody Johnson's checkbook, and got to work.

Darrelle Revis, the great cornerback he brought back to the team with a massive free-agent deal, creating turnovers again.

Leonard Williams, the stud defensive end he scooped up when he slipped to the fifth overall pick, chasing a Pro Bowl quarterback all over the field with his fellow defensive linemen.

Brandon Marshall, the elite wide receiver he stole from Chicago for a fifth-round pick, bullying his way into the end zone for a fourth-quarter touchdown that let everyone breath again.

And maybe most of all: Todd Bowles, the first-time head coach with the bright defensive mind, drawing up blitz after blitz against one of the league's best offenses from a season ago with a game plan that'll make everyone forget about ...

Wait. What was the last coach's name again? Big guy? Talked a lot? I'm coming up empty.

The Jets beat the Colts, 20-7, on Monday Night Football, dominating a team many expected to reach the Super Bowl. This is their first 2-0 start since 2011, and yes, they promptly dropped their next three that season.

Nobody should book their flights for San Francisco in February just yet. Still, for a team that went 4-12 a season ago, it would be hard to envision a much better start than this — especially on defense. And remember, the Jets roughed up Andrew Luck and Co. without defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson, who is serving his four-game suspension.

This defense, which has now forced 10 turnovers in two games, could actually get better. So could this team, which has to be among the biggest surprises in the league so far.

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The was the first national television moment for Bowles as an NFL head coach, and from the beginning, it was clear that his Jets defense was going to make an impression.

Shutting down Johnny Manziel and the Clevleand Browns in the opener was one thing. Luck was one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL against the blitz last season. He threw for 18 touchdowns and just three interceptions when opposing defenses tried to get him rattled.

It was a different story on Monday night. In the first quarter, the Jets sent cornerback Buster Skrine barreling at Luck from his blindside. Luck threw a high pass that deflected off Andre Johnson's hands and directly to safety Calvin Pryor, who returned to the Colts 9-yard line.

This is the type of scoring drive that Bowles has to love: four plays, nine yards, 1:44 off the clock, culminating with a six-yard pass from Ryan Fitzgerald to a wide-open Eric Decker.

It quickly became clear that, a few big plays from Fitzgerald aside, that this defense was going to need every tackle, every sack, every lucky break (Adam Vinatieri missing a field goal from inside 30 yards for the first time since 2007 counts, and veteran running back Frank Gore dropping the football a foot from the goal line certainly does).

The Jets offense is, to be kind, still a work in progress. The defense looks like something else entirely. When Luck tried to scramble for a first down to extend a drive late in the first half, it was linebacker David Harris who ripped the football out of his hands. Revis scooped it up, giving him a career-high three fumble recoveries after just two games.

Luck completed just five of 14 passes before intermission for a 55 yards with those two turnovers, a 17.6 passer rating. He would cause Jets fans some agita before it was over, zipping down the field for a 91-yard scoring drive that cut the visitors' lead to 10-7.

Then, finally, Fitzpatrick and the offense woke up, with the quarterback connecting with Marshall for a 15-yard pass. Marshall bullied his way into the end zone, taking a couple of overmatched Colts defensive backs with him, and the Jets had a 10-point lead again.

The 20-7 score is just four points off the score from another Jets victory, in another era of pro football history, and no, nobody is rushing to put this team back in the Super Bowl for the first time since 1969.

But what the Jets did in Week 2 is certainly promising, as good a start as they could have imagined. As Lucas Oil Stadium cleared out in the final minutes, you wondered if the GM who rebuilt this team thought he was living in one of those offseason daydreams.

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Jets 20, Indianapolis Colts 7: The good, the bad, the ugly, as Todd Bowles boosts turnover total (Darryl Slater) NJ Advanced Media September 22, 2015

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/09/jets_indianapolis_colts_good_bad_ugly.html#incart_river

INDIANAPOLIS — The Jets came here Monday night and stunned the Colts, 20-7, boosting new coach Todd Bowles to 2-0 in his head coaching career.

Bowles is the fourth Jets coach to start 2-0 in his first season, joining Pete Carroll in 1994, Al Groh in 2000, and Rex Ryan in 2009.

Of those three, only Ryan made the playoffs. Can the Jets get back there this season, after this auspicious start?

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There's a long way to go, but Bowles has to like what he is seeing so far.

The good: The Jets' defense was able to impact Colts quarterback Andrew Luck with blitzes in the first half, after which the Jets led 10-0. Luck completed 5 of 14 passes for 52 yards and one interception in the half. He also lost a fumble. Cornerback Buster Skrine's back-side blitz from the slot in the first quarter forced an errant Luck throw that Calvin Pryor picked off. The turnover led to a 9-yard scoring "drive" for the Jets. The Colts in the first half went 0 for 6 on third down and gained just 107 yards. Luck almost threw another pick on a third-down blitz later in the first quarter. Weak-side linebacker Demario Davis had the pressure on that one. Todd Bowles' defense made a great quarterback look very average in the first half. Plus, cornerback Darrelle Revis held the Colts' best receiver, T.Y. Hilton, to zero first-half catches, on two targets. That helped just a little bit. The Jets' trend of pressuring Luck into mistakes continued in the third quarter, when Muhammad Wilkerson's deflection of a deep ball, at the line, led to a fluttering pass that Revis intercepted down the field.

The bad: The Jets don't need Ryan Fitzpatrick to be a superstar quarterback. But they also can't have him forcing plays. He did that in the first half, with the Jets up 7-0. He absolutely didn't need to push the issue in this spot. The Jets had first-and-10 at the Colts' 35 with 8:30 left in the second quarter. Fitzpatrick then launched a deep ball to Brandon Marshall, near the front corner of the end zone. One problem: Marshall was covered closely by Vontae Davis, who tipped the ball. Mike Adams intercepted it. Marshall never had a chance to make the catch. Just not a smart decision by Fitzpatrick, who locked in on Marshall from the get-go. The Jets had a legit chance to get points out of that possession, too. But credit Fitzpatrick for making a pretty, 27-yard pass to Quincy Enunwa — Fitzpatrick led Enunwa nicely, and had time to throw — in a big spot during the fourth quarter. That pass sustained an 80-yard drive that ended with a Marshall 15-yard touchdown catch/bullish run — and a 17-7 lead for the Jets with 6:20 remaining.

The ugly: There was nothing particularly ugly about the way the Jets played Monday night. The Colts had a whole lot of ugly in their performance, though. They turned the ball over five times — including three picks by Luck, who also lost that fumble. The Jets now have gained 10 turnovers in this season's first two games, after gaining an NFL-low 13 all of last season. (Marshall has one of those 10 gained turnovers. So the Jets' defense has just nine.) The Jets have four picks this season, compared to six all of last season, which tied for the NFL's fewest. Their three picks Monday were by Pryor, Revis, and safety Marcus Gilchrist. Cornerback Marcus Williams also had an interception in the Jets' Week 1 win over the Browns. That revamped secondary — Revis and Gilchrist weren't around last year — is paying off so far. Never before had the Jets gained 10 turnovers in a season's first two games. Their previous high-water mark was nine, in 1969.

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Jets' swarming defense pounds Indianapolis Colts, 20-7 | Instant analysis (Dom Cosentino) NJ Advance Media September 22, 2015

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/09/jets_swarming_defense_pounds_indianapolis_colts_20.html#incart_river

INDIANAPOLIS — Good night, Jets fans.

When you wake up Tuesday morning, Your Favorite Football Team will be unbeaten through two games and tied for first place in the AFC East. It also will have just beaten quarterback Andrew Luck and the Colts on the road, 20-7, on "Monday Night Football." It will have pestered and frustrated Luck into throwing three interceptions, and forced five turnovers overall. And the offense, while far from perfect, will have been effective enough when it needed to be.

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This will not have been a dream.

The Jets, under first-year head coach Todd Bowles, are now 2-0 for the first time in four years. This is a glimpse of what just happened at Lucas Oil Field:

• Pressure. Pressure. Pressure. The Jets' defense blitzed a lot, and they did it from everywhere. While they didn't always get to Luck, they did it often enough to be resoundingly effective. Safety Calvin Pryor's first-quarter interception—which later led to a touchdown—happened because cornerback Buster Skrine blitzed Luck off the edge and forced him into making a high throw. But the Jets were also able to get pressure when they rushed four defenders. This is what they can do now that they have a capable secondary.

• Turnovers. Turnovers. Turnovers. The Jets forced five more Monday night, bringing their total in two games to 10, a franchise record through two games. There was Pryor's pick; a Luck fumble forced by linebacker David Harris and defensive end Leger Douzable; a Frank Gore fumble at the goal line (at the end of a 10-minute drive to open the second half); a second Luck interception (this one by cornerback Darrelle Revis) triggered by a hit from inside linebacker Demario Davis and a tip at the line of scrimmage by defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson; and a late pick from safety Marcus Gilchrist, for good measure. The Jets had 13 takeaways all of last year. Man.

• The drive they needed. The Jets had struggled to run the ball all night, and after the Colts cut their lead to 10-7 in the fourth quarter, they needed something to keep Luck and Co. off the field. Answer: A seven-play, 80-yard touchdown drive that took 3:47. It included a 27-yard completion from quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick to wideout Quincy Enunwa, and a 15-yard touchdown pass from Fitzpatrick to Brandon Marshall in which Marshall carried two defenders into the end zone. Yikes.

• Missed opportunities. The Jets took a 10-0 lead into halftime, but they could have been ahead by more. After Vontae Davis (concussion) left the game in the second quarter—the fourth Colts cornerback now lost to injury—the Jets failed to capitalize, both because Fitzpatrick missed some reads and forced some throws, and because the Jets tried to run. In the final two minutes of the first half, they wound up settling for a 35-yard Nick Folk field goal, followed by a Folk missed field goal from 48 yards.

• Couldn't run, but ... The Jets' run blocking was so effective in Week 1, but with the Colts stacking the box and selling out against the run, the Jets had problems opening holes for Chris Ivory (14 carries, 57 yards) and Bilal Powell (12 carries, 38 yards). Things were wide open for wideout Eric Decker, though. Working out of the slot against a depleted Colts secondary, Decker was often mismatched against a linebacker and had eight catches for 97 yards, though all of that came by halftime. Decker later left the game with a knee injury, though he was able to walk to the locker room without assistance.

• Antonio Cromartie's return. Cromartie, a cornerback who suffered what looked like a devastating knee injury just eight days ago, played the entire game. He and Revis had played on the right and left sides, respectively, last week against the Browns, but this time they both moved around to mix their coverage against the Colts' different receivers. Cromartie looked slow in giving up a 42-yard first-quarter reception to Donte Moncrief, and Montcrief beat him again for a fourth-quarter touchdown, but he also looked terrific in breaking up a third-down pass thrown to Andre Johnson.

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Jets vs. Indianapolis Colts inactives: Antonio Cromartie, T.Y. Hilton will play; Devin Smith out (Darryl Slater) NJ Advance Media September 21, 2015

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http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/09/jets_vs_indianapolis_colts_inactive_players_antoni.html#incart_river

INDIANAPOLIS — The Jets and Colts just released their lists of inactive players for Monday night's matchup at Lucas Oil Stadium.

And here's a look at those lists, with some analysis:

JETS

QB Geno Smith (jaw)

OLB Lorenzo Mauldin (concussion)

CB Darrin Walls (hamstring)

OG Jarvis Harrison

OT Ben Ijalana

NT Deon Simon

WR Devin Smith (broken ribs)

Analysis: Cornerback Antonio Cromartie, a 10th-year pro, still hasn't missed a game in his career due to injury. He sprained his knee last week in the opener, but is active for this game. Depending on how Cromartie performs on that knee, his presence could help the Jets as they try to slow down wide receivers T.Y. Hilton and Andre Johnson. Cromartie had been listed as questionable. Ditto for running back Chris Ivory (groin). Jets coach Todd Bowles had said Ivory would be fine for Jets-Colts. Rookie receiver Devin Smith had been expected to make his debut after recovering from broken ribs. He was listed as probable for the second straight week. But he's out once again. Even if he played, he would've had just a limited package of offensive plays. Running back Zac Stacy is active, presumably as a backup plan for Ivory, in case he aggravates his groin. And cornerback Dexter McDougle is active, as a backup plan for Cromartie, along with Buster Skrine and Marcus Williams.

COLTS

CB Darius Butler (hip)

CB Greg Toler (neck)

ILB Nate Irving

DT T.Y. McGill

OT Denzelle Good

OLB Jonathan Newsome

NT Zach Kerr

Analysis: Colts coach Chuck Pagano was optimistic all week about Hilton being able to play, despite bruising his knee in the season-opening loss at the Bills. And Hilton is indeed active. So none of the Jets' starting cornerbacks or Colts' starting receivers are sidelined for this game. It'll be interesting to see how Bowles decides to match up Cromartie/Darrelle Revis with Hilton/Johnson. The absence of Butler and Toler means the Colts are down a top backup and starter, respectively, at corner. But they still have that Vontae Davis guy. Monday marks outside linebacker Robert Mathis' first game back from a torn Achilles tendon that sidelined him for all of last season.

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Antonio Cromartie to play for Jets vs. Indianapolis Colts (Dom Cosentino) NJ Advanced Media September 21, 2015

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/09/antonio_cromartie_to_play_for_jets_vs_indianapolis.html#incart_river

INDIANAPOLIS — It sounds like Antonio Cromartie's Ironman streak will continue.

Cromartie, the Jets cornerback just eight days removed from spraining his left knee—an injury that appeared to be serious until an MRI revealed there was no structural damage—is active for Monday night's game at the Colts.

Cromartie warmed up on the Lucas Oil Stadium field before the game as usual. That would be active was first reported by Kim Jones of NFL Media.

Now, the question is how much Cromartie will play. The Jets' defense figures to get tested by Colts quarterback Andrew Luck, who is expected to have receiver T.Y. Hilton (bruised knee) available.

Cromartie, now in his 10th season, has not missed a game in his NFL career. He told reporters last week he wouldn't play unless he was 100 percent, and that he felt he had hurt the team by playing through a nagging hip injury two years ago.

Head coach Todd Bowles had said Friday Cromartie was "very limited" at practice. Cromartie was then listed as questionable on Saturday's injury report.

In the event Cromartie couldn't go, the Jets were prepared to have Buster Skrine play corner opposite Darrelle Revis in their base defense, and to move Skrine inside to the slot with Marcus Williams on the outside in their sub packages. Williams and Skrine had combined to replace Cromartie in the same way after Cromartie was injured in the second quarter last week against the Browns.

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3 key Jets matchups vs. Indianapolis Colts, including Darrelle Revis vs. Andre Johnson (Dom Cosentino) NJ Advance Media September 21, 2015

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/09/3_key_matchups_for_jets_vs_cleveland_browns.html#incart_river

FLORHAM PARK — Monday night, the Todd Bowles-led Jets get their first major test against a marquee opponent when they visit the Colts in Indianapolis.

"They're a playoff-caliber team," said Bowles, the Jets' first-year head coach.

Here are three matchups to keep an eye on as the game unfolds.

Jets WR Brandon Marshall vs. Browns CB Vontae DavisYou can probably pencil in Marshall vs. Opponent's Top Cornerback every week here. Because of his size and his ability to attack the football, Marshall's presence changes the entire dynamic of the Jets' offense. Last week, Marshall got five of his six catches against the Browns' Joe Haden. This time, he'll likely draw Davis, who "does everything" according to Bowles, who worked with Davis when Bowles was a secondary coach with the Dolphins. "It's going to be a challenge for Brandon," Bowles said.

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Jets CBs Darrelle Revis/Marcus Williams/Buster Skrine vs. Colts WRs Andre Johnson/T.Y. Hilton/Donte Moncrief

If the Jets are going to stop (or at least contain) Colts quarterback Andrew Luck, their cornerbacks are likely going to have to lock down on Johnson, Hilton, and Moncrief, but with what matchups? Revis typically only plays the left side, but the Jets haven't ruled out having him shadow one receiver, depending on the on the opponent. Johnson, 34, signed with the Colts in the offseason after a sterling career with the Texans, and he had four catches (on 10 targets) last week against the Bills. Hilton is battling a bruised knee that kept him out of practice Thursday and Friday. Revis, when he was with the Patriots, guarded Moncrief at times during last year's AFC championship game. Skrine will be the Jets' other corner in their base defense, but he'll slide inside and let Williams man the outside when they go to nickel. Something else to keep in mind: The Bills blitzed Luck plenty (25 of 53 dropbacks, per Pro Football Focus), but when Bowles ran the Cardinals' defense and thumped Luck and the Colts two years ago, they only blitzed on 14 of 42 dropbacks. If the Jets choose to be blitz-heavy, that will obviously mean lots of single coverage for their corners.

Jets WR Eric Decker vs. Colts CB Jalil Brown

Now that cornerbacks Greg Toler and Darius Butler have been ruled out with injuries, the Colts' are thin at that position. Their outside corner other than Davis likely will be Brown, who played in the slot last week against the Bills. The Jets like Decker in the slot—he played 43 snaps there last week against the Browns—but he is now primed for a big game against Brown, a journeyman who's been with the Colts three different times.

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Jets vs. Indianapolis Colts 4 downs interview: Devin Smith on adjusting to NFL (Dom Cosentino) NJ Advance Media September 21, 2015

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/09/jets_vs_indianapolis_colts_4_downs_interview_devin.html#incart_river

FLORHAM PARK — Devin Smith has been back practicing with the Jets for more than a week, and while he said Friday he feels "fine," head coach Todd Bowles has said Smith would be a game-time decision for Monday night's game at the Colts.

Smith, a wide receiver and second-round draft pick, has been nursing broken ribs for about six weeks now. Offensive coordinator Chan Gailey said Friday that Smith would have a lot of catching up to do, and that even if he did play, it would likely be in a limited role.

The Jets drafted Smith to give them a vertical receiving option, something they lacked terribly last year. Smith's time will come soon enough. For now, NJ Advance Media had a chance to transitioning from college to the NFL, plus some other stuff.

You wore No. 84 for most of the offseason, then switched to No. 19 just after training camp ended. Why the change?

"I can't get away from the 9. It's been my number since high school [with the exception of at least one year at Ohio State, when Smith wore No. 15]. I don't know—9 was the perfect number." [Also, the NFL doesn't let wide receivers wear numbers between 1 and 9 during the regular season.]

Going from college to the NFL, what was the biggest thing you had to adjust to?

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"Really just adjusting to the terminology. I'm playing with guys who've been in the league 10-plus years, as opposed to when I was in college, when I was the oldest one, or just a freshman and sophomore. I think really it's just the terminology from college to the pros. The speed of the game is pretty much the same; I think the difference is the knowledge of the game at this level is way higher than it is in college."

In what way? Do you mean that defensive backs can pick up on tendencies such as the way you (for example) drop your shoulder or move your hands when making a certain move?

"Yeah. Me being a receiver and me going up against a [defensive back] every single day, I've got to have certain footwork, or certain moves, or ways to get open because these DBs in these league are very, very smart. They watch tons of film. I think the key thing is when you get to this level—there's talent on every single team. You've got to have knowledge to back it up."

Leonard Williams [the Jets' first-round pick] had said he discovered he was a bit out of shape during the Browns game, mainly because everything he had done at USC was so regimented, whereas here you're more on your own outside of practices and meetings, etc. Has it been the same for you?

For me, it's no different, because when I was in college I ran a lot. Now that I'm here in the pros, I'm running a lot. The running part, to me, is easy, because I've done it so much and that's all I do. It's not really much of a difference for me.

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As Todd Bowles tries to start 2-0, how many first-year Jets coaches have done that? (Dom Consentino) NJ Advance Media September 21, 2015

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/08/ex-jet_bart_scott_wants_to_help_sheldon_richardson.html#incart_river

NEW YORK — Former Jets linebacker Bart Scott hasn't gotten in touch with current lineman Sheldon Richardson yet.

But he'd like to take the star — whose four-game suspension looms — under his wing and help steer Richardson in the right direction after a positive marijuana test and an incident in which he hit 143 miles per hour in car that smelled like the drug.

Scott, who joined his other "NFL Today" broadcasters at a Boomer Esiason Foundation event in midtown Manhattan at the Breitling Boutique on Monday night, told NJ Advance Media he and Richardson share mutual friends and that he'd "love" to find a way to pass on advice to the defensive lineman.

"I would just want talk to him about where he is and understanding big picture," Scott said. "Sometimes when you're young, it's hard to step back and get the full picture and the scope of where you are and what can lie ahead of you, good or bad. It's my job as a veteran to reach back into the fraternity and try and help a fellow brother."

So what, exactly, would he like to say to Richardson to steer him in the right direction? He'd use his former Baltimore Ravens teammate and friend Ray Rice as an example.

"Listen, let's not make a bad decision now that can affect your future," Scott said. "Sometimes when you're super successful early in the NFL, you take it for granted. You think football is a right, but it's a privilege. You're blessed to play it at a high level, but that can be all taken away from you. Look at Ray Rice. He had an outstanding, squeaky-clean record for seven years of his career. Five minutes of making a bad decision has taken all that away."

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NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Jets defense shuts down Andrew Luck and Colts, move to 2-0 with Monday night win (Seth Walder) New York Daily News September 22, 2015

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/jets-defense-shuts-andrew-luck-colts-20-7-win-article-1.2369284

JETS 20, COLTS 7

INDIANAPOLIS — Todd Bowles might be coaching a playoff contender. That, or the Colts are just downright terrible.

Either way the Jets are off to their first 2-0 start since 2011 after defeating the defending AFC South champs in Indianapolis, 20-7.

“I wish I could say I’m surprised but I’m not,” Willie Colon said.

The Jets’ retooled defense was as good as advertised as they made Andrew Luck resemble Geno Smith. Gang Green forced five turnovers, including three Luck interceptions.

The Jets, who entered as a touchdown underdog, have 10 takeaways in their first two games after nabbing just 13 all of last season.

Monday felt like old times, with the high-priced secondary leading the way and Darrelle Revis making huge plays — two fumble recoveries and a pick.

Calvin Pace said it reminded him of 2010, the last time the Jets made the playoffs.

“This is close to that type of feeling,” he said.

The pass rush was strong and a product of Bowles’ blitzing, which kept Luck off balance and forced some poor throws.

“I think everybody knows what we do,” Buster Skrine said. “We blitz and we play cover-one. If you can stop blitz and your receivers can get open man-to-man, then you can execute against our defense, but it’s hard to do.”

“They were flying around,” Bowles said of his defense.

Asked how many wins the Jets could win if they kept playing the way they did on Monday, Pace said, “Hopefully 20.”

Though the Jets outplayed the Colts (0-2) throughout the game, Indianapolis made it interesting in the fourth quarter, cutting its deficit to three. But unlike the Giants, the Jets were able to hold on against the team that played in the AFC Championship Game last season.

Ryan Fitzpatrick and the Jets offense were adequate, though they did squander opportunities to take command of the game at times. Fitzpatrick completed 22 of 34 passes for 244 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.

The Jets took advantage of a squad with a decimated secondary. When Vontae Davis left the game due to a concussion in the second quarter, the Colts were without their top three cornerbacks.

Fitzpatrick exposed Indy’s depleted seconday, connecting with Brandon Marshall seven times for 101 yards and a TD and Eric Decker eight times for 97 yards and another score. Decker later left the game with a knee injury but did not think it was serious.

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Gang Green, which forced five turnovers against the Browns in its opener, wasted little time picking up where it left off in the takeaways department. On Indianapolis’ first drive, a blitz from Skrine prompted Luck to make a poor pass, which bounced off of Andre Johnson’s hand into the arms of Calvin Pryor, who brought the ball back to the Colts’ 9-yard line. Fitzpatrick capitalized, hitting Decker for an easy six-yard TD with Davis in coverage.

With the Jets threatening in the second quarter, Fitzpatrick committed his first costly error of the day when he threw an ill advised pass intended for Marshall down the left sideline near the end zone, with Davis blanketing him. The ball was tipped by Davis and caught by Mike Adams, who kept his toes in bounds for an interception and a touchback.

Inside two minutes, Nick Folk kicked a 35-yard field goal to put the Jets ahead 10-0.

After the Colts drove all the way on what was nearly a 10-minute drive to open the second half, Frank Gore had what looked like a sure touchdown ... until he fumbled all on his own. Revis recovered again, a huge turning point in the game.

On the Colts’ next possession, Revis picked up his third turnover of the game, intercepting Luck. Demario Davis hit Luck as the quarterback released the ball, and Revis was there to gobble up the wobbling duck.

But it was far from over.

Luck responded with a 27-yard pass to T.Y. Hilton with Revis in coverage. Two plays later Phillip Dorsett added a 25-yard reception. And on the next snap, Donte Moncrief beat Antonio Cromartie for a 26-yard TD to close the gap to just three points with about 10 minutes left in the game.

But when the Jets started throwing again against the Colts’ reserves, they were able to put the game away. Fitzpatrick drove the Jets to the 15-yard line, where he connected with Marshall, who muscled his way toward the end zone against two defenders, eventually succeeding with his strength to put the Jets ahead again by two scores.

“That was outstanding,” Bowles said of his offense. “When it was time to come through they just kept pounding and pounding and we broke through.”

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Jets' defense wreaks havoc on Colts QB Andrew Luck (Manish Mehta) New York Daily News September 22, 2015

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/mehta-jets-defense-wreaks-havoc-colts-qb-andrew-luck-article-1.2369305

INDIANAPOLIS — Andrew Luck had the look of a dazed and confused soul wondering what the heck was happening all around him.

The Colts’ bearded Superman couldn’t leap tall buildings in a single bound or do much of anything against a supposedly overmatched bunch of visitors. He had a beaten body and battered mind in the wake of a nasty defensive performance by a team that has all the makings of being the real deal in an already wacky season.

The Jets delivered an unmistakable early-season message to anyone who thought they were a one-week fluke: This ferocious brand of football isn’t disappearing anytime soon.

Todd Bowles’ defense trounced a ticked-off superstar quarterback in a 20-7 upset over the Colts on Monday night.

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“Great quarterbacks have bad games,” Bowles said.

Luck was beyond bad for much of the night thanks to one of the most frightening defenses in the league.

The Jets forced five turnovers and picked off Luck three times in a masterful performance for its speak-softly-but-carry-a-big-stick rookie head coach.

Bowles’ defense created confusion and chaos for the typically unflappable Luck, who committed four turnovers en route to a 52.8 passer rating. The three-time Pro Bowler finished 21-for-37 for 250 yards in his second consecutive forgettable performance of the season.

The Jets got off to a flying start against one of the best in the business one week after forcing five turnovers.

On the Colts’ first possession, Buster Skrine’s blindside corner blitz forced Luck’s errant pass, which was picked off by Calvin Pryor. The Jets capitalized with a touchdown on the ensuing drive to take a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.

“Everybody knows what we do: we blitz and we play Cover-1 ,” Skrine said. “If you can stop the blitz and the receivers can get open man-to-man, you can execute against our defense… but it’s hard to do.”

Luck was lost for the first half thanks to strategic blitzing and solid coverage on the back end. Bowles dialed up a maddening brew that flummoxed Luck, who completed just 5 of 14 passes for 52 yards and two turnovers before intermission. Luck only generated four first downs and 107 total yards in the first half. He had a microscopic 17.6 passer rating before intermission.

“It was calculated,” outside linebacker Calvin Pace said of the pressure packages. “We weren’t just out there blitzing just to be blitzing.”

The Colts’ six first-half possessions included three three-and-outs, two turnovers, one missed 29-yard field goal and about 99 reasons to believe that Luck would be peeved all night.

“I’m pretty sure he was frustrated,” veteran linebacker David Harris said.

Luck appeared to get his act together on the opening drive of the second half before a momentum-crushing gaffe by a member of his supporting cast. Luck led a 19-play march that chewed up nearly the first 10 minutes of the third quarter before Frank Gore fumbled on third and goal from the 1-yard line without being touched.

Bowles’ defense responded with its fourth turnover of the night on Indy’s next drive by bringing more heat on Luck that resulted in an interception by Darrelle Revis.

It was the Jets’ 10th forced turnover (ninth by the defense) in the first seven quarters of the season. Rex Ryan’s defense forced a league-low 13 turnovers in 2014.

“It’s definitely a big number,” Skrine said of the flood of takeaways in two games. “They had 13 last year total. We’re about to crush that.”

Luck, considered a one-man team by many, didn’t get much help from his co-workers for the better part of the night. He engineered a masterful 91-yard scoring drive early in the fourth quarter to get within one score.

Chan Gailey’s offense answered with a game-sealing 80-yard scoring march capped by Brandon Marshall’s 15-yard touchdown catch to give the Jets a 17-7 lead with 6:20 left.

Safety Marcus Gilchrist delivered the dagger by intercepting Luck on the ensuing drive.

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Luck was caught up in the cyclone of a swarming unit that rattled him into submission. In the end, one man couldn’t beat 22.

These Jets are scarier than anyone thought.

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Enough encouraging signs to think Jets offensive coordinator Chan Gailey could snap playoff drought (Manish Mehta) New York Daily News September 21, 2014

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/mehta-gailey-snap-jet-playoff-drought-article-1.2368690

INDIANAPOLIS - Nobody expects the Jets to morph into the Greatest Show on Turf 2.0, but there's plenty of reason to believe that Chan Gailey's offense will be markedly improved from the forgettable units of the recent past.

The first order of business was proving that the 31-point outburst in the season opener wasn't a fluke. After all, there's a fair bit of curiosity surrounding an offense led by a journeyman quarterback.

"We know what our potential is," wide receiver Eric Decker said in the run-up to the Jets' Monday night showdown against the Colts. "We know what we're capable of. You can never really judge anyone off a one-week performance . We hope to be consistent throughout the whole season."

Although the Jets didn't rack up mind-boggling numbers in the three-touchdown rout of the Browns in Week 1, there were enough encouraging signs to think that maybe Gailey has the right pieces to help snap a four-year playoff drought.

Ryan Fitzpatrick made smart decisions (minus one interception that was quickly erased by Brandon Marshall's heady strip and fumble recovery) and leaned on a trio of veterans to generate points. It was a winning formula that everyone in green-and-white hopes to replicate over the next four months.

"We have the ability pass-run to be threatening every game," Decker said. "It's up to us as players to execute. We got a lot of smart guys in that room and some savvy guys up front (on the offensive line). Fitzpatrick's been around. Brandon Marshall's been around the game a lot. Chris Ivory's been around. So you got a lot of guys who have played a lot of football and know what our job is. So if we can just execute it, I think we can be a very good offense complementary a very good defense that we got."

Todd Bowles' offense finished what his defense started. The Jets scored 21 points off five turnovers to kick off the Bowles era in style. Bowles' defense entered the season with high expectations. His offense was largely an unknown before he had to go to Plan B due to a locker room fight that shelved Geno Smith with a broken jaw.

Now, they're hitching their wagons to a savvy veteran signal caller with a comfort level in Gailey's scheme. Fitzpatrick executed Gailey's run-centric plan featuring bruising running back Chris Ivory in the opener that netted 154 rushing yards. Ivory finished with 91 yards on 20 carries with a pair of touchdowns.

"You don't see guys that are that big and strong and that fast," Gailey said. "He can get outside with the ball in a heartbeat on you if you don't watch it. He is a big, strong runner inside and hardly ever gets knocked back. Even if we mess it up, he'll get us two yards. That's pretty good for us to be able to have that weapon."

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Gailey dialed up 57-43 run-pass split in the opener to give a sneak peak of what he envisions for his offense. It worked once thanks to a dominate defense that suffocated the opponent as the game wore on. The blueprint isn't likely to change moving forward.

The Jets envision a smart, but explosive offense.

"Like Coach Gailey always says, 'Time will tell,'" said Marshall. "I know one thing. The only thing we can control is how we prepare every single day in the classroom and on the field. I like what I see and I think that if we continue to do that, whatever it is — if 15 points is our potential or if it's 40 points — we'll be able to reach it."

Gailey's unit was far from perfect. The Jets sputtered out of the gate and were held scoreless in the first quarter against Cleveland.

"We still have to start faster," right guard Willie Colon said.

Fitzpatrick, of course, is the biggest key. He played with the right blend of savvy and aggressiveness. The Jets will win plenty of games if they duplicate their 54% (7 for 13) third-down conversion rate from the first week.

"He managed the game extremely well," Gailey said. "I thought he made some great throws. I liked a lot."

It's too early to know what the Jets offense will become this season, but there's plenty of promise.

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Antonio Cromartie in lineup for Jets vs. Colts (Seth Walder) New York Daily News September 21, 2015

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/antonio-cromartie-expected-play-jets-indy-report-article-1.2369088

Just eight days removed from a non-contact injury that resulted in him being carted to the locker room, Antonio Cromartie will play against the Colts on Monday night. Ultimately the cornerback's injury was only a sprained knee, but it's still surprising that he would take the field so soon after the injury occurred.

Based on Cromartie and Todd Bowles' tone over the course of the week, it had appeared unlikely he would be healthy enough to play by Monday. Cromartie had cautioned that he wouldn't play unless he was 100% after having learned his lesson in 2013 when he felt like he ought to have rested with a hip injury.

Cromartie has never missed a game due to injury in his professional career.

"You take a lot of pride in it but at the end of the day you've got to be smart too," he said last week. "I learned my lesson in 2013, when I probably should have sat out a couple weeks with a hip injury."

The Jets have good depth at cornerback with Darrelle Revis, Antonio Cromartie, Buster Skrine and Marcus Williams as the top four corners on the roster.

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METRO NEW YORK

Jets' Leonard Williams works on his conditioning with David Harris (Kristian Dyer) Metro New York September 21, 2015

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http://www.metro.us/sports/jets-leonard-williams-works-on-his-conditioning-with-david-harris/zsJoiu---YeABPnMQWr1uU/

In his NFL debut last week, New York Jets defensive end Leonard Williams asked out of the Cleveland Browns first drive of the game, saying he was gassed. This led to a hubbub about the first round pick's conditioning (or lack thereof).

All of which led Williams to seek out teammate David Harris - "he's the kind of dude that takes it seriously" - the Jets 31-year old linebacker who is known for his impeccable conditioning. In fact, a major reason why Harris signed a three-year, $21.5 million contract this offseason is because he's arguably in the best shape of his life.

So 10 minutes each day after practice, they put in extra work doing 'Tabata Training' on the spin bike, a time of High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) that in many ways replicates the pace of an NFL game. It was a training method that Harris found in the offseason a couple years ago and that he'll do with several of his teammates.

With pads and uniforms on, Williams said they will do 10-second bursts of high, intense bursts of pedaling followed by 30 or 40 seconds of moderate speed. Each day, they run this circuit roughly 10 times, maybe more. Doing it after practice, it is extra conditioning for a player who just a few months ago was considered the best player in the NFL Draft.

Williams is willing to put in the extra work even though he doesn't think he's in bad shape.

"I don't think it was just being conditioned. It was my first game, it was really loud. I think there was a lot of stuff tied into it. Their first drive was really long," Williams told Metro.

"Some adrenaline was maybe tied into it.

"Maybe I misspoke."

The training staff looked into his conditioning after the game and said that he was in good shape but that it wouldn't "be too bad if I did a little extra time with David."

"He's done good," Harris said. "He's a self-motivated person, he's trying to get better. I like that about him. He's putting in the work."

Last week, he said before the game he weighed 312 pounds. As of Friday, he said he's lost two pounds this week due to the conditioning ahead of the Jets Monday night game at the Indianapolis Colts.

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MONDAY’S SPORTS TRANSACTIONS

BASEBALL

National League

MILWAUKEE BREWERS — Named David Stearns general manager.

FOOTBALL

National Football League

BALTIMORE RAVENS — Acquired CB Will Davis from Miami for a 2016 seventh-round draft pick.

MINNESOTA VIKINGS — Activated CB Jabari Price from the suspended list.

Canadian Football League

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CALGARY STAMPEDERS — Acquired WR Skye Dawson from Edmonton for conditional 2017 draft picks. Signed OL Derek Dennis to the practice roster.

WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS — Signed DB Bruce Johnson to a contract extension through 2018.

HOCKEY

National Hockey League

ANAHEIM DUCKS — Agreed to terms with G John Gibson on a three-year contract extension.

DETROIT RED WINGS — Assigned F Adam Marsh to St. John (QMJHL), F Dominic Turgeon to Portland (WHL), D Joe Hicketts to Victoria (WHL) and D Vili Saarijarvi to Green Bay (USHL). Released RW Nick Betz,

LW Triston Grant, C Conor McGlynn, LW Evan Polei, RW Jerome Verrier, D Jalen Chatfield, D Justin Lemcke, D Jarett Meyer, D Ty Stanton, G Connor Ingram and G Matt Mancina from their tryout agreements.

SOCCER

North American Soccer League

JACKSONVILLE ARMADA — Fired general manager Dario Sala, coach Guillermo Hoyos and assistant coaches Edison Ibarra, Rafael Perez Nino and Sebastian Fabres.

COLLEGE

CLEMSON — Reinstated PK Ammon Lakip to the football team.

TENNESSEE — Reinstated DB Danny O’Brien from suspension.

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