Gamethread: Falcons at Jets

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WHAT TO EXPECT VS. THE JETS
Posted 58 minutes ago

Kelsey Conway
AtlantaFalcons.com
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The Atlanta Falcons hit the road for the first time of the 2015 preseason as they take on the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium at 7:30 p.m.


Battle of First-Year Head Coaches
Two first-year head coaches will square off with each other on Friday night. Dan Quinn enters the game 1-0 following the Falcons’ dominating home performance against the Titans. Todd Bowles makes his official debut on the sidelines of MetLife Stadium at 0-1 after his team suffered a tough road loss to Detroit last week. It’s fair to say that this game won’t lack defensive intensity, as both head coaches were previous defensive coordinators before becoming head coaches in the NFL.

Starters Will See More Reps
Based off the usual NFL preseason progression, starters will see more reps and will likely play through the first quarter and the start of the second quarter of Friday’s game. Quinn and his coaching staff are still evaluating players and want to make sure they see all they can during preseason. “As we’re going further into it, some guys will play more, and we’re kind of keeping it on a case-by-case study," Quinn said. “It’s like, ‘OK, we really need to get a good evaluation of you, let’s make sure this might go into fifteen or twenty plays.’ For the guys that don’t need as many, so it won’t be just by the unit, but we’ll go by a particular player where some will go longer.”

Keep an Eye On: Falcons’ Wide Receivers vs. Jets’ Secondary
The Jets loaded up their secondary with talent this offseason and Friday’s contest will feature some intriguing individual matchups. Antonio Cromartie, Darrelle Revis and Buster Skrine will be given the tough assignment of stopping Julio Jones, Devin Hester and Roddy White.

Run Game Will Be Tested

Kyle Shanahan has implemented the zone-blocking scheme in Atlanta and the running backs and offensive line are still adjusting to the new system. The Jets have arguably one of the best front sevens in the NFL, therefore Friday will provide a good early test to see how well the Falcons’ running backs and offensive line compete against a strong, stout Jets’ defensive line. As Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman remain questionable, keep an eye on rookie Terron Ward, who was impressive during XFINITY Training Camp. “[Terron] Ward, that’s been somebody at the running back spot that’s helped us and said 'OK, I’m ready to take on the responsibilities and challenges that go [with it],’ " Quinn said. The Falcons’ offensive line won’t have to worry about facing Jets star defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson as he was ruled out for Friday’s matchup with a hamstring injury.

Did You Know?

-The Jets and Falcons series is tied at 10-10, with the Jets winning the last meeting 30-28 in Atlanta.
- Quinn was the Jets’ defensive line coach during the 2007-08 season.
- Prior to coming to Atlanta, Falcons CB Phillip Adams played with the Jets.

http://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/...the-Jets/4dd72549-c3d4-4306-bf90-8b7db6d73195
 
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Ryan Fitzpatrick & Co. encounter first real test against Falcons

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Rich Cimini, ESPN Staff Writer

The New York Jets play at 7:30 p.m. ET Friday vs. the Atlanta Falcons at MetLife Stadium. Here are a couple of things to watch for during the game:

Why watch: It'll be the first extended look at Ryan Fitzpatrick and the Jets' first-team offense. They kept it pretty basic last week (one series, nine plays), but this will be a better gauge of Chan Gailey's offense. They should open it up a little, giving Fitzpatrick a chance to build chemistry with wide receivers Eric Decker and Brandon Marshall. Fitzpatrick, replacing the injured Geno Smith, needs to get comfortable behind his offensive line. Let him throw. Look for the starters to play about a half. The defense will look to rebound after a disappointing opener. Just tackle, baby.

Did you know: Falcons coach Dan Quinn interviewed for the Jets' head-coaching vacancy last January and was considered the leading candidate at one point. At the same time, Todd Bowles was considered a strong candidate in Atlanta. It could've been Quinn coaching the Jets, and Bowles the Falcons. Funny business, the NFL.
 
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What to watch from Jets' rookies in preseason game vs. Atlanta Falcons


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Cornerback Antonio Cromartie (31) talks to cornerback Dexter McDougle (23) as the New York Jets hold training camp practice at Florham Park training facility. Florham Park ,NJ 8/19/15 (Amanda Marzullo | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)
Amanda Marzullo | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
Print Email Darryl Slater | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com By Darryl Slater | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
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on August 21, 2015 at 9:00 AM, updated August 21, 2015 at 9:07 AM




Friday night's second Jets preseason game, against the Falcons, is yet another opportunity for their rookies to impress.

PLUS: Antonio Cromartie says Roger Goodell 'making his own rules up' with Tom Brady suspension

Once again, wide receiver Devin Smith, the team's second-round draft pick, won't participate, because of broken ribs.

But the Jets' five other draft picks will be out there, and here's what we'll be looking for from them:

• Defensive end Leonard Williams (first round): He'll get the start again, as he prepares to replace the suspended Sheldon Richardson for at least the first four games. Williams started opposite Ronald Talley in the preseason opener in Detroit. But since Talley is nursing a groin injury, Stephen Bowen could get the starting nod at the other end spot. What's most interesting, though, is that the injuries on the defensive line could result in Richardson and Williams getting some time together with the first-string defense. Richardson has said he's eager to teach Williams. Here's his chance to do it during a game, on the field.

• Outside linebacker Lorenzo Mauldin (third round): Jets coach Todd Bowles, a former defensive coordinator, likes the speed with which Mauldin plays the game, and rushes the passer. He has some promising pass-rushing moves. That's not a big issue. But, like all rookies, he needs some polish. "You want to see him go full speed," Bowles said. "You [also] want to see him play smarter. His first time out the box [in Detroit], he was a little anxious. Probably hyperventilated in warmup a little bit, got gassed a little early, but he'll be better. He's a very explosive guy off the ball. There's a lot of nuances that go into some of the things we do, and that's what he's learning right now, and that probably slows him down a little bit. He's got to learn the overall game. He's pretty young that way."

• Quarterback Bryce Petty (fourth round): He is no longer the Jets' No. 2 quarterback, in reality. Technically, he is, since Matt Flynn's hamstring is still healing. The Jets signed Flynn, a veteran career backup, earlier this week. Petty isn't ready to be Ryan Fitzpatrick's understudy. So Flynn is going to step into that role for now. But with Flynn still sidelined, Petty should play most of the second half Friday — a chance for him to progress from the Lions game, in which he looked overmatched at times, while completing 10 of 18 passes for 50 yards.

• Offensive guard Jarvis Harrison (fifth round): He is battling for a roster spot, and continues to be listed as the third-string right guard, behind Willie Colon and Brian Winters. Harrison got just 12 snaps in Detroit because the Jets' offensive backups, who played almost the entire game, couldn't stay on the field and sustain drives. Ideally, the coaches would like to get more game film on Harrison.

• Nose tackle Deon Simon (seventh round): He's a long shot to make the final roster, since the Jets already have Damon Harrison and T.J. Barnes at nose tackle. They're not going to keep three nose tackles, though Simon could find his way onto the practice squad. He got a bunch of work in Detroit — 38 snaps (about half the game).

Darryl Slater may be reached at dslater@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @DarrylSlater. Find NJ.com Jets on Facebook.

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/20...rookies_in_preseason_game_1.html#incart_river
 
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I hope Jarvis Harrison gets a lot more reps in this game. Kid can be a good guard if he wants it. RG is still a position of need
 
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Jets' Lorenzo Mauldin says he was 'shocked' he didn't blow lots of assignments in preseason debut



Darryl Slater | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
Print Email Darryl Slater | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com By Darryl Slater | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
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on August 21, 2015 at 1:08 PM, updated August 21, 2015 at 1:17 PM





Lorenzo Mauldin, the Jets' rookie outside linebacker, knows himself well enough that he could tell how last Thursday would unfold.

It was his first NFL game, a preseason matchup with the Lions in Detroit. As Mauldin expected, he felt a nagging nervousness that night.

PLUS: Antonio Cromartie says Roger Goodell 'making his own rules up' with Tom Brady suspension

"That's how it's always been with me for my first game, whether it's high school, college, and now the NFL," he said. "I always bounce back from those games."

Mauldin — who plays his second game Friday night, at home against the Falcons — is well aware that his debut wasn't perfect. Far from it.

"I made some mistakes, but I figured that for myself, going in," he said, adding that his primary issues involved footwork. "I knew what I was doing, but sometimes, I would get out of my gap. That's just footwork stuff, just stepping down the wrong way."

But the Jets' third-round draft pick, who is backing up Calvin Pace as the strong-side linebacker, expected Thursday to be an even bigger mess, since he felt so anxious.

"I didn't blow any assignments," he said. "That's what shocked me, too. I thought I would go out there and blow all type of [assignments]. But it was a simple game plan."

Mauldin is a prodigious speed rusher, an athletic threat off the edge. He played 40 snaps in Detroit, about half the game. At strong-side linebacker, he also will have to drop back into coverage. That could be a big challenge for Mauldin, who primarily played defensive end in college at Louisville.

But he didn't get a chance to do it a lot against the Lions. In the Jets' defensive schemes that called for Mauldin to drop into coverage, he said the Lions opted to run the ball. So Mauldin had to remain at the line of scrimmage and set the edge. (He played exclusively strong-side linebacker in the preseason opener.)

Pro Football Focus gave him a minus-4.4 grade for his performance (the worst on the Jets' defense). He also ranked last on the defense with a minus-1.7 pass rushing grade, though he did have one quarterback hurry.

Mauldin missed one tackle in Detroit and received a minus-1.8 run defense grade from PFF. That ranked fourth-worst on the Jets' defense. He was also flagged for a roughing-the-passer penalty.

Mauldin's next step, against the Falcons, is to work on "where my eyes are, where I place my hands, where I step," he said.

Those are the details coach Todd Bowles wants to see Mauldin polish, while continuing to do what he already does so well — play fast. Right now, Mauldin is a very raw player.

"You want to see him go full speed," Bowles said. "You [also] want to see him play smarter. His first time out the box [in Detroit], he was a little anxious. Probably hyperventilated in warmup a little bit, got gassed a little early. But he'll be better.

"He's a very explosive guy off the ball. There's a lot of nuances that go into some of the things we do, and that's what he's learning right now, and that probably slows him down a little bit. He's got to learn the overall game. He's pretty young that way."

Darryl Slater may be reached at dslater@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @DarrylSlater. Find NJ.com Jets on Facebook.

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/08/jets_lorenzo_mauldin_atlanta_falcons.html
 
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Todd Bowles: ‘Nothing Surprises You’

The Jets’ new coach shares his take on Geno Smith’s broken jaw, Sheldon Richardson’s suspension and why he’s remaining so calm

King: "It's always something with the Jets"

The MMQB's Peter King reacts to Geno Smith and the latest incident surrounding the New York Jets.

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — As Todd Bowles walked through the indoor field at Jets’ headquarters on Wednesday afternoon, his partially replaced right knee wrapped in ice, he came upon his star defender giving an interview. There was Darrelle Revis, sitting on a bench and preparing to answer a question about how Bowles’s defensive style compares to that of other coaches the cornerback has played for. Before Revis could speak, Bowles chimed in. “Yes, what are they?” he said, walking by without breaking stride. “Come on, coach,” a laughing Revis teased back.

Bowles’ easy rapport with perhaps the most important player in the locker room is critical. Just seven months into his tenure as the Jets’ head coach, Bowles has already faced a crisis heard ’round the NFL. Geno Smith’s broken jaw, inflicted by IK Enemkpali’s locker-room punch, has knocked the prospective starting quarterback out six to 10 weeks. That imbroglio occurred just a few weeks after defensive lineman Sheldon Richardson was charged with resisting arrest, which could keep him off the field for longer than his four-game drug suspension. Bowles, who inherited the majority of his roster, was suddenly faced with holding his team together under the glare of the New York and national media.

Who is Todd Bowles? And what is he made of as a leader? The MMQB sat down with him this week to find out.

VRENTAS: You’ve had an interesting week. When you first heard what had happened between Smith and Enemkpali, what was your first reaction? Was there a part of you that thought someone was trying to prank you?

BOWLES: No. This is football. They’re grown men, and they’ve got to handle things better. You handle it the same way you handle any crisis, whether it was Sheldon’s thing or whether it was something else. You’re disappointed, and then you’ve got to look for solutions.

‘I don’t put up any fronts,’ Bowles says. ‘What you see is what you get.’

VRENTAS: There’s not a road map for how a head coach should handle one player punching another one in the locker room.

BOWLES: Definitely not. Not a road map. But if you’ve been in this business long enough you see quite a few things that happen. You just don’t want it to be your team, but when it’s your team, you’ve got to have a good pulse of your team to see how you handle it.

VRENTAS: Was there a situation from your playing or coaching career that has been helpful?

BOWLES: My whole career (chuckles). You see a lot, and you go through a lot. It doesn’t necessarily have to be on your team. It can be on different teams. You try to learn from others’ mistakes so it doesn’t have to be yours. Over your whole career, you see a lot in this business, so nothing really surprises you. The first time you’re like, Wow; then the next time, you’re like, OK; then just nothing surprises you. You don’t want it to happen, but you’ve got to deal with it.

• ALSO ON THE MMQB: Even more than Rex Ryan, Todd Bowles is a defensive maverick who might be wily enough to turn things around in New York

VRENTAS: You were an interim head coach before, after the head coach was fired in Miami, and you were an interim defensive coordinator in Philadelphia, after the defensive coordinator was fired. What did those experiences teach you about holding players together in turbulent situations?

BOWLES: It teaches you to be yourself, and not to get too high or too low when situations happen. You’ve just got to be ready to handle them. Because if you panic, everybody else panics. You can’t panic.

VRENTAS: Are you watching to see how players handle last week’s incident as test of sorts for what you have in the locker room?

BOWLES: I know what I have in there. We have some good guys, and we have some good leaders in that locker room. That’s not even a question. Every day is a test, and things come up, and you learn how to handle them together. It’s easy to handle them by yourself, but as a team, you have to handle them together. You have to be walking on the same page.

http://mmqb.si.com/mmqb/2015/08/21/nfl-new-york-jets-todd-bowles-talking-football
 
Sarge

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5 roster battles to watch for tonight vs Falcons

5 roster battles to watch for tonight vs Falcons

1 - Defensive Line (6-7)
IN - Wilkerson, Harrison, Williams
PROBABLE - Richardson (susp?), TJ Barnes
BUBBLE - Douzable, Talley, Vickerson, Bowen
LIKELY OUT - Simon, Walls, Williams, D Barnes

2 - Wide Receiver (5-7)
IN - Marshall, Decker, Smith
PROBABLE - Kerley
BUBBLE - Owusu, , Graham, Powell, Hakim, Evans, Posey, Enunwa
LIKELY OUT - Rumph, Hill

3 - Offensive Line (8-9)
IN - Ferguson, Carpenter, Mangold, Giacomini
PROBABLE - Colon
BUBBLE - Aboushi, Winters, Qvale, Freeman, Ijalana, Harrison, Johnson
LIKELY OUT - Brewer, Brown

4 - Linebacker (7-9)
IN -Harris, Davis, Coples
PROBABLE - Maulden
BUBBLE- Pace, Reilly, Mauldin, Babin, Lattimore, May
LIKELY OUT - Jones

5 - Cornerback (6 or 7)
IN - Revis, Cromartie, Skrine, Milliner
PROBABLE - McDougale, Williams
BUBBLE - Walls, Arenas
LIKELY OUT - Brown, Lewis, Phillips, Lyn
 
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Players under the spotlight for Jets' home debut
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Quincy Enunwa has been a surprise as he pushes for the No. 3 WR spot. Al Pereira/New York Jets/Getty Images
Rich Cimini, ESPN Staff Writer

Some players worth watching on Friday night, when the New York Jets host the Atlanta Falcons at MetLife Stadium:

1. Jeremy Kerley/Quincy Enunwa: This has developed into the most intriguing positional battle in training camp. Enunwa appears to be ahead of Kerley as the No. 3 wide receiver -- who saw that coming? -- but Todd Bowles has said that the competition is ongoing. Kerley played 23 snaps in last week's game, more than any receiver -- all with the backups. He could get some time with the starters in four-receiver sets.

2. Leonard Williams: The Jets' No. 1 pick was disappointed he didn't play more last week (only 13 snaps). It was a bit of a surprise, but it was a case of Bowles wanting to protect him from injury. With Sheldon Richardson's suspension looming, the Jets are counting on their rookie defensive end -- a lot. His snap count should double, considering the starters are expected to play about a half. Prediction: Williams makes his first "wow" play.

3. James Carpenter: This is strictly injury-related. He "tweaked" an ankle on Wednesday (Bowles' word) and didn't finish practice. If they decide to play it safe and sit Carpenter, the starting left guard will be ... Dakota Dozier? Oh, boy. They also have Oday Aboushi, who has more experience than Dozier, but Aboushi is facing a one-game suspension, so it doesn't make much sense from a football standpoint to give him the reps with the starters. On the flip side, there's the health standpoint -- as in, keeping Ryan Fitzpatrick healthy.
 
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13 Jets scratched vs. Atlanta Falcons, including Mo Wilkerson, Calvin Pryor, Jace Amaro


Darryl Slater | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
Print Email Darryl Slater | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com By Darryl Slater | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
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on August 21, 2015 at 6:14 PM, updated August 21, 2015 at 6:24 PM





EAST RUTHERFORD — The Jets just released their list of 13 players who won't participate in Friday's second preseason game, against the Falcons at MetLife Stadium.

PLUS: Antonio Cromartie says Roger Goodell 'making his own rules up' with Tom Brady suspension

And here is that list:

• Defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson (hamstring): He didn't play in the preseason opener at Detroit, either.

• Wide receiver Chris Owusu (concussion): He also didn't play in Detroit. He has a history of concussions.

• Safety Calvin Pryor (death in family): He's been absent all week, and coach Todd Bowles said he expected Pryor's absence to be extended. Jaiquawn Jarrett gets the start Friday next to Marcus Gilchrist.

• Tight end Jace Amaro (shoulder): He got hurt in Detroit. It looks like he could be out for a little while, based on what Bowles said.

• Linebacker Erin Henderson (knee): He sprained his MCL in Detroit and hadn't resumed running as of Wednesday.

• Cornerback Curtis Brown (hamstring): The roster long shot was also sidelined in Detroit.

• Offensive tackle James Brewer (back): He got hurt this week and had to leave practice.

• Defensive tackle Kevin Vickerson (hamstring): He's been dealing with this injury throughout camp, but had returned to practice. He didn't play in Detroit.

• Defensive end Ronald Talley (groin): His absence means Stephen Bowen will start opposite rookie Leonard Williams.

• Quarterback Geno Smith (jaw): You know his deal by now. He and the other injured guys won't be on the sideline Friday, per Bowles' policy.

• Running back Stevan Ridley (knee): He remains on the physically unable to perform list, and has yet to practice in training camp.

• Cornerback Dee Milliner (wrist): He's going to miss the regular season's first two to four games.

• Wide receiver Devin Smith (broken ribs): Will the rookie second-round draft pick be ready for Week 1? That's not clear yet.

Darryl Slater may be reached at dslater@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @DarrylSlater. Find NJ.com Jets on Facebook.
 
Superman55

Superman55

Franchise Tagged
Jet Fanatics
BlindsideD'Brick said:
This offseason has had a lot of injuries. That's a lot of players out. Hopefully not a trend this year.
Click to expand...

Ill be shocked when Milliner's name isn't on the list. I suspect Wilkerson will be on all 16 injury reports provided to the league by the Jets this season.
 
Superman55

Superman55

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Seriously, Kelley Davis...we will probably draft a TE high next year.

Offense going the wrong direction.
 
Elias

Elias

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Jets Global
Penalties and a bad first down play did that play in. Fitz did a good job stepping up away from pressure.
 
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