Jets News 8/13

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QB Review: Jets Will Take Time with Hackenberg
Posted 2 hours ago

Eric Allen
Sr. Reporter/Director, Internet Programming
Email @eallenjets On the Inside
Both Smith and Petty Display Poise Against the Jaguars


The Jets started preseason play Thursday as three of their four signal callers saw work in the team’s 17-13 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars. Ryan Fitzpatrick, Geno Smith and Bryce Petty combined to complete 18 of 32 passes for 244 yards with 1 TD and no turnovers. Rookie second-round pick Christian Hackenberg watched from the sideline and will wait to make his pro debut.

Ryan Fitzpatrick
The Skinny: In just two series with the first unit, Fitzpatrick completed three of his four passes for 75 yards and the veteran led one scoring drive. Fitzpatrick, who hit Quincy Enunwa twice for 69 yards, departed after Bilal Powell’s 4-yard TD in the second stanza.

“I thought we did OK. We didn’t have a ton of plays, so, I wish we would’ve got something more,” Fitzpatrick said. “We had a great return on the first drive or series — I wish we would’ve done a little bit more with that one. We tried to go a little up-tempo almost just to practice a two-minute situation in that second drive and got a couple of big plays out of Quincy and we were able to get it in there.”

“He played OK. They didn’t give us too much hard stuff to play with in the first half,” added head coach Todd Bowles. “We tried to do a two-minute on the second series of the game and Quincy was open both times, so we got down the field pretty quickly. He was efficient. He was fine.”




Geno Smith
The Skinny: Taking over for Fitzpatrick in the second quarter, Smith appeared in four series and led the offense to 10 points. Smith, who completed 8 of 14 for 79 yards, converted Jalin Marshall’s 84-yard kickoff return into points when he connected with rookie WR Charone Peake on the go-ahead 17-yard score.

Bryce Petty
The Skinny: With a year under his belt in Chan Gailey’s system, Bryce Petty felt a world of difference. Although he was sacked twice, Petty appeared sturdy in the pocket while completing 7 of his 14 passes for 50 yards.

“(I) felt so much more comfortable than last year, which is exactly what I wanted. Coming into this game, I wanted to execute and I felt like I did that,” he said. “The first two drives, we came out hitting, thought we did really well and moved the ball right down the field. We kind of tailed off there toward the end. But overall, I felt really comfortable with what was going on. Every play call I just knew what was going on and knew what was expected of me, so I just felt good about everything.”

“At this time last year, they were both a little more erratic,” added Bowles on both the Jets’ No. 2 & No. 3 passes. “This time, they showed poise. Again, it’s only the first preseason game. They didn’t see blitzes and a ton of coverages, but they showed poise and commanded the units while they were in there. That was good to see.”



Christian Hackenberg
The Skinny: Listed as No. 4 on the depth chart, Hackenberg has not taken a ton of team reps at practice. A three-year starter at Penn State who has all the physical tools, Hackenberg is adjusting to a lot and the Jets planned to get more time for Smith and Petty against the Jags.

“There wasn’t enough time. We wanted to take a look at Geno and Bryce, and to play Hackenberg with minimal reps in practice would be doing him a disservice to play him with minimal reps in a game,” said Bowles.

During his postgame news conference, Bowles was asked if he would wait until the Jets’ final preseason game for Hackenberg to see action.

“It remains to be seen practice reps as far as schematically what we can do and still get a look at the other three guys and their reps,” he said. “We’re not going to take away from their reps and he’s still learning. He has time. It’s not like we’re forced to play him right now.”

 

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Bryce Petty will beat out Geno Smith

by Kyle Kutz 18 hours ago Follow @TheKyleKutz

The New York Jets still have to sort out their backup quarterback situation. Bryce Petty however appears to gain fan support after a promising performance against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Numbers can be a tricky thing, especially statistics. On paper, both Geno Smith and Bryce Petty appeared to have solid outings with the New York Jets during the preseason opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars. However, those in attendance were able to account for an intangible element of this quarterback duel that may have eluded television audiences. You know, the famous “IT” factor.


Last night, Smith finished 8-of-14 for 79 yards, which included a 17-yard touchdown pass. It was a great one to rookie wide receiver Charone Peake with 27 seconds left in the second quarter. While that may sound like a good day at the office, these statistics do not account for a lack of chemistry.


Smith, thanks to wild incompletions and two early three-and-outs, halted whatever offensive momentum Fitzpatrick had established in the first quarter. In retrospect, Smith’s last minute touchdown acted as an apology to the MetLife faithful, who voiced their disapproval of the former second-round pick whenever he touched the pigskin.


Petty, the Jets’ fourth-round selection in the 2015 NFL Draft, took the field in the third quarter.

Out of the gate, he threw completions of 19, 20 and 21 yards, all while marching his offensive unit into the red zone.

Although his efforts resulted in a missed 39-yard field goal, it only took the former Baylor Bear one drive to do what Smith couldn’t in a quarter: make fans turn to their friends, family and say, “That guy should be our backup quarterback.”

Sure, the arrival of the regular season may be in its infantile stages, but that doesn’t mean that bold predictions are off the table. Petty, despite a less than perfect performance against the Jaguars, demonstrated a certain spark, a certain “IT” factor, that Smith clearly lacks. Unless Smith steps it up, he will surely sink to third-string on Gang Green’s final depth chart.

 

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Charone Peake rises to the occasion

by Luis Tirado Jr. 19 hours ago Follow @LTJ81

The New York Jets won their first game of the preseason as they were able to get a good glimpse at one of their 2016 NFL Draft picks in wide receiver Charone Peake as he rose to the occasion.

It’s not easy making the transition from college football to the pros. It requires a lot of time, patience and above all else execution when it comes to your role. For wide receiver Charone Peake, not only did he seize the moment but be proved that at least for the time being, he can be a nice addition on offense for the New York Jets.


Against the Jacksonville Jaguars in preseason action, Peake led the team in receptions as he totaled four of them for 45 yards and a touchdown. He made an amazing touchdown reception for on a brilliant pass by quarterback Geno Smith as he kept his feet inside and came down with it.


It was a tough reception to make but Peake made it without any issues. General manager Mike Maccagnan has an eye for finding talent in the draft and he might have found a hidden gem with Peake.

At Clemson, Peake totaled 1,172 receiving yards, 99 receptions and 10 touchdowns. Always known for his solid route-running, Peake is making his case to make it to the final roster of the Jets once cuts start coming.



If Peake wants to make it and earn one of the final few spots up for grabs on the depth chart, he’ll have to continue making big plays like he did against the Jaguars and be consistent.

As training camp continues, the more reps he gets and ability to prove his worth, will more than likely keep him on the final roster.

Peake could add a nice dimension on offense since most defenses will be focused on Marshall and Decker. His ability to keep those chains moving like he did in college would be great to have on offense as his average yards per reception at Clemson was 11.8.

Overall, Peake is making his name known early during training camp and preseason football. If he continues this momentum, the Jets might have just found a diamond in the rough to add even more weapons to their stacked arsenal on offense.

 

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Plenty of intriguing plot twists in the Jets' quarterback soap opera
3:46 PM ET
Rich Cimini
ESPN Staff Writer

After one episode of Todd Bowles' soap opera, "All My Quarterbacks," this is what we know about the cast:

The new-look Ryan Fitzpatrick, he of the buzz cut and shaved-down beard, is the leading man. He's the undisputed No. 1 on the New York Jets and No. 1 in the heart of fan/comedian Larry David, who apparently prefers his heroes clean-shaven.

Rookie Christian Hackenberg, whose baby face probably won't allow him to grow a beard, is the No. 3 quarterback. He didn't play in the preseason opener on Thursday night, further proof the organization has him on a layaway plan.


Jets quarterback Bryce Petty on how he felt during Thursday's game: "I felt like I was so much more comfortable than last year, which is exactly what I wanted." AP Photo/Bill Kostroun
Geno Smith and Bryce Petty are battling for the No. 2 job, which could be split into two positions (2 and 2a) if the powers that be decide to keep all four quarterbacks. That's a possibility, according to general manager Mike Maccagnan.

The last time a team opened the season with four quarterbacks on the 53-man roster was 2013, when the Washington Redskins and Minnesota Vikings both did it. It's unorthodox, but the Jets' situation is so ... so ... unsettled ("cumbersome" is another word that fits) that it might behoove them to defy conventional thinking. Quarterbacks are currency in the NFL, and their value increases for teams that don't have The Franchise Guy.

Like the Jets.

Smith's primary value to the team is that he's the only experienced backup. He'd be expendable if the Jets ever reach the point where they feel comfortable with Petty as the No. 2. The gap between them closed a bit on Thursday night, but Petty still has work to do. The coming week, culminating with a game at Washington, will be huge for him.

Petty wasn't lights-out against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Thursday -- neither was Smith -- but Bowles liked what he saw.

"They did some good things," he said. "They got pressured at times, but there were no turnovers from the quarterback position, which is always a plus. Both of them threw some good balls. ... [Smith] and Bryce showed poise. At this time last year, they were both a little more erratic. This time, they showed poise."

Actually, Smith never played in the 2015 preseason because of his broken jaw, but you get the point.

On Thursday night, Smith threw a 17-yard touchdown pass after a long kickoff return, then finished up with a 12-play, 60-yard drive for a field goal. Everything else was mediocre. He was 8-for-14, 79 yards, playing conservatively. Petty took an aggressive approach and started strong -- a nine-play, 73-yard drive (missed field goal) -- but it got progressively more sloppy with third-stringers in the game.

Petty was happy.

"One word: comfortable," he said after completing seven of 14 for 93 yards. "I felt like I was so much more comfortable than last year, which is exactly what I wanted."

If the Jets really want to give Petty a shot to overtake Smith, they'll make him the first man off the bench next Friday night in Washington. If he's No. 3 again, handling mop-up, it means they've decided to keep Smith at No. 2. In that case, Petty probably would be playing for his roster spot, not the No. 2 job. For all his shortcomings, Smith has something that Petty can't get this summer -- regular-season experience.

As for Hackenberg, the team's plans for him are clear. He's getting very few practice reps and he might not play until the preseason finale. It looks like a redshirt year, a stark contrast to what Maccagnan said after the draft. Back then, he played it coy when asked if he expected the rookie to compete right away for playing time. Sorry, the charade is over.

"There wasn't enough time," Bowles said, explaining why Hackenberg sat in the opener. "We wanted to take a look at Geno and Bryce. To play Hackenberg with a minimal amount of reps in practice would be doing him a disservice."

Only the Jets can make news with bottom-of-the-depth-chart decisions at quarterback. Can't wait for the next episode of "All My Quarterbacks."

 

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Stock watch: Jets' Leonard Williams displays 'nose' for quarterback
play
Aug 12, 2016
Rich Cimini
ESPN Staff Writer

A look at the risers and fallers from the New York Jets' 17-13 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars:

RISERS

Leonard Williams, nose tackle: Yeah, that's right, nose tackle. Projected starter Steve McLendon (sore toe) got the night off, so Williams handled the nose tackle duties on the first series -- the only series for the starting defense. Last year's first-round pick made a big play, a third-down sack that forced the Jaguars to settle for a field goal. Defensive coordinator Kacy Rodgers said he's looking for ways to get the Big Three on the field at the same time -- Williams, Sheldon Richardson and Muhammad Wilkerson, who didn't play the opener. This is one option: Williams on the nose, with Richardson and Wilkerson at end.


Leonard Williams made a big sack on the Jags' Blake Bortles in the preseason opener and put options at nose tackle on the table for the Jets. Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire
Quincy Enunwa, wide receiver: No player in the postgame locker room received more praise than Enunwa, who made 43- and 26-yard receptions on back-to-back plays to set up a touchdown for the starting offense. He also made an under-the-radar play, lining up as a flexed tight end and making a nice block on Bilal Powell's 4-yard touchdown run. Right guard Brian Winters made the key block, pancaking his man. "He can really develop into a big-time weapon for us," Ryan Fitzpatrick said of Enunwa.

Charone Peake, wide receiver: The seventh-round pick from Clemson built on a strong week of practice, making a team-high four catches for 45 yards. He made a nice back-shoulder catch on a 17-yard touchdown play, managing to get both feet down. A lot of people were surprised he lasted until the seventh round. He fell because of injuries in college, but the physical talent is there. He'll be in the mix if they keep six receivers on the 53.

Jalin Marshall, kickoff returner: The undrafted rookie looked a bit skittish going over the middle (he had one drop), but we're talking about his kickoff-returning ability here. His 84-yard return set up the Jets' second touchdown. "The kick return he had, you can tell he's just a football player," Fitzpatrick said. "The little move he made where he jumped over the guy, this definitely isn't too big for him." Marshall has a great chance to make the team as the No. 5 receiver, especially if he continues to excel in the return game. He had one chance as a punt returner for no yards.

Shelby Harris, defensive end: The little-known free agent recorded two quarterback pressures, one resulting in a sack by rookie Darron Lee.

FALLERS

Ross Martin, kicker: The rookie has been lights-out on the practice field, but he got the yips when the lights came on. He hooked a 39-yard attempt and came up way short on a 54-yarder, hurting his chances of unseating incumbent Nick Folk. Martin handled all three field-goal attempts (he was good from 23 yards), an indication that the coaches want to see if he can take the job. He needs a bounce-back game or else he could be gone.

Dee Milliner, cornerback: Playing on defense for the first time since October 2014, Milliner allowed a 45-yard pass to Allen Robinson and missed a tackle at the line that resulted in a long gain. "I did OK, but I can't give up the explosive plays," the 2013 first-round pick said. Milliner's roster spot isn't in jeopardy -- he's the No. 4 corner -- but he can't have two stinkers in a row. Next week will be big for him.

Jace Amaro, tight end: There was a lot of hype about Amaro based on a strong week of practice, but he finished with no catches on three targets. He played mainly with the second team, as Kellen Davis remained in his starting role. Amaro, perhaps sensing an oncoming safety, showed alligator arms on a deep ball by Bryce Petty. It was an overthrow, but Amaro didn't extend on the play. This shouldn't be a setback, though. His overall game has improved, so it'll be interesting to see how he's used next week.

 

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New York Jets: Geno Smith Displays Mediocre Audition

by Maurice Moton 1 day ago Follow @MoeMoton

How did New York Jets quarterback Geno Smith fare in the preseason opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars? Did he show improvement in the pocket?

The New York Jets opened the preseason against the Jacksonville Jaguars’ razor-sharp passing offense on Thursday.

Jacksonville performed as advertised in glowing media reports. In a combined effort, quarterbacks Blake Bortles and Chad Henne went 14-of-16 for 199 yards without a touchdown. Overall, their passing attack seemed in-sync with a solid running back duo adding an exclamation point on one scoring drive in the first quarter.



On the other hand, quarterback Geno Smith looked like the guy who missed organized team activities and training camp on Thursday. Ryan Fitzpatrick connected on three of four passes for 72 yards. He hit wideout Quincy Enuwa in stride on consecutive plays.

Smith took the field and started off shaky with poor ball placement. The fans at MetLife Stadium didn’t hesitate to boo the fourth-year quarterback in his first audition:

Follow
Darryl Slater ✔ @DarrylSlater
Not a good start for Geno Smith (1-of-4 passing for eight yards) on his one-year anniversary of getting punched in the face by IK Enemkpali.
8:44 PM - 11 Aug 2016
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Seth Walder ✔ @SethWalderNYDN
Geno Smith is getting booed. That was fast.
8:38 PM - 11 Aug 2016
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Connor Hughes ✔ @Connor_J_Hughes
Geno Smith nearly intercepted… and the boo birds coming raining down again. #Jets
8:37 PM - 11 Aug 2016
10 10 Retweets 14 14 likes

As the first half progressed, Smith found some momentum. Thanks to Jalin Marshall’s 84-yard kickoff return, the offense started a drive deep in Jaguars’ territory.

On 3rd-and-9, Smith threw a strike to seventh-round pick wideout Charone Peake, which put the Jets ahead for the remainder of the game:


Follow
New York Jets ✔ @nyjets
2 feet in! #JAXvsNYJ
8:57 PM - 11 Aug 2016
308 308 Retweets 531 531 likes

Ironically, he threw the only touchdown pass in the game. However, his poor start gives credence to the criticism about his erratic inconsistencies under center.

Fitzpatrick essentially picked up where he left off.

Once Smith took the reigns, his 1-for-4 start put the fans on edge. The reaction makes sense considering he took all the practice reps.

Smith said all the right things about putting his locker room incident with IK Enemkpali behind him, per ESPN’s Rich Cimini:

It seems like an eternity because I’ve buried it behind me and I’ve gotten so much better on the field and off the field from that point. It seems like an eternity. You’re right, it was only a year ago, but that goes to show how much someone can improve and how much you can grow in just a year.
However, his performance on the field still falls behind Fitzpatrick, who signed with the team as a backup last year. Barring injury, Smith isn’t getting his job back. It’s evident why he’ll hold a clipboard for most of the year.


Nonetheless, the fourth-year signal-caller must start and finish hot during his time on the field to draw interest in the following offseason as an unrestricted free agent.

If you’re solely focusing on the box score, Smith performed well, but the slow start with the smattering of boos dug an early hole.

The clock continues to tick on Smith’s audition time as the Jets travel to Washington next week.

 

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Jets' Bryce Petty, Darron Lee get reps vs. Jaguars | Snap count totals

Connor Hughes | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com By Connor Hughes | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
Email the author | Follow on Twitter
on August 12, 2016 at 12:26 PM, updated August 12, 2016 at 12:46 PM




EAST RUTHERFORD — The Jets want to take a nice, close look at quarterback Bryce Petty this preseason.

In Thursday night's 17-13 victory over the Jaguars, that was overwhelmingly evident.


Jets 17, Jaguars 13: 3 Stars
Petty played 28 total snaps. To put the number in perspective, quarterbacks Ryan Fitzpatrick, Geno Smith and Christian Hackenberg (did not play) combined for 30 reps. Petty looked solid, too. He completed 7 of 14 passes for 93 yards and led the Jets into field goal range twice.

"Coming into this game, I wanted to execute and I feel like I did that," Petty said in the locker room. "The first two drives, we came out hitting and I thought we did really well and moved the ball right down the field. We tailed off there toward the end, but overall, I felt really comfortable with what was going on."

Petty wasn't the only Jet to see a large workload. Rookie linebacker Darron Lee played 51 snaps (38 defense, 13 special teams.) Afterwards, Lee said he has to get used to playing two ways.

"Going back to back on special teams sucks," Lee joked after the game. "I want you to try that out. If you want some good cardio, I suggest everyone tries that."



Here's a complete look at the Jets' snap count totals.

Jets Offensive Snap Count Totals
OL Dakota Dozier, 44
OL Wesley Johnson, 41
RB Romar Morris, 38
OL Brent Qvale, 36
OL Ben Ijalana, 35
OL Craig Watts, 34
WR Jeremy Ross, 32
WR Robby Anderson, 31
OL Brandon Shell, 28
QB Bryce Petty, 28
WR Jalin Marshall, 26
WR Charone Peake, 24
WR Chandler Worthy, 23
TE Jace Amaro, 20
QB Geno Smith, 20
OL Jeremy Davis, 14
OL Mike Liedtke, 14
LB Julian Howsare, LB
TE Zach Sudfeld, 12
TE Brandon Bostick, 11
OL Brian Winters, 10
OL Ryan Clady, 10
RB Bilal Powell, 10
WR Eric Decker, 10
QB Ryan Fitzpatrick, 10
OL Nick Mangold, 10
WR Brandon Marshall, 10
RB Dominique Williams, 10
WR Quincy Enunwa, 8
OL Jarvis Harrison, 7
OL Kyle Friend, 7
FB Tommy Bohanon, 5
TE Kellen Davis, 5
TE Jason Vander Laan, 3

Jets Defensive Snap Count Totals
SS Dion Bailey, 60
LB Bruce Carter, 38
LB Darron Lee, 38
DB Juston Burris, 38
LB Jordan Jenkins, 34
S Doug Middleton, 34
LB Lorenzo Mauldin, 34
S Rontez Miles, 32
DL Claude Pelon, 32
DB Dee Milliner, 30
DB Darryl Morris, 28
LB Freddie Bishop, 27
DB Marcus Williams, 26
LB Josh martin, 26
DL Deon Simon, 25
DL Tarow Barney, 24
DB Kevin Short, 22
DL Lawrence Thomas, 21
LB Julian Stanford, 17
LB Taiwan Jones, 20
LB deion Barnes, 18
DL Jarvis Jenkins, 17
DL Shelby Harris, 14
DB Bryson Keeton, 13
DL Helva Matungulu, 12
DB Buster Skrine, 11
LB Erin Henderson, 11
DL Sheldon Richardson, 11
LB David Harris, 11
S Marcus Gilchrist, 11
S Calvin Pryor, 11
DL leonard Williams, 11
DL Bilukidi, 10

Jets Special Teams Snap Count Totals
S Rontez Miles, 17
LB Julian Stanford, 17
LB Bruce Carter, 15
DB Marcus Williams, 14
LB Darron Lee, 13
WR Quincy Enunwa, 12
S Dion Bailey, 12
P Lac Edwards, 11
LS Tanner Purdum, 11
DB Juston Burris, 10
LB Jordan Jenkins, 10
DE Josh Martin, 10
DB Dee Milliner, 9
DB Darryl Morris, 9
LB Freddie Bishop, 9
WR Jeremy Ross, 8
WR Charone Peake, 7
TE Brandon Bostick, 7
FB Tommy Bohanon, 7
DB Kevin Short, 7
DE Lawrence Thomas, 7
LB Taiwan Jones, 7
OL Dakota Dozier, 6
S Doug Middleton, 6
OL Brent Qvale, 5
LB Julian Howsare, 5
TE Kellen Davis, 5
TE Jason Vander Laan, 5
K Nick Folk, 5
OL Brandon Shell, 4
WR Jalin Marshall, 4
LB Deon Barnes, 4
DL Jarvis Jenkins, 4
DB Buster Skrine, 4
LB Erin Henderson, 4
K Ross Martin, 4
OL Wesley Johnson, 3
OL Ben Ijalana, 3
OL Craig Watts, 3
OT Jeremy Davis, 3
DL Deon Simon, 3
WR Chandler Worthy, 2
OL Brian Winters, 2
OL Ryan Clady, 2
LB Lorenzo Mauldin, 2
RB Romar Morris, 1
TE Jace Amaro, 1
RB Bilal Powell, 1
OL Jarvis Harrison, 1
DL Shelby Harris, 1
DB Bryson Keeton, 1
DL Sheldon Richardson, 1
LB David Harris, 1
S Marcus Gilchrist, 1
S Calvin Pryor, 1
DL Leonard Williams, 1

Jets Did Not Play:
QB Christian Hackenberg
DL Mike Catapano
WR Anthony Kelly

Click here to see the Jets' inactive list.

Connor Hughes may be reached at chughes@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @Connor_J_Hughes. Find NJ.com Jets on Facebook.

 

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Grading the Jets. Good read, can't paste

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2016/08/jets_17_jaguars_13_report_card_charone_peake_quinc .html#0

 

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Award winners following Jets first preseason game of 2016Aug 11,



By: Connor Rogers | 2 hours ago
With the Jets first preseason game of 2016 in the books, it’s time to hand out awards. Who stood out on offense? Who made plays for the defense? Below are the results after a deeper look at the film.


Hidden Gem, Offense: Ben Ijalana

Filling in as the starting right tackle for Breno Giacomini, the former tackle out of Villanova did

solid work all around. He held his own in pass protection against Dante Fowler and displayed the ability to get some push in the run game.

Hidden Gem, Defense: Doug Middleton

Middleton was all over the field in coverage the entire night, but it was his game ending interception that got him the notice he deserved.

Highlight Reel Hit: Rontez Miles

What more needs to be said? While this is actually a block, Miles landed a crushing blow on a Jalin Marshall kick return.

Play of the Game: Jalin Marshall’s kick return





Most Valuable Player: Quincy Enunwa

The backups made plenty of plays and contributions in this one, but a vital part of the preseason is seeing former third stringers begin to contribute as starters, against starters.





Enunwa has gone from being cut from the team as a rookie to practice squad player, to situational H-back, to now trying to be the team’s third wide receiver. His big time back to back catches in the middle of the field showed the NFL that the Jets offense might not just be entirely about Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker after all.
***

Connor Rogers is the NFL draft analyst for Jets Wire. He can be reached via Twitter @ConnorJRogers. All of the Jets Wire scouting reports for the NFL draft can be found here.

 

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Jets Training Camp Updates: Passing Game Shines on Saturday
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By John B Aug 13, 2016, 6:01p

Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports
This weekend I am attending practices at Jets training camp. Today's practice took place under steamy conditions. The heat index was over 100 degrees on the field. Here are some notes I had.

Passing game shines: From the start of practice, the receivers seemed to have the upper hand. Even when the coverage was solid, the offense was completing passes. Ryan Fitzpatrick in particular was on target. I counted four Brandon Marshall catches on Darrelle Revis. Once Marshall shook Revis on a comeback, but on the other three, there was tight coverage and just better execution on offense. Decker had a few receptions on Revis and Marcus Williams in tight coverage. The highlight for the offense was a deep pass from Fitzpatrick to Decker that traveled over 50 yards in the air. Charone Peake also stood out to me. Early in practice, he made a nice catch over Buster Skrine on a deep pass that got tipped high in the air. He did a nice job high pointing a pass from Fitzpatrick near the end of practice.

Rookie linebackers look good: Jordan Jenkins got behind the line of scrimmage a couple of times. Darron Lee, playing in place of David Harris who was absent, looked solid with the first team. He had a nice pass defensed on the goal line on a target to Kellen Davis and made a few plays near or behind the line. He had one big negative moment, when Tommy Bohanon ran over him.

Thin backfield gets thinner: The backfield is currently pretty thin for the Jets. It might not be that way by Week 1 as Matt Forte and Khiry Robinson recover, but Tommy Bohanon is now seeing carries. The team signed Lache Seastrunk today, but Romar Morris was injured on a big hit by Rontez Miles.

Kickers connect: Nick Folk and Ross Martin made their kicks, including 53 yarders. Martin continues to face an uphill battle to win this competition after Thursday's performance.