NEW YORK JETS DAILY CLIPS

October 25, 2015

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Table of Contents

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

Jets offer punter Steve Weatherford job during radio show (Dennis Waszak, Jr.) ................................................... 2

NEWSDAY .............................................................................................................................................................. 2

Confident Jets like their chances against Patriots (Kimberley A. Martin) ................................................................. 2

Steve Weatherford could fill in for Ryan Quigley as Jets punter, source says (Kimberley A. Martin) ....................... 4

Jets see Ryan Fitzpatrick as game manager, just what they needed (Kimberley A. Martin) ..................................... 4

Jets-Patriots and Giants-Cowboys: Breaking down the rivalry matchups (Bob Glauber) ......................................... 6

THE RECORD .......................................................................................................................................................... 8

Biggest test yet for Todd Bowles-led Jets (J.P. Pelzman) .......................................................................................... 8

Jets matchup: Week 7 vs. Patriots (J.P. Pelzman) ..................................................................................................... 9

NEW YORK TIMES ................................................................................................................................................ 10

Chris Ivory, a Bulldozing Ballet Dancer, Keeps Defenders on Their Toes (Ben Shpigel) .......................................... 10

Jets-Patriots Preview: A Tough Task in Tom Brady (Ben Shpigel) ........................................................................... 12

ESPN NEW YORK .................................................................................................................................................. 13

Frustration builds for Jets' forgotten men -- the tight ends (Rich Cimini) ............................................................... 13

Back_to_Top ............................................................................................................................................................ 15

Jets sign punter Steve Weatherford (Rich Cimini) ................................................................................................... 15

A little FitzMagic will go long way against Super Bowl champs (Rich Cimini) ......................................................... 15

Jets punter Ryan Quigley questionable with shin injury (Rich Cimini) .................................................................... 17

NEW YORK POST .................................................................................................................................................. 17

This is feared Jets’ defense chance to begin its legend (Steve Serby)..................................................................... 17

Jets interrupt radio host’s show to sign him as new punter (Brian Costello).......................................................... 19

Top offense vs. top defense: The showdown Jets (quietly) have waited for (Justin Terranova) ............................ 20

Todd Bowles’ pregame strategy for Jets-Patriots battle revealed (Mark Cannizzaro) ............................................ 22

NJ ADVANCE MEDIA ............................................................................................................................................ 24

Jets keep Stevan Ridley on PUP list; New England Patriots' Brandon LaFell comes off PUP (Darryl Slater) ........... 24

Jets sign former Giants punter Steve Weatherford, waive/injured Jaiquawn Jarrett (Dom Cosentino) ................. 24

4 reasons Jets' Chris Ivory is off to fast start, from altered offseason routine to new coordinator (Darryl Slater) 25

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS ...................................................................................................................................... 27

Jets know AFC East road goes through New England and Patriots (Seth Walder) .................................................. 27

Steve Weatherford signs with Jets for Patriots game as Ryan Quigley added to injury report (Seth Walder, Manish Mehta) ........................................................................................................................................................ 29

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Less Rex, More Bill: Todd Bowles is taking a Belichick-like approach to building the Jets (Manish Mehta) ........... 29

METRO NEW YORK .............................................................................................................................................. 31

3 things to watch for as Jets take on Patriots (Kristian Dyer) .................................................................................. 31

SATURDAY’S SPORTS TRANSACTIONS .................................................................................................................. 32

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Jets offer punter Steve Weatherford job during radio show (Dennis Waszak, Jr.) Associated Press October 24, 2015

http://www.pro32.ap.org/article/jets-offer-punter-steve-weatherford-job-during-radio-show

Steve Weatherford was co-hosting a radio show Saturday morning when he got the phone call — and not from just any listener.

The New York Jets were on the line — his cellphone — and they were offering the veteran punter a job.

A few hours later, Weatherford was back with the Jets. Punter Ryan Quigley had been added to the team's injury list as questionable with an injured right shin, and New York needed someone for the game Sunday against the New England Patriots.

"I'm baaaaaaack!!!!" Weatherford posted on Instagram, smiling while posing between wide receiver Eric Decker and cornerback Darrelle Revis for a photo at the Jets' facility in Florham Park, New Jersey.

To make room on the roster for Weatherford, the Jets waived-injured safety Jaiquawn Jarrett, who had been listed as doubtful for the game with a knee injury.

Quigley had not appeared on the Jets' injury report all week, but took a hard shot to his right leg from Washington's Jeron Johnson on a blocked punt that Rashad Ross recovered for a touchdown last Sunday. Quigley has been the Jets' punter since 2013, and is averaging 42.4 yards per kick this season with a 32.5 net average.

Weatherford played for the Jets in 2009 and 2010, helping them to consecutive AFC championship games. He spent the past four seasons as a fan favorite with the Giants, and was part of the Super Bowl-winning team that beat the Patriots in February 2012.

He was released by the Giants before this season and has not played since. The 32-year-old Weatherford has averaged 44.5 yards per punt, with a 37.8 net average in his career that has included stops with New Orleans, Kansas City and Jacksonville.

Weatherford has kept busy while not playing, frequently appearing on New York-area radio and TV sports shows as a guest or co-host. He was on 98.7 ESPN New York on Saturday with co-host Dave Rothenberg when Jets pro personnel scout Greg Nejmeh called him about the opportunity during a commercial break.

He told Nejmeh he'd take the job — but then had to rush off the phone as the radio show went live again. He announced he would be signing with a team, but couldn't reveal at the time where he was heading.

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NEWSDAY

Confident Jets like their chances against Patriots (Kimberley A. Martin) Newsday October 24, 2015

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http://www.newsday.com/sports/football/jets/confident-jets-like-their-chances-against-patriots-1.11006389

These are not Rex Ryan's Jets. And that could make all the difference on Sunday.

The brash trash-talk of recent years was noticeably absent in the locker room this week, although the rivalry between the Jets and Patriots is as intense as it ever was. And for the first time in a long time, the boys in green are playing for more than just pride.

A victory would ensure that the Jets (4-1) leave Foxborough tied with New England (5-0) atop the AFC East standings. It also would indicate that they might be the team most capable of knocking the Patriots off their perch.

Coach Todd Bowles has taken the opposite approach of his predecessor, opting for sound play-calls over witty one-liners and self-aggrandizing statements. No longer do the Jets need to generate headlines to prove a point. All they have to do is win.

"Right now, I think that the play really says the most. It speaks the loudest," said Jets running back Stevan Ridley, a Patriot during the previous four seasons. " . . . Forget talking and blowing it up, let's just go out there and do our jobs. And that's what we're trying to do. I'll say that [Bowles is] a lot like Bill Belichick in that way: It's week-to-week, it's game-to-game. We're not getting too high or too low, we're just playing football every week."

"I can't sit here and give you any other adjective that every other coach hasn't given you," Bowles said when asked about Brady. "He's competitive, he's smart, he's tough, he studies, he's accurate, he gets the ball out quick, and you can say the same thing, a whole bunch of things. He's one of the ultimate quarterbacks of our time."

Nevertheless, the Jets are feeling confident.

"I like our chances," outside linebacker Calvin Pace said. "We're going into hostile territory against a very good team, but it's about us."

The Patriots are banged up this week. Offensive tackle Marcus Cannon (toe), linebacker Rufus Johnson (illness), guard Shaquille Mason (knee) and defensive end Jabaal Sheard (ankle) already have been ruled out. But mastermind Belichick has proved over the years that he can adapt to the loss of players regardless of how talented they are.

"I'm looking forward to it," said cornerback Darrelle Revis, who re-signed with the Jets in March a month after winning the Super Bowl with the Patriots. "It's going to be a fun matchup."

Asked which unit -- the Jets' defense or the Patriots' offense -- has the edge, Revis smiled and said: "We'll see on Sunday. They're talented, we're talented. And we'll see, man."

A win over the Patriots, division champs in 12 of the previous 14 years, would be huge for the Jets. It also would speak volumes about Bowles, a first-year head coach tasked with changing the culture of a team that hasn't been to the playoffs since the 2010 season. But Bowles won't allow himself or his players to think about anything but the present. So if they win Sunday, "It just means we're 5-1 and we have to get ready for Oakland," Bowles said.

Unlike in the past, there were no bold predictions made by Jets players this week, nor were there any grandiose guarantees issued by their coach. Instead, just quiet confidence and a focused intensity. But "we're not saying we're backing down or anything," Revis said.

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"We're hungry," added Ridley, who was not activated Saturday but is close to returning to action. " . . . We're not going to give anybody the victory early. Yeah, they're going to be fired up. It's a lot of people talking bad about the Patriots right now.

" . . . However you slice the cake, we're trying to get this 'W' as much as they are. I don't care what their motivation is, I don't care what they say about the Jets, we're trying to get a win too . . . And may the best team win."

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Steve Weatherford could fill in for Ryan Quigley as Jets punter, source says (Kimberley A. Martin) Newsday October 24, 2015

http://www.newsday.com/sports/football/jets/jets-sign-steve-weatherford-ex-giants-punter-in-place-of-injured-ryan-quigley-1.11005330

Punting reinforcements are on the way for the Jets. They re-signed Steve Weatherford in advance of Sunday's game at New England.

The impetus for Weatherford's return is concern over the health of punter Ryan Quigley. On Saturday, the Jets added Quigley to the injury report with a right shin injury and announced that he's questionable for the 1 p.m. game in Foxborough.

Weatherford spent two seasons with the Jets from 2009-10 before playing for the Giants from 2011-14. He was a part of the Giants' championship team in Super Bowl XLVI.

The Giants released him on Sept. 4 because of his large contract. According to NFLPA records, his base salary was scheduled to be $2.175 million for this season and $2.325 million for 2016. At the time, he had the sixth-highest cap number ($3.075 million) of any punter in the league.

Weatherford finished the preseason with an average net of 45 yards on 16 punts.

To make room for Weatherford, the team waived/injured safety Jaiquawn Jarrett.

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Jets see Ryan Fitzpatrick as game manager, just what they needed (Kimberley A. Martin) Newsday October 24, 2015

http://www.newsday.com/sports/football/jets/jets-see-ryan-fitzpatrick-as-game-manager-just-what-they-needed-1.11004512

Tom Brady is a man on a mission.

It's unclear whom he's trying to make a statement to -- his DeflateGate detractors or Father Time. But the 38-year-old is on a tear, throwing 14 touchdown passes and only one interception in five games. And with Brady leading the way, the New England Patriots have steamrolled the competition en route to a 5-0 start.

Brady is a quarterback with a killer instinct, one whose poise under pressure is matched only by his accuracy.

And Ryan Fitzpatrick? Well, he's a different story.

"He's a game manager," Jets linebacker Quinton Coples said matter-of-factly.

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Sunday's AFC East showdown between the Jets (4-1) and the defending Super Bowl champions will pit a future Hall of Famer against a journeyman backup-turned-starter. But by no means do the Jets believe they're at a disadvantage.

"Nobody has the advantage until the end of the fourth quarter when it says who wins," Coples said.

"It's one thing if we have a quarterback who's throwing eight picks a game or something reckless. Then yes, you can call it that," added right guard Willie Colon. "But Fitz is always prepared, he knows where he's going with the ball, he's able to put us in good positions, he knows what he needs to do in hurry-up situations.

"I think he's just the ultimate game manager, which a lot of good quarterbacks are."

That label often is viewed as an insult, but Colon said it's anything but that when applied to Fitzpatrick. "People take it as somebody that's limited. And I don't think people feel like that toward Fitz at all," the Hofstra alum said. "I think if you look at what we've been through the last few years and to where we're at now, I don't understand how you can take it as a slight."

Though Fitzpatrick has made his share of mistakes on the field, he's impressed as the Jets' starter. He had a Total Quarterback Rating of 91.4 against Miami and 99.0 against Washington in back-to-back weeks, and according to ESPN.com, he's on pace for the best Total QBR of any Jets quarterback in the 10 seasons of QBR data.

The most troubling statistic, however, is his seven interceptions. Only Peyton Manning (10), Matthew Stafford (nine), Sam Bradford (nine) and Kirk Cousins (eight) have more.

But in Fitzpatrick, the Jets have found a veteran who understands "what this team is about," Colon said. "We're going to run the ball, we're going to be physical, we're going to let the defense ride, and all we've got to do is just keep the game in a manageable position, and things are going to work out."

Fitzpatrick, 32, has plenty of familiarity with Brady given his four seasons in Buffalo. "He does a great job," Fitzpatrick said. "He's just so efficient out there and he's fun to watch just because of how in command he is of that offense and of the game."

But on Sunday, he won't be worried about what Brady is doing. "My focus is playing against the Patriots' defense," Fitzpatrick said. "When we're on the sideline, I'm looking at the books and the pictures trying to get my guys set and then we're going out there for another series. That's how we kind of treat every game."

Colon credits Brady as a talented and fierce competitor, but he is quick to highlight Fitzpatrick's intangibles.

"You can't put them in the same category just because of what Tom's been able to accomplish. But we believe in Fitz and we know that he's going to go out there and fight his tail off, just like we are," Colon said.

"When he's leading a block to try to spring Chris [Ivory], you don't necessarily see Tom do that all the time. When you see Fitz scrambling for a run, most people yell 'slide,' and he's fighting for the extra yard . . . And not to say anything toward Tom in that regard. But we have a quarterback that you can tell his sense of urgency is high in how he plays. He wants to be out there, he fights, he scraps. If anything, he motivates us to kind of get everything going."

So, no, the Jets don't feel at a disadvantage with Fitzpatrick. Nor are they surprised that he's helped them start off 4-1.

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"He beat our defense before when he was with the Bills," Coples said, smiling. "So there wasn't any surprise as far as how he's handled the situation and the success he's having. He gets the job done."

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Jets-Patriots and Giants-Cowboys: Breaking down the rivalry matchups (Bob Glauber) Newsday October 24, 2015

http://www.newsday.com/sports/columnists/bob-glauber/jets-patriots-and-giants-cowboys-breaking-down-the-rivalry-matchups-1.11004296

We haven't had a football Sunday like this in a long time.

Not only is first place on the line for both the Jets and Giants but they are playing their most-heated rivals on the same day.

With the Mets captivating the imagination of New York's baseball crowd, the Giants and Jets now have the chance to state their own cases for why this can turn into a meaningful season.

Jets-Patriots in Foxborough.

Giants-Cowboys at MetLife.

A chance for both to take a significant step and push the disappointments of the recent past into the more distant past.

The Jets appear more suited to conquering the Patriots than perhaps at any point since the early years of the Rex Ryan regime, when the coach took this city by storm and told us he didn't come here to kiss Bill Belichick's rings. Ryan's words became as hollow as his roster over the years, and his time had run its course with seven losses in his last eight games against Belichick.

The pendulum has swung in the opposite direction with Todd Bowles. He says nothing to antagonize the opponent, but coaches in a far more disciplined style than his predecessor and has gotten immediate results from his more demanding, more detail-oriented approach. It helps, too, that first-year general manager Mike Macccagnan did the smart thing by building a new and improved secondary in free agency, getting a big-time receiver in Brandon Marshall, and trading for a backup quarterback in Ryan Fitzpatrick who turned out to be a godsend after Geno Smith was punched out of the lineup.

The Giants are still struggling to find an identity early on, especially on a defense continuing to struggle in the absence of pass rusher Jason Pierre-Paul. But they still have Eli Manning, warts and all, and that still means they have a chance. Especially with the most talented receiver this franchise has ever known in Odell Beckham Jr.

By the early evening hours on Sunday, we'll know a lot more about where both teams stand. In the meantime, here's the blueprint for how they can both finish the day with at least a share of first place:

Jets-Patriots

1. Get Tom Brady off his spot. Brady is off to a phenomenal start with 14 touchdown passes, one interception and a league-best 118.4 rating. He is the best pocket passer in today's game -- and in NFL history, for that matter - and he operates with the precision of a neurosurgeon when given adequate space and time behind center. But there is a way to disrupt his passing game, and that's by attacking him up the middle. It's how the Giants beat him twice in Super Bowls, and it's how the Jets need to approach their defensive mind-set. The interior of the Patriots' offensive line has been beset by injuries, and though the mostly inexperienced backups have done a credible job, the Jets can take advantage with stout players

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along the line that include Sheldon Richardson, Damon Harrison, Muhammad Wilkerson and rookie Leonard Williams. It's best not to have to blitz and thus take players away from coverage, but a smattering of extra-man rushes is fine, too.

2. Account for Gronk and Edelman. Brady's two favorite targets are All-Pro tight end Rob Gronkowski and plucky wide receiver Julian Edelman. Gronkowski is averaging exactly one touchdown catch for every career start (59) and has five in five games this season. He's going to get his catches. But if the Jets can limit the damage by providing "bracket coverage" (mostly a combination of a linebacker and defensive back to either side of him) and tight single coverage where necessary, they can at least contain Gronkowski's effectiveness. Darrelle Revis will likely be on Edelman in single coverage, and that should keep Edelman from burning the Jets. Remember, Revis knows plenty about Edelman after seeing him every day in practice last year when he was with New England. The real key in pass coverage is how Antonio Cromartie does against whoever he's covering, be it Edelman, Danny Amendola or Aaron Dobson. Brady will go after Cromartie because he's considered the weak link in the Jets' pass defense.

3. Pass to run: The offensive formula will be straightforward for the Jets, and that's to get the ball in the hands of bruising tailback Chris Ivory. But it's how the running game unfolds that will be of most interest. The suggestion here is for offensive coordinator Chan Gailey to come out throwing -- safe, medium-range passes to Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker, not "go routes" that run a greater risk of interception. If the pass game can click early, then it will prevent the Patriots from loading up against Ivory by placing an extra player in the tackle box if they know the run is coming. Ivory is the engine that makes the offense go, but it's how the Jets put that engine in motion that will be critical. Better to give Ivory some breathing room early by backing the defense off with some early passes from Fitzpatrick.

Giants-Cowboys

1. Get Beckham the ball. You and I had as many catches as Odell Beckham Jr. in the second half of Monday night's dreadful 27-7 loss to the Eagles: zero. He was targeted just once after being targeted seven times in the first half -- catching all seven passes. Offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo didn't really have a good explanation for why Beckham was virtually ignored in the second half, other than to say the team is constantly aware of how many targets each receiver gets in a given game. Well, it's time to throw the ball Beckham's way early and often . . . and late and often. Throw the ball his way, and chances are he's going to catch it. And even when he doesn't get there, the chance for a pass-interference call increases. He's the best offensive weapon the Giants have, and he needs to see the ball as often as possible, given the limitations his hamstring issues may create. Oh, and it would really help the offense if the other receivers and tight ends do their part; too often there have been disappointing stretches from players such as wide receiver Rueben Randle and tight end Larry Donnell. Consistency is a must from these guys.

2. Blitz Cassel. Matt Cassel makes the start for beleaguered Brandon Weeden, and team owner Jerry Jones says openly that he hopes Cassel can reinvigorate the long passing game. Well, if that's the case, then it means Cassel will need more time in the pocket to let the play develop. Which means the Giants need to get a pass rush on the quarterback to disrupt the passing game. Sacking the quarterback has been a major challenge for the Giants in the absence of Jason Pierre-Paul, so defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo will have to take some chances here. And if Damontre Moore wants to get himself back in the good graces of the coaches -- and Giants fans -- then he can do everyone a favor and rush Cassel without incurring a penalty along the way. Moore can actually be an effective weapon here, because the Cowboys' offensive line is so stout. Moore coming off the edge is actually a viable approach -- as long as he doesn't allow his sense of reckless abandon to turn into senseless penalties.

3. Take Witten out of the game. Giants fans are used to seeing ageless tight end Jason Witten dash their hopes; he scored the winning touchdown to put an end to the Giants' opening-game meltdown in Dallas,

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and he has sliced through the defense countless times before that. Covering Witten has always been a conundrum for the Giants' defense, and he always seems to take advantage of the seam route 20 or so yards up the field. But Spagnuolo is a clever coordinator, and he'll need to find ways to keep Witten under wraps. Linebacker J.T. Thomas might be a good alternative in some situations, and there's nothing wrong with double-covering Witten in some spots. Whatever the case, the Giants can't let him be the playmaker, especially on third downs and inside the red zone, for a quarterback who has viewed the tight end as a primary target throughout his career. Take that option away from Cassel, and you'll be ahead of the game.

Good luck, gentlemen. The fate of a special Sunday of New York football is in your hands.

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THE RECORD

Biggest test yet for Todd Bowles-led Jets (J.P. Pelzman) The Record October 25, 2015

http://www.northjersey.com/sports/football/pats-biggest-test-yet-for-bowles-led-jets-1.1440951

Today will mark Todd Bowles’ first game against New England as the Jets’ coach. Yet he already knows all too well how the Patriots can ruin a day for someone in his position.

On Christmas Eve 2011, Bowles was in the second of his three games as Miami’s interim coach after the dismissal of Tony Sparano. Bowles and his staff put together a good game plan, and frustrated Tom Brady and Co. en route to a 17-0 halftime lead at Gillette Stadium.

Final score: New England 27, Miami 24.

"There are four quarters in a game," Bowles said with a wan smile when a reporter brought up that contest to him this past week.

Bowles gets his second chance as the head honcho against the Patriots today, and the stakes are much higher than the last time. As opposed to a Dolphins team that was playing out the string, Bowles now is in charge of a bold, confident team that believes it belongs in any discussion about the NFL’s elite. A win by the Jets today would go a long way toward proving that.

"I haven’t played them in almost four years," Bowles said of the Patriots. "That’s a long time. They’ve grown, I’ve grown, hopefully. It was a nightmare preparing for them then. It’s a nightmare preparing for them now.

"It’s just because they score so many points," he added. "They’re very crisp at everything. They do all the little things well. … They don’t beat themselves. That makes it tough."

On that cold December day in Foxboro, Mass., almost four years ago, the Dolphins led by 17 at halftime partly because they sacked Tom Brady three times in the first half and limited him to seven completions in 19 attempts for 87 yards.

But, as usual, it proved to be hard to keep the future Hall of Famer down for 60 minutes. Brady went 20-for-27 for 217 yards and one touchdown in the decisive second half, and also sneaked for two rushing touchdowns.

"He’s ageless," Jets linebacker Calvin Pace, a 13-year NFL veteran, said of Brady. "From the day I got here to now, [he is] still putting the ball on the money. The thing I respect about him is no matter who is out there, he’ll find an open guy and put the ball on the money. There’s a reason why he’ll be in the Hall of Fame one day."

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The Patriots added another weapon Saturday for Brady, activating wideout Brandon LaFell off the physically-unable-to-perform list. He had 74 catches in 2014.

Pace added, "They don’t make mistakes, they’re not going to beat themselves, and our challenge is to try and force them to make mistakes, get some pressure on Tom and make his day difficult. Is it going to be an easy task? No, it never is. I know we’ve got the guys to do it.

"[We’ve] just got to stick to the script and do what’s got us to be 4-1 right now," Pace continued. "If we can do that, I like our chances."

Jets quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick realizes his offense must be sharp in case it must trade scores with the high-powered Patriots, but that won’t change his approach.

"Our goal in every game is not to turn it over," he said, "to be efficient on offense, third downs, [in the] red zone and all that stuff. The goals aren’t going to change at all. We know that there is probably less margin for error versus a team like this, just because of how talented they are.

"That being said, the focus again this week is just kind of on us and our execution. … The Jets are playing the Patriots, and my focus is playing against the Patriots’ defense."

WEATHERFORD RETURNS: Former Jet Steve Weatherford was re-signed Saturday because regular punter Ryan Quigley was listed as questionable with a right shin injury.

Weatherford got a call from the Jets on his cellphone while hosting a radio show in the morning and hustled over to the team’s Florham Park complex to make the trip, and later posted a photo on Instagram of himself, CB Darrelle Revis and WR Eric Decker. S Jaiquawn Jarrett (knee) was waived/injured to make room on the roster. Weatherford punted for the Jets in 2009-10.

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Jets matchup: Week 7 vs. Patriots (J.P. Pelzman) The Record October 25, 2015

http://www.northjersey.com/sports/football/jets-matchup-week-7-vs-patriots-1.1440909

Jets (4-1) at Patriots (5-0)

At Gillette Stadium; Today, 1 p.m., TV: Ch. 2; Radio: ESPN-FM 98.7; Line: Patriots by 7 1/2

What’s at stake

Jets: The Jets are trying to reverse the recent trend in this rivalry. Since Gang Green’s shocking upset of New England in the 2010 AFC divisional playoffs, the Patriots have won seven of eight games in this series. Of course, all of that occurred under previous coach Rex Ryan. First-year coach Todd Bowles’ club can claim a share of first place today and get a leg up on a possible tiebreaker advantage against the perennial AFC East powerhouse.

Patriots: New England coach Bill Belichick likely has more of a kinship with fellow Bill Parcells coaching-tree product Bowles than he did with the bombastic Ryan, but Belichick enjoys defeating the Jets no matter who is on the opposing sideline. More importantly, his team can take a two-game lead on its closest AFC East pursuer before the calendar turns to November.

Key matchup

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Jets WR Brandon Marshall vs. Patriots CB Malcolm Butler. Marshall took advantage a week ago of a depleted Washington secondary with seven receptions for 111 yards, including an incredible 35-yard TD catch on which he adjusted to grab an underthrown Ryan Fitzpatrick pass that seemed destined to be picked off. Butler, the last-second hero of New England’s Super Bowl win last season, has taken on a bigger role with the departures of CBs Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner via free agency. Marshall said Friday that he was "shocked" at how good Butler was when he faced him briefly during garbage time in the Pats’ blowout win over Chicago last season.

How they’ll win

Jets: Fitzpatrick (nine TD passes, seven interceptions) hasn’t put up the gaudy numbers of counterpart Tom Brady, but he has been an efficient game manager. He’ll need to do that again as the Jets likely will run Chris Ivory often against a New England defense that has surrendered 4.9 yards per carry this season. The defense doesn’t necessarily need to sack Brady, but must pressure him just enough to make him uncomfortable in the pocket and disrupt his usually impeccable timing with his talented receiving corps.

Patriots: Brady seems to have been rejuvenated by the tumultuous off-season he endured because of his alleged involvement in Deflategate, and it helps that his receivers are playing at a high level, too. TE Rob Gronkowski (five) and WR Julian Edelman have totaled nine TD catches. Brandon LaFell, who had been sidelined with a foot injury, has also been added to the mix. The Pats’ defense has 19 sacks but may have trouble getting to Fitzpatrick, who has been trapped for a loss while trying to pass only twice this season.

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NEW YORK TIMES

Chris Ivory, a Bulldozing Ballet Dancer, Keeps Defenders on Their Toes (Ben Shpigel) New York Times October 24, 2015

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/25/sports/football/chris-ivory-a-bulldozing-ballet-dancer-keeps-defenders-on-their-toes.html?ref=football&_r=0

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — There is nothing subtle about the way Chris Ivory runs — except the way he runs. Every time he blasts through tackles and razes defenders, Ivory preserves a secret of sorts, a feat that borders on illusion: how his least obvious asset is also his most valuable.

“His feet, man, they’re so quick,” running back Zac Stacy said. “It’s, like, scientifically impossible.”

This very topic, Stacy said, is discussed from time to time among the Jets’ running backs, who wonder how a man as compact and powerful and densely muscular as the 6-foot, 226-pound Ivory doubles as a bulldozing ballet dancer. How he bursts through a crease, decelerates, hops a few yards to the side and then accelerates again, reaching top speed in two or three strides.

“The advantage of a guy being his size and having quick feet, it’s unexpected,” said Marcel Shipp, the running backs coach. “Guys come in thinking he’s a big, bruising back. Then he’ll hit a jump cut on you and head down the sideline.”

When asked last month what surprised him most about Ivory, Coach Todd Bowles was unequivocal: his feet. That reaction extends to opposing defenders, who often take poor angles in pursuit, but also Ivory’s own defenders, like Dave Walkosky, who coached him as a senior at Division II Tiffin University in Ohio. Watching him run, Walkosky said he thought to himself, “Can you believe how quick this cat is?”

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Ivory’s feet, Shipp said, allow him to move in and out of cuts like a smaller back, like Darren Sproles of the Philadelphia Eagles. If a camera were to zoom in tight on Ivory’s feet as he ran, Shipp could tell that they were his. From coaching him the last six months, Shipp knows how Ivory’s feet go “chop-chop” when he is about to plant and cut. He knows how Ivory pauses, ever so slightly, before ripping through a hole. He knows how Ivory stays low to redirect himself through a narrow fold.

That ability challenges perceptions of Ivory, who enters Sunday’s game at the New England Patriots with 460 rushing yards, the fourth-most in the league, despite having missed a game with a sore quadriceps. He is neither a slasher nor a speedster. He is not a plodding battering ram. His combination of power and agility evokes, to some, Marshawn Lynch of Seattle and, to others still, the former Bengals and Patriots star Corey Dillon.

The former N.F.L. fullback Heath Evans played with Dillon in New England and with Ivory in New Orleans, where the comparison occurred to him. Dillon was more elusive, Evans said, but Ivory has the same knack for making defenders miss in a phone booth.

“That burst, to put your foot in the ground and then transfer 220 pounds and be at full speed — that’s just God-given ability,” said Evans, who is now an analyst for NFL Network. “His feet are sweet, I’ll just leave it at that.”

Saying that Ivory has quick feet is somewhat imprecise. He cannot dazzle from the ankles down without flexible hips and strength through his calves and hamstrings, quadriceps and core. For someone his height, Ivory does not have long legs, which allows him to run with his feet closer to the ground. Watch closely, and Ivory actually runs on the balls of his feet, almost on his toes, so he can change direction.

“The running backs with quick feet keep their shoulders square in tight spaces,” said the former N.F.L. running back Robert Smith, who is a college analyst for ESPN, “and get to the next hole without having to do a hard plant and wide leg separation.”

He added, “Chris’s feet come up and down really quickly, and he can cross his feet without losing balance.”

There is, then, an elegant quality to Ivory’s style, not unlike a heavyweight boxer’s dodging a flurry of punches. He can plow forward into a pile of mush and then bounce outside. Or, if space materializes but not where it is supposed to, he is nimble enough to adjust and find the alley.

A quintessential Ivory run, Shipp said, came in the second quarter of last week’s 34-20 victory against Washington, when Ivory darted right after receiving a toss, cut back across the formation after a hole closed up and then raced down the sideline for 54 of his 146 rushing yards.

Among running backs with at least 80 carries this season, no one averages more yards per attempt than Ivory, whose 5.54 is nearly a full yard better than the closest competitor, his former teammate Chris Johnson of Arizona (4.78), according to Pro Football Reference.

For Ivory, many of those yards come after contact, a product of his gift for almost immediately regaining his balance after getting hit. His forward lean when he runs —he presents the front of his shoulder pads to defenders instead of the tops — also makes it harder for them to knock him down. But Ivory sets up those opportunities with his proprioception, how his feet instinctively find space near him where he can step without landing on others.

“His knees come up real high, and he’s just trying to find a place to put his foot and stabilize,” Evans said. “And then you’ll see the legs start turning over again, and he’s off.”

This is what Leon Burtnett saw 10 years ago, when he watched Ivory on film. Before recruiting him to Washington State, where Ivory played three seasons before ending up at Tiffin, Burtnett visited Ivory’s

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East Texas hometown, Longview. The team had a prized recruit at tailback — but also Ivory, who played fullback in the triple-option offense.

Focusing on his ability to cut when a hole opened, Burtnett thought Ivory was more talented than Vondrell McGee, who went to Texas. With his peripheral vision and deceptive speed, Ivory evoked a high school version of the Hall of Famer Eric Dickerson, whom Burtnett coached for five seasons with the Colts.

“You don’t think he runs that fast,” Burtnett said, “and then you watch the yard markers fly by, and you say, boy, that kid’s moving.”

As now, Ivory enjoyed running over people back then. After an interception, he once tackled an opposing player with such force that Longview Coach John King thought he had killed him.

Had Ivory never lifted weights, King said, he would have looked better than 90 percent of his teammates. But Ivory focused on developing into as well-rounded a back as his body type would allow, bear-crawling around the track and up hills, and doing a series of drills King called the County Fair. No Ferris wheels or cotton candy booths here, just a rotation of five stations — shuttle runs, speed ladders, cones and the like. “He was always the most impressive,” King said.

At his pro day in 2010, Ivory completed the three-cone drill, which measures a player’s change-of-pace aptitude, in 7.2 seconds, a time that would not have placed him among the top 15 running backs at that year’s N.F.L. scouting combine. That might have contributed some to his not being drafted, but it had no bearing on his evolution.

In the off-season, Ivory adjusted his regimen, ditching treadmill and sand workouts in favor of track work, which was proposed by his Houston-area trainer, James Cooper. Ivory did not focus on improving in one particular area but said he did feel faster, particularly when running to and around the edge.

In this, his sixth N.F.L. season, Ivory has developed a keener understanding of blocking schemes. He possesses the anticipation to know that holes will form, the patience to let them and the vision to see them before they close. Then he gets there as fast as his feet will let him.

“A lot of stuff has been overlooked,” Ivory said. “It’s being noticed now.”

Extra Points

The Jets signed the veteran punter Steve Weatherford, who played for the Jets in 2009 and 2010 and most recently for the Giants, to replace Ryan Quigley, who has a shin injury.

Weatherford spent the last four seasons with the Giants, winning the Super Bowl with them in 2012, before being released in training camp.

It is unclear when Quigley, who had not appeared on the injury report all week until being added Saturday, sustained the injury, but he absorbed a hit when the Redskins blocked a punt in the fourth quarter last Sunday.

To clear roster space for Weatherford, the Jets waived safety Jaiquawn Jarrett (knee) with an injured designation. Jarrett had been listed as doubtful.

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Jets-Patriots Preview: A Tough Task in Tom Brady (Ben Shpigel) New York Times October 24, 2015

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http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/25/sports/jets-patriots-preview-a-tough-task-in-tom-brady.html?ref=topics

No one on the Jets is surprised by the scope of Brady’s excellence this season — 14 touchdowns, one interception, 339.8 passing yards per game — since he has slain them for years. But they are hardly cowed by it. Even in games they lose against New England, the Jets tend to make Brady uncomfortable, and the fierceness of their pass rush and of their secondary could pose a challenge he eluded in the recent past when facing Jets teams with less talent. These Jets have allowed the fewest yards and points per game in the N.F.L., but according to research by NFL Network, Brady is 6-0 in his career against teams that rank first in total defense and scoring defense in Week 7 or later.

Number to Watch: 4.84

That is how many yards per carry New England has allowed this season, the fourth-highest average in the league. The Patriots’ struggles began in the opener, when they allowed 127 yards to the Pittsburgh backup DeAngelo Williams, and continued through last week, when Frank Gore averaged 6 yards per attempt. Opponents’ success against New England bodes well for Chris Ivory and the Jets, who average 146 rushing yards per game, most in the league.

Quotation of the Week

‘I don’t see anybody covering him. That’s the problem.’

Jets Coach TODD BOWLES, when asked how other teams have covered Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski, who has caught 23 passes for 425 yards and five touchdowns.

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ESPN NEW YORK

Frustration builds for Jets' forgotten men -- the tight ends (Rich Cimini) ESPN New York October 25, 2015

http://espn.go.com/blog/newyork-jets/post/_/id/55326/frustration-builds-for-jets-forgotten-men-the-tight-ends

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- A look at what's going on around the New York Jets:

1. The lonesome ends: The New England Patriots have one of the most prolific tight ends in history, Rob Gronkowski. The Jets have ... wait, do they have tight ends? Actually, they do. Their names are Jeff Cumberland and Kellen Davis, but they're so far removed from the passing attack (two catches, four targets) that it wouldn't be a stretch to call them tackle-eligibles in the Chan Gailey/Ryan Fitzpatrick offense.

Right now, the Jets are on pace to become only the fourth team since 2000 to finish with fewer than 10 tight-end catches in a season. The others: The 2006 St. Louis Rams (two), the 2003 Minnesota Vikings (four) and the 2001 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (four), according to ESPN Stats & Information.

"Yeah, it's frustrating," Davis told me. "I talked to Chan and Fitz. For now, we're just kind of stuck, waiting to see if something changes. It's nothing we're not doing. There's not much I can do about it at this point."

Davis said he goes into every game expecting to be a blocker, but hoping to get an opportunity to make plays as a receiver. He doesn't want to complain because the team is winning -- and they're doing a good

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job as blockers -- but he has a right to be frustrated with the lack of chances. Obviously, they don't have a Pro Bowl-caliber tight end on the roster, but an occasional target would help keep defenses honest. Gailey, the offensive coordinator, didn't make any promises, offering a candid assessment: There's a pecking order and the tight ends aren't near the top.

"There's only one ball and a lot of good players we have that need to touch it," he said.

Translation: Don't hold your breath, guys.

2. Not starvin for Harvin: Before trading for Brandon Marshall last March, the Jets made the decision to move on from Percy Harvin. If you recall, they had until March 19, based on a clause in last fall's trade agreement with the Seattle Seahawks. Harvin was well-behaved last season and he did a decent job on the field, fueling speculation of a return engagement. It would've cost them $10.5 million in salary, plus a fourth-round pick, but new GM Mike Maccagnan wisely cut bait, sending a previously agreed-upon sixth-rounder to Seattle.

That move looks even better now, considering the drama once again surrounding the enigmatic receiver. Harvin, who got a $5.9 million guarantee from the Buffalo Bills, didn't make the trip to London this week because of a chronic hip injury and "a lot of other things that are going on" that aren't injury-related, GM Doug Whaley said. It sounds like the old Harvin soap opera has returned.

Think about where the Jets would be if they had Harvin, not Marshall. He was a decent, one-year rental -- and that's it. Rex Ryan fell for Harvin's act last season, and now he's stuck with him in Buffalo.

3. Rex vs. Idzik: Speaking of our old friend Rex ... he'll be facing his former general manager in London. John Idzik is the assistant GM of the Jacksonville Jaguars, and something tells me they won't be reminiscing over a pint in any of the pubs. Since becoming the Bills' coach, Ryan has criticized Idzik on multiple occasions without mentioning him by name. Since being fired by the Jets, Idzik has remained silent, which means nothing has changed.

4. Singing 'Kumbaya': Marshall, who has acknowledged he was a locker-room problem in Denver and Miami (some might say Chicago, too), loves the chemistry in the Jets' locker room. He said they have "great spirit" and a strong work ethic, unlike the "fragmented" teams he played on previously. To illustrate the work ethic, he shared a story about how he noticed Demario Davis training post-practice Friday on a stationary bike, wearing an oxygen mask. Truth be told, Davis has been doing that every day since the start of the season, but Marshall's point is well-taken.

"No one is running around talking about taking over the world," Marshall said. "Everyone is just talking about doing their job and being mindful of the moment. It's inspiring."

Winning helps. A lot.

5. Different strokes: Today's game features the No. 1 scoring defense against the No. 1 scoring offense. The manner in which they got this good couldn't be more different.

The Jets doled out $87 million in guarantees last offseason to improve their defense, the most in the NFL. The Patriots spent an league-low $3.6 million on their offense. The Jets have totaled 32 starts on defense by first-round picks, tied for the fourth-most through five games by any team since 1970 merger, per Elias. The Patriots? They have only four starts by first-rounders on offense, all by tackle Nate Solder, who is out for the season.

How do the Patriots do it? Two words: Tom. Brady.

6. Patriot-speak: Reading the Patriots' quotes this week about Fitzpatrick, one particular phrase came up a couple of times: "He likes to throw into tight windows." That's the politically correct way of saying, "He

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likes to take chances," which suggests a certain recklessness. You know what? They're not wrong, but we'll see if they can close those windows.

7. April showers praise on Belichick: Jets special teams coach Bobby April, 62, has been around football so long that he knew Bill Belichick's late father, Steve, before he knew Bill. He recalled sitting next to Steve in the press box of a college game in the late 1970s. April was scouting for Southern Miss; Belichick was a legendary scout for the Naval Academy. He recalled how Belichick took the time to point out certain formations and tendencies.

"He knew everything," April said. "I didn't know anything."

Years later, when Bill was an assistant with the Jets (1997-1999), his father visited training camp and was quite talkative with reporters, entertaining us with stories about young Bill. Obviously, the chatty gene didn't get passed down.

8. The last word: From Fitzpatrick, on his transient, six-team career: "We’re like a traveling circus. I’ve got five kids, so we’re just touring the country right now. It’s been really nice. I think this has been a good fit for me. .. In terms of living, things haven’t been easy moving around. My wife has been great with it. Every time we move somewhere, we’re kind of all we have. It’s been nice in a way to be able to become a closer family."

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Jets sign punter Steve Weatherford (Rich Cimini) ESPN New York October 24, 2015

http://espn.go.com/newyork/nfl/story/_/id/13960270/newyork-jets-sign-punter-steve-weatherford

To solve their sudden punting issue, the New York Jets have reached into their past, signing free agent Steve Weatherford.

Weatherford, unemployed since being released by the New York Giants at the end of the preseason, will punt Sunday against the New England Patriots. He will replace Ryan Quigley, who was added to the injury report Saturday with a right-shin ailment.

Weatherford, 32, punted for the Jets in 2009 and 2010, both playoff seasons. He spent the next four seasons with the Giants, winning a Super Bowl ring, but he was shaky in the preseason and dealt with a back issue. He enjoyed the best game of his career against the Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI.

The Jets reached out to Weatherford on Saturday and he was scrambling to get to Foxborough, Massachusetts, for the game. Weatherford was contacted by the Jets around 11:30 a.m. while co-hosting a radio show on ESPN New York 98.7. He spoke to general manager Mike Maccagnan during a commercial break at the Manhattan studio and left for Florham Park, N.J, where he met the team before it departed for the airport.

Quigley practiced throughout the week, according to the Jets, but he could be suffering from residual soreness from a hit he took on a blocked punt last Sunday against the Washington Redskins.

To make room for Weatherford, the Jets waived safety Jaiquawn Jarrett with an injury settlement.

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A little FitzMagic will go long way against Super Bowl champs (Rich Cimini) ESPN New York October 24, 2015

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http://espn.go.com/blog/newyork-jets/post/_/id/55280/a-little-fitzmagic-will-go-long-way-against-super-bowl-champs

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- The biggest "Border War" game in years will hinge on a player who, perhaps fittingly, spent four years of his life in the Boston area -- New York Jets quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, Harvard Class of 2005.

Why Fitzpatrick? Let's get inside the brain of New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick.

Belichick's game plans are designed to neutralize the opponents' No. 1 weapon. In the Jets' case, that's Chris Ivory, the NFL's fourth-leading rusher. If Belichick succeeds, it'll shift the burden to Fitzpatrick, whose effectiveness dips dramatically when he's forced to become a volume passer.

Fitzpatrick is 10-39-1 as a starter when he attempts at least 31 passes in a game (1-1 with the Jets), but he's 26-18 when under 31 (3-0 Jets). Detect a trend? Balance is important for Fitzpatrick, particularly when he faces a smart, opportunistic team like the Patriots. His career record against them is 1-6, with 13 touchdowns and 17 interceptions.

Offensive coordinator Chan Gailey believes the Jets are capable of adjusting to whatever is thrown at them.

"If they want to stack the box, I like our matchups outside," he said. "If they want to roll the coverage and leave the box open, I like our matchups there, too."

The hunch here is that Belichick will stack the box to overplay Ivory, daring Fitzpatrick to beat him from the pocket. The Jets would need a lot of FitzMagic to win a game like that.

A victory puts the Jets (4-1) in a first-place tie with the Patriots (5-0). The past four meetings have been decided by three points or less. Look for another tight game that hinges on a couple of big plays. Kickoff is 1 p.m. ET Sunday at Gillette Stadium. The top storylines:

1. Welcome to the rivalry: Todd Bowles is the next coach up in 15-year battle against Belichick and Tom Brady. His predecessors -- Herm Edwards (1-8), Eric Mangini (2-5) and Rex Ryan (4-9) -- didn't fare well. Bowles was impressive during the week, establishing an all-business culture, but it takes more than Monday-to-Saturday coaching to beat these guys. He hasn't faced the Patriots since 2011, when he was a Miami Dolphins assistant.

"That's a long time," Bowles said. "They've grown. I've grown, hopefully. It was a nightmare preparing for them then, and it's a nightmare preparing for them now."

2. Building momentum: The Jets still haven't played a complete game on offense, but they already have topped 30 points in two games, equaling their total from the previous two seasons. Ivory is one of the hottest players in the league, and he could be a major headache for the Patriots' suspect run defense. Brandon Marshall is off to the best five-game start of any Jets receiver since Don Maynard in 1968. The key for the Jets is adjusting on the fly because, as Gailey said, the Patriots are very good at creating indecision for opponents.

3. That defense: Statistically, the Jets have the best defense in the league, but they've faced only one upper-tier quarterback -- Andrew Luck. Obviously, Brady is the biggest challenge. He's at the top of his game, seemingly motivated by the mudslinging of Deflategate. How will he handle the Jets' blitz? That's one of the biggest questions. They blitz more than any team in the league (48 percent of dropbacks), but it's tough to rattle Brady, who has the fastest release time in the league -- 2.11 seconds, according to ESPN Stats & Information.

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4. Stomach-turning matchups: Defensive coordinator Kacy Rodgers said he gets a bit queasy thinking about how to cover the Big Three -- tight end Rob Gronkowski, wide receiver Julian Edelman and running back Dion Lewis. The Jets can neutralize one, maybe two, but it'll be almost impossible to defend all three on a down-to-down basis. They can use former Patriots hired gun Darrelle Revis on Edelman, who lines up outside just as often as he plays in the slot. Gronk is a major issue because neither of the Jets' safeties is big enough to handle him. Then again, who is? Look for the Jets to jam him at the line, using another defender over the top. The ultra-elusive Lewis could be the X factor. He'll be Brady's blitz-beater, looking to exploit the Jets' linebackers in space. Maybe Bowles and Rodgers will throw a changeup by blitzing less frequently, using more players in coverage than usual.

5. Just for kicks: We've seen huge plays in the kicking game over the past few years in this rivalry. In the trend continues, it might not bode well for the Jets, who already have surrendered two touchdowns on special teams. They need to clean it up because it's hard enough to beat the Patriots without special-teams blunders.

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Jets punter Ryan Quigley questionable with shin injury (Rich Cimini) ESPN New York October 24, 2015

http://espn.go.com/blog/newyork-jets/post/_/id/55345/jets-punter-ryan-quigley-questionable-with-shin-injury

The New York Jets' struggling punt team got some potentially bad news on Saturday.

Punter Ryan Quigley has a right-shin injury and is questionable for Sunday against the New England Patriots, the team announced Saturday.

There was no mention of an injury throughout the week, as Quigley didn't appear in the injury report. It's possible he's experiencing residual soreness from a hit he took at the end of last week's game against the Washington Redskins.

Quigley limped off the field after getting drilled on the blocked punt that was recovered for a touchdown.

Obviously, Quigley is the only punter on the roster. If he can't play or can't finish the game, place kicker Nick Folk could be the emergency punter. Or they could sign a punter by 4 p.m.

It has been a rough start to the season for the punt team, which already has allowed two touchdowns.

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NEW YORK POST

This is feared Jets’ defense chance to begin its legend (Steve Serby) New York Post October 25, 2015

http://nypost.com/2015/10/25/this-is-feared-jets-defense-chance-to-begin-its-legend/

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Tom Brady is the greatest quarterback of all time, even if commissioner Roger Goodell and others consider him the greatest cheating quarterback of all time. Brady is The G.O.A.T because he has four Super Bowl rings, and he has four Super Bowl rings because there isn’t anything he hasn’t seen, solved and overcome.

Sunday he gets a chance to prove his greatness to the Todd Bowles Jets.

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In what is, you know, Just Another Game (cough, cough). Just Another Game because it is only one game.

It is only one game, but it can change the complexion of a season and the perception of a team and organization sick and tired of living under the rule of this hated Evil Empire up north.

Just Another Game in which Bill Belichick is eager to activate receiver Brandon LaFell from the PUP list, and Bowles was eager to activate running back Stevan Ridley off PUP (though Ridley wasn’t quite ready).

Muhammad Wilkerson, Sheldon Richardson, Damon Harrison, Leonard Williams up front. The Jets’ equivalent of Jacob deGrom, Matt Harvey, Noah Syndergaard and Steven Matz.

Wilkerson: The brute.

Richardson: The tank on wheels.

Harrison: The immovable object.

Williams: The young freak.

Darrelle Revis lurking on his island behind them — with Antonio Cromartie, Calvin Pryor and Marcus Gilchrist nearby.

Bowles calling countless devious blitzes from the sideline.

For all of Rex Ryan’s braggadocio, Brady never has confronted a Jets defense like this.

The idea, when owner Woody Johnson and general manager Mike Maccagnan brought back Revis, aside from weakening the Patriots, was to enable the bully-boys in the trenches a better chance to wreak havoc.

Brady carves up defenses by getting the ball out quickly, making the best possible decisions and throwing accurate lasers, even now, at 38. Brady continues to give the Patriots a huge advantage at the most critical position.

But there are more than a few Jets defenders who have enjoyed success against Brady and won’t swoon at the mere sight of him. Revis, for one, along with David Harris gives Bowles two of the smarter players at their respective positions.

Maybe Brady will just yawn and toy with Gang Green the way he did with Ryan’s Bills, who thought their high-priced front four would dominate him — Rob Gronkowski here, Dion Lewis there, Julian Edelman everywhere.

Defense wins championships.

So do Hall of Fame quarterbacks.

Or maybe Richardson, in his second game back from suspension, will be coming to eat, and bringing his ravenous friends. Mainly Wilkerson, who is playing with a chip on his shoulder as he waits and waits and waits for a long-term offer he can’t refuse.

The Patriots’ loss of left tackle Nate Solder — and backup Marcus Cannon — gives the Jets more than a puncher’s chance to get in Brady’s face and disrupt him.

The old New York Sack Exchange — Joe Klecko, Marty Lyons, Abdul Salaam and Mark Gastineau — was feared. On this stage, against this quarterback, this defense will have its opportunity to establish a feared reputation of its own. The New York Sack Exchange never had a cornerback like Revis behind them giving them that extra split second to get in the quarterback’s face.

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The other way to frustrate Brady is to gash the Patriots with raging bull Chris Ivory and keep Deflategate Tom on the sidelines, as long as Ryan Fitzpatrick doesn’t play giveaway. The absence of Patriots defensive end Jabaal Sheard will help.

Under Bowles, mum’s the word. The quotes all week were poppycock. Professionalism is another word. Discipline is another. Toughness, both physical and mental, is another. Win is another. He seems to be trying to build a team not only a team in his image, but ironically in Belichick’s image as well.

If there is a defense built to take down Brady, it is this one. No. 1 defense. And if there is a quarterback built to beat a defense like this, it is Brady. Highest-scoring offense. Main event. Round 6 of Bowles’ 16-round fight. It is Not Just Another Round.

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Jets interrupt radio host’s show to sign him as new punter (Brian Costello) New York Post October 24, 2015

http://nypost.com/2015/10/24/jets-interrupt-radio-hosts-show-to-sign-him-as-new-punter/

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The Jets brought back a familiar face Saturday, signing punter Steve Weatherford.

Weatherford, who spent 2009-10 with the Jets before playing for the Giants for four years, joined the Jets in time for their flight here and he will punt against the Patriots on Sunday. The move was necessary because of a shin injury to the Jets regular punter Ryan Quigley.

The injury to Quigley was not reported by the Jets until Saturday, when he was added to the injury report and listed as questionable. It is not certain when Quigley suffered the injury, but he took a pretty good hit last Sunday when the Redskins blocked one of his punts in the fourth quarter.

This is Weatherford’s second stint with the Jets. He was with the team during their runs to the AFC Championship games in Rex Ryan’s first two seasons. He clashed with then special teams coach Mike Westhoff, though, and was let go.

The Giants signed him and he was part of their Super Bowl team in 2011. The Giants released Weatherford last month after training camp, going with the younger and cheaper Brad Wing.

Weatherford was co-hosting a show on 98.7 ESPN radio Saturday morning when the Jets called to offer him the job.

In order to clear a roster spot for Weatherford, the team waived/injured safety Jaiquawn Jarrett, who has been out with a knee injury. He only played 13 defensive snaps this year. Jarrett joined the Jets in 2013. His best game came last year against the Steelers when he had 10 tackles, two interceptions, a fumble recovery and a sack.

The Jets did not activate running back Stevan Ridley off the physically unable to perform list (PUP). Ridley began practicing this week and there was some talk he might be active for Sunday’s game against the Patriots, his former team. But the team did not activate him by 4 p.m. Saturday. Ridley is recovering from knee surgery in 2014. The Jets have a 21-day window from when he started practicing on Wednesday to activate Ridley.

As if the Patriots do not have enough good skill players already, they have added another one this year. Running back Dion Lewis has been a revelation for New England.

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After failed stints in Philadelphia and Cleveland, Lewis is thriving in New England and could give the Jets headaches on Sunday. Lewis has rushed for 201 yards and two touchdowns on 40 carries this season. But his bigger contribution has been as a receiver, with 26 catches for 256 yards and a score.

“They do a good job keeping you off balance,” Jets linebacker David Harris said. “A guy who has been huge for them is the running back, Lewis. He’s a key to their offense.”

Jets coach Todd Bowles was on the Eagles coaching staff in 2012 when Lewis was there, so he saw him up close. Lewis was stuck behind LeSean McCoy with the Eagles.

“He’s still the same guy,” Bowles said. “It’s just a matter of getting the opportunity. He was always tough. He could run, he could catch the ball, he was quick and he was an inside-outside guy. He’s just not a pass receiver, he’s just not an outside runner. He was always a good football player.”

The Jets already have seen teams try to attack them with running backs catching passes.

The Eagles went to Ryan Mathews and Darren Sproles on wheel routes several times in their win over the Jets. Last week, the Redskins attempted a pass to running back Chris Thompson down the sideline, but it was a poor pass.

“With the way our backend is playing, we know they have to go to different options,” Harris said. “That’s usually the tight end and the backs, so our job is to defend those guys. It will be a good challenge.”

Ryan Fitzpatrick has some ugly all-time numbers against the Patriots — 1-6 all-time against them with 13 touchdowns and 17 interceptions.

The Jets have completed just two passes to tight ends this season.

But Patriots safety Devin McCourty said you can’t sleep on them: “You don’t want to come and say, ‘They only have two catches,’ and then they come in and have 10 catches 100-plus yards. Those guys can play. We’ve played against [ Jeff ] Cumberland for a while now so we know he can playHe’s guy out there that can make plays for them.”

Additional reporting by Mark Cannizzaro

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Top offense vs. top defense: The showdown Jets (quietly) have waited for (Justin Terranova) New York Post October 24, 2015

http://nypost.com/2015/10/24/top-offense-vs-top-defense-the-showdown-jets-quietly-have-waited-for/

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Are the Jets for real? We find out here on Sunday afternoon when Gang Green take on the rival Patriots.

The Jets have been impressive, getting out to a 4-1 record by playing nearly flawless defense, giving teams a heavy dose of running back Chris Ivory and mixing in wide receivers Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker.

Nearly everything new coach Todd Bowles has dialed up has worked, but now they step up to play the kings of the AFC East. The Patriots are rolling at 5-0 and on pace to shatter offensive records. The Jets could announce their arrival as one of the best teams in the NFL with a win at Gillette Stadium.

“We’re not trying to make any statements,” guard Willie Colon said. “We just want to win.”

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This game took on a new dimension this week with Bowles. When Rex Ryan coached the Jets, Patriots week felt like the Super Bowl. He never shied away from hyping it up. But Bowles downplayed the matchup this week, saying it is just the next game on the schedule.

Jets players took their cue from their coach and joined in the boring quote parade.

“I don’t know whether they take on my personality or whether some of them are scared of the backlash,” Bowles said. “Kind of a little of both. I think they’re starting to understand what it takes to try to win. We’re trying to win ball games. We’re not trying to win one ball game. We’re trying to win them all.”

The truth is this game does not need to be hyped. The Jets enter the game as the No. 1 defense in the NFL. The Patriots have the No. 1 offense. You have Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski, Julian Edelman vs. Darrelle Revis, making his return to Foxborough, Sheldon Richardson and Muhammad Wilkerson. You have Bill Belichick and Bowles matching wits.

“They’ve been playing lights out on offense and we’ve been playing lights out on defense,” Revis said. “It’s the No. 1 offense vs. the No. 1 defense and it should be very exciting. It should be very fun.”

Since 1970, the top scoring defense has won 11 of 16 matchups with the top scoring offense in Week 7 or later. So, advantage Jets? Well, Brady is 6-0 in his career facing the top defense this late in the season.

Something has to give.

Marquee matchup

Patriots QB Tom Brady vs. Jets CB Darrelle Revis

These two competed against each other for years, then found themselves as teammates in 2014, winning a Super Bowl together. Now, they are back facing each other. Both threw compliments the other one’s way this week. They truly seem to have great respect for one another.

The big question here is how Bowles will deploy Revis. Will he put him on Julian Edelman, Danny Amendola, Rob Gronkowski, move him around? That will be fascinating to watch. And will Brady throw it Revis’ way?

“Tom is a competitor,” Revis said. “From being his teammate last year and even before that going against him, he’s always going to look for the best matchup and he trusts his guys.”

Brady and Revis know each other’s habits from facing each other so much last year in practice. Who will that give an advantage to?

“I liked playing with him. There’s no doubt about that,” Brady said. “He’s a supremely talented player. He’s got such a great skill set and knowledge of the game. He’s just got great instincts and his ability to shadow receivers and play the ball.”

4 Downs

Unstoppable Ivory:

Jets running back Chris Ivory has looked impossible to tackle this season. He is coming off consecutive 100-yard games for the first time in his career. Ivory has 460 yards this season in four games. He leads the NFL with an average of 115 yards rushing per game. The Jets offense goes off what Ivory does.

The Patriots’ task will be to find a way to slow him down. New England has not been good against the run this season, allowing 114.2 yards a game, which ranks 22nd in the NFL.

People around the Jets are running out of adjectives to describe Ivory. Offensive coordinator Chan Gailey was asked this week what makes Ivory tick.

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“I don’t know because I’d want to instill it in a lot of people we’ve got,” Gailey said. “I don’t know what makes him tick but I know he is a ferocious runner. He is attacking the goal line every time he gets the ball. I’m glad he’s on our side, I know that.”

The Gronk plan:

Someone was rattling off all of the offensive weapons the Patriots have this week — Tom Brady, Julian Edelman, Rob Gronkowski … and then Jets defensive coordinator Kacy Rodgers took a deep breath.

“You just made me want to throw up,” he joked.

The biggest of those challenges literally is Gronkowski. The 6-foot-6 monster tight end is a matchup nightmare for defenses. The Jets have not tipped their hand on how they will attack him, other than safety Calvin Pryor saying the Jets will be in his face.

In his career, Gronkowski has 39 catches for 461 yards and five touchdowns against the Jets. They hope he does not add to those stats Sunday.

House of horrors:

Beating the Patriots is always a tricky proposition, but beating them in October in Foxborough is nearly impossible. The Patriots are 27-4 at home during October since the 2000 season. The last time the Jets won there in October came in 2000 when Al Groh was head coach. It’s been a long time.

Overall, the Patriots are 47-16 in the month of October since the 2000 season, the best mark in the NFL. New England always seems to hit its stride at this time of year, a scary thought this year with how well it has played already.

Close calls:

The Jets have lost seven of the last eight games against the Patriots, and have not beaten them since 2013. They have not won in Foxborough since January 2011 in the playoffs.

Even though the rivalry has been lopsided in terms of wins, the games have been close. Last year’s games were decided by a total of three points. The Jets controlled the game in New England last year (immortalized by Brady complaining about ball inflation in the Wells Report), but came up short. The past four games between the teams have been decided by three points or less.

Costello’s call

The Jets have not felt this good about themselves entering a game with the Patriots since 2011. I think the Jets defense will slow Tom Brady down, but the Jets offense is due for a clunker. Bill Belichick figures out how to slow Chris Ivory down and the Patriots pull away late.

Patriots 24, Jets 9

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Todd Bowles’ pregame strategy for Jets-Patriots battle revealed (Mark Cannizzaro) New York Post October 24, 2015

http://nypost.com/2015/10/24/unlike-boisterous-ryan-bowles-just-rolls-up-his-sleeves-for-belichick-battle/

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Todd Bowles’ predecessor would have all 53 players on the roster frothing at the mouth in an anticipation fueled by rage and the desperate chase for respect by the time they stepped off the team buses on game day.

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Rex Ryan used to love using the phrase: “Play like your hair’s on fire.”

That often led to mixed results for Ryan’s Jets, who sometimes were too amped up and other times lost focus and discipline, perhaps because too much emphasis was placed on particular games and not enough on others.

In stark contrast, Bowles will bring a Jets team into Gillette Stadium on Sunday to play the AFC rival Patriots that is quiet and confident, a team not intimidated by the defending Super Bowl champions, one relishing the chance to change the narrative in a division the Patriots have owned for more than a decade.

Despite the fact the 5-0 Patriots have owned the Jets, beating them in seven of the past eight meetings, the Jets come into Sunday’s game believing they’re better than they have been in years, more equipped to take down the Patriots with better personnel matchups and a more mature mindset.

There is a school of thought that the 4-1 Jets need to win this game to validate their early season success, that they need a win over a so-called “quality” opponent.

The Jets don’t as much need to validate anything more than they simply need to keep the Patriots from separating themselves in the division, like they do every year around this time.

A Jets win would leave them tied for first place in the division, but more importantly, it would significantly bolster their confidence — knowing they can do this.

It’s true, the Jets have not beaten any of the league’s elite in their first five games. What they’ve done is take care of business, beaten the teams they’re supposed to beat. Now comes New England, the best litmus test to date, to let us know where exactly Bowles’ program stands, how far ahead of schedule it really is.

Bowles has done his best to downplay the significance of this game inside his locker room and through the media in an effort to avoid playing any more meaning on this game than the last one or the next one.

Again, a stark contrast to his predecessor, who put so much pressure on his teams to beat New England — particularly because he was so obsessed with his own coaching matchup with Patriots czar Bill Belichick.

“Winning this game is not going to make us; losing this game is not going to break us,” Bowles said. “We’re going to take the same approach we’ve been taking. You don’t get up or down for one game because it means you haven’t been playing hard in the first place.

“We know it’s a division game and we know it’s a division rival and we know they’re Super Bowl champs. It’s a big game, but it’s only one game. It’s not going to make or break us, win, lose or draw. It’s Game 6 for us, and if we want to get better, we have to develop some type of consistency.”

Bowles is not trying to stifle his players’ emotions. He simply wants to keep them in the same even-keel mind-set with which he coaches.

“You want them amped up on Sunday, but as far as playing the game or playing a specific person, you try to treat everybody the same and we go about our business the same way,” he said.

Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis called Sunday’s game “as big as you want it to be.”

“It’s Game 6,” linebacker Calvin Pace said, echoing his head coach. “It’s a big game because it’s the next game. We know the challenges ahead of us going into a hostile territory. It’s about us focusing on what the game plan is and going out and executing. [We have] just got to stick to the script and do what’s got us to be 4-1 right now. If we can do that, I like our chances.”

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NJ ADVANCE MEDIA

Jets keep Stevan Ridley on PUP list; New England Patriots' Brandon LaFell comes off PUP (Darryl Slater) NJ Advance Media October 24, 2015

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/10/jets_wont_promote_stevan_ridley_from_pup_list_for.html#incart_river

The Jets on Saturday opted not to remove running back Stevan Ridley from their physically unable to perform list, in advance of Sunday's game at the Patriots.

That news was first reported by NFL Media's Ian Rapoport.

Meanwhile, the Patriots are bringing wide receiver Brandon LaFell (foot) off their PUP list for Sunday's game. Rapoport was also first to note that.

LaFell was the Patriots' No. 2 receiver last season, when he had 74 catches, to Julian Edelman's 92. So LaFell could definitely help New England on Sunday.

Teams had until 4 p.m. Saturday to make a decision about PUP list players.

Ridley used to play for the Patriots. The Jets signed him in free agency this past offseason. This week, he spoke excitedly about perhaps facing New England, in the Jets' sixth game of the season.

Ridley could have been active Sunday, as a complementary back to Chris Ivory. Ridley hasn't played since he tore his ACL and MCL in a game last October. But the Jets opted to give Ridley at least another week to rehab.

The Jets won't have running back Bilal Powell (sprained ankle) for Sunday's game. Zac Stacy is their only other tailback. Ridley, when 100 percent, seems to be the Jets' best back besides Ivory.

This was the first game Ridley was eligible to play in, since he started the year on the PUP list. This also was the first week he was eligible to practice. He fully participated in practice every day this week.

This week, Ridley said that while he felt fine to play Sunday, he isn't 100 percent yet, in terms of being in football shape and having a rhythm with the Jets' offensive line.

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Jets sign former Giants punter Steve Weatherford, waive/injured Jaiquawn Jarrett (Dom Cosentino) NJ Advance Media October 24, 2015

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/10/jets_to_sign_former_giants_punter_steve_weatherfor.html#incart_river

WILBRAHAM, Mass. — Because of an injury to Ryan Quigley, the Jets on Saturday signed former Giants punter Steve Weatherford. To make room, they waived/injured safety Jaiquawn Jarrett, who had been doubtful for Sunday's game at the Patriots because of a knee injury.

Quigley was suddenly added to the Jets' injury report Saturday, when he was listed as questionable for the Patriots game with a shin injury. Quigley had not been on the injury report all week. It is not clear when Quigley got hurt, but he did take a shot when Washington blocked a punt in last Sunday's game.

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Jarrett had missed last week's win against Washington because of his knee injury. By cutting him, the Jets have just three safeties—Marcus Gilchrist, Calvin Pryor, Dion Bailey—on their 53-man roster heading into the Patriots game.

The addition of Weatherford means he will play Sunday. The bigger question is whether Weatherford will be given a chance to win the job beyond that.

This is Weatherford's second stint with the Jets. He also played for them in 2009 and 2010. Before that, he played for the Saints, Chiefs, and Jaguars. Weatherford spent the last four seasons with the Giants before being released early last month.

By designating Jarrett as waived/injured, the Jets can still place him on season-ending injured reserve after he clears waivers.

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4 reasons Jets' Chris Ivory is off to fast start, from altered offseason routine to new coordinator (Darryl Slater) NJ Advance Media October 24, 2015

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/10/xx_reasons_jets_chris_ivory_is_off_to_a_fast_start.html#incart_river

FLORHAM PARK — Jets running back Chris Ivory is off to a hot start this season. He has played in four of the 4-1 Jets' five games. In the past two, he has 166 and 146 yards, the most and third-most of his career, which began in 2010.

Ivory this season already has 83 carries for 460 yards and four touchdowns. Last season, he gained 821 yards. The year before, his first season with the Jets, he accumulated 833 yards. Ivory is gaining a whopping 5.5 yards per carry so far this season, and he leads the NFL with 115 yards per game.

PLUS: With New England Patriots' Tom Brady next, Jets' Leonard Williams wants to 'mess him up a little bit'

It's still early, but the 6-foot, 226-pound Ivory is making the NFL notice his punishing, bruising rushing style. He is third in the NFL with 3.2 yards after contact per carry, according to Pro Football Focus.

Why has Ivory played so well this year? Here are four big reasons:

1. He's getting opportunities. The past two seasons, offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg foolishly tried to incorporate Ivory into a two-back system. In 2013, Bilal Powell, who isn't nearly as good as Ivory, had 176 carries, compared to Ivory's 182. Powell ran for 4 yards per carry, Ivory 4.6. Last season, Chris Johnson got 155 carries, Ivory 198. Johnson actually didn't do that badly, gaining 4.3 yards per carry, compared to Ivory's 4.1. But the Jets, 4-12 last year, trailed so often that they had to pass to catch up, and couldn't consistently establish Ivory or Johnson. Now, Ivory is clearly The Guy in the Jets' backfield, as he

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should be. He is averaging 20.8 carries per game, after averaging 12.1 and 12.4 in the past two seasons. Ivory has two 20-carry games this year and one 29-carry outing (his career-best yardage game).

Is Ivory surprised by his production so far? "No, I started pretty good last year," he said. "The carries, I just wasn't getting as many, not as many opportunities. Not really surprised [by the hot start in 2015]. It's something I expect. I think every player should expect that every year. I feel like I've been doing this [well] for the past two years here, but I guess since we're winning now, more things are being noticed." He's right about last year's start. In the first seven games, he ran for 4.9 yards per carry, but carried just 88 times (12.6 times per game). Were there times last year when Ivory was baffled that Mornhinweg wasn't giving him more carries? "Yeah, there was," Ivory said. "But it wasn't something that really weighed on my mind, because it was more about winning, but we were having problems with that. It's a new year now."

2. He's fresh. This would help any running back, of course. But Ivory's body takes a beating, because of his running style. Since he runs with such physicality, he needs to stay fresh, even though that's hard to do sometimes. "It kind of depends on the game, but I'm sore for about three days [afterward]," he said. He added that he wore down a bit later last season. The numbers show that. In the final nine games, he gained just 3.5 yards per carry, on 110 attempts (12.2 per game). It was a noticeable drop-off from his first seven games. "I'm just a lot healthier [now]," he said. "It came to a time [later last season], yeah, where I didn't feel as comfortable, as healthy."

3. He's quicker to and around the edge. We've seen quite a bit more burst from Ivory this season. He said he didn't necessarily go into his offseason workout routine hoping to add speed. He just wanted to get better. But he worked with a new trainer this offseason, Houston-based James Cooper, and Cooper had Ivory do more sprinting and endurance workouts on the track. Ivory believes those sessions helped him become a quicker rusher to the edge, and around it, in addition to still being a bullish runner between the tackles. "I didn't do as much track work in the past," Ivory said. "Before, I was working with a guy in Florida, and I did more treadmill workouts and [running in the] sand workouts. But this was the first year I did a lot of track work. I just heard good things about [Cooper]. I have a friend who works with him that's been working with him for a while. It wasn't the first time I went there. I went before, but it was always like maybe two weeks. But this time, I stayed most of the offseason. So for like two months, a month and a half."

4. He's determined. This didn't come up in Ivory's Friday media session — and he probably would've punted on the question anyway — but Ivory is scheduled to become a free agent after this season. Ivory's upcoming free agency surely isn't the primary thing on his mind during games. But it has to be at least something of a big-picture motivator. Overall, independent of any contract-related stuff, Ivory is a determined runner. Since he runs so hard, since he wore down later last season, and since he figures to get a bigger workload this year, does he wonder how he'll feel in November and December? Does he wonder if he can keep up this torrid early production when he doesn't feel as fresh? "Right now, it doesn't really cross my mind," he said of perhaps wearing down. "If it's going to happen, it's going to happen. But even if my body feels like it's wearing down, I'm just going to keep going hard. In my head, not too much is going to really slow me down, unless it's something that I really can't push through."

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NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Jets know AFC East road goes through New England and Patriots (Seth Walder) New York Daily News October 24, 2015

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/jets-afc-east-road-new-england-patriots-article-1.2409803

Between the two best teams in the AFC East, the Jets are still the younger sibling that is fighting to get noticed.

Only one loss may separate the Patriots and Jets, but there is a wide gap in the general perception of the two squads. Despite all that’s gone right for the Jets — a 4-1 start; the team taking to a new coach; a defense as good as advertised — the Patriots are still nine-point favorites for Sunday’s showdown in Foxborough.

And the distance between the teams in recent history is so great that Willie Colon said this week the Jets and Patriots aren’t even a rivalry anymore.

“I don’t think you can call it a rivalry because we haven’t been as successful,” Colon said. “It hasn’t been back and forth. They have more wins than us.”

The Patriots are 21-9 against the Jets in the regular season since 2000, when the Bill Belichick era started. The two teams split the pair of postseason showdowns in that span. But of course, even beyond their head-to-head record, the Patriots earned four rings during that time, while the Jets have yet to make it beyond the AFC Championship Game this century.

“At this point they’ve dominated the rivalry, if you were to call it one,” Colon said. “So I don’t call it a rivalry.”

Colon was asked if the Jets were somehow to win a game or two against the Patriots and take the division, would be it become a rivalry again then?

“I think we have miles to walk before we rest our head on those notions,” Colon said. “Yes, we’re in a good place. Things are going well for us. But I’ve been a part of teams where things can go (180) so fast. It’s one of those things, we can’t get caught up in the hoopla.”

All of that is not to diminish how impressive the Jets have been thus far. Their quick start has put them in the driver’s seat for a playoff spot — even if they are unlikely to win the AFC East. In order to have a chance at that, they likely have to surprise most and beat New England.

“You’ve got to go through the Patriots,” Colon agreed.

All week, Jets players (except Sheldon Richardson) have declined to either hype up this game or their chances of beating the Patriots at the behest of their head coach. As such, they may be flying a little more under the radar than usual. Not that they seem to mind.

“We’re underdogs, man. We’re just going to keep that underdog mentality,” Quinton Coples said. “We love it.”

Though the Jets have lost eight of their last nine regular season games against New England, they usually play the Patriots tough. Despite being a disaster on the whole last season, the Jets only lost to New England by a combined three points over two games.

“It’s never really been like we just wasn’t prepared,” Coples said.

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Well, with one exception, he noted. The buttfumble game.

“OK that was probably the worst game ever, as far as we weren’t prepared,” he added.

By and large, Coples felt, it was a mistake here or an error there that cost them close games against New England in the past.

The good news for the Jets is that they probably are the best equipped they’ve been in a few years to play New England, given how well the defense is playing and the presence of Chris Ivory, Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker. Most of the players, however, weren’t relying on that.

“I thought we always had enough to get ‘em,” Colon said. “It’s just a matter of they just beat us by playing harder, faster, and executing at a higher level.”

One might say the Jets are hot at the moment, but Colon was quick to correct that.

“People use the word hot when you’re on a winning streak,” Colon said. “I think we’re not on a winning streak yet.”

He has a point. Though the Jets have won four of their first five games, they have won just two in a row.

On Sunday at Gillette Stadium, Gang Green will try to extend that streak to three — and take possession of first place in the AFC East in the process. While Bowles’ players have been relatively quiet this weekend, that doesn’t mean they are lacking confidence going in.

“I like our chances,” Calvin Pace said.

THREE MATCHUPS TO WATCH

Jets LB Demario Davis vs. Pats RB Dion Lewis

It won't just be Davis that's responsible for Lewis, but given that he's a relatively fast inside linebacker, he'll probably be on the running back the most. Lewis is a dangerous threat in the passing attack, and covering running backs in the passing game has been an area that the Jets — and Davis — have struggled with.

The Jets need the fourth-year linebacker to step up in this one.

Jets RB Chris Ivory vs. Pats defensive front

The ground game is going to be critical for the Jets against New England, and Ivory will obviously be a critical part of that. He's currently on fire and figures to continue that trend against the 22nd-ranked Patriots' run defense. This is one area where the Jets have the edge.

Pats TE Rob Gronkowski vs. Jets coach Todd Bowles

No, Bowles isn't suiting up for this one. But the Jets head coach's game planning skills will be tested this week as he attempts to figure out a strategy for covering Gronk. Will he use Marcus Gilchrist? Antonio Cromartie? Calvin Pryor? All of the above? There is no magic solution to covering Gronk, but Bowles will need to limit him as much as he can.

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Steve Weatherford signs with Jets for Patriots game as Ryan Quigley added to injury report (Seth Walder, Manish Mehta) New York Daily News October 24, 2015

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/steve-weatherford-expected-join-jets-patriots-game-article-1.2409730

The Jets brought back a familiar face to help them in a punting pinch.

Gang Green re-signed punter Steve Weatherford on Saturday to at least temporarily replace injured punter Ryan Quigley. Quigley was added to the injury report with a right shin injury Saturday as questionable for Sunday’s contest against the Patriots. The team waived/injured safety Jaiquawn Jarrett in a corresponding move.

It’s unclear when Quigley suffered the injury, but one possibility is that he was hurt when his punt was blocked by Washington last week. However, the Jets would have had to disclose Quigley’s injury if they knew about it before Saturday. It’s also unknown how long Quigley is expected to be out and if Weatherford is just a one-game rental.

Weatherford was with the Jets in 2009 and 2010 before heading across New Jersey to join the Giants in from 2011-2014. He was masterful in the Giants’ 2011 Super Bowl win over the Patriots, when he placed three of his four punts during that game inside the 10-yard line. He was quite popular with fans during his four-year stretch with Big Blue.

Weatherford was cut by the Giants in early September when the team traded for punter Brad Wing from the Steelers.

The veteran punter posted a picture on Instagram of himself with Darrelle Revis and Eric Decker at the team’s facility with the caption, “I'm baaaaaaack!!!! Incredibly blessed and thankful. #NYProud.”

Jarrett, a backup safety, has played in 47 games for the Jets between 2013 and 2015. He has been battling a knee injury.”

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Less Rex, More Bill: Todd Bowles is taking a Belichick-like approach to building the Jets (Manish Mehta) New York Daily News October 24, 2015

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/steve-weatherford-expected-join-jets-patriots-game-article-1.2409730

Todd Bowles might never be able to master Bill Belichick’s low-talking, mumbling act, but he’s certainly a fan of his say-nothing culture.

The Jets would have saved a boatload of money by downloading the audio of Belichick’s press conferences for players rather than hire a sleep specialist for their London trip earlier this month. Belichick’s droning would have knocked them all out.

Bowles is building a foundation that looks and sounds an awful lot like The Patriot Way (without the paranoia). Although the Jets rookie head coach cracked that he is “not going to take (players) in the back of the woodshed and beat them” if they say something that he disagrees with, there is a decidedly do-your-job vibe on One Jets Drive these days.

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“You’re always going to learn from good coaches and good teams,” Bowles told the Daily News in the run-up to his team’s divisional showdown in Foxborough on Sunday. “Sometimes you see him answer questions and (think), ‘That’s not a bad answer.’”

Belichick is actually one of the NFL’s more insightful head coaches on certain topics. His eight-minute NFL rules dissertation in the wake of the Seattle-Detroit mess a few weeks ago was interesting. His Mona Lisa Vito reference in the early stages of DeflateGate unwittingly turned him into a comedian.

Those were the exceptions that proved the rule: The Patriots commander-in-chief has a PhD in boredom.

A snapshot from the Patriots’ first day of training camp:

Reporter: Is there something flawed about the system here in the organization that you keep ending up in these cheating controversies? Can you explain why?

Belichick: It’s already been addressed.

Reporter: Could you elaborate a little?

Belichick: No.

Reporter: Why not?

Belichick: Because it’s already been addressed.

It takes a special gift to consistently say this little.

“Well, some of the questions he answers are very detailed,” said Bowles, who has only occasionally crossed paths with the fellow Bill Parcells disciple. “He doesn’t have to answer detailed questions to answer the question. Some of the questions are loaded questions. He does a very good job of keeping everything the same and not answering loaded questions.”

Bowles’ catch phrases have already started to permeate the building. So, you’ll hear players insist that it’s all about “stacking chips” and winning another round in a “16-round fight.” Even some of the typically more colorful personalities have dialed down the rhetoric from the Rex Ryan days.

“It’s an important game because it’s the next game,” elder statesman Calvin Pace said with the half-smile of a man who you know yearned to say more.

Bowles has used a variation of Belichick’s “on-to-Cincinnati” rallying cry from a year ago to help create his new culture with the Jets. The internal hype surrounding Patriots Week has been muffled by Bowles’ matter-of-fact approach that is eerily Belichickian.

“He doesn’t shoot any bull crap,” cornerback Antonio Cromartie told the News. “He’s a straight-forward guy. That why I love him.”

It wasn’t long ago when players loved Ryan for promoting Jets-Patriots week with a hurricane of one-liners. His players fed off that energy.

Bowles doesn’t subscribe to wild emotional swings theory. So, he’s turned down the volume. Listen carefully or you’re liable to find yourself wearing a puffy shirt on national television.

“It’s not going to put us in the Super Bowl and it’s not going to put us out of the playoffs,” Bowles said of facing the Patriots this week. “It’ll be an intense game, I’m sure. But if you look at it as anything other than that, you’re wrong. You’re going to talk yourself out of it.”

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There’s ample evidence that both coaching styles work (even though Ryan’s approach obviously was extreme). Pete Carroll is as fiery as they come. His team has done pretty well. Belichick’s resume speaks for itself.

Bowles isn’t Belichick, but Jets linebackers coach Mike Caldwell sees important similarities.

“They resemble each other, because they’re so to the point about what the offense is doing,” said Caldwell, who played three seasons for Belichick in Cleveland. “There’s no gray area. Here’s what you should do. Here’s what you’re looking for. That’s where the similarities lie... They give you an understanding. They let you know what you’re role is, what’s expected of you every week and now it’s up to you to go out there and perform it.”

Belichick’s ability to diagnose a play and help simplify a player’s responsibilities (and reduce anxiety) resonated with Caldwell.

“He told you what to look for, and nine times out of 10, he was right on,” Caldwell said. “It’s like Todd calling out plays.”

Bowles has plenty of personality (when the cameras aren’t rolling), but don’t expect him to show up to a public event with a wig or pillow stuffed under his shirt anytime soon. He is more Belichick than Rex.

The Patriot Way might be the best way for his team, but there won’t be a complete metamorphosis to the Dark Side.

Besides, Bowles would look terrible in a hoodie and cut-off sleeves.

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METRO NEW YORK

3 things to watch for as Jets take on Patriots (Kristian Dyer) Metro New York October 22, 2015

http://www.metro.us/boston/3-things-to-watch-for-as-patriots-face-jets/zsJojv---yiRcux5804s/

Don’t look now but the New York Jets are 4-1 and are suddenly right in the thick of things for the playoffs.

And on Sunday, they face their old nemesis in the Patriots and at a place they haven’t won at since the 2010 playoffs. Now they have an opponent that is undefeated and clearly the talk of the league for things other than cheating and ‘Deflategate.’ The Patriots are good, and until otherwise are the class of the division.

1. Match wits with Brady

The Jets, with one of the best defenses in the league, will have to slow down a Patriots offense that is deep and talented. And it is led by Tom Brady, whose numbers are fully inflated this year. In fact, he is on pace for a career-year in yards (5,437) and touchdowns (45), a pace that would easily eclipse his gaudy numbers from 2011. He’s also on track to only throw three interceptions this season.

“He’s been in the same scheme for a long time. He knows the guys he’s worked with. [Julian] Edelman, [Danny] Amendola, (Rob Gronkowski). In saying that, they’ve got great chemistry and kind of knowing where guys are supposed to be,” Jets linebacker Calvin Pace said. “They don’t make mistakes, they’re not

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going to beat themselves and our challenge is to try and force them to make mistakes, get some pressure on Tom and make his day difficult.”

2. Nothing new here

The Patriots are 5-0 for the fourth time in franchise history and for the third time since they drafted Brady. A win on Sunday would make them 6-0 for the third time in team history but also would put them in a strong spot to win seven consecutive AFC East titles. If they do that, it would be a new record in the NFL. For comparison sake, the Jets last won the division in 2002.

3. Control turnovers

Not surprisingly, in games where Jets quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick limits turnovers, the Jets win. The team is 4-0 when Fitpatrick throws a single interception, showing that with decent quarterback play, the Jets can be a dangerous team.

“I think he’s a really smart player. They’ve put a lot on him in terms of running the offense. They check plays and take the best look and things like that,” Patriots head coach Bill Belichick said. “In the passing game, I think he throws into some tight coverage situations, but he’s got big receivers like [Brandon] Marshall and [Eric] Decker and gives them a chance to make plays on the ball and they’re making them. I don’t think we’re going to fool this guy too much, I don’t really think that’s part of it.”

In Week 3 when Fitzpatrick had three interceptions, the Jets lost. If he can make smart throws, the Jets have a chance in every game this season. Including this one.

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SATURDAY’S SPORTS TRANSACTIONS

BASKETBALL

National Basketball Association

ATLANTA HAWKS — Waived C Earl Barron and F DeQuan Jones.

LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS — Waived F/C Chuck Hayes.

MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES — Waived F Sampson Carter, G/F Yakhouba Diawara, G Lazeric Jones and F/C Alex Stepheson.

MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES — Waived G Lorenzo Brown, F forward Nick Wiggins and C Kleon Penn.

PHOENIX SUNS — Waived C Henry Sims.

WASHINGTON WIZARDS — Waived C Josh Harrellson, G Jaron Johnson, G Toure Murry, C Jaleel Roberts and G Ish Smith.

FOOTBALL

National Football League

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS — Activated WR Brandon Lafell from the PUP list.

NEW YORK JETS — Signed P Steve Weatherford. Waived-injured S Jaiquawn Jarrett.

OAKLAND RAIDERS — Signed DE Shelby Harris from the practice squad. Waived S Tevin McDonald.

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PITTSBURGH STEELERS — Signed QB Tyler Murphy from the practice squad. Placed CB Cortez Allen on injured reserve.

TENNESSEE TITANS — Signed WR Rico Richardson from the practice squad. Waived TE Chase Coffman.

HOCKEY

National Hockey League

ANAHEIM DUCKS — Placed D Josh Manson on injured reserve. Recalled D Joe Piskula from San Diego (AHL).

DETROIT RED WINGS — Recalled D Alexey Marchenko from Grand Rapids (AHL). Placed C Brad Richards on seven-day injured reserve.

NASHVILLE PREDATORS — Sent D Anthony Bitetto to Milwaukee (AHL) on a conditioning assignment.

ECHL

READING ROYALS — Announced G Martin Ouellette was recalled by Lehigh Valley (AHL).

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