SB Nation - Sione Pouha

Jets at Dolphins: Injury Report

Kevin Nogle — Sat, 22 Sep 2012 09:00:18 -0000

Here is the official injury report heading into Sunday's New York Jets at Miami Dolphins game:

NEW YORK JETS

Status Report
	OUT	T Dennis Landolt (knee)

	DOUBTFUL	RB John Conner (knee), LB Bryan Thomas (hamstring)

	QUESTIONABLE	TE Dustin Keller (hamstring), CB Ellis Lankster (back)

	PROBABLE	LB Nick Bellore (shoulder), DE Quinton Coples (illness), CB Antonio Cromartie (shoulder), DT Mike Devito (calf), DT Kenrick Ellis (illness), S LaRon Landry (heel), C Nick Mangold (wrist), G Brandon Moore (hip), LB Calvin Pace (achilles), DT Sione Pouha (back), CB Darrelle Revis (concussion), QB Mark Sanchez (back), WR Chaz Schilens (ankle), LB Bart Scott (knee), S Eric Smith (hip, knee), CB Isaiah Trufant (ankle), DE Muhammad Wilkerson (not injury related)

Practice Report
	OUT (DEFINITELY WILL NOT PLAY)
	Wednesday	T Dennis Landolt (knee)
	Thursday	T Dennis Landolt (knee)
	Friday	T Dennis Landolt (knee)

	DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE
	Wednesday	RB John Conner (knee), TE Dustin Keller (hamstring), S Eric Smith (hip, knee), LB Bryan Thomas (hamstring)
	Thursday	RB John Conner (knee), S LaRon Landry (heel), CB Ellis Lankster (back), LB Bryan Thomas (hamstring)
	Friday	RB John Conner (knee), CB Ellis Lankster (back), LB Bryan Thomas (hamstring), DE Muhammad Wilkerson (not injury related)

	LIMITED PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE
	Wednesday	CB Ellis Lankster (back), DT Sione Pouha (back), CB Darrelle Revis (concussion)
	Thursday	TE Dustin Keller (hamstring), S Eric Smith (hip, knee)
	Friday	TE Dustin Keller (hamstring), S Eric Smith (hip, knee)

	FULL PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE
	Wednesday	LB Nick Bellore (shoulder), CB Antonio Cromartie (shoulder), DT Mike Devito (calf), S LaRon Landry (heel), C Nick Mangold (wrist), G Brandon Moore (hip), LB Calvin Pace (achilles), QB Mark Sanchez (back), WR Chaz Schilens (ankle), LB Bart Scott (knee), CB Isaiah Trufant (ankle)
	Thursday	LB Nick Bellore (shoulder), DE Quinton Coples (illness), CB Antonio Cromartie (shoulder), DT Mike Devito (calf), C Nick Mangold (wrist), G Brandon Moore (hip), LB Calvin Pace (achilles), DT Sione Pouha (back), CB Darrelle Revis (concussion), QB Mark Sanchez (back), WR Chaz Schilens (ankle), LB Bart Scott (knee), CB Isaiah Trufant (ankle)
	Friday	LB Nick Bellore (shoulder), DE Quinton Coples (illness), CB Antonio Cromartie (shoulder), DT Mike Devito (calf), DT Kenrick Ellis (illness), S LaRon Landry (heel), C Nick Mangold (wrist), G Brandon Moore (hip), LB Calvin Pace (achilles), DT Sione Pouha (back), CB Darrelle Revis (concussion), QB Mark Sanchez (back), WR Chaz Schilens (ankle), LB Bart Scott (knee), CB Isaiah Trufant (ankle)

MIAMI DOLPHINS

Status Report
	OUT	DT Tony McDaniel (knee)

	DOUBTFUL	WR Marlon Moore (hamstring)

	PROBABLE	WR Anthony Armstrong (hamstring), LB Kevin Burnett (foot), LB Jonathan Freeny (thumb), CB Richard Marshall (back), RB Lamar Miller (ankle), LB Koa Misi (foot), DE Jared Odrick (thumb), RB Daniel Thomas (concussion), S Jimmy Wilson (back)
Practice Report
	DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE
	Wednesday	DT Tony McDaniel (knee)
	Thursday	LB Kevin Burnett (foot), DT Tony McDaniel (knee), WR Marlon Moore (hamstring)
	Friday	DT Tony McDaniel (knee), WR Marlon Moore (hamstring)

	LIMITED PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE
	Wednesday	WR Anthony Armstrong (hamstring), CB Richard Marshall (back), WR Marlon Moore (hamstring)
	Thursday	WR Anthony Armstrong (hamstring), CB Richard Marshall (back)

	FULL PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE
	Wednesday	LB Jonathan Freeny (thumb), RB Lamar Miller (ankle), LB Koa Misi (foot), RB Daniel Thomas (concussion), S Jimmy Wilson (back)
	Thursday	LB Jonathan Freeny (thumb), RB Lamar Miller (ankle), LB Koa Misi (foot), RB Daniel Thomas (concussion), S Jimmy Wilson (back)
	Friday	WR Anthony Armstrong (hamstring), LB Kevin Burnett (foot), LB Jonathan Freeny (thumb), CB Richard Marshall (back), RB Lamar Miller (ankle), LB Koa Misi (foot), DE Jared Odrick (thumb), RB Daniel Thomas (concussion), S Jimmy Wilson (back)

Jets at Dolphins: Injury Report

Kevin Nogle — Wed, 19 Sep 2012 23:00:15 -0000

The Miami Dolphins host the New York Jets on Sunday. Here is the Wednesday injury/practice report for the two teams:

NEW YORK JETS

Practice Report
	OUT (DEFINITELY WILL NOT PLAY)
	Wednesday	T Dennis Landolt (knee)

	DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE
	Wednesday	RB John Conner (knee), TE Dustin Keller (hamstring), S Eric Smith (hip, knee), LB Bryan Thomas (hamstring)

	LIMITED PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE
	Wednesday	CB Ellis Lankster (back), DT Sione Pouha (back), CB Darrelle Revis (concussion)

	FULL PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE
	Wednesday	LB Nick Bellore (shoulder), CB Antonio Cromartie (shoulder), DT Mike Devito (calf), S LaRon Landry (heel), C Nick Mangold (wrist), G Brandon Moore (hip), LB Calvin Pace (achilles), QB Mark Sanchez (back), WR Chaz Schilens (ankle), LB Bart Scott (knee), CB Isaiah Trufant (ankle)

MIAMI DOLPHINS

Practice Report
	DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE
	Wednesday	DT Tony McDaniel (knee)

	LIMITED PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE
	Wednesday	WR Anthony Armstrong (hamstring), CB Richard Marshall (back), WR Marlon Moore (hamstring)

	FULL PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE
	Wednesday	LB Jonathan Freeny (thumb), RB Lamar Miller (ankle), LB Koa Misi (foot), RB Daniel Thomas (concussion), S Jimmy Wilson (back)

Bills v. Jets Injury Report: Stevie Johnson Officially Questionable

Brian Galliford — Fri, 07 Sep 2012 17:03:08 -0000

The Buffalo Bills have released their injury report for Sunday's Week 1 matchup with the New York Jets, and wide receiver Stevie Johnson has officially been listed as questionable for the game.

After missing practice entirely on Thursday, there were some creeping doubts as to Johnson's availability, but he participated in practice on Friday and is fully expected to suit up against Darrelle Revis despite his questionable designation.

In other news, both receiver Brad Smith (groin) and right guard Kraig Urbik (back) are listed as probable. Both of those players missed portions of practice this week, but were participants on Friday, with Smith participating fully. Urbik will start and back up at center, while Smith will play special teams and sneak onto the field in Wildcat formations on occasion.

The Jets have not yet released a full injury report, but the players to watch on that front include tight end Dustin Keller and nose tackle Sione Pouha. Rex Ryan has sounded optimistic all week that both will play, but things are still up in the air for both key starters.

Bills vs. Jets Injury Update: Buffalo Getting Healthier

Brian Galliford — Mon, 03 Sep 2012 23:24:52 -0000

The Buffalo Bills practiced without just two players on Monday as they began preparations for the New York Jets: quarterback/wide receiver Brad Smith and cornerback Ron Brooks. The rookie defensive back will be shelved for the foreseeable future coming off of foot surgery, while Smith remains hobbled by a groin injury suffered in the pre-season finale.

In a typical regular season week, if a player hasn't practiced by Friday, he's unlikely to suit up for the Bills. Brooks obviously won't be playing, but it's not yet time to rule out Smith, who will serve as the team's fifth receiver and as a special teams player for the next few weeks.

Meanwhile, three veterans that missed at least part of the pre-season were back on the practice field on Monday: right tackle Erik Pears, defensive end Mark Anderson and cornerback Terrence McGee. Pears and McGee are the bigger worries for now when it comes to Week 1 availability, but head coach Chan Gailey sounded pleased with the way both players looked this afternoon.

The big worry on the Jets' end of things seems to be nose tackle Sione Po'uha, who has been dealing with a back injury all pre-season. He's not a player that would play a lot against an offense like Buffalo's, anyway, but as one of the team's better defenders, that's a situation worth monitoring nonetheless.

Finally, despite some worry about the status of tight end Dustin Keller (hamstring), he appears set to practice on Wednesday, and should be fine for Sunday against a Bills defense that has struggled to defend tight ends in recent seasons.

Flight Connections 09-01-12

David Vill — Sat, 01 Sep 2012 12:57:17 -0000

Happy September, Gang Green Gangsters!

Rex Ryan believes in his team.

Mark Sanchez is working hard to be on the same page with the receivers.

Joe Theismann wants Mark to have some cojones.

According to NJ.com, Tim Tebow remains popular regardless of what de does on the field.

JetNation has a contest to win a Tebow DVD.

Quinton Coples had a productive preseason.

James Walker believes he has the potential to be Rookie of the Year.

Joe McKnight and Royce Pollard were among those injured in the last preseason game.

Chaz Schilens and Sione Pouha are among those who are getting healthier.

The Morning Call reports on D'Anton Lynn getting cut by the Jets.

Kristian Dyer writes about the cruelty of cut day.

Jets Twit shares tweets from players who were cut.

AFC East Blog analyzes the Jets cuts.

A Jets fan got his wish to fly on the JetBlue Jets plane.

Vernon Gholston and Kellen Clemens have been cut by the St. Louis Rams.

James Ihedigbo has been cut by the New England Patriots.

Jamaal Westerman has been cut by the Miami Dolphins.

Jeremy Kapinos has been cut by the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Mark Gastineau was in Cedar Grove last week.

The league and the officials are currently negotiating.

Shutdown Corner shares adventures in replacement officiating.

Lastly, here is Curtis Martin likening the Sanchez-Tebow situation with his relationship with Lamont Jordan:

Enjoy your Saturday, Gangsters! Now I'm off to work on my new reality show called "Hard Knockers: Implants Gone Bad".

Getting Healthy! Jets Looking Good For Season Opener

David_Wyatt — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 15:12:57 -0000

Lets continue the positive outlook Wednesday we are having.

Rich Cimini has some news that all Jets fans should rejoice at. Both David Harris and Dustin Keller will be fit and ready to play against Buffalo in week one.

It doesn't stop there, Sione Pouha is also fit and ready to go after missing significant time this pre-season with a back problem. Safety Yeremiah Bell will also be fit after overcoming his knee injury that kept him on the sideline against the Panthers.

Should we continue? Well Brandon Moore has had a very minor surgery this week but he is expected to be absolutely fine for Buffalo. Jeff Cumberland and Chaz Schilens will also be healthy enough for selection.

The only blot on the radar right now is safety Eric Smith. Rex said that he was the biggest question mark, my money is that he sits out until week two or week three. His knee is fine but his hip is still causing him some issues.

Jets Injury News

Bro Namath — Thu, 23 Aug 2012 22:27:38 -0000

The NFL and Jets official websites do not track injuries in the preseason. According to Sports Illustrated the only player being tracked for preseason injuries is the already-on-IR Royce Adams. ESPN has proven highly inaccurate and unreliable in their tracking of preseason injuries, but they along with CBSSports.com, an SBN affiliate, will be the primary sources I use.

Here are the banged up or less-than-100% Jets to watch (or in many cases, not watch) in preseason week 3. Those of you who have been "throwing up the kool aid" lately might want to take note that many of our cornerstone players have not been fully active in the preseason, and that nobody besides rookies are really giving it their all here. But, I'll let you decide for yourself how serious things really are in the long term. Without further adieu, the injured players;

Eric Smith (DB)

CBSSports is reporting that Eric Smith will miss the rest of the preseason with an MCL Sprain. ESPN does not mention Smith. Although it could be all hype, Rex Ryan has insinuated more than once that Smith is the brains of the defense, especially in the wake of Jim Leonhard leaving the team for the Broncos. New blood Antonio Allen and Josh Bush have come to rely on Eric Smith as a mentor and on-field instructor, so in that respect he is a loss. On the other hand, the new guys as well as LaRon Landry and Yeremiah Bell need as much honing and time with the D squad as they can possibly get in the remaining preseason. Smith will be back around when it matters, for all the good he may or may not do.

Santonio Holmes (WR)

Initially the Jets said that Holmes would forgo the rest of the preseaon due to his bruised ribs, which gave us quite a scare when we thought it was something more severe. Holmes is back in practice but wearing red (non-contact) jerseys. Basically, the Jets are protecting their greatest asset at receiver, and there's no reason to be worried about him missing the regular season. According to both CBS and ESPN, Holmes actually has a pretty good chance of playing in the week 3 preseason game against the Panthers.

Read about the rest of the Jets injured players and possible inactives after the jump.

Jeremy Kerley (WR)

The Jets young slot receiver has all significant action so far this preseason with a tight hamstring, however according to Jenny Vrentas, who may or may not hold the key to my black frozen heart, Kerley is about 90% healed and might play against the Panthers on Sunday. I would prefer that he be 100% as hamstrings have an awful way of lingering for a long time, but I have to trust the professionals decision over my own.

Joe McKnight (RB)

Also according to Ms. Vrentas and re-reported by ESPN; RB Joe McKnight is experiencing some kind of problem or discomfort with his shins, and will have x-rays taken. His status for the rest of the preseason is not certain at this time.

Update: Results show McKnight has shin splints and is unlikely to miss any significant time at all.

Chaz Schilens (WR)

Per Vrentas and ESPN, Schilens missed another practice with a high ankle sprain and will definitely miss week 3 preseason action against the Panthers.

Patrick Turner (WR)

Turner rolled his ankle during practice and hopes to return to action either tomorrow or in the following days. Turner has been relegated to bikes and stationary exercise while he recovers. Even though it is only the preseason, health and depth at wide reciever are beginning to be a concern. Who will Mark Sanchez throw to on Sunday at this rate?

Sione Pouha (NT)

This is old news, but Sione will continue to sit out the remainder of the preseason with back issues.

Jeff Cumberland (TE)

Cumberland apparently suffered a concussion in Tuesday's practice. His status is uncertain at this time.

Ricky Sapp (LB)

Sapp will likely miss the week 3 preseason game against the panthers with an injured ankle. Sapp has not played any preseason time beyond practice, and his long term future with the team may be in danger due to his inability to get on the field, per Manish Mehta of the Daily News.

Returning to practice are Wayne Hunter, who was given time off for personal reasons in what ultimately turned out to be his benching in favor of Austin Howard. Also returning is Calvin Pace, who missed practice earlier this week while getting a tooth extracted, and then again the next day because he could not wear proper protective gear while he healed.

The Verdict:

Although it may appear as if the sky is falling, and the Jets certainly will be missing significant pieces this Sunday, perhaps this lack of active starters may be an explanation for why the team is underperforming in preseason action. I cannot reiterate enough that almost all of these players will be ready to go for week 1. For now, we will be treated to seeing what the lesser known players have in the tank, which is really what the preseason is for anyway.

Poll

Is the Jets weak preseason performance due to injuries?

Yes.

145 votes

No.

252 votes

397 votes | Poll has closed

Panthers vs. Jets: An Offensive Preview

B Sweeney — Wed, 22 Aug 2012 12:00:53 -0000

Our offense was high flying last week against the Dolphins, a team who had a fairly stout defense last year. It was a great showing after we came out of the gate a little cold in our first preseason game. Now, we will turn our sights to the Jets for the third game. In all the others, our backups managed to get significant amounts of playing time. Not this time. The 3rd game is the demo to the real thing and we should expect Cam and Co. to be on the field through the 3rd quarter.

The X-Factor: Will the next WR please stand up?

I'm not going to lie to you all, the Jets are a tough defense to play against. If there is one thing Rex Ryan knows better than feet, it's how to coach a defense, and he has made the Jets into a respectable defensive unit utilizing his hybrid 46 scheme inherited from his father, the legendary Buddy Ryan. Our WRs (and TEs) need to in top form going into this game. I'll say it now, if Louis Murphy can find open space as a 3rd WR against this defense, he deserves his start. Likewise, if Brandon LaFell plays well this game, we can really start getting excited about him as our #2.

Battle in the Air: Carolina Passing vs. Jets Defense

The Jets are lucky in the fact that they have one of the best secondaries in the entire league. Antonio Cromartie and Darrelle Revis are a tandem that must really make offensive coordinators shudder. This will be a tough matchup. Steve Smith is likely to be able to hold his own, but we haven't really seen LaFell spark the way he did at the end of last season. He'll need every bit of spark he can in this game. Our best look at the 3rd WR spot will likely come from this game. Gettis is still battling an injury and as of this writing, I'm not sure if he is playing or not. That leaves the door open to Louis Murphy who has really taken the bull by the horns (or maybe the panther by the fangs?) when it comes to this WR battle. He has, at this point, probably moved ahead for the spot and if he can give a solid performance in this game, you can expect that the position will be his.

I'm still not really sure I like our chances though... I've already mentioned Revis (who led all CBs in most stats for the season according to Football Outsiders) and Cromartie, who bounced back as a more reliable CB last year. But sadly the Jets also have Kyle Wilson to serve as their nickle back and he could probably start for most teams. They're just stacked all around at CB and even added to their safety position by picking up LaRon Landry, probably the best safety FA of the offseason.

Edge: Jets

Trench Warfare: Panthers Run Game vs. Jets Defense

Last week, I mentioned that the run game would be a big factor in our game against the Dolphins and it certainly was much more pronounced. It also helped that a lot of the defensive starters for the Dolphins were out. I'm not certain we'll be so lucky this week against the Jets. The middle of the Jets defense is tough to run against, led by a corp composed of Sione Pouha, David Harris, and Bart Scott. Getting traction up the middle could be difficult, even more so if the Jets manage to take away our high flying passing game.

Edge: Jets

Closing Remarks: It's Not all Bad...

The Jets were one of the best defenses in the league last year. They have talent across the board and managed to improve it over the offseason with additions by Quinton Coples (whatever you may think of him) and LaRon Landry. Yeah, it'll be a tough matchup... But the real key is going to be who can crack the nut first. As good as their defense is, the Jets offense is in shambles. Their starting RT is worse than MacBurn was and it could be hard for them to get much traction going. We don't need to be dominate through out the whole game to win, but we do need to find the endzone twice, and that could likely be enough.

Overall, I think this is going to be a tough, but winnable game. (And if they put Tebow in as QB... an easy, winnable game.)

Flight Connections 08-16-12

David Vill — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 15:15:51 -0000

NorthJersey.com: MetLife Stadium has a new CEO.

iStockAnalyst.com: NFL alumni and MetLife team up to reveal the Snoopy Statue.

Jets Insider: Golden Snoopy in hand, Rex Ryan eyes the Giants' hardware.

Jenny Vrentas: Ryan says that the Jets will have a top-five defense.

Steve Serby: Eavesdropping on a chat between Rex and Tom Coughlin.

Jeff Freier: The 1976 Jets attempted to juggle two quarterbacks.

Kimberley A. Martin: The quarterbacks struggled, Stephen Hill returned and Jordan White impressed.

Manish Mehta: Santonio Holmes could miss the remainder of the preseason.

Brian Costello: Sione Pouha may sit until the season opener.

Randy Lange: Pouha says there is no doubt that he'll be back for Buffalo.

Lisa Zimmerman: Bryan Thomas is back in action.

Kimberley A. Martin: Calvin Pace is now a Wildcat convert.

Seth Walder: Bart Scott goes on the offensive about Gang Green's defense.

Dave Caldwell: Bart remains the Mad Backer coming off a tough year.

John Holt: Nick Bellore will step in where and when needed.

Jenny Vrentas: When Rex rang the doorbell, Yeremiah Bell was convinced to sign with his former rival.

Eric Allen: Dennis Thurman likes the range of Bell and LaRon Landry.

Kristian Dyer: The Jets are thin at safety with Eric Smith injured.

Michael Salfino: Antonio Cromartie and Darrelle Revis are statistically one of the top cornerback tandems in recent NFL history.

Daily News: Scott and Revis want Mark Sanchez to step up to the big time.

Yahoo!: The Jets sign journeyman CB LeQuan Lewis.

ESPN New York: The Jets are interested in Olympian sprinter Jeff Demps.

Rich Cimini: Three things we learned yesterday.

Jenny Vrentas: The Jets practice the Wildcat on the final day of camp in Cortland.

James Walker: Bill Belichick is getting ready for Tim Tebow and the Wildcat.

New York Times: Giants top pick David Wilson shows grit and speed. Does that mean he has greed?

Associated Press: The Super Bowl champs take a back seat in New York.

USA Today: Fans still get ripped off by the preseason.

Deadspin: Not content with ruining NFL jerseys, now Nike wants to take over game balls, too.

GGN Mailbag

bobdolethesnapplelady — Sat, 04 Aug 2012 13:26:16 -0000

Hiya folks. Today we’re going to try to get a semi-regular GGN mailbag started again. Feel free to e-mail us with questions regarding players, the team as a whole, or GGN as a website. Whatever you want. I’m going to slightly edit the questions for readability, so please don’t be offended if it’s not worded identical to how you sent it in or if the grammar is changed.

All of that said, I have polled some of our editors and writers for their answers to your questions, and put their initials next to each of their responses. Join us below the jump to check out the mailbag.

Edit - I have added GangGreenMag's responses in as well.

Who will lead the team in sacks this season?

BDTSL - I believe that Aaron Maybin will lead the team in sacks. I suspect that with Sione Pouha, Kenrick Ellis, Muhammad Wilkerson, and Quinton Coples engaging the offensive line, there will be a lot of mismatches and blown matchups that allow Maybin to wreak havoc with his speed. There are going to be a lot of double teams on the defensive line, leaving someone open… in this case, Mayhem Maybin.

JB - I'll go with Quinton Coples. It's probably going to be a front seven guy. Bart Scott and David Harris don't rush the passer much. Aaron Maybin and Demario Davis will be situational pass rushers. Sione Pouha, Mike Devito, and Bryan Thomas aren't very productive rushing the passer. Calvin Pace is in decline. That leaves Coples and Muhammad Wilkerson. I think Coples has more natural ability for Karl Dunbar to nurture.

GGM - I think it will be Maybin. The guy has beefed up, and hasn't lost any speed. Maybin has been a terror in training camp so far, and doesn't show any signs of slowing down. The extra beef will allow him to be more successful in the 4-3. Word from camp is, Maybin is getting put into a lot more packages than what he was apart of last year. His ferocious style of play, and motor will make him our leading pass rusher. We should also keep an eye on Ricky Sapp, or as I named him "Spinal Sapp."

Are you surprised by Quinton Coples reported lack of production so far in camp?

BDTSL - No, I’m not particularly surprised. From what I’ve heard, Rex Ryan’s plan for Coples was to overwhelm him with information at first, and then simplify it. The idea is to break him down and then rebuild him, stronger than ever before. It seems that this is similar in concept to what they did with Wilkerson, except Coples will be working with a stronger (on the whole) line and line coach than Wilkerson had.

JB - No, a rookie struggling out of the gate isn't very big news. I don't think it really matters that much either. Last year we heard about how Ropati Pitoitua and Jamaal Westerman were tearing up camp. Neither of them even made enough of an impression during the season to even stay on the team for another year. Camp usually isn't very indicative of how somebody is going to perform during the year.

Do you think Quinton Coples will have a similar season to Muhammad Wilkerson’s rookie year?

BDTSL - I think it’s going to be better. Wilkerson steadily became more and more solid as the season went on. He’s one of the top candidates the team seems to have pegged as likely for a breakout season. All of that said, Coples will have a better season because he has more raw talent coming out of college (motivational issues aside, which it seems have not been an issue in camp) and has a better line to work with. The switch to more 4-3 looks should also help Coples, as more players will be demanding double teams, which should leave him in 1-1 situations he can dominate.

JB - If he does, it will probably be a disappointment. Wilkerson saw most of his time on a three-man line. He had to face constant double teams and do a lot of the dirty work. When he did a good job, it usually wasn't obvious.

It looks like Coples is going to play most of his time on a four man line and be featured on the defense. He's going to be asked to be a playmaker. I expect more from him.

GGM - I am not really expecting Coples to blow everyone out of the water day one. He will need some time to get in the rhythm of things, but he will produce. It's my opinion that he will mature much like Wilkerson did last year. It could be around week 8 when we start to see the beast that is Coples. Of course until then, people are going to be all over us, calling him a bust. Let them say what they want. We have a real player here. He was one of my guys before the draft, and I'm sticking with him.

Will Tim Tebow replace Mark Sanchez this season?

BDTSL - No. I love Tebow and all, but that truly isn’t why he’s here. He’s here to push Sanchez and be a jack-of-all-trades of sorts around the team, and maybe to spark the team if Sanchez falters. But unless Sanchez has several games like the one against the Buffalo Bills his rookie season (five interceptions), I really don’t believe Tebow will fully replace Sanchez as the starter.

JB - I'll say yes. The Jets are going back to asking Sanchez to play the game manager role. His job will be to not lose the game. That isn't really what he is, though. He's not a steady guy who will go out, move the chains a bit, and protect the ball. He's a guy who makes some spectacular plays one week to win a game and some boneheaded plays another week to lose a game.

In his heart, Rex Ryan doesn't want that. He wants the steady, less spectacular guy who will protect the ball. Rex wants his defense to win the game. The offense's job is to control the ball to rest the defense, not turn it over, and stay out of the way. There's probably going to be a stretch where Sanchez kills the team. It has happened the first three years. Now Rex has the option of putting in a guy with whom he can run it 75% of the time, which is a dream scenario for him.

The fans will help it along. Jets fans aren't very patient. They booed Sanchez before a game started last year for Pete's sake. The second Sanchez struggles, the calls for Tebow will build. For their part, the Jets feel so much pressure to play Tebow that they've come up with nutty ideas like playing him on special teams.

To avoid an eventual benching, Sanchez has to become a lot more consistent and efficient in a hurry.

GGM - Not only do I believe that Tebow won't take over for Sanchez; I don't even think he would start if Mark goes down with an injury. I was listening to ESPN radio about a day ago, and they brought up a theory that I was thinking back when we traded for Tebow. McElroy is still very raw, but if I had to pick between him and Tebow for a better passer, I would pick Greg. The team has also made Tebow gain weight this off season. This tells me that they want him to be a runner rather than a passer. The Broncos wanted him to lose weight so he can get rid of the ball faster. If Mark goes down, I think Tebow's role stays the same.

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Thank you all for your questions, and hopefully we can do this again soon.