NEW YORK JETS DAILY CLIPS

August 8, 2014

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Table of Contents

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

Vick leads Jets to TD drive in 13-10 win vs. Colts (Dennis Waszak) ........................................................................... 2

Luck sharp in only drive as Colts fall to Jets (Dennis Waszak) ................................................................................... 3

NEWSDAY .............................................................................................................................................................. 5

Michael Vick leads only TD drive as Jets win preseason opener (Kimberley Martin) ............................................... 5

Jets' Chris Ivory forced to leave preseason game with rib injury (Kimberley Martin) .............................................. 6

Michael Vick's ability to run opens door for more injuries, but he's not going to stop now (Bob Glauber) ............. 6

David Nelson hopes Jets put in plays for Michael Vick (Bob Glauber) ...................................................................... 8

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

Michael Vick leads Jets on only TD drive in 13-10 win over Colts (J.P. Pelzman) ...................................................... 8

STAR-LEDGER ....................................................................................................................................................... 10

Analyzing Geno Smith's sharpest play from Colts-Jets preseason opener (Darryl Slater) ...................................... 10

Geno Smith better not slip up, because Michael Vick is ready and waiting (Steve Politi) ...................................... 12

Jets' Geno Smith, Michael Vick see limited action, avoid mistakes in preseason opener vs. Colts (Darryl Slater) . 13

Three things we learned from Jets' preseason opener vs. Colts (Darryl Slater)...................................................... 15

5 Michael Vick observations from Jets' preseason opener vs. Colts (Steve Politi) .................................................. 15

NEW YORK POST .................................................................................................................................................. 16

Vick, Geno battle a draw as Jets win preseason opener (Brian Costello) ............................................................... 16

Milliner passes test, Patterson doesn’t in Jets’ preseason opener (Brian Lewis).................................................... 17

And it begins: Jets’ Chris Ivory, David Nelson exit with injuries (Brian Costello) .................................................... 18

Beware, Geno: Vick shows he can move the Jets offense (Steve Serby) ................................................................ 19

5 questions with … Tim Hasselbeck (Justin Terranova) ........................................................................................... 21

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS ...................................................................................................................................... 22

Speedy Michael Vick wakes up crowd as Jets beat Colts on late field goal, 13-10 (Seth Walder) .......................... 22

Eric Decker and Chris Johnson show signs of promise in NY Jets preseason opener, but are far from saviors (Manish Mehta) ....................................................................................................................................................... 23

Michael Vick seems destined to ride NY Jets bench behind Geno Smith, despite giving team best chance to win (Gary Myers) ............................................................................................................................................................ 24

Chris Ivory injures ribs in NY Jets preseason opener (Stephen Lorenzo & Seth Walder) ........................................ 26

NEW YORK TIMES ................................................................................................................................................ 27

Jets’ Opener Goes as Envisioned at Quarterback (Ben Shpigel).............................................................................. 27

WALL STREET JOURNAL ....................................................................................................................................... 28

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Jets See Good Things in Both Smith and Vick (Stu Woo)......................................................................................... 28

ESPN NEW YORK .................................................................................................................................................. 28

Geno Smith vs. Michael Vick: Status quo (Rich Cimini) ........................................................................................... 28

Milliner looks good, Patterson not so much (Kieran Darcy) .................................................................................... 30

Notes: Michael Vick appreciates the love (Rich Cimini) .......................................................................................... 31

METRO NEW YORK .............................................................................................................................................. 32

Jets vs. Colts: 3 things we learned from the preseason opener (Kristian Dyer) ...................................................... 32

NJ.COM ................................................................................................................................................................ 33

5 observations on Geno Smith from Jets' preseason opener vs. Colts (Dom Cosentino) ....................................... 33

Going to Colts-Jets? Those smart cards and that ticket rewards program, explained (Dom Cosentino) ................ 34

THURSDAY’S SPORTS TRANSACTIONS .................................................................................................................. 36

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Vick leads Jets to TD drive in 13-10 win vs. Colts (Dennis Waszak) Associated Press August 7, 2014

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/vick-leads-jets-td-drive-020255430--nfl.html

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) - Michael Vick took off on third down, eluded a few tackle attempts and picked up 15 yards for a first down.

Yep, he's still got it.

Vick showed he's still a playmaker, leading the New York Jets on a touchdown drive, capped by fellow newcomer Chris Johnson's 1-yard scoring run, in a 13-10 victory over the Indianapolis Colts on Thursday night in the preseason opener for both teams.

"I did all right. It could've been better," Vick said. "I wanted to get some throws down the field, but unfortunately that didn't happen. So, let's see what happens next week."

Andrew Luck made what amounted to a cameo appearance, playing in just one efficient drive for the Colts, going 4 of 5 for 53 yards and leading Indianapolis to a field goal in his brief stint.

"I thought we had a lot of good rhythm," Luck said. "I wish we would have gotten a touchdown, but points are good."

Rookie free agent Andrew Furney kicked a 51-yard field goal with 1:08 left to put the Jets ahead in a game that appeared headed for overtime. Ikemefuna Enemkpali sacked Chandler Harnish in the closing minute and A.J. Edds recovered the fumble, sealing the win for New York.

"It wasn't great," Jets coach Rex Ryan said, "but it wasn't a pillow fight, either."

Geno Smith, looking to retain his starting job with the Jets in his second season, was 4 of 6 for 33 yards in his two series with the first-team offense - including a drive capped by a 51-yard field goal by Nick Folk that hit the crossbar and bounced over - before giving way to Vick.

He also had an impressive 10-yard scramble on a read-option.

"There's no grade for it," Smith said of his performance. "I played two series and did OK, but got to get better."

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Vick jogged onto the field to a nice ovation from the crowd at MetLife Stadium - a greeting he wasn't expecting.

"To get that type of reception, it was a very warm welcome," he said, "and I appreciated it."

A 14-play drive tied it at 10, and while it came mostly against backups on defense, the 34-year-old Vick showed his elusiveness and also converted on fourth-and-4 at the 8, hitting Tommy Bohanon for 6 yards to set up Johnson's touchdown.

The Jets were also helped by two 15-yard penalties: a facemask on Josh Gordy, and an unsportsmanlike conduct call on Sergio Brown, who took the helmet of Jets lineman Willie Colon and tossed it after Colon and Indianapolis defensive tackle Jeris Pendleton got into it on the field.

Pendleton left a few plays later with a knee injury.

Vick went three-and-out on his next possession with the Jets' backups, ending with a sack by Cam Johnson. He took a knee on the final play before halftime, ending his night. Vick was 3 of 6 for 17 yards, and also ran three times for 19 yards.

"I thought Geno played extremely well," Ryan said. "I'm really pleased with Geno, and also pleased with Mike, as well."

Luck got the Colts to the Jets 10 on the game's opening drive when he beat a blitz and hit T.Y. Hilton for 17 yards. After a defensive offside call on Calvin Pace put the ball at the 3, Trent Richardson lost 2 yards. On third-and-goal, the snap by rookie center Jonotthan Harrison - playing after starter Khaled Holmes injured an ankle - floated past Luck's head for a 16-yard loss. Adam Vinatieri then kicked a 39-yarder to give Indianapolis a 3-0 lead.

That was it for Luck, who gave way to veteran backup Matt Hasselbeck.

"That was the plan, to get him six-to-eight plays, and it ended up, I think it was 12 on that drive," Colts coach Chuck Pagano said. "So, he actually got a few more than we planned, but it was fine."

Hasselbeck helped put the Colts ahead 10-3 on their next possession, tossing a swing pass to Daniel Herron, who beat rookie linebacker Jeremiah George and zipped into the end zone for a 12-yard touchdown.

Hasselbeck nearly led the Colts to another scoring drive right before halftime, but Vinatieri pushed a 29-yard attempt wide left to keep it tied at 10. Hasselbeck finished 10 of 15 for 114 yards and the score.

NOTES: Pagano had no immediate word on the severity of Holmes' injury, saying only that he would have an MRI exam Friday. Other injuries for the Colts: LT Ulrick John (right ankle) and LB Daniel Adongo (biceps). ... Jets RB Chris Ivory (ribs) and WR David Nelson (hand) left, but Ryan said they should be fine. Edds broke a finger on his left hand, but returned. ... Herron finished with 26 yards rushing and led the Colts with six catches for 36 yards.

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Luck sharp in only drive as Colts fall to Jets (Dennis Waszak) Associated Press August 7, 2014

http://m.apnews.com/ap/db_268748/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=tjD4W8w8

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) - Andrew Luck came in, led the Indianapolis Colts to a field goal and then his night was done.

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Short and sweet. Just as Chuck Pagano planned.

Luck was sharp in one solid, 12-play series with the starters as the Colts fell to the New York Jets 13-10 in the preseason opener for both teams Thursday night.

"I thought we had a lot of good rhythm," Luck said. "I wish we would have gotten a touchdown, but points are good."

Luck got the Colts to the Jets 10 on the game's opening drive when he beat a blitz and hit T.Y. Hilton for 17 yards. After a defensive offside call on Calvin Pace put the ball at the 3, Trent Richardson lost 2 yards. On third-and-goal, the snap by rookie center Jonotthan Harrison - playing after starter Khaled Holmes injured an ankle - floated past Luck's head for a 16-yard loss. Adam Vinatieri then kicked a 39-yarder to give Indianapolis a 3-0 lead.

That was it for Luck, who gave way to veteran backup Matt Hasselbeck.

"He actually got a few more (plays) than we planned," Pagano said.

Hasselbeck helped put the Colts ahead 10-3 early in the second quarter, tossing a swing pass to Daniel Herron, who beat rookie linebacker Jeremiah George and zipped into the end zone for a 12-yard touchdown. The drive was highlighted by a 45-yard catch by rookie Donte Moncrief, who beat Dimitri Patterson.

Hasselbeck nearly led the Colts to another scoring drive right before halftime, but Vinatieri pushed a 29-yard attempt wide left to keep it tied at 10. Hasselbeck finished 10 of 15 for 114 yards and the score.

"You've got to be ready to go at all times," Hasselbeck said. "I had a sense, though, that after that long drive, (Luck) was probably done."

Meanwhile, Michael Vick showed he's still an elusive playmaker, leading the Jets on a tying touchdown drive, capped by fellow newcomer Chris Johnson's 1-yard scoring run in the second quarter.

"I fared well," Vick said. "I did all right. It could've been better. I wanted to get some throws down the field, but unfortunately that didn't happen. So, let's see what happens next week."

Rookie free agent Andrew Furney kicked a 51-yard field goal with 1:08 left to put the Jets ahead in a game that appeared headed for overtime. Ikemefuna Enemkpali sacked Chandler Harnish in the closing minute and A.J. Edds recovered the fumble, sealing the win for New York.

"It wasn't great," Jets coach Rex Ryan said, "but it wasn't a pillow fight, either."

Geno Smith, looking to retain his starting job with the Jets in his second season, was 4 of 6 for 33 yards in his two series with the first-team offense - including a drive capped by a 51-yard field goal by Nick Folk that hit the crossbar and bounced over - before giving way to Vick.

He also had an impressive 10-yard scramble on a read-option.

"There's no grade for it," Smith said of his performance. "I played two series and did OK, but got to get better."

A 14-play drive tied it at 10, and while it came mostly against backups on defense, the 34-year-old Vick showed his elusiveness and also converted on fourth-and-4 at the 8, hitting Tommy Bohanon for 6 yards to set up Johnson's touchdown.

The Jets were also helped by two 15-yard penalties: a facemask on Josh Gordy, and an unsportsmanlike conduct call on Sergio Brown, who took the helmet of Jets lineman Willie Colon and tossed it after Colon and Indianapolis defensive tackle Jeris Pendleton got into it on the field.

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"We can't do those things," Pagano said. "We can't beat ourselves like that."

Pendleton left a few plays later with a knee injury.

Vick went three-and-out on his next possession with the Jets' backups, ending with a sack by Cam Johnson. He took a knee on the final play before halftime, ending his night. Vick was 3 of 6 for 17 yards, and also ran three times for 19 yards.

NOTES: Pagano had no immediate word on the severity of Holmes' injury, saying only that he would have an MRI exam Friday. Other injuries for the Colts: LT Ulrick John (right ankle) and LB Daniel Adongo (biceps). ... Jets RB Chris Ivory (ribs) and WR David Nelson (hand) left, but Ryan said they should be fine. Edds broke a finger on his left hand, but returned. ... Herron finished with 26 yards rushing and a team-leading six catches for 36 yards.

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NEWSDAY

Michael Vick leads only TD drive as Jets win preseason opener (Kimberley Martin) Newsday August 7, 2014

http://www.newsday.com/sports/football/jets/michael-vick-leads-only-td-drive-as-jets-win-preseason-opener-1.8995037

General manager John Idzik and the Jets want nothing to do with a quarterback controversy. But boy, does Michael Vick know how to make things interesting.

There's an electricity when Vick takes off, followed by a rush of anxiety as fans await his final destination. The 34-year-old quarterback flashed his fancy footwork on the Jets' only touchdown drive in Thursday night's 13-10 win over the Colts in the preseason opener for both teams at MetLife Stadium.

Vick, who began behind the starting offensive line, completed 3 of 6 passes for 17 yards after entering early in the second quarter. He also ran three times for 19 yards, including a 15-yard scramble during the 80-yard drive.

"You can have them all covered up, but you'd better account for the quarterback,'' Rex Ryan said. "And when a quarterback can run for first downs -- and you saw Geno do it a couple times, and obviously with Mike -- it puts a huge, huge stress on the defense.''

It's long been understood that incumbent Geno Smith will start during the regular season. But Vick's dynamic ways will be hard to ignore, which could put the Jets in a tough position down the road. Asked if Vick earned more time with the first-teamers in practice, Ryan stuck to the company line.

"We'll just let this thing play out,'' he said. "This is our first preseason game. Obviously, we know we have two excellent quarterbacks. There's no question. We know we have two great quarterbacks.''

Ryan quickly caught himself. "Well, we hope to [have] two great quarterbacks.''

After Vick threw to Chris Johnson for 6 yards and Jace Amaro for 5, Colts safety Sergio Brown was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct for throwing Willie Colon's helmet during a skirmish. That 15-yard infraction gave the Jets another first down.

After Vick's 4-yard scramble on third-and-8 from the 12, Ryan went for the first down, and it proved to be the right call. Fullback Tommy Bohanon caught a 6-yard pass before a 1-yard run by Chris Ivory (his last

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rush because of a rib injury) made it second-and-goal at the 1. Johnson barreled into the end zone on the next play.

To be fair, Vick's drive came against Indy's backup defense, but the home crowd didn't care, and neither did Ryan. Two 51-yard field goals -- by Nick Folk in the first quarter and Andrew Furney with 1:08 to play -- made the difference for the Jets.

"We like to score on every possession but we were able to get three points,'' said Smith, who started the game but failed to get the ball in the end zone. The Jets had to settle for Folk's 51-yarder.

Smith connected with his new No. 1 receiver, Eric Decker, for 7 yards to start the drive. But an incomplete pass on second down and a 5-yard false start forced a punt. On the next possession, Smith's last, he hit Jeff Cumberland for 11 yards and ran for 10, but the drive stalled. Smith was 4-for-6 for 22 yards.

"It wasn't great, but it wasn't a pillow fight, either,'' said Ryan, who praised Smith's ball security and decisions. "I thought Geno played extremely well.''

Ryan also was "really pleased'' with Vick, who isn't trying to step on Smith's toes.

Said Vick: "We can't regress. We have to continue to move in the right direction and put the best players out there to make the plays.''

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Jets' Chris Ivory forced to leave preseason game with rib injury (Kimberley Martin) Newsday August 7, 2014

http://www.newsday.com/sports/football/jets/jets-chris-ivory-forced-to-leave-preseason-game-with-rib-injury-1.8994973

The Jets' stout run defense can mean only one thing -- opponents will attack their secondary at every turn.

"It's going to be tough to run the ball against us, just because of how our defense is built," linebacker Demario Davis said. "So we just have to make sure, on the back end, that we're prepared for teams to try to attack us through the air. And that's going to come from a lot of work. It's going to come from a lot of film study. It's going to come from being cohesive as a unit -- linebackers and the defensive backs -- communicating so we can turn our front guys loose."

The Colts mustered only 59 rushing yards and their quarterbacks were sacked three times, but the Jets surrendered 163 passing yards. Rex Ryan took responsibility for defensive breakdowns in the first half because he changed up some defensive calls and "kind of left our guys out there a little bit."

Dimitri Patterson struggled at times (most notably on a 45-yard reception by the Colts' Da'Rick Rogers), but Dee Milliner impressed. "He's doing a great job," Ryan said. Milliner had two passes defensed, including a deflection in the end zone that Ryan said should have been an interception.

"I've been calling him 'Franchise,' " Davis said of the ninth overall pick in 2013. "He's a key part of our defense. The better he plays, the better the defense will be. He's a key link for us."

Milliner said he expects his confidence after Thursday night's performance to carry over. "Most definitely," he said. "Every game, even practice, anything you are doing well -- even bad -- you have to critique it and keep working at it. Everything always carries over."

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Michael Vick's ability to run opens door for more injuries, but he's not going to stop now (Bob Glauber)

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Newsday August 7, 2014

http://www.newsday.com/sports/columnists/bob-glauber/michael-vick-s-ability-to-run-opens-door-for-more-injuries-but-he-s-not-going-to-stop-now-1.8995033

It is at once his biggest attraction and his greatest undoing.

Watch Michael Vick scramble out of danger, see an opening and gain huge chunks of yardage. Or watch him slip through the grasp of a defensive lineman and sprint toward the first-down marker. There are few players more thrilling to behold.

But throughout his entire NFL career, his greatest asset also is his biggest risk. The more he takes off and runs, the more he exposes himself to injury.

Such has been the case throughout Vick's career, as evidenced by the fact that he has started 16 games in a season only once in his 11 years. His most recent injury forced him out of the lineup early last October, and he never got back in as Nick Foles performed well.

Fearless and at times reckless, Vick can be one of the best things about an offense. And one of the worst, because he risks injury every time he steps outside of the pocket and invites hits from men much more imposing than his 6-foot, 215-pound frame.

Vick has dealt with an assortment of injuries, including concussion, rib, and hamstring issues, and managed to stay healthy from wire-to-wire only in 2006, his final season with the Falcons. Even during his career year with the Eagles in 2010, he suffered a rib injury that forced him out of three games early in the season.

The risk-reward ratio was on display Thursday night in Vick's first live action after he replaced starter Geno Smith in the second quarter. He immediately led the Jets on a touchdown drive, and two plays particularly stood out:

The first came on third-and-9 from the Jets' 41. Vick dropped back to pass but didn't find an open receiver. He took off to his left and could have made the first down and still gone out of bounds to protect himself. Instead, he cut to the inside to finish off a 15-yard run at the Colts' 44. Vick wasn't hurt, but his predilection for extending a play by cutting to the inside instead of taking the more cautious approach and running to the sideline wasn't the correct decision.

Vick himself has talked about wanting to be smarter on the field in terms of risking injury, but there appears to be a default mechanism in him to forsake his own safety in the interest of gaining a few more yards. Sometimes he just can't seem to help himself. And sometimes -- too many times -- he pays the price by taking too many shots. If he's still doing that at age 34, it's safe to assume he simply won't -- or can't -- stop.

Play No. 2: Facing a third-and-8 from the Colts' 12 and again finding no one open, he chose to run rather than be patient. He took off to his left and raced for the first-down marker. He dived and held the ball out as far as he could but still came up four yards short.

"I played well,'' he said. "I did all right. It could have been better. I wanted to get some throws down the field. Unfortunately, that didn't happen. So we'll see what happens next week.''Vick has become a human highlight reel, but quarterbacks who win in this league do so mostly from the pocket. Almost all of the great Super Bowl quarterbacks were pure pocket passers. Even the more mobile Russell Wilson, who won it all last season with the Seahawks, is far more judicious when he takes off on a scramble.

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There already have been suggestions that Vick is the better quarterback to run the Jets' offense because of his experience and his mobility. And that may turn out to be the case if Smith can't take a decisive step forward in his second season. But the percentages go with Smith, who also has good mobility but is much more inclined than Vick to stay inside the pocket and stay with his reads.

Vick has always been very quick to come off his reads and run, which makes for big plays and big excitement. But it also creates an environment that leads to mistakes and injury, which has been the case with Vick since he came into the league in 2001. Thirteen years later, that's not going to change.

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David Nelson hopes Jets put in plays for Michael Vick (Bob Glauber) Newsday August 8, 2014

http://www.newsday.com/sports/football/jets/david-nelson-hopes-jets-put-in-plays-for-michael-vick-1.8996102

After watching Michael Vick rush for 19 yards on three carries and lead the Jets to a touchdown during his first drive in relief of Geno Smith, Jets receiver David Nelson can foresee a situation in which the coaches put in a package of plays specifically designed for Vick -- even if it turns out that Smith is the starter heading into the season.

"He's a proven game-breaker. He's one of those guys, he comes out and makes play after play after play," Nelson said of Vick. "You have to always be on your toes. You have to be ready because he's that guy who's going to pull it and run it quickly. It's going to provide some big plays for us."

Nelson said Vick's performance "may have opened up the door for the coaches to see some things and figure out what we can do moving forward. The [coaches] want to see how he fits, how he plugs in. Is this something that's going to work, where we can explore a little bit to where we have Geno play 40, 50 snaps and maybe bring in Vick for 10?

"[Vick] adds a whole different component," Nelson said. "It's a whole different dimension to the defense where they have to prepare for that. Now [Vick's] in the game, so now we have to change a lot of the schemes, so the defense not only has to scheme for Geno but scheme for Vick."

Sound familiar, Jets fans? Coach Rex Ryan and former offensive coordinator Tony Sparano wanted to have Tim Tebow come in to run the Wildcat offense to complement starter Mark Sanchez, but that experiment proved to be a flop in 2012, Tebow's only season with the Jets.

One guy who isn't completely on board with changing quarterbacks during a game, even if it's for only a few plays: Vick himself. Then again, he didn't entirely dismiss the idea.

"That disrupts the timing of the offense," Vick said when asked if he'd be in favor of running a package of plays in a given game. "I think it has to be done at the right time. My experience in Philadelphia with Donovan [McNabb] at times [in 2009], you just want to go out there and let the quarterback get into a rhythm and not try to do too much. I think is doing too much. When the time calls for it, I think the coaches will see fit that that's what we should do."

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THE RECORD

Michael Vick leads Jets on only TD drive in 13-10 win over Colts (J.P. Pelzman) The Record

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August 7, 2014

http://www.northjersey.com/sports/michael-vick-leads-jets-on-only-td-drive-in-13-10-win-over-colts-1.1064307

EAST RUTHERFORD – Even on the back side of his career, Michael Vick can provide the kind of moment that cuts through the boredom of August football and makes it bearable, if only for a fleeting few seconds.

He did Thursday night in his first appearance as a Jet. Facing a third-and-9 at his own 41-yard line in the second quarter, Vick couldn’t find an open receiver. So he did what he’s done so many times before.

Vick, who got a big ovation when he entered the game, scrambled for 15 yards to jump-start the Jets’ only touchdown drive of the night. It was the most exciting moment of the Jets’ 13-10 victory over Indianapolis in the preseason opener for both teams at MetLife Stadium.

The game seemed destined for overtime until undrafted free agent Andrew Furney hit a 51-yard field goal with 1:08 left. Franklin Lakes’ Matt Simms, who quarterbacked the Jets throughout the second half, went 2-for-2 for 16 yards on the nine-play, 28-yard drive to the winning kick.

But the focal points were Vick and starter Geno Smith. The Jets clearly are grooming the second-year pro Smith to be the starter, having given him the bulk of the first-team snaps during practice this summer.

Smith, who played the first two series, was solid but unspectacular. He went 4-for-6 for 33 yards and ran once for 10 yards on a read-option play, giving him 43 yards of total offense.

But Vick (3-for-6, 17 yards) did something Smith couldn’t. He got the Jets into the end zone.

Yes, Vick and the Jets were helped on the drive by two 15-yard penalties on the Colts’ second-string defense. But Vick converted a fourth-and-4 from the 8-yard-line with a 6-yard pass to fullback Tommy Bohanon. Two plays later, free-agent signee Chris Johnson scored on a cutback run from the 1 to tie the score at 10.

“It’s an advantage for us,” Vick said of the mobility of the Jets’ quarterbacks, “and we just want to try to exploit that against a defense.”

“You can have [the receivers] all covered,” coach Rex Ryan said, referring to Vick’s scramble, “but you better account for the quarterback.”

Smith said he was “encouraged” by the way the offense played, adding, “I played two series and did OK, but [I’ve] got to get better.”

So does the Jets’ defense. The starters allowed all 10 of Indianapolis’ points, although defensive play-caller Ryan deflected blame from the unit.

Ryan said, “I’ll take responsibility for how the defense played in the first half.”

He likely was referring to the fact he used mostly vanilla schemes, and also often left his cornerbacks in man-to-man coverage to see how they would fare. Free-agent signee Dimitri Patterson had a rough time, including giving up a 45-yard reception to reserve wideout Da’Rick Rogers.

Second-year pro Dee Milliner held up much better, and had two pass breakups, including one in the end zone against Donte Moncrief. However, that Colts’ drive ended with a 12-yard scoring pass from Matt Hasselbeck to running back Daniel Herron. Ryan indicated the touchdown was the result of a miscommunication on defense.

BRIEFS: RB Chris Ivory (ribs) and WR David Nelson (hand) left the game and didn’t return. Ryan said Ivory was fine and Nelson said he would have come back had it been a regular-season contest. WR Greg Salas

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(hip) and RB Bilal Powell (hamstring) sat out. … Safety Mike Adams, a Paterson native who played for Denver in the Super Bowl, made his debut for the Colts after signing with them during the off-season. … Former Giants RB Ahmad Bradshaw, who missed most of last season with a neck injury, was a healthy scratch for Indianapolis, as was former Jets safety LaRon Landry. … Johnson had four carries for 2 yards and two receptions for 16 yards. Fellow free-agent import Eric Decker had two catches for 12 yards. … Simms, who is No. 3 on the depth chart ahead of sixth-round pick Tajh Boyd, finished 13-for-18 for 96 yards. Boyd did not play, nor did first-year TE Chris Pantale (Wayne Valley) and rookie LB Steele Divitto (Don Bosco). … Indianapolis starting QB Andrew Luck played only one series and went 4-for-5 for 53 yards. - See more at: http://www.northjersey.com/sports/michael-vick-leads-jets-on-only-td-drive-in-13-10-win-over-colts-1.1064307#sthash.rVLDcAF3.dpuf

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STAR-LEDGER

Analyzing Geno Smith's sharpest play from Colts-Jets preseason opener (Darryl Slater) Star-Ledger August 7, 2014

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2014/08/analyzing_geno_smiths_sharpest_play_from_colts-jets_preseason_opener.html

EAST RUTHERFORD – Perhaps the most noteworthy play Geno Smith made Thursday night in the Jets’ preseason opener against the Colts was not spectacular at all. Yet it – maybe more so than anything else Smith did Thursday – underscored his progress, as he prepares for his second season. At least that’s how Jets receiver David Nelson sees it.

The play ended up being Smith’s last snap, on his second drive. With the first quarter winding down, the Jets faced third-and-6 at the Colts’ 33-yard line.

Smith dropped back to pass, but a blitzing defender came off the edge and was almost immediately in his face. Smith threw the ball away. The Jets settled for a successful 51-yard field goal by Nick Folk with 2:14 left in the first quarter. They went on to win the game 13-10.

So what was so great about this play by Smith? He certainly had more productive plays, including a pretty, 10-yard run on a read option, after faking a handoff to Chris Johnson.

In short, Smith’s throwaway highlighted his quick and wise decision-making – something he lacked all too often last season, when he threw 21 interceptions and lost four fumbles as a rookie.

Smith did have a hiccup on his first drive, when he foolishly tried to throw the ball across the field (maybe a throwaway, maybe trying to hit Tommy Bohanon) while he was being dragged down by his ankles. Smith can’t put the ball in the air in that situation. That’s how turnovers happen.

Still, the later, third-and-6 throwaway typified a game of which Smith could correctly say, “It felt smooth.” Nelson put it like this, as he summed up Smith’s night: “That’s a step in the right direction for him.”

In particular, Nelson said, he liked how Smith understood down-and-distance situations when the Jets’ offense was not huddling. And he pointed out an instance when Smith saved the Jets from a penalty by recognizing that they had 12 men on the field. Smith stepped out of the huddle just in time to prevent a flag from flying.

“Just small stuff like that,” Nelson said. “It’s more logistical stuff like that, that he’s understanding what needs to happen and how to make it happen.”

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What must happen this season for Smith is a drastic cut-down on his turnovers. That starts with properly handling situations like the third-and-6 he faced Thursday.

On the play, Nelson was motioning. He was going to be Smith’s first option. The way the play is drawn up, Nelson said, Smith had to give him a little time to get open, because Nelson had to work his defender and slide underneath him in the coverage. But Smith did not have the luxury of time, as it turned out.

The blitz came fast and furious, and Smith had a choice to make. Nelson, meanwhile, was in the process of getting open. And when Smith threw the ball away, Nelson actually was open. But Smith had to make a split-second decision.

“It’s a situation where he’s got a guy coming clear off the edge,” Nelson said, putting himself in Smith’s head now. “Do I risk taking one more second until (Nelson) is going to be clear and take the sack? Or do I try to throw it and my arm gets hit and goes up in the air for an interception?

“It’s just one of those things where, in that situation, he felt (he should) take three points. It was just a situation where you put it in the dirt and live to play another down.”

If Smith had taken a sack, the Jets probably would have been out of field goal range. And if Smith had forced a throw, as Nelson alluded to, that might have resulted in a turnover, and the Jets giving away a field-goal opportunity.

“We were in field goal range,” Smith said, recalling the play. “You just want to keep points on the board and don’t want to put ourselves out of field goal range.”

Smith praised the Colts’ blitzing defender for not tipping his hand before the snap, and instead blitzing late. In the future, Smith said, he might try a dummy snap count in this situation, in order to get the blitzing defender “to show it a little earlier,” which would enable Smith to adjust his protection accordingly.

But in that moment, under unexpected pressure, Nelson believes Smith unquestionably made the right decision by throwing the ball away.

“Especially in this league, three points can make or break a game,” Nelson said. “How many times are you watching a game where there’s a last-second field goal to win the game? There’s always situations where you look back and you say, ‘That one play, if we’d have kept that play, we would have been three points closer.’ There’s always situations where you’re saying that what-if kind of thing. In situations like that, especially with the way our defense plays, early in the game, first or second drive, you always want to take the points. Yes, you want to be greedy and maybe you want to sit in the pocket and wait for the big play. But at the same time, you’ve just got to trust the system, trust what’s going to happen.”

Moreover, Nelson said, the Jets think their defense is good enough that their offense – and Smith specifically – does not need to try to be heroic on every play.

“We believe if our defense is on the field at the 30-yard line, odds are, they won’t drive the field and score a touchdown,” Nelson said. “So it’s our job to put the defense in a good situation. We’re offensive, but we’re also in a defensive mentality, with how good our defense is. So it’s just that situation, to continue to know and understand that 25 turnovers [Smith’s total last year], not only does it limit what your offense can do, but it puts your defense into terrible situations. It pushes us back farther than people really understand.

"So it’s just knowing: OK, let’s take three points from the 33-yard line, kick the ball off and they get it at the 20, and let our defense play ball there. It’s just understanding that mindset, because points in this league are so valuable and they’re hard to come by. If you continue to take sacks and you continue to turn the ball over, you can’t be successful in this league.”

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Geno Smith better not slip up, because Michael Vick is ready and waiting (Steve Politi) Star-Ledger August 7, 2014

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2014/08/geno_smith_better_not_slip_up_because_michael_vick_is_ready_and_waiting_politi.html

The first rule of the NFL preseason is, of course, to ignore the NFL preseason. Drawing conclusions from the meaningless slop that passes for football in August is dangerous. Remember, it was just two years ago that the Jets failed to score a single touchdown until their fourth exhibition game, and look how that turned out!

Okay, bad example.

Still, there was exactly one moment during the Jets' 13-10 victory over the Colts when the game felt like something more than an easy way to drain a few more bucks from season ticket holders. That happened midway through the second quarter, when the pocket collapsed around the backup quarterback and he took off running.

He juked a poor backup defensive tackle out of his cleats, and instead of safely trotting out of bounds on third and nine, he headed up field and turned a broken play into a 15-yard gain. The few fans who interrupted their summer vacation roared.

It was vintage Michael Vick.

And it should serve as a nice reminder for incumbent starter Geno Smith. The job is his, and with the Jets doing everything in their power to make sure there is no quarterback controversy, it's hard to imagine him not starting the season opener against the Raiders in a month without an unfortunate injury or an epic meltdown.

But Vick is there, standing in a glass case, and you can bet Rex Ryan will break it in case of an emergency. He can't afford to be patient any more, not when he is coaching for his job after a third-straight playoff miss.

So say the Jets are 2-3 to start the season and coming off a three-turnover game from Smith, who had 21 interceptions as a rookie. Does anyone really think that Ryan, who has never had a better Plan B at the most important position on the field, won't turn to the guy with the big arm and electrifying talent in hopes of saving the season?

Didn't think so.

For now, it's status quo. “I was really pleased with Geno, but I was also pleased with Mike as well,” the diplomatic Ryan said. Neither quarterback did anything to stand out above the other, although it was Vick – and not Smith – who led the Jets down the field on a 14-play, 80-yard touchdown drive.

Smith had the first two series and had his moments against the Colts defense, good and bad. The good: A 10-yard gain on a read-option run for a first down and throwing the ball away when Chris Johnson missed a block on a third-down blitz that ensured that the Jets did not get sacked out of field-goal range.

The bad: Throwing the ball across the field as he fell to the turf while facing pressure, which is exactly the dangerous throws that got him in trouble during his rookie campaign, and that he swore he wouldn't make this season.

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“I think we did well,” Smith said. “We were able to get three points. We want to score touchdowns, but three points is fine.”

It isn't exactly the stuff for an advertising campaign – “Your 2014 New York Jets: Three Points is Fine!” – but he avoided the killer turnover, had a couple of nice throws and looked comfortable. On August 7, it was fine.

Vick wasn't perfect, either, with an overthrow on a screen pass and a shaky second drive in the two-minute offense. He didn't throw a single pass downfield, which a conspiracy theorist might say was the Jets way trying to keep a potential fan-base frenzy from starting already. We wouldn't dare do such a thing.

What are you hiding, Mornhinweg?!

Anyway, when this finally ended, Vick brushed aside a question about whether he expects to get more snaps with the first-team offense in practice now. Smith is getting 81.3 percent of them now, the surest sign of his place on this team.

“Nah, I don't expect that,” Vick said. “I think the most important thing is to build on what we've created. We have to continue to put the best players on the field to make plays and figure out ways to win football games.”

It was a good answer, and another sign that Vick has been everything the Jets could have hoped for as a mentor to Smith. But the moment that statement is no longer accurate, this team will have a big problem.

Smith is the starter, but he better perform at a high level because his backup needed just one first-down scramble to get a sleepy preseason crowd on its feet last night. It was vintage Michael Vick, and that's what is hovering over Geno Smith's shoulder now.

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Jets' Geno Smith, Michael Vick see limited action, avoid mistakes in preseason opener vs. Colts (Darryl Slater) Star-Ledger August 7, 2014

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2014/08/jets_colts_preseason_opener.html

EAST RUTHERFORD – The comment was plenty bland, at least by Rex Ryan’s standards. He was asked earlier this week about what he wanted to see from quarterback Geno Smith in Thursday night’s preseason opener against the Colts.

“I want to see some production, and I think we’ll see it,” the Jets' head coach said. “I know he’ll have the command (of the offense). But let’s have some production.”

Indeed, in his second season, Smith knows what he is doing in Marty Mornhinweg’s West Coast offense. But for Smith and the Jets’ offense, the first step toward becoming more productive than the 25th-ranked offense in the NFL, which is where they finished last year, must begin with limiting the mistakes that hamstrung them in recent years.

Two years ago, the Jets ranked 30th in the NFL in yards gained. Three years ago, they were 25th – a performance they repeated last year. The primary reason for all of that? Look no further than the turnover totals for their starting quarterbacks.

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In 2011 and 2012, Mark Sanchez turned the ball over 26 times each season. He never got a chance to reverse his fortunes last year, of course, because he sustained a season-ending shoulder injury when the Jets played him in the fourth quarter of a preseason game, behind an offensive line of backups.

After Smith’s rocky rookie season, in which he committed 25 turnovers, here the Jets find themselves again, in another preseason where they are strongly emphasizing ball security.

What, then, can we glean from Thursday’s game against the Colts?

Neither Smith nor Michael Vick – his presumptive backup and counterpart in a summer quarterback competition that really isn’t – did anything spectacular during brief action with the starters. But for the most part, they avoided glaring mistakes and turnovers. For this offense, that’s a start.

Smith played two drives, both with the starters, against the Colts’ starting defense. He completed 4 of 6 passes for 33 yards. One of his drives ended in a punt, the other in a field goal. He made his best play on the run – an area of his game in which he gained more comfort near the end of last season. On his second drive, he ran a read-option play, faking a handoff to Chris Johnson and running left into the open field for 10 yards.

“I thought Geno played extremely well,” Ryan said. “I thought he did a great job of stepping up in the pocket a couple times and protected the ball.”

Vick also played two possessions, not including a one-play kneel-down to end the half. Only Vick’s first drive was behind the starting offensive line, but he never faced the Colts’ first-string defense. Vick completed 3 of 6 passes for 17 yards and also ran three times for 19 yards, showing off his still-nimble feet on a 15-yard scramble. The Jets scored a touchdown on Vick’s first drive, aided by two 15-yard penalties on the Colts.

“It puts a huge, huge stress on the defense,” Ryan said of Vick’s running ability.

Still, the Jets have made this Smith’s job to lose in the preseason. He and Vick have performed about equally in practice, at least to the untrained eye. But Smith has received 38 of the past 40 practice snaps with the first team – not including last Saturday’s intrasquad scrimmage. All told, Mornhinweg has given Smith 81.3 percent of the snaps with the starters in training camp practices.

All of which runs counter to general manager John Idzik’s assertion that the alleged competition is not “tilted” in Smith’s favor. But for Thursday, semantics did not matter. It had come time for Smith to demonstrate his progress since last season.

In some ways he did. He showed decisiveness on his read-option run. Smith also reacted well on his final play, third-and-6 from the Colts’ 33-yard line, when he came face-to-face with a blitz after Johnson missed a block. Smith did not flinch. He simply threw the ball away, preserving a field-goal opportunity that Nick Folk converted.

“We were in field-goal range,” Smith said. “You just want to keep points on the board.”

In other moments, Smith looked shaky. On his fourth play, he was being dragged down by his ankles, and then inexplicably tried to throw the ball across the field toward fullback Tommy Bohanon. Whether it was a true throwaway or a desperate attempt at a completion, Smith’s decision appeared misguided at best.

Vick’s passing numbers also merit further examination. Johnson dropped one of his check-down passes. Vick had another throw batted down. Vick’s third incomplete pass came on a ball he sailed high to Chris Ivory on a screen play.

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Ryan will want more production than what Smith and Vick offered Thursday, of course. But in a preseason opener when his quarterbacks saw limited action, he will happily accept that neither mimicked the mistakes of the past three years.

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Three things we learned from Jets' preseason opener vs. Colts (Darryl Slater) Star-Ledger August 7, 2014

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2014/08/three_things_we_learned_from_jets_preseason_opener_vs_colts.html

EAST RUTHERFORD – The Jets opened preseason action Thursday night against the Colts at MetLife Stadium. We already told you what happened with quarterbacks Geno Smith and Michael Vick. And here is a story-length account of their evening.

There were no major developments Thursday night, provided running back Chris Ivory’s rib injury is not serious.

Here, then, are three things we learned from the proceedings between the Jets and Colts:

REX RYAN DOESN’T MIND TINKERING

During the first half, when the Jets’ starting defense played, Ryan mixed in some backups, including safety Rontez Miles and rookie linebacker Jeremiah George. Linebacker A.J. Edds, who by no means is a lock to make the roster, also saw action with the starters, but left when he injured his hand. On the Colts’ 12-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter, George dropped in coverage after teaming with David Harris at the inside linebacker spots. George couldn’t chase down running back Daniel Herron as he ran to the end zone. George maybe could’ve taken a better angle, but it was a tough play.

NICK FOLK PICKING UP WHERE HE LEFT OFF

The Jets’ kicker had the best year of his career last season, when he made 91.7 percent of his kicks and hit all three of his kicks from 50-plus yards. On Thursday, Folk’s only field goal attempt was a 51-yarder – and he nailed it, quite literally. The ball bounced off the crossbar, right at its midpoint, and caromed over for a successful field goal. During regular season action in his career, Folk has made 13 field goals from 51 yards or longer. Fifty-one is a lucky number for him. He has hit seven field goals from exactly that distance in his career.

CHRIS JOHNSON FACTORED INTO PASSING GAME

One of the strengths of the Jets’ newest running back is his ability to catch passes out of the backfield. He did it well in Tennessee. His rushing numbers were not eye-popping in limited action Thursday. He carried four times for 2 yards. His longest carry covered 2 yards. He also scored a 1-yard touchdown. But he was a factor in the Jets’ passing game, which has been anemic in recent years. Johnson caught two passes (on three targets) for 16 yards, with a long of 10. He also dropped a check-down from Michael Vick and missed a block in pass protection. So he was a factor in the passing game, in several ways.

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5 Michael Vick observations from Jets' preseason opener vs. Colts (Steve Politi) Star-Ledger August 7, 2014

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http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2014/08/5_michael_vick_observations_from_jets_preseason_opener_vs_colts.html

In case you expected something else, Michael Vick trotted onto the field for the first time in Jets green to a warm ovation -- at least, it was as warm as 20,000 people interrupting their summer vacation for a meaningless football game can be.

He ran one full series with the first-team offense, leading the Jets 80 yards down the field for a touchdown. Before you start speed dialing your favorite sports radio station to demand that he be named starter, we offer the same disclaimer as Dom Cosentino about Geno Smith. It's August 7.

Still. Onto the observations ...

1. He can still get you off your seat. You probably knew that already, but the most thrilling moment for the Jets in the first half came when Vick scrambled out of the pocket, made a Colts defensive lineman miss and cut up field for a 15-yard game. The crowd loved it. No surprise.

2. He kept his passes short. If you were hoping to see Vick unleash a 50-yarder with that strong arm, you left disappointed. Vick completed three of his six passes for just 17 yards, with his longest just six. He had one poor throw, a pass that sailed over running back Chris Ivory's head on a screen pass.

3. He wasn't holding anything back. The game didn't matter (have we mentioned that?) but Vick threw his body at the hashmark on a third-and-eight near the goal line. He didn't get the first down, but again, the crowd loved it.

4. He failed in the two-minute offense. Granted, he was playing behind the Jets second-team offensive line, but his second chance to lead the offense was a dud. He had the ball at the Jets 11 with 2:06 remaining and, on third and nine, was sacked for an 8-yard loss.

5. He held onto the ball a while. Again, it's a preseason game, but I'm sure the Jets coaches would want Vick to be a little quicker with his release. But now we're nitpicking.

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NEW YORK POST

Vick, Geno battle a draw as Jets win preseason opener (Brian Costello) New York Post August 7, 2014

http://nypost.com/2014/08/07/vick-geno-battle-a-draw-as-jets-win-preseason-opener/

The Jets like to say they signed Michael Vick in March to push Geno Smith. Consider Thursday night a gentle nudge.

Neither quarterback was overly impressive or unimpressive in the preseason opener against the Colts at MetLife Stadium, but Vick got the team into the end zone while Smith led the Jets only to a field goal in a 13-10 win.

The quarterback non-competition now returns to Cortland, where the Jets have another week of practice before their second preseason game in Cincinnati. Thursday night’s game probably did little to influence the Jets coaches when it comes to their opinions of the quarterbacks.

“We’ll just let this thing play out,” coach Rex Ryan said. “This was our first preseason game. We know we have two excellent quarterbacks.”

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Smith, who got the start, finished 4-of-6 for 33 yards with one rush for 10 yards on two drives. He made one terrible throw, when he tossed it across the field while under a rush, but there was no Colts defender near enough to pick the ball off. Smith got the Jets to the Colts’ 33, where they had to settle for a 51-yard field goal from Nick Folk.

“It felt smooth,” Smith said. “I was able to go through my reads and hit some open guys. With time, we’ll get better and just continue to progress and continue to work hard.”

Vick entered the game in the second quarter and played one series with the starting offense. The 34-year-old showed what he can do, eluding Colts defenders on a 15-yard gain. He marched the Jets down the field on a 14-play, 80-yard touchdown drive that ended with Chris Johnson plunging into the end zone from the 1.

Even after a good performance, Vick expects things to remain status quo, with Smith taking the majority of the first-team snaps.

“We have to continue to move in the right direction and continue to put the best players out there to make the plays and figure out ways to win football games,” Vick said.

Granted the drive came against the Colts’ second-team defense, but Vick made some nice plays, including a fourth-down pass to fullback Tommy Bohanon to set up the score. Vick’s best plays came with his legs as he showed he remains quick and still has that “wow” factor.

“He looked great,” Ryan said of Vick. “Shoot, that’s the thing when you have them all covered up, but you better account for the quarterback. When a quarterback can run for first downs, we saw Geno do it a couple of times and obviously with Mike, it puts a huge stress on the defense.”

The quarterbacks were the main event, but the game also served as the Jets debuts of Johnson and wide receiver Eric Decker, both signed as free agents this offseason.

Decker caught the first pass of the game, a 7-yard strike from Smith. He added another catch, this one a 5-yard pass from Smith to finish the night with two catches for 12 yards. That’s a better night than he had the last time he played at MetLife. During February’s Super Bowl, he had one catch for 7 yards with the Broncos.

“You see why we’re so high on them,” Ryan said of the new guys. “Decker presents that big target and things. I tell you the thing I like the most about him is he’s a team guy. He’s competitive. He blocks. He was starting to dig out those safeties. I was really happy with him.”

On defense, the Jets’ secondary looked shaky, particularly cornerback Dimitri Patterson. This is the Jets’ biggest question mark on defense and rivals the quarterback position for the biggest question mark on the team. Patterson gave up a 45-yard pass to Colts backup quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, who found Da’Rick Rogers down the sideline. Patterson also was flagged for a holding call in the second half.

The good news defensively for the Jets was they looked strong as ever against the run, and second-year cornerback Dee Milliner made some nice plays. Milliner had a pass breakup in the end zone when Hasselbeck tried to hit Donte Moncrief.

An Andrew Furney 51-yard field goal with 1:08 left in the game gave the Jets the win.

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Milliner passes test, Patterson doesn’t in Jets’ preseason opener (Brian Lewis) New York Post August 8, 2014

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http://nypost.com/2014/08/08/milliner-passes-test-patterson-doesnt-in-jets-preseason-opener/

After the Jets cut Antonio Cromartie in March, then watched a procession of elite cornerbacks sign elsewhere, the position was bound to be under the microscope. With Thursday’s preseason opener against Andrew Luck and the Colts — a 13-10 win — serving as a first test, the early returns were a mixed bag.

Dee Milliner? Good.

Dimitri Patterson? Bad.

Milliner didn’t look like The Franchise — his new nickname — or the best in the NFL, as he claimed. But he looked more than good enough.

His counterpart on the other side was nowhere near good enough, getting beaten badly over the top for a 45-yard play. And, disturbingly, that continued a trend from training camp.

After passing on Cromartie, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Vontae Davis and of course Darrelle Revis — despite having over $20 million in cap room — the Jets signed Patterson at a bargain price.

Cut by Miami after two injury-riddled seasons, now he’s dealing with ankle and calf woes.

Patterson gave up a 41-yard catch to Stephen Hill in Saturday’s intrasquad scrimmage. Then he got roughed up in practice this week, badly enough that Rex Ryan chided him.

“Well, it looked like he wasn’t doing much because he gave up a bunch of completions,’’ Ryan said. “But he was out here, and he’s nursing a bit of an injury, pushing through it. We were going through some things like, ‘Dimitri, we got to tighten up a little over there.’ ”

It didn’t get tightened up against the Colts. On third-and-6 from the Colts 24-yard line in the first quarter, Patterson got burned on a fly pattern by Da’Rick Rogers. He was beaten so thoroughly, diving and coming up with nothing, that only safety Antonio Allen’s tackle prevented a touchdown.

Indianapolis went deep on the very next pay, testing the other side, but this time Milliner got good positioning inside of wideout Donte Moncrief. He nearly got a pick in the end zone and easily broke up the potential touchdown.

He had also broken up a pass to Hakeem Nicks on the second play of the game. The very next play, on third-and-11, Patterson got beaten by the former Giants star for a 15-yard catch-and-run. It was indicative of the rest of the night.

Milliner had called himself the best corner in the NFL recently. And Ryan had no problem with it, as long as his work ethic matches his hubris.

“The work ethic is there, and before you take the next step, you’ve got to have that work ethic,’’ Ryan said. “You can’t lay it out there like he did without, ‘Oh, shoot, I had better pick it up and try to back it up.’ That’s good. I’m glad he’s taking that approach. That’s the only way you really get it done.

“Remember, this time last year, he was just trying to figure out what cold tub he was going to. It seems like he was hurt all the time. It was unfortunate. He had that Achilles injury that I think I called an upper leg injury. … All kidding aside, he was thrown to the wolves. The more he gained confidence, the better he played. The more work you do, the more prepared you are, the more confident you are.’’

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And it begins: Jets’ Chris Ivory, David Nelson exit with injuries (Brian Costello) New York Post

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August 8, 2014

http://nypost.com/2014/08/08/and-it-begins-jets-chris-ivory-david-nelson-exit-with-injuries/

The Jets came through the game with the Colts pretty healthy, but they did have one injury to a significant player.

Starting running back Chris Ivory injured his ribs in the second quarter and left the game. Ivory had seven rushes for 17 yards before suffering the injury.

Ivory has a history of injuries, so this could be a cause for concern for the Jets. He missed time last year with a hamstring injury and left the final game of the year in Miami after breaking a rib. But coach Rex Ryan said Ivory would be OK.

“Ivory should be fine,” Ryan said after the Jets’ 13-10 win. “It’s his ribs and not ours, so he’s fine.”

Wide receiver David Nelson also left the game with a hand injury in the second half. Nelson said he just took a helmet to his hand and it’s bruised. He said he would have stayed in the game if it were a regular-season game.

Rookie TE Jace Amaro saw his first NFL action and had two catches for 18 yards. Amaro has dropped some passes during training camp, but showed no problems on Thursday night.

Amaro, the team’s second-round pick, saw some time with the starting offense and played into the second half with the second and third teams.

Rookie ILB Jeremiah George saw time with the starting defense after they benched starter Demario Davis early in the night and A.J. Edds left with an injury. George, who has had a quiet training camp, had a couple of bad plays while in. George failed to cover RB Daniel Herron out of the backfield on Matt Hasselbeck’s 12-yard touchdown pass to him. George, the team’s fifth-round pick, is no lock to make the team.

Undrafted rookie K Andrew Furney kicked a 51-yard field goal with 1:18 left to give the Jets the win. … The Jets had a third-and-42 in the fourth quarter. … The Jets had five penalties in the first half when the first and second teams were playing. … DT T.J. Barnes had a sack. … WR Greg Salas, CB Johnny Patrick, S Calvin Pryor, RB Bilal Powell, OT Markus Zusevics, OT Brent Qvale, WR Shaq Evans and OLB Antwan Barnes were not in uniform because of injuries. Salas has a hip injury. … Rookie QB Tajh Boyd did not get into the game. … Rookie defensive end IK Enemkpali forced a fumble to seal the win.

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Beware, Geno: Vick shows he can move the Jets offense (Steve Serby) New York Post August 8, 2014

http://nypost.com/2014/08/08/beware-geno-vick-shows-he-can-move-the-jets-offense/

You never rush to judgment in the first preseason game. But let’s just say Geno Smith is lucky this isn’t a fair fight with Michael Vick.

Vick has been the good soldier, here to mentor young Geno blah blah blah. And to be fair and balanced, he was working against the Colts scrubeenies Thursday night when he entered to a warm MetLife Stadium ovation early in the second quarter, after Smith was pedestrian working against the starters.

“It gets the adrenaline going,” Vick said.

But there is no denying that the good soldier looked more like the field general than the organization’s Chosen One during Jets 13, Colts 10.

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You saw enough in Vick to imagine how sharp he can be if he is the one getting 80 percent of the practice reps in camp.

It is clear he hasn’t forgotten how to play quarterback. He was slick, he was quick, darting left around 323-pound Jeris Pendleton, then cutting back sharply for a 15-yard romp.

“Looked great,” coach Rex Ryan all but giggled. “Looked great.”

Vick completed nothing longer than 6 yards, but converted a third-and-5 to Jace Amaro and a fourth-and-4 to Tommy Bohanon to set up a 1-yard Chris Johnson TD run. Fourteen plays, 80 yards. “It only builds your confidence,” Vick said.

Vick’s second series, ruined by a sack, was a three-and-out. Yet his teammates couldn’t take their eyes off him.

If he isn’t resigned to his fate, he is doing a terrific job of hiding it.

Asked about earning more first-team practice reps, Vick said: “Nah, I don’t expect that.”

Nor would he relish a package for him that would take Smith off the field.

“It’s cool, but that disrupts the timing of the offense,” he said. “I think it has to be done at the right time, I experienced that in Philadelphia with Donovan [McNabb] at times. You want to go out there and let the quarterbacks get into a rhythm and not try to do too much, I think that’s doing too much.”

Smith (4-for-6, 33 yards, 1 rush for 10 yards) engineered a field goal drive from his 40 on his second series only because Nick Folk nailed a 51-yarder. Under pressure, he threw a third-and-6 pass over the middle that fell at David Nelson’s feet. Nelson considered it a sign of Smith’s growth, not risking a pick or taking a sack.

He was accurate on other short throws — nothing longer than 11 yards — and ripped off a Vickian 10-yard scamper around left end off a fake handoff to Johnson.

“I played two series and did OK, but [I’ve] got to do better,” Smith said.

His decision-making was highly suspect on his second attempt, when there was a defender at his feet ready to drag him down. He was fortunate his Hail Geno across the field to his left to Bohanon by the Jets sideline was not intercepted by Delano Howell. These are the kind of decisions he can no longer afford to make. Ryan, who hasn’t been to the playoffs since the 2010 season, won’t excuse them, not with Vick champing at the bit to resurrect his career.

Again, Smith is in no immediate danger here, and if you prefer to go strictly by passer rating, he owned an 80.6-56.2 edge on Vick.

But if nothing else, Vick (3-for-6, 17 yards, 3 rushes for 19 yards) provided a reminder, to GM John Idzik, to Rex Ryan, to Geno Smith, and maybe even to himself, that he can still can be Vick.

Again, there is no controversy. Only a friendly competition. Vick was signed to push Smith.

Smith should consider himself officially pushed.

There is nowhere to go for Smith but up, but he better go up fast, and he has had the benefit of an entire offseason to master the intricacies of Marty Mornhinweg’s playbook, and he is bigger and stronger and faster, not so much able to leap tall buildings in a single bound but more inclined to use his legs as an added dimension.

With Idzik supplying him with playmakers in Johnson and Eric Decker and Amaro once he takes off his Huggies, there will be no innocent climb this time around for Smith.

Daily Clips Cont.

21 | P a g e

Smith is the one behind the steering wheel of the Green-and-White bus, and Vick is riding shotgun. Ryan and Idzik are all aboard the Geno bandwagon, and a fleeting cameo in the preseason opener won’t change anything. Nor should it.

It’s Smith’s job to lose. He won’t be losing it anytime soon. But a sign has been posted over the Quarterback Competition:

BEWARE OF VICK

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5 questions with … Tim Hasselbeck (Justin Terranova) New York Post August 7, 2014

http://nypost.com/2014/08/07/5-questions-with-tim-hasselbeck/

ESPN analyst Tim Hasselbeck talks Giants, Jets and Johnny Football with The Post’s Justin Terranova.

Q: What’s the biggest area Johnny Manziel has to improve?

A: I think he has enough arm strength and he has a feel for how to move and avoid defenders. But when you watched him at Texas A&M, he would pass up open guys a lot. I don’t care who you are in the NFL, you can’t do that and be consistently good. You just can’t because everyone else is too good. I have my doubts about him being successful unless he changes the way he plays.

Q: Who impressed you in the Giants preseason opener?

A: Running backs are a little bit tricky in preseason, but I thought Andre Williams looked really good. At first I thought (Rashad) Jennings would be the workhorse, but if Andre Williams runs like that I wouldn’t be surprised if he really contribute for them.

Q: And how did Eli Manning look in the West Coast offense?

A: Eli looked comfortable in the offense and the command he has already in directing traffic, Getting them out of the huddle. He made a few checks at the line, which is good to see in these situations. They still may end up having some issues on the offensive line.

Q: Will having a constant threat like Michael Vick as the backup help or hurt Geno Smith?

A: I feel like Michael is a pretty good guy at this point after what he’s been through. If guys have an attitude as a backup and are undercutting what’s going on, it ruins the quarterback room and makes it hard for the starter to play well. If you have a room where the backup is supporting then it makes it easier for the starter to play well and the backup to come in and win games, if he’s needed. This is a better dynamic than having Matt Simms as the No. 2 guy. Vick brings in some experience, some familiarity with the offense that’s being run. And it lets Geno know you can’t just keep the job, you have to go out there and play well and I think that’s significant.

Q: Is Eric Decker a No. 1 receiver?

A: Most No. 1 receivers, they are begging you to come press them, get up in their face and challenge them. That’ll be a struggle for Decker. I think teams will try and get their hands on him, and I don’t know if he’s grown enough in his ability to get off the jam. I don’t know if he’s a true No. 1 guy. There’s no question he makes them better, but he’s not dictating coverage.

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NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Speedy Michael Vick wakes up crowd as Jets beat Colts on late field goal, 13-10 (Seth Walder) New York Daily News August 8, 2014

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/speedy-michael-vick-wakes-crowd-jets-tied-colts-10-10-article-1.1896057

Even though he is 34, Michael Vick’s speed is still there. He may be the Jets’ backup quarterback, at least for now, but Vick’s trademark scrambles made him the team’s more electric quarterback Thursday night in its 13-10 win over the Colts in their preseason opener at MetLife Stadium.

Geno Smith is the Jets’ starter at the moment, but it was Vick’s two rushes for 19 yards that woke up a sparse crowd and gave the Jets a key third-down conversion.

“That’s the thing, you can have ’em all covered up, but you better account for the quarterback,” Rex Ryan said. “Obviously with Mike, it puts a huge, huge stress on the defense.”

Vick, who completed three passes in six attempts for 17 yards over two drives, led the Jets on a 14-play, 80-yard touchdown drive that ended with Chris Johnson scoring on a one-yard carry. Vick’s second series, with the second-team offense, did not go nearly as well, resulting in a three-and-out after a batted pass and a sack.

“Great to get a good reception from the crowd,” Vick said. “It doesn’t alleviate the butterflies, but even still at my age you still have the anxiety, which is a good thing. It helps you play better. It brings out the best in me.”

Smith was less electrifying but still solid in his two drives, completing four of six passes for 33 yards and rushing once for 10 yards on an option play. He led the Jets on a drive that ended with a 51-yard field goal by Nick Folk that bounced off the crossbar and through.

“We want to score touchdowns, but three points is fine,” Smith said on CBS of his two drives.

Ryan complimented Smith’s performance, saying the second-year quarterback played “extremely well.”

Smith is the presumed starter for the Jets and would have to fall apart in the remaining preseason action to lose the job before the season opener on Sept. 7. When asked if Vick could push himself into an actual competition with Smith for the starting job, Ryan avoided the question.

“We know we have two excellent quarterbacks,” Ryan said. “There’s no question about it, we know we have — well, we hope to be great quarterbacks.”

If the Jets are going to have the best defense in the NFL, as Calvin Pace declared, they’ll need a better effort from cornerback Dimitri Patterson, who recently drew criticism from Ryan at camp. Patterson allowed a third-down conversion to Hakeem Nicks on the Colts’ first drive and a 45-yard completion to Da’rick Rogers from Matt Hasselbeck.

On the other side of the field, the Jets had an encouraging start from the self-proclaimed best cornerback in the league, Dee Milliner, who had two pass deflections and nearly had an interception.

Quarterback Andrew Luck only played one series for the Colts, who settled for a field goal on his drive after a botched snap on a third down in the red zone. Indianapolis’ first touchdown came when Hasselbeck threw a pass toward the right sideline to Daniel Herron, who beat rookie Jeremiah George to the goal line.

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23 | P a g e

The Jets run defense looked sharp, as it did all last season, holding Trent Richardson to 13 yards on five carries.

“It’s going to be tough to run the ball against us,” Demario Davis said.

The Jets won the game when undrafted free agent kicker Andrew Furney booted a 51-yard field goal with 1:18 left in the fourth quarter.

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Eric Decker and Chris Johnson show signs of promise in NY Jets preseason opener, but are far from saviors (Manish Mehta) New York Daily News August 7, 2014

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/mehta-chris-johnson-eric-decker-fail-splash-show-signs-promise-article-1.1896066

The Jets’ offseason offensive makeover depends on a guy who may or may not be a legitimate No. 1 wide receiver and a guy who may or may not be running on empty.

Eric Decker and Chris Johnson are far from saviors, but the reality for an offense that languished near the bottom in scoring and passing last season is that both will have to make significant contributions for Rex Ryan’s team to have a prayer of breaking its three-year playoff drought.

Maybe it was wishful thinking that general manager John Idzik’s marquee free-agent signings would make a splash in the preseason opener against the Colts on Thursday night, but it sure would have been nice for a team that desperately lacked playmakers a year ago.

Decker’s and Johnson’s debuts weren’t spectacular, but there were enough promising signs to give Ryan and Co. hope that maybe an offense that sleepwalked through much of 2013 will come alive this season.

Johnson didn’t hit any home runs, but the artist known as CJ?K until further notice scored a 1-yard touchdown in the second quarter in his first game since undergoing offseason arthroscopic knee surgery.

“I accomplished what I wanted,” said Johnson, who admitted he had butterflies in his first game with his new team. “I just wanted to go out there and take a hit and see how it felt. It felt good to me. I’m just excited. I’m ready to get to the regular season.”

Decker, dealing with hamstring and foot issues in the past few days, caught a pass in each of his two drives. His night was done long before undrafted rookie kicker Andrew Furney nailed a 51-yard field goal with just over a minute to go in the Jets’ 13-10 win over the reigning AFC South champs.

“It got to a point where I felt I got enough plays in,” Decker said of playing only two series. “And they felt the same way … that I showed enough.”

Johnson had six touches (four carries for 2 yards and two receptions for 16 yards) and Decker hauled in a pair of passes for 12 yards. (Top Colts cornerback Vontae Davis didn’t play).

Hardly eye-popping numbers, but it was only a first step.

Decker and Johnson have plenty to prove, for very different reasons.

Decker, the Jets’ most expensive offseason acquisition, is still fighting for respect despite being a yardage and touchdown machine the past two seasons in Denver. He’s a product of Peyton Manning, the critics say. A system player.

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Johnson is fueled by other factors after a career-low 3.9 yards a carry in his final season with the Titans. Age (29 in September) and mileage (1,742 career carries) are not on his side, but he couldn’t care less that conventional wisdom suggests he might be done as a dynamic difference-maker in a league when running backs are put out to pasture by 30.

Johnson’s value to the Jets backfield can’t be overstated. Bruiser Chris Ivory, who has historically been nicked up, suffered a rib injury in the first half on Thursday night that isn’t believed to be serious. Bilal Powell missed the game due to a nagging hamstring injury that kept him out of practice all week.

Johnson obviously won’t duplicate his 2,000-yard season from 2009, but he’s easily the best player in the backfield.

Ryan said this week that he’ll take a running back-by-committee approach, but let’s get real: Johnson will be the primary running back if he’s fully recovered from off-season arthroscopic knee surgery. Ivory will carve out a niche in short yardage and goal-line situations, but he lacks the explosiveness that Johnson provides when healthy.

Johnson didn’t find much running room in the preseason opener, but offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg flashed a wrinkle that included moving the speedy back out wide, with Ivory in the backfield.

“That’s just another way to get me out in open space and help me make plays and get some points on the board,” said Johnson, who had 10- and 6-yard receptions, but later dropped a pass.

“I’m glad we don’t have to defend him, because he’s still got great speed.” Ryan said. “He … got hit a couple times. He popped up and had a big smile on his face. He’s ready to roll.”

Decker doesn’t provide much flash, but he’s a clear upgrade from what Smith had to work with as a rookie. The young quarterback wasted little time finding his new target with a 7-yard completion on a quick slant on the Jets’ first play from scrimmage.

MetLife Stadium, of course, was a House of Horrors for Decker in the Super Bowl six months ago (one catch for six yards), but Thursday had a decidedly different feel.

It didn’t really matter that the Jets’ top free-agent signings had boring debuts.

It starts to matter on Sept. 7 against the Raiders.

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Michael Vick seems destined to ride NY Jets bench behind Geno Smith, despite giving team best chance to win (Gary Myers) New York Daily News August 7, 2014

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/myers-michael-vick-ride-jets-bench-behind-geno-smith-matter-shows-preseason-article-1.1896063

Rex Ryan and John Idzik are so determined to make it work with Geno Smith that it doesn’t seem to matter much that Michael Vick gives the Jets a better chance to win this season.

The quarterback results were predictable Thursday night in the thrilling 13-10 preseason-opening victory over the Colts:

Smith looked like he’s improved from his rookie year, showing more confidence in the pocket and a better command at the line of scrimmage. In his two series, he led the Jets to three points in a relatively pedestrian performance.

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Then Vick came in, and after receiving a nice ovation from the sparse crowd at MetLife Stadium, he had a couple of electric moments that brought back memories of when he was the most explosive player in the league. He immediately moved the Jets 80 yards on 14 plays, running twice for a total of 19 yards and completing 3-of-5 passes for 17 yards, with Chris Johnson scoring from the 1 midway through the second quarter. On his second series, he had a pass batted down and took a sack. He took a knee on his third series.

Quarterback controversy?

Not quite.

Why?

Vick had his moments, but didn’t make up any ground on Smith and didn’t give the coaches any reason to divert from their plan of getting Smith ready to start the opener against the Raiders on Sept. 7.

“We’ll just let this thing play out. It’s the first preseason game,” Ryan said. “Obviously, we know we have two excellent quarterbacks, there is no question about it. We know we have two great quarterbacks – we hope to be great quarterbacks.”

Vick appreciated the reception he received from the fans, which is an indication of things to come if the season starts poorly for Smith. Vick may be 34 years old, he may get hurt too much and fumble too often, but he still has magic in those legs and he knows what he’s doing. If this was truly an open competition, which it is not, then Vick would win the job.

Smith has been getting at least 75% of the first team reps in camp, which makes it hard for Vick to make up any ground. He said he doesn’t expect the distribution of work to change. He has been the ideal teammate so far.

“The most important thing is to continue what we created, building blocks on the foundation,” he said. “We can’t regress. We got to continue to move in the right direction and continue to put the best players out there to make the plays and figure out ways to win football games. That’s what it’s all about.”

Idzik drafted Smith in the second round last year – his first draft as Jets GM – and he has a lot invested in Smith. He brought in Vick to be Smith’s mentor, to push him and be quality insurance, but he did not bring him in to compete for the starting job. He is not the Jets’ future.

Smith is 23 and has a chance to be the Jets quarterback for a long time if he can take big strides in his second season. Unless Smith regresses in the next two preseason games – he likely won’t play in the final one – then he will start the season against the Raiders. If the Jets get off to a slow start, then Ryan is going to have to find the balance between trying to save his own job – it’s going to be hard to stick around if he misses the playoffs for the fourth straight year – and perhaps doing what is in the best interests of the franchise long-term.

If Smith struggles, it’s going to be so tempting for Ryan to turn things over to Vick. He can be magical and can still play and be a winning QB in the NFL. This is the first time in Ryan’s six seasons as the Jets head coach that he has a viable alternative at quarterback.

Smith’s psyche is also in play. It would be much more damaging for Ryan to bench him and start Vick in the opener against the Raiders than giving Smith the first month of the season and then handing things over to Vick if the Jets are, say, 1-3. Although Ryan says he never worries about his job security, the coaching business is all about survival and Ryan needs to win games now.

Smith was on the field for just two drives and 11 plays. Nothing memorable.

“With time, we’ll get better and just continue to progress and continue to work hard,” Smith said.

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How would he grade his performance?

“There is no grade for it,” he said. “I played two series and did OK, but I’ve got to get better.”

How did Vick feel about his own play?

“I played well. I did all right,” he said. “It could have been better.”

Smith will get more reps next Saturday night against the Bengals and then the following week against the Giants. As long as he stays healthy and doesn’t fall apart in the next three weeks, the starting job belongs to him.

But if Smith struggles, I don’t think Ryan will hesitate to go to the bullpen and bring in the lefthander.

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Chris Ivory injures ribs in NY Jets preseason opener (Stephen Lorenzo & Seth Walder) New York Daily News August 8, 2014

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/jets-insider-rib-shot-tickle-chris-ivory-article-1.1896226

Injury-prone running back Chris Ivory hurt his ribs during Thursday’s 13-10 preseason win over the Colts, but Rex Ryan didn’t believe the injury to be serious.

Ivory did not return after a goal-line carry in the second quarter. Ryan began by saying, “We’ll see” in regard to Ivory’s health, but later said he should be fine.

“It’s his ribs, not ours,” Ryan joked.

Wide receiver David Nelson bruised his hand, he said, and added he would have re-entered the game had it been the regular season. Ryan also said he thought linebacker A.J. Edds broke a finger, but the linebacker returned to the game and secured the game-sealing fumble.

Wide receiver Greg Salas sat out with a hip injury, while running back Bilal Powell and cornerback Johnny Patrick sat with hamstring injuries.

“Both of those guys practiced the other day, so I don’t think it’s a severe injury,” Ryan said of Powell and Patrick. “It’s one where obviously we thought we’d give them a few more days and they’d be fine.”

BOYD SITS, SIMMS PLAYS

Sixth-round draft pick Tajh Boyd did not play. Boyd is in a competition with Matt Simms for the third-string quarterback job, but the rookie has played very poorly in training camp.

Simms played the entire second half, completing 13 of 18 passes for 96 yards.

GROUND & POUND

Running back Alex Green, fighting for a roster spot, had a solid game, rushing seven times for 29 yards. Daryl Richardson, in a similar spot, rushed for 27 yards on seven carries.

THIRD-AND-FOREVER

The Jets faced a third-and-42 situation in the fourth quarter after a penalty and a bad snap.

“What kind of play can you call in that situation?” joked Nelson. “Hope we’ll never see that again.”

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NEW YORK TIMES

Jets’ Opener Goes as Envisioned at Quarterback (Ben Shpigel) New York Times August 7, 2014

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/08/sports/football/geno-smith-and-michael-vick-are-productive-in-preseason-opener.html?_r=0

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Rex Ryan wanted to see production from the Jets’ offense in the team’s preseason opener Thursday night, and production is what he got. On their third possession, the Jets drove 80 yards in 14 plays for a touchdown, and afterward, as green fireworks boomed above MetLife Stadium, the quarterback who guided them into the end zone was greeted warmly on the sideline.

It was Michael Vick’s first drive with the Jets, and it came on his lone series working with the first-team offense, which was also one of the few times in recent days that he had worked with that unit. This is what the Jets envisioned that day in March when they dumped Mark Sanchez and signed Vick, creating a competitive situation at quarterback that, for the first time in a couple of seasons, did not seem destined to devolve into chaos.

Geno Smith, the returning starter, is throwing the ball well (mostly) and making smart decisions (usually), and he offered no distressing signals in his two series against Indianapolis on Thursday that should force the Jets to rethink their quarterback plan, which grows more and more transparent every day.

For Smith to lose this job, the Jets would have to reset the passcode to the digital playbook on his iPad and bar him from their complex over the next four weeks. And even still.

Smith may on some level recognize this, but he also understands the value of being pushed every day, in practice, in offensive meetings and, on Thursday, in a game that the Jets won, 13-10, over the Colts. The presence of Vick, with his elusiveness and his comfort with the system of the offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg, provides a constant reminder of what lurks if Smith falters. Which he has yet to do.

“The game felt good,” Smith said afterward. “It felt smooth.”

In the relatively controlled environment of training camp, Smith has neither struggled nor starred, instead demonstrating a certain steadiness that, if not for his troubles last season, might otherwise go overlooked.

So far Smith has received about 80 percent of the first-team snaps and 100 percent of the praise, garnering compliments for his poise and his acumen, with Vick himself saying the other day that Smith would be “10 times better” than he was last year. What Vick was using as his baseline was unclear, as was the way he arrived at that figure — why not nine times better? Or 11? — but the statement reflected the confidence that Smith had engendered in their time together.

Against the Colts, Smith completed 4 of 6 passes for 33 yards and scampered 10 yards on a zone-read. His first incompletion — flung across his body, and across the field, in the face of pressure — was an ill-advised pass, but his second impressed David Nelson, the intended receiver: Reacting to a third-down blitz, Smith tossed the ball away, keeping the Jets in range for Nick Folk, who made a 51-yard field goal.

That Vick led the Jets to more points than Smith did — 7 to 3 — should not be interpreted as an indication of the team’s offensive superiority with Vick under center. Vick’s touchdown drive was aided by two personal-foul penalties by the Colts, and it came against Indianapolis’s backups, a group with little experience chasing him.

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Vick, who completed 3 of 6 passes for 17 yards and ran three times for 19 yards, has said how fast he feels, even at 34. On a third-and-9 from his own 42, he improvised on a broken play, zipping around the left edge and past defensive lineman Jeris Pendleton for a 15-yard gain. The crowd, such as it was, roared.

Even as Ryan continued to profess that the competition remained open, Vick continued to profess that it was not, that he did not anticipate earning any more first-team snaps in practice or in the next preseason game, Aug. 16 at Cincinnati.

“I think the most important thing is to continue to build on what we’ve created,” Vick said.

If his run served as the team’s highlight, then the most discouraging development involved the retooled pass defense, which Andrew Luck and Matt Hasselbeck dissected to go 8 of 10 passing for 109 yards in the first quarter. Dee Milliner was impressive, but the opposite cornerback, Dimitri Patterson, yielded a 45-yard catch after he was beat by Da’Rick Rogers in one-on-one coverage.

That is the thing about the preseason games, though, especially the first one. A strong performance is viewed as an encouraging sign. A rough night? At least there are three more of these before the season starts, on Sept. 7.

That sort of consolation was relevant for a few players at a few positions Thursday, but the Jets could take comfort that they did not include the quarterback — either of them.

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WALL STREET JOURNAL

Jets See Good Things in Both Smith and Vick (Stu Woo) Wall Street Journal August 7, 2014

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303376904579133773569157500.html?mod=WSJ_NY_Sports_LEFT_LEADNewsCollection

Any Jets fans who prefer Geno Smith over Michael Vick at quarterback: You can relax for now.

The second-year Smith and the veteran Vick had comparable nights running the Jets offense in a 13-10 win over Indianapolis in the preseason opener at MetLife Stadium Thursday night.

Smith completed four of his six pass attempts for 33 yards. Newcomer Eric Decker caught two of those passes for 12 yards.

Vick was three-for-six for 17 yards and proved he could still run, gaining 19 yards on three rushing attempts.

Running back Chris Ivory left the game early with a rib injury, while fellow rusher Chris Johnson ran for just 2 yards on four carries, though he had two receptions for 16 yards, in his Jets debut.

Rookie kicker Andrew Furney made the game-winning, 51-yard field goal with 1:08 left in the game.

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ESPN NEW YORK

Geno Smith vs. Michael Vick: Status quo (Rich Cimini) ESPN New York August 8, 2014

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http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york/jets/post/_/id/41384/geno-smith-vs-michael-vick-status-quo?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- It's still Geno Smith and Michael Vick, in that order, for the New York Jets. There were no competition-tilting developments, no spectacular plays for either quarterback Thursday night in the preseason opener. But there's your story, especially from the Smith angle: He didn't do anything great, but he also didn't suffer any "Oh no, Geno" moments that he had in 2013. And that's progress for the Jets because, a year ago, they watched with horrified expressions as Mark Sanchez opened the preseason with a pick-six on a screen pass.

The most definitive statement anyone can make after the Jets' 13-10 victory over the Indianapolis Colts is that Vick is keeping the pressure on Smith, the presumptive starter. Vick led the starting offense to a touchdown, and Smith didn't, so maybe the anti-Geno crowd can try to turn that into a groundswell of Vick support. At this point, that would be a reach. This remains Smith's job to lose. On opening night, he didn't do anything to lose it. Even Vick acknowledged that, saying he doesn't think he will be rewarded with additional first-team reps in practice.

"No, I don't expect that," Vick said. "I think the most important thing is to continue to build on what we've created, building blocks on the foundation. We can't regress."

Smith started the game, played two series (11 plays) and put a field goal on the board. His stat line (4-for-6, 33 yards) doesn't matter, really, because the most important number for him was zero turnovers. That can't be overstated, coming off a 25-turnover season. He was under duress at times, most notably on a third-down play from the Colts 33-yard line, but he threw the ball away instead of taking a sack or forcing a pass into coverage. Maybe, just maybe, that one little play is a sign of maturity.

"We were in field goal range, so you just want to keep points on the board," Smith said.

The Smith-led offense failed to score a touchdown, and that makes two weeks in a row (if you count last weekend's intrasquad scrimmage), but this wasn't a train-wreck performance by any means. Coach Rex Ryan praised Smith, saying he played "extremely well." If Ryan wasn't satisfied, he wouldn't have removed Smith after only two series. Sure, he wanted to get the ball in the end zone, but he saw enough for one game. Naturally, next week they need to see more.

"I thought he did a great job," Ryan said of Smith. "He stepped up in the pocket a couple of times and protected the ball. I'm really pleased. I'm also pleased with Mike as well."

Vick received a rousing ovation when he entered the game -- as rousing as it gets in a half-empty stadium in the preseason -- and he gave the fans a few moments to cheer. Basically, he did what he's been doing for more than a decade, running faster than the defensive guys. He scrambled for 19 yards, including a 15-yard dash on a third-and-9. In his only series with the starters, he orchestrated a 14-play, 80-yard drive, ending with a 1-yard touchdown run by Chris Johnson. He hit a third-down pass and hit one on fourth down, too, looking very much like the savvy vet.

For the first time since training camp opened, Vick got more first-team reps than Smith. It's interesting, but don't read too much into that.

"I felt all right. It could've been better," said Vick, who completed three of six passes for 17 yards. "I wanted to get some throws down the field, but unfortunately, that didn't happen. So we'll see what happens next week. There's always next week."

Next week, the Jets go to Cincinnati, where you'd expect Smith to start and play the entire first half. The Geno Plan should continue. They haven't reached the point of no return, but it's approaching.

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Milliner looks good, Patterson not so much (Kieran Darcy) ESPN New York August 8, 2014

http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york/jets/post/_/id/41383/milliner-looks-good-patterson-not-so-much

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Dee Milliner believes he's the best cornerback in the NFL, but even if he lived up to that boast, the New York Jets may be in deep trouble.

That's because Milliner's counterpart, Dimitri Patterson, looked like possibly one of the NFL's weakest starting cornerbacks Thursday night.

Patterson gave up two big plays during the first quarter of the Jets' 13-10 win over the Indianapolis Colts, and was flagged for defensive holding in the third quarter as well.

On the opening drive of the game, and only the third play from scrimmage, the Colts faced a 3rd-and-11 from their own 19-yard line. Patterson was matched up with former New York Giant Hakeem Nicks, gave Nicks way too much of a cushion, and then fell down while trying to close the gap. Nicks ended up with a 15-yard gain.

Two drives later, with the Colts' first-string offense already out of the game, backup quarterback Matt Hasselbeck hooked up with third-string wideout Da'Rick Rogers for 45 yards on a 3rd-and-6 from their own 24-yard line. Patterson was beaten badly by Rogers, who reeled in a deep lob down the right-hand sideline.

"I had a couple plays that I wish I could have back," Patterson said.

The Jets signed Patterson in early April after Antonio Cromartie left for the Arizona Cardinals and GM John Idzik chose not to open the coffers for a higher-profile replacement such as Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie.

The 31-year-old Patterson had four interceptions for the Miami Dolphins last season. But he played in just six games due to injuries, was only able to play in two games for the Dolphins the year before, and is already on his seventh NFL team.

Patterson sounded like a player still working himself into game shape, but did not use that as an excuse.

"I don't know who's 100 percent physically at this point in time in [training] camp, you're in the thick of things," Patterson said. "If you have fresh legs during the preseason games, God bless you, I don't know. But I felt good enough to play and be productive, so that's all you can really ask for at this time."

Coach Rex Ryan stuck up for Patterson after the game. "They knew both of our corners were hanging out to dry," Ryan said. "They were taking some one-on-one shots out there. Dimitri's a veteran player and he'll respond."

"Every guy gives up completions," Ryan added. "The thing I liked was that he finished and made a tackle on one of those deep ones. He might not have had his best day, but it certainly wasn't on him. I put him out to dry a little bit."

The Jets have taken a big gamble in relying on Patterson opposite Milliner. The second-string corners, as of the latest depth chart, are the underachieving former first-round pick Kyle Wilson and this year's third-round pick, Dexter McDougle (who's also coming off an injury).

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Patterson predicted improved play in the days ahead. "Those are downs that I've won and I can win, so I can definitely be better, no doubt about it," he said. "[I'm] just transitioning, getting back into the flow of things."

On the bright side, Milliner actually played rather well against the Colts, with a couple of nice pass breakups and a near-interception.

"He's doing a great job," Ryan said. "I would have loved to see him come up with that interception, but he made a great play."

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Notes: Michael Vick appreciates the love (Rich Cimini) ESPN New York August 8, 2014

http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york/jets/post/_/id/41399/notes-vick-appreciates-the-love?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- The sleepy crowd at MetLife Stadium saved its loudest cheer Thursday night for Michael Vick, who received a loud (relatively speaking) ovation when he entered in the second quarter of the New York Jets' 13-10 win over the Indianapolis Colts.

Vick, one of the most polarizing athletes in professional sports, appreciated the gesture.

"It was great, great to get a good reception from the crowd," he said. "It only gets you going, gets your blood flowing [and] gets the adrenaline flowing. It doesn't alleviate the butterflies, but even still at my age, you still have the anxiety, which is a good thing. It helps you play even better. It brings out the best in me."

Vick played well, especially as a runner. It prompted the inevitable question about the possibility of being a change-of-pace quarterback -- you know, working a small package of plays, replacing Geno Smith.

For the most part, Vick didn't sound like he's in favor of that, although he left the door open a crack.

"It's cool, but that disrupts the timing of the offense," he said. "I think it has to be done at the right time. I experienced that in Philadelpha with Donovan [McNabb] at times. You want to let the quarterback get into a rhythm and try not to do too much. I think that's doing too much. When the time calls for it, then I think the coaches will see fit that that's put in."

Rex Ryan has downplayed the possibility.

Medical report: Running back Chris Ivory suffered a rib injury in the first half and didn't return. It's not serious, according to Ryan. ... Wide receiver David Nelson bruised a hand; he said it's not serious. ... Linebacker A.J. Edds, making a strong bid to make the team, fractured a finger, but returned to the game. ... Wide receiver Greg Salas was a surprise scratch. He was held out because of a previously undisclosed hip injury.

Long in the leg: This was a weird night for kickers. Rookie Andrew Furney was the Jets' hero, making a 51-yard field with 1:08 to play -- saving us the anguish of overtime in the preseason. Furney won't unseat incumbent Nick Folk, but this will help him in the job market. Folk made his only attempt, from 51 yards, doinking it off the crossbar. The Colts' Adam Vinatieri, the most clutch kicker in football history, missed from 29 yards. Go figure.

Odds and ends: Rookie pass rusher I.K. Enemkpali came up big, sealing the game with a strip sack in the final minute. ... Edds got some work with the first team, replacing Demario Davis. ... Matt Simms, who

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appears to have the No. 3 quarterback job locked up, played the entire second half. Rookie Tajh Boyd didn't play. ... Ivory started at running back, ahead of Chris Johnson, who handled some third-down duty.

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METRO NEW YORK

Jets vs. Colts: 3 things we learned from the preseason opener (Kristian Dyer) Metro New York August 7, 2014

http://www.metro.us/newyork/sports/nfl/2014/08/07/jets-vs-colts-3-things-learned-preseason-opener/

It was just a preseason game and the first one at that, but there was some promise to emerge from the Jets’ 13-10 win over the Colts.

It wasn’t pretty. In fact, at times it was downright ugly, but the Jets showed some good depth and solid potential in their two-deep. A 1-yard touchdown run by free agent signing Chris Johnson in the second quarter and an Andrew Furney 51-yard field goal with 1:08 left in the fourth quarter lifted the Jets to the win.

Metro gives you three things we took away from the win:

1. The quarterback “competition”

Geno Smith entered preseason as the incumbent starter coming off a rookie year in which he led the Jets to an 8-8 record. But he also had some well-documented struggles, mostly in terms of turnovers. He looked improved on Thursday night, leading a drive which ended in a field goal and finishing 4-for-6 for 33 yards. And most importantly he had no turnovers on his two drives.

For his part, free agent addition Michael Vick looked mobile and accurate even as he played with the second-team offense. In the second quarter, he scampered nicely for 15 yards and several plays later had another run to sustain a drive that ended in a touchdown. Smith did nothing to lose the job though and looked far more polished than a season ago. His pocket presence was improved and he went through his progressions. It was far more good than bad for Smith.

“You know, I think we did well,” Smith said. “Obviously we have things we can improve upon and get better at. I think we did well; we were able to get three points. We want to score touchdowns but three points is fine.”

2. Sloppy, sloppy Jets

The first game of preseason is always a messy one, especially with the number of young players on the field. But this game was particularly bad for the Jets, who had two penalties on defense in the game’s opening drive and a total of four penalties for 19 yards in the first quarter. Most worrisome is that they came from the first-team players for the most part.

3. Decker’s debut

The biggest free agent signing for the Jets this past offseason was Eric Decker. His debut in green and white showed exactly why he’s an ideal fit for this team. His route running is precise and his hands were solid, providing the offense with a reliable outlet who uses his frame well. He played in just the first quarter and finished with two receptions for 12 yards.

Quick notes …

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» Dimitri Patterson had a rough first game as a Jet, giving up a sizable cushion on the Colts’ opening drive and then being torched over the top on a 45-yard pass completion from Matt Hasselbeck on their second drive. Given his struggles at training camp, this is one free agent signing that is beginning to look questionable. He also received a holding call midway through the third quarter at a point in the game when there were no other starters left in the game.

» Running back Chris Ivory and tight end Jeff Cumberland both started with the first-team offense. Ivory suffered an injury to his ribs in the second quarter and did not return to the game.

» Not exactly renowned for his coverage ability, linebacker David Harris had two nice open field tackles on the Colts first two drives. He also had a sack in his one quarter of play.

» After some well-documented struggles — and benchings — in the first half of 2013, last year’s first-round pick Dee Milliner looked the part in this game. He had two pass breakups on the opening drives and he was very solid.

» Last year, the Jets unveiled a drumline named the Aviators, who help coordinate the crowd’s cheering effort. This year, the group has moved from under an overhang on the lower level behind an end zone to field level, behind the opponent’s bench. Presumably, this is done to create some noise directly behind where the opponent plays.

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NJ.COM

5 observations on Geno Smith from Jets' preseason opener vs. Colts (Dom Cosentino) NJ.com August 7, 2014

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2014/08/5_observations_about_geno_smith_from_jets_preseason_opener_vs_colts.html

EAST RUTHERFORD -- Geno Smith made his first start of the 2014 season on Thursday night against the Colts at MetLife Stadium.

He played two series, and a little less than one quarter. He finished 4 of 6 for 33 yards, and led the Jets to three points. He did not throw three interceptions or step out of the end zone, as he did during a preseason game last summer against the Giants—the famous game in which Mark Sanchez was injured behind a backup offensive line.

"I think we did well," Smith told CBS during the game. "We were able to get three points. We wanted to score touchdowns, but three points is fine."

Please take the following observations from Smith's evening with a grain of salt: This is still the preseason, we're still a full month from the first game that counts, and there was little-to-no game-planning for this game. These are just some things we noticed before Smith called it a night and handed the keys to Michael Vick early in the second quarter.

So:

1. Dangerous throw. After picking up a first down in two plays, Smith was under heavy pressure both both ends when he stepped up in the pocket and winged a pass across his body to fullback Tommy Bohanon. It fell incomplete, but he probably should have taken a sack. It was the only really bad or misguided pass attempt Smith would make on the evening.

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2. Big completion wiped out. On third-and-nine from the 31 on his first series, Smith hooked up with receiver Eric Decker for what would have been a first down—and a possible long gain—but the play was wiped out by a false start penalty on wideout David Nelson. Smith then did connect with Chris Johnson—a third-down back on the opening series—for a 10-yard screen when the Jets needed 14. They had to punt.

3. No huddle/read option. On his second series, Smith had to step forward to avoid a rush before hitting tight end Jeff Cumberland for a first-down completion over the middle. The Jets then went no huddle, and a read-option fake handoff allowed Smith to run wide to his left for 10 yards and another first down. The Jets wound up settling for a Nick Folk 51-yard field goal after Smith marched them seven plays and 27 yards in 2:27.

4. He saw some blitzes. The Colts came after Smith, particularly on the third down just before that Folk field goal. But rather than force the issue, Smith threw the ball away, keeping the Jets from turning it over and keeping them in field-goal range.

5. Variety of formations. Smith got to work with both Chris Ivory and Chris Johnson. The Jets showed two-tight end sets, plus three- and four-receiver sets. And that read-option worked quite well, at least on the one play it was used. Mike Vick took over for Smith with 13:16 to go in the first half. Bottom line: Smith did nothing to lose the job that so far appears to be his.

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Going to Colts-Jets? Those smart cards and that ticket rewards program, explained (Dom Cosentino) NJ.com August 7, 2014

http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2014/08/going_to_colts-jets_those_smart_cards_and_that_ticket_rewards_program_explained.html

The Jets rolled out smart cards and a rewards program for season-ticket holders this season, and Thursday's 7 p.m. preseason opener against the Colts at MetLife Stadium is the first chance for fans to use them.

But because both the smart cards and the rewards program come with certain rules and restrictions, you probably have plenty of questions. We're here to answer those questions. You may fire when ready.

What did the Jets do with my tickets? Why did they send me a credit card for each season ticket instead?

Sigh. OK. Deep breath. The data for your tickets is all contained on that scannable smart card, which is only a credit card in that it looks like a credit card. But for Jets tickets. All you have to do is bring that card to the game and tap it upon entering. Boom. You're in.

I just want to watch football and have a few beers. What's the point of all this?

The Jets this year instituted a rewards program. It's basically a marketing effort to encourage fans to attend games by allowing them to accrue points for their attendance. It's the same concept as airline miles or credit card points, but for FOOTBALL.

Points can also add up if you show up early, if the crowd noise triggers a false start penalty for the opponent, if you watch or listen to Jets programming, and if you attend designated Jets-sponsored events. You do not get points for not being this guy once you enter the stadium. But please don't be that guy once you enter the stadium.

Wait. I can get points for watching or listening at home? How's that work?

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Basically, when you're watching a preseason away game or listening to a game on the radio or watching other Jets-related programming hosted by their affiliate partners, you'll be prompted to use the team's website to log in to your account, enter a code, and accrue more points.

Huh.

Yeah.

Hang on. Is the game on TV Thursday night?

Yup. WCBS Ch. 2. It's also on the radio at ESPN 98.7 FM. And the crew at Gang Green Nation can walk you through how to watch it online.

OK, but why is this smart card/rewards program thing even happening?

Some other teams have already gone the smart-card-in-lieu-of-tickets route. Don't be surprised if it catches on across the NFL in the near future. Looking at you, Giants fans.

So what kind of stuff can I get for the rewards points? How long can I keep the points? Like, can I stockpile them forever and ever? And do I get anything for having had tickets for a long time?

So many questions! Slow down!

We explained this a few weeks back here, but you can redeem your points for all kinds of stuff, from travel to an away game to field access to autographed photos. But you can also use them to bid on fancypants stuff like sitting in owner Woody Johnson's suite or riding on the team charter. Just a hunch, but the high-end swag is only available via auction because they don't want hundreds of jerks trying to stuff themselves into Johnson's suite and spilling beer on him. Not that any of you would ever try to do such a thing, of course.

You can only keep your points from Aug. 1 to July 31 of the following year, at which point they'll expire. But fans do get an extra bonus of points depending on seat locations, and fans who have had their tickets for many years also get additional points. For a complete breakdown of how the points add up, go here and click on "points." There's even a chart! And when the point totals reset the following year, fans can still keep their longstanding status when starting over.

So do I have to bring my card to the game Thursday night? Can't I just print the tickets at home?

You can print the tickets at home or at work or wherever. You can set things up to have them display on your mobile device, just like you've done in the past. You can give them to your neighbor's kid. You'll still receive points, but by using your smart card when you enter the stadium instead, you'll get bonus rewards points on top of those points.

What if I'm a collector and I want a real paper ticket as a keepsake? Am I out of luck?

Nope. Just go to the team's flagship store inside the stadium. For a small donation to charity, you can get a paper ticket with which to do whatever you wish.

Cool. Is there a way to sell/give away the tickets and still have them count for points?

Yep. But only if you a) use the Jets' ticket exchange to complete the sale, which does have some pricing restrictions; and b) you've designated the buyer as a share partner for your account, which you can do here. Those share partners can then set up their own accounts and accrue/redeem their own points. A tip: If you share your tickets with a group and you all want points, have everyone in your group designated as share partners, regardless of whose name's on the ticket package. Just know that if you'd rather sell the tickets via a third-party reseller, or just print the tickets and hand them to some guy in a trenchcoat

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in an alley in Bayonne in exchange for 300 bucks, those tickets won't accrue rewards points. But if your buyer wants the points, you do have to use the Jets' exchange. Them's the rules.

300 bucks? Have you seen what the tickets are going for on the secondary market?

Pretty swell that all NFL teams charge the same price for the preseason as the regular season, huh? Yeah, well. You can sell Thursday's tickets for a pack of gum, if you must (assuming you can get even get that much). Just know that neither you nor the buyer will be able to get rewards points for them.

Let's say I have four tickets in my name. Does that mean I get all of the points for all four tickets if I take my three kids?

Not necessarily. Yes, you do get the points, but because there are separate cards for separate tickets, each ticket is a separate account. So if you accrue, say, 10,000 points each on four tickets, you don't necessarily have 40,000 points. Rather, you have four separate accounts with 10,000 points each.

Ah.

Make sense?

Yeah.

Good. That it?

I think so. No, wait. if I swipe my card upon entry, will I start getting bombarded with email offers from chain restaurants and vacation destinations I'll never visit?

The Jets say they're not selling any data to third parties, and that they'll only use your information for internal, operational purposes. That's all we can tell you. You'll just have to wait to see whether Red Lobster starts spamming you after you've gone to a game.

We've got to run. If you've got any more questions, go here.

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THURSDAY’S SPORTS TRANSACTIONS

Associated Press August 7, 2014

http://www.sfgate.com/sports/article/Thursday-s-Sports-Transactions-5675945.php

BASEBALL American League BOSTON RED SOX — Activated INF-OF Kelly Johnson from the 15-day DL. Optioned OF-INF Mookie Betts to Pawtucket (IL). LOS ANGELES ANGELS — Acquired RHP Vinnie Pestano from the Cleveland Indians for RHP Michael Clevinger. TEXAS RANGERS — Reinstated C Chris Gimenez from the paternity list and designated him for assignment. TORONTO BLUE JAYS — Placed 3B Brett Lawrie on the 15-day DL. Recalled LHP Rob Rasmussen from Buffalo (IL). National League ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS — Recalled 3B Jake Lamb from Reno (PCL). Designated INF Andy Marte for assignment.

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CINCINNATI INDIANS — Recalled RHP C.C. Lee from Columbus (IL). Optioned RHP Danny Salazar to Columbus. COLORADO ROCKIES — Recalled RHP Juan Nicasio from Colorado Springs (PCL). Optioned RHP Brooks Brown to Colorado Springs. LOS ANGELES DODGERS — Acquired RHP Roberto Hernandez from Philadelphia for two players to be named or cash considerations. SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS — Activated OF Angel Pagan from the 15-day DL. Optioned INF Matt Duffy to Richmond (EL). WASHINGTON NATIONALS — Reinstated C Wilson Ramos from the paternity list. Optioned C Sandy Leon to Syracuse (IL). American Association ST. PAUL SAINTS — Signed RHP Robert Coe. Frontier League EVANSVILLE OTTERS — Signed RHP Conner Little, RHP Edgar Lopez and RHP William Oliver. SCHAUMBURG BOOMERS — Released RHP Kevin Carroll. BASKETBALL National Basketball Association NBA — Suspended Dallas G Raymond Felton four games for pleading guilty to attempted criminal possession of a weapon and criminal possession of a firearm, in violation of the law of the State of New York. DETROIT PISTONS — Named Tim Hardaway and Malik Allen assistant coaches, Jeff Nix assistant general manager, Quentin Richardson director of player development, Jon Ishop director of sports medicine and Anthony Harvey strength and conditioning coach. MIAMI HEAT — Signed G Tyler Johnson. FOOTBALL National Football League ARIZONA CARDINALS — Released LB Ernie Sims. OAKLAND RAIDERS — Signed K Kevin Goessling. Waived K-P Michael Palardy. HOCKEY ECHL UTAH GRIZZLIES — Re-signed F Michael Pelech to a one-year contract. LACROSSE National Lacrosse League BUFFALO BANDITS — Signed F Joel Matthews, F Corey Fowler and G Dave DiRuscio to one-year contracts. SOCCER Major League Soccer D.C. UNITED — Acquired F-MF David Estrada from Seattle for a 2017 third-round SuperDraft pick. Released F Christiano Francois. FC DALLAS — Added D Walter Cabrera on loan from Paraguayan Primera Division side General Diaz. LA GALAXY — Announced the retirement of F Landon Donovan, at the end of the MLS season. COLLEGE AUSTIN PEAY — Named Dustin Korte, men's interim golf coach. ETSU — Named Allan Johnson assistant strength training coach. LEHMAN — Named Casey Melilli women's interim soccer coach. NEBRASKA — Named Diane Mendenhall associate athletic director for development and ticket operations. OKLAHOMA CITY — Named Tanner Ives assistant sports information director.

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RUTGERS — Named Jim Mitchell men's assistant lacrosse coach and defensive coordinator. Named Kari Williams women's golf coach. SAINT AUGUSTINE'S — Announced it will re-institute the men's golf program, beginning with the 2014-2015 season. Named Robert Hinton golf coach. SAM HOUSTON STATE — Named Jay Sirianni pitching coach, Lance Harvell baseball recruiting coordinator, Shane Wedd volunteer assistant baseball coach and Gary Miller director of baseball operations. SUSQUEHANNA — Named Rocco Salomone defensive coordinator, Dave Shinskie wide receivers coach, Tanner Strein tight end and assistant strength & conditioning coach and coach John Vovakes outside linebackers/safeties coach. WENTWORTH — Named Jay Pecora ice hockey coach.

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