Transcript of head coach Rex Ryan's news conference following Tuesday's midday practice at the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center:
All right guys, here's the injury report. It's a long one. Brodney Pool is out. He had to get a cortisone shot in his knee for that swelling and all that stuff. But he's going to be out this week as well, so he did not practice.
These guys did not practice today: Kerley with his knee, Shawn Nelson with an illness. LaDainian Tomlinson, knee, Patrick Turner, kidney. And Darrelle Revis was limited today. He had a knee. Don't worry, he's playing. I'm not even going to make the trip if Darrelle doesn't go [joking].
These guys practiced in full today: Mike DeVito, knee, Kenrick Ellis, ankle, Nick Mangold, ankle, Josh Mauga, he's got a low back, Joe McKnight, toe, Calvin Pace, groin, Matt Slauson, ankle, Isaiah Trufant, hamstring. All four of these guys were in a different spot, you'll figure out where they were: Plaxico Burress, low back, Marcus Dixon, shoulder, David Harris, ankle, and Santonio Holmes, foot. All those guys were full.
Today was no pads, no nothing. A much bigger walkthrough practice, and when you get in you're kind of moving around with just sweats on. That's what you have to do. You have to adjust your schedule and adjust your practice accordingly when you're playing on these short weeks. So that's where we are.
On his feeling on Tomlinson and Kerley and if they will play…
Well, I would say every one of them, if they make the trip, will be a game-time decision. LaDainian has an MCL and Patrick got hit in the kidneys, so we'll see how he is. And then Kerley has a little bit of a knee. You know the way I am, we don't travel them. If we don't think a guy is going to play or have an opportunity to play or a possibility, then we'll probably just leave them back home. That doesn't mean that they'll play for sure, but it means that we'd like to see how they feel when they get there. It's just like what we did with Plaxico in the preseason when we left him at home because [with] the swelling or whatever, it's probably not the smartest thing to travel guys. So we'll know, maybe by [Wednesday] if some guys are staying back. But I'm thinking it's a possibility that all three will be game-time decisions.
On Kerley's exact injury…
Kerley, I don't know. I'll say the wrong word every time. Strain, sprain. [Senior Director of Media Relations Bruce Speight announced that LaDainian Tomlinson's injury is a sprain and he is unsure about Jeremy Kerley's exact injury].
On if Tomlinson's injury will keep him out since it is similar to other knee injuries on the team this season that have kept players out…
I hate to say that because you've seen guys sometimes, each one you don't know the severity of it. I know this, he wants to play. He's trying to do everything in his power to play. It being on a short week, is it good for a running back and all that? Probably not, but I never want to hold it against him because I think I know the kind of competitor [Tomlinson] is. If he thinks he can help the team, he's going to go. Obviously, you have to protect the player from himself as well. So you have to lean on your trainers and your medical advice.
On how Bilal Powell has been doing in practice…
[He's] doing well. It's kind of like, remember Shonn Greene, when he wasn't up a few years ago? You saw the guy progressing and all that kind of stuff, and then his work on scout teams and on special teams and all that. Sometimes you get an opportunity and you never leave. That's basically what happened with Shonn Greene. So we'll see, but I like the way that he looks on the practice field.
On who would be the third down and hurry up running back if Tomlinson cannot play…
Well, from a strategic standpoint, let's just say it won't be John Conner.
On if Eron Riley will be utilized if Kerley and Turner cannot play…
Yes, you absolutely have to. You definitely would bring him up.
On difficulty of preparing for the Broncos offense…
I think we're fortunate because we had Brad Smith here for the two year. We would work against that in training camp and all that. Now, it's a little different, but it's similar as well. I think that helps us. Obviously he's a legitimate quarterback, where most guys, we used to see Miami run their version of the wildcat with a great running back in Ronnie Brown. But obviously Ronnie wasn't a great thrower. We do have experience against the Wildcat before. Tebow is obviously a better passer than most guys back there.
On who the imitating Tebow on the scout team in practice…
Well, we have [Mark] Brunell. At least, he's left handed. So we got that, at least, right. And you know the funny thing is, Brunell, I don't know if anybody ever saw, I don't know what his stats were in college. But we had some highlight films of Brunell when he was younger. He was Tim Tebow minus probably about 50 pounds, before Tim Tebow. He could run like crazy and things. But he is familiar with the option and stuff like that. He has run it before.
On if there is enough game film to work with to prepare for Tebow…
It has to be. We're not going back to Florida tape, but we saw him in preseason as well. He went against my brother in the first preseason game. I will say this, we don't really know what they're going to do because they've been really multiple. Sometimes they spread them out. They'll go to empty and then run the ball with the quarterback. Running "O" plays and all that stuff. So no matter what you see, you'll probably start by saying, it's probably a run, and then we'll defend the pass after it. But you're looking at formations or personnel groupings that tell you it's going to be a pass, and it's not with this group. That's a little different, but you'd better be sound and obviously assume he's running with it.
On the differences in what the Broncos are doing now compared to when they played against Detroit…
I would say they definitely threw the ball a lot more in that game than they did against Kansas City. They did throw it eight times, I don't know if they were counting this [hand motion] as a pass though [joking]. I don't know if they did, but it was 55 runs. But again, we don't know exactly what [we're] going to get. We just have to be sound.
On the contrast between the Denver and New England offenses …
I'd make a recommendation to New England to go to this style of offense with Brady. That would be good. [joking]
On how he feels about the scheduling of this game and the quick turnaround…
They definitely did it on purpose to mess with the Jets [joking]. No, that's not what happened. It's just the way it is. These are games that if you win, you feel great that they're on your schedule. If you lose, then it was terrible. The main thing [is] you have to find a way to win and obviously it's going to be a big challenge. This team is hot. They've won three out of their last four games. They're feeling pretty good about themselves without question. [They have] the ability to run the football and they're playing really well on defense.
On if it is a good thing to have this game so soon after a tough loss…
Absolutely. I'd love to be able to put Sunday in my rearview mirror.
On if Mark Sanchez has improved this season…
I think from a numbers standpoint, you guys know the numbers better than I do. I think we've been better in the red zone, which I think is attributed to Mark really knowing our system and knowing defenses and things like that. I think he is better that way. I think we're getting better and he's getting better with Plaxico and they're learning each other and things like that. Like I said, I'm proud that Mark is our quarterback. I think he's done a great job. Can I put an exact thing in really what he's better at? I just think overall, he's a better player now than he was when he was a rookie quarterback. That kind of goes without saying.
On if he is happy with Sanchez's development…
Yes. I wish we'd win more games and I think that's the ultimate judge in how good a quarterback is. What is his record? I think if you start there, you get a good gauge of a quarterback. Because I think that's the position, probably a point guard on a basketball team. [If] you find a guy like Magic Johnson, he was the guy. The Lakers won a million games and he was probably the main guy.
On how the team regroups physically and mentally on such short rest…
Well, mentally, we know it's a great challenge. That's the great thing about this sport. You go right back at it and really seeing the difference between playing Denver compared to New England, it's so different that you have no choice but to say, "Hey, let's go." That thing is behind us now, let's just focus on what is in front of us, because we have to. This is such a different challenge for us. We can't do anything, that game right there [the Patriots game], we can't win that game right now. If we get a chance to play them again, then that could be a different story, but right now, we know that one is in our past and we lost that game, and they earned the "W".
On if it is realistic to put the Patriots game behind them…
It better be. Because like I say, this team will beat us if that's not the case.
On judging a quarterback at the three-year mark and if he can sense where Sanchez is…
Well, I think Mark is an outstanding quarterback, and again, I like the guys that win. And I think Mark is a winner. We've won a lot of games. Have we won the big one yet? No. We haven't won the big one yet. I think if we do, then maybe everybody will look at Mark in a different light. But I think he's a terrific quarterback. The thing that you're excited about is that when you get that right, when you draft the right guy to lead your franchise, that usually is a good sign for you for 10 years. And I think we have the right guy.
