Joe Flacco’s first time in a New York Jets gameday uniform will come against one of his former teams on Thursday night.
While Thursday night’s primetime matchup between the New York Jets and Denver Broncos (8:20 p.m. ET, NFL Network) may lack that championship feeling, but Super Bowl flair will be on display on the home team’s sideline.
For the first time in his New York career, former Super Bowl MVP Joe Flacco will dress for the Jets and serve as Sam Darnold’s backup. Flacco was sidelined by a neck injury for nearly a full year but was signed by the Jets in May.
A native of Audubon, NJ, Flacco is set to enter his 13th NFL season. Flacco is best known for his 11-year tenure with the Baltimore Ravens, where he sits atop nearly every statistical list in the team’s passing record book. He helped guide the Ravens to their second Super Bowl in 2013, capturing MVP honors in the team’s 34-31 win over San Francisco.
Making his Jets debut against Denver carries a hint of Flacco irony. After Baltimore made the switch to Lamar Jackson at quarterback, he was signed by the Broncos to serve as a placeholder quarterback to 2019 first-round choice Drew Lock. Flacco started eight games in orange, throwing for 1,822 yards and six touchdowns before sustaining the aforementioned neck injury in an October loss to Indianapolis. Denver released Flacco last March, sticking with Lock, Jeff Driskel, and Brett Rypien on their quarterback depth chart. Rypien is set to make his first NFL start on Thursday with Lock injured.
The Jets (0-3) will still be without top receiving option Breshard Perriman, who will miss his second straight game with an ankle injury. Others on the New York inactive list include Jordan Willis, Marqui Christian, Quincy Wilson, and Nathan Shepard, as well as rookies Ashtyn Davis and James Morgan.
Following an injury-laden win over the New York Jets, members of the San Francisco 49ers took issue with East Rutherford’s playing surface.
Despite earning a one-sided win over the New York Jets, the San Francisco 49ers endured some tough losses in their Sunday visit to MetLife Stadium.
Four San Francisco starters left the 31-13 triumph over the Jets due to injury. Defensive stars Nick Bosa and Solomon Thomas may have torn ACLs on back-to-back plays, each carted off the field in the first quarter. Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo missed the second half with a high ankle sprain, as did running back Raheem Mostert.
While the missing starters didn’t seem to affect the Niners (1-1) on Sunday, long-term ailments could severely hinder their quest to return to the Super Bowl.
San Francisco head coach Kyle Shanahan suspected the artificial turf at MetLife Stadium as the culprit behind the injuries.
“I know our players talked about it the entire game,” Shanahan remarked, per Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. “Just how sticky the turf was. That was the first time people played on it, I think. It was something our guys were concerned about right away. And the results definitely made that a lot stronger.”
Shanahan wasn’t the only San Francisco representative displeased with the playing surface. Defensive end Arik Armstead’s postgame tweet implored the NFL to investigate the situation.
@nfl fix this trash met life turf . 2020 is so wack
The host Jets (0-2) were not spared from the medical carnage. Top receiver Breshad Perriman left the game in the third quarter with an ankle injury and did not return.
“I don’t exactly know why (the injuries) happened,” Shanahan added, per Mehta. “But as far as the feeling that was on the sidelines, I know that’s as many knee injuries and ankle stuff and people getting caught on a turf as I’ve ever been a part of. From what I saw, the other team did too.”
The issue is particularly troubling for the 49ers, who will face the New York Giants at the same site next Sunday (1 p.m. ET, Fox). ESPN’s Dianna Russini reported that 49ers players “are both afraid and anxious” about making the return trip.
I’ve been texting with players on the 49ers and some of them are both afraid and anxious about playing on the turf again here at Metlife next week against the Giants
MetLife Stadium has used FieldTurf Synthetic Turf since 2016. Other stadiums that employ the surface include the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans and Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati. The Niners are set visit the former on November 15.
The Jets hit the road to battle the Indianapolis Colts next Sunday (4:05 p.m. ET, CBS). Their next game in East Rutherford will be a Thursday night contest against Denver on October 1.
It’s only Week 2, but losses are continuing to pile up for the New York Jets.
Per ESPN’s Rich Cimini, head coach Adam Gase announced on Friday that receiver Jamison Crowder (hamstring) will not play on Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers (1 p.m. ET, Fox). Crowder is the latest injury of New York medical absentees, joining offensive weapons Le’Veon Bell and Denzel Mims.
Crowder, 27, was the Jets’ top receiver during their opening week loss to Buffalo. He scored the team’s first touchdown of the season via a 69-yard aerial hook-up with Sam Darnold in the third quarter. Crowder’s 115 receiving yards on the afternoon were good for fifth-best amongst all Week 1 receivers. He’s in the midst of his second season with the Jets (0-1), leading the team with 833 yards on 78 receptions last year.
With Crowder out, Gase expects fellow slot receiver Braxton Berrios to take on expanded duties against the 49ers. Berrios is primarily used as a returner but earned 115 yards on six receptions last season.
“Crowder’s been probably our best player on offense the last two years,” Gase said in video from SNY. “Berrios, his skill set fits what we do. We always try to develop a role for him throughout the week. We’ve got to do it in a way that Crowder stays on the field, they both play the same spot (slot receiver). I’m just glad he’s here. I think it’s rare to have two starters in this league.”
San Francisco (0-1) may likewise be missing an important offensive weapon upon their Sunday visit. According to KNBR’s Brian Murphy, tight end George Kittle will be a game-time decision. The defending first-team All-Pro representative suffered a knee sprain in the 49ers’ Week 1 loss to the Arizona Cardinals last Sunday.
Week 1 of the 2020 NFL season ends on Monday, but the New York Jets are already taking on multiple losses.
Head coach Adam Gase revealed on Monday afternoon that both running back Le’Veon Bell (hamstring) and linebacker Blake Cashman (groin) may miss significant time with injures. According to team reporter Eric Allen, Gase didn’t “want to put a timetable on them”, but projected that they could be out for at least “a couple weeks”.
The Jets (0-1) will face the defending NFC champion San Francisco 49ers next Sunday (1 p.m. ET, Fox) before hitting the road again to take on the Indianapolis Colts.
It marks the latest setback for Bell, whose Jets career continues to be a struggle since he inked a four-year, $52.5 million contract in 2019. He struggled in his first full season with the team, earning 16-game lows of 789 yards and three touchdowns. Sunday was more of a strive, as he only earned 14 yards on six carries before the injury kept him out of a majority of the second half. The Jets fell by a 27-17 final to the Buffalo Bills in Orchard Park in their 2020 debut.
After the game, Gase expressed regret over keeping Bell in the game as long as he did.
“I’m mad at myself that I let him back in there in the second half,” Gase said. “He got grabbed and the way he planted and torqued, it looked really bad. I saw him grab his hamstring and he wouldn’t come out. When we came in at halftime, I let him go back in there. I was worried about it. Eventually, I was like, ‘I can’t put you in there. We can’t take a chance of getting more hurt than you already are.”
If Bell is out, the Jets will likely continue to use reserves Frank Gore and Josh Adams. Gore led the Jets with 24 rushing yards on six carries, while Adams scored the final touchdown of Sunday’s game, his first since 2018 as a member of the Philadelphia Eagles. The Jets also have fourth-round pick and Florida rookie La’Mical Perine on their roster, but he missed Week 1’s game with an ankle injury.
Further injury woes have also come to the sophomore Cashman, who did an admirable job filling in for the injured C.J. Mosley last season before succumbing to an injury of his own. Cashman had one tackle against Buffalo prior to his departure.
Reports have emerged from New York Jets training camp that the team has lost yet another receiver to injury. The catcher in question this time around is Jeff Smith, the second-year man who had a major opportunity in the wake of prior losses.
According to Connor Hughes of The Athletic, Smith “landed awkwardly and (came) off favoring his shoulder”. New York Post writer Brian Costello stated that Smith later left the field and that it “(looked) like he was in a lot of pain”.
Smith, 23, joined the team last season as an undrafted free agent out of Boston College. He spent the majority of the season on the practice squad but was promoted to the active roster in December. The former Eagle would earn a 12-year reception in his NFL debut against Baltimore but suffered an ankle sprain, leading to placement on injured reserve shortly after.
This is the latest blow to the Jets’ receiving corps. Presumed top targets Breshad Perriman and Denzel Mims have missed most of the proceedings thus far with injuries and Josh Doctson opted out of the 2020 proceedings. Undrafted standout Lawrence Cager was also being evaluated with a knee issue, while another returnee, Vyncint Smith, won’t be available until mid-September The reported signing of Donte Moncrief now looms even larger, as does the recent arrival of two-time Super Bowl champion Chris Hogan. Other healthy receivers include 2019 returnee Braxton Berrios, veteran Josh Malone and several undrafted rookies.
In the slightest silver lining, the Jets did enjoy a solid day from one of those first-year signees, George Campbell. ESPN’s Rich Cimini that the West Virginia product scored during a seven-on-seven session and later scored again during a team period, this one being a 43-yard grab from David Fales.
Head coach Adam Gase originally expected Perriman, formerly of Tampa Bay, to return for the weekend’s activities but stated he needed more time, per Dennis Waszak of the Associated Press.
The NFL season is still weeks away from its start, but the New York Jets are already dealing with injuries, particularly with their developing wide receiver group.
Per a report from Ralph Vacchiano of SNY, head coach Adam Gase revealed that Breshard Perriman is dealing with a swollen knee. Perriman, a free agent newcomer, is one of the more experienced receivers on the New York depth chart after the departures of Robby Anderson and Demaryius Thomas.
While Gase did say that he expects Perriman back on Saturday, there’s no timetable for two rookies in the group. The wait for Denzel Mims (hamstring) continues, while undrafted standout Lawrence Cager hurt his knee during Tuesday’s camp proceedings in Florham Park. Cager, an undrafted free agent out of Georgia, has earned strong reviews at One Jets Drive. ESPN’s Rich Cimini reported that he made a strong catch while lined up against fellow rookie free agent Javelin Guidry.
Though there is hope in the case of Perriman to return by the weekend, the Jets receiving corps continues to look thin on experience and proven weaponry. Perriman and Mims were expected to be the top targets for quarterback Sam Darnold this season, but Mims has dealt with the hamstring issue for a majority of camp.
Veteran help through the free agency wire is not out of the question. After signing two-time Super Bowl champion Chris Hogan and working out former first-round pick Kevin White, Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News reported that the Jets are set to bring another veteran catcher, Donte Moncrief, for a test run. Moncrief spent last season between Carolina and Pittsburgh.
In other injury news, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported that defensive lineman Tarell Basham injured his ankle during Tuesday’s practice and will undergo a precautionary MRI. Basham is set to enter his third season in green and earned his first career interception last season.
New York Jets linebacker Avery Williams is back on the active roster after missing the entire 2019 season due to injury.
Watched some 2018 Avery Williamson this morning – #Jets would be foolish to move on from a potential tandem of him/CJ Mosley pic.twitter.com/f8ipZRhm2L
With preseason games eliminated this summer, strapping on the pads and donning the game jerseys for Week 1 in the NFL will feel just a little bit more special this time around. For some, the waiting will be a bit longer than others.
If linebacker Avery Williamson suits up for the New York Jets’ September 13 opener against Buffalo, it will have been 388 days since he suited up for an NFL game. Williamson had a decent first season with the Jets, leading the team with 120 tackles in 2018 after coming over from Tennessee on a three-year, $22.5 million deal. However, his second season was wiped out by a torn ACL sustained in last summer’s preseason visit to Atlanta. The injury cost him the entire 2019 campaign.
Williamson began training camp proceedings on the physically unable to perform list but was activated earlier this week. It’s safe to say that the veteran defender is aching to make up for lost time.
“It’s been a long journey, definitely,” Williamson said in camp this week, per SNY’s Garrett Stepien. “From that point, just didn’t know, didn’t realize the amount of work I was going to have to put in to get back to this point, to get back to my old self. I thought it was going to be a lot faster. I thought I was going to be running by December, but everybody’s different and I just wasn’t healing as fast as I thought I would.”
The 28-year-old was eager to test things out upon returning to the practice field. He admitted things got a little difficult, especially with his rehabilitation coming during on the ongoing health crisis. But he was quite enthused upon taking to the field at One Jets Drive.
“You’ve just got to get practice,” Williamson said in SNY’s report. “You’re going to find out real quick how good it’s doing and didn’t feel any pain today, pretty much did everything from a perspective of past and it’s feeling great. So just going out and keep getting in shape, at this point, but my knee’s healthy.”
Williamson went on to praise the job his fellow defenders did in his absence, as players like Jordan Jenkins, Neville Hewitt, and James Burgess all rose to the occasion. That will only increase the on-field competition, as players on the Jets battle for the opportunity to remain on the team for the potential good time ahead.
Entering a contract year, Williamson is one of many Jets who will be auditioning for a chance to solidify their future. He’s embracing every single opportunity but feels like things haven’t changed a bit when it comes to the way he’ll approach a most unusual, and personally vital, season.
“Yeah, I definitely feel like I’ve got to prove myself (but) that’s every year,” Williamson said. “It’s always going to be competition, guys trying to take your spot.
“The guys last year, they played well. Give them credit. They definitely played well. So I’ve just got to make sure I know the playbook, early, make sure that when I get my opportunity, I’m going to make it count.”
The New York Liberty provided an update on the status of Sabrina Ionescu on Saturday. The top overall pick responded in style.
No matter when Sabrina Ionescu is ready to return, it appears that the New York Liberty’s top overall pick will be ready to go.
The Liberty released an update on their injured rookie attraction on Saturday, declaring that she will not need surgery to repair a sprained ankle sustained in the Liberty’s July 31 tilt against Atlanta. Ionescu has been rehabbing in New York while her teammates continue to work their way through the WNBA’s 2020 proceedings in the Bradenton bubble.
“(She) has been evaluated and physicians have determined that no surgery is needed,” a statement from the Liberty reads. “She has received a positive prognosis for a full recovery and is continuing to rehab.”
Ionescu took to her Instagram story to respond to the news.
Prior to her injury, Ionescu averaged 18.3 points (on 45 percent shooting) and 4.7 rebounds. The University of Oregon alumna earned a fair amount of hype leading to her selection in the WNBA Draft in April. She is by far the NCAA’s all-time leader in triple-doubles (26) and has also taken home countless hardwood accolades, including the Associated Press’ most recent Player of the Year honor. Ionescu came close to her first professional triple-double in her second game as New York, earning 33 points and seven assists and rebounds each on July 29 against Dallas.
Ionescu, 22, has since been rehabbing in both New York and California. Other recent Instagram highlights included dinner in Marina Del Rey with her close friend and fellow Walnut Creek, California native Bree Alford and a movie night with the wife and children of the late Kobe Bryant. Ionescu shared a strong relationship with Bryant and his teenage daughter Gianna prior to their deaths in a helicopter crash in January and continues to socialize with Bryant’s widow Vanessa and his surviving children Bianka, Natalia, and Capri.
Ionescu’s teammates have been in constant contact with her and head coach Walt Hopkins has discussed the team’s ongoing bubble endeavors over the phone and video calls.
“Different people have reached out,” fellow rookie Jocelyn Willoughby said. “We know she’s watching and supporting us. She told us to hang in there and keep fighting.”
“I’m super happy for Sabrina,” veteran forward/center Kiah Stokes added. “I talk to her often. Her morale is high…she’s excited to restart rehab and get back. She’s a workhorse, so she’s going to be ready for next season”
The remaining Liberty representatives return to action on Saturday night in Bradenton as they take on the Connecticut Sun (7 p.m. ET, YES/CBSSN).
Injuries have already attacked the New York Jets’ receiving corps, but it leads to a big opportunity for second-year man Jeff Smith.
In the midst of every tough situation, opportunity seems to knock in an attempt to provide a silver lining. Jeff Smith is on his way to the door.
Training camp has only just begun across the NFL, but injuries have already taken their toll on the New York Jets. A receiving corps that’s already reeling from the loss of Robby Anderson has been particularly affected. Heralded second-round choice Denzel Mims has been held out of early practices due to a hamstring issue and Vyncint Smith (no relation) reportedly needs surgery to repair a damaged core muscle. Minor reinforcement is on the way in the form of two-time Super Bowl champion Chris Hogan, but he’s some times away from clearing the quarantine protocols necessitated by the ongoing health crisis.
Behind veteran newcomer Breshad Perriman and slot staple Jamison Crowder, experience is at a premium on the depth chart. Jeff Smith, for example, is among the remainders with the most experience…and he has one NFL game under his belt.
But now set to work with the top units as training camp continues, Smith knows a major opportunity awaits, one that could shape the next stage of his NFL career.
“Next man up,” Smith said simply in a report from Randy Lange of NYJets.com. “I think my main thing is just to know the whole offense and wherever my chance comes, to be able to go in there, not think too much, and be able to play fast.”
It was Smith, 23, who fell victim to the injury bug during last year’s training camp activities. A hamstring injury of his own relegated him to the practice squad for a majority of the year, but he received a promotion to the active roster in time for the Jets’ December visit to Baltimore. Smith earned his first NFL reception, good for a 12-yard gain and a New York first down, but another injury, this one being an ankle sprain, prevented him from building on the momentum.
Though it was cut short, Smith’s professional debut was the culmination of an offensive transition that began upon his sophomore season at Chestnut Hill. Smith began his career as a quarterback but made the switch to receiver, a move that eventually paid off in the form of a rookie free agent contract from the Jets.
Smith hopes his former skills as a quarterback will help him out in this new, green endeavor.
“I played quarterback my whole life, so I’ve been able to learn things quickly and kind of retain that,” he said. “I kind of see things differently learning the whole concept, just kind of knowing what to do.”
“It’s like learning the offense through a QB’s mind but being able to go run the routes and things like that.”
Additionally, Smith is known for his speed, which was on display during his Boston College adventure. He is, in fact, no stranger to high-speed antics in New York-branded facilities. During his freshman season, Smith’s tough final stand as a quarterback was somewhat soothed by a career-best 117 rushing yards in a visit to Syracuse. Two years later, he returned to the Carrier Dome and torched the Orange for a 64-yard scoring run, one that permanently shifted a 42-14 victory in the Eagles’ favor.
“Us Florida guys just have that natural speed. My dad ran track and my mom played volleyball and ran track, so I’ve just always had that kind of speed,” the St. Petersburg native said in Lange’s report. “That’s just a positive side to my game, being able to use that speed at the right time.”
Overall, Smith has described his position shift as “smooth”. The Jets certainly hope his transition from camp hopeful to first-unit man goes the exact same way as an topsy-turvy season deals yet another curveball.
Per Connor Hughes of The Athletic, New York Jets receiver Vyncint Smith will be sidelined for the next 5-8 weeks with a core muscle injury. Smith missed practice on Sunday and later visited a specialist, leading to a verdict of surgery.
With the expected recovery period, the earliest Smith could return would likely be after the Jets’ Week 3 tilt with the San Francisco 49ers on September 20.
Smith, 24, is set to enter his second season with the Jets. He was signed off of the Houston Texans’ practice squad last September and earned 277 yards of offense on 20 touches (17 receptions). Of that total tally, 17 Smith touches led to first downs and he also earned the first rushing touchdown of his career during the Jets’ regular-season visit to Philadelphia last fall. Smith also had reps as a secondary kick returner.
With Smith’s injury, the Jets’ already precarious receiving corps has taken another hit. Second-round pick Denzel Mims has been dealing with a hamstring issue and has been held out of the opening practices, likely leaving veteran newcomer Breshad Perriman as the top target for the time being. Jamison Crowder returns in the slot, but there’s a major drop-off in experience from thereon. Smith’s injury will likely lead to increased opportunities for the unrelated Jeff Smith, who spoke to Randy Lange of NYJets.com about this new opportunity.
Jeff Smith, a second-year undrafted free agent out of Boston College, partook in one game last season and earned 12 yards on a single reception.
“I think my main thing is just to know the whole offense and wherever my chance comes, to be able to go in there, not think too much, and be able to play fast,” Jeff Smith said to Lange. “Next man up.”
The Jets also signed former New England Patriot Chris Hogan earlier this week. Hogan, a two-time Super Bowl champion, is currently awaiting clearance to practice in quarantine after his signing was announced on Sunday.
