Jets Game Preview

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The battle for the starting quarterback position will reach its peak tonight when the Jets take on head coach Rex Ryan's former team, the Baltimore Ravens. Ryan spent the past 10 years with the Ravens, including last year as the team?s assistant head coach and defensive coordinator.

The game will also be a homecoming for defensive coordinator Mike Pettine as well as LB Bart Scott, S Jim Leonhard and DE Marques Douglas, three players signed by the Jets this offseason after playing for the Ravens last year.

Rookie QB Mark Sanchez is expected to start and see plenty of action. QB Kellen Clemens also will see action with the first team offense. Let's take a closer look at this and some other battles for roster spots...

Quarterbacks: If there's a perfect opportunity for either quarterback to cement his claim to the starting job, it's this game. The Jets will be facing one of the best, if not the best, defenses in the league and a solid performance in this game will most likely clinch the job for either quarterback. Both Sanchez and Clemens will be playing in the first half. QB Erik Ainge will play most of the second half, while recently re-signed QB Chris Pizzotti will get one series.

Wide receivers: In the first preseason game WR David Clowney did an encore of his preseason performances from last year, catching 3 passes for 102 yards, 1 TD. WR Chansi Stuckey is still #2 on the depth chart and will start against the Ravens, but Clowney is definitely knocking on the door. Can Clowney emerge as #2 WR?

Offensive line: LG Alan Faneca and RT Damien Woody are still out, so this is yet another test for the backups to show what they can do. The Ravens' defense should be a real test for this young bunch.

Special teams: The Jets still haven't decided who will be their punter for this season. P Reggie Hodges is inconsistent, P T.J. Conley got released last week, and recently signed P Ken Parrish never played a down in the NFL.

Vernon Gholston: The Vernon Gholston watch continues, as last year's #6 overall draft pick has "bust" written all over him, unless he can turn the corner somehow and put his career on the right track.

 

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Sanchez faces test in first NFL start


The daily practice sessions against the Jets' carbon copy have provided a nice barometer to gauge Mark Sanchez's progress, serving as a way to see how he handles the pressures of a super-aggressive, blitz-happy defense that throws a ton of different pre-snap looks.

But the real test comes Monday night.

With a national television audience looking on as he makes his first start in the NFL, Sanchez can put an exclamation mark-ending on the three-week quarterback competition between him and Kellen Clemens with a solid performance on the road in a hostile environment against the Ravens.

Although the rookie quarterback has the lead over Clemens, he's not looking at Monday night as a final exam. He isn't ready to call this just a one-game audition.

"Every day is that way," Sanchez said. "Every drill, every rep. If you put too much pressure on yourself and make this the game where you have to do everything and do it all right, then you are just going to drive yourself crazy . . . It can't be an all-or-nothing deal or it's not going to work out right."

Rex Ryan has said throughout training camp that his preference is to have the competition settled heading into the third preseason game, which comes Saturday against the Giants. He doesn't want to lock himself into making a decision by then, but indicated again two days ago that there remains a distinct possibility he'll name a starter on the heels of the Ravens game. Especially if either quarterback has a strong game against one of the league's premier defenses.

As for what he would like to see from Sanchez, Ryan said there's nothing in particular he'll be looking for from the fifth overall pick in April's draft.

"Just go out and play quarterback," said Ryan, the former Ravens defensive coordinator who's making his homecoming. "Do your thing. And by the way, that other team over there is pretty good on defense. They're going to be looking to hunt. They're going to get after him just like we'll be looking to get after their quarterback. It's going to be fun. It'll be good to watch. It's going to be closer to regular-season tempo than any preseason game."

Both quarterbacks probably will be happy to see center Nick Mangold back. Mangold is expected to play after sitting out the preseason opener against the Rams with a right knee injury, and his return leaves the offensive line still without two starters - left guard Alan Faneca (finger) and right tackle Damien Woody (head).

Clemens probably needs all the help to win the job. So far, he's thrown 12 interceptions compared with Sanchez's five and has been careless with the ball, turning it over far more than his rookie counterpart. Monday night could be Clemens' last chance to prove himself.

"If he's looking to make a decision, then we're coming down to the [wire]," Clemens said the day before the Jets broke camp in upstate Cortland. "But I don't think the coach's decision on who is going to start is going to come out of the one game. We put a lot of practice in through training camp thus far and through the St. Louis game. And hopefully, we both perform well at Baltimore. But I couldn't imagine the entire decision coming down to one game."

Notes & quotes: CB Darrelle Revis (left hamstring) and NT Kris Jenkins (left calf) won't play.

 

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Ravens : What to watch

What to look for in the Ravens' second preseason game tonight:

POSITION: Defensive tackle. This is why offenses will have a hard time running against the Ravens again this year. The Ravens start Haloti Ngata and Kelly Gregg and then replace them with Justin Bannan, Brandon McKinney and Kelly Talavou. The Redskins didn't break a run longer than 7 yards in the preseason opener.

VETERAN: Quarterback Troy Smith. One team official said the 2006 Heisman Trophy winner is the most improved player on the offense. In the preseason opener, the Ravens' top backup quarterback looked deep downfield, averaging 14.3 yards per completion. It'll be interesting if he has the same time against Rex Ryan's defense.

ROOKIE: Cornerback-returner Lardarius Webb. The third-round pick finished training camp among the leaders in interceptions. Webb could make a push to become the team's returner with a couple of long runbacks in the preseason.

ON THE BUBBLE: Wide receiver Justin Harper. He led the Ravens with four receptions in the preseason opener. He also dropped as many. If he wants to be a factor on offense, Harper has to show more consistent hands.

INJURY REPORT: Starters not expected to play are linebacker-defensive end Terrell Suggs (heel) and wide receiver Mark Clayton (hamstring). Others expected to be sidelined are linebacker Dannell Ellberbe (knee) and offensive tackle Stefan Rodgers (leg).

 

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Starters to play into second quarter in second preseason game

Ravens coach John Harbaugh said the starters will play into the second quarter and perhaps a half in Monday?s preseason game against the New York Jets. He indicated that some starters -- probably older veterans such as Ray Lewis, Trevor Pryce and Ed Reed -- would be on snap count.

?We?ll do it individual like we always do,? Harbaugh said.