CORTLAND – Finally, some hitting.
After months of no contact or little contact, the Jets had a practice that featured actual, live tackling on Thursday. The Jets were practicing short yardage and goal line and coach Rex Ryan believes the only way to do that is to go live.
“Let’s go. Let’s see what you got,” one coach yelled at the beginning of the team period.
The goal line drill was the highlight of the day. It was a pretty even matchup when the starting offense squared off with the starting defense. But the matchup of the second and third teams were dominated by the defense.
In all they ran 10 plays and the defense won 8 of them.
Here’s the breakdown of the first-team reps:
– FB Tommy Bohanon stuffed by NT Damon Harrison and S Dawan Landry.
– RB Chris Ivory goes up the middle for a touchdown. It looked like guard Willie Colon led the way.
– QB Geno Smith rolled out on a bootleg, looked to throw but then tucked it under his arm and ran it in for a touchdown.
– Ivory then got stuffed by a host of Jets defenders.
There was only one minor scuffle during the goal line period with defensive end Sheldon Richardson and tight end Jeff Cumberland getting into it.
When the second team was on the field, outside linebacker Jason Babin made a nice play on a rollout by QB Michael Vick. He got in Vick’s face and forced him to throw it away.
RB Daryl Richardson has had some good moments in training camp, but he clearly is not a short-yardage back. He was stuffed three times at the goal line.
Rookie S Calvin Pryor, who suffered a concussion last Saturday, returned to the field Thursday but was not allowed any contact. He wore a red jersey so no teammates touched him. He has been cleared for physical activity, but no contact.
S Brandon Hardin (foot), CB Johnny Patrick (hamstring), RB Bilal Powell (hamstring), WR Quincy Enunwa (hip) and DL Zach Thompson (shoulder) did not practice. OLB Garrett McIntyre (scheduled rest) and WR David Nelson (groin) were limited.
Rookie CB Dex McDougle (groin) left practice.
RB Chris Johnson did not do any team drills, as part of the team’s plan to rest him.
Rookie TE Jace Amaro made a nice catch early in practice one day after having his worst practice. … The first collision of the day was a good one with S Antonio Allen running up to meet Ivory in the hole. … DL Tevita Finau had a sack. … WR Eric Decker made the catch of the day during 7-on-7 drills. Smith threw a deep ball across the middle too high and Decker went up and got it, making a fingertip catch. … CB Kyle Wilson got singled out by Ryan for great coverage on Jeremy Kerley during 7-on-7 drills. … CB Ellis Lankster nearly picked off Vick on a throw to Michael Campbell, but dropped it. … QB Matt Simms made a pretty throw to Campbell on a hard, sideline route. … Smith and Nelson connected on a 40-yard pass down the sideline. … Vick found TE Zach Sudfeld on a seam pass and he took off for an 80-yard touchdown.