Ryan downplays Ellis' departure, talks up Jets' young players

New York Jets coach Rex Ryan will miss Shaun Ellis, who recently signed with the New England Patriots. But Ryan isn't kept awake at night worrying about the defensive end providing an advantage to the Jets' AFC East rivals.

"I don't think he can bring secrets. He can bring mentality," Ryan said Tuesday in an interview with WEPN-AM. "He can talk about the way we are going to approach games against New England and things like that."

Ellis was selected by the Jets in the first round of the 2000 NFL Draft, and he was the longest-tenured player on the team in 2010. Despite that background, Ryan said Ellis wasn't exposed to playbook information that could compromise the Jets if it fell into the wrong hands.

"As far as the playbook, if that was (safety) Jim Leonhard going over there or somebody that was in the back end that knows the front coverage and all that (it would have an effect)," Ryan said. "Shaun's role was basically in a phone booth, so it was obvious he did a great job for us. I really don't worry about that."

Ryan wished Ellis health but not necessarily success. The coach believes his team will be able to compensate for the loss on the field.

"I think (Ellis) was an excellent football player, but just wait until everybody sees these young guys play," Ryan said. "I don't think you have to worry about our defense."

Ryan also touched on the Jets' reworked receiving corps. Braylon Edwards, Jerricho Cotchery and Brad Smith all have moved on, and veteran Plaxico Burress and Derrick Mason joined the fold.

Ryan said Mason plays nothing like the 37-year-old he is, and he also spoke of getting to know Burress, the former Giants Super Bowl hero who's making an NFL comeback following a 20-month prison sentence on gun charges.

"I do like him. He loves the game," Ryan said. "He's also a fan of baseball, basketball. He's kind of an interesting guy. You can tell he loves football just the way he talks. He fits right in."

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Eagles OC sees Vick possibly being better than Steve Young

Marty Mornhinweg believes Michael Vick could be better than Hall of Fame quarterback Steve Young -- and he should know.

The Philadelphia Eagles' offensive coordinator not only coached Young during his last two Pro Bowl seasons in San Francisco in 1997 and 1998, he also coached Brett Favre in 1996 when the future Hall of Famer won his only Super Bowl title with the Green Bay Packers. Now Mornhinweg is in charge of Vick, and as he sees it, the sky's the limit.

"Mike's got a long way to go, but, you know what? I think he can be better than Steve," Mornhinweg recently told the Philadelphia Daily News.

Mornhinweg has been an underrated factor in the resurrection of Vick, who missed the entire 2007 and 2008 seasons while serving a federal prison sentence for leading a dogfighting ring.

When Mornhinweg landed in Philadelphia in 2003, his outstanding record as an assistant coach was overshadowed in many fans' minds by his disastrous head-coaching stint in Detroit. His Lions went 5-27 from 2001 to 2002, a stint best remembered for the game in which the coach chose to take the wind and not the ball in overtime against the Chicago Bears, who promptly scored to win.

But things turned around for Mornhinweg in Philly. The Eagles thrived under quarterback Donovan McNabb and now are even more explosive with Vick and a group of young playmakers led by wide receiver DeSean Jackson and running back LeSean McCoy.

With the Atlanta Falcons from 2001 to 2006, Vick was never able to improve upon his 81.6 passer rating from 2002. But in his first full season as the Eagles' starter, he put up a 100.2 rating while throwing for a career-high 3,018 yards.

"Here was a man who hasn't played for a couple of years," Mornhinweg said. "However, if he did it the right way, I thought he could be a Steve Young-type player."

To tap into even more of Vick's seemingly unlimited potential, Mornhinweg and quarterbacks coach Doug Pederson are focusing on two areas: improving red-zone performance and reducing sacks. Last season, Vick was sacked 34 times, a surprising number for arguably the most evasive quarterback in league history.

Said Mornhinweg: "Here is the situation Mike is in. He's got uncommon athleticism, so he can get away, on occasion, back-dooring it. There's that fine line when you need to throw it away or get it out to a hot receiver or use that athleticism to make that great play."

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Young gun in town: QB Kaepernick joins 49ers workouts

The San Francisco 49ers welcomed a new face this week with the arrival of rookie signal-caller Colin Kaepernick, who threw to teammates at player-only workouts in the San Jose area, according to The Sacramento Bee on Friday.

Kaepernick first joined Wednesday's practice, but The Bee said Friday's passing session marked his most intense activity yet since undergoing a procedure on his left leg after the 49ers selected him in the second round of last month's draft.

Kaepernick is the second 49ers rookie to work out with veterans after receiver Ronald Johnson, a sixth-round pick, practiced with teammates for 10 days soon after the draft.

It's been suggested that the strong-armed, fleet-footed Kaepernick will find his way into the 49ers' attack, even if he sits behind Alex Smith, who also has actively attended workouts during the NFL lockout, along with 14 other teammates. The Bee reports that Smith has been joined by defensive linemen Isaac Sopoaga and Justin Smith, offensive linemen Joe Staley and Adam Snyder, and receivers Kevin Jurovich and Josh Morgan.

Kaepernick earlier received a copy of the 49ers playbook from a teammate, but is unable to communicate with San Francisco's coaching staff during the lockout. He planned reach out to Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck, who played under new 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh for the previous three seasons.

As for Kaepernick, the newspaper reports that it's not only the playbook and his new team he's getting used to -- the rookie just made the move from his parents house in Turlock, Calif. to the Bay Area.

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Banged-up 'Skins beat Titans in OT; injured Young storms out after confrontation

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Vince Young is hurt and in trouble with coach Jeff Fisher for his latest meltdown. Meanwhile, Donovan McNabb is back in good standing with Mike Shanahan and the Washington Redskins.

McNabb was 30 of 50 for 376 yards with a touchdown pass, and Graham Gano kicked a 48-yard field goal, his fourth of the game, with 8:17 left in overtime as the Redskins beat the Tennessee Titans 19-16 in overtime Sunday.

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The win kept the injury-riddled Redskins' playoff hopes alive as they rebounded from an ugly home loss.

Washington (5-5) snapped a two-game skid and bounced back from a 59-28 loss to Philadelphia on Monday night.

They did it by taking advantage of the Titans self-destructing so badly on their home field that fans booed repeatedly.

But after Gano's game-winning kick, all the attention turned to Young who tossed his shoulder pads and No. 10 jersey up into the stands. Young talked with Fisher, dressed quickly and walked past reporters and even brushed off a teammate who tried to talk to him before he stormed out of the stadium.

Fisher said Young may need season-ending surgery for a torn flexor tendon in his right thumb. After three straight losses, Fisher selected rookie Rusty Smith to be his starting quarterback when the Titans (5-5) visit Houston on Sunday.

"He threw half his uniform in the stands. I think clearly that is no way to respond, and so we have some things that we have to sort out with him," Fisher said of Young. "He may need surgery. And if that's the case, he's done for the year."

Even if Young doesn't need surgery, he's not Fisher's starter anymore. Not after the latest actions of a quarterback who lost his job in 2008 following an injury in the season opener and a meltdown where he had family worried he might hurt himself a day later. Young got his job back last season after an 0-6 start.

"I am very disappointed. I think his teammates are disappointed," Fisher said. "You know, there is going to be frustration in losses. There is going to be times when you have to dig deep and fight and turn to one another. I don't think you run, and so I am disappointed."

No one knows if Young was upset over the injury, the loss or not returning to the game. He banged his hand on a helmet late in the third quarter on a 37-yard pass to Nate Washington. He went to the locker room, and trainers tried retaping his thumb several times and he even used a glove. He tossed the ball with Randy Moss, testing whether he could return.

One pass nearly hit the kicking net behind the bench.

Fisher said Young never came to him and told him he wanted to go back in.

"I was told he was obviously a little upset after," Fisher said.

Titans safety Michael Griffin, who played with Young in college at Texas, ran after the quarterback while wearing just his shorts with his ankles still taped. He returned to the locker room shaking his head. He refused to comment at first on Young.

"What's going on right now, that's between him and Coach Fisher. I'm behind him 110 percent. You know change has been made. That's up in the air. You never know what would've been the outcome. Rusty came in, threw a great deep ball," Griffin said.

"It doesn't matter who's playing. We all need to stick around and work together as a team."

Washington's win came on a day when at least seven Redskins went to the sideline with injuries, including Clinton Portis with a re-injured groin. The Redskins came in with three starters sidelined due to injuries, and Portis lasted only five carries before re-injuring his groin. At least seven Redskins were hurt, though some returned.

"I don't think I've ever had that many guys go down and a team stay together and keep on fighting and find a way to win," Shanahan said.

Washington wound up outgaining Tennessee 465-373. Shanahan joked he guessed they don't have to talk about McNabb's two-minute work anymore just two games after the veteran was benched at the end of a loss to Detroit.

"I think he did a great job at the half. Even though we missed (the field) goal, I think he did a heck of a job to get us into that position. He did a great job in both situations," Shanahan said.

Chris Johnson ran for 130 yards, and Young was 12 of 16 for 165 yards before he left. Fans weren't happy with the play-calling that seemed to ignore Randy Moss, the 13-year veteran making his debut on Tennessee's home field after the Titans picked him up off waivers on Nov. 3. Moss finished without a catch.

Fans booed the Titans often and heavily at times during the game. Young fumbled at the Tennessee 12 on the opening series, and the Titans settled for field goals on two other trips inside the Washington 20.

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But most of the boos seemed directed at the play-calling that targeted Moss only three times, not counting a pass interference where he pushed DeAngelo Hall to make a catch. Fans at one point chanted "Randy, Randy."

Young apparently thought the booing was directed at him late in the first half when the Titans went three-and-out after Will Witherspoon's interception. He waved his arms -- as if egging them on.

Notes: Marc Mariani had an 87-yard punt return for a touchdown, the Titans' second-longest in franchise history. ... Rob Bironas kicked three field goals and set a franchise record by making a field goal in his 20th straight game. ... The Redskins beat an AFC South team for the first time since Week 4 of 2006. They had lost four straight to the AFC South. ... This was the Redskins' third overtime game this season, and they have won two such games for the second time in team history and first since 2007.

Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press

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Titans QB Young still day to day; Collins able to practice

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Quarterback Vince Young paid close attention as backup Kerry Collins led the Tennessee Titans through practice Thursday in preparation for their game against the Philadelphia Eagles.

A decision on whether or not Young will watch Sunday's game from the sideline likely won't be made until just before kickoff.

Young didn't practice as the Titans (4-2) went through their first real workout since Monday night's 30-3 victory at Jacksonville. That's where Young had his left leg twisted underneath him after he recovered a fumbled snap.

Young said Thursday that his knee and ankle feel about the same. His leg is feeling better every day, thanks to constant treatment, but Young doesn't know yet if he will make his 17th consecutive start.

"It's basically day to day still and making that decision on Sunday," Young said. "So right now, I mean just continue to keep treating it and pretty much do some things tomorrow to see how it feels."

Titans coach Jeff Fisher said he will see how Young is Friday before deciding if he will practice then or not.

"Again, it's been a day-to-day thing," Fisher said. "We want him to play, he wants to play, but he is unable to practice right now because of his injuries. So we'll see how he is tomorrow. Tomorrow is Friday."

Young said he is thankful his injuries weren't as bad as they looked.

"To walk away from it with nothing torn, that's a real good thing. All respect to God on that," he said.

Collins banged the middle finger of his throwing hand, but he is able to practice.

Young is 30-15 overall as a starter and 12-2 against NFC teams as a starter, and he has three touchdown passes with a 100.8 rating in two games against NFC opponents this season. He has been accurate this season, completing 61.4 percent of his passes for seven TDs with two interceptions and a career-best 98.8 rating.

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Young said he's paying close attention to what Collins sees in practice and the game plan. But Young said he still needs the physical practice as well. How much he can run will be a key Sunday when he tells Fisher how his leg feels, and the Titans decide whether he will start or Collins will go against the Eagles (4-2), who have a sack in 25 consecutive games.

"I've been delivering the ball in the pocket pretty good," Young said. "... Knowing the type of aggressiveness the Eagles have, sometimes you're going to have to take the ball and make some moves downfield in order to keep the chains moving."

Notes: Young was one of four Titans who didn't practice Thursday as they work to recover in a short week. DT Tony Brown (right knee) and Jason Jones (shoulder) and TE Bo Scaife (groin) also watched. Fisher said Brown, Jones and Scaife should be able to practice Friday.

Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press

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