Sanchez deems three days of Jets player workouts a 'success'

NEW YORK -- Mark Sanchez got a few dozen of his New York Jets teammates together to practice for three days in private.

Yep, one of the NFL's chattiest teams went silent and got to work.

No cameras. No fans. No reporters.

"We just wanted to be able to focus," Sanchez said during a conference call Wednesday. "I think we've seen the extreme in 'Hard Knocks,' and how everything with the media, every little thing, if you sneeze, it's out there in print, on a blog or on TV. This is our chance to really just relax and do it our way, keep it quiet, have fun with the guys and keep it just a team thing."

About 40 players wrapped up three days of player-run workouts at Fairleigh Dickinson University, across the road from the team's facility in Florham Park, N.J. Unable to work out at the facility because of the lockout, it was the first time the Jets' players have gotten together as a large group since the end of last season.

"It was definitely a success, got some of the younger guys acquainted with veteran players, got everybody back again," Sanchez said. "It was good to see everybody's face again and make sure guys are looking like they are in good shape, and they definitely looked like that."

Center Nick Mangold remains hopeful that he and his teammates can soon get back to business as usual. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and several owners met with NFL Players Association chief DeMaurice Smith and a group of players for a second straight day in Maryland.

"As much as we get to do these player workouts and stuff like that, it's not the same as having, for myself, an elite offensive-line coach like Bill Callahan out there coaching me," Mangold said. "So I think that it would be a good thing for us to get everything wrapped up in time."

Sanchez and his brothers, Nick and Brandon, helped organize the workouts -- dubbed "Camp Lockout" -- which included film sessions and 7-on-7 and team drills. Mangold and right guard Brandon Moore sent emails to several players, who agreed to gather from Monday through Wednesday. Sanchez also credited FDU basketball coach Pete Marion for setting things up at the school.

The days began with an hour of film study, followed by two hours of on-field work. Sanchez also made copies of old playbooks that he distributed to all of his teammates.

"When you don't have that time, potentially not going to Cortland, potentially not going to training camp," Sanchez said, "this was as close to that as we could replicate."

Sanchez, Mangold and Moore ran the offensive position groups, and cornerback Darrelle Revis and linebackers Bart Scott and David Harris ran things on the defense.

"The 7-on-7 was pretty competitive and the team stuff, as far as tempo, not anything crazy," Sanchez said. "Guys just wanted to make sure we stayed injury-free, and I think we did that."

The players preferred to not give a full attendance report, but among those who reportedly didn't participate were some of the Jets' biggest free agents: cornerback Antonio Cromartie and wide receivers Santonio Holmes and Braylon Edwards. ESPNNewYork.com reported that wide receiver Santonio Holmes attended at least one day, but didn't participate in drills.

"That's something I kind of expected and can understand," Sanchez said. "As teammates, it's hard, because you want those guys there, but as a professional football player and somebody who understands that there is a business side to this sport, unfortunately, I understand where these guys are coming from."

The players also had some down time, including a 3-point shooting contest in FDU's gym, which running back Joe McKnight and cornerback Drew Coleman won. They took home Hugo Boss suits as their reward.

"We had a good time with it, make sure guys are having fun, getting a little conditioning in at the same time," Sanchez said. "I don't even think they even realized that they were, so it was good."

Sanchez said players are considering additional workouts "in small pockets" until the lockout ends. He got the offensive skill players together for his "Jets West" camp in Southern California in early May, and several defensive linemen have been working out at a high school in New Jersey.

"It actually worked the opposite of what a normal offseason is," Sanchez said. "We're together so much and the offseason seems so short that when you get those times off, guys want to get away and focus on their family and relax. ... Well, now, we've been apart for so long, guys couldn't wait to get here and see each other again and have fun."

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

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Giants shake off slow start to end Jaguars winning streak at three

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- With his team trailing by 11 points and the season on the brink, coach Tom Coughlin wasn't the only voice in the New York Giants' locker room at halftime.

The one that stood out was Justin Tuck, and his message was simple: Stop playing like garbage.

Garrard's personal achievement

The Giants (7-4) got the message and maybe saved their season with five games to go.

Eli Manning threw a 32-yard touchdown pass to Kevin Boss with 3:15 to play and Tuck and his buddies sacked David Garrard on three straight plays in the closing minute and forced a turnover as the Giants rallied to beat Jacksonville 24-20 on Sunday. The win snapped a two-game slide and ended the Jaguars' three-game winning streak.

"I talked about how you allow somebody to come into your house and take over," Tuck said after the Jaguars had taken a 17-6 halftime lead. "At that point, they were doing just about whatever they wanted to do. We couldn't allow ourselves not to be on the same page."

"I told them I was playing like garbage," Tuck added. "I told them we were playing like garbage. In the second half, we've got to pick it up. I just tried to create a spark, and it worked."

The Giants held the Jaguars (6-5) to three points, 92 yards in total offense and forced two turnovers, with Antrel Rolle's fumble recovery with 1:25 left icing the game.

"That was something that we needed," Coughlin said. "We needed to rise up and have a finish like that. We're all aware of the circumstances that we're in, that the division is in, that the conference is in, and we needed to keep pace."

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Jacksonville took a 20-17 lead on 42-yard field goal by Josh Scobee with 8:26 to play and the Giants finally took the lead with a six-play, 69-yard drive that featured an 18-yard pass to Mario Manningham and an 18-yard run by Brandon Jacobs, who gained 87 yards on 14 carries in his return to the starting lineup.

Faced with a third-and-10 at the Jaguars 32, Manning (14-of-24 for 226) and Boss caught Jacksonville in a blitz.

"He saw it," Manning said of Boss. "He went up the field looking for the ball and I got it to him."

Boss caught the ball at the 25, shook off a tackle by safety Courtney Greene and romped into the end zone.

"He almost brought me down," said Boss, whose holding penalty cost the Giants a first-half touchdown. "I was kind of fumbling and stumbling to keep my feet and get in the end zone."

Greene took the blame.

"I just missed the tackle," said Greene, who led the Jaguars with 11 tackles.

Manning also threw a 26-yard touchdown pass to Manningham and Lawrence Tynes kicked three field goals. Manning's late heroics also helped big brother Peyton in the AFC South race with Jacksonville -- the Colts and Jaguars began the day tied for the division lead.

Garrard and Rashad Jennings ran for touchdowns and Scobee kicked two field goal as the Jaguars lost for only the third time in eight games.

"This is a team that's been in Super Bowls and been in a lot of playoff runs, so we can't let up on a team like that," Jaguars defensive end Jeremy Mincey said. "It's a sign of maturity. We have a lot of growing up to do all across the board."

Jacksonville had one last chance and Garrard drove the Jaguars from their 27 to the Giants 29, where they got a first down on an illegal contact penalty against Aaron Ross with 1:51 to play.

Tuck and Antrel Rolle sacked Garrard for an 11-yard loss on first down. Dave Tollefson tackle Garrard for a loss of 5 more on second down. Cornerback Terrell Thomas, who intercepted Garrard's first pass of the second half to set up Tynes' third field goal, then sacked the quarterback and forced a fumble that Rolle recovered.

"If you don't execute and let a team stay in the game, that's what going to happen, you're going to end up losing out there," Garrard said as he waited to be X-rayed. "That's two or three weeks in a row we've left teams back in where we had a chance to end the game."

The Giants tied it early in the fourth quarter on the touchdown pass to Manningham and a 2-point conversion run by Ahmad Bradshaw.

Garrard (20-of-35 for 162) used runs of 6, 6 and 11 yards to set up Scobee's go-ahead 42-yard field goal.

Garrard and the Jaguars were outstanding in the first half, scoring on drives on 75, 85 and 71 yards the first three times they had the ball.

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Jennings capped the Jaguars' opening drive with a 5-yard run. Garrard hit passes of 12 and 16 yards on a 15-play drive that Scobee ended with a 22-yard field goal for a 10-3 lead.

The Giants appeared to tie the game on a 9-yard pass from Manning to Manningham on their next possession, but the score was nullified by a holding penalty against Boss. Tynes, who kicked a 22-yard field goal after New York's opening drive stalled at the Jags 5, added a 29-yarder.

Garrard then led a 13-play, 71-yard scoring drive he capped with a sensational 5-yard run on which he avoided a sack by Osi Umenyiora and broke a tackle by Tuck in going from sideline to sideline for the TD.

Notes: Will Beatty started at left tackle for the Giants with Shawn Andrews out with back injury. ... Former Giant Guy Whimper started at left tackle for Jacksonville with Eugene Monroe out with a concussion. ... Mike Sims-Walker, who battled an ankle injury all week, had four catches for 48 yards. ... The Giants finished with four sacks. ... Jacksonville lost despite having the ball for 35:27.

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Reports: Bucs cut punter, look at three potential replacements

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers released beleaguered punter Chris Bryan after a subpar performance at Cincinnati, the St. Petersburg Times and Tampa Tribune reported Tuesday, and the team is expected to sign one of three punters who had tryouts.

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NFL Network Insider Jason La Canfora, citing league sources, reported that Brent Bowden, T.J. Conley and Robert Malone worked out Tuesday for the Bucs, who unloaded Bryan after a series of poor performances. The former Australian rules football player had a 37.4-yard average over 23 punts in the first five games for Tampa Bay. He had a 15-yard punt in a 24-21 victory Sunday over the Bengals.

The Bucs this year drafted Bowden in the sixth round out of Virginia Tech, but he was cut Sept. 6, signed to the practice squad Sept. 8 and released Sept. 14. Conley was in the New York Jets' training camp during the preseason.

Long snapper Mike Windt, formerly with the Bengals, also worked out for the Bucs.

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Saints sneak past Panthers, thanks to three FGs from 46-year-old Carney

NEW ORLEANS -- It's been only a week since 46-year-old John Carney was chasing his kids, coaching flag football, attending school events with his daughter and doing "all the fun stuff you get to do when you're home."

"But it doesn't pay very well," he added.

He's getting paid now, and earning every cent so far.

Only days after joining the Saints for his 23rd season as an NFL kicker, Carney drilled three crucial field goals to help New Orleans edge the Carolina Panthers 16-14 on Sunday.

Fantasy: Avoid Panthers wideouts Steve Smith already had his production take a major dip with Jimmy Clausen at QB and that was before he was carted off with an ankle injury. None of his fill-ins are viable, either. More ...

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The Saints signed Carney last Tuesday, two days after Garrett Hartley missed a 29-yard field goal in overtime in a 27-24 loss to Atlanta.

While the Saints were able to manage only one touchdown on a screen pass to Lance Moore, Carney hit twice from 32 yards and again from 25 with 3:55 to go to put New Orleans (3-1) ahead to stay.

"He's just a pro. That's all you can say," Saints quarterback Drew Brees said. "It's just ingrained in him. He's one of these very focused, very regimented guys."

Wearing a knee brace in a game for the first time since high school, Brees was 33 of 48 for 275 yards passing and the TD to Moore.

Brees' knee had bothered him since he was hit by Falcons defensive end John Abraham last week, but the quarterback said the brace had nothing to do with low point production in an otherwise solid performance that produced 383 yards and 38:22 in time of possession.

Rather, fumbles by Moore and rookie running back Chris Ivory -- both deep in Carolina territory -- along with several dropped passes and missed blocks, slowed the Saints.

"This was a 30-point day we turned into 16 points with turnovers and a lack of execution," Brees said.

"We're going to save all the scoring and everything else until the end of the season I guess, which isn't so bad," Brees added. "We haven't scored like we're used to scoring and yet we're 3-1 and a field goal away from being 4-0."

Carolina rookie Jimmy Clausen completed 11 of 20 passes for 146 yards, highlighted by his 55-yard scoring strike to Jonathan Stewart. DeAngelo Williams' 39-yard TD run gave Carolina (0-4) a 14-10 lead in the third quarter before Carney made his last two field goals.

Clausen came close to pulling off what would have been his first game-winning drive as a pro. He converted a fourth-and-4 play on a rollout pass to David Gettis along the sideline at the New Orleans 38 with 1:46 to go.

"For Clausen to make that fourth-down play late in the game, that speaks volumes for what I think is inside of him," offensive tackle Jordan Gross said.

A few more yards could have gotten Carolina in range for a field goal to win it, but after Williams gained 2 yards on the next play, he was dropped by Usama Young for a 4-yard loss.

Malcolm Jenkins then sacked Clausen.

"They were blitzing and I just couldn't get it out quick enough," Clausen said. "I can't take a sack in that situation."

On fourth down from the New Orleans 44, Clausen tried to hit Dwyane Jarrett along the sideline, but cornerback Jabari Greer broke up the play with 8 seconds left, allowing the Saints to avoid an upset by a winless team that came in as a 13-point underdog.

Playing without running back Pierre Thomas, who hurt his left ankle in the loss to Atlanta, the Saints relied on Ivory and veteran Ladell Betts, who was signed less than two weeks ago after Reggie Bush fractured a bone in his lower right leg.

Ivory finished with 67 yards on 12 carries while Betts rushed 13 times for 47 yards. Betts also had four catches for 23 yards. Devery Henderson had 59 yards receiving on six catches, while Jeremy Shockey had 58 yards, also on six catches.

Williams rushed for 86 yards for Carolina, which had 118 yards rushing.

The Saints struggled to move the ball in the third quarter, but long-snapper Jason Kyle made a big hit on punt coverage to force a fumble by Captain Munnerlyn, which Courtney Roby recovered. That set up Carney's second field goal to make it 14-13. While Carney connected on clutch kicks, Hartley, who remains on the roster, watched from the sideline.

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Carney said he believes Hartley, a playoff hero a season ago, will be a great kicker in the NFL and was glad to have the chance to work with him again. Last season, the Saints carried both kickers for 11 games before making Carney a kicking coach.

"It's a great situation," Carney said. "I feel blessed and fortunate to have the opportunity to come back here and help the Saints, whether in a playing capacity or coaching capacity."

Notes: Carolina WR Steve Smith left in the second half with a left ankle injury. "I'm just going to try to walk to the plane without too much pain and see how it feels in the morning," he said. ... Brees moved past Aaron Brooks on the Saints' career passing list behind only Archie Manning. Brees has 19,427 yards passing in 67 games with the Saints. ... The Saints played without starting safety Roman Harper, then lost safeties Pierson Prioleau (chest injury) and Chris Reis (right shoulder).

Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press

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Carney's three field goals lift Saints past Panthers

NEW ORLEANS -- Just days after rejoining the Saints at age 46, John Carney hit three field goals to help the team edge the Carolina Panthers 16-14 on Sunday.

The Saints signed Carney on Tuesday, two days after Garrett Hartley had missed a 29-yard field-goal attempt in overtime of a 27-24 loss to the Atlanta Falcons.

While the Saints were able to manage only one touchdown on a screen pass to Lance Moore, Carney hit twice from 32 yards and again from 25 with 3:55 to go, putting New Orleans (3-1) ahead over Carolina (0-4) to stay.

Saints quarterback Drew Brees had 275 passing yards and the TD to Moore.

Carolina rookie quarterback Jimmy Clausen had a 55-yard TD pass to Jonathan Stewart, and DeAngelo Williams had a 39-yard TD run that gave the Panthers a 14-10 lead in the third quarter.

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