Rex Sends Penalty-Prone Jets To 'Grade School'
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) -- Rex Ryan made the Jets drop and give him 10.
New York's coach has had it with his team's undisciplined play, making defensive players who committed penalties Thursday stand and watch while the other 10 players did a set of push-ups around them.
"We had some tough love," Ryan said. "We went back to grade school."
The 10-pack of push-ups happened three times, according to defensive coordinator Mike Pettine and several players.
"Whatever it takes to solve this, we're going to do," Ryan said. "I know it's an old high school trick, but sometimes those old high school tricks still work on this level."
The Jets committed 14 penalties in their season-opening 10-9 loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Monday night. The defense was called for seven penalties, although one was declined.
"I just think with the number of penalties that we had, we wanted to have something just as a reminder," Pettine said. "Just not talk about it. Something that the guys, they would know and give a little more thought to it."
No one would reveal who the offenders were at practice, but the extra discipline made the session run about 10 minutes longer than usual.
"It was just a way of holding each other accountable," defensive end Vernon Gholston said. "Obviously, going back to the game this past week with the penalties, one individual mistake could cost the rest of us. It was about putting that guy on display and having the others do the push-ups and let them do the suffering because you hurt the team if you have too many penalties."
Defensive end Shaun Ellis said he had to do one set, but wasn't the cause of any.
"Nah, I don't get penalties," he said with a smile. "As long as I've been playing, you can count on one hand how many penalties I've had. I don't get penalties."
Defensive tackle Sione Pouha said the players didn't question the punishment.
"Complaining isn't going to do anything for us," he said. "The way I looked at it was, 'Man, let's get down and do our 10 and get up and play again.'"
Offensive players were also required to repeat plays until they were successful, particularly on third down. The Jets were 1 for 11 in that situation against the Ravens.
"It's not to chastise or anything," right tackle Damien Woody said. "It's more just corrections. Maybe a guy didn't run a proper route, or the blocking wasn't right. At the end of the day, you want to feel good coming off the field."
Pettine said the team submitted video of some of the penalties they were called for to the league - a common practice by NFL teams - to help them become more aware of what they can and can't do.
"I think we'll be smarter this week," Ellis said.
Offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer reiterated that if someone fumbles during a game, they'll be pulled. Starting running back Shonn Greene didn't carry the ball in the second half after fumbling twice in the first half and losing one of them. Schottenheimer said other than quarterback Mark Sanchez, everyone is subject to that rule - even LaDainian Tomlinson.
"If L.T. puts it on the ground, he's coming out, too," Schottenheimer said.
NOTES: S Brodney Pool was limited again with a sprained ankle and his availability against New England was uncertain. Eric Smith started the opener in his place. ... Schottenheimer said he had no involvement in Sanchez's "Jets West Camp" in California in July. He stopped by the camp, but "in no way, shape or form was I doing any coaching." An unidentified team complained to the NFL that the Jets violated an offseason training rule because coaches - Schottenheimer and Ryan - were present at the camp.
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