FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- Jets defensive tackle Sione Po'uha and safety Eric Smith will miss Sunday's season opener against the Buffalo Bills due to injuries, coach Rex Ryan said Friday. Po'uha has a back injury, while Smith is dealing with hip and knee ailments. Ryan said he "feels better" about both players returning in Week 2. "(Sione's) close. He really is close. He's begging us to play, but I think we're gonna be smart and give it a little time," Ryan said. "This is really the first week he's practiced. He was out there today, but we'll see." It sounds like tight end Dustin Keller (hamstring) will play. "(Dustin) looked good. I think he's ready to roll," Ryan said. "So we'll see how much it will limit him. I'm not sure, but he practiced today." Defensive end Mike DeVito said his calf is 100 percent, so it sounds like the Jets will have him in the lineup as well. Keller ran routes during the portion of Friday's practice open to the media. Po'uha and DeVito participated in position drills. Second-year pro Kenrick Ellis will start in place of Po'uha. Yeremiah Bell and LaRon Landry will be the safeties.
UPDATE Conor Orr @ConorTOrr OK Rex Ryan was incorrect. Trainers clarify that Sione Po'uha has a chance to play. #Jets
I have a rule of thumb here. It is that anyone who thinks Smith is useless does not know much about the game of football. That and that the Jet CS disagrees with you. Smith has areas where he is concededly problematic. But useless???? Please. As for the upcoming game, useless is an interesting call because neither Landry nor Bell have any prior experience in regular season games for hte Jets. Who makes the calls for the secondary? ANd are they going to play all game? What if the call is to bring in three safeties? I don't even want to think about playing the fourth and perhaps fifth safety.
Eric Smith is useless in coverage. He is very good in the 4-6 and on special teams. He can stop the run and plays well in the box but when it comes to stopping TEs which is our biggest weakness he is awful. We just have so many SS and no FS so it makes Eric Smith look worse because we are forced to put him in a shitty position. Guy should have been a LB. Also Bell and Landry will start with Bush as the 3rd safety. We don't need a 4th and 5th safety because we play 3 CBs a lot. Sometimes even 4.
I think Smith has value in certain areas, like run support, Special Teams, and - from what we've heard - he's an intelligent player. Having said that, he lacks speed and athleticism at the NFL level, and every so often, these deficiencies are costly. I'd much rather have Bell and Landry out there, despite their unfamiliarity in this scheme. Regarding Ellis, I'm hoping that he plays even if Pouha returns for Week 1. He showed some real flashes this Preseason, and we need him to be disruptive up front.
When it comes to Eric Smith I try not to look at him like he is a safety because he is more of a LB Safety hybrid. Our lack of talent and well anything at the safety position last year forced him into starting and even playing some free safety which is just ridiculous. With Landry and Bell here playing safety we can use Eric Smith in a way where he can excel. No more square peg in round hole.
ellis looked great in preseason but i would feel better if pouha could give a us a few plays sunday. he really clogs the middle and lets the lbs focus on outside runs.
if they cant go they cant go. it only presents opportunities for other guys to step and perform. Ellis is a beast. Belll is highly experienced. Its not a pronblem. The Jets will beat the Bils.
