Jets wide receiver Jeremy Kerley has officially been ruled out of Thursday’s game with the Patriots.
Kerley suffered a concussion in Sunday’s 18-17 Jets win over the Buccaneers. Kerley took a vicious hit from three defenders, led by safety Mark Barron. He returned to the game, but felt concussion symptoms Monday and has not practiced at all this week.
With Kerley out, the Jets have Santonio Holmes, Stephen Hill, Clyde Gates, Ryan Spadola and Ben Obomanu at wide receiver. The Jets signed Obomanu, who spent training camp with the team, on Tuesday.
Quarterback Mark Sanchez also was officially declared out. Sanchez had his shoulder examined by Dr. James Andrews on Wednesday morning in Gulf Breeze, Fla., according to a source. The Jets gave no update on Sanchez’s condition after the exam.
OLB Quinton Coples (ankle) is also out for Thursday’s game.
Are you ready for fisticuffs between coaches Rex Ryan and Bill Belichick?
Well, it’s unlikely the Jets coach will take a swing at the Patriots coach, but that is what he told his team he was going to do a few years ago, according to one of Ryan’s former players.
“We were playing the Patriots one time,” former Jets running back LaDainian Tomlinson said on NFL Network. “As I mentioned, Rex is a master motivator, and it was going to be a big game, a heated rivalry game. Rex got in front us and he said, ‘I’m going to set the tempo today, I’m going to set the tempo when I meet Bill Belichick in the center of the field I’m going to start it off and punch him in the face’ We loved that, I loved that from Rex.”
Ryan, of course, was joking, but he got his point across.
“Yeah, he was motivating his guys and he wanted to jump it off. … We won [the game],” Tomlinson said.
Jets kicker Nick Folk was named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week for his performance against the Buccaneers.
Folk kicked three field goals, including the game-winner. Folk hit a 48-yarder with two seconds left in the game to win it. It was Folk’s fourth regular-season game-winner since he joined the Jets in 2010.
For the Patriots, WR Danny Amendola (groin) and TE Rob Gronkowski (back/forearm) are doubtful. WR Matthew Slater (knee) and RB Leon Washington (thigh) are questionable.