Jets offensive coordinator Tony Sparano shed a little light on what has led to the team barely using Tim Tebow in the first half of the season.
Sparano said Thursday he has a package of around 15 plays in the game plan each week for Tebow. He keeps them separate on his play-call sheet. But there have been a few reasons why Tebow has not been used for more than 12 plays in a game and it’s usually around 7.
“You get into some games where … Indianapolis, New England where we’re running it pretty good and doing some decent things and you just don’t go to all those plays,” Sparano said. “At the same time, games like the Miami game where we had to be in up-tempo for a lot of the time … That’s not a place to be shuffling people in and out at that point. We had to get as many plays snapped as we could to get into the game.”
Coach Rex Ryan said last week they would look at how they used Tebow during the bye week and possibly expand his role. He backed off that statement this week.
* LB Bart Scott (toe) was limited in practice again. He said he plans to travel with the team to Seattle today, even if he is unsure whether he can play in Sunday’s game. Scott said if he can’t play, he will help the coaches.
“I’ve played so much football and situational football that you like to be able to pull some of the young guys over and tell them what to anticipate and help be a coach,” Scott said.“You help coach because the coaches have to coach the positions.It’s tough for them to specifically talk to one player. It’s easy for me to talk to one player at my position, because even though I’m on the sideline, I can see what they’re doing to them and how they’re trying to attack them. [I] just try and do whatever I can to give them awareness of what’s going on.”
* RB/KR Joe McKnight (ankle) did not practice, and it sounds as if the Jets are unsure if he will play.
Ryan said they are weighing whether he would benefit more by taking another week off to let the ankle heal. They could make a decision today before boarding their flight for Seattle. NT Kenrick Ellis (knee) was limited in practice.
If McKnight does not play, kick-return duties will be split between Clyde Gates and Antonio Cromartie.
* Ryan on OLB Ricky Sapp, who was elevated to the active roster this week from the practice squad:
“He’s been a handful for us to block [in practice],” Ryan said. “The young man is a guy that keeps going like this [pointing up]. He was having a great training camp and then he has the injury. We really didn’t get a chance to put him out there in games. … He has worked so well. Let’s see what he can do. We will. We’ll find out. He’s going to be active for us and we’ll watch him chase the passer.”