For the fourth consecutive game, it looks as if Mark Sanchez will be without his favorite target and closest friend on the team, tight end Dustin Keller.
Keller is still recovering from a hamstring injury he aggravated in the season opener and did not practice yesterday. With only today’s light practice scheduled before tomorrow night’s home game against the Texans, he is not expected to play.
Rookie receiver Stephen Hill, also nursing a hamstring injury and has not practice at all this week, is not expected to play, either.
For Hill, who has been invisible since his big debut that featured two TDs, it would be more difficult to return than it would for Keller because of Hill’s inexperience.
The other players who did not practice yesterday included DT Sione Pouha (lower back), FB John Connor (hamstring), RB Joe McKnight, who was sent home with an illness and S LaRon Landry was rested with his heel injury.
The players who were limited in practice included S Eric Smith (hip and knee) and newcomer CB Aaron Berry, who tweaked his ribs during a drill on Thursday and LBs Bart Scott (toe) and Bryan Thomas (hamstring).
* With CB Darrelle Revis out for the season, Jets CB Antonio Cromartie will have to cover Houston’s top receiver, Andre Johnson. While Cromartie yesterday said he has watched film of Revis covering Johnson in past games, he curiously said he has not spoken to Revis about covering him.
“He’s one of the best receivers in the game,’’ Cromartie said. “The biggest thing for me is just going in and playing my game, trying to be physical and just do the things I need to do. This is my third time playing the Texans in my career and I’ve never faced up against Andre. This is my first time facing him, so I’m definitely looking forward to it.’’
Jets special teams coordinator Mike Westhoff yesterday was still fuming about the punt the 49ers blocked on the Jets last week, calling the play “deplorable’’ and “inexcusable.’’ Westhoff did not call out the culprit, but film clearly showed it was TE Jeff Cumberland who let his man run free at the line of scrimmage.
When it was pointed out to coach Rex Ryan the Jets, who profess to be a “ground and pound’’ offense, have run the ball only about 45 percent of the time (107 rushing attempts to 129 passing attempts), Ryan said, “I hope we do run the ball more. This team we’re playing [the Texans] run it more than anybody. It’s definitely formula for success, but if you’re behind X amount of times that’s not the best way to get back into a game.’’
The Jets offense has produced only one TD in the last 34 possessions.
* The Jets will induct former DE Mark Gastineau and WR Wesley Walker into their “Ring of Honor’’ in a halftime ceremony Monday night.
“It’s a big honor, an honor I will cherish and it will bring back a lot of memories,’’ Gastineau said on a conference call yesterday. “I’ll probably cry.’’
The always flamboyant Gastineau, who famously strutted around with his sack dance and was once married to former model Brigitte Nielsen, spoke yesterday of living in a modest home with his wife and two dogs in New Jersey and called his NFL pension “a blessing.’’
Ironically, Gastineau crossed the picket line during the 1987 NFL players’ strike, saying yesterday, “As someone who crossed the [picket line] now I see what the players were fighting for,’’ Gastineau said. “Now I am getting the benefits for what they fought for.’’
Gastineau, who famously had Nielsen dropped off in a white limo that drove right onto the football field during a Jets-Redskins scrimmage at Lehigh University, said he now attends church and sings in the church choir with his wife.
Walker called for Sanchez to step up his game in the face of adversity.
“What Mark Sanchez has to do to become a premier quarterback, he’s got to be the No. 1 guy,’’ he said. “No matter who’s out there, you step up your game.” “If you look at his numbers, they’re OK compared to some quarterbacks around the league. What I’m looking for is not the sloppy performances, when you turn the ball over. There’s not that consistency.”