Exactly a month after undergoing surgery, Jets outside linebacker Quinton Coples has been proclaimed fit and is expected to play Sunday against the Bills at MetLife Stadium.
Coach Rex Ryan said he isn’t sure how his top returning pass-rusher has gotten back so quickly, but he’s not looking a gift horse in the mouth.
“He’s playing. That’s a story in and of itself,’’ Ryan said of Coples, who had surgery on his right ankle Aug. 20 and has returned faster than anybody could have expected.
“Pretty amazing. A young man that’s coming off surgery, what, three, four weeks ago? I don’t know what to say. I don’t know how he’s doing it, but he’s done it. We’ll see what he can do.’’
Ryan said Coples, who had a team-high 5 ½ sacks last season as a rookie — “won’t get a full slate.”
But whatever help Coples is able to provide will help the Jets, who have been forced to use Antwan Barnes and Garrett McIntyre at rush linebacker in his absence.
“Is he going to play every snap? No. He’s not going to play every snap. I don’t anticipate that,’’ Ryan said. “If he couldn’t run out there and take care of himself and be at or near 100 percent, then he wouldn’t be out there. But we feel probable that he’s going to play. In other words, he’s playing. … We’ll see how it goes.’’
Coples said Thursday he is planning to play.
“I feel good,” he said. “I’ve got to just prepare myself mentally and physically and I think everything else will handle itself. … So far it’s just a blessing to be able to do what I do coming back on such short notice.’’
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After benching Dee Milliner in the Jets’ Week 2 13-10 loss at New England, Ryan said the rookie cornerback will play significant snaps on Sunday, but stopped just short of labeling him a starter in the base defense.
“He’ll be ready to play.,” Ryan said. “There’s no question he’ll be ready to play, and he’ll be part of that rotation. I don’t know [if he’ll start]. He’s going to start some of the defense, maybe not all of it.
“Is he going to be trotting out there in the first snap? I don’t know what they’re in. So I don’t want to say that and then all of a sudden I lied to you guys. I don’t want to do that. But he’s going to play a great deal for us.’’
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Offensive lineman Oday Aboushi is out Sunday with an injury suffered Thursday. Ryan said, “It looked like a dislocated knee or something, but he’s going to be fine.’’
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The NFL handed down fines from the Week 2 game, with two Jets and four Patriots coming up about $88,500 lighter in the pocket.
The hardest hit was Willie Colon, fined $34,125 total for two separate violations. He was fined $26,250 for unnecessary physical contact with a game official. He was fined $7,875 for striking an opponent with his fist. Teammate D’Brickashaw Ferguson was fined $15,000 for unnecessary roughness (punched an opponent). There was no fine for Nick Mangold, whose hit started the brawl.
Patriots defensive end Chandler Jones also was fined $15,750 for roughing the passer. He struck Geno Smith in the head and neck area, and got flagged on the play. Michael Buchanan, Alfonzo Dennard and Vince Wilfork were fined $7,875 each for unnecessary roughness during the fracas.