After the Jets cut Antonio Cromartie in March, then watched a procession of top corners sign elsewhere, the position was bound to be under the microscope. With Thursday’s preseason-opening 13-10 win over Andrew Luck and the Colts serving as a good test, the early returns were a mixed bag.
Dee Milliner? Good.
Dimitri Patterson? Bad.
“They knew both our corners were hanging out to dry, so to speak. I put them out there,” coach Rex Ryan said. “They were taking some one-on-one shots out there. Dimitri’s a veteran player. Shoot, he’ll respond. You mix a trap in or two and we’ll see what happens. He might not have had his best day, but it wasn’t on him.’’
Milliner may not be the best in the NFL, like he claimed recently, but he looked plenty good enough.
“It’s huge. He had a good weekend in the Green and White game and then he comes back this weekend and has an even better week,’’ linebacker Demario Davis said of Milliner. “I’ve been calling him Franchise. He’s a key part of our defense. The better he plays, the better our defense will be. He’s the key link for us.’’
Milliner’s counterpart on the other side was nowhere near good enough, getting beaten badly over the top for a 45-yard play to continue a shaky training camp during which he has fought ankle and calf woes.
“This is camp: Everybody’s probably dealing with something. I’m dealing with what I’m dealing with. It’s no excuse,’’ Patterson said. “It’s [healthy] enough for me to go out here and play well.’’
But he hasn’t so far. After passing on Cromartie, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Vontae Davis and Darrelle Revis despite having over $20 million in cap room, the Jets signed Patterson to a bargain price after Miami cut him following two injury-riddled seasons.
Patterson gave up a 41-yard catch to Stephen Hill in Saturday’s scrimmage and struggled enough this week that Ryan chided him. On third-and-6 from the Colts 24 in the first quarter, Patterson got burned by Da’Rick Rogers on a fly pattern for 45 yards, and figures to continue to get picked on.
“That’s fine. I’m an undrafted guy, so I’ve been targeted my whole career,’’ Patterson said. “At the end of the day, it’s about when the season comes, showing up. And if they choose to target me, those are opportunities to make.’’
Indianapolis went deep on the very next pay, but this time it was against Milliner. He diagnosed the play and got good positioning inside Donte Moncrief, breaking up a potential touchdown and nearly getting a pick in the end zone.
He had also broken up a pass to Hakeem Nicks on the second play of the game. The very next play, on third-and-11, Patterson got beaten by Nicks for a 15-yard catch-and-run. It was indicative of the rest of the night.
“I was in front of him, so I turned around and made a play,’’ Milliner said. “I feel more comfortable, more relaxed, I know the system, I’m prepared more. Really, I just know what I’m doing.”
“I was at the line of scrimmage, the quarterback gave a check. I saw something else, so I came down and I bailed. When I bailed I was in good position and I could see the receiver. I was in front of him and in a good position to play the ball. That’s what I did. I should’ve came down with it.’’