NFL

Mornhinweg: Geno has to ‘do the right thing with the football’

Jets quarterback Geno Smith has committed an NFL-high 20 turnovers, and Gang Green is suffering through his growing pains.

After he coughed the ball up four times in Sunday’s loss at Buffalo, offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg said they all have to help, but the rookie needs to play better.

“For a quarterback to play well takes an awful lot of things. We have to help him more starting with me. So there you are,’’ Mornhinweg said. “Man alive, I’d like to see him play better than he did last week. … He’s got to do that. We’ve just been up and down, our whole offensive football team, and that’s what bothers me.’’

Smith’s 16 interceptions are one shy of Eli Manning for the worst mark in the NFL, and he also has lost four fumbles. He has gone three straight games without tossing a touchdown, and has five picks in his last two road games.

But he will start Sunday in Baltimore.

“You’re going to go through some ups and downs. Now, he needs to take care of the ball,’’ Mornhinweg said. “Good quarterbacking, it doesn’t matter what else is going on. You do the right thing with the football, and it’s just that simple. He can get better that way, certainly. He’s been a little bit up and down.’’


WR Santonio Holmes said he will be fit to start in Baltimore.

“Why wouldn’t I?’’ Holmes said. “I don’t think there’s any problem that I have right now. I played on it last Sunday so everything is still intact.’’

Holmes (foot/hamstring) missed five games, and after making his return in Buffalo, he missed practice altogether Wednesday and was limited Thursday, something he said may continue the rest of the year.

“I’ve been limited all season,’’ Holmes said. “I’m pretty sure that’s the way it’s going to be until the end of the season.’’

Asked if he thought the injury might sideline Holmes, coach Rex Ryan said, “I hope not. I expect him to play.”


Ed Reed wore a shirt that had a picture of a football and said, “Wanted on the Ground or in the Air, $20,000,” and gave a similar shirt to Antonio Cromartie. Asked if he had offered a bounty for turnovers, he said, “No, I’m not offering 20 grand for a turnover. I like how you tried to word that. It’s a shirt. I like how you did that. It’s funny how you guys twist our words.’’


WR David Nelson didn’t practice due to illness. WR Jeremy Kerley (elbow) was limited — catching passes one-handed — and TE Kellen Winslow (knee) took a scheduled day off.


TE Konrad Reuland will have season-ending ACL surgery. He stretched it during the game Sunday, but since it didn’t tear, he played through it assuming it was just an MCL injury. Turns out it wasn’t.


C Nick Mangold had ice on his right hand after practice, but worked fully and his snapping wasn’t impacted.


Baltimore DT Haloti Ngata (knee) missed practice for a second straight day.