OAKLAND -- A look at what's happening around the New York Jets:
1. Anybody listening? Mike Westhoff was the Jets' special teams coach from 2001 to 2012, and he doesn't recall anyone in the organization worrying about hidden listening devices, or bugs, in the visitor's locker room at Gillette Stadium. He said there was one year in which the Jets' security director checked the coaches' box for bugs and found nothing, but that was the extent of it. Westhoff's dislike for the New England Patriots is well-known, so you know he's not protecting anyone.
"I know they do s---," Westhoff told me on Saturday, "but in my experiences there, we never had an issue with that type of thing."
We're talking about this because of the stories that have emerged over the past two days -- a league-ordered sweep of the Jets' locker room last Sunday (supposedly random) and an in-game complaint by the Jets that resulted in the league questioning three Patriots' employees on the sideline. The Jets were troubled by the presence of Patriots' employees outside the bench area and notified the league, according to the Boston Herald and Pro Football Talk. In fact, PFT obtained a league e-mail detailing the Jets' concerns. The league questioned the employees and reportedly found no wrongdoing. Could you imagine if the league had discovered foul play? It could've exploded into SpyGate 2.0.
My two takeaways: Even when the Patriots aren't cheating, they get into their opponents' heads because of their reputation. Because it's always tit-for-tat in this rivalry, it wouldn't be a surprise if something unflattering about the Jets will mysteriously surface during the run-up to the Week 16 rematch at MetLife Stadium
2. Bending the rules: You might recall James Carpenter was penalized for a false start on Nick Folk's late-game field goal last week, turning a 50-yarder into a 55-yarder. From Westhoff's perspective, the Patriots pulled a fast one, stemming their line before the snap. In other words, their defensive linemen moved laterally. The reason, Westhoff said, was to get the opponents' blockers to flinch. And it worked.
"By the letter of the law, it wasn't illegal, but they violated the spirit of the rule," Westhoff said of the Patriots. "They're always doing things on the edge."
Folk made the kick.
3. Marshall Law: I've been doing this a long time, and I have to say Brandon Marshall is one of the most compelling players I’ve covered. You never know what you’re going to get. We’re only six games into the season, and we’ve already seen the Full Marshall: Breathtaking plays, costly mental lapses and headline-making comments.
Quite obviously, Marshall still is playing at a high level at age 31, evidenced by four 100-yard receiving days. But, oh, those killer mistakes -- the brain-cramp lateral in Week 3 and the fourth-quarter, end-zone drop last week in New England. He also created an unnecessary story by airing dirty laundry on national television, telling the world he "got into it" with a teammate -- Devin Smith, he later revealed.
The argument stemmed from the blunder at the end of last week's game, when Marshall was flagged for a false start because he was moving when the ball was snapped. There's some confusion as to what actually should've happened. Not wanting to throw anyone under the bus, offensive coordinator Chan Gailey declined to get into specifics, but it seems like Marshall got burned while trying to cover for the rookie's mistake on an alignment mix up. By bringing it up on TV in the form of a teasing, cryptic comment, and elaborating the next day, he was letting everyone know it wasn't all his fault. All he did was spark a brush fire.
Like I said ... compelling. Now, watch, he'll score two touchdowns today against the Raiders.
4. Putting on the Fitz: Ryan Fitzpatrick hasn't played a lot of football in Oakland -- today will mark his third career start -- but he tends to play well when performing before the Black Hole. He's 2-0, with a 72-percent completion rate (44 for 61), 459 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions. He grew up in Arizona, so it's a chance for his entire family to attend the game.
"Unfortunately, they can't sport the jersey," he said. "Fans are pretty crazy (in Oakland). You're like in the witness protection program."
5. J-K staying put: A few weeks ago, Jeremy Kerley looked like he'd be someone the Jets might consider dealing before the trading deadline -- I think he might have welcomed a change of scenery -- but his value has increased because of the attrition at wide receiver. Quincy Enunwa is suspended for three more games, Smith is out with an ankle injury and Chris Owusu is gone (waived/injured), leaving Kerley as the clear-cut No. 3 receiver. He also remains the only punt returner on the roster.
"When they give me a chance, I know I can make plays," said Kerley, who scored last week.
The downside is that it limits what they can do offensively. Kerley has to be used in the slot, which means Eric Decker -- effective in the slot -- probably will go back to spending more time on the outside.
6. Good Rid-dance to PUP: Stevan Ridley will enjoy a financial benefit for being removed from the physically-unable-to-perform list. According to his contract, he gets a $21,875 roster bonus for every game he's active. After two weeks of practice, Ridley is expected to make his Jets debut against the Raiders. Don't be surprised if he plays a key role.
7. Moore & Amari: Former Jets and Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Rob Moore, who got into coaching a few years back, is the Raiders' wide receivers coach. It means he gets to coach one of the top rookies in the league, Amari Cooper. Moore came from the Buffalo Bills, where last season he coached Sammy Watkins. It's called being in the right place at the right time.
The Jets spoke highly of Cooper all week, and there's a reason. He was one of the highest-rated players on their draft board, along with defensive end Leonard Williams and linebacker Dante Fowler, Jr.
8. Strange, but true: The Jets play in the nation's largest market, and they apparently don't have any stars with nationwide appeal, according to the NFLPA Top 50 sales list -- based on sales of officially licensed merchandise. Only one Jet made the list -- Darrelle Revis at No. 47.
9. Houston, we've got a QB problem: I wonder if the Houston Texans wish they could take a mulligan on the Fitzpatrick trade. They chose the wrong Ryan.
