Posted by Will Brinson

If there's one thing we know about the NFL, it's that the New York Jets need more drama. So it's refreshing to hear that when Rex Ryan benched Mark Sanchez during the 2010 season, the young quarterback "wanted to fight" Rex, as that's unlikely to provoke any headlines or questions or noise surrounding the team.

Fortunately, that is what Sanchez said in a GQ interview that'll run this month. As you may recall, late last year with Sanchez struggling, Ryan wanted to give Mark Brunell extra reps in practice. This didn't go over well with Sanchez.

"I wanted to fight him," Sanchez said of the incident. "I was really mad."

Sanchez, who I have to suspect wasn't telling this story to create drama, also details what happened on the field when he pushed Brunell away because Rex didn't directly inform Sanchez that the veteran would see extra snaps.

"I was like, '[Rex] can come tell me,' " Sanchez says. "And [offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer] is like, 'Come on, man, don't do that.'"

New York Jets Offseason

CBSSports.com's Training Camp Central Freeman: Plaxico clearly hasn't learned lesson Brinson: Plax talks about prison on 'Real Sports' Wilson: Rex Ryan has a pretty sweet leg tattoo Eye on Football: Latest Jets updates, news

Sanchez was, understandably, not too thrilled about being passive-aggressively benched. Ryan didn't come straight to him and inform him of the decision and even gave the press a heads-up that Sanchez might get benched before he talked to his franchise quarterback.

"Rex is super honest," Sanchez told GQ. "I wish he wasn't that honest at times, especially to say that."

"That" = "Yes" when Rex was asked if he'd consider benching Sanchez. Which is understandable -- I don't want my boss going out and complaining about me on Twitter before telling me about the problems with my work. (Of course, as you all know, there are less of those than Sanchez interceptions, obviously.)

But here's my prediction: Then when Sanchez is asked about how things went down, he'll say that the words he used were a bit misconstrued. Or that there's nothing wrong with wanting to fight your coach. (There isn't by the way, especially if it's Ryan.)

And then someone will ask Rex about this interview, and he'll say "Good! I like his attitude!"

Or something much funnier.

For more NFL news, rumors and analysis, follow @EyeOnNFL on Twitter and subscribe to our RSS Feed.

Posted by Josh Katzowitz

Jets QB Erik Ainge has had a big struggle ever since emerging from the University of Tennessee. He’s had plenty of arm and shoulder struggles during his pro career, but even worse than that, Ainge was a drug addict* who battled bi-polar disorder.

*It got so bad for Ainge that he said, compared to him, Charlie Sheen was as hard-core as Miss Daisy.

All of it became too much. That’s why Ainge, who missed all of last season to get help with his addictions, told the Associated Press that he’s retiring from football. Ainge said he’s been sober for nearly a year but that his body just won’t allow him to play (he had surgery to repair a stress fracture in January and he recently tweeted that he had a torn rotator cuff).

“This isn’t the step I wanted, but it’s the hand I’m dealt,” Ainge told the AP. “There’s nothing I’d love more than to come back to New Jersey when the lockout’s over and compete for a job and be around those guys and their families. I miss them as people, but it’s just not in the cards physically right now.

“I don’t know exactly when it happened with my shoulder because I’ve been battling shoulder problems for a long time, but now that I’m not in NFL-playing shape – I’m in good shape, but not NFL shape – my shoulder started really telling me how bad it was. One of the things I’ve been working on in my recovery is acceptance, and to be honest, I need to accept that I want to be able to play baseball with my kids when I’m 35. I don’t want to be limping the rest of my life.”

Ainge insists he loves football, but he loves his body more. He can’t lift a 10-pound weight with his throwing arm, and he knows that fact will hinder him if he were to compete for a job that requires him to, um, throw the ball.

Plus, Ainge would have had a tough time making the Jets roster this season with five quarterbacks (Mark Sanchez, Mark Brunell, Kevin O’Connell, Drew Willy and Greg McElroy) already on the roster.

Ainge, though, says he’ll leave football without any regrets and that the most important thing in his life is staying sober.

“I don’t have to come back and be a Pro Bowler to be a success story,” he said. “If I stay sober and I move on with my life and I’m successful, that’s the success story.”

For more NFL news, rumors and analysis, follow @cbssportsnfl on Twitter and subscribe to our RSS Feed.

Posted by Josh Katzowitz

Last June, Jets backup QB Mark Brunell filed bankruptcy, claiming assets of $5.5 million but liabilities of $24.7 million. Brunell had been a victim of the Florida real estate market, and his lawyer basically said that he bought some land and then got killed when the market turned bad.

Today, we get word from the Florida Times Union that Brunell is intent on keeping his 1991 college championship and his 2010 Super Bowl ring as his bankruptcy reorganizational plan calls for him to purchase his rings, which would then be used to pay his creditors.

He also has a few other pieces of memorabilia that he wants to keep – at a value of $16,300.

Where he’d get the money to pay that is, well, rather unclear, especially if the 40-year old quarterback’s career is at an end.

For more NFL news, rumors and analysis, follow @cbssportsnfl on Twitter and subscribe to our RSS Feed .

Posted by Josh Katzowitz

The mystery finally has been solved. The CDC can finally halt its investigation. The video conspirarcy theorists can finally be silenced.

The question of “Did Jets starting QB Mark Sanchez wipe his snot on backup QB Mark Brunell in the middle of the AFC championship game?” finally has been answered.

From the transcript of ESPN Radio New York, via sportsradiointerviews.com, here’s the play-by-play of what really happened, direct from Sanchez’s mouth.

“I have been getting so many text messages and phone calls about this. He is like my big brother and we have such a great relationship and I just feel so bad that it was on TV. I am on the sidelines but that is the way we are. We just have fun and joke around and keep things light because that is the way I play my best. I did not want it to be a disrespectful thing, obviously, and he knew that.  I called him the very next day, ‘I am so sorry.  I feel so bad’ and he said, ‘Oh don’t worry about it. Only 55 million people saw you fake-wipe a booger on me.’”

Aha! So, it was fake, then?

“It was like a fake. It was like a cold weather, like almost-runny-nose-not-even-a-real-b
ooger. If it would have been there it would have been a legit booger. I don’t think I could have done that to him… It was like it is cold outside and my nose is like not fully running or anything but just like a little mess around more than anything. It was more of a fake-booger-wipe if anything. If it would have been a legit booger they probably would not have showed it on TV. So that was the funny part and he just, just the way he brushed it off. ‘Oh yeah only 55 million people saw it.’ He was like, ‘You are good.’ I am so sorry. I mean he is the best. He is the best in the world and he knows I was just joking.  It is just too bad, and the worst part is, I mean, I know he is going to get me back. Nobody else is going to be around to see it. It will be worse I am sure.”

For more NFL news, rumors and analysis, follow @cbssportsnfl on Twitter and subscribe to our RSS Feed .

Posted by Andy Benoit

The NFL scheduled only division games in Week 17 in order to avoid a slew of meaningless contests sweeping the final week of the regular season. Still, the league realized that having at least a few meaningless contests was inevitable.

One of those meaningless contests will be the Jets-Bills. The Jets, despite losing to the Bears on Sunday, clinched a Wild-Card berth after the Jaguars lost to the Redskins. Now Rex Ryan would like to treat next week’s game against the Bills as a quasi-bye.

Ryan is likely to sit quarterback Mark Sanchez, who has been battling a sore right shoulder as of late. (Though maybe a sore shoulder is just what Sanchez needs, given that he’s played perhaps his most solid football the past two weeks.) Mark Brunell is likely to start.

"This isn't my 18th year, so I need as many reps as possible," Sanchez said, according to Rich Cimini of ESPN New York. "With the situation we're in now, with my shoulder, we want to see how it responds to the game. We'll take it day to day. I'm with Coach. Whatever he thinks is best for me and the team, we'll handle it like that."

UPDATE 1:25 p.m. ET: After saying Sunday that Sanchez would likely sit, Ryan indicated on Monday that he may let the quarterback play because "he's in such a groove right now." That said, Ryan's top priority is Sanchez's health. The decision will likely come down to how Sanchez's shoulder feels throughout the week.

For more NFL news, rumors and analysis, follow @cbssportsnfl on Twitter and subscribe to our RSS Feed.

Posted by Josh Katzowitz

If Jets QB Mark Sanchez shows bad posture or displays other signs of not being happy during practice, he’s now subject to a fine. And that’s exactly the way he wants it.

The Jets have implemented a body language fine system for their quarterback - at Sanchez's suggestion - and if he shows signs of unhappiness, offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer is going to reach into his wallet and take out a few bucks. Backup QB Mark Brunell will be Schottenheimer’s taxman, collecting all the fines.

"Today, there was a play in practice when he screwed something up," Schottenheimer told reporters, including the Newark Star Ledger. "He kind of looked like it was someone else's fault. That's a fine.

"It's fun stuff. He's a passionate guy that loves to play. We just stay on him about that."

For an example, take a look at the picture on the right. See the disbelieving eyes? The pouty face? The slumped shoulders? All of those are fineable offenses (at practices, not during games).

According to the NY Daily News, Sanchez got hit twice today but putting his palms to the sky and looking around after a couple of mistakes.

And if the Jets had implemented this system last year?

Said Schottenheimer: “He’d be broke.”

For more NFL news, rumors and analysis, follow @cbssportsnfl on Twitter and subscribe to our RSS Feed .

Posted by Josh Katzowitz

If you’re like me, you love the prop bets put out by Vegas during Super Bowl week. Well, we’ve got the Week 2 release from bodog.com, and they’ve got some pretty solid prop bets as well.

For your satisfaction, here are a few (with – what the hell? – some of my analysis).

How many times will Archie Manning be shown on the Live Broadcast of the Sunday Night Football game between the Giants & Colts?

Over/Under: 1.5

I think this is low. If I was setting the O/U, I’d make it something like 4.5.

Michael Vick – Total Rushing Yards Week 2 vs. Detroit (must start)

Over/Under: 34.5

If he’s under 34 yards, I’d be shocked.

Will Mark Sanchez be the starter for every game that he is active for in the 2010 NFL Regular Season?

Yes -200

No +150

What, you’d rather have Mark Brunell out there?

Arian Foster – Total Rushing Yards Week 2 vs. Washington?

Over/Under: 85.5

Dallas’ Marion Barber rushed for 39 yards on eight carries last Sunday, and Felix Jones had eight and 38. For what it’s worth.

Alex Barron – Total Penalties Week 2 vs. Chicago?

Over/Under: 1

I guess it’s so low because of how little he might play. Notice it says “Total Penalties” and not “Holding Penalties.”

For more NFL news, rumors and analysis, follow @cbssportsnfl on Twitter and subscribe to our RSS Feed .

Posted by Josh Katzowitz

After a one-week absence, I’m back with my review of the fourth episode of what has been a very good season of Hard Knocks.

 -The episode begins on a down note. Apparently, nobody has any leadership with this team. It’s a concern for the coaches. This, not surprisingly, will be a theme.

- What a nightmare for Tim Cowlishaw. The Jets front office is talking about his reporting that Darrelle Revis and the Jets would sign a deal. GM Mark Tannenbaum has no idea what anybody is talking about. As a reporter, this is an interesting perspective. Unfortunately for Cowlishaw, we know how this ends.

- It’s hilarious that Mark Sanchez walks into the quarterbacks meeting without a binder to talk about the gameplan for the Redskins games. That’s a rookie mistake for a guy who’s not a rookie any more. Hell, even the guy who’s going to get cut at the end of the show has his binder ready to go. Unless he was set up, and of course, it’s a veteran move by Sanchez to get back at his offensive coordinator by changing his screensaver into something not exactly manly.

- Kellen Clemens’ meeting with Tannenbaum is interesting. Tannenbaum says he wants to cut Clemens’ salary to the minimum but he would guarantee that throughout the year. Also, by the way, Mark Brunell is the No. 2 QB, Tannenbaum says. Responds Clemens, “Here’s a question for you. What if I say I’d rather not?” Tannenbaum without missing a beat: “We’d probably cut you. … Probably sooner than later.”

Ouch.

- Ah, I could tell some stories about Laveranues Coles. Unfortunately, none of them would be all that interesting because he HATED dealing with the media in Cincinnati. As in, he never did it. Interesting to hear how the coaches seem to like to him, especially because Santonio Holmes is suspended for the first four games of the season. But then again, the team just cut Coles. So, that’s kind of weird.

- Wow, FB John Conner just lifted a Panthers special teamer off the ground with a block on kickoff return. As Rex Ryan said, “He knocked the piss out of the guy.” I think if he had the opportunity, Ryan might like to make out with the Terminator.
 
- Jason Taylor seems to have a problem getting to the stadium on time. Not just in the New Meadowlands, but at Hofstra too. The first time, it was a big joke. It wasn’t so funny the second time.

- And what’s up with eating cheeseburgers on the field before practice? The coaching staff is running a real disciplined workout, eh?

- Man, the players just LOVE it when a jackass runs onto the field during practice and the security details rocks the crap out of him. It’s funny, though. Whenever you see somebody disrupt a sporting event, there are always a few level of emotions you feel. No. 1, Hey that’s kind of funny. That guy is just running around out there, isn’t he? No. 2, All right, this guy is kind of getting annoying. When will the game restart? No. 3., He’s not taking off his clothes, is he? No. 4, I wish somebody would hit this guy and get him out of here.”

With the Jets, they fast-forwarded to No. 4 real quickly.

- Uh-oh, so it turns out Rex didn’t like the whole cheeseburger thing at practice. I love after his impassioned speech about being a professional and being a leader, he ends it with, “Now, let’s go eat a g------ snack!”

- Boy, Vladimir Ducasse didn’t look so good in the Redskins game, huh?

- Ugh, it’s brutal to watch these guys’ faces when they realize they’re going to be cut. But that’s cold how Ryan talked to Coles when he was cutting the 32-year-old WR. “We have to have money in place in case (Revis) shows up without a new contract. There’s a great possibility you’ll still be on this football team. But if we have you in the first week, we have to pay the whole season. The way our money is right now, we can’t do that.” Coles takes it well, and I know he’ll be OK. We’ve had chats about finances before, and I know he’s smart with the way he handles his business.

-And that’s the way the show ends. Not my favorite episode of the series, but solid nonetheless. We’ll see what happens in the final cuts next week.

For more NFL news, rumors and analysis, follow @cbssportsnfl on Twitter and subscribe to our RSS Feed .