By Tom Rock
No hunches this week. After last week, when I said I had a hunch the Jets would beta the Bills easily, I’m out of the hunching business. At least temporarily. Hopefully next season I can get my hunch back. Get it? Hunch back! It’s a midwestern humor.
As you probably know by now, the Jets made a small roster move, releasing LB Ryan Riddle and bringing FB Stacy Tutt up from the practice squad. My guess (not a hunch, a guess) is that the Jets will want to use Tutt in the gameplan. He was practicing with the first and second teams this week, even taking some handoffs. He probably has more speed than B.J. Askew, so look for the Jets to pitch out or throw short screens to Leon Washington with Tutt in front of him.
Like WR Brad Smith, Tutt was a college quarterback. That makes the QB pecking order Pennington, Clemens, Smith, Tutt and Ramsey. Sorry, another Midwest joke. Ramsey is definitely ahead of Tutt.
Actually, Clemens was demoted to third quarterback according to the inactive list just handed out to the media. It’s been “triple verified” according to Jets pr guy David Tratner. Last week there was some miscommunication between the field and the press box and Clemens was the No. 2. Ramsey will be the backup today, but I truly think if Chad ever goes down for more than a play or two, Brad Smith will be under center.
Here’s the inactive list for today. Sitting out for the Jets are RBs Derrick Blaylock and Kevan Barlow, FB James Hodgins, LB Anthony Schlegel (who had been active the last few weeks and figured to take Ryan Riddle’s spot this week), OL Na’Shan Goddard, NT Rashad Moore and DE Dave Ball.
Mike Nugent appears to enjoy the indoors. He just booted a 53-yarder from the left hashmark, gave a high-five to holder Ben Graham, and nodded at special teams coach Mike Westhoff.
Lots of folks showing their Purple Pride. We saw one guy walking in wearing purple and yellow sweats with those old Magic Johnson Converse sneakers and a WAY too tight Vikes jersey. We decided he hasn’t looked in the mirror since 1994. And sitting right in front of us is a guy with what can only be described as an “authentic” Viking headdress. It even has a skull fastened to the top of it. As soon as he walked by, a few of us writers looked at each other and had only one word to say: “Blog!”
Speaking of outfits, Jets are wearing white on white for the game.