FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — The New York Jets have big problems up front on both sides of the ball.
The defensive line can’t put enough pressure on quarterbacks or stop the run, and the offensive line is having trouble protecting quarterback Mark Sanchez and consistently opening holes for the running game. Once considered among the Jets’ top strengths, the lines are suddenly suspect.
Sanchez suffered a broken nose in the team’s 34-24 loss at Oakland, the third straight week he was banged up and needed treatment. The defense also had one of the worst days a Rex Ryan-coached team has seen, allowing Darren McFadden to run for a career-high 171 yards and two touchdowns.
Cornerback Darrelle Revis says the Jets need to bounce back Sunday at Baltimore.
“It’s a great opportunity for us to bounce back,” Revis said, “and show this league that we’re not just a trash-talking team.”
New York was playing without All-Pro center Nick Mangold, but replacement Colin Baxter was solid and certainly hasn’t been the reason the offensive line has been subpar.
New right tackle Wayne Hunter has taken some heat for some costly penalties and for getting beat on a few plays.
The Jets lost to Baltimore 10-9 last year in the season opener at the Meadowlands.
Texans cut RB Slaton
HOUSTON — The Houston Texans released running back Steve Slaton on Tuesday, and signed Chris Ogbonnaya from the practice squad.
The 5-foot-9, 209-pound Slaton was a third-round pick in 2008 and was the NFL’s top rookie rusher with 1,282 yards. He fumbled seven times and rushed for 437 yards in 2009 and was placed on injured reserve after 11 games. He had neck surgery after the season, and never regained his form. Slaton has only seven carries for 20 yards this season.
Around the league
• PACKERS: Green Bay right tackle Bryan Bulaga sprained and bruised his knee in Sunday’s victory at Chicago, and it’s not clear if he will be able to play against Denver. Bulaga went down with an apparent injury to his left knee at Chicago on Sunday. It appeared bad when Bulaga first went to the turf, but the injury isn’t as bad as the Packers first feared.
• BILLS: Buffalo released veteran tight end David Martin to make room to promote cornerback Terrence Wheatley from their practice squad. Martin is a 10-year veteran who was into his second season with Buffalo. Wheatley was promoted Tuesday to add depth to an injury-depleted defensive backfield. Veteran starter Terrence McGee (hamstring) and rookie Aaron Williams (collarbone) are out indefinitely.
• NFL: Roger Goodell noticed the snowflake in icy blue-and-white, centered before the George Washington Bridge, during the debut of the host committee’s logo for the 2014 Super Bowl. “A little snow would be great for us,” the NFL commissioner said. But whatever comes our way, we’re going to be prepared for it.” The game at MetLife Stadium will be the first outdoor Super Bowl in a cold-weather venue. Although the lowest Super Bowl kickoff temperature has been 39 degrees, average February temperatures at East Rutherford, N.J., are 24 to 40 degrees.
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