Brad Smith chomping at the bit to face Jets
Buffalo Bills' Brad Smith (16) tries to evade Washington Redskins' London Fletcher, bottom, during the first half of an NFL football game. (Oct. 30, 2011) Credit: AP
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- Brad Smith's first crack at sticking it to his former team is almost here.
In three more days, Smith and the Bills will host the Jets in an AFC East showdown in Buffalo.
"It's going to be crazy," the wide receiver/kick returner said Wednesday. "It's kind of a surreal experience just knowing those guys and playing with just about all of them. I expect to hear from Bart [Scott] and Eric Smith. It should be fun."
Smith was an all-purpose player for the Jets, handling kickoff returns, playing wide receiver and running the Wildcat. When the lockout was lifted and free agency began, the Jets focused their attention on adding Nnamdi Asomugha, who eventually signed with the Eagles. Smith wasn't about to wait around for an offer and inked a four-year, $15-million deal with Buffalo.
"I can be honest, at first it sounded crazy," Smith said. "Everything happened so fast when the lockout ended, and next thing you know I was on a plane to Rochester and I'm sitting in a team meeting and I know no one. It was unbelievable. It didn't feel real."
Smith hasn't done much. He's rushed 19 times for 84 yards and a touchdown, amassed just 103 yards on five kickoff returns, caught five passes for 43 yards and threw an interception.
"He's done a lot of good things that don't come out in statistics sometimes," Bills coach Chan Gailey said, "and that's what people go on is statistics. But he's had a huge impact on our team."
DeVito sits out
Mike DeVito is still nursing a knee injury that forced him to miss the Jets' last game, and the defensive end has yet to practice. He worked strictly on the side with strength coach Bill Hughran, and his status for Sunday remains up in the air.
"I thought for sure he'd go," Rex Ryan said. "We'll see how it progresses. I expect him to do more tomorrow. He pushed it quite a bit with Bill Hughran, so hopefully he doesn't have any soreness and we're able to get him ready to roll."
