Smith hurt? Says Westhoff: Gotta go to Cro
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. - Special-teams coach Mike Westhoff knew the answer before the question of Brad Smith's availability ever came up.
When Smith suffered a groin injury in the first half of the Jets' 17-16 wild-card playoff win in Indianapolis, the injury robbed his team of one of the NFL's top kickoff returners, a player who returned two for touchdowns this season.
But Westhoff knew whom he was going to send out to receive the second-half kickoff because of something that happened Wednesday before the Colts game. Starting cornerback Antonio Cromartie made a trip to Westhoff's office that day and left a message with special- teams assistant Ben Kotwica.
As Westhoff recalled it: "He said, 'Tell Mike, in the playoffs, if he needs me anywhere, I'll cover a punt; I'll be on the kickoff team. Anything he needs, tell him don't look for anybody else.' That's what I remembered when I had to make a decision . Cro was the only guy I was going to.''
Trailing 7-0, Cromartie took the second-half kickoff 41 yards to the Jets' 37-yard line, where kicker Pat McAfee made a touchdown-saving tackle. Later in the second half, Smith felt good enough to try returning another kickoff, but he made it only to the 13-yard line. So when the Colts went ahead 16-14 on Adam Vinatieri's field goal with 53 seconds left, Westhoff had another decision to make.
"Brad was in the huddle on the last one,'' Westhoff said. "I said, 'What do you think? Can you go 1,000 miles an hour?' '' Smith had to admit he wasn't up to speed, so Westhoff turned to Cromartie and said, "If you get to the 50, we're going to win the game.''
Cromartie almost did it. He caught McAfee's kick a yard deep in the end zone and ran it out to the Jets' 46-yard line. Four plays later, Nick Folk kicked the winning 32-yard field goal as time expired.
Smith is listed as questionable for the Jets' AFC divisional playoff game against the Patriots Sunday afternoon at Gillette Stadium, and his availability is a game-time decision. But after Cromartie's performance in Indianapolis, there's not much doubt who will be returning kickoffs for the Jets.
In fact, after wide receiver Santonio Holmes nearly botched a punt return by letting the ball bounce between his legs and getting lucky that it didn't touch him before rolling dead, Westhoff hinted Cromartie also might return punts this week. "I like going to people that are hot,'' said Westhoff, who added that receiver Jerricho Cotchery and defensive back Kyle Wilson also are considerations.
"I'm comfortable,'' Cromartie said. "I returned punts in the Miami game. I catch them every day. If I'm called upon to catch punts, I'm prepared. I've been to the meetings to prepare myself the right way and do the right thing for our team.
"The whole thing for me was that it's the playoffs. I've been doing [special teams] since my first three years in the league. I told them if they needed anything from me, I'd make sure to be ready and prepared for it once I'm called upon.''
In a close game, special teams might be the deciding factor. If Folk has the opportunity for another game-deciding field goal today, it will be more difficult because it will be outdoors rather than in climate-controlled Lucas Oil Stadium. Westhoff said Folk made one of 55 yards in pregame warm-ups, but his range might be reduced in the cold.
"Almost every day, we're outside practicing,'' Westhoff said. "We're prepared. I don't care what it's like up there.''
At the moment, the Jets' special-teams coach might be an unwelcome figure in New England. After Jets strength and conditioning coach Sal Alosi was suspended for forming a "sideline wall'' with some inactive Jets players and then sticking out his knee to trip a Miami player who ran out of bounds while covering a punt, Westhoff suggested the Patriots have tried similar tactics, which were common in the NFL.
His remarks were part of the reason NFL commissioner Roger Goodell cited for fining the Jets $100,000 for the incident, and Westhoff had to call the Patriots to apologize. Westhoff said he's accountable for the comments, and although he doesn't enjoy discussing the incident, he made a joke when asked about the reception he might receive at Gillette Stadium.
"I'm sure they'll throw snowballs at me,'' he said. "Don't stand too close.''
