Westhoff to McDaniels: I invented the onside kick

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. - Mike Westhoff delivered a message of sorts to Broncos coach Josh McDaniels Thursday: Pipe down, kid.

The longtime Jets special- teams coordinator seemed genuinely bothered by an assertion made by McDaniels, who said the Jets are the "best team in football to run" an onside kick against after the Jets beat Denver, 24-20. The Broncos recovered an onside kick after tying the score at 7 in the second quarter, but the play had no impact because they wound up punting.

Westhoff lit into McDaniels, 34, saying he's the originator of the onside kick.

"I invented the damn thing, so I don't care what he says," Westhoff said. "But in essence, he's right. That kick is mine. I started it. But I won't say he's wrong. We play a five-man front, so yeah, you can run it . . . What I should've done, and I've done it a million times and it's my fault, you take your 'Rover,' which would be Ben Hartsock, and I move him around. You move him into those spots and you discourage a little bit."

Westhoff wasn't done ranting. "That would've been a better move on my part. I did not do that. So what he said was actually right. But I don't know where the hell he was when I started the damn thing. And to tell you the truth, I don't care what he said."

Less Taylor time?

With linebacker Calvin Pace almost 100 percent recovered from a broken right foot, that could lead to fewer snaps for Jason Taylor, who has three sacks. Taylor said of his season: "So far, it's not horrible, but it's not great by any stretch."

Taylor's been playing more than initially expected because of Pace's injury. But that should change soon.

"It'll be a little more even than obviously what it was the first couple of weeks of me and B.T. [Bryan Thomas] getting most of the reps," Taylor said. "With Calvin back now, I'm not sure how much his play count will change. But I know for myself, it will change a good bit. And in the long run, I think we'll all be better off for it."