Rex Ryan implements push-up punishment to decrease Jets penalties

After Sunday’s 27-20 win over Buffalo — in which the Jets committed a franchise-record 20 penalties — coach Rex Ryan is implementing a form of public shaming during practices to help reduce the team's momentum-killing infractions. Ryan won't be slapping a scarlet "P" on anyone's chest, but whenever a player commits a penalty, anybody and everybody observing practice must drop down for 10 push-ups — while the offending player watches.

"I do not want our team associated with penalties," the Jets coach said Monday, a day after his team pulled off the win despite having the flag thrown at them  20 times. "That's not who we are."

But it is and, at that penalty rate, the practice push-ups might give Ryan's players the best delts and traps in the league.

After the first three games, the Jets lead the league in penalties with 34, thanks to four calls apiece Sunday on left guard Vladimir Ducasse and cornerback Kyle Wilson. Ryan believes he has  "a good plan" to eliminate those penalties with the same push-up tactic he employed in 2010. When a penalty flag is thrown in practice, everyone hits the ground — except the guilty party. Even team owner Woody Johnson will drop and do ten.

"Hey, Woody knocks those things out pretty good," Ryan. "I’m the one that struggles. I’ve got the strings for arms. I want the player to stand up. He doesn’t do them. And I want him to notice who he’s affecting. He’s affecting all of us.  After you’ve done a few of those, you’re like, 'Really? You got a penalty again?' They’ll get on each other. There’s a little bit of accountability, especially if you look over and the owner is knocking them out. We don’t want to look like Jack LaLanne or somebody either."

Looking like the late health guru might not be so bad Rex.

Sheldon Richardson's rookie celebration was a little premature (GIF)

The Jets defense played pretty good against the Bills Sunday but one long run on the first quarter’s final play did deflate the Jets’ stats, and will probably result in rookie defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson hearing about it from the veteran players this week about playing until the whistle blows.

Outside linebacker Calvin Pace appeared to have Bills running back Fred Jackson stopped behind the line, but Pace didn’t wrap up Jackson. As far as Richardson knew,  Pace had made the tackle, so Richardson started celebrating. Jackson ran away, and cornerback Antonio Cromartie had to chase him down to save a touchdown.

The run, on a third-and-1 play, moved the Bills to the Jets’ 21-yard line. Luckily for the rookie, the Jets held the Bills for a total of two yards on their next three plays, and Buffalo settled for a field goal that cut the Jets’ lead to 7-3 with 13:45 left in the second quarter.

Richardson took responsibility for his mistake afterward.

Shawne Merriman blames being 'too damn heavy' for 'American Ninja' fail

Carrying 260 pounds on your frame works well if you are an NFL linebacker but — as a competitor on the "American Ninja Warrior" obstacle-course — it's better to be a little guy. And nobody knows that better than former NFL star Shawne Merriman.

Merriman knows from experience. The oft-injured former San Diego Chargers and Buffalo Bills linebacker recently appeared on the show and started off strong only to fail when it came time to negotiate the trampoline obstacle. 

"260 don't work on trampolines," Merriman says ... "My weight made the trampoline touch the ground."

The fit Merriman actually dropped pounds before the show and put together a pretty solid — if not tentative — run before tumbling into the water.

Merriman says if he's invited back next year, he GUARANTEES he'll finish the course.

Mario Williams pokes fun at Aaron Hernandez on Instagram page

Buffalo Bills defensive end Mario Williams had a little fun with with the sordid Aaron Hernandez murder saga by using the accused tight end's image in a mocked up Instagram for the violent video game Grand Theft Auto

In the digitally-altered image, Hernandez’s face is imposed on the body of a cartoon, tattooed thug sitting on the hood of a car and holding a gun. The logo in the top right reads “Grand Theft New England.”

Hernandez was charged with murder and five other charges Wednesday in the alleged execution-style slaying of Lloyd. The former New England Patriots tight end — he was cut by the team shortly after his arrest — was denied bail Thursday, because he could be a suspect in another murder case from last year.

Ironically, Williams has photos of himself on Instagram holding guns – and those are no parodies of his division rival Hernandez.

Williams was in the news earlier this NFL offseason for saying defensive coordinator Mike Pettine, formerly of the Jets, "always" told players to "kill" opponents. A few days later, he backed off those remarks and said Pettine didn’t use the phrase "kill them."

Earlier this year, Williams also sued an ex-fiancee to recover an $785,000 engagement ring setting off a Twitter war and slew of embarrassing text messages.