Santonio Holmes: ‘I can’t throw it to myself’

Whenever Santonio Holmes meets with the media, there’s a good chance his soundbite will become a major headline.

Thursday proved to be no exception.

In his first interaction with reporters since last Sunday’s stinker of a game against the Titans — one catch for 25 yards — the Jets’ mercurial receiver failed to take any blame.

“I can’t throw it to myself and catch it, otherwise I would,” Holmes said, via the New York Daily News. “I played 49 plays, and all I know is I had one catch. That’s all I can attest for.”

Adding injury to insult, Holmes injured his hamstring during the game and is expected to miss a few weeks. An official prognosis, Dr. Holmes?

Rex Ryan Says Geno Smith Is No Diva With Jets

Geno Smith is in image repair mode right now, and part of that is showing football people that he is a hard worker and a leader.

Smith had his first minicamp practice as the Jets quarterback yesterday, and wanted to let people he was working hard. Geno seems to have a fan in Jets head coach Rex Ryan.

Smith was asked about reports regarding Smith being a diva, and according to Pro Football Talk, Rex Ryan sees no diva with the Jets.

“Maybe I don’t know what diva behavior looks like, but he certainly didn’t do it here,” Ryan said after Smith had his first rookie minicamp practice today. “He’s a football player that you can tell loved the game, very knowledgeable about his system. I never saw that at all.”

Buffalo Bills Hope History Doesn't Repeat at Quarterback Battle Takes Shape

In the first season after Jim Kelly retired, a second-round draft pick named Todd Collins was expected to seize the starting job. One veteran backup was retained in Alex Van Pelt, while veteran Billy Joe Hobert was signed as added insurance.

  

All three signal-callers saw time as the Bills stumbled to a 6-10 record. Collins was insonsistent when he wasn't injured. Van Pelt tried but was blessed with a second-stringer's talent. And Hobert was cut when, after getting significant playing time, he confessed to not reading the play book the week prior.

That last scenario is unlikely to repeat itself, but otherwise 2013 could look the same. The Bills are expected to draft a high-round rookie, who will get a shot to start immediately. Former Arizona Cardinals starter Kevin Kolb was brought in to push him and Tarvaris Jackson, who didn't play last season but was re-signed earlier this offseason.

So two experienced starters will contend with (presumably) a hot-shot rookie for the job. That has the potential to go very well … or very, very poorly.

Geno Smith and Matt Barkley Decline To Play In Senior Bowl

West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith and Southern Cal’s Matt Barkley must know something we all don’t.  The Kansas City Chiefs hold the #1 pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, and despite this being a weak draft on all fronts, the team definitely needs a quarterback.

The Dallas Morning News is reporting that neither player will participate in the Senior Bowl.  Smith is currently rated the top quarterback prospect available, but that could definitely change.