New York Jets’ Jalen Saunders happy to be alive

Jalen Saunders still isn’t quite sure what happened to him last week. The New York Jets rookie wide receiver just knows it was scary, and he’s happy to be alive.

Saunders provided few details about the “medical event” that occurred Friday morning that caused him to drive his car off the road near the team’s training facility. He’s still awaiting results from tests after being hospitalized for two days.

Saunders, a fourth-round pick from Oklahoma, did acknowledge that he never lost consciousness.

“It’s very shocking,” Saunders said, speaking for the first time since the incident. “Obviously, you don’t want to be at a young age going through something like that. It was a shocking situation, very unusual, but I’m alive and happy.”

PAT experiment

Reviews have been mixed around the league for the NFL’s experiment with longer kicks on extra points. Regardless, it appears there’s a future for them.

Eight kicks from the longer distance — usually 33 yards — were missed during the first two weeks of the preseason. The 94.3% success rate (133 of 141) was below the regular-season rate (99.6%) from 2013 when the ball was snapped from the two-yard line instead of the 15.

Only five of 1,267 short kicks were missed in 2013. All of this summer’s misses came with the ball snapped from the 15. Snaps will move back to the two this week and for the regular season.

NFL officiating director Dean Blandino says he believes longer PAT kicks are “in the league’s near future.” The results this preseason will be brought to the competition committee, and a proposal for change almost certainly will be presented to team owners at next March’s annual meetings.

Cowboys worth $3.2 billion

The Dallas Cowboys are the first U.S. sports franchise to top $3 billion in value.

For the eighth consecutive year, the Cowboys are worth the most of all 32 NFL franchises, according to Forbes. They’re valued at $3.2 billion; only Real Madrid at $3.4 billion is worth more among global franchises.

Dallas posted the NFL’s highest revenue, $560 million, and operating income, $246 million. That was far ahead of second-place New England, worth $2.6 billion and with $428 million in revenues, $147 million in operating income.

Etc.

Pittsburgh Steelers running backs Le’Veon Bell and LeGarrette Blount will be charged with marijuana possession after a traffic stop Wednesday afternoon. Police in Ross Township, Pa., say a traffic officer pulled over a Camaro operated by Bell around 1:30 p.m. after the officer noticed a strong odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle. ... Oakland Raiders fullback Marcel Reece escaped a scare when an injury to his right foot was not as significant as initially feared, and he expects to be at full strength when the season opens next month. Reece was a full participant at practice Wednesday, two days after undergoing an MRI exam on the foot he injured during last week’s preseason game against Detroit. Reece would not disclose the official diagnosis of the injury, calling it only a “foot issue.” ... The Jets put rookie cornerback Dexter McDougle on season-ending injured reserve after he had surgery Wednesday to repair a torn knee ligament.