MCCAREINS: CHAD SHARPER THAN EVER

[SoFlaJets]

By MARK CANNIZZARO

September 9, 2006 --

JETS NOTES

Good news for those dissecting Chad Pennington's comeback: One of his prominent receivers yesterday said Pennington is throwing the ball better than ever.

"He's throwing the ball like he never has before since I've been here," Jets WR Justin McCareins said. "He just looks so sharp, and it seems like his arm strength is stronger than I remember it being (before surgery). He's throwing the deep ball so well and with a lot of accuracy."

*

With hopes of helping his young team handle the hype of a season opener, Eric Mangini yesterday showed the players a videotape about opening day in the NFL season.

"Everyone around the league is feeling the same thing," Mangini said. "We watched a film about opening day in the meeting and it showed Steve Young talking about how 16 years in the league and he still gets butterflies. There was also [bill] Belichick talking about how he gets butterflies. Another veteran player talked about how rookies don't really know what to expect.

"I wanted to show that because that is going to be a part of what happens [tomorrow]. It is universal. You need to not get too high, too emotional or too caught up in that because it can be counter-productive.

"You want to get to an energy level and a state where you can have peak performance and are not so caught up in the moment that you are burnt out too early."

*

The Jets enter tomorrow's game knowing the Titans are going to blitz Pennington until the Jets show they can either slow the blitz with blocking or burn the Titans through the air. Derrick Blaylock, the RB expected to start the game for the Jets, will be a big part of that.

"Derrick has some toughness," Mangini said. "You probably saw him during camp where there were quite a few times when he was taking on a guy significantly bigger than him. He understands physics, leverage, angles. Understanding that size can be negated by the proper technique and effort and toughness is important. He shows a lot of that."

*

To commemorate how important a milestone this is in the Mangini family, Eric's brother Kyle was scheduled to fly into New York last night from Australia, where he lives and works.

"He is excited about it," Eric Mangini said. "He is going to go to the game. Those are all positive, personal things that are associated with this."

The last time the two saw each other was at the June football camp Mangini runs at his old high school in Hartford.

*

Titans S Chris Hope, who played with Jets DT Kimo von Oelhoffen while the two were in Pittsburgh together, said, "I consider him to be one of the best linemen I've ever played with. He's positive, a true veteran, a true pro. He's a great addition to the Jets."

*

Titans defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz is a good friend and former co-worker of Mangini's. The two worked together in 1995 in Clevelend, where Schwartz was a scout and Mangini was a ball boy and then a public relations assistant.

"I started on the staff about as low as you could get, and Mangini may have started off lower than me," Schwartz recalled. "Everybody was young. Everybody was poor, hard-working and ambitious. It made for a great atmosphere, like college. You hear about some of these graduating classes that have several politicians or people destined for success. That's what [Cleveland] was like."

[Maxman]

"He's throwing the ball like he never has before since I've been here," Jets WR Justin McCareins said. "He just looks so sharp, and it seems like his arm strength is stronger than I remember it being (before surgery). He's throwing the deep ball so well and with a lot of accuracy."

Man if that is even remotely close to being true that would be incredible. But that is what the day before the season opener is all about -- dreaming! Everyone is undefeated today, except the Dolphins!

Titans defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz is a good friend and former co-worker of Mangini's. The two worked together in 1995 in Clevelend, where Schwartz was a scout and Mangini was a ball boy and then a public relations assistant.

"I started on the staff about as low as you could get, and Mangini may have started off lower than me," Schwartz recalled. "Everybody was young. Everybody was poor, hard-working and ambitious. It made for a great atmosphere, like college. You hear about some of these graduating classes that have several politicians or people destined for success. That's what [Cleveland] was like."

That Cleveland staff is producing some good things considering it was such a disaster.

[GimmeShelter]

Man if that is even remotely close to being true that would be incredible. But that is what the day before the season opener is all about -- dreaming! Everyone is undefeated today, except the Dolphins!

That Cleveland staff is producing some good things considering it was such a disaster.

I hear ya Max on Chad. My concern though for Penny is still our young line and RB's picking up the blitz.

[PatsFanTX]

"He's throwing the ball like he never has before since I've been here," Jets WR Justin McCareins said. "He just looks so sharp, and it seems like his arm strength is stronger than I remember it being (before surgery). He's throwing the deep ball so well and with a lot of accuracy."

Somebody needs to test McCariens for drugs.

That's some funny $hit.

[GimmeShelter]

Somebody needs to test McCariens for drugs.

That's some funny $hit.

Speaking of drugs.........hows the OCD meds going?

[Maxman]

I hear ya Max on Chad. My concern though for Penny is still our young line and RB's picking up the blitz.

WestchesterJet wrote about that in the preview. That is the key to the game. Fisher we all now is aggressive. They can't do what they did in the preseason. They have to protect him.

[Preston Howley III]

Can somebody post that picture of Herm as Ronald McDonald with the KC logo on his shirt?

[slats]

"He's throwing the ball like he never has before since I've been here," Jets WR Justin McCareins said. "He just looks so sharp, and it seems like his arm strength is stronger than I remember it being (before surgery). He's throwing the deep ball so well and with a lot of accuracy."

"The balls are bouncing off my hands with more velocity than ever before!"

[jetophile]

Yes, that's the thing. Keeping Chad PROTECTED, first and foremost. Reading the blitz, something Curtis was great at, I may add. As an aside, if I EVER see Chad take a header under any circumstance, I will drown myself bobbing for apples. On purpose. On my front lawn. Ditto if he leaves his arm dangling and pinwheeling in space. Aversion Therapy for recidivist criminals that works. I'll write Congress about it.

[PatsFanTX]

"The balls are bouncing off my hands with more velocity than ever before!"

Damn, I wish I would have thought of that one.

[Smizzy]

He's throwing the ball like he never has before since I've been here," Jets WR Justin McCareins said. "He just looks so sharp, and it seems like his arm strength is stronger than I remember it being

Translation : They cut his money and he's playing for his future, From my spot on the bench,behind Cotchery,it seems like the ball has more zip but we both know I couldn't catch a beachball out there.

Justin McCareins = Todd Pinkston

[GimmeShelter]

Translation : They cut his money and he's playing for his future, From my spot on the bench,behind Cotchery,it seems like the ball has more zip but we both know I couldn't catch a beachball out there.

Justin McCareins = Todd Pinkston

Horse crap.....they cut his salary and made it incentive based due to his two shoulder surgeries and the doubts he could make it back.