JETS ARTICLES - SAT 11/18

[Sperm Edwards]

http://www.nj.com/jets/ledger/index.ssf?/base/sports-0/116383191885450.xml&coll=1

Jets to monitor dangerous Bear

Saturday, November 18, 2006

BY ELI GELMAN

Star-Ledger Staff

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. -- Jets coach Eric Mangini remembers the play. He was an assistant on Bill Parcells' staff when the Jets had their longest play in franchise history.

Parcells' Jets were in Indianapolis on Nov. 15, 1998, and Colts kicker Mike Vanderjagt missed a 63-yard field-goal attempt. Aaron Glenn was waiting in the end zone and returned the missed kick 104 yards for a touchdown.

"That was a fun play," Mangini said yesterday. "I'm looking forward to not being on the other end of that anytime soon."

He should be so lucky.

The Chicago Bears visit the Jets at the Meadowlands tomorrow and the Jets must contend with Devin Hester, a rookie return specialist. Hester returned a missed 52-yard field goal 108 yards for a TD against the Giants last Sunday to tie the NFL record for the longest play in league history. He also has two punt returns for touchdowns (84 and 83 yards) this season and is tied for second in the league averaging 13.1 yards per punt return.

Mangini would never give up his game plan but didn't sound too interested in giving Hester a chance at duplicating what he did to the Giants last week.

"I'm hoping we don't have to kick the long field goal. Ideally I'd like it not to be too long," Mangini said. "It ups the ante if he's standing back there and you miss. Those are difficult situations because you don't have your traditional coverage teams out there. You need the big guys up there to block to get the field goal off. And in doing that, it's big guys covering a very fast, talented returner. So it definitely changes the equation a bit."

One of those big guys on the field-goal unit is right guard Brandon Moore. Should Hester attempt to return a missed field goal, he'll be one of the players trying to stop him.

"For an offensive linemen out there, it's similar to an interception. You have to be able to cover and make the tackle," said Moore, adding that "offensive linemen don't ever practice tackling. The last time an offensive linemen had a tackling drill was probably in high school."

Moore and the other offensive linemen aren't thinking about Hester.

"I got other things to worry about in the game plan and blocking (defensive linemen) Tommie Harris, Tank Johnson and (middle linebacker) Brian Urlacher," Moore said. "I'm not worrying about him returning a field goal."

Neither is linebacker Brad Kassell. He's more concerned about stopping Hester from returning a third punt for a touchdown.

"You have to control him because he's one of those guys that could change the game," Kassell said. "He may not score, but he may take one for 50 and flip-flop the field. You just got to have good punts, good coverage and try to never let him get a chance."

The Jets hope the experience they've had facing other top returners this season -- the Bills' Roscoe Parrish and Terrence McGee and the Patriots' Laurence Maroney -- has prepared them for Hester.

"But at the end of the day, he's really scary when he's got the ball in his hands," linebacker and special teams captain Matt Chatham said of Hester.

Notes: LB Victor Hobson was fined $7,500 by the NFL for his hit on Patriots QB Tom Brady last week. ...

The Jets will hold their annual Thanksgiving food drive at tomorrow's game and ask that fans bring nonperishable items. ... Bears CB Dante Wesley (knee) was downgraded from questionable to doubtful. If Wesley can't go, former Jets DB Derrick Strait might be activated.

[Sperm Edwards]

http://www.thejournalnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061118/SPORTS01/611180374/1108

Hobson becoming factor in Jets' blitz schemes

By Brian Heyman

The Journal News

(Original Publication: November 18, 2006)

HEMPSTEAD - The blitz was on. Victor Hobson made a mad dash at his fellow Michigan man, Tom Brady. The Jets' linebacker came crashing into the Patriots' quarterback as he released the ball, lifting him off the ground and smashing him back into the mushy Gillette Stadium grass.

The yellow flag flew - 15 yards for unnecessary roughness, negating the interception Hobson had forced late in the first half. So what did he learn from last Sunday's play that the Jets had the NFL review?

"Not to land on the quarterback," Hobson said yesterday before the announcement that the league was fining him $7,500.

So how do you avoid it when you're free and basically coming at 100 mph?

"That's what I asked them," Hobson said.

That unanswerable question aside, Hobson has shown the Jets that he can be an effective blitzer, and their head-turning 17-14 upset at New England provided another example.

Bob Sutton finally turned up the heat with a blitz-happy strategy. So if the defensive coordinator wants to try it again when the 5-4 Jets go against Rex Grossman and the 8-1 Bears tomorrow at the Meadowlands, he at least knows there's the potential for it to work.

"You love to put pressure on people," Hobson said. "It's just a matter of being able to execute. The more you execute the defenses that are called, the more you give the coaches an opportunity to feel comfortable enough to call different defenses."

Hobson received plenty of calls, coming at Brady, by one count, on a believed-to-be career-high 15 blitzes. Besides the penalized play, he forced an incompletion with a first-quarter hit and helped force a fourth-quarter interception by Erik Coleman with pressure. In fact, Hobson owns seven pressures, which tops a team that hadn't exactly been known for its pass rush before last weekend's game.

It's a characteristic that goes back to his Michigan days. In fact, his new position coach happens to be his former Wolverines defensive coordinator, Jim Herrmann. Hobson gave him 15 sacks and 47 tackles for losses over his college career.

"I thought he showed good instincts in terms of finding the hole as it developed within the offensive front," coach Eric Mangini said about the New England game. "He has that feel. And talking to Jim Herrmann, that was a real strength of his in college as well - being in the sub-rush (package), not just coverage, but also the rush element of it."

This has been a season of adjustment for the 2003 second-round pick, in his third year as a starter. The 26-year-old Englewood, N.J.-born and Cherry Hill, N.J.-raised strong-side linebacker has been making the transition like all the rest from the 4-3 to Mangini's 3-4.

The Jets' defensive rankings still aren't good even with the strong New England game - 31st overall, 28th vs. the run, 21st vs. the pass. But Hobson has had a solid season, delivering 42 tackles, two sacks, one interception, one forced fumble and two fumble recoveries, one of which he returned 32 yards for a touchdown in the 28-20 win at Buffalo in Week 3.

"I think he's done a good job," Mangini said. "Even though he has some carryover from what he was doing before, there's quite a bit of learning. He's a smart guy, and he embraced that. I just like the way that he keeps building flexibility and the things that he can do. He's been involved with a lot of our big plays this year. ... So he's taken advantage of the opportunities."

His second-ranked alma mater has a rather large opportunity today, a chance to upend No. 1 Ohio State in Columbus. The game has produced a lot of chatter and different types of bets between the Michigan guys and Ohio State guys in the Jets' locker room, such as Hobson and Nick Mangold. So school pride is running sky high.

"I think he's got a lot," Mangold said. "If you're willing to put the money on the line, that obviously shows you've got pride in your school."

Hobson has wagers with Mangold, Anthony Schlegel and another Buckeyes alum, the Chargers' Shane Olivea. But Hobson won't be dressing for a week in one of their college jerseys if there's a loss - a bet Michigan man B.J. Askew has with Mangold.

"I'll just say that if Michigan does lose, which I don't see, it'll hurt my pride and my pockets a little bit," Hobson said. "I don't care what we lose, I'll never wear an Ohio State jersey."

Notes: Jonathan Vilma said Mangini's credibility with the players "has improved with wins. You can't sell anything without seeing results." ... Chicago rookie Devin Hester has two punt returns for scores as well as last Sunday's 108-yard field-goal return vs. the Giants. "The big thing with him is just to get ... a lot of helmets on the guy and try to surround him," Jets special-teams captain Matt Chatham said. ... The Jets will be conducting a nonperishable food drive at the gates.

[Sperm Edwards]

http://www.dailyherald.com/sports/bears.asp?id=251324

Mangini leading Jets back to winning ways

By Kent McDill

Daily Herald Sports Writer

Posted Saturday, November 18, 2006

Many of the numbers aren’t impressive — but the most important number is just fine.

The New York Jets enter Sunday’s game against the Bears as the 25th best team on offense and rank No. 31 in the NFL on defense.

They also enter the game with a 5-4 record (1 win more than they had all of last season), and they are on the upswing following an impressive 17-14 victory at New England on Sunday.

So much for the significance of statistics.

“We focus each week on finding a way to win the game and having a game plan to win the game and not necessarily what the statistics are,’’ said Jets coach Eric Mangini.

That’s why Mangini is being touted as the next NFL coaching genius.

At the age of 35, he is the youngest head coach in the league. With their win at New England, his Jets stands one game behind the perennial AFC powerhouse Patriots in the AFC East.

The Jets have made the playoffs twice this decade.

New York last played for the AFC title in 1982 (losing to Miami), and the Jets’ only Super Bowl appearance came in 1969, when Joe Namath did his thing and upset the Baltimore Colts.

Jets Nation is hungry for a winner, and everyone involved knows it.

“Every fan base wants a winner, but Jets fans are incredibly passionate,’’ said Mangini, a former assistant coach with the Patriots, Jets and Cleveland Browns. “I knew that when I worked here in ’97, and I knew that when I was at New England and had to come play there.”

“I don’t know if they are desperate, but they are longing for those glory days when Namath was here,’’ said linebacker Jonathan Vilma. “We are trying to give it to them.”

One true believer is Namath, who told the New York Daily News he is on board with Mangini and his progress.

“They are for real,’’ Namath said from his home in Florida. “They have proven they can win on the road, which is the toughest thing to do. And I think they are convincing themselves that they haven’t played their best football yet.”

Chad Pennington is the latest Jets quarterback, and he has made a good comeback from two seasons in which he suffered shoulder injuries. He missed three games in 2004, and he played in three games in 2005 before sitting down.

Now he is enjoying a credible season, with 10 touchdown passes and 9 interceptions, a 63 percent completion rating, and he has stayed healthy so far.

Mangini admits Pennington was a question mark for the 2006 season. However, he answered the questions with success as a result of his off-season work program.

“There hasn’t been a precedent for a quarterback coming off of two injuries like he did,’’ Mangini said. “To me what has been more impressive has been his work ethic and the way he approaches the preparation prior to the game.

“He is here all the time, and he studies as much as anybody I have been around. The fact he was able to do the things he has done in light of the injuries he has had and the hard work he had to do to get back from those injuries, it is really a testament to him.”

[Sperm Edwards]

http://www.nypost.com/seven/11182006/sports/jets/gross_weight_jets_michael_morrissey.htm

GROSS WEIGHT

By MICHAEL MORRISSEY

November 18, 2006 -- It's hard to fathom at first glance: The second-best team in football is guided by a quarterback who's near the top of the NFL in interceptions.

But Chicago's Rex Grossman is a high-risk, high-reward gunslinger, and the Jets' task tomorrow is to disrupt his timing and hope his aim is errant and his decision-making is poor. If that happens, they have a shot to beat a team that their co-tenants, the Giants, were unable to defeat last weekend in the Meadowlands.

If not, it'll be Rex Deux.

"He's making big plays," Jets linebacker Victor Hobson said. "It's easy to say, 'Yeah, he's turning the ball over.'

"But at the same time, he's overriding those turnovers with a lot of big plays. Those big plays count. And they turn the tide of a game."

Grossman has tossed 17 touchdowns this season while leading the Bears to an average of 30.2 points per game, second in the NFL. But he has thrown an unsightly 11 picks, tied for third highest in the league. Grossman threw seven of those in two games, against Arizona and Miami - both losing teams.

The Bears needed a furious second-half comeback from 20 points down in Arizona to avoid an ignominious defeat. The Miami game was a home loss - their lone blemish. Thus, there's a game plan that can stop the former first-round pick despite the Bears' dominance.

"I think pressure is definitely a part of it," linebacker Matt Chatham said. "Another thing is, he's very, very confident in his arm. And he should be.

"But that means he's going to put the ball in situations where he might not be able to complete it at a high percentage. So when there are opportunities, you have to take advantage of it. Because winning the turnover battle in this game is huge."

Chatham cautioned that looking only at Grossman's horrendous games distorted the big picture. He hasn't thrown an interception in four of his nine games.

"He's been exceptionally efficient in a lot of other games," Chatham said. "So you have to assume that's the guy you're going to get on that day.

"And if he isn't, we have to take advantage of the other things. You can't say, 'This is what this guy is always like, because they are 8-1.'"

Cornerback Drew Coleman said Grossman has plenty of excellent options in receivers Muhsin Muhammad, Bernard Berrian, Justin Gage and Rashied Davis.

"I know Rex, he puts it up there," Coleman said. "His receivers go up and make plays. I think he had a couple bad breaks, being pressured.

"We can't just sleep on his last couple games, making bad decisions and throwing picks. They have a lot of good weapons. You've got to outplay them all, and you have to play him tough."

*

The Jets are holding their 15th annual non-perishable food drive tomorrow. Fans can bring their donations to the gates. It is also their seventh annual Military Appreciation Day.

[Sperm Edwards]

Hurt Pays Homage to Plimpton in Hempstead

Published: 11-18-06

By Eric Allen

Article Permalink: http://www.newyorkjets.com/articles/hurt-pays-homage-to-plimpton-in-hempstead

The late George Plimpton is considered the father of “participatory journalism” in America. In the football world, Plimpton became famous when he wrote about his 1963 training camp experience with the Detroit Lions in the widely acclaimed book Paper Lion. Some 43 years later, Harry Hurt III, a New York Times columnist, visited Hempstead and lined up at quarterback for the New York Jets during a mock practice drill.

Hurt contributes a column in the Times titled “Executive Pursuits.” Following Plimpton’s lead, Hurt practiced with the Jets in October and ran three plays from behind center. He first broached the topic with Jets Owner Woody Johnson last summer.

“I flew World War II airplanes upside down. I did rock climbing, and I played poker at Foxwoods over in a weekend tournament,” Hurt said upon arrival at Weeb Ewbank Hall. “I ran into Woody over the summer and said, ‘You know I do all this George Plimpton type stuff. How about this?’ He said okay and I thought he was kidding, but now I’m here.”

It was Plimpton who posed as a 36-year old rookie quarterback from Harvard at Lions '63 camp. At the time, Plimpton worked for Sports Illustrated and the former writer for the Paris Review donned a practice jersey with the number zero.

“This is the coolest thing I have ever done with a helmet on,” Hurt said. “I got to run here plays with the New York Jets. George Plimpton, he had the same number I did in Paper Lion, which was zero, and I’m zero for the Jets.”

A charged-up Hurt was somewhat wild out of the gate. None of the Jets quarterbacks had to worry about their roster spot as Hurt made a simple handoff appear difficult.

“I ran a draw play and I ran two pass plays,” Hurt said. “We actually handed it off to Leon Washington. He complained I put it in his gut too hard, but I think he can live with that. Then I missed my first pass, which was kind of over the middle on the right side to a tight end because I lost him.”

Fortunately for Hurt, Jets offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer spotted an opening on a memorable third and final play.

“I had Justin McCareins flanked out left and the corner was off him,” Hurt said. “Brian Schottenheimer called in on my headphones. He said, ‘That corner was lying back so just go there.’ So I just got under the center, and I delivered the ball back to Justin.”

Hurt wasn’t displeased with his performance, reading his stats for the day as he had connected on half of his pass attempts and 100% of his handoffs. Chad Pennington, the Jets starting signal caller, gave a few pointers to Hurt on how to manage a huddle.

“Well the first thing Chad told me was keep my damn voice down when I’m calling the play in the huddle,” Hurt said. “I had a little problem because by contrast, when you get up under the center, you’re supposed to talk loud when you’re calling out the cadence, so they can all hear you. So one part is supposed to be soft while another part is supposed to be real loud!”

Throughout his day at Jets camp, Hurt was treated like a quarterback. He even attended the team meeting and the quarterback meeting with the Jets passers. Hurt says Eric Mangini was a little tough on him even if the first-year coach didn’t yell.

“He said that that first hand off could have been a little better – that I didn’t wait for the line to get set,” Hurt said. “Maybe Coach should have been a referee or something; I don’t know. All I know is that Leon didn’t drop the ball and he even complained that I put it too hard into his little tummy, so maybe he needs to do some more crunches or something.”

That kind of thinking doesn’t go well with Mangini’s philosophy, so it was good that Hurt’s New York Jet career ended after one day. But it was a wonderful experience for Hurt as he continues to play homage to his late friend, George Plimpton.

“What possessed me was this was homage to my late, great friend George Plimpton, who died three years ago,” Hurt said. “He is a great friend of mine and a great friend of Woody Johnson’s. The column I write, “Executive Pursuits” in the New York Times is based on George’s concept of participatory journalism. Of course he pioneered that with Paper Lion about playing quarterback for the Lions, so I was very honored that I could follow in George’s footsteps. Plus, I did complete a pass which he never did.”

[Sperm Edwards]

Jets vs. Bears: The Key Match-ups

Published: 11-18-06

By Real Football

Article Permalink: http://www.newyorkjets.com/articles/jets-vs-bears-the-key-match-ups

The Chicago Bears return to the Meadowlands after coming alive in the second half of last week’s game to deny the Giants the top spot in the NFC. The Jets were also “giant-killers”, defeating the Patriots 17-14 to pull within one game of the AFC East lead.

Both clubs have inconsistent running games, relying on big plays made in the passing game and special teams to maintain drives and create field position. Chicago additionally has a defense ranked at the top of the league in yards and points allowed per game. Can the Jets knock off a team with a winning record in consecutive weeks? Can the Bears continue to win in spite of turnovers?

New York has a favorable schedule the rest of the way and it is now a real threat for postseason play.

Match-up 1

HB Thomas Jones (5’10”, 220 lbs) vs. LB Jonathan Vilma (6’1”, 230 lbs).

Jones came alive at the end of the first half last week, converting on 3rd-22 by running a draw play. Jones shows solid change of direction, vision, and patience in his running style, often breaking away from his lead blocker when he finds daylight to the backside. Vilma has developed his run-stopping skills in the 3-4 front, but he will have problems with Jones if he continues to cut back before he breaks the line of scrimmage.

Match-up 2

RT Fred Miller (6’7”, 320 lbs) vs. DE Shaun Ellis (6’5”, 285 lbs).

Miller uses his size and hand placement to gain control when pass blocking, but lacks the footwork necessary to keep up with quicker defenders and was flagged three times last week trying to get the jump on the pass rusher. Ellis has developed his “rip” technique to gain the edge, as he did on the last play of last week’s game at New England, and has the quickness to redirect his charge across the face of Miller. QB Rex Grossman struggles when pressured, so Ellis will be a key component in upsetting the timing of Chicago’s passing game.

Match-up 3

DT Tommie Harris (6’3”, 300 lbs) vs. RG Brandon Moore (6’3”, 295 lbs).

Harris has five sacks this season but has cooled off in recent weeks. His exceptional quickness allows him to gain penetration, but Harris has been stymied by guards like Moore who can anchor against his initial charge. Moore struggles with lateral movement, so Harris will probably draw the double team, freeing up the defensive ends to pressure the quarterback.

Things to Look For:

Teams: Chicago leads the all-time series five games to three…The Jets won the last meeting between these teams at the Meadowlands, 17-10 during the 2000 season…The Jets have won three of their past four games and are a game out of the division lead…The Bears own the largest point differential in the NFL (+152) with 272 points scored and 120 points allowed…They are also 1st in the NFL in yards allowed, 1st in the NFC in points allowed, and are 2nd in the NFC in turnover ratio with a +7.

Chad Pennington: Pennington has an 8-3 record and a 103.5 passer rating in 11 career November games.

Kevan Barlow: Six of Barlow’s 17 carries went for first downs against New England last week, and in three career games against Chicago he has 11 first downs.

Laveranues Coles: Coles is tied for the AFC lead with three receptions of 40 yards or more…He is 4th in the NFL with 15 3rd down receptions for 1st downs.

Jerricho Cotchery: Cotchery leads the Jets with 4 TD receptions…Nearly 71% of his receptions (29 of 41) have gone for 1st downs.

Chris Baker: Five of Baker’s seven career TD’s have come from inside the opponent’s 10-yard line.

Bryan Thomas: Thomas needs one sack to establish a new personal single- season high.

Rex Grossman: Grossman has won 12 of his 16 career starts…The Bears are 10-1 when Grossman throws a TD pass.

Thomas Jones: Chicago is 13-0 when Jones has more than 20 carries…He has four 100-yard games in his last six contests against AFC opponents.

Muhsin Muhammad: Muhammad has a TD catch in his last three games.

Bernard Berrian: Berrian has four receptions of 40+ yards and averages 37 yards per TD catch.

Devin Hester: Hester leads the NFC with a 13.1-yard PR average and has an NFL best two PR TD’s.

Chicago Defense: The Bears have allowed 10 points or less in 10 of their last 17 games.

[Sperm Edwards]

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/story/472568p-397652c.html

Mangold's out front & center

BY OHM YOUNGMISUK

DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER

Jets center and Ohio State product Nick Mangold is thinking about two big games this weekend.

As talk swirled around the Jets' locker room of wagers between former Michigan and Ohio State players pertaining to today's gigantic showdown in Columbus, Nick Mangold took a moment to think about just how far he has come.

Last year at this time, Mangold was Ohio State's starting center preparing for the Buckeyes' biggest game of the year against the Wolverines.

Now he's studying up on how to protect Chad Pennington from the Chicago Bears' ferocious defensive line. And Mangold feels as if he has already gone through nine Ohio State-Michigan games as an NFL rookie.

"It's crazy," Mangold said. "Mind-blowing. It is weird. Every week is a huge task (in the NFL) and it has the same feeling where you have to play your best game. That was our thing with the Michigan game: you have to play your best game and here it is every week."

Despite that challenge, Mangold is improving with each passing week. Not only is the 6-3 center living up to his first-round status, opposing scouts have been raving about Mangold's play.

However, Eric Mangini likes to remind people that Mangold has had to do a lot of work along the way.

"Early on we had a couple of minor setbacks, but he worked through those quickly," the Jets' coach said. "During the early camp there he had a couple fumbled snaps that he had to run some laps for. But we worked through the pain. He's been really outstanding since."

Entering the season, the Jets' offensive line was almost as big a question mark as Pennington's health. With Mangold and fellow rookie D'Brickashaw Ferguson starting on the line, the Jets had to wonder how they would protect Pennington and whether a running game could be effective.

Mangold also was replacing one of the NFL's best centers in Kevin Mawae, who under Herm Edwards was like the quarterback of the offensive line.

However, Mangold and the rest of the offensive linemen have steadily improved.

"It seems like each game is a benchmark for them," Pennington said of his linemen. "They just keep getting better and better. You attribute that to their work ethic and how hard they have paid attention to details with getting the offense down and communicating and jelling."

Tomorrow's task for Mangold will be to open holes for the running backs against a defense that has surrendered 157 rushing yards to Miami's Ronnie Brown and 141 to the Giants' Tiki Barber the last two weeks. Mangold also will try to keep Chicago defensive tackles Tommie Harris (five sacks) and Tank Johnson from getting to Pennington.

As for today's game between Ohio State and Michigan, Mangold said he did not call any of his former teammates because he wanted them to focus on the Wolverines. He also said he has a bet with fullback B.J. Askew in which the loser has to wear the other school's jersey for a week.

That, however, is tamer than linebacker Anthony Schlegel's bet with Askew: the loser has to shave his head clean. Schlegel has long, stringy hair.

"Well, Schlegel is an idiot," Mangold said jokingly when asked why he wouldn't put his beard on the line. "Something that drastic of a change, I couldn't do that on a sport."

STRAIT TALK: CB Derrick Strait, who was released by the Jets last month, returns to the Meadowlands with the Bears. He's been informing his teammates in the Chicago secondary all about the Jets' receivers' tendencies. ... LB Victor Hobson said he has not yet heard from the NFL on whether he will be fined for his late hit on Patriots QB Tom Brady last week.

[Sperm Edwards]

http://www.dailysouthtown.com/sports/141281,181spt3.article

Rush job? Bears eye quick start vs. Jets

November 18, 2006

By Gene Chamberlain Staff writer

It took a 26-yard gain by Thomas Jones on a third-and-22 draw play to get the Bears' rushing attack jump-started in their 38-20 win over the New York Giants a week ago.

The Bears think they'll get off to a quicker start against the New York Jets on Sunday. That's because the Jets, who have allowed at least 127 rushing yards in each game this season, employ a 3-4 defensive alignment.

Among teams the Bears have played already, only San Francisco played a 3-4, and the Bears had 145 yards rushing on 34 carries against the 49ers. Unlike in most of their other games, the running game prospered immediately, and the Bears led 41-0 by halftime.

Bears linemen and fullback Jason McKie like run-blocking against the 3-4.

"You kind of know exactly who you're blocking better � it's a little more clear as far as who you have for a blocking assignment," McKie said. "It kind of helps the running game a little bit because the guards are uncovered.

"For me, it kind of allows me really to get through the hole cleanly without having to work around the linemen in order to get to the linebacker and block."

[Sperm Edwards]

http://www.newsday.com/sports/football/jets/ny-spjets184981348nov18,0,3516144.story?coll=ny-jets-print

JETS

Blocking to the beat

Askew helps Barlow, other ballcarriers get into productive rhythm

BY BOB HERZOG

Newsday Staff Writer

November 18, 2006

A little rhythm keeps Jets fullback B.J. Askew from getting the blues.

Just like a running back who thrives on a lot of carries, Askew thrives on being asked to block repeatedly. The constant contact mollifies the fourth-year player from Michigan, who acknowledges he wouldn't mind a few more chances to catch or carry the football. "I'd like to do more, of course," Askew said Friday. "I'm a diverse type of fullback. My role here is mostly blocking, but I'm confident I can do anything they ask me to do."

What Askew was asked to do in Sunday's satisfying 17-14 victory over the Patriots in New England was block - early and often. That was especially evident in a 16-play, 81-yard drive that consumed 9:12 of the second quarter and culminated in a 2-yard touchdown by Kevan Barlow that gave the Jets a 7-3 lead.

Askew sprung Barlow with a key block on New England linebacker Tedy Bruschi. Barlow established his rhythm by carrying nine times on the drive, and Askew kept up the tempo by being part of an escort service for Barlow.

"There is definitely a rhythm to blocking," Askew said. "You watch film and you figure out how you'll block someone, but it takes a few plays to see what his tendencies are. Then you get in a rhythm, just like a running back does."

Jets coach Eric Mangini said of Askew: "He's made tremendous strides from when he first started in the system to where he is now. He gets a little bit better each week. The best example of that was the catch that he made against New England on the crossing route where he went up and got it and fought for extra yards. So he does have the potential as a receiver out of the backfield and he's not too bad with the ball in his hands. He's improving as a blocker. Because of his athleticism, he's very good at those perimeter blocks."

The catch Mangini referred to came in the third quarter. Askew drifted over the middle on second-and-4 from the Patriots' 27 and caught a pass from Chad Pennington for a first down that helped move the Jets into position for Mike Nugent's field goal. He caught another short pass against New England, but he has only three catches for the season, plus four carries for 10 yards.

Askew also is a devastating special-teams player. "I think B.J.'s most substantial contribution has been on special teams, where he's been outstanding," Mangini said. "I think that gets overlooked. He's really a difference-maker on special teams."

Askew said the coaching staff has "tapered down" some of his work on special teams lately because of an injured foot that kept him out of practice most of this week and has him listed as questionable for Sunday. Askew won't give up his multiple responsibilities, though.

"I just love to be on the field," he said. "They could put me anywhere - offense, defense, special teams. If I'm on the field, I'm lovin' it."

[Sperm Edwards]

Jets Salute American Heroes

Article Permalink: http://www.newyorkjets.com/articles/jets-salute-american-heroes

The New York Jets will honor America’s brave at their seventh annual “Jets Military Appreciation Day” on Sunday, November 19th, at 1:00 p.m. when the Jets host the Chicago Bears.

“Today we are proud to recognize our men and women in uniform who sacrifice so much to defend our freedom and safeguard our great nation,” said New York Jets Owner Woody Johnson. “Each and every one of them is a hero. We salute them and the work that they do each day.”

Secretary Michael Wynne, the highest ranking member of the Air Force, will serve as honorary captain and will be present for the coin toss. Formations will represent each military branch: Army, Air Force, Marines, Navy and Coast Guard during the pre-game festivities. The Color Guard will be represented by a combined unit of the Air Force and the Marines.

"All the branches of the service will be represented," head coach Eric Mangini said on Friday. "It's a small token of our appreciation. We obviously can't thank the service enough for the sacrifices they make and their families make to help keep us free."

A vocalist from the United States Air Force Band of Liberty will perform the National Anthem after which four A-10 Warthogs from Connecticut’s Flying Yankees will conduct a flyover. The flyover crew will be recognized on the field between the 3rd and 4th quarters of the game. In addition, the 42nd Infantry Division Band will perform during halftime.

The Jets held their first Military Appreciation Day in 2000 to honor all the men and women who represent our nation and the United States Armed Forces.