Jets news- Wednesday, Aug. 22

[Kentucky Jet]

CENTER STILL GOOD AS GOLD

By LENN ROBBINS

NICK MANGOLD

Getting better.August 22, 2007 -- NFL teams are supposed to get it right when they have a top 10 draft choice, unless, of course, you're the Houston Texas and bypass Reggie Bush for Mario Williams.

NFL teams poke and prod, examine and study tape, hold combines, and bring players in for individual workouts. So the Jets don't deserve any special kudos for using the fourth pick in last year's NFL Draft on Virginia tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson.

But getting Ohio State center Nick Mangold with the 29th pick, now that's worthy of praise. Mangold started every game for the Jets last season and was named to the pro football writers' all-rookie team. And he isn't sitting on his laurels.

"It's been a work in progress ever since the end of last season," Mangold said. "You go back and you look at yourself and you try to see what you did well, what you did bad, and how you can fix it. I didn't feel that I had a really great technique last year. I was just trying to learn everything.

"This year I have a great opportunity to be able to get in there and put the emphasis on the technique, rather than learning stuff, because I have a pretty good idea of what's going on. So that's been a big emphasis going into this season."

Eric Mangini said he likes what he continues to see out of Mangold, and the coach has been keeping a close eye.

"Nick's really good," Mangini said. "I showed a clip of him. It was the one-on-one drill. He was working against, I think it was C.J. (Mosley), but Dwayne (Robertson), C.J., a lot of different guys. And Nick has the ability to really react to those quicker guys, those quicker noses, and then also the ability to anchor and not give ground to the starter noses.

"What I like is the way he sinks his hips and he's got really good hand placement," Mangini said. "So as he comes back, he can strike, reload his hands, strike again. Constantly take the pressure off, whether it's speed or power, take the pressure off with his hands, and his base is so solid . . . it's almost shoulder-width apart exactly where you want it so he's not punching it.

"And the wide base, when you punch, you can't transition if the guy changes directions. He does a really nice job with those elements. And it's just sound fundamentals that he has."

*

The Jets traded free agent LB Jerry Mackey to the Buccaneers for an undisclosed conditional draft choice. Mackey, a Long Island native who played at Syracuse, is the great nephew of former NFL great John Mackey. . . . WR Chansi Stuckey (knee) returned to practice yesterday. CB Andre Dyson did not practice. His injury was not disclosed. . . . OL Pete Kendall started practice but didn't finish. He seemed to suffer a minor shoulder injury and spent the last part of practice riding an exercise bike.

lenn.robbins@nypost.com

[Kentucky Jet]

[FOOTBALL

Jet enjoys the starring role

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

By J.P. PELZMAN

STAFF WRITER

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. -- Here's the situation: It's third-and-long and the ball is about to be snapped. Kerry Rhodes is ready to blitz or drop back into coverage. Yet he has to ask himself the same question before every play.

What's my motivation?

Sorry, that's not what Rhodes asks himself on the field, but the question he probably has during his new off-season career.

You see, the 25-year-old Rhodes is not only a standout strong safety for the Jets. He is a promising actor on the side, and those who have worked with him say he's every bit as serious about movies as he is about football. Rhodes has appeared in two movies, including "Queen of Media," a film about female shock jock Wendy Williams. The film has been picked up for distribution by Warner Brothers.

"I forgot that he was an athlete," said rapper/actress K-Love, who played opposite Rhodes in a scene in the short feature "Misunderstandings."

"Basically, I just thought I was working with another actor who had been working for awhile. I was really, really impressed with his acting ability."

"If it was something [Rhodes] wanted to make a career of and he took a bit of classes," director Malik Pollard said, "he could definitely excel at it."

Rhodes appreciates the compliments, but has said since training camp began that he now is focusing on football.

"I'm not talking about [movies] right now," he said recently. "I'm trying to concentrate on football."

Well, he figures to have a leading role on the field again this season. Rhodes became a starter as a rookie in 2005 and became a star in 2006, with five sacks, four interceptions, three forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. Yet he didn't get selected for the Pro Bowl. The three AFC safeties were Pittsburgh's Troy Polamalu and Baltimore's Ed Reed as starters, and Denver's John Lynch as a reserve.

"It was tough," Rhodes said, sounding a bit like an actor wrongfully snubbed by the Oscar committee. "I felt I should've gotten there, which is my personal opinion and other people's opinions, too. It just gives me motivation this year to come out and work hard. The guys that went last year were deserving. They've been there before and they have the name recognition.

"So it was tough for me, but this year I have a bigger name and people know who I am now, so I'd like to try to do better and I'll be recognized."

He is making a name for himself on screen almost as quickly. In his debut role in "Misunderstandings," he played a cheating boyfriend whose girlfriend caught him in a hot tub with another woman.

"I was the other woman who wasn't supposed to be there," K-Love said with a laugh. "The scene was hot and steamy."

In more ways than one, obviously. Yet she says that Rhodes wasn't self-conscious at all, despite wearing only boxer shorts.

"He was really, really professional about it," K-Love said.

"As professional as he is on the football field, he was the same on the set. It took about 10 to 15 takes."

Rhodes "definitely loves the spotlight," said Pollard, who intends to debut the film at the American Black Film Festival in Los Angeles in October. "He kind of likes being in front of the camera."

His teammates know that quite well. In fact, they have nicknamed him Hollywood. Yet with the Jets, he's also proved he can work within an ensemble.

"My biggest thing right now is trying not to do too much," Rhodes said. "I try to stay within the scheme, and not be out of position. I try to be the same person every day."

In movies, he has the chance to be someone else.

"He definitely could have a future" in acting, K-Love said. "He has talent, looks, credibility and charisma."

And he knows enough about it to critique other performers, such as coach Eric Mangini, who has appeared on "The Sopranos" and "Sesame Street."

"He can't act," a smiling Rhodes said when asked if he would go to Mangini for some tips. "I think he'll stick to coaching and I'll stick to football right now."

E-mail: pelzman@northjersey.com

[Kentucky Jet]

JETS

Jets notebook

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Costanzo ready

He played 10 games in NFL Europa this spring, but Blake Costanzo isn't tired. Even after nearly four weeks of the Jets' training camp.

"I was in football shape to begin with," said Costanzo, a Franklin Lakes native who is going through his second preseason with the Jets.

Costanzo, a linebacker from Lafayette College, has one tackle in two preseason games and is looking forward to Saturday's game against the Giants. He expects about 15 relatives and friends to be in attendance.

"It's going to be great," he said, "to go out there again and play with all those guys and play another game. And show the coaches what I've got and how I can help the team in any way."

Costanzo certainly has bought into Eric Mangini's system. When asked how camp has gone for him, he talked instead about the team.

"We've all worked so hard," he said. "Every guy on this team has worked so hard and sacrificed. It's just great to be a part of the team."

Mangini weather

The sound system blared U2's "Beautiful Day" at one point during the Jets' outdoor practice Tuesday, and Mangini surely felt the song was appropriate, even if no one else did. He believes practicing in bad weather helps his team in case it faces such situations during the season.

"It's a little cool and wet," rookie running back Danny Ware said, "but it keeps you focused and it makes everybody concentrate more because you don't want to fumble. You don't want to have bad throws and bad snaps. It makes the team better."

Briefs

Rookie WR Chansi Stuckey (knee) returned to practice after being injured Monday. ... CB Andre Dyson (possible leg injury) sat out and LG Pete Kendall left practice with a possible shoulder injury.

-- J.P. Pelzman

[Kentucky Jet]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jet rookie & Kendall: On guard!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

BY RICH CIMINI

DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER

Wednesday, August 22nd 2007, 4:00 AM

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Print Email Suggest a Story

Read Rich Cimini's The Jets Stream

The Jets break training camp today, but Eric Mangini isn't going to hand out dog tags to mark the occasion. That will be a change for rookie guard Jacob Bender. In Bender's years at Nicholls State, a Division I-AA school in Thibodaux, La., each player received a dog tag at the end of fall camp - one of those charming college traditions.

This week, instead of a chain around his neck, Bender is wearing a target on his back.

The sixth-round draft choice, thrust into the Pete Kendall mess on Sunday when he began taking first-team reps at left guard, probably will start Saturday night against the Giants. It's hard to read Mangini's motivation: Did he promote Bender to further annoy the disgruntled Kendall or does he actually believe the rookie can be the opening-day starter?

Either way, it creates an unsettling situation for Jets fans: Chad Pennington will be protected, in part, by a player with very little experience at guard (about 2-1/2weeks) and rudimentary pass-protection skills. There wasn't much passing at Nicholls State, where they run the triple option. That explains why Bender was the first offensive lineman in school history to get drafted.

If Bender misses a block and Pennington gets hurt, Mangini will be open to major criticism. Nevertheless, the coach praised Bender, saying he earned a shot to play with the starters.

"There's no sense of, 'I come from a smaller program, I'm going to stick my toe in the water and see if I could make it here,'" Mangini said yesterday at Hofstra. "He jumped in with both feet, which is how we saw him coming out (of college) and I'm pleased with that approach."

Mangini wants to develop position versatility, which may explain why Bender is playing left guard after starting camp at right tackle. Of course, you can learn versatility as a backup, too. By promoting Bender to the first unit - he'll probably alternate with Kendall, the incumbent - Mangini is sending a loud message. After all, this is the most important preseason game, with the starters slated to play about three quarters.

Who could've imagined that Bender, the 177th player drafted, would get a start before cornerback Darrelle Revis (14th)? One veteran simply rolled his eyes when asked about the Bender-Kendall competition. This comes after the Kendall-Adrien Clarke competition, which went bust when Clarke was demoted after a poor game last week.

It's hard to believe Bender will start opening day against the Patriots, facing players such as Richard Seymour and Vince Wilfork. As much as it may pain them, the Jets might have to start Kendall, who has complained loudly about his contract situation. He hurt his right shoulder early in yesterday's practice, spending the rest of the session on the sideline, but it doesn't appear serious.

Bender, perhaps a pawn in an ugly fight between a teammate and management, declined to be drawn into the controversy.

"Pete knows a lot of stuff," he said. "He's helped me a lot in my transition to guard. Pete's a great player. I feel privileged to play with players like that."

Bender grew up in Mayo, Md., a fishing and crabbing town along the Chesapeake Bay. After being spurned by Hofstra, of all places, on an official visit, he signed with Nicholls State. His parents used to make the 1,200-mile trip to Louisiana on a Harley Davidson motorcycle. His father, Mike, biked up to New York last week for the Jets-Vikings game, a mere 245-mile jaunt.

Mangini liked Bender's performance in that game, and the week before, too, so he's trying to turn a 6-6, 315-pound tackle into a left guard.

"It was difficult," Bender said of the adjustment. "Everything is a lot shorter, a lot quicker inside. You always get help from the center, so you have to know which way the center is going. It just takes work, but I've been getting good at it."

He'd better be right. A lot is riding on him.

[Kentucky Jet]

For starters, Revis is getting his shot

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Wednesday, August 22nd 2007, 4:00 AM

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Print Email Suggest a Story

On his third day of practice, rookie CB Darrelle Revis ran with the starters. That didn't take long, did it? Actually, he moved up because of an injury to Andre Dyson.

Revis played left corner with the first team, also seeing action as a nickel/slot corner in sub packages. In terms of performance, it was a mixed day. The first-round pick, who signed a six-year, $30 million contract after a 20-day contract dispute, broke up a pass to TE Chris Baker. But he also was flagged for pass interference on WR Brad Smith, who later beat the former Pitt standout on an intermediate crossing route.

"I'm progressing every day," Revis said afterward. "It's starting to come to me now. I'm starting to make plays."

The slot corner is a foreign position to Revis. At cornerback, he can see the action from the outside in. In the slot, it's a different world, where he must pay attention to the receivers and offensive line.

"It's tougher," he said.

Dyson, hobbled throughout training camp, was walking with a noticeable limp. He may have aggravated a leg injury in Monday night's practice.

MACKEY DEALT: The Jets traded rookie LB Jerry Mackey to the Bucs for an undisclosed conditional draft pick, probably a seventh-rounder. It seems like a strange trade, but the Bucs lost two backups to injuries. They're familiar with Mackey, who spent a month with them after signing as a post-draft free agent.

Mackey, a product of Freeport, L.I., signed with the Jets on Aug. 4. ... Rookie WR Chansi Stuckey (knee) returned to practice on a limited basis.... RB Thomas Jones (calf), CB/KR Justin Miller (hamstring) and S Eric Smith (leg) remained on the sideline.... DE Shaun Ellis intercepted a pass by Chad Pennington and returned it for a touchdown in a two-minute drill. ... LB Eric Barton booted a 20-yard field goal at the end of practice, winning a no-curfew night for the entire team. No wonder the players cheered loudly, jumping up and down.

WEATHER OR NOT: The Jets practiced for 2-1/2 hours in a steady rain. What, you thought they would go inside to their cozy bubble? Eric Mangini doesn't believe in that.

"Cold, hot, snow. Wind. Rain. Hail. Whatever it is. Noise. The more distractions you have, the tougher it is," Mangini said.

Rich Cimini

[Kentucky Jet]

Jets center Mangold was born to be blocker

BY TOM ROCK | tom.rock@newsday.com

August 22, 2007

Article tools

E-mail Share this

Digg Del.icio.us Facebook Furl Google Reddit Spurl Yahoo Print Single page view Reprints Reader feedback Text size: Basketball has natural shooters. Baseball has natural hitters. Even football has players who seem to possess an innate instinct when it comes to things such as passing and running.

But is there such a thing as a natural-born blocker?

If there is, the Jets may have one in center Nick Mangold. The second-year player from Ohio State is already a mainstay on the offensive line and had arguably the best year of any lineman in 2006.

Not expected to start right away, the late first-round pick was forced to take over the position because of injury and never looked back. Some even think he may be on his way to perennial Pro Bowl status.

But the scary thing about Mangold's rookie season is this: He did it primarily without knowing what he was doing.

"You go back and look at yourself and see what you did well, what you did bad, and how you can fix it," Mangold said of his offseason self-analysis. "One of the things was that I didn't really play with great technique, mostly because I was trying to learn everything else."

With a year of the Jets offense comfortably embedded in his hairy head, Mangold was able to turn his attention to the finer points of his position. He worked on better hand placement, better footwork, and better balance. After a very strong first season without much room for improvement, Mangold is just plain better.

"Nick's really good," Jets coach Eric Mangini said, a blunt compliment he won't often utter about one of his players. "Nick has the ability to really react to those quicker guys, those quicker noses, and then also the ability to anchor and not give ground to the stouter noses."

Mangini is so fond of Mangold's play that, unlike all of the other offensive line positions that he scrambles in the name of versatility, he has kept Mangold exclusively at starting center this summer.

"I'm comfortable with his flexibility right where it is," Mangini said.

Mangini said he likes the way Mangold sinks his hips and uses his hands so "he can strike, reload, strike again."

He said that's a skill refined in the Teddy Atlas boxing classes Mangini encouraged this offseason.

"The offensive linemen, they're snapping what would be the equivalent of a jab, but it's with two hands," he said. "It applies at every position and that's why boxing has a serious carry-over."

Mangold's hands weren't quick enough to avoid the bite of perhaps the smallest foe he's faced in his NFL career. On Monday, while speaking to a television reporter, he was stung on the hand by a bee. When the insect returned and landed on his back, Mangold shrieked: "Ooo, ooo, get it off of me!" and darted about the field. He's better equipped to handle opponents the size of the Patriots' Vince Wilfork than that buzzing menace.

Although the Jets are not permitted to discuss injuries, Mangold was forthcoming with details from his encounter yesterday. "It's still a little swollen, but we're getting better," he said. "It hurt. A lot. It caught me by surprise."

Mangold may not mix well with nature. But, is there such a thing as a natural blocker?

Mangini, the coach, said no. "They are definitely things that are coached," he said.

Mangold, however, had a different take. "I guess you kind of have to have a natural block to get to the NFL, but I think it's what you do with your natural ability once you get here," he said. "All the guys here, myself included, are working real hard to perfect what we're doing."

Some have longer to go than others.

Saturday

Jets at Giants

8 p.m.

TV: Ch. 4

Radio: WEPN (1050)

More articles

Copyright

[Kentucky Jet]

THE RED ZONE: Quick hits from around training camp

Tom Rock

August 22, 2007

Article tools

E-mail Share this

Digg Del.icio.us Facebook Furl Google Reddit Spurl Yahoo Print Single page view Reprints Reader feedback Text size: Mangini gets tougher

Eric Mangini smiled at the idea that he has a reputation for one of the more arduous training camps in the NFL. "Come on," he blushed, "nobody said that."

But even if last year's training camp was difficult and grueling, this year's has been more so. With one more practice scheduled for the 2007 version of training camp, the Jets have practiced longer and more often than they did last year.

In terms of time on the field, they have logged an unofficial 62 hours, 31 minutes, surpassing last year's total of about 59 1/2 hours approximately midway through Monday evening's workout. Last year, the Jets had 25 practices, including six double sessions. By the end of camp tomorrow, the team will have withstood 27 practices and eight double sessions.

The bottom line

Mangini finally got what he's undoubtedly been waiting for all of training camp: a rainy day. "Cold, hot, snow, wind, rain, hail, whatever it is," he said, listing just some of his favorite focus-building distractions.

[Kentucky Jet]

Jets move Revis to starting cornerback

BY TOM ROCK | tom.rock@newsday.com

August 22, 2007

Article tools

E-mail Share this

Digg Del.icio.us Facebook Furl Google Reddit Spurl Yahoo Print Single page view Reprints Reader feedback Text size: Darrelle Revis was in a much more comfortable place yesterday, taking reps with the starting unit at cornerback. Revis was "promoted" to the position, rather than the nickelback he had been playing, with starting cornerback Andre Dyson sidelined by an apparent leg injury. Depending on the extent of Dyson's injury, Revis could be the starting corner against the Giants in Saturday's preseason game.

"It's starting to come to me now," Revis said after his third practice with the team following a long contractual dispute.

Playing with the first group may be beneficial for Revis' development, especially since he is on the field with safety Kerry Rhodes and cornerback David Barrett, two players who have been helpful tutors to him so far.

"Those two guys are smart," he said. "They help me out and told me I can come to them on and off the field."

With Revis now on the field as a starter, it may be difficult to bump him off.

Pete takes a spin

Veteran guard Pete Kendall found himself in yet another uncomfortable position yesterday, spending the second half of practice on the exercise bicycle with his right shoulder wrapped. Kendall, who grudgingly has spent time in the last week as the Jets' backup center, is now in competition with rookie Jacob Bender for the starting left guard job, even though Kendall has asked to be traded or released.

Kendall spent extra time working on his shotgun snaps after practice Monday night. The apparent injury he suffered yesterday was to his snapping shoulder.

Jet streams

The Jets traded linebacker Jerry Mackey, a Freeport product, to the Buccaneers for an undisclosed draft pick. Not a bad return on the investment for the Jets, who had picked Mackey up as a free agent earlier in camp ... Safety Raymond Ventrone, touted by Mangini for his special-teams play earlier in the week, dropped an interception yesterday ... Defensive end Shaun Ellis deflected two passes and caught one for an interception, which he returned for a touchdown.

[Kentucky Jet]

It's no illusion: Jets' Nugent is kicking better

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

(Original publication: August 22, 2007)

HEMPSTEAD - If you're wondering who you should draft as the kicker for your fantasy football team, Mike Nugent has an easy answer - him, of course - and a cool video to support his choice.

The Jets' place-kicker, who improved his leg strength during the offseason, recently filmed a commercial for NFL.com that fans are getting, well, quite a kick out of.

"It took a ton of takes and we did it a million times," Nugent said after a rain-soaked practice yesterday. "There's certain things here or there that they probably help you out with, but, yeah, it took a while out there."

The commercial begins with Nugent looking into the camera and saying, "They say it takes strength and accuracy to be a great kicker. Check this out."

Nugent jogs over to four footballs lined up next to each other from at least 30 yards out and takes aim at six stacked blue buckets: three on the bottom, two in the middle and one on top. He kicks the first ball into the top bucket, the second into the one on the bottom left, and the third kick knocks over the bucket on the far right. For the finale, Nugent lines a kick that knocks over the remaining buckets like bowling pins.

"I say, pick me," Nugent says as he walks off camera.

And who could argue with that?

The commercial, one in a series that features other NFL players such as Braylon Edwards, Andre Johnson and Jason Campbell performing incredible football feats, has fans wondering: Is it real?

"Yeah," Nugent said, smiling. "I guess you can say you don't hit every one of those exactly in a row every time like that, but yeah."

With the way Nugent has looked in training camp so far, it's hard to dispute that he's got a leg up on the season after adding 8-10 pounds to his 5-foot-9, 188-pound frame.

"He spent a lot of time working on total body strength," coach Eric Mangini said. "One of his points of emphasis was kickoffs. He was working on getting more distance and hang time on his kickoffs. He's done a good job with that."

Since being the Jets' first pick in the 2005 draft, the pressure has been on the former Ohio State kicker to be not just good, but one of the league's best. Despite finishing last season with the best single-season field-goal percentage in team history at 88.9 percent by making 24 of 27, including his last 18 in a row, Nugent was criticized heavily for his lack of leg strength.

Nugent had a big-time reality check during the Jets' game at Green Bay last season in Week 13.

"I remember they gave me a real tough ball to kick to open the second half, and I hit it to like the 18-(yard line) and I thought, 'That's just not going to cut it,' " Nugent said. "My teammates are working so hard to get down the field, and they need a better opportunity than them getting the ball on the 18 with a 3.8 hang time."

So Nugent worked on getting stronger. He has kicked 60-yarders through Arena Football League-sized posts during camp.

"I've worked like crazy this offseason to try to get that going," Nugent said.

Note: The Jets traded linebacker Jerry Mackey to Tampa Bay yesterday for an undisclosed draft pick. Mackey, a great-nephew of Hall of Fame tight end John Mackey, was signed by the Jets Aug. 4 after being released by the Buccaneers in June. He originally signed with the Bucs as an undrafted free agent out of Syracuse in May.

[Kentucky Jet]

Jets Endure the Storm Before the Calm

J. Pat Carter/Associated Press

David Bowens (96) playing for the Miami Dolphins against Buffalo last season. The Jets signed him as a free agent in April.

By NATHANIEL VINTON

Published: August 22, 2007

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y., Aug. 21 — It felt like a damp and drizzly November day at Jets training camp Tuesday, and that was fine for the man in charge. Coach Eric Mangini has not seen everything go his way this preseason, but he could not have asked for better (that is, worse) weather.

“I was happy to see the weather today,” Mangini said. “It’s great — cold, hot, snow, wind, rain, hail. Whatever it is. Noise. The more distraction you have, the tougher it is, the more pressure the group can be under collectively, that’s important.”

To simulate the game-day din, the music was cranked up for the soggy practice. The soundtrack included “Umbrella” by Rihanna, as well as Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Who’ll Stop the Rain?”

One person who has appreciated the camp’s meteorological hardship is David Bowens, a 30-year-old defensive end who signed in April. A versatile veteran who may play a hybrid role at linebacker, Bowens wants to be ready for everything this season, including the worst possible weather.

“We’ve had all elements this camp: cold, rain, heat, humidity,” he said. “It’s a thing that gets you acclimated to game situations.”

Closing last season as a free agent with 26 sacks in the last three seasons, Bowens, who has a little salt and pepper in his goatee, had several options as he looked for a place to finish his career. Why did he choose the Jets, who are known for tough workouts?

“It’s pretty similar to the way Nick ran his camp,” said Bowens, referring to Nick Saban, his coach for the last two seasons with the Dolphins. He said he knew Mangini expected a lot from his players and that “everybody was held accountable and responsible for his own actions.”

“It’s something I believe in,” Bowens said.

In New York, Bowens has been reunited with two coaches with whom he has a long history. When Bowens was at the University of Michigan, Jim Herrmann, the Jets’ linebackers coach, was a defensive assistant there. And for the last two seasons in Miami, Bowens worked with the Jets’ new defensive line coach, Dan Quinn.

What Bowens needs to find now is a teammate who shares his passion for bowling, which may be a tall order. He has a 210 average, and is traveling with four 16-pound bowling balls. (His father was in the Professional Bowlers Association, he said.)

Laveranues Coles is said to be a competent bowler. When will Bowens challenge Coles, the team’s star receiver, on the lanes?

“We’ll get together sooner or later and figure it out; we just don’t have time right now,” said Bowens, who listed Jerome Bettis and O. J. McDuffie, each retired, as two of the respectable bowlers in the N.F.L.

Mangini feigned indignation over the suggestion that he has a reputation for running a tough camp.

After a month, the Jets have finally scaled back from two-a-day practices.

“In terms of fatigue, I think anytime you get to this point in camp, you’re fatigued, and everybody around the league is fatigued,” Mangini said.

He sounded cautiously positive in comparing the team’s level of preparation to that of a year ago, when he was starting out in the job.

“It’s different in the sense that you’re teaching at a different level, because you’re not focused as much on the core things: terminology, base formations, base adjustments, base route conversions,” Mangini said.

“You’ve got a body of work there.”

EXTRA POINTS

The Jets traded linebacker Jerry Mackey to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Tuesday for an undisclosed draft pick. It will be Mackey’s second stint with Tampa Bay this summer, after it signed him as an undrafted free agent out of Syracuse on May 3 (and released him to the Jets in June). ... The Jets’ first-round pick, Darrelle Revis, is learning as fast as he can after a contract holdout delayed his arrival until late last week. “It’s starting to come to me now,” said Revis, who said he had not played a football game since about last Thanksgiving. “I’m looking forward to playing on Saturday, even if it’s just one play. That is up to the coaches.”

Next Article in Sports (20 of 22) »

[Kentucky Jet]

Jets day at camp

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

BY DAVE HUTCHINSON

Star-Ledger Staff

PLAYER PROFILE

If second-year center Nick Mangold makes the Pro Bowl this season, you can give special assistant Teddy Atlas some of the credit.

Advertisement

Atlas, the famed boxing trainer, worked with the Jets this off-season, merging boxing and football. In football, hand placement, technique and balance are integral components of success, especially along the offensive and defensive lines, and the same is true in boxing.

Jets coach Eric Mangini, an avid boxing fan, brought in Atlas, and Mangold is among the players who benefited.

"What I like (about Mangold) is the way he sinks has hips and he's got really good hand placement," Mangini said. "So as he comes back, he can strike, reload his hands (like a boxer throwing a jab), strike again. ... And with the wide base, when you punch, you can transition if the guy changes directions. It's just sound fundamentals.

"I get a lot of questions about Teddy and what type of role a boxing coach could have in football. I think that's a really good example of how hand placement comes into play because there's no difference. The concept is the same. The offensive linemen are still snapping what would be the equivalent of a jab but it's with two hands."

Said Mangold: "One of those things (last season) was I didn't really play with great technique. This year has been a great opportunity to have the emphasis on technique rather than learning because I already have a pretty good idea of what's going on."

Who's hot

DE Shaun Ellis intercepted a Chad Pennington pass from point-black range and returned it for a 10-yard TD. Even so, Pennington bounced back with a solid day. ... P Ben Graham uncorked a 60-yarder. ... QB Brett Ratliff had his best practice of camp. ...

Who's not

S Raymond Ventrone dropped an interception and later made a bonehead play on a Hail Mary pass in the end zone, purposely fumbling an interception instead of taking a knee.

Quick hits

Mangini was absolutely giddy over the chance to practice in a steady, cold rain yesterday. Not so coincidentally, U2's "Beautiful Day" was among the musical selections. ... Rookie G/T Jacob Bender played in a triple option offense at Division II Nicholls State and could be a liability in pass blocking, which doesn't bode well for Pennington. ...

The Jets traded rookie free agent LB Jerry Mackey to the Bucs for an undisclosed, low-round draft pick. Mackey had originally signed with Tampa and was released in June. ... LB Eric Barton kicked a 20-yard FG at the end of practice and the Jets had no curfew last night. ...

Injury report: RB Thomas Jones (right calf), CB Justin Miller (right hamstring), S Eric Smith (right hamstring) and CB Andre Dyson (right leg) didn't practice. G Pete Kendall (right shoulder) was hurt early in practice but it doesn't appear serious. Jones isn't expected to play vs. the Giants.

Depth Chart: Suddenly, the Jets' tight end situation isn't in crisis. Backups TEs Sean Ryan and Jason Pociask, both known primarily as blockers, are catching everything. Joe Kowalewski was playing well before an injury (hamstring). Chris Baker is the starter.

Print This

[Kentucky Jet]

Revis ready for his Jets debut

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

BY COLIN STEPHENSON

Star-Ledger Staff

HEMPSTEAD, L.I. -- Clearly, Darrelle Revis is a fast learner.

Seven days into his Jets career, the rookie cornerback yesterday showed he has a complete grasp on how coach Eric Mangini wants his players to handle the media.

Advertisement

Asked if he expects to play his first game this Saturday when the Jets take on the Giants in their third preseason game, Revis said -- with a straight face -- that he didn't know.

"I'm ready to play, but that's up to coach Mangini, if he wants me to play ... if he throws me in there or not," he said. "It might be one play, it might be 1,000 plays. That's up to coach."

Well, let's just say chances are pretty good Revis -- the team's first-round pick who held out of camp before signing a six-year contract last Wednesday -- will make his Jets debut on Saturday. Revis spent most of yesterday's practice at left cornerback on the first defensive unit. He got the chance because starting corner Andre Dyson, who has been bothered by a sore right leg throughout training camp, was held out of practice, which was conducted outdoors in a cold and steady rain.

Revis looked good in Dyson's place, flying all over the field making plays. Early in practice, during one seven-on-seven drill, he reached over from behind to knock down a pass over the middle that was intended for 6-3 Frisman Jackson (who was playing the role of the Giants WR Plaxico Burress). Later, Revis leaped to bat away another throw intended for tight end Chris Baker down the sideline. In a full-squad drill, Revis slipped on the wet turf but recovered quickly and almost intercepted a hanging Marques Tuiasosopo pass for Brad Smith.

"He's very explosive," safety Erik Coleman said of Revis, whom the Jets traded up 11 spots to take at No. 14 out of Pittsburgh. "Coming out of his breaks, he's quicker than I've seen in a long time. And I like his intelligence. He's very smart and he picks up on defenses. And he's very coachable. It makes it easy to work with him."

Being coachable will be important to Revis' success this season, especially early on as he figures to see most of his playing time at nickel back rather than corner. He never played the nickel (where the work is mostly inside, covering the slot receiver) in college. And though he admitted "it's tough" playing nickel or dime, he said he is learning the position.

"I'm progressing every day -- it's starting to come to me now," he said after what was just his fourth practice with the team. "I'm starting to make a (few) plays. I'm just trying to compete man, and work hard. I'm just trying to make the team."

With $11 million in guaranteed money coming to him, that last part won't be an issue. The real question is how soon he'll work his way into the starting defense. How he plays on Saturday -- assuming Mangini deems him ready to see action, of course -- may provide clues as to whether that will be sooner or later. Coleman sounded as though he thought it would be sooner.

"I'm sure he'll be ready," Coleman said of Revis.

Colin Stephenson may be reached at cstephenson@starledger.com

Print This

[Kentucky Jet]

Wet and wild

By Tom Rock

Brett Ratliff did such a convincing job of impersonating Eli Manning for today

[JetCane]

. ... QB Brett Ratliff had his best practice of camp. ...

He's my deep sleeper pick to make the PS

[Kentucky Jet]

Go Jets!

[LWC611]

Thanks Kentucky

[L.I.MikeBleedsGreen]

For starters, Revis is getting his shot

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Wednesday, August 22nd 2007, 4:00 AM

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Print Email Suggest a Story

On his third day of practice, rookie CB Darrelle Revis ran with the starters. That didn't take long, did it? Actually, he moved up because of an injury to Andre Dyson.

Revis played left corner with the first team, also seeing action as a nickel/slot corner in sub packages. In terms of performance, it was a mixed day. The first-round pick, who signed a six-year, $30 million contract after a 20-day contract dispute, broke up a pass to TE Chris Baker. But he also was flagged for pass interference on WR Brad Smith, who later beat the former Pitt standout on an intermediate crossing route.

"I'm progressing every day," Revis said afterward. "It's starting to come to me now. I'm starting to make plays."

The slot corner is a foreign position to Revis. At cornerback, he can see the action from the outside in. In the slot, it's a different world, where he must pay attention to the receivers and offensive line.

"It's tougher," he said.

Dyson, hobbled throughout training camp, was walking with a noticeable limp. He may have aggravated a leg injury in Monday night's practice.

MACKEY DEALT: The Jets traded rookie LB Jerry Mackey to the Bucs for an undisclosed conditional draft pick, probably a seventh-rounder. It seems like a strange trade, but the Bucs lost two backups to injuries. They're familiar with Mackey, who spent a month with them after signing as a post-draft free agent.

Mackey, a product of Freeport, L.I., signed with the Jets on Aug. 4. ... Rookie WR Chansi Stuckey (knee) returned to practice on a limited basis.... RB Thomas Jones (calf), CB/KR Justin Miller (hamstring) and S Eric Smith (leg) remained on the sideline.... DE Shaun Ellis intercepted a pass by Chad Pennington and returned it for a touchdown in a two-minute drill. ... LB Eric Barton booted a 20-yard field goal at the end of practice, winning a no-curfew night for the entire team. No wonder the players cheered loudly, jumping up and down.

WEATHER OR NOT: The Jets practiced for 2-1/2 hours in a steady rain. What, you thought they would go inside to their cozy bubble? Eric Mangini doesn't believe in that.

"Cold, hot, snow. Wind. Rain. Hail. Whatever it is. Noise. The more distractions you have, the tougher it is," Mangini said.

Rich Cimini

Wow,Chad's getting good at those Td's going the other way uh?

[L.I.MikeBleedsGreen]

Thanks K J for the info

Good reads

[joebabyny]

[FOOTBALL

Jet enjoys the starring role

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

By J.P. PELZMAN

STAFF WRITER

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. -- Here's the situation: It's third-and-long and the ball is about to be snapped. Kerry Rhodes is ready to blitz or drop back into coverage. Yet he has to ask himself the same question before every play.

What's my motivation?

Sorry, that's not what Rhodes asks himself on the field, but the question he probably has during his new off-season career.

You see, the 25-year-old Rhodes is not only a standout strong safety for the Jets. He is a promising actor on the side, and those who have worked with him say he's every bit as serious about movies as he is about football. Rhodes has appeared in two movies, including "Queen of Media," a film about female shock jock Wendy Williams. The film has been picked up for distribution by Warner Brothers.

"I forgot that he was an athlete," said rapper/actress K-Love, who played opposite Rhodes in a scene in the short feature "Misunderstandings."

"Basically, I just thought I was working with another actor who had been working for awhile. I was really, really impressed with his acting ability."

"If it was something [Rhodes] wanted to make a career of and he took a bit of classes," director Malik Pollard said, "he could definitely excel at it."

Rhodes appreciates the compliments, but has said since training camp began that he now is focusing on football.

"I'm not talking about [movies] right now," he said recently. "I'm trying to concentrate on football."

Well, he figures to have a leading role on the field again this season. Rhodes became a starter as a rookie in 2005 and became a star in 2006, with five sacks, four interceptions, three forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. Yet he didn't get selected for the Pro Bowl. The three AFC safeties were Pittsburgh's Troy Polamalu and Baltimore's Ed Reed as starters, and Denver's John Lynch as a reserve.

"It was tough," Rhodes said, sounding a bit like an actor wrongfully snubbed by the Oscar committee. "I felt I should've gotten there, which is my personal opinion and other people's opinions, too. It just gives me motivation this year to come out and work hard. The guys that went last year were deserving. They've been there before and they have the name recognition.

"So it was tough for me, but this year I have a bigger name and people know who I am now, so I'd like to try to do better and I'll be recognized."

He is making a name for himself on screen almost as quickly. In his debut role in "Misunderstandings," he played a cheating boyfriend whose girlfriend caught him in a hot tub with another woman.

"I was the other woman who wasn't supposed to be there," K-Love said with a laugh. "The scene was hot and steamy."

In more ways than one, obviously. Yet she says that Rhodes wasn't self-conscious at all, despite wearing only boxer shorts.

"He was really, really professional about it," K-Love said.

"As professional as he is on the football field, he was the same on the set. It took about 10 to 15 takes."

Rhodes "definitely loves the spotlight," said Pollard, who intends to debut the film at the American Black Film Festival in Los Angeles in October. "He kind of likes being in front of the camera."

His teammates know that quite well. In fact, they have nicknamed him Hollywood. Yet with the Jets, he's also proved he can work within an ensemble.

"My biggest thing right now is trying not to do too much," Rhodes said. "I try to stay within the scheme, and not be out of position. I try to be the same person every day."

In movies, he has the chance to be someone else.

"He definitely could have a future" in acting, K-Love said. "He has talent, looks, credibility and charisma."

And he knows enough about it to critique other performers, such as coach Eric Mangini, who has appeared on "The Sopranos" and "Sesame Street."

"He can't act," a smiling Rhodes said when asked if he would go to Mangini for some tips. "I think he'll stick to coaching and I'll stick to football right now."

E-mail: pelzman@northjersey.com

don't think it will be the next indie hit like pulp fiction, lol, but what do i know

7WNgV1Twccw