JETS NEWS ARTICLES- Friday, 9/7

[Kentucky Jet]

JETS

Jets notebook

Friday, September 7, 2007

QB Brady hurting?

On Wednesday, New England coach Bill Belichick was asked on a conference call if the availability of wide receiver Randy Moss, bothered since training camp by a hamstring injury, would be a game-time decision Sunday. Belichick bristled, answering: "We'll follow the rules of the NFL injury report like we always do."

Well, on Thursday the Patriots dutifully reported that Moss' participation in practice was limited. But under injury, instead of hamstring were the words "team decision." Those words also were under the injury listing for former Jet Kyle Brady, now a backup tight end with New England.

Even more interesting was the fact that Tom Brady (shoulder) was listed as being limited in practice. However, Tom Brady hasn't missed a start since taking over as the Patriots' quarterback in the third game of the 2001 season.

Clarke over Bender?

During the half-hour of practice open to reporters, the Jets didn't run any 11-on-11 plays, but they did some individual drills. In one of the offensive line drills, third-year player Adrien Clarke lined up at left guard while rookie Jacob Bender, who started the last two preseason games at the position, lined up as an outside linebacker as part of the drill. But that's not necessarily an indication that Clarke will start instead of Bender, as it could be a clever ruse from the secretive Jets.

Briefs

The Jets announced that they will honor former running back Curtis Martin in a ceremony during halftime of the game against Pittsburgh on Nov. 18. Martin retired in July after missing the entire 2006 season because of chronic knee problems. ... Cornerback Justin Miller (hamstring) was again limited in practice Thursday, and it appears that Leon Washington likely will be the primary kickoff returner on Sunday...Coach Eric Mangini was asked about the potential postgame handshake with estranged mentor Bill Belichick, and replied with a smile: "I haven't reviewed the tape of the handshake. ... But I'm pretty comfortable with where my handshake is. [i'm] focusing more on the actual game."

-- J.P. Pelzman

[Thai Jet]

JETS

Jets notebook

Friday, September 7, 2007

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Clarke over Bender?

During the half-hour of practice open to reporters, the Jets didn't run any 11-on-11 plays, but they did some individual drills. In one of the offensive line drills, third-year player Adrien Clarke lined up at left guard while rookie Jacob Bender, who started the last two preseason games at the position, lined up as an outside linebacker as part of the drill. But that's not necessarily an indication that Clarke will start instead of Bender, as it could be a clever ruse from the secretive Jets.

-- J.P. Pelzman

I can see Clarke getting the starting nod over Bender based on experience. Start Clarke then bring Bender in quietly later on in the game to ease the kid into it.

[4HCrew]

I can see them both potentially getting Chad killed

[Kentucky Jet]

Patriot game on injury list

Friday, September 7th 2007, 4:00 AM

Tom Brady's "chronic" shoulder injury must be getting worse. Either that, or it's a case of gamesmanship by the Patriots.

Bet the latter.

According to yesterday's injury report, Brady participated in practice on a limited basis, a downgrade from Wednesday's full participation. According to the NFL's new injury-report guidelines, "limited participation" means less than 100% of a player's normal repetitions.

A team must identify the player's status (probable, questionable, etc.) by today. Brady has been a fixture on the injury report in recent years, mostly with a throwing-shoulder ailment (wink, wink), but he never has missed a game.

The Patriots, who face the Jets on Sunday in the season opener, also threw a curve with WR Randy Moss. One day after not appearing on the season's first injury report, Moss showed up as a limited participant. The reason was listed as "team decision," with no mention of the pulled hamstring that caused him to miss the preseason.

Coach Bill Belichick wasn't available to comment because the report was released after his daily news conference.

The Jets made no changes on their report. RB Thomas Jones (calf) was limited in practice, although he's expected to play.

COACHSPEAK: It wouldn't be a Jets-Patriots week without a little on the Belichick-Eric Mangini rift. The Jets' coach was asked if he feels more pressure preparing for the game or how he's going to handle the postgame handshake with his mentor-turned-adversary.

"I haven't reviewed the tape of the (last) handshake," he said, smiling. "I don't have much free time right now, but I'm pretty comfortable with where my handshake was."

Actually, Belichick surprised Mangini with a man hug after last January's playoff game in Foxborough.

"My feelings are the same as they have been," Mangini said of his relationship with Belichick. "The focus really is the same as it was. He's preparing the Patriots. I'm preparing the Jets. That's where we are."

CURTIS COURTESY: Recently retired RB Curtis Martin will be honored with a special halftime ceremony Nov.18 against the Steelers. ...Mangini was non-committal on whether CB/KR Justin Miller, who missed the preseason with a pulled hamstring, would return kickoffs. "I'm comfortable with the group of returners that we have," said Mangini, referring to Brad Smith and Leon Washington. ...TE Chris Baker caught five passes for 68 yards in the wild-card loss, but he doesn't think that will change the way the Patriots cover him. "We have two outstanding receivers, and that'll probably be the key to their game plan," he said. "Let's be honest, that's pretty much every opponent's key against us."

[Kentucky Jet]

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/f...e_is_now-2.html

Jet liftoff time is now

Mangini's crew primed to make Patsies of rivals

Friday, September 7th 2007, 4:00 AM

The NFL didn't mess around setting up the next chapter in the Border War by putting the Patriots at the Jets in the season opener, a rivalry getting nearly as contentious as the Yankees and Red Sox.

The Patriots are the best team in the AFC East, and maybe everybody but me will be right and they'll win their fourth Super Bowl of the decade, but the Jets are going to beat them Sunday.

How can this happen after Bill Belichick loaded up in the offseason, opened Robert Kraft's checkbook and added crucial pieces to a team that was already loaded?

The Jets are catching the Patriots at the right time. Two key injuries, a drug suspension and a recently ended summer-long holdout make the Patriots vulnerable early in the season.

Safety Rodney Harrison, the heart of the defense, has been suspended the first four games after receiving performance-enhancing drugs in the Internet drug scam. All-Pro defensive end Richard Seymour, their second-best player after Tom Brady, is out at least six weeks after being placed on the physically unable to perform list following offseason knee surgery. Randy Moss, who tweaked his hamstring Aug.1, didn't play in any of the preseason games, but will likely start against the Jets. And cornerback Asante Samuel didn't show up until 10 days ago when he finally signed his $7.79 million franchise tender.

That's a lot of turmoil, especially for Belichick's team-first Pats.

Eric Mangini and Belichick have spent nearly five months since the schedule was released in the spring concocting new ways to outsmart each other. There's a lot of brain power at work here. Each time Belichick spent more of Kraft's money in an attempt to end New England's unacceptable two-year absence from the Super Bowl, it gave Mangini something else to think about. But now Belichick must improvise.

The Patriots don't look like a superpower right now. They may look that way by January, but when you play a team is often more important than the team you play. The Patriots figure to be a lot better when the Jets see them again on Dec.16.

"They've always had to deal with adversity and they've always dealt with adversity extremely well," Mangini, an assistant on the Pats' three Super Bowl championship teams, said yesterday. "Guys step in and play roles. I was a part of a lot of those teams where there are multiple injuries or different situations. You work really hard with the whole team and then someone does go down, someone else can step in and operate effectively."

Moss, acquired from Oakland in April, was injured trying to catch up to a deep pass by Brady last month, and training camp became a washout. He's been practicing this week, but he and Brady have not had the opportunity to develop game chemistry.

"The trademark of this team is consistency," Mangini said. "They've been a consistent team for a long time, regardless of who is in there."

Brady has already done enough by winning three Super Bowls to guarantee his spot in the Hall of Fame when he is first eligible five years after he retires. But he's had meltdowns in the playoffs the last two years:

In the 2005 divisional round, with the Pats down 10-6 late in the third quarter in Denver, he was picked off in the end zone by Champ Bailey on third-and-goal from the five. Bailey returned it 100 yards to the Pats' 1, setting up the clinching TD in a 27-13 Denver victory.

In last season's divisional round, Brady threw what looked like a season-ending INT on a fourth-and-five from the Chargers' 41 with about 6:30 remaining and the Pats down 21-13. Safety Marlon McCree could have batted down the ball because it was fourth down or caught it and fell down. Instead, trying to return it, he was stripped by Troy Brown with Reche Caldwell recovering. Given another chance, Brady finished off the drive, the Pats tied it on a two-point conversion. Brady's 49-yard pass to Caldwell set up the winning FG.

In last season's AFC title game, after blowing a 21-6 halftime lead, the Pats trailed 38-34 when Brady moved the Pats from their 21 to the Colts' 45 with 24 seconds left. But New England's season ended when Brady was intercepted by Marlon Jackson.

After winning three Super Bowls by three points each in his first four years starting, two of them with game-winning drives in the final minute, Brady has shown he is not immune to pressure.

This is not a playoff game Sunday, but there will be a playoff atmosphere at the Meadowlands. The Jets have an opportunity to make a huge statement. "To who?" Lavernaues Coles said. "We don't have anything to prove to anybody. All we have to do is go out and play."

Every team is beatable. The Patriots look beatable right now. "If they were unbeatable, and going to be what the people had to say, I don't think we would play the game," Coles said.

The loser faces an immediate crisis in the second week with the Jets at Baltimore and the Patriots at home against the Chargers. "You start with a difficult team. They are the Patriots," Jets owner Woody Johnson said.

If the Jets want to close the gap, Sunday is where they start. They are catching the Pats at the right time.

gmyers@nydailynews.com

[Kentucky Jet]

Jacob Bender must keep guard up

BY RICH CIMINI

DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER

Friday, September 7th 2007, 4:57 AM

Jacob Bender probably appreciated Appalachian State's stunning upset over Michigan last weekend more than any other player in the Jets' locker room. Coming from Nicholls State, a Division I-AA school in Louisiana, he has a soft spot for underdogs.

"It just shows you can't ever sleep on anybody," the rookie said.

Hear that, New England?

Bender is a sixth-round pick who began training camp as a backup right tackle and ended it as Pete Kendall's replacement at left guard. There's a good chance he will start Sunday against the Patriots, making him the Jets' lowest-drafted rookie since defensive tackle James Reed (seventh round, 2001) to start the opener.

For the second straight year, the Jets could have two rookies in the Week 1 lineup, with Darrelle Revis the favorite to start at left cornerback. But Revis, along with last year's new kids on the block, left tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson and center Nick Mangold, were first-round picks from major college programs.

Bender? He played before home crowds of 3,500 at Nicholls State, hardly a popular stop on the NFL scouting trail. One NFC coach said the best thing about going to the Thibodaux, La., school was stopping at a store on the outskirts of town for the best beef jerky in the South.

Patriots coach Bill Belichick isn't interested in beef jerky, but he'd love to chew up Bender, who, no doubt, will be subjected to a variety of stunts and blitzes. When the Patriots smell a weakness, they attack.

"It's in the game plan that they like to find weaknesses and limit strengths," said Bender, an inviting target because he came from a triple-option offense and has little experience in pass protection. "I'm sure they probably will (come after me). I have to be ready for it."

The Jets will catch a break because Pro Bowl defensive end Richard Seymour is sidelined with a knee injury, but the Patriots still have Vince Wilfork, one of the best nose tackles in the NFL. At times, Bender will have to block the massive Wilfork, which could be an eye-opening experience.

"Kendall was one of their go-to guys," Wilfork said yesterday in a phone interview. "I think they'll miss his leadership more than anything. For years, he was solid. I guess they thought he was getting old and they wanted fresh legs. But that's a veteran group. There's a void, but I think they'll overcome it."

If not, GM Mike Tannenbaum will be criticized for trading Kendall. Bender has impressed with his run blocking, but he could be a liability on passing downs, which could he tough on Chad Pennington.

"I feel comfortable with our guys," the quarterback said. "Things aren't going to be perfect. You can't expect to have the perfect pocket in this league."

Revis is less of a concern because of his first-round pedigree, but he's not going to have it easy, not with Tom Brady spraying the ball around to his rebuilt receiving corps. The former Pitt standout, who missed 20 days of camp because of a contract dispute, played in only two preseason games, a total of about three quarters.

"He's a pretty good corner," Brady said. "I know coach Belichick thought a lot of him coming out of college."

Revis, who appears to have moved ahead of incumbent Andre Dyson (foot), expects a lot of action his way, possibly on the first play of the game. He didn't seem unnerved by the prospect of covering Randy Moss and Donte' Stallworth.

"I'm just comfortable; I just feel that way," Revis said. "I don't know how to explain it. It's like studying for a test. You can't study the night before the test because you're not going to do well. It's preparation. That's why I feel so comfortable about things."

[Kentucky Jet]

http://www.nypost.com/seven/0907200..._bit_chilly.htm

COACHES ARE STILL A BIT CHILLY

By MARK CANNIZZARO

September 7, 2007 -- There was a funny exchange at yesterday's Eric Mangini press conference when he was asked about Bill Belichick.

"Are you feeling more pressure preparing for this game or how you're going to handle the handshake after the game?" Mangini was asked.

"You know, I haven't reviewed the tape of the handshake, but I'm pretty comfortable with where my handshake was," he responded, referring to the ballyhooed post-game meetings between he and Belichick last year.

Mangin's relationship with Belichick soured on Belichick's end when Mangini took the Jets job.

*

Chad Pennington doesn't believe the Patriots being without their two key starting defensive players - S Rodney Harrison (suspended) and DE Richard Seymour (on PUP) - will have an adverse affect Sunday.

"The Patriots are probably one of the best teams in the league in being able to adapt to change, adapt to injuries or people that have to sit out," Pennington said. "So we expect their best and we expect them to come in and play their system and do everything that they normally do."

*

Limited at practice for the Jets were CBs Andre Dyson (foot) and Justin Miller (thigh), RB Thomas Jones (calf), RG Brandon Moore (shoulder) and S Eric Smith (thigh).

Patriots on the limited participation list were S Rashad Baker (hand), TE Dave Thomas (foot), DL Mike Wright (knee), WR Randy Moss (team decision) and TE Kyle Brady (team decision).

*

Mangini expressed no concern that Miller, the Jets' Pro Bowl kick returner, has been out of action.

"Justin has a very good natural feel for that," he said. "He's got good instincts. With him missing time, it's allowed some other guys to get opportunities back there. Brad (Smith), Leon (Washington) got some reps that they may not have otherwise gotten through the course of the regular preseason, which is always valuable, as well. I'm comfortable with the group of returners that we have."

[Kentucky Jet]

http://www.nypost.com/seven/0907200...r_backwards.htm

READY TO BENDER OVER BACKWARDS

September 7, 2007 -- EVERY night, while Nicholls State middle linebacker Cory Vavala, watched television in the three-bedroom place he shared with teammate Jacob Bender, a commercial would come on and Bender would drop to the floor to do his first set of 50 pushups.

"Shoot, I think one night did like about 500," Bender said with a smile yesterday.

"Gotta get to the league," Vavala would hear Bender grunt. "Gotta get to the league."

Well, Jacob Bender got to the league, and Jets fans still mourning the loss of left guard Pete Kendall are terrified that The Kid will be out of his league when Eric Mangini asks him for the first time in anger to keep Chad Pennington upright and lead the way for Thomas Jones against Bill Belichick and the Patriots on Sunday at Giants Stadium.

The football graveyard is littered with Belichick victims - the young Peyton Manning, Pennington, Kurt Warner - and now here comes Jacob Bender, 6-foot-6, 296 pounds of red goatee and rawboned innocence, a converted tackle from the tiny Southland Conference, a boy thrown to the biggest, baddest wolf in the land.

And yet, even though Bender knows full well that this is not McNeese State awaiting him, he shows no signs of stagefright. "Nah man, it's all football, all coming down to football in the end," he said.

For however long Bender plays - Adrien Clarke and Wade Smith could be rotated in at any time - he will bring an unrelenting, animalistic ferocity and try to turn Sunday at 1 p.m. into a rumble.

"He truly is a wild man," Vavala said. "In college he would be screaming loud when he was burying somebody into the ground. He's a player I'd always want on my team."

Nicholls State head coach Ray Thomas occasionally rested Bender in practice. "Jake was known to go full speed all the time," Vavala said.

I recall the young Jumbo Elliott as gentle away from the field and downright nasty on it. "They're gonna try and bully you and you gotta stand up to 'em," Bender said. "If they're used to just pushin' people around and you start pushin' them around, then you get in their head a little bit."

Does Bender expect them to try to get in his head? "Oh yeah, of course; you gotta let it go, man," Bender said. "Whenever something happens, you just gotta push it by and reset.

Bender promised he will die trying to protect Pennington. "It's streetfight, it's a 60-minute streetfight," Bender said. "If you don't look at it like that, somebody'll catch you slippin', and you get embarrassed."

His best single block in college? "In the Nebraska game I pulled around on a counter and just absolutely destroyed their middle linebacker - I'm talking about in the air, on his back, everything; it was great," Bender said, and smiled. "I looked up in the stands 'cause there was only like 100 Nicholls fans there. My whole family was jumpin' around and stuff, so that was cool."

Bender will leave the Point Lookout digs he shares with his older sister Leah on Sunday morning and board the rookie bus waiting for him and his butterflies at Weeb Ewbank Hall. "Yeah, they'll be there I'm sure; you can't stop those, 'til that first play's over," Bender said, and then chuckled.

In the locker room, he will listen to AC/DC. Soon after, he will be standing in the tunnel with his new teammates, waiting to run towards that long-suffering fan base so desperate for its very own Jan. 12, 1969. His parents, Mike and Debbie, will be riding up from Mayo, Md., on their orange Harley.

"He gets better every snap; the sky's the limit for Jake and for Jet fans," Vavala said.

Bender was asked what he would tell Jets fans who wish Kendall was not a Redskin. "I'm gonna work my hardest and do my best," he said.

Would he tell them not to worry?

"Yeah, yeah; I'd say count on me, trust me," Bender said. "Trust is one of the big things we do here at the Jets."

Gotta get to the Patriots.

steve.serby@nypost.com

[Kentucky Jet]

http://www.nypost.com/seven/0907200...r_strangers.htm

FAMILIAR STRANGERS

OLD FOES AIM TO SHOW NEW LOOKS

By MARK CANNIZZARO

September 7, 2007 -- With the Jets and Patriots, familiarity breeds a number of elements that make Sunday's season-opening showdown so deliciously compelling.

When the two teams clash at Giants Stadium, it'll mark the fifth time they've played each other in the last 20 games, dating back to their Dec. 26, 2005, meeting and including January's playoff game.

In the four previous games, the Patriots are 3-1 against the Jets, and Bill Belichick is 2-1 against his former apprentice, Eric Mangini, and you know that doesn't sit well with Mangini.

So the two teams, offseason acquisitions notwithstanding, know each other well.

That said, because Belichick and Mangini are such good game-planning coaches, the teams really have little idea what the other is going to do. Belichick, for example, has built a sturdy reputation as one of the best game-specific schemers the NFL has ever seen.

So the Jets are prepared to expect the unexpected from him.

"It's almost like you're going out there on pins and needles, because you don't know what to expect," Jets' linebacker Victor Hobson said of Belichick's schemes. "We understand when you're out there you're going to have to adjust on the fly. It is kind of hard to get a true feel for New England because they come out with something different and unexpected every single week."

Mangini, having coached under Belichick, knows exactly what to expect - the unexpected.

"The one thing that you know really well is that things are going to change," Mangini said. "That's the approach from [the Patriots]. It's going to change each time you face them."

But when you play a team as often as the Jets play the Patriots, how many different looks can Belichick concoct?

"You can change it up quite a bit," Mangini said. "It could be more pressure one game. It could be the type of pressure that's coming. It could be the front that you're facing. It could be 4-3 versus 3-4. It could be the 3-4 building a 4-3. It could be the approach of the offense, whether it's going to be more quick pass, more max protection, more screens.

"There's a lot of different things that you can do each outing. You just got to see what that will be."

This kind of intellectual approach by many coaches has shaped the way Mangini goes about finding players in the draft and via free agency.

"It's why you spend so much time during the offseason building flexibility into the system," he said. "It's why philosophically when we draft players or bring players in, we want the players to be smart, be able to adjust quickly to what you haven't prepared for."

How the Jets and Patriots prepare and respond to each other's chess moves will determine the outcome of this juicy season-opener that's been widely anticipated since the schedule was announced in April.

"They have a very smart coaching staff and we have a very smart coaching staff," wide receiver Laveranues Coles said. "[Coaches] basically use us as chess pieces. How they position us to play this game, that's the main thing right now. Whoever can make the adjustments the fastest will probably have the edge."

Tight end Chris Baker, a Jets veteran, has seen more of New England than he'd probably care to.

"We played them three times last year and our head coach was up there for a number of years, so we have a pretty good idea of what they want to do," Baker said. "I think it helps us. Any time you have familiarity with an opponent, knowing their schemes and their players, things they like to do, it helps out."

Asked if he expects to see a different Patriots team than he's seen over the years, Baker said: "You don't get a different team, you get a different scheme. Belichick game-plans teams differently, and he has certain things he wants to attack and exploit. He does a great job of knowing what he wants to attack."

mark.cannizzaro@nypost.com

[Kentucky Jet]

http://www.newsday.com/sports/footb...0,5289059.story

Jets' Coles working hard to improve route-running

BY TOM ROCK | tom.rock@newsday.com

10:20 PM EDT, September 6, 2007

Laveranues Coles a cream puff? Hardly. One of the toughest players on the Jets, Coles is looking to improve on his 2006 numbers by refining his route- running. So what's all this talk about cupcakes?

"He's a very good route-runner, but he's really working on the tops of his routes," Jets coach Eric Mangini said. "When you add that, [offensive coordinator Brian] Schottenheimer calls it 'pastry at the top,' it makes it a lot more difficult."

Coles laughed at the dainty yet delicious-sounding terminology. He's laughing quite a bit these days. Being a returning key to the Jets' offense, a newly elected team captain and the reigning team MVP as voted on by the players all seem to have him in a good mood. On Sunday, though, the smiles will be gone and he'll start trying to ply his baked goods on Patriots defenders.

What Coles has added is a little one-on-one time with wide receivers coach Noel Mazzone. Just about every day at practice, when the rest of the team is working on punt returns or kickoffs, Coles and Mazzone find themselves a corner of the field in which to work. There, for about 10 minutes, they go over the finer points of the position, things that can't be covered in a group meeting with a half-dozen or so other players.

It's a Coles-specific coaching session. And it's something new this season.

"It's just a little bit more time where he can explain to me what he wants on certain routes, polish them up," Coles said. "They give us the opportunity to go over things in detail."

Sometimes the two focus on footwork coming off the line of scrimmage. Sometimes it's about hand placement when catching a football. There are times when the two stand still and just talk things through. Maybe swapping some pastry recipes.

Mangini said having Coles work on the tops of his routes will give him an advantage over cornerbacks (and Mangini, being a former defensive backs coach, should know). He said it's critical to make every route look the same before it blossoms so the secondary cannot anticipate where or when the receiver will break.

"It's a last-second decision by the defensive back and it really puts a lot of pressure on him," Mangini said. "[Coles has] done a good job of that. In OTAs he really focused on it and it has carried over. That's been a great thing that he's doing."

Coles did some great things last year, when his 91 receptions were the second-most ever by a Jet, and his career, long overshadowed by some bigger-bodied, bigger-mouthed receivers, is beginning to get noticed.

Coles is putting up impressive numbers in terms of receiving and durability. Despite suffering a concussion-like injury late last season, he is the only wide receiver to start all 96 regular-season games from 2001 to now.

He was the 13th wide receiver selected in the 2000 draft but has more career receptions (506) and yards (6,599) than anyone else who entered the NFL that year. With a decent game Sunday he'll pass luminaries such as Dwight Clark (506) and Mark Duper (511) on the NFL's all-time receptions list, and he'll likely pass Al Toon at 517 soon after that. Wayne Chrebet's 580 could be in sight later this year.

Despite those numbers, when Coles was named captain earlier this week, Mangini said he respected his selflessness and personality more than stats.

"He's one of those guys that if you're stuck at the airport and nobody is picking up the phone at home, you could call him; he'd come and get you," Mangini said. "He's the guy that would help you move. Those friends, the ones that don't have to go to their mother-in-law's house on Sunday when you have to move, he's that type of guy."

Mangini is trying to move the Jets up the NFL mountain. Coles appears ready to carry his share of the load. And he might even bring some dessert.

[Kentucky Jet]

http://www.newsday.com/sports/footb...0,5249910.story

Miller ready to 'return' for Jets

BY KATIE STRANG | caitlin.strang@newsday.com

September 7, 2007

Justin Miller could be the first Jet to touch the ball this season. If the Pro Bowl kickoff returner indeed has that honor, it will be the first time he has handled the duty in a game since his trip to Hawaii. A hamstring injury sidelined him for most of the preseason, but his lack of return reps doesn't have Miller too concerned.

For him, returning kickoffs is like riding a bike (the very act he was relegated to while on the sideline during practices).

"I'm really comfortable doing it since I've been doing it so long," he said yesterday. "I've done it since I was 9 years old when I first started playing football."

Eric Mangini hasn't been troubled by the possibility of Miller's return to returns, either. But he also said he liked what he saw from others who filled in. That could leave Miller, now relegated to the second unit as a cornerback, suddenly without a clear-cut role on the team.

"Justin has a natural feel for that; he's got good instincts," Mangini said. "With him missing time, it's allowed some other guys to get opportunities back there. Brad [smith], Leon [Washington], those players got some reps that they may not have otherwise gotten through the course of the regular preseason."

Open Sesame

The Jets open the season Sunday, but the really big debut comes Monday. That's when Mangini, Chad Pennington, Laveranues Coles and Ben Graham will appear on "Sesame Street." It's a segment they filmed in December in which they teach Elmo some football fundamentals. Depending on how Sunday's game goes, Elmo may regret not asking Bill Belichick and Tom Brady for their advice.

Jet streams

The Jets didn't make any changes to their injury report with Miller (thigh), CB Andre Dyson (foot), RB Thomas Jones (calf), G Brandon Moore (shoulder) and S Eric Smith (thigh) all seeing "limited participation." Pats QB Brady (shoulder) also saw "limited participation" and WR Randy Moss missed some of practice with what the Patriots called a "team decision."

[Kentucky Jet]

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/07/s...all&oref=slogin

Special-Teams Coach Will Be Missed on Field

By KAREN CROUSE

Published: September 7, 2007

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y., Sept. 6

[Kentucky Jet]

http://www.nj.com/sports/ledger/ind...0870.xml&coll=1

Jets' Robertson undersized but has nose for big plays

Friday, September 07, 2007

BY M.A. MEHTA

Star-Ledger Staff

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. -- Dewayne Robertson isn't the biggest, the widest or, quite frankly, the fattest guy in his line of work, which isn't necessarily a good thing. His job description doesn't require unsightly girth, but it sure does help.

In the world of nose tackles -- particularly those in a 3-4 defense -- bigger may, in fact, be better. Robertson, playing his second season in the middle of Jets coach Eric Mangini's defensive line, tips the scales at a relatively svelte 310. Many of the real-estate hogs that anchor NFL 3-4 defenses haven't seen their toes since the Clinton administration. Robertson, on the other hand, is a lightweight in a land of behemoths.

While most successful 3-4 defenses have a space-eater in the trenches, Mangini has taken a different approach by leaning on the undersized Robertson as the fulcrum of a unit that ranked 24th in the NFL in run defense, giving up 130.3 yards per game last season. Backup nose tackle Sione Pouha, who missed last season due to a knee injury, dropped about 25 pounds to check in at an even 300.

The 6-4 Robertson may not have the ever-expanding waistlines of his bulky counterparts (see: 348-pounder Jamal Williams of the Chargers or 340-pounder Keith Traylor of the Dolphins), but the Jets are convinced he doesn't need to be horizontally challenged to succeed in their system.

"Dewayne creates some problems that bigger men don't create," Mangini said before practice at Hofstra University yesterday. "He's got that very good first step, that very good short-area quickness -- the ability to transition from a two-gap, run-pass read mentality to a pass-rush mentality. ... So, there's pluses and minuses in both areas. Even though there may be something that you can't do, there are a lot of things that you can do and other problems that you can create."

Although inside linebacker Jonathan Vilma lauded Robertson's quickness and ability to hold blockers, the linebacking corps struggled in Mangini's defensive scheme last year. Vilma, in particular, had some problems. Without a massive nose tackle that routinely commanded double teams, the linebackers were constantly fending off blockers.

"If you don't have a real big nose tackle, he better have great technique," said Jets defensive end David Bowens, who played alongside Traylor in a 3-4 scheme for the Dolphins last season. "That's what Dewayne has. He's not the biggest tackle, but he gets his hands in (the right positions) and has good feet. He makes plays."

The Jets don't seem overly concerned about not having the prototype 3-4 nose tackle.

"More important than the weight is the ability to have power in there and technique," Pouha said. "It's all about leverage and your hand placement. If you have that, you'll be fine."

Robertson -- who made a nice transition to Mangini's system with 62 tackles last season -- isn't too worried, either.

"I don't think you have to be 350," Robertson said. "I'm not 350, but I'm not weak either. I can hold my own."

Mangini's penchant for playing multiple schemes also masks the lack of a giant in the middle. The Jets will move from a 3-4 to a 4-3 and even sprinkle in two- or five-man fronts. They also added players familiar with the 3-4 setup like Bowens and defensive end Kenyon Coleman to solidify their run defense.

Robertson and Co. will certainly have their hands full in the season opener. With all the hype surrounding the Patriots new trio of wide receivers, Bill Belichick's team also presents a formidable rushing attack that scored 20 touchdowns last season. The Jets will try to slow down the shifty and explosive Laurence Maroney, who will carry the load for New England's high-octane offense on Sunday at Giants Stadium.

"Maroney's a real hard runner," Bowens said. "He usually gets those downhill running plays and attacks the hole. He has good vision. It'll be a challenge."

M.A. Mehta may be reached at mmehta@starledger.com

[Kentucky Jet]

http://www.nj.com/sports/ledger/ind...0870.xml&coll=1

Rookie will have hands full with Pats

Friday, September 07, 2007

BY M.A. MEHTA

Star-Ledger Staff

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. -- Like a grade-schooler forced to take a final exam on the first day of class, rookie cornerback Darrelle Revis will have a daunting task on Sunday when he will almost certainly start the season opener against the suddenly wide-receiver rich New England Patriots.

Revis, who held out for 20 days before starting the last two preseason games, practiced with the first-team defense yesterday and faces a gargantuan challenge against the Patriots revamped and potentially explosive aerial attack that includes Randy Moss, Donte' Stallworth and Wes Welker. Moss missed the entire preseason with a mysterious hamstring injury, but is expected to play.

Revis admitted he's been picking his teammates' brains on the Patriots' talented trio.

"This is my first game," Revis said yesterday before practice. "The only thing that I see is on film and what I have been doing is getting information from the veterans like David Barrett and Andre Dyson, who have played against these guys. I've basically been getting my information from them."

Revis -- who could be one of two rookies in the Jets starting lineup along with left guard Jacob Bender -- is expected to start at left cornerback for seven-year veteran Dyson, who has been hampered all preseason with a right leg/foot injury.

"He's a pretty good corner," Patriots quarterback Tom Brady said. "I know Coach (Bill) Belichick thought a lot of him coming out of college, and from what I've seen in the preseason, he looks like he's a big guy, he's got good speed and he's very physical. He looks like he's going to be a good pick for those guys."

When it comes to facing the Patriots, Jets coach Eric Mangini admitted that only one thing is certain: Expect the unexpected.

"With New England, each game plan is specific to the opponent -- at that game at that point in time," Mangini said. "Unlike some other teams where there may be some consistency with their approach week in and week out, the thing that is consistent with (the Patriots) is change."

Even with so much familiarity between the division rivals, Mangini admitted there's no limit to the amount of wrinkles Belichick could unveil.

"You can change it up quite a bit each week," Mangini said. "It could be more pressure one game, it could be the type of pressure that's coming, it could be the front that you're facing, it could be 4-3 versus 3-4. ... It could be the approach of the offense, whether it's going to be more quick-pass, more max-protection or more screens. There are a lot of different things that you can do each outing."

The mystery surrounding Moss' status took another twist yesterday when Belichick listed Moss on the injury report as "limited participation" in practice because of a "team decision." The Patriots' mercurial wide receiver practiced on Monday and Wednesday.

The same five Jets practiced on a limited basis for the second consecutive day: RB Thomas Jones (calf), CB Justin Miller (thigh), CB Dyson (foot), G Brandon Moore (shoulder) and S Eric Smith (thigh).

M.A. Mehta may be reached at mmehta@starledger.com

[Kentucky Jet]

http://www.northjersey.com/page.php...3dnFlZU VFeXk2

Jets expect surprises from Pats

Friday, September 7, 2007

By J.P. PELZMAN

STAFF WRITER

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. -- Eric Mangini says he didn't waste much time getting over his first playoff loss as a head coach last January.

"We have the five-second rule," Mangini said Thursday, invoking his oft-stated mantra about not dwelling on the past. "You have to move on."

Yet about three months later, Mangini had to revisit the Jets' postseason loss to New England, once the NFL schedule was released and it showed the Jets were hosting the Patriots on the opening Sunday.

Still, the tape of that game might not do either team all that much good this week, considering how much has changed since then. Both teams have new players, especially New England, which has four wide receivers who were not on the roster last season.

Add in the fact that both teams were purposely vanilla on both offense and defense during the preseason, and it's obvious that there could be a lot of surprises.

Mangini said that season openers are "so unique because you don't know what the team has done in the off-season. You don't know what studies they've looked at, what things they've put in. ... You're not quite sure what you're going to get. They're not quite sure what you're going to give them. That's what makes the first game so interesting. You have all that time to get ready for it before you settle back down into the normal cycle."

That sense of unknown is heightened by the fact that one of the Patriots' new receivers, former Raider Randy Moss, didn't play in any of their preseason games because of a hamstring injury. The other new wideouts, Kelley Washington, Wes Welker and Donte Stallworth, totaled 14 preseason receptions. Moss was limited in practice Thursday.

"With all their acquisitions," strong safety Kerry Rhodes said, "they can do whatever they want. ... They can line up in anything they want: five wides, four wides, three receivers and one back, two backs.

"They can do a lot more things," he added. "In the first game, you're going to see something that you're not expecting."

"It's almost like a mind game, a chess match," linebacker Jonathan Vilma said, noting that the Patriots could use an empty backfield "with the weapons [Tom Brady] has at receiver. ... Or they could try to pound it on us [on the ground]. Who knows what's going to happen?

"It's one of those games," he added, "where you're going to be just as tired mentally as physically after the game."

Jets quarterback Chad Pennington, 2-5 in his career as a starter against New England, knows to expect the unexpected.

"We have to handle the different looks that they might give us," he said, "and the different game plans they may bring to us to challenge us with. We have to be able to adjust to those things. Always, especially with opening day, you're going to have some new wrinkles that you may not be prepared for and you have to deal with adjustments on the run. Both teams will be dealing with that."

And, as Rhodes said, "the team that can bounce back from adversity the quickest is going to win."

E-mail: pelzman@northjersey.com

[Kentucky Jet]

http://www.boston.com/sports/footba...07/pay_no_mind/

Pay no mind

Heads-up play, not heady plans, the key to game

By Christopher L. Gasper, Globe Staff | September 7, 2007

FOXBOROUGH - The mere idea bordered on heresy. Bill Belichick outcoached. Impossible.

But that was what came out of the Patriots' locker room last season after the New York Jets struck back in the border war, 17-14, on New England turf, which was summarily replaced.

Except somehow the message got lost in translation. "There wasn't one player in here that said we got outcoached," said linebacker Mike Vrabel. "We said we got outcoached and outplayed, period. Just like Bill would say we got outplayed and outcoached. Nobody here just said we got outcoached."

Indeed, after the loss, Patriots defensive end Richard Seymour said, "They outplayed us and they outcoached us today."

The part about being outplayed became a footnote in football history to Jets coach Eric Mangini beating his mentor at his own game and earning the nickname "Mangenius." The players were discounted as pawns.

As interesting as the awkward embraces, Mensa-level matching of wits, and inveterate gamesmanship between Belichick and Mangini are, Sunday's season opener at Giants Stadium ultimately will be decided by those donning helmets. As with an architect, the blueprints of Belichick and Mangini are only as good as the crew that carries them out. What looks great in theory must be put into practice by the players, and that is where the best-laid game plans can go awry.

"You could have the best game plan in the world, but if you don't have players that can go out there and play and perform, then you won't win a game," said Belichick. "Believe me, I'm well aware of that."

It certainly wasn't in Belichick's game plan to have wide receiver Doug Gabriel fumble as the Patriots were driving to add to their 3-0 lead in that fateful loss at Gillette Stadium. It wasn't in Mangini's to have Chad Pennington seal the Jets' fate in New England's 37-16 playoff win by tossing an interception to Asante Samuel that was returned for a touchdown.

With the teams meeting for the fourth time in 20 games and with each coach having months to lay the groundwork for his game plan, it's much more likely that the game will be decided the old-fashioned way - with execution - than X's-and-O's artifice.

"I think what you can say about this game is the one that executes what they do the most will come out on top," said cornerback Ellis Hobbs. "You might see a surprise here and there, but we've thrown the best blows at each other. The main goal is who is going to execute the most."

Patriots players understand why fans and media get caught up in the psychological warfare between the master and the apprentice, said Vrabel.

"I think you look and you got one really proven veteran head coach that has been there and has led his team to championships and has been in the NFL for 30-some years. A guy that has coached under him and learned under him and now has his own gig and his own team in New York, a conference opponent and a conference rival. It's very intriguing, but in the end, neither of those two guys is going to go out there and play, and admittedly couldn't go out there and play. They'd be the first to tell you that."

And some plays you just can't plan for.

In the first meeting last year, the Patriots jumped out to a 24-0 lead and held on for a 24-17 win. Wide receiver Chad Jackson climbed over the back of cornerback Justin Miller to set up the Patriots' first touchdown. Wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery sparked the Jets' comeback with a spectacular balancing act after a Chad Scott hit that allowed him to turn a certain tackle into a touchdown.

You can't draw up pre-snap disguises or elaborate coverages to stop those plays. They're just startling feats of athleticism.

Belichick was careful not to minimize the importance of his coaching and training staff in preparing players for games, and players like Josh Miller who have left the Patriots have remarked on the difference Belichick's coaching makes in a season. However, Belichick agreed that the players are the most important part of a winning formula.

"I think everybody's job is important. I wouldn't minimize what anybody does, but ultimately the players are the ones out there on the field and they make the plays," said Belichick. "The games that we've won, it's because they've made good plays, more than the other team has, and that's why we've had more points.

"But I'm not trying to say that other people's jobs aren't important and I don't appreciate what they do or that they don't mean anything, I'm not saying that. Ultimately, the players are the ones that have to go out there and make the plays. There's nothing more important than them."

Linebacker Junior Seau, who plays a little chess, said the analogy to a chess match doesn't work, no matter the brainpower of the coaches. The most important pieces on the board are the players.

"This game is tackle, run the ball, catch the ball, penalty-free, you name it, back to the basics," said Seau. "A chess match, you can play chess all you want but somebody is not going to hit you in your mouth. According to the chess games that I play, it's never physical. So you can call it what you want, but the fact is the team that plays the best Sunday will win the game."

It's just that simple, unlike the game plans of Belichick and Mangini.

Christopher L. Gasper can be reached at cgasper@globe.com.

[Kentucky Jet]

Pats wary of Jets receivers

01:00 AM EDT on Friday, September 7, 2007

BY ROBERT LEE

Journal Sports Writer

FOXBORO — There is something about playing the New England Patriots that seems to bring out the best in the New York Jets wide receivers Jerricho Cotchery and Laveranues Coles, who combined for more than 2,000 receiving yards last season.

In three games against the Patriots last season, Cotchery amassed 291 yards on 17 catches, and he had a touchdown in each of those games. Coles, meanwhile, averaged 5.3 catches per game and 58 yards in those three games.

They will provide an excellent test for the Patriots secondary on Sunday.

“I really like the way that these guys approach each week,” Jets coach Eric Mangini said of Cotchery and Coles on Wednesday. “They push each other, they push the group, they’re really good people. They’re making the younger players better, they’re making each other better. Laveranues was just elected captain of the team, which I think is a testament to who he is as a person.”

“They have the top three, four, five sets of receivers in the league as far as making big plays, catching the ball and putting it in the end zone,” Patriots linebacker Rosevelt Colvin said. “It’s going to be up to us to make sure [Jets quarterback] Chad [Pennington] and the rest of his friends don’t have a good day so we got to communicate well…and make sure we have guys in the right positions.”

Colvin said that he has a lot of respect for Pennington, who bounced back from shoulder surgery to throw for 3,352 yards last season, which ranked 10th in the league.

Pennington ranks second behind Kurt Warner among the NFL’s all-time most accurate passers (more than 1,500 attempts) with a 65.1 completion percentage (1,080-for-1,659, 11,973 yards, 72 TD, 46 INT).

“Chad is definitely a tough player,” Colvin said. “…I think he exemplifies what everybody wants in this league — a hard-working guy who comes to work each and every day and does his best to make his team successful. He’s had success in the past and now, so it’s going to be up to us to make it as difficult as possible for him and the rest of the guys on offense.”

And with the addition of power running back Thomas Jones who rushed for a combined 2,445 yards over the past two seasons — ninth-best in the NFL — the Jets’ offense might be tough to stop.

“He’s a hard runner,” Colvin said of Jones. “The guy can be in one place and be in another in a split second. It’s going to take more than one guy to bring him down and I think that was probably one of the main reasons why they traded for him.”

Jets’ defense gets tough

The Patriots aren’t worried about only the Jets’ offense. New York had one of the NFL’s best defenses last season.

The Jets limited their opponents to 18.4 points per game, sixth-best in the league.

“The second half of the season last year they were the best defensive team in the league,” New England coach Bill Belichick said. “They didn’t allow a lot of points. They were good on third downs. They were good in the red area. They didn’t allow big plays. They had a dramatic improvement from the first half of the season to the second half of the season with their play defensively. They did everything better really.”

Overall the Jets ranked 14th in the NFL last year against the pass, limiting opponents to 201.4 passing yards per game, but 24th against the rush, allowing 130.2 rushing yards per game.

“They have a great defense,” Pats’ running back Kevin Faulk said. “Their defense, in the second half of the season last year was probably ranked number one or up there in the top five. …We just have to execute and do our jobs when the ball is snapped.”

New England set a franchise record for the fewest points allowed last season, 14.8 points per game, which was the second-best mark in the NFL behind Baltimore’s 12.6 points per outing.

Injury report grows

The Patriots had 100-percent attendance at practice for the second straight day but there were a few additions to their injury report from Wednesday. Randy Moss, Tom Brady and tight end Kyle Brady were added to the “limited participation in practice” category.

For Moss and Kyle Brady, the Patriots listed “team decision” as the reason. Moss said earlier this week that he wants to play on Sunday.

For Tom Brady, the Patriots listed “right shoulder” as the reason. Brady was in the full participation category on Wednesday.

The rest of the injury report remained the same from Wednesday, with defensive end Mike Wright (knee), tight end David Thomas (foot) and safety Rashad Baker (right hand) in the “limited participation in practice” category.

Patriots

Journal

[SoFlaJets]

I couldn't believe I was reading Gary Meyers here;

The Patriots are the best team in the AFC East, and maybe everybody but me will be right and they'll win their fourth Super Bowl of the decade, but the Jets are going to beat them Sunday.

[Kentucky Jet]

Jets

[LWC611]

I can see them both potentially getting Chad killed

I could not agree more...

[L.I.MikeBleedsGreen]

Thanks KJ for the Info bro

[SoFlaJets]

Thanks KJ for the Info bro

agreed I'm nominating KJ for Comeback Player Of The Year for all his hard work and dedication to JN

[L.I.MikeBleedsGreen]

agreed I'm nominating KJ for Comeback Player Of The Year for all his hard work and dedication to JN

I will Co-sign that Brother ,Max get KJ his Award now. LOL

KJ helps us FLA. guys get info we never get to see. Thanks again KJ rep for sure

[Kentucky Jet]

I will Co-sign that Brother ,Max get KJ his Award now. LOL

KJ helps us FLA. guys get info we never get to see. Thanks again KJ rep for sure

Thanks guys. I live in Florida too and love reading Jets info. It is a funny thing but I have tried to be as complete as possible when posting Jets articles on other sites and all I heard was that I posted too much or words to that effect! IMO there can never be too much Jets news! LOL Go figure. I enjoy it here and will stay here. GO JETS! We are all Jets fans.

[SoFlaJets]

Thanks guys. I live in Florida too and love reading Jets info. It is a funny thing but I have tried to be as complete as possible when posting Jets articles on other sites and all I heard was that I posted too much or words to that effect! IMO there can never be too much Jets news! LOL Go figure. I enjoy it here and will stay here. GO JETS! We are all Jets fans.

what's cool about this site is the articles threads get stickied and the off-topic stuff gets thrown in the lounge and baseball it's own place...it's one of the best features about JN IMHO KJ

[JetCane]

Mike Westhoff, the special-teams coordinator whose passion for the game is visible from the cheap seats, will call plays from the Giants Stadium press box, the first time in his 22-year N.F.L. coaching career that he will not grace the sideline on a game day.

The move is a precautionary measure being taken for the foreseeable future as part of Westhoff

[joebabyny]

I can see them both potentially getting Chad killed

LOL, I can see the scene in slow motion, pats defender breaks through LG and comes charging up on Chad's blind side, complete with slo-mo roar like a tiger closing in on prey, Chad is unaware, and as he is in the process of throwing the ball, just as he fully extends his arm out, the defender hits, helmet to throwing shoulder, launching his arm, which is still clenching the ball, clear from his body. Blood gushes out all over Mangold's back, the crowd silences, everyone on the field and stands looks on in horror and chad bugs out at the site of a bone nub popping out of where his arm was seconds ago, as he starts running around the field in circles screaming the most hiddeous shreak a human has ever made. He runs into the flight crew cheerleader squad, soaking that cute blonde and covering her in blood, kids and fags in the stands start puking at the site of the carnage, then everyone notices the ball 15 yards away with the arm still clenching it and spasming, as one of the flag-fags jogs out to pick it up.

God I hope this doesn't happen, lol.

[i remember shea]

LOL, I can see the scen in slow motion, pats defender breaks through LG and comes charging up on Chad's blind side, complete with slo-mo roar like a tiger closing in on prey, Chad is unaware, and as he is in the process of thrwong the ball, just as he fully extends his arm out, the defender hits, helmet to throwing shoulder, launching his arm, which is still clenching the ball, clear from his body. Blood gushes out all over Mangold's back, the crowd silences, everyone on the field and stands looks on in horror and chad bugs out at the site of a bone nub popping out of where his arm was seconds ago, as he starts running around the field in circles screaming the most hiddeous shreak a human has ever made. He runs into the flight crew cheerleader squad, soaking that cute blonde and covering her in blood, kids and fags in the stands start puking at the site of the carnage, then everyone notices the ball 15 yards away with the arm still clenching it and spasming, as one of the flag-fags jogs out to pick it up.

God I hope this doesn't happen, lol.

POTY NOM

[flgreen]

Mike Westhoff, the special-teams coordinator whose passion for the game is visible from the cheap seats, will call plays from the Giants Stadium press box, the first time in his 22-year N.F.L. coaching career that he will not grace the sideline on a game day.

The move is a precautionary measure being taken for the foreseeable future as part of Westhoff

[Kentucky Jet]

what's cool about this site is the articles threads get stickied and the off-topic stuff gets thrown in the lounge and baseball it's own place...it's one of the best features about JN IMHO KJ

That is what attracts me to this site. I hate reading about baseball on a Jets FOOTBALL board. I also have asked administrators about creating a sticky for the news articles but they won't do it. I post the news and withing a few hours, you have to go looking for them. A sticky would be great but what can I do? LOL I like it here.

[ECURB]

Westhoff not being on the field is actually a big problem... he is not only a great coach but he is good a at lighting a fire under an ass....

[BwanaZulia]

He runs into the flight crew cheerleader squad, soaking that cute blonde and covering her in blood, kids and fags in the stands start puking at the site of the carnage, then everyone notices the ball 15 yards away with the arm still clenching it and spasming, as one of the flag-fags jogs out to pick it up.

Paging Dr. Sigmund Freud.

BZ

[#27TheDominator]

Mike Westhoff, the special-teams coordinator whose passion for the game is visible from the cheap seats, will call plays from the Giants Stadium press box, the first time in his 22-year N.F.L. coaching career that he will not grace the sideline on a game day.

The move is a precautionary measure being taken for the foreseeable future as part of Westhoff