NY JETS News Articles- Thursday 10/4

[Kentucky Jet]

NY POST

PENNINGTON A 'SITTING DUCK'

By PAUL SCHWARTZ

October 4, 2007 -- Since suffering a sprained ankle in the Jets' season-opening loss to the Patriots, QB Chad Pennington's mobility has been diminished. The Giants certainly have noticed.

DE Justin Tuck, asked yesterday if Pennington can be considered a sitting duck in the pocket, offered what could be construed as a backhanded compliment.

"Kinda, I guess you could say that," Tuck said. "That's probably the reason why he's so good in their system. He's a pocket quarterback, you look at his quarterback rating, he has 105, he has it for a reason, he knows exactly where to throw the ball when he sees blitz. That's invaluable as a quarterback. In a way he's a sitting duck, but in that scheme it kind of benefits them."

The Giants on Sunday afternoon will no doubt go after Pennington and are coming off an NFL record-tying 12-sack outburst in their 16-3 pummeling of the Eagles. The Jets do not have a strong or experienced offensive line and have allowed 11 sacks, six to Pennington and five to backup Kellen Clemens.

*

K Lawrence Tynes yesterday was not particularly interested in discussing the two kickers (Josh Huston and Billy Cundiff) who were at Giants Stadium on Tuesday for a look-see. Tynes is under fire after missing a 34-yard field goal and an extra point vs. the Eagles. "They've been here before and they're still at home," Tynes said of the two kickers. Asked about his performance, Tynes said, "There's no excuse for any of it, those are kicks that have to be made." He is 7-of-9 on field goals this season.

DE Michael Strahan has a sore knee and did not practice. He's expected back on the field today. S Gibril Wilson (hip) also did not work. Results of an MRI exam revealed no structural damage to RG Chris Snee's knee and he was able to practice. . . . WR Plaxico Burress again did not work as he attempts to manage his severely sprained right ankle. "Without me being able to practice, I'm a big part of that, us not being able to get better," Burress said of the offense. "You just got to be patient."

*

A change could be in the works in the Giants' return game. They signed WR Domenik Hixon, who was waived Tuesday by the Broncos. Hixon this season returned 12 kickoffs for a 22.8-yard average and seven punts for 4.6-yard average. To make room on the roster, WR Anthony Mix was waived.

During the week before a Jets home game, the Giants practice at Giants Stadium amid green tarps covering everything blue. "You walk around the stadium and you have to see the green; you don't really feel like it's yours," DT Barry Cofield said. "At least when you win this game, at least for that calendar year, you feel like it's your stadium." Sunday is a Giants home game.

[Kentucky Jet]

SACKS & FIGURES

CHAD, JETS READY FOR RUSH HOUR

By MARK CANNIZZARO

PENN' PALS: The Jets offensive line on Sunday must protect Chad Pennington (at practice yesterday) from a Giants pass rush that tied an NFL record with 12 sacks last week against the Eagles.October 4, 2007 -- Chad Pennington had just gotten home from Buffalo after the Jets' 17-14 loss to the Bills last Sunday and he and his wife, Robin, were in the kitchen of their Long Island home cooking something to eat.

The kitchen TV was on and it was tuned to the Giants-Eagles game as the Giants were in the process of recording an NFL record-tying 12 sacks.

Suffice it to say, particularly with the Giants next on the Jets' schedule (Sunday, 1 p.m. at Giants Stadium), Pennington took notice of the ferocious pass rush.

"I might have burned a couple of things," Pennington said jokingly. "We both saw enough of (the game) where we were like, 'Wow, they're playing some pretty good defense.' "

Asked if Robin remarked that he be careful against such an onslaught, Pennington said, "She's pretty good about keeping home, home and not talking a lot about football, and she's definitely not negative. Her cup's always half-full."

Pennington, who's been sacked six times in his three games, called the Giants' defensive performance "pretty impressive."

"I only watched a little bit of [the game]," he said. "I only needed to see a little bit of it to see what we're up against, so I didn't want to sit there and watch the rest of it. I got the gist of what was going on.

"Normally (with) a team that has a lot of sacks you can point out one guy that is the reason for that, maybe a great defensive end or a blitzing linebacker that causes a lot of plays. But when you looked at their game against Philadelphia, it was numerous guys. So that obviously makes it difficult on the offense, because you can't pinpoint one guy or set your protection or really concentrate on that one person.

"They've got three, four, five guys that can wreak havoc and do some damage in the pass rush."

Asked what he thinks when he watches a performance like the Giants' when he knows he's up next, Pennington said, "I've got to buckle up a little tighter. When you play against the defense like this, you can't expect the game to go perfect. You can't expect to have a positive play every game with the type of movement after every play.

"With the type of movement that they have, with all the different looks that they present on defense, there are going to be some plays that look a little ugly. And what we have to do as an offense is maintain our composure and understand that it's about the total perspective of the game and our goal is to win more than they win. You can't get caught up in just a couple plays that they may make."

Pennington said the biggest challenge is keeping his composure in the pocket in the face of the pass rush and not hurrying things.

"It's tough not to get happy feet," he said. "It's tough not to try to get rid of the ball earlier because of what's happened in the previous plays, and that is the hardest thing. You have to maintain your composure every time you come to the sideline, you have to see the different looks that they gave you and let that go and move on to the next series. That is extremely difficult."

The Jets' offensive line will be heavily challenged to stop defensive ends Osi Umenyiora, who had six sacks against the Eagles; Michael Strahan, who's playing better after missing all of training camp; and Justin Tuck, who has four sacks as a backup. Mathias Kiwanuka, a converted end now playing linebacker, has five sacks.

The past two weeks for the Giants' defense, which allowed 80 points in the first two weeks, have turned the team's season, outlook and confidence around.

"Success breeds confidence, and I think you're looking at a confident defense," Pennington said. "The first two weeks I don't think you saw a confident defense with the new system. In the last two weeks, with their winning and how they have won with great defensive play, that breeds confidence and confidence leads to better play.

"So you're looking at a confident defense that keeps gaining momentum each week and believes in their coordinator, and believes in what they're trying to get accomplished."

mark.cannizzaro@nypost.com

[Kentucky Jet]

MANGINI: COUGHLIN 'FUNNY GUY'

By MARK CANNIZZARO

October 4, 2007 -- Eric Mangini yesterday called Giants head coach Tom Coughlin "a pretty funny guy," which was pretty funny.

"I haven't gotten to know him too well," Mangini said. "I met him a few times and then I sat next to him at Romeo (Crennel's) daughter's wedding and got to spend some time with him there. He's a pretty funny guy. You don't know somebody until you get to know them, and I really enjoyed the time we got to spend in that situation. And I thought he had a great sense of humor."

Huh?

Is that the same coach whose exacting, stern, taskmaster style has been universally ripped by so many of his former players?

"That's the unique thing about a public persona versus who a guy really is," Mangini said. "I've enjoyed talking to him in the offseason and I think he's an excellent coach. He's been an excellent coach everywhere he's been. I like his approach and his attention to detail.

"You know, maybe he'll be doing some things at the Improv, I don't know" 'Coughlin-Mangini, one night only.' Can we get that on pay-per-view? I think it's going to be big. You heard it here first."

Asked if he and Coughlin talked about any funny Bill Parcells stories, Mangini said, "I don't know how many funny Parcells stories there are."

*

Injury report: S Erik Coleman didn't practice with what was described unclearly as a head injury. It's not known if that means a headache, abrasion or concussion. Players who were limited in practice included Pennington (ankle), CB Andre Dyson (foot), NT Dewayne Robertson (knee) and S Eric Smith (thigh). Those who practiced full but are on the list are FB Darian Barnes (shoulder), CB David Barrett (thigh), LB David Bowens (hand), WR Jerricho Cotchery (shoulder), RB Thomas Jones (calf), TE Joe Kowalewski (shoulder) and RG Brandon Moore (shoulder).

The Jets yesterday replaced backup LB Cody Spencer, who was placed on the non-football illness list Tuesday, with WR/KR David Clowney from the Packers' practice squad. Speedy Clowney, who's on the 53-man roster, is from Virginia Tech, a fifth-round pick by the Packers.

[Kentucky Jet]

IT'S A MATTER OF SURVIVAL FOR GREEN ERIC MANGINI October 3, 2007 -- THE Jets' season is in peril at 1-3, with a "road" game against the suddenly rejuvenated Giants looming Sunday at Giants Stadium.

They're fresh off an underachieving loss to an undermanned Bill team Sunday in Buffalo.

And they insist they're fine.

They insist they're better than 1-3. They insist they remain a confident group. They insist they're going to turn this thing around.

They'd better start Sunday or it'll be too late to back up all the above claims.

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, since the current NFL playoff format was instituted in 1990, 83 teams have started 1-4, and only five have survived to make the playoffs - the 1992 Chargers, 1993 Oilers, 2002 Jets and Titans and 2004 Packers.

That equates to six hundredths of a percent - hardly friendly odds.

"I explained to [the players] that I've been involved with teams that were 1-3 and were very successful," coach Eric Mangini said. "And some of these guys have been involved with a team who was 1-3 and won the division and went to the playoffs. So, really, where you are now doesn't matter. What matters is the next week, the next game. That's what we can control, that's what we need to focus on.

"That's what we're focused on - moving on to the Giants."

The Jets can turn around this ugly start if they start force-feeding Thomas Jones to the Giants' defense. Jones, who has rushed for more than 2,500 yards combined in the last two seasons, was brought here to fortify a Jet rushing attack that has been lost since Curtis Martin stopped suiting up on Sundays.

Through one quarter of the season, he's stuck on 254 yards, a 3.4-yard average and no TDs.

The Jets, too, have to start letting it go on defense, disrupting opposing offenses. They did little to disrupt Bill rookie QB Trent Edwards on Sunday, allowing him to get into a comfort zone.

If Giant QB Eli Manning is allowed to be in the same comfort zone Sunday he'll own the Jet defense.

Jet players maintain that inconsistency is the problem.

"If you're inconsistent in the NFL you end up with losses and you end up with days like this trying to explain what happened," receiver Jerricho Cotchery said in the quiet of the Jets' day-after locker room Monday.

"We're confident," Cotchery went on. "We're a very confident team and we'll be able to turn this around. We know that we have good players in this locker room. We know the character of these guys."

Jones was quick to add that panic has not set in.

"It's a long season," Jones said. "We have a lot of things we can correct. We've done a lot of things to hurt ourselves - penalties and not taking advantage of opportunities, and those are things we can correct. The playoffs don't start tomorrow."

No they don't. But without a Jet win Sunday, the playoffs won't start at all for them this season.

*

The Jets yesterday placed LB Cody Spencer on the reserve/non-football illness list.

mark.cannizzaro@nypost.com

[Kentucky Jet]

JINT-JET JOUST

MORE THAN JUST A GAME FOR BLUE TOM COUGHLIN October 3, 2007 -- THE Giants and Jets currently share a stadium and are partners in constructing a new billion-dollar football home that will link them in ways never before envisioned. Without compromise and cooperation between the two New York franchises, such an enormous undertaking would never be possible, and, moving forward, perhaps a greater bond might one day develop.

Sorry to interrupt this love-fest, but the Giants and Jets knock heads Sunday at a structure called Giants Stadium - both sides have strong feelings about that name - and don't think for a moment because they reside in different conferences and only play each other every four years or so that a fervent rivalry does not exist.

"There is a rivalry there, no question," Jim Fassel, the Giant head coach from 1997 through 2003, said yesterday from his office in Scottsdale, Ariz.

"Guys don't want to make a big deal about it, but it is. There's not a lot of teams that have two teams in a town. It was always something special. The media's going to make a big deal out of it, you know you're going to be around those guys, you know you're going to hear about it for a while. Now, at the end of the day, if I could trade wins, would I trade beating Dallas, or Philly or Washington? Sure. But there's no question that's a huge game."

The Giants, 2-2 after an 0-2 start, have turned around their season and look to unleash a pass rush that devoured the Eagles for 12 sacks on the Jets' suspect offensive line.

The special trappings of this game have more to do with the front offices and fans of the two teams and less to do with the players. There's no doubt coach Tom Coughlin's stature will grow a bit in the eyes of ownership if he's able to prove on the field that the Giants own the city.

Fassel should know. Back in 1999, the bloom was fading from his NFC East-winning debut season two years earlier and the Giants were bumping along at 5-6, losers of three straight games. There were rumblings that his job was on the line, his mother had just passed away and coming around the bend was Bill Parcells and the Jets.

No one around the Giants had ever grown comfortable seeing Parcells wearing Jet green, and there was enormous pressure on Fassel to win.

He did. Away from the team the week leading up to the game while attending his mother's funeral, Fassel for the first time handed the play-calling duties to a young assistant named Sean Payton, and the rout was on.

With Kerry Collins tossing three touchdown passes to Amani Toomer, the Giants rolled to a 34-7 lead en route to a 41-28 pounding of Parcells' Jets.

A year later, his job secured, Fassel had the Giants in the Super Bowl.

"Within the framework of the team and the coaches there's a different mental attachment to the Jets game," said Fassel, who owns commercial real-estate in Scottsdale and keeps his hand in football with a weekly report on ESPN and working as a color analyst for Westwood One radio.

"Then you hit the front office, ownership, there's always a pride there with everything, especially when it's a team in your hometown."

Was it a coincidence or perfect timing that Coughlin last Monday strode to the podium for his press conference and did not wait for questions? He immediately hammered home his agenda by thanking the fans for their vociferous support in the 16-3 victory over the Eagles and pleading for a repeat performance on Sunday to ensure the Jets understand that this is a Giant home game.

"I do appreciate the fans and what they did and how they contributed," Coughlin said, "and ask them to load up and be ready to go again."

Why not? It's Jet week, and don't believe anyone who says that doesn't mean something.

paul.schwartz@nypost.com

[Kentucky Jet]

Rivalry with Jets? What rivalry is that?

Thursday, October 04, 2007

BY COLIN STEPHENSON

Star-Ledger Staff

Rivalry? Between the Giants and Jets? It certainly doesn't sound that way listening to the players.

"It's kind of a rivalry," Giants DE Justin Tuck said politely.

But when asked if the Giants were going to get excited about the Jets or just treat it as the next game, Tuck was quick to respond.

"It's definitely the next game," he said. "There's no more hype than anything else. I would say there's more hype with Washington, Dallas and Philly, because those are, quote-unquote, the most important games."

WR Plaxico Burress hasn't played in a regular season Jets-Giants game, but he remembers the training camp scrimmage between the teams two years ago when several fights broke out. So he knows it's not exactly just another game.

But he, too, said playing their Giants Stadium co-tenants isn't the same as playing one of the NFC East rivals.

"Those are the toughest games that we play," he said.

Meanwhile, out on Long Island, Jets S Kerry Rhodes wasn't comparing this game to the Super Bowl either.

"They have their own things to handle and we have our own things to handle," Rhodes said. "We're 1-3 and trying to get a win. It doesn't matter who we play. It's not a division game, but it's a big game for us. It's another game that we have to win."

Giants RB Derrick Ward, who began his career on the Jets' practice squad, needled his former team.

"It's our name on the stadium," Ward joked. "We live in the penthouse; they live in the basement, pretty much."

DE Michael Strahan (knee) and S Gibril Wilson (hip) did not practice. Coach Tom Coughlin said Strahan would practice today.

In a surprise move, the Giants waived WR Anthony Mix, Burress' backup, and signed WR Domenik Hixon, who was cut Tuesday by the Denver Broncos.

Hixon returned kickoffs and punts for the Broncos, averaging 22.8 yards on 12 kickoff returns and 4.6 yards on seven punt returns. He also was the player Buffalo Bills TE Kevin Everett hit on the play in which Everett was paralyzed on the opening Sunday of the season.

K Lawrence Tynes said he was confident in his abilities after missing a field goal and a PAT in the 16-3 victory over Philadelphia.

"You rebound from it," he said. "That was last week, and we're thinking about the Jets. Two misses, two bad kicks, so you've got to move on and make the next one. And that's what we're going to do."

Tynes tried to seem unbothered by the fact the Giants worked out two kickers on Tuesday, and said he spoke to Coughlin Tuesday. "The only thing we can do in this league after a bad game is try and get it better."

Colin Stephenson may be reached at

cstephenson@starledger.com

Staff writer Dave Hutchinson contributed to this report.

[Kentucky Jet]

Pennington scrambles

Thursday, October 04, 2007

BY DAVE HUTCHINSON

Star-Ledger Staff

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. -- An NFL quarterback rarely finds himself on the defensive after a game in which he had a career-high number of completions and nearly 300 yards, but that's exactly where Jets QB Chad Pennington was yesterday.

Pennington, who threw two costly interceptions in the Jets' 17-14 loss in Buffalo on Sunday, was peppered with questions about his inability to stretch the field because of his lack of arm strength and whether teams have figured out offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer's semi-no-huddle scheme, which features a steady diet of pre-snap motions, shifts and different personnel packages.

Pennington finished 32 for 39 for 290 yards against the Bills, with one touchdown to go along with the two picks. But 23 of his passes were for 10 yards or less, and most of his yardage came on runs after the catch by his receivers.

"My goal as a quarterback is to put us in the end zone, score points, be efficient and move the chains," said a defiant Pennington, who will face the suddenly stout Giants on Sunday. "It's not to show anyone that I can throw down field or that I can make those throws. And I'm not going to force balls into coverage just to do that and make a point.

"... One of our strengths is catch-and-run. We have a lot of guys if you get the ball in their hands they can really do some damage, and it doesn't have to be a 40-yard throw."

Pennington, in his eighth season, has come under increased scrutiny since strong-armed backup Kellen Clemens played well in leading a near-comeback in the fourth quarter against the Ravens in Week 2 and appears to be a viable option.

One of the criticisms of Pennington is that with his dink-and-dunk style, the Jets' scoring drives are usually 10-, 11- and 12-play marches that are difficult to put together without a player committing a penalty, missing a block or dropping a pass. Despite talented skill players -- wide receivers Laveranues Coles, Jerricho Cotchery, Brad Smith and Justin McCareins, tight end Chris Baker and running backs Thomas Jones and Leon Washington -- the Jets are 20th in scoring offense (18 points per game).

Pennington, though, noted that the Jets have been very efficient in the red zone (10 for 12 with eight touchdowns) and on third-down conversions (49 percent).

"We'd love to score quickly and put a lot of points on the board," Pennington said, "but our main focus is making sure we protect the football."

Added Coles: "The guy has done nothing but win games since he started. People can say what they want to. He gives us a chance to win and guys support him and rally behind him and he plays hard."

Pennington, who repeatedly pointed out that the Bills were playing a two-deep zone to prevent the deep ball, maintained that teams are game-planning to stop Coles and Cotchery. He proudly pointed out that he had three opportunities to make big plays against Buffalo and did it on two 28-yard receptions by Cotchery and a 26-yarder to Smith. Those balls traveled 17, 21 and 26 yards in the air, respectively.

This season, Coles has 24 catches for 211 yards (a mere 8.8-yard average) and four touchdowns, and Cotchery has 28 catches for 382 yards (14.7-yard average) and no touchdowns. Again, much of their yardage have come after the catch.

Pennington insists that a lack of consistency on offense is the problem. He said that while opponents have had an entire off-season to study Schottenheimer's complex offense, they haven't shut it down. The Jets acquired Jones to rev up the running game and open up the passing game but that hasn't happened yet. In theory, if teams stack the line of scrimmage to stop the run, the pass should be available.

"We haven't been consistent enough to really make the defense choose one or the other," Pennington said. "They've been able to kind of play around with us. ... What you're seeing right now is an inconsistent team, and that's why we're 1-3."

Dave Hutchinson may be reached at

dhutchinson@starledger.com

[Kentucky Jet]

By KAREN CROUSE

Published: October 4, 2007

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y., Oct. 3

[Kentucky Jet]

Rhodes' impact missing

Thursday, October 04, 2007

BY DAVE HUTCHINSON

Star-Ledger Staff

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. -- Count free safety Kerry Rhodes among the missing play-makers on the Jets' struggling defense.

In four games this season, Rhodes has 13 tackles, no sacks and one interception. Last season after four games, he had 30 tackles, three sacks, three forced fumbles and an interception and was making a bid for the Pro Bowl.

The Jets rank 28th in the NFL in total defense (365.5 yards per game). They have three sacks (30th in the NFL) and three turnovers (tied for the second-fewest in the NFL).

"I just do what the coaches ask me to do," Rhodes said yesterday. "It's a tough situation. Wherever he (defensive coordinator Bob Sutton) puts me it's better for the team. That's how I look at it. ... I'm a play-maker. That's what I like to do, of course. We're doing what is best for the team."

Rhodes has blitzed on occasion but teams are aware of him. The Jets, however, haven't come up with a new way to free him up.

Starting strong safety Erik Coleman didn't practice yesterday because of a head injury and his status for the Giants game is unknown. It appears unlikely he'll play with NFL teams taking every precaution to protect players following head injuries. The Jets didn't call the injury a concussion.

Coleman, a fourth-year pro, was injured in the Bills game but finished the game. He has been a starter since his rookie year, starting 49 of 52 career games. If Coleman can't go, second-year pro Eric Smith would get the start.

QB Chad Pennington said he was impressed with a Giants defense that rang up an NFL-record-tying 12 sacks against the Eagles. He said he watched some of the game Sunday night but turned it off after he got the gist of what was happening.

"Normally, a team that has a lot of sacks, you can point out one guy," Pennington said. "Maybe a great defensive end or a blitzing linebacker. But when you looked at their game against Philadelphia, it was numerous guys. So that makes it difficult because you can't set your protection on that one person. ... I've got to buckle up a little tighter."

Pennington admitted that one of his biggest challenges will be to not get "happy feet" or get rid of the ball too early to avoid the rush. He said, "you have to maintain your composure."

WR Laveranues Coles said being the "road team" on Sunday won't be any different than usual.

"In my opinion, we're always playing a road game," he said. "We travel two hours to play a game and it takes us three hours to get back home. How many other teams you know have to do that?"

Rookie CB Darrelle Revis is impressed with Giants WR Plaxico Burress (19 catches, 286 yards, 6 TDs). "He's a great receiver," Revis said. "I think you can put him up there with Randy (Moss)."

Coach Eric Mangini said he got to know Giants coach Tom Coughlin a little when they sat together at the wedding of Browns coach Romeo Crennel's daughter a few years back. He described him as a pretty funny guy.

"You don't know somebody until you get to know them," Mangini said. "I thought he had a great sense of humor."

The Jets yesterday signed WR David Clowney off the Packers' practice squad to replace LB Cody Spencer (non-life-threatening infection), who was placed on the reserve/non-football injury list and is out for the season.

[Kentucky Jet]

Thursday, October 4, 2007

Chad: I can go deep

The Jets' difficulty in sustaining a vertical passing game has led to whispers about whether Chad Pennington is having problems planting on his right ankle, which he severely sprained opening day.

"No," he said Wednesday when asked if his plant foot was a problem. "The three throws that I had downfield, I felt really good about those three throws."

Pennington on Sunday completed passes of 29 and 28 yards to Jerricho Cotchery and one of 26 yards to Brad Smith. Those passes traveled about 17, 21 and 26 yards in the air from the line of scrimmage, respectively.

"I felt like I got great velocity" on them, Pennington added. "Kudos to our training staff. They've done a great job in making me feel good on game day and doing all the necessary work throughout the week to feel comfortable and confident. I would tell you if I didn't, but I feel pretty good."

Wild and crazy guys

Coach Eric Mangini said that he and Giants' coach Tom Coughlin spent some time talking two years ago at a wedding.

"He's a pretty funny guy," Mangini said of the often stern Coughlin. "I thought he had a great sense of humor."

When reporters expressed disbelief, Mangini joked, "Maybe we'll be doing some things at The Improv, I don't know. Coughlin-Mangini, one night only. Can we get that on pay-per-view?"

Briefs

Free safety Erik Coleman didn't practice because of a "head" injury, which could mean a concussion. If he can't play, Eric Smith will start against the Giants. ... The Jets signed wide receiver David Clowney off the Green Bay practice squad to fill the roster spot vacated by linebacker Cody Spencer (undisclosed illness).

-- J.P. Pelzman

[Kentucky Jet]

Jets are wary of Giants' 'D'

Thursday, October 4, 2007

By J.P. PELZMAN

STAFF WRITER

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. -- Chad Pennington got home from the Jets' game at Buffalo on Sunday in time to catch some of the Eagles-Giants game. But he didn't stay with it for too long.

"I only watched a little bit of it," Pennington said Wednesday, "to see what we were going up against. I didn't want to sit there and watch the rest of it. I got the gist of what was going on."

That's understandable, considering that the Giants tied an NFL record with 12 sacks against Philadelphia. Besides, Pennington knew he would have to go through the details of those sacks when the players looked at game tape Monday.

"It was pretty impressive," Pennington said, adding with a laugh, "I know I have to buckle it up a little tighter."

He's not the only one. So must the men in front of him on the Jets' offensive line. The Jets were sacked nine times in the first two games, and one in the opener against New England resulted in a sprained right ankle that sidelined Pennington for a game.

That sack was allowed by left tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson. He hasn't allowed one since, despite facing Miami's Jason Taylor and Buffalo's Aaron Schobel in the last two weeks. But he did allow one in the preseason to Giants' defensive end Osi Umenyiora, who just happened to have six sacks of Philadelphia's Donovan McNabb on Sunday.

"You definitely see that," Ferguson said of Umenyiora's six, "and say, 'Hey, man, I don't want that to happen to me personally or even to this organization.' It's real important to watch that tape and develop a game plan. We're doing that."

"There are no vacation days" for Ferguson, coach Eric Mangini said. "It's just the life of a left tackle."

Ferguson faltered down the stretch last season, as he hit the rookie wall and lost weight. He has played much better since opening day, although he did have two holding penalties against the Bills on Sunday.

"I've tried to really be conscious of the techniques that I use," Ferguson said. "I'm just really working on the small things [and] how they could impact the bigger picture."

At least he'll be able to draw upon personal experience against Umenyiora, even if it wasn't all pleasant. Not only did Umenyiora beat Ferguson with a power move for his sack, he also beat him with a speed rush earlier in the first quarter of that game. The only reason Umenyiora didn't get a sack on that one was that teammate Justin Tuck beat him to Pennington by a step.

"I think anytime that you have an opportunity to play against somebody," Ferguson said, "and you can use that as information, it's definitely good. There's a big difference between seeing it on tape and actually physically going out there and putting your hands on someone or seeing how their moves work. It's definitely a bonus."

The entire offensive line knows it will get a stiff test from the suddenly revitalized Giants' defense.

"Outside of those numbers, outside of what they did last week," left guard Adrien Clarke said, "we knew that they were a very good front four, a very good front seven. It's going to be a challenge for us and we've just got to execute."

E-mail: pelzman@northjersey.com

[Kentucky Jet]

Jets' Rhodes wants to be more involved in action

BY TOM ROCK | tom.rock@newsday.com

October 4, 2007

Kerry Rhodes didn't say he is unhappy with his role this year, which requires him to play more coverage than create disruptions at the line of scrimmage. But it was clear that the third-year safety, who had five sacks in 2006 but none this season, is getting a bit itchy.

"I'm a playmaker," he said yesterday. "Coach knows what he's got here. If it's called for me to do some things, I'll do it."

Rhodes has blitzed a few times, but for the most part his skills have been used in the secondary. "I just have to do what the coach is asking me to do," he said. "It's a tough situation."

Asked whether Rhodes has any input in how the Jets use him, he said he is free to approach Eric Mangini or coordinator Bob Sutton with suggestions. "We've got a give and take," he said. "I'm not saying it's all going to be taken, but it's definitely a give and take."

Laugh lines

Giggles and chuckles do not come to mind when thinking of New York's NFL coaches. But Mangini said he's spoken with Tom Coughlin several times and always is impressed by his sense of humor.

"He's a pretty funny guy," Mangini said of the Giants coach, whom he sat beside at the wedding of Romeo Crennel's daughter a few years ago. Mangini even suggested that they take their comical shtick to a broader audience than reporters.

"Coughlin and Mangini, one night only," he said. "Can we get that on pay-per-view? I think it's going to be big."

Jet streams

The Jets signed WR Dave Clowney to replace LB Cody Spencer ... Newfield's Joe Piccininni was named Jets high school coach of the week after his Wolverines beat Riverhead to be 3-0, their best start since 1965 ... Laveranues Coles said it won't feel strange to be the visiting team Sunday because the Jets always feel like a road team. "We travel two hours to play our game and it takes us three hours to get back home," he said. "How many other teams you know have to do that?" ... S Erik Coleman sat out practice with a head injury; QB Chad Pennington (ankle) did not participate fully.

[Kentucky Jet]

Despite getting lit up, Jets don't seem fired up

Bob Glauber

October 4, 2007

One more loss on Sunday, and the Jets' season is close to being over. At 1-4, in a conference stacked with quality teams, it would take a herculean effort to get to January.

Crunch time, right, fellas?

Evidently not, according to the Jets, who were talking yesterday as if it were the middle of preseason, not the must-win atmosphere you'd expect of a team that's reeling. Giants Week feels like any other week around here. Even for the guys you'd think would understand the gravity of the situation.

Such as linebacker Jonathan Vilma, one of the locker room's emotional leaders. There has to be a greater sense of urgency for this one, right?

"No," he said. "Not because we're 1-3. We have 11 games left after this. No way you can say who is going to the playoffs after four games."

Oh, boy.

After the Jets' brutal start, you'd think Vilma would be a burning, churning chunk of intensity. The team has looked listless, it's coming off a horrible effort in a 17-14 loss to previously winless Buffalo, and the season is on the brink. But no, Vilma and the rest of the Jets' players are taking their cue from Eric Mangini and trying to be consistent from week to week.

The Mangini Mantra was heard again yesterday, as it has been all season. "Collectively, we're all working on making progress," he said. "It's a group effort. It's got to be everybody together moving forward."

Week to week. Game to game. Blah. Blah. Blah.

Knute Rockne he isn't.

And I'm not saying he has to be. But the laid-back vibe around here is a little disturbing, because it seems as if the players don't grasp the gravity of their situation. And while it's all well and good for a coach to maintain an even keel from one week to the next, you also want to make sure there's a pulse on your team. The Jets don't act as if they have one.

Somebody yell. Someone scream. Someone challenge your teammates. Someone stand up and say something. Please!

Show the kind of honesty that Justin Tuck did moments after the Giants beat the Redskins with a stirring second-half comeback at FedEx Field. "We came in here telling ourselves we need this win, or else that's probably the end of our season right there," Tuck said.

Someone flash the kind of anger that Randy Thomas showed during another 1-3 start for the Jets. After a 28-3 loss to the Jaguars in 2002, Thomas was so furious that he sat at his locker seething and looking around at his teammates. "You better check yourself," he said over and over. "Check yourself." They checked themselves all right. The Jets rallied behind Chad Pennington and made the playoffs by winning eight of their last 11.

But there's no one saying "check yourself" around here. It feels more like the Stepford Jets, who are falling in line with a coach who is not pressing their emotional buttons at a time when he needs to. So if Mangini won't say it, then let us tell the players instead:

Guys, your season is on the line right here, right now. If you win, there is a chance of salvaging this brutal start and getting back in it. If you lose, there is every reason to believe that you will not make the playoffs. You can talk all you want about having 11 more games after this one, no matter what the result. But pretty soon, you will start running out of games, and then it will be too late.

Mangini had it a lot easier last year because no one expected the Jets to do much of anything. They swooped in under the radar and put together a dynamic 10-6 season, and everything he did worked. But now he's at the point where his coaching will be tested in a different way, a tougher way. As Bill Parcells used to say: You don't judge a quarterback after he throws for 300 yards and three touchdowns and wins, 35-10. You judge him by how he performs after throwing three interceptions, gets hit in the mouth and has to walk into the huddle with blood dripping down his lips.

It's the same now for Mangini. He and his team have been hit in the mouth a bunch of times, and the season is on the line. His players are watching him and waiting to see how he responds. So are the fans.

Right here, right now, we get to see what kind of coach Mangini really is. Beat the Giants, and the season lives on. Lose on Sunday, and it is just about over.

[Kentucky Jet]

BOB GLAUBER

October 4, 2007

An NFL scout analyzes the key matchup of Jets vs. Giants

OSI UMENYIORA vs. D'BRICKASHAW FERGUSON

Umenyiora: Has a tremendous first step, one of the best in the league ... Quickness is undeniable ... Can get around the edge as well as just about anyone in the league ... Has improved bull rush and can often drive tackles back several yards ... Prefers the outside move, but can change directions quickly and go to the inside ... Has good swim move, but best move is faking inside and then going outside ... Occasionally gets leveraged by stronger offensive tackle on running plays ... Has advantage of offenses double-teaming other linemen.

Ferguson: Could be vulnerable to bull rushes, since he's not a thickly built tackle ... Ferguson seems more disciplined after showing plenty of rawness last year ... Plants his feet well after the snap on pass blocking. If he does not set himself quickly enough, can get beat to the outside ... Not a great straight-ahead blocker, still needs more upper body strength ... Still has some problems with false starts ... Doesn't have a mean streak, but does show toughness.

Jets at Giants, 1 p.m.

TV: Ch. 2. Radio: WABC (770), WEPN (1050), WFAN (660)

[Kentucky Jet]

Pennington bracing for Giants' sack attack

BY TOM ROCK | tom.rock@newsday.com

October 4, 2007

Chad Pennington knows there will be a few bumps when he faces the Giants defense Sunday.

"You can't expect the game to go perfect," the Jets quarterback said yesterday. "You can't expect to have a positive play every play. With the type of movement that they have, with all the different looks they present an offense, there are going to be some plays that look a little ugly."

It may seem odd for an NFL player to be conceding any snaps to the opposition four days before the teams even take the field. But that's the kind of impression the Giants made with their 12-sack performance against the Eagles. Now that Pennington is in the cross hairs, he's not only preparing for how to avoid those sacks, but how to handle them when they inevitably come.

"It's tough not to get happy feet, it's tough not to try to get rid of the ball earlier because of what's happened in the previous plays," he said of a quarterback's mindset when under constant pressure. "That's the hardest thing."

The job of protecting Pennington will fall to a line that allowed nine sacks in the first two games but only two in the last two. The Giants defense looks a lot more like the Patriots' and Ravens', however, the teams the Jets faced in the opening weeks of the season. The Jets had difficulty adjusting to the movement and disguise at the line of scrimmage in those games. The Giants no doubt will be shuffling their pieces around like a shell game in order to create confusion.

Still, it will come down to one-on-one matchups in protection and run blocking. And that's where the Giants excel, according to Jets tackle Anthony Clement.

"If you watch these cats, they all move around pretty good, they're all pretty strong, they're all pretty active," Clement said of the Giants' front seven, particularly the four linemen. "They're all good guys."

The Jets aren't concerned only about pass protection. They think establishing a running game will help alleviate the rush, allow Pennington to work some play action and buy more time in the pocket. In four games with Thomas Jones as their primary running back, however, the Jets are ranked 28th in rushing (82.5 yards per game).

Although Eric Mangini, a former defensive coordinator, may have watched the Giants' most recent performance with a bit of envy - "You'd love to bottle up those days and figure out a way to get 12 sacks every week," said the coach of a team with three in four games - others saw it as a challenge.

"It didn't take that to see how good of a defense they are," Clement said. "But you take it a little more seriously seeing the things they did to a good offense like Philly. You're going to prepare better, you're going to prepare a lot smarter, and you're going to get it right."

Left tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson, who will be charged with blocking Osi Umenyiora after his six-sack showcase, said it will serve as motivation.

"You definitely see that and say, 'I don't want that to happen to me or this organization,' " Ferguson said. "It's real important to watch the tape and develop a game plan. And we're doing that."

Pennington said he watched some of the Eagles-Giants game Sunday night after the team's charter flight returned to Long Island. He's since studied the tape of that entire game, but Sunday night he was just watching casually. And as the next to face the buzz saw, he saw more than he wanted to.

"I only needed to see a little bit of it to see what we're up against," he said with a sly smile. "I got the gist of what was going on."

Asked what he was thinking while watching Donovan McNabb go down time after time, Pennington didn't hesitate.

"I've got to buckle up a little tighter," he said.

[Kentucky Jet]

The laugh factory

By Tom Rock

Abbott and Costello. Lewis and Martin. Mangini and Coughlin?

The idea of the two New York football coaches having themselves a yuk-fest as a comic duo may seem strange, but the topic was broached today. Seems Mangini and Coughlin sat at the same table for Romeo Crennel

[Kentucky Jet]

Kerry Rhodes' work not up to par this season

BY RICH CIMINI

DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER

Thursday, October 4th 2007, 4:00 AM

A year ago, Kerry Rhodes was one of the most productive two-way safeties in the NFL. He was a force near the line of scrimmage (five sacks) and he made plays in deep coverage (four interceptions).

This season, his role has changed and his numbers are down. Yesterday, Rhodes admitted it's "a tough situation," but he managed to hold his tongue.

"I'm a playmaker, that's what I like to do, but we're doing what's best for the team," said Rhodes, who has no sacks and one interception.

Rhodes was reluctant to discuss the situation, but he acknowledged that he's been "back (in coverage) a little bit more this year, I'll say that." It's believed that he blitzed only once in each of the last two games, a curious strategy to say the least. He prides himself on being a complete player, not just a deep "center fielder."

Rhodes suspects his role is being defined on a week-to-week basis, based on the opponent. That is the Jets' philosophy, although they haven't faced a quick-strike passing offense since the Patriots in the opener - the kind of opponent that would warrant more pass-coverage responsibility. Rhodes said he has a good relationship with coordinator Bob Sutton and will sometimes make suggestions. Yesterday, he spent several minutes talking with Sutton on the practice field.

LAUGH TRACK: Eric Mangini and Tom Coughlin don't know each other particularly well, but they sat next to each other two years ago at a wedding reception. It was for the daughter of Browns coach Romeo Crennel. Let's not call them wedding crashers just yet, but the two coaches apparently shared plenty of yuks. "He's a pretty funny guy," Mangini said of the Giants' coach, not often described as a funny man. "Maybe he'll be doing some things at the Improv," added Mangini, trying a little stand-up of his own. "Coughlin-Mangini, one night only. Can we get that on Pay-Per-View? I think it's going to be big. You heard it here first."... Jets signed WR David Clowney from the Packers' practice squad.

[LWC611]

As always thanks Kentucky

[Kentucky Jet]

Chad Pennington comes up short in passing game

BY RICH CIMINI

DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER

Thursday, October 4th 2007, 4:00 AM

Chad Pennington's first blitz of the week occurred yesterday, sans protection. Good thing for him there was no sign of Osi Umenyiora, who will have to wait until Sunday to feed his suddenly voracious appetite for sacks.

On this day, the Jets' quarterback faced a barrage of questions about his dinking and dunking, his bum ankle and the team's offensive struggles. Almost defensive, Pennington claimed he's not out to win a popularity contest by proving he can throw long. "My goal as a quarterback is to put us in the end zone, score points ... not to show anyone that I can throw downfield or that I can make those throws," he said. "I'm not going to force balls into coverage just to do that and make that point. That's just bad quarterback play, and I don't believe in that."

So there.

Pennington's lack of arm strength isn't a new issue, but it's a hot-button topic again because of last week's loss to the defensively challenged Bills. He completed a career-high 32 of 39 passes for 291 yards, but the Jets managed only two touchdowns.

Only two of Pennington's 82 pass attempts have traveled more than 20 yards in the air (both last week), according to STATS, LLC, sparking criticism from those who believe the offense is too predictable. He acknowledged "the surprise element isn't as big a factor" as last season, but he's satisfied with the third-down and red-zone efficiency.

But there's still no downfield passing attack, raising questions about Pennington's health. He has a twice-repaired throwing shoulder, and his sprained right ankle still isn't 100%, which could be affecting his ability to plant on his right foot and follow through with his throwing motion.

That simply isn't true, said Pennington, insisting he feels "comfortable and confident." Noting his three longest completions against the Bills (26, 28 and 29 yards), he said, "I felt really good about those throws. I felt like I had great velocity, with good placement and accuracy."

When Pennington faces a Cover-2 zone, he's apt to throw underneath to his check-down receivers. It can be maddening for fans, but he doesn't want to force the ball downfield. In Sunday's game against the Giants, who like to blitz, he's likely to see more single coverage.

The question is, will he have time to exploit it? The Giants tied an NFL record last week with 12 sacks against the Eagles, including six by Umenyiora, who single-handedly tried to bury Donovan McNabb with Jimmy Hoffa. If the Jets' pass protection is shoddy, Pennington could go from dink and dunk to chuck and duck. He saw a little of the Giants-Eagles game Sunday night, but turned off the TV.

"I only needed to see a little bit of it to see what we're up against," said Pennington, who has been sacked six times in three starts. "I got the gist of what was going on."

The Jets' pass protection has improved, but this could be the most difficult challenge. With Umenyiora and Michael Strahan rushing from the ends, and with Mathias Kiwanuka rushing from anywhere, the Jets will be under constant pressure to keep Pennington upright. Umenyiora's six-pack left them buzzing.

"You definitely see that and say, 'I don't want that to happen to me or this organization,'" said left tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson, who will face Umenyiora after holding the Dolphins' Jason Taylor and the Bills' Aaron Schobel sackless.

The Jets are more concerned about right tackle Anthony Clement, sometimes a liability in pass protection. His assignment is Strahan, who last week passed Lawrence Taylor as the Giants' all-time leading sacker. The Jets can assign an extra blocker to Strahan, but that would leave Umenyiora alone on Ferguson. Pick your poison. In four games, the Jets have allowed defenses to "play around with us," according to Pennington. Their objective against Osi & Co.: Don't play with mismatches, or someone will get burned.

[Kentucky Jet]

Justin Tuck wasn't issuing any warnings or threats to Chad Pennington, but after what the Giants did to Donovan McNabb, it sure sounded ominous.

"We are going to try and get after him like we got after McNabb," Tuck said yesterday.

The Giants sacked McNabb 12 times Sunday night, tying an NFL record. Osi Umenyiora picked up six of them, one short of the record. Mathias Kiwanuka had three, Tuck two and Michael Strahan one. "We put up great numbers," linebacker Antonio Pierce said. "For us to do that again would be a miracle."

All of a sudden, a defense that was inept for the first two games has become a sack machine that can't be scored upon. In the first 10 quarters of the season, the Giants gave up 97 points. In the last six quarters, they've given up three.

Now it's Pennington's turn to dodge the rush in the Battle of New York on Sunday. He doesn't have the wheels under ideal circumstances to run away from Umenyiora and Co. And he was still limping around yesterday after severely spraining his ankle in the season opener, which further limits his mobility. The Giants just took advantage of McNabb, who is coming off ACL surgery and doesn't get around nearly as well as he did earlier in his career.

Pennington returned home from Buffalo in time Sunday night to turn on the Giants game. After watching a little bit, he said, "I got the gist of what was going on," and hit the remote.

"Yes," Tuck said. "He's thinking about us."

How could he not?

The Jets will certainly adjust their protection to make sure Pennington doesn't get McNabbed. "Osi got a couple of texts (messages) from Thomas Jones saying he is going to get chipped a lot this week," Tuck said. "We know guys are going to do a lot more to keep us off of Pennington this week and every other quarterback."

Does Pennington's style make him a sitting duck, Tuck was asked.

"Kind of. I guess you could say that," he said. "It's probably the reason why he is so good in this system. He's a pocket quarterback. He has a 105 quarterback rating. He has it for a reason. He's getting the ball out of his hands. He knows exactly where to throw the ball when he sees blitz. That is invaluable as a quarterback. It doesn't give you much time to get back there to him. In a way, he's a sitting duck. But in this scheme, it kind of benefits him."

Pennington does get rid of the ball in a hurry. The Jets rarely throw downfield, which is the weakness of the Giants' defense. The quick throws can help nullify the pass rush, but they also require long drives to get into the end zone.

The Giants are no longer shooting jump shots after sacks. Now the sacker stands there as if he has a spoon in his hand and feeds himself. "We're hungry," Pierce said.

How did this explosion happen Sunday night against Philly?

Eagles left tackle William Thomas was out with a knee injury and Winston Justice was getting his first start. Justice gave up four of the sacks to Umenyiora as Eagles coach Andy Reid stubbornly refused to give him any help. The Eagles were without Brian Westbrook. And the fact McNabb doesn't run very much anymore made him easy pickings for the Giants defense.

And when Tuck, normally a defensive end, and Kiwanuka, a defensive end switched to linebacker this year, move inside to defensive tackle on passing downs, joining Umenyiora and Strahan in what is the new Sack Exchange, the Giants can really get after the quarterback.

Strahan is still getting so much respect with double teams that Umenyiora is the beneficiary. Jets left tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson is a much better player than Justice, but Strahan might be able to take advantage of right tackle Anthony Clement. When the Giants go to their Fearsome Foursome pass rushers, they will surely aim their pressure up the middle at left guard Adrien Clarke, the weakest link in the Jets' offensive line.

Ferguson has no interest in watching Umenyiora run by him like he did against the Eagles. "You definitely see that and say, 'I don't want that to happen to me or this organization,'" he said. "It is real important to watch the tape and develop a game plan. We are doing that."

The Jets may be helped because they played the Giants a little over one month ago in the preseason. But teams rarely unveil much in practice games, especially when they will play again during the season. So, other than the experience of going against Umenyiora for a couple of quarters, it's debatable how much Ferguson was able to go to school that night.

In four games, Pennington has been sacked only six times. But in the first three games, McNabb had been sacked five times. The downside of using the four defensive ends together is the Giants are vulnerable against the run. If the Jets can establish Jones, it will slow down the Giants' pass rush.

The Jets need to keep Pennington on his feet. The Giants want to turn him into McNabb.

gmyers@nydailynews.com

[Kentucky Jet]

Mangini & Coughlin, Best Friends Forever?

Step aside, Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn. There could be another two wedding crashers coming to a reception hall near you -- Eric Mangini and Tom Coughlin.

The local football coaches sat next to each other two years ago at the wedding of Romeo Crennel

[Kentucky Jet]

Pennington, Jets wary of Giants' rampaging defense

By ANDREW GROSS

THE JOURNAL NEWS

(Original publication: October 4, 2007)

HEMPSTEAD - The most Chad Pennington has ever been sacked in a game is six times, or half of what the Giants did to the Eagles' Donovan McNabb this past Sunday.

So as Pennington looks not to repeat his fellow quarterback's fate when the Jets (1-3) "visit" the suddenly imposing Giants Sunday, he knows he can't start hearing footsteps every time he drops back to pass.

"That is the biggest challenge," Pennington said yesterday. "As a quarterback, you have to take each play as its own entity. You use the previous information to help you anticipate. But it's tough not to get happy feet. It's tough not to try to get rid of the ball earlier."

Chances are, the Giants (2-2), who have won two straight, will not approach their pass-rushing success from their 16-3 victory against Philadelphia. After all, the 12 sacks tied an NFL record.

But it does put Pennington - who was sacked six times in a 32-29 loss at St. Louis in 2004 and was dropped four times in a game twice last season - and the Jets' offensive line on notice.

"I feel as though the momentum would have been there just off the win itself," Jets left guard Adrien Clarke said. "But it definitely adds with the stats they built up last week as well. We can't worry about that. We have to worry about what we have to do up front."

Clarke's game-by-game improvement as he takes over for traded veteran Pete Kendall has also aided left tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson. Clarke is now able to assist Ferguson in blocking a rushing defensive end if needed.

Over the past two games Ferguson has held the Dolphins' Jason Taylor and the Bills' Aaron Schobel, the NFL's top two sackers since 2003, without a sack and to a combined one quarterback hit.

Now, Ferguson gets to face Osi Umenyiora, who had six sacks against McNabb.

"You definitely see that and say, 'I don't want that to happen to me or this organization,' " Ferguson said. "It is real important to watch the tape and develop a game plan."

Pennington said that is sometimes difficult against the Giants because they'll use multiple defensive sets throughout the course of a game.

But the Giants will no doubt have to show the Jets' receiving duo of Laveranues Coles and Jerricho Cotchery more respect than they did in their continuous use of press coverage against the Eagles' Reggie Brown and Jason Avant.

But while the Giants did get some of their 12 sacks thanks to solid secondary work, many of McNabb's problems came because Umenyiora and fellow defensive end Michael Strahan have both the strength to simply overpower linemen and the speed to race around them.

"I think success breeds confidence, and I think you're looking at a confident defense," Pennington said. "The first two weeks, I don't think you saw a confident defense with the new system."

Notes: Pennington remains limited in practice with a sore right ankle. Safety Erik Coleman (head) missed practice, placing his status for Sunday in doubt. ... The Jets signed wide receiver David Clowney off the Packers' practice squad to replace linebacker Cody Spencer on their 53-man roster. ... Safety Kerry Rhodes, after recording five sacks in 2006, has just one quarterback pressure this season. "I've just got to do what the coaches are asking me to do, it's a tough situation," Rhodes said. "Whatever they put me in, it's better for the team, that's how I look at. It's a tough situation because I'm a playmaker and that's what I like to do, and we're doing what's best for the team and it's a game situation.'' ... Coles said it's no big deal to play a road game in what's typically the Jets' home stadium. "In my opinion, we're always playing a road game," Coles said. "We travel two hours to play a game, and it takes us three hours to get back home. How many other teams who you know have to do that?"

Reach Andrew Gross at apgross@lohud.com and read his Jets' blog at www.jets.lohudblogs.com.

[Kentucky Jet]

Short Passes Are Clogging Jones's Path

NFL Football

By MICHAEL DAVID SMITH

October 4, 2007

On the last play of the first quarter of the Jets' loss to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, running back Thomas Jones took a handoff, tried to find room to run to the left, and was drilled behind the line of scrimmage for a loss of a yard.

The play wasn't particularly noteworthy, but the player who tackled Jones was: Donte Whitner, the Bills' strong safety. Although the Jets had three wide receivers on the field on that play

[Kentucky Jet]

DOWN! Go Jets!

Giants RB Derrick Ward, who began his career on the Jets' practice squad, needled his former team.

"It's our name on the stadium," Ward joked. "We live in the penthouse; they live in the basement, pretty much."