NY JETS NEWS ARTICLES 10/ 17- NY Post

[Kentucky Jet]

CRISIS FOR ERIC

GRUMBLING JETS TEST COACH'S CONTROL October 17, 2007 -- ERIC Mangini finds him self at the first serious crossroads of his NFL head-coaching career.

His Jets are 1-5. Chances of recovering from this hole and making the playoffs are almost non-existent. One team in NFL history has started a season 1-5 and made the playoffs, and that occurred 38 years ago.

The shine has dulled from Mangini's ascent from young and unproven first-time head coach to Mangenious after making the Jets the surprise of the NFL last season with a 10-6 record and a playoff berth.

Jet fans, furious with the start to the season, are starting to question Mangini.

So, too, are some players, who've wondered aloud and through whispers whether the coaching staff has outsmarted itself at times with the play-calling.

Players, too, are disillusioned about all the hard work they've put in, dating back to the offseason workouts, having not produced wins. No return on their investment of blood and sweat has more than a few agitated and wondering if it was all worth it.

The latest issue that's in question is the decision by Mangini and offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer to try a quarterback sneak on third-and-one from the Eagle 4-yard line Sunday instead of handing the ball to Thomas Jones, who'd already rushed for 130 yards on 24 carries in the game.

There have been ongoing questions about the defensive scheme, wondering why the Jets are playing a 3-4 alignment when linebacker Jonathan Vilma and nose tackle Dewayne Robertson were such successful players in the 4-3 scheme employed here before Mangini arrived here.

And now there are questions about Mangini's choice at quarterback, with Chad Pennington mired in a slump and Kellen Clemens waiting in the wings. Pennington, who's thrown six interceptions this season and has thrown an alarming 22 of them in his 21 starts under Mangini, has been given a longer leash than Jets fans would like.

This all leads to how well Mangini deals with crisis.

When the buttons a coach pushes lead to successes on the field, it's easy for the players to go along willingly with those.

When those buttons pushed lead to nothing right, it's human nature for the players to question why they were pushed.

Mangini is fighting human nature in his locker room right now, faced with his first true crisis, and his crisis-management skills will be under significant scrutiny in the coming days and weeks.

"Eric did all the right things last year and was called a genius for it," one former NFL player who knows Mangini and isn't a detractor told The Post. "Now, faced with some adversity, everyone wonders what he's going to do for a second act."

So the question that needs to be answered is: How does Mangini get his team out of this funk, and when the team officially is eliminated from playoff contention, how does he keep the locker room from fracturing and keep the players hungry?

He's often talked about this being the reason the Jets draft and acquire players with high character.

Now, and in the coming couple of months, is when that character will truly be tested.

Along with Mangini's ability to deal with crisis.

mark.cannizzaro@nypost.com

[Kentucky Jet]

pennington or clemens?

The anti-Chad Pennington e-mails and irate sports radio phone callers have been coming in at such a high rate that Jets fans' rage might actually be reaching the level it got with Herman Edwards.

Remember Herm?

There was such a crazed hatred for Herm you'd have thought he drained the bank accounts and stole the young from every Jets fan alive. Edwards, we might remind those who thought he'd be an unqualified failure in Kansas City, is 3-3 with a Chiefs team that's not as talented as the Jets.

Now Chad Pennington is at the center of Jets fans' storm.

Eric Mangini has stayed strong in his support for Pennington, but it has to be waning by the minute. Those who feel putting Kellen Clemens in to provide a spark have legitimate points. While Pennington, who is certainly slumping, has not been alone in authoring this 1-5 start, the quarterback position is the one spot on a football team where a change can, indeed, light a fire under the rest of the team.

The notion that once Mangini goes to Clemens he cannot go back to Pennington is preposterous. Pennington is too much of a team player, a level-headed professional, to allow hsi disappointment from being benched allow him to tank it the rest of the season.

If Clemens comes in, performs better and leads the team to wins, he stays. IF he comes in, struggles and shows he's not yet ready, of cours e Mangini can go back to Pennington if he believes Chad give his team its best chance to win.

Here's how it's most likely to play out. Pennington will get a start or two more to see if he can turn this thing around and, if the slide continues and the Jets are truly in garbage time for the rest of the season, then Mangini puts Clemens in to see what he's got as the team looks to the future.

I say the earliest Clemens is inserted, if the touchdown-starved losing continues is after the bye week. The Jets have a road game in Cincinnati on Sunday and then are home against the Bills and Redskins before the bye week. So perhaps, if the season is totaly lost at, say, 2-7, then Clemens gets the call.

[Kentucky Jet]

MAYNARD: REAL TITANS NEVER QUIT Don Maynard October 14, 2007 -- DON Maynard isn't the type to impose himself on the Jets even if his words of wisdom might do them some good today as they play what essentially is a must-win game against the Eagles at the Meadowlands.

In 1959, Maynard was the first player to sign a contract with the Titans, New York's original AFL franchise that became the Jets. A skillful wide receiver with soft hands, he played in the upset win over the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III and was voted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1987. He'll be on the field at halftime as the Jets celebrate "Titans Throwback Day" by wearing the blue uniforms from the 1960-62 seasons.

"I'm sure a lot of people didn't even know those uniforms were blue," Maynard said this week from his home in El Paso, Texas.

At age 72, he still watches as much football as he can on television and even charts certain games. He knows the Jets are 1-4 and desperate to keep their playoff hopes alive.

If asked to give a pregame speech, he offered one of those old-school responses that contain more meaning than the obvious.

"I'd just tell them when it's third-and-10, throw it for 12," Maynard said. "Don't throw it for 2 yards and punt. (Joe) Namath never threw the ball for less yardage than he needed for a first down."

Let that soak in a bit and it's something the Jets need to hear. Their season is certainly in a third-and-10 situation. Another loss and their chances of making a return trip to the playoffs are all but shattered. The Jets would be reduced to playing the role of spoiler in a season when a second-straight postseason berth under Eric Mangini seemed a real possibility. It's definitely third-and-long for the Jets. They need a first down today.

Listen to Maynard and he's telling the Jets not to settle for less, not to lower their goals: "Don't throw it for 2 yards and punt."

If things don't go well, it might be easy for the Jets to pack it in and believe this just isn't going to be their year. The hole is too deep, the odds too great. They're already 1-4. Punting on the 2007 season would be the easy way out.

Namath and Maynard never took the easy way out. They were rebels, ****sure New Yorkers who believed they were the best at what they did no matter what anybody said or what the circumstances were. Whatever was needed is what they accomplished. No mountain was too high to climb. Not even the mighty Colts.

"Namath never threw the ball for less yardage than he needed for a first down." Are you listening Chad Pennington?

The 2007 Jets have imposed their will on no one. They've allowed their running game to be stuffed and have been their own worst enemy in the fourth quarter. They've punted away wins that should have been theirs.

When they've needed 10 yards, they've settled for 2.

Maynard never settled for less in his career. The New York Giants released him after the 1958 season, and when the AFL was formed he tried to contact the Dallas Texans about joining their team but never got a call back. It was third-and-10 in his career.

So he called Sammy Baugh, the Titans' coach. Maynard's persistence got him a contract, a Super Bowl ring, and his bust in the Hall of Fame.

That's why he would tell the Jets today: "It's third-and-10. Throw it for 12."

george.willis@nypost.com

[Kentucky Jet]

Jets silent at trade deadline

BY RICH CIMINI

DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER

Wednesday, October 17th 2007, 4:00 AM

As expected, the trading deadline passed yesterday without any deals by the Jets. The Chad Pennington rumors were just that. What team trades its only experienced quarterback in the middle of a season? Besides, he will have more trade value in the offseason....Some thought forgotten wide receiver Justin McCareins might be traded. He'll be gone in March, when a $2.5 million roster bonus is due.

[Kentucky Jet]

Vinny Testaverde intercepts Chad Pennington's critics

BY RICH CIMINI

DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER

Wednesday, October 17th 2007, 4:00 AM

Vinny Testaverde feels for Chad Pennington. In 2002, Testaverde was in Pennington's position, the popular starter fighting to retain his job. After four games, Testaverde was benched in favor of Pennington.

"It's only natural to feel and hear what people are saying," Testaverde told the Daily News yesterday. "It does affect you somewhat, but I think Chad is mentally strong enough not to pay attention to it.

"Personally, I think Chad is one of the better quarterbacks in the league. A lot of people talk about arm strength; it's not all about arm strength. Sometimes the team doesn't have the talent to win each week, and it all falls in the quarterback's lap. You start to press. I've seen Chad try to make plays that aren't there because the team is behind. I've done it before. I'm speaking from experience."

It's hard to fathom that, after six weeks, Testaverde, 43, who got off his couch last week to win an emergency start for the Panthers, has as many victories as Pennington....LB Matt Chatham, who had offseason foot surgery, will start practicing today. ...The margin between victory and defeat is so fine. In three of their five losses, the Jets were in opposing territory, driving toward a game-tying score, when they gave up the ball. ...Anybody notice that TE Chris Baker was spelled by Sean Ryan during Sunday's loss? And that was before he opened his mouth.

ZONING OUT: Two key players haven't seen the end zone in a long time. Jerricho Cotchery has the most receiving yards in the league (485) without a TD. Thomas Jones has gone 139 rushes, dating to last season. The only back with a longer streak is the Seahawks' Maurice Morris (220).

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Vinny Testaverde in Vin-Vin situation as Panther QB

BY RICH CIMINI

DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER

Wednesday, October 17th 2007, 4:00 AM

For 45 minutes last week, Vinny Testaverde was retired from football, ready for the next stage in his life. But the phone again rang at his Long Island home and soon he was on his way to Carolina, completing one of the wildest weeks in his 20-year career.

Testaverde, who turns 44 next month, went from suburban soccer dad to NFL quarterback, making history as the oldest starter to win a game. His comeback is a national story. Jay Leno joked last week that Testaverde is so old that, when he first entered the league, the New England Patriots were stealing signs from the British.

"Everybody is having fun with it," Testaverde told the Daily News yesterday, enjoying his first day off since signing with the Panthers a week ago. "I take a lot of pride in being able to play at 43. I don't know many people who can do that. You're only as old as you feel."

The former Jet said he is planning to retire at the end of the season, and this time he means it. If this truly is his last hurrah, he'll never forget his 25-10 win over the Cards and the days that preceded it.

Two Sundays ago, Testaverde received a call from Cards strength coach John Lott, formerly of the Jets. The Cards had lost Matt Leinart that day to a season-ending injury and they wanted to sign Testaverde as Kurt Warner's backup. He was interested, spoke with coach Ken Whisenhunt and finalized a contract the next day.

"I went to sleep, thinking, 'I'm going to Arizona,'" said Testaverde.

A car service was supposed to pick him up at 4:30 a.m. for the airport, but Testaverde called an audible at 4 a.m. His three children were upset about him leaving, so he decided Arizona was too far away. He went back to bed, woke up at 9 and called Whisenhunt to break the news.

"I put it in my mind that I was going to retire," Testaverde said. "I'm thinking, 'I had a pretty good career, it's time to move on.'"

At 9:45, the phone rang. It was Panthers strength coach Jerry Simmons, an old friend from their days in Cleveland. Carolina had lost Jake Delhomme to a season-ending elbow injury and backup David Carr was battling a bad back.

"(Simmons) calls and says, 'Hey, Vinny...' I started chuckling," Testaverde said. "I thought, 'Here we go again.'"

He opted for Carolina because it's closer to home. Testaverde flew to Charlotte Wednesday morning and rushed to the practice field. There wasn't even time to tape his ankles. Even though he hadn't picked up a football in five weeks, when he was released by the Patriots, he practiced with the Panthers' first and second teams. On Saturday night, he got the starting nod. On Sunday, he passed for 206 yards and a touchdown.

The Panthers have a bye this week.

"I keep asking myself three things: Am I having fun? Am I healthy? Am I contributing to the team?" Testaverde said. "I'm not doing it to collect a pay check."

He's not looking to overtake George Blanda, who played until he was 48, as the oldest player in history.

"Blanda's record," Testaverde said, "is safe."

[Kentucky Jet]

Jets' GM Mike Tannenbaum not about to panic over 1-5 start

BY RICH CIMINI

DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER

Wednesday, October 17th 2007, 4:00 AM

GM Mike Tannenbaum (l.) isn't sweating about the team's 1-5 start ...

The general manager of your 1-5 Jets didn't look particularly stressed, chilling out on a leather couch late Monday in the quiet of an office at Weeb Ewbank Hall. Down the hall, in the locker room, players were grumbling. Outside the building, the fan base was screaming for the coach to bench Chad Pennington.

But Mike Tannenbaum appeared unfazed by the tumult.

"Obviously, we're all disappointed with the record, but we know the league is so competitive," said Tannenbaum, reciting a statistic that will either drive fans crazy or give them hope. (Guessing here it's the former.)

He noted that 45.7% of last season's NFL games were decided by seven points or less. The Jets were 4-2 in close games; this year, they're 1-3. It was Tannenbaum's way of saying that, if a handful of plays had gone the other way, their season would look a lot better than 1-5.

Fans may not want to hear statistical mumbo jumbo as rationalization for such a miserable start, especially not after a playoff season, but there's one thing you need to know about Tannenbaum and Eric Mangini:

The Boy Wonders, as they were called last season, aren't going to bend. They were hired to execute a plan, and they're not going to waver, outside influences be damned. For such young leaders - they could be Vinny Testaverde's little brothers - they have uncommon resolve and poise.

Obviously, some of Tannenbaum's moves haven't worked out - the Pete Kendall affair still rankles - but he's not about to tear up his blueprint. That wasn't always the case around the Jets. In 2003, then-GM Terry Bradway admitted part of the motivation for trading up for Dewayne Robertson was because the organization needed a spark after the criticism it received for getting fleeced by the Redskins in free agency.

In this business, you can't let public pressure affect football decisions. If Mangini operated that way, Kellen Clemens would be starting this week against the Bengals. Showing he's not a fair-weathered coach, Mangini is giving the embattled Pennington every benefit of the doubt. For Mangini and Tannenbaum, it's all about maintaining a consistent approach. That's a big part of their mission statement. As Tannenbaum said, "If somebody walked into this building, they wouldn't know if we won or lost." We're not saying it's the right way or the wrong way, but it's their way. There are no conflicting agendas. Ultimately, that will prevent turmoil from infesting the organization.

Tannenbaum addressed other topics.

On whether last season was an aberration: "I think the team got better over the course of the season. That's what I'm looking forward to this year. We're heading in the right direction. They're getting coached well, they're being developed and they're getting better. Although we haven't seen it with our record yet, I have seen progress."

On Pennington's struggles: "For Chad, like the team, it's been inconsistent. There have been a handful of plays I'm sure he'd like to have back from each game."

On Clemens: "I'm really pleased with his progress. The reason for that is, this coaching staff does a great job of simulating game-like conditions in practice, and you saw a little of (the result) in the Baltimore game. He was really prepared. He's getting meaningful reps at practice."

[Kentucky Jet]

The Jets Stream

Rich Cimini

Handing out the Week Six grades

Well, at least those spiffy throwback uniforms looked good. The people inside them, however, were imposters. And that goes for the coaches, too.

What happened to the resilient and resourceful Jets from 2006? What happened to the team that finished off games in the fourth quarter? The team that made opponents pay for their mistakes? The team that bedeviled opponents with their clever and unpredictable play calling?

The Jets should issue an apology to their fans, because right now all they're serving up is slop. You could almost understand a 1-5 start if there were a rash of significant injuries, but the Jets might be the healthiest team in the league. Their mental health is another story.

Chad Pennington is playing like a quarterback afraid of losing his job, which he might. Eric Mangini is all over the map in terms of weekly strategy, showing no consistency. Brian Schottenheimer turned into Paul Hackett at the worst possible time. The defense is hit or miss, mostly miss.

It's mind-boggling to think the Jets couldn't get beyond the Eagles' 4-yard line in yesterday's 16-9 loss. Breaking down the last three plays, this much is clear: Everybody was at fault for the meltdown - the coaches, Pennington, everybody. Let's go to the tape:

Second-and-1: The Jets are in a three-receiver, one tight end (Sean Ryan for Chris Baker) and one-back formation. Thomas Jones runs off right guard, but there's absolutely no push. LG Adrien Clarke pulls to the right, like some sort of trap play, but he's too slow into the hole and does nothing on the play. Result: No gain.

Third-and-1: The Jets are in a one-receiver, two-tight end, one-back set. Jones motions to the left wing, leaving an empty backfield. The Eagles have nine men at the line, stacked mostly to Pennington's left. Chad runs a QB sneak, trying to wiggle to his right, moving away from the pressure. Result: No gain.

I have a major problem with this play on many levels. You know you're in four-down territory, so why not try a play-action pass? Baker is a very effective receiver near the goal line on play action. Chances are, he would've slipped out uncovered. If you want to play it conservatively, why not give the ball to Jones, your money back? Isn't this what they got him for? Second, why motion Jones out of the backfield? It removes the threat of a running play. Third, why didn't Pennington change the play? Looking at the defense, he should've known a sneak wasn't going to work.

Fourth-and-1: The Jets are in a three-receiver, one-tight end (Ryan) and one-back formation. Initially, there's a three-man backfield, with Pennington, Brad Smith and Jones. For a moment, Smith is in shotgun, behind center. He switches places with Pennington, and Smith goes in motion to the right. There are three receivers to the right of the formation - Smith, Ryan and Jerricho Cotchery. Laveranues Coles is on the backside, isolated on CB Sheldon Brown. The Eagles blitz, sending six rushers. Most of the pressure is coming from Pennington's right. Pennington, perhaps thinking of the 5-yard TD pass he threw to Coles in Buffalo on a third-and-1, throws a low fade to Coles. You know the rest. If Pennington had looked to his right, he would've seen a wide-open Ryan in the far corner of the end zone.

It appears the pass was designed to go to Cotchery on the strong side, but Pennington adjusted once he saw the single coverage on Coles. You can't blame him for that, but you can question the initial call. Again, why not try Jones, who rushed for 130 yards? The coaches didn't let Pennington do much all day, focusing on the ground game. But, with the game/season on the line, they put it in his hands.

On to the grades

[Kentucky Jet]

Jets' Pennington gets pass from Mangini

TOM ROCK | tom.rock@newsday.com

October 17, 2007

Quarterbacks get too much of the blame when things go wrong and too much of the credit when they go well. But they also have the most leeway in football. The surprise is that Eric Mangini falls into that thinking.

If a Jets running back had fumbled six times in three games he'd be on the bench. If a defensive back had been beaten for six touchdowns in three games he'd be looking for work elsewhere. But a quarterback can throw six interceptions in three games as Chad Pennington has during this Jets slide, and not only does he keep his job but he gets compliments from the coach about his play-action fakes.

"It's not like just going to AAMCO, you can't just take out the spark plug," Eric Mangini said on Monday, borrowing a phrase from Bill Parcells to reiterate his support of Pennington.

Yet at almost every other position on the field, Mangini tinkers with the engine like an auto tech student. It's a technique that has earned him the reputation for running the Jets as a meritocracy. The best players play regardless of draft position, salary or status.

He sent a clear message to the team on that philosophy last year when he benched starting safety Erik Coleman for two games. He's used running backs Thomas Jones and Leon Washington to varying degrees in each of the six games this year, citing game-plan specific approaches.

Fullback Darian Barnes goes from a starter to a healthy inactive and back again on a weekly basis. Wide receiver Justin McCareins has seen both sides of the theory, coming back from the doghouse in the first half of last season only to return there after a costly dropped pass in the Ravens game last month.

This is a coach, remember, who practically made Pennington try out for the team in the 2006 training camp, forcing him into a four-way race for the starting job and even keeping the charade of the competition going long after Pennington outpaced the others. Whoever gives us the best chance to win will play, Mangini said during that summer and at least a dozen times since in regard to almost every position on the team.

On Monday, Mangini said he'll "continue to assess the whole situation, not just with that [quarterback] position, but with every position."

Leaving Pennington in does not jibe with Mangini's coaching style. Pulling Pennington could cause dissent in a locker room already teetering away from him. "The players want to see that, they want to see a coach sticking behind a guy," Jerricho Cotchery said.

But playing by different rules at one position could have a lingering effect on the younger players, the ones Mangini and Tannenbaum have hand-picked to become Jets, the ones he will be coaching in upcoming years that, with any luck, will not be as disappointing as this one is shaping up to be.

Comeback kid?

Pennington was named the 2006 Comeback Player of the Year for his return from injury, but before that Pennington developed a tag for being able to bounce back from bad games. It's a reputation that, along with his job as a starter, is in jeopardy.

From the time he became a starter in 2002 to the beginning of this season he had never had back-to-back regular-season games in which he had more interceptions than touchdowns. He's had that in his last three games. Never before had he had consecutive games with passer ratings below 76.1. The last two games he's had ratings of 51.7 against the Giants and 51.3 against the Eagles. Most importantly, the Jets had never lost three straight regular-season games with Pennington as the starting quarterback. Until now.

Storylines

A quick look at the top stories this week

A bunch of characters

This is why the Jets are so focused on "character" when they draft a player or discuss bringing him in as a free agent: because when things go bad, they can always get a lot worse. Just look at what the Bengals are fighting through now with a squabbling offense, almost as many parole officers than position coaches, and a coach who can't figure out if he should scream at the players for being selfish or try to rouse them by bringing in naval officers for pep talks. "I give a lot of credit to the organization for the type of guys they brought into this locker room," Jerricho Cotchery said. "The high character guys, the guys that won't falter in these situations."

Short to go

Including the final two offensive plays against the Eagles, the Jets have run 26 plays on third-and-short or fourth-and-short, defined by two or fewer yards to go for these purposes. They have run a quarterback sneak or draw nine times and, including times they were helped by defensive penalties, been successful on seven (both failures coming on Sunday, one by Pennington on the penultimate snap and the other by Brad Smith earlier in the game). Thomas Jones has run the ball seven times and picked up the first on five of the runs. The Jets have passed another seven times for four conversions. Three times they have taken a delay of game penalty, two of them intentional conservations of timeouts.

Going gets tougher

The Jets knew they were facing a more difficult schedule this season. Still looming for them in the final 10 games are the Steelers, Cowboys, Redskins and Patriots, along with up-and-comers Cleveland, Tennessee and Kansas City.

Statlines

Twelve running backs have carried the ball more than 100 times this season. Among them, only the Jets' Thomas Jones has not yet found the end zone. In fact, he's the only one among the league's top 24 running backs in total yardage without a touchdown. The league's top runners who have not yet scored, with Jones towering over them all in both attempts and yards:

Name, Team Carries Total yards

Thomas Jones, Jets 112 420

Fred Taylor, Jaguars 61 297

Justin Fargas, Raiders 45 271

Laurence Maroney, Patriots 54 252

Steven Jackson, Rams 69 233

Sunday

Jets at Cincinnati

4:05 p.m.

TV: Ch. 2

Radio: WABC

(770), WEPN (1050)

[Kentucky Jet]

Jets sticking together despite 1-5 start

By ANDREW GROSS

THE JOURNAL NEWS

(Original publication: October 17, 2007)

The Jets entered 2007 with high hopes of repeating last season's playoff berth. But while still a mathematical possibility, that seems far-fetched right now.

Instead, a 1-5 start has made it fair to wonder exactly in which direction the franchise is headed.

"It's like anything else - you want to see return on investment," Jets coach Eric Mangini said. "We've invested a lot, but it's a process."

The Jets will look to snap a three-game losing streak Sunday at Cincinnati.

"It's tough in a sense," wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery said. "You're thinking, 'Where is this headed?' The whole concept of taking it one day at a time, one rep at a time, it just seems at a distance from all the work you put in each and every day, each and every week. You go out and don't see the results."

The NFL trade deadline passed yesterday with the Jets not making a move, not a surprise despite speculation that general manager Mike Tannenbaum was entertaining offers for starting quarterback Chad Pennington.

The Jets have not made an in-season deal since Oct. 15, 1990, when they acquired defensive back Dennis Price from the Raiders for linebacker Alex Gordon.

So if the Jets are going to turn their season around, they'll be doing it with the same players who have underperformed so far.

"We're still a confident team," Jets safety Kerry Rhodes said. "But it's tough when you're putting in all this work, extra work, and you're not getting what you're looking for in the results, which is a win."

Despite some public grumbling over the play-calling in the final drive of Sunday's 16-9 loss to the Eagles, the locker room has yet to crack a la the Falcons, where veterans have questioned rookie coach Bobby Petrino's commitment to immediate success.

Mangini said he does not fear losing the locker room because of the franchise's commitment to bringing in players of "high character."

But disciplinarian coaches typically don't fare well in locker-room politics without getting results. Still, Rhodes said there's been no finger-pointing, no offense-vs.-defense divide that has fractured past NFL teams, no players on the verge of publicly questioning the leadership.

"Just from the two years I've been here under (Mangini) and with the guys I've been with here, I don't think it'll happen here," Rhodes said. "But you can never say never."

Rhodes said players have stood up already this season and tried to rally the team with spirited words. So far, it hasn't worked.

"We talk before the game," Rhodes said. "As a defense, we want to come out and play better. We held them to 16 points and we held them in the red zone. But there were a couple of big plays that could have been prevented, as usual. Certain situations, you can't talk about it, you've just got to do it. That's more of what we need."

If the Jets are ever going to get healthy this season, now would be the time. Playing at Cincinnati is a tough task, but the Bengals (1-4) have lost four straight and their defense is ranked 30th in the NFL, even below the 28th-ranked Jets.

After that, the Jets play three straight at home - against the Bills and Redskins and then the Steelers after a bye week. Of course, four of the next five after that are on the road, including a Thanksgiving game at Dallas and trips to New England and Tennessee.

"We're 1-5, we don't even want to think about all the other ramifications, the playoffs, things like that," Jets tight end Chris Baker said. "Our most important goal is to get a second win. Obviously, looking at the rest of the teams in the division, also in the AFC, it's looking like we've got to make a move if we're going to make a move. But we can't make a move without getting that second win."

And that second win has proved very elusive.

"I know where we can go, that's the most important thing," Cotchery said. "I know our capabilities. We're close, man. It's frustrating that we're not quite getting over the hump. We're close and we've been close for a lot of weeks now. Hopefully, it'll all come together very soon."

Note: Video replays have shown that the Eagles did not snap the ball before the 25-second play clock expired on Kevin Curtis' 75-yard touchdown reception.

Reach Andrew Gross at apgross@lohud.com and read his Jets blog at

[Kentucky Jet]

http://www.newyorkjets.com/news/articles/show/1726-jets-bengals-are-kindred-spirits-this-season

[Kentucky Jet]

Dave Hutchinson's Jets Insider

Wednesday, October 17, 2007

BY DAVE HUTCHINSON

Star-Ledger Staff

INSIDE THE PLAYBOOK

The situation: It's the Eagles' third offensive play from scrimmage and they're trailing 3-0. On a third-and-eight from the Eagles' 25-yard line, Jets defensive coordinator Bob Sutton, who has been criticized for not being aggressive enough with his calls, dials up a blitz, leaving CB Andre Dyson in man coverage with WR Kevin Curtis. Dyson did, however, have safety help from Eric Smith.

What happened: Eagles QB Donovan McNabb senses the blitz is coming and signals an audible to Curtis that calls for the wide receiver to run a quick slant. Lined up wide left, Curtis runs a slant and McNabb hits him in full stride. Dyson misses a shoestring tackle and Smith misses as he dives over Dyson at about the 40-yard line. Curtis veers to the sideline and sprints untouched for the touchdown.

The Jets had practiced all week working on tackling drills in the aftermath of double-digit missed tackles against the Giants, including one by Dyson on a 53-yard TD by WR Plaxico Burress down the sideline.

"You have to be able to tackle in the secondary and in those critical plays," said coach Eric Mangini, who repeatedly referred to the play following the game and on Monday. "If you miss (a tackle) as a defensive back, it's going to go a long way."

Said Smith: "I just missed the tackle. It's frustrating. I let the other 10 guys (on defense) down. You know if you don't make the tackle it's a touchdown. I just missed."

Why it happened: Simply put, Dyson and Smith missed the tackle. It was a good call by Sutton to blitz and get pressure on McNabb early but the gamble blew up on the Jets.

Next Opponent: The Bengals (1-4) have lost four in a row and 12 of their past 18 games as coach Marvin Lewis, in his fifth season, is beginning to feel the heat. Pro Bowl QB Carson Palmer (127 of 203 for 1,491 yards, 12 TDs and eight INTs) and Pro Bowl WR Chad Johnson (36 catches, 578 yards, three TDs) have a chilly relationship. WR T.J Houshmandzadeh (47-505-7) has become Palmer's new go-to guy. RB Rudi Johnson (62 carries, 185 yards) has been quiet but the Bengals remain explosive.

Cincinnati ranks last in the NFL in points allowed per game (31.2) and 30th in total defense (393.2 yards per game). The Bengals are 29th in run defense (145.8 yards per game) and have allowed a 100-yard rusher in their past four games.

Key matchup: Houshmandzadeh and Johnson vs. the Jets secondary

The dangerous duo have a combined 83 catches for 1,083 yards and 10 TDs, making them one of the most prolific tandems in the NFL this season. They can't overcome their anemic defense, however. The Jets secondary was blistered by Eagles QB Donovan McNabb last week. The unit will need a pass rush to slow down the Palmer.

Under the microscope:

Eric Mangini is facing his first crisis as a head coach. His team is 1-5 and the locker room grumbling has begun because of his punishing practices and relentless demands on his players. He didn't win any support in the locker room for his calls on third and fourth downs in the final minutes of last week's loss to the Eagles, either. The players will either respond or quit on him. Stay tuned.

[Kentucky Jet]

Players Should be Angry

Posted by Bob Bullock October 16, 2007 8:25PM

Categories: News

Tight End Chris Baker was "scolded" for speaking his mind about the play-calling on Sunday.

"I said what I had to say," he said. "It's just something I was feeling."

Baker and the rest of his teammates should be mad. Right now, mad would be a good thing for this team. It would be the first sign of emotion the team has shown the whole season. Baker should not only be mad about the play-calling on Sunday, he should be just as angry that he doesn't see the ball more. Here is another weapon that the Jets' offense refuses to use. I don't think there is any question that Brian Schottenheimer has done a dreadful job with this unit. Opponents have studied his scheme and now can defend it with ease. It's up to Schottenheimer to make adjustments, but he has yet to do it.

Head coach Eric Mangini deserves just as much blame too. He has failed to make any adjustments or change anything at this point. His status quo is getting very frustrating for players and fans alike. How he just dismisses pulling Pennington is just ridiculous. The play calling and the lack of execution by the quarterback are the main reasons that this team sits at 1-5 with NO hope of salvaging the season.

A stubborn head coach does his team a disservice by not allowing changes that very well may change a team's fortune. Inserting Kellen Clemens may be the spark needed to get this team rolling. It certainly isn't a guarantee by any means but we certainly know how things are going with Pennington at the helm right now.

The players continue to back Chad, which is to be expected. Perhaps Mangini fears losing the entire team if he makes the move to Clemens.

"One guy isn't going to create a spark for the entire team," Jets receiver Jerricho Cotchery said. "The spark comes from within each individual in this locker room. If the other guys aren't giving a spark, that one guy doesn't make a difference at all."

I have to respectfully disagree with Jerricho on that one. I've seen a quarterback come into a game and spark a team. In fact, it has happened plenty of times in NFL history. Pennington himself was that spark back in 2002 when he came in and led the Jets to the playoffs.

Now that his spark is obviously gone, it is time for Clemens to get his chance to ignite this team out of its current doldrums.

A little anger from the rest of the team wouldn't hurt either.

[Kentucky Jet]

Jets' failed pattern is like season

Tuesday, October 16, 2007

By J.P. PELZMAN

STAFF WRITER

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. -- The Jets' last offensive play Sunday was a slam-dunk metaphor for their entire season.

A failed fade pattern. As in fade out, fade to black and fading fast with a 1-5 record.

But as coach Eric Mangini often says, one play doesn't decide a football game. But one, or in this case, two plays, certainly can symbolize a game and a season.

Just as the Jets did Monday in the aftermath of their 16-9 loss to Philadelphia, let's rewind back to Sunday's game for a moment. Specifically, to their final two plays on offense.

With third-and-1 at the Philadelphia 4, the Jets lined up in a very tight formation. The plan was simple -- a quarterback sneak by Chad Pennington.

But the Eagles obviously had more than a sneaking suspicion of what was coming, considering the Jets already had run two plunges by Pennington earlier in the game, both of which were good for first downs.

Pennington, who doesn't speak to the media on Mondays, was asked Sunday if he thought about checking off to another play.

"The only other thing you can do," he said, "is flip it out to one of your receivers. ... You know you're in four-down territory so you don't want to do something crazy on third down" and possibly commit a turnover.

The Jets had motioned to an empty backfield, so Thomas Jones wasn't an option, even though he had rushed for 130 yards.

Tight end Chris Baker had a problem with that after the game Sunday, noting that Jones was "running the ball all over the place and he doesn't get it" in that situation.

Mangini obviously spoke to Baker about those comments. On Monday, Baker was asked about it and replied, "I said what I had to say. It was something I was feeling, and that's basically what it was. I'm going to leave that comment to [sunday], I guess. That's all I can really say about it."

Jones wasn't an option on fourth down, either, as the Jets went for the all-or-nothing fade into the end zone despite the fact they needed only a yard for a first down. Cornerback Sheldon Brown broke up the attempted pass to Laveranues Coles.

"We go through that ahead of time," Mangini said of the play call. "We have the plays that we like. We choose the plays we like based on those situations."

But why can't there be some adjustment? Especially one based on how the game is going. If someone has a hot hand, as Jones did Sunday, he should get the ball more than planned, and he certainly deserved at least one chance on those last two plays.

"You're confident in your playmakers on the field," wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery said Monday, "so no one is questioning the call on the field at that time. We knew that the guy whose number was called [Coles] was capable of making that play. We're not going to question any call."

The remedy for the Jets' offensive woes could be a Cincinnati (1-4) defense that's ranked 30th in the league, and is in the midst of a fadeout of its own.

BRIEFS: Mangini again said Pennington is still the starter and called rumors of him possibly being traded before today's 4 o'clock deadline "ludicrous." ... Coles still rued his drop of a pass at the Philadelphia 30 earlier in the final Jets' series. "I took my eyes off of the ball," he said, "before I had a chance to run with it. There was a chance for me to change the game because I think that I could've scored." ... Baker wasn't fined for his comments.

* * *

Running game: B-plus

After totaling only 25 carries the previous two weeks, Thomas Jones broke loose for 130 yards on 24 carries, but had only 34 yards on 11 attempts in the second half after the Eagles made some halftime adjustments. Inexplicably, Jones wasn't utilized on the Jets' final two offensive plays from the Philadelphia 4.

Passing game: F

Even with a successful running game, Chad Pennington & Co. got absolutely nothing going through the air. Pennington was sacked three times, intercepted once and had two other passes almost picked off. Laveranues Coles dropped a pass on the final series and had only one catch in the game.

Run defense: C-minus

Different uniforms, same run defense. Philadelphia gashed the Jets for 151 yards, including 120 by Brian Westbrook, who returned from an injury. Westbrook's last carry, a 21-yarder, converted a third-and-3 and allowed the Eagles to run out the clock.

Pass defense: C

Hank Poteat's first career interception led to a field goal, but missed tackles by FS Eric Smith and CB Andre Dyson allowed Kevin Curtis a 75-yard touchdown reception. The Jets did have three sacks, including one by a blitzing Kerry Rhodes.

Special teams: C

Mike Nugent made three field goals but was wide right on a 44-yarder. His timing may have been thrown off by a low snap from James Dearth, who made two bad snaps. Reno Mahe had a 32-yard punt return for Philadelphia, but Leon Washington's 51-yard kickoff return set up a field goal.

Coaching: F

Brian Schottenheimer's play calling on the last two plays was mind-boggling. The Eagles weren't fooled by yet another QB sneak, and a fade route in the end zone when the Jets needed only a yard was a mistake. Some of defensive coordinator Bob Sutton's blitz calls worked.

-- J.P. Pelzman

[Kentucky Jet]

have not been posted as of this posting. Sorry.\\\NOTE: We will bite the Bengals! TJ will run for 150 yards and a TD; Pennington will throw for a TD and we will get two FGs! Jets win 20 to 17