NY JETS News Articles 10/20-

[Kentucky Jet]

NY Post

GOING HOME ON THE ROAD

By BART HUBBUCH

CINCINNATI KIDS: Jets kicker Mike Nugent (left) and center Nick Mangold return to their Ohio roots tomorrow as Gang Green faces the Bengals in Cincinnati.October 20, 2007 -- Growing up in the same town just 45 miles from Cincinnati, Jets teammates Nick Mangold and Mike Nugent didn't have much choice in the matter when it came to picking a favorite NFL team.

"I was a Bengals fan for as long as I could remember," Mangold said.

The same went for Nugent, whose family had Bengals season tickets until he started high school in the Dayton, Ohio, suburb of Centerville, and whose parents flew to Miami in 1989 for the Bengals' Super Bowl XXIII loss to San Francisco.

"Going to Bengals games are some of my earliest memories as a kid," the Jets' third-year kicker said.

Those memories of Boomer Esiason, Ickey Woods and the rest of the Bengals from that era are why Mangold and Nugent are describing their visit to Cincinnati with the Jets tomorrow as almost a surreal experience.

They both went to Cleveland with the Jets last season, but said it wasn't the same because Centerville is much closer to Cincinnati.

"It's going to be weird flying into (Cincinnati), staying in the hotel and being in Ohio but being the away team," said Mangold, the Jets' second-year center. "It's a very different feeling now that I've made it up to the NFL."

The Jets (1-5) haven't faced Cincinnati (1-4) since 2003, when Mangold and Nugent were still Ohio State teammates and Bengals fans. Their NFL allegiance has changed, but the same can't be said for many of their family and friends.

"I've got some buddies who are die-hard Bengals fans who are going to be there," Nugent said. "It's going to be funny to talk to those guys before and after the game. They always tell me, 'No matter what, we're cheering for the Bengals.' "

Whatever the loyalties, Centerville will be well-represented at Paul Brown Stadium. Nugent has about 60 family and friends coming, including his parents and three siblings, and Mangold estimated he will have half that total on hand.

The size of the respective cheering sections has been a point of contention in the Jets locker room this week.

"Apparently, he's got more family," Mangold said, cracking a smile. "That's what I'm going with. I don't want to believe he has more friends."

What isn't up for debate is who Mangold and Nugent grew up cheering for the loudest. That would be Esiason, at least until he broke their hearts by - ironically enough - signing with the Jets in 1993.

"I was always a big fan of Boomer, and that's why, as a very young child, I had aspirations of being a quarterback," said Mangold, who now weighs 300 pounds. "At about four or five years old, I realized I wasn't going to be able to do that. But it was neat to watch him."

*

The Jets probably won't have to worry about the Bengals' leading rusher, Rudi Johnson, who didn't practice yesterday (hamstring) and is listed as doubtful. LB Corey Mays (hamstring) also is doubtful, and definitely out for the Bengals are LB Ahmad Brooks (groin), LB Caleb Miller (back) and WR Antonio Chatman (hamstring). The Jets list no one as doubtful or out. . . . Jets special-teams whiz Matt Chatham (foot) is on the mend and eligible to come off the physically unable to perform list, but the team has yet to activate him. The Jets have three weeks to decide.

bhubbuch@nypost.com

[Kentucky Jet]

Schlegel pitches in as needed

OSU product lift for injured linebackers

BY SHANNON RUSSELL | SRUSSELL@ENQUIRER.COM

Anthony Schlegel had a job Tuesday, and that job was to shovel mulch.

For 2

[Kentucky Jet]

Jets' Coleman looks at letter, not numbers

Saturday, October 20, 2007

By J.P. PELZMAN

STAFF WRITER

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. -- Kenyon Coleman leads the Jets in tackles among non-defensive backs, and recorded his first sack of the season on the first play of the game against Philadelphia on Sunday.

But just like all of his teammates, those statistics don't matter to the sixth-year defensive end. The only number he really cares about increasing is the one under "W," which has remained stuck at one for the Jets the past three games.

Coleman said his solid play "really doesn't mean anything. I don't concentrate on that aspect of it. I'm making mistakes just like everybody else. So, I'm just trying to come in and learn from the film and get the most out of me as a player."

On a team featuring some defensive players who seem more suited to the 4-3, Coleman is the opposite. He is a prototypical 3-4 end, which is why the Jets gave the former Cowboy a five-year, $20 million contract in March as an unrestricted free agent, despite the fact he had started only five games in his NFL career. Dallas also ran the 3-4 defense under coach Bill Parcells while Coleman was there from 2003-06.

"The things that we saw on film when we looked at him," defensive coordinator Bob Sutton said Friday, "we're seeing on a regular basis here.

"I think Kenyon has done a really nice job for us. Obviously, he has a background in a very similar system, especially technique-wise. That's made that transition that much easier."

Coleman was a large part of Dallas' defensive-line rotation in 2006, even though he didn't start any games. He finished with 26 solo tackles and four sacks last season.

In 2007, he moved into the Jets' starting lineup during the preseason and has stayed there since. He began the regular season with career-highs in both total tackles (12) and solo stops (eight) in the opening-day loss to New England. His 37 tackles rank him fourth on the team, and first among linemen and linebackers.

"He's becoming a real solid player at the point of attack," Sutton said. "I think he's just going to keep getting better. He's a hard-working guy. He has good strength and good technique."

While the 6-foot-5, 295-pound Coleman obviously is an excellent fit in the 3-4, he disagrees with the contention that many of his defensive teammates aren't.

"We have what it takes" to be a good 3-4 defense, Coleman said. "We have great players. We've got guys who run to the ball. We've got physical guys."

He added that "it's just little things here and there" preventing the Jets' defense from being more effective.

Coleman said, "It may sound repetitious. Everyone keeps saying the same thing, but it's true. You turn on the film and we're close. We've just got to put it together."

When asked to compare Parcells with one of his proteges, Jets coach Eric Mangini, Coleman said "Mangini is his own man. I can't say they're similar but I can say they're both good coaches."

BRIEFS: Cincinnati starting middle linebacker Ahmad Brooks (groin), who didn't practice all week, is out. That probably means that former Jet Anthony Schlegel will make his third consecutive start at that spot. Running back Rudi Johnson (hamstring), who had only four carries against Kansas City, didn't practice Friday and is doubtful.

[Kentucky Jet]

Jets brace for Bengals' terrific receivers

BY KRISTIE ACKERT

DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER

Saturday, October 20th 2007, 4:00 AM

Watching the Jets' pass defense the past two weeks, you would think that charismatic Bengals wide receiver Chad Johnson would be tweaking Gang Green's secondary and planning his touchdown celebrations this week. But even though Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh have become one of the NFL's best receiving tandems this season, there is not much to celebrate in Cincinnati.

"I don't want to do anything that puts the focus on what I'm doing," Johnson said. "The focus right now needs to be on all of us trying to find a way to win games consistently. Once the fun gets back and we get our swagger back, I will continue to enjoy the game the way that I always do."

Like the Jets (1-5), the Bengals (1-4) are desperate for a win. Tomorrow's key battle will be between the Jets' secondary, which has given up game-changing plays in the last two losses, and Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer and his receiving tandem of Johnson and Houshmandzadeh.

"You gotta respect their game," said Jets rookie cornerback Darrelle Revis. "They are veteran guys, who have a lot of experience and they know what to do at game time."

Johnson, who practiced yesterday despite an ankle injury and is listed as probable for tomorrow, and Houshmandzadeh have stood out for the Bengals this season. Johnson, who is averaging 115.6 receiving yards per game, has three touchdown catches and Houshmandzadeh (101 receiving yards per game) has seven TD grabs.

It creates a difficult choice for defenses.

"For those teams that do want to double- or triple-cover me, (Houshmandzadeh) will do his thing on the opposite side," Johnson said. "He will continue to hurt them as long as they do so. Basically, you have to pick your poison."

The Jets have improved their pressure on the quarterback, but they need be more consistent. Ranked 27th in the league against the pass, the Jets are allowing 243 passing yards per game and have given up 10 passing TDs, including two game-breakers. The secondary gave up a 75-yard touchdown pass to the Eagles last week and a 53-yard scoring pass to Plaxico Burress in the loss to the Giants the week before.

The Jets know they can't completely shut down the Bengals' passing game, but minimizing big plays tomorrow is crucial.

"It is not about shutting them down, it's about us doing our job," said cornerback David Barrett. "We just have to go out and get our job done and not worry about them."

INJURY REPORT: Jets tight end Chris Baker (back) is questionable for tomorrow's game, but is expected to play. Bengals running back Rudi Johnson (hamstring) didn't practice yesterday and is doubtful. Middle linebackers Ahmad Brooks (groin) and Caleb Miller (back) and wide receiver Antonio Chatman (hamstring) were ruled out for Cincinnati.

[Kentucky Jet]

Eric Mangini and the $30 Watch

During a conference call yesterday with Marvin Lewis, the Bengals' coach advised the New York media contingent to ask Eric Mangini about "the watch."

Lewis and Mangini, as you may know, worked across the hall from each other as Ravens' assistants. Lewis was the defensive coordinator, Mangini an offensive assistant -- aka low man on the totem pole.

So, naturally, we asked Mangini about "the watch."

Mangini explained: Ted Marchibroda (pictured), the Ravens' coach at the time, needed a watch. Mangini owned a $30 Timex. Marchibroda asked to borrow it during training camp. Apparently, he liked it so much that he forgot to return it.

Mangini picks up the story.

"Two, three weeks go by, and we're sitting at dinner, and we're sitting at a different table, and he calls me over and he says, 'Oh, Eric, I really like this watch.' I said, 'Yeah, Ted, it's a pretty good watch.' He said, 'It's the best one I've ever had. How much did this thing cost you?' I said, 'Like 30 bucks.' He takes out the wallet, takes out 30 bucks and says, 'Go buy yourself one.'"

Talking about Marchibroda, one of his favorite people, Mangini actually made a reference to Bill Belichick. A long time ago, Belichick, too, worked under Marchibroda, then with the Baltimore Colts.

"Bill used to tell me, when he was Ted's assistant, he'd get him the same cereal every morning," Mangini said. "There was a shared experience there."

These days, Mangini and Belichick aren't sharing too many experiences.

We'll have to ask Belichick about the cereal in December, the week of the next Jets-Patriots game.

Uh, something tells me there will be better questions to ask.

***

This is a quasi-homecoming game for the Jets' Ohio State alumni association, which consists of Mike Nugent, Nick Mangold and Adrien Clarke.

Nugent, who grew up with Mangold in Centerville, Ohio, purchased 62 tickets for the game. His parents are serious about pregame tailgating, and they're looking forward to Sunday at Paul Brown Stadium. On a recent trip to the Cincinnati area, Nugent's father drove past the stadium, just to check out the lay of the land for possible tailgating locations.

Like I said, they're serious.

[Kentucky Jet]

Homecoming game for a pair of Jets

BY ERIK BOLAND | erik.boland@newsday.com

October 20, 2007

Nick Mangold certainly wasn't going to let Mike Nugent - the team's kicker, of all people - one-up him.

The Jets teammates grew up in Centerville, Ohio, a town about 45 miles north of Cincinnati. The pair, both out of Ohio State, will play near their hometown for the first time Sunday when the Jets face the Bengals, meaning more ticket requests than usual.

Nugent said he made a request of 50 to 60 tickets for family and friends.

Mangold laughed when told about that number.

"I'm about half of where he's at," the center said. "Apparently, he's got more family. That's what I'm going with. I don't want to believe that he's got more friends."

Mangold and Nugent are not alone in returning to their home state. Quarterback/receiver Brad Smith (Liberty), safety Eric Smith (Groveport) and guard Adrien Clarke (Shaker Heights) all grew up in Ohio, though much farther north of the city best known for its Skyline Chili.

"It's nice because it gives the opportunity for some family members who aren't able to travel. This gets them the opportunity to come watch a game," Mangold said.

Mangold and Nugent grew up as Bengals fans. Nugent's family had season tickets in the team's previous home, Riverfront Stadium, through Mike's high school years.

"Either Boomer [Esiason] or Ickey Woods," Nugent said of his favorite Bengals. "I loved the Ickey Shuffle. I thought that was great."

Mangold liked Esiason and defensive lineman Dan "Big Daddy" Wilkinson, who played at Ohio State a decade before Mangold. Esiason inspired a very young Mangold to have aspirations of playing quarterback, though his size proved prohibitive.

"At about 4 or 5 years old, I realized that I wasn't going to be able to do that," Mangold said.

Nugent said his typical ticket-request list for road games numbers "three or four, maybe two," so this weekend will be special. His father, Dan, used a business trip earlier in the week that took him near Cincinnati to do some scouting. But not of the Bengals.

"My parents love to tailgate at Ohio State games," Nugent said. "They're going to do it for this game. He was real close to Cincinnati, so he drove down there to kind of check out the parking lots to see the best places to go."

Notes & quotes: Unlike Giants coach Tom Coughlin, who has established a relationship with Joe Torre in recent years, Eric Mangini said Friday he has been an admirer of the former Yankees manager from afar.

"I had not spent any time with Joe," Mangini said. "I have a lot of respect for him as a coach and the things he's accomplished and I wish him well in whatever he decides to do."

Mangini smiled when asked to reflect on the accomplishment of lasting 12 consecutive years while managing in New York as Torre did.

"I'm in year two," he said, "so hopefully, we'll have this conversation in 10 years."

Sunday

Jets at Cincinnati

4:05 p.m.

TV: Ch. 2

Radio: WABC (770), WEPN (1050)

[Kentucky Jet]

Mangold, Schlegel May Meet Again

Published: Thu, October 18, 3:20pm EST

By Randy Lange

Lange is editor-in-chief of newyorkjets.com. He covered the Jets for 13 years for The Record of Hackensack, N.J.

File Under: bengals, Nick Mangold, Anthony Schlegel, middle linebacker, The Who

change font email article 10/18

[Kentucky Jet]

Jets' Sutton working to find answers with struggling defense

Oct 19, 2007

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. (AP) -Bob Sutton has developed a thick skin during his coaching career.

It's a good thing, too, because many fans and the media have been on his case for most of his two seasons as the New York Jets' defensive coordinator.

"Coaches are no different than players," Sutton said Friday. "You put a lot of time and effort in and you want to win. If you don't get the result you want, it's disappointing, but at the same time, if you believe in the pillars and things that you really believe in, those are the things I think that have to stay constant."

Sutton and offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer meet with the media on alternating Fridays, and both have come under fire for their units underperforming and having mental lapses. With a 1-5 start, there's been plenty to find fault with.

"Like I tell the players all the time, there are no quantum leaps in this deal," Sutton said. "It's inches. It's me as an individual coach improving 1 percent. It's a DB improving 1 percent."

Sutton, 56, speaks in calm tones as he peers over his glasses with his steely, blue eyes. His white hair and friendly smile give him a calming, grandfatherly appearance. He likes to talk at length about defense and his philosophies, and has a successful football resume to back it up.

Sutton has been a coach since 1972, when he was a graduate assistant at Michigan under Bo Schembechler, and made various stops at the college level before he became the defensive coordinator at Army and then the head coach from 1991-99. He joined the Jets as the linebackers coach in 2000 and was promoted to defensive coordinator by Eric Mangini before last season.

Mangini installed a 3-4 base defense that he brought with him from New England, and Sutton had to adjust.

"It wasn't hard because I've been in 3-4 systems before," Sutton said. "I was here in 2000 and basically doing the same system and in college, and that was kind of my background, so that part hasn't changed."

The biggest effect the change had was on the players. Sutton and Mangini were highly criticized for using the 3-4 with the Jets' personnel, which many so-called football experts deemed not suitable for that type of scheme.

"The most difficult thing is to invest and not get the returns you'd like," Sutton said.

Players like Jonathan Vilma and Eric Barton struggled to feel comfortable in the system, but the Jets buckled down in the second half of last season and were one of the league's stingiest defenses.

Poor play has seeped back in, though. The Jets are ranked 28th in overall defense - 27th against the pass and 23rd against the rush.

"I was just talking upstairs with Vilma and Kerry (Rhodes) about this," Sutton said. "You'd like to just turn a button and it's all fixed. That just isn't how it works."

Especially when poor tackling has been one of the prime culprits. Last week, Philadelphia's Kevin Curtis avoided two tackle attempts and turned a short pass into a 75-yard touchdown. The play was the difference in the Jets' 16-9 loss.

"You have to tackle," Sutton said. "You're not going to be good on defense if you don't tackle well."

So, Mangini and Sutton reverted to some training camp tackling drills the past two weeks. The Jets also need more pressure on the quarterback. They had three sacks against Philadelphia last Sunday, doubling their total from the first five games combined.

"My emphasis is always stay the course, keep doing the things that you know are going to give us an opportunity to win," Sutton said. "And if we do that, as hard as it seems ... that is how you're going to win."

Some have wondered if Mangini, a former defensive coordinator himself, would become more of a factor in the defensive game planning because of the unit's struggles.

"For me, it's a great sounding board," Sutton said, adding that Mangini hasn't altered his input. "He understands our issues that we're trying to do. It's a great in-house resource for me and, obviously, he's the head coach. If he wants to do something, we're going to do it."

The Jets clearly need to get better on defense in a hurry if they expect to compete for a playoff spot.

"You've got to improve the little things because there's not a lot of difference between winning and losing in this league," Sutton said. "That's what you can't lose track of when you're not being successful."

[Kentucky Jet]

We love lists

October

19 Just got today

[Kentucky Jet]

1- Chad almost always beats weak, underachieving teams

2- They have no run game without RUDI JOHNSON. He is very doubtful to play.

3- We will run on the weakest run defense in the NFL. I see Leon & TJ getting 150 yards on the ground

4- Special Team play will be one-sided. Ours is excellent; theirs is the worst in the NFL

5- Revis will show why he was drafted so high and Dyson/ Barrett will step up too. I also see a resurgance of our pass rush! Cincy is really a hurt team and down to subs playing for subs.

6- We are due for a big win and this game will awaken us!

Enjoy the game everyone! This game is ours!

[Kentucky Jet]

Finding a Way to Improve the Jets Can Be Food for Thought

Bill Kostroun/Associated Press

By DAVE CALDWELL

Published: October 19, 2007

Correction Appended

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y., Oct. 18 — Seven men gather for dinner every Thursday night in a meeting room at the Jets’ practice facility. Food is delivered, and those in the group take turns choosing the entree. Shrimp and crab are particular favorites.

NBut no one shows up merely for the free grub. Six captains — two from the offense, two from the defense and two from special teams — are invited to share concerns with Eric Mangini, the Jets’ second-year coach.

The Jets (1-5) would seem to have a lot to complain about; a swirling quarterback controversy, a frustrating offense and a leaking defense top the list. But that is not necessarily the point of the meetings.

“You’re not there to vent,” said linebacker Jonathan Vilma, one of the six players who meet with Mangini. “You’re there to try to get something accomplished for the team.”

This is the second year the Jets have had six permanent captains, and this is the second year they have held the Thursday captains’ meetings. Mangini has encouraged the captains — Vilma, defensive end Shaun Ellis, quarterback Chad Pennington, wide receiver Laveranues Coles, place-kicker Mike Nugent and linebacker Brad Kassell — to tackle issues that are holding back the team.

Those who attend say Mangini gives back as much as he takes. And even though the Jets are flailing, they say the mood in the meetings remains constructive. If the attitude is positive and problems are fixed, they say, the Jets can win soon.

“Anytime you get in this sort of situation,” Kassell said, referring to the Jets’ three-game losing streak, “it can go really bad, really quick.”

Mangini and the captains would not talk specifically about what was discussed. On Thursday, Mangini said that one idea from a recent meeting was a way to restructure repetitions to improve the flow at practice. That may not seem like a big deal. But players spend more time practicing than playing games, and if they can practice more efficiently, they may play better.

Immediately after the Jets’ 16-9 loss to Philadelphia last Sunday, some players grumbled about plays that were called. On Monday, Mangini said those reactions followed an emotional loss, but he also reiterated that his office door was always open.

“It’s not like in college, where the professor had office hours,” Mangini said Thursday.

But he does not have enough time to talk to everyone, and players who must focus on their own assignments and techniques have less time to think about issues that affect everyone.

Players with a complaint about a position coach or a suggestion about a play or a formation can take it to a captain. The captains take the ideas to Mangini, who asks questions and offers suggestions back.

The consensus from the meetings is that the team, while certainly underperforming on Sundays, is still trying hard every day. Mangini and the players said the mood in the meetings had not changed much since the start of the season.

“We’re all doing the same thing, working in the same direction,” Mangini said.

Vince Lombardi might have found the approach a little too touchy-feely, but fostering a sense of togetherness could be a way for the Jets, who play Sunday at Cincinnati, to get through the first half of what has been a lackluster season.

“There’s never any negative talk about things,” Nugent said. “With this team, everybody’s putting in their work.”

Coles, a first-time captain, playfully offered Thursday to relinquish his captaincy if it meant the Jets would start winning. “I might be the jinx,” he said.

But he suggested that he filled two requirements for the job: he can listen, and he can talk.

“Everybody approaches the game differently,” he said. “Some people might need to complain to go out and be productive.”

Jets fans may have a lot of reasons to be frustrated, but so do the players. They seem to think that the best way, or at least the most professional way, of dealing with their frustration is to take it to their coach. That route may be tested often.

“Certain things at certain times are not appropriate,” Coles said.

For instance, what about asking Mangini during a Thursday meeting to lighten the load at practice?

“Not now,” Coles said, laughing.

Correction: October 20, 2007

A sports article yesterday about the Jets’ weekly meetings between six captains and Coach Eric Mangini misidentified the location of the team’s game tomorrow. It is at Cincinnati, not Cleveland.