Sunday's Jets News

SoFlaJets · August 17, 2008

KELLER HAS A 'BALL' WITH NEW QB

By LENN ROBBINS

Posted: 3:42 am

August 17, 2008

Not many NFL rookies have to go shopping for a trophy case after their second preseason game, but JetsNew York Jets tight end Dustin Keller is no fool.

Even in the emotional whirl of the game, he knew he had just become a part of history.

Keller caught Brett Favre's first touchdown pass as a Jet. It came with 5:30 left in the first quarter of a 13-10 loss to the Washington Redskins.

It was four-yard toss from Favre on a second-and-goal and, if he never does anything else in his career, Keller will at least be the answer to a trivia question.

"I saw the ball coming and I thought, 'Don't be an idiot and drop it,' " Keller said.

Keller said that Favre initially told him he wanted to keep the ball for his trophy room. But when Keller got to his locker, Favre was waiting for him with an autographed ball.

"It's going to be in a trophy case real soon," said Keller.

Favre had veteran tight end Bubba Franks and the rookie Keller from Purdue in the game when he snapped the ball. Favre said that Franks had a little trouble getting off the line, and that it was a no-brainer to go to Keller.

For Keller, 23, playing with Favre, 38, is the stuff that dreams are made. He said he watched Favre growing up and considers him a Hall of Famer now.

"He was this kind of swagger, I don't want to call it an aura, when you're in the huddle" said Keller. "There's this sense that he's been doing this a long time and he knows what he's doing and he's going to throw you a good ball."

Keller said he was totally aware of what was happening while it was happening.

"Usually your head is swirling, but as soon as I caught it I knew I had just caught Brett Favre's first touchdown pass as a Jet and my first NFL touchdown catch," said Keller. "It doesn't get any better than that."

SoFlaJets · August 17, 2008

BRETT AND JETS GET 'DOWN' TO BUSINESS

FAVRE TOSSES TD BUT GREEN FALLS

By MARK CANNIZZARO

August 17, 2008

The 38-year-old arm hardly looked fatigued and the mind hardly seemed overwhelmed with an overload of information.

For about two-thirds of the first quarter of last night's 13-10 JetsNew York Jets loss to the Redskins in their preseason home opener at Giants Stadium, Brett Favre looked in midseason form despite being a member of the Jets for all of 10 days.

Favre, the new and expensive toy unveiled in front of the home fans, completed 5-of-6 passes for 48 yards and threw a four-yard touchdown pass to Dustin Keller.

His ballyhooed game debut in a Jet uniform lasted all of 14 plays, but it was memorable nonetheless.

The result, largely due to Mike Nugent's missed 23-yard FG attempt to tie the game as time expired (it hit the left upright) along with a 43-yard miss earlier, was the only disappointment for the Jets.

But it hardly mattered. This was all about Favre's debut, and he didn't disappoint.

"It worked out better than I thought it would, not that I thought it would go badly," Favre said. "It was like starting all over again. I had some feelings that I haven't felt in 17 years. That's a good thing.

"Ten days ago I was doing yard work," Favre went on.

"I ran and threw a little bit with the kids at the high school [in his hometown in Mississippi], but there's no substitute for what we did tonight. Considering what I was doing 10 days ago, I was pretty pleased to get the ball in the end zone."

Favre conceded to feeling some "positive anxiety and positive nervousness" before the game.

"I wanted to get this game over with," Favre said. "I wanted to play in it, but I wanted to get it over with and kind of just go on. I talked to [offensive-line coach] Bill Callahan before the game he said, 'The bottom line is having fun,' and I did. I had a lot of fun."

Favre said it "was a little weird" running onto the field in a uniform that was not a Packer uniform.

"I had numerous people on the Redskins say to me, 'Man, it almost doesn't look right,' ". Favre said. "But it's got to start looking right. It was a little awkward, but I knew that we had to get that out of the way in order to get to where we want to be."

Favre's last act on the field was his best - the four-yard scoring pass he threw to Keller, the rookie tight end, with 5:25 remaining in the first quarter, a play that gave the Jets a 7-0 lead.

He later signed the ball and gave it to Keller in the locker room.

"I thought it was an excellent start," coach Eric Mangini said of Favre's anticipated debut. "He was able to move the team down the field and he made a nice throw to Dustin Keller. It was a nice experience for Dustin getting Brett's first [TD pass]."

Much to the delight of the fans, Favre's night began rather quickly since the Jets won the coin toss and elected to receive.

Favre, who ran onto the field to a standing ovation, promptly connected with Jerricho CotcheryJerricho Cotchery for 11 yards on his first play as a Jet. The ball appeared to be traveling some 60 mph. He would complete his first three passes.

Favre conceded afterward that he lobbied to play another series.

"I wanted to play a little bit more," Favre said. "Eric asked me how I felt. I said, 'Hey, I'd like to play a little bit more.' He said, 'Let me think about it, and as he turned away, he turned back and, 'I thought about it. You're out.'

"I was OK with that. It was good to go out that way.

SoFlaJets · August 17, 2008

SERBY'S SUNDAY Q&A WITH VERNON GHOLSTON

Last updated: 8:31 am

August 17, 2008

Posted: 3:42 am

August 17, 2008

The Post's Steve Serby sat down this past week with the JetsNew York Jets ' No. 1 pick from Ohio State.

(with SNY blurb)

Q: Who has bigger arms, you or Thomas JonesThomas Jones ?

A: I'm a little bigger than him, but for his size, he's pretty pumped up. I've been kinda off the weights a little bit, but one of these days, I'm gonna get him.

Q: Do you think you can you bench-press Kris Jenkins?

A: Yeah, I'm pretty sure I could.

Q: Your best bench press is 455 pounds?

A: 485.

Q: So how many times do you think you can bench press (GM) Mike Tannenbaum?

A: (Laughs) I wouldn't want to do that.

Q: Who are the quarterbacks you're looking forward to sacking?

A: Shoot, all the ones we play this year if I can.

Q: Do you think one day you can be the best pass rusher in the NFL?

A: Yeah. I believe that if you work toward anything, you can accomplish it. That's definitely one of my goals . . . not only pass rusher, but football player.

Q: Would you want to be feared?

A: Yup. That's my goal (chuckles).

Q: Did you pick No. 56?

A: Yes, I actually picked it.

Q: Why did you want that jersey?

A: Obviously (college number) 50 was already taken by Eric BartonEric Barton , but from the numbers that we had left, 56 seemed like a great one.

Q: You don't mind comparisons to Lawrence Taylor?

A: Oh, I'm not comparing myself to him. For me, it's just learning about what I need to be doing and (trying) to be the best player I can be.

Q: You've watched clips of LT - give me a scouting report.

A: (Chuckles) Well I think you better block him.

Q: Five minutes before kickoff, standing in the tunnel, describe the transformation you undergo.

A: Oh man . . . it becomes into like a warrior at that point, going out there and doing whatever it takes to win and (trying) to be unstoppable.

Q: Best game you ever played?

A: My junior year, we played Demby High School, we had like 300-something yards rushing. I was an offensive lineman, so I felt pretty good about that.

Q: Best sack?

A: Michigan, my last sack.

Q: Tell me about that one.

A: Quarterback (Chad Henne) was dropping back, I kinda came up through the middle on a blitz and hit him square up and stood over him afterwards (chuckles).

Q: One scout before the draft said: "I sometimes wonder if he loves the game." What do you think of that?

A: Everybody has their opinion. Obviously you can't please everybody.

Q: Do you love the game?

A: Yeah I definitely do. I don't think you can play at this level and not love it.

Q: Is Brett Favre fun to watch?

A: Oh, yeah. . . . Coach talks about everybody's gotta stay alive 'cause you never know where his ball's gonna go on the field.

Q: Your role in the rookie skit in training camp?

A: I had to play Coach Bryan Cox. We played a little "Family Feud," coaches-versus-players type thing.

Q: What would I do, what would I say to imitate Bryan Cox?

A: Just act tough (chuckles).

Q: You once said you would want Schwarzenegger to play you in a movie. Why?

A: Just the physique and the body build and, obviously, how he goes about things.

Q: You don't cook . . . will your female roommate/massage therapist at Ohio State cook for you in New Jersey?

A: No, she's still back in Columbus.

Q: So what are you gonna do?

A: I don't know, I might have to put some of that ($21 million guaranteed) money to use and get a chef or something (chuckles).

Q: Childhood memory that makes you smile?

A: I always was happy when I got a dog. Christmas was always a joyous occasion around the house, getting all the presents. Of course, I don't get presents these days like that (chuckles).

Q: You can buy your own presents now.

A: It ain't the same (as) when somebody gives it to you, though.

Q: Your father had multiple sclerosis. What was it like taking care of him growing up while your mother worked?

A: He had it all my life, so I didn't know any different.

Q: Was that heartbreaking for you?

A: No, not really. People have different situations, and I was just glad to have my father with me.

Q: Your mom still works on the General Motors assembly line?

A: That's what she did to support me and my brother, and I love her for it.

Q: If you weren't a football player what would you have been?

A: Hopefully an engineer or something like that.

Q: Three dinner guests?

A: Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, Muhammad Ali.

Q: What haven't you seen in NYC that you want to see?

A: Statue of Liberty.

Q: Favorite pro wrestler growing up?

A: Depending on the time period, I was a big Ultimate Warrior fan.

Q: Favorite movie?

A: "Training Day."

Q: Favorite actor?

A: Denzel Washington.

Q: Favorite singer?

A: Isley Brothers.

Q: Favorite meal?

A: Anything with meat.

Q: A message for Jets fans about what kind of impact you'll make?

A: The biggest thing about me is I'm all about the team, us going as far as we can and winning as much as possible. I'm a rookie this year and (am) looking to make an impact as much as I can, but in the years to come, hopefully I'll be one of the best players out there.

SoFlaJets · August 17, 2008

ENJOY THOSE CHEERS, NO. 4

Posted: 3:42 am

August 17, 2008

WHEN he trotted onto the field last night as the quarterback of the JetsNew York Jets , they stood and roared, and it must have sounded like Lambeau Field to Brett Favre.

No large contingent of mesmerized cheeseheads, but plenty of love, and plenty of No. 4 jerseys in the GiantsNew York Giants Stadium stands.

This was a New York-New Jersey celebration of Favre's arrival as The Messiah of the 4-lorn J-E-T-S JETS JETS JETS franchise. A culmination of a sudden, exhilarating honeymoon no one, not even Favre, could have imagined.

No one was expecting Favre to be the land version of Michael Phelps last night against the Redskins. He was throwing his first football in anger since the Giants' Corey WebsterCorey Webster intercepted his latest Super Bowl dream in overtime of last season's NFC Championship game.

So it didn't really matter much - except to apoplectic Jets Nation - that Favre, after completing his first three passes, the first one of his vintage darts to a slanting Jerricho Cotchery, held the ball and endured a 10-yard sack on his first series. It didn't really matter much that Favre led Cotchery beautifully with a 19-yard touch pass on the second and final series to set up his 4-yard TD pass to rookie TE Dustin Keller.

He showed command and that intoxicating rocket right arm and frolicked with his younger head coach and teammates and slapped hands and brought electricity to the stadium and to the field. He finished 5 of 6 for 48 yards and that TD and it wouldn't have mattered much if he had tossed a pair of interceptions as he began chipping the rust off what had been his shell-shocked 38-year-old arm. They are willing to give you a mulligan, even here, when you are a larger-than-life legend, a Hall-of-Fame icon, riding into town on a green-and-white horse. They are willing to give you a mulligan, even here, when your new playbook may as well have been written in Chinese, because it is Greek to you. They are willing to give you a mulligan, even here, when your new teammates feel compelled to introduce themselves to you in the huddle.

Favre should enjoy this while he can, soak up the adulation of a championship-starved, cursed fan base that forever lusts to go back to the future, when, for one glorious Super Sunday, Broadway Joe Namath was the football Muhammad Ali.

"It worked out better than I thought it would," Favre said. "It's like starting all over again. I had some feelings I haven't felt in 17 years . . . I had a lot of fun.

He should enjoy this while he can because you simply do not get a long honeymoon, not here. This one, in fact, will have a duration of exactly three weeks. It will officially end under a broiling Miami sun, against Chad Pennington, the quarterback he replaced.

Favre could have accepted that $25 million golden parachute from the Packers and retired. He didn't because he finally woke up and remembered that he loves to play the game. Favre would have preferred to play for the Vikings or Bears or Lions, just to stick it to the Packers. But here is the bottom line: If he didn't think he could win with the Jets, he would have stayed retired.

"I felt like I threw the ball well, moved around OK . . . ten days ago I was doing yard work," Favre said. "I knew I'd made the right decision when I was on the field tonight."

It means he was getting a free pass last night, and for the rest of the preseason. He gets this three-week honeymoon before New York demands he be Brett Favre. Their Hope Diamond.

So far, so good. So very good. His No. 4 jerseys have been flying off the shelves. ESPN continues to stalk him. By the sheer force of his persona, Favre has rendered the Super Bowl Giants the Other Team in town, and Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning the Other Quarterback. Just imagine the mania when Favre starts hitting Cotchery or Laveranues Coles or Keller with some of his improvisational lasers deep downfield.

But Favre knows full well that his mission, now that he has chosen to accept it, is not Mission: Impossible. His mission is to close the gap on Tom Brady and the Patriots and get Eric Mangini and the Jets back into the playoffs. Anything less will be a failure.

Woody Johnson and Mike Tannenbaum spent over $140 million in the offseason to upgrade the offensive line and pass rush. The Jets were going to be a tough out even without Favre. The site of Favre in a No. 4 Jets jersey drove them mad last night. The fearless old gunslinger was now their gunslinger. A surreal sight for sore eyes.

Now bring us the head of Bill Belichick!

SoFlaJets · August 17, 2008

CLEMENS, RATLIFF TRY TO TURN '2'

By MARK CANNIZZARO

Posted: 3:42 am

August 17, 2008

After Brett Favre's handful of plays were complete against the Redskins last night, there were many eyes focused on the next two JetsNew York Jets quarterbacks, Kellen ClemensKellen Clemens and Brett RatliffBrett Ratliff .

Clemens, who only 10 days ago was competing for the starting job with Chad Pennington and now finds himself competing for the No. 2 job with Ratliff, had a rough night, completing only 5-of-12 for 63 yards.

On his first drive, early in the second quarter, Clemens had two key passes dropped on him when WR Jerricho Cotchery dropped his first pass and then TE Bubba Franks dropped a sure first-down pass on third down to kill the drive.

Clemens, too, stumbled out of the center-quarterback exchange a couple of times and had a third-down pass batted down.

Ratliff, who has had a strong camp and had a big game last week in Cleveland, where he threw two TD passes, has been pushing Clemens for the No. 2 job.

Ratliff, on his first play last night, completed a 22-yard pass to TE Dustin Keller.

Coach Eric Mangini, before last night's game, said that Clemens was the No. 2 "for this game," and added the caveat that he'll "see how the rest of camp goes."

*

Jets WR David Clowney, who caught TD passes of 71 and 70 yards last week, caught a 29-yard pass from Clemens in the second quarter. Clowney, however, appeared to hurt his right shoulder in the third quarter and didn't return.

*

DE Shaun Ellis, who's nursing a broken hand and hasn't been practicing, missed his second consecutive preseason game as did WR Laveranues Coles, who has a leg injury and has been in and out of practice.

*

For those who miss Pennington, he went 5-for-6 (same as Favre last night for the Jets) for 55 yards (seven more yards than Favre) in his debut for the Dolphins, who played the Jaguars last night.

SoFlaJets · August 17, 2008

Favre fervor continues

Jenny Vrentas, SPECIAL TO THE WASHINGTON TIMES

Sunday, August 17, 2008

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. | Yes, he was sacked. Yes, he threw an incomplete pass. Yes, the Jets offense did have to punt.

But when Brett Favre connected with tight end Dustin Keller for a 4-yard touchdown pass during the first quarter of the Redskins' 13-10 preseason win over to the Jets on Saturday night, the future Hall of Fame quarterback helped legitimize the hopes of a franchise - and a fan base - that wholeheartedly has placed its faith in him.

Just 10 days after the Jets surprisingly dealt for the 38-year-old gunslinger, Favre made his debut as the team's starting quarterback at Giants Stadium, bringing uncharacteristic relevancy to a preseason game.

"I feel like I'm a Jet. I do," said Favre, who completed five of six passes for 48 yards and one touchdown. "Does that sound a little bit awkward or funny? Maybe a little bit ... But I feel like I'm here for a reason."

Though he lobbied to stay in longer, Jets coach Eric Mangini kept Favre in the game for 14 plays, just long enough to complete a touchdown drive on the offense's second series to put the Jets ahead 7-0.

When backup quarterback Kellen Clemens jogged onto the field, he ended Favre's unveiling almost as quickly as it started. For the rest of the first half, the unretired star watched intently from the sidelines, admittedly with a lot of catching up to do after playing in the same offense for 16 years.

Since he arrived at Jets camp a week ago, Favre's every move has been carefully traced.

For his first practice a week ago, 10,500 fans flocked to the campus of Hofstra University on Long Island. When he fumbled a snap last Sunday and had to run a penalty lap with center Nick Mangold, a YouTube video was posted within the hour. Last night, of course, the fervor continued.

Favre was the last Jets player to run onto the field last night and was greeted with a standing ovation from the crowd.

Fittingly, the Jets won the toss and elected to receive, ending the suspense. On his first play from scrimmage, Favre hit wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery in stride with a classic 11-yard slant.

"Same old Brett," said tight end Bubba Franks, who played with Favre for eight seasons in Green Bay, "but just a different atmosphere."

Favre completed two more passes in the first drive, a 10-yard throw over the middle to tight end Chris Baker and a 4-yard completion. But after the coaches decided to go for it on fourth-and-1 - and converted - the Jets' first offensive drive stalled.

Peter Lockley / The Washington Times Brett Favre's first pass as a member of the New York Jets was an 11-yard completion to Jerricho Cotchery.

Redskins defensive tackle Cornelius Griffin and linebacker Marcus Washington got to Favre on second-and-6, sacking him for a loss of 10 yards. On third-and-16, Favre threw his first incomplete pass of the night.

Favre could have been done for the night. But to rousing applause, he stepped back on the field for a second series with 9:08 left in the first quarter. After two running plays, he threw his longest pass of the night, a deep, 19-yard crossing route to Cotchery on third-and-3.

Three plays later, Keller got past Redskins linebacker Rocky McIntosh, and Favre found him in the end zone. As Favre threw both hands in the air, signaling the touchdown, his offensive linemen mobbed him.

After the game, Favre autographed the ball for Keller, a rookie, and wrote on it: "Congratulations on your first touchdown."

Said Keller: "My first touchdown pass was from a living legend. It's overwhelming, to be honest."

SoFlaJets · August 17, 2008

Favre fever off Broadway

August 17, 2008

You're a 25-year-old Wisconsinite and med school student at Columbia who happens to have written and produced a partly autobiographical off-off-Broadway play about a Brett Favre-obsessed man.

Then two days before it opens ... well, truth is stranger than fiction.

"As my friend pointed out right away, 'Dude, this is going to be amazing for your play!"' David Scott said, recalling the bittersweet news that Favre was New York bound.

As a lifelong Packers fan, he was displeased. As a playwright, he was thrilled. Soon newspapers were calling and tickets were being purchased, and voila: "I Love You, Petty, & Favre" was among the most well attended shows in the annual New York International Fringe Festival.

"The response has been great," said Scott, a film and TV major at NYU before veering into medicine. There are two more shows scheduled - 9:15 tonight and noon Saturday at 27 Barrow St.

The play is a fairly straightforward love story, with an unusual format.

It's confusing at first, but it grows on you. (Factual quibble: In one scene, the characters watch the Giants' cheerleaders. Oops.)

Scott added a line to reflect the Favre trade, and might further update if the show is extended.

Last season, Scott attended three games at Lambeau, including the NFC title game. "I've never seen beer freeze like that," he said.

Now he can see Favre play every week on TV, and eight times by crossing the Hudson. Will he?

"It is going to be really weird," he said. "I'm not going to be a Jets fan, but I'll root for Favre as long as he's not playing Green Bay."

SoFlaJets · August 17, 2008

Tannenbaum worked OT to make Favre a Jet

BY ERIK BOLAND | erik.boland@newsday.com

August 17, 2008

Between practices Wednesday at Hofstra, Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum opened an interview session by good-naturedly poking fun at what he figured - correctly - would be the headlines in the following day's newspapers.

"As a 39-year old, I'm really fatigued," Tannenbaum said. "It's been a long camp for me. Got a lot of bumps and bruises, a lot of ups and downs, so I'm tired."

It was, of course, a reference to Brett Favre, who earlier in the day created a mini media maelstrom by saying his 38-year-old arm felt "fatigued."

Tannenbaum was joking, but a closer examination of his comment showed it, though likely unintended, to be a perfect synopsis of his signature move from this offseason - swinging the Aug. 6 trade with the Packers that brought Favre to the Jets. The resulting scenes at Hofstra - historically large training camp crowds and a party atmosphere - since Aug. 9 when Favre practiced for the first time, have been described as a circus. Which makes Tannenbaum the ringmaster.

"Obviously, I saw the excitement, which I thought was great for the franchise," Tannenbaum said. "I think that speaks well of the entire organization."

In talking about the organization and repeating his oft-used line that "I think we have a good story to tell here," Tannenbaum confirmed what some have speculated: that owner Woody Johnson from the start played an integral role in giving Tannenbaum carte blanche to do whatever it took to be able to tell that story to Favre.

"He was very involved in the Brett trade," Tannenbaum said of Johnson. "He gave a lot of good input to both Eric [Mangini] and I. He was very involved with the trade and deserves a lot of credit."

Favre, in his introductory news conference, threw much of the credit Tannenbaum's way but all the general manager would give in that regard was that "it took some blood, sweat and tears," to consummate the trade.

"We had to work really hard to get this done," Tannenbaum said.

Though Tannenbaum wouldn't quantify how the Jets' interest in Favre fluctuated from the time he got a phone call from Packers GM Ted Thompson in mid-July, he hinted that the organization decided almost right after that call it would go all out in trying to get the quarterback. Even though the Jets had spent the offseason preparing for either Chad Pennington - now with the Dolphins - or Kellen Clemens to be the starter, and even though Tannenbaum thought the team's chance of landing Favre was a long shot at best.

"Chad [Pennington] had done a lot of great things for the franchise, but we felt, for us, it gave us a chance to get a player of a high caliber at the quarterback position and once we made that determination, my job is to get it done," Tannenbaum said.

Tannenbaum reiterated what he said in his early-morning news conference Aug. 7, which was he didn't actually talk to Favre until hours before the trade.

"Really, up until like 12 hours before the time it happened, I thought there was a very long shot of it occurring," Tannenbaum said.

And within his answer to the question of what changed so dramatically in those final 12 hours, Tannenbaum again tacitly acknowledged a steeper interest on the part of the Jets from the very beginning than was previously thought.

"It's a great question," Tannenbaum said. "If I had known sooner, I would have done it sooner and I would have saved myself a lot of sleepless nights."

There assuredly will be a few of those should the Jets not at the very least make the playoffs this season, though Tannenbaum said he would not put a number on what would constitute a successful season.

"We don't go into a season saying we have to win X number of games or it's not successful," Tannenbaum said. 'It's more of a big picture approach of moving forward."

Moving forward with a quarterback a month ago no one, not even Tannenbaum, conceived of being a Jet.

"It's like any other good business," Tannenbaum said. "A business has a model and a plan, but when unexpected opportunities present themselves, you try to take advantage of them. We were able to do that."

SoFlaJets · August 17, 2008

Oh baby, Jets fans can't get enough of Favre

BY BOB GLAUBER | bob.glauber@newsday.com

August 17, 2008

Tim Donnelly won't soon forget the events of Aug. 7.

The lifelong Jets fan from Wantagh woke up that morning to the news that the Jets had traded for Packers quarterback Brett Favre. Later that day, his wife, Marie, gave birth to a baby boy.

"I got a quarterback and a son the same day," Donnelly said.

The couple already had a name in mind, but Donnelly tried an audible with his wife.

"I said, 'How about we name him Brett?'" Donnelly said a few minutes before Favre's debut last night as the Jets' quarterback in a preseason game against the Redskins. "Brett Donnelly sounds pretty good, no?"

His wife didn't go for it. Donnelly then suggested Brett as a middle name. Nothing doing. Chances are, however, that Liam Thomas Donnelly will soon find out what it's like to be a Jets fan. Favre almost surely will be gone from the NFL by then, but in the meantime, Donnelly and Jets Nation are loving the moment.

"I'm really excited about this," Donnelly said. "Brett Favre gives us a better chance to win than Chad Pennington. We got a guy who was one quarter away from going to the Super Bowl."

Donnelly's enthusiasm was shared by most fans who showed up for what is normally an uneventful preseason opener. The buzz was palpable as the fans waited to greet Favre.

"We just got season tickets after 11 years of waiting, so this is pretty good timing," said Erik Ortmann of East Islip. "I think it's a no-lose situation. They're better off now with Favre than Pennington. With Pennington, you didn't see it going anywhere."

William Hope of West Haven, Conn., wearing his newly purchased No. 4 Favre jersey, was delighted at the turn of events that led Favre to the Jets.

"He's a huge star on a mediocre team," Hope said. "I think we'll definitely get a playoff berth, or at least close to one. The only thing that worries me is the age factor. But he's been durable, so I think we'll be OK."

Mark Rubinstein of East Meadow, also decked out in a Favre jersey, has little doubt the trade will work out in the Jets' favor.

"There's no doubt in my mind about it," he said. "We stole him from Green Bay as far as I'm concerned. You look around the parking lot now, and it's twice as full as it normally is for a game like this. The excitement level is definitely way up."

Mike Siciliano of Norwalk, Conn., expressed some anxiety about how things will turn out.

"He's on the cover of the Madden '08 video game, and that's been a curse for other players," Siciliano said. "But at least he's wearing a Packers jersey. Maybe we'll get lucky."

SoFlaJets · August 17, 2008

Jets corner Lowery stands out again

BY ERIK BOLAND | erik.boland@newsday.com

August 17, 2008

It would have been almost impossible for Dwight Lowery's second preseason game to trump his first.

In last week's preseason opener, Lowery provided what turned out to be the winning points by returning a punt for a touchdown, led the defense with seven tackles and intercepted a fourth-quarter pass that thwarted a Browns drive.

Lowery had a quieter second game but still stood out in the Jets 13-10 loss at the Meadowlands last night. The rookie cornerback, a fourth-round pick from San Jose State, replaced second-year cornerback, and emerging star, Darrelle Revis on the Jets second defensive position, seeing action much earlier than he had in Cleveland. Lowery's performance in Cleveland, along with his continued solid play in camp, has the rookie making a late charge at the corner spot opposite Revis. Neither Justin Miller or David Barrett have made a strong claim to the job as yet.

"I felt like I belonged," Lowery said earlier this week. "I would assume that most rookies feel like they're nervous, they don't want to mess up, but if you prepare yourself and know that you belong there than everything will take care of itself and you don't have to worry about anything."

Can Clemens hold on?

Kellen Clemens, who before the Favre trade was in a tight battle with Chad Pennington for the starter's job, now is in a fight for the No. 2 job with second-year quarterback Brett Ratliff. Clemens had a tough first half last night, going 3-for-10 for 45 yards in the second quarter - though there were several drops - and also falling twice after stumbling while dropping back. Clemens finished 5-for-12 for 63 yards. Ratliff was 13-for-19 for 148 yards.

Jet streams

Wide receiver Laveranues Coles (leg) missed his second straight preseason game. Coles pulled up lame after attempting to chase down a deep Favre throw during Wednesday's practice. The severity of his injury is unknown . . . Defensive end Shaun Ellis (broken hand) sat out as well, replaced at left defensive end by Mike DeVito, a second-year end from Maine. Coach Eric Mangini said last week he didn't expect Ellis' absence to extend into the regular season.

SoFlaJets · August 17, 2008

This looks like start of something real big

Bob Glauber

August 17, 2008

Given the fact that he was only 10 days into his tenure with the Jets, there was really only one word that fully captured Brett Favre's performance last night: perfect.

From the standing ovation when he walked into the huddle, to the 11-yard completion to Jerricho Cotchery on a slant route on the first play of the game, to the effortless 4-yard touchdown pass to rookie tight end Dustin Keller, there could not have been a better scenario for Favre's first "live" action in Jets green-and-white.

The high-fives from teammates and coaches after the touchdown merely underscored the flawless evening.

Ah, if it were always this easy.

"I was nervous, excited," Favre said. "[There were] some feelings I have not felt in a while, but I was excited."

Small wonder. After all he's been through in this long and torturous journey from retirement to his nasty divorce from the Packers and the trade to the Jets, it has been a sea change for the 38-year-old quarterback. But at least he got back to what this whole ordeal has been all about: playing the game he loves. Even if it was for just two series, it could not have gone better.

If nothing else, the sense of closure was meaningful.

"I know I was out there for the right reasons," Favre said after the game. "When I stepped onto the field, I knew I made the right decision . To me, the most important thing is playing."

Of course, Favre knows how difficult the process will be, especially when the games start to count. Heck, it will get significantly more challenging next weekend, even when it doesn't count. His first dose of Jets-Giants will be a heck of a lot more challenging than the two series' worth of work he put in against the Redskins.

Favre figures to go at least into the third quarter next week, which is typical for teams using the next-to-last preseason game as the biggest tuneup for the regular season. And to play against a Giants team that boasts arguably the best pass rush in football, Favre and his new best friends along the Jets' offensive line will have their hands full trying to run the offense. The Jets likely will back Favre off in the preseason finale against the Eagles the following Thursday, although he could play a series just to get a little more work in before the regular-season opener Sept. 7 in Miami.

In the meantime, Favre can take comfort from a terrific start. Not even two weeks after the conclusion to a soap opera that gripped the sports world with each successive text message from Favre's phone and every double entendre quote from Packers headquarters, Favre got back to what this whole mess was all about: playing football.

And at 38, he showed the same passion that has driven him to show up every single week over the previous 16 seasons with the Packers. The smile. The swagger. The darts that come from an arm that is still very much alive. About the only moment of concern came late in the first series, when he was sacked by Marcus Washington and Cornelius Griffin for a 10-yard loss. But he bounced up moments after being tackled.

"I know the players we have can make plays," he said. "It comes down to me getting the ball in their hands."

On his second and final series, Favre drove the Jets 46 yards, thanks to a 19-yard completion down the left side to Cotchery and then the short touchdown pass to his left for Keller.

"It was a simple play," Favre said. "We had Keller and Franks on two quick outs. Keller had better leverage at the 5. Franks had a little trouble getting off the line. It was pretty simple."

Meanwhile, at around the same time Favre was carving up the Redskins' first-string defense, Chad Pennington was doing the same to the Jaguars in his first preseason game with the Dolphins. Pennington went 5-for-6 (for 55 yards) and led a first-quarter scoring drive that ended with a Ricky Williams touchdown run.

Favre-Pennington on opening day in Miami. Beautiful.

For a Jets team that had become largely irrelevant in a town dominated by the Super Bowl champion Giants, this is compelling theater, to be sure.

The buzz was palpable last night for a meaningless preseason game. You could feel it among the tailgaters as you walked into the stadium. You can only imagine what it will be like starting the first Sunday in September.

Can't wait.

SoFlaJets · August 17, 2008

Favre a winner in Jets loss to Redskins

BY ERIK BOLAND | erik.boland@newsday.com

August 17, 2008

Brett Favre concisely put the night into perspective using just eight words.

"Ten days ago, I was doing yard work," Favre said after the Jets lost, 13-10, to the Redskins last night at the Meadowlands.

Mike Nugent missed a 23-yard field goal as time expired, a chip shot that would have sent the game into overtime.

But the few thousand fans left at that point barely seemed to care. Three hours earlier, they had seen a glimpse of what 2008 might hold and they liked what they saw.

Unbridled optimism had surrounded the Jets since Favre first took the practice field at Hofstra on Aug. 9, and no one came away feeling any differently after Favre played two series last night and went 5-for-6 for 48 yards and a touchdown. So much for the "fatigued" arm that Favre spoke of midweek that caused a small media firestorm.

"My arm feels great," Favre said.

Before that, Favre said: "It worked out better than I thought it would. Not that I thought it would go badly, [but] it's like starting all over again. I had some feelings I hadn't felt in 17 years."

First among those was wearing something different than the Packers' green and gold. Even a few Redskins remarked to Favre before the game that they found the sight of a green-and-white-clad Favre strange.

"It was a little weird, but for the most part, I feel comfortable in this uniform," Favre said. "I feel comfortable in this locker room."

The fans were ready from the start to make Favre feel comfortable at the Meadowlands.

Favre received two loud ovations before taking a snap - when he was the last player introduced in pregame warm-ups and again when he took the field for the game's opening possession. A new rule allows teams winning the coin toss the option of deferring their choice to the second half but Jets coach Eric Mangini probably never considered it last night.

And so, on first-and-10 from the 20-yard line, Favre started with an 11-yard slant to Jerricho Cotchery. Favre's second pass went for 10 yards to Chris Baker and his third was complete, too, a 4-yard dump-off over the middle to Leon Washington. Though the drive stalled - a drive that included Favre getting sacked for a 10-yard loss - it wasn't a bad start.

"I thought he did a good job," Mangini said. "For seven practices or whatever it was, he moved the ball effectively. And the other thing he does extremely well is the play fakes."

That was evident on the Jets' second possession. On third-and-3 from the Redskins' 39, Favre play-actioned, rolled to his left and on the run hit Cotchery with a tight spiral just before two defenders reached him. Cotchery did a nice job of hanging on at the Washington 20 after getting leveled by safety Kareem Moore.

Brad Smith then took a reverse from Favre - "he did a really nice job of selling the run on that," Mangini said - and sprinted into the secondary down the left sideline for a 12-yard pickup to the 8. After Washington went over left guard for 4 yards, Favre connected with rookie tight end Dustin Keller on the left side for a touchdown. In the two-tight end set, Keller ran straight at linebacker Rocky McIntosh, then cut left. He turned and almost immediately found Favre's dart in his chest. Favre signed the football and gave it to Keller in the locker room after the game.

"It couldn't be any better," Keller said. "A really good feeling."

The touchdown gave the Jets a 7-0 lead with 5:25 left in the first and Favre's night was done.

After Favre exited, the fans soon did, too, and they didn't miss much. The second of Shaun Suisham's two field goals, a 36-yarder with 10:36 left in the third quarter, pulled the Redskins to 7-6. But Nugent, who missed wide right from 43 yards with five minutes left in the third, connected from 43 yards with 9:13 left in the fourth to give the Jets a 10-6 lead.

Against mostly the Jets' third team, Colt Brennan drove the Redskins 80 yards, capping the drive with a 33-yard touchdown pass to Jason Goode with 1:09 left.

SoFlaJets · August 17, 2008

Favre must connect with Coles

Shaun Powell

August 17, 2008

The commotion started during pregame warm-ups. There was instant applause as people raised their voices just a bit higher than their clicking cell phone cameras, and it was the kind of reception that was anticipated and expected of someone capable of creating a buzz just by walking on a football field.

Yes, it was quite a scene when Tom Cruise took a stroll on the turf so he could get a closer look at the guy who was about to upstage him.

Brett Favre owned the night, or at least several minutes of it, the duration he spent playing in a Jets uniform for the first time. And for nit-pickers everywhere, we should mention that he wasn't perfect against the Redskins. One of his six passes went incomplete.

The other five helped push the Jets downfield, crisply and smoothly, for two drives. His last pass was drilled into the gut of tight end Dustin Keller, a 4-yarder for a touchdown, which unofficially became the most important touchdown scored in Jets exhibition history, all things considered. The best way to sum up Favre's first game with the Jets? It looked like his fifth.

He looked comfortable, sure of himself and the offense. He didn't botch a snap, or hand the ball off to an offensive lineman, or blow an audible or miss a read. Evidently, during his two weeks in town, he studied the playbook and read the roster and introduced himself to his teammates. Oh, and after throwing the TD, he refrained from rushing toward the stands and performing the kind of celebratory leaps made famous in Green Bay, which around here would be considered a Meadowlands Mosh Pit.

All Favre did was give Keller a tap on the helmet, slap five with his lineman while trotting to the sideline, exchange some small talk with coach Eric Mangini, then give a half-hug to a teammate wearing a T-shirt, visor and shorts.

That teammate was Laveranues Coles, sitting this one out with a minor ache and therefore delaying the one completion, and most important, that Favre must make.

On a night when everything else came together, albeit for a short time, the one noticeable absence was a Favre-Coles connection. The only time they clicked was on the sideline, after Favre tossed a pass to someone else. Favre threw passes to four different players during his two drives, proof that he likes to share the wealth, but all quarterbacks have that one receiver they bond with for the big plays. And this will happen once Coles stops mourning the loss of Chad Pennington.

Coles wasn't thrilled at Pennington being dumped for Favre. The two were close and they had a bond on the field. Fine. But Coles gives the impression he's broken up about it, mainly because he has refused so far to discuss it publicly. That would be strange, since Coles didn't seem too upset when he left the Jets and Pennington and took the big money from the Redskins five years ago.

Anyway, Favre is looking for a favorite target and the most logical candidate is Coles, mainly because he can catch, and mainly because no other receiver has stepped forward. Coles will cross the middle for the tough catch and work the sidelines for the tricky ones. Plus, Favre has plenty of respect for Coles and what he shared with Pennington.

As Favre and the Jets go forward, they'll also need to find someone to catch the long pass. Whether that's Coles or someone else is what the preseason will tell us. For the last few years, during the Pennington era, the Jets' receivers never bothered running too many fly patterns because the football didn't fly very often. As the master of the 7-yard slant, Pennington stayed within the limitations of his arm strength and went deep about once a month.

Well, the playbook has been updated a little. Favre didn't throw a pass longer than 19 yards yesterday but that will change once he starts playing all four quarters. What we don't know, but will ultimately find out, is whether the Jets have a deep receiver on the roster, someone with enough speed to blow past corners and snatch 60-yarders.

That receiver could be Jerricho Cotchery, who caught a 77-yarder from Pennington two years ago in the playoffs, and who snatched Favre's 19-yarder. Or it could be Coles, who has decent speed but has spent his Jets career as a possession receiver. They're about the only long-ball receivers on the roster.

And if neither Coles nor Cotchery become deep threats, then Favre will essentially turn into Pennington. At least Coles would be comfortable with that

SoFlaJets · August 17, 2008

WHERE ARE THEY NOW? BROWNING NAGLE

BY JIM BAUMBACH | jim.baumbach@newsday.com

August 17, 2008

For years, Jets fans have tortured themselves by wondering how their franchise's history would have been different if they landed Brett Favre instead of Browning Nagle in the 1991 draft.

Turns out they're not the only ones who have played the what-if game in their minds.

"Have I played through the possibilities had I didn't go to New York?" Nagle asked, repeating the question asked of him by phone Wednesday night.

Nagle paused, then laughed.

"Well," he said, "it would have been interesting."

Speaking from his home outside Memphis, Nagle insisted he has no regrets or hard feelings about his failed tenure with the Jets. He's 40 years old, married for 15 years to his college sweetheart, with two young kids, and he works in an office. Clearly, his priorities have changed.

Eight years have passed since Nagle last attempted a pass in a professional football game, and apparently that's enough time to allow him to find humor in the unlikely coincidence that Favre is now a Jet - 17 years after they first tried to get him.

In one of the Jets' most infamous draft-day moments, they believed they had a deal in place with the Arizona Cardinals to leapfrog the Atlanta Falcons so they could take Favre. But when it came time for that pick, the Cardinals reneged on the deal. So Favre went to the Falcons, and the Jets drafted Nagle.

"Of course I've heard all the talk, stuff like, 'First we had Browning Nagle, and now we finally got Favre!' Is it what I want to hear sometimes? Nah," Nagle said. "But you know what? At least I'm mentioned."

As much as Jets fans have wondered whether they would have been better off with Favre, it's intriguing to wonder whether Nagle would have been better off had he gone to the Falcons. Atlanta officials have said they would have drafted Nagle if the Jets traded up to get Favre.

Yes, Nagle has thought about that outcome, but he wasn't interested in going back into the fantasy world and wondering what if. "No one knows," he said. "It's all speculative talk."

Nagle said he became friendly with Favre around the draft. They played each other in college, then hung out together when their paths crossed during senior all-star games and predraft workouts.

After the Jets took Nagle, he entered only one game in his rookie year. In his second year, he replaced Ken O'Brien as the starter midseason but struggled. The Jets went 3-10 in his starts as he threw 17 interceptions and completed just 49.6 percent of his passes.

The following offseason, the Jets acquired Boomer Esiason, and that was it for the Nagle era.

"I would be foolish to say I didn't reflect back with what-ifs or shoulda, woulda, coulda type of things," he said. "There's a lot of great memories, but empty feelings, too. It was cut short in New York. Could I have done some things differently that may have been more beneficial to my career in New York? Of course I could have."

After leaving the Jets in 1993, Nagle played for Indianapolis, Atlanta and then Orlando and Buffalo in the Arena Football League before retiring. "I didn't retire because I wanted to retire," he said. "I retired because no one was calling."

That stung at the time, but over the years, that feeling has dissipated. Now with Favre and the Jets together at last, they have an unlikely fan rooting for them. "I'm definitely happy for Jets fans that they got Brett," Nagle said, "and I'd like to see them make a run at it."

SoFlaJets · August 17, 2008

Favre has solid debut for Jets

By Jane McManus

The Journal News

SoFlaJets · August 17, 2008

Favre gives Jets fans reason to believe

By Sam Borden

SoFlaJets · August 17, 2008

Brett Favre's move to the Jets will be felt by many teams around the NFL

Saturday, August 16th 2008, 9:51 PM By Gary Myers

This has been the summer of Brett Favre. His decision to end his retirement before it really even started will have a long-lasting impact in the NFL that extends far beyond his own little world of Green Bay, Hattiesburg and now Hempstead/Florham Park.

The Favre Factor domino effect changes the 2008 prospects of at least three teams and three quarterbacks and places three general managers and three head coaches right on the hot seat if their Favre decision backfires. It already cost Chad Pennington his job. He may not be the last.

Here's the breakdown:

JETS: If Favre had stayed retired or if the Packers had taken him back or traded him to the Bucs, then Pennington would be starting for the Jets against the Dolphins on Sept. 7 in Miami instead of starting for the Dolphins against the Jets. The twist to this story is that Pennington approached the Jets in February about a trade, but they refused, basically because of a lack of confidence in Kellen Clemens. They needed Pennington to be their security blanket, never envisioning nearly six months later they would cut him to make room for a Hall of Famer trying to squeeze another year or two out of his career.

Jets owner Woody Johnson insisted he did not pressure GM Mike Tannenbaum into making the trade, although Johnson was checking in regularly for updates, and was looking at a financial bonanza if he got Favre, especially with his PSL plan coming out soon. Tannenbaum was keeping Eric Mangini up to date, too, but he was pretty much flying solo in his pursuit of Favre.

At some point, Favre's skills will erode, although based on his performance last year there is no sign it will happen this season. If he gets to the playoffs, he will be the oldest QB to have taken a team there. But even if Favre slips, the Jets had nothing to lose trading for him and dumping Pennington, who had taken the Jets as far as he ever would in 2004 when they made it to the divisional round. Favre's presence puts huge pressure on Mangini to win right away, now that he has a quarterback to lead a team already improved by Johnson's checkbook.

But nobody with the Jets has more at stake than Tannenbaum, who ended up going after Favre with the same determination the Giants had in going after Tom Brady in the Super Bowl.

If Favre had not retired in March, it's not likely Thompson would have drafted Louisville QB Brian Brohm in the second round. If Rodgers turns out to be a dud, McCarthy will have no choice but to go to the bullpen for Brohm. If Favre takes the Jets to the playoffs and the Packers don't make it, there are going to be a lot of unhappy cheeseheads.

DOLPHINS: Pennington is not taking Miami to the Super Bowl, but he is a classic Bill Parcells "hold-the-fort" guy. Definition: A veteran who can keep things respectable and spread the Parcells gospel in the locker room while Tuna is rebuilding. The trickle-down to Miami will likely end the short Dolphin career of John Beck, a second-round pick last year. Dolphins coach Tony Sparano would probably rather face Pennington than Favre on opening day, but the trade-off of having Pennington start over Josh McCown or Chad Henne is worth it.

BUCS: The Packers never wanted to send Favre to Tampa and face him there on Sept. 28. Jeff Garcia called himself a "dead man walking" when it appeared the Bucs were going to get Favre. Now he is upset about his contract, and can't be happy that Jon Gruden was on the phone flirting with Favre after Garcia took him to the playoffs. Gruden and GM Bruce Allen will regret not outbidding the Jets. Gruden has not won a playoff game since winning the Super Bowl after the 2002 season. Gruden loves to collect old quarterbacks, but let the best of the bunch get away.

VIKINGS: Tarvaris Jackson had to be the only person in Minnesota happy that the Packers refused to trade Favre to the Vikings. This season is now totally up to him: The Vikings are a team ready to make a deep run into the playoffs if they get anything out of Jackson. You can already hear Vikings fans moaning, "If we only had Favre."

The Jets are the big winners in the Favre Derby. The Packers are the biggest losers. Favre would also have to be considered a loser in all this, too, even with the chance to be a New York hero. Do you really think he wanted to leave Green Bay?

Niners' new QB

J.T. O'Sullivan, who was with 49ers new offensive coordinator Mike Martz in Detroit last year, has a good shot to beat out Alex Smith for the starting QB job. Smith was the first pick in the 2005 draft and Martz is his fourth offensive coordinator in four years. As it turns out, the Niners would have been better off passing on Smith and taking Braylon Edwards, who is right at the top of the second level of receivers below Randy Moss, who stands alone. Edwards had a breakout season in Cleveland last year with 80 catches for 1,289 yards and 16 TDs. Before that draft, the 49ers brought in Smith, Edwards and Rodgers for visits. ... Former Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith may beat out Kyle Boller for the Ravens' starting QB spot until rookie Joe Flacco is ready. ... The Jets never called the Dolphins to detect if they had any interest in trading for Pennington before they released him and he signed with Miami. Trading a quarterback within the division is certainly not unprecedented. Bill Belichick received a first-round pick from the Bills in 2002 for Drew Bledsoe. And in the middle of the 1974 season, the Cowboys traded Craig Morton to the Giants for a first-round pick. The Giants finished 2-12 and the 'Boys wound up with the second pick in the draft. Dallas used it to select DT Randy White, a future Hall of Famer. ... Pennington will be the 13th starting quarterback for the Dolphins in 129 regular-season games since Dan Marino retired after the 1999 season. Here's the breakdown of the illustrious group to start the first 128: Jay Fielder (59 starts), Gus Frerotte (15), Joey Harrington (11), Cleo Lemon (8), A.J. Feeley (8), Ray Lucas (6), Trent Green (5) Brian Griese (5), Daunte Culpepper (4), John Beck (4) Sage Rosenfels (2), Damon Huard (1). ... The only way to remove the stench from the Michael Vick affair is for the Falcons to give the fans hope. The only way to do that is to start impressive rookie QB Matt Ryan, who is emerging as the favorite to beat out veterans Chris Redman and Harrington - now that's a real challenge - and open the season against the Lions

SoFlaJets · August 17, 2008

Brett Favre shines, throws first TD pass as Jet in debut

BY PAUL McNAMARA and RICH SCHAPIRO

DAILY NEWS WRITERS

Sunday, August 17th 2008, 12:02 AM

Thousands of green-clad fans streamed into the Meadowlands Saturday night, giddy over the prospect of seeing Brett Favre in action as a Jet for the first time.

He didn't disappoint.

The legendary quarterback, who played 15 seasons for the Green Bay Packers before being traded to New York this summer, led Gang Green to a touchdown on his second drive, propelling his new team to a 7-0 first quarter lead over the Washington Redskins.

"When you buy a legend like Brett Favre, you're not just paying for the strongest arm in the game, you're paying for a man who makes the guys around him better," said Arn Pieterson, 43, of Brooklyn Heights. "And he proved that in the first quarter."

The 38-year-old Favre was sharp in his first exhibition game since arriving at Jets training camp two weeks ago.

The three-time league MVP went 5-for-6 for 48 yards, including a pinpoint 4-yard touchdown pass to tight end Dustin Keller that sent the crowd - which included movie star Tom Cruise - into a frenzy.

"I've been a Jet fan all my life, but I've never been to a preseason game," said Joe McMonagle, 26, of Hoboken. "To be here for the first touchdown thrown by Favre is unbelievable."

The scoring drive showcased Favre's talent.

He connected with Jerricho Cotchery on a crisp 19-yard pass deep into Redskins territory.

On the next play, Favre orchestrated a sneaky reverse, faking a pass with his empty right hand, that set up the touchdown pass. He was replaced by backup Kellen Clemens in the second quarter.

The Jets went on to lose, 13-10, on a missed field goal as time ran out.

Fans arrived hours before kickoff, giving the warmup contest the feel of a playoff game.

Among the legions tailgating outside the stadium was Nate Ross, 20, in town all the way from Madison, Wis.

"I don't know if I'm a Packers fan first or a Brett fan," Ross said. "We're devastated he left us, but we're pleased for him and want him to do really well here."

Ross added that Favre's popularity in Wisconsin is still unrivaled. "That guy can run for mayor in our town and he'd win," he said.

SoFlaJets · August 17, 2008

Rookie tight end Dustin Keller savors first touchdown in NFL

BY MARK LELINWALLA

DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER

Sunday, August 17th 2008, 4:00 AM

You would think that Brett Favre would want to keep his first Jet touchdown ball as a Jet for a souvenir.

Instead, the all-time TD pass leader signed the ball and gave it to rookie tight end Dustin Keller, who caught it Saturday night for his first career touchdown.

"Dustin, congrats on your first touchdown - Brett," Favre scribbled on the ball.

Although the Redskins beat the Jets, 13-10, the 23-year-old rookie was thrilled that his first touchdown came from Favre.

"I couldn't have picked a better person to catch it from," said Keller, who was 12 when Favre led the Packers to a 35-21 win over the Patriots in Super Bowl XXXI in 1997. "He's the most legendary player in the NFL right now. It's just huge for me."

Keller said he'll preserve his Favre-signed football in a trophy case ... even though he doesn't own one yet.

"I don't have one, but I might build one for that ball," said Keller, whom the Jets drafted 30th overall. "That's staying in my possession."

Favre's first touchdown in the green and white came with 5:30 remaining in the first quarter. He dropped back, glanced to his left and tossed a 4-yard pass to Keller in the end zone, the Jets' only TD of the game.

The toss to Keller capped Favre's Jet debut, in which he completed five of six passes for 48 yards.

For Keller, the vibe from the reception helped him get over the bad feeling he had from dropping a short pass from Kellen Clemens on a third-and-14 play with 6:15 left in the second quarter.

"I think I kept level-headed throughout the game," Keller said. "Even after that drop, I had to just keep on playing."

Keller, third on the depth chart behind Chris Baker and Bubba Franks, keeps replaying the sound advice that Franks, Favre's teammate in Green Bay, gave him about the future Hall of Famer's cannon-like delivery.

"Get your hands up now or it's going to hit you in the face," Keller said. "Always be ready."

SoFlaJets · August 17, 2008

Redskins: Thanks to Brett Favre, they won't be same old Jets

BY OHM YOUNGMISUK

DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER

Sunday, August 17th 2008, 4:00 AM

Shortly after jogging out onto the field for the first time in a Jets uniform, Brett Favre told Fred Smoot something the cornerback never thought he would hear.

The NFL's only three-time Most Valuable Player admitted to being extremely nervous before the Jets' preseason game against the Redskins Saturday night.

"I said, 'You are nervous? Come on, man, you have played in Super Bowls!" Smoot told Favre. "He said, 'I feel like a kid right now.'"

Smoot knew then that the Redskins were going to see some classic Favre. In his much-anticipated Jets debut, Favre showed no signs of rustiness or a fatigued arm in a 13-10 loss to the Redskins. He hit on five of six passes for 48 yards and one touchdown, complete with arms raised in the air in vintage celebration.

Favre displayed his cannon arm by throwing some short passes with velocity that hasn't been seen around these parts since Vinny Testaverde. He showed touch with a perfect pass that dropped into Jerricho Cotchery's hands for a 19-yard gain. And he even did a few of his trademark pump fakes after handing off to his running backs on a couple of plays.

Favre took 14 snaps over two drives. But that was more than enough to convince the Redskins that the Jets are going to be considerably better than last year. Smoot said while he was standing on the sideline, he told fellow cornerback Shawn Springs that the Jets are virtually unrecognizable from last year's 4-12 debacle.

"This is just a whole different Jets team," said Smoot, whose Redskins beat the Jets, 23-20, in overtime at Giants Stadium on Nov. 4. "If you are expecting to play the same Jets team from last year, you are going to be in trouble."

"I think everybody was waiting on him to mess up or this to happen," Smoot added. "Man, this is Brett Favre. You can drop Brett Favre on Mars and give him 10 other players and he can lead them to score a touchdown."

Favre didn't look nervous as he connected with Cotchery on the first play of the game from scrimmage for an 11-yard gain. Favre zipped the pass right to Cotchery, who had spent most of the past week trying to get a hand on Favre's bullets.

Favre later hit Chris Baker for a 10-yard gain, and his only incomplete pass came when he underthrew Thomas Jones on a third-and-16.

When Favre got the ball back at the Washington 46, he needed only six plays to score. He hit Cotchery for that 19-yard pass, and three plays later found rookie tight end Dustin Keller for a 4-yard touchdown.

"You could tell he was a little fired up," Springs said. "They are going to be better with Brett. He is still going to win games."

The only thing the Redskins say they had a hard time adjusting to was that different shade of green Favre was wearing.

"It was a little strange," said Redskins quarterback Jason Campbell, who grew up near where Favre resides in Hattiesburg, Miss. "You are used to seeing him in Green Bay colors. At least he still has some green in him."

SoFlaJets · August 17, 2008

Brett Favre passes every test in debut

Sunday, August 17th 2008, 4:00 AM

Gary Myers...

Brett Favre was so impressive in his Jets debut Saturday night that Eric Mangini should just put him in storage for the next three weeks and bring him back for the season opener in Miami.

Broadway Brett jumped off his tractor on his 460-acre property in Hattiesburg, Miss., practiced seven times over seven days with the Jets and proved in his two series totaling 14 plays against the Redskins that he hasn't lost any mph off his fastball or his ability to energize a team.

"Ten days ago I was doing yard work," Favre said.

No rust. No arm fatigue. No problem.

"I feel like I'm a Jet," he said.

His arm showed up the first day of camp. Now his heart is here, too.

He wasn't dropping any lines, like he had in the last week, wondering if he made the right decision coming out of retirement and winding up in a new place. "I knew I was out there for the right reason," he said. "One thing I know for sure, when I stepped on the field like I did tonight, I know I made the right decision."

No reason to rush out and buy tickets for Super Bowl XLIII in Tampa, of course, but the Jets should be a 10-6 wild-card team with the potential to make things interesting in January if they can keep Favre healthy and keep his consecutive starts streak alive.

Favre's first pass Saturday night was an 11-yard bullet on a slant to Jerricho Cotchery. On his second series, he led Cotchery perfectly for a 19-yard gain. The last of his six throws - he completed five - was a 4-yard dart for a touchdown to rookie tight end Dustin Keller.

He raised his arms to the sky, hugged a couple of his offensive linemen, went to the sideline and put his left arm on Mangini's left shoulder as if to say, "Stick with me kid, you ain't see nothing yet."

He later signed the ball and gave it to Keller.

The Jets' offense now has a vibrant personality and it has nothing to do with the practical joker in Favre. One of his favorite tricks on a slow practice day in Green Bay was to steal a teammate's keys and move his car to the opposite side of Lambeau Field in the middle of the winter. He may have to dust off that routine to show his new teammates he hasn't lost his touch off the field.

On the field, everybody is in play at all times. There's not a throw he can't make. The Jets can't delude themselves into believing they got Favre in his prime, but even closing in on 39, he gives them a chance, he gives them so many more possibilities than Chad Pennington, who, coincidentally, was also 5-of-6 in his Dolphins debut Saturday night.

Favre admitted to having some nervousness and anxiety in the hours leading up to the game. Strange for a veteran in his 18th season, but not strange for someone in his first game with a new team after 16 years in Green Bay.

"It was better than not having any feelings at all," he said.

Saturday night was just a tease to Jets fans, who greeted Favre with a nice ovation when he was introduced before the game and gave him a standing ovation when he ran onto the field with the first-team offense for the first play from scrimmage.

The Jets will get the Good Brett and the Bad Brett because that's just who he is. A gunslinger. Maybe it was staying in the color green, but Favre looked natural in his new uniform. He may not have weapons like Tom Brady, and he sure could use a receiver who can stretch the field like Randy Moss, but he has enough to work with that the Jets will score some points.

"I wouldn't say he's trying to prove anybody wrong. He's not coming back to prove anything to the Packers or anybody in the NFL," former Packers center Frank Winters told the Daily News yesterday. "He thinks he can still play and I believe he can. He has an unbelievable desire to play the game of football. He has so much fun. That's his personality. And it's not like he needs the money."

Favre was in Green Bay on July 19 to present Winters for his induction into the Packers Hall of Fame. Winters was at Favre's house in Green Bay on Aug. 5 when Favre took a call from Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum and Mangini. Winters is from Hoboken (his father still lives there), played one year with the Giants, wound up playing 11 years with Favre in Green Bay, and was selling Favre on the idea of living in New Jersey before the trade was made. Winters assured him he will enjoy it.

Favre has a chance to be a real New York hero if he can straighten out this lost franchise. Even before he was traded to the Jets, he was a big deal in Manhattan. When Favre appeared on David Letterman's show shortly after announcing his retirement in March, he jumped into a limousine and Winters says fans were chasing Favre down the street.

He is the rock star quarterback. Can you imagine the reaction he will get if he wins with the Jets?

Even with Redskins owner Daniel Snyder's good friend Tom Cruise in the house, Favre was still the biggest star. His arrival changes the perception and culture of the franchise. Even if the Jets just get one year out of him, it will be worth it

SoFlaJets · August 17, 2008

Favre sharp in his Jets debut Sunday, August 17, 2008 BY J.P. PELZMAN STAFF WRITER

EAST RUTHERFORD - No, he didn't throw any passes 70 yards in the air. And he didn't physically lift any of his teammates off the ground.

But other than that, Brett Favre certainly looked like Brett Favre in the two series he played Saturday night. And that's more than enough to give the Jets a lot of hope for the season to come.

Favre zipped a 4-yard touchdown pass to rookie tight end Dustin Keller to cap the Jets' second offensive possession in their 13-10 loss to Washington on Saturday night at Giants Stadium. It was Favre's first game action since the legendary quarterback was traded from Green Bay to the Jets on Aug. 6.

Favre finished 5-for-6 for 48 yards and one touchdown for a 139.6 passer rating.

In quotes provided by the Jets, Favre said at halftime that he was "nervous [and] excited" and had "some feelings I have not felt in a while, but I was excited."

Favre received a standing ovation when he trotted onto the field after Washington's opening kickoff went for a touchback. He still was No. 4, but just in a slightly different shade of green than the one he had worn for 16 years with the Packers. His first play was an 11-yard pass to wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery on the right side. After a 5-yard loss by Leon Washington on a pitchout, Favre zipped a 10-yard pass to Chris Baker.

That brought up a third-and-5, and Washington took a middle screen for 4 yards, coming up just short of the first down. Uncharacteristically, even for a preseason game, coach Eric Mangini chose to go for it on fourth down.

Instead of the quarterback sneak the Jets often use in short yardage, Favre handed to Thomas Jones, who went over right guard for 3 yards and a first down.

On second-and-6 from the Jets' 47, Favre was sacked as Marcus Washington and Cornelius Griffin combined on the takedown. Right tackle Damien Woody was beaten on the play. Favre then underthrew Jones in the right flat for his lone incompletion.

The Jets' first-team defense, which allowed a touchdown to Cleveland on the Browns' first possession of the preseason opener, forced a three-and-out, getting the ball back for Favre. The Jets' second possession began at the Redskins' 46, thanks to an 11-yard punt by Washington and a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty by Washington's Devin Thomas.

Washington ran twice for 7 yards, setting up a third-and-3 at the Redskins' 39. Favre connected with Cotchery on a 19-yard crossing pattern, then Brad Smith took an end-around for 12 yards on a nifty call by offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer.

Washington went over left guard for 4 yards, and Favre then passed to Keller for the touchdown, giving the Jets a 7-0 lead with 5:25 left in the first quarter. Keller ran a quick route and was open to the left, and Favre zipped it to him for the score. Favre accepted congratulations from Woody, left guard Alan Faneca and center Nick Mangold, among others, and his night was over after 14 plays.

"It was a simple play," Favre said. "We had Keller and [tight end Bubba] Franks on two quick outs. Keller had better leverage. ... Franks had a little trouble getting off the line."

The Redskins then went on a time-consuming drive that spilled into the second quarter. Washington went 69 yards in 14 plays but was forced to settle for a 30-yard field goal by Shaun Suisham on the second play of the second quarter.

E-mail: pelzman@northjersey.com