Jets News

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GREEN WITH 'ENVY'

JETS KEEPING SUPER DREAMS ALIVE

By MARK CANNIZZARO

FAVRE BETTER: Brett Favre, who won a Super Bowl with the Packers in 1997, is expected to play at least the first half tonight against the defending champion Giants.

Posted: 5:08 am

August 23, 2008

When they look across the GiantsNew York Giants Stadium field in tonight's preseason game and see their cross-Hudson River rival Giants, the JetsNew York Jets will be green with envy.

They'll be looking at the defending Super Bowl champions, a team that already owned these parts before they went on that magical playoff run that ended in the improbable upset of the Patriots in February.

"That's what we want to be one day," Jets veteran defensive end Shaun EllisShaun Ellis said. "They achieved something that every player wants. To be able to watch it, to be a witness of it was a good thing."

How did the Giants' late run make Ellis feel?

"It can be done," Ellis said, before adding, "Someday. That was in the back of my mind - that someday we can do that and see what it's like and feel the excitement and the buzz. I had chills in my body watching it and I wasn't even a part of the team.

"Hopefully," Ellis said, "one day those feelings can actually be real."

Despite the notion that many believe these teams hate each other, Ellis had nothing but praise for the Giants. And When asked if he's heard any trash talking coming from the Giants, he said: "No, they're a real humble group. They have a lot of great players there. They're a great team. What they achieved is the ultimate goal.

"They'll do it just like every other [post Super Bowl winners], try to get it again this year. They're trying to repeat. My hat's off to them. I wish them the best of luck."

The fact that the Giants appeared to be such a flawed team before they went on their late-season surge gives Ellis and the Jets hope that any good team can get on a run at the right time.

"The thing about football is you never know who's going to be in the final game," Ellis said. "You have a lot of lead-up hype with teams you expect to be there. Everybody expected the Patriots, [and] they held their end of the bargain, they reached the game. The Giants? They got hot at the right time."

Jets TE Chris Baker found himself conflicted Super Bowl week, because he had a hard time rooting for the Patriots, who are the real Jets rivals from the AFC East. And yet, he didn't really want to root for the Giants.

"That's why I stayed neutral," Baker said. "But [the Giants] had a great run and they deserved it. You always envy the team that wins the Super Bowl."

Baker called tonight's match-up with the Giants "definitely a good gauge" for the Jets to see where they're at with new QB Brett Favre, who's expected to play at least a half.

"They're Super Bowl champions. That's a pretty good gauge for this time of year," Baker said.

Ellis was so impressed with the Giants' defense that he's watched film of Giants' DEs Osi Umenyiora and Justin Tuck in an effort to help his own game.

Ellis called them "good learning tapes."

"They had it all," Ellis said of the Giants. "Across the board, they were stacked. One of the things that they did, they put a lot of pressure on [Tom] Brady. Their defense played extremely well and their offense matched the challenge of the Patriots' defense. They kept going at them. They never gave up. There were times in the game where it could have gone either way. There were some crucial plays and they made the plays."

mark.cannizzaro@nypost.com

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Jets lined up for success with new offensive linemen

BY RICH CIMINI

DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER

Friday, August 22nd 2008, 8:53 PM

Weissman for News The addition of Alan Faneca and Damien Woody will help the Jets and Brett Favre.

Antonelli/News Favre chats with Woody earlier in pre-season.

It's not the Woe Line anymore.

One year after the Pete Kendall mess, the Jets' offensive line is rebuilt and refocused. There's no turmoil and no uncertainty. Training camp was blissfully uneventful, with the same five guys in the same positions, day after day.

Yawn.

Eric Mangini couldn't be happier; he talks about the improved cohesiveness of the group. The locker room also is filled with optimism, and it will be put to the test Saturday night against the Giants, who, in case you haven't heard, still have the ability to smack around quarterbacks - even in the post-Strahan era.

Five days ago, they took out the Browns' Derek Anderson (concussion). Next up is Brett Favre, who is expected to play at least two quarters in his second preseason start for the Jets. He's the NFL's Iron Man - albeit rusty iron - and the Jets' goal is to guard their precious metal from the Giants.

"Their front four is phenomenal; any one of those guys could've been up for MVP of the Super Bowl," said fullback Tony Richardson, who will be part of Favre's protection. "It's going to be a good task for us, a good measuring point. When you continue to get better, you want to play the best. We'll get that opportunity."

If Favre had to play behind last year's line, he might have opted for permanent retirement. The organization traded the disgruntled Kendall, giving the left guard job to Adrien Clarke, who impersonated an open door. Right tackle Anthony Clement also struggled. As a result, the Jets were a bottom-third team in rushing and pass protection.

The same front office that refused to satisfy Kendall with an extra $1 million went out in free agency and invested big bucks on replacements for Clarke and Clement - Alan Faneca (five years, $40 million) and Damien Woody (five years, $25 million), respectively.

With holdovers D'Brickashaw Ferguson, Nick Mangold and Brandon Moore, the Jets look significantly improved on paper. They have four former first-round picks (all except Moore), a fact they emphasized in their recruiting pitch to Favre.

"Potential is a scary word, but I feel we've got the ingredients to be really good up front," said Woody, who is relatively new to right tackle, with five career starts at the position.

Said Moore: "They spent a lot of money and brought in some great players. Of course, we expect to be better. Anything less than success is a failure."

Although it was hard to tell from the first two preseason games, the Jets are placing a greater emphasis on the running game. Some players believe the coaching staff was too finesse-oriented last season. That shouldn't be the case anymore, not with new line coach Bill Callahan, known as a running-game guru.

Obviously, there will be growing pains, especially with Favre's late arrival.

Even though they might not admit it publicly, the coaches have made significant concessions to Favre's lack of familiarity with the system. They scaled back, even changed certain things to help Favre.

As for the players, they're adjusting to one of the most fundamental aspects of football - the quarterback's cadence.

"You hear a certain cadence from Chad (Pennington) or Kellen (Clemens), and then Brett comes in and it's a totally different show," Woody said. "In the first few days, it was a crazy ride."

This week, they placed an emphasis on handling the Giants' various blitz packages. After all, one unblocked rusher could lead to a disaster.

"We really want to go out there," Woody said, "and make a statement this game."

GIANT ABSENCES? WR Laveranues Coles (leg) and DE Shaun Ellis (broken hand) are very questionable for Saturday night's game. ... Perhaps the only starting job up for grabs is right cornerback, where Justin Miller, David Barrett and rookie Dwight Lowery are battling. ... This is an important game for PK Mike Nugent, who missed two field goals last week.

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Wait's over as Brett Favre faces off against Eli Manning

BY ROBERT ERIKSON and CORKY SIEMASZKO

DAILY NEWS WRITERS

Friday, August 22nd 2008, 9:42 PM

Sipkin/News Eli Manning

Weissman for News Brett Favre

They both own a Super Bowl ring. They're both Southern boys. And they both have the hopes of thousands of New York football fans riding on their strong right arms.

And right about there is where the similarities between Giants quarterback Eli Manning and brand new Jets gunslinger Brett Favre end.

When the Jets and Giants face off Saturday night at the Meadowlands, it won't just be preseason battle between local rivals - it will be a showdown between two quarterbacks who are in many ways opposites of each other.

Manning, 27, is the shy guy at the start of a potentially brilliant career who just led the Giants to a stunning Super Bowl victory.

Favre, 39, is a showboat at the end of a brilliant career who led the Green Bay Packers to glory - and who just got hired by the Jets to do the same here.

Who's better? Depends on who you ask.

Favre, the new face in town, is ahead of Manning in terms of preseason hype. In a Daily News Web poll that drew responses from more than 10,000 sports fans, Favre was about 200 votes ahead of Manning in the great "Who's the Better New York Quarterback?" debate.

Out on the street, Manning was still The Man.

"Are you kidding me? The Giants are going to destroy the Jets," said Timothy Pasqua, 33, of the Bronx. "Favre won't even be a factor after the Giants defense rips his arm off."

Alex Lao, 22, of the lower East Side, said Favre will melt in the August heat.

"It's way too hot for Old Man Winter to win against Eli," he said. "This isn't Lambeau Field anymore, this is New York."

Actually, the Jets and Giants play in Jersey. But Lao's main point was seconded by 48-year-old John Duggan, a construction worker toiling at 42nd St. and Eighth Ave.

"Eli's playing at the top of his game," he said. "He's going to be unstoppable."

Duggan's buddy, Jets fan Tom DiLiberto, begged to differ.

"It should be a good matchup," said DiLiberto, 37. "Definitely a battle of the quarterbacks."

csiemaszko@nydailynews.com

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Tough assignment for Favre, O-line

BY KATIE STRANG | caitlin.strang@newsday.com August 23, 2008 For the first time since his retirement and subsequent return, Brett Favre will face the team that thwarted his attempt at a third Super Bowl appearance and crushed the Packers faithful in the 2008 NFC Championship Game.

In his second preseason game as a Jet Saturday night, Favre will square off against the Jets' intracity rivals and Super Bowl champion Giants, who delivered the knockout blow in Favre's successful, if not somewhat surprising, 16th season in Green Bay with a 23-20 overtime victory.

That means he will once again face the venerable Giants pass rush, the same unit that applied a linebacker blitz on second down on the Packers' first overtime drive, forcing Favre to throw an interception to Giants cornerback Corey Webster. Until he unretired, that turnover loomed as his last pass in the league.

"Wanting to come back for one play to me is obviously the wrong reason to come back," Favre said. "The only reason I wanted to come back is I wanted to play, simple as that."

Battling the Giants' daunting front four, led by Justin Tuck and Osi Umenyiora, Favre will enlist the aid of an offensive line that has benefited from the addition of left guard Alan Faneca and right tackle Damien Woody. And Favre will breathe a little easier knowing that Michael Strahan has since retired. But even without Strahan's presence, the defensive line is a key component for the Giants, a team that incidentally may have played a role in Favre's move to New York.

"Maybe we're not here. I have no idea," Favre said when asked if things could've been different if the Packers had won the NFC championship. "I'd like to have that opportunity to make that decision. I've been asked that question a lot. The answer is, I don't know."

The Giants' pass rush will not only put pressure on Favre, but also on the offensive line.

"I try to keep all the quarterbacks behind me healthy, but obviously, you want to keep that guy healthy," left tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson said. "They had an excellent pass rush, a lot of great players, a lot of threats. It's going to be a competitive game."

Fullback Tony Richardson described the Giants' front four as "phenomenal."

"Any one of those guys could've been up for the MVP of the Super Bowl," he said. "They took over the game."

Saturday, the Jets will prove whether they can compete against such an elite group and provide Favre with the opportunity to avenge his last playoff loss and the sour note on which he ended his career in Green Bay.

"They were really good against Cleveland and they've got some really good athletes in the front seven," Woody said. "We feel like we're pretty good up front and it's going to be a really good test."

SATURDAY

Jets vs. Giants

7 p.m.

TV: Ch. 2

Radio: WEPN (1050), WXRK (92.3)

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Erik Boland: Inside the Jets

Breaking news, commentary and insider information on the New York Jets

[url=http://blogs.trb.com/sports/football/jets/blog/2008/08/youve_all_been_spoiled.html]

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New York Jets expect Favre to play at least first half against Giants

by Dave Hutchinson/The Star-Ledger Friday August 22, 2008, 11:04 PM

Perhaps lost in all the talk about Brett Favre cramming to learn the Jets playbook is his conditioning. That, coupled with learning the inner workings of the offense, is all the more reason for him to have an extended stay at quarterback in tonight's annual preseason clash against the Giants.

Coach Eric Mangini has said he's not sure how long Favre will play, but chances are he'll play the entire first half, if not longer. And he'll need the work because the Jets' final preseason game is at Philadelphia next week, and in recent years there has been a gentlemen's agreement between the team to not to play the starters.

"It's really going to depend on how many plays we have offensively, how long their first group is in," Mangini said this week when asked the game plan for Favre. "So it's really hard to say at this point."

While Favre has looked sharp in practice lately, he still needs reps. Obviously he's continuing his crash course on the playbook and will again enter the game with 30 to 40 core plays, but his conditioning is also something to keep in mind.

Favre, 38, didn't participate in any offseason program, outside of tossing the football around at the local high school in Hattiesburg, Miss., and overall fatigue could set in late in games early in the season. And that, of course, leads to injuries, mistakes and/or interceptions.

What's more, the Jets open in steamy Miami, where temperatures are usually in the high 80s in September.

Favre has repeatedly said practice is nice, but the games reveal the raw truth.

"With every preseason game I've played in, I'd love to play the whole game," Favre said. "If I'm going to come out here and practice, I'd love to play the whole game. That's just my mentality. Will that happen? No. We're going to be smart about it."

Favre said practices have been going smoothly. He has experienced some rough spots during the two-minute drills, when operating with precision is at a premium, but otherwise he hasn't run into any major bumps in the road.

Practice, however, doesn't make perfect.

"Dealing the (play) cards (in practice) is important, but there's no substitute for live action," Favre said.

Last week Favre completed five of six passes for 48 yards and a touchdown in two series (14 snaps) against the Redskins and wanted to play more following a six-play, 46-yard touchdown drive.

"Eric asked me how I felt," Favre said. "I said, 'I'd love to play some more.'"

Favre chuckled when he recalled Mangini's response.

"He said, 'Let me think about it,'" said a grinning Favre. "As he turned away, he turned back and said, 'I thought about it.'"

The answer was no.

Whether or not to play wide receiver Laveranues Coles is another question facing Mangini. Coles, who tweaked his left leg two weeks ago, hasn't played yet this preseason. The injury isn't serious, but the Jets are being extremely cautious with the veteran because they want him to be ready for the regular season.

Even so, Coles and Favre need to establish some type of chemistry heading into the season. It appears to be 50-50 whether Coles will play.

How long Favre is in the game will be how long the first-team offensive line is in there, and this game is a huge measuring stick for the revamped unit. So far, left guard Alan Faneca and right tackle Damien Woody have meshed nicely with the returning starters -- right guard Brandon Moore, center Nick Mangold and left tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson -- but the group hasn't faced anything like the Giants front four.

"We're looking forward to it," Moore said.

Favre will be going against a Giants team that ended his season a year ago in subzero temperatures at Lambeau Field in the NFC Championship Game. He was intercepted by the Giants' Cory Webster in overtime, setting up a game-winning field goal.

"That's over and done with," said Favre, who might be a bit more fired up about playing the Giants if it were a regular-season game. "Obviously it's a new year. A lot of things have changed.

"It's a preseason game for us. I'm not thinking about the past. They're the team to beat in this league. We're just trying to get better this week."

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New York Jets vs. Giants: 3 things to watch

by Dave Hutchinson/The Star-Ledger Friday August 22, 2008, 11:01 PM

Star-Ledger Jets beat writer Dave Hutchinson offers three elements of Saturday night's Jets-Giants game to keep an eye on:

1. QB KELLEN CLEMENS

He was given a pass last week even though he completed just 5 of 12 passes for 63 yards. Four incompletions were dropped by his receivers, and Clemens twice tripped over the center, fumbled twice and had a pass batted down. He must do better to hold off Brett Ratliff for the backup job.

2. THE DEFENSE

Led by 6-4, 360-pound Kris Jenkins, this group will be tested by the Giants' running game. Last season the Jets ranked 29th in the NFL in run defense (134.8 yards per game allowed). Not good. DE Shaun Ellis (hand) is a game-time decision.

3. LB VERNON GHOLSTON

The sixth overall selection in the draft has been quiet this preseason and is playing catch-up after missing nearly the entire offseason program because he couldn't report until the semester ended at Ohio State. He needs to make a statement.

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Jets facing huge test against Giants

by Dave Hutchinson Friday August 22, 2008, 12:03 PM

Hi folks,

The Jets, of course, hold only a walk-through practice the day before games and the media isn't allowed. So I have nothing for you from Hofstra today.

But I'll tell you what, this is the first preseason game that I can remember that I'm actually looking forward to. The Giants represent a big, big test for the Jets in so many areas and I'm eager to see how they fare. This game could have a regular-season feel in the first half as the starters go after each other.

First, there's quarterback Brett Favre. Then, there's the new-look offensive line. Will Laveranues Coles play and try to form some chemistry with Favre?

What about the run defense? The unit ranked 29th vs. the run last season, allowing 134.8 yards per game. As you can tell, I love NT Kris Jenkins (6-foot-4, 360 pounds). He's the truth. Will rookie LB Vernon Gholston show some improvement? Who'll emerge as the starting cornerback opposite Darrell Revis?

Oh man, kickoff can't get here fast enough.

By the way, I was surprised and disappointed to read some of the responses to my posting about the Jets not letting the fans know in advance that they were breaking camp on Wednesday.

I was advocating for you guys and gals. The excitement at training camp over Favre was surreal and I thought you deserved the chance to be a part of it if you wished. I have no ax to grind with the Jets for them getting Favre. I have a GREAT relationship with the organization.

In fact, I couldn't be happier about them acquiring Favre. Turns out, he's a good guy, not the jerk I thought he was for holding the Packers hostage every offseason.

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Focus Heaped on Jets Does Not Faze Giants

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By MIKE OGLE

Published: August 22, 2008

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J.

[SoFlaJets]

flgreen-thanks again for doing the news threads bro

[Maxman]

Thanks!!!