Kentucky Jet Posted September 9, 2008 Share Posted September 9, 2008 Jets not rejoicing over Brady's misfortuneBY ERIK BOLAND | erik.boland@newsday.com September 9, 2008 1 2 next FLORHAM PARK, N.J. - If there were celebratory shouts and whoops of glee, the Jets kept them well hidden. Tom Brady, the quarterback who has tormented the Jets like no other in recent years, will miss the remainder of the season because of the knee injury he suffered Sunday. His absence not only changes the landscape of the AFC East but also of the entire AFC. Just don't tell the Jets that the Patriots, whom they will host Sunday, are done. "That's laughable," Jets guard Brandon Moore said. "You can't bury the Patriots just because Tom went down. I honestly feel that they're loaded on offense. They have a lot of veterans on offense; the offensive line, the running backs, they're stocked there, and their defense has always been good and solid. I don't think that one piece missing is going to be a huge difference." Asked how he would convince his defense that it can't let down against career backup Matt Cassel, who engineered Sunday's 17-10 victory over the Chiefs, Eric Mangini ticked off the Patriots' remaining offensive weapons. "[Randy] Moss, [Wes] Welker, [Laurence] Maroney, [ben] Watson, I can just go right on down the line," said Mangini, who has a 1-5 record, including a playoff loss, against Brady. "I mean, loaded." "[brady] is their best player," cornerback Darrelle Revis said. "It's sad to see somebody go down that early in the season [but] they are still the Patriots. We still have to prepare for them. They're still a tough team." The Jets opened with a hard-fought 20-14 victory in Miami, but most of the questions they faced yesterday revolved around a quarterback they won't face Sunday. Although some fans might have rejoiced at the prospect of not having to face a quarterback who has a 12-2 record against the Jets, players don't view injuries the same way. "As a player, you don't like to see anyone get hurt," Moore said. "You think about all the work that goes into it and to see it all end on one play, I hate seeing injuries on players. It's not fun, even though it's part of the game." As for changing the Jets' expectations for themselves, tight end Chris Baker said those were already high, as was their confidence. "Going into the year, we looked at the upgrades on our offense and defense," Baker said. "We want to go to the Super Bowl this year, so we can only focus on what we can handle and what we can do. We really can't worry about what [losing Brady] does to them." Mangini, who spoke before the players did, said that the questions about expectations were prevalent throughout what was one of the busiest offseasons in franchise history. "It's really consistent," Mangini said. "And the expectations and things like that ... I appreciate the excitement about different things in terms of free agency and Brett [Favre] and all those things, but it's really external. "The thing that's important is internal and what we do and how we work. I really fundamentally believe in that. So regardless of all the external things, we need to control what we can control and prepare the best we can." And, in a twist that was unfathomable 48 hours ago, now they're preparing for the Brady-less Patriots. Notes & quotes: Revis, whose first career start came in the 2007 season opener against the Patriots, said last night that he finally saw a replay of his clinching interception from Sunday. The usually unassuming Revis came away impressed with the off-balance interception he made while jousting with the Dolphins' Ted Ginn and held on to after landing on his back in the end zone. "I think I have pretty good ball skills," Revis said with a laugh. "It's just crazy how my body was and how I caught the ball. It was an exciting catch. It was real big." SUNDAY Patriots at Jets 4:15 p.m. TV: Ch. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kentucky Jet Posted September 9, 2008 Author Share Posted September 9, 2008 Brady's injury is a loss to the NFL Shaun Powell September 9, 2008 The reaction from Jets quarterback Brett Favre was quick and direct: "Terrible, just terrible." The reaction from some Jets fans, and this is a wild guess here, was probably also quick and direct: "Great, just great." Shaun Powell Bio | E-mail | Recent columns Both responses, you can understand. As a fellow quarterback who's well aware of the viciousness and danger that go with the territory, Favre saw nothing good to emerge from the season-ending hit suffered Sunday by the Patriots' Tom Brady. On the flip side, although no human being with a working heart would wish bodily harm on another, a fair amount of Jets Nation no doubt followed their fans' instincts and basically said: Hey, we got a shot now. Well, put me with Favre. What happened to Brady was terrible. This isn't the time to whoop it up or re-examine your team's odds in Vegas (they just got better). This is a time for sorrow and pity, if that can be bestowed on a famous, multimillionaire, Super Bowl-blinged quarterback who dashes around the globe with a supermodel squeeze on his throwing arm. Yes, even fortunate guys like Brady deserve a heartfelt get-well card from every football fan, not just those in New England. The NFL is a worse league today because Brady isn't preparing for Sunday's game against the Jets. He isn't getting ready for some football. He's bracing for the knife, months of grueling rehab and lots of worrying whether he'll ever be the same quarterback again. With Brady out, the league lost a little luster and appeal and gate attraction. This guy is one of a handful of athletes on the planet in any sport that you'd pay to see, maybe even pay for a personal seat license to see. Suddenly, poof, he's an armchair quarterback. Almost immediately, all around the AFC, folks began to wonder how Brady's injury affected their team. Certainly, there's concealed glee in San Diego and Indianapolis and Pittsburgh and no doubt in certain parts of New York, where a Favre-inspired win in the season opener against the Dolphins stirred plenty of fantasies. Plus, the timing couldn't be more delicious, from the Jets' standpoint, with the Patriots en route to the Meadowlands, where the atmosphere will be poisonous for the visitors. How would you like to be Matt Cassel, the emergency relief pitcher, going up against Favre? What's really disappointing is how Fate not only dealt a big blow to Brady, but to us as well. This game was one to circle in red, if only because the matchup between Brady and Favre was one to anticipate. This had the makings of a terrific duel between quarterbacks who'll one day have their bronze busts side by side in Canton. Yet the shootout has been canceled and taken off our checklist of games to watch. The Jets played it coy when asked about Brady's injury, partly because it would've come across as cold if they cheered, partly because they feel as Favre does. Yet human nature also makes them believe that, hey, this could work in their favor. On that note, the Jets had better be careful. As much as Brady meant to the Patriots, they're not going to suddenly morph into the 49ers. Also, the Jets have plenty of other teams in the AFC to worry about. And finally, the Jets should keep in mind how they went to Miami and had to sweat a victory over a team that won only once last season. Basically, the Jets need to worry about themselves first. Even if the loss of Brady somehow improves the Jets' chances of winning the division, wouldn't it be a lot sweeter had they challenged the Patriots with Brady healthy? Isn't that the truer test of a team and how far it has come since 4-12 a year ago? Really, now: Wouldn't the Jets rather see Brady taking snaps Sunday? OK, dumb question. All we know right now is the Jets have reason for hope while the Patriots have reason to worry. The most accomplished championship winner in the NFL is done for the season and his absence will impact not only his team, but others. Maybe even the Jets. This, however, shouldn't serve as a green light to gloat, just because a great quarterback must spend the rest of the season on a sofa watching football. Sure, he'll be sitting next to Gisele B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kentucky Jet Posted September 9, 2008 Author Share Posted September 9, 2008 : Jets sign kicker Feely BY BOB GLAUBER AND ERIK BOLAND | bob.glauber@newsday.com; erik.boland@newsday.com September 9, 2008 Jay Feely watched Sunday's Jets-Dolphins game from his home about 20 minutes away from Dolphins Stadium. Once he saw that Jets kicker Mike Nugent suffered a leg injury in the first half, Feely felt ready to spring into action. "I was wishing I could jump in my car, drive over to the stadium and play the second half," Feely told Newsday last night. He'll do the next best thing; Feely will be the Jets kicker when they host the Patriots on Sunday at the Meadowlands. The Jets signed the former Giants, Falcons and Dolphins kicker to a one-year deal yesterday. He will replace Nugent, who injured his kicking leg in the first half Sunday. "When you aren't on a team, it gives you a different perspective," said Feely, who signed with the Dolphins in 2007 after failing to re-sign with the Giants. He was released by Miami during training camp, and was released after just one day by the Chiefs last month. "It's humbling when you don't play. It gives you a renewed enthusiasm and vigor for the game. I'm just thankful for the opportunity. I want to help [the Jets] win. Hopefully, I can come in and be a part of it." Feely, 32, was signed after a workout yesterday morning. Jets coach Eric Mangini declined to specify how long Nugent might be out. Mangini said Nugent injured his kicking leg on his second kickoff Sunday following Brett Favre's 56-yard touchdown pass to Jerricho Cotchery. Mangini said the injury happened during the actual kick, which traveled only to the 19 and came off like a squib kick "that wasn't called," Mangini said. He wasn't criticizing Nugent, just making the point that as Nugent started to swing through the ball, that's where the injury happened. Nugent returned and kicked the extra point after Thomas Jones' 6-yard touchdown run with 1:08 left in the third quarter that made it 20-7, but was clearly in discomfort coming off the field. "I feel bad that I'm coming into a situation where Nugent got hurt," said Feely, who was 21-for-23 in field-goal attempts last year in Miami. He made all 26 PATs. "You never like to come in like that." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kentucky Jet Posted September 9, 2008 Author Share Posted September 9, 2008 SUDDENLY BEATA-BILL PATS DESERVE HOODIE OR HOUDINI?:Bill Belichick had no problem running up the score last season, but with star quarterback Tom Brady out for the year, Belichick will have to create magic or the days of Bully Ball are over. Posted: 4:48 am September 9, 2008 THERE must be no sympathy for the devil when he returns to the scene of the crime Sunday at Giants Stadium. They say what goes around comes around and now, finally, Bill Belichick comes around without Tom Brady. He comes around with Matt Cassel as his quarterback because Brady is gone for the season, and this time he doesn't just find Eric Mangini and NFL security waiting for him, he finds Brett Favre, too. Under the guise of playing the full 60 minutes, of it ain't over 'til it's over, Belichick ran up the score last year on Joe Gibbs and anyone else in his way. Because there is no crying in football, Gibbs took the high road, and old-school traditionalists and/or Belichick sycophants saw nothing wrong with it. Champions of good sportsmanship and common decency suspected precisely what it was: a coach whipping his players into a frenzy for anyone daring to suggest that their three Super Bowl championships had been tainted or tarnished by Spygate. Looks like the days of Bully Ball are over for a while. They also say this: What's good for the goose is good for the gander. And this: Payback is a bitch. It doesn't mean Belichick will show up in that ghastly hoodie and wait to be unceremoniously tarred and feathered in the public square; he is too good of a coach and has built too good of a team to worry about that, Brady or no Brady. If there is anyone who can pull a Houdini act and keep his team in the hunt, it is Belichick. It doesn't mean the JetsNew York Jets shouldn't summon every ounce of killer instinct in their bones and greet the inexperienced Cassel as soon as he steps off the bus, then rattle him and make him their personal Door Matt and let Favre do his thing and see where that goes. Retribution, however, doesn't have to be the 38-14 pasting the Pats put on the Jets in last September's Giants Stadium home opener. For an enemy that has raised the bar of excellence to the Perfect Season, a one-point defeat would be just as cruel. Of course, Jets fans smell blood and want blood. And this is the Jets' chance to give it to them. They have been waiting for this moment ever since Mo Lewis knocked Drew Bledsoe out and Brady in at the beginning of the 2001 season. Herm Edwards wasn't enough coach to overcome Belichick and Chad PenningtonChad Pennington wasn't enough quarterback to overcome Brady. Since taking over from Bledsoe, Brady is 11-2 against the Jets, 1-0 in the playoffs. They have been waiting for this moment ever since Belichick was supposed to replace Bill Parcells and instead quit as HC of the NYJ in 2000, knowing Bob Kraft was waiting with a pot of gold up I-95. The same people who point out Parcells has not won a Super Bowl without Belichick as his vice president will now remind you that Belichick has not won a Super Bowl without Brady. And Chuck Noll never won a Super Bowl without Terry Bradshaw. And Bill Walsh never won a Super Bowl without Joe Montana. And Jimmy Johnson never won a Super Bowl without Troy Aikman. And now the great coach of the Patriots has lost his great quarterback. The Patriots have lost their leader and a large part of their aura. Replacing Brady with Cassell significantly devalues Randy Moss and Wes Welker, and puts more stress on the defense, special teams and kicking game. On the other hand, Favre's presence helps turn Thomas JonesThomas Jones into a 100-yard rusher and makes Jerricho Cotchery more dangerous down the field. This is no time for Mangini to be as timid as he was late in the fourth quarter in Miami when he ran Jones on third-and-7 when he should have let Favre try to be Mariano Rivera. Mangini, Favre, every last Jet, must recognize that this, more than ever, is the time to go 4 the jugular. steve.serby@nypost.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kentucky Jet Posted September 9, 2008 Author Share Posted September 9, 2008 MANGINI: HOLD THE CARTWHEELS By MARK CANNIZZARO Posted: 4:48 am September 9, 2008 The noise you just heard, JetsNew York Jets fans, is the door to the AFC East title swinging open. That breeze you just felt across your faces was the air from that door swinging open with considerable force. Tom Brady, the best and most important player in the NFL, has been lost for the season to the Patriots with a left knee injury and that more than inches the Jets even closer to their dream of unseating their rivals from the perch atop the division. Word out of the Jets facility yesterday, of course, was predictably bland in terms of their enhanced chances to beat out the Patriots, whom they play Sunday in their home opener at Giants Stadium. For example, Jets right guard Brandon MooreBrandon Moore called it "laughable" to think that the loss of Brady would doom the Patriots. "To say that team is done and it opens things up [for us] because Brady is down is not right," Moore said. "He didn't make that team. That team made that team. There's still going to be a big battle in the AFC East." Yes, but it's hard for anyone to argue that, with the Patriots having lost Brady, that battle just got a lot more manageable for the Jets and Bills. "That's not how we operate," Eric Mangini said yesterday, speaking to reporters at the same time Bill Belichick was addressing the New England media about Brady's condition. "That's not how we're going to think and nothing I'm going to talk about in those terms. I'm going to discuss the same approach we always have." Yes, Eric, but doesn't the lack of the NFL's best player ratchet up the team's expectations about winning a division that most people felt everyone else was playing for second in before this development? Asked if the Brady injury leaves the division title "wide open" for anyone's taking now, Mangini still wouldn't bite. "I don't think we went into the year thinking that [winning the division] wasn't a possibility," he said. "We went in with expectations that [winning the AFC East] was something that was achievable. That's how we went into it. We feel very good about what we've been doing and that's how we've been approaching things." Mangini was an assistant coach with the Patriots in 2001 when Jets linebacker Mo Lewis knocked incumbent quarterback Drew Bledsoe out for the season, forcing Belichick to call on a little-known sixth-round draft pick named Tom Brady. So he's seen Belichick adjust on the fly pretty well. Now the question is, did Belichick develop Brady into the great quarterback he is today or was he simply someone with dumb luck? "Tom is a great player and you cannot underestimate the impact he has, but New England is an outstanding team in a lot of different areas," Mangini said. "Being a part of New England and having spent a lot of seasons there where there were injuries to key players, one of the things Bill has been able to do is create a plan to win that week and overcome those problems. "When I was there, we went through several different injury scenarios and we consistently found a way to win. It comes from outstanding coaching and the ability to overcome adversity." Jets linebacker Eric BartonEric Barton said he still sees the Patriots as the favorites despite the loss of Brady. "It's sad it happened to such a great player," Barton said. "I wish him well. We have to go about our business. The Patriots are going to adjust. I would consider them still the favorite. The last time they were in a situation like this [2001] they won the Super Bowl." Moore said, "They're still loaded on offense with a lot of veteran running backs and a good offensive line and those receivers and their defense has always been good. I don't think that one piece is going to be a huge difference. "When we look at that team we don't look at it as just Tom Brady." They might be the only ones. mark.cannizzaro@nypost.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kentucky Jet Posted September 9, 2008 Author Share Posted September 9, 2008 Jets make the grade- Cannizzaro QUARTERBACKS B+ Brett Favre (15 of 22, 194 yards, 2 TDs, 125.9 rating) was sharp enough, though not perfect. Given the little preparation time he had, he was terrific. RUNNING BACKS B Jones rushed for 101 yards on 22 carries and scored the game-winning TD on a six- yard run. WIDE RECEIVERS B Cotchery (3-80, TD) led the way. Stuckey made a nice catch on the Favre Hail Mary TD. Laveranues ColesLaveranues Coles (1-5) seemed out of sync with Favre. TIGHT ENDS B Bubba Franks caught two passes for 19 yards. Chris BakerChris Baker was 2-34. OFFENSIVE LINE B Favre was sacked three times, but blamed himself for failing to recognize some protections. Run blocking was strong but there were too many penalties. DEFENSIVE LINE B+ NT Kris Jenkins' debut as a Jet was ex cellent. He clogged up the middle and had good penetration. LINEBACKERS B+ Big debut from Calvin Pace, who was team's best pass rusher with a sack, five tackles and several hurries. Eric BartonEric Barton had six tackles but a stupid helmet-to-helmet pen alty on Chad Pennington. SECONDARY B Only negative was coverage of the Dol phin TEs, who gashed them for 12 catches for 137 yards and two TDs. SPECIAL TEAMS B Good coverage on the dangerous Ted Ginn. KICKING GAME C Aside from P Ben Graham's solid game (45.3-yard gross, 39.0-yard net), a difficult day. K Mike Nugent suffered thigh injury early KO and missed rest of game. COACHING B+ Odd that Eric Mangini didn't have some one able to kick PAT in emergency. Offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer dialed up diverse game plan. Good job by defensive staff mixing up looks for Pennington. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kentucky Jet Posted September 9, 2008 Author Share Posted September 9, 2008 By MARK CANNIZZARO Posted: 4:48 am September 9, 2008 With Mike Nugent's right thigh still hurting, the JetsNew York Jets yesterday signed former Giant kicker Jay Feely, Feely's agent said. "He is very excited to join the Jets and help them keep winning," agent Glenn Schwartzman said in an e-mail to The Associated Press. The Jets need to make a move to open a roster spot for Feely, but hadn't yet officially announced the signing. Feely, cut by Kansas City last month just a day after the Chiefs signed him to a one-year deal, is in his eighth NFL season. He was with Miami last season, going 21-for-23 on field-goal attempts and setting a franchise record with a 91.3 field-goal rate. Despite his success, the Dolphins cut Feely in August. Feely, 32, is expected to replace Nugent for at least Sunday's game against the Patriots. Nugent injured his right thigh on an early kickoff Sunday and did not return, leaving the Jets without a kicker for PATs and field-goal tries. Feely played four seasons with Atlanta before kicking for the GiantsNew York Giants in 2005 and 2006. * Teammate were still raving yesterday about rookie cornerback Dwight Lowery, who started his first NFL game Sunday and helped preserve the win over the Dolphins with two critical late pass breakups in the end zone. "Lowery played great," CB Darrelle RevisDarrelle Revis said. "He's getting closer to picking off balls. You can see him in the next couple of weeks picking off balls. He's determined, and a hard worker. "He came in here mature and ready to go, like he belonged, like he was already here playing in the NFL the last couple of years." * The Jets, who had 29 sacks all last season, had four Sunday, with LB Bryan Thomas making a career-high two and DE Shaun Ellis and LB Calvin Pace adding one each. Ellis' sack gives him 54 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kentucky Jet Posted September 9, 2008 Author Share Posted September 9, 2008 With Tom Brady done, Eric Mangini, Brett Favre have to win division Monday, September 8th 2008, 11:18 PM Brett Favre and the Jets should be the No. 1 team in the AFC East by season's end. Bill Belichick has been bullying the Jets around pretty much from the time he resigned as the HC of the NYJ and forced his way to New England. He then created a stacked deck: He found Tom Brady in his first draft and developed him into one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history, then he refined an elaborate SpyGate operation to steal defensive signals. But the Jets and the NFL busted Belichick's spying shenanigans in last year's opener and Brady's unfortunate season-ending knee injury in this year's opener took away his quarterback. No more excuses for the Jets. Brady plays and represents the game the right away. His absence is not good for the league. It's easy to feel bad for him. But nobody is ever going to feel sorry for the Patriots, and Belichick in particular, except Patriots fans. The way Belichick carries himself, nobody will ever cry for him when it comes to football. Nobody threw a benefit when the Jets lost Testaverde. And nobody was hurting for the 49ers when Joe Montana was lost for nearly two years with an elbow injury. The 49ers had Steve Young, another Hall of Famer, ready to take over. Belichick has Cassel, a seventh-round pick in 2005. Brady, a sixth-round pick in 2000, took over when Drew Bledsoe suffered a serious chest injury against the Jets in the second game of the 2001 season. But lightning doesn't strike twice, so don't expect Cassel to turn into the next Brady, who was named Super Bowl MVP that year. Cassel certainly has the firepower around him and he must have learned something playing behind Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart at USC and then Brady. "(Randy) Moss, (Wes) Welker, (Laurence) Maroney, (Ben) Watson. Go right on down the line the line. Sammy Morris," Mangini said. "Loaded." But it's not realistic for Belichick to piece enough together from Cassel or whoever might be next if he fails. The MVP of last season is irreplaceable. The quarterback landscape has dramatically changed since camp opened. The Jets have gone from Pennington/Kellen Clemens to Favre while the Pats have gone from Brady to Cassel. Trading for Favre changed everything about the Jets. Losing Brady changes everything about the Pats. Here's a scary thought for the Jets: What would have happened if Favre didn't want to play for them and elected to wait and see if a Super Bowl contender lost its quarterback in camp or early in the season? That was an option he considered. You know where Favre would have been Monday? Up in Foxborough with Belichick getting him ready to play the Jets. That would have been a classic case of the Same Old Jets. Maybe things are changing. gmyers@nydailynews.com No more excuses for Eric Mangini. No excuses if the Jets lose to the Patriots in Sunday's home opener before an emotional crowd ready to wrap their arms around Brett Favre and officially welcome him to New York. The Jets should win the AFC East. The Patriots still have a lot of great players, and nobody can cover Randy Moss, but this team was all about Brady as much as Belichick preaches it's all about team. Brady's injury raises the stakes, expectations and pressure on the Jets to take advantage of what may be the only season they have Favre. It puts enormous pressure on Favre to deliver a division title when the other QBs are Chad Pennington, Matt Cassel and Trent Edwards. But nobody is under more pressure than Mangini, especially for this week's game. He can't let Belichick outcoach him, not when he's got Favre and Belichick has Cassel, who hasn't started a game since he was in high school in 1999, Favre's ninth year in the NFL. Can you imagine the look on Belichick's face if he sticks it to Mangini yet again? It's time for Mangini to stop getting schooled by the teacher. Bill Parcells waved the white flag on the 1999 season and checked out emotionally when he lost Vinny Testaverde in the second quarter of the opener, ending a Super Bowl or bust year. Belichick was on that staff. He will not give up on this season. He's not emotional like Parcells. It will just force him to work harder and come up with new ways to win. "I don't think historically Bill has held back on anything," Mangini said Monday. "I'm sure each week he does the things that he thinks are going to give him the best chance to win. Last year was pretty impressive." They were not doing a conga line dance at the Jets' sparkling new practice facility Monday when the Pats announced Brady was done. "Okay," Mangini said matter-of-factly. Mangini genuinely feels sorry for Brady, a friend from his New England days, but the Jets know Brady's injury combined with their trade for Favre and their $140 million worth of free agent signings has given new meaning to win-now. This no longer means just making the playoffs as a wild card. It's win the division now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kentucky Jet Posted September 9, 2008 Author Share Posted September 9, 2008 Jets not celebrating yet, remain wary of Bill Belichick and Patriots BY RICH CIMINI DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER Monday, September 8th 2008, 10:10 PM On the trip home from Miami, they saw the replay on the in-flight TVs, Chiefs safety Bernard Pollard crashing into Brady's left knee. The Patriots confirmed Monday that the reigning league MVP is done for the season, changing the landscape of the AFC East. If you think the Jets were celebrating at 30,000 feet, think again. "That's laughable," guard Brandon Moore said Monday in Florham Park, N.J., commenting on the notion that the defending AFC champs are dead. "To say their team is done and that it opens things up (in the division) ... they're too good a team. He didn't make that team. The team made that team. It's still going to be a big battle in the AFC East." Perhaps fittingly, the Patriots' first game in seven years without Brady will be against the Jets, who have been chasing their rival like a lost puppy running after a speeding car. They've dropped 12 of 14 to the Patriots in the Brady era, including a wild-card playoff loss, so they're in no position to administer last rites. Especially not this week, with the Patriots (1-0) coming to town for Sunday's showdown at the Meadowlands. They will have Matt Cassel at quarterback, making his first start since high school, but at least one Jet believes the Patriots still are the team to beat. "Oh, absolutely," linebacker Eric Barton said. "The last time they were in this situation, they won a Super Bowl, if you can remember correctly." That happened in 2001, when Jets linebacker Mo Lewis wiped out Drew Bledsoe in Week 2, giving Brady his big shot. The untested Brady took over an unheralded team and wound up leading the Patriots to their first Super Bowl victory. Eric Mangini was a member of Bill Belichick's staff that year, and you can bet he'll be sharing that history lesson with his own players - if he hasn't already. Mangini lauded Belichick's ability to coach the team through adversity, and he also listed several reasons why he believes the Patriots will remain competitive. "(Randy) Moss, (Wes) Welker, (Laurence) Maroney, (Ben) Watson, Sammy Morris, you can go right down the line," said Mangini, listing New England's offensive weapons. "They're loaded." Maybe so, but it will be hard to replace Brady's production. In 14 career starts against the Jets, he has 17 touchdown passes and only six interceptions. The Jets have endured their share of devastating quarterback injuries over the years, so they can relate. Now, for a change, they have the hottest quarterback in the division. Brett Favre's arrival and successful debut in Miami, coupled with the Brady injury, has changed the perception of the Jets. Suddenly, they're contenders. The gap has closed. The door is open. Pick your favorite clich Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kentucky Jet Posted September 9, 2008 Author Share Posted September 9, 2008 Patriots likely to go conservative as Matt Cassel takes the helm BY HANK GOLA DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER Monday, September 8th 2008, 8:10 PM Townson/AP Matt Cassel celebrates after tossing a touchdown to Randy Moss in Sunday's win over the Chiefs. FOXBOROUGH - It's obvious the Patriots will not be the same score-at-will offense with Matt Cassel replacing Tom Brady at quarterback. But just what can the Jets expect from Cassel this week? Bill Belichick has a whole week to figure out a new offensive approach and he's certainly done things contrary to expectations before, but judging by how the Pats buttoned things down against the Chiefs on Sunday once Cassel came into the game, he'll try to keep the new guy in a role as a game manager. Cassel's biggest strength might be his ability to move in the pocket. He throws well on the run and he's pretty accurate throwing short to intermediate routes. But there are so many things Brady brought to New England's offense that Cassel can't match. He doesn't have Brady's arm strength, which limits the Patriots' explosiveness, and he doesn't have Brady's experience with pre-snap reads, a large part of the New England attack. Brady makes throws that few other quarterbacks in the league can make, and his absence will change the general dynamic and unpredictability of the offense. It was obvious from the start of Sunday's game that the Patriots wanted to attack Kansas City's young secondary: they came out in a spread formation and had Brady throw on the first eight plays. While they adjusted that on the second series and mixed in more runs before Brady was hurt, they never went back to the spread once Cassel came in. Instead, they ran a ball-control passing game and attempted to rely on their offensive line to grind out a running game. Cassel did his part, making safe throws to keep the chains moving, but only after the Patriots set up manageable down and distance. It worked against the Chiefs, a young team that doesn't play a particularly aggressive brand of defense. The Jets, however, offer a far bigger challenge. For one, they were able to shut off a running game that was the basis of the Miami offense. Secondly, they have enough quickness to exploit the Patriots' offensive line, the way the Giants did in the Super Bowl. Cassel struggled during the preseason mostly because he was running for his life, sacked once for every 10 times he dropped back. The first two games, he looked lost and even in the last two, there was little pocket presence. In 17 preseason possessions, he failed to direct a touchdown drive. The most encouraging moment against the Chiefs, outside of Cassel's overall poise, was his 51-yard pass play to Randy Moss on his first series, because of how it transpired. It was third-and-11 from the New England 1, a potential turning point in a scoreless game. But Cassel and Moss read the same thing as Moss slipped behind cornerback Patrick Surtain with safety Jon McGraw helping too late. "It wasn't actually a play designed to try to get deep into Kansas City's territory," Moss explained. "When I came off the ball I saw the corner and the safety squat, meaning they had their feet flat-footed. I just thought I would try and make a play. I cut my route off and just went deep. It was just an adjustment that I made and hopefully the quarterback saw the adjustment. Like I said, we were all on the same page and we got out of there." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kentucky Jet Posted September 9, 2008 Author Share Posted September 9, 2008 Jets expect Pats to be tough, even without Brady By Jane McManus The Journal News Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoFlaJets Posted September 9, 2008 Share Posted September 9, 2008 step on the Pats necks Sunday and do NOT let up until the final whistle blows Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kentucky Jet Posted September 9, 2008 Author Share Posted September 9, 2008 step on the Pats necks Sunday and do NOT let up until the final whistle blows Mangini has to grow a set by SUNDAY! He has a very excellent QB and we run 3 straight times trying to get 7 yards. That is DUH HERM football! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoFlaJets Posted September 9, 2008 Share Posted September 9, 2008 Mangini has to grow a set by SUNDAY! He has a very excellent QB and we run 3 straight times trying to get 7 yards. That is DUH HERM football! I want to see Favre audible more. In fact Mangini said in his PC something to that affect, that he wishes Favre would have changed a play-it may have even BEEN that play...trust the QB-especially one with that much stature Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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