Kentucky Jet Posted September 21, 2008 Share Posted September 21, 2008 MANGINI MUST OPEN UP OFFENSE Comments: 0 Read Comments Leave a Comment 'GINI IN A BOTTLE: Steve Serby says coach Eric Mangini must take the... Last updated: 5:01 am September 21, 2008 Posted: 4:03 am September 21, 2008 WOODY Johnson hired Eric Mangini because he was sold on the idea that somewhere down the road, Mangini would develop into his very own Bill Belichick. And Mangini did such a good job as a rookie head coach, getting the JetsNew York Jets back into the playoffs, you sometimes wondered whether his real last name was Mangenius. Then came last season and then came last week. Mangini doesn't need a big game tomorrow night against the Chargers to save his job, not at all. He needs a big game to restore his standing with Jet fans. We know what happened in 2007. L'Affaire Pete Kendall sabotaged the offensive line, which devalued Thomas JonesThomas Jones , general manager Mike Tannenbaum's offseason steal. Chad PenningtonChad Pennington lost his job to Kellen Clemens, who struggled mightily and could not claim the starting job for 2008. Mangini tried to fit square pegs such as Dewayne Robertson and Jonathan Vilma into the round holes of his 3-4 defense and never had a chance. What happened a week ago against Belichick and the Patriots was more troubling, more alarming. Mangini, armed with Brett Favre and an offensive line and a defense is now stout enough to stop the run and dangerous enough to rush the passer, was badly outcoached in all three phases by Belichick in a 19-10 loss. He was beaten by Matt Cassel, starting his first game since quarterback with Tom Brady gone for the season. In effect, Belichick beat Mangini and the Jets without Brady and without a dominant Randy Moss, who caught two passes for 22 yards. Jets fans who remember Mangini the riverboat gambler in 2006 were demoralized and infuriated by the sight of Jones running three straight times first-and-goal from the 3 into the belly of the beast that is the burly New England defense. If he keeps the handcuffs on Favre against the desperate Chargers, the Jets won't have a chance. Because they can steal this game if Mangini stops turning into Rangini, especially during those critical moments in games when wasting Favre's improvisational genius is sheer folly. They can steal this game mainly because LaDainian Tomlinson has been bothered by a sore right big toe and is nowhere near the LT we know. Little Big Man Darren Sproles can be a dangerous gamebreaker, but he is not LT, because no one is. They can steal this game. Because if the Chargers, with outside linebacker Shawne Merriman (left knee) out for the season, can surrender 350 yards and four touchdowns to Jay Cutler and the Broncos, Mangini should not be afraid to let Favre go mano-a-mano with Philip Rivers if this one develops into a shootout. As former Jets coach Walt Michaels used to say, if you have a cannon, shoot it. Now that Favre surely knows enough of the playbook, this would be the perfect time for Mangini to stop being more scared of his quarterback than defensive coordinator Ted Cottrell is. "I am getting more comfortable with him each and every day," Jerricho Cotchery says. "He has been communicating with everybody on the offense making sure everyone is on the same page. We are on the right path right now. If we continue to go in that direction this offense can do what we want to do and that would be special. It sounds as if his team is ready for Favre Unplugged. "I think he will do his thing," Chansi Stuckey said. "The more comfortable he gets with us and with the offense he will start letting loose and really feel comfortable behind center." Mangini also needs to wake up his special teams, and he took a step in that direction by booting Ben Graham and giving Reggie Hodges the punting job. "There are things that we need to get a lot better at," Mangini said. "We haven't had very many return opportunities in terms of our kickoff return, which has always been a strength of ours. With punt returns, there weren't many opportunities last week. Mangini blew the whistle on Spygate, but being remembered for catching Belichick with his hand in the cookie jar simply isn't enough for Jets fans 40 years removed from Super Bowl III. * The Jets have added newly-signed punter Reggie Hodges [questionable] to the injury report with a left thigh injury. If Hodges cant go, the Jets could activate Waylon Prather, also signed this week, off the practice squad for tomorrow nights game in San Diego. steve.serby@nypost.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kentucky Jet Posted September 21, 2008 Author Share Posted September 21, 2008 CHARGERS (0-2) Kickoff: 5:30 p.m. Caliente line: Chargers by 9 Series: Chargers lead 18-12-1 TV: ESPN, Ch. 10 (Mike Tirico, Ron Jaworski and Tony Kornheiser) Radio: KIOZ-FM (105.3) and in Spanish on XHFG (107.3) FIVE THINGS TO WATCH 1. AIR DEFENSE: The most striking (and influential) thing about the Chargers to this point is how their secondary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kentucky Jet Posted September 21, 2008 Author Share Posted September 21, 2008 With or without Tomlinson, simulations give Chargers the edge By Stephen Oh, Special to the Union-Tribune Sunday, September 21, 2008 ACCUSCORE ANALYSIS: Jets at Chargers AccuScore runs 10,000 computer simulations of NFL games, one play at a time, to project likely outcomes. It is 23-8 in projecting winners through two weeks. Here is the assessment of today's Chargers game against the Jets. Last week, AccuScore simulations called the Chargers-Broncos game a coin flip, with Denver winning 51 percent of the time by an average of 0.4 points per game. If AccuScore is right again in Week 3, the Chargers should get their first win of the season. WHO NEEDS LT LaDainian Tomlinson is questionable for the game, but Darren Sproles is a dynamic backup. He might not have the durability to be a primary running back, but he certainly can share or handle the load for a few games at a time. Simulations are subject to change based on updated injury and weather reports, but in projecting Sproles and Tomlinson to split carries, they combine for 130 rushing yards. In the baseline scenario, San Diego wins 74 percent of simulations by an average score of 28-19. In alternative scenarios, one in which Tomlinson is 100 percent healthy and the other with him out injured, the Chargers are still solid favorites. They are definitely better with a healthy LT, but they should be OK even if they are without their star back for a week. TOMLINSON PARTICIPATION...Win%...Score Baseline (split carries)..................74%.....SD, 28-19 LT 100% healthy..........................76%.....SD, 29-19 LT out, Sproles in.........................73%.....SD, 27-20 CAN CHARGERS STOP FAVRE? The Chargers' defense has not performed well the first two games, allowing 388 yards of offense to Carolina and 486 yards to Denver. AccuScore expects the defense to step up against the Jets. The Chargers intercept Brett Favre passes once per simulation with a 40 percent chance of sacking Favre two or more times. When they sack Favre at least twice, the Chargers win 82 percent of simulations by an average of 11 points. They also hold Thomas Jones to 3.8 yards per carry in simulations with a 53 percent chance of holding him to less than 65 rushing yards. The Chargers win 87 percent of those simulations by an average of 13 points. RIVERS CONTINUES TO EXCEL AccuScore expects the Chargers to turn their season around after two tough losses. Their success has a lot to do with Philip Rivers' excellent early season play. He throws zero or one interception in 76 percent of simulations. Rivers is so valuable that, if he were injured, the Chargers actually would be slight underdogs. RIVERS VS. JETS...Win%....Score Baseline...................74%......SD, 28-19 If Rivers is out.........47%.......NYJ, 21-20 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kentucky Jet Posted September 21, 2008 Author Share Posted September 21, 2008 Favre picking up signals from his Jets receiversBY ERIK BOLAND | erik.boland@newsday.com September 21, 2008 Brett Favre said his progress in building a rapport with his receivers has been steady. As evidence, he pointed to a play that didn't work. Well, it kind of worked. In last Sunday's loss to the Patriots, the Jets faced a first-and-10 from their 39-yard line on their first possession of the third quarter. Favre dropped straight back and lofted a deep ball down the right sideline for Jerricho Cotchery, who was in single coverage with cornerback Deltha O'Neal. Cotchery jostled with O'Neal in pursuit of the slightly underthrown pass and made the catch in New England territory. Cotchery was flagged for offensive pass interference, but to Favre, the play showed a still-budding recognition of the skill set of one of his receivers. It was a pass he likely would not have thrown in either of the two preseason games in which he played, or even in the season-opener in Miami. "He wasn't open, but I felt like from watching him on tape and the little bit of time I spent with him, that our chances were better than theirs if I just threw it up to him and gave him a shot," Favre said of Cotchery. "I actually looked at L.C. [Laveranues Coles] on the same play. The corner was way off. [On] Jerricho's side, it was going to be a jump ball. I felt confident doing that." And so, as he has done so often in his career, Favre threw it. Much has been made in the last week of the three runs on the goal line in the second quarter of the Patriots game that netted zero total yards and resulted in a field goal. Favre, however, brought up the second-and-goal from the 2 in the fourth quarter that resulted in an audible and a touchdown pass to a wide open Chansi Stuckey. "It was a simple check, audible, or whatever you want to call it, trusting that our guys would get a pick or rub, and it worked," Favre said. "You start coming back to plays like that or you build off of that. You're able to expand." Stuckey, a second-year receiver who missed all of 2007 with a foot injury, has been at the other end of several of Favre's best plays this young season, topped by the wild 22-yard scoring play on fourth-and-13 in Miami. Stuckey has six receptions - tied with Leon Washington for team best - for 80 yards and two touchdowns. Cotchery has four catches for 100 yards and one touchdown, the 56-yarder in the season-opener. "It's great because of who Favre is and all the things he has done over the years," said Stuckey, still very much in awe of playing with Favre. "For him to come here and for me to catch my first two touchdowns from him has been great. I am trying to build a lot of trust with him." Something Favre said is developing across the board. "Like the pass to Jerricho, at some point, you just say, 'Hey, guys are not going to be open all the time, I got to trust that these guys will make plays.'" Favre said. "I feel confident with those guys." Tomorrow Jets at San Diego 8:30 p.m. TV: ESPN, Ch. 9 Radio: WEPN (1050) E-mailShare Digg Del.icio.us Facebook Fark Google Newsvine Reddit Yahoo PrintReprint Related topic galleries: Laveranues Coles, Basketball, ESPN, Football, New England Patriots, Deltha O'Neal, Brett Favre All topicsGet breaking news | Most popular stories | Dining and Travel deals all via e-mail! Copyright Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kentucky Jet Posted September 21, 2008 Author Share Posted September 21, 2008 Jets leading the cheers in NYC footballNeil Best September 21, 2008 Here's a trivia question (and answer) to win a bar bet this autumn: Name the six NFL teams that do not have official cheerleaders. As you'd expect, the list (via the league office) consists entirely of old-school franchises in the North: Giants, Lions, Bears, Packers, Browns, Steelers. If Giants fans interested in that sort of thing thought the team might reconsider its policy after co-owner Wellington Mara's death in 2005 . . . Sorry, the only circus act on the sideline today will be the Bengals' Chad Ocho Cinco. Here's the official word from VP of communications Pat Hanlon: "Every organization is different. For us, it has always been about the game and putting a quality product on the field and not allowing anything to distract from that. We think that is what our fans want, and we know that is what we want. "Certainly, like many other teams, we have made great efforts to provide fan-friendly activities in and around the stadium, but ultimately for us, it's about the game." Until the past couple of seasons, the no-jiggle zone included Jets games. But after testing the waters in 2006 and expanding in '07, the "Flight Crew" has achieved full liftoff this fall, doubling in size to 22. The Jets have taken several steps to improve the game-day experience, some focused on fan conduct and customer relations, others on young women with flat tummies wearing Marc Ecko-designed costumes that suggest the long-gone "coffee, tea or me" era of flight attendants. "The uniform combines the look of the old-school Pan Am jet stewardess, but updated with a modern look," said Matt Higgins, the Jets' executive VP of business operations (and PSLs). The team doesn't officially call them "cheerleaders," but you can "call them anything you want," Higgins said. "Hopefully they defy description. That would mean we've succeeded." The Jets also added a game-day "host" in Jenn Sterger, a model and personality discovered when her, um, attributes were captured on national TV as she watched a 2005 Miami-Florida State game. "Jenn Sterger obviously has a larger-than-life personality known throughout the country," Higgins said. Is he concerned about sending the wrong message in hiring her after a controversy over the harassment of women at Gate D last year? "I don't think one has anything to do with the other," he said. "The behavior at Gate D was intolerable and inexcusable. It was a small minority of fans making it difficult for other fans to enjoy themselves. Having a roving host certainly isn't making it difficult for someone to enjoy the game." Higgins believes it is a good thing the Giants and Jets, co-tenants for a quarter century and partners in a new stadium, have different approaches. "The Giants have their own identity, and it's a strong identity built up over 80 years," he said. "They have their own culture and we have ours and I think that's great. If we were facsimiles of each other, I don't think it would be as interesting." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kentucky Jet Posted September 21, 2008 Author Share Posted September 21, 2008 'Monday Night Football' a whole different ballgame By Jane McManus The Journal News • September 21, 2008 Jay Rothman went from being a kid who played football for Fox Lane to the senior coordinating producer for "Monday Night Football." This week, as the Jets head to San Diego for tomorrow night's 8:30 game, Rothman has been pulling film and overseeing interviews with players on both teams, including Jets quarterback Brett Favre. "There are a few athletes in the game today that move the meter, and Brett Favre is a move-the-meter guy," Rothman said. When ESPN, which took over the franchise from ABC, comes into town to do a game, it brings a well-oiled machine. Analyst Ron Jaworski has already gone over tape and picked apart each team, a library of footage has been poured through, and teams open up their metaphorical houses for inspection. It's about access, and that's one of the things ESPN does best. And that means "any time you get a situation to play in Monday night or in prime time you want to play your best," Kerry Rhodes said. Rothman said there is a big difference in doing a two-region game - most productions are just watched by home markets - and doing a national game. In some ways it is limited - the third-string kickoff returner's right toe injury will probably not come up - but MNF can get into a player like Favre and go deep. The Monday telecasts are averaging about 13 million viewers this year, and ESPN has added some technical bells and whistles to invigorate the broadcasts. High-speed cameras are used, a new graphics package and even, oh yes, a new opening video from Hank Williams Jr. As part of the package this week, there will be an interview with Favre, who has been held back from the media since coming to New York. While he usually addresses a crowd of people from a podium in the press room, the producers at MNF can sit him down, get him comfortable and take their time. "They do open up more to us," Rothman said. "The information we get, that's the gold." The teams tend to see a television production as more of a cooperative enterprise than what they get from a local media market. A coach like the Jets' Eric Mangini might divulge a bit more during a conversation, even with cameras rolling. In general, teams are much more open about football when they know the information won't come out until the moment the game begins, when the strategy has already been cemented. "Maybe it's them trying to get their message out," Rothman said. Tomorrow night, "Monday Night Football" will dig into the archives for 17 years of Favre's Monday night performances, which includes an 82-yard touchdown pass to win the game for the Packers over the Broncos last year in week 8 and a four-touchdown, 399-yard performance in a win over the Raiders the night after his father passed away in 2003. Alan Faneca noted this week that Monday is the night that all the other players in the NFL can sit down and watch their peers, so if you make a bad play on a Monday you can expect to be seen. The Jets are factoring that in as they prepare for the Chargers. "I am guessing it's going to be crazy," Darrelle Revis said. "I've never played in San Diego. You can tell from watching film and their fans and how their cheering when they score touchdowns. It's a Monday night game, and I know they are going to be ready. They have played on this stage millions of times." Rothman noted that, in addition to Favre, MNF gets an interesting storyline with the dramatic nature of San Diego's two last-minute losses this year. With so much on the line for the team, and explosive running back LaDainian Tomlinson, the week 3 matchup has a lot of potential. It's something the Jets realize as well. "We want to put it together and it's definitely a big test for us also to be able to put it together on the road in a hostile environment on national television," guard Brandon Moore said. Reach Jane McManus at jmcmanus@lohud.com. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kentucky Jet Posted September 21, 2008 Author Share Posted September 21, 2008 Word is out on QB Rivers Sunday, September 21, 2008 BY J.P. PELZMANSTAFF WRITER The Jets have plenty of information about the quarterback they Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kentucky Jet Posted September 21, 2008 Author Share Posted September 21, 2008 Where are they now? Blair Thomas By RICH CIMINI DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER Sunday, September 21st 2008, 12:52 AM Former Jet Blair Thomas is a volunteer assistant at Football University in Barrow, Alaska. Farrell/News In April 1990, Jets make Thomas the second overall pick in the draft. Just recently, Blair Thomas was on top of the world...again. The former Jets running back, accompanied by several ex-NFLers, conducted a youth football camp in Barrow, Alaska, the northernmost town in the United States. Barrow is so remote that the only way in is by plane, but the local high school is intent on building a successful football program. Thomas, a volunteer instructor for Football University, an organization that runs camps across the country, taught fundamentals on the frozen tundra. "The game of football has been good to us and it's an opportunity to give back, to help kids achieve their dreams," Thomas said in a recent radio interview. In April 1990, Thomas made his first trip to the top. He was the second overall pick in the draft, instantly becoming the cornerstone for a new Jets regime. But the cornerstone turned out to be more like a pebble. Mention his name to a diehard Jets fan, and you're likely to see a clenched jaw or a look of disgust. Despite a brilliant career at Penn State, where he finished as the Heisman Trophy runner-up, Thomas never lived up to expectations. He lasted only four years with the Jets, rushing for just 2,009 yards, a symbol of the failed Bruce Coslet-Dick Steinberg era. He moved on, playing briefly with the Patriots, Cowboys and Panthers, but he was out of the NFL by 1996, only 29. The late Steinberg, the general manager, was so convinced that Thomas was going to be a star that he chose him over defensive tackle Cortez Kennedy and linebacker Junior Seau, who went to a combined 20 Pro Bowls with the Seahawks and Chargers, respectively. Regrets? Not really. "As a kid, I dreamed about having the opportunity to play in the NFL," Thomas said. "It's a one-in-a-million chance." After retiring as a player, Thomas stayed in the game, becoming an assistant coach at Temple, not far from where he was raised in northeast Philadelphia. He spent eight years at Temple, tutoring the running backs and recruiting players from the city and southern New Jersey. Some of his former players include the Jaguars' Stacey Mack and the Bears' Jason McKie. Thomas left Temple in 2005 and got into private business, teaming up with former Penn State and Eagles wide receiver Kenny Jackson. They bought a handful of sports bars, called KoKoMos, in the Harrisburg, Pa., area. He lives in King of Prussia, Pa., with his wife and three children. Thomas never became what everybody expected, but he fulfilled his boyhood dream. Now he's trying to help others do the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kentucky Jet Posted September 21, 2008 Author Share Posted September 21, 2008 Eric Barton hears about '05 play still, but he and Jets have moved on BY RICH CIMINI DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER Saturday, September 20th 2008, 9:39 PM Sipkin/News Eric Barton (l.) has forgotten about his error against San Diego in 2005, but many haven't. Eric Barton can laugh about it now. Sort of. On Jan. 8, 2005, Barton narrowly avoided a lifetime of goat-dom, almost costing the Jets a playoff game with a momentary lapse that still follows him. In the final seconds of an AFC wild-card game against the Chargers, he committed a reckless roughing-the-passer penalty, nullifying a fourth-down incompletion that would've secured a victory in regulation. The Jets wound up winning in overtime, 20-17, but Barton had to endure two torturous moments - Drew Brees' 1-yard touchdown pass after the penalty and Nick Kaeding's 40-yard field goal attempt in OT, which was wide right. Monday night, the Jets return to San Diego for the first time since that wild night. Barton hasn't forgotten. How could he? Wherever he goes, he's constantly reminded of his faux pas. "I hear it to this day," said the veteran linebacker, who was razzed by fans while signing autographs in training camp. "I'm like, 'Damn, that was four years ago. I've done a lot of things since then.'" If the Jets had lost, Barton's penalty would've ranked among the most infamous moments in team history, along with Dan Marino's Fake Spike, Mark Gastinueau's roughing call in Cleveland and ... well, the list goes on. A few days after the game, then-coach Herm Edwards tried to make light of Barton's play. He presented him with a custom-made T-shirt that said, "I Survived." Barton said he isn't sure what happened to the shirt. Even now, Barton's memory of the play is in HD - perfectly clear. "The way (Brees) was angled, I couldn't see if he had the ball or not," he said. "Victor Hobson missed the sack, and I was right behind him. I just reacted. Obviously, I reacted the wrong way." Adding insult to insult, Barton received a $7,500 fine from the league. "That was the easy part," he said. "I could deal with that." When Kaeding lined up for his potential game-winner, Barton was "praying to God. Not a good position to be in." In the end, he received the ultimate bail-out. Reflecting on the episode, he called it a life lesson. "Your actions can be responsible for a lot of people," he said. "A lot of people worked hard to get us in that position. To almost blow it by doing something dumb ..." He didn't finish the sentence. Didn't have to. Qualcomm Stadium holds a lot of memories for Barton. In the 2002 season, he started for the Raiders in Super Bowl XXXVII against the Bucs. That ended in disappointment, as the Raiders were blown out, 48-21. Barton insisted the infamous penalty won't be on his mind when he faces the high-scoring Chargers (0-2) tomorrow night, but he may not have a choice. Teammate Chris Baker, one of only eight holdovers, said he might remind Barton of the play that no one can forget. "That won't be happening again," Barton promised. "I hope the result is the same, but I hope we don't have to dig ourselves out of a hole like that - or dig me out of a hole." NICKED UP: P Reggie Hodges, who was signed Tuesday to replace Ben Graham, was added to the injury report with an undisclosed problem with his left (non-kicking) thigh. He is listed as questionable. If he can't play, the Jets will sign Waylon Prather from their practice squad. Chargers RB Darren Sproles (hamstring) was added as probable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kentucky Jet Posted September 21, 2008 Author Share Posted September 21, 2008 Through triumph & tragedy, Deanna and Brett Favre remain a constant BY ANDY MARTINO DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER Saturday, September 20th 2008, 10:51 PM Rodriguez/Getty Over the years, Brett and Deanna Favre have endured a lot. They've stuck together, however, and are stronger than ever. Biever/Getty Brett and Deanna Favre on their wedding day in 1996. Also pictured are Deanna Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kentucky Jet Posted September 21, 2008 Author Share Posted September 21, 2008 http://www.newyorkjets.com/blog/post...all-part-owner By Randy Lange Quote: 09/20 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kentucky Jet Posted September 21, 2008 Author Share Posted September 21, 2008 When Elias Sports Bureau was notified, they looked into it, and determined that Ellis should in fact be awarded a sack. Ellis now has 2 on the year, and the Jets as a team have 8, tied for second in the NFL. Through two games the Jets have 8 more than they did at the same time last year. Two games in, the Jets of 2007 had zero sacks: shutout against the Patriots in week one and shutout against Baltimore in week two. By season end the 2007 Jets dropped the opposing QB a paltry 29 times. This year the Jets are on a pace to nab the passer 56 times. Last year's leaders: Harris = 5 Ellis = 5 Robertson = 4 Mosley = 2.5 Bowens = 2.5 B. Thomas = 2.5 Rhodes = 2 Hobson = 2 K. Coleman = 1.5 Barton = 2 This year's records: B. Thomas = 3 Ellis = 2 Pace = 1.5 Jenkins = 1 Barrett = .5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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