Kentucky Jet Posted November 2, 2008 Share Posted November 2, 2008 BEST BET'S TO JUST LET BRETT BE BRETT by George Willis Posted: 3:13 am November 2, 2008 KRIS Jenkins might be 130 pounds heavier, nine years younger and play on the opposite side of the football, but the JetsNew York Jets defensive tackle is feeling a lot of what Brett Favre is going through these days. "I've never seen anything like this before," Jenkins said about playing in New York after spending his past seven seasons at Carolina. "When you're here, you can feel the pressure sometimes. Pressure from the media, from the coaches, from the fans. You have to have a thick skin." Pressure? You bet. Last week, Favre was grilled about whether he ratted on his former team by talking to the Lions about how to beat the Packers. This week, he has been scrutinized about the seven interceptions he has thrown in his past three games. Rest assured, it will be something else on Monday if the Jets (4-3) aren't able to beat the Bills (5-2) today at Ralph Wilson Stadium. It's the kind of game the Jets need to reassure them this season will not dissolve into another disappointment. It's the kind of game Favre needs to quiet critics, who wonder if his recklessness is worth the moments of brilliance. After a week of analysis of how to help Favre cut down his turnovers, hopefully coach Eric Mangini has figured out the best approach is to simply let Favre be Favre. His seven interceptions over three games and 11 on the season (the NFL average is six), should come as no surprise. He's still trying to figure out the offense, his teammates, and when to gamble and when to play it safe. That's a lot for a 39-year-old man. "There's always factors that are your fault, there's factors that are not your fault and some that should have been a penalty or whatever," Favre said of the interceptions. "But we have a lot of potential on offense to not only overcome the turnovers, but some of the mistakes we're making offensively just from a newness standpoint." Certainly, he cannot afford to continue his binge of interceptions. The Bills are looking for their first 6-2 start since 1993 when Jim Kelly's team was 7-1. They thrive on momentum, especially at home where they could win four in a row for the first time since 1995. Favre is 0-3 at Buffalo, and the Jets have lost four of their past five here. "All of the factors that go into winning and losing are magnified that much more when you play away," Favre said. "This being a division opponent who is leading the division (tied with New England) and playing outstanding, momentum is so important in this game. We need to get the momentum, get it early and try to keep it." So far, the Jets have failed miserably at the type of challenge they face today. They lost a 19-10 statement game to the Patriots and were beaten 48-29 at San Diego before their 16-13 overtime embarrassment at Oakland. A 28-24 squeaker over the lowly Chiefs last week wasn't exactly reassuring, making this week seem like the moment of truth. "I'm curious to see if we can beat one of those good teams," safety Kerry RhodesKerry Rhodes said. "They're first in the division and they're playing well, and have some big wins under their belt. It's a chance to prove ourselves with a victory and see how we match up." You figured the Jets would know more about themselves by now. But maybe that was too much to expect. Favre keeps saying this is the hardest thing he has ever done, but we expect him to be vintage Favre every Sunday behind an underutilized running game and leaky pass protection. Getting rid of the ball is part of his survival. When the Jets as a team get better, Favre will get better. george.willis@nypost.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kentucky Jet Posted November 2, 2008 Author Share Posted November 2, 2008 Gameday: Bills/Jets Breakdown Getty Images By Tyler Dunne BFR Publisher Posted Nov 2, 2008 Buffalo cannot afford to start 0-2 in the AFC East, which is quickly tightening into one of the most intriguing divisions. Here is a breakdown of today's game, featuring Key Matchups, The Difference-Maker, The Favre Factor and a Fearless Forecast... It Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kentucky Jet Posted November 2, 2008 Author Share Posted November 2, 2008 Jets' Bowens could play key role against Bills By Jane McManus The Journal News • November 2, 2008 The flecks of gray in his beard might make him look as old as Brett Favre a few lockers away, but linebacker David Bowens is a veritable youngster at 31. Luckily he plays with enough experience to allow him to move from outside to inside linebacker for the Jets in Buffalo today. With David Harris out due to a groin injury, Bowens could be coach Eric Mangini's option to replace him. Bowens hasn't started at all this season, but has recorded 12 tackles and three sacks when he has been on the field on defense and special teams. "I think his strength, or a really significant strength, is his intelligence," Mangini said. "He understands everything that's going on and he's very savvy, as well. He has that veteran savvy that he can take a defense, understand what's happening, and then be able to anticipate the changes and attack the changes. He's really what I think of when I think of the linebacker-end hybrid-type, to be able to do both and then have that awareness, that intelligence and all of those other things to take advantage of opportunities in each area." Harris will be tough to replace. He has started all seven games at the inside spot, and has 42 tackles and a sack this season. Last week, Harris sustained the groin injury in the second quarter of the 28-24 win over the Chiefs. The win in the Meadowlands made the Jets 4-3, and the team is looking to put its struggles away and play up to the level of the Bills, who are 5-2 and tied with the Patriots at the top of the AFC East. Bowens said he isn't going to get caught up in the hype. "I don't care who has what, and how many wins, who has beaten who already," Bowens said. "It's good for us to win, period - string together a couple of wins, and beat a division opponent regardless of record. Second of all, beat a team who has a winning record. You let the division and all those AFC wins and losses unfold at the end of the year, but we have to take care of ourselves first." Another strong component for the Jets has been kickoff returner and running back Leon Washington. His 37-yard punt return gave the Jets good field position on the last drive of the Chiefs game, which led to the winning touchdown. "Buffalo is playing really well right now, and I know their crowd and their fans are going to be right behind them," Washington said. "I look forward to and my teammates look forward to going into Buffalo playing in a hostile environment. It's good to see the AFC East playing so well." The Jets have been looking for a way to turn the page from the chaotic kind of wins they have gotten to a more measured offense. That means cutting down on turnovers. Favre threw three interceptions in the last game, but a win over a team having a season like Buffalo's could say a lot about the Jets' progression. But Washington cautioned against adding more pressure. "You can't base our whole season on one game," Washington said. "But at the same time we want to go out there and get a win. We know how important it is to get a win in our division because so many teams are playing well right now, so many teams are playing for the playoffs. We know how important it is, but you can't base our season on one game." Reach Jane McManus at jmcmanus@lohud.com and read her Jets Journal blog at jets.lohudblogscom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kentucky Jet Posted November 2, 2008 Author Share Posted November 2, 2008 Jets would like to turn over new leafBY ERIK BOLAND | erik.boland@newsday.com November 2, 2008 It certainly hasn't been a case of the Jets ordering one product and getting another. Coach Eric Mangini acknowledged as much this past week. "I don't think that he's become anybody besides who he's been, and as I've stressed in the past, sometimes there's tremendous upsides and sometimes there's some plays that you want to have back," Mangini said of quarterback Brett Favre. "But it's all trying to find the balance between the two and make sure that you're maximizing the upside and trying to minimize the downside." The overriding topic of the week as the Jets (4-3) prepare for today's road game against the Bills, who are tied with the Patriots for the AFC East lead at 5-2, has been Favre's soaring interception total. His three picks in last Sunday's 28-24 victory over the Chiefs gave him seven in the last three games and 11 for the season, which ties him with the recently benched J.T. O'Sullivan of the 49ers for the most in the NFL. Even Bills second-year quarterback Trent Edwards was surprised at the total and laughed when asked what the reaction of Buffalo coaches and fans would be if he threw seven picks in three games. "Me, with where I'm at in my career, I'm pretty sure that would be a pretty bad thing," said Edwards, a self-described "huge" fan of Favre. "I'm sure the media would be all over me, I'd be trying to find excuses and I'm sure there'd be some questions as to whether or not I should continue to be playing this position." The suggestion, of course, hasn't been for Favre to be benched, just that he take care of the ball. On Tuesday, when Mangini met with Favre, he stressed the importance of avoiding unnecessary risks. "Believe me, I'm well aware of what is expected of me, how important it is to take care of the ball," Favre said. But he also suggested he's not going to change who he is. "Being 30-for-30 for a hundred yards is not very good," Favre said. "Points are the most important thing." Lost in the talk of Favre's turnovers has been the fact that the defense hasn't caused its share. The Jets are a minus-8 in turnover margin the last three games against the Bengals, Raiders and Chiefs, having forced only one turnover from three teams with a combined 3-19 record. "The last three weeks we haven't had a lot of turnovers," cornerback Darrelle Revis said. "This week [in practice] we got back into that. Coach has stressed it a lot." It has been an odd week of discourse, given that the Jets have been treated as if they've lost three straight even though they've won two of three and sit one game out of first place. "The whole NFL is crazy right now, especially in the AFC," safety Kerry Rhodes said. "You have a lot of teams in the mix where if they get on a roll, they can take over this division and be in pretty good shape. So we're in that mix and we have a chance to do it. As bad as everyone thinks we're playing right now, we're still in the mix." ABOUT THE BILLS (5-2) Coach: Dick Jauron (third season, 19-20) Last week: lost at Miami, 25-16 The skinny: After starting the season 4-0, the Bills have lost two of three to the Dolphins and Cardinals, teams the Jets already have beaten. Getting RB Marshawn Lynch (450 yards and a 3.7 average) going consistently has been a major topic of discussion in Buffalo, though he does lead the team with six TDs. Trent Edwards' primary target is the immensely talented Lee Evans, who has 31 receptions for 637 yards (20.5 yards per catch) and three TDs. Defensively, the Bills are solid, ranked 11th in the NFL. They're 13th against the pass (203.0 ypg) and 13th against the rush (99.3). DE Aaron Schobel was declared out for today with a foot injury, which is good news for the Jets, as Schobel's 53 sacks since 2003 is the highest total in the AFC. The secondary is banged up as well and had a bad day last week at Miami against Chad Pennington. INJURY REPORT JETS - Out: K Mike Nugent (thigh), S Eric Smith (concussion). Doubtful: TE Bubba Franks (hip), LB David Harris (groin). Questionable: TE Chris Baker (hip), LB Cody Spencer (shoulder). Probable: WR Laveranues Coles (thigh), WR Jerricho Cotchery (shoulder). BILLS - Out: G Brad Butler (knee), WR Josh Reed (ankle), DE Aaron Schobel (foot). Probable: QB Trent Edwards (ankle), S John Wendling (ankle), G Jason Whittle (thigh), CB Ashton Youboty (foot). MEET THE ENEMY TRENT EDWARDS, QB The second-year quarterback out of Stanford made his first career start against the Jets Sept. 30, 2007, and led the Bills to a 17-14 victory, going 22-for-28 for 234 yards with one touchdown and one interception. He was less effective in the rematch Oct. 28, as he got injured in the second half after going 14-for-21 for 130 yards and an interception. The Bills still won, 13-3. Edwards isn't a bomber, but he is efficient. This season he's 127-for-187 (67.9 percent) for 1,436 yards with five touchdowns and three interceptions, with a long of 49 yards. He has not received great protection this season as he's been sacked 13 times. He also suffered a concussion the third play of the game in a loss to Arizona Oct. 5. NFL GAMEDAY JETS AT BUFFALO, 1 p.m. TV: Ch. 2 Radio: WEPN (1050) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kentucky Jet Posted November 2, 2008 Author Share Posted November 2, 2008 Mangini's fate rests on next five games Sunday, November 2, 2008 By IAN O'CONNOR RECORD COLUMNIST Eric Mangini is more confident than his wallflower voice in news conferences might suggest. In the wake of a 4-12 season, he had enough faith in his game-planning ability to buy himself a $4 million Morris County home. The last Jets' coach who went 4-12, Herman Edwards, was shipped off to Kansas City for a fourth-round pick that would be used to take Leon Washington. Mangini doesn't believe his employer would trade him. He wouldn't have bought a six-bedroom Colonial near the team's new facility if he did. But to date, Mangini has proved only that he's an 18-21 NFL head coach, and a guy who appears to have benefited a lot more from his former boss, Bill Belichick, than Belichick ever benefited from him. So today in Orchard Park, N.Y., Mangini will begin the biggest month of his professional life. His five games in November include road dates with the Bills, the Patriots and the league's last unbeaten team, the Titans. The Jets will host the improved Rams and the division-leading Broncos. Mangini needs to go 4-1 this month, 3-2 at the worst. Anything short of that, and the Jets will be all but out of the playoff race in a Brett Favre season that likely will go down as one-and-done. You can't see Favre coming back if this is all there is, can you? You don't imagine him signing up for another 16 games of cruel and unusual punishment if he thinks his coach's playbook reads like the Greek alphabet, do you? Mangini has to repair the disconnect between his philosophy and Favre's – assuming Favre has one — and it will take more than a cute line about blackjack to get it done. "Don't hit on 20, you know what I mean?" Mangini said last week. "Sometimes it's OK to stay and see what the dealer has." In response, Favre joked that he's not much of a gambler, that he scares other blackjack players away from the table because they realize "that guy takes hits on everything." The old quarterback has a refreshing sense of humor. Even when he was fed to the Lions over the inside Packers information he gave Detroit, Favre was able to weather the storm with relative ease. But during the first real grilling on his quarterback sneak, at a news conference held 11 days back, Favre's most telling confession was lost in all the noise surrounding his Green Bay betrayal. "Learning this Jets' game plan has been difficult," he said that morning. More difficult than he fathomed when Mangini promised to name his son-to-be after Favre if the quarterback accepted a trade to the Jets. Zack Brett Mangini was born on Favre's birthday, Oct. 10. At the time, Favre was coming off his best performance as a Jet, a six-touchdown blitzing of the Cardinals that had everyone believing he was finally at peace with Mangini's Xs and Os. Only Favre has been an unruly interception machine ever since. He nearly handed Edwards' lousy Chiefs an upset victory in Giants Stadium, adding three degrees of urgency to his most recent weekly meeting with his coach. "You're not trying to reel him in and trying to coach him out of being a good player," Mangini said. "You're just trying to reinforce that everything needs to be a calculated risk." At 39, Favre isn't the all-time league leader with 457 touchdown passes and 299 interceptions for nothing. His idea of a calculated risk would be heaving one up for grabs with his left arm rather than his right. "I don't think that he's become anybody besides who he's been," Mangini said. In other words, Favre's been exactly what Mangini thought he was getting – an untamed colt bent on taking the Jets for their wildest ride. It's the coach's job to identify Favre's strength and play to it, as the quarterback is the yield of the biggest trade in franchise history. Time is already running low. Favre might not return next year, and the Jets didn't spend more than $140 million in free agent money in the off-season to go 8-8. With Tom Brady gone, the division is wide open. With Peyton Manning down, the conference is wide open, too. A victory over the Bills, Favre said, "would do a lot for our psyche, character and things like that, but I don't know about put us over the hump." This could be the Jets' biggest game in Orchard Park since Bill Parcells clinched the franchise's first AFC East title there in 1998, the year his team also won at New England and at Miami and ended up one half away from the Super Bowl in Denver. "All the factors that go into winning and losing," Favre said, "are magnified that much more when you play away." Mangini is 2-9 in road games since the start of last year. If he doesn't start reversing the trend today, his career might take a turn he never believed it would take. Favre remains heavily favored to be the first Jet out the door. But over these five games in November, Mangini will determine if he'll be among the guys right behind him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kentucky Jet Posted November 2, 2008 Author Share Posted November 2, 2008 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Buffalo Bills Scouting Report Sal Maiorana Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kentucky Jet Posted November 2, 2008 Author Share Posted November 2, 2008 Jets need to cash in with Brett Favre & free agents against Bills BY RICH CIMINI DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER Saturday, November 1st 2008, 11:40 PM ORCHARD PARK — This is a money game. When the Jets were writing big checks last offseason, buying all that free-agent talent, it was for two reasons: To put those players in a game like this. To win a game like this. They haven't won too many big games in the Eric Mangini era — they're only 3-9 against opponents with winning records — but the Jets can do wonders for their season and their psyche Sunday against the Bills (5-2), the darlings in the Tom Brady-less AFC East. JETS ESCAPE WITH LATE TD To a man, the Jets recognize the stakes — a possible share of first place — and they're not minimizing the big-picture view: It's time to deliver some bang for the buck. "We're a team that has been talked about, supposedly full of potential — all the big free-agent signings, Brett Favre, the additions on defense," guard Brandon Moore said. "These are the kind of games you brought those people in for. It's why they're here, to win these games." PHOTO GALLERY: JOE'S LEADING LADIES Woody Johnson's payroll this season is a team-record $118 million, according to a yet-to-be released report compiled by the NFL Players' Association. The Jets are ranked ninth in the league (a climb from 18th in 2007), trailing the top-spending Raiders by $27 million — roughly the equivalent of two Favres. Or a lot of primo PSLs. The Jets are 4-3, having won three of their last four, but the perception is they've underachieved with a roster that includes Favre, Alan Faneca, Kris Jenkins, Calvin Pace and Damien Woody — all expensive veteran acquisitions. Indeed, they've been sloppy at times and inconsistent. Only once have they outscored an opponent in back-to-back quarters (that came in the victory over the Bengals) and their turnover margin, not counting the wild win over the Cardinals, is a dreadful minus-12. The erratic play didn't cost them against the Bengals and Chiefs, but it will be difficult to win at Ralph Wilson Stadium, where the Bills are 3-0. The Bills are a resourceful team with a young quarterback that finds ways to win in the fourth quarter — save for last week's fourth-quarter meltdown against the Dolphins. Prior to that, they had won three games with late comebacks. Except for wide receiver Lee Evans, who is averaging 20.5 yards per catch, no one on the Bills is having a Pro Bowl-caliber season. But here they are, tied with the Patriots atop the division. INTERACTIVE '68 TEAM ROSTER "They play smart, they never beat themselves," said Kerry Rhodes, describing second-year quarterback Trent Edwards the same way. "They play sound football, all around." Mangini wants the same for the Jets, but his blueprint was altered with the addition of Favre. Instead of integrating him into the system, they're changing the system to fit him, no easy task on the fly. Just this past week, coordinator Brian Schottenheimer scaled back his third-down package, going with Favre-picked plays. Despite the roller coaster, Favre likes the Jets' position and the opportunity. "I think it would do a lot for us from a team standpoint," he said. "There's a feeling that a team has, like, ‘We could be pretty good.' That means more than anything. Right now, I think we're getting close to that point." Favre, coming off a three-interception game, will be under the microscope, as will the entire offense. Ditto, Schottenheimer, who can't seem to solve the Bills' defense. In the last three meetings — all losses — the Jets have scored a total of 30 points. Now he must adjust. The Bills, no longer a vanilla, Tampa-2 defense, are blitzing more often. After being outplayed by the Chiefs' Tyler Thigpen — strange, but true — Favre needs to deliver a vintage performance. He considers himself a big-game quarterback, and the stage is set. "A big game like this, you want to have veteran guys that have been through it before," Rhodes said. "Faneca's been to Super Bowls. Brett's been to Super Bowls. Even (Jenkins) went to a Super Bowl. They know how to win big games." It has been nearly two years since the Jets beat a winning team on the road, a broken record that's playing a sad song. "If we want to move into the upper echelon of the AFC, I think you'd have to win games like this one," Moore said. "It's definitely one of those games." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kentucky Jet Posted November 2, 2008 Author Share Posted November 2, 2008 AILING SECONDARY INVITING TARGET FOR FAVRE By MARK CANNIZZARO, AP November 2, 2008 ORCHARD PARK, N.Y -- The emphasis for the New York Jets all week has centered around whether coach Eric Mangini is trying to tone down Brett Favre's gambling ways, because the quarterback has thrown seven interceptions in his past three games. Nevertheless, if you look at the state of the Bills' injured secondary and what the Dolphins did to it last Sunday, fans might be inclined to think Favre is going to let it fly today. Bills starting cornerback Terrence McGee, slowed by a knee injury, was torched for 171 receiving yards by Miami WR Ted Ginn Jr. Nickel back Ashton Youboty, too, has been hobbled with a foot injury. The Dolphins' Chad Pennington (remember him?) completed 73 percent of his passes for 314 yards last week. In the past three games, the Bills have yielded an average of 257.3 passing yards and a 76.2 completion percentage. They allowed three pass plays of more than 40 yards against the Dolphins. * Jets DE Shaun Ellis is almost halfway to his career-high sack total of 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kentucky Jet Posted November 2, 2008 Author Share Posted November 2, 2008 How PSLs have turned Jets' & Giants' field of dreams into a nightmare BY GARY MYERS DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER Saturday, November 1st 2008, 11:28 PM With each passing day, it seems another sector of our wobbly economy stumbles to its knees. Mortgage companies. Global markets. City and state governments. Entire communities who hung their hopes on the empty promises of money managers. All reduced to rubble or left teetering on the edge of fiscal disaster. PREVIOUS: GIANTS & JETS SAY THEY HAD NO CHOICE ON PRICEY PSLs Yet, in the dust of all the ruin — and in the shadow of their soon-to-be-completed ivory tower — the Giants and Jets have handed down this ultimatum to their loyal fans: Bail us out — or else. And in a move that would have made P.T. Barnum proud, the two teams have sidled up to those put-upon patrons and said, "Don't worry, friends, step right up. Do we have a deal for you. It's a little something we call personal seat licenses, and, boy, are you gonna love 'em!" MONEY ON THE TABLE In theory, the Mara and Tisch families, who own the Giants, and Woody Johnson, who owns the Jets, are splitting the cost of their new $1.7 billion stadium that opens in 2010. But if you cut through all the sideshow selling points and big-top bluster, here is the Blue and Green elephant that comes tip-toeing out of the tent: Through the sale of PSLs — the prices of which range from $1,000-$25,000, with two seats garnering $200,000 in a private auction held by the Jets recently — the Giants and Jets are netting $360 million toward the cost of the new stadium construction. That, in effect, makes the fans who pony up for the PSL — and the privilege of purchasing season tickets that many have had for decades — 20% owners of the state-of-the-art football palace going up just yards away from Giants Stadium. Yet look at the deed on the new digs and you won't find Joe the Fan anywhere. So what does the fan get other than the right to buy season tickets and control the seats for the life of the stadium? Essentially, the burden of a shareholder's investment without an equity stake. The result is an emotionally charged issue for season-ticket holders, many of whom argue that they have already helped fund the new stadium through their loyal patronage and view the PSLs as little more than corporate welfare. Fans, however, do have the right to sell their PSLs for a potential profit, depending on the market. The teams, of course, say the seat licenses are necessary to cover vast cost overruns in the stadium construction and that the project could not have been completed without the PSLs. Marc Ganis, the president of Chicago-based sports business consulting firm SportsCorp Ltd., agrees. "Here's the most important reason the Jets and Giants had to issue PSLs: Because the stadium costs too damn much," says Ganis, who has been involved in the financial planning of two dozen stadiums, including the new Yankee Stadium. "It was only six years ago that we had great open-air stadiums built in New England and Philadelphia that cost a little over $300 million each. "I don't care if Woody (Johnson), Steve (Tisch) and John (Mara) get mad at me," Ganis adds, "but if they built a stadium for $1.2 billion instead of $1.7 billion, they may not have needed this." The Giants and Jets both cite unforeseen spikes in construction and material costs, coupled with faltering credit markets, for the ballooned cost of the stadium. "We're asking our fans to pay 20-25% of the cost of the building," Mara said. "After all is said and done, the Giants are left with $500 million in debt. That's a hefty number to pay." None of those explanations softens the harsh reality facing people who want to continue to attend Giants and Jets home games. In addition to the PSLs, fans still have to purchase season tickets each year. For the very best seats in the lower level, each team's tickets will cost $700 per game. A majority of the seats for each team in the new stadium will be priced between $85-$160 per game. Despite all this revenue being generated through ticket/PSL sales, plans for a retractable roof — the one amenity that would have eliminated the brutal winter conditions of late-season games and most likely brought a Super Bowl to New York — were deemed too expensive. The roof would have jacked the price of the project over $2 billion. But here's some interesting news for those crying in their portfolios about the small fortune it will cost them to move from the old stadium to the new one: Mara and Johnson say it could have been worse. "I probably left a lot of money on the table," says Johnson, referring to the Jets' decision not to issue PSLs for upper-deck seats in the new place. "I know I did. I could have done more." Adds Mara: "Our financial advisers told us we were leaving a lot of money on the table." "DO YOU UNDERSTAND ECONOMICS?" Forbes Magazine recently valued the Giants at $1.178 billion, the fourth most valuable franchise in the NFL, with the Jets right behind them at $1.17 billion. Johnson, who comes from the Johnson & Johnson empire, was asked why a team worth that much money would need its fans to contribute to the financing of the stadium. "Do you understand economics?" Johnson said. "Just because something is worth a billion dollars, how does that translate when it comes to paying off debt? That doesn't answer the question how to pay the bill. "If current fans don't want to pay the price, others will step up off the waiting list," Johnson adds. "Those are fans, too. They've just never been able to purchase the ticket." While Johnson is right about the demand for season tickets — the Giants have 150,000 fans on their waiting list and the Jets' list is 13,500 fans long — there had not been much of a public outcry for a new building. "The new stadium is not being built because the fans clamored for it," Ganis said. "It's because the two teams needed premium revenues generated from club seats and suites." Giants Stadium opened 32 years ago, and even though it lacks bells, whistles and five-star restaurants, it's still considered one of the best stadiums for watching a game. But the teams have lousy leases and the revenue generated from the stadium puts them in the bottom half of the league in the biggest market in the country. Both the Jets and Giants argue that they need the new revenue streams that accompany a cutting-edge stadium in order to compete in free agency with division rivals like the Patriots, Eagles and Redskins, who all have big money-producing stadiums. Fourteen other NFL teams (see chart) have used PSLs to help pay for new stadiums. The Cowboys open a new stadium with PSLs next season. "This building makes us very strong financially, which should allow us to remain very strong on the field," Mara said. "The No. 1 thing fans want is for us to win and they will do everything in their power to help you win. The alternative was to stay here and maybe five years from now it would be very tough to compete." DID THEY REALLY NEED PSLs TO BUILD IT? Johnson and Mara's perceived goodwill aside, the total cost of the new stadium is still a staggering $1.7 billion. Where exactly is the money coming from? Let's do the math: n$300 million in loans issued to the teams from the NFL's G-3 stadium funding program. The money is repaid from the visiting share of the club seat revenue. • $360 million will come from PSLs sales. •$750 million will come from naming rights at a rate of $25 million per year over a 30-year period. •$290 million is what the Giants and Jets combined will pay. Each team will also make $50 million per year from luxury boxes compared to $5 million they each brought in at Giants Stadium. In addition, the Giants and Jets are now owners instead of tenants of a stadium, with its high-end restaurants and lucarative sponsorship deals, that will serve as an ATM spitting out millions rather than 10s and 20s. Mara said PSLs were not in the Giants presentation to the league when they applied for the G-3 loan, which was granted in December of 2006. At that time, the stadium was expected to cost closer to half of the $1.7 billion price tag it carries Sunday, due mostly to higher construction costs. "I'd really not like to have any PSL program at all," Mara said. Most Giants and Jets fans have suggested, through their outrage and protest of PSLs, that they would rather pay their current ticket prices and stay in Giants Stadium as opposed to moving to the new building and paying for the PSLs. One Giants fan, who has had season tickets since 1964 at Yankee Stadium, says that he doesn't have a problem with PSLs, per se. It's the gouging that is being attached to them. "I'm not upset about having to pay for the right to buy the tickets," he said. "I don't think $1,000 is exorbitant. But $20,000 to sit downstairs is crazy. Is it 20 times better seats? And you have to pay $700 per game on top of the PSL. People who have been in those seats now have to come up with a lot of money." The league's take on PSLs has been pretty straightforward and consistent: they work. "The reality is we're always sensitive to what our consumers, what our fans, are paying for anything associated with the NFL," says commissioner Roger Goodell. "That's obviously a factor in the minds of both the Jets and the Giants. This is new to them. They have to fully educate all the fans with respect to the positives of the PSL. It's been used very effectively in other stadium constructions around the country. We understand the initial reaction to it, but encourage our fans to understand all aspects of it so they can make a good decision going forward." After all the numbers are crunched and all the new fans who Johnson claims are clamoring to get into their PSL-padded seats in 2010 "understand all the aspects," did the Giants and Jets really need the seat licenses to build this stadium? "I can't say it would be impossible," Ganis said. "If they found ways to reduce the cost significantly, they could have. If they were willing to absorb more of the cost and have less money available for team operations, that would be another possibility." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kentucky Jet Posted November 2, 2008 Author Share Posted November 2, 2008 MANGINI'S MEN NEED TO RAISE BAR IN BUFFALO By MARK CANNIZZARO November 2, 2008 ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. - Signature wins - statement victories - have been few and far between since coach Eric Mangini arrived as the New York Jets coach before the 2006 season. Today's game against the AFC East-leading 5-2 Bills at Ralph Wilson Stadium represents one of those games, one that, if won, can propel the Jets to big things this season or, if lost, leave them at a confusing crossroads at the midway point of the season. The Jets, 4-3 and coming off a three-game stretch against the dregs of the league (Cincinnati, Oakland and Kansas City) during which they won twice, need to win today to prove they're true contenders. The Jets have a 3-9 record against teams with winning records under Mangini in his 21/2-year tenure. Their last road win of significance came against the Patriots in 2006. Mangini's mantra consistently has been that no one game is more important than another. His players, though, know that's not really true. "We definitely need this game," linebacker Calvin Pace said. "Everyone's honing in and getting their mindset ready for our best performance yet." "This is a big test for us," right guard Brandon Moore said. "We need to play well in games like this to be considered one of the top teams in the AFC. These are the kinds of games we have to play well in and win. [The Bills] are 5-2, leading the division (tied with the Patriots), and obviously we haven't been very good against winning teams like this." Safety Kerry Rhodes said the Bills "are the team to be right now." "We've been put under the microscope the last three games, expected to win big, and we haven't done it yet. So this is a chance to be in a little bit of [an] underdog role," Rhodes said. "It would mean a lot to go up there and beat a team with a winning record; to get a win would be huge for us," defensive end Shaun Ellis said. Here's how The Post sees the game unfolding: BEST BATTLE Jets CB Darrelle Revis vs. Bills WR Lee Evans. Evans, who has had big games against the Jets, leads the Bills with 31 catches, a gaudy 20.5-yard average and three TDs. Evans has averaged 102 receiving yards per game in his past four games against the Jets. Revis, who draws the opponent's top wide receiver every week, leads the Jets with three interceptions. HOME SWEET HOME The Bills, 3-0 at home this season, have beaten the Jets in four of the past five meetings in Buffalo. ISN'T THAT SPECIAL? Special teams could be a huge, game-swinging factor in this game. The Bills have a very good unit, starting with punt returner Roscoe Parrish, who puts a lot of pressure on coverage teams. He is averaging 13.2 yards per return and has taken one back 63 yards for a touchdown. The Bills' kickoff coverage team allows just 21.8 yards per return and could hamper Leon Washington, who averages 27.6 yards per return. Washington, too, averages 13 yards per punt return. TURN THE TIDE The last turnover the Jets defense forced came three games ago on Oct 12. It was in the middle of the second quarter against the Bengals. The Jets are minus-6 for the season - minus-8 in the past three games. Take away the Arizona game, in which the Jets were plus-6 in turnover ratio, and they are an alarming minus-12 this season. They have been adding emphasis to ball security on offense and forcing turnovers on defense in practice. SACK OF SACKS The Jets' best chance today will be getting pressure on Bills QB Trent Edwards, who is not mistake-prone (he has thrown just three interceptions). The Jets have 24 sacks this season, third in the NFL behind just the Giants and Steelers. Jets DE Shaun Ellis has six sacks in seven games. RUNNING ON FULL The Jets need to get RB Thomas Jones (532 rushing yards) back into a rhythm, something that might be tough to do with Bills DT Marcus Stroud clogging the middle. Look for the Jets to use a lot of misdirection with both fake and actual end-arounds and reverses to offset an aggressive, pursuing Bills defense. Look, too, for the Jets to try to get Washington the ball in space. NUMBER TO KNOW: 30. That's the total number of points the Jets have scored on the Bills in the past three meetings. JETS FACT Mangini is 1-3 against Buffalo, and Bills coach Dick Jauron is 4-2 against the Jets. FOE FACT Edwards has never lost to the Jets. He's 2-0, including a win in his first NFL start last season. mark.cannizzaro@nypost.com CANNIZZARO'S CALL The Bills always are murder on the Jets, particularly in Buffalo. Look for the Jets to make one more mistake than the Bills, who are the more efficient team. BILLS 23, JETS 17 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kentucky Jet Posted November 2, 2008 Author Share Posted November 2, 2008 Kerry Rhodes' road to turnovers has hit an impasse BY RICH CIMINI DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER Sunday, November 2nd 2008, 12:00 AM ORCHARD PARK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kentucky Jet Posted November 2, 2008 Author Share Posted November 2, 2008 Buffalo Bills will be looking the Jets right in the nose Bills Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kentucky Jet Posted November 2, 2008 Author Share Posted November 2, 2008 Jets glad to see Ihedigbo get his shot By Dennis Waszak Jr. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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