Gameday NY Jets articles 11/23/08- GO JETS!

[Kentucky Jet]

Jets Will Be the First Real Test for the Titans

By Angel Navedo on November 22nd, 2008

The last time the New York Jets faced the Tennessee Titans, the youngest head coach in the league, Eric Mangini was leading a 4-12 team he adopted to Nashville for Week One of the 2006 season.

He had Chad Pennington at quarterback

[Kentucky Jet]

Jets

[Kentucky Jet]

Titans game at a glance

! TITANS (10-0) VS. JETS (7-3)

>> When: Noon today at LP Field >> TV: WTVF-5 >> Radio: 103.3-FM >> Line: Titans by 5 1/2

>> Last week: Titans beat Jaguars 24-14; Jets beat Patriots 34-31 in overtime

AT STAKE

TITANS: A chance to run their record to 11-0 and take another step toward clinching the AFC South title and a playoff spot in November.

JETS: A four-game winning streak is on the line, along with any hope of wrestling home-field advantage in the playoffs away from the Titans.

KEY MATCHUPS

Titans DT Albert Haynesworth vs. Jets LG Alan Faneca

Haynesworth has been disruptive all season, and his performance today will go a long way in determining the outcome. If he can blow things up in the middle it would put Brett Favre on the edge and impact the Jets' ability to run effectively. Faneca has allowed five sacks this season.

Titans C Kevin Mawae

vs. Jets NT Kris Jenkins

The monster-sized Jenkins (6-4, 349) will do everything he can to mess up plays before they get started. He has 3.5 sacks but usually makes his biggest impact by occupying several blockers, allowing teammates to make tackles.

TITANS WIN IF ...

Quarterback Kerry Collins

continues to limit his mistakes while making plays in the passing game, and the running game has success. On defense, the Titans need to force Favre into making mistakes.

JETS WIN IF ...

JETS WIN IF ...

Favre stays hot and the potent running game gets cranked up. Defensively the Jets need to keep playing the run well and will need to do a better job against the pass.

HOT

TITANS: Quarterback Kerry Collins has five touchdown passes in the past two games and is coming off his first

three-TD game since 2005.

JETS: Quarterback Brett Favre has completed 76.9 percent of his passes for 425 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions in his past two games.

NOT

TITANS: Kickoff coverage. The Titans are ranked 31st in the NFL and are coming off a shaky game.

JETS: Pass defense. The Jets gave up 400 yards last week to Patriots QB Matt Cassel.

INJURIES

TITANS: CB Eric King (forearm), CB Reynaldo Hill (hip) and DT Jason Jones (foot) are out. DE William Hayes (knee) and DE Kyle Vanden Bosch (groin) are questionable. LB Keith Bulluck (chest), RB Quinton Ganther (hamstring), RB LenDale White (calf), WR Paul Williams (ankle) and DE Jevon Kease (knee) are probable.

JETS: LB David Harris (groin) and S Eric Smith (head) are out. LB Jason Trusnik (knee) and TE Bubba Franks (hip) are questionable. WR Laveranues Coles (thigh), K Mike Nugent (thigh), WR Jerricho Cotchery (shoulder), DL Shaun Ellis (shoulder), WR Brad Smith (shoulder) and LB Cody Spencer (shoulder) are probable.

NUMBERS GAME

>> Brett Favre's teams are 96-8 when he posts a 100-plus passer rating.

>> Jets RB Thomas Jones has back-to-back 100-yard games.

>> In his only meeting with the Titans, Jets WR Laveranues Coles had eight receptions for 153 yards.

>> In two career games against the Titans, Jets WR Jerricho Cotchery averaged 108.5 yards.

>> The Jets have 34 sacks, third-most in the NFL.

>> Since 2001, the Jets lead the NFL with 11 kickoff returns for TDs.

>> Dating to Dec. 16, 2007, the Titans have won 13 consecutive regular-season games, the NFL's longest current streak.

>> Since 2007, the Titans are 17-3 when posting 30-plus rushing attempts.

>> Titans tight end Bo Scaife needs three catches to surpass his career high for a season (46 in '07).

>> Since 2006 the Titans are 16-2 when they record two interceptions.

>> Titans defensive end Dave Ball is aiming for a fourth consecutive game with at least a half-sack.

>> Titans kicker Rob Bironas needs two field goals to reach 100 for his career.

THE EDGE

QUARTERBACK: JETS

Brett Favre remains one of the best of the business, and when he's on, his team is tough to beat. Kerry Collins has been hot of late and is the perfect guy to lead the Titans down the stretch.

RUNNING BACK: JETS

Thomas Jones leads the AFC with 854 rushing yards and has scored nine touchdowns. Tennessee's rushing tandem of Chris Johnson and LenDale White hasn't been quite as effective of late.

RECEIVER/TIGHT END: JETS

Laveranues Coles and Jerricho Cotchery are dangerous playmakers. The Titans' receivers have played better lately but will have to keep proving themselves.

OFFENSIVE LINE: EVEN

The Titans have allowed only six sacks. It's also tough to find a weakness on New York's line, which has paved the way for the AFC's top rushing attack.

DEFENSIVE LINE: EVEN

The return of defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch should only help the Titans. Like Albert Haynesworth, Jets nose tackle Kris Jenkins is a force. End Shaun Ellis is a playmaker.

LINEBACKER: TITANS

MLB Stephen Tulloch is coming off one of his best games, and is solid between David Thornton and Keith Bulluck. Inside linebacker Eric Barton is a tackling machine for the Jets.

SECONDARY: TITANS

The Titans have 15 interceptions and Cortland Finnegan is one of the league's best cornerbacks. Cornerback Darrelle Revis is a player, but the Jets are vulnerable on the back end.

SPECIAL TEAMS: TITANS

Jets return man Leon Washington is dangerous, but Titans return man Chris Carr is consistent as well. In the kicking game, the Titans have dependability in Rob Bironas and Craig Hentrich.

COACHING: TITANS

It's tough to argue with the success the Titans have had, and a good deal of credit goes to the coaching staff. Defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz has to find a way to frustrate Favre.

INTANGIBLES: TITANS

After two weeks on the road, the Titans will get a boost from the LP Field crowd. The Jets are 3-2 on the road and are suddenly playing with a lot of confidence.

PREDICTION:

Titans 27, Jets 23

THE BASICS

JETS' LAST GAME

>> WHEN: Nov. 13 >> WHERE: New England

>> RESULT: Jets 34, Patriots 31 (OT)

>> RECAP: The Jets won their fourth straight game as quarterback Brett Favre completed 26 of 33 passes for 258 yards and two touchdowns. The Jets built a 24-6 lead by the second quarter, but it took a 34-yard field goal by Jay Feely in overtime to win it. Running back Thomas Jones ran for 104 yards and a touchdown.

>> STAT OF NOTE: Leon Washington's 92-yard kickoff return for a touchdown vaulted him to No. 2 in the NFL in kickoff return average. He had 177 yards worth of return yards against the Patriots.

TEAM COMPARISON With NFL ranking

CATEGORY TITANS (RANK) JETS (RANK)

Total offense 316.3 (20th) 336.5 (12th)

Rush offense 132.7 (7th) 125.1 (9th)

Pass offense 183.6 (25th) 211.4 (13th)

Points per game 24.4 (9th) 28.9 (2nd)

Total defense 281.8 (6th) 321.0 (15th)

Run defense 95.1 (10th) 81.3 (4th)

Pass defense 186.7 (6th) 239.7 (28th)

Points allowed 13.1 (1st) 22.1 (15th-tie)

[Kentucky Jet]

SERBY'S SUNDAY Q&A WITH...DUSTIN KELLER

STEVE SERBY

The Jet's Dustin Keller.

Posted: 4:18 am

November 23, 2008

The Post's Steve Serby sat down with the Jets' rookie tight end from Purdue who quickly is becoming one of Brett Favre's favorite targets.

Q: Brett Favre's practical jokes?

A: You know the little blowhorns? He'll be dead serious, installing plays, just talking about, "Dustin, you have to do this, Laveranues, Jerricho . . . you have to do this" . . . just in the middle of this very serious meeting, all you hear is TOOOOOOOOOOT - just loud as can be. And you just look over and you see Favre with the biggest smile on his face, just cracking up, like, "I scared the hell out of you guys, didn't I?" He just carried it in his pocket.

Q: How often does he set that off?

A: Ever since he got the reaction that he wanted. He's been doing that pretty often, so somebody's gonna have to confiscate that from him (smiles).

Q: How would you describe Brett Favre?

A: The coolest guy. In the huddle he's cool, calm, collected. Off the field, even sometimes on the field, he's absolutely hilarious, always making jokes, keeping everybody loose. You couldn't have a better guy in your locker room.

Q: Can he take this team to a Super Bowl?

A: Anything's possible with Brett. Our possibilities are limitless.

Q: Have you dreamed about catching a pass in the Super Bowl?

A: I have, I have . . . In my dream, it's always been a real long play, something I catch and have to run maybe 30, 40 yards after I catch the ball, and just everything after the catch is like in slow motion.

Q: Tight ends you've studied over the summer?

A: Tony Gonzalez; Dallas Clark.

Q: You've been compared with Clark.

A: I really don't like to compare myself to other tight ends. I feel like I'm my own individual player. I just feel like any time the ball's in the air that I'm gonna be the one that comes down with it.

Q: Trash talk?

A: I don't do it until somebody else trash talks to me. As soon as somebody says something to me, I'm on that guy the rest of the game. If I make a catch and he's the one that was guarding me, I'm gonna let him know I made the catch and he's the one that was guarding me.

Q: Your childhood friend, Carl Abrons?

A: First met him when I was in middle school. Every sport I was in, he was in, so we were with each other every single day. Freshman year, football season, his back started hurting him, (so he) went and got it checked out (and found) it was cancerous. In time, that kinda ate away at him, and he passed away by his sophomore year. He was so young, and just for somebody to be taken away at such a young age, especially me being with him every single day, and then one day he's just not here anymore. . . . It's just something that's really hard to deal with. A lot of times, I always think about if he was still around, what he'd be doing. I thank God every day for me just being here.

Q: Growing up with four brothers?

A: It was rough. I had two older brothers, so I was always taking beatings left and right, then I had two younger brothers, they were twins, so I got to get in my fair share (smiles).

Q: Your father passed away when you were 13.

A: It was a hard thing, especially that age when I was just getting involved in really competitive sports, and he's the first one who put the basketball in my hand.

Q: Describe your mom.

A: She's a very strong woman. You have to be to raise five boys by yourself. She was working a couple of jobs fulltime and going to school at the same time, so I don't know how she prioritized that. She's the reason why I'm able to do what I do today.

Q: Did she go to your games at Purdue?

A: She never missed a game at Purdue.

Q: Did it bother you not being heavily recruited out of high school?

A: To a point it did, but looking back on it, that just kinda gave me a drive, a little fire, to kinda prove people wrong. Actually, when I first committed coming out of high school, I committed to Toledo, and then a couple of days before signing day, I was offered a scholarship by Purdue. So I de-committed from Toledo, which was the hardest thing I ever did. I actually got an anonymous letter from somebody saying, "What are you doing? You could have gone to Toledo, been a star, now you're gonna be at Purdue, you're gonna sit on the bench for four years, and you might get cleanup duty your fifth year."

Q: Your mother actually got the letter and didn't show it to you that redshirt freshman year at Purdue.

A: That just made me work that much harder. So if that guy gets to see this today, I would like to thank him for the motivation (smiles).

Q: What drives you?

A: If people doubt me, I just want to prove people wrong. Also, I want not only to live up to people's expectations, but I want to surpass 'em.

Q: Your involvement with autism?

A: I'm gonna donate $100 for every touchdown scored by the Jets this season toward autism research.

Q: My sources tell me you're very ****y when it comes to your pingpong.

A: Your sources might be right (smiles). I'm very confident in my pingpong abilities.

Q: You live in Morristown, N.J., with your brother Drew. Who cooks?

A: He does. I'm not much of a cook.

Q: Your ideal mate?

A: Taller . . . athletic build . . . great person, real nice . . . just a real good people person. I like to think somebody similar to me (who) just loves to be around people.

Q: Boyhood idol?

A: Jerry Rice; Michael Jordan; Kobe Bryant; Shannon Sharpe.

Q: Favorite movie?

A: "Blow."

Q: Favorite actor?

A: Denzel Washington.

Q: Favorite actress?

A: Halle Berry.

Q: Favorite meal?

A: Whatever I get at Peter Luger's in Brooklyn.

Q: Three dinner guests?

A: Kobe Bryant; Martin Luther King; Barack Obama.

Q: Your legacy with Jets fans?

A: They moved into the first round to get me. . . . Great pick, great player, and (he gave) us many years and brought us rings.

[Kentucky Jet]

4-GET THE FUTURE & ENJOY THE RIDE

NY Jets' Brett Favre.

Posted: 4:18 am

November 23, 2008

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Every few weeks, there is a question for Brett Favre about whether this will be his first and last season with the JetsNew York Jets . It has become a rite of autumn around here, the way it was a rite of winter for the past several years in Green Bay.

It is an exercise in futility, because the football world and probably a good part of the free world knows by now that Favre doesn't know, and won't know until months after the season ends, and even when he thinks he knows, he doesn't ever really know.

But the main reason all the Brett-Are-You-Coming Back? questions should end once and for all is we should all do what the 39-year-old quarterback is doing, and that is concentrate on the season that is unfolding in front of us, a season that suddenly has a chance to be magical, one year after the Super Bowl XLII Giants.

We should all sit back and enjoy the ride Favre is beginning to give us, a ride that started off as gut-wrenching as the Coney Island Cyclone and appears on its way to exhilarating by the time it stops, whenever that may be.

Favre beat the Patriots in Foxborough. Favre beat Bill Belichick in overtime. The Jets season New York dreamed about when he showed up doesn't end there. It begins there.

A year ago, the Jets were the football Titanic. Today in Nashville, they can announce themselves as titans by beating the 10-0 Titans.

Favre cannot do this by himself at this age any more than he ever did it by himself when he won his Super Bowl 12 seasons ago. Kris Jenkins, the Jets' Albert Haynesworth, is the best defensive lineman the Jets have had since Joe Klecko. Calvin Pace gets after the quarterback. Kick returner Leon WashingtonLeon Washington gets Favre the best possible field position. Alan Faneca and Damien Woody have added toughness and experience to the offensive line. Thomas JonesThomas Jones is running young again. Dustin Keller is becoming Favre's Dallas Clark. No one dares throw on Darrelle Revis. Kerry Rhodes is on the brink of stardom.

But make no mistake: Favre is the straw that stirs the drink.

He stirs it with his Everyman persona, the boy forever inside him, refusing to leave, wherever he is, whatever he is doing. He stirs it with how much he cares about his teammates. He stirs it with his unyielding will to win, even now.

Here's what Favre has now been able to do: He has made his teammates believe. Especially his receivers. Believe they can do something impossible like David Tyree did in the Super Bowl. He makes all his teammates believe they will find a way to win in the fourth quarter, or in overtime, come hell or Bill Belichick.

A lot can happen from here to January. Favre's body may yet remind him no one gets to remain forever young. He may revert to throwing those reckless interceptions.

But for now, give the geezer credit. The heat has been hot here, but Favre never thought about getting out of the kitchen. There was that embarrassing meet-the-press grilling over whether he had surrendered Packers state secrets to then-Lions general manager Matt Millen and very possibly coaches eavesdropping before his former team's 48-25 victory. There was all the commotion over having to learn a new offense and reaching common philosophical ground with coach Eric Mangini and offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer. This has been a very public trial by error for him, under the unforgiving, blinding New York microscope, and Favre has never blinked.

There never was any danger he would tarnish his Hall of Fame legacy, at least in the eyes of the majority. But he risked the worst kind of ending, in the worst possible place for it to end the way it ended for Willie Mays in his twilight. He risked the ridicule of a town without pity.

Look at him now. Not Messier just yet. Not the Messiah just yet. But maybe. Maybe one of our New York Titans.

steve.serby@nypost.com

[Kentucky Jet]

RESURGENT JONES LAYS IT ON THE LINE

By BRIAN COSTELLO

Posted: 4:18 am

November 23, 2008

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Thomas Jones knows what it looks like.

A year ago, the New York Jets running back reached the end zone one time. This year? Nine times and counting. So the easy assumption is Jones must have made an adjustment. He must be doing something this year he didn't in his first year with the Jets.

"I'm doing the exact same thing I was doing last year," Jones said. "The offensive line coming in here has made a huge difference. Those guys are skilled. They know who to block. They work hard and they have experience. That's made a big difference. The fact that we're able to throw the ball and get some guys out of the box, that's helped."

No doubt the additions of Brett Favre, Alan Faneca and Damien Woody have helped, but Jones still looks more comfortable this year, and that has translated into production on the field. His 854 rushing yards lead the AFC, and he's gone over 100 yards in each of the past two weeks.

Jones and coach Eric Mangini pointed to his relationship with the offensive line benefiting him this season. He has been with D'Brickashaw Ferguson, Nick Mangold and Brandon Moore for two years now and he has clicked with veterans Woody and Faneca.

"There's a lot of conversation between those groups," Mangini said. "The more time that they can spend together and really understand what the other party is looking at, or what the other party is trying to get done, then you help each other that much more.

"Thomas can set up the blocks for the offensive line, the offensive line can anticipate what type of cut he's going to make on a certain run. When you know that, it's easier to run effectively."

Jones said the big stats he's putting up will not mean anything if he doesn't get the end result he's looking for.

"This is my ninth year in the league," he said. "I'm playing this game because I want to win a Super Bowl. That's why I'm out here doing everything I can to help this team win. I've never been one of those people [who] works for individual statistics. I go out there and I play as hard as I can. I work hard during the week to make sure I'm prepared for the game and I let the chips fall where they may."

[Kentucky Jet]

GANG GREEN POISED TO TAKE DOWN TITANS

By BRIAN COSTELLO

Albert Haynesworth from the Tennessee Titans.

Posted: 4:18 am

November 23, 2008

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - After passing one road test in New England, the 7-3 Jets get another one today in Nashville against 10-0 Tennessee. The Titans have won 13 straight, and if these two teams continue playing the way they have, this could be an AFC playoff preview.

The Jets and Titans have strong running games and defenses that thrive on shutting down the run, creating an interesting matchup. The schedule eases up a bit for the Jets after this one, and a victory today would provide huge momentum entering the final stretch.

"Every week, man, it's come down to playing great team after great team," linebacker Calvin Pace said. "It's a measuring stick for us. We've just got to go out there and step up to their level and set the tempo."

A look inside the game:

BEST BATTLE

Titans DT Albert Haynesworth vs. Jets G Alan Faneca: Haynesworth might be the AFC Defensive Player of the Year. He has seven sacks and 39 tackles, and is a disruptive force in the middle. The Jets signed Faneca to a four-year deal last winter for matchups like this.

Faneca will get help against Haynesworth, but the veteran lineman will be head-to-head with the Titans' beast most of the day - something he knows will be a challenge.

"He's quick, explosive and at the same time he's a really strong, powerful guy," Faneca said. "Any time you've got a guy that's got both of those assets, you have to honor them both. It's not just some big guy you can just blow off the ball. You have to be ready for the quick move and the swim move, and it makes your job a little bit more difficult when you have to honor those two things."

GRAY BEARDS

Jets QB Brett Favre and Titans QB Kerry Collins met in the 1996 NFC Championship game, so these two guys have been around for a while. Both have performed extremely well in the past few weeks.

Favre led the Jets down the field twice at the end of the victory over the Patriots, and Collins brought the Titans back in the second half against the Jaguars last week with three second-half touchdown passes.

"They're not asking him to do as much, but when called upon, he's played extremely well," Favre said. "It's a little bit different than our situation here. They're asking me, maybe, to do a little bit more, but it can be done. It's being done now. It's been done in the past, and it will continue in years to come with other guys. Sometimes, you kind of find your place when you're 35. Who knows? It may not be with the team you were drafted by. Strange things have happened."

Favre, 39, and Collins, 35, both face strong defenses, and it will be up to them to protect the ball, then make the big play late if it's a close game.

PRESSURE COOKER

Collins never has been very mobile. The Titans have done a great job protecting him, allowing a league-low six sacks. The Jets' front seven has to get to him in this game.

Patriots QB Matt Cassel barely was touched by the Jets and was able to scramble out of the pocket and run for 62 yards. Coach Eric Mangini has emphasized this week that the front seven must stay in the passing lanes and not let the quarterback break free.

Even a slow-footed QB such as Collins will gain yards if he has nothing but open space in front of him.

"Some of those runs Cassel had kept drives alive," linebacker Bryan Thomas said. "Those things can hurt you. That's just basically adding an extra threat to their team. The defensive back is covering the pass so well, then the quarterback, you let him out, he scrambles and keeps the drive alive."

FEELING SPECIAL

Special teams will play a role in this game. The Titans have strengths in kicker Rob Bironas and punter Craig Hentrich, and the Jets have their own special weapon in Leon Washington, who could have some fun today. The Titans are 31st in the NFL in kickoff coverage. Washington can change a game with a long return. Expect more than one long one today, and maybe even another score.

FOE FACT

There have been 99 different men hired to coach NFL teams since Jeff Fisher took the Oilers/Titans job in 1994.

brian.costello@nypost.com

[Kentucky Jet]

Jets hope to become perfect foils against Titans

By Jane McManus

The Journal News

[Kentucky Jet]

Scouting the Jets and Titans

Key names

Brett Favre: At this point in the experiment that began Aug. 7, the Jets' quarterback has delivered. Favre hasn't had an interception in two games after throwing seven in a three-game stretch in Weeks 7-9. In the last two games, his passer rating has been 117.7 and 119.4, a dramatic improvement from the wild swings he exhibited earlier this season. Favre's line so far: 220 completions in 315 attempts for 2,237 yards with 18 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. He is playing more conservatively, but he didn't hesitate to throw a 46-yard pass to Jerricho Cotchery against New England in the Jets' most recent game.

Kerry Collins: He's not quite Favre's age, but Collins went through his share of teams before finding a spot with Tennessee. He is third among active quarterbacks with 36,472 passing yards; only Favre and Peyton Manning have more. Last week in a come-from-behind win at Jacksonville, Collins hit on 13 of 23 passes for 230 yards and three touchdowns, with an interception the only blemish. Collins, who replaced Vince Young as the starter in Week 2, has eight touchdowns and four interceptions.

Kevin Mawae: Tennessee's center and team captain played with the Jets for eight seasons starting in 1999 and was named to six Pro Bowl teams while with them. With LenDale White rushing for more than 1,000 yards last season, Mawae has blocked for a 1,000-yard rusher in 11 of his 14 NFL seasons. (Curtis Martin rushed for 1,000 yards six times as a Jet.) This year the offensive line Mawae anchors has given up only six sacks, and it opened holes for rushers to gain a franchise-record 332 yards at Kansas City. He will go nose-to-nose with Jets defensive tackle Kris Jenkins, a matchup plenty of NFL watchers can look forward to. "He's a good center, real solid, very crafty," Jenkins said. "He's been doing this for a while. He knows how to play the game, and he knows how to do little tricks to become more effective."

Key injuries

Jets: S Eric Smith (multiple concussions) and LB David Harris (groin) are out. TE Bubba Franks (hip) and LB Jason Trusnik (knee) are questionable. WR Laveranues Coles (thigh), K Mike Nugent (thigh), WR Jerricho Cotchery (shoulder), DL Shaun Ellis (shoulder), WR Brad Smith (shoulder) and LB Cody Spencer (shoulder) are probable.

Titans: CB Eric King (foot), CB Reynaldo Hill (hip) and DT Jason Jones (foot) are out. CB Nick Harper (ankle) is doubtful. DE William Hayes (knee) and DE Kyle Vanden Bosch (groin) are questionable. DE Jevon Kearse (knee), RB LenDale White (calf), WR Paul Williams (ankle), RB Quinton Gather (hamstring) and LB Keith Bulluck (chest) are probable.

Jane McManus

[Kentucky Jet]

Favre knows there's added pressure from winningBY ERIK BOLAND | erik.boland@newsday.com

November 23, 2008

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Although none of his Green Bay teams ever started 10-0, Brett Favre said he has a pretty good handle on the emotions of the unbeaten Titans, whom the 7-3 Jets take on today at LP Field.

"I know that now there's a lot of pressure on them, maybe not so much from themselves but from everyone else, to continue this," Favre said this past week. "There's a watch, an undefeated watch."

Titans coach Jeff Fisher is dismissive of the theory that says undefeated teams are better off losing a game to relieve that pressure - "Everybody is entitled to their opinions," he said Wednesday - but Favre said there is something to it.

"It's an asset in some respects, and then again, it can work against you," Favre said. "Being undefeated is such a good thing, but then all of a sudden, it's like that becomes the total focus. Obviously, Jeff has done a great job managing that team and keeping their focus on the most important thing, and that's winning games. I don't know how many games I won in a row, [but] what they're doing is outstanding."

Which is how Favre has played the last three weeks, a trend that will have to continue today if the Jets are to have a chance to pull the upset in a game players have called a "measuring stick."

The Titans have the league's top scoring defense, allowing 13.1 points per game, and lead the NFL in turnover margin at plus-10. Protecting the ball will be at even more of a premium than usual, especially for Favre as he tries to outwit a secondary that is tied for second in the league with 15 interceptions. Cornerback Cortland Finnegan and safeties Michael Griffin and Chris Hope lead the way with four INTs each.

But Favre has not played carelessly in recent weeks. He had his best all-around game as a Jet in the 34-31 overtime victory in New England Nov. 13, going 26-for-33 (a season-best 78.8 completion percentage) for 258 yards with two TDs.

It was his second straight game without an interception and he has thrown only one in his last three games. This stretch comes on the heels of games against the Bengals (Oct. 12), Raiders (Oct. 19) and Chiefs (Oct. 26) in which Favre totaled seven picks.

"I played last week like I expect to play," Favre said. "I thought I played at a high level, but that's what they brought me in here to do."

And to play in games such as today's. The Jets are collectively playing their best football of the season, having won four straight since the ugly overtime loss to the Raiders. Dominating the Bills, who were tied for first place in the AFC East at the time, in a 26-17 road victory Nov. 2 spurred a confidence in the locker room that reached a peak after the Patriots victory.

"As each game is over, you're starting to see more and more confidence from a team standpoint," Favre said. "We can be pretty good. That game, more than any game this year, probably did more for us in those respects than any game throughout the year."

There's no telling what a victory today over a team that has separated itself from the rest of the AFC would do for the locker room, and Favre didn't say.

"It seems like every week the games get bigger and bigger," he said with a smile. "That's what happens when you win - you put yourself in this position. It's a measuring stick for us to find out who we are and what we're capable of doing."

JETS AT TENNESSEE, 1 p.m. TV: Ch. 2 Radio: WEPN (1050)

ABOUT THE TITANS

Record: 10-0.

Coach: Jeff Fisher (14th season, 130-104).

The skinny: The Titans don't have much in the way of weaknesses and they're loaded with strengths, as you'd expect for an undefeated team. The Titans have a potent rushing attack that ranks seventh in the league, averaging 132.7 yards per game. It is led by LenDale White (11 TDs) and the explosive rookie Chris Johnson, who ranks second in the AFC - behind the Jets' Thomas Jones - in rushing with 787 yards. The Titans' defense is the toughest in the league to score against (13.1 ppg) and has three defensive backs - CB Cortland Finnegan and safeties Michael Griffin and Chris Hope - each with four INTs. The Titans rank first with a plus-10 turnover differential.

INJURY REPORT

JETS - Out: LB David Harris (groin), S Eric Smith (concussion). Questionable: TE Bubba Franks (hip), LB Jason Trusnik (knee). Probable: WR Laveranues Coles (thigh), WR Jerricho Cotchery (shoulder), DL Shaun Ellis (shoulder), K Mike Nugent (thigh), WR Brad Smith (shoulder), LB Cody Spencer (shoulder).

TITANS - Out: CB Eric King (foot), CB Reynaldo Hill (hip), DT Jason Jones (foot). Doubtful: CB Nick Harper (ankle). Questionable: DE William Hayes (knee), DE Kyle Vanden Bosch (groin). Probable: LB Keith Bulluck (chest), RB Quinton Ganther (hamstring), DE Jevon Kearse (knee), RB LenDale White (calf), WR Paul Williams (ankle).

MEET THE ENEMY

ALBERT HAYNESWORTH, DT

Any discussion of the candidates for defensive player of the year gets to the 6-6, 320-pound Haynesworth very quickly. The interior lineman made the Pro Bowl for the first time last season and has gotten better. He leads the Titans with seven sacks and is tied for the team lead with 15 quarterback pressures. He is super quick off the ball and bull-strong, a combination not yet solved by the opposition. Jets left guard Alan Faneca will have his hands full in probably the key matchup of the game.

[Kentucky Jet]

Jets can make case for Super Bowl with win over 10-0 Titans

By RICH CIMINI

DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER

Sunday, November 23rd 2008, 3:52 AM

Sipkin/News

Brett Favre leads Jets offense into Tennessee to meet perfect Titans, in latest biggest game of the season.

Sipkin/News

A win Sunday and Super Bowl talk will really heat up for Leon Washington and the Jets

NASHVILLE - The Jets have won games with Brett Favre's right arm, Leon Washington's legs and Jerricho Cotchery's hands. Another part of the team's anatomy will be tested Sunday against the undefeated Titans at LP Field:

The jaw.

Can they take a punch?

MYERS' TOP 10 POWER RANKINGS

The Titans are one of the most physical teams in the NFL, and the Jets expect a nasty, violent street fight on both sides of the ball. If this were a video game, it would be rated "M" - mature audiences only.

In recent years, the Jets got pushed around in this type of matchup, which is why they devoted their offseason to getting bigger and stronger in the trenches. Hence, the Big Four - offensive linemen Alan Faneca and Damien Woody, nose tackle Kris Jenkins and linebacker Calvin Pace.

OUR EXPERTS CALL THE SHOTS

So if the Titans want to pick a fight, that's fine by the Jets. They're ready to man up.

"If it works out that way, we're up for it," Woody said. "We like it. I like where we're at as an offensive line. I think we're one of the best units in the league. Going against a real talented front four, it'll be a good measurement to see how far we've come."

GIANTS MARCH BACK INTO ARIZONA

To beat the Titans - a victory would hatch Super Bowl dreams, no doubt - the first-place Jets will need statement games from Jenkins and Faneca, their $70 million tandem. They'll be matched against former Jets center Kevin Mawae and defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth, respectively - the Titans' offensive and defensive cogs in the trenches.

Seldom in the NFL do interior-line matchups generate this much electricity, but you're talking about four players with a combined 17 Pro Bowls on their resumes. Faneca and Mawae, a former Jet, will be worthy of Hall of Fame consideration someday, while Haynesworth and Jenkins are leading candidates for NFL Defensive Player of the Year.

The Titans (10-0) are all about running the ball and stopping the run, and they don't try to disguise their intentions with tricked-up schemes. Basically, their credo is, "Here we are. Try to stop us."

"You turn on the film and it's a brawl," guard Brandon Moore said. "They're pounding away, hitting each other, playing football the way a lot of linemen like to play. It's probably going to be one of those games."

The Jenkins-Mawae matchup should be fascinating because of their contrasting styles. The 360-pound Jenkins is big enough to cause a solar eclipse, with enough power and quickness to turn centers into hors d'oeuvres. Mawae, 37, is undersized at 289, but he's smart, quick and, some might say, dirty.

"Very crafty," said Jenkins, the main reason why the Jets are ranked fourth against the run. "He knows how to do little tricks to become more effective. A lot of people look at it like he's starting to get toward the end of his career, but he's not really playing like that."

Even in his younger days, particularly in eight seasons with the Jets, Mawae struggled against massive nose tackles. It's no secret that he's more comfortable against a 4-3 defense, which means no nose tackle in his face. This will be only the second 3-4 front the Titans have faced, which could be an advantage for the Jets.

"The challenge is getting movement on him, not letting him press the pocket in pass protection and not make the plays one-on-one," Mawae said of Jenkins, adding, "I look forward to the challenge. It's going to be tough, but we'll see."

If there's a better defensive tackle than Jenkins, it's Haynesworth, a 6-6, 320-pound destroyer. He has seven sacks and 15 quarterback pressures, ridiculous numbers for an interior lineman. He could be a problem for Faneca, who has allowed a team-high five sacks.

"Normally, you have a big guy and you can lay everything into him," Faneca said. "Now you have a big guy who's strong, with speed and quickness, and you have to honor both. That's the deadly combination."

The Jets are a resourceful team, capable of winning in different ways, but today's game likely will be decided by what scouts like to call phone-booth matchups: Opponents slugging it out in close quarters. When it's over, the Jets will know exactly where they stand.

"It won't be,

[Kentucky Jet]

JETS AT TITANS at LP Field, 1 p.m.

BY HANK GOLA

THE LINE: Titans by 5

[Kentucky Jet]

Scouting report:Jets vs. Titans Sunday, November 23, 2008

LP Field

Today, 1 o'clock

TV: Ch. 2 Radio: ESPN-AM 1050, WABC-AM 770 Line: Titans by 5 1/2

What's at stake?

Jets: A win would give the Jets a shot, albeit a long one, of wresting the No. 1 AFC seed from the Titans should they stumble down the road. Plus, knocking off an unbeaten team would add to their legitimacy and confidence, the latter of which is very high after their overtime victory at New England. They also would maintain sole possession of first place in the AFC East.

Titans: A victory enables them to keep chasing potential history as the NFL's first unbeaten team since the 1972 Miami Dolphins, a quest in which the Patriots fell just short last season. If the Titans win and Indianapolis (6-4) loses at San Diego, Tennessee would clinch at least a tie for the AFC South title with five games left.

Key matchups

Jets TE Dustin Keller vs. Titans FS Michael Griffin

Keller had eight receptions in the victory over New England, including three clutch grabs in the overtime. Brett Favre always has liked to throw to his tight ends, and the speedy rookie has the ability to get into the seams of a zone.

Jets NT Kris Jenkins vs. Titans C Kevin Mawae

Mawae, a former Jet, was unceremoniously dumped by Eric Mangini and would like nothing more than to have a big game against his old team, especially because he missed last season's meeting with an injury. But he'll have his hands full literally with Jenkins, who was somewhat neutralized last week by New England's no-huddle during the second half.

How they'll win

Jets: Favre continues to play under control, and the much-improved offensive line does a good job of protecting him against Tennessee's strong pass rush. The Jets force game manager Kerry Collins into some mistakes, and clamp down on the two-headed rushing attack of Chris Johnson and LenDale White. And, as usual, Leon Washington contributes a big play or two on special teams.

Titans: Collins again shakes off his game-manager tag by going deep, as he did with two long TD passes to WR Justin Gage last week in Tennessee's win over Jacksonville. On defense, the tough front four pressures Favre, led by DT Albert Haynesworth and DE Kyle Vanden Bosch, who is returning from a groin injury. They also limit Thomas Jones they did in last year's meeting, when he had only 58 yards rushing.

[Kentucky Jet]

Why Titan-ic battle won't go Jets' way

November 22, 2008

Welcome to Armageddon, Part II: The Jets

[Kentucky Jet]

Depleted Titans sign CB Poole, promote Harris prior to game vs. Favre, Jets

Associated Press

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Tennessee Titans bolstered their injury-depleted secondary on Saturday, signing veteran cornerback Tyrone Poole and promoting Tuff Harris from their practice squad a day before hosting Brett Favre and the New York Jets.

Cornerbacks Eric King and Reynaldo Hill were placed on injured reserve, ending their seasons.

King, a backup, broke his left forearm in last week's win at Jacksonville and had surgery on Tuesday. He wasn't going to be able to return until January at the earliest. Hill has a hip injury.

Tennessee had recently worked Poole out. The 13-year veteran had been in camp with Denver but was released in the final cuts. He was cut by Houston in 2007 and has played for Oakland, New England, Denver, Indianapolis and Carolina. He was a first-round draft pick by Carolina in 1995.

Harris was in camp this season with the Titans out of Montana, and has been on the practice squad since then.

Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press

[Maxman]

Why Titan-ic battle won't go Jets' way

November 22, 2008

Welcome to Armageddon, Part II: The Jets

[Maxman]

Why Titan-ic battle won't go Jets' way

November 22, 2008

By Rich Cimini

On the other hand, I don’t think the Jets will have enough to beat the Titans.

Looks like the Jets had enough. And then some.

Five reasons why the Titans will win:

Only five reasons?

1. Albert Haynesworth. The Jets won’t be able to block the 6-6, 320-monster in the middle of the Titans’ defensive line. There will be no inside running game, and the Jets will be faced with too many third-and-longs.

I agree. If Haynesworth wasn't on the field the Jets definitely would have gone over 200 yards rushing for the day.

2. The Tennessee Pick Police. Neither team will be able to run effectively, which will put the pressure on the passing games. The Titans lead the league with 15 interceptions, which doesn’t bode well for Brett Favre.

See # 1.

3. Bo Knows How to Get Open. The Titans’ leading receiver is the under-rated TE Bo Scaife, and the Jets are having coverage issues with the tight end. Here’s a suggestion: Instead of using S Kerry Rhodes to help the No. 2 CB (probably Ty Law), why not put him on Scaife? Rhodes has the athleticism to cover the tight end.

Does Bo know how to hold on to the ball? I agree that the coverage was a concern but they did an excellent job today.

4. Noise and Sacks. The Titans’ formidable pass rush is very formidable at LP Field, where things can turn rather chaotic for the visiting team. The Titans have 18 sacks in five home games, 10 in five road games. When the crowd gets going, it’s very difficult for the offense to call audibles and change blocking schemes.

Brett got rid of the ball quick. The Jets OLine had a great game and they continue to gel.

Crowd noise? Didn't hear them until they started booing the refs. I did hear a few J E T S JETS JETS JETS chants though.

5. Agony of Da Feet. I wish I could give a good explanation for this, but opposing kickers always seem to have a tough time against the Titans. Opponents are only 9-for-16 in field goals while the Titans are 18-for-21. This is going to be a close, low-scoring game, and a field goal could mean the difference. And I have a bad feeling about Jay Feely this week.

Good theory. Poor execution. The close, low scoring part kind of ruined this premise.