Favre Wants to Play, Mangini Cautious
There seems to be a story circulating in the press that Brett Favre wants to play in the preseason finale against the Eagles, while Eric Mangini is less willing to allow his twelve million dollar quarterback to play against backups on Thursday night in a short preparation week.
Favre’s a player, and players always want to play more. Andy Reid never plays his starters in the last preseason game, and although getting Favre some more reps would be great, it’s just not worth it against the Eagles’ number twos. Twos are still fighting for their jobs in some cases, and the fourth game is the last game before the roster cutdowns from 75 to 53. This is a player’s potentially last chance to make a mark before getting cut, so nothing is held back by desperate players. In my mind, if the first game of the season was against the Chargers or Patriots, I’d make more of a case for it, but with the Dolphins, there just seems less urgency. The payoff just doesn’t seem worth the risk.
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Bassett, I completely disagree about the Iggles. It makes no difference who they play. Whoever they play will be trying to win and make the team and we won’t know what type of sets and adjustments the Iggles will want these players to demonstrate. IOW, it would be very different from a practice where everything is controlled.
If we come out and dominate the Fish, a team coming off a worse situation than we did (there is a reason they picked first and we picked sixth) with yet another new FO and CS, then having not giving Favre the first half will have made sense.
But if we make bozo plays and penalties, not playing the first unit offense will have been a stupid, moronic waste. Eric is accountable for this decision and the proof will be our first game. I think this might be harder than some think and unless there are no kinks to work out (Favre to Coles for one and TJ’s coming up to the line for two), then the first unit offense should be worked.
BTW, the D is fine and the first unit, especially Kerry, Revis, Pace and Jenkins should sit.
Harlan
Harlan, I’ll repeat my earlier statement that it’s not just Mangini that will decide. It’s a conversation between him and Reid, who doesn’t usually play his firsts. If Reid doesn’t accomodate Mangini, I don’t think the first play. The long term relationship between these two HCs is of greater importance than the short term need for reps for BF, IMO. And, you will not hear it that way, even if my view is actually the case. Mangini will simply decline to play the firsts.
Hi Harlan-
Thanks for the thoughts, we’ll agree to disagree. :)
The Fish are going to feed Ricky Williams who will be tough to stop — Bottom line though is that Favre scores touchdowns and Pennington scores field goals — If Favre is not injured against the Eagles, we should win 37-13 –
Why in the hell would he risk playing two series? Weren’t the first 275 consecutive games enough to learn the position?
I would play the starters for the first quarter. They were out of sync in the Giant game. I’m not saying that Favre has to throw the ball down the field and risk injury. He can hand off and throw quick passes but, the first team has to get their act together. They haven’t established their running game, either. It would be a mistake for the Jets to not use this game to get the kinks out.
I think, if Mangini notifies Reid that he is doing that, Reid can choose to do whatever he wants. Mangini has an excuse, a QB who has been with the team for a few weeks.
I don’t think that you can work on formations, pre-snap movement, and blocking assignments in practice. You need the unpredictable results of real game action to prove that you have these things under control. As for injury — they could get hurt walking to the practice field. Brett hasn’t been injured yet, and he has played in final exhibition games.
That the players in this offense are not yet on the same page I think it is generally observed (see the penalties in the Giants game), expected and understood; but can more practice cure the problem?
Some may think yes…give it some time and then everything will be fine.
Brett Favre in an interview on SNY TV, talked about the penalties, and he pointed the finger on his teammates. He does have the reputation for being a straight talker; but last time I checked “straight talk” does not imply “right talk”, “wise talk” or “truth talk”. Simply, straight talk reveals the state of mind of the person. Given that also he had criticized Dustin Keller for missing a blocking assignment in the Giants game, what is Favre’s state of mind?
Is this his kind of Leadership?
PS: Is the cure more practice?
Nik … I noticed the Keller thing too … and I think you are right to say it’s just extemporaneous speaking … I don’t think the motives were malicious, but it’s something that the former starter wouldn’t have said.
Basset… I agree with you. I do not think that his motives were malicious.
But there are perceptions out there that he is a “Me” first guy. So this kind of talk not only reinforces the perception, ..it may cause problems in the locker-room.
PS: The clip of Brett Favre’s interview that you have posted …is not the same one that I watched last night on SNY TV. He even talked about the TD pass to Cotchery that was nullified due to Frank’s penalty.
this is what i would do l will let him play one drive just on eand if he even feels a DE coming just throw the ball away , dont scramble or nothing and we can see how good favre is with our 2nd strings
If I thought Mangini was serious about starting Favre to get the timing down, Harvlis would be right. I just don’t get that ringing endorsement from him. He’s way too iffy about it to think he would bring it up like that.
And, to nyckage, it’s the firsts that need to work on their timing.
With regard to Favre, I believe he mentioned the flag on Mangold was his fault.