Monthly Archives: September 2008
Eric Mangini’s transcript from his press conference today …
We made one roster move. We signed Brandon Renkart to the practice squad. This week, in terms of our bye-week approach, the coaches went through last night and analyzed our first and second-down package. What we would normally be doing in terms of getting ready for an opponent, now we’re doing on ourselves. (We’re) really looking at the things we’ve done in that area. In terms of installation, this replaces the installation. It’s reinforcing the things that we’ve done well, improving on the things we haven’t done well, but it’s within the same framework of a regular practice week. Today, we (will) do first and second down. Tomorrow will be more of a third-down emphasis. Then the guys will get a break. Then we’ll come back on Monday and that will be a red area, goal-line emphasis. It will follow the same general format. The reason I’ve set up the week the way I have is you’re trying to achieve two objectives during the bye week. One is to improve and the second is to take some time to get away from football, recharge your batteries, and come back here for not the second part of the season, but the remainder of the season. That’s why I like to have these days strung together for the players, giving them a chance to reload and come back recharged.
On whether the bye-week schedule is similar to what he did the first two years with bye weeks…
(It was) a little different the first year, (but the) same as last year. (more…)
The worst kept secret in the NFL is finally true, Al Davis has fired Lane Kiffin. Ironically former scapegoat of Herm Edwards, former Jets OC Paul Hackett was in the running for the job opening, but it seems that Tom Cable is going to replace Kiffin as head coach.
What remains to be seen is how the players respond to Cable. With a game against the Raiders in less than a month, I hope it’s not well.
Raiders Defensive Coordinator Rob Ryan was in the running for the head coaching job but lost out. With a contract that I believe expires at the end of the season, Ryan would be wise to get the hell out of that mess and I wouldn’t be surprised to see Ryan interviewing in New York this coming offseason for a role with his old friend Eric Mangini.
Brett Favre 6 touchdown performance was nominated as one of the FedEx Air & Ground NFL Players of the Week. You can vote all week for Favre at NFL.com/FedEx up until Friday at 3:00PM EST. Winners are determined by online fan votes only so it’s up to you, the voters.
If Favre does win, FedEx will make a $1,000 donation in his name to the local Safe Kids USA coalition in New York, so it goes to a great cause no matter who wins.
After facing a four game suspension without pay for violating the NFL’s policy on “steroids and related substances” Jesse Chatman returned to practice/meetings with the team on Monday. Chatman can practice this week and will be eligible to play against Cincinnati October 12.
Chatman did admit that he was used a masking agent but didn’t say much beyond that, only saying that it wasn’t for steroids or performance enhancers. Chatman was enthused to be back with the team saying that “it feels good. The team accepted me with open arms. The organization accepted me. So I’m just ready to roll, put everything behind me and just move forward. The public is going to think what they’re going to think, but hopefully they’ll know that I’m not a cheater. I never have been.”
During his suspension, Chatman told reporters that he volunteered as a coach at Morristown High School in NJ and that he worked out with a personal trainer to stay in shape.
In terms of making space, the Jets are given a roster exemption for Chatman to begin practicing this week but must make a move next week to make room for him on the team’s 53-man roster.
Depending on his activation status, hopefully Chatman can add a shot in the arm to a running game that hasn’t established itself.
Watching the NFL Network last night I noted that Favre’s historic six touchdown game will be NFL Replay tonight. If you didn’t get a chance to see it, tonights the night to check it out.
- Jets players feel a little relief going into their bye week.
- Boland gave his recap of the game and the locker room yesterday.
- Will the Jets start David Barrett or Abram Elam in Smitty’s place?
- After four weeks away, Jesse Chatman is back with the team.
ESPN is reporting that the Jets have released Ben Graham again after his replacement work for the injured Reggie Hodges. This move now brings the active roster’s kicking specialists down to three, with Nugent still sidelined and Jay Feely kicking proxy. Although Graham had some good distance on his few punts in the past two weeks, but Mangini seemed more concerned with the hang-time and coverage associated with on his punts.
“Our net [average] was very good, the gross wasn’t bad, but it’s more difficult to cover those punts without the hang time. You want to have the combination of the two … like I said when we signed Hodges, we liked him … we liked the things that he did here. It’s unfortunate, sort of his early stages there, not being able to have an opportunity. So, I want to give him that opportunity.”
With the extra roster spot, the Jets also brought back offensive lineman Will Montgomery (who I believe is the team’s backup center) to the active roster and released wide receiver Paul Raymond from the practice squad.
Jets Safety Eric Smith was suspended today for a helmet to helmet hit against Anquan Boldin. Smith will be fined $50,000 for a ‘flagrant violoation of player rules’ and suspended for the Jets first game after their bye against the Bengals. According to PFT, the hit will cost Smith about $76,000 or the equivalent of three game checks for him.
According to Jane McManus of The Journal News, Smith’s hit (more…)
So, with four games in the books and the Jets headed for their bye week, how do you feel about the Jets and their chances as they enter the next quarter of their season? Do you think this team is primed to make a run? Have you not seen enough to be convinced? Sound off!
Peter King lauded some praise (imagine that) on Favre for his first career six (pinch me, over the past 10 years, that’s normally like 4 games for a Jets QB!!!) touchdown day in his Monday Morning Quarterback article on Sports Illustrated’s website.
Brett Favre, QB, New York Jets. Favre had played 282 games in the NFL before Sunday. Three times he’d thrown five touchdown passes in a game. But he’d never thrown six in a game — until one of the weirder games he’d been a part of was contested at his new home field Sunday.
Favre threw no touchdown passes in the first and third quarters. He threw three touchdown passes in the second and fourth. For the game, he was 24-of-34 for 289 yards, with the six scores and one interception. “I don’t think it’s time for anyone to start printing playoff tickets yet,” he said after the game, but let’s be honest. The Jets stunk big-time the last two weeks, and they looked like serious playoff contenders Sunday, and much of that is because Favre, week by week, is getting more in sync with his receivers.
[Luke Skywalker blows up a TIE Fighter]
Luke: Got him, I got him!!
Han Solo: Great kid, don’t get cocky!!
Up until now, I’ve only been priveleged on only see Jet loses live, so in the first time I’ve actually seen a Jets win live and the Jets righted the karmic balance and WENT AWF. It’s the game that I’ve been waiting to see, 17 years in the making.
56 points, 3 interceptions, 4 recovered fumbles, Favre ties a franchise record with Joe Namath for 6TDs, 2 receivers with multiple TDs — for the Jets, it was insane. (more…)
- Johnette Howard is happy with the result.
- Boland reminds us the score was 0-0 at the end of the first (whoa … I know I lost track!)
- Roderick Boone at Newsday, breaks down the second quarter.
- Jetstream’s Bob Bullock is happy with the win, it would seem. :)
- Boldin’s prognosis.
- Here’s the gamebook … you can look at the stats and have your mind officially blown by the stats.
