The official start of Titans week
But first, we'll start with the Players of the Week from the Patriots game:
Offense: Nick Mangold
Defense: Darrelle Revis
Special Teams: Brad Smith
Practice Player: Jehuu Caulrick
Coach Eric Mangini also mentioned that Leon Washington had been named the AFC’s special team’s player of the week.
“A nice honor for him,” Mangini said. “Really a tribute to that whole group.”
* Bubba Franks returned to the practice field, though David Harris and Eric Smith did not. It was originally thought that Harris would be out 3 weeks after the groin surgery and if he doesn’t play Sunday, that will be four weeks and counting.
* Owner Woody Johnson, wearing a navy topcoat and olive (it looked olive from afar but I'm bad with colors) Jets cap, was outside for practice. He spent much of the time the media is allowed to attend practice talking with special teams coach Mike Westhoff.
* Mangini on Ty Law’s role:
“He had 57 plays last week,” Mangini said. “I don’t know how much more we could expand it. I see Ty continuing to work in and us figuring out exactly what his role is going to be each week.”
Law, with a smile, reflected on that number.
“I didn’t expect to play that many plays, I don’t think anybody did, but it was good I was able to go out there and help the team,” Law said. “I was hurting a few days afterward and I think I’m still feeling some of those 57 plays but I think it helps me going into this game because I’m going to be playing a lot more now. They’re not going to let me have any excuses because I already played 57 plays.”
Like I said during the live chat yesterday morning: I think Law will be starting sooner rather than later.
* Two of ESPN’s best were here as Greg Garber joined Rachel Nichols, who is at The Fort most Wednesdays. Garber elicited a funny response from Mangini when he asked about Brett Favre slapping him (Mangini, not Garber) on the rear end [a tuckus ruckus?] at the end of Thursday’s game.
“No problem,” Mangini said before alluding to his, um, hindquarters. “I didn’t even feel it. Shoot, with what I’m working with, I wouldn’t feel much.”
* Favre spoke about a variety of things, as he usually does on Wednesdays. One issue he addressed was the concept of Sunday’s game being a measuring stick.
“I think every week now for us is a measuring stick,” he said. “I think more importantly for us as a team, it’s way more important than any other price tag that anyone could put it on because of what has transpired here throughout the offseason, what has happened in the past, the position we’re in at this point. It seems like every week the games get bigger and bigger. And that’s what happens when you win, you put yourself in this position.”
Kerry Rhodes felt similarly.
“They’re the only undefeated team in the league so they have to be playing their best ball, right?” Rhodes said. “It’s a chance for us…it’s another measuring stick game for us. Right now every game is big, we’re trying to get more momentum and go from there.”
* Favre, incidentally, was asked about next year. This is the second time he’s been asked about it – Bob Glauber asked him a month ago – since the season started in a group setting and his response was just about identical to the first time. But, it being Favre, it counts as news. I suppose.
“I have people – friends, family, who ask me all the time about next year,” Favre said. “The answer I give them, which is the honest answer, is I really don’t know. To be totally honest with you, I really don’t care. What I care about is trying to beat Tennessee.”
Good answer.
To review: Favre told us late in training camp that Mike Tannenbaum wanted a two-year commitment at the time of the trade, but Favre was willing to commit to just this year. But even if Favre had said yes to two years, you can be assured both sides would have had an escape clause if things didn’t go well. Favre has been year-to-year for the last three or four years so either way here, there would have been a Favre Watch once the season ended. But I’m not ready for it yet. Too many interesting things are potentially on the horizon in-season.
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Comments (19)
E BOL.... I love what Favre has brought to this team and fanbase. I live in Limerick, PA about 45 minutes west of Philly. EVERY night my wife and I go out there is at least one Jets fan besides my self and my wife. I'm loving the electricity surrounding us fans lately. It's awesome! I've lived in PA since I was 6 (Born in Brooklyn) and being in Philly with the most annoying fans ever, it's been great to see other Jets fans coming out of the woodwork! I absolutely LOVED the Favre trade!! I know this was touched on extensively on NFL network's pregame show Thursday, but E-Bol, you see the Jets at least offering Cassell something if Favre doesn't return? Trust me, I'm not one to look ahead, I just wanted your opinion. Thanks for giving me my JETS fix daily as well. I love the blog!!
Erik....Do you think Mangini is going to be sticking with the prevent defense? I know its been getting some attention after the game so I was just curious.
The secondary needs to get straightened out fast, especially if they wanna make it to the playoffs and further.
please let the Farve next year question rest until the off season. things are going well now, why rock the boat?
Erik I was wondering since Thomas Jones is not top 5 in AFC votes for the pro bowl. Can he get in another way other than voted in like the MLB where they choose the last 2 players in each league ???? If he doesnt make it im going to go crazy. It just shows how much of a joke making an all star team is in pro sports.
Projected post from Scott P the day before the Jets play the AFC championship game;
"Lets see what happens, but way too early for this Super Bowl talk.
After Sunday we will have a solid idea of where the jets are headed". :)
Still holding a spot for you on the band wagon Scotty me boy :)
Erik, I read Somewhere :) that Ty admitted he misplayed the final play, that he could have just pushed moss out of bounds once the QB left the pocket, he attributed the mental lapse to being out the game awhile.
I have no problem with it, sure Mangini pointed it out to him, and in my new found effort to be positive I must point out that the Jets are really well coached when it comes to intangibles, like knowing the rules, taking responsibility for mistakes, and avoiding stupid penalties.
They were sloppy the first few games with all the new personnel but have really settled down nicely which has contributed to the surge.
As for Ty's admission, I was pleasantly surprised he was humble enough to mention it.
Sunday is a great test for Mangini, Titans are well coached, EM needs to have a good plan. Please do not play conservative, let the boys play.
As a team the JETS are in a perfect position for this time of the year...Please don't break our HEARTS
Hey EB, next time one of your media friends brings up Favre and next year, stomp on their toes!! Who gives a rats arse about next year, when we have a fight going on right now. Idiots.
Erik - Wouldn't this be a great time to unleash Clowney?! You know the Titans have spent half their week prepping for dealing with Keller, line Clowney up on the outside on the same side and run him deep, the safety is going to have to cover Keller, and if he doesn't - throw it deeep!
NJYfan4life, funny, some of us were talking about that a couple of days ago regarding Cassel and right now, I just don't see it. They're intrigued with Ratliff and haven't given up on Clemens yet. Plus Favre very well could decide to play another season. Makes for fun speculation though!
BigM, don't get me started - or all of you for that matter - on the prevent defense. We all hate it. But almost EVERY NFL coach still uses it on occasion, despite it rarely accomplishing what it's supposed to (other than on third-and-40 with :05 left. Then it should be put in). I'd like to say you won't see it again this season...but I can't.
Ms1986, fan voting - on-going since Oct. 13 - makes up 1/3 of the Pro Bowl selection process. Votes from players and coaches comprise the other 2/3 so some protections against ballot "stuffing" are in place. There's a ways to go in the voting. Don't panic yet.
Wayne80, I forgive you for reading elsewhere. I have Law using that quote in a notebook item I used for tomorrow's paper. I should have included it here too! My bad.
Mike from Bumpass, I'm a lover not a fighter. (I agree with you btw).
DKnyj, how goes it? Haven't seen you around in a while. As for Clowney, I agree. They need to find a way to give him a shot. No one else has his speed. I'm not saying he's a star but the point is no one knows and it's time to find out. Or start finding out.
E - Thx for not being offended, still felt dirty admitting it.
I hope we see the prevent defense this weekend, it means the Jets are up big. I'll take my chances with a lead against Collins.
If Clowney is in Stuckey is out, and I think Favre likes Stuckey, more intuitive player, right up Brett's improvising alley, so Clowney stays glued to the bench.
Well, Erik. Have you ever seen Glauber and John Edwards at the same time? Kinda makes you go hmmm. So I say don't let Bob ($400 Haircut) Glauber abuse you.
Second: Don't teams usually use their running game to establish the pass? Once they can run that opens up the aerial attack. Conversely, when a team has no ground game, defenses should be able to limit their passing. This leads to a paradox. Since the Jets have been relatively successful in stopping the run, why have we continuously allowed opponents to strafe us in the air. Shouldn't we be able to take away the passing. It makes no sense that we have struggled so much against the pass.
Case in point: The Pats scored at the end of the half, at the end of the third quarter and at the end of regulation. We gave up three TDs to them in a combined 4:57. Cassel was 14 for 22 for 183 yards. (14 for 19 when you take away the three spikes). That's nearly 14 yards per completion. Clearly, something has been very wrong in our (lack of) pass coverage that should have been ironed out by now. Why hasn't the coaching staff been able to figure this out?
Third: Erik, how about setting up a time and place for the bloggers to meet some time in December or after the season. That would be great. We could get together without name tags and try to guess who's who. Pick a convenient location and find out who wants to be there. Spend a few hours, have a few beers, let Green T regale us with his amazing visions. Know what I'm sayin'?
Check out what they're doing for fun in Nashville:
http://www.tennessean.com/section/SPECIAL0441
RC I like that idea, Maybe we all could meet for the after the Miami game somewhere in NYC I think the JETS miss Harris in the middle and they are a bit soft in the secondary. If things work out (my fingers crossed), Harris returns 100%, rested, all that stuff and has a solid Dec. and dare I say into the playoffs. Interesting point about Middle LB, would the JETS have drafted Mayo with the #6 pick if they didn't have Harris. Should be fun to compare VG and Mayo over their careers.
Mike from Fox I doubt it will be fun to compare the 2 for Jets fans. As far as Harris goes, I told you so. There was no way he was getting back after the 2 weeks they projected. In this instance you don't mind a reporter asking Mangini ,"did he have a setback? You said 2 weeks and it's going on 6".
The concerns about the secondary make you wonder. Mangini was a secondary coach and it's our weakest area on the team. It reminds me of the O-line last year. They had a couple of decent players but just ignored the bad ones and went into the season hoping they would be ok. We knew we had Revis and Rhodes but settled for the same substandard cast as last year, with the exception of a 4th rounder who is being exposed for what he is,a 4th round rookie.
Ty Law is a nice band-aid as long as he doesn't break a hip.
RC, it is even more paradoxical when you consider the Jets actually are one of the leaders in sacks.
I still believe it is system and situationally related. A lot of the yardage has been allowed when the Jets have big leads and Sutton goes to the prevent.
Even when the game is close, they have made the decision to give up the underneath stuff and prevent the big play. Simple as that.
In fact, much of the league seems to adopted this philospophy since the NFL is on record pace for completions percentage allowed and fewest INT's per game, a point Collingsworth discussed in a USA Today article on line this week.
The bizarro aspect of this is the NFL is usually a copycat league, and this passive defensive system is exactly the opposite of the Giants system, which is to attack and dare you to beat them deep, thereby forcing turnovers, and never calling of the dogs even after gaining a big league.
I certainly would prefer they adopt the Giant strategy since they went out and spent a lot of money to get 3-4 rush type LB's, only to turn them into cover guys, but again I have a hard time being critical of the result.
Screw the stats.
PS - in all of the specific situations RC M describes, the Jets rushed only 3 for most of those drives, which is a NEGATIVE BLITZ.
The standard rush in the NFL is four players. The Jets have gotten good pressure when they bring four, which they do in the beggining of the game when they play standard set, but unfortunately they bring only three during prevent or two minute drills.
So they do not need to blitz, but rather just rush with the standard four men. The beuty of the 3-4 is it allows you to disguise who that fourth rusher will be, but in the Jets case that 4th rusher too often never materializes.
Hopefully, after last weeks close call, Mangini has recognized this issue.
Many thanks, Wayne.
Great perspective, analysis and explanation. Helps me better understand what's been happening on defense. Still I don't like to see us get chunked for 13 yards per completion in the prevent. Have to make opponents work harder for underneath yards. Force them to make fewer yards, run more plays and use more time--or take chances and risk turnovers.
VG will be a force too much talent...then again I liked Miller