Erik Boland: Inside the Jets

By Tom Rock

Rich posted a question asking me to describe what practices are like during a typical game week. Without being cynical or jaded, let me say this: I wish I knew too.

The media is given a half-hour glimpse into team practice, usually the first 30 minutes of the workout. By the time we get out on the field, the team is finishing some position work when an air-horn blows and everyone chugs to one sideline of the practice field. The ubiquitous speakers bellow a taped recording of the “J-E-T-S, JETS JETS JETS!” chant as the players do a warm-up jog across the field and back. Then they fall into formation for stretching, during which Mangini plays the music of the week. This week, the theme has been cowboy tunes based on the Colts. In the past he’s played “Don’t Believe the Hype” before the Patriots game – which either referred to his relationship with Bilichick or the Jets’ 1-0 start – and some crazy Buffalo-version of “Shout!”

The team stretches for about 10 minutes, so we stand there and watch. Then the team usually breaks into special teams work as Ben Graham boots a half-dozen or more punts and Mike Westhoff directs the traffic on the return and the coverage. All set to “Land Down Under” by Men At Work and “Benny and the Jets” by Elton John, tributes to Graham and his Aussie heritage.

After that, the team splits into offense and defense and runs a few basic plays or coverages against, well, no one. No scout teams at this point, just literally going through the motions. It’s usually about this point that the media is led away and our access to the team for the day comes to an end. Then I come back into the press room and blog.

Hope this helps, Rich, but I doubt it will.

By Tom Rock

Peyton Manning has shown up at Jets practice the last few days.

No, not really. I’m sure he’s busy either practicing with the Colts or filming another TV commercial. But there was a quarterback wearing No. 18 this week who did a semi-respectable job acting like the part-time actor. Jets third-stringer Kellen Clemens (remember him?) has been donning the jersey and pointing at defenses and firing passes just like Manning does.

“He does a lot of checks at the line and has a lot of control out there,” Clemens said of capturing the essence of Manning. “It’s a lot of fun.”

He’s not quite Jaime Foxx as Ray Charles, or Joaquin Phoenix as Johnny Cash, but Clemens is doing alright in this latest biopic. Unfortunately his run ends when the real game begins. But Clemens said playing pretend is helping him advance his own career – and not only as a thespian. He said it allows him top see what other starting quarterbacks see, and all of it gets filed away for the day when Clemens will be a starter either here or somewhere else. Then it’ll be someone else’s turn to emulate him.

New FB James Hodgins held court with reporters today, saying he dropped 11 pounds in a week to meet the Jets’ starndards. He said he did it through working out and not eating, admitting it was not a very healthy combination. But it worked and he’s here now. Mangini said someone who was scouting Hodgins said he’s the type of player who “makes linebackers quit.” Ouch. Maybe a little bone-crushing is what the Jets need to get their running game on track.

The Colts are an 8 ½ point favorite this week. Randy Lange, the Czar of Stats here in the press room, said the last time the Jets were this big an underdog at home was when they faced the Dolphins in 1995 and were getting 10 points. The Jets not only covered but won that game, so history shows it can be done. It’ll be difficult to pull out such a victory this time, but covering wouldn’t be the strangest thing. Especially if it rains on Sunday, as was an early prediction last I checked. A soggy field could turn it into a ground game, which would not necessarily benefit the Jets on either side of the ball but it would at least keep the scoring down. Still, I think I’ll take the Colts. The Jets have a much better chance of stealing a victory with a quirky TD on defense or special teams next week in Jacksonville than they do of going stride for stride with the Colts.

By Tom Rock

What a crazy week for football, especially with things that have nothing to do with football. Between ruptured spleens, reported suicide attempts (which are becoming more and more shaky as the day passes) and returns to Superdomes, you didn’t have to watch a game to be enthralled by the action.

Not that there is much in the way of drama around here. The Jets are preparing for the Colts on Sunday. The Jets are in the odd position of facing a team that has a better record in its home stadium than the Jets do. Both sides are trying hard to play down the mismatch angle to this contest, with the Jets slyly confident of Mangini’s schemes against Peyton Manning and Colts coach Tony Dungy telling his team that they should approach this contest as if they are playing the first-place team in the AFC East (because, well, they are).

A bit of a roster shakeup. The Jets cut Norm Katnik, who did a decent job against the Bills on Sunday replacing Pete Kendall at left guard. To me the move says more about Kendall’s condition than Katnik’s performance. The Jets have a slew of back-up offensive linemen with Adrian Jones, Wade Smith and Trey Teague. Katnik’s departure is surely just a “numbers” matter since the Jets signed a fullback and two linebackers.

Every week the practice music has a theme, and this time it was clearly focused on the Colts and their wild west heritage. Not only did the Jets play the theme from “Rawhide” and “Back in the Saddle Again,” but they also played the theme from “Blazing Saddles.” Expect the same playlist the next time the Jets face the Cowboys.

As Mangini says at the top of his press conferences, just a little housekeeping to take care of. I’ll try to answer as many questions as I can. The Jets haven’t shown much of the 4-3 defense this season, stubbornly sticking to the 3-4 despite some pretty poor play against the run. I have nothing to base this on, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Mangini throws a little 4-3 at Peyton this week just to keep him on his toes. Mangini has repeatedly called Manning “smart” and “intelligent” so there is no doubt Mangini wants to challenge that and turn the contest into a cerebral showdown. As for Curtis Martin’s return, there has been little buzz about him in Jetsland, though he is still rehabbing that knee. He is required to sit out the next two games and would, conceivably, be able to practice with the team on Oct. 16. Whether or not that happens, well, we’ll have to wait and see.

By Tom Rock

What an odd game. It just goes to show that the old axiom is correct – the most important stat in football is turnovers. The bills made three of them, the Jets none, and the team that stacked up tremendous offensive numbers wound up losing.

Some random next-day thoughts:

The more I think about the Bobby Hamilton play on J.P. Losman’s naked bootleg, the more impressed I am. The locker room opens in a little while, so I’ll have to ask him if he was disciplined enough to keep his containment and stand his ground on the weak side or if he was just trailing the play and not fast enough to catch up to it, leaving him in solid position to make the tackle. I’m sure it was a little of both.

Kerry Rhodes made a comment that Losman looked like Jim Kelly on Sunday. Wait’ll he gets a load of the guy they face this Sunday. If P.Manning was able to pick his way through the Jags’ secondary, imagine what he can do against the Jets. Gulp! I haven’t checked but the early spread is probably about two TDs. Think the Jets will send Rhodes on blitzes against the Colts? The Colts can only hope.

Cedric Houston was activated for the game, but he probably wouldn’t have played had Kevan Barlow not hurt himself on the final scoring drive. Houston got a pair of carries, including one for a 5-yard TD. I liked the combination of Barlow and Leon Washington – two very different styles. I’m not saying they are going to be super-productive, but I think they are the best combination the Jets can put on the field. They are the two extremes whereas Blaylock and Houston are more middle of the road in terms of quickness and toughness.

The offensive line did fairly well without Pete Kendall at guard. A lot of that is because the Jets used their TEs and RBs to help with the pass protection, and they also seemed to shorten their passing attack to quick drops and reads. We didn’t see the downfield passes Pennington put up in the first two games.

The Jets will, in all likelihood, lose the next two games. But after that, they have three winnable games in a row. It would have been hard to imagine this team heading into the bye with a 5-3 record when the season began. Look at the second half and, after NE and Chicago in the first two games, five of the last six are winnable. Can the Jets be a 10-win team?

Tough week for my picks. I was 4-7-2 with pushes by the Bears and the Jaguars. I have the Falcons giving up 3 ½ at the Superdome tonight. I did grab a second-straight Best Bet with a Redskins pick.

By Tom Rock

Very windy day in Buffalo. That could hinder the Jets passing game and force them to run the ball. But the Jets have made a few changes in that department, moving Derrick Blaylock to the inactive list, promoting Kevan Barlow to starter, and putting Cedric Houston on the field. The Jets also listed Pete Kendall and Trey Teague as inactives (Schlegel, Mosley, Trevor Johnson and Zach Hilton are the unsurprising other inactives). Laveranues Coles is active and will start.

And Jets fan who complains about the traffic going into Gi@%&$ Stadium should make a trip up here. What a disaster. Drove to the game and it took an hour to go eight miles. It was kinda neat to see the community, though. R.Wilson Stadium is in the middle of the ‘burbs and folks sell parking spots on their driveways and even on their lawns for $10-$15. One guy even let people tailgate with a Weber grill in his front yard. As I was sitting in the traffic, though, I couldn’t help but think that with a little entrepreneurship, these parking houses could really hit it big. Instead of just providing a parking spot for $15, I’d up the price to $50 and turn it into a party. Provide a little music, grill some burgers and dogs, sell some beverages – poof! – instant business. Of course, when the cops come and ask for a liquor license I’d be hauled off to jail. But it’d be fun!

As I said, it’s pretty windy and the forecast is for rain this afternoon. That may play into the hands of the Bills running game. But the Jets get the wind for half the game and I saw Nugent kick a 52-yarder with the gusts at his back during warm-ups.

By Tom Rock

The final results of the unofficial Fireman Ed poll are in, and I’m pleased to announce that the readers of this blog have voted overwhelmingly that Fireman Ed can stay. Good thing, too, because I’d hate to be the one to tell him to take a hike. The final vote, as near as I can tell, was 22-7 (though some posts were less specific for tallying purposes than others).

Now that that’s settled, I can tell you who wasn’t around today. RB Derrick Blaylock was with his wife for the birth of their fourth child. There weren’t many details yet, but you can bet the child will have a name that starts with a T, just like its three older sibs. Congrats to the Blaylock family!

Laveranues Coles dressed for practice today and warmed up with the team, but he wasn’t involved in any of the team drills that I saw in the opening half hour. The injury report is due at 4 p.m., so we’ll have a better idea of his prognosis and progress then.

Frank D asked if the Jets will throw in some 4-3 defenses that undoubtedly better suit their personnel. We saw the Patriots, a traditionally 3-4 team, make that move to cross up the Jets last week. There were times in the preseason that Mangini flicked the switch over to a 4-man front, but that was with LB Bryan Thomas at an end position so he could float in and out of it. I think he’s committed to the 3-4 this season and will start shopping for the right fitting players during the offseason. Before the season began I wrote a story about Dewayne Robertson not being well-suited for the nose tackle position, and the possibility that he could be on the sideline rather than over the center. Either Robertson or the 3-4 has to go, and since Mangini loves the scheme more than the player (in almost every situation, nothing personal against D-Rob), I think the 3-4 stays.

I picked the Jets for a third straight week and am starting to feel like a bit of a homer. I’m not, but I thought they could cover against the Pats last week (they got six and lost by seven) and I think they’ll cover against the Bills (they’re getting 5 ½, which I was surprised by). As I’ve written before, neither of these teams is in the upper echelon of the AFC, but I think whoever wins will come away feeling (wrongly) that they beat a solid team.

Off to Buffalo on Saturday, but before that we hit the Ducks game on Friday night for my kid’s birthday party. Happy Birthday, Charlie!

By Tom Rock

Just got off the conference call with Bills head coach Dick Jauron. This guy makes Mangini seem like Dean Martin with a lampshade on his head. Jauron was nice enough, and he tried to answer the questions as best he could, but his speaking pace and tone made everybody listening a little tired. QB J.P. Losman was also on the conference call and I'll be that he won't have a career as a motivational speaker once his playing days are over. The Jets’ best chance to win on Sunday may be if Jauron gives a 20-minute pre-game pep talk.

A lot of similarities between the two teams this week. Both the Bills and Jets are teams that are rebuilding but have also found a bit of success early in the season. No one would have batted an eye if either team was 0-2 at this point. They also share the misery of coming close to beating the Patriots. Of course, the Bills have been able to run the football. The Jets, not so much.

I’d be stunned if Cedric Houston is not active this week, even if it is just to shake things up in the backfield. I’m not saying Houston is the answer to all the problems the Jets are having running the ball. But it can’t hurt to try different looks now because in the following two weeks, against Indy and Jacksonville, it really won’t matter who the Jets put back there.

There have been some musings about putting Brad Smith at running back, but I don’t see that happening.

This just in: The Jets issued their injury report a few minutes ago. Trey Teague is still doubtful, though he continues to dress for practices and Mangini said he could be ready to play on Sunday. David Barrett, Laveranues Coles, Tim Dwight and Pete Kendall are all questionable. Dave Ball, Matt Chatham, Chad Pennington, Kerry Rhodes and Kimo von Oelhoffen are listed as probable, and all of them practiced on Wednesday.

By Tom Rock

By now you know the Jets lost to the Patriots on Sunday. But the bigger question remains this: Did the Jets make progress?

I think so. I know there are no moral victories, but this was pretty close. To play what was, for the most part, a sub-par game, and come away with the knowledge that they rattled the cage of the big bad Pats, has got to count for something in Jets minds. Of course now, the Jets face Buffalo in a game between two teams that ALMOST beat the Pats. Buffalo looked better than I thought they would against the Dolphins on Sunday, and their defensive line will no doubt give the Jets protection some fits (no matter who lines up for the Jets). I think the Jets can say they kept the momentum of the season moving forward despite the loss. But they definitely need to beat Buffalo to keep going in that direction.

All of a sudden, what seemed like a really tough early schedule has a few glimmers of hope for the Jets. After Buffalo is the Colts game, which does not fit in the category of “hope.” That’s a loss. But then there is Jacksonville, Miami, Detroit (which has already guaranteed 40 points and a win for the game) and Cleveland before the bye. The Jets COULD be 5-3 at the break. They could also easily by 2-6. Three or four wins at the bye is a more likely scenario, and I think that would be an accomplishment.

I went 8-7 in my Sunday picks against the spread. Picked the Jets to cover the six points, but obviously came up short. It was a tough week to pick with a lot of huge spreads. I went against a few of them and it hurt thanks to blowouts by the Colts, Bears and Chargers. Tonight I have Jacksonville taking 1.5 points from the Steelers.

By Tom Rock

No Pete Kendall against the Pats. Well, that changes things quite a bit. Now the Jets three rookies from center to left tackle (OK, Katnik isn’t a rookie but he might as well be) will have to contend with the experienced front line of the Patriots.

Kendall, who injured his hamstring early in last week’s win, was one of the inactives for the Jets just recently announced. Trey Teague, who practiced for the first time this week after breaking his ankle during minicamp, was also inactive. Newly acquired OL Wade Smith, though, will be available.

Also inactive for the Jets are WR Tim Dwight, RB Cedric Houston, LB Anthony Schlegel, DT C.J. Mosley and DE Trevor Johnson.

I just happened to walk into the stadium this morning with Tedy Bruschi. He was carrying what seemed like two heavy duffel bags with him, one in each hand, so his wrist injury probably won’t hamper him too much. Does carrying a bag of clothes equate to an ability to make tackles? Probably not. But he’ll be active for today’s game nonetheless.

By Tom Rock

Eric Mangini said he is looking forward to the Jets’ first home game. He said having a stadium loaded with Jets fans will be beneficial. He said it quickly, however, and it almost sounded like he said “a stadium with loaded Jets fans.” He clarified his remarks with a chuckle and moved on. “Please make that distinction,” he said.

Mangini also backtracked on his stunning statement earlier this week that Wesleyan does not play good football. He apologized for the remarks and encouraged all students who are considering Williams or Tufts or Bowden to give deep thought to Wesleyan.

As you can tell from these hard-pressing issues, there’s a pretty light-hearted atmosphere here in Jets-land. A lot of smiles after the 1-0 start. Mangini does not want the team to get too full of themselves after just one game, so he had Public Enemy’s “Don’t Believe the Hype” played during stretching at today’s practice. Of course, it could have been directed toward the media, this medium included, which has grabbed onto the Mangini-Belichick storyline. But since he followed Chuck D and Flava Flav with Tom Petty’s “Won’t Back Down,” I suspect the tunes were pointed more toward the players.

Mangini said Mike Nugent responded well at practice on Wednesday, even though he did his best to rattle the young kicker with loud music and game-like conditions. He may have also tried to rattle Nugent by bringing in three veteran kickers for a look-see on Tuesday. Kickers more than any other football position survive on a what-have-you-done-lately precipice. If he kicks a few through against New England, he’ll kill this story … for now.

Offensive lineman Trey Teague participated in practice today, though we won’t know until the injury report comes out later today whether he was involved in 11-on-11 drills (that’s how “practicing” is defined on an injury chart). Teague, who broke his left ankle during minicamp, said there is a possibility he could be available to play in Sunday’s game. Teague, who has played center and tackle, said he could play guard if necessary.

I’m not one to stand in the way of democracy, and with Grace calling for a vote by the fans on the Fireman Ed issue, I’ll let the peoples’ voice be heard. The board is open to (civilized) debate. Let’s give the issue a week and then count the votes next Thursday. In the interest of organizing the ballots, please post your comments on this thread rather than whatever threads appear in the next few days.

The question: Has Fireman Ed worn out his welcome? V-O-T-E, VOTE VOTE VOTE!

Vox populi vox Dei!

By Tom Rock

It should be a good game when the Erics play the Bills this Sunday. At least that’s the perception. Mangini shot down the idea that him going against Prof. Belichick is anything more than just hype, insisting that players will determine the outcome of this game. “I’ve seen us both play football,” Mangini said of his fellow Wesleyan product. “It’s not pretty.”

The difference between Bill and Eric is growing more and more apparent. While they started out as near photocopies of each other, Mangini has slowly developed his own style and confidence. He lets the public see his sense of humor more than Uncle Bill does. But, as a football coach, he is still a Belichick disciple with all the rules, regulations and standards that accompany it.

Someone asked Belichick on today’s conference call if he had advised Eric when the Jets came calling last winter, and while he didn’t say anything quotable (go figure!), it sounded like he was a little upset that his protégé bolted to a divisional rival. Mangini and Belichick worked well together and had a lot of professional respect for one another, but I’m starting to get the feeling that they may not have been exactly “friends.” Had Charlie Weis gotten the Buffalo job, all four coaches in the division could be Belichick-ians, or Belichick himself. That would have been, well, I don't know if interesting is the right word. It would have been unique, certainly.

As for the Deion Branch situation, neither Mangini nor Belichick would discuss any of the particulars regarding the grievance filed against the Jets. Both coaches gave the line “It’s just business.” Isn’t that what they say in the Mafia right before they pull the trigger?

Pete Kendall, Kerry Rhodes and Tim Dwight all practiced today (or at least participated in the sliver of practice to which we have access). The Jets injury report should be out this afternoon. It’ll be interesting to see who stands where.

Had a chat with Norm Katnik today. He filled in for Pete Kendall when the vet left the game with his hamstring. He was like the Moonlight Graham of the NFL in that last year he played in one game, but the play he was in for was negated by a penalty so it didn't count as an official snap. His career line entereing this season was one game, zero plays. So he was understandably excited about his playing time on Sunday.

Thanks, Jeff I., for the good comment.

By Tom Rock

So the Patriots accused the Jets of tampering. That’s too bad. I hope it doesn’t ruin what has been a cordial and friendly rivalry between the two franchises over the years. Don’t let Deion come between you, Jets and Pats!!! Take a page from Entourage and Hug It Out, guys!

Seriously, the Patriots may think the Jets did them wrong by ALLEGEDLY letting Branch and his people in on what they were offering as a possible trade. But all that did was help the Patriots by driving the price up to a first-rounder from Seattle. The Jets may have actually helped the Patriots, who were likely never going to come to terms with Branch anyway. Sigh. Just one more sub-plot in the stew of stories that always lead up to a Jets-Pats game.

No comment from the Jets yet about the claim, and I’m not holding my breath for one. They don’t comment on good news, so they’ll probably hunker down on this one. So what we have is two teams that don’t address the media in a dispute over a player that neither team now controls. I love this job.

Speaking of Branch, kudos to Bobby G. for getting the word out on his blog next door. Not only did Glauber blog on the Branch news, he blogged about blogging it earlier in the day on Monday. Wow. That’s blog-tastic!

Finished Week One at 9-7 in my picks thanks to the Vikes and the Chargers. Not bad for a week with so many upsets. Not sure how Staple and Glauber made out yet. I may be new here, but I can tell you it’s a marathon, not a sprint. Unless I have the early lead. In that case, eat my dust!

It’s become clear that I need to address my grading system. Thank you for many of the points that were made here, and those with intelligent arguments were appreciated. You are correct, there was no need for a comeback. It just felt like they came back from the change in momentum. Anyway, here’s what I was thinking in giving the offense a C-plus:

If I had to give the quarterback a grade, it would be an A. If I had to give the running backs a grade, it would be a D. If I had to give the o-line a grade, it would be a B or a B-minus. I packed those together like a snowball and came up with a C-plus.

Perhaps those who criticize forget the first and third quarters when the Jets were a combined 0-for-4 on third-down conversions and would have led by only 13-0 instead of the important 16-0 had Kerry Rhodes not intercepted Collins on the first play of the second half to set up a field goal. Even then, the Jets couldn’t punch it in from 1st-and-goal at the 10, having to settle for 3. The Jets couldn’t budge the ball forward when they needed to most (ok, second-most; they did during the game-winning drive), as the Titans were coming back and the Jets needed drawn-out possessions that ate yards as well as clock. Instead they had a three-and-out, then a three-and-fumble. And don’t forget, cornerback Chris Hope got his hand on the game-winning touchdown pass to Chris Baker. If he picks that and returns it 99 yards for the winning score for the Titans, it’s a whole other story.

Now ask me if the offense is better than last year’s, and the answer is definitely. Compared to 2005, anything other than a shutout deserves an A on offense. But considering the competition and some of the problems (penalties on the line, miscommunication that led to sacks and a costly turnover), I think this performance was above average but not exceptional.

I stand by my C-plus. Though I’m not above taking kickbacks to bump it to a B-minus.

By Tom Rock

A couple of Jets fans were on the flight home from Nashville this morning. They’d been grinning since Sunday at about 4 p.m. and didn’t seem to be anywhere near close to stopping. One of them even boasted that he didn’t see any reason why the Jets can’t go 3-0 to start the season. I chalked that up to having to wake up at 4:30 a.m. to catch the early plane.

The Jets beat a team that was less-disciplined, less-organized and less-talented. And they needed a late comeback to do it. It was a good win for the team, an important win to establish the tone of the Mangini era, but it’s not enough to start printing “2006 AFC East Champions” T-shirts. Let’s all slow down, take a deep breath, and relax. Were there positives? Of course. Chad No. 1 among them. Were there problems that teams better than the Titans would have taken advantage of? Definitely.

Of course, that’s the fun of the NFL. There are six days to not only dissect the previous game but anticipate the next one.

Now that the Manning Bowl is over (and as an older brother I was pleased by the outcome), the NY attention will focus squarely on the Mentor Bowl. Get ready for a week of stories about Mangini’s relationship with Belichick, his plans for stopping Tom Brady, and all the hoopla and hype that can be wrung out of two of the most un-hype-ish coaches in the NFL.

As for my picks, well, not a terrible start. I won seven of the first 14 games and still have the Vikings and Chargers tonight. The Niners needed all 7 ½ points they were taking to bring me up to .500.

By Tom Rock

Just got the info on the starters and the inactives.

Kellen Clemens is the Jets No. 3 QB, which means Ramsey is the backup to Chad Pennington.

I already told you Dwight is out, which could have left room for four RBs. Not so fast. Cedric Houston, who had the best preseason performance of any Jets RB (even though it was against the Eagles fourth stringers) is on the inactive list. That leaves Blaylock, Barlow and Washington in the backfield. Too bad for Houston, who played college ball at Tennessee

Other Jets inactives include LB Anthony Schlegel, OL Trey Teague, DT C.J. Mosley, TE Zach Hilton and LB Trevor Johnson. Having Teague on the final 53 clinches the roster derby for Randy Lange, by the way.

Kerry Collins will start at QB for the Titans, Vince Young will be the No. 2 (expect to see him play) and Volek is the third QB.

By Tom Rock

OK. I’m here. Glauber is here. Zipay is here. The Jets are here. Welcome to the 2006 NFL regular season -- dateline Nashville.

Just a few pregame thoughts:

Tim Dwight is out for the game. It won’t have much of an effect on the Jets, but it’ll probably lower Dwight’s stock since he came here with a reputation for not staying healthy. Too bad. He was pretty psyched up when he returned to practice this week, and he looked fine during practices.

I’m wondering if that means the Jets will take all four RBs into the game. With Dwight among the 45, there was a chance the last spot could’ve come down to Leon Washington and Kevan Barlow. Washington, with special teams abilities, probably would have gotten the nod. Now Washington will be a big part of the return game. He’ll pop at least one punt or kickoff return for 30 or more yards today. Just a hunch.

I think the Jets can win this game, but it will be ugly. Two offenses trying to find their identities against two under-rated defenses. But the Jets NEED to win this game because if they drop it, they might start the season 0-6. Ugh.

The Titans depth chart lists Billy Volek as the starting QB. Who knows what Fisher will do. I’ll put up a quick blog when they announce who is available and who is starting. But you’ll probably be watching on TV and know before I do!!!

And since you can never escape your past, check out:

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/longisland/ny-lifish104885849sep10,0,4696828.story

By Tom Rock

I’ll have what Laveranues Coles is having.

The wide receiver’s good mood continues to sit like a vase of flowers in the locker room, brightening everyone’s day. Today he was downright giddy, yukking it up with Shaun Ellis, trying to fend off the big defensive lineman with a chair like a lion tamer, and trading fun jabs with reporters. He’s quickly becoming a favorite for reporters, one of the few live wires. He stays within the Mangini script when talking (most of the time) but he is also able to let his personality come through. No doubt a few catches and a touchdown or two on Sunday will keep Laveranues’ buzz going.

The defense seems to be having more fun at practice than the offense. I guess that’s to be expected. Defensive guys are typically looser and more creative while the offense is entrenched in playbooks and gameplans.

All of the guys listed as questionable for Sunday’s game practiced. Trey Teague is still not practicing.

Mangini gushed over newly acquired DL Bobby Hamilton, and was quick to point out that he is one of the few players older than he is. By a few days, but that’s older. Hamilton laughed that off and said he doesn’t want to hear about how old he is because next thing to come is the story that he’s lost a step and he’s not as quick as he was, and then, poof, he’s retired.

Mike Tannenbaum’s show debuts on SNY today. I’m curious to see what he has to say. I’m curious to see if he has anything to say. He’s been a largely inaccessible GM so far, popping into the media room just once during the preseason. I’m told the guys on the Giants beat can’t get Ernie Accorsi to stop calling them. Yet another difference between green and blue.

Whatever credibility I gained in the press room here with the Jets by earning a point in the Writers Cup golf tournament a few weeks ago is shot. I finished dead last in the pick the roster pool. How was I supposed to know that the Jets would keep more than five offensive linemen? I thought those guys were supposed to be tough and play hurt. The unofficial winner – which is actually more official than the Jets’ unofficial depth chart – is Randy Lange of the Bergen Record. Congrats, Randy!

By Tom Rock

Here’s how nutso things get when Eric Mangini gives out the slightest bit of information. At his press conference today, he said that Brad Smith is a “bona fide” quarterback since he is listed there on the unofficial depth chart (he’s also listed at WR, so that distinction is far from formal). Anyway, Wednesdays are usually thick with TV crews along with the usual paper reporters, so there was a large crowd around Smith’s locker. As Smith held court, DE Shaun Ellis tried to sneak through the pack to get out of his locker, which is next to Smith’s.

That’s what we have now. On a day Ellis is named a defensive captain, he’s overshadowed by a kid who was given a meaningless distinction that was such a foregone conclusion that even he wasn’t aware of a change in status.

The team looked happy in practice. Eric Barton and Kerry Rhodes managed to squeeze some dancing in between agility drills. There were lots of smiles and laughing, lots of friendly shoves. There was even a slight adjustment to the music: When the punting team took over in practice, the speakers slammed out Men at Work’s “I Come from the Land Down Under” in honor, no doubt, of special teams captain Ben Graham.

By Tom Rock

I’ve just returned from the future and am armed with a midseason report on the Jets. At 8-0, they seem to be a lock to win the AFC, and the intriguing matchup of the Jets against Kevan Barlow’s former 49ers in the Super Bowl is becoming more and more clear.

Gotcha.

No, the immediate future of the Jets is much more mundane, according to the documents I now hold. So here, as we head out of the Bye week and into the game at New England on Nov. 12, is the State of the Jets:

After winning the opener on the road in Tennessee, the Jets lost four straight games. In Week Five, Lee Suggs’ leg fell off below the knee while trying to turn the corner on a sweep, which allowed the Jets to come from behind and beat the Dolphins. Smirked the Jets after the game: “Told you so!” They also beat the Lions before falling to the Browns on the road to end the first half at 3-5.

Intrigued by Brad Smith’s versatility, Eric Mangini took it upon himself to turn the one-time college quarterback who was a one-time NFL receiver into the Jets’ starting cornerback. With David Barrett injured and Justin Miller’s talent not making up for gaps in technique, Mangini had no other choice.

D’Brickashaw Ferguson, who set an NFL record by leaning or jumping offsides 19 times in his first two games, has settled in nicely. After being benched in favor of Adrian Jones in Week 3, Brick came roaring back and has been an impervious pass-protector and an unbelievable run-blocker – at his new position, fullback.

Curtis Martin returned after missing the first six games. He took every handoff of the win over the Lions and looked better than ever. Remarkably, he is unable to walk from Mondays through Saturdays, but on Sundays he bounces around like a ninja and rolls over defenders like a tank. He attributes the comeback to weekly artificial knee replacements, a new procedure that has become as commonplace as teeth cleanings and laser eye surgery.

Oh, and Chad Pennington is still healthy. I know, it’s hard to believe.

By Tom Rock

Welcome to Game Week.

Things have changed dramatically as the focus on the Jets shifts from making the team and playing for a starting job to beating the Titans. The playbook goes from the size of War & Peace to an in-flight magazine. Veterans start to get that sharp look in their eyes and rookies’ eyes get bigger by the minute. But it wasn’t all business.

The rookies moved into the big locker room today, which produced some quirky moments. Derrick Blaylock joked that if he had any questions he could just ask the two guys next to him: D’Brickashaw Ferguson and Anthony Schlegel. Jonathan Vilma and Leon Washington were enjoying some verbal jabbing over tonight’s Miami-Florida State game. And Eric Barton took it upon himself to move rookie cornerback Drew Coleman over one locker so Barton would have some leg room. While Coleman was in the training room, Barton shifted most of Coleman’s belongings and equipment one place to the right. Now Coleman is in the once-empty locker next to Curtis Martin’s station. Barton went so far as to pull down Coleman’s nametag above his locker and move that too. Coleman has at least six weeks to enjoy that space, because if Curtis comes back, he’s certainly earned that buffer zone traditionally provided to esteemed veterans.

I meant to ask Jets punter Ben Graham if he knew Steve “Crocodile Hunter” Irwin from his time in Australia, but I never made it to his corner of the locker room. On my list of 10 ways I hope not to go to the great blog in the sky, a stingray zap to the heart has always fluctuated between numbers 4 and 6. It’ll be weird watching the Steve Irwin sings with the Wiggles DVD my kids have now. Maybe I’ll ask Mangini about that too, I’ve heard his kids are Wiggles fans.

A few notes from the half hour of practice open to the media: Tim Dwight practiced and said he was excited to get back after a two-week layoff with a leg injury … Kevan Barlow was running a lot of plays with the first offensive unit, but that may have just been some early reps because Mangini said the RBs will see playing time based on packages and situations. Either way, it seems Barlow, who took a total of four handoffs between two teams in the preseason, will be in the mix come Sunday … Mangini wouldn’t announce it, but it seems Ramsey is the No. 2 quarterback since he was studying with the offensive players and Clemens was playing linebacker on the scout team … Brad Smith was NOT wearing a red jersey after his turn as QB in the Eagles game.

By Tom Rock

One half of the Jets quarterback hierarchy is complete. Chad Pennington will be the starter for the season opener at Tennessee on Sunday and Brad Smith, who did not take a snap during training camp but wound up engineering a fourth-quarter comeback win against the Eagles, will be the emergency No. 4.

That leaves veteran Patrick Ramsey and rookie Kellen Clemens in the middle. But as of Saturday, Jets coach Eric Mangini said he still did not know who the No. 2 and No. 3 quarterbacks would be. And he was unsure of who the featured running back would be or which receivers will line up. Some teams head into training camp with such questions, but the Jets are six days away from the regular season without solid definition at those key positions.

Mangini’s take: Get used to it.

“At the other place (New England), there was package-based running backs and package-based receivers, package-based tight ends, just trying to get your best group out at all times to execute the game plan,” he said. “I think that’s something that’s important, is getting the best group out there to execute the things that you’re trying to get done based on opponent-specific things.”

In other words, the group that plays against the Titans could be game-planned out of their starting roles by the following week’s game against the Patriots. Roles could even change within a game, Mangini said.

“There's some things to work out based on Tennessee, as opposed to just based on where we are," he said.

By Tom Rock

Just a few thoughts before the Jets announce their cuts this afternoon. Some of this may be out-dated by the 4 p.m. deadline.

Nice goal-line stand by the Jets in the 20-17 win over the Eagles on Friday night. Even nicer was Andy Reid’s decision not to kick a tying field goal on fourth-and-goal from the 1 in the final minute. That’s the way a veteran coach should handle the preseason – test the young players in situations, then get out of the rain!

It was good to see Brad Smith under center, and he has become an instant fan-favorite between his reverse run for a touchdown against the Redskins and his head-down plunge into the end zone on Friday. Smith’s NFL future is at WR, but the Jets will likely tinker with his abilities within their play-calling.

Mangini said he liked some of the things he saw from Kellen Clemens. I’m not exactly sure what those were. He made only three first-downs and botched a snap, which has become his chronic problem. He said the last fumble was a result of him not riding the center long enough on what was supposed to be a QB sneak on third-and-1. Ramsey was not spectacular – 1-for-2 passing, those aren’t even Brad Smith numbers!!! – but he did what you want from a backup QB. He came in, controlled the huddle, and didn’t make any mistakes.

Cedric Houston was running against the Eagles scrubs, but 100 yards is 100 yards. If nothing else, he elevated his worth to other teams that could be looking for a RB. Imagine that, the Jets, a team that two weeks ago was begging for a running back, could be putting one on the market.

Kevan Barlow’s contract apparently excludes him from preseason games. Just kidding. I guess Mangini feels he sees enough of Barlow in practices to pass judgement.

The Deion Branch deal seems to be in a coma (in other words it’s not dead yet), and it would be difficult to pass up a player of his ability if the pricetag is reasonable. But if Branch were to come to the Jets, it might behoove the team to re-examine its quarterback situation. What good is having a deep-threat WR if you have a QB who can’t make the long pass. If the Jets get Branch, it’ll probably be the best thing to ever happen to the Jets careers of Patrick Ramsey and Kellen Clemens.

Trader Mike has been wheelin’ and dealin’, bringing in a lot of the pieces the Jets need to solidify before the regular season kicks off. I’m wondering what it means for the guys who have been through Camp Mangini and might get cut in favor of others who just got here. Will that affect the chemistry in the locker room?

A sad thought: Was Friday the last time Ray Mickens will wear a Jets uniform? We’ll find out this afternoon.