E-Boland & Gang Green

The accomplishing party? Kerry Rhodes, of course, who was quite thrilled with the feat and was even cheered by another large crowd, who like the previous crowds, seemingly wants every Favre pass to be completed. The defense can take stuff like that personally.

It’s like being on the road for training camp.

So the interception came about like this: Favre took the snap at about his 40, pumped and fired deep down the left sideline for David Clowney, who had separation. But Rhodes rotated over, cupped his right hand and made the one-handed pick. Rhodes told me after practice Favre sought him out to get the lowdown on exactly what Rhodes saw on the play. Clemens, after throwing his Day 1 pick to Eric Barton, immediately went to talk to the linebacker, so it’s certainly a positive to see a 17-year veteran doing something similar with Rhodes.

In a red zone drill, Favre launched an 11-yard touchdown to Smith, who had a good day overall, just in front of Justin Miller, who didn’t, in the back of the end zone.

“That’s why you’re here, Brett!” a fan yelled as Smith hauled in the bullet.

* Rhodes, though, nearly intercepted Favre again in the same red zone drill, reading a throw intended for Dustin Keller in the back of the end zone and getting both hands on the ball. A little later we saw the Bad Brett from Green Bay when Favre threw off his back foot 30 yards down the middle of the field for Keller. The problem was David Barrett and Eric Smith were right there and either one could have intercepted the ball. Two plays later Favre threw a 31-yard touchdown to Coles on a go route down the left sideline, a slightly underthrown ball that Miller made a bad read on and that Coles adjusted nicely to. This is what you’re going to get with Favre: some plays, like the 30-yarder off his back foot that are outright perplexing, but some throws that simply few other quarterbacks can make.

* There was a second interception thrown during the practice and it came from the right arm of Kellen Clemens. It was even close to being his fault. Clemens threw a 12-yard slant to Wallace Wright, who had the ball in both hands, but as he brought the ball in, he lost control of it. The ball flew up in the air where Dwight Lowery got a piece of it, and Hank Poteat intercepted. Anyone still tracking Clemens’ INTs? Didn’t think so.

* Clemens, the forgotten man to a degree with Favre here and the rise of Ratliff, had his best day in a while. He zipped an 18-yarder down the left sideline to Bubba Franks – who had gotten away from Dwight Lowery – and connected with Smith on a deep out that went for 22 yards. In a red zone drill, Clemens made a nice throw to Keller at the goal line for a six-yard touchdown. Clemens’ one-yard touchdown pass to Franks on the back line of the end zone was a great throw.

* There were three pass interference penalties called today. One was against Darrelle Revis on a deep post run by Brad Smith and the other went Laveranues Coles’ way, with Revis again getting flagged. Before Favre got here I think there might have been three such calls combined on the defense as receivers could have filed charges against DB’s at times. Just saying.

* We saw Ahmad Carroll returning kicks for the second straight day and for the second straight day, he showed some explosiveness, today on a return up the left sideline. Still back there as well: Leon Washington, Chansi Stuckey, Darrelle Revis and Miller.

* Lap runners from the afternoon: Vernon Gholston (off sides), Will Montgomer AND Kellen Clemens together (center exchange fumble), Rudy Burgess (holding), Keller (false start), Thomas Johnson (off sides) and, of course, Damien Woody (false start). Favre has always been known as having a particularly hard count and I think early on its throwing some of his teammates on offense off a bit, the reason for so many false start penalties the last three days. A theory grounded in no fact whatsoever.

* Rookie Marcus Henry, who had missed the last week with a leg injury, was back on the field but finished practice on the bike so he was limited. Still out: Shaun Ellis (hand) and Jason Trusnik (foot). Jerricho Cotchery did not practice but that was as a reward for some of his offseason work.

* A couple weeks ago it was WFAN’s Jerry Recco getting the “Jerry Recco! Jerry Recco!” chant from fans after the Green and White Practice at Hofstra. Today ESPN 1050’s Larry Hardesty, who also does sideline work for the Jets Radio Network, looked like a candidate working the ropes as he moved along the fence toward the end of practice. Fortunately, both Recco and Hardesty have kept their heads about them.

Two practices tomorrow; 8:45 a.m. and 5:45 p.m., but both are closed to the public. Your next chance to see practice will be Wednesday, also a double session, same times as above.