Archives for December 10, 2006

‘New York running back Kevan Barlow was inactive for the second consecutive week. He had been splitting playing time with Leon Washington and Cedric Houston, but coach Eric Mangini has gone to a two-back rotation the past two games. Fullback B.J. Askew was also among the inactives for the Jets.’

‘Neill is a member of the Buffalo Bills’ seven-player practice squad, so the rookie defensive end has not yet suited up for an NFL regular season game. “They still have me preparing every week like I’m going to play, as far as learning the game plan,” Neill said. “But obviously, unless somebody got hurt during the week of practice I know I won’t be playing on the weekend. So it’s definitely a lot different than being at Rutgers, preparing each week really to take just about every defensive snap in the game. Now I really have to prove that I can play well in practice, because I don’t have the opportunity to play on Sunday right now.”‘

‘McGahee has averaged 28 carries and 134 yards over his last four games against the Jets. McGahee has only two 100-yard rushing games in his last 18 starts. Both have come against the Jets.’

‘Jets, 20-19.’

‘The Bills are being held to a higher standard now. If they’re truly a team on the rise, they need to show it over the final month. Young, winning teams often look back to the end of the previous season and say, “That’s when it really began to turn around.”‘

‘”It’s always going to be a reflection of the coach,” Jets linebacker Jonathan Vilma said last week. The Jets under Mangini have won three of their last four games and are now 7-5, keeping them very much alive in the AFC playoff race. They buried the Green Bay Packers in the first half last Sunday and rolled to a 38-10 victory on the road. Suddenly, people have taken a liking to the rookie coach and have given him a new nickname: Mangenius.’

‘So now, back to reality and what this season was really about: Fortifying the wobbly foundation Tom Donahoe left behind, and beginning to build – again – for the future.’

‘CB Nate Clements – The sixth-year veteran probably has one more big multi-year, multi-million contract in him, and he’s angling hard for it these last few weeks. Clements has been rock solid the past month both in coverage and run support and is playing perhaps the best as he has ever played in Buffalo.’

‘What’s a typical week like as a practice squad guy? “The coaches script the opponent’s offensive plays and we run about 40 or 50 off cards. If it’s a real important week, the defensive coach will pull you over in the hallway and say, ‘This is how we want it done.’ Every week coach (Dick) Jauron gives out an award to a practice squad guy who did the best job that week, so that’s motivation, and you’re in front of the coaching staff every day and it’s a chance to show them what you’re made of.”‘

‘As McGahee said this week, he owns the Jets and his pal, LB Jonathan Vilma. McGahee has rushed for more than 100 yards in the past four games against the Jets (150 yards on 26 carries in Week 3) and is averaging 134.5 yards in those games.’

Jet Is Now Baring Teeth, Not Gnashing Them (New York Times)

The elusive ones (New York Daily News)

December to remember (New York Post)

Serby’s Sunday Q&A with Kerry Rhodes (New York Post)

A run to daylight (New York Post)

No view beyond Buffalo (Newsday)

Bills’ visit has meaning for Jets this year (White Plains Journal News)

Jets must stop McGahee (Newark Star Ledger)

Jets answering the call (Newark Star Ledger)

Jet pack of backs is a hit (Bergen Record)

Neill enjoying the view (Bergen Record)

Mangini won’t be watching the scoreboard (Staten Island Advance)

Jets Sign S Jamie Thompson (NewYorkJets.com)

‘I would say we’ve made too many mistakes too many times throughout the course of a ballgame. And, also, we haven’t finished games as well as we could. I think that could be maybe our youth, to understand the way the National Football League works. It is a four-quarters football game, and sometimes longer. You can start off hot and maybe even play great football for three or three-and-half quarters, and then lose the game in the last half-quarter or quarter. It’s just about maintaining the focus and discipline of the defense that we’re executing for 60 minutes and not having those breakdowns or not making plays at critical junctions in the ballgame. And that’s what’s really hurt us more so than anything else – just not making plays at the right time or making mistakes at the wrong time.’