Obviously, things have
changed a bit in Jets Land over the past 12 hours or so, but they'll still kick off the preseason in the Dog Pound Thursday night. I wrote this before the Brett Favre news hit, but I think most of the things I jotted down still apply.
The curtain may go up on Sept. 7, but not before the dress rehearsal.
The Jets will begin their quest to hoist the Vince Lombardi trophy Thursday night against the Browns. It's the time of year where the players try to shed their off-season rust and where rookies, the undrafted and also-rans try to make an impression. But the guys are also in camp, so that means it's time for a little fun. Check out some training camp postcards from
Hugging Harold Reynolds.
It's difficult to get worked up about a game that means nothing, but that doesn't mean there aren't things to look for.
For example:
The quarterback situation.
As I scribble this, Eric Mangini still hasn't named the starter for the game. I don't know what will push him one way or the other, but Mangini is still holding his cards close to the vest. I think the Jets brass wants Clemens to take the job, but he hasn't exactly filled the coaching staff with overwhelming confidence. Pennington has looked better during the early part of camp, but KC seems to have closed the gap in recent practices. It's a toss-up and it wouldn't shock me if Mangini flips a coin to decide, but if I was a betting man I'd say Clemens will get the nod. Whether that holds any significance is anyone's guess. I think it's safe to say that Favre will be under center come opening day. I'm guessing you'll see a lot of Brett Ratliff and Erik Ainge against the Brownies.
The O-line. It's new and improved! At least I hope so. Gang Green is banking that the acquisitions of Alan Faneca and Damien Woody will help bolster the offensive line. I'm not sure how long the starting unit will go in this one, but it would be great if they got off to a strong start.
Kris Jenkins. The big guy is supposedly in shape and ready to clog the middle. Still, it's a new position for Jenkins and it remains to be seen if his volatile personality will be able to handle consistent double teams.
The No. 1's. I don't know how much playing time Dustin Keller and Vernon Gholston will get, but it will be the first opportunity to see them in the Green and White. And
Keller has been especially impressive in camp so far.
The other corner.
Darrelle Revis has his spot nailed down, but the other cornerback position is a total free-for-all. Justin Miller, Hank Poteat, David Barrett and rookie Dwight Lowery all have legitimate chances at becoming starters. This will be round one for them.
But the biggest thing to watch for will be injuries.
Let's hope there aren't any.
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How's the kid who got hurt? (Schable i believe)