JETS LOOKING AT SOFT SKED AHEAD THE New York Jets defense, which vacationed during the second half against Arizona, today begins a four-day break, to be followed by three games off against Cincinnati, Oakland and Kansas City. Those three teams, which follow this week's bye, are a combined 2-10, quite the combination to allow the 2-2 Jets to become 5-2 while telling us about as much about themselves as Eric Mangini tells us about their injuries. They have beaten nobody yet. They won't get a chance to beat a somebody until they go to Buffalo on Nov. 2. Only a Rich Kotite postseason guarantee would be softer than this schedule, but hey, Mangini doesn't book 'em, he only prepares for them. And not only was he 2-0 after byes in his first two seasons, but 12-5 against teams that finished with records of .500 or worse. So it's a good thing that his teams don't take average to bad teams as lightly as we do the Jets' accomplishments so far. In 2006, Mangini's club, featuring Kimo von Oehlhofen and Andre Dyson as starters, went 10-6 by playing only three playoff teams. Even at 4-12 in 2007, the bad Jets beat up on worse Miami (twice) and Kansas City. The 2008 Jets benefit by drawing the AFC West, featuring 1-3 Oakland and 1-3 Kansas City; and the NFC West, which features those 0-4 Rams, who come up for the Jets right after their string of set-ups ends at Buffalo Nov. 2. After St. Louis, the schedule gets real with games at New England and Tennessee on successive weeks followed by a trip to Denver. But not for long with Seattle, San Francisco and Miami slated for three of the last four weeks. Therefore, it is looking pretty good for looking pretty good, even if it turns out the Jets really aren't. No wonder why Brett Favre has announced he is happy to be here. No wonder there is so little alarm over the Jets giving up 48 (to San Diego) and 35 points the last two weeks. "What I have liked is, a lot of times our defense has started in our own territory and we held them to no points," Mangini said yesterday. "That's what you want to see on those momentum shifts." When the momentum doesn't shift, opponents drive the length of the field with alarming ease. The Jets spent big in the offseason on an immovable object in the middle (Kris Jenkins) and an irresistible force off the edge (Calvin Pace), so the defense should be better than this and at times it has been. Not enough times, yet. "We are stopping the run," said Kerry Rhodes . "The flip side is you give up a few passing yards. "The breakdowns are lack of communication. That happens because we change a lot, being a game-plan team." The plan needs some work. The schedule, the Jets should like as it is while they get on the same page. Meanwhile, you might learn most about a team from the inside cover page of its media guide, where the schedule is. jay.greenberg@nypost.com __________________
FAVRE ENJOYING TIME IN NEW YORK By MARK CANNIZZARO ALL SMILES: Jets quarterback Brett Favre is all smiles when it comes to his new teammates, and it's not just when they're winning games.Last updated: 12:37 pm Brett Favre couldn't help himself. Having fun is in his nature and he was having a ball on Sunday, throwing touchdown passes around Giants Stadium the way he used to in the neighborhood pick-up games with his buddies as a youth. So, in a relatively quiet sideline moment during the New York Jets ' 56-35 win over the Cardinals last Sunday, Favre approached Jets right tackle Damien Woody and told him how much he was enjoying being a Jet. Why is this significant? Because there've been a lot of observers of the Jets and this great Favre experiment who've been waiting to see any sign of Favre regretting this whirlwind life change of his. The Jets' sloppy loss to the Chargers the week before raised the eyebrows on the people ready to speculate that Favre was second-guessing his decision to come back. He, after all, not only threw two damaging INTs in the first half and several times appeared to have miscommunications with his receivers, but he also limped home on an injured left ankle. Just one week removed from his tough night in San Diego, though, Favre leads the NFL in quarterback passer rating and TD passes and appears stoked to embark on the final 12 games of this season following this week's bye. He's smitten with his new teammates and is very optimistic about the talent that surrounds him. "I enjoy being here," Favre said yesterday. "[And] it's not just when we're winning and playing well. I just want guys to know that, not that they wouldn't anyway. It obviously is different, but different in a good way. It's a good group of guys and the coaches have been great. "I don't know where we go from here. I hope we continue to go up. But it's been fun." Favre's integration into the Jets' locker room has been a fascinating thing to watch develop. There was clearly a degree of curiosity among the Jets players, wondering what a player of his Hall Fame stature was going to be like, how he would fit in and what he has left. "There's always a curiosity factor," Woody said. "You didn't know what to expect. There probably were some guys in awe. How many guys get to play with a Hall of Fame quarterback, a guy of that stature?" That, of course, is somewhat the point. Favre didn't come into this situation exuding an iota of his stature. "Favre is one of the most down-to-earth guys you'll meet," Jets NT Kris Jenkins said. "A lot of people might think that, because the fame and notoriety [a player like Favre has], they might be [full of] themselves. Favre is like the furthest from that." Tight end Chris BakerChris Baker said he was curious about "what makes him tick, what makes him enjoy the game so, so much." "He's been what you expect and more. He's not a prima donna, look-at-me type. He just goes out and has fun. What he's done is really be himself." Coach Eric Mangini recalled his telephone conversation with Favre when the Jets were recruiting him, telling him, "We have a lot of good people in the locker room. We have a lot of people that really care about football. Not just that, they're just good guys. "That was something that I emphasized to him - how I felt he'd be very comfortable in our locker room, how he'd be pleased with the people that we have in our locker room," Mangini said. "It's satisfying to see that he has built that chemistry." Asked if there was a moment when he realized that this was the right place for him, Favre said, "I'd like to say when I first got here, but that would probably be a lie. It took a little while. "To me the most important aspect of the whole transition was liking the group of guys I was going to be working with," Favre said. "When people at home ask me, 'What do you think?' My response has always been, 'It's really a good group of guys that I enjoy working with.' " mark.cannizzaro@nypost.com
They really need to take care of business with the Bengals, Chiefs, and Rams. Even Buffalo really. NE so far is showing that they can win with Cassel, the Phins are 2-2 and aren't turning the ball over at all, the Bills got smoked but that's in part due to the fact that the Lossman had to come in this week. If it all holds then the worst team in the division could end up at .500...not too much breathing room in the east.
It may be soft on paper but they are in tough against Cincy......I don;t see any really easy wins, especially with how our secondary has been.
Teams that are serious -- like the Panthers and the Giants pummelled bad teams yesterday. I think that of the next Cincy, Oak, Kc, Buff, StL -- I wont jump out of the building at 3-2. I am not sure the Jets are good enough not to hiccup at least once. (Buff at Buff is hard.)
This, for the longest time, has been the jets main weakness. Historically, they have always played down to there opponent's level. With a guy like favre, though, this can hopefully be avoided. We need to do what the Giants have been doing as of late and lace into bad teams with no regard for their well-being. That kind of killer instinct will get us to the post-season and hopefully deep into it.
Any winless team is a dangerous team. The Jets would be fools to think they can just show up and beat Cincinnati.
"After St. Louis, the schedule gets real with games at New England and Tennessee on successive weeks followed by a trip to Denver. But not for long with Seattle, San Francisco and Miami slated for three of the last four weeks." The Miami game will be tough and SEA and SFO could always turn things around and play up to their potential.
Calling it an easy Schedule is the absolute worst attitude and a trap. I hope to God the team doesn't see it that way. They are winnable games,but no game is easy. The easy schedule trap should be well known in the land of the jets
No real Jets fan could ever be that optimistic about a schedule/offense/defense/playoff chances/game-winning FG.
I think beating Arizona the way we did counts for something. They destroyed Miami and Buffalo (both out west).
That's funny, Buffalo beats nobody and they are ranked top 4 in the power rankings, and are considered the best team in the AFCE and locks to win the division. We blow out the Cardinals, and WE are the ones that beat nobody? Why would beating Buffalo be a test? They got blow out by the team we blew out, and the teams we beat are better than anybody they have beaten. The Fins and Cards are way better than the Rams, Jags, Seahawks and Raiders (1 point victory as well).
