09/19 — Jason Trusnik didn't have a high-profile role Sunday at Houston. But he still was very much a part of delivering the Jets' new mission statement.

"We spent all week, all the coaches and all the players, on coming out and basically being physical and aggressive, showing who we are, playing like a Jet," Trusnik told me Friday. "By watching film and getting with Coach Westhoff and the other special teams guys, we felt we were ready. We knew that was one area we had to dominate in the game."

Trusnik was instrumental in that goal. There were no huge returns or big blocks or forced fumbles in this one, but the third-year man out of Ohio Northern brought his physicality to bear as the Jets held the edge between "the third units."

No. 96 made his presence felt on the punt block/return unit by putting three former Jets — snapper Joel Dreessen, personal protector Nick Ferguson and punter Matt Turk — back on their heels.

On Turk's first punt, Trusnik got past Dreessen's left and drove Ferguson dangerously close to Turk's contact point.

"We knew they had a new snapper," Trusnik said of the first rush, "so we put a little 1-on-1 swim in the middle there and I was able to get by him. Coach Westhoff said if you get to the fullback, stay on him and bull him back. I knew Ferguson was a good football player. I was just trying to make a good play and drive him back. It just happened that he ran into his punter. I stayed on him pretty good."

On the second punt, he got more good penetration. And on the third, he ripped past Dreessen's right and his flying block attempt just missed leather.

Those three punts declined in net yardage, from 43 to 38 to 33. It was a small but important component of the Jets' hidden yardage in the closely played first half.

Trusnik also pitched in to make punter Steve Weatherford's Green & White debut a success, playing guard and keeping the Houston rushers at bay as Weatherford  netted 41.0 — with no Texans returns — on four kicks.

"Punter's been a tough position for us," he said. "Steve came in and was ready for that first game. We wanted to provide good protection for him and he had some great punts. If he continues to do that this season, I think our punting's going to be very good."

Clearly, the Jets appreciated this contribution, since head coach Rex Ryan awarded Trusnik a game ball — his first team game award as a Jet.

"We just played a good physical game. We wanted to establish our identity early as a team, as units," Trusnik said. "Hopefully we'll continue that into Week 2."

That comes Sunday in the home opener against the Patriots. Special contributions will be welcome.

Update, 8:20 p.m.: The Patriots announced this evening that three of the players on their injury report have been downgraded for Sunday's game from questionable to out: C Dan Connolly, WR Matt Slater and CB Terrence Wheatley.

*Special Teams Saturday