10/19 — Jets head coach Rex Ryan announced Monday the expected but still-not-easy-to-take news: Defensive tackle Kris Jenkins has been placed on injured reserve with a left knee injury he suffered in the second quarter of Sunday's loss to Buffalo.

"He's going to go on IR. He's got an ACL," Ryan said at this afternoon's news conference. "It's going to be hard to replace Kris. There's not many Kris Jenkinses playing in this league. Obviously his impact's going to be felt."

Jenkins, a four-time Pro Bowl selection, would like to remain an active member of the team even though he won't play another down in '09.

“My feelings are hurt that I won’t be able to be out there fighting with my teammates this year, but it still doesn’t mean I won’t be around, it still doesn’t mean that I’m not part of this team," he said at a short session with reporters immediately following Ryan's news conference.  "I just won’t be as seen as much.”

The head coach said replacing Jenkins won't be easy.

"I have a lot of confidence in the guys we have behind him," he said. "Sione [Pouha] and Mike DeVito, we have confidence in those guys. But to think they're going to come in and play like Kris, that's not realistic. So we all are going to have to step up our game to make up for his loss."

The Jets' 11th-ranked defense has played winning football in five of the Jets' six games, but they'll be challenged by the loss of the 6'4", 360-pound Jenkins.  He is a physical freak, blessed with great strength and amazing feet for a big man. 

“Our first objective on defense is to stop the run and we’re going to miss him so much, the big guy,” said CB Darrelle Revis. “But we have to focus in on more and just try to win games for him and for this team.”

Sunday night, DE Shaun Ellis shouldered blame for having caused the injury to the defensive player he called "our guy" on the run by Fred Jackson from midfield.

"I asked my wife what happened and she said when I came in on the play that I hit him," Ellis said. "I felt bad about that, that I was part of putting one of our best players out of the game. I have to live with that."

"It’s OK. Things like that happen. I know Shaun plays hard — like I do — and sometimes when you’re in the pile, stuff happens," Jenkins said this afternoon.  "I hope he’s not taking it hard.”

In truth, of course, the injury is the result of a physically challenging game often played by defensive tackles in the proverbial phonebooth. Jenkins, who will have surgery on his left knee in a couple of weeks once some range of motion returns, actually tore the ACL in his right knee in 2005 when he was a member of the Carolina Panthers.

“It’s the other one, so I’m balanced now,” he said with a laugh.

Now the Jets must find their way without big No. 77.

“He is one of our top players on defense and a leader for this whole year," Revis said.  "To hear that he might not be here to finish the season, it’s a huge loss for us."

Eric Allen contributed to this story.