09/14 — Eric Mangini stayed on message for reporters and fans hoping to hear a little more about his and the Jets' reaction to penalties levied by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell on the New England Patriots for their sideline videotaping at Sunday's season opener.

"I understand there's going to be a lot of interest and questions related to the ruling yesterday," the Jets head coach said at his morning news conference today. "What I can say is that I respect the commissioner's decision. Anything related to that decision is a league matter. That's all I can say about it. I hope you can respect that."

Possibly all the reporters in the room did respect that, but they still threw several more questions about the ruling. Mangini's message remained the same:

"I understand the interest in this, I appreciate that," he said after one question, "but anything associated with the matter, that's all I can really add."

Mangini also was asked about his quarterback situation for Sunday's game at Baltimore, and one thing he didn't say was that Kellen Clemens will get the start ahead of sore-ankled Chad Pennington, something that several newspapers have reported.

"We have today, we're going to look at it today," he said. "Chads moving along in his rehab. Each day we evaluate it, so we'll look at it today, see his progress. The program's been in place, and it's Chad. He's been as diligent as ever."

Westhoff Back to Ground Level

Special teams coordinator Mike Westhoff, due to his leg issues, went up to the coaches' booth for the first time in his coaching career for the New England game. He said today that he'll be back in his familiar place on the sidelines for the Baltimore game and beyond.

"I'm coming back down," he said. "I don't like it up there. But you can see great. Unfortunately, you see some things too well."

I'll have more with Mike in my Special Teams Saturday blog.