Rhodes Rises Up During Morning Review

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Rhodes Rises Up During Morning Review

Published: Sat, July 26, 2008 - 12:31pm ET
Randy Lange

By Randy Lange

Lange is editor-in-chief of newyorkjets.com. He covered the Jets for 13 years for The Record of Hackensack, N.J.


File Under: Chad Pennington, Eric Barton, Kellen Clemens, Kerry Rhodes, David Barrett, Leon Washington, Drew Coleman, Wallace Wright, Erik Ainge

07/26 — Saturday morning's training camp practice was a review session of the previous two days, and during the second half of the session, the Jets defense reviewed how it felt to turn over the offense and put a few licks on the guys in the white shirts.

Safety Kerry Rhodes had a couple of nice back-to-back plays. Wallace Wright gathered in a nice Chad Pennington pass entering the red zone but was immediately met by Rhodes. There is no live tackling yet in camp but Rhodes bumped Wright hard to the turf and the third-year player needed a few seconds to get up before walking off.

Then No. 25 seemed to smell out Leon Washington's slant route, shielding the defending team MVP from the ball as he leaped for it and swatted it down. And Rhodes came up grumpy because he clearly thought he could have made the pick.

Then Kellen Clemens came on as both units changed personnel frequently during this period. And on a two-point play, the third-year QB couldn't get a handle on the snap. With the ball on the ground, the first defense swarmed in and LB Eric Barton came up with the football. Clemens ran a lap.

Then in the two-minute session, Clemens, needing a touchdown drive, couldn't produce one. Early on, he tried to find Chansi Stuckey, but CB Drew Coleman was there for the breakup. Then Stuckey dropped a ball over the middle.

A couple of completions, to rookie TE Dustin Keller and WR Laveranues Coles, advanced the ball into plus territory, but the drive ended when Clemens' pass deflected high off of Coles and CB David Barrett came down with the ball for the interception.

Pennington got the last drive and, at least according to the call on the field, did produce the TD. He saw Brad Smith breaking in single coverage ahead of rookie CB Dwight Lowery and hit Smith in stride.

Since there is no tackling, there was some thought on the sideline that Lowery and S James Ihedigbo were close enough that they would have surely tripped Smith. But the official watching the play ruled no trip, Lowery, Ihedigbo collided and no one caught Smith, who was ruled to have scored the "game-winning" 60-yard TD.

There were some other offensive highlights. Early on, rookie QB Erik Ainge hit Wright down the sideline for a score, drawing a cheer from the crowd, the largest so far in the camp's four practices.

Washington continues to dazzle. He took a screen from Pennington, went left behind a block from G Robert Turner, then cut back and elicited another roar.

We'll have a practice blog after this evening's second practice, which will kick off at 5:45 p.m. Next up: a Radar entry on Coach Mangini's news conference.

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Fans Respond

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GreenBaby1 Said:

Sun, July 27, 2008 - 5:45am ET

"Favre is not the answer. This line should work but if it doesn't Favre will be a costly error! Let's see this offense use a better strategy regardless of who is under center this year. Good luck to Chad and Kellen and all my best!"

Offensive Comment?

Taylr Said:

Sun, July 27, 2008 - 8:12pm ET

"I am gald to see Penny has been working hard at camp and hopefully he will be there at the start of the season to lead us because clemons obviosly doesnt have what it takes"

Offensive Comment?

WHIPCREAM!! Said:

Mon, July 28, 2008 - 12:33am ET

"WELL OF COURSE WE ALL KNOW #25 IS GOIN TO KEEP RISING TO BE THE BEST, HE HAS ALOT GOIN FOR HIMSELF. AND OF COURSE THE SEXIEST MAN IN THE NFL>>> ;-) STAY FOCUSED! LETS GO JETS! "

Offensive Comment?