Transcript of head coach Eric Mangini's news conference with the New York Jets media Wednesday morning:
We released Evan Prall from the practice squad. Danny Ware was signed to the Giants active roster. We signed Alvin Banks, running back, and Shaine Smith, wide receiver, to the practice squad. They'll both be out there today.
Players of the week from last week, we had two on offense, two on defense. I thought these guys all did a very good job. Offensively, it was Leon [Washington], who was incredibly disruptive in a lot of different areas, and LC [Laveranues Coles], going in and playing hurt and the things he was able to do, especially on third down. Defensively, David Harris — I thought he did a nice job in the running game, he had that strip sack and fumble recovery — and Kerry Rhodes — I liked what he did, not just during the game but during the course of the week. On special teams, Eric Smith, who was sound in his blocking and very productive in coverage. Our practice player of the week, a guy who always gives us a good look, really challenges both the tackles and tight ends when he's out there, depending on what the formation or the front is, was Eric Hicks.
In terms of Cleveland, offensively, this is unique because we're really facing the same type of system for the second week in a row and all the problems that system creates. They're in the top 10 in almost every major category and have been able to run the ball very effectively, averaging 4.1 yards a carry. The offensive line is doing a very nice job. Obviously Derek Anderson is doing a nice job. Very explosive playmakers at the receiver and tight end positions with [Braylon] Edwards and the things that he can do vertically, [Kellen] Winslow, really any area of the field, and [Joe] Jurevicius, especially on third down — he's a big, older, reliable receiver that just continues to keep drives moving.
Defensively, what you've seen over the course of the season is a lot of progress. They've decreased the amount of production in terms of the running game by almost 45 yards a game over the last three games. They’ve been outstanding on third down, about 18 percent, had 11 turnovers recently, and can generate some pass rush, especially with Kamerion Wimbley and the things he can do. They play tight coverage, really force you to get open, and I've just seen a lot of really good things there, especially of late, in the progress they've made.
That's one thing you know about Romeo [Crennel] is he's going to consistently have his team moving forward. I've seen that in New England and I've seen that here as well. On special teams, with Joshua Cribbs, what's impressive about this guy is he's so explosive in the return game, but yet he's one of the leaders in special teams tackles every year. In 2005 he was second, in 2006 he was first, and right now he's second. And then he has the explosive returns on kickoff return and punt return. They've been a very good coverage unit this year, and he's one of the reasons why, and it's hard to get a guy that does both those things, especially does them as well as he does them.
On his relationship with Crennel …
Rac is a great friend, great guy. I was lucky to be with him here when we were at the Jets for three years, and he was great during that time where I was really learning the defense and he was a guy that I'd go to with questions on the front, questions on the secondary. It was me, Bill [Belichick], Rac and Al [Groh], and those guys had been in the system for years. They were always drawing on their Giants experiences, and I had seen the Giants games, but from my living room [smiles]. They had experienced them. But he was always very patient and helpful there.
When I went to New England, he was great to game-plan with, to spend time with, and when you spend as much time as you do with the assistant coaches, it can be tough. It's like a submarine sometimes. He's a guy that you were always glad to be able to go and work with day in and day out.
On what he feels has made Crennel such a good coach …
He’s very balanced, and he's able to look at things objectively and not get too emotionally high or too emotionally low, and he complements that with a sizable hammer.
On where he and Crennel met ...
I'm sure we had met at some point, but I really got to know him at the Jets.
On Crennel living with him …
He and his wife stayed with us while their house was getting ready in New England.
On whether he has any “watch” stories with Crennel as he does with Ted Marchibroda …
No, some watching TV, but no watch stories.
On whether Crennel gave him any advice when he became Jets head coach …
Rac is a guy that I can call with a lot of different issues, and he had just had the same experiences a year ahead of time, so it was a little different than maybe talking to Coach [Bill] Parcells or Marty [Schottenheimer]. I was able to run some ideas off of him because he had been going through things for the first time, and we had a similar frame of reference. We could draw on those experiences and compare and contrast. So that was a nice sounding board. Still is.
On whether he called Crennel to ask how to stop Braylon Edwards and Kellen Winslow …
You know, he wasn't available when I tried to call. I don't know why. This is one week that he's out [smiles].
On Derek Anderson …
I really like the way he's operated in this system. He seems to have a very good understanding as to where the reads are, and he plays very fast. He makes good, decisive decisions. He's got excellent arm strength, very good size. He can make some things happen with his feet and generate some plays there. He's a little different than some of the other guys that we've talked about, whether it's [Tony] Romo or [Ben] Roethlisberger, but he does have that ability and he has that arm strength as well. When you have those things and explosive receivers who can get behind the defense, it causes some problems.
On whether Crennel was surprised at his 60th birthday party …
He was surprised, he was. I think he thought he was getting a new car when they blindfolded him. I don't know if he was disappointed or happy when he realized that it was just us [laughs]. But his family did a great job with the party. It was what you would expect from any event with him and his family. It was just a very fun, warm party celebrating a great guy.
On if they’ll have to change how they cover kickoffs against Joshua Cribbs …
Everyone you face creates different problems. Like with Ted Ginn, that was a different problem than what Cribbs presents. It is important to understand what their pattern of return is, not just the package of where they're going to attack, who they're going to double, what are they going to do, but what does the returner like to do, what is he like as a runner, does he have a pattern of running the ball?
Where some guys like to really get to the edge and that's where they make their yards, other guys will set them up by going to the edge and cut back, some guys it's pure speed, some guys it's strength, some guys are quick rather than fast, so you take all those things into account. As a defender, once you get past the scheme and now you're dealing with the returner, you'd better understand how he's going to attack you, otherwise you could be lost.
On why he feels Kerry Rhodes has been able to produce big plays recently …
Kerry works at it. He’s a rangy guy who's got good ball skills and good instincts, and he's coupling that with his study habits. As you continue to do that and you learn more and you get a system, things start to slow down for you as the game unfolds. You're not seeing things for the first time and you're not just basing it off of instincts and reaction. There's a level of anticipation. The players that study hard get that extra jump, which just complements their natural ability.
On whether Rhodes is being used differently …
You try to mix him up, and if you go too far one way or the other, it gets difficult because if you never bring him, they stop going to him. If you always bring him, he's picked up. So you're trying to balance it up each game with him showing down and dropping, him showing down and coming, him showing down and playing the short area or covering man-to-man and being able to come back out as well. Otherwise, once they tag it, it becomes ineffective.
On if Kellen Clemens starts to panic when pressure is coming …
No, I think Kellen has done a nice job. He made a nice play in the game during that two-minute drive where he stepped up in the pocket and then broke to his right and picked up a first down. The one thing about Kellen is you almost have to coach him out of staying in the pocket too long because he's taken some big hits where he's trying to let the receiver uncover, and you've got to do the cost/benefit ratio of "OK, is this 10-yard completion worth the hit I'm about to take?" And at what point do you cut your losses and just live to fight another down? Young guys sometimes want to stay in a little bit longer.
But I've been pleased with the progress we're making there, and some of that just comes with experience. The thing he continues to work on is getting the correct depth so that if he's supposed to be at 8 [yards], he's got to be at 8, because that's where everybody else is counting on him to be.
On whether he enjoys the spoiler role to knock teams out of the playoffs …
What we're looking at are the things we're doing positively. There have been a lot of things that we've been pleased with, being able to create more turnovers, generate more sacks, run defense, being able to run the ball more effectively, offensively getting a lot of different receivers involved. To me, those are examples of progress, and that's really what we're looking for, is to win the game but in that pursuit getting better as a group and have different guys contributing. I think those have been positive as well. [Jason] Trusnik I thought did some nice things on kickoff return. On kickoff, Marques Murrell got his first run on kickoff and didn't have the tackles but was extremely disruptive. Seeing those guys get involved, it's all the combination of things.
On if it’s been brought up that these last few games factor into playoffs …
No, I would venture that when you talk to Rac on the conference call, the last thing he'll talk about is the playoffs. I'm sure his approach is just like ours. It’s still four games to go, a lot of different things can happen in that area. Like we talked about last year, you can't lose track of the game.
On closing the season strong despite every year being its own entity …
It's really about looking at the progress we can make within the context of this year and not just the group progress but the individual progress, and that's always something you're going to take into account moving into the next season as you make decisions and all those elements. It's still game-by-game, and you're looking at all the different factors.
On how impressive Laveranues Coles’ performance was …
He's a good example of toughness. I thought the third down he had, the long one over the middle, was a great catch, great awareness by him of where he was in relationship to the three defenders, and he made a bunch of plays on third down that kept drives going. With LC, if he says "I'm playing" and you've gone through the process and you feel good about that, you know he's going to be there, and he's going to be. You can expect a certain level of performance. Some guys with injuries, they may tell you one thing and may feel one way going into the game, but you get four or five plays in and it's over for them, and now you've lost that roster spot. But that's not the case with him.
On his level of concern about Coles possibly reaggravating an injury …
You're concerned about everybody, but with LC, if he's ready, ready to go from a medical perspective and ready to go from his perspective, you just know he's going to perform at a high level like he always does. You're not wondering whether or not he can do that.
On whether he’s worried every time Coles gets hit …
It would be the same concern for anybody from a medical perspective.
On everything working for the offense at Miami on Sunday …
Well, I like the idea that everything was working for the offense, but we had a lot of stuff, a turnover for a touchdown, so you have to look at both sides. In terms of production, I don't think this approach was different than other weeks, and like I said, there has been a bunch of stuff that was in. The one where Kerry [Rhodes] came and made the play off the edge, that was going to be a fleaflicker on their part — you could see [the receiver] screaming down the field, Kerry happened to make a great play in the backfield. It never really unfolded, but that was one of those shots that could have been if he had had a chance to pitch it back, it could have been a totally different story.
We've had plays like that, too, where they're set up versus one look, and that's the look you're going to run it against. If not, you're going to check out of it, and you may look and say, "Why are they running the draw on this play?" Well, it really wasn't what was called. It was the best answer based on that look. But it’s something totally different because you had to get out of the first play because it would have been a bad play.
On whether he made an effort to get Leon Washington more involved …
He was able to fill some roles that Jerricho [Cotchery] normally plays because Jerricho was out. So he's got some ability in the slot to do some of the same things that type of role dictates. Oftentimes when you get more plays in the game like we had — and we've had some games where there's been 50, 55 plays — you're usually looking at 65 to 70 plays a game. You lose those 15 plays and the numbers get a little bit skewed. I think it was a combination of different things.
On if it’s frustrating he hasn’t been able to use Washington more as he did Sunday …
You’re really looking to get the yards per carry up for both those guys, and that's a cumulative deal. But in terms of catching the ball, there's been some times where you'd like to get him out in space, whether it be on screens or things like that, and some of those have been sniffed out by the defense and you don't get it to him. But it's trying to work him in a lot of different areas. It's game-plan-specific.
