Coles feels that Pennington takes too much blame for the Jets' losses
Laveranues Coles is on pace for one of his best statistical seasons. In his seventh NFL campaign, Coles has already caught 75 balls for 921 yards and he has scored five touchdowns. Defenses pay special attention to #87, but Coles says that is nothing new.
"Even last year when people thought we weren't doing so well and things weren't going so well for the team, people always had their top corner match me and follow me around and they put a safety on the hash to try and keep me in check," Coles said. "I say the same thing all the time - there is nothing I haven't dealt with or something I haven't seen."
Read below for complete player transcripts from inside the Jets' locker room
New York Jets' T D'Brickashaw Ferguson, 12.13
On having a short memory about bad games…
It's a football game; things are not always going to go well and I don't think you can accept that, but you have to deal with the adversity at hand. When that adversity is over, and you have a new challenge or test to take, you have to deal with that. This week, we have a new test, a new challenge and that's what I'll deal with.
On if he remembers things about players that he's faced…
Mentally, but you try not to dwell on things that caused you problems in the past. It's just something you learn by going through.
New York Jets' WR Laveranues Coles, 12.13
On getting back out there after the Buffalo loss…
We have to practice first, we have a practice today that we have to go through. The main thing is trying to get our installments in, try to get the game plan down and that's pretty much it.
On the Vikings' run defense…
I'm sure everyone has heard about it, but again we have to get the game plan and get an understanding of it. It's not left up to us to call the plays, coach has to call the plays. It's left up to the players to execute.
On how teams defend him…
A lot of people are just starting to take notice, or I guess the writers are starting to take notice, but it's been the same for me for most of my career. Even last year when people thought we weren't doing so well and things weren't going so well for the team, people always had their top corner match me and follow me around and they put a safety on the hash to try and keep me in check. I say the same thing all the time, there's nothing I haven't dealt with or something I haven't seen. It's something I dealt with week-in and week-out. Either someone else makes plays, like Jerricho Cotchery and other guys, or they find a way to get the ball in my hands.
On if he takes the attention as a challenge…
No. As a player, the most important thing you can have is people respecting you. That's the main thing. You might not get the respect from the media side, but when you step on the field and come out of the tunnel, you know that the opposing team is going to know where you are and is going to pay pretty good attention to you. They're going to wait in the huddle to see what direction I'm going in and they're basically going to set their defense to me.
On Chad Pennington's ability to bounce back…
I don't always think that the quarterback should take as much heat as he does. It's good that he gets a lot of credit when we win, but it's not as good when we lose and everybody points the finger at him. It kind of goes along with the position, but again, it's not just Chad; it's all facets of the game that have to win. Chad alone can't win it by himself, but then again Chad alone can't lose it by himself. You have to take that in stride and as a team, put a great game together.
On not getting as many throws in the second half against Buffalo…
They did nothing different in the first half from what they did in the second half. It was the same game plan.
New York Jets' G Pete Kendall, 12.13
On how D'Brickashaw Ferguson is dealing with his last game…
He seems fine. He's an even-keeled kid. Without getting into too much, there are going to be times when you have a game like that and people on the outside looking in are going to look at the stat sheets and say, "You must have been awful," but there are, as always, extenuating circumstances. He is not going to offer them as excuses and therefore I am not going to get into specifics to offer them for him. He'll be okay.
On the most animated Ferguson has ever been…
You all wrote about that story in training camp, but that's about it.
On Nick Mangold…
He's the same way, even-keeled. He's got a balanced approach. I guess it's easy to be even-keeled though, when you've played as well as he has.
On how impressive Nick Mangold has been…
He's done everything you would expect a center to do and the fact that he's a rookie makes it more impressive. He's been able to handle the mental aspect of it, and when that's over with before the snap, he's able to go out and handle the physical aspect of it as well.
On Nick Mangold vs. Kevin Mawae…
I'm sure you guys had all the stories written before the season, "Nick Mangold, he's no Kevin Mawae." They're different types of players. I'm sure if he had some glaring breakdowns, that would have been the story, but he hasn't had those glaring breakdowns. He's a different player than Kevin, but I don't want to say that they're polar opposites. Kevin runs about as well as any center in the league, and with our scheme right now we don't really ask the center to run as much. Nick hasn't had the opportunity to develop or show those things. Kevin will forever be known as turning the corner and leading some sort of out side play with Curtis Martin right there at his hip. A lot of people think of a center as someone who can only go from A-gap to A-gap and that certainly wasn't Kevin's MO.
Wednesday Injury Report Jets Questionable: FB B.J. Askew (foot), CB David Barrett (hip), LB Matt Chatham (foot), Eric Smith (foot) & LB Bryan Thomas (shoulder)
Probable: *RB Kevan Barlow (calf), *LB Brad Kassell (shin), *WR Justin McCareins (foot), *DL Rashad Moore (hand), *QB Chad Pennington (calf), *DL Dewayne Robertson (shoulder), *TE Sean Ryan (thigh) *WR Brad Smith (shoulder) *S Jamie Thompson (ankle) & *DL Kimo von Oelhoffen (shoulder)
Vikings Questionable: RB Chester Taylor (ribs), QB Brooks Bollinger (shoulder)
Probable: CB Cedric Griffin (neck), LB Napoleon Harris (wrist), WR Marcus Robinson (ankle) & DT Pat Williams (knee)
*Denotes players who participated in practice
