Wide receiver Laveranues Coles is as competitive as they come. The emotional veteran, like many others in the Jets locker room, cannot stand even the thought of losing.
"As long as there is time on the board, we always have a chance," Coles said on Wednesday. "That's the way the guys in this room are made up. The guys never quit; we're going to fight to the end. That's the way I am and I don't think my team would want me thinking any other way. If I didn't care, then that would be another problem, but I do care so I think that's something good."
On last week's game…
I take everything personally; I just don't like losing. After a game like that I was a little frustrated and angry. It's one of those things where you look at everything, you come back on Monday and go through the corrections. You move forward, and that's what I've done, I put the game behind me, I left it where it is and just moved forward.
On speaking to Coach about his comments…
No, he's our general. I don't ever go to the man. Let it lie where it may lie. He's our head coach, whatever decisions he makes, I live with them. It's as simple as that. Whatever he does, I say, 'yes sir,' and move on.
On wanting to have discussed that with Coach…
No, I don't see it any other way. I don't question anything that goes on. I may get frustrated about some things, I may not like some things, but I leave them where they are. I'm a pawn in a chess game. Whatever I'm told to do, that's what I'm going to do.
On most players not wanting to keep playing in a blowout loss…
I'm a competitive person, I don't care what the score is, I always feel like there is a chance that we can come back and win. It may not look good on the outside, that's just the way I think, but as long as there is time on the board, we always have a chance. That's the way the guys in this room are made up. The guys never quit; we're going to fight to the end. That's the way I am and I don't think my team would want me thinking any other way. If I didn't care, then that would be another problem, but I do care so I think that's something good.
On how long it takes to get over a loss like last week's…
I was always brought up to think that you're only as good as your last game. The way our last game was, wasn't too good, so we're not very good right now. We need to go out and start preparing ourselves to play a better football game. I can't predict an outcome, but I do know that we need to play better then we played last week.
On how the team will respond after last week's loss…
You can't really say. We start today with practice. What I try to do is read guys' body language and see how guys are responding to our last loss. Some teams lose a game and go in the tank, some teams lose and come out fighting. It's a step by step process and our coaches let us know that every week we're going to prepare the same way, regardless of the outcome.
On Chad Pennington saying he forced too many things in last week's game…
Chad being the person that he is is going to put a lot of the blame upon himself, which I don't think Chad should do. Him being the person that he is and the teammate that he is, he would always point everything at himself. Again, it's not just Chad doing this, it's all of us together. Whenever we have a game like that, you have to look at all phases; you have to look at offense, defense and special teams. We lose collectively, no one man can lose a game for us. He might not be happy with his performance; I know I wasn't happy with my performance. I'm never happy with what I do, regardless of the outcome or whatever I do. That's what makes us the pros that we are, because we're never satisfied, whatever we do, whether it's considered a great game or a bad game, we always still want to do better.
New York Jets' RB Cedric Houston, 10.11
On his injury…
I'm just trying to get back out there. I'm doing as much as I can to get the leg better.
On how frustrating it was when he got injured…
It was frustrating, it being my first time getting good action since the Buffalo game (last season). For me, to end up getting hurt, set me back a little bit, but it will be fine once I get it rehabbed.
On his thoughts when he was getting carted off the field…
I was really thinking about us winning the game. Once I got inside, I was asking if we scored and what happened. I was just worried about winning the game, I wasn't worried about the leg at that time.
On the possibility the injury was season-ending…
No, not really. It was hurting at the time, but I wasn't sure at the time what I did.
On when he's going to play next…
I'm not really going to push it. Whenever they feel it's time for me to get back out there and play, I'll be ready to go.
New York Jets' CB Hank Poteat, 10.11
On being surprised with the turn of events after Sunday's game…
Yeah, I went in there and I wasn't expecting it, but it is what it is.
On how soon he was contacted after being cut…
The same day.
On his relationship with Coach Mangini…
He was my defensive back coach one year and he was my d-coordinator one year, then I got an opportunity to come here in the preseason and play in a game. He has a feel for what I'm capable of doing.
On what he'll say when he speaks to Coach Mangini…
Just what anybody else would say to him, "How you doing, Coach?"
On not asking him why he was released after 24 hours…
No, that's done with. I have to look on to what's happening now.
On moving from team to team…
You understand that it's part of the business and you hear a lot of different stories when you come into the league. As a player, you never expect that it's going to be you. That's what happens and you just have to continue to be ready. It's all about being patient. Some guys would get discouraged and give up.
On facing Miami two weeks in a row being an advantage…
I don't want to say it's an advantage, but it's definitely two weeks of game planning for the same team. It's exciting; it's something I've never experienced.
On feeling like it's Groundhog's day…
Pretty much, because you're hearing the same thing over and over that you heard over and over the week before.
New York Jets' G Pete Kendall, 10.11
On Miami's defense…
They are doing a lot of things with the fronts. The one thing that seems consistent is Jason (Taylor) is getting after the passer and Zach (Thomas) is making a bunch of tackles.
On being anxious to see how this team responds after last week's loss…
No, it's going to be what it's going to be. I don't have any doubts about this team. We've bounced back in the past from losses. I'm not concerned, after being in the locker room today, about the approach.
On getting over last week's loss…
The game has been properly framed and put into perspective, by Eric (Mangini), the coaches and the players. We have 11 more games to play; the first being here against the Dolphins this Sunday.
New York Jets' LB Jonathan Vilma, 10.11
On how long it took to forget about Jacksonville…
As soon as we finished watching the film on Monday we were ready for Miami. We actually started looking at films from Miami. So by Monday, we left here and Jacksonville was out of our heads.
On having doubt about bouncing back…
Not at all, we've moved on and we're ready for our divisional game, it's Miami now. Jacksonville is over and done with, if we see them later on in the playoffs, then we see them, but for now it's over.
On what the defense needs to do differently…
Just be more consistent. That goes across the board and I think that's the biggest thing right now. Sometimes we play well and sometime we don't. I don't think it's a mental thing or a communication thing.
On the root of the inconsistency…
No, that's the tough part. If we knew, then we could fix it and move on. Right now, we just can't put our finger on it.
On noticing a different approach from Coach Mangini…
No difference.
On comparing Mangini as a motivator to Edwards…
They're two totally different individuals; two different guys. Mangini came in, prepared us the same way, coached us the same way and today was the same thing. There is no difference whether we win or lose.
On Mangini's style calming the team…
We'll see coming in this week, but we need to take the same approach as a team as well. Obviously, it trickles down from the head guy Mangini, and we'll carry it out on the field.
On having pride as a co-captain…
It's tough to swallow, but it is what it is and the facts are the facts. For me and the defense, we just have to keep finding ways to get better. A lot of it, as I just mentioned, is just consistency. So, if we really focus on being consistent, we'll get better.
On the transition process of new players going slower than expected…
I haven't really thought about that; I go by wins and losses, right now we're 3-2. Defensively, could we have some things better. Of course, you could always so some things better, but we don't look at it as a timeline of where we should be at a certain time. It doesn't work that way.
On moving positions frequently…
As long as it works, I'm fine with it.
On any references to last week's game as motivation…
You don't need that as motivation. This is not high school or college, this is the NFL. Our motivation is the division opponent we have this week and keeping up with the Patriots.
New York Jets' DE Shaun Ellis, 10.5
On how the team will respond…
I think we'll respond well; go out there and practice, have a good week at practice and just get ready to play.
On preparing differently for Harrington instead of Culpepper…
I think we'll take the same approach. Regardless of who's in the game, it's the same system and we have to play against the system, not the individual player. Harrington is a good quarterback, he makes good throws and he makes good decisions so, we'll just try not to let him get in a rhythm.
On being disappointed in results…
It's a long season and a lot of things can happen. We've been in this situation before and at the end of the year we were right up at the top so hopefully, we can get everything corrected starting this weekend.
On seeing a light at the end of the tunnel…
We just take each game as it is. Teams are going to try and duplicate what other teams have done to us in the past until we can show that we can stop it and put the fire out.
On the defense's pride taking a stand…
We're taking a stand, it's not like we're out there just going through the motions, we're trying to stop the run and play well on defense. We play well in spurts, we just have to be more consistent throughout the game.
On the key to consistency…
Pretty much everything, communication, just being aware of the situation and what they like to do in certain situations, how they like to run the ball and just execute our defense.
New York Jets' T D'Brickashaw Ferguson, 10.11
On putting extra work to face this opponent…
We take the same approach every time. We view every game as an important game, we view every defender we go against as an important defender. It doesn't matter who it is, we're definitely going to put in the time.
On grading his own play…
That's hard to say, there are some things that I'm learning and trying to get better at, then there are some things that I feel I've done well. I can't really put a grade on it, just that I'm always trying to improve and get better.
On viewing big defenders as important steps in his development…
I just know that's it's always going to be a big challenge. Whoever you go against and try to block, if you have success, then you've done something and if you haven't, then you've learned something. It's just a matter of going out there and executing.
On the challenge of Taylor doing different things…
This week, I'm really going to have to study him and find something that I can use to my advantage.
New York Jets' S Erik Coleman, 10.11
On Mangini's "five second rule" of forgetting things quickly…
As soon as we got through with the film, I got to see everything and we got everything corrected, it was over. You've got to play it like that, we have a big game this week and we can't dwell on what happened in the past.
On the next two weeks being a good opportunity…
Yeah, Miami is a good team, they're a division rival and it's a big game for us.
On preparing for Harrington instead of Culpepper…
They're both strong-armed quarterbacks and Harrington is doing a good job, he has a lot of great quarterback skills. He has a rocket arm, he makes good decisions and it's going to be tough.
On correcting problems that he has seen…
The only way you correct things is to go out and practice, practice hard.
On how much of the game is mental…
I think pretty much all of it is mental. You get in a situation and you need to remember where to go, even though you may see something else, you have to play your assignment.
On confidence…
I'm confident that we're going to go out, get those things corrected, practice hard this week and get ready for Miami.
New York Jets' LB Matt Chatham, 10.11
On inspiration…
Our inspiration comes from the fact that we all believe that we have the right personnel and we've got the right scheme, we're just not focusing and executing as well as we would like to. We would be a lot more down on ourselves if we didn't believe we could do it.
On the key thing to focusing…
It's very difficult to put your finger on one thing. It's one of those things like a dam, if you put your finger in one place, then there's another hole somewhere else and you move your finger and it just goes on like that. Nothing happened to us last week that we hadn't seen as a problem in an earlier game. As a defense, we're evolving, we're learning not to make mistakes and not to repeat mistakes.
On recognizing what to do in certain situations…
Mistakes are going to happen, but when they do, you can't try to compensate for another guy's mistakes because then bigger holes open up.
Wednesday Injury Report Jets
Questionable: FB B.J. Askew (foot), CB David Barrett (hip), WR Laveranues Coles (calf), RW Tim Dwight (thigh), RB Cedric Houston (knee), OL Pete Kendall (thigh) & OL Trey Teague (ankle)
Probable:*DL Dave Ball (hand), *RB Kevan Barlow (calf), *LB Matt Chatham (foot), *OL Anthony Clement (shin), *DL Bobby Hamilton (knee), *FB James Hodgins (knee), *OL Adrian Jones (thigh), *CB Justin Miller (hip), DL Rashad Moore (personal), *QB Chad Pennington (calf), *S Kerry Rhodes (thigh), *TE Sean Ryan (Chest), WR Brad Smith (thigh), *S Eric Smith (knee), & *DL Kimo von Oelhoffen (knee) & *RB Leon Washington (hip)
Dolphins Doubtful:WR Marty Booker (chest) & QB Daunte Culpepper (knee)
Questionable:CB Travis Daniels (knee), TE Justin Peelle (knee), & LB Derrick Pope (hamstring)
Probable:*TE Randy McMichael (ribs)
- Denotes players who participated in practice
