During the week, the newyorkjets.com staff will open up the Jets locker room at Weeb Ewbank Hall to offer fans a behind the scenes look at interviews of their favorite players. Every media day, fans will be welcomed into the Hempstead headquarters via www.newyorkjets.com to check in on what players have to say.
Today, three Jets veterans talked leading up to the club's first divisional road game. The Jets will take on quarterback J.P. Losman, running back Willis McGahee and the rest of the Buffalo Bills (1-1) this Sunday at 1:00 p.m.
New York Jets' WR Laveranues Coles, 9.21
On if he'll be able to play on Sunday…
We've been informed to stay away from those types of questions. I'm doing what I can to get back. If you have any questions about my leg you can talk to the medical staff or ask the Head Coach. That's the best way for me to leave it.
On expectations on you when you returned to the Jets…
What happens is there are so many expectations when decisions are made. I come here and Santana (Moss) goes there (Washington), when the trade was made and people think "well, he had an amazing year" and I've never expected anything less from him, he's an amazing player, it was just a matter of time before that happened, I'm just sorry that I came back here and things didn't go so well. We all had a few growing pains last year. We had quite a few injuries. We just had things happen where it just didn't work out the way I wanted it to work out. I work hard. I worked the same way as I did last year and the same way I'm working this year. I'm just happy the ball has been thrown my way the first couple of games this season.
On regaining the chemistry with QB Chad Pennington…
When you have a great QB like Chad and he has a lot of trust in you it makes it that much better for me as a player. I'm just excited that we've had the opportunity to get on the field together and kind of rekindle that bond that we've had in the past.
On being frustrated that he wasn't able to play with Chad for the full season…
I looked at it as though we would have our time. You go through things in the off-season where people don't look at you as the same player, they say you lost a step, you're just not the same player you used to be. Deep down inside you know that you're still the same player and the guys you're playing against look at you like you're the same. I get the same respect on the football field, I just didn't get it published in the media. It's good that I have the stats now to show that. Its' not about Laveranues, I have a lot of great receivers, doing excellent things and I'm just proud to be a part of it.
On having something to prove coming into to this season…
I never really have anything to prove, but I like people to see that "this guy hasn't lost anything, he's still here". Of course you always want people to know that you still can play the game, you never want to be looked at as somebody who has lost a step, or that the team has made a mistake because anytime an organization trusts you the way they trusted me, in bringing me back and believing in me, you want to reward that.
On the other receivers stepping up if he can't play…
There's no doubt (they can). These guys (the other receivers) are the best. I enjoy working with them. Just being around them, you see the type of work and effort that they put into things. They are a great group and without them I wouldn't be able to do some of the thing that I've been able to do. When you have a great group of guys that go out there on Sunday like that, there are no worries.
On Coach Mangini praising his toughness…
That's good, I never knew Coach noticed much of anything around here. It's good that he's paying attention. I just try to be one of those guys that he doesn't have to worry about, that he knows is going to show up and compete and I'm going to give him everything I have. He's (Coach Mangini) coming in and us veterans have to prove ourselves all over and show him that we belong here and we want to be here. In this case I just hope that I can continue to impress him and continue to work hard and he'll continue to notice.
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On priding yourself on being tough…
That's one of the things I look for, taking the big shot over the middle and making the play. That's the fun part of the game for me, being able to say, "Hey I took your best and I got up and I'm going to come back and see if you can do it again".
On having a high threshold for pain…
Yeah, I consider myself having a very high threshold for pain.
On that threshold being tested…
Anytime you play professional football your threshold is going to be tested.
New York Jets' LB Jonathan Vilma, 9.21
On Buffalo just wanting QB J.P. Losman to not make mistakes…
I don't think they want him to make a mistake, they want him to make the right reads. They put him in positions where he doesn't have to do too much thinking. He has a great arm, so if he can get the ball out there, it's going to be great for him.
On what the defense will do to make Losman think…
We want to disguise, we want to get after him, and we want to definitely put pressure on him.
On preparing to play the 3-4…
The defense is different, you still have to learn it, it's not like a 4-3. I was in that for six or seven years. In the 3-4 there's always something to learn, always a little tweak here or there that I can do or that I can adjust to. It's just going to be a work in progress.
On the Patriots attack against the 3-4…
They see a 3-4 every day training camp, every practice for eight or nine years now. It wasn't going to be a surprise that they knew how to block a 3-4 defense.
On RB Willis McGahee being the primary RB…
They have RB Anthony Thomas, who's actually pretty good, but Willis, they're going to use him more.
On it being easier to defend a team with a primary running back because he wears down…
No, he (McGahee) doesn't wear down. If you had a guy that would wear down, it might be easier, but he's run hard.
New York Jets' S Kerry Rhodes, 9.21
On Coach Mangini saying he was someone that's stood out…
It doesn't really stand out to me, I have to keep playing and doing what I'm doing. I can't listen to those things and get to another level. I'm trying to get to the point where I make plays all the time.
On being impressed that Coach mentioned him unprovoked…
It's impressive to me, but I can't listen to it, and I'm not worried about it. I'm worried about this game plan against Buffalo and trying to get better this week and making sure the defense and everybody's on the same page.
On what Buffalo does offensively that's going to present a problem…
We have to stop the run. They are going to run the ball with McGahee, he gets the bulk of the carries. The next closest person has eight carries, he has 45, so we know they want to run him and they are going to try and throw the ball deep. We just have to stop, but we know what we have to do to stop it.
On Buffalo not wanting QB J.P. Losman to make mistakes…
He's athletic, I played with him in college, so I've seen him before. I saw him last year. He's athletic, he can make all the throws but they're trying to keep his decision making down by handing the ball and make small check down passes. We're going to try to get after him a little bit and see what he can do.
On his improvement this season…
When he (Coach Mangini) first came, he spoke with me and told me that I have the potential to be a good safety and have the potential to be a good leader. I just took that heed and tried to put it out on the field and see what I could do with it. It's working out so far.
On what goes into being a leader…
You have to do your job and you have to do what you do first. If you do everything right, people will follow you, if you're not, they wont. You have to do that first and just start talking and getting everybody else on the same page.
On getting everyone on the same page…
Just on my preparation, I know I'm a whole lot better then I was last year. I'm taking it step by step and game by game right now. You can have one good game and come back and struggle in the next game. I'm trying to stay focused and concentrate on what I have to do and make sure everybody else is too.
