When Jets' AFC East foe New England made the trip to Minnesota back in October, the Patriots' offense trounced the Vikings 31-7 due to a tremendous aerial performance. Tom Brady passed for almost 400 yards while the Pats rushed just 15 total times. Many teams around the league have attempted to mimic this form of attack against the Vikes, but nobody has achieved that degree of success. Jets head coach Eric Mangini has studied the film of the Patriots-Vikings game, but he says that there is more to game preparation than just copying a winning formula.
"We definitely look at that, but there have been quite a few games since then and other teams have used some of those things," Mangini said. "That is part of the process too, whereas Minnesota looks at what New England did and other teams incorporate some of that. They adjust as well and you see the progression week-in and week-out."
Read below for Mangini's complete press conference transcript
New York Jets' Head Coach Eric Mangini, 12.14
Opening Statement…
The first thing I would like to say is how sad we were to hear of the passing of Lamar Hunt. Obviously losing a man like him who was a pioneer, an innovator and such an important part of the league is an incredible loss. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family.
In terms of our work here, yesterday we had a good practice. There are some things that we need to clean up, and that is what we will do today. We will get those things straightened out at practice, then we will move on to third down, which is what we typically do. Defensively, Minnesota has been very good on third down. We have talked a lot about how opportunistic they are and a lot of those plays have been showing up on third down. It is going to be very important for us offensively to execute, which is something that has been a strength for us, and we have to continue those drives.
Defensively, it's really the same situation, the team has the number one time of possession in the league, and there's good reason for that. Part of it is their play on third down and the things they do. That's going to be an important part of the game this Sunday.
On playing indoors…
I really don't mind playing in the dome. I don't love practicing in the bubble, but playing in the dome is just another environment that you have to get used to. The noise factor can sometimes be an issue, but we practiced with sound for a long time, so that's something that I feel pretty comfortable about in terms of our exposure to it. It's like playing in the heat or the cold or any of those situations. It's just another environment that we need to be able to execute in.
On increasing the noise/music while practicing in the bubble…
It's definitely very loud, and the nice thing about the music is, playing inside the bubble it is louder. I don't know what the scientific reason is but it definitely felt a little louder today. It's great to be able to carry that into the bubble and eliminate any drop off.
On how much of yesterday's practice was in the bubble…
It is difficult to hold the entire practice in the bubble because it's not a full field. If you do all of the individual work inside the bubble, you really can't do the all of the things you want to do. We did our stretching outside, we did part of the special teams that we really need more space for outside, and then after that the offense went inside for the individual periods. The defense stayed outside, but all of the team-related drills were inside. It was more about functionality than wanting to be outside. Chad (Pennington) said, 'We must have been practicing outside in case there's a leak in the dome,' but that really wasn't the case. From a logistical standpoint, it is hard to run all those different drills simultaneously without tossing a ball into somebody else.
On Chris Baker's role in the offense…
A lot of that is really based on read progressions. We try to build on plays where the primary read may be the tight end, but if that's not there, one of the things that we always talk about is not to force the ball into a space that's not available. Sometimes even though the intention is to try to create that opportunity, if the scheme takes it away, then the best decision is to either go to the second outlet, the check down or to throw it away.
We've definitely had some things for him to be involved. He got a few more balls against Green Bay. It's some of what we are doing and some of what they are doing, as well.
On D'Brickashaw Ferguson…
'Brick is a guy who is mentally tough. That's one of the things that attracted us to him coming out of college. He faces a great pass rusher week-in and week-out. Just like anybody else whether it be missed field goals or throws that you'd like to have back, everybody faces some play that they really wish they could have another opportunity. The important thing is knowing, what did I do wrong, what can I correct, and how can I play the next opponent. 'Brick is in that same grouping of learning from it, moving on and being better the next time.
On leaving Ferguson in single match-ups with pass-rushers as the season goes on…
It will vary game-to-game and also by the blitz pattern. Some of that comes into play as well, where they are bringing the pressures, that type of thing. Wednesday, things have dramatically shifted from early on, it's still very much a game-by-game approach.
I really like the way that he is becoming more vocal, and not just on the field, but also in the meeting rooms. That happens with playing with the same guys and feeling more comfortable and really understanding what's happening. Nick (Mangold) and 'Brick, both, as the weeks go on here, are getting to be better communicators.
On the injury report…
I go by the information that I have been given by the trainers. All of the information that we've put out is completely based on conversations with the trainers and that's really the spirit of the injury report.
On if players have input on the injury report…
In terms of putting out the injury report, no, that's based on myself, Mike (Tannenbaum) and the trainers.
The players' input is their interaction with the trainers, if they are practicing, the level of treatments that they are getting. It's all based on going through the training room and visiting with the doctors, then that information is given to me and Mike and we are the ones that put out the injury report.
On Wallace Wright and how he made the practice squad…
We had the initial rookie camp and we want to have that be as competitive as possible. I've always liked the idea of giving people opportunities that may have been overlooked either in the draft or in being signed as rookie free agents. I think there's real value in that and there's always those guys that for some reason they've been overlooked. You've seen the draft every year, a guy goes back to the end of the draft and he ends up being a great player, or being taken on the front end, and not so much. You see the same thing on undrafted guys. That's a good weekend for us to get to know the guys we drafted and from a coaching perspective, the rookie free agents and then also these other guys that were there through the pro personnel department and JoJo Wooden (assistant director, player personnel). They coordinated the tryout guys.
On Marques Colston…
He is a great example of what we're talking about. Wayne Chrebet is another example of what we are talking about. Sometimes those guys aren't slotted correctly and a lot of people didn't slot them correctly for a lot of rounds. Colston has had a really great rookie season, just like with Wayne. Wayne happened to walk across the street and sometimes it's one of those things where talking to other coaches, talking to different people with information about the player, you may be the one that gives them an opportunity. Antonio Gates, how many people wish they had answered that call?
On changing the league criteria in place to protect quarterbacks…
There is a process in place after the season where each club can present ideas to the competition committee which they review and, while you're at the owners' meetings, there are votes on it and each club has an opportunity to weigh in on the issue. With any of the different rules that come up throughout the course of the season, or as Mike and I talk, if there are things that we want to explore, then we would extend that organizationally and that would go to the NFL body.
It's difficult because you want to have your quarterback protected, but you like when you make a hit to get the sack or the turnover. It really cuts both ways. You can benefit from it and you may not benefit from it. But the key thing is they are really trying to rule on that in an objective way and try to make it consistent for everybody. As long as everybody is under the same guidelines, then really, that's fine. It's just something that we all have to adjust to and it's just part of the terrain.
On how to be successful against Minnesota's run defense…
It's always interesting when you play teams like this who are dominant in one area, to see the approach of their opponents over the course of the season, especially later in the season. You've got a lot of different coaches, a lot of different staffs, a lot of different types of running backs, and the plays that they have tried to run against them. It may be the same play the next week, and it's not as successful.
It's a research project where you're analyzing what has worked, why has it worked, what was the runner like, what defense were they in. Because the front and the coverage plays a role in the blocking, so you're analyzing all that information, trying to take the best stuff and trying to put that into a context that you do well. It's not necessarily one thing where you can say, 'this is the answer.' It's more looking at a lot of different answers over the course of the season and trying to find out the best answer for you.
On the Minnesota defensive backs having a lot of tackles…
Because there are more passes, those guys will be more involved. They are down in the run support and it could be the safeties and the three-deep where they are picking up tackles there or the corners where they are two-deep they are pretty active there as well. On the perimeter run, they fill quickly, they are good tacklers, and they are aggressive. They have all had opportunities in both areas and for the most part have capitalized pretty well.
On watching the Minnesota/New England tape…
We definitely look at that, but there have been quite a few games since then, and other teams have used some of those things. That's part of the process, too, whereas Minnesota looks at what New England did and other teams incorporate some of that, they adjust as well and you see the progression week-in and week-out. Here is the attack, here is the adjustment, here is the next team's attack, and you really look at that. It's putting it together in the context of the Jets.
On getting feedback from the players about the injury report…
The whole goal of that is not in the context of free agency or any of that stuff. It's based on that week and the information we get from the trainers and the doctors. It's not in the context of post-season activity. In terms of talking to them, the players and I don't spend a lot of time talking about the injury report.
On playoff implications of this game…
It goes back to what we talked about last week, where what other teams did last week really didn't matter, and what other teams do this week really doesn't matter. What matters is the game that we play. If we control that, and do the best that we can and win that game and execute well, then everything else involved, all of the other issues outside of things we can control won't necessarily affect the outcome on Sunday. We just have to take care of what we can take care of.
On the team being in a 'must-win' situation…
We've taken the same approach every week and it was the same approach last week. There were games that we were successful and games we could have been better in; if you take care of those games, one-by-one, when you get into the latter part of the season each game is important, but it's no less important than a game that we may have not been successful in earlier. They all count the same. We are really taking a consistent approach, and our work ethic has not strayed from what it's been now for quite some time.
On whether seven losses is a key number…
We're really looking at getting to eight. That's what we are looking to do is getting to eight wins. That's the goal as opposed to anything else. That's the consistent focus; one meeting, one practice, one rep, one game. You take care of those things and all the numbers and the playoffs and all those issues really unfold the way that they are going to unfold.
On the Jets' fans…
I've always appreciated the passion of the Jets fans and the way that they approach the game. They care and they are excited. You feel the energy. You're trying to consistently make progress with the team and win each game each week. I definitely appreciate the Jets fans and all of the emotions that go on throughout the course of the season.
On gaining more than the last 11 work days…
We just want to take care of number 11 and then number 10 and then number nine. If you take care of each one of them, then there's usually a few more. But, you're always happy about those extra workdays.
Thursday 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
