Rhodes has received a helping hand from Vilma when it comes to weekly preparation
Jets linebacker Jonathan Vilma has been known for his excessive study habits. This season, he has found a study buddy in second-year safety Kerry Rhodes. Vilma and Rhodes alternate houses each mid-week session and the results have clearly paid off on gameday.
"He sees some things that I don't catch the first time," Vilma said of Rhodes. "The best thing is that we hold each other accountable. There are times when you'll say, 'I'm tired, let's just skip it today,' but we don't do that. It's good that we've been able to do what we've been doing."
Read below for complete transcripts from inside the Jets' locker room
New York Jets' LB Victor Hobson, 12.22
On his numbers improving…
I've just tried to grow and improve each and every day, each and every week and that's something I've been able to do. I've been fortunate and blessed to be put in positions where I can make plays, and it's my job to take advantage of those opportunities.
On playing an important game this time of year…
It's very nice; it's Christmas day, it's Monday night, what else would you rather be doing but playing something that you love to do.
On appreciating this season after last season…
We appreciate it a lot more and one of the things that we learned and has been taught to us is to take advantage of the opportunities you have, because you never know if you're going to get them again.
On the great practice yesterday…
We're just trying to grow within the system, grow within the defense, get more comfortable and improve each and every day. It's been a goal of ours and it's something that we pride ourselves on.
On preparing for Miami…
It's going to be a hard-fought game; a dog fight. We know that and we have to come out and match their intensity, because they're going to come out ready to play. They create a lot of problems for us defensively, and we're just going to have to be prepared.
New York Jets' LB Jonathan Vilma, 12.22
On rising excitement if New England wins this week…
We're at a point where we know what we have to do. Watching those teams and other teams, that's not going to determine how we play and what we have to do out there. If we don't win it doesn't matter what the other teams do, so we'll focus on ourselves. We'll prepare to do what we have to do again tonight.
On watching video with Kerry Rhodes…
We switch [houses] every other week.
On how helpful it is to watch tape with Kerry Rhodes…
He sees some things that I don't catch the first time. The best thing is that we hold each other accountable; there are times when you'll say, "I'm tired, let's just skip it today," but we don't do that. It's good that we've been able to do what we've been doing.
On what about the extra video session helps…
It's more about getting ahead, we try to get a day ahead, a practice ahead. If Wednesday we come in, and we're practicing first and second down, we would have already watched it on Tuesday. By the time we have it in practice, we've seen it about four or five times.
On bringing food to the video sessions…
I bring my own food, I'm not his mom.
On doing non-football related activities…
I could count on one finger how many times I've done something outside football on a Wednesday or Thursday. Friday, maybe a little bit; in fact, I'll do my Christmas shopping today and get that done.
New York Jets' WR Laveranues Coles, 12.22
On playing a meaningful game this time of year…
Every game we've been playing has been meaningful.
On Vonnie Holiday…
It's been blown totally out of proportion, this Vonnie Holiday thing. I don't play offensive line, I don't know a Vonnie Holiday. It wasn't meant to be a disrespectful comment towards him or anything like that. It's just one of those things when somebody asked me a question and I honestly didn't know who the guy was. I don't have to deal with the d-tackle on a regular basis, so I didn't know who he was. They asked me and I said, "Who," they said, "Vonnie Holiday," and I said, "I don't know who he is," because I truthfully didn't. for all I know, he could have been a coach, I don't deal with him on a regular basis. If you ask me something about their secondary or the linebackers, I could tell you. I know about Jason Taylor and Zach Thomas, those guys upfront that cause headaches for teams. It's been blown totally out of proportion.
On Miami being a home away from home…
I wouldn't say that, Miami is tough to play. I hope that a lot of our fans come down and support us, but I wouldn't say it's a home away from home. There are a lot more orange jerseys in the stands than there are green ones that's for sure. It's a great game though.
Injury Report Jets Questionable: FB B.J. Askew (foot), CB David Barrett (hip), WR Laveranues Coles (back), RB Cedric Houston (calf) & DB Eric Smith (foot)
Probable: *RB Kevan Barlow (calf), *LB Matt Chatham (foot), *C Nick Mangold (hip), *WR Justin McCareins (foot), *OL Brandon Moore (back), *DL Rashad Moore (hand), *QB Chad Pennington (calf), *LB Anthony Schlegel (illness), *DE Bryan Thomas (shoulder), *S Jamie Thompson (ankle) & *WR Wallace Wright (thigh)
Dolphins
Doubtful: WR Marty Booker (ankle)
Questionable: CB Will Allen (groin/quad) & *RB Ronnie Brown (hand)
Probable: *QB Joey Harrington (ankle) & *DT Keith Traylor (knee)
Denotes players who participated in practice
