Week 2: Patriots @ Jets

6:02 PM -- (Not a Game Update) I didn't mention this, but right now I'm in Cambridge, MA visiting my beautiful, brilliant girlfriend Megan.  She's put up with me being a huge JetsFret nerd and blogging the first part of this game, but (because I'm going to be returning home to a rather boring Long Island in a day) I am going to take her out for the best meal she's had all week (or at least that's the way it looks on paper).  I'll be receiving updates on my phone and will deliver an expanded 'Fret' when our date's over.

Keep watching and rooting though... they sure as hell need it.

6:01 PM -- 13-3 Pat on a Sammy Morris TD run off the Favre INT.  I have a sick feeling in my stomach right now.

5:55 PM -- There it is... the Gun Slinger is in the building.  The Jets are coming out with ZERO intensity and look very poor on offense right now.  The D, however, is really stepping it up... ESPECIALLY the Run-D (believe it or not).

5:53 PM -- The human conversion, Stuckey, comes through again! 1st and 10

5:52 PM -- 3rd and 23 and Mangenius calls a run up the middle?  Is he stoned?  Sloppy play and play calls this series.

5:48 PM -- Huge statement by the Jets in the first drive for the Pats in the 2nd half.  They sack to Cassel (get in his head), force a NE timeout, and force and 3 and out.  Huge!

HALF TIME!

Pats 6, Jets 3

5:28 PM -- It's half time and the Jets run game has looked great, but it hasn't resulted in anything.  This was an extremely quick half (if I do say so myself) but that's probably because (as I predicted) the Pats are trying to keep Brett and Jets off the field.  I look for this to continue, but for each team to score in the end zone twice.  It's going to be uncomfortably close... but when isn't it, I guess.  See you at the second half.

5:21 PM -- Matt Cassel get JACK'D UP by Bryan Thomas and, in his shaken state, Cassel fudges a hand-off and the Jets force a three-and-out.

Now that's more like it... Matt Cassel is finally looking like a back-up Quarterback... let's hope the Jets keep the pressure coming on this kid... becuase they've already done a great job stuffing the run... so if Mangini keeps sending the dogs, this game could turn around in a hurry!

5:08 PM -- The Pats return the favor and stuff the Jets on 3 consecutive plays and Gang Green settles for a field goal... not really acceptable.  Pats 6, Jets 3

5:02 PM -- That Coles catch really is showing it's importance because the Jets offense just got a shot of adrenaline on each of the subsequent plays.  Highlights were a catch by human conversion, Chansi Stuckey, and an awesome twisty-turny rush by Leon Washington to bring the Jets down to the Pats' 5 yard line.  1st and Goal when the game returns.

5:00 PM -- I take it back Laveraneus.  Pivotal Catches: 1.  Awesome grab by the Jets (alleged) number 1 receiver (though, as I said last week, I think Cotchery passed him on the depth charts).

4:44 PM -- Pivotal Dropped Ball Count (for Laveraneus Coles): 2

Can someone give this clown some stick 'em?

The Jets are looking ordinary on their second drive of the game.  They're going to need to shake things up in their third drive; for now:  Matt Cassel.

4:37 PM -- The Jets stuff the Maroney hand-off!  So awesome, great attack defense and stuff my Kerry Rhodes (of course).

4:34 PM -- Again... Is this a sick joke?

Are we sure that Tom Brady didn't just throw on a '16' jersey today?  Cassel's looking awfully good on his first series (4/5 completions were for first downs...).  The Jets just used their 2nd time out already... which I'm upset about... but will be even more upset if they used it and don't stop the Pats on 3rd and Goal right now.  Stay tuned.

4:26 PM -- Is this a sick joke?

I'm already having flashbacks to last week when the Jets would look impressive all the way into the red zone and not convert... DESPITE ATTEMPTING A FIELD GOAL!!!  Jay Feely, who missed only 2 FGA all of last year for Miami, missed his first as a Jet.  I guess those memories of a crappy Giant place kicker have come back with him to the Meadowlands... so gross.

4:20 PM -- First drive is continuing into a Favre time out (Mangini seems pissed about this... maybe a play book thing again?).  Initial notes: Thomas Jones and the O-Line are looking incredible.  I don't know if the Pats were expecting Favre to come out and gun-sling, but they're looking like they're on their heals right now... and I like it!

First Quarter (above)

Pre-Game: First,  Laveraneus Coles is still listed as 'Questionable' for today's home opener for the Jets (and the first of the last at the Giants Stadium).  To be honest... who cares.  He was barely seen in the Jets win over the Dolphins last week and hardly an 'impact' player at that.  I would like to see, as I said last week, Brett Favre try and bring Dustin Keller into the the ball circulation a bit more (though Eric Mangini calls Keller a "work in progress;" not that I believe anything he says)... but I can't complain so long as the offense moves the ball much like they did last week against Miami.  

If we learned one thing last week, it's that the best way to beat the Jets is to keep the offense off the field.  This is something that the Dolphins executed perfectly and I'm sure the Pats will be looking to use that exact game plan this week against Gang Green.

Also, for those fantasy footballers who are interested, Randy Moss was removed from the Pats' injury report and is a go for today's matchup.  Look for Matt Cassel to seek out Moss frequently in his first-career start under center for New England.

Update: Laveraneus Coles IS active... We'll see if this continues to lack importance as the weeks roll on...

Chris "Mad Dog" Russo: Jets Fans Would Be 'Okay' With No Super Bowl Appearance In '09

The headline pretty much sums it up. I mean... is this guy on crack? I know they serve drinks in the green room at all these Late Show venues, but Russo must've had a double of whatever the barkeep was serving, because I don't know if a sober man could've made a comment like that.

Essentially, Russo appeared as a guest on "The Late Show" to promote his new channel on XM-Sirius Satellite Radio. After David Letterman did his best to pry into the personal feud that occurred between the Russo and his former-partner, Mike Francesa, the two moved on to the hottest topic in New York: Brett and the Jets.

During this brief discussion, Letterman made pointed out, rather obviously (in my opinion), that the New York Jets view Brett Favre as their "magic bullet" and that the team was looking "Super Bowl or bust."

...well, it was obvious to everyone EXCEPT Chris Russo, who claimed that the Jets fan would be "okay" with just having a "good run" into the playoffs.  After I picked the bottom of my jaw off the floor from the utter shock of Russo's comment, my secondary response was fuming anger.

How is this the man who XM-Sirius just cut a fat check to "program" and entire channel?  Are you kidding me?  You're gonna program a channel... but you don't know that Jets' fans, perhaps the most tragic fans in sports today, want a Super Bowl more than anything on Earth!?!?!?

Letterman even tried to reason with Mad Dog, pointing out, again, the obvious:

• The New York Giants won, arguably, the most gripping Super Bowl in recent memory last year.
• Tom Brady is out for the year.
• The AFC is way up for grabs.
• Brett Favre may be gone after this year.

With all these things known... Russo remained stubborn saying that the Jets' fan-base would still be 'okay' with the aforementioned 'good run' into the playoffs...

Well, Chris and anyone else who shares his opinion... I am a Jets fan; and winning the Super Bowl is what I expect EVERY, SINGLE SEASON (albeit some more realistic than others).  This season more so than any other one I can think of that DOESN'T start with a ruptured achilles.  Personally, Russo's comments are a smack in the face to any sports fans who root day-in and day-out for their team's success... you know... the very avid sports fan that Russo will be 'programming' for starting this week on XM-Sirius... what a joke.