Erik Boland Final TC report

Erik Boland: Inside the Jets
Breaking news, commentary and insider information on the New York Jets
Printer-friendly posts

August 20, 2008
And then there were none
A good crowd attended the final training camp practice today at Hofstra, though they had to wait toward the end of practice to see Brett Favre?s best throws.

* And they came in his two-minute situation, which was the offense trailing 24-20 with 1:59 left. On first down, Favre threw a nice ball down the right sideline that a diving Brad Smith caught for a 35-yard pickup. On the second play, Favre faked and then hit Jerricho Cotchery, running a stop-and-go, for a 19-yard gain down the left sideline. A quick out to Chansi Stuckey gained six yards but the drive stalled from there, with Favre?s fourth-and-3 pass from the 19 sailing high over the head of Smith. Good overall camp for Smith and Stuckey, whom I would pronounce about even for that No. 3 receiver spot.

* Favre is making his way through the ranks of the Jets receivers. He established an early connection with Cotchery and then started working Dustin Keller in after that. The last couple of days of practice there?s been a lot of balls thrown Stuckey?s way. As the tight ends go ? I?m not counting Keller in that category ? Chris Baker has seen as many passes as Bubba Franks, a good sign.

* Brett Ratliff threw a perfect spiral that traveled about 40 yards in the air, hitting Jerricho Cotchery for a 50-yard touchdown during one 11-on-11. Burgess left defensive backs Rudy Burgess and Ron Girault far, far behind on the route. Rookie receiver Marcus Henry, getting more and more time with David Clowney out, had a drop but also two nice catches. Ratliff fired an 18-yarder over the middle to Henry in one 11-on-11 and he hit the rookie for a 23-yard gain on a deep seam route during a two-minute drill. That drill, incidentally, ended when safety Cameron Worrell intercepted a Ratliff pass, intended for Wallace Wright, at the 12. Just to be clear: Ratliff did get to run the two-minute offense today but that?s not an indication he?s not the No. 2 QB. Kellen Clemens ran the two-minute offense yesterday; Ratliff didn?t. But that said, I have a suspicion we might see Ratliff first - after Favre - on Saturday. If I?m wrong, I?ll do my laps.

* We know this almost certainly: David Barrett will not be the starter opposite Darrelle Revis. Rookie Dwight Lowery was in by the defense?s third series today and overall played more with the ?1s? than did Justin Miller. Miller is still the starter but I?m not sure that?s going to be the case in Miami Sept. 7.

* Mike Nugent went 6-for-6 in field goals in the middle of practice, with plenty of distance to spare on his makes from 43 and 48 yards.

* With Erik Ainge running the Giants scout team, Hank Poteat made an interception on a ball that was deflected at the line.

* At various points, Calvin Pace (a very underrated camp performer), Kareem Brown and Marques Murrell put pressure on the quarterback. Brown keeps looking better and better. Same for Murrell, who might be able to provide some LB depth. And C.J. Mosley continued to be worked in with the first team defense.

A couple of training camp-enders, courtesy of the great Randy Lange at newyorkjets.com:

* Today?s practice went 2 hours, 17 minutes, the second-longest session of camp. Only the 2:18 practice on Aug. 13 was longer. The average length for the 25 practices of this year?s camp was two hours, which was Mangini?s stated goal before camp started.

Also from Lange: an estimated crowd of 4,100 watched today?s practice, bringing the combined attendance for camp to over 70,000, a Jets training camp record. This was aided, of course, by the addition of Brett Favre on Aug. 9, with that day?s attendance of 10,500 a single-day record.

* Today?s Hempstead Mini-Marathon participants: Chris Baker (false start), Chris Jenkins (off sides) and Ratliff and Will Montgomery (fumbled center exchange).

* Laveranues Coles and Shaun Ellis were again limited in practice, though Coles saw his first 11-on-11 work in a while.

And finally, we on this blog went through training camp without a day off and Eric Mangini made me feel bad about myself today, so I?m taking tomorrow (Thursday) off. Katie Strang will quite ably be filling in for me. But though I am far, I will be near.

Anyway, straight from the reporter-insert-foot-in-mouth category, here was an exchange with Mangini from today?s presser:

Mangini: ?I don?t get out much. I talk to Mike (Tannenbaum) and a few other people. How do you guys feel??

Me: ?I don?t get out much either.?

Mangini: ?You?re single, though, right??

Me: ?Yes.?

Mangini: ?You might have to get out a little more.?

Then I seamlessly transitioned into a question about Dwight Lowery, although as I did so I concluded Mangini had somehow been in contact with my parents. The advice sounded strikingly similar.

And therefore, while I will not be going out tonight upon finishing this blog post, I will be taking tomorrow off as I need to get a start on writing things for Newsday?s special NFL pullout section. As an aside, I have about eight things to write for that section, as does Tom Rock, our Giants ? and former Jets ? reporter. Our NFL columnist, Bob Glauber [who continues to take Cleveland shots at me], I believe, has the responsibility of putting together a 50-word chart for the section. As the old saying goes, to whom much is given, little is expected.

And speaking of little, before I go here, this will be the last of the super-sized practice reports. Starting tomorrow the Jets, as do most teams, move into in-season practice mode meaning reporters access is somewhat curbed. But there will be stuff nonetheless. Good night. K-Strang fills in tomorrow, but I'll probably be lurking about for questions/comments, etc.