Transcript of head coach Eric Mangini's news conference with the New York Jets media before Sunday's afternoon training camp practice:
I talked to the team this morning and reviewed the tape. There were a lot of things that were similar to last week in the sense of some really good, smart, well-executed football, punctuated by some plays that just can't happen. One of the things we focused on going into this game was to maintain the level of procedure that we had the week prior and improve upon our overall execution, and I didn't think we had the same level of procedure as we had the week prior. I thought the execution at times was outstanding on some things and then at times just mistakes that, regardless of whether it's preseason, regular season or whatever it is, are just going to kill you.
So we have a good week here to get a lot more work done to really focus on these corrections and also transition to our work on the Giants, who we'll be playing in the regular season, so this will be a good chance for to us get a head start on that information and a really good exposure to the things they do.
On whether the mistakes vs. the Vikings were mental or physical …
Usually when you have a situation like we had the other night, it's a combination of both. There were some plays where the technique, the physical technique, for example, on the tackle on the [45-yard run by Adrian Peterson] — that wasn't very good. And there were some examples of mental mistakes where decisions weren't as sharp as they should have been. Combining these two, which there's always elements in a regular game as well, you have to limit the number of those things or else it's just too hard to win games.
On whether Chad Pennington's interceptions were mental or physical …
Elements of both. Usually with interceptions, they are collective things, either there's an element of the protection breaking down or the route isn't run at the proper depth. But then at that point, the quarterback has to make a decision as to what to do with the ball. Do you try to go to your third outlet? Is the third outlet open? Do you try to make something happen with your feet? Or do you just throw it away? These are split-second decisions that have to be made. The result of taking in whatever is happening on the play, and sometimes the way it's drawn up, is it doesn't work out that way. The X's are not where the X's are supposed to be or the "O" has beat his man and is applying pressure.
On whether Kellen Clemens has closed the gap on Pennington …
I've been really pleased with Kellen's progress throughout the whole off-season. That comes, too, with getting the extra reps and I've been really pleased with that. I think you saw the start there in the Green & White Game where he got a chance. When you look at it as a third quarterback, which he was primarily last year, you're getting primarily show-team reps as opposed to reps with the starting unit. So you go from training camp to the end of the season, you try to get him as much work as possible, but the volume of reps are not there. This is where he's got another huge chunk of reps in addition to the last training camp.
With Chad, I think Chad's had an outstanding camp as well, and part of the process of getting back into the games is going through all of those decisions against a new opponent. The early preseason games are a little different than the later ones where you spend a significant amount of time game-planning the opponent, as opposed to focusing primarily on your work and then having more of a scaled-back game plan.
On whether he regrets naming Pennington the starter at the combine …
No, not at all, no. I'm very comfortable with that decision. Like I said, I think Chad's had an outstanding camp. And there were a couple of throws he'd like to have back and I'd like him to have back. Chad is a good decision maker. No, I'm really comfortable with that decision.
On Pennington's two interceptions …
I think as you look around the league and you see other teams and the way their preseason games unfold, there are some proven veterans who made similar decisions. I think training camp is a time where you do go through the process again, and all this is part of the preparation and this is part of the process. But you want to, collectively as a group, keep moving forward game in and game out and keep making progress.
On tackling …
Tackling is obviously very important to us. We do that tackling drill throughout camp and a scaled-down version during the OTAs. That's a fundamental part of football. It's a key thing to do, and we saw it last year, too. The Chicago play where they complete a hitch and the guy is able to turn up and make something happen. You saw it with Justin McCareins' run [after the catch vs. Minnesota] — Justin made three people miss. Tackling is so important, especially in the secondary where there is not a lot of help and there is a lot of space and you're facing guys who are very good runners. So leverage, angles, a good base, all of those things are critical.
On Danny Ware and how he fits into the running back position …
Danny has done some good things. Danny is getting more of a role on special teams and is having a chance to continue to make his case. He'll have some more chances based on the things he does throughout the course of the week. But with that position, as we've spoken about here several times, that third running back is not just competing with that running back group, but it's the fifth corner, the fifth safety, right on down the line.
On position flexibility …
With all of these spots, it's a collective body of work. You look at a guy like Brad Smith where he plays on the punt return team, he plays as a punt returner, as a flyer and a fullback. He'll play receiver, he'll play quarterback. When you look at that, you could say, OK, let's just have him at one position, that's it. But he gives us great flexibility now to do different things and that's so important.
Or Hank Poteat. Sometimes throughout camp you've seen him back there at safety. Again, you're evaluating both spots together to say if someone were going down or if we want to play a three-corner defense and put somebody back there, what would that look like? What would that combination look like, and has he shown that he could play that role? Now this creates flexibility for him and a strong case for his role, as well as a comfort level defensively or offensively to do the things you need to do to attack the opponent or defend their strengths.
On what he is looking for from Darrelle Revis this week …
I'm looking for him to continue to learn the system as quickly as possible. He spent a lot of time with Mike MacIntyre and with Jerome Henderson. He's done a lot of work physically trying to get used to the pads again. All those things are part of the process. And he's behind. These other guys have been through that initial training camp soreness and getting used to running with the helmet on and covering and those things take a little bit of time to get used to. Darrelle has come in with a fantastic attitude, which he's always had, and he's been extremely diligent here in the early days of trying to accelerate the learning process.
On the linebackers ...
You saw here this weekend, David [Harris] did work with the first group at different times. He and Eric Barton worked together, he and Jonathan [Vilma] worked together. He worked in the sub packages. That's something that's important is to get him in the mix and for the down guys to hear different voices. I think he's done a good job there, a few things there. Like withall of the rookies, with some experience, things are going to come along. But I've been pleased with his approach so far.
On Vilma not having any tackles in the game …
I don't remember the exact number that he had [in the coaches' breakdown] but [the first defense] only had seven reps in the first quarter, and then the second quarter he was sharing time there with David. So we're not talking about a 65-play game. I think it's a small section of plays compared to what Jonathan would normally play.
On guard Adrien Clarke's play Friday ...
With Adrien, I think he's similar to some of these other guys. There's a process going on of trying to get a comfort level and I think he's strung together some pretty good weeks of practice. I thought he played pretty well the last game. I think collectively as a group, we didn't execute and we didn't make progress. I don't think his performance was unique compared to the collective body of work.
On how long it will take Revis to catch up …
It's hard to put any timeline on it because with rookies, each guy hits at their own spot. I've seen it happen very quickly. I've seen it take much longer. Each person is a little bit different there. Having the delay of getting in and getting all that work, how that will affect the timeline, I'm not really sure. But what I am sure about is he's extremely motivated and he's been-- diligent is probably the best word I can use because he's here pretty much all the time studying, working with the coaches, working with the other players that were here to get up to speed as quick as he can.
On concerns about Revis being overly aggressive early on …
I'm sure the players will joke about his fresh legs. He should have more spring in his step than most guys. I think that's part of the excitement of getting in there. And he's a very competitive guy as it is. He's operating at a pretty high tempo, whether it's the OTAs that we saw or even talking to his coaches in college. That's just who he is.
On rotating receivers in different packages …
Brad [Smith] has been working already with the different groups and he's worked with all of those combinations. He's worked in the four-wide-receiver sets, three-wide-receiver sets. You'll see that, too, with Justin McCareins. There will be some sets whether it's him and Laveranues [Coles] or him and Jerricho [Cotchery] or the three-man combinations. They are all different. I think that's something that Brian [Schottenheimer] does well is within the plays, being able to put the receivers in the right spots for the things they do well and the things that have put pressure on the defense so the packages aren't set in stone. They are packages that can be played specifically or plays that can be packaged the same.
On the running back rotation vs. Minnesota ...
Alvin Banks had gotten much more playing time the week before, and Tony Hollings hadn't, so I wanted to balance that off and give Tony a shot to work in there.
