The transcript of head coach Eric Mangini's news conference with Jets reporters Friday morning:
Yesterday we got some good work done, reviewed the things we did, first and second down from Wednesday, and moved into third down, introduced the red area. I liked the overall tempo of practice and the focus we had. I thought it was a good day, and a good day on top of a good day Wednesday.
On how challenging it has been for Darrelle Revis this season …
It can be very challenging. He's covered some excellent receivers from the opening game right on down the line. He's played multiple spots. He's played in the slot and outside, several different types of coverage, and has worked with different people. What I like about him is the constant attention to detail, the way that as things come up and he learns or experiences things in the game, he builds on those experiences. He's a physically strong player, tackles well and is consistent with his approach for such a young guy.
On how he is with letting go of the last play …
He seems to be very good at that. The last Buffalo game is an excellent example. He had given up some plays earlier in the game, they came down to the crucial third down for us to stop them and have a chance to get the ball back. He makes the play on the out-breaking route. It was the last play of their series.
On if he has talked to the doctors about Jonathan Vilma's status …
I talk to them every day. I talk to Jon and our trainer [John Mellody]. We assess it as we go and we're going to continue to do that. We'll look at him today. He's getting treatment and we'll have to see how it goes.
On how the assessment process is going on Vilma …
Pretty much the same as all the assessment processes go. We talk to those guys [trainers] and they give me their feedback. We talk to the player and try to put together the best plan moving forward.
On if there is a chance Vilma will play Sunday …
I think with any injury, each guy is different. You've got to look at it and sometimes you expect someone to play, and they just can't do it when you come down to Sunday. Other guys that you think there is no shot of playing do. So that's why we go through the full week and take a look at it.
On if he has ruled Vilma out for Sunday's game ...
I don't rule anybody out in terms of injuries. It's different person to person. It's something that if you go one way, a lot of times the opposite happens. So we always go through the full process and the full level of rehab.
On his status being a positive sign …
Well, with any injury it's consistent. You have to just assess it. Each guy is different. Curtis Martin is different than the next guy. Jon is different than the next guy. Pain tolerance is different and each injury is a little bit different. You look at all those factors and do what's in the best interest of the player. Player safety is very important to us. That's why it's a thorough process and you go to the end.
On Mike Westhoff being good for specific game-planning for opponents …
He's very creative and has a wealth of experience. He's seen a lot of different combinations over the course of the year. The other thing that Mike does which is really impressive is he looks at the next opponent. Throughout the course of the week, he looks at all the special teams plays that happened around the league. So he's constantly building his database and his opponent scout. Even though we might not be playing that opponent this year or for a couple years, he wants to see what the trends are and the approaches different special teams coordinators are taking. That, combined with his years of experience and creativity, I think gives us a great plan each week.
On Hank Poteat's performance …
He's done a good job. He's had two picks in two weeks. He's a consistent and tough guy. He's got a good approach to the multiple positions. He's been a role player for a lot of years and has done that really well. He's gotten some opportunities to be a starter at different points and has done that very well. Whatever he can do to help the team he is going to do.
On what he has seen from Poteat from when he coached at New England…
You know what you're going to get with Hank. You know he's going to be where he's supposed to be. He's going to play the technique he's being coached to play. He's going to be the same guy every day he shows up to the facility. He's going to be the same guy in games. That consistency is what you're always looking for so you know what to expect in terms of performance. You know that if there is an issue, the issue isn't because Hank is out of position. If he is out of position, he'll know it, he'll tell you, and you don't adjust the defense because it was more of a mistake by the player at that point as opposed to a critical flaw in what your approach was in terms of the call.
On Poteat not getting many opportunities to start in his career …
It really isn't that important because if he's doing a good job at practice and he earns that opportunity, he's going to get it. That's true with any of our guys. Drew Coleman got a chance last week to be activated. You're always looking at those guys that are on the 53-man roster but may not have been up on the 45. When they make a case for themselves in practice, you want to give them a chance to come up and potentially play in the game.
On LB Matt Chatham's possible activation giving the team a spark …
Matt is an excellent special teams player. He is a very good player who continues to get better defensively. Having the ability to activate him after we get through this week and see where he is I think is positive. He was a captain last year, so any time you can add that element to the mix, I think it's definitely a positive.
On if Chatham could help the pass rush …
I think the pass rush is going to be a combination of people and a combination of schemes. Matt has a different style than the other pass rushers and any time you mix up who you bring, I think that is positive as well.
On not having many sacks this year …
That often goes the same way interceptions go. You may go two or three weeks, have a little bit of a drought, and then hit two or three games where they come in bunches. You don't know when that's going to hit. Sometimes the matchup is better. Getting that 12-sack game in the Giants-Philadelphia situation was pretty unique. They all count, but they were all in one game. You don't know how it's going to play out and you are always putting together the best plan. You just have to see how it plays out.
On if he has an Osi Umenyiora on his roster ...
I think all of our pass rushers give us a good opportunity. They've all done good things at different times and applied pressures in different ways. Sacks are a combination of not just the rush but the coverage on the back end. If both those elements aren't in place, it's hard for the rushers to get to the passer. If the rush isn't there, it's hard for the secondary to hold up. They have to be in unison. You have to be able to combine some different types of blitzes so that it's not always consistent. One time you're rushing up the field, now you're mixing the blitz. You start up the field, come under rush and create that uncertainty in the offensive linemen. All three of those things have to be in place in order to consistently get pressure on the quarterback.
On if this has been a hectic week …
Most weeks are pretty busy around here [smiles]. The challenges each week and the things that come up each week are different. It's something similar to the way that you plan practice. There's certain areas you may have to shift your time and attention to. There's certain areas you may have to shift the reps based on either that opponent or an area that you want to improve. You get used to that, and that's the advice I got from a lot of head coaches coming in: You can go in with whatever schedule or whatever to-do list you want to have, and it's not going to be the same at the end of the day. A lot of things are going to come up that weren't anticipated or that you have to adjust to.
On Victor Hobson not having any tackles in the pressbox stats at Cincinnati (he was credited with three tackles from the coaches' video review) ...
I've seen that happen. You don't want anybody to play an entire game and not have a tackle and they don't want to be in that situation. It depends on what you're asking them to do. It could be a combination of things. You're always looking to be as productive as you possibly can, but if your job is to set the edge of the defense and push everything back in, sometimes that's going to put you in a position where you can't be as productive as you'd like.
I've dealt with that a lot of times in the secondary where you have a box safety and having him down in the box doesn't make sense against that opponent. It's not going to be productive. It's not going to stop what you need to stop. You have to put that guy in the deep part of the field the whole game. Those guys are used to making 10 or 12 tackles a game and being around the football. Now they have to go back and provide a depth to the defense. You have to explain that and work through that depending on the guy, but if that's the most important thing to do that week, then that's what you've got to do.
On deciding to stay with Chad Pennington …
I don't know what the situations around the league have been or what the thought process was. I really can only relate to the situation that we have here and the decision-making here. Each week I make the decisions that give us the best chance to win based on the information that is there and understanding the opponent. That will be how it is throughout the course of the season. Every year you're always going to look at what helps you on that Sunday and that's really the only important thing.
