Dwight Lowery will be heading to San Francisco with last week's first-career interception in the end zone against Denver fresh in his mind.
"It felt good," said the rookie cornerback. "I think that when you've had a history of doing something, in terms of getting interceptions for myself, that it's always hard to get the first one out of the way. You let yourself relax a little bit and you just get more confidence from it."
Lowery had 13 interceptions for 147 yards and a touchdown in two seasons at San Jose State, so he knew it was only a matter of time before he snagged his first as a pro.
Jets head coach Eric Mangini pointed out two offensive playmakers for the 49ers during today's news conference, WR Isaac Bruce and TE Vernon Davis, whom Lowery could wind up covering Sunday.
"Isaac Bruce, he's been playing in the league a long time," said Lowery, "so he knows little tricks, certain ways of running a route that could set up a DB exactly how you want to, as far as from a receiver's perspective.
"Vernon Davis, he's a great vertical threat and physical specimen. He's somebody that has big-play capability and you have to match him tight when he's out running his routes because if you don't, he's type of guy that will not only catch the ball but he'll catch the ball and take it the distance.
"You've got to be wary of guys like that who have that type of ability, and they've been doing a good job since [Mike] Singletary has become their coach."
But 49ers running back Frank Gore also poses a threat catching the ball out of the backfield. In fact, he's tied with Bruce for most receptions on the team at 39.
"With [Mike] Martz coming in and inheriting the offense, they've gotten Frank Gore the ball a little bit more in the passing game and he's definitely got the capability," said Lowery. "There was one play I saw where he looked just like a wide receiver in running his route and came down with the ball like a wide receiver as well. So he's a multipurpose threat and somebody that definitely needs to be accounted for on their offense."
Lowery may have been talking about the same play Mangini mentioned earlier in his news conference.
"There was a great play against New England where he splits out wide and beats the corner for a post," said the coach. "That's a good indication of his receiving skills. "
"There's not very many Marshall Faulk-type of running backs that can take the ball handed to them in the backfield, can line up in slot and run a route, line up outside and run a route, catch screens, and he's the type of guy that can do all those things," Lowery said of Gore. "In seeing that route, I was impressed with his ability to run the route, because it was against the corner and he did a pretty good job."
Another bright spot for Lowery, as he and the Jets prepare to embark on their third of this season's four West Coast trips, is that he will be able to play in front of family and friends. Playing near his old stomping grounds of San Jose and Santa Cruz, Calif., Lowery would surely love to excite his fans and teammates with more interceptions.
"Yeah, I'm definitely happy to be going back there," said Lowery. "There will definitely be a lot of people at this game — you know, family, friends, people I've gone to school with, people that just followed my career and whatnot, so it'll be a good situation."
