*Interviews in the Jets locker room after their 31-28 win over Miami in the Meadowlands on Sunday: *
HEAD COACH ERIC MANGINI
I was really happy with the complementary football we played. We did some good things in all three phases and that's something we talk about and something that's been important to us. We got that big kickoff return; we did a good job in our coverage units, in terms of the onsides kick, being able to recover that. Offensively, being able to do the different things we did, running the football, throwing the football. Defensively, we did some really good things. Obviously, we need to work on screens. It's something we will work on this week moving forward. I liked the way we practiced this week. I liked the way we are consistently working at practice, and that, to me, is so important and that is what translates in the game.
On the running game …
To me, the running game is complementary. I thought there were some really nice blocks by the wide receivers on the perimeter that were helpful in making those plays go longer than they typically would have. I thought the lead blocking in some of those situations was very good. I thought the run was good and I thought the offensive line did a nice job when their defense knew we had to run and they were able to create some holes for Thomas [Jones] and Leon [Washington].
On Chad Pennington's TD run …
We felt pretty comfortable with that run in terms of how many people were going to be in the box. There weren't any — so that's why we made the decision we did.
On Washington's kickoff returning …
He got a lot of work in preseason and we have worked other people back there, too. You saw Brad [Smith] was back there, Darian [Barnes] was back there. And Leon, when he touches the ball, he can be explosive, whether it's a running play, a screen, a kickoff return, a punt return. I thought the whole return unit did a nice job executing that particular return, which we worked on specifically for the Dolphins.
On defensively getting takeaways and sacks …
Those haven't been the focal points. The focal point has been the process and that's what we will always work on is the process. The other things will come. I think Cam [Cameron] does an outstanding job with the offense. That's one of the reasons why Brian Schottenheimer is here, because of the work he did in that offensive system. It's explosive, it creates a lot of matchup problems, a lot of communication problems. I think they are doing a good job with that.
On the defense's performance against the run …
It is something we work on each week. We will continue to work on it and continue to focus on it. I think we have a lot of positive things in our running game and we will continue to have some positive things and there are things we need to work on. To me, we need to get our screens cleaned up. I don't know how many yards there were, but it seemed like a million.
On the closeness of the game …
That's always how the games are between the Jets and the Dolphins. Last year it came down to the turnover ratio and they were three-point games in the last two minutes of the game, both of them. This year it just continued that way. That's what we anticipate when we play the Dolphins, regardless of the score leading into the late part of the game.
On whether the defense relaxed after the Jets opened a 31-13 lead …
I think we were working at stopping them. They made some good plays and had some good drives. I don't think there was any emotional letdown. I think the Dolphins did a good job at executing.
On handling third-down situations …
Offensively, I think we were 8-for-12 and defensively we were 3-for-9. That was another big point of emphasis going into the week. A lot of that is tied into the effectiveness on first and second down and being able to get the opponent in third-and-long and making sure your offense is in third-and-very-manageable.
On containing Miami DE Jason Taylor …
With Jason Taylor it is a group effort. He is so explosive, he can ruin a game at any point. As a group, in terms of the game plan, I thought it was a good concept, a good game plan to work against him. I thought our guys executed the game plan and did a really nice job. There were situations when Brick [D'Brickashaw Ferguson] was isolated with him and in those instances I thought he did a nice job as well.
On Pennington's return to the field …
Chad has great presence and he has a great way of calming things down in the huddle, getting the group focused, controlling the clock and understanding the clock management. Anytime we think, "We're not going to get this off," that's not the case with Chad. He has it timed up. He has the shifts, the motion. Everybody enjoys playing for him, they all rally around him and that's important. He is extremely efficient and people appreciate how hard he has worked to get back here.
On Pennington's performance …
I liked his overall performance. He was efficient. He moved the ball effectively, both run and pass. He got us in and out of checks in both pass and run situations. He had no turnovers. All of that was excellent.
On RB Thomas Jones …
I was pleased with Thomas Jones. He had somewhere close to 100 yards in the second half, which is always a good second half. It's the complement that he gives to the offensive line, it's his style of running. It's the complementary style of running he gives in terms of Leon and both of those backs. The relationship they have built with the offensive line is positive and will continue to develop.
On celebrating their first win of the year …
Until 9 o'clock tonight, that's as far as I will take it. Then we will watch the tape. It's always nice to get the first win. We worked. Our training camp was hard. Our OTAs were hard, we practice hard. We have done a lot of good things in the games we have played, we just haven't had the results. It's nice to get the results we've been working so diligently towards.
On the Pennington-to-Coles completion on third-and-17 …
One of the important things we did there was that we were able to protect long enough to allow the vertical to develop and then the ability for Chad to see the open receiver and then the yards following the catch. Those are low-percentage downs, when you get to third-and-17, so it was an outstanding play in a difficult situation.
On taking advantage of Miami's miscues …
We work a lot of situations on recognizing opportunities that our opponent creates. To be able to capitalize on those is extremely important and to be able to generate first downs because of that is good football and I am happy to see that.
On Jones' impact …
He has got an excellent tone that he sets in the way he runs. He has an ability to bounce out or hammer it up the inside. Offensive lines love to be able to run the ball multiple times and that helps to free up things in the play-action passing game. All of that is positive.
TE CHRIS BAKER
On whether there was a sense of urgency before the game …
The Dolphins are a division opponent and one that we are very familiar with. We knew that going 0-3 wouldn't look so good. We came out, worked hard and got the win.
On winning next week at Buffalo …
We have to go back and look at the tape and see what Buffalo does on offense, defense and special teams. Hopefully we can go out and have another good performance.
On the pressure easing up after getting the first win …
You're not coming back from 0-3 too many times. We won a division game, which is the most important thing. It was a real big game for us.
On his touchdown reception …
It was a play we worked on. They gave us the defense we were looking for. Chad [Pennington] made a good throw and I was able to hang on to it and get my feet down.
On having Pennington back …
When you get your starter back, it obviously helps out a lot. He came in and did a real good job. We were able to run and pass the whole game. We were able to put some points on the board.
On Pennington's throw for his touchdown reception …
It was a real good throw. He put it where I could get it. He had confidence in me to go and get it. When we get those opportunities, I try to make the most of it.
WR JERRICHO COTCHERY
On Chad Pennington's touchdown run…
We've been working on that play for a while. We felt pretty comfortable with that play. He got it in the end zone. The only thing he has to work on is that spike.
On Pennington's spike …
You would think with a quarterback, the spike would be something that's natural. He needs to do a little work on that.
On having Pennington back …
It's a different presence [than Kellen Clemens], not just offensively, but for the entire team. It brings a different energy to the team. I think he did a lot today. He kept everyone poised on offense. He just led us on some great drives today. The way he had everyone communicating throughout the game, I think, was great. That's what type of leader he is and that's what we feed off of.
On winning close games against the Dolphins …
The same communication and focus that we have against them in the clutch, I think we should have that each and every week. If we continue to work to get that to where it needs to be, I think we could do some things out there every week on offense.
DE SHAUN ELLIS
On the biggest adjustment needed for next week …
The screens hurt us a lot this game. Everybody saw that they had a lot of mileage on the screen plays. That set them up for a majority of their scores. They did a great job of hiding the screens. Ronnie Brown did a great job running the ball today. He was hitting the holes on us. He was tough today.
On the D-line's ability to free the linebackers …
We're doing a better job. Our defensive line has to do a great job keeping the blockers on the line. We need to get those guys running downhill and not around blockers so we can attack them straight on. They hit us with some runs today, and we still have to improve that as a defensive unit.
On his sack setting the tempo for the defense …
I think it gave us a good starting point. We put pressure on them and just continued to play. They had us on some screen plays when we were bringing pressure. They did a great job capitalizing off our pressures.
T D'BRICKASHAW FERGUSON
On the key to successfully running the ball with Thomas Jones …
As we say every week, we went back into the workroom, looked at some of the things that weren't working for us and tried to clean it up a little bit. We tried again today and were more successful, obviously. Thomas is a great athlete and together with the teamwork today, we were able to do great things.
On what adjustments were made to fix the run …
Whether it be technique things or just seeing things a little quicker, there are a lot of different things you do as a team to really fine-tune some of the things that weren't really working as well for us. We were able to put something together nicely today.
RB THOMAS JONES
On being in a groove and having chemistry with his line …
Yeah, I felt that today. After the first two games, it took some time just for us to get some sort of chemistry going, but today the offensive line did a great job of blocking and they really have some great defensive linemen and they played hard for four quarters. We ran hard as the running backs and we just really complemented each other well today.
On finally getting a win …
You know, that's the most important thing, to get a win. Everybody on this team has had a tough past two weeks, because every time you go out there, you work so hard during the week to get a win and then when you lose you feel like it was for nothing. So for us to get our first win today, it makes a big difference in our approach this week in practice and our next game and gives us a lot of confidence.
On their pounding third-quarter drive ...
As a running back, you love to wear a defense down and you can get a feeling of how they are feeling as the course of the game goes along. I felt like our offensive line was wearing them down and I think they were getting a little tired just tackling us and we were breaking off 4- and 5- and 6-yard runs. That's the best part of being a running back, when you can feel the defense wearing down. The offensive line guys did a great job for four quarters.
On breaking out after being a non-factor in the first two games …
It felt good having some success running the ball. The first two games we played against some really tough defenses. Miami is a really tough defense too. Zach Thomas being out hurt them a lot. He is one of the leaders on their defense, but it felt good to have some success.
On Leon Washington's kick return for a touchdown …
It was a boost for us. It gave us a spark. Leon is a great athlete. He can do a lot of different things with the ball in his hands in terms of running the ball and catching the ball. He is an asset to have on the team and for him to make that play, it definitely added a spark to us.
On the Jets-Dolphins rivalry …
It's a tough rivalry. I'm still learning a lot about being in the AFC and being with the Jets. It's a tough rivalry from what I've seen and you know the Jets, they have a lot of rivals in New England. This division is a pretty tough division and I'm just happy we were able to get the win.
On Chad Pennington's presence …
He is the leader of the offense. He's the leader, he's been here, he's the quarterback. When he's out there in the huddle pointing guys in the right direction, it helps. He knows the offense like the back of his hand. He studies film all week, he knows exactly what we are going to see and he puts us in the right positions to win.
On changes in schemes …
No changes at all. We did the same things we've been doing all season.
On D'Brickashaw Ferguson playing against Jason Taylor …
It was key. He did a great job. Jason Taylor is one of the best defensive ends in this league. He can single-handedly destroy a game if you let him. D'Brickashaw did a great job, but like I said, the entire offensive line did a great job blocking. I think the coaches had us well-prepared for this game. We were well-prepared for what we were going to see. Guys just came out and executed what we did all week in practice.
On how deflating his stiff-arm was late in the game …
I'm not exactly sure. That's just how that play went. On that drive we were moving the ball pretty well and I think we were wearing them down. That's just how that play went. The offensive line did a great job all day and we ran the ball well. Coach [Brian] Schottenheimer made some great calls with formation changes and things like that and put us in a good situation to be successful.
On how physical the offensive line was …
They've been physical the past couple of weeks. The defenses we've seen were giving us some problems and we were behind so we had to start throwing the ball some more.
On living in Miami in the off-season …
I know a lot of guys on the team. I live in Miami so I'm down there in the off-season and I see them out all the time. There are some great guys on that team. Jason Taylor, Keith Traylor, Zach Thomas, Travares Tillman, Renaldo Hill — I see those guys all the time and hang out with them on South Beach. It's kind of cool when you get the chance to play against them, too.
QB CHAD PENNINGTON
On which was more thrilling, the touchdown passes or the run …
Anytime you get in the end zone, it's always a thrill. Right before the half, with the Chris Baker catch, it was an unbelievable catch that gave us a lot of momentum going into halftime. That was a huge play. This guy just keeps coming up with big, big plays week in and week out. At times the stats may have looked ugly, but as far as putting points on the board, that is what is important, and we were able to do that.
On the squib kick …
I was not surprised because with Leon's capability he is very dangerous. He has proved that. I am sure they would have liked to have gotten it a little further on the squib kick. Our guys did a nice job — that's always a hard kick to handle.
On the offense feeding off his return …
When I get in there, I hope the guys can feed off of my energy. I try to be really energetic and enthusiastic and lead the way. It's important we all play with passion. This game has to be played with passion and energy no matter what's going on around you and what situation you are in.
On being here early for treatment …
I am here early, late, all hours of the day making sure I prepare myself to play. I was here at 9 o'clock today.
On the ovation he received when he jogged onto the field …
I love Jet fans. They are passionate, loyal. They really appreciate when players play with heart and physical toughness and really give it all they have. Ever since I have been here that has always been my goal, no matter what the situation, to give it all I have. That's all I can ask of myself and that's what they ask of each individual player. It was nice. I really enjoyed it and I appreciated it.
On any doubt if he would start today …
Like I said last week, I felt like I was ready to go. I worked extremely hard to put myself in that position. I just wanted to carry that momentum into this week, the momentum I felt I had gained last week by rehabbing extremely hard and working really hard with our medical staff. I wanted to nail down some really good practices so I could carry that as an individual player into the game.
On keeping the ball after the Baker touchdown …
Chris gave me the ball because he wanted to keep it, he had to go on field-goal [for the extra point]. That was not a special moment for me. I was just doing what I was told [laughs].
On his apparent heightened energy level in this game …
On that first series I had to calm myself down. I felt like I was going through my reads too quick. I went over to the sidelines and regrouped. I had to just stick with my reads, be patient and not move through the game too fast. Things worked out.
On the quarterback draw …
It was a good thing that the offensive line gave me about eight seconds to get in there from the 3-yard line. If it had been any deeper, we would have had to use the whole 40-second clock. I am not a scrambling quarterback and with all of our weapons, a lot of times you have running lanes and things like that, and we were able to take advantage of that.
On his emotion after scoring the touchdown …
It was emotional. I forgot that I am still trying to get healthy. At the same time, any time you get in the end zone, it is extremely emotional. One thing we had talked about as an offense was to carry over some of the passion and execution of the fourth quarter from the Baltimore game. If we play with that passion and that energy, good things can happen.
On getting hit after his second pass of the game …
That was a welcome-back party. I was put on my neck. That's football. Our guys on the offensive line are doing a good job of communicating and getting better. You really have to talk, you can't just keep your mouth shut on the offensive line in order to figure out some of the schemes the other teams are doing.
On throwing into double coverage on the first play of the game …
I went through my read too fast. They do a great job of pattern reading. I just came off my first read too fast. As I was coming to my second read, Chris Baker was coming open but Will Allen did a great job of undercutting the route.
On what he said to Wayne Chrebet in the tunnel …
I just shook his hand, said congratulations and hi to his boys. He means a lot to this organization and a lot to me. He caught my first touchdown pass as a rookie out in Oakland. This guy is the epitome of how you want to play this game – with energy, passion and heart. This guy would go across the middle and just get banged around like a pinball machine and still come up with the ball. On third down, you knew the ball was going to No. 80, the opponent knew the ball was going to No. 80, and he would still come up with it.
On spiking the ball after the touchdown he scored …
It was a lot of emotion after a lot of hard work the last two weeks. We have to continue that. I have to continue that to make sure we keep climbing and getting better.
On the third-quarter-opening drive and the play of Thomas Jones …
Anytime your running game gets going, it simplifies things for you because the defense cannot make you one-dimensional. Anytime you become one-dimensional, it's very hard to execute and you have to bear down. Because we were multidimensional, we were able to run and pass, it helped out a lot. As an offense, coming out with the ball in the third quarter we needed to establish the momentum and the tempo of the second half and make a statement.
On keeping Jason Taylor a non-factor …
Anytime you face a great pass rusher, you have to always know where he is. Our guys up front did a great job. There were times when D'Brickashaw was one-on-one with him and he did a great job. Our backs knew where he was at all times. When you have someone who penetrates really well, you have to also use your snap count and your cadence effectively to keep them off-balance. That way they can never get the rhythm of your cadence to where they can jump off the football and get a head start on your guys.
On feeling 100 percent healthy yet …
I don't know. It's a process. I just try and work on it every day. I have gone outside the organization and talked to people like Curtis Martin. Curtis was the ultimate in dealing with pain and injuries. Our organization has been great in letting me do that and trying every which way possible to get me better. My hat is off to everyone who has worked with me. They have played a major role.
S KERRY RHODES
On getting turnovers….
It was great to get off the schneid today, especially since they were driving and deep in our territory. To get the turnover there was big. It let us get off the field and then the offense went down and scored. It was a big play. We didn't want to make it that big of a deal, but we knew it was. In this league, the turnover ratio is big. Whenever you can get more turnovers than your opponent, you have a great chance to win. Today we were able to get one and the offense didn't have any. We were plus-one and won the game.
On the overall performance of the defense …
We did OK. They killed us with screens today. Like Coach Mangini says, "After every win or loss, there are things we can work on." Screens are what we need to work on after this week.
On Miami's running game …
They got a couple of big runs in the first half with a lot of yards, but the second half I think [Ronnie Brown] only had 14 yards. We did a good job stopping him in the second half when we needed to. He had a big day today rushing and receiving. It was a good individual effort by him.
On being 1-2 as opposed to 0-3 …
You can't look at it that way. We thought we were going to come out here, play hard and win it. We did. A lot of the games in Dolphins-Jets history were close. We had a big lead in the fourth quarter and they made a run to make the game tight. There was no panic on our end.
On important possessions …
I think the biggest possession of the game was the possession before halftime. We had been struggling right before the half giving up touchdowns. We were able to get a stop there and make them kick a field goal. I think that put us in the best spot to win this game.
On giving up long receptions …
They had one down the stretch where we had a guy right there. But we've been having trouble making those plays in those types of situations. These are things that can be fixed.
On pass defense in general …
I think we did a pretty good job today. Half of their yards were on screen plays. You can call it bend or break or whatever, but you take those yards away and that's a big chunk of yards that they don't have.
On reading QB Trent Green on the INT …
He's not going to make anyone come up too quick when he's running the ball. I just stayed back and was able to read his eyes. I saw the guy coming from the backside and I made a play.
On the game being close down the stretch ...
We don't panic in these situations. We knew it was going to be tight. Even if we got up or they got up, somehow the other team was going to make a run. That's how it goes in this series.
On being marked for blitzes …
Of course. They are always pointing me out as the Mike linebacker, which they set the protection to. We had a good blitz and a good plan today. I almost made him throw it away, but it was better than them gaining yards on the play.
C NICK MANGOLD
On the difference between 1-2 and 0-3 …
It's a great feeling to get that win. I think we're all real excited about it.
On the performance of the offense …
Our playmakers did some great things. It's neat to be able to see that as you're out on the field. It was a great team effort.
On whether to expect this performance from Thomas Jones more often …
Thomas ran real hard today. It was exciting to see that. We'll keep working on it and keep improving on what we're doing.
LB JONATHAN VILMA
On the defense getting its first sack and interception of the season …
We weren't really bothered by it because we knew it would happen. We are glad that it's over with and we can keep going on from here.
On using today's performance as a steppingstone for the rest of the season …
We hope the win is a steppingstone to keep on winning. We hope the win is contagious and that we keep winning and improving.
RB-KR LEON WASHINGTON
On having big plays in the last two games against Miami …
I really don't want to point the Dolphins out. Whoever we play each week, I try to go out there and do whatever I need to do to give us a chance to win. It was the Dolphins this week. There is a long year ahead of us and we don't want to get carried away. We need to keep working hard and preparing ourselves.
On the difference between going 1-2 and 0-3 …
It's a big difference. Oh-and-3 means you haven't won a game. When you're 1-2, you put yourself in a position to feel more confidence going into the rest of the season. We don't put too much pressure on ourselves. We trust our preparation and the work we do in practice all week long. Hopefully, that carries on the rest of the season.
On what goes through his mind before he breaks open a return …
As a runner and a competitor, I feel like every time I touch the ball I'm going to score. Mike Westhoff does a great job coaching us. You saw the play — it was wide open. Guys did a great job up front. Brad Kassell, our special teams captain, talks about how we need that momentum shift on kickoff returns.
