Transcript of interviews with selected Jets players during the locker room media period before Thursday's afternoon practice:
WR LAVERANUES COLES
On the team's approach …
Everybody approaches the game differently. Some people may need to complain to be able to go out and be productive. That may be something they use as motivation. I don't know. For me, the main thing is to try and evaluate what I have done. Coach told the offense that if each guy gets better by 1 percent and there are 36 guys, we'll be 36 percent better. The thing is to try and get 1 percent better each week so it translates onto the field and we will be a better total offense.
On being captain …
They respect the fact that I will step up and say something if someone asks me to and I feel like it is something that needs to be said. A lot of times they joke about things that need to be said, but if it is something that truly needs to be said about the way things are going, the guys know they can come to me and I have no problem saying anything about the way things are. That is one of the things that pointed the guys in the direction of naming me captain. They know I have no problem with voicing an opinion.
On playing the 1-4 Bengals …
You have to think about who you are playing against. They are one of the most explosive offenses in the league with the best tandem of wide receivers in the NFL. I don't know how excited you can get about going against these guys.
On the captains' meetings …
You have staff meetings and the boss comes in and asks if there is anything you have and he has things he wants to give away to everyone else. It kind of trickles down from there. He wants certain things passed on from us. That is pretty much what it is. The boss puts in what he wants to get done and we try and convey the message.
On if there were any surprises at his first captains' meeting …
I was surprised there was food. That was a good thing. Anytime you get a free meal from outside the building, I'm thankful.
C NICK MANGOLD
On returning to Ohio for Sunday's game at Cincinnati …
It was neat going back there last year when we played Cleveland. It was the first time in four years that I was away from Ohio. It was different. It is neat because I have a couple of family members who aren't able to get away for a game, so it is nice for them to come and be able to see a game.
On his guest list …
I found out that it's not as big as Nuge's. [Mike Nugent] has a lot more than me, almost double the amount of people that I do. Maybe he has a bigger family. It is a pretty good-sized list. We have about 20 family and friends coming. It should be nice.
On whether he grew up rooting for the Bengals, Browns or Steelers …
I grew up a Bengals fan. It was about a 40-minute drive from my house to the middle of Cincinnati. I pretty much grew up a Bengals fan.
On his favorite Bengals …
Big Daddy [Dan Wilkinson] was a fun one there and Boomer [Esiason]. As a very young child, I had aspirations of being a quarterback. At about 4 or 5 years old, I realized I wasn't going to be able to do that. It was neat to be able to watch Boomer.
