Transcripts of selected interviews of Jets players during the locker room media session before Wednesday's midday practice:
WR LAVERANUES COLES
On how the meetings among Brett Favre and the wide receivers are benefiting the team…
It's for all the guys. It gives us an opportunity to see what he sees and what he is thinking. Of course, again nobody knows what Brett is thinking at the time. His philosophy will go one way during the meeting, but when Sunday hits and he looks at the pictures, he will come up with something totally different.
The meeting is to keep you on edge and give you an idea of what direction his train of thought is going to be on Sunday. For the most part it's everybody trying to get a better understanding for him.
On how important the last game was for him…
For me it was something that I needed to let myself and the coaching staff know that I can still play and that is the main thing. I know I can. I go out and do it every day in practice, but it's something I can do on Sunday in front of thousands of people. To show the country and people that I can still play was great.
On if he can still use the confidence…
You always need it. It is one of those confidence builders for a player. You say "I can still play," and I want people to see I am going to compete on the highest level week in and week out.
On being able to communicate with Favre on the fade route…
That is one of the great things about Brett. He told me that in his whole 18 years of playing football, that was the first fade pass he's thrown for a touchdown. It was one of the weirdest things for me to hear him say that. When I told him I could win, he said, "I just dropped back, threw it up and see what happens."
It's one of those things where he is starting to get confidence in me and getting more comfortable or getting a better understanding for what I feel like I am good at when I see certain things during the game. I am going to do my best to make a play or make sure they don't make a play.
S KERRY RHODES
On what specific things Chad Ocho Cinco can do…
He can do it all. He can go deep. He can run the intermediate routes. He can catch the short pass and take it the distance. He can go up and get the ball. He can beat you sideways.
On the Jets being tough to beat after the bye week…
The way it has been talked about you can't help but think about it. You still have to go out and play and hopefully things have gotten better. We had a chance to get things fixed and corrected, but you never know until you get to the next game to see where you're at.
On the Bengals' 0-5 record…
I don't think about it. Once you are on the field you are both 0-0 because you haven't played each other. You get on the field and every team in this league has a chance to win and it's pretty evident, this year especially.
LB ERIC BARTON
On the Cincinnati Bengals…
They are 0-5 and very easily could be 5-0. They have been in every game and you have to look at who they have played. They have had very close games. They are a dangerous team. They have Chad Johnson, T.J. Houshmandzadeh. They are a tough group to deal with, as we learned last year.
On the Jets' pass defense…
We had a week to work on it and hopefully we have corrected some things to show we're actually better.
On the Jets after the bye week…
For some reason we play [better] defensively. We have improved things after the bye and hopefully that trend continues. We'll see Sunday. You'll know when we know.
On Brett Favre…
He is a great guy. He is one of the guys with star power. He is very down to earth and doesn't have an ego. He is a great guy to be around.
