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Tony’s O: ‘I’m Excited About the Possibilities’

It had been a while since reporters had heard from Tony Sparano, and so today the Jets’ new offensive coordinator checked in with “the beats” on a conference call. To give you an idea of how hard he’s pushing it already at the start of May, his call was scheduled to begin at 2:15 p.m. ET, but he wasn’t able to break out of his offensive meetings until after 2:50.

And when Sparano talks, people listen. It’s not because of what he says about his players because like Rex Ryan he generally speaks positively about the players he’s working with, and what he says behind those meeting room doors will stay there.

As he said when a writer said that the players have described his style as “no-nonsense” and how would he describe his approach to those players, he replied, “Non-nonsense, honestly.”

Expanding on that terse retort, Sparano said, “My approach has been to spend very little time talking about things that happened in the past and worry about what’s ahead for us. We know we have to improve, every one of us. I have to be a better coach. From the players’ standpoint, we all have to do the job there. My deal with the players now is that we have a handshake deal — I’m going to give you my best effort every single day, you can bet on that, and I expect the same from the players on this side of the football.”

As for particulars, Tony had plenty. Eric Allen, my partner, will have a news story about the favorite topic of the day, which was Mark Sanchez, Tim Tebow, even a dash of Greg McElroy, the Wildcat, improvement behind center, and managing the QB situation. I’ll give you a few of the other topics that Sparano handled with his typical informational tone provided with his Connecticut/Massachusetts lilt that, somehow sounded to me as if it had a little Chicago thrown in, although to my knowledge Tony S has never worked in the Windy City.

Offensive weapons in general — “Honestly, I’m very excited about it. One of the things I felt coming in here were just some of the outstanding parts here, I think Coach Ryan and Mike Tannenbaum have done a great job that way, in putting together some of the pieces here. Our tight ends, even some of the young players at the position, we’re anxious to see how they develop. The wide receivers, we’re anxious to see how Jeremy Kerley will come along, Tone and his ability out there, then you add a player like Stephen Hill to that group. I was part of drafting Pat Turner in Miami, so to see how he’s developed, a lot of these players have developed really well along the way. … I’m excited about the possibilities we have.”

Santonio Holmes’ skill set — “I think he has special ability. There’s an interesting take when you’ve been on the other sideline, in the other room preparing for the players the Jets have here right now, having to figure out how you’re going to handle Dustin Keller, Santonio Holmes, or the running game with Shonn Greene and that offensive line. I think this guy has really special ability. He can catch it and run with it. He makes the hard catches, the acrobatic catches. He works really hard at it. The guy wants the football. The thing I’ve noticed about Tone in my time being around this guy is that he’s a competitive guy. I like that. With the skill players, I just love that fact that those guys love to compete.”

Shonn Greene and the backfield — “I’ve been really, really impressed with Shonn. First of all from the mental standpoint, this guy’s excellent. He sees the field really well, he’s got a good understanding of what’s going on at that position. … Those guys have so many things to think about in terms of protections, the different run keys and so on. He’s working hard this offseason and I’m excited about what’s going on. We have a good group of young players. Joe McKnight I’m excited about, Bilal Powell, and John Conner, having a fullback go in and block you. This is an exciting group of players to work with.”

Wayne Hunter and the right tackle spot — “We obviously have a long time to go here before we get to opening day. Rex might’ve mentioned this before as well, but when I was in Miami, Wayne was coming up prior to the Jets re-signing him. We thought an awful lot about him and we wanted to bring him down there at that time. I had some history with him, I know his college line coach really well, I know what he’s thought of Wayne. Wayne has been tremendous here right now with us. So I’m excited about it, all those guys up front. It’s a good group with some good players up there and some good young players coming through as well.”

Sparano was also asked what he’s thought so far of working with Rex in the same complex rather than working against him on opposite sidelines.

“Honestly, it’s been tremendous,” he said. “I can’t thank Rex and Mike and Mr. Johnson for giving me this opportunity here. But getting a chance to work with him every day now, being around him every day — it’s contagious. … The way he coaches, Rex Coaches with a passion. He cares about his players, he wants to win so bad. You just want to be around people like that. For me, I wanted to be on a team where winning is the priority and there’s lot of passion and enthusiasm. That’s what I have here right now. So I love it. Rex has been great for me and I just want to be able to return the favor.”

There’s not a lot of controversy here, but there’s a sense that “No-Nonsense” Sparano has rolled up his sleeves and has gotten to work. He’s not going to tell you everything that’s going on, but we know he’s focused on the future, not the past. And his work will soon be on display, at the rookie and full-squad minicamps and for all to see in Cortland beginning in less than three months.

Tone’s Focused ‘to Make Change, Make It Better’

With just six NFL seasons under his belt, Santonio Holmes is hardly a graybeard. But the 28-year-old Holmes is the Jets’ oldest receiver and he suddenly is the longest-tenured player amongst the WR corps.

“It’s now time to start over,” Holmes told me. “It’s a fresh start, new faces here, and I think it gives me better insight to myself, knowing I can lose a few pounds and come back in as if I’m the younger guy around here. I’m the oldest vet at receiver on our team right now, but I think those guys look up to me because I still have that young man’s mentality that I’m going to work every day, I’m going to outwork you, and if you try to be better than I am, I’m going to make sure I’m better than you at the end of the day.”

Many pundits believe the Jets will add another receiver in the early rounds of the draft and GM Mike Tannenbaum has 10 selections at his disposal. The Jets have the No. 16 overall selection on Thursday night and Oklahoma State’s Justin Blackmon, Notre Dame’s Michael Floyd, Baylor’s Kendall Wright and LSU’s Rueben Randle are expected to be targeted by teams early. But Holmes is happy with the Jets’ current group that includes former Raider Chaz Schilens, sophomore Jeremy Kerley and veteran Patrick Turner.

“I love my group. These guys, the attitude they bring toward me is they want to compete harder than what Tone’s doing. They want to know if Tone did it this way, how can we do it that way plus a little bit more than Tone,” he said. “They’re asking questions, ‘Tone, what do I do here, What do I do here?’ and I just refer back to myself looking up to Hines Ward over the years and playing in Pittsburgh.”

The Jets offense has a new commander in 2012 as Tony Sparano has replaced the departed Brian Schottenheimer as coordinator. While you can expect a commitment to a physical running attack, Sparano has also stressed the importance of producing chunk plays down the field.

“His attitude, the way he grabs our attention just by his voice, he doesn’t even have to look at us or say much. It’s the tone that he uses with us that grabs everyone’s attention and we’re focused,” Holmes said. “We’re excited to have a new guy around, a bunch of new faces, just that whole drive to make change and make it better. I think everybody is open for it. I’m definitely open for it. I’m excited. I hope Mark is and the rest of the guys that want to stick around and be around these Jets for the next few years.”

Even before the Jets were back at work here in Florham Park, Sanchez and a few of the Jets’ skill players met up with Holmes in Orlando to get an early start on 2012.

“When you’re in the business world and things aren’t working out, you go and talk to each other,” Holmes said. “If things don’t look good or feel right, you go and talk to them to make sure it is so when it’s time for the presentation to come, you’re not having these same problems that you were dealing with a long time ago.”

Holmes has never been one for down time. He told me he took less than two weeks off after the season ended and then it was back to work. But he was happy his teammates joined him this spring for a few days.

“For the simple fact that Mark, Dustin, Patrick — guys who came down to work out with me — I loved it, man. We had a great three or four days working out together,” he said. “We had a chance to go out to Disney and Universal, spend some time together and just have fun. I think that’s a part of us growing up and accepting our roles as part of this team.”

More Teammates on Sanchez-Tebow Alliance

With Rex Ryan, Nick Mangold and Santonio Holmes available on a conference call today, beat reporters had a lot of questions to catch up on. One of the natural areas of inquiry: Tim Tebow/Mark Sanchez. Rex has commented on the trade acquisition of Tebow less than a month, but Mangold, who will be snapping the leather to both, and Holmes, who will be catching the rock from both, hadn’t publicly weighed in yet.

Holmes said the trade caught him a little off guard.

“I was surprised,” the seventh-year wideout said during his portion of the call. “He was a second-year guy and a first-round draft pick. Getting trading from the Broncos certainly was a surprise for himself and the whole NFL. My take, bringing him aboard, I think he’s going to do some great things for our team this year. He’s a guy we can depend on when situations come about. He’s going to show he’s a playmaker who can help this team win.”

Mangold said the “playmaker” angle intrigued him the most.

“As much as any other trade or movement that gets done, if it’s going to help our team, I’m all for it,” the seventh-year center said. “Tim’s won a lot of games. He brings a new dynamic for our offense. Any chance to make us a better team, I’m all for it. I’m excited to see how that plays into our plans moving forward.”

Ryan has already said those plans involve Sanchez as the starting QB, but just to make sure, he was asked about that angle again today.

“Of course, Mark’s the starter, there’s no question about it. That’s how we look at it,” the head coach said. “We know Tim can help us, too, no doubt. He’s an outstanding football player. You look at both those guys, they’re both really good players, and they’re good people, and that’s where it is. Anytime you’re on the field, regardless of position, there’s competition. But Mark is our starting quarterback, we’ve said that, and Tim’s our backup quarterback. But we recognize that he’s an outstanding player and we’re going to use his abilities. We’re extremely happy to be able to use both of them.”

How that all sorts itself out, well, that’s what this time of year is partly for. It’s also time for the Jets to see their new playbooks, the offense’s book courtesy of new coordinator Tony Sparano.

“Learning the new offense is going to be new for all of us. We’re going into this season with clear minds, having our expectations on what Coach Sparano is going to teach us this year. We’re eager and excited, man, to get out on the field come OTAs, and even in the little time we have in between [now and the OTAs].”

Mike T and His Team Roll Up Sleeves at Combine

This February afternoon is almost over in the middle of America and the Jets — along with each of the 31 other NFL clubs — are engrossed in their draft preparations at the NFL Combine workouts.

“It’s just the next step in the process,” GM Mike Tannenbaum told me inside Lucas Oil Stadium. “Our area scouts and [senior personnel executive] Terry Bradway and [VP of college scouting] Joey Clinkscales do a great job in the fall, and we’re just kind of adding to that now. We saw them down in Mobile at the Senior Bowl, we get to see them work out here, and the interviews are really important. It’s just the next step in the process.”

While many of the Jets coaches and scouts are here at Lucas Oil during daylight hours, the team personnel move down the street to an Indianapolis hotel and interview selected prospects at night. Each team is permitted to interview 60 players over the course of the combine and each session has a 15-minute time limit.

What are the Jets looking for from the prospects?

“A lot of their football acumen — some of them really separate themselves quite a bit,” Mr. T. said. “You know which guys have a better feel for their responsibilities than others and our coaches do a great job. We’re looking forward to that getting started in a couple of hours here.”

Tannenbaum and the Jets don’t rehearse their interview approach. They listen first and then see where the interview goes from there.

“It just develops as a guy comes in there, but we have the position coach leading the discussion,” he said. “We’re sitting there observing them and seeing how they answer the questions.”

A loyal boss, Tannenbaum has a scouting staff that he both trusts and respects. Area scouts have mined the country since the final selection of the 2011 draft symbolized both a conclusion and a beginning.

“They’re tireless workers, the Matt Bazirgans of the world, the Jeff Bauers, the Jay Mandolesis. They’re great, they care, they work hard,” Mr. T. said. “Joe Bommarito, Jim Cochran, Mike Davis — they all do great jobs. We’re lucky they’re here and they have such passion. Sometimes they have to watch our games listening to the radio or on the Internet, but the wins and losses mean as much to them as anyone.”

Inside a stadium suite today, the stopwatches were out and pens and papers scribbled in notebooks. There wasn’t much conversation as the Jets observed drills that will be weighted, but the gametape never lies.

“Those are interesting and they’re great for comparison purposes, but at the end of the day it’s how do they play football,” Tannenbaum said of drills such as the 40-yard dash, benchpress and shuttle run. “Rex is a natural evaluator. His input has been great. He really works at it — he watches a lot of tape. Again this is important, but it’s just another step in the process.”

During Thursday’s meeting with the media, Tannenbaum reiterated his belief that Mark Sanchez and Santonio Holmes will be able to thrive as teammates once again. Barring something unforeseen, the Jets starting QB and No. 1 wideout will remain unchanged on the depth chart.

“The fact that they’ve played well as Jets together under this coaching staff gives me every reason to believe that an issue that came up last year is very solvable,” he said.

Tannenbaum’s core belief is he’ll look under every rock every day to get better. The Jets are in need of safety help with both Jim Leonhard and Brodney Pool set to become unrestricted free agents on March 13, but there are multiple ways of addressing voids.

“I look at any position as a big continuum,” the GM said. “We’ll look at potential trades, potential signings in free agency, the draft, claiming guys on Labor Day.”

Tannenbaum chose not to make public if he would consider a franchise tag for NT Sione Pouha, but he would like the veteran lineman to remain with the Green & White in 2012.

“Within reason we’re going to do everything we can to keep him,” he said.

This spring’s labor harmony means a return to free agency preceding the draft. The Jets currently own choices in every round and should be in position to obtain one or more compensatory selections, but trading up is always an option for Tannenbaum.

“I do believe in quality over quantity,” he said. “That’s just based on a lot of research and what’s a replaceable part and what the odds are of success in every round.”

The search to get better is a never-ending for Tannenbaum and his crew.

Rex in Indy: No Promises but ‘We Will Get It Fixed’

For this year’s opening remarks at the NFL Combine, Jets head coach Rex Ryan offered a mea culpa.

“I know what everybody’s thinking — the infamous Super Bowl guarantee was here,” Ryan said of his remarks to the assembled media at the start of last year’s combine at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. “in all seriousness, looking back, it was a huge mistake to make that guarantee.

“At the time, we were coming off two [AFC] championship games and I really thought it would be a thing that would actually motivate our team, to talk about the Super Bowl, to focus on the Super Bowl. But in hindsight, I think it put undue pressure on our team … and we really lost focus on what we do best. So, you know, it was obviously a big mistake.

“I go back and look at it. It obviously contributed to the season we had. Realistically, it was something I’ve been thinking about a great deal. Obviously we had a terrible season. And I’ll take full responsibility for it. And I think part of it, that guarantee really contributed to that.”

That being said, Ryan still has confidence in the Jets that in a few months will return to start work collectively on the 2012 season, and confidence in general manager Mike Tannenbaum’s team and his staff to bring in new Jets who will also contribute to a strong Green & White rebound.

“First off, no promises. There’s not going to be any promises. But I will say we’re going to have a team that I think’s going to have the potential to do great things,” he said. ‘I look at our team and we’ve got a great owner, a great staff, a great organization. More importantly, we’ve got a great group of players and I think we can accomplish anything we set out to do.”

One of the foremost topics on many fans’ minds is how QB Mark Sanchez and WR Santonio Holmes are getting along and how he’s so sure they can fix any differences that may have existed late in last year’s stumble to the 8-8 finish.

“Those two guys, they have a lot in common,” Ryan said. “They’re both competitive guys. They’ve had success in this league. Santonio had the catch, of all time maybe in the Super Bowl. Maybe Sanchez hasn’t quite had the success Santonio’s had obviously, being a Super Bowl champion, but he’s had some success.

“Their first year together, they did a lot of great things. In fact, I think they contributed to winning four games in the closing minutes. It’s not like they haven’t been successful before with each other. … I really think there’s enough in common right there that they’ll fix it.”

Ryan was asked about another phase of the offense’s comeback plans with new coordinator Tony Sparano and a set of new offensive coaches that have come in with him. He said he always admired Sparano, the Dolphins head coach from 2009 until late this past season, but wasn’t sure why.

“Then as I thought about it, you know what? That guy thinks he’s as tough as I am,” Ryan laughed. “That’s something I really admire about him. I schedule at least an hour a day with him. We’ll sit and talk football. He’s putting in our offense and things like that. And I figure if he can teach it to me, he can teach it to any of these guys. … It’s been a great experience so far.”

Ryan was also asked about the comments that rookie QB Greg McElroy made to an Alabama radio station critical of the Jets’ locker room makeup and said he was a little angry about them.

“But the thing that maybe makes us different than other teams is that we are truly a transparent organization, so you’re going to know a lot about the New York Jets in the great times but you’re also going to learn a lot about us in the not-so-good times,” the coach said.

“I don’t think it was the way maybe it’s portrayed out there that we had a huge problem. No question we had some problems with some individuals. But we’re going to fix it. And I know I’m the guy for the job and we’ve got the right players and we will get it fixed.”

Conversation with Curtis Martin, Hall of Famer

Yes, it was a rough Super Bowl as advertised for Jets fans, but the one shining green moment was when Curtis Martin and the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2012 was introduced to the Lucas Oil Stadium crowd before the coin toss.

The NFL did a nice job, introducing alphabetically but moving Martin to last. He got the loudest ovation from the fans, a good percentage of which were Patriots supports, of course. But football fans of all stripes could cheer Martin, who along with Chris Doleman are the big names and star power of this six-man class.

Curtis, despite admitting that “my mind is racing today,” invited me and team photographer Al Pereira to come up and chat with him in his Indy hotel room before he began his Super Bowl day duties. As always he was gracious and thoughtful as he touched again on some of the themes he had touched on last year in his first pass at the Hall and again Saturday night in a conference call with Jets reporters while expanding on others.

“It’s been such a humbling experience for me,” Curtis said, still looking muscular and ready as ever as he sat in the comfy chair in his room. “You never set out — I never set out — to accomplish this. Talking about a Hall of Fame class, only elite players are invited into the Hall of Fame. Last year, Deion Sanders and Marshall Faulk, they deserved to be in the Hall of Fame. They just have that elite level. I feel I made the most of the talent I had. With those guys, I didn’t feel snubbed.

“This year, the more emotional part for me was the fact that Bill didn’t get in with me. I’d rather he’d be going in without me. I think what he’s accomplished in this game is phenomenal. It was bittersweet for me.”

He said even as of Sunday afternoon he had not talked to Parcells, who made the round of 10 finalists but was not selected Saturday, about presenting him at the Aug. 4 induction ceremonies in Canton, Ohio.

“But he and I are close. I was thinking of trying to figure out how they would do it if he was an inductee and a presenter in the same year,” Martin said.

Parcells does figure to get in some day. Would Martin present him to the Hall that year? “Bill has a lot of people he knows that he could ask,” he said, “but if he were to ask me, I’d definitely do it.”

Martin said there was a “foreign feeling” to the day and to winning this award that he said “was never my goal.” Part of the surrealness is coming today when he is scheduled to get measured for his Hall of Fame jacket and also to get the first measurements taken for his Canton bust.

“I was talking with my wife, Carolina, last night about the Hall of Fame,” he laughed. “And I told her it was just weird. They’re going to be making a little head of me to put in the Hall of Fame.

Curtis, Carolina (pronounced Caroleena) and perhaps even their new addition, daughter Ava Carolina, will make the trip with Martin’s admirers to Canton in August and check out the new bust, alongside, no doubt, his iconic No 28 green jersey. I was sure he had explained his chosen number at some time in the past but I didn’t remember ever asking him about it. Sure enough, there was a Biblical slant to the number he wore virtually every day of his pro career.

“Before getting drafted, I was talking to my pastor, Leroy Joseph,” he recalled. “I told him I wasn’t really sure about playing pro football. He said, ‘Maybe football is a vehicle for you to reach out to people the way you say you want to do.’ Then one day I was speaking to him my rookie year in New England. I think I was wearing No. 39 at the time. He asked me what number I had. The Patriots said I’d be able to get 28 or 26 after a while. He said ‘Deuteronomy 28!’

“It’s a scripture that I would read a lot throughout my career. It says if you obey God, here’s how your life will be blessed, and how you’ll be blessed coming in and blessed going out.”

Curtis’ religion must be mentioned in this stream-of-bloggyness. It’s a vital part of who he is. It helped get him through the considerable pain he often played in until he couldn’t play through it anymore in 2005-06. It led him to put away 15 percent of every paycheck he made as a pro tailback to completely fund his charity work.

And it still plays a role in his future plans of NFL ownership, which he said are still quite alive.

“I’ve learned to become more patient and I’ve gotten a lot wiser since I retired,” he said. “It was my idea to line my ducks up in a row and when the opportunity arose I could execute it. I had two opportunities. One I thought we were going to close on but there were some points at the end that we just couldn’t agree on so I passed on it. It came back around a year later and I totally (passed on it).

“But it’s still alive and I’m still looking at it.”

I asked Curt if he might consider buying into another pro sport.

“It wouldn’t have to be the NFL but I want it to be the NFL,” he said. “I want to bring what I’ve learned from the ground up, from a rookie being hazed to an owner. There’s a lot to travel between those two points and I want to bring that to an organization. I can’t do the same thing with baseball or with basketball.”

One last topic we touched on was the current state of the Jets.

“I think it’s obvious it’s not ideal right now. There are some changes, some things they have to do to turn it around,” he offered. “I do know that a lot of people give Rex a lot of flak for talking. For me, I champion that, I see what that does. A coach sticks his neck out, jeopardizes his name and his wellbeing — as a player, that really does something for you. It worked for the Jets for two years, it didn’t work for one year. That’s the way he motivates. So be it.”

He reminded that, more than six years (!) after he last played an NFL down, he doesn’t pay close attention to the game now.

“The Jets are usually the only team I really watch. I know it sounds kind of fictitious for me to be saying I don’t know what’s going on,” he said. “But I’ve heard about Sanchez and Santonio Holmes. They’ll fix that. That’s not a huge problem. That’s not something that’s unfixable.”

And with that, Al and I thanked Curtis Martin one more time for his time, congratulated him one more time for his special day ahead, to be followed by many more special days as a member of pro football’s pantheon. When we got out of the elevators, as luck would have it (as well as this being the NFL’s Super Bowl headquarters), Doleman and Hall of Fame official Joe Horrigan and their wives were chatting. Did they have any thoughts on Martin reaching the Hall?

“He’s a Pitt guy, man,” Doleman said smiling. “He did play against me. It wasn’t that often. But Curtis was a great player and what I always loved about him is he was humble, he did his job, he wasn’t a guy that was bigger than the team. He embodied professional football.”

“Everyone who’s ever touched him or been touched by him says the same thing,” said Horrigan, “that he’s a great player and a great person.”

That says it all.

Plax Looks ‘to Go to Another Level’ Saturday

The wait is almost over for New Yorkers, the Jets, the Giants and Plaxico Burress. Saturday’s Christmas Eve spectacular is just hours away and Burress is ready to soar.

“I’m playing against my old team. It just couldn’t be a better setting,” he told newyorkjets.com in an interview that will air on our Website early this afternoon. “This is what New York City’s all about. The fans are going to be excited, we’re going to be excited. And me myself — I’m going to be amped up, ready to go. I just can’t wait for Saturday to get here.”

Burress, who has been a red-zone sensation with seven of his eight TDs coming inside the opponents’ 20, wants to put points on the board. After his two-plus seasons out of pro football, the magnitude of this contest is something he relishes.

“I would think they’re going to try to keep me out of the end zone. I’m trying my hardest to get in there once or twice or maybe even three,” he said. “I’m going to be excited, I’m going to play my tail off. Those guys know when I play in games like this, I just look to go to another level.”

The last time these teams played was at the old Meadowlands and the Jets didn’t have an answer for the 6’5”, 232-pound Burress. Donning the blue on Oct. 7, 2007, Burress caught five balls for 124 yards, including the game-winning 53-yard TD in the 35-24 win for New York’s NFC representative.

That game was a couple of months prior to the Giants’ title run as Burress torched the Packers in the NFC Championship Game (11-154) and then tacked on the game-winner against the Patriots in Super Bowl XLII.

A lot has changed since, but Burress remains familiar with many Giants coaches and players.

“I think they’re going to have some different wrinkles for us defensively. I don’t think they’re going to just sit back there and give us vanilla coverages,” he said. “You always have to prepare for different wrinkles and we just have to make adjustments on the fly.

“One thing about a Giants team is they’re always going to be coached well under Coach Coughlin. It’s going to be a physical football game and I’ll say that the team that makes the least mistakes is going to win the game.”

If Burress does reach the end zone, he doesn’t have anything planned out of the ordinary. The 34-year-old is more concerned with helping his team win more than anything else.

“It’s going to be nothing crazy. It’s going to be me just doing what I do, just taking a bow,” he said. “I just want to go out and have an impact. If it’s me drawing double coverage and allowing Santonio or Dustin to catch one, two or three touchdowns, then it’s all the same. I just want to go in there, have an impact and play at a high level and win the game.”

Most people expect a close affair between New York’s two teams and Burress wouldn’t be surprised if it was decided in the fourth quarter.

“It’s going to be a tough game because it is what it is. The loser of this game doesn’t go to the playoffs and they haven’t been to the playoffs in the last two years,” he said. “Nobody wants to sit home and watch football in January — I know that I don’t. It’s going to be physical. Everyone is going to be playing hard until the clocks says triple zeroes. It’s going be one of those games you remember for the rest of your life.”

This will be a weekend to remember for Burress. He’ll play in a meaningful football game on Saturday, and then he’ll be surrounded at home this Christmas with his wife, Tiffany, son, Elijah, and daughter, Giovanna.

“My wife and I were just talking about the other day just where we were 12 months ago outside of football, pertaining to life in general,” he said. “Being home with my kids and my wife for the first time in two years and celebrating Christmas — Christmas morning is definitely going to be emotional, a real heartfelt day for myself. These are the things that you look forward to, being able to have that quiet time with your family and spending holidays with them. These times are precious in life.”

Burress had this to say about the Jets’ “Thursday Night Ice Cream Socials,” as revealed by head coach Rex Ryan earlier in the week.

“Rocky Road baby, I got to have my rocky road,” Plax said with a huge laugh. “Don’t slight me on the marshmallows, either.

“It’s just a good time for us to kick back and go over some of the coverages and different looks that teams are giving us and our own plan. It’s a good time for us to sit down and have that relationship off of the football field, go to the classroom and assess what the defenses are doing to take away some of the things we like to do. For the past few weeks, it’s coming. You can see us progressing in the passing game.”

Jets TV Before, After the Game

If you’re in the New York TV market, you can catch Jets programming before and after the game’s telecast on Fox. Before kickoff, watch Jets Flight Plan presented by JetBlue on WCBS Channel 2 at 11:30 a.m. ET. Featured is head coach Rex Ryan’s Jets-Giants game preview.

Then in the wee hours after the game, catch Jets Huddle presented by Chevyoffers.com at 12:30 a.m. on CBS 2. Host Sione Pouha sits down with Plaxico Burress while Brandon Moore delivers some holiday joy to the kids of the Newark Boys and Girls Club. Then to top off the show in the early hours of Christmas morning, warm up down on the beaches of Aruba for the making of the 2012 Flight Crew Calendar. Check CBS’ listings for any late updates here.

Hall of a Game

The Jets-Giants game has attracted, among others, the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The Hall features a Throwback Game of the Week on its Website and this week’s featured game is the Green & Whtie vs. Big Blue. You’ll find the HOF’s presentation here.

Holmes After Rare Off Day: ‘We Laid an Egg Today’

Santonio Holmes got in the end zone for a fourth consecutive game today in Philadelphia, but he was not celebrating after the Jets’ 45-19 loss to the Eagles.

“We laid an egg today,” Holmes said of the unexpected outcome.

Calling it “one of the most inconsistent games” he’s had as a Jet, Tone had a 7-yard reception on the visitors’ first drive. But he was separated from the ball by S Kurt Coleman, and DE Juqua Parker scooped up the fumble and raced 47 yards for the game’s first points.

“He got his head probably down on the ball. I thought I had control of it until I hit the ground, but the replay revealed that I didn’t,” Holmes said. “Turnover by me. A costly mistake by a veteran receiver who takes care of the ball every time he puts his hands on it and didn’t do it today.”

“He had the fumble, trying to secure it before he got hit,” added QB Mark Sanchez. “Very uncharacteristic of Santonio. That’s not the way he plays. We know he’ll be fine. It was just a physical mistake.”

The Jets actually had a golden chance to tie the game in the first quarter after Ellis Lankster made his first of two heads-up plays on special teams, recovering a muffed punt at the Eagles 14. But the NFL’s top red zone unit saw its 12-for-12 TD streak inside the opposition 20 come to an end when a Sanchez toss hit Holmes in the hands and then popped right into the welcoming paws of CB Asante Samuel.

“That was a good pass. I think I was trying to play fast, turned upfield because the corner, the way he played, wouldn’t be as close as I would anticipate,” said Holmes. “So I was trying to get out of there and spin-move real fast, get upfield, and I took my eyes off the ball. He happened to be sitting right there and he made a great play.”

“He was ready to run after the catch down by the goal line and he popped it up right to the defender,” Sanchez said. “That’s a catch he can make in his sleep. Those things happen. It’s unfortunate they happened early and we gave them 14 points off of those two turnovers.”

After falling behind, 28-0, the Jets tried to claw back into the game and closed the first half with 13 unanswered points. Sanchez threw a beautiful toss to Holmes for a 26-yard score to make it 26-10, but the six-year wideout was called for unsportsmanlike conduct after placing his foot on the ball and making like an eagle while waving his arms.

“A veteran can’t do certain things like that. It cost our team 15 yards on special teams, giving these guys field position the way they’ve been playing,” he said. “I just can’t do that.”

The Jets turned the ball over four times in all and Sanchez was sacked four times. Holmes finished with four receptions for 40 yards and a TD and Plaxico Burress was limited to a wonderful 9-yard TD when the outcome had already been decided.

“It was tough today,” Holmes said. “Turning around and having to see your quarterback laying on the ground is not a good feeling when you’re a wide receiver when you’re expecting passes to be thrown to you. We just have to do a better job overall: protecting our quarterback, we have to do a good job catching the ball, myself included.”

If the Jets are going to make the playoffs, and they still appear to control their own destiny, then they have to continue to target Holmes. He is a game-changer who can be the difference down the stretch.

“There is no chance we’re going to lose confidence in a guy like that,” Sanchez said. “He’s one of our best players and he never plays like that. That stuff happens to everybody. He’ll bounce back and he’s a hell of a player, so we’re not worried about it.”

It’s time to bury the egg.

“We have to play better football. We have to play like Jets,” Holmes said. “We want to go to the Super Bowl, we have to play a lot better than we did today.”

Cowher Comes Calling on Plaxico, Santonio

CBS analyst Bill Cowher visited a pair of his former receivers this week here at the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center. Cowher, who was the head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers from 1992-2006, sat down with both Plaxico Burress and Santonio Holmes for a feature that will run Sunday on The NFL Today.

The Steelers selected Burress with the No. 8 overall choice in the 2000 draft. He played five years under Cowher, hauling in 261 receptions for 4,164 yards and 22 touchdowns. And now after two years out of football, Burress is writing quite a comeback story with the Jets.

“I think it’s remarkable. It speaks volumes about him and his determination,” Cowher told newyorkjets.com. “I think it’s great when people have a second chance to have an opportunity to do something with it. Plaxico has done that. It’s kind of neat to see him reunited with Santonio. With Dustin [Keller], they have three really quality people at the skill positions. It’s just a good story. I’d like to see him finish the season and finish it strong.”

Burress is averaging a healthy 14.1 yards a reception and his seven TDs pace the Jets. Many people had thought the 34-year-old pro would never be the same on the field after serving 20 months in prison on a weapons charge.

“I’m proud of him and happy for him. I’m happy that he had a chance to redeem himself and get a second chance,” Cowher said. “And he looks good — he looks like the guy, when you throw the ball that you think it’s going out of bounds on third-and-11, he looks like the guy that puts his big old arm span up and catches it. He’s a great target for a quarterback — trust me. He’s a quarterback’s best friend when you look at a target like that.”

Last Sunday, Bills WR Stevie Johnson attempted to poke fun at Burress with his touchdown dance. The latter provided answers on the field with a TD catch of his own and a critical third-down pickup on the winning drive, then acted like a true professional with his postgame comments.

“Nothing was more indicative than last week,” said Cowher. “You get the guy mocking him and the guy in the past may have had more of a redemption-type response, but his was genuine and sincere. It’s just about winning games. I think he’s become not just a better player and teammate but I think he’s become a better person, and that’s also been evident. It’s unfortunate what he went through but sometimes these things in life happen and they happen for the good.“

Holmes, who became the first Steelers receiver selected in the first round since Burress, was the 25th pick of the ’06 draft. Now known for his game-changing plays in Tone Time, it was Holmes who actually capped off his rookie year with a 67-yard OT winner against the Bengals in Cowher’s final game as coach.

“He’s very deceptive, a great route runner and he can run after the catch,” Cowher said. “You saw that at Ohio State and you saw a little bit of that in his first year. Right now he’s developed into a guy who can play big in big games. These two receivers you have have made Super Bowl game-winning catches, so they know what the pressure is like. Pressure is nothing new for these guys.”

Watch Bill Cowher 1-on-1.

Sanchez in Running for This Week’s NFL ‘Moment’

Mark Sanchez is up for one of the NFL’s weekly awards this week, along with one of the quarterbacks he and the Jets lost to this season ad one of the QBs he and the Jets defeated.

Sanchez orchestrated the 12-play, 82-yard drive that concluded with the QB’s rollout TD strike to WR Santonio Holmes in the end zone with 1:01 to play, giving the Jets the 28-24 lead they didn’t lose in their home victory over the Bills.

On the march, Sanchez completed six of eight passes for 61 yards, with four of the completions going for first downs and two — 12 yards to Patrick Turner to the Bills 35, then 18 yards to Plaxico Burress with his leaping one-hand grab to the Bills 18 — converting third downs.

The award is the Never Say Never Moment of the Week and fans can click here to vote for their favorite “moment” from now through Friday at noon ET.

Sanchez’s competitors for this award are Tim Tebow, who rallied the Broncos past the Chargers in overtime on Sunday, and Tony Romo, who guided the Cowboys to Dan Bailey’s game-winning field goal over the Dolphins as time expired on Thanksgiving Day.