[S-Dubb]

Confident Curtis Martin calls Jet win

November 20, 2008
Talked to former Jets great Curtis Martin Thursday, just to get his take on all things. This won’t come as a shock, but Martin really believes the current Jets team has a chance to do something special this season.

“If I was on the team now, I’d be telling the guys, ‘Why can’t we do it? Who’s really better than us?’” Martin told me. “What’s happening with this team is the chemistry and the glue are coming together. I don’t think it’s there yet, there’s still some growing to do, but they’ve done pretty well so far. I think they have the potential to beat anyone.”

What about the Titans? Martin prefaced his answer by saying he doesn’t want to make headlines or pose a distraction to the team, but he couldn’t suppress his confidence.

“I think we match up really well with the Tennessee Titans,” he said. “What are they, 10-0? I’m expecting to see them 10-1 after this week. I feel very confident about the team. That’s just my own personal opinion.” And those opinions are always welcome in this space.

Other news and notes Thursday:

• CB Ty Law confirmed there’s a “pretty good chance” he will start Sunday. Wow, that didn’t take long, did it? I heard some rumblings on Wednesday, so I had a strong suspicion this was going to happen. He would replace rookie Dwight Lowery, who has been struggling for several weeks. The organization isn’t totally down on Lowery, but Law brings savvy and confidence to the position. Not many corners could get off their living room couch and cover Randy Moss in a prime-time game, as Law did last Thursday. Law’s specialty is roughing up receivers at the line of scrimmage - “They don’t like that whatsoever,” he said - so you’ll know the Jets are in bump-and-run coverage when he’s on the field. If the receiver gets a free release and goes deep on Law … well, that might not be pretty, but you can bet he’ll get over-the-top help from a safety.
• Eric Mangini declined to give the kicking nod to Jay Feely, saying it’s still up in the air between him and Mike Nugent. Very funny.
• Mangini on Jeff Fisher’s longevity with the Titans: “It’s incredible. You don’t see that very much anymore - the Don Shulas, the Tom Landrys, guys that were there 25, 20 years. It seems to be much rarer than it used to be. It’s a real testament to him. He’s done it in different places in terms of where the team was - all different types of players, young, old. It’s been the whole gambit and he’s been consistently successful. It’s impressive.”
• Only a nine-minute pressser Thursday with Mangini. Jeesh, I think the Jets have had some drives longer than that.
• Titans DE Jevon Kearse (knee) was added to the injury report and didn’t practice today. Kearse hasn’t been much of a factor this season, only 2 1/220sacks.
• Titans DT Albert Haynesworth has seven sacks, 15 quarterback pressures and six tackles-for-loss. For an interior lineman, that’s crazy good. Get ready, Alan Faneca. It’s going to be an all-day assignment, blocking that dude.

[ROBJETS]

Thanks for the vote of confidence Curtis


Good find Dub

[Smedsthejet]

Interesting to see Curtis is still referring to the Jets as 'we'...

[gmany3k]

Don't you think he bleeds green?

[Swissle]

Don't you think he bleeds green?

Curtis Martin bleeds whatever Jets fans want him to bleed. Fuckin green, white, ice cream, root beer, whatever. He's like a football Jesus.

[ROBJETS]

Curtis Martin bleeds whatever Jets fans want him to bleed. Fuckin green, white, ice cream, root beer, whatever. He's like a football Jesus.

Great analogy