After an atrocious 28-24 win over the visiting Chiefs and their third-string quarterback, here is what Jets coach Eric Mangini said to start his press conference.

“We were pleased with the way we finished,” Mangini said, “with being able to come down and score with one minute lest and take the lead after we lost it on a turnover.”

As a matter of fact, if you’d listened to the first few minutes of that presser, you’d have little idea that the Jets nearly lost what amounted to a homecoming game against a 1-5 team they were favored over by like 13 points.

A game that had quarterback Brett Favre trying to tackle Chiefs CB Brandon Flowers after a wounding interception returned 91 yards for a touchdown. Favre missed Flowers, and sat for a few seconds alone on the Jets sideline with the home crowd booing until Kellen Clemens finally walked over and gave him a hand up.

But then Favre redeems himself with a 15-yard touchdown throw to Laveranues Coles with a minute left to win the game.

More items of interest:

• LG Alan Faneca fell on Favre’s arm in the first quarter and backup Clemens began to warm up, but Favre didn’t miss a series. LB David Harris sustained a hip injury in the second quarter and rode the bike on the sideline. S Kerry Rhodes went out briefly with a neck injury, but returned to the game. RB Jesse Chatman had an apparent left leg injury in the fourth quarter. FB Tony Richardson needed stitches on a finger on his left hand in the fourth quarter and did not return. TE Chris Baker aggravated a hip injury prior to the game and didn’t play. OL Rob Turner went in for him.
• Coles sustained a concussion last week but was in the game yesterday. Mangini said the team had gone to an outside specialist for a second opinion and was taking the injury seriously. Coles was asked if he had any say over whether or not he plays. “I don’t know,” Coles said. “I have to look at the collective bargaining agreement and see if I do. That’s one of those things they tell you, you can play. And you say you can’t play, I don’t know how that works.”
• Former Jets coach Herm Edwards talked to current coach Eric Mangini after the games. It was the second time Edwards has returned with the Chiefs to play the Jets. “I told him, ‘Good job,’” Edwards said. “They’re a good football team. I talked to a lot of the players. They’ve got a good football team.”
• The R & B singer who performed the National Anthem yesterday may have been unfamiliar to some in the crowd, but RB Thomas Jones knew him well. The artist, Myko, is signed to Jones’ Outta Pocket Entertainment, and his song “Late Night Creep” has been getting play on local airwaves.
• Leon Washington had another sold game, with three carries for 67 yards, three catches for 34 yards including an 18-yard touchdown catch in the first quarter for a touchdown. The 5-foot-8, 202-pound RB also returned three punts for 71 yards and four kickoffs for 102 yards. “I know a lot of people look at Leon and look at his size,” 349-pound NT Kris Jenkins said. “That’s a big man, just the rest of his body is invisible. You can’t see it.”

Joe Namath and other members of the 1968 Super Bowl champion Jets were in the pressbox this morning reminiscing about the victory. With dimples now joined by deepening smile lines, they talked about the effect the game has had on their lives.

Larry Grantham stills wears his Super Bowl ring, and Namath said he is constantly approached by Jets—and Colts—fans, who congratulate him for the win.

Namath remembered how, after his famous guarantee of a win, Weeb Eubank was furious. Until Namath reminded him that Eubank was the one who instilled the players with such confidence in the first place.

Don Maynard, with lambchop sideburns, cowboy boots and skinny blue jeans, said that the players and coaches today don’t have the same skills as players in his day did.

“We needed to win that game,” Namath said. “We felt strongly about the AFL.”

Namath declined to take questions about the Jets current quarterback Brett Favre, and said he just wanted to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Jet’ one Super Bowl win.

Some pregame notes: Either the Jets will have just a few receivers, ot coach Eric Mangini will have to play the ones on the injured list. TE Bubba Franks and WR David Clowney are on the inactive list. Jerricho Cotchery is questionable with a shoulder injury along with Chris Baker, Laveranues Coles (probable) sustained a concussion last week.

That leaves Wallace Wright, Brad Smith and Chansi Stuckey as the only Jets active and healthy.

With those limitations, it may be a good thing wide receiver Don Maynard is on site.

Other Jets inactives: Mike Nugent, Brett Ratliff (3rd QB), Erik Ainge, David Barrett, Marques Murrell and Kareem Brown. LB Cody Spencer was added to the injury report as questionable with an illness.

For the Chiefs: P Dustin Colquitt (he is replaced by Steve Weatherford), Quinn Gray, Larry Johnson, Erik Walden, Brian De La Puente, Barry Richardson, Jeff Webb, T.J. Jackson.

Little juggling with the injury report today, the Jets still look pretty banged up.

Jets: K Mike Nugent (thigh) is out; TE Bubba Franks (hip) is doubtful; OL Damien Woody (calf), TE Chris Baker (back) and WR Jerricho Cotchery (shoulder) are questionable. WR Laveranues Coles (thigh/head), OL Brandon Moore (foot), S Eric Smith (head), NT Kris Jenkins (back) and LB Calvin Pace (foot) are probable.

Chiefs: P Dustin Colquitt is doubtful with a groin injury and LB Donnie Edwards is probable with an ankle injury.

The Green Bay Press-Gazette staff has a very funny take on the Benedict Brett situation. Jets quarterback Brett Favre denies he did anything improper even as he admits that he spoke to Lions president Matt Millen about his former team. But try telling that to Packers fans.

Anyway, Rob Demovsky and his colleagues Pete Dougherty, Tom Pelissero, and Jason Wilde put together this very funny video, which imagines what it would be like if employees in other professions did the same kind of thing.

Jets coach Eric Mangini did not have an easy time of it this morning, what with all the injuries on his team and his own policy of not getting specific about them. He wouldn’t say whether anyone would miss the Chiefs game on Sunday, and to wait for the injury report.

To watch the fun, check out the video at the Jets own website.

Mangini expressed confidence in his medical staff despite the fact that it cleared WR Laveranues Coles to go back into the Oakland game after sustaining a concussion.

NFL spokesperson Greg Aiello said that the Jets did not break any league rules by having Coles return.

“If a player does not lose consciousness and is asymptomatic, the
medical guidelines say he can return to the game,” Aiello said in an email.

Coles, WR Jerricho Cotchery and S Eric Smith all participated in non-contact drills during the postion of practice the writers were allowed to watch. I didn’t see TE Bubba Franks out there at all.

The Jets will celebrate the 40th anniversary of Super Bowl III this Sunday, with over 30 Jets alum including Joe Namath on hand for the game.

Mangini praised Brad Smith, saying that he was hoping to convert Smith into a capable wide receiver.

The Jets have closed on another group of seats in the Coaches Club online auction at StubHub.com. The top five winning bids were from $34,100 to $50,500.

Eric Mangini stated the obvious today, that the “head” injuries listed on the practice report for S Eric Smith and WR Laveranues Coles were concussions.

Jets doctors cleared Smith to play just two weeks after sustaining another concussion in the Cardinals game, in a helmet-on-helmet hit on Anquan Boldin. That same staff cleared Coles to re-enter the Oakland game after he landed on the ground seemingly stunned, with turf packed into his helmet.

“There’s an in-game protocol and there’s a prior-to-the game protocol,” Mangini said. “That’s why we have the doctors and the trainers on the sidelines. They make those decisions. Those aren’t coaching decisions. We won’t put anybody back in the game until they’re cleared medically to go back into the game.”

It’s a good thing that Brett Favre is with the Jets. The quarterback and his scandal du jour do a lot to distract everyone from the fact that his team shot itself in the foot during a 16-13 overtime loss to Oakland.

But, in an age where a 15, 20, 25, whatever-minute conversation gets blown into a 90-minute oratory with aerial slides and a laser pointer, that loss is ancient history. (OK, I exaggerate, but even Chiefs coach Herm Edwards called it a fish story yesterday. Meaning it started as a guppy and turned into a whale.)

But the Jets are clearly a work still in progress.

His shoulder, Favre said, is banged up but fine. Jets coach Eric Mangini threw the word “perfect” in there somewhere, too. But then again, he’s a guy who characterized a concussion as “groggy.” The injuries to this team are a concern. Both Eric “Groggy” Smith and Laveranues Coles were listed on the injury report with head injuries.

Coles bristled at questions about whether he had a concussion.

“You know we are not allowed to talk anything about that type of stuff,” Coles said, “so why would you even put me in that position?”

And asked if he would play Sunday, Coles referred to fines the Jets levy for certain infractions.

“I understand that if I speak anything about any type of injury that it is considered conduct detrimental to the team,” Coles said. “Unless anyone wants to fork over some cash don’t ask me anymore %#@* questions about it. Simple as that. Talk to Eric, talk to the doctors. That’s all I can tell you.”

Why a player discussing his own injury is an offense worthy of a fine, I’m not sure. But clearly Coles wasn’t answering anything.

“I’m sure after we left the Arizona game, everyone thought we were on track,” Favre said. “We rushed for (242) yards the other day, 7.3 yards per carry, or something like that. I’ve told Schotty (offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer) and I’ve told Eric, I’ll tell anyone who listens, I’m here for one reason and that’s to win. I do not care how we do it.”

The good news is that there is potential here for the Jets to get better. Favre only arrived on Aug. 7, and the offensive line is still in its first year.

“We are trying to find a balance,” Favre said. ” No one is at fault here. We have capable guys, not only in the passing game, but we obviously have capable guys in the run game. How we mix the two is a work in progress. I like our game plans. I like the way Schotty calls the games. We have to be more consistent because I can assure you, if you watch the tape like we do, there were plays to be made individually, me included, numerous plays I could have made that I didn’t make. Those are some of the things that people don’t see. The game happens so fast, you don’t see that. You just kind of think they’re running it, why don’t they throw it? It’s tough on a play caller. It’s tough on a head coach. We have to execute, individually, the game plan. There are always better plays out there, regardless. That’s the way it always works. We’ll be fine.”

The Jets got pretty banged up in the loss to Oakland.

Today, K Mike Nugent (thigh) sat out; WR Laveranues Coles (thigh/head), TE Bubba Franks (hip) and OL Damien Woody (calf) did not play; TE Chris Baker (back), WR Jerricho Cotchery (shoulder), OL Brandon Moore (foot) and S Eric Smith (head) saw limited practice; NT Kris Jenkins (back) and LB Calvin Pace (foot) participated fully.

For the Chiefs Dustin Colquitt is out with a groin injury and LB Donnie Edwards practiced with an ankle injury.

Today, Brett Favre finally addressed the report that he gave strategic Packers information to the Lions. He said he took a call from Matt Millen that week, and talked casually about what the Packers did last year about the Lions, but that he didn’t breech any confidence.

Favre said the call lasted about 15 to 25 minutes and he was only speaking to Millen, although he wasn’t sure he was on speakerphone since he was using a speaker in his own truck as he drove home. Millen started the call by saying he had land near the Jets facility that Favre could use to hunt.

(That’s what Woody Johnson said too! I guess if you have huge tracts of land and Favre’s cell phone number, that’s a great conversation starter.)

What did he say about the way the Packers played the Lions in 2007?

“We went empty formation,” Favre told Millen. “We just kept throwing completion after completion.”

In fact, Favre had 20 to start that day. Whatever he said, the Lions lost to Green Bay again, 48-25, so the conversation didn’t really help Millen. And Favre said he didn’t have a Packers playbook on his lap for reference.

“It happens more than you know,” Favre said. “Don’t think for a second that, you know, when Mike McCarthy left in ‘99, went to the Saints, the next year we played them, they put it to us, that he didn’t tell his guys what they thought. There’s nothing wrong with that.”

Favre said it has been made into a much bigger deal.

“I guess I’m a little bit angry because I think my reputation has been well respected throughout the years,” Favre said. “Any time that’s questioned, the type of teammate I am, it does anger me, I’m not going to lie to you.”

The story originally broke on Sunday when Fox’s Jay Glazer, who has sources in the Green Bay front office, reported it. A day later, Favre answered a text from S.I.’s Peter King saying the report was “bs.”An NFL spokesperson said that even if Favre had talked to Millen about the Packers, it didn’t violate any NFL rules.

“Believe me,” Favre said, “I’m trying my best to help this team win, the New York Jets. Spending no time trying to make the Packers lose. I got enough on my plate, believe me.”

In the audio clip here, Favre talks about the ugly breakup between himself and Green Bay, and he also talks about himself in the third person, which is always neat according to Jane McManus.

Download:

Favre also said that Dallas quarterback Tony Romo called him last week on how to handle the pinkie injury, not the other way around. He also said the Jets asked Calvin Pace about his old team before the Arizona game.

Despite the blow back, Favre said he would continue to take calls from players and coaches around the league.

There you have Favre’s side of the story. With all the sniping, name-calling and Eric Mangini’s assertion that everybody does it, I’m starting to feel like I’m back in junior high.

Tuesday is the regular day off for the Jets, and the good news is that Brett Favre holds his weekly presser tomorrow and will be asked about the allegation that he gave the Green Bay offense to the Lions.

Yesterday, the beat writers asked for a comment from Favre about the Jay Glazer report, but the Jets didn’t make him available. Favre did text Peter King to say that the whole thing was “bs.” Reports out today say it isn’t a formal NFL offense, but that statue in Green Bay is looking less and less likely.

From a lot of your comments, it looks like the optimism Favre brought is starting to dissipate. That he can’t lift the black cloud and raise the franchise up beyond it’s own ineptitude. True, the Jets will not be 5-2 heading up to Buffalo, but it’s still pretty early in the season.

D’Brickashaw Ferguson was asked if this was the worst loss of his career, probably because Favre said it was up there for him, and he’s had 18 years of losses in the playoffs, etc.

“Whenever you lose you always have a bad feeling in your stomach and it’s hard to measure losses,” Ferguson said. “Each game provides its own negativity if you didn’t win the way you wanted to. Obviously, this is a bad loss for us, but we can definitely be successful and overcome this.”

I looked at the game again this morning and Thomas Jones was incredible. Lots of yardage and some long runs. The line did a good job of making holes for the run. It’s just that Favre was pretty rushed and spent too much time brushing grass off his uniform. Here’s what WR Chansi Stuckey had to say about what hurt the Jets most.

“It was penalties,” Stuckey said. “We put ourselves in some second and third and long situations that it’s really hard to come out of. I think we need to correct the self-inflicted wounds and I think we will be fine.”

There were so many things that went wrong in this game it’s hard to pick just one.