OK, props to Erik Boland at Newsday for coming up with the Ft. Florham designation. I had to fill out a few forms and wait at a long line outside of his closet office here at the Jets training facility, but I finally got official permission to use the name. So thanks, Erik!

This isn’t Ft. Florham, but Black Lighthouse in Australia. But it gives you a sense of it.

A few changes in the roster. CB Hank Poteat was brought back to the Jets for the 437th time in his career, and OL Will Montgomery was released. I wouldn’t say we’ve seen the last of Montgomery. Currently the Jets have two punters (Ben Graham and Reggie Hodges), two kickers (Mike Nugent and Jay Feely) a long snapper (James Dearth) and four quarterbacks (Brett Favre, Kellen Clemens, Erik Ainge and Brett Ratliff).

So many specialists are really limiting the Jets right now, and so you see a few unusual cuts like 6th round draft pick WR Marcus Henry, who passed through waivers and was resigned by the Jets this week.

“When you’re weeding out the latter roster spots with specialists, you don’t have the same depth that you’d normally have,” Jets coach Eric Mangini said.

As for Favre’s ankle, I’ll have some of what he’s having. There was no noticeable limp today and he jogged during the first part of practice today with the rest of the team. He was wrapped and looked solid after appearing to be in real pain after the loss at San Diego.

Mangini was asked about Favre following the company line on injuries and referring ankle questions to the coach yesterday. “See? He’s coachable,” Mangini quipped.

The team will wear blue Titans helmets today, so everyone got a different helmet for practice and Favre’s was too tight. “Can you see the bulging in my eyes?” he joked to an equipment manager.

As for Graham, the punter who was cut and signed again within four days, as nice as it is for him to be back, his job is not that secure. The Jets won’t carry two punters for long.

Graham said yesterday that he now saw the NFL as the precarious employer it is rather than the more secure spot he thought he had. Mangini didn’t sugar coat it today.

“I think it’s going to be a function of how well he does and really it’s really a function of that for anybody in in the league,” Mangini said. This is a great opportunity. I really like Ben. I like the way he responded to the uniqueness of the situation.”

Lastly, I’ll let you in on my morning drive to the facility. I mentioned that there were a lot of deer out here, and this morning I watched as a buck bounced off a bunch of cars like a pinball on the main road outside of the Jets facility.

This is not a picture of the particular deer, but an AP shot of one in Arizona. But you get the idea.

The large animal finally hit a black SUV that pulled into the coach/player parking lot here, and then ran off toward the practice fields. I wondered who was in that SUV—not Favre because I imagine he would’ve stuck a shotgun out the window and finished him off. Not Mangini because he didn’t seem the least bit shaken in the presser. Maybe Westhoff? Calvin Pace? Whoever it is has a trip to the auto body shop in their future.

The Jets Blog has an update that the Port Authority bus to the Meadowlands on Jets gamedays has been restored. Read more about it here. Good alternative to sitting in the miles of construction traffic.

I got there 2.5 hours early for the Patriots game and still had to wait a half hour once I got off the Turnpike for the simple fact that no one knows where they are going. The construction has changed every way in and out.

While I was watching practice today, a huge bumblebee landed on my notebook. I put it down and it just sat there.

A little background. Two weeks ago I was attacked by a swarm of bees while waiting for my 4-year-old on the day after I got back from Miami. My sweet first grader, who never hurt a bee in her life, was balancing on the wrong log. The bees didn’t accept our apologies. We ran upstairs and sprayed the bees with water, iced our stings and took Benedryl.

She took her 10 stings in stride. I was a huge baby about my four.

So even though bumblebees aren’t as stingy as the yellow jackets, when the bee landed today I flung my notebook down on the ground. It just parked there, mocking me and my notes on Reggie Hodges not showing up at his locker and Thomas Jones’ Louis Vuitton luggage. Lisa Zimmerman, who covers the Jets beat for Sirius, shoo’d the bee off.

Why do I write this? Primarily to show my editors how brave I am in the service of this blog. Next week, see me face down a plague of locusts!

Brett Favre addressed the fact that the team’s 1-2 start and “self-inflicted wounds” could cause some Jets fans to lose hope in the new Jets. But he thinks this team is improving and needs to keep the confidence in order to change the mindset here.

“I’m disappointed we’re 1-2, I’ve been 1-2 before,” Favre said. ”…I’ve been through some early stretches during the course of a season or through my career where we didn’t start off the way we had hoped, and I like the way our guys have handled the last two weeks even though they’re losses, the character they’re shown. The bottom line obviously is winning, how we get to that remains to be seen but I really believe that this team is not only good… but once this team starts believing, all 53 guys start believing, that it can be done, then it will be.”

Here, Favre discusses why he is practicing through the injury and gets a little into the state of the season. “I didn’t come here to lose, I didn’t come here to sit and watch,” Favre said.

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Favre said he would probably play despite a rolled left ankle, which he said was sore after Monday’s loss to the Chargers. He also declined to get into too many specifics for the first time as a Jet, saying that coach Eric Mangini wanted all of that information to come through him.

I can understand it, but on the other hand Favre is the one member of this team who never drank the Kool-Aid on those rules of bland interviews. I like the way he speaks his mind without the Jets filter, so I hope this is an exception.

One reporter asked if he was hopping off it a little during the game, if the pain changed his mechanics.

“The good thing is my mechanics were never good,” Favre said.

Also: 6th round draft pick WR Marcus Henry and RB Paul Raymond were signed to the practice squad.

Update: So at practice Favre had his left ankle taped and was able to throw off his leg. However, the Jets held the QBs out of the agility drills (pictured above) to start, which is something everyone usually does. Guess they didn’t want to single Favre out by having him be the only one to sit out. Also, Kellen Clemens worked in the 11 on 11 drills, while Favre, Brett Ratliff and Erik Ainge worked with a few select receivers like Laveranues Coles.

Also, I came across this article about six NFLers who plan to donate their brains after their deaths for study on concussions. Worth a read for sure.

Injury update: Jets list K Mike Nugent (right thigh) and WR David Clowney (shoulder) as out of practice, NT Kris Jenkins (back) as not participating, WR Laveranues Coles (thigh), Favre, P Reggie Hodges (left thigh) and DB Justin Miller (foot) as limited and WR Brad Smith (knee) as participating fully.

For Arizona: DE Bertrand Berry (groin), TE Jerame Tuman (hamstring) and DT Darnell Dockett (hamstring) did not practice; WR Sean Morey (Achilles) was limited and DT Gabe Watson (knee) participated fully.

Backup punter Waylon Prather and TE Brad Listorti were released from the practice squad tonight.

After last night’s loss to the Chargers, the disorganization has become apparent. New quarterback Brett Favre and his offense have quite a way to become synchronized. He has been in New York (New Jersey? Greater metro area?) since August 7, and clearly that wasn’t enough time.

So if you are a Jets fan, what are your adjusted expectations? Favre will only be here a year. GM Mike Tannenbaum wanted two, but Favre wasn’t comfortable with that. So do you enjoy the air show as the year goes by, even if it doesn’t change the outcome of the season much?

I also wonder if (now) Miami QB Chad Pennington would have been able to wring more out of this group just because of his time with the team. Seeing how Miami beat the Patriots, you wonder if he could have done the same for the Jets and New York would be 2-1 right now instead of 1-2. You probably expected 1-2 at this point when the schedule came out, but with Pats QB Tom Brady out, that loss is looking more and more like an expensive missed opportunity.

So 4-12 last year, definitely a few more wins with the pre-Favre additions, and is Favre going to add that many wins to the bottom line? Could the process of melding Favre and Jets coach Eric Mangini cost the Jets wins rather than add them? Part of the trouble with expecting anything is that Favre’s progress with the team will improve week to week, meaning you never know exactly what to expect each week.

Also, NT Kris Jenkins is starting to look key. We’ll find out more (hopefully, Mangini can be very evasive about injuries) during a conference call with the coach in about an hour.

UPDATE 6:30: Mangini said he expected Favre and Jenkins would probably be available to play on Sunday. 

OK, I got a bowl of vanilla ice cream and chocolate magic shell at the half and I’m ready for a lot more offense. Both QBs had 10 completions in the first half, but Philip Rivers got a little more mileage out of it.

San Diego starts with the ball. Darren Sproles gains 25 on the run. Speaking of offense, my Suburbia Roller Derby travel team beat the Sisters of Mayhem 169 to 39 in Hackettstown, NJ on Saturday night. It was a blast and although they lost big, they still showed us a good time at the after party. And with that, LaDainian Tomlinson has his first TD of the year and the Chargers are up 38-14 with 10:36 left in the 3Q.

Kornheiser is already lamenting the disappearance of the Jets. ESPN sideline reporter Michele Tafoya asked Jets coach Eric Mangini about the miscommunication between Favre and the receivers at the half, and Mangini said they needed to run cleaner routes.

And look at that, Laveranues Coles had a strong catch there, and Kornheiser is asking if Favre wants to quit. “It’s no fun out there.” Favre just heaved it to TE Dustin Keller in double coverage in the end zone, the pass was broken up, but he got one to Jerricho Cotchery for a first down. Red zone now. Favre sacked by Jyles Tucker, who is replacing injured OLB Shawne Merriman. Leon Washington gains 24 yards for a near first down and the Jets will go for the four yards on fourth. … Incomplete, dropped by Charger Clinton Hart in the end zone.

Kris Jenkins update: It’s the NT’s back, and he is questionable to return.

Chansi Stuckey gets his third touchdown pass in as many games, but the Jets don’t get the conversion. So the Jets trail 38-20 with 10:30 left to play in the 4Q. And the Jets recover a loose ball. Coles takes it down to the Chargers 8, a sack, and a K Jay Feely field goal makes it 38-23 with 8:21 to play.

And a belated Congrats to Vernon Gholston for his first NFL tackle tonight. Can the Jets pull off this comeback and make the Chargers 0-3 with a third straight 4Q loss?!? I’m guessing no…

Wait—there goes Rivers deep to Vincent Jackson to the Jets’ 1, where Dwight Lowery finally gets him down. But the Chargers get it in on the next play, 45-23 with 3:55 left and Favre’s face on the sideline is grim. Muy grim.

Dustin Keller scored, conversion no good, 45-29 with 3:09 left. Looks like they’ll retry the conversion, but that one is no good either. A holding penalty, Gregory down for the Chargers and we’re doing it again. Offsides, the Jets are a quarter of a yard out. They throw and it’s incomplete. I think that’s probably close enough for a running play, even with Favre. (I am an excellent Monday night quarterback!)

Chargers FG, 48-29 with over 2 minutes left in the game, which will apparently never, ever end.

Dude, backup QB Kellen Clemens is getting time in the regular season! I wonder if he is as shocked as I am. Cromartie intercepts Clemens in the end zone. Mangini looks bummed. Game ends and there is Jets PR pro Jared Winley on the field looking smartly attired.

Jets lose 48-29, and they look pretty exposed in the loss. The Jets still have a long road ahead when it comes to stitching together Brett Favre and the Jets offense—throwing or running.

Eric Mangini is getting killed by Chris Berman and company during the pregame round table, which is more like a half circle since everyone is facing the television.

“After last week it is going to change, it has to,” Tom Jackson said.

Mangini really started to bristle at the questions about his play calling, on Thursday saying he didn’t think it was a defining play for the team. Looks like he’ll need to give quarterback Brett Favre more leeway tonight to keep that from being the case.

Liked the short on RB Thomas Jones and his amped up workouts. If you’re playing against me, “bring your lunch,” Jones says as he stared straight at the camera. Parents made a living in the coal mines, Jones can go to work. Nice.

An aside: I have really hated all the goodbye to Yankee Stadium stuff. I was once a regular there, before my life as a sportswriter, and I think it’s a crime they are moving out of that place. It’s a piece of history, which I don’t have to detail since there’s been plenty of that the last few days. To shutter it for a place built simply to suck more money out of corporate boxholders and long time fans is greed run amok. Yes I’ve been to newer, shinier stadiums, but none of them gave me goosebumps walking into the place. I couldn’t watch all the ceremonies because I resent their necessity. Bah. Humbug.

We now return you to the Jets.

And David Barrett picks Chargers QB Philip Rivers and scores—that was fast. Jets fill in kicker Jay Feely get the extra point. Rivers bobbled the snap and threw to the left side of the field with 11:27 to go in the first quarter. That’s a nice easy touchdown for the Jets against a team known for its offensive production.

Barrett got his hand on another Chargers pass. Calvin Pace had a sharp tackle—considering he’s so huge he can sure move fast. CB Justin Miller is not going to play tonight after all. Uh oh, Barrett to the Jets locker room at 7:48 left in the 1Q. Dwight Lowery with some excellent third down coverage near the end zone, and the Chargers settle for a field goal with 5:40 to play in the 1Q.

Antonio Cromartie dropped an interception but then the Chargers grabbed a loose ball off RB Thomas Jones for a turnover. They start the drive from inside the 20, and Mike Tolbert takes it in for a TD, PAT good. 10-7, San Diego with 2:03 in the 1Q.

Barrett is already back on the field, and RB Leon Washington gets in on the next drive. Dustin Keller takes a pass, about 15 yards, from Favre.Cromartie picks off Favre and takes it all the way back for a touchdown with 14:48 left in the 2Q. Favre was going for Laveranues Coles and Washington caught up to try and make the tackle, but Cromartie just waved at him. Ouch.

Washington gets him back on the kickoff return, runs it all the way to the Chargers 3 yard line and quick dart right to avoid the only defender with an angle on him. Favre hits Coles for the TD, PAT good. 17-14 Chargers. This game has 13:50 left in the 2Q and its already had as much offense as the other two Jets games of the season.

Kris Jenkins is on the sidelines with a back injury. As he walks to the locker room, Rivers hits WR Chris Chambers with a 27-yard TD pass. 24-14, Chargers. San Diego DE Luis Castillo gets hurt, looked like a knee thing (my technical medical diagnosis), but walked off on his own power.

Yikes, on third down Favre throws to a corner where there are no Jets receivers and the ball gets intercepted by Chargers safety Eric Weddle. Second Favre interception today, third turnover I believe… 9:07 left in the 2Q.

Lots of MNF shots of Favre huddling with the offensive coaches looking at play card. Analyst Tony Kornheiser why the Jets coaches haven’t done more to get a QB like Favre into his comfort zone after seeing him obviously misread the routes WRs Jerricho Cotchery and Chansi Stuckey were running.

Rivers connects with WR Antonio Gates over Lowery for a TD with 3:17 left in the 2Q. PAT good and the Chargers are up 31-14. Favre is sacked. That’s three TDs off three TOs, and the Jets will have a lot to talk about at the half.

In a move that was perhaps necessitated by an injury to newly signed punter Reggie Hodges late last week, the Jets have re-signed Ben Graham, the punter they let go after a rotten game against the Patriots. Hodges, by the way is listed as out for tonight’s game.

It seems as if the Kicker/Punter situation has devolved into utter wackiness. Reaction?

In other news WR Marcus Henry was waived. He was the 6th round draft pick this year, and he really just never had a moment of wow, not that that’s an official stat.

As the Jets head to San Diego for tonight’s 8:30 game, Monday Night Football senior coordinating producer Jay Rothman has been pulling film and overseeing interviews with players on both teams including Jets quarterback Brett Favre.

“There are a few athletes in the game today that move the meter and Brett Favre is a move the meter guy,” Rothman said.

When ESPN, which took over the franchise from ABC, comes into town to do a game, it brings a well-oiled machine. Analyst Ron Jaworski has already gone over tape and picked apart each team, a library of footage has been poured through, and teams open up their metaphorical houses for inspection.

It’s about access, and that’s one of the things ESPN does best.

Rothman said there is a big difference in doing a two-region game, most productions are just watched by home markets, and doing a national game. In some ways it is limited — the third-string kickoff returner’s right toe injury will probably not come up — but MNF can get into a player like Favre and go deep.

The Monday telecasts are averaging about 13 million viewers this year, and ESPN has added some technical bells and whistles to invigorate the broadcasts. High speed cameras are used, a new graphics package and even, oh yes, a new opening video from Hank Williams Jr.

As part of the package this week, there will be an interview with Favre, who has been held back from the media since coming to New York. While he usually addresses a crowd people from a podium in the press room, the producers at MNF can sit him down, get him comfortable and take their time.

“They do open up more to us,” Rothman said. “The information we get, that’s the gold.”

The teams tend to see a television production as more of a cooperative enterprise than what they get from a local media market. A coach like the Jets’ Eric Mangini might divulge a bit more during a conversation, even with cameras rolling. In general, teams are much more open about football when they know the information won’t come out until the moment the game begins, when the strategy has already cemented.

Alan Faneca noted this week that Monday is the night that all the other players in the NFL can sit down and watch their peers, so if you make a bad play on a Monday you can expect to be seen. The Jets are factoring that in as they prepare for the Chargers.

“I am guessing it’s going to be crazy,” Darrelle Revis said. “I’ve never played in San Diego. You can tell from watching film and their fans and how their cheering when they score touchdowns. It’s a Monday night game and I know they are going to be ready. They have played on this stage millions of times.”