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Dan checks in from Florham Park with more Website Whispers, including notes on Santonio Holmes, Braylon Edwards, Joe McKnight, Rob Turner, Zygi Wilf, Phil Loadholt and so much more . . .
One thing about Santonio Holmes, when it comes to dealing with the media, he’s pretty blunt.
You get the sense that the Jets feel they can pass on Minnesota.
“We definitely have to look at their secondary,” said Holmes about this week’s gameplan. “It’s going to be something that we, myself, Mark (Sanchez) and Coach Schotty (Brian Schottenheimer), we have to really focus on what we’re going to do against their secondary. Jerricho, Braylon and, of course, Dustin Keller, it’s something that we have to exploit on their defense. You know how good their front four is.”
In other words, the Jets feel they can throw on Minnesota. Their secondary is average . . .
Braylon Edwards told somebody he was taking this week off from the media . . .
The Jets are toying with the idea of using Santonio Holmes on punt returns on occasion. He’s an outstanding punt returner.
“He’s a guy you could see him at different times,” Mike Westhoff said. “It’s an option.” . . .
Rex Ryan might have gone a little overboard with his praise of Joe McKnight’s work on special team’s last week. Ryan said he was “great.”
“He’s a real work in progress,” Westhoff said. “He has a long way to go.”
Rex is the quintessential players coach, and he was clearly trying to pump up McKnight. I understand that. But we like to keep it real on this website . . .
Jason Taylor’s agent Gary Wichard is in hot water for breaking some NCAA rules, with the help of long-time college assistant John Blake. This is evolving into a major scandal. I asked Taylor for his thoughts on his agent’s quandary.
“It’s none of my business,” Taylor said.
Taylor says he staying with Wichard . . .
The Minnesota Vikings like to play a 4-2-5 defense in nickel situations. Sometimes they use a 3-3-5 . . .
Which hammy is going to be able to go on Monday – Minnesota’s Visanthe Shiancoe and/or Darrelle Revis. Both players are huge for their respective clubs, and both have up-in-the-air status.
With Sidney Rice out, Shiancoe has been Brett Favre’s favorite target.
You might be wondering what kind of name is Visanthe Shiancoe. His mother is from Liberia and his father from Ghana, so there is your explanation. He was born in England . . .
Shaun Ellis is walking around with ice on his injured knee, but you get the sense he’s going to play . . .
Rob Turner has something going on with his left shoulder. It was heavily iced in the locker room . . .
Brett Favre is the perfect quarterback for Randy Moss. Perfect! Favre likes to the throw the ball to an area, and let his target go up and get the ball. What a perfect set-up for the 6-4 Moss, who is great in jump-ball situations . . .
For Vikings owner Zygi Wilf, this is a home game. He lives right by Jets camp in the Livingston-area. He made his money as a New Jersey real estate developer . . .
Favre turns 41 on Sunday . . .
The best plan to deal with Favre is make him pay early and often when he drops back to pass. This is a plan that worked so well for New Orleans defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, who is another Buddy Ryan disciple, just like Rex.
Favre has thrown six picks in three games. Look for him to add a couple more in this game, especially after taking a few licks. Favre is dealing with ankle and elbow issues, so he probably wants nothing to do with getting beat-up on Monday . . .
Look for the Jets pass rush to go after right tackle Phil Loadholt, a roadgrader, who is shaky in pass protection because he doesn’t move that well laterally . . .
