Tonight, the New York Jets open their preseason in a 7:00 pm (est.) showdown with the Michael Vick-less Atlanta Falcons at Giants Stadium.Spotlight:
Unfortunately, the biggest story surrounding the New York Jets tonight won't be about what happens on the field; it will be about what hasn't happened off of it. The team and first-round selection Darrelle Revis have been unable to agree to a deal and he, along with the Raiders' JaMarcus Russell, remain the only two rookies without a contract.
Because of this holdout and some injuries in the secondary, the Jets expect a lot of their young talent to see significant time tonight. Manny Collins, Alphonso Hodge, Raymond Ventrone, Jamie Thompson and James Ihedigbo will all get to play quite a bit and have their best chance to make a lasting impression on Coach Eric Mangini and the rest of the Jets coaching staff.
What else to watch:
- Thomas Jones, Thomas Jones, Thomas Jones. Although some Jets fans may be a little depressed because of the Revis situation, they can find solace in the teams' new running back. Jones has given the Jets reason to be hopeful this year, and while Curtis Martin will be missed, tonight marks a new era in New York.
- Keep an eye on guard Pete Kendall. His anger has been well documented and it could boil over this evening if Eric Mangini decides to play him in the third and fourth quarters. Although his performance will have little impact on the Jets final decision regarding his stay with the team, it will be interesting to see how he handles a public demotion.
- One final thing Jets fans may want to watch is the back-up quarterback battle between Kellen Clemens, Brad Smith and Marques Tuiasotypo. While Clemens appears to be the favorite to win this war, how well the rest of them perform tonight could go a long way in determining who stays and who goes.
