Perhaps the best sight of the yesterdayâs practice was Jetsâ tight end A.J. Schable back in uniform only days after suffering what appeared to be a serious neck injury in the preseason game against the Browns last Thursday night.
âI feel a lot better; the neck’s just a little stiff, but other than that it feels pretty good to finally get out here,ââ he said. âWhen I was laying there on the field that’s the most scared I’ve ever been. Laying there for about a minute I couldn’t feel my left side.
âAfter the trainers came out, about 30 seconds later, I could start to get the feeling back. It’s something I don’t want to experience again. It just feels good to get back out here and run around again. It put things in perspective, not take things for granted.ââ
Schable was injured on a kickoff coverage play when he collided with a Browns OL helmet-to-helmet and fell backward. He was removed from the field in a stretched, immobilized and brought to a nearby hospital for observation.
âI was just running down on the kickoff and I was real pumped up because this was the first chance I had to do any contact since December of ’06 and I was the first one down there,ââ he recalled of the play. âI ran into the guy and the next thing I know I’m laying on my side and I couldn’t move my left side.
âMy mom was watching the Arizona game and she saw my name go across the bottom line, that I got carried off on a stretcher, so she was
freaking out. At first, I was thinking, ‘Oh, man, I’m done playing.’ I was just thinking of the worst. When I started getting the tingling back, I started getting reassured a little bit.ââ
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Jets WR Laveranues Coles, still sorting out his hurt feelings over the release of his friend Chad Pennington, continues to decline interview requests.
Yesterday marked the third consecutive day that Coles, who last year emerged as perhaps of the most affable team spokesmen in the Jets locker room, has refused to meet with reporters.
“I’ve spoken to Laveranues recently, and right after we made decision we made and I had good honest conversations,ââ Eric Mangini said. âLaveranues and Chad were good friends. Each situation takes a different amount of time to work though, but (Colesâ sulking) is not a function of any feelings toward Brett. People adjust to things to a different timetable. Heâs been great at meetings and in practices and thereâs no real change (in our relationship). Heâs a good, good guy.ââ
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Rookie WR Marcus Henry returned to the practice field, but finished it riding the exercise bike. DE Shaun Ellis (hand) didnât practice again. WR Jerricho Cotchery didnât suit up, but is not believed to be injured.
⦠Rookie Qb Erik Ainge, who Eric Mangini has praised for his sense of humor, appears to be well down the depth chart as the No. 4 QB. He didnât get one snap during 7-on-7 or 11-on-11 drills.
He was, however, the funniest guy in the rookie show, which was designed to mock the coaching staff.
âHe’s funny,ââ Mangini said. âSome of his throws have been funny.ââ
Rookie OL Kyle DeVan, whoâs 6-2, 306 pounds, was in charge with mimicking Mangini.
“I didn’t get the whole joke,” Mangini said. “I guess we have similar body types, but I don’t think it was that impressive an impersonation.”
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