Rushing to Get Favre Ready for Season

CLEVELAND--After Thursday night's preseason game here, Jets Coach Eric Mangini left open the possibility of getting quarterback Brett Favre into next weekend's home exhibition opener against the Redskins after what would be only a week of practices.

"After the first few practices, we'll gauge that and see where we are," Mangini said. "He loves to play football. Any reps he gets are positive reps."

The Jets and Favre will have to do some cramming to get Favre ready for the regular season opener in a month. Mangini and Jets tight end Bubba Franks, Favre's former teammate in Green Bay, said there are plenty of similarities between the Jets' offense and the version of the West Coast offense that Favre ran with the Packers. The main difference, they both said, is the play-calling language. Mangini said the Jets "may adjust some verbiage to help him."

Favre spent Thursday's game against the Browns on the sideline with a play sheet in hand, getting lessons on the offense from Franks and Jets quarterback Kellen Clemens.

"With someone with as much experience as him, he has that wealth of experience to draw on," Mangini said.

Mangini addressed his players as a group Thursday morning, explaining the organization's thought process in deciding to trade for Favre and release Chad Pennington. Mangini met with Favre before Thursday's game

"What I really liked about our conversation was how down to earth he was," Mangini said. "Those other trappings of success, I recognize. But what I also recognize is he's a good guy who loves football and loves to be part of a team."

Mangini, the former Bill Belichick disciple who is usually ultra-guarded in his public declarations, even was willing to name Favre his Opening Day starter at quarterback. Yes, it's obvious, but Mangini generally doesn't confirm even the obvious for public consumption.

"Yeah," he said, "I'm comfortable with that."

By Mark Maske |  August 8, 2008; 10:31 AM ET  | Category:  Jets
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Posted by: jack sparro | August 8, 2008 10:54 AM

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