The Jets are off to a 2-0 start and showing no signs of slowing down — on the field or in their pregame chatter. But one of their former coaches still has last year’s late-season collapse on his mind.
Jimmy Raye, the Jets’ running backs coach from 2006-08 and now the 49ers’ offensive coordinator, says that Brett Favre’s late arrival in the Big Apple last summer bred a “very difficult” situation. When Favre joined the Jets in training camp on Aug. 7, head coach Eric Mangini immediately turned the offense over to him, and according to Raye, it took the receiving corps awhile to develop chemistry with the veteran quarterback.
“It took us most of the month of September just to get accustomed to the cadence,” Raye told USA Today on Thursday. “It was … very difficult for Laveranues [Coles] and Jerricho [Cotchery] because it was a very different style and they didn’t have time to work together. … The adjustment was monumental.”
Raye admits that the Vikings’ adjustment to Favre may have been made easier by his familiarity with offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell’s offense (Bevell was the Packers’ quarterbacks coach before joining Brad Childress’ staff in Minnesota). However, Raye warns that things could get complicated if Favre’s 39-year-old right arm wears down by season’s end.
“What hurt us was the lack of continuity during the week, because [Favre] was on a throw limit during the week, and most of those were basically route review, and the ball wasn’t coming out,” Raye said. “So it hurt us more in the physical application of what we were doing in preparation, as we got into the week.”
Favre’s Vikings are also 2-0 at this early juncture, and Raye will get a firsthand look at his performance when they face the 49ers this weekend.
The Jets? They’ve done just fine with rookie Mark Sanchez under center so far.
