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Jerricho Cotchery, 2.0?

The former Jets wide receiver, an unrestricted free agent after one season with the Steelers, said Wednesday that he'd consider a return to the Jets.

"Yeah, I'm open to it," Cotchery told ESPNNewYork.com. "I'm open to all possibilities. I don't close doors. I'm not that type of dude."

Cotchery said two teams have expressed interest in him, but he declined to name the teams other than to say the Steelers want him back. The Jets have shown interest, according to the Daily News.

The popular wide receiver requested his released last August, right around the time the Jets were courting Derrick Mason. A number of factors contributed to Cotchery's desire to leave; he felt unappreciated after the additions of Santonio Holmes and, later, Plaxico Burress and he wanted a contract extension.

After trying to trade Cotchery, the Jets finally gave him his wish -- and they got burned because his quiet leadership was sorely missed.

Cotchery, who turns 30 in June, didn't see a lot of playing time last seaosn and finished with only 16 catches for 237 yards and two touchdowns, although he made a clutch TD grab in the playoffs.

From a schematic standpoint, Cotchery doesn't appear to be the best fit for the Jets. He's at his best in the slot, and they already have an emerging slot receiver in Jeremy Kerley. Cotchery could be a No. 4 receiver (Patrick Turner currently is pencilled in there), but he doesn't play special teams and that hurts.

The Jets are looking for a starting-caliber receiver to play opposite Holmes. They're showing interest in Chaz Schilens (Raiders), but he has been a career backup. They also haven't ruled out the possibility of re-signing Braylon Edwards, according to a source.

On Monday, the Jets took care of their No. 1 priority, re-signing NT Sione Pouha to a three-year contract for a reported $15 million. At 4 p.m. Tuesday, the following players will hit the free-agent market:

UNRESTRICTED:

QB Mark Brunell -- The Jets will look to upgrade at No. 2; he won't be back.

QB Kevin O'Connell -- Could return as a training-camp arm; knows Tony Sparano's system from a cup of coffee in Miami.

RB LaDainian Tomlinson -- Won't be back, mulling retirement.

WR Plaxico Burress -- Will draw some interest, but not from the Jets.

OL Rob Turner -- Cowboys could show interest. See former Jets OL Bill Callahan.

LB Bryan Thomas -- Jets could have down-the-road interest, depending on his recovery from Achilles' surgery.

S Jim Leonhard -- See Thomas, except his is knee surgery.

CB Donald Strickland -- Jets might consider him as 4th CB for a minimum salary.

S Brodney Pool -- Likely to be squeezed out in safety overhaul.

PK Nick Folk -- He'll shop around, still a possible return.

RESTRICTED:

LB Aaron Maybin -- Tendered at original draft round (first). Not going anywhere.

LB Jamaal Westerman -- Not tendered, meaning he's unrestricted. Keep an eye on the Bucs, led by his former coach at Rutgers, Greg Schiano.

TE Matthew Mulligan -- Not tendered. Maybe Brian Schottenheimer tries to bring him to St. Louis.

CB Marquice Cole -- Not tendered. Still a chance he return.

Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum, addressing the Bart Scott situation for the first time, made it clear Tuesday that the veteran linebacker's future with the team is very much up in the air.

Tannenbaum, commenting on his recent meeting with Scott's agent at the NFL scouting combine, said they "cleared the air on a lot of things." But he wouldn't guarantee that Scott will return in 2012, saying that discussions will continue.

"We'll see what happens over the next couple of weeks," Tannenbaum said on "The Michael Kay Show" on ESPN New York 1050, adding, "All options are on the table."

The Jets haven't given Scott permission to seek a trade, but they are shopping him, according to a league source. They're in a tough spot because Scott's $4.2 million salary is guaranteed, making it tough to deal the 31-year-old linebacker, but they're still looking for a taker, hoping Scott restructures his contract to facilitate a trade.

Scott was "extremely frustrated" by his diminished role last season, his agent, Harold Lewis, told ESPNNewYork.com Monday. Lewis said Scott's "ultimate goal" is to remain with the Jets, but he admitted the two sides discussed the possibility of a trade at the combine meeting.

The trading period begins March 13.

Tannenbaum addressed other subjects, including:

• Peyton Manning. Reiterating what he said last week at the combine, Tannenbaum did nothing to dispel potential interest in Manning.

"It's really important that we always try to improve the team," he said. "With that said, I expect Mark Sanchez to be our quarterback next year. But when we have opportunities to improve our team, that's what we're going to do."

• Plaxico Burress. On Tuesday, the free-agent WR told a Philadelphia radio station that he wants to sign with the Eagles. Tannenbaum all but said, "Go right ahead."

"He's exploring his options; that's what we want our players to do this time of year, like we're doing for ourselves," he said.

• Greg McElroy. Tannenbaum said "we weren't happy with those comments," referring to the QB's description of the "corrupt mindset" in the locker room, but the GM said McElroy will be on the team.

• A backup for Sanchez. Tannenbaum continued to talk out of both sides of his mouth on this subject. He said they don't need to bring in a No. 2 to push Sanchez -- "Mark wants to be great because that's who he is" -- but he also said he expects the QB depth chart to have a different look by September.

Plaxico Burress appeared on a Philadelphia radio station Tuesday, unabashedly campaigning for a contract with the Eagles. (No surprise.) During the interview, the free-agent wide receiver suggested there could be an opportunity to return to the Jets.

"As far as I understand, they pretty much left the door open for me to make a decision to come back," Burress told Brian Baldinger and Harry Mayes on 97.5 The Fanatic ESPN Radio.

We all know that's not happening; Burress isn't coming back. The Jets don't want him, and he apparently doesn't want them, as his friend Brandon Jacobs said at Giants media day at the Super Bowl. Privately, Burress has told friends that he's no fan of Mark Sanchez.

Burress had some nice moments last season (remember the acrobatic catch against the Bills?), but he'll be 35 in August and he can't separate from defenders anymore. Sure, he's a weapon in the red zone, and there's no doubt he'll help a team in that area, but he's not a full-time receiver at this stage of his career.

Burress was thrown into a tough situation last season, and the cynics (myself included) questioned his ability to be The Old Plax after two years in jail. Burress scoffed, telling everyone he'd make a seamless transition, that he'd surprise everybody.

Now we get the revisionist history, Burress claiming the odds were stacked against him.

"Coming into the season, a lot of people didn't understand," he told the radio station. "I was out for two years. Nobody had any minicamps. I didn't have training camp because I twisted my ankle. I played a quarter against Cincinnati, two quarters against the Giants and I didn't play in the fourth pre-season game. You're talking about three quarters of football after being out two years, and here I am, starting on Sunday night football against the Dallas Cowboys -- four months from being incarcerated."

Burress said it took him six games before he felt comfortable. In the seventh game, he scored three touchdowns against the Chargers. Like I said, he had some moments, just not enough of them.

The Jets own the 16th pick in the draft and they have a lot of areas to address -- namely, outside linebacker, safety, right tackle and wide receiver.

On Wednesday, the next step in the evaluation process begins -- the scouting combine in Indianapolis, where 300-plus prospects will gather to be timed, tested, measured, examined and interviewed. Here are 10 players on the Jets' first-round watch list:

Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama -- It'll be an upset if he lasts until 16, but he's the best runner in the draft and could be worth a trade-up. The Jets could use a guy who averaged 5.9 yards per carry.

Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State -- The Jets need a No. 2 WR to replace Plaxico Burress, and Blackmon (6-1, 208) has star potential. Like Richardson, he's probably a top-10 pick.

Melvin Ingram, DE, South Carolina -- He's an outstanding pass rusher as a 4-3 DE, but the question is whether he can transition to a 3-4 OLB. He's a shade under 6-foot-2 and, at 276, might be too heavy for the position. The Jets will be curious to see his agility and ability to drop into coverage.

Courtney Upshaw, OLB, Alabama -- He's probably the best 3-4 OLB in the draft, and that has to excite the Jets, who need one in the worst way to replace Bryan Thomas. The Jets are linked to Upshaw in many mock drafts.

David DeCastro, G, Stanford -- It's unusual for a guard to get picked as high as 16th, but DeCastro (6-5, 310) has special talent and the Jets may have a need, depending on Matt Slauson's recovery from shoulder surgery.

Cordy Glenn, G/T, Georgia -- He's intriguing because of his size (6-5, 348) and versatility. The Jets want to upgrade at right tackle, but they could always kick him inside if it doesn't work out.

Michael Brockers, DT, LSU -- At 6-6, 306, he's a Muhammad Wilkerson clone in terms of size. Why would they draft another defensive end? DE Mike DeVito is entering the final year of his contract.

Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame -- He has an off-the-field issue that needs to be checked out, so the interview process will be vital for him. At 6-3, he's just what the Jets need to pair with Santonio Holmes and Jeremy Kerley.

Mike Adams, OT, Ohio State -- At 6-foot-7, 323 pounds, he has "right tackle" written all over him.

Luke Kuechly, ILB, Boston College -- The Jets could be looking for someone to replace Bart Scott, who has slowed down and could be released.

Note: Alabama S Mark Barron is recovering from double hernia surgery and will skip the combine. He reportedly will need two months to recover, which means he probably won't be ready for his March 7 pro day. When healthy, he's the best safety in the draft, seemingly an ideal fit for the Jets.

Free agency opens March 13, so consider this the one-month preview. The Jets have 11 unrestricted free agents and, as of now, only $464,000 in salary-cap room. Do the math.

Unlike like last offseason, when several high-profile players were free agents, the Jets' list is relatively modest. It includes only two starters (Sione Pouha and Plaxico Burress) and two former starters/injured (Jim Leonhard and Bryan Thomas).

Here's a breakdown, ranking them in order of importance:

HIGH PRIORITY

NT Sione Pouha -- You can't run a 3-4 defense without a run-stuffing nose tackle, and the Jets have that in Pouha. They will try hard to re-sign him before he hits the open market. Pouha just turned 33, so you have to be careful, but the Jets are stuck between a rock and a hard place because Kenrick Ellis isn't ready.

MEDIUM PRIORITY

None

LOW PRIORITY

S Jim Leonhard -- Ordinarily, he'd be a shoo-in to return, but he's recovering from major knee surgery and might not be a full go for the start of training camp. If the Jets do re-sign him, it probably would be for a minimum contract late in free agency. Obviously, he's not going to draw much interest.

OL Robert Turner -- He missed last season due to a broken leg, but he should be good to go. He has value to the Jets as a key reserve, but he might find a better opportunity elsewhere. Former Jets OL coach Bill Callahan is with the Cowboys, who could be looking for a left guard to replace Derrick Dockery (free agent).

PK Nick Folk -- Folk did a decent job on a one-year contract, but the Jets aren't going to break the bank for a kicker who made only 76 percent of his field goals and failed to get consistent length on his kickoffs.

S Brodney Pool -- Look for a shake-up at the safety position. Pool was an 11th-hour returnee last offseason, so it's hard to imagine them rushing out to bring him back.

CB Donald Strickland -- He was the No. 4 cornerback for most of the season, with the versatility to cover tight ends. He could return in that role, but we're talking minimum contract here.

OLB Bryan Thomas -- The former No. 1 pick deserved better, but here are the cold facts: He's a 33-year-old linebacker coming off Achilles-tendon surgery. Maybe, if his leg checks out, he could be a consideration in training camp for a backup role.

RB LaDainian Tomlinson -- It was a nice, two-year fling, but it's time to move on. The Jets know it, he knows it. That's probably why Tomlinson, 33, was so openly critical recently of the locker-room situation. Gut feeling: He retires. We'll see him in Canton in five years.

QB Kevin O'Connell -- He could return as the No. 4 quarterback, but that's about it.

WR Plaxico Burress -- He told friends he's done with the Jets and that he's not a believer in Mark Sanchez. The Jets are done with him. For $3 million, they got eight touchdowns and a couple of acrobatic catches.

QB Mark Brunell -- Happy retirement.

INDIANAPOLIS -- Thoughts and observations, the Super Bowl XLVI edition:

1. Santonio Holmes tweeted this Saturday night: "@Mark_Sanchez @Pouha91 Hope your getting as antsy as me for the 2012-13 season to start. One more day til we start to make that journey." This came one day after Rex Ryan told me Sanchez and Holmes are planning some sort of extended sit-down, maybe a weekend retreat. (Why do I keep having images of Vince Vaughn?) These are certainly positive developments for the Jets' fractured locker room. But I wonder: Holmes' tweet wouldn't have anything to do with the fact that his $7.75 million guarantee jumps to $15 million if he's still on the roster after Wednesday, would it?

2. Ryan told reporters Saturday night he will take a more active role in the defense. In other words, he'll be calling plays again.

3. Curiously, the Jets haven't made any official announcements regarding the holdovers from the previous offensive staff -- i.e. QBs coach Matt Cavanaugh, who's still under contract. They expressed interest in former Dolphins O.C. Brian Daboll (see: Tony Sparano connection), but Daboll just landed the same gig with the Chiefs. I'm hearing Karl Dorrell is a possibility for the QBs coach job, another Sparano guy. Sources say Sparano wants to bring in his own guy, which is understandable, but Ryan prefers to keep Cavanaugh. The coaches return Monday from vacation. The Jets need to firm this up because it's unfair to keep Cavanaugh floating in limbo -- if, in fact, he hasn't been informed of his status.

4. Interesting that former Jets P Steve Weatherford, now with the Giants, wears ear plugs when he punts. I know what you're thinking: He started doing that so he wouldn't have to hear Mike Westhoff barking at him. Not true. Weatherford's close friend, K John Carney, introduced him to the idea.

5. Congratulations to Curtis Martin on his election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. My favorite Martin memory: Dec. 14, 2003 at Giants Stadium. In a driving snowstorm, Martin rushed 30 times for 174 yards. Everybody else was slipping and sliding, but Martin seemed to be on air, gliding. GM Mike Tannenbaum has a picture of Martin, parting the snowflakes, hanging in his office.

6. The life of a quarterback: After the season, Sanchez underwent precautionary MRIs on his ankles, knees and shoulders. Everything apparently checked out OK.

7. The Giants were very Jets-like during the run-up to the Super Bowl, with a handful of rather bold statements. I asked the King of Bold, Rex Ryan, if he had a comment on the Giants' bravado. He laughed and said he wasn't aware of the comments because he was in Hawaii at the Pro Bowl.

8. On Friday, I wrote a story about how the Giants discovered Victor Cruz at UMass, noting how college scout Chris Pettit did most of the leg work. Whitey Walsh, the longtime Giants scout now retired, also was involved. He used to run the Giants' local Pro Day at Giants Stadium. Walsh is in Indianapolis for the game, which is fitting.

9. Here's my opinion of Plaxico Burress: He did what he did for 12 games ... and disappeared.

10. Prediction: I'll stick with my initital feeling about the game -- a Giants victory, 31-27. I must admit, though, I'd be concerned about the vibe around the Giants. Too chatty. Bill Belichick is a master at using slights -- or perceived slights -- to his advantage.

Years ago, before the Patriots-Eagles Super Bowl, there was a report about how the city of Philadelphia already had planned a victory parade. Belichick read the exact parade route to his players, according to former Patriot-turned-ESPN analyst Tedy Bruschi. Belichick once told me that, during the run-up to the Giants-Bills Super Bowl in 1991, they took a newspaper photo of Bruce Smith, getting fitted for a ring at a jewelry store, and posted it in their meeting room.

You can bet copies of the Giants' website faux pas -- the "Congratulations, Super Bowl Champions!" page that appeared briefly Saturday night -- will be displayed prominently in the Patriots' inner sanctum.

But I'll stick with the Giants.

Win and he's in. That is Plaxico Burress' take on Giants quarterback Eli Manning.

"He's one win away, I think, from being a Hall of Famer. I really believe that," Burress said Friday on "The Scott Van Pelt Show" on ESPN Radio.

Burress caught the winning touchdown pass from Manning in Super Bowl XLII. Manning will play for his second ring on Sunday in Super Bowl XLVI.

"If he goes out and wins this game," Buress said of his former teammate, "I really believe he's gonna be a Hall of Famer."

The Giants' current five-game winning started with a victory over Burress' Jets on Christmas Eve.

"He's just been lights out for the last month-and-a-half," Burress said of Manning. "His play has really just elevated to a level to where he's throwing the ball with tremendous confidence, putting it in tight places and the guys are out there making plays for him.

"He commands the offense, puts them in great position to get up and down the football field. He goes out and wins this game [Sunday], he's going to silence a lot of people."

Burress made his Super Bowl allegiance clear.

"I think the Giants win." he said. "I'm not going for the Patriots, that's for sure. The Patriots broke my heart too many times when I was in Pittsburgh, all of those AFC championships. Me and Tom Brady have been going at it ever since the Michigan-Michigan State days, so he's been a thorn in my side for the last 12 to 13 years.

"As far as from the Giants standpoint, I've built some great relationships over there and I'm still great friends with some of these guys outside of football. We hang out, even during the season when I was playing for the Jets. I'm running with Big Blue."

Burress' Giants career ended in 2008, when accidentally shot himself in the leg at a Manhattan nightclub. The incident violated New York's gun laws and led to a prison sentence for Burress.

INDIANAPOLIS -- Soon-to-be free agent Plaxico Burress knows he's not returning to the Jets in 2012, so he took a couple of parting shots Wednesday night at Super Bowl XLVI.

Burress, who participated in an autograph show at one of the Super Bowl events in downtown Indianapolis, spoke effusively about his former team, the Giants. But when the subject turned to the Jets, his mood turned chilly.

He did a brief Q & A with NBC and the New York Post, and he's a sampling of his non-answers:

Q: What do you think of Mark Sanchez as a quarterback?

Burress: "Mark Sanchez is Mark Sanchez."

Q: What do you think of the criticism Sanchez has received since the end of the season?

Burress: "I haven't entertained any of it."

Q: Are you happy with your season with the Jets?

Burress: "It went as it went."

Q: Do you think the Jets maximized your ability?

Burress: "They used me the way they wanted to use me."

Get the picture?

The Jets have no interest in re-signing Burress, ESPNNewYork.com reported at the end of the season. On Tuesday at Media Day, Giants RB Brandon Jacobs told ESPNNewYork.com that his Burress, a close friend, wanted no part of re-signing with the Jets.

The feeling is mutual.

This is the third part in a nine-part review of the 2011 season, a position-by-position analysis:

Position: Wide receivers

Overall grade (on a scale of 1 to 10): 6.0

Depth chart: Santonio Holmes (16 starts/1,027 plays), Plaxico Burress (13/889), Jeremy Kerley (1/320), Patrick Turner (1/193), Derrick Mason (0/169), Eron Riley (0/3), Logan Payne (injured).

2011 headline: Receivers Flunk Chemistry 101.

Gold star: N/A

Disappointing: Holmes.

Stat check: Holmes has gone 25 straight games (counting playoffs) without reaching 100 receiving yards.

Analysis: The Jets thought they pulled off a coup by re-signing Holmes and adding Burress and Mason, and dumping Braylon Edwards, Jerricho Cotchery and Brad Smith. Man, were they wrong. This was a classic case of a front office overlooking the importance of intangibles. Burress had zero chemistry with QB Mark Sanchez, and Holmes regressed in terms of his rapport with Sanchez. It was ugly.

Holmes (51 catches/102 targets) and Burress (45/97) ranked among the worst in the league in completion percentage. It's hard to believe, but neither receiver managed a reception longer than 38 yards. You knew it would be rough for Burress, coming off a two-year prison sentence, but Holmes? Very strange. One opposing scout said Holmes lack his usual explosiveness. In fact, he had only eight receptions of 20+ yards and he averaged only 3.8 YAC. The Jets paid him like a franchise receiver ($9 million per year), but he was anything but -- although he was victimized by a lack of creativity in the passing game. How many slants can one team run?

Burress filled the void for a red-zone receiver, finishing with seven TDs inside the 20 (tied for seventh in the league). He used his 6-foot-5 frame to dominate in tight quarters, just like everyone figured. But between the 20s, he was a non-factor, unable to separate because of his diminished speed. By the final month, Burress was out of gas, managing only eight catches in the last four games.

Mason (13/21) was a waste of time and money; he should've retired after last season. Kerley (29/46) did an admirable job in his place, showing sure hands and short-area quickness. It's difficult for a rookie to handle the slot position, and Kerley did quite well. Some close to the team believe he should've had more playing time down the stretch, replacing Burress. Turner (8/15) flashed as a blocker and made a couple of big catches.

2012 free agents: Burress (UFA), Turner (RFA).

On the bubble: Holmes.

Note: Play counts, which include penalties, are from Pro Football Focus.

LaDainian Tomlinson shed some new light on the Jets' locker-room issues, suggesting Sunday that the "receivers" -- Santonio Holmes and Plaxico Burress -- could be responsible for the anonymous bashing of quarterback Mark Sanchez.

Tomlinson, appearing on ESPN's Sunday NFL Countdown as a guest analyst, didn't mention Holmes or Burress by name. But he didn't have to.

"I think some things that happened in the locker room between [Sanchez] and the receivers, I think that's where this is coming from -- some of the disconnects that happened throughout the year, maybe some of the arguments you guys heard about throughout the year," Tomlinson said. "So I think this is where it may be coming from."

Like several of his teammates who defended Sanchez publicly in recent days, Tomlinson claimed Sanchez isn't lazy, as one unnamed player said in a New York Daily News article.

"Listen, there are a lot of things you can say about Mark Sanchez, but to call him lazy is a bit much," Tomlinson said. "This is a guy that has worked very hard off the field ... in the film room, I've seen it ... the weight room, putting in extra time with the coaches early in the morning ... after practice, when everybody is gone, putting in time. So he's not lazy."

But Tomlinson didn't disagree with the notion that Sanchez needs a viable backup to keep him sharp.

"Mark hasn't had that competition to push him," said Tomlinson, adding that all athletes are better when there's pressure to perform. "I do think he'll be a better player if he has some competition, somebody to push him."

Tomlinson suggested that the locker-room turmoil existed throughout the season, but didn't become public until players got frustrated late in the year because of the losing.

"There were times in the locker room that things were happening, but players -- for the most part in the season -- kept it under wraps," he said. "It didn't really get out to the media until the end part of the season. I think it happened because of the losses we had toward the end. Once that happened, you got guys to come out to the media, saying things, [how] they're not happy about certain situations.

"That's the issue. You have guys, anonymously, saying things that are bringing this team down and you can't have that."

Actually, things started to spiral out of control when Holmes was benched late in the final game because he was jawing with teammates, some of whom accused him of quitting. In the ensuing days, the Holmes-Sanchez rift was exposed, along with a strong anti-Holmes sentiment in the locker room. The turmoil escalated when the Daily News quoted an unspecificed number of players -- all unnamed -- who bashed Sanchez.

Tomlinson, a free agent, said he's still contemplating retirement, but keeping his options open.

The Jets' wide receivers (well, one of them anyway) made headlines for all the wrong reasons. Let's put that aside for a moment and focus on what they're paid to do -- catch the football. Here's a 2011 breakdown of the pass catchers, courtesy of ESPN Stats & Info:

Player --- Rec. -- Target -- Drops -- Pct. -- YAC

Keller ...... 65 ...... 116 .......... 3 ......... 56.0 ...... 4.92
Holmes .... 51 ...... 102 .......... 2 ........ 50.0 ..... 3.78
Burress...... 45 ....... 97 .......... 3 ........ 46.4 ..... 3.58
Tomlinson .. 42 ...... 61 .......... 3 ........ 68.9 ..... 9.31
Greene ...... 30 ....... 41 .......... 2 ........ 73.2 ..... 6.93
Kerley ........ 29 ....... 46 .......... 1 ......... 63.0 .....3.69

BACKUPS

McKnight ... 13 ...... 18 .......... 0 ........ 72.2 ....... 9.08
Mason ....... 13 ...... 21 ........... 1 ........ 61.9 ...... 3.15
Turner ........ 8 ....... 15 ........... 1 ........ 53.3 ...... 3.00
Mulligan ..... 5 ........ 8 ............ 0 ........ 62.5 ...... 8.20
Baker .......... 3 ........ 4 ........... 0 ........ 75.0 ...... 4.67
Cumberland . 2 ...... 5 ............1 ........ 40.0 ...... 8.00
Conner ....... 2 ........ 5 ........... 1 ........ 40.0 ...... 4.50
Powell ........ 1 ........ 1 ........... 0 ....... 100.0 ..... 2.00
Slauson ...... 1 ........ 1 ........... 0 ....... 100.0 ..... 5.00

Analysis: The completion percentages are low, especially for Holmes and Burress. Obviously, some of that goes on QB Mark Sanchez, but it also shows an inability to consistently separate from defenders ... There's an alarming lack of explosiveness among the wideouts. In 2010, Holmes made several big plays after the catch, but he averaged only 3.78 yards-after-catch, very low for a starting receiver ... Impressive YAC total for Keller; it ranked ninth among tight ends ... Also an impressive YAC total for Tomlinson; it ranked 13th among running backs. But, remember, he was only a part-time player ... For a rookie, Kerley was very reliable as a slot receiver ... ESPN Stats is conservative on "drops" -- it has to be fairly blatant for it to count as a drop. The Jets were one of the more surhanded teams in the league, ranking seventh in fewest drops ... Clearly, they needed to make LG Matt Slauson a bigger part of the passing attack. (Joking ... I think.)

John McTigue of ESPN Stats & Information came up with this nugget on Mark Sanchez and Santonio Holmes:

There were 29 quarterback-receiver tandems in which the quarterback targeted that specific receiver at least 100 times, and the combo with the worst completion percentage was ... you guessed it, Sanchez to Holmes.

QB-Receiver Duos with Lowest Completion Percentage (Min: 100 attempts)

Mark Sanchez-Santonio Holmes .... 50.5
Josh Freeman-Mike Williams .......... 52.6
Philip Rivers-Vincent Jackson ........ 52.6
Joe Flacco-Anquan Boldin ............... 53.8
Ryan Fitzpatrick-Stevie Johnson .... 56.4

QB-Receiver Duos with Lowest Completion Percentage (Min: 90 attempts)

Rex Grossman-Santana Moss ..... 45.6
Mark Sanchez-Plaxico Burress .... 47.9
Andy Dalton-Jerome Simpson ..... 50.0
Mark Sanchez-SantonioHolmes ... 50.5
Philip Rivers-Vincent Jackson ..... 52.6
Josh Freeman-Mike Williams ....... 52.6

There is no player who could speak with more authority on the Jets and the Giants than Plaxico Burress. The wide receiver had one of the most dramatic catches in Super Bowl history as the Giants won after the 2007 season. Although he has eight touchdowns for the Jets this season, he has only had one catch in the last two games.

Clutch player or average receiver. When the Jets and the Giants meet at, as he called it, “JetLife Stadium” which Burress shows up?

“If you consider yourself to be a great player, an elite player, these are the games that you step up and the cream rises to the top,” Burress said. “Go out and play your best football game. This is what these games are meaning to myself and the rest of my teammates. So, I expect us to go out and play our best game on Saturday.”

The Giants were one of the teams in the bidding for Burress this summer, when the NFL lockout ended and Burress had served 20 months in prison on an illegal gun charge after accidentally shooting himself in the leg. The Jets were ultimately the winner, offering a roughly $3 million, one-year contract.

The Giants lost out, and earlier this week Burress volunteered himself if coach Rex Ryan wanted to know anything about the way the other New York team runs its offense. The fact that the Giants also have a lot of intel on Burress doesn’t phase him.

“They know me in games like this, when your back is against the wall and all those kind of things,” Burress said. “So I think they know what kind of effort they’re going to get out of me on Saturday.”

He still keeps in touch with a lot of Giants, particularly RB Brandon Jacobs, whom he talks to two or three times a week on the phone. But so far there hasn’t been any trash talking on a personal level, even if Jacobs stirred the pot today but commenting, among other things, that Ryan talks big to fill any cracks in confidence the Jets might have as an organization.

“We did some special things while we were over there, obviously winning a World Championship,” Burress said “I still share good relationships with some of those guys. But, when we go out there on (Saturday) and we go out there and lace them up, we’re enemies for the next three-and-a-half, four hours. So we all understand that it’s going to be some good competition and I mean, just look at the circumstances of this game. The loser of that game won’t go to the playoffs, Christmas Eve, Jets versus the Giants. This is what New York is all about. It couldn’t be a better setting.”


“I definitely want to get into the end zone once twice, maybe three or four,” Burress said. “I’m going to go out and try to play lights out football. My goal is to go out and play the best game I’ve played to this date this season. From a personal standpoint and more what we need as a team. If we want to get into the playoffs and make the run that we believe that we can, we need to go out and play our best football.”

Either way, Burress will have a lot to be thankful for this season, and he is well aware. A year ago he was cut off from home serving time, wondering if he had seen his last days in an NFL uniform.

“Based on where I was at last year, I just look at that alone from a perspective standpoint,” Burress said. “Just being home my first time in two years, being able to celebrate it with my wife and children, it’s definitely going to be special for me and being able to play in this game on Christmas Eve.

“Somebody's going to wake up with a bittersweet Christmas, and it’s not going to be me.”

Plaxico Burress first played against Michael Vick when he was a junior in high school. The Jets' lanky wide receiver was playing free safety in the contest, held in Virginia’s Tidewater region, and remembers seeing one ball sail high over his head.

“He was just this little dude. You didn’t expect for a guy his size to have that big [an] arm,” Burress said.

Years later, life bonded Burress and Vick together, though not in a way either could have predicted or hoped. After serving a 21-month federal sentence stemming from dog-fighting charges, Vick counseled Burress as he served a 20-month term after he accidentally shot himself in the leg. It is an intensely personal kind of interaction, and Vick put himself out there for Burress in a way that can’t be quantified.

“Picking up the phone and staying in contact with my wife, seeing how she was doing emotionally and all those kinds of things,” Burress said about Vick. “Spending time with my brother back home in Virginia, those just say a lot about the person in general. Based on everything that I was going though at the time and being there for emotional support when he could, it just speaks volumes about him and his character and just trying to help people out.”

Vick also provided a road map when Burress was about to be released. The Philadelphia quarterback had played his way back into the headlines -- which is exactly what Burress wanted to do when he completed his sentence. Burress had a mentor of sorts for getting back on his field and rehabilitating his image. Vick’s success also proved to NFL teams that taking a risk on a player with formidable baggage sometimes pays off.

“I say if it wasn’t for him going through what he had been through and coming back, being able to prove that he could still play, then maybe I wouldn’t have got the chance that I have,” Burress said. “You never know. Seeing him going out and having success and playing at a high level still when he came out -- of course it’s one of those things where if I just keep myself in pretty good shape, the motivation was already there with everything I was going through. I know if I got another chance I could go out and perform and do what I love to do.”

The 8-5 Jets will head to 5-8 Philadelphia for a late afternoon game on Sunday. It’s a place that Burress visited twice a year as a member of the Giants. He realizes he might not get a standing ovation from Philly fans when he takes the field.

“Over the years, it’s been one of those battles that I’ve had with them,” Burress said. “[There have been] two or three last-minute touchdowns to win games. It’s just always a fun place for me, personally. I’m pretty sure the fans will boo me. They love me, they just don’t want to admit it. It’s going to be fun.”

He may be joking, but it’s another phase of his relationship with Vick, a man who has become a friend.

“I talk to him about once a week now,” Burress said. “We stay in contact, talk about life, football and all those kinds of things. His family will be there. Some of my family will be there. For everybody back home in Tidewater and the Seven Cities, it’ll be a day where we enjoy it, we embrace it. It’s always one of those deals where when we play against each other, we have to try to outdo each other, try to outshine each other. It’s going to be fun for both of us, especially after everything that we have been through. We’ll just get to enjoy it. I want him to do well, but not well enough to win.”