Testaverde Expects a Healthy Return

[Guest Moose Knuckle Ball Four]

Vinny Testaverde played in his 220th regular season game Monday night, but was unable to finish in a loss at Atlanta after suffering a right leg injury in the third quarter. On Monday, Testaverde said he expects a healthy return for the Jets’ home game with San Diego on November 6th.

 

“I’m feeling okay. I have a lower calf muscle that is strained, and we have the bye week so I think everything will be okay,” he said late this afternoon. “Hopefully I will be back on the field in a couple of days. Obviously we have the bye week, so I’ll be ready to go against San Diego.”

 

Testaverde completed 11 of 18 passes for 140 yards, but an interception by Atlanta cornerback DeAngelo Hall was his last pass of the evening.

 

“I didn’t have any power or strength to push off,” Testaverde said Tuesday. “That is what really caused me to sit down on the bench.”

 

The Hall turnover was the fourth of the evening for the Jets’ offense. Three first half fumbles led directly to the Falcons’ opening 17 points as Atlanta raced to a commanding 20-0 advantage. Veteran lineman Pete Kendall, who started at center in place of six-time All-Pro Kevin Mawae, placed blame directly on himself for the mishaps. The game started ominously enough as Kendall couldn’t get the snap back cleanly to Testaverde on the Green & White’s second offensive play.

 

“I heard Pete’s comments right after the game. My locker was right next to him and he really took the burden upon himself, but really it’s all of us,” Testaverde said. “Obviously the quarterback-center exchange, there was nothing I could do about that. Pete took that upon himself.”

 

Pass protection breakdowns led to two more turnovers as Testaverde lost a second fumble in the first quarter and a third in quarter two. The most glaring protection error came on turnover three when Rod Coleman came unblocked on Testaverde and forced a fumble. Chauncey Davis recovered and rumbled 24 yards and the Falcons romped to a 17-point advantage.

 

“When the protection breaks down – I have been involved in situations like that many times before - and when I see it break down, I have to protect the football,” Testaverde said. “I can’t turn the ball over. We have a check with me call at the line of scrimmage where we call two plays in the huddle. If we don’t like a certain look, we check to the other one.

 

“With the crowd noise, the offensive line, some of them didn’t hear it,” he added. “We have to communicate that better throughout the offensive line and that’s why some guys came free on that third fumble that we had. It’s all of us. It’s not just Pete Kendall. He’s a pro for standing up and taking the blame, but it’s really all of us. We’re all accountable.”

 

Testaverde attempted to avoid the Coleman sack and was hoping to throw the ball away.

 

“They came free pretty quickly through the line. I was dropping back trying to look a safety off to my left,” Testaverde said. “I had Chris Baker running up the seam one-on-one on a linebacker.

 

“When I saw the guy come free, I tried to scramble out of the pocket so I could make the throw away and not be called for intentional grounding. As I went to throw the ball, he just hit it out of my hand and he created the fumble.”

 

If the Jets’ quarterbacks get protection, they certainly think they can have success in the passing game. One bright spot Monday was Laveranues Coles got going with a nine reception, 96-yard receiving process.

 

“There is no question for us to be successful – especially if I’m in there – that we need solid protection,” Testaverde said. “Any time we throw the ball down the field with our receivers, we certainly can hurt some people. But I’m not going to be hurting anybody by running around and scrambling like Michael Vick does.”

 

After weeks of movement along the line, the bye comes at a perfect time for the Jets. Testaverde, who said the team didn’t use silent snap counts in Atlanta, says the best is yet to come for the reshuffled deck.

 

“They are going to continue to get better. That’s the bright spot that I look at,” he said. “They are going to grow together and continue to get better.”