Nantz Eager to Call Jets-Bills on Sunday

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Randy's Radar

Nantz Eager to Call Jets-Bills on Sunday

Published: Thu, October 30, 2008 - 9:41am EDT
Randy Lange

By Randy Lange

Lange is editor-in-chief of newyorkjets.com. He covered the Jets for 13 years for The Record of Hackensack, N.J.


File Under: Eric Mangini, Laveranues Coles, Buffalo Bills, Phil Simms, Brett Favre, Jim Nantz

10/30 — Here's a quick early Radar entry to alert you to a "Jets Two-Minute Drive" show that Eric Allen and I are proud of.

Jim Nantz and Phil Simms, the CBS "A" team, will be working Sunday's Jets-Bills game. We sat down with Nantz this week for our guest interview and Nantz was exceptional, talking about his relationship with Simms, his podnuh since 2004, and about his father, whom he wrote about in his moving book, "Always By My Side," which was published in May.

But of course, Nantz also talked about the Jets-Bills game at Ralph Wilson Stadium — the two have never called a game in this rivalry before. (They've called seven Jets-Patriots games.)

"I'm anxious to have this little AFC East rivalry unfold before me and it’s a crucial game," Nantz told us. "Every game right now inside that division, there’s just so much riding on it.

"The Jets, at 4-3, can you imagine for their sake what a win would do up at Buffalo, would suddenly do at the halfway point of their season? And if you look at the Buffalo side of it, same thing. They’re coming off a tough loss, but they have a chance to get to 6-2 and create a little separation from the Jets for the time being before they meet later in the season.

“It’s just a huge game here the first weekend of November.”

This will be the 17th Jets game the Nantz-Simms team has called since '04. (For those who care, the Green & White record in those games is 6-10) and their first since they worked the first two games this season. I think this week's show is a good listen. You can find it on the newyorkjets.com home page or on the Multimedia Home page.

Catch of Distinction

Laveranues Coles' touchdown reception Sunday was significant for more than just beating the Chiefs. It was the first game-winning score in LC's career in the last two minutes of a game or in OT.

In fact, it was the first GW touchdown for the Jets since Santana Moss and Chad Pennington hooked up for a 3-yard toss with 26 seconds left to beat Jacksonville, 13-10, back on Nov. 23, 2003.

Such passes are old hat for Brett Favre, of course, although they don't happen as often as you'd think for a QB who now has 41 fourth-quarter comeback wins to his credit. A year ago his 82-yard pass play with Greg Jennings pulled out the Packers' win at Denver 16 seconds into OT.

But the last time Favre threw a strike that turned a loss into a win in the last two minutes of a game was in 1999, when he hit Antonio Freeman for 21 yards with 1:05 left to lead Green Bay past Tampa Bay, 26-23.

Yellow Fever

On Monday, John from Staten Island asked a question about "more offensive penalties than I can remember." Well, if his memory only goes back eight years, he's right. The Jets offense this season has had 22 penalties marked off against it for 131 yards.

That extrapolates to 50 penalties for 299 yards for the season. And that is a lot for the Jets. The last time the O drew more penalty yards was 2005 with 334 yards. And the last season that was comparable in both flags and yards was 1999, when the offense was hit for 50 penalties for 376 yards.

So yes, work needs to be done there. But the Jets still remain in the top 10 this season in penalties, and since head coach Eric Mangini took over in 2006, the Jets are still first in the NFL in fewest penalties and penalty yards:

 Team Penalties Pens/G Rank Pen. Yards Yards/G Rank
 JETS 167 4.3 1st 1,317 33.8 1st
 Seattle 185 4.7 2nd 1,388 35.6 2nd
 Denver 191 4.9 3rd 1,406 36.1 3rd
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Fans Respond

Here's your chance to tell Randy what you think! Add a Comment | Show All (36)

MikeMc Said:

Fri, October 31, 2008 - 6:15pm EDT

"Southernlady, theres plenty of blame to go around, its clear you are all Brett all the time. Brett needs to take care of the football, Qb's get the credit when things are going well & they get the blame when they throw 11 picks. Be a Jet fan not just a Favre fan."

Offensive Comment?

Tom Spicer Said:

Fri, October 31, 2008 - 9:01pm EDT

"MikeMc l would like to give you the same advice you gave to Southernlady you blame Favre but I have not heard you say anything about how bad Schotty is or how bad our O line is & I have even heard you say the Mangni has done a good job but he is 18 & 21 "

Offensive Comment?

MikeMc Said:

Sat, November 1, 2008 - 9:40am EDT

"Spicer ,your probably right. Its not how I truly feel though, I'm just trying to bring balance. When I read about all this undying love for Favre & this vitriol for Mangini & co. I feel compelled to respond. I have posted in the past that there is plenty of blame to go around incl. Mangini , Favre, the O-line, Baker falling,Coles dropping passes,No gholston,drew coleman can't cover, Nugent & more."

Offensive Comment?