11/05 — There's still a very much defensive flavor to the Jets as they begin their work week for Sunday's Meadowlands match against the Rams.

For starters, head coach Eric Mangini announced at his news conference this morning that monster nose Kris Jenkins has been named the AFC's Defensive Player of the Week.

That award, coupled with Darrelle Revis' entry as one of the five finalists for the GMC Sierra Defensive Player of the Week, which we mentioned Tuesday and which fans can vote for here, sums up the Jets' defensive status coming out of the Buffalo game. In fact, Mangini named Jenkins and Revis as the team's co-defensive players of the week.

And Brett Favre in his weekly remarks threw major bouquets at those two and the entire "other" side of the ball.

"The defense is playing outstanding," Favre said. "I've been impressed with the way the guys have played with a lot of energy and a lot of communication.

"It all starts with stopping the run. Kris Jenkins has made all the guys around him better, as we thought he would. I had a chance to play against Kerry Rhodes and I think he's an outstanding safety, the quarterback of the defense. And Darrelle Revis, I told him from day one that he can be as good as he wants to be, shut down whoever he wants to."

The one player Favre mentioned who didn't get a slot in this week's awards roster is Rhodes, but he played a strong supporting role vs. the Bills. Early in the fourth quarter, his balletic PD on Lee Evans in the end zone prevented a touchdown.

And the play that only a few have talked about was Rhodes' run support role in the second quarter. Jenkins got the credit for leading the charge that stopped Fred Jackson on the pivotal fourth-and-1 at the Jets 8, but it was No. 25 representing the "fire in the hole" by beating his man on the run blitz and meeting Jackson for no gain.

"It was definitely rewarding," Rhodes told me today before heading out to practice. "On third down they got a pass on me and Darrelle that we didn't want to get caught on [Lee Evan's 19-yard reception to the Jets' 29]. So on the same drive I was able to get a stop on fourth-and-1 to get it back. Everything worked itself out."

Things will continue working themselves out at inside linebacker despite David Harris' groin injury. Mangini wouldn't go into specifics but didn't sound optimistic about a return to action for Harris against the Rams, although he didn't think "the Hitman's" absence was a long-term thing.

"I don't think the timeframe is really set one way or the other," he said. "We're just moving forward, trying to get him back as quickly as we can."

The same can be said for S Eric Smith, whose concussion kept him out of the Buffalo game — and in the process enabled Abram Elam to provide another big play with his 92-yard interception-return TD.

"I'd say it's still pending," Mangini said of Elam starting again. "We'll see how Eric does this week. Abe is a good example of a guy taking advantage of his opportunities. The more playing time, the more he can generate plays. You want those guys to go in and make an argument for staying on the field."

More Honors

As is his tradition on the Wednesday after a victory, the coach revealed all of his players of the week for the Bills win. On offense, Jerricho Cotchery took the prize — and he talked with Eric Allen, whose story on J-Co will appear on newyorkjets.com later this afternoon. The special teams chalice went to punter/holder Reggie Hodges, and the practice player of the week went to Kareem Brown.