Favre, Coles connecting on field for Jets By DENNIS WASZAK Jr., AP Sports Writer FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) The New York Jets' most important handoff this season might have come on the sideline last Sunday. Moments after Laveranues Coles hauled in his career-high third touchdown pass of the game, he jogged over to Brett Favre and handed him the football. Favre sought out the wide receiver after the big win over Arizona and asked him to sign it. "It meant a lot to me to go back and give the football to a legend," the wide receiver said. "I said, 'Thank you for everything you've done for me.'" It took some time, but the relationship between Favre and Coles - previously perceived by some as nonexistent - has come a long way, and it's paying off on the field. "Regardless of what people think or had thought, our relationship was fine," Favre said Tuesday. "I mean, we don't go out and eat and play golf together or go hunt or anything like that, but I've got a lot of respect for him." Favre, ranked No. 1 in the league with a 110.8 quarterback rating, has thrown an NFL-leading 12 touchdowns in four games, including four to Coles. "I've done nothing but try to get on the same page with Brett since he's been here, and I'm sure he'd say the same thing," Coles said. "I'm excited about having the opportunity to play football with a legend. I say it all the time: There's nothing I could do to enhance his career, but there's a lot he can do to enhance mine with everything he brings to the table. "Anytime you have somebody like a Brett Favre walk through the door, you have to be excited about it and look forward to the opportunities he is going to bring you." That didn't always seem to be the case with Favre and Coles, whose lockers are next to each other. Coles, one of the most accommodating players last season, shut down completely when his buddy Chad Pennington was released to make room for Favre in early August. Coles was also nursing a leg injury in training camp, so he wasn't on the field much with Favre. "After dealing with injuries and then the big circus with Brett coming into town, it's been tough," Coles said. "I've taken it on the chin. I know there have been some things said about me, like not being happy about him coming here, but none of that is true. We've had great conversations from the time he walked through the door." Coles broke his media silence after the Jets played Pennington's Miami Dolphins in Week 1, but he had just four catches through the first two games and said he and Favre lacked chemistry. Since Coles made that statement, he and Favre have looked as if they've been playing together for years. "For Laveranues and I, we got a few days of work in training camp and that was it," Favre said. "Then, everything I'd heard or seen was from coaches and players. Laveranues didn't really go out of his way to come over and say, 'Hey, I can make plays for you.' I know that. I didn't need to be told that." Coles did recently lobby to the coaching staff to get more involved, and they listened. "There's no substitute for us physically working together," Favre said. "The guy, he made some catches the other day that were better than outstanding, and (he's) not completely healthy." Favre was already in his 10th NFL season when Coles began his pro career with the Jets in 2000. Coles was asked what he would've said to someone 10 years ago if they said he'd someday catch touchdown passes from Favre. "I'd probably say they were on drugs," Coles said with a big laugh. Coles, tied for the team lead with 18 receptions, gave the ball from his first touchdown catch Sunday - a 12-yard bullet in the back of the end zone - to a fan in the stands wearing his No. 87 jersey. "Those are the people that hold me in their hearts," he said, "and I try to give them the ball as a token of my appreciation." He kept the second touchdown ball - a 34-yard strike down the left sideline - after jumping into an excited Favre's arms. "I can tell my kids that I caught a touchdown from Brett Favre," Coles said. "My granddaddy tells me stories about himself all the time and I don't believe any of it, probably because he doesn't have anything to show for it. But when you actually have footballs, you can say, 'Look, this is what I really did.'" Coles' third TD catch came from 2 yards out, and he celebrated by giving the ball to the man who threw it to him. "Not too many times in my career has someone given me the ball," Favre said after the game. "He said, 'I don't want to make a big deal out of it. I already have two today. This one is for you.' I'll keep it. I'll put it up in my trophy case." It was just one huge game for Favre and Coles, but the two are excited by the possibilities. "When I say that this team has a lot of potential, I really believe it," Favre said. "The question is, can the chemistry come together pretty quickly? I think you're seeing flashes of it."
i was afraid Coles would become a non-factor in this offense a few weeks ago....but now he may have a career year. its a good day to be a Jets fan (and we can't say that too often ha)
Coles is a great receiver who has spent his entire career waiting to be matched with a great QB. Who knows were the ceiling is? Vinny, Chad, Patrick Ramsey, Tim Hasselbeck, Mark Brunell, Brooks Bollinger, Kellen Clemens. Those were the guys Coles caught 561 balls from in 8 years (70 catches a year, think about that given who was throwing to him.) Now he has a hall of fame QB throwing to him. If they hook up for 3 years (unlikely, but who knows) then Coles is probably going to the hall also.
+1 Somebody is hacking his account - he's doing the kind of thing he just never did before. *Like posting two news articles in a row... or something.*
I always said Coles could be something special, he just needed somebody in the "elite" qb group to throw him the ball for 3 years and he would have had the numbers to be hall bound. But as it stands, best case scenario we have Favre for two seasons. So Coles better go to work padding the stats in these two years if he wants in the hall... Go Favre to Coles connection!
I've always loved what Coles brings to the Jets on the field. He's the best receiver the Jets have had since Al Toon in my opinion.
I do believe these are the first positive comments I've read from you, in regards to anything, since 2006. Good to see. You think he's better than Key was in his prime?
absolutely, key was nothing but a glorified possesion receiever, never the tough hard nosed play through injury constant threat coles is
I'm probably the most consistent poster on the site. When my opinions shift, which they do occasionally, it's an unusual phenomen. I decided to go back and do a post-by-post look at what I actually wrote about Coles: 9/12/2008 http://forums.theganggreen.com/showpost.php?p=938657&postcount=33 7/28/2008 http://forums.theganggreen.com/showpost.php?p=886114&postcount=4 5/25/2007 - On Coles and Favre (not that I thought the Jets would ever get their hands on Favre...) http://forums.theganggreen.com/showpost.php?p=551528&postcount=8 5/27/2007 - On why Coles is a great but underappreciated wide receiver http://forums.theganggreen.com/showpost.php?p=552682&postcount=31 5/27/2007 - On who I actually would take over Coles for the 2007 season at WR and who I think he most closely compares too in terms of value, production and work ethic http://forums.theganggreen.com/showpost.php?p=552934&postcount=39 12/23/2007 - I guess I really had Coles and Favre on the brain after last season, not sure why http://forums.theganggreen.com/showpost.php?p=727996&postcount=2 12/16/2007 - Reality is unfortunately reality most of the time http://forums.theganggreen.com/showpost.php?p=720130&postcount=64 8/22/2007 - Well, he does have a biiiiiig mouth and he runs it. I seem to redo this particular post over and over again when he pops off and somebody suggests he's not worth the upkeep http://forums.theganggreen.com/showpost.php?p=605628&postcount=41 5/2/2007 - Some days I fall into the same trap that everybody else seems to and forget how good Coles really is http://forums.theganggreen.com/showpost.php?p=538131&postcount=5 5/3/2007 - Then I re-examine the numbers and realize what his situation really is http://forums.theganggreen.com/showpost.php?p=538524&postcount=66 5/3/2007 - Somebody provokes me and I start looking at the comparisons based on his career http://forums.theganggreen.com/showpost.php?p=538542&postcount=70 5/3/2007 - Facts are facts, and Coles is going to have close to 1,000 receptions if he plays for another 6 seasons, of course he then had the concussions last year and I guess that materially effects his chances now http://forums.theganggreen.com/showpost.php?p=538773&postcount=78 I could go back and find all the comments I made when the Jets got him back for Moss but the yard needs mowing right now...
Mangini is never in a rush to make changes, sometimes that helps him and sometimes it hurts him. Last week keeping Coles as the starter helped him. I bet 99% of Jet fans would have started Stuckey over Coles for that game.
This is the quote that tells me Coles is finally getting it "I'm excited about having the opportunity to play football with a legend. I say it all the time: There's nothing I could do to enhance his career, but there's a lot he can do to enhance mine with everything he brings to the table. " That's the kind of talk that gets me excited about the possibilities after the bye week. With Coles, Cotch, Leon,Stuckey Keller and Favre all on the same page with the OL playing good this has the potential to be a very good and exciting offense.