NFL

GRAHAM STUNNED BY LATE BENCHING

Ben Graham went to LP Field Sunday fully expecting to punt for the Jets against the Titans, something he has been doing for the last three seasons.

That’s when, according to Graham, special teams coach Mike Westhoff told him: “You’re not playing. We’re going with Jeremy,” referring to rookie Jeremy Kapinos.

Asked yesterday if the news was a jolt to him Graham said: “A jolt? It was like a rocket, not a jolt.”

Graham, who had never been benched in his athletic career, which includes years of Australian Rules Football, seemed bewildered by the team’s lack of communication.

“This is a first time for me, a new experience,” Graham said. “Obviously it’s a different game [in the NFL] and they go through things differently the way they coach and communicate, but I know I haven’t performed up to my expectations. I just have to deal with it and prepare to play on the weekend.”

Graham is ranked 17th in the NFL with a 43.0-yard gross average and 19th in net at 36.4 yards.

Graham averaged a 43.7-yard gross and 37.9-yard net in his first year, and last season he averaged 44.2 and 37.8.

Two games ago, he had a key punt blocked in New England that led to a Patriots touchdown. It was clear on replay that Jets safety Abram Elam whiffed on a block that led to the blocked punt.

Does Graham feel that blocked punt was a reason behind his benching?

“I’m not sure, you’ve got to ask the coaches,” he said. “I’ve not been told much about anything other I wasn’t playing Sunday morning.”

Jets coach Eric Mangini, who is looking for more consistcney from Graham, said Kapinos had been performing well in practice and “it was time for him to get a chance.” Mangini declined to say who will punt against the Chiefs, but Graham appeared to be taking first reps in practice.

“I understand we’ve struggled as a team throughout the year so I know they’re looking at a lot of positions and mine is no different,” Graham said. “I’ve still got four years to go on the contract, so it’s day-by-day for me right now. I’m preparing to play.”

*

Kellen Clemens, as expected, was taking reps with the first team early in practice. Barring a significant setback, he will start, meaning Chad Pennington may have played his last down as a Jet.

*

The Jets placed linebacker Jason Trusnik on injured reserve, and signed offensive lineman Wayne Hunter to the practice squad.

Trusnik suffered an unspecified injury during the Jets’ 10-6 loss at Tennessee Sunday.

Hunter, in his fifth NFL season, has appeared in three games, one with Jacksonville in 2006 and two with Seattle in 2004 and ’05.

*

Chiefs CB Ty Law, who played with the Patriots when Mangini was a defensive backs coach, was asked about his recollections of Mangini.

“He was with Bill Belichick for so long and the same intangibles Bill had you could see in Eric,” Law said. “He was like a ‘Mini-Me’ somewhat. We used to joke about it.”