Jet coach Eric Mangini made a point to seek out kicker Mike Nugent yesterday and give him a pep talk after Nugent missed a 23-yard, potential game-tying field goal as time expired in the loss to the Redskins.
“Nobody is going to be harder on Mike than Mike is, because he’s such a perfectionist,” Mangini said. “He doesn’t miss often from that distance. I did talk to him about it and I just said, ‘Look, we’ve got to move forward.’ I don’t anticipate that happening again in the future.”
Nugent, saying he was disappointed in himself, yesterday conceded that he lost focus on the 23-yarder.
You can never assume it’s going to go in every time.”
Mangini conceded that WR David Clowney, who was injured in Saturday night’s game, will be “out for a little while.” Mangini contradicted a couple of reports that said Clowney has a collarbone injury. Mangini called it a shoulder injury.
The Jets signed free-agent WR Larry Brackins, who spent 2007 and 2008 with the Philadelphia Soul of the Arena Football League.
Mangini defended QB Kellen Clemens and attempted to cool the Brett Ratliff worship yesterday. Ratliff has had two strong preseason performances and has had a good camp while Clemens has struggled.
“There were three drops that could have easily been long completions,” Mangini said. “The numbers weren’t indicative on how he played and decisions he made.”