Favre makes it look easy in debut
editor1 |Aug 16,2008
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By Joe Rizzo
PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer
EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey (Ticker) - It's not easy being green
-- except for Brett Favre.
Favre on Saturday made his debut for the New York Jets, starting
at quarterback in the team's initial home preseason game amid
cheers and in front of a mildly populated crowd at Giants
Stadium.
The last Jet to come out of the tunnel, Favre received a warm
welcome from his new home fans and was easily recognizable in
his green No. 4 jersey.
"(I was) nervous, excited," Favre said. "(There were) some
feelings I have not felt in a while, but I was excited."
But it was far from what he was used to in Wisconsin, where the
three-time Most Valuable Player is as much deity as football
player. Unretired football player.
After 16 years with the Packers, Favre retired in March, not
long after throwing an overtime interception at Lambeau Field
that helped the New York Giants win the NFC championship.
On Saturday, Favre was far from Green Bay and the sub-zero
temperatures of that game, playing in 80-degree weather 10 days
after coming over in a trade.
Favre completed 5-of-6 passes for 48 yards and threw a touchdown
pass to highly touted rookie tight end Dustin Keller to give the
Jets a 7-0 lead 5:25 into the game.
"It was a simple play," Favre said. "We had Keller and (Bubba)
Franks on two quick outs. Keller had better leverage at the 5-
(yard line), Franks had a little trouble getting off the line.
It was pretty simple."
Favre played 14 snaps before heading to the sidelines in favor
of Kellen Clemens.
"He's still Brett Favre," new Redskins defensive end Jason
Taylor said, "just in a different color.
The Jets got the ball at the Redskins 46-yard line on their
second drive. Favre handed off twice to Leon Washington for
seven yards, then threw a 19-yard strike to Jerricho Cotchery to
convert on third down and push the ball to the 20.
Favre handed off to Brad Smith on a reverse, faking a pass with
his empty right hand, and Smith carried for 12 yards. After
Washington ran it to the 4 on the next play, Favre patiently hit
a wide-open Keller just over the goal line in the middle of the
field.
The Jets received the opening kickoff and Favre was cheered
again as he jogged to the huddle.
On his first snap, Favre hit Cotchery for 11 yards and a first
down. The drive appeared to stall on the Jets 40, but coach
Eric Mangini kept Favre and the first-team offense back on to
the field for a 4th-and-1 handoff to Thomas Jones, who bulled
ahead for three yards before being taken down by Taylor.
A play later, Favre was sacked for a 10-yard loss, then threw
incomplete to Jones in the right flat on 3rd-and-16.
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