Hartford Courant from Hartford, Connecticut • Page E07

THE HARTFORD COURANT SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2010 E7 PATRIOTS AT BROWNS: 1 P.M., CH 3 Mankins Expected To Start Ended Holdout Tuesday JETS AT LIONS: 1P.M. Jets Look To Rebound But They're Wary Of Lions By RODERICK BOONE Newsday DETROIT They've been bashed for the past six days, ridiculed and deservedly criticized for their poor performance against the Packers last week. The Jets have heard it from just about everyone in their inner circles of late. They're not even immune to getting it from their significant others. Just ask offensive coordinator Brian Schotten-heimer.

Even his wife, Gemmi, joined the parade of armchair quarterbacks. "She's a tough one," Schottenheimer said. "She's been around the game for a long time, so she's got some strong opinions. She usually gives me a few minutes to compose myself, but then she's not afraid to tell me her thoughts." But come just after 1 p.m. today at Ford Field, the Jets (5-2) finally get the shot they've been waiting for to permanently wash away that skunk-like stench that's trailed them since they trudged off the New Meadowlands Stadium field on the wrong side of a 9-0 blanking.

They will try to avoid losing consecutive games for the first time since falling to the Jaguars and Patriots last November. "We are ready to put last week behind us," fullback Tony Richardson said. "We had a good week of preparation this week, and we've just got to come out of the blocks rolling and do the things that we know that we can do. Last week wasn't a really good indication of the Jets where we turned the football over, were not effective in our running game, the penalties we've just got to get back to playing Jets football." It might not be as easy as people would think against the Lions, though. Detroit has posted 23 sacks, tying for sixth in the league.

They can be disruptive up front with the likes of rookie tackle Ndamukong Suh and end Kyle Vanden Bosch, and safety Louis Delmas can make plays all over the field. "What we see on film, they had a pretty good game against the Redskins where their defense was pretty much bullying the Redskins offense and they played pretty well," wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery said. "We have to go up there ready to play" Offensively, the Lions boast one of the league's top young quarterbacks in Matthew Stafford. They're sixth in the NFL in points per game (26.1) and seventh in passing offense (250.6) thanks in part to Calvin Johnson. The wideout is 10th in the league in receiving yards with 538 and is tied for the second most receiving touchdowns with eight.

"They've got one of the best receivers and for whatever reason people don't really acknowledge him as that," linebacker Calvin Pace said. "But the guy can play, and Stafford is playing well. If you look at them statistically, their offense is in the top 10, they are averaging 37 points at home. So, obviously they feel comfortable at home and they play their best ball at home. 'We have to ust go out there and bring it to them as far as our intensity" By SHALISE MANZA YOUNG and MONIQUE WALKER Boston Globe CLEVELAND The Patriots are ready to make guard Logan Mankins earn his money.

Just days after Mankins returned to the team and signed his restricted free agent tender offer, the Patriots added him to the 53-man roster Saturday. To make room on the roster, corner-back Terrence Wheatley was cut. Mankins signed Tuesday and has been practicing with the first team all week in preparation for today's game against the Browns. He is expected to move back to his left guard spot between tackle Matt Light and center Dan Koppen, relieving Dan Connolly, who handled the duties in Mankins' absence. With Mankins, a Pro Bowl guard, the Patriots look to improve on their 6-1 record, the best in the NFL.

Mankins has not missed an NFL game he has been eligible for since he was drafted by the Patriots in the first round in 2005. Before this season, he had started all 80 regular season games and all nine postseason games. On Friday, coach Bill Belichick said he wanted to see how Mankins felt after a couple of days of practice in full pads before making any decisions. Injuries plagued Wheatley in his time with the Patriots, who drafted him in the second round in 2008. A wrist injury ended his rookie season.

Last year, a preseason knee injury limited his chances to compete, and this preseason he broke a bone in his foot and was not able to return to practice until the week following the bye. McKenzie Let Loose Linebacker Tyrone McKenzie was granted his request to be released from the practice squad, according to a league source. McKenzie, who is in his second season, was trying to make the Patriots' 53-man roster a year after a torn ACL ended his rookie season. McKenzie was a third-round pick in 2009 out of South Florida. McKenzie appeared to be healthier this preseason but didn't see many snaps and eventually was released and signed to the practice squad.

The league source said another AFC East team has expressed interest in the 6-foot-2, 245-pounder. ASSOCIATED PRESS LOGAN MANKINS, left, a Pro Bowl guard for the Patriots last season, performs a drill with teammate Thomas Austin on Wednesday, a day after rejoining the team. Watson In Good Spot Tight end Benjamin Watson began his NFL career with the Patriots and has rejuvenated it as with the Browns. Watson leads the Browns with 336 yards on 30 catches. He also has two touchdowns in his first season in Cleveland, where he signed as a free agent this year.

The numbers are more than Watson put up in all of 2008 (22 catches, 209 yards) with the Patriots and approach his total from last season (29 catches, 404 yards). The Patriots drafted Watson in the first round in 2004. "He's been great," Browns coach Eric Mangini said. "I knew Ben pretty well from my time in New England. He's such a good guy and a good teammate, and that was a priority in getting those guys as free agents.

"And then he gives us something in terms of his ability to stretch the field vertically, and I think he has done a good job blocking as well. "So I have been happy with all the things he's done." "It would be good to see him and catch up," Patriots wide receiver Wes Welker said. "You've got to be happy for him. He's gone over there and done a great job." We Meet Again Backup Patriots quarterback Brian Hoyer grew up a fan of the Browns, getting the chance to attend a number of games with his parents. Around that time, Belichick was the Browns' head coach.

"I don't remember much about him coaching, but I remember he was the coach," Hoyer said. "Last year when I knew I was coming here, it was kind of a cool experience because how often do you get to go play for the coach who coached your favorite team as a kid?" Week 9 NFL picks Pro football reporter Sam Farmer breaks down the games. Last week: 8-5 Against the spread: 7-6 Season: 66-51 Against the spread: 54-63 TOP 100 PLAYERS OF ALL TIME Last week, the NFL Network revealed its list of the 100 greatest players of all time. Here are the rankings: Buccaneers (5-2) at Falcons (5-2), 7p.m. Line: Falcons by 9 Overunder: Matt Ryan is 16-1 at home for reason; Falcons have balanced attack that's very tough to match, even for rising Bucs.

Chargers (3-5) atTexans (4-3), 7p.m. Line: Chargers by 3 Overunder: 50 Chargers have yet to win on road and special teams are disaster. Still, Philip Rivers should feast on this pass defense. Taylor Rice Brown Bears (4-3) at Bills (0-7), 7p.m., in Toronto Line: Bears by 3 Overunder: 41 24 28 Dolphins (4-3) at Ravens (5-2), 7p.m. Line: Ravens by 5V2 Overunder: 41 Good as they have been on road, Dolphins are not stretching field enough, which allows defenses to load up on running game.

Back-to-back overtime losses have to be very deflating to Bills, who are capable of playing good teams close. Bears have lost three of four. Giants (5-2) atSeahawks (4-3), 4.05 p.m. 28 Patriots (6-1) at Browns (2-5), ip.m. Line: Patriots by 4 Overunder: 43Vfe Even though Browns are improving, Patriots should control tempo with Tom Brady and BenJarvus Green-Ellis.

Line: Giants by 7 Overunder: 41 Seahawks are young and erratic but have been consistently good before raucous home fans. Giants have had problems there before. 21 30 Jets (5-2) at Lions (2-5), 7p.m. Line: Jets by 4V2 Overunder: 41 V2 With Lions at home and coming off impressive performance against Redskins, this has makings of an upset. ColtS (5-2) at Eagles (4-3), 4:15 p.m.

Line: Eagles by 3 Overunder: 46V2 Eagles are rested and prepared to make strong showing against one of AFC's elite. But can they handle shootout with Peyton Manning? Player Pos. 1. Jerry Rice WR 2. Jim Brown FB 3.

Lawrence Taylor LB 4. Joe Montana QB 5. Walter Payton RB 6. Johnny Unitas QB 7. Reggie White DE 8.

Peyton Manning QB 9. DonHutson WR 10. DickButkus LB 11. Ronnie Lott DB 12. Anthony Munoz 13.

Joe Greene DT 14. Sammy Baugh QB 15. Deacon Jones DE 16. Otto Graham QB 17. Barry Sanders RB 18.

Ray Lewis LB 19. Bronko Nagurski FB 20. Brett Favre QB 21. Tom Brady QB 22. Gale Sayers RB 23.

John Elway QB 24. John Hannah 25. Dan Marino QB 26. Bob Lilly DT 27. Merlin Olsen DT 28.

Emmitt Smith RB 29. Jack Lambert LB 30. Dick "Night Train" Lane CB 31. Bruce Smith DE 32. Jim Parker 33.

Sid Luckman QB 34. Deion Sanders DB 35. Chuck Bednarik LB 36. Raymond Berry SE 37. Jim Thorpe RB 38.

Lance Alworth FL 39. Gino Marchetti DE 40. O.J. Simpson RB 41. Rod Woodson DB 42.

JohnMackey TE 43. Alan Page DT 44. Mel Blount DB 45. Tony Gonzalez TE 46. Roger Staubach QB 47.

Ray Nitschke LB 48. Red Grange RB 49. Mike Haynes DB 50. Terry Bradshaw QB 51. Bart Starr QB 52.

Eric Dickerson RB 53. Willie Lanier LB 54. Forrest Gregg 55. Earl Campbell RB 56. Gene Upshaw 57.

Mike Singletary LB 58. Steve Van Buren HB 59. MikeDitka TE 60. Jack Ham LB 61. LaDainian Tomlinson RB 62.

Randy White DT 63. Jim Otto 64. Herb Adderley DB 65. Randy Moss WR 66. Willie Brown CB 67.

Kellen Winslow TE 68. Mike Webster 69. Bobby Bell LB 70. Marshall Faulk RB 71. Paul Warfield WR 72.

Jonathan Ogden OL 73. Ozzie Newsome TE 74. Marion Motley FB 75. Darrell Green DB 76. Art Shell 77.

Tony Dorsett RB 78. Bruce Matthews 79. Emlen Tunnell DB 80. TroyAikman QB 81. Steve Young QB 82.

Ted Hendricks LB 83. Norm Van Brocklin QB 84. Joe Schmidt LB 85. Marcus Allen RB 86. Willie Davis DE 87.

WR 88. Ed Reed DB 89. Ernie Nevers FB 90. Kurt Warner QB 91. Fran Tarkenton QB 92.

Michael Irvin WR 93. Sam Huff LB 94. Lenny Moore HB 95. Larry Allen 96. Mel Hein 97.

Derrick Brooks LB 98. Lee RoySelmon DE 99. Michael Strahan DE 100. Joe Namath QB Chiefs (5-2) at Raiders (4-4), Line: Raiders by 1 Overunder: 40V4 This has feel of Raiders-Chiefs showdown of 1990s. In those, it was often Chiefs defense that set tone.

Same here. 27 Saints (5-3) at Panthers (1-6), 7p.m. Line: Saints by 6V2 Overunder: 40Vi Beating Steelers provided confidence boost for Saints, even though there's no telling if there will be lasting effects. Carolina isjust bad. Cowboys (1-6) at Packers (5-3), 8:20 p.m., nbc 23 Cardinals (3-4) at Vikings (2-5), 7p.m.

Line: Vikings by 7V2 Overunder: With Randy Moss gone, Brett Favre hobbling and Brad Childress dangling by thread, Vikings are vulnerable. But not that vulnerable. Line: Packers by 7 Overunder: 45 Vz Crazy thing about Cowboys is they seem to have stopped trying. If they fall behind early, Jon Kitna will have very difficult time keeping them in it. Steelers (5-2) at Bengals (2-5), ESPN Line: Steelers by 5 Overunder: 4114 Bengals swept series last season but can't seem to find any rhythm this year.

Rashard Mendenhall has run best on road. Open dates: Broncos, Jaguars, Rams, 49ers, Titans, Redskins.