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Mangini fumbled big moment against Chargers

Shaun Powell

September 23, 2008

SAN DIEGO

On a Sunday afternoon that was unusually foggy, a twinkle emerged from the mist that awakened a football franchise, sparked interest among fans and demanded your attention if not respect.

That flash of brightness came in the form of a statement win by Eric Mangini, then a rookie head coach, and the Jets.

They went into New England, hostile territory for so many reasons, and stunned the Patriots. The victory was sealed rather emphatically in the closing moments when Shaun Ellis chased down Tom Brady and dumped the quarterback, along with the Patriots' comeback hopes, on the turf. Against a better team, against a Super Bowl champion and against a team coming off a loss and rather desperate for a win, the Jets defied all logic and won. Not only that, they did so with a coach who made all the right calls, all the right moves.

"Eric had those guys ready," said Patriots Pro Bowl lineman Richard Seymour, high praise for any coach, let alone one who never coached before, except in Australia.

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Well, that was two years ago, the last time the Jets took a game they had no business winning.

The Jets and Mangini haven't returned since to that mountaintop, where the panoramic view was bright and intoxicating. They made the playoffs that season, which made their sudden stumble the very next year seem that much more painful.

And in order to regain the footing that seemed so secure against the Patriots, Mangini needs exactly what that day heaped upon him: credibility.

Last night was set up perfectly for Mangini to get the shine back, not only for his team, but his reputation as a young coach with a golden clipboard. The Chargers, the best 0-2 team you'll ever see, were wearing scars from a pair of last-second losses, one from a blown referee's call, and were desperate for a win. They played at home, a hellhole for visiting teams. And they had the best player in football, LaDainian Tomlinson.

The Jets had no business winning, and didn't come close.

They did return kicks impressively. Give them that. Give Leon Washington that. Otherwise, the Jets made turnovers early and couldn't match the emotion or the sense of urgency that bubbled from the Chargers, who played as though they needed the game a lot more.

"I don't think anyone will question the effort," said Brett Favre, who quickly added, "that'll only get you so far."

At least the playbook opened up and the Jets rolled the dice often, with mixed results. On first-and-goal from the 5, Mangini didn't call three straight running plays, unlike last week. Instead, Laveranues Coles caught his first touchdown pass from Favre. In the third quarter, his team down 24, Mangini went for it on fourth-and-goal from the 9-yard line.

Then there was Mangini's decision to "take a shot at a momentum changer" and try an onside kick, after Coles' TD catch and the Jets trailing by three. It was a gutsy call that would've made Mangini look brilliant, except the Chargers recovered, quickly scored and turned the first half into a rout.

Nothing happened that gave anyone reason to think of Mangini and the Jets in the same way as two years ago on a foggy day in New England. "You can't play this way and expect to win games," Mangini said.

With his team 1-2, searching for an identity and a way to squeeze more magic from a 38-year-old future Hall of Fame quarterback, this will be an interesting few weeks for Mangini. The Jets were just pounded on "Monday Night Football" and the fan base could get restless.

The true value of a coach is measured by how he responds when his team appears adrift. The Giants discovered plenty about Tom Coughlin late last September when he turned a poor start into a Super Bowl finish. The Jets aren't unraveling, nor does anyone expect a championship run. But the ante was raised after a $125 million-plus upgrade, and the addition of Favre, and coming off a 4-12 season.

And so, you ask: When's the next statement win coming for Mangini?

His job isn't in jeopardy, nor should it be, even if the Jets fail to make the playoffs. The only issue is whether he's still in the running to become a great coach someday. The Jets gambled on his resume when they hired him, and after a glimmer of hope in a 10-6 rookie season, Mangini has fallen off the fast track.

He can get up again, and so can the Jets, but that process begins with a signature win.

We'll have to wait.