The Jets' Jerricho Cotchery runs past the Bengals' Rico Murray...

The Jets' Jerricho Cotchery runs past the Bengals' Rico Murray for a touchdown during the second quarter. (January 3, 2010) Credit: AP

Jerricho Cotchery was just a rookie when the Jets beat the Chargers, 20-17, in overtime of the 2004 wild card game. Yet it remains one of the brightest memories of his career.


“A lot of things stick out,” he said. “We had the winning field goal and that sticks out in my mind, everyone running out on the field … That was a great feeling going into the locker room, cheering with all the guys. And I was just a rookie having a blast, just having the time of my life.”

Cotchery also recalled the personal foul against Eric Barton on a last-minute fourth-down pass by Drew Brees that gave the Chargers another shot at tying the game in regulation and the raucous flight home from the west coast.

Cotchery is hoping for another happy flight home on Sunday night after the Jets play the Chargers in a divisional game.

Not all playoff memories are good ones, though. Cotchery said the team was anxious and not as confident and focused when it last reached the playoffs in 2006.

“We were feeling our way through the ’06 season,” he said. “A lot of guys were tired and we fought hard to get into the playoffs. But I didn’t get the sense that we were really sure where we were headed.”

SCOTT LIMITED BUT PROBABLE

LB Bart Scott (ankle) was limited in Friday’s practice, but the rest of the team participated fully and the Jets will go into the game with eight players listed as “probable” including Shaun Ellis (knee), David Harris (ankle), Thomas Jones (knee) and Donald Strickland (quadriceps).

“I think everybody is ready to go, everybody is healthy,” Harris said. Asked if his ankle was good, Harris said: “It’s good enough.”

JET STREAMS

The Jets will remain on East Coast time during their stay in California and distributed tip sheets to the players for maintaining it. Among the suggestions were not drinking anything with caffeine after a certain hour and pulling the heavy blinds closed in hotel rooms … Ellis said he thinks the Jets’ defense doesn’t get the respect it deserves. “Me personally, I’m used to that,” he said.

“That’s been my whole career. We’re where we are for a reason. And there’s no better way to go out and prove it and make a statement than this game right here” … Jones said that Rex Ryan isn’t looked at as a coach. “He’s kind of like a player,” Jones said.

“We look at him like a guy in the locker room because of the way he carries himself and the respect we have for him. I love playing for Coach Ryan” … The time between the Jets’ last Super Bowl win (Jan. 12, 1969) and the date of their potential next one (Feb. 7, 2010) is exactly 15,000 days.

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