Jets prepare feast of Bengals with all trimmings

LaDainian Tomlinson used to stay glued to the television during Thanksgiving afternoons growing up in Texas, wondering exactly how he'd be feeling once his beloved team's game had reached its conclusion that day.

"That was the main attraction, the Cowboys games," the Jets running back said. "If they lost on Thanksgiving, it was a bad holiday for us. That's just kind of the way it was. If they won, everybody was happy around the house, so it was really special times. We bled Cowboys."

Those bleeding green are probably thinking the same thing right about now: That early morning shopping and leftover turkey feast on Black Friday would surely feel a whole lot better if the Jets can get past the Bengals at New Meadowlands Stadium Thursday night.

They're hosting the finale of the NFL's three-game slate, playing on Thanksgiving for just the third time since 1962 and first since getting thumped, 34-3, by the Cowboys in 2007.

"I'm not going to be able to eat any food because I think if I eat some turkey before the game, I might be sleepy during the game," linebacker Bart Scott cracked. "But it's exciting. It's another opportunity to play in front of a national audience. What makes it even better is Thanksgiving is more of a family holiday and you get to entertain families and they get to have those discussions of whether they like us or hate us.

"We get to be a part of the discussion and show the nation what type of football team we are."

Just how rare is it for players who don't play for the Lions or Cowboys to do their thing on Thanksgiving? Thursday marks the first time 16-year veteran fullback Tony Richardson has done so since 1998 when he was with the Chiefs.

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"It's actually pretty cool," Richardson said. "Obviously, it's hard because you are away from your family No. 1, but I think on a positive note it's a good thing because everybody is watching. It's a tradition and now they've added to it with the NFL Network games.

"I remember as a kid, you always saw the Detroit Lions, you always saw the Dallas Cowboys, and that was a family day. So it's great that we can provide entertainment on that day. We have so much to be thankful for, but to be able to provide entertainment for families that are sitting around having dinner and get a chance to watch the Jets, it's pretty cool."

Cornerback Antonio Cromartie added: "I think it's a special deal. It's a short week and you've got to get mentally ready."

The Jets claim they're not overlooking a struggling Bengals team, a squad they handled twice last year in a matter of days - first to secure a wild-card spot and then in the opening rounds of the playoffs. With an aerial attack that ranks eighth and averages nearly 250 yards per game thanks to quarterback Carson Palmer and wideouts Chad Ochocinco and Terrell Owens, as well as the league's 13th-leading rusher in Cedric Benson, they can be explosive.

In other words, the Bengals aren't a bunch of turkeys, and the Jets would be wise not to fall prey to the typical distractions that take place around the holidays.

"Obviously, you look at their record and you say, 'Oh, they are 2-8, it should be a wash,' " Richardson said. "But they are a good football team, they've got a lot of talent over there, a lot of talent over there. So that's our main focus."