JET NOTES Bill Parcells was particularly upbeat yesterday, saying that the team perhaps looks as sharp as it has looked in practice all season.
“We’ve practiced pretty well the last couple of days,” Parcells said. “I’m hoping we can take that to the field on Sunday.”
Asked if it’s a product of the bye week rest and three work days last week, Parcells said, “I’m really hoping it is. Looking at practice [Wednesday] we were much sharper than we had been in a while. The last couple of days we’ve been a little sharper and more efficient.”
Parcells said that, despite the team’s disappointing record, he’s been generally pleased with the effort the players have put forth in terms of preparing.
“I haven’t had any problems with the team as far as working and trying to prepare,” he said. “We certainly haven’t played well some of the time and we haven’t won. But I can’t voice any complaints in the effort to prepare. I still have that sense right now.
“Can I carry that all season without winning any games? I don’t know,” he said. “I’ve never been through that.” *
Ray Lucas yesterday became one step closer to playing again when Parcells removed his name from the injury list for Sunday’s game against Arizona. It’s been some kind of rapid recovery for Lucas, who sprained his left ankle on the final play of the Jets’ 16-13 loss to the Colts on Oct. 17, Lucas’ only start as a pro.
At the time of the injury, it looked like it could have been a season-ender. Within a week, Lucas was off crutches and practicing. Now he’s off the injury list completely.
“He can do whatever we need him to do,” Parcells said.
That could be a sign that Lucas will be the active No. 2 QB in case Parcells needs a spark against the Cardinals. *
In other injury-related news, FS Steve Atwater remains listed as questionable and again didn’t practice yesterday. It looks like a longshot that he’ll play Sunday, meaning he’ll miss his third consecutive game and fourth week in a row of practice.
“Atwater is improving,” Parcells said. “I still think he’s got a little way to go. He’s trying to get better. He’s working real hard. He ran for about an hour and a half [on Wednesday]. It’s just whether he can go full speed without pulling it again. We don’t want to set him back.
“Initially, we didn’t think it was a terrible injury.”
It’s turned into more of an aggravation. In Atwater’s place, Omar Stoutmire will start his third game in a row since being signed by the team as a free agent a month ago.
