Re: IT'S BACK TO FUTURE FOR JUSTIN (NY Post) http://www.nypost.com/sports/jets/27092.htm<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>August 17, 2005 -- You've heard all about how the Jets think their passing game will be revived by reuniting QB Chad Pennington with his favorite receiver, Laveranues Coles. But the Jets are also banking that reuniting wideout Justin McCareins with new offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger ? who coached him in Tennessee ? will do the same. "It's going to take the entire offense for this thing to go . . . but for me personally, I feel comfortable because I grew up as an NFL receiver learning this offense," McCareins said at Hofstra yesterday. "It's good for me. It gives me a chance to do a lot of different things. "This is a receiver-driven offense, stretching the field out, going downfield and working off of that. It helps get your running game going and the shorter routes when you're always threatening downfield, threatening the big play. That's why I like it." In recent years, "big receiving target" and "threatening downfield" were not terms associated with Gang Green. Last season they traded a second-round pick for the 6-foot-3 McCareins to be that big target, and he had a solid season with 56 catches for 770 yards. But he saw his big-play production drop from seven touchdowns and averaging 17.3 yards per catch in his final season in Tennessee to four scores and 13.8 per catch. If he was largely hamstrung by Paul Hackett's conservative scheme, he'll be lifted by Heimerdinger's aggressive one. It's an attacking offense that stretched defenses for Eddie George to run through; and in his three seasons in Tennessee, the intense coach rode McCareins hard but made him a better player. "It's helped Justin. He's been in the system, Mike coached him, so that helps him, too," head coach Herm Edwards said. "Mike's hard on him now. He's hard on players, coaches, that's his style. If you have thin skin, it can wear on you." The 26-year-old McCareins must have steel skin. He was just a rookie in 2001, but circumstances left Heimerdinger no choice but to force-fed him playing time. After playing in the first four games, a fractured ankle ended his season. But he emerged with a 47-catch, 813-yard season in 2003 that caught the Jets' eyes. "I rode him pretty hard, but he had to play," Heimerdinger said. "We had three rookie guys that had to come in and play, so we rode him pretty hard to make sure his technique was good. "The thing about him is, he's a tough guy. Some guys you can ride, some guys you can't. He would get mad at me and come back and do it right. He'd give me that 'I hate you' look, but he had to play." Now McCareins is a Heimerdinger fan. He had eight games last year with three or fewer catches, surprising inconsistency from a No. 2 receiver. But he's praised Heimerdinger's flexibility and willingness, and is convinced that flexibility ? and his familiarity ? will breed success.</div>
Re: IT'S BACK TO FUTURE FOR JUSTIN (NY Post) Yeah, i believe McCairins past with Heimerdinger was a main reason we chose him over others like Norm Chow, ect. Coles and McCairins know Pennington and McCairins knows Heimerdinger so its just a matter of putting it all togeather. But even in worst case scenario, the offense cant be any worse then it was last year.
