NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Offensive linemen aren’t accustomed to attention. They generally live their lives in anonymity while the so-called skill-position players have the spotlight shining on them.
In the case of Adrian Clarke, the Jets left guard, unwanted attention came with his first opportunity to be a full-time NFL starter, thanks to the controversial departure of Pete Kendall in training camp.
Kendall, a highly popular figure in the Jets locker room, was unceremoniously traded away by the Jets before the season, putting Clarke in the spotlight.
Clarke’s play, lowlighted by last week’s missed block on Patriots defensive tackle Richard Seymour that led to Kellen Clemens being knocked out of the game, has been inconsistent and even led to a platoon with Will Montgomery.
Many believe the Jets decision to trade Kendall and break up the continuity of the line was the first step toward this lost season.
“It’s easy to walk into a situation like this and see it as a distraction,” Clarke said of taking over for Kendall. “But I can honestly say that, no, I’ve never been in a situation like this. I’ve tried to not think about it. I don’t ever want anyone to compare me to anyone else. I just want to be able to go out and do my job, and go from there.”
Easier said than done, because talk of the Kendall trade never seems to go away.
“Pete’s a great guy,” Clarke said. “He was deeply missed [when he was traded] as I see it. Any questions I had, he said, ‘Feel free to come ask me.’ A lot of things I didn’t know about the game, he was willing to lend a helping hand with those things.”
Today, Clarke will need to summon all he can from Kendall’s advice, because he will be facing Titans DT Albert Haynesworth, one of the best in the game. Haynesworth has six sacks and is an aggressive in the run game.
“I think by far he’s one of the best,” Jets right guard Brandon Moore said of Haynesworth. “We haven’t faced someone like him all year. Every time you turn on the film, you see him disrupting plays.”
Former Jets center Kevin Mawae, now a teammate of Haynesworth, said, “He can probably be the best defensive lineman in this league when he decides to play, and I think he’s done that this year … When he’s healthy, you can’t stop him.”
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Today’s game will feature a receiver named Chris Davis on both sidelines.
The Titans’ Davis, a fourth-round draft pick last April, has five catches for 38 yards. The Jets’ Davis, who played in the Canadian Football League, has one catch for three yards.
Both are close friends, having grown up together in St. Petersburg, Fla., and speak regularly.
The Jets yesterday placed WR Laveranues Coles on IR and moved P Jeremy Kapinos to the active roster … Titans have lost four of their last six games … Jets have scored just 19 offensive touchdowns this season. The Bills and Falcons (17 each) have scored fewer.