Vinny Testaverde is fighting Father Time as he makes one more playoff push

By Paul Zimmerman

Old reliable Martin is the one constant in the Jets offense. David Bergman Enemy Lines An opposing team's scout sizes up the Jets "You've got to be concerned about their offensive line. Kevin Mawae is coming off shoulder surgery. Randy Thomas had his knee scoped and has a bad shoulder. Dave Szott is out until November with a knee injury. Kareem McKenzie , who knows? They paid Jason Fabini left-tackle money, but he's athletically limited.... Vinny Testaverde is 38. Their offensive coordinator, Paul Hackett , is a nice guy, but where's the production? They'd better hope that Curtis Martin stays healthy, because he's the offense.... They need a second wideout. Wayne Chrebet is a classic slot receiver, and as the third guy he's better than any third cornerback in the game, but as a No. 2 he has a tendency to get lost.... Defensively, they're going to play with small ends, unless they start Steve White , and he's just average.... They have three defensive tackles, all having faced suspensions [for violating the league's substance-abuse policy], but I think they got lucky with Josh Evans . A lot of teams wanted to sign him.... I like their new left corner, Donnie Abraham . No one in the league has intercepted more passes over the last six years. But he and B are going to have to work hard because the safeties, Sam Garnes and Damien Robinson , are suspect as far as coverage is concerned.... I wasn't crazy about their draft. Did they really need another edge rusher -- Bryan Thomas ? I can't figure out what they're doing." In the Year 2001 Record: 10-6 (third in AFC East) NFL rank (rush/pass/total) Offense: 4/29/24 Defense: 28/7/19 New Twist Chad Morton is 5'8", 195 pounds, with a 40 time of 4.4, a 425-pound bench press and a knack for making things happen. Last year, after coming from the Saints in a preseason trade, Morton was used mostly on returns. Now he'll be a third-down specialist, either as a fourth wideout or as a receiver out of the backfield. He should give the Jets some punch. Schedule Strength NFL Rank: T22 Opponents' 2001 winning percentage: .484 Games against playoff teams: 7

Vinny Testaverde, who turns 39 in November, studies the little chart that has been created for his benefit. It notes the achievements of every professional quarterback after his 38th birthday.

John Unitas, starter on a playoff team at 38 but injured, hurt again at 39 while playing out the string, and finally benched in San Diego at age 40.

Dan Marino, turned 38 in September of his final season. Missed five games and had the lowest rating (67.4) of his career.

Well, neither of those will do.

"Here, this one," Testaverde says, pointing to the name of John Elway, the MVP of Super Bowl XXXIII at 38. "And this one," he says, finding Warren Moon, who was effective as a starter until he was 41. "And how about Phil?" he says, singling out the Giants' Phil Simms, who had a highly productive year for an 11-5 team at 38.

See? Quarterbacks have been successful at 38, and beyond, and Testaverde believes he is ready to join their ranks. "I'll tell you the difference between me and the quarterbacks of the past," he says. "None of them was as dedicated to lifting as I've been. Maybe Elway and Marino did it toward the end of their careers, but I started young, actually in high school. I used to lift in my best friend's garage. I always wanted to be strong. People talk about age and I snicker. They never did what I did."

But old quarterbacks are more injury-prone. "In 2000, the season after I tore my Achilles tendon, I was a little cautious dropping back," Testaverde says. "Now I'm not. I'm not cautious about anything."

In March he underwent surgery to remove a benign tumor from his left foot. He missed the Jets' off-season workouts, so for the first time his backup, Chad Pennington, a first-round draft choice two years ago, took all the snaps with the first unit. Then on July 30, the fifth day of training camp, Testaverde jammed his right thumb. It was announced as a one-to-two-week injury, but he was back at practice a few days later. It was as if he were saying, This is my job, and I'm not giving it up.

So there are fingers crossed all around. Starting a season with a 38-year-old quarterback with a history of injuries and a backup who has thrown only 25 passes in his NFL career is risky. Plus, at the end of last season Testaverde and offensive coordinator Paul Hackett frequently pointed fingers at each other and definitely were not on the same page.

The offense could find a new weapon in Santana Moss, last year's first-round draft selection. A wideout who can get downfield, Moss played in only five games last season because of injuries, but he's healthy this year. There are two new starters on an offensive line that lost its coach, Bill Muir, to the Bucs. The one constant is running back Curtis Martin, who at 28 had his finest season as a pro last year. Over the last seven seasons he has more carries (2,343) than any player in the league.

"I think people just have a fear of fatigue and overdoing it," Martin says. "I would love to be pushed to that place. I've carried 35, 40 times a game, and that's when I feel that I'm at my best, when I have the most energy."

The offense was heavily run-oriented by the end of last season, but it was the defense that did in the Jets. When Pro Bowl defensive end John Abraham went out early in the wild-card playoff loss to Oakland with the flu, the unit collapsed, giving up 38 points and 502 yards, 215 on the ground. The run defense finished 28th in the league, so fixing it was a priority.

Three defensive linemen were imported, including the talented Josh Evans from Tennessee. Sam Garnes, a 225-pound strong safety, limited in coverage but sturdy against the run, came from the Giants. The corners were replaced, with Donnie Abraham and Aaron Beasley taking over.

Though John Abraham is questionable for the opener after spraining his left MCL early in camp, the defense should be better. The offense could be too, provided Testaverde wins his war against Father Time.

Issue date: September 2, 2002