Jets D preps for Patriots

Donnie Henderson has dealt with his share of problems through five games as a defensive coordinator.

Now comes the biggest one to solve: New England.

Henderson and the New York Jets go into Sunday’s pivotal game with plenty to prove even though they’re off to a franchise-best 5-0 start.

The Jets have beaten teams that are a combined 6-22. Now, they play a 5-0 team – the Super Bowl champions – and Henderson squares off against two of the best defensive minds in Patriots head coach Bill Belichick and coordinator Romeo Crennel.

“The thing I’m trying to do is maintain my under-the-radar image,” Henderson said Monday. “I’m not getting into it to see if I can beat them, I’m in it to win the game. They’ve got a lot more experience than me.

“The bottom line is who plays the best that day. Am I confident enough to walk up there and say, ‘Let’s go?’ No doubt about it.”

Henderson, hired in January to replace the fired Ted Cottrell, came in with an aggressive mind-set and has carried it out. His defense is built around an attacking line, and he’s not afraid to blitz – a lot.

But that has helped the Jets improve this season. Under Cottrell, the Jets were slow and did not come after opposing offenses as much. The result: they were one of the worst teams against the run, and players were lost in the shuffle at times.

This season, the Jets have not allowed a 100-yard runner, and have created 13 turnovers. John Abraham is back on track, with seven sacks, and former first-round pick Dewayne Robertson is improving.

Gannon out for the season

Rich Gannon will not return to the field for the Oakland Raiders this season because of a broken vertebra in his neck.

The quarterback, who turns 39 in December, saw four of the country’s top neck and spine specialists the past couple of weeks and was told he shouldn’t try to play again this year. But Gannon didn’t rule out a return next season and wasn’t ready to say he’s going to retire.

“After visiting with these professionals and these experts, it’s been brought to my attention that it’s the general consensus that a return to action this season is unrealistic,” Gannon said, speaking publicly for the first time since getting hurt in a helmet-to-helmet hit Sept. 26. “As far as my future, I’m just not really in a position to speculate beyond the 2004 season.”

Jaguars wins … just in the nick of time

The Jacksonville Jaguars are playing with as much confidence as ever. Winning close games makes that possible.

A team unable to pull out tight ones last year – losing three times in the waning seconds – the Jags (4-2) have four victories in the final minute this season and are off to their best start since 1999.

“It’s become a feeling of, ‘We’re going to do it again.’ It’s just a matter of who it’s going to be,” tight end Kyle Brady said.

The latest heart-stopper came Sunday against Kansas City. Byron Leftwich, playing with a sprained right ankle, directed a 67-yard scoring drive in the final two minutes and capped it with a 14-yard touchdown pass to Cortez Hankton with 45 seconds to play.

It was Leftwich’s third game-winning drive in the closing minutes this season.

“That’s why we drafted him with the seventh pick,” running back Fred Taylor said. “He’s really come into his own. It’s been a little nerve-racking at times, but it’s probably the biggest confidence boost you can have in this league, especially for young guys.

“They now understand that that’s where games are won and lost in the NFL. It might take some guys four or five years to go through what we’ve already been through.”

•Leftwich was in a walking boot Monday, but coach Jack Del Rio expects him to practice this week.

Williams to meet with NFL on comeback

Retired running back Ricky Williams is scheduled to meet Thursday with the NFL to seek permission to immediately rejoin the Miami Dolphins, despite his multiple violations of the league’s substance abuse program.

William David Cornwell, an attorney representing Williams, and the NFL Players Association will also attend the meeting in California.

“We are anxious to present the case for permitting Ricky to rejoin the Miami Dolphins this year and to clarify his status under the league’s substance abuse program,” Cornwell said in a statement.

Moss questionable for Sunday

Randy Moss could miss a game for the first time in his NFL career, but the Minnesota Vikings won’t decide before Friday whether he’ll be forced out by a strained right hamstring.

Coach Mike Tice described the injury as more than mild, but Moss could be able to play a limited role in Sunday’s home game against the Tennessee Titans.

“He’s a freak,” Tice said, “and he heals really quick.”

•Rookie Mewelde Moore will start again this week at running back for the Vikings.

Rucker fine after irregular heartbeat

Tests couldn’t find a reason why Carolina Panthers defensive end Mike Rucker had an irregular heartbeat against Philadelphia on Sunday.

“We really don’t know what caused it,” Carolina coach John Fox said. “There is no structural problem or internal problems.”

Rucker left after the first series against the Eagles. Fox said Rucker is fine.

Rucker, who had 12 sacks last year for the NFC champion Panthers, also experienced an irregular heartbeat against Denver two weeks ago. The team attributed that episode to the high altitude in Denver.

Fox said they have no theories about what happened against the Eagles.

Around the league

Denver Broncos tight end Dwayne Carswell was suspended for one game for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy, the result of pleading guilty to battery after a fight with his girlfriend last year. … Tennessee Titans coach Jeff Fisher said running back Chris Brown, who left with an injured right shoulder midway through the third quarter of Sunday’s 20-10 loss to Houston, should be fine. Brown is still sore, but he has feeling back in his right arm.