National Football League

Mangold hopes to go despite bad ankle

Published Sep. 21, 2011 1:00 a.m. ET

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Nick Mangold isn't ready to sit this one out just yet.

The New York Jets All-Pro center has a high ankle sprain and his right foot is in a boot, but he's still preparing as if he'll play against the Raiders at Oakland on Sunday.

''It's coming along,'' Mangold said Wednesday after sitting out practice. ''I'm rehabbing and treating it as much as possible.''

Mangold was hurt last Sunday during the first quarter of New York's 32-3 win over Jacksonville and left the stadium on crutches. He's off them now, but was limping around the locker room Wednesday.

''It feels better,'' he said. ''It's a little tender, walking around without the crutches, but it's getting better and that's all I ask for.''

Ryan expressed doubt that Mangold will be able to play, but added that the team isn't ''100 percent ruling him out.''

''I'll never say never,'' Ryan said. ''But I don't see it happening this week.''

It hasn't come to this yet, but Mangold was asked what he might say to Ryan to try to persuade him to let him give it a go.

''Umm, please?'' Mangold said with a smile. ''That's usually a good way to start. Plus, it's out in Oakland, and that's close to wine country. I'm sure I could get him a nice bottle while we're out there. I figure that might help.''

All kidding aside, Mangold is aware that he has started every game since being drafted in the first round in 2006 - a streak of 82 regular-season games. But that won't be the determining factor.

''I'm no Favre, but 82 is a special thing and I'm proud of that, but I'm not going to put myself or put the team in detriment over a number,'' he said. ''That's no concern to me.''

The risk of further injuring the ankle is also something he and the team will consider.

''You don't want anything lingering and I think that's the fear of the injury and trying to rush back before it's ready,'' Mangold said. ''I'm going to make sure it's ready, but I'm going to make sure it's ready as soon as possible.''

There were some early reports that Mangold would miss at least two weeks with the injury, something he said is ''not my report. I'm going day to day and we'll see what I can do.''

Rookie Colin Baxter, an undrafted free agent claimed off waivers from San Diego a few weeks ago, would start if Mangold can't go. Baxter, who replaced Mangold after the veteran went out, played well against Jacksonville other than one poor snap. He has been chatting with Mangold and injured offensive lineman Robert Turner to try to gain some pointers on the system.

''He's got to cut his hair. It's too long,'' Mangold said he told his equally long-haired and bearded teammate. ''Nah, he's only been here 2, 2 1/2 weeks, so just trying to fill him in with a year's worth of the system into just a couple of days. Trying to get him on board and on the same page, just in case we need to use him. I want the guys around him, if he needs to be called up, to be comfortable with what he's doing. So, my goal is to get him ready.''

Baxter thought his three-plus quarters of work last Sunday helped prepare him for this week, already having gotten over the potential jitters of making his NFL debut.

''It definitely was an unexpected situation, so it will be nice this week to get to see the looks in practice and get to go through that and get coached up on the finer points of everything,'' Baxter said. ''I went in last week knowing what to do, but a lot of the things I hadn't really been taken through really in a detailed way. So this week, I get to go do it, I get to go watch it on film.''

Ryan added that starting left guard Matt Slauson could also potentially play center and backup lineman Vladimir Ducasse could fill in at Slauson's normal spot.

Until he's told otherwise, though, Mangold will continue to envision himself snapping the ball to Mark Sanchez in Oakland.

''In your mind and mine, I'm preparing to play Sunday,'' he said. ''If the ankle doesn't let me, then I've prepared well and it just won't let me do it. That's my mindset every day, every week, that I'm going to be out there.''

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