Parcells Gives Jets a Warning

New York Jets coach Bill Parcells continued to preach to his 2-2 club about the danger of taking the 1-3 Rams lightly, even as he prepared to head to St. Louis with two pivotal players likely out of action.

With running back Curtis Martin apparently making little progress from a badly bruised right thigh, the club worked Richie Anderson, Leon Johnson and Jerald Sowell at the position, and linebacker James Farrior readied for another week of rehabilitation on his sprained knee after being told he probably would not play today.

Resting the two key players would allow each to be at full strength when the Jets head to New England for a Monday night matchup with the rival Patriots on Oct. 19.

St. Louis, meanwhile, is expected to get receiver Isaac Bruce back after missing two games with a hamstring problem. Also, quarterback Tony Banks is on the mend from a slightly separated throwing shoulder, but has looked good in practice this week.

For the third consecutive day, Martin was unavailable for comment. Players, instructed to remain mum about injuries, offered little insight into the running back situation. The star back was hurt on the second handoff of last week’s 20-9 victory over the Miami Dolphins, but ended with 36 carries for 108 yards.

Quarterback Glenn Foley, coming back after missing two games with separated rib cartilage, admitted that the loss of Martin may impact that return.

Parcells said he won’t ever reconsider his decision to ship the overall No. 1 pick to the Rams in 1997, a selection that St. Louis used on left offensive tackle Orlando Pace. “You don’t look back on anything,” the coach said. “That’s for (the media) to do.”