Plaxico Burress predicted big things for his NFL return a few months ago, convinced that he would show everyone he was still one of the game's best wide receivers.
Well, the New York Jets are still waiting.
"Man, I've been in this league a long time," Burress said Wednesday. "All it takes is a game or two."
And chemistry with your quarterback. That, however, is a work in progress.
"It's just working and coming to work every day to get better," Burress said. "One thing's for sure: It can't get any worse."
Burress, who signed with the Jets a free agent in late July after spending 20 months in prison on a gun charge, has just 14 catches for 218 yards and two touchdowns in six games. Despite the long layoff from football, Burress was expected to be a dominant red-zone threat for quarterback Mark Sanchez.
"We are not on the right page right now," Burress said. "But we've got to just work on getting on the right page, even if it calls for us to have some practices where we are hitting it, we've still got to keep working because that's the only way you are going to get better at it."
Burress feels good physically and knows the offense, and he's confident he'll click with Sanchez.
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"The more and more we get comfortable, when we start playing pitch-and-catch and I'm doing my thing out there, this offense is just going to go through the roof," Burress said. "It's only a matter of time."
Burress knows that well. He has played with plenty of quarterbacks during his career, including Kordell Stewart, Kent Graham, Tommy Maddox and Ben Roethlisberger in Pittsburgh, and Eli Manning with the Giants. He knows this is a process.
"All the quarterbacks that I've played with over time, all that didn't happen in the first six games -- anywhere that I've been," Burress said. "But when it comes, it's going to be the right time. That's just always how it's been."
Notes:Jets CB Antonio Cromartie and center Nick Mangold didn't participate in practice, but coach Rex Ryan said they're expected to play Sunday against San Diego Chargers. ... RB LaDainian Tomlinson, who faces his former team for the first time, got practice off -- something the team did last year to try to keep him fresh. ... DE Ropati Pitoitua (knee) and DB Isaiah Trufant (hamstring) also didn't practice.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
