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Shockey inspires awe with Saints

DON'T look now, but here comes Jeremy Shockey.

As Rex Ryan's 3-0 Jets brace for Drew Brees' 3-0 Saints on Sunday at the Superdome, there are ominous signs that the renegade is back.

Shock And Awe on Bourbon Street, finally.

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On a collision course with Ryan's Shock And Ornery.

"He's definitely the old Shockey now," safety Kerry Rhodes said.

Shockey (14-128-2 TDs) has stormed back from a transition season in which a sports hernia and ankle injury limited him to 50 catches for 483 yards and zero touchdowns and saw him engage in two separate animated/heated discussions with his prolific quarterback.


REUTERS
FIRED UP: Saints tight end Jeremy Shockey lets out a scream after scoring a touchdown against the Lions on Sept. 13. The former Giants star will face off against the Jets on Sunday in New Orleans.

"I thought he was about as good as it gets as a tight end," Ryan said. "He's still a phenomenal player. . . . He's always been a great receiver. . . . He's a competitor. . . . I see the same guy -- just in a different color jersey."

Before his Big Blue flame began to die out, the young Shockey's fire and maniacal passion often sent an electric surge through his teammates and Giants Stadium. See Shockey heave the football. See Shockey high-five and headbutt teammates. See Shockey talk trash.

"He could run after the catch with the ball, and after he runs with the catch, he's trying to put punishment on the DB. . . . He doesn't just try to get the first down and run out of bounds, he'll try to punish the DB after the catch and he'll try to make you feel bad about yourself," Rhodes said.

The Jets' will try to make sure that Shockey doesn't get off early.

"In the past, you'll want to go out and try to get him early, 'cause if he got you, he'll be talking the whole game about it, and he'll be fired up the whole game," Rhodes said.

Now 29, Shockey knows all the tricks.

"He's a great route-runner . . . physical tight end. . . . He likes to get into your body, and if you're even with him, he'll give you a little shove and a little push to get some space," Rhodes said.

"That guy's pretty much like a tight end physical body with wide receiver-type skills," outside linebacker Bryan Thomas said. "So you have to pay special attention to him. He's a dynamic player, he runs really good routes. . . . That's a guy you have to especially count for in the red zone, 'cause he can create mismatches."

When Shockey is run-blocking, Thomas will often line up over him.

"He pretty much competes every single play," Thomas said.

I got along better than most with Shockey during his volatile, six-year career with the Giants. He's keeping a low profile these days, probably in large part because he has an Oct. 18 brawl against Big Blue, so he wasn't interested in returning a call and reflecting back on: a) the tragedy of his buddy, Plaxico Burress; b) his helplessness watching a more relaxed Eli Manning & Co. win the Super Bowl; c) His shouting match with Giants general manager Jerry Reese in his final days as a Giant; or d) his 28 TD catches and three Pro Bowls as the Giants' blond Rambo.

"His kind of resurgence is one of the reasons, I think, that the Saints are where they are on offense, because [Brees] has all those other options at wide receiver, but now he also has a viable option at tight end," Jets defensive coordinator Mike Pettine said, "a guy that's got great hands, understands how to play, understands how to get open, leverage. . . . He knows the tricks of the trade. . . . He can push off . . . all the things that the veteran tight ends do.

"That's one of the reasons why I think he's been so good against the blitz is that Shockey's never that far away. And he's a good enough blocker -- that kinda gives him the advantage of having hey, if I need to keep him into protection I can, and if I need to get him out, I can. He's almost like a big wideout when they get him out isolated."

Marques Douglas mentioned Marques Colston and Reggie Bush and said: "Just when you're lulled to sleep by those guys, Jeremy Shockey can hit you up the seams for a long pass."

Madbacker Bart Scott has never played against Shockey. "It'll be fun," Scott said.

When Shock And Awe meets Shock And Ornery.

Shockey inspires awe with Saints



steve.serby@nypost.com