Great day for conspiracy theorists

The Jets announced Saturday afternoon that TE Chris Baker is out with a back injury. Yeah, the same Chris Baker who questioned the Jets' highly questionable play-calling on their final drive of Sunday's game, specifically their decision to let a QB with a bad ankle (well, Chad Pennington's been listed by the Jets as questionable with that ankle injury ever since he returned, right or wrong?) try to sneak for 1 yard on third-and-1 rather than have a professional running back, Thomas Jones, try to get it.

Baker definitely received a stern lecture from Eric Mangini the next day. Would the coach go so far as to sit down Baker for his remarks? I honestly can't answer that one right now, but if Mangini did, that's sad. Baker is an excellent run blocker and an underutilized receiver.

To be fair, Baker was injured in the Philly game, although the Jets (of course) never announced it until he showed up on the injury report, so this may simply be a case of an injured player not making the trip. He limped off after Pennington's sneak (the broadcast tape of the game clearly shows it) and was replaced by Sean Ryan, who likely will get the start Sunday. Actually, Ryan was wide open on the final play, the incomplete fade to Laveranues Coles. Ryan released on the right side and nobody picked him up. Had Pennington seen him, the game could've been tied.