FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- Chris Herndon's misery started on the New York Jets' first play of the season -- a dropped pass. Holy harbinger!
From there, he slipped into a funk that lasted two months, befuddling people in the organization. He kept dropping the ball (a total of four) and fumbling it (twice), a mysterious downturn for a tight end known for his sure hands.
Coaches and teammates talked to him, offering encouragement and trying to get into his head to see if there was an off-the-field distraction. (There wasn't.) His high school coach in Norcross, Georgia, Keith Maloof, called the slump out of character, saying this week, "You could always count on him.