Vilma plans for Peyton Manning by meeting with old New York Jets

DAVIE, Fla. - Jonathan Vilma acted like a seasoned veteran even when he was a young player, always studying extra tape of the Jets' upcoming opponent, always recruiting his teammates to study with him. He and Kerry Rhodes used to meet a few nights a week, back in the days when Vilma was considered one of the Jets' defensive cornerstones.

Now, two years removed from the Jets, Vilma is preparing for the biggest game of his life - against his toughest opponent, Peyton Manning - and he's starving for information. Naturally, Vilma's study plan includes reaching out to old friends Rhodes and David Harris, who saw Manning twice in the last five weeks.

"I'm going to ask Kerry if he has anything on Peyton," Vilma said yesterday after the Saints' arrival and first practice in Florida. "They played him twice and they played him pretty tough. They gave up a couple of long passes, but aside from that, I thought they played good ball against him."

Well, for 28 minutes, anyway. After that, the Jets were shredded by Manning in the AFC Championship Game. Presumably, Rhodes will pass along only the stuff that worked.

As the quarterback of the Saints' defense at middle linebacker, Vilma relishes the challenge of dueling with Manning in the Super Bowl. He always thought he'd get there with the Jets, but after a meteoric start to his career, he was traded to the Saints in 2008 because he was considered a bad fit in Eric Mangini's 3-4 defense.

But Vilma harbors no bitterness toward the team that selected him in the first round of the 2004 draft.

"Not at all," Vilma said. "It's part of the business. I'm fine with it. I know the Jets are doing fine. They were one win away from being where I'm at. We're both fine with it."

Why wouldn't Vilma be fine with it?

This is a dream week for him, a Super Bowl and a homecoming wrapped into one. He grew up in nearby Coral Gables and played college ball at Miami, where the Saints are scheduled to practice for the remainder of the week. It's ... well, perfect.

"It'll be really special if we win," Vilma said. "If we don't, this would only be the place where I lost our first Super Bowl."

Vilma rarely removes his blinders. That's one of the reasons why he was so good in his first season, winning NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year. His production declined under Mangini. That, coupled with a serious knee operation in 2007, dimmed his star. He was sent packing amid whispers that he'd never return to his original form, but he has prospered in the Saints' 4-3 scheme.

Vilma's game has meshed nicely with Gregg Williams' attacking scheme, helping the overall improvement of the defense. But now here comes Manning and his endless array of audibles and no-huddle shenanigans, adding stress to Vilma's job.

His fact-finding mission on Manning began Sunday night at the Pro Bowl in Miami, where he quizzed Ravens linebacker and fellow Miami product Ray Lewis - a Manning expert. Instead of enjoying the Super Bowl glitz, Vilma is focused on one thing, the game. His family hasn't pestered him for tickets because they know he's all business.

"I don't feel like I'm home," he said. "I feel like it's a business trip. This is no time to relax."

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(nydailynews.com)