Pete Kendall has a huge task ahead of him.

When the New York Jets' veteran left guard lines up Sunday at Jacksonville, he'll be staring at Pro Bowler John Henderson, the Jaguars' six-foot-seven, 325-pound wall of a defensive tackle.

``Physically, it's a big challenge for me,'' Kendall said earlier this week. ``John is a bigger guy than I am.''

Not that Kendall is small by any means. His 6-5, 292-pound muscular frame fills the area in front of his locker whenever he stands up. But in the world of offensive linemen, where bigger is the norm, the 33-year-old Kendall has to rely on more than just size and strength to offset mismatches.

That's where leverage and technique come in handy.

``If it's not innate, you certainly can be taught it, understanding leverage and where to place your hands and how to roll your hips and all of that stuff,'' Kendall said in his thick Massachusetts accent. ``I've spent hours and hours of my life hitting sleds _ against my will most of the time _ to learn that stuff so that at some point it becomes second nature.''

It certainly has been for Kendall, who's in his 11th NFL season and third with the Jets after spending five years with Seattle and three with Arizona.

``I don't think I ever really was the biggest guy on the field,'' said Kendall, a first-round pick by Seattle in 1996. ``I didn't even start on my high school team as a junior. I went to Boston College and I was sort of in the same situation I'm in now, which is I'm little, relatively speaking.''

That certainly sounds funny coming from a guy who could easily be the biggest person in any room he's in _ as long as other offensive linemen aren't in it, of course.

``It became obvious to me, particularly when I got to Boston College, that I wasn't going to survive on being bigger than everybody else,'' he said. ``I had to learn how to play with leverage and technique or I'd have a fun four years in college and I'd be off doing something else.''

Kendall has been one of the Jets' most versatile _ and quotable _ linemen during his time in New York. A left guard by trade, he was forced into duty at centre for the final 11 games last season after Pro Bowler Kevin Mawae was injured.

Back at his normal position, Kendall missed two games earlier this season with a hamstring injury before returning last weekend. During the time he was sidelined, Kendall still made his presence felt _ especially with the much-heralded rookies on the line: centre Nick Mangold and tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson.

``Pete has been doing a lot of work with Nick and Brick in terms of their game-week preparation, getting into the routine and finding a way that works best for them to prepare for that opponent,'' coach Eric Mangini said.

Kendall knows what it's like to be a rookie on the line. He started 11 of 12 games for the Seahawks in 1996, playing alongside Mawae, and veterans Derrick Graham, Howard Ballard and James Atkins.

``I don't know if everybody involved would agree, but I thought I had a productive rookie season,'' Kendall said. ``A lot of it had to do with the fact that the older guys were there to tell me, `This is what's going to happen to you. This is how you're going to feel. You need to get extra rest. You need to be in the training room if you get dinged up and you need to study the film because you're not going to get as many practice repetitions.'''

Kendall also attributes his success to his time playing for George Warhops, his offensive line coach in college who's now with San Francisco, and Howard Mudd, Seattle's offensive line coach during his first two seasons.

``Pete is very smart and he's a very good communicator,'' Mangini said. ``He studies a ton of film. To have him out there, not only as a player _ which I think he's a very good player _ but also to help facilitate the communication on the offensive line, that is important.''

Especially this weekend, when the Jets take on Henderson and his big-bodied buddies on Jacksonville's defensive line. Pro Bowl tackle Marcus Stroud is out with a sprained ankle and injured groin, but defensive ends Rob Meier (6-5, 298) and Paul Spicer (6-4, 296) will surely give New York's line all it can handle.

``Some teams are fast, some teams are huge, some teams are both,'' Kendall said, ``and I think Jacksonville falls a little bit into that. So, it's not only a stiff test for me, but for everybody here.''