THE PICK

The one thing I will try to do all season is throw a quick Jets pick up, and also a recap of the Jets game - if nothing else. I'll keep this pick relatively short, because I doubt many people will be reading it.

The Jets are playing the Titans in Tennessee, which is a very tough place to win on the road. But that proved true when the Titans were a good football team, and they're not quite back to being a good football team yet.

The Jets are definitely going to be an improved football team this year, and I think they'll be better than a lot of people are picking them to be (I've heard 4-12 again, or 5-11). I think there's a chance the Jets could squeeze out 8 wins, maybe even 9. The problem is their schedule is tough. And I think once the Jets figure out what they have in Cedric Houston, their running problems will be solved.

But for today, it looks like Derrick Blaylock will be the starter in this running back-by-committee setup. This will be my first real look at the Jets - I saw the very end of one of their preseason games when I was in New York last month, but it was mostly rookies playing at that point. It'll be my first extended look at Chad Pennington. It will be the first time I see Eric Mangini call a game. And I'm confident - if for no other reason than I want to see this new era in Jets football get off on the right foot.

This won't be the most exciting game on the NFL schedule today, that's for sure, but once it's over, I expect the Jets to be 1-0, after a 17-10 win on the road. Look for 2 touchdowns from Pennington, and about 140 passing yards...enough for a win.