11/19 — OK, everyone here who thought the Jets and Titans would be a combined 17-3, occupying two of the four first-place spots in the AFC and heading into a key conference showdown in Week 12, raise your hands.

One, two, three ... not that many.

Jets head coach Eric Mangini wasn't saying what he thought back in September, but restating his philosophy that we're so familiar with, we shouldn't be surprised that Jets-Titans is a big game in the NFL's Sunday universe, or that so many pro football "experts" got it wrong.

"At the beginning of the season a lot of things are said. In the middle of the season a lot of things are said," Mangini said at today's news conference. "It plays out the way it plays out. You appreciate all of the analysis and things like that, but it doesn't affect the day‑to‑day operation. You can't get too caught up in it."

By not getting caught up in it themselves, the Jets are flying above the pack, in sole possession of first place since winning the division on the final regular-season weekend in 2002, or, if you prefer an in-season perspective, since they were 7-3 after 10 weeks of the '01 season. And while Mangini said the Jets' approach doesn't change this week no matter their perch in the division, it sure beats the alternative.

"I believe in the consistency of, win or lose, the process that you have to go through, what's not working and what can you improve on," he said. "It's very easy when you win, or when you're in first place, or any of those scenarios, to brush over those things, or to not put the same level of scrutiny on those things. That's something that we spend a lot of time on is, win or lose, to have the same exact critical eye to try to improve the next game.

"I think any time you're winning," he added with a smile, "it's always more fun to come to work and jump out of bed. It is, trust me."

The Jets have a chance to improve to 8-3 or better after 11 games for only the sixth time in franchise history, but to do so, they have to get by the team with the best record in the league. Mangini restated a few of the reasons the Titans have been so tough in their 10 wins this season, among them:

■ They lead the NFL in turnover margin at plus-10 — "That tends to be a defining statistic," the coach said.

■ They've outscored opponents in their second halves, 127-54, for a plus-72 point margin that, as we pointed out Monday, is the best second-half margin in the league. "It just shows, one, their ability to finish games, and two, their conditioning, their discipline and things like that," Mangini said.

■ They lead the NFL in rushing touchdowns (16), have given up the fewest sacks (6) and have allowed the fewest points per game (13.1),

But just like the Mangini philosophy doesn't worry about projecting winners before Game 1, it doesn't worry about the "impossible" task over knocking over an undefeated team on the road.

"I think any team is inherently beatable. You see that week in and week out," he said. "The one thing that you do see is consistency from them. They don't beat themselves. They do a lot of really, really good things and a lot of sound things. They're going to put pressure on you and try to force you into a mistake. You have to be able to weather that storm, and then in turn put pressure on them to try to force mistakes."

Sounds simple. And sounds like another great challenge for the Green & White just ahead.

More Awards

Leon Washington was named the AFC's Special Teams Player of the Week, not a surprise after he set the franchise record with his fourth career kickoff-return touchdown and averaged 44.3 yards on four returns at New England.

The Jets have won 19 conference STPOW awards since 1993, but this is only the fourth for a Green & White kickoff returner. The other three were Aaron Glenn in 1998, Kevin Williams in 2000 and Chad Morton after the 2002 opener at Buffalo. Justin Miller also won the AFC Special Teams Player of the Month as a KOR in October 2006. This is Washington's first league weekly honor.

This award is independent of the three sponsored league awards that fans can vote on that we mentioned Tuesday: TE Dustin Keller for Diet Pepsi Rookie of the Week, LB Eric Barton for GMC Sierra Defensive Player of the Week and Eric Mangini for Motorola Coach of the Week.

And for those keeping score at home, here are Mangini's weekly post-victory player awards: Offense — C Nick Mangold. Defense — CB Darrelle Revis. Special Teams — Brad Smith. Practice Player of the Week — RB Jehuu Caulcrick.