09/27 — The number 89 continues to pop up when the Jets need a play on offense. And while most football experts say Jerricho Cotchery isn’t a prototypical No. 1 wide receiver, he continues to play as well as anyone at that position in football.

“I don’t want to touch that,” joked Jets head coach Rex Ryan when asked about Cotchery’s season thus far. “He’s just an average receiver as far as anyone knows. I’m not saying he’s a No. 1 receiver because when I look at his stats and everything else, he’s posting numbers as good as anyone in the league right now. Let’s just keep him under the radar.”

You get the sense that it’s going to be impossible to do that. Entering today’s contest with 10 catches for 177 yards, J-Co caught eight more balls from Mark Sanchez for 108 yards and his 6-yard touchdown in the third quarter gave the Jets the go-ahead points in their 24-17 victory over the Tennessee Titans.

“The young buck did a great job. It was one of those situations where we were going to expect some pressure,” said the always humble Cotchery of the TD that put the Jets ahead, 21-17. “We talked about it throughout the week and the safety was coming off the edge and we knew that we had to get the ball off fast. It was a different route. He just changed that route and made a great throw, putting the ball on me, and the rest is history.”

But Sanchez decided to give Cotchery the credit. Someone had to because you know J-Co wasn’t going to talk about himself.

“He stemmed the guy and beat him inside pretty good,” Sanchez said. “I just had to throw the ball to him. He made the play, really.”

And that just sums it up with Cotchery — he just makes plays. During the fourth 3-0 start in franchise history, Cotchery has averaged six receptions and 95 yards per outing. And while people were quick to say the Jets didn’t have a downfield threat this summer, Cotchery is averaging 15.8 yards a catch.

“Every play that’s out there, Jerricho makes,” said Chansi Stuckey of Cotchery. “He’s our top receiver and he’s doing a phenomenal job of making plays, especially downfield.”

With the Jets in an offensive funk and trailing, 17-14, in the third, a special teams takeaway set the “O” up the Titans’ 23. Two plays later, Sanchez went to Cotchery for 15 yards and the Jets were in business at the 6. The touchdown came two snaps after that.

“He’s that guy this year, he’s the guy Sanchez looks for to make big plays,” said All-Pro corner Darrelle Revis, who went 1-on-1 with Cotchery in training camp. “J-Co has always made big plays since I’ve been here. He’s probably the No. 1 guy and he’s stepping up and making big plays.”

The Jets’ final points — a 30-yard Jay Feely field goal in the fourth — were set up by a Sanchez long ball to Cotchery up the left sideline that covered 46 yards.

“It was something we talked about before we went back there on the field. He [Sanchez]'s hollering down the bench at me, saying, ‘Hey, hey, we got the go route on.’ He’s excited before we’re even out there, so we’re ready to throw it,” J-Co said. “Once the ball was snapped — after a correction that Coach Ellard corrected me on last week — I changed my technique a little bit and Mark made a great throw. And I was able to get two feet in.”

Over the past three seasons, the 6’0”, 203-pound Cotchery has averaged 78 receptions and 983 yards. But if he can sustain his current pace, he’d finish with 96 receptions and 1,520 yards by year’s end.

“He does it quietly. He’s not the flamboyant guy,” said Leon Washington. “He comes to work every day and grinds. He really puts a lot of effort into what he does, so I look forward to him having a tremendous year. I want him to go to the Pro Bowl, so I’m going to pass-block for him and give Mark plenty of time to throw the ball.”

In the early going this season, teams have sold out against the run to stop the Jets. Cotchery says he welcomes the opportunities to make plays and help his team put points on the board.

“This is my first season being the No. 1 receiver, so there’s going to be some skeptics because they haven’t seen me in this position,” he said with a smile. “God is at work right now. He’s doing special thing with my life.”