11/04 — Neon Leon.

Leon Washington and his kickoff return crew lit up the Meadowlands crowd — the fans who showed up in the stands in time for the opening kickoff, that is — by taking Redskins kicker Shaun Suisham's intentionally short, angled kickoff 86 yards for a touchdown 13 seconds into today's game.

Washington fielded the kick near his right sideline, then bounced left behind excellent blocks by wedge man Chris Baker, Rashad Washington and rookie David Harris, who jarred Vernon Fox just enough to spring Washington off to the left side of the field, where the only Redskin he had to beat was Suisham. No problem.

Thus Washington becomes the 11th player in NFL history, the first since Buffalo's Terrence McGee in 2004 and the first player in franchise history to take three kickoffs to the house in one season.

Washington also becomes only the second Jet to return the opening kickoff of a game for a score and the first ever to do it in a home game. Who was the only other player to perform such an opening act? Today's first trivia question, answer below. (Hint: It's not Chad Morton.)

Jets 7, Redskins 0

The Green & White defense gives up another drive of double-digit plays in its first offering of the game, allowing the 'Skins and QB Jason Campbell to drive to the Jets 30. But as with the Bills last week, the "D" finally stiffens. A four-man rush on third-and-7 forces Campbell to scramble, with Victor Hobson and Eric Barton closing on the young QB for a fourth-down stop. Suisham converts from 46 yards toward the West end zone (he was having difficulty putting long kicks through into the east wind during warmups).

Jets 7, Redskins 3

Kellen Clemens' debut as the Jets' starting QB by coach's decision (as opposed to Game 2's start by injury to Chad Pennington) was delayed by Leon's electric opening, but he's up to the upbeat mood of the first quarter as he leads the offense on an 14-play drive inside the visitors' 10.

Many things to like on this march from the Jets 20:

● Some crisp Clemens passing as he hits six of his first seven throws. First throw and completion: to the previously forgotten Justin McCareins for 6 yards on second-and-2.

● Chris Davis, activated from the practice squad, is used in a package in which he is a decoy on the fake end-around. Instead, Thomas Jones takes the Clemens handoff 11 yards for a first down. (But the Jets went to the well again too quickly as they tried the fake EA to Davis again on the next play and Jones was dropped for a yard loss.

● Bad penalty by Washington as blitzing rookie safety LaRon Landry has a clean shot at Clemens in the pocket — and slams his helmet into Clemens' for the roughing-the-passer call, in effect the Jets' second third-down conversion of the drive.

It bogs down inside the 10 as Clemens overshoots the fade to Brad Smith, then is sacked when his protection breaks down too quickly. But Mike Nugent comes on for the 29-yarder into the East end zone and the Jets' lead is back to seven.

Jets 10, Redskins 3

The quarter ends with Washington driving into Jets territory again on a third-down conversion from Campbell to TE Chris Cooley.

Answer to my kickoff trivia: The last Jet to return a game's opening kickoff for a touchdown before Leon Washington today is (drum roll) Bobby Humphery, who did it almost 21 years ago, with a 96-yard return on Dec. 21, 1986 at Cincinnati.