11/07 — It’s starting to get cold in Hempstead. Reporters watched practice for a half-hour and it’s downright chilly. The wind chill is 42 degrees and apparently dipping.

The Jets had a new punter today. Mike Nugent handled the punt duties for Mike Westhoff and got off a few good ones and a few that ... well, let’s just say Ben Graham shouldn’t worry. Graham wasn’t with his teammates and he may have been afforded some family time. Kate Graham, Ben’s wife, gave birth to a son, Jack, on Monday.

You can read more about the Grahams tomorrow as John Beattie explores some of the Jets’ bye week plans.

While the players scurry for the exits in just a few hours, Eric Mangini and his coaching staff will finally have the opportunity to look ahead. That’s because the Jets don’t have a game this weekend.

“We’ll spend time as a staff,” Mangini said. “There will be the element of planning for Monday but also working on Dallas, working on Pittsburgh and evaluating the personnel — a sort of midseason evaluation of where we are from a personnel perspective.”

Why Dallas? you ask. Well, the Jets host Pittsburgh on Nov. 18 and then will have a really short week to prepare for the 'Pokes. The Green & White fly to Dallas — their longest road trip of the year — Wednesday and play against the Cowboys on Thanksgiving. That’s two games in five days.

But first thing’s first and that’s the evaluations. Some players are going to have to make a second-half push or else they won’t be here next year.

Then everything Monday will point to Pittsburgh. The Steelers, who are the AFC North leaders at 6-2, are just 2-2 on the road. They host the Cleveland Browns on Sunday and we’ll take a closer look at Mike Tomlin’s crew Sunday night in this space.

Finally, something to warm your hearts before we depart. The Jets will honor Curtis Martin, a Pittsburgh native, at halftime of the Steelers game. Martin attended Taylor Allderdice High School and starred for the Pitt Panthers before declaring himself eligible for the 1995 NFL Draft.

After three seasons with the Patriots and nine with the Jets, C-Mart officially announced his retirement in July. The NFL’s fourth all-time leading rusher was named team MVP a record four times and he also was a four-time Pro Bowler. He is the Jets’ all-time leading rusher with 10,302 yards and he rushed for 100 yards 43 times in Green & White.

“I'm not a real rah-rah guy, but I am going to miss coming out of that tunnel,” he said after announcing his retirement. “I am usually in there banging my head on the walls before I come out. That burst of energy when I come out — I know in my mind I’m about to lead my team to victory.”

Martin will come out of that tunnel another time. And you'll have your moment to thank him, so please everyone stay in their seats at the half next weekend. If you do get up, it should be to applaud.