12/23 — The Jets do something that looks familiar. They're facing fourth-and-inches at their 42 on the second half's opening drive. They show that they're going for it. Then Chad Pennington gives the signal and from a tight formation, they transform to five wides, empty backfield. Then Pennington goes under center and waits and waits. Oh, it's the old pull-'em-offsides trick that usually doesn't work.

Except that with three seconds left on the playclock, Pennington gets the snap from Nick Mangold and keeps for the first down.

But on the play, RG Brandon Moore has to leave the field with a ding, so on comes Wade Smith. The Jets have used all their O-line depth today: Robert Turner in rotation with Will Montgomery at LG, Clint Oldenburg in brief rotation with Anthony Clement at RT and now Smith.

You wouldn't think this new line can't be good for running game continuity. In fact, Thomas Jones can't convert a third-and-1 on a toss from Chad, getting taken down for a 3-yard loss.

On that play, Titans RDT Albert Haynesworth, playing despite his nagging hamstring injury, seems to have aggravated the muscle. He's helped off. Maybe there's some relief ahead for the Jets' interior line. Maybe.

The LP Field crowd has tended to be quiet today, even with their team ahead and in the playoff hunt. But they get revved up when Vince Young, under pressure from Bryan Thomas, stands in and hits wide-open TE Ben Hartsock for 27 yards to the Jets 26. But from there the Jets hold and Rob Bironas comes on for a 46-yard field goal, which he drills down the middle, making this a touchdown game.

Titans 10, Jets 6

Do the Jets have that touchdown in them anywhere, on offense, defense or special teams. We'll find out soon. There's about 21½ minutes left in this game.

Moore is back at RG, making this a line that at least has played together this season, from the left, Brick-Montgomery-Mangold-Moore-Clement. But Clement has nothing to slow down Antwan Odom, who sacks Pennington on first down.

The rush is coming on third down, but Pennington gets the short pass to Cotchery and J-Co does the rest, dancing, cutting and accelerating upfield for a 41-yard gain.

Unfortunately for the Jets, they lose 15 yards when Moore inexplicably bumps Kyle Vanden Bosch out of bounds. KVB appears to take a dive, but no matter — unsportsmanlike conduct.

Yet the Jets seem energized as all of a sudden Thomas Jones rips off runs of 8 and 6 yards up the middle. But on first down Nick Mangold is called for holding, and on third down Vanden Bosch rips past Joe Kowalewski for the blindside sack. Now the Jets are out of field goal range.

Justin McCareins couldn't down a Ben Graham punt at the Patriots 3 last week, but on this Jeremy Kapinos punt, J-Mac is brilliant, stepping at the Titans 1 and swatting the bouncing ball out of the end zone over the sideline at the 2.

However, the hosts get out of this tight spot when Young, under heat in the pocket, finds WR Roydell Williams just past the first-down marker. And that's how the third quarter here in Nashville ends.