08/17 — This was a tough Jets locker room, not in the sense of depressed or angry over the 13-10 loss to the Washington Redskins but in the sense that they lost a game that they could've salvaged with a fantastic finish and yet they were still intrigued by the things that happened early and late.

Early, of course, was Brett Favre. Asked if he felt comfortable in his first game as a Jet, he replied: "Uh ... no. But it worked out better than I thought it would."

His 5-for-6, 48-yard, one-TD line on two possessions totaling 14 plays would attest to that. And so would his teammates.

"I had expectations coming into this game of just us getting better as an offense," said Jerricho Cotchery, who snagged two passes for 30 yards and two first downs, with his 19-yarder positioning Favre to complete his first-quarter TD drive. "Since he's been here, each and every day he's been getting there.

"Communication is a key, and we've been communicating very well. I think the chemistry is starting to get there."

Favre agreed on the chemical equation.

"To me, the most important ingredient in all of this is chemistry, and we have a short amount of time to get that chemistry," he said. "Having the best chemistry gives you a much better chance."

Said tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson, "I think Brett Favre is an excellent quarterback. We just wanted to go out, business as usual, and make sure he was clean."

No. 4's green jersey and white pants were only scuffed up by the Meadowlands turf on one sack, which head coach Eric Mangini explained was supposed to be a screen pass to Leon Washington that the 'Skins smelled out.

There was even a neat, gutsy call in the middle of Favre's first drive, when Mangini decided to go for it on fourth-and-a-foot at the Jets 40. The Jets' struggled in short yardage last season, but this time Thomas Jones plowed off right guard for the 3-yard conversion.

"I don't recall thinking that was a surprise," said fullback Tony Richardson, who supplied some of the muscle that sprung Jones. "We had pretty good momentum going, and when you have a back like TJ and a line like we have, you want to convert those situations. It gives us something to look forward to."

Then Brett Ratliff and his offense provided a little late entertainment that almost re-rescued a game that seemed won and then seemed lost on the Redskins' TD pass for their 13-10 lead with 1:09 to play.

Ratliff replaced Kellen Clemens late in the third quarter and the offense produced two punts and a Mike Nugent field goal for a 10-6 lead.

Then on the last drive, needing to move at least half the field to get in position for a Nugent game-tying try, he hit four of his first five passes for 54 yards to the Redskins 5 with 14 seconds left. But David Ball couldn't come down inbounds with his first pass, Paul Raymond couldn't hold his second pass all alone in the middle of the end zone, then Nugent drilled his 23-yard try into the left upright to end the game.

"Everybody came together and some guys made some great plays," Ratliff said as he was leaving the locker room, including TE Jason Pociask's 30-yard catch-and-run and Jesse Chatman's 17-yard run in the big-play category. "Unfortunately, we didn't have quite enough time to get into the end zone."

By then most of the larger-than-usual crowd for the second preseason game had filtered out of the Meadowlands, but Ratliff seemed pumped just from the memory of the pregame greeting the fans gave to the Jets and Favre.

"It was louder, especially for the first home preseason game," said Ratliff, who finished 13-for-19 for 148 yards. "It was a little louder because of 'the other Brett' ... actually, I guess I'm 'the other Brett.' But it was nice having everyone cheering. It's been fun."

Favre actually made it sound as if he's having fun, too, despite many questions from reporters, both local and national, over No. 4's mental state after having been uprooted from Green Bay after 16 seasons.

"I've felt like I'm a Jet," he said. "Does that sound a little awkward or funny? Maybe a little bit. Believe me, I feel very comfortable here. The guys have been great. They've welcomed me."

As did the fans.

"They showed their appreciation," he said. "I know it can easily turn the other way. I've been booed in Lambeau Field before, too. I don't want that to happen here."

Then he'll want to help set the stage for a victory this coming Saturday over the Super Bowl-champion Giants. But he's got a whole week to get ready for his next Northeastern exposure.