11/09 — In fact the Jets' 40-0 halftime lead is the third-largest in the NFL since the 1970 merger. The largest is 42 points by the Packers, about a decade before Brett Favre arrived. Here are the top three (home teams in CAPs):

Additionally, this one doesn't go as far back, but the Jets' plus-4 turnover margin (four takeaways, no giveaways) at halftime equals their largest since 2000. In fact, it equals the plus-4 (five TAs, one GA) of the Arizona game five weeks earlier.

Apparently the Jets' turnover slump has ended as well today.

The Rams and their new QB — Trent Green taking the controls from Marc Bulger — move after the second-half kickoff from their 24 to the Jets' 19 in 10 plays, then are stopped, so Josh Brown comes on to boot a 37-yard field goal to trim the Jets' lead to 40-3. The ending of the Green & White shutout bid is booed by the fans, but not seriously. They know that they're watching here today.

On the first play Jets' next drive, center Nick Mangold is banged up and walks slowly off the field. So Robert Turner, who reported as eligible on that play as a blocking tight end, shifts over three positions to take over the snapping duties. The Jets go nowhere and punt. And we're already halfway through the third period.

The Rams go back down the field after Reggie Hodges' first punt of the day, and even get a first-and-goal at the 1 when Dwight Lowery is called for his second interference penalty on this drive, this one against rookie Donnie Avery in the end zone.

But the Jets stiffen up, stopping backup RB Antonio Pittman twice for no gain, Barton leading the charge. And on third down Green, tries to find Avery just across the goal line. Instead he finds Kerry Rhodes' fingertips, and Rhodes deflects the ball to Hank Poteat, who takes off in the the other direction, finally taken down at the Jets 41.

It's Poteat's first pick of the season and his third in his last 17 games as a Jet after going 0-for-his-first-70 games as a pro DB. Nice job, Hank.

Fourth Quarter

The first offense is still on the field (and Mangold is back at C) and there's no quit. Brett Favre, who was almost picked when he couldn't get enough air under a second-quarter throw, gets the right amount of air under this pass, with Dustin Keller leaping to grab the 30-yard pass over CB Fakhir Brown's defense, and the hosts are back in the visitors' red zone at the Rams 17.

And it leads to another inspirational Thomas Jones run. On first-and-goal from the 6, he slants off his right side, meets resistance, pushes back, and pushes all the way to the goal line, where he gets the call to make it 47-3.

It's Jones' third rushing touchdown of the game, tying the franchise record last equaled by Curtis Martin in 2001 at home against Kansas City. And although Jones scored those three TDs vs. the Bengals in Game 5, this is the first three-rushing-TD game of his career.

He celebrates by head-butting RT Damien Woody and providing a flying hip bump to FB Tony Richardson, reprising his entrance when he was introduced back before 1 p.m., less than two hours ago.

And with 11:09 left in the game, Kellen Clemens comes in at QB. Favre leaves with immaculate numbers: 14-for-19 for 167 yards, one TD, no INTs, no sacks and a 117.7 rating. But he'll share team awards with a lot of Jets after this one.

It also appears Leon Washington will take over the rushing duties from Jones, so he leaves the game with 23 carries for 131 yards and those three TDs.

Other backups are working their way into the game. Turner returns to replace Mangold at C, Wayne Hunter at RT for Woody, Wallace Wright and Brad Smith in at WR. But Jones returns for a few more carries in place of Washington, and now Mangold is back at C with Turner moving to LG for Alan Faneca.

It's not necessary, but the Jets are now at the Rams 20 and within a Feely FG of 50 points for the second time this season. And Leon, back in the game, reverses field from a left sweep to a right sweep, getting a first down at the 8 at the two-minute warning.

But now all the Jets have to do to end this one is have Clemens take three knees, which he does.

And the largest margin of victory in Jets history, by 44 points, is in the books. Up next: Eric Allen's game story, Tim Carlson's visit with Kerry Rhodes and the defense, and my postgame Radar entry from the victors' locker room. One of the first questions: How about the fight with the Patriots, who beat the Bills, 20-10, for first place in the AFC East on Thursday night?