11/10 — Ahead of head coach Eric Mangini's news conference, here are a few more distinctions to chew on today, less than 24 hours after the completion of one of the most forceful games in Jets franchise history.

Rhodes vs. Revis

Kerry Rhodes had been the top takeaway tactician of the Eric Mangini regime. In 2006-07, Rhodes had nine interceptions and two fumble recoveries for 11 takeaways, six more than two guys who were no longer with the team, Victor Hobson and Andre Dyson.

Then this season Darrelle Revis started moving up on the outside. His four interceptions lead the Jets and his strip-sack and recovery at Buffalo gave him five TAs this season and eight for his career. Even having spotted Rhodes the '06 season, when he was in his last season at Pitt, Revis had closed in on the takeover-challenged safety, who still sat at 11.

Then Rhodes came up with his first fumble recovery and return of the season in the second quarter, and about three minutes of clock time later snapped up his first interception of the season, answering Revis' two takes against the Bills. Here are the Jets' individual takeaway leaders since 2006:

Many Happy Returns

With Rhodes taking his interception 50 yards and Hank Poteat going 41 yards on a Rhodes tip in the third quarter, a new question was how big a force is the Jets' interception return operation in helping to build field position?

Answer: a lot.

With Sunday's 91 IR yards, the Jets have 246 yards, second-most in the NFL heading into tonight's final game of Week 10 matching Arizona and San Francisco, and they're averaging 27.3 yards per return on nine returns, third in the league.

And with those 246 yards after nine games, they already have more yards than 22 other Jets/Titans teams had in their entire seasons. They need 232 more yards to pass the 1964 team, led by S Dainard Paulson (12 picks), which totaled 477 yards. But if this year's 27.3 average holds up, it would set the franchise season mark.

And That's a Jets ... FIRST DOWN!

One more wrinkle on Thomas Jones' sensational game: He moved the chains 11 times, all on running plays.

TJ's 11 rushing and total first downs vs. the Rams is the most by a Jets player in the last 75 games, or since Curtis Martin opened his greatest season of 2004 with 12 rushing FDs and 14 total in the Game 1 win over Cincinnati.

Teamwise, the Jets' 15 rushing first downs are their most since advancing the sticks 16 times in their 2006 Game 7 home win vs. Detroit.

Points, Points, Points

The final chart of the largest halftime leads in NFL history lists the Jets at 40-0 being tied for the third-largest lead ever with the Cardinals ... the Chicago Cardinals. The Cards also took a 40-point halftime advantage back on Oct. 7, 1923, over the Rochester Jeffersons. The Jeffersons were in the middle of an 0-21-2 stretch that ended with their disappearance after the '25 season.

The Jets' first-half success, primarily against the Rams and the Chi Cards' descendants, the Arizona Cardinals, have enabled them to claim NFL leadership in two more categories heading into tonight's Cards-Niners game: The Jets have the league's best second-quarter point margin of plus-38 (90-52) and the best margin for either half, first or second, with their plus-69 first-half edge (151-82) over opponents.

Thursday Night Football

For those Jets and NFL fans in the New York market who don't have NFL Network, don't despair. Thursday night's Jets-Patriots game will also air on local TV.

Channel 11 will even be putting together a pregame show, "WPIX Countdown to Kickoff," hosted by Sal Marchiano and Craig Carton, which will run from 7:30-8 p.m. Thursday. Among the pregame show highlights will be an interview with Eric Mangini, a tour of the Atlantic Health Training Center, and a live phone interview with Carton's morning drive co-host, a guy named Boomer Esiason.

The PIX show will roll into NFL Network's coverage of the game on WPIX, with the opening kickoff being launched at 8:15.

Inside the Jets

Tonight's "Inside the Jets" radio show from Charlie Brown's restaurant in Chatham, N.J., will have a slightly different format. The show's airing will be delayed on 1050 AM ESPN until after the Rangers' postgame show. But you can listen to the show live on 1050 ESPN's Web site.

Tonight's guest list includes DE Shaun Ellis on the phone and assistant general manager Scott Cohen and Jets alumnus and Pro Football Hall of Fame candidate Joe Klecko live in the steakhouse. Yours truly will be in the bullpen, waiting to be called on if necessary. Also appearing will be Jets Flight Crew members Mandisa and Jen P.

Don LaGreca, who I can disclose is a big Monty Python fan, will be pinch-hitting for "Inside the Jets" host Bob Wischusen, who'll be on a college football assignment (no surprise there).