12/24 — It's the day before Christmas and all through the Jets' house, there are many topics of conversation, but most revolve around No. 4.

I'll leave the Brett Favre vs. Chad Pennington angle and the Favre on Favre stuff to Eric Allen, who will provide the news story on Brett's just-concluded news conference. But the upshot to what head coach Eric Mangini and his quarterback just said was that the Jets would like Favre to return next season but Favre's aware that this could be his last game as a Jet and as an NFL player and that the talk about all of this won't take place until after the season is over — preferably after a win over Miami on Sunday and a playoff run.

"Brett's going to make a decision after the season," Mangini said at his newser. "Those conversations and getting into that, we really haven't touched on that so much, and I wouldn't. I understand that's a decision he needs to make. He'll think it through, he has to talk to his wife and family, all those elements go into it. We're not looking to have that conversation in the near future. We're comfortable with him going through that process."

Asked if he would lobby for Favre to return for Season No. 19, during the early part of which he'll turn 40, Mangini said: "I'll definitely work on it, but it's still something that's a very personal decision. We'll definitely have a long conversation about it. I'd love to hear his thoughts, I'll definitely share mine, and we'll make a decision at that point."

And does Mangini want Favre to return for '09? "Yeah," he replied. "Yeah."

Favre also declined to speculate definitively about his thoughts for next year, but he certainly acknowledged the possibility that it may not be spent playing football.

"We obviously have struggled here lately. The Jets brought me here to lead this time and win football games, and that's what I'm trying to do," he said. "I don't want to focus on what's going to happen next year. This could very well be my last game, I'm aware of that. I'd like to make this a memorable one."

Favre said he, Mangini and GM Mike Tannenbaum may have initial talks about his and the Jets' future as early as next week, if the Jets don't make the playoffs.

"Mike has said to me numerous times, whenever the season's over, take a little time and we'll talk about it," Favre said. "Unless I just go in there today and say that's it — which is not gonna happen."

And No. 4 reminded reporters that the Jets' season isn't over and that the playoffs still could be in their future. "We have to get ready for the Miami Dolphins," he said. "We do have a chance."

As I said, more from Eric Allen covering Brett on Brett this afternoon.

Today's Practice Is an Inside Job

The Jets have taken today's practice into the Atlantic Health Training Center fieldhouse — a move the players surely approved of, since a freezing rain fell around North Jersey overnight and, while it's not freezing anymore, is still falling outdoors.

A reminder to newyorkjets.com visitors: There is no practice and no player/coach availability on Christmas Day. We will have two fresh stories for any holiday guests, on the Jets' in-season strength and conditioning program and on the holiday shopping spree to which Tony Richardson and teammates treated 25 local schoolkids at an area Toys R Us. Then we'll return Friday to report on the last day of practice before the next big game.