Jets Get Ready for 2007 (Green Pinstripes)

The Road to the Super Bowl begins.

All right, that's a bit much, but the Jets will kickoff the preseason Friday night against the Atlanta Falcons at the Meadowlands. I'm sure the guys in Green and White are just itching to hit someone other than their own teammates in practice.

The games don't mean anything so it's hard to get all worked up for them, but there are always things to look out for in these meaningless August tilts.

Friday night will be no exception.

Points of interest:

Chad Pennington is healthy and ready to go. He steered clear of the injury bug last season and his rehab stints are over. Of course, Eric Mangini won't say how long he'll keep the starters in, but I doubt Pennington will go more than two series. The job for backup QB will be between second-year Kellen Clemens and off-season pickup Marques Tuiasosopo. WR Brad Smith has also been taking snaps at QB during practice. I don't expect Smith to challenge for a quarterback spot, but he did lineup under center during games last season. The look gave the Jets an added dimension early in the year. That is, until teams realized Smith wasn't going to pass if he was lined up at QB. Look for the Jets to have Smith throw a bit during the preseason.

The Jets will get their first look at running back Thomas Jones. The former number 1 pick came over in an offseason trade and will give the Jets offense some added pop. Jones should help solidify the running game and open things up for the play-action pass. It will also be interesting to see who emerges as the FB -- Darian Barnes or Stacy Tutt. Both are having pretty good camps. Let's see which one makes the better first impression.

Pete Kendall is still on the roster and still in camp so I guess he'll get playing time on Friday night. The Jets are painfully thin at guard and when Kendall departs the team will be down to only two -- Brandon Moore (who also isn't a happy camper) and Adrien Clarke. The Jets could insert Wade Smith in a pinch, but the situation is a bit scary.

And probably the most important thing to look out for on Friday night -- the debut of the New York Jets Flight Crew! That's right, the Jets finally have cheerleaders. They'll be there for the intros and will run around with flags after touchdowns and field goals. I have to say -- it's about time! I really don't know what took the team so long to bring the ladies in. The Jets sort of half-assed it late last year when they pulled out two cheerleaders and stuck them in the endzone. Now, it's for real!

Of course, don't expect a crisp game on Friday night. It should be filled with the usual -- penalties, missed assignments, busted plays and guys you've never heard of. Still, it's an important first step. It's a time for the first-string offense and defense to gel and get their reps in.

And a time to avoid injuries like the plague.