It makes for great theater in the AFC East, especially when second-year Miami Dolphins coach Nick Saban, also a former Belichick cohort, was supposed to provide the most immediate threat to Belichick’s reign. Instead, it’s Mangini the Magician, Houdini Mangini, Mangenious who is making Belichick so nervous he doesn’t have time to properly dress himself.

The Jets have been shut out twice this season, by Jacksonville and Chicago. Pennington got into a slump that caused more than a little concern. After throwing six touchdown passes and only two interceptions in his first four games for a 102.3 rating, he dipped to four touchdown passes and nine interceptions and a 57.8 rating in his next six games.

But he has rebounded in his last two against Houston and Green Bay and his passer efficiency rating of 81.4 ranks him 13th in the league. Against the Texans and Packers, admittedly two of the worst pass defenses in the league, Pennington has completed 74.2 percent (49-of-66) of his passes for 549 yards and three touchdowns.

“I think Chad has made a lot of good decisions, even in those games where he really wasn’t maybe as efficient as he has been here the last couple of weeks, he’s made a lot of good decisions in those games,” Mangini said. “I think that’s just been another example of receivers and Chad working that much harder to improve the timing and improve the mechanics of the passing game.”

In other words, the Jets are getting better as the season gets longer. It’s not because Mangini is getting easier on his players either. Before beating the Patriots, he held practices outside in the rain and cold instead of inside the team’s cozy facility, all the better to prepare for inclement weather in New England.

“We seem to be putting full games together now and that’s important later in the season,” Pennington said after the Green Bay win.

MIKE CELIZIC ON NFL Giant collapse Great teams don't give games away like N.Y. does

After hosting the Bills Sunday, the Jets play at Minnesota and at Miami before finishing up at home against Oakland. In all likelihood, the Jets will be favored in all four games and it’s hardly farfetched to imagine three wins. That would get them to 10, which should be good enough to land a wildcard spot.

There are five AFC teams with 7-5 records vying for the two wild-card spots. The Broncos and Bengals play two winning teams apiece, including each other once. The Jaguars and Chiefs play three winning teams apiece, including one matchup against each other.

So it’s no wonder the J-E-T-S, Jets, Jets, Jets have reason to look ahead, even though they wouldn’t want Mangini to catch them doing it.

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