The Jets want to go vertical, but their quarterback's arm has yet to look like it can make the transition after offseason rotator cuff surgery.

New York feels it is ready to challenge the Patriots for AFC East supremacy, but to do it the Jets must take more chances down the field. That's why they fired Paul Hackett as offensive coordinator and convinced Mike Heimerdinger to come in from Tennessee. To help the transition to a deeper attack, the Jets traded to get Laveranues Coles back at wide receiver. Coles and quarterback Chad Pennington were magical three years ago before Coles left for Washington.

The issue still to be decided is if Pennington's arm is fully recovered from off-season surgery. His arm strength has always been somewhat suspect, but he made up for it with accurate short- and medium-range passing and a command of what Hackett wanted accomplished. Now he has to please a new boss with a game that may or may not play to his strengths.

Pennington must return to his play of 2002, when he led the league in passing efficiency and threw 22 touchdown passes and only six interceptions, for the Jets' offense to reach its goal of averaging 24 points a game this season. They will still run the ball consistently with warhorse Curtis Martin, but the aim is to go vertical enough throwing the ball to hit the big play they feel separates them from the Patriots.

Edwards believes with his team so close to the Patriots and Steelers it needs to make some big plays because their defenses are too strong to grind down methodically without a big-strike capability.

Defensively, the Jets should continue to improve in the second year under Donnie Henderson, especially now that pass rushing specialist John Abraham ended his summer-long holdout and returned to the fold. The Jets made a big jump last season by getting faster and more aggressive, finishing seventh in total defense, fourth in points allowed and fifth against the run. The latter was a huge turnaround, after allowing only 97.9 yards rushing a game last year compared with 143.4 in 2003. If they can make the same type of improvement in their passing offense, the Jets will be a team to be reckoned with.

HOT SEAT: Herman Edwards. Although Edwards is 35-29 as a head coach and has taken the Jets to the playoffs three times in four years, he has been vehemently criticized for his clock management skills and game-day decision making. He's fired his defensive and offensive coordinators the past two years, and this season not only jettisoned the latter but also kicker Doug Brien, who missed 47- and 43-yard field goals in the final two minutes of regulation in a playoff loss to the Steelers. Edwards is out of scapegoats, so if his team doesn't advance farther in the postseason, his critics will focus on him even more harshly and he'll have few places to deflect their criticism.

OVERHEARD: Despite the defensive improvement of a year ago, Henderson remained concerned about his secondary until he picked up four-time Pro Bowl corner Ty Law early in training camp. Law is coming off a broken foot and surgery to repair that and ankle damage and was unable to run full speed until mid-August, but he'll be ready for the home opener. Law is one of the best cover corners in the game and a huge upgrade to an already formidable defense if he's healthy. The Jets believe he is and he does as well because he signed a low-ball contract that could pay huge dividends if he hits a series of incentives built around playing time and team success.

OUTLOOK: If Pennington and Law are healthy, Martin can continue to defy age and the pass rush holds up, the Jets will challenge the Patriots and Steelers for AFC supremacy. But if they slip, the Jets could disappear behind the Bills in the division race.

PREDICTION: Third.

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