PRO FOOTBALL SPOTLIGHT

BEAT THE RUSH, GET IT OUT OF THE WAY NOW

The fact that the New York Jets are 0-8 is nothing new, but it usually does not come so early in the season. Traditionally the Jets save their poor performance for when it really counts: the end of the season.

1985--Led AFC East with 9-3 record, went 2-2 down stretch, made playoffs as wild card, but lost to New England.

1986--Had NFL’s best record, 10-1, then lost final five games, surrendering at least 45 points in three of the losses. Won wild-card game, lost second-round playoff game at Cleveland.

1987--Began season 2-0, then players went on strike. Team was torn apart by walkout, with leaders Joe Fields, Joe Klecko and Pat Ryan crossing line. Jets wound up 6-9.

1988--Start 5-3-1, lost three consecutive division games to fall out of race.

1989--Open with seven losses in eight games as first defense, then offense collapses. Coach Joe Walton is fired at end of 4-12 year.

1990--Stand 4-4 in Bruce Coslet’s first season as coach, then drop five in a row and must win final two games for 6-10 record.

1991--At 7-6, in position for playoff run. Lose next three and get in as wild card only because Miami has worse slide. Fall to Houston in first round.

1992--Turn to second-year quarterback Browning Nagle, who clearly isn’t ready. Start 0-4 and 1-6, wind up 4-12.

1993--Respond after three-game slide with five consecutive victories. AFC wild card is theirs if they go 3-2 down stretch. So they lose four of five, including dismal 24-0 effort in finale at Houston, when win would have gotten them into postseason. Coslet is fired.

1994--Happy days under Pete Carroll end with incredible collapse vs. Miami in the “Spike Game� with first place on the line. Lose last five to go 6-10. Carroll is fired.

1995--Perhaps beginning a new trend, the Jets start the season 2-9, before rallying late to finish 3-13.

1996--Coach Rich Kotite falls to 3-21 since taking over last season and his 3-28 mark--including losing the last seven games of 1994 with Philadelphia--ties the worst modern coaching record for 31 games. John McKay lost his first 26 games with the expansion Tampa Bay Buccaneers and was 3-28 as well.

However, the Jets do provide a valuable service to America. As fodder for jokes. David Letterman used one of the football analogies favored by GOP running mate and former NFL quarterback Jack Kemp to sum up Kemp and presidential candidate Bob Dole: “You’re the Jets.�

SHOPPERS: OUR SILVER AND BLUE-LIGHT SPECIAL

It took Troy Aikman’s 60-yard touchdown pass to Kelvin Martin with 1:42 left to rally the Dallas to a 32-28 victory over the winless Atlanta Falcons.

After the game, Aikman revealed Martin’s little-known nickname: “I’m proud of the way we rallied. This was the reason I wanted us to go after K-Mart after Michael Irvin got suspended.�

They named him after a discount store? It seems appropriate considering what the Cowboys are paying him. Martin, a former Cowboy who played at Seattle and Philadelphia when the Cowboys wouldn’t match his salary, returned to Dallas as a free agent just before the season started and is now playing for the NFL minimum.

Martin might have a ten-cent salary, but he has a million-dollar ego.

“Nobody can beat me in one-on-one coverage,� Martin said. “I had to makeup for a fumble I had earlier in the game.�

And, Martin makes a very lovely ham sandwich, and you can get four for $1 for the next 30 minutes only.

--Compiled by HOUSTON MITCHELL