ORCHARD PARK —  The Jets did not have a good time here on Sunday, but they’re already planning a return trip.

The Bills beat the Jets 20-12, hurting the Jets’ playoff hopes but not crippling them. That was something Jets coach Robert Saleh made loud and clear in his postgame press conference.

“We’re going to see these guys again,” Saleh said, predicting a playoff meeting between the teams next month.

It was a bold proclamation from Saleh, who usually does not channel his inner Rex Ryan. The Jets are now 7-6 and likely need to win three of their final four games to make the playoffs. The Bills improved to 10-3 and are in control of the AFC East.

The Jets lost to the Bills after turning the ball over twice, committing some costly penalties on defense and failing to protect quarterback Mike White, who exited the game twice and had to go to the hospital after the game to get tests on his aching ribs.

The playoff message was one that Saleh conveyed to his team before he said it to the media. Saleh acknowledged the Jets need to take care of business over the final four games, but expressed his belief in the team.

“I think our team is good enough,” Saleh said. “Obviously, it’s week-to-week, but we’ve got a good football team.”

The message led to an upbeat group postgame despite the loss.

“No guy in this locker room is afraid of the playoffs, no guy in this locker room is afraid of what it’s going to take to win,” center Connor McGovern said. “Everybody knows that we have the talent to be a playoff team. This team can do it. No guy’s shying away from talking about the playoffs.”

The Jets could have made that path to the playoffs a lot clearer with a win Sunday. Instead, they lost their second consecutive game for the first time this season and have now lost three of their last four.

One area that the Jets will have to clear up to win some games down the stretch is their pass protection. White was pummeled. He was hit seven times and sacked three times. He left the game for two plays in the second quarter after taking a big hit in the ribs from Bills defensive lineman Ed Oliver and then again in the third quarter after linebacker Matt Milano drilled him.

The Jets also lost star defensive tackle Quinnen Williams to a calf injury in the second quarter, adding to their rough day.

The offense stalled without White, who returned in the fourth quarter and took several more big hits. White went 27 of 44 for 268 yards, but gained even more respect from his teammates with how he fought through the pain. White was sent to a local hospital after the game to get his ribs checked further before joining the team for the plane ride home.

“A lot of credit to Mike White. He was a [bleeping] soldier, bro,” running back Michael Carter said.

The line gave up 21 pressures in the game, derailing the offense for most of the day.

“We have to be better,” left tackle Duane Brown said. “[White] took some big hits. My hat goes off to him for continuing to get up, continuing to stay in the game.”

The teams traded punts in the first half with the first 10 possessions of the game ending in a punt. The Bills broke through just before halftime with a 24-yard touchdown pass from Josh Allen to tight end Dawson Knox to give the Bills a 7-0 lead. The seven-play drive was aided by an encroachment penalty against Jets linebacker C.J. Mosley on fourth-and-1 when he jumped over the center to try to make a play on Knox, who was lined up behind the center, but the ball was not snapped.

The Jets responded after halftime with their best drive of the day, going 72 yards on 10 plays with two huge third-down throws by White to Garrett Wilson and Braxton Berrios. Running back Zonovan Knight finished the drive off with a 13-yard touchdown to tie the game.

The defense did a good job against Allen (16 of 27, 147 yards, 1 passing TD, 10 rushes, 47 yards, 1 rushing TD) for most of the day, but after the Jets tied the game, they immediately gave up another touchdown to the Bills. Allen led a six-play, 75-yard drive that included another Jets penalty, this one pass interference on Michael Carter II to move the ball inside the 20. Allen ran it in from the 5 for a 14-7 lead.

White was injured on the next series after getting hit by Milano and went to the locker room. Joe Flacco replaced him and was sacked on his first play by Greg Rousseau and fumbled. The Bills recovered and got a field goal out of it to go up 17-7 with 2:07 left in the third.

The Jets had a chance at a comeback in the fourth quarter. White returned and the Jets got a blocked punt for a safety from rookie Jermaine Johnson that made it 20-9 with 7:30 left in the game. They got the ball back after the free kick and drove to the Bills’ 28 when running back Michael Carter fumbled it and the Bills recovered, effectively ending the Jets’ comeback hopes.

They ended up kicking a field goal to cut it to an eight-point game and had one more possession with 46 seconds left at their own 21 but could not move the ball.

Saleh believes the Jets will get another crack at the Bills. We’ll find out if he is right.