The way the Jets saw it, it just was a matter of time before Xavier Gipson was going to do what he did Monday night, which was return a punt for a touchdown.

Never in their wildest dreams, though, did the Jets think it would come in overtime in the form of a walk-off touchdown. But there was the rookie receiver, undrafted out of Stephen F. Austin, giving the Jets an improbable season-opening victory with a 65-yard punt return for a touchdown in overtime, sending MetLife Stadium into a state of bedlam.

Gipson’s TD return was the difference in the Jets’ 22-16 win over the Bills to make them 1-0 on a night when quarterback Aaron Rodgers was lost for what is expected to be the season with a ruptured left Achilles.

The Gipson walk-off provided a desperately needed elixir to the horrible news about the Hall of Fame quarterback whose presence had made the Jets a Super Bowl possibility.

“I’m going to speak for our entire locker room and say we knew he was going to get one today,’’ Jets coach Robert Saleh said. “We just had a feeling. That kid is electric with the ball in his hands. If I’m a team, I’m not kicking it to him. None of us in the locker room are surprised he took one back.’’

When that was relayed to Gipson in the locker room, he flashed a wide smile and said, “Man, he said that the third preseason game. He said, ‘You’re going to get one. Be patient, your time will come.’

“When my coaches believe in me like that and give me an opportunity, it builds my confidence knowing they believe in me.’’

Saleh wasn’t the only one who believed in him.

“Jeremy Rucker called it at the coin toss,’’ Tyler Conklin said of his fellow Jets tight end. “Rucker said, ‘I think Gib’s bringing it to the crib.’ It was amazing. Especially after having that happen to us last year [in the loss at New England].’’

Asked when he knew he was going to score, Gipson said, “I didn’t know I was going to score. I left it in God’s hands. I had an opportunity to score in preseason. I guess it wasn’t my time then. You’ve got to wait for your time. My time came tonight.

“I just trusted the process, the play call, and [Justin] Hardee and [Bryce] Hall, they made amazing blocks and gave me time.’’

Gipson has been one of great stories of summer for the Jets, featured on the final HBO episode of “Hard Knocks’’ when he was called into the office of general manager Joe Douglas, who told him he’d made the team in an emotional moment.

“It’s been a roller coaster, not knowing if I’m good enough, just showing them day in, day out how bad I want to be here, showing how badly I want to be a legend and be great,’’ Gipson said. “It’s been a roller coaster.’’

Asked what it was like when he crossed the goal line Monday night and was mobbed by his teammates, he said, “I almost passed out. Those guys are heavy, man. They eventually lifted me up and showed me mad love.’’

It was fitting, because on a night that has placed the Jets’ season in potential peril with the Rodgers injury, Gipson lifted his team up and, afterward, called the win for Rodgers.