This could be a turning-point week for the Jets.
It certainly be a busy one.
By next Friday, Gang Green – now in a three-way tie for first place – could either be on top of the AFC East by itself, or alone in the cellar.
“The Jets have seemed to find that mix,” Fox analyst and former Cowboy fullback Daryl Johnston said.
“The big catch phrase now is complementary football, with all three phases working together. … Now it sounds like the Jets have found that mystique that you have to find to get all three phases working together.”
Sunday, Brett Favre & Co. host the banged-up Rams. But the level of competition the Jets will face takes a huge step up just four days later, with a Thursday night date with the Patriots in Foxborough.
That game will be the second of two crucial home matchups for the Patriots, who host the Bills on Sunday.
“Everyone talks about the NFC East, [but] I am not so sure the AFC East isn’t going to be more exciting as they go down the stretch with the way these teams are playing,” said Bill Cowher, analyst on CBS’ NFL Today.
” I think the whole division is getting overlooked, but when people start realizing how good it is, it’s going to come to the forefront and it’s going to be a great race going down the stretch. I do think two teams will come out of this division for the playoffs.”
Before the Jets upset the Bills, they were coming off two awful performances – a loss to the hopeless Raiders, followed by sneaking out a win at home against the hapless Chiefs.
Cowher said he believes the Jets’ upcoming stretch will determine their playoff fate. And it starts with defense.
“When you look at the defense and a guy like Kris Jenkins, who I think is playing as well as any lineman in the NFL, he anchors that defensive line,” Cowher said.
“I think it’s a football team that if you look at them right now at 5-3 with that defense, I think if they win two of their next three games (Rams, Patriots, Titans) they have a chance to have an 11-win season and a good chance for the playoffs.”
