The kick will go down on the stat sheets, and in the record and fact books, as a 38-yard field goal.

In the hearts and minds of the Jets, though, Doug Brien’s stirring and improbable game-winning field goal with 58 seconds left in the game might as well have traveled 60 yards when you factor in the tricky Giants Stadium wind conditions and – oh, yes – the throat-choking pressure staring down on him.

Earlier in the game, the same wind from the same East end zone of the stadium just about stopped a 29-yard Brien field goal attempt in mid-air as if it hit a wall and pushed it left.

No good.

Brien’s next try at the end zone might propel the Jets to great things.

It secured a scintillating 16-14 victory over the Bills and sent the Jets to their second 4-0 start in franchise history.

The Jets next play the 49ers (1-4) at Giants Stadium and have a legitimate chance of going to 5-0 for the first time in franchise history as they motor up to New England for a wildly anticipated showdown with the Super Bowl champion Patriots.

The naysayers will correctly tell you that it should never have come down to the Brien FG.

The Jets were dominating this game on defense, shutting down the Buffalo running game and not allowing Drew Bledsoe anything.

But the Jets, much the way they did a week ago in Miami, let Buffalo stay in the game. The Dolphins didn’t take advantage. The 0-4 Bills did, shocking the Jets with a fourth-quarter comeback that should have ruined Gang Green’s day.

The Jets’ worst sin ironically came from their most heady player, Chad Pennington, who tried to make too much out of a play and threw a bad INT to Bills’ LB Jeff Posey with 12:21 remaining.

With the Jets leading 13-0, that turnover, the Jets’ second of the game well within enemy territory, gave the Bills life they never should have had. Had the Jets retained possession there – they appeared to be moving the ball well – they probably would have come away with at least an insurance FG and a three-score lead.

Instead, Bledsoe quickly led Buffalo down the field and threw a TD pass to TE Mark Campbell with 8:57 remaining to cut the Jets’ lead to 13-7.

The Bills, with the momentum, took a 14-13 lead with 5:58 remaining in the game when Bledsoe connected with rookie WR Lee Evans on a 46-yard TD pass – a play that left the crowd stunned.

That marked the first time the Jets have trailed in a game in the final four minutes since their season opener against the Bengals.

Pennington redeemed himself by calmly leading the Jets down the field, though the drive stalled at the Buffalo 20 with 1:03 remaining.

That’s where Brien, who last week booted a key 53-yard FG and talked afterward about his desire to be known also as a good long-distance kicker, won the game for the Jets.

The Jets took a 7-0 lead with 7:55 remaining in the first half when Pennington connected with TE Chris Baker on a one-yard scoring pass

On the Jets’ next possession, it looked as if they were about to drive for more points but this time Baker had the ball knocked from his arms from behind by Buffalo CB Nate Clements and right into the hands of Buffalo S Pierson Prioleau inside the Bills’ 18-yard line.

The Jets took a 10-0 lead on a 37-yard Brien FG as time expired in the first half.

Brien would later make it 13-0 when he was good on a 36-yard FG with 5:23 remaining in the third quarter.