At a guess, watching the Giants celebrate joyously at U.S. Bank Stadium on Sunday probably did not help salve the wounds of Jets fans.

Really, Wild Card Sunday as a whole — in which heavy underdogs in the Dolphins and Ravens each took Buffalo and Cincinnati, respectively, to the limit — had to feel like a slap in the face. Because it could have been the Jets. It should have been the Jets. It’s been two weeks since they were eliminated from the playoffs in Seattle before the final week of the season, and still it stings.

At the start of the season, when both area teams were expected to be terrible, the Jets were the ones with the better outlook. They are younger, with more oomph at their skill positions, with a much better defense and a second-year head coach instead of a rookie. It is the Jets, though, who have to learn from what the Giants have done this season with a 9-7-1 regular-season record and an upset 31-24 first-round playoff win over the Vikings.

Here are three big lessons for coach Robert Saleh.