EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- For a change, it's not about the quarterback position. It doesn't matter if they start a gimpy Geno Smith or a grumpy Ryan Fitzpatrick. For the New York Jets, it's all about a softer schedule and a hardening defense. Those factors, more than anything, can keep them relevant until at least Thanksgiving.
After a six-week snooze, the Jets dominated on defense in Sunday's 24-16 win over the Baltimore Ravens at MetLife Stadium, holding Joe Flacco & Co. to three field goals and 6 -- repeat, 6 -- rushing yards. Punter Lachlan Edwards gave away points by muffing a snap that was recovered for a Baltimore touchdown, but no one was complaining after their first victory in five weeks. For a change, the Jets resembled the team they were supposed to be.
"It's about damn time," safety Calvin Pryor said.
Things change quickly in the NFL. Suddenly, the Jets (2-5) can embrace something positive. They have a one-game winning streak and a road trip to the hapless Cleveland Browns (0-7), followed by a trip to the Miami Dolphins (3-4) and a home date against the Los Angeles Rams (3-4).
So the Jets' revived defense will face a gauntlet of quarterbacks that consists of Kevin Hogan or Cody Kessler, Ryan Tannehill and Case Keenum (if he still has the job), respectively. As defensive end Sheldon Richardson likes to say, they should eat well over the next few weeks.
It's too soon to start looking at the Jets' place in the AFC standings -- it was only one win, people -- but it could be a comforting thought to know every team except the Browns has reason to hope in this watered-down conference.
"I never lost hope," coach Todd Bowles said after snapping the longest losing streak of his young coaching career.
Bowles faces a potentially complicated decision at quarterback, one that could be determined by the outcome of Monday's MRI on Smith's injured right knee. If Smith is healthy enough to play, does Bowles stick with him or go back to Fitzpatrick, who came out of the bullpen to rally the team?
The hunch here is that he'd stick with Smith, much to Fitzpatrick's chagrin. Either way, the Jets can win if they stick to the formula that beat the Ravens (3-4), losers of four straight: strong defense, a lot of Matt Forte and a low-risk passing game.
It's not how they mapped it out at the start of the season -- they saw themselves as an explosive offense -- but they didn't expect Fitzpatrick's interception crisis and they didn't expect to lose Eric Decker and ... well, you get the point. They need to reinvent themselves.
"Aside from the Buffalo game, this was the first time you saw the offense and defense feeding off each other," Fitzpatrick said. "[It was] kind of the same feeling we had last year -- the energy, the passion. I think this was a good indication, a good showing for everybody else -- our fans -- that we're not throwing in the towel."
Forte produced two touchdowns and 154 yards from scrimmage -- a grinding, if not dazzling performance. It was the defense that dazzled, recording its third and fourth interceptions of the season and curing some of its deep-ball issues. Flacco was 3-for-11, with two interceptions, on passes of at least 15 air yards, according to research by ESPN Stats & Information. The Jets disguised their coverages more than usual, frustrating Flacco.
"When we're playing like that as a defense, creating turnovers and flying around, everything seems to change," Pryor said.
The Jets got beat up by some good quarterbacks in recent weeks, falling to five 2015 playoff teams. One win doesn't cure everything. Bowles took the right tact, saying, "I don't think it's relief, it's frustration. We're 2-5. We have to get better. We can't change the past, but we have something to do about the future."