SCHIL OUT: Chaz Schilens leaps to haul in a 25-yard touchdown pass to give the Jets a second-quarter lead. (Getty Images)
ST. LOUIS — You can forget a lot in 35 days.
For the Jets, that was how long it had been since they registered a victory. The winless drought — covering a three-game losing streak and a bye — ended with a 27-13 victory over the Rams yesterday at the Edward Jones Dome.
“It’s been so long since we won I don’t know whether to pop champagne or do what,” linebacker Calvin Pace said with a smile.
It was a happy ending to a rough week for the Jets, who are now 4-6 and, believe it or not, still in the AFC playoff race. They don’t get too much time to enjoy this one, though, with the first-place Patriots coming to MetLife Stadium on Thursday night.
The Jets put together their winning formula — strong defense, a good running game and efficient play from quarterback Mark Sanchez — to beat the Rams. The Jets forced three turnovers and did not commit any, the type of mistake-free football that has eluded the offense for much of this season.
“We needed a win in the worst way,” safety Yeremiah Bell said. “After losing three straight games, you’re almost searching for whatever you need to do to get that win. For us to just keep practicing good week after week and not getting the results, it’s frustrating. But we stayed the course and we came out victorious today.”
Sanchez played his best game in a month. He completed 15 of 20 passes for 178 yards with a touchdown and, most importantly, no turnovers. There will be no cries this week for Tim Tebow, who played three offensive snaps.
The Jets were by no means perfect and they will have to play better Thursday when the opponent is the varsity Patriots, not the JV Rams.
Jets players said they rallied together this week after a published report filled with anonymous quotes trashed Tebow.
“It’s coming from a lot of directions,” Pace said. “The only thing you can do is just pull closer. It really, really is us against the world. Everyone else thinks we’re a joke. You go out and play your game in someone else’s home, rely on your technique and let the chips fall where they may.”
With former Jets offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer now calling the plays for the Rams, this game had a rich subplot. Schottenheimer’s offense looked strong early as it cut through the Jets’ defense on the first drive of the game, marching 86 yards on 13 plays, capped with Sam Bradford finding a wide open Brandon Gibson for a 1-yard touchdown on fourth-and-goal.
The Jets defense clamped down after that and Schottenheimer showed the tendencies that drove Jets fans mad like abandoning the running game that averaged 5.7 yards a carry.
Safety Eric Smith intercepted Bradford on the Rams’ next drive, giving the Jets the ball at the Rams’ 13. The Jets failed to score when Nick Folk’s 26-yard field goal attempt was blocked. It looked like a rerun of last week when the offense failed to capitalize on the defense’s play.
But the defense forced another turnover midway through the second quarter when Muhammad Wilkerson sacked Bradford, causing a fumble that Bart Scott picked up and returned 38 yards to the Rams’ 28. Sanchez hit Chaz Schilens two plays later with a 25-yard touchdown pass and the Jets had their first lead in four weeks at 10-7.
They settled for a Folk 51-yard field goal with 1:02 left in the half to stretch the lead to 13-7. That is when the game changed thanks to a referee’s call. Rams returner Chris Givens ran 98 yards for a touchdown on Folk’s kickoff, but the play was erased on a questionable holding call.
“That was huge,” Jets coach Rex Ryan said.
The Rams would never threaten the Jets again. Running back Bilal Powell scored two touchdowns in the beginning of the fourth quarter to put the game away.
“We’re running out of games,” Smith said. “If we’re going to make the playoffs, we need to make a run. We needed it to start today.”
The Jets are in a pack of teams two games behind the 6-4 Colts, who lead the race for the last wild-card spot.
“When things go sour and south and nobody believes in you, that’s when you really get tested,” Sanchez said. “We’re in that spot right now. It seems like in our toughest times we end up playing some of our best football.”
Ryan told the players to enjoy the victory on the plane ride home and then start thinking about Tom Brady and Co., who are coming to spoil Thanksgiving.
“We know we’re a long way out,” Ryan said. “We’ve just got to keep slugging it out and find a way to get out of it, punch our way out. Obviously going up against New England on Thursday night is a huge task. This is just a step in the right direction. We’ve just got to keep working.”
brian.costello@nypost.com