NFL

AFC East title in Jets’ grasp

Rex Ryan, an astute observer of all things football, was realistic when he summed up the Jets’ standing in the AFC East.

“It’s good news, bad news,” he said yesterday. “We’re tied for first in our division and that’s great. We’re also tied for last. That’s a little depressing.”

With every team in the division tied at 3-3, nothing has been determined other than a prevailing sense of mediocrity. But the lack of a dominant rival might be the Jets’ biggest advantage as they try to battle for a division title they believe they can achieve.

Ryan yesterday declared it a 10-game season.

“Whoever comes out of it the best will win our division,” he said. “We’re just going to keep slugging.”

That 10-game season starts Sunday at New England. Ryan stirred the hype yesterday by saying: “I want them to know and they know that I think we’re going to beat them.”

After hearing that for four years, it must sound like background noise to the Patriots. We’ve learned Ryan’s boasts are more about inspiring his team than offering an accurate prognostication, otherwise there would be two additional Super Bowl trophies on display in Florham Park. As it is, the Jets haven’t even won a division title under Ryan.

The Jets’ chances of accomplishing that this season would be enhanced with a victory Sunday against a New England team that seems vulnerable after losing 24-23 at Seattle Sunday. The Patriots blew a 13-point lead in the fourth quarter and scored just one touchdown on six trips inside the Seattle 20.

“They’ve lost three games,” Ryan said. “That’s more than they probably lose during a season. But we need to worry about ourselves more than anybody else.”

There was a time when Ryan obsessed about the Patriots. And while he uttered the “we’re going to beat them” line yesterday, the bravado wasn’t as loud as in years past.

Ryan knows his Jets are a work in progress, as inconsistent as their 3-3 record would indicate. Their 35-9 win over the Colts was a much-needed confidence builder. Rushing for 252 yards and holding the Colts to 41 yards rushing were positive gains in two areas where the Jets have struggled all season: rushing offense and run defense. Without improvement in those two areas, there won’t be a playoff berth this season, much less a division title.

Ryan said he is “always” thinking about the Patriots because, “That’s the team you have to beat in to win our division.” That’s rather obvious since the Bills and Dolphins don’t figure to be in contention come December.

With a victory over the Patriots, the Jets would have to be taken seriously again. But Ryan doesn’t want to play this as a one-shot deal. He once had to tweak Bill Belichick and the Patriots to get respect. Now with cornerback Darrelle Revis and wide receiver Santonio Holmes lost for the season, he has his hands full keeping his own team confident and focused on getting better each week. What happens during the 10-game season is more important than what happens on Sunday. Otherwise, why would a coach stress fundamentals and practice habits on a week when they’re playing a bitter rival?

“If you don’t prepare to the best of your ability, you’re almost assured you’re going to lose,” Ryan said.

He still isn’t going to kiss the ring and he’ll continue to tug on Superman’s cape, but this Patriots-Jets encounter has a different feel. Ryan can say “I think we’re going to beat them,” but it doesn’t carry the same swagger as in past years. Not when the Jets offense in ranked 30th in the 32-team league and the run defense is ranked 28th. There’s no division title at stake Sunday for the Jets — just a huge measure of reassurance that they’re on the right track to getting better.