Jets' confidence back after comeback wins

Matt Slauson recalled the Jets' tense mood after their last-minute loss at Denver nearly three weeks ago, a sullen vibe that had them searching deeply for answers.

"There was a point there after the Denver game where it seemed like the panic button had been pressed a little bit," the guard said Monday. "Our three-game losing streak [Weeks 3-5] was tough, but the feeling after the Denver game was even a lot more intense than that because we knew we shouldn't have lost to Denver.

"It was just poor team execution. We felt like that loss in particular was kind of on us as players. We just really didn't show up, and it put us in a position where it made things a lot more difficult for the postseason . . . It was really difficult to put that behind us. But since then, we've been doing OK and bounced back."

The Jets (7-5) have won two straight after getting Tim Tebowed in Week 11, staying in the mix for an AFC wild card with Sunday's 34-19 win over the Redskins. With four games left, the Jets are in a virtual tie with the Bengals, Titans and Raiders or Broncos for the last spot.

So Rex Ryan isn't yet uttering those two words he loves to use -- Super Bowl -- but his strong conviction in his team has returned.

"This team has plenty of confidence," Ryan said. "We don't lack for confidence one bit. We think we can beat any team in this league."

Still, if you ask Slauson, there wasn't that sense among the players after the loss to the Broncos.

"I think the more important part is how you react to pushing the button," defensive captain Sione Pouha said. "Are you going to fold under pressure or be able to get yourselves ready to perform? After that game, we've been able to not only respond with urgency, but we've also [learned] we are not a team that is going to fold under pressure or going to press the panic button.

"Let's take fate in our hands."

They've been doing it in excruciating fashion, though. A week after their fourth-quarter heart-stopper with the Bills, the Jets needed another late comeback to beat the Redskins. Down 16-13 with 7:52 left, they scored three touchdowns in the final 4:49 to pull away.

"We don't play the game to just try to win in the fourth quarter," wideout Santonio Holmes said. "We play to win throughout the whole game, and when it comes down to the fourth quarter, we want to be the team that prevails. We want to be able to put everything on the table in the fourth quarter and say, 'This is what we've practiced for. Let's give it a shot.' "

If they make the postseason, Ryan feels good about their chances.

"We're a team that just wants to win and get in the playoffs and see what happens," Ryan said. "Our goal is intact, even though it looked really bad a few weeks ago. It was a devastating loss that we had to Denver. But again, we can't focus on that. We have to focus on improvement and finding ways to win games. We don't have any wiggle room. We have to get it done and we understand that.

"Our first year here, we really struggled to make the playoffs, but we always believed that if we can get in there, we can do some damage. And that's what we plan on doing this year."

Notes & quotes: Ryan said he isn't sure if RB-KR Joe McKnight (hyperextended right elbow) will play Sunday against the Chiefs. It's unclear if he will practice Wednesday . . . Ryan said he wants Jim Leonhard to be the punt returner for the rest of the season. The Jets' special teams have committed a league-high six turnovers, including one in each of the last four games.