The run.
The Jets, during their five-game losing streak, which they finally put to a merciful end Thursday with a win over the Texans, kept talking about making a run to vault themselves into the playoff conversation.
Here’s the thing about runs. You can talk all you want about them. But in order to get on a run, you’ve got to win games. One at a time. Once you’ve strung a few wins together, then you’re on a run.
The Jets, to date, have not proven themselves to be run-worthy. That could, of course, change. But until further notice, we’re in a wait-and-see mode.
The Jets, coming off a game few thought they would lose two weeks ago in New England against the lowly Patriots, won a game many didn’t believe they could when, at 2-6 and with their season on the brink, they beat the 6-2 Texans Thursday night.
After a calamity-cluttered first half, they looked as good as they’ve looked all season in the final 30 minutes of that Houston game.
So … there’s hope.
Now: Reset.
The Jets are coming off a mini-bye with the weekend off following their win over Houston and on Wednesday, they return to the field for the first time to prepare for Sunday’s game against the Cardinals in Arizona.
A Cardinals team, it should be noted, that was probably considered a relatively easy win on that supposed run based on their recent history as a losing franchise.
The Cardinals, though, are 5-4 and leading the NFC West and hardly look like a finger roll to the glass for the Jets as they try to put together that run they’ve been talking about.
The best thing the Jets can do right now is forget about any run and go win a game on Sunday.
Because a win over the Cardinals would get them to 4-6 and then they’d be a legit part of the conversation as a potential AFC wild-card playoff team.
Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers, speaking Tuesday during his weekly paid spot on “The Pat McAfee Show,” was asked about that run and looking at the big picture.
“I feel like you have to,” Rodgers said. “This league and the cliché where they always tell you one game at a time, one day at a time, I think human nature is about having a singular focus on the task this week, but also to know what’s ahead of you down the road.”
It’s a fair and honest statement from Rodgers, but a precarious place, coming from a team that’s won back-to-back games once this season — against the Titans (who are 2-6) and the Patriots (2-7).
The trick for the Jets this week is to reproduce the form they had in the second half against the Texans — scoring three touchdowns on offense and harassing Houston’s offense with their ferocious pass rush.
Rodgers was 15 of 18 for 179 yards and three touchdowns in that flawless second half. The defense held Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud to just 11 of 30 and sacked him eight times in the game.
“We said it [last] week — it takes one win to get this thing started, and we got it,’’ Jets right tackle Morgan Moses said this week. “Now it’s up to us to take the momentum.’’
Week 9 and even Week 10 are a bit too early for scoreboard watching, but the Jets had a good Sunday while they relaxed on their mini-bye, with a couple of fellow AFC wild-card contenders Indianapolis (4-5) and Denver (5-4) losing.
This week could provide the Jets with more potential good news about their competitors for a wild-card spot, with the Bengals (4-5) playing the 6-3 Ravens, the Colts playing the 7-2 Bills and the Broncos playing the 8-0 Chiefs.
All three of those teams are underdogs in those games. All three losing would be highly beneficial to the Jets’ cause, but only if they take care of their own business and beat the Cardinals.
That’ll take building on the things they did well against Houston, and tightening up their run defense against a stout rushing team in the Cardinals.
High-energy linebacker Quincy Williams said this week what took place against Houston was “a glimpse of what’s to come’’ for the Jets.
Show us. Win the next game. Make it two in a row.
Then we can talk about runs.
