FLORHAM PARK — The Jets are feeling good about themselves and they should be after Sunday’s stunning 24-22 win over the Cowboys.

The Jets looked like a totally different team on offense, kept playing sound defense and proved that they could close out a game with clutch plays – from both the offense and defense – in the final minutes of the game.

It was a welcome change of pace after a miserable first five weeks of the season. But now comes a major reality check: the Jets host the Patriots on Monday night.

Perhaps the Jets will pull off another stunner and build some incredible momentum. Maybe the Patriots, who can win their eighth straight regular-season game over the Jets, will humble them again.

It doesn’t really matter. No matter what happens Monday, there’s still reason to be optimistic about the Jets going forward. Here are three reasons why.

Sam Darnold

After what Darnold did Sunday against the Cowboys, everyone should be excited to see what’s next from the 22-year-old, second-year quarterback.

Five weeks after playing his last game, and less than two weeks after he was cleared for rigorous physical activity, Darnold played one of the best games of his young career, completing 23 of 32 passes for 338 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception.

He made everyone look better than they had just a week before.

Darnold spread the ball around to seven different receivers, with Robby Anderson, Jamison Crowder and Demaryius Thomas combining for 15 catches for 285 yards – that’s more than the entire offense produced in the previous two weeks combined.

His quick decisions and mobility within the pocket helped reduce the struggles of the offensive line, as he was sacked only twice. And he added the threat of the deep ball to the Jets’ offense, finding Anderson for a 92-yard touchdown, the longest play from scrimmage in the NFL this season.

There is still plenty to clean up— he threw his first interception in more than four games and didn’t lead a touchdown drive in the second half. But Darnold showed flashes of a quarterback that is ready to take a huge step in 2019, and that should have every Jets fan excited.

More help is on the way

It may not happen this week, but the Jets are on the verge of getting two key starters back on each side of the ball: linebacker C.J. Mosley and tight end Chris Herndon.

Mosley continues to make progress from a Week 1 groin injury and the Jets are hopeful he can return to practice this week and play against the Patriots. He’s their most important defensive player; a playmaker with great instincts and vision who is also an elite communicator who puts his teammates in a position to succeed.

Meanwhile, Chris Herndon continues to make progress from a hamstring injury he suffered practicing on his own at the end of his four-game suspension. There’s hope he can get back on the field this week, but we won’t know anything until the first injury report Thursday. Herndon built impressive chemistry with Darnold last season and would add a dangerous middle-of-the-field threat to an offense that showed signs of being explosive Sunday.

Mosley’s return has the higher upside, it could transform a defense that has already impressed into something more dangerous. And Herndon could be a big difference-maker on offense. It’s pretty obvious that the Jets will be better when they get back.

It's going to get easier

Playing the Patriots after the first win of the season is not exactly pleasant for a 1-4 Jets team that desperately needs a win to dig itself out of the ditch it fell into the first five weeks of the season. But after that, things get much, much easier.

The Jets should have a reasonable chance in each of their next seven games after facing the Patriots on Monday night: at Jacksonville, at Miami, vs. Giants, at Washington, vs. Oakland, at Bengals, vs. Dolphins.

Those teams are a combined 7-26, with only the Raiders (3-2) over .500. And the Jets play four of that seven-game stretch against the Dolphins (0-5), Bengals (0-6) and Redskins (1-5), who have combined for a 1-16 record.

That’s as friendly a stretch as a team can ask for. And if the Jets can start a rare winning streak — they haven’t won back-to-back games in more than a year and haven’t won three straight in more than two years — perhaps they can play some meaningful games in December.

There's still a long, long way to go before the Jets get there. But with Darnold back, some key pieces on the way and a favorable schedule, there's nothing wrong with being optimistic.

Andy Vasquez is the Jets beat writer for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to all Jets analysis, news, trades and more, please subscribe today and download our app.

Email: vasqueza@northjersey.com Twitter: @andy_vasquez

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