HARRISON - The 2016 season hasn't been easy for the New York Red Bulls. The Red Bulls opened the year with a 1-6 record, their defense has been ravaged by injuries and the Red Bulls have left points on the table with disappointing road performances.

Despite all of that, the Red Bulls are in second place in the Eastern Conference and turned the corner with a 4-1 victory over New York City F.C. (NYCFC) -- the top-ranked team in the Eastern Conference.

"We feel like we dug ourselves out," Red Bulls coach Jesse Marsch said after Sunday's match. "It's not been easy, man. We've had our backs against the wall in a lot of different weeks."

The Red Bulls did some soul searching after they suffered a second-half collapse in a 2-2 draw against the Philadelphia Union on July 17. After Red Bulls captain Dax McCarty said the team was 'spineless,' the Red Bulls had a team meeting to clear the air on July 20.

A few days late, the Red Bulls erased most of their issues with Sunday's victory against NYCFC. The Red Bulls didn't collapse after holding a first-half lead, they made sharp passes and their attack was dangerous throughout the match.

"It was a pivotal moment in our season," Red Bulls forward Mike Grella said after Sunday's game. "This was a game that was going to tell us how are season was going to go. This was more than a rivalry match today."

A loss on Sunday would have pushed the Red Bulls to fifth in the Eastern Conference. That didn't happen. The Red Bulls finally translated talk into execution with Sunday's victory.

The Red Bulls are 8-3-4 in their last 15 MLS matches, even though it hasn't always felt like a successful stretch. They've been quietly piling up results and Sunday's victory will provide a launching pad for the Red Bulls going forward.

"There's only drive to get better," Marsch told reporter's after Sunday's match. "There's no complacency. The key for us now is to keep our foot on the gas and to keep going after games."

The Red Bulls' current group has the tools to make a run down the final stretch of the season. They sorted out their ailing attack, and Red Bulls midfielder Sacha Kljestan and forward Bradley Wright-Phillips have reemerged as one of the MLS's top tandems.

The only area left to conquer is the Red Bulls' road struggles. The Red Bulls have an opportunity to fix their problems on the road when they travel to play the Chicago Fire on July 31.

Daniel Falkenheim may be reached at DFalkenheim@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @Thefalkon. Find NJ.com on Facebook.