Gang Green know stakes for this one

T HE MATH of the Jets season is not advanced calculus. At 3-6, the Jets barely have a pulse. Add another loss and it is time to give the 2018 season a toe tag. “With more losses, you lose your ability to make it to the playoffs,” Jets receiver Quincy Enunwa said. “Each week that we lose a game, we’re getting further away from contention. For us, it’s now or never. We can’t lose any more games.”

That is the situation the Jets face as they return to MetLife Stadium on Sunday to face the lowly Bills. The Jets are riding a three-game losing streak, lost their starting quarterback and haven’t held a lead in a game since beating the Colts on Oct. 14. They have scored one touchdown in their last 27 possessions. Things are grim. “It’s tough, losing is tough,” coach Todd Bowles said. “It’s frustrating for coaches as well as players. I understand in my position how I have to treat players and how we have to bounce back the next week. When you’re by yourself, you’re pissed off, but you’ve got to shake it off and come back.”

The Jets have a great chance to bounce back against a Bills team that has been awful. Buffalo has lost its last four games and five of its last six. The 2-7 Bills have thrown as many pick-sixes as they have touchdown passes through their first nine games. It is unclear who will start at quarterback with Josh Allen, Matt Barkley, and Nathan Peterman all possibilities.

The Jets can’t afford to lose this game and head into the bye week at 3-7. That would lead to non-stop discussion of whether Bowles should be fired, and hope would be extinguished with six games left on the schedule.

“I think it’s huge,” Bowles said of this game. “It’s our next game. It’s a division rivalry. We let a couple of them go, especially this tough one we just lost [to the Dolphins]. ... Winning takes care of a lot of problems and a lot of issues.”

The Jets offense has been abysmal, but it could benefit from having veteran Josh McCown starting this week in place of rookie Sam Darnold, who has a sprained foot. Darnold played his worst game of the season last week in Miami.

“I think this last game we made a few mistakes, but I think we learned from those mistakes,” Enunwa said. “I think this week we’re definitely rejuvenated and ready to go. We know what’s at stake.”