Jets Generate a Different and Unexpected Drama FLORHAM PARK, N.J. - It has been quite a two weeks for the Jets. Their offensive line coach went rogue. A linebacker blasted their fans. Their self-appointed mascot resigned from his self-appointed post. There also may have been something about a quarterback benching - a controversy or some such. Pretty standard, really. In this season of the absurd, one of the most absurd things happened late Sunday afternoon: the Jets joined the A.F.C. playoff chase. A season that has appeared lost for months, or at least stranded in the snowy wilderness, perked up soon after the Jets defeated the Jaguars in Jacksonville, improving their record to 6-7. Pittsburgh and Cincinnati, the leading contenders for the conference's final wild-card berth, both lost at home, dropping to 7-6, slicing their lead over the Jets to one game with three to play. At 9-4, the Indianapolis Colts are well positioned for the other wild-card berth. Can the Jets make the playoffs? "We don't even deserve or warrant the right to speak about the playoffs," linebacker Bart Scott said. All that we've earned is the right to talk about the Tennessee Titans. O.K., then. So what you're saying is ...? "The fact that we're one game under .500," Coach Rex Ryan said, "I think you're probably not in the playoff conversation." But what about ...? "We're not making more of the situation than it really is," cornerback Kyle Wilson said. Not even a little? "I try to not even get involved with that," guard Matt Slauson said. I think you make life a lot more difficult if you choose to ride the roller coaster. I just like to stay positive all the time. In that spirit, then, a quick glance at the standings indicates that, as defensive end Mike DeVito said, anything's possible. That makes sense because with the Jets, anything usually is. But for every playoff possibility that boosts their hopes - and yes, some do exist - there are about a dozen more that deflate them, not the least of which is the Week 16 matchup between Pittsburgh and Cincinnati that elevates the winner to prime playoff position. The permutations are exhausting, almost all involving tiebreakers like head-to-head success and common opponents, strength of schedule and best banana cream pie. There are combinations of results in which the Jets win their final three games to finish 9-7 but miss the playoffs. There are others in which they finish 8-8 and sneak in. There is also a possibility that the Jets can be eliminated from contention as soon as Monday night in Tennessee, if they lose to the Titans and if Pittsburgh (at Dallas), Cincinnati (at Philadelphia on Thursday) and Indianapolis (at Houston) all win. Trying to sort through the rest is, for now, a fruitless endeavor, which also could have described the state of the Jets" season two weeks ago. Their 30-point humbling by New England on Thanksgiving lampooned the Jets nationally, embarrassed them locally and introduced the term "butt fumble" into the lexicon. It also plunged them to 4-7. The day after the Patriots loss, Damien Woody, the former Jets right tackle who is now an analyst for ESPN, said in an interview: "Those teams, they look at the Jets last night, and they're like: "Oh, man, we can go thrash the Jets. We've got the Jets next? Oh, O.K., we can win that. By no means do they have any games left where they can feel like they should win this one. The idea that the Jets could somehow rebound to grab a playoff spot was rooted entirely in their soft schedule and not because they had revealed to that point any evidence of passing excellence, running proficiency or defensive dominance. Heading into Sunday, their final four opponents - with Tennessee, San Diego and Buffalo ahead - were 15-33. That the Jets needed all 60 minutes to dispatch Arizona, which lost, 58-0, to Seattle on Sunday, and Jacksonville corroborated Woody's point: the Jaguars and the Cardinals own the two worst offenses in the N.F.L., right behind the Jets. But here they are anyway, after gashing the Cardinals and the Jaguars for a combined 343 yards rushing, after limiting them to 2 for 31 on third down, after figuring out a way to score more points than they allowed. After Sunday's victory, a triumphant Mark Sanchez assumed his place behind the lectern and fixed his gaze on the back wall of the cramped interview room. A small television, hanging in a corner, showed the A.F.C. playoff standings, which included the Jets. A cameraman asked Sanchez if he found them interesting. "Oh," he said, "I didn't even see it." Receiver Stephen Hill sprained the lateral collateral ligament in his right knee, and linebacker Bryan Thomas strained his pectoral muscle. Their status for Monday's game at Tennessee is uncertain. ... Down to two healthy receivers, the Jets might consider adding a former member, Braylon Edwards, who was cut by Seattle. ... Kickoff for the Dec. 23 game against San Diego has been moved to 1 p.m. from 8:20 p.m.