Jets' week of turmoil will end with a chance to take over first place in the AFC East

The Jets endured a tumultuous week filled with the kind of upheaval and drama usually reserved for teams in complete disarray and with bleak playoff chances.

Robert Saleh was fired. Nathaniel Hackett was stripped of his offensive play-calling responsibilities. The Jets held a players-only meeting during which accountability was the main topic. A much smaller group of Jets, known as “the leadership council,” met with ownership after Saleh’s dismissal.

The sky appears to be falling on the Jets — again. But it’s not. It’s only Week 6, and if they beat the Buffalo Bills on Monday night, the Jets will be in first place in the AFC East.

True story.

“We have everything right in front of us,” Aaron Rodgers said. “A win this week puts us in a really good spot in our division. Winning our division is the first entrance into the playoff format, so there is a lot to play for.”

At the end of last season, Rodgers said the Jets have to take the division title away from Buffalo. Here’s a chance to take a step in that direction.

Before the recent chaos, the Jets (2-3) were expected to compete for the division title with Buffalo (3-2). Saleh won’t lead them on that quest anymore. Jeff Ulbrich will.

On Tuesday, owner Woody Johnson named Ulbrich interim coach for the remainder of the season. He remains defensive coordinator and will call the defense.

Ulbrich’s first significant move was giving offensive play-calling duties to passing game coordinator Todd Downing. The Jets have been abysmal under Hackett. They’ve scored one touchdown or fewer in 15 of the 22 games that Hackett was the primary play-caller.

Downing, a former Titans offensive coordinator, will put an emphasis on the running game. The Jets rank last in rushing offense. Ulbrich and Downing believe in playing a physical style of football predicated on players winning their one-on-one matchups.

Ulbrich said he will be “unrelenting” on expecting that from the Jets.

“We’ve got to be assertive. We’ve got to play with confidence. We’ve got to run off the ball. We’ve got to play on our terms,” he said. “We can’t be afraid of mistakes and half-stepping. We’ve got to play this game on our terms. I’m very confident we’re going to see that Monday night.”

The offensive failures were the catalyst for change. The Jets have been a top-five defense the past two seasons and rank second this year. The offense has produced two touchdowns during the Jets’ two-game losing streak — and they had a chance to win both games.

Greg Zuerlein missed a potential game-winning field goal with less than a minute left against Denver two weeks ago. Rodgers threw three interceptions in last Sunday’s six-point loss in London, the last one at Minnesota’s 9-yard line with 44 seconds left.

In most situations, the offensive coordinator would be let go. Hackett’s close relationship with Rodgers had an impact. Rodgers probably wouldn’t be a Jet if they hadn’t hired Hackett last year. Saleh was the fall guy.

Most Jets players expressed shock and sadness for Saleh and felt some responsibility. Now they’re trying to rally together to steer the season back on track.

“We had a crack in our foundation that might have had some trickle-down effect,” linebacker C.J. Mosley said. “But it won’t tear down our house if we build it back up right, if we seal it up the right way.”

This was a wake-up call for everyone. Johnson said this is the most talented team he’s had in 25 years as owner. He expects the Jets to be a contender, but they haven’t looked or played like one.

“It’s definitely a reality check that we’re all in their eyes replaceable,” Garrett Wilson said.

Rodgers said: “The spotlight’s on the players now. You can change coaches, but we’re the ones out there on the field playing. So we got to play better.”

Coaches have been impressed with how everyone has responded and raised their level of focus. Downing said he’s been “blown away” by it all, including the support he’s received. Special-teams coordinator Brant Boyer, who is working for his fourth head coach with the Jets, is confident this team will rebound.

“You got a hell of a locker room down there,” Boyer said. “You got a group of coaches that aren’t going to shut it down or quit or anything like that. Everybody’s got dog in them in this building.”

Ulbrich said this week has been “a tornado” and that it’s time to turn the page.

“There definitely is an element of mourning, and ultimately Robert’s firing is on all of us,” Ulbrich said. “I think we have a collective group that are pointing the fingers at ourselves. We’re a part of that and we fell short in whatever we fell short. We’ve got to remedy that and we’ve got to remedy that now, Monday night.”

By Al Iannazzone

al.iannazzone@newsday.comAl_Iannazzone

Al Iannazzone covers the Jets for Newsday after spending nearly two decades on the NBA beat with Knicks and Nets.