With negativity swirling around the Jets after back-to-back losses dropped them into a three-way tie for first in the AFC East, Brett Favre was the first player, publicly, to state where he thinks the team is headed.

"I expect to make the playoffs," Favre said yesterday. "I didn't expect us to lose the last two games. But I don't know if too many people expected us to win five straight; maybe our team did. So if we're able to win five straight and accept that, then we have to be willing to deal with these two games that we've lost and figure out a way to turn it around."

Favre acknowledged the ugliness of the losses to the Broncos and 49ers, but said the Jets are still in position to accomplish what they set out to do at the start of the season.

"The bottom line is we're 8-5 and we're tied for the division," Favre said. "So there's three games left. We can't worry about the remaining two. We have to worry about this one. It will be tough, obviously, especially based on the way we've played the last two weeks. But I expect to make the playoffs. I would hope that every guy in the locker room feels the same way. Why think any different?"

Told of Favre's gusto, nose tackle Kris Jenkins laughed. "You gotta go with what Brett says," Jenkins said. "Brett's the dude."

But he hasn't been the last two weeks. The Jets haven't come close to resembling the team that after a 34-13 win at Tennessee was being discussed as a Super Bowl contender and, Favre said, was probably "the toast of the town."

It has been the secondary getting toasted the last two weeks. Favre hasn't been much help, totaling 384 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions.

"People want to say, well, they figured out the short passing game or you guys can't throw deep," he said. "No one's figured out anything. It's a matter of execution."

Favre said the worst thing he or the team could do would be to "hit the panic button," though he knows quite a few on the outside have done that.

For a recent arrival, Favre has shown a fairly good grasp of the Jets' fan base. He understands, because he grew up a Saints fan.

"I never quite got to wearing a bag over my head, but I was close," Favre said. "Every time something went wrong, same old thing. And I was miserable. And I'm sure the Jets fans probably feel the same way as I did growing up a Saints fan."

So, with the exception of the word "same," Favre delivered the lament pretty accurately.

"Oh, there they go again, the old Jets," Favre said of the reaction the last two weeks. "I haven't read that but I'm assuming that's - why wouldn't you say that? I consider it a challenge ... I don't know what's going to happen. I really don't. I'm aware of what's happened here in the past for the most part. But to be quite honest, I don't care. I care about what's happening in the next three weeks. I care about what's happening this week."

Favre also understands he was brought in to lift the franchise out of "same old Jets" mode.

"I've always looked at myself as, if I'm on the field I give you an added edge," Favre said. "And that's not being cocky. I think every player should feel that way."

Sunday

Buffalo at Jets

1 p.m.

TV: Ch. 2

Radio: WEPN (1050), WABC (770), WRCN (103.9)