FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- The vibe that triggered the New York Jets' three-game winning streak was born in the unlikeliest of places -- the dumpy visitor's locker room in Oakland-Alameda Coliseum.

To hear the players tell it, they experienced a come-together moment at halftime of their Week 2 game against the Oakland Raiders. Team leaders spoke up, stressing the importance of unity, which they believe has fueled their surprising 3-2 start.

"That was a moment that was a turning point, where we could really see ourselves and how good we could be," linebacker Demario Davis said Monday. "I think that sparked something and we've been rolling with that momentum ever since."

If this were Hollywood, the Jets would have shocked the Raiders with an inspiring second-half performance, but that's not how it went down. Actually, they played poorly and got blown off the field, 45-20. In the fourth quarter, they had to endure the indignity of Marshawn Lynch's one-man dance party. They fell to 0-2, resembling a team on the verge of falling into its own black hole.

So, no, it's not the perfect story, but it's a true story. This isn't revisionist history because, in the aftermath of the defeat, many players were unusually positive. It seemed incongruous, considering how they'd been embarrassed. Some of their quotes and sound bites were mocked in the media. Unbeknownst to the outside world, they were articulating the tone that had been set at halftime.

"Guys were really together and we were stating good messages," defensive end Leonard Williams said. "It was the belief and the confidence, the unity that was there. You could feel it. We didn't end up winning that game, but that feeling that we had of unity in that locker room continued to stay with us.

"It's something we continued to use," he added. "It's a unity wave. We're on a unity wave of being with each other, playing for each other and playing hard and fast. We just have to keep riding that wave."

A colossal mistake late in the second quarter prompted the halftime pow-wow. The Jets had closed to within 14-10, feeling good about themselves against the heavily favored Raiders. They were hoping to go into halftime with a lead, but Kalif Raymond muffed a punt, setting up a gift touchdown for the Raiders.

The Jets didn't want to be defined by the butter fingers of a punt returner who would be fired two days later, so they talked about it and hung tough for most of the third quarter. The game got away from them over the final 18 minutes, but they emerged from the contest believing the scoreboard wasn't indicative of their worth as a team.

"I feel like it could've gone one of two ways," quarterback Josh McCown said. "With a young team, you can get real down and discouraged. Instead, it was upbeat and everybody from starters to backups, all different kinds of voices were being heard and being encouraging. I just think it was a good environment. Coaches just felt really connected with the group in there."

Since then, the Jets have gone 3-0, with a dominant win (Miami Dolphins), an almost-loss (Jacksonville Jaguars) and an ugly win (Cleveland Browns). Next up are the New England Patriots (3-2), who haven't played like defending Super Bowl champions but still command respect.

"They're scary because they're still winning," coach Todd Bowles said. "They're still the same Patriots. You have to knock them off the ladder. They're the kings of the division right now. They won the Super Bowl. We have to come out and work on us and play hard and go into the game and try and compete and win."

If the Jets can somehow beat the Patriots and make something special out of a season that had seemed lost before it started, the turning point will be those 12 minutes in the Oakland locker room. As Bowles said, "I think they came together as a team on that day."