OK, we’ve established these Bills aren’t the modern equivalent of the Joe Montana 49ers but they do represent a significant barrier to the Jets.

A win over the Bills and the Jets are back to .500.

Now, coach Eric Mangini may argue otherwise but there is a psychological step taken if the Jets return to .500 at their first opportunity. Two-two is a long way from 0-2, especially considering it would come with two AFC East victories.

“I think the important thing is just to focus on that game,’’ Mangini said today. “I know when we were in New England in, I believe it was 2001, Bill (Belichick, in case you’ve forgotten) showed some horse race. I can’t remember which one it was but at the midway point he asked a question: `Who’s in front?’ Four or five guys raised their hand, `No. 14.’ He said, `It doesn’t matter.’ It really doesn’t matter. What matters is who finishes first at the end. That, to me, summarizes the approach, whether it’s a two-game winning streak, a two-game losing streak, five game, whatever it is, the important thing is the next game, taking care of that, and then see how the race finishes at the end.’’

Point taken.

Here’s the counterpoint:

“Getting back to even ground, that would mean a lot,’’ wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery said. “Obviously, you don’t want to be 1-3, fighting an uphill battle. We can get back to that even keel and continue to make progress that we’ve been making instead of playing catch up.’’

The coaches and players either don’t allow themselves, in the former’s case, or are not allowed to look ahead. That’s the great thing about not being on the team. We can do whatever we want.

If the Jets do win at Buffalo, they’re then looking at games against the Giants and Eagles, both at Giants Stadium and both teams they beat in the preseason. That means nothing other than there will be some recognition those Sundays, though the Jets-Eagles preseason game, the fourth, has virtually no resemblence to what may happen in the regular season.

Three wins in this stretch would be 4-2. At the worst, you’ve got to figure the Jets go to Cincinnati Oct. 21 at 3-3. Last year, the Jets were at 4-4 before finishing 10-6. That’s not likely to be doable this season with a late-game stretch of four on the five on the road or, in a subset, a five-game stretch that includes games against the Steelers, Cowboys and Patriots.

In other words, the Jets can’t afford to let games like Sunday at Buffalo and next week against the Giants, slip away.

An interesting sidenote to the Bills game, by the way, is the dual return to upstate New York of tight ends Sean Ryan and Joe Kowalewski. Ryan is from Buffalo, having attended St. Joseph’s High School while Kowalewski is from Warners, right outside Syracuse, where he attended Solvey High School before playing for the Orange. Syracuse is 2-3 hour drive from Buffalo, depending on how fast you cruise west on the Thruway and Kowalewski told me he’s going to have about 10 family members at the game.

Kowalewski was active last week against the Dolphins while Ryan did not dress. The previous week in Baltimore, Ryan was active while Kowalewski was not. I know both are desperate to be active against the Bills.

Elsewhere, today, when we got out to the practice field, Mangini was having a long discussion with Dr. Elliot Pellman. I couldn’t read lips and the music was blaring. Foiled again.