FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — With the team stuck in a three-game losing streak, the secondary in tatters and the quarterback cursing out fans, New York Jets coach Rex Ryan should have been in an awful mood Wednesday afternoon.

However, Ryan’s spirits were lifted by watching the New England Patriots absorb a 41-14 pounding by the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday night.

Ryan wasted no time mocking Patriots coach Bill Belichick, who redirected the conversation from Monday’s loss by repeating the words “We’re on to Cincinnati” at least a half-dozen times during his press conference Wednesday.

“On to San Diego,” Ryan said with a grin in opening his own press conference.

Ryan directly benefited from the Patriots’ loss, which kept the free-falling Jets one game out of first place in an AFC East that may redefine mediocrity this season.

The Jets have no secondary and may have no quarterback, but Brady looks every day of his 37 years, the Buffalo Bills just changed quarterbacks, and Miami coach Joe Philbin openly entertained the idea last week of benching quarterback Ryan Tannehill, which means the Dolphins are as dysfunctional as ever.

Of course, the Patriots, Bills and Dolphins, despite their problems, are all 2-2 apiece, which puts them one game ahead of the Jets. And the myriad of issues facing the Jets means Ryan isn’t ready to daydream of moving into a four-way tie for first place as early as Sunday night.

“It’s easy for me to say, ‘Well, don’t look at the standings’ — yeah, because we are at the bottom of it,” Ryan said. “It is early, and we just have to take care of our business. We have to find ways to win or it’s not going to matter.”

The Jets need to find a way beginning Sunday, when they visit the San Diego Chargers, who have won three straight and are looking like a legitimate AFC contender under revitalized quarterback Philip Rivers.

“It’s a different offense, you are not seeing quite the vertical passing game like you have seen maybe out of (former coach) Norv Turner,” Ryan said. “They are not pushing it down the field as much, even though they had some deep shots this past week (against the Jacksonville Jaguars). But (Rivers) is getting the ball out of his hand quick. He is smart. He is competitive. He is tougher than heck. He has always had those traits.

“He has been a great player this year, last year, the year before; as long as he has been playing, he is a great player.”

When it comes to his own quarterback, Ryan would gladly take one great game out of Geno Smith. The second-year signal-caller has grown increasingly embattled during the team’s three-game losing streak, a stretch in which he committed numerous rookie-type mistakes and grew increasingly testy about criticism from fans and reporters alike.

Ryan continues to support Smith, but the coach has to know the chants for backup quarterback Michael Vick will only grow louder if Smith struggles again this week. For what it’s worth, Ryan said Wednesday the possibility of having to make a midgame quarterback switch hadn’t entered his mind.

“I think (Smith) will finish the game,” Ryan said. “I think Geno will play well. I think our whole team will play well.”

And if not? Even continued woes for the Patriots won’t be able to cheer up Ryan.