Rex Ryan says the Jets are much better, but the question remains: Are they good enough?

Sure, the Jets showed improvement in their overtime loss to the Patriots in Foxboro on Sunday. But improvement and getting back into the playoff hunt are two different things.

Mark Sanchez and the Jets stayed close to Tom Brady and the Patriots on Sunday, prompting Jets coach Rex Ryan to say his team is "much improved."(US Presswire)

On Monday, following the Jets' 29-26 overtime loss to the Patriots in Foxboro, coach Rex Ryan, while making his disappointment clear, found a silver lining.

"I will say this -- we're a much better team. We're playing much better as a football team than we were three weeks ago. We're just not there yet. We've got to keep going, get a little better. We've got to win these type games. That's what's got to drive our team."

On Sunday, the Jets were better than they were three weeks ago when they lost 34-0 to the 49ers. In that game, QB Mark Sanchez was 13 of 29 for 103 yards and one interception. Against the Patriots, Sanchez was 28 of 41 for 328 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

Against the Jets, the 49ers had a 54 percent conversion rate on third down. The Jets defense held the Patriots to 15 percent in that category.

Now at 3-4 overall and 2-1 in the AFC East, the Jets face another division rival next Sunday when the Dolphins come to down. The Dolphins (3-3 overall and 0-1 in the AFC East) currently reside in second place in the division, with the Jets in third. (The Patriots and Bills are in first and fourth respectively.)

With that in mind, Ryan stated unequivocally, "We've got to do something this week that we haven't done since I've been here and that's sweep Miami."

One thing that will help the Jets to continue to move forward is the return of some of their players from injuries. TE Dustin Keller, who missed four games with a hamstring injury, seems to be back to form. Against the Patriots, he had seven catches for 93 yards and a touchdown. WR Stephen Hill, who had critical drop on Sunday, nonetheless is back after also battling a hamstring injury. However, the Jets are still missing some critical pieces, especially on defense.

The returns of NT Sione Po'uha (back), NT Kenrick Ellis (knee) and S Eric Smith (knee) all remain uncertain.

Stay dialed in on the New York Jets by following correspondent Lisa Zimmerman on Twitter @CBSJets and @LisaZimmerman.