There is no standing still in the National Football League. There are no stagnant periods – teams are either moving forward or backward. With the Jets (2-4) set to host the Dolphins (0-5) Sunday at MetLife Stadium, veteran QB Geno Smith believes his team is on the right path.

"I'm very encouraged by the guys, the work ethic, the way that our coaches coach us, and ultimately just the spirit of this locker room because I think we're moving in the right direction," Smith said.

'Learning How to Win Together'
Smith, in his 13th NFL season, is confident and unflappable. Despite several significant early-season injuries on offense, Smith is completing 69% of his passes for 1,226 yards with 7 TDs and 1 INT. He led the offense to points on the opening drives each of the past two weeks and uncorked a 48-yard TD pass to rookie WR Omar Cooper Jr. on the Jets' first possession after halftime in their 26-19 loss last week against the Patriots in New England.

"There's a lot of things I'm encouraged about when it comes to the offense," Smith said. "We have a talented young group of guys, a talented team and we're developing that team chemistry and learning how to win together. I've been a part of some so-called rebuilds, but I know what it takes to build that not only camaraderie, but that winning attitude, winning mentality within your locker room.

"I think we're right at the cusp of it. I can recall when I first started in Seattle. We won nine games. Then we won nine games. Then we won 10 games and the next year was the Super Bowl. I wasn't on that team, but it was a build up to it. That's what happens in the NFL, is that it happens over the course of time, but we understand the urgency."

'More Guys the Merrier'
Through six games, Smith has proven he is the right guy at the right time for the Jets. He has experienced the flip with the Seahawks and now he is in position again to help set up a team for sustainable success. In the short-term, Smith could get a few key reinforcements back in the lineup including WR Adonai Mitchell, who has missed the past four games, LG Dylan Parham and RB Breece Hall, who have been out of the lineup the past three contests. Last week, Smith welcomed Cooper back and they connected 6 times for 103 yards.

"We know how important AD is to this offense," Smith said. "He's a big key to our offense and he's another guy. With all the playmakers that we have, when you have a guy like AD out there, he can stretch the field, he can be a possession guy. And I think him, Garrett [Wilson], Coop —t hey just present a lot of different challenges for the defense and so the more guys the merrier, but really would love to have him back."

The Jets' run game has picked up of late, but the offense would like to find more success in the red zone, on third down and with their 2-minute attack prior to halftime.

"The finish side of it, the killer instinct to be at your best when the drive is at a crucial moment," said Smith's top target, WR Garrett Wilson, who leads the AFC with 35 receptions.  "When it is third down, OK, nothing else matters on the rest of your drive if you don't convert this third down. And if you do get to the red zone, knowing that it's at a premium that we get into the end zone — not kick three or if the defense forces a turnover, get seven. Things like that, that I feel like we haven't taken advantage of the opportunities we've had so far, and it's come back to bite us when that game has ticked to triple zeros. You may not know it at the moment, but you can pinpoint a few moments, plays throughout each game where that tide turned and we have to find ourselves on that right side of the tide turning, being the dictators, controlling the game and not trying to hope it's going to come to us."

'It Starts With This One'
More than a third through the season, Smith, in his second stint with the Jets, is on pace to pass for 3,230 yards, 28 TDs and 2 INTs. Not only has he protected the ball, but he has made solid checks at the line of scrimmage to get the offense into better plays. He knows there will be more opportunities to show development in key areas.

"There will be more opportunities for us to really improve on the 2-minute offense," Smith said. "That's something that we're really, as players, taking ownership of and we know our coaches are doing the same. As a collective, we're working towards really improving in that area."

Smith will face a Dolphins squad that shifted gears in the offseason and is undergoing a youth movement under HC Jeff Hafley. The Fins rank 32nd in sacks (4), 29th in takeaways (4) and 28th in pass yards allowed/play (7.56). Rookie LB Jacob Rodriguez, a teammate of David Bailey's at Texas Tech, led the NFL in tackles prior to Miami's bye week.

"I think they present a great challenge," Smith said. "They've got a lot of young guys on the field, but they've been showing up making plays. We know with this head coach just his style of play — it's always going to show up on gameday and so they've had a few tough opponents and they've played them really well. We know what we have in front of us."

The game with the Dolphins is a big one because it's the next one, but the Jets can even their record inside the division at 1-1, move to 3-1 in the AFC and grab a second win in three games overall.

"Every game is important, but especially those division games," Smith said. "It's early in the season for us but now is around the time where things start to shape themselves up and so we know how important these games are coming down the stretch. But it starts with this one."