CLEVELAND -- Three. In. A. Row.

The New York Jets stamped themselves as one of the NFL's biggest surprises, outlasting the winless Browns -- and their own ineptitude -- for a 17-14 victory on Sunday at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Jets (3-2) are in a three-way tie for first place in the AFC East and have their first three-game winning streak since 2015, raising expectations from zero to a few notches above zero.

"It sounds like that's how it's supposed to be," cornerback Morris Claiborne said with a small smile.

Obviously, it wasn't supposed to be anything like this. This was supposed to be the Year of the Tank, but the Jets have flipped the tank upside down.

"For us, it's not [shocking]," linebacker Jordan Jenkins said. "I know that pisses off a lot of people in this country because I guarantee, nobody had us being tied with anybody for first, second or third. It's shocking to them, but we knew we could be in this position."

Buy in at your own risk. The Jets aren't that good, but they're a gritty group that -- unlike last year's team -- doesn't fold at the first sign of adversity. They struggled for three quarters against the hapless Browns (0-5), showing absolutely nothing on offense, but they made a few big plays, and that was enough.

If Sam Darnold watched this game from his apartment on the USC campus, he might have entertained serious thoughts about returning to school next season. (He might anyway.) The Jets and Browns staged some serious ugly. The Jets rushed for only 34 yards (a week after 256), were outgained by a 2-to-1 margin and committed nine penalties, which gives them 29 in the past three games.

Coach Todd Bowles warned his players during the week not to underestimate the Browns, but they did. They actually trailed in the third quarter, 7-3, but they rallied behind quarterback Josh McCown (two touchdown passes) and a defense that made three takeaways and stuffed the Browns on a fourth-and-2 at their 4-yard line.

The fourth-down stop, spearheaded by Jenkins, energized the offense. On the ensuing series, the Jets orchestrated their version of The Drive -- eight plays, 97 yards and a touchdown, a 24-yard reception by Jermaine Kearse. If this season develops into something, it'll be easy to look back on that sequence -- a great example of complementary football.

"It was huge," McCown said. "It's the old saying: Be at your best when your best is needed."

McCown was 6-for-6 on the drive, connecting with five different receivers. On third-and-2, he found the one-armed tight end -- Eric Tomlinson -- for 34 yards. (Tomlinson played with a bulky brace on his elbow.) That drive said everything about the 2017 Jets, no-name guys getting the job done.

Now McCown owns the first three-game winning streak in his career as a starter, which is mind-boggling for a 38-year-old, and the Jets have momentum as they prepare for the New England Patriots (3-2) -- a home game that has significance in the AFC East standings. How surprising is that?

"We haven't done anything," said the stoic Bowles, trying to keep it in perspective.

It'll be a step up in competition. Are the Jets good enough to hang with the big boys? We'll see, but give them credit for making some clutch plays to beat the doormat of the league. Claiborne made a huge interception, rookie safety Marcus Maye made a red zone interception (his first career pick) and Austin Seferian-Jenkins scored a touchdown -- the first touchdown by a Jets tight end since 2015.

Strange game.

Strange season.