In the middle of Week 4 of the NFL season, the New York Giants are sitting 2-2 after an impressive 45-14 win over the Washington Redskins on Thursday Night Football, and the New York Jets are 1-3 after Sunday’s 24-17 loss to the Detroit Lions.

Eli Manning and the Giants’ offense has been rolling for the past two games, while Jets fans slowly begin to question Geno Smith and the Jet’s defense. One month ago, towards the end of preseason, no one expected to see a dangerous Giants offense after a 2013 season which saw Eli Manning throw 27 interceptions.

Also at this time, the Jets were being talked up as a defensive powerhouse with expectations to shake up the postseason with a two-headed monster at running back. At this point in the season where the legitimate teams separate from the “almost-there’s” and wannabes, both New York teams are at very important points in their 2014-2015 campaigns.

Coming off a night where Eli goes 28-39 for 300 yards with 4 touchdowns through the air, 1 interception, and 1 rushing touchdown, the Giants are rolling. Still without 2014 first-round draft pick wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., Manning threw 3 of his 4 touchdown passes to tight end Larry Donnell, who has become a major target for Eli. The Giants’ Defense–without Pro-Bowl middle linebacker Jon Beason–intercepted Redskin’s quarterback Kirk Cousins four times and recovered 2 fumbles, leading the Giants to their 35 point win.

Coming off this performance, the Giants’ team looks promising–entirely different from their Week 1 loss to the Detriot Lions. Eli and the rest of the west coast offense are almost completely in sync and will continue to move the ball once Odell Beckham Jr. returns from his hamstring injury which has delayed his NFL debut. Upon his return, the Giants will be able to spread the field more and further open up wide receivers Victor Cruz and Reuben Randle.

With running back Rashad Jennings breaking out as the starting back, the Giants offense is primed to put up big points in upcoming games. The defense has looked shaky at best in zone coverage, often allowing big plays due to blown coverages and assignment mistakes, but when playing man-to-man, the cornerback duo of Domique-Rodgers Cromartie and Prince Amukumara are at peak performance.

Expectations are up, and with both sides of the ball gaining extreme momentum, the Giants are looking like the team that fans were hoping to see. Though, it is clear that until the Jets’ defensive secondary improves, the team will not be able to defeat top teams in the league.

The Jets’ defensive line and front seven are one of the league’s top defensive units, but the group behind them are being constantly exposed by opposing quarterbacks. With Calvin Johnson being limited on Sunday, the Jets were given a huge opportunity to steal a game against a highly skilled offense, but instead allow Matt Stafford to throw 2 touchdowns and Golden Tate to go for 116 receiving yards on 8 receptions. Once again, the Jets found themselves down by one touchdown with the ball late in the game, and failed to convert. This has occurred in each of the three losses this season and until this is solved, the Jets will not be able to win close games, which playoff caliber teams must be experts at.

Until the secondary improves and the offense learns to convert late in the game, ambitions that the Jets will both make and succeed in the playoffs must be put to rest, especially with the next three games coming against the Chargers, Broncos, and Patriots, all with elite quarterbacks ready to expose the Jets’ secondary. Before you know it, the Jets could be 1-6 with Michael Vick starting at quarterback, with postseason hopes out of the window.

Heading into Week 5 of the NFL season, the Giants play at 1:00 pm on Sunday, October 5 at home against Matt Ryan, Julio Jones, and the 2-2 Atlanta Falcons, while the Jets travel to San Diego to play Philip Rivers and the Chargers. With the Giants season looking up and the Jets’ trending down, it is only going to get tougher from here.