It stretched their unbeaten league run to six games, with 16 points taken from the last 18 on offer.
While Jewell is enjoying Latics' current lofty status, he is still keeping a sharp eye on the other end of the table.
He reiterated the main aim this season was to reach the 40-point safety mark and that the good start was pushing them towards it.
Jewell said: "We know we are going to be in a dogfight this year so it is good to get points on the board early on.
"That is not playing things down, that is the way we see it here. The start we've had is better than we expected, there is no doubt about that.
"But we've gone into every game, including Chelsea, expecting to win, and the players deserve an awful lot of credit.ince the defeat at Charlton in August, we have shown great character, and plenty of ability by the way.
"We know it is going to be a long, tough winter, but we are 16 points nearer to the goal where we want to be.
"We aren't an easy side to play against and know we aren't the best team in the world, but if anyone outworks us, fair play to them."
Jason Roberts' 40th-minute goal separated the sides on Saturday, with Newcastle coming closest to an equaliser in the second half when Alan Shearer's header was cleared off the line – or possibly behind it – by Leighton Baines.
Latics were forced to play the last few minutes with 10 men after Lee McCulloch was sent-off for a foul on Belozoglu Emre – serious foul play according to referee Phil Dowd.
Jewell said: "It was a great goal from Jason. There was some good football leading to it, a great ball through by Damien Francis, and although it took its time going in, it was a good finish.
"I thought we deserved our victory for our endeavour.
"Newcastle had more of the ball than us, but we said to them 'break us down' and they didn't do that.
"We had to dig in at the end and were down to 10 men for the last eight or nine minutes after Lee went.
"But overall I thought we restricted Newcastle to just putting the ball into the box and they didn't get behind us too often. We had to drop quite deep because we knew we couldn't play against Michael Owen on the halfway line."
Of McCulloch's dismissal which will keep him out of the next three games, Jewell felt referee Mr Dowd might have been a bit harsh.
And while the appeal procedure is open to them, the manager doubted they would go down that path.
He said: "Missing Lee for three matches for something like that is going to hurt us but that's life. It was a silly tackle and I thought it was a definite booking.
"But to send him off, perhaps there is a question mark against that. Their boy was never injured by the challenge.
"I think we will be wasting our time by appealing it. I'll have a look at it on video, but I don't hold out too much hope."
Meanwhile, Jewell rebuked Henri Camara for storming off down the tunnel after being subbed during the second half.
The striker headed straight for the dressing room instead of taking his seat in the dugout.
Jewell said: "I think Henri has shown his team-mates a little bit if disrespect there.
"I'm disappointed in Henri but that is all I want to say about it."