Mourinho's men coughed up a two-goal lead at Hull City on Sunday but responded to win 3-2 and maintain their six-point advantage at the top of the table.
Terry lauded the approach of his team, who have bounced back well following their UEFA Champions League exit at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain earlier in March.
"Showing the character is what we have been about for years and this season too. I'm delighted for us to come back and win the game," he said.
"When you set the standard so high as we have done from the word go, then start dropping points at home and go out of the Champions League, once again it comes back down to character.
"It's immense in the dressing room, there is an awful lot of experience in there. It will serve the younger lads well, too.
"It was an important three points at Hull going into the international break. For everyone to dwell over that for two weeks was massive.
"We showed great character. The importance of the win showed on the players' faces and manager's afterwards."
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