The Jets still control their own fate, but that’s about where the good news ends.
They are now tied on top of the division with the Dolphins and Patriots, who both won on Sunday, while the Jets lost to the 49ers. But if the Jets win out, including beating the Dolphins in Week 17, they would win the tiebreaker with the Patriots and have a better record than Miami.
“We’re excited about it,” Dolphins head coach Tony Sparano told the Miami Herald after his team knocked off the Bills 16-3 in Toronto.
“It sounds like some of the moons lined up again here just a little bit for us. At the end of this whole thing, playing on the road, winning another football game – that was the most important thing of all.”
The bad news starts with the fact that that the Dolphins and Patriots both have easy schedules and the Jets likely will be forced to win out to win the AFC East. The Jets play host to the fading Bills, then travel to Seattle before the showdown with QB Chad Pennington and the Dolphins.
New England plays at Oakland, home vs. Arizona and ends its season in Buffalo.
“We have a chance,” cornerback Ellis Hobbs told the Boston Herald following a 24-21 comeback win in Seattle. “That’s what’s it’s really coming down to … these last three games. Everybody has to play like they’re the last downs. Because for this season, it is. For some, it may be the end. That’s how we’re all playing out here, like rookies trying to make the team.”
Miami plays host to the 49ers, then go to Kansas City before the showdown with the Jets.
The wild-card chances for any team that doesn’t win the AFC East is looking bleaker with each passing week. All three teams are one game back of the Ravens and Colts, who are at 9-4.
But if you are looking for one of these teams to fold, it would have to be the Ravens. Baltimore has a brutal upcoming stretch with games against the Steelers and Cowboys the next two weeks. But the Ravens do finish with the gave-up-on-the-season-a-month-ago Jaguars. The Colts, who are on a six-game winning streak, also play Jacksonville. That is sandwiched around games with the Lions this week and the Titans in the finale, who should’ve already locked up home-field advantage before their season finale in Indianapolis.
IF THE SEASON ENDED TODAY
WILD-CARD ROUND
(6) Ravens 9-4 at (3) Broncos 8-5
(5) Colts 9-4 at (4) Jets 8-5
FIRST-ROUND BYES
(1) Titans 12-1; (2) Steelers 10-3
IN THE MIX
Patriots 8-5
Dolphins 8-5