The scoreboard watching has begun for the Jets.
After a statement-making 34-13 win over the previously undefeated Titans on Sunday, the Jets found out that almost all the playoff contenders in the AFC won their games, too.
This after the Steelers kept their current hold on the No. 2 seed with a win over the Bengals on Thursday.
The Patriots showed they will not go quietly, handling the Dolphins in Miami to stay within one game of the Jets in the AFC East.
Good news, in some form, will come from the scoreboard this Sunday, when the Steelers and Patriots play each other, giving the Jets an edge over one or the other, as long as the Jets defeat the Broncos in the Meadowlands.
“The one thing that we consistently talk about is each win allows the next game to be that much more important,” Eric Mangini said. “What we’ve done to this point is we’ve won eight games. That’s really where we’re at.”
Two other red-hot teams with championship pedigrees kept pace: The Colts won their fourth in a row, 23-20 over the Chargers, and the Ravens won their fifth in six, overwhelming the Eagles, 36-7.
With the one-loss Titans on top of the conference, and likely headed for the No. 1 seed, the Jets find themselves in a mix with eight teams that have three, four or five losses.
“It’s a five game season,” Mangini said. “Every game becomes that much more important.”
Here’s a look at the strength of the remaining schedules for AFC teams with four or fewer losses:
Colts (7-4) remaining opponents: 19-35-1
Titans (10-1) remaining opponents: 23-32
Jets (8-3) remaining opponents: 23-32
Patriots (7-4) remaining opponents: 26-29
Ravens (7-4) remaining opponents: 27-27-1
Steelers (8-3) remaining opponents: 35-20
IF THE SEASON ENDED TODAY:
WILD-CARD ROUND
(6) Ravens at (3) Jets
(5) Colts at (4) Broncos
FIRST-ROUND BYES
(1) Titans; (2) Steelers