Jets loss gives Patriots new hope

Here's how things stand among playoff hopefuls in the AFC going into this Sunday:
1. Tennessee, 12-1 (clinched AFC South title)
2. Pittsburgh, 10-3
3. New York Jets, 8-5
4. Denver, 8-5
5. Indianapolis, 9-4 (8-2 in conference games)
6. Baltimore, 9-4 (7-3)
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7. Miami, 8-5 (6-4)
8. New England, 8-5 (5-5)

Before the Jets fell on their collective face against San Francisco on Sunday, the Patriots' playoff hopes were looking awfully bleak. Indianapolis has just kept rolling, and Baltimore hasn't shown many signs of letting up, either. (The Ravens do have to face the Pittsburgh Steelers this week and then travel to Dallas the week after; that could change everything.)

But thanks to the Jets' loss on Sunday, the Patriots don't have to settle for a wild card. With just a little bit more help -- OK, quite a bit more help -- they could sneak ahead of the Jets and Dolphins for a division title.

Here's how the AFC East breaks down:
1. New York Jets, 8-5 (3-1 in division games)
2. Miami, 8-5 (3-2 in division games)
3. New England, 8-5 (3-2 in division games)
4. Buffalo, 6-7 (hopeless in division games)

Since the Dolphins and Patriots split head-to-head and, at this point, have the same record in division games, the next tiebreaker is record against common opponents. The Dolphins are 6-1 in those games (Jets, Chargers, Broncos, Seahawks, Rams and Bills twice); the Patriots are 5-2.

If the Dolphins don't stumble against San Francisco or Kansas City, their trip to play the Jets at Giants Stadium might decide the division title. The best part about that game for the Patriots is that one of those two teams has to lose. If the Jets, who have lost two straight, lose at home against Buffalo or on the road at Seattle but then beat Miami at home, the Patriots only need to win out to clinch a division title.

If either the Jets or Dolphins win out, though, there's no hope of the Patriots winning the AFC East -- and they'll become big Ben Roethlisberger and Tony Romo fans over the next two weeks.