The New England Patriots dominated the New York Jets 45-3 in Foxboro, MA on Monday Night Football. Tom Brady looked awesome throwing four touchdown passes. The Pats defense had three interceptions. They scored quick. They did a lot of things right.
Now that this game is over we're starting to get a better look at the NFL playoff picture.
The AFC East now becomes the Patriots to lose. With the way they're playing, we gotta think they'll run the table and take the division. Don't worry, Jets. You'll make it too. The Jets now have a one-game lead over the Baltimore Ravens for the top wildcard spot. The AFC North has the Pittsburgh Steelers in first place, one game ahead of the Ravens. Both those teams have a good at making the playoffs. The AFC South will likely see one team in the playoffs in the Indianapolis Colts or Jacksonville Jaguars. The AFC West will likely go to the Kansas City Chiefs.
For fun, here's how the first round of the playoffs would go if they started today. The two byes would be the top two seeds in the AFC -- No.1 Patriots and No. 2 Steelers. The Chiefs would be No. 3 hosting the No. 6 Ravens at Arrowhead Stadium while the No. 5 Jets would travel to Jacksonville to play the No. 4 Jaguars.
A Chiefs first round victory would have them playing the Steelers in Pittsburgh.
The Jets vs. Patriots game only means a lot in form of home field advantage. No matter who won, the winner was expected to take the division and the loser the top wildcard. Of course, the difference between the two is huge. A wildcard would mean an extra game and a road game in the second round of the playoffs.