It took everything the New England Patriots had to put the New York Jets to bed in Sunday’s AFC East divisional matchup. The lullaby came in the form of a game-winning punt returned for an 84-yard touchdown by Patriots rookie defensive back Marcus Jones.
It was nothing but a trail of smoke once Jones turned on the burners and blazed into the end zone to ultimately ice the game.
The win helped the Patriots improve to 6-4 and move into third place in the AFC East divisional standings. More importantly, they also jumped in the AFC playoff rankings.
With the Jets losing and the Patriots winning their third straight game, here’s where New England would stand if the season ended today.
1. Kansas City Chiefs (8-2)
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2. Miami Dolphins (7-3)
Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
3. Tennessee Titans (7-3)
Dan Powers-USA TODAY Sports
4. Baltimore Ravens (7-3)
Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
5. Buffalo Bills (7-3)
Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports
6. New England Patriots (6-4)
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7. Cincinnati Bengals (6-4)
David Dermer-USA TODAY Sports
8. New York Jets (6-4)
Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports
9. Los Angeles Chargers (5-5)
Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports
10. Indianapolis Colts (4-6-1)
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