Well, then. Now that almost 48 full hours have passed and all of us have likely caught our breath, we can examine more clearly and coherently then Patriots stirring, improbable, 23-20 win over the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Championship. The win, which sends the Pats to their seventh Super Bowl and fifth under the magical tandem of Bill Belichick and Tom Brady (the most of any QB/coach combo of all time), was maddening, scintillating, ugly, glorious and completely perplexing, sometimes all at once. The Pats won with defense and physicality and if you had that one down headed into the game, I’ve got some lottery numbers for you to play (I’ll throw in a healthy commission for your trouble), with Brady playing one of his worst games of the season and the team losing three turnovers but somehow getting away with it. Multiple defensive guys had huge days and when you take that, some strong, powerful running by the Law Firm of BenJarvus Green-Ellis, more of the same mental toughness this team has shown all year and at least a spoonful of luck (fear not, we’ll get to the missed, 32-yard field goal, also known as the biggest gag job I’ve ever seen), it all adds up to a trip to the big game 12 days from now in Indianapolis. So with that, let’s get to this week’s report card, all dressed up and ready for the dance.

OFFENSE: C+
Quarterbacks: C
Before we go any further, let’s get this out of the way: Brady is as tough, if not tougher than any QB in the NFL. On his fourth quarter, one-yard TD plunge, he was upside down in midair when he was blasted in the kidneys and lower back by the helmet and shoulder pads of none other than Ravens all-time linebacker Ray Lewis. And not only did he hold on to the ball, securing the points that would prove to be the difference in the game, he got right up, spiked the ball Gronk-styles and jogged to the sideline. It hurt just watching that play but if Brady was affected, no one either in Gillette Stadium or watching the game on TV knew it. Now, bearing that in mind, Brady pretty much sucked otherwise, just as he said on the podium after the game. He routinely missed open receivers. He was skittish and happy footed at times. He threw two interceptions and had two other ones nullified by penalties. His fourth quarter pick, one play after Brandon Spikes made one of the plays of the game, on which he needlessly forced a bomb into double coverage (intended for Matthew Slater of all people) was something you would never in your wildest dreams imagine seeing him do let alone in the fourth quarter of the AFC Championship with a three-point lead. He finished 22-of-36 for 239 yards (6.6 YPA), zero TDs (the first time that’s happened in the playoffs since the 2002 AFC Championship game in Pittsburgh) and the two picks, all good for a woeful 57.5 passer rating. He was outplayed by Ravens QB Joe Flacco (??!!). But hey, the Pats won and if we know Brady,, who tied Joe Montana for the most post-season wins by a QB of all time, this performance will motivate him to no end come Feb. 5. Let’s chalk this one up to a fluke, an aberration, a one-time thing. There’s still no one Pats fans would rather have.

Running Backs: B
Green-Ellis was a big factor all day despite splitting reps almost completely evenly with Danny Woodhead. It was a vintage, head down, straight ahead running kind of day for the Law Firm, who pounded his way to 68 yards and a TD on 15 carries. On one play, he got his helmet completely twisted around and ripped off, forcing him to go to the ground coconut unprotected, yet another display of the team’s overall toughness Most of the Pats success running the ball came on draws out of the shotgun with the Ravens D spread out and expecting the pass; the more traditional stuff was swallowed up with relative ease. But Benny did his part and then some. Woodhead was quiet save for once nice draw and Aaron Hernandez failed to replicate his monstrous efforts out of the backfield from the Divisional round win over Denver. And our binky Stevan Ridley sat this one out after fumbles in consecutive games, though given the Pats opponent in the Super Bowl, the New York Giants, he will likely be needed. The Giants have a ferocious pass rush and the Pats would be wise to run the ball a healthy amount in order to help neutralize it. On Sunday, Benny looked like he’ll be up to that challenge.

Wide Receivers: B-
This one was mostly the Wes Welker show again, with Deion Branch making two catches for 18 yards and everyone else doing mostly nothing (Julian Edelman caught one pass for eight yards). Welker had a couple of missteps (one drop, one slip, one deflection that turned into a pick that was luckily wiped out by a penalty) but was still his usual, dependable self. He finished with six catches for 53 yards, got the snot beaten out of him once again and naturally, a couple of his grabs resulted in enormously important first downs. At this point, as has been the case for several weeks now, Welker pretty much is the receiving corps. Any time Branch can put up an effort like last week against the Broncos (three catches, 85 yards, that amazing, 61-yard TD), it’s a bonus. This is Welker’s group. Everyone else (except Chad Ochocinco who may as well get cut before the Super Bowl if for no other reason than that he’ll be a distraction on Media Day getting asked over and over again why he is so awful, he doesn’t even dress for the biggest game of the year) is just renting.

Tight Ends: B+
Not quite the usual game-breaking day for A-Herb or Rob Gronkowski but solid nonetheless. Once again, the focal point of the Pats offense, they combined for 12 catches and 153 yards, though neither of them found the end zone. Gronk, who suffered a rough looking ankle injury late in the game but returned after missing just nine snaps, was immense in other areas than just catching the ball as he often is, at one point absolutely destroying Ravens pass rushing demon Terrell Suggs while staying home to block. And his first play back after leaving because of that ankle? He’s throwing a key block on Brady’s TD leap. These two guys are monsters, as we all know. But now that we’ve reached the final game, the biggest game, maybe we should look at them in the bigger picture. The bottom line is, in an amazing, exhilarating season filled with major moments and major performances, Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez have become the most important cogs in the Pats offensive machine whose names are not Tom Brady. And they’re both just in their second year. Unbelievable.

Offensive Line: A
Have to hand it to Matt Light; in what is probably the best season of his career, he just keeps getting better and better. Every week, it seems, there’s some stud, maniac pass rusher on his side and every week, that stud, maniac pass rusher is rendered an afterthought. On Sunday, it was Suggs, who had 14 sacks during the regular season and has garnered some sincere talk about being named Defensive Player of the Year. Against Light, he had two tackles. Period. That’s two. No sacks. Maybe once, he got within a yard and a half of Brady. And that’s it. The O-line is the core of this team and on Sunday, it stepped up and then some. And not just Light, either. Brian Waters, the best free agent signing this team has made in quite some time, was tasked with bottling up Ravens nose man Haloti Ngata and did just that. Logan Mankins once again shook off his late season knee injury to play a complete, spotless game. Nate Solder had the only blemish, getting beaten to the outside and allowing Baltimore’s only sack to someone named Paul Kruger, not exactly one of the Ravens big names on D. It was a fantastic performance and one that will certainly need to be duplicated in the Super Bowl against the Giants pass rush. The O-line’s inability to handle that same front four in Super Bowl XLII was one of the biggest reasons the Pats lost that game. If Sunday against the Ravens similarly fearsome D is any indication, this time around, this group will be ready.

DEFENSE: B+
Defensive Line: A
Anyone out there own a Vince Wilfork jersey? Cause I’ll buy it off you. That’s how valuable that thing has to be after Sunday. Wilfork, one of the best, most important Pats of the past decade, played the game of his life against the Ravens, making plays against the run and the pass, wreaking havoc and at one crucial point late in the fourth quarter, single-handedly taking over. On the Ravens second to last possession of the night, with a third-and-3 from his team’s 30, he blasted through the line to wrap up Baltimore’s star back Ray Rice with one arm, dragging him to the turf with one arm for a three-yard loss (a massive stupid play call by the Ravens by the way, but that’s another conversation). The Ravens then decided to go for it rather than try a 50-yard field goal (a decision that obviously makes a hell of a lot of sense now), so Big Vince simply steamrolled center Matt Birk right into Flacco’s grill, taking the QB to his knees while still carrying the giant O-lineman, forcing Flacco to lob the ball to no one and turn the ball over on downs. It was the most dominant sequence any Pats defensive player has displayed in ages when you factor in the situation and circumstances. And it’s fitting that Wilfork, one of the longest tenured, core members of the organization, was responsible for it. And that’s not even getting into some of the stuff he did earlier in the game, which he ended with the following stat line: six tackles, three for a loss, one sack, and another hit on the QB. And he did it all while missing just three of 73 snaps. Outstanding. Everyone else up front played well too; Mark Anderson got pressure on Flacco a fair amount of times and played the run well. Brandon Deaderick plugged up space and both Gerard Warren and Kyle Love played roles in holding Rice, who came in leading the league in total yards from scrimmage, to just 67 yards on 22 carries and only one catch for 11 yards. When this group plays this well and is able to physically overmatch its opponent, it takes so much pressure off of the secondary and makes life easier for everyone. It’s hard to imagine them doing that any better than they did on Sunday.

Linebackers: B
Good for Brandon Spikes. He’s still working his way back from that knee injury suffered against the Giants the last time they played the Pats, but man are his fresh legs a wonder. He made nine tackles on Sunday, a huge part of the defense slowing down the Rice and the Ravens rushing attack. But his finest moment, as well as what was for about three minutes the play of the game, came on a passing play. Spikes intercepted a fourth quarter Flacco pass by simply staying in his land, trailing the tight end as underneath help for the safety and making an awesomely athletic play, extending one of his big paws just enough to snag the darted throw and reel it in. It was a sensational interception; not only did it come out of almost nowhere and was it such a cool display of athleticism, but the timing was perfect. It’s great to see Spikes make plays like that when he gets to stay on the field in passing situations. He’s getting closer to becoming an all-around backer. If he can stay healthy and out of trouble, watch out. Jerod Mayo was solid, not great and that seems to be his M.O., which is OK. He made a couple of big hits and looked very impactful at times yet was doing the chasing, flailing thing a couple times too. It was a mostly typical day for him. And Rob Ninkovich continued to be the second coming of Mike Vrabel; he got to Flacco once (along with James Ihedigbo) and was great against the run, combining with Anderson to do good work taking away the edges. And Dane Fletcher was active and aggressive in limited time. The Pats defense is healthy and coming together at the most opportune time possible. The linebacking corps is no exception.

Defensive Backs: A-
Go ahead, try to start an argument on this one. If you think that more attention should be paid to Flacco playing one of the best games of his career (22-of-36, 306 yards, two TDs, 95.4 passer rating) and torching the secondary down the stretch than to Sterling Moore’s two season-saving plays, more power to you. Because if Moore hadn’t knocked away a sure TD pass to Lee Evans on Baltimore’s second to last defensive play of the day (a play on which Evans was completely complicit) or broken up what would have been a first down throw to tight end Dennis Pitta on the next play, we wouldn’t be having this little chat. Moore was almost as much a hero on this day as Wilfork and more power to him. He’s yet another one of Belichick’s collection of undrafted, unheralded, never-heard-of DBs who rose above the rest of them to become one of the biggest reasons this team is going to the Super Bowl. Gotta love it. Things were OK elsewhere despite the yardage totals and the Ravens success on third down (nine of their last 14); Patrick Chung wore the goat horns on a 42-yard pass play to Ravens deep threat Torrey Smith. Kyle Arrington missed a chunk of time with an eye injury, but was pretty good. Devin McCourty saw more time at safety and also could share some blame on that throw to Smith (as well as a 29-yard catch and run for a TD also by Smith) but managed to make it through another week without humiliating himself. Ihedigbo had that sack with Ninkovich on a nifty, delayed blitz and added eight tackles including one for a loss. And Edelman got matched up with the Ravens best receiver Anquan Boldin, and was burned more than once but completely lucked out that Baltimore’s offensive coaches were too stupid recognize the matchup until the final five minutes. It’s going to be interesting to see how this group deals with the Giants receivers, two of whom (Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz) are absolute studs (and for the purposes of this discussion, let’s say interesting means terrifying). But we’ll worry about that next week. For now, let’s continue to celebrate Moore. What a couple of huge, huge plays. Hallelujah.

Special Teams: C
Yikes. In what could have been a disaster, Woodhead fumbled a kick return at his own 30 following a long Ravens TD drive that gave them their first lead of the game. Luckily for him, the Pats defense came up with one of its best, stiffest stops of the evening afterward, keeping the Ravens from a first down and forcing them into a field goal that made the game 20-16, setting the stage for the Pats to reclaim the lead on their next possession. There was Woody again on the ensuing kick, running another one back, which was a big surprise, especially seeing as how Ridley had been banished for his fumble-itis and neither of those were half as costly. Anyway, it was a huge bullet dodged. The Pats have been pretty much nowhere in their return game all year but have gotten away with it. You have to wonder if Woody will be back there again next Sunday in Indy. As for the kicking game, Stephen Gostkowski was 3-for-3 on field goals and only had one kickoff returned all day and our man Zoltan blasted two punts for an average of just under 50 yards per. Job well done.

Coaching: B+
Maybe this grade should be a bit lower. Some of the play calling, particularly down the stretch, was questionable and that’s being friendly. The bomb to Slater made little sense at the time, even less so when it was picked off. And when the Pats got the ball back following the Ravens failed, fourth down conversion attempt, they went three-and-out with a chance to salt the game away, with a couple of real head-scratchers (a toss play to Benny on 2nd and 4?) included. But in the end, this grade is a testament to how ready Belichick had this defense ready to play. The Pats were on their heels on defense all year but allowed just 30 points in two playoff games and had guys making plays everywhere both weeks. There may not have been too many name guys out there, especially in the secondary, but they were Belichick’s guys, tough guys, guys who took his coaching and got better every single week. And now, the Pats have won 10 straight games and are going back to the Super Bowl. It’s pretty unreal. We could harp some more on the play-calling. Or we could do a comparison with the coaching on the Ravens sideline (so so poor in the fourth quarter in so many ways that it warrants its own 3,000 word column). But why bother? This season was arguably the best job of Belichick’s career. Let’s just leave it at that.

It is ridiculously easy to be hypercritical.

Anyone can do it. People of questionable intelligence can make an incredible living off it by hosting sports talk radio shows. It’s also a no-lose proposition, which is why so many of them do it.

Here’s a little tip for you aspiring sports media professionals out there. Pick against the local team far more than you do for them. Why? You can’t lose. If the team loses, you can sit there all smug and talk about how YOU predicted this. YOU saw this coming. If the team wins, no one cares, because they’re so happy that the team has won. See how simple it is? I’m not advocating a Fred Smerlas-like streak of picking the Patriots to win every game for 10 straight years here, but I’m saying if there is any doubt on a game, pick the home team to lose.

This also applies when analyzing the moves and decisions of the team, especially when done so in hindsight. Facts are facts, right? When looking long-term, again, it is to your benefit to pick failure. It is very hard to win in the NFL, and the odds are in your favor if you predict that a team will suffer a playoff loss. You can be as edgy and critical and negative as you want, because the chances are good that the team will not win the Super Bowl every year, and if they do, again, no one is likely to call you out on it.

So many people believe that the term objective actually means critical or negative. Only the “objective” folks see the flaws and mistakes made. Anyone who attempts to point out silly things like wins and losses, or to point out things are were done well or correctly, are labeled “fanboys.” It’s just how it is these days.

It used to be that supporting and rooting for a team and giving it your unwavering support was considered loyal. Now if you do that, you’re just a simpleton “fanboy” who roots for laundry and can’t think for himself.

Despite all that you’ve heard or read in recent weeks/months/years, the Patriots are still a very good football team. They actually do make some decisions and moves that are correct and good for the team. Contrary to the opinions of some, they do have an idea of what they’re doing down there. (Wait – I can hear it already - They haven’t won a playoff game in four years!!!!!! – which is true.) Again, I want to point out that it is HARD to win in the NFL. The other teams are getting paid and want to win too. Did you know that the San Francisco 49ers, in the midst of their great run in the 1980′s, with Joe Montana at his peak, lost in the first round THREE years in a row? Had Bill Walsh lost it? They came back and won back-to-back Super Bowls. It’s not unheard of for a very good team to lose in the postseason. Lets have a little perspective here.

The Patriots currently sit at 6-3 on the season, having completed the most arduous part of their schedule. With the injury to Texans QB Matt Schaub, the AFC is wide open. The Patriots are in a position to once again be one of the top seeds in the conference. Tom Brady has struggled at times this season, the defense has been dreadful statistically, yet they’re still wining. They must be doing something right. In the spirit of trying to counter some of the overwhelming negativity out there, let’s look at a few things the team has actually done right this season.

1.) Signing Andre Carter

While the trade for Albert Haynesworth and the signing of Shaun Ellis got much more attention, Carter has been perhaps the Patriots best defensive player thus far. His nine sacks in nine games have given the Patriots that pass-rusher everyone has been clamoring for. He has also been a professional in the locker room, adding a respected veteran voice to the young defense.  While Cris Collinsworth said on Sunday night that no one expected much from Carter, he has been a productive NFL player in the past, and is on pace for perhaps the best season of his career. A great move by the Patriots.

2.) Signing Brian Waters

With the retirement of Stephen Neal in the offseason,  the Patriots had a hole at guard. It appeared that Dan Connolly would be filling that spot, but the Patriots valued Connolly more as someone who could fill in all over the line. The decision to sign Waters has turned out to be huge, as he stepped in at guard in week one, and when center Dan Koppen was lost for the season, Connolly was needed to play center. It couldn’t have worked out any better for the Patriots, as Waters has played at his usual high level this season (Peter King has him as a mid-season All Pro) and has been another professional veteran example in the Patriots locker room.

3.) Drafting Nate Solder

When the Patriots drafted Solder, and not a pass rushing defensive end or linebacker, there was the usual hand-wringing, especially as tackle didn’t seem to be the team’s most pressing need. With Sebastian Vollmer severely limited this season with back issues, Solder has been forced into the starting lineup for several games, including the season opener in Miami, where he impressed with his play against Cameron Wake. It was thought that Solder would be given a year to acclimate before taking over for Matt Light, but Solder has been good as a starter, and if Vollmer can return to full health, the Patriots should be set at both tackles for many years.

4.) Re-signing Logan Mankins

Mankins hasn’t been his usual All-Pro self, but signing him was nonetheless a huge move for the Patriots. After the ugly, protracted contract battle, getting the guard signed signaled that the Patriots will pay the guys they feel are important enough to the core of the team. Mankins adds toughness on the offensive line, and is especially protective of Brady whenever little scuffles break out. He’s still relatively young, and should serve to help transition the offensive line to when Solder, Vollmer and Marcus Cannon are the mainstays up front.

 5.) Re-signing Matt Light

Keeping with the offensive line theme, it seemed like a given that Light would be back, but when the team drafted Solder, some thought that it might spell the end of the line for Light. While he’s never been an elite player, Light has been a Pro Bowl-caliber player throughout his career, and a leader on the line. Bringing him back proved especially important with the health issues of Vollmer, as Light’s presence allowed Nate Solder to fill in for Vollmer while Light protected Brady.

6.) Giving Kyle Arrington a two-year deal

With Devin McCourty’s struggles this season, Arrington has emerged as the Patriots top cornerback, and a playmaker at that position. Arrington’s five interceptions are tied for the league lead in that category. The Patriots could’ve just given him a one-year deal to keep his rights, but they rewarded his play from last year with a two-year deal. If Arrington continues his strong play, he might’ve been looking at a big pay raise following the season, instead, now the Patriots have him locked up for 2012 as well.

7.) Utilizing the no-huddle, hurry-up offense.

In the strategy department, the decision to try and wear out opposing defenses by keeping them on the field and preventing from substituting has been wise. They first did this in preseason, during the Tampa game, which had Bucs defenders talking after the game about how tough it was to defend when they never had a chance to catch their breath. The strategy paid off during the Jets game this week in the second half as they took advantage of a tired New York defense which just wasn’t ready to line up again, and was laboring to keep playing. This strategy will likely be used more during the course of the season, especially against teams who are determined to go all-out to get to Tom Brady. The Jets game also showed that the no-huddle doesn’t necessarily mean a hurry-up, as they went on an extended drive in the fourth quarter using the no-huddle, which essentially put the game away.

8.) Signing Mark Anderson

I hear skeptics dismissing Anderson’s five sacks because an number of them came “in garbage time.” Well, when you’re trying to put a team away, isn’t the best thing you can do is to sack the quarterback? It’s like bringing in your closer. The former Bear has been very effective in rushing the passer this season, and saw extended duty during the Jets game. Working him opposite Carter has given the Patriots a very good 1-2 combo that the opposing offensive line has to account for. He was a low-risk, cheap signing that has paid off for the Patriots.

9.) Drafting Marcus Cannon

Cannon’s story is well known by this point, the massive (6-5, 358lbs) offensive lineman was discovered to have cancer when taking his physical at the combine, which cause his draft stock to drop sharply. Once projected as a low-first or second round pick, the Patriots selected him in the fifth round, not knowing if he would even be able to play. Cannon responded well to treatment, and was placed on the active roster this morning. His story is inspirational, and his talent may make him the successor to Waters in the future.

10.) Moving Matt Patricia to safeties coach

This move might’ve seemed curious when it was made last offseason. Patricia is considered by many to be the de facto defensive coordinator. Putting him in charge of the safeties, which then included Brandon Meriweather, James Sanders and Jarrard Page along with Pat Chung, may have seemed like a step down from coaching the linebackers, which he had been doing. The move may have been an indication that the Patriots already had doubts about their personnel there, and putting Patricia there to work with the group may have given them enough to move on from Meriweather, Sanders and Page. Belichick himself also served as a secondary coach prior to becoming a defensive coordinator with the Giants, and may have placed Patricia there as a stepping stone to the role. In addition, Pepper Johnson, who with Patricia is considered the top defensive assistant, works with the defensive lineman. Moving Patricia to the secondary gives the team a top assistant with the front seven and with the secondary. I don’t know if that was the intent, but sort of splitting up the defense between the two of them makes sense, especially where there are so many young players as well as players new to the Patriots.

This list only includes this season, each season the team makes bad decisions and good decisions, just like every other team in the NFL. So while some will never tire of point out the bad decisions up and down the roster, there have been plenty of good ones, as well.

It’s easy to be critical. It’s a little harder to be objective and to look at the good as well as the bad.

Hopefully this serves as a reminder that the team has made plenty of smart decisions and that is why they continue to be successful.

The division seemed to come into a little better focus last night, as the Patriots went into MetLife Stadium and silenced the Jets, 37-16. The win gives New England a season sweep of the Jets and moves them a full game ahead in the standings with the all-important head-to-head tiebreaker in their favor. What that means is that in reality, the Patriots have a two-game lead on the Jets.

New England Patriots (6-3, 3-1)

Things looked grim for New England coming into this one. They were coming off two bad losses and the decisions of Bill Belichick had been questioned incessantly, while at the same time, the Jets seemed to have found their stride after struggling earlier in the season. The Patriots defense looked shaky on the first Jets drive, and the offense squandered a couple of early opportunities for touchdown. When the second half came, New England seemed to hit their stride on both sides of the ball, and pulled away from the Jets. Suddenly, things are much brighter for the Patriots, who were decimated by injuries but showed a ton of of heart and grit in earning this win.

Next up – Monday Night Football against Scott Pioli’s Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs defense, led by old friend Romeo Crennel  may have some tricks up their sleeve for Brady and the Patriots. The Chiefs will be without QB Matt Cassel.

New York Jets (5-4, 2-2)

The Jets had no answers for Rob Gronkowski last night, as the Patriots tight end destroyed them all game. TheJetsBlog chronicles notes that the Patriots drafted Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez to mitigate the value of players like Revis and Cromartie. They also note that the talk about Sanchez is starting up again, and they wonder if the Patriots provided a blueprint for beating a Rex Ryan defense. (Blueprints…awesome.) It’s tempting, but very dangerous to write off the Jets at this point. They’ll be back, and their schedule is almost as easy as New England’s down the stretch. Both teams could conceivably win out the rest of of the way, which just made last night’s game all the more important.

Next up – The Jets have a quick turnaround, heading out to Denver on Thursday night to take on Tim Tebow and the Broncos. This should be a win for the Jets, but the quick turnaround, high altitude and unorthodox style of Tim Tebow could throw things off.

Buffalo Bills (5-4, 1-1)

Are the Bills coming back to earth? They went down to Dallas yesterday afternoon, and got absolutely smoked, 44-7 by the Cowboys. On Buffalo Ramblings, they’re concerned that the Bills’ Passing Attack Has Been Solved. Trying to stay positive, they also point out that the Bills playoff hopes are still alive. There’s a good look at the AFC playoff picture in that post. What can the Bills do? Even though Fred Jackson has been a monster this year, do they need to play C.J. Spiller more?  Still, despite the last two discouraging the losses, the Bills are still just a game out of the division lead, and having played less divisional games, are potentially in a better position that the Jets to tie up the Patriots. If the Jets stumble in Denver, the Bills could leapfrog them in the standings.

Next up - The Bills have a chance to improve that divisional record this week as they take on the Dolphins in Miami.

Miami Dolphins (2-7, 0-2)

Break up the Dolphins! They won their second straight game by beating the Washington Redskins 20-9 at home. They’re playing their way right out of the Andrew Luck sweepstakes. Phinsider notes that Dolphins victories aren’t exactly a well-received notion these days. On the plus side, they may have finally figured out how to use Reggie Bush, who once again was impressive for Miami.

Next up - Miami could be looking at a three game winning streak as they host the Bills this Sunday.

Been a bit negligent in updating things in the AFC East, but after yesterday, it’s worth taking a look at where things stand in the division. With three teams sitting at 5-3, it’s time to study up on the Tie-Breaking Procedures.

New England Patriots (5-3, 2-1 in AFC East)

The Patriots lost their second straight game yesterday, and the only positive we can take from it was that it came against an NFC opponent, which hurts a little less in the tie-breaker scenarios. The Patriots are technically still in first place in the AFC East. The Patriots, Jets and Bills have played each other once, and it all balances out. The Patriots lost to the Bills, but beat the Jets. The Jets beat the Bills but lost the Patriots. The Bills beat the Patriots but lost to the Jets. The Patriots and Jets are both 2-1 in the division, having each also beaten Miami. The Bills are just 1-1, having not yet played Miami. Since the second tie-breaker is by winning percentage within the division, the Jets and Patriots edge out the Bills. The third tie-breaker is common games, and the Patriots and Jets are each 4-1 in games played against common opponents (Dallas, San Diego, Miami, Oakland and Buffalo), so we move to the fourth tie-breaker, which is winning percentage in the conference. The Patriots are 4-2, while the Jets are 4-3. So the Patriots are in first place in the AFC East.

Next game: At Jets, Sunday night on NBC. The winner of this game will be in first place in the AFC East.

New York Jets (5-3, 2-1)

After floundering out of the gate at 2-3, the Jets have now won three straight games, including yesterday’s impressive 27-11 win in Buffalo. The Jets defense easily handled the Bills high-flying offense, and moved past the Bills in the standings. The Jets are starting to regain their swagger – not that a Rex Ryan-led team would ever love swagger – and have to be supremely confident of their chances this weekend against a Patriots team that is clearly trending down at this point.

Next game: Home against New England. Jets are playing for first place, and have to love their position.

Buffalo Bills (5-3. 1-1)

After becoming one of the early success stories of the 2011 season, the Bills hit a roadblock yesterday facing the Jets. The Bills were over-matched, both physically and skill-wise on the field yesterday. Ryan Fitzpatrick had trouble finding his receivers yesterday, and only managed 191 passing yards with a touchdown and two interceptions.

Next game: At Dallas. This will be another stiff test for the Bills, with the Cowboys able to generate pressure on Fitzpatrick. The NFC opponent also makes it impossible for the Bills to retake the divisional lead, even with a win.

Miami Dolphins (1-7, 0-2)

The Dolphins finally got a win yesterday, but did they knock themselves out of the Andrew Luck sweepstakes? It was an impressive win on the road over Kansas City for the Dolphins yesterday, as Reggie Bush had a second straight strong game (did I cut him too early from my fantasy team?).

Next game: Home against the Redskins. Could it be two in a row for Miami?

Among the highlights…

· Bill Belichick discusses getting his team ready to play after a Bye Week and looks at the overall speed of the Steelers on the Belestrator

· Scott Zolak visits with Belichick and one of the coach’s boyhood idols, Heisman Trophy winner and Hall of Fame quarterback Roger Staubach

· Vince Wilfork was mic’d up in the win over the Jets

· Steve Burton sits down with defensive end Andre Carter

· Dan Roche examines a rested Patriots team coming off their Bye Week as they prepare for a formidable opponent in Pittsburgh

· Patriots Football Weekly’s Paul Perillo and ESPNBoston’s Mike Reiss discuss the state of the team and offer analysis

Preview:

Among the highlights…

• Scott Zolak hosts a rare conversation with the three longest-tenured members of the Patriots: Tom Brady, Matt Light and Kevin Faulk. The veterans share thoughts from their years as teammates, including their first impressions of each other, the culture of winning they’ve helped create and which of the three can joke with Coach Belichick.

• With no opponent this week, Coach Belichick breaks down last week’s win over the Cowboys on The Belestrator, including analysis of a key fourth-quarter defensive stop and tremendous insight into the game-winning drive.

• All Access takes you behind the bench for game-winning drive and inside a victorious Patriots locker room.

• Dan Roche takes a look at the Patriots’ position heading into the Bye.

• Patriots Football Weekly’s Paul Perillo and ESPNBoston’s Mike Reiss share their opinions and analysis.

The New England Patriots are a heavy favorite winning 77% of simulations over the Dallas Cowboys. Tom Brady is averaging 326 passing yards and 2.9 TDs per simulation and BenJarvus Green-Ellis is projected for 55 rushing yards and a 44% chance of having at least 1 rushing TD. In the 23% of simulations where Dallas Cowboys wins, Tony Romo averages 2.28 TD passes vs 0.71 interceptions, while in losses he has a ratio of 1.79 TDs to 1.33 interceptions. Felix Jones averages 58 rushing yards and 0.43 rushing TDs when Dallas Cowboys wins and 36 yards and 0.17 TDs in losses. New England Patriots has a 62% chance of forcing more turnovers than they commit. Positive turnover margin helps them win 86% of the time. SPREADS / TOTALS: Current Point Spread is NE -7 — Over/Under line is 55

Updated Playoff Odds

AFC

The Bills continue to circle the wagons.  Buffalo beat the so-called “dream team” to continue its own dream season moving to 4-1.  The Bills gained over 10 percentage points in the AccuScore projections and now, make the playoffs more often than not: 53.2 percent of the time.  They remain tied with New England in the real standings.  However, the Patriots are the most likely playoff team in the AFC at 94.1 percent.  The AFC East team that should start to worry is New York.  The Jets had another significant drop in our projections, losing 7.3 percentage points this week.  Miami, though, is in good shape for the Andrew Luck sweepstakes.

Oakland won one for Al Davis and continues to be a viable contender in the AFC West.  The Raiders win the division in 25.9 percent of simulations.  The Chargers remain the favorite in the division. At 83.6 percent, the Chargers are a likely playoff team.  Kansas City actually won its second game this week, but the computers don’t believe in the Chiefs, as their playoff odds remain at just three percent.  The wins are really just worsening their draft positioning.  Denver got a crowd boost by playing Tim Tebow, but the playoffs are a fantasy for this season.

The AFC North is the only division with three teams with three wins, and four teams with two wins.  Pittsburgh gained a bit of ground on Baltimore by getting a big win over Tennessee.  The Ravens, however, were off on their bye week.  Still, the Steelers are the second choice in the North by a slim margin, winning the division 46 percent of the time.  The Ravens win the division 49.5 percent of the time.  The Bengals surprisingly have three wins, but they are long shots at the postseason at 15.4 percent.  At the bottom, Cleveland is just 5.2 percent likely to make the playoffs.

Houston fell 5.7 percentage points after an odd loss to the Raiders at home.  Luckily for the Texans, the AFC South is a weak division and they remain the favorites.  They win the division 66.4 percent of the time.  Tennessee is about half as likely for the playoffs winning the division 30.6 percent of the time.  Jacksonville and Indianapolis are already just playing out the string at a combined 1-9, with just a 3.1 percent combined probability for the playoffs. Peyton Manning for MVP?

Among the highlights…

· Sights and sounds from New England’s victory over Oakland last Sunday, including footage from inside a victorious Patriots locker room.

· Coach Belichick discusses what’s new about the Jets since January’s playoff game and later examines a versatile Jets offense on The Belestrator.

· All Access follows Gary Guyton’s Path to the NFL.

· Steve Burton sits down with linebacker Rob Ninkovich.

· All Access catches up with the McCourtys, as identical twin brothers Devin of the Patriots and Jason of the Titans along with their mom, Phyllis, discuss the long odds of twin brothers making it in the NFL.

· Patriots Football Weekly’s Paul Perillo and ESPNBoston’s Mike Reiss offer opinion and analysis.

A big week in the AFC East as two unbeatens are taken down, and a new team is at the top of the division…

Buffalo Bills (3-0, 1-0 in AFCE)

The Bills scored their biggest win since (fill in the blank). The Bills stormed back to beat the Patriots 34-31 at Ralph Wilson Stadium yesterday afternoon. It was a win that prompted cheering in the press box from the Buffalo media, and apparently even a little trash talk aimed at their New England colleagues. Buffalo Rumblings credits the Bills’ secondary with a huge bounce-back from last week and gives Fred Jackson the game ball for the week.The win vaults the Bills to first place in the AFC East, and they are now the only unbeaten team in the entire conference.

The Bills look to move to 4-0 next week as they travel to Cincinnati to take on the 1-2 Bengals.

New York Jets (2-1, 0-0 in AFCE)

Jets officials celebrated the Patriots loss to the Bills, but then saw their own team get shredded by Darren McFadden and the Oakland Raiders in a 34-24 road loss. The Jets Blog found this one painful to recap. It was a painful game on the field for the Jets as well, as they’re concerned about a couple of injuries following the game. TJB realizes that this loss is not the end of world, as they still are tied with the Patriots. (Apparently the Bills aren’t worthy of fear/respect just yet.)

The Jets have another test this week as they travel to Baltimore to take on the Ravens on Sunday Night Football.

New England Patriots (2-1, 1-1 in AFCE)

Is the Patriots defense as bad as it looks? After three weeks, you’ll find them at the bottom of most league categories. Can they improve? At this point, it doesn’t appear there is anywhere to go but up. Injuries have been a factor, but certainly not an excuse. Would things have been different yesterday with a full squad? That’s hard to say. Of course the Suzy Sunshines of the world (that would be me) will point out that it’s how you play in December and January, not September that counts. If the defense is still surrendering 400+ yards and 30 points a game in weeks 12-16, we’ll panic then.

The Patriots travel out to Oakland to take on those same Raiders next week, with a chance to pick up a “common opponent” game on the Jets.

Miami Dolphins (0-3, 0-1 in AFCE)

Things are not looking good for the Tony Sparano era in Miami. Rumors had the coach needing to win either yesterday or this coming week in order to keep his job, and yesterday resulted in a 17-16 loss on the road to the Cleveland Browns. The Phinsider says that the Dolphins had every chance to win this game. The defense played OK, but then let Colt McCoy have his way on the final Browns drive. The Dolphins rough start has the fandom apparently dealing with an issue that we’ve seen once or twice here in Boston as well – You don’t have the right to tell me, or anybody else, how to be a fan.

It does not get easier for the Dolphins this week as they head out San Diego for a meeting with the Chargers, with Miami still looking for that first win of the season, and to possibly save Sparano’s job.

Among the highlights…

• Part two of Scott Zolak’s conversation with his former teammate, Drew Bledsoe, as the two discuss the emotional roller coaster that was Bledsoe’s final season with the Patriots.

• Steve Burton sits down with Vince Wilfork to dissect the nose tackle’s first career interception.

• Zolak discusses the win over the Chargers with Coach Belichick, who later previews Fred Jackson and the Bills on The Belestrator.

• Sights and sounds from an explosive offensive performance in the home opener versus the Chargers.

• Dan Roche looks at how depth is an issue heading into Week 3.

• All Access follows Mike Wright’s “Path to the NFL.”

• Patriots Football Weekly’s Paul Perillo and ESPNBoston’s Mike Reiss share their opinion and analysis of the Bills matchup.

Preview:

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