Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence. (Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports)
The AFC playoff picture looks a lot more viable for the Jaguars after their victory over the Jets on Thursday Night Football.
How the tables have turned in the AFC playoff race.
The Jets started the season 5-2. The Jaguars started 2-5. Just a few weeks ago, New York looked like it had a path to the postseason. Jacksonville had hope of improvement and moral victories while looking ahead to 2023.
Now? The Jaguars are rolling towards an unlikely playoff appearance with a 46 percent chance of getting in while the Jets have seen their probability, as calculated by the New York Times, drop to 10 percent.
That’s because Thursday Night Football went the way of Jacksonville, who braved the freezing rain at MetLife Stadium to notch their seventh win of the season.
Updated AFC playoff picture after Jaguars beat Jets
- Buffalo Bills (11-3) -x
- Kansas City Chiefs (11-3) -z
- Cincinnati Bengals (10-4) -x
- Tennessee Titans (7-7)
- Baltimore Ravens (9-5)
- Los Angeles Chargers (8-6)
- Miami Dolphins (8-6)
Left out:
- New England Patriots (7-7)
- Jacksonville Jaguars (7-8)
- New York Jets (7-8)
x-Clinched playoffs
z-Clinched division
The Jags have such an improved probability of making the playoffs because their pursuit of the AFC South title is so clear. Having dispatched the Jets, they have to take down the Texans before a potentially pivotal matchup with the Titans to end the regular season. Tennessee has to get through Houston and Dallas before that big one at the end.
The Bengals clinched the playoffs with Jacksonville’s win.
Updated AFC South Standings
- Tennessee Titans (7-7)
- Jacksonville Jaguars (7-8)
- Indianapolis Colts (4-9)
- Houston Texans (1-12)
The Jets are now in a tough spot with two games left to play. They have no hope of getting in via a divisional bid, so they need to surpass the Patriots and one of the Dolphins, Chargers, Titans or Ravens to make the playoffs.
Updated AFC East Standings
- Buffalo Bills (11-3)
- Miami Dolphins (8-6)
- New England Patriots (7-7)
- New York Jets (7-8)
Winning out with some help is their only hope. However, it won’t be easy with road games against the Seahawks and Dolphins coming up.