ESPN NFL

The 2011 season was an interesting one filled with ups and mostly downs for the AFC East. Only one team finished with a winning record.

But that doesn't mean the AFC East lacked great individual performances. For example, the division produced an MVP candidate at quarterback who threw for more than 5,000 yards and another stellar season from the best cornerback in football.

Here is our All-AFC East Team for 2011:

Quarterback: Tom Brady, New England Patriots

Analysis: There is no question about this one. Brady set a new career-high with 5,235 passing yards, which surpassed Dan Marino's old record. New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (5,476) finished with more yards and has the new record. Brady is the single biggest reason the Patriots are 13-3 and have home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. His performance carried New England through injuries and inconsistencies in other areas. Brady will be chasing his fourth Super Bowl title in the playoffs.

Running back: Fred Jackson, Buffalo Bills

Analysis: This might be a controversial pick, because two other running backs -- Reggie Bush and Shonn Greene -- had 1,000-yard seasons. But Jackson was the best running back I watched this season. He simply had some bad luck, suffering a season-ending leg injury. He was on his way to making his first Pro Bowl. Jackson rushed for 934 yards and six touchdowns in 10 games. He had an additional 442 yards receiving. His numbers would be off the charts if he'd played the final six games.

Fullback: Charles Clay, Dolphins

Analysis: Clay was one of the surprise rookies from Miami's draft class. He was a good blocker for Bush, has great hands and knows what to do with the football. Clay caught 16 passes for 233 yards. He averaged 14.6 yards per reception, which is astounding for a fullback. John Conner of the Jets is the best blocking fullback. But Conner is not a receiving threat.

Receivers: Wes Welker, Patriots; Brandon Marshall, Dolphins

Analysis: The best receivers in the AFC East this season are a pair of Pro Bowlers. Welker had an unbelievable year. He set a new career high with 1,569 yards. He also caught 122 passes and was one of the league's most sure-handed receivers. Marshall, in contrast, wasn't sure-handed. He had plenty of big drops, but still had a good season. Marshall caught 81 passes for 1,214 yards and six touchdowns. What's even more impressive is that Marshall put up big numbers despite Miami's in-season quarterback switch from Chad Henne to Matt Moore.

Tight end: Rob Gronkowski, Patriots

Analysis: Gronkowski showed flashes as a rookie. But no one knew he would explode the way he did in his second season. "Gronk" set an NFL record for tight ends with 17 touchdowns. He averaged more than one per game, despite many teams' focus on stopping him late in the season. Gronkowski finished with 90 receptions for 1,327 yards and made his first Pro Bowl. Considering he's only 22, it will most likely be the first of many Pro Bowls.

Center: Nick Mangold, Jets

Analysis: Jets head coach Rex Ryan says a lot of things. But we believe him when he says Mangold is the best center in the NFL. Mangold fought through an ankle injury but had another solid season. He was named to his fourth consecutive Pro Bowl. The Jets' offensive line was up and down but completely fell apart when Mangold missed two games. New York's entire running game and blocking scheme is built around its center -- and for good reason.

Guards: Logan Mankins, Patriots; Andy Levitre, Bills

Analysis: Mankins, who made his fourth Pro Bowl, stayed healthy right up until the end and played 15 of 16 games. He should be ready for the playoffs. Levitre was one of my favorite players to watch because of his versatility. He's a very good guard, a solid offensive tackle and struggled at center. Levitre was forced to play all three positions in Buffalo this season because of injuries.

Offensive tackles: Jake Long, Dolphins; Matt Light, Patriots

Analysis: Long played through injuries all season. His back bothered him, and he ended up on injured reserve after tearing his biceps. But Long at 80 percent is still better than most left tackles, and he was good enough to make his fourth Pro Bowl in four years. Light gets our last tackle spot over New York's D’Brickashaw Ferguson. The Pro Bowl nod went to Ferguson. But Ferguson struggled at times this season and didn't play up to his usual standards. I think Ferguson got in on reputation and name recognition.

Defensive ends: Andre Carter, Patriots; Mark Anderson, Patriots

Analysis: No one flinched when the Patriots quietly signed a pair of veteran defensive ends in free agency to bolster their pass rush. Most of the focus was on big-name acquisitions such as receiver Chad Ochocinco and defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth. But two of New England's best signings were Carter and Anderson. Each finished with 10 sacks, and Carter made the Pro Bowl despite a late, season-ending quad injury. For all of New England's issues on defense, arguably its biggest strength was rushing the passer. The Patriots registered 40 sacks, and Carter and Anderson combined for half of that total.

Defensive tackles: Vince Wilfork, Patriots; Sione Pouha, Jets

Analysis: Wilfork, 30, continues to improve with age. He combines strength and smarts to play defensive tackle/nose tackle. Wilfork finished with 52 tackles and 3.5 sacks. But it was his two interceptions this season that were most memorable. Wilfork rumbled for 28 and 19 yards, respectively, on his two picks. The second defensive tackle was one of the most difficult selections. But we went with Pouha over Miami's Paul Soliai. Pouha's numbers were more impressive for a nose tackle. He recorded 58 tackles, one sack and one forced fumble. Soliai played well for Miami but registered only 27 tackles.

Outside linebackers: Cameron Wake, Dolphins; Calvin Pace, Jets

Analysis: It was a down year for outside linebackers in the AFC East. Wake and Pace were the best of a thin crop. Wake's sack numbers dipped from 14 to 8.5 this season. Teams put more focus on Wake, and he faced more double teams. Pace stayed healthy this season but recorded his lowest sack total (4.5) since 2006. Pace's backup, Aaron Maybin, led the Jets with six sacks.

Inside linebackers: David Harris, Jets; Karlos Dansby, Dolphins

Analysis: Harris continues to be one of the most underrated players in the NFL. Harris was the Jets' most consistent defensive player outside of Darrelle Revis. He was always around the football and recorded 86 tackles, five sacks and four interceptions. The second inside linebacker was another tough call. But we think Dansby had a slightly better season than New England's Jerod Mayo. A tailback getting 100 yards against the Dolphins' defense was rare, in large part due to Dansby. He established a physical presence in the middle for Miami and recorded 103 tackles and two sacks.

Cornerbacks: Darrelle Revis, Jets; Kyle Arrington, Patriots

Analysis: What more can you say about Revis? He had another great season for the Jets. He led New York with 21 passes defended, and tied for the team lead with four interceptions. One pick was returned 100 yards for a touchdown. Teams opted to attack Revis more this season, which allowed more chances for him to make big plays. Arrington was this year's version of Devin McCourty. New England gave up a lot of passing yards, but Arrington made the most of his interception opportunities. He led the Patriots with seven picks and had 88 tackles.

Safeties: Yeremiah Bell, Dolphins; George Wilson, Bills

Analysis: The safeties struggled in the AFC East this season. But Bell was probably the most consistent in the division. He led Miami with 107 tackles. He also had two sacks and one interception. Wilson played lights out at times, particularly early in the season. He set a career high with 106 tackles and tied a career mark with four interceptions. Wilson did all of this despite missing three games with injuries.

Punter: Brandon Fields, Dolphins

Analysis: Fields was spectacular this season. He averaged 48.8 yards per punt and had 32 punts inside the 20. Fields was the only Dolphins player exciting to watch during Miami's ugly 0-7 start. Fields had a Pro Bowl season. But Oakland Raiders punter and Pro Bowler Shane Lechler is probably the best punter in the NFL.

Kicker: Stephen Gostkowski, Patriots

Analysis: Fantasy football players fell in love with Gostkowski this season. New England's high-scoring offense constantly put Gostkowski in position to rack up points, and he usually came through. Gostkowski led New England in scoring with 143 points. He made 28 of 33 field goals and all 59 extra points. The pressure of the playoffs always is different for kickers. But Gostkowski has shown no signs that he will be bothered by it.

Return specialist: Joe McKnight, Jets

Analysis: McKnight was a must-see because something exciting could happen every time he touched the ball. McKnight was fun to watch in the open field. He averaged 31.6 yards per kick return and is a Pro Bowl alternate on special teams. His longest of the season was a 107-yard touchdown return. The next step for McKnight is to develop as a running back. With LaDainian Tomlinson a free agent, McKnight could get a chance to backup Greene next season.

ORCHARD, PARK, N.Y. -- In a rare occurrence this season, New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan stepped to the podium Sunday with very little to complain about with his defense.

"We gave up an 80-yard drive at the end of the game there when we were up a bunch of scores," Ryan scoffed. "So that was disappointing."

Ryan pointed out the only blemish in an otherwise stellar day for New York's talented but, at times, underachieving defense. The Jets' strongest unit turned back the clock -- circa 2009 and 2010 -- to cruise to a 27-11 victory over the Buffalo Bills.

More than 70,000 Bills fans came to Ralph Wilson Stadium expecting a "whiteout." They nearly witnessed a shutout, as New York battered and confused Buffalo's offense for four quarters. The Bills turned over the football three times and gained only 287 total yards.

New York's defense officially has its swagger back. That could only mean trouble for the rest of the NFL.

Jets defensive tackle Sione Pouha even has a nickname for the defense regaining its identity.

"It's totally attitude -- it's 'Jetstitude' the way we look at it," Pouha said. "It's playing like a Jet, aggressiveness, going out there in attack mode. I think today kind of displayed just what Jet football is all about."

Although they don't always put it together, the Jets have the NFL's most talented collection of defensive players.

The cornerback tandem of Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie is tops in the league. The linebackers, led by David Harris, Bart Scott and Calvin Pace, are physical playmakers. The safeties and defensive line play good, complementary roles when the Jets are at their best. All of those things came together in a big game.

"When everybody is rolling, this team is very hard to beat," Jets defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson said.

It marked the first time Buffalo was held to fewer than 20 points this season. Afterward, the Bills sounded perplexed about how the game went downhill so quickly.

"If it was one thing, we could have solved that," Bills coach Chan Gailey said. "You can always solve one thing in a game. They would bring pressure, they would play coverage. ... They would give us something we hadn’t seen or they would bring an extra guy. It was a combination. They kept us off balance and that’s what we can’t allow to happen."

The Jets' defense took apart Buffalo's offense systematically. It started with punishing Bills tailback Fred Jackson.

Jackson has bullied defenders all season. But New York matched and exceeded Jackson's physicality. The Jets even knocked Jackson (82 rushing yards) out of the game temporarily in the second half with big hit that caused a fumble and shoulder stinger. Buffalo's offense never recovered from that blow.

With Jackson not his usually dominant self, the Bills couldn't get anything going offensively.

Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick had his worst game of the season. He threw for 191 yards, two interceptions and a late touchdown in garbage time. Most of the game the receivers were blanketed, and Fitzpatrick dangerously threw into tight coverage.

"For us, we were on our heels trying to figure out what they were doing and trying to figure out what was going on," Bills receiver David Nelson said. "It wasn't because of play calling or anything like that. We only had the ball twice in the first quarter and going three-and-out. We couldn’t get in rhythm."

It didn’t take long for several Jets players to turn toward the New England Patriots. The reigning AFC East champions are up next for the Jets with first place in the division on the line. The Patriots -- currently in a three-way tie for first place in the AFC East with the Jets and Buffalo -- beat New York 30-21 in the first meeting at Gillette Stadium.

Pardon me, but the Jets "can't wait" for next week's rematch at home.

“If you can’t get fired up and ready to play for this game, you shouldn't be playing," Jets tailback LaDainian Tomlinson said. "That's plain and simple."

Last month, New York was a team close to imploding during its three-game losing streak. This month, the Jets have their sights set on first place in the AFC East after a three-game winning streak.

It's a stunning turnaround for the Jets, who have found the winning formula with an aggressive defense and a ground-and-pound style on offense.

New York showed on Sunday it has as good a shot as anyone in the second half of the season.

"We know what we're capable of doing. We know we're not a team that's going to fold in the tank," Wilkerson said of the midseason turnaround. "We lost three in a row, but it's a long season. We kept preparing like we’ve always been doing, knowing that we'd get things turned around."

» NFC Stock Watch: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

FALLING

1. Tony Sparano, Miami Dolphins head coach: A national audience witnessed the end of an era in Miami. Even with two weeks of preparation, Sparano failed to accomplish anything against a division rival -- the New York Jets -- and fell to 0-5 on the season. Sparano entered the year on the hot seat and suffered his eighth consecutive loss. Miami owner Stephen Ross has publicly backed Sparano, but Sparano is heading toward his third consecutive losing season. Now the owner is expected to cut bait barring a sudden and unexpected turnaround.

2. Buffalo Bills' defense: It's been a season-long issue, but the Bills' defense is only recently getting bad press after the team lost two of the last three. Buffalo allowed 400 yards for the fifth consecutive game in a 27-24 loss to the New York Giants. The Bills also failed to force a turnover for the first time this season. Buffalo's defensive issues are plentiful. The Bills struggle stopping the run, allow too many big passing plays and can't generate a pass-rush. Buffalo has two weeks to work on these issues during the bye week.

3. Matt Moore, Dolphins quarterback: The Matt Moore era in Miami didn't get off to a good start. He threw for 204 yards and two interceptions in a 24-6 loss to the New York Jets. Moore, like former starter Chad Henne, struggled most in clutch situations. Miami was 2-for-12 on third down and 0-for-3 in the red zone. Moore also was sacked four times. The Dolphins can't win many games with this kind of performance from their starting quarterback.

RISING

1. Darrelle Revis, New York Jets cornerback: Revis showed on "Monday Night Football" why he is, in my opinion, the best cornerback in the NFL. Revis had a high-profile matchup with Dolphins receiver Brandon Marshall and recorded a pair of interceptions. One was returned for a 100-yard touchdown and changed the momentum in New York's favor. Revis also recorded three tackles and had four passes defensed. Most teams avoid throwing at Revis. The Dolphins were one of the few to test the Pro Bowl corner and paid for it.

2. New England Patriots' defense: The Patriots are quietly fixing their much-maligned defense. New England has allowed just 37 points in two games. The defense kept the Patriots in the game this past weekend when the offense struggled for three quarters against the Dallas Cowboys. Stopping the run has been key. New England is allowing an average of 87 rushing yards per game the past two weeks. Patriots coach Bill Belichick now has a bye to make further improvements.

3. Calvin Pace, Jets linebacker: Revis wasn't the only Jets defender who had a big game. New York linebacker Calvin Pace was all over the field. He recorded seven tackles, two sacks and a forced fumble. The Jets' defense finally looked like the top unit it was the past two years under head coach Rex Ryan. Miami was an easy opponent. The Jets' defense must continue this improvement with a tough upcoming schedule.

While yakking with a key starter from last year's New York Jets squad this week, I asked a question I posed on the AFC East blog last month and have addressed regularly in my weekly chat.

What team is the class of the division? The New England Patriots, coming off 14 victories and another title? Or the Jets, who knocked the Patriots out of the playoffs and reached their second straight AFC Championship Game?

"Until we dethrone them," he said, "the Patriots are the class of the AFC East. That's the bottom line. There's no other way to slice it. You've got to knock them off the pedestal. That's goal No. 1, winning the division. That's the easiest way to get to the ultimate goal of the Super Bowl."

That comment alone wasn't enough for the player to request anonymity, but the next part of our conversation made him feel it was necessary for the sake of diplomacy and because he wants to keep his job next season.

I wanted to know more. To extract his veteran insight on the state of the Jets, I asked what his game plan would be if I could appoint him general manager for the next couple months.

How would he get the Jets over the hump from runners-up to AFC East champs and into the Super Bowl? He must have pondered that very question over the past few months because, without much thought, he rattled off six key steps to propelling the Jets upward.

Here they are, in order of what he felt was most important, along with his reasoning:

1. Re-sign receiver Santonio Holmes.

"You have to do that," our embedded analyst said. The Jets have three prominent free-agent receivers, but Holmes must be the priority over Braylon Edwards and Brad Smith. Holmes missed four games while serving a suspension but made 52 catches for 746 yards and six touchdowns. He was a clutch performer and added a couple more touchdowns in the playoffs.

"If I had to choose between Santonio, Braylon or Brad Smith -- I don't think you can re-sign them all -- I'll take Santonio because of his body of work," the Jets insider said. "He's more established."

Smith averaged 28.6 yards on kickoff returns and scored two touchdowns, and was the club's third-leading rusher with 299 yards and a TD as a gadget quarterback. The Jets led the NFL in average start position after a kickoff (at the 31.5-yard line). But the insider said revamped kickoff rules would neutralize Smith's impact in 2011.

The possibility of signing Plaxico Burress is intriguing and could help the Jets cope with any inability to re-sign Edwards or Smith. As for whether Burress would be a problem for head coach Rex Ryan, the insider laughed.

"With everything we have in our organization, he'd be just one of the guys," he said. "He wouldn't stand out like a sore thumb.

"Guys just love playing for Rex. With Rex's personality and the way he runs the show, Plaxico would just fit right in. Rex doesn't have problems with guys who have so-called character issues or big personalities. Rex is a big personality himself. A guy like Plaxico would do well with the Jets."

2. Get inside linebacker David Harris signed to a long-term contract.

Harris led the Jets with 119 tackles. He recorded three sacks, 14 quarterback hits, a forced fumble and a recovery.

He signed his franchise tender and is under contract for next season, but he'll be a free agent again next offseason unless the Jets broker another deal before then.

"I've got to lock up David Harris," the insider said. "He's one of the more underrated defenders in the league. I've got to get him signed long-term."

3. Re-sign cornerback Antonio Cromartie.

Another significant free agent, Cromartie helped limit opposing quarterbacks to a 50.7 completion percentage -- lowest in the league by far -- and a 77.1 passer rating. He notched 42 tackles, three interceptions and a team-high 18 passes defensed.

Besides, the Jets invested too much in him to let him stroll for nothing this summer.

"If I gave up a second-round pick for the guy, I don't want to see him walk out the door," the insider said. "That would be a high draft pick I'd wasted.

"Plus, with no offseason to monitor the young players, I don't know what I have with Kyle Wilson. The team hasn't had a chance to coach him up. He didn't do the things the team expected last year. So I need to get Antonio Cromartie back to make sure I shore up the secondary."

4. Find a pass-rusher or two.

One of the Jets' biggest perceived weaknesses heading into the offseason was their inability to generate a more formidable pass rush last season.

"This team has a defensive scheme that can be dangerous with a pass rush," the insider said. "We had a great group, but that'll make my defense even stronger."

Outside linebacker Jason Taylor's status is in question. The Jets cut him, but it's not unfathomable he could return. Last year's regular starters, Calvin Pace and Bryan Thomas, are under contract. Thomas recorded a team-high six sacks last season, while Pace had 5.5 sacks. Taylor added five more. Those aren't fearsome numbers.

Football Outsiders charted the Jets for 117.5 hurries (seventh in the NFL), but just 38 quarterback hits (tied for 23rd).

5. Sign a free-agent right tackle.

The Jets released Damien Woody after the season, but published reports before the lockout indicated the club was interested in bringing him back.

Woody can't provide many guarantees in what would be his 13th NFL season. Although he has been to the Pro Bowl, is one of few players on last year's roster who owns a Super Bowl ring and started 13 games last season, there are injury concerns. He battled knee problems before an Achilles' injury landed him on injured reserve in the playoffs.

There don't appear to be any solutions on the roster. Last year's second-round draft choice, Vladimir Ducasse, was a tackle at Boston College but was unable to win a job at guard. Woody's reliable backup, Wayne Hunter, is a free agent.

6. Identify a safety to solidify the secondary, looking first at Brodney Pool.

The Jets' best safety, Jim Leonhard, is coming off a broken shin that had him limited to a scooter during rehab. Pool, Eric Smith and James Ihedigbo all are free agents.

Pool started 12 games. He ranked fourth in tackles with 63. He registered a sack, an interception, nine passes defenses, a forced fumble and a recovery. Smith started six games and was fifth with 57 tackles. He also made an impact on special teams (19 tackles), as did Ihedigbo (27 tackles).

"I would try to get Brodney Pool or Eric Smith back," the Jets insider said. "Both played well down the stretch, but I think Brodney Pool was a guy who, as it got later in the season, really picked up the scheme and became a playmaker at the safety position."

I found the insider's opinions to be insightful. Nowhere among the list of issues to address were quarterback Mark Sanchez, left guard or kicker Nick Folk. The obviously aren't major concerns with this veteran player.

Once the lockout concludes, we'll see how much the anonymous player's wish list jibes with Mike Tannenbaum's.

Rex Ryan didn't confirm it, but he might wear a cup when the New York Jets play the New England Patriots.

He fears Tom Brady might drill him.

"You know he can't stand me," Ryan said last week at the NFL owners meeting in New Orleans. "One day, I expect him to roll out one time, launch a ball at me and take the incompletion. That's what I worry about."

Ryan needled Brady during the playoffs last year. Even while the Jets were preparing to play the Indianapolis Colts, he went out of his way to mention Peyton Manning was a better student of the game and Brady was propped up by Bill Belichick's coaching.

"I do like to play with him a little bit," Ryan said of Brady, "but what a great quarterback."

That's why Ryan already has the Jan. 24 Sports Illustrated cover framed on his wall. It's a photo from the Jets' amazing postseason victory over the Patriots. Outside linebacker Calvin Pace is blasting a wide-eyed Brady, right arm still in the air. Brady and the ball are suspended in the air, jarred apart.

"That was a great picture," Ryan said. "His eyes were this big!

"Nobody can take that win away from us, and it was a great feeling. But, man, oh man. Just once -- I'm not asking for much -- just once I want that to be a Super Bowl picture."

Much has been made of provocative comments Ryan has delivered about the Patriots and making it "personal" when he plays them and not kissing Belichick's rings and Brady not being as good as Manning.

But there should be no mistaking Ryan's respect for the Patriots.

Even though the Jets have outlasted the Patriots in each of Ryan's two seasons -- the Jets have gone to the AFC East Championship Game both times, while the Patriots have been one-and-done after home defeats -- Ryan won't say his team is better yet.

"I can't say we've caught them because they've won our division two straight years," Ryan said. "But we know we can beat them. We're 3-2 against them since I've been here. That was what everybody forgot: We beat them in Week 2. We got crushed in the Monday Night Massacre. Belichick outcoached me. But we beat them pretty good in Week 2.

"We're right there with anybody in this league. Obviously, they had the best record in football, and they earned that. But we certainly never feared them. We respected them, but we didn't fear them. We knew that we were going to play a zillion times better than we did that Monday night. My kid's high school team might have played better than that. But you know what? We beat them two out of three.

"I know they're going to circle those games, and so will we."

A lot of money will go bye-bye if the NFL work stoppage eliminates offseason workouts.

That's a legitimate possibility if owners and players can't hammer out a deal well before training camps normally would begin.

ESPN's Adam Schefter has compiled a list of the NFL's richest workout bonuses and the attendance percentages required to earn them.

New York Jets left tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson has the biggest incentive in the league at $750,000. He must attend 85 percent of the workouts to collect.

Other big AFC East bonuses:

• Miami Dolphins inside linebacker Karlos Dansby: $500,000
• Buffalo Bills outside linebacker Shawne Merriman: $500,000
• New York Jets defensive end Bryan Thomas: $500,000
• New York Jets defensive end Mike DeVito: $350,000
• New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady: $250,000
• New York Jets outside linebacker Calvin Pace: $250,000
• New York Jets inside linebacker Bart Scott: $250,000
• New England Patriots defensive end Ty Warren: $250,000
• New England Patriots outside linebacker Tully Banta-Cain: $200,000
• Miami Dolphins receiver Brandon Marshall: $200,000
• New York Jets running back LaDainian Tomlinson: $200,000
• New England Patriots inside linebacker Jerod Mayo: $180,000

Brady, however, is covered if there aren't any 2011 offseason workouts. His 2012 bonus will inflate to $500,000 in that case.

» NFC Draft Watch: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

Each Thursday leading up to the NFL draft (April 28-30), the ESPN.com NFL blog network will take a division-by-division look at key aspects of the draft. Today's topic: biggest team needs.

Buffalo Bills

Where would you like to start?

Offense? How about left tackle, right tackle, tight end and -- if there's a great one still on the draft board -- quarterback?

Defense? How about the line, outside linebacker, inside linebacker, cornerback and safety?

Special teams? OK, the Bills are fine there.

But kicker, punter and running back are about the only positions the Bills can draft third overall and not help themselves.

The most pressing needs, however, are tackle and outside linebacker. The Bills haven't drafted an offensive tackle earlier than the fifth round since taking Mike Williams in the first round in 2002, and their line play shows that. They have tried to coach up late draft picks (Demetrius Bell, Ed Wang) and rummaged through free agency (Cornell Green, Mansfield Wrotto, Jonathan Scott, Jamon Meredith) rather than acquire that prized blindside protector.

The Bills were so desperate at outside linebacker they plucked the injury-ravaged Shawne Merriman off waivers last year and then, even though he got hurt again minutes into his first workout, gave him a contract extension.

They can't bank on Merriman to anchor their pass rush. Yet even if he can contribute, they'll need more help. The Bills recorded 27 sacks last year. Only three teams had fewer.

Miami Dolphins

The Dolphins probably will need a running back. They could stand to upgrade at quarterback if they can.

But they definitely need interior offensive linemen.

They recently re-signed left guard Richie Incognito to an extension, but they still have problems at center and right guard. Although they have two solid book-end tackles in Pro perennial Bowl left tackle Jake Long and veteran Vernon Carey, they've been a mess in between for the past three years.

The Dolphins need to upgrade their power running game. Despite having a capable and healthy backfield tandem in Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams last season, the Dolphins ranked 21st in rushing yards, 29th in yards per carry and 29th in rushing touchdowns.

A stud running back certainly can help, and the Dolphins might have little choice but to take one with their 15th selection. Brown's and Williams' contracts are up. That's why so many draft analysts project the Dolphins will take Alabama running back Mark Ingram and then address the O-line later.

New England Patriots

Funny how things work for the Patriots when it comes to draft picks. The reigning AFC East champs might have the fewest needs but have the most draft picks at their disposal.

The Patriots went 14-2 last season and own two draft choices in each of the first three rounds. So the Patriots have the flexibility to go any number of directions.

The most obvious need is outside linebacker. The Patriots' entire outside linebacking corps mustered 13.5 sacks last year. Dolphins outside linebacker Cameron Wake generated 14 sacks all by himself.

Offensive line is another concern because there are so many question marks. Right guard Stephen Neal retired. Left guard Logan Mankins is upset. Left tackle Matt Light isn't signed. Nick Kaczur is coming off serious back surgery. The timing is right to bring in some fresh O-line blood.

The Patriots had one of the NFL's most entertaining backfields last year, with BenJarvus Green-Ellis rushing for over 1,000 yards and Danny Woodhead making the Jets look foolish for cutting him. But each running back has his limitations, and the Patriots could be on the lookout for an all-purpose back adept at catching a pass and converting a third-and-short.

New York Jets

The Jets are in a weird spot. They finished the season as a team with talent at virtually every position.

But they have a crowded group of free agents and couldn't bring themselves to sign any (aside from giving inside linebacker David Harris the franchise tag) until a new collective bargaining agreement was in place. The Jets want to know what the new salary cap is before moving forward.

That leaves a lot of loose ends for the Jets heading into the draft. Will they need a receiver to replace Santonio Holmes or Braylon Edwards? A cornerback to replace Antonio Cromartie?

The needs we can bank on are outside linebacker and safety.

The Jets must generate a better pass rush and still need to recover from the Vernon Gholston pick that set them back. Outside linebacker Bryan Thomas is competent, but no star. He led the Jets with just six sacks. Calvin Pace had 5.5 sacks. The recently released Jason Taylor added five.

Safety is an area of emphasis because they could have stood to upgrade even before Brodney Pool, Eric Smith and James Ihedigbo became free agents. Jim Leonhard is a Rex Ryan favorite but recovering from a broken shin.

Sports labor squabbles often are described as billionaires arguing with millionaires over money.

While that's a catchy rhyme that sums up fan frustration, the phrase is not entirely true.

Inspired by a blog entry from the minister of all things AFC South, Paul Kuharsky, I looked at NFL Players Association files to count up the number of AFC East players scheduled for $1 million base salaries in 2011.

Granted, up-front bonuses and incentives can make base salaries misleading. But base salaries are the only figures that create a common ground, player for player.

You'll see a vast majority of NFL players make much less than $1 million a year. Although many will make seven figures before they walk away from the game, careers are short and treacherous. They'll never see that kind of cash again for the rest of their lives.

That's why they're fighting for every dollar now.

Of the 226 players under contract in the AFC East, only 62 of them (27.4 percent) will make base salaries of $1 million or more.

The NFLPA hasn't acknowledged any franchise tags that have been signed. Those players are marked with an asterisk and not factored into the totals.

Buffalo Bills

• Receiver Lee Evans, $3.275 million
• Cornerback Terrence McGee, $3.2 million
• Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, $3.195 million
• Defensive end Spencer Johnson, $3 million
• Outside linebacker Shawne Merriman, $2.75 million
• Defensive end Dwan Edwards, $2.6 million
• Center Geoff Hangartner, $2.55 million
• Outside linebacker Chris Kelsay, $2 million
• Running back Fred Jackson, $1.75 million
• Defensive lineman Kyle Williams, $1.75 million
• Kicker Rian Lindell, $1.45 million
• Punter Brian Moorman, $1.425 million
• Cornerback Reggie Corner, $1.2 million
• Receiver Steve Johnson, $1.2 million
• Safety Bryan Scott, $1.15 million
• Linebacker Andra Davis, $1.1 million
• Receiver Roscoe Parrish, $1.025 million
• Safety George Wilson, $1.025 million
• Cornerback Leodis McKelvin, $1 million

Base salaries of $1 million or more: 19

Players under contract: 54

Percentage of roster making $1 million or more: 35.2

Miami Dolphins

• Nose tackle Paul Soliai, $12.47 million*
• Tackle Jake Long, $11.2 million
• Receiver Brandon Marshall, $6.5 million
• Tackle Vernon Carey, $4.15 million
• Safety Yeremiah Bell, $3.7 million
• Defensive end Randy Starks, $3.625 million
• Inside linebacker Karlos Dansby, $2.7 million
• Inside linebacker Channing Crowder, $2.5 million
• Tight end Anthony Fasano, $1.9 million
• Cornerback Benny Sapp, $1.9 million
• Inside linebacker Tim Dobbins, $1.7 million
• Cornerback Will Allen, $1.5 million
• Safety Tyrone Culver, $1.25 million
• Fullback Lousaka Polite, $1.25 million
• Receiver Davone Bess, $1.013 million
• Kicker Dan Carpenter, $1.005 million

Base salaries of $1 million or more: 15

Players under contract: 55

Percentage of roster making $1 million or more: 27.3

New England Patriots

• Quarterback Tom Brady, $5.75 million
• Cornerback Leigh Bodden, $3.9 million
• Tackle Nick Kaczur, $3.4 million
• Defensive end Ty Warren, $3.1 million
• Center Dan Koppen, $2.9 million
• Safety James Sanders, $2.8 million
• Tight end Alge Crumpler, $2.4 million
• Outside linebacker Tully Banta-Cain, $2.3 million
• Receiver Deion Branch, $2.2 million
• Receiver Wes Welker, $2.15 million
• Kicker Stephen Gostkowski, $1.7 million
• Cornerback Jonathan Wilhite, $1.2 million
• Offensive lineman Dan Connolly, $1.025 million
• Inside linebacker Gary Guyton, $1 million

Base salaries of $1 million or more: 14

Players under contract: 60

Percentage of roster making $1 million or more: 23.3

New York Jets

• Quarterback Mark Sanchez, $14.75 million
• Inside linebacker David Harris, $10.1 million*
• Cornerback Darrelle Revis, $6 million
• Tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson, $5.615 million
• Inside linebacker Bart Scott, $4.9 million
• Outside linebacker Calvin Pace, $3.855 million
• Outside linebacker Bryan Thomas, $3.2 million
• Guard Brandon Moore, $2.75 million
• Running back LaDainian Tomlinson, $2.425 million
• Center Nick Mangold, $2.26 million
• Defensive end Mike DeVito, $2.125 million
• Safety Jim Leonhard, $1.95 million
• Receiver Jerricho Cotchery, $1.8 million
• Defensive tackle Sione Pouha, $1.28 million
• Quarterback Mark Brunell, $1.25 million

Base salaries of $1 million or more: 14

Players under contract: 57

Percentage of roster making $1 million or more: 24.6

Reader input didn't make compiling the 2010 All-AFC East team a simple process.

Despite your tremendous response to help me assemble the quintessential roster, I had to make an executive decision, break a deadlock, defend one of my no-brainer selections and throw out some ballots because of shenanigans.

In the end, we have an All-AFC East squad everybody should be satisfied with.

We began the process a week ago, when I chose 10 players I believed were automatic. The other 17 positions were for you to vote upon. You didn't disappoint.

There were some great races, most notably at left tackle and nose tackle.

As with any voting process on the AFC East blog, I always can be convinced to move from a stance. My instructions were to vote for one nose tackle for a 3-4 scheme with emphasis that New England Patriots keystone Vince Wilfork and Buffalo Bills standout Kyle Williams must be considered nose tackles because that's how each team identifies him.

But enough readers made the case that Wilfork and Williams played elsewhere along the line so frequently that they should be eligible for some quasi position. I do appreciate the point.

The Patriots' official game-by-game player participation record says Wilfork started eight games at defensive end. Williams started every game at nose tackle (12) or defensive tackle (four).

I decided to add Wilfork and Williams as "defensive tackles" on a defensive front with New York Jets defensive end Shaun Ellis, who received an avalanche of votes. But I didn't want to slight the No. 2 defensive end, Kendall Langford of the Miami Dolphins. Langford received a healthy number of votes. Too many to dismiss.

That left me with a dilemma: How can I honor four defensive linemen and still maintain a 3-4 alignment? I took the easy way out. I added a 12th defender. I'm not thrilled with my final decision, but it's an appropriate way to give proper credit where it's due.

On the other side of scrimmage, Dolphins left tackle Jake Long and Jets left tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson finished in a tie, forcing me to make the call. Each was selected to be a Pro Bowl starter. Long was voted All-Pro.

I chose Long. He played hurt for much of the season. He slipped on plays here or there, but he mostly remained dominant.

A few readers took me to task for my coronation of Dolphins punter Brandon Fields without allowing a vote because Jets punter Steve Weatherford had a great season. Weatherford tied an NFL record with 42 punts inside the 20-yard line. He was impressive.

But I found Fields more remarkable this year. He ranked fourth with a 46.2-yard average (3.6 yards longer than Weatherford). Fields' net average of 37.8 yards was only 0.3 yards shorter than Weatherford's, but the Dolphins were atrocious on special-teams protection and coverage. They fired their special-teams coordinator after Week 4. Fields had two punts blocked and one returned for a touchdown.

The Jets have venerable special-teams coach Mike Westhoff and sensational coverage men, as illustrated by four Jets receiving at least two votes for the special-teams position on the All-AFC East team.

And it's not often a punter is MVP of a game, but Fields certainly was against the Jets in Week 14.

There were some surprises in the balloting.

Bills receiver Steve Johnson ran away with one of the two available spots, but I didn't expect Santonio Holmes to take the other one so handily over teammate Braylon Edwards or Patriots star Wes Welker.

I assumed Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski would win, but in a close race, especially with the possibility of splitting votes with teammate Aaron Hernandez. Gronkowski crushed everyone else. He had four times as many votes as his closest competition, Dustin Keller of the Jets.

Bills linebacker Arthur Moats finished a distant second to Calvin Pace. But I found it amusing that almost every time a vote came in for him, the reader stipulated it was because Moats injured Brett Favre.

Patriots rookie Devin McCourty had six times as many votes as Dolphins cornerback Vontae Davis for the position opposite Jets star Darrelle Revis. Antonio Cromartie wasn't remotely in the race.

The most balanced voting happened at the safety positions. Patriots strong safety Brandon Meriweather edged out Jim Leonhard of the Jets, with Donte Whitner of the Bills closely behind in third.

Bills free safety Jairus Byrd, a Pro Bowler as a rookie in 2009, accumulated just 14 more votes than Patrick Chung of the Patriots.

The special-teams race was fun to track. Thirteen players received at least one vote, with Jets hitter Eric Smith barely beating teammate James Ihedigbo and Bills fullback Corey McIntyre.

Conference Championship Final Word: Jets-Steelers | Bears-Packers

Five nuggets of knowledge about Sunday's Jets-Steelers AFC Championship Game:

For LaDainian Tomlinson to reach the Super Bowl, he'll need to do more than most. Despite a surefire Hall of Fame career, Tomlinson never has reached the Super Bowl. The onus will be on the Jets' run game. As always, the Jets' ground attack with Tomlinson and Shonn Greene will be crucial to moving the offense and making the game as manageable as possible for quarterback Mark Sanchez in a difficult environment. The Steelers led the NFL in run defense during the regular season, allowing a paltry 63 yards a game. But in a Week 15 victory at Heinz Field, the Jets rushed for 106 yards. In the postseason, however, Tomlinson averages 3.7 yards a carry and has six touchdowns in nine career games, but only four in his seven with the San Diego Chargers.

The Jets can win the game on special teams. The Steelers' special teams are mediocre. Brad Smith set a tone for the Jets by returning the opening kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown in Week 15. In last week's divisional playoff game at Heinz Field, Baltimore Ravens punt returner Lardarius Webb had a 55-yard touchdown wiped out by a holding penalty. Webb also had a 38-yard kickoff return, and the Steelers' special teams were flagged three times. The Jets' venerable special-teams coordinator, Mike Westhoff, is as opportunistic as they come.

After two games of holding back, expect the Jets' pass rush to get aggressive. The Jets focused more on keeping defenders in coverage than sending extra pass-rushers after Peyton Manning and Tom Brady. The Steelers, however, are vulnerable on the offensive line. Even when healthy, the Steelers' pass protection makes the game an adventure for Ben Roethlisberger, and tackles Flozell Adams and Jonathan Scott are hurt. The Steelers surrendered 43 sacks in the regular season. Only seven teams allowed more. The Ravens sacked Roethlisberger six times last week. Jets outside linebackers Calvin Pace and Jason Taylor and defensive end Shaun Ellis must be excited about the possibilities.

In addition to the return of Troy Polamalu, don't underestimate the presence of Heath Miller. Much attention has been dedicated to how the Steelers' defense will be different with Polamalu at safety. He didn't face the Jets in Week 15. Neither did Miller, a dangerous weapon in the Steelers' passing game. He caught 42 passes for 512 yards and two touchdowns in 14 games. Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie can handle the Steelers' receivers, but Miller can pose a matchup problem. Here's a noteworthy stat: The Steelers are 8-1 in the postseason with Miller on the field.

The Jets have the best receiving corps left in the playoffs. The Green Bay Packers have the best quarterback. The Steelers have the most bling. But the Jets boast the best crew of receivers of the final four. That will be important if the Jets need to mount a late comeback and especially if the Steelers play prevent defense. The Steelers have a stellar duo with Mike Wallace and Hines Ward running routes. But Santonio Holmes is a former Super Bowl MVP and (mostly) has been a clutch receiver all season. Braylon Edwards has distanced himself from that butterfingers reputation. When Jerricho Cotchery is your third receiver, you know you're in good shape. Then there's tight end Dustin Keller, and Tomlinson makes catches out of the backfield. The Jets would prefer to have success on the ground, but with receiving options like those, they still have a shot to win through the air.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Music was blaring when the New York Jets swung open the steel door to the visitors locker room in Gillette Stadium.

"On to the Next One" by Jay-Z and Swizz Beatz was an appropriate anthem. The Jets had done away with the New England Patriots in such a shockingly easy manner Sunday night. Next up, the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field for the honor of representing the AFC in the Super Bowl.

The Jets trailed by a field goal for less than six minutes in the first half and led by two scores for most of the game. They eliminated the top-seeded and preordained Patriots from the playoffs 28-21 and avenged that mortifying 42-point loss six weeks earlier on "Monday Night Football."

As reporters filed into the locker room, Jets safety James Ihedigbo's voice could be heard above the cocksure lyrics and thumping bass.

"They all doubted us!" Ihedigbo yelled over and again. "They all doubted us!"

Yes, we most certainly did. I'm most definitely included.

There will be a crow shortage in butcher shops across the country. I'm eating mine with a little Caribbean jerk sauce as I write this. It's a bit gamey.

With conviction, I wrote and said on television and radio throughout the past week the Jets would not win. Like so many of you, I was certain the Patriots would smack them around. Sure, I gave conciliatory analysis on how the Jets could win: dominate on the ground, dominate on third downs and Jeff Gillooly kneecapping Tom Brady during the national anthem.

But as I mentioned in my weekly AFC East chat, people in their right mind couldn't predict the Jets to win Sunday after watching them get razed in Week 13.

Not even Jets icon Joe Namath could bring himself to pick the Jets.

"There was nobody in this room that picked us," Jets outside linebacker Jason Taylor said. "Except us."

But Taylor also acknowledged how difficult it would have been for outsiders not to side with the Patriots.

"They beat the crap out of us," he said.

That Week 13 loss was so awful that Jets coach Rex Ryan held a funeral for the game ball out on the practice field.

Saturday night on ESPN 1050 in New York, Bonnie Bernstein and I made fun of her co-host, former Jets quarterback Ray Lucas, for being a homer and forecasting a Jets victory.

Really, Ray? A sane human being? I could sense Rutgers purging his transcripts while he spoke such kookiness.

No team in NFL history had lost by at least 35 points in the regular season and then won a rematch in the playoffs. In each of the previous five instances, the losing team lost by at least two scores in the rematch.

Even so, the Jets wouldn't be denied. They backed up their boastful claims and profane insults and walloped the Patriots in their own building.

"We beat them the first game, check. They came back and beat us, check," Jets linebacker Bart Scott said. "We came in when it counted the most, checkmate."

As Scott spoke, Ihedigbo kept at it: "They all doubted us, Bart!"

"We just let you guys build them up, let them read those things," Scott continued, "and Wes Welker can go kick rocks."

The Jets won, as many prognosticators said they perhaps could, by running well (120 yards) and converting third downs (46 percent compared with the Patriots' 36 percent).

"You all probably thought I was arrogant and just talking out the side of my face," Scott said of the bold proclamations the Jets made during the week. "Look at our roster, look at their roster. We got better players all across the field.

"Perception isn't reality all the time. I guess the cream rised to the top."

Freak injuries didn't befall Brady, but he did have another pedestrian postseason game. He has lost three in a row, dating back to his lone Super Bowl loss.

Ryan highlighted Brady's recent mediocrity while preparing for the game. He showed the Jets that Brady was fallible by broaching the stats from the Patriots' previous three postseason games. Brady averaged 5.1 yards per attempt, had more interceptions than touchdowns and a 66.8 passer rating.

Before Brady completed five of seven attempts for 59 yards and a touchdown against the Jets' prevent defense on the final drive of the game, he was averaging 3.2 yards less per attempt than he did in the regular-season and had a 78.8 passer rating, 32 points below his regular-season number.

The Jets sacked him five times. Shaun Ellis got him twice.

"This was the quarterback that couldn't be touched," Scott said. "You guys talk about how great he's playing, but you know what Rex pulled out for us were his last three playoff games and what his record was and what his ranking was then.

"You guys didn't look deep enough into the notes. That's what we leaned on. We knew we had more playoff experience than that team. We knew that when the pressure was on those young guys wouldn't be able to play at a high level. We've been there, done that."

The Patriots also made some in-game blunders. On their 38-yard line, Patriots safety Patrick Chung botched a direct snap on a fake punt with 1:06 left in the first half. Four plays later, Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez connected with Braylon Edwards for a 15-yard touchdown and 14-3 halftime lead.

Patriots coach Bill Belichick refused to discuss the fake punt.

"You got the guru on the other side," Scott said sarcastically. "You talk about how great he is. Maybe you guys'll start giving our coach some credit for knowing what he's doing.

"I love my coach. Let me tell you something: I would die for that man."

Sanchez was efficient in a stadium where he'd never won before. In fact, Sanchez had one touchdown and seven interceptions in his prior Foxborough visits. Sunday, he completed 16 of his 25 attempts for 194 yards and three touchdowns.

The Jets' defense was strong despite their offense having the ball nearly 10 minutes less than the Patriots. The Patriots ran 78 plays to the Jets' 54, a ratio that would seem to favor Brady. But the Patriots converted only five third downs, two in the first half.

Subtract 11-yard runs from receivers Brandon Tate and Julian Edelman and the Patriots averaged 3.5 yards a carry.

The Jets were the better team in every phase of the sport. They walked the walk. Sanchez, not Brady, took a snap out of the victory formation and took a knee to run out the clock.

The Patriots will clean out their locker stalls this week.

"The people that say bad things about us, who doubt us, who think we're clowns just running around and talking," Jets outside linebacker Calvin Pace, "they don't know the character of the guys in this room.

"It was us against the world, coming in here. But we did it. We're on to Pittsburgh."

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- The New York Jets avenged their Week 13 annihilation at Gillette Stadium by stunning the top-seeded New England Patriots 28-21 in Sunday's playoff showdown.

What it means: For the second straight year under Rex Ryan, the Jets won two road games and advanced to the AFC Championship Game. The Patriots lost their third straight postseason game.

Hero: Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez outplayed MVP favorite Tom Brady and won for the first time in Gillette Stadium. Sanchez completed 16 of his 25 throws for 194 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions. He was cool in a pressure-packed environment.

Unsung hero: Jets defensive end Shaun Ellis had a big game as a pass-rusher and against the run. He sacked Brady twice on the Patriots' second possession.

Goat: Brady, who once posed with goats for a GQ photo spread, didn't perform when it mattered. He threw an interception, had trouble locating open receivers and wasn't on target very often. He completed 29 of 45 throws for 299 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.

Pivotal play: Two plays after Brady found Alge Crumpler for a touchdown and Sammy Morris ran in the two-point conversion to cut the Jets' lead to three points, Jets receiver Jerricho Cotchery made a 58-yard catch and run to the Patriots' 13-yard line, setting up an eventual 7-yard touchdown strike to Santonio Holmes.

Jets received variety of contributions: No Jets player gained over 100 yards. Nobody had more than five catches. Their four touchdowns came from different players: LaDainian Tomlinson, Braylon Edwards, Holmes, and Shonn Greene.

Feeling the pressure: The Jets sacked Brady five times and hit him a lot while he was throwing. Calvin Pace recorded a strip sack in the third quarter.

What's next: The Jets will play the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field, where they won 22-17 in Week 15. The Patriots will clean out their lockers and go on a longer vacation than they wanted.

INDIANAPOLIS -- The New York Jets poured out onto the Lucas Oil Stadium turf, many with their helmets raised overhead. Nick Folk's 32-yard field goal flipped through the uprights as the clock expired Saturday night. The Jets beat the Indianapolis Colts 17-16 and advanced to the AFC divisional round of the playoffs.

The sickened crowd was so silent you could hear the Jets whoop and holler like they owned the place. Braylon Edwards did a backflip on his way into the tunnel.

And right about then the Jets remembered what's coming next.

"As soon as the game was over -- I know that all the guys were happy with the win -- but we got the Patriots on our mind," Jets safety Brodney Pool said. "We know we're going back there. We remember what they did to us."

Yes, the New England Patriots.

Congratulations, Jets on your wild-card round victory Saturday. On Jan. 16, you get to return to Gillette Stadium, where the Patriots cudgeled you 45-3 about five weeks ago.

"The way that they beat us up when we were there, it was a butt-kicking," Pool said.

"They dominated us."

Jets defensive back Dwight Lowery interrupted.

"Not going to happen again," Lowery said, pulling a shirt over his head at the adjoining locker stall.

"That wasn't the same group of guys," Pool said, "that showed up today."

The Jets left Lucas Oil Stadium convinced they weren't the same team that the Patriots humiliated on "Monday Night Football." That Dec. 6 game emphatically dropped the Jets out of the AFC East lead. That loss led to questions about them being frauds who fattened their record by feasting on opponents with losing records.

"What happened in the last game definitely is not going to happen again," Lowery said. "We'll be better prepared overall. It's a brand new game."

Saturday night's victory resets the Jets. They beat the great Peyton Manning on his home field, in front of his raucous fans.

And the Jets did it with Manning avoiding blunders. Manning did his thing. He completed 69 percent of his passes for 225 yards. He fired a perfect strike to Pierre Garcon for a 57-yard touchdown. Manning didn't throw an interception and conceded on one garbage sack at the end of the first half. He posted a 108.7 passer rating.

The Jets still won.

Now they feel like they have an honest shot against Tom Brady, whom Rex Ryan took a shot at last week. Ryan knocked Brady, declaring him propped up by Bill Belichick and not as good as Manning.

"To beat an elite Hall of Fame quarterback in his house is huge," Jets right tackle Damien Woody said. "We had the right formula coming in here. The stakes get higher. Brady probably is going to be MVP of the league. That offense is humming.

"But to beat Peyton at home speaks volumes about the guys in this locker room and our coaching staff."

The Jets can't expect to hold the Patriots to 16 points. The Patriots have scored at least 31 points in eight straight games.

So good luck with that.

But the Jets have plenty to build upon.

Perhaps most impressive about their victory was that Mark Sanchez was slipshod -- and that didn't kill them. Sanchez was off target on some plays and threw a boneheaded interception that kept the Jets scoreless at halftime. He didn't have any touchdown passes and finished with a 62.4 rating.

The Jets won with an aggressive ground attack that got better as the game progressed. LaDainian Tomlinson appeared fresh, as he did early in the season. He ran 16 times for 82 yards and two touchdowns. Shonn Greene added 19 carries for 70 yards.

"Really, it was more the mentality our backs took that they were going to run through that door," Ryan said. "Whether it had a lock on it or not, our guys were going to pound it in there.

"Our offensive line did a great job of slugging away. It wasn't going to be that you were going to rip [the Colts] for 8 yards and 8 yards. It usually starts 2, 3, 4 and then all of the sudden you're able to crack them."

The Patriots' run defense might be their biggest weakness heading into the playoffs. They placed defensive linemen Ron Brace and Mike Wright on injured reserve in the past week. They allowed an average of 108 yards a game, which ranked 11th. But a mitigating factor is that teams often are in catch-up mode in the second half and forced to throw.

Patriots inside linebacker Brandon Spikes is coming back from a league suspension. Rookie defensive lineman Brandon Deaderick was briefly suspended by the Patriots this week for an undisclosed reason.

Several Jets refused to discuss the Patriots matchup as Saturday night turned into early Sunday morning. When a reporter asked outside linebacker Calvin Pace about heading back to Gillette Stadium, inside linebacker Bart Scott lashed into a profanity-laced complaint that the Jets deserved time to enjoy beating the Colts.

Jason Taylor, who won his first playoff game in a decade, was one of the Jets who declined to speak specifically about the Patriots.

But the veteran pass-rusher put the victory -- and next week -- into perspective.

"If there was any bit of uncertainty, I think this helps erase it," Taylor said. "But it's one game. We won the playoff round. We've got to go play in the divisional round, and if we win that, we still haven't done anything yet.

"I understand the process. I've been in this spot before, where you win the first round and don't win in the second round. You get nothing for it. You don't even get a hat. Or a T-shirt."

It was so long ago, but the Jets actually did defeat the Patriots 28-14 at the Meadowlands in Week 2.

The trilogy will conclude next Sunday afternoon.

"Couldn't have scripted it better, to get a third opportunity at a team," Woody said. "We split in the regular season, but people don't remember our win. They remember the huge blowout. You're only as good as your last game.

"So Part III is coming up."

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Boos filled the Meadowlands, where the New York Jets fell to the Miami Dolphins in one of the sloppiest games of the year.

What it means: For the third time in seven home games, the Jets failed to score a touchdown. The Jets have lost two in a row for the first time this year, while the Dolphins once again avoided back-to-back losses and are back above .500 for the sixth time.

MVP: How bad was the game? The most important player might have been Dolphins punter Brandon Fields. When the Dolphins weren't fumbling, Fields made sure the Jets had long drives ahead. He punted 10 times, averaging an eye-popping 56.4 yards. He had a long of 69 yards.

Pop-gun QB duel: It's amazing either quarterback could win with these stat lines. Mark Sanchez completed 17 of 44 passes for 216 yards and no touchdowns with one interception and at least three dropped interceptions. Chad Henne completed five of his 18 throws for 55 yards and one touchdown with no interceptions but two lost fumbles. The Dolphins had 30 net yards passing.

What a waste: The Jets' defense made three plays that could have shifted momentum, but the offense turned them into a grand total of three points. Calvin Pace had a second-quarter strip sack in Dolphins territory that led to a Jets field goal, but not before a wide-open Santonio Holmes let a surefire touchdown pass drop through his hands in the end zone. Jason Taylor recovered a fumble at the 50 that brought no points. Brodney Pool pounced on a botched Henne play that rolled 35 yards back to the Jets' 42-yard line, but the turnover brought no points.

League review: Dolphins cornerback Nolan Carroll went down late in the third quarter. He stumbled on the Jets' sideline while covering a punt, and CBS Sports replays appeared to show a Jets staffer sticking his knee out to trip Carroll intentionally. Carroll did return to the game, but it looked filthy to me.

Injury report: Jets right tackle Damien Woody, who has been battling a knee injury for a few weeks, left the game in the first half and did not return. No update was immediately available.

What's next: The Jets will visit the Pittsburgh Steelers and then the Chicago Bears after that. The Dolphins will welcome the Buffalo Bills to Sun Life Stadium next week.

A bye week isn't merely time for a team to unplug and refresh itself for the rest of the season. The break provides an opportunity to self-scout, take inventory, contemplate.

The New York Jets are coming out of their bye week with a 5-1 record. They're atop the AFC East, have won five straight and are getting healthier by the day.

There's ample reason to be optimistic about January and February.

Pensive players who've been around a couple years, however, know the dangers of early success. They couldn't help but reflect on 2008, when the Jets were the toast of the NFL at 8-3, crumbled down the homestretch and failed to make the playoffs despite a league-high seven Pro Bowlers.

"That 8-3 is a big one that's still fresh on the minds of many guys in the locker room who don't want to repeat that debacle," Jets center Nick Mangold said Tuesday afternoon.

A debacle it was, and then some.

Those Jets became chic Super Bowl favorites by winning five games in a row. They scored 56 points on the Arizona Cardinals (who eventually won the NFC) and posted back-to-back victories over the New England Patriots and Tennessee Titans, who went into their game 10-0.

The Jets proceeded to lose four of their final five games. Brett Favre threw two touchdown passes and nine interceptions in that span. Their hopes essentially were extinguished before the Miami Dolphins kicked off in the regular-season finale at the Meadowlands.

"It was a horrible feeling from where we were after beating New England and Tennessee," Mangold said. "We were on top of the league. We were doing great things."

The Jets have undergone significant upheaval since their 2008 collapse. They fired head coach Eric Mangini and replaced him with Rex Ryan. They parted with Favre and traded up to draft Mark Sanchez. They've added key components on both sides of scrimmage and special teams.

But a good chunk of that devastated '08 team remains, and many of them make up the leadership core, including four-fifths of the offensive line, fullback Tony Richardson and cornerback Darrelle Revis.

"I just take 2008 as a learning experience," Jets outside linebacker Calvin Pace said. "You take the good and the bad from it and continue to move on.

"What it means is you need to handle your business when you can."

AccuScore's forecast, a computerized projection based on performances and the strength of future opponents, gives the Jets an 81.2 percent chance to make the playoffs.

Since the NFL went to its current playoff format in 1990, teams that begin a season 5-1 make the playoffs 83.6 percent of the time.

"With our focus being that Super Bowl champion, we've been more in the moment," Pace said. "Every game is more about us and not going out there and not doing stupid things with penalties. We feel like we can be our own worst enemies at times as far as making mistakes.

"We just have to maintain and keep it going. You can go out and win five in a row and then lose two or three and basically wipe all that out."

When the Jets were 8-3 two years ago, AccuScore's forecast gave the Jets an 80.3 percent chance to make the playoffs.

Since 1990, all the other teams that started a season 8-3 made the playoffs 93.1 percent of the time.

That underscores the reality that -- every now and again -- the pitcher connects for a home run, the hockey goon scores a goal, the long-shot prizefighter lands a knockout punch.

"It really hit home there's nothing guaranteed in the NFL no matter where you're at until the end of the season and everything's panned out," Mangold said.

That lesson was reinforced last year, but in the opposite manner.

Ryan publicly declared his team mathematically eliminated from the playoff race after a Week 15 loss to the Atlanta Falcons, but the Jets actually possessed a minuscule chance.

"We thought we were done," Pace said. "By the grace of God we found out some good news that we were still in it."

All the AFC teams the Jets needed to lose did, and with the Indianapolis Colts and Cincinnati Bengals benching their best players over the final two weeks, the Jets crashed the tournament.

The Jets had to feel like a team of destiny. They went on the road to upset the Bengals in the first round and the San Diego Chargers in the second round. In Lucas Oil Stadium, the Jets led the Colts in the third quarter of the AFC Championship Game before their unlikely run concluded.

The way the Jets defied the percentages last year, they must be careful not to feel they're owed anything this time around. The young players, especially, need to be warned of the pratfalls.

Everybody in the Jets' locker room needs to be mindful of 2008.

"Guys who were here and can talk about it are able to let everyone else know 'Hey, we've got to keep fighting,'" Mangold said. "Even though things are going well now doesn't mean they have to go well later."