Bottom’s Up in the AFC East

The one team seemingly out of the AFC East race might be the one that decides it.

Or are the New York Jets suddenly a contender in the NFL’s toughest division?

The Jets (4-6) won their third consecutive game Sunday, using a staunch defensive effort to defeat the Buffalo Bills, 17-7. The Jets, who won the division last season but had fallen into last place at the start of what appeared to be injury-wrecked season, have beaten New England (6-4) and Buffalo (7-4) in consecutive games. Indianapolis and Miami are tied for the division lead at 8-2.

“There is a lot of football left,” Coach Bill Parcells said after his Jets held the Bills to 265 total yards and made their own 208 yards on offense stand up. “How many losses do they have? Four. How many for us? Six. I’m not very good at math, but that is four for them and six for us with six to go.”

Said receiver Keyshawn Johnson: “You don’t want to start counting your eggs or whatever they count, but we’ll worry about ourselves and let everybody else shoot themselves in the foot.”

The Bills self-destructed offensively with three turnovers--one that resulted in a Jet touchdown--and plenty of poor passes by Doug Flutie (22 for 40 for 220 yards with two interceptions) and imprecise routes by receivers.

Buffalo did manage to shut down Curtis Martin, who had his streak of 100-yard rushing games end at four with 67 yards. Martin did have 42 yards on seven receptions as the Jets went with a conservative game plan with Ray Lucas making his second consecutive start at quarterback.

Lucas was 16 for 20 for 142 yards with no interceptions and had a nine-yard run for his first NFL touchdown.