AFC East Power Rankings - Week 9

The Patriots' season is half over, and they're still sitting comfortably atop the AFC East. That doesn't figure to change for the foreseeable future. How did the rest of the division do this week? Let's find out.

1. Patriots - Last Sunday against Washington was far from their best effort, but a win is a win. They lost Dion Lewis for the season and Sebastian Vollmer may see some time on the shelf but they might not miss much of a beat, at least not this week. They'll go up against the New York Giants, who have the 32nd-ranked pass defense in the NFL.

2. Bills - Desperate for a win at home, they dismantled the Dolphins, who have been the epitome of Jekyll and Hyde. Their defense, at least for one day, rounded back into form and they got huge contributions on the ground from LeSean McCoy and Karlos Williams. They're 4-4 and face a crucial Thursday night test against the New York Jets.

3. Jets - The Jets won against a lowly Jaguars team, but it wasn't all that easy. They seem to be trending down with really uninspired play the last couple of weeks. Just a few weeks ago, they had the No. 1 ranked defense in the NFL, but they've given up 30, 34 and 23 points in their last three games. They have to be better, especially against divisional opponents if they want to stay in the playoff race.

4. Dolphins - So they pretty much suck again. Their defense, which was supposed to be a strength, has given up 206 points this year. That's the most out of any team in the division. They're also 0-4 in the division and sit at 3-5. Their chances of making the playoffs have went back down to slim, and it won't get any easier for them this weekend when they travel to Philadelphia to take on an Eagles team that may have gotten its season back on track with an emotional victory against Dallas last weekend.

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