Todd Bowles: We’ve grown some since first Patriots game

“If the football gods deem that we are worthy, and somehow we win these last two games, maybe we will, maybe we won’t (get into the playoffs), but you can’t worry about it because you can’t control it”. You just have to focus on what we can control.

The Jets (9-5) have clinched their first winning season since 2010, which is the last time they made the playoffs, and also the last time they won four games in a row. They also hold a tiebreaker over Pittsburgh due to their victory over them in Week 7, hence why the Steelers must win out to have the edge over them. The only other team in the AFC to have wrapped up a playoff spot is the Cincinnati Bengals, who are the current number two seed, but while they are guaranteed to make the playoffs, they still could potentially lose the AFC North to the Pittsburgh Steelers, who are now 9-5 and the sixth seed but who would be as risky as any team in the postseason.

“All I can worry about is us”. We don’t control our own destiny, we can just control the two the teams we play against, so we’re just going to try to win those two games and make positive steps going forward.

NY will need to continue their strong play to reverse the current trend against the Patriots that has seen it lose eight of its last nine meetings SU.

Notes & quotes: X-rays of LB David Harris’ lower back were negative, Bowles said. “We were kicking our own butt, in terms of blowing calls and things of that nature”. “We’re on our way just getting better each week”.

As for a wild card playoff bid, the Broncos at 10-6 would need both the Steelers and Jets to finish 9-7.

This would improve Denver’s record to 11-4 while the Bengals would fall to 11-4. If Denver splits its last two, the Chiefs would win the division if they win out – and the Jets (again, if they win their last two) would get in over the Broncos because of a better conference record. “We’ve grown some”, Bowles said. If the Chiefs lose and the Broncos win next week, the Broncos would clinch the AFC West.

As the Jets get set for this second matchup, Bowles says he doesn’t feel any more prepared to face Brady and New England than he did before. “It’s just about the position we’re in as far as giving ourselves a chance to make the postseason”. Denver would earn the first round bye, have an extra week for key players to get healthy and have a chance to get a lucky draw in the Divisional Round depending on the results of the Wildcard playoff round. “It doesn’t matter who we’re playing this week; it would be an important game (regardless)”.

Bowles thinks his team has transformed from the group that lost in New England, after leading 17-16 entering the fourth quarter, and 20-16 with 12:50 remaining. But some bungled clock management, a late Brady-led drive and a 10-second runoff penalty to end the game with NY trying for the tying score short-circuited the Jets’ chances.

“Not much different. They’re winning”.

But this is a different team since then.

“I hope we are”, he said. However, the Steelers played that game without Ben Roethlisberger.