Everything was set for the New York Jets to redeem their recent series of losses. As they took on the New England Patriots (another team on the decline) this past week, they eyed a meaty franchise, and had the chance to shift the balance of power in the AFC East.

However, the Jets ran out of fuel as the game went on. You can thank Deion Branch for securing a significant lead for the Patriots, as he scored on an eight-yard pass in the fourth quarter, bringing the score to 30-16, advantage Patriots. The final score was 37-16, which was not quite a murder but at least a pummeling. New England solidified its reputation as the dominant division team.

Of course, it’s not impossible that the Jets could recover and win a divisional title—it’s just that the goal has jumped farther back in the horizon. As of November 14, 2011 The Jets are now 5-4 compared to the Patriots 6-3. The Jets will have to start winning more games than they lose at this point in the season, if they are to compete for the playoffs. Given the number of losses thus far, it’s not looking likely.

The Jets looked sloppy against the Patriots; they suffered three turnovers during a disastrous second half, prompting head coach Rex Ryan to say that [they’re] “not going to beat many teams, after making the mistakes that we made.” This week, the Jets are scheduled to play in Denver against the Broncos. Ryan joked that he should keep a pessimistic attitude, since the last time he guaranteed failure the team made the playoffs. “So yeah, we have no chance.”

The Jets’ comeback story may or may not happen this season, but that’s not stopping New York fans from supporting their favorite team. The only thing that Sunday’s game accomplished was putting some spirit back into the collective lungs of the Patriots, as they played well and set yet another record. Now, Coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady have 117th wins together, and are thusly the most successful coach-quarterback pair in NFL history. They even beat the record established by Don Shula and Dan Marino of the Miami Dolphins. Is the franchise coming back?

Wait a minute, this is supposed to be about the Jets! What do you say, New York out of contention?