11/17 — When the Jets resume their schedule next weekend in Nashville, Tenn., they'll get a shot at the undefeated Tennessee Titans. The Titans improved to 10-0 early this evening, outscoring the Jaguars, 21-0, in the second half and winning on the road, 24-14.

At 7-3, the Jets are not only division leaders but they've completed their AFC East road slate unblemished with wins in Miami, Buffalo and New England. They own a 3-1 mark against their rivals and will host the Bills on Dec. 14 and then the Dolphins to close the regular season on Dec. 28. They control their own destiny and could very well host a playoff game in January, but plenty of challenges remain.

The Titans are perfect and the Jets will enter that game as underdogs. Either the Patriots or the Dolphins (who escaped at home over the Raiders, 17-15) will be 7-4 next Sunday because they'll face one another at Dolphin Stadium. The 5-4 Bills are winless in the division at 0-3 and have a bunch of issues, but their upcoming schedule isn't exactly Murderers' Row: vs. Cleveland, at Kansas City and vs. San Francisco.

If the season ended today, the Jets would be the AFC's No. 3 seed (Pittsburgh, also 7-3, would get the No. 2 seed and a first-round bye due to a better conference record), and would host a wild-card playoff game.

But come on, people, there's a ton of football left to be played — we haven't even reached the season's fourth quarter. After the Jets and the Titans battle, the 6-4 Broncos and their fantastic young passer, Jay Cutler, pay a visit to the Meadowlands.

The only help the Jets really got Sunday came from their city rivals as Big Blue handled the Baltimore Ravens by a 30-10 count. Other than that, all AFC playoff contenders took care of business.

The Steelers got a late field goal to squeak by the Chargers and ditto for the Dolphins, who edged the Raiders. Don't forget the Colts, who had enough offense against Houston to move to 6-4, and the aforementioned Broncos picked up an impressive road victory in Atlanta.

Five teams in the AFC are within a game of the Jets and that could be six if the Bills win tonight vs. Cleveland. While some columnists write of an all-New York Super Bowl and we can dream, there is much work to be done.

And I'm not trying to pour water on the fires — this team has the potential to be the best I've been around since entering the National Football League with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2000. They are a complete unit that can beat you with offense, defense and special teams and I don't think we've seen the best from them yet.

You've heard Brett Favre often talk about the importance of chemistry and this team's got something cooking. I wish you all could have been in the locker room following Thursday's OT win at Foxboro.

In one moment, Leon Washington was telling you how emotional the victory was and describing Thomas Jones' prideful tears. Then an unprompted Washington reversed course and said the Titans were the next challenge and he provided a detailed scouting report.

Defensive end Shaun Ellis — the longest-tenured Jets — was holding court with a permanent smile on his face but a moment didn't pass before he talked of facing the Titans.

There will be no Patriots hangover for the Jets. This will be the best team they've played, but this might be the best team the Titans will have played as well. Something tells me we're going to have another good one on our hands.