Week 9 of the NFL schedule offered plenty of surprising results that affected both the playoff picture and the divisional standings. Now that we’ve reached the halfway mark of the 2022 NFL season, nearly every game has at least some level of playoff implications.

New York sports betting is enjoying its first regular season of legal action. This past weekend was of special interest with the in-state clash between the Jets and the Bills. For now, the underdog Jets came out on top.

Let’s take a look at the updated NFL playoff picture and assess which teams enhanced or impaired their postseason chances on Sunday.

NFL Playoff Picture for Week 9

Current AFC Playoff Picture

1. Buffalo Bills (6-2)
2. Tennessee Titans (5-2)
3. Kansas City Chiefs (5-2)
4. Baltimore Ravens (5-3)
5. New York Jets (6-3)
6. Miami Dolphins (6-3)
7. Los Angeles Chargers (5-3)

In the Hunt

8. New England Patriots (5-4)
9. Cincinnati Bengals (5-4)
10. Indianapolis Colts (3-5-1)
11. Cleveland Browns (3-5)
12. Denver Broncos (3-5)
13. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-6)
14. Las Vegas Raiders (2-6)
15. Pittsburgh Steelers (2-6)
16. Houston Texans (1-6-1)

Jets Take Down the Bills, Who Still Hold AFC’s Top Seed

The Bills still hold the No. 1 seed in the AFC after losing to the Jets, but Gang Green is quickly making up ground in the AFC East. New York’s defense forced Josh Allen into his worst passing performance of the season, and the Jets are now just a half-game behind Buffalo in the division.

Zach Wilson only managed 154 yards and one score through the air, but he didn’t make any back-breaking mistakes. The Jets rushed for 174 yards and let their defense do the rest. Allen found success on the ground, but he threw two interceptions (and could have had at least one more), fumbled twice, and took five sacks.

New York has established itself as a legitimate contender in the AFC, and their tie-breaking win over Buffalo could prove critical down the stretch.

Dolphins Escape in Shootout with Bears

The Dolphins can’t stop anyone on defense, but it might not matter. Tua Tagovailoa, Tyreek Hill, and Jaylen Waddle represent a lethal combination, and they were the driving forces behind Miami’s 35-32 win over the Bears.

Tua went 21 of 30 for 302 yards and three touchdowns, and the Dolphins remain undefeated in games their top QB has started and finished. Hill went for 7-143-1, the fifth time he’s gone over 140 yards this season. And recent trade acquisition Jeff Wilson Jr. led Miami in rushing and scored his first Dolphins touchdown.

Every team in the AFC East is above .500, so it will be a slog for the Dolphins down the stretch. They’ve proven they can score with any team — but can they get better at preventing points?

Chargers Hang On for Win Against Falcons

The Chargers tried to give away Sunday’s game to the Falcons, but they managed to walk away with the victory. With the score tied at 17 and less than a minute remaining in the fourth quarter, Atlanta initially recovered an Austin Ekeler fumble, but defensive tackle Ta’Quon Graham fumbled it back to Los Angeles.

This game could have turned out to be an incredibly Chargers-esque loss, but a Cameron Dicker field goal gave them the win. There are still problems on LA’s roster — they got gashed again in the run game, allowing 201 yards to the Falcons. But they’re still squarely in the AFC playoff picture.

Bengals Get Back on Track vs. Panthers

The Bengals exploded back onto the playoff scene by demolishing the Panthers, 42-21. After getting embarrassed by the Browns on Monday Night Football, Cincinnati came out firing against Carolina. The Bengals led 35-0 at halftime and had more points than the Panthers had yards (32).

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If you played against Joe Mixon in fantasy, you almost assuredly lost. The veteran running back posted the best game of his career, totaling 211 yards and five touchdowns, the latter a Bengals franchise record. Meanwhile, backup quarterback Brandon Allen relieved Joe Burrow before the end of the third quarter. Cincinnati proved it can stay in the postseason race even without Ja’Marr Chase.