With a three-game lead on everybody else in the AFC East, the Patriots have an opportunity to deliver what might be a knockout blow to the Jets Thursday night at MetLife Stadium.

If the Patriots (7-3) can beat the Jets (4-6), it would put them four games up with five to play, and they’d own the head-to-head tiebreaker, with victories in both regular-season games. Miami and Buffalo are also 4-6. The Patriots are 3-0 in the division so far.