I have to confess that as recently as 5 or 6 weeks ago, I was harboring some doubts that the Patriots would win the AFC East this year.  The Jets came out of the gate on fire, including the Week 2 win over the Pats.  Miami was coming off a division title and always have the puncher’s chance that comes from having an unorthodox, but highly effective running attack.  And the Patriots were in transition on defense and sputtering on offense.  Looking back on it now, I’m kind of embarrassed that I had any doubts at all, especially after the abominable mess that was yesterday’s 30-25 Dolphins win.  The entire game was a train wreck. A colossal mess of epic proportions.  So much so that I can’t believe back in September we were worried about either of these teams.  Both are in disarray.  Neither is capable of any sort of consistency on either side of the ball.  And both are making it a regular thing to shoot their mouths off and embarrass themselves off the field when they’re not busy doing so on the field.  Just a few examples of from the last 24 hours:

*The first half was arguably the worst 30 minutes of football ever played.  The score at the half was 3-3, and watching it you wondered how those two offenses mustered that many points.  If this game had been played in London, the British government would’ve broken off diplomatic relations.

*Chad Henne couldn’t audiblize a protection scheme if he had a baby in his arms.   At one point the Jets did everything but sign a binding contract promising they would send 8 rushers, Henne snapped the ball and before he could take his 3rd step, 3 Jets were in on him unblocked.  Sack.

*The Jets spent most of the 2nd quarter running a 4th grade offense, with 2 tight ends and handoffs into the line.

*Neither Henne nor The Sanchize was willing to attempt a pass of longer than 2 yards, and their primary target of choice was typically a back or a tight end with someone draped over his back.

*Miami managed 52 rushing yards and 52 passing yards for the game.  A point which Rex Ryan pointed to with pride, despite the fact that his team, ya know, lost. “We outplayed them but got beat,” he said, keeping alive his perfect record of never taking responsibility for a loss.

*Ted Ginn scored ran two kicks back for touchdowns, which is great.  Unless you factor in that he did it after being called “an embarrassment and a coward” by some former Dolphins players, thereby sort of inadvertently proving their point.

*Bart Scott continues to douchebag it up, this time with some snarky bitching about the ‘Phins after the game.  “They’re a great team. They’ll probably contend for the Super Bowl. They have a tremendous offense – great running backs, a great quarterback, a great tight end. They are stacked across the board. I’m serious. They are great…. They have a tremendous offense and they showed it today. They are Super Bowl contenders and they will probably take it all the way.”

*Some Miami writer credited the win to the fact that the Dolphins won because they have character and the Jets are “a bunch of jerks.”

T-Rex screwed up royally by not challenging a non-call on an obvious Dolphin fumble on a TD drive.

*And for those of us still clinging to the old bromide that you’ve got to run in the NFL to win, this dog’s breakfast of a game featured the No. 1 and No. 2 running attacks in football.

So this is what happened to the Patriots main competition in the division, and that’s just since yesterday afternoon.  And now I can’t remember why any of us were ever worried about these inept, bumbling, mouthy asshats to begin with.