NFL standings, Week 4: All 3 of Dolphins' division rivals lost Sunday

September was a bleak month for the Miami Dolphins, but it has a chance to end on a positive note for the team. In Week 4, the rest of the AFC East left the door ajar for the Dolphins to make up some ground in a race that was quickly slipping away.

In the first slate of games on Sunday, the New York Jets couldn’t get their offense going against the Denver Broncos and lost, 10-9. Then in the later group of games, the San Francisco 49ers breezed through the New England Patriots for a 30-13 victory. To cap the night, the Baltimore Ravens bulldozed the Buffalo Bills in a 35-10 primetime blowout.

With all three of the Dolphins’ division rivals losing Sunday, here’s the state of the AFC East heading into Miami’s Monday night contest against the Tennessee Titans:

1. Buffalo Bills: 3-1 (1-0 vs. division)
2. New York Jets: 2-2 (1-0 vs. division)
3. Miami Dolphins: 1-2 (0-1 vs. division)
4. New England Patriots: 1-3 (0-1 vs. division)

The Dolphins’ loss to the Bills in Week 2 means that Miami can’t move into second place Monday, regardless of the result. But a win would move the team just a game behind first place as it tries to tread water without Tua Tagovailoa at quarterback.

The playoffs are still way off on the horizon, but if they started today, this would be the seeding:

1. Kansas City Chiefs: 4-0 (3-0 vs. AFC)
2. Houston Texans: 3-1 (2-0 vs. AFC)
3. Pittsburgh Steelers: 3-1 (2-1 vs. AFC)
4. Buffalo Bills: 3-1 (2-1 vs. AFC)
5. New York Jets: 2-2 (2-1 vs. AFC)
6. Indianapolis Colts: 2-2 (1-1 vs. AFC)
7. Los Angeles Chargers: 2-2 (1-2 vs. AFC)

The Dolphins would slide into one of the wild card slots if they manage to beat the Titans.