ESPN NFL

Oakland (2-13) at NY Jets (9-6) Sunday 1:00 pm EST

EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey (Ticker) - The New York Jets were not expected to be part of the postseason party in Eric Mangini's first season as coach.

With a win over the Oakland Raiders in their regular-season finale on Sunday, the Jets could clinch an AFC wild-card berth.

After making the playoffs three times in five seasons under coach Herman Edwards, the Jets are on the cusp of reaching the playoffs a year after going just 4-12.

The Jets are one game ahead of Kansas City, Cincinnati, Jacksonville and Tennessee for the final wild-card spot, but hold the tiebreaker over each team.

Now all the Jets need to do to make the postseason is beat the Raiders, who are tied with Detroit for the NFL's worst record. Detroit would get the first pick in April's draft if the teams end with the same record.

"We need to take care of what's in front of us, and what's in front of us is the Oakland Raiders," Mangini said. "That's all our focus has to be on. Anything else after that point we'll address when and if it happens. The key thing for us is to take the same consistent approach that we had in Week Six, Week One, Week 12, that's how we've been able to make progress. That's how we've been able to be successful and that's not going to change."

The 35-year-old Mangini - a former defensive coordinator under Bill Belichick in New England - and quarterback Chad Pennington have been at the center of the Jets' turnaround.

Pennington's 64-yard completion to rookie running back Leon Washington set up Mike Nugent's 30-yard field goal with 10 seconds remaining in the Jets' 13-10 victory at Miami on Christmas.

In Art Shell's return to the sidelines, the Raiders have endured another awful season.

The Raiders have lost eight straight games and matched the franchise record for losses in a season set when they went 1-13 in 1962 - the season before Al Davis arrived to coach and eventually own the team.

The dismal season has led to speculation that Shell could be fired. He also was fired by Davis following the 1994 season.