The New England Patriots seized the national spotlight after improving to 9-2 with a “Thursday Night Football” win over the New York Jets.

Friday’s sports discourse has centered on whether the Patriots are back as a legitimate Super Bowl contender amid an eight-game winning streak. A former Pro Bowl defensive back is buying the hype.

Ryan Clark picked the Patriots to enter the postseason as the AFC’s top seed on ESPN’s “First Take.”

“Absolutely. I’m absolutely convinced,” Clark said. “And it’s not just about what we saw last night. Obviously, against the Jets, you expected the New England Patriots to operate that way, to execute in the way that they have.”

The Patriots cruised to a 27-14 win over the Jets, and skeptics will keep pointing to the team’s manageable schedule. However, C

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