AFC East Preview

The AFC East, a.k.a. the Patriots.  Since that’s really what this division has been ever since I can remember.  They won all those Super Bowls back in the day, and had season after season of success, and one year when Tom Brady gets injured and we all think we’re finally going to get some relief, what happens? Matt Cassel (how’s he done since then?) somehow leads the team into the playoffs yet again.  The Jets had a few good years taking it to New England, but now they’ve fallen off the map and we’re back to Patriot domination.  I would like to think the Patriots are somewhat vulnerable this year, and some of the other teams are certainly taking steps forward, but when it comes to the division standings I’m afraid it’s pretty clear cut…

4. New York Jets

            Oh, the Jets.  Growing up in New York, I’m very familiar with them.  The Giants’ little brother, always trying to steal the back page headline, trying to attract the eye of the public.  As I said, they had a couple really good years getting to AFC championships, but we all know of the Rex Ryan-Mark Sanchez debacles since then.  They’ve lost their dominating run game and once again question marks arise in the defense.   No more Darelle Revis. No more Shonn Greene. No more Dustin Keller.  Maybe Chris Ivory can step up and achieve, maybe Sanchez will regain his swagger or Geno Smith will arrive on the scene, maybe Dawan can replace Laron and Holmes and Hill will be who the Jets were hoping they could be and Kellen Winslow will return to relevance and pigs will fly. I doubt it.

3. Buffalo Bills

            The Bills have some good pieces, but simply haven’t been able to put anything together.  CJ Spiller is a big name after his breakout year, but I don’t see him being able to maintain his spot in that elite running back conversation, especially if Buffalo can’t figure out some sort of passing attack to take pressure off of him.  He’s no AP.  That said, he’s better than a lot of guys and Kevin Kolb might be able to come back from the dark side with a halfway decent O-line, and Stevie Johnson has pretty good upside as a go to receiver with a decent quarterback (although they don’t really have anyone after him).  They’ve still got that big old Mario Williams contract and are waiting on that elite defensive unit to emerge, but I don’t see it happening this year and EJ Manuel will have to wait for his turn.

2. Miami Dolphins

            The Dolphins, somewhat surprisingly, show the most promise of any of these three teams.  They lost stars like Reggie Bush and Jake Long this year, but actually opened themselves up to accumulate more up and coming young talent rather than tying themselves down to aging stars that didn’t necessarily fit their system.  Now they find themselves with a great receiving corps for Ryan Tannehill that includes the always solid Brian Hartline, former Jet Dustin Keller, and most importantly for a young quarterback, that super athletic go-to deep threat talent in Mike Wallace.  Pair that with a potentially great rookie running back in Lamar Miller (who is actually one of my targets this year in fantasy), an ever-solid defensive unit, and a really solid coach in Joe Philbin, I think this team is poised to make the move to a .500 team that may even challenge for a wild card, if not this year then sometime soon.

1. New England Patriots

            So, back to the Patriots.  They are going to win this division even if Tom Brady has to throw to himself.  That’s just how it is.  I could talk about how Danny Amendola is a constant injury threat, how Gronk’s health is questionable this year, and how without those two guys and a running back in Ridley that I don’t think can carry the load beyond spelling a passing attack that everyone knows is coming, there are really no reliable weapons on this team.  Yet every time we see vulnerability, Belichick throws some magical smoke screen and next thing you know Tom Brady is in the Super Bowl… again.  So yeah, the Pats will win the division.  I don’t think they’ll necessarily get a bye this year (although I’m probably wrong) and I think that they are on that downhill road to potentially not being an every year contender (I will eat these words), but for now they are still the ones to beat.  Unless Tom “Jesus” Brady gets hurt.  But even then, Belichick did get another Jesus in the offseason just in case.  Can you hear the chants yet? Nope, me neither.