The New England Patriots have been the cream of the crop for many seasons now, and this is especially true in the AFC East. As the defending champions, they have to be given many accolades, as well as the benefit of the doubt for the upcoming season. It is kind of hard to imagine them not returning to the playoffs, and probably as division champs, at that.
So, I begin this review asking the same question that I did last season for this post. Can anyone else in this division catch up, or even kind of keep up, with the New England Patriots?
Here are my answers:
1. New England Patriots (projected division winners) - Since the NFL entered the age of free agency and greater parity, it has indeed become more difficult for franchises to enjoy sustained success in the NFL. However, the Patriots have proven to be the exception, seemingly thriving under this system, and enjoying the most glorious chapters in their history since. Their line-up constantly changes, but the results largely remain the same. The Patriots are a remarkably consistent success story in the league. Last season was a case in point. New England was one of the favorites, as they always seem to be. But they managed to overcome a rough start - particularly the beat down that they suffered early in the season before a national television audience that got so bad that some people began writing the Pats off - to hold off the entire rest of the AFC in order to secure home field advantage throughout the playoffs. They got the two weeks rest, and then held off the tough Baltimore Ravens in the divisional round, before plowing through Indianapolis in the AFC title game. They won the Super Bowl by having star quarterback Tom Brady orchestrate a couple of brilliant drives late in the game, taking his team back from a 10-point, fourth quarter deficit to win his fourth Super Bowl title, joining Joe Montana and Terry Bradshaw as the only quarterbacks in history to have won four Super Bowl rings. In the process, Brady tied Montana's record for three Super Bowl MVP's, and now stands alone as the only quarterback to have led his team to six Super Bowl appearances. All of that is most impressive, but there is this whole "Deflategate" scandal, and it looks like the Pats might have to do without the services of Brady for the first four games, and that could definitely impact New England's success this season. Still, I somehow think the Patriots will get through it all okay, come what may. They are remarkably resilient, and champions for a reason. It seems crazy to assume that someone else will win this division. While it certainly could happen, what the "Deflategate" scandal did, essentially, is put the Pats in the position of getting over the possible championship hangover in a hurry, and to get fired up to show the league how good they are. Given that, I cannot bet against another division title for the Pats.
3. Miami Dolphins (projected second place) - Miami has been a fairly solid team these last few seasons, but just have not quite had that extra push to get them qualified for the playoffs. But the addition of Suh on the defensive side should make them a lot tougher, particularly against the run. With Tannehill developing and likely improving, and the pick-up of two wide receivers in the off-season that could provide explosiveness, the offense could be ready to put it into another gear and take another step towards being a solid unit. The Dolphins might have been the best team in the league not to have made the playoff in either of the past two seasons, and you have to figure that they will not keep missing out like that. At times last season, they looked like a real playoff caliber team. They beat the Patriots on opening day, and enjoyed a three game win streak later on in the year. But they did not manage to beat many true contenders, with New England being the obvious exception. That needs to change if they are going to elevate to the next level.
4. Buffalo Bills (projected third place) - Buffalo is a hard team to figure out. One season they are up, and you assume that they will build on that and make the playoffs the next season. Then they disappoint, and seem to begin a new rebuilding phase. But just a quickly as you write them off, here they come again, looking almost like a serious playoff contender. The Bills had a very tough defense last year, and with new head coach Rex Ryan on the scene, they should be even tougher defensively. The question mark is with the offense, and particularly at quarterback. Ryan is not exactly known as an offensive genius, and so these questions are legitimate. If they can get something going, move the ball and score some points, they should be tough, complementing a tough defense and likely racking up some impressive wins. In that scenario, a return to the playoffs - something this franchise and their fans have not seen since 1999 - could and should happen. But it is also hardly unthinkable to imagine them struggling once again on offense, and with the defense cracking at times under the enormous weight of having the entire team's fortunes on their shoulders. It could go either way. Still, I am predicting that the Bills will benefit from Ryan's presence, as the defense should prove tougher still, and his familiarity with the rest of the division should be an asset. If the Bills are going to make a serious move to be a contender once again, this should be the season.
2. New York Jets (projected last place) - It has been 47 seasons since the Jets enjoyed their one truly great, memorable moment in winning Super Bowl III following Namath's guarantee. Rex Ryan tried to follow that up with guarantees of his own, but the team's poor showing in his later years as Jets coach meant that he was out as head coach. That might not be great news, since Ryan is now in Buffalo, coaching for a team with a tough defense. Plus, you have an already tough but still improving team in the Dolphins. Then, of course, there New England is in this division. Add tough games at Indianapolis, against the Eagles, at Houston, and at Dallas, and you have another season where the Jets are most likely going to struggle. The quarterback issue is far from settled, and despite some solid pick-ups in the off-season, the Jets just had too many weaknesses to overcome to be considered a serious contender heading into this season. Most likely, this is the cellar dweller in the AFC East for a second consecutive season.
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