AFC East: Each Team’s Path To A Division Title

Buffalo Bills

Buffalo, the city of memes. Known mostly for their fans Macho Elbowing flaming tables, they also reside in the same division as the Patriots. You know, the dynasty that has had a stranglehold on the division, losing it only twice in the last decade. That can’t possibly be beaten can it? Buffalo also has a history of losses. Whether it’s the playoff drought ending to only get destroyed or going to four straight super bowls only to lose each of them. That kind of bad voodoo can’t suddenly drop can it? The tides of change may have handed them their golden opportunity.

The Competition:

First let’s look at the competition. Miami is a coin flip away from having a season of either Ryan Fitzpatrick or a demoralized Josh Rosen. Either Fitzmagic/tragic or Rosen getting obliterated by another terrible team then getting traded away in favor of another first-round QB, both repeats of history that don’t end well. The Jets have added some decent players, but that can go to waste due to coach Adam Gase’s tendency to show favoritism and alienate his least favorites. The Pat’s are still reeling from the loss of HOF TE Rob Gronkowski and just lost their starting center for an extended time due to blood clots. Brady is still balling out despite age, but a center must be on the same page as his QB. If he isn’t, that QB is going to be hit more and Brady can’t handle that at this point in his career.

Strengths Of The Bills:

Now let’s look at the Buffalo itself. According to ESPN, in the 18-19 season they were 2nd in yards allowed, and 1st in passing yards. They added to that stacked defense by drafting Ed Oliver in the first round, filling the hole that Kyle Williams left behind. Their OL has been completely revamped, and while they aren’t a second coming of the Electric Company they will do a better job protecting their guys.

They have a running back committee headlined by borderline HOF guys like Frank Gore, who may not be as flashy as in their youth but still have some juice in the tank. Finally, QB Josh Allen is set up to make a massive leap this year. He was 32nd in passing (third among rookies) but only started 11 games with a lack of talent surrounding him. Despite that, he managed to be 8th among ALL rookies in rushing yards. That dual-threat ability is very dangerous, coupled with the threat of a fully healthy Gore/McCoy and new addition Cole Beasley on slants makes this offense very scary. The Bills Mafia has the title in their sights.

By: Dylan Brattain (@dylan55441)

Miami Dolphins

First I’ll start by saying, this is 1000% hypothetical. The Miami Dolphins winning the division is the equivalent of an actual money tree growing in your back yard. It’s just not going to happen. But, for the sake of this article, let’s say they pull off the impossible. Let’s say, the Miami Dolphins win the AFC East. Well for that to happen, a few stars need to align.

Big Time Players Making Big Time Plays:

The Dolphins will need virtually everyone to play at their absolute best. Their core guys are the most important of those pieces. Xavian Howard, Minkah Fitzpatrick, Jerome Baker, and Christian Wilkins will all need to play at a Pro-Bowl Level. The rest of the offensive line will need to play well above their capabilities to get this task completed. The Dolphins have talent. Not a lot of it, but they have talent on this roster. They just need that talent to shine now more than ever.

QB1 Needs A Pro-Bowl Type Season:

News recently broke of Ryan Fitzpatrick winning the starting job for week 1. We can’t expect FitzMagic to play all 16 games. So it will be a mixed season of Fitz and Josh Rosen. Whoever is behind center will need to play lights out. In order for the impossible to become possible, they need the most important position in football to play like a pro-bowler. This is a tall task, but one that needs to be done for any sliver of hope.

Outside Factors Play A Major Role:

Tom Brady will need to fall off a cliff. Sam Darnold will need to get lost in a hot air balloon. Josh Allen will need to lose his right arm in a noodling accident. The Dolphins no doubt will need major help to become AFC East champions. They can not do it on their own. They have a schedule that ranks in the top 10 of toughest schedules in the league. The universe will need to assist them in this quest. But if the talent shines through, the stars align and the universe helps out, the Miami Dolphins can be AFC East champs for the first time since 2008.

By: Justin Holcomb (@PhinsiderHulk)

New England Patriots

Offseason Losses and Gains

This past season the Patriots won the Superbowl and proved to the NFL that they cannot be stopped. The roster stayed the same since their only major loses were Trey Flowers, Chris Hogan, and Rob Gronkowski. They have gotten even better this past season by adding rookies and role players such as Micheal Bennet, Chase Winovich, N’keal Harry and many more. These are the reasons the Patriots are in Super Bowl contention. 

Strengths 

I could write pages of strengths the Patriots have, but I’m just gonna go over the main ones. The offense, in general, is a strength except for the tight end position. They have outstanding receivers in Josh Gordon, Julian Edelman, and N’Keal Harry. The Patriots also have an outstanding running back duo in James White and Sony Michel. The offensive line is a consistent linemen group and this past season they only let up 21 sacks.

Then you have the Goat himself who can still play the game even though he is 42 years old. He looks better than ever this season and I can’t wait to see him play this year. Another strength is the coaching staff. Bill Belichick is arguably one of the best coaches of all time and he is the greatest of this era. Belichick and his team are always Super Bowl contenders and they have been the top dogs in the NFL since the early 2000s. After an amazing defensive showing in the Superbowl, the secondary is a key factor to this Patriots team. The Patriots have the best cornerback in the NFL in Stephon Gilmore who they picked up a couple of years ago. We also have the veteran duo in Patrick Chung and Devin McCourty, who have been an average duo in the NFL. We also have lots of depth in the secondary such as Jonathan Jones, Duron Harmon, and many more athletes. 

Weaknesses 

The Patriots do not have many weaknesses, but there are still a few. The tight end position is weak since Rob Gronkowski retired from the NFL. Also, the new starter, Benjamin Watson, is suspended for the first four games. The Patriots only have mediocre tight ends which leaves a huge gap to fill. They have no other weaknesses other than the tight end position since they are the best coached and put-together team in the NFL. 

Conclusion

The Patriots are Super Bowl contenders once again, and until Tom Brady and Bill Belichick retire, the Patriots will always be the AFC East champions and Super Bowl contenders. The future is bright in New England!!!!!!

By: Alex Saunders (@AWS_Writer)

New York Jets

For an in-depth look into why the Jets will walk away AFC East champions, click here.

By: Eric Mintzer (@TheEricMintzer)