The NFL season is rapidly approaching (less than a month left!) and with it comes the hopes of 32 fanbases. Some fanbases have more reason to believe than others, but make no mistake everyone starts off 0-0. Over the next few weeks, we’ll be giving a preview of each and every division. A playoff prediction will soon follow and a prediction of who wins the Super Bowl as well. Today we’re starting with the AFC East division which for the first time in over a decade has a new champion.
Buffalo Bills
The Patriot’s dynasty had to end at some point which left a void for the top spot. The Bills took it upon themselves to fill that void no questions asked. With Josh Allen the Bills have the best QB in the division by far. This allows them a massive advantage over their division rivals going forward. Having Allen take a leap forward in his development last season did wonders for this team. They raced out to a 13-3 record and was one of the premier offenses in the league. In fact, only the Chiefs racked up more yards on offense than the Bills last season.
The Bills made it all the way to the AFC championship game last season before falling to the Chiefs. The defense just couldn’t slow down that KC offense and the franchise will be hoping for an improvement in that area this season. Josh Allen is still capable of some head scratching decisions, but if he can replicate last season Buffalo will enjoy another post season run. Right now, they are the clear favorites to repeat as division champions.
Miami Dolphins
Under head coach Brian Flores Miami has seen huge strides in their franchise’s performances over the past two seasons. The team just missed out on making the playoffs last year despite it being a rebuilding year. The major question mark is will young QB Tua Tagovailoa be the answer for that position moving forward? He looked overmatched last season and with the team’s success last season time might be running out quicker than expected. If he can live up to his potential then this team can make a run at the division title.
The Dolphins strength is their defense which comes as no surprise considering Flores is a defensive minded coach. The Dolphins will once again rely on their defense to carry the team as the offense figures itself out. The defense might take a step back, but once again if the offense can take a leap, the playoffs are a realistic goal for this team. A division title might be a step too far for this team, but I fully expect them to be in the thick of the playoff hunt.
New England Patriots
Gone are the days of the Patriots dominating this division with an iron fist. A year removed from Tom Brady leaving the franchise and the Patriots appear to have their new QB of the future. Using a first round pick on Mac Jones he is expected to eventually win the starting job and take this team forward. As for now the job still belongs to Cam Newton who will be looking to bounce back from a rough season. We won’t ever know for sure, but Covid could’ve been a factor in his performances in the 2nd half of the season. With a full offseason and being Covid free we shall see what Newton is truly capable of.
For a fanbase so used to being penciled in as a playoff lock last season must’ve been a bit of a shock for them. That being said those days of being playoff locks might be in the past. At least for the next year or two as they try to figure out what they have at the QB position. Elsewhere the team doesn’t have a lot of elite level talent, but that’s nothing new for this franchise. One of the biggest keys for New England has been their ability to get players to play within the system. You see the system is what many attribute to their constant success. So while they won’t be competing for the division title this year they certainly won’t be in the basement.
New York Jets
Another year and yet another rebuild. Thus is the life of the New York Jets as this offseason saw Sam Darnold traded to Carolina. The Jets then turned around and drafted Zach Wilson to be the new franchise QB. He’s expected to be handed the keys to the offense week 1 and given time to learn on the fly. He will be given a veteran heavy offense that should, in theory, help get him acclimated to the NFL. Expectations will be low in terms of win/loss record, but fans will want to see signs of improvement.
Defensively, the Jets have always been known to be better on this side of the ball. This season should be no different as the defense could surprise a few. While the team overall won’t turn many heads there’s some players on this defense that could. Players such as C.J. Mosley and Sheldon Rankins among others comes to mind. Overall, this season will be deemed a rebuilding year and thus development will matter more than results. While the other three teams will be pushing for playoff spots, the Jets will have eyes towards the future. That can only mean that this team will find themselves in the cellar come season’s end.