AFC East Preview

AFC East Preview: The Division of Extraordinary (looking) Patriots Quarterbacks

San Diego Clay and I are back with another preview of your favorite football divisions.

Oz: Buffalo - Buffalo will probably make the biggest leap this year in the AFC East - maybe even the whole league. They're not a terrible team. Marshawn Lynch was one of the best rookies in the NFL last year and should improve. As a Pats fan, he's a scary player to have to see twice a year. Who was it that predicted the Bills would go to the playoffs this year? Either way, he's wrong. They'd make the playoffs if they played in the NFC, that's for sure.

S.D.C.: I agree, same thing as last year actually, although they also benefit from playing in a shitty division. The problem I see is that they look the same to me as last year. They were really conservative on offense and they basically couldn’t score enough to win. Their defense was great, Lynch is good (I had so much trouble deciding between Lynch and Grant for my keeper and I basically picked Grant because I think Buffalo’s offense sucks again) but is Trent Edwards the guy? I don’t know. They installed a West Coast offense this year, so we will see how Trent does with this, because if they can score, they can win. Of course not the division, but they can shoot for a wild card.

Oz: I'm definitely stealing Lynch from you when it's my turn to pick. I agree the Bills will be good and can SHOOT for a wild-card, but the conference is too tough. One team comes out of this division. Let’s go down to South Beach.

Miami - Miami is awful. They lost their best player (Jason Taylor), they do not have a quarterback that's any good, and Ronnie Brown can't do anything without anyone blocking for him, so he's useless. This is the least scary team in the whole entire conference.

S.D.C.: Speaking of not looking better. They clearly don’t care about this year. Last year they struggled to find a competent QB, and this year no one cares because they know they are terrible. They will be trying to figure out which guy, Chad Henne or John Beck, is the future of their organization, and probably lose most of their games. The total for wins is 5.5…I like the under. Their best bet for wins are Oak, KC, SF, Ari, Seattle and NYJ (sorry Gregg), and to tell you the truth, every one of those teams is better. The Chiefs won’t care about winning either, but still, can they win 6 of those 7 games? No way.

Oz: I agree. No way that the Dolphins win five games this year, nevermind the over. I like the list of teams they could beat and I disagree with you. Every one of those teams is better than the Dolphins. They're letting Parcells cook the dinner, but his ingredients are shitty. Let’s head to Foxboro.

New England - One of the top three teams in the NFL. Probably poised to make another Super Bowl run. Two years in a row, the defense has had 4-point leads with less than three minutes left and allowed the other teams to score a game-winning touchdown. What's to stop that from happening again this year? Is the offense a moot point if the defense can't make stops when it matters? Will the Patriots fans be heartbroken again this year? With the NFL's easiest schedule, is there a chance of going undefeated again?

S.D.C.: Are you going to use this preview as an excuse to run photos of Tom Brady looking handsome?

Oz: Yes. There’s no way I’m not using GQ pictures, either.

S.D.C.: I don’t see undefeated, especially playing at San Diego and at Indianapolis, not to mention this league is not conducive to undefeated teams. Either way, they are good. Their offense alone will win most of their games, and they are probably going to have to. Belichick seems to always get more out of his defense, but that has been their downfall the last two years, like you mentioned. Their win total is 12.5 and I think they win 14 because they are really good and have an easy schedule. No one in this division is beating them, that is for sure. They could lose to every “good” team they play and still get 13 wins. Undefeated? I don’t think so. Super Bowl? Interesting stat, the Pats have ended the Charger’s season two years in a row, and Brady has thrown 6 total interceptions in those two games combined.

Oz: 14 wins sounds pretty appropriate here. There's no way they lose to anyone within the division. The defense, I think, will be a little stronger than what most people think, especially at defensive back. With one of the best defensive lines in the league (and a, finally, healthy Richard Seymour), the pressure is enough to help the secondary. Obviously, Patriots fans won't have to worry about handsome Tom Brady and the offense. The offense can't expect him to throw 50 touchdowns this year. Maybe 60? What should be expected of Laurence Maroney? He's a third year guy who is good but hasn't made "the leap" yet. Should we be worried?

What about the rivals to the south?

New York Jets - What's going on the Mangini and his boys? They could legitimately go 10-6 and miss the playoffs. They could also go 6-10 and not surprise anyone. Who is their quarterback? Kellen Clemens? I'd expect Thomas Jones to have a better season this year behind a pretty good and young offensive line. Hopefully Mangini doesn't cry to league officials when the Patriots beat them 63-6 at the Meadowlands in a month.

S.D.C.: Jones will have a better year this year, but the Jets? I don’t know. I think they are the third best team in this division. Their defense gave up an average of 28 points per game, but that is skewed from the Patriots. Then again, their offense managed only 13 points per game. That is terrible and I don’t think Kellen Clemens is the answer…Brett Favre maybe? They still don’t win more games than they lose with Favre running the show.

Oz: I agree. Alright then --

Let's roll with the prediction for the east.

There's no way the Patriots don't come out on top of the AFC east. There's a better chance of Gisele knocking on my door right now. They'll win six division games. They're the most explosive offense we've ever seen, the quarterbacks are all ridiculously handsome, and their defense got healthier at the line, and younger at linebacker.

Otherwise, we're looking at a fight for second and third, with probably Buffalo coming out on top of the Jets for second in the division. In the basement is Miami.

New England: 14-2
Buffalo: 9-7
New York Jets: 6-10
Miami: 2-14

S.D.C.: I totally agree here just a little bit different on my records

Pats 14-2
Bills 8-8
Jets 6-10
Dolphins 3-13

Coming tomorrow: A completely biased debut column from Bones in form of a 2008 New England Patriots preview