AFC East: New England Patriots, Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills, New York Jets
Friday 8 September 2017 16:44, UK
For the new NFL season, we preview all eight divisions...
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Here, we look at the AFC East, plus at the bottom of the page we give you the chance to take our personality quiz to determine which of the teams you should support...
Don't worry, if none float your boat here, there are seven other divisions to try!
New England Patriots
Head coach: Bill Belichick
Key Man: Tom Brady. Yes, it's an obvious choice, but the Patriots' chances of defending their title will live or die according to the form and fitness of the man widely regarded as the best quarterback ever to grace the NFL. Brady missed the first four games of last season through suspension, but he lit up Week Five with a 406-yard, three-touchdown performance, albeit against the hapless Cleveland Browns.
In his 12 regular-season games, he amassed a quarterback rating of 112.2 - the second highest of his career - throwing 28 TD passes against just two interceptions. He was restricted a little against the strong Texans defence, but he was near-flawless against the Pittsburgh Steelers a week later and then produced record-breaking Super Bowl stats as he orchestrated an astonishing late comeback to floor the Atlanta Falcons and complete an entire hand of rings.
Brady has just turned 40, but who would bet against him having yet another stellar season?
Major additions: The loss of Julian Edelman for the season is undoubtedly a blow, but the acquisition of dynamic wide receiver Brandin Cooks from New Orleans was arguably the deal of the offseason. The Oregon State product has hauled in 17 touchdowns in 25 starts over the last two seasons and adds another dimension to Brady's armoury, which also includes former Colts tight end Dwayne Allen after Martellus Bennett headed to the Green Bay Packers. Former Cincinnati Bengal Rex Burkhead is an intriguing pass-catching option out of the backfield and, amid rumours of Malcolm Butler possibly leaving the Patriots, luring top free-agent cornerback Stephon Gilmore after five good seasons in Buffalo was another impressive coup for Belichick, along with defensive end Kony Ealy arriving from the Carolina Panthers.
Last season: A fairly stress-free 14-2 regular season, with Brady taking the helm under centre already armed with a 3-1 record. He was picked off twice in the AFC Divisional clash against the Houston Texans, but Dion Lewis stepped up and became the first player in play-off history to notch touchdowns for receiving, rushing and returning in the same game. The Patriots then brushed Pittsburgh aside with a dominant all-round display, but the Super Bowl looked to be Atlanta's for the taking when they opened up a 28-3 lead midway through the third quarter.
However, Brady then engineered a remarkable comeback which began with his five-yard scoring pass to James White, and was capped with White burrowing over for the winning score in the opening drive of overtime. Best Super Bowl ever? Probably!
Prospects: It's hard to envisage anything but another AFC East title for Belichick's troops when they're in a division with the Dolphins, Bills and Jets, assuming Brady's 40-year-old body holds up for the next four months.
Prediction: 1st (12-4)
Miami Dolphins
Head coach: Adam Gase
Key Man: Jay Ajayi. The London-born powerhouse emerged as one of the most exciting prospects in the NFL last season as he joined an elite club of running backs to have rushed for back-to-back 200-yard games, but he needs to add consistency to his repertoire this year. Ajayi's two huge games in Week Six and Seven against the Steelers and Bills respectively contributed a huge chunk towards his total of close-to 1,300 yards on the ground, but he failed to muster 80 yards in no fewer than 12 games. On paper, Miami will have a stronger offensive line in 2017, which can only help Ajayi's chances of regular three-figure production.
Major Additions: Adam Gase concentrated mainly on re-signing the key cogs in their roster during the offseason, with Kenny Stills, Cameron Wake and Kiki Alonso agreeing new deals. But the Dolphins were suddenly forced to make a move for Jay Cutler when Ryan Tannehill aggravated his knee injury which required season-ending surgery. Cutler has worked under Gase before with the Chicago Bears and enjoyed an encouraging season, and the addition of Julius Thomas at tight end could be a winner if he can avoid another in a worryingly long list of injuries. Veteran Steelers linebacker Lawrence Timmons adds steel to the defence behind first-round draft pick Charles Harris, while Nate Allen and TJ McDonald have bolstered the secondary.
Last season: After several years of early encouragement followed by crushing mid-season disappointment, the 2016 campaign was the polar opposite as the Dolphins recovered from an abject 1-4 start to reach the play-offs for the first time since 2008. They rode their luck on more than one occasion, particularly in their two wins over AFC East rivals Buffalo, but Miami missed Tannehill as well as Ajayi's explosiveness as they were outclassed by the Steelers on Wild Card weekend.
Prospects: The Dolphins roster contains undisputed talent, although much of them have a history of being injury-prone. But if they can get off to a better start this season and avoid too many knocks to their key players, there is no reason why they cannot earn another shot at the post-season.
Prediction: 2nd (10-6)
Buffalo Bills
Head coach: Sean McDermott
Key Man: Tyrod Taylor. Back for a third year in Buffalo, Taylor has established a reputation for being one of the leading rushing quarterbacks in the NFL, although his passing consistency needs improvement. To be fair, he has not been blessed with an array of receiving weapons, and the Bills' leaky offensive line contributed to Taylor being sacked 42 times in 2016. When not being flattened by opposition defences, Taylor has been solid rather than spectacular since joining the Bills from the Baltimore Ravens, throwing for consecutive 3,000-yard seasons with 37 touchdowns and only 12 interceptions, while his running ability has yielded a further 10 scores on the ground.
Major additions: Jordan Matthews has been acquired from the Philadelphia Eagles to replace Sammy Watkins following his trade to the Los Angeles Rams - a bold move considering Matthews scored only three touchdowns last year. Second-round pick Zay Jones looks an intriguing prospect having enjoyed a stellar college career with East Carolina, catching 399 passes in four seasons, but it's the Bills defense which has undergone the biggest overhaul, particularly in the secondary. The signing of safety Micah Hyde from Green Bay will give Buffalo much needed stability, while first-round pick Tre'Davious White has been tipped to have a stand-out rookie season and should form a strong partnership with former Ram EJ Gaines.
Last season: Rex Ryan was confident of taking the Bills to the play-offs, but he lost his job after the team suffered four defeats over the last five regular-season games to finish 7-9 and third in the AFC East behind New England and Miami. LeSean McCoy ran himself into the ground, but the fact that Robert Woods was the team's leading receiver with just 613 yards spoke volumes about the quality of the offence.
Prospects: Once again, there is huge optimism in Buffalo as they look to reach the post-season for the first time in 17 years, although it's a big ask for McDermott to achieve that goal in his first year as head coach. The defence looks intimidating, but they must get more productivity out of Taylor and his receivers and ease the burden on McCoy.
Prediction: 3rd (8-8)
New York Jets
Head coach: Todd Bowles
Key Man: Darron Lee. Only four teams in the NFL conceded more points than the Jets last season, and Lee will literally be central to their prospects of improvement this year. The 22-year-old, a first-round draft pick last year, is slated to start at middle linebacker in place of the released David Harris, and the defense will look to Lee to provide much-needed leadership behind the front line. Third-year tackle Leonard Williams led the team in sacks (seven) and forced fumbles last year and needs to spearhead the pass rush again in 2017.
Major additions: The off-season at the Jets was more about the number of veterans who were released rather than any high-profile signings. It's a make-or-break year for Christian Hackenberg as he needs to prove he has what it takes to cut it as a quarterback in the NFL, so picking up Josh McCown does make sense. The Jets did not get a single touchdown from a tight end last year, but the team have high hopes for Jordan Leggett this season, while Bowles will be hoping Morris Claiborne can stay fit and provide a calming influence in a secondary that was picked apart with alarming ease in 2016. With that in mind, The Jets strengthened their options at safety by drafting Jamal Adams and Marcus Maye in the first two rounds.
Last season: Not one that will be remembered fondly by Jets fans. Toothless on offence and fragile on defense, the team followed an encouraging 10-win 2015 season by finishing rock-bottom of the AFC East last year with a record of 5-11. Every department was found wanting, and it was perhaps a mild surprise that they even managed to win five games!
Prospects: Many see this as a season of rebuilding after a significant cull of veterans, including Harris and Darrelle Revis, and the Jets will begin the 2017 campaign without the pressure of lofty expectations. But that could be a good thing in the long run…
Prediction: 4th (6-10)
