2017 AFC East Preview

It's taken eight days, but we're finally here. The final division, and the home of our defending champions, gets the final look in my series of division preview posts.

One final time as a shameless plug, I will be picking NFL games against the spread this season, featured in a weekly post with my friend Adam Quinn. It's an open group if you would like to prove yourself as smarter than either of us, which may not be that hard. You can join here.

And so one final time, here's the division preview.


AFC East

Common opponents on schedule: AFC West, NFC South

1. New England Patriots
2016: 14-2 (1st), Won Super Bowl LI

Tom Brady got the last laugh against the lying tyrant by leading that historic comeback in the Super Bowl. New England's biggest problem for the coming year is that Julian Edelman, one of Brady's top targets, is out for the year with a knee injury. Fortunately, this is what a guy like Danny Amendola was brought in for, and if that doesn't work, Belichick can just build one. The addition of Brandin Cooks gives New England a vertical threat, Gronk is still around to be a big target, and oh yeah, they still have Brady. Their defense is still formidable as well, and given that they play in the AFC East, it should be a cakewalk.
2017 Prediction: 14-2

2. Buffalo Bills
2016: 7-9 (3rd), missed playoffs

Now that Rex Ryan is out of the way, this team can get back to where it was a few years ago: trending in the right direction. I'm still not sure what to make of Tyrod Taylor... assuming he's even healthy, and if he's not the immortal Nathan Peterman is in line to start. I am not giddy. Lesean McCoy is a decent back, but whoever's at quarterback won't have much in the way of weapons with Sammy Watkins traded and Anquan Boldin retired. The defense should be pretty good with the addition of Micah Hyde when they were decent before, just mis-utilized. However, it will do them no good in this division.
2017 Prediction: 8-8

3. Miami Dolphins
2016: 10-6 (2nd), lost in AFC Wild Card Round

The weapons on this offense aren't bad. Jay Ajayi is a pretty good running back, and DeVante Parker, Jarvis Landry, and Kenny Stills are a decent three man receiving corps. Unfortunately, the guy throwing them the ball is Jay Cutler. He's not really an improvement over the injured Ryan Tannehill, and knowing Jay, he'll play about as well against New England as he did against the Packers during his tenure in Chicago. Factoring in a defense that was just okay last year, the Dolphins won't be terrible, but they're not going to be good. Even Adam Gase, under whom Cutler was decent for the Bears in 2015, will be enough to save them
2017 Prediction: 8-8

4. New York Jets
2016: 5-11 (4th), missed playoffs

The Jets will somewhat recreate the 2013 Chicago Bears with Josh McCown under center and Matt Forte at running back, but Robby Anderson isn't exactly Brandon Marshall. Combine that with a bad defense that didn't really get any help in the offseason, and it's going to be a long year in East Rutherford. I feel bad for Todd Bowles, who has gotten no help from his front office and will probably be fired after this season, if not during it.
2017 Prediction: 3-13

AFC Playoff Picture

1. New England Patriots (14-2)
2. Pittsburgh Steelers (11-5)
3. Oakland Raiders (11-5)
4. Houston Texans (10-6)
5. Kansas City Chiefs (10-6)
6. Tennessee Titans (9-7)