I’m back with another installment of my NFL Preview. I know everyone has been dying to read this one, on the toughest division in the AFC, and certainly the toughest to forecast for this season. I can tell you are just as excited by all this from the comments I’ve been getting as I am, so I won’t waste any more time. Teams are listed in order of expected finish.
Miami Dolphins – Te Dolphins under Nick Saban have shown dramatic improvement, and I don’t expect them to slow down. Their quarterback situation is a lot better than it has been in any year since Dan Marino retired, although that isn’t saying much. Daunte Culpepper, if fully healed, will have a favorite target in Chris Chambers and an offensive line that won’t let him get mauled. Also, if he does get hurt, they have Joey Harrington, who can hand it off to a reliable running back (Ronnie Brown) instead of throwing it to an unreliable receiver. On the other side of the ball, the Dolphins defense features several cagey veterans who will put everything into this season, as this may be their last good chance to make something happen before their window of opportunity closes for good.
New England Patriots – I just don’t know how the Patriots can keep getting older, losing players and remain elite. I think this is the year that the age of Corey Dillon and Tedy Bruschi, as well as the departure of Willie McGinest and the commotion caused by Deion Branch finally catch up to New England. Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of working parts here, but I don’t think they can run away with the division, especially when competing with the more bloodthirsty Dolphins. This is still a talented team, and they will make some noise, due to their experience, when they get to the postseason. But the division is the Dolphins’.
Buffalo Bills – People, knowledgeable important people, say the Bills are going to be terrible this year. I just don’t believe them. Sure, J.P. Losman is a bad, awful quarterback, but they have Willis McGahee as a running back, enough serviceable warm bodies on the offensive line to move the pile every now and again, and a good defensive captain in Takeo Spikes and an underrated secondary. The Bills are definitely not a playoff squad, but they are definitely at least a 6-10, 7-9 team. That being said, I wouldn’t pick Losman for my fantasy team. (Side note, running back Jon Goldsberry, told my friend Pat that he was “[expletive] awesome” for wearing a shirt with his number 44 on it. Mr. Goldsberry was most certainly intoxicated.)
New York Jets – When Herm Edwards bails on you because you suck, no amount of Mangini will bring you into contention. Dreadful squad.
So there are your last to AFC playoff teams, the Dolphins and the Patriots. I don’t think this division will be as awful as people think, and the Jets probably even have 4 wins in them. The NFC starts next.
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