Predicting where each AFC East team will finish in both their division and conference.
Buffalo Bills (2nd in AFC) : Josh Allen is a favorite for NFL MVP, and the Bills are a legitimate title contender. They added Emmanual Sanders for some depth at the wide receiver position, but another focus should be working backs Devin Singletary and Zack Moss a little more. Expect Buffalo to want Allen rushing less. We know this offense is elite though, so the change needs to come on the other side of the ball. While saying that the Bills defense was nothing to scoff at last year. They have a strong secondary, but the pass rush was a bit of a weakness in 2020. With improvement there, this team will be incredibly tough to beat.
New England Patriots (6th in AFC): I don't think it can be over stated how different the Patriot's offense last year was compared to how it will be run in 2021. They are riding with the rookie Mac Jones, who is essentially the direct opposite of Cam Newton in terms of play style. The Pats also brought in tight ends Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith along with wide receivers Nelson Agholor and Kendrick Bourne. So while this will still be a run heavy, short throw team it has a completely new look to it. On defense, the Patriots are elite all around. They have a ton of young talent and new players. I expect this to be one of the best defensive groups in the NFL.
Miami Dolphins (10th in AFC): The Dolphins could be in for a tumble from their 10-6 record last year if this offense doesn't start clicking. In 2020 they were largely carried by their defense's 28 forced turnovers, a number that is almost certainly going to drop. They have the pieces to succeed on offense. Jaylen Waddle, Will Fuller, DaVante Parker, and Preston Williams are a deep and talented wide receiver group, while Mike Gesicki and Myles Gaskin both played well last season at tight end and running back, respectively. This season is all on Tua Tagovailoa to prove that he was worth the fifth overall pick, and is the future of the Dolphins.
New York Jets (15th in AFC): The Jets are completely revamping their system. New head coach Robert Saleh was the defensive coordinator with the San Francisco 49ers, and he brought in offensive coordinator Mike Lafleur. New York is also the youngest team in the NFL. 25 of their 53 players are new to the team. They have 21 first or second year players, and 12 rookies. The Jets are building, but they should be far from competitive in 2021. It is all about the rebuild.
Comments