Who will win the AFC East? That is a tough question to answer. The AFC East will be the most competitive division in the NFL, leaving the uncertainty of which team wins the division crown. Without further ado, let's dive right in!
Let's start with the team with the most certainty: The Patriots. The days in which this team dominated the AFC East are long gone. The Patriots are not a box of chocolates. We know what we're going to get: Mediocrity. The Patriots did not make any significant moves in the offseason, hence the team will likely win 7-9 games and finish last in the division. With Bill Belichick coaching this team, though, it's guaranteed that the Patriots won't be League bottom dwellers.
However, the team that previously ended in last place was not the Patriots, that was the Jets. But now that Aaron Rodgers is with them in the Big Apple, matters could be very different this season. The team has a roster of quality caliber, thus Rodgers won't have to do much to put the Jets into contention. Nonetheless, winning the AFC East is a more difficult hill to climb than merely contending. Rodgers is at the age of 40 and showed signs of slowing down last season. The Jets' quarterback situation remains a question mark because there are no true superstars in the receiving core, and the offensive line is of questionable caliber. Garret Wilson is a promising young wideout as well as the new acquisition Allen Lazard played with Rodgers in Green Bay, allowing chemistry. But if Rodgers doesn't come as advertised, the offense also includes a quality rushing game, thanks to the up-and-coming running back Breece Hall and consistent backup in Zonovan Knight. While the Jets' offense is a question mark, the defense will likely be one of the League's finest.
Last season, only two AFC East teams made the postseason. One of them being the first-place Buffalo Bills, and the second-place Dolphins. The Fins had a roller coaster of a season in 2022, especially quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. Long story short, Tua could not stay healthy, resulting in a wild-card berth that could have been a division win. But the Dolphins do not want to settle for that again, as they signed elite corner Jalen Ramsey. The offense will likely be a top-five group, thanks to an elite receiving core, rushing core, and offensive line. Unless Jalen Ramsey causes dysfunction and Tua struggles with injuries, the Dolphins will be an exceedingly dangerous threat to the Bills' defending the division.
Finally, the defending AFC East champion Bills are one of the most balanced and complete teams in the NFL, so it was no surprise winning the division during the season prior. The sheer amount of star power on the Buffalo roster is stunning. Considering that the Bills were consistent in 2022 and the roster entering 2023 will remain stacked, they have a legitimate chance of defending their division crown.
So, who wins the division? There is a strong case for the Jets, Dolphins, and Bills to claim the AFC title. The short answer is the Bills. The Jets and Fins both have the roster depth to possibly beat out Buffalo, but the Bills have the least question marks. There is very little uncertainty with this team. A similar roster to the season prior, with few injury concerns, and consistency. The Bills got their fair share of injuries in 2022, but they kept the train rolling, unlike the Dolphins, who could not get their rhythm back after Tua got a concussion.
Commenti