2015 NFL Predictions: AFC East
This is part of an ongoing 8-part series predicting the 2015 NFL season.
Making these predictions are a headache. It’s almost futile to say who is “good” and who is “bad” at this point in the season, but I will give it a reasonable shot.
AFC East Prediction
- Patriots*
- Dolphins
- Bills
- Jets
Oddly, this is the same thing I predicted last year.
For years, the other three teams in the AFC East have been chasing the Patriots. They have done so by trying to assemble defenses that can get after Tom Brady. I believe they are closer than ever, but now that Brady isn’t sitting out a four game suspension, I’d be hard-pressed to say any of those teams can overthrow the defending Super Bowl Champions.
For the record, I feel the Patriots were on a downward spiral last season. They structured their defense to be able to matchup against the Denver Broncos, but much of that assembly is now gone. Cornerbacks Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner have departed. Akeem Ayers, who the Patriots traded for mid-season to shore up the linebackers, left for the Rams. Mainstay NT Vince Wilfork is also gone.
This leaves a lot of holes defensively for the Patriots, who were also struggling with offensive line and receiver issues through much of last season. In fact, many people were lamenting the demise of Tom Brady through the first 2 weeks of 2014, where the Patriots lost to the Dolphins in week 1, and were only 2-2 through 4 weeks.
Of course the team pulled together, in part to “stealing” RB LeGarrette Blount from the Pittsburgh Steelers, trading for Ayers and getting help in the playoffs from oft-injured Danny Amendola.
The Patriots will be hard-pressed to do the same again this year, as Rex Ryan moves to coach a tough Bills defense, who also added RB LeSean McCoy to their offense during the offseason. Ryan is very familiar with the Patriots and knows what it will take to beat them, but I feel he doesn’t have the personnel to do so, at least not yet. Rookie Tyrod Taylor will take the helm at QB and that’s all you need to know about the Bills: as the QB position goes, so does the team.
That is the same exact problem for the New York Jets, who are loaded with talent on both sides of the ball, but will rely on Ryan Fitzpatrick as their quarterback until Geno Smith recovers from a teammate-induced broken jaw. In my opinion, removing Rex Ryan from New York isn’t likely to help the Jets get any better. They will still be good defensively, with an insane rotation upfront and in the secondary, but their play on offense will dictate the wins and losses, which I feel will be more of the latter.
That bring me to the Miami Dolphins, who will make a push for the playoffs this season. Again, this rests on QB Ryan Tannehill, who has improved each year. Kudos to the Dolphins for not only their patience in developing Tannehill, but also surrounding him with more weapons in rookie Davante Parker, and free agents Kenny Stills and Jordan Cameron. And while that will help the Fins put up points, no signing was bigger than Ndamukong Suh, who could push Miami over the top. I believe they will truly compete with New England this season and could even sweep the Patriots.
However, I’m not sure if this team will be consistent enough to take the division crown. I view them as the Eagles to the Cowboys last year: they will just miss the postseason cut due to the heavily competition in the AFC North and AFC West.
