NFL Debate #52: AFC East

[Cory]

Go, first of 8 polls to pick a outright divisional winner.

[Cory]

I went against the grain and oppose picking the Patriots, went with the Bills. The Pats are the safest bet to win the division, but they are old, and I cant see Brady being able to put up winning numbers again with no receivers. Losing Blount was huge because Ridley is trash and Vereen isnt a 3 down back. Edleman is solid, but a slot guy. Amendola is never healthy, and how much stock do you put in Lafell to start to shine? Gronkowski's health is poor at best and their getting old. Their O-Line and D-Line minus Chandler Jones is old, their LB's are average and I think Revis is incredibly overrated FA signing...he wasnt the same player last year post-injury....IMO hes a downgrade from a healthy Talib.

The Jets have a team that would look good on paper in 2009, but I dont have any faith in their offense. Geno Smith I dont think will ever end up being "the guy", and I expect in the heavy media market of NY, the fans/media to be calling for Vick adding another unnecessary distraction. Their running game should be solid at best, an good O-Line with CJ2K/Ivory/Powell is nice. WR corps is gonna underperform, Decker isnt a #1 guy, but neither is Stephen Hill. Their defense is solid, they have the best 3-4 DE is Wilkerson, but their LBs are old and their secondary isnt proven.

The Dolphins still even with the pickup of Branden Albert have a suspect O-Line. Ja'Wuan James was a terrible pick in the draft due to how far they had to reach and get him in the 1st, Tannehill is still a 'meh' QB, their RB corps is terribly average, Moreno was a product of a Manning offense, Miller/Thomas are below average. WR corps is decent, Wallace/Hartline are solid, TE Charles Clay is a beast. Defense is solid, Cam Wake slowed down a little last season and was constantly double teamed and struggled to adapt, and their big money FA's last year didnt do a whole lot and their defense struggled with chemistry.

The Bills just need to stay healthy and their a legit team. EJ Manuel is as unproven to me as Geno Smith and to an extent Tannehill, but showed he can develop into a starting QB. Spiller/Jackson/Brown RB tandem is excellent to take some of the load off Manuels back. Adding Sammy Watkins with Robert Woods is a great tandem for Manuel to develop with, Chandler too at TE is very solid. Their O-line was their glaring weakness last year, but they added some great rookie depth in Seantrel Henderson, Cyril Richardson , and Cyrus Kouandjio all guys who at some point or another were top 5 prospects in their position. The Bills have the best defense by far in the division, and their only gonna get stronger. It hurts losing Byrd and I do think there are some questions at the safety spot, but Gilmore/Robey at corner is strong, their LBs are scary with Kiko Alonso/Brandon Spikes and they have easily one of the nastiest D-Lines in pro football with Mario and Kyle Williams + Marcel Dareus.

Bills win this division.

[GM Franchise]

I went with the Patriots. I don't think any of the other teams have made enough of a jump to pass them.

[Doug E Fresh]

I was gonna post Go Browns until I noticed that despite this topic being titled AFC North, it has nothing to do with it 

[Doug E Fresh]

Oh and voted Patriots. Winners until proven otherwise.

[Mike Powers]

Oh and voted Patriots. Winners until proven otherwise.

[Justin]

The Jets.

Watch and see.

[Jon]

Let's be real here... this division is the New England Patriots to lose. Forget their age, that isn't going to stop them and honestly, that is something that people say each and every season with this team. Their too old. They have injury concerns. Yet, they still win the division every season.

They just have the best talent, period. And they have the best coach, period. And they have the best QB, period.

Sorry, but I really like those odds.

Sure Revis isn't the same "Island" he was when he was in New York, but he's going to eat these young QBs alive. And I doubt they really throw his direction. You have to think he'll be covering the best WR on each team and for the AFC East it'll be Wallace (Dolphins), Watkins (Bills), and Decker (Jets). And on top of that I loved the signings of Brandon Browner and Will Smith. I think the Pats have a much improved defense this upcoming season.

And sure Gronk is an injury risk, but when he's healthy like he is now, Brady and him are just about unstoppable. And even when he went down last season, the Pats still found ways to win games despite average at best receiving corps. Tom Brady just makes the people around him better players and there is nothing that suggests it changing this upcoming season.

If I had to pick a team that might have a chance to dethrone the Pats atop the East, it'd be the Dolphins. But they just are not good enough in the skill positions to pose much of a threat at all.

Pats will win this division easily, I'll say by 3 games at least.   

[Cory]

The Bills have easily the best front 7 and RB corps....if they rely on that and let Manuel develop with Watkins, Im calling it, they win the division with 10-6 record.

[GM Franchise]

Wait...so you're saying the Patriots won't win 10 games?

[Justin]

Wait...so you're saying the Patriots won't win 10 games?

Not that I'm saying they won't 10 games (just playing devils advocate), but I count 8-9 give me games.  The rest could go either way.  Then if you take into account that one of those give me games doesn't go their way and well you have a hard time getting to that 10.

[Cory]

Not that I'm saying they won't 10 games (just playing devils advocate), but I count 8-9 give me games.  The rest could go either way.  Then if you take into account that one of those give me games doesn't go their way and well you have a hard time getting to that 10.

Agreed.

Like I said, Im not denying that the Pats are the safe bet to win the division....but seeing as their isnt anything at stake from this...im going out on a bold limb so when the Pats regress ill look like a genius.

[GM Franchise]

If they go 4-2 in their division, which I think is very possible, I think they can get to 10 wins for sure.

[Jon]

This is not one of those divisions where your bold pick will pan out.

[Cory]

This is not one of those divisions where your bold pick will pan out.

It will be interesting to see what happens.