2007-2008 NFL Picks (AFC East)
The Patriots are the certain favorite for a return to the Super Bowl
New England was one catch away from the big game last year and they took their medicine and landed some high impact free agents. Now it seems nothing can stop them.
AFC East:
1. New England (13-3) - The football offseason in Massachusetts is usually pretty idle. All Pats fans go into hibernation, peaking out to ask the inevitable, "Who did the Pats just sign? Has he played in the NFL before? Is he actually going to start?" Bill Belichick plugs holes better than any coach in the NFL, and he most always does it with the no-names from around the league - either young guys who've never been given a shot or old guys who never made it anywhere else. But somehow Belichick has managed. This time, however, he's got some horses to fill those holes in the defense. Linebacker Adalius Thomas was the free-agent signing of the offseason, and his versatility (the quality Belichick prizes most in his defenders) is limitless. He can play any of the linebacker positions and he can drop back in the secondary and be just as effective. This will give Belichick unlimited scheming options, and Thomas also makes the linebacker core much younger, as the aging Tedy Bruschi, Mike Vrabel and Rosevelt Colvin could use a young gun to give them a breather now and then. And while the defense has bulked up in the middle, the offense is the best it's been since Tom Brady took over six years ago. The additions of Randy Moss, Dante Stallworth and Wes Welker give Brady infinite options, both in the short and vertical routes. That should also help Laurence Maroney in the backfield, who will take all of the snaps for the first time in his career after the release of Corey Dillon.
2. Miami Dolphins (10-6) - Much of the Dolphins' success in the upcoming season depends on their quarterback situation. As of now, Trent Green is their starter, but he is unhappy in Miami and who knows what could happen with an unhappy quarterback. But Green puts up huge numbers between the lines and the Dolphins' offense could benefit mightily from his presence. The receiving corps of Chris Chambers, Marty Booker and newcomer Ted Ginn Jr. will surely welcome an accurate arm, as will Ronnie Brown, who is most definitely tired of defenses putting eight men in the box on every possession. But the defense is Miami's real strength. Its linebackers are strong, fast and smart. Zach Thomas is a proven veteran headhunter, as is Joey Porter, the Dolphins' newest acquisition on that side of the ball. Jason Taylor at defensive end is one of the most powerful forces in the league and can change a game on his own by drawing double teams and opening up the pass rush. When he is left in one-on-one coverage, pressure is going to be put on the quarterback.
3. New York Jets (9-7) - The upstart New York team won a surprising 10 games last season and gave the Pats a scare with a three-game winning streak late in the season, which New England matched. But the Jets have also been busy this offseason. Eric Mangini, Belichick's apprentice-gone-bad, is excited to welcome former Chicago Bears running back Thomas Jones to the backfield. Jones rushed for over 1,100 yards last season with the enigmatic Rex Grossman as his quarterback and still put up monster numbers. Chad Pennington is nothing if he is not consistent, and the two should feed off of each other's production. Pennington will be able to bait some linebackers into the line of scrimmage with play-action fakes to Jones, who is more of a threat than anyone Pennington has played with since he entered the NFL. Both top-producing wideouts have returned - Laveraneus Coles and Jerricho Cotchery - both the Jets are weak at tight end with Chris Baker as their starter. The linebacker core is solid, with Eric Barton leading the way again after a productive 2006 season, but the secondary might need some help. The Jets signed Hank Poteat this summer and he is slated to start at cornerback for the first game. With all of the Patriots' big and athletic wide receivers, the Jets might have trouble containing Tom Brady and his new arsenal.
4. Buffalo Bills (6-10) - It might be shallow to just look at the quarterback and the running back when evaluating a team, but the Bills seem to be lacking in both of those areas. J.P. Losman at the helm is not going to win you many games in the AFC East, which might have the best team in football in the New England Patriots. And Anthony Thomas isn't exactly a force in the backfield. However, the Bills do have somewhat of a future to look to with talented back Marshawn Lynch, who could have one of the better rookie seasons in the NFL. The Bills offense will a concern for opposing teams, but the Bills aren't going to stop anyone, and defense beats all in close games with tough teams.
Read more football articles by Rob Greenfield:
national-football-league-nfl.suite101.com/article.cfm/20072008_nfl_picks_afc_south
national-football-league-nfl.suite101.com/article.cfm/20072008_nfl_picks_afc_north
national-football-league-nfl.suite101.com/article.cfm/20072008_nfl_picks_afc_west
