I’ll keep this short. There is no surer bet in the entire
National Football League. The New England Patriots will win this division, and
they will win it easily. They are coming off a 13-3 season, with one of those
losses coming to the Bills when Tom Brady got picked four times. Tom Brady
won’t get picked four times again. This offense is loaded. Tom Brady is Tom
Brady. Wes Welker is Wes Welker. They have the best tight end in the league in
Rob Gronkowski, and another hybrid tight end in Aaron Hernandez. They are flat
out beasts. To make matters worse for opposing defenses, they added Brandon
Lloyd, their first capable deep threat since Randy Moss. The last time Lloyd was a part of Josh McDaniels' offense, he led the league in receiving. McDaniels is back with the Patriots...see where I am going with this? They are going to
throw the ball a lot, and they are going do so with immense success. Who do you
cover? Welker? Gronkowski Hernandez? Lloyd? You can’t cover em all. Pick your
poison. I even think their defense will be improved. They added defensive end
Chandler Jones, Alabama linebacker Dont’a Hightower, and safety Tavon Wilson
via the draft. Oh, and did I mention they have the easiest strength of schedule
in the league? Look out.
Projected Record: 14-2
2.
Buffalo Bills
The Bills came out guns blazing last season, winning their
first three games and beating the Patriots in dramatic fashion. Ryan
Fitzpatrick looked like Dan Marino. Fred Jackson did his best Walter Payton
impression. Stevie Johnson looked like the best young receiver in the game.
Then the wheels came off the tracks. They dished out a six year, 59
million-dollar contract to Ryan Fitzpatrick, just in time for him to crack his
ribs and start playing like Ryan Fitzpatrick again. Fred Jackson broke a leg.
Stevie Johnson was busy blaming god for a dropped game-winning touchdown pass.
The Bills finished 6-10, but I do think thing the glass is half full for the
Bills this year. I actually think Fitzpatrick can be a very serviceable NFL
Quarterback, and c’mon, you gotta root for Harvard guys. Fred Jackson is back
and all kidding aside--he was one of the best backs in the league last year
until he got hurt. And also all kidding aside, Stevie Johnson is coming off
back-to-back 1,000 yard seasons. The Bills also made the biggest splash in free
agency, signing Mario Williams to a monster deal. He will line up alongside Marcell Dareus, who looked like a future stud last year in his rookie season. And in a division where you are playing against the man they call Brady, rushing the passer will be essential for success. This team will be much improved and will be sneaky with the 3rd
easiest schedule in the NFL.
Projected Record: 8-8
3.
New York Jets
Where do I start? After making the conference final in back
to back seasons, things unraveled for the Jets last season, finishing at a
discouraging 8-8 and missing out on the playoffs. It wasn’t just that they
lost--it was the way they lost. An 8-8 season seemed like 5-11. The offense
gave awful a new meaning. Mark Sanchez regressed, Shon Greene has not turned
out to be the every down bruiser they had hoped, Santonio Holmes complained
about his role in the offense--it was just an all around debacle. I do feel bad
for Mark Sanchez. He is the classic of
example of a guy caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. In a league
powered high-flying offenses with quarterbacks putting up herculean numbers, Sanchez
is a game manager with a limited skill set. Look, I don’t think he is very
good, but he has taken this team to two conference finals. I understand those
teams were mainly driven by the defense, but it still means something.
Nonetheless, with the acquisition of Tim Tebow, this is it for Mark Sanchez.
Every interception he throws, there will fans yelling Tebow’s name. Every time
they lose…what would have happened if Tebow was in? I can just see it now—Jets
start 1-3, Sanchez has four touchdowns and six interceptions, New York Post
back page: “Tebow Time?” The quarterback situation could be a mess, the
offensive line situation could be a mess (Sanchez has been running for his life
the entire preseason), this whole season has potential to be a mess for Gang
Green this year. They did trade future hall of famer Wayne Hunter for the Rams’
Jason Smith, a former #2 overall pick who they hope can finally live up to his
billing and patch the offensive line. They also drafted speedster Stephen Hill
to give Sanchez an explosive target. Maybe Sanchez finally steps forward and
establishes himself as top 10 quarterback. Maybe this will finally be the year
that Shon Greene establishes himself as a capable every down back. Maybe this is
the year this receiving corps starts making plays. But those are all huge
maybe’s for now. The defense is great, this team will go as far as the offense
takes them.
Projected Record: 8-8
4.
Miami Dolphins
It’s a rebuilding year for the Fins—they hired Joe Philbin
to take over the head coaching job, and they will have first round pick Ryan
Tannehill taking over at Quarterback. Last year wasn’t all that bad actually.
They did finish 6-10, but after starting 0-7, they won six of their final nine
games and showed massive improvement. Matt Moore did a very nice job when he
took over for Chad Henne, and Reggie Bush finally rushed for 1,000 yards and
looked like he could perhaps erase his status as a complete bust. There are
tons of problems with this team though. They traded away one of the best
receivers in the game in Brandon Marshall and also a very good corner in Vontae
Davis. Those losses will hurt…big-time. Tannehill has had his moments in the
pre-season, but besides Bush, he has absolutely no weapons at his disposal. They
parted ways with Chad Johnson after he head-butted his wife (seriously). They
are now stuck with a horde of no-name receivers competing for playing time. Devone
Bess…Brian Hartline…Roberto Wallace, maybe one of them can step up? Ryan Tannehill
may have a bright future, but there will be plenty of growing pains this year.I
can’t think of too many positives for this team, except for this I guess.
Projected Record: 5-11
PJ's Picks
1. New England Patriots
2. Buffalo Bills
3. New York Jets
4. Miami Dolphins
Up next will be PJ's preview of the NFC North. Make sure you are checking every day for NFL Preview Week! Enjoy everybody.
-Chris Collins
I think you are being far too kind to the Jets. I feel no remorse for Sanchez. This is 2012...quarterbacks can't win as game managers. If he is even decent in one of those first two years, he probably has a ring to his name. At this point in his career he should be proven, and he is far from that. The rest of the offense sucks, and I don't even think that defense will be that great. I see this season as utter chaos for the Jets, and probably Rex Ryan's last in New York. I think Tebow will be starting by the end of the season and that they'll finish somewhere around 5-11.
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