Of all the NFL’s divisions, the AFC East has offered the least in terms of parity during the 2010s. Every other NFL division has featured at least two teams claiming a title and this one still features a Patriots team that will deploy the Bill Belichick–Tom Brady duo for a large chunk of the season.
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The Patriots have won seven straight AFC East crowns and 13 of the past 16. New England is set to return its 39-year-old future Hall of Fame quarterback in Week 5, where he’ll again team with one of the best tight ends in NFL history. Still, Rob Gronkowski has yet to make his 2016 debut yet and the Pats still have questions on defense due to injuries, suspensions, and the trade of Chandler Jones. However, the Jimmy Garoppolo-led outfit still showed enough to beat one of the league’s best teams in Week 1 despite a host of key inactives.
Both the Jets and Dolphins upset the Patriots last season to deprive them of home-field advantage in the AFC playoffs, and each played a returning playoff team close in Week 1. Last season’s second-place finisher, the Jets bring back arguably the best defensive line in football and, after some arduous negotiations, they have Ryan Fitzpatrick back on the other side of the ball.
The most recent non-Patriots division champion (in 2008), the Dolphins continue their first season under offensive wunderkind Adam Gase with a trip to Massachusetts on Sunday. The Fins haven’t made the playoffs since that ’08 campaign but added veterans in Arian Foster and Mario Williams, and drafted once-projected No. 1 pick Laremy Tunsil in Round 1.
Despite finishing with at least eight wins the past two seasons, the Bills own the longest playoff drought in football at 17 years. Their offseason extension for Tyrod Taylor and re-signing of Richie Incognito became overshadowed by a host of suspensions, injuries, and cuts.
So, in advance of the AFC East’s first matchups, who will win the division this season?
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Unless Tom Brady retire
New England owns that division
And the coaching staff is very good too
Was it really worth it to make this article?
Ha so true.
^
Para should win the division.
Pats should win. Sorry about typo.
Anybody who voted for a team other than the Patriots is lying to themselves.
Hmmm I wonder lol…
Is this even a question? I believe that even if Brady didn’t come back at all this year, a Garropolo-led Pats team would still be atop the division. I’m not saying it’d be easy, like it is with Brady, but New England is that much more well rounded then other team in the AFC East, with or without Tom Terrific.
Youre in for a little surprise this year… Jets are loaded on both sides of the ball and Brady is 39 years old…
I feel like this poll was less a question and more a reminder to the rest of the AFC East…
Jets are loaded on both sides of the ball.
Are the Jets drunk? That’s the only way they’d be loaded.
no chance any1 other than new england wins. even without tom brady bb has proven he can turn any qb into a star. look back to 2008 when matt cassell went 11-5 missed the playoffs but that rarely happens with that record. now look what he has done with jimmy g and brissett. also take in effect all the players who played probowl seasons in ne and where total busts once leaving for another team. bill is the man that makes it all happen so aslong as hes coaching and there is a capable qb behind center the pats win the division.