NFL Power Rankings: Division rankings
By Brad Rowland
3) AFC East
The aforementioned NFC North isn’t the only division that has been turned on its ear after one week, as the AFC East currently has its unquestioned favorite alone in the basement. The New England Patriots came out of the gate firing against the Miami Dolphins, but their momentum quickly evaporated on the way to a 33-20 loss, and it was their offense that looked virtually inept at times. Of course, it is far too early to write off Tom Brady and company, and if anything, the result of that game does wonders for the perception of Miami, rather than putting New England in the tank.
Elsewhere, the New York Jets lived up to what many see them as at this point, as they squeaked out a 19-14 win over the struggling Oakland Raiders. New York’s defense is unquestionably legitimate behind Rex Ryan and Shelden Richardson, but the offense will be mediocre at best, and as such, the Jets are probably in the .500 range on the high end.
Lastly, the Buffalo Bills made the biggest statement in week one, and frankly, they are the reason for the lofty gains for the division. Buffalo upended the heavily-favored Chicago Bears in week one, flashed a reminder of just how productive their defense can be, and even provided some optimism about an offense that garners all kinds of concerns under the direction of E.J. Manuel. No one believes that Buffalo is a “winning” team in 2014, but if they can stay afloat, it certainly helps the division’s perception.