New England Patriots: Face It, They Have Company in AFC East

The New England Patriots have company in the AFC East

They have been the king of the hill in their division each of the last five years. Dating back to 2002 and the league’s realignment, the franchise has claimed 10-of-12 AFC East titles (and also captured the crown in 2001, when the Indianapolis Colts were still a member of the division).

In fact, since ’02, the New England Patriots are atop of the league in terms of overall wins, home and road record and best divisional mark as well.

So why should things be any different this season? After a rough start in which they split their first four games, Bill Belichick and company have reeled off five straight victories (by a combined score of 201-108) and appear to be getting better on a weekly basis. Veteran quarterback Tom Brady is in a groove, throwing 18 touchdown passes compared to only one interception during the team’s current winning streak.

The Patriots are a perfect 5-0 at home this season and have won 14 straight regular-season games at Foxborough dating back to 2012. They once again appear to be the team to beat in the AFC East.

But are they indeed beatable? Belichick’s team may not be the cinch to capture the division as they have been in season’s past. That’s because not one but two of their AFC East rivals appear primed to make playoff runs in 2014 and maybe…just maybe…knock the Pats from their lofty perch by season’s end.

It’s been a long time since we have seen the Miami Dolphins in the playoffs and even longer since the Buffalo Bills made an appearance in the postseason. But both clubs are sporting 5-3 record these days, each is playing solid football and both have something that can frustrate the greatest of quarterbacks.

Buffalo Bills

Fans of the National Football League and its history probably know these facts in their sleep.

The Bills own the league’s longest current postseason drought, having not made an appearance in the playoffs since losing to the Tennessee Titans, 22-16, in the 1999 AFC Wild Card game aka the “Music City Miracle.” The franchise hasn’t won a postseason game since beating the Miami Dolphins in the 1995 AFC Wild Card Playoffs. That also marks the last time the team circled the wagons on a division title.

So why are we to think that this season, having already lost to the Patriots this season at Orchard Park, that this club is ready to claim the AFC East?

Head coach Doug Marrone made quite the decision after four games, benching second-year quarterback EJ Manuel in favor of veteran Kyle Orton, who has certainly made his way around the league in 10 seasons. When last we saw the savvy signal-caller, he was throwing four touchdown passes without an interception in a 43-23 win over the New York Jets.

With the Bills, Orton is completing 67.4 percent of his throws for 1,128 yards and nine scores, compared to only three interceptions and a total of five turnovers. He’s been sacked 17 times but has also had a penchant for fourth-quarter heroics, which were on display in wins over the Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings. Buffalo’s running game isn’t what it was a year ago but this is a club currently minus injured backs Fred Jackson and C.J. Spiller. Rookie wideout Sammy Watkins is a potential star, leading the club with 38 catches for 590 yards and five scores.

But it’s Buffalo’s defense that bears watching. The team is ranked eighth in the league in both total defense and run defense. The latter is extremely significant considering the Bills finished in the bottom five of the NFL in the category five straight years from 2009-13. You can credit new defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz for the improvement.

The pass rush remains one of the best in the game. One year after finishing second in the league with 57 sacks, Marrone’s team is once again second with 28 sacks in just eight games. And a year after totaling 30 takeaways, the Bills have already forced 18 turnovers this season, including a dozen interceptions.

The journey ahead is not easy with road games against the Dolphins, Broncos and Patriots. And the Chiefs (this week), Browns and Packers also have visits to Orchard Park slated this year. It won’t be easy but this Bills’ club does have a different feel to it this season. Who knows?

Miami Dolphins

While the bad times haven’t lasted as long in South Florida, they are nonetheless pretty painful.

The last team to win the AFC East other than the Patriots is indeed the Dolphins. In 2007, this was a 1-15 team and would go onto match the great one-season turnaround in NFL history by finishing 11-5 and capturing the division in 2008.

But it has been pretty much downhill ever since. The team has failed to post a winning record five consecutive years. Last season, Joe Philbin’s club looked like it was playoff bound at 8-6 and two games to go but Miami scored a total of seven points in losses to the Bills and Jets.

This season began with promise. The Dolphins scored 23 second-half points in a Week 1 surprise of the Patriots. But that victory was followed by lopsided losses to the Bills (29-10) and Chiefs (34-15). A rout of the Raiders in London (38-14) was offset by a heartbreaking loss to the Packers (27-24).

However, things have been on the upswing ever since. Third-year quarterback Ryan Tannehill has thrown more than twice as many touchdown passes (14) as interceptions (6) and has also run for 245 yards.

An offensive line that allowed an NFL-high 58 sacks and was in part to blame for a ground attack that ranked 26th in the league last season is much improved. In 2014, only three clubs are averaging more rushing yards per game (137.3) and Tannehill has been sacked only 17 times.

Still, it’s Kevin Coyle’s defensive unit that has opened eyes the last three weeks. The Dolphins have allowed a total of 27 points during their current three-game winning streak and come off a 37-0 shutout of the San Diego Chargers. Over that span, they’ve totaled an impressive 10 takeaways and all told have forced 18 turnovers in eight contests this season. A year ago, Philbin’s club managed only 24 takeaways in 16 contests.

Led by defensive ends Cameron Wake and Olivier Vernon, the Miami pass rush has produced 25 sacks—three or more sacks in four straight games and six out of eight outings in 2014. When the defeated the Pats back on opening weekend, they dropped Brady four times and forced him to fumble twice.

Four of the Dolphins’ final eight games are within the division. Like the Bills, they also have road games ahead vs. the Broncos and Patriots. But unlike Buffalo, Philbin’s squad has a win over New England on its 2014 resume.

Conclusion

So will either the Bills or Dolphins be able to unseat Belichick and company? New England is off this week but they’re final seven games look like quite the challenge. There are rematches vs. Miami and Buffalo in the final three weeks. But the Patriots have quite the stretch coming up when they return to action in Week 11, starting with a prime time trip to Indianapolis followed by a visit from the Lions and then visits to Green Bay and San Diego.

For the first time in memory, the AFC East looks like one of the better divisions in the league. But will there be a new leader atop the standings when the smoke clears in late December? Don’t bet against it.

The New England Patriots have company in the AFC East

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