(Photo: NFL Draft Countdown)
1. Buffalo Bills: So many wrote them off prior to the season starting as they lost both Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis and whenever I see a team lose a key receiver or in this instance, receivers, it always makes me wonder what the Quarterback will do. The Bills had this division wrapped up as December was approaching which was their fifth division title in a row. We can argue about this until the cows come home, but the right guy won MVP and nobody meant more to their football in 2024 than Josh Allen and if you take him away from the Bills, they aren’t the two seed in the AFC, nor are they a game away from the Super Bowl. The big question is when will this team get over the hump? In their last five postseasons, they have lost to the same team four times (the Kansas City Chiefs), including a loss in the AFC Championship game this past January. As long as number 17 is there, this team will have a fighting chance each week.
2. Miami Dolphins: Mike McDaniel is on the hot seat and at this moment, the Miami Dolphins own the longest playoff drought win as their last victory in the playoffs came on December 30th, 2000. They’ve found their Quarterback and I like Tua Tagovailoa, but his unavailability is concerning because he struggles to stay on the field due to injuries. This roster as we speak doesn’t stack up to other Dolphins rosters in the past and I say that because Jalen Ramsey is expected to be traded, Calais Campbell has gone back to Arizona and the Offensive Line lost Terron Armstead which leaves a leadership void. Tyreek Hill is still there, and I’m looking to see how he bounces back after a down season in 2024. If you ask me, the Dolphins are just an okay football team that doesn’t move the needle.
3. New York Jets: 2024 was a soap opera if I ever saw one. First, Aaron Rodgers returned after missing his debut season with the team due to an Achilles tear and he wasn’t bad. Also, then-Head Coach Robert Saleh gets fired in season and the Jets acquired Davante Adams from the Las Vegas Raiders when they didn’t need to and they needed more help on the offensive line instead, but failed to address it. This team went 5-12 in 2024 and the last time they made the playoffs was the 2010 season when Rex Ryan was the Head Coach and Darrelle Revis was still an active player. Now, the Jets have bought a familiar face back to the franchise as they hired Aaron Glenn as their new Head Coach and also signed Justin Fields to be their starting Quarterback and he happens to have chemistry with Garrett Wilson dating back to their college days at Ohio State. The only thing that worries me about their offense is the lack of weapons outside of Garrett. I know for a fact Aaron will get this defense to an elite level.
4. New England Patriots: It wasn’t a matter of if Mike Vrabel would become their next Head Coach, it was a matter of when and here we are. It has not be smooth sailing for a franchise that was a yearly contender for two decades and ever since Tom Brady left the team, they have made the playoffs once, but haven’t won a playoff game since their last Super Bowl appearance. Drake Maye has the tools to be that franchise Quarterback and the Patriots are building around him as they drafted Will Campbell, an Offensive Lineman from LSU and TreVeyon Henderson, a Running Back from Ohio State, plus, they signed Stefon Diggs to give the Quarterback a veteran option in the passing game. The Patriots invested a lot of money into this defense signing Milton Williams to anchor the defensive line and Carlton Davis III for the secondary. I’m high on this team as the season approaches.
2025 Predictions
1. Bills (14-3)
2. Patriots (10-7)
3. Jets (8-9)
4. Dolphins (6-11)
This is the Buffalo Bills’ division for the taking in the foreseeable future, and they will claim another AFC East crown for the sixth consecutive season. What exactly made Josh Allen click and so efficient last season? That’s an easy answer, he took much better care of the ball compared to 2023 and when the Bills play clean football, good things happen for them. I’m expecting Keon Coleman to take a leap and become that other weapon for Josh to lean on. They are just too much to handle right now for any of the other teams in this division. For all the success they have in the regular season, when will this translate into something when it matters most which is the postseason? The verdict is still out on them.
