Is the AFC East being overhyped this year?

[billsfan89]

A lot of the NFL will seem "overhyped" largely due to the fact that esp in the AFC where there are a lot of teams with expectations (I can honestly only think of the Colts, Texans and possibly Raiders as being in a true rebuild or lower expectations mode) to make the playoffs and/or make a deep run in the playoffs.

 

Only 7 teams will make the playoffs thus 3-5 teams with high expectations will fall flat. 3 teams will be out in the wildcard round likely cutting 1-2 more seasons short of expectation. Another 2 teams will be out in the divisional round causing more teams to fall short of making a deep playoff run. Every year most teams fall short esp given that only 1 team wins it all. But the AFC is loaded with about 13-14 teams that have expectations to make the playoffs or farther. The AFC is super stacked this year again but that's likely going to mean that many fanbases will be disappointed. That's always the case. Injuries and bad luck can derail so much. 

[Goin Breakdown]

Is the general idea that if Tua is healthy, Miami is the better team?  I feel like that's what I read a lot. 

[hondo in seattle]

I take a lot of talk about the Bills' tough schedule with a grain of salt.  I joined the Bills Mafia back when Jack Kemp was still the signal caller.  And over the years, I've heard a lot of preseason chatter about the comparative difficulty of the schedule.  And many/most preseason prognostications end up wrong because there are always some opponents that are far better than expected and others that are worse.  

 

Having said that I do think the AFCE will be tough this year.  With Rodgers, how can the Jets not be better?  And the Fins gave us some tough fights last year and will likely present some problems again this season.  And the Pats don't have a loaded roster, but they still have Belichick.  

 

I think 3 of 4 teams finish with winning records.  And the Bills get another AFCE crown in a closer race than last year's.  

[klos63]

Not overhyped at all.

 

The Bills should still be strong.

 

The Jets have a shutdown defense, great WR, possible great RB if healthy, and Rodgers.

Dolphins should improve over last season, and we barely beat them in the playoffs with a 3rd string QB.

Pats are a decent team, but not sure if playoff caliber.

 

The Bills have many questions- if they aren't answered well, we'll be in trouble. Oline, LB and secondary are big concerns.

[TheBrownBear]

New England stinks, but the Jets and Dolphins will be for real.  Buckle up - it's gonna be a hell of a ride.

[klos63]

Just now, klos63 said:

Not overhyped at all.

 

The Bills should still be strong.

 

The Jets have a shutdown defense, great WR, possible great RB if healthy, and Rodgers.

Dolphins should improve over last season, and we barely beat them in the playoffs with a 3rd string QB.

Pats are a decent team, but not sure if playoff caliber.

 

The Bills have many questions- if they aren't answered well, we'll be in trouble. Oline, LB and secondary are big concerns.  Dorsey is a concern and we have a new DC.

 

[Doc]

The Bills split with the Jets and Dols, losing both games on the road, while sweeping the Cheaters.  I expect at least the same.

[PBF81]

2 hours ago, ALLEN1QB said:

Buffalo will win division by week 13 yes I said it!!

 

Fun to think about, but if we were 12-0 by then, we'd have to own all the tiebreakers and no other AFCE team could be better than 7-5.   If we were 10-2, we'd still need all the division tiebreakers and no other team could be better than 5-7.  

 

Just sayin'  

 

 

[Paul Costa]

6 hours ago, Gregg said:

 

The Jags may just end up getting the #1 seed if they can stay healthy. They should have no trouble winning their division.

Titans will give them a run for their money. Neither team is playoff caliber 

[chongli]

8 hours ago, Success said:

 

1) The Jets won 7 games last year.  The conventional wisdom is that they were "just a quarterback away" from contending. 

 

 

Yep, everyone said in 1989 that the Vikings were just a RB away from winning the SB. Afterall, they had a Pro Bowler and/or All Pro at every position group except RB. So, they traded with Dallas for Herschel Walker in a blockbuster deal. Didn't work out too well for them. SF, the Giants, and Washington continued to dominate the NFC, as did Dallas eventually, who got three firsts, three seconds, and a third from that trade. They drafted Emmitt Smith from those picks, as well as Russell Maryland, Kevin Smith, Darren Woodson, and others.

Edited July 27, 2023 by chongli

[SCBills]

2 hours ago, Goin Breakdown said:

Is the general idea that if Tua is healthy, Miami is the better team?  I feel like that's what I read a lot. 

If one is to believe that White and Von will return to pre-injury form, I’m not sure how anyone would rather have the Dolphins roster over ours.  
 

OL play vs Pass Rush could be massive in division.  None of the Bills, Jets or Dolphins have proven top tier Offensive Lines .. and, when healthy, all three teams have top tier Defensive Lines. 

[Generic_Bills_Fan]

7 hours ago, Gregg said:

 

I disagree on Tua. I also thought he wouldn't be a good QB. But now I think he is. He will never be on the level of Mahomes, Allen, Burrow but he is good. His biggest issue is his health. Another concussion or two and I see his career being cut short.

I think the dolphins offense got somewhat  figured out midseason and it’s being sold as tua concussion related but probably isn’t. Tuas good at getting the ball out quick to his first read in the middle of the field and when that starts to break down he can’t really go off script.

 

 

Edited July 27, 2023 by Generic_Bills_Fan

[billsbackto81]

7 hours ago, Doc said:

As goes Tua, so go the Dols.  I can't see him not getting concussed early in the season.

Their O Line is still not very good except for a LT that's hurt just as much as Tua.  They will face these defenses:

Bills 2x

Jets 2x

Pats 2x

Eagles

Ravens

Dallas

Giants are decent and the Chargers handed them an whipping last year as well.

 

That's quite the gauntlet Tua has to go up against.  I have nothing against the guy but I can't see him surviving the season without some type injury.

[Drew21PA]

I have my doubts that Miami takes a step forward.  I feel their coach got figured out and he’s too young to adjust.  
 

Jets?

ehhh I’m not impressed with the Aaron Rodgers pick up becuase I do NOT think it’s going to be enough . Not even close and it’s going to fall apart quickly this season - AARON will be like “R E L A X” and continue to lose after starting 0-4

 

Pats

what a train wreck 

[The Frankish Reich]

19 hours ago, Success said:

The Jets won 7 games last year.  The conventional wisdom is that they were "just a quarterback away" from contending. But 7 wins is 7 wins.  They added a 40-year-old QB, who - though great - will be behind the worst line in the division.

I would agree if the Jets won 7 games with mediocre QB play. Think Jimmy Garoppolo, or Derek Carr, or even some journeyman like Jacoby Brissette. 

But they won 7 games with truly awful QB play. Like laughably horrible from Wilson and Mike White and Joe Flacco. It was so bad that I think Flacco has an argument that he was the best of the 3.

They don't need Rodgers to be the second coming of the God of Green Bay. They just need him to be a Jacoby Brissette to get better, or a Jimmy Garoppolo to get a lot better. Or a 90% of peak Rodgers to be really good.

[ChronicAndKnuckles]

18 hours ago, Gregg said:

 

The Jags may just end up getting the #1 seed if they can stay healthy. They should have no trouble winning their division.

Jags lucked out last year. Titans were down to their 3rd string QB and surely would’ve won the division. I think Jags can squeak into a wildcard, but Trevor Lawrence is still too inconsistent. Their defense is really good, but Lawrence needs have a 2020 Josh Allen-like progression to really challenge BUF/KC/CIN for the 1 seed. 

[Gregg]

2 minutes ago, ChronicAndKnuckles said:

Jags lucked out last year. Titans were down to their 3rd string QB and surely would’ve won the division. I think Jags can squeak into a wildcard, but Trevor Lawrence is still too inconsistent. Their defense is really good, but Lawrence needs have a 2020 Josh Allen-like progression to really challenge BUF/KC/CIN for the 1 seed. 

 

I am not so sure the Bills or Bengals can get the #1 seed. Both the east and north will be extremely tough this year. KC if they continue to dominate their division will have a shot at #1 seed. It seems like they always seem to get homefield. I still like Jacksonville to win the south and have a good shot at the #1 seed as well.

[The Frankish Reich]

1 minute ago, ChronicAndKnuckles said:

Jags lucked out last year. Titans were down to their 3rd string QB and surely would’ve won the division. I think Jags can squeak into a wildcard, but Trevor Lawrence is still too inconsistent. Their defense is really good, but Lawrence needs have a 2020 Josh Allen-like progression to really challenge BUF/KC/CIN for the 1 seed. 

Lawrence in his second year was ahead of Allen in his second year. While it is no certain thing that he'll take the Allen 2020 leap, it's promising.

And he still has the Texans twice, the Colts twice (I'd expect Anthony Richardson to play and to be like a rookie Justin Fields), and the Titans with maybe a rehabbed Tannehill, or maybe a quick trigger if they start poorly to go with Will Levis. So they have a Bills 2020-21 type setup as a strong team in what will be a really weak division.

[BuffaloBillyG]

Sean Payton thinks the Jets are over hyped FWIW🤣🤣

 

Respect for Payton📈📈📈

[The Frankish Reich]

14 hours ago, TheBrownBear said:

New England stinks,

I don't think they "stink." They are more mediocre, kind of a .500ish team, which in this division probably leaves them in the 8-9, 7-10 range.

5 minutes ago, BuffaloBillyG said:

Sean Payton thinks the Jets are over hyped FWIW🤣🤣

 

Respect for Payton📈📈📈

Payton is an arrogant blowhard. But after watching Nathaniel Hackett and Fangio before him, I gotta admit its kind of fun. At least for now.