July 13, 2007 Home > Commentary > Columns Twice as nice Patriots and Jets separate further from Bills, Dolphins in AFC East By Mike Holbrook (mholbrook@pfwmedia.com) July 11, 2007 The AFC East appears to once again be a two-horse race in 2007 following an offseason that saw the Patriots vault themselves into the role of legitimate Super Bowl contender and the Jets solidify their chances to return to the postseason.The Bills lost some key defenders and still have huge question marks as their young players gain experience. The Dolphins must adjust to yet another new coaching staff, a new quarterback and several other new players. Here?s a look at the AFC East teams as they prepare to begin training camp later this month. Buffalo Bills Biggest offseason moves: The Bills aggressively attempted to upgrade their offensive line early in free agency, signing OLG Derrick Dockery from Washington and ORT Langston Walker from Oakland to fill two starting spots. They also added veteran backup Jason Whittle to provide depth up front. The team hopes the additions will pave the way for rookie RB Marshawn Lynch and veteran Anthony Thomas in the running game and also give QB J.P. Losman more time in the passing game. Biggest concerns: How will the secondary make up for the loss of top CB Nate Clements, who signed a lucrative free-agent deal with the 49ers? Clements was a playmaker and has the size to match up with bigger receivers. The Bills hope Terrence McGee bounces back from a down season. They also need veterans Kiwaukee Thomas and Jason Webster and second-year man Ashton Youboty to step up and fill key pass-defending roles. ? Also, can young LBs Paul Posluszny, Angelo Crowell and Keith Ellison make up for the losses of veteran LBs London Fletcher-Baker and Takeo Spikes? ? Finally, if DT Darwin Walker and the team don?t agree to a contract extension and Walker is returned to Philadelphia, do the Bills have enough depth at the DT spots to adequately stop the run? That was a problem area last season and needs to be much more stout. It can all come together if ? Losman takes another step forward in his maturation as the franchise quarterback, Lynch is a more complete back than departed starter Willis McGahee, the O-line jells quickly and effectively, DT John McCargo comes back from foot surgery and gives the interior of the D-line a big boost, and the corners play the pass adequately. Miami Dolphins Biggest offseason moves: Nick Saban returned to the college game and left behind a team that still boasts a veteran defensive core but needs to make big strides offensively. New head coach Cam Cameron was brought in, after a highly successful stint as Chargers offensive coordinator, to give the offense a needed boost. He hopes that veteran QB Trent Green can hold the fort for a year or more while youngster John Beck prepares to be the team?s QB of the future. The Dolphins? objective during the offseason was to add speed, and they did so up and down the roster, particularly with rookie WR-RS Ted Ginn Jr. and C-OG Samson Satele. Biggest concerns: Can Ginn contribute at wide receiver as a rookie, or will he be limited to special-teams play? Will his injured foot heal in time for the start of training camp and not bother him throughout the season? ? Will a rebuilt offensive line jell in time to keep Green protected and not put him in jeopardy following a season in which he missed eight games due to a severe concussion? ? Do aging defenders like NT Keith Traylor, MLB Zach Thomas and OLB Joey Porter still have enough in the tank to keep the team?s defense among the league?s best? It can all come together if ? Green stays healthy and returns to his form of 2004 and ?05, making RB Ronnie Brown and WR Chris Chambers better players in the process ? the O-line does a good job paving the way for Brown to do his best LaDainian Tomlinson imitation ? the oldies on defense stay healthy throughout the season. New England Patriots Biggest offseason moves: You could make a case that the Patriots had as good an offseason as any team in the free-agency era. They not only bolstered their defense by signing prized LB Adalius Thomas from Baltimore and adding veteran CB Tory James, but they dramatically improved their offense, trading for WR Randy Moss, signing WRs Dont? Stallworth, Wes Welker and Kelley Washington and adding solid backup RB Sammy Morris and blocking TE Kyle Brady. QB Tom Brady finally has a full complement of weapons, and it should make the Patriots one of the most explosive offensive teams in the league. Biggest concerns: Can aging LBs Tedy Bruschi, Mike Vrabel and Junior Seau continue to play at a high level? There isn?t much depth behind them, and they will be counted on to play key roles as the team looks to win a fourth Super Bowl this decade. ? Will Moss fit in and be a team player, not a malcontent? It?s a major question mark that everyone will be observing this season. ? Will top corner Asante Samuel get the long-term contract extension he desires? If he doesn?t, will he sign the franchise tender of $7.79 million, or will he hold out? If he holds out, for how long? It can all come together if ? the Belichick-Brady machine hums along and Moss falls in line, returning to his former Pro Bowl self ? Bruschi and Seau can stay healthy and play the entire season ? Samuel reports for the start of the season and plays like he did last season when he picked off a career-high 10 passes. ? Laurence Maroney stays healthy and takes charge of the RB position, making up for the departure of Corey Dillon. New York Jets Biggest offseason moves: The Jets believe they solved their running-game woes from a season ago with the trade acquisition of ex-Bears RB Thomas Jones. With Jones leading the way and teaming with Leon Washington and Cedric Houston, the Jets expect to have a more balanced attack in 2007, which should make QB Chad Pennington and the passing game even better. ? The team also loaded up on defensive linemen, highlighted by the free-agent signing of DE Kenyon Coleman, projected to be a starter. It bolstered the rest of the defense with the rookie additions of CB Darrelle Revis and LB David Harris, who could play key roles in their first season. Biggest concerns: Pennington must stay healthy, and the offensive line must do whatever it takes to make sure that happens. ? Disgruntled OLG Pete Kendall wants more money and may force his way out of New York if the team doesn?t see fit to give him a raise. His departure would leave a void at a key interior O-line position. ? The team must do a better job of stopping the run and needs a couple of its D-line additions to come through and play well. It can all come together if ? Jones runs for 1,200-plus yards, Pennington stays healthy for a second straight season, the lines on both sides of the ball play well and the team continues to believe in young coach Eric Mangini and his hard-line ways. http://www.profootballweekly.com/PFW/Commentary/Columns/2007/holbrook071107.htm
Sweet article...but it looks like the writer, Holbrook, either didn't feel like writing much, or he just got tired towards the end of his article. His article is based on the fact that the JETS have once again established themselves in the AFC East, yet he wrote the least about them compared to the others. Although it's a relief that he didn't mention the NT position, I think he could have definitely covered more. He mentioned the LB crew in every team but the JETS. Granted he mentioned Harris - but more so because he's a rookie. Meanwhile Jonathan "The Machine" Vilma will be in his second year with the 3-4; along with Thomas, Barton, and Hobson. Scrfew New England...I can't wait until Game 1
There are 4 of us in here...it's Friday. 4th of July is over and I can't wait until the NFL is back. For the love of God, someone talk about football. I'm looking at a light day of work and I say we shoot the shit.
i agree with all this, but you can't write off buffalo or miami. buffalo had a good draft and their first two picks will start right away, seemingly, lynch and poz and if you are a believe in Losman (i'm not) then who knows what they can do. and miami still has (given it's aging) that defense. zack thomas and jason taylor are still solid and with green, ginn, chambers, brown they can do some damage. brown didnt have nearly as bad a year last year as everyone says. i too think jets will have a great year, but let's not write off any team in july
Excellent Article, I agree with most of what has been said. For New England in the "It can all come together if …" they left out the part about Meriweather not shooting anyone when he feels threatend.
I wonder what the odds are in Vegas for Meriweather getting suspended for conduct reasons. I'm sure if he gest out of line Moss can help him refocus on football.
