“I think we have to find somebody out there to beat New England besides us, I think that would help. Anybody out there want to sign up for it? Are you good enough as a team to beat the New England Patriots? I’m challenging the league.” That quote is from a desperate former New York Jets Head Coach, Rex Ryan, who begged the league to stop his hated rivals before the 2011 season. New England answered by winning the division nine consecutive times and grabbing three more Superbowl championships by 2019. Meanwhile, Rex Ryan is now on tv working for ESPN after being fired from the Jets in 2014 and later the Buffalo Bills in 2016. However, the departure of Tom Brady has left New England floundering while the Bills have emerged as top dogs winning the division the past three seasons. So, who will take the crown in 2023? In this article, we will preview all four teams from the division and predict their record.
1. Buffalo Bills-12-5
It pains me to say it, but the Bills will win the division for a fourth consecutive season. The team won the division with a 13-3 record despite the adversity of relocation from Buffalo for a few weeks due to crazy weather. Then, they had to overcome the difficult circumstances surrounding Demar Hamlin’s health scare and collapse on live television. In the postseason, the team appeared jaded after squeaking by the Miami Dolphins at home and losing badly to the Cincinnati Bengals. The Bills will be looking to silence the doubters who feel those events will trigger a decline for the foreseeable future. Josh Allen is still the best quarterback in the division, but he will need to lessen the turnovers to have a productive season after giving up 19 last season. Allen will also need to mend Stefon Diggs, who was frustrated with the offense during the offseason following their postseason exit. However, the unit got better by signing David Edwards, and Connor McGovern, and drafting O’Cyrus Torrence for their offensive line. Also, the addition of Dalton Kincaid will add the dynamic of two Tight End sets in the endzone. The defense will be without Vonn Miller, who is still rehabbing his knee after an ACL injury. The unit’s performance declined late last season, during his absence. Yet, they should still be productive until Miller returns to action. The biggest doubt on the team is their running game, and the acquisition of Damien Harris will help. However, will it be enough in January when that area gets exposed? Only time will tell, but they will still win the division.
2. New England Patriots 10-7
This may be a pick from the heart, but I am picking the Patriots being a surprise team in the AFC. The team failed to make the playoffs with an 8-9 record because of struggles on the offensive end. Bill Belichick let down his young quarterback, Mac Jones in deciding to let Matt Patricia and Joe Judge operate the offense last season without any prior experience in that position. Belichick made amends in the offseason by welcoming the return of Bill O’Brien to Foxboro as Offensive Coordinator. O’brien will be a calming presence for Jones and has the ingenious ability to scheme an efficient offense. The team has supplemented the young quarterback by signing Juju Smith-Schuster and Mike Giseki. However, the team missed out on signing a number one wide receiver in Odell Beckham or De’Andre Hopkins which may come back to haunt them. However, the defense was stout last season and will only get better this year under the tutelage of Bill Belichick. The unit will boast the return of Matt Judon, and Christian Barmore is poised to be one of the most destructive frontline defenders in the league. How far this team goes will depend on getting off a good start and how Jones performs, but I see them as a wild-card team.
3. New York Jets-9-8
The New York Jets are the most talked about team entering the 2023 season and will mean they will be under the most pressure to win. The team was selected to be on HBO’s Hard Knocks because of the intrigue surrounding the team. The Jets will hope that Aaron Rodgers can have the same impact that Tom Brady had on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who instantly made the team a contender and eventually won the Super Bowl. Rodgers had a down year with the Packers and will look to rebound with his Offensive Coordinator, Nathaniel Hackett. The team added former Packers wide receivers Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb to bring more familiarity to the team for Rodgers. The Jets’ defense was one of the top units in the league led by Sauce Gardner, and C.J. Moseley is poised to get even better. The acquisition of Dalvin Cook should allow the offense to be more balanced because of a running game. I think the Jets will be a good team, however, I think the weight and expectations of a hungry fanbase will be too much for this squad, and I have them as a bubble wild-card team at best.
4. Miami Dolphins-8-9
Mike McDaniel proved last season that he is one of the best young minds in football, and it showed on the field last season with Miami jumping out to a 8-3 record. However, injuries to quarterback Tua Tagovailoa led to inevitable struggles as Miami tumbled into a wild card sport by finishing 1-5 in their last six games. Miami is still loaded on offense with Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, Raheem Mostert, and Cedric Wilson to lead the attack. However, the success will be due to whether Tua can stay healthy for a 17-game week window. I think he will likely get injured at some point, and it will ultimately derail the team’s chance of making the playoffs. I think Miami will have to consider a replacement as they head into next year’s draft and free agency period.