A lot has changed this offseason with the landscape of the AFC. A number of teams who were on both sides of the metaphorical line of playoff contention improved, while few teams, on paper, got worse.
In the AFC East, that conversation is open and fluid. While the general feeling is that the Buffalo Bills still sit atop the division, the next two spots seem to be up for grabs.
Former New England Patriots vice president of player personnel Scott Pioli, who is now an NFL analyst, shared who he believes has a better shot of winning the division between Miami and New England. Despite his loyalties to Bill Belichick, he sided with the team in South Florida.
“They had a solid core of players before,” said Pioli. “[They were] a good enough team to beat the Patriots. They also added a head coach who is really going to make a difference. The fact of the unknown and how they’re going to be coached and what they’re doing to do is going to be a bit of a factor.
“The new players all fit the system, scheme and culture that Mike McDaniel wants, the type of team he wants. This is the team that’s going to give the Bills a real run.”
Pioli makes a strong point. On the other side, New England has lost their offensive coordinator just one year into the development of their young quarterback. That’s never a good thing. Add in the fact that they lost their top cornerback and right guard, it’s tough to imagine the Patriots reaching the 10-win mark for a second season, never mind winning the division.
