Before I get to the AFC East, I’d like to discuss the biggest story in the NFL right now: the referee lockout. I watched a few (meaningless) preseason games and the replacement refs looked like they came straight out of Clown College. I actually don’t blame the replacement refs, I blame the NFL with its incredibly arcane and complex rule book and the fact that these replacements had only a few weeks to learn it. The official rulebook is 244 pages long and reads like a bad Congressional bill. If this labor dispute continues into the regular season, you are going to see important games changed by bad calls and coaches out of challenges by the end of the first quarter.
The other concern has to be player safety. The bottom line is the players will try to get away with whatever they think they can on the field, and if they think they can game the inexperienced officials they will and people are going to get hurt. The NFL really needs to resolve this labor dispute before the season starts or football is going to suck to watch this year. On to the AFC East.
New England Patriots – As much as I hate this team, their coach and their quarterback, they are easily one of the best teams in the AFC. Bill Belichick, who should have been featured on an episode of Hoarders for the way he squirreled away draft picks, finally decided to reload the roster… especially on defense, which was their big weakness last year. Their offense is outstanding when it comes to passing as they have one of the best young tight ends in the game and, of course, one of the best QBs throwing the ball to him. The only question I have for this team is the running game. I look at the roster and it’s a who’s who of who’s that. While I think the Patriots will easily take the division, I have doubts about their return to the Super Bowl. Conventional wisdom says that teams who lose the Super Bowl usually suffer a hangover and don’t do as well the next year. They don’t call it ‘conventional wisdom’ for nothing. Still this team is at or near the top of the AFC. Chance of going to the Super Bowl – 15%
New York Jets – If there is one team that is going to be must-see train wreck television this year, it’s the Jets. Their big off season acquisition was a great football player but a terrible quarterback, Tim Tebow. This was a team that had trouble with locker room chemistry last year, and Tebow is not going to do anything but make the problem worse. Mark Sanchez is possibly one of the most fragile quarterbacks in the NFL (ego-wise) and it will only take a couple of losses fueled by interceptions or missed passes for the New York crowd to turn on him and start chanting for Football Jesus. The Jets have already had two training camp fights that necessitated screaming from Ryan. The idea of running a two-QB system is ludicrous because you need your QB to be in a rhythm, and taking him out in goal line situations is not going to help. Chance of going to the Super Bowl – No. Number of games before Sanchez is yanked for Tebow, I say 6.
Miami Dolphins – I’m not sure what is going on in Miami. Yes, they had a terrible record last year (6-10) but toward the end of the year they were actually coming together as a team. They were 6-3 in their last 9 games, and that’s actually pretty respectable. For some insane reason, they decided to blow up the team. Marshall is gone to be with Cutler in Chicago, and Moore is off trying to win a starting job in Seattle. I actually liked Moore, and I think if the Dolphins had stuck with him he could have gotten them to the playoffs. Instead they let Moore go and drafted Tannehill, who will probably end the season starting if he doesn’t begin it that way. I really think the Dolphins just threw their hands into the air and said “Fuck it” for 2012. On the plus side, Chad Ochoson came and went like a fart in a hurricane, hopefully he gets his off-field issues sorted out. It’s important that we remember there are real human beings underneath those helmets and, in the end, their health and welfare is more important than the score of some game. Chance of going to the Super Bowl – Anyone know if Marino can still throw a decent pass?
Buffalo Bills – Fitzpatrick signed a nice fat contract last year and promptly turned into a giant steaming turd on the field. This was probably due to the pressure he felt to perform. Hopefully he can shake that off this year and move forward as a QB instead of backward. I’m interested to see how the pickup of Mario Williams affects one of the more average defenses in the NFL last year. They also need to get turnovers under control, as for his career Fitzpatrick is about 50/50 in TD/TO ratio. The rumors of moving this team to Toronto continue to swirl and they need stability as an organization before they can truly move forward. Chance of making the Super Bowl – My Magic Eight Ball says “Try Again”.
Other Sporting News – The Olympic Orgy Games are finally over and it’s time for our satisfied athletes to come home and start training for Rio. Phelps went out in epic “F You” mode to all the haters and says he is done with swimming. I, for one, believe him. The US Men won gold in basketball and if they hadn’t there probably would have been rioting. Spain did put a nice scare into them though, as did Lithuania. I think all the athletes, winners and losers, deserve kudos for even making it to the level to compete with the best in the world. Rory McIlroy has been crowned the next Tiger Woods as he now has won 2 majors before the age of 23. Meanwhile, Tiger is still trying to get his groove back as he is fine on Thursdays and Fridays but loses it on the weekends. Welcome to getting old, Tiger.
Next Week – The AFC South (You knew I was saving the AFC West for last right?)
