furley

I preface this by saying that the Patriots have some very important decisions to make during this off-season. I almost feel as if this is all bad timing, everything is happening at once. Hence, I've my skepticism about the Patriots right now. What these teams do and don't do during the off-season as far as the draft and free agency, and how the strength of schedule for the regular season stack up. Will settle this... Well, my thoughts are...


New York Jets (9-7)

Offensive rank: Twentieth
Defensive rank: First

Conclusion of 2009 Season: Lost in AFC Conference Finals

What needs to happen in 2010: Mark Sanchez having a sophomore leap a la Joe Flacco and Matt Ryan (got injured, statistics somewhat dropped off but wasn't awful). Continue to mature, must cut down on his turnovers. Will be the pre-season favored to win division, but overall offense must catchup to defense. Team finished the regular season ranked thirty-first in passing but did finish first in rushing. Meaning Shonn Greene doesn't have a sophomore slump and Thomas Jones continues to be solid. Dustin Keller establishes himself as a real threat in the passing game as fellow 2008 draftees John Carlson and Jermichael Finley are for their teams. Team needs to resign Braylon Edwards (who desires to return) and play-maker Leon Washington (rushing; special teams). Defensively, team finished the regular season ranked first in total defense. Won't lose anyone major from the defense to free agency. Can they improve on a first place ranking against the pass and eighth against the run? Probably... Should have a healthy Kris Jenkins returning. Not to mention, Pro Bowler Darrelle Revis, David Harris, Calvin Pace, Kerry Rhodes, Shaun Ellis (recently broke hand), Lito Sheppard and Bart Scott all return as well. Backup quarterback Kellen Clemens, fullback Tony Richardson and wide receiver David Clowney are free agents.

Biggest concern: Quarterback
Least concern: Defense; rushing


Miami Dolphins (7-9)

Offensive rank: Seventieth
Defensive rank: Twenty-second

Conclusion of 2009 Season: Didn't make the playoffs

What needs to happen in 2010: Chad Henne builds on his 2009 season in which he became the starter for injured Chad Pennington. Ronnie Brown is healthy and ready to go before the start of the regular season and/or Ricky Williams picks up where he'd left off the last seven games of this season. Team needs to resign free agent wide receiver Davone Bess. Must make a concerted effort to acquire or sign one of these three possibly available wide receivers: Brandon Marshall, Vincent Jackson and Anquan Boldin. Acquiring Anquan Boldin from Arizona with the right offer of draft picks would go a long ways in helping Henne with his progression. After Bess, who's the odd man out among wide receivers Brian Hartline, Ted Ginn, Jr. and Greg Camarillo? If team doesn't resign Anthony Fasano, will second-year player John Nalbone be the answer at starting tight end? The hiring of Mike Nolan as the new defensive coordinator could prove to be one of the team's best off-season moves. Nolan will have young talent in Vontae Davis, Phillip Merling, Randy Starks, Sean Smith and Channing Crowder to work with. Far better than what he'd in players with Denver. However, they'll likely lose veteran defensive end Jason Taylor to free agency or retirement. So either Starks or Merling will be counted on to assume a larger role. Defensively, they'd finished the regular season ranked eightieth against the run, but were ranked twenty-fourth against the pass. So it'll be imperative that their secondary improves dramatically. Quarterback Chad Pennington will be a free agent so team will need to sign a backup quarter back. Pat White saw very few opportunities as a passer outside of playing the wildcat.

Biggest concern: Defense; top wide receiver; offensive line; depth at quarterback
Least concern: Rushing


New England Patriots (10-6)

Offensive rank: Third
Defensive rank: Eleventh

Conclusion of 2009 Season: Lost in AFC Wild Card game

What needs to happen in 2010: Team more than adequately replace the lost of both their offensive and defensive coordinator. Pro Bowl wide receiver Wes Welker tore his MCL and ACL during the last game of the regular season. His indefinite return is a legitimate concern. Issues could arise for Tom Brady and the passing game if he's out longer than expected and Julian Edelman isn't up to task in his absence. Randy Moss will be playing in a contract year. Could be extra motivated to step up and attempt to silence his critics from this season. Namely, Darrelle Revis and Chris Gamble. Laurence Maroney has yet to prove he can be the running back the team had hoped for when he was selected ahead of fellow first round draftees DeAngelo Williams and Joseph Addai. With that said, Maroney isn't the longterm answer. Still, team did their best to establish a balanced offense rotating their running backs when healthy. Finished the regular season ranked third in passing and twelfth and rushing. Major decisions to make with Pro Bowl defensive lineman Vince Wilfork, kicker Stephen Gostkowski, Pro Bowl offensive lineman Logan Mankins, tight end Benjamin Watson, corner back Leigh Bodden, defensive end Jarvis Green and running back Kevin Faulk all free agents. Whether or not to resign Wilfork is the most important personnel decision the team will make this off-season. With little to no pass rush to think of, team will think long and hard about Julius Peppers who will be a free agent as well. Team finished the regular season ranked twelfth against the pass and thirteenth against the run. So they were able to maintain a bend but don't break defense. Intriguing young talent on defense in Jerod Mayo, Brandon Meriweather, Darius Butler and Patrick Chung. All will have something to prove.

Biggest concern: Depth at wide receiver; top running back and tight end; depth at running back; pass rush
Least concern: Passing


Buffalo Bills (6-10)

Offensive rank: Thirtieth
Defensive rank: Nineteenth

Conclusion of 2009 Season: Didn't make the playoffs

What needs to happen in 2010: Establish an identity, who's the face of this franchise. Team lacks a star at all of the major skilled positions. Fred Jackson could help to change that by providing stability and play-making at the running back position. Shawn Nelson will need to establish himself as a reliable offensive threat at starting tight end. But who'll be throwing him the ball? Brian Brohm? The Bills will need to retool the wide receiver position with Terrell Owens, Lee Evans and Josh Reed all being free agents. Will James Hardy assert himself enough and join Nelson as another possible play-maker on offense? Could Roscoe Parrish have a bigger role? Because the Bills finished the regular season as the thirtieth (behind the Jets) worst passing team. But this team will remain in their division's basement and miss the playoffs unless major changes and a gradual turnaround doesn't happen real soon. Newly hired head coach, Chan Gailey, has a tall order ahead of him. Misery must love company since Detroit hasn't made the playoffs the past ten seasons either. Interestingly, Gailey inherits a team as their head coach and offensive coordinator with most of its young talent coming on defense. With key veteran Aaron Schobel possibly retiring, more will be expected from second-year player Aaron Maybin after a quiet rookie year where he didn't start a game. Pro Bowl safety Jairus Byrd, Paul Posluszny, Leodis McKelvin, Donte Whitner and Maybin lead the youth movement on defense for the Bills. Team finished the regular season ranked second against the pass but thirtieth against the run. That isn't good. A mainstay of the secondary, corner back Terrence McGee is a free agent.

Biggest concern: Quarterback; offense; top wide receiver; wide receiver depth; offensive line; pass rush
Least concern: Rushing

neuronet

Wow, they are in 90th place? That is really, really bad.

I largely agree with your assessments, except putting Miami above the Pats is a bit insane so I disagree with your rankings.

Saying the Pats are strong in passing is a bit questionable. We have become predictable and lost most of our depth in the position. With the loss of Welker we have lost our most important complement to Moss. Our offensive line has become a joke, we can't seem to get a run going, or protect Brady long enough to throw the ball. People have figured out our 2007 game plan, the "blueprint" works, and we need drastic changes.

All I know is BB/Kraft need to work some magic in the offseason this year, I am very worried the Patriots are sinking back into mediocrity. Seeing these teams in the playoffs, how much better they are playing than the Patriots this year, is really humbling. Last year I thought the Patriots belonged in the playoffs. This year they deserved to be eliminated in the first round the way they were playing, I have had no thoughts 'The patriots would be better' while watching other games, becauseI know it isn't true.

Let's hope BB has the flexibility to see that 2007 is over, that he needs to radically adjust his strategy.

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Ice_Ice_Brady writes:
The difference is that Brady calmly calls audibles while Manning flaps like a chicken, barks 11 code words, and makes sure every camera in the stadium has documented his once-in-a-generation (and patented, I believe) ability to see a defensive formation and change the play. Both have the same effect, but Manning transcends measurable human intellect while Brady merely chooses a different play.

rsd

Sorry but any ranking that has the Dolphins ahead of the Patriots is ludicrous. I fully understand we split with them this year, but this isn't the first year that has happened in recent history by any means.

Patjew

How's 2017 looking?

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MoLewisrocks

For whom??

We won the division last season even though we are apparently as inept an outfit as ever existed. The .500 JETS who backed into the playoffs and in all fairness backed into the AFCC due to luck of the draw (two historically dynfunctional frauds winning their divisions) will certainly be Tubby's personal lock to win the division, the conference, it all. As they were this season...any time he didn't think they were out of it. Even though they have limited options this offseason and we have almost unlimited options (although Peppers won't be one of them...).

I wish all the fans here with early perception would develop a little perspective before sharing their's with all of us.

vyrago

"New England Patriots (10-6)

Offensive rank: Third
Defensive rank: Eleventh"

So tell me again how N.E. is third...

emoney_33

We're dooooooooooooooooomed!

The Dynasty

We won the division this year, how are the Jets and Dolphins all of a sudden ahead of us?

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"It is what it is" -Bill Belichick

"...as the head coach I can kind of do whatever I want. If I want to coach the punters, I can go coach the punters. If I want to watch the offensive guards, I can watch the offensive guards." - Bill Belichick

Russyracuse

Is this a joke or what? C'mon third in the AFC East. I thought I worried about the Pats.

Do you really think the Pats are not going ot make any moves this year? We will still win the division.

Disco Volante

I'll tell you, people really take Tom ****ing Brady for granted.

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