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Strangely, I'm not all that excited about Monday's game with the Bills. To me it amounts to little more than a scrimmage against the hapless Bills. Certainly there are elements of the game that I'll be looking forward to seeing, but when the issue really isn't in doubt, it kind of takes the edge off the game for me.
In Fact the more I think on it, the AFC East ISN'T going to be the division juggernaut that a lot of people thought (including myself).
Bills - They looked like a young up an coming team on the verge of taking the next step...and THEN they got TO and assembled one of the better WR corps in the league. Then this preseason, the dismantle their OL and will start 5 new guys. They fire their OC, and for now at least, seem to be in utter disarray. Not a bright image for a team that has to come into NE and face a very hungry Pats group.
Jets - for 2 thirds of a season they were among the league's elite teams, now they look like they will struggle to be a 500 team THIS season. Their OL is still one of the best, but they will start a rookie QB WITHOUT the benefit of quality WRs. Their DL is thin, and a Kris Jenkins injury from being a massive weakness. Any injuries in the secondary will cripple them. They are a step up from the Bills, but probably will not be the threat that they were last season.
Miami - I see the Phins being a lot like the 2002 Pats. They will be better than the 2008 team, but it won't reflect in their record, and they will likely take a step back...like the 2002 Pats. Reason, everything broke perfectly for the Phins last season, just like it did for the 2001 Pats. They had the fewest turn overs, few injuries, and won a lot of close games, etc. ALL those good things are unlikely to happen again.
So I see THIS year being a year where the Pats lose at most ONE division game. All that being said, 2010 will be the year that the AFCE will be a bear to get through.
Now back to the Bills game and what to watch for.
1. The most interesting match up for me will be the Springs/TO clash. It will go a long way in my mind in letting us know how much better this secondary will be than the one that was dismantled. IMHO, Springs was brought it for EXACTLY this kind of match up. He is here to match up against the bigger WRs and to give us a more physical presence in the Red Zone. Where as before the midget formerly know as Ellis Hobbs usually had to deal with these physical mismatches, Springs is a better choice...at least on paper
2, I want to see how the front 7 do against the run. The first unit has been pretty effective in preseason, but Fred Jackson tore us up last season.
3. It will be interesting to see how BB works the various rotations. Where will Brace, Butler, and Chung play and how often. How will he handle the RB carries. How will he work the TEs, etc
4. And then there is the pass rush issue, which looms like a summer thunderstorm. Can we get pressure from 4 man rushes or will we have to Blitz. Derrick Burgess...where are you?
I would expect the defense to be pretty successful for this run at the Bills. You will count me among the very nervous if they score more than 17 points. I'm less interested in what the offense has to offer, because I already think I know....and its GOOOOOOOOD. Still, like everyone else, I'll be watching to see if Brady is stepping INTO his throws. Is Welker going to play. Will the Moroney debate ever end.
Finally I'll be very interested to see how this team is constructed AFTER this game, because I think some moves are coming....at QB, WR, OL, LB We DON'T have enough QBs. We have too many OLmen, etc Once the team doesn't have to guarantee contracts for a season, we are going to see a flurry of roster movement. JMHO
In Fact the more I think on it, the AFC East ISN'T going to be the division juggernaut that a lot of people thought (including myself).
Bills - They looked like a young up an coming team on the verge of taking the next step...and THEN they got TO and assembled one of the better WR corps in the league. Then this preseason, the dismantle their OL and will start 5 new guys. They fire their OC, and for now at least, seem to be in utter disarray. Not a bright image for a team that has to come into NE and face a very hungry Pats group.
Jets - for 2 thirds of a season they were among the league's elite teams, now they look like they will struggle to be a 500 team THIS season. Their OL is still one of the best, but they will start a rookie QB WITHOUT the benefit of quality WRs. Their DL is thin, and a Kris Jenkins injury from being a massive weakness. Any injuries in the secondary will cripple them. They are a step up from the Bills, but probably will not be the threat that they were last season.
Miami - I see the Phins being a lot like the 2002 Pats. They will be better than the 2008 team, but it won't reflect in their record, and they will likely take a step back...like the 2002 Pats. Reason, everything broke perfectly for the Phins last season, just like it did for the 2001 Pats. They had the fewest turn overs, few injuries, and won a lot of close games, etc. ALL those good things are unlikely to happen again.
So I see THIS year being a year where the Pats lose at most ONE division game. All that being said, 2010 will be the year that the AFCE will be a bear to get through.
Now back to the Bills game and what to watch for.
1. The most interesting match up for me will be the Springs/TO clash. It will go a long way in my mind in letting us know how much better this secondary will be than the one that was dismantled. IMHO, Springs was brought it for EXACTLY this kind of match up. He is here to match up against the bigger WRs and to give us a more physical presence in the Red Zone. Where as before the midget formerly know as Ellis Hobbs usually had to deal with these physical mismatches, Springs is a better choice...at least on paper
2, I want to see how the front 7 do against the run. The first unit has been pretty effective in preseason, but Fred Jackson tore us up last season.
3. It will be interesting to see how BB works the various rotations. Where will Brace, Butler, and Chung play and how often. How will he handle the RB carries. How will he work the TEs, etc
4. And then there is the pass rush issue, which looms like a summer thunderstorm. Can we get pressure from 4 man rushes or will we have to Blitz. Derrick Burgess...where are you?
I would expect the defense to be pretty successful for this run at the Bills. You will count me among the very nervous if they score more than 17 points. I'm less interested in what the offense has to offer, because I already think I know....and its GOOOOOOOOD. Still, like everyone else, I'll be watching to see if Brady is stepping INTO his throws. Is Welker going to play. Will the Moroney debate ever end.
Finally I'll be very interested to see how this team is constructed AFTER this game, because I think some moves are coming....at QB, WR, OL, LB We DON'T have enough QBs. We have too many OLmen, etc Once the team doesn't have to guarantee contracts for a season, we are going to see a flurry of roster movement. JMHO
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