Which AFC East rival's strength will give the Pats the most trouble?

[PATRIOT64]

Of the following in this poll,What part of the AFC East rivals apparent strengths will give the Pats the most trouble in 2009?

 

[eom]

I don't know about the wildcat causing them problems, but I'd have to pick miami of the 3.
although if brady's back, and that team stays healthy, I don't expect problems from any of them.

 

[WhiZa]

No AFC East offense is that scary other than the Pats. I took the Jets because they have a fantasy team D.

 

[MrTibbs]

How about:

None of the them

 

[zoostation]

... with Brady back it's time to worry about home field throughout the playoffs (again).

 

[jmt57]

This is a really tough call; I don't know who I would pick.

Miami seems to be the best all around, and has the best coaching/FO.

Buffalo has the most potential to cause problems offensively. I think they've been huge under-achievers on that side of the ball the last couple of years; if they can play to their level of talent they might finally be a winning team again.

The Jets defense is vastly improved, and defense wins more games than offense. We've seen Baltimore have a few winning seasons with no offense and the Jets are now Ravens II.


To the original question - which rival's strength will give the Pats the most trouble, I'd say the answer is the strength of the Jets' defense. However, if I have to pick which team would give the Pats the most trouble next year, I'd choose the Dolphins.

 

[VJCPatriot]

The Dolphins are the team to watch out for.
I think the Jets will improve but I doubt they can turn around Mangini's mistakes in just a year.
The Bills will implode around midseason once TO starts pouting and saying that the QB isn't getting him the ball enough. Get your popcorn ready... for the drama!

 

[Patriots Nation NY]

The jets d hasn't improved diddly pooh .. just cuz ryan was a decent coordinator doesn't mean squat as HC .. Let them play a down first before measuring his bust for the HOF

 

[APatrioticVirginian]

Defenses are never improved on paper. I fear none of those things

 

[PatsFanSince74]

I like the way this question was phrased. I don't think any of the three teams, as a whole, will do better than the pats, but the jets and fins have pieces that could be a problem. I picked the Jests revamped D as the biggest challenge, even tho I think the Jets' lack of a QB will make it hard for them to go far.

As for the Bills, if TO wasn't happy with McNabb and Romo, just imagine how quickly things will deteriorate with Edwards and/or Lossman.

 

[ausbacker]

I think the Dolphins are the more complete of the 3 AFC East rivals, however our offseason moves with the return of injured starters further strengthen our position considering we'll have the 2nd strength of schedule behind the Fins.

 

[Rob0729]

I would choose none of the above.

I don't know if the Jets "vastly" improved their defense. Jim Leonhard was a journeyman scrub until last year. He might have been a product of lining up next to Ed Reed and behind Ray Lewis and Bart Scott (and only one of them are on the Jets next season). Even then, he had a good not great season. Bart Scott wanted to go to the Jets so he could see if he really is as good as he has been in Baltimore without being flanked by Ray Lewis and Terrell Suggs. Like many of the LBs who have failed after they left Baltimore (Adalius Thomas is the only one who was remotely successful), he may not like the answer. Lito Sheppard fell to fourth on the depth chart in Philly. His defenders can argue he lost his starting job to a Pro Bowler in Asante Samuel, but how did he fall below Jeslio Hanson in production last year?

As for TO and Evans, they still have the same porus o-line and Trent Edwards throwing to them. TO isn't going to change the Bills from one of the most enemic passing offenses in the league to a scoring machine. Especially if Marshawn Lynch misses the first quarter of the season (or longer) due to suspension.

The Wild Cat was pretty much a non-factor in the second game vs. the Pats. The Pats weren't blindsided by it and pretty much shut it down. So did a lot of other teams. I think the Wild Cat is a passing fad which may come to the end before the end of the season.

 

[zoostation]

The jets d hasn't improved diddly pooh .. just cuz ryan was a decent coordinator doesn't mean squat as HC .. Let them play a down first before measuring his bust for the HOF

Good point...didn't Jet fans have Man-genius going to the hall of fame 2 seasons ago.

 

[nashvillepatsfan]

With the additions on defense, and potential in the draft, I simply don't see any one in the AFCE that worries me. We can score on any of them. So, as long as the defense improves from last year, i'm not gonna worry. Outside the east? That's a different story.

 

[RoughingthePasser]

Cool Thread.

We need to remember that we need the division win before anything else.

My first reaction was the Jets new Defense-which looks great on paper and should be decent once the season gets going. They have some good players.

I'm more concerned with OUR Defense.
We should consider our potential offensive caliber next year when evaluating the Jets new defense too.
We'll still beat them.

But I think the question isn't how good the Jets D will be-
but really how well our D plays-especially against Miami's tricky offense and all the other teams on the schedule.
Honestly, out of the three choices-I picked Miami.

 

[Nestapats]

I would choose none of the above.

I don't know if the Jets "vastly" improved their defense. Jim Leonhard was a journeyman scrub until last year. He might have been a product of lining up next to Ed Reed and behind Ray Lewis and Bart Scott (and only one of them are on the Jets next season). Even then, he had a good not great season. Bart Scott wanted to go to the Jets so he could see if he really is as good as he has been in Baltimore without being flanked by Ray Lewis and Terrell Suggs. Like many of the LBs who have failed after they left Baltimore (Adalius Thomas is the only one who was remotely successful), he may not like the answer. Lito Sheppard fell to fourth on the depth chart in Philly. His defenders can argue he lost his starting job to a Pro Bowler in Asante Samuel, but how did he fall below Jeslio Hanson in production last year?

As for TO and Evans, they still have the same porus o-line and Trent Edwards throwing to them. TO isn't going to change the Bills from one of the most enemic passing offenses in the league to a scoring machine. Especially if Marshawn Lynch misses the first quarter of the season (or longer) due to suspension.

The Wild Cat was pretty much a non-factor in the second game vs. the Pats. The Pats weren't blindsided by it and pretty much shut it down. So did a lot of other teams. I think the Wild Cat is a passing fad which may come to the end before the end of the season.

:agree: Come on guys!! The Jets "vastly improved defense". I would have to disagree. Scott is okay, Sheppard isn't a pro bowler by any means. Apart from that, their offense is now so bad, without a #1 receiver and a starting caliber QB, that the defense is going to be on the field the entire game. I'm not worrying one bit about our opponents. As long as we get TB back, we will win every division game

 

[tanked_as_usual]

the jets defense was vastly improved last year..........

their weakness is still the same.......their LB's can't cover

 

[JaxPats]

I see ugly beatings coming for our dear rivals this year. I feel nasty paybacks are afoot. I predict there will be cries of "THE PATS ARE RUNNING UP THE SCORE! I think life will be grand this year.:singing: This team is hungry and I think it's fair to say that Tom is chomping at the bit to get back playing. Let the games begin.

 

[Leave No Doubt]

I think Miami's the better team of the 3 though I doubt the fearsome wildcat itself will give us all that much trouble. Using the "any given Sunday" rule I think Miami has the best chance of ruining a perfectly nice day though the Jests also have been known to play us like it's the SB (cuz for them it usually is).

 

[Ring 6]

:agree: Come on guys!! The Jets "vastly improved defense". I would have to disagree. Scott is okay, Sheppard isn't a pro bowler by any means. Apart from that, their offense is now so bad, without a #1 receiver and a starting caliber QB, that the defense is going to be on the field the entire game. I'm not worrying one bit about our opponents. As long as we get TB back, we will win every division game

I dont understand how people are thinking the Jets defense is so dramatically improved.
Overpaying for a player doesnt mean you get better on the field. They paid a decent ILB 8mill a year, they didnt get 8mill better.
Lito Shepard was benched by a team that was mediocre.