AFC East preview: Pats look like clear favorites
Once the AFC East was a four-team tossup. Not anymore. Now it belongs to defending Super Bowl champion New England, with the race on for second.
Miami was a favorite until Ricky Williams and David Boston bowed out. Now it's Buffalo and the New York Jets reaching for a wild-card spot -- with the Bills having the early edge based on defense.
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Corey Dillon might be the most important new addition to the AFC East. (AP) |
One more thing: There hasn't been a repeat winner in the AFC East since 1997, but that team was New England.
New England Patriots
Significant additions: Corey Dillon, RB; Keith Traylor, DT; Josh Miller, P; Terrell Buckley, CB.
Significant subtractions: Ted Washington, DT; Damien Woody, C-OG; Bobby Hamilton, DE; Mike Compton, OL.
Biggest offseason move: Acquiring Dillon from Cincinnati. If there was a hole in this club, it was the rushing attack; now the Pats have a three-time Pro-Bowl choice.
Will go to the playoffs if ... Tom Brady stays out of the emergency room.
| Season Preview Series | |
|---|---|
| Date | Team |
| Sept. 7 | NFC West |
| Sept. 6 | AFC West |
| Sept. 3 | NFC North |
| Sept. 2 | AFC North |
| Sept. 1 | Ten bold predictions |
| Aug. 31 | NFC South |
| Aug. 30 | AFC South |
| Aug. 27 | NFC East |
| Aug. 26 | AFC East |
| Aug. 25 | Key training camp injuries |
| Aug. 24 | Prisco: New faces in new places |
| Aug. 23 | Five-yard chuck rule: Prisco | Judge |
| Aug. 20 | Aberration seasons |
| Aug. 19 | Top underrated, overrated players |
Won't go to the playoffs if ... it becomes the Rohan Davey era.
Rookie to watch: Vince Wilfork, DT, Miami. New England felt a lot easier about saying sayonara to Ted Washington when it drafted Wilfork. He won't start, but he will join the defensive line rotation.
Overview: These guys are loaded, but remember, we said the same about the 2002 Patriots, also a defending Super Bowl champion. And they didn't make the playoffs.
