2006 AFC East Predictions

AFC EAST - New England Patriots PREDICTIONS

New England is 5:1 to win the Super Bowl, 3:1 to win the AFC Championship, and 1:2 to win the AFC East.

It hasn’t been a good off-season for the Patriots, and the doomsayers are predicting the team’s worst season in recent years. Bill Belichick enters his seventh campaign with a far less impressive roster than the one that has claimed three Super Bowls in the lat five years.

Popular placekicker Adam Vinatieri has moved on, as have linebacker Willie McGinest, wide receiver David Givens, tight end Christian Fauria and the special team duo of Tim Dwight and Matt Chatham.

The only notable addition is wide-out Reche Caldwell from San Diego, and he has proven to be just an average receiver in his four NFL seasons. Rookies Chad Jackson, David Thomas and Garrett Mills join the offense, but they also may take time to develop.

Pats fans do have one great reason for optimism in 2006, quarterback Tom Brady. Brady led the league in passing yardage last year despite being hampered by a leg injury, and now that he’s healthy again, look out!

One of the secrets of Brady’s success is that he uses plenty of targets, and Daniel Graham, Troy Brown and Ben Watson can all expect plenty of opportunities with the football. Number one receiver, Deion Branch is still holding out, but should be back before the opener.

With the players they have lost, the Pats need veteran running back Corey Dillon at full strength after a less than spectacular 2005 season. Rookie runner, Laurence Maroney has looked tremendous in the pre-season and will provide the “lightning” to Dillon’s “thunder”.

The Patriots’ defense struggled at times last season and will rely heavily on the successful return from injury of defensive backs Rodney Harrison and Randall Gay. Safety, James Sanders played well in his rookie season and should mature his game in the coming year.

Summing Up: The Patriots are not quite the dominant force of recent years on paper, but with Brady calling the shots, they still have a huge chance of winning their division and then doing damage in the playoffs.

NFC EAST - Miami Dolphins PREDICTIONS

The Dolphins are 20:1 to win the Super Bowl, 10:1 to win the AFC Championship, and 6:4 to win the AFC East. A six-game winning streak to finish 2005 and the arrival of quarterback Daunte Culpepper has had Dolphins’ fans counting the days until the season kick-off all summer.

Culpepper struggled with the Vikings last year before tearing his ACL, but there’s no doubting the talent of this three-time Pro Bowler, and a change of uniforms could see him re-produce his form of days gone by. Culpepper’s knee has responded very well this pre-season and does not appear to be an issue.

Coach Nick Saban rates Culpepper as the best quarterback at Miami since the great Dan Marino, but only time will tell. Talented running back, Ricky Williams has been suspended for the season after drug problems, and he will be missed. That puts the pressure on second year player Ronnie Brown, who had a good 2005 season but will see more action in Williams’ absence.

Wide receiver, Chris Chambers bagged 11 touchdowns last season and should enjoy Culpepper’s arrival, as will tight end Randy McMichael and wide receiver Marty Booker.

The defensive line, led by awesome defensive end Jason Taylor, has plenty going for it. He’ll be well supported by linebackers Zach Thomas and Channing Crowder, who produced a fine rookie season in 2005. The one worry with the defense is age, most of Saban’s starters are 30-somethings, and they will need to address this area in coming seasons.

Summing Up: If Culpepper cuts down on his interceptions and fumbles, and the Pats start to slip a bit, Miami is more than capable of challenging New England for the division title.

NFC EAST - Buffalo Bills PREDICTIONS

The Bills are 75:1 to win the Super Bowl, 50:1 to win the AFC Championship, and 15:1 to win the AFC East.

There have been plenty of barbs fired at the Bills over the summer following the hiring of 80-year-old Marv Levy, a former coach of the club, as General Manager. Desperate times call for desperate measures though, and the Bills haven’t made the playoffs since 1999. This year, they have a new coach in Dick Jauron and a dilemma at quarterback.

So maybe Levy, noted for his management skills, is the right guy to sort this mess out. The quarterback situation needs to be resolved quickly, with both J.P. Losman and Kelly Holcomb vying for the spot. Holcomb has a reputation of being more of a back-up than a starter, while Losman hasn’t produced the goods since being a first round draft choice in 2004. Former Packer, Craig Nall could also prove a dark horse for the job.

As you would expect from a team with quarterback problems, the Bills struggled with their passing and rushing game last year. They did do well in punt and kick returns, which is at least an encouraging sign.

Wide receiver, Peerless Price returns after an unsuccessful stint with the Falcons and Cowboys, but he has the ability to revive his career. Another offensive key is running back Willis McGahee, who was a standout early last season before fading as the year wore on. The Bills could rue losing consistent receiver Eric Moulds, who was traded to Houston.

The Buffalo defense was fragile at best last year, and Jauron will be looking to two rookies in defensive tackles John McCargo and Kyle Williams, to stiffen the line with their youthful enthusiasm. A key man will be reliable linebacker Takeo Spikes, returning after major knee surgery.

Summing Up: Buffalo is a team in a rebuilding stage, and they lack the depth and talent to be a serious playoff contender.

NFC EAST - New York Jets PREDICTIONS

The Jets are 75:1 to win the Super Bowl, 50:1 to win the AFC Championship, and 25:1 to win the AFC East.

After just four wins last season, the Jets have undergone a massive overhaul. Eric Mangini takes over from Herm Edwards as coach, bringing a new tough attitude that players may take time to get accustomed to.

The pressure is on Mangini from the start with an unsteady quarterback situation. Chad Pennington is the starter for now, but he is coming back from a second shoulder operation and has never stayed healthy for an entire year. Former Redskin, Patrick Ramsey and second round pick Kellen Clemens, a 23-year-old with a “gun”, are the other options.

Running back, Curtis Martin is unlikely to start the season and might be out all year. Cedric Houston is one option to be the featured back as is Kevan Barlow, recently acquired from San Francisco.

The receiver ranks have some talent with Laveranues Coles and Justin McCareins holdovers from last year. However, recent reports suggest that McCareins is in Mangini’s “doghouse” and he could lose playing time to Jerricho Cotchery.

The Jets added dramatically to their offensive line in the draft, coming up with left tackle D’Brickashaw Ferguson and center, Nick Mangold. The progress of both will be critical to the team’s hopes.

The Jets played decently overall last year, and their pass defense was among the best in the game. However, cornerback Ty Law and his 10 interceptions, is no longer around. Former Seahawk, Andre Dyson was brought in to help replace Law, but he is not in his class.

Fortunately, young safeties in Kerry Rhodes and Erik Coleman both return, and they are becoming fine performers under pressure.

Linebacker, Jonathan Vilma is a tower of strength, but he will miss the support of defensive end, John Abraham, who was traded to the Falcons for a number one pick.

Summing Up: Mangini has some tough choices to make early in the year and a challenging schedule right off the bat won’t make things any easier. All in all, the Jets look like a team that will struggle once again.

Click any of the following links for more NFL 2006 Division Predictions for the NFL 2006 Betting Season.

2006 AFC West Predictions
2006 AFC South Predictions
2006 AFC North Predictions
2006 AFC East Predictions
2006 NFC West Predictions
2006 NFC South Predictions
2006 NFC East Predictions
2006 NFC North Predictions

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