ETB’s 2009 NFL Previews: AFC East
July 29, 2009
By Darren Yuvan
With training camp on the horizon for the 2009 NFL season, ETB’s Darren Yuvan will break down the league’s outlook division by division. Next up in the AFC is the AFC East, where despite basically bringing back the same squad as last year, the Chargers are poised to dominate. We also have the AFC North and AFC West previews up too.
1 – New England Patriots
The Pats finished an impressive 11 – 5 last year, but were beat out by an overachieving Miami team for the division title and couldn’t get into the postseason as a wild card, so they ended up sitting home during the playoffs last year. Don’t expect the same to happen this year: the Pats are the best team in the East.
With Tom Brady returning and apparently at or near 100%, the New England offense should once again be one of the league’s premier units. Brady is armed with a slew of impressive targets at both the wide receiver and tight end positions: Randy Moss and Wes Welker return as receivers, while veterans Joey Galloway and Greg Lewis give the Pats four legitimate wide-out threats. Chris Baker comes over from the Jets, joining the tight end fray with Ben Watson, David Thomas, and Alex Smith.
Fred Taylor signed with New England in the offseason, adding to the Pats’ running-back-by-committee approach, which includes Laurence Maroney, Benjarvis Green-Ellis and Kevin Faulk. Look for one of these guys to be the odd man out, though, possibly even Maroney if he can’t stay healthy.
The offensive line remains entirely intact and is still one of the team’s main strengths.
The defense may feel the loss of Mike Vrabel, who was sent to the Chiefs in a trade, but the Patriots have a knack for knowing when a player’s time is up, plugging in a youngster, and not looking back. Pierre Woods and Shawn Crable have the inside track on Vrable’s vacated position; look for Woods to step up and seize the job.
If the defense has a weakness, it’s in the secondary with the aging Shawn Springs and the youngster Terrence Wheatley manning the cornerback postions and not a lot of established talent behind them. Safeties James Sanders and Brandon Meriweather are solid, if unspectacular, but again, the Pats lack much proven depth behind their starting safeties, too. If the injury bug hits the secondary, the Pats defense will have issues.
Darren Yuvan breaks down the rest of the AFC East after the break…
2 – Miami Dolphins
With a tougher schedule and division title behind them, the Dolphins won’t be sneaking up on anyone this year and should tally an additional loss or two this season. This bunch is still good enough to challenge for a wild-card spot in the AFC though.
Chad Pennington returns after a spectacular season of poise, leadership, and productivity, and draft pick Pat White could see some time behind center as well. The kid has a cannon for an arm and can really run, making him a true asset for Miami’s vaunted wildcat formation.
The running back corps is deep and talented, with Ronnie Brown further removed from knee surgery and coming off a great season, and former number-one draft pick turned professional massage therapist Ricky Williams backing him up. Patrick Cobb has also shown effectiveness in both traditional and wildcat formations and will be utilized as well.
The receivers should be considered a position of weakness, with no big names or huge talent on the roster. Tedd Ginn Jr. has yet to break out and Greg Camarillo and Davone Bess both will put up average numbers at best. The Dolphins do have an effective tight end threat in Anthony Fasano, and backups David Martin and Joey Haynos are solid. With Bill Parcells’ known affinity for throwing to the tight end, the tight end group should once again produce.
The offensive line remains strong with Jake Long the anchor, though I’m not sure swapping Samson Satele for Oakland center Jake Grove was such a good idea. Grove has had problems with power nose tackles, much in the same way as Satele.
The defense should be tough against the run, with run-clogger Jason Ferguson eating up blockers and opening things up for a talented linebacking corps to clean up. Channing Crowder and Akin Ayodele should rack up the tackle numbers, while a rejuvenated Joey Porter should once again give opposing tackles and QBs fits. Reggie Torbor and Quentin Moses provide talented depth.
The secondary lost starters Renaldo Hill and Andre Goodman in the offseason and may need some time to gel with new starters Eric Green and Gibril Wilson. Wilson struggled all year long with his pass coverage last season, though, and this group could take an overall slip this year.
3 – Buffalo Bills
The T.O. show moves to Buffalo, and given his penchant for excellent first years with new teams he should help the Bills hover around .500 for the season.
Trent Edwards has a ton of talent, and look for him to improve and play nice with T.O. and put up some decent numbers as he finally has a second target to pair with Lee Evans. If rookie tight end Shawn Nelson develops as expected, this could be one of the most dangerous receiving groups in the league. It’ll only be up to Edwards to get them the ball.
Marshawn Lynch and Fred Jackson both return in the backfield, a tough pair who can both run inside and help in the passing game with their receiving skills.
The Bills offensive line, however, is in a serious state of flux after losing Jason Peters via trade and several other positions up for grabs; that could really hurt the effectiveness of the running game. When your best lineman is Oakland castoff Langston Walker, you have some concerns up front.
The Bills defense was a pretty middle-of-the-road group last season, but the potential is there for improvement. They struggled immensely rushing the passer and getting interceptions, tallying only 24 sacks as a team and 10 picks. They did only give up 14 passing TDs, so if the defensive line can step with more pressure, the secondary has a real chance to make some big plays.
The return of sackman Aaron Schobel to the defensive line should help their sack numbers and allow defensive backs Terrence McGee, Leodis McKelvin, and Donte Whitner to improve on their already strong play.
The linebackers are a tough group, with Keith Ellison, Paul Posluszny, and Kawika Mithchell firmly entrenched as starters. This is an active bunch that should be considered a team strength.
If the offensive line and defensive lines can come together, this is a team that could surprise a few people this year. Look for the defensive line to do it’s part, but the offensive line to struggle and the Bills to finish third in the East.
4 – New York Jets
After the Brett Favre experiment failed to get the Jets in the playoffs, Gang Green finds itself in a much worse position than had they never signed Favre at all. Had there been no Favre, the Jets would likely have their answer on Kellen Clemens’ future as an NFL starter. Instead, he’s no further along in his development than last year, and with the drafting of rookie QB Mark Sanchez the Jets have a budding QB controversy on their hands. Combine that with a new coach bringing in a totally new system, and you have a recipe for 5 – 11 or 6 – 10 for the Jets.
Look for Mark Sanchez to win the job in New York, and provided the Jets can find a way to keep them both contractually happy, Sanchez will have a pair of highly-talented running backs at his disposal to lean on in his transition to the pro game. Thomas Jones is a returning 1,300-yard rusher with a complete all-around game, and Leon Washington is a constant home-run threat in both the run and pass game, not to mention special teams. New coach Rex Ryan has already vowed to get Washington the ball more this season, and with the Jets’ strong offensive line returning in it’s entirety, look for Washington to break out with some nice stats this year (hint, hint you fantasy owners out there).
The Jets receivers won’t be doing Sanchez (or Clemens) any favors, with Jericho Cotchery a #2 receiver masquerading as a #1. Chansi Stuckey should win the #2 job, and although he’s got plenty of potential it remains to be seen whether or not he translates that to more than the 32 catches he had his rookie season. The rest of the group consists of no names: David Clowney, Wallace Wright, Marcus Henry, Brad Smith. Tight End Dustin Keller should provide a decent dump-off option, but there is precious little depth behind him too. The Jets passing game is an obvious area of serious concern.
The defense has the potential to be tough, especially on the line and in the secondary.
Shaun Ellis, Kris Jenkins and Marques Douglas lead the front on Rex Ryan’s 3 – 4 scheme. If Ellis gets suspended for his marijuana arrest, though, the Jets have little help behind him at the defensive end position.
Darrelle Revis, Lito Shephard, Kerry Rhodes, and newcomer Jim Leonhard will be the starters in a highly talented secondary that should be one of New York’s main difference-making units. Revis is a star in the making, the NFL’s next shutdown corner.
The linebackers have some questions, with Bart Scott and David Harris the only starters whose jobs are safe. Starter Calvin Pace has been suspended for the first four games of the season this year, thrusting last year’s first-round disappointment Vernon Gholston into the starting lineup. Gholston was a workout warrior who couldn’t get on the field for the Jets last year.
Ultimately, the defense will have it’s moments, and the running game should carry the Jets to several wins, but it won’t be enough to save a floundering passing attack that’s just learning the ropes. Reserve a spot for Gang Green in the East cellar.
More 2009 NFL Division Previews:
- AFC North
- AFC West
Born in Pittsburgh and currently residing in New York City, Darren is a part-time writer, part-time night club disc jockey (vinyl only, please), full-time cog in the corporate machine, both a card-carrying member of Raider Nation and the owner of several Terrible Towels, and has also had a slightly unhealthy man-crush on Hakeem Olajuwon since 1986.
No Comments »Posted by ETB Contributor on Jul. 29, 2009 at 12:01 am in ETB Articles, NFL, NFL Fantasy News
