What has happened to the AFC East? The once mighty New England Patriots have fallen, the Buffalo Bills are looking for consistency, the Miami Dolphins don’t look so dominant against winning teams and the New York Jets are just trying to find some kind of offensive spark to make a playoff push.
Let’s start with those Patriots. At 2-8 and at the bottom of the conference, a team that once dominated the AFC East, now look like one of those teams with no direction and certainly no answer at the quarterback position. The fate of the team and how things have gone so far in the 2023 NFL season all rests in the hands of Bill Belichick who if he wasn’t who he was would and should be fired given the mess the team has become.
New England Patriots have a decision to make regarding Bill Belichick
Whether it be roster management, the regression of Mac Jones, the drama off-the-field with defensive backs Jack Jones and J.C. Jackson, this isn’t the Belichick Patriots fans are used to nor is it the Belichick that once struck fear into opposing teams. Those days seem over but is it over for Belichick.
While the hot seat is getting hotter for Belichick, the rumors are swirling even more intensely over his next landing spot. As NFL insider Dianna Russini wrote on Saturday, there is no question that a parting of the ways lays in the path between the Patriots and Belichick.
“Speculation continues to grow about the end of the partnership between the Patriots and Belichick,” Russini wrote over the weekend, as transcribed by WEEI. “In talking to those who have spent time around the Patriots organization and understand the dynamics between team owner Robert Kraft and Belichick, I don’t expect anything to be determined with so much season remaining. But if people I talk to had to bet, their money is on a mutual parting of the ways at the end of the season.”
As the season moves forward, there will be increased speculation over which franchises will be in line to scoop up the legendary coach. Keep an eye on the Washington Commanders, Los Angeles Giants, Chicago Bears and an interesting team down in Tampa Bay who benefitted Tom Brady’s last ride in the NFL.
Wouldn’t it be fascinating if Belichick followed Brady’s path to the Buccaneers?
Buffalo Bills slipping in the AFC East, Sean McDermott on the hot seat?
Bill Belichick isn’t the only head coach on the hot seat in the AFC East.
After falling to the Denver Broncos, the Buffalo Bills are suddenly 5-5 and looking like a team in turmoil, at least on the offensive side of the football.
With Josh Allen struggling with turnovers and a once high-flying offense failing to put up points, the Bills made a chance this week at offensive coordinator by letting go Ken Dorsey and naming Joe Brady as interim offensive coordinator. With the team losing four out of their last six game, Bills head coach Sean McDermott is starting to feel the heat which is why a change was needed now.
In addressing the change with the media, it was a change necessary to spark some confidence and consistency in the offense.
“I think it’s important that those guys feel, hey, something’s changed, right? And there’s something new that we can be excited about in terms of an opportunity to improve, really,” McDermott told the media, via the team’s official website. “I think that’s a piece of it, but also, like I said, it just got to be the right time right now to make the move and see if we can get some energy about our offense right now.”
While a change at offensive coordinator could spark a charge in the offense, it really starts with Josh Allen who needs to find that consistency again and limit the turnovers. When he is at the top of his game, the Bills are a hard team to beat. With their upcoming schedule, they will need to put it together now or face a disappointing season, which leads back to McDermott.
If the Buffalo Bills fail to make the playoffs and continue to struggle, McDermott may start to feel that hot seat really burn. Let’s see if this AFC juggernaut can get it together in time for a playoff push.
Miami Dolphins have a chance to take control of the AFC East
As for Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel, the challenge for his squad is proving they can beat the top teams in the league.
After losses to the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs, the Dolphins and their dominance over lesser components have come into question. With that high-powered offense and opportune defense, Miami still sits on top of the AFC East, but with the Bills struggling, the Dolphins really haven’t taken advantage and secured the division.
Sitting at 6-3, the Dolphins host the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 11. The Raiders are .500, but it should be an opportunity for Miami to get their swag back against a rejuvenated team that McDaniel noted as a challenge with his team coming off a bye week.
“It's a talented team. They have well-coached fundamentals in all three phases,” McDaniel said of the Raiders. “And I think what you're seeing is a team that it means something to play each and every game because they feel that much more a part of the journey when you have as much adversity as one can have in the middle of the season, which is a staff change. Kudos. I think it says a lot about the players in the locker room. I think it says a lot about their talent, but also the type of people that they have that they've been able to band together and rip off a couple wins, which is the only thing that can make you feel better when your system is kind of unraveled."
The Dolphins offense should get a boost with the potential return of electric rookie running back De’Von Archane and potentially Robert Hunt and Robert Jones along that offensive line. All players are week to week but should put the offense in a good position going forward.
As for beating the top teams in the conference, a win over the Raiders wouldn’t move the needle as far as that questioning goes, but it is the first of a string of winnable games before they get their next challenge in back-to-back-to-back weeks against the Dallas Cowboys, Baltimore Ravens and Buffalo Bills to end the regular season.
New York Jets flying under the radar
Imagine where the New York Jets would be in the AFC East if only they had an offense?
With the other AFC East squads hogging the headlines, the Jets have kind of flown under the radar the past few weeks. Coming off a 16-12 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders, the Jets missed an opportunity to climb above the .500 mark despite an offense that has struggled all year long.
In an AFC East matchup against the Buffalo Bills looming, the Jets, like the Bills are trying to find some consistency offensively. Unfortunately for the Jets, Zach Wilson isn’t on the same level as Josh Allen so the mountain is higher to climb for the Jets. While a coaching change is out of the question as of this week, Jets head coach Robert Saleh knows some sort of change has to come.
"We are looking at things with regards to schematically what we can do differently and trying to continue to find more ways to feature the things our guys are comfortable with – gameplan permitted," Saleh said Monday, via the team’s official website. "As far as meetings go, meeting structure, practice habits or practice plans, we are looking at everything guys. As far as personnel changes, we are looking at making changes, but I am going to keep that here with me. We are looking across the board to find some ways to generate offense."
The Jets were able to outgain the Raiders in Week 10 as far as yardage goes but couldn’t find a way to punch it in the endzone, which was the difference in the loss to the Raiders. With the defense playing at a high level, if the Jets can find a way to figure it out with Wilson as the signal caller, they can still have a say in the AFC East, especially if they keep their head above water by the time Aaron Rodgers return (if he returns this season).