AFC East Breakdown: Just Win, Baby
For Jets, 'Phins, win and you're in
by: Bob Bonett
Talk about a nosedive. In two games since their obliteration of the Titans, New York dropped back-to-back games in embarrassing fashion. The Jets' freefall means the East is wide open, with the Pats and 'Phins each tied with New York at 8-5. Three consecutive wins for either Miami or New York means a divisional title. The question is: Can either team achieve that feat?
Let's break down the AFC East:
1) Jets (8-5)
Fire Mangini? That seems to be the $64,000 question. The reality is that the Jets head coach is loved by team owner Woody Johnson and GM Mike Tannenbaum, and they've already guaranteed Mangini a job through next year. But take a look at exactly what Mangini has done this year.
Despite the front office signing Kris Jenkins, Calvin Pace and Alan Faneca, and trading for Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre, the Mangini-led Jets will probably miss the playoffs if they lose one of their final three games. It's clear that something is rotten in the state of New York -- or New Jersey -- and I have a hunch it starts with "Mangenius" and his second-rate coaching staff.
Looking ahead, the Jets host Buffalo this Sunday, the first of three must-win games. The Bills are as cold as any team in the NFL; unfortunately, New York isn't burning up the gridiron. The Jets should be pretty heavy favorites ... but that was the case against Denver and San Fran, and we know how those games turned out.
2) Dolphins (8-5)
Miami's win over the Bills wasn't pretty, least pretty of all being Ronnie Brown's continued struggles out of the backfield. But remember, of the Dolphins' eight wins this year, just one has come by more than 10 points; a 38-13 whooping over New England waaay back in Week 3.
The one thing Bill Parcells probably could have done without was Joey Porter's speaking out in support of Plaxico Burress. I'm not condemning Porter for defending his friend, or defending players' rights to carry guns, but I think the bigger issue is that the 'Phins are firmly entrenched in a playoff run and any distraction could doom a team only three wins from a divisional crown ... and just a year removed from a 1-15 season.
Miami has San Francisco and Kansas City coming up before the winner-takes-all matchup against the Jets in Week 17. With Mike Singletary doing one heck of a job at the helm, the 49ers aren't going to go down without a fight. But Parcells and head coach Tony Sparano will make sure Miami doesn't lay an egg in a must-win game.
3) Patriots (8-5)
While the Jets and 'Phins are just three wins away from winning the East, the Pats need some serious help. With their 5-5 conference record, they're a game behind New York and Miami. New England needs each team to lose at least once, and win out, in order to take the division.
Should the Patriots and one of their two counterparts finish with the same record, New England may still be sitting on the sidelines come January. Baltimore and Indianapolis are both red-hot and both stand at 9-4. Fortunately for the Pats, the Ravens and Colts have brutal schedules down the stretch, while Matt Cassel – should he play – & Co. have three very winnable contests against Oakland, 'Zona and Buffalo.
Expect New England to finish at 11-5, but don't assume that'll be enough to return to the postseason.
4) Bills (6-7)
I'll leave the obscure stats to Elias, but I doubt any team in NFL history has followed a 54-point output the way Buffalo has in terms of utter offensive inefficiency. Since their 23-point win against the Chiefs in Week 12, Buffalo managed a grand total of two field goals against the 'Niners and Dolphins. In fact, things got so bad for the Bills last week in Canada that JP Losman led the team in rushing. Ouch.
Buffalo finishes up with three games – road trips versus the Jets and Broncos, and then a season-ending home game against New England – that they will probably lose. Incredibly, after a 5-1 start, the playoffs are out of the question for Dick Jauron and his crew at this point. The Bills are now gunning to keep Jauron from losing his job.
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