The AFC East has belonged to the Buffalo Bills for five consecutive seasons, winning the division every year since 2020. Whether they won it in the last week of the regular season or in late November/early December, the Bills are the team to beat in one of the weakest divisions in football.
The Patriots, Jets, and Dolphins have been chasing the Bills but only the Dolphins have been the most serious contender. However, like always, they decline when the weather gets colder and then either get bounced in the first round of the playoffs or completely miss out. As for the Jets and Patriots, well we already know their stories the last couple of years.
Both the Patriots and Jets are bringing in new head coaches for 2025. The Jets hired former Lions’ defensive coordinator (and former Jets player) Aaron Glenn, while the Patriots brought in a very familiar face, Mike Vrabel who played for the Patriots from 2001-2008 and became an All-Pro player.
Vrabel has already been a head coach, being one for the Tennessee Titans for six seasons where he had big success in a run-first offense. Vrabel is a culture setter which is exactly what the Patriots needed. Glenn is the same thing for the Jets, where he is coming in to clean up a major mess that was set by the previous regime.
However, neither team, including the Dolphins are ready to overtake the Bills for 2025 and maybe even after that anytime soon.
Patriots and Jets still have a lot of work to do to compete in AFC East
Lou Scataglia from NFL Spin Zone predicted the 2025 records for the teams that hired new coaches for this upcoming season. Both the Pats and Jets are obviously on this list. While New England takes a little bit of a step forward, the same cannot be said about the Jets.
Scataglia has the Patriots finishing at 8-9, and the Jets at 5-12. Based off of 2024, the Patriots would win four extra games while the Jets go back-to-back at 5-12.
There’s no doubt that the Patriots and Jets made some key solid decisions, but nothing big enough to seriously consider themselves as contenders to win the AFC East in 2025, or even beyond. The Bills are too strong, have continuity, and have the best quarterback in the division and it’s not even close.
Now, I firmly believe that the Patriots will be the biggest challenge to the Bills in 2025, but after maybe a quick little scare, the Bills will go back and take the AFC East with ease. That’s not the case for just this upcoming season, but for the future as well. The AFC East runs through Buffalo and as long as Josh Allen is in his prime, it will continue to do so.
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