This was supposed to be the year. The other teams had upgraded through the draft and free agency; Tom Brady was going to be suspended for four games. This was the year that someone would unseat the Patriots from their throne atop the AFC East.
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After breaking the bank for standout DT Ndamukong Suh, the Dolphins suffered a disappointing 6-10 season and an abysmal 1-5 in the division. It got to be so bad that head coach Joe Philbin was fired midseason and replaced with PC Principal. If they hope to compete next season, an upgrade is needed on both sides of the line.
An 8-8 finish for the Bills was met with disappointment for much of its fan base After the team’s first winning season since 2004 and the big hiring of former Jets HC Rex Ryan, many had playoff aspirations for this year. While those didn’t quite work out, at least the team found its QB of the future in Tyrod Taylor and had a great running game with LeSean McCoy and rookie Karlos Williams.
The Jets (10-6) in year one of new head coach Todd Bowles were one win away from making the playoffs, but couldn’t finish the deal against the rival Bills, and missed out on the postseason for the fifth straight season despite a career year from veteran journeyman QB Ryan Fitzpatrick.
Starting 10-0, the Patriots looked to be headed for back-to-back championships before a collection of injuries derailed those hopes. Despite losing several key players, the Patriots made it to the AFC Championship game and lost in a hard-fought game to the eventual Super Bowl champion Denver Broncos. Due to their role in the DeflateGate scandal, the Patriots do not have a first round pick unless something drastic changes in the weeks leading up to the draft.
Next: Miami Dolphins