Tag: AFC East

CBS Sports analyst predicts Bills win AFC East

Buffalo Bills will win 2020 AFC East, says CBS Sports’ Adam Schein.

Could the Bills win the AFC East next season?

They were awfully close in 2019.

Buffalo lost their Week 16 meeting with the Patriots in a close game and in their season finale, had nothing to play for. Plenty of rest for starters.

Had the Bills won, they could’ve been playing for the AFC East title. The Patriots went on to lose in Week 17 to the Dolphins, and had the Bills beat the Jets and finished 11-5, not 10-6, they would’ve won the division.

It was that close.

Perhaps that closeness gave CBS Sports analyst Adam Schein confidence in the Bills once again. On Tuesday, he predicted the Bills would win the AFC East next season.

“We’re not waiting until March for the big predictions. I’m going bold right now. The Buffalo Bills will win the AFC East next year. That’s right, Bills Mafia, you don’t have to wait for the offseason,” Schein said.

The analyst cited some “transition” in New England and a possibility that quarterback Tom Brady leaves, plus growth from quarterback Josh Allen, along with the Bills’ stout defense, as some of his reasons why he thinks so.

For what it’s worth, Schein was the same guy who predicted the Bills would win 10 games this year and make the playoffs, which they did.

Check out the full prediction here:

[lawrence-related id=53191,53187,53182,53049]

AFC East offseason: Patriots’ Tom Brady still has ‘more to prove’

Buffalo Bills AFC East opponent, the New England Patriots, may have QB Tom Brady back in 2020.

No Tom, you do not.

Signed, everyone.

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady doesn’t appear to be stopping at 2019.

Brady, 42, didn’t have a great season last year. Then again, he did have 4,000-plus yards (4,057) with 24 touchdowns and eight interceptions. So was it really that bad?

All things considered, not really, because the talent around him was really lacking as well. The Patriots must have convinced him in recent days that the team plans to improve there because he sounds like he’s coming back.

Brady, who’s taken a liking social media in recent seasons, posted on Wednesday that he is coming back.

“You don’t always win. You can, however, learn from that failure,” Brady wrote. “And that’s right where you will find me. Because I know I still have more to prove.”

Welp.

Here’s Brady’s full social media post:

 

View this post on Instagram

I just wanted to say to all of our fans, THANK YOU! After a few days of reflection, I am so grateful and humbled by the unconditional support you have shown me the past two decades. Running out of that tunnel every week is a feeling that is hard to explain. I wish every season ended in a win, but that’s not the nature of sports (or life). Nobody plays to lose. But the reward for working hard is just that, the work!! I have been blessed to find a career I love, teammates who go to battle with me, an organization that believes in me, and fans who have been behind us every step of the way. Every one of us that works at Gillette Stadium strived to do their best, spent themselves at a worthy cause, and prepared to fail while daring greatly (h/t Teddy Roosevelt). And for that, we’ve been rewarded with something that the scoreboard won’t show – the satisfaction of knowing we gave everything to each other in pursuit of a common goal. That is what TEAM is all about. In both life and football, failure is inevitable. You dont always win. You can, however, learn from that failure, pick yourself up with great enthusiasm, and place yourself in the arena again. And that’s right where you will find me. Because I know I still have more to prove.

A post shared by Tom Brady (@tombrady) on

[lawrence-related id=53191,53187,53111,52934]

New Year’s resolutions for each NFL team

New Year’s resolutions for each NFL team

 

Former Jets OC Chan Gailey comes out of retirement to join AFC East rival

Chan Gailey is coming out of retirement to accept the role of offensive coordinator of the Miami Dolphins.

Chan Gailey is coming out of retirement to become the offensive coordinator of the Miami Dolphins, according to NFL Network’s Pelissero.

This comes just a few days after the Dolphins’ upset victory over the Patriots at Gillette Stadium. Despite their ability to end the season on a high note, Miami still finished with a 5-11 record, the worst in the AFC East.

Gailey, 67, will replace Chad O’Shea, who was let go on Monday. O’Shea lasted just one season with the team, indicating the franchise is looking to head in an entirely different direction.

There will likely be a total overhaul in Miami this offseason. The Dolphins have not hidden their pursuit of a young quarterback to take the reigns of their franchise. That, paired with multiple first-round picks, leaves the door open for Gailey to implement a spread-scheme offense tailored to those new additions.

Gailey’s arrival all but insures the return of Ryan Fitzpatrick as a veteran signal-caller in the Dolphins’ new offense. Fitzpatrick is under contract until 2020 and his connection with Gailey will likely motivate him to prolong his stay in Miami. Gailey coached Fitzmagic in New York and Buffalo.

Fitzpatrick isn’t the only one who will be experiencing déjà vu, though. Gailey was once already the offensive coordinator in Miami. He assumed the role under Dave Wannstedt from 2000 to 2001.

While his return breathes new life to the Dolphins’ offense, Gailey has been out of practice for quite some time. He has not coached since 2016, his last season as the Jets’ offensive coordinator.

His adjustment to a faster-paced NFL could see its fair share of bumps along the way. For the Dolphins, they’ll have hope he can learn and adapt on the fly.

New Year’s resolutions for each NFL team

As the ball drops and we enter a new year, let’s take a look at the resolutions for each NFL team.

A new year means new beginnings, a chance to start fresh, to make amends. And this goes for NFL teams just as it does for ol’ stubborn Aunt Patty. In the constant NFL grind, preparing for the week-to-week unknowns while also planning for the future, it’s usually good for franchises to stop and make a note of how they’re feeling. Happy? Sad? Defeated? A Bengal? Perhaps the team is doing spectacular, but the video department isn’t very stealth?

Whatever the reason, New Year’s resolutions are a good thing—sticking to them is another matter, of course, but that doesn’t mean file 13 them before the ball drops.

So, should auld acquaintance—or, in this case, roster moves— be forgot and never brought to mind…Let’s take a look at the New Year’s resolutions for each NFL team.

Cincinnati Bengals

Mandatory Credit: David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports

The Bengals had a rough 2019, with only two wins and multiple issues in multiple spots. They still have one of the best helmets in the NFL, though, and the team can only go up from here—not sure if there’s anything underneath “rock bottom.”

2020 Resolution: Don’t “Burrow” yourselves too deep in the “new quarterback” hole. Sure, getting a quarterback to replace Andy Dalton—sorry, Ryan Finley—seems like the to-do in Cincy. Especially when Joe Burrow will be sitting there at No. 1 in the draft. But consider this: The defense is awful. Head coach Zac Taylor and the franchise would do best in 2020 (and beyond) to build a more formidable bunch on that side of the ball.

Pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3, Page 4, Page 5, Page 6, Page 7, Page 8, Page 9, Page 10, Page 11, Page 12, Page 13, Page 14, Page 15, Page 16, Page 17, Page 18, Page 19, Page 20, Page 21, Page 22, Page 23, Page 24, Page 25, Page 26, Page 27, Page 28, Page 29, Page 30, Page 31, Page 32

Seattle Seahawks’ 2020 regular season home and away opponents

The Seahawks now know their 2020 regular season home and away opponents. Here’s who Seattle will face next year.

Following the conclusion of Week 17, the NFL has been able to determine each team’s home and away opponents fo the 2020 regular season.

[lawrence-related id=53898]

The league’s scheduling process is based on the following criteria:

  1. Home (three games) and away (three games) against a club’s three division opponents.
  2. The four teams from another division within the conference on a rotating three-year cycle (two home and two away games).
  3. The four teams from a division in the other conference on a rotating four-year cycle (two home and two away games).
  4. Two intraconference games based on the prior year’s standings (one home and one away).

The Seahawks will face the following opponents next season:

Home: Arizona Cardinals, Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers, Dallas Cowboys, Minnesota Vikings, New England Patriots, New York Giants, New York Jets.

Away: Arizona Cardinals, Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers, Atlanta Falcons, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins.

The official 2020 regular-season schedule will be announced in the spring ahead of the NFL draft.

[lawrence-related id=53839]

Top 5 offensive line performances of Week 17: 100 years after the first choppy steps

One hundred years after the first choppy steps, we take a look at the best offensive line performances from Week 17 in the NFL.

And just like that, the NFL regular season is over. It went quickly, with the Sunday night finale providing some of the best football yet—and Skittles! The lull of a booth review and subsequent guessing-chatter reminding us all it’s been 100 years…and that poor clock management is one constant “mode” that can really do damage.

But what a season! And though there will be plenty to look back on in NFL 2019, few things—super analytical or just observational—will really be as enjoyable as this factoid:

Wonderful times, indeed. And with that, for the last time from down in the trenches, here were the best offensive line performances I saw from Week 17. (A special thank you to everyone who has followed along, and a Happy New Year!)

5. Dallas Cowboys

Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

So, the Cowboys won—impressively—in Week 17. But it was against the Redskins, and it didn’t matter. That’s just the NFC East in 2019. Jerry’s group will go down as one of the more underachieving teams in NFL lore, a collective bunch loaded with talent on both sides of the ball that was overshadowed by head coach rumors/headlines and punts in odd situations. (I don’t think Zeke jumped in the Salvation Army bucket once! What gives, man?!)

Anyway…

Setting the controversy piñata aside for a moment, let’s give the Cowboys’ offensive line its rightful applause. A standing-O! All season, the front was an above-average group, with plenty of positives to build on for next season’s run. And the sturdy efforts were on full display Sunday. Other than a few penalties and a sack/forced fumble at the doing of Matt Ioannidis, the Cowboys’ O-line opened the running lanes for Elliott’s big day on the ground, while giving Dak Prescott enough time in the pocket to simply wait for the defense to break down in coverage.

Fifth-best trench of Week 17: Travis Frederick, Joe Looney, Zack Martin, La’el Collins, and Cameron Fleming.

Pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3, Page 4, Page 5

Top 5 NFL offensive lines of Week 16 – Holiday edition: AFC-NFC surprises, and the gift that keeps on giving

From the Ravens and Patriots to the Eagles and Cardinals, here were the top 5 offensive line performances for a wild NFL Week 16.

Twas the days before Christmas, when all through the NFL, Week 16 was pretty entertaining, even that from bowler Le’Veon Bell.

The divisions clashed, with playoff hopes dancing in their head, a few tickets were punched, while Cleveland is mathematically dead.

The NFC East is still hard to explain, Philly’s kind of soaring and Dallas needs a plane. And the NFC South with its Thomas and Brees, Jamies was busy gifting, I wondered what coverage he actually sees.

When all of a sudden, there rose such a clatter, the Chargers were booed and hey Seattle, what’s the matter. And who’s that, over there, with the coach who’s not very chatty?

Why that’s just an AFC East powerhouse, once famously on to Cincinnati.

So happy holidays to all and enough with these rhymes, from down in the trenches of Week 16, let’s check out my favorite lines.

5. New York Giants

Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

There’s not a ton of feel-good breakdowns for this Giants team, but the youthful surge on Sunday had to make the fan base and organization breathe a tiny sigh of Rolaids-infused air.

Daniel Jones was lights out (on?), tying a rookie QB record with five touchdown passes. (He partied with Eli afterward, which is special in its own right.) Saquon Barkley’s day? Wow. Wow. Wow! Just your not-so-typical 22 carries for 189 yards and one touchdown. And speaking of keeping an eye edge rushers, the Giants’ offensive line put together one of the better efforts I’ve seen from them (the line is still an issue for the team, but still,  impressive on this day).

True, the Redskins’ defense isn’t a tormenting force, ranked 11th against the pass, 29th against the run. But there weren’t many moments where it seemed like the run block was being pushed backward, and they handled the Redskins’ blitz, too. The substantial protection gave Jones time to make his reads, including during the final onslaught, with a strong pick-up as the game-winning touchdown unfolded.

 

John Halapio, Will Hernandez, Kevin Zeitler, Nate Solder, and Mike Remmers: Overall, it was a job well done. Next up…yep: Blocking Chase Young.

Pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3, Page 4, Page 5

PODCAST: Bills turn attention to Wild Card weekend post-Patriots loss

Buffalo Bills podcast following 24-17 loss to New England Patriots.

The Bills couldn’t get the job done against the New England Patriots. Poor execution on the offensive side, with an inability to extend drives, led to exhaustion and sloppy play on the defensive side of the ball. The Patriots experienced one of their better games of this back half of the season against Buffalo on both sides of the ball.

For the Bills, it’s not the end of the world, fortunately. While the idea that they were in the race for a home playoff game in Week 16 was enticing, they’re still in the postseason, and they still have a shot. The only ways that Buffalo would see the Patriots again is one of two situations.

First, both the Bills and whoever is the sixth seed win. Lowest remaining seed goes on to face Baltimore, and Buffalo would end up facing New England in the divisional round. Secondly, if both Buffalo or New England win out, and they meet in the AFC Championship.

That all sounds good and well, but one game at a time has to be the mentality, and right now, despite a meaningless Week 17 game against the Jets, Buffalo is slated to face either Houston or Kansas City come Wild Card Weekend.

Billswire podcast host ost Matt Johnson recaps the Bills-Patriots game and looks ahead to Wild Card weekend:

Subscribe

[lawrence-related id=51730,51711,51697,51672]

Jets’ 2020 schedule locked in following win over Steelers

Next season, the Jets will host the Browns and travel to the Colts as their 2020 opponents were officially finalized.

With the Jets 16-10 upset victory over the Steelers on Sunday, their 2020 schedule is officially locked in.

Coming into Sunday’s matchup, everything was set in stone except two games for Gang Green. The AFC East will play the AFC and NFC West during the 2020 season. Also, the Jets will play six division games.

New York is scheduled to play the same division place-holder in the AFC North and South. With the Browns (6-9) losing to the Ravens on Sunday, they officially clinched a third-place finish. The Jets will host Cleveland for the second consecutive season at MetLife Stadium.

In the South, the Jets will travel to Indianapolis for the other game that was up in the air. The Colts (7-8) clinched a third-place finish, regardless of the results of next week’s division matchups.

With next year’s schedule set, the Jets will be playing five playoff teams in 2020. It’s not going to get easier for Adam Gase’s club next season, but a lot can change between now and opening day.