Vic Carucci: AFCE Preview

[PatsFanTX]

Despite changes, Patriots still class of AFC East

By Vic Carucci

National Editor, NFL.com

(July 23, 2005) -- Here's a look at the AFC East:

Miami: After sinking to the depths of the NFL in 2004, the Dolphins made some dramatic moves to become a contender once again. They made a hefty financial investment to lure Nick Saban away from LSU and onto their sidelines. Saban learned much of what he knows about coaching from working as an assistant on Bill Belichick's former Cleveland staff, so it is reasonable to expect the Dolphins to follow the model that has helped Belichick win three Super Bowls in New England. That includes a big-bodied, smart defense capable of adapting and adjusting to the opposing offense. It also includes an offense that is built upon a strong running game. The Dolphins have gone away from the smaller, quicker defense that was Dave Wannstedt's trademark, and will incorporate more 3-4 alignments in addition to the 4-3 looks the club previously used as its base.

They went into free agency to grab a potential starter at quarterback (Gus Frerotte, Minnesota), and starters at left tackle (Kevin Carter, Tennessee), outside linebacker (Donnie Spragan, Denver), free safety (Travares Tillman, Carolina), and strong safety (Tebucky Jones, New Orleans), and an offensive starter at right tackle (Stockar McDougle, Detroit). Frerotte is a highly intelligent, instinctive quarterback who will wage an intense preseason showdown with A.J. Feeley for the No. 1 spot. Carter brings the versatility of rushing the passer and stuffing the run. Spragan is big (6-foot-3, 240 pounds), strong, plays the run well and has good instincts. Tillman is an impressive athlete who has yet to make his mark as an impact player. Jones also has exceptional athletic skills, but his coverage remains a question. McDougle brings considerable size (6-6, 335 pounds) and strength, but has a tendency to lose his focus and get beaten on inside moves. Ronnie Brown, a first-round draft pick from Auburn, has a remarkable blend of power and explosiveness that should give the Dolphins the foundational running attack Saban wants -- with or without Ricky Williams, who has sought reinstatement from the NFL to return to the squad. Second-rounder Matt Roth, from Iowa, should provide some solid depth on the defensive line.

New England: The Patriots might be a dynasty, but they have taken plenty of hits since winning their third Super Bowl in four seasons. Their greatest losses are offensive coordinator Charlie Weis (who became head coach at Notre Dame), defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel (who became head coach of the Browns), and linebacker Tedy Bruschi (who has decided to take the season off after suffering a mild stroke in February). Bill Belichick will take over the play-calling duties, but it remains to be seen whether he can establish the same excellent chemistry and comfort level Weis and quarterback Tom Brady enjoyed. Although Crennel is one of the best defensive coaches the NFL has ever seen, the impact of his departure might be softened by Belichick's expertise on that side of the ball. Bruschi has been one of the top inside linebackers in the league and his leadership will be missed.

The Pats have made some solid free-agent pickups in linebackers Monty Beisel (Kansas City), Chad Brown (Seattle), cornerbacks Duane Starks (Arizona) and Chad Scott (Pittsburgh), receivers David Terrell (Chicago) and Tim Dwight (San Diego), and quarterback Doug Flutie (San Diego). Beisel and Brown are capable of adequately picking up the slack created by Bruschi's loss. At 6-foot-3 and 238 pounds, Beisel has good size and strength to defend the run and, like Bruschi, is an overachiever. Brown is an aging, injury-prone player, but if he can stay healthy, he will make a solid contribution. Starks, Scott, Terrell and Dwight should lend some decent depth and special-teams help. Amazingly, the 42-year-old Flutie is in good enough physical shape to be a legitimate backup to Brady.

New York Jets: They upgraded their offense by hiring coordinator Mike Heimerdinger from Tennessee. Heimerdinger should be successful in developing a more aggressive passing attack in which quarterback Chad Pennington would take more shots downfield. The Jets also helped themselves with the re-acquisition of receiver Laveranues Coles, who left the Jets for Washington as a free agent in 2003. He doesn't have the greatest hands, but is a strong, physical, explosive receiver with better overall skills than Santana Moss, whom the Jets shipped to the Redskins in exchange for Coles.

Herm Edwards is counting on Chad Pennington's post-surgery performance.

Quarterback Jay Fiedler, a free agent from Miami, provides greater comfort behind Pennington, who still must demonstrate he has fully recovered from rotator-cuff surgery and can throw without limitations. New York is convinced free-agent tight end Doug Jolley was underused by his previous team, Oakland, and it intends to make the most of his superb hands.

Replacing the exceptional running-back depth they lost when LaMont Jordan bolted for Oakland will be difficult, although free agent Derrick Blaylock (Kansas City) has some impressive qualities. Blaylock is smaller, quicker and a more elusive runner than Jordan, but he might not have the strength or stamina to hold up as a starter if Curtis Martin were to be out of the lineup for a prolonged period. Second-round draft pick Mike Nugent, a placekicker from Ohio State, should provide the stability the Jets sorely lacked in their kicking game.

Buffalo: The Bills said goodbye to Drew Bledsoe and are putting their offense in the youthful hands of second-year quarterback J.P. Losman, who has thrown a grand total of five NFL passes. Losman has plenty of talent, a strong arm and tremendous mobility. But if he struggles or should suffer an injury (a distinct possibility given his frequent scrambling), the team has a highly capable and experienced backup in free agent Kelly Holcomb (Browns).

The Bills are desperately trying to solidify an offensive line that lost plenty with the free-agent departure of tackle Jonas Jennings. They hope to have found a replacement in free agent Mike Gandy (Chicago), who has experience at every position on the line, but he probably is more of a guard than a tackle and he also has struggled to stay healthy. However, if Gandy can't handle the job, the Bills might end up moving Trey Teague from center to tackle and, consequently, that might create a shortcoming in the middle. Bennie Anderson, a free agent from Baltimore, is the new starting left guard. Offensive line coach Jim McNally describes the 345-pound Anderson as an "ultimate road-grader." Second-round draft pick Roscoe Parrish, a speedy wide receiver from Miami, could prove to be a dangerous deep threat behind Eric Moulds and Lee Evans. Parrish will push Josh Reed for the third receiver spot.

KEY POSITION BATTLES

Miami: Frerotte figures to have an edge over Feeley for the starting quarterback job because he has greater familiarity with the offense of new Dolphins coordinator Scott Linehan from their time together in Minnesota.

Buffalo: After trading Travis Henry to Tennessee, the Bills have a wide-open competition at running back behind Willis McGahee. The candidates are seventh-round draft pick Lionel Gates (Louisville), free agent ReShard Lee (Dallas), and incumbents Joe Burns and Shaud Williams are in the mix.

THE EARLY READ

Here is some bad news for the rest of the NFL. Although the Patriots have suffered some significant losses, they still have the makings of a Super Bowl club. :wink: True, they have plenty of obstacles to overcome, but overcoming obstacles is their trademark.

The Jets are good enough to challenge the Patriots for the division crown, provided Pennington's shoulder functions better as a result of the surgery.

Buffalo's defense and special teams are playoff caliber, and the Bills are strong at running back (McGahee) and receiver. The biggest question marks -- and the reasons why they might not make the playoffs -- are their inexperienced quarterback and their reshuffled offensive line.

The Dolphins will show improvement after the disaster that was last season, but they still have a long, hard climb before they become a contender.

[The Troll]

Despite changes, Patriots still class of AFC East

By Vic Carucci

National Editor, NFL.com

(July 23, 2005) -- Here's a look at the AFC East:

Miami: After sinking to the depths of the NFL in 2004, the Dolphins made some dramatic moves to become a contender once again. They made a hefty financial investment to lure Nick Saban away from LSU and onto their sidelines. Saban learned much of what he knows about coaching from working as an assistant on Bill Belichick's former Cleveland staff, so it is reasonable to expect the Dolphins to follow the model that has helped Belichick win three Super Bowls in New England. That includes a big-bodied, smart defense capable of adapting and adjusting to the opposing offense. It also includes an offense that is built upon a strong running game. The Dolphins have gone away from the smaller, quicker defense that was Dave Wannstedt's trademark, and will incorporate more 3-4 alignments in addition to the 4-3 looks the club previously used as its base.

They went into free agency to grab a potential starter at quarterback (Gus Frerotte, Minnesota), and starters at left tackle (Kevin Carter, Tennessee), outside linebacker (Donnie Spragan, Denver), free safety (Travares Tillman, Carolina), and strong safety (Tebucky Jones, New Orleans), and an offensive starter at right tackle (Stockar McDougle, Detroit). Frerotte is a highly intelligent, instinctive quarterback who will wage an intense preseason showdown with A.J. Feeley for the No. 1 spot. Carter brings the versatility of rushing the passer and stuffing the run. Spragan is big (6-foot-3, 240 pounds), strong, plays the run well and has good instincts. Tillman is an impressive athlete who has yet to make his mark as an impact player. Jones also has exceptional athletic skills, but his coverage remains a question. McDougle brings considerable size (6-6, 335 pounds) and strength, but has a tendency to lose his focus and get beaten on inside moves. Ronnie Brown, a first-round draft pick from Auburn, has a remarkable blend of power and explosiveness that should give the Dolphins the foundational running attack Saban wants -- with or without Ricky Williams, who has sought reinstatement from the NFL to return to the squad. Second-rounder Matt Roth, from Iowa, should provide some solid depth on the defensive line.

New England: The Patriots might be a dynasty, but they have taken plenty of hits since winning their third Super Bowl in four seasons. Their greatest losses are offensive coordinator Charlie Weis (who became head coach at Notre Dame), defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel (who became head coach of the Browns), and linebacker Tedy Bruschi (who has decided to take the season off after suffering a mild stroke in February). Bill Belichick will take over the play-calling duties, but it remains to be seen whether he can establish the same excellent chemistry and comfort level Weis and quarterback Tom Brady enjoyed. Although Crennel is one of the best defensive coaches the NFL has ever seen, the impact of his departure might be softened by Belichick's expertise on that side of the ball. Bruschi has been one of the top inside linebackers in the league and his leadership will be missed.

The Pats have made some solid free-agent pickups in linebackers Monty Beisel (Kansas City), Chad Brown (Seattle), cornerbacks Duane Starks (Arizona) and Chad Scott (Pittsburgh), receivers David Terrell (Chicago) and Tim Dwight (San Diego), and quarterback Doug Flutie (San Diego). Beisel and Brown are capable of adequately picking up the slack created by Bruschi's loss. At 6-foot-3 and 238 pounds, Beisel has good size and strength to defend the run and, like Bruschi, is an overachiever. Brown is an aging, injury-prone player, but if he can stay healthy, he will make a solid contribution. Starks, Scott, Terrell and Dwight should lend some decent depth and special-teams help. Amazingly, the 42-year-old Flutie is in good enough physical shape to be a legitimate backup to Brady.

New York Jets: They upgraded their offense by hiring coordinator Mike Heimerdinger from Tennessee. Heimerdinger should be successful in developing a more aggressive passing attack in which quarterback Chad Pennington would take more shots downfield. The Jets also helped themselves with the re-acquisition of receiver Laveranues Coles, who left the Jets for Washington as a free agent in 2003. He doesn't have the greatest hands, but is a strong, physical, explosive receiver with better overall skills than Santana Moss, whom the Jets shipped to the Redskins in exchange for Coles.

Herm Edwards is counting on Chad Pennington's post-surgery performance.

Quarterback Jay Fiedler, a free agent from Miami, provides greater comfort behind Pennington, who still must demonstrate he has fully recovered from rotator-cuff surgery and can throw without limitations. New York is convinced free-agent tight end Doug Jolley was underused by his previous team, Oakland, and it intends to make the most of his superb hands.

Replacing the exceptional running-back depth they lost when LaMont Jordan bolted for Oakland will be difficult, although free agent Derrick Blaylock (Kansas City) has some impressive qualities. Blaylock is smaller, quicker and a more elusive runner than Jordan, but he might not have the strength or stamina to hold up as a starter if Curtis Martin were to be out of the lineup for a prolonged period. Second-round draft pick Mike Nugent, a placekicker from Ohio State, should provide the stability the Jets sorely lacked in their kicking game.

Buffalo: The Bills said goodbye to Drew Bledsoe and are putting their offense in the youthful hands of second-year quarterback J.P. Losman, who has thrown a grand total of five NFL passes. Losman has plenty of talent, a strong arm and tremendous mobility. But if he struggles or should suffer an injury (a distinct possibility given his frequent scrambling), the team has a highly capable and experienced backup in free agent Kelly Holcomb (Browns).

The Bills are desperately trying to solidify an offensive line that lost plenty with the free-agent departure of tackle Jonas Jennings. They hope to have found a replacement in free agent Mike Gandy (Chicago), who has experience at every position on the line, but he probably is more of a guard than a tackle and he also has struggled to stay healthy. However, if Gandy can't handle the job, the Bills might end up moving Trey Teague from center to tackle and, consequently, that might create a shortcoming in the middle. Bennie Anderson, a free agent from Baltimore, is the new starting left guard. Offensive line coach Jim McNally describes the 345-pound Anderson as an "ultimate road-grader." Second-round draft pick Roscoe Parrish, a speedy wide receiver from Miami, could prove to be a dangerous deep threat behind Eric Moulds and Lee Evans. Parrish will push Josh Reed for the third receiver spot.

KEY POSITION BATTLES

Miami: Frerotte figures to have an edge over Feeley for the starting quarterback job because he has greater familiarity with the offense of new Dolphins coordinator Scott Linehan from their time together in Minnesota.

Buffalo: After trading Travis Henry to Tennessee, the Bills have a wide-open competition at running back behind Willis McGahee. The candidates are seventh-round draft pick Lionel Gates (Louisville), free agent ReShard Lee (Dallas), and incumbents Joe Burns and Shaud Williams are in the mix.

THE EARLY READ

Here is some bad news for the rest of the NFL. Although the Patriots have suffered some significant losses, they still have the makings of a Super Bowl club. :wink: True, they have plenty of obstacles to overcome, but overcoming obstacles is their trademark.

The Jets are good enough to challenge the Patriots for the division crown, provided Pennington's shoulder functions better as a result of the surgery.

Buffalo's defense and special teams are playoff caliber, and the Bills are strong at running back (McGahee) and receiver. The biggest question marks -- and the reasons why they might not make the playoffs -- are their inexperienced quarterback and their reshuffled offensive line.

The Dolphins will show improvement after the disaster that was last season, but they still have a long, hard climb before they become a contender.

There, I re-bolded the important parts for you.