Which AFC EAST Team has Improved Most Overall (Coaches, Players, etc) | FinHeaven - Miami Dolphins Forums

Which AFC EAST Team has Improved Most Overall (Coaches, Players, etc)

Consider Player and Coaching additions

  • Buffalo Bills

    Votes: 16 40.0%
  • Miami Dolphins

    Votes: 24 60.0%
  • New England Patriots

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • New York Jets

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    40

DOLFANMIKE

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Which AFC EAST Team has improved most when you consider FA pickups, draft, and coaching additions?

1. Buffalo Bills
2. Miami Dolphins
3. New England Patriots
4. New York Jets


IMO -
The Bills pickups are solid choices for them, but there is no huge upgrade there unless Bledsoe can regain his OLD form. PS....I did like the Bills draft, especially OL Mike Williams in RD #1, but they have alot of holes that didn't get filled. This is a team that should have traded back on draft day.

The Patriots were the leagues best last year and have made some nice additions, and may have even improved a little on last years team, but they had no huge upgrades.

The Jets are worse IMO than last year, as their already weak OL has lost their key FA for the season, and Mawae is coming off of major surgery. The CB's they lost to the Texans could be a gigantic blunder for them personel wise.

The Dolphins added perhaps the Leagues BEST Offensive Coordinator, and his addition will be this offseasons best move. Ricky Williams is one of the Top level RB's in the league, and he will prove to be the most productive RB in Dolphins history. He might even lead the league in Rushing. OL Leon Searcy and C-OG Seth McKinney will prove to be fantastic pickups this offseason. Could Searcy be a Pro Bowl OL again this year?
 
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Buffalo Bills: The Bills, as bad as they were last year, really have done a good job filling their needs offensively. They did what they needed to do, and did it very well....

Landing D. Bledsoe, and addressing the problems they had on the OL were their main priorities, and they took care of them both......They may still need some time for that OL to gel, but it should be much better this year....

I put the Dolphins right behind them. The signing of R. Williams, and bringing in OC N. Turner are two very strong moves for Miami. We didn't really hurt our defense during the off-season, and signing L. Chester should help keep guys off of Z. Thomas better than D. Gardener did at DT. He's more of a rock. I think D. Gardener will excel at DE this year.....

NY Jets: The DT position, a weakness for the Jets last season, was addressed this off-season. At LB, they were willing to take a slight risk and sign S. Cowart. If he plays like he did before he was injured(achillies), he can make a big difference....

On offense the Jets haven't really done anything to improve.

It's the C. Martin Show!!!!V. Testaverde is on the spot, and if he can't win on a regular basis, he'll be in trouble. Even with the recent injuries to the OL(Szott/Mawae), they're still one of the most solid units in the AFC IMO.....

NE Patriots: They lost D. Bledsoe. They lost B. Cox. Two leaders on different sides of the ball. It wasn't devastating, but their leadership qualities are gone.....

They still have a great secondary, and didn't lose any key players back there. The DL is solid as well. They didn't improve, but they didn't really weaken too much either....

PHINZ RULE!!!!
 
Basically... I think the AFC East is going to come down to who has the best play from the quarterback position (Other than the Bills, because I think they have too many holes to be competitive, although, if Drew were to regain his old form [not likely] he might be able to pull out a few more games they otherwise would lose)

Can Tom Brady remain the poster child for the rags to riches NFL success story?? I dont think so. He is not nearly as good as the record would show. (NFL MVP... I think not.) His many weaknesses will be exposed this year, as they are the defending champs and teams will be gunning for them. But, they still have Belichick... and that could be the great equalizer, because his defense is their strongpoint.

The Jets have arguably one of the best RB's in the league. He is going to get his 1200+ yards rushing and another couple hundred receiving, regardless of the losses on the O-line. Sure, Mawae had surgery... but that means nothing as of now. He will be playing come the regular season, and if he is only 75% that is still better than most centers in the league. Plus, like many have said, and I beleive... a RB can elevate the play of lineman and make an average line look stellar, which I beleive is what Curtis Martin does for the Jets line. Herm has shown me lots as the Jets coach... and I don't think the losses on defense will not affect them as much as many of you think they will. So, in my mind it comes down to Vinny Interceptaverde and Pennington... will Vinny stop the downhill descent and turn it around gaining his '98 form (not likely) or can Pennington step up and take the spot over??

Although... there is much controversy over Fiedler being our starting QB... and it is disagreed upon about how good he really is. At least the Dolphins know what they have in Fiedler. If he continues with the performances he had at the end of last season... we should wrap up the AFC East title easily.
 
Originally posted by DOLFANMIKE
Which AFC EAST Team has improved most when you consider FA pickups, draft, and coaching additions?

1. Buffalo Bills
2. Miami Dolphins
3. New England Patriots
4. New York Jets


IMO -
The Bills pickups are solid choices for them, but there is no huge upgrade there unless Bledsoe can regain his OLD form.

The Patriots were the leagues best last year and have made some nice additions, and may have even improved a little on last years team, but they had no huge upgrades.

The Jets are worse IMO than last year, as their already weak OL has lost their key FA for the season, and Mawae is coming off of major surgery. The CB's they lost to the Texans could be a gigantic blunder for them personel wise.

The Dolphins added perhaps the Leagues BEST Offensive Coordinator, and his addition will be this offseasons best move. Ricky Williams is one of the Top level RB's in the league, and he will prove to be the most productive RB in Dolphins history. He might even lead the league in Rushing. OL Leon Searcy and C-OG Seth McKinney will prove to be fantastic pickups this offseason. Could Searcy be a Pro Bowl OL again this year?
i voted for the fins, not just because i'm a finfan either. getting rid of gaily was a biggie, getting norv was another plus. also, mcdrop and chambers have had a year to work on being on the same page. if the o-line can get through camp without coming apart, i sense big time accomplishments!:D
 
I like the Bills offense. Their defense needs help. but they improved both sides of the ball and Special Teams with the addition of a much better kicker and an actual kick returner.
 
I gotta go with Miami also. Turner was indeed a HUGE upgrade over Gailey... RW is a HUGE upgrade over Smith.... The addition of Searcy helps alot, as well as Chester allowing DG to move to end. A little more depth across both lines and it would be stellar

Buffalo made some good moves, and while Bledsoe is an improvement over Johnson and/or VanPelt, he's really in no shape to take them far... and unless the OL comes together in a BIG way... Drew won't make it [ast week 5.

The Jets are gonna be hurtin. Vinny Testicle is a has been... and Pennington will never live up to the hype that the NY press wants to extole upon him. The OLine is still decent, but not dominating as it once was...Martin is always a force to be reckoned with, but if you find a way to slow hiim down, what do they have left? The defense got worse losing Cox and both corners...now two corners from different systems have to learn to work together, and Cox's leadership will be missed big time.

New England made some minor adjustments, but basically they will field the same team as last year... IMHO Brady will find '02 tougher than '01 was... They'll be the team to beat... but they won't be coming out of nowhere this year.... and that's a separte argument...
 
Originally posted by WharfRat

Buffalo made some good moves, and while Bledsoe is an improvement over Johnson and/or VanPelt, he's really in no shape to take them far... and unless the OL comes together in a BIG way... Drew won't make it [ast week 5.


This is the big question in my mind. The Bills have added Mike Williams and lost Fina, and last year their OL was simply a joke on pass protection. If they don't improve in a big way Drew will be in trouble. Think of how many times Johnson got hit vs us in the last 4 games.....Bledsoe won't survive that kind of pounding......and his already questionable game will go down the tubes fast if he's getting smacked.

ps...who is the Bills starting OL?
 
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At this point it looks like the Bills Oline is:

LT- Trey Teague
LG- Ruben Brown
C- Jonas Jennings
RG- Jerry Ostrowski
RT- Mike Williams.

I think the plan is to wait until Williams gets used to the NFL and then move him to the left next year.

Other guys around for depth and such: Bill Conaty (last years starting center), Marcus Prics (FA), Marques Sullivan, Corey Hulsey (both got some playing experiebce last year).

They also did get TE Dave Moore in FA, and hes a good blocker.
 
I look at it this way, sure Buffalo had the best offseason and will improve the most. I think they have the ability to improve 3 - 5 games. I think Miami will improve too, but only 1 - 2 games. So a 5 game improved Buffalo squad will go 8 - 8 (i think 6 - 10) at best, and a 1 game improved Doklphins squad will go 12 - 4, with a bye in the playoffs and a run at a possible AFC title. When you are at the bottom it is easier to improve.
 
the big question, will the bills o-line be able to keep the defense off of bledsoe. you know his potential for being sacked. i bet gardener and taylor are just lickin their chops!
 
Originally posted by dolphan
At this point it looks like the Bills Oline is:

LT- Trey Teague
LG- Ruben Brown
C- Jonas Jennings
RG- Jerry Ostrowski
RT- Mike Williams.

I think the plan is to wait until Williams gets used to the NFL and then move him to the left next year.

Other guys around for depth and such: Bill Conaty (last years starting center), Marcus Prics (FA), Marques Sullivan, Corey Hulsey (both got some playing experiebce last year).

They also did get TE Dave Moore in FA, and hes a good blocker.

I used to think that you were a Bills' fan masquerading as a Dolphan------now I'm sure you are.
 
unless Bledsoe can regain his OLD form

You must have missed his last game. He came off the bench to throw a TD pass against a stout Steelers Defense. His passer rating in his last game mus have been over 120.
 
Hmmmm

Originally posted by Sherif


You must have missed his last game. He came off the bench to throw a TD pass against a stout Steelers Defense. His passer rating in his last game mus have been over 120.

So you are saying coming in a game off of the bench on the Super bowl Champs is the same as starting on a 3-13 team and playing well for a season?

LOL...Sure it is Sherif

When was the last time Drew Bledsoe STARTED and had a winning season?

I'll bet Dollars to Donuts that he doesnt even make it all season.....with that OL he'll get banged just like Johnson did and he will fall apart.
 
Mike you know how Bledsoe gets up for the Phins. He lives to beat the Phins. Do you recall that monday nighter in '97 I believe when He broke his finger and stayed in the game to beat us at the buzzer. Bledsoe is a completely different QB against the PHins than any other team. I hate him.
 
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