No team has ever dominated a division like the New England Patriots have dominated the AFC East. New England has won the AFC East for 10 consecutive seasons, and the Patriots have finished atop the division 15 times in the last 16 years.
The lone time the Pats didn’t win the division during this stretch was all the way back in 2008 when Tom Brady was lost for the season in the very first game. Still, the Patriots rallied to go 11-5 under Matt Cassel, but the Miami Dolphins won the tiebreaker and won the division at 11-5.
2020 AFC East Sports Betting Preview
Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills haven’t won the AFC East since Jim Kelly was quarterback. It’s been 25 years since the Bills were the best team in the division, and they are longshots per the AFC East betting odds to win it this year.
Josh Allen has to prove he can throw the ball. The Bills were roundly mocked for taking Allen with the No. 7 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, and he did not have a promising rookie season throwing the ball. He completed just 52.8 percent of his passes, and he threw more interceptions than touchdowns.
However, he did prove to be a surprisingly good runner, and the Bills had some success letting him use his legs later in the year. With a backfield that already includes LeSean McCoy, Frank Gore, TJ Yeldon, and Devin Singletary, this stands to be one of the most run-heavy teams in the league. Unfortunately, they will probably be playing from behind a lot.
Miami Dolphins
The Dolphins have essentially punted the 2019 season before the first game. There is very little talent on the team, and there have been whispers that Miami plans to tank this year in order to draft a potential superstar quarterback like Tua Tagovailoa or Justin Herbert in the 2020 NFL Draft.
Josh Rosen and Ryan Fitzpatrick will probably both see time at quarterback, and there are no great skill position players on the roster with Jarvis Landry in Cleveland. The best receiving threat might be tight end Mike Gesicki, but he isn’t exactly a Travis Kelce or Jimmy Graham type.
Miami’s defense is very underrated though and could be one of the better units in the NFL. Xavien Howard is a cornerback that many are high on and Minkah Fitzpatrick has been a promising safety. First round pick Christian Wilkins should make the defense better too.
New England Patriots
The safest bet in football has been on the New England Patriots to win the AFC East for nearly 20 years, and they are massive favorites once again per the AFC East betting odds.
This offense should be one of the best in the league. Tom Brady continues to prove the haters wrong, and he has more weapons than he has had in some time. Although Rob Gronkowski has retired, Sony Michel might be the workhorse back the Patriots have lacked since Corey Dillon retired, and James White is an excellent pass catcher out of the backfield.
N’Keal Harry is the real difference maker though. You probably aren’t too familiar with him if you didn’t watch late night college football, but he shined at Arizona State. Harry was known for his acrobatic catches, and he made mediocre quarterbacks look good in Tempe. Pairing Harry with Julian Edelman makes this a terrifying duo.
New York Jets
No team was as active in free agency as the New York Jets. The Jets signed Le’Veon Bell and CJ Mosley to massive contracts in March, and they are counting on both players to jump start a team that has lacked star power in recent years.
There are still way too many problems though. This wide receiver corps is one of the worst units in the NFL for the third straight season, and the Jets’ continued refusal to give Sam Darnold someone to throw to is mind-boggling.
Quinnen Williams, Jamal Adams, and CJ Mosley could make this an above average defense in 2019, but if you’re betting on the AFC East, you probably want to stay away from the Jets.
Check out the latest AFC East betting odds at the online sportsbook.
