NFL Betting – AFC East – Three Teams Have a Chance

The AFC East is once again one of the most interesting divisions in football. There will be plenty of NFL Betting on at least three of the four teams contesting the division crown.  Will it be the experience of the Patriots, the extreme hype of the Jets, or the sneaky improvement of the Dolphins that dominates headlines this season? It surely won’t be the Bills, we all know that!

New England Patriots: +130

The New England Patriots had a disappointing season last year and they still finished with a decent 10-6 record. NFL Betting lines appear to reflect the fact that New England should bounce back and at least be in the AFC East title picture by season’s end.

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The New England Patriots still have some quality pieces in place. Tom Brady is one full season removed from major surgery, Randy Moss is in a contract year and Wes Welker has defied the odds and returned to the practice field after an ugly season ending injury last season. Despite a “down year” for the Patriots, they did finish with the #3 rated passing game and they did go 8-0 on home turf.

The Patriots had some glaring weaknesses last year. The running game was inconsistent and the defense was a shell of its former self. Still, Bill Belichek has a knack of getting the absolute most out of players on his team. I have faith in Belichek and his coaches to find a way to contend once again this season, although I am certainly in the minority.  The rest of the division got better, now is time for Bill to prove why he’s considered the best coach in the NFL.

New York Jets: +140

Is anyone else sick and tired of the hype surrounding the New York Jets? At +140 it appears that the NFL betting world is sold on the offseason moves that the Jets made and the strides that they took last season to become a contender. The Jets acquired some big names indeed, but what appear to be lost in the shuffle are the names that they lost.

Out are All-Pros Alan Faneca and Thomas Jones. In are troubled Santonio Holmes, Antonio Cromartie and two players clearly past their primes, LaDainian Tomlinson and Jason Taylor. Add in the uncertainty of Darrelle Revis and Nick Mangold whose contract negotiations have gone nowhere and it is easy to see that the Jets are an NFL Betting risk at present time.

The Jets will have an emerging quarterback but a quarterback’s second NFL season is often characterized by a step back. Most recently, Joe Flacco and Matt Ryan struggled in their second years in the NFL. Sure they have a defense that is as good as any squad in the league and sure they have some good pieces in place, but they appear to be a team that is a year or two away from prime time.

Miami Dolphins: +325

Every year, there is a team that comes out of nowhere, making a few look like NFL Betting geniuses.  The Fins could be that team in 2010. They were good last year but added a stud receiver in the offseason, Brandon Marshall,  and a key defensive cog (Karlos Dansby) as well. Chad Henne is a superstar in the making – he looked OK last season with Ted Ginn, Devone Bess, Greg Camarillo and Anthony Fasano catching the ball last season – that’s saying something!

The running game will be solid as always. And new Defensive co-coordinator Mike Nolan could prove to be a difference in South Florida. Karlos Dansby is a piece for which a defensive foundation can be built around. Miami may be a year or two away from a division title but they are ready to make strides toward legitimacy right now.

Buffalo Bills: +2500

Ugh! It is going to be a long year for the Buffalo Bills and their fans. They still have no quarterback and they wasted an opportunity at the draft to improve their team when they took another running back CJ Spiller (who is still not under contract). Buffalo’s inability to address glaring weaknesses will assure that they Bills finish last in the division and will be lucky to get four wins this season.

The AFC East is definitely one of the more interesting divisions in football this season. You have a perennial powerhouse on the downside of their domination, an up and coming team whose expectations may be a bit high and a dark horse who are as good an all around team as the favorites.

Place your NFL Bets on the Patriots +130 again this season. They are too proud not to succeed. If you are looking for an underdog, the Dolphins can surprise a few people this season – they are solid.