We start our summer NFL division previews with the AFC East and the Super Bowl betting favorites. The Buffalo Bills have won the division two consecutive years after the New England Patriots had won 16 of the previous 17. New England is looking to win the division without Tom Brady for the first time since 1997. The Bills are heavy favorites to win the AFC East this season with the Patriots and Miami Dolphins figuring to battle for second. And of course, bringing up the rear will probably once again be the New York Jets.
AFC East Standings [2021]
| AFC | EAST | W | L | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Bills | 11 | 6 | 0 |
 | Patriots | 10 | 7 | 0 |
 | Dolphins | 9 | 8 | 0 |
 | Jets | 4 | 13 | 0 |
The Bills will have pretty much the same roster as last year with a few key additions in the offseason including Von Miller. The NFL’s active sack leader with 115 1/2, signed with Buffalo after helping the Los Angeles Rams win last season’s Super Bowl. The defense was already tops in 2021 in yards allowed. The Bills selected cornerback Kaiir Elam in the first round to help the secondary. The offense has improved each year under Josh Allen with Stefon Diggs leading the receiving corps. Buffalo starts the season against the LA Rams and Tennessee Titans.
Odds to Win AFC East (as of 7/5/22):
Buffalo Bills -225
Miami Dolphins +450
New England Patriots +500
New York Jets +2200
The Dolphins made a huge trade in the offseason, giving away five draft picks for speedy wide receiver Tyreek Hill from the Kansas City Chiefs. Left tackle and former New Orleans Saint Terron Armstead, was also signed. The running game has been an issue in Miami, so the team acquired Sony Michel and former Arizona Cardinal Chase Edmonds to help. Former San Francisco 49ers’ offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel replaces Brian Flores as head coach. The Dolphins have the easiest schedule in the division with an opposition winning percentage of .481 from 2021.
The Patriots made waves in the offseason by getting rid of star cornerback J.C. Jackson (Chargers), linebacker Kyle Van Noy (Chargers), offensive linemen Shaq Mason (Bucs) and Ted Karras (Bengals). The draft wasn’t ruled a success after the Pats selected offensive lineman Cole Strange late in the first round and wideout Tyquan Thornton. New England did trade for receiver Devante Parker to help Mac Jones and the team is still led by Bill Belichick.
Season Win Totals (as of 7/5/22):
Buffalo Bills 12 o115
Miami Dolphins 9 o125
New England Patriots 8.5 o125
New York Jets 6 o130
The Jets can only go up, right? They’ve had a bunch of high draft picks the last couple of years, so the talent is there. Quarterback Zach Wilson might not be the answer, but only time will tell. Laken Tomlinson (49ers) was acquired to bolster the offensive line. The biggest addition on defense was former Buccaneer safety Jordan Whitehead.
Jay’s Season Win Total Best Bet: The Jets are still bad and I don’t see much improvement. The schedule is tough with the first four games coming against the entire AFC North. Trips to Green Bay, Denver and Minnesota figure to be losses. Five wins is the most I can see from this team.
Jets UNDER 6 +110
Jay’s Pick to Win Division: It’s a lot to lay, but this should be the easiest division winner in the league. The Bills are a legitimate threat to make several Super Bowl runs over the next few years and the rest of the division is going to take a while to catch up.
Bills -225
To see more odds and props for the AFC East, click here.
More Previews!
AFC North Preview
AFC South Preview
AFC West Preview
NFC East Preview
NFC North Preview
NFC South Preview
NFC West Preview
