Overall: The Miami Dolphins clearly don't feel like being at the bottom of the AFC East for long, spending boatloads of dollars in the offseason on free agents and new coaches.
The Dolphins will struggle putting pressure on the quarterback and will give up plenty of points through the air. Unfortunately, they don't have a QB of their own who has proven much in the NFL, and no, Chad Pennington doesn't count because he's never won anything in this league.
This is a better team in 2008, but with a tougher division and another tough schedule, more than a few wins would be a huge surprise.
New York Jets (2007 Record 4-12)
Offense: All Jets fans want to hear is Brett the Jet. Yes, "Jet" Favre will make his debut in September, and yes, he makes this team significantly better than the 2007 team. But more importantly, the Jets have a solid offensive line, a serviceable running game, a deep group of tight ends, and a slightly above-average stable of receivers.
I don't know what I can say about Favre that hasn't already been said.
Luckily for Brett, he won't be throwing to a washed-up Antonio Freeman and a never-was Bill Shroeder, but it won't be Driver, Jennings, Jones, Martin, and Robinson, like he had in Green Bay.
Laveranues Coles may not be the deep threat he once was, but he still has a gear few corners can stick with. Jerricho Cotchery has serious upside and could be a big-time fantasy sleeper this season. Add Bubba Franks, Chris Baker, and Dustin Keller to that group and there will be plenty of targets for those famous Favre fastballs.
Contrary to popular belief, there are other people in the backfield with No. 4 in this offense.
Tony Richardson brings his Pro Bowl talent to a running game that underperformed last season. His blocking may not be what is used to be, but Richardson can still get it done as a lead-blocker and has versatility in the passing game.
Thomas Jones should have less pressure to perform with a Hall of Famer calling the shots. With defenses geared up to stop Favre, Jones should have a bounce-back season.
Defense: The biggest surprise for the Jets in 2008 may not be their offense. In fact, expectations are high for the J-E-T-S offense this season. However, I believe this defense has the potential to really be disruptive if they can stay disciplined and tackle.
Adding Kris Jenkins give the Jets a proven stopper inside. Kenyon Coleman may be nothing to write home about, but he's not pushover either. Shaun Ellis just continues to go about his business and be a solid 3-4 end for the Jets.
This group won't grab the headlines, but their job is to let the linebackers get the glory and this unit has the capabilities to eat up blockers for their running mates.
That group of backers will be lead by David Harris, which I couldn't be happier about. When Harris fell to the second round, I knew plenty of teams had missed out. After Jonathan Vilma went down, Harris replaced him and wasted no time showing he should have been playing all along.
The former Michigan Wolverine tallied an unbelievable 127 total tackles in just nine starts. He and Eric Barton will be a handful inside.
On the edges, it is up to Bryan Thomas, Calvin Pace, and rookie phenom Vernon Gholston to get to the quarterback. Thomas and Pace have shown flashes of that ability, but both remain inconsistent. Perhaps the presence of Gholston, with such high expectation and unparalleled talent, will push all three to be better.
Beyond them, Darrelle Revis has shut-down corner potential. Justin Miller boasts outstanding speed, but it has yet to translate into top-level corner play. David Barrett and Hank Poteat do give the Jets solid depth on the outside.
Add Kerry Rhodes, who is coming into his own as a safety, and the Jets have plenty of playmakers on defense to slow offenses like New England and San Diego. If they play tough, this team could be a playoff team.
Overall: Count me in as a person who believes Brett Favre makes the Jets a dangerous team in the AFC. Don't count in as a person who believes they have a chance to unseat the Patriots for the division.
I thought the Jets were a five or six win team without Jet Favre, but with him, they are certainly an 8-8 squad, and if things click early, 10 wins will not be out of the question.
New England Patriots (2007 Record 16-0)
Offense: So the '07 Pats had an all-time great offense, a record-setting QB, and a receiver who proved to the world he is still the best in the game. What will this team do for an encore?
Expect much of the same.
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