Reviewing the 2011-12 MVP for Every AFC East Roster

We jumped on the free agent and 2012 NFL draft train so long ago that Tom Brady's last-minute pass at the end of Super Bowl XLVI feels more like three decades ago than three weeks ago.

And we didn't even stop to soak in the scenery.

No matter; it's worth a second to stop and admire the performances of the AFC East's best in 2011. Here are the MVPs for each team.

New England Patriots: Tom Brady

File this one under N for "no-brainer."

Were it not for Tom Brady, the Patriots very likely wouldn't have made it to the Super Bowl. After a "rocky" 5-3 start, it was Brady's nearly lights-out performance down the stretch that gave the Patriots just the push they needed to earn the AFC's No. 1 overall seed.

Brady was all-around one of the three best quarterbacks in the NFL this year, and though it's hard to argue that his season was better than Aaron Rodgers' single-season-record-setting 122.5 passer rating, Brady didn't have the luxury of Rodgers' bevy of weapons at wide receiver. 

Wes Welker and the two tight ends are nice, but to pass for 8.6 YPA and the second-most yards in a single season in NFL history without a deep threat is an amazing accomplishment.

New York Jets: Darrelle Revis

Although Terrell Suggs took home the award, you could likely have made the case for Revis as Defensive Player of the Year.

Don't believe me? The numbers don't lie here. Revis had one of the best completion percentages against him in the NFL. What's more, he allowed just one touchdown all season (to someone who's on this list, no less) and had four interceptions, a rare feat for a shutdown corner like Revis that rarely gets the ball thrown his direction.

Yes, Revis was tested a bit more this year, but he was up to the challenge virtually every time. What impresses me the most about Revis is that he missed just four tackles and allowed just 117 YAC on 35 receptions (3.3 YAC per reception). Even when he didn't make the play, he made the tackle to make up for it.

Admittedly, Rex Ryan wouldn't be able to do nearly the same things he does up front were it not for one of the best shutdown corners in the NFL being on his side.

Miami Dolphins: Cameron Wake

It wasn't another season with double-digit sacks for Wake, but it's hard to argue against him as the most consistent player on the Dolphins roster. According to Pro Football Focus, there were only two games, against the Jets in Week 6 and the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 14, in which Wake was held out of arm's reach of the quarterback for the duration of the game.

As the Dolphins begin their defensive rebuild, they'll be looking for a lot more production like that from Wake. His primary job will be to rush the passer, which should only make him an even more valuable commodity for the Dolphins, as he'll no longer have to drop into coverage.

The animal will be uncaged.

Buffalo Bills: Stevie Johnson

Fred Jackson was in the discussion, but C.J. Spiller came in and filled in nicely, so the absence of Jackson's "value," in that sense, didn't hurt the team much.

Tell me this, though: If the Bills lose Stevie Johnson, who steps up? David Nelson? Brad Smith? Donald Jones? Not exactly names to inspire a great deal of confidence. 

The passing game virtually ran through Johnson. He was by far the most productive receiver on the team and almost more productive than the rest of the team as a whole in some areas. 

The Bills will have a hard time replacing their most valuable offensive player if they're unable to retain him.

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