Will the AFC East Prove Too Tough for the Buffalo Bills?

The AFC East has historically been a very competitive division, but has seemingly been in a stranglehold by dominating teams for the last 20 years.

In the 1990s, the Buffalo Bills won the division four times and the New England Patriots won it twice, making it six out of 10 years going to those two teams.

The 2000s have been ruled by the Patriots, who have won six out of nine division titles, including five in a row until the Miami Dolphins dethroned them last season.

Even with the loss of Tom Brady in Week 1, the Patriots still nearly managed to win the division again with a 11-5 record under Matt Cassel.

What does all of this mean?

That Trent Edwards and that futile Bills offense has some work to do this season.

Brady will be back in Patriot grey, blue, and red this coming season, and the division is shaping up to be tough as ever.

With the arrival of controversial, mercurial wide-out Terrell Owens, the Bills have to wonder from the outset did they make the wrong decision bringing him into the huddle and locker room.

Fans and media alike will have a lifesize camera lens on the back of Owens, and his every move will be watched more than a "Friends" reunion.

Will he be the difference between a 7-9 season and a 10-6 playoff season?

That remains to be seen, but Owens has at least shown a little more commitment by showing up to the Bills voluntary workouts after the media annihilated him for not being there from the beginning.

That media attention and speculation was a foresight into what this season will mean for Owens, so he better be used to it.

For Buffalo, they need to prove to the world and themselves that they aren't used to a losing culture and that they could make it interesting past Week 10 this season.

The question has never been the talent that shows up on Sunday and wears Bills blue.

Guys like Donte Whitner, Terrance McGee, Trent Edwards, Lee Evans, and Marshawn Lynch have proven that they can get it done on a pro level.

It's what's in the Bills hearts and mentalities that foster losing seasons. That mental edge is what the Bills lack, and one winning season may reverse that misfortune.

Being in a very tough division also hampers Buffalo's efforts, but in today's NFL, every division is tough except, well, the NFC West.

To have a fighter's chance, Buffalo must conquer the AFC East. How possible is that in 2009?

Let's look at the contestants and what they bring to the table in the division.

Contestant 1: Buffalo Bills - 2008: 7-9, fourth in division

Key Players- QB Trent Edwards, WR Terrell Owens, S Donte Whitner

The Bills have given their all to establish themselves as a dangerous team this coming season by upgrading their roster and ridding themselves of potential morale-murdering players.

Nonetheless, adding Owens is always a potential locker room fatality-like move, but the Bills are hoping his talent and expertise as a player will help develop young players while bringing his usual 75 reception, 1000 yard, 10 TD stats to Buffalo.

It was a calculated risk.

Much as it appears the Bills playoff hopes lie squarely on Owens' shoulders, they don't. Other guys like Edwards and Lee Evans have to stay healthy and play their parts.

If the core of Edwards, Evans, Owens, and Marshawn Lynch can remain healthy, the offense should be fine.

If one of them are hurt early or the Bills can't sustain continuity due to Lynch's three-game suspension or a morale issue, December could look quite familiar to Bills fans.

Bottom Line

I expect the Bills to be fine. They won't win the AFC East, but they will contend and win 10 games in 2009.

Contestant 2: Miami Dolphins - 2008: 11-5, first in division

Key Players- QB Chad Pennington, RB Ronnie Brown, LB Joey Porter

Miami surprised the world last season by dethroning the juggernaut Patriots and winning the East. Pennington appeared to have starred in a new "Back to the Future" movie and the Wildcat offense put opposing teams in fits.

Can you say, "one-hit wonder?"

Simply put, it won't happen again in sunny Florida. Chad is a year older, and the nature of the NFL has a way of exposing old, less mobile QB's. Basically, if you aren't named Brett Favre, injuries will likely slow you down.

Heck, even Favre had a shoulder issue that his bad play at the conclusion of 2008 was blamed on.

Defenses have had time to figure out the Wildcat formation, and you have to wonder when aging vet Ricky Williams will slow down.

The Dolphins are not solid on D, and a division that features a lot on offense will put up solid points against the Dolphins. That offense won't be able to trade points and they'll lose games.

A lot of them.

Bottom Line:

I don't see the Dolphins making the playoffs, or even having a winning season in 2009. I say between four and seven wins.

Contestant 3: New York Jets - 2008: 9-7, third in division

Key Players: RB Thomas Jones, WR Jerricho Cotchery, CB Darrelle Revis

When Brett Favre fell into the Jets' laps last summer, it was all the buzz about how the Jets may make the Super Bowl and be significantly improved.

It looked that way until Favre hit a brick wall and the Jets faltered down the stretch and missed the playoffs, resulting in players speaking out against the Hall-of-Famer.

Sometimes reaching into the cookie jar isn't the best idea.

New York B reached into that jar again in the NFL Draft, trading up to get USC QB Mark Sanchez.

Fickle fans in New York expect him to transform the franchise immediately, but if history shows us anything, it's that maybe that's a bit much to ask.

What happened to Kellen Clemens?

He's been lost in this all, and the Jets are a team in turmoil and nobody wants to admit it. They fell apart last season, released Favre who may be silly enough to be a purple people eater, drafted a hopeful rookie savior at QB, lost Laveranues Coles and fired Eric Mangini.

Reports are that Clemens will start, but will also know that if he just whiffs too hard, Sanchez will replace him.

How fun.

Bottom Line:

The Jets were an underachieving team before Favre got there, and just as they ended last season will be one again in 2009. Rebuilding time is underway for the men in green and white.

Contestant 4: New England Patriots - 2008: 11-5, second in division

Key Players: QB Tom Brady, WR Randy Moss, NT Vince Wilfork

Brady is back will be the theme in Foxboro for 2009, and his return from major knee surgery will completely hold the fate of this team.

Bill Belichick has been historically the best coach with the least to work with, and he and his staff had a great year out of back-up Matt Cassel last season.

Unfortunately for Bill, Cassel now wears Kansas City Chiefs colors and Brady's back-up is Matt Gutierrez. Who?

Exactly.

So what does it all mean for New England? It means trouble for the NFL once again and this division in particular.

Brady has been arguably the best signal-caller of the decade and his ride isn't quite over yet. With a good O-line in front of him, Moss and Wes Welker to throw to, a healthy Laurence Maroney and Adalius Thomas on D, the Pats are still scary.

Scary enough to ascend to the top of the AFC East in 2009. New England showed us in 2008 that the championship pedigree that exists in Boston can still power them to success.

Buffalo will give the Patriots some problems, and take one of their division match-ups next season, but ultimately the Pats season will rely on the knee of T.B, and he should be fine.

Bottom Line:

The Patriots will win the division for the sixth time in seven years with a 11- to 12-win season, but Buffalo will break their nearly decade absence from the postseason with a 10-6 record.

And that, my friend, isn't the product of wishful thinking. At least I don't think so.