AFC East: 10 Things Fans Must Watch in 2011

One week... just one more week 'til we have glorious pigskin.

I'm here to present some observations and topics for discussion on the upcoming season for the good ol' AFC East. Any fan with a dog in this division already knows they're in for a treat this year. There's no love lost between these teams, and it would make winning the division that much sweeter knowing they did it at the expense of their bitter rivals.

So, here's to a great 2011 season. Without any further delay I give you a nice little slideshow to make it through this final, football-less week.

Who Will Shine?

Steve Johnson exploded onto the scene last year, but can he match his success this year without Lee Evans?

Some other young studs from 2010 were Devin McCourty, Aaron Hernandez, and Rob Gronkowski for the Pats, along with John Conner for the Jets and Cameron Wake for the Dolphins.

Some of the top draft picks taken by the AFC East include:

Bills -- Marcell Dareus (DT - Alabama) and Aaron Williams (CB - Texas)

Dolphins -- Mike Pouncey (C - Florida) and Daniel Thomas (RB - Kansas State)

Patriots -- Nate Solder (OT - Colorado), Ras-I Dowling (CB - Virginia), and Shane Vereen (RB - California)

Jets -- Muhammad Wilkerson (DE - Temple)

I just took the teams' Round 2 selections, and as you can see, the Patriots had the most, despite finishing first in the division. If you also noticed, I listed three Patriots in the "young studs" department. This is not a coincidence, just a sign that New England knows what they're doing. So, if I were to guess where this year's "young studs" may come from, I'd place my bets on the Pats.

Who Will Surprise?

Last season, Danny Woodhead, who was undrafted and eventually cut from the Jets in last year's preseason, became a fan-favorite for New England. He was a legitimate tailback, adding to the Patriots' stunning arsenal of offensive firepower. It's laughable thinking this guy can compete in the league, but he is living evidence that grit and determination can get you farther than size and skill.

So, who will surprise this year?

Well, we don't know. Nobody does, except for those Danny Woodheads of the world.

Admittedly, I follow the Dolphins the most out of any AFC East team, so if asked who I'd guess would be that proverbial "diamond in the rough," I'd guess Clyde Gates (WR - Abilene Christian); he's fast, really fast, and he's got good hands. But, he was taken in the fourth round, so I don't know if that could qualify him as a "shocker."

Anyways, you know these guys are out there, and all you can hope for is that they wear your team's respective jersey.

The Bush Factor

Former Heisman Trophy "un-winner" Reggie Bush has been, next to the grumbling over Henne, the talk of the town in Miami. As the primary back, everyone's wondering what kind of an impact the Super Bowl champion will make. He's looking to establish himself as the workhorse of the backfield, expressing his desire to carry the ball more than he did in New Orleans.

One guy who will really grow to like Mr. Bush is quarterback Chad Henne. With a nickname like "Checkdown Chad," a wide receiver-tailback hybrid would be ideal for a man in his position. The Dolphins displayed a severely stagnant offense last year, but with a spark like Reggie Bush, that offense may be headed in a new direction.

If all goes well and Bush stays healthy, the Dolphins could be a relevant team come December. If all does not go well Reggie Bush may meet the cold, cynical fan reception that Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams faced a season ago.

Bills' Defensive Front

If you're a Bills fan then you've undergone some rough seasons in the past few years, but there's always football to be played. And they've got some talent where it counts—in the trenches. I like this line, and they have serious potential to make some noise.

They boast DT Kyle Williams with whom they just reached a six year, $39 million deal,  rookie and third overall pick Marcell Dareus (an absolute animal), seventh year man Dwan Edwards, and eighth year man Spencer Johnson. That rounds up the interior line of their 3-4 defense. Their outside linebackers are the always solid Chris Kelsay and Mr. "Lights Out" himself, Shawne Merriman. If that dude were to return to his former self, ripping off quarterbacks heads and shutting down running backs, this line would seriously do some damage. But, that's a big if. He has big questions surrounding his health, including past injuries to his knee, calf, and Achilles.

They're a solid bunch, and they've got a few names behind them like the newly acquired Nick Barnett, Leodis McKelvin, and Drayton Florence. All in all, hopes aren't terribly high for the Bills, but with a solid defensive front, they could certainly turn some heads.

Who Will Chad Henne Be?

In many ways, the Dolphins' season will live and die by No. 7.

The 2008 Round 2 selection has received serious criticism since taking the job over from Chad Pennington. At times, "Dolfans" have seen flashes of the quarterback they expected, but those times have been limited. Mostly, Miamians have witnessed a stagnant offense led by a robotic turnover machine. However, a new day may be approaching in the Magic City as Brian Dabboll appears to be removing the training wheels former offensive coordinator Dan Henning felt were necessary for Henne and the Miami offense.

Now, Henne has the ability to call audibles at the line and has already shown signs of improvement in the preseason. But, there's a long season ahead of him, and this year will certainly define his (and most likely Sparano's) future in South Florida.

Plus, he's got Reggie Bush—perhaps the biggest headache for any opposing defensive coordinator to plan for, not to mention "The Beast" Brandon Marshall and the exceptional route-runner Davone Bess. If the O-line holds up, there will be no excuses for Henne; it's make or break, and 2011 will show if he's ready to run an NFL squad.

New England's New Patriots

Continuing with the theme of offseason big-name acquisitions, we head up to Foxboro where Belichick brought in two notorious veterans in Albert Haynesworth and Chad Ochocinco.

Ochocinco should fit right into the offense and should make a significant contribution, whether it's making big catches or drawing double coverages, freeing up the Patriots' many other weapons.

Haynesworth right away complained about the 3-4 defense he was put into last year in Washington. But this year, I assume, he will mostly play as the defensive end rather than nose tackle, a spot teammate Vince Wilfork has seemed to perfect.

From what we as stupid, naive fans, can tell, all is going well in Patriots camp, and savvy, old Bill has pieced together another Super Bowl favorite in New England. Will this harmony continue all the way to Indianapolis (site of Super Bowl XLVI) or will they fall short again? Either way, I'm expecting some darn good football.

Is There Juice Left in the Jets' Run Game?

LaDainian Tomlinson experienced a renaissance year last season, but can he do it again? He's not getting any younger and Shonn Greene has not quite shone as hoped. The Jets need their run game to be successful in order to relieve pressure off of the shaky Mark Sanchez.

All the talented receivers in the world won't help Sanchez if New York can't establish a ground game. If the run game fails, then the pressure intensifies on Sanchez; if the pressure mounts on Sanchez, then his confidence drops. Luckily, the Jets possess one of the better offensive lines in the league, so they should, for all intents and purposes, be fine in the run department.

But, a lot will depend on that O-line, which does not show a lot of depth. They recently lost Robert Turner, a backup, and may now have to turn to free agency in order to bolster their offensive production.

Who's Got the Big, Bad Defense?

According to Rex Ryan, it's the Jets. And there's no doubt that New York will think they're No. 1 every time they take the field. But does that mean they'll be the No. 1 D in the division? Well, only time will tell, but one thing's for sure... this division's got talent.

Cam Wake gained some national attention last year, as he ended up third in total sacks among the league, earning himself an All-Pro selection. He and the rest of his defensive mates hope to make more noise this year in their pursuit of the playoffs, and it appears they've got the squad to do it. Their already deep D-line welcomes back Dolphin legend Jason Taylor from the rival Jets and 2010 first-round pick Jared Odrick from IR. The 'Phins also upgraded at the inside linebacker position from Channing Crowder to the more agile Kevin Burnett. But with questions at free safety and an inability to cause turnovers, the Dolphins may find themselves flirting with mediocrity yet again.

We've already discussed the Buffalo defense, whose strength surely resides in their line, but may also have some success in their veteran corps of 'backers and D-backs.

New England boasts a young, unstable bunch. The big question concerning them is whether or not they can hang down low in the trenches (a recurring theme in this slideshow). Their line was pushed around last year, but now with both Wilfork and Haynesworth (depending on his effort) they should seriously wreak some havoc on offensive lines. Their interior linebacker combo of Mayo and Spikes is solid, but their secondary can be eaten up at times. Also, applying pressure on the quarterback may be an issue for the Pats without a dominant pass-rusher.

The J-E-T-S d-e-fence will once again be a force to reckon with, but depth may be an issue. Their starting lineup is strong, led by Revis/Cromartie in the secondary, Bart Scott/David Harris in the inside, Sione Pouha at the nose, and Calvin Pace/Bryan Thomas on the edges. Under the tutelage of Rex Ryan, this unit should be at the top of the league—but can they stay healthy? Even so, do they have enough firepower? Without a super effective pass rush, even Revis Island can be conquered.

Sexy Rexy

I can't tell you enough how tired I get seeing this guy's portly face on SportsCenter. Come football season, this guy appears in the media every week. It's nauseating.

But Rex has completely turned this Jets program around, and the league seems better when the Jets are at their best and in everybody's face. You love the guy or you hate him. Jets fans love him, and the rest of the division—no, the league—is left to detest him. But, playing against this guy two times a year in the regular season is a treat.

Ryan knows football and he knows how to win. It's truly remarkable thinking that this team was 4-12 in 2007, and yet has appeared in the past two AFC Conference Championships; Coach Rex Ryan is a big reason for the turnaround. You've heard lots of players going on about how they love playing for him, and you get the feeling it's just a pure football environment. Aside from his skills as a defensive coordinator, he's got a gift at running a team. Don't be surprised if you see his big mouth taking the Jets deep into the playoffs in 2011.

MVP

The only thing sexier than Ryan's bombast is the Golden Boy's smooth-as-butter presence in the pocket. For a decade, he's terrorized the AFC East, but man, is he something to watch.

The dude's got as much confidence as anybody out there, and he's got the gun to show it. I'm not a huge stats guy, but I'll just let his 2010 regular season numbers do the talking...

Passer Rating: 111.0

Yards: 3,900

Completion Percentage: 65.9 (324/492)

Touchdowns/Interceptions: 36/4

I still can't believe those figures; they're Madden-esque. Tom is getting up in age, now 34, and I doubt he'll post those same miraculous numbers. Then again they did acquire Chad Ochocinco. Who knows? He may put up better numbers!

Either way, he's the best QB in the league on a team that's Super Bowl or bust. It's a joy to watch this guy play (unless he's picking apart your team's defence), and one can see his love of the game come out in his tenacity and competitive spirit. It was a no-brainer selecting the No. 1 for this slideshow, because Brady is No. 1. If you hope to see your team reach the Super Bowl, there's no doubt they'll have to go through the Patriots and the league's most valuable player, Tom Brady.