It was an average week for the AFC East as the division went 2-2 this week and the favorites losing it at the last second. The division went .500 which is all you really can ask for.
A Calculated Loss
The two losers this week were the two favorites in the Buffalo Bills and the New England Patriots. Both teams were projected to dominate their lesser foes and at first you would have thought so. The Patriots offense was clicking on all cylinders as Tom Brady made history and James Develin locked his place in Canton. The Bills offense was the Josh Allen show as he was running his way to an early lead. Both teams looked like they had the game well in hand then they didn’t.
Josh Allen still doesn’t know how to throw the football correctly as he was wildly inaccurate and threw two interceptions on terrible throws. The Patriots offense could not run the ball to save their life as they finally realized they drafted the wrong Georgia RB. Also, really you only target James White 4! times. No wonder the Patriots lost, they ignored their best weapon on offense. Also special teams cost both teams. The Bills kickoff coverage was pathetic as time after time the Jets had favorable field positions. The Patriots kicker (who shall remain anonymous) missed a crucial FG and XP which ended up deciding the game.
But none of that mattered as both teams were not trying to win. No both coaches were playing the long game and knew a loss here would help them long term. For the Bills, it meant a better draft pick so they don’t have trade up so much to get an injury prone WR. For the Patriots, it meant the Dolphins are now going to stick with Ryan Tannehill and Adam Gase another year as they are “in the hunt”. Keeping those two in the AFCE is big for the Patriots as they are not a threat to the division and make sure the East is mediocre. While many will call this a bad loss, for these two geniuses, it was a calculated maneuver which will pay big dividends.
LOLJets
The Jets have been in a downward spiral since their Super Bowl victory over the Detroit Lions in week 1. Since then Sam Darnold became Mark Sanchez and Todd Bowles has lost the team. They have nothing to play for and a loss would have helped them get Nick Bosa and one step closer to make the right changes. The Jets need to clean house, their Head Coach doesn’t know what he is doing and the GM has no idea how to build a winning team. The Jets will never make the playoffs or be relevant as long as either of them in charge and going 3-13 would have maybe made ownership do a clean sweep. But no, they just had to win a meaningless game and hurt their draft stock. The Jets yet again are the joke of New York as they can’t even tank properly. At this point they might as well win out and stick with Todd Bowles, it would be a Jets thing to do.
Win Now Mode
The Miami Dolphins had their annual December home game against the Patriots and like their college brethren, the only game they actually show up to. The Dolphins kept up with the Patriots and even with Ryan Tannehill hurting every bone in his body, kept up with Tom Brady. Ex-Patriot Brandon Bolden had two big touchdown runs and was a big spark in the offense. Tannehill threw three touchdowns and guaranteed he is the starting QB next year. Frank Gore even had a good game. It was a good day for the Dolphins offense and a good day for Adam Gase. In the end it was not enough as many thought the Patriots had it won and would easily stop the Hail Mary. But Adam Gase was one step ahead of them and did the Stanford Band play which fooled Old Belichick. The Dolphins scored the game winning touchdown at the last second on a play no one expected to work but it did and the Dolphins are right there in the playoff mix. They are clearly in the hunt and they will try their hardest not to lose it in week 17 this time.
Facebook
Twitter
RSS