AFC East Roundup: What went wrong?

What was at the root of each team’s downfall during the 2023 season?

Unless your favorite football team was fortunate enough to win the Super Bowl, the offseason is usually full of regret. Whether it be one game, one injury, or one play, fans are usually left wondering what went wrong that led to their team’s season ending. As Buffalo Bills fans, we’re a group that’s become all too familiar with early postseason exits.

When it comes to the AFC East, two teams missed the playoffs, one team didn’t make it out of the Wild Card round, and the remaining team did not make it out of the divisional round. So, what went wrong for each club?

For the Buffalo Bills the story was much the same as it has been in previous seasons. Once again the defensive line failed to show up late in the season, and especially during the team’s biggest moment. After coming back from an ACL tear during the 2022 NFL season, edge rusher Von Miller appeared to be a shell of his former self as he recovered while playing. It wasn’t until the playoffs where he showed any flashes of making an impact. Fellow edge rusher Leonard Floyd was on a tear to start the season with 9.5 sacks after 10 weeks, but then only had one sack the rest of the way — including the playoffs. Defensive tackle Ed Oliver had a career season after a contract extension, but his impact was minimal in the divisional round of the playoffs against the Kansas City Chiefs. The offense led by quarterback Josh Allen continues to be successful late in the season, but if this team wants to take that next huge step then the defensive line needs to show up in the postseason.

A lot of the time in the NFL it’s not about who the best team is that decides the winner, but rather which team finds the most luck as it relates to injuries. Unfortunately for the Miami Dolphins, they got hit with the injury bug late in the season. Their defense seemed to be picked off piece by piece after it appeared Miami was on the path to an AFC East Division title. Cornerback Xavien Howard suffered a foot sprain that kept him out of the playoffs, while safety Jevon Holland was kept out due to a knee injury. In the front seven, Bradley Chubb tore his ACL in Week 17 while Jaelan Phillips tore his Achilles weeks prior. It’s no doubt that Miami has one of the best offenses in the league, so the key for next season may just be staying healthy.

It didn’t take long for the New York Jets’ season to go awry. Their season was basically over during the first series of Week 1 when Aaron Rodgers tore his Achilles. Now, with their dominant defense, one injury shouldn’t have derailed their season — but the problem was that Gang Green didn’t have a clear plan at backup quarterback. All of their chips were in the hands of Rodgers leading the team to success. Even though Zach Wilson could still become a decent quarterback, it was clear throughout the season that management didn’t have faith in the young signal caller — which clearly affected him mentally. The result was a wasted season with a talented young roster, and now uncertainty heading into next season. If Rodgers cannot regain his form before the Achilles injury, a lot of these talented young players may be looking elsewhere for their second contract.

What went wrong for the New England Patriots? One can point to the offense as a whole, quite honestly. Quarterback Mac Jones didn’t play up to standards and was benched multiple times for Bailey Zappe throughout the season. To make matters worse, it was clear that the Patriots don’t have a dominant number=one receiver, which has been an issue the past couple of seasons as well. Without a quarterback the likes of Tom Brady to elevate the surrounding players on offense, New England was bound to be exposed. It will certainly be interesting what the direction the team goes with the third overall pick in this year’s NFL Draft. A top quarterback won’t immediately solve every issue unless the team goes out and signs some talent on the outside.