Another week down in the AFC East and the standings looking the same. The New England Patriots stayed in first after a win against the New York Giants while Buffalo stayed in second without even playing a game. The New York Jets were able to get their first win of the season against the Dallas Cowboys but the Miami Dolphins were unable to get theirs against the Washington Redskins. With six weeks gone in the regular season we discuss below one thing each of these teams should focus on the rest of the year.
Buffalo Bills: Josh Allen’s Game Management
By and large, Bills fans have seen improvements in Allen since his rookie season of a year ago, but there are still several areas where most would like to see him improve. So far this season, we’ve seen Allen take too many big hits while running and he’s exhibited a propensity for interceptions that could have been prevented. We saw the potential of Josh Allen against the Titans last week when he played g a well-managed game and took what the defense gave him—before throwing an interception that got Tennessee back in it. If Allen can turn into more of a game manager who moves the offense while not turning it over, Buffalo will be in contention all year.
New England Patriots: Unleash the offense
The Patriots are the only undefeated team left in the AFC but they haven’t been perfect. The team has a killer defense that wreaks havoc against opponents causing turnovers wherever they want to. Don’t forget about their special-teams unit either, which has blocked a punt and returned it for a touchdown in back-to-back weeks. The problem is that the offense has not found their rhythm. Part of this is due to no Rob Gronkowski and injuries at the receiver position. They are still eighth in the league in total offense but the league knows there’s another gear Tom Brady can use to get the offense cruising. If they do, the rest of the league will be on notice.
New York Jets: Continue the momentum
The Jets had big aspirations coming into the season but after Sam Darnold missed games due to mono, the team became a laughingstock looking for their first win of the season. That changed on Sunday when Darnold returned and played a big part in the team knocking off the Cowboys when nobody gave them a chance. With Darnold under center, the offense can show their true potential and be a force to be reckon with. Missing games may help Darnold in the long run as it gave him a chance to step back and watch opposing defenses. He has a chance to prove himself on Monday Night Football when they host Brady and those Patriots.
Miami Dolphins: Who’s your QB?
Miami is still looking for their first win of the season but everyone’s wondering what exactly the Dolphins are hoping to accomplish at the quarterback position. The team started Ryan Fitzpatrick but then turned to Josh Rosen after a couple of games. Then against the Redskins, Rosen was benched in the fourth in favor of Fitzpatrick who almost rallied the offense for the victory. Despite this, the Dolphins plan to start Rosen against the Bills this week. This team seems destined for a top-five pick at minimum in next year’s draft so it’s important for them to figure out what the future holds at quarterback.