Miami Dolphins: AFC East week 3 recap
By Brian Miller
Week three was in the books on Monday night but the AFC East wrapped up their weekend on Sunday.
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After three weeks of the season the only consistency comes again from the New England Patriots who not only find a way to win without Tom Brady, found a way to win with a banged up Jacoby Brissett and no Jimmy Garoppolo. Here is how things are currently situated in the AFC East.
New England Patriots – 3-0
The NFL did the Patriots a favor giving them three out of four games at home to start the season.
The Patriots were supposed to face a dominating Houston Texans defense in week 3 but instead made the Texans look like every other team they faced. New England jumped out to an early lead and finished with 27 points. The Patriots defense blanked the Texans in front of a national primetime crowd. New England will face the Buffalo Bills in week four and then, well they get Tom Brady back.
It’s not looking good for the other AFC East teams.
Next game: Buffalo
New York Jets – 1-2
It’s unclear who the New York Jets are this year. They lost week one by one to the Bengals and then got into a shootout with the Bills in week two to notch their first win of the year. On Sunday, the Jets were only able to post three points against a stubborn Kansas City defense that forced seven turnovers.
The Jets defense is struggling and that was supposed to be their strength. Early favorites to possibly challenge the Patriots, the Jets are a Jekyll and Hyde team that is not performing to league predictions.
Next game: Seattle
Buffalo Bills – 1-2
Like the Jets, the Bills have big question marks as they enter each week. Can the brash Rex Ryan rally his team to beat a Brady-less Patriots team in Foxboro? After firing their offensive coordinator following week twos loss to the Jets, the Bills rebounded on Sunday.
Buffalo beat down the Arizona Cardinals who look anything but a team challenging for the NFC West title this year. The Bills played physical football on both sides of the ball and gained their first victory of the season.
The Patriots are going to be tough and while Ryan will make all the mid-week claims about what his team can do to the Patriots, the Patriots will sit quietly and wait for the game to start and then Bill Belichick will find a way to defeat them.
Next game: At New England
Miami Dolphins – 1-2
Will the real Miami Dolphins please stand up? After almost pulling up a huge upset in week one and then a miracle comeback in week two the Dolphins were handed a new renovated stadium house-warming gift by the Browns last Sunday.
The only thing consistent for the Dolphins so far in 2016 is their propensity to start each game slowly and then come alive in the 3rd quarter. Miami can not afford to start slowly against the Bengals on a short week Thursday night.
Next Game: At Cincinnati
The AFC East belongs to the New England Patriots right now. The Bills can do the rest of the AFC East a favor by beating the Patriots on Sunday. But the other teams need to step up if they are going to chase them down. The Dolphins have a lot of potential and as the season progresses they should get more comfortable with Adam Gase’s offense and Vance Joseph’s defense but will it be too late? It very well may be if they can’t figure out how to play a full four quarters.