AFC East power rankings entering Week 1: Dolphins and Jets aiming to end drought

The NFL will kick off the 2024 season on Thursday night, but the Miami Dolphins and the rest of the AFC East won't play until Sunday. Expectations are high for three of the four division teams.

With the season almost here, many media sites have released their power rankings, and we have taken note. Where the Dolphins will finish the season is the most important question that needs to be answered over the coming 18 grueling weeks.

Miami has a lot of questions about the roster, but they are hoping that experience will compensate for holes on the team. The Dolphins are far from the best overall team in the division right now, but that is because it is being read off paper. Come next week, there will be tape.

4. New England Patriots

There are simply too many unknowns and variables for a team trying to rebuild. The days of Bill Belichick and the "Patriot Way" are now over.

In their place is a former player who Bob Kraft hopes can carry on the traditions of the last 20 years, but this won't be an easy fix. The Patriots lack players on both sides of the ball and will struggle early and often. They will stay in games because there is talent, but they will find it difficult to win week-to-week.

3. Buffalo Bills

The Bills gutted their roster and are hoping that youth will be enough to compensate. They got rid of three of their best offensive players and two of their defensive leaders from a year ago.

Matt Milano is on injured reserve again. Can Josh Allen win with inexperienced talent? That's a big question heading into the season, but he has a good offensive line and the running game may be more of a focus without his top playmaking receivers. It's too early to write off the Bills just yet, but if we look at this ranking as an "on-paper" situation, the Bills don't look as good.

2. Miami Dolphins

The offensive line, despite comments by Chris Grier, is still a problem and a question mark. Miami has more speed offensively than any other team in the NFL, but Mike McDaniel still struggles to find consistency from week to week against teams that can line up against that speed and win.

Defensively, there were more changes, some of which have yet to be answered, like the defensive front. Anthony Weaver will bring more physicality to the team, but it may take a few weeks for the players to get acclimated to their roles, especially those who have been here for more than a season or two. Everything for the Dolphins will ride on Tua Tagovailoa and the offense.

1. New York Jets

It pains me to type those words, but again, "on paper," the Jets should be the best team in the AFC East. We know that will not be the case or is at least unlikely.

The Jets have good wide receivers, a good offensive line, a talented running back, and Aaron Rodgers. Defensively, they are expected to be one of the best in the NFL. If they can keep the wheels from falling off and stop doing "NY Jets" kind of things, they could live up to the hype surrounding them. They could just as easily implode.

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