AFC East week 1 recap: Miami Dolphins stand tied at the top as we look ahead to week 2
By Brian Miller
A perfect opening weekend for the Miami Dolphins ended on Monday night when the AFC East division rival New York Jets lost their HOF QB, Aaron Rodgers.
We touch on this first. Many AFC East fans of the Bills, Dolphins, and Patriots snickered and laughed at the misfortunes of the Jets. Let's be honest, none of us like the Jets. Then again, none of us like each other either. Still, seeing a top QB that was most certainly going to elevate the Jets, go down with a season ending and perhaps career ending injury is nothing anyone wants to see.
The loss of Rodgers will make the path to the playoffs a lot tougher for New York who will now ride with Zach Wilson and whatever vet they can get off the street. This isn't an AFC East shake-up but it very well likely opens the door for another AFC team that may have been outside looking in.
While I won't laugh at the misfortunes of the Jets, you know what they say about Karma, I will take a minute to snicker at the Bills.
Buffalo Bills at New York Jets
This was the marquee match-up that everyone talked about all weekend. Josh Allen vs. Aaron Rodgers. A titanic kickoff on Monday night that lasted just 4 plays. But no one bothered to tell the Jets they weren't supposed to win.
The Jets defense is scary good. Sorry, they are fast, physical, and swarm to the ball. On Monday night, the snicker wasn't for losing Rodgers, it was directed at the Bills who couldn't beat a Jets squad that had to play with Zach Wilson.
Buffalo laid a pie, there is no other way to say it. Josh Allen was horrible. He had three interceptions and a fumble. When the game was on the line, he failed there too. Granted the Jets through a lot at the Bills but overall, not what anyone expected. Maybe the team let up when Rodgers went down.
The Jets will enter week 2 with a defensive showdown against the Cowboys in Dallas while the Bills head home limping to face the Raiders.
Philadelphia Eagles at New England Patriots
Entering week one, the Patriots were given little to no chance nationally to pull out an opening weekend upset. They didn't pull that off and lost to the Eagles...but.
The Patriots held the Eagles, the NFC favorite to return to the Super Bowl, to just 25 points and came one score away from the upsiet losing by 5.
New England showed a lot of physicality on defense and they are going to be a force in 2023. Offensively, they were not perfect but Mac Jones was better than expected and he should mature as the season grows.
For New England, the season is going to ride on their rushing attack and their defense. Jones isn't a game changing QB but for the Patriots he may be enough to manage the game if he can avoid mistakes.
Next week, the Patriots will remain home to face the Dolphins. This is an interesting situation because the Patriots will complete their 2nd home game of the year while the Dolphins will finish their 2nd road game. If the Dolphins can keep the Patriots offense in check, it will be up to the Patriots defense to stop the Dolphins.