AFC East
1. Buffalo Bills: 14-3
The Buffalo Bills should be primed for another huge year in the 2025 regular season. This is a team with very few weaknesses overall, and an MVP under center who can mask whatever weaknesses develop over the course of a season. It’s just going to take a debacle for this team to lose more than three games, or a lot of really bad luck. But this is the type of team they have on paper, regardless of how many they actually end up winning or losing.
2. New England Patriots: 9-8
I am buying the Patriots as a resurgent team here in 2025, but I want to pull back the reins just a little bit. The Pats still have areas on their roster right now that will likely cause them some trouble over the course of an entire year, but it’s not unreasonable to think this team could be this year’s version of what the Commanders were last year. They’ve got the coach and QB in place…we think.
3. Miami Dolphins: 8-9
I’m probably way too low on the Miami Dolphins, but I’m just really lukewarm on them, teetering on the colder side. The Dolphins are one or two injuries away from feeling like a big-time seller at the 2025 NFL trade deadline, then blowing things up a bit in the 2026 offseason. They’ve made some draft investments in the trenches, and if those guys progress quickly, this team could surprise some folks.
4. New York Jets: 5-12
Everything with the Jets this season is contingent on the quarterback position, and while Justin Fields helped the Steelers win a few games last season, it’s just hard to see this Jets team being a contender in the AFC East this year. I will say, a 5-12 record projection for them is harsh, and probably closer to a worst-case scenario than reality. They should be able to win 7 or 8 games, but that might be their ceiling this year.