With three consecutive division titles, the Buffalo Bills have undoubtedly become the kings of the AFC East. However, the Bills aren’t yet to the point where winning the division is a foregone conclusion. In fact, winning the AFC East in 2023 figures to be more challenging than it has been for Buffalo in any of the past three seasons.
The best of the Bills
Of course, the Bills are still the +110 favorites to win the AFC East this season. But the latest NFL odds have the Jets and Dolphins with only slightly longer odds to win the division at +250 and +275 respectively. Even the Patriots aren’t that far behind and could be considered a threat to compete for the AFC East title. That doesn’t make the Bills a bad bet to win another division title, it just means the competition will be stiff. Those who believe in Buffalo’s chances to win the division can know exactly how much they will profit by betting on the Bills using a betting calculator.
It’s no secret that Josh Allen has been the driving force behind Buffalo’s success in recent years. Unfortunately for the Bills, it’s now debatable whether Allen is the best quarterback in the AFC East with the arrival of Aaron Rodgers, who now leads the Jets. While Rodgers will turn 40 by the end of the season and is coming off a down season by his standards, he’s still a four-time MVP. Rodgers figures to be reinvigorated by his moves to the Jets, who have a promising collection of skill players and a defense that could be among the best in the NFL this year. In other words, Rodgers could quickly turn the Jets from a 7-10 team to a serious AFC East contender.
Competition on the horizon
The Bills also have to be concerned with the Dolphins, who reached the playoffs last season and could be even better this year. While Miami won four fewer games than Buffalo in 2022, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa also missed four games and struggled through multiple concussions. If Tagovailoa stays healthy, the Dolphins figure to be a serious threat to Buffalo’s supremacy in the AFC East. Tagovailoa led the NFL in quarterback rating in 2022 and also has one of the best receiving duos in the league. At full strength, Miami’s offense could challenge the Bills as the best offensive team in the division.
Lastly, Bill Belichick’s Patriots are not to be overlooked. Granted, New England has some questions after their quarterback endured a troublesome 2022 season. However, the Patriots have improved their supporting cast with the offseason additions of Ezekiel Elliott and JuJu Smith-Schuster. Also, the Patriots are always a candidate to have a top-10 defense, which means they’ll have a chance to win every game they play.
To be fair, the Bills have a chance to be better than they were last year. Buffalo added some much-needed depth in the draft. Plus, the Bills were weakened by several key injuries last year and should benefit from a fresh slate and a clean bill of health on the injury front. However, the competition within the AFC East has definitely been kicked up a couple of notches, making Buffalo’s path to a fourth straight division title a lot more challenging than it’s been.
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