Updated AFC East Standings: Week 2

The AFC East is the king of the NFL after Week 1. Not only did the New York Jets pick up a victory to start the season over the Cleveland Browns, their fellow AFC East members also had successful starts to their season. Rex Ryan got his career with the Buffalo Bills off on the right foot, as they defeated the Indianapolis Colts. The New England Patriots opened the season on Thursday night with a win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, and while it may have been ugly, the Miami Dolphins defeated the Washington Redskins.

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That makes the AFC East a perfect 4-0 in Week 1, the only division that can say that. They will not be able to say that next week, as two members will be taking on each other in Week 2, but it is cool nonetheless to have accomplished that feat at least once in the season.

Taking a look back at the Week 1 games, all of the teams should come away feeling good, except maybe for the Dolphins. While the Dolphins picked up a victory on the road over the Redskins, it was an extremely ugly performance. They managed only 256 yards in the game, and were trailing going into the fourth quarter 10-7 until Andrew Franks kicked a field goal and Jarvis Landry returned a punt for a touchdown.

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For the Jets, it was a great start under rookie head coach Todd Bowles. Their offense clicked, as Ryan Fitzpatrick ran the offense well and Chris Ivory ran all over the Browns. Brandon Marshall caught a touchdown pass from Fitzpatrick and made a highlight play on his interception, ripping the ball out of Tashaun Gipson’s hands. The defense was also dominant after they got acclimated to Johnny Manziel being in the game instead of Josh McCown. Overall, they forced three turnovers with three sacks. The only negative was Antonio Cromartie going down with a knee injury, but it looks like he avoided the dreaded ACL tear and only has a sprain.

The Patriots looked like a well oiled machine against the undermanned and underwhelmingly talented Steelers defense. Tom Brady picked the Steelers apart all evening, completing 25-for-32 passes for 288 yards and four touchdowns. Half of those touchdowns went to Rob Gronkowski, who continues to cement himself as the cream of the crop of the tight end position currently in the NFL. Julian Edelman also continued his role as Brady’s security blanket, catching 11 passes for 97 yards.

The biggest surprise of Week 1 in the AFC East was probably the performance of the Bills. With ex-Jets head coach Rex Ryan at the helm, they got their season off to a great start. They picked up an upset (in some people’s eyes) win over the Andrew Luck led-Colts. Their defense was nothing short of a Rex Ryan defense, getting two sacks with five quarterback hits, 12 passes defended and two interceptions. They were flying around the field, as Luck was never able to get comfortable in the pocket.

Sep 13, 2015; Orchard Park, NY, USA; Buffalo Bills quarterback Tyrod Taylor (5) runs with the ball as Indianapolis Colts strong safety Clayton Geathers (42) pursues during the first half at Ralph Wilson Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports

The play of Tyrod Taylor was also encouraging. Taylor controlled the offense well, managing it to perfection. The Bills jumped out to an early lead so he wasn’t relied upon heavily, but he performed when asked. He completed 14-of-19 passes for 195 yards and one touchdown. He also showcased his athleticism some, rushing nine times for 41 yards.

This division has the looks to be one of the best in the NFL, and Week 1 did nothing to dispel that. All the teams looked good in their own right, as the AFC East should be full of competitive games all season long.

We will get to see that first hand, as the AFC East will have its first matchup between division members, as the Patriots will travel to take on the Bills. The Jets will look to replicate the success the Bills had against the Colts, as they will travel to Indianapolis for Monday Night Football. The Dolphins will look to get things on track and pick up another win on the road, as they will stay in state and take on the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Here are the current standings in the AFC East heading into Week 2:

Buffalo Bills: 1-0
Miami Dolphins: 1-0
New England Patriots: 1-0
New York Jets: 1-0

Next: Where Are The AFC East Teams In Our Power Rankings?

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