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The AFC East saw a divisional matchup in the opening week of the NFL season. The Miami Dolphins and the New England Patriots squared off on Sunday, with the Dolphins recording an emphatic win.
The Buffalo Bills dominated reigning NFL Super Bowl champions the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday to the tune of 31-10. The season couldn't have started any better for the Bills or the Dolphins as they both started 1-0 in the AFC East.
The New York Jets, as expected, fell to the Baltimore Ravens 24-9. However, the Jets' offense was much more productive than anticipated. They recorded 24 first downs and outgained the Ravens by over 100 yards. They controlled the ball but consistently failed to convert third downs (2-14).
So what did we learn about the AFC East from the opening week of the NFL season?
The Buffalo Bills are for real in the 2022 NFL season
While it was just one game, the Bills certainly looked poised to capture the AFC East for a third straight season. But more than that, they look like they could win their first Super Bowl championship. The Bills looked fantastic on offense and were strong defensively.
Buffalo rolled out 423 yards of total offense and converted nine out of 10 third downs. Josh Allen was nearly flawless running the offense, despite being picked off twice. Isaiah McKenzie bumbled a first-quarter pass that ended up in the hands of Rams' linebacker Terrell Lewis. Allen's second interception came from an excellent play by cornerback Troy Hill.
Allen threw for nearly 300 yards and finished the game with 353 yards in total. He recorded four touchdowns, including one rushing. Allen, who completed 26 of 31 passes, is 42-20 as a starter and 10-5 in September. He has now surpassed 290 passing yards 15 times -- all since 2020 -- and 16 games of 50+ rushing yards.
The Bills running backs were productive, though they didn't manage a ton of yards. Devin Singletary averaged 6.0 yards per carry on eight attempts, and Zach Moss was a factor as a receiver out of the backfield.
Stefon Diggs also got off to a great start. He reeled in eight of nine passes over the course of 122 years, along with a score. The 28-year-old has caught 100 passes in his first two seasons with the team. Meanwhile, Gabriel Davis appears ready for a breakout season as he made four receptions for 88 yards. Wide receiver Jamison Crowder (3 catches for 28 yards) had an excellent Bills debut. However, tight end Dawson Knox, who is expected to be a big part of the offense, was only targeted twice.
Buffalo has the best defense in the AFC East, and the unit could once again be the best in the league. The Bills defense ranked first in scoring, total, and pass defense last season. They may have fixed their lone weakness from last year (bringing down the quarterback) with the addition of Von Miller. The Bills registered seven sacks against the Rams, with Miller tallying two. Jordan Phillips and A.J. Espenesa were credited with 1.5 sacks.
The Miami Dolphins are a serious threat this NFL campaign
The Dolphins started 1-0 and were excellent defensively. It was Miami's fourth consecutive victory over New England.
The Dolphins were stout against the run and harassed Mac Jones all day. They limited the Patriots to 78 net rushing yards while totaling four tackles for losses, two sacks, and six pass breakups. They also forced three turnovers, with Melvin Ingram scooping up a Jones fumble and returning it two yards for a touchdown.
Last year, Miami ranked sixth in scoring defense, though they were 16th in total defense and ranked in the middle of the pack against the run.
Offensively, the Dolphins controlled the ball and the pace of the game. They struggled on third-down, protecting Tua Tagovailoa and running the ball. However, Tagovailoa did get off to a solid start, as he completed nearly 70% of his passes for 270 yards while spreading the ball to nine different receivers.
Perhaps more importantly, Tagovailoa and Tyreek Hill appear to be developing good chemistry. The two hooked up on eight of the 12 targets for 94 yards. Jaylen Waddle also got off to an excellent start with four catches for 64 yards and a touchdown.
A poor start with a few positives for the New England Patriots
New England dominated the AFC East from 2001-2019. However, the Patriots' loss to the Dolphins marked the second straight year they began the 0-1 season in the division. They have lost seven of their last 13 games against AFC East foes.
This season is supposed to be Mac Jones' breakout party. It is just one game, but it appears the second-year signal caller still has a way to go to get into the top-tier of quarterbacks. Jones did complete 70% of his passes, though he averaged only 7.1 yards per attempt. The good news is that the X-rays taken on his back following the game came back negative.
Damien Harris did some nice things on the ground, averaging 5.3 yards per carry on nine attempts. Jakobi Meyers appears to be their top receiver, though Nelson Agholor -- who lost a fumble -- along with tight ends Jonnu Smith and Hunter Henry may be quite involved in the offense this NFL season.
Defensively, New England probably did demonstrate that they have the second-best unit in the AFC East. The Patriots completely shut down the Dolphins' ground game. The Pats also recorded three sacks, seven quarterback hits, and six tackles for losses.
No surprises but some real optimism for the New York Jets
The Jets appear bound to finish in the cellar of the AFC East for the sixth time in the last seven years. New York have now lost three straight NFL season openers, though the previous two seasons they began with a loss to the Buffalo Bills.
While the Jets weren't able to find the end zone until late, they did move the ball on the ground and through the air. Joe Flacco managed the game well as he threw for 307 yards, though it did take him nearly 60 attempts to do so. 13 of his 37 completions went to running backs Breece Hall and Michael Carter.
Sunday marked Flacco's eighth appearance since the 2020 NFL campaign. It also marked his first 300-yard passing game with the Jets and first since he was with the Denver Broncos in the 2019 NFL season. Flacco, who threw an interception and a touchdown in the game, is now 0-5 as a starter with New York. He is 2-11 over the last three years as a starter.
Carter had seven receptions and also ran the ball well. The second-year back averaged 6.0 yards per carry on 10 attempts, which included a big run of 22 yards. Corey Davis topped the team's wide receivers with six receptions for 77 yards. 2022 first-round draft pick Garrett Wilson brought in four passes while Elijah Moore had five catches.
The Jets defense surprisingly did a nice job against Lamar Jackson and the rest of the Ravens. New York owns the worst defense in the AFC East as well as the entire league. Their run defense was particularly strong. The Jets held the Ravens, who ranked third in rushing yards a season ago, to just 63 yards on 21 carries. Lamar Jackson finished with 17 yards on six attempts and the Ravens' longest run of the night was 10 yards.
Their pass defense wasn't bad, though they did give up two key long plays that resulted in touchdowns.
Week 2 of the 2022 NFL season: AFC East matchups
The Patriots travel to face the Pittsburgh Steelers in what will be a tough match. The Steelers are pleased with their unexpected 23-20 victory against the Cincinnati Bengals, though they will be wanting to see more from their offense.
The Jets travel to Ohio to play the Cleveland Browns. The Browns played a solid game in their 26-24 victory over the Carolina Panthers. If the Jets can play well against the run in this match, they could well cause an upset.
The Dolphins will play in Baltimore against the Ravens in what is a highly anticipated matchup. Both teams look very strong and this could be a future postseason game.
The Bills will welcome the Tennessee Titans to Buffalo on Monday. The Titans lost 21-20 to the New York Giants in Week 1 and will be looking to bounce back. If the Bills get off to a good start, they can neutralize the Titans' running game and this one could get messy. Alternatively, if they start badly, Tennessee will look to run them into the ground and could well frustrate them.
It should be an interesting Week 2 for the AFC East franchises.
