Tom Brady is back in New England and that keeps the Patriots in the Super Bowl mix.  They will continue to finds ways for Brady to utilize several components across the board with additions such as Joey Galloway and Chris Baker.  Laurence Maroney has failed to emerge as a feature back, which means they will mix and match on the ground again with Sammy Morris and former Jaguar Fred Taylor.  The offensive line slipped last season, but the Patriots have always schemed around their limitations.  I like Jerod Mayo as the face of their next generation on defense.  Bill Belichick should find more consistency in the secondary.  Shawn Springs (when healthy) and Leigh Bodden provide veteran stability while they blend young prospects like Terrence Wheatley, Jonathan Wilhite, and rookie Darius Butler into the mix. 

The presence of Rex Ryan has a lot of eyes on the New York Jets.  Ryan should have no problems molding a playoff contender immediately with a strong foundation on the defensive side of the ball.  Kris Jenkins is a monster in the trenches while Bart Scott and David Harris will make a lot of stops against the run.  They will create a lot of turnovers in the secondary with Darrelle Revis and Kerry Rhodes.  If Vernon Gholston develops as a force off the edge under Ryan, this defense will be dangerous.  On the offensive side of the ball, the Jets need to cut down on turnovers, but this will be hard to count on with a rookie quarterback.  A lot of pressure will be on Mark Sanchez immediately, but the presence of Thomas Jones and a stable offensive line helps this transition at quarterback. 

Chad Pennington's leadership was invaluable for the Miami Dolphins last season.  He stabilized the quarterback position by limiting turnovers, but can he do it again?  They will not surprise many people with the Wildcat this season and still lack playmakers in the passing game.  But the ground game behind Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams will keep the Dolphins competitive.  Joey Porter and Jason Taylor will be the heart of the defense and the major source of pressure off the edge, but both are 32 and 34 respectively.  Taylor is coming off an injury-shortened season.  And it will not be a good sign if rookie Vontae Davis fails to secure a starting spot opposite of Will Allen at cornerback. 

The Buffalo Bills are at a crossroads under Coach Jauron, but remember that Gregg Williams and Mike Mularkey couldn't get the Bills over the hump either.  Terrell Owens should improve their problems in the red zone last season and provides a much needed presence to complement Lee Evans in the passing game, but can Trent Edwards elevate his game?  Edwards has proven himself as a capable starter, but now must show he can create plays and lift an offense.  That will be tough behind a shaky offensive line.  The key on the defensive side of the ball will be Leodis McKelvin.  While the Bills have a deep unit at cornerback that maximizes their effectiveness in the red zone, they need McKelvin to help this defense create more turnovers.  I believe the Bills will struggle again to create pressure on the quarterback despite the addition of rookie Aaron Maybin.