Saturday, Nov. 17, 2001

Read between the lines in AFC East

Perception is nothing here; the standings are what counts

By Andy Hanacek, Associate editor

First, you have the Dolphins at the top of the division. Many folks picked them and the Colts to duke it out for AFC East supremacy. So they are supposedly where they belong. The Jets are in second, and they are battling the Dolphins, not the Colts. The Colts, strangely enough, are in fourth place and in danger of dropping below .500.

You have the Patriots in third place, which in and of itself is strange. And then there are the Bills, wallowing in last place, probably in worse shape than many people could have imagined.

So why was I surprised? Well, if you look at all the media coverage (or lack thereof) nationally without looking at the standings, you'd probably think different things about these clubs.

Personally, I am a bit surprised that the Jets and Dolphins are battling it out. The Jets have struggled mightily on defense, and the media has run with that and blown it out of proportion. Here's the key though: In the last few games, New York's defense has stepped up, and through every game, it has produced turnovers, something that makes up for big yardage-allowed stats. The offense hasn't been special through the air, but it doesn't need to be since Curtis Martin is leading the league in rushing.

If you simply read about the Dolphins, you'd know that Jay Fiedler has given up the ball far too many times and that Lamar Smith is having a bad
year. The defense hasn't sacked quarterbacks too often, and the secondary's interception total is way off last year. But the key is that Fiedler has led his team to victory at times this year and has nearly made up for his turnover problems. The other key is that the defense is actually improved in some areas; it just isn't getting the big plays.

When you talk about surprises, the Patriots are the good story of the year thus far. Of course, Drew Bledsoe's injury may have indirectly led to this good story, which is a shame, but I think Pats fans will take it as is. The way people are talking about New England and QB Tom Brady, it's as though they are Super Bowl-bound. They're not. While they are in playoff contention, their defense is too ordinary to get them that far. Also, their running game is too inconsistent. They might make noise, but they won't get to the big show.

The Colts, on the other hand, are being portrayed by some in the national
media as toast. Basically, they lost Edgerrin James, so it's all over. But really, it's not. Personally, I don't think they have the cards stacked in their favor, but they could make a run for the playoffs. Never count Peyton Manning and his receivers out. Manning could use some help from the defense though, which has improved ever so slightly.

Then, there are the Bills, who aren't talking playoffs. They're simply talking about getting healthy and seeing what they really have. I sense no
enthusiasm, despite the fact that anti-Rob Johnson folks usually get excited when he gets hurt and the Bills have a chance to go with any quarterback other than him.

This time it's efficient Alex Van Pelt. We'll see how he handles a newly healthy offensive line and the potential sacks headed his way.

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2001 - 2002 Season