Bills Central

Bully Bills: Buffalo Favored to Again Win AFC East?

Long a throne hogged by Tom Brady and the New England Patriots, Josh Allen and the Bills are heavily favored to win their third consecutive division title in 2022.
Richie Whitt|
Bully Bills: Buffalo Favored to Again Win AFC East?
Bully Bills: Buffalo Favored to Again Win AFC East?

Once upon a time in the era of Brady, the New England Patriots ruled the AFC East liked a ruthless dictator. Four teams played, but in reality it was a one-team division.

From 2009-19 the Patriots of Bill Belichick-Tom Brady won 11 consecutive division championships and sprinkled in three Super Bowl titles. After Brady's arrival in Foxboro in 2000, New England won the AFC East an almost unfathomable 17 times in 20 seasons.

But in 2020 the iconic quarterback left, and took New England's dynasty with him. With his departure and the rise of Josh Allen, the AFC East now belongs to the Buffalo Bills.

While the Patriots haven't won a playoff game since Brady left, the Bills have won the last two division titles and are heavy favorites to win again in 2022 along with being a trendy Super Bowl pick out of the AFC.

If the changing of the guard was in question, last January's 47-17 dominating playoff victory over the Patriots in Orchard Park answered it ... with a resounding exclamation point. The Bills set an NFL playoff record by scoring a touchdown on all seven possessions and sent New England into a long, cold offseason of reflection about a second-year quarterback without enough weapons and a defense that completely ran out of gas after December.

Las Vegas oddsmakers predict more of the same in 2022.

Armed with what many experts believe is the best roster in the NFL, the Bills are favored in every game this season except two: The Week 1 opener at the defending Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams and a Week 6 playoff rematch against the Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium.

As a trendy Super Bowl pick out of the AFC, the coach Sean McDermott's Bills are obviously to again run through the East. Buffalo is favored to sweep the Patriots, Dolphins and Jets, with New England staked an 8-to-1 longshot to sweep Buffalo.

A look at this season's AFC East betting projections:

Bills vs. Dolphins

Buffalo Win 2-0 -105

Series Tied 1-1 +140

Dolphins Win 2-0 +600

Bills vs. Jets

Buffalo Win 2-0 -210

Series Tied 1-1 +200

Jets Win 2-0 +1400

Bills vs. Patriots

Buffalo Win 2-0 -130

Series Tied 1-1 +150

Patriots Win 2-0 +800

Published
Richie Whitt
RICHIE WHITT

Richie Whitt has been a sports media fixture in Dallas-Fort Worth since graduating from UT-Arlington in 1986. His career is highlighted by successful stints in print (Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Dallas Observer), TV (NBC5) and radio (105.3 The Fan). During his almost 40-year tenure, he's blabbed and blogged on events ranging from Super Bowls to NBA Finals to World Series to Stanley Cups to Olympics to Wimbledons to World Cups. Whitt has been covering the NFL since 1989, and in 1993 authored The 'Boys Are Back, a book chronicling the Dallas Cowboys' run to Super Bowl XXVII.

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