Why the Patriots (Yes, the Patriots) Will Win the AFC East This Year

Don’t be surprised if this happens.

We are now exactly 100 days away from the start of the 2023 NFL season, which means it’s a perfect time to get ready for football by checking out Sports Illustrated senior writer Conor Orr’s 100 predictions for what could happen both on and off the field this year.

One of those predictions is a pretty bold one—Mac Jones and the Patriots winning the AFC East. 

The division, with the addition of Aaron Rodgers, should have plenty of juicy storylines and there’s tons of talent across the four different rosters, including a Buffalo team that won the AFC East in 2022. 

Here’s why Orr thinks New England will come out on top this year: 

Bill O’Brien is back and carrying a new bag of tricks from his Alabama getaway. This offense can sensibly grind out games behind a brilliant defense. You’ll ask: But what about the Dolphins, Jets and Bills? My thought is that this division may end up collapsing in on itself a little bit. There are a lot of heavyweight punchers here, each of which have some very talented but fatal flaws. The Dolphins, for example, are going to have a tough time not burning themselves out. The Bills are dependent on reinventing themselves around an intentionally less mobile Josh Allen. The Jets’ title hopes rest on the shoulders of Aaron Rodgers, who may be great and newly motivated. He is also flirting with age 40 and may be starting to show it. 

Dive into the rest of the predictions here.