AFC East Roundup: Wild Card Week

Well, it’s been a long week as a fan of an AFC East team. All four teams have made news this week in some capacity. The New York Jets and New England Patriots are making news in the coaching front. Meanwhile, the Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills are making news in the injury front before their Wild Card matchup. So, let’s dive into the latest developments around the division this week.

Final AFC East Standings

Buffalo Bills

• The Bills announced that Safety Damar Hamlin has been discharged from Buffalo General Medical Center, just a short time after leaving UC Medical Center.
• The Bills also announced that Safety Micah Hyde and WR Jamison Crowder’s 21 day practice window has opened, and they both practiced Wednesday. Neither will play this weekend.

• Nyheim Hines is this week’s AFC Special Teams Player of the Week.

Miami Dolphins

• The Dolphins announced Wednesday that QB Tua Tagovailoa won’t play this week. With Teddy Bridgewater still rehabbing his injury, Skylar Thompson will start against the rival Bills.
• In other Dolphins injury news, it doesn’t sound like star OT Terron Armstead will play in Sunday’s Wild Card game, or the rest of the season if they make it past this week.
• Assistant Coach Pat Surtain is leaving the Dolphins to become Florida State’s Defensive Backs Coach.

New York Jets

• The rumors came true Wednesday as the Jets fired OC Mike LaFleur after just two seasons. LaFleur had interest from other teams, and both sides felt it was in their best interest to step away. This comes after the Jets failed to score a touchdown in each of the team’s final three games.
• One possible replacement is Miami Dolphins QB Coach Darrell Bevell, according to Conner Hughes.

New England Patriots

• HC/GM Bill Belichick met with team brass this week and came to the conclusion that a change on the offensive staff is likely this off-season.
• The Patriots and Atlanta Falcons coaching staffs will coach this year’s East-West Shrine game.
• One name to keep in mind for the Patriots’ next OC is Kliff Kingsbury, according to Albert Breer. Breer mentions Belichick has some level of fascination with what Kingsbury has done.
• As of Wednesday morning, there has been no contact between the Patriots and Alabama OC Bill O’Brien.

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