NEW YORK -- This could be the year.
You know, when Buffalo, Miami or the New York Jets (finally) step up and (finally) overtake New England for supremacy in the AFC East -- something the Patriots have had for most of the last two decades.
Tom Brady has brought his six Super Bowl rings to Tampa Bay. The suddenly unretired Rob Gronkowski has joined him. Stephen Gostkowski, James Develin, Kyle Van Noy and Jamie Collins also are gone.
So, this is the perfect time for the Patriots' division rivals to pounce, right?
Well, yeah. But not so fast.