Apparently when Tom Brady's four-game suspension was upheld by the Second Circuit, that meant blood in the water for the rest of the AFC East. The future Hall of Famer's absence didn't just signal a glimmer of hope for his competitors with the Bills, Dolphins and Jets, For some, it meant the division was now there for taking.
Jets receiver Eric Decker spoke to NFL Network earlier this week and said as much.
"I think we're there, to be honest," Decker said, via the New york Daily News. "We're set up with a tough schedule . . . a playoff team's schedule. You got to win your division games. With Brady being suspended four games, I think it makes that division up for grabs. I believe in this team that we're ready to make the run now."
That's a strong take for anyone on a team that, at the moment, is planning on trotting out Geno Smith, Bryce Petty or Christian Hackenberg as its starting quarterback for Week 1. Plus, the Jets won't play the Patriots until November -- New England takes on Arizona, Miami, Houston and Buffalo in the first four weeks of the season -- so Decker and the Jets would be relying on some help in order for the reigning division champs to be toppled with Jimmy Garoppolo under center.
Sure, Brady's suspension should be welcomed with open arms by the Jets, Bills and Dolphins. And theoretically, Decker is right: The division is up for grabs, as it is every year.
But to throw out those comments on national television -- especially when the Patriots have won the division in each of the last seven seasons -- might only serve as motivation for Bill Belichick's club, and in particular Garoppolo.
Remember, back in 2009, looking for a spark before a division game with Miami, Belichick reminded the Patriots that then-Dolphins head coach Tony Sparano told his players the AFC East "goes through us." Belichick lingered on that statement in a team meeting in order to emphasize the point: They think they're better than you.
New England Patriots
It would come as no surprise if at some point Belichick highlighted Decker's recent quote in order to remind his players that people are expecting them to fail with Brady out.