Bills GM very wary of dismissing Tom Brady-less Patriots in AFC East

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The AFC East is wide open this season now that Tom Brady finally left the New England Patriots to join the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Just don't tell that to the Patriots' competitors.

Buffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane apparently has heard the chatter that his team is the new AFC East favorite in 2020 -- and doesn't agree with it (publicly, at least).

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"It's funny and comical how people are writing off the Patriots in the AFC East, and even saying how we're the team to beat," Beane said Thursday in a video conference with reporters, via WGR 550's Sal Capaccio.

"Know who the team to beat in the AFC East is? The Patriots. And until we beat them, we've done nothing."

You can make a compelling case for the Bills in the AFC East this season: They added a top-flight wide receiver in Stefon Diggs to catch passes from improving quarterback Josh Allen and boast an elite defense that helped the club go 10-6 last season.

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The Patriots, meanwhile, are expected to roll with second-year quarterback Jarrett Stidham in what could be a rebuilding year for head coach Bill Belichick and company.

Yet Belichick has built up enough respect over the last 20 years to make his competitors wary of providing New England any bulletin board material. After all, the Patriots went 13-6 without Brady during the 19 games he missed in New England since 2001.

That may explain why oddsmakers still favor the Patriots (slightly) to win the division for a 12th straight season.

The Bills likely are very confident bunch entering 2020 and are champing at the bit to dethrone the Patriots and win their first AFC East title since 1995.

Just don't expect them to admit that publicly.

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