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Earlier this week we put the spotlight on the left tackle position of the Buffalo Bills. I talked to Bills coach Chan Gailey about the position last week at the NFL owners meetings, and he said the position is still a question mark with several options.

One of those options was just taken off the board Wednesday. Former Buffalo left tackle Demetrius Bell signed a five-year contract with the Philadelphia Eagles to replace the injured Jason Peters (Achilles). Bell was a former seventh-round pick for Buffalo who started 30 games. But injuries derailed Bell in 2011 and he played just seven games.

Buffalo liked Bell and was interested in him at a reasonable price. But the Bills were not going to overpay and give Bell premium left tackle money. Interest eventually picked up for Bell and he signed elsewhere.

Bell’s departure heightens the need for Buffalo to find a starting-caliber left tackle in the draft. Buffalo holds the No. 10 pick and has been projected by many to take Iowa's Riley Reiff. The Bills' other options at left tackle would be to go with 22-year old Chris Hairston, who is raw, or move Andy Levitre from guard to left tackle.

The AFC East blog continues its rankings of the top 40 players in the division.

Here are Nos. 21-24:

No. 24: Antonio Cromartie, CB

Team: New York Jets

Stats: 45 tackles, four interceptions

Analysis: Cromartie isn't the same player he was a few years ago. But he's still a solid No. 2 option for the Jets. Cromartie gets a lot of balls thrown his way playing opposite Pro Bowl corner Darrelle Revis. This year it seemed Cromartie was beat in coverage more than in past years. But Cromartie did provide several big interception returns and a boost returning kicks. He is a gifted athlete who can still have a big game at any time.

No. 23: Andy Levitre, OL

Team: Buffalo Bills

Stats: 16 starts

Analysis: Levitre was one of the most impressive offensive linemen I watched all season in the AFC East. He was the only player in the division to start at three positions -- tackle, guard and center -- in 2011. Center was the only position Levitre had problems with, but he is a very good guard and tackle. Versatility is his biggest strength. Levitre also is 25 and will only get better.

No. 22: Paul Soliai, NT

Team: Miami Dolphins

Stats: 27 tackles

Analysis: As with most nose tackles in a 3-4 defense, the stats don't tell the full story for Soliai. He is a stud in the middle and he's about to cash in as an unrestricted free agent. Soliai played with the one-year franchise tag in 2011 and was key to Miami's tough run defense. He only recorded 27 tackles but took up many double-teams to allow other Dolphin defenders to make plays. The Dolphins are not expected to franchise Soliai a second straight year, and the team has been unable to work out a contract extension. Look for another team with a 3-4 defense to swoop in.

No. 21: Brian Waters, G

Team: New England Patriots

Stats: 16 starts

Analysis: Lost in the hype of the Chad Ochocinco and Albert Haynesworth additions was the Patriots' free-agent signing of Waters. The guard quietly came in and put up another Pro Bowl season in his first year with New England. Waters quickly picked up the system and was a steady force on a Patriots' offensive line that suffered multiple injuries. Waters, 34, played most of his career in Kansas City. He earned his first playoff win this season and nearly got his first Super Bowl ring.

The 2011 season was an interesting one filled with ups and mostly downs for the AFC East. Only one team finished with a winning record.

But that doesn't mean the AFC East lacked great individual performances. For example, the division produced an MVP candidate at quarterback who threw for more than 5,000 yards and another stellar season from the best cornerback in football.

Here is our All-AFC East Team for 2011:

Quarterback: Tom Brady, New England Patriots

Analysis: There is no question about this one. Brady set a new career-high with 5,235 passing yards, which surpassed Dan Marino's old record. New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (5,476) finished with more yards and has the new record. Brady is the single biggest reason the Patriots are 13-3 and have home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. His performance carried New England through injuries and inconsistencies in other areas. Brady will be chasing his fourth Super Bowl title in the playoffs.

Running back: Fred Jackson, Buffalo Bills

Analysis: This might be a controversial pick, because two other running backs -- Reggie Bush and Shonn Greene -- had 1,000-yard seasons. But Jackson was the best running back I watched this season. He simply had some bad luck, suffering a season-ending leg injury. He was on his way to making his first Pro Bowl. Jackson rushed for 934 yards and six touchdowns in 10 games. He had an additional 442 yards receiving. His numbers would be off the charts if he'd played the final six games.

Fullback: Charles Clay, Dolphins

Analysis: Clay was one of the surprise rookies from Miami's draft class. He was a good blocker for Bush, has great hands and knows what to do with the football. Clay caught 16 passes for 233 yards. He averaged 14.6 yards per reception, which is astounding for a fullback. John Conner of the Jets is the best blocking fullback. But Conner is not a receiving threat.

Receivers: Wes Welker, Patriots; Brandon Marshall, Dolphins

Analysis: The best receivers in the AFC East this season are a pair of Pro Bowlers. Welker had an unbelievable year. He set a new career high with 1,569 yards. He also caught 122 passes and was one of the league's most sure-handed receivers. Marshall, in contrast, wasn't sure-handed. He had plenty of big drops, but still had a good season. Marshall caught 81 passes for 1,214 yards and six touchdowns. What's even more impressive is that Marshall put up big numbers despite Miami's in-season quarterback switch from Chad Henne to Matt Moore.

Tight end: Rob Gronkowski, Patriots

Analysis: Gronkowski showed flashes as a rookie. But no one knew he would explode the way he did in his second season. "Gronk" set an NFL record for tight ends with 17 touchdowns. He averaged more than one per game, despite many teams' focus on stopping him late in the season. Gronkowski finished with 90 receptions for 1,327 yards and made his first Pro Bowl. Considering he's only 22, it will most likely be the first of many Pro Bowls.

Center: Nick Mangold, Jets

Analysis: Jets head coach Rex Ryan says a lot of things. But we believe him when he says Mangold is the best center in the NFL. Mangold fought through an ankle injury but had another solid season. He was named to his fourth consecutive Pro Bowl. The Jets' offensive line was up and down but completely fell apart when Mangold missed two games. New York's entire running game and blocking scheme is built around its center -- and for good reason.

Guards: Logan Mankins, Patriots; Andy Levitre, Bills

Analysis: Mankins, who made his fourth Pro Bowl, stayed healthy right up until the end and played 15 of 16 games. He should be ready for the playoffs. Levitre was one of my favorite players to watch because of his versatility. He's a very good guard, a solid offensive tackle and struggled at center. Levitre was forced to play all three positions in Buffalo this season because of injuries.

Offensive tackles: Jake Long, Dolphins; Matt Light, Patriots

Analysis: Long played through injuries all season. His back bothered him, and he ended up on injured reserve after tearing his biceps. But Long at 80 percent is still better than most left tackles, and he was good enough to make his fourth Pro Bowl in four years. Light gets our last tackle spot over New York's D’Brickashaw Ferguson. The Pro Bowl nod went to Ferguson. But Ferguson struggled at times this season and didn't play up to his usual standards. I think Ferguson got in on reputation and name recognition.

Defensive ends: Andre Carter, Patriots; Mark Anderson, Patriots

Analysis: No one flinched when the Patriots quietly signed a pair of veteran defensive ends in free agency to bolster their pass rush. Most of the focus was on big-name acquisitions such as receiver Chad Ochocinco and defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth. But two of New England's best signings were Carter and Anderson. Each finished with 10 sacks, and Carter made the Pro Bowl despite a late, season-ending quad injury. For all of New England's issues on defense, arguably its biggest strength was rushing the passer. The Patriots registered 40 sacks, and Carter and Anderson combined for half of that total.

Defensive tackles: Vince Wilfork, Patriots; Sione Pouha, Jets

Analysis: Wilfork, 30, continues to improve with age. He combines strength and smarts to play defensive tackle/nose tackle. Wilfork finished with 52 tackles and 3.5 sacks. But it was his two interceptions this season that were most memorable. Wilfork rumbled for 28 and 19 yards, respectively, on his two picks. The second defensive tackle was one of the most difficult selections. But we went with Pouha over Miami's Paul Soliai. Pouha's numbers were more impressive for a nose tackle. He recorded 58 tackles, one sack and one forced fumble. Soliai played well for Miami but registered only 27 tackles.

Outside linebackers: Cameron Wake, Dolphins; Calvin Pace, Jets

Analysis: It was a down year for outside linebackers in the AFC East. Wake and Pace were the best of a thin crop. Wake's sack numbers dipped from 14 to 8.5 this season. Teams put more focus on Wake, and he faced more double teams. Pace stayed healthy this season but recorded his lowest sack total (4.5) since 2006. Pace's backup, Aaron Maybin, led the Jets with six sacks.

Inside linebackers: David Harris, Jets; Karlos Dansby, Dolphins

Analysis: Harris continues to be one of the most underrated players in the NFL. Harris was the Jets' most consistent defensive player outside of Darrelle Revis. He was always around the football and recorded 86 tackles, five sacks and four interceptions. The second inside linebacker was another tough call. But we think Dansby had a slightly better season than New England's Jerod Mayo. A tailback getting 100 yards against the Dolphins' defense was rare, in large part due to Dansby. He established a physical presence in the middle for Miami and recorded 103 tackles and two sacks.

Cornerbacks: Darrelle Revis, Jets; Kyle Arrington, Patriots

Analysis: What more can you say about Revis? He had another great season for the Jets. He led New York with 21 passes defended, and tied for the team lead with four interceptions. One pick was returned 100 yards for a touchdown. Teams opted to attack Revis more this season, which allowed more chances for him to make big plays. Arrington was this year's version of Devin McCourty. New England gave up a lot of passing yards, but Arrington made the most of his interception opportunities. He led the Patriots with seven picks and had 88 tackles.

Safeties: Yeremiah Bell, Dolphins; George Wilson, Bills

Analysis: The safeties struggled in the AFC East this season. But Bell was probably the most consistent in the division. He led Miami with 107 tackles. He also had two sacks and one interception. Wilson played lights out at times, particularly early in the season. He set a career high with 106 tackles and tied a career mark with four interceptions. Wilson did all of this despite missing three games with injuries.

Punter: Brandon Fields, Dolphins

Analysis: Fields was spectacular this season. He averaged 48.8 yards per punt and had 32 punts inside the 20. Fields was the only Dolphins player exciting to watch during Miami's ugly 0-7 start. Fields had a Pro Bowl season. But Oakland Raiders punter and Pro Bowler Shane Lechler is probably the best punter in the NFL.

Kicker: Stephen Gostkowski, Patriots

Analysis: Fantasy football players fell in love with Gostkowski this season. New England's high-scoring offense constantly put Gostkowski in position to rack up points, and he usually came through. Gostkowski led New England in scoring with 143 points. He made 28 of 33 field goals and all 59 extra points. The pressure of the playoffs always is different for kickers. But Gostkowski has shown no signs that he will be bothered by it.

Return specialist: Joe McKnight, Jets

Analysis: McKnight was a must-see because something exciting could happen every time he touched the ball. McKnight was fun to watch in the open field. He averaged 31.6 yards per kick return and is a Pro Bowl alternate on special teams. His longest of the season was a 107-yard touchdown return. The next step for McKnight is to develop as a running back. With LaDainian Tomlinson a free agent, McKnight could get a chance to backup Greene next season.

The AFC East had 13 players selected for the Pro Bowl this week. That is impressive, considering only one team from the division most likely is going to the playoffs.

But this time of year people like to talk about the Pro Bowl snubs as much as they talk about the players who are going to Hawaii. In our latest edition of “Poll Friday,” we want to know who was the biggest Pro Bowl snub in the AFC East.

Was it New York Jets linebacker David Harris? Outside of Pro Bowl corner Darrelle Revis, Harris has been the most consistent defensive player for the Jets this season. He recorded 84 tackles in addition to five sacks and four interceptions.

What about Miami Dolphins punter Brandon Fields? He has 31 punts inside the 20 and averages 48.9 yards per punt for Miami. He was the team’s only bright spot this year.

Was New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez snubbed? The Patriots already had eight players in the Pro Bowl and Hernandez could have been a victim of the numbers game. He’s the backup to Pro Bowl tight end Rob Gronkowski. It would’ve been odd to have the starter and backup from one team in the Pro Bowl, but Hernandez’s numbers (72 receptions, 772 yards) are impressive.

Finally, don’t forget about Buffalo Bills offensive lineman Andy Levitre. The versatile lineman started at tackle, guard and center this season. Perhaps not sticking to one position hurt his Pro Bowl chances.

Using our SportsNation poll, vote on the biggest Pro Bowl snub from the AFC East. You can also share your thoughts in the comment section below.

Reason No. 20. Bills, Jets still in playoff hunt: With the way these two teams have played lately, both are fortunate to still have a chance at the postseason. One team's hopes will end when Buffalo plays at New York this Sunday.

Reason No. 19. Tony Sparano: Say what you want about Sparano, but the embattled head coach has the Dolphins playing their best football. Miami made the right choice to stick with him the rest of this season.

Reason No. 18. Andy Levitre: Buffalo's Mr. Versatile has started at guard, offensive tackle and center. Levitre struggled at center, but the Bills put him in a bad spot.

Reason No. 17. Joe McKnight: Every time he touches the ball, something exciting can happen. But the Jets' young running back needs to work on ball security to earn the trust of the coaching staff.

Reason No. 16. C.J. Spiller: Buffalo is fortunate to have its 2010 first-round pick now that starter Fred Jackson is out for the season. Spiller finally gets his chance after nearly two seasons as a backup.

Reason No. 15. Brandon Fields: Miami's punter is quietly having a Pro Bowl season. But the Dolphins' 3-7 record won't get him much attention.

Reason No. 14. Mike Pouncey: Miami hit on this year's first-round pick. The center has been one of the team's steadiest players in an unsteady season.

Reason No. 13. Nick Mangold: The Jets have the best center in the league. They wish they had two or three more Mangolds on their offensive line.

Reason No. 12. Patriots' defense improving: If New England's weakest link plays like it has the past two weeks, the Patriots will be dangerous in the postseason.

Reason No. 11. Miami is healthy: The Dolphins are fortunate to be so healthy late in the season. It's one of the reasons Miami is playing well in the spoiler role.

Reason No. 10. Kyle Arrington: The Patriots cornerback is this year's version of Devin McCourty. Arrington leads the NFL in interceptions and stays around the football.

Reason No. 9. Bill Belichick: New England has the best coach in the division and one of the best ever. Despite a flawed team, Belichick finds a way to keep the Patriots in Super Bowl contention.

Reason No. 8. MetLife Stadium: The Jets are 4-1 at home this season. That's a good thing, because New York must win its three remaining home games to stay in the hunt.

Reason No. 7: Wes Welker: New England's top receiver is having the best year of his career. He leads the NFL with 1,028 receiving yards.

Reason No. 6: Dolphins defense: Miami's defense finally looks like the dominant unit from a year ago. The Dolphins haven't allowed a touchdown in three games.

Reason No. 5: Patriots tight ends: Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez are the best tight-end duo in the NFL. I would put Gronkowski in my top five and Hernandez in or around the top 10.

Reason No. 4: Matt Moore: Despite only playing in seven games, Moore has to be in consideration for Miami's MVP. He's one of the biggest reasons for the Dolphins' late turnaround.

Reason No. 3: Patriots’ easy schedule: New England has to be thankful for the NFL's easiest remaining schedule. As a result, beware of New England if the road to the Super Bowl goes through Gillette Stadium.

Reason No. 2: Darrelle Revis: Health permitting, the cornerback will be an all-time great. New York has the rare luxury to shut down a star receiver or one half of the field every game. You just hope the Jets aren't wasting Revis' prime years by underachieving in other areas.

Reason No. 1: Tom Brady: For more than a decade, Brady has been the biggest equalizer in the AFC East. The Patriots can overcome many deficiencies because Brady is an elite quarterback. Until the Bills, Jets or Dolphins find a quarterback good enough to counter Brady, New England will remain the favorite in the division.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone. Enjoy the holiday.

Here are seven notes and observations from Week 11 in the AFC East:

• [+] Enlarge
  AP Photo/Barry GutierrezMark Sanchez has been sacked eight times in the Jets' past two games.
  New York's inconsistent offensive line is mediocre again. Its pass protection has been horrid of late. The Jets have allowed eight sacks of quarterback Mark Sanchez in the past two games. The third-year quarterback is on pace to be sacked more any season of his career. Sanchez was sacked 26 and 27 times his first two seasons. But he's already been sacked 25 times in 10 games. Sanchez is getting a lion's share of the blame in New York, but his offensive line isn't helping.
• Barring a 5-1 finish, I don't see any way the Jets (5-5) get into the playoffs. They are behind in most tiebreakers, including head-to-head and conference record. New York lost to the Denver Broncos (5-5), Oakland Raiders (6-4) and Baltimore Ravens (7-3) this season. Those teams would get in before New York even with the same record. But conference record is the second tiebreaker and New York is just 4-5. The Jets have three remaining games against AFC teams and need to win all of them to have a chance.
• While the Jets have a small chance, I think the Buffalo Bills are finished. It's not just their three-game losing streak, it's the way Buffalo is losing by an average margin of 27.7 points per game in that span. The Bills are in the same boat as New York. Buffalo must go 5-1 and hope for some help. But that would be an unbelievable turnaround with the way Buffalo is currently playing. I think doubt also is starting to creep in about whether this team is as good as it thinks. Even if the Bills find a way to pull the upset Sunday against the Jets, I doubt Buffalo is consistent or healthy enough to run off a string of wins.
• Buffalo's coaching staff made a big tactical error in moving Andy Levitre to center in place of the injured Eric Wood. Levitre is Buffalo's best guard, his natural position. He's also solid at tackle. But Levitre had his worst game of the year at center in Sunday's loss to the Miami Dolphins. Buffalo runs a lot of shotgun and Levitre had multiple issues with the snap. The rain in Miami certainly didn't help. Bills head coach Chan Gailey was apologetic after the game when talking about Levitre. The coaches know they didn't put their best remaining offensive lineman in a position to succeed.
• So what do you make of the hot Dolphins, winners of three straight? Each week they are becoming harder to figure out. There are two ways to look at this: Either the team improved dramatically the past three weeks, or the Dolphins underachieved the previous seven games. I think it was the latter, and Miami is finally playing up to its talent level.
• Miami's defense was lights out on third down. The Dolphins held Buffalo to 0-for-12 on third-down conversions, which I think is one of the most important stats in football. This week there was no particular standout for Miami. Everyone played solid and knew their assignments. The Dolphins have a chance to spoil a lot of teams’ playoff hopes playing defense at this level.
• The New England Patriots should win Monday night against the Kansas City Chiefs. But looking ahead to next week, New England’s Week 12 game on the road against the Philadelphia Eagles doesn’t look so easy. Backup quarterback Vince Young led the Eagles to a 17-10 win over the New York Giants, a team the Patriots couldn’t beat a couple of weeks ago. The Eagles game is probably the most dangerous game left on New England’s schedule.

Here are the most interesting stories Thursday morning in the AFC East:

• Former Miami Dolphin Mercury Morris said he would gladly toast the Green Bay Packers if they run the table and go 19-0.

Morning take: Nothing against Mercury Morris. But why does the media always go to him when there's an undefeated team late in the season? There were plenty of great players from the unbeaten 1972 Dolphins. Let's hear their thoughts as well.

• Numbers don't tell the complete story with New England Patriots nose tackle Vince Wilfork.

Morning take: For all the criticism of New England's defense, this group is solid against the run, ranking ninth in the NFL in yards allowed per game. Wilfork is a major reason. He's even helped the pass defense with a couple of unexpected interceptions.

• Buffalo Bills offensive lineman Andy Levitre will play center this week against the Dolphins.

Morning take: Where would the Bills be without Levitre? He may be the only lineman to start at guard, tackle and center this season.

• Former NFL safety John Lynch has more on the high-profile matchup between Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow and the New York Jets' defense.

Morning take: I'm excited to watch this game. I've seen both teams play in person this year and think it's an interesting style matchup. We will have plenty on this game throughout the day.

» NFC Stock Watch: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

FALLING

1. Miami Dolphins' poise: The Dolphins (0-6) are setting records for being inept. They are the first team to blow a 15-point lead in the final three minutes since the NFL-AFL merger, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Once Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow got hot, Miami completely unraveled on offense, defense and special teams. The Dolphins' defense allowed two late touchdown drives to Tebow, the special teams failed to recover an onside kick, and Miami quarterback Matt Moore's sack and fumble led to Denver's game-winning field goal. It was a teamwide collapse.

2. Tony Sparano, Miami head coach: The Dolphins' coach is one of the AFC East leaders in the "falling" category this season. He dropped his ninth straight game as head coach. The Dolphins also are an astounding 1-12 in Sparano's last 13 home games. It's just a matter of time before Miami makes a coaching change. It could happen next week or at the end of the season. But Miami can't continue down this path beyond the 2011 season.

3. New York Jets in the first half: This may sound like nitpicking -- New York eventually came back to beat the Chargers -- but the Jets have started slow for the past month. New York trailed at halftime in three of its past four games. The Jets led at halftime only against the winless Dolphins, 14-6, in that span. New York overcame a 21-10 deficit last week against the Chargers. The Jets are 4-3 and cannot continue to rely on second-half rallies if they want to make the playoffs.

RISING

1. Shonn Greene, Jets tailback: The AFC East blog has been critical of Greene's lack of production all season. So it's fair to give Greene credit when he has a great game. Green rushed for a season-high 112 yards on 20 carries. He ran strong between the tackles against the Chargers and averaged 5.6 yards per carry. The Jets can win a lot of games if Greene runs this way more consistently. This is the first 100-yard game for Greene in 2011.

2. Plaxico Burress, Jets receiver: Burress had the most impressive four-catch, 25-yard performance a receiver can have. Burress was unstoppable in the red zone against San Diego. He scored all three of New York's touchdowns to lead the Jets to a 27-21 win. The Jets invested $3 million into Burress for games like this. He's a big body who can make quarterback Mark Sanchez's job a lot easier when the offense is clicking.

3. Rest for Patriots and Bills: The Buffalo Bills and New England Patriots should benefit from the bye week. Both teams had injuries and gave key players two weeks to heal. For the Patriots, Pro Bowl linebacker Jerod Mayo is improving and has a chance to return against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Buffalo is expected to get back starting linebacker Chris Kelsay. Linebacker Shawne Merriman (Achilles) also said last week he expects to play against Washington, but nothing has been made official by the Bills.

Buffalo Bills

Andy Levitre says he'll use his demotion to the second team as motivation.

Stevie Johnson says he wants to share the leadership role.

Miami Dolphins

After his abrupt "retirement," Channing Crowder says he plans to return to the NFL next year.

With training camp about to break, the Dolphins have a chance to assess where things stand.

New England Patriots

Shalise Manza Young of The Boston Globe weighs in on the apparent unsettled nature of the Patriots' secondary.

Mike Reiss and Mike Rodak of ESPNBoston.com offer their latest roster projections.

New York Jets

Injuries are forcing New York to come up with a new backup plan for its offensive line.

Filip Bondy of the New York Daily News: "After one exhibition game -- which admittedly is as decisive as an Iowa straw poll -- the Jets are smiling through some rather large cavities on offense."

» NFC labor impact: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

A team-by-team look at how a continued labor impasse and extended NFL freeze on transactions would affect the division:

Buffalo Bills: The Bills are a young team that built momentum toward the end of last season. They went 4-4 in the second half. Over a six-game stretch in October and November, they went 2-4, and each loss was by three points to an eventual playoff team. Three of those losses were in overtime.

A prolonged work stoppage would stunt Buffalo's development. Coach Chan Gailey is entering his second year but his first offseason with Ryan Fitzpatrick as starting quarterback. The Bills also could draft a quarterback next month but they wouldn't be able to sign him or work with him until there's a new collective bargaining agreement.

Inexperienced players with one or two years dot the roster: running back C.J. Spiller, guards Eric Wood and Andy Levitre, nose tackle Torell Troup, outside linebackers Aaron Maybin and Arthur Moats and safety Jairus Byrd. They would benefit from as much prep time as they can get.

Miami Dolphins: The Dolphins' offense will have serious difficulty taking shape if there's a long work stoppage. Incumbent quarterback Chad Henne wouldn't be on the securest footing if we were heading into a normal offseason. The Dolphins were frustrated enough to remove him as their starter twice last year. Now he's working with a new offensive coordinator, Brian Daboll, and new quarterbacks coach, Karl Dorrell, who never has been a quarterbacks coach before.

Henne got a head start on his offseason by meeting with Daboll and Dorrell to try to absorb as much of the playbook as he could. Henne intends to communicate Daboll's philosophies to his teammates with informal workouts in South Florida.

That's where the Dolphins can have an advantage if they remain diligent. A large percentage of their players maintain homes in South Florida, making it easy for them to assemble for group sessions.

All of Henne's work could be rendered moot if the Dolphins want to acquire another quarterback, but then they'll have another problem. Until there's a new CBA, teams cannot sign free agents or make player trades. That means the Dolphins are in limbo if they want to make a play for an intriguing group of candidates that includes Kevin Kolb, Kyle Orton, Carson Palmer, Donovan McNabb and Vince Young.

New England Patriots: If any team can withstand a protracted work stoppage, it's the reigning AFC East champions. The Patriots have a solid roster filled with veterans, particularly on offense. Their coaching staff remained mostly intact. They're flush with draft picks.

The biggest impact probably would be felt on defense, where the Patriots sometimes started four rookies: end Brandon Deaderick, outside linebacker Jermaine Cunningham, inside linebacker Brandon Spikes and cornerback Devin McCourty.

Although a couple of veteran defenders returning from injuries (defensive end Ty Warren and cornerback Leigh Bodden) should help stabilize them, the Patriots will have difficulty coaching up their youngsters and improving their terrible third-down defense in a compacted offseason.

Another issue could be the way the Patriots flip through interchangeable parts. The Patriots are adept at discovering undrafted free agents and reclaiming other teams' castoffs, while constantly overturning the bottom of their roster. With no CBA, those roster moves cannot happen.

New York Jets: Free agency will be the Jets' biggest issue if a work stoppage drags out. They have the most free agents in the AFC East and declined to re-sign any of them, aside from placing the franchise tag on inside linebacker David Harris. The Jets didn't want to make any decisions until they knew what the next CBA looked like. That created several questions up and down the roster.

Receiver is the biggest question mark. Santonio Holmes and Braylon Edwards are without contracts, and quarterback Mark Sanchez needs a strong supporting cast. On defense, safety is a concern with Brodney Pool, Eric Smith and James Ihedigbo about to be free agents, too.

No CBA means the Jets won't be able to sign incoming free agents either. Polls have shown players around the league would love to play for Rex Ryan more than any other coach. But the Jets can't use that to their advantage until there's a new deal.

The AFC East blog is taking the rest of Christmas off.

I'll be back with coverage of Sunday's games.

Until then, enjoy this entertaining Buffalo Bills rendition of the "Twelve Days of Christmas."

Compare the offenses of the Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills.

If you were putting a unit together, how many Bills -- position for position -- would you select ahead of Dolphins?

The Dolphins have what appear to be franchise players all over the place: quarterback Chad Henne, receivers Brandon Marshall and Davone Bess, running backs Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams, tackles Jake Long and Vernon Carey.

A lot of those players were on fantasy rosters this weekend. I doubt there were many Bills active in your league.

But the winless Bills have put together a vibrant offense that has been unnoticed by a lot of people outside Western New York. They nearly shocked the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday before falling in overtime 37-34.

The Bills can't win because their defense is terrible, but their offense has scored 10 more points than the Dolphins have.

Buffalo has 121 points through six games, not exactly the 2001 St. Louis Rams but more points than three clubs that have played seven games. More impressively, the Bills started with just 17 points over their first two games.

Since Ryan Fitzpatrick replaced Trent Edwards at quarterback in Week 3, the Bills are averaging a reasonable 24 points a game and have scored at least 30 points in two of their past four games.

Hey, it's a start, and Dolphins offensive coordinator Dan Henning should be envious.

The Dolphins haven't posted more than 23 points in any game because they can't score touchdowns and settle for field goals far too often. They kicked five field goals in a 23-22 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday.

Competition has been similar between the Bills and Dolphins. They've played three common opponents and each other.

The Bills' different opponents have been the Ravens and Jacksonville Jaguars, while the Dolphins have played the Steelers and Minnesota Vikings.

The average defensive ranking for Buffalo's opponents is 17.5 compared to 15.7 for Miami's opponents.

It doesn't take a shrewd scout or seasoned offensive line coach to recognize left guard as a problem for the New York Jets.

The Jets released perennial Pro Bowl guard Alan Faneca in April and opened a competition between second-year pro Matt Slauson and second-round draft choice Vladimir Ducasse.

Slauson won by default, and he has been at fault a number of times through three games. The Buffalo Bills, desperate to generate any kind of pass rush, certainly have noticed Slauson as the weak link of an otherwise solid offensive line.

"Matt's not great right now, but he's working like heck to get better," Jets head coach Rex Ryan said Wednesday on a conference call. "I think he's about as good as most guards in our division."

The competition is a bit diluted this year. Faneca is gone. New England Patriots left guard Logan Mankins is an unsigned restricted free agent and hasn't reported. The Miami Dolphins cycle through guards every season. The Bills have sophomores Eric Wood and Andy Levitre.

Baltimore Ravens defensive lineman Haloti Ngata steamrolled Slauson for a sack on opening night.

Slauson was flagged three times in Sunday night's victory over the Miami Dolphins, twice for holding on one drive to prevent a touchdown. One of his holds erased an 11-yard pass play that would have given the Jets first-and-goal from the 5-yard line. The next hold nullified a Mark Sanchez touchdown run. The Jets settled for a field goal.

I asked Ryan if Ducasse was ready to step in.

"No," Ryan said. "If he was, he'd be playing.

"Ducasse, I'll tell you, this young man is going to be a player. There is no question. He's really a natural tackle. We're trying to put him in there to compete with Slauson, but he's not ready for that job right now."

In cobbling together my 2010 preseason All-AFC East team, what struck me was how much left guard has changed in the division.

Two years ago, left guard looked like a loaded position. Every team had a notable player there.

The New England Patriots had budding star Logan Mankins in place. The New York Jets signed perennial Pro Bowler Alan Faneca. The Miami Dolphins identified Justin Smiley as critical to their rebuilding process, signing him minutes into the free-agency period. The Buffalo Bills had Derrick Dockery. He wasn't a bulldozer, but he meant enough to the Bills to give him a seven-year, $49 million contract in 2007.

Now look at AFC East left guards.

Bills sophomore Andy Levitre was my pick for the preseason All-AFC East roster. He was the 51st overall draft choice last year and started 16 games. Crazy as this might seem, that marginal exposure makes him the second-most experienced left guard in the division. He's the lone incumbent.

Who else is there?

Dolphins roughneck Richie Incognito has been a round and is a known quantity, but he was discharged by two of the NFL's worst teams. The St. Louis Rams, tired of his volatile antics, waived him. The Bills picked him up then declined to negotiate with the restricted free agent after the season.

The Jets' weakest link now is at left guard. They released Faneca and drafted Vladimir Ducasse in the second round. But Ducasse's transition into the NFL has been difficult. Matt Slauson, inactive for all but three games as a rookie last year, won the job by default.

The Patriots are down to third-stringer Dan Connolly. He is entering his sixth year as a pro and had four starts to his name. Mankins is an unsigned restricted free agent. His intended replacement, Nick Kaczur, has been sidelined with a back injury that required surgery.

In February, the wait felt like it would be interminable. As it does every year.

But we're finally here. The start of the NFL regular season is upon us. A meaningful game will be played Thursday night in the Superdome.

Let's mark the occasion in the AFC East with a look at my preseason all-division team.

I've selected a full team of starters on offense, defense and special team -- down to the holder -- based on how I predict they will have performed when we look back on the season in January.

With four 3-4 defenses, I didn't have to bend positions to include everyone. In addition to position, I adhered to which side a player lined up.

The New York Jets and Miami Dolphins lead the way with eight selections each. The Buffalo Bills have six (one player was chosen in two special-teams spots) and the New England Patriots have five.

OFFENSE

WR: Randy Moss, Patriots

LT: Jake Long, Dolphins

LG: Andy Levitre, Bills

C: Nick Mangold, Jets

RG: Brandon Moore, Jets

RT: Vernon Carey, Dolphins

TE: Dustin Keller, Jets

WR: Santonio Holmes, Jets

QB: Tom Brady, Patriots

RB: Ronnie Brown, Dolphins

FB: Lousaka Polite, Dolphins

DEFENSE

LE: Marcus Stroud, Bills

NT: Vince Wilfork, Patriots

RE: Jared Odrick, Dolphins

OLB: Calvin Pace, Jets

ILB: David Harris, Jets

ILB: Karlos Dansby, Dolphins

OLB: Cameron Wake, Dolphins

CB: Darrelle Revis, Jets

CB: Antonio Cromartie, Jets

FS: Jairus Byrd, Bills

SS: Brandon Meriweather, Patriots

SPECIAL TEAMS

K: Stephen Gostkowski, Patriots

P: Brian Moorman, Bills

H: Brian Moorman, Bills

LS: John Denney, Dolphins

KR: C.J. Spiller, Bills

PR: Roscoe Parrish, Bills

The hardest spots to select were left guard, defensive end and outside linebacker because there are so many young or unproven players there. Stroud is an established veteran, but he's moving to a 3-4 defense.

Let me know what you think in the comments section.