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

Here are Nos. 25-28:

No. 28: Jerod Mayo, LB

Team: Patriots

Stats: 95 tackles, two interceptions, one sack

Analysis: Mayo is exactly the type of player the Patriots covet. He's smart, solid, not flashy and rarely makes mistakes. Some expected Mayo to be a perennial Pro Bowler when he was drafted by New England in the first round. But that's not the kind of player Mayo is. His strength is more in his consistency. Mayo is very coachable, will get everyone lined up and does his job. New England coach Bill Belichick called Mayo his version of Tom Brady on the defense.

No. 27: Eric Wood, C

Team: Buffalo Bills

Stats: Nine starts

Analysis: Wood, 25, has Pro Bowl potential. He's crafty and equally good at run blocking and pass protection. Wood also is the key to Buffalo's offensive line. Things fell apart at times when Wood suffered a season-ending knee injury. Wood already has multiple leg injuries, which may be a concern down the road for Buffalo. He played in just nine games in 2011.

No. 26: Matt Moore, QB

Team: Miami Dolphins

Stats: 2,497 yards, 16 touchdowns, nine interceptions

Analysis: Who knew at the beginning of the season that Moore was the second-best quarterback in the AFC East? We settle that debate with the "Sanchez-Fitz-Moore Watch." Moore out-dueled New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez and Buffalo Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick by winning the final two quarters of the season. Moore is mobile and throws a surprisingly good deep ball. He's just not the kind of starting quarterback to lead a franchise to the Super Bowl. The Dolphins are making that obvious by showing interest in every good quarterback soon to hit the free-agent market.

No. 25: Marcell Dareus, DT

Team: Bills

Stats: 43 tackles, 5.5 sacks

Analysis: Dareus had a solid rookie year. He showed at times that he can dominate a game, and that's what Buffalo hopes to see from Dareus more in future seasons. The Bills played Dareus at defensive end and nose tackle last year. Buffalo's switch to a 4-3 defense in 2012 should help prevent double teams. I fully expect Dareus to be higher on this list next year. He's just scratching the surface of what he's capable of.

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

• New St. Louis Rams coach Jeff Fisher reportedly wanted final say over the Miami Dolphins’ roster, and Dolphins owner Stephen Ross refused.

Morning take: Ross is sternly going to bat for general manager Jeff Ireland as the head person in charge, even if it cost Ross the No. 1 coaching candidate on the market. This is a very a risky call to stay the least.

• Thirteen New England Patriots are questionable for Saturday's game against the Denver Broncos.

Morning take: Most practiced this week and are expected to play. It’s the playoffs. So don’t expect many (or any) big names to sit.

• Buffalo Bills center Eric Wood says he hopes to be ready by training camp.

Morning take: Wood tore his ACL in November, so he has a long rehab process ahead. He should be fine for the regular season — but training camp will be a close call.

• The New York Jets hired wide receivers coach Sanjay Lal.

Morning take: Lal doesn’t have a ton of experience but did a good job with the Oakland Raiders receivers the past three season. The important thing for Lal in New York is getting the best out of receiver Santonio Holmes.

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

• The New England Patriots won't face Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Matt Cassel, who is out indefinitely with a hand injury.

Morning take: New England's easy schedule gets even easier with the struggling Chiefs missing their starting quarterback. Enter Tyler Palko at Gillette Stadium on "Monday Night Football." Oh boy.

• Karlos Dansby of the Miami Dolphins says he's the best linebacker in the NFL.

Morning take: Those are big words from Dansby. I disagree that he’s the NFL’s No. 1 linebacker but I think it’s good that he feels that way. More importantly, Dansby needs to continue to play that way and help Miami win games.

• Buffalo Bills center Eric Wood will be lost for the year with a torn ACL.

Morning take: This is a big blow to the Bills, who already have injuries on the offensive line. Wood was the quarterback in the trenches who worked well with quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick.

• New York Jets safety Brodney Pool (knee) is not sure if he will be available to play on Thursday.

Morning take: Pool definitely could have helped New York’s pass defense last weekend against New England. He’s the team’s most athletic safety.

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- Bon Jovi's "Livin' on a Prayer" blasted throughout Ralph Wilson Stadium in the final minutes of the Bills' 31-24 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday. The song was a fitting tribute to Buffalo's surprising start to the 2011 season.

The no-name Bills are 4-1 and first in the AFC East. The uber-talented and high-powered "Dream Team" Eagles are 1-4 and have a slim chance to make the postseason.

Who would have thought?

"We were a home [under]dog today at 3-1 against a 1-3 team," Bills center Eric Wood said. "You don't put a lot of stock into it. But you know it, you talk about it, and it ticks you off. But keep picking us to lose. We like it. It helps keep the chip on our shoulder. We don't need to be the media darling that we were two weeks ago before we lost."

Memo to NFL media and fans: It's time to take these Bills seriously.

Stop punishing Buffalo for past mistakes. Forget about last year's 0-8 start and 4-12 season. This season's Bills are young, scrappy, fearless and fun to watch. Most importantly, this season's Bills have staying power and are a legitimate threat for the playoffs in the AFC.

Buffalo still has a long way to go to become elite. For starters, it must improve a porous defense that has allowed 450-plus yards in each of the past four games. But you can lump the Bills in with the "very good" of the NFL. And in this topsy-turvy league, that's a position a lot of teams wish they were in after five games -- including the desperate Eagles.

"We got talent, too," Bills safety George Wilson (11 tackles, one interception) said defiantly. "We don't back down from any challenge."

Buffalo didn’t go Frank Gore on the Eagles. But the Bills’ offensive players were not shy to admit that they believed they would have their way with Philadelphia’s struggling defense. The Eagles were ranked No. 30 against the run entering Week 5.

The Bills were correct. Buffalo running back Fred Jackson shredded Philadelphia’s soft front seven for 111 yards and a touchdown on 26 carries. The Eagles were blown off the ball and their tackling was horrendous. According to ESPN’s Stats and Information, 59 of Jackson’s 111 yards came after contact. Buffalo ran the ball 35 times and passed 27 times, the second time Buffalo’s offense has run more than it has passed this season.

“We knew that with the running game we’d be able to move the ball,” said Jackson, who also had 85 receiving yards. “We felt like we were bigger and more physical at the line. So we felt like we’d be able to move them off the ball.”

Buffalo’s early success on offense put a lot of pressure on the Eagles, and Philadelphia cracked by making poor decisions. The Eagles tried (and failed) at an onside kick to start the second half. Vick forced the ball into tight spots and threw a career-worst four interceptions. The mistakes added up and, by the start of the fourth quarter, Buffalo held a 31-14 lead.

Philadelphia went into full desperation mode and tried to orchestrate a comeback. But Buffalo, which blew a 14-point second-half lead in Week 4 against the Bengals, learned from last week’s mistakes and held on. After that loss, Buffalo heard all week about how it was a fluke team and couldn’t bounce back against the talented Eagles.

“If we had Tom Brady or a big-name guy, we wouldn’t be so easy to write off,” Wood said. “But we got some talented players and we got a great quarterback to go behind now. We like our chances.”

How far can these no-name Bills go this season? If they play like they did Sunday, Buffalo will make the playoffs.

"This is a different season, a different era and a different team," Nelson said. "We know how to win games and we're continuing to come out and surprising people. But we're not surprising ourselves."

» NFC: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South » Unrestricted FAs

Readiness factor: The Bills will need every moment they can find to prepare for the season. Their offensive skill players gathered at quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick's home in April. A larger contingent convened in Western New York for casual workouts in May.

Biggest challenge: Buffalo must find a defensive identity quickly. The Bills switched from a 4-3 defense to a 3-4 with bad results last year. As it became obvious they had the NFL's worst run defense, they mixed their fronts. Head coach Chan Gailey has said that they will be a hybrid defense leaning toward a 3-4 base. Then he hired longtime 4-3 mastermind Dave Wannstedt -- not to replace defensive coordinator George Edwards, but as assistant head coach and linebackers coach.

Line in the sand: The Bills have a tenuous offensive line, although all the late-season starters are back. The line mostly has been mediocre and often riddled with injuries. Demetrius Bell has been a bargain at left tackle, but far from dominant. Right guard Eric Wood could eventually shift to center.

Key players without contracts for 2011: Inside linebacker Paul Posluszny and safety Donte Whitner have been two of the Bills' most prolific tacklers. Cornerback Drayton Florence is an overlooked free agent who could be popular on the open market. Disappointing former first-round pick John McCargo is a goner.

Buffalo Bills

Buffalo News columnist Jerry Sullivan was short and sweet in a live chat Thursday when asked about the idea of Vince Young coming to Buffalo. "Not a good fit," he wrote.

Eric Wood comes in at No. 5 on BuffaloRumblings.com's list of 10 Bills to decide 2011.

Miami Dolphins

Ahmad Bradshaw continues to mention Miami as a possible landing spot once a new collective bargaining agreement is approved.

Dolphins owner Stephen Ross is determined to turn things around and bring back a winning tradition to Miami. “I think we have a good young squad,” Ross said. “We’ll have to see how we do with free agency, rounding out the roster. We have a lot of work to do. With our nucleus, we have a great team. So a few added parts can maybe take us over the top.”

New England Patriots

Mike Reiss and Mike Rodak of ESPNBoston.com break down what the owners' vote Thursday means for the Patriots.

The new CBA may force coach Bill Belichick to make some changes in the way he conducts training camp practices.

New York Jets

ESPNNewYork.com's Rich Cimini: "What do the Jets really think of Mark Sanchez as a passer? Obviously, they like him, but we might found out how much during the upcoming free-agency period."

Sanchez says he's ready to play the role of recruiter once free agency begins. Sanchez: "Hopefully free agency will start next week and I’ll be on the horn if they need me to be calling guys, making sure guys want to come play for Rex [Ryan], but I don’t think that will be hard."

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

Each Thursday leading up to the NFL draft (April 28-30), the ESPN.com NFL blog network will take a division-by-division look at key aspects of the draft. Today’s topic: history in that spot.

Buffalo Bills

The Bills' top pick is No. 3 overall. Here are the past seven players taken in that spot, with their NFL teams in parentheses:

2010: DT Gerald McCoy (Buccaneers)

2009: DE Tyson Jackson (Chiefs)

2008: QB Matt Ryan (Falcons)

2007: T Joe Thomas (Browns)

2006: QB Vince Young (Titans)

2005: WR Braylon Edwards (Browns)

2004: WR Larry Fitzgerald (Cardinals)

ANALYSIS: Some sexy picks have been made in this spot. None of the players have been out-and-out busts, although character concerns have overshadowed a couple. Only McCoy and Jackson haven't been selected for at least one Pro Bowl. Fitzgerald is an elite receiver, arguably the best in the business. Edwards can be a dangerous playmaker when not dropping passes, which he didn't do last year. Ryan is an emerging star. Young has been a lightning rod, but he did win rookie of the year and has gone to a pair of Pro Bowls. Thomas is a star blocker with four Pro Bowls on his résumé already.

Miami Dolphins

The Dolphins' top pick is No. 15 overall. Here are the past seven players taken in that spot, with their NFL teams in parentheses:

2010: DE Jason Pierre-Paul (Giants)

2009: LB Brian Cushing (Texans)

2008: G Branden Albert (Chiefs)

2007: LB Lawrence Timmons (Steelers)

2006: CB Tye Hill (Rams)

2005: LB Derrick Johnson (Chiefs)

2004: WR Michael Clayton (Buccaneers)

ANALYSIS: This is a region of the first round where picks can break either way. There have been solid players drafted here, but no superstars. Cushing was a rookie of the year, but his career has been tainted by performance-enhancing drug usage. Clayton made an immediate impact with 80 catches for 1,193 yards and seven touchdowns as a rookie but hasn't caught more than 38 passes since. Johnson has been a solid linebacker for Kansas City, while Timmons has been an influential member of Pittsburgh's defense the past two seasons. Hill has been the biggest disappointment. He has been with four teams, starting 25 games.

New England Patriots

The Patriots' first-round picks are Nos. 17 and 28 overall. Here are the past seven players taken in those spots, with their NFL teams in parentheses:

2010: G Mike Iupati (49ers) and DE Jared Odrick (Dolphins)

2009: QB Josh Freeman (Buccaneers) and G Eric Wood (Bills)

2008: T Gosder Cherilus (Lions) and DE Lawrence Jackson (Seahawks)

2007: DE Jarvis Moss (Broncos) and T Joe Staley (49ers)

2006: LB Chad Greenway (Vikings) and TE Marcedes Lewis (Jaguars)

2005: LB David Pollack (Bengals) and DE Luis Castillo (Chargers)

2004: LB D.J. Williams (Broncos) and CB Chris Gamble (Panthers)

ANALYSIS: Results have been mixed with these slots, but the 28th pick actually has found more starters than the 17th in recent years. Freeman showed signs of developing into a future star last year, and Cherilus has started 40 of his 43 games at right tackle. Williams and Greenway have been regular starters. But Moss and Pollack didn't work out. In the 28th slot, Odrick is the only one who hasn't been a regular starter. Injuries detonated his rookie season.

New York Jets

The Jets' top pick is No. 30 overall. Here are the past seven players taken in that spot, with their NFL teams in parentheses:

2010: RB Jahvid Best (Lions)

2009: WR Kenny Britt (Titans)

2008: TE Dustin Keller (Jets)

2007: WR Craig Davis (Chargers)

2006: RB Joseph Addai (Colts)

2005: TE Heath Miller (Steelers)

2004: RB Kevin Jones (Lions)

ANALYSIS: What strikes me is that all seven selections not only are offensive players but also ball handlers. Perhaps teams in the back of the draft feel they can gamble a little bit and try to hit big on a skill position. Whatever the reasoning, it seems to have worked. This has been a successful spot. Jones and Addai rushed for 1,000 yards as rookies. Best appears to be the Lions' running back of the future. Miller and Addai have gone to Pro Bowls. Britt was the Titans' leading receiver last year. Keller is one of the NFL's better tight ends.

» 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."

When you stop and think about it, Buffalo Bills offensive lineman Eric Wood being honored for having the best fundamentals at guard is rather amazing.

Wood certainly entered the NFL with a pedigree. A first-round draft choice from Louisville, he was one of the best centers in last year's class, but the Bills converted him to guard. Wood played well, but suffered a compound left leg fracture in Week 10.

Wood not only had to relearn elementary body movements, but also progressed well enough at a new position to be named to USA Football's 2010 All-Fundamentals team.

Wood was recognized for pulling and run blocking at a position he has been playing for just a year and a half and while coming back from a gruesome injury that required extensive rehabilitation.

"You almost have to teach your leg how to do everything again," Wood said. "A lot of the muscle memory you take for granted playing ball your whole life, you've got to get back to it."

Wood started the first 10 games at right guard but was moved to center because Geoff Hangartner has been hurt.

The only other AFC East players to make the All-Fundamentals team were New York Jets running back LaDainian Tomlinson (cuts and following blocks) Miami Dolphins left tackle Jake Long (hands in pass protection) and receiver Davone Bess (route running and catching).

Honored players are highlighted at AllFundamentalsTeam.com, where youth coaches and players can watch video clips of them exhibiting their techniques. USA Football also provides instruction points and a drills library.

"My technique and my fundamentals are something I really take pride in," Wood said.

ESPN.com senior writer John Clayton huddles us up with thoughts on the AFC East. He addresses the lost confidence for Mark Sanchez and the New York Jets' offense, the Miami Dolphins' signing of receiver Kevin Curtis, the Buffalo Bills losing Lee Evans for the season and phenomenal chemistry between Tom Brady and Deion Branch.

There are some notable inactives to report for Sunday's games involving AFC East teams.

For their must-win game against the Cleveland Browns in Sun Life Stadium, the Miami Dolphins have scratched receiver Brandon Marshall, linebacker Channing Crowder and cornerback Al Harris.

The absences of Crowder and Harris might be more significant than Marshall. The Dolphins won without him last week in Oakland, and quarterback Chad Henne played one of his best games.

Dolphins defensive end Phillip Merling is back from his Achilles injury and active for the first time this year.

For the Buffalo Bills' game at the Metrodome, guard Eric Wood, tight end Shawn Nelson and cornerback Terrence McGee are out, as expected.

Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson will play, but receivers Percy Harvin, Greg Lewis and Hank Baskett are out. So is right guard Steve Hutchinson. That might help Bills nose tackle Kyle Williams add to his sack total.

As NFC North blogger Kevin Seifert notes, the Vikings have just three receivers: Sidney Rice, Bernard Berrian and Greg Camarillo. Rookie quarterback Joe Webb could see some action as a target.

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- Aaron Maybin will wear shoulder pads on Sunday.

Maybin, the struggling Buffalo Bills outside linebacker, doesn't appear on the inactive list for Sunday's game against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Ralph Wilson Stadium. The 11th pick in last year's draft has been a healthy scratch the five previous games.

These players have been deactivated:

Pittsburgh Steelers

• Quarterback Charlie Batch
• Running back Jonathan Dwyer
• Receiver Antonio Brown
• Tight end Matt Spaeth
• Tackle Chris Scott
• Defensive end Aaron Smith
• Defensive end Brett Keisel
• Cornerback Crezdon Butler

Buffalo Bills

• Quarterback Levi Brown
• Running back C.J. Spiller
• Guard Eric Wood
• Tight end Shawn Nelson
• Defensive end Spencer Johnson
• Defensive end John McCargo
• Linebacker Mike Balogun
• Cornerback Terrence McGee

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.

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- In my halftime observations post from the New York Jets' 38-14 walkthrough against the Buffalo Bills, I gave a rundown of how nonexistent the Bills' past eight first-round draft picks had been through the first two quarters.

The update I'm about to deliver isn't much better.

• Receiver Lee Evans (13th overall in 2004): one catch for 6 yards.
• Safety Donte Whitner (eighth overall in 2006): 13 tackles.
• Defensive lineman John McCargo (26th overall in 2006): a healthy scratch.
• Running back Marshawn Lynch (12th overall in 2007): four carries for 8 yards, lost fumble, no catches.
• Cornerback Leodis McKelvin (11th overall in 2008): burned on a 41-yard touchdown pass to Braylon Edwards.
• Outside linebacker Aaron Maybin (11th overall in 2009): a few plays, zero tackles, apparently surpassed on the depth chart by sixth-round rookie Arthur Moats.
• Right guard Eric Wood (28th overall in 2009): holding penalty to put the Bills at second-and-19 at their own 11-yard line.
• Running back C.J. Spiller (ninth overall this year): two carries for 11 yards, one receptions for 4 yards, five kickoff returns for 110 yards.