NFC: East | Central | West    AFC: East | Central | West

With realignment looming, ESPN The Magazine bids farewell to the AFC East (as we've known it).

THE DEAL

1. Indianapolis Colts: See EJ run, see Peyton throw, see Marvin catch. See any D? Grade: B

2. Miami Dolphins: Fish have basics: D, running game. So they're good and boring. Grade: B

3. New York Jets: Don't be fooled by Herman Edwards. Nice guy won't finish last. Grade: B

4. Buffalo Bills: New coach, GM and QB. Can anybody say "rebuilding"? Grade: C

5. New England Patriots: Belichick knows football, so he must know Pats are in trouble. Grade: C

THE DIVISION

Motto: The Old AFL Got Its Cred Right Here.

What It Was: The birthplace of credibility for the old American Football League: Joe Willie guaranteeing victory over the Colts; Bob Griese going perfect with the Fish. Later came the classic nicknames: the Electric Company, the No-Name Defense, the Sack Exchange. The best of times? 1972: Dolphins go 17-0, the only undefeated season in NFL history. And the worst -- at least in upstate New York? 1990-93: four straight Super Bowls for the Bills, four straight losses.

What It Is: Peyton's Place, and don't you forget it. Manning-to-Marvin Harrison is a knife in the heart. But focusing too hard on stopping them earns you a kick in the head from Edgerrin James, who has not only a bling-bling smile but also the opportunity to become just the third player in history to lead the NFL in rushing three straight seasons. The Manning-Harrison-James trio just might meet its match in Miami, where Pro Bowlers Zach Thomas, Jason Taylor and Sam Madison -- Lethal Weapon 3 -- head up a Dolphins SWAT team that turns ugly, really ugly, when you wander onto their side of the 50.

To Rock It: Stop Manning & Co.-- sometimes they give you a little help with turnovers. Miami has the D to do it, but no QB to take advantage. New England has the QB, but no D. The key: Keep the Colts from running the table in September-October and force them to win late-season games in Buffalo, where arctic weather is like a 12th man on defense, and Miami, where the D already plays like it has a 12th.

This preview is excerpted from the September 3 issue of ESPN The Magazine.