AFC East division preview 2024 predicted order of finish, record New York Jets (13-4) Veteran signal-caller Aaron Rodgers is back to take care of business on one side of the ball while what could end up being the top-rated defense in the league will be going to work on the other. Miami Dolphins (11-6) The second-highest scoring team in the league last season essentially brings back the same star-studded offense. Buffalo Bills (9-8) Just because Josh Allen is Josh Allen doesn't mean the offense is going to click with a new receiving corps. New England Patriots (4-13) Coach Jerod Mayo only has a few weapons at his disposal in his first year at the helm. A brutal schedule doesn't make life any easier, either. Three AFC East MVP candidates Bills QB Josh Allen No more Stefon Diggs or Gabe Davis means Khalil Shakir, Keon Coleman and Curtis Samuel will be among Allen's top targets. It's not the most elegant trio of pass-catchers, but Allen can do just as much damage on the ground as he can through the air. Jets QB Aaron Rodgers Rodgers already has four of these under his belt, winning the award as recently as 2021. If any 40-year-old can bounce back from a season-ending Achilles injury, it's Rodgers. Jets RB Breece Hall While opposing defenses will have their hands full with Rodgers, Hall could quietly rush for well over 1,000 yards after coming just 6 shy of that mark a season ago. Hall also had the second-most catches for New York (76), making him a massive threat on every snap. 2024 AFC East breakout players Jets LB Jermaine Johnson II New York bringing in Haason Reddick should take some attention off Johnson — should Reddick get his contract situation resolved. Johnson most recently totaled 7.5 sacks en route to a Pro Bowl selection in his sophomore season. Jets WR-RS Xavier Gipson A rookie in 2023, Gipson has the potential to be a true Swiss Army knife for New York. He hauled in 21 catches last year, and one of his scores came on the ground while the other came on a punt return. Dolphins TE Jonnu Smith Once upon a time, Smith was a TD machine – hauling in eight with the Tennessee Titans in 2020 — before a steep drop-off with the Patriots. He showed flashes of his old self with the Atlanta Falcons last season and now joins a Miami team that certainly isn't afraid to sling the ball. Dolphins S Jevon Holland Knee injuries forced Holland to miss five games last year, but if 2022 is any indication of what he can do when he stays healthy, he should be a defensive centerpiece for Miami. Bills WR Keon Coleman Quarterback Josh Allen needs a new WR1. Perhaps it's Coleman, a second-round draft pick who had 11 TDs at Florida State last year. Bills CB Rasul Douglas Douglas had four picks in nine games (eight starts) with Buffalo in 2023 after coming over from the Green Bay Packers, so what could a full season with the Bills look like? Patriots QB Drake Maye Yes, Jacoby Brissett is going to start the season under center for New England, but it's safe to assume that Maye takes over at some point. When he does, he could provide the spark the Patriots have been seeking ever since Mac Jones started to taper off. Patriots CB Christian Gonzalez A torn labrum put Gonzalez on the shelf after just four games in 2023, his rookie season. The No. 17 overall pick in last year's draft will finally get to showcase his talent in full. Week 1 outlook Bills vs. Cardinals, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET Buffalo could be challenged defensively right out of the gate, as quarterback Kyler Murray, now healthy, looks to help Arizona rebound from back-to-back 4-13 seasons. Patriots at Bengals, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET Someone other than Bill Belichick will be coaching New England for the first time since 1999. One of the few reasons making these Patriots worth watching is their strong secondary, which could very well get carved up by Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. Dolphins vs. Jaguars, 1 p.m. ET A battle of South Florida and North Florida pits two teams that will be in the mix for division titles. Star Miami receivers Tyreek Hill (thumb) and Jaylen Waddle (undisclosed) are banged-up, but they should be good to go against Jacksonville. Jets at 49ers, Monday, Sept. 9, 8:15 p.m. ET Welcome back, Aaron Rodgers. The 40-year-old quarterback played just four snaps last season and now has to open 2024 against a San Francisco team fresh off a Super Bowl appearance. –Field Level Media
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Real Madrid midfielder Sergio Canales reveals that he would be more than happy to stay at Mestalla after his loan deal ends at the end of the season.
The 21-year-old joined Real Madrid in July 2010 from Racing Santander, but he was never given a chance to impress at Santiago Bernabeu and was farmed out on loan to Valencia in August 2011.
Canales had a promising start to his career at Mestalla, but he was then forced to miss six months of action after suffering a knee injury.
The player has just returned into action and he is delighted to be playing football again.
“It has been a long time waiting. I really wanted to play and also to return with victory,” Canales was in Marca.
“After so long, almost six months of recovery, I needed to play …
Former Manchester United midfielder Owen Hargreaves admits that he could make a move to the MLS.
The 31-year-old has been out of action since leaving Manchester City in May, despite being linked with a number of English Premier League clubs.
Latest media reports have suggested that Hargreaves is pondering a move to the MLS, and the player admits such a scenario is possible.
“Yes. They want me to go and play over there,” the midfielder in Daily Express.
“It is a big move, you have to decide do you want to make the move, a big change. There are so many things I could do there and it would be nice to spend time in Canada.
“I am fit but having focused so much on football since I was 15, I am just taking a step back.”
Owen Hargreave…
Dutchman Orlando Engelaar will join German Bundesliga side Schalke 04. The player will be re-united with manager Fred Rutten.
Rutten recently made a move to Schalke from FC Twente, which was also the club where Engelaar became one of the stronger players in the Dutch Eredivisie this season.
The Rotterdam-born midfielder, 28 years old, began his career at NAC Breda in 2000. Four years later he left the Netherlands for the first time to join KRC Genk and in 2006 he signed a deal with FC Twente, whom he helped to clinch a Champions League preliminary round spot for next season.
It is unknown how much Schalke will be paying for the player, who formed part of the Dutch squad for Euro 2008.
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Newcastle have lost two successive matches across the Christmas period but it could have been a whole lot different for Alan Pardew s side.
The 1999 FA Cup runners-up led on three occasions but went on to lose 4-3 against Manchester United at Old Trafford on Boxing Day.
With scores locked at 3-3 in the dying moments, Javier Hernandez popped up to break Newcastle s hearts.
And Newcastle were involved in another high-scoring thriller with Arsenal on Saturday, suffering a mammoth 7-3 defeat.
However, the score flattered the London club with their final three goals coming in the last five minutes at Etihad Stadium, leaving Newcastle languishing in 15th position on the Premier League table, three points clear of the drop zone.
Newcastle have now shipp…
One week into the new Premier League season, momentum looked to be on the side of Mikel Arteta and Arsenal in north London.
The Gunners had ended the previous campaign by winning the FA Cup, beating Manchester City and Chelsea in the process, and then saw off champions Liverpool in the Community Shield.
After swatting aside Fulham 3-0 in their opening league fixture, Arsenal were top of the table and looking ahead to the rest of the 2020-21 season with great optimism.
Rivals Tottenham, meanwhile, having scraped into the Europa League under Jose Mourinho, lost at home to Everton, seemingly setting the stage for another difficult year.
How quickly things change. Heading into this weekend s derby, it is Spurs riding high as Arsenal languish i…
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp left in-form duo Sadio Mane and Trent Alexander-Arnold on the bench for Saturday s Premier League clash with Bournemouth.
Mane made way as one of seven changes from the side that beat Everton 5-2 in the Merseyside derby on Wednesday.
Alexander-Arnold was left out of the starting line-up in a league game for the first time this season and replaced at right-back by Joe Gomez.
Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah were both selected in attack as midfielder Naby Keita made his first Premier League start since April.
Goalkeeper Alisson returned to the team after serving a one-match suspension, while captain Jordan Henderson and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain were also both restored to the side.
team news
Today s line-up …
Arsenal great Paul Merson says he would like to see Ronald Koeman take over from Arsene Wenger at the club when the Frenchman moves on.
Wenger has shown no signs of giving up the post, despite another season without a credible Premier League challenge and another round-of-16 Champions League exit.
Koeman, on the other hand, has done a good job of moving Southampton into a respectable seventh place in the Premier League table with two games to play.
The former Barcelona star arrived at the club ahead of the 2014-15 season and has helped them improve despite the losses of players like Luke Shaw, Morgan Schneiderlin and Nathaniel Clyne to Manchester United and Liverpool.
And Merson has been suitably impressed, tipping the Dutchman who has managerial Champion…
Luis Suarez will feature in his first international tournament since the 2014 World Cup, having been included in Uruguay s 23-man squad for the Copa America Centenario.
Suarez was handed a four-month ban from all football and nine-match suspension at international level after biting Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini during the competition in Brazil two years ago.
The star striker subsequently played no part as Uruguay failed to defend their Copa America crown in Chile last year, with the hosts eliminating them at the quarter-finals en route to claiming their first title.
Suarez will be hoping to carry his impressive club form he has scored 56 goals for Barcelona this season into the tournament in the United States, and is set to link up with Edinson Cavani in atta…
Karim Benzema has recovered from injury ahead of Real Madrid s Champions League clash with Liverpool on Wednesday, with Carlo Ancelotti warning Los Blancos to forget last month s win at Anfield.
Benzema joined Vinicius Junior in scoring twice as Madrid thrashed Jurgen Klopp s men 5-2 in February s last-16 first leg, but the striker has seen his form dip since that rout.
The Madrid skipper has failed to find the net in three consecutive games across all competitions, while injuries have limited him to just 15 appearances in LaLiga this campaign.
Benzema sat out Saturday s 3-1 win over Espanyol with an ankle problem, but Ancelotti says he is fit and raring to go ahead of Liverpool s visit to the Santiago Bernabeu.
Benzema is 100 per cent recovered. He has …
Putting in another thrilling Champions League display on Wednesday night, Napoli booked their quarter-final ticket after cruising to a 3-0 romp against Eintracht Frankfurt.
Simply looking to finish off the job and avoid a European collapse at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona after picking up a 2-0 first-leg win out in Germany on February 21st, the Italian high-flyers have certainly laid down a real marker.
With attacking talisman Victor Osimhen opening the scoring just seconds before the half-time break, it will be the Nigerian marksman who will steal most of the headlines here.
Eventually leaving Naples with another Champions League brace before Polish international Piotr Zielinski converted from the spot just after the hour mark, Osimhen and co hardly had to …