NFL 2019 preview, part 1

In a week's time, the NFL will begin the celebration of its 100th season. For that reason, ancient NFC North rivals Green Bay & Chicago will play the now-traditional Thursday opener, relegating the defending Super Bowl champion New England Patriots to a Sunday home opener vs. Pittsburgh. Then again, the Evil Empire has already had a post-Super Bowl Thursday opener, so.....!

We'll start our annual preview by taking a look at the Patriots and the rest of the AFC East.

New England has issues headed into the new season. Tight end/detergent salesman Rob Gronkowski retired after the Super Bowl due to frequent concussions. The Patriots were able to lure Ben Watson out of retirement to replace Gronk, but Watson will sit out the first four games due to a PED-related suspension. Defensive back Eugene Chung was picked up on cocaine possession charges, but his case has been postponed to November, and to this point, the league has done nothing in regards to suspending him, pending the litigation. That allows Chung to play.

Meanwhile, center David Matthews is dealing with a blood clot, and that could sideline him, which could lead to problems along the offensive line. New England wanted to bring back another tight end, Martellus Bennett, after signing his brother, Michael, a defensive lineman, as a free agent, but Martellus chose not to sign. He knows all too well about the revolving door in Bill Belichick's offense, where he treats running backs, tight ends, and receivers as expendable spare parts due to QB Tom Brady's insistence that the offense is predicated on him and him alone. That lack of balance righted itself just in time for the Super Bowl, when a diverse attack is most necessary.

Miami blundered by not only letting coach Adam Gase go after two seasons, but letting QB Ryan Tannehill walk as well (Tennessee). Gase is now in the Meadowlands with the Jets, and that could spell trouble for the Dolphins when the two teams meet. New York has reworked its running game (again), picking up Le'Veon Bell from Pittsburgh and jettisoning Isaiah Crowell. They also got some help in the receiving corps by picking up Jamison Crowder (Washington) as a free agent to back up Robby Anderson. What do the Dolphins have left to contend? Not much.

In Buffalo, there was talk about letting LeSean McCoy go after last week's game. Not so fast. Letting McCoy go would be a fatal mistake.

Projected order of finish:

1. New England. The division is theirs to lose until the other teams figure a way to get around the political protection the Patriots get from the league.

2. Buffalo.
3. Jets.
4. Miami.