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Jets’ Odds to Win AFC East Fade to +700 After Patriots Land Antonio Brown

Angelo Montilla

by Angelo Montilla in NFL Football

Updated Mar 26, 2020 · 1:33 PM PDT

Le'Veon Bell
Le'veon Bell and the New York Jets saw their odds of winning the AFC East slip to +700 after Antonio Brown joined the New England Patriots. Photo from @nypost (Twitter).
  • The Jets were listed at +510 to win the AFC East when odds opened in April
  • New York’s last division crown was 2002
  • Addition of Brown boosts New England’s chances to -700 

The landscape in the AFC East Division changed drastically on Saturday after the New England Patriots landed free agent receiver Antonio Brown.

All three teams in the division saw their odds fade after the Pats signed AB to a one-year contract, just hours after being released by the Oakland Raiders earlier in the day.

The New York Jets saw their chances of winning the AFC East slip from +600 to +700 after sportsbooks re-opened their NFL division odds shortly after the news of Brown signing with New England.

Are the Jets still considered a legitimate contender to win the division or does the addition of Brown make this a no-contest for Tom Brady and the Patriots?

2019-20 AFC East Odds

Team Odds Odds
New England Patriots -700 -500
New York Jets +700 +700
Buffalo Bills +1100 +900
Miami Dolphins +4000 +4000

*Odds taken 09/07/2019

When the division odds opened this spring, the Jets came in at +510 to win the AFC East on sportsbooks’ board. Since then, the Jets have seen their odds bounce up and down significantly, going as long as +620 before shortening to +560 on Sept. 5.

New England’s decision to sign Brown to a new deal eventually resulted in New York’s odds moving to +700 — the longest price listed on the Jets since the lines opened in April.

YouTube video

Jets’ Last Division Title in 2002

The Patriots have won the AFC East Division the last 10 seasons. You have to go back to 2002 to find the last time the Jets got a taste of a division title.

The Jets are entering the 2019 NFL season riding high expectations with a new coach in Adam Gase as well as the addition of three-time Pro Bowl running back Le’Veon Bell.

What to expect out of Bell remains unknown as the 27-year-old did not see any action in the preseason and has not had a carry in a game for more than 600 days after sitting out last season over a contract dispute.

“I’m going to go out there and prove to myself that I’m still the same player, if not better,” Bell told Newsday recently.

In 2017, Bell rushed for 1,291 yards with nine touchdowns. He added another 655 receiving yards and two TD receptions that season.

https://youtu.be/WccLRBbxmkM

However, it’s going to take much more than Bell to break New England’s long streak of winning the AFC East. New York is coming off a miserable season, sharing the second worst record in the NFL at 4-12. Only the Arizona Cardinals were worse.

While Bell instantly improves New York’s offense and moves the Jets from a four-win team to potentially an eight or nine win team, the franchise is still far away from competing with the Patriots in the AFC East.

The Patriots are Better with AB

As if the Patriots weren’t already dangerous offensively, the defending Super Bowl champions go out and get Brown to bulk up even more at wide receiver — a group that consists of Josh Gordon, Julian Edelman and Demaryius Thomas.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B2Ek0s6nTj5/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

New England opened as -500 favorites to win the AFC East — something the franchise has done 15 of the last 16 years. Those odds shortened to -700 after AB joined the Patriots.

Before the Brown signing, there was an outside chance that the Jets — or the Bills for that matter — could challenge the Pats for the division.

But AB gives TB another prime target, and most likely yet another AFC East title.

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