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5 Opponents The New England Patriots Need To Beat In 2015

5 Opponents The New England Patriots Need To Beat In 2015

Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh Steelers
Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

As if winning football’s greatest prize wasn’t quite enough, the New England Patriots appear to have been handed a cupcake schedule in 2015. Entering the season as champs often attracts, at least statistically, the best teams in the league, but that isn’t the case here. Of course, a lot can change in one offseason, so let’s check out which teams could get their act together and challenge for the NFL’s top spot.

5. Buffalo Bills

Rex Ryan, Buffalo Bills
Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports

5. Buffalo Bills

Rex Ryan, Buffalo Bills
Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports

Two words: Rex Ryan. The Bills have never failed to play the Pats with vigor in the past, but the team’s newest head coach is ready to turn close contests into wins. Tom Brady and Bill Belichick have played Moby Dick to Ryan’s Ahab for some time, and the charismatic coach will be hoping captaincy of a new ship will bring good fortune. Buffalo won’t be the biggest threat to New England’s division title, but it won’t go away without a fight.

4. Denver Broncos

Peyton Manning
Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

4. Denver Broncos

Peyton Manning
Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

For any fool still claiming that Peyton Manning is a better quarterback than Brady, 2015 will be another opportunity to be proven wrong. Denver may be about to hit a rough patch and start accounting for years of empty success, but a Brady-Manning matchup will still garner a prime-time slot. Depending on Manning’s recovery, this contest could feel less like a heavyweight bout and more like the climactic scene of 'Old Yeller.'

3. New York Giants

Odell Beckham Jr.
Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

3. New York Giants

Odell Beckham Jr.
Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

This match won’t be about divisional supremacy or knocking a vaunted conference rival out of first-round bye contention. This is about the Patriots doing everything humanly possible to keep those insufferable, giant-killing New Yorkers out of the playoffs. It’s about that time for Tom Coughlin’s seat to be feeling a little hot again.

2. Pittsburgh Steelers

Ben Roethlisberger
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

2. Pittsburgh Steelers

Ben Roethlisberger
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The likely opener to the 2015 NFL season could well be an AFC Championship preview as well. In the early days of this offseason, it is the Steelers who are earning early praise as next season’s team to watch. Seven years without a Super Bowl parade in the ‘Burgh has genuinely felt like too long for some of the most spoiled fans on Earth. A win over the defending champs will go a long way towards making that elusive seventh ring a reality.

1. Miami Dolphins

Ryan Tannehill
Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

1. Miami Dolphins

Ryan Tannehill
Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

The Dolphins are being slept on like nobody’s business this offseason, and will continue to quietly achieve in 2015. The offense is balanced, the defense is drastically improved and quarterback Ryan Tannehill is ready to make the leap from “good” to “great.” The window is very slowly closing on New England’s stranglehold over the AFC East, but in 2015, only Miami will be complete enough to even catch a whiff of the division title.

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