The most glaring difference between the New England Patriots and the Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins and New York Jets has unquestionably been at the quarterback position. For far too long it has been Tom Brady and then everyone else. The gap between Brady and the other quarterbacks in the division has been so great that, despite fielding comparable overall rosters, the Patriots have rarely been challenged.

The Patriots are usually clinching the division with three or four games remaining in the season, and until the Dolphins, Bills or Jets come up with an answer at quarterback, it will be the same old story.

In 2015, the Patriots still will have the best situation at quarterback. Even if Brady is suspended for a few games, New England has decent depth at the position with second-year player Jimmy Garoppolo and veteran Matt Flynn competing for the backup role. Even if they get off to a rough start, Brady’s return will likely be enough for the Pats to still post double-digit victories. That’s why, until proven otherwise, or until Brady, who enters his 16th season, begins to decline, the Patriots will rank first at the position.

One divisional rival has closed the gap over the past few seasons. With upstart Ryan Tannehill, and arguably the best depth at the position in the NFL, the Dolphins clearly earn the No. 2 spot. Tannehill, a gifted athlete who played wide receiver early in his career at Texas A&M, has displayed steady improvement over his first three seasons. Tannehill’s completion percentage, yards, touchdowns and rating have improved every season, and if he can continue his ascent, the Dolphins have enough talent throughout their roster to challenge the Pats.

Another reason why the Dolphins enjoy such a large gap at the position over the Bills and Jets is the quality depth they have behind Tannehill. Matt Moore and Josh Freeman are both proven players. Moore is one of the top backups in the NFL, and Freeman enjoyed some impressive seasons while starting for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2009-12. If Freeman can regain his form, he provides the Dolphins with options at backup, and possibly a trade chip.

Like the Dolphins, the Bills and Jets have enough talent throughout their rosters to unseat the Patriots. However, they also have two of the most uncertain situations at quarterback in the entire NFL.

The Bills and Jets also have nearly identical situations heading into 2015. Both teams have brought in veterans to compete with struggling third-year incumbents. In Buffalo, the Bills signed Matt Cassel to compete with E.J. Manuel, while the Jets inked Ryan Fitzpatrick to challenge Geno Smith. Cassel and Fitzpatrick will never be top-line starters in the league, but they can play winning football if Smith or Manuel can’t live up to the lofty expectations that made them high draft picks in 2013.

I give the Jets a slight edge at the position, because over the past few seasons, I think Fitzpatrick has shown a little more ability to make big plays. I also think Smith, while more prone to mistakes than Manuel, has at least shown tiny flashes of possibly one day becoming a quality starting quarterback.

Nick Sardina is an NFL writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow Nick onTwitter @nicksardina13, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google