2014 NFL futures betting: Breaking down the AFC East

From the time a young Tom Brady came off the bench to relieve an injured Drew Bledsoe, the New England Patriots have been the class of the AFC East. 

The Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, and even the Buffalo Bills have flirted with stealing the division away from them, but more often than not, it's the Patriots who finish atop the standings at the end of the year.

Oddsmakers have installed the Patriots as an overwhelming favorite to win the division once again this season, as seen in the odds comparison below.

Odds courtesy BetOnline, Bovada, Pinnacle.

New England Patriots

Backing the Patriots to win the AFC East is certainly one of the safer plays on the board, but bettors will have to pay for it - New England is installed at short odds at all major sportsbooks.

And that makes sense. The Patriots look to have only gotten better since winning the division by four games in 2013. The team gets back some healthy bodies in Rob Gronkowski, Jerod Mayo, and Vince Wilfork, while also adding cornerback Darrelle Revis.

The problem with laying heavy chalk on a team like the Patriots is that it only takes one injury to completely derail the wager. A season-ending injury to Brady in 2008 saw New England concede the AFC East crown to Miami, the only year they failed to finish atop the AFC East standings in the 11-season stretch from 2003 through 2013.

New York Jets

The Jets look like the biggest threat to the Patriots this season. The Jets quietly added a fair bit of talent on offense in the offseason, including Chris Johnson, Eric Decker, and Michael Vick, the last of whom figures to get a start or 10 at some point during the season. The defense will surely be taken care of for as long as Rex Ryan is around, so a boost to the team's offense could help the Jets make some noise.

Miami Dolphins

The Dolphins pushed their chips to the middle of the table a year ago and came up bust. There's still plenty of talent on the roster, particularly at the offensive skill positions, and Ryan Tannehill is shaping into a serviceable NFL quarterback, though Knowshon Moreno can't be expected to duplicate the numbers he put up alongside Peyton Manning last year. The team will go as far as a makeshift offensive line will take it, and with Mike Pouncey lost for most of the year, that likely won't be very far.

Buffalo Bills

The Bills' defense was a strong point a year ago, but they now have to make some serious adjustments in the wake of defensive coordinator Mike Pettine's departure to coach the Browns. Jim Schwartz takes over the position, but does so without the services of Jairus Byrd or Kiko Alonso at his disposal. The team has plenty of young talent on offense, but it will take some time for the unit to come together.

Where to put your money

With respect to laying money down on the AFC East, it's hard to justify backing any team other than the Patriots, given their track record. They can be had at -300 on Bovada. The Jets might be worth a sprinkle at +740 on Pinnacle, though it's hard to imagine them closing the deal. New England's offseason moves have put them in a great position to make a run at the Super Bowl, and they shouldn't meet much resistance in making minced meat out of their divisional opponents.

More 2014 NFL futures betting articles:

AFC East | AFC North
AFC South | AFC West

NFC East | NFC North
NFC South | NFC West

Super Bowl odds | Yardage leaders odds
MVP odds | Win total odds
Super Bowl odds II