Porter: Miami team to beat in AFC East

The difference between the Pats and Dolphins is that Miami considers winning the AFC East a championship. The only championships that are relevant here in NE are Super Bowls.

Joey Porter is and always has been a joke when talking to the media. He knows they aren't the team to beat but loves to stir the pot. End of story

Dolphins 11-5
Patriots 11-5.

Both teams won a game against each other (without the league MVP).
By way of a tie-breaker, they are considered AFC East champs. Kids, I have 1 message for you. Don't grow up to be like Joey Porter; don't grow up and take crack like he did! Sorry, that is two messages I guess.

God September can't come quick enough. Keep talking Joey, and keep talking Rex Ryan - as per usual, the Pats will do their talking on the field. The Pats record the past 10 years - as the consistent dominant force in the AFC East - speaks for itself. 6 AFC East crowns, 5 AFC Champ appearances, 4 Superbowl appearances, 3 Superbowl wins. Miami hasn't won anything since the early 70s and the Jets since even before that.

That's how you know there is a difference between the Pats and Phins - he says they are the champs. Champs of what? The AFC East? Whoop dee freaking do. I doubt anyone on the Pats would ever refer to the team as the champs after winning the division. Give me a break.

Didnt this guy get shot in the a$$ for opening his mouth ?

The Pats had the same regular season record as the Dolphins last year, and actually a better overall record than the Dolphins. The Dolphins made it to the playoffs because of an arbitrary tie-breaking rule. That doesn't mean the Dolphins had a better season. I believe the Patriots also had the tougher schedule. It's hard to reason that the Dolphins were better in '08 than the Patriots.

Actually, given how much these other teams are talking about the Patriots, it would suggest that the Patriots' mystique is just as powerful, if not more powerful than ever. The Patriots are in the heads of their opponents. Porter is thinking about the Pats. Rex Ryan is thinking about the Pats. Do you think Tom Brady is worried about Joey Porter right now? Is Randy Moss giving the Jets bulletin board material? No. Because the Pats aren't worried about anyone else. But obviously, other teams feel the need to express their own confidence versus the Pats. Any athlete will tell you, if you're in your opponent's head, you're already winning...

Even though Porter is a bit over the top, I can't argue with him (and I like it when players speak their mind, Pat's players are not allowed). He's right, Miami is the team to beat in the AFC East. I'm sure even some of us think it's obnoxious for the media to proclaim the Patriots as the de-facto SB champions, even though there is clear heavy competition at the top of the AFC and the Pats haven't won a SB in 4 years.

Rex Ryan should put a lid on the Pat's comments until he wins a game. In case he needs a recent history lesson, his current team proved what losers they are in the last Miami game.

The NFL should send someone right over and drug test this guy, pronto! Hey, thanks for the bulletin board material. Its not like having Brady back isnt uplifting enough. In the likeness of Joey 'Peesy' Porter himself: The DOLPHINS will never be on our level. Never ever....

HAHA. I needed that.

I disagree with the notion that anyone defends anything in the NFL, but people are really just guessing who will win the division/Super Bowl at this point. Tom Brady can't get it done alone and none of us have seen a defense that will win it in crunch time since 2004.

[2005: Offense struggles in Denver
2006: Indy Collapse
2007: SB Collapse
2008: A better defense gets one more win to get into the playoffs (Jets)]

I think combining losing Super Bowl XLII and missing the playoffs last year confirms that the mystique is gone. The past quickly has less meaning in the NFL.

The Patriots have to reestablish they are the best on the field (I think they will).

I hate to even react to an idiot and justify the comments, but it's truly hilarious that Miami and Porter act like they had such a great season. Let's see, the Pats lost the MVP of the league and still went 11--5, split against the Dolphins (winning the last meeting in Miami decisively and thus proving who was the better team at the end of the year) and missed the playoffs on the 3rd tie-breaker. The season was considered a disappointment. Miami was fullly healthy, went 11-5 against a last place schedule and got embarassed in the first round of the playoffs, yet Porter is acting like they had a great season and can't understand why Pats would be favored getting Brady back. I could understand the Steelers, as defending SUPER BOWL champs, feeling disrespected if people picked the Pats to win the whole thing but Porter is a moron. Don't even get me started on Rex Ryan. The Ravens act like they were a dynasty even though they won one super 10 years ago. What a joke.

Will this dude ever shut up?

porter has a right to crow, even if he is an ass, the dolphins are defending afc east champs.

rex ryan on the other hand is a fool, he and jets have accomplished nothing. I can't wait to see him kiss BB's rear end on his way out of NY in two years.

I am a Diehard Steelers fan, and I just laughed when I read this article. Joey Porter is a good OLB but always running his mouth. I know he help my Steelers win games but Miami is a joke. Steelers are constitant winners and Dolphins got lucky last year. The Dolphins have the hardest schedule in 2009 (still not tougher than Steelers 2008 schedule) and will not make the playoffs. When Joey spoke while in Pittsburgh, it intimated other team becos the way Steelers play...NOT MIAMI. The Pats will win the Division.....

Yep, you're 100% right Joey - you now get to defend your crown as AFC East champions, and get a 1st place schedule to match it. The Patriots are the underdogs, the guys trying to knock you off the pedestal. Just the way we spent the previous 5 years defending it, you'll get a chance to do the same. Talking about it, though, won't get you anywhere, time to buckle the chin strap and play.

well i guess we really stink and are going to finish last in the division. according to Joey, Rex and T.O. they have the division all but wrapped up. to bad - it was good while it lasted.

What a loudmouth Jerk! Miami will be lucky to win 8 games this year, let alone the division. They backed in on a dubious tie-breaker last year, lost to the Pat's by three touchdowns in the 2nd game (after Cassel learned how to play) and had an opponant's winning percentage that was so low as to be shameful! While we played his old team Pittsburg, they (Miami) played the Bengals! Joey Porter ought to go somewhere and shut his trap. It is my sincere hope that this year, if he doesn't, someone will do it for him.

Christopher:

Your comment "it seems like the Patriots Mystique doesn't hold the same weight in the division that it used to," is probably a little off. I would say that these comments both show that the Patriots are in the heads of both these people and thus their teams. Talk is cheap in June, let's see what happens in September. Disrespect is certainly a good offseason motivator for BB and team.

Good stuff! LOL. I needed a laugh :)

Meh--a jackass being a jackass--no story here.

Keep on mouthing off, Mr. Porter- no really, go right ahead. Between the Dolphins and the Jets there's already plenty of bulletin board material in the Patriots' locker room for the coming year. All they need now is for T.O. to start flapping his gums again too and the Pats will have the AFC East opponents all covered.

Porter even annoys some of his own teammates. NFL Network's replay of the rematch between the two teams in Miami last year shows his teammates trying to shut him up during the game. I would have thought after the drubbing his team took in that contest Porter would have realized the Dolphins still have a way to go before being considered the team to beat.

what he says is legit. Although they won the AFC east due to a tiebreaker they still won it fair and square. Sure we didn't have brady etc. but that's the way the taco rolls. But looking this year i think they will have a much harder time to repeat due to the harder schedule.

Let the Jets and Phins players decide amongst themselves who the best team on paper is or who the offseason champ is, you never hear Patriot players making such pointless comments. As cliched as it sounds, the Pats do make their statement on the field.

"Mouth of the South' That is priceless and perfect.

I just chaulk his non-sense up as a result of brain damage from the time he got shot in the butt in Denver.

Hey Joey Porter at the end of the day do you have too look in the mirror and apologize to yourself for all your dumb comments. What a donkey. And to Rex Ryan you got no quarter back Dirty Sanchez is a product of the system Pete Carroll is great in college look at his system in the pros it blows so get use to kissing BB Super Bowl Rings all of the them.

They always talk, until the games are over. Then their big mouths are quiet, for a while anyway. Porter is a piece of human trash, and he and his loser teammates got pounded in their second game against the Pats, after the gimmick of the Wildcat was dissected and exposed. Prepare for more of that this season, as the Dolphins, who wasted a playoff spot last year that should have gone to a better team, fall back to earth, hard.

Sorry, I meant Mouth of South Florida.

Porter has a point. The Dolphins are champions of the Division and the only Division team that went to the playoffs last year. Until they are knocked out of the number one spot, it's theirs to enjoy. I just hope that Joey continues to give the Patriots motivation like this before each of the games that the Patriots and Dolphins play this year.

We'll see what song he is singing when we go 6-0 in the Division. Miami as the team to beat? Pahlease. Joey, have you seen your quarterbacks lately?

I hate to say it, but he's actually quite right. They were (and still are) the Division Champs. Until anyone knocks them off, they're still the Champs, so... don't go "crowning our ass" just yet....
Besides, he's really just adding more fuel to Brady's fire, which is great..

I agree that from the perspective of the teams that didn't win the division, Miami is the team to beat. However, from Miami's perspective, the other three teams are the team to beat. It's what makes being a defending champion so difficult.

Joey Porter is an idiot. When you finish with the same record you didn't win anything outright. You won by a tie-breaker. I can't wait to see Tom sling it all over them next season.

After the Pats beat Miami 48-10 in Foxboro then 56-10 in Miami, lets ask Joey again who the best team is in the AFC East. Won the championship? They didn't win anything. They were one and done in the playoffs, losing at HOME no less to a Baltimore team that could barely move the ball. Lets see the two teams line up without any significant injuries (or arrests if we're talking about Miami) and see what happens.

...and Rex Ryan. The Jets will always suck. Deal with it.

Joey Porter is right. It's NFL being NFL and you are what your record says you are. If the Pats don't think that Miami should be the AFC East champs, prove them wrong.

somebody better drug test Porter. he must be high.

Champs? More like chumps! Does he really think they would have been champs last year with TB under center? Heck, if it weren't for them paying Mangini off (who had nothing to loose but his job) they wouldn't have been either! was he even there that game?
The man child is dilusional!!!

Miami had a cupcake schedule last season. Can't wait till they actually play real teams besides the Pats, like Pittsburgh and Indy. I guess Porter obviously doesn't remember the ass-spanking the Pats laid on them in late November......

Actually, it proves the "Patriots Mystique" is still eliciting foolish statements from nervous opposing players and coaches. Joey Porter and Rex Ryan are in for a rude awakening.

Does Joey Porter know that the Pats were playing with there back up quarterback last year and the greatest QB of all time? I cant wait to destroy the Dolphins this year, grow up Joey!

Big mouths don't really talk....

Victories talk....

"We won the championship. We were AFC East champions. .." Exactly what championship was that? Didn't they gain the AFC East by virtue of holding a tie for first place and by having a better record within the conference? Any chance he recognizes that the schedule of a 1-15 team would be slightly easier than a a team that went 16-0? Any guesses on Miami's record this season? 8-8? 9-7? 7-9?!

who cares what either one of those guys says. the patriots will sweep the division this year if brady stays healthy.

"it seems like the Patriots Mystique doesn't hold the same weight in the division that it used to."

I'd disagree. If anything, the fact the the Phish & Jets (the HC of the NYJ at that!) are spending their offseason talking about the Patriots and how they aren't worried about them tells you all you need to know.

This is just further example of the AFC East opponents inferiority complex; if you're not thinking about somebody, you aren't talking about them to the media.

When will the blowhards ever learn? Hopefully never.

I remember Porter once said. "No Tom Brady the Pats is nothing" Now he said Tom Brady or NO Tom Brady. Hahhaha

I say he doesnt live past age 60 like the rest of the "Steel Curtain"

Joey seems to forget the Phins caught the Brady-less Pats w/ their pants down with the wildcat thing on the 1st meeting. The 2nd meeting, NE beat Miami 48-28, in Miami without Brady and half the startin D on IR. W/ all the injuries, the players never made excuses for not making the playoffs & losing to the Dolphins last year. Joey on the other hand always wines and makes excuses all the time. Even when he played for Pit, he was always a sore looser...How can you blame the media & fans for being so excited about the Pats with the guy who ran the #1 offense in NFL history coming back to a better team than 2007! Go Pats!

Hate to spoil the love fest here lads and lasses, but we are one Vince Wilfork trade and a rookie nose tackle away from having Joey Porter be proven right.

They're the reigning AFC East champions, and they've increased the overall amount of talent on their team. They have Jason Taylor back to work opposite Porter, and acquired two guys in the draft to improve their secondary with Vontae Davis and Sean Smith.

I do think the Dolphins are the team to beat, but a few key injuries (Chad Pennington, Ronnie Brown, or a few members of the offensive line) could cause their season to slide significantly.

Is there enough room on the locker room bulletin board for all this stuff? To echo the words of the Japanese Admiral Yamamoto after Pearl Harbor, " I fear that we have awakened a sleeping giant and filled him with a terrible resolve."

bottom line: Who cares what he thinks? I can't beleive his stupid comments were even printed in the Globe! Porter is a moron, Miami caught a break last year even though they sucked and they are going to get their asses handed to them twice this year by New England. I'm looking forward to an extended season. Maybe we can stomp them 3 times a year now!

LISTEN JOEY, When you played for my Steelers, WE LOVED IT!!
but...your playing for the lucky Fins.. You can only talk when your team has success for several years(STEELERS) NOT a ONE HIT WONDER...

Miami and the Pats played the same 14 out of 16 opponents. Only 2 games each year are determined by previous season's record. Even so, Miami backed into the division title by way of an obscure tiebreaker combined with TB's injury.

Miami and the Pats played the same 14 out of 16 opponents. Only 2 games each year are determined by previous season's record. Even so, Miami backed into the division title by way of an obscure tiebreaker combined with TB's injury.

Let him keep chirping. In all the years he has backed it up ONCE! THe rest of the games he didn't show after running his mouth. I know this sounds childish but, "whatever"

YS, you're right, you are what your record says you are. The Pats were 11-5, the Dolphins 11-6.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! Whew! It's good to get a good belly-laugh now and then. Is he freakin' serious??! Miami did it with tricks and gimmicks last year and barely squeaked out their last few wins, then got smoked in the playoffs. Now that there is game tape of their gimmicks, they will be lucky to go 8-8. What a joke.

I bet Parcells and Sparano are really pleased with the idiot spouting off

Who cares what Joey Porter says?? He is always mouthing off, just to get some journalist to quote him. Let him talk all he wants. What counts will be determined at the end of the year, when the Pats are on top again.

Has anyone told Joey Porter that we have our Quarterback completely healthy and more motivated than he's ever been. It was probably a bad idea to give him even more motivation. I garuntee that is already posted all over the patriots locker room. I'm sure Brady has it framed in bold print on his fridge. These are the exact things at motivate the Patriots and Bill is a master at using it to his advantage. Tom is also a master at making people eat their words. Just ask that no name safety for Steelers or Igor "they know whats up" Olshanksy.

BWAAAHAAhahahahahahaha

Too funny.

Is Porter on drugs?

Seriously, I'm not even upset. It's like when your kid brother says he can beat you up. Hoe seriously can you take him.

Ahhh. A rich and textured series of responses...with some exceptions, of course!

Porter is, of course, frighteningly stupid. With half of our D out with injuries, in addition to the greatest Quarterback in the game being out, the Patriots would not likely have gone far in the playoffs, so I haven't lost a minute of sleep worrying about our getting screwed out'f a playoff berth.

Having said that, I don't think there's even the remotest question that we DID get screwed out'f it ~ does ANY TieBreaker except for Straight Up or Strength of Schedule have ANY business being in the top 2? Obviously not ~ which makes his posturing TEN times more hilarious!

I think it's one'f the saddest jokes around...that the NFL is so embarrassed about their methodology of granting bad teams ~ like the 2007 Fish ~ advantageous schedules, that they BURY the advantage in the TieBreakers!

Isn't the idea of TieBreakers to weed out the weaker teams, and produce a better Playoffs, and more Entertainment Dollars, by bringing the better teams forward???

Isn't it obvious, then, that when two teams produce the same record, and one team did so ~ despite a myriad of losses ~ against a dramatically tougher schedule, that THEY are the superior team, and, therefore, more likely to produces great playoff football ~ and attract more Entertainment Dollars to the League ~ than the sorry aas chumps who floated there on a Last Place Schedule???

Just sayin! :oP

Keep talking punk and you'll get some of Matt Light just like your punk long haired boyfriend Crowder did.

It's on like Donkey Kong. These guys shouldn't give the Pats bulletin board material. History teaches that's a very bad idea. I have a feeling Brady has deliberately remained very quiet about his condition because he just wants to come out and show it on the field. The result of the last game he completed was motivation enough to fight back. Now Brady, Belichick & Co. are hearing things like this? Not good if you're a Buffalo, Miami or New York fan. They should have adopted the motto "let sleeping dogs lie."

It amazes me the stupidity of the NFL! Is there a team that thrives more on haters and doubters than the patriots? Why wake a sleeping giant! Battle cry for this season? "Everyone thinks we are not dominating anymore"

Looks like Joey's back on the Crack pipe! Or maybe he thinks his team gets the same last place schedule that his team played last year!!!! In either case he's wrong and it's just too bad it wasn't the Phins on the Monday night opener because I can't wait to see the look on his face after the Patriots put a Royal pasting on the Phins one that they'll forget any time soon!!!!! I predict a 65-3 score the first game against the phins.

Hey this is for post # 11 …miss JG……mystique is gone? Please…the Patriots were 18 & 1 in 2007 and 11 & 5 in 2008 (with out Tom Brady NFL 2007 MVP in 2008) So that means they have been 29 & 6 over the last two seasons….mean while the dolphins? Well they have been just 12 & 20 …during the same time.

So now they are the team to beat and our mystique is gone? ….Please you have one division title in all of the 2000 era…..we both had the same record and split the games between us. Until you have a better record back to back than the Patriots…don’t even think we are done…I promise you that we will win both head to head match ups with your superbowl bound Joey Porter led phins…Hahahahah

"We won the championship. We were AFC East champions. I just don't think it's supposed to happen like that. You've got to beat somebody to be the champs. We had to beat somebody to be the champs."

So I guess we'll be treated to the Dolphins raising their beloved AFC East Champs banner on opening weekend, right?

Why would anyone print what Joey has to say? A moron speaks and you print

keep running your mouth Porter, but remember, after you surprised us once with your trick offense, we kicked your asses in the rematch......

Gotta love trash talking in June! Well the division has been boring the past few years, bring it boys! It's aweful quiet in Buffalo though--what's the over/under on TO joining this circus?
When are the dolphins getting their rings?

9 points in the playoffs. Shut the f--k up a--hole.

wow.. so theyre the AFC EAST champs?!!!!

OMG... CONGRATULATIONSSSS!!!! *does the stupid boy voice with tongue falling out to the side*

They are SOOO SPESHIALLLL!!!

pats 4evarrr

Patriot fans are sooooo smart?
Miami played the easiest schedule ..... against common opponents
same exact records. Non-common advantage N.E. (Pitt and Indy) Mia (Hou/Bal)
Both N.E. and Mia lost all 4 games. At least Miami was competitive.
Against Pitt M Cassel treated like a hand puppet, no 3rd down con. untill late 4th,
total Pitt. domination, Wes W. pancake
Matt from R.I. Miami boasting about Division Champs a joke, Pat's only care
about S.B.? Who has the silly 16-0 banner
Week 12 game against Miami a blow out??????
Score was 31-28 with 8 minutes to go in the 4th. N.E. won and deserved the W
but game was closer than final score would lead you to believe

"said Porter, who led the AFC with 17.5 sacks last year. 'The doubting is over now.'"
HA HA HA HA !!!!
This guy's got the Jim Carey thing goin' on.

I actually think Mr. Porter is right in his comments. Why even play the mighty Dolphins this year. Let's just forfeit the 2 games and concentrate on the remaining 14. I mean 14-2 isn't bad. right?

"it seems like the Patriots Mystique doesn't hold the same weight in the division that it used to."

I don't know about that......it just shows that Ryan and Porter are a couple of loudmouthed blowhards.........talk is CHEAP, let's see if they can back it up. I doubt that they can.

Porter is just telling it the way it is. The Patriots had a good year last year........BUT NOT GOOD ENOUGH! In the NFL any team can win a division any year and the Patriots have a DECENT chance to win the AFC east this year. But they haven't won a single game yet! I hope Brady's knee stays healthy this year so the Pats can't cry about not having him when Miami wins the division again, and if he doesn't you all don't have Cassel to rely on anymore. Miami is young and hungry and have the man who realy put the Pats on the map on their side(THE BIG TUNA)!

Porter should worry about how Miami is going to win it's other 14 games. They have often split with the Patriots over the years, but still were smoked it the division. Miami starts at Atlanta, home to Indy, at San Diego. Then 2 key division games against Bills and Jets.
That looks like 1-4 or 2-3 to me. Miami will be out of the division before it starts.

Then the Patriots will with the first game against Miami at home, and the other game may not even matter.