So, which teams will leverage their last-place schedules into a breakthrough season? The most likely candidates are a pair of 8-8 teams from the competitive AFC East and AFC West Divisions. Buffalo, at 8-8, was last in the AFC East, while Kansas City was 8-8, last in the AFC West. Some experts feel they both have the opportunity to execute an instant replay of the Baltimore Ravens, who went 8-8 in 1999, then won SB XXXV the next year.
The funny thing? Because they both finished last, the Bills and Chiefs play each other in one of their two positional games. In the parity-leavened NFL, that Oct. 26 game could be the difference.