dubs Posted April 9, 2014 Posted April 9, 2014 So pre draft, and speculating heavily on how teams will draft I have managed to come up with how I think the AFC ranks in terms of power. Here goes, and chime in with how you se it? 1. Broncos 2. Pats 3. Colts 4. Cincy 5. Chiefs 6. Chargers 7. Ravens 8. Steelers 9. Bllls 10. Jets 11. Houston 12. Browns 13. Titans 14. Dolphins 15. Jags 16 Oakland Where am I going wrong? Tim- I think the AFC is very weak, compared to the NFC. No team is really scary, like the Seahawks, Niners, or Saints. IMHO: 1) Pats - biggest improvement in the offseason by adding Revis 2) Colts - Luck is about to hit his vaulting into superstardom period of his career. 3) Broncos - Still formidable, I just think that losing in the SB last year is going to take a lot out of this team. Wouldn't be surprised to see them battling for a WC. 4) Cincy - Still the best in that division. Can't put it together in the playoffs. 5) Chargers - Younger and more talented than the Chiefs. Chiefs had an incredibly easy schedule last year. Look for big things from Rivers in year 2 of new offense this year. 6) Totally up for grabs - I could see almost every team except Jacksonville and Oakland jump into this spot.
Dorkington Posted April 9, 2014 Posted April 9, 2014 I find it hard to predict much of a difference in the Bills record, personally. We lost Byrd, but picked up Spikes, and 3rd string CB. We picked up Williams on the other side, but we don't know what he's going to do. Our OLine is still a weakness. QB is still unknown. We probably downgraded as far as a DC goes. And Marrone/Hackett haven't really proven themselves. So I still see us as a bottom feeder for now. Too many question marks. That all being said. On paper, I like the moves we made in the off season so far. If EJ can get on the same page as his WRs. If the Oline can hold blocks. If Hackett can design plays to use CJ. If Marrone can manage a game. We could be a much improved team. But that's a lot of ifs, and basically all of them need to happen, so I keep my expectations low.
YoloinOhio Posted April 9, 2014 Posted April 9, 2014 I think the AFC is very weak, compared to the NFC. No team is really scary, like the Seahawks, Niners, or Saints. IMHO: 1) Pats - biggest improvement in the offseason by adding Revis 2) Colts - Luck is about to hit his vaulting into superstardom period of his career. 3) Broncos - Still formidable, I just think that losing in the SB last year is going to take a lot out of this team. Wouldn't be surprised to see them battling for a WC. 4) Cincy - Still the best in that division. Can't put it together in the playoffs. 5) Chargers - Younger and more talented than the Chiefs. Chiefs had an incredibly easy schedule last year. Look for big things from Rivers in year 2 of new offense this year. 6) Totally up for grabs - I could see almost every team except Jacksonville and Oakland jump into this spot. Chargers have a really tough schedule this year and won a ton of close games last year. They lost their OC, so it will be interesting to see how much if anything changes since McCoy is an offensive HC. They didn't have the cap space in FA to fill many holes and they need a lot of help at corner and WR. They should get Danario Alexander and Malcolm Floyd back who were out all season with injury last year,along with with Keenan Allen should be decent with TEs Ladarius Green and Gates. If they didn't have the play the NFC West, Denver twice and NE, I'd have them in the playoffs again.
dubs Posted April 9, 2014 Posted April 9, 2014 Chargers have a really tough schedule this year and won a ton of close games last year. They lost their OC, so it will be interesting to see how much if anything changes since McCoy is an offensive HC. They didn't have the cap space in FA to fill many holes and they need a lot of help at corner and WR. They should get Danario Alexander and Malcolm Floyd back who were out all season with injury last year,along with with Keenan Allen should be decent with TEs Ladarius Green and Gates. If they didn't have the play the NFC West, Denver twice and NE, I'd have them in the playoffs again. Fair enough. I put more weight in last year's schedule as opposed to projecting what will be a tough schedule the upcoming year. But I think you're point and the point others raised is a good one. It really seems that after the Pats, Broncos, and Colts, the rest of the AFC is pretty wide open and aside from a couple shockers (jags, oak) I wouldn't be surprised to see any other team jump into the playoffs.
mattsox Posted April 9, 2014 Posted April 9, 2014 So pre draft, and speculating heavily on how teams will draft I have managed to come up with how I think the AFC ranks in terms of power. Here goes, and chime in with how you se it? 1. Broncos 2. Pats 3. Colts 4. Cincy 5. Chiefs 6. Chargers 7. Ravens 8. Steelers 9. Bllls 10. Jets 11. Houston 12. Browns 13. Titans 14. Dolphins 15. Jags 16 Oakland Where am I going wrong? Tim- My Top 6 in the AFC Playoffs next season: 1. Denver 2. Indianapolis 3. NE 4. Cincinnati 5. San Diego 6. Cleveland
Cleveland Rocks? Posted April 9, 2014 Posted April 9, 2014 My Top 6 in the AFC Playoffs next season: 1. Denver 2. Indianapolis 3. NE 4. Cincinnati 5. San Diego 6. Cleveland WOW! You think the Brownies are making the playoffs? Nice! No Bills though?
bobobonators Posted April 9, 2014 Posted April 9, 2014 What basis is there to think that the Bills are better than the Jets?
mattsox Posted April 9, 2014 Posted April 9, 2014 WOW! You think the Brownies are making the playoffs? Nice! No Bills though? If they get a QB, I think they could be a surprise team. As far as the Bills, I just don't have alot of faith in EJ. I hope/pray I'm wrong, but I just don't know if he can rally the Bills to greater things...
boyst Posted April 9, 2014 Posted April 9, 2014 The two teams that are going to keep getting better and be the big AFC rivalry are the Colts and Chargers. Bur for now: Denver NE until proven otherwise indianoplis San Diego Cincinatti Kansas City Buffalo Cleveland Baltimore Miami Pittsburgh Tennessee New Jersey Oakland Jacksonville Houston
YoloinOhio Posted April 9, 2014 Posted April 9, 2014 The two teams that are going to keep getting better and be the big AFC rivalry are the Colts and Chargers. Bur for now: Denver NE until proven otherwise indianoplis San Diego Cincinatti Kansas City Buffalo Cleveland Baltimore Miami Pittsburgh Tennessee New Jersey Oakland Jacksonville Houston 3 teams from the AFC West - even though they play the NFC West this year? Maybe I'm overrating it.... but I think they only send one team to the playoffs this year... 2 at the most. I fear SD takes a step back. JMO.
boyst Posted April 9, 2014 Posted April 9, 2014 I didn't go playoffs layout. I went contenders and the rest. Themiddle might as well be no different then the bottom
YoloinOhio Posted April 9, 2014 Posted April 9, 2014 I didn't go playoffs layout. I went contenders and the rest. Themiddle might as well be no different then the bottom Oh - I get it. I see 5 of our games are against your contenders (last year's playoff group).
CodeMonkey Posted April 9, 2014 Posted April 9, 2014 So pre draft, and speculating heavily on how teams will draft I have managed to come up with how I think the AFC ranks in terms of power. Here goes, and chime in with how you se it? 1. Broncos 2. Pats 3. Colts 4. Cincy 5. Chiefs 6. Chargers 7. Ravens 8. Steelers 9. Bllls 10. Jets 11. Houston 12. Browns 13. Titans 14. Dolphins 15. Jags 16 Oakland Where am I going wrong? Tim- The off season ... the time that Bills fans put the team in the top 10
Dorkington Posted April 9, 2014 Posted April 9, 2014 The off season ... the time that Bills fans put the team in the top 10 Of the AFC...
boyst Posted April 9, 2014 Posted April 9, 2014 Oh - I get it. I see 5 of our games are against your contenders (last year's playoff group). more or less, I did it to strength of the team. The top 6 will have the better teams. But in a case like the AFCW they will be so busy beating each other that one of those teams other then Oakland might barely finish .500. I look at the Chefs to be that team, as I think their system and QB have been exposed. You take Andy Reid's Phili team with a lackluster Ryan Fitzpatrick QB and a strong front 7 D and you go over their head on offense and then stop their game management to win. Someone like Baltimore has to rediscover themselves. Teamslike Cin are just going to brink on the next level for a few seasons until patience with Dalton is tapped. The entire AFCN is washed clean and the only thing to give it a face now is Big Ben who can't do it all alone. We are looking at a completely different division in 3 years. No Manning, no Brady, just Rivers and Luck. Poise yourself now if you're smart and look to be on top in 2015 if you're rebuilding
YoloinOhio Posted April 9, 2014 Posted April 9, 2014 What basis is there to think that the Bills are better than the Jets? Dave & Buster's.
ThurmasThoman Posted April 9, 2014 Posted April 9, 2014 Lot of love for the Colts on here... sometimes I feel like I'm the only one who hasn't bought into Andrew Luck 100% yet. The Colts were, perennially, a dominant team with Peyton Manning--I've noticed that ESPN (and now fans) have put a tremendous emphasis on their awful 2011 campaign which led to Luck being drafted... but Manning didn't play at all that year. It was an aberration. If you take that season out of the equation, the team took a step backwards in drafting Luck from where they were when they had Manning under center. And against good QBs in the playoffs (Falco, Brady) Luck has been made to look absolutely pedestrian. So, to me, to sit here and say "this is the year Luck takes that big step and becomes elite"... that has just as much validity as saying "this is the year Brady falls off" or "this is the year EJ becomes elite." With that being said, the Broncos are pretty much the only team in the conference that can hold a candle to anyone in the National Conference. Seattle, San Francisco, New Orleans... and then an AFC representative. Very similar to how the AFC/NFC looked in the 80s and 90s... those are some monster defenses in that conference.. I dont know whos going to win the Super Bowl, but it will definitely be an NFC team. And boy, we better hope EJ is the real deal. Peyton and Brady have a few years left, and then (possibly as soon as this year or next year) our conference is going to be WIDE open. Add in that extra wild card and it's only a matter of a year or two til Bills playoff football is back.
GunnerBill Posted April 10, 2014 Posted April 10, 2014 Lot of love for the Colts on here... sometimes I feel like I'm the only one who hasn't bought into Andrew Luck 100% yet. The Colts were, perennially, a dominant team with Peyton Manning--I've noticed that ESPN (and now fans) have put a tremendous emphasis on their awful 2011 campaign which led to Luck being drafted... but Manning didn't play at all that year. It was an aberration. If you take that season out of the equation, the team took a step backwards in drafting Luck from where they were when they had Manning under center. And against good QBs in the playoffs (Falco, Brady) Luck has been made to look absolutely pedestrian. Of course they took a step back moving from one of the greatest Quarterbacks of all time to a rookie. You wouldn't expect anything less. As for Luck struggling in his first two years in the play-offs... again.. look at Manning's play-off record even now... winning play-off games is not easy. Andrew Luck is for my money the best of the 2012 class of Quarterbacks. Russell Wilson might have the ring but I don't think there is any way he has anything like Luck's wins or Luck's numbers playing in Indi where you don't have a defense that keeps giving you the ball in good field position and with the scoreboard looking healthy. Has Luck yet proven to be "elite"? No, I wouldn't say he has... but the Colts are a young team on the rise with the best young Quarterback in the NFL. I think this year they are the most likely threat to Denver in the AFC.
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