Rank The AFC After All The Moves

[corta765]

After Hill's trade today rank the AFC as you see it at this point for 2022 (yes I understand draft still needs to happen). Here are my thoughts:

 

1. BUF 13-4    After everything that has happened most complete team right now

2. DEN 12-5    I trust Wilson over LAC for division

3. BAL 11-5    Historic amount of injuries last year, they will bounce back

4. TEN 10-7    They've bled some depth but I trust them over IND more right now

5. LAC 12-5    Tie breaker for division so they are WC and really good

6. CIN 10-7    They get the WC and start on the road this playoff year. Their rivals have all gotten better

7. MIA 10-7    Similar to the Patriots last year a soft schedule compared to AFCW or AFCN foes will gift wins even though talent wise  teams 8-10 are better IMO.

------ playoff cut off -------

8. CLE 9-8    Watson is going to be suspended for at least 4-6 games if not more. That's too many games in division this competitive

9. OAK 9-8    I think that QB wise their third in division and the attrition inside will hurt their playoff chances more then talent

10. KC 9-8    They have bled a lot of free agents as the cap has not been nice and their division is insane. Hill leaving though makes it a tough sell to see them up top

11. IND 8-9    Matt Ryan is on the backside of his career and has been for years. He couldn't take advantage of the weapons he had in ATL the last few years and has less in IND

12. JAX 8-9    Competent coaching will do wonders for Trevor who takes steps forward. After hearing very thing Urban did its a miracle he didn't retire at QB

13. PIT 7-10   Mitch its not personal just business and they have the 4th best QB in a division that is quite solid.

14. NE 7-10   Teams year 1 with new free agents gain on average 3 wins, next year they lose that gain. Additionally the rest of the division is only better and nothing has been done to help make Mac's life easier.

15. NYJ 5-12    Their defense will play better this year, but their offense is still ways behind the rest of the AFC plus Zach Wilson needs to take some major steps to show life.

16. HOU 4-13   They are slowly rebuilding what they had it will just take time.

[TBBills]

I don't see Miami being more than an 8 win team.

[Success]

Not a bad ranking in the OP.  I think KC will still be in the mix though - I don't see them dropping out of the playoffs, though it will be VERY tough for them to win the division again.

 

Bills should be able to secure the top seed if they can stay healthy.  After that, I actually see the Broncos & Bengals as the biggest threats.  I agree that the Phins could snag that last spot, depending on the new coach.

 

That's not really a ranking, I realize - just some thoughts.

 

[Rico]

#10 for the Chiefs is too low. 
 

They look more like #9.
 

 

[Buffalo_Stampede]

8 minutes ago, TBBills said:

I don't see Miami being more than an 8 win team.

They’ve won 9 and 10 games with worse rosters. They will be better. 

[dwight in philly]

I kind of agree with the OP, but i see the Raiders in the mix, instead of Miami.. and KC? sure is food for thought though 

[billsbackto81]

I think KC and Indy will be at least 10-7. 

[Klaus]

IMHO Colts got better with Ryan vs Wentz, and they were on the cusp of being in the playoffs last year, if I had to take a team to win that division it would be them. Ryan / Taylor / Pittman is a great group to start with on the offence, throw in some solid D and it could be a good squad in 2022. 

 

My way too early prediction for the playoff teams

 

AFCE - Bills - Go Bills, look good on paper, now bring it home

AFCN - Bengals - They got better, rookie QB deal is helping

AFCS - Colts - See above

AFCW - Chargers - Like the Benglas they got better, and I think the Chiefs lost too much

 

WC1 - Broncos - RW will help them win the close games

WC2 - Titans - Don't have faith in this call, they had a terrible margin of victory last year, but I think they are still good enough to get in

WC3 -Ravens - Bounce back year as they stay healthy 

 

 

Most Improved - Texans getting DW out of the fold will help them in the short and long run

 

 

 

Edited March 23, 2022 by Klaus

[Paup 1995MVP]

2 minutes ago, Buffalo_Stampede said:

They’ve won 9 and 10 games with worse rosters. They will be better. 

Tua is mediocre at best.  And their O line hasn't been good since the Dwight Stephenson Richmond Webb days.  LOL

[corta765]

14 minutes ago, TBBills said:

I don't see Miami being more than an 8 win team.

 

Gotta think schedule more then talent. Rarely do the top 14 teams make the playoffs talent wise. MIA is certainly better then NYJ and NE at this point and if they go 4-0 there they need 5 wins out of 12.

[RobbRiddick]

It's a brutal conference. You can see why Brady decided to return. The AFC is going to beat the crap out of itself all season and then into the playoffs. Brady will probably end up playing a divisional round game against the Lions or something.

 

I'd actually drop the Bengals a bit this season and have them missing the playoffs but that's just a hunch.

 

I agree the Ravens will be back, flying under the radar nicely. they're so well coached. 

 

I still place the Chiefs highly until they prove otherwise. People wrote them off early this season and they came storming back, just like the Pats used to when people proclaimed them dead. As Mahomes would say, "I'll see it when I believe it"

[corta765]

10 minutes ago, Success said:

Not a bad ranking in the OP.  I think KC will still be in the mix though - I don't see them dropping out of the playoffs, though it will be VERY tough for them to win the division again.

 

I don't disagree with your thoughts on KC. Right now anyone who would argue against really any of those 4 teams winning the division or making the playoffs is wrong as they all have a ton of talent. I just think the attrition of free agency, four years worth of playoff games, and the division finally rising in talent catches them at the end. I still would expect come weeks 16-17-18 KC has a shot.

6 minutes ago, Klaus said:

 

WC2 - Titans - Don't have faith in this call, they had a terrible margin of victory last year, but I think they are still good enough to get in

 

 

Titans are my team that if they moved divisions I think they are 3rd or 4th anywhere else, BUT their style of play and Jax/Hou rebuilding gives them enough wins to inflate their total.

[Max Fischer]

I won't do W/L, but by so-called Power Rankings. The AFC West teams could chew each other up.

 

1. BUF 

2. LAC (Herbert's big year, if he takes the next step, so do the Chargers - this is Allen/Bills 2020)

3. CIN (Big improvments at weakest points. Which defense shows up?) 

4. DEN (Hard to ignore all the improvements. But wouldn't be surprised if they lay an egg.)

5. KC (Mahomes, better D, draft capital to plug Tyreek hole a bit but very tough division)

6. BAL (Big year for Lamar, have Ravens done enough to bounce back from injuries?)

7. OAK (Better team than last year, but has Carr peaked?)

8. TEN (Lot to like about this team, soft division, but so many quesitons)

9. MIA (Hate to say, but they will be a tough out. Tua still a mystery though and could get quick hook)

10. CLE (Better win early or this is a lost year)

 

11. IND (Possbily surprise team of the AFC. I think they could put it together and win the South).

12. JAX (End up around here or at the bottom again - a coin flip)

13. PIT (This may be too high). 

14. NE (.500 may be a great coaching job. Just blame the GM)  

15. NYJ (All eyes on the QB)

16. HOU (Could be much better but coaching and owner don't inspire confidence)

 

 

[Greg S]

East - Bills

North - Bengals

South - Titans or Colts

West - Chargers

 

The 3 WC teams....Broncos, Ravens, Titans or Colts

 

[Buffalo_Stampede]

23 minutes ago, Paup 1995MVP said:

Tua is mediocre at best.  And their O line hasn't been good since the Dwight Stephenson Richmond Webb days.  LOL

They have a good roster. Tough schedule to have questions about QB. Could go either way. 

[filthymcnasty08]

Wouldn't sleep on Matty Ice - 

 

Dreadful OL and Defenses the last few years.  ATL is a dumpster fire.

[Greg S]

Just now, filthymcnasty08 said:

Wouldn't sleep on Matty Ice - 

 

Dreadful OL and Defenses the last few years.  ATL is a dumpster fire.

 

That offense is still going to run thru Taylor anyway. He also gets to play behind a solid OL. Ryan will be fine and so will the Colts.

[wjag]

Impossible...  For the first time in many off seasons we have officially entered the "who the hell knows" phase.

 

Teams that got definitely better: Raiders, Browns, Broncos, Chargers, Bills, Dolphins

Teams that got somewhat better: Bengals, Colts, Titans, Jaguars

Teams that got somewhat worse: Patriots, Chiefs, Texans, Pittsburgh

Teams that have no free agency pulse: Jets, Baltimore

 

Now how it all shakes out, who the hell knows...

[ngbills]

I will believe the KC drop when I see it. I think your QB is much more important than a guy like Hill. Mahomes will still win them games. 

Edited March 23, 2022 by ngbills

[RalphWilson'sNewWar]

2 minutes ago, ngbills said:

I will believe the KC drop when I see it. I think your QB is much more important than a guy like Hill. Mahomes will still win them games. 

You can say that all of the Great/Franchise QBs who last many seasons go thru many eras of talented players around them.

 

The QBs will our last all of their stars around them.