This conference is wide open now. The Ravens have lost 2 key players, I thought they were the top team but I cant really say that anymore. The Texans just got their ass kicked, hell the Jets should of beat em. I still feel like the Pats are slightly #1 but I just feel like this whole thing is wide open now with the Lewis, Webb injuries, and then of course the Texans losing Cushing. The middle tier teams like the Bengals, Steelers, Broncos, Bills, Jets, Broncos are all just average. Everyones beating everyone, This whole conference is a mess imo and any team that is remotely average could go on a playoff run.
None of the top teams are feeling good right now, Ravens fans are jumping the boat. Patriots fans are beyond disgusted, and Texans fans got a reality check Sunday night. 6 weeks in and no one looks "elite". Maybe it will get more clear by the end of the season but I doubt it honestly.
More importantly go look up the final score of the Super Bowl that year. If I remember correctly there were some teams 10 win teams from the NFC that did not make the playoffs but every team outside of Denver from the AFC went 9-7. I think every team in the NFC that made the playoffs and maybe even a few that didn't would have won the SB that year. We also had two absolutely amazing players win the ROY award in Derrick Thomas and Barry Sanders
Well, i think that being in the same divison as the pats we always have to look at the wild card spot first, that being said our competition is with ravens or steelers, broncos or chargers But yeah the conference is wide open now Ravens are for sure going to fall, they should've lost to the cowboys, but romo did his part I think the texans are still going to pull a pretty good record though
Only two teams in the entire AFC are over .500. Can't remember the last time we were even close to seeing that at this point in the season. Watch, though... an AFC team will somehow win the Super Bowl. Shit always works out how you least expect it to.
My preseason SB pick was Baltimore over Atlanta. I will stick with it. I remember this time last year people on this forum saying Houston was done after Mario Williams and Andre Johnson went down. I said they would still make the playoffs. Baltimore will still be good. They will have to lean on their offense more than ever. I believe their offense is capable of winning the Super Bowl.
The teams with the best QBs and skilled positions will be at the top. Pats, Pitt, Ravens, Denver, Chargers and Houston.
It is really going to be a guess at this point. But if I assume that the Jets and Bills play the rest of the season like they're capable of (huge if) then I have to look to those two teams first as the best chance of a wild card because of how easy our schedules are (as compared to the other divisions). We get the AFC South and NFC West. Other divisions have much harder games to play. Of course, if the Bills dont get their head out of their ass, then all of that logic goes to shit.
NFC West is not easy. All four teams are tough to play. The Rams are competitive now because they have a good coach.
AFC POWER RANKINGS: 1. Patriots 2. Broncos 3. Texans 4. Ravens 5. Steelers 6. Jets 7. Bengals 8. Chargers 9. Dolphins 10. Bills 11. Titans 12. Colts 13. Browns 14. Raiders 15. Chiefs 16. Jaguars
I agree. The Ravens' offense is good enough... they just need to get out of their own way, so to speak. Some of the stuff I'm reading today about the Lewis injury is actually not bad for Baltimore. Of course he's a fan favorite and inspirational leader, but supposedly he was showing signs of his age through six games and many think they'll actually be a little better with him out of the lineup. Not sure I buy it, but just goes to show there's two sides to everything.
I was thinking along those lines earlier in the year, but their defense is a shell of itself, and Flacco reminds me of a much better Fitzgerald. By that I mean that he throws the ball up for grabs alot. The Pats missed on their opportunities to capitalize on this and so did the Cowboys. The Ravens could easily be 3-3. Eventually those throws will cost them. Right now I favor the Texans, because I like their D alot more and their O a little more. The Pats need to fix the back end of the defense and finish off games better, but I'd put them in with these other two.
I like Houston a lot too. I did last year as well. Did not think the Mario Williams injury was a big deal. The Cushing injury this year is a major blow, however. It is big enough that I will not switch off of my Baltimore vs Atlanta SB pick. In August when I did my picks I had New England as the 1 seed followed by Baltimore and Houston. I had Baltimore beating Houston in the divisional round. I had NE as the 1 seed strictly due to what I perceived to be an easier schedule than Houston and Baltimore. I had the Patriots as the 3rd best AFC team, though.
New England = misses playoffs. The BIG surprise of the year even though I predicted it before the season started. Playoffs will be Jets - Broncos - Steelers - Texans - Ravens - (Chargers or Bengals take last spot) AFC East: Jets 10-6 Dolphins 9-7 Patriots 9-7 Bills 8-8
I don't see the Patriots missing, but that would be the most amazing thing in football. I agree with those rankings too, but here are my slightly altered rankings. AFC POWER RANKINGS: 1. Texans 2. Patriots 3. Ravens 4. Broncos 5. Steelers 6. Jets 7. Bengals 8. Chargers 9. Dolphins 10. Bills 11. Colts 12. Titans 13. Browns 14. Raiders 15. Chiefs 16. Jaguars I feel like our team isn't playoff level talent, but the AFC really is weaker than the NFC for the first time since I was a kid imo, and I can really see us making the playoffs at 9-7.
