Other than the seemingly elite teams, the conference is pretty terrible this season. You need look no further than the QBs that started for AFC teams in week 4, it is just embarrassing across the board. From the AFC East and AFC South, here were the QB starters that played this week: Fitzpatrick, Tannehill, Taylor, Bortles, Hasselbeck, and Mallett. And that doesn't include Vick starting for the Steelers and the Browns still playing McCown, and what appears to be a severely diminished Peyton struggling for Denver. I can't recall a time when the conference was in worse shape at that position. Right now, I would break down the teams as follows: Elite teams: Pats - duh. But that D is still a question mark. Winning anything less than 13 games would be shocking. Broncos - have a case for best D in the league (along with us). Peyton is struggling but that is still Peyton Manning, he is going to put together a decent season. Elite team (but nobody will fully buy in until they win a playoff game): Bengals - on a neutral field they might beat anyone right now. They don't seem to have any weaknesses. You would think there is not much confidence in the coach or QB come January despite the strong September play. Dalton seems to be vastly improved. Playoff contenders: Jets - great team but a major weakness at QB (which is more than a glass ceiling, it is a highly visible one). Bills - very similar to the Jets although Rex is a wildcard at coach. Can either come up with amazing gameplan and beat an elite team, or lose to a nobody team. Chargers - as long as Rivers is playing, they are in playoff contention. Chiefs - good roster that should overcome a brutal early schedule. Ravens - stumbled early but they can get back into it as schedule lightens. Still a good team. Fringe playoff contenders: Steelers - strictly because of the Ben injury. They may play themselves out of it by his return. Raiders - probably too many young pieces but they will be dangerous opponent. One of them will qualify due to awful division: Colts - probably the biggest disappointment in the NFL. 2-2 but have not looked good for even a second and probably should be 0-4. Titans - Mariota better than expected as a rookie, they will stay in division hunt all year with Colts struggles and Luck injury. Bottom-feeders: Dolphins - coach fired already. On-filed performance LOL-worthy. Still enough talent to play spoiler in December. Browns - pointlessly playing the veteran QB on a no-hope team. Texans - JJ Watt may go IK on their QBs by season's end. Jags - does it ever change? Bortles is a bust. The QB they draft high is always a bust.
Get ready for NE to challenge 16-0 again,I'm serious there schedule is a joke.They have 3 possible tough games @Giants@Denver and@Jets
The AFC is trash. There is no reason why we can't be contending for a WC come weeks 15,16, and 17. Every week just hope San Diego, Kansas City, and Pittsburgh loses.
I would be shocked if they finish with less than 13 wins. I expect 14-2. But 15-1 and 16-0 are not out of the question. 15-1 is very much in play for the Packers too. Who is beating them? They already got past Seahawks. They have a game against Denver they could drop. Other than that, they should coast to 13+ wins.
The conference is weak right now. This could be a season where the top 3 teams have playoff berths wrapped up by like week 13, and then a lot of parity beneath that. Right now, there is no standout for the wildcard, we are definitely in the mix.
Playing the AFC South is a big plus. I wish were in that division. They will lose to someone we don't expect, but yeah, they look like they are going to have a big season. The thing about that undefeated team is that they had a very underrated defense. It wasn't great, but it was very solid. I don't think they have the defense, or the overall depth, to seriously challenge for 16-0.
It was a sarcastic dig at the OP Geno nut hugger. We could absolutely make the playoffs at 9-7 and that is so much better than what I had expected. Not what I aspire to, mind you. I wanted to tank for Mariota. But with the hand we've been dealt I'll gladly root to play entertaining football into December and hope for a WC. _
There is really only 1 elite team in the AFC and thats the Pats. Look at Denver's wins. A couple bounces the other way and they really could be 0-4. And yeah that could be said about a lot of games but its very true in their case. They're just lucky they havent been playing very good teams. But to me they are a weaker 4-0 team than Cincy is.
Cincy just has to get over their inconsistency and playoff demons (Andy Dalton as well mainly). I like that team, but they've shown this before. If the Bengals are still doing this good at the halfway point (about week 8-9 or so), then I'll consider them a true elite team alongside the Pats. And man, do I wish the Jets had at least a top 10 QB. They'd be right there with the Pats.
The same case could be made for the Falcons whose only decent team left to face is the Panthers (lets be honest they're not have as good as their record anyway)- but as they say, "any given sunday" Remember a few years back when the 13-0 Packers played the 0-13 Chiefs and lost? As likely as it seems now that these teams will dominate game in game out all year long, crazy shit always happens. That said Packers and Patriots are definitely elite and will most likely grab the 1 seed in their conferences, however I cant see 16-0.
that 16-0 stuff is a bunch of BS fuck that. They aint going 16-0. Brady started hot in games against a terrible pass D, Rex Ryan, and Jacksonville, whoopdie do. They'll win the division but they aint good enough to go 16-0.
The Jets need to go 4-2 in the division to ensure that they get past Buffalo. They also need 10 wins to stay out of miracle territory. The team is off to a good start but they need to be a whole lot better than they've been so far if those playoff dreams are ever going to become reality. Sent from my SM-G386T using Tapatalk
NE has some serious flaws defensivly; Steelers tore apart their secondary without bell or Bryant and the Bills and Tyrod moved the ball with ease on them in the fourth Quarter. I don't there's an elite team in the league this season; this could be the season where a wild card team gets hot and wins it all.
Without a doubt they have flaws. If they had Revis this year they might challenge 16-0. But to me the D is good enough for them to cruise to 14 wins. Also Im not sure how good the teams they beat really are. PIT seems average. Buffalo we just dont know and Jacksonville doesnt know how to win yet. This week was supposed to be a challenge going into Dallas but Id be shocked if they dont come out of there with a fairly easy win as well. Bottom line is as long as Brady is standing they are going to have a pretty easy time earning a 1st round bye.
Pats remind me more of their 2010 team, then the season they went undefeated. 2010 Pats finished with a 14-2 record, and an insane turnover differential. Pats that season didn't have a good defense, especially in the secondary. 2010 Jets came into their house during the divisional round, punched them in the mouth and the Pats never recovered.
The Pats schedule looks pretty damn easy for them. Hard to see a game where they might come undone. Giants @ Metlife (Jinx team), Bronco's @ Mile High (Damn Good D and a decent QB) and ofc our very own Jets.
Take the Giants out of this and I agree completely. Denver and us are the only teams ( us at home more than likely ) that will stand in the pats way at a perfect season. If there was ever a year that the jets NEED to step up, its this freaking year.
