the Kansas City Chiefs I made five straight Asian Championship Games – They are highly preferred for making other games. They are clearly the best player in the AFC.
But now that the rosters are pretty much done, how can the other teams in the conference stack the Chiefs? This is my current arrangement.
Level 5: South Asians (and raiders)
The Raiders may have had the worst season in the NFL. After quarterback Derek Carr won—destroying his potential trade value—they signed quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, only to renegotiate his contract because he hadn’t gotten through a physical due to a foot injury. There’s a legitimate chance that fourth-round rookie Aidan O’Connell or Brian Hoyer will play quarterback. When you combine that with what is arguably the worst defense in the league, it’s hard to see the Raiders win much this year.
15. Houston Tx
I liked the Houston team, but they are still far from competing at a high level. The lack of outside talent makes it hard for me to believe newly drafted quarterback CJ Stroud can hit the ground running – and the defense still needs an overhaul. They’re getting better, but they’re still far from winning.
I’m a big believer in quarterback Anthony Richardson, but the Colts were a train wreck on offense last year. And this season, they just changed their quarterback and caller. As talented as Richardson is, he needs a long runway to develop. The Colts don’t have enough infrastructure for Richardson to bolster their offense.
13. Tennessee Titans
I have a lot of respect for Mike Vrabel – but right now, the Titans have arguably the worst offensive team in the league. Without perimeter weapons or a solid offensive line, this team continues to slide from its offensive peak between 2019 and 2021. Vrabel will have the team in contention every week, but his offense isn’t good enough to win games.
Level 4: Failed quarterback deals
12. Denver Broncos
Hiring Sean Payton would make Denver’s offense credible, but replacing Defensive Coordinator Ejiro Eveiro with Vance Joseph was – to me – a questionable move. I see the defense going downhill this year. While I expect Russell Wilson to be better this season, there has been enough deterioration in his mobility that I never see him as a top 10 quarterback again.
11. Cleveland Browns
Deshaun Watson was awful last year. It’s fair to expect him to be better in a full season, but I think he plays with a lot of versatility. This does not fit with the attacking style that coach Kevin Stefanski wants to run. Defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz would make the Browns eligible on defense, but they still aren’t an elite unit. There’s a lot of pressure on the front office and coaching staff, and I’m not sure they’re ready to handle it.
Level 3: “How did they win nine games?”
The Steelers had a good draft and improved their offensive line, so I expect them to be good again. But I don’t feel either side of the ball is an above league average unit, which would make it difficult to compete with higher level teams. However, coach Mike Tomlin will somehow get this team to nine wins.
Last season, New England was the strangest team in the league. Even after the amazing decision to let Matt Patricia call offensive plays — ie Quarterback Mack Jones didn’t like it – The offense is crossed. But somehow, the Patriots won eight games! Their offensive personnel haven’t improved much, but the hiring of offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien blows efficiency into the offense. Their defense has a chance to be outstanding, but they still lack enough firepower to overwhelm any of the AFC’s opponents.
Level 2: Wild Card Teams
The Chargers are basically bringing back the same team that had an embarrassing run in the playoffs. Their key players are getting old – and losing the playoffs will be unbearable. There is an enormous amount of pressure on the coaching staff and the front office. I just don’t think they have a menu to get around that pressure.
I thought the Jacksonville offseason was weird. I would have expected them to be ahead of everything on this list while Trevor Lawrence is still on his rookie deal. But instead, they’re largely falling behind the same team that lost to last year’s Chiefs. The Jaguars will be able to direct their offense through wide receiver Calvin Ridley, but I don’t think the roster has improved enough for them to be considered contenders.
With each passing day since the aircraft traded Green Bay Packers Quarterback Aaron Rodgers, you’ve become higher on the team. Even with the decline we saw in Rodgers last year, he will still get better than Zack Wilson. New York’s defense is formidable – and if the offense is competent, it will be good. I think it will take some time for the team to evolve, but the Jets could finish the season as a top contender.
The Dolphins started 7-2 last year. Now that Miami has hired defensive coordinator Vic Fangio — and brought in cornerback Jalen Ramsey — the defense has a chance to be elite. With the talent of Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, I’m not worried about their offense going downhill – provided Tagovailoa can stay on the field. Dolphins can have a top 10 attack and defense. In a proper week, that’s enough to beat any other team.
Tier 1: Super Bowl contenders
This is going to surprise people, but I still think Cincinnati is pretty good. Their offense has increased tremendously throughout last season – and their defense has always defended elite players well. They are still serious power contenders. I think there are three other teams that would be better.
There has been a lot of negativity about Buffalo this season. It was Josh Allen He plays at the MVP level before his Champions League injury – Now that he’s healthy, I expect him to get back to that level of play. It’s legitimate to criticize the Buffalo defense for its performance against elite players – but if Von Miller can make a comeback (and still play well), he’ll once again be a top 10 defense. Last year, Buffalo’s offseason was horrible – but I expect the team to come back.
I am in Baltimore. Last season—with a backup quarterback—the Ravens were far from defeating the Bengals in the Wild Card Game. After trading linebacker Roquan Smith, their defense was One of the best players in the league. Wide receivers Demarcus Robinson and Devin Duvernay will be replaced by Odell Beckham Jr. and Zay Flowers to boost their attack to elite status. I think the Ravens are going to have a top five offense And Defense – and it could be the only team in the league to do that.
1. The Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs have the best head coach and quarterback in the league. You can spot the roster’s flaws, but Kansas City is the best team in the AFC. I think the defense would be better – and while I have concerns about the Chiefs’ lack of offensive playmakers, there’s no way I’d pick any other team to beat them in the playoffs.