NFL Predictions: AFC

Today we do the AFC tomorrow.. Super Bowl Predictions.

16. Cincinatti Bengals... For a couple of seasons they were no longer the Bungals.  Marvin Lewis built the team with good and bad players (good on the field.. bad off it)  The had Carson Palmer and Ocho Cinco.  Well guess what? No Palmer, No Ocho Cinco.. they are the Bungals again!

15.  Jacksonville Jaguars... Ok didn't have them this low until last night.. how do you cut your starting QB 5 days before the season starts??  Peter King of SI said it best. The Jags will be starting  a QB Luke McCown who didn't even play in the third preseason game, when all the starters play.  Jack Del Rio needs to make the playoffs to save his job?? get the resume ready Jack.

14.  Buffalo Bills.  getting Brad Smith and trading Lee Evans? I like Brad Smith, but that is not even close to even.  I like CJ Spillar, problem is he is behind Fast Freddie Jackson.  I don't know what plan the bills have... i am sure they have a plan, i am just not sure even they know what it is yet.

13.  Denver Broncos... Was never a big fan of John Fox, boring is a word that comes to mind, but any coach that could get the Super Bowl with Jake Delhomme as his Qb is doing something right. The roster is not that bad... I think they should give Tebow a chance, but Kyle Orton does give them the best chance to win,  But they won't win many.

12....Tennessee Titans... They have Chris Johnson, but Matt Hasseelbeck was passed over for Tavaris Jackson in Seattle (ok back to back blogs mentioning T Jackson... promise it won't happen again).. Kenny Britt should have been Suspended.  How do you suspend Tyrell Pryor who wasn't the NFL and not Britt because there was no collective bargaining agreement.? where is that logic?  Anyway Jeff Fisher was a good coach and Titan Fans will soon find out how much.

11.... Miami Dolphins...  The dolphins have a better than average defense.  Reggie Bush and Brandon Marshall are playmakers.  The difference between 6-10 and 9-7 comes down to the play of Chad Henne. which is why I rated the next team higher...

10.  Cleveland Browns.  The difference right now between the browns and the fins is Colt McCoy's stock up.. Chad Henne's down.  I like what cleveland has going on under GM MIke Holmgren.  Greg Little out of UNC is a  sleeper at WR.

9.  Oakland Raiders...   The 1st team in NFL history to go undefeated in their division and not make the playoffs.  Losing  Nnamdi Asomugha hurts the defense.  Love Darren McFadden. They might be better this year, but you cannot expect them to go 6-0 in the AFC west again.

8.  Kanas City Chiefs... Made a nice run last year.  They have weapons, Jamaal Charles, Matt Cassel, Dwayne Bowe.  I love Jonathan Baldwin, but he got hurt in a fight with Thomas Jones and will miss time.  this is a team like the Bears where everything broke right last year.  It can't happen two years in a row.

7.  Indianapolis Colts.... They definitely dropped with Peyton Manning's neck surgery.  Has there ever been a more Valuable player in the history of Team Sports?  They go 12-4 with him this year.. without him 5-11. Notice i said Valuable.. not the "Best"  Look up Valuable in the dictionary...yeah i am talking to you AL MVP voters who won't vote for Justin Verlander because he is a pitcher!  (sorry got off track a little there)

6. Houston Texans.. Pass the Colts because Peyton Manning's neck and all the weapons on offense the Texans have.  If you are buying the Texans winning the AFC South... buyer beware.. 1) The Texans are like Ace King in texas holdem.  Looks really good, but you end up disappointed.alot. 2) The cowboys d didn't look so great under Wade Phillips last year.

5. New York Jets...  Rex Ryan has done a great job.. Mark Sanchez in two seasons, has more road playoff wins then anyone in history... 4 (an amazing stat.. he is tied with Joe Flacco).  Here is the problem with the Jets.  LT is done. sad to say.  Can Shonne Green Carry the load.  if not they may have to put a lot of pressure on Sanchez's arm to lead the team.  Can he do it. Plaxico Burress returning to pre-con form would help.

4. New England Patriots.... You have Bill Bellichick and Tom Brady, add Ocho cinco. This a team that during the regular season should rack up wins.  the question is can the offense come through in the playoffs? Last season Brady played flawless during the regular season, but they were exposed for lack of speed in playoffs by the jets.  I don't know if they are any different last year.  Now you know why Brady was crying for Randy Moss the other day.  The other thing is the Defense isn't a championship caliber defense any more.  The Pats i believe are staring at their 4th straight playoff loss in January.

3. San Diego Chargers... This a team that was top three in offense and defense last year... yet missed the playoffs.  Special teams killed them.  Vincent Jackson for a full season gives Phillip Rivers a ton of weapons.  I am not a big Ryan Matthews guy, but MIke Tolbert is a bruising fullback that Norv Turner loves.  Speaking of Turner, He may be the reason the Chargers don't go to the Super Bowl.  Which by the way my earlier blog of Dave Wandstadt being the worst coach ever, The Jimmy Johnson Coaching Tree..didn't bear a lot of fruit.

2. Baltimore Ravens.  The only thing that would scare me about the ravens right now is their defense is still going by the reputation of the 2000 Ravens, and honestly they are not as good.  They don't have to be though with Flacco, Ray Rice and Lee Evans to team up with Anquan Boldin.  Its a shame that the week1 match up between the Steelers and Ravens will go a long way to determine the AFC North title and possibly a 1 or 2 seed.

1. Pittsburgh Steelers... Ben Roethlisberger proved he was human in the Super Bowl, but this team definitely has a chance to get back there this year.  Mike Wallace is ready to become a superstar.  Rashard Mendenhall is a solid running back and as usual it seems for the last 40 years, the Steelers will hit you in the mouth defensively (wow not as much now, because that leads to fines and suspensions)  The last two super bowl appearances they failed to make the playoffs the next year  I really can't see that happening a third time, but like Chris Berman always says "That's why they play the games"