2021 NFL Season Preview: AFC Edition

The sounds of summer, in football terms that means the season is underway and everything is back to normal. Now that the NFL is most likely going to have full capacity crowds at every stadium this fall the fun of the game is back to what it was before the pandemic. Anyways there are some teams to go over. Let’s take a look at the 16 teams from AFC?

Buffalo Bills (No more mediocrity): I’m not as high on the Bills as a lot of other analysts and fans are. Look, I know they have a great offense with Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs, plus a few excellent players on defense. The thing that concerns me about Buffalo is their lack of an elite running game. We saw what happened to the Steelers and Chiefs last year and now that defensive coordinators have plenty of film on that offense they are going to need to rely on Devin Singletary to overcome his somewhat down year in 2021. If he is back in rookie form this team could easily make it to the Super Bowl. The first challenge for them is can they survive a suddenly competitive AFC East. I have faith that they can do it again, however it’s just the teams they have to compete with could possibly knock them off. Anyways, how much did they pay Allen? (YoYo Sound) 43 million a year for 6 years! Now they have 3 of the biggest contracts in the NFL at their position. Have fun with Cap Hell next summer BillsMafia! (Lamar Jackson and Baker Mayfield are licking their chops at this deal!)

Miami Dolphins (The Art of the Darkhorse): Last year’s run to a 10-6 record and coming within one game of the playoffs has Dolphins fans thinking big. I see this squad as a dark horse Super Bowl contender with the amount of good players they have on defense. (Thank god for them Xavien Howard isn’t holding out this year) Plus the Dolphins added firepower to their receiver core by signing Will Fuller (Right after his early season suspension) and drafting a potential generational talent in Jaylen Waddle. This is a team that is going to have to rely on 3rd year Running Back Myles Gaskin to take the pressure off of Tua. I know everyone was criticizing him after their blowout loss in Buffalo in Week 17 last year but I think he will do better with the right pieces around him. Brian Flores has made it very clear that they are going to try and overtake Buffalo for the AFC East title, and I like what he has done to turn this team into a solid squad top to bottom. If everything plays out like it did a year ago. This could be something special in South Beach.

New England Patriots (The Evil Empire): Bill Belichick isn’t taking no for an answer. After having some of the fewest talent in the NFL last year and still going 7-9 the Patriots are looking to take back their participation trophy that is the AFC East title. They spent more money this offseason than any team in the league. They needed their 2 Tight End package that made them great back, they needed to reform the Boogeymen that are their Linebackers, and also draft their QB of the future. Now that they drafted Mac Jones all of the pressure will be on Cam Newton. Now that he has a solid supporting cast even with the retirement of Julien Edelman he can do big things this year. With the company of that elite defense that added Matt Judon, Adrian Phillips, and the return of Kyle Van Noy they have reasons to be optimistic. As long as Stephon Gilmore doesn’t hold out this could be another in a long line of great Belichick defenses. THEY CUT CAM NEWTON! Looks like Belichick wants his next Brady I see.

New York Jets (Charlie Brown trying to kick the football): The last era of Jets football was so bad GM Joe Douglas decided to bring in 2 men with hard working mindsets and solid upsides as QB and Coach: Zach Wilson and Robert Saleh. Those 2 men are the key reasons for a potential return to playoff status in the next few years. Not to mention they added Corey Davis and Elijah Moore who should be solid pieces for Wilson to work with. If there are any reasons for the success of their QB of the future they need their offensive line to stay healthy and not underachieve. (They have changed their O-Line every year for the last 5 years) Not to mention they are getting CJ Mosley back who hasn’t played a game in 2 years because of injuries and COVID. It’s still another rebuilding year for the Jets but they are on the right track, as long as Woody Johnson doesn’t mess things up that would be great.

Baltimore Ravens (Charm City Beasts presents: Ravens vs ESPN): Once again the Ravens have expectations of a Super Bowl run and they are looking to make their Run-First offense even more unstoppable. (Excluding JK Dobbins and his ACL tear, DEAR GOD!) To do this they went out and signed Sammy Watkins and drafted a potential game changer in Rashod Bateman. CRACK! Right after his preseason injury. (Also they got 2 excellent receiver coaches to help them out) Even if he suffered another dose of COVID19, Lamar Jackson is once again looking to regain his MVP form from 2 years ago and with a revamped O-Line he should produce in bunches. But like most years the key ingredient towards a deep playoff run in Baltimore is the defense. (And Greg Roman not being a choke artist in the playoffs) Even if they lost their 2 best pass rushers and LJ Fort is out with a Torn ACL they did add Justin Houston and Odafe Oweh to a talented unit known as the MonStars. If there is anything that John Harbaugh thrives on it’s making ESPN excluding Rex Ryan and Dominique Foxworth eat their words. The mothership’s own Jeremy Fowler is turning into Baltimore’s version of Eric Woodyard since he says that Era8 is going to get figured out. Harbs, you know what to do? END THEIR PRECIOUS NARRATIVES YET AGAIN! (It would be vintage Ravens if they reign over the Browns and Bungles again after how much smack those cities have talked)

Cincinnati Bengals (The NFLs annual Mystery Box): Like most years in Cincinnati the organization is going for the dreaded Mystery Box and pretending they can win the AFC North with what they have. Any chance that the Bungles have of being in the playoff hunt is on the shoulders of Joe Burrow. If he plays like he did before that massive ACL injury that he had there is optimism. They have plenty of talent on offense like Joe Mixon, Tee Higgins, as well as Tyler Boyd. And yes they did replace AJ Green with a generational talent in Ja’Marr Chase. (Burrows favorite target at LSU) On defense they are going to need to overcome the loss of Geno Atkins but they did bring in Trey Hendrickson and Larry Ogunjobi. Once again I’m going to ask, can this team really compete with the Ravens, Steelers, and Browns? If they get off to a fast start the hype on this squad would be insane. (Not fun when you root for a division rival)

Cleveland Browns (Toronto Maple Leafs of the NFL): Something smells like dog food over here. I know everyone thinks they have the most complete roster on paper in the NFL but from what I’m seeing the Browns like the Rams before them are on a high speed train heading towards the explosive factory known as Cap Hell. Many of their starters on both sides of the ball will be demanding for huge contracts and Baker Mayfield is looking for Allen and Mahomes money any way he can find it. Any chance that Cleveland has of overtaking their big brothers in the division will be on the shoulders of Odell Beckham and the secondary. Yes they drafted Greg Newsome and JOK to fill holes on D, but the lack of an elite Defensive Tackle and Middle Linebacker could kill them against the run heavy teams in the conference. To be honest if Mayfield becomes an MVP candidate this team could be scary. I just hope that they at least overtake Pittsburgh and then lose to those Damn Ravens AGAIN! I need to do a document on this squad’s insane hype don’t I. (I’m being just cynical because I root for the team they want to crush so badly. That’s all it is)

Pittsburgh Steelers (Corvette Corvette): The Steelers are in Desperation Mode! They know this is probably their last chance with the current core they have since Big Ben is most likely retiring after this year and TJ Watt and Minkah Fitzpatrick are in the final year of their contracts. They knew that the running game was a huge reason why they didn’t go far last year so they fixed it by drafting Najee Harris. The only concern with him is that their 3 linemen either retired or left for their most hated rival. If there is anything that has been said about Mike Tomlin and the rest of this organization it’s that they never go away easily. As long as JuJu and Chase Claypool don’t make more TikToks than big plays this season they have a strong chance to make the playoffs again. I only await the moment where they find a new way to win that quickly gets figured out once opposing teams have film on it. Thus is the true Yinzer way! (The standard needs to be the standard if they have any chance at the AFC North Title this year)

Houston Texans (The Texas Gongshow): To have Deshawn Watson, or not to have Deshawn Watson? It’s a tough task especially since they went through a massive shakeup in the offseason and Watson wants to be on a real team. The Texans themselves are dealing with most of their talent from 2018-19 either leaving or suffering massive declines. They know that this is the beginning of another long rebuild that will take a while to fix. And not to mention they hired possibly the guy who held the Ravens receiver core back last year in David Culley. I know you’re going to be bad this year but DEAR GOD! As long as you get a great return for Watson you should have promise for the future. Unlike last year you have a true reason to go tanking. It’s just what your franchise needed. (They needed a rebuild after all of the bad contracts and moves they have had)

Indianapolis Colts (The Glue Factory): The Colts have to be snakebitten! It’s an Indiana sports tradition that dates back to Super Bowl XLIV. The Colts themselves have a strong team with an elite defense led by Darius Leonard and DeForest Buckner. On offense they did make a major splash by trading for Carson Wentz, that would be great but then he and Quenton Nelson got injured in Training Camp and are probably out until Week 6 at the latest. They are going to need to rely on Jonathan Taylor and TY Hilton in their absences. If they don’t address the QB position in the next few weeks Indy could be 0-5 with the schedule they have to start the season. (Seahawks, Rams, Titans, Dolphins, and Ravens in Weeks 1-5. OUCH!) They are going to need to bring back Philip Rivers aren’t they.

Jacksonville Jaguars (A New Day in Duvall): Every memory from the #Sacksonville Era is gone and the Jags have had to start over. In this case they are copying the 2019 Arizona Cardinals. Bringing in a former College coach in Urban Meyer and drafting the best QB prospect since 2012 in Trevor Lawrence. For a team that spent the 2nd most money in free agency this year it is very clear that they want to succeed under the new regime. However there have already been questions around the offense because Travis Etienne their Rookie RB/WR is out for the year. It’s interesting enough that Meyer has not named his starting QB long term. That is until he traded Gardiner Minshew to the biggest QB gongshow in the league known as Philadelphia. All I can say right now is that I hope they don’t ruin Lawrence’s confidence. We all don’t want an Andrew Luck scene again!

Tennessee Titans (The King’s Revenge): On paper this team has a Super Bowl ready offense with the addition of Julio Jones to go along with King Henry XXII, AJ Brown, and Ryan Tannehill. However there are still serious questions surrounding the structure of the team itself. How will they overcome the departure of Arthur Smith? Will the O-Line be consistent as in years past? How will Mike Vrabel fix the defense? And can they find a kicker that isn’t past his prime? There are so many roadblocks that could make or break this team. From how I see this squad they remind me of the 2017 Steelers, a team with all of the offensive talent in the world despite massive concerns on defense and the tendencies to play down to competition. Do you trust these guys to win a playoff game against the heavyweights in the AFC? I don’t know anymore.

Denver Broncos (Elway is still searching for an Elite QB): The Broncos are an interesting team. Last year they were picked by NFL Network to go to the AFC Title game and then finished 2nd in the running for the Injury Bowl and suffered another disastrous season. This year they are not only trying to stay healthy but also fighting for Vic Fangio’s job. I know their fans are still mad that they passed on Justin Fields but hey you got yourself a game changer in Patrick Surtain and Von Miller is also coming back. The only concern isn’t in the QB battle. (Teddy Bridgewater and Drew Lock are decent QB’s that have solid upside) It’s in the O-Line. That is something that Elway hasn’t addressed since Peyton Manning retired, and it continues now. Let me put it to you this way, if they figure out their offensive structure this could be a Dark Horse playoff team. I don’t think the rest of your division wants you in the conversation.

Kansas City Chiefs (Andy Reid’s Wild West Show of Offense): Last years embarrassment in the Super Bowl is fresh on everyone’s minds in Kansas City. This year they are trying to overcome that defeat and make the Super Bowl for the 3rd year in a row. If there has been anything that the Chiefs have done well with this offseason it was retooling the Offensive Line. They added 3 former All Pros and 2 outstanding rookies to that room. This is another statistic on an offense that features the new age “Triplets” of Mahomes, Kelce, and Hill. But like most years the defense is a question mark. They had a great season last year until the Super Bowl but will they take that next step towards Top 10 status? They are going to need that since the rest of their conference is out to get them. With the talk of 20-0 from Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid they could have a huge bullseye on them this season from the rest of the NFL. (If you look at their schedule they could get off to a rough start having to face the Browns, Ravens, and Bills in 3 of their 1st 5 games)

Las Vegas Raiders (The Land of Defensive Excuses): Once again I’m going to ask, are the Raiders going to fix their defensive issues? Look, I like the additions of Yannick Ngakoue, Gerald McCoy, and Tre’von Moehrig but if new DC Gus Bradley doesn’t run into the same traps as he did with the Chargers they could have a chance to shock people. I have nothing against Jon Gruden or Derek Carr, they are both trying to get their team into the playoffs with the talent they have on offense. My biggest issue with Vegas isn’t them but the rest of their division. Having to deal with the Chiefs twice is obviously an extreme task but they have beaten them before. Let’s see if they can do it again.

Los Angeles Chargers (The Diamond Dogs): I don’t know what to think of the Chargers. I know plenty of people are seeing them as a dark horse contender. But knowing the luck of this franchise I just can’t tell what the Gods have in store for them. I like Justin Herbert and the weapons they have on offense (They have some young unproven players on that unit though) but how much of an impact will Brandon Staley have on the defense. Getting Derwin James back is a start, but like the offense there are many players with raw attributes. It’s going to be a grind for these guys to get into the playoffs especially how packed the AFC is. The question for me is which Chargers team will we see? The 2018 team which overcame all odds towards a 12 win season with talent across the board, or the team from the last 2 seasons where they underachieved nearly every week. Your move!

The AFC is really a dogfight in almost any division. I am trying not to jinx teams but hopefully my predictions are up to date. Let’s find out shall we.

AFC East

1. Patriots 12-5 (#4)
2. Bills 12-5 (#6)
3. Dolphins 10-7
4. Jets 4-13

AFC North

1. Ravens 14-3 (#2)
2. Browns 12-5 (#5)
3. Steelers 10-7 (#7)
4. Bengals 6-11

AFC South

1. Titans 12-5 (#3)
2. Colts 9-8
3. Jaguars 5-12
4. Texans 3-14

AFC West

1. Chiefs 15-2 (#1)
2. Chargers 10-7
3. Raiders 8-9
4. Broncos 7-10

AFC Wild Card

#2 Ravens over #7 Steelers

#5 Browns over #4 Patriots

#3 Titans over #6 Bills

AFC Divisional

#1 Chiefs over #5 Browns

#2 Ravens over #3 Titans

AFC Championship

#1 Chiefs over #2 Ravens