Hello and welcome to the first in a two-part series where we preview the forthcoming NFL Season! Focusing here on the AFC!
In this first article we will be taking a look at each of the four divisions that make up the AFC.
Of course, that will include last year’s Super Bowl winners the Kansas City Chiefs. Additionally, we’ll look at some other Super Bowl contenders from this Conference, such as the New York Jets and Buffalo Bills.
Of course, following the NFL is all the more exciting if you have had a wager on the outcome. As such, bet365 Sport is offering an extensive range of markets on the entire season, and on individual games.
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Click on the link here to visit part two where we look at the NFC Teams!
But for now let’s continue by starting our review of the AFC starting in the East.
With one of the best rosters in the NFL, depth in most positions, quality all over the field on offense and defense, the Bills are ready for the Super Bowl.
Their only issue may well be being in a conference that also contains the Kansas City Chiefs, Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens.
The Dolphins could be a legitimate playoff contender here, but much depends on the fitness of QB Tua Tagovailoa, and whether the ‘Fins can overcome their issues traveling North to take on some of their divisional opponents.
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For me, this looks like being a tough season for the Patriots. Belichick normally gets more from a team than he should, but even if he does that again here, I can’t see the Patriots winning more than half a dozen games or so.
Aaron Rodgers arrival has changed the Jets from a playoff wannabe, to a team that is now targeting the Super Bowl. They, along with the Dolphins, will likely give the Bills a real run for their money in this division this year.
For me, the Ravens are one of the teams to watch this season. They have a strong settled squad, plenty of good receivers and one of the best rushing games in the NFL. If they can avoid injuries to key players they could be very close this season.
Cincinnati should make the playoffs comfortably and I feel it will be between them and the Ravens for top spot. Whoever lands home field in the playoffs could have a massive advantage over their divisional opponents.
The Browns could improve on last season, but I am not sure they will. Deshaun Watson’s still not convincing after coming back from his ban and while they have great players, the team does struggle against its divisional opponents.
With QB Kenny Pickett a year older and wiser, the Steelers may feel they have a shot at the playoffs here. I am not so sure. They have a solid defense but the offenses in this division can put up plenty of points and that is where I see the Steelers falling well short.
Sean Payton has talent to work with in Denver. I’m just not sure there is enough of it for the Broncos to be anywhere near the top teams in this division as they still lag well behind the Chiefs and Chargers in my view.
It’s a new season and the Chiefs are once again the favourites to win it all with the bookmakers. I can’t quite see them doing that again this year, but I feel they will win this division and go deep in the playoffs.
I’m not quite sure what is happening with the Raiders at the moment. To me Jimmy G is a drop down from Derek Carr and the Raiders didn’t really add any blue chip talent to a squad that was nowhere near strong enough last season.
If any team can challenge the Chiefs in this division next season it should be the Chargers. They are better than a 10-7 team this time around and I can see them pushing the Chiefs hard at the top of the division.
The Texans had a solid draft and they should be better for it, but even so, I still think that they are going to struggle this season unless their top two draft picks hit the ground running and make big contributions immediately.
It seems the Colts brass are preparing for an underwhelming season as their QB Anthony Richardson learns the pro-style offense. The Colts have a solid defense and a good rush attack so they may do a little better than many are expecting.
The Jags proved to be the strongest team in a weak AFC South last season and they look the strongest on paper once again. I think they will win the division, but may be pushed a little harder than they expected.
Signing DeAndre Hopkins strengthens an otherwise weak passing attack. Their passing defense last season was awful so despite a solid rush attack and defense, the Titans are probably going to end up second best in this division once again.
Tomorrow we’ll do the same for the NFC as well as reveal our Super Bowl winner prediction.
*All odds shown in the article were correct with bet365 Sport at the time of writing, but may well have changed in the run up to the start of the NFL regular season.
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