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AFC Prediction

August 27, 2005 by Steel Smitter

A look at the 2005-2006 AFC season through the black-and-gold glasses:

A look at the 2005-2006 AFC season through the black-and-gold glasses:

 

A look at how I see the AFC this season with a few comments about each team, along with postseason predictions.

 

AFC East

  1. New England 11-5
  2. *New York Jets 9-7
  3. Buffalo 8-8

4.��� Miami 5-11

 

����� The same way I see Philly slipping in the NFC, I see the Patriots going downhill just a little this year. The loss of the two coordinators will hurt them. The defense will������

����� be weaker with the losses of Bruschi, Johnson, and Law, even though he was injured most of last year. But, they still have the best QB in the league, and that will be

����� enough to win the division and try for the three-peat. The Jets could give the Pats a run for their money. The two teams don�t meet until week 13 at NE and then week��

at the Meadowlands. Mike Nugent shores up the kicking game. But, they will need a monster year of candy-armed QB Chad Pennington to overthrow the Pats. The question the Bills must answer is �How much did losing the game to the Stillers last year, with a chance to make the playoffs, against the Stillers third string hurt the long term development of the team?� I think Losman will be the real deal at QB, and McGahee has recovered from his ACL surgery, but he better not get hurt. The defense is strong enough that if Losman can develop quickly, the Bills may contend for a WC. The Dolphins should improve some over last year. The running game should improve with the return of Ricky Williams, and the drafting of Ronnie Brown. QB combo of Feeley/Frerotte isn�t going to put a big scare in defenses. Defense should be decent, but not great enough to bring the Dolphins back into playoff contention.

 

 

AFC West

 

  1. Kansas City 13-3
  2. Denver 8-8
  3. San Diego 8-8
  4. Oakland 6-10

 

Look for the Chiefs to regain their 2003 form. Trent Green remains one of the NFL�s better QB�s. A healthy Priest Holmes is one of the better RB�s in the game. Tony Gonzalez is one of the better TE�s. the WR corps is average, at best. The Chiefs main concern is the defense. Knight and Surtain help the secondary. A healthy Kendrell Bell (ok, all you Stiller fans, quit laughing, it is possible) will help the team not have to win so many 41-38 shootouts. If the Broncos� hopes for an improved defense rest on Brownie castoffs Brown and Ekuban, then expect more performances against them like the Colts did in the playoffs last year. We do know whomever gets the call at RB will gain around 1200 yards. It seems that Jake the Snake is always on the edge of greatness. He needs to improve on his TD/Int ratio of 27/20. A week 3 showdown with KC at home could get ball rolling towards a playoff spot. Can Drew Brees repeat his pro-bowl season in Chargers land? And with the very expensive Philip Rivers on the bench, how short of a leash is Brees on? LT needs to improve his 3.9 yd/carry. I just can�t see this team playing the same it did last year, especially with the improvement (on paper) of the rest of the division. The offense in Raiders� land could be very impressive � if Kerry Collins has a better TD/Int ratio of 21/20, and with Randy Moss he probably will. The big question on offense is whether LaMont Jordan can be an effective starter in this league. The defense will probably be the downfall of Oakland, but if the defense improves from last year, Al Davis and company may make some noise in this tough division.

 

AFC South

 

  1. Indianapolis 12-4
  2. * Jacksonville 9-7
  3. Tennesee 6-10
  4. Houston 6-10

 

We all know the Colts can score. Peyton Manning is one of the best QB�s in the league, Marvin Harrision is one of the best WR�s, Edgerrin James is one of the best RB�s, blah blah blah�.the question is can the Colts, outdoors in January, on the road, win a game? Pass defense needs to improve from their 30th showing a year ago, or come January, the only question is whether the Colts will lose in Foxboro or Pittsburgh. The Jaguars may be on the verge of something big. A lot depends on how well Byron Leftwich adapts to new OC, Carl Smith. The defense needs to actually be better than last year�s version. Measure of season may come in week 2 when the Jags invade Indy. In Titans� land, the only question may be the over/under on when Steve McNair gets hurt. Well, question two may be how long Pacman Jones can go without getting arrested again. Defense actually may not be too bad, but the offense has a chance to be pitiful. (McNair won�t make it through the first two games, at Steelers and Baltimore, without getting hurt, while Pacman waits til mid-November to get arrested again!) I�ve never been a big David Carr fan, but Texan fans and some experts think he is on the verge of a breakout season. Carr needs a second receiver to come through, needs RB Davis to have a healthy season, and the OL to improve tremendously. The defense is average, needs a big year from CB Philip Buchanan.

 

AFC North

 

������� 1.�� Pittsburgh 13-3

������� 2.�� Baltimore 9-7

������� 3.�� Cincinnati 7-9

������� 4.�� Cleveland 3-13

 

������� The Steelers Nation looks for a trip to the Super Bowl after what should have been a trip their last year. On offense, Ben is going to improve, look for Ward to catch

������� 90 balls or so, and about 40-50 catches from ARE, Cedric and Heath. Willie Parker will have an impact on offense. Questions abound over Simmons and Starks, but

������� they will be fine. On defense, the return of Casey may free up Farrior to have a better year than he did last year. The improved play of Harrison hopefully keeps �

������� Haggans and Porter fresher in January. The CB�s should undergo a youth movement with hopefully Ike replacing Wee Willie soon. Troy will be a monster, the key for��

� opposing teams� OC will be to find where Troy is. Our special teams should be improved, Jeff Reed gives us a tremendous homefield kicking advantage. Until Kyle

� Boller shows he is an NFL calibar QB, the Ravens� will be no more than a WC contender. Ray Ray may not be the best LB on his team, he�s definitely not the best��

� LB in the division. No question, the defense will be good, need to see how well offense can be for them to contend. I don�t buy all this crap that the Bengals will

� contend for not only the division, but the conference. There is talent at WR and RB, Carson Palmer is a decent (so far) QB. Until I see even an average defensive effort from the big defensive coach Marvin Lewis, the Ben-gals will remain in mediocrity. In a perfect world, the Brownies go 0-16. This may be as close to a perfect world as we can get. Charlie Frye has a chance to be a good QB, but if the Brownies get the number one pick, can they pass up Matt Leinert?

 

 

Playoffs

�����

������ Wild Card Weekend � Indianapolis over NY Jets, Jacksonville over New England

������ Division Playoffs � ��Pittsburgh over Jacksonville, Indianapolis over Kansas City

������ AFC Championship �� Pittsburgh over Indianapolis

 

������ First coach fired (or resigning) � �Herm Edwards, New York Jets

������ Team that may surprise � �Oakland

 

������ SUPER BOWL XL � STEELERS 34 Rams 20 ��MVP- Big Ben

 

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