It's early, but it's a long week, so let's slot the AFC teams

[Deus Irae]

I figure it might be interesting to break down the AFC at this point, separating the "sure thing" from the "playoff contender" from the "done". I'll toss out my preliminary rankings.

AFCE - Patriots
AFCN - Ravens
AFCS - Texans
AFCW - Chiefs

WC1 - Colts
WC2 - Bills/Raiders*

In the hunt, but needing real improvement:

Browns, Titans, Chargers


Dead, or with a very faint pulse:

Jets, Dolphins, Steelers, Bengals, Jaguars, Broncos


*I think both of these teams are fully capable of going on a big losing streak and being on the outside, or even done, in a hurry.

 

[SamusAranX]

Pats are shoe in.

AFC south is still wide open, if my Jags can put together a win streak they get Houston in London in three weeks where we play historically well

Ravens will probably win North.

Chiefs should win west unless Kermit continues to play hobbled.

Honestly think it’s too soon to call on the WC slots but don’t see how the tacks (Titans) aren’t in the faint category. Dolphins are beyond dead, they’re in purgatory at this point

Moral of the story is the Pats will win the AFC as per usual

 

[Boomer B]

I’m with you on your list.

The Browns talent wise and with an easier schedule down the road can challenge for their division, but I don’t know if they have the coaching and leadership to do so.

The Chargers are likely toast. They lost at home to a so-so Steelers team with their 3rd string QB. Titans are done. Pea shooter offence and Indy and Texans clearly above them in that division.

Injuries will play its part going forward but every single team in the AFC, including the Pats, have their issues and flaws. I just trust that NE can deal with these issues and flaws better then the other teams can deal with theirs.

 

[BlueThunder]

Getting Watson back is a step in the right direction IMHO

 

[maust]

AFCE: Patriots
AFCN: Quietest Fart in Church
AFCS: War of Attrition Winner 1
AFCW: Raiders, cause KC karma

WC1: Chefs, cause Mahomie necessary for ratings
WC2: War of Attrition Runnerup or Billdos

 

[farn]

Don’t like the Raiders. Would be hesitant even in week 11-12 and they were leading then...

 

[HailHydra]

Bills should make the playoffs too. Just like us, they have a relatively easy schedule, with few high-end offenses on the schedule.

They play Dolphins (2x), Redskins, Browns, Broncos, Steelers, and the Jets. With a defense almost as good as ours, they'll probably win a game against the Eagles, Cowboys, or Ravens. Unless they REALLY start to implode (which they could do at any point, but I like their core so far), they should be in for a 11-5 season.

Patriots
Ravens (much easier division than other teams fighting for 2)
Texans
Chiefs
Bills
Colts

 

[Joey007]

1.Patriots
2.Chiefs
3.Texans
4.Ravens/Browns (I think this winner goes 8-8 or 9-7. Loser misses entirely. Browns look lousy now, but their sched opens up)
5. Bills
6. Raiders/Colts (Think Colts are ultimately better BUT Raiders have the head to head tiebreaker)

Other teams that could get back in conversation with a few breaks:

Titans Jags Broncos Chargers Steelers

If the Jets somehow find a way to beat us Monday night, then they would get themselves up into this tier. Otherwise they’re done.

 

[mgteich]

I think that the steelers have more than a faint pulse, given their schedule. They could be playing Game 17 against BAL for the division.

Presuming that PITT beats BAL in the last game, they need to gain one game before that. Their schedule is much easier. See below for "tough" games.

PITT: IND, LA, BUF and BAL

BALT: SEA, NE, HOU, LA, SF, BUF and PITT

I figure it might be interesting to break down the AFC at this point, separating the "sure thing" from the "playoff contender" from the "done". I'll toss out my preliminary rankings.

AFCE - Patriots
AFCN - Ravens
AFCS - Texans
AFCW - Chiefs

WC1 - Colts
WC2 - Bills/Raiders*

In the hunt, but needing real improvement:

Browns, Titans, Chargers


Dead, or with a very faint pulse:

Jets, Dolphins, Steelers, Bengals, Jaguars, Broncos


*I think both of these teams are fully capable of going on a big losing streak and being on the outside, or even done, in a hurry.

 

[Double TE]

If the Jags can hang around .500 they may be dangerous when Foles returns.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

1. Patriots, 14-2
2. Chiefs, 11-5
3. Texans, 10-6
4. Browns, 9-7 (schedule gets easy, they will be falsely credited with a turnaround with a winning streak against tomato cans)
5. Bills, 11-5
6. Colts, 9-7

Colts over Texans
Bills over Browns

Patriots over Colts
Chiefs over Bills

Patriots over Chiefs (blowout)

 

[BobDigital]

I'm not going down each team's schedule but I'd say by the end of the year it looks like this.

Pats 16-0 : P
Bills 11-5
Jets 4-12
Dolphins 0-16

Ravens 8-8
Browns 7-9
Steelers 7-9
Bengals 3-13

Texans 11-5
Colts 10-6
Titans 6-10
Jags 6-10

Chiefs 11-5
Raiders 7-9
Chargers 7-9
Broncos 5-11

That would make my seed 1 Pats 2 Texans 3 Chiefs 4 Baltimore 5 Bills 6 Colts

WC Chiefs > Colts, Bills > Baltimore
DIV Pats > Bills, Texans > Chiefs
AFCCF Pats > Texans

 

[fightingirish595]

So now that all the division leaders have 2 losses (and we play all 3 of them) and the team with 1 loss is on our division and we already beat them on the road.... how early can we lock up home field

 

[jah]

I'm thinking the 4 and 6 seeds both go to 8-8 teams.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

I'm thinking the 4 and 6 seeds both go to 8-8 teams.

Important to continue noting that the AFC SUCKS. Now it appears they only have one elite team. I think KC is a bubble playoff contender in the NFC.

 

[LT85]

Am I crazy for having the Bills as the team I least want to face in the playoffs?

1. Good defense
Seems that's what we struggle with the most. Giants, Ravens, Broncos.

2. Division rival
It's just dificult playing the same team 3 times in a year.

 

[BTTA]

The schedules from this point forward vary wildly between the AFC contenders. The Bills have the clearest sailing. The Ravens and Chiefs have very difficult paths going forward.

 

[jmt57]

On a semi-related note, regarding the never ending debate about which divisions are tough or easy, current cumulative division standings.
(Records are for games outside the division, since games within will obviously be .500)

10-3-1 NFC North
12-4-1 NFC West
7-6 AFC East
9-9 NFC South
8-9 AFC South
8-9 AFC West
5-11 NFC East
4-12 AFC North

Interesting (to me at least) that three divisions constantly being touted as being so tough and so competitive are bringing up the rear of the standings.

* All four teams in the NFC North have a winning record
* Minn is 4-0 outside the division; 0-2 within NFCN


Inter-Conference:
NFC: 19 Wins, AFC: 10 Wins
Why?
NFC West is 8-1 vs the AFC North!!!

 

[Deus Irae]

In looking at the standings, I found it interesting to see how closely the standings are tracking the QBs, for the most part, regardless of the rest of the teams' talent. The only "WTF?" level outlier to that, that I see, is the Bills.

And even the Bills make some sense when you look at the teams they've faced.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

Am I crazy for having the Bills as the team I least want to face in the playoffs?

1. Good defense
Seems that's what we struggle with the most. Giants, Ravens, Broncos.

2. Division rival
It's just dificult playing the same team 3 times in a year.

Not at all. Not only do they have easily the best defense of all these teams, but they have Josh Allen, the exact type of weird, bullsh1t QB who can randomly go off with his (inaccurate) cannon arm and running ability.