The Top 8 AFC Teams

Here's my thinking:

1. Patriots (respect to the AFC champ)

2. Colts (if healthy, Pats short reign is over)

3. Chargers (they're good, real good)

4. Jaguars (if WR's become playmakers...)

5. Steelers (they have been so up and down..up again?)

6. Ravens (now that the McNair experiment is over)

7. Browns (if they get some defense)

8. Jets (cause the Titans, Texans and Bengals aren't that good either)

The Ravens experiment is not over since there is a change at head Coach and that they drafted Joe Flacco that will take a year or two to get better.

Kyle Boller is a flop and might win a game or two but that is pushing it.

The Titans, and Bengals are not much better and if the Jets and or Texans can get a RB worth a darn they might be better than most think.

My top eight AFC Teams would have to be

1. Colts AFC South champions and until they are knock off they remain

2. Patriots AFC Champions refer to #1

3. Chargers but injuries to L.T., Phillip Rivers and Antonio Gate seems to worry me

4. Jaguars I agree if they can settle the WR position this is going to get good quick

5. Steelers, it is hard to beat a team twice and still think that they can not recover they will be back with a revengence

6. Bills, with Marshawn Lynch and the added defense they acquired in the offseason they have to be able to do somthing

7. Browns, last years proformance from Derrick Anderson was something special now only if he can repeat that

8. Texans, Matt Schaub showed he can play half way decent and Andre Johnson showed that even when there not all the pieces he can still play now they just need a RB to step up

Heres how I see it as of today.

1. Patriots(they make it to the AFC championship game almost every year.)

2. Colts(biggets challenge for the Pats and often the other team in the AFC championship game.)

3. Chargers(last postseason showed that the can play big in clutch moments.)

4. Jaguars(they have the tallent to lead most divisons in the NFL.)

5. Steelers(I expect there defence to really be a force to be reconed with this year.)

6. Browns(They should Challenge the steelers for there division.)

7. Bills(Dangerous, other than for the Pats, in there division.)

8. Texans(Alot more talent then most can see, good QB in Matt Shaub and a reliable back-up in Sage Rossenfels.

My opinion thats what you asked for take it or leave it.

1) Colts

2) Pats - I did this because the Pats have some questions on D that I would like to know the answer to.

3) Chargers

4) Jax - If they get a passing game the conferance is in trouble

5) Cleveland - Have done nothing but get better in the off season

6) Pitt

7) Titans

8) Bills

1) Indy - Absolutely no question marks on D, which returns 11 starters and was ranked #3 in the NFL last year.  The offense has no holes either.

2) NE - Some problems on D, but appropriate stop-gap solutions are in place.  The offense should be fantastic again.

3) Jax - Well-led blue-collar team that is more than the sum of its parts.

4) SD - Low character, poorly-led team.  QB is a baby, defensive stars are juicers.  They do have an amazing amount of talent, though.

5) Clev - Can't wait to watch them and see if they're developing like it seems they can.

6) Pitt - Remains dangerous. 

7) Tenn - Another well-led team.  They have some positional problems (not many weapons for Young), but they have the character to over-achieve.

8) Balt - A team in decline, but they've got some merits still.

1b) Indianapolis Colts - It's hard to say who would win in a Pats vs. Colts game

3) San Diego Chargers - Talented team that has yet to put it all together.

4) Jacksonville Jaguars - On the cusp of an AFC South title.

5) Pittsburgh Steelers - A team that may decline in 2008 with a tough schedule.

6) Tennessee Titans - Adding Chris Johnson gives the Titans some open field speed that LenDale White lacks.

7) Cleveland Browns - Anderson won't do as well this year, but the Browns will contend.

8) Buffalo Bills - Adding McKelvin and James Hardy in this draft will help the Bills become a Playoff contender.

1. Patriots: Hate'em if you want; Say what you like, but that run to history was scary. And now they've had an entire off season to reload with draft picks and practice...
2. Chargers: With Norm at the helm, anything's possible, but QB Rivers aka Stu Pedasso has cahonnes, LT has a chip after the 2007 playoffs, and that defense!
3. Colts: The Dungy Farewell Tour troupe would love nothing better than to send him off on top. No one but the two above stand in their way.
4. Jaguars: This is a team that if they were in any other division would be division champs outright or "pert near".
5. Steelers: The AFC North is almost toss-up, but Pittsburgh is accustomed to being top-dog and won't give it up without a fight.
6. Browns: This heir-apparent is a lot of fun to watch and Braylon Edwards is a beast! Sometimes the best trade is the one you DON'T make. Bye, bye Brady...
7. Titans: Poor Mrs. Fisher.....she has to listen to her husband toss and turn at night, dreaming about Colts, Jaguars, and now Texans. It's just not fair!!
8. Texans: Matt Schab and these upstarts will make the fans forget all about  the Carr crash named David, much to the chagrin of the rest of the division; they're gamers.

If I had to pick a dark horse out of the bottom feeders - not the middle of the Packers...I'd have to watch Raiders.......because it's time!! JaMarcus Russell will develop, McFadden will become this year's Adrian Peterson, and the defense comes around under the tutelage of Rob Ryan......Rex' twin, Buddy's OTHER son. And RAIDER Nation returns!!!

My Predictions -

1. Colts      &nbs p;      &n bsp;             &nbs p;      &n bsp;             &nbs p;      &n bsp;             &nbs p;      &n bsp;             &nbs p;      &n bsp;             &nbs p;      &n bsp;             &nbs p;      &n bsp;            

2. Patriots (or you could say 1a)

3. Chargers (they need to prove success in the playoff but these are the definite top 3 and the Chargers have proven they can beat the Colts)

4. Jaguars (the Jaguars also need to prove playoff mettle and that they can get past the Colts.  The WR's are a question even with the additions.)

5. Steelers (they have the potential to be the #4 team but need to prove consistency)

6. Broncos (I think the top 5 are pretty set unless some one thinks the Browns can surpass the Steelers which I don't believe they are ready to do yet.  The Broncos are my dark horse if Cutler improves.)

7. Browns (they proved they have potential but they have a tougher schedule this year.)

8. Bills (I think the South is so good that the Texans and Titans steal wins from each other and the Bills get lucky plus the Bills get to face the weaker east except for the Patriots and the Texans and Titans are in a division with no weak teams.  The East also get the luck of facing quite possibly the weakest division in football beside their own in the NFC West).