NFL AFC Season Preview – The Road To Superbowl LIX

Another NFL season is almost upon us and it promises to be as thrilling as ever. The Kansas City Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes won the Superbowl last year, can they repeat the trick? Jan Keys has weighed up the prospects of every team and first up is his NFL AFC Season preview. You can check out his NFC preview here. Make sure to follow us on X to get all of Jan Keys’ NFL previews this season.

AFC EAST

BUFFALO BILLs – Superbowl 12/1; Division 17/10; Est Season Wins 9.7

In the last couple of seasons the Bills have made the playoffs and are the AFC East Favourites to do so again. They may have one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL in Josh Allen but the rest of the team isn’t as strong as last season.

NEW YORK JETS – Superbowl 20/1; Division 9/5; Est Season Wins 9.5

There was great optimism last season and The Jets were predicted to have 9.5 wins. However, that didn’t materialise and they had a disappointing campaign with just 7 seasonal wins. Don’t see much reason to see them improving with a 41 year old quarterback at the helm.

MIAMI DOLPHINS – Superbowl 25/1; Division 2/1; Est Season Wins 9.0

The Dolphins are in the hunt for the AFC East but again, even if they do make the playoffs, it’s hard to see them making the Conference Final.

NE PATRIOTS – Superbowl 150/1; Division 28/1; Est Season Wins 6.2

Another season of trying to improve, they have little chance of reaching the playoffs this season. They will be looking for one or two steps forward.

AFC EAST Prediction

Hard to see any of these winning the Superbowl but it’s a 3-way fight for the Division which could go down to the wire.

AFC NORTH

BALTIMORE RAVENS – Superbowl 9/1; Division 5/4; Est Season Wins 10.8

I’m really not sure how The Ravens didn’t make it to last year’s Superbowl. Going into the Conference Championship they were in explosive form and I thought they had one hand on the Vincent Lombardi trophy. Losing last year to Kansas City 17-10 was a major blow and ironically, they travel to Kansas in the season’s opener. The Ravens are my best bet to lift the Superbowl as they are clear in my personal ratings.

CINCINNATI BENGALS – Superbowl 12/1; Division 33/20; Est Season Wins 9.9

With odds of only 12/1 for the Superbowl optimism is running high. Personally I’m not feeling the same, for me they will struggle to topple The Ravens and this division doesn’t offer up any easy matches. They do have a very good quarterback in Joe Burrow who gives them big hope of making the playoffs if he remains fit.

 

CLEVELAND BROWNS – Superbowl 40/1; Division 11/2; Est Season Wins 8.4

Cleveland are midway in the betting order which means if they can pull an extra win out of the bag, the playoffs aren’t completely out of the question. As I’m a big believer in The Ravens I don’t see how The Browns are going to improve. They have an average quarterback in Deshaun Watson who will need to bring his A game if the Brown do make the playoffs.

PITTSBURGH STEELERS – Superbowl 45/1; Division 7/1; Est Season Wins 8.0

Pittsburgh may be the outsiders of the AFC North Quartet but their 10-7 season last year shows they are a good side. They made a lot of personnel changes over the summer and we will have to wait and see how they develop. I expect another winning season but they may just come up short of making the playoffs.

AFC North Prediction

A very tough Division and I’m sticking with the Ravens. All of the other 3 teams have a chance of a winning season and one should get a playoff berth.

AFC SOUTH

HOUSTON TEXANS – Superbowl 16/1; Division 11/10; Est Season Wins 10.0

Houston had a fantastic season last year only to be taken down by the Ravens in the playoffs, with C.J. Stroud proving to be an impressive quarterback (Ranked 5) in his rookie season. Hopefully there is more to come this season from them.

The Texans have also drafted in Stefon Diggs who is a top wide receiver, so the Texans are going in the right direction. The AFC South is considered a soft division, which also bodes well for the Texans. The Texans will hope to be there fighting out the Conference Championship against either the Ravens or the Chiefs.

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS Superbowl 60/1; Division 3/1; Est Season Wins 8.0

The Colts just missed out on the playoffs in a last game of the season defeat against Houston. They have room for improvement and their QB Anthony Richardson finished the season with a flourish, only playing 4 matches. The Colts are estimated to have an 8-7 season, so they will need to find 2 extra wins from somewhere to make the playoffs.

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS Superbowl 45/1; Division 5/2; Est Season Wins 7.6

The Jaguars finished last season with a 9-8 record, I’m estimating them to get 7.6 wins, so it’s up to the Jaguars to prove me wrong. How are they going to do that? QB Trevor Lawrence (Ranked 15) would need to have a very good season. They’re second favourites for the division but again, I see little value.

TENNESSEE TITANS – Superbowl 150/1; Division 9/1; Est Season Wins 6.4

I don’t see the Titans contending for the division this season (6.4 wins). At best they can try not to finish bottom of this group of teams.

AFC South Prediction

For me the Houston Texans are a deservedly hyped up team and I have them 2 wins clear of their rivals, so 11/10 is a fair price. Close call for second and third between the Colts and Jaguars with the Titans bringing up the rear.

AFC WEST

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS – Superbowl -11/2; Division 2/5; Est Season Wins 11.4

Three Superbowls in 5 years make the Chiefs the ones to beat. However, they showed they are beatable with an 11-6 season last year, but they got the job done the hard way, winning in Buffalo and Baltimore to reach a nail biting final against the 49ers.

They have the experience of a Coach, QB and rushers and receivers who all know how to win. The AFC West is a soft division for the Chiefs and I see no reason for them not to be seeded one or two in the playoffs. They have a big game in week one when they will be hosting the Ravens. KC are 3 point favourites for that matchup. Will Patrick Mahomes win the Superbowl again? I doubt it…

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS – Superbowl 33/1; Division 7/2; Est Season Wins 8.4

The LA Chargers are clear second favourites for the AFC WEST, somehow they will need to have a really good season and the Chiefs to have a howler. Last season, the Chargers finished 5-12 for the season so there is a lot of work to be done. They have put a new coaching team in place, so maybe things can get better. Justin Herbert (Ranked 9) will have to try to improve this poor team and it will take some doing for LA to win this division.

DENVER BRONCOS – Superbowl 125/1; Division 16/1; Est Season Wins 7.0

Denver stuttered a lot last year but still managed to have an 8-9 season. They struggled at quarterback throughout the campaign and I’m not sure rookie Bo Nix will be the answer to their problems. Last season they were equally bad offensively and defensively. Little hope of making the playoffs.

LAS VEGAS RAIDERS – Superbowl 80/1; Division 9/1; Est Season Wins 6.6

The Raiders had an 8-9 season last year and I’m not sure if they are ready to improve on that. They have 2 QBs vying for that Number 1 job and neither of them are top class. It’s sad to say the Raiders haven’t got the offence to challenge the big guns.

AFC WEST Prediction

Kansas City are lucky that all their AFC West rivals have flaws. Hard to see how KC won’t win this Division, I would be clutching at straws if I thought the Chargers could run them close.

NFL AFC Season Preview: The Verdict

The BALTIMORE RAVENS, I believe, are the best team in the AFC. They can beat Kansas in the Conference Championship but it has to be considered that The Chiefs are more likely to be seeded number one in the playoffs due to a soft division. If the Houston Texans play to their full potential, they are also in the mix to make the Superbowl.

NFL AFC Season Preview Tip: Baltimore Ravens to win the Conference @ 11/2

NFL AFC Season Preview Tip: Baltimore Ravens to win the Superbowl @ 9/1

-JanKeys