Weakest division(s) in the AFC?

[ATL96Steeler]

Amazing for a team that has won the AFC North multiple times recently.

1 thru 52...CIN has as much talent as any team in the NFL...lotta high draft picks on that team. Easy to say Lewis is the problem, but at the end of the day, Dalton has not played well enough to win a game in JAN. Some CIN fans think Brown (owner) is content with 9 to 11 win seasons and just won't pull the plug on either one of them because of that. Probably some truth there.

 

[Rex Racer]

We're you afraid of the outcome?

You have to ask?

 

[cdumler7]

1 thru 52...CIN has as much talent as any team in the NFL...lotta high draft picks on that team. Easy to say Lewis is the problem, but at the end of the day, Dalton has not played well enough to win a game in JAN. Some CIN fans think Brown (owner) is content with 9 to 11 win seasons and just won't pull the plug on either one of them because of that. Probably some truth there.

It is one of those the team is finally having some success after being a bottom dweller for so long. Brown and Dalton are good enough to get the team a winning season. When you have been a bottom dweller I would guess getting to the playoffs multiple years in a row sounds pretty darn good. At some point though you have to realize that in order to win in the Playoffs you are going to have to take some chances and sometimes that means firing a coach with a winning record. Now that doesn't always mean it will work out as hey the Broncos are right in the middle of that right now as we just fired a coach with a major winning record with the Broncos but we realized he just wasn't the best fit to get the Broncos over the hump. Doesn't mean this new guy will be but have to take the chance to get to the top.

 

[Southieinnc]

It's obvious the North is the strongest given recent playoff appearances why put it.

There was no need to include the obvious strongest division.

The last four AFC Championships have been won once by each of four divisions. Since you chose to not include the AFCN in this discussion, I'll be happy to point out the other three division winners as being the strongest, in a four-way tie.

 

[Tgann69]

Well, nothing of course, but that could change in a hurry if those young DEFs develop and they at least stabilize the OFC.

I agree it could an might change quick but that's unproven as of yet.

 

[Tgann69]

The last four AFC Championships have been won once by each of four divisions. Since you chose to not include the AFCN in this discussion, I'll be happy to point out the other three division winners as being the strongest, in a four-way tie.

^butthurt

 

[Southieinnc]

I could an might change quick but that's unproven as of yet.

FAIL

 

[Southieinnc]

^butthurt

Last resort of a "talentless troll"

Epic Fail

 

[ATL96Steeler]

It is one of those the team is finally having some success after being a bottom dweller for so long. Brown and Dalton are good enough to get the team a winning season. When you have been a bottom dweller I would guess getting to the playoffs multiple years in a row sounds pretty darn good. At some point though you have to realize that in order to win in the Playoffs you are going to have to take some chances and sometimes that means firing a coach with a winning record. Now that doesn't always mean it will work out as hey the Broncos are right in the middle of that right now as we just fired a coach with a major winning record with the Broncos but we realized he just wasn't the best fit to get the Broncos over the hump. Doesn't mean this new guy will be but have to take the chance to get to the top.

Exactly, that's how they accumulated so many top 10 draft picks over the years, but at some point the lion share of the fan base will tire of a winning season and a 1st round playoff loss. ATL 2.0

CIN seems afraid to really challenge Dalton with real competition...he's not a bad QB by any means, but I would be wondering out loud as to whether he's the man to take them any further.

 

[NEPatsfan]

Why would I include the north when they are the obvious strongest and by excluding it it raised the NE butthurt level to DEFCON4.

It's just fun.

Accuracy. Something you seem to struggle with.

 

[NEPatsfan]

We are talking division, not team.

Fail

I thought that was strike three?

 

[Southieinnc]

I thought that was strike three?

He hit strike 1000 earlier today.....

 

[Money]

Exactly, that's how they accumulated so many top 10 draft picks over the years, but at some point the lion share of the fan base will tire of a winning season and a 1st round playoff loss. ATL 2.0

CIN seems afraid to really challenge Dalton with real competition...he's not a bad QB by any means, but I would be wondering out loud as to whether he's the man to take them any further.

One also has to wonder how Marvin Lewis keeps his job. Mike Smith at least won 1 playoff game.

 

[Sharkonabicycle]

Luck's division, although hopefully Mariota proves me wrong (have been saying he'll be a bust for the last year) and the Titans start to get things going. Houston is an offense away sadly and Jax just can't catch a break (Fowler out a year, man).

 

[TP76]

No option for the AFCN? Despite their records (artificially inflated by powderpuff schedules last year) they all made quick exits in the playoffs when facing non AFCN opponents.

 

[PatsFan2003]

Not sure you can make that claim one bit. Yes you got 3 teams into the playoffs this past year but you also had some of the easiest schedules in possibly NFL history to get there for an entire division. I mean playing the NFC South one of the worst divisions in NFL history and the AFC South not all that far ahead of the NFC South it makes it a lot easier for sure.

So again I don't think you can make that claim of them being the obvious strongest choice. The AFC East looks a lot stronger this year than in the last few years. I could easily see two teams from that division make the playoffs. The AFC West just 2 years ago had 3 teams in the playoffs and had 2 tied for the final playoff spot with some other teams but unfortunately tie breakers took them out of it. I mean if you take the top 3 teams in the North and West with records from last year the North was I think only a 1/2 game ahead record wise. You look at SOS and it is easy to see the West if they had the North's schedule would have easily gotten 3 teams into the playoffs. So again not sure it is so clear who the top division is in the AFC.

Good point considering the yearly swoon of the Bengals in the playoffs, there's really only two actual good teams in that division.

So the AFC west with Denver, KC and San Diego has had generally stronger teams.

In fact if Cincy regularly beats up on the Steelers and the Ravens one has to wonder whether the whole division is a paper tiger.

Considering the chip on the shoulder some fans have about Flacco, that may be closer to the truth.

 

[NEPatsfan]

One also has to wonder how Marvin Lewis keeps his job. Mike Smith at least won 1 playoff game.

Pictures of Mike Brown with a goat in a questionable position?

 

[Money]

Well Peter King has 3 AFCN teams in his top 12 teams in the entire league, so I guess that settles this. AFCW next with 2. AFCE with 1 highly ranked team. AFCS last with 1 team barely cracking the top 12.

Don't make me post that article again...

 

[Southieinnc]

Well Peter King has 3 AFCN teams in his top 12 teams in the entire league, so I guess that settles this. AFCW next with 2. AFCE with 1 highly ranked team. AFCS last with 1 team barely cracking the top 12.

Don't make me post that article again...

I have no problem with you posting your opinion. I have doubts with King's opinion. What is the other AFCW team and what was their impact on last year's playoffs?

 

[Money]

I have no problem with you posting your opinion. I have doubts with King's opinion. What is the other AFCW team and what was their impact on last year's playoffs?

I made a thread about with his power rankings yesterday. He has KC ranked 4th and Denver 9th. The other notable teams were Ravens 1st, NE 5th, Steelers 8th, Indy 11th and Cincy 12th.

He's a very smart man.