The AFC has been the dominant conference for quite a while, though recent developments in the league have potentially tilted the power back in favor of the NFC. Let’s take a look at how the AFC might play out this season.

AFC West: San Diego Chargers
It’s hard to imagine any team usurping the San Diego Chargers. The Chargers have plenty of issues to work out, from the holdouts of two star players to issues in the secondary, but there really isn’t another team ready to challenge. I like what the Raiders did by finally admitting that JaMarcus Russell wasn’t the quarterback for their future, but they aren’t a division contender just yet. The Chiefs could be the most intriguing team in the division with two very good running backs in Jamaal Charles and Thomas Jones combining with a decent quarterback in Matt Cassel. Still, the Chargers have far and away the best quarterback in the division in Philip Rivers and have a very talented offensive line, even if left tackle Marcus McNeil holds out until Week 10. The Chargers should win this one, possibly early on.

AFC South: Indianapolis Colts
This division is still the Colts’ to lose, but this year they finally seem to have a legitimate competitor in the Houston Texans. The Texans have one of the most explosive offenses in the league and are a productive back from being an offensive juggernaut. If Steve Slaton and Matt Schaub can stay healthy, the Colts could have their first serious division competition in a while. Having said that, the Colts still have Peyton Manning and a great set of wideouts, which will probably be enough to win the division and make some noise in the playoffs. They need to start thinking about how they can get their running game going, but the Colts are still the team to beat in the AFC South.

AFC North: Baltimore Ravens
It’s easy to get excited about this Baltimore Ravens squad this year. Joe Flacco is one of the best young quarterbacks in the league and now he has a wealth of weapons to choose from. Not only is Ray Rice developing into an absolute stud in the backfield but newly acquired wideout Anquan Boldin is going to give secondaries absolute nightmares trying to keep tabs on him. The Ravens also still have an above average defense, even though they are starting to get up there in age. The Bengals can make some noise if Carson Palmer gets back to being a top-tier quarterback but the Ravens have the right collection of talent at key positions to win the division going away.

AFC East: New England Patriots
The buzz seems to be surrounding the New York Jets, which probably favors the Patriots. Tom Brady is still one of the best quarterbacks in the league and could be poised for a huge comeback season now that he’s another year removed from his knee injury. But it won’t be easy for the Patriots, due mainly to very nice offseasons from the Jets and Miami Dolphins.

The Jets probably have the most overall talent in the division, with arguably the best defense in the league and a great offensive line, but they still have to rely on a second year quarterback (Mark Sanchez) who is nowhere near as polished as Tom Brady. The Dolphins are an exciting team that will sell plenty of NFL tickets but they seem to be a year away from being a legit contender for the division. If Chad Henne develops quickly, however, that could change.

Wild Card: Houston Texans and Miami Dolphins
The Texans have all the major pieces you need to win in the NFL. Quarterback is essential and they have a Top 10 signal caller in Matt Schaub, which should make them very tough to beat from week to week. Also needed is a legitimate pass-rusher to pressure the opposing quarterback and the Texans have Mario Williams. If they can stop the run and get their own running game going, the Texans should find a way to grab a Wild Card slot.

The Dolphins also have enough talent to make a push for the playoffs. Unfortunately, they play in possibly the hardest division and will have to try to split regular season games with the Jets and the Patriots. Still, Cialis Jelly they added a stud player to both their defense and offense (Karlos Dansby and Brandon Marshall) and already have the ability to control the ball on the ground. If Henne turns out to be the right quarterback for the Dolphins, they could be good for quite a while.

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Category: Recreation and Leisure/Sports/Football
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