2010 AFC Predictions!!!

Let's continue with my 2010 NFL Predictions and this time it is the AFC preview...........

AFC EAST

1) Miami Dolphins (11-5): The Dolphins are one of the most well coached teams in all of the NFL. I love how Tony Sparano coaches this team every week, and they added a big time player in WR Brandon Marshall. The Dolphins are ready to take the big leap in the AFC. Although I'm not totally sold on Chad Henne, this team is for real and will win the AFC East this upcoming season.

2) New England Patriots (11-5): The Pats don't win the East, but they will make the playoffs as a wild card. Everyone has forgotten about the Patriots this year. Think about it: Everyone loves the Jets in the East, the Pats can play the underdog role, they still have Tom Brady and Bill Belichick, they rebuilt their defense, Wes Welker is getting better in record time, and they are going to use the playoff loss to Baltimore as a motivating factor for this season. The Pats are going to be good, and everyone is writing them off. You can't fool me. The Pats will be a Super Bowl contender in 2010.

3) New York Jets (9-7): We do you begin with the Jets? First, let's look at their offseason moves: They replace Lito Sheppard with Antonio Cromartie (He hasn't played well since 2007), they cut Alan Faneca and replace him with 2nd Round pick Vladimir Ducasse (Who the hell knows how Ducasse is going to turn out), they didn't resign Thomas Jones and sign LaDanian Tomlinson instead (Their biggest mistake of the offseason), and they trade Leon Washington and draft Joe McKnight as his replacement (McKnight was a disappointment at USC and can't even pass his conditioning test) and they hope that rookie CB Kyle Wilson will adequately help in their return game with Washington gone. The Jets also signed Jason Taylor for pass rushing situations and traded for Santonio Holmes (He has to sit out the first four games due to suspension). So you are telling me that the Jets added personalities like Tomlinson, Taylor, Cromartie, and Holmes to a locker room that already consisted of Bart Scott, Kris Jenkins, Calvin Pace, and Braylon Edwards?!?! This is supposed to be a good thing? Throw in the non-stop talk by Rex Ryan, and the fact that the Jets are featured on HBO's Hard Knocks, the Revis holdout, the uncertainty of how well Mark Sanchez will develop, the age of some members of their O-Line and the endless amount of Super Bowl hype for a team that was 9-7 and only made the playoffs because the Colts laid down in Week 16. The Jets are setting themselves up for a fall and it is going to be a tough one for Jet fans to deal with. Rational Jet fans know this is coming, and even if they go 9-7, they will miss the playoffs and it will be a disaster for this organization. God, I can't wait to see how this plays out.

4) Buffalo Bills (3-13): The Bills were done for 2010 when they didn't draft Jimmy Clausen in the 2nd round and instead they drafted DL Terrell Troupe. The Bills are in trouble because they simply have no QB. It doesn't matter if Trent Edwards or Brian Brohm is starting, the Bills are in deep trouble this year.

AFC NORTH

1) Pittsburgh Steelers (10-6): I love the Steelers this year. Mike Tomlin is a great coach, and he spent all offseason getting rid of the malingers on this roster and replenishing it with quality guys. Everyone is counting the Steelers out this year because of the suspension of Ben Roethlisberger, but I think they will be okay. Big Ben is supposed to be out for the first six games, but as long as the Steelers are 3-3 (They can beat TB, Cleveland, and maybe Baltimore or Atlanta) at that point, I see them getting hot at the right time (3 home games in December) and winning the division.

2) Baltimore Ravens (8-8): Every season there is one team that looks too good to be true on paper, but fails to live up to expectations. There is really no reason to see it coming, but it happens to at least one team with Super Bowl aspirations every year. Last year, it was the Giants. This year it is going to be the Ravens. This is my hunch pick this year, and I think the Ravens miss the playoffs. Their defense is getting older, and this is the year their defense really lets them down.

3) Cincinnati Bengals (6-10): The fact that the Bengals added Terrell Owens this year shows exactly how inept this franchise is? Instead of drafting a WR to develop alongside Chad Johnson (I refuse to call him Ochocinco), they get Antonio Bryant (Bad Character Guy) and add T.O. This is a team that already has Tank Johnson, Cedric Benson, and signed Pacman Jones and Matt Jones in the offseason. The Bengals are lost and this team will be a disappointment all year long. This was too easy to pick, and it was easy to see that the Bengals will miss the playoffs and have a down year.

4) Cleveland Browns (3-13): Don't be fooled by their four game winning streak to end 2009. Eric Mangini is dead man walking, and the fact that they are trying to sell Jake Delhomme to their fanbase is just sad. They don't have enough talent to compete, especially in AFC North. Look for Mike Holmgren to completely blow this thing up for 2011.

AFC SOUTH

1) Indianapolis Colts (12-4): I don't know if the Colts will use the Super Bowl loss as extra motivation or will it have a real negative effect on this team in 2010? That is the only real question mark for the Colts this year. They still have Peyton Manning and the that is all you need. Look for the Colts to win their 12 games and get ready for a Super Bowl run.

2) Tennessee Titans (10-6): The Titans get back into the playoffs in 2010 as a wild card. They have a great coach in Jeff Fisher, an improved Vince Young (Handled great by Offensive Coordinator Mike Heimerdinger), a defense that has something to prove, and the most explosive player in the NFL in Chris Johnson. The Titans are for real and their schedule (AFC WEST) should be manageable enough for them to get 10 wins.

3) Houston Texans (8-8): What did Gary Kubiak do to deserve his contract extension? You can expect more of the same from the Texans. They should have made the playoffs in 2009, but they just missed out, but this year a lot of experts have them in. I don't because I don't believe in Kubiak, Matt Schaub, or their defense. Expect a lot of close games and close losses for the Texans once again.

4) Jacksonville Jaguars (5-11): Jacksonville is another team that blew it when they didn't draft Tim Tebow. This is a dead franchise and Jack Del Rio is on the hot seat. There is no juice for this team, and the only thing they have going for them is Maurice Jones Drew. The Jags disappoint again in a tough division, and Del Rio is looking for work in 2011.

AFC WEST

1) San Diego Chargers (10-6): The Chargers win the division because it is so weak and they have Philip Rivers, but the Chargers are shaky contender. The holdouts of Marcus McNeil, Vincent Jackson, and Shawne Merriman really could affect this team. They still have Philip Rivers and that is what matters. Rivers will put them over the top, but I wouldn't be surprised if the Chargers took a step back this year.

2) Kansas City Chiefs (8-8): I thought the Chiefs would be good last year, and they finished 4-12. I'm not ready to put the Chiefs in the playoffs this year, but I think they get back to respectability. Matt Cassel should be better with Charlie Weis as his OC, and the Chiefs added two huge gamebreakers in the draft: FS Eric Berry and RB Dexter McCluster. Look for the Chiefs to be in the wild card late in the year, but they will just miss out of the playoffs.

3) Oakland Raiders (7-9): The Raiders got rid of JaMarcus Russell and that was the best offseason move they made in years. Jason Campbell is just an average NFL QB, but anyone is an upgrade over Russell. The Raiders will also get back to respectability, and they will be a really tough team all year. Look for the Raiders to miss the playoffs, but play in some meaningful games late in the year.

4) Denver Broncos (7-9): (I WILL BE GIVING A MORE IN DEPTH PREVIEW OF MY BELOVED BRONCOS ONCE WE GET CLOSER TO THE START OF THE REGULAR SEASON....HERE IS MY CLIFF NOTES VERSION)

There are too many questions on the offensive side of the ball for me to pick the Broncos to make the playoffs. A lot of the predictions for Denver this year fall between 5-11 and 8-8. I tend to think that Denver will be around 7-8 wins this year. I think the offense does have many questions, and the defense still doesn't have a stout big time front seven player besides Elvis Dumervil. This team reminds me of the 2006 Titans. Everyone wanted to see Vince Young play, and the Titans started off 0-5 and 2-7, and then they put Vince Young in and they finished 8-8 and there was hope for the future. I see the same type of situation happening in Denver this year. Everyone wants to see Tim Tebow play, and I see Denver sitting at like 3-6 after nine games. The Broncos insert Tebow, he plays well, it energizes the team and the fanbase, and the team finishes 7-9 or 8-8 and everyone is excited for the future with Tebow going forward. I was tempted to pick Denver as a sleeper at 10-6, but I don't want to jinx them. The future is bright in Denver, but it will be five years and no playoffs in the Mile High city.

AFC PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS

1) Indy (12-4)

2) Miami (11-5)

3) San Diego (10-6)

4) Pittsburgh (10-6)

5)New England (11-5)

6) Tennessee (10-6)

Wild Card Weekend

6-Tennessee over 3-SD (Chris Johnson runs wild in upset win over Chargers)

5-NE over 4-Pittsburgh (1st playoff victory for Pats since 2007 AFC Title Game)

Divisional Weekend

1-Indy over 6-Tennessee (Colts get back to AFC Title Game for 2nd straight year)

5-New England over 2-Miami (Pats upset Dolphins to setup showdown with the Colts)

AFC CHAMPIONSHIP

5-New England over 1-Indy (Pats get revenge on Colts for 2006 AFC Championship and head to 5th Super Bowl since 2001 season)

SUPER BOWL 45

New England over Atlanta (Brady and Belichick get 4th ring in improbable fashion)