After much concern that a lockout would prevent professional football from starting on time, the NFL regular season is going to kick off Sept. 11. Here is a look at how the AFC may shake out:
AFC East
Sticking to the island of misfit toys philosophy, which has been shown over recent offseasons, the New England Patriots acquired former Bengals wide receiver Chad Ochocinco and former Redskins cast off defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth.
Despite those signings, the core of a team that won 14 games is back, headlined by All-Pro quarterback Tom Brady and 1,000-yard rusher BenJarvus Green-Ellis.
The New York Jets made a splash by signing formerly incarcerated wide receiver Plaxico Burress, but the team’s hopes rise and fall with quarterback Mark Sanchez’s occasionally sporadic play and head coach Rex Ryan’s stingy defense.
Both the Miami Dolphins and the Buffalo Bills are looking at a rough year ahead of them. The Dolphins signed running back Reggie Bush, but their problems lie in the inconsistent hands of quarterback Chad Henne — who was booed by fans during a team scrimmage in early August.
The Bills showed signs of life under first year coach Chan Gailey last season, but the team still lacks the overall talent to be a regular competitor in the division.
Predicted Winner: New York Jets
AFC North
Despite a rash of injuries and the five-game suspension of quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, the Pittsburgh Steelers won the AFC Championship last season. With Roethlisberger poised to play an entire season alongside extremely talented running back Rashard Mendenhall and the lightning-fast Mike Wallace, the Steelers’ offense should be more explosive than ever.
Also, if star safety Troy Polamalu stays healthy, look for the Steelers defense to be better than the unit a year ago.
The Baltimore Ravens have nearly turned the corner from being a good team to a great one in recent years, but have ultimately fallen short in the playoffs. The Ravens look to change that this year, with their trademark hard-hitting defense and lethal running attack led by Ray Rice.
Like the Jets, however, the Ravens will only go so far as its young quarterback will carry them, and quarterback Joe Flacco looks poised for a big year.
The Bengals were the topic of controversy during the offseason, when quarterback Carson Palmer decided to retire instead of playing another game in a Bengals uniform. That leaves the reins to rookie Andy Dalton, who will be throwing to another talented rookie, A.J. Green.
The Browns looked like an improved team last season, but lost a staggering seven games by a touchdown or less, ultimately going 4-12. With a full season under his belt, quarterback Colt McCoy is a player to watch for improvement, along with the record of this young team.
Predicted Winner: Baltimore Ravens
AFC South
All eyes are currently on injured Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning. Manning, who had his second neck surgery in two years this March, is the lifeblood of the Colts. If he were to miss multiple games, it would mean disaster for the aging franchise.
The up-and-coming Houston Texans have seemed to be destined to break the Colts stranglehold on the division, and with an improved defense, this just may be their year. Quarterback Matt Schaub, running back Arian Foster and wide receiver Andre Johnson lead an explosive offense, and if the secondary (ranked last out of 32 teams in passing defense) can improve, look for the Texans to make its first ever playoff appearance.
The Tennessee Titans made a change this winter when they fired longtime head coach Jeff Fisher and promoted offensive line coach Mike Munchak to the lead role. Gone also is enigmatic quarterback Vince Young, as well as aging journeyman Kerry Collins, who recently signed with the Colts. Blazing fast running back Chris Johnson looks to be the centerpiece of the offense, while rookie signal caller Jake Locker learns from veteran Matt Hasselbeck.
Another team with a rookie quarterback, the Jacksonville Jaguars, looks to be in limbo. Blaine Gabbert was drafted in the first round of the NFL draft, but back is veteran David Garrard. Star running back Maurice Jones-Drew has seen little preseason action while recovering from knee surgery, another bad sign for Jaguars fans.
Predicted Winner: Houston Texans
A version of this article appeared in the Aug 31 issue of the Collegiate Times.
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