NFL Playoffs: AFC Seeding
The 2015-16 NFL regular season has officially come to an end. While some fans are looking forward to an early pick in the NFL draft, others readily await playoff games and the chance to make it to the Super Bowl. Here is a breakdown of the seeding from the teams in the AFC and what we can expect from them in the weeks ahead.
1) Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos propelled themselves into the top overall seed with their 27-20 win over the San Diego Chargers in Week 17. This is a huge advantage as it will keep them in Denver throughout the AFC playoffs as well as give them a bye week to rest. The extra week will also give them some more time to figure out what to do at the quarterback position. The return of Peyton Manning was encouraging, but he was also one of the leaders in interceptions this season despite missing six games. Brock Osweiler has played well but clearly has less upside. The coaching staff will now have to decide whether or not they want to opt for more ball control in Osweiler or a higher ceiling but lower floor in Manning.
2) New England Patriots
New England’s loss to the Miami Dolphins in Week 17 was not pretty. Injuries and a conservative game plan really held the Patriots back. It now has people questioning whether they should have just benched all of their healthy players instead of risking further damage. The week off should allow Julian Edelman to make a healthy return to the field. But there are still plenty of reasons to be concerned with the Patriots right now, as their run-heavy approach was easily stopped by a terrible Dolphins defense.
3) Cincinnati Bengals
Although the Bengals won a tight game against Baltimore, they did not earn themselves a first-round bye. They are now stuck playing on Wild Card Weekend, which the team definitely does not want to do. Cincinnati will now be forced to take on Pittsburgh with Andy Dalton still on the sidelines. Marvin Lewis has built a strong team, but they will likely be the underdogs in their own stadium without Dalton. It may be a tough pill to swallow for Bengals fans, but they have to wait another year to get Lewis his first playoff win.
4) Houston Texans
Bill O’Brien and his team deserve a lot of credit for bouncing back from some major injuries and poor play that plagued the team early in the year. While they will likely be the underdog in any matchup, it will not be by much. Lucky for them, they will have home field advantage against the Chiefs. If quarterback Brian Hoyer is able to return, then the Texans should have a real shot at advancing.
5) Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs may be the hottest team in all of football; they have won 10 games in a row. Led by an amazing defense, Kansas City nearly won the AFC West While storming their way into the fifth seed. Andy Reid has truly been masterful this season. Despite losing their best offense player (Jamaal Charles), the team has not missed a step. Everyone should be nervous about facing the Chiefs this postseason.
6) Pittsburgh Steelers
Thankfully for Pittsburgh, their Week 16 loss to Baltimore did not end up mattering. The Steelers got some much-needed help from the Buffalo Bills in Week 17, as Buffalo took down the Jets. Now they enter the playoffs with arguably the best quarterback in the conference. Their defense has shown glimpses of being Super Bowl-worthy. Their first test will be against AJ McCarron of the Bengals, which is sure to be a favorable matchup.
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