Written by: Tyler Deakin
Former Colts head coach Jim Mora’s infamous “Playoffs?!” quote resonates with me as the purpose behind this article. He had just given a speech addressing his team’s failures after a 40-21 loss to the 49ers and a reporter had the audacity to ask him about his team’s chances at making the playoffs. Mora’s team would win only 2 more games the rest of the year. Sometimes, it’s difficult for football fans & media alike to predict certain team’s chances of making it to the tournament. Other times, it’s clear that the team isn’t going anywhere beyond the couch in January. Let’s take a look at each AFC team’s playoff chances at the season’s midway point.
Conference heavyweights
Titans (7-2), Ravens (6-2)
The Titans have emerged as the premier team in the AFC despite losing to the Jets in October. No doubt that losing RB Derrick Henry was a big blow to Tennessee’s chances, but the team responded well in his absence last week with a convincing 28-16 win over the Rams. An upcoming home game against the Saints will tell us a lot about the team’s chances going forward. Nobody wants to face the Ravens right now as they are red hot heading into a Thursday Night Football matchup against the Dolphins. Lamar Jackson is really doing it all as the team’s QB1 & RB1 combined. WR Rashod Bateman’s emergence boosts their offensive firepower.
Playoffs or bust
Bills (5-3), Chargers (5-3), Steelers (5-3), Patriots (5-4), Chiefs (5-4)
I was a big believer in the Bills… until they lost 9-6 to the Jaguars last weekend. Now I’m not so sure, because their offense needs to run the ball more & start playing up to their potential in order to win. What a rollercoaster ride the Chargers season has been, with wins against the Browns & Raiders coupled with losses against the Ravens & Patriots. It seems like defenses are starting to figure QB Justin Herbert out. After a 3-game losing streak in late September, the Steelers have seemingly found their identity these past few weeks. They’re still limited by QB Ben Roethlisberger’s age & durability, but the formula for their success rests on them running the ball & playing solid defense which they’ve done well to this point. Let’s be honest, is anyone really surprised that Bill Belichick’s Patriots are thriving with rookie QB Mac Jones at the helm? We should’ve seen this coming, as Jones is similar to Tom Brady in his ability to read defenses & make accurate throws. Huge win for the Chiefs last week in that their defense finally came ready to play. Let’s see if Patrick Mahomes can adjust to Cover 2 defenses.
Never tell me the odds
Raiders (5-3), Broncos (5-4), Browns (5-4), Bengals (5-4), Colts (4-5)
I still have my doubts about the Raiders making the playoffs, much less advancing. There’s just too much drama here with their head coach retiring & leading receiver getting arrested. It’s tough to gauge where the Broncos are at this year. They just traded away their best defensive player in DE Von Miller, yet the team responded favorably last week in dominating the Cowboys. QB Baker Mayfield’s left shoulder tear might be the only thing holding this team back. Their roster is loaded and the team is hanging tough in the rough & tumble AFC North. Believe it or not, the Colts aren’t out of the picture yet as the 2nd place team in the AFC South. I have my doubts in QB Carson Wentz’ ability to carry the team, but there’s still hope for them.
Better luck next year
Jets (2-6), Jaguars (2-6), Dolphins (2-7), Texans (1-8)
Not much needs to be said here, as it’s time for fans of these teams to start thinking about next year’s draft. The Jets have surprised people by winning a couple games against good teams recently, but it’s too little too late for them. Ditto the Jaguars, who beat the Bills in a defensive slugfest last weekend. There’s too much controversy surrounding the Dolphins for them to make progress the rest of the way. They need to decide whether or not Tua Tagovailoa is the answer at QB. What a dumpster fire the Texans are as they continue to field calls for QB Deshaun Watson.