AFC Preview

AFC East

1. New York Jets 11-5

Reasons to hope: Now that Darrelle Revis has signed the Jets should have no problem matching last year’s success on defense. Led by Coach Rex Ryan, the team certainly doesn’t lack confidence. If the Jets can control the clock and run the ball effectively on a consistent basis, they should be just fine.

Reason to mope: The Jets said goodbye to a few too many veterans and brought in guys with off-the-field and chemistry issues. Mark Sanchez must play better in year two, and may not be ready to do so. There’s no way of knowing if Shonn Greene can handle a full workload. The Jets may be confident to a fault.

2. *New England Patriots 10-6

Reasons to hope: It would have been fun to watch Tom Brady play the season without a new contract. Can you imagine the chip on his shoulder as he blistered through the league? Alas, it appears the Patriots will get a deal done sooner than later. Still, with a fully healthy Brady and a nice collection of aerial targets the Patriots should once again be able to put points on the board in bunches.

Reasons to mope: The defense just doesn’t have a whole lot of star power. Gone are long-time Patriots pillars Tedy Bruschi, Mike Vrabel, Rodney Harrison, Richard Seymour, etc. This is a largely no-name group and it will have to outperform its talent. Once again the Patriots will have trouble running the ball.

3. Miami Dolphins 9-7

Reasons to hope: The Dolphins are heading in the right direction with game-breaking receiver Brandon Marshall added to the mix, a balanced ground attack, and a potential quarterback of the future in Chad Henne. Karlos Dansby, a key addition on defense, will aid an improved unit.

Reasons to mope: Though Henne has shown flashes, he is still very much a question mark. The health of Ronnie Brown is also a perennial concern. The Dolphins are getting closer, but they could use a few more pieces.

4. Buffalo Bills 4-12

Reasons to hope: Rookie C.J. Spiller could be the real deal at running back. The Bills have changed coaches, again, and maybe Chan Gailey can start to right the ship. The defense has holes, but the secondary should be solid as usual.

Reasons to mope: They’re still the Bills. Questions at quarterback and a dearth of offensive weapons could make for another long season. The defense isn’t bad, but it’s nowhere near good enough to carry a pathetic offense.

AFC North

1. Baltimore Ravens 12-4

Reasons to hope: It appears that the Ravens’ offense has finally caught up to, if not surpassed, the fearsome defense. Ray Rice is an absolute stud at running back and quarterback Joe Flacco could be on his way to stardom as well. The addition of Anquan Boldin will be huge for the Ravens. When healthy, he’s one of the best in the game.

Reasons to mope: The loss of Ed Reed could be devastating for Baltimore. The secondary looks extremely suspect, and the Ravens will be forced to ask a lot from their front seven. One of these days Ray Lewis could slow down.

2. Cincinnati Bengals 9-7

Reasons to hope: An up and coming defense could be one of the league’s pleasant surprises this year. The Bengals are oozing with young talent at corner (Jonathan Joseph and Leon Hall) and at linebacker (Keith Rivers and Rey Maualuga). A full season from Antwan Odom could put the Bengals D among the NFL’s elite. Running back Cedric Benson may finally have his head on straight.

Reasons to mope: Five or six years ago the wideout pair of Chad Ochocinco and Terrell Owens would have been terrifying. But age has caught up with both, and quarterback Carson Palmer’s career has been derailed by injuries. Benson has been extremely inconsistent throughout his career.

3. Pittsburgh Steelers 8-8

Reasons to hope: Pittsburgh’s defense is never in doubt, but a healthy return from Troy Polamalu would do wonders for the team. The front seven is still as good as any in the league. Young offensive weapons Rashard Mendenhall and Mike Wallace have taken the reigns from the aging Willie Parker and troublesome Santonio Holmes.

Reasons to mope: It starts and ends with Big Ben. The Steelers could really struggle without Roethlisberger in the season’s first four weeks; they host Atlanta, visit Tennessee and Tampa Bay, and then take on Baltimore at home. It’s not unreasonable that the Steelers could start 1-3. Even when he does return, will Roethlisberger play like his old self? There are too many questions about such an important player.

4. Cleveland Browns 1-15

Reasons to hope: Uh…Browns running back Jerome Harrison was huge down the stretch last season. Rookie quarterback Colt McCoy could contribute early on. Tackle Joe Thomas is tough to beat.

Reasons to mope: The Browns will start Jake Delhomme at quarterback and don’t have a Steve Smith-level receiver to help him out. The defense is bad and the Browns simply lack talent across the board.

AFC South

1. Indianapolis Colts 13-3

Reasons to hope: Peyton Manning is still the team’s quarterback. He’ll also have more weapons at his disposal than at any other point in his career. Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark are stars, and Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie emerged last year. That Anthony Gonzalez is returning from injury seems almost unfair. The defense has kept its cornerstones intact for years and plays well enough for the Colts to win every game.

Reasons to mope: Like the rival Patriots, Indianapolis doesn’t have much in the way of a ground game. The Colts aren’t showing any signs of slowing down, but they have several players that are really getting up there in age.

2. *Houston Texans 10-6

Reasons to hope: It feels like the Texans are ready to breakthrough every year. They have plenty of talent on both sides of the ball; you’d think one day things would start going right for Houston. Matt Schaub is somehow still underrated and Andre Johnson is one of the game’s best. The Texans have a few young stars-in-the-making on defense.

Reasons to mope: For some reason, this team can’t seem to put a full game together, let alone a full season. There are some obvious stars on the roster, but the Texans aren’t without weaknesses. The secondary could be a major issue. The Texans also would benefit from a set-in-stone running game. Everyone is raving about sophomore RB Arian Foster, but he’s untested.

3. Tennessee Titans 7-9

Reasons to hope: Chris Johnson is undeniably the best running back in the league. He can take a game over singlehandedly. Vince Young appears to have arrived as an NFL quarterback. The secondary is once again stout, and there have been reports that the Titans may soon re-acquire Albert Haynesworth who was tremendous in Tennessee.

Reasons to mope: Vince Young is still a bit of a question mark. To make matters worse, he won’t get a lot of help from his receivers. The Titans don’t have much of a pass rush and might put too much pressure on their vaunted secondary. This team just feels thin.

4. Jacksonville Jaguars 4-12

Reasons to hope: Maurice Jones-Drew makes the offense very tough to defend in spite of his comrades, though Mike Sims-Walker has become a very good receiver. The Jaguars added a couple niece pieces on defense in Aaron Kampman and Kirk Morrison.

Reasons to mope: David Garrard is an average quarterback at best. The Jags still need more help around Jones-Drew. They spent a top-ten draft pick on Tyson Alualu and have wasted several other high picks in recent years, making it very difficult for the team to rebuild.

AFC West

1. San Diego Chargers 10-6

Reasons to hope: The Chargers will encounter no problems cruising through a horrible division. Philip Rivers is among the league’s best quarterbacks. The Chargers have unearthed a couple young weapons in the passing game and Ryan Matthews is an early Rookie of the Year candidate. The defense is sprinkled with athletes and creates matchup problems.

Reasons to mope: The Chargers are really playing with fire by failing to get deals done with free agents Vincent Jackson and Marcus McNeill. They know they can win the division without either player, but it will be tough for the team to do damage in the playoffs without them.

2. Denver Broncos 7-9

Reasons to hope: The Broncos have finally stopped backpedaling in their rebuilding project now that Brandon Marshall is gone. Knowshon Moreno had a solid rookie season. The Broncos have three young quarterbacks; one of them has to be decent eventually. The defense has an intriguing mix of youngsters and still-productive veterans, including a very good secondary, it could surprise some people this year.

Reasons to mope: Kyle Orton has not shown the talent or consistency to be a starting quarterback in the NFL. Neither has Brady Quinn, and rookie Tim Tebow is a long-term project. Marshall was a headache, but he was also the team’s best player. The Broncos lack toughness on both sides of the ball.

3. Oakland Raiders 6-10

Reasons to hope: The Raiders look like they have a very, very good defense, on paper at least. Kamerion Wimbley was a great pickup for Oakland and rookie Rolando McClain should make an immediate impact. They’ll be nice compliments for Richard Seymour and Nnamdi Asomugha.

Reasons to mope: On offense the Raiders have nothing but questions. Jason Campbell is an obvious upgrade over JaMarcus Russell at quarterback, but his upside is limited. Darren McFadden and Michael Bush have had injury woes, and at receiver the Raiders’ talent is very limited.

4. Kansas City Chiefs 5-11

Reasons to hope: The Chiefs have been stuck in neutral for years, but they are starting to piece together a decent roster. Quarterback Matt Cassel had a so-so first year in KC but should improve. The Chiefs also have weapons at running back, where veteran Thomas Jones will team up with Jamaal Charles and rookie Dexter McCluster. That three-headed monster could open up the passing game for receivers Dwayne Bowe and Chris Chambers. Defensively, the Chiefs have built painstakingly slow through the draft in recent years. This year’s first-round-pick, Eric Berry, is the latest in a slew of talented young defenders. Results have been slow, but respectability is on the way.

Reasons to mope: It’s hard to tell what Cassel is going to be as a QB. The Chiefs have little to show thus far for all the high picks they’ve have had in recent years. Maybe that will change, but the Chiefs really need some of their youngsters to turn into stars instead of guys with unreached potential.

*denotes wildcard

Stay tuned for my NFC preview and Week One picks.

Thursday night pick: New Orleans 31, Minnesota 20