Part II
North
Baltimore Ravens – Lamar Jackson didn’t have much to work with offensively in his first NFL season, and yet Baltimore still won the AFC North – get him another playmaker or two. The young QB still has a lot to prove, but this defense will keep most games within reach. The Ravens almost shot themselves in the foot by letting John Harbaugh walk – good to see them bringing him back.
Cincinnati Bengals – For a few years there, the Bengals nearly had us convinced that they were no longer the Bungles. But this team let Marvin Lewis hang around for way, way too long, and I’m not convinced that Zac Taylor is going to suddenly discover the Hall of Famer hidden inside of Andy Dalton. This smells like a last-place team.
Cleveland Browns – Conversely, is there any team in the NFL with a brighter long-term future than the Browns? Though it’s never good when a team turns over its entire coaching staff, anything even tangentially related to Hue Jackson needed to go. Now John Dorsey needs to get Baker Mayfield some better receivers to throw to – Jarvis Landy can’t do it alone, and is wildly overrated for the record.
Pittsburgh Steelers – Are the Steelers watching it all come tumbling down? The team likely made the right move by retaining Mike Tomlin for stability, but the Le’Veon Bell and Antonio Brown storylines are going to once again dominate the offseason. The Steelers should just cut their losses and trade them – the Rooney family isn’t used to this kind of extended public embarrassment.
East
Buffalo Bills – This team only ever comes first in this division when we’re going alphabetically. Josh Allen’s legs were the biggest story of his rookie season – if he can build on that, and add accuracy to his cannon of an arm, the Bills just might have something to work with. Unfortunately, Buffalo will always have a hard time appealing to the free agents necessary to take this team to the next level.
Miami Dolphins – The Dolphins seem just about ready to call the Ryan Tannehill era a complete waste of seven years, and they’ll likely be looking at QBs in the draft. It’s accordingly curious that they hired Brian Flores to be their next head coach, a more-than-deserving football mind but an expert on the defensive side of the ball. Either way, this team is a few years away from making any noise.
New England Patriots – The Patriots are the Patriots – they’ll start the season 2-3, catch fire in December and make another Super Bowl appearance. It’s interesting that Josh Gordon is still occupying a roster spot, keep an eye on that. But whether he plays in 2019 or not, the Pats need to bolster their receiving corps beyond just Julian Edelman.
New York Jets – Jets fans seem to be extremely excited about Sam Darnold, and who am I to burst their bubble? I’m still not completely sold on him, but I do agree that the team has plenty of reason for optimism with its young core and boundless cap space. I wonder how Le’Veon would look in green and white…
South
Houston Texans – Bill O’Brien continues to be one of the more underrated coaches in the NFL. He and the Texans need to continue to do two things for Deshaun Watson: improve the offensive line, and follow his lead into the playoffs so he can get the experience he needs. The question is whether aging defensive stars like J.J. Watt and Whitney Mercilus will still be effective once he’s finally ready.
Indianapolis Colts – Remember when everyone thought the Colts were screwed after Josh McDaniels left them at the altar? Indy pulled itself together and made perhaps the best head coaching hire of last offseason in Frank Reich, who helped Andrew Luck revive his career and then some. Add to this defensive line, and the Colts could easily return to owning this division.
Jacksonville Jaguars – The Jaguars imploded after merely reaching the AFC Championship game two years ago, which should give you an appreciation for the culture that the Patriots have built throughout winning six titles. Jacksonville made an enormous mistake in giving Blake Bortles a contract extension after that season. Is there anyone who might be able to save the day?
Tennessee Titans – The Tennessee Titans are the least interesting team in football, and I do not care about them in the slightest. They play an uninteresting brand of football which produces uninteresting results. Can their uninteresting quarterback stay healthy long enough to lead this uninteresting offense back to the playoffs?
West
Denver Broncos – It’s been puzzling to watch John Elway, one of the greatest QB’s in NFL history, continue to swing and miss at scouting the position. Yes he signed Peyton, but that decision was easier than what to order at Katz’s Deli. If the Broncos improve their secondary, their defense will look rather beastly under new head coach Vic Fangio – the offense will need to hold up its end.
Kansas City Chiefs – Andy Reid needs to be careful, or here’s how the next few seasons will play out: Kansas City will continue to lose in the championship game, Reid will get fired after the 2020 season, and his replacement will promptly lead the Chiefs to their first Super Bowl win in 50+ years. For Reid, firing defensive coordinator Bob Sutton was a good place to start.
Los Angeles Chargers – The 2018 Chargers were that gorgeous girl who cheats constantly on her boyfriends. She started flirting with you and you immediately convinced yourself that things would be different this time – she’s changed and you’re finally the one she’ll settle down with. Three weeks in, you came home to find her bent over a chair in the kitchen with some dude named Tom behind her.
Oakland Raiders – Remember in 2016 when the Raiders went 12-4 and were so exciting you couldn’t even wait to see Marquette King punt? Jon Gruden doesn’t remember any of that, and has blown any semblance of that team to smithereens. The Raiders have 3 first-round picks in the coming draft – they’re screwed if they don’t hit on at least two of them.
