By: Andy Davies

The AFC South has been won by the Tennessee Titans, but the addition of Matt Ryan by the Indianapolis Colts and the loss of A.J. Brown for the Titans means the division is as usual, very wide open.

Since 2013, all four teams in the AFC South have won the division. However, who has the best quarterback?

In our final quarterback ranking list, here are your AFC South quarterback rankings.

1. Matt Ryan (Indianapolis Colts)

The only MVP winner in this list, Ryan joined the Colts this offseason after over ten years with the Atlanta Falcons.

In 2021, he still managed to throw for 3,968 yards, 20 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.  Unless injury strikes, Ryan will reach the 60,000 career passing yards mark, currently being 265 away. Only seven players have previously reached the 60,000 mark and Ryan , who is currently eighth on the list for most career passing yards, can eclipse Phillip Rivers into sixth place on the list should he throw at least 3,705 yards or more.

A really good season, where he throws at least 33 touchdowns will also allow Ryan to reach 400 career passing touchdowns. He would become just the eighth player in NFL history to reach the 60,000

Whilst he showed signs of ageing last season, he still makes it as the best quarterback in this list, in what is a bad bunch.

2. Ryan Tannehill (Tennessee Titans)

Tannehill was an eighth overall pick in 2013, when he was selected by the Miami Dolphins. However, injuries and inconsistent play (as well as bad coaching) saw him eventually traded to the Titans in 2018.

He came in for Marcus Mariota mid-season and ended up winning Comeback Player of the Year. Over the course of his career, he has thrown for over 30,000 passing yards, 199 touchdowns and 102 interceptions. Despite this, he has shown signs of decline in the past twelve months. 

In 2021, he threw for 3,734 touchdowns, 21 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. This is a stark contrast to the 33 touchdowns and 7 interceptions he threw in 2022.

His position as the Titans’ starter is also in question, with the team choosing to draft Liberty QB Malik Willis in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft. He showed his potential in Thursday night’s preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens, completing 6 of his 11 passes for 107 yards  as well as a 7-yard touchdown run.

Tannehill has proved to be a good quarterback for Tennessee, excelling in particular when using RPO plays. However, he has yet to prove he can be the guy to take the Titans to the next level. 

This was proved in their Divisional Round when the number one seed Titans lost to the Cincinnati Bengals, despite Joe Burrow being sacked nine times. Tannehill threw three costly interceptions, and his future has been questioned ever since.

Despite having running back Derrick Henry and a brilliant head coach in Mike Vrabel, the loss of A.J. Brown could end up being the final nail in the Ryan Tannehill Titans coffin.

3. Davis Mills (Houston Texans)

Houston could be a realistic destination for Tannehill should the team decide they don’t want to pursue long term with their current starter Davis Mills. 

Mills was drafted 67^th overall out of Stanford and actually had a solid first NFL season in 2021. He was arguably the second-best rookie quarterback in a class that albeit did not exactly light up the league. In 13 games, he threw for 2,665 yards, 16 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. 

These are neither outstanding nor terrible stats. He did a solid job in a season of turmoil, with everything that went on off the field. 

Solid is exactly why Mills is third on this list. He wasn’t terrible but also hasn’t quite done enough to break into the top two.

4. Trevor Lawrence (Jacksonville Jaguars)

The 2021 first overall pick had a torrid rookie year but is now free from a dysfunctional Urban Meyer. He threw for 3,641 yards, 12 touchdowns, and 17 interceptions.

However, he can no longer use the Meyer excuse with new head coach Doug Pederson. Should Lawrence have another bad year, there will be more and more usage of the word “bust”. 

Right now, it is hard to put him anywhere but the bottom of this list. Despite this, should he fulfill the potential that we all saw in Clemson, then he will certainly be a lot higher than fourth.

The post Ranking the AFC South Quarterbacks right now appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Menachem Ickovitz

What a wild and crazy season we just endured! But now comes the real fun, the playoffs. In this article we will take a look at which playoff teams will be Super Bowl bound.

Looking back at the season, each team had some weird losses that made no sense. From Week 1 when the Green Bay Packers lost to the New Orleans Saints, to the Week 9 game where the Buffalo Bills lost to the Jacksonville Jaguars. So to say that any team can win any week is a bit of an understatement.

Another aspect of why it is difficult to predict the teams going to the Super Bowl correctly is injuries/Covid. A team can be favored in their matchup, but a Covid outbreak could derail their season. This happened to a few teams during the season and it would be a big shame if it would be the reason it decides who heads to the Super Bowl.

Let’s start with the AFC. The top-seeded Tennessee Titans have already beaten the Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills this season. They are hopeful that Derrick Henry will be at full strength after coming off IR. Quarterback Ryan Tannehill threw for 3,734 yards with 21 touchdowns and 14 interceptions.

The Kansas City Chiefs have represented the AFC in the last two Super Bowls and while it took them some time to look like the team we saw the last two seasons, they did finish with a 12 ”“ 5 record. As for the Buffalo Bills, they have been on the precipice of stepping into the upper-echelon of the AFC for a couple years now and perhaps this is the year they go all the way.

As for the rest of the AFC teams:

• Cincinnati Bengals have an explosive offense but their defense is suspect, not a great combonation.
• Las Vegas Raiders have had a crazy season and while they’ve proven multiple times this season that anything is possible, they did win a few games down the stretch against teams hampered by Covid protocols.
• New England Patriots can never be counted out when Bill Belichick is roaming the sidelines, but confidently picking them to go to the Super Bowl behind rookie quarterback Mac Jones is a bit of a reach.
• Pittsburgh Steelers needed a 2-win Jacksonville Jaguars team to beat the Indianapolis Colts to make the playoffs. The Steelers are the “just happy to be here” group.

Now let’s look at the NFC. The top-seeded Green Bay Packers and second-seeded Tampa Bay Buccaneers are the elite teams in this playoff race. Last season the Packers and Buccaneers played each other in the NFC Championship Game with the Buccaneers winning in Green Bay. These teams look like they’re on a collision course to play each other again.

As for the rest of the NFC teams:

• Dallas Cowboys are the biggest threat to either the Packers or Buccaneers. They have an explosive offense and some big-time playmakers on defense like rookie linebacker Micah Parsons and cornerback Trevon Diggs.
• Los Angeles Rams have one of the best defensive players in Aaron Donald and got a breakout season from wide receiver Cooper Kupp. However, inconsistent play from quarterback Matt Stafford is going to hurt this team in the playoffs.
• Arizona Cardinals were the best team in the NFL at one point this year, but then injuries started to creep in and they dropped to the 5^th seed.
• San Francisco 49ers had a great Week 18 game to make it into the playoffs. They are two seasons removed from making it to the Super Bowl but they won’t have a long run this postseason.
• Philadelphia Eagles have a fun young team led by first year head coach Nick Sirianni. This playoff run, while it will most probably last just one game, could help them for many years to come.

So now that we have broken down each team, here comes the prediction. This year’s Super Bowl matchup will be the Kansas City Chiefs playing against the Green Bay Packers. Besides for the fun historic aspect of it being a rematch of the first Super Bowl, both teams are playing well and have enough playoff experience to make a run at the Super Bowl. With this matchup, I would predict a Chiefs victory, 34-31.

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By: Andy Davies

The Buffalo Bills host the New England Patriots on Monday Night Football in one of the most hotly anticipated games of the season. 

With a combined 15-8 record and one win between them and still two games to play against each other, there is a lot at stake in this game. 

In a battle for the AFC East crown and the number one seed, is this the start of a new rivalry in the NFL? 

Head Coaching Excellence

Both these teams are helped by excellent head coaches. Bill Belichick is widely seen as the greatest head coach of all time and Sean McDermott is one of the best young head coaches around. 

One thing a team needs to succeed is strong and reliable head coaching. This will ensure both teams will be competitive for years to come. 

Since arriving in 2017, Sean McDermott guided the Bills to their first playoff appearance since the 1999 campaign and also their first playoff wins since the 1995 season when they went all the way to the AFC Championship game earlier this year.

Belichick is proving, with their 8-4 record so far, that he can more than cope without Tom Brady. Their defense looks far better than it did last season, without the injuries and opt-outs suffered in 2020. Running back Damien Harris has 643 yards and 8 touchdowns to his name. They also have a new rookie QB that has massively impressed during his first-ever NFL season.

QB Battle 

Mac Jones was drafted fifteenth overall by the Patriots in this year’s draft. He was expected to be the backup to Cam Newton, but the former MVP was cut before the start of the season, leading the way for Mac to be the starter in New England. So far, he has 2,850 yards, 16 touchdowns and 8 interceptions in the 12 games so far this campaign. This has him projected to end the season with 4,038 passing yards, 23 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Not bad for a rookie. 

He looks composed in the pocket, with a tremendous amount of confidence on the field for someone so new to the league. 

His rookie season has gone a lot better than Josh Allen’s did. The Bills QB had a troublesome first two seasons that led to many questions from outsiders looking in as well as the NFL media. He proved himself last season, with a brilliant campaign as the Bills went the furthest, they have been in the playoffs since the 1993 season. He threw for 4,544 yards, 37 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. This season, he has thrown for 3,071 yards, 25 touchdowns and 10 picks. 

He also knows how to use his feet, with 8 rushing touchdowns and 421 rushing yards in 2020. He is also the team’s second leading rusher so far in the 2021 season, with 383 yards and 3 touchdowns. 

This is going to be a very exciting QB battle, between two young quarterbacks that are going to be great for a number of years. Whilst Allen is the more experienced and completed player, Mac Jones has that swagger that not a lot of young players have in the position. It is harsh for Mac more than anyone else to make the comparison to Brady, but he does look like a young version of TB12. 

A Wide Open AFC

The AFC is wide open this year. The NFC has five teams that everyone knows is good whereas no one knows who is good in the AFC. Everyone is beating each other, and suffering shock defeats in the process.

New England have hit form at the right time, with a current six game winning streak that has seen them go from 2-4 to 8-4. Meanwhile, the Bills’ inconsistent past few weeks has allowed their division rivals to creep up the table. The run game has been poor, and teams have been much more able to stop Stefon Diggs, despite the stats telling you otherwise. The defense has made a step up, which will help Bills if they are to make the postseason. 

There is just two wins separating the number one seed Baltimore Ravens and the seventh seed Los Angeles Chargers. Both the Pats and Bills will be optimistic that they can still secure both the AFC East and the top seed in the AFC. This adds more importance onto the game on Monday Night Football as well as their week 16 matchup. 

Game Prediction

This game is going to be tight and tense. Defensively wise, the Bills have allowed the least yards per game, with the Patriots in fourth. Buffalo are also top of the league in passing yards allowed (1,964) whereas the Pats are in seventh (2,411). Buffalo are also fifth in total rushing yards allowed (1,063), with New England in the lowly position of 25^th (1,389). This has to be where the Bills capitalise. Whether this be lead rusher Devin Singletary or Josh Allen, this will be the way to beat New England. 

No team has allowed fewer total points in the league this season than Buffalo (1^st) and New England (2^nd). Despite the Patriots’ poor run defense this season, they have managed to stop teams getting many points, which is a credit to their redzone defense. New England’s 48.39% is only topped by the Baltimore Ravens and New Orleans Saints, with the Bills in seventh (51.61%)

If New England can keep this up against the Bills on Monday, then this is how they can beat the Bills, stopping them on crucial plays and in crucial areas on the field . 

In terms of the game, form is going to be a massive factor and New England have it. They may be on the road, but I am backing the Patriots to secure a vital win and gain a two-win advantage over Buffalo.

Score prediction: Patriots 27-24 Bills 

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By: Andy Davies

The AFC North is currently one of the league’s best divisions. Three of the four teams made the playoffs last season, the most of any division in the NFL.

All four teams have strengthened this offseason as the three teams look to take a trip back to the postseason, whilst the Cincinnati Bengals also look to make the playoffs for the first time since the 2015 season.

Here is a preview of the AFC North in the upcoming 2021 season.

Baltimore Ravens (2020 Record: 11-5, lost in Divisional Round)

Baltimore went into the 2020 season with plenty of hype, particularly around quarterback Lamar Jackson. He was crowned MVP after his brilliant 2019 season, with many predicting their week three clash with the Kansas City Chiefs seen as a preview of the AFC Championship game. It seemed that every pundit had the Ravens v Chiefs as a foregone conclusion for this game.

However, the 2020 season didn’t pan out this way. Whilst they made the Divisional Round and were one game away from the AFC Championship, they were outclassed by the Buffalo Bills in the postseason and almost didn’t make the playoffs altogether. Jackson saw some regression, particularly when it came to passing the football. After throwing for 36 touchdowns, 6 interceptions, and 3,127 yards in 2019, Jackson threw for 26 touchdowns, 9 interceptions and 2,757 yards in 2020. After a three-game losing streak, Baltimore won their last five games as they reached the playoffs at the expense of the Miami Dolphins. Can they get back to the team we saw in 2019 that earned the number one seed in the AFC?

They have addressed their biggest concern, getting help for Lamar. Chiefs wide receiver Sammy Watkins has joined in Free Agency and Rashod Bateman was taken 27th overall by the Ravens in this years’ draft. Along with Marquise Brown, Lamar has some great options. Offensive line help had also been added, with Kevin Zeitler and Alejandro Villanueva taken in Free Agency. Baltimore also selected guard Ben Cleveland in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft. Everyone knows Jackson’s ability to run with the ball, with 2,906 rushing yards and 19 touchdowns during his first three seasons in the NFL. If he is to succeed with the throwing of the football, the Ravens have certainly done all they can.

Baltimore’s defense finished sixth in passing yards allowed in 2020 and only the Los Angeles Rams allowed fewer overall points than the Ravens. Their defense will hope to have a similar impact in 2021 and will want to improve on their run defense, finishing eighth overall. Losing Matt Judon to the New England Patriots will be a big loss, considering he recorded 21 quarterback hits and 6 sacks. However, the Ravens defense has all the talent to atone for losing a big part of their unit.

Linebacker Patrick Queen recorded 106 total tackles, 2 forced fumbles, 10 quarterback hits, and 3 sacks during his rookie 2020 season. Tyus Bowser recorded three interceptions and cornerback Marlon Humphrey recorded 8 forced fumbles, 11 passes deflected 82 total tackles, and four quarterback hits. Head coach John Harbaugh won’t allow this defensive front to slack.

Games against the Chiefs, Indianapolis Colts, Browns, Green Bay Packers, and Los Angeles Rams make for some tough fixtures, but games against the Detroit Lions, Denver Broncos, and two games against a rebuilding Bengals side will offer the Ravens some rest bite.

Baltimore’s season hopes rest on the form of Lamar. If they get the 2019 version, then expect the Ravens to be Super Bowl contenders. If we see the Lamar of the majority of 2020, then they will make the playoffs but should expect to be playing on Wildcard Weekend.

Prediction: 2nd in AFC North.

Cincinnati Bengals (2020 Record: 4-11-1, missed out on playoffs)

When the Bengals went all the way to the Super Bowl during the 1988 season, nobody would have predicted them to play in just nine further playoff games and win just once in the 33 seasons that have followed. They have been one of the league’s poorest performers over recent years. They were offered hope in the 2020 NFL Draft when LSU quarterback Joe Burrow was taken first overall. However, a season-ending knee injury midseason that included a torn ACL and MCL meant that his campaign was cut short despite a promising start that saw 13 touchdowns thrown, 5 interceptions, and 2,688 yards in ten games. This amounts to 268.8 yards, 1.3 touchdowns and 0.5 interceptions per game.

Burrow showed a lot of promise worthy of being a number one overall pick, even earning praise from Lebron James on Twitter. Can he get back to full health and become the quarterback everyone expects him to be?

He will be reunited with his college receiver Ja’Marr Chase, who recorded 20 touchdown receptions and 1,780 receiving yards in the 2019 season that saw LSU go all the way and win the National Championship. There have been some concerns in the preseason with Chase’s dropped passes but these are teething problems and the rookie wideout may need some time to adjust to the pros.

Safety Jessie Bates is one of the more underrated in the league in his position and at just 24, he can offer many more years to this franchise. Further on the defensive side of the ball, the Bengals added defensive end Trey Hendrickson and cornerback Mike Hilton in Free Agency along with linebacker Joseph Ossai in the third round of the draft. Hendrickson recorded 13.5 sacks in 2020. He will want to prove he is more than just a one-season wonder who performed well on their contract year. Hilton offers depth to the Cincinnati secondary. Late pick Wyatt Hubert suffered a season-ending injury in July but he offers potential for the future, with 8.5 sacks for Kansas State in 2020 and 20 across the 34 college games he participated in.

Expect the Bengals to struggle in 2021 in what is a big year for head coach Zac Taylor. They are certainly a team to watch for the future, especially with receiving talent such as Tyler Boyd and Tee Higgins as well as a running back as impressive as Joe Mixon.

Prediction: 4th in AFC North

Cleveland Browns (2020 Record: 11-5, lost in Divisional Round)

The Cleveland Browns had been starved of success, with no playoff appearance since the 2002 season. They finally ended this hoodoo by reaching the postseason, beating the Steelers 48-37 in the Wildcard Round. Their journey would end against the Kansas City Chiefs in the Divisional Round despite their valiant effort. Can they go one or two steps further by reaching the AFC Championship or even the Super Bowl?

Cleveland’s first target in 2021 will be to win the division, which they last won in the 1989 season. It has been so long since they won the division, that two teams have won it more recently than the Browns who aren’t even in the division anymore. The Jacksonville Jaguars and Tennessee Titans won the AFC North in 1999 and 2000. They have a genuine chance of winning this division. It will be a tough challenge for any of the four teams to win it but the Browns have had the best offseason and this could be a deciding factor.

Safety John Johnson was added in Free Agency as well as defensive end Jadaveon Clowney, who could be a real difference-maker to this defensive line. Fellow defensive end Myles Garrett is one of the league’s best. The 2017 first overall pick recorded 12 sacks in 2020, making it 42.5 across his four-year career. You could make the case that only Aaron Donald is more feared by opposing offenses than Garrett.

Garrett is often a victim of his success, with many teams choosing to double-team him. Adding someone in of Clowney’s quality, despite struggling with injuries and consistency, will help ease the pressure off Garrett and elevate this defense. If Garrett is double-teamed, this will open the door for Clowney to get to the quarterback.

Defensively, the Browns also added one of the best defensive prospects in the draft. Notre Dame Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah somehow fell into the second round, with Cleveland taking him 52nd overall. Alongside Sione Takitaki, who recorded 67 total tackles in 2020, this pair can help this team in the middle of the field as well as from the outside.

One of Cleveland’s best assets last season was their run game. Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt were excellent and both combined for 1,908 yards and 18 touchdowns between them. They were protected well by an offensive line that was excellent at opening up gaps for their two running backs. This was guard Wyatt Teller’s specialty and he is one of the best in the league at it. Alongside Jedrick Wills, Jack Conklin, and Joel Bitonio, this forms one of the league’s best offensive lines that also massively helped quarterback Baker Mayfield.

The Oklahoma QB impressed in his 2018 rookie season after being taken first overall but suffered a sophomore slump in 2019. Last year saw a massive improvement in Mayfield, with 3,563 yards and 26 touchdowns. He had better numbers in previous seasons but there was a much more mature Baker, someone who came up big in important situations. He combined for 467 yards, four touchdowns, and just one interception across the two playoff games last season.

With Odell Beckham back healthy, it will be interesting to see how the season goes considering how better the team looked without him on the field. He is being backed by some for Comeback Player of the Year, but injuries have played a part in recent years and there is no guarantee that they won’t reappear in 2021. Jarvis Landry was the lead receiver but will want to improve on the three touchdowns and 841 yards he racked up in 2020. He may find this tough under a system that excels when predominantly using the run game. Head coach Kevin Stefanski won Coach of the Year last season and will look to build on what was an impressive first season as an NFL head coach. The Browns have long searched for a good head coach and they appear to have finally found this.

There is trepidation about backing the Browns. They went into the 2019 season with similar hype and ultimately disappointed, with just six wins. However, this time they arent going into the season with a new head coach. Stefanski already knows the players and it is unlikely that he has a falling out with Mayfield as we saw with Freddie Kitchens in 2019. Mayfield will become the first Browns quarterback to start in week 1 in three consecutive seasons. This level of consistency has been hard to find for a franchise that has been perennial strugglers during the Super Bowl era.

It has been dangerous to trust the Browns over the years, but this year feels different. Hello first division title in over thirty years.

Prediction: 1st in AFC North

Pittsburgh Steelers (2020 Record: 12-4, lost In Wildcard Round)

Along with the New England Patriots, the Steelers’ six Lombardi Trophies put them as the joint-most successful franchise in NFL history during the Super Bowl era. Pittsburgh is always there or thereabouts, with playoff appearances in 13 seasons since the turn of the 21st century. However, they have only won consecutive playoff games in the same season once since the conclusion of the 2011 campaign.

The trio of Ben Roethlisberger, Antonio Brown, and Le’Veon Bell failed to make the most of a very impressive offense. Both Bell and Brown have left, with the latter winning a ring and scoring in Super Bowl 55. Big Ben is likely to be in his last season, hoping for one last chance at a third Lombardi.

Wide receiver Juju Smith-Schuster recorded 9 touchdowns and 831 yards in 2020 and Chase Claypool recorded very similar numbers during his rookie season. Diontae Johnson scored seven touchdowns and racked up 923 yards in the same campaign. Despite these numbers, they are going to struggle to put up similar numbers with the arm of Big Ben regressing and on the decline.

Pittsburgh was dead last in rushing yards record in 2020 (1,351), with running backs Derrick Henry and Dalvin Cook both recording more yards than the entire Steelers offense. James Conner was the Steelers’ leading rusher (721) but is now an Arizona Cardinals player. The franchise went out to address this, by taking Alabama’s Najee Harris 24th overall. He will hope to add to a run game that struggled immensely last season.

Defensively, Bud Dupree may have moved to the Tennessee Titans during Free Agency but the Steelers still have T.J. Watt, Devin Bush, Joe Schobert, Joe Haden, Cameron Heyward, and Minkah Fitzpatrick. All of these players are fearsome on the defensive side of the ball and will give Pittsburgh a chance to win games if the offense struggles. Combine this with the head coaching of Mike Tomlin, then the Steelers should never be written off. However, the overall strength of division rivals Baltimore and Cleveland means that the Steelers may have to prepare for missing out on the playoffs altogether.

Prediction: 3rd in AFC North

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By: Andy Davies

The Jacksonville Jaguars will go into the 2021 season with a new head coach. Urban Meyer is the new man to take charge, hoping to be the guy to change the fortunes of a franchise that has struggled for many years. After drafting the best quarterback prospect since Andrew Luck in Trevor Lawrence this year with the number one overall pick, the Jags fans have rarely gone into a season this excited. The Jags have twice gone into a season on the back of reaching an AFC Championship game but with the addition of Urban Meyer and Trevor Lawrence, there is a real buzz around the organization and in the city of Jacksonville. However, Urban Meyer has never coached in the NFL. He is one of the most successful college head coaches of his generation. Can he translate this to the pros?

His Journey As A Player

Meyer was a walk-on in college as a defensive back for the University of Cincinnati, despite initially being drafted by Major League Baseball’s Atlanta Braves in 1982. Injury would deny Meyer the chance to make it as a professional player, but he showed signs of his coaching credentials whilst in college. He would go back to college, heading to Ohio State University where he studied sports administration. He would get a degree at both colleges, earning a bachelor’s degree in psychology at Cincinnati and sports administration at Ohio State, which will have no doubt helped him massively during his time as a football coach.

He may not have made it to the NFL as a player but he showed signs of his credentials as a coach during his time in college. Meyer would often spend additional time in practice, learning how to run them and handle substitutions. These all prepared him for life as a coach. As a player, he was part of a Cincinnati team that finished 2-9, with Meyer saying that it “wasn’t a great experience. We weren’t very good”. This will help him be prepared for a Jaguars team that won just one game in 2020. His former coach in Cincinnati David Currey spoke of his coaching abilities.

“He was not a great player but you could tell he would coach for a living. He was a student of the game, always trying to learn about things”.

The Start Of Meyer’s Coaching Career

He started his coaching career in 1985 as a defensive backs coach for St Xavier High School in Ohio before becoming a graduate assistant for two seasons with Ohio State. He spent two years with Illinois State as an outside linebackers coach in 1988 and a quarterback and wide receivers coach in 1989. He would then spend eleven years as a wide receivers coach, spending six with Colorado State and then five with Notre Dame before getting his first head coaching job in 2001 with Bowling Green.

The Early Stages Of His Time As A Head Coach In College

Meyer only spent two seasons with Bowling Green but would leave the team with a 17-6 record in charge. Highlights of his time there was the 56-21 win over rivals, the University of Toledo Rockets. Whilst with Bowling Green, he transformer their fortunes. He joined with the team having gone 2-9 in 2000 to then go 8-3 in 2001 and 9-3 in 2002, before leaving for the University of Utah.

Utah hired Meyer and was an instant success, going 10-2 and winning the Liberty Bowl in 2003. They would go 12-0 and win the Fiesta Bowl in 2004. Whilst with the university, he coached safety Eric Weddle and quarterback Alex Smith, who went on to be the number one overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft. Smith would become an inspiration to everyone when he went on to win NFL Comeback Player of the Year during the 2020 season, returning the field after a life threatening injury in 2018.

Meyer openly claimed that he “made Utah competitive” during his time there. Morgan Scalley played as a defensive back under Meyer at Utah before going on to become a defensive coordinator with the college. He spoke of how Meyer changed everything.

“You could tell it would be different from the first session at the weight room. I never had butterflies going into a weight room and that had me going”.

Success With Florida and Ohio State

The Florida Gators then came calling in 2005, where Meyer would spend the next six seasons. He would coach notable players such as Cam Newton, Carlos Dunlap, Janoris Jenkins, Maurkice and Mike Pouncey, Tim Tebow and Trey Burton during his time in Florida as head coach. With an overall record 65-15 with the Gators, Meyer won Florida the Outback Bowl and the Sugar Bowl as well as winning two National Championships. He had a 5-1 record with Florida in Bowl games. Following a health scare, Meyer decided to leave the Gators after the 2010 seasons as he wanted to put focus on his family and “life away from the field”.

He soon returned to college football, becoming Ohio State head coach two seasons later. During his time with the team, he had an 83-9 record. He won one National Championship as well as a Sugar Bowl, Cotton Bowl and Fiesta Bowl. His time there sadly ended in controversy, before leaving in 2018 due to health reasons. He spent time as a television analyst before accepting the Jacksonville head coaching position in January 2021.

His Coaching Style & The Spread Offense

Meyer is seen as someone who is competitive, fiery and resolute. His “juice” is said to fire his teams up, with his infectious personality an integral part of his head coaching success. During his time as an analyst, he often went through a breakdown of offensive systems, with one component of his style of coaching being his Spread Offense.

This is a scheme which features four receivers, resulting in the opposition defense attempting to cover these players. This system allows the run game to excel, with RPO and read option plays often used under this style of offense. In a modern day NFL, we are seeing plenty of college schemes being brought into the league. Meyer will look to bring this style of coaching into the NFL that worked so well for him in college.

Can He Transform The Jaguars?

This is not going to be an easy task for Meyer but as he showed in Utah, he is capable of turning a team around. Jacksonville has the talent on their roster but have never seemed to fulfil their potential. One of their aforementioned trips to the AFC Championship was in the 2017 season. Their defense named ‘Sacksonville” played a big part in their journey, where they had a ten point lead and were nine minutes away from reaching the Super Bowl. They would end up losing 24-20 in agonizing fashion.

The components of Sacksonville would slowly fall apart. Jalen Ramsey, Malik Jackson and Yannick Ngakoue all left in 2019, with both A.J. Bouye and Calais Campbell leaving in 2020. Quarterback Blake Bortles was seen as the player holding back the team, being released in March 2019 as the Jaguars looked to Nick Foles, who won Super Bowl 52 MVP just a year earlier. He was seen as the missing piece in the jigsaw but only lasted one season in a disappointing spell with the franchise.

Head coach Doug Marrone guided Jacksonville to the AFC Championship and a 10-6 record in his first full season as head coach of the franchise. Despite this, he couldn’t guide them to more than six wins in any of the three seasons that followed before being fired in January 2021. Issues off the field started to develop, with the players arrested on their annual trip to London in 2018 after an unpaid £50,000 drinks bill. Meyer won’t stand for any negative behaviour with his aforementioned fiery, competitive and infectious personality is likely to keep the players in check.

And then of course, there is Lawrence. One of the best college prospects in many years, he brings a lot of expectation with Jags fans pinning their hopes on him being the man to bring the good times to this franchise. He had not lost a regular season game since high school and reached the National Championship in two of his three seasons with the Clemson Tigers, winning one of those two.

He played 40 games in college and threw for 758 out of his 1,138 throws, giving him a 66.6 completion percentage. Across his time with Clemson, he threw for 90 touchdowns and 10,098 yards. Jacksonville have a real talent on their hands and they need to do everything they can to ensure he fulfils his tremendous potential.

Along with Lawrence, they have reunited their number one overall pick with his Clemson team-mate in running back Travis Etienne, who recorded 70 rushing touchdowns and 4,952 rushing yards during his four seasons in the ACC. He will join a running back room alongside James Robinson, who impressed highly in 2020 during his rookie year with 1,070 rushing yards and 7 touchdowns. Etienne is said to also be working out as a receiver, which gives variety to the offensive side of the ball. Former Detroit Lions wideout Marvin Jones has joined the team via Free Agency to add depth to a wide receiver room already including DJ Chark Jr and Laviska Shenault Jr. Second-round pick Tyson Campbell gives depth to the Jaguars secondary, as will 65th overall pick Andre Cisco. 45th overall selection Walker Little will add protection to the Jags offensive line. Myles Jack is a survivor from the Sacksonville era and alongside fellow linebacker Josh Allen, they have the potential to cause problems for the opposition.

Jacksonville have a long rebuild ahead and fans should not expect an immediate transformation. Doubts remain over new Indianapolis Colts quarterback Carson Wentz and whether he can get back to his 2017 form. The Tennessee Titans’ defense is seen as their Achilles heels and the Houston Texans are a mess. They will likely see their quarterback Deshaun Watson leave, which will result in years of struggles and mediocrity. This is not the toughest division in the NFL and the Jags will want to capitalise on this, but the improvement will likely be in either year 2, 3 or 4 of the Urban Meyer Jacksonville era.

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Which teams are the favorites to win their respective divisions? Glad you asked because I will go division by division and give my favorites. Using the compass, we will start north with the AFC North.  

AFC North: Baltimore Ravens  

This division is about two teams (Ravens & Browns) with an outside chance for the Steelers. There’s always next year, the year after that for you Bengals fans. The Ravens get the edge because it’s the one team that I have the most confidence in. Head coach John Harbaugh has three consecutive double-digit winning seasons. (Steelers & Browns each have one). Their run game and that defense are still formidable.  

To be clear, you cannot ignore the Browns after their 1st winning season since 2007 and winning their 1st playoff game since 1994. The question mark here is can they duplicate, or even improve, from last year? They shored up some gaps in their secondary via both free agency and the draft. If Baker Mayfield can keep up his steady improvement, this division will be fun to watch.  

For the Steelers, it certainly looked as though Big Ben’s best days were behind him. Is the defense good enough after losing DE Bud Dupree to the Titans? As for the Bengals, Joe Burrow was a ROTY frontrunner before being injured and they drafted his LSU teammate, WR Ja’Marr Chase, as his new target. Overall, this division will come down to QB play and which defense is the best.   

AFC East: Buffalo Bills  

Josh Allen is a top 5 QB in this league. He was a huge part of their success last season, winning the AFC East for the 1st time since 1995. They return all five of their starting offensive line and if they are a strong tenacious unit this year, this is a Super Bowl contender. There is not a lot of gaps on this roster.   

The Miami Dolphins and their franchise is hinging on what QB Tua Tagovailoa can do in year two. Despite going 6-3 in his nine starts, there was still clamor that they should have pursued a starting QB. However, I have faith in Tua because of his accuracy (64.1%) and the ability to win down the stretch (two 4th quarter comebacks). Adding WR Will Fuller in free agency and drafting WR Jaylen Waddle along with WR DeVante Parker gives Tua a nice WR core to throw to. Plus, head coach Brian Flores and his defense drafted LB Jaelan Phillips out of Miami (FL) to replace LB Kyle Van Noy, who signed with the Patriots. They will be in the mix.  

Speaking of the Patriots, head coach Bill Belichick opened up the checkbook, especially on the tight end position. Hunter Henry got a three-year, $37.5 million deal, including $25 million guaranteed, and Jonnu Smith a four-year, $50 million deal with $31.25 million guaranteed. They also signed WRs Nelson Agholor & Kendrick Bourne, LBs Kyle Van Noy and Matthew Judon, and C Ted Karras. It is abundantly clear the Patriots are not rebuilding, given the Belichick is 69 years old. Even though they re-signed QB Cam Newton, they drafted Mac Jones of Alabama. Jones will play this season but when is uncertain.   

The Jets cleaned house by firing Adam Gase and hiring former 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh as their head coach. They drafted a franchise QB in Zach Wilson of BYU and OT Alijah Vera-Tucker to protect his blindside. They also went out and signed WR Corey Davis from the Titans, DE Carl Lawson from the Bengals, and S Lamarcus Joyner from the Raiders. The Jets are far from a contender but I love their upside because I like Zach Wilson and what he can do in this offense ran by OC Mike LaFleur.   

AFC South: Indianapolis Colts  

I am confident that this is a two-team for the division. The Colts went out and traded for QB Carson Wentz. They did not make a huge splash in free agency, but they did sign CB Xavier Rhodes from the Vikings to help in the secondary. If Wentz can stay healthy, the Colts. could sneak into the AFC Championship game. By the way, the Matt Eberflus-led defense with DT DeForest Buckner and LB Darius Leonard was great last year.  

Here is what I know about the Titans: Derrick Henry is a beast and traded for a future HOF WR in Julio Jones. I know the offense is great but can we talk about the defense for a second? They signed DE Bud Dupree and drafted CB Caleb Farley of Virginia Tech but is it enough to improve their defense? They were 28th in the NFL in total defense. Having an explosive offense is cool but can you stop anybody?   

The Jaguars have their QB of the future in Trevor Lawrence and 1st-year head coach Urban Meyer is looking to get the Jags back on track. As for the Texans, I feel bad for only two people: the diehard Texans fan and head coach David Culley. 0-17 is not out of the realm of possibility here.  

AFC West: Kansas City Chiefs  

Everyone feels this division is a lock because of the Chiefs’ success over the last three years (2 Super Bowl appearances and 3 AFC Championship game appearances). Also, having the QB Patrick Mahomes and head coach Andy Reid helps too. However, they might have some competition because the Chiefs can play down to their opponents. Nonetheless, they vastly improved their offensive line by signing Joe Thuney and Kyle Long, which was their Achilles heel last year. They are the favorite but do not sleep on the Chargers.  

The Chargers were plagued with injuries and losing close games, which cost Anthony Lynn his job. Hiring former Rams defensive coordinator Brandon Staley as their new head coach gives me a sense that they make a move in this division. Starting with their offense, QB Justin Herbert played outstanding, garnering the ROTY award. Throw in WRs Keenan Allen and Mike Williams along with signing C Corey Linsley from the Packers solidifies their offensive line. RB Austin Ekler could have a breakout year also. The Rams had the No. 1 defense in the league under Staley last season. He inherits DE Joey Bosa, S Derwin James, and drafted CB Asante Samuel Jr.   

The Denver Broncos passed on QB Justin Fields in the NFL Draft for CB Patrick Surtain II of Alabama. They traded for QB Teddy Bridgewater, making it a QB competition between him and QB Drew Lock. They signed CB Kyle Fuller from the Bears to play on the other side of Surtain II. The question is this: Do the Broncos have a Lock or a Bridge at QB?   

As for the Raiders, their turnover differential was ”“11, which was 30th in the league. Derek Carr is not the problem because this was a top 10 offense last season (8th) with a defense ranked 25th. I will contend that the head coach Jon Gruden is a great offensive mind but my concern will always be the defense with this team.   

NFC North: Minnesota Vikings  

My favorite here is based on one player: Aaron Rodgers. I believe that he might not play a down for them again. With Jordan Love under center for the Packers, they will not win this division. Rodgers moves the needle for me. Plus, they lost their C Corey Linsley to the Chargers and made no other free agency signings but did re-sign RB Aaron Jones and CB Kevin King. However, if no. 12 is not there, this team is going nowhere.  

Shifting to the Vikings, their drafts over the last two years have great, yielding WR Justin Jefferson, CB Jeff Gladney, OT Ezra Cleveland, and CB Cameron Dantzler in 2020. This year, they drafted OT Christian Darrisaw, QB Kellen Mond, and OT Wyatt Davis. Throw in that they still have RB Dalvin Cook in the backfield and a still productive QB in Kirk Cousins (still overpaid though). Plus, they still have Harrison Smith, Anthony Barr, and Eric Kendricks on defense.   

The Bears finally got their franchise QB in Justin Fields. Their defense is still good but not elite, especially after losing CB Kyle Fuller in free agency to the Broncos. They have a good chance to improve if the Packers don’t get Rodgers back. As for the Lions, QB Jared Goff needed a change of scenery and the Lions needed to restart their franchise after trading QB Matthew Stafford. The Lions have RB D’Andre Swift and TE T.J. Hockenson on offense and their defense has promise with CB Jeff Okudah, DE Trey Flowers, and DT Michael Brockers.  

NFC East: Dallas Cowboys  

On paper, the Dallas Cowboys have a talented roster. With a now healthy Dak Prescott as the signal-caller, they have the best QB in the division. The biggest issue I have is if the defense, now under new defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, will improve. Last season, the defensive scheme of Mike Nolan was pretty bad and it showed. Plus, the injury bug hit them hard. If this defense takes some major strides, this division is theirs to lose.  

The Washington Football Team (WFT) won this division with a 7-9 record in 2020. This offseason, they signed WR Curtis Samuel from the Panthers, CB William Jackson of the Bengals, and QB Ryan Fitzpatrick from the Dolphins. This was the second-best defense in the league last year with defensive ROTY Chase Young leading the way. Offensively, the only concern is the offensive line. They were tied for 2nd, allowing 50 sacks. Can FitzMagic stay upright to get this offense going?  

The Giants were all about building around their QB Daniel Jones, signing WR Kenny Golladay, WR John Ross III, and TE Kyle Rudolph in free agency. For GM Dave Gettleman, his job is tied to Danny Dimes. He drafted WR Kadarius Toney of Florida as well. With a healthy Saquon Barkley, this offense has to improve or it could over for Gettleman. As for the Eagles, it’s life after Carson Wentz with the Jalen Hurts era set to commence. New head coach Nick Sirianni has his cut for him as a rookie head coach trying to navigate a roster with talent but needs improvement big time.   

NFC South: Tampa Bay Buccaneers   

When you re-sign every starter in the offseason and you won the Super Bowl, you are the favorite. If key players remain healthy, the Bucs could be in Los Angeles playing for another Super Bowl.   

The Saints lost QB Drew Brees to retirement and players like DE Trey Hendrickson, CB Janoris Jenkins, LB Alex Anzalone, and DT Sheldon Rankins to free agency. However, they still DEs Cam Jordan & Marcus Davenport, CB Marshon Lattimore, and WR Michael Thomas. To me, if Taysom Hill is the starting QB, I do have reservations because he has been a gadget player ever since he’s been in the league. He was a QB at BYU but maybe with a full offseason as a QB, he could adjust.   

The Falcons hired Titans OC Arthur Smith to be the head coach after firing Dan Quinn five games into last season. They traded away one of the best players to ever don a Falcons uniform, Julio Jones. They still have QB Matt Ryan, WR Calvin Ridley, and drafting TE Kyle Pitts of Florida, they are in a transition phase. On top of Pitts, GM Terry Fontenot has a great draft and is building for the future. This defense has to be better and new defensive coordinator Dean Pees has to maximize this talent to show gradual improvement.   

The Panthers, like the Broncos, passed on QB Justin Fields for a CB. This time, it was Jaycee Horn of South Carolina. It does help their secondary and they traded for QB Sam Darnold. It was clear that head coach Matt Rhule wanted to move on from Teddy Bridgewater and did so. The biggest question coming out of Carolina is if Darnold is the guy. If so, Carolina will pay him. If not, they look to the 2022 draft for their guy.   

NFC West: Arizona Cardinals  

I am high on the Cardinals. Every team in this division can win this division. I went out on a limb with the Cardinals is because they went out and got better on defense, signing DE J.J. Watt and CB Malcolm Butler. Last year, the Cardinals’ defense was 4th in sacks and a top-15 defense. Plus, signing WR A.J. Green to pair with DeAndre Hopkins gives QB Kyler Murray weapons at the skill position. The x-factor is head coach Kliff Kingsbury. If he can elevate this offense, this team could be dangerous come playoff time.   

The Rams upgraded at QB by trading for Matthew Stafford of the Lions. It seems GM Les Snead does not believe in the draft whatsoever, giving up a lot to get him. Their defense lost S John Johnson to the Browns but they still CB Jalen Ramsey and DT Aaron Donald. The concern is if new defensive coordinator Raheem Morris can keep this defense elite to compete for a Super Bowl.   

I am a huge Russell Wilson fan but the Seahawks have been leaning on him for some time now. That offensive line allowed 48 sacks, which was tied for 3rd in 2020. Defensively, head coach Pete Carroll and defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr. need to shore up that secondary. They allowed 285 passing yards/game (2nd worse in the league last year). If they want any chance to win this division, this defense has to be better.  

Many people like the 49ers to win this division and I get it. Their defense is great and healthier and TE George Kittle is healthy. The biggest question mark I have is under center. Jimmy Garoppolo is not the answer and I feel Trey Lance is not the answer. I love their front office in GM John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan. However, losing defensive coordinator Robert Saleh concerns me and uncertainty under center.   

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Bill Belichick has accomplished many things during his forty-five years in the NFL, many things that other coaches could not dream of doing during their careers even if they worked significantly longer than he has.  Creating your own name and brand in a sense as a head coach is something not many can do, but Bill has done this in spite of how quiet he may be.  There is a reason the New England Patriots are tied for the most Super Bowl wins ever, and the large majority of them fall onto the shoulders of Belichick.

With this said, his career did not start out with Super Bowl victories and glory, nor did it start with the Patriots, or even as a head coach.  In this article, I will be re-living the career of one of the most legendary coaches in NFL history, and going through each detail of his tenure including from the very begging up to 2021.   

Early NFL Coaching Career

Like I mentioned previously, Bill Belichick did not start at the top or as a head coach, or even with the team he is known for.  Belichick started out like everyone else, an assistant to an assistant for lack of better terms. In fact he started out on a team that no longer exists frankly, which makes it all the more interesting.  Belichick started out with the Baltimore Colts in 1975 as a “special assistant”, practically assistant to the head coach, who at the time was Ted Marchibroda.  This job according to the team records paid $25 per week, which goes to show how dedicated Bill was to this career.  Despite barely getting paid, he took this as an opportunity to learn from the head coach, and from the franchise, as well as gain connections wherever he could throughout the league.

Moving into 1976 and 1977, Belichick spent these early years with the Detroit Lions, starting as an assistant special teams coach before also picking up tight ends and wide receivers coaching in 1977.  Looking back on this today it is rather ironic, as many former Patriots players and coaches have gone to Detroit, such as Matt Patricia.  Knowing that Bill came from this franchise and got his first positional coaching gig there is interesting regardless.  After 1977 Bill was dismissed from the Lions, as well as the rest of the coaching staff in January of 1978.  

His last short one-year stint as a positional coach came with the Denver Broncos after this firing, where he would go back to his role of assistant special teams coach.  He would also pick up a new role of defensive assistant, which gave him the opportunity to see the third part of football he had not seen yet.  By now, he had seen offense (WR and TE coach), defense (defensive assistant), and special teams (assistant special teams coach), which I believe led to his knowledge on football and how important all three facets are.  

First Bigger Coaching Positions

After his one year with the Broncos, Belichick would move on to have a 12 year run with who else but the New York Giants.  Not many know this about his prior career, but he spent time with the team who is now considered one of the Patriots rivals, as well as a rival of Boston in general.  The head coach at the time was Walter Ray Perkins, mainly just known as Ray Perkins.  Ray had a huge impact on Bill both in learning football and schemes, as well as just man to man, as when Perkins passed away Belichick had the following to say about him:

“Ray gave me an opportunity in 1979 to go with the Giants and that was a life-changing moment for me. I’ve always been deeply appreciative of that opportunity and have a ton of respect for Ray. We developed a very close relationship and I appreciate all that he did for the Giants program, which was terrible when he took over in ’79, to make it a highly competitive team in ’81 and ’82 was a strike year. As a former player and coach, Ray had a good perspective on the game. He played for two of the greatest coaches of all time in Bear Bryant and Don Shula. His level of competitiveness and toughness was about as good as anybody I’ve ever been around. With the Patriots, the terminology that Ray and Ron Erhardt used under Coach [Chuck] Fairbanks here in the late 70s, early 80s that then came to New England with Ray and with Bill Parcells after the ’80 season. Certainly the terminology and a lot of the fundamentals and foundation of our offensive system are still in that offense from Ray and Ron back in the late 70s under Coach Fairbanks. So, he had a big impact on my life and my career, and I have a ton of respect for Ray and his family. My personal sympathies go out to them as part of the Patriots family.” 

Clearly his respect for Perkins cannot be understated, and it makes sense that that’s the case, as he gave him a shot at a long term tenure.  Another huge part of Bill’s career would come when Perkins was not head coach, but rather the legendary Bill Parcells.  This is also where Bill would win his first two Super Bowls, XXI and XXV, more notably XXV where his defensive gameplan for that game has been enshrined in the Pro Football HOF, as it is part of history.  

After Super Bowl XXV, Bill went on to get his first head coaching gig with the Cleveland Browns, who he stayed with from 1991 to 1995.  He underperformed with this team record wise, ending up 36-44 by his firing in 1995 and only one playoff win.  This win was over the New England Patriots as well, which is a bit ironic since he would move on to them in 1996.  This playoff win would be the last in Browns history before the 2020 season, so clearly he did something right in Cleveland.  

First Stint in New England & With NYJ

Following in Bill Parcells’ footsteps, Belichick went to New England in 1996 to be an assistant head coach and DBs coach.  This season would end up being Belichick’s first Super Bowl appearance with New England, after an 11-5 record that season.  Bill Parcells was rumored to leave the Patriots before the end of that season, and the Patriots lost the Super Bowl to the Green Bay Packers which would spur a huge number of events.  

Belichick would become the interim head coach of the New York Jets in 1997, but the Jets and Patriots negotiated the release of Bill Parcells to come to the Jets with Belichick, making Belichick assistant head coach again and Parcells to be the head coach.  After two years, Parcells resigned from the head coach position in 1999 and had previously stated that Belichick would succeed him as the new head coach.  However at Belichicks media conference during day one of being a HC, he resigned as the head coach.  In a rather odd change of what was to be expected at the time, he would then go back to start his longest tenure which still reigns with the Patriots, becoming head coach and succeeding Pete Carroll.

Modern Era Patriots

One of the first major moves of Bill in the Patriots organization was he was given almost all control over football operations by Robert Kraft.  This essentially made him the GM in a sense, as he had control over almost all of the football aspects of the game.  In Bill’s first season as a head coach with New England, they went 11-5 and made it all the way to Super Bowl XXXVI, which they would go on to win on a game-winning FG from Adam Vinatieri.

From the span of 2002 to 2019, the Patriots created essentially what is considered one of the biggest dynasties in NFL history.  They would go on to win the AFC East all but two years in that span (both 2^nd place otherwise, in 2002 and 2008).  During this time, they would go to eight Super Bowls, including 2003, 2004, 2007, 2011, 2014, 2016, 2017, and 2018, and would win five of them.  This also led to the longest string of NFL playoff appearance seasons, which still holds, at eleven straight seasons from 2009 to 2019.

To sum up this period of time, we can look at Bill’s list of records broken as well as his coaching stats overall, which look as such:

• 6x Super Bowl Champion (XXXVI, XXXVIII, XXXIX, XLIX, LI, LIII)
• 3x Coach of the Year (2003, 2007, 2010)
• Most Super Bowl victories as a head coach (tied ”“ 6)
• Most Super Bowl appearances as a head coach (9)
• Most NFL playoff wins as a HC (31)
• Regular season record of 280-136 or 67.3% winning percentage
• Post season record of 31-12 or 72.1% winning percentage
• Only active coach named to the NFL 100^th Anniversary All-Time Team
• Longest tenured active head coach

Overall, his career is legendary to this day, and he will be placed with the likes of Don Shula, Bill Parcells, Vince Lombardi, and the few others that have graced the NFL with their presence.  Being able to meet three different presidents during your NFL coaching career (so far) with the Super Bowl White House visit is pretty impressive frankly, and shows just how capable he has been as a HC in New England.  

The post Reliving the career of one of the most prominent coaches in NFL history: Bill Belichick appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

The Tennessee Titans have added future hall of fame wide receiver Julio Jones to their offense. The dynamic wide receiver has crafted a career that will make him go down as one of the greatest players to ever step on the field. The seven-time Pro Bowler will look to help the Titans make a legitimate push for a super bowl run. 

The Titans have built an offense that has three of the most explosive players in the NFL. Running back Derrick Henry can quite literally carry a team to victory. Young wide receiver A.J. Brown is arguably a top-10 player at the position and is just now entering his third season in the NFL. And well, Julio is Julio. His work has spoken for itself up to this point. 

But where do the Titans stand in the entirety of the AFC? Where do they measure up to the rest of the teams? Let’s take a look at the competition and breakdown all 16 teams in the AFC. 

The Non-Contenders (For Now)

Let’s start with the teams that are near the bottom of the division. Each team here has a distinct issue that causes them to be labeled as a non-contender. Whether that be problems at the quarterback position, a young roster, or gaps at valuable positions, none of these teams are prepared to make the jump to the top of the division just yet. 

Houston Texans 

The Houston Texans have assembled what may be the worst roster in football. This is not at the fault of the players themselves, but instead the fault of the front office. 

The team has gone all in at certain positions and left others untouched. There are currently six rostered running backs and each has a legitimate shot at making the final roster.
After adding running back David Johnson in the gigantic Deadre Hopkins trade last season, the Texans have gone on to add even more running backs to this roster. Mark Ingram, Phillip Lindsey, and Rex Burkhead were all added to the team this off-sesaon. 

It is looking as if three-time pro bowl quarterback Deshaun Watson will not be suiting up for the Texans this season. As everyone knows, the former Clemson star quarterback currently has 22 active lawsuits against him ranging from sexual assault to inappropriate behavior. Due to these allegations and Watson’s expected absence from the team, we will act as if he is not a Texans player in this scenario. 

The QB position in Houston will be a problem this upcoming season. Veteran quarterback Tyrod Taylor is the current QB1 for this team. Taylor may end up being one of the most unlikely players in NFL history. He is clearly talented but freak injuries have led to him losing his job on two different occasions in the last few seasons. Taylor started for the Los Angeles Chargers last season but suffered a punctured lung after receiving a shot to help manage pain. The punctured lung forced him to the bench and rookie QB Justin Herbert came in for relief and the Chargers never looked back. 

After not having a selection in the draft until the third round, the Texans chose to draft Stanford quarterback Davis Mills. While Mills could be the future QB for the Texans, they could have addressed positions that lacked depth and could help improve the team now. 

All in all, this Texans team is a mess. There seems to be no plan or future for the franchise. Instead, it is a collection of veterain players who may just be looking at an opportunity to improve on their stock and find new teams next season.

New York Jets

The New York Jets are full of hope. The trajectory of the team is going upwards but they are not in win now mode. The roster is full of young players, and if developed properly, could become a top team in the NFL.

The Jets chose to make a change at the quarterback position. They shipped Sam Darnold away and took his replacement with the second overall pick. Zach Wilson, former BYU quarterback, is set to be the future of the Jets. 

New York has already surrounded Wilson with more talent than Darnold ever had. They are slowly assembling an offensive line that could become the best in the league. Last year’s first round pick, Mekhi Becton has the size and athleticism to be the best left tackle in football. Alijah Vera-Tucker, who the Jets took with the 14th pick in this year’s draft, is the left guard of the future. Wilsons blind side will be protected and he should flourish sooner rather than later. 

The Jets have also put together a nice receiving group. WR1 will be former Titans receiver Corey Davis. Davis had his best season last year and showed that he has what it takes to be a capable target. They also selected Ole Miss Elijah Moore. Moore has been described as a “smaller A.J. Brown”. His athletic play could lead to a nice 1-2 punch for this wide receiver room. 

There is also a new head coach in New York. Former San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator will be taking the reins of the Jets. His defensive mind could help this unit develop and be truly great.

The Jets are most likely a few years away from success but the foundation has been placed. The future is bright but it is still far off.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Trevor Lawrence. Urban Meyer. Jacksonville has made moves this off-season. They found a quarterback in Lawrence who is destined to be an all-time great. The excavations will be sky high for Lawrence, who is said to be the best QB coming into the league since the now retired Andrew Luck. 

Urban Meyer has had a long career and now has his eyes set on success in the NFL. He has put together a team full of players that he likes. Will this translate to success? Who knows. There is no guarantee that Lawrence will become this hall of fame quarterback. There is also no guarantee that Meyer will be successful in Jacksonville.

This Jaguars team is drastically different from the team that almost made a run at the super bowl just a few seasons ago. Very few players from that squad still remain. Many of the expected playmakers on this team are still very young. This means that they will have time to develop and learn. The Jaguars are in this for the long-term and instant success should not be expected.

Denver Broncos

The Broncos are a team that could be on the verge of success in the AFC. They have a roster that consists of great veteran players. The defense could be great. They are led by three-time all-pro linebacker Von Miller who will be coming back from a torn Achilles. The offense has strengths all over. A good group of young receivers, a strong running back in Melvin Gordon, and a rising tight end in Noah Fant. 

Everything on this team looks good on paper. Everything besides the quarterback position, and that is what is keeping this team as a non-contender. 

Young quarterback Drew Lock, while proven to be exciting to watch, has not yet achieved much of anything yet. He was 4-9 in his 13 starts last season and threw 16 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. 

Lock’s inconsistent team led the Broncos to trade for veteran quarterback Teddy Bridgewater. While Bridgewater has proven to be a resilient QB, coming back from a devastating knee injury, he has also had poor production at the QB position. He, much like Lock, has looked good at times and at other times, has looked abysmal. But, the job could be jis to take. 

Uncertainty at the QB spot hurts this team. A team full of this much talent should be much more of a threat and a new QB might be in the future of the Broncos. 

Cincinnati Bengals

The Cincinnati Bengals may just be the team that makes the leap. They have the foundation to do just such. 

Quarterback Joe Burrow was on pace to have a historic rookie season until he suffered a torn ACL. But, Burrow has looked solid in his recovery and will look to make an impact as soon as the season begins. He is proving to be the leader that this team needs.

They have also built a very strong roster in Cincinnati. The wide receiver group may be regarded as a top-five unit by season’s end. Tyler Boyd, Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins are a trio that could explode this season. 

The defense has also made improvements since last season. The Bengals brought in Trey Hendrikcson, who recorded 13.5 sacks last season. They also drafted a quality definite end in Joseph Ossai. There are still holes on this defense and that could hurt the development of this team as well. 

The offensive line unit could prove to be the team’s true downfall. Burrow was under duress often last season and the Bengals did not make a massive change to this unit. If Burrow is not able to get the ball to his weapons on offense, then there is no point in even having them. 

The Bengals, led by Burrow, could soon take over the NFL. They just aren’t there, just yet. 

Teams with Potential

The teams in this section have potential. They each could make a jump into the next tier, but for now, they are unproven and haven’t done enough to be placed there yet. 

Miami Dolphins

The Miami Dolphins are coming off of one their best seasons in recent years. The team finished with a 10-6 record and overall, looked and played very well. 

The Dolphins have made it a point of emphasis to keep their roster together. They also brought in both rookies and free agents that are expected to make an instant impact. They obviously wanted to surround young quarterback Tua Tagovailoa with as many playmakers as they could.  

In maybe their best signing of the off-season, Miami brought in wide receiver Will Fuller on a one-year deal. Fuller, who is coming off of a career season, will be forced to miss the first four games of the season due to a suspension. But, upon his return, could be exactly what Tua needs. A strong deep field threat who can be a top-10 reciever in the league. 

The Dolphins also added Alabama wide receiver Jaylen Waddle to the team. Waddle, Tua’s former teammate at Bama, will look to make an instant impact and help Tua improve in his second season. 

The defense will be the anchor of this team heading into next season. They are a strong unit led by cornerback Xavien Howard who hauled in 10 interceptions last season. They also added defense and Jaelen Phillips in the draft. He will be a day one starter and could help this defense get even better. 

The Dolphins could make a legitimate run but it will rely heavily on the shoulders of Tua. If he is able to perform better than he did last year, which he is expected to do, the Dolphins could be on the verge of making it to the top-tier. But that is still yet to happen.

New England Patriots

The New England Patriots are a team that could shock many come the start of the season. They have spent big money on both sides of the ball and have seemingly gone all in on this season.

New England signed big time free agents Matt Judon, Hunter Henry, and Jonnu Smith. The addition of both tight ends can be related directly to Cam Newton being the quarterback. Newton has achieved success when he has two strong tight ends so the Patriots brought that back to him.

The defense, while young in some areas, could still be a top unit in the league. Veteran players are littered throughout the defense and will be ready to go come week one. 

An issue that plagued the Patriots last season was opt-outs due to covid. Many of these players have returned and will be ready to make an impact. 

Cam Newton has the QB1 job for now but the Patriots did select Alabama quarterback Mac Jones in the first round. All eyes will be on Newton and if he slips up, the job could be lost before he knows it. 

The direction that this season goes will be directly dictated by the offense. The offense struggled often last season and was their downfall in multiple games. With a retooled init, they should look different and perform better. But, for how they are only banking on potential. This is why they aren’t seen as a contender just yet. 

Indianapolis Colts

The Colts are a very interesting team to look at. Newly brought in quarterback, Carson Wentz, will look to prove that he can still perform at a high level. After coming off of his worst season since his rookie year, all eyes will be on him and he will be the reason that their season goes the way that it does. 

The offense line, outside of Wentz, may be the most important piece of this offense. Led by guard Quenton Nelson, the line will be expected to perform every snap.

Running back Jonathon Taylor will be expected to expand on his strong rookie year and jis success will be directly related to this offensive line. They will also play a role in how Wentz performs. The blocking and protection for Wentz will allow for him to make plays and help this team.

The defensive unit is one of the best in the league. If young players such as rookie Kwity Paye can make an instant impact, this team could make their way to the top tier of the AFC. 

Las Vegas Raiders

The Raiders have remained an average team for the past few seasons. They have had moments of real potential where they look as if they can compete for a super bowl, and then they regress again. Their 8-8 record in 2020 is very fitting for how this team performs. 

Quarterback Derek Carr is the poster child of how this team has been since he has become the QB1. He has a starting record of 47-63. The mediocrity of Carr hasn’t necessarily even been what has harmed this team. While his record is not great, he has still performed on the field. He has thrown 170 touchdowns to 71 interceptions. The failure and success of the Raiders can’t fall directly onto Carr’s shoulder. 

The Raiders have made odd selections in the draft. They have continued to select players much higher than they should be taken and many of them have struggled to make the transition to the NFL. 

Even through all of this, the Raiders have continued to be competitive. They have a strong roster that could become great. Led by tight end Darren Waller, this unit has potential. This could be the year where they are able to finally flip the switch and begin to be better than average.

Pittsburgh Steelers

The Pittsurgh Steelers started the 2020 season off with 11 straight wins. They were running on all cylinders and looked to be headed towards a legitimate run at the super bowl. 

And then the Steelers lost their final five games. The losing streak extended into the playoffs where the Cleveland Browns dominated Pittsburgh at every level of the game. 

Even with such a poor ending to the season, the Steelers could still be a team to watch heading into this upcoming season. They will rely heavily on their skill players on offense, specifically the wide receiver group. 

It also can be ignored that quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is getting older. He recently turned 39 years old and has shown some signs of slowing down. His arm strength has begun to lack in recent years and the Steelers have had to build around that. While he has made efforts to fix his arm, there is no guarantee that it will help in this upcoming season. 

Rookie running back Najee Harris will also look to carry much of the offensive workload. The Steelers brought him in to be a workhorse back and he seems to be up for the challenge. 

The Steelers offensive line will be where they struggle. They have one of the worst rated lines in football and have not made any efforts to improve it. If the line is unable to block, the whole season may be lost.

The Pittsburgh defense may be the best part of the team. The defense, led by T.J. Watt, performed extremely well and for much of the season, were the reason that they were winning as many games as they did. 

The performance in the last quarter of the season has led to the Steelers no longer being a true contender. The issues on the team are glaring and while the Steelers could perform well, for now they just have potential. 

Tennessee Titans

We have finally arrived at the Tennessee Titans. The Titans, while choosing to add Julio Jones, still have issues with this roster. 

Yes, the defense has been rebuilt and they will be running a new scheme, but there is guarantee that the defense will be solid. They could look like they did last year and underperform. The Titans will also have to ease this defense in. They have potential but are still very unproven.

The offensive side of the ball is currently the saving grace of this team. The trio of Derrick Henry, A.J. Brown, and Julio Jones could make this offense become one of the best units in the NFL. 

Led by quarterback Ryan Tannehill, this offense will be expected to carry this team on their back. A.J. Brown had the best season of his career last year while playing alongside Corey Davis. Now Davis has been swapped with Julio. No knock against Davis, but Julio is an all-time receiver and is an upgrade at the position. This added piece of offense could completely change the layout of this team. 

Running back Derrick Henry was able to still surpass 2,000 rushing yards last season. The addition of Julio will give him even more running room as defenses will not be able to key in on Henry. 

The Titans could become a top tier team in the AFC but their defense holds the fate of the team in their hands. If the defense performs even just average, this team will have an opportunity. But, there are questions on this defense that still aren’t answered. The reliance on that unit could make this entire season crumble. This is why they aren’t a contender just yet, but instead a middle of the pack AFC team. 

The True Contenders

The big ballers of the AFC. These five teams could all be legitimate super bowl contenders. Each could bring a lombardi trophy joke and no one would be particularly shocked. Here is the group with an explanation of why they are deserving of being here. 

Los Angeles Chargers

The Los Angeles Chargers may be the most shocking group on this list. They finished with a 7-9 record last season and failed to make the playoffs. But that doesn’t tell the whole story. 

When looking deeper at the Chargers, you see a young team that was repeatedly hindered by injuries last season. Star defensive end Joey Bosa appeared in 12 games but dealt with injuries for much of the season. Safety Derwnin James, who could be one of the best secondary players in the NFL, missed the entire season due to a knee injury. Running back Austin Ekeler, who is a prominent player on this offense, missed six games last season and never performed to his normal standard when he was healthy. All three of these players will return to the field, healthy and ready to make an impact.

The Chargers also made moves in free agency by signing both defensive tackle Linval Joseph and center Corey Linsley. Linsley, who is arguably the best center in the NFL, will be an anchor of this offensive line. 

Los Angeles also spent their first round pick on left tackle Rashawn Slater. Slater will be a day one starter and will help protect Herbert’s blindside. 

The true key factor of the Chargers season will be Justin Herbert. The second year quarterback is an MVP favorite and will lead the Chargers team. The offensive rookie of the year will look to build on a rookie season that saw him throw 31 touchdown passes. He will dictate how this season goes, but he has proven that he should be built for this. 

The Chargers have done nearly everything right. A young quarterback on a rookie contract. An offense full of talented skill players and a solid offensive line. And a defense that could be one of the best in the NFL. This team is a true contender and will look to prove that in 2021. 

Buffalo Bills

Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills will look to build on a season that saw them go 13-3 in 2020. They have built a solid foundation, led by coach Sean McDermott. There is a new culture in Buffalo and they are quickly becoming a team that many people root for. 

The Bills season came to an end in a loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC championship. Up until that loss, the Chiefs looked unbeatable. They will look to build on the 2020 season and have a bright 2021. 

The dynamic duo of Allen and wide receiver Stefon Diggs will look to pick up right where they left off last season. Diggs finished the season with 127 receptions and 1,535 receiving yards, first in the league in both stats. Diggs and Allen have found a clear connection and will undoubtedly look even better together next season. 

At times the defense struggled but is overall a solid group. They will also be even better heading into 2021. 

This unit remains very much unchanged since last season. As the saying goes, “if it ain’t broke, dont fix it.” This Bills team is far from broken and should be looked at heavily to win the super bowl. A true contender coming out of Buffalo. 

Baltimore Ravens

The Baltimore Ravens are coming off of a 2020 season where they finished with a record of 11-5 and second in the AFC West. They played well and for much of the season, the offense was firing on all cylinders. They scored more than 30 points in nine games and were explosive when they wanted to be.

Much of this offensive success can be credited towards quarterback Lamar Jacksoj. Just one year removed from his MVP season, Lamar proved to still be capable of performing and performing well. The third year quarterback put up 33 touchdowns last season and still proved to be an effective running threat, surpassing 1,000 rushing yards for the second consecutive season. 

While Lamar had less touchdowns in 2020 than he did in 2019, he is still the leader in Baltimore. He is the guy on that tem and no one is taking that title from him. At times he played like a superhero, making plays out of nothing and single handedly moved the team up the field.
The Ravens have also surrounded Lamar with even more weapons. The Ravens address the wide receiver position in this year’s draft, selecting two receivers in the first four rounds: Rashod Bateman out of the University of Minnesota and Tylan Wallace out of Oklahoma State. 

Rashod Bateman could fill the role of WR1 for this team, something they have not truly had during Lamar’s tenure with the team. If Bateman can become a high caliber receiver, the Ravens offense can become even better. 

First year running back J.K. Dobbins played a pivotal role in the success of the Ravens offense last season. His nine rushing touchdowns helped this offense be one of the highest scoring groups last season. 

The defense Baltimore has assembled is also a force to be reckoned with. They have established players at nearly every position and there is no glaring weakness within this unit. The potential of this unit is unmatched and they could arguably make a case for the best defense in the NFL. 

Cleveland Browns

The Cleveland Browns were a top team all throughout last season. Quarterback Baker Mayfeld orved to be the real deal. Both the offense and defense performed at a high level and looked good on a consistent basis. 

So what did the Browns do this off-season? Well, they went out and got even better. Through both the draft and free agency, the Browns grabbed players that could make an instant impact. 

Their 2021 draft was regarded as maybe the best of any team in the NFL. In the first round, the Browns selected cornerback Greg Newsome II out of Northwestern. In the second round, they selected Notre Dame linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah.

The Browns added notable players such as Jadaveon Clowney, John Johnson III, Troy Hill, and Takkarist Mckinley. Clowney, Johnson III, and Hill will all be starters on this defense. Clowney will play alongside star defensive end Myles Garret. 

The secondary that is assembled here may be the best in the NFL. Denzel Ward, Troy Hill, John Johson III, and Ronnie Harison Jr are slated to be the starters. This means that Greg Newsome II, Grant Delpit, and Greedy Williams will all be available in backup roles. These players will all play massive roles on this team. 

Injuries were an issue for the Browns last season. Many high caliber players were forced to miss time. The already mentioned Grant Delpit and Greedy Williams were both sidelined during last season. Star wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr suffered a torn ACL and it is still undetermined when exactly he will be ready to go, but from what has been shown lately, he looks to be on the right path to being 100% again.

This Browns roster may be the most complete unit in the NFL. It is win now time for the Browns and they are set to do just that. There is only one team that can get in their way. 

Kansas City Chiefs

The AFC still runs through the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs have made it to the superbowl for two straight seasons and they don’t look to be slowing down. As long as Patrick Mahomes is the quarterback in Kansas City, they will have a chance.

Not much needs to be said regarding the Chiefs. Their high powered offense has returned and ready to show that they haven’t slowed down. Mahomes is healthy again. The team has come back and are ready to run it up again. 

They lost to the super bowl largely to a depleted offensive line. A string of injuries and forced out of position play proved to be their downfall. So what did the Chiefs do? They crafted an offensive line that is arguably even better than the one they sent out last season. The Chiefs traded for Orlando Brown Jr., who has proven to be a top-five tackle in the NFL. They signed guard Joe Thuney, one of the best receivers in the NFL, and center Austin Blythe. These are three new starters for this offensive line. 

But the Chiefs were not done yet. With their second round selection, they took center Creed Humphrey from the University of Oklahoma. They then pulled retired guard Kyle Long out of retirement. 

They chose to also improve their defense through the draft. They selected linebacker Nick Bolton out of Missouri in the second round. Outside of Bolton, much of the defense from last year is returning and will be ready to go.

This Chiefs team will be just as good as they were last season and the AFC will be theirs to lose. A true contender and a team that could find their way to another super bowl sooner rather than later. 

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Believe it or not, the NFL regular season is 15 weeks away. There is still a lot of roster movement to be expected but the key players are likely on their 2021 teams. With the draft behind us and the schedule released many have tossed their hat into the ring on upcoming predictions. As we all know “Any Given Sunday” is real and predicting the NFL season is chaos. Look back at the 2020 season when the Jaguars won the opening week of the season vs the Colts as proof.

One of the 2020 breakout teams was the Miami Dolphins. Could they emerge as a top AFC contender this year? Under Brian Flores in his second year, the Dolphins improved greatly from 5-11 to 10-6 and barely missing the playoffs. Many will remember the season for the QB swapping in game of then rookie Tua Tagovailoa and Ryan Fitzpatrick. Ryan Fitzpatrick would close out games late in the season and bring the Dolphins back in deficits and or close games out offensively. The game that sticks out the most is Week 16, 26-25 win against the Raiders where Fitzpatrick threw up a prayer to Mack Hollins while getting his facemask pulled. Patrick Mahomes called it “the greatest no look pass of all time”.

The Dolphins started the season 1-3 and brought Tua in to start after six games where he was a year removed of a career threatening hip injury and saw limited work in OTAs and the offseason due to injury and Covid. Flores showed he can lead the team and behind solid defensive play and the Dolphins found themselves on the door of the playoffs. The Dolphins made improvements to the offense this offseason and kept a strong core on defense.

This is a strong foundation moving into 2021. The Miami Dolphins will look to make the playoffs for the first time since 2016 and be a contender in the AFC. Could they even earn a one seed heading into the NFL playoffs? Most sportsbooks currently have the Dolphins from +1400 to +1600 to win the AFC. Which is currently tied with the Patriots for the fifth best odds. For comparison, the AFC favorites are the Chiefs around +250 and the AFC East rival Bills at +600. The oddsmakers do see the Fins as potential dark horse candidates to top the AFC.

Why should you bet the Dolphins to do so? They have a leader in Brian Flores. Flores won four super bowls in his time with New England. Combined with Chris Grier, the GM the Dolphins have built a roster in a “Patriots style”. Meaning players that can play multiple positions defensively. Guys that play their role. Not too flashy and guys that play football.

The changes in offensive coaching will help this offense improve as well. Chan Gailey is no longer the OC and instead, there will be a tandem at OC between George Godsey and Eric Studesville. Both have much NFL coaching experience and will look to excel in new roles. Dolphins also have a new QB coach in Charlie Frye. Frye has a good connection with Tua and was his coach and mentor back when Tua attended the Elite 11 Quarterback camp. These moves will help Tua and the Dolphins offensive development as a whole.

It’s no secret the offensive success hinges on the quarterback. There are expectations for Tua this year going into his second year. He won his first three starts in the NFL and finished his first year 6-3 overall. As mentioned before that was with little prep preseason and a lack of knowledge of the playbook. Last week in OTAs, Tua mentioned the play calling last year and the situation from the huddle to the line of scrimmage pre play last year. As a Dolphins fan, it was clear the play calls were basic when he was in the game. Tua explains why here, in this piece from Adam Beasley.

The Dolphins off season was focused on building around Tua. The added a speedy deep threat in Will Fuller via free agency. Fuller bolsters the receiving core and adds a playmaker which they lacked last year. The Dolphins added some veterans to their offensive line in free agency as well. Adding Matt Skura who has played guard and center for the Ravens, as well as tackle DJ Fluker who played for Baltimore in 2020. Other offensive free agents include running back Malcolm Brown for depth and Jacoby Brissett who is a seasoned veteran backup quarterback. Losing Fitzpatrick Brissett is a solid addition. He has shown the ability to win games when given the opportunity. He also will have familiarity with the coaching staff from his early days in New England.

The offensive additions continued in the NFL Draft. With the sixth overall pick, Miami reunited former Crimson Tide teammate of Tua with wide receiver Jaylen Waddle. Waddle missed most of his last season at Bama after suffering an ankle injury. Over his college career, he caught 106 passes for 1999 yards and 17 touchdowns. Waddle is an explosive impact player. He has sub 4.4 40 speed. He can play inside and outside, his hands and physicality allow him to win 50-50 balls even at 5’10 180 pounds.

The Dolphins also used one of their early round picks on a tackle. Liam Eichenberg out of Notre Dame is better in the run game than pass protection but will likely see reps throughout his rookie season. The Dolphins also drafted a tackle in the seventh round in Larnel Coleman. Coleman is going to need to be coached up but will likely spend a majority of his rookie year developing.

Other skill players drafted include TE Hunter Long. Mike Gesicki brokeout last year but the Dolphins added another offensive threat at the tight end position. I told you “Patriots like roster” We all know the dominance of Gronkowski and Hernandez together could we see a new TE duo run the AFC? The Dolphins finally addressed the running back position with Gerrid Doaks in the seventh round. Doaks is a big back, bruiser running style from Cincinnati. Doaks also showed some good things in pass protection last year as Cincinnati was one of the better group of five schools last year.

What is returning offensively for the Dolphins? The offensive line returns its young core which played average at best in their best games and below average in a lot of spots. They were inconsistent but that is expected from a lot of rookies who got valuable experience with Fitzpatrick and from a double digit win season. The three rookies in 2020 Hunt, Jackson, and Kindley all flashed. They will be counted upon this year in combination with Skura as the main core upfront. The line play should improve from last season and needs to be average at worst to win the top seed in the AFC.

We know Tua is playing quarterback when healthy. Tua will protect the ball and deliver it with accuracy. To be the best in the AFC that’s going to require Tua to connect on deep passes, continue to use his mobility to extend plays and convert third downs and just bring confidence to the offense each play.

2020 finished with Myles Gaskin as the lead back in the Dolphins offense. That role is still his as we move into 2021. Gaskin beat out veterans early last year and earned his role. In 10 games last year Gaskin averaged 97 yards from scrimmage. He missed time with a knee issue and Covid. When Gaskin was out Salvon Ahmed stepped up in his role. Ahmed was efficient in his first two games and earned touches throughout the close of the season. Ahmed even eclipsed the 100-yard rush mark to be the first Dolphin to do so in two years in a win versus the Patriots last year.  

The bottom line is the Dolphins see the running back position by committee. Again taking a Patriots approach in using guys in the best role. The additions of Doaks and Brown will likely see the goal line work as bigger backs. The duo of Gaskin and Ahmed will move the ball between the 20s and they can each catch the ball and make guys miss in space. Gaskin will lead the committee and should see the bulk of the work overall. These guys don’t stand out as stars but they are capable of getting the job done. They proved it in 2020.

DeVante Parker broke out in 2019. 2020 was a bit disappointing for Parker who struggled with injuries in the lower extremities as always. Parker has the potential to be a game changer when healthy. Over his career, he’s produced greatly when healthy. He beat 2019 Defensive Player of the Year, Gilmore consistently when healthy. He finished 2020 with 63 catches and nearly 800 yards. His dip in production is also attributed to Tua. Tua didn’t give him the 50-50 balls Fitzpatrick did. Tua also wasn’t aggressive in targeting down the field where Parker ran many of his routes. The familiarity with the playbook and one another will improve Parkers production this year. Paired with Fuller, Waddle, and Gesicki the defense can’t solely focus on DVP. Parker is primed for his best year as a pro if healthy.

Mike Gesicki will be the other focus player as a pass catcher this season. He’s coming off a career year in which he caught 53 passes for 703 yards and six touchdowns. Gesicki is a miss match for Linebackers and safeties with his size. He’s able to box out and win the jump balls and has a massive catch radius. He consistently caught many bad passes and kept drives going. He would have much better touchdown numbers but the Dolphins used a multiple TE look in the red zone and as a unit between Gesicki, Smythe, and Shaheen they caught 11 touchdowns.

The Dolphins offense is set to produce and be better then 2020. The highlighted guys in combination with Malcolm Perry, Jakeem Grant, Lynn Bowden, and Preston Williams can be tough to defend. Perry and Bowden can play any position on offense including quarterback! They will surely get gadget plays that can strike for homeruns at any time. Grant is a speed threat who can get into space and outrun everyone as we’ve seen on special teams. Preston Williams is a sneaky fourth or fifth option on offense. Williams built up chemistry with Tua until he was injured and out for the year. If healthy Preston has the size and speed to be a Brandon Marshall type of player unfortunately inconsistent hands and injuries have plagued him.

To cap of the offense, the Dolphins have an all pro caliber kicker in Jason Sanders. Sanders was truly one of the best kickers in the league last season and it wasn’t a fluke. “$anders” was 8/9 from 50 yards or more last year and didn’t miss an extra point all year.

Moving to the defensive side of the ball the Dolphins had a top 10 defense all around last year. The Dolphins had a Defensive Player of the Year candidate at CB in Xavien Howard. The Dolphins were successful in limiting opponents scoring. They were the sixth-best scoring defense last year averaging 21.1 points allowed. This includes giving up 56 to the Bills in Week 17. The Dolphins standout defensive play started in the secondary. Howard grabbed 10 interceptions, new addition Byron Jones played CB 2, and veterans Eric Rowe, Bobby McCain and rookie Brandon Jones contributed with playmaking in the secondary. The linebackers played the run very well with Elandon Roberts playing inside with Jerome Baker.

Baker struggled at times in coverage and covering gaps in the run but it was passable play. The edge rushers didn’t get home at an elite rate but when they did convert their pressures into sacks turnovers where created. The combination of Van Ginkel, Ogbah, Van Noy, and Lawson forced nine fumbles on 25 sacks. The other key defensive stat was Miami was the best third-down team on defense allowing just over 31% conversions.

Miami spent two top picks on the defense. They used their own first round pick on edge rusher Jaelan Phillips. Phillips is a disruptive, explosive player from the University of Miami. Phillips gave up football in 2018 but he returned to “The U” and rebuilt himself. He has a high motor and the Dolphins need his pass rush and disruptiveness to succeed again.

The other high pick on the defensive side of the ball is safety Jevon Holland from the University of Oregon. Holland will replace McCain likely who was released. Holland plays aggressive and attacks. His versatility is also a plus and something Flores likes in his defense. Holland can play in the box and play the run as well as contest catches and cover.

The Dolphins also traded Shaq Lawson and in return received Bernardrick McKinney. McKinney missed a lot of last season with a shoulder injury but has proven his ability to play inside linebacker as a pro bowler in 2018. McKinney shores up the inside linebacker position and his versatility will replace the loss of Van Noy and Lawson.

If Miami can keep up the solid third down defense, limit the big plays which they were among the leagues worst in in 2020, and increase the pressure on quarterbacks the league’s best defense is attainable. This all starts with creating pressure. Wilkins and Davis on the interior line played well. Davis played the run well but didn’t create many pressures. Wilkins was the opposite, creating pressure but lacking in run defense. A better balance and consistency from these two will anchor the defense.

A player that will play a key role in returning the Dolphins to a top defense will be second year corner Noah Igbinoghene. He saw limited play as the third corner last year. He has elite speed and can play a physical in your face style of coverage but just lacked a feel for corner last year. Still, in transition from a receiver and good athlete to a true corner, this year is a big step in his development. He is playing behind one of the top corner duos in the league and will need to play the slot. The Slot corner position was also addressed in free agency with former Seahawk Justin Coleman.

Another key defender will be rookie Jaelen Phillips. The pass rush is the key to keeping this defense strong. They can cover! The coverage will get even better as the pass rush improves and the secondary can get more turnovers on rushed passes and attack the ball if they are covering for three to four seconds rather than five to six per play.

It takes more than a talented roster to win the AFC. You have to win your games. The schedule currently for the Dolphins doesn’t look greatly difficult by 2020 results. The schedule features the NFC South including defending super bowl champs and the Saints sans Drew Brees. The tough nondivision games inside the AFC will be the Ravens and Colts. For the Dolphins to get the top seed in the AFC they will have to win all those games including a 4-2 at minimum record within the division. I predict the top seed in the AFC will have to win 14 games minimum.

With good health first and foremost the top seed is achievable. A repeat performance from the defense in terms of scoring and efficiency is needed and is achievable with the additions. The key to it all is Tua and the offense. If Tua develops into the superstar quarterback we all thought pre hip injury the weapons are there to put up big numbers and rival the Bills and Chiefs success.

Realistically I don’t see the Dolphins winning the AFCs top seed. However, they will be good and they should improve on their 10 wins from last year and make the playoffs. I’m a lifelong Dolphins fan of 25 years and willing to bet I’ve watched more Dolphins football than 99.5% of the people my age. The Dolphins are close to being the best team in the AFC. If it is this year that will surprise me but not be out of reality. Betting on them is not the Ludacris bet it was barely a year ago. Flores and Grier have the team headed in the right direction. Staying healthy and “Any Given Sunday” you never know. Nonetheless, the Dolphins are poised to be a sleeper to earn the top seed heading into the 2021 playoffs.

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The Denver Broncos have not had a winning record since they won Super Bowl 50 back in the 2015-2016 season. Since then, they have only tied for second in the AFC West standings with a 7-9 record in 2019. In the last five seasons, the Broncos have gone through nine starting quarterbacks, ten if you include last season where running back Phillip Lindsay started at quarterback against the Saints. Needless to say, the Broncos have struggled to find that missing piece to get the team back into a winning record.

With the Broncos putting faith in quarterback Drew Lock this season, in only his third year, it’s hard to say where Drew can take this team. The hope is he can lead the Broncos to the post-season for the first time in 5 years. This year would be the year to do that, the Broncos this next season have one of the easiest schedules, with only four teams ahead of them. Although the Broncos have one of the easiest schedules, they’ll be playing 20 games in total this regular season, three in pre-season, and 17 in regular-season games.

On top of that, their division rivals, the Kansas City Chiefs have won the division the last five seasons and will likely win it again, and the Chargers and quarterback Justin Herbert aren’t looking too bad after last season and will only continue to get better. We went 1-1 with the Raiders and Chargers last season and the Broncos are definitely looking for a season sweep on both. If the Broncos want to accomplish this, a winning record, and have a chance to make it to the playoffs, they’ll have to put in the work.

Broncos’ ceiling

With a load of weapons in the Broncos offense and a defense similar to the 2015 “No Fly Zone” defense, the Broncos could most definitely go 12-5. The Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers, Cleveland Browns, and Kansas City Chiefs will be the Broncos’ biggest threats going into this next season.

The Broncos’ first three games are against the New York Giants, Jacksonville Jaguars, and New York Jets, these first three games will set the tone for the remainder of the season. The Broncos could easily go 3-0, but with Drew Lock throwing only 16 touchdowns last season with 15 interceptions, it’s hard to pinpoint where the Broncos will fall.

Drew Lock has been putting in lots of work this offseason so far, there’s the question that we can make the jump to lead the team, it’s when.

Broncos’ floor

The Broncos have a well-rounded team and without a doubt one of the best secondaries in the league. If the offensive side of the ball falls short, the defense will have to carry. Yet the defense side of the ball can only take you so far.

The floor for the Broncos this season would be 4-13. The Detroit Lions, Philadelphia Eagles, Jets, and Jaguars, are the easiest wins on the schedule this season, and if the Broncos can’t make it past these teams it’s gonna be a rough season. The Chargers took massive strides

This is a worst-case scenario besides losing every game but the team is too talented and skilled to lose 17 games. As stated earlier the pre-season games and the first three games into the regular season will set show us how the rest of the season will likely go.

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