AFC 2024 Preview – WTOP News

AFC North

Ravens 13-4

In 2023 (and likely the two previous seasons as well), the only team that could beat the Baltimore Ravens was the Baltimore Ravens.

Baltimore was the first team in NFL history to lead the league in interceptions, sacks and total defense in the same season, and also held Patrick Mahomes and the mighty Chiefs scoreless in the second half of the AFC Championship Game. The Ravens defense is without its sack leader or coordinator (one of four coaching changes on defense), and the offense has three new starters on the offensive line.

Plus, quarterback Lamar Jackson didn’t exorcise his playoff demons, he just added another Stay Puft Marshmallow Man to his collection.

But Derrick Henry will help Jackson a lot… and literally push almost a ton of balls downfield to opposing center fielders.

Fun fact: the Ravens’ new RB/FB duo weighs a combined 558 pounds… have fun defending. photo:twitter.com/Vulu4KQF5x

— Zach Bollinger (@zachbollinger18) March 12, 2024

Baltimore has finished in the top three in fewest points allowed in five of the last six seasons, which predates the departure of Mike MacDonald and includes new coordinator Zach Orr. The Ravens drafted Nate Wiggins to bolster a defense with an NFL-best 16-plus rest advantage.

Summary: Rumors of the Ravens’ demise are premature. The championship window is still open for a team that has been on pace to win the Super Bowl every 12 years since 2000.

Bengals 12-5

Cincinnati has Joe Burrow back, and next to him the mighty Browns (which is ironic considering Brown founded the team).

Now that Cincinnati has announced the signing of OT Trent Brown, Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow will have two of the Browns’ XL OTs protecting him this season: photo:twitter.com/XIEfPmVWHV

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 19, 2024

Burrow’s offense and the Bengals’ sneaky defense will help Cincy get back to the playoffs — and maybe even stay there for a while.

Browns 10-7

Cleveland returns most of the pieces from its top-rated defense in 2023, which will need to be great again to compete in the NFL’s deepest and best division. Deshaun Watson has yet to show he’s the elite quarterback he was in Houston in 2020 — but if he can somehow return to form, the Browns could win their division for the first time since 1989, when it was the AFC Central.

Steelers 9-8

Russell Wilson won the quarterback title over Justin Fields, and this is likely part of the reason: Wilson has a QBR of 80.7 in the AFC North, a number only Patrick Mahomes (also in the AFC North) has had a better QBR in a single division since 2006.

However, both Wilson and Fields have struggled with negative play, which doesn’t bode well for a Pittsburgh team that needs a quarterback who can simply protect the ball.

The Steelers are coming off a brutal end to the season, easily the toughest in the league, and given their true form, I expect them to beat the Bengals in Week 18 to continue Mike Tomlin’s losing streak — but it won’t be enough to return to the postseason.

AFC East

Dolphins 11-6

The Dolphins last won the playoffs 23 years ago, when a Miami team coached by Dave Wannstedt and quarterbacked by Jay Fiedler won the wild-card round.

Miami is well aware of its reputation as folding chairs and will need to at least win its division to end the drought. The speed on offense will fuel the Dolphins’ offense, but the defense will keep Miami from making a long playoff run.

Jets 10-7

Jets will be Jets.

From the odd 40-year-old quarterback returning from injury to the strange Haason Reddick situation, the Aaron Rodgers Jets seem destined to underperform like the last Jets team to re-sign the Packers legend.

Bills 8-9

Six of Buffalo’s eight captains last year changed positions in the offseason, including Stefon Diggs.

Matt Milano’s torn bicep is a huge loss for a Bills defense that ranked fourth in points allowed and ninth in total defense last season.

Josh Allen is about to show us if he really is elite. Fair or not, Buffalo’s fate and Allen’s own standing among the game’s best quarterbacks hinge on his performance in 2024.

Patriots 4-13

Here’s what this season means for New England: The development of Drake Maye.

That’s it. This is a list.

However, Jacoby Brissett is still in the early stages of the season, so there’s no telling when the Patriots will truly return to action.

AFC West

Bosses 12-5

Patrick Mahomes has been called the Steph Curry of the NFL. And like Curry, he has Kansas City in the midst of a dynasty reminiscent of the Golden State Warriors of the 2010s.

The Chiefs added Marquise Brown (a poor man’s Tyreek Hill) and drafted Xavier Worthy, another quarterback with speed on the track. So expect more video game numbers from Kansas City, more double-digit wins and a deep playoff run that threatens to do something unprecedented.

Chargers 10-7

Trouble has followed Jim Harbaugh to Los Angeles, and the travel will ensure his return to the NFL won’t be as successful as hoped.

The Chargers’ 26,803 miles of travel this season and 36 time zone changes are easily the most in the NFL, which will keep L.A. near .500 — that and a lackluster group of skill-position players to support Justin Herbert. But I have a feeling Harbaugh will unlock Herbert enough to finally make the playoffs.

Invaders 9-8

Head coach Antonio Pierce has been keeping Mahomes on his toes, a questionable approach for a quarterback who is a ruthless killer on the field.

But even if Christian Wilkins is indeed a “blessing,” there was no such boon on offense when the Raiders settled on Gardner Minshew at quarterback after all six of their quarterbacks were taken in the top 12 of the NFL Draft.

The courage of Pierce and Minshew will allow Vegas to maintain a .500 record at best.

Broncos 3-14

Denver waived Russell Wilson in favor of a trio of “orphan dogs,” including rookie Bo Nix, the surprise 12th overall pick. He’ll start for the Broncos, the first rookie to start in Week 1 at quarterback since John Elway in 1983.

Sean Payton told The Athletic’s Dianna Russini that he believes in Nix as much as he believes in Patrick Mahomes. And he better be right.

Wilson’s release brought in $85 million, by far the biggest dead cap hit in NFL history, so Denver needs to build on the cheap. They’ll get what they paid for in 2024.

AFC South

Texans 12-5

Houston not only added an all-star cast, but also unprecedented production in the form of Stefon Diggs, Josh Mixon and Danielle Hunter.

The three significant acquisitions made the Texans the first team in NFL history to acquire in the offseason the same players who had 100 catches, 1,000 rushing yards and 10 sacks at the rim the previous season.

Assuming age and mileage don’t make acquiring veterans obsolete, C.J. Stroud leading the Texans’ uncapped offense could keep Houston atop an otherwise unimpressive AFC South — and maybe even secure a path to the playoffs.

Jaguars 9-8

I think Brian Thomas (whose parents probably witnessed the funniest moment of draft night) is a star, but he catches passes from the most overrated quarterback in the league.

Two incredible stats about the talented quarterback:

Trevor Lawrence is 1-18 when his defense doesn’t record a single interception

1-18 (.053)!!!

WORST record for any QB

Lawrence has also lost 21 balls over the last 3 seasons.

WORST in the NFL

(no other quarterback even has 15, let alone over 20)

I MUST fix this photo:twitter.com/1bqc2YRXTC

— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) August 28, 2024

If the Jags are worse than I predict, Doug Pederson will probably be done. But I think they’ll be competing for a wild card in the ultra-competitive AFC.

Foals 4-13

Did you know that Indianapolis hasn’t had a player with 6 or more interceptions since Ray Bucannon in 1994, making the Colts the only NFL team without a player with 6 or more interceptions in the not-so-new millennium? (This probably isn’t relevant, but it’s very interesting.)

Anthony Richardson is back from an injury that took away most of his rookie season, but given his lack of experience at both the collegiate and professional levels, I’m genuinely skeptical of his ability to lead the Colts to victory.

Titans 4-13

Tennessee’s rookie quarterback is inextricably linked to mayonnaise. Do I really need to elaborate on that?

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