Handicapping the AFC from a Steelers' Perspective

(Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images)

There is the school of thought that the 32-year-old Brady might not be the same quarterback he was before his injury. Remember Terry Bradshaw's elbow?

Then again, 33-year-old Dan Marino returned from a season-ending ankle injury in 1993 to throw for more than 4,400 yards in 1994.

If you had to bet on Brady slumping or excelling upon his return, which way would you bet?

The Patriots made some nice veteran additions, including running back Fred Taylor, wide receiver Joey Galloway, and cornerback Shawn Springs.

New England doesn’t seem to have a real weakness, but they did have a mediocre run defense in 2008. Only one AFC team with a winning record, Indianapolis, had a worse defense against the run than the Patriots did. New England drafted nose tackle Ron Brace in the second round to address this need.

In comparing the Patriots with the Steelers, it could be said that while the Steelers struggled with offensive rankings in 2008, the Patriots struggled with defensive rankings.

What the Steelers may have on the Patriots is the presence of legitimate defensive stars. No Patriot defenders were named to the Pro Bowl last season for the first time since 2000.

Miami’s old “No Name” defense of the ‘70s was a misnomer, because the Dolphins DID have stars; Nick Buoniconti, Jake Scott, Manny Fernandez.

But Pittsburgh’s “Steel Curtain” had more, which helped them overtake the Dolphins in that era.

If the Steelers and Patriots meet in the playoffs, Pittsburgh would have to utilize this advantage with an influential turnover or other big defensive stand to win.

That said, here are my predictions for the AFC Playoffs, with five of the teams capable of ending their season in Miami. 

1. Pittsburgh (13-3)—Have more stars than any other team in the conference.
2. New England (12-4)—Perhaps the most complete team in the AFC. They’ll visit Heinz Field for the Super Bowl again.
3. Houston (11-5)—This will be their breakout season. But can they win a divisional playoff game on the road?
4. Oakland (10-6)—Another surprise, but one-and-done in the postseason.
5. Baltimore (12-4)—Consistent, but Flacco needs better receivers.
6. Miami (11-5)—Don’t dismiss.

You're currently logged into Facebook

Do you want to share your Bleacher Report activity on Facebook?