Miami Dolphins: Breaking Down the AFC and Playoff Expectations

The Miami Dolphins are a young team brimming with talent.  While Jeff Ireland has been widely criticized for Miami's recent failures, the 2013 offseason has been nothing short of brilliant for the general manager and his franchise.

The Dolphins have added Pro Bowlers such as Mike Wallace, Brent Grimes and Tyson Clabo.  Miami added arguably the fastest tight end they have ever had in Dustin Keller.  The Dolphins also re-signed the steady Brian Hartline and already boast Mike Pouncey, Cameron Wake and Reshad Jones on their roster.  

In additon, Miami drafted several players who can have an immediate impact such as Dion Jordan, Jamar Taylor, Dallas Thomas, Dion Sims and Caleb Sturgis.

The Dolphins also have a young quarterback that is full of promise in Ryan Tannehill who will determine Miami's fate in the upcoming season. Everything points up for this pocket phenom.

With the Miami Dolphins poised to make a strong playoff push in 2013, I will attempt to predict where the Dolphins will stand in the AFC based on their 2013 schedule and that of their key competitors.

Denver Broncos, 13-3

The Denver Broncos may have lost Elvis Dumervil, but they added Wes Welker, Louis Vasquez, Terrance Knighton, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Shaun Phillips and Quentin Jammer, among others.  Denver is the favorite to take the AFC title, according to NFL.com.

Week 1 vs Baltimore Ravens WIN

Week 2 @ New York Giants LOSS

Week 3 vs Oakland Raiders WIN

Week 4 vs Philadelphia Eagles WIN

Week 5 @ Dallas Cowboys WIN

Week 6 vs Jacksonville Jaguars WIN

Week 7 @ Indianapolis Colts WIN

Week 8 vs Washington Redskins WIN

Week 9 BYE

Week 10 @ San Diego Chargers WIN

Week 11 vs Kansas City Chiefs WIN

Week 12 @ New England Patriots WIN

Week 13 @ Kansas City Chiefs WIN

Week 14 vs Tennessee Titans WIN

Week 15 vs San Diego Chargers WIN

Week 16 @Houston Texans LOSS

Week 17 @ Oakland Raiders LOSS

The Broncos will likely see some late losses as they rest starters after dominating their division.  For Peyton Manning, this is familiar territory.

Houston Texans, 12-4

The Houston Texans signed Ed Reed while keeping their roster mostly intact.  The Texans will once again be major players in the AFC title hunt, but they have a major question mark at quarterback.  

Matt Schaub is surrounded by talent such as Arian Foster and Andre Johnson, but has shown a high level of inconsistency.  Despite his 90.7 quarterback rating in 2012, Schaub had six games where he had a QB rating of 72.1 or less.

Week 1 @ San Diego Chargers WIN

Week 2 vs Tennessee Titans WIN

Week 3 @ Baltimore Ravens LOSS

Week 4 vs Seattle Seahawks LOSS

Week 5 @ San Francisco 49ers LOSS

Week 6 vs St. Louis Rams WIN

Week 7 @ Kansas City Chiefs WIN

Week 8 BYE

Week 9 vs Indianapolis Colts WIN

Week 10 @ Arizona Cardinals WIN

Week 11 vs Oakland Raiders WIN

Week 12 vs Jacksonville Jaguars WIN

Week 13 vs New England Patriots WIN

Week 14 @ Jacksonville Jaguars WIN

Week 15 @ Indianapolis Colts LOSS

Week 16 vs Denver Broncos WIN

Week 17 @ Tennessee Titans WIN

The Texans have a difficult stretch early on but have an easy schedule, overall.  They have four divisional games against the Jaguars and Titans complemented with matchups against the Rams, Chiefs, Cardinals and Raiders.

New England Patriots, 12-4

The New England Patriots have Tom Brady and that alone makes them a frontrunner for the AFC crown.  

All is not well in Foxborough though as Wes Welker left to Denver, Rob Gronkowski has a battered body and Aaron Hernandez may be suspended for the upcoming season.

Ryan Wilson of CBSSports.com wrote that Gronkowski's recent back surgery went well but his colleague, Jason La Canfora added that Gronkowski will likely miss all of training camp.  The star tight end also had lingering problems with his left forearm, which he broke last season.

According to Wilson, Hernandez may reportedly have had a part in the homicide of semi-professional football player, Odin Lloyd.  Despite what Hernandez's lawyer may think, the ex-Gator's behavior in the days after the murder were not those of an innocent man, or, at least, of a person who was not involved.  Who destroys the security system at their house and their cell phone just for fun?

Week 1 @ Buffalo Bills WIN

Week 2 vs New York Jets WIN

Week 3 vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers WIN

Week 4 @ Atlanta Falcons LOSS

Week 5 @ Cincinnati Bengals WIN

Week 6 vs New Orleans LOSS

Week 7 @ New York Jets WIN

Week 8 vs Miami Dolphins WIN

Week 9 vs Pittsburgh Steelers WIN

Week 10 BYE

Week 11 @ Carolina Panthers WIN

Week 12 vs Denver Broncos LOSS

Week 13 @ Houston Texans LOSS

Week 14 vs Cleveland Browns WIN

Week 15 @ Miami Dolphins WIN

Week 16 @ Baltimore Ravens WIN

Week 17 vs Buffalo Bills WIN

For the aforementioned reasons, New England's offense will be less potent and Miami will not be too far behind in the division race.

Cincinnati Bengals, 9-7

Like the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers, the Cincinnati Bengals did not add much to their team via free agency.

 Unlike the Ravens and Steelers, however, the Bengals did not lose key players either.

 Cincinnati has a stud receiver in A.J. Green and added more offensive firepower in Tyler Eifert and Giovani Bernard.  Clark Judge of CBSSports.com believes Green will be "off charts" in 2013. 

Week 1 @ Chicago Bears LOSS

Week 2 vs Pittsburgh Steelers WIN

Week 3 vs Green Bay Packers LOSS

Week 4 @ Cleveland Browns WIN

Week 5 vs New England Patriots LOSS

Week 6 @ Buffalo Bills WIN

Week 7 @ Detroit Lions WIN

Week 8 vs New York Jets WIN

Week 9 @ Miami Dolphins LOSS

Week 10 @ Baltimore Ravens LOSS

Week 11 vs Cleveland Browns WIN

Week 12 BYE

Week 13 @ San Diego Chargers LOSS

Week 14 vs Indianapolis Colts WIN

Week 15 @ Pittsburgh Steelers LOSS

Week 16 vs Minnesota Vikings WIN

Week 17 vs Baltimore Ravens WIN

The Cincinnati Bengals will win the AFC North and be the conference's fourth seed.

Miami Dolphins, 11-5

The Miami Dolphins could have made the playoffs last year with some lucky breaks and some Dan Carpenter accuracy.  After their 7-9 campaign, they exponentially improved the talent on their roster.  A playoff run should be expected.

Week 1 @ Cleveland Browns WIN

Week 2 @ Indianapolis Colts WIN

Week 3 vs Atlanta Falcons LOSS

Week 4 @ New Orleans Saints LOSS

Week 5 vs Baltimore Ravens WIN

Week 6 BYE

Week 7 vs Buffalo Bills WIN

Week 8 @ New England Patriots LOSS

Week 9 vs Cincinnati Bengals WIN

Week 10 @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers WIN

Week 11 vs San Diego Chargers WIN

Week 12 vs Carolina Panthers WIN

Week 13 @ New York Jets LOSS

Week 14 @ Pittsburgh Steelers WIN

Week 15 New England Patriots LOSS

Week 16 @ Buffalo Bills WIN

Week 17 vs New York Jets WIN

The Miami Dolphins will be the fifth seed in the AFC, but will be dangerous in the playoffs.

Indianapolis Colts, 9-7

Like last year, the Indianapolis Colts do not have the talent on their roster to be a contender in the AFC and Marc Sessler of NFL.com believes the Colts are primed for a step back. 

The Colts made the playoffs due to the outstanding play of rookie quarterback Andrew Luck, and as long as he's their field general, Indianapolis will be in the hunt.

Week 1 vs Oakland Raiders WIN

Week 2 vs Miami Dolphins LOSS

Week 3 @ San Francisco 49ers LOSS

Week 4 @ Jacksonville Jaguars WIN

Week 5 vs Seattle Seahawks LOSS

Week 6 @ San Diego Chargers WIN

Week 7 vs Denver Broncos LOSS

Week 8 BYE

Week 9 @ Houston Texans LOSS

Week 10 vs St. Louis Rams WIN

Week 11 @ Tennessee Titans WIN

Week 12 @ Arizona Cardinals WIN

Week 13 vs Tennessee Titans WIN

Week 14 @ Cincinnati Bengals LOSS

Week 15 vs Houston Texans WIN

Week 16 @ Kansas City Chiefs LOSS

Week 17 vs Jacksonville Jaguars WIN

Once again, the Indianapolis Colts will sneak into the playoffs.

Baltimore Ravens, 8-8

The Baltimore Ravens are no juggernaut, barely winning their division against the Cincinnati Bengals, who had an equal 10-6 record in 2012.  

The Super Bowl champions and quarterback Joe Flacco raised their games when it counted.  Despite that, it is fair to say that the Ravens were not the best team in the AFC last year.  With the losses of Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, Dannell Ellerbe, Paul Kruger and potentially Vonta Leach, the Ravens are a weaker team.  

The additions of Elvis Dumervil and Chris Canty are not enough to save Baltimore from a disappointing campaign.

Week 1 @ Denver Broncos LOSS

Week 2 vs Cleveland Browns WIN

Week 3 vs Houston Texans WIN

Week 4 @ Buffalo Bills WIN

Week 5 @ Miami Dolphins LOSS

Week 6 vs Green Bay Packers LOSS

Week 7 @ Pittsburgh Steelers LOSS

Week 8 BYE

Week 9 @ Cleveland Browns WIN

Week 10 vs Cincinnati Bengals WIN

Week 11 @ Chicago Bears LOSS

Week 12 vs New York Jets WIN

Week 13 vs Pittsburgh Steelers WIN

Week 14 vs Minnesota Vikings WIN

Week 15 @ Detroit Lions LOSS

Week 16 vs New England Patriots LOSS

Week 17 @ Cincinnati Bengals LOSS

A difficult road schedule, coupled with tough divisional games, will keep the Ravens from a winning record.

Pittsburgh Steelers, 8-8

The Pittsburgh Steelers lost Mike Wallace, James Harrison and Casey Hampton while only bringing in impact players like Jarvis Jones via the draft.  While the Steelers cannot be blamed for choosing to become younger, they are clearly building for the future, but now is not their time.

Week 1 vs Tennessee Titans WIN

Week 2 @ Cincinnati Bengals LOSS

Week 3 vs Chicago Bears LOSS

Week 4 @ Minnesota Vikings LOSS

Week 5 BYE

Week 6 @ New York Jets WIN

Week 7 vs Baltimore Ravens WIN

Week 8 @ Oakland Raiders WIN

Week 9 @ New England Patriots LOSS

Week 10 vs Buffalo Bills WIN

Week 11 vs Detroit Lions LOSS

Week 12 @ Cleveland Browns WIN

Week 13 @ Baltimore Ravens LOSS

Week 14 vs Miami Dolphins LOSS

Week 15 vs Cincinnati Bengals WIN

Week 16 @ Green Bay Packers LOSS

Week 17 vs Cleveland Browns WIN

The Pittsburgh Steelers' offense was lethargic last year and they lost their most explosive offensive weapon in Mike Wallace.  Can Le'Veon Bell and Markus Wheaton be Pittsburgh's saviors?  Don't hold your breath, Steeler fans.