NFL Buy Or Sell: Investing In Each AFC Team's Playoff Hopes

Six teams from each conference make the playoffs each year, and about half of them miss out the following year.

Last season, only five playoff participants, and only one from the NFC, were also in the playoffs in 2007.

I'm taking a look around the NFL and gauging each team's playoff hopes. 

Today, I'm judging the AFC.

AFC North

Baltimore Ravens

2008 result: 11-5, lost AFC championship game

Offensive ranks: 11th in points, 18th in yards

Defensive ranks: Third in points, second in yards

Biggest offseason gain:Offensive line help. The Ravens lost C Jason Brown to free agency, but replaced him with Matt Birk. The Ravens also selected LT Michael Oher in the draft.

Biggest offseason loss: Defensive coordinator Rex Ryan never had a defense ranked lower than sixth in his ten years at Baltimore.

Buyer beware:More will be expected of Joe Flacco in year two, and Baltimore virtually added no help at wide receiver for Flacco.

Buy or Sell: BUY

Cincinnati Bengals

2008 result: 4-11-1, missed playoffs

Offensive ranks: Last in points, last in yards

Defensive ranks: 19th in points, 12th in yards

Biggest offseason gain: The health of QB Carson Palmer. When healthy, Palmer is a top five NFL quarterback.

Biggest offseason loss: Wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh

Buyer beware: Even with the return of Carson Palmer, the Bengals still need a running game. Right now, they don't have one.

Buy or Sell: SELL

Cleveland Browns

2008 result: 4-12, missed playoffs

Offensive ranks: 30th in points, 31st in yards

Defensive ranks: 17th in points, 26th in yards

Biggest offseason gain: Rookie center Alex Mack helps to give the Browns an above average offensive line.

Biggest offseason loss: Safety Sean Jones was second on the team with four interceptions.

Buyer beware: Coach Eric Mangini is likely going to play a quarterback with three career starts (Brady Quinn), along with a receiver that had a case of the stone hands  last year (Braylon Edwards), and two rookie receivers. Yikes.

Buy or Sell: SELL

Pittsburgh Steelers

2008 result:12-4, won division, won Super Bowl XLIII

Offensive ranks: 20th in points, 22nd in yards

Defensive ranks: First in points, first in yards

Biggest offseason gain: Rookie defensive tackle Evander Hood

Biggest offseason loss: Quarterback Byron Leftwich gave the Steelers a solid No. 2 quarterback.

Buyer beware: This was a very average offensive team in the regular season.

Buy or Sell: BUY

AFC South

Houston Texans

2008 result: 8-8, missed playoffs

Offensive ranks: 17th in points, third in yards

Defensive ranks: 27th in points, 22nd in yards

Biggest offseason gain:Defensive end Antonio Smith

Biggest offseason loss:With the departure of Ahman Green, the Texans do not have a solid backup option behind Steve Slaton.

Buyer beware: The Texans still have not made the playoffs, and are regarded by many to be no better than the third-best team in the division.

Buy or Sell: BUY

Indianapolis Colts

2008 result:12-4, lost in Wild Card Round

Offensive ranks: 13th in points, 15th in yards

Defensive ranks: Seventh in points, 11th in yards

Biggest offseason gain: Rookie running back Donald Brown gives the Colts a solid option behind Joseph Addai.

Biggest offseason loss:Head coach Tony Dungy

Buyer beware: The first half of last season reminded us that the Colts are not a playoff team if Peyton Manning is not close to 100 percent.

Buy or Sell: BUY

Jacksonville Jaguars

2008 result: 5-11, missed playoffs

Offensive ranks: 24th in points, 20th in yards

Defensive ranks: 21st in points, 17th in yards

Biggest offseason gain: No team addressed their needs at offensive line more than the Jaguars. They signed Tra Thomas, and then used their first two draft picks on offensive tackles.

Biggest offseason loss: Wide receiver Matt Jones. The former first-round pick was the Jaguars top receiver, but his off-field problems were too much.

Buyer beware: Last season, Fred Taylor alluded to locker room and chemistry issues when he said that the 2008 Jaguars were the worst team he had ever been on.

Buy or Sell: SELL

Tennessee Titans

2008 result:13-3, lost in Divisional Round.

Offensive ranks: 15th in points, 21st in yards

Defensive ranks: Second in points, seventh in yards

Biggest offseason gain: The amount of young players they added to the depth chart.  The Titans drafted six players in the first four rounds and 11 overall.

Biggest offseason loss:Defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth

Buyer beware: Tennessee's inconsistent offense cost them in the playoffs.

Buy or Sell: BUY

AFC East

Buffalo Bills

2008 result: 7-9, missed playoffs

Offensive ranks: 23rd in points, 25th in yards

Defensive ranks: 14th in points, 14th in yards

Biggest offseason gain: Wide receiver Terrell Owens

Biggest offseason loss:Guard Derrick Dockery

Buyer beware: The Bills were the hottest team in the league when they started 4-0.  However, they only won three more games the rest of the season. They need to learn to sustain success.

Buy or Sell: BUY

Miami Dolphins

2008 result:11-5, division champs, lost in Wild Card Round.

Offensive ranks: 21st in points, 12th in yards

Defensive ranks: Ninth in points, 15th in yards

Biggest offseason gain: Rookie Quarterback Pat Williams improves the Wildcat Offense with his passing ability.

Biggest offseason loss: The Dolphins lost eight of their 18 interceptions from last season with the departures of Andre Goodman and Renaldo Hill.

Buyer beware: While the Wildcat proved difficult to prepare for last year, it won't sneak up on anyone this year.

Buy or Sell: BUY

New England Patriots

2008 result: 11-5, missed playoffs

Offensive ranks: Eighth in points, fifth in yards

Defensive ranks: Eighth in points, 10th in yards

Biggest offseason gain: The return of Tom Brady.

Biggest offseason loss: Safety Rodney Harrison

Buyer beware: All reports out of New England is that Brady's rehab is going well, but one has to wonder how long it will take for him to be fully confident in the knee in live action.

Buy or Sell: BUY

New York Jets

2008 result: 9-7, missed playoffs

Offensive ranks: Ninth in points, 16th in yards

Defensive ranks: 18th in points, 16th in yards

Biggest offseason gain: Quarterback Mark Sanchez

Biggest offseason loss: Though he didn't have his best season, it would have been nice if Sanchez could throw to a veteran like Laveranues Coles.

Buyer beware:If you expect that Mark Sanchez is going to have a season like Matt Ryan or Joe Flacco had as rookies, you are kidding yourself. Those rookie seasons were exceptions, not the norm.

Buy or Sell: SELL

AFC West

Denver Broncos

2008 result: 8-8, missed playoffs

Offensive ranks: 16th in points, second in yards

Defensive ranks: 30th in points, 29th in yards

Biggest offseason gain: Head coach Josh McDaniels is the unquestioned head man in Denver, whether you like it or not.

Biggest offseason loss: Quarterback Jay Cutler

Buyer beware: The AFC West was the worst division in the AFC, and the Broncos couldn't make the playoffs. Maybe the Jay Cutler trade makes them better for the long haul, but they got worse in the short term.

Buy or Sell: SELL

Kansas City Chiefs

2008 result: 2-14, picked in the top five of the draft for the second straight year.

Offensive ranks: 26th in points, 24th in yards

Defensive ranks: 29th in points, 31st in yards

Biggest offseason gain: Quarterback Matt Cassel

Biggest offseason loss: The Chiefs didn't lose anyone of significance.

Buyer beware: Now that he's out of the Belichick cocoon, we'll see how good Cassel really is.

Buy or Sell: SELL

Oakland Raiders

2008 result: 5-11, missed playoffs

Offensive ranks: 29th in points, 29th in yards

Defensive ranks: 24th in points, 27th in yards

Biggest offseason gain: Quarterback Jeff Garcia's presence should tell JaMarcus Russell that if he doesn't get the job done, the Raiders have someone else who will. Garcia won with less talent in Tampa Bay.

Biggest offseason loss: Center Jake Grove

Buyer beware: The Raiders were second-worst in the league in stopping the run last year.

Buy or Sell: BUY

San Diego Chargers

2008 result:8-8, division champs, lost in Divisional Round.

Offensive ranks: Second in points, 11th in yards

Defensive ranks: 15th in points, 25th in yards

Biggest offseason gain:Applying the franchise tag to RB Darren Sproles keeps the Chargers dynamic rushing duo intact for at least one more season.

Biggest offseason loss: Defensive end Igor Olshansky was a starter for the Chargers for five years.

Buyer beware: Running back LaDainian Tomlinson hits the dreaded age of 30 next week. There are questions about whether or not LT's career is in decline. He'll answer those questions this year.

Buy or Sell: BUY

The way I see it, 10 teams have at least a decent shot at making the playoffs in the AFC, and every division is up for grabs.

This kind of parity is part of what makes the NFL so exciting to follow and watch.