AFC Preview: Don't Forget About The Pats

Despite being one season removed from going 16-0, the New England Patriots are seemingly a forgotten franchise. Never mind the fact that the Pats went 11-5 last year playing essentially the entire season with their backup quarterback.

Of course, the Patriots didn't make the playoffs in a very competitive AFC and now it seems like the chic thing is to pick somebody else to reach the Super Bowl.

Bad idea. The Pats are stacked, have the best quarterback and coach in the league and maybe even more importantly, they are not happy after last year's "down" season.

Challenging the Patriots are any number of teams, from defending the Super Bowl champs, the Pittsburgh Steelers, to the always tough Indianapolis Colts. Don't forget Chargers, who had a down season of their own.

Like my NFC preview (published Tuesday), I made my picks by combing over the master NFL schedule and picking the winners of each games. While the NFC played out how I thought it would in my head before I started, the AFC had a few surprises. Heck, I may even be accused of being a homer.

If you missed by NFC predictions, check them out. My playoff predictions will be in Thursday.

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AFC East

Frankly, it should scare the rest of the league that the Patriots can go 11-5 with Matt Cassel at quarterback. No disrespect to Cassel, but he isn't Tom Brady. The Golden Boy is back and it's hard to imagine the Pats getting stopped too many times. Prediction: 12-4.

Buffalo added Terrell Owens to give the franchise some big-play potential on offense. Owens definitely brings the hammer, but he also brings a van full of baggage. Like him or not, T.O's teams tend to win, at least for a little while. Prediction: 8-8.

The Dolphins were the surprise team of the NFL last year, going from 1-15 to 11-5. Part of that was scheduling, part of that was the fact that the Fins were no where as bad as they looked. But they're not an 11-win team and I expect them to take a step back. Prediction: 7-9.

OK, Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco started as rookies and took their teams to the playoffs. But I am not a firm believer in rookies coming in and having success right away. Last season was a anomaly. Mark Sanchez's first year will be more indicative of a rookie QB in the NFL. Prediction: 3-13.

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AFC North

This might have been the biggest surprise of any of the teams I looked at. Sure, the Steelers won the Super Bowl and you can never count them out, but the offensive line in shaky and the defense isn't as dominate as its hype. Still, it's the Steelers and they have a wicked easy schedule. Prediction: 13-3.

My second biggest surprise came with the team that has been pushed around by the Steelers for most of its 40 years in existence. Carson Palmer is back and while the Bengals have issues with their offensive line, much like the Steelers, there seems to be something sparking in Cincy. Maybe I've just been "Knocked" up. Prediction: 11-5.

The Ravens went from scrap heap to AFC title game and they did it with a rookie quarterback. Joe Flacco is the real deal, but there are still issues on offense. But then again, what else is new? Prediction: 10-6.

Derek Anderson or Brady Quinn? Nobody seems to know, including Eric Mangini. It really doesn't matter though. The Browns still have an awful defense and they got rid of all their skill players on offense. Good luck, Ander-Quinn. Prediction: 4-12.

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AFC South

The Colts switched head coaches, have issues at tackle and Bob Sanders has begun his yearly stint of sitting in a hospital bed rather than playing. Of course the Colts still have Peyton Manning and Reggie Wayne and the rookie Donald Brown is a keeper. Prediction: 11-5.

The Jaguars are one of those teams that seem to disappoint every year. Each season, they have the look of a team that is ready to bust out but they never quite make it. This year looks the same. I'll never learn. Prediction: 10-6.

The Titans looked unbeatable for three months last year and then reality caught up to them. There is still a lot to like, but this is not a team that is going to roll through people again. Prediction: 9-7.

Quietly, the Texans have built a pretty nice program down in Houston. I'm still not sold on quarterback Matt Schaub, but everything else is solid. Unless Schaub can take the next step, the Texans will continue to be on the bottom looking up. Prediction: 9-7.

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AFC West

I'd like to say that the Chargers are just this much better than the rest of the division, but let's face it, this could be the worst division in the history of football. San Diego could win six games and still win this division. Prediction: 11-5.

I could easily write the exact same thing for the next three teams, but since that's not what I'm paid to do, I'll TRY to write something different. So, umm, the Raiders' coach can beat up your coach! Prediction: 4-12.

Hire a flash in the pan head coach? Check. Overpaid for a quarterback? Check. Watched said quarterback crumple in a heap on the field? Check. Fire your offensive coordinator two weeks before the season starts? Check. When three games? Check. Your 2009 Chiefs! Prediction: 3-13.

How bad are the Broncos? The Chiefs make them look like a model franchise. How did this happen? Thank God I'm not a Broncos fan. Prediction: 3-13.

Coming tomorrow: Playoffs!