The AFC is loaded, and the 2022 season in the conference is set to be ultra-competitive. Which 7 teams, though, will make it to the postseason?
In the AFC, an argument can be made for as many as 13 teams to make the playoffs in 2022.
The only three teams that probably do not have a shot are the Jets, Texans, and Jaguars. However, each of those clubs seems to be trending a bit upwards.
The other 13 teams in the conference all have one or all of solid quarterbacking, coaching, and elite players on both sides of the ball. Contrast this with the weaker NFC, and it’s easy to see why the AFC is going to be a bloodbath in 2022.
Moreover, many of these teams have young quarterbacks, so their status being some of the best in the conference should not change year to year.
The unfortunate thing is that only 7 teams can make the postseason. It would not surprise me to see 10 or more teams all have winning records. The AFC was very good and quite deep last year, and it somehow got better this year.
The Broncos vaulted themselves into contention, as did the Raiders, Browns, Dolphins, and perhaps others.
It’s hard to predict which 7 teams will make the postseason, but it will be even harder to see where they fall seeding-wise.
So, let’s take our best shot at this.
NFL 2022 Way too early AFC seeding predictions, No. 1 Seed
1. Buffalo Bills
The Bills over the past couple of seasons were clearly the little brother to the Kansas City Chiefs. However, the Bills were very aggressive in free agency, rebuilding their front seven which included signing Von Miller, and making a very underrated free agency signing along the offensive line in Roger Saffold.
The Bills are making the best push they can to get past Kansas City.
Kansas City’s free agency period has been less than inspiring, though, as they traded away Tyreek Hill, replaced Tyrann Mathieu with a good but not great player, and overpaid for Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Juju Smith-Schuster.
I think the Bills are probably going to end the season as the top team in the AFC. They are a step or two above the up-and-coming Patriots, and the Dolphins are in year one of the Mike McDaniel era.
Sure, Buffalo might lose a game or two within their division, but their overall talent is hard to dispute.
Is this the year that Buffalo finally gets through Kansas City?