The AFC is set to be a hyper-competitive conference in 2022. Let’s get crazy and make three bold predictions within the conference for the new NFL season.
While hard to believe, the AFC managed to get even better heading into 2022. The conference had a whopping six teams reach double-digit win totals, with 10 teams in total sporting a winning record.
The AFC saw the insertion of a ton of All-Pro level players, including Russell Wilson, Deshaun Watson and his return, JC Jackson, Khalil Mack, and Davante Adams.
Other top-notch players now on AFC teams include Terron Armstead, Sebastian Joseph-Day, and Randy Gregory. A plethora of AFC clubs went all out in the offseason, making huge signings and trades to try and create the best roster possible.
Because of this, the conference is set to feature perhaps the deepest pool of viable teams that it’s ever seen.
I think arguments could be made for a whopping 14/16 teams to finish with winning records, and I think we will see more than six teams hit double-digit wins in the AFC.
It’s going to be a bloodbath, and perhaps the AFC teams beating up on each other will bode well for the NFC in the long run.
As for the NFC, some of the top teams last year got a bit weaker, and I think the talent level overall is nowhere near the AFC.
The NFC is still going to send the seven most deserving teams to the playoffs, but I would expect the AFC to win the Super Bowl this year, breaking a two-year streak of NFC teams winning it.
So, let’s make some bold predictions for the AFC for the 2022 NFL season.
Three bold predictions for the AFC in 2022
1. 11 teams win double-digit games
This one might be a bit out of reach, but the talent is there for this to happen. If this were to happen, you would see quite a few teams with very low win totals in both conferences, since you’d have more than 10 teams with double-digit wins.
So, which 11 teams are going to win 10 games or more in the AFC?
The Chiefs, Chargers, Raiders, Broncos, Bills, Patriots, Dolphins, Browns, Titans, Bengals, and Ravens will all win at least 10 games.
Obviously, there would have to be four of these teams not qualifying for the playoffs.
My playoff teams include the Bills, Bengals, Broncos, Chiefs, Chargers, Browns, and Titans.
This would leave the Raiders, Patriots, Dolphins, and Ravens all winning 10 or more games and sitting at home in January and February.
While this probably won’t happen, I would have no issue making an argument for all of these teams to win a ton of games and make the playoffs.
All of these clubs have one or more of the following: an elite quarterback, elite offensive weapons, great defensive pieces including valuable positions like cornerback and edge rusher, and excellent coaching.
Some teams may have all of these, but all of these teams have some.
It’s going to be a bloodbath in the AFC in 2022.