2022 NFL Power Rankings Week 1: Bills ready to make a run
By Randy Gurzi
team. 46. . . Previous: 16th. Indianapolis Colts. 16
16. Indianapolis Colts
The AFC South seems as though it will be a two-team race between the Indianapolis Colts and Tennessee Titans. Indy had a shot at making the playoffs a year ago but Carson Wentz struggled to deliver in the clutch. That’s why he’s now in Washington and the Colts added Matt Ryan.
There’s some concern that Ryan might not bounce back following a couple of seasons where he was repeatedly beaten up by opposing defenses thanks to Atlanta’s porous offensive line, but if he does, this team could make some waves.
. . Previous: 17th. New England Patriots. 15. team. 47
15. New England Patriots
It didn’t take long for Bill Belichick to get his team back on track. New England missed the postseason in their first year after Tom Brady left but then in 2021, they made it back after giving the Bills a run for their money in the AFC East.
Defensively, they’re as strong as ever and they hope Mac Jones can make a leap after having a full year under his belt now. They might not take out Buffalo, but they’ll be in the mix for a Wild Card spot.
. . Previous: 12th. Las Vegas Raiders. 14. team. 28
14. Las Vegas Raiders
The Las Vegas Raiders enter the season as the bottom-ranked team in the AFC West, yet they still make the top 15 in our 2022 NFL Power Rankings. The West is disgustingly stacked this season with four top-15 quarterbacks, and each team could seemingly make the playoffs.
Vegas was in the postseason a year ago and while the Chargers beefed up their defense and the Broncos landed Russell Willson, the Raiders improved on both sides of the ball with the addition of Davante Adams and Chandler Jones. If anything, this should be a fun season for AFC West teams.
59. . . Previous: 19th. Miami Dolphins. 13. team
13. Miami Dolphins
Mike McDaniel was one of the better hires this offseason and should be able to turn the Miami Dolphins’ running game around. He’s also looking to improve their passing game, with the addition of Tyreek Hill and Cedrick Wilson.
The lone question continues to be Tua Tgovailoa. The former first-round pick has been up and down to this point in his career, but if he can get on track, they can be a tough contender.