The AFC Playoffs begin this weekend, and while there are a lot of great teams in the playoffs, each team does have at least one notable concern, and this is typical, as the NFL is the toughest league to win in, and with as many players as there are on a roster, there are bound to be some weak spots.
This is where the coaching staff comes into play - great coaching staffs are able to cover up weaknesses and play to their players strengths. There is no such thing as a perfect player, so in many instances, things come down to who can make the least amount of mistakes.
Let's talk about the biggest concern for each AFC playoff team ahead of Wild Card Weekend.
1 major concern from every AFC playoff team ahead of Wild Card Weekend
Denver Broncos - Lack of a consistent run game
The Denver Broncos rushing attack has taken a noticeable hit with JK Dobbins not in the lineup. He went down all the way back in Week 10, and there appears to be a shot that he could return by the AFC Championship Game if Denver were to make it that far. Not being able to run the ball well is a huge issue in the playoffs.
New England Patriots - Inexperience and lack of track record against good teams
The New England Patriots won a ton of games this year, but their schedule was incredibly soft, so the lack of quality wins and overall inexperience could limit what they could do in the postseason. The Pats might not be able to rise to the occasion.
Jacksonville Jaguars - Overall inexperience
The Jacksonville Jaguars have had a great season thus far, but a year one coaching staff and roster that doesn't have a ton of playoff experience, could, like New England in a way, limit what they can do in the postseason. The Buffalo Bills are the sixth seed and coming to town, so the Jags won't exactly have an easy Wild Card matchup.
Pittsburgh Steelers - Does not excel at anything
The Pittsburgh Steelers rank 15th in points per game and 17th in points allowed per game. Nothing about this squad screams playoff team - they simply do not to anything well, and that is one of the biggest issues that plauges a playoff team. How is Pittsburgh going to create an advantage over the Houston Texans in year one?
Houston Texans - Is CJ Stroud good enough?
CJ Stroud has been fine this year, but he's regressed since that insane rookie season, and he's really been a bit average since then. We all know the defense is exceptional, but is Stroud good enough to lead them deep into the postseason? Their playoff runs have ended in the Divisional Round in 2023 and 2024.
Buffalo Bills - Beginning to rely too much on Josh Allen
The Buffalo Bills have a relatively average roster outside of Josh Allen and James Cook. It really feels like this year, more than in previous years, Josh Allen's presence will have to be elevated. When that happens, though, we can sometimes see him get into trouble with some untimely turnovers. The Bills don't have a Super Bowl-caliber roster and might not have the personnel around Allen to make a run.
Los Angeles Chargers - Offensive Line
Arguably the worst offensive line in the NFL, the Los Angeles Chargers could very easily go one-and-done since they cannot adequately protect Justin Herbert. It's really that simple - the trenches are what decides games in today's NFL, and the Chargers' OL is flat-out horrendous.