12. Tennessee Titans
If you're asking me which AFC team I think could be this year's "surprise" playoff team, I'm taking the Tennessee Titans.
I think they have all the makings of being a breakout team. There's not an official checklist, but these are typically some non-negotiables:
- Talented QB poised for breakthrough
- Good coaching
- Upgraded weapons
- Major upgrades on the defensive front
The Titans have added a ton over the last two offseasons, but the moves they made this year to hire Robert Saleh and Brian Daboll to their coaching staff, as well as go out and get a bunch of strong veterans for their defensive line...
This team needs Cam Ward to break out, obviously, but the pieces are all there to see something good happen.
11. Indianapolis Colts
It's not impossible that the Colts could quickly ascend into the top five in our AFC Power Rankings at the start of the 2026 season.
For the first 10 games of the 2025 campaign, the Colts were almost unanimously considered the best team in the league. Their offense was borderline unstoppable heading into the bye, and there was a point in the first month or so of the season that they had the longest stretch of drives ending in points.
With a healthy Daniel Jones, this Colts team has serious potential. It feels like this season is in the "all or nothing" category for Shane Steichen, and maybe that doesn't mean "Super Bowl", but it might mean winning the division.
Steichen has still done a great job of putting his players in positions to thrive, but does this team strike anyone as a true contender in the AFC? They don't have the depth required to outlast teams like the Texans and maybe even the Jaguars in their own division, even if they can go toe-to-toe with most when fully healthy.
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