8. Pittsburgh Steelers, 5-2
I am just not sold on the Pittsburgh Steelers, as they feel like the same exact team they have been the past few seasons - they can win more than they lose due to their overall experience, but they don't really excel at much of anything and don't really threaten you much of anywhere.
Sure, they're not a bad team by any means, but the Steelers play a rock-solid Wild Card team. Far from a contender, Pittsburgh is again primed to finish with 9 or 10 wins and a likely first-round playoff exit.
7. Baltimore Ravens, 4-3
The Baltimore Ravens are a very good football team, but they're only a very good team with Lamar Jackson in the lineup. Jackson could play this weekend, but it's not a guarantee. Baltimore does still have issues in the second half of games, which was present even in the John Harbaugh era, but this roster is oozing with talent, and when Jackson is on the field, it's hard to find many teams who can go toe-to-toe with Baltimore.
The Ravens are No. 7 in our power rankings and could rise up quite a bit if Jackson returns soon.
6. New England Patriots, 4-3
New England already has as many losses this year as they did last year in the regular season. We are seeing QB Drake Maye play a lot better, but you can also see a slight regression taking place. New England still feels plenty good enough to get into the playoffs, but given how many other formidable teams are present in the AFC, it's hard to see how the Patriots can stand out unless Maye finds a way to play like he did during his near-MVP season back in 2025.
5. Jacksonville Jaguars, 4-2
The Jacksonville Jaguars were on the bye in Week 7. Coming in at No. 5 in our power rankings, the Jaguars are still getting elite QB play from Trevor Lawrence. Overall, the Jags are an extremely well coached football team with a pretty clear road to another AFC South title, too.
Jacksonville being able to sift through the rest of the juggernauts atop the AFC might be tough, but with how well Lawrence has played, coupled with a stingy defense, the Jaguars could absolutely go on a run, especially if they're able to secure the AFC South title again. The Jags were dangerously close to that top seed last year, too, finishing 13-4.
Add us as a preferred source on Google