That question can be answered with another question. What teams in the AFC aren’t playoff contenders? As the AFC is loaded. There will be several very good teams that don’t make the playoffs this coming season. There is no way around that, as the AFC is that deep.
Just take a look at the quarterbacks in the AFC. Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow, Deshaun Watson (maybe), Matt Ryan, Ryan Tannehill, Patrick Mohomes, Justin Herbert, Derek Carr and Russell Wilson. And if the Dolphins are going to be a playoff team QB Tua Tagovailoa’s name will need to be added to that list of Pro Bowl caliber quarterbacks.
Now, one man doesn’t make a team, but Dolphins’ management has surrounded Tua with some of the best offensive talent in the NFL. Tyreek Hill, one of the top 5 wideouts in the league, along with Cedrick Wilson were added to a receiving corps that already had rookie standout WR Jaylen Waddle and tight end Mike Gesicki.
And to drive the running game that new Head Coach Mike McDaniel prefers, the Fins added 3 talented veteran running backs – Raheem Mostert, Chase Edmonds and Sony Michel.
And if that wasn’t enough, to protect Tua and to open holes for the running backs, Miami signed Pro Bowl offensive tackle Terron Armstead and guard/center Connor Williams as free agents.
It will be up to Tua to be the fulcrum of the offense, so hopefully it will be an offense that Dolfans haven’t seen since the days of Dan Marino. Quarterbacks always get too much of the credit in the good times and too much of the blame when things go bad and the same will apply to Tua this year, but the onus will be on him to make it happen.
While Miami could very well have a top 10 offense in the NFL this season, the same can also be said for their defense, which returns all its starters from last year. Plus they have added veteran edge rusher Melvin Ingram and 3rd round draft pick linebacker Channing Tindall to the mix. Can defensive coordinator Josh Hoyer continue to make the right calls or was ex-head coach Brian Flores the genius behind the defense last year? We will soon find out.
Any team with a top 10 offense and a top 10 defense should make the playoffs, but that will be easier said than done in the AFC. Only 7 teams make the playoffs out of 16 and Jacksonville, Houston and the New York Jets are probably the only teams you can count out.
The Buffalo Bills are the pre-season favorite to make it to the Super Bowl as they are a well-balanced team with several star players led by one of the best QBs in the game, Josh Allen. Staying in the AFC East, New England made the playoffs last year and should be stronger with QB Mac Jones in his 2nd season.
Cincinnati, led by quarterback Joe Burrow, made it to the Super Bowl last season and could very well end up there again as their young players gain more experience. Pittsburgh may have some questions at quarterback and the offensive line, but they possess one of the elite defenses in the game and Mike Tomlin teams are always in the hunt. Ditto for the Ravens led by QB Jackson and head coach John Harbaugh who should be leading a much healthier team in 2022.
The Browns also have an extremely talented roster, but their 2022 playoff hopes will likely rise & fall on the eligibility of QB Deshaun Watson. Could Cleveland still contend for the post season with Jacoby Brissett at QB? Perhaps.
In the AFC South, the Colts have added QB Matt Ryan to a very strong team while last year’s #1 seed in the playoffs, the Tennessee Titans, get a healthy Derrick Henry back.
The AFC West is probably the best division in the NFL as all 4 teams could win the division. Kansas City still has QB Patrick Mohomes and head coach Andy Reid while the Chargers have as much offensive talent as any team in the NFL with Herbert, Mike Williams, Keenan Allen and Austin Ekeler to go along with a top-notch defense.
Meanwhile the Broncos have added future Hall of Fame quarterback Russell Wilson to a young talented roster while Las Vegas, who made the playoffs this past season, have given QB Derek Carr a new weapon in elite WR Davante Adams.
That’s 12 playoff caliber teams not including the Dolphins. 6 of those teams won’t make the playoffs. Don’t ask me which six as my crystal ball hasn’t been able to tell me which players will get injured or what rookies or 2nd year players will have breakout seasons.
Will Miami make the playoffs? They have questions at QB as Tua is still unproven. Their offensive line, despite the additions of Armstead & Williams, still has question marks. And speaking of question marks, is new head coach Mike McDaniel going to be the real deal and will Hoyer have the answers on defense or did they go to Pittsburgh along with Flores? That’s a lot of question marks for a playoff contender.
We’ll likely know the answers to those questions and also about Miami’s playoff chances come midseason, so enjoy the ride!
