2019 NFL predictions: How will the AFC shake out?
Predicting how the 2019 NFL season will shake out. Which AFC teams will come out on top?
With the NFL preseason well underway, it is almost time for another NFL season. Last year, the Patriots won another Super Bowl title, increasing their total to six trophies. Will they go on another run this year or will a new team take the title in 2019? It’s up for discussion but they will undoubtedly have competition in the AFC this year.
We saw a few coaching changes in the AFC this year and a couple of them will be on the hot seat to start this year as the NFL is a “what have you done for me lately” league. The coaching changes started in Cleveland when they fired Hue Jackson during the season and replaced him with defensive coordinator Greg Williams. During the offseason, offensive coordinator Freddie Kitchens took over for the Browns.
The Cincinnati Bengals fired their longtime coach Marvin Lewis and replaced him with a young offensive-minded coach, Zac Taylor. The Denver Broncos went with a defensive guru Vic Fangio, who led Chicago with the best defense last year.
The Miami Dolphins replaced Adam Gase who fled to a division foe, the New York Jets, and then, in turn, the Dolphins selected Brian Flores, former defensive coordinator of the New England Patriots. These changes will undoubtedly have an impact on how teams fare in 2019.
If we look back at last season for each division and start with the AFC North we saw the Baltimore Ravens win the division at 10-6. The Steelers missed the playoffs last year with a 9-6-1 record and the Browns who have improved a lot over the offseason finished 7-8-1. Cincinnati Bengals rounded off finishing last at 6-10.
The AFC East was lead by the New England Patriots again with an 11-5 record and the Dolphins, Bills, and Jets all finished outside the playoffs. Both the Bills and Jets had rookie quarterbacks and look to build on their talent next year.
The AFC South featured two playoff teams with the Texans and the Colts. The Texans took the division at 11-5 with the Colts finishing at 10-6. The Titans still had a winning record at 9-7 in a tightly contested division. The Jags finished last with a disappointing 5-11 record.
The last division, the AFC West, was tied at 12-4 by both the Chiefs and the Chargers, with the Chiefs owning the tiebreaker. Both the Broncos and the Ravens finished outside the playoffs at 6-10 and 4-12, respectfully.
Now, let’s dig into what I believe will play out for an exciting 2019 NFL season.