The American Football Conference has sixteen different teams in it, and while not all teams are at the level to take the conference. Although it is clear there are some front runners to take the title back to their hometown.
Some of the teams we know to be true AFC contenders have to be the Bengals, Bills, Chiefs, and Broncos. All of these teams have either proven their worth as elite-level teams or made major improvements in the off-season.
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are the true AFC dark horse of this list, with the biggest addition in their off-season being Russell Wilson. The Seahawks traded Russell Wilson for quarterback Drew Locke, defensive end Shelby Harris, and tight end Noah Fant.
After this trade, it put the Broncos in a win-now position as Wilson will have a much better offensive line to work with over the year. Although they might not have any outstanding AFC all-stars as receivers, they are all well-rounded. With a solid defense, the Broncos could come together to make a Superbowl appearance.
Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals shocked the world last year by making it all the way to the Superbowl. The biggest problem that the Bengals faced in the 2021-2022 season was their offensive line. The improvements made by Karras and Cappa will give good help to the inside.
On the other side, their AFC defense has only improved as the Bengals used many of their drafts picks to get some good defensive prospects. All around, it only seems that this team has improved on the holes they had in their game last season, and with a young quarterback like Joe Burrow, sky’s the limit for this team.
Buffalo Bills
Out of any team on this list, one that doesn’t need much change are the Bills. The past two years they have been on the edge of greatness. In 2021 they lost to the Chiefs 38- 24 in the conference finals. The following year they lost to the Chiefs again in the divisional round 42-36 in overtime.
Both of these losses were some of the best games fans have got to see. It almost seems as if they are the scariest AFC team in the NFL at the moment as their motivation is definitely there. The revenge tour going into this year could shock the league.
Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs took a big hit this off-season, losing Tyreek Hill to the Miami Dolphins. Although that is a loss for the Chiefs, it’s hard to count out Patrick Mahomes. His ability to make passes will truly show this year as he doesn’t have someone like Tyreek to throw hail marys too.
Even though they lost an important piece on offense, the real focus for the Chiefs should be their defense. As they are not able to outscore everyone in the league this year. The focus for the Chiefs should be to improve the pass defense going into the season.
The Conference Champion
With all of these factors considered, the Buffalo Bills are the front runners for conference champions. That motivation from losing two years in a row can’t be made up only forged and with the recent rule changes for overtime. The Bills are set up to take the AFC and go to the super bowl.
