Most Exciting AFC Division in 2019
Most Exciting AFC Division in 2019
With all the drama and roster turnover that has already come this offseason, there has certainly been much to talk about. Huge trades, free agency signings, and draft projections have been at the forefront of football news for the last month or so. With all that’s going on right now, let’s look at the future. What will be the most exciting division in the league this year? Everyone loves to see heated divisional rivalries, and high-stakes games at the end of the season, so let’s see which division will give us the most bang for our buck this coming season.
AFC North
Personally, I think it’s time for everyone to jump on the Cleveland Browns bandwagon. I’ve written a few times about what they’ve accomplished this offseason so let’s just say, I’m a fan. Baltimore has officially moved on from Joe Flacco so it’s time to see Lamar Jackson in a full season. Pittsburgh let two of its biggest stars walk, so it’ll be interesting to see what Ben Roethlisberger can do with JuJu Smith-Schuster and James Conner; And the Bengals are…from Ohio.
AFC South
The AFC South is the division of good quarterbacks trying to prove that they’re great. Can Deshaun Watson and Andrew Luck stay healthy? Can Nick Foles bring his Philly magic to Jacksonville? Will Marcus Mariota continue to grow as a quarterback and play at an elite level? I guess we’ll see in September.
AFC West
Patrick Mahomes is the real deal, I don’t care what anybody says. Even without Kareem Hunt, the Chiefs offense will be strong enough to carry them through the season, even if their defense takes a step back from last season. I really feel for Phillip Rivers and the Chargers; he’ll likely go down as one of the best signal-callers to never win a super bowl. Like Kansas City, they will have a few key players on offense returning to help Rivers out, but with a defense led by Melvin Ingram and Derwin James, they might even be a better defense than Kansas City. The Raiders and the Broncos can be lumped into the same “if they draft well” boat; however, both of the men in charge of their drafts haven’t had the greatest track record recently.
AFC East
What’s there to say about this division? The Patriots will win, the Jets will lose, and the Dolphins well…at least the weather’s nice. The only thing that entices me about the AFC East at this point in time is the development of Josh Allen in Buffalo. As a Brett Favre fan, I love a huge-armed quarterback with a gunslinging mentality. What’s often overlooked about Allen too is his mobility. Good speed for a big guy. Basically, this division can just be handed to New England now. I don’t care who suits up for the Jets, they will be bad.
With all this being said, I can’t wait for the draft. Let’s see who can have the biggest impact on their team and shake things up for this conference.
-By: Nick Selko