With the first week of the season under the books, the traditional AFC powerhouses at the end of the 2020 season all picked up wins. This conference has a lot of solid teams at the top and nine teams who I think have better than a 25 percent chance of making the playoffs, including the New England Patriots.
I ranked the teams in four separate tiers:
- Super Bowl Contenders: I can see this team winning a Super Bowl this year barring injuries or horrible luck
- Could Make Noise in January: Teams that have a good shot at winning their division or at least a wild card spot
- In the Hunt for a Wild Card Spot: Teams who I think could make the playoffs if things go right for them
- No Chance: The team is either too young or lacks enough talent to win enough games to compete for a playoff spot
Super Bowl Contenders
Kansas City Chiefs: The Chiefs looked very much like the team that steamrolled the 49ers in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl LIV when they played the Houston Texans in Week 1.