The AFC

It seems as if the better teams in football are in the AFC but looking back at the Super Bowls the NFC is dominating lately. Green Bay  and New Orleans have won the last two.  I like the schedule makers highlighting the past two winners to open the season on Thursday night.  Here is my picks in the AFC.

When will Peyton Manning play and when he does how good will he be.  The AFC South seems to be the division when 8-8 or 9-7 could win.  That puts Houston in that range and I think the Colts even with Manning healthy are heading downwards any way.  Jacksonville and Tennessee are good for about six wins each.  I picked them last year to unseat Indy and I am going with them again with Houston as the division winner.

The black and blue division has a team that I think is getting old on defense in Baltimore.  I am not a real believer in their quarterback either.  I think in a couple of weeks Carson Palmer returns to Cincinnati but that will not make any difference.  Cleveland is improved  but I doubt that it will make much difference. The Steelers will take the North division.

Because they are in the New York media market the Jets are getting all the attention.  Most of it is because of the last two years and their runs in the playoffs.  They went after all of the big free agents and lost more of their players than they added to team.  Jets still will not beat the Patriots as it seems they are solid again. Miami is not bad and Buffalo is not good.

Before I even start talking about the west  and yes Philip Rivers is my favorite player I have never picked them to win the Super Bowl before.  If two things  happen this year in San Diego they will win the west going away.  Philip Rivers and Vincent Jackson stay healthy.  Rivers proved last year it didn't matter who was in the lineup they could move the ball.  Jackson is a game breaker for the Chargers.  Kansas City finds out this year what playing a first place schedule is all about.  Oakland still in a different world with Al Davis.  Denver I think  gets second behind the Chargers.

The AFC title game  will pit the Chargers and New England who by the way play the second week of the season at New England.  Like I said previously if Rivers and Jackson are healthy it is the Chargers time.  This will send Green Bay and San Diego into the Super Bowl and this year's     game will be the highest scoring in history.  The winner will have to have at least 40 or more as the top two quarterbacks in the NFL take each other on.

This is the Chargers year!