The Most Dangerous Team in the AFC?

By Mason Steinberg

     If you ask the average NFL fan who the best team is in the AFC there is not much debate. Senior Ryan Davis said, “ It’s the Patriots or Steelers, no doubt.”The Patriots are the model of consistency for the NFL; they have won their division thirteen out of the last fiveteen seasons. They have also won two out of the last three Super Bowls, and the last three matchups with the Steelers. The Steelers have the most explosive offense in the league with the top running back  Le'veon Bell and top receiver Antonio Brown. Senior Garrett Mills agreed with Davis, “Anyone can beat anyone, but I’d say the Steelers or Patriots have the best shot of winning it all”. However, neither team has been dominant with the Steelers barely squeaking by the lowly Indianapolis Colts and the Patriots losing to the Miami Dolphins. This opens the door for a surprise team to win the AFC. While the two favorites are established, there is much debate over who the most dangerous team is.

     The hottest team in the league is the L.A Chargers, who have won four straight games. They have an elite quarterback in Phillip Rivers and a strong defense headlined by pass rusher Melvin Ingram and cornerback Casey Hayward. The Chargers look like they will win the AFC West and no team will want to face them in the playoffs. The Jacksonville Jaguars have the best secondary in the league, led by brash cornerback Jalen Ramsey who is rated the number two corner in the league by Pro Football Focus. While many insiders around the league continue to doubt them, they continue to defeat elite competition such as the Steelers and Seahawks.

     The Baltimore Ravens have one of the elite defenses in the league, they have shutout their opponents three different times this year. Only four other teams in NFL history have accomplished this feat, and three of them have won the Superbowl. They also have inconsistent quarterback Joe Flacco, who when playing well, can lead his team to a championship like he did in 2012. The NFL playoffs are extremely unpredictable and the whole country will be on edge as they watch who will come out champion.