AFC Mid Season Report Card

In the first segment we covered the NFC Mid Season Report Card and gave projections for we saw each teams season play out. Now we will look at the AFC teams through the first 8 games. We definitely have our suprises and our standards. The Colts, Patriots, Steelers and Chargers continue their winning ways while teams like Denver and Cincinnati have been pleasent suprises while the Titans suprised us by starting off so badly. Here is how we see all 16!

AFC East
New England Patriots
Good – Tom Brady is back and is now getting back to his prolific ways after an average beginning. Coming off a major knee injury is no easy task and it’s expected to show a little rust after taking off a whole year. With Randy Moss and Wes Welker the offense is back. They put up points in bunches. They have the big play ability and are in firm control of the AFC East. Currently they rank 2nd in the NFL in offense. This team is consistantly one of the best teams in the AFC even with losses to the Jets, Broncos and Colts. The Defense has overcome some injuries and key losses to players like Jarod Mayo (Knee) and the trade of Richard Seymour and Mike Vrabel, retirement of Teddy Bruschi and Rodney Harrison!
Bad – They have had some lapses on Defense that have allowed teams to come back and win ballgames that they shouldn’t have won. They held a 10 point lead against Denver to lose in overtime and held a big lead against the Colts when Belichick decided to go for it on 4 and 2 from the 28 yard line only to not pick up the key first down. That play may come back and bite them if they see themselves fighting for a wildcard. The secondary isn’t as good as it once was but with Vince Wilfork and Jarod Mayo in the middle the D’ is still solid.
Grade & Prediction: B+, AFC East Champions – If the were in a Division with better opponents, like the AFC North the Pats would be in a battle but the Jets, Bills and Dolphins don’t really pose a threat as division winners. The Pats should have the East locked up by the end of December.

New York Jets
Good – The Jets started off like a team on a mission and it looked like Mark Sanchez was going to be the Rookie of the Year. They had a nice pickup at the trade deadline adding Braylon Edwards and the running game has been very solid, ranking #1 in the NFL. New Coach Rex Ryan has added a lot of nice pieces like Linebacker Bart Scott. Cornerback Darrell Revis is one of the best in the business.
Bad – Inconsistant QB play has plaqued this team. Too many turnovers and sometimes lapses in Defense has plaqued the Jets in the 2nd month of football. They still have a chance to make the playoffs but need to string some wins together in order to due so. If Sanchez can get back to the play he displayed early in the season, they could be a long shot for the Wildcard
Grade & Prediction: C-, No Playoffs – Live by the Rookie, Die by the Rookie and Sanchez has definitely had his ups and downs. The Jets are a run first team and Edwards does add a nice threat in the passing game but the loss of monster Nose Tackle Kris Jenkins was a major blow to the interior of the defense.

Miami Dolphins
Good – The Wildcat! The Dolphins don’t use the Wildcat as a gimmick or gadget play, they are dedicated to it and they make it work. Ronnie Brown was lost for the year but in the first half of the season he was a proven weapon and major part of the offense. Ricky Williams still runs very well and should be able to carry the load. They also lost Chad Pennington for the season due to injury but Chad Henne has all the tools to be a major factor in the future. Bill Parcells and the powers that be are very high on the young man from Michigan.
Bad – The offense on the whole isn’t explosive. Honestly, the have 3 slot receivers and no true #1 Wide Out. Ted Ginn Jr. is a glorified return man and Davone Bess is a true Slot guy. If the Dolphins had a big WR it would make all the difference in the world. The Cornerbacks are young and very talented but they are going to face their growing pains like any other rookie in the league. Inconsistant play have plagued the Phins so far in 2009.
Grade & Prediction: C-, No Playoffs – Injuries are starting to mount for team that was never very explosive to begin with. When you play a team like the Colts, control the ball for exactly 45 minutes in a 60 minute game and still lose…that speaks volumes about the lack of big play capability. They show flashes at times but generally speaking this team is a few players away from battling the big boys in the AFC.

Buffalo Bills
Good – The Bills have a talented WR corps with the addition of Terrell Owens but they have trouble getting them the ball. The young Free Safety Jairus Byrd is proving to be a stud in the secondary and his 8 interceptions are simply awesome. He is the first Bills player ever to have a INT in 5 straight games. They are young on the whole but they the talent to succeed in the future.  They just need to add a few key pieces.
Bad – The Offensive Line! After trading away Jason Peters then deciding to draft a Linebacker with their 11th pick in the draft has proven to be costly. They did take Eric Wood in the first round who now plays Right Guard but the O-Line in general is a mess. The addition of TO has been a bit frutile when the QB has no time to throw. The Running game isn’t as strong as projected, mainly due to injuries to Marshawn Lynch. Trent Edwards also has been battling injury after he was twisted around like a pretzel!
Grade & Prediction: D-, No Playoffs – The Bills just have too many holes to fill along the O-Line and could use more consistant play on defense. They have the talent but it is young and takes time to develop. The recent firing of Dick Juron isn’t going to help build continuity or confidence but if they can land a big name like Mike Shanahan this team could turn around fast!

AFC North
Cincinnati Bengals
Good – The Defense! This team has always has tons of talent on offense but the Defense has been spectacular this year. They have limited opponents and given Carson Palmer and Co’ the ability to win games with minimal points. Cedric Benson has found a new life in Cincy and is running like the top pick he was expected to be in Chicago. For the first time in an awfully long time, the Bengals have swept both the Baltimore Ravens and the Pittsburgh Steelers in the same season. If it weren’t for a fluke play against the Broncos in Week 1 the Bengals would be only a 1 loss team!
Bad – There haven’t really been too many negatives for this team. Picking up recalcitrant Larry Johnson was a bit of a shocker and some NFL guys wonder if he will disrupt the good thing that Cincy has going but we don’t thing so. He still has life in his legs and now that he has moved on from his unhappiness in KC he could be a major steal for a team headed to the playoffs.
Grade & Prediction:  A, AFC North Champions – Beating both division rivals twice gives the Bengals a major leg up. They hold the tie breakers and all the cards heading into the home stretch. If they can stay healthy and not have any major collapses this team not only will be in the playoffs but will also have a first round bye! Everyone can now Kiss da Baby!

Pittsburgh Steelers
Good – This is the same team that won the SuperBowl a year ago and no one in the league takes them lightly. The Defense is still steller and the Offense has weapons at every position. Rashard Mendenhall has emerged as the #1 Back suplanting Fast Willie Parker and he adds a Smashmouth dimension that embodies Steeler football. If this team makes it to the playoffs they could be very dangerous!
Bad – Inconsistant play and injuries have taken their toll on the Steelers. The loss of Troy Polumala for a few weeks has hurt but all in all they are solid. The biggest thing about the Steelers is the amount of time that Big Ben holds onto the football. He makes so many plays by extending them that it is hard to fault him but at the same time big sacks at the wrong time can be costly.
Grade & Prediction:  B, Wildcard – The Steelers are still the Champs and have the ingredients and coaches to make the postseason. As they have proven in years past, once the regular season is over they can get hot and win it all. Don’t sleep on the Steelers!

Baltimore Ravens
Good – Joe Flacco and Ray Rice! The offense in Baltimore has finally found the ingredients needed to put points on the board. They have a great 1-2 punch in Rice and McGahee and they can run the rock on anyone. They still have All Pro playmakers in Ed Reed and Ray Lewis. The big Nose Tackle Haloti Ngata will be great in the not to near future!
Bad – The Cornerbacks! Fabian Washington and Dominique Foxworth came on board to add speed and coverage skills to the secondary and by some measures that have. What they don’t do is add any help in run support. The Ravens defense is still good but it isn’t dominating like it used to be. They need to be more consistant on a week to week basis and have the skill players to do it…they just need to do it!
Grade & Prediction: C, No Playoffs – The Ravens have bitten by the Kicker Bug! In 3 games the kicking game has cost them dearly. They could easily be 7-1 or 6-2 at the halfway point if it wasn’t for missed kicks. Unfortunately the Kicking game is important…just ask the 1991 Buffalo Bills!

Cleveland Browns
Good – Josh Cribbs! This young man is electric with the ball in his hands. His return skills are quickly becoming legendary and had found the endzone on Punt and Kick Returns! His average isn’t all that spectacular but that is because he gets a lot of opportunities, 2nd in the NFL with 34, due to the Browns giving up a lot of touchdowns! Eric Wright is also having a nice year at Cornerback. Not a prolific tackler but his coverage skills have been very good on the whole.
Bad – The Offense! They haven’t been able to get it going. They have no right side of the offensive line and if it wasn’t for the solid play of Joe Thomas they would be a complete mess. The Browns have scored 5 offensive Touchdowns in 60 quarters and you won’t win a lot of games playing like that. They have had bad QB play and after trading away Braylon Edwards they don’t really have any WR that scare you. Jamal Lewis has reached the end of his career and the loss of Rookie James Davis has hurt as well.
Grade & Prediction: F, No Playoffs – Until the Browns start to score they don’t have a chance to win many games. The actually held a team to 3 points this year and ended up winning by only 3 points! Yikes!

AFC South
Indianapolis Colts
Good – Peyton Manning and the Offense is simply one of the best units in the league. They score points in bunches and Reggie Wayne is one of the most underrated Wide Outs in the NFL. With all the losses like Tony Dungy and Marvin Harrison the Colts haven’t missed a beat. Newcomers like WR Austin Collie and Pierre Garcon have stepped in admirably. The Defense is still great at adding pressure and they play exceptionally well when playing with the lead…which they do often.
Bad – Not too much bad when you are now 9-0! The Colts at times seem to play down to their competition and let teams stick around a bit too much but that is simply nit picking!
Grade & Prediction: A+, AFC South Champions – The Colts are clicking and with Peyton Manning at the helm they are bound for the playoffs. The question is are they Super Bowl bound? Only time will tell but we won’t bet against them!

Tennessee Titans
Good – Chris Johnson is going to be the best player in the NFL in the not too near future! This young man is flat out dynamic. His 4.2 speed makes him a weapon to go the distance on any play from anywhere on the field. He just may go for 2000 yards on the ground this year and that is a major feat for a player in only his second year.
Bad – The offense on the whole is struggling. Aside from Johnson they don’t have too much else. The Wide Receivers are yound and not very explosive and the O-Line hasn’t been as good as in the past. Kenny Britt will be a good player in the future but for now he is simply average at best. The Defense has fought the injury bug but has given up way too many points in the first half of the year. Losing the first 6 games for a team that went 13-3 a year ago is a real head scratcher!
Grade & Prediction: F, No Playoffs – The benching of Kerry Collins came too late, the offense has been a bit of a dissapointment and the defense has been pretty bad overall. As of late they have strung together some wins so let’s see if they can keep it going! Just keep feeding Chris Johnson the ball!!

Jacksonville Jaguars
Good – Maurice Jones Drew has proven that he can be a true feature back. The little man has always been knocked for being too small and wouldn’t be able to take the pounding a feature back takes but he has proven that the be just talk. He is a great NFL back! The Jags have a solid but not spectacular QB in David Garrard and he could use some extra weapons around him.
Bad – The lack of WR’s really hurts this offense and their explosive capabilities. They could use some more playmakers to go with MJD. The Defense has always been one that is very physical and dominant but so far this year they haven’t really been that great. They currently rank 23rd in the league in total Defense and that needs to improve.
Grade & Prediction: D+, No Playoffs – Not enough weapons on offensive and not enough defense to make the post season this year. They need to add some playmakers on Offense in order to help out the running game and a QB who has the talent to get it done!

Houston Texans
Good – The offense is explosive! Andre Johnson, if not the best WR is definitely in the top 3! Matt Schaub is having a great year and the Texans put up points in bunches. They are definitely a team that can beat you on any given Sunday based on their offense alone! They Rank #6 in total offense and have all the parts to beat you…a great WR, a good Running game and a good Tight End! On defense they seem to have found a playmaker in the form of Linebacker Brian Cushing who is an early favorite for Rookie of the Year on the defense side!
Bad – The defense needs to stop people on a more regular basis. The Offense does their part but the defense allows teams to be in ball games. They Rank 17th overall on Defense which isn’t bad but it isn’t great either. Houston has so many 1st Round picks on that side of the ball they should be better than they are.
Grade & Prediction: C-, No Playoffs – The Texans need more consistant play week in and week out to be a true contender. In a division with Indy in it you have to pile up wins in order to compete. The Texans are they type of team that could play the spoiler role as the playoffs approach!

AFC West
Denver Broncos
Good – The defense has been solid if not spectacular. They were a stopping machine through the first six games but have been exposed a little bit in the last couple. Elvis Dumervil has made a solid transition from DE to LB and currently leads the NFL in sacks with 12. The secondary is mature and very talented and they haven’t given up big plays. On offense, Kyle Orton has been very efficient with the ball and the running game is better than a year ago but still not what Denver fans are used to.
Bad – The offense has lacked big play ability through the first half of the season. Kyle Orton lives on the underneath stuff and they need to stretch the field more to keep defenses honest. The Running Back duo of Knowshon Moreno and Correll Buckhalter have been OK but not spectacular. The new blocking schemes are not exactly suited for the size of the O Line and we have already seen a change a guard with Ben Hamilton taking a seat for former Patriot Seth Hochstein.
Grade & Prediction: B, AFC West Champions- The Broncos hold their destiny in the West especially if they can win against the Chargers in Week 11 but the offense needs to step it up a notch if they want to hold off the surging Chargers.

San Diego Chargers
Good – Phillip Rivers and the offense is a solid unit and this team is starting to play better as the season wears on. They have the weapons to score points and the defense is solid but not great. The good news for the Chargers is that they seem to play better as the year goes on and Rivers is one of the best QB’s in football with the game on the line. His 4th Quarter two minute drive against the Giants was a thing of beauty.
Bad – The running game and rush defense has been up and down. LaDanian Tomlinson has seen his best years now behind him but if he can get it going this team will be tough to beat. The Chargers need to prove that can put together a consistant pass rush in order to give their secondary a chance to make plays.
Grade & Predicition: B, Wildcard - The Chargers are playing good football as of late and heading in the right direction while the Broncos are losers of three straight. If San Diego wins in Week 11 than they hold the cards for the division crown. There schedule is a bit easier than Denver’s down the home stretch and they should battle for the West crown!

Oakland Raiders
Good – Heart! The Raiders are not really a good team at all but they play every week with a ton of heart and the never give up. They have had a couple good wins including the one against the Philadelphia Eagles. Nnamdi Asomugha is still the best Cornerback that no one knows about! This team is loaded with talent and if they can put the pieces together they could be very good.
Bad – The offense is terrible. As of right now the JaMarcus Russell experiment is a major failure. He has been benched and that is not good for a guy who you invested Millions of dollars and a 1st overall selection on. The WR’s are not that good save Louis Murphy. The draft choice of Darrius Hayward Bey was a major waste of a first round pick. They need to limit their mistakes and figure out who is going to be the QB of the future because right now it isn’t Russell.
Grade & Predicition: F, No Playoffs – This team has too many problems to fix on offense. The Defense is solid but they are on the field too much to be overly effective. They have some very talented players but letting go of Jeff Garcia was a mistake.

Kansas City Chiefs
Good – The new regime has a plan but right now it is too early to be effective. They need help on offense especially at the Running back, Wide Receiver and Tight End position. They traded away a 2nd round pick for QB Matt Cassel who could be effective in the right scheme but he needs players to help him out. The young cornerback Brandon Flowers looks like he will be a good player in this league for years to come.
Bad – The lack of impact players is really hurting the Chiefs chances of winning. With Dwayne Bowe out for a little while after testing positive for a banned substance, this offense could really struggle. They need a new Running back after cutting longtime standout Larry Johnson and could use an upgrade at Tight End after trading away Tony Gonzalez. The Defensive line has no impact players either and Glenn Dorsey has been a bit of a disappointment in the trenches. The switch to the 3-4 Defense hasn’t helped Dorsey as his more a 3 technique lineman and not a true Nose Tackle or 5 technique Defensive End.
Grade & Prediction: F, No Playoffs – The Chiefs are a team in the rebuilding mode and it will take a few years before a being considered a contender again. Scott Pioli was has built a winner before in New England so we will give him the benefit of the doubt for now!