AFC North:
Baltimore waited until the last day last season to clinch the division. Now, they'll have a full season with Lamar Jackson at QB after shipping Joe Flacco to Denver in the offseason. However, while they acquired defensive back Earl Thomas from Seattle, they said good-bye to Eric Weddle and Terrell Suggs on defense, which could prove problematic.
Not that last year's runner-up, Pittsburgh, can take full advantage. Depending on who you believe, QB Ben Roethlisberger, entering his 16th season, turned diva last year, leading to receiver Antonio Brown (Oakland) and running back LeVeon Bell (Jets) leaving town. Bell's contract demands last year made him expendable with the emergence of James Conner. Brown's departure, and subsequent diva behavior, makes Ju-Ju Smith Schuster the #1 receiver.
The task awaiting Cleveland is whether or not they can make the postseason after picking up a few wins in 2018. The Browns gave up linebacker Gibrill Peppers to get receiver/shampoo salesman Odell Beckham, Jr. from the Giants, giving second year QB Baker Mayfield an experienced deep threat, despite Beckham's own bouts with divatitis.
Cincinnati said goodbye to coach Marvin Lewis after last season, and one suspects that Andy Dalton & AJ Green might follow him out of town if the Bengals don't return to playoff form. Changing personnel in the front office might help.
Projected order of finish:
1. Pittsburgh.
2. Baltimore.
3. Cleveland.
4. Cincinnati.
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AFC South:
Houston, we have a problem.
The Texans, after designating JaDaveon Clowney as a franchise player, dealt Clowney to Seattle over the weekend for a draft pick. Nothing says stupid like trading one of your best defensive players a week before the season. Someone check and see if the Texans and Seahawks meet this season!
You wouldn't know Jacksonville was on the doorstep of reaching the Super Bowl two seasons ago before getting screwed by New England in the AFC title game. However, they do bring back skill players such as TJ Yeldon and Leonard Fournette.
After winning the division the first time out of the box, Tennessee coach Mike Vrabel has basically stood pat with the same cast of characters surrounding QB Marcus Mariota. Repeating as division champ just became easier with the retirement of Indianapolis QB Andrew Luck, which prompted pundits to downgrade the Colts to third instead of overtaking the Titans to claim the division title. I wouldn't sell Jacoby Brissett short, though. He, after all, was under the learning tree of the league's biggest diva, Tom Brady.
Projected order of finish:
1. Tennessee.
2. Houston.
3. Jacksonville.
4. Indianapolis.
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AFC West:
Kansas City divested itself of Kareem Hunt after domestic troubles sidelined him. They still have Tyreek Hill, despite his own issues, and it appears QB Patrick Mahomes may have supplanted Odell Beckham, Jr. as a endorser for Head & Shoulders shampoo. I can picture a few other things he can pitch.
Antonio Brown is now Jon Gruden's headache in Oakland. Issues over helmets and frostbitten feet (!) have downgraded Brown to just another diva in the NFL. Then again, the league's rules on equipment are no worse than some of the archaic rules in college.
In Los Angeles, the Chargers are prepared to start the season without running back Melvin Gordon, who wants a contract similar to what Bell got from the Jets. Seems to me that the agents for these players are encouraging this unhealthy jealousy over contracts. This might be the last chance for Philip "Old Man" Rivers, who's also in his 16th season, but hasn't reached the big dance.
Denver is hoping that Joe Flacco can do for them what Peyton Manning did, win them a Super Bowl. Like the telegenically challenged insurance shill, Flacco comes to town with 1 ring, hoping to make it two. Maybe this year, maybe not.
Projected order of finish:
1. Kansas City.
2. Denver.
3. Oakland.
4. Los Angeles.
In part 3, the NFC East & North.
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