Every September, 32 professional football teams compete for 17 grueling weeks with the common goal of winning the Super Bowl. Once the dust settles, only six teams from both the American Football Conference (AFC) and National Football Conference remain in the hunt for the Lombardi trophy, each of whom must now play an additional two to three games in order to reach the final stage. With the playoff season in full swing, let’s take a look at the AFC teams (of which the nearby Baltimore Ravens are part of) that remain standing and the road each team has taken to get to their current position in the AFC.
AFC (American Football Conference)
- Baltimore Ravens (13-3):
How They Got Here: The Ravens boast a dominant running game, headed by MVP-frontrunner Lamar Jackson, who, in his second season, has proven he is a capable thrower. The Ravens ran for a total of 3,296 yards this season, breaking a 41 year old record set by the Patriots in 1978. Jackson himself ran for 1,206 yards, breaking Michael Vick’s record for most yards on the ground for a quarterback. He also led the league with 36 passing touchdowns. He is a generational quarterback, and the Ravens have capitalized on his talents to establish an offensive juggernaut. Pro-Bowl running-back Mark Ingram Jr. has also helped spearhead the Raven’s rushing attack with 1,018 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Biggest Surprise: With multiple starters lost in free-agency in 2019, many thought the Ravens were due for a decline. However, the off-season pickup of Earl Thomas and the mid-season trade for Marcus Peters has paid big dividends for the Ravens and their 4th-ranked defense. The breakout play of Matthew Judon and Marlon Humphrey have helped the Ravens not miss a beat defensively. This unit has also held AFC-contenders such as the Patriots, Texans and Bills to 20, 7 and 17 points respectively.
Defining Victory: Week 9 vs New England Patriots. The defending Super Bowl champions came to town on Nov. 3, and the Ravens proved to the world that they were the real deal on Sunday Night Football. In a dominating 37-20 victory, in which the Ravens outscored the Patriots 20-7 in the second half, Lamar Jackson passed for 163 yards and a touchdown while adding 61 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. The Patriots’ dominant defense had no answers for Jackson and the Ravens, and the Ravens continued on with their winning streak.
Biggest Weakness: Does this team even have one? The offense has put up the most points in the league, the defense is a top-five unit and the special-teams still boasts Justin Tucker, the best kicker in football. The Ravens have 12 Pro Bowlers and 5 first-team All-Pros. Any team that comes to Baltimore has to play their best football of the season in order to even have a shot at knocking off the Ravens.
- Kansas City Chiefs (12-4):
How They Got Here: The Chiefs’ offense runs through reigning MVP Patrick Mahomes. He was off to another hot start in the first quarter of the season, passing for 1510 yards and 10 touchdowns, leading the Chiefs to a 4-0 record. Then, injuries began to hobble him. The Chiefs began to slow down after Mahomes went out for three weeks. Mahomes was never really able to regain his MVP form, and the defense has been inconsistent at best. Despite this, the Chiefs finished the season on a six-game winning streak and were still able to clinch a first-round bye.
Biggest Surprise: Although losing an MVP would cripple most teams, the Chiefs stayed right on track as veteran Matt Moore came in relief of Mahomes. In a three-game stretch, Moore threw for 659 yards, four touchdowns and had no turnovers. The Chiefs went 2-1. A loss to the Packers was overshadowed by a stellar victory against the Vikings and put the Chiefs in a stable position in the AFC.
Defining Victory: Week 9 vs Minnesota Vikings. The 5-3 Chiefs were coming off of a crushing loss against the Packers, another NFC powerhouse. Moore was able to lead the Chiefs to a stellar 26-23 victory. In a back-and-forth game, wide receiver Tyreek Hill took over the game with 140 receiving yards and a touchdown. The Chiefs were able to kick a field goal to tie the game with 2 minutes and 30 seconds left on the clock, and after forcing a three-and-out, the Chiefs quickly stormed the field for a game-winning field goal.
Biggest Weakness: Many critics doubt whether or not the defense is able to hold up against other playoff contenders. Along with Mahomes’s lack of production, it seems unlikely this team can get past the Ravens. For now, however, the defense has been central to the Chiefs’ six-game winning streak. If that unit can hold up, the Chiefs have a shot at knocking off any team in the conference.
- New England Patriots (12-4):
How They Got Here: Let’s be real here; the Patriots have not looked great this season on offense. Their defense has carried them to the third seed, and some can even argue that the Patriots have had the benefit of playing one of the easiest schedules in the entire NFL. The Patriots boast the top ranked defense in the league and have held their opponents to under 20 points 11 different times. Losses to the Chiefs, Texans and Ravens, however, tell the story that this is the weakest the Patriots have ever been.
Biggest Surprise: The biggest surprise this season is easily the Patriots’ loss to the Dolphins, a team that had previously lost 43-0 to the Patriots earlier in the season, in Week 17. In a game where the Patriots could clinch a first-round bye with a win, especially while playing in front of a home crowd, one would expect the Patriots to finish off the season in a dominating fashion against an inferior opponent. While the Dolphins have improved drastically throughout the season, there are no excuses for the Patriots’ embarrassing defeat. Now, the Patriots must play on wild card weekend for the first time since the 2009 season.
Defining Victory: Week 16 vs Buffalo Bills. Facing a threatening Bills defense, Tom Brady played one of his best games all season, passing for 271 yards and a touchdown to clinch the division. Entering the final quarter down 17-13, the Patriots scored 11 unanswered points to secure their victory. .
Biggest Weakness: To put it lightly, the Patriots’ offense has sputtered this season. Aside from Julian Edelman, the receivers have failed to earn Brady’s trust, and Brady’s play himself has finally begun to reflect his age. The Patriots’ defense this season has shown their inability to stop the Ravens’ powerful running game. Playing against the Titans and NFL leading rusher Derrick Henry in the Wild Card, the defense must prove that they can show up against legitimate competition to avoid an upset.
- Houston Texans (10-6):
How They Got Here: The NFC South has been one of the more competitive divisions this season, and ultimately, the Texans were able to sneak away with the win. This team runs through quarterback Deshaun Watson. His ability to extend plays has frustrated most teams, but his questionable decision making at times has also almost cost his team the game. Eight of the teams’ ten wins have come in one-score games (games decided by 8 or less points), proving the team’s late-game resilience.
Biggest Surprise: Carlos Hyde has carried the load of the Texans’ running game this season. Acquired from a pre-season trade, Hyde has rushed for 1,070 yards and six touchdowns, and he has been a solid player out of the backfield after starter Lamar Miller tore his ACL.
Defining Victory: Week 15 vs Tennessee Titans. Up to this point, the Titans had won six of their last seven games and were tied for the division entering the game. Despite throwing two interceptions, Watson threw for two touchdowns and Hyde ran for 104 yards. The Texans held off a late rally from the Titans for a 24-21 victory in Tennessee. The victory gave the Texans a one game lead in the division, a lead that would earn them the division crown.
Biggest Weakness: This team has had some bad losses this season. The Texans have played sloppy football in the second half of the season, most evident in their 38-24 loss against the struggling Denver Broncos. The team almost gave up a game against the Buccaneers, even when the Buccaneers turn over the ball five times. Quite frankly, the Texans are outclassed by the Ravens in every way, which was made evident in their 41-7 blowout loss against the Ravens in Week 11. Against the Buffalo Bills in the wild-card round, the team must limit its mistakes to avoid an upset.
- Buffalo Bills (10-6):
How They Got Here: The Bills boast the 3rd ranked defense in the league, led by cornerback Tre’Davious White. This defense has been able to make enough plays to make up ground for their underwhelming offense and has helped the Bills reach their best record since 1999. Quarterback Josh Allen has made steady improvements since his rookie season, and rookie Devin Singletary has had a tremendous 775 rushing yards while developing into a starting role late in the season. This team has been competitive down the stretch and is good enough to give any team in the playoffs a headache in the game.
Biggest Surprise: The Bills acquired wide receivers John Brown and Cole Beasely in the offseason, and both had an impact on Buffalo this season. Brown has developed into a solid receiving option, with 1,060 yards and six touchdowns, and Beasely added 778 yards and six touchdowns of his own. For a team devoid of receiving options the season before, they have helped make Allen’s job a lot easier.
Defining Victory: Week 13 vs Dallas Cowboys. On Thanksgiving Day in Dallas, the Bills came to town and dominated the Cowboys 26-15. Allen played his best game of the season as he completed nearly 80% of his passes and threw for 231 yards and a touchdown, while adding 43 yards and a touchdown on the ground. Brown also threw for a 28-yard touchdown on a trick play. Despite a good game from Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, the Cowboys weren’t able to take advantage of their opportunities on offense to score points.
Big Weakness: That being said, the Bills’ offense is not nearly as threatening as their defense. In five games against teams that had won over 50 percent of their games, the Bills failed to put up more than 17 points. Defense can only do so much for this team, and if the offense can’t put up points themselves, the Bills are looking at a quick playoff exit. However, if the Bills are able to frustrate Watson when up against the Texans, theys have a chance for an upset.
- Tennessee Titans (9-7):
How They Got Here: The switch to new quarterback Ryan Tannehill has led the Titans to a 7-3 finish to the season. Since he’s been under center, Tannehill has passed for 2598 yards and 22 touchdowns and has propelled the Titans to another playoff bid. Running back Derrick Henry has also had a dominating season, leading the league with 1540 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns. He has been nearly unstoppable to end off the season, averaging well over six yards a carry over the last six games of the season. With a balanced attack on offense, the Titans have established themselves as a fluid team on paper.
Biggest Surprise: Rookie wide receiver AJ Brown was a force to be reckoned with this season, with 1051 yards and eight touchdowns. He had five 100-yard games and established himself as a reliable target for Tannehill and the Titans moving forward. He finished the season on a hot note, having over 100 yards in four out of his last six games, including two against the division-rival Texans.
Defining Victory: Week 10 vs Kansas City Chiefs. The Titans were able to initiate a game-winning touchdown drive with under two minutes left in the game and knocked off the Chiefs 32-27. Despite a 446 yard and three-touchdown performance by opposing quarterback Mahomes, Henry ran for a monstrous 188 yards and two touchdowns to keep the Titans in the game and in the playoff race.
Biggest Weakness: The Titans are below-average defensively. Against any team with a solid offense in the playoffs, the Titans going to rely too much on their offense to generate high point totals to win games. Fortunately for the Titans, they have a chance to knock off the slumping Patriots out of the playoffs in the wild-card round. The road that follows, however, will be an uphill battle.
PREDICTIONS:
WILD CARD WEEKEND:
Patriots vs Titans: Titans 30, Patriots 23
Texans vs Bills: Texans 20, Bills 16
DIVISIONAL PLAYOFFS:
Chiefs vs Texans: Chiefs 30, Texans 20
Ravens vs Titans: Ravens 37, Titans 24
CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS:
Ravens vs Chiefs: Ravens 35, Chiefs, 28
AFC CHAMPION: BALTIMORE RAVENS
Article by Kevin Zhang of Richard Montgomery High School
Graphic by Helena Yang of Richard Montgomery High School