Most NFL analysts believe this year’s top NFL conference is the AFC. More teams capable of winning Super Bowl 57 play in the AFC. Preseason favorites Buffalo and Kansas City are both AFC teams.
So are teams like the Cincinnati Bengals, last year’s Super Bowl runner-up, the Denver Broncos, Los Angeles Chargers, and Miami Dolphins. Pro football experts believe all five NFL teams can win this year’s Super Bowl.
Keep reading for AFC Conference predictions. The predictions choose a winner for each division. There is also a prediction for the team that wins the conference.
Predictions for the AFC Conference in 2022
Buffalo versus Miami for the AFC East should come down to the wire
The Bills head into the season the favorites to win the Lombardi Trophy. At the time of this writing, Buffalo is a solid choice at +600, or 6-to-1, to win Super Bowl 57. Buffalo should have no trouble beating the New England Patriots and the New York Jets.
Besting Miami could be more challenging. The Dolphins project as one of the best teams in the league. If quarterback Tua Tagovailoa takes the next step, the Fins can upset the Bills. But Buffalo is the overall better team, which is why the Bills win the AFC East division.
Cincinnati beats Baltimore and Pittsburgh and wins the AFC North
Behind the quarterback and wide receiver combination of Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase and an underrated defense, the Cincinnati Bengals surprised everybody by winning the conference last season.
Baltimore is good enough to challenge the Bengals. But Burrow to Chase should be an even deadlier combination to defenses in 2022 than in 2021.
Pittsburgh rookie Kenny Pickett has played excellent football during the preseason. Pickett may not start. If he does, the Steelers will be tough. Cincinnati, though, should repeat as AFC North victors.
The Jaguars upset the Colts and Titans and win the AFC South
The Jacksonville Jaguars were terrible last season because owner Shahid Kahn made one of the worst head coaching hires in history.Kahn put his faith behind former Florida and Ohio State HC Urban Meyer. Hiring Meyer to run the NFL Jaguars was a disaster.
No player in a Jacksonville uniform respected the coach. Not only that, but Meyergot into trouble after partying it up with Buckeye faithful after the Jags finished a road game in Ohio.
Kahn fired Meyer and hired former Philadelphia head coach Doug Pederson. The Jaguars’ new coach won a Super Bowl while running the Philadelphia Eagles.
The Jags have a ton of talent. Pederson drafted Georgia linebacker Travon Walker. Walker will play on the same defense as underrated end Josh Allen.
Trevor Lawrence should take the next step under center. The rushing attack will benefit from an excellent offensive line. A season after the Meyer debacle, Jacksonville will beat Tennessee and Indianapolis and win the division.
Russell Wilson and Denver win the loaded AFC West
The KC Chiefs, Vegas Raiders, and the L.A. Chargers are solid football teams. Any one of those three NFL franchises can win the AFC West.
But the team to back to take the Westis the Denver Broncos. Denver has had a good defense for the past few seasons. The Broncos rely on top defensive end Bradley Chubb, a decent group of linebackers, and an excellent secondary.
The rushing attack and offensive line were solid in 2021. The wide receiver unit is one of the best in the NFL.
The only thing missing from Denver’s loaded team was the right quarterback. This offseason, the Broncos acquired Russell Wilson.
Wilson won a Super Bowl while throwing footballs for the Seattle Seahawks. Most consider Wilson one of the top five quarterbacks in the NFL.In 2022, Wilson will have more targets and play behind a better offensive line than he ever had while at Seattle.
Denver and their franchise quarterbackupset the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers and win the West.
The 2022 AFC Championship will be Bengals versus Broncos
It’s easy to go with the Bills. On paper, Buffalo is the best team in the league. Quarterback Josh Allen, though, doesn’t have Super Bowl experience.
Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow and Denver’s Russell Wilson do. Burrow won the National Championship while at LSU. After last season, Cool Joe knows what it’s like to play in a Super Bowl.
Russell Wilson is a Super Bowl winner. Wilson knows how to run a Super Bowl-winning offense. Expect Burrow and Wilson to duel for the AFC title.
The Broncos will prevail in a battle with the Bengals. Denver’s defense is better than Cincinnati’s, and defense will be the deciding factor.
