Now I know what you’re thinking, the Jaguars were already a playoff team in 2022. True, but this is the year they become a Super Bowl team. The rise of Trevor Lawrence wasn’t unexpected, but he’s already a top 10 quarterback in the league with a lot of room to still grow. They bolstered their offense in the off-season by adding Calvin Ridley and Anton Harrison, two valuable pieces that can only help Lawrence continue to improve into a superstar.
They play in a rising, young division, but I would crown them AFC South champions before the season even started. Their defense is a concern, and I’m hoping they can hit on one of their late round picks like Antonio Johnson or Tyler Lacy. If the defense can just bend and not break when it really matters, the sky (or Super Bowl) is the limit for this Jaguars squad.
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The Colts are entering a new chapter in their franchise after selecting ultra-toolsy quarterback Anthony Richardson with the fourth overall pick in the draft. I was really high on Richardson leading up to the draft, and believe his rushing ability will immediately raise the floor of the Colts offense. I also loved bringing in Josh Downs in the third. Although small, Downs plays like he has a Calvin Johnson type body. He goes up and attacks the ball at the catch point which isn’t a typical strong point of a primarily slot receiver, but that’s what makes Downs so special.
His catch radius and route tree are also not to be ignored, and he will definitely be a very reliable option for Anthony Richardson for the next several years. Don’t forget how good Jonathan Taylor has looked before. The fact that defenses now have to respect Richardson’s legs potentially opens up Taylor’s run game a lot more.
I think their defense could definitely improve based on where they were last year with the additions of Julius Brents(cornerback) and Aditomiwa Adebawore(EDGE). Although I don’t think the Colts could topple the Jaguars and win the division, I definitely think they could sneak into a wild card spot when it’s all said and done.
The Bills were flat out exposed by the Cincinnati Bengals in the playoffs last season, which was easy to see looking back on it. They have a not so great offensive line, weapons and defense. The only thing that I’m 100% confident in on their team is Josh Allen, but even he can’t drag this rather mediocre roster to a Super Bowl. In a division where all four teams have a legit case to make a playoff run, if you aren’t getting better, you’re getting worse.
If you take a look at their opponents for the upcoming season, they go on the road to face the Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, Bengals, Philadelphia Eagles, and of course their division rivals. I don’t think this team is ready for that high caliber of teams especially on the road. While most Bills fans are hoping to make a Super Bowl push, I think they should be more concerned with winning their own division and securing a playoff spot.
