West’s NFL AFC Playoff Predictions after Two Weeks

Colin West '22, Contributing Writer

Week Two of the NFL just wrapped up, capping off an action packed start to the season. These first two weeks were filled with critical injuries, missed kicks, blown leads, and exciting upsets. Some key injuries have diminished the play-off chances of once-competitive teams and have opened the door for teams on the bubble. Here are my predictions for the winners of every division in the NFL.

AFC East: Buffalo Bills

It’s difficult to count out the Patriots from winning this division, but the Bills have looked unstoppable after two weeks. This high powered offense with Josh Allen under center dotting up defenses with his playmakers John Brown and Stefon Diggs is explosive and at times unstoppable. Lockdown corner Tre’davious White leads a stout defense that has the ability to hold any team to under 20 points. Watch out for the Bills in the playoffs, as early on they look like one of the strongest teams in the league.

AFC North: Pittsburgh Steelers

Big Ben Rothelisberger is back after sitting out the 2019-2020 season with an arm injury. Any questions about Rothelisberger’s health have been answered, as the Steelers have started off 2-0 and the offense has scored 52 points in those two games. Although the offense has flourished, the focal point of this team is the defense, which is arguably the best in the NFL. T.J. Watt, a DPOY candidate last season, took home AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors in Week 2, and he leads a young and talented defense that can lock down any team in the league.

AFC South: Indianapolis Colts

New quarterback Phillip Rivers leads an offense that just drafted running back Jonathan Taylor and wideout Michael Pittman Jr. in the top two rounds. The Colts were competitive last year with a career backup quarterback starting for them, and have added multiple weapons on offense. Their defense is average, but playing in a weaker division will certainly help them in their quest for the playoffs.

AFC West: Kansas City Chiefs

After two weeks, the Kansas City Chiefs are yet again the best team in the NFL. The reigning Super Bowl champions extended quarterback Patrick Mahomes to a 500 million dollar contract, the richest in professional sports history. Somehow they also retained stars Tyrann Mathieu, Chris Jones, Tyreek Hill, and Travis Kelce. I expect the Chiefs to make it to the Super Bowl for the second consecutive year, as they look completely unstoppable.

NFC East: Dallas Cowboys
NFC North: Seattle Seahawks
NFC South: Green Bay Packers
NFC West: Tampa Bay Buccaneers