As the NFL season reaches week 10 the AFC playoff race is starting to take shape. The 8-1 Kansas City Chiefs are leading the race but Coach Andy Reid will not be taking his foot off the gas.
The Fight For A First and Second Round Seed Is A Fierce Contest
Kansas City Chiefs
Rookie quarterback Patrick Mahomes has been blowing the doors off NFL defenses. Mahomes has been an absolute superstar, throwing for 2,901 yards and an incredible 29 TDs through weeks 1-9. The Kansas City Chiefs have put more points on the board than any other team in the NFL (327) but their defense could be their Achilles heel. The Patriots put 43 on the board, the Chiefs’ defense will be tested when they face the Los Angeles Rams on the road in week 11. There’s a lot of pressure on Coach Reid to keep his team in the hunt for a number one seed.
New England Patriots
What’s to say about the New England Patriots that we don’t already know? The Bill Belichick and Tom Brady combination are proven at the highest level. Wins against the Chiefs and Green Bay Packers were particularly impressive. Questions remain over the Patriots’ ability to keep their roster healthy. Josh Gordon has had two-100 yard games since arriving from Cleveland but the wideout is one of 13 players who are touch and go for Sunday’s visit to Tennessee. Rob Gronkowski‘s has just one TD to his name this season. The Minnesota Vikings and Steelers will provide the Patriots with their toughest remaining tests on the schedule.
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers week one tie with the Cleveland Browns could turn out to be costly. For now, Coach Mike Tomlin has his team running hot on five straight wins. The Steelers played super aggressive in Thursday’s 51-21 demolition against the Carolina Panthers.
“This is what we expected. We knew we were going to have to put up a lot of points. We did that. The defense, they were playing like their hair was on fire.” (Ben Roethlisberger to cbssports.com)
James Conner has been playing lights out for the Steelers but he’s been the only rushing threat. Connor has rushed for 771 yards, yet he’s the only player to have rushed for over 100 yards this season. Offensive Coach, Randy Fichtner will be praying that Conner remains healthy. Buckle up Steelers fans. The schedule looks like one heck of a test with games against the Chargers (week 13), Patriots (week 15) and New Orleans Saints in week 16.
Los Angeles Chargers
Coach Lynn is looking for his team to pick up their sixth straight win this Sunday when the Los Angeles Chargers face the 1-8 Oakland Raiders. The Chargers have had their share of problems, especially on special teams. The Bolts overcame a monumental 10,000-mile road trip to Seattle via Cleveland and London. The defense has been making clutch plays, all without the injured Joey Bosa. Derwin James is a contender for Defensive Rookie of the Year. Philip Rivers is looking every bit the leader that he’s recognized for being. The Chargers have a huge test in week 13 when they face the Steelers. They then East to play the Chiefs in week 15. Everyone is waiting for the wheels to come off the Chargers’ bus. Rivers just keeps unleashing his offensive weapons.
Houston Texans
The Houston Texans started the season cold, losing three straight. Two overtime wins got their season back on track. The Texans have won six straight and with a favorable schedule, it’s looking very likely the Houston will be watching football in January. Deshaun Watson has proven that’s he a dual-threat quarterback, picking up 268 yards rushing from 50 attempts. Watson is in desperate need of better pass protection, he’s been sacked 30 times this season. J.J. Watt and Jadeveon Clowney have both been a quarterback’s nightmare. Watt and Clowney have nine and 5.5 sacks respectively. The week 16 test against the Philadelphia Eagles is arguably the Steelers’ most difficult game in the run into January football.
Cincinnati Bengals
At 5-3 the Cincinnati Bengals may feel like they’re just happy to be in the playoff picture. The Bengals have a negative points differential (-16), their defense gave up 45 and 34 points in the last two games. A.J. Green has been productive for Cincinnati, he’s had 45 receptions for 687 yards and six touchdowns. The road ahead looks tough for Andy Dalton and company. The Saints, Chargers and Steelers all lie in wait.
Last Word
There’s so much football to be played between now and January. Let’s just hope that all the stars remain healthy. Success might just boil down to that, keeping clutch players on the field and out of the trainer’s room. The AFC playoff race is fascinating. The question is, who will thrive and who will choke?
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