Ranking AFC Contenders Behind the Kansas City Chiefs

The terrain to get out of the NFC looks far more treacherous than last year, but the field of AFC contenders is getting weaker by the moment.

The Philadelphia Eagles are sitting in the top position in the NFC. If they can get to 14 wins, they should secure the two home game top seed scenario to advance to Vegas. Monday night's matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs looks like a Super Bowl tune-up. The other AFC contenders are dropping like flies!

Let’s stack them in the likelihood of getting to Vegas.

They are the best team in the NFL until proven otherwise. They also now have a much easier potential path to Vegas. I think it is monumental that the Eagles send a message to Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs on Monday Night Football. Do you want to see a team in Vegas that has that mental edge on you? I don’t.

The Ravens look VERY legit, but the loss of star tight end and offensive glue guy Mark Andrews is a huge setback. Add in Lamar Jackson hobbling a bit with a twisted ankle, and it shows the Ravens are going to have to win with defense.

I think they can on the right day. If Lamar doesn’t show up big in the postseason again, I’m done hearing about him being an elite quarterback. It’s the AFC Championship Game or bust for this crew. They could be a dangerous Super Bowl matchup if they make it.

Doug Pederson is a master of creativity, but his team is way too inconsistent. Their offense sputters when the line tries to protect Trevor Lawrence against a great defensive front. Oh yeah, the Eagles have one. Doug won’t beat his old club anytime soon in a Super Bowl.

Unfortunately for the Dolphins, they beat up on losing teams and can’t beat good teams. They love running up the score pretending to be legitimate. The Miami frauds don’t have what it takes to win a championship.

The Steelers have a nice win total, but they are a negative 26 points in point differential. That is not sustainable. They also don’t have an offense that could trade scores with the Eagles. Here we go nowhere Steelers!

The Browns lost their quarterback Deshaun Watson for the season due to a shoulder injury last week. Jim Schwartz has done a fantastic job with their defense, but the offense looks like a pop gun. They have no chance to win three road games in the postseason.

C.J. Stroud looks like the real deal in Houston. Are they ready to beat the Eagles on a big stage in Vegas? No way. I don’t believe they would have a chance to win more than a wild card game if they made it in. Three road wins? Nope.

The Philadelphia Eagles enter Week 11 of the 2023 NFL season with the best record in the NFL at 8-1, but they will have to deal with injuries to two more starters. They are currently in the driver’s seat to earn the top seed in the NFC and home field advantage throughout the playoffs.

The first half wasn’t the cleanest for the Eagles. They pulled out some tight wins in close games against inferior opponents like the Washington Commanders and the New England Patriots.

However, Nick Sirianni has improved to 31-12 as a head coach in NFL regular-season games. The Eagles are 22-2 in games started by Jalen Hurts since the beginning of the 2022 season.

They can escape potential clunkers in an NFL era that all of a sudden seems defined by trap games.

The Eagles will travel to Arrowhead Stadium to face the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday Night Football in Week 11. The Super Bowl LVII rematch will end the conversation about the Eagles escaping games against weak opponents.

Their lineup out of the bye week will look different. Dallas Goedert will miss an estimated four weeks with a forearm injury. The Eagles don’t have the deepest group of tight ends behind their former second-round pick. They’ll hope for contributions from Jack Stoll and Albert Okwuegbunam and the return of Grant Calcaterra.

Nakobe Dean will also miss the Week 11 matchup in Kansas City with a lisfranc injury. Zach Cunningham has progressed into a role as the top linebacker on the roster. He could play every defensive snap without Dean on the field. Nicholas Morrow will also play an elevated role.

Julio Jones signed with the Eagles in October. The percentage of his offensive snap counts has increased in all three of his games with Philadelphia while Olamide Zaccheaus has seen decreased snap counts in all three.

The future Hall of Famer who should be ready to step into a role as the third wide receiver with the advantage of adjustments during the bye week.

Quarterback, #1
Oklahoma University/University of Alabama
4th NFL Season- Drafted in 2nd Round (53rd overall) in 2020

Running Back, #0
University of Georgia
4th NFL season- Acquired in a trade from Detroit Lions (April 2023)

Wide Receiver, #11
Ole Miss
5th NFL season- Acquired in a trade from Tennessee Titans (April 2022)

Wide Receiver, #6
University of Alabama
3rd NFL Season- Drafted in 1st Round (10th overall) in 2021

Wide Receiver, #80
University of Alabama
13th NFL Season, Signed in Free Agency (October 2023)

Tight End, #89
University of Nebraska
3rd NFL Season, Signed as Undrafted Free Agent (May 2021)

Left Tackle, #68
Jeff Stoutland University
6th NFL Season- Drafted in 7th Round (233rd overall) in 2018

Left Guard, #69
University of Alabama
3rd NFL Season- Drafted in 2nd Round (37th overall) in 2021

Center, #62
University of Cincinnati
13th NFL Season- Drafted in 6th Round (191st overall) in 2011

Right Guard, #51
University of Nebraska
2nd NFL Season- Drafted in 2nd Round (51st overall) in 2022

Left Tackle, #65
Oklahoma University
11th NFL Season- Drafted in 1st Round (4th overall) in 2013

Defensive End, #94
Florida State
6th NFL Season- Drafted in 4th Round (130th overall) in 2018

Defensive Tackle, #91
Mississippi State
12th NFL Season- Drafted in 1st Round (12th overall) in 2012

Defensive Tackle, #90
University of Georgia
2nd NFL Season- Drafted in 1st Round (13th overall) in 2022

Defensive Tackle, #93
Louisiana Tech
3rd NFL Season, Drafted in 3rd Round (73rd Overall) in 2021

Edge Rusher/Linebacker, #7
Temple University
7th NFL Season- Signed in Free Agency (March 2022)

Linebacker, #52
Vanderbilt University
7th NFL Season- Signed in Free Agency (August 2023)

Linebacker, #41
Greensville University
6th NFL Season, Signed in Free Agency (March 2023)

Cornerback, #2
Mississippi State
11th NFL Season- Acquired in trade from Detroit Lions (March 2020)

Cornerback, #24
University of Arkansas/Samford University
8th NFL Season- Signed in Free Agency (May 2022)

Safety, #31
Middle Tennessee State
8th NFL Season, Acquired in trade from Tennessee Titans (October 2023)

Safety, #32
Middle Tennessee State
2nd NFL Season- Signed as Undrafted Free Agent (May 2022)

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