New England Patriots: Ranking Possible AFC Playoff Opponents
Dec 24, 2016; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots running back James White (28) celebrates with wide receiver Julian Edelman (11) after scoring a touchdown against the New York Jets in the second quarter at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
The NFL Playoffs are close to being set in the AFC. Who are the toughest and easiest opponents that the New England Patriots might have to face in the playoffs?
It has been another successful season for the New England Patriots. With one game left on the schedule, they can secure home-field advantage throughout the playoffs with a win on Sunday against the Miami Dolphins.
Even though Tom Brady was suspended for the first four games of the season, the Patriots have been able to run through the AFC. With only two losses on the season, the Patriots will be going into the playoffs as the favorite to reach the Super Bowl from the AFC.
In recent weeks, playoff teams in the AFC have had some back luck. Most notably was the leg injury to Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr. Prior to Carr being injured, many would have said that they were the main competition to the Patriots in the AFC.
In addition to Carr being injured in Oakland, the Dolphins are also without their starting quarterback. Ryan Tannehill luckily didn’t completely tear the ligaments in his knee, but a severe sprain has him in danger of missing the postseason.
With some key injuries to teams in the AFC, the Patriots could be poised for another trip to the Super Bowl. Here is a ranking of all the teams in the AFC that they’ll possibly have to face in the playoffs.
Dec 24, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr (4) is helped off the field during the fourth quarter against the Indianapolis Colts at the Oakland Coliseum. The Oakland Raiders defeated the Indianapolis Colts 33-25. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
5.) Oakland Raiders
Week 17 will be an important week for the Oakland Raiders to see what they have at quarterback. Without Derek Carr, it is hard to imagine that this is a team that will be able to go anywhere in the postseason, This season, Carr has been playing at an MVP level, and the loss of him could cripple the Raiders.
After the injury to Carr, Matt McGloin was named the starting quarterback for the Raiders. McGloin has played in 12 games for the Raiders, and the numbers aren’t all that impressive. In his career, McGloin has totaled 11 touchdown passes and 11 interceptions. He has been with the Raiders for a few years now, as he will benefit from knowing the system well.
Luckily for McGloin, the Raiders do have some talent on offense. They have one of the best offensive lines in the AFC, and also have a running game that can control the clock. In addition to the strong running game, the duo of Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree is one of the best in the NFL.
Unfortunately for the Raiders, their defense is suspect. Aside from Khalil Mack, the Raiders don’t have much on the defense side of the ball. It would be shocking to see the Raiders win a game in the playoffs, but they might be able to find a way against weak competition.
Dec 24, 2016; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Texans quarterback Tom Savage (3) attempts a pass during the second quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
4.) Houston Texans
Another team that has a questionable quarterback situation is the Houston Texans. After beating the Cincinnati Bengals at home, the Texans were able to secure the AFC South. After being benched against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Brock Osweiler is no longer the starting quarterback for the Texans.
Due to him signing a big deal in the offseason, Osweiler has turned into a huge bust this season. In 14 games, Osweiler has totaled 14 touchdown passes and 16 interceptions. The constant mistakes on offense makes it easy to understand why Bill O’Brien made the switch at quarterback.
Now, it is Tom Savage as the starting quarterback for the Texans. With a good defense, Savage is going to be asked to try and not turn the ball over and make a few plays here and there. It is really the same story for the Texans as it has been in previous years. It is hard to expect that Savage will be able to do much in the playoffs, and they will be leaning heavily on their defense.
Crazier things have happened, but Savage hasn’t given us any reason to believe that he will be going on a historic postseason run. Unless the Texans’ defense really steps up and dominates, don’t expect much from the Texans in the postseason.
Dec 24, 2016; Orchard Park, NY, USA; Buffalo Bills free safety Corey Graham (20) dives to try and tackle Miami Dolphins running back Jay Ajayi (23) during the second half at New Era Field. The Dolphins beat the Bills 34-31 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports
3.) Miami Dolphins
As the trend continues, the Dolphins are the third team in the AFC that doesn’t have an ideal quarterback situation. In a win against the Arizona Cardinals, the Dolphins lost their quarterback Ryan Tannehill to a knee sprain. Tannehill’s status is still up in the air, but they have been getting some good play from his backup Matt Moore.
In his first start of the season against the New York Jets, Moore was able to total four passing touchdowns in an easy win. Against the Buffalo Bills last week, Moore played pretty well once again, as he totaled two passing touchdowns and 233 passing yards.
The Dolphins have a pretty good team surrounding Moore, as their defense is capable of generating pressure on the quarterback. Also, the Dolphins have shown the ability to run the ball extremely well. Jay Ajayi has had three 200-yards rushing games this season, and that will frighten any defense coordinator.
Unlike some of the other playoff teams in the AFC, the Dolphins should have some confidence in Moore heading into the playoffs. With two road wins against division opponents, Moore has shown the ability to win as the starting quarterback. Moore also doesn’t lack any confidence, as the Dolphins have been letting him talk shots down the field rather than playing conservative.
Dec 25, 2016; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs players congratulate nose tackle Dontari Poe (92) after he threw a touchdown pass during the second half at Arrowhead Stadium. The Chiefs won 33-10. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports
2.) Kansas City Chiefs
One of the teams that are now playing some pretty good football is the Kansas City Chiefs. On Christmas, the Chiefs were able to knock the Denver Broncos out of playoff contention with an easy win at home.
As expected, the Chiefs are led by their very talented defense. However, their offense is showing some signs of improvement this season. Quarterback Alex Smith has always been labeled as a game-manager. This season, he is starting to make some more plays, and that has helped the Chiefs’ offense.
For Smith, the Chiefs have surrounded him with some pretty good weapons on offense. Even without running back Jamaal Charles, the Chiefs have still been able to run the ball well with Spencer Ware.
In the passing game, the return of Jeremy Maclin has certainly helped, but tight end Travis Kelce is without a doubt the No.1 option. In five of the last six games, Kelce has totaled at least 100 receiving yards, as he is emerging as one of the best tight ends in the NFL. The Chiefs aren’t the most exciting team in the NFL, but they are capable of having success in the playoffs this year. With a strong defense and an improved offense, the Chiefs can’t be taken lightly this season.
1.) Pittsburgh Steelers
Arguably the toughest team that the Patriots might have to face in the AFC is the Pittsburgh Steelers. Like the Patriots, the Steelers have an elite quarterback in Ben Roethlisberger. As shown against the Baltimore Ravens on Christmas, Roethlisberger is capable of leading a team on a game-winning drive, and also capable of putting up a lot of points.
In addition to Roethlisberger, the Steelers also have one of the best wide receivers and running backs in the entire NFL. Antonio Brown is having another amazing season for the Steelers, and he was able to score the game-winning touchdown to win the AFC North. While Brown is great, Le’Veon Bell is arguably even better.
There are few players in the NFL that are capable of dominating a game like Bell can. As both a runner and a receiver, Bell can hurt a defense in multiple ways. Behind a much-improved offensive line, the Steelers are able to control a game on the ground with Bell. With the ability to score 30 points on any team in the NFL, the Steelers can’t be taken lightly with their elite weapons on the offensive side of the ball. Even though the defense is suspect, they do a good job bending but not breaking.
More from Musket Fire
This article originally appeared on 
