For the first time in a decade
Womens Seantrel Henderson Jersey , the top seed in the AFC playoffs goes to a team not led by Tom Brady or Peyton Manning.The Kansas City Chiefs earned
the No. 1 seed for the first time since 1997 after switching from Alex Smith to
Patrick Mahomes , the sensational second-year star who reminds so many of Brett
Favre.The New England Patriots lost five times on the road but still managed to
win their customary first-round bye, slipping past the Houston Texans to earn a
week off to rest for the 10th consecutive year.They’re the only teams back in
the AFC playoffs following a year of comebacks.The Texans return from a year’s
absence thanks to the remarkable rebounds of J.J. Watt and Deshaun Watson . The
Chargers rode a refined Philip Rivers to their first playoff berth in five
years, and the Colts crashed the playoff party for the first time since 2014
behind Andrew Luck’s rousing return .The Colts visit the Texans on Saturday in
the wild-card round, and on Sunday the Chargers play at Baltimore, where the
Ravens ended a four-year drought by rallying behind Lamar Jackson , the last of
the “Big Five” rookie QBs drafted in the first round, but the first to make it
to the playoffs.Strength and weakness of each of the six AFC playoff teams:1.
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (12-4). AP Pro32 Ranking: No. 4. Last Lombardi: Super Bowl 4,
23-7 over Minnesota on Jan. 11, 1970.SHOOTOUT: The Chiefs haven’t had a true
franchise QB since Len Dawson led them to their only Super Bowl title. But after
letting him learn the ropes under Alex Smith, Mahomes broke out with one of the
best seasons in NFL history for a first-year starter (5,097 yards and 50
touchdowns ). K.C. scored at least 26 points in every game, the only team ever
to do so.STRIKEOUT: The defense is a dud. Their four losses this season came
when they put forth as much resistance as tissue paper: shootout losses to the
Rams, Patriots and Seahawks and a fourth-quarter meltdown against the Chargers.
Of course, those are all playoff-bound teams. Don’t forget on offense the ouster
of RB Kareem Hunt , who had 14 TDs. The Chiefs have gone 3-2 since cutting last
year’s rushing champ.SHOUTOUT: “I always feel like there is a bull’s-eye every
week, and that’s OK. That’s the way you want it. We’ve earned the right to be in
this position.” — Coach Andy Reid.2. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (12-4). AP Pro32
Ranking: No. 5 (tie). Last Lombardi: Super Bowl 51
Ka'imi Fairbairn Jersey White , 34-28, OT, over Atlanta on Feb. 5, 2017.FAR OUT: At 41, he finally showed signs of age this season. But having Tom
Brady on their roster makes the Patriots a title contender. Coming off an MVP
season, Brady fell off — by his lofty standards — with 4,355 yards, 29 TDs and
11 interceptions. Getting a week off to rest is important because the Patriots
have not been a wild-card team since 2009, when they were blown out by
Baltimore.FLAME OUT: Every time Brady has won a Super Bowl ring, he had a
star-studded defense helping him. The Patriots have given up 30 or more points
five times this season, going 2-3. They haven’t been able to get to the
quarterback like last year, when they were tied for seventh in the league with
42 sacks. This season, they tied for 30th with just 30 sacks.SHOUTOUT: “11-5 is
nothing to be sad about. I mean, we fought pretty hard and put ourselves in a
decent position here, and now we’ve got to go try to take advantage of it.” —
Brady.3. HOUSTON TEXANS (11-5). AP Pro32 Ranking: No. 7. No Lombardis.ROUT: QB
Deshaun Watson is healthy again as evidenced by his eight TD throws and no
interceptions in the last six games while running for 276 yards and four TDs.
DeAndre Hopkins was second in the NFL with a career-high 1,572 yards receiving.
J.J. Watt and Jadeveon Clowney combined for 25 sacks and 34 tackles for loss.
Watt also forced seven fumbles after playing just eight games over two
injury-shortened seasons.POUT: The Texans enter the playoffs thin at receiver
behind Hopkins after losing Will Fuller (knee) midseason and Demaryius Thomas ,
a trade deadline pickup from Denver
Womens Zach Cunningham Jersey , to a torn Achilles tendon last month. There is also concern about the porous O-line after Watson was sacked an
NFL-leading 62 times this season. That kind of duress can negate any franchise
QB. Adding to the pressure is a less-than-impressive ground game.SHOUTOUT: “This
team is one of the few teams to come back from 0-3 and to qualify for the
playoffs and win the division. We have a tough football team.” — Coach Bill
O’Brien.4. BALTIMORE RAVENS (10-6). AP Pro32 Ranking: No. 9. Last Lombardi:
Super Bowl 47, 34-31 over San Francisco on Feb. 1, 2013.BREAKOUT: The Ravens are
dangerous if rookie QB Lamar Jackson shows the same poise he displayed in
leading Baltimore on a 6-1 streak after taking over from an injured Joe Flacco.
With Jackson efficiently operating the run-pass option , Baltimore controlled
the clock and the rested defense manhandled opponents. John Harbaugh’s Ravens
boast the NFL’s second-ranked rushing attack and No. 1 defense.DROPOUT:
Baltimore beat the Chargers in L.A. on Dec. 22, but QB Philip Rivers should be
ready for the rematch against a defense that last week was burned by Baker
Mayfield for 376 yards and three TDs. Jackson ran for nearly 700 yards, but with
only one career game of 200 yards passing, there’s still some question whether
he can bring Baltimore back from a deficit with his arm.SHOUTOUT: “This is what
a real team looks like. They block out all the outside, turn to each other for
strength and are there for one another. … This is the best team I’ve been
around.” — Harbaugh.5. LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (12-4). AP Pro32 Ranking: No. 5
(tie). No Lombardis. Lost Super Bowl 28 to San Francisco 49-26 in 1995.CLOUT:
Philip Rivers had a 105.5 passer rating in 2018, equaling his career best.
Melvin Gordon had 1,309 yards from scrimmage and 14 TDs and Austin Ekeler
emerged as a change-of-pace back. Keenan Allen led the team in catches again but
Mike Williams developed into another big-play receiver. The Chargers also aren’t
fazed by hitting the road , where they were 7-1 with wins at Seattle, Pittsburgh
and Kansas City.DOUBT: The Chargers head into the playoffs with only one healthy
starter at linebacker. Denzel Perryman and Jatavis Brown are out with
season-ending injuries and their replacements are undersized, something
opponents will certainly scheme to exploit. They’ve been outscored 43-14 in the
first quarter of the past six games as Rivers has thrown an interception on the
first drive in each of the last three games.SHOUTOUT: “We just had to be in the
playoffs. Our goal is to try to make a run and try to get to the Super Bowl.” —
CB Casey Hayward Jr.6. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (10-6). AP Pro32 Ranking: No. 8. Last
Lombardi: Super Bowl 41, 29-17 over Chicago on Feb. 4, 2007.BLOWOUT: The
Comeback Colts got into the playoffs with a three-pronged combo they’ve rarely
had: balanced offense, stout defense and championship-caliber QB. Andrew Luck
came back from a partially torn labrum in his throwing shoulder with the best
overall season of his career. The revamped O-line allowed a league-low 18 sacks
and the Colts have allowed 16.4 points over last eight games.BURNOUT: The Colts
will spend the playoffs on the road with a roster that lacks much postseason
experience. Only four players from Indy’s last playoff team in 2014 will be
active Sunday: Luck, T.Y. Hilton
Womens DeAndre Hopkins Jersey , Anthony Castonzo and Adam Vinatieri. Take out three players who own Super Bowl rings — Vinatieri, Jabaal Sheard and Najee
Goode — and the other 46 players on the roster have a total of six playoff
wins.SHOUTOUT: “That’s every team’s goal at the beginning of the season, to get
into the dance, and we have climbed the mountain far enough to get into the
playoffs. But our ultimate goals are still out there.” — Vinatieri. It’s the end
of an era."Remember all those years of Alfred Blue catching dump-off passes only
to be tackled short of the first down marker? All those snaps wasted for two
yards on the ground? The runs snipped short by a lack of vision? The occasional
ability to run straight forward through open holes yet not create any of one’s
own? Those days are gone, even if you’ll never forget that 36 carry 156 yard
game he had against Cleveland in 2014. Alfred Blue was a free agent again, and
this time, he signed a one-year contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars. It isn’t
clear if Blue will even make the Jags’ roster. The Jaguars have one-hit wonder
Thomas Rawls, Dimitri Flowers, David Williams (who had eight carries last
season), and Leonard Fournette on their roster. It’s expected the Jags add
another back through the draft. As far as Blue’s situation goes, this isn’t the
worst spot for him. If he makes the roster, he can lower his shoulder and get
what Jacksonville’s offensive line gives him whenever Fournette is hurt. The
Texans have Lamar Miller and D’Onta Foreman on the current roster. They need
another back as well, even if it’s a guy who just likes to catch passes out of
the backfield and jump around catches. Houston reportedly called the Browns
about Duke Johnson. Let’s wait and see if anything happens.
