Overrated and Underrated NFL Teams: Week 17 AFC Contenders and Pretenders

Week 16 was another eventful slate of games for the AFC. Kansas City lost again, and Buffalo kept rolling. There are still 12 teams in the hunt for the playoffs, meaning anything could happen over the final two weeks of the season.

There are no official "rankings" in the NFL, so we'll examine recent hype and public perception of some of the potential AFC playoff teams after Week 16.

In this article, we'll take a deep dive into the dynamic landscape of the NFL and examine the overrated and underrated teams that have emerged as contenders or pretenders in the AFC ahead of Week 17 of the 2023 NFL season.

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Week 17's Most Overrated AFC Team

Jacksonville Jaguars

• Record: 8-7
• Current Division Standing: First Place (AFC South)

Jacksonville has lost each of the last four games. Three of the opposing quarterbacks were Jake Browning, Joe Flacco, and Baker Mayfield, and all three of them outperformed Trevor Lawrence head-to-head. Although Lawrence should get a little bit of a break due to his flurry of injuries in recent weeks, the Jaguars seem to be falling apart at the wrong time.

Jacksonville, the Houston Texans, and the Indianapolis Colts are all tied at 8-7. Doug Pederson's squad has had multiple chances to take a commanding lead in the AFC South, but they have not been able to pull it off.

If the Jags win the division, a matchup with the Cleveland Browns is worrisome. If they fall into a Wild Card spot, they might draw a first-round matchup with Miami, Buffalo, Baltimore, or Kansas City. This does not bode well for a team on the decline.

Antoine Winfield Jr. with the INTERCEPTION on Trevor Lawrence!

His second thrown INT today. #GoBucs pic.twitter.com/L2H40zt9wP

— BucsGameday (@BucsGameday) December 24, 2023

Other AFC Pretenders

• Pittsburgh Steelers
• Cincinnati Bengals
• Indianapolis Colts

The Steelers exceeded expectations and dominated the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 16, but whether Mason Rudolph, Mitch Trubisky, or Kenny Pickett is under center for Mike Tomlin, this team isn't a serious contender.

George Pickens IS A DAWG 😤 pic.twitter.com/kYomscSUKc

— Bussin' With The Boys (@BussinWTB) December 23, 2023

Jake Browning's rise to prominence has been impressive, but it all feels irrelevant after being drummed by the Steelers. The Bengals are banged up on offense and have a subpar defense, so they're also in the "pretender" category.

The Colts being in playoff contention under first-year head coach Shane Steichen is shocking and a fun story. However, the 19-point loss to the Atlanta Falcons was inexcusable. All of the AFC South squads look like "one and done" candidates if they qualify for the postseason.

Week 16's Most Underrated AFC Team

Cleveland Browns

• Record: 10-5
• Current Division Standing: Second Place (AFC North)

Cleveland has held strong in the No. 5 spot in the AFC. Joe Flacco is averaging 326.7 passing yards per game, and Kareem Hunt and Jerome Ford have done just enough to fill in for an injured Nick Chubb this season. The offense is operating better than it did with Deshaun Watson, especially in the deep passing game.

Amari Cooper set a Cleveland franchise record for receiving yards Sunday. What does he have in store on #TNFonPrime? pic.twitter.com/2dkpfGazvj

— NFL on Prime Video (@NFLonPrime) December 26, 2023

The Browns' defense has remained No. 1 in DVOA all season. The Browns are hot, and if they can keep rolling in all three phases, this is a dark horse AFC Championship team.

Other AFC Contenders

• Kansas City Chiefs
• Buffalo Bills

Kansas City was embarrassed by Las Vegas in Week 16. There's no doubt about it. That said, Patrick Mahomes is still their quarterback. Mahomes has not failed to reach the AFC Championship game in any of his five seasons as the full-time starter. While he will likely have to go on the road for the first time in his playoff career this season, it's not a great idea to count out the best player in today's NFL.

Buffalo continues to build momentum and will be a tough out for any AFC team. Josh Allen's turnovers are being negated by his spectacular plays, and the Bills are slowly getting better and healthier on defense. A red-hot quarterback can lead a team all the way to a ring -- just ask 2012 Joe Flacco.

Josh Allen DIME and Gabe Davis to the house! #BUFvsLAC | Via @NFL

pic.twitter.com/XYei3AmpNJ

— NFL on Prime Video (@NFLonPrime) December 24, 2023

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