Who Will Win the AFC in 2007?

Yeah, I understand its early, but true football fans don't need to be any closer to the season to start making their predictions. Besides, after such an exciting offseason, who can resist? Here's a breakdown of the AFC heavyweights, the don't-forget-about's, and the long shots.

Baltimore Ravens

They came close in 2006 mostly due to the offensive spark provided by Steve McNair. Who would have thought that the Ravens could have put up that many points in three games, much less one? In preparation for 2007, they upgraded an offensive line that would have been in serious trouble had Jonathan Ogden not decided to return. Linemen Ben Grubbs and Marshal Yanda should be solid players, which is good because there's no telling what Steve McNair really has left. RB Willis McGahee will help out big time. Each year, the Raven defense looks more and more suspect. The loss of Adalius Thomas will definitely hurt. They might nab a wild-card spot if things go their way, but they won't advance.

Cincinnati Bengals

They're getting tough to read. They have an aging defense and didn't do enough in the offseason to really improve it. They didn't seem to play very well together in 2006, so watch to see if they overcome some chemistry problems. Despite losing WR's Kelley Washington to New England and Chris Henry to an eight-game suspension, they still have a good receiving corps. QB Carson Palmer looks like he'll have no problems from his injury two seasons ago and the Bengals will lean heavily on him to produce. Otherwise, they're defense won't help them get the job done. Again they're tough to figure out. I say they don't make the playoffs.

Tennessee Titans

The loss of Travis Henry will hurt. Chris Brown is not a premier back and Lendale White is reportedly fat. Losing WR's Drew Bennett and Bobby Wade takes even more weapons away from Vince Young. I predict Young will be another Michael Vick, his passing ability won't cut it in the NFL when teams learn how to keep him in the pocket. NFL teams, by the way, learn quickly. This is Young's ultimate test. A productive 2007 should silence many of his critics, including me. No playoffs.

Denver Broncos

The last four teams have legitimate chances of competing for the Lombardi trophy, though Denver will have the most to prove. Their offseason moves rank in the top five of all NFL teams. Defensive coordinator Jim Bates promises to improve his side of the ball. Their biggest problem was on the D-line, but a decent draft has helped that out immensely. Marcus Thomas and Jarvis Moss could be solid players, though Thomas needs to stay out of trouble. Tim Crowder was a great pick and should develop into a talent. I wouldn't want to be any quarterback that has to deal with Champ Bailey and Dre Bly on my receivers, but Denver is weak at the safety position. John Lynch has lost a step (or twelve) in coverage, though he can still play the run well. Safeties Sam Brandon and Nick Ferguson are both returning from injury. The Broncos' hopes rest on Jay Cutler. He has shown the ability to play, but this season will tell us a lot. Travis Henry should rush for 1,200, and backups Mike Bell and Selvin Young are good runners as well. TE Daniel Graham is a huge addition, but Cutler needs WR Brandon Marshall to step up. Rumors have Denver trying to land newly-released Keyshawn Johnson. We'll have to see what happens. If Cutler can play as well as I think he can, Denver could be a dangerous opponent.

San Diego Chargers

What can you say? They have 11 pro-bowlers returning and QB Philip Rivers is only getting more experienced. The biggest problem involves the changes in the coaching staff so late after last season that the best head coach candidates were already taken. The impact will definitely be felt, but the Chargers should have enough weapons to carry them far once more.

New England Patriots

Despite the fact that nothing ever lives up to the hype, you have to love the Patriots' chances if you're a fan. Putting Tom Brady on the field with Donte Stallworth, Randy Moss, Wes Welker, and Kelley Washington, not to mention TE Kyle Brady as Daniel Graham's replacement, could equal a lot of embarrassed defenses. Welker also doubles as an effective return specialist. The Pats' biggest concern now is establishing chemistry. Brady will have to learn to throw to brand new receivers, and despite the fact that Moss's character issues don't negate the tremendous talent that he'll bring with him, he can be a pain to deal with. New England's other problem is that they haven't done too much on defense besides adding Adalius Thomas. Safety Brandon Meriweather has great potential, but again he needs to stay out of trouble in a league that has shown it won't mess around with off-the-field issues. Their tremendous coaching and hard-working team ethic always seemed to carry them through any problems in the past and it will again this year. They should compete for the trip to the big game.

Indianapolis Colts

It's always hard to go against the Colts when Peyton Manning is surrounded by a good O-line and good receivers. Anthony Gonzalez is a great pick-up. He has the potential to fill the shoes of a healthy Brandon Stokeley. Give Gonzalez a year in the league and he could grab enough passes for a thousand yards. The Colts defense continues to get worse, however. The loss of CB's Nick Harper and Jason David leave questions in the defensive backfield. The replacement for LB Cato June, Freddy Keiaho, made only 22 tackles in his limited playing time in 2006. The Colt's season comes down to the fact that its insanely difficult to replicate any success in this league. They won't repeat as Superbowl or AFC champs.

It's going to be a great season and it should be fun to watch some very good talent playing on new teams. There are a number of rookies that could have great seasons as well. Now it's time for the best part. Something I wrote pissed off at least 95 percent of you. So let's here it. Leave your picks and comments below so others can get mad. After all, there's plenty to debate in 2007's AFC.