02,

 

Under normal circumstances, I'd root like heck for KC to pound Buffalo because of my buddy who is a Bills fan, but a playoff push, especially the first for this team in forever, knows no loyalties or allegiances outside of Jacksonville.  Both KC and Buffalo can be formidable down the stretch.  I think from top to bottom, Buffalo has the more talented roster than KC, but I think the Chiefs are better coached, and ultimately the bigger threat since we don't have the head to head tiebreaker over them.

 

Now I was too lazy to do extended schedule analysis, in part, figuring that doing this every week we'd get a better picture on who to root for/against as time goes on.  However, given your astute look at the schedule, Miami may well be the bigger threat longer term.,,but again we hold the tiebreaker.

 

 

I do not consider the current division leaders, outside of Indy, as competition for playoff spots right now.  I think their records at this point are far superior to the Jaguars to the point of mootness.  Even if Jacksonville won out and New England lost out, they'd still get in over us due to head to head.  Even though Cincy has lost two straight, I think this is a minor hiccup and not something longer term/systemic.  I still think they win that division by a healthy margin.  I think to a lesser extent, Denver mirrors Cincy.  I think the offense will be a sore spot for the rest of the year.  Manning is finished.  Osweiler, while not having anywhere near the brains Manning has, I think at this stage he offers more physically than the first ballot HOFer,and the offense will be more productive, while he isn't as good as Dalton at this point.

 

Baltimore is in no position to rally for a late playoff push, because they have too many major injuries to too many major contributors to do so.  Ray Lewis, Ed Reed and Terrell Suggs are not there to rally the team.

---