There are multiple teams jockeying for position as the second fiddle in the AFC. The cream of the crop? That hasn’t changed. The New England Patriots will enter the 2017 season as the favorites to defend their Super Bowl title. There are some interesting foes they must get past in the conference, but make no mistake, New England is the heavy favorite to do so. The Patriots have been the top franchise in the NFL for years and it has no plans of slowing down any time soon.
AFC Odds at BookMaker.eu
New England Patriots +190
Pittsburgh Steelers +675
Oakland Raiders +700
Kansas City Chiefs +1000
Houston Texans +1200
Denver Broncos +1300
Indianapolis Colts +1500
Baltimore Ravens +1700
Tennessee Titans +2000
Cincinnati Bengals +2300
Miami Dolphins +2500
Los Angeles Chargers +3500
Jacksonville Jaguars +3500
Buffalo Bills +4500
Cleveland Browns +15000
New York Jets +15000
Key Players for Winning the AFC
Tom Brady – Even though he is 40 years old this season, the Patriots quarterback is still among the most valuable players in the NFL. Brady was suspended for four games in the 2016 season but didn’t miss a beat after getting reinstated, throwing for 3,554 yards with 28 touchdowns against only two interceptions in 12 games. Brady led a memorable comeback in last season’s Super Bowl to stun the Falcons and will return aiming for another stellar year. The Patriots have Jimmy Garoppolo as the backup but this is Brady’s show.
Rob Gronkowski - The best tight end in football is healthy again. Gronk only played in eight games last season, finishing with 25 catches for 540 yards and three touchdowns. When healthy, Gronkowski is a dominant pass-catcher as well as a blocker. He is always one of Brady’s primary targets and should once again be a go-to guy. The worry is the injury history, as Gronkowski has been often sidelined throughout his career. If he can stay on the field, expect another All-Pro season from Gronkowski. The Patriots lost fellow star tight end Martellus Bennett, and while Dwayne Allen has joined the fold, more could be expected of Gronkowski.
Brandin Cooks - The rich offense got richer with the addition of the speedy wideout in a trade with the Saints. Cooks had 78 catches for 1,173 yards and eight touchdowns a season ago for the Saints and seems to be in line to be Brady’s main deep threat in New England. Cooks has surpassed 1,000 yards receiving in each of the past two seasons and is expected to have another impressive year. In some situations there are concerns about a player fitting within a scheme, but the Patriots’ newcomers always seem to hit the ground running, and Cooks figures to make a big impact right away.
Malcolm Butler - The Patriots’ offense should be fantastic, and as long as the defense is solid the team will be great. Butler is one of the keys as he locks down the cornerback spot. He had the memorable interception in the Super Bowl against the Seahawks and has turned into one of the best cover men in the NFL. Butler may not be long for New England as the team discussed trading him this offseason, but he is back for at least 2017.
Stephon Gilmore - The Patriots added another lockdown cornerback in free agency by signing Gilmore from the Bills. New England now has one of the best cornerback duos in the AFC now, and they could have big years. The Patriots are often ahead late in games, forcing opponents to throw. The presence of Butler and Gilmore will make it tough on offenses looking to rally late. New England has very little holes on its roster and everything seems to be lining up for another run at the Super Bowl. It is easy to see why this is the favorite in the AFC and it’s hard to bet against it in 2017.
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