With The First Pick
Fansided

Super Bowl LV: Ranking the top 5 NFL AFC contenders

By Nicholas McGee

MIAMI, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 02: Patrick Mahomes #15 of the Kansas City Chiefs celebrates after the Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LIV at Hard Rock Stadium on February 02, 2020 in Miami, Florida. The Chiefs won the game 31-20. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
MIAMI, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 02: Patrick Mahomes #15 of the Kansas City Chiefs celebrates after the Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LIV at Hard Rock Stadium on February 02, 2020 in Miami, Florida. The Chiefs won the game 31-20. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) /
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INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – DECEMBER 22: The Indianapolis Colts defense huddles up in the game against the Carolina Panthers at Lucas Oil Stadium on December 22, 2019 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – DECEMBER 22: The Indianapolis Colts defense huddles up in the game against the Carolina Panthers at Lucas Oil Stadium on December 22, 2019 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images) /

3. Indianapolis Colts

The Colts’ offseason was in stark contrast to that of the defending division champion Texans, with Indianapolis looking perfectly set up to dethrone Houston and take the South.

Philip Rivers was the headline acquisition and playing behind a Colts offensive line that is an obvious upgrade on the Los Angeles Chargers unit that attempted to protect him in 2019, he should feel less inclined to press and make risky decisions that led to his 20 interceptions last year.

Even with his giveaways, Rivers ranked ahead of 2019 Colts starting quarterback Jacoby Brissett in DVOA and defense-adjusted yards above replacement. The addition of a workhorse running back in Jonathan Taylor will take some of the burden off him while Michael Pittman gives Rivers a physically imposing and athletic presence on the outside who should prove an excellent complement to T.Y. Hilton.

If Hilton can stay healthy, the Colts should be very dangerous on offense. On defense, Indianapolis made a huge move in trading for All-Pro defensive tackle DeForest Buckner. He adds a fearsome interior pass-rushing presence to a unit featuring veteran edge rusher Justin Houston – coming off an 11-sack season – and one of the top young linebackers in the league in Darius Leonard.

With an innovative offensive head coach in Frank Reich at the controls, the arrow is pointing up for the Colts, who deserve to be the early favorites to be best of the rest behind the top two in the AFC.

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