The AFC might be the most competitive and deep conference in the history of the league, and these five teams stick out as being the best. The two best teams in the AFC met in the conference championship game in 2022… and they also met in the 2021 AFC Championship Game as well.
The Chiefs and the Bengals are the premier teams in this conference. The conference goes through Joe Burrow and Patrick Mahomes until it doesn’t.
However, besides the obvious top two team in the conference, there are a plethora of other teams who have a chance at making a deep playoff run.
Who are the best five teams in the AFC?
2023 NFL Season: Who are the five best AFC teams?
No. 5: New York Jets
Between their top five scoring defense last year and their Aaron Rodgers‘ addition, I think the Jets are going to be a good team. They do have perhaps the best overall roster in the conference, but I could also see a scenario where the team disappoints.
I could put the Miami Dolphins in at the number five slot easily, but I do think the Jets are going to make this thing work for 2023, at least.
No. 4 Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jaguars were a surprise team in 2022 and not only made the playoffs, but erased a huge playoff deficit in the Wild Card Round to take down the Los Angeles Chargers, who you’ll notice did not make the top five ranking.
Trevor Lawrence is going to be an MVP candidate in 2023 and their coaching, led by Doug Pederson, is excellent.
2023 NFL Season: Who are the five best AFC teams?
No. 3: Buffalo Bills
Every year it seems like we hype up the Buffalo Bills only for them to fall apart when the intensity is on. They are a very good team in the AFC and are arguably a Super Bowl contender, but they’re a clear tier below the Chiefs and the Bengals, and I think they’re closer to the Jaguars than we think.
Josh Allen is great but I fear that he still has some of that horribly inaccurate decision maker in him that rears its ugly head now and then.
No. 2: Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals beat the Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game in 2021 but lost in 2022. Burrow and Mahomes are likely this generation’s Brady and Manning. They’ll go back and forth year after year but every once in a while we’ll see the Joe Flacco’s and Ben Roethlisberger’s make an appearance (Justin Herbert, Trevor Lawrence, and Josh Allen seem to fit that mold).
The Bengals are going to win a Super Bowl with Joe Burrow under center. It’s just a matter of when.
No. 1: Kansas City Chiefs
They’ve won two Super Bowls in the last four season and are the premier team in the entire NFL. I do wonder how they’ll fare in the AFC once Andy Reid retires, and I think that could come as early as next year.
However, as long as Patrick Mahomes is under center, they’ll be a Super Bowl contender. He’s already built a Hall of Fame career and his team is the team to beat in the AFC.