Noah Underhill gave us the NFC power rankings and now its time for the AFC rankings! Let us know in the comments what you think about the list.
16.) Black Knights
The Black Knights have been underachieving for a while and I don’t think that will change. There are solid pieces all over the place but they just haven’t been able to put it together. They live and die on Holden Wolfe and he isn’t good enough to win a lot of games. They got some good young talent in the off-season but they are at the bottom of the heap right now.
15.) Voyagers
The Voyagers are having an identity crisis. After losing their coach, they haven’t been able to turn it around. They have some stars on defense and Haye is a decent QB but they are ready for a reset. They just need someone to rally around to become successful and finally reach the top.
14.) Dreadnoughts
The Dreads have a chance to improve slightly this year. They have begun to build around Kam Jones who could be a top 5 WR for years to come. I don’t trust their current QB Jake McBride but I have been wrong before. They have some good defensive starters but they are getting older and it’s probably better to nuke it now while you still have a young star.
13.) Pioneers
The Pioneers are rebuilding. We know this. They have been able to add several young talented guys that should help the process but they aren’t quite there yet. They were able to snag Andre Tomlinson in FA (called it) and he should be able to play well while bringing along Bryce Witherspoon. They should be good in the future but for now, they just have to wait and see what happens.
12.) Celtic Tigers
The GOAT and friends are back and they have one step in the retirement home and one in the nursery. Half of their stars will begin regressing and the other half haven’t arrived yet. But this year will still be pretty decent and they may have a chance if the chips fall correctly. If the young guns can teach the old dogs new tricks they might be on their way.
11.) Aviators
The future looks shaky for this team. Father Time is on his way with most of the starters being close to the big 30 and this may be one of their last chances to win before a rebuild. They have joined a much harder division from last year that has 3 other playoff teams in it. If the Kings (Kenny and Armstrong) can spark a run from these guys it could be good but I just can’t see it.
10.) Bisons
The Bisons may take a bit of a step back this year. They have done a good job of finding young talented players for their offense, but the defense has almost been ignored. They have a solid secondary but an aging front seven that needs help. Joe Torres was a good pick for sure but in making that pick they are showing that they aren’t very concerned with making a playoff run this year. It could still happen, but not by design.
9.) Bulldogs
London has been pretty close in the past but they haven’t been able to recapture the glory of their championship run. I think they will make the jump this year and possibly even make the playoffs and make a solid push. Their defense is really very impressive and with a solid WR core, I think they can bounce back.
8.) Armadillos
The Armadillos have a chance to compete this year if they get good production out of the QB position. It seems like Devin Wade may be getting forced on to the coaching staff after an up and down year last year. There are several superstars on this offense that are pulling it along. The defense has a few new pieces that will have to make their presence felt if they want to make a run. Assuming Rodenhauser stays on the field, he could be the answer they are looking for.
7.) Red Dragons
The Red Dragons are back and ready to climb back into the playoff picture. Luigs was a problem last year but with the addition of Anthony Savoy, That doesn’t seem to matter anymore. You may not want to start the rookie right away but with a super o-line and a lot of solid receiving options, he should explode on to the scene.
6.) Bulls
After a surprising loss to the Cougars in the playoffs, a lot of the shine seems to have come off of the Bulls for most people. Not many “experts” are taking Layne Kerney’s MVP trophy seriously and he knows it. He has a lot of chips on his shoulder now and he is chomping at the bit to start the season. Couple that with David Jones and a scary defense, the Bulls will be back again ready for more.
5.) Cougars
Chicago has been built on young defensive players. Rob Roby has built a culture around the defense making plays and forcing opponents to make mistakes. He was able to coax away Denard Locker from Mexico to come back to the states for a big playoff run. If he can get a more than quality season out of Rob Slater they could very well get there.
4.) River Hogs
The River Hogs underachieved very hard last year but I fully believe that they will bounce back this year. The addition of Anthony Washington and John Waltin will hopefully spark this team from the rut that they are in. Mackey is getting older and the window is closing and if he can get his team to rally around him they could get back in the dance.
3.) Sentinels
The Sentinels are in an interesting situation where they are retooling while winning. DeAndre Wilkins maybe one of the great draft steals in RFL history and he will be dragging this team as far as it can go. I am somewhat concerned about some of the younger starters on the team maybe not being championship worthy but a great QB and other solid pieces will cover these holes.
2.) Conquistadors
This might surprise a few people but it really shouldn’t. Mexico City has built what may be the best defense in the AFC. Yeah, I said it. They are scary. And they also have a young duo of Chum Lee and D'mani Manuel that will do well for themselves this year. They also have a solid (though aging) O-line that should be able to keep Lee upright. If Lee doesn’t hit some weird wall in his development, The C’s should be on the quest for the championship.
1.) Huskies
The Champs aren’t taking their foot off the gas this season. Some of their stars are aging but that will only make them more hungry to get back to the top and prove it's not a fluke. And they aren’t all old dogs. Guyton, Leonidas, and Pascal will all be here for a long time and want to get their guys back to the top. Teams have to go through Toronto on the road to the playoffs and beyond.
There you have it! Did you expect the Relo Bowl Champs to be on top? was your team slandered? tell us how you feel in the comments below! And if you cant comment, then that means you aren't a member yet. We should probably change that, so sign up now to never miss a story from the RFL!