Felger & Mazz: Another Down Year For The AFC?
BOSTON (CBS) - In 2013, there was a wide gap in the American Football Conference of the National Football League between the haves and the have nots. It was a down year all-around.
In contrast, the NFC had a much better year. It had more double-digit win teams, and even had a 10-win team (Arizona) miss the playoffs. Also, the Super Bowl's NFC representative blew out its AFC counterpart in embarrassing fashion.
And just looking at the crop of teams this year, and considering all their moves through free agency and the draft, Michael Felger, Paul Perillo and Rich Keefe all feel like the AFC is down once again.
Wednesday afternoon on 98.5 The Sports Hub's Felger & Massarotti program, all three guys analyzed the Las Vegas over/unders (according to Bovada) for each team and gave their predictions for the upcoming season.
AFC East
Patriots
Vegas Over/Under: 11
Felger: "Over! When is the last time they won under 12 games? 2009? Automatically over. I'm still putting the college fund on that one. Pound the over."
Perillo: "Oh that's over. They go 12-4 every year."
Keefe: "Over."
Bills
Vegas Over/Under: 6.5
Perillo: "I'm going under. 6-10 Buffalo Bills. I'm not sold on E.J. Manuel. Marcel Dareus is probably looking at a suspension. Kiko Alonso is out for the year. I like Sammy Watkins but he's been banged up a little bit of late. It's still Buffalo. 6-10, that's what they do."
Keefe: "I'm definitely taking the under. I don't think the Dolphins are as bad as everyone else, so that's six tough games in the division."
Dolphins
Vegas Over/Under: 7.5
Perillo: "Under. Ryan Tannehill is not consistent enough. I just don't see enough there on either side of the ball."
Keefe: "I'll go under on that. .500 team last year. It's really all on Tannehill. I'm surprised Philbin is still there to be honest."
Jets
Vegas Over/Under: 7
Perillo: "Over. Slightly over. I think they're an 8-8 team. Mike Vick might be able to win some games for them."
Keefe: "I think they're definitely over. I thought they were surprisingly .500 last year. The defense is basically the same. I like their draft. Eric Decker is way better than what they had a year ago. I think they'll be in the mix for a Wild Card spot."
AFC North
Bengals
Vegas Over/Under: 9
Perillo: "I'm gonna go over on this one. I think that's a talented team. A really balanced team."
Keefe: "I'm going under. I like the players they have -- I think A.J. Green is one of the best receivers, if not the best receiver in the AFC, but there's something about them. I think they'll probably end up .500."
Ravens
Vegas Over/Under: 8.5
Felger: "I think Baltimore is back in the mix this year."
Perillo: "Over. I don't think Joe Flacco could possibly be as bad as he was last year. That team is too good to only win 8 games."
Keefe: "I'm gonna go over. I don't think it'll be much over. They might win 9 games. I don't think they're a dominant team. There is something to be said about the Super Bowl hangover."
Steelers
Vegas Over/Under: 8.5
Perillo: "Under. I think it's a coaching issue. I think there's some talent on that team and I still think Ben can play, but there's no reason why that team shouldn't be in the playoffs every year."
Keefe: "I'm going over. I don't like Roethlisberger, Flacco or Dalton. But somebody has to win that division."
Browns
Vegas Over/Under: 6.5
Perillo: "Under. I think it's a mess. I think the team is divided right out of the shoot between Johnny Manziel and Brian Hoyer. 3-13 written all over it, 4-12 tops."
Keefe: "They're definitely going to be looking at a high draft pick next year. Under. They're in for a long season."
AFC South
Texans
Vegas Over/Under: 7.5
Felger: "Boy that seems high for a team that doesn't have a quarterback."
Perillo: "I'm gonna go under for that very reason. It pains me to go under because I love Bill O'Brien. I think he's legit. He has the perfect mix of Belichick. He's not going to be all-Bill, but he doesn't have a quarterback."
Keefe: "I'm gonna go under too. They won 2 games last year. I think they'll be better than that, but the quarterback situation is a mess. I'm intrigued by Clowney and Watt though."
Colts
Vegas Over/Under: 9.5
Perillo: "I'm gonna take the over. I love Andrew Luck. He's good for 10 wins."
Keefe: "They were the team to beat in the South last year and I think they will be again. They won 11 games a year ago and I think they got better. I'll take the over."
Jaguars
Vegas Over/Under: 5
Perillo: "I'm gonna take the over on that. I like Gus Bradley, and I like everything I hear about Blake Bortles. I think he'll be starting soon."
Keefe: "I'm gonna go under."
Titans
Vegas Over/Under: 7
Felger: "I'll go under on Tennessee just because they bore me to tears."
Perillo: "7-9 sounds perfect, but I'll go under."
Keefe: "I'll also take the under there. Look at who the quarterback is and that'll tell you whether or not to go over or under."
AFC West
Broncos
Vegas Over/Under: 11.5
Felger: "I like the over. It's a good team"
Perillo: "I think their schedule is tough. They're playing the best division in the AFC and NFC this year. I'll go slightly over."
Keefe: "I'm gonna go under. Put the money on the under. They're still the Patriots biggest competition in the AFC, but I think coming off that Super Bowl run they might have some slip-ups. 11-5 is still a good season."
Chargers
Vegas Over/Under: 8
Perillo: "I love the over on this one. They had a first year coach last year and got better every week. That is the sign of good coaching. I really like Mike McCoy."
Keefe: "I'll take the over too. I think the West is going to be solid again like last year."
Raiders
Vegas Over/Under: 5
Perillo: "Sounds about right, but I'll go under just because they're the Raiders."
Keefe: "Definitely under."
Chiefs
Vegas Over/Under: 8
Felger: "Isn't Andy Reid always good for nine wins?"
Perillo: "I'm gonna take the under on that. They won a lot of games last year early with a defense that played really well, but got exposed as the season went on. I like Alex Smith. He's one of those guys that finds a way to win games."
Keefe: "Wild Card team once again. I'll give them the over."
Listen below for the full conversation, and leave us your predictions in the comments section!
Another Down Year For The AFC?
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