2022 AFC playoffs: Does Miami make this too early prediction?
By Juan Vasquez
![MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA - DECEMBER 13: (L-R) Xavien Howard #25, Nik Needham #40, and Jerome Baker #55 of the Miami Dolphins celebrate and interception against the Kansas City Chiefs at Hard Rock Stadium on December 13, 2020 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images) MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA - DECEMBER 13: (L-R) Xavien Howard #25, Nik Needham #40, and Jerome Baker #55 of the Miami Dolphins celebrate and interception against the Kansas City Chiefs at Hard Rock Stadium on December 13, 2020 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/https-3A-2F-2Fphinphanatic-com-2Fwp-content-2Fuploads-2Fgetty-images-2F2018-2F08-2F1291319410-850x560-ff433b3fedcdcd57dcee7ac8b754e231b79bcb00c14ee383174419bdc6b79f27.jpg)
#2 Seed, Denver Broncos:
Ahhhh the AFC West, or like some like to call it the ‘Group of Death’ who’s going to make it out alive? The Chiefs took a serious step back, the Raiders really upgraded on offense but defense is suspect, and the Chargers overall got better but they were inconsistent last year, the Broncos are the most complete team.
The Broncos have a top tier playmaker at every position, at RB Javonte Williams who had a great rookie year and is on pace to keep improving.
Jerry Jeudy, Tim Patrick, and Courtland Sutton at WR are very solid and reliable skill group, Jeudy has the chance to fulfill his star like potential from the draft with a QB like Russell Wilson. The Broncos also have a respectable OL and a top tier defense.
And of course the piece that brings it all together, the Broncos traded for QB Russell Wilson this off-season. Many people including the Broncos thought Denver had a team ready to compete at every level except QB before trading for Russ.
I know the theory is that in the AFC West these teams will take each other out and keep themselves from high seeding, but like we saw with the Rams last year; tough divisions don’t mean much if the team is a contender and not a pretender.
In the end the Broncos separate themselves from the rest of the pack in that division.