Contenders Starting To Gain Separation In AFC

As the midway mark for the 2010-11 betting on NFL season approaches, separation in the standings is beginning to creep in, particularly in the AFC. Unlike in the NFC, where not a single team is more than two games above .500, the contenders in the AFC are beginning to pull away, and it is no surprise what teams are at the top once again.

The New York Jets’ 28-14 comeback-win at home over the New England Patriots week two is the difference between those teams at the top of the standings in the AFC East, with the Miami Dolphins treading in third at 3-2. Projected to be one of the strongest divisions in football this online sports betting season, the three teams that are above .500 have a legitimate shot at making the postseason, while the lowly Buffalo Bills are still winless after five games in the AFC East basement. However, of those five losses, three were against the Jets, Patriots, or Dolphins, with the other two coming against teams currently .500 or better. With road games against the Baltimore Ravens and the Kansas City Chiefs on the horizon, the schedule doesn’t get much easier for the Bills, who will continue to watch the top-three contenders in the division jockey for playoff spots.

The AFC North will give the East a tough fight for the title of best division in football with two Super Bowl contenders in the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens. The Steelers are 4-1 atop the division even despite playing without franchise quarterback Ben Roethlisberger for the first four weeks of the season. A last-minute Ravens’ touchdown cost Pittsburgh a 17-14 defeat, the only thing keeping them from being perfect. With Roethlisberger back under center, the Steelers rank among the favorites in the AFC. Despite losing to the Patriots in overtime on the road, the Ravens are 4-2 and have beaten both the Jets and Steelers on the road. Baltimore’s offense is finally rounding in to form to compliment its offense, and that has helped the Ravens as they have joined the Steelers in separting themselves from the football betting Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns.

There is little separation in the AFC South and West divisions, but for entirely different reasons. In the South, the defending conference champion Indianapolis Colts, Houston Texans, and Tennessee Titans are all 4-2, and look like legitimate postseason teams, while the Jacksonville Jaguars remain at the .500 mark. In the West, the Kansas City Chiefs lead the division at 4-2, while the other three teams are a combined 6-12.

The contenders in the AFC are already beginning to gain betting separation, and there is little surprise when taking a look at who is at the top of the standings. The Patriots, Jets, Ravens, Steelers rank among the best in conference, while the Colts, Titans, and Texans will battle to join them in the postseason chase. New England, Baltimore, Indianapolis, and Kansas City are still the favorites, but Pittsburgh and New York will have their say.