The Super Bowl is not just the most important game of the season for the National Football League, but it's arguably the pinnacle of sports. One team from the American Football Conference (AFC) and one from the National Football Conference (NFC) advance to the big game, but who will such teams be in 2023?

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This list will shine a spotlight on the AFC and the likelihood of each team reaching the Super Bowl. Stacking up against one another, the AFC seems much better than the NFC, but which is the strongest team of the 16 in this conference?

16 Houston Texans

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As mentioned earlier, the AFC is easily stronger than the NFC, but that doesn’t mean it is without weak teams. Most of all, the Houston Texans.

The Texans may be building a decent future with quarterback Davis Mills, cornerback Derek Stingley and others, but as of publication, they have many holes on a bad team. There isn’t much else to say, as not only are the Texans bad, but they’re boring too.

15 Jacksonville Jaguars

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The AFC South is the worst division in a strong conference, as two of the four teams are the two worst teams in the entire conference. Yes, Jacksonville may have improved in the offseason through the hiring of head coach Doug Pederson and the key offensive additions of offensive lineman Brandon Scherff and wide receiver Christian Kirk, but this is still a deeply flawed team.

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Quarterback Trevor Lawrence will improve this season, especially with a more stable front office/coaching staff, and No. 1 overall pick Trayvon Walker could be a difference maker on defense, but the defense as a whole, particularly the secondary, looks dreadful. This should be another tough season in Duval County.

14 New York Jets

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Like the Jaguars, the New York Jets made a lot of improvements in the offseason. They had a stellar draft, selecting cornerback Chauncey ‘Sauce’ Gardner, wide receiver Garrett Wilson, running back Breece Hall and edge rusher Jermaine Johnson (injured), and brought back playmakers who were some of the few bright spots on a dreadful 2021 team.

Quarterback Zach Wilson looks poised to take another step once he returns from injury, wide receiver Elijah Moore is primed to break out and defenders like defensive lineman Quinnen Williams, John Franklin-Myers and new addition Carl Lawson, will help generate pressure on the opposing QB. That said, especially with Wilson missing time and left tackle Mekhi Beckton out for the season, it’s just not New York’s year yet.

13 New England Patriots

In the 2021-22 season, the New England Patriots went 10-7 and made the playoffs, losing to division rival Buffalo Bills. For the 2022-23 season, their chances of being as successful as they were last season are not so high.

While almost every team in the AFC has made a conscious effort to get better, the Patriots pretty much stayed the same, as their additions don’t look to be impactful ones. Wide receiver DeVante Parker and rookie left guard Cole Strange anyone?

12 Pittsburgh Steelers

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The Pittsburgh Steelers are a tricky one. Their wide receiver core, bolstered by rookie George Pickens, their running back Najee Harris and their seemingly always formidable defense, backed by 2021-22 NFL Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY) TJ Watt, all seem to be forces to be reckoned with.

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That said, Pittsburgh is in a tricky QB situation. The starter for week one seems to be Mitch Trubisky, but rookie Kenny Pickett may get a shot at some point during the season as well. With head coach Mike Tomlin, this team may overachieve and sneak into the playoffs as a Wild Card team, but with how competitive the AFC is, it seems less likely than many others.

11 Cleveland Browns

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Essentially a toss-up with their division rival Steelers, the Cleveland Browns are a talented roster clouded with controversy. Everyone knows about the Deshaun Watson situation, and let’s avoid that as much as we can, but that does mean the Browns find themselves with quarterback Jacoby Brissett (a game manager at best) under center for the first 11 games of the season.

That said, maybe a game manager is all the Browns need. Cleveland has the best running back duo in the league with Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt, a dominant wide receiver in Amari Cooper, one of the best defenders in the league in Myles Garrett and a tremendous secondary. Either way, their quarterback situation means the Browns finish on the outside looking in.

10 Miami Dolphins

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This is where the ranking gets tough. From here on out, every team on this list will be competitive, barring injury. While teams above like the Pats, Browns and Steelers could sneak into the Playoffs, the rest of these teams are expected to. First is the Miami Dolphins, as the addition of wide receiver Tyreek Hill, pairing him with Jaylen Waddle instantly gives the Dolphins offense a life like few others in the league can match.

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If quarterback Tua Tagovailoa can take the next step and the Dolphins defense, headlined by cornerbacks Xavien Howard and Byron Jones, can do the same, Miami may be in line for a Playoff berth in a competitive AFC.

9 Tennessee Titans

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Although the Tennessee Titans traded star wide receiver AJ Brown, they replaced him with Robert Woods and rookie Treylon Burks, and it’s not like quarterback Ryan Tannehill will be throwing the ball much with running back Derrick Henry likely rushing the ball 30 times per game. If King Henry can get back to dominant form as he returns from injury, the Titans offense will be tough to stop, even without Brown.

With an underrated defense to boot, the Titans won’t win the AFC South in 2022-23, but they may just grab a Wild Card spot.

8 Denver Broncos

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On paper, the AFC West is unbelievable, perhaps the greatest division in NFL history if all goes to plan. While the Broncos will likely boast a winning record, they still finish last in a historic division.

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Quarterback Russel Wilson not only gives the Broncos their best shot at competing since Peyton Manning retired, but he also gives Denver much-needed leadership. A good running back and wide receiver duo to help out Wilson, matched with a rock solid defense, and the Broncos may just make the Playoffs for the first time since 2015-16.

7 Baltimore Ravens

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Rough wide receiver group aside, the Baltimore Ravens seem somehow underrated going into the 2022-23 season. Though some of the slack quarterback Lamar Jackson gets is earned, he still is a supremely talented player who has proven to be able to throw and run the ball at an MVP level and lead a team to a great season.

Then there’s the defense. While it doesn’t look to be as great as it has been in years past, the Ravens always have a tremendous defense due to their system and still have playmakers in the secondary like Marlon Humprhey, Marcus Peters and Marcus Williams.

6 Las Vegas Raiders

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Slightly better than the Broncos, are division foe Las Vegas Raiders. The Raiders made one of the biggest splashes of the entire offseason as they acquired star wide receiver Davante Adams from the Green Bay Packers, creating a seemingly dominant trio of threats through the air with Hunter Renfrow and Darren Waller.

Targeting them will be quarterback Derek Carr, an underrated leader and gunslinger, and running back Josh Jacobs finishes off their flashy offense. After proving last season they could make a Playoff run amidst controversy, now with a clean slate and a better offense and defense, the Raiders seemed poised to make a big impact, but may not get further than the AFC Championship game.

5 Indianapolis Colts

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Now for the Super Bowl contenders. While the Indianapolis Colts may be an entry readers are surprised to see in fifth place in a stacked AFC, they shouldn’t be.

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Perhaps having the best offseason in the entire NFL, the Colts turned a disappointing 2021-22 season into motivation to become contenders for the 2022-23 season. Rookie safety Nick Cross, rookie wide receiver Alec Pierce, Defensive end Yannick Ngakoue, former DPOY cornerback Stephon Gilmore, former MVP quarterback Matt Ryan were all key additions that bolster a Colts roster that already features All-Pros in defensive tackle DeForest Buckner, linebacker Shaquille Leonard, offensive lineman Quenton Nelson and running back Jonathan Taylor. If Indy stays healthy, they could be scary.

4 Kansas City Chiefs

Yes, the Kansas City Chiefs lost their most electric receiving option in Tyreek Hill, and their best member of the secondary in safety Tyrann Mathieu, but the Chiefs are still the Chiefs. Patrick Mahomes is still their quarterback and Andy Reid is still their head coach.

Adding JuJu Smith-Schuster, Marquez Valdes-Scantling and rookie Skyy Moore certainly helps the gap left by Hill, as does the presence of the best tight end in the league, Travis Kelce. While their secondary had major issues during the 2021-22 season, the Chiefs brought in Justin Reid and Juan Thornhill is healthy again, as well as adding rookie cornerback Trent McDuffie. The moral of the story is, even in an electric AFC West, the Chiefs still have a big chance at making their third Super Bowl in four seasons.

3 Cincinnati Bengals

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Somehow, the defending AFC Champions seem underrated heading into this season. The Bengals have a great chance at making a second trip in a row to the Super Bowl, especially after an off-season where they only got better.

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Addressing their biggest need, the offensive line, with Alex Cappa, Ted Karras and La’el Collins, the Bengals bring back their electric offense headlined by quarterback Joe Burrow, along with their competent defense. While the “Super Bowl Hangover” has certainly been known to hold true, don’t count out Cincinnati this season.

2 Los Angeles Chargers

Every Team In The AFC, Ranked By Their Current Super Bowl Chances
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Talk about a scary team. Not only are the Chargers set up nicely for the future with plenty of young and talented players, but they are also set up well for the present. Their difference-makers are too numerous to count and their offseason is right there with Indianapolis as the best in the NFL.

Charger fans know how great quarterback Justin Herbert, defensive end Joey Bosa, wide receivers Keenan Allen and Mike Williams, running back Austin Ekeler and offensive lineman Rashawn Slater are, and now they get to see how great edge rusher Khalil Mack and cornerback JC Jackson are, as well as welcoming back safety Derwin James. Los Angeles has a team fitting of Hollywood, so don't be surprised to see them in the 2023 Super Bowl

1 Buffalo Bills

As great as the Chargers look, it seems like there is no match for the Buffalo Bills in the 2022-23 season. With perhaps the most well-rounded and complete roster in the NFL, it just feels like Buffalo’s year.

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The Bills don’t have as many “superstar” players as many teams on this list, but they don’t have any real weakness either. Quarterback Josh Allen keeps getting better each year, wide receiver Stefon Diggs is one of the best in the league, the best defense in the NFL stays almost completely intact and head coach Sean McDermott is the right man for the job. In this writer’s humble opinion, the Buffalo Bills not only have the best chance at the Super Bowl in the AFC, but in the entire NFL.