"Surprise/Sexy Picks" in the AFC

By: Jake

(Disclaimer: Not my actual, serious picks, just for fun)

Every year there are the "sexy" picks like the Arizona Cardinals, who look like contenders every year, but before last year, have failed. These picks are usually not teams that are proven or have been contenders for a long time. My "Sexy Picks" or "Surprise Picks" for this year:

1. NY Jets (I love this defense with the addition of Bart Scott on top of the stellar Defense that it was last year.  Mark Sanchez will have to come up big this year for this pick to come true, and I believe he can with the strong running game consisting of thomas Jones and Leon Washington.)

2. Baltimore Ravens (Flacco has a year under his belt and ca only get better from his season last year where he won 2 playoff games as a rookie. They shored up the line for Flacco by drafting Michael Oher and the Defense will always be in top shape with Ed Reed and Ray Lewis fueling the longtime staple of the Ravens)

3. Houston Texans (Schaub will stay healthy for once and come up big for the Texans who finally have a RB that can be effective to take a man off of coverage and open up the field even more for Andre Johnson. The defense should be amazing next year with the addition of Brian Cushing and the maturation of Mario Williams, not to mention DeMeco Ryans.)

4. KC Chiefs (Matt Cassell and Dwayne Bowe make for a deadly combination along with Larry Johnson in the backfield to give KC their best Offense in a while. The Defense will be improved with the evolvement of CB Brandon Flowers. How former teammates Tyson Jackson and Glenn Dorsey play will go a long way to how well this team does to shock the league)

5. Pittsburgh Steelers (Can't leave them out of the playoffs, they're the defending Super bowl champs)

6. Jacksonville Jaguars (The additions of Tra Thomas and Eugene Monroe are huge catalysts that will start their running game back up. Torry Holt gives the always mobile Garrard a reliable target for once, and the Defense will benefit from Derrick Harvey having a full training camp, which will take some pressure off of the CBs)