Why are AFC challengers considered frauds when the "advanced" numbers suggest otherwise?

[43M]

Where are the people calling the other AFC contenders "frauds"?      Sure, most think the two top teams are the Steelers and Pats, but I dont see people saying the other teams dont have a chance.

The Jags are getting ALOT of love lately with the recent improvement of Blake Bortles.   The main reason people wrote them off as a true contender was because of him....but with him playing well, they are being viewed as a very strong contender.

The team perhaps getting the most love recently is the Chargers.    Everyone is talking about how dangerous they could be in the playoffs.

No one should count out the Ravens if they make the playoffs, especially with the offense playing better.   If they had beaten the Steelers this past week, they would likely be getting much more love.     Im not as impressed with the Ravens D as some seem to be though.   I think they will struggle mightily against the better QBs in the postseason.   Although if January Joe shows up again, anything can happen.

Beyond that, while not frauds, there is legit reason no one is scared of the other teams.   I mean, the 3 most likely teams beyond the ones mentioned are the Chiefs, Titans and Bills.    Chiefs just look like theyve lost all their confidence, and they simply dont look like much more than an average team right now.    Titans, in particular Mariota, looks to have regressed as the season has went on....still a decent team, but not a strong SB contender IMO.     Bills wont make it, and even if they did, they would get destroyed in the wildcard round by whoever they faced.

Anything can happen, though.   Beyond the Patriots, Chargers are the scariest team.      The Jags defense is crazy good, but I still dont trust Bortles going north in January and being the X factor....Jags WILL be the scariest team if they are able to get one of the byes. though.

[Shady Slim]

the ravens have a pathetically insipid offense - sure they did look okay against the steelers but this is a steelers d that looked meh without haden and even worse without shazier - so it's not the same d that was conceding 15 PPG earlier in the year. not only this, but with the jimmy smith injury their defense loses a lot. look at what brown could do on the outside without jimmy smith. obviously brown is a super talent, though point still stands. the reason their differential is so high is from inexplicably wailing on the dolphins and lions and other mediocre teams.

we have many reasons not to trust the jaguars. until they can prove that the bort and co can consistently put together an offense that doesn't suck hard, it's kind of a misstep to have confidence in it. their defense is legit no doubt but there's a very valid reason to have no confidence in them.

the reason that nobody has faith in the chiefs is that, to put it bluntly, their form ever since they got done in by the steelers has been horrific. their offense and defense have played well individually but haven't been able to put it together. if they can find their form of the early year people will stop doubting them.

i wouldn't say many people are sleeping on the chargers at all - you've gone from people wondering if old man river was done through week 4 to saying that he's a candidate for the MVP. the chargers are hitti their stride at the right time and it'd be silly if you slept on them.

[Kip Smithers]

Watch out for Chargers. I like their balance. 

[JaguarCrazy2832]

Are they really considered frauds? Yes Pitt and NE are clearly the front runners as they should be but I think teams like LAC and Baltimore that have playoff experience are still a threat and the Jaguars have been playing well down the stretch too and momentum seems to play a big part this time of year

[LinderFournette]

20 hours ago, biletnikoff said:

Who knows?  the Jags could be in the conference championship  game. But its already a stone cold lock that they won't  win it. 

There's no maybe .there's no - anything can happen etc stupid slogan. It won't happen. 

The Ravens Make the playoffs every other year too.theyre no surprise but it's not their year. 

The conf championhip will involve both or one of NE/Pitt. Nothing else is happening. 

Jags already beat the steelers once this year and i should add thoroughly embaressed them in pittsburgh with ben having set a new career worse throwing 5 ints with 2 pick 6s. 

Jags are contenders and if bortles keeps playing like hes been playing the last 2 games we should be very much in contention.  

[biletnikoff]

20 minutes ago, LinderFournette said:

Jags already beat the steelers once this year and i should add thoroughly embaressed them in pittsburgh with ben having set a new career worse throwing 5 ints with 2 pick 6s. 

Jags are contenders and if bortles keeps playing like hes been playing the last 2 games we should be very much in contention.  

Lol just bait for gambling degenerates. Jacksonville has no chance in hell,heaven or where ever else you want to claim. 

[Malfatron]

12 hours ago, bucsfan333 said:

GB needs us to play spoiler and beat the Saints, Falcons, and Panthers the last three weeks. And I don't see that happening.

if the saints beat the falcons this week, and the seahawks lose to the rams, green bay controls their destiny.

[Malfatron]

i see jacksonville getting the 2 seed 

however ne is still at least making it to the div round.

ne

pit

jax

kc

 

are all contenders in my mind

[LinderFournette]

1 hour ago, biletnikoff said:

Lol just bait for gambling degenerates. Jacksonville has no chance in hell,heaven or where ever else you want to claim. 

sorry to burst your Fantasy world where the Jags forever suck but they are Legitimately good and a contendor.  we might not have Playoff experience but we have the Leagues Best Defense and the best rush offense on a yards per game basis and an oline that is playing really well. we have tied for the 5th for Least sacks given up. Bortles has only 8INTS all season(i would really call it 7 if u want to really nitpick that stat) which is good for a tie at 7th place in team ints(its the best way to compare as multiple injured qbs).  

sure bortles has had some Bad Football in the past but hes legitimately has looked improved and Certainly have had worse QB Play. to me hes playing like a 2012 Joe Flacco which as you should know won a Ring. 

[Xmad]

7 minutes ago, LinderFournette said:

sorry to burst your Fantasy world where the Jags forever suck but they are Legitimately good and a contendor.  we might not have Playoff experience but we have the Leagues Best Defense and the best rush offense on a yards per game basis and an oline that is playing really well. we have tied for the 5th for Least sacks given up. Bortles has only 8INTS all season(i would really call it 7 if u want to really nitpick that stat) which is good for a tie at 7th place in team ints(its the best way to compare as multiple injured qbs).  

sure bortles has had some Bad Football in the past but hes legitimately has looked improved and Certainly have had worse QB Play. to me hes playing like a 2012 Joe Flacco which as you should know won a Ring. 

Joe Flacco carried his team to a superbowl, Blake Bortles is not capable of carrying his team to a superbowl IMO. No one is going to give the jaguars credit until they actually do something in the playoffs, by all means I hope they prove me wrong they've suffered long enough and I'd love to see the Steelers/Patriots lose to the Jaguars in the playoffs.

But as of right now it doesn't matter how good your defense is, it only matters how good your coaching and QB is in the playoffs. 

[LinderFournette]

Just now, OleXmad said:

Joe Flacco carried his team to a superbowl, Blake Bortles is not capable of carrying his team to a superbowl IMO. No one is going to give the jaguars credit until they actually do something in the playoffs, by all means I hope they prove me wrong they've suffered long enough and I'd love to see the Steelers/Patriots lose to the Jaguars in the playoffs.

But as of right now it doesn't matter how good your defense is, it only matters how good your coaching and QB is in the playoffs. 

 

Bortles last 3 games: 63 completions 95 attempts (66.3 completion%) 737 yards 7.7 yards per attempt 4tds 1int 16 rushes 95 yards.   definitely can win games with a qb putting up those kinda numbers. 

[Shady Slim]

50 minutes ago, LinderFournette said:

 

Bortles last 3 games: 63 completions 95 attempts (66.3 completion%) 737 yards 7.7 yards per attempt 4tds 1int 16 rushes 95 yards.   definitely can win games with a qb putting up those kinda numbers. 

yes you can but there's no reason to think that the bort can do it consistently

he's done well prior three games

but can that happen for the next seven?

smart money says no

[LinderFournette]

1 minute ago, Shady Slim said:

yes you can but there's no reason to think that the bort can do it consistently

he's done well prior three games

but can that happen for the next seven?

smart money says no

Smart money says he will if he wants to see that 19 million.  

[Shady Slim]

3 minutes ago, LinderFournette said:

Smart money says he will if he wants to see that 19 million.  

well he can try his best but deshone kizer tries his best too

[Xmad]

1 hour ago, LinderFournette said:

 

Bortles last 3 games: 63 completions 95 attempts (66.3 completion%) 737 yards 7.7 yards per attempt 4tds 1int 16 rushes 95 yards.   definitely can win games with a qb putting up those kinda numbers. 

Blake Bortles threw 4 TDs against the Ravens in london, threw for 230ish yards combined the next 2 weeks.

Every QB has good stretches it's what tricks teams into thinking Mike Glennon might be worth 15 million a year, but eventually they all revert back to their true self.

Until proven otherwise Blake Bortles is having a fluky season , if he plays well in the playoffs and somehow doesn't melt down I'll eat my crow like the rest of the doubters but until then MEH.