Clayton: AFC playoff race could be one for the ages

This could be a record setting year for the AFC, and it should make for an amazing playoff race.

The AFC could have as many as 11 playoff caliber teams fighting for the seven playoff spots. There are three playoff caliber teams in the AFC West, with the Las Vegas Raiders being the one team that will come out a little short of the playoffs.

What’s amazing is how the schedule work out for all the AFC teams. There is a good chance the AFC could win more than 50 of the 80 interconference games. It’s reminds me of 2004 and 2005. The AFC went 44-24 in interconference games in 2004 and went 40-24 in 2005.

You could see the trend brewing in the preseason games. AFC teams went 35-9-1 in interconference games. It doesn’t help the NFC teams that the 17th game are all road games to AFC teams. That changes next year when the NFC gets the extra home game, but it put them in even more trouble this year.

The AFC is loaded with good, young teams with talented quarterbacks. The NFC has lost quarterbacks such as Drew Brees and others. With the interconference games favoring the AFC teams, that should put pressure on AFC coaches not to go into losing streaks. You can anticipate some 10-win teams won’t make the playoff.

For the AFC, this should be a race for the ages.