As summer slowly gets underway, the excitement for the upcoming NFL season intensifies. The preseason is just a matter of months away and then, the curtain will officially raise on September 7th when the reigning champion Kansas City Chiefs host the Detroit Lions at Arrowhead Stadium. Fans are eager to see their favorite teams take the field and with so much anticipation, it’s only natural to wonder which teams will be the ones to beat this year. 

However, just like predicting all the winning strategies playing online slots jackpots, picking the top performers in each division isn’t an exact science. Nonetheless, we can use previous seasons’ metrics, off-season acquisitions, and general team performance to make educated guesses as to which teams have the best chance to dominate their division. 

With that said, let’s dive in and explore the potential division champions for the 2023 NFL season.

AFC East – Buffalo Bills 

The Buffalo Bills are surely due a bit of good fortune, aren’t they? Way back in the 1990s they became the first and remain the only team in NFL history to reach four consecutive Super Bowls. Inexplicably, however, they lost all four. 

Last season, it seemed as though the New York State-based outfit were finally ready to put those ghosts of three decades ago behind them. They managed to outlast a gutsy Miami Dolphins side powered on by the scintillating form of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa to win the AFC East. They then headed into the playoffs with the joint-best record in their division and were all set to face off against the Kansas City Chiefs at a neutral venue in order to secure their spot in the Super Bowl. 

They didn’t bank on the brilliance of Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals however. The Ohio side rocked up to Buffalo’s Highmark Stadium and upset the apple cart, running out deserved 27-10 winners and stopping The Bills’ best campaign in years in its tracks. To rub salt in the wound, the aforementioned Burrow would say on live TV  that he hoped the NFL would be issuing refunds for the tickets sold to the proposed neutral venue AFC Championship game, and Josh Allen’s Bills will be looking for revenge this season. 

AFC North – Cincinnati Bengals 

The improvement of the Cincinnati Bengals throughout the last three years has been startling. Ever since they drafted LSU Standout Burrow as the first overall draft pick back in 2020, they have gone from strength to strength. Prior to the 26-year-old’s arrival, Cincy hadn’t won a playoff game in over 30 years but this year,  they head into the new season with back-to-back AFC Championship game appearances under their belt. 

Throughout the 2021 campaign, the Bengals reached the Super Bowl for the first time in 33 years, defeating the Kansas City Chiefs in the process. Last term, Mahomes and his Chiefs would have their revenge, securing victory in the AFC Championship game en route to another Lombardi, but the Bengals should have enough about them to secure a third consecutive AFC North crown. 

AFC South – Houston Texans

The AFC South is looking particularly weak this season, it has to be said. All four teams in the division, namely the Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Tennessee Titans, and Jacksonville Jaguars are ranked within the doldrums of the betting odds. Last year, it was the Titans who impressed however, they were immediately dumped out of the playoffs by an upstart New York Giants. 

This season, any of the four could win the division, but we’re going with the biggest underdog out of all of them, the Houston Texans. The NRG Stadium outfit had a dismal campaign last year and picked up just three wins all season. However, they stole the show in the recent draft, snagging the second and third overall picks and bringing in quarterback C. J. Stroud and linebacker Will Anderson Jr. If those two can hit the ground running, the Texans may well raise a few eyebrows once the new season gets underway. 

AFC West – Kansas City Chiefs 

Is there really anyone else to consider for the AFC West than the Kansas City Chiefs? Patrick Mahomes’ men have been installed as the favorites by the bookmakers, and with the best quarterback in the game in their ranks, it’s clear to see why. The aforementioned Mahomes was at his very best last season and he showed not only his class but his grit and determination once the postseason got underway. 

The 27-year-old played with an injured ankle throughout his side’s entire playoff campaign, and he still managed to lead his side to victories against the Jaguars and the Bengals en route to a third Super Bowl in four years. Once there, Mahomes delivered an MVP award-winning performance as he, as well as running back Isiah Pacheco, led their side to the promised land. Don’t be surprised to see the Chiefs not only win the AFC West this season but also go all the way to yet another Lombardi.