2025 AFC Preview: One key storyline for every team

The NFL is back, and with a new season comes a new slate of storylines.

We’re living in a golden age of quarterback talent, and the AFC is particularly stacked with Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow, Justin Herbert… you get the idea. The pressure is stacking up, too, particularly for markets like Buffalo and Baltimore — both of which are coming off heartbreaking playoff losses — and Kansas City, too, which has plenty to prove on offence after falling flat on the game’s biggest stage.

Before we embark on the 2025 NFL campaign, which gets underway Thursday, we’re looking around the league and highlighting a storyline for every team. Today, we kick things off with the AFC.

NORTH

BALTIMORE RAVENS

2024 record: 12-5, lost in Divisional Round vs. Bills

Storyline we’re watching: Everything Jackson does. Two-time MVP Lamar Jackson could’ve — and, many argue, should’ve — added a third such trophy to his collection last year to cap his best statistical season yet through the air. Returning for another season along with him is a familiar cast of weapons in star running back Derrick Henry and a receiving squad that stars Zay Flowers on the brink of doing elite things, an extra-motivated Mark Andrews, the steady presence of Rashod Bateman, and a new face in veteran De’Andre Hopkins, who’s had a whole off-season to build chemistry with an offence that’s had very little turnover. Gone are the days of measuring the success of Jackson, firmly in his prime and surrounded by weapons worthy of his talent, in regular-season stats, though. It’s Super Bowl or bust for this core, and everything Jackson does to get there will be under the microscope.

PITTSBURGH STEELERS

2024 record: 10-7, lost in Wild Card Round vs. Ravens

Storyline we’re watching: Aaron Rodgers’ (likely) swan song. Few teams had as fascinating an off-season as the Pittsburgh Steelers. Few face more pressure to succeed, too. That might be an odd statement, given Mike Tomlin’s 18-year streak without a losing season and the club’s status as a near-perennial playoff club. But the years without a post-season win are piling up, and the need for an offensive jolt has never been more apparent. Can veteran Aaron Rodgers be the one to bring it? After Rodgers’ disastrous two-year tenure in New York, both sides of this union could use a fresh start. Only, with Rodgers at the end of his career, it’s clear this partnership is all about short-term success — and as the franchise figures out what comes next, how this season plays out will go a long way in dictating that.

CINCINNATI BENGALS

2024 record: 9-8, missed playoffs

Storyline we’re watching: Al Golden takes the reins on defence. Faced with major contract questions for the third straight off-season, the Bengals doubled down on offence by signing both Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins to big-money extensions back in March, much to the delight of quarterback Joe Burrow, who openly campaigned for both to stay. Refreshing as that was to see from a team that’s not exactly known for writing big cheques, it didn’t leave much room to improve things on defence, which held them back all year. While the club (finally!) re-signed sack specialist Trey Hendrickson, few other moves were made to improve the unit that struggled to get pressure and allowed the fourth-most passing TDs league-wide. Instead, the team bid farewell to longtime defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo and handed the reins to Al Golden, who brings a new voice to the unit. With Burrow & Co. putting up big numbers on offence, the defence doesn’t have to be great. It just has to keep up and give the team a chance.

CLEVELAND BROWNS

2024 record: 3-14, missed playoffs

Storyline we’re watching: All eyes on the backups. That Joe Flacco, at age 40, claimed Cleveland’s starting role in his 17th season in the league is both inspiring and… not. With all due respect to the veteran, he’s not the quarterback Browns fans are clamouring to see. He isn’t the future. The Browns are hoping their future QB1 is in the building — Dillon Gabriel won the backup job out of camp, with Shedeur Sanders claiming the third-string role; both posted mixed results in pre-season, with neither able to top Flacco for the top job. Can Flacco play well enough to give the young guys more time to develop, or will calls for the future come sooner than they’re ready for?

EAST

BUFFALO BILLS

2024 record: 13-4, lost AFC Championship vs. Chiefs

Storyline we’re watching: How Allen follows up his MVP campaign. Josh Allen did it all in 2024, mastering his craft at the helm of the league’s second-highest-scoring offence and earning MVP honours in the process. But the year ended in familiar fashion — heartbreak, at the hands of the Chiefs. Like his Week 1 opponent, Lamar Jackson, Allen is under immense pressure to turn his MVP-calibre play into post-season success. Can he level up his game yet again? With little turnover on offence — and, in fact, a big investment in the run game with a new deal for James Cook — chemistry should be strong, with results coming accordingly.

MIAMI DOLPHINS

2024 record: 8-9, missed playoffs

Storyline we’re watching: Pressure’s on for an offensive bounce-back. The health of Tua Tagovailoa is always going to be a major talking point in Miami and beyond, due to both the nature of his injuries and the effect his absence has on the team’s outlook. With him, the Dolphins boast a fast-paced offence thanks to Tagovailoa’s chemistry with speedy receivers Jaylen Waddle and Tyreek Hill. Without him, they look listless. Building up the run game should help take away some of that dependence, and signing Zach Wilson offers an upgrade — albeit slight — at the backup position for a team that can’t afford another lost season.   

NEW YORK JETS

2024 record: 5-12, missed playoffs

Storyline we’re watching: Run Jets, run. Suiting up for his third franchise in as many seasons, the pressure is on for Justin Fields to grab hold of the Jets’ starting job and run with it — literally, run. After the Jets posted some of the league’s worst rushing numbers last year under Aaron Rodgers’ pass-heavy offence, the club is expected to flip the offensive script and prioritize the ground game, embracing Fields’ mobility and dynamic running and leaning into its deep pool of RB talent led by Breece Hall and Braelon Allen. Former Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn preached grit and toughness when he took the reins in New York, and it looks like we’ll get that mentality on both sides of the ball if the rookie head coach can get this team running smoothly out of the gates.

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

2024 record: 4-13, missed playoffs

Storyline we’re watching: Maye-Vrabel, Chapter 1. Despite a dearth of offensive talent around him last year, Drake Maye made the most of his rookie year. It wasn’t perfect, but it was more than enough progress to suggest the Patriots have their guy. Now, with a new head coach in Mike Vrabel, a new offensive coordinator in Josh McDaniels — yes, this is his third stint as New England’s OC — and a little more help around him, highlighted by veteran receiver Stefon Diggs and rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson, Maye is expected to take a step forward. 

SOUTH

HOUSTON TEXANS

2024 record: 10-7, lost in Divisional Round vs. Chiefs

Storyline we’re watching: Did Houston do enough to help Stroud hit his stride? A new offensive coordinator and a few additional weapons through free agency (Christian Kirk) and the draft (Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel) should help quarterback C.J. Stroud bounce back from a down sophomore season and return to rookie form in Year 3, but it remains to be seen whether Texans brass did enough to shore up the porous offensive line in front of him. Stroud was sacked a whopping 52 times in 2024, and that doesn’t include the 11 recorded against him in two playoff games.

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

2024 record: 8-9, missed playoffs

Storyline we’re watching: Jones gets the start, but Richardson’s in the spotlight. The Colts took a risk when they drafted Anthony Richardson fourth overall in 2023. The QB prospect, brimming with athletic talent and potential, was always going to need some time to ease into the pros. Instead, he was thrust into the starter’s spotlight in Year 1, his rookie season cut short due to injury, and again given the reins in Year 2 only to deal with more injuries and take a step back in his development, too. After ex-Giant Daniel Jones signed in free agency and won the QB1 battle this off-season, how should we view Richardson’s future with the club? Is it a well-timed opportunity to sit and learn, or the beginning of the end of his time in blue and white?

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS

2024 record: 4-13, missed playoffs

Storyline we’re watching: The curious case of dual-threat Hunter. Reigning Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter, the cornerback/wide receiver who played both positions in college and made clear his intentions to do the same in the pros, is the ultimate wild card in Jacksonville. And according to Jaguars general manager James Gladstone, the team is using that intrigue to its advantage and intends to keep everyone on their toes when it comes to when, where, and how often the rookie suits up.

“There’s a competitive advantage to not knowing what side of the ball he’s going to be deployed on fully,” Gladstone told reporters this off-season. “If that’s half, if that’s a mixture … all those sorts of things can vary from one week to the next.”

TENNESSEE TITANS

2024 record: 3-14, missed playoffs

Storyline we’re watching: Cam Ward, QB1. For a No. 1 overall pick, Titans quarterback Cam Ward has had remarkably little league-wide hype around him as he prepares to open his rookie season in the starter’s slot. That’s probably a good thing. With the Titans still firmly in rebuild mode, Ward isn’t heaped with expectations of making the playoffs this year, but after a few years riding the QB carousel, the team is looking for a steady presence at the position they can build around. Is Ward ready? With a Week 1 date in Denver followed by another tough matchup against L.A., the learning curve will be steep.

WEST

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS

2024 record: 15-2, clinched No. 1 seed in AFC, lost Super Bowl vs. Eagles

Storyline we’re watching: Is an offensive bounce-back brewing? After suffering a beatdown on the game’s biggest stage last February, the Chiefs are back in familiar territory as favourites to once again claim the division with Super Bowl betting odds to match. Is the offence up to the task? Last year’s unit, despite speedy expectations, lacked explosiveness and saw Patrick Mahomes post some pretty mediocre stats. Can second-year receiver Xavier Worthy become the star the team needs him to be? How will Rashee Rice look once he’s back in the lineup post-suspension? Has Travis Kelce turned back the clock? Is Hollywood Brown healthy? Mahomes can do a lot with a little, but if all these pieces heat up at the right time, he and Andy Reid should have this offence back on top.

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS

2024 record: 11-6, lost in Wild Card Round vs. Texans

Storyline we’re watching: Injuries strike early, again. It’s an all-too-familiar story for the Chargers, whose what-could’ve-been ranking is off the charts considering all the bad injury luck the franchise has dealt with over the years. Losing offensive tackle Rashawn Slater to a season-ending knee injury in August will likely yield ramifications deep into December. As adjustments are made, the biggest question along the line is how well second-year pro Joe Alt can fill in at left tackle in Slater’s place. Alt is a star in his own right, but the ripple effect all down the line will be a season-long storyline as Justin Herbert looks to propel this offence forward behind what could be a patchwork offensive line at times.

DENVER BRONCOS

2024 record: 10-7, lost in Wild Card Round vs. Bills

Storyline we’re watching: This defence is special. As much as everyone will be watching Bo Nix’s second-year progress, his performances may not be the focal point of the upcoming campaign — one that comes on the heels of Denver’s first playoff berth since winning Super Bowl 50 in 2015. At the risk of stating the obvious about a team that led the league in sacks (63), allowed the second-lowest yards per carry on the ground, and boasted the best defender in the league in Pat Surtain II last year, Denver’s defence is really good. You’d be hard-pressed to find a weakness. Just how good can this unit get?

LAS VEGAS RAIDERS

2024 record: 4-13, missed playoffs

Storyline we’re watching: Can Carroll bring the Raiders back to relevance? The NFL’s oldest head coach is at the helm of one of its youngest teams — and one of its most interesting this season, too. Quarterback Geno Smith is reunited with his old Seattle boss in Vegas as the franchise looks for some much-needed consistency following several seasons of turnover both under centre and on the sidelines. For all the changes up and down the roster, it’s rookie running back Ashton Jeanty who has the potential to be the biggest propeller of success. How Carroll and his staff channel Jeanty’s talent — as a powerful runner and as a clutch receiver, too — will be a major storyline all year. A fun one, too.

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