Three Dark Horse AFC Teams For 2012

While the NFL season is not quite here yet, I got to thinking about some sleeper picks for this upcoming season. Here's a trifecta of AFC teams that could surprise the league in 2012.

1. Buffalo Bills
The Bills showed flashes of brilliance last season, but never could seem to stay consistent enough to make a legitimate playoff push. Buffalo's promising start ended with a disaster, losing eight of their final nine games. Most of Buffalo's struggles started on defense, which is why the mission this offseason was predictably focused around bolstering the pass rush and the secondary. Buffalo successfully did both, signing sack-master and former number one draft pick Mario Williams to a long term deal and snagging premier cornerback Stephon Gilmore in the first round of the draft. With a better defense, the focus shifts back to an offense with plenty of potential, but also an array of unanswered questions, starting with quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick. If Fitzpatrick is 'franchise quarterback' material, then the Bills may have a shot at surprising more than a few teams this fall. With Fred Jackson and C.J. Spiller making up a dynamic backfield, Fitzpatrick and receiver Steve Johnson must find a way to establish a level of consistency in Buffalo rather than the feast or famine approach of 2011. There are good pieces in place, the ugly uniforms are long gone, and the Bills could be ready for their first playoff appearance since 2000.

2. Kanas City Chiefs
A year after winning the AFC Westin 2010, the Chiefs fell apart after an injury plagued campaign last season. But now that key players such as Eric Berry, Jamal Charles and Tony Moeaki return from injury, the Chiefs boast one of the best top to bottom rosters in the AFC. The strength of KC will start on defense where first round defensive tackle Dontari Poe joins a group of potential pro bowlers that feature Berry, Tamba Hali, Brandon Flowers and Derrick Johnson. If Kansas City can stay healthy defensively, they should be a force for their opponents. The big question that everyone wants answered swirls around quarterback Matt Cassel. If he can establish himself as the guy for the Chiefs, KC can not only take a shot at the division title, but perhaps even engineer a deep playoff run. If the Cassel can find his footing, and the rest of the team can stay healthy, the Chiefs could be the team to beat in the AFC West.

3. San Diego Chargers

San Diego has always fallen short of high expectations. Perhaps now that they're expectation are relatively low, the team could surprise the league this year. Yes, the Chargers lost superstar wide out Vincent Jackson in free agency, and yes, the defense is a middle of the pack squad. But make no mistakes, the Chargers have plenty of talent on their roster, starting with quarterback Philip Rivers. Rivers can sling it, and despite an off year, he remains a premier NFL quarterback. The Chargers success, however, might begin and end with young tailback Ryan Mathews. Mathews has shown that he can be a terrific runner, but has lacked both consistency and ample opportunity. With the departure of Mike Tolbert, the backfield should be strictly Mathews' territory, and he has a massive opportunity to  take over as an top tier runner. Defensively, the Chargers are good, but unproven. If this defense can establish itself as a consistent group, San Diego will have a good chance to challenge for a wild card slot, or perhaps a division title.

A Ring Is Not Enough

Fitting that the first post pertains to perhaps the most momentous moment in this decade of sports.

Yes, at last the King has his crown.

After nine years of hype, impossible expectations and constant criticism, James captured his first championship by defeating the young Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 5 of the 2012 NBA Finals. I know, you probably already know this. Who doesn't by now, considering every news station, every radio program, and just about every Tweet or Facebook post have been about James and the Miami Heat capturing a championship.

And for good reason. After James announced his new allegiance with Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh, they already had crowned themselves rulers of the Association. They had proclaimed themselves champions before even stepping out onto the court, before ever playing against some of the stiffest competition the world has to offer. And when they failed against Dallas in the previous installment of the Finals, there was hell to pay for the arrogant villains of South Beach.

But now, LeBron hopes to shed the dark shadow that was smeared across his image after his ugly departure from Cleveland. He wants to win. He wants to have fun. But most importantly, he wants to be liked.

And it's easier now. There is finally relief and closure for just about everyone except the poor fans of Cleveland. LeBron has his ring, and there's no point rooting against him so viciously, right?

Well, that's when things get complicated. For myself, I did root against LeBron in the 2011 Finals. I will proudly admit that, as will millions of other basketball fans all over the world. I probably would have this year if OKC did not give me an inclination to root against them.

I will not directly root against LeBron. There is not that drive to totally oppose him anymore. The fuel for that fire was extinguished when the clock hit zero on Thursday night. But this does not excuse James' arrogance and over-confidence. And here is the fundamental basis of my new approach on LeBron James; until he wins not one, not two, not three, not four, not five, not six, not seven, but EIGHT championships, as he promised, I will not be satisfied. He will never, EVER be excused until he captures all that he promised to obtain.

There have been discussions that if James can win three, maybe four championships, he will rival Michael Jordan as the greatest of all time. Not in my book. MJ won six titles, and did so without jumping ship and without arrogantly guaranteeing a multitude of championships before he had even the slightest right to do so. MJ won, and became the greatest by his work on the court, not by his talk on a stage with strobe lights and a smoke machine.

And MJ did all this without two years in his prime.

LeBron will be, and already is, one of the greatest NBA players of all time. He's a tremendous athlete with tremendous talent, and I'm truly happy for him and his first title. But he will always be met with an underlying feeling of dislike if he does not achieve eight titles, as promised.

Some may say I'm setting expectations too high for the King. And to that I say no, I'm simply holding LeBron James to his own standards that he set before him. And until he's reached these standards, LBJ will always be the arrogant boy that wanted to be the likable man.

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