04-04-2016, 01:23 PM
The OP made a ton of assumptions about all the other AFC teams and divisions being more competitive, but if anything, that makes the WC easier to achieve.
Last year was a year of the haves and the have nots in the AFC. The Colts, a pre-season favorite, underachieved. You essentially had the AFC playoffs down to 7 teams by week 13.
5 of the 7 worst teams, were in the AFC, which made the WC threshold higher.
The Bengals haven't won fewer than 10 games in 5 years...and 10 games is a playoff bid in about 70% of cases (three in the last decade has won 10 and missed the playoffs in the AFC (2015 Jets, 2008 Pats, 2007 Browns).
Last year was a year of the haves and the have nots in the AFC. The Colts, a pre-season favorite, underachieved. You essentially had the AFC playoffs down to 7 teams by week 13.
5 of the 7 worst teams, were in the AFC, which made the WC threshold higher.
The Bengals haven't won fewer than 10 games in 5 years...and 10 games is a playoff bid in about 70% of cases (three in the last decade has won 10 and missed the playoffs in the AFC (2015 Jets, 2008 Pats, 2007 Browns).
