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No professional sports organization promotes competitive balance like the NFL: it’s the entire brand. But through 10 weeks during the current schedule, this doesn't represent a landscape that is equally balanced separating contenders, pretenders, and middle-of-the-pack clubs. It’s one where most of the league appear to be fine.

NFC Standings Definition

Within the National Football Conference, to some degree, the picture becomes more distinct. Los Angeles and Seattle (each holding 7-2 records) seem like the most well-rounded squads in football, and achieved blowout wins on Sunday. The 6-2 Eagles notwithstanding their difficulties still have among the most gifted lineups across the NFL, comparable to Green Bay (5-2-1 record). Detroit as well (6-3 standing), with their fluctuating form in trench play and have been dealing with tension on their coaching staff, have shown they can defeat good teams. Regarding these five teams, one can readily put together a Super Bowl path.

AFC Confusion

Over in the AFC, postseason landscape remains completely chaotic. The four teams leading their divisions after ten games: Indianapolis, New England, Denver (all at 8-2) and Steelers (5-4 record). Take another look. Not the Chiefs. No Bills inclusion. Baltimore and Cincinnati are absent. The traditional powers, featuring premier quarterback talent, display either obvious team deficiencies or have been hit by injuries.

Competitive Balance System

To some extent, this is exactly what the league wants. However, witnessing this season's top AFC teams in the American Football Conference still feels strange. Components of every squad suggest title potential, but not in their entirety. If someone requested to commit to your conference championship predictions right now, would you confidently choose any among these four teams?

Squad Examinations

Colts Situation

Beginning with the Colts, the signal-caller hasn’t quite reached complete disaster level. Yet the past two games have caused alarm. He has returned to turning over the ball and struggling against pressure. He took seven sacks versus Atlanta in the weekend game, and experienced a five-minute stretch where he delivered an interception and coughed up the ball thrice. This is a week after he turned the ball over five times versus Pittsburgh.

The Colts attack thrived early in the season as Jones prevented the disaster plays. Jonathan Taylor and the offensive line ensure Indianapolis remains good enough to survive occasional setbacks, as they did in Berlin. Yet Jones going back to his previous error-filled form would finish championship hopes.

New England Patriots

The Patriots feel fairly alike. Previously, they were a punchline. Today, they stand as the NFL's most pleasant shock and the most successful franchise in the NFL after seven straight wins. If not for committing turnover errors a winnable game against Pittsburgh, they’d be sitting at 9–1 with the best record. Previously, they appeared aged and sluggish. Now they’re inexperienced, speedy and bold. Nevertheless, one cannot overlook how soft the Patriots’ schedule has been. They've played against the easiest slate throughout football, and there have still been cracks. Drake Maye has been brought down on 35 occasions – ranking second league-wide – with several hits he suffered last weekend were vicious. As the season progresses, those beatings accumulate.

Denver Analysis

The Broncos are 8–2 as well, and it still feels as if they’re holding their breath. Their quarterback has performed unevenly, and the offensive unit laboring, with the defense doing most of the responsibility. Without serviceable quarterback play, Denver cannot intimidate playoff opponents. The Chargers are also contending in the Western division with seven wins, but the injuries within their blocking corps will present challenges to mount a deep postseason tilt.

Pittsburgh Situation

And then there’s Pittsburgh, surprisingly atop the AFC North even after suffering a decisive loss to Los Angeles during prime time. They have a negative point differential, their defense too often disappears, and the QB's current constraints given his veteran status regularly manifest. They maintain a 5-4 record while surviving, however, the Ravens, with their QB returning to health and the schedule softening, are on a three-game win streak. It shouldn’t be too much of a surprise that Baltimore has closed the gap to just one game, but how rapidly this occurred highlights deficiencies within Pittsburgh’s inconsistencies. The fact Baltimore began losing five of six yet still appear they should win the division reveals much about the conference as a whole.

Established Contenders

Baltimore constitutes part of the Big Three – together with Bills and Chiefs – driven by elite quarterback play, who could still create the most fear among competitors if they made the playoffs. They're the teams everyone hopes to avoid, but the Chiefs and Bills cannot get out of their own way.

Bills Struggles

Previously, Buffalo was celebrating after beating the Chiefs. On Sunday they suffered one of the most disappointing losses of the season. They didn't simply fail to the Dolphins; they were embarrassed, falling 30-13 on the road. This represented Miami's initial victory versus Buffalo in over three years.

For those searching for a microcosm of the day, consider this: Allen transforming {a quarterback sneak|a short-yardage play|a sneak attempt