By Charean Williams
The Fort Worth Star Telegram
The New England Patriots didn't do much this off-season, which is why not much has changed in the American Football Conference. New England did lose All-Pro cornerback Asante Samuel, but otherwise looks like the same team that went 16-0 last season.
The Patriots have won 20 regular-season games in a row, dating to a 21-0 loss at Miami on Dec. 10, 2006. They have broken their own NFL record of 18 consecutive victories set in 2003-04.
The Indianapolis Colts, the San Diego Chargers and the Jacksonville Jaguars didn't change much in the off-season, either, which is why they are given the best shots to challenge the Patriots for AFC supremacy this season.
No. 1 ranking: New England Patriots
Last year: 16-0, lost to the New York Giants, 17-14, in Super Bowl XLII
Training camp: Open camp on July 24, Foxboro, Mass.
Key stat: .387, The winning percentage the Patriots' scheduled opponents posted last season (99-157). The Patriots have the easiest schedule based on last year's records.
Biggest off-season news: The Patriots re-signed Randy Moss, who set an NFL single-season record with 23 touchdown receptions last season. Moss, who just turned 31, signed a three-year, $27 million deal.
2. Indianapolis Colts
Last year: 13-3, lost to the Chargers, 28-24 in the divisional round
Training camp: July 24, Terre Haute, Ind.
Key stat: 21-0, The Colts' record in September and October since 2005.
Biggest off-season news: Marvin Harrison underwent off-season surgery on his right knee after missing 11 games last season with an injury to his left knee. Colts coach Tony Dungy has said he expects Harrison back up to speed this season.
3. San Diego Chargers
Last year 11-5, lost to the Patriots, 21-12, in the AFC Championship Game
Training camp: July 20, San Diego
Key stat: 25-7, quarterback Philip Rivers' record in his first two seasons as a starter. Since 1967, only Tom Brady has a better record as a starter than Rivers.
Biggest off-season news: It was a quiet off-season for the Chargers. They lost key players in FB Lorenzo Neal, S Marlon McCree and CB Drayton Florence, but they either had capable replacements in-house or used draft picks on replacements.
4. Jacksonville Jaguars
Last year: 11-5, lost to the Patriots, 31-20, in the divisional round
Training camp: July 26, Jacksonville, Fla.
Key stat: 1-8, The Jaguars' record against Tom Brady and Peyton Manning the past three years. They are 31-11 against everyone else.
Biggest off-season news: The Jaguars committed to David Garrard long-term, signing the QB to a six-year, $60 million deal. Garrard had a 102.2 passer rating, 18 touchdowns and only three interceptions in 2007.
5. Cleveland Browns
Last year: 10-6, second in AFC North
Training camp: July 24, Berea, Ohio
Key stat: 8.5, sacks the Browns' defensive line totaled last season.
Biggest off-season news: The Browns had a busy off-season, re-signing starting QB Derek Anderson to a $24 million deal despite having Brady Quinn waiting in the wings. They signed veteran WR Donte Stallworth and traded for defensive linemen Corey Williams and Shaun Rogers.
6. Pittsburgh Steelers
Last year: 10-6, lost to the Jaguars, 31-29, in wild-card round
Training camp: July 27, Latrobe, Pa.
Key stat: 39-16, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger's record as a starter in the regular season.
Biggest off-season news: The Steelers didn't even make an offer to seven-time Pro Bowl guard Alan Faneca, letting him leave for the Jets. Chris Kemoeatu, who is 344 pounds, is expected to replace Faneca at left guard.
7. Tennessee Titans
Last year: 10-6, lost to the Chargers, 17-6, in the wild-card round
Training camp: July 25, Nashville
Key stat: 17-11, quarterback Vince Young's record as a starter.
Biggest off-season news: The Titans replaced offensive coordinator Norm Chow with Mike Heimerdinger, who called the plays in Tennessee when Steve McNair was the NFL's co-MVP with Peyton Manning. Young also has new playmakers in rookie RB Chris Johnson and veteran TE Alge Crumpler.
8. Houston Texans
Last year: 8-8, fourth in AFC South
Training camp: July 25, Houston
Key stat: 94.6, WR Andre Johnson's league-leading yards-per-game average last season. The fifth-year veteran missed seven starts last season.
Biggest off-season news: Offensive coordinator Mike Sherman left to become head coach at Texas A&M, leaving 28-year-old Kyle Shanahan as coordinator. The Texans convinced former Broncos offensive line coach Alex Gibbs to come out of retirement, and Houston will run Denver's zone-blocking scheme instead of a combination of that and Green Bay's gap scheme.
9. Cincinnati Bengals
Last year: 7-9, third in AFC North
Training camp: July 27, Georgetown, Ky.
Key stat: 12, losses for the Bengals in their last 19 games.
Biggest off-season news: The Bengals cut one troubled WR - Chris Henry - and have refused to give in to another - Chad Johnson. Johnson has threatened to sit out the season if he isn't traded, something the Bengals say they have no intention of doing.
10. Denver Broncos
Last year: 7-9, second in AFC West
Training camp: July 25, Englewood, Colo.
Key stat: 30th, the Broncos' defensive ranking against the run last season.
Biggest off-season news: The Broncos have made a lot of noise off the field this off-season, including releasing RB Travis Henry. Selvin Young has 2,000 rushing yards as a goal, and Mike Bell, Andre Hall and rookie Ryan Torain will help spell him.
11. Buffalo Bills
Last year: 7-9, second in AFC East
Training camp: July 25, Pittsford, N.Y.
Key stat: 17, Bills starters with five years of NFL experience or less.
Biggest off-season news: The Bills allowed 124.6 rushing yards per game last season, ranking them 25th in the league and prompting them to trade for DT Marcus Stroud, 30, who has made three Pro Bowls in seven NFL seasons.
12. Oakland Raiders
Last year: 4-12, tied for third in AFC West
Training camp: July 24, Napa Valley, Calif.
Key stat: 31st, the Raiders' ranking in rushing yards allowed last season.
Biggest off-season news: The Raiders signed WR Javon Walker and S Gibril Wilson, traded for CB DeAngelo Hall and drafted Arkansas RB Darren McFadden. Oakland is younger and should be better.
13. Miami Dolphins
Last year: 1-15, fourth in AFC East
Training camp: July 26, Davie, Fla.
Key stat: 1, player - S Yeremiah Bell - the Dolphins have left on their roster from the 1998-2003 drafts.
Biggest off-season news: The Dolphins hired Bill Parcells as vice president of football operations, Jeff Ireland as general manager and Tony Sparano as head coach. The new regime has turned over the roster.
14. New York Jets
Last year: 4-12, third in AFC East
Training camp: July 24, Hempstead, N.Y.
Key stat: 9, touchdowns QB Kellen Clemens led the offense to in 88 possessions last season.
Biggest off-season news: The Jets spent some $120 million in restocking their roster. Newcomers include LG Alan Faneca, RT Damien Woody, OLB Calvin Pace, NT Kris Jenkins, rookie LB Vernon Gholston and rookie TE Dustin Keller.
15. Baltimore Ravens
Last year: 5-11, fourth in AFC North
Training camp: July 21, Westminster, Md.
Key stat: 12, quarterbacks the Ravens have started the past nine seasons.
Biggest off-season news: The Ravens replaced coach Brian Billick with John Harbaugh. They lost LT Jonathan Ogden and QB Steve McNair to retirement.
16. Kansas City Chiefs
Last year: 4-12, tied for third in AFC West
Training camp: July 25, River Falls, Wis.
Key stat: 12, rookies drafted by the Chiefs, their most since 1984, when the NFL Draft was 12 rounds instead of seven.
Biggest off-season news: The Chiefs traded DE Jared Allen, who led the league in sacks last season. It is part of their plan to get younger, which they did by drafting 12 players, and saying good-bye to veterans Eddie Drummond, Ty Law, Eddie Kennison, Samie Parker, John Welbourn and Casey Wiegmann.
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