ESPN analyst believes two teams are ‘most equipped’ to supplant Chiefs in the AFC
It’s 15 weeks until the NFL Kickoff Game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.
Between now and the 2023 season opener, there will be a lot of talk about title contenders and what teams will challenge the Super Bowl champion Chiefs.
That was the discussion Wednesday on ESPN’s “Get Up.” While the AFC is loaded with solid teams, former NFL quarterback Dan Orlovsky identified two that are “most equipped” to supplant the Chiefs as the conference’s best: the Jets and Bills.
“I’ve never seen this Aaron Rodgers before,” Orlovsky said of the Jets quarterback. “And I’ve seen him since the moment we came into the NFL together, one that refreshed, that energized, that excited and happy while also having the chip on the shoulder. Now maybe the chip on the shoulder isn’t being outwardly expressed as much as in May, as we potentially could see in September and October, but it is absolutely there.
“He got run out of town in Green Bay, but now he’s got that chip on his shoulder that I’m gonna prove everybody wrong and then I’m still the baddest dude on the planet, while also being excited about where he is and who he’s doing it with, his offensive coordinator, Nathaniel Hackett. And I think the Jets are in like this very unique space. There’s two teams that I think are the most equipped to beat Kansas City because that’s what the season is about.
“One is Buffalo. Everyone keeps sleeping on Buffalo. And then two. are the New York Jets. Those are one-two to go knock off Kansas City and get back to the Super Bowl.”
There was some pushback from a co-host, who thought the Cincinnati Bengals should be on that list of the Chiefs’ biggest challengers.
Orlovsky reiterated that he said “most equipped.” The Jets’ defense ranked fifth last year in total yards allowed and fourth in scoring defense, which is a big reason why Orlovsky sees the Jets as a threat.
“I think this is the best defense Aaron’s ever played with,” Orlovsky said. “And he played with one really, really good defense in Green Bay in like 2010. I think they won the Super Bowl. This will be the best defense he’s played with. Energized, offended in talented, this is a team that could absolutely beat the Kansas City Chiefs.”
The Bills are No. 1 on Orlovsky’s list of Chiefs’ challengers.
“If Von Miller’s out there, they both are best equipped to get after Patrick Mahomes,” Orlovsky said.
Here is the conversation in two parts.
