Here are the rankings from Pro Football Reference's Simple Rating System, as a totally neutral and pleasantly transparent comparison point and also because I like numbers and may as well be honest about it.
1. DEN, +10.6
2. NE, +9.6
3. IND, +8.8
4. KC, +8.8
5. MIA, +8.4
6. BAL, +5.6
7. SD, +4.0
8. BUF, +2.9
9. HOU +1.6
10. PIT, +1.0
11. CIN, -0.2
12. CLE, -2.8
13. TEN, -7.6
14. OAK, -7.6
15. NYJ, -7.9
16. JAX, -10.2
At a glance Cincinnati seems like the biggest surprise on that list, but SRS sees them as a team which has played a below average schedule and only outscored their opponents by 7 points. I also expected a little more from Pittsburgh and Cleveland.
1. DEN, +10.6
2. NE, +9.6
3. IND, +8.8
4. KC, +8.8
5. MIA, +8.4
6. BAL, +5.6
7. SD, +4.0
8. BUF, +2.9
9. HOU +1.6
10. PIT, +1.0
11. CIN, -0.2
12. CLE, -2.8
13. TEN, -7.6
14. OAK, -7.6
15. NYJ, -7.9
16. JAX, -10.2
At a glance Cincinnati seems like the biggest surprise on that list, but SRS sees them as a team which has played a below average schedule and only outscored their opponents by 7 points. I also expected a little more from Pittsburgh and Cleveland.