Will Patriots finally lose grip on AFC supremacy to Jaguars, Texans or Chargers?

Has “The Patriot Way” lost its way?

It’s not easy to question a franchise that’s missed the Super Bowl once in the last four seasons and won it twice in that span. But it’s hardly been smooth sailing since the end of the 2017 regular season.

In January, ESPN detailed mounting tensions between coach Bill Belichick, quarterback Tom Brady and owner Robert Kraft. A month later, the Patriots lost Super Bowl LII to the underdog Eagles.

Since then, the team let several prominent free agents walk; tight end Rob Gronkowski and Brady skipped voluntary workouts; and Brady made passive-aggressive comments about the franchise’s (lack of?) appreciation for him.

The Patriots remain the NFL’s only 21st century dynasty, and the track record in the Belichick-Brady era suggests the team will overcome distractions and challenges. But it’s hard to recall a time in the past 18 years when it seemed like internal issues threatened to crack the Patriots’ veneer of football invincibility.

All that opens the door to the other top AFC teams. Here is our prediction for the conference.

AFC East

New England Patriots (11-5): Helps when you can count on five or six wins in divisional play. Despite the turnover on offense and Julian Edelman’s suspension, hard to believe they won’t still cruise to a first-round bye. At minimum.

Miami Dolphins (7-9): Coach Adam Gase says Ryan Tannehill learned a lot by watching while injured in 2017. We’ll see. This team looks significantly different on both sides of the ball, which probably means consistent inconsistency.

New York Jets (4-12): They may struggle to replicate last year’s surprising total of five wins. But with young talent like Sam Darnold and Jamal Adams, it appears a strong foundation is finally forming.

Buffalo Bills (3-13): They stole several games in 2017 on the way to a feel-good wildcard ride. But the O-line is decimated, the quarterback room in upheaval and a dark cloud looms over Shady McCoy. Sorry, Bills Mafia.

AFC North

Pittsburgh Steelers (10-6):Le’Veon Bell’s future promises to be a constant source of irritation, and it remains to be seen how long he’ll need to round into football shape once he reports. Ryan Shazier’s absence wasn’t adequately addressed for a defense that quickly degraded without him at the end of 2017.

Baltimore Ravens (7-9): They’ve been stuck on average for a while. Fires have been lit under Joe Flacco and John Harbaugh, but can this team generate enough heat to successfully navigate a lineup fraught with tough opponents from the AFC West and NFC South?

Cincinnati Bengals (7-9): Their situation mirrors Baltimore’s with a quarterback and coach fighting to prove themselves amid a minefield schedule. At least the offensive line was upgraded. Cleveland Browns (5-11): They could (should) win more games in September than they did the last two seasons combined... yes, a pretty low bar to surmount. Still, this appears to be the one club in the division actually ascending... yes, another low bar.

AFC South

Jacksonville Jaguars (12-4): The copious talent, swagger and physical style is reminiscent of Seattle’s recent teams... and doubtless why DT Malik Jackson is predicting a 16-0 season. Can’t quite ride with you, Malik, given the open question about whether a one-dimensional offense can get the job done.

Houston Texans (11-5): Few teams were more fun to watch than Houston before Deshaun Watson got hurt last year. He’s back, and so are J.J. Watt and Whitney Mercilus. That kind of star power – don’t forget the Texans also added Tyrann Mathieu – should be enough to compensate for a worrisome group of blockers.

Tennessee Titans (10-6): Hot take alert – no first-year head coach will have a bigger impact than Mike Vrabel. And a team no one seems to talk about could again make postseason noise. Indianapolis Colts (2-14): Even if Andrew Luck has made a complete recovery, his supporting cast hasn’t – crippling in a once-downtrodden division that’s transformed in Luck’s absence.

AFC West

Los Angeles Chargers (10-6): Losing TE Hunter Henry (ACL) was a setback, and the linebacking corps seems shaky. Otherwise, a team as hot as any at the end of the 2017 season

looks loaded. The additions of first-round S Derwin James and – yes! – K Caleb Sturgis (85% on field goals since 2015) fuel warranted optimism.

Denver Broncos (9-7): Despite the addition of rookie Bradley Chubb, the defense may not quite be what it once was. Yet Keenum should stabilize an offense that flatlined post-Peyton, though the running game remains a relative mystery.

Kansas City Chiefs (7-9): Patrick Mahomes will bring a new layer of excitement. He’ll also surely bring occasional clusters of mistakes borne of inexperience to a team accustomed to Smith’s steady hand. Give Mahomes a year.

Oakland Raiders (7-9): Love Jon Gruden, but he’s going to need time to adapt to this generation of players and collective bargaining rules he’s admittedly not accustomed to. And, yes, the players must also acclimate to Chucky.

AFC playoffs

Wild card: No. 3 Steelers defeat No. 6 Titans; No. 4 Chargers defeat No. 5 Texans Divisional: No. 2 Patriots defeat No. 3 Steelers; No. 4 Chargers defeat No. 1 Jaguars AFC Championship Game: No. 4 Chargers defeat No. 2 Patriots

Super Bowl LIII