Although there are 16 teams in each conference, the reality of every season is that at least half of those teams do not stand a realistic chance of hoisting the championship trophy that season.

Of the remaining eight, half of those teams generally turn out to be pretenders, leaving only four real contenders for the conference championship each season.

This article will separate the pretenders from the contenders and provide BetUS sportsbook bettors with the insight to make wise selections all season long.

Here are the odds on each team followed the Final Four and ultimately, my free conference championship pick.
To Win The AFC Conference Outright

New England Patriots +225

The Patriots’ odds should say everything bettors need to know about their chances of reaching the Super Bowl in 2007. This team is loaded - and hungry.

Indianapolis Colts +400

Something tells me that the Colts won’t continue the disturbing trend of Super Bowl winners who turn out to be flops the following season. The last time I checked, Indy still had Peyton Manning, Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne and venerable head coach Tony Dungy.

San Diego Chargers +400

The Chargers have plenty of talent on both sides of the ball, but can they overcome the loss of nearly their entire coaching staff from a season ago? How long will it be before head coach Norv Turner self-destructs, again?

Baltimore Ravens +800

The Ravens will once again be very close to winning the conference championship. They have one of the best defenses in all of football and a veteran quarterback who can still make plays. At +800, the Ravens are certainly an attractive wager – and a legitimate threat to win the AFC in 2007.

Cincinnati Bengals +800

It’s a shame to see the immense strides that head coach Marvin Lewis has made in turning around the fortunes of his franchise, only to have them thrown almost to waste because of the numerous Bengals players who don’t know how to carry themselves off the field. While the Bengals will once again have a very powerful offense, something tells me they aren’t ready for prime time just yet.

Denver Broncos +1000

The Broncos could turn out to be one of the final four teams if young quarterback Jay Cutler continues his growth as an NFL quarterback. The Broncos fared very well for themselves in free agency and the draft and could surprise in 2007. The +1000 odds are definitely tempting.

Pittsburgh Steelers +1200

The Steelers are at +1200 for a reason. They have a new head coach in first-time head man Mike Tomlin, so anything is possible. Offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt has also departed, so it should be interesting to see how the Steelers turn out after the transition period this season.

Jacksonville Jaguars +1600

The Jaguars, as usual, will be a fine team that is missing two or three key ingredients to really challenge for the conference title. Head coach Jack Del Rio may finally be on his way out after failing to take the Jags to the Promised Land after several excellent opportunities.

York Jets +2000

The Jets are undeniably headed in the right direction under young head coach Eric Mangini. However, there is no way they leap-frog either the Patriots or Colts this year for the AFC title.

Kansas City Chiefs +2500

Don’t waste your hard-earned money here– the Chiefs are at least another year or two away from being really competitive.

Miami Dolphins +2500

The Dolphins passed up on Brady Quinn in favor of Trent Green and Cleo Lemon. If that doesn’t tell bettors how far the once proud Dolphins franchise has fallen, nothing will. Cam Cameron will need at least two years to straighten out the mess the Dolphins have become.

Tennessee Titans +2500

The Titans are another team that is headed in the right direction but is at least another two years away. Check back with Vince Young and Jeff Fisher in 2008 or 2009.

Buffalo Bills +4000

The Bills just found out the J.P. Losman really can play, so give this team a few years. Former head coach Marv Levy is in charge of rebuilding this franchise, so anything could be possible in a couple of years.

Houston Texans +5000

The Texans foolishly passed on Vince Young, Reggie Bush and Matt Leinart last year and now they’ve been set back another year or two at the very least. A lack of competence has driven this franchise into an obscurity so deep it could take forever to come out of it.

Cleveland Browns +5000

The Browns had an excellent draft this year. It’s too bad none of their coaches will be around in a couple of seasons when they mature. I like Romeo Crennel, but this is undoubtedly going to be his last season in Cleveland if this team doesn’t show progress.

Oakland Raiders +8000

It’s nice the Raiders have a quarterback who can throw the ball 100 yards on his knees – because that’s exactly where Jamarcus Russell will be for most of the season – in the prone position. Check back with the Raiders in three years.

NFL Free Picks: My AFC Final Four aren’t really surprises. The New England Patriots, Indianapolis Colts and San Diego Chargers could all reach the Super Bowl out of the AFC as well as the Baltimore Ravens.

However, I think the Chargers won’t be able to overcome the loss of their head coach and both coordinators this season, so I won’t even pencil them in for the AFC Championship game.

I think it is very possible another team or two could sneak into the Final Four, most likely – the Denver Broncos.

In the end, however, I think the AFC is still all about the Colts and Patriots. Both teams have a nice mix of youth and veteran leadership, not to mention two of the best head coaches on the planet.

The Patriots, though, look like the superior team on paper. They may have more talent on this year’s team than on any of their Super Bowl winning teams.

My AFC Champion for 2007 then is the New England Patriots.