Big "O" or Big "No": A Half-Glassed AFC Preview

It’s early September in the world of football, and that means you’re going to hear plenty of the “O” word.No, not “Ochocinco"—get your mind out of the gutter.Optimism. The Vikings are feeling it.The Lions, Bengals, and Bears are, too. If Bill Belichick had a soul, it would be brimming with unbridled hope for the brave new season to come. And really, why not? No professional sport offers a better chance at upward mobility. Rosters are torn down and rebuilt on an annual basis. Playoff teams come and go via revolving door. Champions come out of nowhere (your '99 Rams) and fade fast (your '02 Bucs).  The downside of taking a sunny outlook into the year, of course, is that there aren't enough happy endings to go around. While 32 teams get to dream big every year, 31 of them are in for a rude awakening. 20 won't make it past the first weekend in January. So where does your club fit in? If we knew, we'd be riding our own opt...