ME TOO! I WANT TO MAKE PREDICTIONS, TOO!!!
September 9th 2010 15:11
Please? Okay, okay, you asked for it. Like Gregg Easterbrook says: all predictions wrong or your money back!
AFC East:
New York Jets
New England Patriots
Miami Dolphins
Buffalo Bills
I am not sold on the Jets, not by a long shot and not in a million years. But, they have what it takes to beat the Patriots (I think), and enough other teams to scrape together a division title. The Patriots are going to be a solid team, and any team led by Brady is going to win more than lose, but the Pats are showing signs of weakness. Too many. The Dolphins are quiet. That's a scary thought, because it's usually the quiet ones that get you. Unfortunately they play in a division in which their quietness has long been noticed, and no, the Fins won't sneak up on anyone in the East. As for Buffalo? Watch CJ Spiller and hope for the future.
AFC North:
Baltimore Ravens
Pittsburgh Steelers
Cincinnati Bengals
Cleveland Browns
The Ravens have the look of the "big dog" this year. Sure, their secondary has holes, but their offense has none. And they can play any offensive style you want, thank you - air it out or jam it down your throat. That's a luxury. The Steelers are better than everyone thinks, and the chemistry issues that will surely plague Cincy won't be on this team. And their defense is primed to return to greatness. Cincy - I think this a good team, but they edgy. T.Ocho makes me nervous. Their defense will win them some games, but once TO explodes it's all over. The Browns are just plain bad. But Holmgren provides hope.
AFC South:
Indianapolis Colts
Houston Texans
Tennessee Titans
Jacksonville Jaguars
This division will have the Texans, Titans and Jags with records from 9-7 to 7-9. No one stands out - not after the Colts, that is. As usual the Colts will be dynamic and league-leading. The Texans may be able to bolt into the playoffs this year with a combination of high-powered offense and just enough defense. The Titans are a curiosity. Good enough? The Jags just don't have a lot of sexiness to them this (or any other) year.
AFC West:
San Diego Chargers
Kansas City Chiefs
Oakland Raiders
Denver Broncos
The West is Weak. The Chargers are winners by default, because they clearly have the best quarterback and offense, and their defense is still capable. The Chiefs will be vastly improved, as will the Raiders. I have been down on Denver for years, and I'm wondering now that Dumervil is gone whether this is the year they utterly implode. Maybe I'm wrong.
AFC Playoff teams:
1. Colts, 2. Ravens, 3. Chargers, 4. Jets, 5. Steelers, 6. Texans
NFC East
Philadelphia Eagles
New York Giants
Dallas Cowboys
Washington Redskins
Gah. I look at this division and I think: I have ZERO idea. There are just too many questions on all of these teams. Philly is starting over at QB for the first time in a decade, and Westbrook is gone, and their defense didn't instill fear last year. Yet, they are solid, with playmakers and talent. And they don't have chemistry issues. The Giants too have a good QB, acceptable defense. But their offense was iffy this year, and their defense - people think its suspect. Yet they are not Dallas, a team that has everyone worried. Here's what I think about Dallas - their offensive line is bad. Therefore they will struggle. Romo won't have time, and when he does I'm not convinced he's smart enough to play the position anyway. The Redskins are a season-long distraction waiting to happen. Shanny or not, this team won't go far.
NFC North
Green Bay Packers
Minnesota Vikings
Chicago Bears
Detroit Lions
The Packers are going to win the division, sweep the Vikings, and earn probably a spot in the NFC Championship Game. They have it all - a great, high-powered offense, solid defense and exceptional defensive coaches. The Vikings are led by off-again Brett Favre, who will probably perform okay but let's face it - he's done. The Bears? No offensive line, Cutler's a baby, Martz is not so much a mad genius as he is an idiot savant (god help the Bears with clock management issues) and the Lions have a young, talented core of players who I will want to watch all year. Yeah, I think the Lions are going to be one of the NFL's most interesting teams. The young studs on that team...the Lions won't be hollow-roar much longer.
NFC South
New Orleans Saints
Atlanta Falcons
Carolina Panthers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Saints are going to run roughshod over this division, but split with Atlanta. They're just too good, especially at home, and the race will be tight against the Pack. HFA means something to the Saints, more than other teams, and they'll be up there in the top 3 of offense all year. The Falcons will quietly but solidly beat teams. This is a tough group - nothing too particularly sexy except for the fact that they will win. The Panthers have finally lost too much to be much of a contenders and the Bucs are too young and haphazard.
NFC West
San Francisco 49ers
Seattle Seahawks
Arizona Cardinals
St. Louis Rams
The Niners win this division by default, much like the Cards have done in the past two years. There's simply no one else. Carroll in Seattle won't be much of a factor; I don't think he's a great NFL coach. I just don't. Singletary is, and in the head-to-head battles you'll see the difference in how the teams play ball. The Niners will be one of the hardest-hitting yet disciplined teams in the NFL and the Seahawks will play sandlot football. The Cardinals are imploding, and poor draft choices are to blame. That and bad management decisions. I think Whisenhunt's a great coach, but he's going to have to fight upstream constantly against a front office that if it were not for Matt Millen would be the NFL's laughingstock. The Rams are just too down, but with Bradford there's hope. Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things.
NFC Playoff teams:
1. New Orleans, 2. Green Bay, 3. Philadelphia Eagles, 4. San Francisco 49ers, 5. Atlanta Falcons, 6. New York Giants.
AFC Championship Game: Baltimore at Indy
NFC Championship Game: Green Bay at New Orleans
Super Bowl: Indianapolis defeats Green Bay
AFC East:
New York Jets
New England Patriots
Miami Dolphins
Buffalo Bills
I am not sold on the Jets, not by a long shot and not in a million years. But, they have what it takes to beat the Patriots (I think), and enough other teams to scrape together a division title. The Patriots are going to be a solid team, and any team led by Brady is going to win more than lose, but the Pats are showing signs of weakness. Too many. The Dolphins are quiet. That's a scary thought, because it's usually the quiet ones that get you. Unfortunately they play in a division in which their quietness has long been noticed, and no, the Fins won't sneak up on anyone in the East. As for Buffalo? Watch CJ Spiller and hope for the future.
AFC North:
Baltimore Ravens
Pittsburgh Steelers
Cincinnati Bengals
Cleveland Browns
The Ravens have the look of the "big dog" this year. Sure, their secondary has holes, but their offense has none. And they can play any offensive style you want, thank you - air it out or jam it down your throat. That's a luxury. The Steelers are better than everyone thinks, and the chemistry issues that will surely plague Cincy won't be on this team. And their defense is primed to return to greatness. Cincy - I think this a good team, but they edgy. T.Ocho makes me nervous. Their defense will win them some games, but once TO explodes it's all over. The Browns are just plain bad. But Holmgren provides hope.
AFC South:
Indianapolis Colts
Houston Texans
Tennessee Titans
Jacksonville Jaguars
This division will have the Texans, Titans and Jags with records from 9-7 to 7-9. No one stands out - not after the Colts, that is. As usual the Colts will be dynamic and league-leading. The Texans may be able to bolt into the playoffs this year with a combination of high-powered offense and just enough defense. The Titans are a curiosity. Good enough? The Jags just don't have a lot of sexiness to them this (or any other) year.
AFC West:
San Diego Chargers
Kansas City Chiefs
Oakland Raiders
Denver Broncos
The West is Weak. The Chargers are winners by default, because they clearly have the best quarterback and offense, and their defense is still capable. The Chiefs will be vastly improved, as will the Raiders. I have been down on Denver for years, and I'm wondering now that Dumervil is gone whether this is the year they utterly implode. Maybe I'm wrong.
AFC Playoff teams:
1. Colts, 2. Ravens, 3. Chargers, 4. Jets, 5. Steelers, 6. Texans
NFC East
Philadelphia Eagles
New York Giants
Dallas Cowboys
Washington Redskins
Gah. I look at this division and I think: I have ZERO idea. There are just too many questions on all of these teams. Philly is starting over at QB for the first time in a decade, and Westbrook is gone, and their defense didn't instill fear last year. Yet, they are solid, with playmakers and talent. And they don't have chemistry issues. The Giants too have a good QB, acceptable defense. But their offense was iffy this year, and their defense - people think its suspect. Yet they are not Dallas, a team that has everyone worried. Here's what I think about Dallas - their offensive line is bad. Therefore they will struggle. Romo won't have time, and when he does I'm not convinced he's smart enough to play the position anyway. The Redskins are a season-long distraction waiting to happen. Shanny or not, this team won't go far.
NFC North
Green Bay Packers
Minnesota Vikings
Chicago Bears
Detroit Lions
The Packers are going to win the division, sweep the Vikings, and earn probably a spot in the NFC Championship Game. They have it all - a great, high-powered offense, solid defense and exceptional defensive coaches. The Vikings are led by off-again Brett Favre, who will probably perform okay but let's face it - he's done. The Bears? No offensive line, Cutler's a baby, Martz is not so much a mad genius as he is an idiot savant (god help the Bears with clock management issues) and the Lions have a young, talented core of players who I will want to watch all year. Yeah, I think the Lions are going to be one of the NFL's most interesting teams. The young studs on that team...the Lions won't be hollow-roar much longer.
NFC South
New Orleans Saints
Atlanta Falcons
Carolina Panthers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Saints are going to run roughshod over this division, but split with Atlanta. They're just too good, especially at home, and the race will be tight against the Pack. HFA means something to the Saints, more than other teams, and they'll be up there in the top 3 of offense all year. The Falcons will quietly but solidly beat teams. This is a tough group - nothing too particularly sexy except for the fact that they will win. The Panthers have finally lost too much to be much of a contenders and the Bucs are too young and haphazard.
NFC West
San Francisco 49ers
Seattle Seahawks
Arizona Cardinals
St. Louis Rams
The Niners win this division by default, much like the Cards have done in the past two years. There's simply no one else. Carroll in Seattle won't be much of a factor; I don't think he's a great NFL coach. I just don't. Singletary is, and in the head-to-head battles you'll see the difference in how the teams play ball. The Niners will be one of the hardest-hitting yet disciplined teams in the NFL and the Seahawks will play sandlot football. The Cardinals are imploding, and poor draft choices are to blame. That and bad management decisions. I think Whisenhunt's a great coach, but he's going to have to fight upstream constantly against a front office that if it were not for Matt Millen would be the NFL's laughingstock. The Rams are just too down, but with Bradford there's hope. Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things.
NFC Playoff teams:
1. New Orleans, 2. Green Bay, 3. Philadelphia Eagles, 4. San Francisco 49ers, 5. Atlanta Falcons, 6. New York Giants.
AFC Championship Game: Baltimore at Indy
NFC Championship Game: Green Bay at New Orleans
Super Bowl: Indianapolis defeats Green Bay
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