As many of you probably know, Im a huge sports person and so its that time of year to get the NFL predictions out there... Steve and I love to do this so I thought I would try to beat him to the punch since he started the football thread last year... Here's my rundown for picks this year...
AFC EAST
1. New England
2. New York Jets
3. Buffalo
4. Miami
I know that many think the East will be a joke but Im here to tell you thats not entirely true. While New England should definitely win the division, the Jets and Bills are on the come up... I am not saying they are at the level of being contenders, but they are both on their way... The Bills have a very strong defense and Josh Allen is actually progressing quite well... I do realize its Buffalo and they always find a way to fuck good things up, but there will be weeks when they pull off games you never expected and the same holds true for the Jets... Darnold is also progressing well and we all know they signed Leveon Bell which will help Darnold progress much quicker... Robbie Anderson is an excellent receiver and they may go 8-8 or even 9-7... Miami would be best to tank for Tua OR better yet, maybe tank for two years down the road for Trevor Lawrence, who I think will be extremely NFL ready when he's drafted...
AFC NORTH
1. Cleveland
2. Pittsburgh
3. Baltimore
4. Cincinnati
This is a tough one for me because I do think Pittsburgh will still be very good but I think that Cleveland has too much talent on their team... They have a lot of hype, probably too much, but I also think the guys they have are so determined to win that they are going to be good enough to win the division... I would love to see Baltimore win the division but I just don't feel Lamar Jackson is the answer... I think adding Mark Ingram makes them very formidable, but I see them being in a lot of close games, mainly because of their defense, and I don't trust Jackson in those moments yet but I do hope he proves me wrong... The Bengals have a great running back in Mixon, but a.j. green is getting older and out of his prime and Andy Dalton is not gong to win you a super bowl or even a playoff game for that matter...
AFC SOUTH
1. Houston
2. Indianapolis
3. Tennessee
4. Jacksonville
This is one where I truly hope im wrong... Im a huge Marcus Mariota fan and want Tennessee to win this division but its just too loaded... I honestly think the Colts have the best team, but I have them at 2 based on Andrew Luck's health continuing to be an ongoing issue... Otherwise I would have them 1 in a very tight race with Houston... Houston has a very strong team... Watson is only getting better and DeAndre Hopkins is showing to be one of if not, the best receiver in football... He definitely deserves to be in the conversation... I think Nick Foles is fit for Philadelphia, but I don't see him winning much at all in Jacksonville... they have a lot of personality issues and I just don't like them to do much this year... Tennessee has the players to win... Derrick Henry was one of the best running backs in football the second half of the season and Delanie Walker is back from injury... Mariota has to stay healthy, which he hasn't been able to do most of his career... If he's healthy, they can make a run at the wild card...
AFC WEST
1. Kansas City
2. Los Angeles Chargers
3. Denver
4. Oakland
This division is Kansas City's to lose... The Chargers have a nice team but with Melvin Gordon holding out and Rivers winding down his career, its going to be tough... I think Rivers can still get it done but I feel that Kansas City has too much on offense... Their defense will put them in positions where they are vulnerable and the Chargers are a team that could exploit that, but I think Kansas City is just a bit too talented... Oakland is just a mess... Josh Jacobs is very intriguing as their running back but Antonio Brown is already causing problems... If would just not be a dick and just play, they would have a pretty decent team but as they stand, they wont do much of anything...
NFC EAST
1. Philadelphia
2. Dallas
3. New York Giants
4. Washington
Dallas could finish worse than this if Elliott continues to hold out but I don't think that will happen... I think that Dallas knows they have to have him to have any sort of a chance... The Eagles just have too much for anyone in this division... The Redskins don't have much of anything... The Giants get the nod on them simply because Saquan Barkley is so ridiculously good... Philadelphia will be one of the best teams in the NFC this year...
NFC NORTH
1. Chicago
2. Green Bay
3. Minnesota
4. Detroit
Chicago has such a strong defense and while Tribisky is not a star, he is continuously getting better and he's good enough to manage this team to have them in every game they play because their defense is so dominant... They have a rb by committee but all of their backs while not stars, are explosive play makers... Green Bay and Minnesota should be pretty close with one another... Green Bay is really tough to pick... They don't have the best defense or offensive line but have huge stars with Rodgers and Adams... Minnesota just bothers me... They are so loaded on offense... Cousins, Cook, Thielen, Diggs, Rudolph, yet they just find ways to lose... So I just cant see that changing... Detroit will keep their games competitive but they are just not quite up to the level of the others in their division
NFC SOUTH
1. New Orleans
2. Atlanta
3. Carolina
4. Tampa Bay
Its no secret Im the biggest Saints fan on the planet but I do truly believe they have the best team in the NFC and perhaps football... Brees, Thomas and Kamara is just amazing and they finally have a top 10 defense along with a top 3 offense... I expect nothing less than a Super Bowl Appearance... This division is very strong though... Atlanta should be very tough, especially if Devonta Freeman can stay healthy... they are as inconsistent as it gets though and so i continued to flip flop them with carolina... I just dont trust cam newton's shoulder enough... If hes healthy, they may have a shot at the wild card but the NFC is too loaded and I just dont see it... Tampa Bay is very hit and miss because Jameis Winston is incredibly inconsistent...
NFC WEST
1. Los Angeles Rams
2. Seattle
3. San Francisco
4. Arizona
Seattle has a real chance to sneak up on the Rams this year... The Rams have a very strong team... One of the best in football however I just have a feeling there is more wrong with Todd Gurley's knee than they lead on... They have very strong receivers that go three deep and while their defense is not the best, they do have aaron donald who is the best defensive player in football so I still think they will win the division but the Seahawks will be tough... The Seahawks have one of the best defenses in football and were also one of the best rushing the ball... Not to mention Russell Wilson, who just always finds a way to win... The 49ers and Cardinals will have their weeks when they can beat any body but they are just not quite to the upper level yet but they have the talent to get there eventually...
Should be an amazing year of football!!
AFC EAST
1. New England
2. New York Jets
3. Buffalo
4. Miami
I know that many think the East will be a joke but Im here to tell you thats not entirely true. While New England should definitely win the division, the Jets and Bills are on the come up... I am not saying they are at the level of being contenders, but they are both on their way... The Bills have a very strong defense and Josh Allen is actually progressing quite well... I do realize its Buffalo and they always find a way to fuck good things up, but there will be weeks when they pull off games you never expected and the same holds true for the Jets... Darnold is also progressing well and we all know they signed Leveon Bell which will help Darnold progress much quicker... Robbie Anderson is an excellent receiver and they may go 8-8 or even 9-7... Miami would be best to tank for Tua OR better yet, maybe tank for two years down the road for Trevor Lawrence, who I think will be extremely NFL ready when he's drafted...
AFC NORTH
1. Cleveland
2. Pittsburgh
3. Baltimore
4. Cincinnati
This is a tough one for me because I do think Pittsburgh will still be very good but I think that Cleveland has too much talent on their team... They have a lot of hype, probably too much, but I also think the guys they have are so determined to win that they are going to be good enough to win the division... I would love to see Baltimore win the division but I just don't feel Lamar Jackson is the answer... I think adding Mark Ingram makes them very formidable, but I see them being in a lot of close games, mainly because of their defense, and I don't trust Jackson in those moments yet but I do hope he proves me wrong... The Bengals have a great running back in Mixon, but a.j. green is getting older and out of his prime and Andy Dalton is not gong to win you a super bowl or even a playoff game for that matter...
AFC SOUTH
1. Houston
2. Indianapolis
3. Tennessee
4. Jacksonville
This is one where I truly hope im wrong... Im a huge Marcus Mariota fan and want Tennessee to win this division but its just too loaded... I honestly think the Colts have the best team, but I have them at 2 based on Andrew Luck's health continuing to be an ongoing issue... Otherwise I would have them 1 in a very tight race with Houston... Houston has a very strong team... Watson is only getting better and DeAndre Hopkins is showing to be one of if not, the best receiver in football... He definitely deserves to be in the conversation... I think Nick Foles is fit for Philadelphia, but I don't see him winning much at all in Jacksonville... they have a lot of personality issues and I just don't like them to do much this year... Tennessee has the players to win... Derrick Henry was one of the best running backs in football the second half of the season and Delanie Walker is back from injury... Mariota has to stay healthy, which he hasn't been able to do most of his career... If he's healthy, they can make a run at the wild card...
AFC WEST
1. Kansas City
2. Los Angeles Chargers
3. Denver
4. Oakland
This division is Kansas City's to lose... The Chargers have a nice team but with Melvin Gordon holding out and Rivers winding down his career, its going to be tough... I think Rivers can still get it done but I feel that Kansas City has too much on offense... Their defense will put them in positions where they are vulnerable and the Chargers are a team that could exploit that, but I think Kansas City is just a bit too talented... Oakland is just a mess... Josh Jacobs is very intriguing as their running back but Antonio Brown is already causing problems... If would just not be a dick and just play, they would have a pretty decent team but as they stand, they wont do much of anything...
NFC EAST
1. Philadelphia
2. Dallas
3. New York Giants
4. Washington
Dallas could finish worse than this if Elliott continues to hold out but I don't think that will happen... I think that Dallas knows they have to have him to have any sort of a chance... The Eagles just have too much for anyone in this division... The Redskins don't have much of anything... The Giants get the nod on them simply because Saquan Barkley is so ridiculously good... Philadelphia will be one of the best teams in the NFC this year...
NFC NORTH
1. Chicago
2. Green Bay
3. Minnesota
4. Detroit
Chicago has such a strong defense and while Tribisky is not a star, he is continuously getting better and he's good enough to manage this team to have them in every game they play because their defense is so dominant... They have a rb by committee but all of their backs while not stars, are explosive play makers... Green Bay and Minnesota should be pretty close with one another... Green Bay is really tough to pick... They don't have the best defense or offensive line but have huge stars with Rodgers and Adams... Minnesota just bothers me... They are so loaded on offense... Cousins, Cook, Thielen, Diggs, Rudolph, yet they just find ways to lose... So I just cant see that changing... Detroit will keep their games competitive but they are just not quite up to the level of the others in their division
NFC SOUTH
1. New Orleans
2. Atlanta
3. Carolina
4. Tampa Bay
Its no secret Im the biggest Saints fan on the planet but I do truly believe they have the best team in the NFC and perhaps football... Brees, Thomas and Kamara is just amazing and they finally have a top 10 defense along with a top 3 offense... I expect nothing less than a Super Bowl Appearance... This division is very strong though... Atlanta should be very tough, especially if Devonta Freeman can stay healthy... they are as inconsistent as it gets though and so i continued to flip flop them with carolina... I just dont trust cam newton's shoulder enough... If hes healthy, they may have a shot at the wild card but the NFC is too loaded and I just dont see it... Tampa Bay is very hit and miss because Jameis Winston is incredibly inconsistent...
NFC WEST
1. Los Angeles Rams
2. Seattle
3. San Francisco
4. Arizona
Seattle has a real chance to sneak up on the Rams this year... The Rams have a very strong team... One of the best in football however I just have a feeling there is more wrong with Todd Gurley's knee than they lead on... They have very strong receivers that go three deep and while their defense is not the best, they do have aaron donald who is the best defensive player in football so I still think they will win the division but the Seahawks will be tough... The Seahawks have one of the best defenses in football and were also one of the best rushing the ball... Not to mention Russell Wilson, who just always finds a way to win... The 49ers and Cardinals will have their weeks when they can beat any body but they are just not quite to the upper level yet but they have the talent to get there eventually...
Should be an amazing year of football!!