NFL Coaching Changes That Will Be Made Tomorrow

                                                       Courtesy of coacheshotseat.com

Everyone hates to see people get let go.  Well, not everyone, but most people.  It affects far more than just the coaches, but it's part of the job and these guys all know it going into their profession.  So, let's take a look at coaches who likely won't be with their teams at 5 o'clock tomorrow.

                                                   Courtesy of info.funniestmemesever.com

JIM HARBAUGH - This one is an absolute guarantee.  You can bet your house, your car, and your 2nd wife's ring on the fact that Jim Harbaugh will not be the coach of the San Francisco 49ers on Monday.  It's been talked about all year.  The 49ers are absolutely fed up with the fact they've been to 3 straight NFC Championship games, a Super Bowl, and a 48-22-1 record.   The big difference between normal dismissals and this situation is that most coaches are fired for losing games, rather than just being difficult to deal with.  The reports are that Harbaugh is likely headed to Michigan, and I for one can't wait to see the rivalry between Pope Urban and Harbaugh.  If you're wondering what Jim Harbaugh's house is going to look like tomorrow, when he becomes the highest paid coach in all of football, here's a preview.

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REX RYAN - This little piggy is not going to be the Jets coach on Monday.   Rex Ryan has, in my opinion, always been a little bit overrated as a head coach, but he's a great defensive coordinator.  Why he couldn't bring in a good offensive coordinator to help match those defenses I'll never know, but that probably says more about John Idzik than Rex.  Both should be fired tomorrow, and the Jets will need a complete overhaul.  New GM, new head coach, new QB.  I wouldn't be surprised to see them look to the college ranks for a coach to rejuvenate their franchise.  Rex is going to either be a star defensive coordinator somewhere next year, or possibly a head coach again in say some place like...

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MARK TRESTMAN - Trestman has not been very good in Chicago.  Blame Cutler all you want, and he likely won't be there either come the 2015 season, but Trestman and his staff will all likely be let go along with the GM.  I still can't fathom why the Bears let Lovie Smith go.  When the Bears have been good, they have won with stellar defense, and a conservative offense, so this move from the start confused a lot of people.  Rex Ryan's dad, Buddy, was the architect behind the 85 Bears Defense, which let's face it was probably the greatest defense to ever step foot on a field.  If the Bears are smart they'll hire him as their Defensive Coordinator, but they may go one step up and hire him as their new head coach.

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GUS BRADLEY - The Jaguars made a move for Blake Bortles, and are still expected to draft very early in 2015 as they only have 3 wins.  Bradley is 7-24 so far in two seasons with the Jags, and that's just abysmal.  The owner may shock everyone by not makign a change, but this is a franchise that desperately needs a shot in the arm, before they move to London.  

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JOE PHILBIN - Miami is going to miss out on the playoffs again.  After last year's ultimate collapse, the Dolphins put Philbin on a very short leash, and he hasn't been able to get them to the playoffs in his tenure there.  The Dolphins have made the playoffs just once in the last 13 years.  They believe they have a franchise QB under center, and will look to change pace by getting a new head coach starting tomorrow.

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TONY SPARANO - Ok, first of all this picture isn't of Tony Sparano.  It's of Raiders owner, Mark Davis.  How do you take a guy with that haircut seriously during a job interview?  Anyways, Tony Sparano was never expected to be back as he was just holding the spot after Dennis Allen was fired.  He didn't do a terrible job, but when you're an interim head coach, anything south of making the playoffs means you are not coming back next year.  The Raiders still remain in the mix for Harbaugh, but it looks more and more like he's headed to Michigan.  So, you can bet they will back up a dump truck full of money to Jon Gruden's house to get him to come back to Oakland.  

 COACHES EVERYONE THINK WILL BE FIRED BUT PROBABLY WON'T

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MIKE SMITH - If the Falcons lose to Carolina this afternoon, you can bet Mike Smith will not be their coach on Monday.  Reports are even if the Falcons win, if they don't win a playoff game (likely against Arizona who has a starting QB that has as many TD passes as I do), that Smith will be gone.  This is going to be a hard fought game, and as I spoke about in the last post, the winner of this game, should beat the Cardinals next week.  So, there's a very very very good chance Mike Smith will not be fired this year.  Falcons fans are torn on this decision, but if they lose to the Panthers today, expect the Falcons to call Jimmy Sexton regarding what interest Nick Saban would have on being their new coach.

                                                      Courtesy of NationalSportJournal.com
         

TOM COUGHLIN - There hasn't been a lot of reports that Tom Coughlin is going to be let go after this season.  He has 2 Super Bowl rings, and will almost certainly be a first ballot Hall of Famer as a coach.  Coughlin has indicated he wants to coach next season, and the Giants organization is likely going to let him go out on his own terms.  If he's back that likely means Eli will be back as well, and next year that Eli to Odell show should be a lot of fun to watch.   

                                                              Courtesy of Smug Fantasy Football

DOUG MARRONE - The Bills don't have a QB, and likely will have to go draft or trade for another one in 2015.  They'll miss out on the playoffs again for the 15th straight year.   That's the longest streak in the NFL.  Still, they've built a good defense, have good young talent at the WR position, and if they can get a serviceable QB under center, that should get them over the hump.   Marrone will be on the hot seat going into 2015, but he should get one more year.  That having been said, there's almost always one firing surprise every year, and if I had to pick one, this one would be my pick, especially if they lose today to a Patriots team that already has home field advantage locked up and finish 8-8.

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JEFF FISHER - I don't get why people think Jeff Fisher is such a great coach.   He's a decent coach, I'll give you that, but his overall record is 167-152-1.  That sounds pretty good, until you look and see that the last time he had a winning season was 2008.  He's had terrible luck with injuries at QB, so that's likely why he's gotten a pass, but at some point you have to start seeing some results.

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JAY GRUDEN - A month ago, everyone on the planet would have said Gruden would be one and done in Washington.  Now, people aren't so sure.  I think, surprisingly, both he and RGIII will be back next year, but both will be on a short leash.  Gruden will have to work extensively with RGIII in the Spring and Summer to get him ready for 2015, because if they don't make the playoffs next year, he's definitely gone. 

Why The NFC South is the Most Intriguingly Bad Division In Football

If you have not been following the NFC South this year, it's largely because you only watch teams with winning records.  If you have been following the NFC South, then your pharmacist and liquor store clerk are on a first name basis with you.  As of this post the Carolina Panthers at an astonishing 5-8-1 are in first place in the division, depending on what happens in the Windy City tonight between the Road Warrior Saints and the Chicago Cubs, I mean Bears.  If the Saints win they have a half game lead on the Panthers, and if they lose they'll be a half game behind tied with the Falcons.  It will certainly be interesting as the QB from Santa Claus takes on the Homeless Santa Claus.  

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Tampa Bay fans are officially looking at 2015 Mock Drafts, while the remaining 3 teams, somehow get to host a playoff game against a host of teams we'll cover tonight in a variety of scenarios.  So let's get to them.

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NEW ORLEANS

If NOLA wins out, they're in.  Plain and Simple.  Just win baby.  If they lose tonight, then things get a little murky.  Let's take a look at their schedule:

Week 15             Saints vs. Bears            in Chicago
Week 16             Falcons vs. Saints         in New Orleans 
Week 17             Saints vs. Bucs              in Tampa Bay

The Saints historically have not been very good on the road, but this year they haven't been very good at home either.  With news coming out of Chicago this week that the Bears' Offensive Coordinator privately ripped Jay Cutler, then openly admitted his comments to the team it certainly looks good for the Saints.   The Saints then look for revenge against the Falcons after a Week 1 loss in the Georgia Dome, and finish up the regular season in Tampa Bay.  A win tonight and they're in the driver's seat the rest of the way.

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CAROLINA PANTHERS

As for the Panthers, Jerry Richardson would be wise to hire a driver for Cam Newton for the rest of his tenure in Charlotte.  How he got out of this with minimal injuries should be an advertisement for Ford Motor Company.  Derek Anderson played very well this weekend and the Panthers gutted out their 2nd straight win against the Bucs.  The Panthers need the Saints to lose tonight, and if they do, they'll control their own destiny.  

Week 16                      Browns vs. Panthers               in Charlotte
Week 17                      Panthers vs. Falcons               in Atlanta

After the way Johnny Football played this week, the Panthers defense has got to be smiling going into the game against the Browns.  But, things change week to week and he can't be much worse than he was against the Bengals when his QB rating was a 1.  The Panthers then head to Atlanta for the season-ender against the Dirty Birds.  That game will be a lot tougher.  

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ATLANTA FALCONS

The Fighting Julio Joneses, I mean Atlanta Falcons, dropped out of first place this week, with a loss to the Steelers.  Jones sat with a hip injury and they are clearly not the same team without him.  The Falcons are in 3rd place right now, but believe it or not, still control their own destiny.  Here's how.

Week 16                             Falcons vs. Saints               in New Orleans
Week 17                             Panthers vs. Falcons          in Atlanta

The Falcons play their final 2 games against the Saints and the Panthers.  Win both of those, and they are in.  If they beat New Orleans and Carolina, regardless if the Saints win tonight, they'd at least be tied with NOLA and they'll have the tie breaker over the Saints by winning both head to head games.  Even if Carolina beats Cleveland, the Falcons would have a better record against them as well if they beat the Panthers in the Georgia Dome.  If they lose against New Orleans next week though, they'll need some serious help by beating Carolina in Week 17 and cheering for the Bears, Browns, and Bucs.  

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So why is the NFC South so intriguing despite all being WELL UNDER .500?  Well, it has to do with who they'll play if they win the division.  The NFC South winner is locked into the 4 seed. So that means they'll face the 5 seed in the Wild Card Round of the Playoffs.  Right now that means they'd play the Seattle Seahawks, and though that sounds like a guaranteed loss, it's not as certain as it might sound.

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THINGS OUT WEST

The Seahawks are sitting one game behind the No. 1 seed Arizona Cardinals, who clinched a playoff spot this week when Philly lost to Dallas.  On a side note, Bruce Arians deserves coach of the year and it's not even close.  Seattle plays Arizona on Sunday night in the desert, then finish the season at home against the Rams.  They'll be favored in both games and should win both which would bump them from the No. 5 seed to the No. 1 seed, regardless if the Cards beat the 49ers, because Seattle would have the tie breaker over Arizona.

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Arizona finishes their last two games at home against Seattle then at San Francisco.  Neither one of those are easy, but the 49ers are so ready to get to 2015 that they may just look for a better draft pick.  Unless the Rams pull an upset in the Pacific Northwest, the game in the desert this week will determine who gets home field advantage.

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THE BATTLE FOR THE NORTH

Up in the North the Lions are in first place after beating Minnesota and watching the Packers get upset by Buffalo.  The Lions go to Chicago this week and finish the year at Lambeau, while the Packers head to Tampa Bay this week before the Lions come to town.  It will likely all come down to next week in the Frozen Tundra based on the Lions win against Green Bay earlier this year, but Philly is hoping for upsets by the Bears and Bucs for a chance to get in as they sit one game back at 9-5.  



The NFC EAST PICTURE

Philly plays the Redskins on the road this week....Spoiler Alert - WIN, and then goes to New York to play the Giants which has upset written all over it.  The Eagles will be hoping the Packers beat the Lions in Lambeau since the Packers have the tie breaker over the Eagles via a blowout loss last month.  That would match them up with their record against the Lions/Cowboys/Seahawks for that final spot.  Sanchez has not looked impressive, and Eagles fans are going to absolutely lose it if they miss out on the playoffs because of his play down the stretch. 

Dallas is in the driver's seat in the NFC East with their big win last night against Philly.  They get Indy at home this week....ugh that's going to be tough, then go to Washington to close out the year.  Again, win both games and their in.  If not, it will depend how Philly does.  So let's get to the most likely scenario if everything goes chalk for the NFC.  



WHO IS MOST LIKELY TO BE PLAYING IN JANUARY?

The winner of the NFC South will most likely get the following team, Arizona.   Here's why. 

Arizona beat Philly head to head and they have 11 wins as of today.  Even if they were to lose to Seattle and San Fran they'd get in over Philly, since Philly only has 9 wins with 2 to go.  The Cards also have a head to head win over Dallas, plus they're already guaranteed a spot in the playoffs.  

Detroit, which will likely be the No. 6 seed didn't play Dallas or Philly, so you go to in conference wins for the next tie breaker.  They have 8 wins against NFC opponents with 2 more chances to get conference wins.  Philly only has 5 with 2 games left to play, so they're out, and Dallas only has 6 wins against the conference with 1 game less to play, so they're out.  Simple math.  Meaning the NFC East is likely only going to get 1 team in the playoffs.

Green Bay should destroy Tampa this week and I'd be shocked if they lost to Detroit at Lambeau with the North Championship on the line.  But let's say they do.  If they do, that would put Green Bay likely as the 5 or 6 seed.  They have 7 in conference wins with 2 conference games left and a head to head win over Philly.  So Philly is not beating Green Bay for the last playoff spot, short of a miracle.  

How about Dallas?  Dallas and Green Bay didn't play this year so you go to conference record.  Dallas has 6 wins with 1 left, while Green Bay has 7 wins with 2 left and one of those is against Tampa Bay.  So again, Dallas is likely not getting in if they don't win the division, with 1 exception.  See below.  


WHAT IF ARIZONA WINS THE WEST AND SEATTLE GETS THE WILDCARD?

The Seahawks beat the Packers and Eagles head to head, so if it comes down to one of those two teams, they are in.  But, they lost to the Cowboys so if the 10-4 Cowboys and the 10-4 Seahawks finish tied for the last wildcard spot, Dallas goes.  Seattle and Detroit didn't play this year so you go to conference record.  Seattle has 8 wins with 2 games conference games left and so does Detroit, so that is up in the air.



MOST LIKELY SCENARIO

Seattle should win the West and get the No. 1 overall seed.  The winner of the North would likely be the No. 2 seed, which I predict will be Green Bay.   Dallas barring a complete Romo-like meltdown should win the East as long as they beat Washington in the final game for the 3 seed.   That leaves either New Orleans, Carolina, or Atlanta for the No. 4 seed.  While Arizona gets the 5 and Detroit get the 6 seed.  


SO FINALLY, WHY IS THE NO. 4 SEED IMPORTANT?

Because of who you get to play.  Arizona beat Detroit already this year, and they are a game ahead of them, so even if they lose out, if Detroit doesn't beat Green Bay, Arizona is the No. 5 seed.  

The NFC South champs would be thrilled because if you get Arizona who has severe questions at QB to come into NOLA, Charlotte, or Atlanta, I think you have to favor the home team.  Carolina's defense has much improved the last couple weeks, and even if Newton doesn't play they have a capable back up in Anderson.  New Orleans despite their ups and downs this year, can still put up a ton of points in that dome and if it gets into a track meet, I don't think Arizona can keep up.  Atlanta with a healthy Julio Jones at home is also a very tough team to beat, and can put up some points, and they've already beaten the Cards in Georgia once this year.  The NFC South champ should be praying Seattle beats Arizona and that they get them the Cards in the 1st round. 

So, despite how terrible the NFC South has looked this year, they could make it to the divisional round.  The problem is they'll have to likely go to Seattle after that win, and that's not going to be pretty.   

    

Mid-Season NFL Review and Bold Predictions

We're a little over halfway through the NFL season, and if you're a fan of the NFC South, welcome to a division that would be lucky to beat Wake Forest on a neutral field.   Going forward I'll offer an assessment of each team and division along with some bold predictions for things that may or let's face it most certainly won't happen this year and in the offseason.  

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AFC EAST - This division has been New England's for the last decade plus, and will continue to be in 2014.  Miami is certainly improved, and Buffalo has been surprising but looks to be fading down the stretch.  The Jets, well....the Jets will be drafting early in 2015, and will be in the market for a new QB.

New England Patriots - The Pats remain the class of the AFC East.  It was a little rocky for Tom and Bill, but they look poised to be at the top of the AFC come January.  Bold Prediction: The Pats make the Superbowl as they secure home field, and Manning has to go back to Foxboro.

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Miami Dolphins - The Dolphins are much improved, but I still think they miss out on the playoffs, fading down the stretch.  There's just a lot of teams in the AFC that they are looking up at for the Wildcard.  Bold Prediction:  Miami make a major run at Jim Harbaugh this offseason, all while Joe Philbin remains the current head coach.

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Buffalo Bills - The Bills just can't find a QB.  Kyle Orton isn't the long term answer, and EJ can't seem to learn the offense.  They finish close to .500, but again miss out on the playoffs.  Bold Prediction:  The Bills stick with Kyle Orton, when everyone begs them to take a QB in the draft.

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NY Jets - The Jets improve in the 2nd half of the season, but that's only because the 1st half couldn't have been much worse.  Geno Smith is not a serviceable NFL QB, and Michael Vick is little more than a filler.  Rex Ryan's ultimate downfall was that he never found a competent offensive coordinator or QB, when really that's the GM's fault.  Bold Prediction:  The Jets hire a college coach to run the show in New York.

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AFC NORTH - This is the best division in football, and the best team is the Cleveland Browns.  That's right, the Browns are in 1st place in the bruising AFC North.  I don't think they'll stay there, but kudos to them for making it this far and being in the playoff hunt.

Cleveland Browns - If you had the Browns in 1st place in November, then congrats you live in Cleveland or you own more than one Manziel jersey.  They've been gritty, but the meat of their schedule is still ahead of them.  Bold Prediction:  Hoyer's contract situation looms longer than it should, and Manziel demands a trade.  With the Browns missing the playoffs, either Hoyer or Manziel won't be in Cleveland in 2015.  A dog house divided against itself cannot stand.

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Cincinnati Bengals - Technically, the Bengals are in 2nd place at 6-3-1.  The Bengals know what they have in Andy Dalton, and that's an average QB.  He's not going to get them to the Superbowl with his current play.  Bold Prediction:  Marvin Lewis is fired as the Bengals fail to make the playoffs.  It's been a long time coming and Bengals fans rejoice.

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  Pittsburgh Steelers - Big Ben looked unbeatable the last 2 weeks, but he came crashing back down to earth against the Jets.  Antonio Brown has been one of the best receivers in the NFL, and the Steelers look like they could make some noise in the AFC.  Bold Prediction:  The Steelers win the North and end up in the AFC divisional round.

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Baltimore Ravens - The Ravens have been Jekyll and Hyde all season.  Without a running game to help him out, Flacco hasn't been able to consistently carry the team.  It's hard to rely on Flacco's arm to win them games.  Bold Prediction:  Baltimore makes the playoffs on the last day of the season as the 6 seed and loses to Indy in a blowout in the Wildcard game.

  

                                                                                  Courtesy of SB Nation


AFC SOUTH - This division isn't even close.  Unless Andrew Luck breaks multiple bones, or Houston mysteriously finds a QB, the Colts are winning this division before Black Friday.

Indianapolis Colts - The Colts benefit from playing in the 2nd weakest division in football.  They win the division by multiple games, but still only get the 3 seed, as they struggle against teams who have winning records.  Bold Prediction:  We get a Luck-Manning rematch in Denver that is closer than it should be, but the Colts fall just short, and Reggie Wayne calls it a career.  

                                                                        Courtesy of Big Cat Country

Houston Texans - Houston has a ton of talent, but its a QB league, and they don't have one.  They are a .500 team at best, and they'll be trying to figure out how to get better in the offseason.  Bold Prediction:  Andre Johnson has played his last year in Houston and ends up in a different city in 2015.

                                                                        Courtesy of www.reddit.com

Tennessee Titans - The Titans, like the Texans lack a QB, and they aren't going to compete in the South against Andrew Luck without at least a mid range QB.  The Titans don't look to the draft, but instead to another NFL team for their QB.  Bold Prediction:  The Titans make a major splash by trading for Eli Manning.

                                                           Courtesy of www.zimbio.com

Jacksonville Jaguars - Blake Bortles has had moments of brilliance, but this team has not produced like I thought they would.  It's a process, but Allen Robinson has looked very good before his recent injury ended his season, and Denard Robinson has been a pleasant surprise transitioning to RB.  Bold Prediction:  The Jaguars are the team most likely to move to London, but they won't be the first team to relocate.  Don't hold your breath too long, they'll be in London by 2020.

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AFC WEST - While San Diego looked like the trendy pick to win this division, a blowout loss to Miami, and steady but lackluster performances by Kansas City have shown this is still Denver's division.  Meanwhile, Oakland looks to be securing up the No. 1 overall pick in the 2015 draft.


Denver Broncos - The Broncos have played about like we expected and look poised for a 12-4 type season.  Their problem is going to be when they have to go to Foxboro in January.  It'll be another Manning-Brady showdown with Brady getting the win and heading to Arizona.  Bold Prediction:  Wes Welker retires after this season.

                                                                              Courtesy of Yahoo Sports

Kansas City Chiefs - Andy Reid and Alex Smith have done a very good job in KC.  The Chiefs haven't been elite, but they may be able to sneak into the playoffs with a Wildcard birth.  Bold Prediction:  The Chiefs get the 5 seed, only to go to Pittsburgh and get picked apart by Offensive Coordinator, Todd Haley, the very man they ran out of town.  

                                                        Courtesy of Pittsburgh Sporting News

San Diego Chargers - Phillip Rivers has had a good season, but the Chargers aren't ready for primetime yet.  They finish with a winning record, but just miss out on the playoffs.  Bold Prediction:  San Diego tries to trade for Adrian Peterson in the offseason.

                                                                        Courtesy of www.zimbio.com

Oakland Raiders - With the first pick in the 2015 NFL draft, the Oakland Raiders select....  Oakland is in need of some real play-makers, and namely an elite running back.   McFadden and MJD haven't been a strong tandem this season, and Oakland needs to give Carr some help in the back field.  Bold Prediction:  Oakland throws tons of money at Jon Gruden to get him to come back to the Bay Area.  Gruden turns it down to make smoothies on Monday Night Football.

                                                                   Courtesy of Larry Brown Sports


NFC EAST - This division looked to be a lot worse than it has actually been this season.  Dallas has been the surprise team, and Philly has been steady, but the question still remains if this division will get more than one team in the playoffs.

Philadelphia Eagles - Chip Kelly is an offensive genius.  I don't think Nick Foles or Mark Sanchez are top tier QBs, but in Kelly's offense they don't have to be to win games.  Bold Prediction:  Eagles get the No. 1 overall seed in the NFC East, but fail to make the Superbowl.

                                                                              Courtesy of filmgarb.com

Dallas Cowboys - The Cowboys have been the surprise team of the NFC, as they've been riding the DeMarco Murray train since September.   Romo has spent last few weeks on the Varsity Blues rehab program, and he's been above average all year.  Bold Prediction:  The Cowboys make the playoffs and Garrett keeps his job.

                                                                                   Courtesy of SB Nation

NY Giants - Eli hasn't been terrible this year, but the Giants obviously aren't making the playoffs.  Odell Beckham, Jr. is going to be a star and next year once Cruz comes back they'll be back in the mix.  However, this year they'll see Tom Coughlin and Eli leave The Big Apple.  Bold Prediction:  The Giants effectively end the Eli and Coughlin era, and go searching for a coach and a QB from the college ranks.  David Shaw will get a phone call.

                                                                           Courtesy of CBS New York


Washington Redskins - That RGIII deal doesn't look like the smartest move by the Redskins, and Kirk Cousins doesn't look to be the man in waiting Washington fans thought he would be.  They've struggled since RGIII's rookie year, and I don't think he'll ever be elite.  This Spring the question is what do they address in the draft?  Bold Prediction:  RGIII actually stays healthy for the remainder of the year.  

                                                                                    Courtesy of SB Nation


NFC NORTH - The Lions have finally started playing like the talent they have.  The Packers remain a playoff contender.  The Vikings are clearly letting Teddy Bridgewater mature.  While the Bears, well, the Bears have just been awful.  It's been embarrassing, and that's being kind.

Detroit Lions - They aren't the Motor City Kitties this year.  Stafford is flinging the ball all over the field, and Megatron gain shows why he's the best receiver in football.  This team is for real.  I know they usually fade down the stretch, but I don't think that happens this year.  Bold Prediction:  The Lions win 12 games this year, and the NFC North comes down to week 17 in Green Bay

                                                                                  Courtesy of USA Today

Green Bay Packers - R-E-L-A-X.  That's been the Packers' mantra since week 3.  Well, right now, they better shape up because they aren't in the playoffs according to the standings.  The good news, they'll likely be favored in almost every game going forward.  Bold Prediction:  The Packers win in week 17 and get the No. 2 seed in the NFC.  Detroit drops from No. 2 to No. 5 in the final week of the season.

                                                                                   Courtesy of SB Nation


Minnesota Vikings - This is a maturation process in Minnesota.  No one expected the Vikings to be in playoff contention this year.  The real question everyone has is, when do they get AP back?  AP realizes his clock is ticking to win a title and that's not going to happen in Minnesota.  Bold Prediction:  AP asks to be traded during the offseason, and his offseason draws more attention than any free agent in history not named Peyton Manning.  

                                                                                   Courtesy of SB Nation

Chicago Bears - Mark Trestman will be fired at the end of the year.  You can bank on that.  If he's not, the GM should be fired for not firing him.  This team has been abysmal this season.  They've overpaid Cutler, they are wasting Forte, and I won't even comment on how terrible the defense is.  Bold Prediction:  The Bears hire Rex Ryan to coach their football team in 2015.

                                                             Courtesy of www.chicitysports.com


NFC SOUTH - Barring a complete turnaround by the Panthers and Falcons, this division belongs to the Saints.  That's not to say they are a great team, because they're not, but the NFC South is so bad, they don't have to be great, just mediocre.  Tampa Bay will be drafting a QB early in the draft next year.


New Orleans Saints - The Saints may not finish with a winning record, but they'll still win the South this year.  Every year the Saints don't capitalize on Brees's talent, is another year wasted.  He's likely going to decline with age, so the window they have is very small.  Bold Prediction:  The Saints make it to the NFC Championship Game, unfortunately, it's in Green Bay.

                                                                                     Courtesy of nesn.com

Carolina Panthers - The Panthers are 3-6-1 and 1 game out of first place of their division.  That's almost statistically impossible.  Cam Newton is injured, and clearly he's playing through it.  The offense has been horrific this year, and the defense hasn't been much better.  Bold Prediction:  Carolina resigns Greg Hardy after he's found not guilty, because they have to, not because they want to.

                                                               Courtesy of www.reddit.com

Atlanta Falcons - The Falcons and Panthers should honestly just pack it in and race to the bottom for Todd Gurley.  Both need a change at RB, and Gurley is an immediate game changer.  If you'd told most ATL fans that at the beginning of the season though, they'd have responded like this guy.  Bold Prediction:  Atlanta wins just enough games to hurt themselves by missing on a good player.

                                                          Courtesy of www.gifmocksession.com


Tampa Bay Buccaneers - I thought the Bucs would be bad, but I didn't think they'd be this bad.  Lovie Smith is a good coach, but he hasn't gotten consistent play from his QBs.  They draft in the top 5 in 2015.  Bold Prediction:  Tampa Bay passes on a 1st round QB to the bewilderment (yes I said bewilderment) of every Bucs fan.

                                                                                   Courtesy of SB Nation


NFC WEST - This division is the most difficult to figure out, especially after the Carson Palmer injury.  The Cardinals have been stellar all year, but with Stanton taking the helm, no one knows if they'll continue on the same path.  The Seahawks and 49ers are in the mix as well, while the Rams have been the victims of the worst QB injury bug in recent memory.


Arizona Cardinals - It's tough to gauge how this team is going to do going forward.  They have a 2 game lead on Seattle and 3 game lead on San Fran, but they have a brutal schedule going forward.  It's a complete toss up.  Bold Prediction:  The Cards win the West, but just barely and lock down the No. 3 seed.  

                                                                    Courtesy of www.azcentral.com

Seattle Seahawks - Seattle is still a very good team, but they don't have the same magic they had last year.  They dug themselves too deep of a hole at the beginning of the year and miss out on the playoffs.  Bold Prediction:  The Seahawks move Marshawn Lynch and make a play for Andre Johnson in the offseason.

                                                                                   Courtesy of SB Nation

San Francisco 49ers - The 49ers and Jim Harbaugh miss out on the postseason for the first time since they got together 4 years ago.  The 49ers haven't been the same dominant team, due largely to Willis, Bowman, and Smith being absent from the defense.  They miss out on the playoffs this year, and Harbaugh and the Niners part ways.  Bold Prediction:  The Niners make  a rather dull hire and return to being a mediocre football team.  Sorry, Niner fans.

                                                                                    Courtesy of Fan Sided

St. Louis Rams - Unless your team plays in the NFC West, you have to feel horrible for the Rams.  They can't catch a break.  This is likely the end of the Sam Bradford era, and I don't think they'll ever win consistently with Jeff Fisher.  He was overrated at Tennessee, and should have been fired from there years before he was let go.  Bold Prediction:  The Rams move to LA by 2018.  I don't know how bold that is, but they won't be in St. Louis for many more years.

                                                                                          Courtesy of ESPN


I'm fairly confident virtually none of these predictions will come true (with the exception of the Rams moving back to LA), but there's no excitement or fun in just reverberating what all the sports talk shows are projecting.  Enjoy the rest of the season, because February will here before you know it.