The NFL Preseason is in the books, and the rosters have been cut down to 53 by GMs all across the league. We were gifted with a fun first week of College Football, but the NFL is still the No. 1 sport in the country. So, let's take a look how each team will fair in 2015.
AFC EAST
1. New England Patriots
How do ya like them apples ROJAH? Ya look wicked stupid now Commissionah! Tommy's gonna throw for 500 yards in the opener, and then we're gonna watch Wahlburgers and drink Sam Adams until they kick us outta Dorchester. All Hail the Supah Bowl Champs!
2. Miami Dolphins
This is the year the Dolphins finally stop being mediocre and turn into a good football team. If anything, this is the year, because Joe Philbin will get fired if they don't make the playoffs. They have a legit defense captained by Suh, they have two good young receivers, a pro bowl TE, and a serviceable QB, but they are still the 2nd best team in the AFC East.
3. Buffalo Bills
Oh Rex. The NFL would like to thank the Buffalo Bills for not letting this comedic genius out of the spotlight. Buffalo will ground and pound the ball all year long and play good defense, so they'll be in a lot of games, as long as they get decent QB play. The Bills have named Tyrod Taylor the starting QB, who will wear in the first game, and this is actually true, a "diamond-studded mouth guard." I'm just going to leave it at that. Good luck Buffalo. At least you're not the...
Courtesy of SBNation.com
4. New York Jets
I'm going to go out a limb here and say Geno Smith getting punched in the face was the best thing that could have happened to the Jets. Ryan Fitzpatrick is inconsistent, but Geno Smith is consistently bad. Todd Bowles is in for a long year in New York. He'll have a decent defense, but that team is going to struggle all year to score 17 or more points.
AFC NORTH
1. Pittsburgh Steelers
I went back and forth between Pittsburgh and Baltimore on this for a while. Both teams have legitimate arguments for being the best team in their division and Cincy is a good team as well, but ultimately it comes down to QBs and other skill position players. The Steelers have the best QB, the best RB, and the best WR in the division. Their defense will be a work in progress, but as long as it's not horrible, they should be fine and win the AFC North.
2. Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens play sound football, but they don't have the skill position players that the Steelers do. Their No. 1 WR is Steve Smith, Sr., who is 36, and has said this will be his last year in the NFL. Their No. 2 WR is a rookie with a case of the drops. The Boys from Maryland are always a tough out for any team, but they'll need a heavy reliance on the run and defense to make any kind of run in the playoffs.
3. Cincinnati Bengals
In terms of talent, this team has plenty. The problem is Marvin Lewis is their coach and Andy Dalton is their QB. I'll believe they have the ability to compete with the top teams when I see it. As for now, they'll struggle and hope to make a Wild Card spot, which mean's they'd have to go on the road and play a divisional winner. That is not a recipe for success for a team that hasn't won a playoff game since 1991.
4. Cleveland Browns
The Browns have had their problems ever since they came back into the league, and that's the nicest thing I can say about their team. Josh McCown will be the starting QB for week 1, but I don't think he'll finish the season as the starting QB. You drafted Johnny Football, and though he hasn't done a great job at showing he's matured from his days in College Station, you have to play him to see what you have. I genuinely believe Mike Pettine is a good coach, but it's tough to win without a reliable QB. If the Browns play Manziel early and he improves throughout the season, they'll know they can build their team around him, but if he struggles they may be taking a QB early in 2016.
AFC SOUTH
1. Indianapolis Colts
If you're ever going to gamble this is probably the safest bet in the NFL. The Indianapolis Colts will win the AFC South, as long as Andrew Luck isn't seriously injured. The Colts are the best team in the AFC South even without their recent moves to acquire Andre Johnson and Frank Gore. Go ahead and right this one down in permanent marker.
2. Houston Texans
This season of Hard Knocks has been fantastic, due largely to Bill O'Brien. This guy does not care who you are or what you think. He has Brian Hoyer as his starting QB, and he knows he's not going to the playoffs, but he still goes out there with his intensity on full blast to get his team up and ready. I thought JJ Watt was the best player in the NFL before this season of Hard Knocks, now I know he's the best player in the NFL. That guy is an absolute beast. I'd put him as my starting Tight End on every offensive possession. Houston will give a lot of teams problems, but they aren't a serious contender.
3. Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jags will be better than last year, but that's not saying a whole lot. Bortles will have another year under his belt, and he showed some promising things in the preseason, but this team is still several years away from being able to find their way anywhere near the playoffs. With the Jags skill position players being very young, I'm interested to see how TJ Yeldon, Allen Robinson, and Allen Hurns do this year.
4. Tennessee Titans
I think Tennessee made the right move drafting Mariota. The kid is a winner; he's smart, athletic, and when given the chance he makes big plays. He'll go through some growing pains this year as a rookie, but the Titans made another smart move by drafting Dorial Green-Beckham to give him a top level WR to throw to. It won't happen overnight, but things will get better for Tennessee as Mariota and DGB develop a chemistry.
AFC WEST
1. Denver Broncos
This may be Peyton's last season, so I think the Broncos will go all in play calling-wise to get him to San Francisco. They resigned Demaryius Thomas, and they also have Emmanuel Sanders and an explosive player in Cody Latimer. Expect a lot of carries for CJ Anderson, now that Montee Ball has been released.
2. Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs are clearly a run first team and that's an easy decision to make when you have Jamaal Charles as your RB. Alex Smith is never going to wow anyone, but he's not going to make a lot of mistakes either. Granted, that's hard to do when you only throw the ball for 5-7 yards on most of your attempts. They'll play good defense and control the clock with the run.
3. San Diego Chargers
The Chargers resigned Philip Rivers, because they didn't have any other choice. He's a good QB, but he's never been able to get over the hump to get to the big game, even when he had LT in his backfield. Spirits are high in San Diego with Melvin Gordon being drafted, but Wisconsin Running Backs haven't had the best luck in the NFL of late, see Montee Ball. Rivers will put up good numbers as he usually does, but I wouldn't expect any sort of playoff run from this team.
4. Oakland Raiders
If you're an Oakland Raiders fan, it's been a bad decade. But there appears to finally be hope, and his name is Amari Cooper. This guy is going to be a Pro Bowl WR. If I was the OC in Oakland I'd throw the ball to this guy no less than 12 times a game. With Cooper and Khalil Mack on the other side of the ball, the Raiders should be much improved this season and look to be heading in the right direction.
AFC PLAYOFFS
1. Indianapolis Colts
2. New England Patriots
3. Denver Broncos
4. Pittsburgh Steelers
5. Baltimore Ravens
6. Miami Dolphins
WILD CARD
#6 Miami at #3 Denver
The Dolphins run the ball effectively in Denver, but Peyton Manning and Denver's passing attack prove to be too much as they pull away in the 4th quarter to keep the Bronco's season alive.
#5 Baltimore at #4 Pittsburgh
Last year the Ravens got the better of the Steelers in Pittsburgh. This year the Steelers won't let that happen again. Big Ben will take the game over in the 2nd half and lead the Steelers into the divisional round to face Indy.
DIVISIONAL ROUND
#4 Pittsburgh at #1 Indianapolis
Indy has been everyone's pick to go to the Super Bowl out of the AFC this year. I'm going to go against them in this game though, because the Steelers have been to the Super Bowl 3 times under Big Ben. He knows how to get them to the big game, and I think they are better in every major skill position except possibly QB and even that is a close debate.
#3 Denver at #2 New England
If this game was in Denver, I'd go with Manning and the Broncos. But, I don't see them going into Foxboro and beating Brady in the cold in the January. I hope I'm wrong, but history isn't on Manning's side.
AFC CHAMPIONSHIP
#4 Pittsburgh at #2 New England
Everyone who is not a Pats fan will be cheering for the Steelers come this game. Well maybe not all the Ravens fans, but all that matters is Foxboro will be full of Patriots fans eager to see their team get back to the Super Bowl. The Steelers get on a roll early and though the Patriots make a late push, Tom throws a late interception that causes the Steelers to head to Super Bowl 50.
NFC EAST
Courtesy of quickmeme.com
1. Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles are officially all in on Chip Kelly. He's either going to win with his formula in Philadelphia, or he'll have to see if he can win with it in college. So far in the preseason, the Eagles have looked mighty good. If Sam Bradford can stay healthy, the Eagles will win the NFC East.
2. Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys are really really going to miss Demarco Murray. He took a lot of pressure off of Tony Romo last year. This season the Cowboys claim they are going to get the same level of production out of McFadden and Joseph Randle. Most analysts doubt that is going to happen. The Cowboys should come back down to earth this Fall and finish the regular season around 9-7.
3. New York Giants
This is likely Tom Coughlin's last year in New York. Additionally, Eli Manning will likely get a big contract before the season ends, but I don't think it will overcome the Giants defensive problems or lack of a running game. The two rings they won were based off a strong defense and a power run game, both of which the Giants are lacking.
4. Washington Redskins
And that brings us to Washington. After mortgaging the future on RG3, the Redskins have seen their team plummet into a realm of terribleness that not even Congress could match. The good news is they'll be drafting early in 2016, so they might as well take another shot at a QB. In all fairness though, I think hiring Bill Callahan will help the offensive line and their RBs improve from last season, but I think there is zero chance this team wins their division.
NFC NORTH
1. Green Bay Packers
As if this one were hard to pick, the Green Bay Packers, who somehow managed to blow the NFC Championship game last year, will repeat as NFC North Champions. The loss of Jordy Nelson is significant, but with A-Aron under center, this team is pretty much guaranteed to go to the playoffs every year. Look for James Jones, who just got resigned, to have a big year.
2. Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings are the trendy pick to make the playoffs in the NFC, after a good rookie performance by Teddy Bridgewater. Though AP may be a bit rusty after being shelved for a year, this team still has the ability to make some noise in the playoff race. They won't win the North, but I don't think they're a .500 team either.
3. Detroit Lions
The Lions had a very good season last year, but missed out on advancing to the Divisional Round due to a controversial call. Jim Caldwell has got his team playing well, but they are going to miss Suh and Fairley. Good news is they still have Calvin Johnson, and Ameer Abdullah could be a huge pick up for them in the draft.
4. Chicago Bears
Enjoy this picture of John Fox making a touchdown sign, because you're not going to see it much more this year. The Bears are going to be in for a long season. Here's the good news: The running game with Matt Forte should be fine, and John Fox loves to run the ball. Here's the bad news: Jay Cutler is your QB, and Jared Allen only plays 1 position. Allen has pretty much admitted the Bears defense will be somewhere between atrocious and god-awful, and we pretty much know what Cutler brings to the table.
Here's a synopsis at the thoughtful research and analysis I've done on who will win the NFC South this year.
NFC SOUTH
1. Carolina Panthers
The only reason I'm picking the Panthers is they're the only team in the South with a decent defense and running game. That's it. Their starting WRs are Corey Brown and Ted Ginn. Those are No. 3 receivers at best. Mike Shula is about as conservative as Rick Santorum, so he's probably not going to throw the ball to anyone not named Greg Olsen. Get ready for a lot of 13-10 games. 3 different teams could win the South this year, and honestly Tampa Bay probably isn't that far off from competing for a division title either, because the division is that bad.
2. New Orleans Saints
I wouldn't be surprised to see the Saints win this division, based on Drew Brees alone, but he's getting older and he doesn't have an elite running back or a defense. He's also lost Jimmy Graham as his go to big threat down the field. Bradin Cooks should have a big year for NOLA, but there's not a single team in this division that's making any sort of playoff run in 2015.
3. Atlanta Falcons
Again, another team that could win the NFC South. If the Falcons get an improvement in their defense, offensive line, and running game they'll have a good shot to win the South. Those are all big ifs though. The easiest decision Arthur Blank had this Summer was to pay Julio Jones, because he's an elite WR. Matt Ryan is a decent QB, but that offensive line has given Matty Ice ZERO time to throw the ball, and their run game is non-existent. Dan Quinn will make the defense better, but it is going to take time.
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Lovie Smith had a rough first year in Tampa, but it got him the No. 1 overall pick. Year 2 should be better, but they are breaking in a rookie QB and that's going to be a process. Winston has looked good at times and bad at times. That's likely how his season will go. He'll do some amazing things on the field, and some dumb things on the field. The Bucs will be improved, but 5-11 is likely this team's ceiling.
NFC WEST
1. Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals nearly won the NFC West last year with a 3rd string QB. I think this year, with a healthy Carson Palmer they take the NFC West and get a bye in the playoffs. Bruce Arians is a mad scientist in the desert, and they have an underrated defense. The last game of the year for the Cards is at home against Seattle and I think they beat the Seahawks to take the NFC West.
2. Seattle Seahawks
The Seahawks aren't going away anytime soon, as long as they have Marshawn Lynch, Russell Wilson, and more importantly, that defense. They know they gave away the Super Bowl this past year and they desperately want to get back. They'll be a force in the NFC for a while, but I think Arizona gets the best of them this year in the finale in the desert.
3. St. Louis Rams
I jokingly write the St. Louis part, because everyone in this organization is looking on Zillow.com for properties in LA. The Rams won't be good and they won't be bad. They'll be mediocre, because Jeff Fisher is their coach. The NFL desperately wants a team in Los Angeles, and the Rams, because of their history, make the most sense. They'll likely finish somewhere between 7-9 and miss out on the playoffs yet again.
4. San Francisco 49ers
Congratulations Trent Baalke on officially being the worst GM in the NFL. If you think you did the right thing by parting ways with Jim Harbaugh, look at how many players "retired" or "suddenly left" the 49ers. We'll see how elite Colin Kaepernick is without an offensive line, defense, running game, or receiving corps. I feel sorry for Jim Tomsula, who seems like a good guy, because he's been handed a terrible roster and expected to win in a tough division. If the 49ers win 5 games this year, Tomsula deserves coach of the year.
NFC PLAYOFFS
1. Philadelphia Eagles
2. Arizona Cardinals
3. Green Bay Packers
4. Carolina Panthers
5. Seattle Seahawks
6. Minnesota Vikings
WILD CARD
#6 Minnesota at #3 Green Bay
The Vikings had a great regular season, but I don't think they're going into Lambeau in January and beating Aaron Rodgers and the Packers with a 2nd year QB. This one starts out close, but the Packers pull away midway through the 2nd quarter and win by double digits.
#5 Seattle at #4 Carolina
Congratulations Carolina, your prize for winning the NFC South at 8-8 is a loss to the defending NFC Champs. Seattle is just a better team. New Orleans and Atlanta would suffer the same fate.
DIVISIONAL ROUND
#5 Seattle at #1 Philadelphia
This game should be phenomenal. It is pure offense vs. defense. I hope this prediction proves right because it'll be the best divisional match up, outside of maybe Dallas at Green Bay last year, in a long time. You could flip a coin in this game, because there's no clear winner. Seattle has been there before, they've got the better QB, running back, and defense, so I'm going with the Seahawks to head back to their 3rd straight NFC Title game.
#3 Green Bay at #2 Arizona
Green Bay goes to the desert and Eddie Lacy carries them back to the NFC Title game. The Packers know that throwing against that secondary is going to be tough, so they focus heavily on the run and play clock management, winning a close low scoring game.
NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
#5 Seattle at #3 Green Bay
The Packers have been waiting to get another shot at Seattle after their meltdown last year, and more importantly they get them at home. Seattle has won twice on the road in the playoffs this year, but their luck runs out in Lambeau. A cold and windy January afternoon in Wisconsin sees Green Bay redeeming themselves in the rematch and heading to San Francisco to face the Steelers.
SUPER BOWL 50
Pittsburgh vs. Green Bay
In a rematch of Super Bowl XLV, the Steelers and Packers head to San Francisco to play for the Lombardi trophy. Green Bay jumps out to an early lead, but Big Ben hits Antonio Brown on a go route to the tie the game at the half. The second half is a stalemate with not much movement by either side until Eddie Lacy breaks a tackle on what looks to be a loss in the backfield and sprints into the endzone for the go ahead score. The Packers hang on to win the game as a last second Hail Mary is batted down to close out the championship for Green Bay. Eddie Lacy wins the MVP based on his late run and the title returns to Titletown.
I treat these predictions like I'm a meteorologist or an economist. If I get half of my predictions right, I've done a good job, and if I don't I say it was a fluke or an anomaly and there was no way to predict that it would happen. Cheers to Labor Day and football being back in America!
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