NFL Preview!

Last year I made some great predictions (the Bengals going 10-6 & the Colts making the Super Bowl) & some indefensible ones (the Giants will win the NFC & JaMarcus Russell is better than Joe Flacco). This year… well… it’ll probably be as hit & miss as ever because the NFL is crazy.

Now onto the predictions (playoff teams in bold).

AFC East

1. Dolphins 12-4

2. Patriots 11-5

3. Jets 9-7

4. Bills 3-13

That’s right, the Dolphins. A healthy Ronnie Brown plus Brandon Marshall & improvement from Henne and the defense equals a first round bye. The Patriots offense may be the best in the league but key injuries on the defense will hold them back. The Jets lead the league in hype, they won’t in offense. The Bills have C.J. Spiller & supposedly 52 other NFL players, but I’m skeptical.

AFC North

1. Ravens 11-5

2. Steelers 11-5

3. Bengals 6-10

4. Browns 4-12

The Ravens offense will be better than ever before, the only question mark is their secondary. With Polamalu healthy the Steelers defense should return to its dominant ways & keep the team afloat until Big Ben returns. Last year I said the Bengals would go 10-6 when no one believed in them, & they did; this year I don’t believe in them. The Browns will play tough, but Jake Delhome is their QB.

AFC South

1. Colts 12-4

2. Texans 8-8

3. Titans 8-8

4. Jaguars 6-10

I’m betting on the Colts until Peyton retires. The Texans have the potential to finally break through into the playoffs, but do they have the mental toughness? The way the Titans finished last year they have to be taken seriously, the way they started last year still leaves me skeptical. The Jags could probably win either Western division, but here they’re in last place.

AFC West

1. Chiefs 10-6

2. Chargers 7-9

3. Raiders 7-9

4. Broncos 5-11

BOOM! Chiefs are taking the West! They added some playmakers & have 2 Super Bowl winning coordinators (Charlie Weiss & Romeo Crennel formerly of the Patriots) & now they’ll be back in the playoffs. The Chargers are going to collapse, not because they released LT (that was a good move) but, because Norv Turner is a flake & so is their defense. The Raiders will surely improve with the addition of Jason Campbell, but there are still too many holes. No Elvis Dumervil equals no wins for the Broncos, ok we'll spot them 5.

NFC East

1. Giants 10-6

2. Redskins 10-6

3. Cowboys 8-8

4. Eagles 6-10

Am I a homer? Yea, but hear me out anyway. The Giants attacking defense is healthy again & Eli Manning is the best quarterback in the division & that ought to be enough to win it. McNabb &, even more importantly, Shanahan will turn around the Skins & get them into the playoffs. The Cowboys will prove more flash than substance thanks to a struggling o-line & the brilliant coaching of Wade Phillips. Kolb should be good in the long run but he'll have growing pains this season along with the rest of this young team.

NFC North

1. Packers 13-3

2. Vikings 9-7

3. Bears 6-10

4. Lions 5-11

The Pack’s o-line is still a bit questionable but the rest of this team is elite with Rodgers leading the offense & Woodson the defense. The Vikings will fade away, despite their defensive’s best efforts, behind Favre turnovers & Childress’s complete ineptness. Bye bye Lovie Smith, Julius Peppers isn’t enough to turn this train wreck around (& for the second straight year I’ll predict Cutler leads the league in picks, & be right). The Lions are a year away from being a playoff contender (if Stafford isn’t a bust, which I’ve still got my money on), either way though this isn’t their year.

NFC South

1. Saints 12-4

2. Falcons 11-5

3. Panthers 8-8

4. Buccaneers 3-13

The Saints have a top 5 quarterback & coach, that’ll win them some games. The Falcons should return to the playoffs as Matty Ice & then the D come into their own. More great running & more sketchy quarterback play equals another .500 season. The Buccs will actually be better this year, it just won’t show in the standings.

NFC West

1. 49ers 8-8

2. Cardinals 6-10

3. Seahawks 6-10

4. Rams 4-12

Make no mistake Alex Smith is not a good quarterback, but the 49ers have the best run game & defense in the division which should be enough. I’ll say it again, getting rid of Matt Leinart (in favor of Derek Anderson) was a mistake & it will cost the Cards this division. The Seahawks had a great draft, they won’t have a great defense. This year the Rams will double their win total!

Awards

MVP: Aaron Rodgers (QB, Green Bay)-if he gets any time he’s going to light it up this year, if he doesn’t expect Peyton to collect another trophy.

Offensive Player of the Year: Rodgers-4,500 yards & 30 touchdowns seem like conservative estimates for the Packers QB. Though Chris Johnson (RB, Titans) should not be counted out.

Defensive Player of the Year: Patrick Willis (MLB, San Francisco)-the best middle linebacker in NFL will be rewarded for bringing the 49ers back to the playoffs. Otherwise I like my boy Justin Tuck (DE, New York Giants).

Offensive Rookie: Ryan Matthews (RB, San Diego)-will take advantage of the plays LT could no longer make. Jahvid Best (RB, Detroit) should also liven up the Lions run game.

Defensive Rookie: Eric Berry (S, Kansas City)-should provide some big plays for a Chiefs defense that will need them. Of course Ndamukong Suh (DT, Detroit) ain’t bad either.

Comeback Player: Troy Polamalu (S, Steelers)- is healthy once again & ready to wreck havoc, though Wes Welker (WR, Patriots) could catch 150 catches this year & steal Polamalu’s thunder.

Coach: Tony Spirano (Dolphins)-leading Miami to a division title over Bill Belichick and Rex Ryan should get Spirano plenty of recognition. The Mike’s, Smith (Falcons) & Shanahan (Redskins) should also get consideration.

PLAYOFFS

Wild Card Round:

AFC

#3 Ravens over #6 Patriots 34-30

The Ravens eliminate the Pats for the 2^nd year in a row thanks to New England’s inability to contain Ray Rice.

#5 Steelers over #4 Chiefs 27-13

The Steelers are superior in every way.

NFC

#3 Giants over #6 Redskins 24-16

The Giants superior pass rush rattles McNabb & takes them to the 2^nd round.

#5 Falcons over #4 49ers 28-17

Matt Ryan vs. Alex Smith. So yea…

Divisional Round:

AFC

#5 Steelers over #1 Colts 23-21

Sorry Peyton, but the Steelers, with

an elite defense & run game are the

far more complete team.

#3 Ravens over #2 Dolphins 31-23

The Ravens offense continues to roll & the defense does enough to get them to their 2^nd AFC championship in the last 3 years.

NFC

#1 Packers over #5 Falcons 30-20

The Packers offense overpowers a still young Falcons D.

#2 Saints over #3 Giants 21-17

The Giants D slows down the Saints, but it’s still not enough.

Championship Games:

AFC

#5 Steelers over #3 Ravens 26-21

Big Ben takes the Steelers to yet another Super Bowl as he tears up a vulnerable Ravens secondary.

NFC

#1 Packers over #2 Saints 38-31

In a Madden style NFC Championship the Pack comes out on top as Dom Capers opportunistic defense comes up big in the clutch.

SUPER BOWL XLV

Packers 27, Steelers 23

Rodgers asserts himself as a truly elite quarterback & Green Bay wins the Super Bowl in Brett Favre’s last season (I think).