Below I’ll post my preseason predictions. Some were good (Dallas won the NFC East the and the Eagles didn’t), while others were baaaaad (the Seahawks really impressed me this year). Take a look, but for the most part, I enjoyed this season. And thank God for a clarified catch rule.
AFC
North
Steelers 10-6
This team has a tough schedule and that might be exacerbated by the early season absence of the best running back in football in Le’Veon Bell. While they get to beat up on a sub-par division, the rest of their schedule makes it difficult get over 10 wins. The D will need to show up for any major improvement beyond that number.
Ravens 9-7
This might be the worst thing for the Ravens. Flacco will play well enough to get paid somewhere, just not in Baltimore with the heir apparent Lamar Jackson waiting in the wings. They should make enough noise to get into the playoffs but the contenders who they could face are a level above them, talent wise.
Browns 4-12
Good news, Browns fans! You’re not even the worst team in your division anymore (technically). The front office has added talent, though the ghost of not picking Carson Wentz will be around until/unless Baker Mayfield lights it up. The D can be good, and the O might be safe enough for now to put points up, but they need to shake off the losing habits that have become part of Browns culture as of late.
Bengals 4-12
The window for these Bengals is over as currently constituted. The D-line is not as dominant as it used to be, and defenses now maul AJ Green and force Dalton to get it to someone else. Who knows if this will be enough for Marvin Lewis to step down. If you think the Russians have something on Trump, then you KNOW Lewis has to have dirt on the Bengals ownership to keep his job. He’s a great person, but it’s time for a change in Cincy.
South
Jaguars 13-3
Here’s the real deal with a loaded roster up and down. Bortles is the real question, rightfully so, but if he is fully healed like he says he is, Sacksonville will have a legitimate shot at the title. Fournette needs to mature and focus solely on being the biggest brute at the RB position and the offense will grind teams into powder. They can be the Cowboys offense of the AFC.
Texans 7-9
Deshaun Watson’s knee may be the most important injury facing a team this season. With a healthy Watson, the Texans O was lethal. Without him, they lost their last 6 games. They have weapons on both sides of the ball, but they need a healthy Watson. If he takes time to get back up to snuff, like some QB’s do after major knee surgery, they could struggle. They may be one year away from being true contenders.
Colts 6-10
This whole division is based upon the relative health of their QB. Luck may be the most talented out of the bunch, but Ryan Grigson left this team with a dearth of talent. Chris Ballard has started to restock the shelves (starting with stud Quenton Nelson), but there’s still much work to do. The arrow is pointing up (compared to last year’s debacle), but the road above .500 is too tough to travel at this juncture.
Titans 6-10
This is a make or break year for Marcus Mariotta, even though it’s Mike Vrabel’s first year calling the shots. Mariotta has to drastically improve his accuracy if they hope to compete. They might be better as a team but worse off this season because the Texans and Colts healthy QB’s are better. They’ve added talent on D with Malcom Butler, Rashaad Evans, and Harold Landry, but can their O score enough against out of division teams like New England, Dallas, Jacksonville, and Philadelphia?
East
Patriots 13-3
There really aren’t a vast amount of reasons to doubt the Patriots will do well again this year. Perhaps all is not well in Camelot between King Belicheck and Sir Brady-lot, but those two are too good to not win 10+ games, especially in this division. Gronk is healthy (fingers crossed) and Sony Michel is VERY talented. I’m sure Belicheck and Josh McDaniel’s will find creative ways for him to exploit defenses.
Jets 6-10
Sam Darnold is going to make Jets fans happy for a long time. This may be a learning year, and they have to add more offensive talent at the skills positions, but the defense will be one New Yorker’s will be proud to rep. They have 2 stud safeties in Adam and Maye and maybe a tradeable asset in Teddy Bridgewater. The future is bright and may sync up well with the end of the Patriot dynasty in sight.
Bills 6-10
I don’t know that AJ McCaron is more than a high-quality backup, but we’re going to find out soon. If he turns the ball over more than Tyrod Taylor did last year, they could find themselves on the wrong side of the score too often to make up the difference with that offensive style. Does anyone know what exactly happened with LeSean McCoy and this apparent home invasion this summer? I don’t, and I don’t like RB’s over 30 who base their game on quickness and speed, either (talented as he may be).
Dolphins 2-14
Someone has to be the worst team in the AFC, right? Their schedule is brutal, and they don’t seem to have a lot of talent, either. Can Tannehill return to Pro-Bowl form? They lost their best offensive weapon in Jarvis Landry and Kenyan Drake has been underwhelming so far. Frank Gore should help, but can he really last forever? Their best defender, Cameron Wake, is in his late 30’s, and he was the only player with over 5 sacks last year. Perhaps it’s time to bottom out and rebuild with sights set on the post-Tom Brady years like the Jets are doing.
West
Chargers 13-3
The Chargers have no reason not to be an elite team this year. They have a well-rounded offense, and if Antonio Gates can come back to help, they can be deadly. Rivers can sling it, Melvin Gordon is versatile, and Keenan Allen is a true #1 receiver. Mike Williams can be top notch, too. And the signing of Mike Pouncey as their center helps keep everybody safe. Losing Jason Verrett hurts, but Joey Bosa, Melvin Ingram, and company have the potential to make things difficult for offenses all season.
Chiefs 10-6
There is no shortage of talent on this team, and Andy Reid can still coach. There is one HUGE question mark, and he’s the man at the helm of the offense. The Chiefs may be feast or famine this year with Patrick Maholmes at QB. They’re good enough as a team to win a lot of games, even if they Maholmes needs some time to find his sea legs. He has all the raw arm talent in the world, but he needs to be accurate, like Alex Smith was, to get this team to that next level. They may be a year away from getting it all right, but they will be a heck of an out in the playoffs.
Raiders 8-8
This is another case where a team is going to take a year to work out the kinks. Gruden knows football, but he’s been away from the game for a while. Alienating your All-Pro, best defensive player in Khalil Mack is not a good idea. His contract situation could drag into the season and ruin a defensive unit that needs all the help it can get. They’ll have to slug it out in their own division and against the NFC West, but they have enough winnable games to stay in the playoff hunt until the end of the season.
Broncos 8-8
Count me as a skeptic of Case Keenum and their running game. Keenum is a poor-man’s Alex Smith, and their O-line isn’t good enough to keep D-lines at bay. Their defense is impressive with pass-rushers galore, but they are very one dimensional offensively. Bradley Chubb will learn a lot from Von Miller, and they’ll feast on poor O-lines. This division will be a slugfest, but they don’t have the offense to keep pace until the end.
NFC
North
Packers 12-4
I don’t want to bet against Aaron Rodgers with a chip on his shoulder (or collarbone). They may start a little bit slow, but they can run the table down the second half of their schedule. Mike Pettine has some defensive chops to improve a unit that has underperformed for the past several years. There’s too much talent to not get back to the top of the division, even against a loaded Vikings squad. They’ve finally added some cornerbacks through the draft who are BALLERS, but on the offensive side of the ball, they still need a RB who is legitimate. There are holes, but there’s an all-time great QB there who will cover a lot of those holes, too.
Vikings 12-4
The sky is the limit for this team, and Cousins is an upgrade at QB. If healthy, Dalvin Cook has talent to run circles around the NFC. Stefon Diggs, Adam Thielen, and Kyle Rudolph are an elite receiving core for this team to cause a lot of headaches. The defense was scary before they got Sheldon Richardson, so the expectations are rightfully high. It’s NFC Conference Championship or bust.
Lions 9-7
Detroit has talent, but can Matt Patricia get the most out of that talent? He’s already ruffled some feathers in the preseason, but that may be exactly what this team needs to take the next step. If Stafford is accurate, be careful. If Stafford is inaccurate, Lions fans should be careful. They’re good enough to be in the hunt for a playoff spot, but the NFC will be just too top heavy to make it out this year.
Bears 6-10
There’s definitely a direction in Chicago, and Bears fans can say it’s actually the right one for the first time in a while. The QB of the future is in town with Mitch Trubisky, and this team has been consistently assembling offensive weapons through the draft (Jordan Howard) and free agency (Allen Robinson II) now. The defense does a good job getting after the opposing QB with a pass-rush by committee, but they only had a paltry 8 INT’s last year. They were even for Giveaways/Takeaways last year, and if they force more turnovers on defense, which might just take a normal growth towards the mean, they could surprise a few people, current writer included.
South
Saints 12-4
The Saints have offensive talent out the wazoo, and their schedule isn’t as difficult as one might think. They do tend to get bogged down in their division from time to time, but they should be an elite team this year. There’s only so much more time left with the Golden Arm of Drew Brees, so they will need to take advantage of this opportunity. Alvin Kamara, Michael Thomas, and Mark Ingram are keenly aware and ready to make good on those chances. If the defense can stay opportunistic, they will fight for the NFC crown.
Falcons 9-7
There really isn’t a reason this team should miss the playoffs, but there’s been too many disappointments in Atlanta since (and including) the Super Bowl collapse against the Patriots. Someone has to underperform, and these Falcons just fit the bill. The defense is just a hair below where it should be, without reason. This team gets run on up the middle, and too often that has set the tone in games. Matt Ryan, Julio Jones, Calvin Ridley, Mohammed Sanu, Devonta Freeman, and Tevon Coleman should be an unstoppable offense. The O has been very good but not great, and Julio is injury prone. In reality, Atlanta had one season where they exceeded expectations (then choked). Win and prove the committee (of one) wrong. Falcons fans may feel their team is more like bridesmaids than the bride.
Panthers 7-9
They’re in a tough division, facing a physical AFC division, and have two inner conference games against Cowboys and Giants teams that will be dangerous. Cam Newton is an MVP talent when he wants to be. Christian McCaffrey can do it all, but the weapons on the outside are not exactly the most explosive. The defense boasts the best linebacking core in the league, but Thomas Davis is facing a four-game suspension. They’re stout up the middle, but the edge rushers are subpar at this point. With a shaky secondary, they’ll claw all season to be respectable, but will miss being .500, in part because of it.
Buccaneers 4-12
Unfortunately, Jameis Winston has not helped himself so far in his career. He has talent and leadership skills, but he has consistently shot himself in the foot when it comes to his character and decision making. Without him for the first few games, I worry things could spiral quickly. Their schedule is brutal, and Dirk Koetter hasn’t shown anything to make us believe he is more than a good offensive coordinator. There’s talent on both sides of the ball, I just don’t want Ryan Fitzpatrick running it all. I know 4-12 looks bad (and it is), but this team needs a good head coach to bring it all together.
East
Cowboys 12-4
The Cowboys have to prove that this last season was the fluke year and not the one before. Zeke and Dak need bounce back seasons, and the restocked O-line, the best in football, will help both tremendously. For some reason, people underrate their defense. It was top 10 last year, boasts an elite pass rusher in DeMarcus Lawrence and might have more help if Randy Gregory and David Irving can keep their heads on straight (BIG ifs). The starting linebackers have a ton of talent if Sean Lee and Jaylon Smith can stay healthy. The secondary is feisty, but it should would help if Earl Thomas was calling the shots back there. Jason Garrett is best when he coaches aggressively, and he better to keep his name off the hot seat.
Eagles 10-6
I know what you’re thinking. How can the Super Bowl champs go just 10-6 with that roster? Regression towards the mean (math) and complacency (people) are bound to take place a year after winning it all. The back and forth between Wentz and Foles can be tricky, and Wentz is no guarantee to play as well as he has while recovering from major knee surgery. The aggressive defenses may be a lot to handle for a QB still recovering physically and mentally. Losing Frank Reich with that offense will hurt, too. If this Eagles team is down, they won’t be down for long. They’ll be back.
Giants 7-9
Are the Giants really lowballing one of the top 2-3 receivers in the league? $16 million a year for OBJ is just a disgraceful offer to a player who elevates their offense any time he touches the ball. They do not want this to spill over into the season. Saquon Barkley is good, very good, and the revamped O-line will be the barometer for the offense all season. As they go, Eli and the rest of the season goes. The defense may need some help, though. Olivier Vernon is not an elite pass rusher, and they’re thin on the D-line besides that. The linebacking core could use, I don’t know, maybe some draft capital, and the secondary just needs to chiiiiiiiiilll out. If this coaching staff can get stuff out of Eli Apple, they’ll be tough out back. They just so happen to be in a division with a few bullies, too.
Redskins 3-13
I don’t believe Jay Gruden is a decent head coach, and this may be his last in that role. Alex Smith is good, but he’s better when he has weapons to work with. Their backfield needs help (and will sorely miss Derrius Guice as a rookie), and the receiving core is hit or miss. Unfortunately, it’s usually more “miss” than “hit.” Jordan Reed is good, but he’s another talented player who can’t stay on the field due to injury (mostly concussions). The defense has some talent, but there has to be better coaching to get the most out of that talent. It’s been a depressing time with Dan Snyder as owner, and that won’t change this year.
West
Rams 11-5
You do not want to face this team. One thing that might hurt is the Aaron Donald situation. He doesn’t like the lack of respect coming in his contract negotiations. I’m usually on the side of ownership, to be honest, but this dude needs to get paid. He’s probably the best defensive player in the NFL the last three seasons. Even so, this team can dominate on both sides of the ball. If Jared Goff continues to improve, they will be difficult to keep out of the Super Bowl.
49ers 10-6
::Spoiler Alert:: Jimmy G is not the second coming of our Good Lord. Fortunately, he is a good QB who can bring this team back to the playoffs. They have a rough schedule, and they do lack a certain level of talent at the skill positions. Their line can clean things up front which will make everyone look better. Richard Sherman may not be elite again, but he’s a physical corner with the smarts to help everyone on the field. Good coaching helps bring out the best. You’ll see them in the playoffs.
Seahawks 5-11
This is a team at a crossroads. They have a top flight QB in his prime, but the Legion of Boom is gone along with their championship window. It’s time to reinvest in the long-term health of this team. If they want to give Russell Wilson another shot at a title, it won’t be this year, but they can do things to see what they have for the future. It’s time to tank and stockpile reasonable draft capital.
Cardinals 2-14
This team is wreck in the short term. I don’t bet on any team with Sam Bradford as their starting QB. He has the mobility of an unplugged vending machine, and the poorest health I’ve ever seen. Josh Rosen has talent, but he’ll be on the bench most of the season. There just isn’t enough firepower on offense or enough help on defense to stop what’s coming. The schedule is a monster, and sometimes, there’s just nothing you can do about that. Someone has to be the worst in the league. Even with someone like Chandler Jones causing havoc, they are in for a really doozy this year in Arizona. Next year will be better in the desert, but this year will not be kind for the birds.
Divine Interception 