It's the most wonderful time of the year! (with all due respect to Andy Williams and his yuletide classic)
A lot is going to happen between now and Week 17. And following in the prognostication field that has made all sports experts look more like sports idiots, here's a look at the season ahead that will certainly look foolish by the end of the season.
STANDINGS
NFC East
10-6
9-7
5-11
4-12
*The NFC East picture is wide open since the recurring injuries of Tony Romo. Dallas still has the best O-line in the league, and Dak Prescott looked impressive in preseason. If he and Ezekiel Elliott out of the backfield can turn some heads, Dallas may still have a shot at winning.
*But with the door open, this is a chance Eli and Odell to lead Big Blue back into the playoffs. It's now officially their division to lose.
*Last season's NFC East champion, the Redskins, can't repeat that glory, not even if Josh Norman can play the game as well as he runs his mouth.
*New coach, new QB, but same old story for the Eagles. They'll be out by Thanksgiving.
NFC North
13-3
5-11
5-11
5-11
*This is the most lopsided division in the league this season. Aaron Rodgers is still in his prime, and he gets his favorite target back when Jordy Nelson steps onto the field. Defensively, they're miles ahead of everyone else in the division. The Packers will lock up the north by the beginning of December.
*Minnesota was a playoff team last season, albeit not a very good one. They have a strong defensive unit that will keep them in games, plus Adrian Peterson is still the best running back in the league. But the loss of Teddy Bridgewater will set them back in a big way that not even newly acquired Sam Bradford can come close to repairing.
*The Lions replaced departed Calvin Johnson with Marvin Jones--not an even trade.
*The Bears continue to remain a husk of their former glory.
NFC South
11-5
9-7
8-8
7-9
*The Panthers won't dominate the way they did last season, but they still have enough to be kings of the south. The division is slowly improving, however, and the Panthers window may be shutting.
*Their biggest threat remains to be Atlanta who started off hot last season only to cool off in a hurry. Matt Ryan has a ton of weapons at his disposal, and this is the year he needs to separate himself from the good quarterbacks into a great quarterback.
*This may very well be the final high intensity season for Drew Brees. His age only suits to put him on the decline. And as he goes, so do the Saints.
*The Bucs are still a year away from being serious contenders. However, they will turn heads this season with some quality victories led by Jameis Winston.
NFC West
11-5
10-6
7-9
3-13
*This may be the tightest race in the NFC this season. The Cardinals have the defense and the right chemistry to make a lot of noise in the division. But the clock is ticking on Carson Palmer and Larry Fitzgerald. Palmer is one bad hit away from another season ending (possibly career ending) injury, and Fitz has lost a step in his old age. However, budding back David Johnson will help run the offense.
*Just as Thomas Rawls will for Seattle. Beast Mode may be gone, but the Seahawks can still pound the rock with Rawls and Michaels chewing up yardage. Russell Wilson is one of the smartest quarterbacks in the league, and he was THIS close to leading a huge comeback against the Panthers in the playoffs last season.
*Sorry, Jeff Fisher, even in LA, the Rams are stuck in 7-9 limbo.
*As if the controversy didn't say it loud and clear, the 49ers are the trainwreck of the league. Chip Kelly has a lot to do to bring the 9ers back to respectability let alone the playoffs.
First Round Byes: Green Bay Packers, Seattle Seahawks
Wild Cards: Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons
AFC East
11-5
9-7
5-11
5-11
*Love them or hate them, the AFC East continues to belong to the New England Patriots until they're proven wrong. That's not going to happen this season, not even with Tom Brady sitting out the first four games. The Pats benefit from a soft schedule, and a rested Brady will come out of the gate hungry.
*Their biggest threat is their rival from New York. The Jets have improved from last season thanks to the addition of Matt Forte shoring up the backfield. Todd Bowles has established his style of play, and that should get the team to play with a consistent strength on both sides of the ball.
*Miami is still a wreck, and until they get Ryan Tannehill private lessons with Peyton Manning, he's going to flounder.
*Let it never be said that the Buffalo Bills lack confidence. Rex Ryan makes sure his team is fired up to hit the field every Sunday. The problem is that while a confident team is important, so is a talented team. The Bills are only the former.
AFC North
12-4
8-8
7-9
6-10
*The Steelers are beginning to look like a Super Bowl caliber team once again thanks in large part to a high scoring offensive unit. Big Ben is coming off his two best seasons statistically and doesn't look to be slowing down any time soon. So long as his teammates can avoid being suspended, Pittsburgh will look to make a huge statement in the AFC this season.
*This may be the swan song for Marvin Lewis in Cincinnati, and it'll end without a single playoff victory. The Bengals have peaked and are due to regress back into the Bungles of old. By mid season, Andy Dalton will be replaced by AJ McCarron, whether by injury or ineffective play.
*With Baltimore, it's all going to depend on how Joe Flacco returns from his season ending injury last season. He's a smart QB without a lot to work with, and the defense is coming along. They languish in mediocrity this season, but the future is looking up.
*Make no mistake, the Cleveland Browns will have another losing season. But they are making strides to end their losing ways. RG3 has the most raw talent they've had under center since (consults the infamous jersey) Derek Anderson. Nowhere near the playoffs, but a 6 win season might get some people in Cleveland excited about football even when the basketball season begins.
AFC South
11-5
11-5
8-8
6-10
*The South has the makings to become the most versatile division in the league. Houston is hoping Brock Osweiler will be the quarterback they've been hoping for ever since they came in the league. They are literally one piece away from being a true contender. They possess one of the best defensive units in the game. If the offense can score points, this will be a good year in Houston.
*The Colts are looking to get back to their winning ways. Andrew Luck returns from a lacerated kidney that caused him to miss significant time last season. The Colts have the weapons in TY Hilton, Donte Moncrief, and veteran Frank Gore in the backfield. A good year from Luck sees the Colts fighting for the AFC South crown.
*The Jaguars are no longer the laughing stock of the league, and all praise can be sent directly to Blake Bortles. He's the best QB in east Florida since Mark Brunell. They aren't ready to compete without tying together their secondary. But an even .500 record will give them the respect they've lacked the last decade.
*The Titans have made some vast improvements to ensure that Marcus Mariota has a great sophomore season. Unfortunately, they haven't done enough. The Titans will have their moments, but ultimately wind up in the cellar.
AFC West
10-6
10-6
8-8
6-10
*This is the most wide open division in the league this season. Peyton is out in Denver, and the Super Bowl champions watched some pieces break apart. Von Miller and the defense keeps the team in every game they play, but the offense is going to struggle scoring points.
*The division will be a race won by the Kansas City Chiefs. They're a veteran team that's gaining more confidence every year that Andy Reid is there. It won't be a bust out season like 2013, but the 2016 team may even be more athletic and built for the long haul.
*There's always one team that overachieves and comes out of nowhere to shock the league. This season, it's going to be the Oakland Raiders. Derek Carr is quietly putting together a stellar career. He's grown and improved each year in the league. Amari Cooper is primed to be one of the greatest wideouts in the game today. And Khalil Mack anchors an underrated defensive squad. The Raiders aren't a laughing stock anymore; they're a playoff competitor.
*The Philip Rivers era appears to be stuck in neutral in San Diego. Funny thing is that it has nothing to with Rivers. He still puts up numbers and puts the Chargers in a position to win. But the front office consistently makes headlines for all the wrong reasons, the most recent being the Joey Bosa contract conflict. This is a team in disarray, and one has to wonder if the Chargers are thinking about trading Rivers in the offseason and starting out 2017 fresh.
First Round Byes: Pittsburgh Steelers, New England Patriots
Wild Cards: Indianapolis Colts, Oakland Raiders
Most Valuable Player: Antonio Brown - Pittsburgh
Bold prediction, but the numbers don't lie. Brown has been far and away the best wide receiver in the league that last couple seasons. This season doesn't look like he will slow down. Each of the last 3 seasons, he has caught at least 110 balls and racked up at least 1,500 yards each (the pinnacle being last season when he notched over 1,800). Tack on top of that an average of over 10 TD's per season, and it's easy to see why Brown is the best receiver in the game today. The fact that he helps lead the Steelers to a #1 seed will only help his case. It's not often a wide receiver gets consideration for MVP; many times, a wide receiver's stats are an extension of the quarterback's skills. However, Brown plays consistently at an astronomically high level that it's the other way around, and Ben Roethlisberger's stats are an extension of his. Maybe this is just insane thinking, but if Antonio Brown continues his pace from the previous seasons, he should at least garner some votes from it.
Rookie of the Year: Ezekiel Elliott - Dallas
No one else from this year's draft looks as game ready as Elliott does. He was immediately named the starter, even over veteran Darren McFadden. He performed well during preseason. And with the best offensive line in the game, Elliott is primed to have a monster rookie season. With Tony Romo injured, Ezekiel Elliott will keep Dallas in the hunt.
Coach of the Year: Jack Del Rio - Oakland
In three years, Del Rio would have transformed the Raiders from a decade long joke to playoff contenders. One of the head coach's main responsibilities is to keep the team motivated. And that's an area where Del Rio shines. Resurrecting a historic team back to respectability is more than enough credit to achieve this honor.
First Coach Fired: Mike McCoy - San Diego
McCoy was given keys to the Porshe and drove it like a Chevy Nova. Not long ago, the Chargers were the most feared team in the AFC West. Now they're a shell of their former dominance, and not even Philip Rivers plays with much emotion. The hammer has to come down from their slide into mediocrity, and it's going to fall on McCoy.
First Quarterback Benched: Case Keenum - Los Angeles
The Rams bring a quarterback carousel with them to LA. They moved heaven and earth to draft Jared Goff #1 overall, and he's a demeaning third on the QB depth chart. That may change, because Case Keenum doesn't exactly inspire much confidence to hold onto the starting job for very long. Two consecutive losses to open the season could see Keenum back on the bench, and Jared Goff making his debut.
PLAYOFFS
WILD CARD ROUND:
Carolina Panthers - 20
Atlanta Falcons - 14
*Matt Ryan's playoff resume is hardly impressive, and going up against a strong Carolina defense does little to help it.
New York Giants - 17
Arizona Cardinals - 31
*The Giants get back in the playoffs for the first time in five years. But they run into a buzzsaw when they match up against the Cardinals. The Giants secondary is torched for 400 yards, and they just don't keep up.
Houston Texans - 24
Oakland Raiders - 7
*Enjoy the game, Raiders fans, because JJ Watt and the stout Texans' defense are going to eat Derek Carr alive.
Kansas City Chiefs - 35
Indianapolis Colts - 33
*A high scoring affair as Luck and Alex Smith trade scoring drives. This one comes down to a 4th down stand. The Chiefs' defense has that lock down mentality to keep Luck from getting into the endzone when it counts.
DIVISIONAL ROUND
Green Bay Packers - 30
Arizona Cardinals - 20
*Aaron Rodgers is in rare form when he carves up a strong defense like Arizona. A cold day in Lambeau ought to tip the scales in their favor.
Seattle Seahawks - 27
Carolina Panthers - 24
*A rematch of last year's explosive divisional round playoff game. But this season, Russell Wilson learns from his mistake and doesn't wait until the second half to start putting points up.
Pittsburgh Steelers - 42
Kansas City Chiefs - 21
*The Steelers put on a clinic as they're high flying offense trumps the defense of the Chiefs. Big Ben throws for 4 touchdowns, 3 to Antonio Brown
New England Patriots - 24
Houston Texans - 17
*There are only three certainties in life: death, taxes, and the Patriots winning at home in the playoffs.
CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND:
Green Bay Packers - 31
Seattle Seahawks - 27
*Rapidly becoming one of the best rivalries in football, the Seahawks and Packers play a rematch of the 2014 NFC Championship game. Two big differences between then and now, however: the game will be played at Lambeau Field, and Aaron Rodgers won't be playing on a strained Achilles. That's enough of an edge to give the Packers the NFC crown.
Pittsburgh Steelers - 35
New England Patriots - 28
*The big reason Pittsburgh gets the edge is because they're forcing the Pats to play on the road. Pittsburgh protects Heinz Field well. In a grudge match with an old rival, the Steelers will need any advantage they can get. The Pats keep pace with the Steelers, and ultimately it comes down to the final drive of the game. It's Big Ben with a methodical drive to put 7 on the board while leaving no time on the clock for any Tom Brady magic.
SUPER BOWL 51:
Green Bay Packers - 27
Pittsburgh Steelers - 34
A rematch of Super Bowl 45, this will cement the Hall of Fame career for Ben Roethlisberger. His third Vince Lombardi trophy puts him in esteemed company. Rodgers performs admirably, but comes up just short.
Super Bowl MVP: Ben Roethlisberger - Pittsburgh
Regardless of how idiotic (or prophetic) these predictions may seem by season's end, it's just great knowing football season has finally returned.
(Sources:
Stats: Pro Football Reference
Pictures: Sports Logos website, Bleacher Report)
