Predicting The NFL Future

The NFL Season starts tonight with the Green Bay Packers (I hate them) traveling to the West Coast to try and slow the Seattle Seahawks' reign train.

But before all that jazz, let's take a look at how I think the NFL season will turn out. And, it always is fun to look back at how wrong I will be come the end of week 17.

NFC East
Philadelphia Eagles 10-6
Dallas Cowboys 7-9
New York Giants 6-10
Washington Redskins 6-10

I don't expect much out of the NFC East this year (so basically, this is what we've come to expect for the last few years). This is supposed to be the year for the Dallas Cowboys, but with that defense, I don't think they could stop my middle school team if they got on a roll. Their offensive line has started their improvement, but they are lacking skill players on in the backfield, under center, and on the defensive side of the ball. DeMarco Murray needs another back, Tony Romo needs to stay healthy, and the defense needs someone!

Most intriguing game: Week 13, vs. Philadelphia
If the Cowboys want to overachieve on my prediction, they need to take one from the Eagles.

NFC North
Green Bay Packers 11-5
Chicago Bears 10-6
Detroit Lions 7-9
Minnesota Vikings 7-9

I really like where the Lions are heading. Detroit is starting to turn around their run defense, and make offensive lines nervous. With the addition of Golden Tate, Calvin Johnson now has a speedy second receiver to go with Brandon Pettigrew on the outside, and the backfield has a nice 1-2 punch with Reggie Bush and Joique Bell. The Lions still need a few more pieces before they can start challenging the Bears for the number two spot in the NFC North, but a 7-9 record in one of the toughest divisions in football is respectable.

Most Intriguing game: Week 7, vs. New Orleans
If the Lions win this game, it would send a message this team is ready to move up in the league.

NFC South
New Orleans Saints 11-5
Carolina Panthers 10-6
Atlanta Falcons 7-9
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 3-14

I'm a little nervous taking the Saints and Panthers at the records I have them at because I think the Falcons are better than the showing they had last year. The Saints also have been decreasing each year at the receiver position. Not too long ago the Saints had 3 wide receivers that had the ability to go down the field and score every play. Now, Marques Colston is injury prone, Robert Meachem has been cut, Lance Moore as well, and now opposite Colston is Kenny Stills. Drew Brees is starting to become Tom Brady.

Most Intriguing game: Week 10 vs. San Francisco
A rematch of last year's controversial game. I expect this to be another close matchup.

NFC West
Seattle Seahawks 14-2
San Francisco 49ers 12-4
Arizona Cardinals 8-8
St. Louis Rams 6-10

The reigning champs start off the NFL season tonight, but don't expect this team to decline. The Seahawks are still a team with a stellar defense that forces turnovers (#1 in the league in turnover differential with +22), and an offense that doesn't turn the ball over (only 4 teams had less Giveaways with 17). I still think the 49ers will take one game from the

Most Intriguing game. Week 3, vs. Denver
Its a Super Bowl rematch that will hopefully be a better game than it was last February. With it being in Seattle, I doubt it.

AFC East
New England Patriots 11-5
New York Jets 8-8
Miami Dolphins 5-11
Buffalo Bills 4-12

When the Patriots were vulnerable last year, the AFC East failed to put up a fight. The Patriots will roll again. However, the Patriots' schedule is a rough piece of work. With non-conference away games at Kansas City, Indianapolis, Green Bay, and San Diego, I don't expect them to go unscathed. But, expect the Patriots to be battling for a 1st round playoffs before its all said and done.

Most intriguing game: Week 9 vs Denver, or Week 11 @ Indianapolis.
Take your pick. These are 3 of the top AFC teams. I'll be watching them both.

AFC North
Cincinnati Bengals 10-6
Baltimore Ravens 8-8
Pittsburgh Steelers 8-8
Cleveland Browns 5-11

This was a tough division to pick, because i think this is a division on the rise. The Steelers enter the 2014 season with holes. Ben Roethlisberger is one of the only stable players on this offense. He improved on his yards, completions %, Touchdowns, but threw more picks, fumbled more, and lowered his QB rating. Emmanuel Sanders is gone to Denver, Darrius Heyward-Bey and Lance Moore were added. Le'Veon Bell hasn't stepped into a leading role in the backfield, and the addition of LeGarrette Blount doesn't persuade me to thinking this will become a turnaround. Their non-conference schedule is the AFC and NFC South along with Kansas City and the New York Jets. Easy enough to get them to .500.

Most intriguing game: Week 2 @ Baltimore.
This rivalry game has become bigger every year, and even though this game is early in the season it could save, or stop their playoff chances.


AFC South
Indianapolis Colts 11-5
Houston Texans 8-8
Tennessee Titans 7-9
Jacksonville Jaguars 5-11

Houston is on a 14 game losing streak, but lost 5 games by less than 3 points, and 9 games by 1 touchdown. I call that bad luck. A healthy Houston team still isn't better than Indianapolis, but can give them a run for their money. The quarterback position is really holding back this team from true greatness. We saw that 2 years ago when they were down to their 3rd string QB in the playoffs and will now take the field with Ryan Fitzpatrick under center. If Fitzpatrick gets hurt, they have Tom Savage as his backup. They really couldn't find a QB anywhere?

Most intriguing game: Week 14, @Indianapolis
We'll know what kind of a team Houston has by week 14, and a trip to the rival Colts will have football fans glued to their television screens.

AFC West
Denver Broncos 13-3
Kansas City Chiefs 11-5
San Diego Chargers 9-7
Oakland Raiders 5-11

Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos come into the season with bruised egos. All season they mowed down teams, and were blown out of the Super Bowl by epic proportions. This year they start off with 3 playoff teams in the Colts, Chiefs, and Seahawks before their by week. After that the schedule gets much easier beside the trip to San Francisco at week 7. This team is really good, but you wonder what went wrong in the Super Bowl. Did they let the media attention get to their heads? Did they expect to just blow past the Seahawks? Who knows. One thing is for sure. Peyton wants a ring before he retires, or his neck gives out.

Most intriguing game: Week 3, @Seattle
I can't wait to watch this game. How Sunday Night Football or Monday Night Football didn't pick this game up is beyond me.


Playoff matchups:

NFC
1. Seattle 14-2
2. Green Bay 11-5
3. New Orleans 11-5
4. Philadelphia 10-6
5. San Francisco 12-4
6. Chicago 10-6

AFC
1. Denver 13-3
2. Indianapolis 11-5
3. New England 11-5
4. Cincinnati 10-6
5. Kansas City 11-5
6. San Diego 9-7

That's as far as I'm picking. Enjoy your NFL!