NFL Predictions (NFC Edition)
If you’re not impressed with the AFC predictions, here comes the NFC Edition for your viewing pleasure:
NFC North
Packers: 11-5 Vikings: 9-7 Bears: 7-9 Lions: 4-12
This division is one that I feel was shifted due to the injury of QB Teddy Bridgewater of the Vikings. He was a QB that was on the rise but I decided to go with Discount Double-Check himself Aaron Rodgers with a healthy Jordy Nelson and a defense that’s good enough to win it. I know what I’m getting out of Green Bay more than any other team in the division. Minnesota has a great, aggressively nubile defense with some vets like DB Terrance Newman and LB Chad Greenway. Trading for QB Sam Bradford was a move that was made in order to keep them in contention with Green Bay but they gave up a 1st round pick in the process. The running game will be there but can they throw the ball vertically with either Bradford or vet Shaun Hill at the helm? If you’re a Bears fan, there’s good news and bad news. The good news is John Fox is making the defense better and drafted OLB Leonard Floyd in the 1st round. The bad news: No Adam Gase (OC), Robbie Gould (K), and Jay Culter’s still your QB. Don’t worry, 2 of the 1st 3 games are at home...against the Cardinals and Packers. I look at Detroit and go if they can possibly recover from losing WR Calvin Johnson in the off-season and do they have a replacement for him. HC Jim Caldwell is a good man and good coach but that defensive lacks the true talent beyond DE Ezekiel Ansah in a division where you play Green Bay and Minnesota 2x a year. This could be the beginning of the end in the Motor City.
NFC East
Cowboys: 11-5 Giants: 6-10 Washington: 6-10 Eagles: 1-15
It was easy to write-off Jerry’s World after QB Tony Romo went down but after seeing Dak Prescott tear it up in the preseason, I think he can handle the reins if (and when) Romo comes back because he’s got the best OL in the NFL with three Pro Bowlers on that OL. HC Jason Garrett’s biggest challenge is to mentally prepare Prescott week in, week out. Dez Bryant’s a talent at WR and TE Jason Witten can play at a high level. Dallas, hands down, is the most talented team in this division, maybe in the NFL. The Giants have a new HC in Ben McAdoo, inheriting a roster with some offensive pieces in place such QB Eli Manning and WRs Odell Beckham Jr. and Victor Cruz. Defensively, the secondary is young with CB Eli Apple and SS Landon Collins but with veterans in CB Leon Hall and DB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. The question is can this defense generate enough of a pass rush to compete.Jay Gruden and Washington came out big in signing CB Josh Norman in the off-season alongside vet CB DeAngelo Hall. My biggest qualms is if QB Kirk Cousins can duplicate the year he had last season and if they replace RB Albert Morris with Matt Jones. Dear Eagles fan, are you not missing HC Chip Kelly now...even Sam Bradford just a little maybe? HC Doug Peterson has never called plays in his career and now is in charge of teaching QB Carson Wentz the ropes, being thrown in with the wolves. I know the defense is good but that offense looks shaky and hope they win more than one game.
NFC South Panthers: 11-5 Buccaneers: 10-6 Falcons: 9-7 Saints: 8-8
I expect this division to be competitive among all four teams because there are four really good QBs on each team. Carolina has probably the best defense in the division and I expect them to hold up along with QB Cam Newton’s abilities, which we all know about. This team is on a mission to go back to the Super Bowl and win it all. Tampa Bay under 1st year HC Dirk Koetter has a great offense with QB Jameis Winston and WRs Mike Evans and Vincent Jackson, Thrown in fact they invested in a defense that was 26th in the NFL in Points Against by drafting CB Vernon Hargreaves in the 1st round. I expect them to challenge Carolina because Winston has shown the ability to make the big plays in big moments. Atlanta, under HC Dan Quinn, has an identity that they needed in terms of the defensive side of the ball. After starting 5-0 last season, they went 3-8 the rest of the way, losing their edge. Now, it’s all about getting QB Matt Ryan to avoid mistakes in the red-zone by throwing INTs, costing games. Drew Brees is the old man in the group of QBs who, at the age of 37, threw for 4,870 yds on a team who still move the ball thanks to him and HC Sean Payton. On the other hand, the defense was last in pretty much every statistical defensive category. Rob Ryan lost his job midway through the season and ex-Raiders HC Dennis took over as the DC. His main job is to basically stop allowing so many yards anyway he can which they didn’t do last year.
NFC West Seahawks: 13-3 Cardinals: 12-4 49ers: 4-12 Rams: 4-12
This a two-team division, no doubt about it in my estimation. I look at Seattle and go: “That’s a Super Bowl team” for the fact that they have the QB (Russell Wilson), defense (DB Richard Sherman,DB Earl Thomas, DB Kam Chancellor, DE Cliff Avril, etc), and a great HC (Pete Carroll). I see Arizona’s greatest strength in their balance on both sides of the ball, solid front office work, and veteran leadership. HC Bruce Arians and QB Carson Palmer are a pair that’s good enough to get very far in the postseason due to the strong balance. As for the 49ers, the whole QB Colin Kaepernick is a backstory when it comes to on the field because QB Blaine Gabbert is starting with HC Chip Kelly in his 1st season. They lost a lot of players via retirement, free agency, and even releases. That defense is a shell of its self. Think about it: this team was in the Super Bowl just four years ago. Since then, they’re 25-23. The LA Rams traded up to get their franchise QB in Jared Goff who hasn’t looked the part quite yet. HC Jeff Fisher does have RB Todd Gurley and WR Tavon Austin but Case Keenum at QB. I know the defense will do its part but an offense who ranked dead last in yards doesn’t look any better right now. Expect to see Goff this season
Conference Title game: Panthers vs. Seahawks
NFC Champion: Seahawks
Coaches on the hot seat: HC Jim Caldwell (Lions), HC Jeff Fisher (Rams)