September 8, 2016 at 5:18 p.m.
Steelers will hoist trophy
Line Drives
Last year I was a little off.
Two years ago, I was way off.
So I’m hoping for a better year this season when it comes to trying to determine how the NFL season will pan out.
Can a new quarterback lead the defending champions to the Super Bowl in Houston?
Can a star-studded Pittsburgh Steelers team overcome some suspensions and health issues to make a deep playoff run?
Will newly-acquired quarterback Sam Bradford help the Vikings usher in their new stadium with a second consecutive NFC North title, or will the return of Jordy Nelson put the Green Bay Packers back atop that division?
Those questions, and more, will be answered over the next five months as the NFL season gets underway tonight.
Here is how I see things playing out.
AFC
Despite being without Tom Brady for the first four games, the New England Patriots will still win the AFC East. While the Jets (10-6) and Buffalo Bills (8-8) are on the rise, it is just too tough to bet against Bill Belichick. It’s been eight years since the Patriots have failed to win the division.
Moving to the north, it is again a two-team race between the defending division champion Cincinnati Bengals and Pittsburgh Steelers. I think those will be flip-flopped this year, as the Steelers claim the division.
My gut feeling tells me that the Tennessee Titans may make a run at the AFC South title, but I still think they’re a couple years out. I think the Colts will claim the division, but barely. They are their own worst enemy.
It’s tough to replace a generational player, so I don’t’ see the Denver Broncos repeating as champions with Brock Osweiler. The AFC West belongs to the Kansas City Chiefs.
NFC
Do I have to pick someone from the NFC East? I refuse to pick the Cowboys, especially now that they have to rely on rookies at quarterback and running back — although, I do think Dak Prescott has a good year throwing the ball. The Redskins will repeat this year.
Jumping south, the Carolina Panthers are men among boys in the NFC South. No one else will come close.
For Seattle, I don’t think losing Marshawn Lynch will affect them too much, as Thomas Rawls — he went to my alma mater, Central Michigan — filled in nicely last season. But, Carson Palmer and the Cardinals take the NFC West.
Once Jim Bob Cooter took over the offense for the Detroit Lions, they surged during the second half of the season. Without Calvin Johnson, though, they aren’t quite a division-winning team yet. The NFC North will once again belong to the Packers, as the Vikings lost too important of a player to be able to repeat.
Wild cards
In the AFC, the wild cards come out of north (Bengals) and the east (Jets). I like that Matt Forte and Brandon Marshall are reunited in New York, and I just don’t see any other team in the AFC that impresses me too much.
In all honesty, same goes for the NFC as well. Seattle will squeak in out of the NFC West, and I think whichever team finishes second in the NFC North (Detroit) will also make the postseason. Despite being the third-best division last year (34-30), the NFC North will again have two playoff teams.
Playoffs
Rather than deciding who exactly will win, I’ll determine who will lose. And the first four out on wild card weekend will be Detroit, Washington, Indianapolis and the New York Jets.
The following week, New England and Kansas City will be bounced out of the AFC playoffs, with Green Bay and Seattle following suit from the NFC.
The AFC Championship game will pit two division rivals against one another, as the Pittsburgh Steelers will host the Cincinnati Bengals. In the NFC, defending champion Carolina will meet the Arizona Cardinals.
Super Bowl
With Denver already out, Carolina has the best possibility of making a return trip to the Super Bowl. It just won’t happen. The Cardinals will knock off Newton and the Panthers to meet a Pittsburgh team that will walk into Houston as the AFC representative.
When the Vince Lombardi Trophy is handed out in southeast Texas, it will go to the team in black, from western Pennsylvania, the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Two years ago, I was way off.
So I’m hoping for a better year this season when it comes to trying to determine how the NFL season will pan out.
Can a new quarterback lead the defending champions to the Super Bowl in Houston?
Can a star-studded Pittsburgh Steelers team overcome some suspensions and health issues to make a deep playoff run?
Will newly-acquired quarterback Sam Bradford help the Vikings usher in their new stadium with a second consecutive NFC North title, or will the return of Jordy Nelson put the Green Bay Packers back atop that division?
Those questions, and more, will be answered over the next five months as the NFL season gets underway tonight.
Here is how I see things playing out.
AFC
Despite being without Tom Brady for the first four games, the New England Patriots will still win the AFC East. While the Jets (10-6) and Buffalo Bills (8-8) are on the rise, it is just too tough to bet against Bill Belichick. It’s been eight years since the Patriots have failed to win the division.
Moving to the north, it is again a two-team race between the defending division champion Cincinnati Bengals and Pittsburgh Steelers. I think those will be flip-flopped this year, as the Steelers claim the division.
My gut feeling tells me that the Tennessee Titans may make a run at the AFC South title, but I still think they’re a couple years out. I think the Colts will claim the division, but barely. They are their own worst enemy.
It’s tough to replace a generational player, so I don’t’ see the Denver Broncos repeating as champions with Brock Osweiler. The AFC West belongs to the Kansas City Chiefs.
NFC
Do I have to pick someone from the NFC East? I refuse to pick the Cowboys, especially now that they have to rely on rookies at quarterback and running back — although, I do think Dak Prescott has a good year throwing the ball. The Redskins will repeat this year.
Jumping south, the Carolina Panthers are men among boys in the NFC South. No one else will come close.
For Seattle, I don’t think losing Marshawn Lynch will affect them too much, as Thomas Rawls — he went to my alma mater, Central Michigan — filled in nicely last season. But, Carson Palmer and the Cardinals take the NFC West.
Once Jim Bob Cooter took over the offense for the Detroit Lions, they surged during the second half of the season. Without Calvin Johnson, though, they aren’t quite a division-winning team yet. The NFC North will once again belong to the Packers, as the Vikings lost too important of a player to be able to repeat.
Wild cards
In the AFC, the wild cards come out of north (Bengals) and the east (Jets). I like that Matt Forte and Brandon Marshall are reunited in New York, and I just don’t see any other team in the AFC that impresses me too much.
In all honesty, same goes for the NFC as well. Seattle will squeak in out of the NFC West, and I think whichever team finishes second in the NFC North (Detroit) will also make the postseason. Despite being the third-best division last year (34-30), the NFC North will again have two playoff teams.
Playoffs
Rather than deciding who exactly will win, I’ll determine who will lose. And the first four out on wild card weekend will be Detroit, Washington, Indianapolis and the New York Jets.
The following week, New England and Kansas City will be bounced out of the AFC playoffs, with Green Bay and Seattle following suit from the NFC.
The AFC Championship game will pit two division rivals against one another, as the Pittsburgh Steelers will host the Cincinnati Bengals. In the NFC, defending champion Carolina will meet the Arizona Cardinals.
Super Bowl
With Denver already out, Carolina has the best possibility of making a return trip to the Super Bowl. It just won’t happen. The Cardinals will knock off Newton and the Panthers to meet a Pittsburgh team that will walk into Houston as the AFC representative.
When the Vince Lombardi Trophy is handed out in southeast Texas, it will go to the team in black, from western Pennsylvania, the Pittsburgh Steelers.
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