Thursday, September 7, 2017

2017-2018 NFL Season Predictions

My, it's a wonderful time to be a sports fan. The race for the MLB playoffs is heating up, the NBA is mere weeks away, hockey is right around the corner, and of course, the return of football is on our doorsteps. If you're a college football fan then you have a little less time to wait, but pro football fans are getting ready.

The last NFL season was full of exciting and interesting stories. We had Tom Brady's suspension, the emergence of Matt Ryan as a truly elite quarterback, the injuries to star players such as Luke Kuechly and JJ Watt, and the declining ratings.

Now that the season is almost upon us, it's time to start making some predictions. Who will win Offensive Rookie of the Year? What new coach will have the most success? Which rising star will take the next step to becoming an elite player? And most importantly, who will win the Super Bowl? In this article, we'll cover each division and make our picks for the playoffs, Super Bowl, and individual awards. Let's get started.

AFC North:

The AFC North might be the toughest division in the AFC. There are three teams ready to make the playoffs (sorry Cleveland) and feasibly could all make it. Despite all that, the Steelers remain atop the division. With Martavis Bryant cleared to play the entire season, the Steelers' high-powered offense should be running at full speed. It's hard not to when you have the best running back and wide receiver in the game. There are still some questions about their defense, but the addition of rookie stud T.J. Watt should help mitigate some of those concerns.

In a toss-up between Baltimore and Cincinnati, the Ravens get the edge. Both teams had disappointing, injury-filled seasons last year, but at least the Bengals had their starting QB. The Ravens get Joe Flacco back while giving him a new weapon in Jeremy Maclin. Granted, Flacco is a better postseason QB than he is in the regular season, but he's still good enough to lead them to the playoffs. The Bengals will contend for a wild card spot, but losing two starters on the offensive line will hurt them.

In the basement of the division is the Cleveland Browns. The good news for Browns fans is that they will win more than one game last year. Losing Myles Garrett for two weeks does hurt, but the Browns defense is definitely better than last year. How well the Browns actually do depends on rookie QB DeShone Kizer. The former Notre Dame QB has been named the starter, but Cody Kessler is breathing down his neck.

AFC East:

The consensus Super Bowl pick this year is the Patriots. In fact, some experts have them going undefeated, which would make them the first team to do so since 1972's Larry Csonka and the Miami Dolphins. Going undefeated is a bit of a stretch (they might not even beat the Chiefs tonight), but the Patriots should handily win the AFC East. They added some weapons for Tom Brady, including Mike Gillislee and Brandin Cooks while also shoring up their defense. Even if Brady doesn't stay healthy, backup Jimmy Garoppolo has what it takes to lead them to the playoffs.

The Dolphins surprisingly made the playoffs last year thanks in good part to RB Jay Ajayi. Unfortunately, there are concerns about Ajayi's health for this season and if he can stay on the field. There are also concerns about new QB Jay Cutler. After all, the former Chicago Bear was retired in the summer before being brought in to replace the injured Ryan Tannehill. While Cutler did play well in the preseason, the regular season is a whole different beast.

The Buffalo Bills are reportedly looking towards the future, as they are apparently willing to trade their starting QB and RB (Tyrod Taylor and LeSean McCoy, respectively). That being said, they should still put together a decent season. Rookie WR Zay Jones is potentially poised to have a great year while the additions of fullbacks Mike Tolbert and Patrick DiMarco should help bolster the run game.

There is no doubt in my mind that the New York Jets will finish last in the AFC East and possibly the entire league. Their starting QB is perennial backup Josh McCown while losing a number of talented players, including WR Brandon Marshall, safety Calvin Pryor, and C Nick Mangold. It's going to be a long season for Jets fans.

AFC South:

Two years ago, the Tennessee Titans finished with the second-worst record in the league. Now, they're expected to win the division. That turnaround can mainly be attributed to QB Marcus Mariota. Though he has dealt with injuries, Mariota has played very well and shown that he can be a franchise QB. Armed with an offense that includes playmakers such as Corey Davis, Eric Decker, and DeMarco Murray, Mariota is poised to have a true breakout year. It also helps that the AFC South is arguably the weakest division in football (and has been for some time).

The Texans and the Colts will jockey for second place, but I'm giving the edge to Houston, who won the division last year, even with mediocre QB play. There are still injury concerns surrounding J.J. Watt and Will Fuller V, Tom Savage is very unproven, and their shutdown corner A.J. Bouye has departed. They could feasibly still contend for the division title, but it seems unlikely. The Colts on the other hand, will be without franchise QB Andrew Luck for some time, and backup Scott Tolzien has proven to be very ineffective. Their defense, which has been very good in years past, is feeling a bit depleted thanks to the losses of players like Robert Mathis and Mike Adams.

Remember last season, when the Jaguars were supposed to break up. Now, they're comfortably headed for a top 5 draft pick. New starting QB Chad Henne is extremely unproven while former elite WR Allen Robinson is coming off a very disappointing season. Their defense is also unproven, though CB Jalen Ramsey impressed in his rookie season.

AFC West:

Oakland could feasibly have won the Super Bowl last year, but a freak injury to QB Derek Carr derailed those plans. The weakest part of their game was undoubtedly the run game, but bringing back the retired Marshawn Lynch should help with that. Amari Cooper is poised to become an elite WR, safety Karl Joseph is on the up, and the addition of Cordarrelle Patterson certainly helps. Look for the Raiders to win this division handily.

The Chiefs drafted their QB of the future this year when they selected Patrick Mahomes, but Alex Smith is still their starter. Smith, a franchise QB in his own right, should be extra motivated this season to succeed. The losses of Jeremy Maclin (cut) and  Spencer Ware (injury) hurt, but the Chiefs are still a solid bet to make the playoffs. Also, look for rookie RB Kareem Hunt to have a big year.

The only thing holding the Broncos back here is their QB play. Neither Trevor Siemian nor Paxton Lynch has proven themselves to be worthy starters, but the rest of the team is ready to go. The team is loaded with talent thanks to players such as Von Miller, Aqib Talib, Jamaal Charles, Devontae Booker, Demaryius Thomas, and Chris Harris Jr.

Some pundits have the Chargers making the playoffs, but I don't see them escaping this crowded division. The move to Los Angeles certainly has their fortunes up in the air, as they might not really have much fan support at home games. There is also concern over the defense's ability to make plays, Keenan Allen's ability to stay healthy, and whether Melvin Gordon can improve on his impressive season from last year.

NFC North:

Green Bay fans have been starved for another Super Bowl victory since they last won one in 2010. There's no reason why that year can't be this year. Aaron Rodgers is the best QB in the league, they added Martellus Bennett from the Patriots, their offensive line is great, their secondary has improved from last year, and Jordy Nelson is an elite WR. They should beat out Minnesota for the division title. QB Teddy Bridgewater is still out, so Sam Bradford will still be starting. Meanwhile, big things are expected of rookie back Dalvin Cook.

Although the Detroit Lions made the playoffs last year, that will be tougher to do this season, especially since their division has improved. Their offensive line was an issue last year, but they added two superstars in T.J. Lang and Rick Wagner. Their secondary is still a major issue, however. While they will contend for a wild card spot, it will be tough.

The Chicago Bears should improve on their mediocre year that saw them end up with the third spot in the draft (although they traded up one spot to nab Mitchell Trubisky). Both Trubisky and Mike Glennon should start this year, although Bears fans are clamoring for the former Tar Heel to start. The Bears are a better team than their record for last year suggests, although their defense is severely lacking. Being in a tough decision will also hurt their record.

NFC East:

This just might the best division in football. We start off with the Dallas Cowboys, last year's #1 NFC seed. Losing Ezekiel Elliot for six games will definitely hurt their record, but they're still good enough to win the division. Their defense is formidable, Dak Prescott is developing nicely, and their offensive line is the best in the world. Expect stiff competition from New York though, as they have gotten better this offseason by adding Brandon Marshall and Evan Engram. RB Paul Perkins looks to have a good sophomore year and Landon Collins could win Defensive Player of the Year. It'll be close, but the Cowboys narrowly win out.

Philadelphia started the season 4-0 last year but then cooled off significantly. This year they'll battle for a wild card spot but the division they play in will make things tough. Carson Wentz is coming along nicely, and the addition of Alshon Jeffery is a welcome one, but he doesn't yet seem capable of leading a team to the playoffs. Granted, that could change as soon as next year,

The Redskins shockingly won the division two years ago but now no one is picking them to win. It seems like this will probably be Kirk Cousins's last year with the franchise thanks to his problems with management. That could affect his performance and motivation this year, so be sure to keep an eye out for that.

NFC South:

Historically speaking, teams who lose the Super Bowl usually don't make the playoffs next year. That being said, the Falcons are talented enough to buck that trend. Losing offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan to the 49ers will hurt, but seeing as the offense still includes Matt Ryan, Tevin Coleman, Julio Jones, Mohammed Sanu, Devonta Freeman, and Taylor Gabriel, things should be just fine.

Speaking of teams who lose the Super Bowl one year and miss the playoffs the next year, meet the Carolina Panthers. Granted, they lost star corner Josh Norman to Washington and defensive POY Luke Kuechly to an injury, things just seemed funky. But Kuechly is healthy now, they drafted Christian McCaffrey, and signed players like Matt Kalil and Julius Peppers. With a roster like that, the Panthers should contend for a wild card spot.

Coming in third is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Bucs have an explosive offense featuring talents like Jameis Winston, Cameron Brate, Mike Evans, Doug Martin, and O.J. Howard. Their defense is more of a question mark, but their offense should be enough for them to win games. That being said, the distinction between them and the New Orleans Saints is not that great. Like the Bucs, the Saints have a top-notch offense with guys like Adrian Peterson, Drew Brees, Michael Thomas, Mark Ingram, and Willie Snead. However, I think TB is on the rise and I rank them just ahead of the Saints.

NFC West:

This could be the year we see Russell Wilson and Pete Carroll make their third Super Bowl visit, and it's not hard to see why. Russell Wilson has evolved into an elite QB and has weapons such as C.J. Prosise, Alex Collins, and Doug Baldwin. The defense is arguably the best in the NFC with players like Richard Sherman, Earl Thomas, Kam Chancellor, and Malik McDowell. They are a lock to win this division.

Besides Seattle, the only other team with a shot at making the playoffs is the Cards. They had a disappointing season last year, but look ready to bounce back. David Johnson is one of the best running backs in the league, Patrick Peterson is arguably the best cornerback in football, and Larry Fitzgerald defies the laws of time. If Carson Palmer can keep it together, the Cardinals should fight for a wild card spot.

Neither the Rams nor the 49ers will be in playoff contention this year, but I think the Rams are just a tad better. Jared Goff is better than Brian Hoyer, Todd Gurley is better than Carlos Hyde, and Aaron Donald could be the defensive POY. The 'Niners could take a big step with the addition of players such as Solomon Thomas, Elvis Dumervil, and Pierre Garcon, but it still won't be enough to escape last place in the NFC West.
NFC Seeds: 1. Seattle 2. Green Bay 3. Atlanta 4. Dallas 5. New York 6. Carolina

AFC Seeds: 1. New England 2. Oakland 3. Pittsburgh 4. Tennessee 5. Kansas City 6. Baltimore

NFC Playoffs:

Carolina and Atlanta will face off for the third time this season. I really believe that Carolina could have the upset here, but Atlanta's the safer pick. No one on Carolina can cover Julio Jones and the Atlanta defense is sneaky good. In the other wild-card matchup, I like Dallas over New York. The Giants may have an explosive offense but they won't be able to stop Zeke. In the next round, Seattle topples Dallas with their run-stopping defense while Atlanta picks holes through Green Bay's secondary. In the conference finals, Russell Wilson steps up and has a big game as the Seahawks move on to the Super Bowl.

AFC Playoffs:

We start with a bit of an upset as the Chiefs pick up the win on the road. The battle-tested Chiefs have too much experience for the upstart Titans to handle. Then, Pittsburgh handles their division rivals and heads to northern California to do battle with the Raiders. They put up a good fight but ultimately fall to Oakland. The Patriots are pushed to the limit by the Chiefs but pick up the win anyway. In the AFC title game, Touchdown Tommy lights up the Steelers' secondary to book a trip to Minnesota.

Super Bowl:

In a rematch from three years ago, we see two elite teams do battle. This should be an excellent game and it's really hard to pick a winner. I'm going to pick the Patriots though since they are the best team in football. Tom Brady will a record 5th MVP Award as Boston celebrates (and the rest of the nation weeps).

Regular Season Awards:

MVP: Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay
Offensive Player: David Johnson, Arizona
Defensive Player: Von Miller, Denver Broncos
Offensive Rookie: Leonard Fournette, Jacksonville
Defensive Rookie: T.J. Watt, Pittsburgh
Coach: Mike Mularkey, Tennessee
Comeback Player: J.J. Watt, Houston

Thanks for reading everyone. 

No comments:

Post a Comment