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Our Annual Predictions of Where Every team Will Finish

 

As the kickoff for the 2105-16 NFL season draws closer we take a look at the entire NFL and make our annual case for the risers and fallers and where they’ll finish.

GREEN BAY PACKERS

We might as well address the giant elephant in the room first. Jordy Nelson, the Pack’s leading receiver and Aaron Rodgers’ favorite target is out for the year. In a non-contact freak land after a leap he has made at least a thousand times in his career Nelson blew out his ACL in preseason. So does that diminish the Pack’s chances of going deep in the season and post season?

It will hurt but as long as Rodgers is under center the Pack will be a clear and present danger. Randall Cobb is back but won’t necessarily fill Nelson’s #1 position. Cobb and Nelson are completely different body types and Cobb is far more effective used in various formations and primarily from the slot. 2^nd year man Davante Adams has the size but not the speed of Nelson and is poised to have a breakout year after finishing strong in his rookie campaign. James Jones rejoins the Pack after being cut by the Giants and Raiders. Jones’ veteran presence will help take the strain off Rodgers, Cobb and Adams and help rookie Ty Montgomery and Jeff Janis who put up 5 TD’s in the past 2 preseasons. Janis has a Nelson-esque physique at 6’ 3” and 215 lbs and does possess great speed. He’ll have to become a more complete receiver in practice to earn Rodgers trust.

TE Richard Rodgers may take over the #1 spot from incumbent Andrew Quarless and should also become a bigger weapon. At 6’ 4” Rodgers should increase his 20 catch rookie year and be more visible to the other Rodgers. With the reigning NFL MVP at the peak of his game Arod will make almost any receiver look better.

A huge ace in the hole will be RB Eddie Lacy. Lacy has exploded onto the NFL scene and has added pass catching ability out of the backfield. Shouldering the load with James Starks the Pack could become more reliant on the running gamer early until the WR’s find their footing. The running game could be formidable with the entire OLine returning intact. Mike McCarthy has called the group of David Bahktiari, Josh Sitton, Corey Linsley, T.J. Lang and Bryan Bulaga the best group he’s had in Green Bay and the rest of the league is finally starting to notice he is in fact correct.

The looming questions will be on defense. How well can the D stop the run? Will the gaps at ILB left after A.J. Hawk and Brad Jones were released by adequately filled? Will Clay Matthews make last seasons move to the ILB slot permanent? Is the defensive line good enough? Are rookies Demarious Randall (1^st round) and Quentin Rollins (2^nd round) be good enough soon enough to replace departed CB’s Tramon Williams and Davon House? DT B.J. Raji is back after missing all of last year with a biceps tear and DE Mike Daniels will help to anchor the line but the likes of Josh Boyd, Mike Pennel, Datone Jones and Letroy Guion will have to step it up. Both Jones (1 game) and Guion (3 games) have suspensions to start out the season. Rookie Jake Ryan (4^th round) could see the field but will he be an answer? Nick Perry has been solid but more has been expected of him and in a contract year could he elevate as Mike Neal has? Julius Peppers has been the shot in the arm the D needed and he returns. Last year the Packers D closed very strong.

How well they start and also stop the run determines how far this team can ultimately go.

PREDICTION – 11-5/ 1^st Place NFC North/ 2^nd Seed NFC/ 1st Round Playoff Bye

MINNESOTA VIKINGS

Head Coach Mike Zimmer has brought some bite and ferocity back to the Twin Cities. The Vikes finished very strong last year and are on almost everyone’s’ short list of most improved team. We don’t disagree. The Vikes will depend on QB Teddy Bridgewater to not have the dreaded sophomore slump and the return of RB Adrian Peterson should help keep the defenses guessing. Former Packer WR Charles Johnson looks like he’ll supplant the hugely disappointing Cordarelle Patterson and give Teddy B a nice target. Will import WR Mike Wallace find his head in the North? Zimmer hopes so.

PREDICTION – 10- 6/ 2^nd Place NFC North/ Playoff Wild card

DETROIT LIONS

Jim Caldwell came in and added a sense of quiet discipline to the NFL’s wildest bunch. QB Matthew Stafford had a terrific year and although the tread is starting to show on WR Calvin Johnson he and Golden Tate still make DB’s cringe. Rookie RB Ahmer Abdullah looks explosive and teamed with Joique Bell could give the Lions more depth to take the strain off Stafford. The Lions were hurt by the loss of DT Ndamukong Suh (Miami) and Nick Fairley (St. Louis) but still have LB DeAndre Levy who packs a wallop. While CB Darius Slay and S Glover Quin had good years last year they may be hurt by the loss of the ferocious pass rush.

PREDICTION – 9-7/ 3^rd Place NFC North

C

HICAGO BEARS

What kind of a mess did John Fox inherit? As long as scatter armed QB Jay Cutler remains in Chicago the Bears chances of success are the equivalent of Roger Goodell and Tom Brady having a man crush on each other. WR Brandon Marshall is gone (New York Jets) and rookie WR Kevin White is injured already. RB Matt Forte is the only reliable part of the Bears offense.  Cutler has been nothing short of a turnover machine in the Windy City and all Fox’s defensive pedigrees won’t help fix what looks to be a simply awful defense. It could be a long year in Chi-town but hey – it will be the home of the draft next April. And the Bears should be picking pretty high again.

PREDICTION – 5- 10/ 4^th Place NFC North

NFC EAST

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES

The Grand Experiment enters its’ 2^nd run in Philly. Mad Scientist or Mad Man Chip Kelly has gutted and overhauled the Birds roster top to bottom and gotten rid of what he perceived to be dead weight. Philly fans howled when LeSean McCoy was sent shuffling off to Buffalo and cried when WR Jeremy Maclin was dispatched to Kansas City and moaned when G Evan Mathis and Nick Foles were sent packing. But the future of pro football may be taking wing in the City of Brotherly Love. At first some of the racist carping being done by those he got rid of made some ripples but what Kelly has envisioned is entirely new altogether. Kelly is looking for interchangeable parts to play football much like pro hockey is played with rotating lines to keep legs fresh and defenses guessing. DeMarco Murray will NOT (write that down) see the touches or the yards he had last year in carrying the Cowboys but with Ryan Matthews (San Diego) and Darren Sproles he won’t need to. Sam Bradford has looked sharp all summer and if he stays healthy Philly could be tough.

PREDICTION – 10- 6 1^st Place NFC East/ Playoffs

DALLAS COWBOYS

Was last year a fluke? Jerry Jones didn’t open the purse strings for Murray and let him skate to a division rival and then says with a straight face he expects Darren McFadden and Joseph Randle to be as good as Murray. Oh, the offensive line still looks stout. But McFadden? Really? Sorry Jerry – last year WAS a fluke. But the good news for ‘Boys fans is the G Men and the RG3’s play in the same division so they won’t finish worse than 2^nd.

PREDICTION 9-7 2^nd Place NFC EAST

NEW YORK GIANTS

2^nd year man Odell Beckham Jr. is the newest flavor of the month in the NFL and has started getting pissy in preseason about the tight coverage he will no doubt see. Eli Manning is back and not much else in NY. Will Beckham flash or flop this year with more scrutiny? The hard money is on a sophomore slump.

PREDICTION 7 – 9/ 3^rd Place NFC EAST

WASHINGTION REDSKINS

News Bulletin out of our Nations’ capitol… Head Coach Jay Gruden is the first coach to be sacked in the NFL this year. After playing spin the bottle between Robert Griffin III and Kirk Cousins RG3’s concussion (**cough cough**) has meant Gruden kisses Cousins and RG3 is back on the bench. Do they even play football in DC any more? ‘Skins fans long wistfully for Jay Schroeder.

PREDICTION – 4- 12/ 4^th Place NFC EAST

NFC SOUTH

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

This is the default division. Someone’s gotta win it and someone’s gotta get to the playoffs. That’s the best that can be said. Drew Brees is back sans Jimmy Graham, sans Reggie Bush and sans any chance of doing more than being competitive. It isn’t enough. The “It Might As Well Be Us” Award in this division goes to Brees and Co.

PREDICTION 9-7- 1^st Place NFC SOUTH/ Playoffs

CAROLINA PANTHERS

Cam Newton almost made believers of folks last year. Almost. We’re still not buying the hype and now with WR Kelvin Benjamin lost and Cecil Shorts gone Newton’s options are 1) throw it to TE Greg Olsen (a lot) or 2) run like hell. Brittle Jonathon Stewart is the lead back but there isn’t much to fear here.

PREDICTION 8 -8/ 2^nd Place NFC SOUTH

ATLANTA FALCONS

Head Coach Mike Smith is out and barely anyone took notice. As vanilla as a coach in the NFL Smith’s reign of mediocrity comes to an end and in spite of Matt Ryan, Julio Jones and Roddy White there isn’t much on the other side of the ball to strike fear into an opponent.

PREDICTION 7 – 9/ 3^rd Place NFC SOUTH

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS

Let the Jameis Winston era begin. If you believe the hype this kid is the next Aaron Rodgers. Better hold on to that thought. Yeah the kid has an arm but his arm isn’t the question – it’s his head. How quickly and can he adapt to the NFL? Will he keep his nose clean and in the playbook? The Bucs will be interesting but they are a few years away from being taken for real.

PREDICTION – 5 - 11/ 4^th Place NFC SOUTH

NFC WEST

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS

This may be the toughest division in the NFC and right behind the AFC Central. Russell Wilson finally got a new deal and also a new TE for Christmas in Jimmy Graham. It cost the ‘Hawks a 1^st round pick but the greater cost may be the loss of Max Unger from the OLine, a move that while securing Graham may hurt Wilson and Co. more. RB Marshawn Lynch had to be talked into returning. S Kam Chancellor is poised for what he says is a long holdout with 3 years remaining on the deal he signed just 2 years ago. Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown but with their D Seattle can run long and deep.

PREDICTION – 12 – 4 1^st Place NFC WEST/ 1^st Seed NFC/ PLAYOFF BYE

ARIZONA CARDINALS

There’s some doings out in the desert. Bruce Arians has done a masterful job of turning the Cards into the real deal. QB Carson Palmer is back from a season ending knee injury and leads what could be a potent attack. Aging Larry Fitzgerald is more than just a fading name and with Michael Floyd and speedy John Brown the Cards will put up some points. The defense is a no name group led by Patrick Peterson and Tyrone Mathieu and is robust. This year they make the playoffs.

PREDICTION – 10-6/ 2^nd Place NFC West/ Playoff WILD CARD

ST. LOUIS RAMS

The offensively challenged/ defensively stout Rams need a coach named Sigmund Freud to help them figure out their own identity. They gassed Sam Bradford for Philly’s Nick Foles and absolutely no one can guess what will happen. WR is a thin position even with 115 lb. blazer Tavon Austin in the lineup.  The likes of Kenny Britt and Chris Givens are underwhelming even with a ferocious front 4 of Chris Long, Aaron Donald, Michael Brockers and Robert Quinn. Add Nick Fairley in and the Rams can stop anyone. But they equally cannot outscore anyone either.

PREDICTION – 9-7/ 3^rd Place NFC West

SAN FRANCISCO 49ers

Has any team fallen as far or as fast as the Niners? Once pounding on the door of the Super Bowl with a stellar lineup and 11 draft picks this has been an unmitigated disaster of an off season in the city by the bay. QB Colin Kaepernick was exposed as a weak armed QB with a strong pair of legs and just about anyone associated with San Fran last year is gone, traded, suspended or incarcerated. Jim Harbaugh? Out. Michael Crabtree? Gone. Aldon Smith? Justin Smith? Frank Gore? Chris Borland? Things are so bad that 27 year old Australian rugby star Jared Hayne made the 53 man roster. The Niners star has fallen that far.

PREDICTION 6 – 10/ 4^th Place NFC WEST

AFC

AFC EAST

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

Did anybody really think Tom Brady and the rest of the renegade Patriot mob wouldn’t outmaneuver Roger Goodell and the long arm of the law? Without a 4 game early season vacation hanging over his head the defending Super Bowl champs now have not just a chip on their shoulder but a whole lumber yard. Bill Belichick knows how to motivate his squad, and when the Pats have something to prove they deliver.  New England may be challenged more this year than in year’s past but they’re still the Patriots. The more things change, the more they say the same.

Prediction – 11-5/ 1^ST Place AFC EAST/ 1^st Round Playoff Bye

MIAMI DOLPHINS

Former Packer coach Joe Philbin has to be feeling the Miami heat this year. The Fins imported Ndamukong Suh and expectations are running high in south Florida. In his tenure the Dolphins have been the model of mediocrity and in the suddenly ultra-competitive AFC East that won’t get it done. Will Miami have enough to get into the playoffs? Yeah. QB Ryan Tannehill continues to grow and Miami takes a big step forward.

PREDICTION – 10 – 6/ 2^ND Place AFC EAST/ Playoffs

NEW YORK JETS

The highlight of the Jets off season was now departed LB IK Enemkpali belting scattered armed QB Geno Smith in the mouth over a petty debt. New Coach Todd Bowles replaces the very bombastic Rex Ryan and has brought a few big names into the Big Apple. Brandon Marshall and Darrelle Revis are in but as long as the wildly inconsistent Geno Smith is around it won’t make a tinker’s damn bit of difference. As long as Ryan Fitzpatrick, Bryce Petty or the glass jawed Smith are under center Bowles is in trouble. So are the Jets.

PREDICTION – 9-7/ 3^rd Place AFC EAST

BUFFALO BILLS

And the Bills are now the New York Jets West. New coach Rex Ryan brought in LB IK Enemkpali as a reward for smacking the guy that cost him his job in the Big Apple. But the Bills are loaded defensively, have a great pickup in RB LeSean McCoy from Philly and an imposing D. But just like the Jets as long as Tyrod Taylor, Matt Cassel or E.J. Manuel are under center Ryan is in trouble. If and when the QB’s in this division can ever come close to Tannehill (forget about Brady) this will be the NFL’s most competitive and compelling division. Until then there will be a lot of .500 good but not great teams.

PREDICTION - 8- 8/ 4^th Place AFC EAST

AFC NORTH

BALTIMORE RAVENS

Loaded and deep best describes the Ravens. They are poised to make a serious run again and Joe Flacco has a killers look this year. Aging Steve Smith Sr. is in his farewell campaign and 1^st round WR Brashad Perriman will be exciting. But the strength in Baltimore is its’ imposing D. Their LB’s might be the best in the business with Terrell Suggs, C.J. Mosely, Elvis Dumerville, Courtney Upshaw and Arthur Brown. There will be some whacks delivered in Charm City year.

PREDICTION – 11 - 5/ 1^st Place AFC NORTH

PITTSBURGH STEELERS

Holy backwards Batman! Since when have the smash mouth Steelers been an OFFENSIVE juggernaut? Try this year. Big Ben Roethlisberger is back and has a bevy of weapons to throw at. Antonio Brown, Markus Wheaton, Darrius Hayward- Bey and UDFA R Tyler Murphy look more like a track team at the WR position. LeVeon Bell will sit for 2 games but adds explosiveness to the Steeler attack. The biggest questions are on the defensive side. The Steelers have been playing a Round Defense for a while now (no corners) and there is much to question on the backside of the D. Pittsburgh will put up points undoubtedly. But they will give them up as well.

PREDICTION – 10 – 6/ 2^nd Place AFC NORTH/ Playoffs

CINCINNATI BENGALS

Head Coach Marvin Lewis’s sand is filtering thru the hourglass and if it doesn’t happen this year it may never happen at all in Cincy. Andy Dalton is the leader of an average team now in decline. A.J. Green is a very good WR but can’t seem to break into the ‘great’ category. The defense is aging and suspect. Look for the Bengals to begin the slide backwards this year in Lewis’ swan song.

PREDICTION – 9 – 7/ 3^rd PLACE AFC NORTH

CLEVELAND BROWNS

Mike Pettine is a solid coach. He is a defensive coach and therein lies Cleveland’s strength. The D gets a huge shot in the arm with 1^st rounder Danny Shelton who will step in and begin throwing bodies around in the first game. But the offense is a different story. How long can he tolerate Johnny Bench as a QB? Johnny Manziel is all hype and until he actually does something on the field in a meaningful game he will be little more than flash with no substance. So will the Brownies. The search for a real QB will begin in October.

PREDICTION - 6 – 10/ 4^th Place AFC NORTH

AFC SOUTH

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

This is Andrew Luck’s division and the rest of the teams in here are somewhere between a work in progress and downright awful. As if the Colts and Luck needed more firepower they tabbed speedster WR Philip Dorsett in the 1st round to go with blazer T.Y. Hilton and added aging but still more than capable vets in WR Andre Johnson and RB Frank Gore. Throw in TE Colby Fleener and the Colts have an embarrassment of riches offensively. There were eyebrows raised at Dorsett’s selection as many thought the Colts needed more help on the D than another toy for Luck to play with. CB Vontae Davis leads a group of no-namers that have to keep it respectable for Luck to outscore. In this division of mediocrity it won’t be hard.

PREDICTION – 12 -4/ 1^st PLACE AFC SOUTH/ 1^st Round Playoff Bye

HOUSTON TEXANS

Bill O’Brien was the unquestioned star of “Hard Knocks” this year and was a welcome sight after last year’s vanilla Mike Smith of the Falcons. OB has bite and a blunt honesty his players can respect. Their front 7 on D can play with anyone. Defensive POY J.J. Watt leads a potent attack with Jadeveon Clowney who missed most of last year with microsurgery. LB’s Brian Cushing, Whitney Mercilus and import Vince Wilfork only bolster a rugged defense. But the battle cry of mediocrity is the lack of a quality QB. Underwhelming Brian Hoyer was named the starter over underperforming Ryan Mallet. Neither has the look of a true leader. RB Arian Foster pulled a groin but expects to play this year. When? Who knows? Such is the fate of Houston. Improving, yes, but…

PREDICTION – 8-8/ 2^nd Place AFC SOUTH

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS

Gus Bradley has the Jags on the right track. QB Blake Bortles needs help and got some in WR’s Ace Sanders, Marquise Lee Allen Hurns and Allen Robinson. But the loss of Julius Thomas is going to hurt. Rookie RB T.J. Yeldon has been mostly inconsistent in preseason and the defense is a work in progress. CB Davon House comes in from Green Bay but won’t be enough to keep points off the board in bunches by opponents.

PREDICTION – 6 – 10/ 3^rd Place AFC SOUTH

TENNESSEE TITANS

Awful. Horrid. Terrible. Yes, sports fans, find whatever works because that describes Tennessee. 1^st rounder QB Marcus Mariota will start right off the bat leaving promising Zack Mettenberger in limbo. But when Mariota’s targets include Kendall Wright and Harry Douglas it will be imperative for 2^nd round stud WR Dorial Green- Beckham to develop very fast. This draft needs a few more defenders as the Titans have very few as it is.

PREDICTION - 4 – 12/ 4^th Place/ AFC SOUTH

AFC WEST

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS

The Chiefs? Why not the Chiefs? Andy Reid is building Philadelphia west and has imported WR’s Jeremy Maclin and Jason Avant to add to an anemic (and we are being kind with that assessment) passing attack. QB Alex Smith did the near impossible last year with 0 – ZERO – TD passes thrown to a WR last year. RB Jamal Charles still is a beast and will rack up yardage. But when Justin Houston leads the defense with Tamba Hali and Derrick Johnson the Chiefs have as good a D as anyone. Don’t forget the Chiefs were the only team last year to topple both New England and Seattle.

PREDICTION – 10 – 6/ 1^st Place AFC WEST/ Playoffs

DENVER BRONCOS

The sun is setting on Peyton Manning’s glorious career. This is the last year before the bill comes due in the form of cap penalties before Denver enters a self-imposed ice age. The purging of high priced core vets has begun with the loss of Julius Thomas. Demarious Thomas is still their but Manning’s arm is sadly showing a loss of strength. And so the greatest regular season QB will go no proud but quietly into the good night as the Broncos get nudged out of the playoffs by Pittsburgh and Miami. Salary cap hell is right around the corner and if it doesn’t happen this year for Denver it will be a long time before it is even a notion in Denver again.

PREDICTION – 10 – 6/ 2^nd Place AFC WEST

SAN DIEGO CHARGERS

The ‘Bolts may be the next best on the improved list behind Minnesota. QB Philips Rivers is back and has a few speedy wideouts. Torrey Smith jumps across from Baltimore and joins Keenan Allen, Malcolm Floyd and Stevie Johnson to make football fun is SoCal again. Much is hoped from Rookie RB Melvin Gordon and San Diego will light up a few scoreboards. But Rivers needs help on D to keep it from becoming a shootout every week. S Eric Weddle isn’t quite enough. San Diego will be better. But wait till next year.

PREDICTION – 9 -7/ 3^rd Place AFC WEST

OAKLAND RAIDERS

As bad as the Raiders were they are finally going in the right direction. Last year QB Derek Carr survived and fared better than expected. This year the Raiders have jettisoned aging WR James Jones and grabbed gifted WR Amari Cooper in the draft. The running game is anemic and as Charles Woodson enters the end of his career Oakland has begun by adding Kahlil Mack last year and should be able to keep restocking for the future. But the future is not now.

PREDICTION – 5 – 11/ 4^th Place AFC WEST