NFL 2015 Season Predictions

NFL 2015

That's right.  After months of waiting, grueling anticipation, and just when you thought that all hope was lost it finally returns.  I'm talking of course about my blog posts.  Haha you thought I meant the NFL didn't you?  ......pause for halfway chuckle for bad joke......  Alright, enough small talk.  Here are my picks for the 2015 NFL season.

The NFC

First of all, let me say this: I view the NFC as much easier than the AFC on picking good and bad teams. I'm not saying the AFC is better, but it's a lot more clear cut in the NFC who the elite teams will be and who will leave their fans sad and depressed for the millionth time. I'm confident all of my NFC division winners are correct, so let's get started.

NFC North

Packers - This is the easiest division to pick in the NFC. The Packers have ruled this division for what seems like an eternity (at least to Bears, Vikings, and Lions fans), and I don't see that changing any time soon. The Packers should have been in the Super Bowl last year had they not committed some of the dumbest mistakes I've ever seen on an NFL field. The loss of Jordy Nelson hurts Green Bay bad, but I still see this team running away with the division yet again.

Vikings - I actually see the Vikings as the next best team in this division. They've been moving in the right direction the past few years and I like what I've seen out of Teddy Bridgewater so far. With Adrian Peterson back, they should take another step in becoming a contending team, but they're still at least a year out from really competing.

Lions - The Lions on the other hand, are starting to move in the wrong direction. They lost they're best player on defense in Suh and I believe they will be a team that takes a major step back this year. I expect Calvin Johnson to rebound somewhat on his mediocre-at-best season, but with a brutal schedule, it won't be enough to get close to sniffing out a playoff spot.

Bears - As for the Bears... what can I say that I haven't said in the past? I could say that they're defense can't POSSIBLY be as bad as last year. But if you recall, I said that at the beginning of last season and they found a way to prove me wrong. A winning coaching staff is all there now, but the players simply are not. At least John Fox is one coach that Cutler can't get fired.

Green Bay Packers 12-4

Minnesota Vikings 7-9

Detroit Lions 6-10

Chicago Bears 5-11

NFC South

Ahh which sub .500 team should I pick to make the playoffs this year? The team who lost their biggest offensive weapon in Jimmy Graham to another NFC team? The team who allowed almost 400yds per game last year (the worst in the NFL)? The team who lost their number one receiver in the Preseason in Kelvin Benjamin? Or the team who was the worst in the NFL last year starting over with a rookie quarterback? Yes, the Super Bowl champion is clearly coming from the NFC South this year... Hahaha

Saints - No, actually the Saints were in a no-win situation with Jimmy Graham because of their salary cap. They had to get rid of him, so they figured they may as well try to get a piece to help sure up one of the worst O-lines in football. While it's still an unpopular thought for some reason, the most important position to develop after the quarterback is the offensive line. 

Falcons - The Falcons seem to be trying to sure up their atrocious defense from last season, but just like the Bears problem: getting a good defense is a 3+ year process. Expect an above average offense with a below average defense yet again. 

Panthers - Defensively, I'd feel the best picking the Panthers to win this division for the second year in a row, but the Panthers just don't have anyone who can even remotely replicate the kind of production that Kelvin Benjamin brought to that offense. 

Buccaneers - And the Buccaneers? Look, I like Jameis Winston. I think he has potential to be a good quarterback in this league (Although I would've taken Mariota because of his ability to throw on the run), but he's still a rookie and the Buccaneers had a lot more problems than just quarterback play last year. They're run game was almost non-existent all year (I remember distinctly because I drafted Doug Martin in Fantasy for the second straight year... bleh) and their defense still has major holes in the secondary. Winston is a step in the right direction, but it'll take him a few years to bring the Buccaneers back to the playoffs. If it's any consolation, they do play in footballs worst division, so they don't have to worry about dethroning an NFL juggernaut like the Patriots or Packers.

New Orleans Saints 9-7

Atlanta Falcons 8-8

Carolina Panthers 5-11

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 3-13

NFC West

49ers - In the NFL there are always some teams that go from an exciting Super Bowl contender to a lowly last-place-in-the-division team because of things like injuries, weak drafts, and sometimes just bad luck. This is not the case with the San Francisco 49ers. I have NEVER seen a team shoot themselves in the foot in one off-season as much as I watched the 49ers destroy any chance of seeing a Super Bowl again in the near future. I mean seriously, you have one of the best coaches in the NFL in Jim Harbaugh and you decide to get rid of him because you “didn't get along”?!? Seriously, if I was a fan of a team that did that, I would seriously consider rooting for someone else since the team owners have clearly never watched football a day in their lives. At any rate, they also got destroyed personnel-wise, so the early look would say that they are destined to finish last in that division. 

Rams - The Rams finally decided it was time to pull the plug on Sam Bradford (a quarterback with a lot of potential but constant injuries) and move to Nick Foles (a quarterback with little potential but he will probably make it past week 4). It's already not looking great since Chip Kelly seems to have Sam Bradford looking like a Pro-Bowl QB in the pre-season. Although, to put things in perspective, Cutler looked pretty good in the pre-season and we all know where that story ends... Either way, I like the way St.Louis looks on defense, so that'll win them a decent amount of games in itself. 

Cardinals - In my opinion, Arizona was the best team in football before Carson Palmer went down. I have my doubts that he will survive the season, but if he does, look out for the Cardinals in the playoffs. They have the balance needed on both sides of the ball to make a deep run into the post-season. Unfortunatly for them, they play in the NFC and will have to face the Seahawks at some point during the post-season. A task that no team in the NFL would like to try. 

Seahawks - Seattle lost their center which will hurt them in pass protection, but it won't matter much since they run the ball so well. Jimmy Graham is a nice addition to the passing game and look out for Tyler Lockett as a potential fantasy football sleeper this year, especially for leagues that give points for return yardage.

Seattle Seahawks 12-4

Arizona Cardinals 10-6

St.Louis Rams 7-9

San Francisco 49ers 4-12

NFC East

Eagles - This is possibly the most interesting division to watch in football this year. Early on during free-agency, I was scratching my head trying to figure out what exactly Chip Kelly was thinking. I may have even doubted his methods a time or two in the long 6 months. However, after I've seen everything come together in Philadelphia this off-season, I can tell you one thing for sure: This team is going to be VERY good. They essentially traded LeSean McCoy for DeMarco Murray and got a free Pro-Bowl caliber linebacker in the trade as well. If Sam Bradford can stay healthy, he is the ideal quarterback for Chip Kelly's offense. They are going to put up plenty-o-points this season, the only question is if they can stop the other top offenses in the league. 

Cowboys - The Cowboys did the right thing giving Dez Bryant attention over DeMarco Murray, but even so, that may come back to bite them. Don't get me wrong, Dallas has a GREAT O-line that gives Tony Romo an average of 6 seconds per pass play. You may not realize this when you're watching, but in the NFL, 6 seconds is a TON of time. I don't care how good you are, no cornerback can cover a top wide-receiver like Dez for 6 seconds. Their defense concerns me especially after losing their starting corner for the year, but their running game may be what I'm the most concerned with. I think you can plug just about any back in the league behind that awesome line and they will do ok, but the Cowboys need better than ok. Their running game is what allowed them to beat so many teams last season by controlling the clock and they need it to be close to (if not THE) best running game in the NFL if they want to return to the playoffs. 

Giants - The Giants are in a perpetual rebuilding mode in some aspect, but they still have the firepower on offense and the strength on defense to make some noise if they can just get into the playoffs. Although, they'll need everyone on board and Jason Pierre-Paul clearly doesn't have his finger on the winning formula ;). 

Redskins - I think the Redskins will be the worst team in the league this season. They're defense has been atrocious for a couple of years now and their offense is made up of outcast players lacks talent. The Redskins have now benched RG3 and honestly, they need to cut him before they're owed his salary for next season. He's not worth the 16 million dollar price tag to ride the bench.

Philadelphia Eagles 12-4

Dallas Cowboys 11-5

New York Giants 8-8

Washington Redskins 2-14

The AFC

Yes, I am less confident about my AFC division winners, but only because of the AFC North. If it weren't for them, I would say I'm about 99% confident with my picks. I see quite a few AFC teams fighting for those wild card spots, so it should be a ultra competitive season for a lot of teams unlike the NFC.

AFC North

I believe that this is the hardest division to pick in the NFL this year. Mainly because I'm stuck between the Steelers and the Ravens. Both have fantastic head coaches and organizations, but they bring different things to the table this season. 

Steelers - The Steelers should have one of the NFL's most explosive offenses once Martavis Bryant and Le'Veon Bell get back from their suspensions (Hint hint: pick up Martavis Bryant in Fantasy while you can), but should be lacking on defense with such a young group starting. 

Ravens - The Ravens on the other hand should once again be the epitimy of what a balanced NFL team should look like. Solid defense and running game, with just enough passing to win. It's hard to pick against a team like that, but for the regular season anyway, I gotta go with Roethlisberger and the Steelers to win this division. If this were the playoffs, I may be picking the other way, since Flacco is a playoffs monster. 

Bengals - On another note, I think this is the end of the line for the Bengals. I ihave them missing the playoffs for the first time in 4 years and honestly, even if they made the playoffs, would you pick them over any other AFC playoff team? I sure wouldn't. I believe the Bengals will take a step back this year and that will be the end of the Lewis-Dalton Era. 

Browns - I don't know where to begin with the Browns. Apparently, they saw all of the great things that Josh McCown did in Tampa Bay last year and they decided that he was the right person for the job to lead them to the number one overall pick in the 2016 draft. Hey, he did it in Tampa, why not in Cleveland? Some teams just refuse to learn.

Pittsburgh Steelers 10-6

Baltimore Ravens 10-6

Cincinnati Bengals 9-7

Cleveland Browns 3-13

AFC South

Colts - The Colts continue to own this division and this year won't be any different. If you've been paying attention to them since Andrew Luck got in the NFL, you'll notice a pattern to where they end their season. His first year they were out the first round of the playoffs. The second year they won their first playoff game and were out the next round. Then last year, they won their 1^st and 2^nd playoff games and were beat in the AFC Championship game. What does this all mean? It means that the Colts are destined to make the Super Bowl this year! My math teacher would be so proud that I just solved my first word problem! In all seriousness though, the Colts do have the easiest schedule of the AFC powerhouse teams and are in a good position to advance this year past the Patriots with the off-season additions of Frank Gore and Andre Johnson. 

Texans - The Texans are a quarterback away from making some noise in the AFC, but unfortunately, they've been about a quarterback away for years now. I love their defense, but their offense is going to struggle once again. 

Jaguars - Jaxonville should feel pretty good about Blake Bortles, but he still has a lot of development needed especially when he's under pressure. Teams will learn quickly that they can just do the old “46 Bear” defense and make Bortles throw picks. Well... not the actual Bears defense, because they're awful, but a different defense running the scheme. You get the idea. 

Titans - Mariota on the other hand, has looked exceptional in the Pre-season. The Titans are looking pretty smart right about now for not trading away that 2^nd overall pick. He possesses that rare combination of being able to throw from the pocket AND on the run. Something only a few quarterbacks can do effectively (Rodgers and Wilson come to mind). He's still a rookie though and will need plenty of time to develop, but I believe the Titans have found their quarterback to reunite that franchise.

Indianapolis Colts 13-3

Houston Texans 7-9

Jacksonville Jaguars 4-12

Tennessee Titans 3-13

AFC West

Broncos - Honestly, this division will come down to one thing: Does Peyton Manning have anything left in the tank. I say yes, at least in the Regular Season. We can debate all we want, but in the end the only thing that's going to prove this one way or the other is if he goes out there and plays. He still has a great supporting cast and an above average defense backing him up. I think the Broncos will be just fine for another year. 

Chargers - I like the Chargers, but I'll be honest, I'm having a hard time putting them in the playoffs. I believe they'll be fighting for that last spot, much like Miami and it's just going to come down to who's playing better at the end of the year. Or maybe, “who's healthier at the end of the year” is a more accurate statement. That means you have to predict injuries, which I don't like to do but luckily for me the way things turned out, the Dolphins and the Chargers ended with the same record in my standings, so we'll just say whoever you want to make the playoffs does. But it's actually the Dolphins. 

Chiefs - On a lighter note, I would bet that the Chiefs actually score a touchdown with a wide-receiver this year. This may sound like an obvious bet, but they've now gone a full 2 seasons without having a wide-receiver score a touchdown. Heck, you'd think just once one would get lucky and accidentally run in. Either way, they're a good team, but not quite as good as the playoff teams above them, so I see them just missing the cut yet again. 

Raiders - The Raiders have been slowly trending in the right direction as of late, which inspired me to have them win more games than they did last year. Only one more, mind you. I'm not that crazy.

Denver Broncos 12-4

San Diego Chargers 10-6

Kansas City Chiefs 9-7

Oakland Raiders 4-12

AFC East

Patriots - Tom Brady did it, but the crime warrants a fine, not a suspension as all other cases of tampering with equipment has been handled in the NFL's past. Case closed. There. I just figured out what took the NFL 9 months to figure out in about 10 seconds. Honestly, the NFL players deserve to have clear punishments stated for their actions. This per case nonsense is not working and it's the reason the NFL loses every time they go to court. Regardless of Tom Brady starting, the Patriots will be worse than last year after losing their 2 starting cornerbacks in the off-season. Revis and Browner were one of the best duo's in the league, and their presence made a whole lot more difference than a few footballs being a little deflated. 

Dolphins - Everyone likes the Dolphins this season, and honestly why shouldn't they? I mean, even I the master of pessimism can't find much wrong with this team... Oh wait there is the small matter of playing in the AFC East with the Patriots which means you're basically fighting for one of the 2 wild card spots. One of which is destined to be filled by the Ravens as I believe they're one of the NFL's most complete teams. You've got 1 spot to get. It's doable, but it won't be easy. 

Bills - The Bills should get a breath of fresh air with new head coach Rex Ryan, but again they have a muddled QB situation that is the downfall of a lot of good teams in the NFL. The team with the better QB rarely loses, which makes their schedule look very difficult.  However, at least their QB isn't being punched by his own teammate like some teams that I know... 

Jets - Only on the Jets could this happen. They look good all off-season and find some way to ruin their season before it's even started. Maybe next year.

New England Patriots 13-3

Miami Dolphins 10-6

Buffalo Bills 9-7

New York Jets 5-11

Super Bowl Prediction

I'll say this: I'm always happy I wait as long as I do to post my picks. Why, you may ask? Because of things like Jordy Nelson going down with an ACL tear, or the Steelers losing their Pro-Bowl Center. These kind of injuries can change a Super Bowl pick and they did exactly that to me this year. I wanted to pick the Packers to hoist the Lombardi Trophy, but with how close these teams are, they can't lose their number one wideout and expect to be there over these other contenders. Therefore, I believe Super Bowl 50 will have the...

Seattle Seahawks defeat the Indianapolis Colts 27 – 24

Onward, to the season!

NFL Super Bowl XLIX

How can the NFL season already be over?  It seems like just yesterday the Bears were letting me down.  Or Andy Dalton was throwing another pick.  Or Ray Rice was punching his wife.... Where does the time go?

As always, I'll be sad to see the season end, but at least we have one heck of a Super Bowl to end on.  I really feel like these are the best 2 teams in the NFL playing in the Super Bowl this year, which surprisingly doesn't happen very often.  Even last year, I'd argue that the 49ers were a better team than the Broncos.  This Super Bowl is one of the hardest ones I've ever predicted because these teams match up so evenly.  Even Vegas agrees by posting betting odds of Patriots -1 (which means they predict a 1 point game with the Pats winning).  That's an incredibly rare betting odd in any game, let alone a Super Bowl, so I think were in for a good one.

To pick the Super Bowl winner, I'll compare both teams in 7 categories and whichever team has the edge in the most categories is my pick.  Let's get crackalackin!

Quarterback
I don't care if you like 'em or not, both of these quarterbacks are a lot of fun to watch.  They just play the position right.  Tom Brady is going to go down as one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time and Russell Wilson is on track to follow right behind.  Wilson has the big advantage of his mobility, which is always hard for defenses to game plan for.  As far as arm strength goes, I would have said Wilson has the edge here too if not for watching Tom Brady prove me wrong by launching some bombs to Edleman and Gronk late this season.  I wouldn't say Brady has a better arm than Wilson at this point in his career, but he can still make all of the throws he needs to.  This is a really tough one, but I do have to give Brady the edge in this position simply because of his experience in Super Bowls and games in general.  I mean, the guys played in over 200 NFL games!  If I had to have one of these guys on my team for 1 game, I'd still have to take Brady.  Keep your chin up, Wilson.  Something tells me I'll be saying the same thing about you in the years to come.
Patriots

Running Back
To be honest, I have no idea who the Patriots starting running back is.  I don't think anyone knows, actually.  Bill Belichick included.  I'm pretty sure their depth chart adjusts every time a player gives Belichick a dirty look in the hall.  Either way, who am I to judge their methods if they got them to the Big Game.  I may not know who Belichick will choose to start this week, but I do know this:  If Marshawn Lynch was on his team, this wouldn't even be a discussion.  Apparently Lynch has discovered the fountain of youth, or the Lazarus Pit (That's a Batman reference for you laypersons) and has defied the laws of aging yet again.  He is the only reason the Seahawks have the leagues #1 rushing attack, and the reason the Seahawks take this category.
Seahawks

Wide Receivers / Tight Ends
In my opinion, the Seahawks offense has actually taken a decent step back this year.  Heck, if Lynch weren't playing one of his best postseasons, they would have taken a full leap back.  Think about it.  Harvin didn't pan out quite as expected and they got rid of their former #1 Golden Tate.  That means their #1 receiver is.... Doug Baldwin?  No offense to him, but Doug Baldwin and #1 receiver don't really belong in the same sentence together.  Unless your saying something like: "Hey, the Seahawks need a #1 receiver, because Doug Baldwin isn't one."  On the flip side, the Patriots don't really have a plethora of good receivers either, but they do have a healthy Gronkowski (for once).  He's going to be a match-up nightmare for the Seahawks defense, and he alone is the reason why the Pats get this category.
Patriots

Defensive Line
It's a good thing these teams have good secondaries, because their D-lines haven't exactly been "lighting it up" as of late.  Both teams rank in the lower half of the NFL in sacks and have struggled mightily against the run at some points during the season.  If I had to pick one category that I thought both teams would most need to improve on, this would be it.  The Patriots actually have more sacks this season, but at the same time, they have to go up against Lynch and the #1 rushing attack in the NFL.  Look for Lynch to run to the outside a bit more than usual to avoid Wilfork in the middle for New England.  With all that being said, I think that if you purely look at the task ahead for each defensive line, you gotta go with the Seahawks.  Tom Brady is a great quarterback, but he's a statue in the pocket, while Wilson is one of the toughest players in the league to bring down because of his scrambling ability.  By virtue of difficulty, the Seahawks win this one.
Seahawks

Secondary
This is probably the hardest category I have to pick.  Honestly, I'd love to have either of these units on my side for the Super Bowl.  To me, Richard Sherman and Darrelle Revis even each other out (I'm assuming Sherman's arm is ok after two weeks) and Chancellor and Browner even each other out too.  By the way, I know "technically" Chancellor is a safety, but with all of the different looks Seattle gives and the one on one coverage he has to often play, I think it's fair to compare the two.  However, I haven't even mentioned the best player in either team's secondary yet.  That man is Earl Thomas.  Earl Thomas is the best player on Seattle's defense, yet he's constantly overlooked because he isn't as vocal with the media.  A great safety does so much for a defense, and when the secondaries are as close as these two, it's enough to give Seattle the slight edge in this category.
Seahawks

 Special Teams
This is where the Seahawks are going to miss Percy Harvin.  He returned kickoffs in one game for them last season, but that happened to be the Super Bowl... and he did a pretty dang good job that day.  They don't have that sheer speed this year, so they'll have to rely on some good blocking and mistakes by the opposing team.  Unfortunately for them, the Patriots historically, don't make many mistakes.  On the flip side, Julian Edelman has been tearing it up lately on kickoffs and punts.  He leads every team this postseason in return yards on only six attempts.  As far as kickers go, you can't really go wrong with either one in this game, but if I had to choose one, I'd take Gostkowski sheerly because of his reliability.  He kicked an incredible 94.6% this season, while Hauschka kicked 83.8%.
Patriots

Coaching
It's pretty difficult to definitively say which head coach is the better coach when the two have such different coaching styles.  Belichick always coaches according to the team he faces.  He finds the opposing teams biggest weakness and comes up with the perfect plan to expose it on the field.  Carroll on the other hand does the opposite.  He's a motivator who doesn't make a separate plan for any team.  He's the kind of coach that states "We don't care who we play, we're tougher than you and were going to come right at you."  If I were an owner, I'd love to have either of them coaching my team, but just for this game, I think I would have to take Belichick.  Both teams have weaknesses, but I think Belichick will put forth a lot of effort in testing the Seahawks injuries and finding the best place to attack them.  By the way, I know what your thinking and the answer is yes:  this is the ONLY picture of Belichick smiling in existence.
Patriots

There you go.  With a close match of 4-3, the Patriots seem to have a slight edge.

 Therefore, I will go with the New England Patriots to defeat the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XLIX 24 - 20.

NFL Championship Picks

I think we can all agree that in the NFL, the best teams normally makes the conference championship.  This year is no different.  A lot of people will look at the Colts and say they're probably the team that doesn't really belong, but as the old saying goes: you'll  go as far as your quarterback can take you.  When it came down to one game, Andrew Luck was up to the task while Manning faltered like he normally does in the playoffs.  Manning is an incredible quarterback, and losing doesn't take anything away from his legacy, but that's because his legacy is an amazing quarterback who lacked that "extra gear" in the playoffs.  That's something you can't measure or teach.  You've either got it or you don't.  As far as the Dallas game goes, that was the right call on a terrible rule.  That's all in the past now though.  On to the future:

Green Bay Packers @ Seattle Seahawks

Believe it or not I actually waited this long to publish this post on purpose.  I'm not just a hopeless procrastinator... Well not in this instance anyway.  I waited for one reason : Aaron Rodgers injury.  To me this one factor makes the difference in who wins this game.  Seattle's pass rush is going to blow past the Green Bay offensive line and if Rodgers can't rely on his mobility, this is going to be a long day for Green Bay.  Unfortunately for the Packers, I've seen nothing that suggests that Rodgers calf is any better than last week.  Thus I'm forced to go with the home team to return to the Super Bowl.
Seahawks 27 -  21



Indianapolis Colts @ New England Patriots

Did you know Tom Brady has the most playoff wins of any quarterback in NFL history?  As much as people love to hate Tom Brady, you can't deny he is one of (if not the) greatest quarterbacks of all time.  If he wins one more Super Bowl, he will be tied with Joe Montana for the most Super Bowl wins.  Only two games stand in the way, but these next two games are difficult to say the least.  The Colts provide an interesting challenge for the Patriots this week because of their pass defense.  Last week, it felt like the Patriots almost never ran the ball against the Ravens and the reason it feels like that is because they didn't.  They knew the Ravens secondary was depleted with injuries so they attacked it almost every play.  They can't do the same thing with the Colts this week.  If the Patriots can't get some kind of running game going, they will lose this game.  The Colts secondary played amazingly last week against the Broncos,  but if they want to beat the Patriots this week, they'll have to play even better.  In the end, I believe the Colts will be able to stop everybody but Gronk, and in the end, that's the difference in this game.
Patriots 34 - 30

NFL Divisional Playoffs 2015

Now things start to get interesting.  No offense to Wild Card week, but that went exactly as expected.  The Bengals and Lions lost in the first round for the 15 millionth time and Ryan Lindley successfully gave a sub .500 team an easy road playoff win.  Come on, who didn't see that coming?  

It's always hard to pick against a home team in the playoffs, but I feel like this year, it's nearly impossible.  The four teams with a first-round bye this year have a combined home record of 30 - 2.  Normally, I pick an upset or two, but this week I'm not sure I can.  Here are my picks:

Carolina Panthers @ Seattle Seahawks

The Seahawks hit their stride at the right time again this year.  Looks like their Superbowl hangover ended at just the right time, but I'm still concerned about their offense.  Their defense will cover a lot of their offenses mistakes by keeping them in any game, but the Seahawks offense is worse than last year with losing Golden Tate to free agency and with Percy Harvin not quite working out as expected.  On the flip side, you have a Panthers team which no one's going to give any chance to win this game... with me included.

Seahawks 31 - 17

Indianapolis Colts @ Denver Broncos

This is one of those games where I really, really, REALLY want to pick the visiting team.  I feel like Andrew Luck has made some strides this year and I believe the Colts are finally giving him full control of his team.  Unfortunately for him, his team just isn't good enough on defense to slow down Manning and the Broncos enough to win this game.  See, how you beat Peyton is actually pretty simple:  You play close press coverage and get a lot of pressure on him with your front four.  That's how the Patriots, Rams, and Seahawks beat them this year.  Unfortunately for the Colts, they just don't have the players up front right now to get that done.  Oh well, there's always next years playoffs, which is more than most teams can say.

Broncos 34 - 27

Baltimore Ravens @ New England Patriots

This game is exactly what the Patriots didn't want.  I'd argue that the Ravens actually match up better against the Patriots than any other team in the Playoffs this year.  They're a balanced team with an experienced quarterback (usually the Patriots weakness), and they're one of only two teams who have beat them at home in the playoffs in the last 10 years.  The Patriots normally win by finding your biggest weakness and exposing it on the field.  Remember their game against the Colts this season?  Yeah, there's a reason they ran the ball 44 times that game... The Ravens, however, don't have any glaring weaknesses at this point.  On the flip side, while the Ravens don't have any obvious weaknesses, they don't really have any clear advantages either.  With the exception of running back, the Patriots have the edge in pretty much every position.  Although I'd like to see the Ravens pull off the upset, I've learned last year about picking as a fan of the underdog instead of with my brain.  It won't happen this year.

Patriots 28 - 21

Dallas Cowboys @ Green Bay Packers

I'm actually shocked at how many "experts" are picking the Cowboys to win this game.  Yes, they beat Seattle and they've shown great confidence and poise through their season.  They've had a great season and proved me and everyone else in the world wrong, and for that I applaud them.  But their season ends here.  They barely beat the Lions who, while making great strides this season, are still far off from the Packers.  Aaron Rodgers and the Packers have lost in their first playoff game each of the last 3 seasons, but this year something feels different.  That's the feeling of the Packers kryptonite (the 49ers) heading home early this year.  If Aaron Rodgers can play the whole game, the Packers should be able to expose the Cowboys "average at best" defense and Romo and the offense will not be able to keep up.  The Cowboys formula for success is to run the ball to take pressure off of Romo and the passing game and create time for him to throw.  But when your playing from behind, you don't have the luxury of time to run the ball.  Look for a high scoring game with Green Bay moving on to Seattle.

Packers 38 - 31

NFL 2014-2015 Season Predictions

NFL Season Predictions

Finally, after 212 days 7 hours and 10 minutes, ( that's right, I count down to the minute for football to return ;) ) NFL football is back!  To me, there's nothing like that opening day kickoff of football season, where every team and every fan has hope that this might be their year.  And then after that first kickoff usually Raiders, Jaguars, and Browns fan's start looking to next year and the changes they can make to actually stand a chance.

Replace "Mets" with a bad NFL team. ;)

As my loyal reader (singular) will know, I always post my predictions for the NFL season on the week of the first game.  Usually it's just a bunch of nonsense that I decide to take an unflinchingly rigid stance on and argue with anyone and everyone who disagrees with me.  If you disagree with me, that's fine.  I can't force you to be smart.  Believe it or not, I've actually predicted the last two Superbowl winners correctly in my season opening predictions.  This could only mean 1 of 2 things:  Either I am one of the great minds of our time (ask Wyatt Knobloch), or I've gotten extremely lucky two years in a row and have statistically almost no hope of predicting this years Superbowl winner right.  I'll leave it up to you to decide which it is...

On to the predictions:







AFC

Ok, let me first say that the NFC is about 10 times better than the AFC any way you look at it.  I would say that there are probably 3 teams from the AFC that could possibly make it to the Superbowl.  And that's just because by rule, 1 team has to come out of the AFC.  If the AFC teams had to face NFC teams in the playoffs, we'd be watching 2 NFC teams play in the Superbowl this year.  They're that much better.  However, since 1 team has to come out of the AFC, I'll go ahead and give my season predictions for the AFC.








East


Patriots win the division for the bazillionth time.  Next.
Haha no seriously, as long as Tom Brady is under center, that division isn't going to belong to anyone else.  The Jets are doing the smart thing be starting Geno Smith and letting him get some valuable experience.  I'm assuming because they've realized that they have no chance of winning the division and they're basically going to spend the season under the mindset: "Eh, Why Not".  The Dolphins and Bills are both moving in the right direction, but they're driving a Prius while the Patriots are still taking the Lamborghini up and down their field 4 weeks out of the year.  Like a Prius, the Dolphins and the Bills are both efficient, and it may be smart in the long run, but it's going to take forever to get there.

New England Patriots                14 - 2
Buffalo Bills                              5 - 11
Miami Dolphins                        5 - 11
New York Jets                          4 - 12




West


The Broncos start the season as the embarrassment of the NFL and they know it.  You know how sometimes it's better not to show up to something than to show up late?  The Broncos should have listened to this advice in regards to the Superbowl.  Still, they have one of the best teams in the AFC (if that means anything), and are looking like they should be able to take the West once again.  Chargers go 2 - 14.  Just kidding Austin K. ;).  I actually believe the Chargers will have another good year with their second season Mike McCoy.  They have an underrated defense and Phillip Rivers proved last year that he can still make all the throws to be an all round good quarterback.  Kansas City will take a step back this year because of a few offseason losses and because last year I think they kind of had the element of surprise.  Teams facing Kansas City early last year were probably like "Eh, lets skip practice this week and go Mini Golfing. It's only the Chiefs".  They have no such luxury this year.  The Raiders choice to start Derek Carr over Matt Schaub is interesting, but more than anything, I think they were like: 
"I don't get why the Texans let Matt Schaub go.  Why would you let a good quarterback like him go?  It just doesn't make any sen..... (Matt Schaub throws his first pass at camp)..... Oh.  I get it."  Have fun at the bottom again Oakland.

Denver Broncos                14 - 2
San Diego Chargers          11 - 5
Kansas City Chiefs             8 - 8
Oakland Raiders               1 - 15








North


This division is the second hardest to call in the NFL this year.  I want to believe in the Bengals, but as I typed that, Andy Dalton threw another pick.  I just don't think they're going anywhere with him at quarterback.  They'll make the playoffs again as a wildcard, but that's mostly because the AFC is awful.  The Steelers are about to start going to start a common mistake teams try: go through a rebuilding process while still trying to make it to the Superbowl.  Trust me, you can either do one or the other.  Not both.  If you try to do both, you'll end up at 7-9 or 8-8 every year forever.  And can we stop talking about the Browns already?  Pleeeeaaaassse.  Seriously, I've never seen a team that's going to inevitably suck, get so much media attention.  I can tell you exactly what's going to happen with the Browns:  They'll drop their first 3 games with Hoyer as quarterback.  They'll buckle under the pressure and put Manziel in who will win 4 in a row against terrible teams and Cleveland fans with think he's the savior of the Browns..... until they play the next 9 games.  Be default, I'm going to go with the Ravens to win the AFC North this year.  They have a little easier schedule than the Bengals and I think they're one of the best run organizations in football.

Baltimore Ravens                11 - 5
Cincinnati Bengals              10 - 6
Pittsburgh Steelers                 7 - 9
Cleveland Browns               6 - 10








South


While the North was one of the hardest divisions to pick, this one is actually the easiest.  Even easier than the AFC East.  The Colts should run away with this division for a couple of reasons:  1.  They have the easiest schedule in the NFL.  2.  They have Andrew Luck and the next best quarterback in this division is.... Blake Bortles maybe?  and 3.  All three other teams in this division should have records towards the bottom of the NFL.  The Colts could probably take 4 weeks off and probably still win this division.  The Texans were too busy oggling at Clowney to remember that they need a quarterback.  The Titans basically decided that they're now Jets fans so they can watch Chris Johnson and pretentiously say "We used to play with that guy" to people.  The Jaguars are actually the only team in this division other than the Colts that are actually heading in a direction I like (boy, I thought I'd never say that).  If they put Bortles in as quarterback, he won't win them many games this year, but down the line, he could turn into a solid quarterback for the Jags.  

Indianapolis Colts                 13 - 3
Houston Texans                    5 - 11
Jacksonville Jaguars               3 - 13
Tennessee Titans                   3 - 13






NFC
Ok, now it gets really interesting.  The NFC is undeniably the superior conference mainly because the defenses are so much better.  I believe the NFC has 6 teams that could win the Superbowl this year.  And 4 of them would be favorites facing any team in the AFC.  How do I see it shaking out you ask?  Oh, you didn't ask... well too bad.  I'm going to tell you anyway:




East


First of all, I don't care what anyone says, Nick Foles is not going to throw 27 touchdowns and only 2 picks this year.  It simply won't happen.  NFL teams spent the entire offseason analyzing his weaknesses and will exploit them any chance they get.  To be successful as a quarterback in the NFL, you have to learn to overcome your weaknesses, because defenses will find them.  Now i still think he'll have a good year and the Eagles will win their division, but he's not some superhuman quarterback.  The Giants, much like the Steelers, are trying to do too much in one year.  The Redskins just prove how dumb some fans are since they're screaming to start Cousins over RG3 before the seasons even started.  I don't believe RG3 will have a good year mind you, but you basically invested in the guy for the future and your already screaming for someone else?  That's like the hardcore Ravens fan who drafts all Steelers players.  The Cowboys will find the bottom of the barrel this year.  It actually won't be so much Romo's fault.  It'll mainly be that their defense couldn't stop a JFL team, especially with Lee out.

Philadelphia Eagles                   11 - 5
Washington Redskins                 8 - 8
New York Giants                         7 - 9
Dallas Cowboys                          5 - 11





West


I really really really wanted to pick the 49ers here to come out of this division on top, but there's only so much shooting yourself in the foot I can take before I jump off the bandwagon, and Aldon Smith's suspension was the last straw.  I still think they'll make the playoffs, but in the best division in football, you can't afford to lose anybody for any amount of time.  You gotta feel bad for the Rams.  It's like having a reoccuring nightmare every year.... and you never wake up.  The Cardinals have potential to be good this year, but not great.  So basically the same as every other year.  I think the Seahawks come out of this division once again, but there is a difference:  they are not the #1 seed in the NFC this year.....

Seattle Seahawks                  13 - 3
San Francisco 49ers              12 - 4
Arizona Cardinals                  9 - 7
St Louis Rams                       7 - 9





North


Belive it or not, I actually think the Packers and Bears will tie in record this year.  Now I still think the Packers will win the division (i'm not that crazy), but I do think the Bears will make the playoffs this year.  Their offense is the same and their defense couldn't possibly be worse than last year.  The Vikings will be at the bottom again and my bet is that the next offseason rumors are going to involve Peterson moving to a team where he actually has a chance.  And as always, I believe the Lions will start out good enough and eventually find a way to screw everything up and miss the playoffs.

Green Bay Packers                    11 - 5
Chicago Bears                           11 - 5
Detroit Lions                             7 - 9
Minnesota Vikings                    3 - 13





South


This is one of the most interesting divisions this year.  The Falcons should bounce back considerably, the Panthers should fall back to Earth and the Buccaneers will have a great season with the good ol' Lovie Smith playbook: Run, Run, Pass, Punt.  (Which is why I drafted Doug Martin in my fantasy draft, thank you very much) This Division ultimately will be the Saints to lose.  They are undoubtedly the best team in this division on paper and on the field.

New Orleans Saints                    14 - 2
Carolina Panthers                       7 - 9
Atlanta Falcons                          6 - 10
Tampa Bay Buccaneers              5 - 11








Superbowl Pick

With one of the easiest schedules in the NFL, a great quarterback, and a new offensive weapon in Brandin Cooks, I'll take the New Orleans Saints to win Superbowl XLIX over the New England Patriots.  You heard it here first ;)