With the NFL nearing an agreement, its finally time to start the speculation and the excitement of the upcoming season. I think that a deal is going to get done by the end of next week, so right before training camp. Maybe a week will get pushed back or something like that so there is plenty of time for the teams to prepare. Once a deal is signed and the lockout officially ends, there will be a gold rush for top free agents and trade bate. So before that happens, here are my predictions for what will happen if the teams were to stay as is, which I know they won't, but here they are anyway.
AFC East
1 New England Patriots 13-3
2 New York Jets 10-6
3 Miami Dolphins 6-10
4 Buffalo Bills 5-11
This is a two horse race. The Patriots or the Jets will walk away with this division. The Patriots have an offense that doesn't turn the ball over and they score points while they're defense is improving. The Jets have the stellar defense and if the offense does it job, they are a Super Bowl contender. That being said, I think the Jets beat themselves sometimes by putting all the pressure on them. The Jets are a playoff team, but they are not a division champion yet. The Dolphins will decline this year due to unsureness about who is they're quarterback and lack of leadership and the Bills will remain a tough 5-11 team to beat.
AFC North
1 Baltimore Ravens 13-3
2 Pittsburgh Steelers 11-5
3 Cleveland Browns 6-10
4 Cincinnati Bengals 4-12
I think the Ravens have now become the best team in this division. James Harrison's recent comments have created some friction within the Steelers, causing the front office to either move Harrison or let him create problems. The Ravens are continuing to improve, which is why they looked poised to take the division crown. The Browns will remain mediocre like they have been for the past few years and the Bengals will digress again. We'll see whether Carson Palmer gets moved or not.
AFC South
1 Indianapolis Colts 12-4
2 Houston Texans 10-6
3 Jacksonville Jaguars 7-9
4 Tennessee Titans 5-11
The Colts are still the team to beat, that has not changed. They will be healthier then they were last year and they will return to their top form. I think that this is the year the Texans put it together and come at least close to the playoffs. The Jaguars will continue to hang around the 8 win area and the Titans will begin the rebuilding process. We'll see whether or not Vince Young gets moved and Jake Locker takes control of the offense.
AFC West
1 San Diego Chargers 11-5
2 Oakland Raiders 9-7
3 Kansas City Chiefs 8-8
4 Denver Broncos 6-10
If the Chargers play properly, they will this division and be a Super Bowl contender. This division will be tight though because Oakland will be solid and Kansas City will be pretty dangerous. Denver looks to be rebuilding, but they still will be taken seriously.
NFC East
1 Philadelphia Eagles 12-4
2 Dallas Cowboys 11-5
3 New York Giants 9-7
4 Washington Red Skins 6-10
The NFC East is always a tough division to call. I believe that if the Cowboys are at full strength they might be able to win the division. But I think as of now, the Eagles are the most talented team in this division which is why they will sneak by the Cowboys. The Giants have something missing with their team and I think its the ability to get it done as exemplified by last seasons collapse. The Red Skins have little shot at the division title.
NFC North
1 Green Bay Packers 14-2
2 Detroit Lions 9-7
3 Chicago Bears 8-8
4 Minnesota Vikings 6-10
The Packers will be even stronger than last season's Super Bowl season, so they will win this division easily. The Lions will finish over .500 for the first time in years and the Bears will be a big disappointment this year with all of the Jay Cutler turmoil. The Vikings will finish last due to holes in many areas on the field.
NFC South
1 Atlanta Falcons 12-4
2 New Orleans Saints 11-5
3 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 10-6
4 Carolina Panthers 3-13
I think I will go ahead and say that the Panthers will finish last in the division. The Saints will have a better year than they did last year and the Buccaneers will prove that they are not a fraud, although they will barely miss the playoffs. The Falcons will win this division again because they are improving in all faucets of the game and the addition of rookie Julio Jones will pay huge dividends.
NFC West
1 San Francisco 49ers 9-7
2 St. Louis Rams 8-8
3 Seattle Seahawks 5-11
4 Arizona Cardinals 4-12
This is a tough division to call. I'm going to go ahead and stick with the 49ers, who I thought last year would win the division but this year I am even more confident because with John Harbaugh now in as coach, the 49ers will finally start to win those tight games that have plagued them the last two seasons. The Rams will be around 8-8 once again because they just are not that talented in general. I think the Seahawks will fall back to Earth in large part due to some aging players such as Matt Hasselbeck. The Cardinals could be in contention if they got Carson Palmer or Kevin Kolb.
AFC Playoff Picture
1) Baltimore 2) New England 3) Indianapolis 4) San Diego 5) Pittsburgh 6) New York Jets
NFC Playoff Picture
1) Green Bay 2) Atlanta 3) Philadelphia 4) San Francisco 5) New Orleans 6) Dallas
Wild Card Round
3) Indianapolis over 6) New York
4) San Diego over 5) Pittsburgh
3) Philadelphia over 6) Dallas
5) New Orleans over 4) San Francisco
Divisional Round
1) Baltimore over 4) San Diego
2) New England over 3) Indianapolis
1) Green Bay over 5) New Orleans
3) Philadelphia over 2) Atlanta
Conference Championships
2) New England over 1) Baltimore
1) Green Bay over 3) Philadelphia
Super Bowl 46
New England over Green Bay
I believe the Patriots have one last hurrah and one last Super Bowl run. They have the offense and the defense to do it. Tom Brady will cement his legacy as possibly the greatest quarterback of all time with another Super Bowl victory.
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