Jun 8, 20166 min read

NFL: Preseason Division Predictions

The NFL season is nearing, as we are only 95 days away. Super Bowl 50, which saw the Denver Broncos take down the Carolina Panthers and the 2016 NFL Draft, where Jared Goff was selected first overall to the Los Angeles Rams, are both in the rear view mirror. Now, we are (patiently) waiting for the preseason and the beginning of the upcoming season. As usual, there will be a number of familiar faces at the top of the standings, but there are also some lower level teams that have made great strides recently. I will predict the final standings of each division, including an explanation for my picks and a quick run down for each 4-team subset.

AFC East:

1. New England Patriots

2. Buffalo Bills

3. New York Jets

4. Miami Dolphins

The New England Patriots have owned this division for much of the last 15 years but with Tom Brady suspended for the first four games, they might have more trouble than usual. I still believe they will have enough experience and talent to win double digit games but a 1-3 start is not out of the question. The Buffalo Bills finished third in the division last year, but I expect them to flip-flop with the New York Jets in 2016-17. The Miami Dolphins were expected to compete at the top of the division after signing Ndamukong Suh pre-2015, but that did not pan out as well as anticipated. I think their defense will improve greatly this year but won't be enough to finish in the bottom half of the AFC East.

AFC North:

1. Pittsburgh Steelers

2. Cincinnati Bengals

3. Baltimore Ravens

4. Cleveland Browns

The Pittsburgh Steelers got into the playoffs last year after starting off slow. Ben Roethlisberger and Antonio Brown are one of the best QB-WR duos in the league, and with Le'veon Bell back, the offense is going to be potent. The Cincinnati Bengals seem to squeak into the playoffs every year, and I predict they will do so once again. Signal caller Andy Dalton will be back from injury, alongside superstar wideout A.J. Green. The Baltimore Ravens are far from the 2013 edition, in which they won the Super Bowl. After finishing third in the AFC North last year, they did not change much, and will not be able to reach Pittsburgh or Cincinnati. The Cleveland Browns are well, the Browns. They struggle year in and year out, and that won't change in 2016-17. They have question marks at virtually every position, including quarterback. I would be shocked if the Browns finished any higher than last place in the AFC North.

AFC South:

1. Houston Texans

2. Indianapolis Colts

3. Jacksonville Jaguars

4. Tennessee Titans

The Houston Texans made the playoffs last year, but part of that was because of how weak this division was. I expect the team from Texas to repeat as division champions but with double digit wins. Brock Osweiler spinning the ball on the offense, while J.J. Watt holds down the fort on defense. They should be able to dominate their AFC South foes for the most part. The Indianapolis Colts will have Andrew Luck back who is always dangerous but I don't see them having a complete enough team to make a real threat to the Texans. The Jacksonville Jaguars are getting better and better by each offseason and will be serious playoff contenders in the foreseeable future, just not this season. The lowly Tennessee Titans will likely have another high draft pick. In 2014, they opted to draft Marcus Mariota with the No. 2 overall selection, before trading away the No. 1 overall pick in the 2015 draft.

AFC West:

1. Kansas City Chiefs

2. Oakland Raiders

3. Denver Broncos

4. San Diego Chargers

The Kansas City Chiefs are my darkhorse Super Bowl contenders. Alex Smith, Jamaal Charles, and Kelce form a very good offense, matched with a solid defense, and Andy Reid on the sidelines, this could be another good year in Kansas City. The Oakland Raiders surprised a lot of people last year by winning seven games. I think they will increase their win total by at least a game, being just enough to sneak into the playoffs and eliminate the defending champion Denver Broncos. I see too many flaws in this Denver team, even though they just won the Super Bowl. Malik Jackson signed with the Jaguars. Osweiler signed with the Texans, and Peyton Manning retired. Von Miller will be back but starting Mark Sanchez or Paxton Lynch behind center, does not sound to go for the Mile High City. The San Diego Chargers had a dismal 2015 campaign and I predict they will win more than four games, but I can imagine them being near the top of this division.

NFC East:

1. Dallas Cowboys

2. Washington Redskins

3. New York Giants

4. Philadelphia Eagles

The Dallas Cowboys are going to be at full strength when foot meets leather. The 2014 season was a huge success for America's team as they won a playoff game and pushed the Packers to the brink at Lambeau Field before being controversially eliminated. If 2014 was a dream, then 2015 was a nightmare. Tony Romo got hurt twice, missing most of the season, as others dealt with injury, combined with the Greg Hardy drama. Now that is all in the past and the 'Boys can move on with their new (and improved) team. Ezekiel Elliott and Alfred Morris are a heck of a tandem in the backfield. I think they run away with the NFC East. The Washington Redskins squeaked into the playoffs last season but that likely will not happen again. Kirk Cousins is a solid NFL quarterback but I am not sure he is going to lead the Redskins to a lot of success. The New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles are bringing in new coaches and will have to adjust. Their seasons will be about getting acclimated under the new head man, and as the case in Philly, they will have to choose a starting quarterback between former No. 1 pick Sam Bradford and No. 2 pick Carson Wentz.

NFC North:

1. Green Bay Packers

2. Minnesota Vikings

3. Detroit Lions

4. Chicago Bears

The Green Bay Packers have owned this division for much of Aaron Rodgers' career. They will reclaim their place as division champs, beating out the Minnesota Vikings by a slim margin. I think Teddy Bridgewater and Adrian Peterson have something special brewing in the Twin Cities. They will make a second consecutive playoff berth. The Detroit Lions lost one of the greatest wide receivers of all time in Calvin Johnson and he has some enormous shoes to fill. I do not think they can make up for such a big part of their offense in just one year. They will struggle alongside their Midwest rival, the Chicago Bears. I see both teams winning 5-7 games and finishing in the bottom half of the NFC North.

NFC South:

1. Carolina Panthers

2. New Orleans Saints

3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

4. Atlanta Falcons

The Carolina Panthers are still licking their wounds after getting trounced in Super Bowl 50, but they will be ready to go on opening night. They begin their season on the road, facing the team that embarrassed them just a few short months ago. I think Cam Newton and Co. will rebound from their SB50 loss and exact a little revenge on the first day of the new season. I also think they win double digit games for the second season in a row, winning the division. The New Orleans Saints did not look like their normal selves last season and I think Drew Brees and Sean Payton will have these guys ready to go, they just do not have enough talent to keep up with the Panthers. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a lot like the Jaguars to me. They have been slowly getting better as the years pass and that will finally show up this season. Do not get me wrong, they will still lose a lot of games and will be out of playoff contention, but keep an eye on this team in the following years. The Atlanta Falcons finished the season terribly in 2015, losing eight of their finals 11 games. I think that momentum continues into their season, as they will finish last in the NFC South.

NFC West:

1. Arizona Cardinals

2. Seattle Seahawks

3. Los Angeles Rams

4. San Francisco 49ers

The Arizona Cardinals are being hyped up as one of the teams ready to take the next step and win a Super Bowl. They came close to getting to the big game last year, before being throttled by the Panthers in the NFC title game. I think Carson Palmer, Larry Fitzgerald, Patrick Peterson, and crew have top level experience and talent. That will be enough to win the division, with the Seattle Seahawks lurking closely behind. The Seahawks did not live up to their lofty expectations last year but they may be in worse shape in 2016, after losing Marshawn Lynch. Russell Wilson and Richard Sherman have enough manpower to propel this team into the playoffs but I do not expect a deep run. The Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers will make up the bottom half of the NFC West, but I think they will have very different seasons. I see the Rams improving as Jared Goff and Todd Gurley grow into their roles. On the other side, I see the 49ers losing at least 13 games, and being one of the worst teams in the NFL.

Playoffs Predictions:

AFC No. 1 - Pittsburgh Steelers

AFC No. 2 - New England Patriots

AFC No. 3 - Kansas City Chiefs

AFC No. 4 - Houston Texans

AFC Wild Card - Cincinnati Bengals

AFC Wild Card - Oakland Raiders

NFC No. 1 - Arizona Cardinals

NFC No. 2 - Carolina Panthers

NFC No. 3 - Dallas Cowboys

NFC No. 4 - Green Bay Packers

NFC Wild Card - Seattle Seahawks