By Kyle Soppe
September 8th marks the beginning of the 2011-2012 NFL season, a season that we weren’t sure we would get. So let us embrace with some predictions sure to go wrong …
NFC North Champion – The defending Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers will win this division, something they couldn’t accomplish last season. The Packers have the top offense and defense in the division, and have a significant advantage at the ever important quarterback position. The Bears won the division last year, but overachieved and won many close games that could have gone either way. The Bears open the season with tough games, and won’t be able to recover from a 1-2 or 0-3 start. The Vikings and Lions aren’t very good, and won’t challenge this year. The Lions are at least headed in the right direction, and may actually pass the Vikes for third place in this division.
NFC East Champion – The Philadelphia Eagles made a ton of noise this off season, and are my pick to live up to the hype, at least in the regular season. A healthy Mike Vick is impossible to match up with, and opens the doors for other threats as defenses keep a linebacker spy on the elusive QB. LeSean McCoy is a dual threat in the backfield, and a deadly combination alongside Vick. DeSean Jackson will run under his share of bombs this year, while Jeremy Maclin provides the consistent underneath option. The Washington Redskins have question marks at quarterback, and simply don’t have the firepower to contend in this loaded division.
NFC East Wildcard – The New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys will battle for one wild-card spot. The Giants are coming off of a 10-win campaign, but lost Steve Smith this off-season. They have a proven QB in Eli Manning, who is coming off of back-to-back 4,000 yard efforts, and a two headed monster in the backfield in the form of Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs. Having said that, my pick is the Dallas Cowboys to earn the playoff berth. They have the better receiving core, and Felix Jones should take advantage of his first season as a featured running back. They also host a Week 17 game with the G-men, a game that will likely act as round 1 of the playoffs. I’ll take the home team to win that game behind their talented pass catchers in Miles Austin and Dez Bryant.
NFC South Champions – The Atlanta Falcons are on the rise, and the NFL better take notice. After getting blown out on their home field against the Packers to end last season, the Falcons will prove they are better than that showing. The Falcons have one of the games best receivers in Roddy White, who has developed a lethal connection with the improving Matt Ryan. Michael Turner is a workhorse in their backfield, allowing Matty Ice to pick apart defenses. Rookie Julio Jones is a speedster who thrives in the open field. Tampa Bay made great strides last year, recording 10 wins in a surprising season. The Buc’s to are very young, but Josh Freemen isn’t on the level of Ryan. He is a nice quarterback, but with a cast of unproven skill players, he won’t be good enough to lead them to a playoff berth. The Panthers will treat 2011 as a season dedicated to the growth of 1st overall draft pick QB Cam Newton. They have a good running game, but that is about it. The Panthers may improve from their 2 wins in 2010, but won’t threaten in the division.
NFC South Wild Card – The New Orleans Saints will sneak into the playoffs as a wild card team, and a dangerous one at that. Lead by one of the games best, Drew Brees will carry the team down the stretch and get them into the playoffs. They have a diverse group of receivers, and added Mark Ingram to an already talented backfield. They can run the ball effectively, but this pass first offense will rely on Brees’ right arm to lead them.
NFC Worst – The addition of Kevin Kolb will be a big enough splash in this weak division for the Arizona Cardinals to wrestle away the mandatory playoff berth from the Rams and Seahawks. Larry Fitzgerald is a top level receiver, and just about the only player in this division who can dominate a game. Last year’s champion Seahawks will struggle with the loss of Matt Hasselback, and finish behind the Rams in addition to the Cardinals. The 49ers also lack a reliable option at QB, and will only win a handful of games this year.
NFC Champion – Green Bay Packers
AFC North Champions – The Baltimore Ravens are ready to dethrone the Pittsburgh Steelers as the top dog in the North. Their defense is aging a bit, but far be it from me to tell Ed Reed and Ray Lewis that they are to old. The offense added Lee Evans to an already strong cast, centered around Ray Rice. The running back is among the games elite, and if he can develop a nose for the end zone to offset the loss of Willis McGahee, this offense will be near unstoppable. The Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals don’t have nearly enough offensive weapons to compete in this division. The Bengals are a mess, and my pick to “earn” next years number 1 pick.
AFC North Wildcard – The Pittsburgh Steelers, however, will still qualify for postseason play. WR Mike Wallace is becoming a number 1 receiver, and Big Ben knows how to win games. They will pound the ball, and impose their will onto other teams. They will win their 10 or 11 games and peak come playoff time, just another year in Pittsburgh.
AFC East Champion – The New England Patriots are once again the class of the East. Tom Brady is the divisions only elite signal caller, and his Pats will simply outscore many teams. The Jets surprised last year, and will have a solid season. They boast a great defense, but I am not sold on Mark Sanchez. I know he has been winning, and has Plaxico Burress this year, but he isn’t capable of taking over a game. If the running game is stifled, I don’t like the Jets chances. LT may finally show his age, putting more pressure on Sanchez. The Dolphins added Reggie Bush and drafted Daniel Thomas to upgrade their ground game. They will be an improved team, but their record will be similar to their 7-9 mark last year. Sorry upstate New York, the Bills aren’t going anywhere fast. Stevie Johnson will be focused on, and unable to live up to last season’s breakout.
AFC South Champion – Peyton Manning is slowly recovering from neck surgery, and his status for Week 1 is up in the air, and I don’t care. He is Peyton Manning, he will be fine. Sure, he may be a little rusty in the early weeks, but down the stretch in the final few weeks, he will be the Peyton of old, and have another division title to show for it. The Indianapolis Colts have enough talent and proven veterans to win this division, as long as Manning is healthy when it counts. The Titans (Chris Johnson) and Jags (Maurice Jones-Drew) have big question marks to their only offensive play makers. Unfortunately, even if both of these pro bowlers play at full strength, neither of these teams is going anywhere.
AFC South Wildcard – The Houston Texans will finally deliver a playoff berth after years of false hope. Paced by RB Arian Foster and WR Andre Johnson, they have the firepower to contend with any one. They may steal a Week 1 game from the Colts, and should contend all year. They look like a 10 win team to me, which should be enough to edge the Jets for the final wildcard spot in the AFC.
AFC West Champion – The San Diego Chargers overtake the Chiefs, and take this division. Once again, I will side with the better quarterback, and take the Phillip Rivers lead team. Rivers is a top 5 passing quarterback in the league, and with Vincent Jackson back, the Bolts have a lethal passing attack. The Chiefs can run the ball with Jammal Charles and Thomas Jones, but the caught lightening in a bottle with Dwayne Bowe’s 15 TD’s, and won’t get that again. With Kyle Orton leading the Broncos, they will surpass last years 4 victories in the first 9 weeks, but are still a few high draft picks away from competing. The Raiders surprised last year with an 8-8 mark, but haven’t made any steps forward. For my money, I’d take the Bronco’s, but neither is impacting the playoff race.
AFC Champion – Baltimore Ravens
Superbowl Champion – Green Bay Packers
Kyle – Do you even watch football? These are some ghastly predictions if I’ve ever seen any. Next time just have an octopus or something pick them and save some time.
A couple observations and questions:
I love how quickly the story of the Eagles’ season has shifted. From some wanting them to trade Kolb because Vick is the best player in the game, to Vinsanity crowning them the ‘Dream Team,’ to every NFL fanatic drooling over their potential as an offesnive juggernaut, to now questioning how they’ll ever stop a power running game (apparently their LBs are undersized), wondering which week Vick will go down with an injury, and finally coming full circle and listening to people on the radio wish they DIDN’T trade Kolb because when Vick does go down, who will back him up? I thought that’s why they had Vince Young? I don’t know. I lived in Philly for five years so it is natural for them to be pessimistic when the season starts anyway.
I like your take on the Falcons, Kyle. I actually think that loss to the Packers was better for the Falcons in the long run. They needed to lose to a veteran team like that and be knocked off their all-too-soon coronated throne. They are a good team, but have to see more adversity to become great.
Heard an interesting take on the Jets today: Mark Sanchez will have a career defining year in one way or another. Teams will start focusing more on him in their gameplans and like other great QBs, it will be his time to rise to the occassion and make plays under the pressure. I kind of agree.
What is CJ Spiller doing with the Bills? I haven’t heard his name once this preseason. Wondering if he’s going to bring a little excitement to the Bills’ offense.
And lastly, do you think with Rex’s brother running the Dallas D this year that it will propel them to perhaps the NFC championship game, thus causing people to inadvertantly give too much credit to Tony Romo?
No love for the Rams? How can the addition of a clearly overrated and underpreforming QB in Kolb be the difference maker in that division? Kolb has been given numerous opportunities to be a NFL starter, and has failed just as many. I understand he is a step up from whatever waterboy the Cards decided to throw under center last year, but putting them instantly above the Rams is just blasphemy.
Dont forget that the Rams played a huge part of last year without their top two receiving options, and Sam Bradford still impressed. Any other young QB would have shrivled up, threw interceptions, then point fingers and make excuses about not having enough talent around him. The Rams offense at full strength is a greater improvement for them than Kolb is to Arizona.
Seattle will finish last because Tarvaris Jackson sucks. Period. And he should go have a tea party with Brad Childress.
I hear ya, Kurt. And don’t the Rams still have Steven Jackson and added Cadillac Williams? I have to go with the Rams winning that division, too.
Alrighty Rey –
I get that hate on the Eagles, but are you picking someone else to win that division? They may not live up to the “dream team” title, but they are the best team in that division.
It may be time for “Sanchize” to put up or shut up, and Im betting against him. If LT regresses as predicted, and the running game isn’t what it was last year, the Jets may get 9 wins, but that won’t be enough. The Texans have the talent to get to double digits, and the Steelers/Ravens will both qualify. Sanchez just doesn’t pass the eye test to me, but I could see them making the playoffs if everything goes right.
CJ Spiller will see an increased role this year, and shine in Buffalo’s 4 wins. I guess that’s as exciting as it get in Buffalo.
The Cowboys have a ton of talent, and credit may be given to Romo should they realize the potential. Having said that, Romo took all the blame for that game with the botched FG, so I would be OK with him getting credit. He isn’t elite, but he is good enough to lead that offense to the playoffs.
Didn’t catch your predictions? where did i go wrong? its not like i predicted some crazy score that would never happen 🙂
Kurt – I went back and forth with the Rams and Cardinals. I went with the Cards becuase it seems like the perfect set up for Kolb. Fitzgerald has the ability to make up for bad passes, and Beanie Wells can pound the rock. Steven Jackson is the best player in this division, and will give the Rams a shot in every game. Bradford is very good, but I’m not sold on his weapons. Mike Sims Walker and Donnie Avery as your go to guys? None of these teams are going to win many games, but maybe the Cards can squeak out 8 or 9 wins and earn the right ot get blown out in the first round
Kyle – I agree with all of your predictions. Wow. I just realized how boring it is to say that. I will be back later.
Somebody out there’s gotta love the NY Giants … Casey???
I have a hunch Tampa Bay may grab an NFC wildcard.
Texans will make the playoffs by winning the AFC South. Colts will be lucky to get the Wildcard.
I favor the Rams in the NFC West over the Cardinals this year.
I think it’s appropriate to leave duh Bares out of this discussion. They’ll be lucky to be .500 this year.
Da Bears belong in the NFC West. they aren’t a good football team, still amazed they won that division last year.
I agree with you on the Eagles, Kyle. I was just commenting on how the philosophy otowards them is now shifting to a more questionable one.
My guesses go like this:
AFC East: Pats
AFC West: Chargers
AFC North: Steelers
AFC South: Texans
Wild cards: Jets, Ravens
NFC East: Eagles
NFC West: Rams
NFC South: Falcons
NFC North: Packers
Wild cards: Saints, Cowboys
NFC Champ: Falcons
AFC Champ: Pats
Super Bowl: Falcons
I just cant imagine a season with out Peyton Manning in the playoffs. other than that, we have all the same playoff teams besides the Rams/Cardinals. Looks like our playoff pictures are a bit different, but your the 2 teams you have playing for the trophy, i would put in my final 4. not thinkin’ we are all that different, haha
Yeah Rey, considering your first comment, it’s pretty surprising how similar your picks are to Kyle’s. Or was that some kind of inside joke that I’m unaware of?
I like the Giants, but considering they are making headlines with recent injuries, I will pass on predicting them for the playoffs. I can predict this – the weekly return of the Eli face.
It’s standard procedure for me to blast the one making the predictions no matter what. In all seriousness, though, Kyle should be worried my picks are closely matching his. I really don’t pay much attention to the NFL and usually watch EPL on Sunday mornngs and call it a day.
What are our feelings on the Lions? A defensive line like that could wreak havoc on some teams. I liked seeing them beat up (literally!) on the Pats. Could they steal a Wild Card this year?
Rey …. I kinda view the Lions like the Browns this year … they seem to be on the right track for significant improvement. If they can keep Stafford healthy and their young talented players live up to their billing, I suppose it’s entirely possible they could snag a wildcard. I wouldn’t predict it, just b/c they are, afterall, the Lions and for some reason are snake bit. BUT, I would not be at all shocked if they were ahead of the Vikings and Bears in the divisional standings at the end of the season.
They will be much improved, and as a Packer fan, I am more concerned with them than anyone else in the North. But the NFC East has 3 teams better than the Lions. As does the NFC South. Headed in the right direction? Yes. But not ready to make the jump to playoff picture