The NFC North is not
It’s really annoying to have to pick the Packers to win the division and go to the Super Bowl when you’re from Wisconsin. There’s just no way around it. The division is awful. There aren’t very many elite teams. And, you know, Aaron Rodgers and stuff.
I did really want to give Green Bay an 8-8 record. Losing Jordy Nelson could have a bigger impact than anyone thinks. And Aaron Rodgers hasn’t been the healthiest the last couple seasons. But no way the Lions or Bears make a leap and I don’t care if AP is back, the Vikings aren’t winning.
But the Super Bowl is going to be Packers-Dolphins. Yes, the Dolphins. And they win it. Because I hate being a homer throughout.
NFC NORTH
Packers 12-4
The season will start out rocky, after beating the Bears. Maybe 3-3. After that, however, it’s smooth sailing, with the only real challenge in the last nine games coming from a home game with Dallas and a game on the road in Arizona – when Carson Palmer will probably be injured.
Lions 7-9
They’re not going to survive this schedule, and Calvin Johnson can only carry them so far. Unless Ameer Abdullah takes a giant leap, it’s hard to see the Lions doing anything except what the Lions always seem to do.
Vikings 7-9
This is the year. Adrian Peterson is back. Teddy Bridgewater has a year under his belt. Mike Wallace is on board. Kyle Rudolph is healthy. And the Vikings are fully ready to … disappoint, once again. Then again, they always disappoint, so that kind of makes that the expectation, doesn’t it? I’ve gone cross-eyed. AP hasn’t played in a year. He’s 30. And those weapons around Bridgewater aren’t all they’re cracked up to be.
Bears 3-13
Losing Brandon Marshall should hurt Jay Cutler, as now he’ll just lock onto Alshon Jeffery – and the other team This is the year Matt Forte isn’t good, as well. Sorry Chicago, not sorry.
NFC East
Eagles 12-4
Doesn’t matter if Sam Bradford stays healthy or not, Mark Sanchez can carry the offense. What? You heard me. It doesn’t matter with Chip Kelly. WR Jordan Matthews makes a leap here and DeMarco Murray/Darren Sproles have one year left in them.
Redskins 11-5
Everyone’s writing off the Redskins now that Robert Griffin III is out. Well, Kirk Cousins now has the full confidence of the staff and, maybe if everyone else gets behind him, he’ll flourish. This offense is full of underrated players who could all make names for themselves. I think it happens, despite the mascot.
Cowboys 9-7
Was it Demarco Murray or the offensive line last year? Doesn’t matter, this is the year Tony Romo misses more time than me makes, and the Cowboys fall hard.
Giants 7-9
The offense will depend on someone alleviating the pressure off first-year phenom Odell Beckham Jr. WR Victor Cruz isn’t showing much progress. TE Larry Donnell was here and gone last year. Rashad Jennings, Andre Williams and Shane Vereen aren’t the answer at RB. Neither is Eli Manning carrying the load.
NFC South
Falcons 9-7
Julio Jones makes his case for best WR in the league and Tevin Coleman becomes the next big RB. The division is full of offense without any defense and Atlanta finds its way on top having the most weapons.
Saints 7-9
Drew Brees is starting to show his age, and depending on Mark Ingram and an already injured C.J. Spiller isn’t going to help. Brees’ top target, 5-foot-10, 189-pound Brandin Cooks, isn’t quite going to cut it as a go-to weapon with Marques Colston on the other side of the field (maybe) and no Jimmy Graham.
Panthers 4-12
Somehow they won the division last year. No Kelvin Benjamin this year. Jonathan Stewart is now all alone in the backfield. Ted Ginn Jr. is their top WR. That should be enough of a clue right there how Carolina will be.
Buccaneers 2-14
The Buccaneers won’t fare much better this year with a rookie QB. Even in this division.
NFC West
Seahawks 11-5
They finally gave Russell Wilson a weapon in Jimmy Graham. If the defense can come back healthy, there’s no reason to doubt another successful season, though they could start the year 0-2, overlooking the Rams on the road, before heading to Lambeau Field in Week 2.
Cardinals 10-6
Carson Palmer makes this team a team. The defense is solid. The offense is loaded with weapons, and maybe, if Palmer can remain behind center, Larry Fitzgerald has one more double-digit TD season left in him.
Rams 9-7
Nick Foles takes over for the oft-injured Sam Bradford and not a lot changes. The offense is full of no-names, who aren’t bad, but not great, either. The defense and whoever ends up running the ball will carry this team to a better season than most think.
49ers 8-8
Everyone abandoned ship in the offseason, which may just mean everything depends on Colin Kaepernick’s … legs. To keep the team afloat now, the 49ers can’t just hand it off and hope the defense keeps them in it. Kaepernick will run wild, and the offense will be more exciting, but the defense keeps them at .500.
AFC East
Dolphins 11-5
Calling it now, the year the Dolphins take down the Patriots. The offense has weapons all over the place. Ryan Tannehill makes a leap this year and guys like Jarvis Landry make their way into the spotlight. The defense should also be one of the best in the league, led by the Cameron Wake-Ndamukong Suh combo on the line.
Patriots 9-7
Every year, the offense depends almost solely on Tom Brady and a bunch of nobodies. This year, no different, minus Rob Gronkowski. It could be even tougher now, however, with LeGarrette Blount the featured RB. Maybe former Wisconsin Badger James White makes an impact. Someone needs to. It won’t be Blount.
Bills 9-7
With Rex Ryan running the defense, which was stout last year, and weapons everywhere on offense, this team could surprise everyone, barring Tyrod Taylor’s ability at QB. They signed LeSean McCoy at RB and Percy Harvin stands opposite Sammy Watkins at WR and maybe is motivated. This division could be wide open.
Jets 3-13
Wide open, except for the Jets. Their best offseason move may have been a now-cut LB punching Geno Smith in the face and breaking his jaw. That gives Ryan Fitzpatrick the starting gig at QB. Brandon Marshall was brought in opposite of Eric Decker. They could be explosive. But Fitzpatrick is the QB. And those two aren’t exactly the healthiest guys ever. Chris Ivory, Bilal Powell and Zac Stacy isn’t a bad three-headed monster at RB. Maybe they win three games.
AFC North
Bengals 10-6
No reason to think the Bengals do anything but just enough to win the division, make the playoffs and lose in the first round.
Steelers 8-8
No Le’Veon Bell for the first two games. DeAngelo Williams is not Bell. Center Maurkice Pouncey is out for the year on a line that was already bad. That’s going to do it for the Steelers. Ben Roethlisberger takes a beating and Antonio Brown doesn’t have a season like he had last year.
Ravens 8-8
No Torrey Smith. Justin Forsett isn’t going to do what he did last year. And Steve Smith’s farewell season officially happens this year, but in terms of having an impact, his farewell was last year. The offense can’t center around Forsett and can’t depend on Joe Flacco finding guys like Smith, Crockett Gilmore and Marlon Brown downfield.
Browns 5-11
Nothing to do but keep sinking in Cleveland. They’re used to that. That’s why they brought in Josh McCown. The running game could be great, but that will only help keep teams from running up the score.
AFC South
Colts 12-4
The division is theirs for the taking and the offense got a little better – replacing one old WR (Reggie Wayne) with another (Andre Johnson). But Johnson has never had a QB, really, so he could be rejuvenated. Heck, he could be amazing opposite T.Y. Hilton. Frank Gore was brought in, as well, and he could have one more year, right? Maybe. Doesn’t really matter, because Luck is that good.
Texans 8-8
Brian Hoyer is now running the show. And Arian Foster is out for who knows how long. That’s not good for the Texans. J.J. Watt can’t do everything, though he did just about that last year. The defense carries this team to .500.
Jaguars 5-11
They brought in Julius Thomas at TE to help Blake Bortles, only to have the two never practice together. Thomas is out at least four weeks with a broken finger. It’s never easy for Jacksonville. Maybe rookie RB T.J. Yeldon provides a ray of hope.
Titans 4-12
A new QB in Marcus Mariota doesn’t solve the fact that the Titans never have any weapons on the outside. Or at RB, for that matter. Harry Douglas is not the answer. Bishop Sankey has the RB job, again, to himself, as rookie David Cobb was lost for the first six weeks, at least.
AFC West
Broncos 12-4
A lot of people seem to be writing off Peyton Manning after last season’s late disappointment. He’ll be fine. Until winter. Losing Thomas could hurt, but adding Owen Daniels, the Broncos may not miss a beat. Manning’s healthy, the defense is solid, this team dominates again.
Chiefs 9-7
They brought in Jeremy Maclin to hopefully catch one TD pass – as no WRs did last year. Alex Smith is the world’s most boring QB, while Jamaal Charles may be the league’s most exciting RB. This team should be fine, in a tough division. Better than expected, actually.
Chargers 8-8
It may all depend on whether a Wisconsin Badger RB can finally break into the NFL spotlight. Melvin Gordon seems like he could be that guy. But it’s never really happened yet. If he does, they’ll be better. If not, it’s a .500 year.
Raiders 6-10
They’ll be better, but that’s not saying much. David Carr’s time will come. Amari Cooper will help. Latavius Murray is intriguing at RB, as well. It’s a team headed in the right direction, but not quite there year.