Post by spiderfan on Sept 5, 2019 11:50:15 GMT -8
FOOTBALL IS BACK!!!!! Preseason ball and training camps are over, free agency and the draft are in the books (and by books I mean pro football reference), and the NFL season is upon us. With that being the case it is time for my yearly prediction column. So, I am Spiderfan the official NFL Analyst for SCtoC let us begin with my 2019 NFL Predictions.
NFC South
1.) New Orleans Saints
A team that was a bad call (by Sean Payton, not the ref) from going to the 52nd edition of the Super Bowl last year is going to win the NFC South this year. Primarily because the rest of the division isn't all that great. They do have some good pieces (Drew Brees, Alvin Kamara, and Michael Thomas) but I don't see the Saints making much noise come postseason time due to their lackluster postseason last year, so SPOILER ALERT they aren't my pick to represent the NFC in SB 53.
2.) Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons disappointed me last year. This was a team that had gone to a SB and then almost made another and barely finished the season 7-9. Being that as it may, they still have some talent on the roster and have a totally revamped coaching staff, which I think will improve the Falcons slightly, just not enough to win the division.
3.) Carolina Panthers
Cam Newton's shoulder scares me. The fact that he is dealing with a similar injury to what Andrew Luck dealt with and hasn't taken any time off to heal should be a HUGE concern for the Panthers going forward. It won't surprise me if Will Grier ends up starting a bunch of games and the season ends up being a long one for the Panthers.
4.) Tampa Bay Buccaneers
As I stated toward the end of last season Jameis Winston is a bust. The Bucs ownership is in an incredible state of denial as they have now hired 2 head coaches who were meant to "fix him" first it was Dirk Koetter (now Falcons OC) and now former Cardinals HC and CBS commentator Bruce Arians. Don't get me wrong Arians is a good coach, but the idea that all of the sudden in Year 5, Winston is finally going to get it is INSANE. Bruce Arians will end up back in the booth soon folks.
NFC West
1.) LA Rams
In what is going to be a great division this year, I think the incumbent is going to win it for a third straight year. Now, Gurley is in bad shape and that would be a concern if it weren't for his likely replacement Darrell Henderson who is plenty good on his own. They still have most of the pieces from last year too.
2.) Seattle Seahawks
The Seahawks under Pete Carroll have always been good and this year will be no different. The acquisition of Jadeveon Clowney is going to help them immensely. Why? Because his pass rushing ability will not only help the sack numbers of the defense but also open opportunities for other guys on the defensive to make plays. If Brian Schottenheimer improves as an OC, I can totally see this team winning the division, but for right now I see the Seahawks as a Wild Card.
3.) Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals had an interesting offseason. They hired former Texas Tech HC and 3 day USC OC Kliff Kingsbury and drafted Heisman Winner and 1st round MLB draft pick Kyler Murray 1st overall in the NFL Draft. All jokes aside I think in time Kliff and Kyler will become a dynamic duo to reckoned with. Being that this is Year 1 of their tenure I will there will be ups and downs, but I assure you there will be flashes of greatness. Once the offense becomes used to Kliff's system and once GM Steve Keim makes some moves to improve the roster, the Cardinals will be a scary team... next year.
4.) San Francisco 49ers
This is a put up or shut up year for the 49ers. Kyle Shanahan is overrated. The dude hasn't won many games as a HC and frankly I'm getting sick and tired of hearing how elite he is. Jimmy G has been good when he plays, but I want to see more of him. Maybe all the pieces finally come together or may they finish last. I say they finish last.
NFC North
1.) Da Bears
Last year I said the Rams had all the pieces to make a SB run and they did. A great young offensive coach (Matt Nagy), a good DC (Chuck Pagano), a defensive stud (Khalil Mack), a good RB (Tarik Cohen), and a young QB who is entering year 2 in the great offensive coach's system (Mitchell Trubisky). Does all that sound familiar? It does to me.
2.) Green Bay Packers
Aaron Rodgers finally got his version of Tyronn Lue after running Mike McCarthy out of town near the end of last year. After not caring last year, I expect him to be actually interested in playing football this year. Although, karma has a way of getting people in the football world and Rodgers will be no different. The bad karma? Not winning the division and not making the postseason.
3.) Detroit Lions
The Patriot Way has failed in yet another place not called Foxborough and it is only a matter of time before Martha Ford realizes that trying the Patriot Way was a bad idea. Feel bad for Matt Stafford in all of this nonsense as he is actually pretty good and deserves better.
4.) Minnesota Vikings
Kirk Cousins by all accounts is a nice fella with a nice family. With that disclaimer, it is time for me to repeat what I've said before and will continue to say: Kirk. Cousins. Is. A. Choker. The man can't deliver at an even above average level. He can't win national TV afternoon or primetime games, he can't make big throws in big moments, he gets blinded by the lights, and it is absurd that he got a fully guaranteed contract worth nearly 100 million dollars. The Vikings won't win anything with Cousins as QB and his tenure will only cause further heartbreak for a Vikings fanbase who has lived through generations of heartbraking moments. Oh, and the current Vikings regime will end up getting fired too.
NFC East
1.) Washington Redskins
This is a bold pick, but hear me out. Last year, the Redskins were 6-3 before the injuries took their toll on the team ultimately costing them a spot in the playoffs. Also, the last time Case Keenum was put in a situation where he was a starter with heat on him, he played his best football. If the Redskins stay close to healthy and keep Keenum upright, I see this team making some noise.
2.) Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys are a poorly run and poorly coached team that somehow wins games. Beware of talk that new OC Kellen Moore is going to be any better that Scott Linehan. Moore was brought to the Cowboys by Linehan and being that he was only the QB coach for a year and was then thrust into the offensive coordinator position, I doubt that Moore's system is much different from Linehan's. Because of this the Cowboys shouldn't win games, but they will because nothing is real in the world anymore (put in clip)
3.) Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles will regret letting Nick Foles go. It became clear that the team was better without Wentz than it was with him last year, and I see no reason for that to change.
4.) New York Football Giants
My biggest question about the Football Giants is when Daniel Jones is going to play, if at all. The last 2 years the Giants have been terrible and if they start terrible, Eli will most likely get pulled. However, on the flip side if the Giants start good Eli may be reborn the Giants may rebound. But knowing the Giants they will shrink and shrink to where they will be tiny and miniature and ultimately be bad... again.
AFC South
1.) Jacksonville Jaguars
The Eagles will regret letting Nick Foles go. Did I say that already? The Jaguars were a bad call away from going to the Super Bowl a couple of years ago and being that the team was humbled last year, I see them being the hungry team that wants to prove they are legit contenders. Nick Foles will have a better year than Carson Wentz and take the Jags to the postseason, maybe beyond.
2.) Houston Texans
Like their fellow texans (no pun intended) the Texans are poorly run and poorly coached and yet somehow win games. Bill O'Brien has proven himself to not only be a terrible coach, but because new ownership is stupid and gave him complete personnel control too. This led to the awful Clowney trade and the atrocious Laremy Tunsil trade which will set the franchise back years. Hopefully, the team finally bottoms out and things change, but they'll win too many games for that to happen.
3.) Tennessee Titans
The QB battle between Marcus Mariota and Ryan Tannehill will only lead to the Titans taking someone in the draft. The Titans managed to get on SNF last year, so they managed to climb out of irrelevance, and who knows? Maybe they'll overachieve again. But, I don't think so.
4.) Indianapolis Colts
Oooooo.... Chris Ballard has a bunch of cap space and didn't use it and drafted some O-lineman that must mean the Colts are da best teem evar right? WRONG. The idea that not spending money to improve your team and drafting O-lineman makes you contenders is flat out ridiculous. Add on top of that that Andrew Luck retired and you've got a recipe for a team that is going to have a losing record and draft Jake Fromm next year.
AFC West
1.) Kansas City Chiefs
The GORN (Greatest of Right Now) Patrick Mahomes and will continue his reign as the best QB in all of football. Tyreek Hill will continue his reign as the best WR in all of football. The defense will likely improve from last year under new DC Steve Spagnuolo and SPOILER ALERT I think they are going to the Super Bowl.
2.) LA Chargers
The Chargers are a solid team. They have a good defense, good QB, and good receivers. They are a playoff team for sure, I don't think they'll make it far in the postseason though.
3.) Las Vegas... er.. Oakland Raiders
Antonio Brown will increase the Raiders win count this year by himself this year. That is how good he is. The Raiders will continue to develop and by the time they get to Vegas they'll be legit. Right now, they are still a year away in my opinion.
LAST MINUTE EDIT: Apparently, AB got into an argument with Raiders GM Mike Mayock in which AB threatened to punch Mayock in the face and the two were seperated by Vontaze Burfict (This is real, look it up). The Raiders have suspended AB and could cut him any minute now because Brown's guaranteed money is voided. Jon Gruden please sign Dez Bryant as Brown's replacement. That would be amazing.
EVEN MORE LAST MINUTE EDIT: Now Antonio Brown is no a Raider. While his release was justified, the Raiders are going to need replace him fast because if they don't they are going to win 4 games again.
4.) Denver Broncos
A New HC and New QB that should mean the team improves right? In the case of the Broncos. No. They Broncos will continue to be bad and cement themselves as bottom feeders of the AFC.
AFC North
1.) Baltimore Ravens
One of the biggest storylines of this season will be how good the Ravens are. The defense will still be a top 10 unit and I predict the offense will in the top 10 as well. Lamar Jackson will bring his Heisman level talent to the Ravens and I think the Ravens will be contenders.
2.) Cleveland Browns
If I haven't already I'd like to apologize to Browns GM John Dorsey because what he has done with the Browns is incredible. The Browns now have all the pieces to be a great team going forward and I think after this year once everyone gets used to each other they'll be contenders. Think 2017 to 2018 Rams.
3.) Cincinnati Bengals
I think Zac Taylor will be a good coach for the Bengals. I think the Bengals are like other teams in that this will be an adjustment year. With that said they won't be the worst team in the division
4.) Pittsburgh Steelers
Regardless of how you feel about Antonio Brown's off field antics, the hard truth is this: The Steelers NEEDED him. Big Ben made a mistake running him out of town and his stat sheet will show. Ju-Ju? He is a good no. 2 WR, but I doubt he'll be a good no. 1. As someone who watched the Cowboys try to pretend they didn't need a number 1 receiver and fail, I can tell Steelers management their experiment will fail miserably. Enjoy being the big fish of the next coaching cycle Mike Tomlin!
AFC East
1.) New England Patriots
There is no doubt who is going to win the AFC East. It doesn't matter if the Patriots roster consists of rubber glue, duct tape, and chewed gum, they are contenders as long as they have Belichick, Brady, and McDaniels.
OK, SERIOUSLY WHAT IS HAPPENING EDIT: So like an hour after Antonio Brown gets cut he signs with the Patriots. My reaction is simply this:
Conspiracy theory: Bill Belichick and Antonio Brown conspired so that Brown would eventually end up in New England, ultimately getting back at the Steelers. At this point, this theory seems possible.
2.) Buffalo Bills
The Bills revamped their roster in the offseason and I think Josh Allen will make a nice jump in Year 2.
3.) New York Jets
Adam Gase, Sam Darnold, Le'Veon Bell are vastly overrated and will disappoint people. Have fun making excuses Colin Cowherd!
4.) Miami Dolphins
Fitzmagic is back and will reign once again. However Fitztragic will cause Josh Rosen to start a bunch of games and that will lead to losses. Even so, Fitzmagic will keep the Dolphins from getting a tippy top draft pick and make the NFL more fun in the process.
Spiderfan's Official Super Bowl 54 Prediction: Chiefs-Bears
People of this great forum, those are my predictions for the 2019 NFL Season. I look forward to writing about this upcoming season and sharing it all with you. This is spiderfan out.
