Post by spiderfan on Aug 29, 2022 14:04:21 GMT -8
People of this great forum, the IFL season, NFL free agency, the NFL Draft, training camp, and NFL preseason are all over. That means it is time for the official NFL analyst of this aforementioned great forum to make his return. Before the regular season begins however, I am going to give my annual predictions and preview of the season to come. Let us begin!
NFC South
1.) Tommy Bay Buccaneers
After their disappointing playoff performance against the Rams, it looked like the Bucs were going to enter a new era with Tom Brady exiting into the sunset. Then after Brady went on vacation with his family to Europe and realized that family time isn't all is it cracked up to be (or alternatively realized that he wasn't going to take his talents to South Beach, depends on who you ask), he decided to take back control of the ship. This meant that Bruce Arians "retired" less than 2 weeks AFTER Brady came back, giving way to the well respected former Jets HC Todd Bowles to become Brady's first mate, because make no mistake about it Brady IS the captain of the ship. The division is weak and having the recently crowned #1 player in the NFL means that the Buccaneers have to be in the Super Bowl conversation.
2.) Carolina Panthers
Because Jim Harbaugh decided to stay at Michigan, unpopular Panthers HC Matt Rhule had no exit strategy to get back to college football. Add on the failure to get Deshaun Watson and the Panthers looked to have a disappointing offseason. That was until Baker Mayfield came over in trade. Not only does this mean that the Panthers will have a proven leader who has shown he can turn a team around, it also means that the worst starting QB in the NFL last season Sam Darnold is holding a clipboard instead of throwing interceptions. That alone will improve the Panthers record and I think the Panthers will be playing meaningful games in December.
3.) Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons were seemingly this close to getting Deshaun Watson to be the new face of their franchise and lead them into a new era. Like their fellow NFC South opponent Panthers, that didn't happen. After nearly being replaced, Falcons legend Matt Ryan decided he wanted to move on with his career and play elsewhere. So now they enter the season with former #2 pick Marcus Mariota as their QB and Arthur Smith entering his second year as HC. Suffice it to say, there is a reason Smith got a long contract. The long rebuild will continue this season.
4.) New Orleans Saints
Seeing the writing on the wall that the days of being a contender were over, longtime Saints HC Sean Payton decided to go be a FOX talking head (after failing to take his talents to South Beach). Defensive Coordinator Dennis Allen will take over, and no doubt be blamed for the Saints failures despite being an innocent bystander in the wrong place at the wrong time. Shame too, because Alvin Kamara deserves to be on a team that is playing important games in the spotlight.
NFC West
1.) Los Angeles Rams
The reigning Super Bowl champs brought back almost their entire squad back which is notable not only for the obvious reason that the team won the Super Bowl, but because in the aftermath of the Super Bowl there was talk that both star DT Aaron Donald and HC Sean McVay would enter retirement. Instead Rams owner Stan Kroenke and GM Les Snead backed up the money truck and kept both of them. The Rams are absolutely in the conversation to repeat as Super Bowl champions.
2.) Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals were the best team in the NFL for 2/3rds of last season before collapsing in embarrassing fashion. Despite that, QB Kyler Murray and HC Kliff Kingsbury were given contract extensions and enter the season wanting to make a run. If they can avoid injuries and stay focused the idea of a Cardinals playoff run is certainly plausible.
3.) San Francisco 49ers
After seemingly accidentally making the playoffs last season and being a game away from the Super Bowl, the 49ers have finally made the transition from Jimmy Garoppolo to Trey Lance at QB. In the last 2 years Lance has barely played the game of football, so he is a total wildcard. He could very well be the insanely good player he was at FCS powerhouse North Dakota State and get the 49ers over the hump... or he could very well be not that great and prove what I've talked about for years, which is that Kyle Shanahan can't win games without Jimmy G as his starting quarterback. The 49ers season is going to come down to that.
4.) Seattle Seahawks
The Seahawks enter this season coming off the only the second losing season of the Pete Carroll's tenure, the Seahawks parted with franchise stalwarts Bobby Wagner AND Russell Wilson, thus leaving the Seahawks without any members of their Super Bowl teams. Sure the Seahawks had a good draft and sure they still have arguably the best WR in the NFL, DK Metcalf. The reality is that with the worst QB room the NFL has seen in years, the rest of the team being "young" (which is code for they suck but they might be good someday), and the Seahawks refusal to draft a QB or trade for Baker Mayfield, the Seahawks will end up in the conversation for the #1 pick.
NFC North
1.) Green Bay Packers
It turns out that Aaron Rodgers didn't actually want out of Green Bay because he thought the team was good enough, he just wanted more money. Rodgers got his money and with Davante Adams being traded to the Raiders, the Packers are going into the season looking (at least on paper) worse than they have been in recent years. To be fair, having secured home field advantage in the playoffs hasn't resulted in a trip to the Super Bowl, so maybe going something like 10-7 instead of 13-4 will work out better for them.
2.) Detroit Lions
The biggest storyline for the Lions this year is Jared Goff. Everyone loves Dan Campbell and think he is right coach. The question becomes is Goff going to be apart of a Lions revival or is he destined for journeyman backup QB status? This is the last year of one time record contract, so the pressure is on for him.
3.) Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings finally got sick of spinning their wheels with the Rick Spielman-Mike Zimmer and so now begin the awkward transition where the team isn't completely terrible, but wasn't good enough for the last regime to keep their jobs. My guess is that the Vikings will have another below average year with the one bright spot being Justin Jefferson, and then the tear down process will begin.
4.) Chicago Bears
I feel bad for Justin Fields. He was put in a horrible situation by the regime that drafted him, and is now being put in a horrible situation by the new regime. A first time play caller being the offensive coordinator? A defensive minded HC? A bad roster? He'll end up being chewed up and spat out just like Mitchell Trubisky was except without the benefit of one good season that keep people from thinking he is a draft bust. Khalil Mack has got to be thrilled that he no longer has to deal with the mess that is the Chicago Bears.
NFC East
1.) Philadelphia Eagles
AJ Brown is arguably the WR in the NFL and securing him from the Titans was an absolute coup for the Eagles. With Jalen Hurts now being in Year 2 of Nick Sirianni's offensive system, I see the Eagles putting up a lot of points and being the class of the NFC East.
2.) Dallas Cowboys
After having an embarrassing offseason in which they saw the unnecessary departures of both Randy Gregory AND Amari Cooper, the biggest storyline that has been the fate of Mike McCarthy and whether or not Sean Payton will replace him. I personally doubt this will happen because the Jones' are waiting for the first excuse to make underqualified and overrated Kellen Moore the HC. Moore should have left the NFL to being coaching in college football years ago, but at every possible opportunity, the Jones' made sure that Moore stayed. I feel bad for the parts of the country that have to suffer watching an 8-9 team that they don't care about. NFL Sunday Ticket is going away from DirectTV next year, so look forward to that!
3.) Washington Commanders
Why in the world, the Commanders decided to trade for Carson Wentz I have no idea. They weren't that good of a team to begin with and considering that Wentz has now been thrown overboard by 2 teams (one that gave him a morbidly obese contract and the other with his old OC now turned HC who still believed in him), I think the Commanders will actually lose more than the 10 games they lost last year.
4.) New York Football Tinys
Ah, the Tinys, you actually think you can escape the Miami Boat curse don't ya? Well, considering just 2 years ago they already went through the hiring and firing of a HC who was a great OC in Pat Shurmur, new HC Brian Daboll's prospects don't look good. Shame too, because Daboll looked to have potential. He'll have the chance to pick a new QB after this season, after the Tinys have yet another awful season. There will be more reason for optimism then... or maybe they'll just shrink at that opportunity then too.
AFC South
1.) Indianapolis Colts
The Colts have a talented roster that was held back by Carson Wentz last year. Now with Matt Ryan at QB? The likes of Johnathan Taylor and Quentin Nelson and Darius Leonard will get to experience postseason football.
2.) Tennessee Titans
The Titans managed to overcome numerous injuries to secure home field advantage last year. Unfortantely for them, the shine finally came off of Ryan Tannehill, and the Titans lost. Entering this season I think Malik Willis is going to be what Lamar Jackson was in 2018. A rookie coming in for a mediocre QB on a team that has a quality roster. It won't happen immediately if for no other reason than because Willis was clearly a "best player available" pick and not a genuine "we are going to build the team around this guy" pick. I say that because the entire preseason everyone in Titans management and coaching downplays Wills' existence. Make no mistake about it though, if the Titans want to get into the playoffs in a tough conference, they are going to need to bench Tannehill. Derrick Henry will still be fun to watch regardless.
3.) Jacksonville Jaguars
After a season that will no doubt be the subject of books for all the wrong reasons last year, the Jaguars come in hoping to not suck as bad as they have since their win over the Patriots in Week 2 of the 2018 season (I make that the line of demarkation because that win being the main CBS afternoon game was pretty much the peak of the Sacksonville era). HC Doug Pederson certainly has building blocks and the Jaguars should be an improved team. I think they are still a year or two away from the playoffs though.
4.) Houston Texans
The best thing that the Texans have going for them is that they are finally free from the aftermath of the infamous Laremy Tunsil trade and have finally moved on Deshaun Watson. Like a college program coming off of sanctions, it is going to be a LONG process before the Texans reach their former glory. I'm both nostalgic for and saddened to think at one time the Texans were a QB away from a Super Bowl...
AFC West
1.) Kansas City Chiefs
Tyreek Hill is now a member of the Miami Dolphins. This means that for the first time in the Mahomes era, he isn't the #1 WR for the Chiefs. With the defense looking to have improved, the biggest question mark around the Chiefs is can they win without Tyreek Hill? I think they can, the bigger question mark for me is can they Chiefs overcome the drama surrounding Eric Bienemy? They weren't able to last year and ultimately did not return to the Super Bowl like they wanted to. Regardless, an AFC West title is certainly doable.
2.) Los Angeles Chargers
For a number of years the Chargers have had one of the best rosters in the NFL and for a number of years they have failed to take advantage of that. With the addition of Khalil Mack, I think the Chargers will get back to the playoffs, although knowing the Chargers they'll have some kind of bad luck in the playoffs that will keep them from making a deep run.
3.) Las Vegas Raiders
Josh McDaniels finally left Foxborough in the offseason to take control of the Las Vegas Raiders. The big question becomes is McDaniels yet another Belichick coaching tree failure or is he going to bring Pats level success to the Raiders? With a tough division and an average QB, it's hard to say going to into this season. It will be interesting to see what the answer is though.
4.) Denver Broncos
You can call sour grapes all you want for me picking the Broncos this low. I don't care. Russell Wilson looked washed up last year and it doesn't matter that the Broncos have a relatively quality roster. They are in a tough division and with mediocre to slightly above average QB play (which is what Wilson will end up bringing, not MVP level football), I think the Broncos are going to miss the playoffs yet again.
AFC North
1.) Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals were minutes away from a Super Bowl title last year and had one of the best offseasons in the NFL. No, they didn't make any splashy signings or trades, but what they did do was upgrade their bad offensive line. Because of that the Bengals are a better team than they were last year. I think the Bengals are going to do great things this year.
2.) Baltimore Ravens
If not for the insane amount of injuries they had last year, the Ravens may have very well been in the Super Bowl conversation, with QB Lamar Jackson potentially having been the MVP. If the Ravens can stay healthy, they'll be right back in the running. They are going to be playing in a tough division though, so a wild card spot seems more likely than a division title.
3.) Pittsburgh Steelers
For the first time in nearly 20 years, Big Ben is not the quarterback of the Steelers. Instead, they will be lead by Mitch Trubisky (at least until he is inevitably replaced by first round pick Kenny Pickett), who looks to be having something of a career renaissance having been freed from Matt Nagy's suckage. The Steelers have a great defense, so they should win some games, like with the Ravens, I see the Steelers as a wild card team because winning the division is going to be a tough task.
4.) Cleveland Browns
After having completed quite possibly the most controversial trade acquisition in the history of the NFL, in securing Deshaun Watson, the Browns were punished for that decision with Watson being suspended 11 games for things I can't talk about on this family friendly forum. To quote Ju-Ju Smith Schuster: "The Browns is the Browns." In the long term, they'll regret trading for Watson and getting rid of Baker Mayfield. This is the first season of that process.
AFC East
1.) Buffalo Bills
The Bills are hard to handicap for me. On one hand, they are clearly the class of the AFC East and if not for the Chiefs, the Bills would have at least been to one Super Bowl in the last couple years. On the other hand, they have lost to the Chiefs, who knows if they would have beaten the Bengals, and their win against the Ravens in the 2019 playoffs felt flukey. Does the addition of Von Miller to the defense finally get the Bills over the hump? Again, hard to say because Brian Daboll leaving for the Tinys HC job may mitigate a better defense for the Bills.
2.) Miami Dolphins
After failing to secure Sean Payton and Tom Brady, the Dolphins enter the season with Tua once again as their QB. They went out and traded for Tyreek Hill hoping that he'll jumpstart Tua's disappointing tenure as Dolphins QB. Worth mentioning they tried doing that with Mike Wallace a decade ago with Ryan Tannehill, and spoiler alert, it didn't work. Then again, times have changed, and the players and coaches are different, so Hill could absolutely be the piece the Dolphins need. The answer will be the biggest question surrounding the Dolphins this year for sure.
3.) New York Jets
The Jets are another team continuing the rebuild process, therefore expecting much out of them this year would be foolish. The combination of Zach Wilson and Garrett Wilson should produce some good highlights though.
4.) New England Patriots
If Bill Belichick's legacy wasn't already lessened by the Patriots' immediate lack of success and the Buccaneers immediate amount of success, this year will bring about even more questions. Why? Because instead of hiring someone called an offensive coordinator, Belichick decided to give play call duties to two massively failed head coaches (Matt Patricia and Joe Judge), neither of whom have ever called offensive plays in their career because one of them was a defensive coordinator and the other was a special teams coach. Add on a mediocre to bad roster in and you a recipe for the worst season the Patriots have had since 2000 (when they went 5-11). If the teams of the NFC North (all of whom the Patriots play) turn out to be better than expected, the Patriots could end up being in the running for the #1 pick in my opinion.
And with all of that said let the regular season begin! I hope ya enjoyed this preview and I look forward to talking about the NFL all season long! This is spiderfan out.
