I know it is still a bit too early, but early in the preseason, what stand as your regular season predictions. These aren't my final predictions, but right now, this is what I think:
AFC East
New England 14-2 -They were an 11-5 non-playoff team without Brady. He'll put up huge numbers here with Moss returning to 2007 form and Welker putting up numbers.
Miami 8-8 - Good team, but schedule is brutal
Buffalo 7-9 - If T.O puts up big numbers, and Evans isn't covered as much, they may reach the playoffs.
NY Jets 5-11 - Sanchez may be a future pro bowler, but not this year.
AFC South
Indianapolis 13-3 - Dungy's departure won't hurt this team at all.
Houston 10-6 - Deadly offence, but if Schaub goes down, they'll rely on a QB who stepped at the back of an endzone. If Schaub is healthy, they'll put points up on the board
Tennessee 7-9 - While Chris Johnson is a future star, the loss of Haynesworth will hurt a lot.
Jacksonville 6-10 - Could be better, but I don't see it.
AFC North
Pittsburgh 12-4 - Defending Super Bowl champions have a target on their back, but they'll handle it.
Baltimore 11-5 - Recieving is iffy, but Flacco and the defence are good enough to win games.
Cincinnati 5-11 - Palmer will miss T.J, and won't be top 5 form. Maybe top 10.
Cleveland 3-13 - QB is full of question marks, running game is horrible, recieving is weaker than before, and defence has concerns too.
AFC West- Worst division I can recall in years.
San Diego 12-4- They'll be healthy and have the division locked up by mid-October. They can win more games than the rest of the division combined.
Kansas City 5-11- They did see the light near the end of last year, and will show promise this year.
Oakland 4-12- They've been a bad team for years and their draft was horrible. Thats not good at all. So long as Al Davis is in charge, they will be a punching bag for years.
Denver 3-13- McDaniels has driven out Cutler, upset the Bronco fans, and now has to help out a horrible defence. Good luck.
NFC East
Philadelphia 11-5- Defence is deadly, and offence has weapons. The Vick-McNabb thing may cause problems, though.
NY Giants 9-7- Osi will help, but offence will miss Ward, Burress and Toomer.
Dallas 8-8- Romo will choke and Phillips will leave.
Washington 6-10- Haynesworth signing was a bit risky and overspent.
NFC South
Atlanta 12-4- Ryan was remarkable as a rookie, and Turner and Roddy White had breakout seasons. They could be headed to Miami.
New Orleans 11-5- Offence is in the top three in the league, and the defence is improved.
Carolina 8-8- Schedule is deadly, and they're up and down all the time.
Tampa Bay 3-13- With the immobile QB who takes too long to throw, another QB who has little experince and doesn't make downfield throws enough, and another who's a mere rookie, along with a terrible defence, they're gonna suck.
NFC North
Chicago 11-5- Cutler doesn't have the weapons he did in Denver, but Matt Forte is a great young star, and the defence is elite.
Green Bay 10-6- Last year was an off year, and they were still very close in many of their games. Rodgers will make everyone not miss Favre.
Minnesota 8-8- One QB can't make reads, the other chokes leads that no one else can. If they can resolve the QB situation and they're even the Trent Dilfer type (the QB can be mediocre, which Jackson is even worse than), this is a Super Bowl capable team.
Detroit 3-13- Stafford will get to know the ground well, and Culpepper is another QB on that team behind a terrible offensive line. They may get luckly and win a few games, but don't expect a massive improvement from next year. They'll need to be extremely lucky to finish anything near .500. But hey, Millen's gone.
NFC West
Arizona 11-5- People still look down on them. I don't see why. Their QB defies age when healthy, they have the best recievers and arguably the best secondary, and their running game got a whole lot better with the selection of Wells. The old Cards, these are not.
Seattle 8-8- I'm skeptial of last year and health, but if Hasselbeck is healthy and makes great use of T.J, they could be better.
San Francisco 6-10- The Crabtree controversy already doesn't help an already weak team.
St. Louis 4-12- Still a year or two left in the rebuilding formula.
I just realized that while there are great teams in the NFC, no one really stands out, which gave me trouble with them in the playoffs. In the AFC, you have New England, Indy and Pittsburgh, while there is no one in the NFC like that.
1st Round: San Diego over Houston, Pittsburgh over Baltimore, Arizona over Green Bay, New Orleans over Chicago
2nd Round: New Engand over Pittsburgh, San Diego over Indianapolis, Atlanta over New Orleans, Arizona over Philadelphia
Conference: New England over San Diego, Atlanta over Arizona
Super Bowl: New England over Atlanta
Its kind of odd, but as the NFC goes, I don't really see anyone in the same league as the Pats, Colts, Steelers or even Chargers. Even I don't like choosing Atlanta in the Super Bowl. I'd be shocked if the Super Bowl winner came from the NFC.
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