2013-2014 NFL Predictions

2013-2014 NFL Predictions

 

 

Ah the cold breeze is in the air which can only mean one thing: IT'S FOOTBALL SEASON. My Yankees are doing better than expected but I'm still not too high on their hopes so it's time to start focusing more attention on football and my beloved Detroit Lions.... ugh. Last year I correctly predicted the Baltimore Ravens to win the Super Bowl (just check the archive on the right) so I'm trying to go back to back years here... Well here's on how I predict the upcoming NFL season to play out.

 

 

AFC EAST                                                                           NFC EAST

 

New England        11-5                                                         New York                11-5

Miami                     8-8                                                         Dallas                       10-6

Buffalo                  3-13                                                        Washington                8-8

New York             3-13                                                         Philadelphia             4-12

 

AFC NORTH                                                                        NFC NORTH

 

Cincinnati              10-6                                                       Green Bay                 12-4

Cleveland                9-7                                                        Chicago                    10-6

Baltimore                8-8                                                        Detroit                        7-9

Pittsburgh               7-9                                                        Minnesota                  6-10

 

AFC SOUTH                                                                       NFC SOUTH

 

Houston                  12-4                                                     New Orleans               11-5

Indianapolis            10-6                                                     Atlanta                        11-5

Tennessee               6-10                                                     Tampa Bay                   7-9

Jacksonville            4-12                                                     Carolina                      5-11

 

AFC WEST                                                                         NFC WEST

 

Denver                    13-3                                                    San Francisco               13-3

Kansas City              7-9                                                    Seattle                           9-7

San Diego               5-11                                                    St. Louis                       8-8

Oakland                  4-12                                                    Arizona                         4-12

Division Breakdown
AFC EAST- The Patriots will win by default though I question the quality of this football team. The offense will still score as long as number twelve plays but their defense is shoddy and questionable. Miami just isn't quite there yet. I'm not a believer in Tannehill to lead them to the playoffs. The loss of Reggie Bush will hurt them and Lamar Miller isn't likely going to be a good replacement. A team receiving worthless hype. As for the Bills and the Jets, well at least the Bills have a good running back in C.J. Spiller.  I wonder how the Jets will win games but they will find a way. They will not get any quality wins against good teams and it's just a matter of being better than the other team three times out of sixteen.

AFC NORTH- This simply is the Bengals to lose. Too much talent on offense and defense to not win this division. The addition of James Harrison should help if he doesn't do something stupid. Balanced attack in the air and the ground and a quality defense equals a quality football team they should host and win their first playoff game this year. My sleeper of the year also comes from this division: The Cleveland Browns. Yup, with an improved defense and development of Brandon Weeden who has an absolute hose of an arm, this team will get into the postseason. This is also due to the lack of quality teams in the AFC which will help them. The Ravens have lost too much not only talent but leadership which is why they miss out by a game and Pittsburgh is getting old and ther talent has depleted having lost Mike Wallace to Miami and really not having any quality running backs.

AFC SOUTH- While Denver is the sexy pick of the AFC, I think Houston is sort of flying under the radar. A fantastic upgrade in acquiring Ed Reed from the Super Bowl Champion Ravens, adding to an already quality defense definitely keeps this team in contention. They just need to stay healthy. Indianapolis is an interesting team. They have the talent to make the playoffs but do they still have the heart? They seemed to play with an extra chip on their shoulder with Chuck Pagano surviving cancer but will they keep it up. I say yes but they are very iffy considering their lackluster defense and if they can get a little more "Luck". Tennessee is not close though I predict CJ2K to make a return to relevance (on my fantasy team). I don't know if Fitzpatrick or Locker is really the right choice and their defense is nothing. Jacksonville is just plain awful but they get some sneaky wins in there. They need to find a way to get rid of Gabbert and Henne and get ready to draft a quarterback whether it's Bridgewater from Louisville or whatever the next best Quarterback comes up considering they will likely be the first ones to draft one.

AFC WEST- Denver has all the right pieces to win it all. They should be a breeze to win the division and possibly claim the #1 overall seed throughout the playoffs. It's just going to come down to winning the big game for them which something tells me they wont since they are everyone's favorite. Kansas City is overrated and will not likely live up to the hype(again). San Diego is garbage but Phillip Rivers pulls out a few pointless wins even if Ryan Matthews improves and stays healthy. Oakland is even worse. I honestly don't know what to say about this team that's positive except for the potential, and I say potential that Darren McFadden can stay healthy.

NFC EAST- Before I start on this division the common theme that will occur for the upcoming teams is that there is a ton of tough competition in the NFC. There are a handful of teams that if they were in the AFC will probably make the playoffs. having said that, we shall start in the East. The Giants are getting no respect from analysts and experts and all the hype is going to the Cowboys and Redskins while all the drama goes to the Eagles. The Giants will fly by all of them to claim the division crown behind Eli and crew but they need to make improvements on defense to contend for a championship. Dallas in my opinion is really the only ones who have a chance to overcome the Giants because of the talent on paper, but that's what it always comes down to with the Cowboys. Not being able to deliver when is counts. They will fail again as usual. Now I'm not usually one to predict injuries but I think it's pretty obvious Robert Griffin III will get hurt again. He doesn't have Cam Newton build but has his game. He may go down as the best player to never fully get a shot due to injuries on a Ken Griffey Jr. scale, shame but "hey" that's the game of football. I also don't think they have the talent around him offensively to really keep it up. Philadelphia is a rebuilding process. Chip Kelly is a good coach for this team and LeSean McCoy should have a monster year but their defense is abysmal and Michael Vick is done and again will likely get hurt again.

NFC NORTH- My favorite division in football. Rough and tough history and oh my favorite team resides in this division. Having said that it's hard to go against the Packers to win the division again. On paper they have the talent but they need to find a way to beat the 49ers. Their defense needs to step up as well. I think the Bears squeak in but by the luck of tiebreakers over Dallas. I question their defense and question their health but if they are healthy they have a good football team despite losing Lovie Smith. Now here's my Lions.... They have just about as much talent on offense as any team in the league however they didn't really improve their secondary which is always the issue along with their offensive line. Much improved record wise but they fall short mainly because the quality of team theme. Minnesota is your one and done of last year. Ponder is trash, they lost Percy Harvin and Greg Jennings needs a good quarterback to play good. Adrian Peterson can't carry this team again in the best division in football.

NFC SOUTH- This has the potential to be a highly competitive division but I believe during the regular season the return of Sean Payton will bring New Orleans back to it's prominent sate of dominance. They have that chip on their shoulder trying to reclaim what they lost from bounty-gate. Atlanta is pretty much neck and neck with New Orleans. An improved running game is a plus and the addition of Osi Umenyiora should help out the poor defense. If the defense steps up this is the most complete team in football. Tampa has a lot of potential but I'm still not a believer in Josh Freeman. Doug Martin is also overrated as a fantasy back because most of his points came from only a couple games last year. They improved their defense but they don't have enough offense to keep up in the competitive NFC. Carolina is a potential sleeper but they need more pieces on defense to support Luke Kuechly and they need to improve that abysmal running game to help out Cam Newton.

NFC WEST- Well it's the media's favorite division in football. San Francisco and Colin Kaepernick are one of the NFC favorites to return to the Super Bowl. A good team overall but I'm not sold on Kaepernick on being what Ron Jaworski claims to be a "potential Hall of Fame quarterback." That's absolutely outrageous. The defense is what keeps them in contention but it does eventually come down to Kaepernick. If he prevails they are likely Super Bowl contenders though I don't think he will. Well in case no one noticed, everyone's favorite team, the Seattle Seahawks, in my predictions, wont make the playoffs, and I highly stand by that. Here crowns the most overrated team in football. I believe Russell Wilson is overrated and their offense is overrated. Every analysts "hot pick" wont make the playoffs. You will see Russell Wilson be no more than a mediocre quarterback and the reason this team is above .500 is because of a high quality secondary and defense. The Rams are a work in progress and Tayvon Austin is going to be interesting to watch but they don't have enough yet to contend. Arizona needs to hit the reset button but I am a believer in Bruce Arians considering what he did with the Colts.
 

REGULAR SEASON AWARDS

 

MVP- Peyton Manning

Offensive Player- Drew Brees

Defensive Player- Patrick Willis

Offensive Rookie- Tayvon Austin

Defensive Rookie- Tyrann Matheiu

Comeback Player- LeSean McCoy

Coach- Sean Payton

 

 

PLAYOFFS

 

Wild Card Round

Cleveland           16                                                        Chicago             13

New England    27                                                        New York         20

 

Indianapolis        13                                                       Atlanta               35

Cincinnati          23                                                       New Orleans      33

 

Divisional Round

New England      20                                                       New York          20

Houston              33                                                      Green Bay         35

 

Cincinnati            17                                                      Atlanta               24

Denver                31                                                      San Francisco     20

 

Conference Championship

Houston              28                                                      Atlanta                 35

Denver                 24                                                     Green Bay             24

 

 

SUPER BOWL XLVIII

 

ATLANTA 28 - HOUSTON 20

 

SUPER BOWL CHAMPIONS - ATLANTA FALCONS

 

SUPER BOWL MVP- Matt Ryan