RebelRocker
09-03-2012, 10:40 PM
AFC
AFC West
Oakland-6-10
The Raiders are a team in transition. They have a solid vet QB, but they have a lot of question marks with the rest of the offense. They won't be terrible, but I don't know if they can compete with the other 3 teams in this division, for now.
San Diego-7-9
I don't get how people can say the Chargers will contend this year. Between the loss of talent(Jackson, Tolbert, etc) and the mass amount of injuries(specifically, the o-line), I don't know how the Chargers are anything more than average this year. I could see them getting another win or two, but I think 7-9 is a safe guess for a team with a rash of injuries and a sudden lack of talent that they once had in previous years.
Kansas City-8-8
If KC had a better QB, they'd make the playoffs (if not win the division). They probably have the most talented roster in the division, but they can only go so far with Matt Cassel at QB. If Cassel doesn't deliver this year, expect KC to go for a QB early next year. You can take that one to the bank. Let's just hope KC isn't in the position to pull a Washington and give up a stable of draft pics to get Matt Barkley or any other highly rated QB next year.
Denver-10-6
If it were any other year, we'd probably be 12-4 or 13-3. Our schedule this season is just too brutal to rack up that many regular season wins. We are an improved team that made the playoffs last year. Our division is becoming more competitive, but I think we repeat as AFC west champs this year.
AFC North
Cleveland-5-11
Like Oakland, this is a team in transition. They could be on the right path, but this season will have to play out before we can make a concrete decision on this team.
Pittsburgh-8-8
injuries, terrible o-line, aging defense, new offensive scheme and a fiercely competitive AFC North will factor into Pittsburgh's schedule this year.
Cincinatti-9-7
Young team on the rise. Made the playoffs last year and I expect them to stay the same. Solid, above average team.
Baltimore-13-3
They're clearly the favorites to win this division, if not the entire AFC. A complete fluke kept them from taking a trip to the Super Bowl last season. I expect this team to go deep in the playoffs again this year and finally reach the big game.
AFC South
Indianapolis-4-12
Young team in a complete rebuild. Outside of the QB position, they have so much work to do. Colts fans should be patient for a few years, because it'll be a while before they sniff the postseason again.
Jacksonville-6-10
New coach, same problems. The defense will be solid, but I'll have to see more from the passing offense before I give them a better record. Consider 6-10 to be pretty generous, on my part.
Tennessee-7-9
Jake Locker's first year as a starter will have its ups and downs. It's a solid, competitive team. I like the QB, but this team has the makings to be mediocre for a while.
Houston-13-3
Defending champs in a division that appears to be getting weaker. A+ running game, Reliable QB play, big name receiver, Top 10 defense and nobody to compete with them in their division makes them the obvious favorite. Expect them to battle with Baltimore for the AFC crown.
AFC East
Miami-3-13
If we've seen anything from Hard Knocks this year, it's that this team has SO much work to do before they can be considered competitive again. Joe Philbin strikes me as a coach that the players will respect and really play for or will completely tune out and he will be out of the job within a year or two. Either way, it won't be another "3 year stop gap" coach for the Dolphins. Philbin will either succeed or fail quickly. It all depends on how much time the Dolphins FO will give him.
New York-6-10
All drama aside, this team is on the downhill slide. If preseason performance factors into anything, they have proven to be the most pathetic offense in the NFL. The defense is still solid, but if the offense continues its preseason woes into the regular season, I'll have to re-consider the record I gave them.
Buffalo-10-6
This is my sleeper team for this season. They got off to a great start last year and fizzled down the stretch. They had a good off-season with solidifying their defense and building on their explosive offense. They're is the only team in the division that had little or no change to their schemes this off-season. I expect Buffalo to finally end their playoff drought this year.
New England-12-4
The offense itself is just too good to not win this division for the Pats. Too bad their defense if miles behind. They're still a top notch team, but that defense will be their achilles heel.
Playoff teams
1.Baltimore
2.Houston
3.New England
4.Denver
5.Buffalo
6.Cincinatti
Wild Card
New England > Cincinnati
Denver > Buffalo
Divisonal
Baltimore > Denver
Houston > New England
Championship
Baltimore > Houston
AFC CHAMPS- BALTIMORE
Verdict
There has been a pattern in this conference for the last 9 years. The AFC representative in the super bowl during that span have been a rotation between 3 teams (New England, Pittsburgh and Indianapolis). With the Colts rebuilding, the Steelers dealing with an age crisis and New England reaching the final years of the Brady era, the conference is starting to experience a power shift. Teams like Baltimore, Houston, Denver, KC, Buffalo and Cincy are suddenly surging and it seems highly unlikely that this "3 team AFC streak" will last much longer. Somebody else will break through and they'll do it this year.
I'll post my NFC predictions next
AFC West
Oakland-6-10
The Raiders are a team in transition. They have a solid vet QB, but they have a lot of question marks with the rest of the offense. They won't be terrible, but I don't know if they can compete with the other 3 teams in this division, for now.
San Diego-7-9
I don't get how people can say the Chargers will contend this year. Between the loss of talent(Jackson, Tolbert, etc) and the mass amount of injuries(specifically, the o-line), I don't know how the Chargers are anything more than average this year. I could see them getting another win or two, but I think 7-9 is a safe guess for a team with a rash of injuries and a sudden lack of talent that they once had in previous years.
Kansas City-8-8
If KC had a better QB, they'd make the playoffs (if not win the division). They probably have the most talented roster in the division, but they can only go so far with Matt Cassel at QB. If Cassel doesn't deliver this year, expect KC to go for a QB early next year. You can take that one to the bank. Let's just hope KC isn't in the position to pull a Washington and give up a stable of draft pics to get Matt Barkley or any other highly rated QB next year.
Denver-10-6
If it were any other year, we'd probably be 12-4 or 13-3. Our schedule this season is just too brutal to rack up that many regular season wins. We are an improved team that made the playoffs last year. Our division is becoming more competitive, but I think we repeat as AFC west champs this year.
AFC North
Cleveland-5-11
Like Oakland, this is a team in transition. They could be on the right path, but this season will have to play out before we can make a concrete decision on this team.
Pittsburgh-8-8
injuries, terrible o-line, aging defense, new offensive scheme and a fiercely competitive AFC North will factor into Pittsburgh's schedule this year.
Cincinatti-9-7
Young team on the rise. Made the playoffs last year and I expect them to stay the same. Solid, above average team.
Baltimore-13-3
They're clearly the favorites to win this division, if not the entire AFC. A complete fluke kept them from taking a trip to the Super Bowl last season. I expect this team to go deep in the playoffs again this year and finally reach the big game.
AFC South
Indianapolis-4-12
Young team in a complete rebuild. Outside of the QB position, they have so much work to do. Colts fans should be patient for a few years, because it'll be a while before they sniff the postseason again.
Jacksonville-6-10
New coach, same problems. The defense will be solid, but I'll have to see more from the passing offense before I give them a better record. Consider 6-10 to be pretty generous, on my part.
Tennessee-7-9
Jake Locker's first year as a starter will have its ups and downs. It's a solid, competitive team. I like the QB, but this team has the makings to be mediocre for a while.
Houston-13-3
Defending champs in a division that appears to be getting weaker. A+ running game, Reliable QB play, big name receiver, Top 10 defense and nobody to compete with them in their division makes them the obvious favorite. Expect them to battle with Baltimore for the AFC crown.
AFC East
Miami-3-13
If we've seen anything from Hard Knocks this year, it's that this team has SO much work to do before they can be considered competitive again. Joe Philbin strikes me as a coach that the players will respect and really play for or will completely tune out and he will be out of the job within a year or two. Either way, it won't be another "3 year stop gap" coach for the Dolphins. Philbin will either succeed or fail quickly. It all depends on how much time the Dolphins FO will give him.
New York-6-10
All drama aside, this team is on the downhill slide. If preseason performance factors into anything, they have proven to be the most pathetic offense in the NFL. The defense is still solid, but if the offense continues its preseason woes into the regular season, I'll have to re-consider the record I gave them.
Buffalo-10-6
This is my sleeper team for this season. They got off to a great start last year and fizzled down the stretch. They had a good off-season with solidifying their defense and building on their explosive offense. They're is the only team in the division that had little or no change to their schemes this off-season. I expect Buffalo to finally end their playoff drought this year.
New England-12-4
The offense itself is just too good to not win this division for the Pats. Too bad their defense if miles behind. They're still a top notch team, but that defense will be their achilles heel.
Playoff teams
1.Baltimore
2.Houston
3.New England
4.Denver
5.Buffalo
6.Cincinatti
Wild Card
New England > Cincinnati
Denver > Buffalo
Divisonal
Baltimore > Denver
Houston > New England
Championship
Baltimore > Houston
AFC CHAMPS- BALTIMORE
Verdict
There has been a pattern in this conference for the last 9 years. The AFC representative in the super bowl during that span have been a rotation between 3 teams (New England, Pittsburgh and Indianapolis). With the Colts rebuilding, the Steelers dealing with an age crisis and New England reaching the final years of the Brady era, the conference is starting to experience a power shift. Teams like Baltimore, Houston, Denver, KC, Buffalo and Cincy are suddenly surging and it seems highly unlikely that this "3 team AFC streak" will last much longer. Somebody else will break through and they'll do it this year.
I'll post my NFC predictions next