RebelRocker
10-30-2012, 03:26 PM
I did one of these either in the pre-season or right before the regular season opener, so I decided to do another projection for all of the teams at the mid-season mark. First, the AFC.
AFC WEST
1.Denver 11-5. I originally predicted us to go 10-6, but the way we're clicking right now, This team should win atleast seven of its last nine games. I see us losing one of those roads games and one divisional game(whether a trap game or last game of the season when we clinched the division and decide to rest our starters). Either way, I see us winning the division and falling just short of a first round bye in the playoffs.
2.San Diego 7-9. Need I say more?
3.Oakland 6-10. Oakland has been a scrappy team. Granted, two of the three teams they've beaten are the two worst teams in the league, but atleast they're not terrible.
4.Kansas City 2-14. I felt REALLY generous and wanted to give them 3 wins right now, but I just can't. Atleast Jax and Car show up in their games.
AFC North
1. Baltimore 10-6. They may beat the Broncos later on this season, but between injuries in key positions and playing in a tougher division, Denver will end with a better record. Still a dangerous team to keep an eye on, though.
2. Pittsburgh 9-7. They get to 9 wins and a wild card spot simply by the mediocrity of the AFC this year. Most other seasons, I predict them to win 7 games. They have a laundry list of injuries and that offense isn't clicking as well as it should. But since they're a battle tested team, they will find a way to survive and eek their way into the postseason.
3. Cincinnati 6-10. I was expecting more from them, but it looks like the entire team is taking a sophomore slump. They should bounce back next season.
4. Cleveland 4-12. They may be the best of the "crap teams" right now. May be a funny thing of me to say, but they're definitely the most competitive of the bunch between NO, KC, JAX and Carolina.
AFC South
1. Houston 13-3. They lose a game to a quality opponent and lose their regular season finale because by that point, they should have a first round bye(if not the #1 seed) wrapped up.
2. Indianapolis 7-9. Better team than I thought they'd be this year, but still not enough to be a playoff team. They've beaten soft teams.
3.Tennessee 5-11. They have a lot of work to do. At this point, they're better off getting Locker back into the line up, when he's healthy, and letting him get valuable game experience. This team is in full on "rebuild" mode.
4.Jacksonville 2-14. They share a record with KC, but atleast they show up to their games. Hence last weekend's game against Green Bay.
AFC East
1. New England 12-4. It seems like they get all of the breaks, don't they? Soft division, soft schedule, mediocre conference. They'll win a lot of games and contend for a super bowl, but I don't think they'll be able to hang with whichever NFC team gets to the Super Bowl, if NE makes it. NY has proven that if you punch Brady in the mouth with a pass rush and your offense can resist turnovers, NE is absolutely beatable.
2. Miami 8-8. Holy shit, I did not see this coming last time I did this prediction. They already won more in seven games than I projected them for the entire season! Talk about scrappy. Nothing is overly impressive about them, but they just keep showing up to play. Props to the Dolphins for stepping up this year. Now let's see if they can challenge NE for that AFC east title in the near future.
3. New York 6-10. I feel generous giving them six wins.
4. Buffalo 6-10. Same with Buffalo. Expect a regime change at the end of this season.
AFC playoff seeding
1.Houston
2.New England
3.Denver
4.Baltimore
5.Pittsburgh
6.Miami
AFC CHAMP- HOUSTON They're just a complete team and have the upper hand on everybody else in the AFC right now. It's their conference to lose, IMO.
Now for the NFC
NFC West
1.San Francisco 11-5. Very good team, but still beatable.
2.Seattle 8-8. Tough, young team. Maybe they get a break and sneak in as the #6 seed this year, but I think they just miss out this year. Definitely a team to watch down the line.
3.Arizona 6-10. They faded so fast. THEY NEED A QB...And some offensive lineman.
4.St Louis 5-11. Give them time. St. Louis has the worst winning percentage of any team over the last few years. It'll take a while to get rid of that stench.
NFC North
1.Chicago 12-4. Damn, that defense is playing so well right now. That side of the ball alone is going to make them a playoff team.
2.Green Bay 10-6. They may not be happy winning the division, but last time they won the super bowl, they didn't win the division, either. If anybody has proven the idea of "just get in the playoffs" as a formula for postseason success, it's the Packers. I wouldn't sleep on them.
3.Minnesota 8-8. Better than I expected, but they're not a playoff team. They remind me of the last few teams that Shanahan coached here. Get off to a hot start, only to crumble. Outside of their win against San Fran, they beat pathetic teams at opportune times.
4.Detroit 7-9. Not sure what happened to them, but they need to step it up.
NFC South
1. Atlanta 14-2. They'll cruise to a first round bye and in my prediction, the #1 seed in the NFC. They did this two years ago, only to be whipped by Green Bay in the playoffs. Great regular season team, but they need to prove themselves when it counts.
2.Tampa Bay 9-7. They're starting to get on a roll. Very impressive coaching and execution by the Bucs. I thought they had potential to be a competitive team this year and now, they're proving it. I could see them going 6-3 down the stretch.
3.New Orleans 7-9. They'll get hot, at the wrong time. The postseason door is quickly shutting on NO this year.
4.Carolina 3-13. Does this team take Mike McCoy off of our hands at the end of this season? Time will tell.
NFC East
1.Giants 11-5. The defending champs cruise to the division title. Now let's see if they can re-gain that momentum they had in the postseason last year.
2.Washington 7-9. They're heading in the right direction, they need more time before they can be a playoff team, though.
3.Philadelphia 7-9. They mine as well play Nick Foles, because the new regime will need to see what he has to offer before they completely turn the page on Andy Reid.
4.Dallas 6-10. They finish last in the division, by the tips of their fingers. I have a feeling they'll move on from Romo and go all out for a top rated QB in the draft this year like the Redskins did with RGIII.
NFC Playoff seeding
1.Atlanta
2.Chicago
3.New York
4.San Francisco
5.Green Bay
6. Tampa Bay
NFC CHAMPS- Atlanta. This is a tough one. I could see any of these teams making a legitimate run at a super bowl title. It's like having 6 semi's racing down a merging one lane highway. Winning this conference will be a big enough challenge, winning the superbowl will be icing on the cake for this team.
SUPER BOWL PREDICTION
Houston 24-Atlanta 17
Although the NFC is clearly the superior conference this year, I think Houston has a solid match up against Atlanta. The Falcons have been vulnerable to lesser teams like the Raiders. If another NFC team plays the Houston, then I could alter the outcome, but for this match-up, I got Houston hoisting the Lombardi trophy.
AFC WEST
1.Denver 11-5. I originally predicted us to go 10-6, but the way we're clicking right now, This team should win atleast seven of its last nine games. I see us losing one of those roads games and one divisional game(whether a trap game or last game of the season when we clinched the division and decide to rest our starters). Either way, I see us winning the division and falling just short of a first round bye in the playoffs.
2.San Diego 7-9. Need I say more?
3.Oakland 6-10. Oakland has been a scrappy team. Granted, two of the three teams they've beaten are the two worst teams in the league, but atleast they're not terrible.
4.Kansas City 2-14. I felt REALLY generous and wanted to give them 3 wins right now, but I just can't. Atleast Jax and Car show up in their games.
AFC North
1. Baltimore 10-6. They may beat the Broncos later on this season, but between injuries in key positions and playing in a tougher division, Denver will end with a better record. Still a dangerous team to keep an eye on, though.
2. Pittsburgh 9-7. They get to 9 wins and a wild card spot simply by the mediocrity of the AFC this year. Most other seasons, I predict them to win 7 games. They have a laundry list of injuries and that offense isn't clicking as well as it should. But since they're a battle tested team, they will find a way to survive and eek their way into the postseason.
3. Cincinnati 6-10. I was expecting more from them, but it looks like the entire team is taking a sophomore slump. They should bounce back next season.
4. Cleveland 4-12. They may be the best of the "crap teams" right now. May be a funny thing of me to say, but they're definitely the most competitive of the bunch between NO, KC, JAX and Carolina.
AFC South
1. Houston 13-3. They lose a game to a quality opponent and lose their regular season finale because by that point, they should have a first round bye(if not the #1 seed) wrapped up.
2. Indianapolis 7-9. Better team than I thought they'd be this year, but still not enough to be a playoff team. They've beaten soft teams.
3.Tennessee 5-11. They have a lot of work to do. At this point, they're better off getting Locker back into the line up, when he's healthy, and letting him get valuable game experience. This team is in full on "rebuild" mode.
4.Jacksonville 2-14. They share a record with KC, but atleast they show up to their games. Hence last weekend's game against Green Bay.
AFC East
1. New England 12-4. It seems like they get all of the breaks, don't they? Soft division, soft schedule, mediocre conference. They'll win a lot of games and contend for a super bowl, but I don't think they'll be able to hang with whichever NFC team gets to the Super Bowl, if NE makes it. NY has proven that if you punch Brady in the mouth with a pass rush and your offense can resist turnovers, NE is absolutely beatable.
2. Miami 8-8. Holy shit, I did not see this coming last time I did this prediction. They already won more in seven games than I projected them for the entire season! Talk about scrappy. Nothing is overly impressive about them, but they just keep showing up to play. Props to the Dolphins for stepping up this year. Now let's see if they can challenge NE for that AFC east title in the near future.
3. New York 6-10. I feel generous giving them six wins.
4. Buffalo 6-10. Same with Buffalo. Expect a regime change at the end of this season.
AFC playoff seeding
1.Houston
2.New England
3.Denver
4.Baltimore
5.Pittsburgh
6.Miami
AFC CHAMP- HOUSTON They're just a complete team and have the upper hand on everybody else in the AFC right now. It's their conference to lose, IMO.
Now for the NFC
NFC West
1.San Francisco 11-5. Very good team, but still beatable.
2.Seattle 8-8. Tough, young team. Maybe they get a break and sneak in as the #6 seed this year, but I think they just miss out this year. Definitely a team to watch down the line.
3.Arizona 6-10. They faded so fast. THEY NEED A QB...And some offensive lineman.
4.St Louis 5-11. Give them time. St. Louis has the worst winning percentage of any team over the last few years. It'll take a while to get rid of that stench.
NFC North
1.Chicago 12-4. Damn, that defense is playing so well right now. That side of the ball alone is going to make them a playoff team.
2.Green Bay 10-6. They may not be happy winning the division, but last time they won the super bowl, they didn't win the division, either. If anybody has proven the idea of "just get in the playoffs" as a formula for postseason success, it's the Packers. I wouldn't sleep on them.
3.Minnesota 8-8. Better than I expected, but they're not a playoff team. They remind me of the last few teams that Shanahan coached here. Get off to a hot start, only to crumble. Outside of their win against San Fran, they beat pathetic teams at opportune times.
4.Detroit 7-9. Not sure what happened to them, but they need to step it up.
NFC South
1. Atlanta 14-2. They'll cruise to a first round bye and in my prediction, the #1 seed in the NFC. They did this two years ago, only to be whipped by Green Bay in the playoffs. Great regular season team, but they need to prove themselves when it counts.
2.Tampa Bay 9-7. They're starting to get on a roll. Very impressive coaching and execution by the Bucs. I thought they had potential to be a competitive team this year and now, they're proving it. I could see them going 6-3 down the stretch.
3.New Orleans 7-9. They'll get hot, at the wrong time. The postseason door is quickly shutting on NO this year.
4.Carolina 3-13. Does this team take Mike McCoy off of our hands at the end of this season? Time will tell.
NFC East
1.Giants 11-5. The defending champs cruise to the division title. Now let's see if they can re-gain that momentum they had in the postseason last year.
2.Washington 7-9. They're heading in the right direction, they need more time before they can be a playoff team, though.
3.Philadelphia 7-9. They mine as well play Nick Foles, because the new regime will need to see what he has to offer before they completely turn the page on Andy Reid.
4.Dallas 6-10. They finish last in the division, by the tips of their fingers. I have a feeling they'll move on from Romo and go all out for a top rated QB in the draft this year like the Redskins did with RGIII.
NFC Playoff seeding
1.Atlanta
2.Chicago
3.New York
4.San Francisco
5.Green Bay
6. Tampa Bay
NFC CHAMPS- Atlanta. This is a tough one. I could see any of these teams making a legitimate run at a super bowl title. It's like having 6 semi's racing down a merging one lane highway. Winning this conference will be a big enough challenge, winning the superbowl will be icing on the cake for this team.
SUPER BOWL PREDICTION
Houston 24-Atlanta 17
Although the NFC is clearly the superior conference this year, I think Houston has a solid match up against Atlanta. The Falcons have been vulnerable to lesser teams like the Raiders. If another NFC team plays the Houston, then I could alter the outcome, but for this match-up, I got Houston hoisting the Lombardi trophy.