NFC
NFC West
1. San Fransisco 49ers: 12-4
- The 49ers will end up going 12-4. Alex Smith was dangerous enough last season. Now throw into the mix new targets for him to throw to in the form of Mario Manningham and Randy Moss, the 49ers look to possibly make a repeat appearance in the NFC Championship game.
2. Seattle Seahawks: 8-8
- The Seahawks will finish the season around 500, but the tougher opponents look to come from the AFC this year having to play both the AFC East and NFC South. The Seahawks still have weapons on offense in Marshawn Lynch, Braylon Edwards, and Sidney Rice. The only problem is the Hawks really don't have much in the way of a Quarterback. Matt Flynn and Russel Wilson are peg as the QB but there is no true defined #1 thrower in Seattle and that will make it hard for the Seawhawks to win games.
3. Arizona Cardinals: 5-11
-After having two great years in 2008 and 2009 the Cardinals have fallen off the last two seasons finishing last year 8-8. The Cardinals still have plenty off firepower on offense with Beanie Wells running the football along with Larry Fitzgerald and Todd Heap to catch the passes. The Cards also have a revamped and improved defense. The only problem is they don't have a quarterback. John Skelton and Kevin Kolb are going to be under a microscope all year and with neither one holding down the starting job its gonna be a tough year in Cardinal Country.
4. St. Louis Rams: 3-13
- The Rams are going to have a tough year ahead of them, facing all teams who were around 500 or better last season. Quarterback Sam Bradford has Steven Jackson to hand the ball off to but otherwise he has nothing really to work with on offense and will again be involved in a losing season for the Rams.
NFC South
1. New Orleans Saints: 10-6
-After all that happened to the Saints in the offseason with the suspension of players due to the bounty scandal, the Saints and Quarterback Drew Breeze still have enough firepower to work with to get into the playoffs.
2. Atlanta Falcons: 9-7
-Atlanta is poised to have a decent year this year. Matt Ryan is back as the starter and still has the full set of weapons to run with in the forms of Michael Turner, Roddy White, Julio Jones, and new addition Tony Gonzalez. Only question mark I have with the Falcons is how good their defense is going to be.
3. Carolina Panthers: 7-9
-Cam Newton is back in charge of the Panthers offense again this year. It doesn't hurt his case that he as DeAngelo Williams to hand the ball to, and can throw it off to Steve Smith and Greg Olsen, but that's really about it. The Panthers will have a good season don't get me wrong, but it won't be good enough to get them into the playoffs.
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 4-12
-Quarterback Josh Freeman is gonna have a lot of rookies to work with on offense. He has some solid proven vets to work with as targets such as Dallas Clark, Vincent Jackson, and DJ Ware but not much hope coming out of Tampa this year.
NFC North
1. Green Bay Packers: 13-3
-For Quarterback Arron Rogers and the rest of the Packers this year is going to be another statement. They have a moderately tough schedule. The only team I really see possibly beating the Pack would be the 49ers and Bears but that may be about it. Last years Packers team is still together and in tact so expect another big year in Green Bay.
2. Chicago Bears: 12-4
-Jay Cutler and Jason Campbell have the weapons and firepower to work with to be a very good football team this year and I can see them challenging the Packers for the Division Title.
3. Minnesota Vikings: 7-9
-The Vikings don't have anything to really run with in this division and won't go too far. They will surprise a few people and manage to win a few games but they simply don't have enough on offense to get to the playoffs.
4. Detroit Lions: 7-9
-Matthew Stafford will have a good year for the Lions but they will fall just short of 500 because the opponents they play are just too good.
NFC East
1. New York Giants: 10-6
-Eli Mannaing and the rest of the Giants are coming off last years Super Bowl Victory. The only major loss for the Giants was the departure of Manningham to the Niners. Other than that this team is still in tact and should be able to take the Division this year.
2. Philadelphia Eagles: 9-7
-Michael Vick is going to be tested this year as Eagles QB. The only thing that isn't for certain is the Eagles Defense and possible receiving Core. The offense should be good enough but the defense looks spotty. All in all they will be at or over the 500 mark all season.
3. Dallas Cowboys: 8-8
-Tony Romo and the Boys are in for a decent to moderately tough schedule ahead. Dallas has the offense to be able to hang in the division but the question mark again with the Cowboys is can their defense hold up.
4. Washington Redskins: 7-9
-Quarterback Robert Griffin III will turn a lot of heads in his first year at Quarterback in Washington. He has enough talent around him on offense to help keep the team around 500 but the NFC East is too good a division right now.
AFC
AFC West
1. Denver Broncos: 11-5
-Last Season Denver was good enough to get a wild card spot and get into the playoffs. This years team may actually be better than last year. The defense hasn't changed much but the offense sure has with Payton Manning at Quarterback. Manning as we all know missed all of last season after undergoing neck surgery so he may not look like the Payton of old but he is still good enough to get the Broncos to another winning season.
2. San Diego Chargers: 9-7
-Philip Rivers is still one of the top Quarterbacks in the NFL and he can find ways to win games for his team. Only suspect part of this team is the Defense.
3. Kansas City Chiefs: 5-11
-Kansas City did a good job this offseason of upgrading the weapons on offense, adding Kevin Boss and Jamal Charles to an already decent offense. The two question marks I have with the Chiefs is who is the true number one Quarterback and how good is the offensive line gonna be. If the line, which right now appears filled with rookies, can't hold up then the Chiefs go down. Gonna be a tough year in KC this year.
4. Oakland Raiders: 5-11
-The Raiders still have a lot of holes to fill.; The line is suspect and the receiving core looks weak. Plus it isn't clear who will be the man at quarterback in Oakland, is it Matt Leinart or Carson Palmer. I guess only time will tell.
AFC South
1. Houston Texans: 10-6
-The Texans have a talented team but they need to figure out who will lead them at Quarterback. Based on what happened last year I don't think Schaub has it in him. IF Schaub starts they are going to be worse, if Yates is the man at Quarterback then they have a shot to finish 500.
2. Tennessee Titans: 6-10
-Tennessee doesn't have enough talent around Jack Lockhart to get the team to 500. The defense will keep them in a lot of games but they simply don't have enough firepower to get to 500.
3. Indianapolis Colts: 6-10
-This is a rebuilding year for the Colts in the post Payton Manning Era. Andrew Luck has some big shoes to fill at Quarterback much the same way Arron Rogers did with the Packers after Brett Farve. Give Luck time and he possibly will make people in Indy forget about Payton but this is gonna be a tough year for the Colts.
4. Jacksonville Jaguars: 5-11
-Going to be another long season in Jacksonville. Outside of running back Maurice Jones-Drew the Jags have nothing. Another losing season for sure.
AFC North
1. Baltimore Ravens: 12-4
-Just like the Steelers the Ravens Defense will be a big reason again they make the playoffs. Baltimore hasn't tinkered with the D at all and its going to be their best asset all year. Quarterback Joe Flacco will have plenty of help on the offensive side of the ball this year and the Ravens look like they may take the North this year.
2. Pittsburgh Steelers: 11-5
-Nothing much has really changed in the Steel City. Pittsburgh still has one of the best defenses in all of football. The only question I have going into this year are what possible options Big Ben has to throw to. The Steelers still have a solid running game but the receiving core doesn't look all that impressive. still good enough to get to the playoffs though.
3. Cincinnati Bengals: 5-11
-Again the Bengals are another case of having nothing really to work with on offense. BenJarvus Green-Ellis will do just fine carrying the load for the running game. But without enough talent at the receiver position Andy Dalton is gonna have a tough time throwing the ball. The defense MIGHT be able to keep the Bengals around in some games but this really isn't fair.
4. Cleveland Browns: 4-12
-Colt McCoy is in for another long season in Cleveland. The Browns defense might be able to hold them in games but with McCoy not having much of a supporting cast to work with on offenses this will be a long year for the Browns and the Dog Pound.
AFC East
1. New England Patriots: 12-4
-No real explanation needed here. Tom Brady and his bunch are back at it again and without having lost a whole lot of anything from last season. The Pats will once again be one of the top tier teams in the AFC.
2. New York Jets: 10-6
-This will be a real good test year for the Jets. last year was a bad year and this season Tim Tebow is brought into the mix. The Defense last season looked human at best and Mark Sanchez look a little below average on some nights. Adding Tebow may be the thing needed to light the fire in Sanchez to get him going and with new changes made to the coaching staff I see the Jets bouncing back nicely this year.
3. Buffalo Bills: 8-8
-Buffalo will have a way better defense this year with the addition of Mario Williams to that front line. The Bills defense has improved a lot this offseason and will be a big reason they hang around in the divisional talks. The running game is solid but the depth just isn't really there yet at receiver for Ryan Fitzpatrick. The Bills are headed in the right direction though.
4. Miami Dolphins: 8-8
-Miami is another one of those teams that looks average on paper and is still searching for the right mix. They will get there eventually.
So there you have it my predictions for the 2012 NFL season. Check back often for recaps and NFL updates as much as possible.
No comments:
Post a Comment