And while we have seen the end of a couple of careers, we have also seen some old faces move to new places. We've seen some big names move teams. Defensive players like Josh Norman (Panthers to Redskins), Janoris Jenkins (Rams to Giants), Prince Amukamara (Giants to Jaguars), Sean Smith (Chiefs to Raiders), Casey Hayward (from Packers to Chargers), Eric Weddle (Chargers to Ravens), Rodney McLeod (Rams to Eagles), Malik Jackson (Broncos to Jaguars), Olivier Vernon (Dolphins to Giants), Damon Harrison (Jets to Giants), Demario Davis (Jets to Browns) and Bruce Irvin (from Seahawks to Raiders) have switched to new teams.
Meanwhile on offense, we've seen Mitchell Schwartz (Browns to Chiefs), Russell Okung (Seahawks to Broncos), Kelechi Osemele (Ravens to Raiders), Benjamin Watson (Saints to Ravens), Coby Fleener (Colts to Saints), Rishard Matthews (Dolphins to Titans) Travis Benjamin (Browns to Chargers), Marvin Jones (Bengals to Lions), Mohamed Sanu (Bengals to Falcons), Lamar Miller (Dolphins to Texans), Matt Forte (Bears to Jets), Alfred Morris (Redskins to Cowboys), Chris Ivory (Jets to Jaguars), Brock Osweiler (Broncos to Texans) and Robert Griffin III (Redskins to Browns) have all switched cities.
There are a few notable rule changes that are being put into effect for this season. Allowing the offensive and defensive play callers on the coaching staffs to use the coach-to-player communication system regardless of whether they are on the field or in the coaches' booth. Permanently adopting the extra-point rules enacted in the 2015 NFL season. Extra point kicks will be from the 15 yard line, and defenses can return blocked PAT's, fumbles or interceptions on two-point tries for a two-point defensive conversion. The league will now outlaw all chop blocks anywhere on the field. Previously, the chop block was legal when an offensive lineman chops a defensive player "while the defensive player is physically engaged above the waist by the blocking attempt of another offensive teammate". Expand the definition of a "horse-collar tackle" to include tackles where a player is grabbed by the jersey at or above the name plate and dragged to the ground. Teams making the act of calling time-out when not permitted to do so subject to a delay-of-game penalty (5 yards). Thanks to Odell Beckham Jr and Josh Norman from last year, Players committing two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties in the same game will be automatically ejected from the game.
So now that we got that out of the way, lets get down to the meat and potato's for this discussion. With all the new faces in new places, it will make for some very entertaining football this year. That being said, here's how I see the 2016 NFL season going down!
NFC East
1. New York Giants (9-7)*
Its been a while for the New York Giants tasting playoff football. They haven't seen the post season since their Super Bowl win in 2011. They haven't had a winning season since 2012, going 6-10 each of the last two seasons. This year may be a little bit different. The team did spend a lot of money to retool one of their biggest weak spots, that being the defense. Olivier Vernon, Janoris Jenkins and Damon Harrison all were brought on board to improve this football team, which the defense will do (on paper anyway). Hopefully that improved defense can change the fortunes for the Giants, who lost five games last year in the final minutes by blowing leads. New York still has a high powered offense that can hang tough. New head coach Ben McAdoo has some big shoes to fill in New York, but shouldn't have a tough time adjusting to the new role. The talent is there for Big Blue to make the playoffs for the first time in five years.
2. Dallas Cowboys (8-8)
When training camp opened, I had the Cowboys placed higher on this list then they are right now. A healthy Tony Romo, with that offensive line and that running game, Dallas should have been a lock to win this division. But now the Boys will be without him the for 6-10 weeks with a broken bone in his back. So that means that Dak Prescott now will have to carry the bulk of the load. Don't get me wrong, there still a chance for Dallas, because Romo won't be missing the entire season. Still who knows how big a hole the Boys will be in, as far as the division goes, by the time Romo does come back. Hey Dak could be playing so well that Romo may not even get his starting job back. One thing that bothers me with this Cowboys team is that the defense has its own problems that its dealing with. Defense in Big D is mediocre at best right now. Dallas has the offense, but without Romo and a suspect defense, it makes it a long shot for them.
3. Washington Redskins (8-8)
Last years division winners are going to take a bit of a step backwards this season. On defense, Washington is still a work in progress. Sure they added Josh Norman, who happens to be one of the top corners in all of football, but they don't strike fear into the heart of other teams with that defense. Sure DeAngelo Hall and Will Crumpton can be impact players, it won't be enough. Kirk Cousins still has offensive weapons to work with, just like he did last year. But again that defense in Washington has me worried and I just don't feel like they'er going to be able to get back to the same level they did last season.
4. Philadelphia Eagles (4-12)
If your an Eagles fan, this could be a rough, growing pains kind of year. Things didn't go well in Philly under Chip Kelly, so enter new head coach Doug Pederson, who will help right the ship. Last year they had the same record, but that was considered a disapointment. This year, it might just be expected. Sure Bradford is still there and has Jordan Matthews to throw to, and Zach Ertz as well, but Ryan Matthews has to have a big comeback year if the Eagles even want to stand a chance. The defense has some holes in it, which may make things tough for Philly to stay competative in this division.
NFC North
1. Green Bay Packers (12-4)*
Green Bay just fell short against the Cards, and look for that to be a possible NFC Championship game this year. The Pack is ready to rock and roll this year. Aaron Rogers will have full weapons back at his disposal this year. James Starks is going to get work, but I feel Eddy Lacy will get back to his full complement of carries again this season. Oh and before I forget, there is a talented receiving core that the Packers have given Rogers to work with again this season. He's got Jared Cook the tight end to throw to. As for receivers, Devante Adams and Randel Cobb will get work. Oh yeah and Jordy Nelson is back in the mix and healthy. Combine that with the fact that the Packers have one of the easiest schedules in the league, and I'd say it puts them right back at the top of the North this year.
2. Minnesota Vikings (9-7)*
I had the Vikings fighting it out with Green Bay originally. That was until last week when Teddy Bridgwater blew out his knee and is lost for the season, leaving Shaun Hill as the starter under center this year. Not quite the way the Vikings envisioned breaking in U.S. Bank Stadium. They face a tough test dealing with the Packers in week two and the Panthers in week three. So its not that easy a start. Minnesota still has Adrian Peterson in the backfield, so he's going to be counted on a little bit more now that Bridgewater is out of the mix and Kyle Rudolph is going to get targeted a bit more. Minnesota does have a solid defense which will help keep the Vikings in a lot of games this year. If not for the Bridgewater injury, the Vikings would be an even greater threat to the Packers this year.
3. Chicago Bears (9-7)
This is going to be a nice turn around season for the Bears. If his past track record has proven anything, John Fox has shown that he knows how to help turn a team around. On defense, Chicago has the talent and skill to be able to be really scary, with the likes of Tracy Porter, Willie Young, Akiem Hicks, and Lamar Houston among others, the Bears have a defense that could be one of the best in the game. The offense has me a little worried. Jay Cutler isn't the same as he once was. The offensive line is solid but outside of Alshon Jeffery and maybe Zach Miller, I'm not sure about the weapons the Bears have.
4. Detroit Lions (7-9)
This is going to be a different look to the Lions this year, they will have to get adjusted to life without Calvin Johnson. Don't get me wrong Detroit can still have a potent offense. Matthew Stafford has no problem throwing the ball. He still has solid targets to work with in Golden Tate, Anquin Bouldin and Eric Ebron to throw to so Detroit can have a solid offense. Only thing is there's a lot of questions to answer to on both the offensive and defensive lines, and playing three of their first four games on the road, it makes for a rough go of things in Detroit this season.
NFC South
1. Carolina Panthers (12-4)*
I don't think the Panthers are going to have as fantastic a year as they did last year. They are the defending NFC Champions for a reason and are still considered a major threat in the NFC for a reason. Carolina's offense will still be as high powered as ever. Not only has the lineup from last year returned in tact, but you can add in threat Kelvin Benjamin back into the lineup, who missed all of last year with a serious knee injury. The secondary seems to have taken a step back with the loss of Josh Norman, and they're playing rematches against last years playoff opponents of Arizona, Seattle and Denver. They're also going to be on prime time football a lot, playing five of such games this year. But because the rest of the division is still in rebuild mode, this should be an easy division win for the Panthers. Carolina is just too good a team.
2. Atlanta Falcons (7-9)
Last year Atlanta got off to a great start going 6-1, but they faltered down the stretch going 2-7 to close out the year. Head coach Dan Quinn has the offense that can hang in this division. Matt Ryan has plenty of help with Mohamed Sanu and Julio Jones to throw to and Devanta Freedman running the ball. Again much like the teams ahead of them in the division, Atlanta's defense leaves something to be desired. One of the biggest knocks against the Falcons this year is how tough a schedule they have this season. Right in the middle of the schedule, they play Carolina, Denver and Seattle. The only team who has a tougher schedule then the Falcons is the 49ers. Couldn't think of a better way to say goodbye to the Georgia Dome then by playing the Saints the final game of the year.
3. New Orleans Saints (7-9)
When you have Drew Brees on your team, even at his age, you still got a solid chance to win a game every week. Plus when you have a solid running back in Mark Ingram, plus when you have Brandon Cooks and Willie Snead catching passes along with Colby Fleener, the Saints should be on solid footing. On defense, they may have a problem. They could be good but that's if they're playing at there best, but that isn't always the case. Still think there might be too many holes on defense to be able to cover up for their problems. New Orleans hasn't been the force they once were, going 7-9 in each of the last two seasons. With the defense the way it is in New Orleans, its really hard to imagine them any better then a .500 ball club
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-10)
Looks like a rough go of it for Tampa Bay at the start of the season. At Atlanta, at Arizona, host the Rams, host the Broncos and at Carolina to star the year. Looks like a rough go at the start of the season for the Bucs. Head coach Dirk Kotter has a lot of weapons to work with this year on offense. Jameis Winston is back for another year and has targets in Mike Evans and Vincent Jackson to work with, plus a solid back in Doug Martin. The big question is how well can Jameis play in his 2nd year in the league? Is he going to live up to the hype?
NFC West
1. Arizona Cardinals (13-3)*
This may be the one team in the entire NFC, maybe even all of football, who doesn't have any weaknesses. The Cards are once again loaded. This was a high powered offense from last year, with Carson Palmer throwing to the likes of Larry Fitzgerald and Michael Floyd with David Johnson still running the ball, this offense might be able to put up about 25 or so points a week. Sure its a tough task to finish the year with five of the final seven games of the year on the road, but by then I think the Cards may be already set on being a playoff team. With that high powered offense, the defense in Arizona has some big standards to live up to. James Bettcher has a solid defense to work with, now you throw Chandler Jones into the mix and Arizona has something brewing. Don't be surprised if the Cardinals get over the hump this year in the NFC, they are going to be that good and then some.
2. Seattle Seahawks (11-5)*
When you have the Legion of Boom, you'll be good to go. That Seattle defense has led the league in fewest points allowed each of the last four years and they should be able to do it again this year. With Bennett, Rubin Reed and Avril up front, Seattle has plenty of talent to keep up the pressure on the opposing offense. Seattle has a few questions on the offensive line, but the rest of that unit is stacked. Russel Wilson played out of his mind in the 2nd half of last season. They may have to adjust to life without Marshawn Lynch in the backfield, so Wilson will be counted on to throw the ball a little more. When you have Jimmy Graham at tight end, Doug Baldwin Jermaine Kearse and Tyler Lockett at wide out, they have enough firepower to work with. Seattle also has a bit of a favorable first half of the schedule facing one playoff team from last year in the first nine weeks of the year. Seattle will be just fine this season.
3. Los Angeles Rams (8-8)
Big year of change for the Rams organization, moving from St Louis to Los Angeles. New quarterbacks under center in Los Angeles, still with Tavon Austin to throw to at wide receiver. Oh and they do have one of the best young running backs in football in Todd Gurley out of the backfield. Los Angeles has a decent defense to work with as well but they lost some key parts from that defense St Louis has a favorable schedule which makes it totally possible to be a .500 football team. But the problem with the Rams is they don't have the weapons or full blown firepower to make it as a real playoff threat.
4. San Francisco 49ers (4-12)
This is going to be a long year in San Francisco. New head coach Chip Kelly doesn't have much to work with Colin Kaepernick lost out on his starting job to Blaine Gabbert. Some people in San Fran think that this rebuilt team has more depth then last year, but that will be put to the test this year as they have the hardest schedule in the league. This defense is good, or at least has the talent to be very good, but the offense has some holes in it and its not looking good for the 49ers this year.
NFC Championship Game: Cardinals def Packers!
AFC East
1. New England Patriots (11-5)*
New era at the start of the year, with Brady out the first four games. Enter Jimmy Garoppolo, who has to play the Cardinals, Dolphins, Texans and Bills. Brady will be back on October 9th when the Patriots face the Cleveland Browns. With that being said, here's how good the Patriots have been. Over the last 15 years they've failed to make the playoffs just once, that being in 2008. As a matter of fact, since the turn of the century, 2002 and 2008 have been the only two years that the Patriots have failed to make the playoffs. Hell they've won the division every year but those two seasons, which shows how consistent the Patriots are. Amendola, Edleman and Gronkowski are going to be utalized fully again this year, it doesn't matter whether its Garoppolo or Brady throwing to them, they will still be impactful. LeGarrette Blunt is going to have to play big to be able to carry the rush load the this year and prove to me that the Patriots can have a successful running game. The Pats still have a defense that can be tough to beat, so look for New England to roll again to another division title/
2. New York Jets (9-7)
As much as I have to say this I thing the Jets have another winning season and it won't be enough again to make the playoffs. The Jets have a six week stretch that's going to be really tough, having to play the Cheifs, Seahawks, Steelers, Cardinals and Ravens, all early on in the season. The offense was able to mostly stay in tact. Carrying four quarterbacks is a bit questionable, but who knows whats running through the mind of head coach Todd Bowles. Chris Ivory isn't in the backfield, but Matt Forte is, which adds a different dynamic to the Jets offense this year. New York's offensive line leaves something to be desired, which makes me wonder just how great this Jets team is going to be. That front line on defense, Williams, McLendon, and Wilkerson is going to be brutal to play against this year for the opposition. New York has had a top five defense the last few seasons and they will be once again this year. But it might not be enough to get into the playoffs, just because of how tough the schedule is this year.
3. Buffalo Bills (8-8)
They get luck, the first meeting that Buffalo has with the Patriots this year is the end of the four game suspension for Brady. They have something to work with on offense. Sammy Watkins and Chalres Clay are solid pass catchers, Watkins more so then Clay. LeSean McCoy is still a good running back. The offensive line is pretty decent. Only question mark I have for the Bills is Tyrod Taylor. Can he fully develop into a solid star QB in this league? Time will tell, but if he's showing improvement, then Buffalo has a scary offense. It's their defense that's a weak spot. They have too many holes and are a weak spot.
4. Miami Dolphins (7-9)
This is a Dolphins team that really isn't much better then the team that won six games a season ago. Rookie coach Adam Gase is going to have his hands full in Miami this year. He has to try and turn around an underachieving franchise, no easy task but he's got to start somewhere. Kenny Stills and Jordan Cameron are good pass catchers, they have a run game to work with in Arian Foster. How well can the offensive line hold up? What about the defense? They have a good defensive line but everybody on that line has played well below their paycheck the last few years. Sorry Dolphins fans but its another year of missed playoffs.
AFC North
1. Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4)*
You can argue this all you want, but the Steelers are still the best team in this division. Despite the fact that Le'Von Bell is out the first three games because of a suspension, Pittsburgh still a very dangerous offensive team. You have the best receiver in the game in Antonio Brown. Marcus Wheaton and Darrius Hayward-Bay can also catch the ball as well. Once Bell comes back, the Steelers offense is going to be tough to stop. The defense can generate turnovers that's for sure. If they can get a little better defending the pass then Pittsburgh is going to live up to being a major threat to win the Super Bowl. I mean, think about it. Pittsburgh won 10 games against one of the league's toughest schedules, doing all of this while dealing with injuries to several key starters. This years opponents combine for a .473 winning percentage in 2015. The toughest non-divisional opponents, New England and Kansas City, come to Pittsburgh this year. There's little reason to think the Steelers can't be one game better than they were a year ago.
2. Cincinnati Bengals (11-5)*
Marvin Lewis is ready to lead a hungry bunch to the playoffs for the sixth year in a row. Who says that it can't happen for the Bengals this year? They managed to hit double digits in wins last year against one of the hardest schedules in all of football. Now this season, they have the fourth easiest schedule in the NFL. Plenty of talent to go around on this team. Andy Dalton's health can be a bit of a concern, but once's he's ready and on his game, watch out. The Bengals are going to be a tough team to beat. AJ Green, Brandon LaFell and Tyler Eifert are going to have good years again catching passes from Dalton, while Hill and Bernard can take the pressure off the pass with a solid running game.
3. Baltimore Ravens (9-7)
Baltimore has been a good team in recent years, a decent model of consistency. They've only missed the playoffs twice in eight years under John Harbaugh. With that being said, it stands to reason they'll be back in the hunt this year. Look at the way last year went down. They lost 20 players to injured reserve, which really hurt their chances at getting into the post season. This year, December will be pivotal with the Ravens facing the Patriots, Steelers and Bengals on the road to end the season. Baltimore does catch a bit of a break this year. Last year they played two of the toughest division in the league, the NFC and AFC West. This year, they have to do battle with the NFC and AFC East. Joe Flacco should be able to stay healthy, and can make Mike Wallace a top target, plus keep the rest of the receiving core around Wallace in good shape. The defense is good but the two teams ahead of them are just a little bit better this year.
4. Cleveland Browns (1-15)
Head coach Hue Jackson is going to be in for a long year this year in Cleveland. They have Robert Griffin III at starting quarterback for this season, looking to rebuild his career. Terrelle Pryor is his only receiving weapon and the team will be giving Malcolm Johnson the ball at running back. Cleveland has a weak defense to go along with a weak offense. I mean it is possible for the Browns to get one win this season right. Right?
AFC South
1. Houston Texans (9-7)*
Head coach Bill O'Brien has something brewing down in Houston this season. Last year, Houston took advantage of the fact that Andrew Luck wasn't playing much, using that to stop the Colts two year run atop of the division. Now Brock Oswiler will be the one under center in Houston, and he has the weapons to make that offense go. DeAndre Hopkins will once again be the go to target in Houston, while Lamar Miller will be a solid asset out of the backfield. Houston still has the best defensive player in the game in JJ Watt. Houston is going to have a fantastic pass rush this season. Houston will end up with the exact same record this year that they did last year, even with a better overall football team. Why? Because of tough nonconference road games at Denver, New England, Green Bay, Oakland and Minnesota. This will make things a tad rough on Houston, but they will be able to get them over the hump and into the playoffs again.
2. Jacksonville Jaguars (9-7)
Houston will have the better conference record, which is why they will edge out the Jags for the division. Watch out for Jacksonville this year, they will be a good football team and are right on the cusp of becoming a playoff team. Gus Bradley is going to keep his job and stick with this rebuild. One of the big bright spots for the Jags this year is going to be Blake Bortles, who will be really coming on as a threat. The two Allen's, Hurns and Robinson, are going to be his top targets again this season, to go along with Julus Thomas at tight end and new running back Chris Ivory. Jacksonville has a potentially lethal offense. On Defense, Jacksonville has a solid squad but just not enough to quite get over the hump as a playoff team.
3. Indianapolis Colts (8-8)
Last year was a big disappointment for the Colts, who had won the division the two years prior to that. One of the biggest problems in Indy last year was the offensive line. Sad to say it for Colts fans but that offensive line didn't get any better this year. Yes, Andrew Luck is healthy, but he will have to try and adapt to the new style of offense that Rob Chudzinski is going to look to run this season. He's got the targets in T.Y. Hilton, Donte Moncrief and Dwayne Allen, so they can possibly generate something. The question mark here is the defense. Indy's best pass rusher is Robert Mathus and he's not getting any younger (he is 35 years old). Indy has too many weaknesses on defense for the Colts offense to surpass it. Plus the two teams ahead of them have gotten better and will be making it further then the Colts can.
4. Tennessee Titans (3-13)
They haven't had a winning season since going 9-7 in 2009 and they haven't sniffed the playoffs since winning the division in 2008. Its going to be another long season for the Titans. Marcus Mariota has something to go off of with DeMarco Murray and Derrick Henry behind him in the backfield, and he's got Rishard Matthews and Delanie Walker to throw to. As improved as they appear on paper, they probably haven't made as many strides as the competition elsewhere in the AFC South. The Vikings, Raiders, Packers and Broncos are part of a daunting lineup of Nashville visitors this season.
AFC West
1. Kansas City Chiefs (10-6)*
Another year, another trip to the playoffs for Kansas City. KC won eleven straight games last year (ten in the regular season and their win over Houston in the playoffs) and they did it without Jamal Charles. Now they have him back to a loaded offense. Chris Conley, Jeremy Maclin and Travis Kelce will once again be the favorite targets of Alex Smith. On defense, Justin Houston is coming off knee surgery and leaves one to wonder how effective he's going to be on that side of the ball. But Kansas City does have a schedule this year that doesn't contain many minefields. The Chiefs will play just five games against 2015 playoff teams. Their record against those opponents last season: 4-1. The Chiefs also have a more balanced schedule rather than one stacked with road games early. But road games in Carolina, Houston and Pittsburgh are going to be interesting as the year moves along. Still I think the Chiefs have enough talent on this team to be able to take this division.
2. Oakland Raiders (9-7)*
Here's the surprise of the division, the Oakland Raiders will make the playoffs this year. They have a good team in the works in Oakland. Derek Carr is developing into one of the top young quarterbacks in all of football. Latavius Murray might come into his own in the backfield, so he's somebody to keep an eye on. Then you have the guys catching passes from Carr. Michael Crabtree still wants to prove he's a great receiver in this league, and Amari Cooper is one of the best receivers in the game today that's flying under the radar. After this year, Cooper won't be an under the radar guy anymore. Oaklands defense, lead by Khalil Mack and Malcolm Smith are going to be good. They aren't the best defense in the league but they're good enough to help the offense get into the playoffs. Its been a long time coming for Oakland, who hasn't made the playoffs, or even had a winning season for that matter, since they won the West and went all the way to the Super Bowl in 2002.
3. Denver Broncos (9-7)
The defending Super Bowl Champions are going to take a step back this season. Sure, there's no denying that they have the best defense in all of football. What has me worried in Denver is the quarterback situation. No Manning and no Oswiler in Denver. Peyton retired and Brock is in Houston. So now Trevor Siemian is the one under center. Yes he does have weapons to work with in the form of C.J. Anderson, Emmanuel Sanders and Demaryius Thomas. On paper, that something to work with. Same thing with the defense, which oh yeah was the best in all of football a season ago. That's on paper though, what happens on the field could be different. I'm not sold on Siemian at quarterback yet, and I know the defense is good but you do need a capable quarterback to be able to carry the team to go along with that defense. Denver doesn't have it right now.
4. San Diego Chargers (6-10)
San Diego will be improved, but are at least a year away in terms of talent on the roster in order to realistically compete for a playoff spot in an AFC West Division dominated by talented defenses. San Diego has the best quarterback in the division in Philip Rivers. Catching passes are gonna be Keenan Allen, Travis Benjamin and the ageless wonder Antonio Gates. San Diego has an improving young defense. But, they will still struggle to score points with an offensive line that should once again have trouble staying healthy in 2016.
AFC Championship Game: Steelers def Patriots!
SUPER BOWL LI: Cardinals Def Steeelers 30-27!
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