We'll start it off with a few of the rule changes for this year. Defensive players are now prohibited from running toward the line of scrimmage and leaping or hurdling over offensive linemen on field goal or PAT attempts, similar to a change made in college football for the 2017 season. Previously this action was permitted as long as the leaper/hurdler did not land on other players. Egregious hits to the head (similar to the "targeting" rule in NCAA football) will now result in an automatic ejection. Overtime has been shortened from 15 minutes to 10 minutes for preseason and regular season games. Playoff games will continue to have 15 minutes for overtime periods. The sideline replay monitor (the "hood") will be eliminated and replaced with a tablet on the field for the referee to review with the replay control center. Restrictions on celebrations have been relaxed, removing penalties for group celebrations, going to the ground to celebrate, or using the ball as a prop.
We got a few faces popping up in new places. Buffalo (Sean McDermott), Denver (Vance Joseph), Jacksonville (Doug Marrone), the Chargers (Anthony Lynn), Rams (Sean McVay) and San Francisco (Kyle Shanahan) all have new head coaches. We've had a few players change jerseys as well. Jordan Matthews is now in Buffalo, while Sammy Watkins is now a Ram. Marshawn Lynch came out of retirement and was traded to the Raiders. Brock Osweiler was traded by Houston to Cleveland. That was just trades. There was plenty of names moved in free agency. A.J. Bouye (from Texans to Jaguars), Logan Ryan (from Patriots to Titans), Micah Hyde (from Packers to Bills), Malcolm Smith (from Raiders to 49ers), Manti Te'o (from Chargers to Saints), Johnathan Hankins (from Giants to Colts), Martellus Bennett (from Patriots to Packers), Jared Cook (from Packers to Raiders), Alshon Jeffery (from Bears to Eagles), Brandon Marshall (from Jets to Giants), DeSean Jackson (from Redskins to Buccaneers), Kenny Britt (from Rams to Browns), Pierre Garçon (from Redskins to 49ers), Terrelle Pryor (from Browns to Redskins), Torrey Smith (from 49ers to Eagles), Latavius Murray (from Raiders to Vikings), Adrian Peterson (from Vikings to Saints), Eddie Lacy (from Packers to Seahawks), Jamaal Charles (from Chiefs to Broncos); fullbacks Mike Tolbert (from Panthers to Bills) and Patrick DiMarco (from Falcons to Bills), and Mike Glennon (from Buccaneers to Bears) all will be donning new uniforms this season. Phew that's a lot of names to get through.
Now lets get down to the fun part. Here's the predictions for the 2017 NFL Season and we start in the NFC.
NFC East
1. Dallas Cowboys (11-5)*
Going to be tough start to the year not having Zek Elliott in the backfield for the first six games. Fear not though Dallas fans, you still have Darren McFadden and Alfred Morris on the team, so you still have a very solid running game. Dallas still has the best offensive line in the game protecting Dak Prescott. Sure, the league now has a better read on this team and their dynamic duo of Elliott and Prescott, but they have the skills to be able to handle it. Dez Bryant and Jason Witten, while getting a bit older, still have plenty left in the tank to be able to help Dak in the air attack. They have to break in two new starters on the O-Line and the defense is a bit of a mess, but the Boys still have a good enough team to win the division for the 2nd year in a row.
2. New York Giants (11-5)(WC)
Another year another playoff run for the Giants. This team actually got better then it did a year ago, adding a guy the talent level of a Brandon Marshall. Put him, Odell Beckham Jr and Sterling Sheppard together with a healthy Eli and you got something. Only thing that has me worried about this Giants offense is the O-Line and running game. Big Blue has really had neither over the last couple of seasons and its kind of hurt them in some games. Thankfully the Giants defense is still very solid and very much in tact from a year ago. They are going to be fun to watch and keep the team in plenty of football games this year. Now lets just hope that the offense can step up and improve over what it was like from a season ago when they averaged 17.1 PPG. So this year, the offense will step up and finally get on the level of the defense.
3. Philadelphia Eagles (9-7)
This will be a bounce back year for the Eagles, who were under .500 a season ago. Now Carson Wentz has some fancy new weapons to play with. He's got Alshon Jeffery, Torrey Smith, Zach Ertz, and Brent Celek to throw to and he's got LeGarrette Blount and Darren Sproles running the ball out of the backfield. They have a solid offensive line, which remained in tact from a season ago. Things could be looking up for Philly, as they have a step in the right direction, but the Eagles go through one tough stretch near the end of the season. In the month of December alone, the Eagles play at Seahawks, at Rams, at Giants, then host the Raiders and Cowboys. Thirteen of their games this year are against teams with playoff asperations, so its going to be a tough go of it for the Eagles this year.
4. Washington Redskins (6-10)
There's going to be a lot of questions surrounding the Redskins this season. One of the biggest ones is going to be the future of QB Kirk Cousins. Its going to be rough not having DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon, who both have signed with different teams. Sure they still have some talent on the team by bringing in a guy like Terrelle Pryor, while Jamison Crowder and Jordan Reed are going to be counted on again to be of help to Cousins. Seeing this team finish at .500 could possibly be a best case scenario for the Skins in 2017.
NFC North
1. Green Bay Packers (12-4)*
After eight straight playoff appearances and an NFC title game last year, the Pack will be back in it again this year. Green Bay's offense took a bit of a hit losing Eddie Lacy and Jared Cook, but that may not make much of a difference. Ty Montgomery is going to have to pick up the slack in the run game, but if last year was any indication, he'll have no problem doing that. Aaron Rodgers will be throwing to Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb and Martellus Bennett this season, so the Packers will have no problem scoring this year. The defense is going to have to defend a little bit tighter as the year goes along, so that the offense isn't being forced to go out and score 30+ points every week. I can't see much of a hickup happening for the Pack this year, they win the North.
2. Detroit Lions (8-8)
Last season was a nail bitter for Detroit, winning quite a few games they really had no business winning a season ago. This year, I think some of Detroit's luck is going to run out. Detroit hasn't had winning seasons in back to back years since 1995-97, so this year they at least come close to hitting that mark. Matthew Stafford just got his new five year extension in his back pocket so he's all set in that regards. The run game is still solid with Ameer Abdullah and Theo Riddick, and Stafford has some pass catching weapons in Golden tate and Eric Ebrom. With all that being said, there still something that seems left to be desired in Detroit, so who knows if they even hit the .500 mark this season.
3. Minnesota Vikings (8-8)
This team has the potential to get going in the right direction and they have the talent here. With Sam Bradford and Case Keanum taking snaps under center, they have a foundation at Quarterback. Despite some free agent additions, the O-line could still be a weakness, though newcomers Latavius Murray and Dalvin Cook should ensure Minnesota don't again own league's worst rushing attack. Free-agent additions Riley Reiff and Mike Remmers fail to bolster what was a team weakness in 2016, which is why that running attack could be tough to get better. Playing five of their first seven at U.S. Bank Stadium should set the tone. Things are going to get on the up and up in Minnesota this year but they aren't quite there to turn the corner just quite yet.
4. Chicago Bears (4-12)
Looks like this could be a rough year in the Windy City this season for the Bears. As a matter of fact, the number of wins have gone down the last few years in Chicago, as the Bears haven't finished around .500 or better since 2013. This year its going to be bad. Try like two to three wins bad. Neither Mike Glennon nor Mitchell Trubisky will strike fear in anyone, and neither will not having much as far as weapons go in the passing game. Opponents won’t be afraid of throwing against the Bears when they have the ball. Chicago has finished in last place in the NFC North three years running, and it will probably be four in John Fox’s third year as coach. They have the misfortune of opening against Atlanta, Tampa Bay, Pittsburgh and Green Bay. Yeah that's a killer start for a team that's already labeled for having a long season.
NFC South
1. Atlanta Falcons (12-4)*
Atlanta is poised to do something its never done before: Win the NFC South for the 2nd year in a row. What did you expect from a team that is coming off a crushing defeat in last year's Super Bowl. Not a bad way to open up the brand spanking new Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. The Falcons are the most loaded team in the NFL. The big questions about the NFC champs are the dreaded Super Bowl hangover, and the loss of OC Kyle Shanahan and a midseason stretch of four road games in five weeks that includes trips to New England and Seattle. I think that they still have enough talent to make up for the fact that they have Steve Sarkisian running the offense this year. Its going to be something to prove playing in a tough and much improved division.
2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-6)
This will be the breakout year bigtime for the Bucs in 2017. The defense, lead by Robert Ahers, Vernon Haregraves and Brent Grimes is going to be solid. What's going to be the big story is the offense. OJ Howard has a big expectation on his shoulders at tight end. Then there's Doug Martin at running back, who a lot are expecting to have a bounce back season this year, and I kind of hope so too the guy is a talented back. Oh yeah, they have a more balanced attack in the receiving game, by adding DeSean Jackson tp play along side with rising star Mike Evans. This gives Jameis Winston plenty of weapons to work with. If he can cut down on some of the dumb throws he's been known to make in years past, then he is set up to have a monster season this year.
3. Carolina Panthers (9-7)
This team still has some room to improve, but they are going to make noise in the NFC this season. Most of the team that made it to the NFC title game back in 2015 is still in tact, so there's plenty to be optimistic about. But then again, Carolina has to deal with players coming off injuries, including their two biggest weapons on offense in Cam Newton (arm) and Kelvin Benjamin (knee). If both guys can hold up physically and return to form that fans had seen in past years, then Carolina will be right up there with the Falcons in challenging for the top spot in the South this season, or at the worst a wild card spot. Carolina has to stay healthy in order to get its mojo back again.
4. New Orleans Saints (8-8)
It has been well documented in the past that the Saints are known for the rapid fire pass attack. Adding Adrian Peterson to the backfield provides great intrigue, yet this team still looks like it will be in a shootout every week. And will it survive the first month? The Saints open with three of four on the road, including a game in London, and their only Superdome game in that stretch is a visit from former receiver Brandin Cooks and the Patriots. Cooks was replaced by Ted Ginn. Still with how stacked this division is, its going to be a rough year for the Saints.
NFC West
1. Seattle Seahawks (13-3)*
You can argue this till your blue in the face, but the Seattle Seahawks are still the class of the NFC West, having won the division three out of the last four years. They keep that little trend going this year. They already had a good defense, which just got better by adding Sheldon Richardson from the Jets. Only thing with Richardson is he had an attitude with the Jets so its something that needs to get changed before he can really take it to the next level. The offense is powered by a healthy Russell Wilson and Earl Thomas. They got Thomas Rawls and Eddie Lacy taking the ball from Wilson in the backfield. This is going to be a balanced offensive attack in Seattle and they are going to be a good football team once again this season.
2. Arizona Cardinals (10-6)(WC)
Coming off a year in which the Cardinals finished the season a game under .500, they will be right back in the mix as a playoff team once again this year. Sure there will be more attention paid to up and coming running back David Johnson this year, what with the over 2,000 total yards he had a season ago. He's in for another very productive year. Carson Palmer, if he can stay healthy, will be good again this year. As will Larry Fitzgerald, who is going to have something to prove, in that he can still go for a guy his age. Sure, they start the season on the road in consecutive games, but it’s against the Lions and Colts. They get a bye after their London trip to face the Rams and host three straight games in late November into early December. This team has the talent and skill level to be able to get back into the playoffs as a wild card team.
3. Los Angeles Rams (5-11)
That's being nice giving the Rams a 5-11 record. New head coach Sean McVay has a tall task ahead of him with this Rams team.They're a young team undergoing significant resets on both sides of the ball. Todd Gurley is looking to have a bounce back year and kind of get back on track to what made him one of the better running backs in the league. Jared Goff is going to improve and go through the learing curve of playing in the NFL, and will start to possibly progress at this level. Maybe having a new head coach could help get him on track and moving in the right direction. And with Cooper Kupp joining the likes of Tavon Austin and Sammy Watkins in the passing game, there might be something brewing out in Los Angeles.
4. San Francisco 49ers (2-14)
San Francisco will be lucky if they walk away with that many wins this season. Kyle Shanahan and new GM John Lynch have their work cut out for them not only this year, but for a few years down the line. Bryan Hoyer will be under center this year, which leaves little hope in San Fran. They do have some bright spots though, as they have Carlos Hyde running the ball and Pierre Garçon trying to haul in passes from Hoyer. NoVarro Bowman is going to be counted on quite a bit to lead this defense, which on the whole might not be very good this year. Overall, the talent base is largely deficient and so is the players' familiarity with what new coaches want them to do on either side of the ball.
AFC East
1. New England Patriots (13-3)*
Like you'd expect anything from this division. This will be the 9th straight division title for said New England team. The question isn't will they win it, but its by how much will they win it. Brady is, well Brady. The big question is how well can this receiving core perform without Julian Edleman (who's out for the year with a torn ACL) and can Rob Gronkowski actually stay healthy for a full season? Yes I know they lost Blount, Floyd and Bennett, but they still have plenty of talent on this football team. Case in point, they brought in Brandin Cooks and Dwayne Allen to help out the offense and David Harris to help out on defense. Lets face facts, there's no team in this weak excuse for a division that's going to be able to catch the Patriots, simple as that.
2. Miami Dolphins (9-7)
This maybe the only team in the division who stands a chance against the mighty Patriots this season. Miami is coming off a playoff season a year ago, and they will finish a notch below the record they finished with a year ago. They have solid talent to work with in Florida this year. Jay Cutler was brought in as a suitable backup to go along with Matt Moore. Jay Ajayi is expected to have another big year, as is new addition Julius Thomas to the pass attack. Only thing that worries me about this Dolphins team is that the secondary is horrible. They have a serviceable front seven, but its the back end of the defense that has me worried in Miami. They could be good and have room to improve and make a lot of noise in the AFC, if everybody plays up to their potential and can have things fall into place.
3. Buffalo Bills (5-11)
I'm really not sure how good the Bills are going to be this year. Tyrod Taylor is on thin ice going into this season, with how his play has gone over the last couple of years. Buffalo could be good, with LeSean McCoy possibly staying healthy and leading the league and rushing again. Jordan Matthews is going to have some big shoes to fill in replacing Sammy Watkins in this receiving game. Buffalo has a rough go of it this year as far as the schedule goes. Tough schedule against the NFC South and AFC West don't make things easy for this team. There's still a lot of holes on this team and they will take a step back this season.
4. New York Jets (3-13)
I think giving them three wins is being nice for the Jets this season. Having Josh McCown as the starting QB is leading for disaster, because McCown is 16-48 lifetime as a starter. Its sad that he has to start because Christian Hackenberg and Bryce Petty have shown no promise to really be ready to start at this level. Just looking at the Jets offense, there isn't really much hope. The only guys who have proven to be bigtime players at this level are running back Matt Forte and wide receiver Jermaine Kearse (who was just picked up from Seattle in the Sheldon Richardson deal). Cope that in with the fact that Quincy Enunwa is out for the year and they had to bring back Jeremy Kerrley shows how little there really is to work with among this Jets offense. This defense has the ability to be able to steal a game or two this year. But if the offense isn't going to be able to sustain any kind of drives and give the defense time off the field to rest, then it will all be for nothing. Sorry to say this Jets fans but this is going to be a long season.
AFC North
1. Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4)*
For the 3rd time in four years, Pittsburgh should be able to walk away as the top team in the AFC North. The offense will be lead by the trio of Ben Roethlisberger, Antonio Brown and Le'Von Bell. Had Bell been healthy, Pittsburgh would have put up more of a fight in the AFC title game last year. Now he's healthy and ready to rock and roll. This team has all the balance to really make a lot of noise and even challenge New England for the top spot in the entire AFC. This season, Pittsburgh should start 5–0 before facing Kansas City with games against the Browns, Vikings, Bears, Ravens and Jaguars on the slate. The Young guys will step up and play well and give this team a big push this year.
2. Cincinnati Bengals (10-6)(WC)
The flat out stupidity of Vontaze Burfict not withstanding, the Bengals have the talent to turn this around and make the playoffs this year as a wild card team. If everyone on the Bengals' offense plays up to their personal ceiling(s), the defense won't be forced to pick up the slack left by a non-existent ground game, stalled drives and untimely turnovers. A. J. Green and Brandon LaFell will be counted on to carry the load from Andy Dalton. Giovani Bernard and Jeremy Hill are expected to do their fair share in carrying the ball to possibly take a little pressure off Dalton and the pass game. The offensive line does leave something to be desired. The Bengals caught some tough breaks last season by losing seven of nine by a possession, but look for some of their luck to turn around this season.
3. Baltimore Ravens (9-7)
Things could be a little different in Baltimore this year. The Ravens are in danger of missing the playoffs for the third straight year for the first time since 1997–99, which means that John Harbaugh’s seat is very much getting warm. Baltimore was active in free agency but mostly on the defensive side of the ball; Joe Flacco needs more than Danny Woodhead signing to improve from the 21st-ranked scoring offense in the league. Bringing in Jeremy Maclin to go along with Mike Wallace will make it for a competitive pass attack, but with a tough schedule ahead for the Ravens, it will be a tough go of it for this year.
4. Cleveland Browns (2-14)
If they're lucky they will win two games this season. Brock Oswiler didn't last long and is now back in Denver. The long-standing QB carousel continues. DeShone Kizer fails. Cody Kessler can't stay upright. The lack of a consistent pass rush puts the onus to stay in games on the secondary, which is no very good. The wide receiving corps doesn't live up to even the most meager of expectations. This year is gonna suck in Cleveland. look for another either #1 or #2 overall pick in the draft this year.
AFC South
1. Tennessee Titans (11-5)*
This season will mark the first time since 2007 and 2008 that the Titans will have winning records. This year will be a MAJOR jump in Tennessee and lead to the Titans first division title since 2008. Marcus Mariota is going to have a lot of fun playing with the new toys general manager Jon Robinson provided him this offseason. Rookie Corey Davis and free-agent signee Eric Decker are both going to have a big impact on this football team this year. The DeMarco Murray-Derrick Henry combo eats up 2,000 yards on the ground, with a few more Mariota scampers mixed in than in his previous two years. Brian Orakpo leads a 3-4 defense that is going to be a little tough for the opposition to deal with this year. Mix it all together and its going to be good enough to get the Titans into the playoffs for the first time in nine years.
2. Houston Texans (9-7)
The only thing that's stopping the Texans from possibly winning a division title is their Quarterbacks. Both guys have two career NFL starts under their belts, and five NFL games total, all belonging to Tom Savage. Him and Deshaun Watson are going to have to navigate the field. They have weapons to work with, guys like Alfred Blue, DeAndre Hopkins and Will Fuller. Plus, with a healthy JJ Watt that defense has all the talent in the world to be the best in the entire league. For my money, Watson and Savage are too much of an unknown at the sport’s most important position to predict a fourth-straight AFC South title.
3. Jacksonville Jaguars (8-8)
This looks like it could be a possible turning point for the Jaguars this season. Everything looks to be in place for Jacksonville to turn into something a little more respectable. They have a potentially dominant defense, upgraded O-line and, most exciting for Jags fans, a star, stud rookie named Leonard Fournette to make fans quite happy. Things are, on paper at least, the Jags could be relevent again. If Blake Bortles can get back on track. The team will make its annual pilgrimage for a London "home" date in Week 3, immediately followed by two more road trips. If the Jags weather that, maybe they can make a run in December, which begins with three straight at EverBank Field.
4. Indianapolis Colts (7-9)
A lot what happens this year in Indy depends on Andrew Luck. If he can actually stay healthy for a full 16 game schedule remains to be seen. He has weapons to work with in the form of TY Hilton and Frank Gore, but Gore's age has to be a bit of a concern (he's 34). Then there's that defense. They have some talent on that side of the football, but honestly I don't think its going to be enough to get them over the hump, not with how good some of the other defenses are in this division.
AFC West
1. Oakland Raiders (11-5)*
This year, the Raiders will do something that hasn't been done in Oakland since 2001, win a division title. In fact, this will be the first year that the Raiders have made the playoffs in back to back years since 2000-2002. This will also mark the 2nd year in a row that the Raiders hit double digits in wins in a season. Oakland has a few weapons they can make some noise with. They added Marshawn Lynch to the roster, getting to come out of retirement to play. Throw in Amari Cooper, Michael Crabtree and Jared Cook at Tight End, so it leaves Carr with plenty of weapons to work with if he can stay healthy. They open the season with three of four on the road and play their final two games away from Oakland, including the season's final Monday night affair on the East Coast (Philadelphia). In between, they'll play three consecutive homes games on two separate occasions, but one of those will occur against the Patriots in Mexico City. Still this will be a very good year in Oakland.
2. Kansas City Chiefs (10-6)(WC)
The Chiefs’ opponents will spend all off-season trying to figure out a way to stop Tyreek Hill, and two things will happen. Either the team won’t stop him, or it will but it won’t matter. Andy Reid has a team that can score on offense, defense and special teams—even after losing Dontari Poe (and with a healthy Justin Houston, Eric Berry and Marcus Peters). They still have weapons to work with outside of Hill as well. Alex Smith has Travis Kelce and Chris Conley to throw to. If he doesn't toss the ball, C. J. Spiller and rookie Kareem Hunt won't have a problem running the ball. Kansas City can be a top-five scoring defense. Of their five non-divisional road opponents, four were playoff teams last year (Patriots, Texans, Cowboys, Giants). And playing inside their own division is going to be just as tough. But if the Chiefs can hold it together until December, playing at Arrowhead from Weeks 14-16 could give them a decisive edge. It will be enough to help launch them into the playoffs as a wild card team.
3. Los Angeles Chargers (8-8)
It could be a tough year for the Chargers. Plenty to overcome for the Bolts, most notably adaptation to a new city and the smallest venue in the league (the StubHub Center will host its first NFL games in Weeks 2-4 and holds maybe 27,000 when full). Then there are personnel changes coming to the offensive line and a major schematic overhaul defensively. If the team stays healthy, and that's a big if, the Chargers should be much better than their projected record. But they play in football’s toughest division, which is going to make this a big uphill climb. If Jason Verrett and Keenan Allen can get back on their pre-injury trajectories and Mike Williams can catch the jump balls he did at Clemson, I’d be more than glad to eat this prediction and see Philip Rivers get another postseason try.
4. Denver Broncos (8-8)
The biggest thing that has me worried about this team is how well the quarterbacks play this year. If Trevor Siemian is their guy, the Broncos better hope he’s the first-half-of-2016 Siemian and not the one from the second half. To start the season last year, Siemian threw eight touchdowns and just three interceptions en route to a 5–1 record. But he skidded to the finish, throwing ten touchdowns and seven picks with a 3–5 record. The Broncos still have their defense, but 27th in total offensive yards will have them sitting at home in January again.
AFC Championship Game: Patriots over Steelers
NFC Championship Game: Packers over Seahawks
Super Bowl LII: Packers over Patriots
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