NFL Predictions

Well it's that time of year. Time for prognosticators who know nothing to pontificate regarding the best of the gridiron. Never one to be left out among the pontificating I am providing my thoughts regarding the upcoming NFL season. Some guesses are more educated than others. Some I feel strongly about but some are just a shot in the dark. Anyway, without further ado here are my predictions:

AFC East
1. New England - They know how to win so you've got to go with 'em.
2. Miami - Coming on strong but not quite there.
3. New York Jets - Can we get a healthy QB??
4. Buffalo - No shortage of QB's, just a shortage of NFL quality QB's.

AFC North
1. Pittsburgh - Still loaded and know how to win.
2. Cincinnati - Up and coming team, if they can keep at least 22 guys out of jail.
3. Baltimore - Yawn.
4. Cleveland - Perennial Yawn.

AFC South
1. Jacksonville - Time for a new king. Great coach, solid at key positions, what else could you ask for?
2. Indianapolis - Age starts to show, missed expectations become a burden.
3. Tennessee - Vince Young will be great, but not quite yet.
4. Houston - Passing up on Bush...Brilliant or bomb?

AFC West
1. Denver - Assuming Jake the Snake doesn't self-destruct this team could win it all.
2. San Diego - A new QB spells growing pains.
3. Kansas City - Herm goes conservative.
4. Oakland - Biding their time for Al Davis to kick it. Until then another year of bad football at rock bottom prices.

NFC East
1. Giants - If Eli plays well this team can compete with anyone.
2. Cowboys - Overrated but still good. T.O. fills distraction role Cowboys have been missing for years.
3. Washington - Can they survive without Portis?
4. Philadelphia - The best last place team in the NFL.

NFC North
1. Chicago - Smoke and mirrors, surely they aren't this good.
2. Minnesota - Better than last year's record and without the distractions.
3. Detroit - A team on the rise, if they can just get rid of Matt Millen.
4. Green Bay - A very bad football with a Hall of Fame QB who doesn't know when to quit.

NFC South
1. Carolina - The best of the NFC perhaps, if they can stay healthy.
2. Tampa Bay - Quiet but quality.
3. Atlanta - Big on expectations, always sure to disappoint. How many games will Vick play?
4. New Orleans - Still too much to overcome, but moving in the right direction.

NFC West
1. Seattle - They can mail it in, they're far and away the best in this division.
2. Arizona - I'm getting on the bandwagon and believing the hype.
3. St. Louis - Quietly fading away.
4. San Francisco - Still a long, long way to go.

AFC Championship Game: Pittsburgh over New England
NFC Championship Game: Carolina over Seattle

Super Bowl: Carolina over Pittsburgh. This is the year for the Panthers. They were amazing last year even as they were hobbled by some of the worst injury luck in the NFL. If they stay healthy they will win it all this year. They have a great young QB, a great running back, and a solid defense.

Other random predictions:
*T.O.'s stay in Dallas will be short-lived. As will the stay of Parcell, who will retire for the 12th time after this season.
*Brett Favre's streak of consecutive starts will end this season. If injury doesn't do him in then surely shame will. Packers win no more than 5 games this season.
*Cincinnati will move their home field to the Ohio State Penitentiary out of necessity as they will not be able to field a team of 22 non-cons.
*Al Davis will outlive and outlast every other owner in the NFL, just because that's the way karma works.
*Carson Palmer and Matt Leinert will both play very, very well, paving the way for current USC QB John David Booty to be a top 5 draft pick after leading the Trojans to yet another national title.

I think that's enough for now. We'll check back in February to see just how off I was.