Just to clarify, I did these picks last week, but because of a couple different things going on I did not have time to post them, but this isn't reactionary to yesterday. I started out by going through the entire schedule and picking win-loss records for everyone, but I decided against that and instead will just give my division order of finish for everyone. Without further ado, here are my 2013 NFL predictions.
AFC
East
1. Pats
2. Bills
3. Dolphins.
4. Jets
Despite the Jets win over my Bucs yesterday they are going to be a terrible team. The dolphins are overrated while the Bills are underrated but none of them will beat the Pats for the division. Pats win by at least 3 games and get a bye in the first round.
North
1. Bengals
2. Ravens
3. Browns
4. Steelers
I have everyone in this division finishing within 2 games of each other and until 3 days ago had the Steelers winning the division. Ravens will drop off from last year and the Browns will be better than most people think as long as they can figure out their play calling and not let Weeden throw all day. After what happened to Pouncey yesterday I think a bad season just turned into a disaster for the Steelers.
South
1. Colts
2. Texans
3. Titans
4. Jaguars
After the Colts almost blew the game to the Raiders yesterday I am a bit less confident about this pick but this is what I went with so I am sticking with it. Jaguars will battle with the Raiders and Chargers for the worst team in the league, while the Titans will be mediocre at best. Texans will be right there with the Colts and both teams will be in the playoffs at the end of the season.
West
1. Broncos
2. Chiefs
3. Raiders
4. Chargers
The Chiefs are going to be much better than last year and I think they get the last wild card spot, but they won't compete for the division with the Broncos. If the coaches let him, Peyton Manning will break the touchdown record this year for 2 reasons. 1. their defense is bad enough to let other teams hang around and score points and force the Broncos to keep putting up points themselves, and 2. the Broncos don't have a running game, so all their offense is going to come from Peyton and the receivers. Manning should have been co-mvp last season, but he will win it outright this year.
AFC final standings
1. Broncos
2. Patriots
3. Colts
4. Bengals
5. Texans
6. Chiefs
7. Ravens
8. Browns
9. Bills
10. Dolphins
11. Steelers
12. Titans
13. Jets
14. Raiders
15. Chargers
16. Jaguars
NFC
East
1. Cowboys
2. Eagles
3. Giants
4. Redskins
After last night's game this is another division I am a little nervous about. The giants turned it over 6 times on the road and the Cowboys barely won the game. I think this division is very close all year and Cowboys will pull it out in the end. The Redskins are the most over hyped team in the NFL and they will not be as good as advertised. I picked the Eagles to go 15-1 last year and they went 4-12. This year I am buying into the Chip Kelly hype and picking them to make the playoffs as the last wild card team.
North
1. Packers
2. Bears
3. Lions
4. Vikings
This is another division that I do not think will be close. The Packers are the best team in the division and it's not close. the lions will battle the Bears for second but Green Bay wins the division running away. The Vikings get another exciting year from AP but that's about it as they will have another top 10 draft pick next season.
South
1. Bucs
2. Falcons
3. Saints
4. Panthers
This is the one that will most likely come back to haunt me. Even before yesterday I knew it was a long shot to pick my Bucs to win the division but after yesterday's debacle I don't see how they can do it. Josh Freeman is a terrible quarterback and you just can't win in this league without a good qb. More than likely the Falcons win this division but this is most definitely a heart and not head pick.
West
1. Seahawks
2. 49ers
3. Rams
4. Cardinals
The Seahawks and Niners are the 2 best teams in the league and will be neck and neck the whole season. The thing that sucks for one of these teams is that they will finish 2nd in the division but be the 5 seed in the playoffs. It will be close but I think Seahawks get the division while the Niners still make the playoffs. The Rams will be mediocre and finish with no more than 7 wins, while the Cardinals once again have another high draft pick as well.
NFC Final Standings
1. Seahawks
2. Packers
3. Cowboys
4. Bucs
5. 49ers (even though they'll have the 2nd best record)
6. Eagles
7. Falcons
8. Saints
9. Giants
10. Panthers
11. Bears
12. Lions
13. Redskins
14. Rams
15. Cardinals
16. Vikings
MVP - Peyton Manning
Coach - Andy Reid
Offensive ROY - EJ Manuel
Defensive ROY - Alec Ogletree
Playoffs
Wildcard round
Cowboys over Eagles
49ers over Bucs
Colts over Chiefs
Bengals over Texans
Divisional round
Broncos over Bengals
Patriots over Colts
Seahawks over 49ers
Packers over Cowboys
Championship round
Broncos over Patriots
Seahawks over Packers
Super Bowl
Seahawks over Broncos - I think the Seahawks are the best overall team in the NFL, especially once Percy Harvin comes back, but part of this pick is also because the Super Bowl is being played outside in New York this year and they are forecasting a huge storm already. If the game is played in bad weather, I favor Seattle.
I'm sure most of these will be wrong, but as always it is fun to pick anyway.
Til Next Time,
Dallas
