AFC North (Bengals, Steelers, Browns, Ravens)
Champion: Batlimore Ravens; Runner up: Steelers

I think Baltimore will get over the hump this year. They have been close the past two season, making the playoffs both years, and almost winning the division both seasons. This is the season for Flacco to put up or shut up, and I think he will put up. There is certianly no excuses for him to have a bad season, now that they have Boldin and Evans in the WR positions. I look for Baltimore to win this divison. Pittsburgh is always a wildcard. They have a team that makes you wonder why they are good, yet they always seem to find a way to win. I think offensive line issues are going to catch up to them this year. They should hang around in the playoff race, and should be considered a favorite for the wildcard. Cleveland is a team to look out for. I do not see a winning season for the Browns, but they can and probably will make a little noise throughout this season. Cincinnati will guard the celler of this division.

AFC East (Patriots, Bills, Dolphins, Jets)
Champion: Patriots; runner-up: Jets

This is pretty much a two team battle between the Jets and Patriots. As long as Tom Brady plays for New England, you have to consider them the favorite. I am not a believer in Mark Sanchez yet, he has to prove to me he can get over the hump before I pick them to win the division. I look for New England to win by multiple games. Buffalo Bills are a team in this divison that should make some strides this season. They are not as bad as they were last season. I would be surprised to see them get near 8 wins, but they should pull off a few upsets this season. I have Miami holding down the celler of this division.

AFC West (Chiefs, Chargers, Raiders, Broncos)
Champion: San Diego; Runner-up: Oakland

Probably the third most wide open division in football. San Deigo had a top ranked offense and top ranked defense last season, so I have to believe their record was nothing more than a complete fluke. They lost more than a few games because of a plethera of turnovers by their offense. I would be surprised if they are that careless with the ball this season. Kansas City and Oakland are coin flips for runner up, I go with Oakland because they swept the division last year, and really turned up their play late in the season. I think Oakland will make a playoff push, but fall short in the end. Kansas City will end up around 8 wins give or take a few. Denver is the guardian of the celler in this division.

AFC South (Texans, Colts, Jaguars, Titans)
Champion: Houston; Runner-up: Jacksonville

This has to be the most wide open division in football, thanks to Mannings neck. Every team in this division has a dozen questions and no answers. Will Houstons defense finally be able to win them some ball games? Can the Texans finally live up to their potential? What will the Jaguars look like under Luke McCown, and when does Gabbert take over the offense? Can the Jaguars D step up and win them some ball games? What will the Colts look like under Collins? Can they still be effectient on offense under Collins? A week ago I would have gone with the Jaguars to win the division. Now without Garrard I think Houston has to be the favorite. Houston is the only team returning their starting quarterback from last season. That has to be more than a slight advantage for the Texans. I look for all three of the other teams to struggle at times under the new Quarterbacks. Every team has defensive questions, this division could be decided by which defense steps up the most. I look for Tennessee to hold down the celler of this division.

NFC North (Packers, Bears, Lions, Vikings)
Champion: Packers; Runner-up: Detriot

Not much to say about the Packers. They are superbowl favorites at this point. The big race inside this division is for second place. Detriot has the fewest questions and I believe they are young and ready to rise up from the bottom of the league. The Bears were a fluke last year. They have one of the worst offensive lines in football, and I look for that to be the death of them this year. Cutler will be on his back just as much this season as he was last season. That will cost them several games. Minnesota will hold down the cellar of this division.

NFC South (Atlanta, New Orleans, Carolina, Tampa Bay)
Champion: New Orleans; Runner-up: Atlanta

If I was a gambling man I would say that the Falcons are going to falter big time this season. I think they made the worst possible decision trading away half of their draft for Julio Jones. That is not a knock on Jones himself, but I can only name less than a half dozen wideouts in the NFL that is worth the price the Falcons paid to get Julio. They have a solid team, so I have to believe they can hold it together this year. But I hate the all or nothing approach they have taken this season, hardly ever does it end up with a superbowl title. New Orleans showed me absolutely nothing on defense the other night, but I have to believe they will pull it together in time to win this division. Tampa Bay is very young and I look for them to take a step back this season, they should hang right around the 8 win mark this season. Carolina and Cam "overrated" Newton will hold down the bottom of this ship.

NFC West (Arizona, Seattle, St. Louis, San Francisco)
Champion: St. Louis; Runner-up: San Francisco

This is probably the second most wide open division, but St. Louis is clearly primed and ready to step up in this division. Can Bradford repeat his success from last season? If he does then this should easily be the Rams year to win the division. I am not a Kolb believer, he will make Arizona better, but not good enough to win the division. Seattle has too many qb questions, and San Fran never seems to put all their talent together for a season. Seattle will hold down the bottom of this division.

NFC East (Cowboys, Eagles, Redskins, Giants)
Champion: Eagles; runner-up: Dallas

I want to go with New York to win this division, but at this point I am wondering if they will have enough healthy players to field a team by the end of the season. Eagles will win this division, I have to believe Vick will get it done like always, however, if he is hurt the Eagles are toast, Young is complete garbage. Dallas is starting to build a team the right way, through the draft. I was very impressed with the way the avoided overrated or early Free agency. They should be much better than they were last year. I look for that defense to play better, and that offense to be great. However, as long as Romo is the QB it is hard to take the Cowboys seriously. Washington will weigh down the bottom of this division.

Playoff predictions AFC:
Baltimore, Houston, San Deigo, New England, New York Jets, Pittsburgh Steelers. Jacksonville, and Oakland will stay in the wildcard hunt until the last few weeks.

NFC:
Eagles, Saints, Packers, Rams, Falcons, Cowboys; Detriot, Arizona and the NY Giants will stay in the picture until the last few weeks.

 

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Tennessee is a wildcard within the division. I am not sold on Hasselbeck one bit, and I would not be surprised of we see Locker by the end of the year. I think Jacksonville can rally behind McCown enough to stay competitive for some of the season. Jacksonville could really go either way, but you have to believe if McCown was not looking better than Garrard they would not be going with him. From all I have heard, McCown was clearly the best looking qb on the team. Rather that means Garrard was just that bad or if McCown was playing much better is yet to be determined. Adding to the fact that the Jaguars with Garrard would have been picked by many to win the division after the Manning new broke, I do not think they should fall all that far from there. We will know much more about this division in a few weeks. Houston is the favorite, but they are not strong favorites. I could honestly see all four teams, including a Manning-less Colts, challenging for the division title. As I said in my prediction, I think this division will be decided by which ever teams defense shows the most improvement.

 

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i read better discussions here then any so-called NFL commentators can offer...its hard to listen to the dribble that comes out most of their mouths...

the VN's sports page rocks!


well at least when it comes to the NFL...you guys suck when it comes to baseball.

 

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Thats because I do not follow baseball all that closely. NFL and college basketball are the two things that I follow the most. I follow some college football, and some NBA as well. Baseball I pretty much ignore until September, except for catching the score of the Braves game very once in a while.

 

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And just to add to Tennessee, they are an extreme wildcard in this division. Its hard to forget they were something like 5-2 at one point last season. Then the Vince Young crap happened. Its hard to say if their poor finish was a result of being out matched in the talent pool or if they just had chemestry issues. I could definitely see them as potentials to win the division, or holding down the basement. Really you can make a strong case for everyone but Houston finishing last inside the division. Its going to be an exciting season. Lets not forget the return of Manning could be a possiblity. Lets say the Colts hang within a game or two of the division lead and Manning returns week 9. Colts would immediately become the favorites. Especially considering they do not play most of the division for a second time until the last few weeks. Can easily make up a few games at the end, similar to what they did last year.

Dont sleep on Oakland. They took it to the Jaguars and Colts at the end of the season last year, and destroyed the Chiefs to end the season. They were a playoff calibur team to end the year last year. They just had a bad start. Do not be surprised if Oakland is in the playoff picture the last game of the season. McFadden is one of the best backs in the league, if he can stay healthy Oakland should be ok. And Oaklands defense even without Nnamdi, is still a great defense. They have great young corners, and a good DL. Do not discount Oakland this season.

 

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sadly Al Davis is still there and until he goes to the grave the Raiders are going to be a BCS team.

Foster is out today in Houston...least that small bit helps my Colts.

 

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Holy cow, the Colts are in more trouble than I thought they were. At least in the AFC South. I think the other three AFC South teams are going to let out 8 years of frustrations on the Colts this year. Oddly now that Manning is not playing, my hatred of the Colts has fizzled down to a strong dislike.

 

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i think your prediction for us is right

 

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the manning-less colts is a travesty! hopefully the owners/GM will take notice to all the short-comings that the colts have had for years and what the presence of manning has meant. honestly with the colts showing yesterday, its shocking that manning hasnt won 7 or 8 MVP's!

 

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