It’s your favorite article of the year. BOLD PREDICTIONS. This year is a strange season to say the least. COVID cancelled OTAs and pre-season but everyone needs to be ready after a longer training camp for Week 1. Let’s make some bold predictions to get amped up for real NFL football.
NFL Overall
First bold prediction is the season makes it with few COVID issues. Some players sit but no games are cancelled.
AFC
Patriots still win the AFC East. Everyone will be wanting Buffalo to win but the Patriots get it done with Cam Newton.
AFC West. Chiefs win it but Broncos make some noise. Not that bold yet. I’ll say Broncos will be 3rd wild card not the Bills (bold).
AFC South always a toss-up. I’ll say Titans this time with Henry running wild and Tannehill following up with another good season (bold). Colts make the playoffs over the Texans after O’Brien’s debacle of an offseason. Jags suck. AFC South is roughed up by the NFC North too.
AFC North. Ravens of course but Browns make the expanded playoffs over the Steelers and Bills.
NFC
Saints win the South but Falcons over the Bucs (bold). Brady fails in Tampa and they just miss the playoffs. Falcons might/may make the playoffs (bold) as Jammin trying to pick up a woman). I say they get the 7th spot.
NFC West going with Seattle to win it with Wilson having a monsters season (bold). San Fran has some injuries and Buckner a bigger loss than imagined. Injury bug bites them. San Francisco just misses the playoffs at 9-7 (bold). Arizona makes noise but falls just short. Rams worse at 6-10.
NFC East will go with the Cowboys over the Eagles. Cowboys offense has another monster year and the defense is solid. Eagles make the playoff though along the Falcons as Wentz has a big year and defense is borderline top 10.
NFC North
This division will be stacked though and beat each other up.
The NFC North will get two playoff teams. The Packers win the division again (11-5). They’ll get the health and all the ref calls (not bold). Rodgers and the offense will be better in year 2 of LeFleur and they’ll edge out the other three teams. The defense will be top 12 with good pressure from the Smiths. Run defense still below average but good coverage with the pressure. Packers go 4-2 division splitting with Lions/Bears and sweeping Vikings. Rodgers 104 rating and Davante Adams monster year with 1,300 yards and 14 TDs. Jones and Dillon form a top 10 rushing attack.
The wild card team from the North is my boldest yet. The Chicago Bears (10-6) defense returns to almost 2018 form (even with Goldman opting out) and the offense takes a small step forward with Foles/improved run game/tight end play. The Bears get the wild card at 10-6. Nick Foles somewhat works out for the Bears in a game manager role and benefits from 28+ Bears turnovers forced. Bears 3-3 division splitting with everyone. Nick Foles or Trubisky has a 92 rating but low yards and limits turnovers just enough.
Are you crazy LKP (bold)? What about the Lions LKP? Surely Detroit is much better with all the improvements on defense and health.
The Lions are much better than 2019 but lose some tough closes ones to fall to 9-7 (bold) (3-3 division). Lions split with all 3 NFC North teams. Detroit just misses the playoffs on some fluky ref botched calls (not bold) in two (2) Lions/NFC North games and the Lions/Cardinals game costing them the playoffs after a 1-3 start but strong finish.
The Lions offense is good scoring 29 PPG (bold). Defense is improved but only top 20 and blows some late leads again (not bold). Run defense a little worse without Snacks but the secondary is much better. If the Lions can force 25+ turnovers they could sneak past the Bears/Falcons/Eagles for a wild card. If Detroit continues to not get consistent pressure and don’t force many turnovers, then 9-7 will be the record carried by the offense, Stafford MVP like performance (5,000 yards 40 TDs 10 interceptions, 109 QB rating).
Stafford won’t win MVP though due to the record and missing the playoffs. Golladay and Marvin Jones both have over 1000 yards and 10 TDs. Hock looks good in year 2 with 800 yards and 8 TDs. Lions top 15 in rushing yard and YPG for the first time in a long-time with a good committee at RB with KJ, Swift and a power back.
Vikings are 7-9 after the remake on secondary, losing run stuffer Michael Pierce and take a step back on offense losing Diggs. Dalvin Cook is good and wants a contract but is banged up for a few games costing them some wins. Cousins throws 15 interceptions it cost the Vikings. Vikings go 2-4 in the division swept by Packers and splitting Bears/Lions costing them the playoffs.
Packers 7-3 out of division. Bears 7-3 out of division. Lions 6-4 out of division. Vikings 5-5 out of division.
Playoffs (Chiefs and Saints Home Field Advantage)
Wild Card
Packers over Falcons
Seattle over Eagles
Cowboys over Bears
Patriots over Broncos
Browns over Titans (bold)
Ravens over Colts
Divisional
Saints over Cowboys
Packers over Seattle
Chiefs over Browns
Ravens over Patriots
Champ Games
Saints over Packers
Ravens over Chiefs
CFP Bonus:
Alabama, Florida (bold), Clemson and Oklahoma in the college football playoff if that is still a thing with only 3 power 5 conferences. Most of the time its 3 from those conferences and either Ohio State or Oklahoma so Oklahoma this year.
Bama wins it. Not bold at all. Would have been Penn State if not for COVID.
Super Bowl
Ravens over Saints in a shoot-out. 34-30
Deal with it.