NFL predictions

NFC North champion: Packers (best of a modest bunch)
NFC West champion: Cardinals (best of an even more modest bunch)
NFC East champion: Giants
NFC South champion: Panthers (top seed)
Wild Card: Eagles
Wild Card: Saints (Falcons have never had consecutive winning seasons - this streak will continue)

AFC North champion: Steelers
AFC West champion: Chargers (best of the most modest bunch of all)
AFC East champion: Patriots (top seed)
AFC South champion: Colts
Wild Card: Titans
Wild Card: Texans (they finally break through)

NFC Champion: Giants 35, Eagles 31 - After teasing their fans with another NFC Championship Game appearance, the Eagles blow it once again when Eli Manning beats a blitz and throws the winning TD pass in the final seconds.

AFC Champion: Patriots 38, Steelers 21 - Bill Belichick owns the Steelers in the playoffs.

Super Bowl Champion: Patriots 42, Giants 24 - Revenge for two years ago.

MVP: Tom Brady
Defensive player of the year: Troy Polamalu
Rookie of the Year: Matt Stafford
Coach of the Year: John Fox
First coach fired: Wade Phillips (with Andy Reid soon to follow when Eagles management decides this group has had enough chances to get over the hump and starts over)

 

NFC North champion: Packers
NFC West champion: Seahawks
NFC East champion: Giants
NFC South champion: Saints
Wild Card: Eagles
Wild Card: Panthers

AFC North champion: Steelers
AFC West champion: Chargers
AFC East champion: Patriots
AFC South champion: Titans
Wild Card: Texans
Wild Card: Jets

NFC Champion: Giants
AFC Champion: Chargers
Super Bowl Champion: Giants

MVP: Philip Rivers
Defensive player of the year: DeMarcus Ware
Rookie of the Year: Mark Sanchez
Coach of the Year: Gary Kubiak
First coach fired: Tom Cable

 

AFC East: Pats
AFC North: Steelers
AFC South: Indy
AFC West: Chargers
Wild Card: Bal-d-more
Wild Card: Titans edge out Texans

AFC champ: Minutemen

NFC East: G-men
NFC North: Pack is back
AFC South: ATL
AFC West: Seattle.
Wild Card: NO
Wild Card: Philly

NFC champ: Falcons (just to be different)

Pats win another SB

Predictions: Chiefs will be lucky to win 2 games. Tampa is also a trainwreck. Tom Cable is first coach arrested/fired. Mark Sanchez flames out and the Rex Ryan honeymoon ends quickly in New York with a 1-3 start.

Out on a limb: Brett Favre throws a pick in a spot in a big game and costs the Norsemen a shot at the playoffs.

 

Compare Pittsburgh's 2008 hard-as-a-coffin-nail schedule which was generated from a 10-6 season and a quick bounce from the playoffs to the 2009 sisters-of-the-poor-daughters-of-the-weak schedule they have this year as defending champions.

 

At least Darren Sharper's out of the division ...

 

I will jump up and down if you're right, but I don't think you are. The Niners won a lot of games last year after the team they were playing had essentially given up and Singletary was coaching for his job. The Crabtree deal doesn't help, and having no decent QB won't help either.

 

I wouldn't be too surprised to see the Falcons crash and burn this season. They benefited last year from having a RB and a QB that few teams could scout since Turner was a backup before going there and Ryan was a rookie. I love teams with the QB/RB/WR tandems like the Falcons have, but we'll see what happens.

The love for Dallas on here stuns me. I'll be stunned if they're better than third in a good division and a 6-10 season wouldn't surprise me.

The Packers are an interesting one. Everybody (although not on here) seems to think the Vikings and Bears will battle it out, but Rodgers has looked unbelievable in the preseason and the defense is better.

 

Great example. The main factor in strength of schedule going into a season is the divisions you are lined up with, not previous year's placement.

 

Although, the Vikings, who won the North last season, have the easiest schedule in the NFL this season...

 

Plus, there is the timing of the game.

Pittsburgh catches Tennessee at home, at night to open the season and 60,000 Yinzers will be out for blood with the return of the conquering heroes. Trust me, catching Pittsburgh at home on a 1 p.m. start in October would be much, much easier.

 

NFC North champion: Packers
NFC West champion: Seahawks
NFC East champion: Eagles
NFC South champion:Saints
Wild Card: Cowboys
Wild Card: Falcons

AFC North champion: Ravens
AFC West champion: Chargers
AFC East champion: Patriots
AFC South champion: Colts
Wild Card: Steelers
Wild Card: Texans

NFC Champion: Saints
AFC Champion: Chargers
Super Bowl Champion: Chargers

MVP: Drew Brees
Defensive player of the year: Ed Reed
Rookie of the Year: Aaron Curry
Coach of the Year: Sean Payton
First coach fired: Cable

 

People predicting Chris Wells as ROY: