NFC EAST I think you have a balanced view on all 4 teams. I could see it happening the way you predicted.
NFC NORTH You way overshot Chicago. I don't think that a team as one-dimensional as the Bears could roll to such a dominant record.
I think you overshot Minnesota as well. The Vikings are good at alot of things but they aren't great at anything. I don't think that they have a shot at the playoffs in the same conference as the Eagles, Giants, Bucs, Falcons, Saints, and Cardinals. Although I predict some of those teams to finish with worse records than Minnesota, I would pick all of them to make the playoffs ahead of the Vikings this year. I don't think Brad Childress will translate into that great of a head coach and the Vikings are going to be mediocre.
I think Detroit and Green Bay will both be a little better than you anticipate but I think you were pretty close to right.
NFC SOUTH
Same as the NFC East. I think you are pretty close to exactly right on all 4 teams.
NFC WEST
I could see Seattle finishing with a 12-4 record like you predicted. However, I disagree with your belief that they are the best team in the NFL. I think that I would put us, the Bengals, and the Steelers ahead of them.
Arizona is an iffy playoff pick on my part so they could be 8-8 as you suggested, this is heavily dependent on how Kurt Warner performs after a few terrible seasons however.
I agree with your take on the Rams. They could make the playoffs but alot of things have to happen that I don't think will. 7-9 is about right.
I agree completely on San Francisco.
AFC EAST
I don't think New England will be nearly as good as you think they will be. There defense was not very good last season and I think it will be even worse this season. The loss of Willie McGinest was huge and I could tell a difference in Tedy Bruschi's performance after his unfortunate stoke last year. That means that after years of having 4 exceptional linebackers in their 3-4 scheme the Patriots will only have 2 this season in Mike Vrable and Roosevelt Colvin. The Patriots injury-ridden secondary should struggle again this year as well despite the return of the over-the-hill Rodney Harrison. The only reason I think that New England will qualify for the postseason is because of Bill Belichick and Tom Brady.
Your analysis of Miami is about right.
I don't think New York is near as good as you think they are. 6-10 is kind of an overshoot, dont you think? You have them winning at Tennessee and at Buffalo early in the season which I can't see. Tennessee and New York are equally terrible and usually when that happens the home team wins, meanwhile New York always struggles at Orchard Park so imagine how they will do when they are facing a Bills team that is better than them, I think Buffalo will win at New York later in the season as well. They might beat Detroit at home later in the season, but even that is a question mark in my mind.
I agree that Buffalo will be 4-12 but where do you have those 4 wins coming? 2 of my 4 predicted wins were against the Jets.
AFC NORTH
You are pretty close on Pittsburgh and Cincinnati but there are a few things I disagree on. After a 2-3 start (I agree that they will start 2-3 but I think that they will beat New England and lose to Pittsburgh unlike your prediction) I think that the Bengals get on a roll and don't lose another game. You have them losing at Cleveland and at home against Pittsburgh, but I think Romeo Crenell's squad is a year away from beating the Bengals. Then on the final week of the season they play Pittsburgh- a game which will inevitably decide the winner of the AFC North. I read a Sports Illustrated article on Carson Palmer a few weeks ago and Palmer said something interesting in it. He has a 2006 Bengals schedule hanging up in his house and he points to that game at home against Pittsburgh and sais "Thats the one I hope will be for all the marbles". With that kind of motivation and the pain of the Wildcard loss in which he was injured last season, Palmer and the Bengals will not lose. I think Cincy wins in a run-away and claim the AFC North crown.
I agree with Cleveland and Baltimore.
AFC SOUTH
Didos all around. You are pretty much right on all 4 teams, I have some minor disagreements but it amounts to the same thing- the Colts finishing 1st, the Jaguars 2nd, Texans 3rd and Titans 4th.
AFC WEST
Again, I agree with you on this division.
PLAYOFFS
Seattle would destroy Minnesota as you predicted. If the two were to meet in the playoffs, I would predict the final score to be more Seahawks 49, Vikings 10.
In our game against the Redskins you state that Washington will score just enough points to win- How so? Our defense is as good, if not better than Washington's, while our offense is far-and-away better than their offense. If you think their defense is good enough to shut down our offense then you must agree that our defense is good enough to shut down their offense. Our secondary is much improved and will not give up the long bomb to Santana Moss anymore. Mark Brunell is old and fragile as well, just like Bledsoe, so our pass rush will be more than enough to shut down Washington's passing attack. Clinton Portis would be shut down by our defense's front 7. If we were to face the Redskins, I think that we would shut down their offense. On the other side of the ball, our improved offensive line would prove to be a formidable advisary to their pass rush. Washington could intercept Bledsoe a couple times, but at the same time Terrell Owens and Terry Glenn should catch a few long bombs. I think that the score would be Cowboys 20, Redskins 0.
The Dolphins and Broncos contest is an interesting one. I agree that it would be close but I think that the battle tested Broncos would actually prevail at home. Broncos 23, Dolphins 20.
No contest between Cincy and Indy. The Bengals blow away Manning and the now completely one-dimensional Colts. Bengals 45, Colts 17.
Divisional Playoffs
I predict the Redskins and Bears to meet in the playoffs just as you do, Walt, and I predict the Redskins to beat the Bears in the wildcard round. However, if the Redskins were to meet the Bears, who had a bye in the previous round, then Washington would be spent from what you predict to be a tough win over us. The Redskins offense would be in rewind. Bears 9, Redskins 3.
I agree completely about Seattle and Carolina. The Panthers would prevail. Panthers 30, Seahawks 17.
I have the Patriots winning at Miami in the first round. If they had a bye and faced the Dolphins, who played the week before, and they had them at home then it wouldn't even be close. Patriots 27, Dolphins 6.
I agree that the Bengals would win at Pittsburgh, but I don't think it would be close. Bengals 38, Steelers 20.
Conference
Again, Washington's exhausted offense cannot compete with a strong defense in the playoffs. The Panthers would win easily if this was the NFC Championship. Panthers 20, Redskins 3.
What a great AFC Championship Game Cincinnati @ New England would be. I agree that it would be close, and I also agree that Cincinnati would win. Bengals 28, Patriots 24.
Super Bowl
Cincinnati would be able to move the ball on Carolina's defense and Jake Delhomme would look like he did against Seattle last year against Cincinnati's secondary. I think that Cincinnati would sail if they were to play the Panthers in the Super Bowl. Bengals 34, Panthers 16
I might have overshot Minnesota, but they have a very easy schedule. I think they sneak into the playoffs ahead of better teams like the Giants, Buccaneers, Falcons, Rams...
I think the Jets' defense will carry them to six wins. They're a lot better than the Titans right now. They're better at almost every position.
Washington's defense is one of the best stop units in the league. They were much better last year than the Cowboys, who are weak at inside linebacker and free safety.
@WSH: L 0-1 CAR: L 0-2 CHI: W 1-2 @ BUF: W 2-2 DET: W 3-2 BYE @ SEA: L 3-3 NE: L 3-4 @ SF: L 3-5 GB: W 4-5 @ MIA: L 4-6 ARZ: W 5-6 @ CHI: L 5-7 @ DET: L 5-8 NYJ: W 6-8 @ GB: W 7-8 STL: W 8-8
I can see your point with New York and Tennessee except at the quarterback position. The Titans have more potential with Vince Young and I think they have a better present at the quarterback position with Billy Volek rather than the Jets' quartet of quarterbacks. Point granted, I still think New York will be 3-13.
Marcus Coleman will change our fortunes at the free safety position and we have so many talented outside linebackers (DeMarcus Ware, Kevin Burnett, Akin Ayodele, Bobby Carpenter) that one of them is bound to play good inside linebacker. I think Brady James is a capable starter at one of the inside spots.
Marcus Coleman is old and didn't produce last year for the Texans. He'll be even worse this year.
I have Minnesota beating Carolina in Week 2 because it's a huge revenge game. The Panthers humiliated the Vikings last year, and that was the game Culpepper got hurt.
Oct. 30, 2005: Carolina 38, Minnesota 13. I remember it like it was yesterday.
Culpepper tore his ACL, MCL and PCL in the most embarrassing, lop-sided loss of the year. Everyone thought the Vikings were done at that point, but to their credit, they finished the season 7-2.
Wow, I didnt even remember that game. Well, if all of that is true then there is a little revenge factor in it for the Vikings but the Panthers are simply a better football team. I really dont think the Vikings will even remember that though. They've hired a new coach and turned their 2005 season around since then. I still think Carolina wins and even if Minnesota wins that game I would still have them 9-7 and out of the playoffs.
Here's another reason I believe Minnesota will win this game:
Carolina's game against the Vikings is sandwiched between two meetings with division rivals Atlanta and Tampa Bay. If the Panthers beat the Falcons, I think they'll be on an emotional low against Minnesota. If the Vikings are truly seeking revenge -- as I'm predicting -- they'll have a lot more energy.
I have them making the playoffs because the Giants and Buccaneers have brutal schedules. Those two are better than Minnesota, but I think the Vikings sneak into the postseason because their schedule is easy.
SF: W 1-0 @ SEA: L 1-1 STL: L 1-2 @ ATL: L 1-3 KC: L 1-4 CHI: W 2-4 @ OAK: W 3-4 @ GB: W 4-4 BYE DAL: L 4-5 DET: W 5-5 @ MIN: L 5-6 @ STL: W 6-6 SEA: W 7-6 DEN: W 8-6 @ SF: W 9-6 @ SD: W 10-6
It's possible, but I can't rely on Kurt Warner to lead a team to the playoffs. There's no way he stays healthy all year behind that mess of an offensive line.
I say they lose those two home games to Seattle and Denver. I don't think they're as good as those two squads.
Even if they lose to Denver and Seattle at home then they still have games v.s. St. Louis, @ Atlanta, v.s. Kansas City, and v.s. the Cowboys, I think that they could win any of those games too. Thats a pretty easy schedule and I think that they sneak in as the sixth seed in the NFC only to be blown out by Carolina in the first round.
But how can you trust Kurt Warner to stay healthy? If he gets hurt, Matt Leinart, a rookie QB, will have to lead the team into the postseason. There haven't been many rookies who have done that.
Very true. I have said all along that it is an iffy pick but I cannot see the Giants, Eagles, Vikings, Buccaneers, Falcons, or Saints getting 10 wins because 1. their schedules are too tough, and 2. because some of those teams just arent good enough.
The more reason that they wont sweep Detroit. Rod Marinelli wants to set a precedent there, the Lions wont be pushed around by anyone including the Vikings.
I don't think so. Charles Rogers and Mike Williams both have serious attitude problems. Their talent has never been an issue; they are just toads who will never be on a winning team.
If what you say is true then I dont think that Rod Marinelli would have kept them thus far. I think that they just need a strong leader to guide them and they got two in Marinelli and Martz. Mooch is a good coach but he is laid back and didn't crack the whip enough.
Well, even if youre right about Rogers and Williams, Martz and Marinelli still have Roy Williams, Kevin Jones, John Kitna, and Marcus Pollard to work with.
