Yesterday I did the AFC Predicitions but I realised they were too conservative (thanks for the feedback) going to be a bit bolder with these picks and maybe I'll try to redo the AFC later.
NFC East:
Expect some major changes in this division. The Eagles will largely improve if McNabb stays healthy. They have a solid defensive unit that will receive a lot of help from newcomer Asante Samuel so do not sleep on them. The Cowboys will still be a good team but expect them to slow down a bit with an improved NFC East. The Giants will be coming in with something to prove and if Eli Manning plays the way he did in the playoffs last year, if Plaxico stays healthy and if the defense stays where it was last year although future Hall of Famer Michael Strahan is gone, all of which have a good chance of happening the Giants should be able to prove that they deserved what they won last year. Finally the last team on th board is the Redskins who will play well but struggle with a young QB in Jason Campbell.
Standings:
1. Eagles (12-4), 2. Giants (11-5), 3. Cowboys (11-5), 4. Redskins (9-7)
NFC North:
THe Vikings will clearly be the team to be here if Tavaris Jackson can keep up which I do not believe he will be able to do, he still needs a season or two to grow and mature. He will feel a lot of pressure being on a team with great D-fence, a great running game but they're a missing piece whic is and will, at least this season, be the passing game. The Lions should imprve this year and were the Vikings to stumble expect them to rise to the occasion and take the division but that remains, for now, at least, unlikely. The Bears will continue to struggle, in my opinion, because of the weakness at the Qb spot, which is the same position that will kill Green Bay. Do not expect Rogers to simply become a great player, he needs some time but the talent is there, so do not soubt his potential but give him what every Qb needs, some time.
Standings:
1. Vikings (11-5), 2. Lions (10-6), 3. Packers (8-8), 4. Bears (6-10)
NFC South:
Hard to imagine what might happen in this divsion since every team raises a level of suspicion but I'll do my best to figure it out. The Saints should be the team we saw a few years ago and not last year's Saints. Brees will improve, Bush will mature, at least a bit, and the addition of Jeremy Shockey, makes the Saints offense a powerhouse not be reckoned with, it is now up to the defense to live up what the offense can and will do. I love the Panthers going into this year with a healthier Jake Delhomme so don't forget about them, it was only a feqw years back they were in the Superbowl against Tom Brady and lost in the final moments. They won't be that good but they'll be a lot better than last year. Ignore the Falcons for now, they are still rebuilding so they shouldn't be a factor in the NFC south at all. Finally, unless the Bucs get Favre, there is no chance that they will be back in the playoffs, the horrible performance they had against the Giants in the playoffs las t year, might just be what we will see in every game this year. Garcia isn't getting any younger and his targets are becoming very limited so they shouldn't really be seen as even wild card contenders because of their lack of offense despite their solid Defense.
Standings:
1. Saints (11-5), 2. Panthers (10-6), 3. Bucaneers (7-9), 4. Falcons (3-13)
NFC West:
This leaves us with the last division in the NFC, the West. It should be quite the competition between the Seashawks, who will try in Holmgren's last season to retain the division title but will face a tough competion with the Rams, who will come in this year much more improved if Bulger, Jackson and Holt can all stay healthy, their offense will be the best in their divsion. The Cardinals will struggle with Leinart as QB and might face uncertainty and end up replacing him with Kurt Warner. The same can be said to the 49ers who will be better but no one, right now, trusts Alex Smith and unfortunetly, I won't be the first one to do so.
Standings:
1. Rams (11-5), 2. Seahawks (10-6), 3. 49ers (7-9) 4. Cardinals (6-10)
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Comments (13) Add A Comment
Hate Hate Hate Hate Hate on the Bucs. I love it because you won't see us comming. Remember, defense wins championships (see previous Bucs championship and Ravens as well). If we get Farve, you're all dead [insert cutthroat gesture]. Even if not, Garcia still got us to the playoffs which he can do again. Yes, our playoff appearance was caca last year....but it was against the super bowl champs for christmas sake.
I'm tired of the Saints talk. Bush is overrated and so is his girlfriend, Kimmy.
zega
Tampa , FL
Total Comments (1)
You are lost about the Vikings and Tavaris Jackson. Where do you get your information? You know NOTHING about NFL football. The Vikings will win the North - easily - and T-Jack will have a very good year (dude was 8 and 4 LAST year, bozo). Stop reading LAST years preseason predictions and start looking at the reality of THIS year. Man, if this is all it takes to get published in SI.COM, then come wake me up.
stephenmauiwowie
Hastings, MN
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Dear Bucs Fan don't get cocky with your tone about the Saints and Reggie Bush, the Saints had a lot of Injuries last year, remember when the Saints are Healthy your team can't stand on the same field with them. And this year we will prove it.
Bobby123
Shreveport , LA
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Dude. Those picks are really pretty bad. I dont agree with one of your division winners with the exception of the Vikings. They have a decent shot in that division. Cowboys and Giants are stronger than the Eagles even with the improvements that the Eagles made with their defense. The Bucs have a better shot than the Saints. The Bucs defense is very good and the offense will be better with their playmakers back healthy. The Panthers will also be much better this year as well. But right now I would say Bucs, Saints, Panthers and Falcons. There is no way the Rams win the West. They are the third best team in that division. Their defense is just way too bad
fanofthenfl
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wow...I guess anyone can make predictions. In this case, really bad predictions. Eagles winning the NFC East, have you seen any NFL game before or are these predictions for your season on Madden?
lborreli
Los Angeles, CA
Total Comments (3)
Eagles winning the NFC East, have you seen any NFL game before or are these predictions for your season on Madden?
lborreli | 07/31/08, 08:45 PM
calm down , why does everyobody hate the eagles? They've good a great qb, an excellent rb some decent wr and a solid defensive unit what else do you need to win in the nfl? it's just logic. I just wanted to make some bold picks because i realised no nfl season is like the same if you like to see perdictions that are based upon last year see AFC Predictions
You are lost about the Vikings and Tavaris Jackson. Where do you get your information? You know NOTHING about NFL football. The Vikings will win the North - easily - and T-Jack will have a very good year (dude was 8 and 4 LAST year, bozo). Stop reading LAST years preseason predictions and start looking at the reality of THIS year. Man, if this is all it takes to get published in SI.COM, then come wake me up.
izzyeli | 07/31/08, 11:03 AM
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I'm not the only one sying t-jack id not ready yet and the pressure will be on him because eveything around him is there to win a sb but he's not mature enough yet but i still picked the vikings to win the division, right?
pharoh123
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"calm down , why does everyobody hate the eagles? They've good a great qb, an excellent rb some decent wr and a solid defensive unit what else do you need to win in the nfl? it's just logic."
D. McNabb has been nothing but a shadow of himself the past few seasons, there's no reason believe he will be better this year. And their receivers are a bunch of #2 wideouts at best, nobody there can stand up and lead them. The Eagles are going nowhere this season.
Tony Romo and Eli Manning are the hottest qb's in that division and are both on the rise. The Cowboys returned every starter from their 13-3 season last year except for one, who they replaced with 7-time pro-bowler Zach Thomas. They also added defensive stud Pac Jones and two first round draft picks. How can you say the rest of the NFC East is catching up with them when they've done nothing but make and already outstanding team even better?
Mileage88
Allen , TX
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How can you say the rest of the NFC East is catching up with them when they've done nothing but make and already outstanding team even better?
Mileage88 | 08/01/08, 09:13 AM
i'm saying the eagles will win just one more game than the cowboys, i'm it'll be very close between the three, the race will be tight and these are just predictions
what i mean about the rest of the nfc catching up to the cowboys is that the giants, the eagles, the saints, the panthers, the lions, the vikins have all improved than last year so it'll be more difficult for the cowboys to just breeze through the nfc, however s i said it'll be very close i'm not counting out the cowboys, i'm just saying the rest of the nfc is better and should cause the cowboys some difficulties
and i would like to add that it's interesting that everybody all of sudden is saying eli manning is a good qb when no one believed that'd be possible that he'd lead the giants to the sb so there are always sleepers and i believe the eagles are just sleepers this year
pharoh123
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do you remember who gave up 12 sacs last year to the giants? Six to umenyiora alone? unlike strahan, he didnt retire and hes still as strong as an ox. eagles on top? not a chance
njhc4life
Titusville , FL
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Im definately goin with the saints in the south. the offense is wayyyy to good to not take them to the playoffs, maybe even the superbowl. People dont realize the impact of getteng Jeremy Shockey. He can recieve and block. Be ready. and the addition of Vilma will bolster the defense. So look for the defense to improve as well. And Reggie Bush will have a career year this year. (if he's not injured)
Cardsfan910
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m definately goin with the saints in the south. the offense is wayyyy to good to not take them to the playoffs, maybe even the superbowl. People dont realize the impact of getteng Jeremy Shockey. He can recieve and block. Be ready. and the addition of Vilma will bolster the defense. So look for the defense to improve as well. And Reggie Bush will have a career year this year. (if he's not injured)
Cardsfan910 | 08/01/08, 02:43 PM
well said, not a lot of people trust the saints this year but i really like them coming in this year and i'd like if people laid off the bush hate, sure he isn't as good as most people thought he'd be but give him a chance he needs time for now like every good player to develop
pharoh123
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do you remember who gave up 12 sacs last year to the giants? Six to umenyiora alone? unlike strahan, he didnt retire and hes still as strong as an ox. eagles on top? not a chance
njhc4life | 08/01/08, 11:06 AM
don't worry i know what you mean, i'm a giants fan and one of the only ones who once i sa eli manning vs. the bucs knew it was just destiny but for some reason it makes sense for me to pick the eagles to justy win one more game than the giants and the cowboys for now, but it'll be VERY VERY CLOSE BETWEEN THE THREE (COWBOYS, EAGLES, GIANTS) AND IT COULD GO ANY WAY so everyone calm down
pharoh123
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The Saints will win the south and there is NO CHANCE the Eagles win the east.
Black_Jesus24
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