It is that time of year again! Even if summer is winding down and Labor Day brings it to an unofficial end, another season of football is right on its way. In fact, this is the season that will lead to Super Bowl 50 in Santa Clara, California. Yes, the 50th Super Bowl is not being shown with its number in roman numerals. The most exciting part of what this season has to offer, though, is that the shake-ups are quite promising and it is going to make for something that everyone is going to want to watch. Coming into this summer, Tom Brady had his suspension lifted and will be coming right out of the gate to make the greatest splash possible, the Colts have a top notch batch of free agents on top of their already great team, Peyton Manning will be back at the age of 39, but whether or not for the last time is up in the air, the Chip Kelly renovation with the Eagles can either be a great hit or a great miss, Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota will have a great deal of attention as rookies, and so much more is in store!
I will be predicting the finishing record of each team by division. This finishing record is an estimate and was briefly considered with the schedule at hand. For the playoffs, I will be predicting the final results to each game. Last year, I picked the Broncos to beat the Seahawks in the Super Bowl. If I picked the Patriots in the place of the Broncos, I would have had everything from the championship onward correct. I correctly placed the Seahawks in the Super Bowl, and had the Colts and Packers going out in the AFC and NFC Championship respectively. If you wanted to see my predictions from last year, you can find them here: http://caponomics.blogspot.com/2014/08/my-prediction-2014-nfl-season.html
Here we go with this season...
AFC East
New England Patriots (11-5)- The Patriots will have a lot to prove and a great statement to make following the possible suspension that was slap onto Tom Brady due to Deflate-gate. Do I think this is going to give them an outrageous record? Not necessarily, but they are bound to win the division yet again. Much of the team's foundation remains intact, though they have just four wide receivers. That should not be a concern, though, for Brady seems to make something out of what ever he has. Rob Gronkowski is still the elite tight end in the league and Julian Edelman and crew seem to be a reliable batch. Bill Belichick is on his way to statistically becoming the greatest NFL head coach and can surpass Chuck Noll with most Super Bowl victories with another this season (they are currently tied). Offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels is also mentioned frequently for another head coaching position, but this is one I am not too sure about. What I know for sure is that the Patriots will have this division wrapped up, even if the Bills and Dolphins give them a run for their money.
Buffalo Bills (9-7)- Speaking of the Bills, the ship being rowed by Rex Ryan will reflect the ship that was rowed by the Jets. Rex Ryan inherited a team that was already great on defense and had a young offense that just needed the right pieces to kick into power drive. I do continue to question the selection of Rex Ryan due to their need to address the offense and evidence that he left a mess in the Meadowlands, but it will give them the relevance that they need and the ability to kick things into gear for at least a season or two. The quarterback question between Tyrod Taylor and E.J. Manuel will need to be addressed, but it seems like Greg Roman will be able to do something the way he did with Colin Kaepernick and the 49ers. The addition of LeSean McCoy is also helpful, for he simply did not fit the Chip Kelly experiment with the Eagles. My guess is that the Bills are going to be among six teams that compete for the six wildcard spots and the results look like they will be optimistic for the first time since 1999 (the Bills hold the longest playoff drought in the league).
Miami Dolphins (8-8)- One thing that we know about Joe Philbin is that he is consistent. He was 7-9 when he joined the team in 2012 and went 8-8 the last two seasons. This season will be three times a charm as I see him going 8-8 yet again, even when competing for one of those wildcard slots. They have a growing team that has Ryan Tannehill running the offense as QB and will have a defensive that is rejuvenated by defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh. There is a lot of promise to this team, but unfortunately they look like they are bound to fall short. I especially believe that Joe Philbin may be let go at season's end, especially if he cannot keep the commotion under control that has occurred so many times under his watch. The Dolphins are in it to win it, but so are all of the other teams. Some are in it more than others and the Dolphins look like they will fall short.
New York Jets (4-12)- Geno Smith is out with an injury he picked up when now released player I.K. Enemkpali punched him in the jaw. This does, however, bring Ryan Fitzpatrick in as the starting quarterback. Fitzpatrick is reliable, but he is simply going to be the kind of guy that keeps them in games. This is an offensive situation that still needs to be addressed and I am not sure if offensive coordinator Chan Gailey is going to be that guy to address it. What will be key, though, is whether or not new head coach Todd Bowles will be able to steer the team in the right direction. He seems to have what it takes to keep them disciplined and has proven himself as a defensive coordinator, but the Jets are certainly going to take time in what looks like an intense rebuilding process.
AFC South
Indianapolis Colts (14-2)- The Colts have what it takes to be the best team in the league this year and I believe that they are going to walk away with the most wins among all 32 teams. Andrew Luck has obviously shown that he is a promising quarterback and already has a great amount of wide receivers, including T.Y. Hilton, but the addition of former 49ers running back Frank Gore and former Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson are only going to help him so much more in what looks like it will become a cast filled with Pro Bowl contenders at the very least. The offense to this team is going to be explosive, while the defense is going to be heavily improved. Pep Hamilton, the offensive coordinator, has been a future head coaching candidate that may very well get his chance following this season and rightfully so.
Houston Texans (9-7)- The Texans have gotten back on track when Bill O'Brien took over following the rebuilding of the embarrassment that was the Penn State incident. The Texans will certainly not be an embarrassment and rightfully contend for a wildcard slot. The fact that Brian Hoyer will be the starting quarterback will provide him with a chance to steer a team as he attempted to do with the Browns before that opportunity was taken away from him. Unlike the experience with the Browns, I feel that Hoyer will be able to prove himself in his pursuit to making this a better team. I do not believe that this is going to be the season where they make it, but they will be in the race up until the last week of the regular season and I could see them definitely contending for the playoffs in the 2016 season.
Jacksonville Jaguars (6-10)- The Jaguars are a team that possess a great deal of promise. They are a young team with players that are not necessarily familiar, but they are also very underrated. This will be reflected in their pursuit this season. Blake Bortles has really demonstrated that he deserves to be the starter for the Jags and Toby Gerhart is certainly an underrated running back that has had recognition during his days of backing up Adrian Peterson on the Vikings. The Jags are bound to go slightly upward, but I would say this means six wins. They will have some gritty division games, prove their worth in evenly matched games, and maybe even sneak a shocker or two. By no means should this affect Gus Bradley for at least another season, for I believe he needs at least two more seasons until they cast a verdict on whether or not he is right for the team.
Tennessee Titans (3-13)- Yes, the Titans made a great selection with Marcus Mariota, but just remember that Peyton Manning was 3-13 in his rookie season with the Colts. Also, there really is not much more to the make up of the team besides Mariota. There needs to be substance to a team and while they did pick up linebacker Brian Orakpo and wide receiver Dexter McCluster, they seem to be the kind of players that have their best days behind them. The fact that Dick LeBeau and Ray Horton are running the defense is a help, but it is not going to help them get out of the doghouse this season.
AFC North
Baltimore Ravens (11-5)- The Ravens are already a great team and they proved this when they won the Super Bowl in 2012. They have only gotten better with what is bound to be a rejuvenated offense and a defense that will remain one to be reckoned with. I feel that with Marc Trestman as offensive coordinator, they have someone who is in their element doing what they do best. Quarterback Joe Flacco is going to have a spectacular season with the help of what will be an important group of wide receivers, including a key resurgence of Steve Smith, Sr. and other wide receivers that are bound to gain rightful notability. On the defensive side, defensive coordinator Dean Pees is constantly overlooked, but he continues to keep the defense fresh and intact. The Ravens have been known for their relevant defense and with a fresh batch of talent, this team will continue to remain relevant and worthy of the division.
Cincinnati Bengals (8-8)- The Bengals have had success during the past few seasons. Marvin Lewis has the second longest tenure among head coaches, only behind Bill Belichick. The Bengals, however, have the longest postseason victory drought in the league, for the last time they won a game in the postseason was during the 1990 season. This is going to be a year where they need to prove that they can win in the playoffs, but the question is going to be whether or not they will be able to reach the playoffs. This is going to be a competitive year in the AFC and I believe more than half of the teams will reach .500 or higher. 8-8 and 9-7 records will be common and in some cases playoff worthy, but I do not see that being the case with the Bengals. I will say, though, that offensive coordinator Hue Jackson certainly deserves another chance to be a head coach and I felt that he would have been the ideal selection for the Bills job.
Pittsburgh Steelers (7-9)- This is a hard one, because the Steelers always have it in them to contend for a spot in the playoffs. They had a great run last season, only to lose to the Ravens in the wildcard round last season. What seemed to come out of the Steelers this past season was that they was more offensively sound after being historically a powerhouse defense. This lagging of defense led to Dick LeBeau's departure of the team, despite being perhaps the most legendary defensive coordinator in the league. The Steelers performance this season will all come down to whether or not the offense is able to remain intact and whether or not the defense is going to improve from last season. This is going to be a season where they need to see upward results and their schedule is not going to be a kind one.
Cleveland Browns (5-11)- I felt that Mike Pettine was the greatest selection for head coach the Browns made since returning to the league as an expansion team (and after seeing what the old Browns have become since moving to Baltimore and becoming the Ravens, these new Browns have been sickening). Unfortunately, these Browns were in contention for a playoff spot and quite possibly a division title last season, but the fact they gave up on Brian Hoyer and instead put their faith on Johnny Manziel, who underperformed, did them in. They are in a situation far more bleak this time around. Instead of Hoyer, the Browns have Josh McCown as their starting quarterback. While I like McCown, I believe that replacing Hoyer with McCown is like replacing a bookstore with a dollar store. Pettine is playing it safe and beginning with McCown, but it will definitely take Manziel some adjusting, and a lot of it, to make it to where he needs to go. Unfortunately, the Browns are starting over again after something interesting came about last season, including the transition that Kyle Shanahan made as offensive coordinators from the Browns to the Falcons.
AFC West
Denver Broncos (10-6)- This is definitely going to be a tougher season for the Broncos, but I believe they still have it in them to be contenders. John Fox was a 7/10 coach (in my mind) while he was with the Panthers, but became a 9/10 coach with the Broncos after reaching the playoffs in all four of his seasons, but having Peyton Manning as the quarterback in three of these seasons proves to be an immense help. The other season had Tim Tebow as QB and featured a great defense and a miraculous run. Now they have a similar structure in the team itself, but Gary Kubiak is now the head coach. Kubiak did a decent job with the Texans, but will have the Peyton Manning factor going for him in Denver. While Rick Dennison has been the team's offensive coordinator before during Mike Shanahan's last three seasons with the team, having Wade Phillips as the defensive coordinator is going to prove to be the greatest factor. Phillips is among the best at what he does and to see what he does is going to be interesting and crucial. This may very well be the deciding factor this season. As for Peyton Manning, whether or not he says or goes at the age of 39 is going to come down to how well this season goes. I have a feeling, though, that this is going to be his last season and that once he retires, he will retire (please don't do what Brett Favre did!!!).
Kansas City Chiefs (10-6)- The Chiefs are going to improve after last season's mediocre performance. It seems like they have much more talent and this talent will be put to use. One of the more notable pickups was that of wide receiver Jeremy Maclin, who spent his entire career on the Eagles. His reunion with Andy Reid (who coached the Eagles until 2012) is going to be interesting to see take place with the Chiefs. The presence of quarterback Alex Smith, running back Jamaal Charles, and the others should definitely not be overlooked, though. While they lagged last season, things should click a bit better this time around. Not to mention that Bob Sutton is perhaps a defensive coordinator that should getting much more recognition for what he does and while he is 64 years old, he should be considered as a head coaching candidate for how well he drives this team's defense, which really kept them going during the past season. It is also worth mentioning that in three out of the last four Super Bowls, BOTH head coaches were 55 or older. What matters most, though, is that the Chiefs will definitely return to form.
San Diego Chargers (8-8)- Since Mike McCoy took over as head coach of the Chargers, the team has gotten so much better and became far more relevant than in seasons prior under Norv Turner. Quarterback Philip Rivers is seeing a resurgence in his career, while Antonio Gates remains one of the noteworthy tight ends in the league. Offensive coordinator Frank Reich and defensive coordinator John Pagano (brother of Colts coach Chuck Pagano) deserve recognition as well and should both be hot candidates for head coaching positions in the future. As for what will come out of the season for this team, the Chargers will likely contend until the last two weeks of the season, but unfortunately fall under the others that steal their thunder, including the Broncos and Chiefs. They will, however, make things really interesting in their division and I am almost certain that 2016 will be their year.
Oakland Raiders (4-12)- On one hand, I question the decision to make Jack Del Rio the head coach of the Raiders, but on the other, he did a convincing job filling in for John Fox on the Broncos when he had to go in for a heart procedure. Del Rio's performance with the Jaguars was mediocre at best (good compared to how they have performed since he left, but nothing compared to Tom Coughlin's performance when they first started), so I do not believe his performance with the Raiders is going to be spectacular. It will, however, all come down to whether or not QB Derek Carr molds into the player that the Raiders were looking for. It will be really interesting to see how he does this particular year. As for spectacular results, I do not see them for this season.
NFC East
New York Giants (10-6)- The NFC East is going to be a three-team race in my mind (everybody except the Redskins) and I feel that with a schedule that is not incredibly difficult, these three teams will reach and/or exceed .500. Most analysts are selecting the Eagles or Cowboys as their division winner, but I feel that the Giants are going to shock everyone, because they need to. If the Giants do not reach the playoffs, I am almost certain that Tom Coughlin and the entire coaching staff will be let go (something that should have happened to offensive line coach Pat Flaherty two seasons back), because despite the two Super Bowl victories, the team has missed the playoffs in five of the last six seasons. What I feel will happen, though, is that things will click. Bringing back Steve Spagnuolo to serve as the defensive coordinator was a good idea after seeing success during his brief tenure in 2007 and 2008. His connection to safety Jeromy Miles from the Ravens also helped bail them. If Landon Collins is healthy for the season, this will address the issue that gave them commotion. In addition, Odell Beckham Jr. and Victor Cruz will be a powerful tandem if they remain in sync, while I have a great deal of confidence in their running backs for the first time since 2008 with Rashad Jennings, Orleans Darkwa, and Shane Vereen. With familiarity to Ben McAdoo's system, Eli Manning and crew should see heavy improvement. I say they win the division by the skin of their teeth. People may say I am eccentric, but this is a team that won the Super Bowl with a 10-6 record to the 16-0 Patriots in 2007 and with a 9-7 record in 2011 after barely winning the division to make the playoffs.
Philadelphia Eagles (10-6)- I can see the division coming down to the Eagles and Giants on the last game of the regular season. What the Eagles did, though, is scrap what they had and rebuilt the team in order to suit head coach and offensive mastermind Chip Kelly's system. One is sure to think: Why would you trade a reliable quarterback like Nick Foles for an injury prone quarterback in Sam Bradford? Why would you trade the third best quarterback in rushing yards for a not too familiar linebacker (this to not to say that they got the running back with the most rushing yards last season with DeMarco Murray)? Why would you let Jeremy Maclin, the most notable of the remaining wide receivers, head off to the Chiefs? It does not look like it's fazing Chip Kelly in the least. The experiment can definitely explore into something incredible if everything goes right. If Sam Bradford is healthy and does not have too much weight he needs to work with, the team is going to go somewhere. This is why they are going to contend.
Dallas Cowboys (10-6)- Yes, three teams in the NFC East will reach ten wins. They are playing the lackluster NFC South and the improving AFC East, but I feel that these three teams in the NFC East will pick up wins in at half of their games in each division (if not a sweep in the NFC South). Darren McFadden is no DeMarco Murray, but I believe that if the offensive line remains strong, the team can definitely contend and pull out incredible victories like the one they had against the Seahawks IN SEATTLE! Tony Romo seems to be healthy, while Scott Linehan and Rod Marinelli are among the best coordinators for offense and defense, respectively, in the league. It was a really wise decision for Jason Garrett to give up his play-calling duties after consistently finishing 8-8. My feeling is that what will do the Cowboys in is that they will be the only team within the division that loses a game to the Redskins. They will continue to have a valiant effort leading to the end of the season, but by being the team to drop one to the Skins (where I see splits among the top three) will cost them.
Washington Redskins (2-14)- I believe the Redskins will be the worst team in the league this season, winning just two games: one against the Cowboys and another against either the Buccaneers or Jets (one or the other, not both). What is going on in Landover, Maryland is a disorganized mess regarding the status of their QBs. RGIII lost his starting position to Kirk Cousins, which will definitely create a bit of friction that will in turn hurt the environment. Cousins is a good quarterback, but he needs his team to kick things into gear and with an aging atmosphere, that may be hard to come by. If there is going to be a time that Jay Gruden will need to step up and take action, it will be now, because he may very well be out of a head coaching job by the end of the season.
NFC South
Atlanta Falcons (9-7)- The NFC South was clearly the worst division last season, just as the NFC West was in 2010, but I found this division to be so far worse for more reasons than one. This time around, though, I see a great deal of rejuvenation for a team that was one game away from winning the division with a 7-9 record. Dan Quinn, who was the Seahawks defensive coordinator, will be the head coach to this team with Kyle Shanahan as its offensive coordinator. This will mean a possible resurgence to Matt Ryan and weapons such as Julio Jones and Roddy White, who have remained fantasy football superstars, but will need to produce a playoff run out of their talent. I believe that this will be the season where they claim the division, even if it is only with a less than flashy record.
New Orleans Saints (8-8)- The Saints seem to be playing to the same tune: remarkable at home and less than impressive on the road. The fact that they lost some talent (notably tight end Jimmy Graham to the Seahawks) does not help them any, but they still have quarterback Drew Brees, who should remain a good quarterback as long as he is with the league. I feel that the Saints will remain contenders in such a weak division right until the time they head in Atlanta to play the Falcons during the last week of the regular season. I am not sure how long Sean Payton has left in him, probably another season or two because of his impressive record, but my bigger question is: Will offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael, Jr. be considered a head coaching candidate in the near future and will the same take place for defensive coordinator Rob Ryan? As much as I am not the greatest fan of the Ryans, I am eager to see if there is ever a day when Rex and Rob Ryan are both head coaches in the NFL.
Carolina Panthers (7-9)- I am not sure if I can say that the Panthers are going to regress, but more so the fact that the Falcons and Saints are going to improve. Head coach Ron Rivera has been able to keep the Panthers relevant for two straight seasons with two straight playoff appearances, but it only seemed like the reason being for this is that they had the least number of flaws. Cam Newton is an okay quarterback, but I feel that their defense is what really keeps things interesting with the Panthers. I see the Panthers holding up their end of the bargain, but it is not going to result in anything that we are not familiar with.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-12)- The Buccaneers will improve... in the way that they are not going to be the team that picks first in the 2016 NFL Draft unless they trade for that selection. I am not sure if quarterback Jameis Winston was the right selection at #1, which is what the forward drive for the team will come completely down to. The team does have a lot of potential or proven talent, so it will be a matter of getting things to click. In addition, it will be interesting to see how head coach Lovie Smith does in rejuvenating this team the way management expected when they brought him in to do so. I say this is going to be a rebuilding season for the team and 2016 will be where the Buccaneers need to prove that they are heading in the right direction.
NFC North
Green Bay Packers (11-5)- The loss of wide receiver Jordy Nelson is a bit of a stinger to their flawless offense, but I feel that with Aaron Rodgers, they can remain a flawless with names such as Randall Cobb, Davante Adams, and the return of James Jones. The Packers seem to be the kind of team that have an offense that is as productive as any in the league and a defense that does what it needs to in order to hold off its opposition. While the defense has been questioned time and time again, Clay Matthews and crew seem to remain useful, while defensive coordinator Dom Capers is exactly in his element. It is hard to believe that Mike McCarthy is just one of four head coaches that has been with the same team for ten consecutive seasons or more.
Minnesota Vikings (10-6)- I believe the Vikings will be the dark horse team this season and rightfully so. Running back Adrian Peterson will be returning, which will really boost the team's running game, especially since Peterson truly has something to prove. At the same time, it will be interesting to see how quarterback Teddy Bridgewater evolves in his second season with the team, especially with wide receivers that include Mike Wallace, who came to the team through free agency. Mike Zimmer has done a remarkable job instilling discipline to this team and assuring that things will be going down exactly the way he feels they should, including a statement about Adrian Peterson either playing for them or for nobody when asked about letting him go. Also in their element is offensive coordinator Norv Turner, who has proven that he could do remarkable things with offenses and it will be something to see if he could do with the Vikings like he has done before with the Cowboys dynasty of the 1990s.
Chicago Bears (8-8)- The Bears simply crumbled under the lack of overall leadership Marc Trestman brought forth to this team, but I feel that it will be a different story under John Fox. While a lot of Fox's immediate success with the Broncos had to do with the massive talent he had with the team, he has also proven that he can coach and do so effectively. I feel that the Bears will return to being a .500 team and possibly reach even further as seasons go by. The question will be whether or not this will be done with quarterback Jay Cutler or with someone else that suits the team a bit better. The coordinators are also excellent selections. After mediocre selections with Aaron Kromer and Mel Tucker as offensive and defensive coordinator respectively, Fox has brought Adam Gase along to be his offensive coordinator and Vic Fangio from the 49ers to be his defensive coordinator. I hold a great deal of confidence that the Bears will become the powerhouse that they once were, but it may take a season or two and possibly a decision regarding the quarterback.
Detroit Lions (5-11)- I just have that feeling that the Lions are not going to have the season they had last time around and are bound to regress. There has been a lack of consistency with their ability to win games, even if Matthew Stafford has proven to be a great quarterback and Calvin Johnson has proven to be a top of the line wide receiver. In addition, Joe Lombardi (offensive coordinator) and Teryl Austin (defensive coordinator) has proven to be future head coaching nominees, which I feel is what this season is going to come down to. If for some reason the Lions make the playoffs (which I am not predicting), both of these men deserve consideration for the nomination, because it will reflect their ability to make something consistent out of the team (one that only made the playoffs twice in the 21st century).
NFC West
Seattle Seahawks (12-4)- The Seahawks are and will remain a team to be reckoned with at home, in their division, in the NFC, and throughout the league. After winning the Super Bowl in the 2013 season, they came quite close during the 2014 campaign. Now, they have many of their stars intact (Russell Wilson, Marshawn Lynch, Richard Sherman, etc.) plus acquired some free agents, most notably Jimmy Graham from the Saints. It seems like this team is not missing a beat and will continue not missing a beat as long as things continue to flow the way they do. Russell Wilson is also the kind of player that has a sense of longevity in him as a runner, but can also convert into being a passer if need be, not falling into the class of Michael Vick, RGIII, Tim Tebow, or Johnny Manziel. The Seahawks generation have also produced head coaches in defensive coordinators in Gus Bradley (of the Jaguars) and Dan Quinn (of the Falcons). I expect the same to be said about offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell and defensive coordinator Kris Richard (new to his position), but most notably offensive line/assistant head coach Tom Cable, who previously coached the Raiders and did a relatively decent job keeping them relevant (he bought them to 8-8 before not coming up with a contract to stay). Cable should definitely pick up a job for a team that looks hopeless (five wins or less on average) and see what he can do with turning them around. As far as the Seahawks are concerned, though, they have all of the pieces to go all the way!
Arizona Cardinals (10-6)- Bruce Arians is perhaps the most important head coach in the league. Since arriving with the team, he went 10-6 in his first season, barely missing the playoffs and going 11-5 and reaching the playoffs last season with a third-string quarterback (in Ryan Lindley). Aside from being really well coached, the Cardinals also benefited immensely by a rejuvenation in their defense, led by now Jets head coach Todd Bowles. At this point in time, they did not lose too much and all they have left are gains. Carson Palmer is bound to start this season and if he can complete the season and do so to the best of his ability, the Cardinals are going to finish where they left off and exceed those expectations. It will be really exciting to see how far this team can really go!
St. Louis Rams (8-8)- This team is bound to show improvement. I am not sure if they are playoff caliber, but I can say that they definitely have what it takes to reach and maybe exceed .500. The formula that Jeff Fisher put together with this team looks like that it is ready to click and whether they make it or not, the fact that this team shows upward progress should be the key focus for this team. Before Fisher, this team was going nowhere, but if they stick with his plan, I am sure they will at least contend as a wildcard come 2016. The addition of Nick Foles also proves to be a great help, for his immediate reliability should really allow the team to get things rolling quickly, which is key for the Rams. He also has an overlooked batch of receivers to throw to and a defense that will be beastly, operated by the eccentric Gregg Williams. If things click for the Rams, this is going to be the best Rams team in the last ten years!
San Francisco 49ers (4-12)- I believe that the 49ers are going to regress. They lost Jim Harbaugh at the head coaching position, followed by running back Frank Gore to the Colts and linebacker Patrick Willis to retirement. They still have Colin Kaepernick at quarterback and Vernon Davis at tight end, but the leadership lags in comparison to what they had before. Jim Tomsula is perhaps the management's opportunity to have more say on the team's choices, because I would have taken Mike Shanahan, who coordinated the offense on this team during their 1994 Super Bowl run, to have one more chance to prove that he is the coach that he was when he coached the Broncos. I am not totally bought on Geep Chryst as offensive coordinator and while Eric Mangini did a good job when he worked with the Patriots defense, I remember him most for being an ineffective head coach. Perhaps something will come out of this team, but I can only see steps backward for this team in what will be a very intense division in which the three other teams will be making great efforts and have the momentum and pieces to do so.
Playoffs
AFC
1. Indianapolis Colts
2. Baltimore Ravens
3. New England Patriots
4. Denver Broncos
5. Kansas City Chiefs
6. Buffalo Bills
NFC
1. Seattle Seahawks
2. Green Bay Packers
3. New York Giants
4. Atlanta Falcons
5. Arizona Cardinals
6. Minnesota Vikings
Wildcard
Bills beat Patriots, 26-24
Broncos beat Chiefs, 38-13
Giants beat Vikings, 22-16
Cardinals beat Falcons, 17-7
Divisional
Colts beat Bills, 31-9
Broncos beat Ravens, 24-21 OT
Seahawks beat Cardinals, 34-27
Packers beat Giants, 35-21
AFC Championship
Colts beat Broncos, 55-42
NFC Championship
Seahawks beat Packers, 31-28
Super Bowl 50
Seahawks beat Colts, 41-27
So here you have it! I am predicting that the Seahawks will be back and they will have their eye on the Super Bowl. This 50th Super Bowl is going to be noteworthy either way, but I feel that the Seahawks are a hot team that possesses a consistency that they will keep for the next decade. The Colts are a team that has gradually gotten better since head coach Chuck Pagano took the reigns and Andrew Luck became the quarterback. I see them being the most dominant team during the regular season and I feel that they have what it takes to participate in the Super Bowl. As for my other explanations with the playoffs, I do think that Rex Ryan is going to shock people and come back with a fierce entry, eating away at an opponent he only knows too well. The Bills will just have to hope that Rex Ryan came bring a winning trend to the team, unlike his performance with the Jets during his last four seasons there. Either way, this is going to be a football season filled with excitement and possess a giant splash for the fans and I am sure they will enjoy every bit of it. I am sure I will! All there is left is to do is get ready for the season, for it is on its way!
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