Every year I make bold predictions about which teams in the NFL will stand tall, and which ones will be looking up at the powerhouses. Okay, in all honesty, it's hard to accurately predict these because of injuries and free agencies. Yeah, that's my excuse! Anyway, let's see if I can get this one right. Let's see if I can correctly predict the two Superbowl teams, and the winner of the 2014 Lombardi Trophy.
Let's begin in the AFC East, where the Patriots should win this division going away. I mean, the Patriots still have Tom Brady. Enough said. This team has looked great in the preseason! Leave it to Head Coach Bill Belichick to get his team to rise above the crushing loss of his two biggest weapons, Tight Ends Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez. Adversity is laughable to Belichick. He loves a challenge! The closest team in this division, behind the Patriots, will be the Miami Dolphins, who I think will be much improved.
The AFC North belongs to the Cincinnati Bengals this season. They are faster, and more potent on offense with the addition of BenJarvus Green-Ellis and rookie Giovani Bernard. There is no excuse for this team not winning this division in 2013-14, and no excuse for them not going deep into the playoffs! The Ravens will finish a close second to Cincinnati.
The AFC South looks like a two team race again this season between Indianapolis and Houston. Andrew Luck was VERY good in his rookie season, and I think he'll be better this season. The Colts win this division, with the Texans and oft injured Matt Schaub and Arian Foster two games behind.
The AFC West is the Denver Broncos' division to lose. Peyton Manning now has Wes Welker as an additional target, along with Demaryius Thomas and Eric Decker. The Broncos were so close to advancing to the AFC Championship game in January. I would be shocked if they don't win this division. The Chiefs, with new head coach Andy Reid and quarterback Alex Smith, may make a push for the division, but it won't be good enough. They finish second.
The NFC East will be a battle between the New York Giants and the Washington Redskins. I'm not convinced that RGIII is healthy enough to last for 16 games. This is too close to call. This division is going to come down to the final game of the season, a December 29 game at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. The Giants win that game and the division. The Redskins finish a close second but still make the playoffs.
The NFC North looks like it's a given for the Green Bay Packers, but hold on, the Chicago Bears have something to say about that. The Bears look much improved during the preseason. New head coach Marc Trestman has breathed new life into this Bears team. I like the way they look! I expect Jay Cutler to be better, along with the offense that includes wide receiver Brandon Marshall, and running backs Matt Forte and Michael Bush. That defense will be a force as well, led by linebackers Lance Briggs and rookie Jon Bostic. Let's give the nod in this division to Green Bay, with the Bears close behind, just missing the playoffs.
The NFC South is pretty simple. It's a two horse race, and the New Orleans Saints are the thoroughbreds of the division. Coach Sean Payton is back after a year long suspension, Drew Brees is hungry for another division title, and the Saints will win this division by at least two games. The Atlanta Falcons added running back Steven Jackson, dealt from St. Louis, they still have tight end Tony Gonzalez, and quarterback Matt Ryan. I think the Falcons lose twice to the Saints this season, and that will be the difference in the division race.
Finally, the NFC West, a division full of gunslingers and power backs. San Francisco advanced to the Superbowl in January behind quarterback Colin Kaepernick, and Seattle made the playoffs with rookie quarterback Russell Wilson leading the way. The 49ers have running back Frank Gore, but the Seahawks have running back Marshawn Lynch. See how even this is? The Seahawks came within a whisker of reaching the NFC Championship game last season. They dominated the 49ers late in the season. The 49ers won the NFC West, and if not for a stunning loss to Atlanta in the playoffs, we would be talking about the Seahawks as the winners of the NFC. This is such a tough division to predict, but I think Seattle comes out on top, with the 49ers close behind.
Finally we come to the playoffs. The six playoff teams in the AFC will be New England, Cincinnati, Baltimore, Indianapolis, Houston and Denver. The AFC Champion will be Denver, a 20-17 winner over New England in the title game.
The NFC playoff teams will be the New York Giants, Washington, Green Bay, New Orleans, Seattle and San Francisco. The NFC champion will be New Orleans, a 24-17 winner over Green Bay in the title game.
New Orleans defeats Denver 34-31 in overtime to win the Lombardi Trophy!
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