NFL Preview Part 9 (Playoffs)

The final predictions are upon us. Yep, you got it, Graham and I successfully managed to preview every NFL division and the playoffs before a single game was started. Our next goal is to post about something besides football between now and 2011. I give us a 50% chance.

Chris

AFC
Ravens (13-3)
Colts (12-4)
Chargers (11-5)
Patriots (10-6)
Jets (9-7)
Dolphins (9-7)

Chargers beat the Dolphins and Jets beat the Pats in a stunner in Foxboro.

Ravens beat the Jets and Colts beat the Chargers. Ravens beat the Colts to go to the Super Bowl. However, if the Colts/Ravens game happens in Indy, I'd pick the Colts.

NFC
Saints(13-3)
Cowboys (12-4)
Vikings (12-4)
Packers (11-5)
Eagles (10-6)
49ers (9-7)

Minnesota beats the 49ers, easily. Green Bay takes out Philly.

So that would make it Saints/Packers and Cowboys/Vikings. Yikes, that would be some good football right there. I'll go with Saints/Cowboys in the NFC title game, with the Saints winning.

For the Super Bowl, I got the Ravens beating the Saints.

I love these preseason predictions. I'll be lucky if I get 1 of the 4 title game teams right.

Graham

AFC
Indy (13-3)
Baltimore (10-6)
New England (10-6)
San Diego (10-6)
NYJ (9-7)
Miami (9-7)

Indy and Baltimore get the byes, and in the first round New England takes out Miami and the Jets upset San Diego. Not that that's really an upset since San Diego essentially got in by default. That sets up Indy-NYJ and Baltimore-New England.

I don't see the Jets getting by Indy this year, so the Colts go to the AFC Final. Although the NFL will desperately want Indy-New England in the AFC title game, so much so Danny Davis might be the referee, I think Flacco and his unibrow get the best of New England, setting up Colts-Ravens. Give me the Colts in that one.

NFC
New Orleans (12-4) - can't remember what I predicted for their record, so I'm saying 12-4
Green Bay (12-4)
Dallas (12-4)
San Fran (8-8)
Minnesota (11-5)
Philly (10-6)

I'm giving the byes to New Orleans and Green Bay. Dallas beats San Fran easily and I think Philly takes out Minnesota, now that the Vikings' receiving corps looks thinner than my hairline. That sets up New Orleans-Philly and Green Bay-Dallas. That is some solid f'ing football right there.

No way Kevin Kolb outplays Drew Brees, so give the win to the Saints. And since Romo's a regular season wonder, I'm taking the Packers over the Cowboys, which has nothing to do with my allegiance to The Pack.

Now I know what you're thinking: "Graham, do you respect Chris less because he took so long to get on board with Friday Night Lights?" Yes, I do. And I also know that predicting a Super Bowl rematch is idiocy of the highest order.

So Green Bay-Indy it is for the Super Bowl.

My prediction: a heart attack for me. And a Packers win.

NFL Preview Part 8 (NFC West)

Chris
San Francisco showed me a little something last year. Solid defense, plus a few playmakers on offense. Vernon Davis and Alex Smith finally came through, although, still, they haven’t' justified their draft position. But I think you can win with these guys, plus Crabtree and Frank Gore in a crappy division.

Plus, Arizona is going to suck this year. You can't tell me that Matt Leinart and an already gimpy Larry Fitz can carry that offense. And I never trust anyone named Beanie. It's one of my rules to live by.

Seattle will be decent if, and only if, Matt Hasselbeck stays healthy, which he won't.

And who else is in the division, oh yeah, the St. Louis Rams. Why does West Coast NFL football suck? Seriously, the NFC West and AFC West are the two worst divisions in football. I can't believe one of these 4 teams is going to be a division winner. Then again, we live in a world where one of the Jersey Shore cast members is going to bring home $5 million this year and Xavier Henry can't even get a measly rookie contract out of the Grizzlies.

1. 49ers (9-7)
2. Cardinals (7-9)
3. Seahawks (7-9)
4. Rams (3-13)

Graham
I actually like San Fran to win the division if they can get half-decent play out of Alex Smith. Which is a little like saying I like the Grizzlies to make the playoffs if they get half-decent play out of Hasheem Thabeet. That said, they have a good defense anchored by Patrick Willis, and some playmakers on offense with Vernon Davis, Michael Crabtree and Frank Gore.

After that, I hate the rest of the division. Hate it. Arizona is going nowhere fast with the Matt Leinart/Derek Anderson crap combo at QB. Seattle needs Matt Hasselbeck to stay upright, and all of Pete Carroll's positive vibes can't guarantee that will happen. And St. Louis isn't worth talking about.

But it begs an interesting question- this division has the potential to be so bad, that an 8-8 team, or maybe even 7-9 team, could win it and get into the playoffs. What if a 7-9 team gets in with an automatic division berth, but a 10-6 wild card team from the NFC East doesn't get in? Good lord. If that happens, the NFL almost needs to just step in, put the NFC West division title on hiatus for a year and try again next year.

1: San Fran (8-8)
2: Seattle (6-10)
3: Arizona (5-11)
4: St. Louis (2-14)

NFL Preview Part 7 (NFC South)

Chris
Okay, it's hard to like the Saints. Defending champs. Good coach. Great QB. High powered offense. So why wouldn't they win the division? They should beat Tampa Bay twice, and probably be able to go 3-1 against Carolina and Atlanta, right? I don't see much of a slump from them, although I'm not picking them to repeat as champs.

I can't speak honestly about Carolina since they contain my favorite player in the NFL, Deangelo Williams. They've got a good rushing offense and got rid of Jake Delhomme. I have no clue if their new QB is any good, but he's got to be an upgrade from Delhomme, right? Maybe they bounce back and get 2nd in the division. But they feel like an 8-8 team to me.

Atlanta is completely boring to me. Michael Turner is pretty good but not flashy. Same with Matt Ryan, Roddy White and Tony Gonzalez. They're all good players, but none of them are what I would call great. I suppose they could win anywhere from 7-10 games.

Tampa Bay sucks. We discussed this earlier when talking fantasy, but their offense has 1 decent option, and that's Kellen Winslow. Give them 3 wins.

1. New Orleans (12-4)
2. Atlanta Falcons (9-7)
3. Carolina Panthers (8-8)
4. Tampa Bay Bucs (3-13)

Graham
So you say it's hard to like the Saints, then predict big things for them. Speaking out of both sides of your mouth- what are you, a Republican? Anyway, why can't they repeat as champs? You think last year was a fluke? They have just as good a shot as any team, especially in this division. As long as they have Drew Brees, they have a shot.

I like Atlanta a lot more than you. I think Matt Ryan is in store for a bounce back year and I really like Michael Turner. Possible wild card team.

I don't know what to make of Carolina. Everyone seems high on their QBs with Matt Moore and Jimmy Clausen. But they seem to be the equivalent to NBC's promos for The Event: positive buzz, big expectations, but in the end will get canceled. I'd be concerned. But they have great RBs who can win games by themselves. Ultimately, they're not a threat.

The less said about Tampa Bay the better.

1: New Orleans (13-3)
2: Atlanta (9-7)
3: Carolina (6-10)
4: Tampa Bay (2-14)

Chris
I didn't proof my email. I meant to say, "It's hard not to like the Saints." So there. Instead of talking out of both sides of my mouth, instead, I'm just a plain old idiot that didn't re-read an email I sent to a friend.

Speaking of speaking out of both sides of your mouth, you said you like Atlanta a lot more than me, yet you predicted them to finish 9-7, which is the exact same record I had them at. Congrats.

I'm not sure that Carolina's QBs are any good, I just doubt they'll be Jake Delhomme level bad. I mean, that guy pooped the bed more than your infant does.

Graham
No one poops the bed more than my kid. No one.

Chris
The first Jake Delhomme compliment in 2 years. Even his wife is embarrassed.