NFC:

East - Philly

North - Green Bay

South - New Orleans

West - Seattle

WC - Detroit, Arizona


AFC:

East - New England

North - Cincy

South - Indy

West - Denver

WC - San Diego, Baltimore


NFC Champ - Green Bay

AFC Champ - Denver

SB Champ - Green Bay


Biggest Disappointment - San Francisco. They appear to be a trainwreck right now.


My picks are rather vanilla but I think it's a rare year when things look pretty black & white on paper. Hope I'm wrong. Go Jags!

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<FONT size=3>The secret to surfing is don't do anything.</FONT>

NFC

North- GB

South- NO

East- PHI

West- SEA

WC- ATL, SF


AFC

North- BAL

South- IND

East-NE

West- DEN

WC- KC, CIN


NFC champs: SEA

AFC champs: DEN

SB champs: SEA wins again

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Me thinks we see a "surprise" team in the Super bowl. Enter San Diego

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"Expect for the best. Prepare for the worst. Capitalize on what comes."

 

NFC:

East - Philly

North - Green Bay

South - New Orleans

West - Seattle

WC - Detroit, Arizona San Francisco
(if not SF, then Carolina)



AFC:

East - New England

North - Cincy

South - Indy

West - Denver

WC - San Diego, Baltimore


NFC Champ - Green Bay Seattle


AFC Champ - Denver Cincy


SB Champ - Green Bay Cincy



Biggest Disappointment - San Francisco Pittsburgh
. They appear to be a trainwreck right now.

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'02

Divisional Champions:

AFC:

East - New England Patriots

North - Cincinnati Bengals

South - Indianapolis Colts

West - Denver Broncos

Wildcards: San Diego Chargers, Kansas City Chiefs

NFC:

East - Philadelphia Eagles

North - Green Bay Packers

South - New Orleans Saints

West - Seattle Seahawks

Wildcards: Detroit Lions, San Francisco 49ers


NFC Champs: New Orleans Saints

AFC Champs: Indianapolis Colts

Super Bowl Champs: New Orleans Saints


Biggest Disappointment:  Dallas Cowboys

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I was wrong about Trent Baalke. 

AFC 

 

East: New England

North: Cincinnati

South: Indy

West: San Diego

 

Wild Cards: Denver, NY Jets

 

NFC

 

East: Philly

North: Green Bay

South: New Orleans

West: Seattle

 

Wild Cards: Arizona, Tampa Bay

 

AFC Champ: Cincinnati over San Diego

NFC Champ: Green Bay over New Orleans

SB: Green Bay over Cincinnati

 

MVP: Aaron Rodgers

OROY: Brandin Cooks

DROY: CJ Mosley

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Interesting predictions.

 

Question:  For those of you picking Cincy to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl, why do you do so?  What makes you think Dalton can improve upon his dismal post season performances to date to not only win a game in the playoffs, but to make it all the way to the dance?

 

Not saying you guys are off your rocker.  Marvin Lewis is a good coach and Cincy is a good team overall.

 

But Denver and New England are also loaded, and frankly have better QBs than Dalton. What will make them fall to Cincy?

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Worst to 1st.  Curse Reversed!

I think the offense will be better with Hue Jackson calling plays instead of Jay Gruden. I also love the combo of Gio Bernard and Jeremy Hill.

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I think the offense will be better with Hue Jackson calling plays instead of Jay Gruden. I also love the combo of Gio Bernard and Jeremy Hill.

Hue Jackson is a good offensive guy, and I like that RB combo, too.

 

I'm not sure if that will be enough to overcome those teams.

 

The way I see it, Denver and New England have to be considered the favorites unless Manning and Brady begin to show serious decline due to age.

 

I think Manning showed it in the Super Bowl and I think the way his injury is now, his arm gets progressively weaker as the season wears on.

 

Decline is more difficult to discern in Brady.

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Worst to 1st.  Curse Reversed!

Regarding Brady. His comp %, yards, TD's and passer rating have declined each of the last two seasons. The AFC East is still weak, so they should waltz into the playoffs again. But I would be surprised if they make it to the Super Bowl.

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NFC

 

Division Winners

 

Philadelphia

Green Bay

New Orleans

Seattle

 

Wildcards

 

Detroit

San Francisco

 

NFC Championship Game:  New Orleans over Seattle.  Under the assumption the game will be played in the Superdome.

 

 

AFC

 

Division Winners

 

New England

Baltimore

Indianapolis

Denver

 

Wildcards:

 

San Diego

Cincinnati

 

AFC Championship Game: New England over Denver.

 

Super Bowl # 49:   New Orleans over New England.

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Interesting predictions.

 

Question:  For those of you picking Cincy to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl, why do you do so?  What makes you think Dalton can improve upon his dismal post season performances to date to not only win a game in the playoffs, but to make it all the way to the dance?

 

Not saying you guys are off your rocker.  Marvin Lewis is a good coach and Cincy is a good team overall.

 

But Denver and New England are also loaded, and frankly have better QBs than Dalton. What will make them fall to Cincy?

 

 

Last season,  I picked Cincinnati to advance to the Super Bowl,  with San Francisco beating them at Met Life Stadium.

 

While I believe the Bengals have as much talent as any AFC Team and I certainly agree with you about Marvin Lewis,   I'm not picking them to go to the Super Bowl this season for two major reasons:

 

1.  Andy Dalton.   The playoff loss to San Diego occurred for a number of reasons,  including subpar Offensive Line play and a fumble lost around the Chargers 5 yard line.   Even with all of that,  Dalton needed to play much better.   Until Dalton can at least get his team to an AFC Title game,  it's hard to pick them against the likes of the Patriots and Broncos.  

 

2.  DT Geno Atkins is coming off a torn ACL and remains a major question mark.  

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Regarding Brady. His comp %, yards, TD's and passer rating have declined each of the last two seasons. The AFC East is still weak, so they should waltz into the playoffs again. But I would be surprised if they make it to the Super Bowl.

 

So much will depend on the health of Gronk. 

 

Because the AFC East doesn't have another team that looks like a playoff team,   I think that New England will be the # 1 seed in the AFC.   While that wouldn't guarantee a Super Bowl berth,   it increases the odds.  

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NFC

 

Division Winners

 

Philadelphia

Green Bay

New Orleans

Seattle

 

Wildcards

 

Detroit

San Francisco

 

NFC Championship Game:  New Orleans over Seattle.  Under the assumption the game will be played in the Superdome.

 

 

AFC

 

Division Winners

 

New England

Baltimore

Indianapolis

Denver

 

Wildcards:

 

San Diego

Cincinnati

 

AFC Championship Game: New England over Denver.

 

Super Bowl # 49:   New Orleans over New England.

 

I'm in agreement with this entire prediction.

 

(the part I'm most uncertain about is whether or not KC can sneak into the wildcard ahead of SD or Cinncy.)  

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So much will depend on the health of Gronk. 

 

 

So true.  I think one or more of Amendola/Dobson/Thompkins/LaFell will have to turn in a really solid year as well. 

 

Having Edelman as the only effective receiver in several games hurt them last year. 

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I'm in agreement with this entire prediction.

 

(the part I'm most uncertain about is whether or not KC can sneak into the wildcard ahead of SD or Cinncy.)  

 

 

It would be nothing short of amazing if we were 100 % correct or very close.   There's almost always a team that ends up being a major surprise.

 

You are probably more confident in KC than I am,   Their Offensive Line is the unit that I have significant doubts about.   

 

The AFC team that I think has the best chance to sneak in is Pittsburgh.    Off the top of my head,  I can't recall the last time the Steelers didn't make the playoffs 3 straight seasons.   They currently haven't made it two straight seasons,  though they came ultra close in 2013,  despite an 0-4 start.   The combo of the Steelers coaching and Big Ben gives them a realistic chance to break through this season.   

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So true.  I think one or more of Amendola/Dobson/Thompkins/LaFell will have to turn in a really solid year as well. 

 

Having Edelman as the only effective receiver in several games hurt them last year. 

 

 

For sure,  the Patriots didn't have enough healthy proven weapons last season. 

 

Kenbrell Thompkins probably has the greatest upside of the WR's you mentioned.   With a full off-season now under Thompkins belt,  plus another training camp and pre-season,   he could emerge as an NFL breakout player.   Especially with Tom Brady being the Patriots QB. 

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It would be nothing short of amazing if we were 100 % correct or very close.   There's almost always a team that ends up being a major surprise.

 

You are probably more confident in KC than I am,   Their Offensive Line is the unit that I have significant doubts about.   

 

The AFC team that I think has the best chance to sneak in is Pittsburgh.    Off the top of my head,  I can't recall the last time the Steelers didn't make the playoffs 3 straight seasons.   They currently haven't made it two straight seasons,  though they came ultra close in 2013,  despite an 0-4 start.   The combo of the Steelers coaching and Big Ben gives them a realistic chance to break through this season.   

The surprise risers and fallers are one of the funnest parts of the NFL season for me. Impossible to predict and exciting to watch. I love it. 

 

I left the Steelers off the list because I watched their "ones" struggle mightily in week three of the preseason on both sides of the ball.  They certainly have the talent to make a run though. 

 

You have a good point on KC. 

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For sure,  the Patriots didn't have enough healthy proven weapons last season. 

 

Kenbrell Thompkins probably has the greatest upside of the WR's you mentioned.   With a full off-season now under Thompkins belt,  plus another training camp and pre-season,   he could emerge as an NFL breakout player.   Especially with Tom Brady being the Patriots QB. 

Yep. Thompkins is the most likely of the 4 I listed to be Brady's "other go-to guy." 

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Last season, I picked Cincinnati to advance to the Super Bowl, with San Francisco beating them at Met Life Stadium.


While I believe the Bengals have as much talent as any AFC Team and I certainly agree with you about Marvin Lewis, I'm not picking them to go to the Super Bowl this season for two major reasons:


1. Andy Dalton. The playoff loss to San Diego occurred for a number of reasons, including subpar Offensive Line play and a fumble lost around the Chargers 5 yard line. Even with all of that, Dalton needed to play much better. Until Dalton can at least get his team to an AFC Title game, it's hard to pick them against the likes of the Patriots and Broncos.


2. DT Geno Atkins is coming off a torn ACL and remains a major question mark.

Cincy is loaded with talent. But, I gotta agree with you D6 in thinking the Ravens probably get back on top.


Geno Atkins is an unanswered question right now. I hope he returns to form. That guy was a monster before the injury.


Marvin Lewis has definitely changed the culture there from the old "Bungles" era. But, I'm not so sold on him during postseason play. After all, he did lose 2 home playoff games before Andy Dalton was even in the league. Those teams, led by Carson Palmer, we're very talented also across the board. Lewis seems to make a lot of questionable decisions in playoff games.


For 2014, it wouldn't shock me a bit to see a "repeat" of 2011 when 3 AFCN teams made the playoffs (Ravens, Steelers WC, Bengals WC). Neither the Steelers or Ravens made it last year. Prior to that, I can't remember the last time neither of those teams were not in the postseason?

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