For me, it’s hard to believe, but the 2018 NFL season is almost here. It feels like just recently the Philadelphia
Eagles won their first Super Bowl. With
a new season brings optimism to every club.
Heck, even the Browns have reasons to be optimistic. I honestly cannot remember a season where
nearly every team had some reason to be hopeful, a reason to think their season
could be a success. And in doing these
predictions for the first time, I made sure all the team records add up to
256-256. It was not easy, I tell
you. I really wanted to say a lot of
teams would do well, but unfortunately for a lot of teams, their season ends in
disappointment because of injuries, bad chemistry, or lack of execution.
I have divided this up into FOUR parts. First part is Ten Surprising predictions. These are predictions I like to make each year that only have a small chance of happening in hindsight, but last year I got 4/10 right. The one I was most proud of getting was the Seahawks having a better road record than home record. I also got right that a well-respected coach got fired before season’s end, that every division winner would have a better record than every wild card team, and that the AFC South would have a wild card team.
The second part will be my predicted records for each NFL team. Again, I made sure that all team records add up to a total of 256-256. The third part is my predictions for each Seahawk’s game, and what I expect to happen in each one. And lastly, I will predict the NFL playoffs, predict my Super Bowl matchup and ultimate Super Bowl Champion, as well as hand out the end-of-the-year awards.
Firstly, though, is my ten surprising predictions for the 2018 season:
1. The San Francisco 49ers will NOT have the rousing success everyone thinks they will this year, and they will lose more than they win.
The 49ers are everyone’s dark horse team for 2018, but I don’t think they will be much, if it all better this year. One, I don’t think Jimmy Garoppolo is as good as everyone thinks. He was a second round and not a first round pick for a reason. He also is dating a porn star and has already signed his lucrative contract, so he doesn’t have too much more to play for. Also, aside from Richard Sherman, the 49ers didn’t add a whole lot in the offseason. I think expectations will be too high and they will go 7-9 at best.
Well, I was right. But it wasn't all because they weren't ready. Most blame could be pointed to the Jimmy Garoppolo season-ending injury. However, I was right, so that's one.
2. No team will lose 13 or more games in 2018
The Browns have been the worst team the last two seasons, but with most expecting them to improve greatly and win a handful of games, there may not be THAT bad of a team this year. I predict the worst team will go 4-12 in a very competitive league.
I was SOOO close on this one! Only one team lost 13 or more games, and it was the Arizona Cardinals, and they lost 13.
3. The team that finishes with the worst record (or tied for worst record) in 2018 will have had a winning record in 2017.
Speaking of the worst record in the NFL, I’m not going to say who (you’ll have to see below), but the team that finishes with the worst record (and thus gets the #1 overall pick) will be a team that had a winning record in 2017. That is always a surprise to see. It doesn’t have to be the team I picked for this to be right, just a team that had a winning record in the 2017 season.
Again, SO CLOSE. The Cardinals, who had the worst record in 2018, went 8-8 in 2017. Figures.
4. The AFC representative in the Super Bowl won’t be the Patriots. Or the Steelers. In fact, it will be a team who hasn’t made it to the Super Bowl this millennium.
I think the AFC is due for a new Super Bowl contender. They haven’t had a team represent their conference minus Peyton Manning and Tom Brady since the Ravens made it in 2012. And they haven’t had a team win the Super Bowl that hadn’t already this millennium since the Colts in 2007.
Welp. I may have predicted the Patriots demise too early. For a while my prediction looked good as the Kansas City Chiefs would've made this prediction correct, but they came up so close in the AFC Championship.
5. The Seahawks AGAIN finish with a better road record than home record
I can make the same prediction two years in a row, can’t I? It’s my predictions. Just looking at the Seahawks schedule, I’ve noticed most of their tough non-divisional opponents (Dallas, GB, Minnesota, Kansas City) are at home while they face their easier divisional counterparts on the road (Oakland, Denver, Detroit, Chicago). It would be surprising for this anomaly to happen two years in a row for the Seahawks, but I think it will indeed happen again.
Not this time. The Seahawks lost winnable road games (San Francisco, Denver) and won some home games against decent opponents (Minnesota, Kansas City, Green Bay).
6. Neither team in the Super Bowl will have multiple Super Bowl wins
I think we’re going to see a Super Bowl with semi-inexperienced teams. There are plenty of teams with one or no Super Bowl titles (20 to be exact), but it’s not too likely that both Super Bowl participants will be like that. So that means no Patriots, no Steelers, no Packers.
If it was any matchup from the conference championship games OTHER than the Patriots, this would have been correct. The Rams, Saints, and Chiefs all have one Championship. Damn Patriots.
7. Among QB’s in their rookie or sophomore seasons, Mitch Trubisky will have the best (or tied for best) record
There are a lot of new and young faces at QB in the NFL. There were five rookie QB’s taken in the first round of this year’s draft, plus Mahomes in KC and Trubisky in Chicago will be playing their first full seasons. I expect Trubisky among all of those QB’s to have the best record as a starter or tied for the best.
Second one correct! He tied with Mahomes of the Chiefs for best record among first or second year QB's. I didn't foresee Mahomes's success but I saw the Bears making a run.
8. The AFC will have multiple divisions with only one team with a winning record.
Anyone paying attention to the NFL the past few years may have noticed most of the talent resides in the NFC. The NFC has more talented QB’s and better defenses. Therefore, I think there will be a couple divisions in the AFC with only one winning team. There will be a lot of sub-par AFC teams.
Only one division, I'm afraid. The AFC East only had one. The next closest was the AFC North, where the Steelers were second best at 9-6-1.
9. The Offensive Rookie of the Year won’t be one of the five QB’s drafted in the first round. It won’t even be Saquon Barkley.
I’m not positive on who it is, but I don’t see any of the first-round QB’s having rousing success in their first season (at least not enough to win Offensive ROY). I also don’t see a ton of success for Saquon Barkley, the first running back drafted. It will either be a QB drafted in the 2nd round or later, a different running back, or a different position altogether. Usually the OROY is a top QB chosen or the best running back, but it won’t be this year.
It was Saquon Barkley. I knew I was going out on a limb. The runner up was Baker Mayfield and he wouldn't have made my prediction correct, either.
10. No team will win more than 12 games, and there won’t be more than one team per conference with 12 wins.
There is a ton of parity in the NFL (especially the NFC), and I expect a lot of competitiveness, few blowouts, and a lot of upsets in the league this season. Therefore, there won’t be a team that runs away with its conference, and the most any team will win is 12 games, and there won’t even be two teams that do that in a conference. Maybe one per.
Oops. The Saints AND Rams both won 13, and they are both in the NFC. The Chiefs also won 12 in the AFC. Oh wells.
So after those ten bold predictions, you might have some idea as to how the divisions and records shape up. Here we go, with some comments on each division:
* = Wild Card
AFC EAST
1. Patriots: 10-6
2. Jets: 8-8
3. Dolphins: 6-10
4. Bills: 5-11
Comment: The Patriots have a rebuilt offensive line and very inexperienced receivers, so they’ll take a minor step back more than likely. But in a weak division, they’ll recapture the AFC East crown barring major injuries. The Jets should be competitive even though they are starting a 21-year-old rookie in Sam Darnold. The Fins, however, keep losing stars and Tannehill has a huge uphill climb to make coming back from injury. The Bills have decided to start Nathan Peterman Week 1, and there’s little chance that goes well.
AFC NORTH
1. Steelers: 12-4
2. Ravens: 8-8
3. Browns: 6-10
4. Bengals: 5-11
Comment: The Steelers beat up on their division, which frankly, I don’t see much competitiveness in outside of the Steel City. The Ravens do OK but may not play well enough for their head coach to keep his job. The Browns get off to a decent start and hover around .500 but suffer many losses in late November and December. The Bengals crash and burn, not being able to play complete and disciplined football.
AFC SOUTH
1. Houston Texans: 10-6
2. Jacksonville Jaguars: 10-6*
3. Indianapolis Colts: 9-7*
4. Tennessee Titans: 4-12
Comment: This should be one of the more competitive divisions in football and in my opinion, one of the most entertaining. The Texans get Watson back and he’ll be out to prove he’s no fluke. The Jags are out to prove last year was not a fluke themselves, and they should still be hungry after last year’s AFC Championship loss. The Colts get Luck on their side and become more competitive, but Luck will take some time readjusting to NFL game speed. The Titans have some new cool uni’s and a new coach, but I don’t like Derrick Henry as the sole featured back, and I have a bad feeling last year isn’t a fluke for Mariota and it will constantly be lingering in the back of his mind.
AFC WEST
1. Los Angeles Chargers: 11-5
2. Kansas City Chiefs: 9-7
3. Oakland Raiders: 6-10
4. Denver Broncos: 6-10
Comment: The Chargers boast one of the best all-around rosters in the NFL and had a great offseason. The Chiefs still have a great roster themselves, but made a major QB change, and with Mahomes in his first season as a starter, they will have some hiccups along the way. The Raiders will compete but their defense and run game will struggle at times; Beast Mode will show his age. The Broncos will realize Case Keenum was a one-year wonder and must go in search of their future franchise signal caller.
NFC EAST
1. Dallas Cowboys: 10-6
2. Philadelphia Eagles: 8-8
3. Washington Redskins: 7-9
4. New York Giants: 6-10
Comment: The Cowboys play well and capitalize by winning a lot of games in-division. The Eagles, who struggled in the preseason, have a letdown season and Carson Wentz has a setback with his injury. They also struggle with too many players with big egos, such as Michael Bennett. The Skins will do moderately well with Alex Smith at QB, but struggle against the better NFC teams. The G-Men will realize Eli Manning needs to be replaced sooner rather than later.
NFC NORTH
1. Green Bay Packers: 10-6
2. Minnesota Vikings: 10-6*
3. Chicago Bears: 9-7
4. Detroit Lions: 6-10
Comment: The Vikings and Packers should be in a battle all season long for the NFC North crown, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the lead changed in the last couple weeks. Aaron Rodgers, fresh off signing the largest contract in NFL history, leads the Pack and has an MVP type season. The Vikings just have too much talent to not win a bunch of games. The Bears and their new pass rusher Khalil Mack have a breakthrough season, but still ultimately miss the playoffs, but are optimistic going into 2019. The Lions become the odd man out in the division, as former Belichick assistants don’t tend to do well as head coaches (See Josh McDaniels, Romeo Crennel).
NFC SOUTH
1. New Orleans Saints: 12-4
2. Atlanta Falcons: 10-6*
3. Carolina Panthers: 7-9
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 4-12
Comment: The Saints, perhaps more than anyone, should be seething after how last season ended, so I expect them to play their hearts out. The Falcons still have a good roster all around, and many expect them to make a playoff run again. The Panthers, however, don’t have a real reliable running back, and a defense that is slowly losing pieces, and they usually don’t have back-to-back playoff seasons, and I still don’t expect them to. The Bucs aren’t going to have Jameis Winston for their first four games, and even when he gets back they won’t be much better.
NFC WEST
1. Los Angeles Rams: 11-5
2. Seattle Seahawks: ????
3. San Francisco 49ers: 7-9
4. Arizona Cardinals: 6-10
Comment: The Rams may have acquired some headache players like Suh and Marcus Peters but have too much talent to not win the division. As for the Seahawks, you’ll have to wait until my game-by-game predictions for them below. You know they’ll do at least 7-9 but no better than 11-5, based on their positioning above. The 49ers won’t be as good as many people think because teams that are this hyped usually don’t live up to the hype, and they have a QB, roster, and coach that haven’t proven anything yet. The Cardinals should compete, regardless of their quarterback, but their talent just doesn’t match up to most teams in the NFC.
So there you have it for the regular season! Now on to the Seahawks game by game predictions. How will they do? Find out below.
I’m not doing scores, because there’s a very very slim chance they’ll end up correct.
At Denver Broncos: Win (1-0)
The Hawks come out fighting. The Broncos show they’re not quite there and Case Keenum struggles at times. The last time the Hawks won in Denver, it was 2006. So they are due.
At Bears: Loss (1-1)
I originally had this game as a win, but I changed it after the Bears traded for Khalil Mack. I don’t think the Hawks will have too much success against him and the resurgent Bears D. It’ll be a close and tough defeat. Possibly low-scoring as well.
Vs. Cowboys: Loss (1-2)
The 12th Man can’t help the Hawks overcome the Cowboys in their home opener. The defense has trouble containing Ezekiel Elliott and the running game never gets going against Dallas’ tough front seven, leaving fans worrying about how bad this season will end up being.
At Cardinals: Win (2-2)
Hard to say which QB will start this game for the Cards, but I don’t think it matters too much. Again, could be a low-scoring game.
Vs. Rams: Loss (2-3)
The Hawks start the year with two straight home losses, and people start to wonder if the 12th Man is losing its touch. The Hawks go into this game seeking revenge for last year’s embarrassment at home, and while they do succeed in making it a closer game, still ultimately end up falling.
At Raiders in London: Win (3-3)
First game outside of North America for the Seahawks results in a W. Seahawks fans show up in droves as there appears to be many members of the 12th Man in the UK.
At Lions: Win (4-3)
The Hawks, well-rested after their bye, air it out in a shootout against Detroit and come out on top. Matt Patricia and Pete Carroll, two defensive coaches, end up wishing their D’s had done better.
Vs. Chargers: Win (5-3)
This will be a tough matchup, but the Hawks will have gone into November without a home win. They won’t allow it to continue. This will be like the Texans game last year: close, exciting, and the Hawks come out on top at home.
At Rams: Loss (5-4)
The Hawks fail to get 3 games above .500. They always play the Rams tough in L.A., and after last year’s lucky win I don’t think luck is in their favor this time, as the Rams end up sweeping the Hawks in 2018.
vs. Packers: Loss (5-5)
Aaron Rodgers has too many bad memories at Century Link. The Fail Mary game where he got sacked at least a half dozen times. The loss in the NFC Championship game. He’ll be out to rid himself of those demons. The Hawks fall to 1-3 at home.
at Panthers: Win (6-5)
There was a period near the beginning of the Seahawks renaissance where the Hawks beat the Panthers three straight years, all games in Carolina. I think they recapture some of that old magic and win. I also expect the Panthers to disappoint in 2018.
vs. 49ers: Win (7-5)
This should be a loud and exciting game that I see the Hawks winning in close and dramatic fashion. Like I said earlier, I don’t expect the 49ers to be as good as a lot of people think.
vs. Vikings: Loss (7-6)
This might be the most important game on the Seahawks schedule, based on its position in the schedule and who they’re playing. But the Hawks offense does not get much going against the stout Vikings defense, and Janikowski misses a late field goal.
At 49ers: Loss (7-7)
This proves to be a devastating loss towards the Seahawks playoff hopes. But they can’t stop Jimmy Garoppolo this time. Not in Santa Clara.
vs. Chiefs: Loss (7-8)
Another devastating loss. Pat Mahomes airs it out and the Chiefs rack up points on a tired and weary Hawks defense. This knocks the Hawks out of the playoff race for the second straight year.
vs. Cardinals: Win (8-8)
In what is now a meaningless game, the Hawks come out on top. They provide some hope for next season, knowing they must fill holes on D and on the offensive line.
So the Seahawks finish 8-8, no playoffs for the 2nd straight year. A three game losing streak in December ultimately does them in. The defense is not bad, but they are inconsistent. The running game and offensive line shows marginal improvement. Luck just won’t be on their side this year. But how does the rest of the NFL do in the playoffs? Let’s find out!
AFC Wild Card Round:
(6) Colts at (3) Patriots: Patriots win
This was a common playoff matchup in the 2000’s between Manning and Brady. Now it is Brady and Luck (again) and again Brady comes out on top. And yes, the Patriots do NOT get a first round BYE.
(5) Jaguars at (4) Texans: Jaguars win
I really like Deshaun Watson and the Texans, but they are not the most complete team in the AFC. The Jags defense torments Watson relentlessly and secure a trip to the divisional round.
NFC Wild Card Round:
(6) Falcons at (3) Cowboys: Cowboys win
The ‘Boys finally shake off their playoff woes and give fans of “America’s Team” reason to be optimistic. They win on a bad call by the refs (let’s face it, the NFL wants the Cowboys in as many high-profile games as possible).
(5) Vikings at (4) Packers: Packers win
It's always exciting when these two meet in the regular season. Add that it’s a playoff game and… woah. The Pack come out on top in the frigid temps of Green Bay as the Minnesota offense can’t get anything going, while the Green Bay offense does enough.
AFC DIVISIONAL ROUND:
(5) Jaguars at (1) Steelers: Steelers win
The Steelers win the rematch of last year’s AFC divisional matchup. They will want the game more, simply.
(3) Patriots at (2) Chargers: Chargers win
The Chargers win, with Phillip Rivers having no flashbacks to the 2000’s when they lost to the Patriots in the playoffs. The Patriots just won’t have as good of a roster. Coaching and strategy can only get you so far.
NFC DIVISIONAL ROUND:
(4) Packers at (1) Saints: Saints win
The Saints win a close and exciting game between two of the game’s best QB’s.
(3) Cowboys at (2) Rams: Cowboys win
In a battle of Hollywood’s team vs. America’s team, the ‘Boys come out on top because they play slightly more disciplined and hard-nose football. The Rams start to wonder what it will take to get their team to win a single playoff game.
AFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME: (2) Chargers at (1) Steelers: Chargers win
Like I said earlier, the AFC will be represented by someone new. That will be the Chargers. They stun the Steelers fans who go home again disappointed.
NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME: (3) Cowboys at (1) Saints: Saints win
In a battle of two underdog QB’s (Prescott vs. Brees), the wily veteran Brees comes out on top. The Saints crowd proves to be too much for the Cowboys. The Saints move on to their 2nd Super Bowl.
SUPER BOWL LIII: Chargers vs. Saints: Saints win, 37-34
In a Super Bowl matchup of two bad-luck franchises and two QB’s who used to be teammates, Brees comes out on top. This ends up being one of the most entertaining Super Bowls, with a late score or defensive stop in the final seconds. Your 2018 and Super Bowl LIII champions are the New Orleans Saints!
Finally, some awards to hand out:
NFL MVP: Drew Brees (finally!), Saints
Offensive Player of the Year: Aaron Rodgers, Packers
Defensive Player of the Year: Joey Bosa, Chargers
Offensive Rookie of the Year: Calvin Ridley, Falcons
Defensive Rookie of the Year: Derwin James, Chargers
Coach of the Year: Anthony Lynn, Chargers
Comeback Player of the Year: Aaron Rodgers, Packers
Thanks for reading all the way through if you did! I’m very excited for this upcoming season, even if I didn’t predict my Seahawks to make the playoffs. They still have the potential to surprise a lot of people and prove me wrong by making the playoffs for the 6th time in 7 seasons. Here’s to an awesome 2018 NFL season!
I have divided this up into FOUR parts. First part is Ten Surprising predictions. These are predictions I like to make each year that only have a small chance of happening in hindsight, but last year I got 4/10 right. The one I was most proud of getting was the Seahawks having a better road record than home record. I also got right that a well-respected coach got fired before season’s end, that every division winner would have a better record than every wild card team, and that the AFC South would have a wild card team.
The second part will be my predicted records for each NFL team. Again, I made sure that all team records add up to a total of 256-256. The third part is my predictions for each Seahawk’s game, and what I expect to happen in each one. And lastly, I will predict the NFL playoffs, predict my Super Bowl matchup and ultimate Super Bowl Champion, as well as hand out the end-of-the-year awards.
Firstly, though, is my ten surprising predictions for the 2018 season:
1. The San Francisco 49ers will NOT have the rousing success everyone thinks they will this year, and they will lose more than they win.
The 49ers are everyone’s dark horse team for 2018, but I don’t think they will be much, if it all better this year. One, I don’t think Jimmy Garoppolo is as good as everyone thinks. He was a second round and not a first round pick for a reason. He also is dating a porn star and has already signed his lucrative contract, so he doesn’t have too much more to play for. Also, aside from Richard Sherman, the 49ers didn’t add a whole lot in the offseason. I think expectations will be too high and they will go 7-9 at best.
Well, I was right. But it wasn't all because they weren't ready. Most blame could be pointed to the Jimmy Garoppolo season-ending injury. However, I was right, so that's one.
2. No team will lose 13 or more games in 2018
The Browns have been the worst team the last two seasons, but with most expecting them to improve greatly and win a handful of games, there may not be THAT bad of a team this year. I predict the worst team will go 4-12 in a very competitive league.
I was SOOO close on this one! Only one team lost 13 or more games, and it was the Arizona Cardinals, and they lost 13.
3. The team that finishes with the worst record (or tied for worst record) in 2018 will have had a winning record in 2017.
Speaking of the worst record in the NFL, I’m not going to say who (you’ll have to see below), but the team that finishes with the worst record (and thus gets the #1 overall pick) will be a team that had a winning record in 2017. That is always a surprise to see. It doesn’t have to be the team I picked for this to be right, just a team that had a winning record in the 2017 season.
Again, SO CLOSE. The Cardinals, who had the worst record in 2018, went 8-8 in 2017. Figures.
4. The AFC representative in the Super Bowl won’t be the Patriots. Or the Steelers. In fact, it will be a team who hasn’t made it to the Super Bowl this millennium.
I think the AFC is due for a new Super Bowl contender. They haven’t had a team represent their conference minus Peyton Manning and Tom Brady since the Ravens made it in 2012. And they haven’t had a team win the Super Bowl that hadn’t already this millennium since the Colts in 2007.
Welp. I may have predicted the Patriots demise too early. For a while my prediction looked good as the Kansas City Chiefs would've made this prediction correct, but they came up so close in the AFC Championship.
5. The Seahawks AGAIN finish with a better road record than home record
I can make the same prediction two years in a row, can’t I? It’s my predictions. Just looking at the Seahawks schedule, I’ve noticed most of their tough non-divisional opponents (Dallas, GB, Minnesota, Kansas City) are at home while they face their easier divisional counterparts on the road (Oakland, Denver, Detroit, Chicago). It would be surprising for this anomaly to happen two years in a row for the Seahawks, but I think it will indeed happen again.
Not this time. The Seahawks lost winnable road games (San Francisco, Denver) and won some home games against decent opponents (Minnesota, Kansas City, Green Bay).
6. Neither team in the Super Bowl will have multiple Super Bowl wins
I think we’re going to see a Super Bowl with semi-inexperienced teams. There are plenty of teams with one or no Super Bowl titles (20 to be exact), but it’s not too likely that both Super Bowl participants will be like that. So that means no Patriots, no Steelers, no Packers.
If it was any matchup from the conference championship games OTHER than the Patriots, this would have been correct. The Rams, Saints, and Chiefs all have one Championship. Damn Patriots.
7. Among QB’s in their rookie or sophomore seasons, Mitch Trubisky will have the best (or tied for best) record
There are a lot of new and young faces at QB in the NFL. There were five rookie QB’s taken in the first round of this year’s draft, plus Mahomes in KC and Trubisky in Chicago will be playing their first full seasons. I expect Trubisky among all of those QB’s to have the best record as a starter or tied for the best.
Second one correct! He tied with Mahomes of the Chiefs for best record among first or second year QB's. I didn't foresee Mahomes's success but I saw the Bears making a run.
8. The AFC will have multiple divisions with only one team with a winning record.
Anyone paying attention to the NFL the past few years may have noticed most of the talent resides in the NFC. The NFC has more talented QB’s and better defenses. Therefore, I think there will be a couple divisions in the AFC with only one winning team. There will be a lot of sub-par AFC teams.
Only one division, I'm afraid. The AFC East only had one. The next closest was the AFC North, where the Steelers were second best at 9-6-1.
9. The Offensive Rookie of the Year won’t be one of the five QB’s drafted in the first round. It won’t even be Saquon Barkley.
I’m not positive on who it is, but I don’t see any of the first-round QB’s having rousing success in their first season (at least not enough to win Offensive ROY). I also don’t see a ton of success for Saquon Barkley, the first running back drafted. It will either be a QB drafted in the 2nd round or later, a different running back, or a different position altogether. Usually the OROY is a top QB chosen or the best running back, but it won’t be this year.
It was Saquon Barkley. I knew I was going out on a limb. The runner up was Baker Mayfield and he wouldn't have made my prediction correct, either.
10. No team will win more than 12 games, and there won’t be more than one team per conference with 12 wins.
There is a ton of parity in the NFL (especially the NFC), and I expect a lot of competitiveness, few blowouts, and a lot of upsets in the league this season. Therefore, there won’t be a team that runs away with its conference, and the most any team will win is 12 games, and there won’t even be two teams that do that in a conference. Maybe one per.
Oops. The Saints AND Rams both won 13, and they are both in the NFC. The Chiefs also won 12 in the AFC. Oh wells.
So after those ten bold predictions, you might have some idea as to how the divisions and records shape up. Here we go, with some comments on each division:
* = Wild Card
AFC EAST
1. Patriots: 10-6
2. Jets: 8-8
3. Dolphins: 6-10
4. Bills: 5-11
Comment: The Patriots have a rebuilt offensive line and very inexperienced receivers, so they’ll take a minor step back more than likely. But in a weak division, they’ll recapture the AFC East crown barring major injuries. The Jets should be competitive even though they are starting a 21-year-old rookie in Sam Darnold. The Fins, however, keep losing stars and Tannehill has a huge uphill climb to make coming back from injury. The Bills have decided to start Nathan Peterman Week 1, and there’s little chance that goes well.
AFC NORTH
1. Steelers: 12-4
2. Ravens: 8-8
3. Browns: 6-10
4. Bengals: 5-11
Comment: The Steelers beat up on their division, which frankly, I don’t see much competitiveness in outside of the Steel City. The Ravens do OK but may not play well enough for their head coach to keep his job. The Browns get off to a decent start and hover around .500 but suffer many losses in late November and December. The Bengals crash and burn, not being able to play complete and disciplined football.
AFC SOUTH
1. Houston Texans: 10-6
2. Jacksonville Jaguars: 10-6*
3. Indianapolis Colts: 9-7*
4. Tennessee Titans: 4-12
Comment: This should be one of the more competitive divisions in football and in my opinion, one of the most entertaining. The Texans get Watson back and he’ll be out to prove he’s no fluke. The Jags are out to prove last year was not a fluke themselves, and they should still be hungry after last year’s AFC Championship loss. The Colts get Luck on their side and become more competitive, but Luck will take some time readjusting to NFL game speed. The Titans have some new cool uni’s and a new coach, but I don’t like Derrick Henry as the sole featured back, and I have a bad feeling last year isn’t a fluke for Mariota and it will constantly be lingering in the back of his mind.
AFC WEST
1. Los Angeles Chargers: 11-5
2. Kansas City Chiefs: 9-7
3. Oakland Raiders: 6-10
4. Denver Broncos: 6-10
Comment: The Chargers boast one of the best all-around rosters in the NFL and had a great offseason. The Chiefs still have a great roster themselves, but made a major QB change, and with Mahomes in his first season as a starter, they will have some hiccups along the way. The Raiders will compete but their defense and run game will struggle at times; Beast Mode will show his age. The Broncos will realize Case Keenum was a one-year wonder and must go in search of their future franchise signal caller.
NFC EAST
1. Dallas Cowboys: 10-6
2. Philadelphia Eagles: 8-8
3. Washington Redskins: 7-9
4. New York Giants: 6-10
Comment: The Cowboys play well and capitalize by winning a lot of games in-division. The Eagles, who struggled in the preseason, have a letdown season and Carson Wentz has a setback with his injury. They also struggle with too many players with big egos, such as Michael Bennett. The Skins will do moderately well with Alex Smith at QB, but struggle against the better NFC teams. The G-Men will realize Eli Manning needs to be replaced sooner rather than later.
NFC NORTH
1. Green Bay Packers: 10-6
2. Minnesota Vikings: 10-6*
3. Chicago Bears: 9-7
4. Detroit Lions: 6-10
Comment: The Vikings and Packers should be in a battle all season long for the NFC North crown, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the lead changed in the last couple weeks. Aaron Rodgers, fresh off signing the largest contract in NFL history, leads the Pack and has an MVP type season. The Vikings just have too much talent to not win a bunch of games. The Bears and their new pass rusher Khalil Mack have a breakthrough season, but still ultimately miss the playoffs, but are optimistic going into 2019. The Lions become the odd man out in the division, as former Belichick assistants don’t tend to do well as head coaches (See Josh McDaniels, Romeo Crennel).
NFC SOUTH
1. New Orleans Saints: 12-4
2. Atlanta Falcons: 10-6*
3. Carolina Panthers: 7-9
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 4-12
Comment: The Saints, perhaps more than anyone, should be seething after how last season ended, so I expect them to play their hearts out. The Falcons still have a good roster all around, and many expect them to make a playoff run again. The Panthers, however, don’t have a real reliable running back, and a defense that is slowly losing pieces, and they usually don’t have back-to-back playoff seasons, and I still don’t expect them to. The Bucs aren’t going to have Jameis Winston for their first four games, and even when he gets back they won’t be much better.
NFC WEST
1. Los Angeles Rams: 11-5
2. Seattle Seahawks: ????
3. San Francisco 49ers: 7-9
4. Arizona Cardinals: 6-10
Comment: The Rams may have acquired some headache players like Suh and Marcus Peters but have too much talent to not win the division. As for the Seahawks, you’ll have to wait until my game-by-game predictions for them below. You know they’ll do at least 7-9 but no better than 11-5, based on their positioning above. The 49ers won’t be as good as many people think because teams that are this hyped usually don’t live up to the hype, and they have a QB, roster, and coach that haven’t proven anything yet. The Cardinals should compete, regardless of their quarterback, but their talent just doesn’t match up to most teams in the NFC.
So there you have it for the regular season! Now on to the Seahawks game by game predictions. How will they do? Find out below.
I’m not doing scores, because there’s a very very slim chance they’ll end up correct.
At Denver Broncos: Win (1-0)
The Hawks come out fighting. The Broncos show they’re not quite there and Case Keenum struggles at times. The last time the Hawks won in Denver, it was 2006. So they are due.
At Bears: Loss (1-1)
I originally had this game as a win, but I changed it after the Bears traded for Khalil Mack. I don’t think the Hawks will have too much success against him and the resurgent Bears D. It’ll be a close and tough defeat. Possibly low-scoring as well.
Vs. Cowboys: Loss (1-2)
The 12th Man can’t help the Hawks overcome the Cowboys in their home opener. The defense has trouble containing Ezekiel Elliott and the running game never gets going against Dallas’ tough front seven, leaving fans worrying about how bad this season will end up being.
At Cardinals: Win (2-2)
Hard to say which QB will start this game for the Cards, but I don’t think it matters too much. Again, could be a low-scoring game.
Vs. Rams: Loss (2-3)
The Hawks start the year with two straight home losses, and people start to wonder if the 12th Man is losing its touch. The Hawks go into this game seeking revenge for last year’s embarrassment at home, and while they do succeed in making it a closer game, still ultimately end up falling.
At Raiders in London: Win (3-3)
First game outside of North America for the Seahawks results in a W. Seahawks fans show up in droves as there appears to be many members of the 12th Man in the UK.
At Lions: Win (4-3)
The Hawks, well-rested after their bye, air it out in a shootout against Detroit and come out on top. Matt Patricia and Pete Carroll, two defensive coaches, end up wishing their D’s had done better.
Vs. Chargers: Win (5-3)
This will be a tough matchup, but the Hawks will have gone into November without a home win. They won’t allow it to continue. This will be like the Texans game last year: close, exciting, and the Hawks come out on top at home.
At Rams: Loss (5-4)
The Hawks fail to get 3 games above .500. They always play the Rams tough in L.A., and after last year’s lucky win I don’t think luck is in their favor this time, as the Rams end up sweeping the Hawks in 2018.
vs. Packers: Loss (5-5)
Aaron Rodgers has too many bad memories at Century Link. The Fail Mary game where he got sacked at least a half dozen times. The loss in the NFC Championship game. He’ll be out to rid himself of those demons. The Hawks fall to 1-3 at home.
at Panthers: Win (6-5)
There was a period near the beginning of the Seahawks renaissance where the Hawks beat the Panthers three straight years, all games in Carolina. I think they recapture some of that old magic and win. I also expect the Panthers to disappoint in 2018.
vs. 49ers: Win (7-5)
This should be a loud and exciting game that I see the Hawks winning in close and dramatic fashion. Like I said earlier, I don’t expect the 49ers to be as good as a lot of people think.
vs. Vikings: Loss (7-6)
This might be the most important game on the Seahawks schedule, based on its position in the schedule and who they’re playing. But the Hawks offense does not get much going against the stout Vikings defense, and Janikowski misses a late field goal.
At 49ers: Loss (7-7)
This proves to be a devastating loss towards the Seahawks playoff hopes. But they can’t stop Jimmy Garoppolo this time. Not in Santa Clara.
vs. Chiefs: Loss (7-8)
Another devastating loss. Pat Mahomes airs it out and the Chiefs rack up points on a tired and weary Hawks defense. This knocks the Hawks out of the playoff race for the second straight year.
vs. Cardinals: Win (8-8)
In what is now a meaningless game, the Hawks come out on top. They provide some hope for next season, knowing they must fill holes on D and on the offensive line.
So the Seahawks finish 8-8, no playoffs for the 2nd straight year. A three game losing streak in December ultimately does them in. The defense is not bad, but they are inconsistent. The running game and offensive line shows marginal improvement. Luck just won’t be on their side this year. But how does the rest of the NFL do in the playoffs? Let’s find out!
AFC Wild Card Round:
(6) Colts at (3) Patriots: Patriots win
This was a common playoff matchup in the 2000’s between Manning and Brady. Now it is Brady and Luck (again) and again Brady comes out on top. And yes, the Patriots do NOT get a first round BYE.
(5) Jaguars at (4) Texans: Jaguars win
I really like Deshaun Watson and the Texans, but they are not the most complete team in the AFC. The Jags defense torments Watson relentlessly and secure a trip to the divisional round.
NFC Wild Card Round:
(6) Falcons at (3) Cowboys: Cowboys win
The ‘Boys finally shake off their playoff woes and give fans of “America’s Team” reason to be optimistic. They win on a bad call by the refs (let’s face it, the NFL wants the Cowboys in as many high-profile games as possible).
(5) Vikings at (4) Packers: Packers win
It's always exciting when these two meet in the regular season. Add that it’s a playoff game and… woah. The Pack come out on top in the frigid temps of Green Bay as the Minnesota offense can’t get anything going, while the Green Bay offense does enough.
AFC DIVISIONAL ROUND:
(5) Jaguars at (1) Steelers: Steelers win
The Steelers win the rematch of last year’s AFC divisional matchup. They will want the game more, simply.
(3) Patriots at (2) Chargers: Chargers win
The Chargers win, with Phillip Rivers having no flashbacks to the 2000’s when they lost to the Patriots in the playoffs. The Patriots just won’t have as good of a roster. Coaching and strategy can only get you so far.
NFC DIVISIONAL ROUND:
(4) Packers at (1) Saints: Saints win
The Saints win a close and exciting game between two of the game’s best QB’s.
(3) Cowboys at (2) Rams: Cowboys win
In a battle of Hollywood’s team vs. America’s team, the ‘Boys come out on top because they play slightly more disciplined and hard-nose football. The Rams start to wonder what it will take to get their team to win a single playoff game.
AFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME: (2) Chargers at (1) Steelers: Chargers win
Like I said earlier, the AFC will be represented by someone new. That will be the Chargers. They stun the Steelers fans who go home again disappointed.
NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME: (3) Cowboys at (1) Saints: Saints win
In a battle of two underdog QB’s (Prescott vs. Brees), the wily veteran Brees comes out on top. The Saints crowd proves to be too much for the Cowboys. The Saints move on to their 2nd Super Bowl.
SUPER BOWL LIII: Chargers vs. Saints: Saints win, 37-34
In a Super Bowl matchup of two bad-luck franchises and two QB’s who used to be teammates, Brees comes out on top. This ends up being one of the most entertaining Super Bowls, with a late score or defensive stop in the final seconds. Your 2018 and Super Bowl LIII champions are the New Orleans Saints!
Finally, some awards to hand out:
NFL MVP: Drew Brees (finally!), Saints
Offensive Player of the Year: Aaron Rodgers, Packers
Defensive Player of the Year: Joey Bosa, Chargers
Offensive Rookie of the Year: Calvin Ridley, Falcons
Defensive Rookie of the Year: Derwin James, Chargers
Coach of the Year: Anthony Lynn, Chargers
Comeback Player of the Year: Aaron Rodgers, Packers
Thanks for reading all the way through if you did! I’m very excited for this upcoming season, even if I didn’t predict my Seahawks to make the playoffs. They still have the potential to surprise a lot of people and prove me wrong by making the playoffs for the 6th time in 7 seasons. Here’s to an awesome 2018 NFL season!
