Condensed 2024 NFL Predictions!

 I will, at the very least, keep up my tradition of predicting the NFL season, even though I'm always wrong about many things.  But hey, it's fun.  I'm going to get straight to it, the predicted records, the playoff predictions, and then, a short bit about the Seahawks, my favorite team.  A heads up, I'm going to try to predict a few surprises, so some of these records may surprise you.  After all, we always see several surprisingly good and bad teams each season.

* = Wild Card

AFC EAST
1. Miami Dolphins 11-6
2. Buffalo Bills 10-7*
3. New England Patriots 8-9
4. New York Jets 6-11
Comment: The Dolphins win a mediocre at best division as the Bills have a few setbacks.  The Patriots and Drake Maye surprise some people.  Aaron Rodgers either struggles or gets hurt and the Jets are, well, the Jets.

AFC NORTH
1. Cincinnati Bengals 12-5
2. Baltimore Ravens 11-6*
3. Cleveland Browns 8-9
4. Pittsburgh Steelers 7-10
Comment: The Bengals are back on top and Burrow plays all season.  The Ravens regress slightly, most notably on defense after losing Mike Macdonald.  The Browns are okay, but Watson proves to not stay healthy or consistent.  The Steelers regress without a solid QB as both Wilson and Fields struggle against the tough defenses of the AFC North.

AFC SOUTH
1. Indianapolis Colts 11-6
2. Houston Texans 10-7*
3. Tennessee Titans 9-8
4. Jacksonville Jaguars 6-11
Comment: Yep, you heard it here.  The Colts surge with a healthy Anthony Richardson.  The Texans are still decent, but slightly lose their grasp on the division.  The Titans surprise people with their underrated D and Will Levis competing his butt off.  The Jaguars again struggle to find consistency.

AFC WEST
1. Kansas City Chiefs 10-7
2. Los Angeles Chargers 9-8
3. Denver Broncos 7-10
4. Las Vegas Raiders 4-13
Comment: The Chiefs win the worst division in the AFC despite a bit of a Super Bowl hangover.  The Chargers show flashes under new coach Jim Harbaugh, but look like they'll take a year to make a big stride.  The Broncos are competitive, and Bo Nix establishes himself as the starter.  The Raiders struggle mightily, even under Minshew.

NFC EAST
1. Dallas Cowboys 10-7
2. Philadelphia Eagles 8-9
3. Washington Commanders 8-9
4. New York Giants 7-10
Comment: In a very mediocre division, Dallas remains on top.  The Eagles struggle and continue their slide from last season.  The Commanders show some flashes but it's not enough.  The Giants aren't terrible, but are missing a star QB.

NFC NORTH
1. Detroit Lions 12-5
2. Chicago Bears 9-8*
3. Green Bay Packers 7-10
4. Minnesota Vikings 5-12
Comment: The Lions win the division two years in a row thanks to the best roster in the division.  The Bears surprise people and Caleb Williams looks like the real deal.  Jordan Love shows a bit that last year was a bit of an abberration.  The Vikings struggle without JJ McCarthy and having to go with Darnold.

NFC SOUTH
1. Atlanta Falcons 10-7
2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 7-10
3. New Orleans Saints 6-11
4. Carolina Panthers 6-11
Comment: The Falcons win a very winnable division thanks to the addition of Cousins.  The Bucs struggle in year 2 under Mayfield.  The Saints and Panthers have different stories: The Saints suffer massive disappointment while the Panthers remain optimistic under new head coach Dave Canales.

NFC WEST
1. San Francisco 49ers 13-4
2. Seattle Seahawks 10-7*
3. Los Angeles Rams 10-7*
4. Arizona Cardinals 6-11
Comment: The 49ers remain very tough and win a formidable division.  My Seahawks surprise people and win 10 games, largely thanks to an improved defense.  The Rams also win ten games, but more on the back of their offense.  The Cardinals aren't awful, but struggle to beat any somewhat decent teams.

Before I get to the playoffs, here are the coaches in this scenario I'd expect to get fired:
Robert Saleh, Jets
Doug Pederson, Jaguars
Antonio Pierce, Raiders
Nick Sirianni, Eagles
Todd Bowles, Buccaneers
Dennis Allen, Saints

With Mike Tomlin as an outside possibility (possibly steps down instead of getting fired).  

Now onto the NFL Playoffs!  Who is my prediction for Super Bowl LIX?

AFC WILD CARD
(7) Texans at (2) Dolphins: Dolphins win
(6) Bills at (3) Colts: Bills win
(5) Ravens at (4) Chiefs: Chiefs win

NFC WILD CARD
(7) Bears at (2) Lions: Lions win
(6) Rams at (3) Cowboys: Rams win
(5) Seahawks at (4) Falcons: Seahawks win

AFC DIVISIONAL
(6) Bills at (1) Bengals: Bengals win
(4) Chiefs at (2) Dolphins: Chiefs win

NFC DIVISIONAL
(6) Rams at (1) 49ers: 49ers win
(5) Seahawks at (2) Lions: Lions win

CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS
AFC: Chiefs at Bengals: Bengals
NFC: Lions at 49ers: 49ers

SUPER BOWL LIX
Bengals vs 49ers: 49ers win, 23-17

Yup, I hate to admit it, but the 49ers finally win another Super Bowl.  Turns out, third time is the charm for Kyle Shanahan, at least as a head coach.  

And now, my Seahawks.  I don't want to predict each game, because I'll be wrong about some wins and I'll be wrong about some losses.  I'll just go over three aspects of the team:

Offense: Slow start, but shows more explosiveness than last season.  There's not a ton of consistency with the offense.  Some games they may score 30+, others less than 20.  Geno has a bit of a bounce back season.  The lack of quality tight end depth hurts.  The run game could still be improved and show more consistency, as K9 breaks a few home run type runs but struggles to gain consistent yardage.

Defense: The defense is improved without the secondary of Diggs and Adams dragging them down.  The loss of Wagner's leadership is felt, but a few young players emerge, such as Derick Hall and of course, Byron Murphy.  The D-Line proves to be a Top 10 D-Line in the NFL.  The linebackers have their ups and downs, while the secondary is mostly decent.  

Coaching: I expect the growing pains that usually come with a rookie head coach/new coaching staff, but I do expect a new energy in this team.  I think they'll be in the middle of the league in terms of penalties (perhaps still bottom half) but I expect the Time of Possession to improve, largely due to the defense getting off the field, rather than the offense sustaining drives.  All in all, I expect a solid first season with a bright future in front of us.

Well, that does it for my 2024 NFL Predictions.  I'll take the Hawks having a good first year under Mike Macdonald, even if it means a 49ers Super Bowl... I guess.  But it should be a fun season.  Go Hawks!

NFL Coaching Hirings Grades and Thoughts

 With my Seahawks in the process of hiring a new head coach, I'm more invested in the NFL teams hiring head coaches than ever.  So, I thought I'd react and grade each head coach hiring, including the Seahawks', which I will go more in-depth on than other teams.  In order, chronologically:

Patriots hire Jerod Mayo: B-
NFL Linebackers have done well as NFL coaches in recent history.  Vrabel was good in Tennessee up until his last few seasons.  Demeco Ryans did fantastic in his first year in Houston.  Antonio Pierce did well as an interim coach (see below).  This is what you call a very safe move.  Mayo will keep the team from chaos, futility, and disorder, but I definitely think he may be a bridge coach.  The roster is one of the worst in the NFL and one offseason won't fix it.  Mayo learned from Belichick as a player and a coach, so for the players that remain it will be a fairly easy transition.  Maybe, if they make the right moves in the next couple of offseasons, they can return to contention around 2025-2026, but that is my optimistic view for them.

Raiders hire Antonio Pierce: B+
Could they have done better?  Maybe.  But you had their best player, Maxx Crosby, publicly state if they didn't stick with Pierce that he'd likely request a trade.  That speaks volumes.  Pierce definitely seems like an excellent motivator, but we haven't seen too much of him as an in-game strategist or decision-maker.  It'll be interesting to see.  I could certainly see the Raiders as a potential wild card next year under Pierce.  He's certainly better than McDaniels, and it's good to see Mark Davis learned his lesson.  

Titans hire Brian Callahan: B
I'm always lukewarm on coaches who have never been head coaches before unless they have an amazing pedigree, but Brian Callahan has a few things going for him.  One, he is the son of a coach and obviously learned a bit from him.  Two, he coordinated one of the league's best offenses in Cincinnati, and even made Jake Browning look decent.  But again, I am skeptical on new coaches, but as far as new coaches go, Callahan is a pretty darn good one.

Chargers hire Jim Harbaugh: A
Harbaugh has had success wherever he has gone as a head coach.  He went from bowl success with Stanford, to making the Super Bowl with the 49ers, to winning a national title with Michigan.  Next, Super Bowl win with the Chargers?  Hard to be upset with this hire unless you're a Chiefs, Raiders, or Broncos fan.  I can't give it an A+ because Harbaugh has been away from the NFL for a few years, and it has changed in that time.  We've seen coaches away from the NFL game struggle on a return *cough* Jon Gruden *cough*.  I doubt it'll be Harbaugh, but that is a possibility.  

Panthers hire Dave Canales: C
I don't know why this hire doesn't sit particularly well with me.  You have to give Canales some credit for helping revive the careers of Geno Smith and Baker Mayfield.  Can he do the same for Bryce Young?  We will see.  Here's the thing: The Seahawks' offense in 2022 and the Buccaneers' offense in 2023 weren't exactly lighting up scoreboards, and had great receiver talent already in place that helped, and both teams barely snuck into the playoffs.  Does Canales get this job if one thing goes wrong for the Hawks in 2022 or the Bucs in 2023 to prevent them from reaching the playoffs?  And he was an OC for only 1 season.  This is a boom or bust hire, so either Canales will join the ranks of McVay, Shanahan, and LeFleur, or he will get fired in a few seasons.  Good luck.  

Falcons hire Raheem Morris: D+
I can't wrap my mind around this.  This is a guy who was in the Falcons' organization a bit over 3 years ago, and he was even their interim head coach after they fired Dan Quinn, and they easily could've shed the interim tag and made him full-time.  Instead, they went out and got Arthur Smith, which turned out to be a mistake.  Now they've gone full circle and re-hired Morris.  I just don't get it.  I think Arthur Blank, the Falcons' owner, panicked and hired the guy he was most familiar with.  This is an incredibly safe and low-risk hire.  But I can almost guarantee the Falcons won't do any better than a borderline playoff team under Morris, and possibly a weak division winner if the division sucks (like Tampa Bay this year).  There's no way they'll do better than that.  And more realistically, they'll likely hover around 6-8 wins, just like they did with Smith.

Seahawks hire Mike Macdonald: A+
A young coach being installed in a place with a support system and decent owners?  That usually works out.  The only time it really hasn't was with Brandon Staley and the Chargers, although you could argue the "decent owner" front.  Let's hope we don't have another Brandon Staley, but something tells me we don't.  I love John Schneider's willingness to go young, and I wonder (we will never likely know) who his plan B would've been.  Macdonald had some amazing defenses in Baltimore, and he made stars out of Kyle Hamilton and Marlon Humphrey.  I think he fits in very well in Seattle, and I, as well as many fans, will be willing to give him time.  I'm betting we'll see a quick turnaround on our defense, but the offense might be a work in progress, depending on who he picks for offensive coordinator.  I fully believe he was chosen due to the success his defense had against the NFC West last season, and JS is hoping he replicates that with the Hawks.

Commanders hire Dan Quinn: C-
His defenses have done very well in recent years, and I'll say this: we have seen coaches have success when given a 2nd or 3rd shot.  Look at Pete Carroll and Bill Belichick (although, to be fair, DQ is no Carroll or Belichick).  I can see why Commanders' fans would not be too happy.  But hey, they poached him from a division rival, so DQ is certainly familiar with the opposing offenses in the division.  The key to his success will be the OC hire and if they can get a star quarterback.  Sam Howell is a fairly capable starter, but defensive-minded coaches need star QBs, which Howell is not.  This hiring can end up being a success, but so can all of these.  DQ will need to prove he can win without Kyle Shanahan as his OC.

NFL Teams Ranked--Again

 We're midway through the 2023 season, and it sure is an interesting one.  I thought I'd rank each of the 32 NFL teams in terms of my personal preference.  As a Seahawks fan, a lot of these rankings are self-explanatory, but most are not.  I'll try to keep it brief, especially if it's self-explanatory.

FAVORITE
1. Seattle Seahawks - Always my #1, always my ride or die.  

I LIKE THESE TEAMS (Not too surprisingly, all AFC teams)
2. Jacksonville Jaguars - Team I've adopted as my #2, or my favorite AFC team.  The Seahawks have no reason to hate them.  I like their new resurgence with Trevor Lawrence, and I really hope they accomplish some things.
3. Miami Dolphins - I'm high on them for three reasons: 1) My girlfriend's 1st cousin once removed is their kicker, Jason Sanders.  He's her dad's cousin.  2) Salvon Ahmed, one of their backup running backs, grew up in Kirkland, WA, just like me.  3) One of their safeties is Jevon Holland, who shares a last name with me, the only Big 4 sports professional athlete I know of who has that distinction.
4. Kansas City Chiefs - I can't help it, they're so easy to root for and fun to watch.  Mahomes, Kelce, Andy Reid, what's not to like?
5. Buffalo Bills - I love Josh Allen; he's one of my favorite NFL players.  The Bills remind me of my Seahawks in a way: loyal to a fault and will brave the elements.

I'M HAPPY FOR YOU WHEN YOU WIN (Usually, unless you beat my Hawks)
6. Cincinnati Bengals - Joe Burrow is easy to root for, and finally Cincy has a consistent winner.
7. Minnesota Vikings - The Jon Bois/SB Nation documentary vaulted them up a bit, plus how big a fan Marshall on How I Met Your Mother is of them, and he's one of my favorite sitcom characters ever.
8. Cleveland Browns - I don't like how they got Watson, but I love lovable losers.  They still deserve to have success someday.  One of my favorite YouTubers, KTO, is a big Browns fan.
9. Detroit Lions - They are easy to like and their win over Green Bay last year enabled the Seahawks to get to the playoffs.  Thanks again, Detroit!
10. Atlanta Falcons - Again, the Jon Bois/SB Nation documentary.  Highly recommend.

NO BIG REASON TO DISLIKE, MAYBE A SMALL REASON TO LIKE
11. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - I still think of those late 90s/early 2000s teams that just dominated on defense.  They were fun to watch.  They're still fairly likable.  Guess I just like Florida NFL teams. 
12. Los Angeles Chargers - Never really had a reason to dislike them, except for the fact that as of writing this post, the last time I saw a Seahawks game in person, they lost to the Chargers.  But I don't hold that against them too much.  We should have done more.
13. Dallas Cowboys - I know, I know.  I just find large market teams (Lakers, Yankees, Cowboys) appealing and fun to root for on occasion.  But it is also funny to see them lose, too.
14. Houston Texans - They would be higher, but they share a city with a certain MLB team I would rank 30 out of 30, so that drops them a bit.  I like their uniforms, stadium, but they haven't always made the best personnel decisions.

YOU'RE OK, SO LONG AS YOU DON'T BEAT MY HAWKS
15. Washington Commanders - First off, I wish they'd change their name again.  "Commanders" is so generic and uninspiring.  But I like how Dan Snyder is no longer a part of this team.  Now they just need a new stadium.  But I don't really have a reason to hate them.
16. Las Vegas Raiders - Cool stadium, classic uni's.  I'm not a Raider hater.  Although, like the Cowboys, it's funny to see them lose.
17. Indianapolis Colts - They were featured on Parks and Rec, so that's cool.  The Colts may be the one NFL team I've never felt much emotion towards at all, so it's fitting that they're square in the middle.
18. Arizona Cardinals - What?  A division rival?  Yep.  I don't mind the red birds all that much, so long as we can at least split our season series with them.  
19. Chicago Bears - They may be the one NFL team that has never had a legit franchise quarterback in the Super Bowl era, it's crazy.  I wish them the best someday in finding that guy.  I don't mind the Bears too much, classic franchise and I find their games oddly entertaining, even when they are struggling.

I DON'T HAVE SYMPATHY FOR YOU WHEN YOU LOSE
20. Tennessee Titans - There's the Music City Miracle, at least, one of my favorite NFL plays of all time.  I watched that live as an almost 11-year-old.  But I just have never found a reason to like the Titans all that much.
21. New York Giants - Another one of my favorite YouTubers, FivePointsVids, is a Giants fan, but that's about it.  Their classic uni's are nice.
22. Denver Broncos - This team has probably moved the most in recent years, considering the Russell Wilson trade and all.  I'm coming back around on them, and they move back up for me.  In the earlier part of this century, I had them as a Top 5 team.  
23. New Orleans Saints - Part of me forgot about them, part of me just doesn't care.  I find them incredibly overrated as a franchise, considering they were nothing before the Payton/Brees era.  
24. Carolina Panthers - They beat my Seahawks in the playoffs once, so there's that.  But so have the Cowboys, Dolphins, Falcons, and Bears, all of who are higher on this list.  I just haven't forgiven them, I guess.

I ALMOST ALWAYS ROOT AGAINST YOU WHEN I WATCH
25. Philadelphia Eagles - Their fans are just awful.  I wish them nothing but misery.  I like Jason Kelce, but that's about it.  Die, Eagles, Die.
26. New York Jets - Again, not likable fans, and they're just incredibly boring and inept.  And I hate their color scheme--green and white?  Yuck.
27. Baltimore Ravens - They recently beat my Hawks, but moreover, they used to be the Browns, who were stolen from Cleveland and moved to Baltimore (Thanks, Art Modell).  And they've been rewarded with two Super Bowls.  It reminds me of how my Sonics were stolen from me.  
28. Green Bay Packers - A lot of defeats at the hands of these guys, but they've lost to us, too.  I just hate when we lose to them when, because of the refs or a bonehead play by our QB (Thanks Hasselbeck), we lose.  I almost always root against the Packers.  Their fans are a bit obnoxious, too.

DIE, CHUMPS (I seriously wish nothing but bad things for these teams)
29. Pittsburgh Steelers - Three words: Super Bowl 40 (XL).  Yeah.  Still not over it.  I know, it's been almost 18 years now.  I may never get over it.  Plus, like the Packers, their fans are obnoxious.  But the sting of the Super Bowl certainly hurts less now that we have a ring ourselves.
30. New England Patriots - Another team we lost to in the Super Bowl.  Plus, they had so much success with Brady and Belichick, it was sickening.  Their struggles right now are so incredibly hilarious.
31. San Francisco 49ers - Our biggest rival.  I can't stand their fans on social media--they are the absolute worst.  Reminds me of Astros fans.  Oddly, this is my girlfriend's favorite team, being from that area, which probably saves them from the final spot.  But I can never come around on them, especially now that they are a very tough team to beat.
32. Los Angeles Rams - Too many agonizing defeats to these guys.  The blowout at home which was our first big loss at home in years.  The phantom holding call on the first game in Sofi.  The loss in the playoffs in 2020.  And the two games this year.  Also, I hate Aaron Donald--he's a dirty player.  At least when the Niners struggle, we can beat them.  Even when the Rams struggle, we struggle to beat them ourselves.  Also, they're yet another franchise that has moved, so screw them.

2023 NFL Predictions

 Hard to believe, but another NFL season is almost upon us.  I might be doing this a tad early, but I'd rather do it now when I have time.  Anyway, I will go division by division, predicting win/loss records and then the playoffs for each conference.  Normally, I'd go further in detail to my Seahawks, but I don't think I will this time.  I don't know what it is; I'm not particularly excited about this upcoming season.  I feel like we outperformed last year, so I'm expecting some regression this year.  Also, I'm going to make some very surprising picks, because I feel we get surprised by the NFL every year, and there are always a few teams that are almost the complete opposite of what we expect.  Anyway, here are my predicted NFL standings!  Wild cards will have asterisks.

AFC East
1. Buffalo Bills: 11-6
2. Miami Dolphins: 10-7*
3. New York Jets: 9-8
4. New England Patriots: 7-10
The Bills still have the most talented roster in the AFC East, but it's tightening fast.  I wouldn't be surprised if they had to fight for a wild card, but I still put them as division winners because Miami and the Jets are still missing a few pieces.  The Patriots remain competitive under Belichick, but remain mediocre at best.

AFC North
1. Baltimore Ravens: 10-7
2. Cincinnati Bengals: 10-7*
3. Pittsburgh Steelers: 8-9
4. Cleveland Browns: 6-11
Call this the battered and blue division because these teams are going to beat each other up this season.  I don't see any team losing or winning more than 4 in-division games.  And I hate predicting injuries, but I have a bad feeling about Joe Burrow.  His pre-season calf injury worries me and makes me think that might linger or he might suffer a different minor injury that knocks him out for a few games and costs the Bengals the division.  The Steelers and Browns remain competitive, but it's hard to do much better in a very tough AFC.  And yes, I have Mike Tomlin suffer his first losing season as head coach.

AFC South
1. Indianapolis Colts: 9-8
2. Jacksonville Jaguars: 8-9
3. Tennessee Titans: 8-9
4. Houston Texans: 5-12
Here's one of my surprising predictions: The Colts winning the AFC South.  Anthony Richardson has a solid/borderline rookie of the year campaign and leads the Colts to the playoffs.  The Jags return back to Earth a bit and realize they've still got a few holes.  The Titans are just... there.  The Texans still have a ways to go, but surprise some people. Ha!  Try all of us.  What I thought would be the Colts ended up being the Texans.  

AFC West
1. Kansas City Chiefs: 12-5
2. Denver Broncos: 11-6*
3. Los Angeles Chargers: 7-10
4. Las Vegas Raiders: 2-15
The Chiefs are good, as expected, and retain the AFC's #1 seed.  It's only with a record of 12-5, though, due to the competitiveness of the AFC.  The Broncos are another of my surprise teams, and they claim the top wild-card spot.  Russell Wilson mostly returns to form thanks to the help of new head coach Sean Payton. The Chargers get outcoached in many games and Brandon Staley likely loses his job at the end of the season.  The Raiders stink with Jimmy G (who likely gets hurt, again) and Josh Jacobs shows his displeasure.  If they can afford it, they fire McDaniels.

NFC East
1. Philadelphia Eagles: 11-6
2. New York Giants: 10-7*
3. Washington Commanders: 9-8
4. Dallas Cowboys: 6-11
Hard to believe that we haven't had a repeat NFC East champion in almost 20 years.  I think that ends here.  The Eagles are too talented.  The Giants will make it close, however.  The Commanders, no longer having the worst owner in professional sports, play inspired football and almost make the postseason.  The Cowboys have a down year, due to not having much depth behind skill players Ceedee Lamb and Tony Pollard.

NFC North
1. Minnesota Vikings: 13-4
2. Detroit Lions: 10-7*
3. Chicago Bears: 8-9
4. Green Bay Packers: 6-11
The Vikings with the best record in the NFL?  You heard it here first.  Kirk Cousins is now the best QB in his division (although Goff is close).  The Vikings will put together a 7 or 8 game win streak, and go 6-4 or 5-4 in their other 10 or 9 games.  The Lions don't win the division, but they do snag a wild-card playoff spot.  The Bears are slightly improved, but Fields can only do so much.  The Packers regress heavily after losing Aaron Rodgers, and Jordan Love leads the Packers' front office to quickly try to find the next heir apparent.

NFC South
1. New Orleans Saints: 10-7
2. Carolina Panthers: 7-10
3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 6-11
4. Atlanta Falcons: 5-12
Derek Carr and the Saints claim the division title, thanks to Carr easily being the best QB in the division.  The Panthers surprise a bit, and Bryce Young does enough to win rookie of the year.  The Bucco's switch to Kyle Trask after Mayfield struggles.  The Falcons are just there.

NFC West
1. San Francisco 49ers: 12-5
2. Los Angeles Rams: 11-6*
3. Seattle Seahawks: 8-9
4. Arizona Cardinals: 3-14
The Niners repeat as division champs, likely with multiple QB's starting games for them.  The Rams bounce back and claim the top wild card spot thanks to Matthew Stafford's resurgence.  My Seahawks do okay for most of the year, but they lose too many close games, due to either the defense allowing a late score or Geno Smith not being able to engineer a game-winning drive.  The Cardinals are expected to not be very good, and they won't be.

Here are the playoff seedings: 
AFC
1. Kansas City (12-5)
2. Buffalo (11-6)
3. Baltimore (10-7)
4. Indianapolis (9-8)
5. Denver (11-6)
6. Cincinnati (10-7)
7. Miami (10-7)

NFC
1. Minnesota (13-4)
2. San Francisco (12-5)
3. Philadelphia (11-6)
4. New Orleans (10-7)
5. Los Angeles Rams (11-6)
6. New York Giants (10-7)
7. Detroit (10-7)

Here's how I think the playoffs would go:
AFC Wild Card
(7) Dolphins at (2) Bills: Dolphins win
In a rematch of last year's wild card, the Dolphins get the upper hand this time.
(6) Bengals at (3) Ravens: Bengals win
Another rematch, this time with the Ravens as the higher seed, but it still doesn't matter.
(5) Broncos at (4) Colts: Broncos win
The Broncos' leadership (Payton/Wilson) has plenty of playoff experience, and it proves valuable.
NFC Wild Card
(7) Lions at (2) 49ers: 49ers win
I'd be rooting for the Lions like crazy, but it would just be too tough for them, just like it was for my Seahawks last season.
(6) Giants at (3) Eagles: Eagles win
Divisional showdown!  Eagles come out on top easily.
(5) Rams at (4) Saints: Rams win
The Rams prove too much for Carr and the Saints.

AFC Divisional Round:
(7) Dolphins at (1) Chiefs: Chiefs win
Tyreke Hill returns to Kansas City!  But he loses, due to the KC pressure being too much for Tua.
(6) Bengals at (5) Broncos: Bengals win
The Bengals have a more well-rounded roster in terms of talent and experience, which proves to be the difference.

NFC Divisional Round:
(5) Rams at (1) Vikings: Vikings win
The home field advantage proves too much for the Rams, who also cannot figure out a way to shutdown Justin Jefferson.
(3) Eagles at (2) 49ers: 49ers win
In a rematch of last year's NFC Championship game, the 49ers get the upper hand due to home field advantage, but also having a healthy quarterback this time.

Conference Championships:
(6) Bengals at (1) Chiefs: Bengals win
For the third year in a row, this is the AFC Championship game matchup.  And it goes back to Cincy.  The Bengals have an up and down season, but they catch fire at the end of the season, which is all that matters.
(2) 49ers at (1) Vikings: Vikings win
Whoever is under center for the 49ers is going to struggle under the lights and noise, and the Vikings win a close, hard-fought game.  

Super Bowl LVIII: Vikings vs. Bengals: Bengals win
The Bengals enter as very slight underdogs but emerge victorious.  In a matchup of two teams, each who has yet to win a Super Bowl, the Bengals come out on top.  It's an electrifying Super Bowl, filled with plenty of lead changes.  Joe Burrow wins Super Bowl MVP.  

There you have it.  The Cincinnati Bengals are my Super Bowl pick. Yikes!  Couldn't have done worse, lol.  However, my conference championship losers ended up being the Super Bowl, so there's that. Despite me thinking they'll have a down regular season, I think they'll do well late and in the playoffs.  They were so close last year to returning to the Super Bowl, and this year I think they do and win it.  Before I go, here are the coaches who I think get fired or leave by season's end: 

Bill Belichick, Patriots (retires) Didn't retire, but he's done anyway
Mike Vrabel, Titans Yep
Brandon Staley, Chargers Yep
Josh McDaniels, Raiders Yep
Todd Bowles, Buccaneers Nope
Other possibilities: Jonathan Gannon (Cardinals), Arthur Smith (Falcons) Yep, Matt LaFleur (Packers), Pete Carroll (Seahawks, retire?) Yep, Ron Rivera, Commanders (retire?) Yep

The firing I did not consider: Frank Reich (first year!)

NFL Games are not rigged

     A bit over three years ago, I made a post talking about refereeing in the NFL and how it's about as bad as I've ever seen, excluding the lockout in 2012.  In that, I defended referees, saying their job is hard, and the turnover we've seen in the past few years and the increase in technology makes officiating seem worse than in prior seasons.  Well, I'm here to defend them again.  
    The 2022-2023 Conference Championship games happened yesterday as of this post.  For both games, I noticed numerous posts, comments, tweets, and online mentions that the NFL is rigged.  I've seen these kinds of comments many times before, but it seems they are growing in volume.  I am putting this out there: THE NFL IS NOT RIGGED.  Nor are any of the other major professional sports leagues, but the NFL seems to be the one that gets this accusation the most.  It's arguably the one where officiating can play the largest role.  
   
Here's why the NFL is not rigged:
    1) They'd have a better script if it was
    2) There'd be at least somewhat of a leak if it was
    3) Players would not put their bodies on the line if the outcome was predetermined
    4) Calls go against the teams that end up winning anyway
    5) If it was and word got out, a league worth hundreds of BILLIONS would go under
    6) Officiating is tough, and basically, any bad call can be defended to an extent
    7) When would the rigging of games have started, and why?  The NFL wouldn't need to.

Let's examine each of those points further.
    

1) They'd have a better script if it was
        This year's Super Bowl will be the Eagles vs. the Chiefs.  Each team has won a Super Bowl in the last 5 years.  Don't you think fans would want to see a matchup with teams that haven't won in a while?  Imagine how cool Bills vs. Cowboys or Bills vs. Vikings would be.  Or how about the 49ers, who haven't won in 28 years yet possess one of the largest followings in the NFL?  Granted, you have the Kelce brothers facing each other and Andy Reid facing his former team.  But that doesn't get non-NFL fans to tune in; it just makes NFL fans want to tune in slightly more.  If the NFL was rigged, they'd rig it for a Super Bowl that would generate the largest audience, and Eagles/Chiefs is not it.  

2) There'd be at least somewhat of a leak if it was
        Think about how many officials, referees, coaches, and staff would have to be in on this if the NFL was rigged.  With that many people involved, a leak would almost positively come out, whether it be a stray text/email, someone overhearing, etc.  It would just take one person out of those hundreds (if not thousands) to make a mistake.  Yes, the NFL can pay people to keep quiet, but they can't undo something getting out to the public.
    
3) Players would not put their bodies on the line if the outcome was predetermined
        The counterargument to this would be that the players aren't filled in on this.  They're like puppets in a show.  Ok, that's fair.  But these players know better than even us fans the line between a bad call and a game being rigged.  Yes, you see players griping at officials in basically every game, but you never see them call one out.  This isn't my strongest point, but if games were rigged so certain teams win, players on the opposition would notice.  Each team has a chance to win a game and hardly any point to officiating for the reason they lost.  

4) Calls go against the teams that end up winning anyway
        The counterargument to this would be that the NFL has to make it seem like the game isn't rigged.  Ok, fair, but if they're going to rig games, wouldn't they want to ensure they get the result they desire?  Anyway, I have seen my share of bad calls.  I have seen games where it does seem like one team benefits more from controversial calls.  But I can always go back to one or two calls that went against them.  Let's say you think there's a game you think was rigged in Team A's favor.  Now put yourself in the shoes of a huge fan of Team A.  The biggest homer.  You live and die by their success.  Watch that game from that perspective, and tell me there is not one call that doesn't upset you.  I bet that you can't.  

5) If it was and word got out, a league worth BILLIONS would go under 
    Imagine the shitstorm that would hit the NFL if word got out that a single game was rigged.  It may spell doom for the entire NFL.  At the very least, they would lose millions through losses of endorsements, advertisements, and merch and ticket sales.  Why would they risk rigging games for that?  To have slightly better matchups in January and February?  It's like risking your car to win tickets to a local college game.  It just wouldn't make sense to do.

6) Officiating is tough, and basically, any bad call can be defended to an extent
    Imagine a horrible call.  Just an awful one.  For me, I think of the non-PI call in the NFC Championship game between the Rams and Saints a few years ago.  Yes, that was a bad call.  But I can see how an NFL official can miss that.  It was a bang-bang play.  NFL officials have to monitor certain parts of the action going on, which involves trying to focus on multiple things at once.  Perhaps the official monitoring that side of the field was focused on something else nearby and didn't definitively see the entire PI happen.  Granted, they should focus on where the ball goes, but they do miss things.  The point I'm trying to make is that officiating is hard, referees are only human, and so long as we allow the human element in the officiating of our sports, bad calls will happen.  We can't just call out the game being rigged because a referee made a questionable or bad call.

7) When would the rigging of games have started, and why?  The NFL wouldn't need to.
    I bet most people who've said the "NFL is rigged" wouldn't be able to come to a consensus on this.  We all can certainly agree that the rigging of games has not existed since the start of the NFL.  So when would it have started, then?  Going back to point #5, the NFL does not need to risk losing millions for that.  If two teams were predetermined to make it to the Super Bowl by the league, I would wager that the league would go completely under if that word got out.  Imagine being a part of a franchise that got screwed by that.  You would be like, "Why bother?"  There'd likely be teams that would consider ceasing their operations, even if that cost thousands of people their jobs.  NFL owners would sue the league like you wouldn't believe.  

The NFL is a multi-billion dollar operation.  Fans and partner companies will fork over millions regardless of the results of games.  Yes, certain results help the league out more financially, but that boost is minuscule in the grand scheme of things.  The NFL is not rigged.  To suggest the NFL is rigged is as asinine as the NFL rigging games themselves.

Re-ranking My Top 10 NFL Commentators and Analysts (And my least favorite!)

Six years ago I ranked my Top 10 NFL broadcasters.  I thought it would be time to re-rank them since some have moved to other networks and my opinions have changed.  First, I will pick my Top 5 for each commentator/play-by-play and analysts/color commentary.  I don't think comparing the two is fair, so I'll rank them separately. 

First, let's do analysts:

5. Trent Green, CBS
He's ok.  He's only on this list because I dislike hearing the commentary of every other commentator out there (besides the 4 ahead of him).  He's knowledgeable, and his voice is fairly pleasant.

4. Mark Schlereth, FOX
For an offensive lineman, Schlereth knows his stuff.  He's also got a great voice for television.  

3. Daryl Johnston, FOX
Daryl is an old-timer as I remember when I first got into watching NFL football, he was doing color commentary way back then.  He's also got a great voice for television and knows his stuff.

2. Tony Romo, CBS
Tony is liked for his ability to predict things, his reaction to plays, and the noises he makes.  But I like him for his knowledge when he points out things we normally wouldn't notice.  

1. Cris Collinsworth, NBC
You either love him or hate him, and I gotta say, I love him.  His voice was made for football.  I will admit he can become a bit annoying, but so can any color commentator.


And now, play-by-play guys:

5. Kevin Burkhardt, FOX
Kevin has great inflection in his voice when calling exciting plays, so it makes for great TV.  He's now the lead NFL guy for FOX after Buck's departure, and I'm all for it.

4. Ian Eagle, CBS
For some reason, we in Seattle get many of Ian's games.  Anyway, he blends a smooth voice with a great knowledge of the game and its players.  It's a great combination.

3. Mike Tirico, NBC
The reason I'm glad Al Michaels left NBC for Amazon is so we could hear Mike Tirico more.  He's got such a great voice and made some great calls.  "Hauled in by Jennings, the Packers win in overtime!  Unbelievable!"  And who could forget the Fail Mary? "Fought for by Tate with Jennings, who has it, who they give it to?  TOUCHDOWN!!!"  And, "... in one of the most bizarre finishes you'll EVER see!"  Look forward to hearing him make more of those.

2. Kevin Harlan, CBS
He's still one of the best and the most underrated.  He's the ultimate play-by-play guy.  His voice was made for it.  I wish CBS would put him with Tony Romo because that pairing would be *chef's kiss*.  I challenge anyone to find a play-by-play guy with a better voice when calling huge/dramatic plays. 

1. Al Michaels, Amazon
The one thing making Amazon's Thursday Night Football tolerable is Al Michaels.  Kirk Herbstreit isn't bad, but Al Michaels carries it.  Al is such a comforting presence and voice; he's like if everyone's grandpa decided to call games.  All your anxieties and stresses fade away when listening to Al call a game.  And I love it when Al makes snide remarks, like the Harvey Weinstein one or when the fans were chanting "bullshit," and he said, "That's the loudest manure chant I've ever heard."  Classic Al.

Ok, now that that's done, I thought I'd rank my least favorite analysts and commentators (from ok to least favorite).  If they're a part of the game, these guys will make me watch a different game (or not watch at all).  These will be a mix of color commentary and play-by-play guys.

Dishonorable Mention: Beth Mowins, CBS
Her voice is just so unpleasant (and it has nothing to do with her being a woman).  I recently told my girlfriend that it's like hearing Phil and Lil's mom from Rugrats calling a game.  Literally, any female sideline reporter that CBS employs would be better.  And she's only a dishonorable mention because she doesn't call NFL games that often (thank God).

5. Jonathan Vilma, FOX
Rarely do linebackers make good color commentators.  Vilma is no exception.  He's annoying and provides very little insightful content.  His voice isn't awful, but it isn't the best.

4. Mark Sanchez, FOX
He just says the dumbest stuff.  He's as bad at color commentary as he was as a QB.  His voice is mediocre at best.  Sometimes I just wish he'd shut the heck up.

3. Greg Gumbel, CBS
It's such a shame.  Greg used to be one of my favorites.  He messes up players' names on a routine basis now.  He really should copy his former partner Dan Dierdorf and retire.  But back in the late 90s/early 2000s, he and Dan were one of the best.  But now the pairing of him and Adam Archuleta is just sad.  

2. Charles Davis, CBS
First off, I hate the sound of his voice.  CBS thinks it makes for great TV, but it's just annoying.  I wish I could mute the broadcast whenever he speaks.  Secondly, his voice only reminds me of how he is in the newer Madden video games and how trash those games are nowadays.  His commentary is rarely insightful, and he says obvious things fairly often.  Fortunately for him, he's paired with Ian Eagle.  That broadcast sure is lopsided.

1. Chris Myers, FOX
I despise FOX whenever they assign him to call a Seahawks game.  Just in the past month, he has covered 3 of the past 4 Seahawk games.  So why don't I like him?  His voice is way too guttural, and he says the corniest and stupidest things.  I wouldn't be surprised if his normal talking voice was distinctly different (like Brian Baumgartner from The Office).  He's a good sideline reporter, but in the booth, he is AWFUL.  He is the only one of these that makes me mute a broadcast and listen to the radio instead.  His worst call of all time has to be when Richard Sherman picked off a pass and was headed to the end zone, and Myers said, "He's got followers, and not just on Twitter!"  So terribly awful and corny.  I hate that my Seahawks are usually on the same network that employs Chris Myers.  He cannot retire soon enough.

Final remarks: There were a lot of well-known broadcasters that didn't make my list that I'd like to comment on.  Joe Buck and Troy Aikman are okay; I can tolerate them to an extent.  They'd be closer to the bottom than the top for me, though.  Another that might be near the bottom for me (and would probably surprise you) is Jim Nantz.  He has a great voice, but his commentary has gotten worse recently.  He's reacted slowly to plays and doesn't have a great voice for exciting plays (probably why he does golf).  He's a terrific narrator but doesn't handle exciting plays particularly well.  Anyone else I haven't mentioned is basically middle-of-the-road for me; I can take them or leave them.

Every NFL Team's Opposite Conference Team to Root For

Something I've discovered is that there's basically a match across conferences in the NFL for each NFL team.  And by match, I mean teams that have similar backgrounds and fans that like their teams for similar reasons.  I'm going to pair up each NFL team across conferences, so no same-conference pairs.  Also, I'll try to stay away from pairs that have played each other in the Super Bowl, because there's bad memories for at least one side.  Basically, this shows who fans of each team should root for in the opposite conference, if they're looking for a second team.

1. Seattle Seahawks and Buffalo Bills
Heart-breaking Super Bowl losses?  Check.  Passionate fans through thick and thin?  Check.  Braving the elements?  Check.  Bills and Seahawks fans have a lot in common, and really have very little reason to dislike the other.  They also share a mutual disdain for the New England Patriots.  

2. Detroit Lions and Cleveland Browns
Does this one need to be explained?  It can be easily argued these are the two longest suffering fanbases in the NFL (or even in sports).  But both fanbases remain loyal.  Both organizations, for the most part, have struggled to find franchise quarterbacks in their history.  

3. Green Bay Packers and Kansas City Chiefs
I know I said I'd try to stay away from Super Bowl matchups, but these two matched up in Super Bowl I over 55 years ago, so it's not like any current fans harbor any ill will towards the other team.  Anyway, both teams have passionate and loud fans that brave the cold for their teams.  They also are two very exciting teams to watch with stellar QB play, usually.  Both can hate on the Broncos together, too.  

4. Carolina Panthers and Jacksonville Jaguars
They came into the league at the same time, so this was a gimmie.  Both have had strings of success with QB's/coaches (Panthers with Newton and Rivera, Jaguars with Brunell and Coughlin) and had a smaller amount of success outside of that with a less stellar QB (Delhomme, Bortles).  

5. Arizona Cardinals and Houston Texans
Now the histories aren't even close because the Cardinals have existed for WAY longer, but I had to match up a few older NFC teams with younger AFC teams because all of the old teams in the NFL are in the NFC.  Anyway, both teams tend to mostly have losing seasons and poor management.  They've each wasted the career of a superstar receiver (Fitzgerald, Johnson/Hopkins).  They also play in climate-controlled stadiums that have hosted multiple Super Bowls, so they're both used to watching other teams celebrate Super Bowls in their stadium.

6. San Francisco 49ers and New England Patriots
Both fanbases are fortunate to have so many Super Bowls to look back on.  Both teams have the best case for the best two-decade stretch in NFL history (49ers in the 80s and 90s, Patriots in the 2000s and 2010s).  Both teams are storied franchises that don't really have a reason to be mad at the other as they've never matched up in the Super Bowl... yet.

7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Baltimore Ravens
If you love defense, you'll love these two teams.  Both won Super Bowls in the early 2000s with an all-time defense and a QB that was less than stellar (Dilfer, Johnson).  Both have won another Super Bowl since then over a team in a Western division.  Both teams also employ pyrotechnics and play in milder climates.

8. Chicago Bears and Miami Dolphins
Now the climates are nowhere near similar, but they have similar histories.  The Bears and Dolphins both excelled in the 70s and 80s and haven't had much luck since.  Both have struggled to find franchise quarterbacks in the last 25 years.  And if you think about it, one could argue the two single greatest seasons in NFL history belong to these two teams ('72 Dolphins, '85 Bears).  

9. Dallas Cowboys and Las Vegas Raiders
Now this is probably my most controversial pairing, but both teams have widespread fanbases and high-tech fancy stadiums.  Both fanbases would probably be ranked near the bottom of NFL fanbases by an unbiased poll.  Both have had success in their history, but not a lot in recent memory.  Both fanbases will be unsufferable once they finally win it all again.

10. Atlanta Falcons and Los Angeles Chargers
Both play in fancy new stadiums, both have had mild spurts of success but never winning it all.  Both organizations have had some of the greatest offensive players in NFL history.  Both play in milder climates and stadiums that have hosted a Super Bowl.  

11. Philadelphia Eagles and New York Jets
Both play on the East Coast and wear the color green.  Both organizations have been through some rough years.  Both have won just one Super Bowl.  And it's not exactly a mark of pride to say you're a fan of either of these teams.  

12. New York Giants and Denver Broncos
Both teams succeeded in the 90s, resulting in Super Bowl wins.  Both won at least one Super Bowl this millennium, thanks to a Manning.  Both have struggled to find the successor to Manning.  Both organizations are storied franchises that have fans across the country.

13. Washington Commanders and Pittsburgh Steelers
Hear me out.  If we were in the late 90s, this would be without question.  However, they have not had the same success in recent years.  But I would still argue that if the Steelers fan wanted a "baby brother" type team to root for, it'd be the Commanders.  And if a Commanders fan wanted a more successful team to root for, it'd be the Steelers.  Both teams had success many years ago, and you can't talk about the history of the NFL in the 70s-90s without bringing up these two teams.  And hey, they can both hate on the Cowboys.

14. Minnesota Vikings and Cincinnati Bengals
Neither has won a Super Bowl, although they've both made it to multiple Super Bowls.  They've seen some great offense in the last 20 years, although only a few division titles and fewer playoff wins.  They each have a big brother in their division, a storied franchise they would love to see struggle (Packers, Steelers).  They each have a little brother who always seems to struggle (Lions, Browns).  

15. New Orleans Saints and Tennessee Titans
They both play in the South and in the past 20 years are generally competitive.  They both currently have amazing running backs (Kamara, Henry) and don't have the most success in their history, so neither can really gloat.  And both have loyal fans whose jerseys you'll typically only see in their home state.

16. Los Angeles Rams and Indianapolis Colts
The biggest similarity I see is both teams had one of the best offenses in NFL history in the early 2000s.  Both have shown the ability to score on artificial turf.  Both have had amazing running backs throughout their history.  Both have drafted a QB #1 overall in the last 15 years who battled injuries throughout their career and did not win them a Super Bowl (Luck, Bradford).  Both have moved west in their history.  

Well, those are all the matchups I see.  These could change throughout the years.  I almost wanted to put the Bills and Vikings together, as they've seen the most Super Bowl losses, but I didn't know who to put with the Seahawks, then.  

Ten Surprising Predictions for 2022 NFL Season

 The NFL season is still a few days away, and I thought I'd do what I've done a few times before, and that is make 10 bold or surprising predictions for the 2022 NFL season.  These are all predictions that odds are, likely won't happen, but I feel they all have a bigger chance of happening than most realize.  I'll come back after the season and see how I did.

1. The vaunted AFC West will only have one wild card team
In a highly competitive AFC, some are still saying the AFC West will have two, perhaps even three wild card teams make the playoffs, in addition to the division winner.  I think only one wild card team makes the playoffs, with the other two being fairly close but just missing out.  My prediction is the Broncos and Raiders just miss out.
After Week 5: This is likely.  Denver's struggling, the Raiders got off to a slow start, and the Chargers are inconsistent.  Likely only one of those teams will recover to nab a wild card spot.
After Week 12: The Chargers seem like the team that would get a wild card, if any, although I wouldn't count out the Raiders just yet.  This is still a likely possibility, but they have to watch out for the beastly AFC East.
After Week 18: I was correct!  However, the other two, the Raiders and Broncos, weren't fairly close and did not just miss out.  At least I predicted the correct teams.  Full point.

2. There will be a 1 point safety in the NFL for the first time
You heard it here first.  Here's how it'll happen: A team will score a touchdown late (less than 30 seconds remaining) to take a one-point lead, such as 27-26 or 30-29.  They will then go for a 2-point conversion to try to make it a 3-point game.  The opposing team will intercept a pass, take it out of the end zone, and lateral it to a teammate (or fail to lateral, and it becomes a fumble in the end zone that they recover).  Why would they lateral?  Because they are down by a point, and losing 1 point makes no difference, and it's worth it to go all out for 2 points with less than 30 seconds left.  Is it likely to happen?  No.  But it's certainly possible under the right circumstances.
After Week 5: Nothing yet, but I'm still hopeful.|
After Week 12: Still nothing...
After Week 18: Nope, did not happen.  Still could happen some day.  I can dream... (No points)

3. We will have a surprising MVP this season
Whether it be a non-quarterback or a surprising quarterback, I think we'll be surprised by who has an MVP season and takes home the award.  My pick is Kirk Cousins.  I know, I know.  It could also perhaps be Derek Carr, which would surprise people.  Most would expect a Rodgers threepeat or someone like Brady, Mahomes, or Josh Allen to win it.  Or maybe Russell Wilson.  But not Cousins or Carr.
After Week 5: Well it's not going to be Carr or Cousins.  It still could be someone unlikely, but it's more likely to be someone like Allen or Mahomes.
After Week 12: It looks like Mahomes, which wouldn't be a surprise MVP to me.  Although, if Tua or Hurts plays really well to finish the year, they could get it, and that would qualify as a surprising MVP to me.
After Week 18: Nope.  Mahomes won MVP.  I'd have given myself a point if it was Hurts, as he wasn't expected to be that good.  At least Mahomes ended the MVP curse.

4. Only 3 or 4 head coaches will be fired by season's end
Usually, we have 6 or 7 head coaches fired, but I don't think we'll have that many this season.  Of the teams that will likely struggle, they're either led by a newer head coach (Jets-Saleh, Falcons-Smith, Texans-Smith) or a very long-tenured one (Seahawks-Carroll).  The likeliest candidates are Mike McCarthy of the Cowboys and Matt Rhule of the Panthers, but I don't see either of those two teams struggling that much.
After Week 5: Well we've already had one in Matt Rhule.  But I'm struggling to find two or three others.  Will Tomlin after the legacy he built?  Will Reich?  Will Hackett or McDaniels after just one season?
After Week 12: We've now had two, counting Frank Reich as well.  I've heard rumblings about Hackett; I think he's gone.  But McDaniels is safe according to Mark Davis.  Who else could be fired?  Possibly Kingsbury.  I think Tomlin and Stefanski are safe based on past success.  So I'm thinking at least 3, possibility for 1 more.  We'll see.
After Week 18: Rhule, Reich, Hackett, Kingsbury, and Smith makes five.  Staley could still be gone, but I doubt it.  Anyway, 5 is just over what I said.  No points.

5. We will see a game in which both teams score 50+ points
In 2018, we saw the Rams and Chiefs battle to a score of 54-51.  I think we see another one of those types of games this season, perhaps involving the Chiefs again.  It will be a scorigami and it will be an amazing game.  Hopefully, it'll be a nationally televised game.
After Week 5: We almost had it with the Seahawks-Lions game which ended 48-45.  The season is still young. 
After Week 12: Still nothing, although the Cowboys have put up a couple 40-spots, including 49 against the Bears.
After Week 18: Nope.  A few close calls, but I don't think a single team eclipsed 50.  No points.

6. The Cardinals and Cowboys both miss the playoffs
Both are 2021 playoff teams that lost to NFC West teams in their first playoff game last year.  Well, both are now missing the playoffs.  We see a lot of turnover in NFL playoff teams from year to year, and I'm picking both of these teams to be on the downward trend.
After Week 5: Cardinals very possible, but the Cowboys are looking good so far.  We'll see.
After Week 12: The Cowboys are likely making the playoffs, making this prediction wrong.  Oh well, at least I'll get the Cardinals prediction right.
After Week 18: The Cowboys made the playoffs.  Can't give myself a point.  

7. There will be multiple ties this season
Predicting just one tie is not bold enough.  Nope, I'm predicting two ties.  Two different games will end in a tie.  And one of them will be a tie after both teams get field goals to start overtime.
After Week 5: Already have one!  And we've come close to a couple others (game-winning field goals in the final minute of OT that if they had missed would've resulted in a tie).
After Week 12: Still only one, but we've had a few OT games go late (Packers-Patriots, Packers-Cowboys, Seahawks-Raiders, etc.)
After Week 18: The Commanders and Giants tied, making this prediction correct!  Neither game had both teams getting a field goal in OT, but I still get a point.

8. We will almost have an 0-17 team (or we'll have a team start at least 0-13).
Now my 2022 NFL Predictions don't reflect this, but I think there will be a team that almost goes winless.  I'm also calling their sole victory doesn't come until late in the season, somewhere in weeks 14-16.  Likely candidates that could pull this off include the Falcons, the Texans, and my Seahawks.
After Week 5: Well this is my worst prediction so far, as the Texans just won making it so there are no winless teams through 5 weeks.  Oops...
After Week 12: Again, oops.  I should've realized there's more parity in the NFL.  The Texans may end up finishing 1-15-1, which is close.
After Week 18: Nope.  The Texans won three games, same as the Bears.  Oh well.

9. Russell Wilson will have growing pains, be only halfway decent, and fail to get a single MVP vote.  Again.
Maybe this prediction isn't that bold, but I think it is.  Anyway, I think Russ will have an up-and-down season with the Broncos.  His season as a whole will be all right but a tad disappointing to Broncos fans.  And he will again fail to get a single MVP vote.  
After Week 5: Nailed it.  More downs than ups, and it has gone even worse than I thought it would.
After Week 12: Uh, how about not even halfway decent?  Dude is a shell of his former self.  
After Week 18: I should've predicted even more boldly here.  I had no idea it would be this bad.  But I still get a point.

10. The Detroit Lions will have a W/L record that is just as good as or better than all of these teams: The Cowboys, Cardinals, Browns, and Patriots.
I think the Lions will be one of the NFL's most improved teams in 2022.  Maybe that's partially because they're on Hard Knocks, but I like what I've seen.  They've got heart and grit.  I think Jarred Goff shows a bit of what we saw in his Super Bowl season with the Rams.
After Week 5: Oops.  After their 1-1 start it was looking possible, but now they're three games behind the Cowboys.  At least the other teams aren't doing particularly well.
After Week 12: Well, they're looking a bit better, and could finish better with a record better than all, except the Cowboys.  I was close.  
After Week 18: Only the Cowboys finished with a better record.  I was so close.  Oh well.  I'll give myself half a point since 3 out of 4 of the teams were worse.

Well, there you have it!  I'll be back in January or so to see how these predictions turned out.  Wish me luck!

Well, I got 3 and 1/2 right.  That's about on par for these predictions.  I'd like to try again next season, maybe going even more boldly, as we see some crazy things in the NFL every year.

2022 NFL and Seahawk Predictions

 The 2022 NFL season is almost here, and with that comes my annual NFL predictions.  Now, with the trade of Russell Wilson, expectations are much lower for the Seahawks.  Also, my excitement for watching the NFL this season is tempered, since my team is no longer a contender.  However, that still will not stop me from predicting records, division winners, playoff game winners, and a Super Bowl Champion.  

I will also predict each game of the Seahawks regular season after that.  An asterisk denotes a wild card team.  Here we go!

AFC EAST
1. Buffalo Bills: 13-4
2. Miami Dolphins: 10-7*
3. New England Patriots: 8-9
4. New York Jets: 6-11

Some people see the Jets making strides, but with all the news surrounding Zach Wilson, I don't.  I think the Dolphins have a fairly dynamic offense with Tyreek Hill, but not as much as they'd hope.  The Patriots are mediocre.  The Bills win the division fairly easily.

AFC NORTH
1. Baltimore Ravens: 11-6
2. Cincinnati Bengals: 10-7*
3. Pittsburgh Steelers: 9-8
4. Cleveland Browns: 6-11

The Ravens have a bounceback year, as they always do after a disappointing one.  The Bengals regress a bit, I think part of their success last year was catching teams off guard.  The Steelers are competitive but without a true franchise QB this is the best they can be.  The Browns have way too much drama and an inexperienced coach like Stefanski won't be able to handle it too well.  They also won't have the services of Watson all season.

AFC SOUTH
1. Indianapolis Colts: 10-7
2. Jacksonville Jaguars: 8-9
3. Tennessee Titans: 7-10
4. Houston Texans: 5-12

A bit of a surprise here, eh?  Keep in mind, we see surprising results at the end of the year we didn't really expect in August.  The Colts should be good enough to win a bad division with veteran Matt Ryan.  The Jaguars take a huge step forward and T-Law looks much better.  The Titans struggle as Henry shows age and Tannehill is too mistake-prone.  The Texans still have a ways to go, but upset some teams.

AFC WEST
1. Kansas City Chiefs: 11-6
2. Los Angeles Chargers: 11-6*
3. Denver Broncos: 9-8
4. Las Vegas Raiders: 8-9

To sum up, they're going to beat each other up.  I doubt any team will have a division record better than 4-2.  The Chiefs win the tiebreaker over the Chargers.  Meanwhile, the Broncos narrowly miss the playoffs as Russ takes too long to acclimate to a new team.  The Raiders are extremely competitive but lose too many close games.

NFC EAST
1. Washington Commanders: 9-8
2. Dallas Cowboys: 8-9
3. New York Giants: 7-10
4. Philadelphia Eagles: 5-12

This division is a total crapshoot.  They haven't had a repeat division winner since the Eagles did it 2003-2004.  I think that trend continues.  The Cowboys lost too much, while Carson Wentz has a semi-resurgence in DC.  The Giants and Danny Dimes make strides but not enough.  The Eagles fall apart (hey, at least one team that isn't expected to does every season).

NFC NORTH
1. Minnesota Vikings: 12-5
2. Green Bay Packers: 10-7*
3. Detroit Lions: 9-8
4. Chicago Bears: 4-13

The Vikings win the division with new coach Kevin O'Connell helping spur Kirk Cousins to an amazing season.  The Packers regress without Davante Adams, and Aaron Rodgers either gets hurt or seems to lose interest.  The Lions have a resurgent season, but it's not enough.  The Bears are just bad and Fields looks lost.

NFC SOUTH
1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 11-6
2. Carolina Panthers: 9-8*
3. New Orleans Saints: 7-10
4. Atlanta Falcons: 5-12

The Bucs get 5 or 6 of their wins in-division (meaning they are 5-6 or 6-5 outside the division), showing they can beat up their division still but not other teams too much.  The Panthers have a surprisingly good season with Baker Mayfield proving to be a capable starter.  The Saints are a shell of themselves without Brees and Payton, but still have some talent.  The Falcons, meanwhile, can surprise some teams but not a ton.

NFC WEST
1. Los Angeles Rams: 13-4
2. San Francisco 49ers: 9-8*
3. Arizona Cardinals: 7-10
4. Seattle Seahawks: 7-10

The Rams run away with the division, as is almost expected.  The 49ers are decent with Lance but he isn't able to clutch up some wins for them late.  The Cardinals get off to a somewhat decent start (5-2 or so) but then lost 8 of their last 10.  The Seahawks are more competitive than people give them credit for and they win 7 games.

Before we get to the playoffs, here are the coaches I expect to be fired based on these standings:
- Nick Siriani, Eagles
- Mike McCarthy, Cowboys
- Kliff Kingsbury, Cardinals
- Kevin Stefanski, Browns

Generally there's 6 or 7 firings, but those are the only coaches I see getting fired based on those standings.  There may be some coaches (Belichick, Reid, Carroll) that may retire.  Also, I can see Matt Rhule getting fired if the Panthers do any worse than what I predicted.  Even if the Titans struggle like I predict, it's hard to see a well-respected guy like Mike Vrabel getting fired.  Also, there are a few coaches that I don't see doing particularly well (Smith-Falcons, Eburflus-Bears, Saleh-Jets, Smith-Texans, Allen-Saints), but I think their teams would give them another year. 

All right, now time for the playoffs!  Here are the seedings as predicted by yours truly: 

AFC
1. Buffalo Bills
2. Baltimore Ravens
3. Kansas City Chiefs
4. Indianapolis Colts
5. Los Angeles Chargers
6. Cincinnati Bengals
7. Miami Dolphins

NFC
1. Los Angeles Rams
2. Minnesota Vikings
3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
4. Washington Commanders
5. Green Bay Packers
6. San Francisco 49ers
7. Carolina Panthers

Now for the playoff matchups: 

Wild Card Round
AFC
(7) Dolphins at (2) Ravens: Ravens win
(6) Bengals at (3) Chiefs: Chiefs win
(5) Chargers at (4) Colts: Chargers win

NFC
(7) Panthers at (2) Vikings: Vikings win
(6) 49ers at (3) Buccaneers: 49ers win
(5) Packers at (4) Commanders: Commanders win

Divisional Round
AFC
(5) Chargers at (1) Bills: Bills win
(3) Chiefs at (2) Ravens: Ravens win

NFC
(6) 49ers at (1) Rams: Rams win
(4) Commanders at (2) Vikings: Vikings win

Conference Championships
AFC: Ravens at Bills: Ravens win
NFC: Vikings at Rams: Rams win

Super Bowl LVII: Ravens over Rams

I know, bold, right?  The Ravens seem to have a Super Bowl-caliber season once every 10-12 seasons, and it's getting to the point.  Rams are unable to repeat, just like the Seahawks nine seasons prior.

All right, now time for some award winners: 
MVP: Kirk Cousins, Vikings
OPOY: Justin Jefferson, Vikings
DPOY: TJ Watt, Steelers
OROY: Kenneth Walker III, Seahawks
DROY: Aidan Hutchinson, Lions
Coach of the Year: Kevin O'Connell, Vikings
Comeback player: Derwin James, Chargers

Now, for my Seahawks.  I will go game by game, predicting wins and losses.  Not going to do scores, way too unpredictable there.

vs. Broncos: L (0-1)
I think we hang with them tough and give Russ fits, but either are unable to come up with a late clutch score or they do.  

@ 49ers: W (1-1)
We always seem to do well against the Niners and I think K9 (Kenneth Walker III) pops off here.

vs. Falcons: W (2-1)
A low-scoring unexciting game results in a narrow win for the Hawks, something like 20-16.  

@ Lions: L (2-2)
I expect the Lions to be tough this season, but not unbeatable.  But too tough for the Hawks.

@ Saints: W (3-2)
Seahawks starting 2-1 on the road?  Yep.  Put that in the win column.  

vs. Cardinals: L (3-3)
Unfortunately, this is early-season Cardinals, so they'll be pretty tough.  

@ Chargers: L (3-4)
I don't see a way we win this at all.  I just hope our defense doesn't get too embarrassed.

vs. Giants: W (4-4)
Danny Dimes struggles against the 12s and the Seahawks win another close, low-scoring game.

@ Cardinals: W (5-4)
I'd like to think that this game starts the downfall for Kliff, Kyler, and the Cards.  

@ Buccaneers in Munich: L (5-5)
Boy this'll be a tough one.  The Bucs don't play many easy games outside of their division, so they will need to take this one.

vs. Raiders: L (5-6)
In what may be a close game, the Seahawks just struggle to defend against Carr, Adams, Waller, and Renfrow.  

@ Rams: L (5-7) 
The Seahawks head to LA hoping to not be on a 3-game skid, but it's just too tall of a task to overcome.  

vs. Panthers: L (5-8)
Rumors swirl about Pete Carroll's job security, but given the team's low expectations he is not fired.

vs. 49ers: W (6-8)
The Hawks beat the 49ers again in what may be a game that saves Pete Carroll's job.  Expect this to be a sloppy back-and-forth game.

@ Chiefs: L (6-9)
The Seahawks finish with a record of 0-4 against the AFC West (unsurprisingly).  But hey, at least they're 6-9.  Nice.

vs. Jets: W (7-9)
The Hawks know Robert Saleh and are able to exploit his tactics.  

vs. Rams: L (7-10)
It depends on if the Rams will actually need to win this game for playoff positioning, but I'll say they do since I have the Vikings on their heels.  The Hawks can't wrap up the season with a W.

There you have it, 7-10.  Do I feel I'm being a bit optimistic?  Sure.  But Pete Carroll teams are always competitive, enough to get 6 or 7 wins.  I think the Hawks surprise some teams and actually do fairly well against their own division (I have them at 3-3 in-division).  

It's interesting to enter a season with low expectations, but hey, it'll be hard to be disappointed, then!  Go Hawks!

Initial Thoughts of Seahawks 2022 Schedule

 The Seahawks 2022 schedule just came out, so I thought I'd give my thoughts on it.  I'll go game by game and give at least one thought or comment on each matchup, it's timing/network and sum up our schedule overall at the end.  

Week 1: vs. Denver (MNF)
Well, we might as well get it out of the way week 1!  Russ comes back and I like that we see him early as he may not be fully situated in the Broncos offense.  I think this will be low-scoring.

Week 2: at 49ers
I never like giving the 49ers the advantage, and we'll be playing them on a short week.  Yuck.

Week 3: vs. Falcons
Some nice skill players (Kyle Pitts, DK Metcalf) but no legit QB's to throw to them.  Yawn.

Week 4: at Lions
I worry about this game, actually.  The Lions may be an improved team next season.  

Week 5: at Saints
Three beatable opponents in a row finishes with the Saints.  The best QB the Hawks will see in this time is Jared Goff.  But knowing the Hawks, they'll find a way to lose one or two at least.

Week 6: vs. Cardinals
Let's hope the Cards are in the midst of a rough start like I think they might be.  We could catch them at a great time (for us).

Week 7: at Chargers
I'll be shocked if we win this.  But it'll be fun to watch Justin Herbert.

Week 8: vs. Giants
Takes place the day before Halloween, and the Hawks hope to deliver their fans a treat.

Week 9: at Cardinals
Both Cardinal matchups before week 10 and both before we play the Rams once.  Hopefully the Hawks won't be looking ahead to the following week before playing this one...

Week 10: vs. Tampa Bay in Munich, Germany
Too bad the Hawks couldn't be at home before this game, but oh well.  This was announced a week ago and it should be a game we'll remember for a while.  It will likely be the last time Tom Brady faces the Seahawks.

Week 11: BYE
The NFL was smart to put our BYE next to our trip to Germany.  I like how the team pranked players by showing them schedules where the BYE wasn't anywhere near the trip, haha.

Week 12: vs. Raiders
The Raiders could be in an offensive groove by this point, or missing a key starter to injury.  Either way, I'm not big on our chances.

Week 13: at Rams
We finally play the defending champs in Week 13.  Let's hope the refs don't screw us like they did last year.

Week 14: vs. Panthers
This will either be a Panthers team on the cusp of a wild card or a Panthers team that's out of it.  Let's hope for the latter.

Week 15: vs. 49ers (TNF)
I was hoping to take my girlfriend to a 49ers game, but seeing as they're playing on Thursday, that'll be hard to do.  Let's hope at least the Hawks are somewhat competitive at this point for a national viewing audience.

Week 16: at Chiefs (Saturday)
Can we pencil in an "L" already?  Unless something crazy happens before then, the Hawks won't be headed home on Christmas Eve very happy...

Week 17: vs. Jets
Playing New York on New Year's Day.  I kinda like the sound of that.  Hopefully the Hawks first game in the calendar year of 2023 is a W.

Week 18: vs. Rams
I like how the Hawks play their final two games at home, so if there's any chance they're competing for a playoff spot, they'll be fairly rested (from travel).  Unfortunately, we finish with the Rams, which could be a blessing in disguise, as their playoff seeding may already be determined by this point.

Overall, not a bad schedule.  Only two primetime games (yikes) and only one on a regular network and not a streaming service.  That's what happens when you trade your star quarterback away, I guess.  This must be the first time since we drafted Russell Wilson that we don't have a single Sunday Night Football game.  Crazy.  

2021 NFL Predictions! (With basements and ceilings)

The 2021 NFL season is almost upon us, and I thought I'd make my NFL Predictions differently this year.  I usually go division by division, predicting the W-L record of each team.  Instead, I'll go team by team, giving them a ceiling (best they could do) and a basement (worst they could do).  To figure out about my W-L prediction for them, generally, go somewhere in the middle.  I'll try not to have too large a gap between the ceiling and the basement, setting my max at five games.  And in case anyone has forgotten, this is the first season with seventeen games; therefore, we will have some odd W-L records.  Finally, some teams may finish lower than their basement if they lose their starting quarterback (or have multiple significant injuries) for a substantial amount of time; I went with each starting quarterback staying relatively healthy.

Arizona Cardinals
Ceiling: 11-6
Basement: 6-11
Comment: In a tough division, 11 wins may seem like a stretch, but if one or two teams in the NFC West struggle, then the Cardinals could take advantage of that opportunity.  Alternatively, they could struggle to beat division foes if everyone else is playing decent football.

Atlanta Falcons
Ceiling: 10-7
Basement: 5-12
Comment: I figure the Falcons' offense should be enough to carry them to a few wins.  The loss of Julio Jones is offset by drafting Kyle Pitts.  Their defense will be the difference between a 2nd place finish and possibly last place.  I may be more optimistic than most people with the Falcons, but I like the pairing of Arthur Smith and Matt Ryan.  If he can revive Ryan Tannehill's career, think of what he could do with the better arm of Matt Ryan.

Baltimore Ravens
Ceiling: 13-4
Basement: 9-8
Comment: The Ravens are almost guaranteed a winning record with their talent and dynamic QB, Lamar Jackson, and balanced roster.  How high they fly will be determined by how well they do against the Browns and Steelers.  They got a good shot at winning their division, but they will have to hold off the talented Browns and always competitive Steelers.

Buffalo Bills
Ceiling: 14-3
Basement: 10-7
Comment: The Bills are now one of the top-notch teams in the AFC.  They will be able to beat up on the Jets and take AT LEAST one game from each of the Patriots and the Dolphins.  However, I see them tripping up throughout the season a few times.  Their team is still a bit young, but they also remind me of that Chiefs team that lost the AFC Championship Game, but then the following season won the Super Bowl.

Carolina Panthers
Ceiling: 9-8
Basement: 5-12
Comment: The Panthers will be a scrappy bunch and certainly have some talent, but not enough to challenge Tampa Bay for the division (yet).  Their success will largely depend on how well Sam Darnold adjusts to playing in Carolina and if Christian McCaffrey can stay healthy.  Can Matt Rhule and Sam Darnold become a great coach/QB duo? Time will tell.

Chicago Bears
Ceiling: 11-6
Basement: 7-10
Comment: If the Bears finish around their basement or lower, Matt Nagy and Ryan Grigson will have to find new jobs.  But I do not think they will.  A switch to Justin Fields could ignite the offense and team, similar to what we saw in San Francisco when they transitioned to Kaepernick in 2011.  They could win the NFC North, or they could plummet and wonder if they will ever find a franchise quarterback.

Cincinnati Bengals
Ceiling: 7-10
Basement: 3-14
Comment: Even if Joe Burrow stays healthy all year, there's too much competition in their division AND conference.  And I could still see them struggling quite a bit, but I think they have enough talent to win a small handful of games, even if they lose Burrow again.  Let's hope Burrow can stay healthy all year to prove what he is capable of accomplishing.

Cleveland Browns
Ceiling: 12-5
Basement: 7-10
Comment: The Browns are a fickle bunch.  They could continue their rise, fall flat on their face (because let's face it, they're the Browns), or they could be somewhere in-between.  I think they will be somewhere in-between and grab a wild card spot (again).  

Dallas Cowboys
Ceiling: 11-6
Basement: 7-10
Comment: These records are if Dak stays relatively healthy all season.  They have the most talent easily in the NFC East, and in my opinion, should win it this year.  If he struggles to stay healthy or the Cowboys struggle to handle their division, they may lose it again.

Denver Broncos
Ceiling: 8-9
Basement: 3-14
Comment: For the Broncos to get close to eight wins, they would need Teddy Two-Gloves to play his best football since Minnesota and make good connections with Jerry Jeudy and the rest of the receivers.  Or he could get hurt, Drew Lock struggles with a lack of confidence, and the Broncos get a top 5 pick.

Detroit Lions
Ceiling: 7-10
Basement: 2-15
Comment: For the Lions to approach their ceiling, they will need another NFC North team to collapse.  Each of those three expects to sweep Detroit.  But it could happen.  Or, new coach Dan Campbell's message could get old fast, and the Lions become the worst team in the NFC.  

Green Bay Packers
Ceiling: 13-4
Basement: 8-9
Comment: The Aaron Rodgers drama will either affect them a little or a lot.  If it's a little, they will remain division champs and again get a top seed.  If it's a lot, they may lose the division title or maybe a playoff spot altogether.  They have a very talented roster, but Aaron certainly carries them at times.  The Packers currently have a situation where if one bad thing happens, it could lead to a chain reaction of bad things happening, ultimately derailing their entire season.

Houston Texans
Ceiling: 4-13
Basement: 0-17
Comment: It is not very often we see a team come into the season with such low expectations.  The Texans were terrible last year, and somehow they got even worse.  Their coaching hire of David Culley was incredibly uninspired, and who knows if and when Deshaun Watson will play.  When your basement is literally zero wins, you know you're in trouble.

Indianapolis Colts
Ceiling: 12-5
Basement: 7-10
Comment: The Colts' two injuries to two of their most important players makes them hard to predict.  If the injuries don't last too long, they should remain competitive, but I see a ceiling of about 12 wins for them.  On the other hand, they could succumb to the injuries, but there is no way they lose more than ten games if that.

Jacksonville Jaguars
Ceiling: 7-10
Basement: 3-14
Comment: Trevor Lawrence should immediately give them a boost.  Also, the Texans being as awful as they are, should give the Jags one, probably two easy wins.  They do play a last-place schedule, which helps.  However, they lost running back Travis Etienne for the year, and their offensive line does not look good, so I do not expect much from them.  Even if Trevor Lawrence is a football god, there's no way they get to .500 or better.

Kansas City Chiefs
Ceiling: 15-2
Basement: 10-7
Comment: The Chiefs are a borderline dynasty.  If they win the AFC conference championship again, I would argue they are a dynasty.  Even if Mahomes gets a little banged up as he did two years ago, they should still reach double-digit wins.  They are just too talented and too well-coached not to get there.

Las Vegas Raiders
Ceiling: 10-7
Basement: 5-12
Comment: The Raiders have some talented players, but I would bet on them finishing with seven wins or fewer if I was betting on them.  They rely a bit too much on Josh Jacobs and Derek Carr, and if either misses significant time, they are SOL.  Jon Gruden doesn't seem to be able to turn this team around.  They may compete or fall flat on their face.  

Los Angeles Chargers
Ceiling: 11-6
Basement: 7-10
Comment: It is tough to see the Chargers doing worse than seven wins if Herbert stays healthy after they rebuilt their offensive line.  Herbert set rookie records last year with one of the worst offensive lines in football.  New coach Brandon Staley shouldn't face too much challenge, and I bet the Chargers can reach second place.

Los Angeles Rams
Ceiling: 12-5
Basement: 8-9
Comment: The Rams made a significant change at the quarterback position, acquiring former Lions signal-caller Matthew Stafford.  I feel there will be a learning curve, and Stafford will be marginally better than Goff if it all.  They should contend for a wild card spot at the very least, but a division title does not seem as easy as everyone else is predicting.

Miami Dolphins
Ceiling: 11-6
Basement: 7-10
Comment: The Fins gave Tua some more weapons and help, and he should at least be halfway decent.  They could be as good as a top wild card seed or missing out on the playoffs because the offense cannot come together.  The Bills seem to remain the superior team for the time being.

Minnesota Vikings
Ceiling: 10-7
Basement: 6-11
Comment: I feel for Mike Zimmer.  His QB refuses to vaccinate.  The Vikings never show enough to escape the middle of the NFC North.  They remind me of the Mariners of the mid-2010s: never awful, some exciting players, but never good enough to do anything of note.  They may surprise and win ten games, or they may suck and lose eleven.  I think it will be somewhere in-between.

New England Patriots
Ceiling: 11-6
Basement: 7-10
Comment: We cannot forget that New England is a well-coached, well-run team.  They have an excellent offensive line, and Mac Jones in his rookie season should have a decent amount of success.  They may compete with or even surpass Miami for second place in the division.

New Orleans Saints
Ceiling: 10-7
Basement: 5-12
Comment: The Saints still have Sean Payton as their head coach, even if Drew Brees retired.  They won't be awful, but they sure will not feel like the same Saints of old.  We'll have to see how they do with Jameis Winston, but I'm guessing he might struggle against some of the more formidable NFC teams.

New York Giants
Ceiling: 10-7
Basement: 5-12
Comment: Even if everything goes right, I do not see the Giants taking the league by storm.  The problem is, I do not see everything going right.  The Giants seem like a fragile team that cannot handle even one bad thing going wrong, such as losing Saquon Barkley to injury.  I do like Joe Judge, but a midwest-type team may better suit him.

New York Jets
Ceiling: 6-11
Basement: 2-15
Comment: The Jets, like the Jaguars, are undergoing a slow rebuild.  They could not even lose enough to get the number one overall pick last season.  However, with Zach Wilson, they should be at least a tad better.  If they win close to six games, they should consider it an improvement and a start.

Philadelphia Eagles
Ceiling: 8-9
Basement: 3-14
Comment: Many are predicting the Eagles to be awful, citing their uninspired coaching hire and lack of quality moves in the offseason.  I initially thought they'd be halfway decent, but they will undoubtedly have to undergo a rebuild.  If Jalen Hurts can carry them a la Deshaun Watson with the Texans, they might get 6, 7, or maybe even 8 wins.  But it's more likely they will hit double-digit losses and close to a top-five pick in next year's draft.

Pittsburgh Steelers
Ceiling: 12-5
Basement: 7-10
Comment: The Steelers have somehow never had a losing season in the 14 seasons under Mike Tomlin.  Bill Cowher cannot say the same; he had three losing seasons.  But all good things must come to an end, right?  However, I feel like whenever I or anyone else counts the Steelers out, they have a surprisingly good season.  Therefore, I'm not exactly sure what to expect.  

San Francisco 49ers
Ceiling: 12-5
Basement: 7-10
Comment: Last year was a disaster for the 49ers following their Super Bowl loss.  They hope to stay healthier this year.  With an impending QB change looming, how will that affect the team?  I know a lot of 49er players love Jimmy Garoppolo (George Kittle being one).  The 49ers are the one team that could be a Super Bowl contender if everything comes together, or they could have a repeat of last season.  They will be slightly better than last season, but they will have some speed bumps due to not having consistency at QB.

Seattle Seahawks
Ceiling: 13-4
Basement: 9-8
Comment: The Hawks have never had a losing record in the Russell Wilson era, and it's tough to see that ending this season.  The overall consistency between the offense and the defense will make or break this season for the Hawks.  Can they be at their best at the same time?  If they can, the Hawks should win the division and get a top seed.  If not, they may be battling the Rams or 49ers for the division and may even lose it.  

Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Ceiling: 15-2
Basement: 11-6
Comment: The defending Super Bowl champs return all 22 starters, unheard of in today's NFL.  They should be able to avoid the adjustment period they underwent in the first half of last season.  However, opposing teams will circle them on their schedules, resulting in getting the best from their opposition every week.  They won't go undefeated, but I'd be shocked if they didn't have the division wrapped up by mid-December.  

Tennessee Titans
Ceiling: 12-5
Basement: 8-9
Comment: The Titans are fortunate to play in a reasonably easy division.  Their success will largely be determined by how well they beat up their division foes.  They'll be in decent shape if they can sweep Houston and Jacksonville and take at least one from Indy.  I'm not counting on huge things from Tennessee this season, even with the addition of Julio Jones.  They will likely be a borderline playoff team.

Washington Football Team
Ceiling: 10-7
Basement: 5-12
Comment: WFT somehow won the division last year despite having very inconsistent quarterback play.  They were lucky to arguably have the best defensive line in the entire NFL last season.  And it should remain at least one of the best.  They could challenge for the division crown, but they will need a quarterback, Fitzpatrick or Heinicke, to step up and do enough necessary to win.

Now let's predict the playoffs:
AFC Seedings
1) Kansas City
2) Buffalo
3) Baltimore
4) Indianapolis
5) Tennessee
6) Cleveland
7) New England

NFC Seedings
1) Tampa Bay
2) Seattle
3) Green Bay
4) Dallas
5) Los Angeles Rams
6) San Francisco
7) Chicago

AFC Wild Card Round
(7) New England at (2) Buffalo: Buffalo wins
(6) Cleveland at (3) Baltimore: Cleveland wins
(5) Tennessee at (4) Indianapolis: Tennessee wins

NFC Wild Card Round
(7) Chicago at (2) Seattle: Seattle wins
(6) San Francisco at (3) Green Bay: San Francisco wins
(5) Los Angeles Rams at (4) Dallas: Los Angeles Rams win

AFC Divisional Round
(6) Cleveland at (1) Kansas City: Kansas City wins
(5) Tennessee at (2) Buffalo: Buffalo wins

NFC Divisional Round
(6) San Francisco at (1) Tampa Bay: Tampa Bay wins
(5) Los Angeles Rams at (2) Seattle: Seattle wins

Conference Championships
AFC: Buffalo at Kansas City: Buffalo wins
NFC: Seattle at Tampa Bay: Tampa Bay wins

Super Bowl LVI: Buffalo vs. Tampa Bay: Tampa Bay wins

Award winners:
MVP: Tom Brady, Tampa Bay
OPOY: Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers
DPOY: TJ Watt, Pittsburgh
OROY: Justin Fields, Chicago
DROY: Micah Parsons, Dallas
Coach of the Year: Bruce Arians, Tampa Bay
Comeback player of the year: Dak Prescott, Dallas

Coaches Fired:
Vic Fangio, Denver
David Culley, Houston
Zac Taylor, Cincinnati
Kliff Kingsbury, Arizona
Jon Gruden, Las Vegas

I'll try to come back and see how many of the 32 teams I correctly called their ceiling and basement, making sure to point out any teams that fell outside the range.  See you then!