2026 New NFL Head Coach Hire Grades

 I did this two years ago, when the Seahawks were in the market for a head coach for the first time in 14 years, so I thought I'd do it again with so many openings this off-season.  I'll go in order of date hired, and grade each from F to A+.  I just went back and re-graded the hirings from two years ago.  Some, like Macdonald and Morris, I was spot on about.  Others, like Canales and Callahan, I was very wrong about.  So it'll be interesting to see what I get right or wrong a few years from now.  

Giants hire John Harbaugh: B+
It's funny, I gave his brother's team an "A" for hiring him two years ago.  I just feel that in this situation, success is not guaranteed.  Harbaugh was treading water in Baltimore, and his players lost faith in him.  Why should we think he can turn around a struggling Giants organization?  Sure, he'll be better than Daboll as a head coach overall, but New York can be a nasty sports city, and any struggles will be harped on early.  But, what else is New York going to do?  This is their best bet.

Falcons hire Kevin Stefanski: B
Stefanski is a solid coach.  He made the most of what he was given in Cleveland.  Unfortunately for him, he goes from one mess of a QB room to another.  Can he get the most out of Michael Penix?  We know he'll be able to get good seasons out of Bijan, Pitts, and Drake London.  Just need to have a solid QB season, and of course, improve the defense.  The NFC South is potentially wide open, so it's anyone's for the taking.

Dolphins hire Jeff Hafley: D+
I feel like D+ might even be too nice.  Hafley is an uninspiring choice, and it's almost guaranteed that the Dolphins' offense is going to struggle in 2026, whoever the QB is.  They might have an above-average defense, but try telling that to the Jets.  I will be very surprised if Hafley lasts more than three seasons, if two.  He may keep them fairly competitive, but with the Patriots having returned to being competitive, the Bills having Josh Allen and a good roster, and the Jets potentially on their way up, the Fins could be in big trouble the next few years.

Titans hire Robert Saleh: C-
I'll give the Titans this: some defensive coaches do well on a second or third stint.  Here are a list of defensive-minded coaches who didn't have success until their second or third team: Bill Belichick, Pete Carroll, and to some extent, Mike Vrabel.  Is Saleh one of those guys, though?  I'd have to say probably not.  Saleh already struggled in New York, and now he is tasked with turning around a bottom-feeder in Tennessee.  How is Cam Ward expected to succeed?  He'll need a great OC to help him, and even if they get one, he may get snatched away in a year or two to become a head coach.  Really needed an offensive coach here.  

Ravens hire Jesse Minter: B-
I guess this shows the Ravens wish they had kept Macdonald and promoted from within, but too late for that.  I'm not entirely sold on Minter being a head coach, because not every up-and-coming coordinator has success; see Saleh, Mike McDaniel, and Aaron Glenn to name a few.  But Minter's going to a stable, well-run organization with good ownership.  I could see this going either way, but considering the Ravens are well-run enough to have only had three head coaches in 30 seasons, I'd say it'll likely work out.

Steelers hire Mike McCarthy: D-
Feels weird to give an extremely stable organization like the Steelers a "D-", but they deserve it for this hire.  On one hand, I am happy for McCarthy, who will be able to coach the team he grew up rooting for.  On the other hand, there is an almost zero chance that this ends in something other than disappointment.  McCarthy won a Super Bowl in Green Bay with a stud, talented QB and a young team around him.  McCarthy benefited from having a great team built by their GM.  Ever since, he's been unable to get a team back to a Super Bowl.  He will almost undoubtedly be the shortest tenured Steelers head coach ever, and not just because he's starting older than the other coaches were when they left.  It's because he's this generation's Jeff Fisher, cashing in on one good year for an entire career.  The worst part of this all is that there was no one else wanting to hire him, and there was zero hurry to make this move, yet they hurried to make it.  They avoid an "F" because McCarthy, like his predecessor before him, will be able to keep the Steelers competitive, but he will also keep them from winning any trophies.

Bills hire Joe Brady: D+
Let me ask this.  When is the last time a team promoted from within, and it worked wonders?  I can't think of one.  This does not feel like a step forward for the Bills.  With the Patriots' resurgence, they needed a coach to offset Mike Vrabel, and they did not get it.  Now, they'll likely compete for wild cards on Josh Allen's talent alone.  Way to go.  This grade is a D+ and not any lower because there is a bit of upside to hiring a younger, offensive mind, as we have seen in recent years.  But man, I will be shocked if Joe Brady ever leads them to a Super Bowl.  He may not even lead them to a playoff win.

Browns hire Todd Monken: C-
I don't absolutely hate this hire, but Monken was marginal at best as an offensive coordinator, despite having Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry.  Also, a first-time head coach at 60?  Basically unheard of these days.  There's a chance he can make them slightly competitive, but this is a very uninspiring and unsexy hire.  I do like that he comes from a stable organization, ironically, the one that used to be the Browns.  But how is he an improvement over Kevin Stefanski?  It feels like a downgrade.  Monken has more experience, but I don't think there are many fans that consider him a brighter offensive mind.  Perhaps he'll be better at handling the chaos in Cleveland.

Cardinals hire Mike LaFleur: C
I'm giving this one a 50/50 shot of working, so a C is the right grade.  On one hand, LaFleur could not get a struggling Jets offense to function.  On the other hand, it WAS the Jets, and he made the Rams offense look good under Sean McVay.  But again, he had McVay to guide him, so how will he do without him?  He's going to be tasked to find a way to succeed in the stacked NFC West.  My best bet is that he will have one good season (maybe his first or second) and then be coasting on that for a while.  Think Zac Taylor in Cincinnati, who, coincidentally, is also a McVay protege.  

Raiders hire Klint Kubiak: C+
I mostly hate that this forces the Seahawks to go find their fourth coordinator in the past four seasons.  I didn't have 100% faith in Klint the whole season, so it will be interesting to see how he does as a head coach.  He does have it in his blood, as his dad, Gary, was a head coach for the Texans and Broncos.  I think there's a semi-decent chance this works, but like LaFleur with the Cardinals, Kubiak is going to need some other team to take last place.  Will the Chiefs continue falling?  Will the Chargers or Broncos take a huge step back?  I feel like both are unlikely.  If they give Klint some time, this may work.  He will have weapons to work with.  My #1 piece of advice for their front office is to improve their offensive line and get one receiver weapon for their #1 draft pick to throw to.

NFL Coaching Hirings Grades and Thoughts

It's now the 2026 NFL offseason, so I thought I'd go back and re-grade these and look back and see how close my grades were to what they are now.   Any of these updates will be in this blue font.

 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.

Wow, this was not a great hire.  I thought Mayo would be like Demeco Ryans, but he was not.  He only lasted one season before the Patriots smartly moved on to Mike Vrabel, who (so far) has them in the AFC Championship game in his first year after two back-to-back 13 loss seasons.

Retrospective Grade: F

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.  

Another one that didn't last long.  Yikes.  Pierce was quickly replaced by Pete Carroll, who was also gone after one full season.  Raiders need to find their long term option at coach!  I think the Raiders failed Pierce more than he failed them.

Retrospective Grade: D-

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.

And we have our third coach who could not complete a second year with the team.  Yikes.  Brian Callahan may have benefited from some nepotism, as his dad, Bob, led the Raiders to the Super Bowl in 2002.  But I think most people know it was a team Bob inherited from Gruden.  And Brian certainly wasn't up for the task in Tennessee.  But again, would any coach have had success?

Retrospective grade: D

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.  

Harbaugh so far has led the Chargers to the playoffs twice, but two first-round exits.  Very uninspiring.  But it's impressive considering the reign of the Chiefs and the recent resurgence of the Broncos.  He should've chosen a different division.  I don't think this is an "A" hire anymore, but not too far off.

Retrospective grade: B

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.  

Oops, read this one kind of wrong.  I think this has been a good hire for the Panthers, as Canales has gotten them from bottom-dweller to a playoff team this year, although they did have a losing record.  Next season will be hugely telling for Canales, whether this team keeps rising or takes a step back.

Retrospective grade: B+

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.

I think I nailed this one.  I knew Raheem wasn't the best choice, and I was right.  Sure, he had some bad luck with Penix's injuries, and he also had to deal with the team drafting a first-round QB after signing Kirk Cousins to a large multi-year deal.  And neither was able to be a long-term starter for them, at least not yet.  The new coach has his work cut out for him at that position, but at least they'll have plenty of weapons with London, Pitts, and of course, Bijan.  

Retrospective grade: D+ (No change)

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.

Absolutely nailed this one as well.  Macdonald so far has been an A+ hire.  He instantly got this team competitive on his own terms, and in his second year has gotten them the NFC West title, the #1 seed, and to the NFC Championship.  This wasn't a team that needed a ton of help, and in this year's coaching cycle was probably the best spot for a prospective coach.  We had just gotten stale with Carroll's mantra and the same ol' 9-8 type seasons.  Boy was this a great move.

Retrospective grade: A+ (No change)

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.

DQ has had mixed results.  He got them all the way to the NFC Championship game in his first year, but had a very disappointing 2025.  I don't really fault him, however.  He was given an aging roster with several holes, and his star QB was hurt for most of the year.  I expect a bit of a bounce back in 2026.  But so far, not too bad.  Commanders fans need to be patient.  He's a good coach.

Retrospective grade: B-

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.

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.

My NFL Team Tiers

 Way back in the day, I ranked NFL teams from 1 to 32 on how much I like them.  I thought about doing an updated list, but I realized it makes more sense just to group teams together based on what I think of them.  So, I grouped them into as few tiers as I could, which is 7.  I'll explain my rationale as to why each team is in each tier.  I'll also rank the tiers from favorite group to least favorite.  Generally, teams in a higher tier I will like more than teams in a lower tier, but not always.  

1. My all-time #1 favorite team and always will be:
Seattle Seahawks

Being from the Seattle area and being the son of a huge Seahawks fan since their inception, I will always be a Seahawks fan, and they will always be #1 in my heart.  I'll always be a 12, and I'll always bleed blue and green.

2. The Lovable Losers Tier
Cleveland Browns
Jacksonville Jaguars
Detroit Lions
Buffalo Bills
Houston Texans

I could probably count the number of playoff wins in the past 15-20 years between all these teams on one hand.  The teams in this tier tend to lose more than they win, and I have a soft spot for them.  Being a fan of a lovable loser in baseball (The Mariners), I can relate to fans of these teams.  Whenever these teams have a rare bit of success, I tend to root for them.  The Browns, Bills, and Texans have had recent "success", but who knows how long it will last for each of them.

3. The Lovable Winners Tier
Kansas City Chiefs
New Orleans Saints

I tried to get more teams in this tier, but I couldn't.  I also couldn't put either of them anywhere else.  Unless either of these teams beat my Seahawks bad in the playoffs, I don't see me disliking them anytime soon.  The Chiefs have great fans and with Patrick Mahomes, they should be fun to watch for a long time.  And I've had a soft spot for the Saints since they had to deal with Hurricane Katrina.  Drew Brees may be retiring soon, which may cause me to move them to another tier.

4. The "At Least You're Usually Entertaining to Watch" Tier
Dallas Cowboys
Las Vegas Raiders
Baltimore Ravens
Philadelphia Eagles
Atlanta Falcons

I don't really care either way if these teams win or lose, but for the most part the NFL is better when these teams win, because they are usually entertaining teams to watch.  The Cowboys are "America's Team" and have a huge fanbase.  The Raiders have the Black Hole and are one of the NFL's most storied franchises.  The Ravens either have an exciting offense, dominating defense, or both.  The Eagles are always well coached and are usually a good-all around team.  And the Falcons usually have a high-flying offense, whether it be through the air or ground.

5. The Has Beens
Denver Broncos
Minnesota Vikings
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Indianapolis Colts
Chicago Bears
Miami Dolphins

These are all teams that I used to like more than I do now.  None are having quite the success they used to.  Denver in the late 90's was when I first liked them, and I even (sort of) rooted for them in the early 2010's, except of course when they played my Hawks.  The Vikings in the early 2000's were fun to watch with Culpepper, Moss, and Carter.  The Bucs in the early 2000's had an amazing defense.  The Colts with Peyton Manning were always fun to watch.  The Bears had a dominating defense in the mid 2000's, and the Dolphins in the late 90's (and even for a brief period in the mid 2000s) were pretty good.

6. The "You Suck and I Don't Have Sympathy for You" Tier
Arizona Cardinals
Washington Football Team
Cincinnati Bengals
New York Giants
New York Jets
Los Angeles Chargers

This is like the lovable losers, except I don't have sympathy for when these teams lose.  Arizona's in the Seahawk's division, so no further explanation needed there.  Washington has a terrible owner.  Cincinnati just has never appealed to me.  The two New York teams are questionably run at best at the top, and the Chargers shouldn't have moved from San Diego.  

7. The "I Love to Watch You Lose Even If It's Rare" Tier
Tennessee Titans
Carolina Panthers
Green Bay Packers
Los Angeles Rams
San Francisco 49ers
Pittsburgh Steelers
New England Patriots

My most hated tier.  The teams that (despite my wishes) still usually have success.  I can't even really explain why I dislike the Titans, except perhaps that my Hawks usually lose to them.  The Panthers have been a "rival" of the Hawks for a while, plus I have no reason to root for them.  The Packers have been a rival for the Hawks as well, beating us a few times.  The Rams and Niners should be self-explanatory.  The Steelers beat the Hawks in Super Bowl XL, and the Patriots beat the Hawks in Super Bowl XLIX.  I will never forgive those two teams for that.  

I can see some changes happening.  If Buffalo has long term success with Josh Allen, they could move to the Lovable Winners tier.  I could see some of the Has Beens moving up to another tier if they become more exciting to watch or have more success.  But this is how I feel right now, and I'm sticking to it.

Seattle Mariners in 2020 - Youth Movement Underway

The Seattle Mariners are in the process of a rebuild.  There's no getting around it.  That's what it is.  They are not expected to contend this year, and even asking for a playoff run next year may be too early.  But the youth movement is here and it is also the future.  Gone are Cano, Cruz, and now Felix Hernandez.  Seager and Gordon are close to gone.  Haniger could join them.

The 2020 season is for the young guys.  We get to see Evan White at first base.  Barring injury or significant struggles (knock on wood), we get to see full seasons from Shed Long, J.P. Crawford, Kyle Lewis, and Jake Fraley.  The 2020 Mariners won't make the playoffs (barring a miracle), but they will be interesting and worth a watch.  I'm certainly going to want to say that I watched the start of these young men's careers.  Hopefully they'll be leading our team to the playoffs in a few years.

I'm going to go over what I expect from each notable player, including the veterans.  Team success isn't quite as important as seeing progress in certain individuals; namely, the youngsters mentioned above.  At the end I'll assign them a tier number.  These tiers are in reference to their careers as a Mariner from 2020 onwards, so if they already had their success, they might have a surprisingly low tier.  Those tiers are:

- Tier 1: I predict them to be a future star with us.  I'd be surprised if they never made an All-Star team for us.  Might not be quite as iconic as Felix or Ichiro, but will become one of the faces of the franchise.

- Tier 2: They'll be a serviceable starter, maybe borderline All-Star.  We've had guys like Jose Lopez, Kyle Seager, Mitch Haniger, and Daniel Vogelbach make the All-Star team just once and anyone in this tier will be like them.  Although Vogelbach only had a good half-season.

- Tier 3: They'll have a good season for us or two, but that's it.  Nothing all-star worthy.

- Tier 4: They really don't have much to give us and/or they'll be gone by the end of the season.

Catcher
Tom Murphy - With Murphy's emergence as the starting catcher, Omar Narvaez became expendable.  Murph will get the bulk of starts behind the dish in 2020.  He's not our future at catcher, but he's our starting catcher until Cal Raleigh is ready.  Interestingly, Murph is the only pure catcher on the 40 man roster, as Nola is listed as an infielder.  I expect Murph to have a similar 2020 as he did 2019, and hopefully he does not drop off (at least not significantly).  I'll give him a Tier 3 because I don't expect Murph to be our catcher in two years.

Austin Nola - I'm excited to see him catch more in 2020.  He may be used as a super utility player in 2020, going from catcher to first to third and maybe outfield.  Nola burst onto the scene in 2019, but he faded down the stretch.  Hopefully he can have a more consistent 2020 season.  If he rakes, Servais will find a spot for him in the lineup.  If he continues to do fairly well, which I hope, I'll give him a Tier 2.  I think he has potential to be our All-Star representative this season.  He's got to get starts somewhere, though.

First Base/DH
Evan White - I'm more excited to see this kid play defense than I am to see him hit.  His defense is constantly raved about, so I bet we'll see a sparkling play from him or two.  He doesn't need to absolutely light it up with his bat in 2020, but get at least some timely hits and show some pop.  I see him as a Tier 2.  I don't see a ton of star power in Evan.  I could see him being the next Eric Hosmer.

Daniel Vogelbach - He just completely fell apart last year.  After the All-Star break, he couldn't buy a hit, and our lone "All Star" ended up hitting .208 for the year.  He needs to have a more consistent 2020 for sure.  I do not see him as a regular in our lineup around the end of the season.  If he struggles, he'll get cut.  If he has success, he could get traded because he's turning 28 later this year and could be dealt for a prospect to a team needed a left-handed bat.  But I am very concerned for Vogey; his fall-off last year is concerning, so I while I'd like to give him a Tier 3, I am leaning more towards Tier 4.  If he doesn't get off to a decent start, we won't have the patience for him, and we could see Nola take a few of his starts.

Second Base
Shed Long - Apparently Shed will be given the bulk of the opportunities at second base over veteran Dee Gordon.  Shed showed some flashes last year with a surprising amount of pop in his 5'8" frame.  He needs to get better defensively, however.  He struggled mightily early on last year with his glove.  I'll give Shed a Tier 2.  Like Evan White, has some good qualities but lacks star power.

Dee Gordon - Dee is in a weird spot.  He's sort of going to be used as a utility man, spelling Shed and JP and maybe even playing outfield.  He'll also, I'm sure, be used as a pinch-runner.  But more than likely, Jerry Dipoto will find a suitor for Dee who will want to use his glove, legs, and contact ability.  I don't expect Dee to make it past the trade deadline, therefore I won't guess at his stats.  I expect Dee gone soon, so he gets a Tier 4.

Shorstop
J.P. Crawford - J.P. would have to really struggle to lose his job.  He did start off last season great, but finished kind of slowly (but so did most of the youngsters).  I'm sure we'll see quite a few more sparkling defensive plays this year from J.P. as he makes a name for himself in baseball.  I just hope he's able to hit for a fairly high average and stay at the top of the lineup.  I am torn between tiers 1 and 2 for J.P., but because of his defense I will give him a Tier 1.  If he turns out anything like Francisco Lindor, I'll be a very happy man.

Third Base
Kyle Seager - Seags is in a weird spot.  We can't really trade him because he has a poison pill in his contract; basically the option in his contract gets converted to another year automatically if he gets traded, and he is making way more than what he's worth at the moment.  He's the longest tenured Mariner now, and it'll be interesting to see how much the Mariners front office wants him to play.  They'll want him to play to hopefully increase his trade value.  But with how much he has put into this organization, I could see him staying for a while to also help mentor the younger players on both hitting and defense.  I'll give Seags a Tier 3.  

Outfield
Mitch Haniger - Unfortunately Mitch survived another set-back and will miss spring training and probably the start of the season.  You might think he's a bit injury-prone.  It's unfortunate; his career got off to such a great start with us.  Kyle Seager suffered a set-back at the start of last year, so hopefully Mitch has a similar hot streak to Seager's in him.  He could be trade bait if that happens.  Mitch literally could be any of the tiers, depending on how well he bounces back and if we trade him.  I'll go with Tier 3, because we have a lot of outfield talent in our system, and he is injury-prone.

Mallex Smith - I'd prefer him as a 4th outfielder and speed off the bench, but what can you do.  He'll probably share time in center with Jake Fraley, Haniger, and maybe even Dee.  I just wish he hit a bit more consistently.  He could be a potential trade piece if a team needs to replace an injured center-fielder or they need speed on the bench.  I'm going with Tier 4 because I expect Mallex to either be benched or traded.

Kyle Lewis - Hard to get off to a better start than Kyle did at the end of last season.  It was awesome to watch.  Can he carry that over to 2020?  Remember, Dustin Ackley got off to a really good start too, and we all remember how that turned out.  He's got potential to be a 5 tool player.  I am going to give him a Tier 1 because I feel optimistic when it comes to Kyle's chances.  He's been in our system a while and he finally gets his first full season to prove himself.  And I could see him like an Adam Jones type player.

Jake Fraley - I was not too impressed with Fraley last year.  In 40 AB's last year he hit .150 and did not get a home run.  He's surprisingly good defensively, but I worry about his bat.  He could surprise me this year and go on a tear, but I just don't feel like that will happen.  He didn't look wholely comfortable at the plate last year.  I know, that could change.  I'm going to give him a Tier 3.  I could see us trading him in a year or two, especially if Kelenic or Rodriguez come up and go on a tear.

Every other position player: I don't see anyone else having a lengthy or impactful career with the Mariners.  Dylan Moore, Tim Lopes, Patrick Wisdom, and Braden Bishop will battle it out for the remaining spots.  Haniger will probably start the season on the DL, so that opens a spot for someone, probably Bishop.  Usually, teams carry 12 or 13 position players, so there's not a ton of room for other players.  Wisdom is the newbie so I'll be most interested to see how he does.

Starting Pitchers
Marco Gonzalez - Marco is our presumed opening day starter since he was last year.  He just got a nice new contract as well, which I was happy to see.  Marco is a great guy to lead this pitching staff until we get some of the youngsters up, and then hopefully be able to pass on some knowledge to them.  I'll give Marco a Tier 2, only because I don't see Marco becoming a true bona fide #1 starter.  He could make one All-Star team as our lone representative.

Yusei Kikuchi - Yusei certainly had some moments in 2019, most notably in Cleveland and New York.  Otherwise, he mostly struggled.  He will need to make significant improvements in 2020, otherwise he won't be with us long.  He'll be given plenty of chances because A) We don't have too many starting pitching options and B) We're not expected to make the playoffs.  Unless Yusei makes a big jump this year, I give him Tier 3. 

Justus Sheffield - Justus didn't really impress me last year, but it was his first significant big league action.  He, along with Kikuchi, will need to make an improvement in 2020.  I give Justus a better chance due to his age.  I really hope he can become at least a serviceable starter, because when we acquired him in the James Paxton trade, he was supposed to be a legit frontline starter.  I'll give him a Tier 2, but I feel like I'm being optimistic with that.

Kendall Graveman - I really only know him by name, but I see he struggled a bit with the A's and then underwent Tommy John surgery.  He could either surprise us or cost us multiple games.  Even if Graveman struggles, Servais will probably be forced to stick with him due to lack of options.  I'm giving Graveman a Tier 4 based on recent history.

Justin Dunn - Dunn showed flashes last year in very limited time.  I honestly see him as more of a reliever than a starter, but maybe that's just me.  I like Dunn, he seems like he'll work hard and compete his butt off, but how well will he really do?  Time will tell.  I will give him a Tier 3, hoping to be proven wrong.

Bullpen: Much like with the bench, I'm not going to go over the bullpen individually.  I think our bullpen is going to see a huge amount of turnover the next few seasons until we find guys that stick.  I like Magill and Tuivailala.  We also brought in Carl Edwards Jr. and Yoshihisa Hirano, so it will be fun to see how those guys do.  There's also Erik Swanson, Brandon Brennan, and Dan Altavilla, who all pitched for us last year, but I don't really like any of them that much. 


It's odd how excited I am for this upcoming season.  I know at times it won't be pretty, but to see young players develop is fun to watch.  This season will remind me of the 2011 Seahawks, who had a lot of bright, young stars but not a lot of experience.  They were still really fun to watch, however. 

I'll predict a record of 69-93.  It's not great, but it's not awful, either.  I think there will be just enough talent to avoid 100 or even 95 losses.

Pete Carroll's Time May Be Up

After watching the Seahawks lose embarrassingly at home to the last-place Cardinals 27-13, I have just about had enough.  Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll can no longer adapt to today's game, and I think it's time for him to retire.  He's had a great coaching career, winning a Super Bowl and getting to another.  He's the greatest coach in Seahawk's history.  But he just doesn't have what it takes to be a decent head coach in this league anymore.  His in-game decisions are poor, he restricts his offense and superstar quarterback, and at times seems lost during games.

Pete Carroll has never been known for being a great coach with in-game decisions.  He challenges what clearly won't be overturned, he calls questionable timeouts at best, and worst of all, he is ultra-conservative and coaches as if he has a journeyman quarterback.  Hawks fans have lost track of the number of times he has chosen to kick a field goal or punt rather than go for a fourth down attempt.  He's earned the nickname "No Balls Pete" from many Hawks fans.  In just this past Cardinals game I referenced, he sent out his field goal unit on a 4th and one from about the 32 yard line.  But after the field goal unit got "messed up up front" (his quote), they had to take a delay of game and then punt the ball away.  That's a coaching issue, and that's on him.  But the point I'm trying to make is that Carroll time and time again won't let his star quarterback make a play on a 4th down attempt.  Even when the Hawks go for it on 4th down (which is rare), he'll usually have Wilson hand the ball off, which the defense often sees coming and stops it.  Compare that to the Raven's John Harbaugh and Lamar Jackson, who in their game against the Hawks, John actually asked Lamar if he thinks they should go for a 4th down attempt.  Lamar said yes, they attempted and converted with Lamar getting the first down himself.  Pete instead will take the ball out of his quarterback's hands, whether that be in favor of a punt or field goal, or handing off to a running back.

Pete Carroll and Russell Wilson are both perfect and horrible for each other at the same time.  They're perfect because they both stay optimistic no matter what and have a same outlook on the game.  However, they're also horrible for each other because Carroll restricts Wilson and doesn't give Wilson the opportunities he deserves.  Carroll hired an ultra-conservative offensive coordinator in Brian Schottenheimer, and "Schotty" has largely restricted Russell himself.  Carroll has always been a run-first or run-heavy type coach, but his failure to adapt to his star quarterback is costing the Hawks.  Carroll and General Manager John Schneider have also failed to surround Wilson with much talent, especially on the offensive line.  Since the Super Bowl years, they have still yet to put together even an average offensive line.  Instead, Wilson has had to make due with a run-heavy offense and a below average offensive line at best in the five years since then.

Fortunately for coach Carroll, even if the Hawks season ends from this point on in the worst way possible (which would be losing to the 49ers and a first-round exit at the hands of the Cowboys or Eagles), he will be saved because people will point to the massive amount of injuries as to the reason the Seahawk's season, once so full of promise, ended so poorly.  But I ask you to look at the Pittsburgh Steelers and their coach, Mike Tomlin.  He loses his superstar quarterback for the year, shortly after losing his two best offensive playmakers to other teams.  Tomlin also deals with injuries to his team's starting running back, next best receiver, and several other key players.  They are still contending for a playoff spot.  Think the Hawks would be contending for a playoff spot if they lost Wilson Week 2 and Carson for a few games?  Heck no.  The injury bug hits the Seahawks and Carroll does not weather the storm as well as Tomlin did.

The Hawks will lose to the 49ers.  There is no doubt in my mind.  The Hawks will probably play better than they did against the Cardinals, but may still lose by more than one score.  The Hawks will then get a #5 seed, and may even beat the Eagles or Cowboys.  But they will not beat the 49ers or Saints or Packers in the divisional round.  This team is stuck in a state of "pretty good" and have been since Super Bowl XLIX.  They're better than the average team because of Russell Wilson, but they can't get any better because Pete is holding them back.  We know he can't draft well anymore, and I think he cannot be a Super Bowl-caliber coach anymore.  Carroll's best fit is with a team with a great defense and a team built around the run.  He can't afford to have money tied up to his quarterback.  He'd be a great coach on teams like Chicago or Buffalo.  But here, it's just not a good fit anymore.

Edit: Well, the Hawks did lose to the 49ers, but they also almost won.  I am still convinced Pete Carroll needs to go.  He is unable to get his guys prepared and able to start out strong.  We'll see how they do against the Eagles in the playoffs.  Technically, the Hawks are still in a rebuild despite still making the playoffs, but without being able to draft capable starters, it's going to be VERY hard to break through and get to a conference championship (or better).

Top 7 Spots for Tom Brady were he to leave the Pats

Tom Brady, leave New England?!  Yep.  There’s a lot going on we don’t know about, but here’s something we do know: He’s not entirely happy.  He has saved the team millions of dollars over the years.  He took a pay cut so they could afford Wes Welker one year, and then once Welker wasn’t re-signed Brady was left to wonder where that money then went.  He also hasn’t really been given weapons in 2019, and he is sorely missing Gronk.  Also, his owner is in the midst of a scandal.  If I was a betting man, I’d bet he retires a Patriot and only plays for one team in his career.  However, I also would’ve bet Peyton Manning retires a Colt back in 2010.  So, what if Tom Brady wanted to leave and prove he could win without Bill Belichick?  I mean, that competitive desire in him may make him want to do that.  There are seven possible teams he could go to if he were to leave the Patriots.  Why 7?  It's an odd number, but I really think there are about 7 teams, give or take.


7. Dallas Cowboys
Colin Cowherd talked about possibilities for Brady and his pick is the Dallas Cowboys.  Yes, they have good talent and may end up replacing their coach, but they are only #7 for me for two reasons.  One, Brady grew up a 49er fan and therefore grew up hating the Cowboys.  He's not a huge fan of the organization.  Two, they have Dak Prescott, who Jerry Jones likes.  Sure, his contract is expiring soon, but they'd be foolish to go from a younger Dak to Brady.  But I guess they're a distant possibility.  

6. San Francisco 49ers
I know, they have Jimmy G, but what if he got hurt again?  Or perhaps Brady wants to win a ring as a backup/mentor.  The biggest problem with this is that the 49ers can’t afford to pay two quarterbacks that much money.  But Brady grew up a Niners fan, so if he had his choice of NFC teams, this would be it.

5. Tennessee Titans
First off, Brady would get to play for his former teammate Mike Vrabel.  Tennessee does have a decent roster and their QB position isn't completely solidified.  It's kind of a smaller market, which works against them.  But the talent is there and with a legit, proven winner at quarterback, they may be able to take the next step.  I consider the Titans the dark horses in the Brady sweepstakes, if there ever is any.

4. Denver Broncos
Could Elway persuade another legend to join him?  It’s possible.  If Manning can win a Super Bowl there, Brady surely can.  Broncos fans have loathed Brady for years, so this would be hard for them to accept, which is why the Broncos are only #4.  Also, they have Drew Lock, who would probably be traded if this happened.

3. New York Giants
If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em, right?  Brady has failed twice to beat the Giants in the Super Bowl, so why not join them?  But like the Broncos fans, New York football fans have grown up hating Brady, so this would also be hard for them to accept.  But that’s mostly Jets fans who hate Brady.  Giants fans are happy they’ve been able to beat him twice.  Also, Daniel Jones would be traded just like Drew Lock if this were to happen.

2. Chicago Bears
I have a feeling Brady would love to play under Matt Nagy.  Chicago is one of the biggest metropolises in America, and their team has a rich history.  Just playing in Chicago for a couple years would make people consider Brady as one of the best Bears quarterbacks ever.  It also would be funny that Jimmy Garoppolo is playing for Brady’s hometown team while Brady plays for Jimmy Garoppolo’s hometown team.  Trubisky could either be traded or be forced to serve as Brady's backup, but would he be all right with that?  Hard to say.

1. Los Angeles Chargers
California?  Check.  Good roster?  Check.  Big market?  Check.  Brady’s best fit is with the Chargers.  He could replace Rivers whose best days are behind him.  It’s funny Brady could replace Rivers who came into the league AFTER Brady.  The Chargers are struggling to gain fans in the LA Market, and getting Brady would immensely help that cause.  Brady in LA in the new stadium?  Hard to beat that.  The only problem with this I see is the Chargers might not have enough of a history or fan base to woo Brady over.  But he would know that by signing with the Chargers, it would re-energize the team and bring in a lot of new fans.
Edit: Following the Seahawks-Eagles Wild Card game, Cris Collinsworth and Al Michaels discussed Tom Brady and his future.  Michaels prodded Collinsworth and goaded him into picking a team Collinsworth could see Brady going to.  His answer?  The LA Chargers.  Now, he said he has no insider information, but if a well-respected analyst is saying the same team as me, we might be on to something.  

Hard to see Brady going anywhere else (that’s if he does leave the Patriots).  You can rule out the AFC East and any teams that have entrenched starters for the next several years at least.  He’s got a great relationship with Josh McDaniels, so if McDaniels gets a head coaching job somewhere, that team instantly becomes the best possible landing spot for Brady.  The only team here that is probably replacing its coach soon is the New York Giants, with the Cowboys as an outside possibility.

Edit: Just for fun, here's why all the other teams would not even be considered:
Buffalo Bills: Josh Allen, division rival
Miami Dolphins: Division rival, bad roster
New York Jets: Sam Darnold, division rival
Baltimore Ravens: Lamar Jackson
Cincinnati Bengals: Small market, bad roster
Cleveland Browns: Bad history
Pittsburgh Steelers: Ben Roethlisberger, AFC Rival
Houston Texans: Deshaun Watson
Indianapolis Colts: AFC Rival, small market
Jacksonville Jaguars: Bad team, small market
Kansas City Chiefs: Patrick Mahomes
Oakland/Las Vegas Raiders: Derek Carr, grew up 49ers fan so naturally dislikes Raiders
Philadelphia Eagles: Carson Wentz
Washington Redskins: Dysfunction, bad roster
Detroit Lions: Matthew Stafford, bad history
Green Bay Packers: Aaron Rodgers
Minnesota Vikings: Kirk Cousins, wouldn't want to copy Brett Favre
Atlanta Falcons: Matt Ryan, recently beat in Super Bowl
Carolina Panthers: Cam Newton, small market, not enough history
New Orleans Saints: Drew Brees
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Bad history, Jameis Winston
Arizona Cardinals: Kyler Murray
Los Angeles Rams: Jared Goff, recently beat them in Super Bowl
Seattle Seahawks: Russell Wilson, beat in Super Bowl XLIX

My 2019 NFL Predictions!

It's my favorite time of year... almost.  The NFL season is almost upon us and I am as excited for this year as I think I've been for any season.  Will this be my most extensive predictions yet?  Judge for yourself.  Usually I go division by division and discuss how I think the division will shape up, but this time I will go team by team discussing what I think of them.  Also new to this year is I do a four word game for each team.  I use  four words to best describe their outlook on 2019 (and often about the quarterback position).  I got the idea from Colin Cowherd, who does a three word game for NFL teams on his show.  Look out for the 2nd part in which I discuss the Seahawks Win/Loss Record in more detail, and I go over each game.  An asterisk after a team's W/L record means they got a wild card spot.

Edit: With Andrew Luck's abrupt retirement, I had to adjust a few things, mainly the Colts season but also a couple others who are in their division.

AFC East
1. New England Patriots 11-5: Won't stop anytime soon
Is there any question?  The Patriots still remain the favorites in the AFC East.  Towards the end of last year Brady showed some signs of his age, and I think that'll creep in earlier this year, costing the Patriots a few games down the stretch.  They'll still win the AFC East easily, of course because they have a bunch of young, talented players.  Not until Brady and Belichick retire will this train stop and they have given zero indications that they will soon.  However, for the first time in years they will not have a first round bye.

2. New York Jets, 8-8: Offensive progress or bust
The Jets are many people's dark horse team.  Every year we see teams come out of nowhere to claim a playoff spot or division title.  I'm unsure if that will be the Jets.  They have Bell and C.J. Mosely, and Sam Darnold will be going into his 2nd year and is now under the tutelage of first year head coach Adam Gase.  So this offense needs to make strides otherwise it could be a LONG time before the Jets make the playoffs again.  Odds are they will, however.  This team could go 10-6, but I'll stick with the safe pick of 8-8.

3. Buffalo Bills, 6-10: Old backs, young gun
Josh Allen goes into his second year (hence the young gun), but unlike Mayfield and Darnold won't taste too much success in his sophomore season.  The old backs are LeSean McCoy and Frank Gore.  The Bills will be competitive and shouldn't get blown out much, but they just don't have enough talent to win many games late.

4. Miami Dolphins, 5-11: Rosen gets screwed... again?
The Fins continue their QB carousel, as they moved on from what they hoped to be the first legit QB since Marino in Ryan Tannehill, but he never could get them over the hump.  Now they'll go with a combination of Ryan Fitzpatrick and Josh Rosen.  I expect to see a bit more of Rosen.  I'll be honest, the Dolphins could be a team that surprises and wins 8 or 9 games, especially if Rosen breaks out.  But if Rosen doesn't and the Fins struggle, they could draft a QB with their first pick next year, meaning Rosen gets screwed over by his team again.

AFC North
1. Pittsburgh Steelers, 10-6: Less entertaining, so what?
First off, I don't expect the AFC North to be that good this season.  Too many teams lost significant players.  The Steelers were one of them.  But they still have a great core of players.  They still have James Conner and Juju Smith-Schuster, two Pro Bowl caliber players.  But their quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger, will show signs of age.  Despite that, yet again they'll win just enough to secure a division title thanks to lesser competition in their division.

2. Cleveland Browns, 9-7*: Hot start, cool finish
I think the Browns are a bit overhyped.  I also think OBJ is a bit of locker room cancer.  There's just too many egos on this team, and Mayfield is not the type of leader to keep things level-headed and calm the storm.  I think they could get off to a good start and get people thinking Super Bowl (7-2 maybe?) but then come crashing back down to earth and lose a lot of their remaining games to fall to 9-7.  This team is built to win early, but not late, but it will just be enough in a bad AFC.

3. Baltimore Ravens, 6-10: Lamar gets figured out
One of my bolder predictions this season is I predict the Ravens to have a bad year, culminating in a losing record.  I don't think Lamar Jackson can succeed in the NFL long term.  Much like his understudy, RGIII, he will have a disappointing sophomore season.  The losses of Suggs and Moseley hurts them, and Earl Thomas probably gets hurt again, showing he just can't stay healthy anymore.

4. Cincinnati Bengals, 4-12: Hurt for Justin Herbert?
The Bengals are considered an afterthought right now.  Not many people are going to want to tune in to watch a Bengals game.  I don't see them going 2-14 or 1-15 but they are going to find it very difficult to pass any team in their division this year.  I expect them to get a high draft pick and pick a QB in the 2020 draft, possibly Justin Herbert.  They'll need to find Dalton's successor soon if he struggles at all in 2019, which is to be expected.

AFC South
1. Tennessee Titans, 10-6: Mariota's health is key
This team is just solid.  I don't know what else to say.  I like Mike Vrabel as a coach and I think the Titans get a few lucky breaks this year.  Also, Mariota doesn't put up scoreboard shattering numbers, but he does make a lot of clutch plays late in games to make the Titans organization believe in him even more.  But the main concern is his health, and if he can play solid quarterback with few to no injuries, the Titans will have a real good shot at the playoffs.

2. Jacksonville Jaguars, 8-8: Strive for mediocre, well...
These cats are mad.  They had to be disgusted with themselves, following up a AFC Championship-berth season with 5 win season.  However, they will face too much competition in the AFC and will only be average at best.  They went out and got Nick Foles, who has yet to prove he can win outside of Philadelphia.  He's an average quarterback at best when he's not on the Eagles.  So when you strive for average, that's what you get.

3. Indianapolis Colts, 7-9: No More Luck Here
The Colts literally no longer have Luck after his abrupt retirement.  You could expect this team to collapse and crumble, but I don't think they will.  I think they play mostly inspired football, but without a true franchise quarterback, they'll struggle to win close games.  Fortunately for them, Jacoby Brissett is one of the better backup quarterbacks in the NFL, but there's a reason he's a backup.

4. Houston Texans, 6-10: Good luck Deshaun... seriously
You probably weren't expecting the reigning AFC South division champs here, were you?  Well, did you expect the Jaguars to go from division champs to 5-11?  Probably not.  Anyway, my reasoning is something unfortunate that happens in the NFL: Injuries.  Namely, I'm talking about an injury to Deshaun Watson.  I hate predicting injuries, but with his horrible offensive line, I'm afraid it might happen.  I hope I'm wrong.  Good luck Deshaun.  Also, losing Lamar Miller hurts, and their running game takes a hit as a result.

AFC West
1. Kansas City Chiefs, 13-3: Gotta beat the best
Going into 2018, the Chiefs didn't exactly know what they had in Patrick Mahomes so they weren't sure how to feel about the season.  Now that they do, they've got nothing less of Super Bowl aspirations.  They added the Honey Badger and former Seahawk Frank Clark.  And, I think one of the surprises for 2019, Mecole Hardman.  Remember that name.  He's a speedster in the mold of Tyreek Hill.  And speaking of Hill, boy are the Chiefs lucky he wasn't suspended.  There was thought the Chiefs might have to cut him like they did Kareem Hunt.  Now, with Hill and Hardman, if teams double Hill, Mahomes will be able to get the ball easily to Hardman.  Watch out.  In order for this to be a successful season, they'll have to beat the best, which of course is the Patriots.  Couldn't do it last year in two opportunities.  They'll get at least one shot this year.

2. Los Angeles Chargers, 10-6*: Chiefs in the way
I know this Chargers team expects big things in 2019, with notable young stars like Derwin James and Mike Williams.  Barring injuries, they should compete well enough to get a winning record and a wild card spot.  Like with Brady and Roethlisberger, however, I think Rivers could show signs of age as well.  Hey, someone's bound to.  However good they do, the Chiefs will probably do just as well.  They'll either need a significant injury or collapse from the Chiefs, or just go on a run in the playoffs.

3. Denver Broncos, 8-8: Stuck in just average
Boy would it suck for Flacco if he lost his job to a rookie two years in a row.  Flacco will begin the season as the starter but Drew Lock could take over if the team or Flacco struggle.  I think they'll have an up and down season, but ultimately will have to look towards the future with Lock.  This team screams average, with only a few notable exceptions like Von Miller.

4. Oakland Raiders, 6-10: Hard Knocks the highlight
Boy will it be fun to watch the Raiders on "Hard Knocks" this season.  If Antonio Brown can stay healthy and out of trouble, he should add a spark to the Raiders offense and make them entertaining.  But if the Raiders struggle too much, Gruden might have to make a tough decision to move on from Derek Carr and draft a QB in 2020.  But more than likely the Raiders will struggle, leaving Hard Knocks as the lone highlight.

NFC East
1. Philadelphia Eagles, 10-6: Wentz healthy or else
Can Carson Wentz finally stay healthy all year?  If he doesn't, Eagles fans will be very concerned for their future at the QB position.  The Eagles are a good team, but it's not like their division is going to be really tough, especially the bottom 2.  Jordan Howard will prove the Bears should never have let him go.  The Eagles have enough talent to succeed, but with Foles no longer available as a security blanket, they'll need Wentz to stay healthy for a successful season.

2. Dallas Cowboys, 9-7: Zeke is not needed
I'm torn on these guys.  On one hand, I want to predict a first round bye, but on the other, I want to predict them missing the playoffs entirely.  I went with the latter.  There's too much drama around this team thanks to Ezekiel Elliot.  He's holding out, but the Cowboys don't need him.  They're still a very good (if not better) team without him.  And Dak Prescott is a very solid QB and improved once he got Amari Cooper.  Will Garrett finally get the axe?  Maybe Jerry Jones will just figure enough is enough and move on after the season.

3. Washington Redskins, 6-10: Jay Gruden, Sitting Duck
The only reason I'll want to watch a Redskins game this year is if they start Dwayne Haskins.  Honestly I just see him as another EJ Manuel/Geno Smith type, but there is potential.  Their defense isn't half bad, but I think if these Skins struggle to win games (which they probably will), we could see Jay Gruden shown the door.  He's long been on a semi-hot seat, which will only get hotter the more the Skins lose.  But we all know the real problem with this team is the owner, Dan Snyder.

4. New York Giants, 5-11: What are they thinking?
Oh, the Giants... boy I would not want to be a fan of them right now.  They've drafted a running back and quarterback with their first picks the last two years, but haven't surrounded them with any kind of talent yet.  This year will be all about transitioning from Eli Manning to Daniel Jones.  So their QB will either be a washed-up has-been or an unpolished rookie.  Yikes.  And they may end up wasting the best years of one of the best running back talents in years in Saquon Barkley.

NFC North
1. Minnesota Vikings, 11-5: Kirk on a mission
I feel like the division champ of the NFC North is usually the one team people don't see coming, excluding the Lions of course (Sorry, Lions fans).  Last year it was the Bears.  People are sleeping on the Vikings this year and I could see them pulling off some Minnesota magic.  Kirk Cousins will be out to prove he can win in this league.  Last year was him getting used to a new team, new system, and new teammates.  Now that he's got a year under his belt with them, watch out.

2. Chicago Bears, 10-6*: Doink in the past
The Bears are still a well built team and were a kick away from winning a playoff game.  Can't forget they have one of the best defensive players in the game in Khalil Mack.  I could see the Bears hanging with the Vikes all the way to the end.  They'll have to put last year's heartbreaking playoff loss way in the past to have success in 2019.

3. Green Bay Packers, 8-8: New coach,  so what?
Aaron Rodgers is going to realize he had it good with Mike McCarthy.  I'm not too impressed still with Green Bay's roster compared to Minnesota's and Chicago's.  Also, I'm not too sure about the durability of Aaron Rodgers anymore.  I hate to say it, but I think Aaron and Green Bay's best days are behind them.  Matt LaFleur can only do so much as a rookie head coach, and he won't make that much of a difference.

4. Detroit Lions, 6-10: Someone's got to lose
The Lions aren't a bad team, there's so much competition in the NFC and specifically the NFC North.  If they were in the AFC East they'd be 2nd place, easily.  I like Patricia as a coach and they've made some solid additions.  Just won't be enough... again.  If another team in their division collapses they have a shot, but still a small one.

NFC South
1. Atlanta Falcons, 11-5: LI in the past
The Falcons will finally be able to put Super Bowl LI behind them and make a valiant effort to get back to the "big game".  I like their roster and Matt Ryan always seems to be a bit underrated, in my opinion.  Julio Jones will have a monster year, but more importantly their defense will have a great year and take big strides.  I expect the Falcons to have their best season since their Super Bowl LI season in which... well we all know what happened.

2. New Orleans Saints, 9-7: Heartbreak catches up eventually
I hate to say it, but the Saints aren't making it back to the playoffs.  Two heartbreaking playoff losses in a row is just killer.  Brees is 40 and will be nearing 41 at season's end.  They've got a good team, but they also have a tough schedule and I'm predicting a couple bad breaks for them.  Just narrowly missing the playoffs.  Heartbreak will catch up to them eventually.

3. Carolina Panthers, 7-9: Stuck with immature Cam
My oh my how far Cam Newton's stock has fallen.  Remember when he was MVP?  Seems like ages ago.  He's now ranked 87th in the NFL's Top 100 after being #1 just THREE YEARS AGO.  Yikes.  My gut says Cam will not retire a Panther unless he retires early due to health concerns.  Meanwhile, I'm still not sold on the Panthers as a team and I think they'll be so-so at best.

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 6-10: Not so famous Jameis
Will the Bruce Arians experiment work?  Hard to say.  Perhaps not with Jameis Winston.  Like the Lions, Tampa Bay's not a bad team, they just play in a really tough division.  I think their defense will be solid, but can Winston lead them to victory enough?  Doubtful.  I think Jameis' career will follow that of Josh Freeman's, where he ultimately becomes a journeyman backup quarterback, so not as famous.

NFC West
1. Los Angeles Rams, 12-4: Still too darn good
I hate to say it, but I think the Rams are going to be good again.  I know I said in a post two months ago that I think the entire division (minus the Hawks of course) could struggle a bit in 2019.  I really want to believe the Super Bowl hangover curse will happen to the Rams.  They just have too much talent to go 8-8.  They may have another great regular season, but that doesn't always mean they'll have a great postseason as well.  Stay tuned.

2. Seattle Seahawks, 10-6*: Patience is a virtue
For the first time ever I reveal what I predict the Hawks record to be in my NFL predictions (usually I keep it in the separate Seahawks predictions).  I see another winning season and another playoff berth.  The Hawks could really challenge the Rams for the division title, but the Rams may just be too much.  They are slowly getting better and better, filling holes left by the departed LOB and guys like Avril, Bennett, and Baldwin.  We may not see too much success in 2019, but it's a slow ascent back to Super Bowl contention.  For more on the Hawks 2019 season you'll have to see my other post on the Hawks HERE.

3. San Francisco 49ers, 8-8: Still don't like Jimmy
Well many are predicting the 49ers to double their 4 wins from last year and I think they will... barely.  I'm still not sold on Garoppolo as a franchise quarterback.  Dating a porn star?  Also he doesn't seem to be able to stay fully healthy.  The 49ers team isn't awful anymore, but will they be good enough to avoid another losing season?  I think it'll be close.  They'll have to wait another year to try to return to the playoffs.

4. Arizona Cardinals, 4-12: Kyler the right choice?
I'm taking a bit of a risk here and saying Kyler Murray just won't succeed in the NFL.  At least not in his rookie season.  He's small and unlike Russell Wilson doesn't have the stature to take hits constantly in the NFL.  It doesn't help the Cards hopes that they play in a division where two recently made the playoffs and the other team is on its way up and could vie for a playoff spot.  Also, I'm not sold on Kliff Kingsbury as a coach, but we'll see.



So those are all of my predicted regular season records in the NFL for 2019.  Here's how the playoff seeding shapes up:

AFC
1. Kansas City Chiefs, 13-3
2. New England Patriots, 11-5
3. Pittsburgh Steelers, 10-6
4. Tennessee Titans, 10-6
5. Los Angeles Chargers, 10-6
6. Cleveland Browns, 9-7

NFC
1. Los Angeles Rams, 12-4
2. Minnesota Vikings, 11-5
3. Atlanta Falcons, 11-5
4. Philadelphia Eagles, 10-6
5. Seattle Seahawks, 10-6
6. Chicago Bears, 10-6

All right, and how would these playoffs shape up?  Let's find out.

WILD CARDS
AFC:
(6) Browns at (3) Steelers: Steelers win
These AFC North rivals face off, and the Steelers prove maturity and experience matters big in the playoffs.  Baker Mayfield leads a spirited comeback attempt but comes up short.

(5) Chargers at (4) Titans: Chargers win
First upset of Wild Card weekend is the Chargers upsetting the Titans.  Again, the Chargers go on the road and take care of an only somewhat decent division winner.

NFC:
(6) Bears at (3) Falcons: Falcons win
Yet again Matt Nagy and Mitch Trubisky struggle to win a playoff game.  But this time is on the road in a tough environment in Mercedes-Benz Stadium.  Julio Jones and Matt Ryan's air attack is too much for the Bears.

(5) Seahawks at (4) Eagles: Seahawks win
The battle of the two blue/green birds.  The Hawks come out on top late thanks to the defense making a big stand.  Eagles fans start to wonder if Carson Wentz can win a playoff game.

DIVISIONAL ROUND
AFC:
(5) Chargers at (1) Chiefs: Chiefs win
I like the Chargers a lot, but they'll be hard-pressed to win at Arrowhead Stadium in January.  They got blown out by the Patriots who were just barely able to do it last year.

(3) Steelers at (2) Patriots: Patriots win
The Steelers are still a very solid team, but are nowhere near dynamic or great enough to beat the Patriots on the road in the playoffs.  Terrific Tom again makes it to the AFC Championship game.

NFC: 
(5) Seahawks at (1) Rams: Rams win
I hate to say it... but Rams take it.  I just don't think the Hawks have enough experienced players to win a playoff game against the Rams, especially on the road.  In the two divisional matchups between Western division rivals, the home team comes out on top each time.

(3) Falcons at (2) Vikings: Falcons win
I hate to say it, but Vikings fans are so accustomed to heartbreak this should come as no surprise.  They probably lose in heartbreaking fashion here in some fashion.

CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS
AFC: 
(2) Patriots at (1) Chiefs: Chiefs win
In a rematch of last year's Conference Championship Game, the Chiefs come out on top this time to finally claim the Lamar Hunt trophy.  I'd expect a close game yet again, but this time luck swinging in the Chiefs' favor.

(3) Falcons at (1) Rams: Rams win
In another playoff rematch (from 2 years ago), the Rams get revenge from that loss to claim the George Halas trophy.  The Falcons put up a tough fight, but ultimately come up short as both #1 seeds make it to the Super Bowl... again.

SUPER BOWL LIV: Chiefs vs. Rams: Chiefs win
In what will be one of the most entertaining Super Bowls ever, Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs come out on top to claim the Lombardi trophy.  The Rams, meanwhile, become this generation's Buffalo Bills of the 90s as they lose their second Super Bowl in a row.

So my Super Bowl pick is Rams vs. Chiefs, with the Chiefs coming out on top.  Who will win the awards?  Let's find out:

MVP: Patrick Mahomes
Offensive Player: Patrick Mahomes
Defensive Player: Darius Leonard
Coach: Andy Reid
Offensive Rookie: N'Keal Harry
Defensive Rookie: Devin Bush
Comeback Player: Carson Wentz
Super Bowl MVP: Patrick Mahomes