Yep! We just have to start out strong in order to do that. Those first five games will either make or break this season. Considering the supposedly weak strength of schedule, the start of the season real this year really matters. We have to start out strong.

Another Bold Prediction based upon that, Rugs, if we start out winning four of our first five we go at least 14-3 and wrap up the #1 seed.

We said "Bold" AG. You're dancing with "Delusional" there! But I like the positive vibing. I said 11-6 if we stay healthy.

It was qualified by the conditional opening five game results.

But, when it comes down to it I'll always stick with my, undefeated, 20-0 record prediction. I know that no team will likely ever go undefeated again. But, honestly, I don't see a single game that we have zero chance of winning, so why not think the best each and every individual week?

I don't see a single free throw that Zion Williamson can't make, but I don't see him shooting 100% from the line next season. I view Carr and DA in a similar way, there is no evidence they can't win a given game. Carr occasionally beat Mahomes. But there is evidence they can't win consistently. History tells us Zion will make about 70% of his free throws but not 100%, and DA + Carr will 25-50% of their games but not 100%.

I do think a team will go undefeated again. The 2007 Patriots were undefeated and lost a very close and fluky Super Bowl. Half of the teams to go 15-1 in the regular season have happened since 2000 so I don't know that the game has changed drastically to make a high number of wins harder. If you look at the Super Bowl, the Conference Championship, and their most off week as coin flips, that is three coin flips, so of teams that go 15-1 or better about 1 in 8 could have a perfect season.

In 1978 the NFL schedule increased to 16 games and is currently 17. Since then 7 teams have gone 15-1 or better but all have had that one loss either in the playoffs and/or regular season. Of the six teams that went 15-1, two won the Super Bowl.

From 1966 to 1977 (the super bowl era) the NFL schedule was 14 games. During that time 3 teams went 13-1 but had the one loss. Only one of the 3 won the Super Bowl. And the 1972 Dolphins went 14-0 and won the Super Bowl.

If we simply view this as a total of 11 teams since 1966 that had a shot at a 1 in 8 event, with 2 in the 60's, 2 in the 70's, 2 in the 80's, 1 in the 90's, 2 in the 2000's, and 2 in the 2010's, a perfect season is simply an event that we would expect to happen once every 40 years at a rate of about 2 near misses per decade and 1 hit per 8 near misses. The near misses do not seem to be becoming much less frequent, so the I don't think the event is way less likely just because we have went from 14 games to 17 but also had some expansion. Perhaps its a 1 in 12 event now, but still I feel it will happen again.

I think its possible that Tom Brady winning 7 Super Bowls and Bill Belichick winning 6 Super Bowls will lead other star coaches and quarterbacks to try harder for a perfect season as a more attainable way to reach a milestone that Belichick and Brady could not. In the past, elite coaches and quarterbacks were trying to match the Super Bowls wins of Lombardi, Starr, Bradshaw, Noll, Montana, Walsh, etc and playing it safe and not trying to be perfect was the best way to attain that but now that Belichick and Brady have made that number so much harder to reach, the next legends may try harder for a perfect season once they notch that first Super Bowl rather than always resting in later weeks if they have a perfect record. Right now what is more realistic if you are Andy Reid, lasting long enough to win 3 more rings, or having one perfect season and retiring if another star catches lightning beside Mahomes? What is more attainable for Sean McVay if he finds a young star QB like he found Kupps and Nacau, winning 5+ more super bowls or having one perfect season?

At least your little flunkie liked it! LOL!!!