Bold predictions that are actually bold!
 

Ever year this time of year, I hate listening to relatively the same prognastocations by all the talking heads and magazines. They often take the "safe road" and go with obvious conclusions and the status quo belief. They don't account for the amount of change, and the rapid speed of change that sometimes occurs in the NFL. And they're freaking boring to read.

So I got fed up. This year, I predict a return to a little more overall parity in the NFL, in light of the great draft class bringing some of the woeful teams back toward respectability. And a few monumental downfalls by some of the larger market teams. The theme of this year is a rejuvenation of some of the small market or small money making teams ... now that the Saints have shown that it can be done :-). And for kicks I predict another first-time Super Bowl champion. And BTW I threw my Saints allegancies out the window while putting this together.

I went through the NFL schedule, so this outcome is actually mathmetically possible. Used instinct as much as I used insight. Actually it turned out to be a really fun assignment, and a nice prep for my fantasy draft. I'd encourage you all to do the same if you're bored waiting for the NFL season to begin.

Here goes ...

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Predictions
(x - division winner, * - playoff berth)

AFC:

x*MIA - will win division, top-tier offense with running games/wildcat/Marshall-improved passing game, 11-5
NE - even more pass happy, Brady will have great year but the team is in a transition year, 8-8
BUF - running game will emerge, defense will be respectable - Spiller/Jackson/Chan Gailey, 7-9
NYJ - Sanchez falls apart, karma comes back to haunty cocky Rex Ryan, defense slumps, 5-11

x*CIN - Great defense, balanced offense with great red-zone ability with TO/85/Gresham, 11-5
*BAL - A repeat performance of 2009 ... solid all-around offense, slightly improved D, 11-5
PIT - Leftwich/Big Ben put up good stats, running game absent again, defense up and down, 7-9
CLE - offense shows a few signs under Holmgren, Massaquoi shines, defense regresses further, 4-12

x*TEN - Defense steps up, Young/CJ/Britt become the Dallas-like triplets of 2010, 12-4
*IND - Age and SB loss takes some toll, defense takes a bit of a plunge, 10-6
HOU - Arian Foster emerges but Schaub has an off-year, defense falls apart, 5-11
JAC - Weak links and lack of depth exposed, Del Rio axed and Jax becomes a lottery team, 3-13

x*SD - Easy opening sched. Great play by RB Sproles, Bolts become run-and-shoot-esque. Rivers breaks out, 12-4
OAK - Defense looks better with continuity and better play on offense, 9-7
KC - Formidable passing attack, some defensive improvment, team on playoff bubble, 9-7
DEN - Dismissal of Marshall and Def coordinator haunts McDaniels, rebuilding and controversy ensue, 6-10

NFC:

x*DAL - Big D explodes in reg season, implode in playoffs under pressure to play SB "home game", 11-5
WAS - Offensive dynamo with Shannahan/McNabb prove DEN/PHI brass wrong. Defense has its ups and downs, 9-7
PHI - Kolb-led offense struggles and doesn't get hot until it's too late, 7-9
NYG - Offense has a tough go of it in 2010 and the defense is in shambles so Coughlin's on the outs, 4-12

x*MIN - Second go-around for Favre not quite as magical but good enough, 10-6
*GB - Team overcomes first-half injuries and run off a win streak in December to sneak into the playoffs, 9-7
DET - Marked improvement on both sides of the ball and weak schedule help them get to, get this, .500! 8-8
CHI - Cutler's interceptions, Martz offense and Julius Peppers does not a team make. Lovie loses job after Xmas, 5-11

*SEA - Carroll's underrated staff rejuvenates Seattle and performs miracles in a weak division, 12-4
ARI - The typical Cardiac Cardinals are undergoing changes again, break even at 8-8
STL - Bradford has a pretty good rookie season like Matt Ryan had and they luck out in a few games, 7-9
SF - Last year was a mirage; in 2010 injuries set back this team which needs a bit more depth, 5-11

*NO - More bumps in the road this time, but still win division in a tiebreaker, make noise in playoffs, 9-6-1
*CAR - Rebuilding goes suprisingly well. Panthers find some rookie gems, continue strong late-2009 play, 9-6-1
ATL - Defense struggles even more than last year, injuries hit again and they loose some nailbiters, 6-10
TB - The Bucs prove to be still too young. Have some nice players but prove to be a few years away, 6-10

Playoffs:
Round 1:
@MIA over IND
BAL over @CIN
GB over @MIN
@NO over CAR

Round 2:
BAL over @SD
@TEN over MIA
GB over @SEA
NO over @DAL

Round 3:
@TEN over BAL
GB over @NO

SB prediction - TEN over GB, 41-19, management's faith in Fisher pays off

Awards:
Offensive ROY: Russell Okung SEA (first ever OT selected for this award)
Defensive ROY: Eric Berry KC
COTY: Pete Carroll SEA
Comeback player of the Year: Leon Washington SEA
NFL MVP: Philip Rivers SD
NFL Offensive POY: Ray Rice BAL
NFL Defensive POY: Demarcus Ware DAL
SB MVP: Chris Johnson TEN

Do you mean bold or just nuts?

some are solid picks some are just wacked. overall 85% correct

Bold and unpredictable........what a combination!;)

Good stuff. I agree Miami is poised to take the East.

I'd probably still bet on New England, but I wouldn't be even remotely surprised if Miamia won it.

Here's a few of my shockers...

Oakland wins 9 games
Cleveland goes 8-8
Houston wins the AFC South
Dallas goes 8-8
Chicago wins NFC North
Atlanta goes 8-8

Did I read that right? GB over New Orleans in the dome? Say who?

Green Bay in the bowl is not much of a stretch but the Titans will be lucky to win 8 this season. I don't think Young is as good as everyone thinks he's going to be this year and the Colts will be hungry to get another shot at us. I predicted earlier that we would beat Green Bay in the NFC Championship game 33-31 and I'm stickin to it. Great work through Neugey. You obviously put alot of effort into it! Thanks for the insight!

My prediction: Two Dat.

as for me my bold prediction is Washinton winning the NFC East, worst to first.

I predict the VikeQueens falls apart with a mid-season out lash between Favre and Childress ... They miss the playoffs completely, but it's not decided until the final week.

We don't win the SB (But we're back next year and do)

At least you have a hot avatar.

http://www.all4humor.com/images/file...ing%20Huge.jpg

seeems to me like that was a waste of time.... lol

9-6-1???

Looking at your avatar, the only number I can think about is 2...

Damn, those are really nice two's, I mean one's, oh hell I mean the BIGUN'S.

While I'm not a football expert by any means, I do have to give my input on some of these predictions.

I don't see Tennessee winning top seed in their division. Unless by some freak accident, Peyton Manning is unable to finish the season, I see the Colts taking the top of the AFC South.

I have a very strong feeling Green Bay will win NFC North. They are a very good team and they've been getting better every year. I agree with whoever said Minnesota will fall apart. Brett Favre won't finish out the season, and they'll be lucky if they finish second.

Buffalo over the NY Jets? Buffalo is in a rebuilding stage. I just don't see that happening.

Oakland is also in a rebuilding stage. I don't see them winning more than 4 or five games.

Seahawks winning the division? Doubtful. Again, another team rebuilding. I think San Francisco is going to finish out on top with Arizona close behind.

New Orleans finishing 9-6-1?? I can't. I just cant.

I took my hand at this and my thoughts are:

A toss up with the Pats and Dolphins with better coaching the Pats will win the division with the Jets just missing due to Sanchez 2nd year slump and the Bills needs more ingredients.

I aggress with the Cincy, Baltimore, Pit and the Browns assessment except Man-Genius will be gone and the Brows will need a new coach (holgrem will be coach/gm)

Don’t think Vince Young/Titians is ready to take the division from Payton Manning/Colts but they’ll step up to a wild card. Texans will miss the playoffs with either a 10-6 or 9-7 record and the Jaguars will be looking for a new coach.

The Chargers Rivers breaks out and take the division, the Raiders will improve but not to playoff appearances yet, within this division the Chiefs could slip in under wild card status and Denver lost to much and Tebow will fill the seats but not the end zone

Every year Dallas is heading to the Super Bowl and never make it and I don’t see that changing Romo will never live up to Staubauch or Aikman (maybe Walsh) so stop putting him on that pedestal, once the Redskins gel they will win the division plus like the person stated the coach and QB will show Denver and Philly made a mistake and once the offense gel you’ll see better defense production, in Philly Kolb-led offense struggles and doesn't get hot until it's too late, 7-9
and with a week defense the Giants will struggle early and we may her talks of a coaching change

Farve will not last the season and they’re lucky that his backups are handling the Farve sitituation with class, I see them and Green Bay fighting for the division; Detroit will improve but not enough to talk playoffs and are the Bears sure Cutler and Martz a good combination if works a wild card maybe anything less Lovie is gone;

I can see Seattle taking this because it is a week division, better play from Matt and the Cardinals should be a wild card, the 49ers will make noise and be ready to play but will miss the playoff due to QB play and the Ram will need more time

The Saints will click early and will be in the big dance, the Panthers are rebuilding and Matt Moore needs to look over his shoulder cause Clauson will take that job
Atlanta will struggle to a 9-7 record and the Bucs prove to be still too young