2017 NFL Season Discussion

[ChrisBabcock]

Dallas finishing last (even with 8 - or even...NINE wins)?...not laughing off such a possibility.

I very nearly went with the entire division being 9-7 in the prediction I posted earlier today. But the Eagles are clearly a notch beneath the other 3. Still waiting to see what that Schwartz-led defense can do and if Wentz can avoid a sophomore slump... which looked like it started to happen toward the end of last season.

[74_75_78_79_]

Happy Labor Day, everyone!!

Okay, here goes nothing...(with a few sudden last-second-changes, and thoughts, to boot)...

AFC
East: Patriots(1), Dolphins, Jets, Bills
North: Steelers(2), Ravens, Bengals, Browns
South: Titans(3), Texans(5), Jaguars, Colts
West: Chargers(4), Broncos(6), Chiefs, Raiders

1st Rd: Titans over Broncos, Chargers over Texans
Divisional: Patriots over Chargers, Steelers over Titans
CC: Patriots over Steelers

NFC
East: Eagles(3), Redskins, Giants, Cowboys
North: Packers(1), Vikings, Bears, Lions
South: Buccaneers(2), Panthers(5), Falcons(6), Saints
West: Seahawks(4), Cardinals, Rams, Forty Niners

1st Rd: Falcons over Eagles, Panthers over Seahawks
Divisional: Falcons over Packers, Buccaneers over Panthers
CC: Buccaneers over Falcons

Super Bowl LII: Patriots over both Buccaneers and the spread! SB MVP - Tom Brady

* Anthony Lynn - Coach of the Year
* DeShaun Watson - Rookie of the Year
* Christian McCaffrey rushes for at least 1,200 yards
* Mitch Trubisky ends up becoming starter rallying Bears from a last-place finish, winning at least 5 of last 8 games thus saving Fox's job for another year
* Jets - who are 'supposed' to be league's worst in '17 - will avert 4th as well if only due to Todd Bowles
* Osweiler will be Broncos starting QB sooner than later into the season thus being at helm entering playoffs as well as beating Brady (again) on Sun night, Nov 12!
* Chris Hogan & TJ Watt both make Pro Bowl; JJ - of course- as well (of course)!
* Big Ben has his statistical best season yet
* Dolphins & KC finish above-500 while Cincy has themselves another losing season
* The margin from 1st to 4th will be the thinnest in the AFC West (NFC East right there as well)!

Falcons in 2017? Yes, a 'hangover' but not to where it prevents them from returning to the playoffs. Simply preventing them from their potential which would be a 1st Rd bye or even league's best-record. They'll be like the '69 Colts who had every reason to completely fall apart after SBIII but still managed a 'good' season. Only difference, of course, was there weren't two extra playoff spots available. Once the playoffs begin, Falcons will get that championship-caliber groove back but come up just short at end of that third-straight road playoff game.

[ChrisBabcock]

West: Chargers(4), Broncos(6), Chiefs, Raiders

We'll see about this order of finish. The only way I see the Chargers climbing above 3rd is if Gordon and Bosa both improve on their impressive seasons last year, and, like you said, a great job of coaching by Lynn. <---which none of the above is out of the question!

[74_75_78_79_]

West: Chargers(4), Broncos(6), Chiefs, Raiders

We'll see about this order of finish. The only way I see the Chargers climbing above 3rd is if Gordon and Bosa both improve on their impressive seasons last year, and, like you said, a great job of coaching by Lynn. <---which none of the above is out of the question!

Come December, all four of those teams will still be in the running! (As I already said) Likely enough the same applies with NFC East. But if you must pick a 1, a 2, a 3, and a 4th, you simply have to go on what YOU think is the most-likely-scenario. When a team has underachieved the last few years, you can't help but to predict a sudden (law of averages) 'burst'; and I lean toward that happening in SD; I mean LA.

And that's just it...new location, different results (new coach) if only for this year. Contrary to popular belief, Chargers don't have as few fans already living in LA as you think. And in addition to enough SD fans still willing to commute each Sunday to see, many new fans could make Bolts at home more than many - myself included - may have originally thought. And with an underrated-QB-for-life/modern-day-Ken Anderson in Phillip Rivers who's due to at least win a division again...yeah, Bolts wreak of "new location, different results (new coach)" in '17. My prediction of Fisher's fortunes changing with Rams' move to LA last year went unrealized, so the chances of Chargers also falling flat in Year One seem less-likely to me.

I see Von & Co, along with a revived CJ Anderson, carrying Denver with Oss (like he and Peyton did two years back) playing just good enough at QB to complement - no, not to SB - but at least bring Broncos back to playoffs which most seem to not see as likely as 'darlings', KC & Oak (who very well could still be division's top-two come end of season after all). As damn good as Andy Reid has been thus far in KC (perhaps a SB-berth, or two, had Chiefs been in NFC all this time instead), a letdown if however slight could be due; especially in this - what I think will be the - tightest division in the league. But he and Alex could very well have a trick or two up sleeves to prove me totally wrong (and Smith does have added motivation with Mahomes being drafted 1st Rd). I'm still picking SD/Den as top-2 though.

And will see a letdown in Oak-town (and Big D) which doesn't seem to be too unpopular a prediction. Perhaps Raiders end their time in Oakland by averting such a 2017 "sophomore slump" in-style by giving that other side of the Bay something real special in '18 and perhaps '19 as well! Not a fan but - like Mike and the Mechanics - I really am in need of a Miracle in that they somehow end up staying where they're at! Vegas is for betting on the major pro teams! Not for hosting one (and that goes for NHL too! Bring a team back to Quebec City instead!)

[slats7]

Dallas and NY finishing behind the Skins? Er, no.

[Rupert Patrick]

Vegas is for betting on the major pro teams! Not for hosting one (and that goes for NHL too! Bring a team back to Quebec City instead!)

What's the over/under on a Raiders player getting busted by the league for betting on NFL games once the team moves to Vegas? The League is pretty much going to have to assign an individual detective to follow each Raiders player to ensure there are no potential issues between the player and his extended family/posse/hangers on and the rather unsavory elements in Vegas that might cause an integrity issue.

[Rupert Patrick]

Dallas and NY finishing behind the Skins? Er, no.

Oakland and KC finishing behind the Chargers? Er, no either.

[L.C. Greenwood]

The Pats lost three pass rushers (Ninkovich, Ealy, and rookie Derek Rivers), they lost a key third-down receiver (Edelman), and Dwayne Allen is a downgrade from Martellus Bennett. This really isn't a better team than last year's, and they only won because they faced several weak QB's last year in the regular season (and Oz in the playoffs), and because Atlanta messed up. I don't think they get back this year. It will be the Steelers or Raiders against Atlanta.

The Pats have greatly benefited over the years from playing in a weak division, but I still see them losing 3-4 games this season. The running game is another question mark, and as usual, it's up to Tom Brady to carry the day. If Brady gets hurt, or inevitably declines, New England is in trouble.

[7DnBrnc53]

* Osweiler will be Broncos starting QB sooner than later into the season thus being at helm entering playoffs as well as beating Brady (again) on Sun night, Nov 12!

That's possible. Denver HC Vance Joseph said that it's Siemian's team, but I'm not completely sold on him. He really never earned this job. Last year, he was handed the job by default because Lynch wasn't ready, and because Sanchez was terrible. And, this year, he was handed the job again because Lynch still isn't ready (he may never be ready), and because the other two QB's on the roster were rookies (one is on PUP, the other is on the Viking practice squad).

If Brady gets hurt, or inevitably declines, New England is in trouble.

I think that Garoppolo could lead them to the playoffs, but who knows what would happen once he gets there because he has never played in a playoff game.

[7DnBrnc53]

NE didn't look that great, especially on defense. And, with a trip to The Big Easy staring them in the face, this is a team that could be looking at 0-2.