NFC East – By CHRIS KWEICINSKI
1. Philadelphia Eagles: 11-5
2. Dallas Cowboys: 9-7
3. Washington Redskins: 7-9
4. New York Giants: 7-9
Welcome to the strangest, most overrated division in football. Three years ago, this team “boasted” a Philly team that deemed itself worthy of being called a “dream team,” and a Tony Romo in his prime, before his back issues. The result? The Giants won the division title as the first of three different NFC East teams to win the east crown the last three years. Now, finally the division will see some consistency. Philadelphia will run away with the division late in the year, behind an MVP-caliber season from LeSean McCoy, a Pro Bowl year from quarterback Nick Foles and a bend-but-don’t-break defense that will rarely break. Dallas will miss the postseason, again, and New York and Washington will find themselves fighting over third place and a higher draft pick.
AFC East – By CHRIS KWIECINSKI
1. Miami Dolphins: 10-6
2. New England Patriots: 10-6
3. Buffalo Bills: 9-7
4. New York Jets: 7-9
The time has finally come. Tom Brady has been dethroned as division winner after five straight seasons atop the AFC East. The five season streak would have spanned 11 years, had the Patriots not lost the division to the Dolphins in 2008. While this division lacked any kind of competition, that is no longer the case. Ryan Tannehill turns in a Pro Bowl year playing in a revamped offense, and the Miami’s defense surprises the league as they rank in the top ten by season’s end. New England ties Miami’s record, but the dolphins season sweep over the Patriots give the Fins the tiebreaker as Brady’s game sees a sharp decline, leading us to believe his career is nearing its end.
AFC North – By GARTH SHANKLIN
1. Cincinnati Bengals: 12-4
2. Pittsburgh Steelers: 11-5
3. Baltimore Ravens: 9-7
4. Cleveland Browns: 6-10
One week down and no Johnny Football? He has to be coming in this week or the Browns are going to be 0-2, although Cleveland may be 0-2 with him in anyway. But for me, this season’s winner of the AFC North will be the Cincinnati Bengals, and not for the reason you may think. Of course, Andy Dalton, who received a six-year $115 million deal this offseason, needs to step his game up in the playoffs. But the one player in the whole division who can single-handedly win a game for his team is Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green. Green hauled in a 77-yard catch to go up late in the game against the Ravens, despite the team’s offense doing very little for most of the game. The team will have to compete mainly with the Pittsburgh Steelers, but I feel Green and the Bengals will be too much for a depleted and older Steeler team.
NFC North – By AARON FREEMAN
1. Green Bay Packers: 12-4
2. Chicago Bears: 11-5
3. Detroit Lions: 8-8
4. Minnesota Vikings: 6-10
The black and blue NFC North never seems to disappoint, especially after week one when you see Detroit and Minnesota at the top of the division and favorites Green Bay and Chicago sitting at the bottom of the division. Anything is possible. The biggest shock of the week by far was the Bears loss to the Bills. The Monsters of the Midway have a tough challenge this week in the San Francisco 49ers, so the Bears may be in the basement of the division for another week. But the winner of the NFC North this season will be the Green Bay Packers. I hate to say it, but the Packers have the easiest path to get there and a quarterback in Aaron Rodgers who has been around the block a couple times. Don’t be surprised, though, if the team from the Windy City sticks around and bounces back from that embarrassing week one loss. For now, though, I’m going to go with the Packers and Rodgers to take the North, sorry dad.
NFC West – By AARON FERGUSON
1. Seattle Seahawks 13-3
2. San Francisco 49ers 11-5
3. Arizona Cardinals 8-8
4. St. Louis Rams 3-13
Seattle only improved their team and are the favorites to return to the Super Bowl.
San Francisco will have a few bumps in the road and have two tough battles with
the Seahawks. Arizona has potential to do better than my prediction, but the ball
could bounce either way. St. Louis losing Sam Bradford for the year is going to hurt
a very talented team that will underproduce because they lack a franchise-changing
quarterback.
AFC West – By AARON FERGUSON
1. Denver Broncos 13-3
2 . Kansas City Chiefs 7-9
3. San Diego Chargers 7-9
4. Oakland Raiders 5-11
Denver improved its team once again this offseason and is staffed to make yet
another Super Bowl run and avenge its embarrassing efforts last year. Kansas
City lost a great corner in Brandon Flowers and will have its issues with a tough
schedule. San Diego, like Kansas City, has a chance to possibly sneak into a wild
card spot with the additions of Dwight Freeney and Brandon Flowers to the defense.
Oakland will have a productive season under rookie quarterback Derek Carr and
new running back Maurice Jones-Drew but doesn’t quite have the firepower to win a
wild card spot.
NFC South – By GARTH SHANKLIN
1. New Orleans Saints – 12-4
2. Atlanta Falcons – 10-6
3. Carolina Panthers – 10-6
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – 4-12
Any one of the top three teams in this division could win it. The Falcons seem to be back on track after a disastrous 2013 season, and the Saints still have Drew Brees, Jimmy Graham and an extremely potent offense. The Panthers, meanwhile, have an excellent defense led by former Boston College linebacker Luke Kuechly. Josh McCown will not save Tampa Bay. The edge, in my opinion, goes to the Saints, despite their loss to the Falcons this week. The Saints have the advantage of getting their toughest opponents this season at home, while the Falcons have to hit the road to places like Cincinnati and Green Bay.
AFC South – By GARTH SHANKLIN
1. Indianapolis Colts – 12-4
2. Tennessee Titans – 10-6
3. Houston Texans – 7-9
4. Jacksonville Jaguars – 4-12
The Colts offense looks much, much better this season, even though it still can’t run the ball. Losing Robert Mathis will hurt the team defensively, but they should be able to pull out the division title as long as they keep everyone on offense healthy. Meanwhile, the Titans actually have a schedule that could allow them to go 12-4, but I don’t trust Jake Locker enough to make that prediction. Their defense looked great in their first game, but consistency will be key for them. As for Houston and Jacksonville, they’re both starting the wrong quarterback. Once he learns the offense, Mallet needs to be the starter in Houston if for no other reason than to make sure Fitzpatrick isn’t. Blake Bortles, meanwhile, needs to take the reigns for the Jaguars.
