Pittsburgh is the AFC favorite for now.

[Cincyfan78]

I think Pitt is the favorite in the AFCN for now, they just have less questions. Even while I'm not sold on their defense (especially the 2ndary), an offense led by Ben, Brown, and eventually Bell will put up points.

I think the Bengals are being under-rated by a lot of people, but that is nothing new. However, they have some legit concerns at WR, especially with Eifert being out a few weeks. Defense is going to be stout again, even missing Burfict for the first 3 weeks, they will be fine. Missed him for 1/2 the year last year, and were 8-0 with a very solid defense without him. Depth at LB is better this year, so I don't see a big drop-off on the defensive side of the ball. All the questions lay on the offensive side. Can Hill regain his rookie form? Can LaFell or Boyd fill in for the #2 WR spot, and can Eifert return soon enough, and effective enough, to help the offense. All of those are going to be directly tied to Dalton's ability to lead the offense short-handed until the health can return, and questions answered.

 

[BigKen]

Depending on how biased a person may be, his team is 14-2 or 12-4. If he's totally brainwashed, then 19-0 isn't hard to predict.

Personally I think preseason prognostications are nothing more than fan argument fodder. Predicting that Pittsburgh will roll or New England is the Super Bowl favorite or the Cardinals will shine with their Super Bowl win does nothing but get one fan base throwing garbage at another.

The reality of the NFL season is that any team that can remain in near perfect health for the entire season has a better than average chance to get into the playoffs. It doesn't matter how much talent or depth anyone has today, if they have 4 serious injuries in game 1 and lose all four for the season.......the lights begin to dim very quickly.

If the Steelers go 12-2 and lose Big Ben for the rest of the season in game 15, how well can they do in the playoffs even with home field? If the patriots go 4-0 to start and lose Brady and Gronk in Week 8, what are the chances of making the playoffs. If Brady gets serious hurt, what are the chances a 40 year old will come back the same? Carson Palmer has a career year last year. Can he repeat it? He's never had two outstanding years in a row, can he do it 2016?

It's all a game of "ifs"......if this, then ........

 

[DirtDirtDirt]

Depending on how biased a person may be, his team is 14-2 or 12-4. If he's totally brainwashed, then 19-0 isn't hard to predict.

Personally I think preseason prognostications are nothing more than fan argument fodder. Predicting that Pittsburgh will roll or New England is the Super Bowl favorite or the Cardinals will shine with their Super Bowl win does nothing but get one fan base throwing garbage at another.

The reality of the NFL season is that any team that can remain in near perfect health for the entire season has a better than average chance to get into the playoffs. It doesn't matter how much talent or depth anyone has today, if they have 4 serious injuries in game 1 and lose all four for the season.......the lights begin to dim very quickly.

If the Steelers go 12-2 and lose Big Ben for the rest of the season in game 15, how well can they do in the playoffs even with home field? If the patriots go 4-0 to start and lose Brady and Gronk in Week 8, what are the chances of making the playoffs. If Brady gets serious hurt, what are the chances a 40 year old will come back the same? Carson Palmer has a career year last year. Can he repeat it? He's never had two outstanding years in a row, can he do it 2016?

It's all a game of "ifs"......if this, then ........

Geez, what a BuzzKill

 

[Used 2 B Hu]

A smaller genoa.

I think Brees must be about 14 years old...

 

[Superbelt]

pittsburgh the favorites in the AFC now? Well that makes me sick.

Despite years of Cleveland fandom developing in you such an exemplary gag reflex, too.

 

[Hank Kingsley]

I think Brees must be about 14 years old...

I try not to speculate but sometimes.....

 

[Used 2 B Hu]

I try not to speculate but sometimes.....

So, you got some sailing experience?

 

[Hank Kingsley]

So, you got some sailing experience?

Yup.

470s. Nice little racing dinghy.

Aside from the main, jib and genoa we also had a spinnaker.

Great trapeze, the belts on the floor for the skipper to hike out with, suction bailers, lots of fun.

I love driving fast but running in front of a big wind with the spinnaker out and the centre board almost invisible blew fast driving in a car "out of the water".

Silently....

Like this....

 

[DirtDirtDirt]

So, you got some sailing experience?

 

[Used 2 B Hu]

I love driving fast but running in front of a big wind with the spinnaker out and the centre board almost invisible blew fast driving in a car "out of the water".

Hoh yeah...

I prefer single-person craft (Sunfish, Lasers) but I've been on some Cats and some J35s. I don't mind being part of a crew, but I hate it when I'm the one that fucks up and everybody else knows it was me.

 

[Scooby-Doo]

Actually I was thinking the Seahawks. But that's a great prediction by you!

I would say that falls under the bold category.

 

[Hank Kingsley]

Hoh yeah...

I prefer single-person craft (Sunfish, Lasers) but I've been on some Cats and some J35s. I don't mind being part of a crew, but I hate it when I'm the one that fucks up and everybody else knows it was me.

The higher the winds the better. The countless times we turtled and were quickly on our way in no time impressed a lot of commercial fishermen.

Never been on a cat once. We liked to head up wind and zoom back and cats don't head into the wind very well, and we had some stiff breezes... I learned on a Laser. Fun boat.

 

[Bridgeburner]

I think Pittsburgh is getting a little too much love. They have a lot of question marks, if you ask me. I think the AFC is a crapshoot with NE being the favorite.

I think your team wears purple. Just sayin.

 

[Bridgeburner]

It's funny how so many analysts outside of the Burgh are buyin in, while all the analysts inside the Burgh are tempering expectations.

is it just me or does it seem like they fall short whenever there are expectations? Usually the only time you can count on them to make serious noise is when there's no way in hell they should.

 

[Money]

I think your team wears purple. Just sayin.

Hey...I think your team wears black and yellow.

 

[PDay8810]

Hey...I think your team wears black and yellow.

do they refer to yellow as gold?

 

[Used 2 B Hu]

The higher the winds the better. The countless times we turtled and were quickly on our way in no time impressed a lot of commercial fishermen.

Never been on a cat once. We liked to head up wind and zoom back and cats don't head into the wind very well, and we had some stiff breezes... I learned on a Laser. Fun boat.

I learned on a Cat, never really noticed any problems heading upwind - but I wasn't the captain. Most of my crew work was in the Windward Isles of the Eastern Caribbean. Not racing, just setting up, cruising between islands. Very relaxing.

Later on I learned to sail solo on Lake George.

 

[Money]

do they refer to yellow as gold?

Yep

 

[eaglesnut]

The higher the winds the better. The countless times we turtled and were quickly on our way in no time impressed a lot of commercial fishermen.

Never been on a cat once. We liked to head up wind and zoom back and cats don't head into the wind very well, and we had some stiff breezes... I learned on a Laser. Fun boat.

Hoh yeah...

I prefer single-person craft (Sunfish, Lasers) but I've been on some Cats and some J35s. I don't mind being part of a crew, but I hate it when I'm the one that fucks up and everybody else knows it was me.

Sunfish is what I've taken out most recently. Didn't get out this year (...yet, hopefully). Learned on Flying Scots and then taught children how to do it for several years on the Chesapeake Bay.

I like anything I can sail by myself.

The higher the winds the better, but a lot of these commercial places don't let you take the boats out if the winds are too good. Kills me.

 

[Used 2 B Hu]

Sunfish is what I've taken out most recently. Didn't get out this year (...yet, hopefully). Learned on Flying Scots and then taught children how to do it for several years on the Chesapeake Bay.

I like anything I can sail by myself.

The higher the winds the better, but a lot of these commercial places don't let you take the boats out if the winds are too good. Kills me.

I've gone out on a J in the Chesapeake a few years back. It was right around Labor Day weekend, actually. Never have forgotten it, because there was this huge jellyfish migration happening, so we couldn't even get in the water.