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Pre-Preseason Playoff Predictions

Clayton

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I think you're going to see Minnesota drop precipitously in defensive ranking this year as Cousins is a gunslinger and is going to put them in worse spots via turnover. He's also crazy talented and has a shit ton of weapons so his numbers will be good , I just don't know if that's going to equate to more wins for them.
I think Washington will have a top 6 pick next year and Minnesota will be a favorite to win the Super Bowl but I am a Chiefs fan so I'll admit I'm biased.
 

rmilia1

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I think Washington will have a top 6 pick next year and Minnesota will be a favorite to win the Super Bowl but I am a Chiefs fan so I'll admit I'm biased.
Skins won 7 games last year and hot better imo but anything is possible
 

SteelersPride

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AFc
Pats
steelers
jags
chargers
broncos
bengals

NFC
Philly
Minny
ATL
NO
Rams
detroit
 

Yo Tee

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No serious bones to pick this far out, but a comment or 2 per division:



Is anyone going to pose a threat to NE in this division in my lifetime?? Easiest road to the playoffs every year. Some people are picking Darnold as their fave for OROY. If that happens, the Jets will probably win more than 3.



Looks about right, but I wonder if the Ravens will really be a 10-win team. The order of finish looks solid.



Houston looked like they were on the verge of doing something good last year until Watson went down. If he's able to come back from that injury and continue on the trajectory of last year's performance, they should be much better than 5 wins. I think Indy is the slow runner in this division with or without Luck.



Really hard division to predict I think. Raiders had so much expectation last year and were very underwhelming, and now Gruden returns. The Chargers always seem to have a stretch in the season where they play really well and make you think they're going to emerge, and people talk more and more about Rivers as a future HOFer.....but they haven't had more than 9 wins since 2009!



Eagles are the easy chalk pick, but Wentz coming back from an ACL tear can't be all that comforting. Looking forward to seeing if the Skins got it right at QB and whether the Giants can protect Eli well enough for him to do something with all those skill position players.



Bears at 4 wins pretty much means they whiffed on Trubisky...or he's just not ready yet. Vikings add Sheldon Richardson to the DL and sign Kirk Cousins, yet taking a step back is interesting.



Wow, 3 teams with 11+ wins?! They had 3 in double digits last year, but this is still 4 more wins on top of that. I think I would take the under.



Rams are the easy front runners here with their attempt at the "dream team" type run while their QB is still cheap. It didn't work for the Eagles a few years back, so this will be something to follow. Teams will load up to stop Gurley this year and force Goff to do more to win games. 6 wins for the 49ers would be a letdown with all the hype and expectation on Jimmy G with the way he/they ended '17.



Certainly hope this is not the matchup. I have huge respect for Brady and what NE has done the last couple decades, but some fresh faces are needed in the AFC. The Saints were my pick in the NFC when the playoffs started last season, then that flukey last play vs Minn fouled it all up; I could see them having another great year.

Great analysis man.

I don't see any team in the AFC East challenging the Patriots as long as Tom Brady is the QB and Belichick is the coach. I can see Darnold working out but I think McCown starts the year off and maybe Darnold gets starts towards the end of the year. The end of the Jets schedule is the toughest. 3 of their last 6 games are against the Patriots and Packers.

Only reason I have the Ravens as a 10 win team is because they have a seemingly easy schedule. I have their lock losses against the Saints, Panthers, Falcons and at least 1 against the Steelers.

I would like to have Houston winning more games but I just don't know how Watson is gonna perform and I just don't think they've improved very much in the offseason. I like the additions of Honey Badger and Justin Reid but idk if it's enough. Luck coming back improves the Colts but I don't see him getting back to his regular self.

I like the addition of Jordy Nelson, I like Oakland's draft and I really think Carr improves this year. For the Chiefs, I think Mahomes will be good, but you gotta be hesitant about "rookie" starters. Especially when he only had 1 year to learn behind Alex Smith and Smith sucked the last half of the year.

I like the Eagles. Their running game isn't impressive without Blount but Ajayi could be good, Jones is a decent backup and I like the addition of Mike Wallace. I don't see Washington being any better than last year. Yes, Alex Smith is now the QB but he had a great first half of 2017 that turned into a mediocre second half of 2017. I'm still not impressed with their running game or receiving corps.

I have the Bears at 4 wins because of 2 reasons. I don't think Trubisky is ready to be a starter and their schedule is tough on paper. Packers and Vikings are gonna be tough, New England, Rams and Seattle are my other lock losses for Chicago as well.

To me, the NFC South is the best division. For me, it was last year and seems to be that way too. I don't see a decline for the Falcons and Saints and I like the additions from Carolina. I really like all 3 teams.

I can't see the Seahawks being contenders this year. Too many losses and not enough additions. I like Jimmy G and the 49ers but I don't think its the year for the 49ers to just turn it all around. I don't think Bradford in Arizona is gonna amount to anything so the Rams are the team for me.

I hope this isn't the matchup either. I'd love to see someone other than the Patriots in there but I don't think that's reality lol.
 
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Yo Tee

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Chargers should be all but a lock. They may have been the 2nd best team in the AFC the last 3/4 of last year . With KC down a little bit I actually could see LA winning that division by as many as 4 games. Curious anyone would think the Chargers is s weird pick . Washington is more out there but I like what they did in the draft and they've got some real talent at skill positions. Alex Smith wins as has win everyone he's been since 2010. He's the perfect fit for that team and it's strengths on offense. If he can take a 2-14 Chiefs team to the playoffs year 1 I don't see any reason he can't do the same with Washington but I'll grant you it's a bigger stretch than LA.
To me, their schedule screams no playoffs. Lets say the Chargers split their divisional games. They still have to play the Rams, Steelers and Ravens. That's 6 losses right there. In my opinion, the Titans, 49ers and Seahawks might all be losses too. After their bye week last year, they were really good but look who they played during the last 5 games. Cleveland, Washington, Buffalo, the Jets, Oakland. Pretty easy matchups last year.
 

DirtDirtDirt

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Great analysis man.

I don't see any team in the AFC East challenging the Patriots as long as Tom Brady is the QB and Belichick is the coach. I can see Darnold working out but I think McCown starts the year off and maybe Darnold gets starts towards the end of the year. The end of the Jets schedule is the toughest. 3 of their last 6 games are against the Patriots and Packers.

Only reason I have the Ravens as a 10 win team is because they have a seemingly easy schedule. I have their lock losses against the Saints, Panthers, Falcons and at least 1 against the Steelers.

I would like to have Houston winning more games but I just don't know how Watson is gonna perform and I just don't think they've improved very much in the offseason. I like the additions of Honey Badger and Justin Reid but idk if it's enough. Luck coming back improves the Colts but I don't see him getting back to his regular self.

I like the addition of Jordy Nelson, I like Oakland's draft and I really think Carr improves this year. For the Chiefs, I think Mahomes will be good, but you gotta be hesitant about "rookie" starters. Especially when he only had 1 year to learn behind Alex Smith and Smith sucked the last half of the year.

I like the Eagles. Their running game isn't impressive without Blount but Ajayi could be good, Jones is a decent backup and I like the addition of Mike Wallace. I don't see Washington being any better than last year. Yes, Alex Smith is now the QB but he had a great first half of 2017 that turned into a mediocre second half of 2017. I'm still not impressed with their running game or receiving corps.

I have the Bears at 4 wins because of 2 reasons. I don't think Trubisky is ready to be a starter and their schedule is tough on paper. Packers and Vikings are gonna be tough, New England, Rams and Seattle are my other lock losses for Chicago as well.

To me, the NFC South is the best division. For me, it was last year and seems to be that way too. I don't see a decline for the Falcons and Saints and I like the additions from Carolina. I really like all 3 teams.

I can't see the Seahawks being contenders this year. Too many losses and not enough additions. I like Jimmy G and the 49ers but I don't think its the year for the 49ers to just turn it all around. I don't think Bradford in Arizona is gonna amount to anything so the Rams are the team for me.

I hope this isn't the matchup either. I'd love to see someone other than the Patriots in there but I don't think that's reality lol.



Im not reading all that
 

rmilia1

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To me, their schedule screams no playoffs. Lets say the Chargers split their divisional games. They still have to play the Rams, Steelers and Ravens. That's 6 losses right there. In my opinion, the Titans, 49ers and Seahawks might all be losses too. After their bye week last year, they were really good but look who they played during the last 5 games. Cleveland, Washington, Buffalo, the Jets, Oakland. Pretty easy matchups last year.
Every team in the division plays those teams lol
 

rmilia1

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To me, their schedule screams no playoffs. Lets say the Chargers split their divisional games. They still have to play the Rams, Steelers and Ravens. That's 6 losses right there. In my opinion, the Titans, 49ers and Seahawks might all be losses too. After their bye week last year, they were really good but look who they played during the last 5 games. Cleveland, Washington, Buffalo, the Jets, Oakland. Pretty easy matchups last year.
The only difference in schedules is chiefs play NE and Jacksonville , Chargers play Titans and Bills, Oakland plays Miami and Indy, Denver plays Houston and Jets. Otherwise all the AFCW teams play each other, NFCW and AFCN. So when you list all those teams as possible losses for LA they're all just as big as possible losses for KC, DEN and Oak.
 

Fountain City Blues

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The only difference in schedules is chiefs play NE and Jacksonville , Chargers play Titans and Bills, Oakland plays Miami and Indy, Denver plays Houston and Jets. Otherwise all the AFCW teams play each other, NFCW and AFCN. So when you list all those teams as possible losses for LA they're all just as big as possible losses for KC, DEN and Oak.
Well, that's true and not true. The real tricky part here is everyone in the division is playing the Cardinals, Browns, and Ravens. That's a shit ton of potential variance with the QB position.
 

rmilia1

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Well, that's true and not true. The real tricky part here is everyone in the division is playing the Cardinals, Browns, and Ravens. That's a shit ton of potential variance with the QB position.
True and there's road VS home considerations but my point is in the NFL schedules for teams in the same division are pretty similar largely.
 

Fountain City Blues

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True and there's road VS home considerations but my point is in the NFL schedules for teams in the same division are pretty similar largely.
Yeah, I am just pointing out how that may actually be a dangerous assumption with the AFCW this year. Heck, there's the Jets and Colts still with potential weirdness. Some will say the Bills, but we know they suck so they don't count.
 

Yo Tee

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The only difference in schedules is chiefs play NE and Jacksonville , Chargers play Titans and Bills, Oakland plays Miami and Indy, Denver plays Houston and Jets. Otherwise all the AFCW teams play each other, NFCW and AFCN. So when you list all those teams as possible losses for LA they're all just as big as possible losses for KC, DEN and Oak.

You're right. That's the only difference in the schedule but there's a lot of difference in the talent on the team and the way they play together. LA has not been able to come together and put it all together all season long for a while now. Miami/Indy and Houston/Jets are easier wins in my opinion than Titans/Bills and NE/Jacksonville. I just don't have the confidence in the Chargers that I do in the Raiders to bounce it back. In my opinion, Oakland is one of the most improved teams this year. The NFL is about momentum and I don't see anywhere on their schedule where the Chargers can get momentum like they did last year. Maybe the last 4 games? MAYBE? I can see 8 wins at most for the Chargers but the additions they made don't automatically, to me, make them the 2nd best team in the AFC.

The schedules may have the same teams in it but it all about road and home games also who you play back to back. I don't see momentum on the Chargers side. I don't see talent on the Chargers side and I don't see them putting it together this year like they've been unable to do the last few seasons.
 

DutchBird

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I like the Eagles. Their running game isn't impressive without Blount but Ajayi could be good, Jones is a decent backup and I like the addition of Mike Wallace. I don't see Washington being any better than last year. Yes, Alex Smith is now the QB but he had a great first half of 2017 that turned into a mediocre second half of 2017. I'm still not impressed with their running game or receiving corps..

Blount had a nice start and a few highlights in the play offs, but for much of the regular season he did not do much. Also, Clement might be better than we thought, and be a more than capable replacement, based on what he showed last season.

And for goal line situations we now have Mailata ;).
 

Clayton

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Well, that's true and not true. The real tricky part here is everyone in the division is playing the Cardinals, Browns, and Ravens. That's a shit ton of potential variance with the QB position.
Year 9 Sam Bradford and Year 1 Rosen might actually be the same person.

I had a good movie moment for those two meeting each other in the locker room but I cant seem to find an animated gif.

Then again, the Cardinals might be using their 3rd stringer at some point for all we know.
 

femurov

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Not in order...

NFC

Dallas
Minnesota
Atlanta
LA Rams

WC

Philly
Green Bay


AFC

New England
Picksburgh
Houston
Oakland

WC

Tennessee
Denver



NFC 'ship

Minnesota over Atlanta

AFC 'ship

New England over Tennessee

Super Bowl

New England over Minnesota
 

Fountain City Blues

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Year 9 Sam Bradford and Year 1 Rosen might actually be the same person.

I had a good movie moment for those two meeting each other in the locker room but I cant seem to find an animated gif.

Then again, the Cardinals might be using their 3rd stringer at some point for all we know.
Would not surprise me at all if that is what Rosen ends up being to be honest.
 
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