POLL Bold stuff: Pick your AFC and NFC opponents in the 2017 Superb Owl

[soxfan1468927]

Well the other teams in the NFC need to dramatically improve to prevent it. Atlanta did lose a game to a NFC team the last 84 days of last season and steamrolled everyone in the playoffs. There are a few teams that improved a good amount so we shall see

What a weird way to put that.

 

[DirtDirtDirt]

Well the other teams in the NFC need to dramatically improve to prevent it. Atlanta did lose a game to a NFC team the last 84 days of last season and steamrolled everyone in the playoffs. There are a few teams that improved a good amount so we shall see

Im sure Panthers fans felt the same going into last season............Every opponent gets tougher now, every game teams are up more for the Falcons than they are for most opponents.........You see it all the time with teams that go to the SB, the following season is that much tougher.....And on top of that, Matt Ryan became in that last game what he has been his entire career, a postseason choker........My money is on seeing that guy more than the mirage we saw during the regular season last year

 

[Manster7588]

After the Falcons lost the 1998 season SB they followed it up with a 5 -11 1999 season.

 

[DirtDirtDirt]

After the Falcons lost the 1998 season SB they followed it up with a 4-11 1999 season.

Yup, i bet there are some serious trends there........Tampa is improving, Carolina wont take the entire season off like last year, and the Saints are never easy, so their division alone will be tough for them to get out of

 

[rmilia1]

What a weird way to put that.

Top convoluted to say "last 7 weeks of regular season, 3 of NFC playoffs and 2 leading up to super bowl" lol. 84 days seemed easier

 

[Clayton]

Top convoluted to say "last 7 weeks of regular season, 3 of NFC playoffs and 2 leading up to super bowl" lol. 84 days seemed easier

The track record for Super Bowl losers and NFC South winners isn't great.

I think the Falcons should be a favorite next year but it comes down to which Matt Ryan shows up. The one last year or the one from the year before.

 

[rmilia1]

Im sure Panthers fans felt the same going into last season............Every opponent gets tougher now, every game teams are up more for the Falcons than they are for most opponents.........You see it all the time with teams that go to the SB, the following season is that much tougher.....And on top of that, Matt Ryan became in that last game what he has been his entire career, a postseason choker........My money is on seeing that guy more than the mirage we saw during the regular season last year

I'm sure they did but that was silly. Carolina had a lot of attrition, especially on defense and they had a fluky good record in close games in 2015. A regression to the mean in one score games was inevitable, add in the fact that they weren't as talented and it was easy to see a fall coming. Most teams that experience success lose talent off that team in the next off season. Atlanta did not, they actually got substantially better on defense and Atlanta was not crazy good on close games last year ( 4-4 ) so they don't really have a likely regression there. If anything it's likely they perform better in those games. I'd be shocked if they don't win 11+ this year but that's why they play the games

 

[Rock Strongo]

After the Falcons lost the 1998 season SB they followed it up with a 5 -11 1999 season.

chris chandler was a beat up 34 year old who missed 4 games

jamaal anderson played 2 games and shredded his knee...was pretty much done by then. tony martin took his 1k yards and 18 per catch to miami in free agency.
a lot of their defensive starters were on their last legs (tuggle, biscuit, robinson) while guys like archembeau had career years and were never heard form again.

that team was a perfect storm that blew past really quickly...

 

[DirtDirtDirt]

I'm sure they did but that was silly. Carolina had a lot of attrition, especially on defense and they had a fluky good record in close games in 2015. A regression to the mean in one score games was inevitable, add in the fact that they weren't as talented and it was easy to see a fall coming. Most teams that experience success lose talent off that team in the next off season. Atlanta did not, they actually got substantially better on defense and Atlanta was not crazy good on close games last year ( 4-4 ) so they don't really have a likely regression there. If anything it's likely they perform better in those games. I'd be shocked if they don't win 11+ this year but that's why they play the games

All things lined up perfectly for Atlanta last season, Im not banking on that again.....I would never buy into them in the postseason if they had to play one road game......Last season, they avoided having to go to Dallas, they caught a Seattle team on the wrong side of their run, and caught a Green Bay team with one of the worst defenses the league has ever seen......If they get Homefield again, and face teams like that again, i like their chances, Im just not expecting it at all

 

[Clayton]

I'm sure they did but that was silly. Carolina had a lot of attrition, especially on defense and they had a fluky good record in close games in 2015. A regression to the mean in one score games was inevitable, add in the fact that they weren't as talented and it was easy to see a fall coming. Most teams that experience success lose talent off that team in the next off season. Atlanta did not, they actually got substantially better on defense and Atlanta was not crazy good on close games last year ( 4-4 ) so they don't really have a likely regression there. If anything it's likely they perform better in those games. I'd be shocked if they don't win 11+ this year but that's why they play the games

I think most people would argue that Matt Ryan would have a regression to the mean.

I do think ATL is one of the favorites, though.

 

[Clayton]

All things lined up perfectly for New England last season

Fixed.

The Patriots had the easiest run to the Super Bowl you will ever see.

 

[Fountain City Blues]

Pretty much what I "hope" will happen is the last two regular season games are meaningless for the Chiefs and they can give Mahomes a brief cameo going into next year and can make a more educated determination of if he is ready for 2018. Can't say I expect that, but hey, a guy can set high hopes.

 

[DirtDirtDirt]

Fixed.

The Patriots had the easiest run to the Super Bowl you will ever see.

Im used to it, this is an every year occurrence

Shockingly, and I mean SHOCKINGLY, the AFC East just may be worse this season than any other in the Brady era, which should sicken every non NE fan

 

[Clayton]

Im used to it, this is an every year occurrence

Shockingly, and I mean SHOCKINGLY, the AFC East just may be worse this season than any other in the Brady era, which should sicken every non NE fan

Its why I picked New England. They are pretty much a lock to win their division by multiple games.

The AFC used to have great QB play and now it doesn't. I'd bet on the NFC team next year regardless of who it is unless an elite defense comes out of the AFC

 

[DirtDirtDirt]

Pretty much what I "hope" will happen is the last two regular season games are meaningless for the Chiefs and they can give Mahomes a brief cameo going into next year and can make a more educated determination of if he is ready for 2018. Can't say I expect that, but hey, a guy can set high hopes.

I hope you mean ":meaningless" in already have a spot clinched, cause that team is loaded, I would never hope for a lost season at this point

 

[Fountain City Blues]

I hope you mean ":meaningless" in already have a spot clinched, cause that team is loaded, I would never hope for a lost season at this point

Correct. There aren't very many excuses for a team that has the least turnover in the entire league going from 12-4 to out of the playoffs.

 

[DirtDirtDirt]

Its why I picked New England. They are pretty much a lock to win their division by multiple games.

The AFC used to have great QB play and now it doesn't. I'd bet on the NFC team next year regardless of who it is unless an elite defense comes out of the AFC

Agreed, unless Deshaun Watson or Pat Mahomes morph quickly into John Elway for rosters that are SB caliber, I dont see who would stop them......Not as much a believer in Oakland as everyone will be, and something just always goes wrong with the Steelers, and will again

 

[rmilia1]

All things lined up perfectly for Atlanta last season, Im not banking on that again.....I would never buy into them in the postseason if they had to play one road game......Last season, they avoided having to go to Dallas, they caught a Seattle team on the wrong side of their run, and caught a Green Bay team with one of the worst defenses the league has ever seen......If they get Homefield again, and face teams like that again, i like their chances, Im just not expecting it at all

Not sure what you mean by "everything lined up perfectly last season". It wasn't fluky. They didn't have a lot of crazy late wins. I get your playoff point but you can't control who you play and Atlanta was actually better on the road last year than they were at home anyway ( 6-2 compared to 5-3). Ultimately you'll have to forgive me if I don't think playing home playoff games makes your run less legit, Dallas had every chance to host the game but lost at home to a team Atlanta beat by 23 points

 

[rmilia1]

I think most people would argue that Matt Ryan would have a regression to the mean.

I do think ATL is one of the favorites, though.

Absolutely and he will but even in that instance Atlanta will still be very good. The Falcons offense was so much better than any other teams in the NFC even a regression by Ryan leaves them in a good spot especially if you think the defense is better ( which it is )

 

[Voltaire26]

DETROIT - two reasons

(1) We are currently tied for first place

(2) Law of averages