NFL Season Predictions

The NFL season starts tomorrow and we couldn't be more excited. Naturally, we think the Colts are going to defeat the Saints to kick things off (we'll say 31-16). We're taking the day off work just to make sure we're prepared to take it all in. That Super Bowl banner is sure going to look nice. Alright, enough with the bragging, here are our NFL regular season predictions.

AFC East

1.) New England Patriots (12-4)
- All those offseason acquisitions won't make them nearly the juggernaut people are predicting.

2.) New York Jets (8-8)
- Last year's cupcake schedule is gone, and this team has too many holes to pull off another double-digit campaign.

3.) Buffalo Bills (7-9)
- A team on the rise, but it's a slow rise.

4.) Miami Dolphins (6-10)
- This time, please don't take a kick returner with that top-10 pick.

AFC North

1.) Cincinnati Bengals (11-5)
- Palmer's healthy and this defense is going to force turnovers like the 2005 version, not last year's sad sack group.

2.) Baltimore Ravens (10-6)
- There's a reason only the Patriots and Colts win division titles consistently. First-place schedules aren't easy.

3.) Pittsburgh Steelers (10-6)
- Tomlin makes his presence felt in his first year.

4.) Cleveland Browns (4-12)
- Brady Quinn, welcome to the rest of your career.

AFC South

1.) Indianapolis Colts (13-3)
- We're homers and proud of it. But wait until you see this defense.

2.) Jacksonville Jaguars (9-7)
- Garrard. David Garrard. Learn it, love it.

3.) Tennessee Titans (7-9)
- Vince Young can only take a weaponless team so far.

4.) Houston Texans (6-10)
- Matt Schaub, welcome to the rest of your career.

AFC West

1.) San Diego Chargers (12-4)
- Week two showdown with Patriots is crucial for homefield.

2.) Denver Broncos (11-5)
- The best secondary in the NFL? Maybe.

3.) Kansas City Chiefs (6-10)
- It's Brodie time by week five.

4.) Oakland Raiders (5-11)
- Hey, they're more than doubling their win total, right?

AFC Playoffs

Wild Card Round
Bengals over Broncos
Patriots over Ravens

Divisional Round
Colts over Bengals
Chargers over Patriots

AFC Championship Game
Colts over Chargers


NFC East

1.) Dallas Cowboys (12-4)
- Romo goes to the Pro Bowl - again. Yeah, we hate it, too.

2.) Philadelphia Eagles (11-5)
- McNabb can start polishing that Comeback Player of the Year anytime now.

3.) Washington Redskins (7-9)
- All that money, all this failure.

4.) New York Giants (6-10)
- Eli will be great, but the defense will implode.

NFC North

1.) Chicago Bears (11-5)
- Stuck at 7-5, they go to Griese and reel off four straight to end the season.

2.) Green Bay Packers (9-7)
- Farve's reward for all that hard work? A first-round playoff exit. Could be worse.

3.) Minnesota Vikings (7-9)
- Purple Jesus wins Rookie of the Year, but the team still mostly sucks.

4.) Detroit Lions (5-11)
- Matt Millen, chopping time has finally come.

NFC South

1.) New Orleans Saints (11-5)
- They'll start the season 0-1, but then the schedule gets nice and managable.

2.) Carolina Panthers (7-9)
- Peppers wants Freeney money. He'll earn it this season, but it won't matter.

3.) Atlanta Falcons (7-9)
- Hey, seven wins should get Petrino Coach of the Year.

4.) Tampa Bay Bucs (5-11)
- Gruden's glow is finally gone. Hallelujah.

NFC West

1.) Seattle Seahawks (12-4)
- Shaun Alexander has something to prove and he's in the right division to do it.

2.) St. Louis Rams (8-8)
- Holt blows out his knee in week three and S-Jax faces eight-man fronts the rest of the way.

3.) San Francisco 49ers (7-9)
- That sleeper tag was fun while it lasted, wasn't it?

4.) Arizona Cardinals (6-10)
- Sometimes, it's just not your century.

NFC Playoffs

Wild Card Round
Bears over Broncos
Eagles over Saints

Divisional Round
Seahawks over Bears
Cowboys over Eagles

NFC Championship Game
Seahawks over Cowboys

Super Bowl XLII
Colts over Seahawks
- In the game everyone thought we'd be seeing two years ago, the Colts make up for lost time with a 42-17 drubbing that cements Manning's legacy as the greatest QB of his - or any- generation.

Your Super Bowl contenders preview: the New Orleans Saints

Last week, we gave our analysis of the Dallas Cowboys and their potential to end the NFL season in Glendale. One down, nine to go. Next up, destiny's darlings: the New Orleans Saints.

Pros:

1.) Reggie Bush - year two. By all accounts, Reggie Bush had a solid rookie year. Despite a paltry yards-per-carry average and some questionable hole selection early on, Bush turned it on down the stretch. He scored four touchdowns in one game, and his 80-yard-plus touchdown run and catch in the NFC Championship against the Bears gave the Saints momentary hope. This year, with a season under his belt and a more restrained running philosophy, Bush could contend for a Pro Bowl berth.

2.) Sean Payton, the maestro of the South. Not only did Payton outcoach luminaries like Bill Parcells last season, his leadership and willingness to take risks allowed youngsters like Marques Colston and Devery Henderson to far exceed expectations. Will see if he can do that with a first-place schedule this season.

3.) The revenge factor. Let's face it, the Saints were demolished by the Bears in the fourth quarter of last year's NFC title game. Whatever could go wrong, did go wrong. The Bears weren't that much better than New Orleans, and the Saints know it. There's nothing like a devastating loss to get you revved up for a new season.

Cons:

1.) The secondary. Fred Thomas is an awful, awful coverage cornerback. Rex Grossman, of all people, picked him apart last season. Jason David, decent in the Colts' Cover 2 scheme, cannot be counted on without over-the-top help. Last night's preseason opener didn't bode well for his future with the Saints.

2.) The schedule. The Saints open at the Colts and finish at the Bears. In between, they face the Jaguars, Eagles, Seahawks and 49ers. That's six tough games, and we haven't even touched on their two divionsal contest against what should be a much-improved Carolina squad. Getting back to 10-6 is doable, but improving upon that mark may not be.

3.) The Chicago Bears. Yes, the Saints were in the game late in the third quarter. But the Bears still possess the most talent in the conference and, because they play in a much weaker division, are in the driver's seat for homefield advantage. The road to the Super Bowl may go through Soldier Field once again.

Overall:

- The Saints have a tough schedule, defensive questions and lack the element of surprise this time around. No matter, because this team is still talented enough to make the playoffs. Thing is, they won't be able to do much once they get there. We say another 10-6 regular season, a win in the wild card round, and then another long winter.

Your Super Bowl contenders preview begins....now!

We’ve been scouring other sports blogs and sites over the past couple weeks, and it’s become painfully obvious that we’re lacking in an NFL preview feature. We don’t want to rip of anyone else’s, so we won’t be profiling each team or breaking down each division. It’s been done, and, quite frankly, there’s a good third of the NFL that’s painstaking to write about.

But what we will do is for the next month and change, every few days we’ll preview one of the 10 teams we think has a clear shot at holding the Lombardi Trophy in Glendale come February. Today: the Dallas Cowboys.

Pros:

1.) Tony Romo is overrated and overhyped, but the dearth of quality QB play in the NFC means he’s an elite player in the JV conference. Look for him to put up 25 TDs with 3,800 yards and about 14-16 interceptions. We like to think of him as Tom Brady without weapons, only with weapons. Does that make any sense?

2.) DeMarcus Ware. This rising OLB recorded double-digit sacks and forced five fumbles in just his second year in the NFL. He’s the real deal and should have an all-pro season in Wade Philips’ 3-4 scheme.

3.) Marion Barber III was a TD machine last season, and if offensive coordinator Jason Garrett can find creative ways to get him in space, he could be a sleeper Pro Bowl pick.

Cons:

1.) The Cowboys keep saying Roy Williams will be covering less and hitting more this season. That sounds like copping to a weakness to us, and that’s never a good thing. Ken Hamlin is an upgrade at free safety, but he doesn’t have the centerfield skills to allow Williams to roam completely free. We haven’t seen the last TD pass sail over Williams’ head.

2.) Wade Philips. Nothing personal, but he just doesn’t seem like a head coach. Jerry Jones wanted a company man who was going to do what he wanted. We all saw how the Barry Switzer era ended.

3.) Terrell Owens. He’s loud, brash, and his skills appear to be declining (he led the league in drops last season). It was year two before Owens imploded the Eagles, lest we forget.

Overall:

- Top to bottom, this is one of the strongest teams in the NFC, and one of the only NFC clubs who could compete in the AFC. They’ll have to contend with a rejuvenated Donovan McNabb in the NFC East, and Romo still looks easily rattled to us. We say they go 11-5 and win a playoff game, before falling in the divisional round.