The season starts tomorrow. Huzzah! The Eagles have not substantially upgraded their squad. Uh-oh. So, getting this in juuuuuust before the deadline, let’s talk about some numbers.
Starting with the best division in the game:
NFC East
Brokebacks - 13-3
Birds - 10-6*
Blue Shirts 9-7
R*s - 8-8
As i look at that list, it looks a lot like last year’s actual standings, only with the teams interpolated. Here’s the thing about the ‘backs: one day, they’re gonna win a playoff game, and when they do, they might run straight through to the Bowl. Of course, they can always fall off just like they have every year this decade. That can only keep workin’ so long, though. But then again, Peter King picked em to go to the Bowl, so that’s pretty much a wrap for them.
The NFC North is some cut. Somebody’s gotta win. I can’t even guess on their numbers. Some people are calling for the Vikings and the Packers to have spectacular seasons, but I don’t see it. If you told me that 8-8 would win the division, I wouldn’t even blink.
NFC South -
New Orleans - 11-5
Carolina - 10-6*
Tampa 9-7
Atlanta 4-12
Maybe I go with New Orleans for sympathetic/nostalgic reasons, or maybe it’s because Carolina seems like they might implode. As much as some people talk about Terrell Owens, he ain’t HALF as crazy as Steve Smith
NFC West
Seattle - 11-5
the rest of em…who cares?
Another cut division, with the exception of Seattle. Although at some point, one of the other teams out there is gonna raise up and make a race of it. Not this year, though.
AFC East
New England - 14-2
Bills - 9-7
Jets - 9-7
Dolphins - 5-11
Pats probably don’t flirt with going 19-0 this year, but they’re still gonna be really good.
AFC North
Stillers - 11-5
Browns - 10-6*
Bengals - 10-6
Ravens - 7-9
I don’t see any team really running away with the division, but with three Black coaches, it would be hard for me to be disappointed with the outcome.
AFC South
Jacksonville - 11-5
Indianapolis - 10-6*
Tennessee - 9-7
Houston - 8-8
I think the AFC South is gonna be solid from top to bottom. All of their conference games will be decided by one or two plays. Like, the fact that I have Jacksonville pulling it out over Indy…that’s the difference of a couple 3rd and 2 conversions.
AFC West
Not as bad as its NFC counterpart, but it’s still pretty much a one-horse race. Broncos might get hot for a stretch, but it’s all about the Chargers. I’m not even sure they’ll be tested within the division, record-wise. They might be the only squad to pull down double-digit wins.
Wild Card
Eagles > NFC N winner
Panthers > Seahawks
Stillers > Browns
Jax > Bengals
Division
Backs > Panthers
Birds > Saints
Bolts > Stillers
Pats > Jax
Conference Championship
Birds > Girls
Pats > Bolts
Bowl
Birds > Pats
…and then I wake up.
Division
Backs > Panthers
Saints > Birds
Bolts > Stillers
Pats > Wires
Conference
Saints > Backs
Pats > Bolts
Super Bowl
Pats > Saints
Am I really callin it for the Saints? I’m declarin my own picks to be ineligible, except that the Eagles will make it to the divisional round, at least.
Entries (RSS)
I think this is the year the Bolts breakthrough, barring injury. I felt that at full strength, they would have beaten the Cheater in last year’s AFCC game, because the superchargers are more physically imposing than the pats, and the weakest link in the team, the WR, is no longer a weak link. I worry about Merriman, though.
In the NFC, Adrian Peterson is likely to be the best offensive player, up there with LT. If the Vikings can get some good throw and catch offense going, they might be the team to beat. I really don’t have a dog in the NFC fight.
On a side note: I visited the sports medicine section today to hear the results of my MRI on my right knee. Diagnosis, Degenerative Tear of the Medial Meniscus. Too many miles on these wheels. I have a referral to Physical Therapy, and to an Ortho MD. They say if you are 28, you get one kind of treatment, when you are 48, you get another. I can understand why Merriman is risking it; I want to keep on running, though the doc told me to stop.
i definitely understand where merriman is coming from - i tore an acl in my senior year, when i was undefeated in the league. mine was only a partial tear, and i swore i could get back out there. my coach wasn’t hearin it, though.
I just don’t think the Saints have got the formula. I’ve been hating on the Reggie Bush pick from Day 1 – the kid just can’t handle the ruck between the tackles. And Deuce is pretty much running on gas. Not to mention their defense is pretty awful.
As for the Merriman injury, man, I really feel for the Chargers. Some teams just have the worst luck, like the Oilers and Bills of the early 90s and the Vikings in any decade.
Crap. King’s sunk us again.