2015 NFL Season Preview

It's that time of year! No ladies, not pumpkin spice latte season... football season!  We've waited long enough. We've heard the word Deflategate at least 2,758 times since the Super Bowl.

What do cheese and the Seahawks have in common? Neither likes to run when you want them to. Stupid Pete Carroll. We're ready to move on, right Seahawks fans?

In this blog I will provide you with the most credible, knowledgeable, and insightful information regarding the upcoming NFL season. Ok, it's really just my biased opinions about each team but if you've read my blogs before, you know what to expect. Here we go!

Let's take a look back on my pre-season predictions. What went right, what went wrong.

AFC WEST

Denver Broncos    11-5
 
Oh, Peyton is old? Is the sun hot? Come on, people. As long as he can sling the pigskin he's gonna win 11 + games and his team is going be a contender in the playoffs. The new running scheme brought by Gary Kubiak will prove to help Peyton and turn CJ Anderson into a workhorse running back. It's time for the defense to step up and prove they can help the team in the playoffs.

Looks like Denver might get my projected win total in the next couple of weeks Yikes! They're playing lights out defense. Looks like that unit stepped up to the challenge in a difficult year for Manning.


Kansas City Chiefs     10-6

The Chiefs made a big time addition by bringing in stud WR Jeremy Maclin. He is the downfield target they have been looking for the last couple of seasons. I predict Andy Reid to have a mustache the whole year and the Chiefs to sneak into a wild card position for the playoffs. Oh and a wide receiver WILL catch a touchdown pass this year. (A WR did not catch a TD last year for the Chiefs)

The Chiefs season went down the drain with Jamall Charles knee. They simply don't have enough fire power to get it done. Yes, I know they scored 45 points last week, that was a fluke. Trust me. Reality is around the corner and it's ugly.

San Diego Chargers     8-8

The Chargers drafted Melvin Gordon to be their stud running back of the future with the 14th overall selection in this years draft. Gordon has looked hesitant in the backfield during the preseason, being indecisive and looking confused at times. I'm a big believer in him. He has the size, speed,, and skill set to be a great player in this league but it might take some time. The Chargers miss the playoffs by a couple games as their defense struggles without a way to generate a pass rush.

Is Phillip Rivers going to set the passing yardage record on a trash team? He might. They continue to sing the ball down late in games and haven't established any kind of run game. They're looking at a top 10 pick in the draft.

Oakland Raiders   7-9

Here they come. That's right, the sky is falling. The Raiders are on there way to being relevant again. The reason? Multiple. They have a good-looking young QB/WR combo in Derek Carr and Amari Cooper. If you haven't watched Amari Cooper run a route, go to YouTube right now. You won't be disappointed. That duo on offense along with already one of the best linebackers in the league in Khalil Mack, leaves the Raiders with a future worth looking forward to.

THE RAIDERSSSS... are 4-3 and looking like a wild card contender. I thought they might have a good year, but they have surpassed expectations with Latavius Murray running well and the resurgence of Michael Crabtree. Sticking with my record projection though, don't think they make playoffs.

AFC EAST

New England Patriots   12-4

I promise you they will win at least one game. Ok, that's cheating I know. Like how I snuck the word cheating in with the Patriots? Funny how that works out. Glad that joke didn't fall flat, like the... well you know. Anyway, as long as Bill Belicheat and Tom Shady are at the helm, the Patriots are playoff contenders.

The consistency in New England continues, as the Patriots look to tear apart the NFL week by week. Doesn't hurt that they have the league's easiest schedule, but the Patriots mean business. A showdown with the Broncos in Denver in late November could decide the No. 1 seed in the AFC as both teams are undefeated to this point.

Miami Dolphins    11-5

Any A&M fans out there? Well I owe your boy Ryan Tannehill an apology. Three years ago, Todd McShay, an ESPN football analyst, said that Tannehill would be a top 10 quarterback in this league one day. I laughed. I called my friends and said you'll never believe what I just heard. Insert crow into mouth. He looks good, has weapons around him, and an underrated defense. Serious playoff contenders down in south beach.

The Dolphins looked lost under their previous head coach. But under Dan Campbell they look like an inspired team. They won't make the playoffs, but they will have several interesting games because of their talent level.

New York Jets   6-10

When Ryan Fitzpatrick is your starting quarterback, you're already thinking about next year. The Jets defense will be strong with additions of Leonard Williams and Darelle Revis, but a paltry running game and shotty quarterback play will be the death of this team. Maybe next year. If they get a QB. If not, never mind.

The Jets aren't great, but they're not too bad either. They need Fitzpatrick to be healthy (can't believe I'm saying that) to be a contender.

Buffalo Bills    5-11

A lot of experts are picking the Bills to be sleepers this season and make the playoffs. I'm no Mark Schlereth (I'm better), but last time I checked you need a respectable quarterback to be successful in this league. Tyrod Taylor you say? No, I say. He's not the answer Rex. Never was, never will be. Look for the Bills to be a top 10 pick in next year's draft and address their QB situation.

The Bills have had their entire offense depleted throughout the season. The defense is underperforming after being tops in the league a year ago. Maybe 2016 will be better.

AFC NORTH

Cincinnati Bengals    10-6

Well, I had the Steelers winning the division until I saw them play Thursday night. So this is a revised pick. The Bengals defense is big time underrated this year and will carry them through the season. A healthy A.J. Green and Jeremy Hill provide enough spark on offense to make the Bengals contenders. This division will beat each other up all year, but I believe the Bengals come out on top.

Look at the Bengals making me look smart. Kinda They're going to win the division like I predicted, but they're 8-0! Wow, hard to say anyone saw that coming. Their offense has the best balance in my opinion between the backs, receivers, and tight end Eiffert who leads the league with 9 touchdown receptions.

Baltimore Ravens    9-7

Just because the Ravens are always slight above mediocre, right? They're never considered a top team, but they always have a winning record and a legitimate chance at the playoffs. I don't trust Justin Forsett to stay healthy this year, and an aging Steve Smith is a situation to monitor. Ice up, Steve.

Get well soon, Steve. After Smith tore his Achilles last week, you could feel any hope the Ravens had go down the drain. The team is simply not very good, and will not being playing with the same intensity level after Smith leaves.

Pittsburgh Steelers   8-8

Hold on, Steel City, it's gonna be a rough year. The return of LeVeon Bell in week 3 will help the offense, along with Martavis Bryant returning week 4. In spite of all the talent on offense, the defense can't stop a pop warner team right now. No pass rush, confusion on the defensive play calling, and leaving the best tight end of the decade wide open all game on Thursday proved that they have a long way to go. Oh and Big Ben a top 3 fantasy QB? No, not happening. Ever.

Bell out with suspension, comes back. Big Ben down with knee injury, comes back. Bell out for season with knee injury. It's just not the Steelers year.

Cleveland Browns   1-15

With the first pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, the Cleveland Browns select...
Yes, that's going to happen. The Browns are terrible. Worse than terrible but it's midnight and I have no other words at this point. Riddle:  What do you get when you don't have a QB, along with no running game, and a crappy defense?  A 1-15 record.

Cleveland already has 2 wins in 9 games so they beat my projection. But they're still terrible.

AFC SOUTH

Indianapolis Colts    12-4

The Colts have gone 11-5 the past three seasons but this year they hit the 12 win mark. With the additions of Frank Gore, Andre Johnson, and Trent Cole, they are primed to once again dominate a weak division and make the playoffs. Home field advantage will be a huge factor in determining how far they will go. Andrew Luck will be MVP of the league. Not a homer pick, ok? He's that good with a great team around him. And I took him #1 in my fantasy league, so he better go bananas!

Oh how the mighty have fallen. After loading up in free agency in the offseason, the Colts find themselves at 3-5 and on the brink of losing their season with Denver coming to town Sunday. Luck has been terrible and the firing of offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton should improve that. They need to find their rhythm before they completely derail.

Houston Texans    7-9

The only reason I am giving them 7 wins is because of that monster by the name of J.J. Watt. He is the best defensive player I have ever seen with my own eyes. Arian Foster is set to miss the first month of the season with a groin injury which will only hinder the offense led by.. Brian Hoyer. Ehhh.. The sooner they find a franchise QB the better of they'll be. Should be easy, right?

The Texans defense has been atrocious. Foster is out for the year. They cut their starting QB because he couldn't show up to places on time. Tough, tough year in H-town.

Jacksonville Jaguars   5-11

Ok, the jury is still out on Blake Bortles but.. my arbitrary ruling is in and the verdict is.. NOT a franchise QB. Look, just because a guy is 6'5 with a good arm doesn't mean he's the next Ben Rapelisberger. His arm wore down over last season and it's not like he has a ton of weapons to throw to anyway. The defense will again be in the bottom half of the league and they'll get another top ten pick.

Blake Bortles has improved from the end of last year, but we will see if he can maintain his production throughout the season. Yeldon has been a big help to the offense but they're still not close to playoff bound.

Tennessee Titans   5-11

I was not a believer in Marcus Mariota coming out of Oregon. But man, this guy has pose. And he's athletic. And he's accurate. And he has a crappy team around him so don't get too excited! Really though, the more I watch him the more I like him. But a QB can only do so much, and until the Titans put some pieces around him, he will struggle early on in his career. Sneaky fantasy play too because of his rushing ability and garbage time yards. Remember him when you're desperate. He's kind of like that one girl..never mind.

When you fire your coach halfway through the season, things aren't going well. Mariota has been hurt a couple weeks but still, this team is just not very good. Another high draft pick in the making.

NFC WEST

Seattle Seahawks   12-4

I actually think they take a slight step back this year, but gave them 12 wins because they just don't lose at home. The addition of Jimmy Graham will help the passing game, along with Tyler Lockett blowing the tops off of defenses with his speed. Marshawn Lynch will do his thing cause he's "just about that action, boss". Russell Wilson got paid like the top QB in the game in the offseason, and he'll need to deliver on that contract.

The Seahawks not only won't win their division, they may not make the playoffs. The team looks lost and not themselves week in and week out. Lynch being hurt and the holdout of Chancelor surely didn't help the situation.

Arizona Cardinals   11-5

Loved the Cardinals last year to go deep in the playoffs, then Palmer's knee told me not so fast. This year, I love them again, but they're offensive line is telling me not so fast. The Cardinals are better off having trash cans run block for them right now. It's that bad. They say the games are won in the trenches. Or is it on defense? No wait, the QB..  Whatever, their line sucks and Ellington will get hurt somehow, some way. But they still finish with a good record because of a stingy defense and Palmer. If he has two legs all year.

The Cardinals will win the NFC West. They have a great balance on offense, and Carson Palmer is playing lights out with his weapons. The defense is scary good as well, with some of the best corners in the league. Look for a strong playoff push.

St. Louis Rams   8-8

Riddle #2: What do you get when you have 5 first round picks on defense? A good one!  But when your QB is sketchy and your top pick in the draft is a RB coming off a knee injury and your top WR is injury prone and drops passes and.. you get the picture.

Surprisingly the Rams aren't that bad on offense. Looks like the RB coming off the ACL injury just might lead the league in rushing. Gurley is dominating the NFL and looks poised to top 1,000 yards in 12 games. The Rams hopes ride and die with Gurley.

San Francisco 49ers  4-12

Yeah, that's right! 4 wins. Oh how the mighty have fallen. If you listen quietly you can hear the Bay Area fans screaming "Come back, Jim!"  After multiple seasons of being a lock for the playoffs, the 49ers tanked last year on purpose, yes on purpose because they didn't like their head coach. This year, they'll just be bad. Kaepernick can't find his rhythm to be a top QB in the league despite Ron Jaworski saying he thought Kaepernick would be one of the best of all time..yeah, that happened too. Look , when Michael Crabtree is calling you out Kaep, it's gotten bad. Really bad.

Yep, called it.

NFC EAST

Philadelphia Eagles   12-4

This is a risky pick only because it is contingent on Sam Bradford staying healthy all year. (Stop laughing) The Eagles have a top 5 offense and a playmaking defense. They run tempo and can tire out opponents with ease. The problem? Their starting QB and top two RB's are injury prone. They also released or traded every playmaker they've had over the last five years (goodbye D-Jax, Maclin, and McCoy). Health will be key for this team, but if they make it through the year, watch out.

Do they play offense in Philly? Geez, it's ugly. Mathews continues to drop passes and Demarco is a shadow of himself from last year in Dallas. It's not a good year in Philly, but luckily the division is terrible and they statistically still have a chance.

Dallas Cowboys   10-6

Ok, it crossed my mind to pull the ultimate troll move and have the Cowboys finishing last with a 4-12 record. Part of me still wants to because I hate them and want them to suck. But that's not reality and this isn't fantasy land. The Cowgirls will be good again this year, just not as good as last year. The loss of Murray is big. Yes, Dallas has the best offensive line in the league and I could probably run for 500 yards behind them. Ok fine, 400. But they did nothing to replace Murray. And don't give me McFadden you diehards, cause I'll give you an injury list longer than Shaq's grocery bill. Oh, Joseph Randle you say? Who the hell is he, I say. Yes, I know who he is but he's not the answer. Romo's back issues may finally catch up with him but if he can stay healthy, feed Dez enough to keep him quiet, they might be ok on offense. The defense desperately needs Sean Lee to stay healthy, as he can be a big time playmaker for them. They'll make the playoffs, somehow. Unfortunately.

Here I am trying to give the Cowgirls credit for a decent season and they go and injure the whole team. Romo, Bryant, now Randle gets released. Maybe the fan base will see that Tony wasn't so bad after all..

New York Giants  7-9

Did you see the Steeler's defense on Thursday? Ok, now picture that kind of play in a Giants uniform. Their defense will struggle mightily all season. The hand injury to JPP only hurts them even more. Eli recently signed a huge contract extension, and he will need to earn every penny to keep this team in games throughout the season. No playoffs for the G-men this year, but at least OBJ will be fun to watch. Right Cowboys fans?

The Giants are just the Giants. Inconsistent as can be, every single week. Their defense plays lights out one week and then gives up 500 yards passing and 7 touchdowns the next. Maybe the return of JPP can help, but I wouldn't count (on your fingers) on it.

Washington Redskins  3-13

I haven't seen this much drama on television since my grandma made me watch Days of our Lives with her. Seriously, it's a shit-show. RG3, while I've never been a big fan of his, got screwed over when Jay Gruden tried to turn him into a pocket passer. They didn't turn Secretariat into a show-pony, did they? RG3 needs to be in a system where he can make plays with his feet, run zone-read handoffs and bomb some pigskins. Shame on the coaching staff for trying to change his natural abilities. With that said, Griffin didn't help the situation by being a crappy leader and getting hurt all the time. It's going to be a long year in Washington D.C. Oh wait, that's every year since 2009..

Well, so much for my RG3 is gonna suck this year scenario..he never got a chance to!

NFC NORTH

Green Bay Packers   11-5

Rodgers is still the quarterback? Ok then, book 'em for 10 + wins. Cheesehead nation suffered a huge loss with Jordy Nelson going down to an ACL injury in the preseason. However, Lacy and Rodgers will pick up the slack and the playoffs should come fairly easy as the defense finally steps up and provides some relief for the offense.

The Packers will still win the division, but they're not going very far. They've been hurt by injuries all year and aren't the same team we all thought they would be.

Minnesota Vikings   10-6

The purple people eaters  are going to feast this year! Ok, they barely make the playoffs in the wild card but still, that's good for them as they have struggled since the Favre era ended in Minnesota. Sounds weird, doesn't it? Adrian AD Peterson is coming back and looking to rip through defenses. Teddy Bridgewater has proven to be better than most expected and has weapons on the outside in Charles Johnson and Mike Wallace to make a splash in the division this year.

The Vikings sit at a surprising 5-2. I'll stick with my 10 win prediction here. The rise of rooke Diggs at receiver has helped the offense as Charles Johnson and Patterson have each flopped the last two years. And AP is still AP.

Detroit Lions  9-7

The loss of a boy named Suh will hurt the Lions defense significantly. Haloti Ngata was a good pickup, but there's a reason the Dolphins gave Suh $100 million. If Calvin Johnson manages to stay healthy, Stafford will have a great duo of WR's to throw to including Golden Tate. Ameer Abdullah is one of the more interesting rookies to keep an eye on this year. He could top 1500 all purpose yards. Or he could be the next Jahvid Best. That name makes you cringe, doesn't it Lions fans?

Did I say 9-7? Ooops. The Lions defense has been non-existent, as evidenced by allowing the lowly Chiefs to score 45 points. May have the top pick in the draft come April.

Chicago Bears  5-11

It's going to get ugly in the Windy City. The defense is going to be one of the worst in the league. When you couple that with a struggling Cutler, an aging Matt Forte, the loss of Brandon Marshall, and an already hurt Alshon Jeffrey.. things look awfully bleak for Da Bears. Good news: garbage time fantasy points still count!

Pretty spot on with this one so far. The defense is terrible and now Forte is hurt. Oh boy.

NFC SOUTH

Atlanta Falcons  11-5

Rise up! As they say in the A-T-L. The Falcons will regain playoff form behind a strong season from Julio Jones. I have Julio finishing as the top WR in fantasy. Matt Ryan is who he is.. Matt Ryan. No, that's not meant to confuse you, just meaning that he'll throw 4500 yards, 30+ Td's, short arm a couple throws to lose big games and probably lose in the first round of the playoffs. Watch for rookie RB Tevin Coleman to make a name for himself in the backfield. Kyle Shanahan is looking to turn him into Alfred Morris 2.0 and Coleman has the playmaking abilities to do just that.

Hotlanta is 6-2 and a fluke overtime loss to the Bucs from 7-1. My pick to win the NFC looks good, especially with the ascent of Devonte Freeman, who is apparently the reincarnated Barry Sanders.

New Orleans Saints   10-6

I really like the Saints this year, but their biggest question mark is their defense. If they have to be in shootouts they're going to struggle. Brees does not have the weapons of old, and they are going to be a little more focused on the run game this year. If Spiller and Ingram can both stay healthy, (hey, miracles happen right?) the Saints will once again have a potent offense that will contend in the playoffs. And I can't go without mentioning Brandin Cooks. Watch the F out for this guy. Dynamic.

The Saints are not a good football team. Looking forward to next year in Nawlins.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers  6-10

Yes, they will struggle this year because of a weak line and Winston forcing the ball late in games only to result in turnovers. However, this team is on the rise. Winston will be a good QB in this league, Mike Evans is a monster, and Doug "Muscle Hamster' Martin looks to be running like his old self after dropping 10 pounds in the offseason. The defense is coming along nicely as well, as LeVonte David and Gerald McCoy are going to be Pro Bowlers for many years to come. The Bucs will be good, just not this year.

The Bucs look like a decent team with the improved play of Winston as the season progresses, as well as Dougie Martin, aka The Muscle Hamster, looking like his old self the last 4 games. They'll be a team to watch, but it'll be next year.

Carolina Panthers   3-13

It's just ugly at this point. Their top WR, Kelvin Benjamin, is already lost for the year with a knee injury. This comes after the team failed to address their weak WR group in the offseason. Cam Newton will have a tough time trying to throw to someone.. anyone. The defense will be top 10 in the league however, behind the best linebacker in the league in Luke Kuechly. Cameron Artis-Payne, the rookie running back from Auburn, will be the team's starter by the end of the season. And it won't take that long.

This is the team I was dead wrong about. How the Panthers have taken this lackluster offense to an undefeated record I have no idea. They aren't that good, right? I don't think so, but..

Playoff Predictions


NFC
Falcons
Packers
Eagles
Seahawks
Cowboys
Cardinals

NFC Champion-  Falcons

AFC
Colts
Patriots
Bengals
Broncos
Chiefs
Dolphins

AFC Champion- Broncos

Super Bowl L - Broncos 27  Falcons 21

I'm going to stick with my picks for the Superbowl. Obviously the playoffs predictions  are going to be a little off, but hey..not so bad.

MVP- Tom Brady

Defensive Player of the Year- Josh Norman CB Panthers

Offensive Player of the Year- Julio Jones WR Falcons

Coach of the year- Marvin Lewis  Bengals