STAMFORD, CT – With Labor Day in the rearview and the pool closed for the season, it’s time to focus on football. Tell the wife not to make any plans on Sundays for the next six months and let’s get it on. Here are my predictions for the season.
AFC
AFC East
This one looks pretty straightforward. The Bills are clearly the class of the division. The Pats will have an excellent D, but Mac Jones won’t be ready to lead them to greatness right away. Right? Miami’s lack of confidence in Tua holds them back. The Jets finish last, but Zach Wilson is the real deal. If Tony Romo thinks so, that’s good enough for me.
Bills, Patriots, Dolphins, Jets
AFC North
The Browns get off to a hot start with some easy wins on the schedule and outlasts the Ravens for the division title. The defense improves and the double barreled ground attack opens up the passing game for Baker. The Ravens keep it close, but Lamar will never be a great passer. The Bengals make strides on offense and finish in third. The Steelers can’t overcome poor offensive line play.
Browns, Ravens, Bengals, Steelers
AFC South
The Colts put it together and win the division easily. Carson Wentz is Comeback Player of the Year. The Titans are strong on offense, but the defense is inconsistent. The Jaguars surprise a bit behind Sunshine Lawrence and the Texans are the worst team in football.
Colts, Titans, Jaguars, Texans
AFC West
The Chiefs attention to their offensive line in the offseason pays off and the have the best record in the conference. The Raiders are a surprise wildcard. The Broncos are solid, but are held back by mediocre QB play, again. The Chargers are mediocre and Herbert regresses in his second season.
Chiefs, Raiders, Broncos, Chargers
Playoffs
AFC Wildcards: Ravens, Raiders, Patriots
AFC Champion: Chiefs
NFC
NFC East
WFT is the only decent team in the division. The beat on their divisional foes to take the division. The Cowboys show signs and win some games. The Giants have a solid defense, but the new toys on offense can’t cover up for poor line play. The Eagles have a rough season.
WFT, Cowboys, Giants, Eagles
NFC North
The Packers win the division as A-Rodg plays with an even bigger chip on his shoulder. The great Kirk Cousins keeps the Vikings in the mix for a while but the defense holds them back. Justin Fields takes over at QB for the Bears in Week 3 and the Lions are hot garbage.
Packers, Vikings, Bears, Lions
NFC South
The champion Bucs got everyone back and have a pretty easy schedule so it’s hard to pick against them. But the Saints surprise without Brees and keep it close. Kyle Pitts has a monster season and the Falcons look decent at times. The Panthers realize at about the half way point that Sam Darnold is not the answer.
Bucs, Saints, Falcons, Panthers
NFC West
The best division in football is the hardest to pick. I’m going with the 49ers, who have the most talent in the division. The Rams edge out the Seahawks for second and the Cards finish last.
49ers, Rams, Seahawks, and Cards
NFC Wildcards: Rams, Saints, Vikings
NFC Champion: Packers
Super Bowl
The Chiefs edge the Bills and the Pack gets revenge on the Bucs in the championship games. The Packers beat the Chiefs in the Super Bowl.
Super Bowl Champion: Packers
That’s it for me. What are your picks?
Come back tomorrow for Angry Ward. Follow us on Twitter at @benwhit, @MeetTheMatts, @Matt_McCarthy00, Instagram @MeetTheMatts and like our Facebook page, Meet The Matts.
