Year: 2015

NFL Power Rankings: Week 1

Chris McGlynn Football, NFL, Power Rankings

Colts logo1. Indianapolis Colts (Last week: 1)
Indy’s first test of the season could be a tough one as they have no idea what kind of offense Buffalo will roll out with Tyrod Taylor under center. We will get to see just how good the Colts’ offense can be right off the bat with a battle against Rex Ryan’s new Bills.


Patriots Logo2. New England Patriots (Last week: 2)
The Pats stay here in part because I messed up and didn’t finish the power rankings before last night’s game. The run defense looked atrocious but it won’t matter much if Brady, Edelman and Gronkowski play like they did last night.

Packers logo3. Green Bay Packers (Last week: 3)
The Packers get a nice easy start to their season. Aaron Rodgers threw for 617 yards and 10 touchdowns last season against the Bears, while completing 72.7 percent of his passes. Even without Jordy Nelson, Rodgers should bully Chicago again.

Seahawks logo4. Seattle Seahawks (Last week: 4)
This offensive line flat out scares me and facing a group as good as the Rams front four week 1 is not what Seattle needs. This is baptism by fire for this offensive line. The Seahawks are also without All-Pro safety Kam Chancellor which will certainly come as a major blow.

Cowboys logo5. Dallas Cowboys (Last week: 6)
Dallas added another running back to its stable by trading for Christine Michael. The former Texas A&M star will give the ‘Boys an insurance policy and a good change of pace back. It will be fun to see him get the ball behind this road grading offensive line.

Denver_Broncos6. Denver Broncos (Last week: 5)
The Broncos drop just because Dallas got better. Cutting Montee Ball was for the best unfortunately. How Denver comes out week 1 against the Ravens will be a big indicator for how their season will go.

Arizona_Cardnals_logo_(1994-2004)7. Arizona Cardinals (Last week: 7)
In games Carson Palmer started for the Cardinals last season, they were undefeated. This Arizona team is a legitimate Super Bowl contender with Bruce Arians at the helm. They will be even more of one if Andre Ellington stays healthy.

Chiefs Logo8. Kansas City Chiefs (Last week: 8)
While their are still some question marks surrounding this Chiefs team, there are probably even more surrounding division rival Denver. I would not be surprised if Kansas City led the AFC West at season’s end.

Eagles Logo9. Philadelphia Eagles (Last week: 9)
Putting this high-octane offense against the worst passing defense in the league a season ago should be a recipe for a win week 1 for Philly. What will be more telling is how the defense holds up against Atlanta’s offense.

Pittsburgh_Steelers logo10. Pittsburgh Steelers (Last week: 10)
Pittsburgh’s defense looked lost and confused for good chunks of last night. Leaving All-Pro tight end Rob Gronkowski wide open in the middle of the field probably wasn’t part of the game plan but it happened on a number of occasions. The running game looked good though with DeAngelo Williams flashing his speed last night.

Vikings logo11. Minnesota Vikings (Last week: 12)
I am much higher on the Vikings than most people who don’t live in Minnesota. However, I saw a lot of promise from this young squad in the preseason. If they can win 7 games without Adrian Peterson, I am willing to bet they can win 10 with him.

Dolphins logo12. Miami Dolphins (Last week: 13)
DeVante Parker might be back in the fold earlier than expected. That is really good news for Ryan Tannehill as he has the best supporting cast of his young career. With Suh clogging the middle now on defense as well, Miami should be at the edge of the playoff picture all year.

Bengals Logo13. Cincinnati Bengals (Last week: 11)
The Bengals resigned A.J. Green this morning and now have over $200 million committed to their inconsistent signal caller Andy Dalton and the oft-injured Green. Cincy needs for these investments to start paying off if they have any chance of making it past the wildcard round this year.

Lions Logo14. Detroit Lions (Last week: 15)
I am interested to see which Matthew Stafford shows up on Sunday. The one that can’t win big games or the one that shreds teams through the air. Against the Chargers, I think we are going to see the later in a convincing Detroit win.

Ravens logo15. Baltimore Ravens (Last week: 16)
I will be honest here. I really don’t like the Baltimore Ravens in 2015. They have no proven receivers outside of Steve Smith Sr. He can only do so much for this team. Joe Flacco better hope the Ravens ground game is as good as it was a season ago or he is in for a very long season.

Chargers logo16. San Diego Chargers (Last week: 13)
San Diego had a rough preseason running the ball. They finished with an abysmal 3.1 yards per carry, which tied them with Browns for 26th in the league. That includes Melvin Gordon, who picked up 45 yards on 20 carries. Phillip Rivers might still be looking for help on the offense.

Bills logo17. Buffalo Bills (Last week: 17)
Rex Ryan actually won his only game against Andrew Luck in the latter’s rookie year. Luck has grown a lot since then but Ryan has a way for flustering quarterbacks. It wouldn’t shock me if he found a way to get after Luck this weekend and kept the game closer than most expect.

Texans logo18. Houston Texans (Last week: 18)
Last week I picked on Houston for not running the ball well without Arian Foster. With reports that the Pro Bowl running back could be back after only two or three weeks of the regular season, the Texans have a much better chance at making a playoff push.

Falcons logo19. Atlanta Falcons (Last week: 19)
Atlanta’s reworked defense is going to be tested early and often against the Eagles. It will be a real test for rookie head coach Dan Quinn to get it to hold up for all four quarters.

Jets logo20. New York Jets (Last week: 20)
New York has struggled at finding a good quarterback to start for them since anyone can remember. Thankfully for them, they are playing the one team who probably has a worse quarterback situation. The Jets’ defense should feast on Cleveland’s lack of skill players in week 1.

Saints logo21. New Orleans Saints (Last week: 21)
Giving Brees a lot of time in the pocket will be useful but outside of Brandin Cooks and Marques Colston, the skills players are a bunch of unknowns. The crazy thing is, the Saints are in as good of a position as any to win the NFC South this year.

Giants Logo22. New York Giants (Last week: 22)
The Giants finally paid Eli. Now he can focus on football. Victor Cruz is officially out week 1 but the Giants have become pretty adept to playing without him. Now if the offensive line and make shift secondary can hold, New York might have a chance of walking out of Dallas with a win.

Rams logo23. St. Louis Rams (Last week: 25)
Todd Gurley will officially miss week 1 but once he is on the field, St. Louis has a deep and talented backfield. If they can find any form of consistency in the passing game against the Seahawks on Sunday, there is a chance that the Rams defense can do enough to get the win.

Panthers logo24. Carolina Panthers (Last week: 24)
The Panthers locked up Luke Keuchley for the foreseeable future. Now all they need is a to find a wide receiver who can catch the ball from Cam Newton for the foreseeable future. Carolina will struggle to move the ball and could be upset on the road in Jacksonville.

Browns logo25. Cleveland Browns (Last week: 23)
I got a little too over zealous last week moving the Browns up to 23 with thoughts they could sign Robert Griffin III. Dropping them back down is good. Sunday will likely start another long season for Cleveland where the most I can see them winning is a handful of games.

49ers Logo26. San Francisco 49ers (Last week: 26)
Remember two years ago when San Francisco was in the NFC championship game only a year after losing to the Ravens in the Super Bowl. That seems like a lifetime ago and most of that group that helped them to that success is gone. The 49ers are in desperate need of some new leaders on this team.

Raiders logo27. Oakland Raiders (Last week: 28)
There is a little bit of hope in Oakland for the first time in what seems like years. The Raiders are making the right moves and are slowly beginning to develop a young nucleus to build this team around. The results won’t come in 2015 though.

Bears logo28. Chicago Bears (Last week: 27)
With rumors that Alshon Jeffery could miss week 1, the Bears’ chances of even mounting a push against the Packers are even slimmer. Chicago hasn’t beaten Green Bay at Soldier Field since 2010. And they will likely have to wait until at least next year to even think about breaking that streak.

Jaguars logo29. Jacksonville Jaguars (Last week: 29)
Julius Thomas had a successful surgery and should be back for week 4. Unfortunately, that means the Jaguars are rolling out a very inexperienced receiving core. Pair that with a sophomore quarterback and a rookie running back, this Jacksonville squad has a lot of growing up to do this season and they have to do it fast.

Buccaneers logo30. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Last week: 30)
Tampa Bay has a great chance to start the season with a win as the top two picks face off week one. Jameis Winston against Marcus Mariota will one day be a great matchup to watch. For now though, this is two teams fighting to avoid being in the NFL cellar.

Titans logo31. Tennessee Titans (Last week: 31)
The same that was said for the Bucs can be said for the Titans. Adding Browns castoff Terrance West could be a solid move for Tennessee but this team is still a few years away from competing in the AFC South.

Washington made up logo32. Washington (Last week: 32)
They deserve to be at the bottom. With the way they handle personnel decisions and the obvious lack of cohesion between the coaching staff and management, Washington is a mess. They have some great skill position players but an inconsistent line and a backup quarterback mean that Washington is in for a rough season.

Projecting the postseason

Chris McGlynn Football, NFL ,

Football is back!!! It has been too long that we’ve had to wait to watch the best sport in America. Matt and myself continued our tradition by picking the winner of every NFL game. You can see those here and here. Now we move on to the playoffs.

For a refresher of who I had in the playoffs, here our how the conferences finished the year.

Playoffs
AFC

  1. Indianapolis
  2. Denver
  3. New England
  4. Pittsburgh
  5. Kansas City
  6. New York

NFC

  1. Arizona
  2. Green Bay
  3. Dallas
  4. Atlanta
  5. Seattle
  6. Minnesota

Wildcard
(3) New England over (6) New York
(4) Pittsburgh over (5) Kansas City
(3) Dallas over (6) Minnesota
(5) Seattle over (4) Atlanta

The Jets were lucky to make the playoffs thanks to a really easy schedule. Their luck completely runs out against division rival New England. The Pats may have lost a lot of their defensive talent but that doesn’t mean that they don’t have enough to handle the Jets. Pittsburgh’s ground game will rumble them through Chiefs defense. LeVeon Bell is a stud and Ben Roethlisberger will probably light it up versus a young KC secondary. Dallas proves to be too much for this young Minnesota team. The offensive line keeps Romo clean for way too long. Seattle might be a wildcard team but it doesn’t matter. They will run Atlanta out of their own building.

Divisional
(1) Indianapolis over (4) Pittsburgh
(2) Denver over (3) New England
(1) Arizona over (5) Seattle
(3) Dallas over (2) Green Bay

We get some absolutely fantastic matchups in the second round. Pittsburgh’s patchwork secondary folds under the wieght of Andrew Luck and company. Manning vs. Brady returns to the playoffs for another round. Manning gets the better of Brady in this one as that same Patriots defense fails to hold up against Denver’s diverse passing attack. The better matchups are actually in the NFC though. Arizona and Seattle face off as the two best teams in the conference. Arizona’s steady offensive play and smothering defense proves to be too much for a shaky Seattle o-line. Dallas finally gets its revenge at Lambeau and finally we can all put the Dez catch talk to bed.

Andrew LuckConference Championships
(1) Indianapolis over (2) Denver
(1) Arizona over (3) Dallas

Sure it is kinda lame to have the two number one seeds going on but they both deserve it. Peyton returns to where he began and falls against his replacement. Luck and his new veteran friends Frank Gore and Andre Johnson defeat the Broncos once again and Manning must once again consider retirement. People think I am too high on Arizona but the Cardinals were undefeated last year in games that Carson Palmer started. A revamped offensive line with Mike Iupati means that they keep him clean and defeat Dallas.

Colts logoSuper Bowl
Indianapolis over Arizona

This is probably Carson Palmer’s best shot at a ring. However, that isn’t enough for them to overcome Andre Luck and the Colts. Luck is primed for a huge season in a contract year and some new weapons. The Colts are crazy deep at wide receiver and the defense gets Robert Mathis back. Arizona will be tough to beat with a great defense. However, the running game just isn’t enough to keep that potent Colts offense off the field enough. Luck wins his first of what I’m sure will be many Super Bowl appearances.

So that’s it. The whole season predicted from start to finish. Check out Matt’s playoff picks here  and enjoy your season!

Predicting the playoffs

Chris McGlynn Football, NFL , ,

by Matt Luppino
What are we talking about?!?!? Somewhere, Jim Mora is displeased, but I’m going to do it anyways. As a reminder, here are my playoff teams from each league based off of my predictions posted yesterday.

AFC

  • Denver
  • Indianapolis
  • New England
  • Pittsburgh
  • Kansas City
  • Buffalo

NFC

  • Green Bay
  • Seattle
  • New York
  • Atlanta
  • Arizona
  • Philadelphia

Wild Card
(3) New England over (6) Buffalo
(5) Kansas City over (4) Pittsburgh
(6) Philly over (3) NYG
(5) Arizona over (4) Atlanta

Rex Ryan will bring a tough defense to Foxborough, but pissed off Tom Brady should be able to easily dispatch of them. I like the potency of Kansas City’s offense against a weaker and less experienced Steelers defense, especially Jamaal Charles in the cold weather of Pittsburgh. If the Giants struggle to get a pass rush on Sam Bradford, I could see him picking apart that secondary with ease while being more successful in covering the Giants. The Cardinals defense will be tough on Matt Ryan, and if Carson can avoid mistakes, he should punish Atlanta, even at home.

Divisional
(1) Denver over (5) Kansas City
(2) Indianapolis over (3) New England
(1) Green Bay over (6) Philadelphia
(2) Seattle over (5) Arizona

I don’t like picking all of the bye week teams, but I feel good on most of these picks.  Once again assuming Peyton is still Peyton, I can see him performing well against the Chiefs at altitude to grind out a tough win.  In a rematch of the famous Deflategate game, we might see an even more pissed off Colts team than just simply pissed off Tom Brady, and I see Andrew Luck finally besting him to move on; should be a good game though.  Sam Bradford has little playoff experience, and most of that Packers team, especially Aaron Rodgers, has plenty; I see Green Bay, at Lambeau, outclassing the Eagles.  As for the NFC West matchup, it is also a toss-up, but I see the Seahawks defense as more dangerous against Carson Palmer than Atlanta, allowing them to move on at a raucous CenturyLink Field.

Andrew LuckConference
(2) Indianapolis over (1) Denver
(2) Seattle over (1) Green Bay

After Peyton bested Luck in Indianapolis during the regular season, I see Luck repaying the favor in Denver. The new experience on the Colts team will pay off, and (bonus prediction) Peyton Manning will retire without the elusive second ring he went to Denver for. In the NFC, this is a tight matchup in a rematch of last year’s NFC championship. In another close game, I see Seattle’s rushing attack being more explosive than Green Bay’s in a likely showdown on Lambeau’s frozen tundra, sending the Hawks to their third straight Super Bowl.

Colts logoSuper Bowl
Indianapolis over Seattle

My initial takeaways from this game being in San Francisco: 1) it should be warmer, which is better for passing than colder temperatures; 2) it is very close to Stanford, making a large pocket of the fans pro-Luck; and 3) San Francisco HATES Seattle with passion. So in a pro-Indy environment, where Luck has the ability to pass effectively, I see him besting the dreaded Legion of Boom, scoring enough to keep Russell Wilson and Beast Mode at bay, and winning his first Super Bowl ring, 31-23.

And with that, let’s welcome back football.  In the highly unlikely event that all of these predictions are right, I told you so. Check out Chris’ picks here, and have a great season everyone. Go Tampa!

Projecting the entire NFL regular season

Chris McGlynn Football, NFL , ,

With the season starting tomorrow night, Chris and I completed our annual tradition and predicted every NFL game this upcoming season. Here are my results. Chris’ are here. Check back tomorrow to see how the playoffs shake out. 

Pittsburgh_Steelers logoAFC North
Steelers 11-5
Ravens 8-8
Bengals 5-11
Browns 2-14

This year, a slightly weakened division will allow for an easier time for the Steelers, with a now potent offense; LeVeon Bell, Antonio Bryant, and Martavius Bryant are strong weapons surrounding Ben Roethlisberger, who is coming off his best year as a pro. Baltimore faces issues on offense: with Torrey Smith gone to Baltimore and rookie Breshad Perriman is the only replacement. Joe Flacco will be forced to rely on the swan song season of Steve Smith, who may struggle to carry the load again at 35. In Cincy, Andy Dalton needs to be effective in protecting the football if they are going to have any chance of contending with the strong defenses in this division. I don’t see that happening, and Jeremy Hill will not be able to change that. As for Cleveland, Josh McCown is not the answer, and the lack of a running game is a big issue; if Cleveland struggles early, we may see Johnny Manziel starting a lot earlier than Week 16 this year.

Patriots LogoAFC East
Patriots 13-3
Bills 9-7
Jets 8-8
Dolphins 8-8

This is a strong division this year, but I find it hard to bet against a pissed off Tom Brady on a consistent basis, especially since the Pats returns all of his weapons from a year ago. The Bills defense, already a fierce defense with a lethal pass rush, only get better by adding one of the best defensive head coaches in the game, Rex Ryan; if Tyrod Taylor and LeSean McCoy can lead to a fairly average offense, their defense can carry them to the playoffs. The Jets were primed to be better this season, until they pulled several classic Jets moves. In spite of the loss of Sheldon Richardson, the additions of Darrelle Revis, Antonio Cromartie and rookie Leonard Williams could be enough to support Ryan Fitzpatrick and his strong cast of receivers. Miami improves on defense just by adding Ndamukong Suh; if Ryan Tannehill can continue his success from last year, they could also make a push to the playoffs. A wild card will likely come out of this division, and any team behind New England has a chance to win it.

Colts logoAFC South
Colts 13-3
Texans 6-10
Jaguars 4-12
Titans 4-12

Indy is the class of the AFC South; Andrew Luck will have his way with weak defenses on his way to another divisional title. The additions of Frank Gore and Andre Johnson give them the veteran presence and depth needed to go deep into the playoffs. Houston will struggle for the first few weeks while Arian Foster recovers from groin surgery, but once he returns, they could see some success; until then, maybe they give the offensive playbook to JJ Watt and see what he can do with it. Jacksonville could have made a big step forward had they not lost Dante Fowler to an ACL injury. Even so, Blake Bortles is the future of this team, and adding a stud TE like Julius Thomas is a big deal for his development. Tennessee will run with Marcus Mariota and he might see some success, but this team is bare of talent at almost every position; they need a few more years before seeing any success.

Denver_BroncosAFC West
Broncos 13-3
Chiefs 12-4
Chargers 6-10
Raiders 3-13

Denver will be strong again this year if Peyton is still Peyton. The emergence of CJ Anderson and the return of a strong defensive front will take some pressure off him. In Kansas City, weapons, such as the return of Eric Berry from cancer treatment, the signing of Andy Reid’s favorite weapon, Jeremy Maclin, and the huge big play potential Jamaal Charles, and easily propel the Chiefs to the playoffs, perhaps even past Denver. The Chargers may have locked down Phillip Rivers for now, but he is lacking the team around him. Even is Melvin Gordon can be successful off the bat, the defense does not have the chops to compete week to week. Oakland has no running game or secondary, which means a lot of pressure will fall on Derek Carr. That is a lot to ask of a second year quarterback whose best weapon is a rookie out wide.

Packers logoNFC North
Packers 14-2
Lions 9-7
Vikings 8-8
Bears 3-13

Even with the loss of Jordy Nelson, the Packers are poised to win this division again behind the best QB in football, Aaron Rodgers, and a generous schedule. I have more faith in Matt Stafford than the average American apparently; the resurgence of Calvin Johnson and the emergence of Ameer Abdullah gives him strong weapons to work with as the Lions make a playoff push. Teddy Bridgewater is ready to make a big sophomore step with the return of Adrian Peterson to open up the secondary for him; if the defense can step up, this could be a playoff team. Chicago, in spite of John Fox’s first year as coach, is missing talent, especially on defense; if Jay Cutler cannot prove his worth, this team will struggle, and he might be looking for a new job after the season.

Giants Logo NFC East
Giants 11-5
Eagles 10-6
Cowboys 9-7
Washington 1-15

I see the Giants pulling it out with a strong passing attack behind the receiving corps of Odell Beckham and Victor Cruz. If Sam Bradford can stay healthy, do not be surprised to see him repeat his strong preseason performances and lead Philly to the playoffs. The Cowboys are poised to regress unfortunately, with the losses of Orlando Scandrick to injury and DeMarco Murray to Philly will cost Dallas, though they can make a push if Tony Romo can repeat his performance from last year. As for Washington, they are a broken team right now that is not ready to compete with Kirk Cousins at QB. Their year is over already.

Falcons logoNFC South
Falcons 10-6
Buccaneers 9-7
Saints 6-10
Panthers 5-11

The Falcons, behind star QB Matt Ryan and a healthy receiving corps, is the favorite to pull out the division win if the defense can play respectably. The Buccaneers come into this season with talent on both sides of the ball and one of the league’s easiest schedules. If the offensive line can keep Jameis Winston upright and help Doug Martin get some yardage, then don’t be surprised if the Bucs sneak into the playoffs. The problem with the Saints this year is their defense; not to mention Drew Brees started showing signs of age last season. The Panthers have lost weapons, namely DeAngelo Williams to Pittsburgh and Kelvin Benjamin to a knee injury. Unless Cam Newton and Luke Kuechly can singularly prop up this team, they will not repeat as divisional champions.

Seahawks logoNFC West
Seahawks 14-2
Cardinals 12-4
Rams 6-10
49ers 2-14

Seattle returns most of their defense, and adds a major offensive weapon in Jimmy Graham for Russell Wilson to throw to; best defense plus best rushing plus potent passing equals a very good football team. Arizona is also poised to repeat their success to start last season with Carson Palmer back from injury, particularly if Andre Ellington can keep defenses honest. The Rams will get the short end of the QB exchange this season, with Nick Foles not able to capitalize on a new team without anyone good to throw to, though the D-line could make this team interesting. San Francisco lost way too much on defense this season to be successful this season, and Jim Tomsula is not ready to field a winning football team yet.

Playoffs
AFC

  1. Denver
  2. Indianapolis
  3. New England
  4. Pittsburgh
  5. Kansas City
  6. Buffalo

NFC

  1. Green Bay
  2. Seattle
  3. New York
  4. Atlanta
  5. Arizona
  6. Philadelphia

Picking the winner of every 2015 NFL game

Chris McGlynn Football, NFL , ,

The NFL season kicks off in just over 48 hours and as part of a time honored tradition with Matt Luppino and myself, we have picked the entire NFL season, game by game, for all of 2015. There are some surprises without a doubt and there are some no-brainers. Check back in tomorrow to see Matt’s picks.

Pittsburgh_Steelers logoAFC North
Steelers 11-5
Ravens 7-9
Bengals 5-11
Browns 3-13
Analysis: Pittsburgh will struggle early in the season without Bell but an easy schedule should see them return to the postseason. Baltimore only has one receiver on the roster with more than 30 catches a season ago. Andy Dalton’s spotty play will finally cost the Bengals big time and the Browns are a bit of a ways away from competing. For the first time in a while, the Steelers are the only AFC North team headed to the postseason.

Patriots LogoAFC East
Patriots 12-4
Jets 10-6
Bills 10-6
Dolphins 9-7
Analysis: Everyone is chalking this up as the NFL’s toughest division this year. They aren’t wrong as all four teams finish above .500. The Jets need to play consistently well but with an easy schedule, featuring the AFC South, Cleveland, Washington and Oakland, 10 wins is achievable. Miami plays well but a tough schedule and an even tougher division will bar them from the postseason. Buffalo just misses out on ending their postseason drought. Don’t be surprised if the final standings are this close and end in just about any order after the Patriots on top.

Colts logoAFC South
Colts 14-2
Texans 7-9
Titans 2-14
Jaguars 1-15
Analysis: The Colts could probably start resting their starters after Week 12 and still win the AFC South. Indy’s defense should be good enough for the offense to outscore just about anyone. Arian Foster missing the beginning of the season will be too much for the Texans to overcome. The Titans and Jaguars still have a lot of rebuilding to do as neither team will improve on their previous campaigns.

Denver_BroncosAFC West
Broncos 13-3
Chiefs 12-4
Chargers 5-11
Raiders 3-13
Analysis: Denver continues its reign atop the division but only after a close call with Kansas City. The running game will be a factor in Denver winning football games and this defense will play well after feeling like their were slighted a year ago in terms of credibility. The Chiefs bolstered their secondary with Marcus Peters and the return of Eric Berry. Not to mention Jeremy Maclin should probably catch a touchdown this year. San Diego finds that playing without Antonio Gates is really tough on an offense that lacks a go to receiver. Oakland looks better but still isn’t ready to compete.

Packers logoNFC North
Packers 13-3
Vikings 11-5
Lions 9-7
Bears 2-14
Analysis: It has been the Packers and then everyone else for quite some time now. The Lions made a push last year but the losses of Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley are monumental. Matt Stafford is still inconsistent at best. The Bears are in a tailspin and even John Fox cannot turn them around in one year. The Vikings will be the closest challenger this year with Teddy Bridgewater taking another step forward and Adrian Peterson back on the field. However, the Packers still reign supreme, even without Jordy Nelson, due to a relatively friendly schedule.

Cowboys logoNFC East
Cowboys 12-4
Eagles 11-5
Giants 8-8
Washington 1-15
Analysis: It probably won’t matter who starts in Washington if the defense is still as bad as it is. The Giants turn in another average year as the defense cannot keep up with the offense. Philly takes another step forward, going 11-5, but still misses the playoffs in a really tough NFC. The Cowboys repeat as division champs even without DeMarco Murray. Tony Romo will lead the Cowboys to some key wins against a light schedule.

Falcons logoNFC South
Falcons 10-6
Buccaneers 8-8
Saints 8-8
Panthers 4-12
Analysis: The NFC South will experience a major shakeup in 2015. The Bucs rise out of the basement after adding some good value in the draft and in free agency. Games against Tennessee, Washington and Jacksonville comprise an easy first half followed by a much tougher second half. Atlanta gets back to its winning ways with an improved defense and running game. New Orleans is in the midst of a really odd rebuild and find themselves at a crossroads. Carolina drops way down, unable to overcome the losses of Kelvin Benjamin and Greg Hardy.

Arizona_Cardnals_logo_(1994-2004)NFC West
Cardinals 15-1
Seahawks 13-3
Rams 4-12
49ers 3-13
Analysis: 15-1 probably seems lofty for the Cardinals but with only 5 games against 2015 playoff teams and Carson Palmer back under center, Arizona means business. Seattle will still be in the playoffs, and will actually be the only team to beat Arizona this year. The Rams will have a great run game to occasionally bail out their lack of a passing attack. San Francisco simply will not be able to keep up with the number of exits they had this offseason.

Playoff teams
AFC

  1. Indianapolis Colts
  2. Denver Broncos
  3. New England Patriots
  4. Pittsburgh Steelers
  5. Kansas City Chiefs
  6. New York Jets*

New York wins the tie breaker with Buffalo due to a better record against division opponents (3-3 vs. 4-2).

NFC

  1. Arizona Cardinals
  2. Green Bay Packers
  3. Dallas Cowboys
  4. Atlanta Falcons
  5. Seattle Seahawks
  6. Minnesota Vikings**

Minnesota wins the tie breaker over Philadelphia based on strength of victory (.416 vs. .325).

Check back in at the end of the week to see who me and Matt select as the Super Bowl Champions.