It's prediction time

[Rob0729]

I guess since I did so well with my predictions last year (I made about 30 predictions and got about 3 right for about a whopping 10% success rate), I'd figure I would do it again. Considering the Deflategate silliness has taken my attention away from actual football this preseason, I am sure my success rate will be stellar yet again this season.

Note: Because we have been negative so much this offseason, I am likely only going to make positive predictions for the team and withholding most of my negative ones.

Patriots Predictions

Overall

• The Pats will go 13-3
• The offense will be a top 3 offense and the defense will be top 12 at least in points.
• The Pats will go to the Super Bowl (whether they win or lose will come later)
• The Pats will lose to a surprise team (someone they should have won easily) along with in Miami (although the game won't matter anyway) and at Houston.
• The Patriots will beat the Giants
• The Pats will win the #1 seed in the AFC

Offense

• Gronk will break his own TD record for a TE and potentially Randy Moss' overall TD record
• Scott Chandler will have a career year. He is career single season yards was 655 yards (I say he gets about 800 yards). His career single season TD record is 6 TDs. I say he gets 7 TDs.
• Danny Amendola will stay healthy all year and have a career year. I say he has about 850 yards and 5 TDs.
• Dion Lewis will make people forget Shane Vereen
• Edelman will take a step back. Not so much because he declined in ability, but because Brady will rely on other targets more.
• Aaron Dobson will start to live up to his draft position. He won't get a 1,000 yards or double digit TDs. But he will show his ability to get separation down the field and make at least a few big plays a game.

Defense

• The Pats will change their philosophy a bit and become more of an attack defense than a read and react. It won't be a monumental shift, but they will allow the pass rushers to pin their ears back more than they have in the past.
• Chandler Jones will stay healthy and have double digit sacks. I don't think he will become an elite pass rusher, but he will do what Dont'a Hightower did last year and take a huge step to a new level of play.
• The Pats will show they have the best LB corp in the league.
• The secondary will be fairly good. It won't be elite or anything like last year, but it will be far better than people think. I think the CBs will be significantly better than people think.
• Collins will be an All Pro and in the discussion for DPOY (although won't win)

The League

In General

• Teams on the rise: Texans, Rams, Falcons
• Teams fading: Broncos, Cowboys, Steelers, 49ers
• The surprise team to miss the playoffs: Broncos
• Surprise team to make the playoffs: Rams
• I think the AFC North will go from one of the toughest division to an average division. I don't think any team there will be especially strong. They will still produce two playoff teams, but they will not be as tough as they were last year. The Ravens will yet again be a mediocre regular season team. Their toughness in the playoffs will be seen below.
• The AFC South will be a lot of tougher division. Not a great division, but not the cake walk it was last year.
• Manning is done (by his standards). He will still be an average to a slightly above average QB, but he will be nowhere near elite. Kubiak's offense is totally wrong for him. Manning needs to be in the shotgun and trying to develop a rhythm. Kubiak is going to have him under center and having them run first. Kubiak loves to have his QB roll out at times and let's face it that, even in his younger days, that isn't Manning. I don't think their o-line is any good even with Mathis.
• The Colts will yet again be a great regular season team in part because of their soft schedule and show to be a weak playoff team. Unlike last year, they will not luck out (no pun intended) and get a two weak playoff teams to get to the AFC Championship game. I won't wait to tease this, they will be one and done in the playoffs.
• With that, I think Chuck Pagano will be fired.
• Other coaches to be fired after this season are Marvin Lewis (finally), Joe Philbin and Jay Gruden
• League MVP: Aaron Rodgers (will get a lot votes because he lost Jordy Nelson)
• OPOY: Gronk
• DPOY: Watt
• OROY: Nelson Agholor
• DROY: Vic Beasley
• Comeback Player of the Year: Adrian Peterson

Playoffs

• AFC Playoff Teams: 1. Patriots 2. Colts 3. Ravens 4. Chiefs 5. Texans 6. Bengals
• NFC Playoff Teams: 1. Packers 2. Seahawks 3. Eagles 4. Falcons 5. Rams 6. Detriot
• Wild Card Round: Ravens over the Bengals, Texans over the Chiefs, Eagles over the Lions, Rams over the Falcons
• Division round: Patriots over the Texans, Ravens over the Colts, Seahawks over the Eagles, Packers over the Rams
• Conference round: Patriots over Ravens, Packers over the Seahawks
• Super Bowl: Patriots over the Packers. I called it right last year stating Patriots over Seahawks. This is more hopeful that feeling strong about it this year, but I want so badly to see Goodell's heart sink knowing he has to give the Lombardi trophy to Tom Brady.

I will probably have more predictions later.

 

[manxman2601]

Don't undersell yourself. 3/30 is 10%. Now if you'd gone 3/300 then you should rightfully be worried

 

[patsinthesnow]

So you have Gronk at about 20 TDs, Chandler 7, and Amendola 5. Throw in Edelman,Lafell, Dobson, and the RBs, you have Brady at about 40 TDs?

40 TDs + 13-3 and no MVP? Come on, Man!

 

[manxman2601]

• [*]OROY: Nelson Agholor
  [*]DROY: Vic Beasley

For OROY, I wouldn't look much beyond Amari Cooper or Ammer Abdullah. Agholor is an interesting option though. I like your DROY choice better although only because Danny Shelton won't get the stats as a NT. Apparently he's been dominant in pre-season.

 

[Rob0729]

Don't undersell yourself. 3/30 is 10%. Now if you'd gone 3/300 then you should rightfully be worried

Ooops! Should have proof read my post more. I meant to put 10%. I will fix it now.

 

[Rob0729]

So you have Gronk at about 20 TDs, Chandler 7, and Amendola 5. Throw in Edelman,Lafell, Dobson, and the RBs, you have Brady at about 40 TDs?

40 TDs + 13-3 and no MVP? Come on, Man!

I think Rodgers will have similar #s. I think the press like him better and the fact he lost Jordy Nelson will will give him the X factor edge.

 

[patsinthesnow]

I think Rodgers will have similar #s. I think the press like him better and the fact he lost Jordy Nelson will will give him the X factor edge.

Fair points.

 

[Rob0729]

For OROY, I wouldn't look much beyond Amari Cooper or Ammer Abdullah. Agholor is an interesting option though. I like your DROY choice better although only because Danny Shelton won't get the stats as a NT. Apparently he's been dominant in pre-season.

I was leaning towards Cooper, but I then realized he plays for the Raiders. So he is likely to be a bust just because every receiver the Raiders draft high turns into a bust. It is a curse.

I just think a Chip Kelly offense might give Agholor the edge. It is more about the offense.

 

[juny]

I can tell you are an older fan because the AFC Central doesn't exist anymore.

 

[manxman2601]

I was leaning towards Cooper, but I then realized he plays for the Raiders. So he is likely to be a bust just because every receiver the Raiders draft high turns into a bust. It is a curse.

I just think a Chip Kelly offense might give Agholor the edge. It is more about the offense.

I can absolutely see your point on Agholor, but Amari Cooper will make CBs look silly all year like he does to Patrick Peterson here

https://twitter.com/SportsPostz/status/638414201875099648

 

[Rob0729]

I can tell you are an older fan because the AFC Central doesn't exist anymore.

LOL! Another oops. I really didn't proof read my post. Fixed that one too.

I go all the way back when the NFL only had six teams. Ok, not that long back, but yes, I was watching when the AFC only had three divisions.

 

[TomPatriot]

My "prediction" consists of a number.

5

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

13-3. DA and Chandler have BIG years.

 

[Pats2000]

I'm surprised you picked Green Bay for the super bowl after loosing two of their biggest offensive pieces. Will be interesting to see if they can climb out of that hole.

 

[Soul_Survivor88]

A lot can happen in a week, so I predict there will still be changes to the roster before Game 1. You will see a few trades or cuts. I know...pretty lame prediction, right?

I will say this... ever since the heart-breaking fiasco at the NFC title game, I think the Packers will be determined to redeem themselves by getting to the Super Bowl. And I have a feeling that we will get there as well.

This will be a meaningful Super Bowl if both teams advance to the Super Bowl. Not only has it been 19 years since the Pats and Packers played in the Super Bowl against each other, but Brady will be playing in San Francisco for the first time in his career, right in his hometown where he grew up admiring Joe Montana. Whereas the Packers will have chance to win another Lombardi trophy named after their legendary coach, in the 50th anniversary of the Super Bowl.

Regardless of who would win, this would be remembered as a watershed moment in NFL history.

 

[manxman2601]

Anyone think the Eagles get to the SB? That would be my off the wall prediction.