Preseason Predictions

[Rob0729]

Yeah, I know it is early, but with training camp two days away and all the pubs already making preseason predictions and a slow day at work, I thought I would throw mine out there. These are all subject to change.

AFC seeding:
1.) Patriots
2.) Texans
3.) San Diego
4.) Steelers
5.) Broncos
6.) Bills

Wild Card Round
Bills over Chargers
Steelers over Broncos

Division Round
Pats over Bills
Texans over Steelers

AFC Championships
Pats over Texans

NFC Seedings
1.) Packers
2.) Eagles
3.) Falcons
4.) 49ers
5.) Giants
6.) Lions

Wild Card Round
49ers over Giants
Lions over Falcons

Division Round
Packers over Lionss
Eagles over 49ers

NFC Championships
Packers over Eagles

Super Bowl
Pats over Packers

AFC East:

Pats -13-3
Bills - 10-6
Jets - 7-9
Miami 5-11

MVP - Brady
OPOY - Rodgers
DPOY - Ware
DROY - Morris Clairborne
OROY - Trent Richardson
Comeback player - Peyton Manning (I don't think he will be nearly as good as some expect, but he just needs to be an average QB to lock in this award because of the media love)

Some predictions (Patriots):

- The Pats defense will be in the top half of the league in yards and top 10 in points allowed.
- McCourty bounces back, but not to where he was as a rookie.
- The Pats will have three receivers north of a 1,000 yards (Lloyd, Welker, and Gronk)
- Chandler Jones gets 8 sacks
- With the improvement of the defense, Mayo is set loose a bit and becomes a playmaker.
- Dowling leads the team in INTs (5)
- Shane Vereen becomes the lead back and gets north of 900 yards. Still RBC approach though.
- Surprise cut: Branch (I know Brady loves him, but Gaffney and Lloyd knock him down the pecking order and Stallworth proves some worth on special teams)
- Hightower is a a ROY finalist
- Carter's and Anderson's sacks will be replaced and the Pats will have the same or more sacks this year than last. The thing is that the Pats will get a lot of these sacks from other positions like LB and interior linemen.



Predictions (The rest of the league):

- The entire AFC North takes a step back. The Ravens take the biggest fall, but both the Steelers and Bengals take a step back too.
- The Colts finish in last place again mirroring Peyton's first year (well the Colts were tied for last place Peyton's rookie year). They gotta hope they can turn it into a player like they did with Marshall Faulk.
- Sanchez is benched in December
- Best free agent pick up: Cortland Finnegan
- Worst free agent pick up: Vincent Jackson
- The Saints will not win 8 games this year.

 

[patsinthesnow]

So the Pats will be in the top half of yardage and top 10 points allowed in defense, they will have 3 1,000 yard WRs, Brady will be MVP, and yet they go 13-3 with the easiest schedule in the league? Everyone's afraid to predict the truth.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

Manning will win MVP with 8 wins and a passer rating of 80.5.

 

[Rob0729]

So the Pats will be in the top half of yardage and top 10 points allowed in defense, they will have 3 1,000 yard WRs, Brady will be MVP, and yet they go 13-3 with the easiest schedule in the league? Everyone's afraid to predict the truth.

I don't know if you are serious or not, but here is my response:
- The Pats were 14th in points allowed last year. Becoming in the top ten is not much of a leap
- The Pats were close to having three 1,000 yard receivers last year. Hernandez had 910 yards in 14 games played last year. I expect both Welker's and Gronk's yardage totals to go down to make up for Lloyd's yardage difference
- I doubt the Pats will have the easiest schedule in the league by the end of last year. SOS is useless right now because teams change a lot from year to year.
- Brady will get the MVP because the MVP is part popularity contest and who is trending at the end of the year many times. I think Brees will take a step back a bit with Payton gone for the year. I think it will be a two person race between Brady and Rodgers and Brady will just get the edge.

 

[Patriot 37]

Pats win 14
Chiefs win west
Steelers don't make playoffs

 

[patsinthesnow]

I don't know if you are serious or not, but here is my response:
- The Pats were 14th in points allowed last year. Becoming in the top ten is not much of a leap
- The Pats were close to having three 1,000 yard receivers last year. Hernandez had 910 yards in 14 games played last year. I expect both Welker's and Gronk's yardage totals to go down to make up for Lloyd's yardage difference
- I doubt the Pats will have the easiest schedule in the league by the end of last year. SOS is useless right now because teams change a lot from year to year.
- Brady will get the MVP because the MVP is part popularity contest and who is trending at the end of the year many times. I think Brees will take a step back a bit with Payton gone for the year. I think it will be a two person race between Brady and Rodgers and Brady will just get the edge.

No Rob I agree with your predictions, my point was to the 13-3. The Pats went 13-3 last year Ocho/Haynesworth completely failing, the defense being a sieve all season, Mccourty having the absolute worst season he could have, along with no deep WR threat.

So, based on your prediction of 3 1,000 yard WRs and Brady being MVP, you're saying the pats will be the top offense. If the Pats are the #1 offense in the league, along with having a top 10 in points allowed defense, they aren't going 13-3, they are going 15-1 or 16-0.

 

[Deus Irae]

Patriots #1 in points scored
Patriots #6 in points scored against

Gronk has fewer catches
Welker has fewer catches

Carter returns
Mayo has more sacks

Hightower is a week one starter, or at least a major contributor (high snap count)
Dennard makes the team as CB4

 

[patsfaninpittsburgh]

Lloyd becomes target #1

The "hurry up" becomes an even bigger component of the offense. Patriots are #1 in points and 32rd TOP.

The defense gives up some useless yards up 4 TD's in several games.

The useless yards and TOP once again become a source of hysteria for mediots and various marginal types at patsfans.com.

 

[patsfaninpittsburgh]

The "Welker isn't signed" crew from patsfans.com goes even more hysterical and starts to perform weird protest rituals at home games.

 

[Rob0729]

No Rob I agree with your predictions, my point was to the 13-3. The Pats went 13-3 last year Ocho/Haynesworth completely failing, the defense being a sieve all season, Mccourty having the absolute worst season he could have, along with no deep WR threat.

So, based on your prediction of 3 1,000 yard WRs and Brady being MVP, you're saying the pats will be a top 2 offense. If the Pats are the #1 offense in the league, along with having a top 10 in points allowed defense, they aren't going 13-3, they are going 15-1 or 16-0.

I will never predict 15-1 or 16-0. I still think the Pats could go 13-3. Even in 2003, the Pats lost to a bad Dolphins team. Expecting three losses is not that unrealistic even with what I say about how the Pats will do as a team.

 

[Frezo]

Welker's hair falls out

 

[jah]

I love calling upsets, even if they never happen, but don't be surprised to see some of these teams make the playoffs:

*Bills - Eh, this one's been beaten to death but I had to include them to be fair.
*Bengals - Only getting better while the rest of the division is declining.
*Chiefs - They were going to improve on 2010 before all those key injuries.
*Jaguars - The defense is already good, but if Gabbert improves with a full offseason, a new coach, and some more weapons, they might just win some games.
*Buccaneers - Raheem was a **** coach and they had the Haynesworth jinx.
*Seahawks - Their defensive backs scare me and their offense has a lot of potential, provided they have a real QB.

I think these teams could disappoint:

*Steelers - Could this be the year that the defense finally shows its age? Of course not.
*Broncos - What if Peyton will never be the same? What if he just gets hurt again in a very anticlimactic fashion?
*Eagles - Vick has been on a roll recently. Raking in the bad karma like a champ!
*Lions - Their defense sucked as it is and they lost Eric Wright (even if he was no good). Stafford could easily revert back to his old, glass self (I should add that he's one of my favorite non-Brady QBs, but I'm just being realistic).
*49ers - Alex Smith is a wild card.

As for the Patriots, I have a horrible hunch that injuries will ruin this "comeback season" much like 08. I think Brady gets less than 16 starts this season.

I always go for the pessimistic side because even if it doesn't go how I want it to, I can brag about being a genius :bricks:

 

[PatsFanSince74]

Manning will win MVP with 8 wins and a passer rating of 80.5.

Which Manning? :singing:

 

[everlong]

Hightower is the DROY.

 

[Efstratios]

Here's what I'm predicting but I'm defiantly being optimistic by doing so.

AFC Seeding
1: Patriots
2: Texans
3: Steelers
4: Broncos
5: Ravens
6: Bills

NFC Seeding
1: Packers
2: 49ers
3: Giants
4: Saints
5: Eagles
6: Lions

AFC Wild Card Round:
Steelers over Bills
Ravens over Broncos

NFC Wild Card Round:
Giants over Lions
Saints over Eagles

AFC Divisional
Patriots over Ravens
Texans over Steelers

NFC Divisional
Packers over Saints
49ers over Giants

AFCCG
Patriots over Texans

NFCCG
49ers over Packers

SB XLVII
Patriots over 49ers.

 

[MoneyFX]

- 14-2 record and a #1 seed with only losses against the Seahawks (trap game) and a super close loss to the Bills and an undefeated home record

- Lloyd and Welker each break 1000+ yards and the tight ends are less relied on this season

- The offense will start the season on fire and will force teams into playing catch up football and will have a slump against the Texans/49ers

- Defense will allows lots of yards early in the year but will hold steady on allowing touchdowns and play better as the season goes

- Branch will be cut and Stallworth will round out the top 4 wideouts

- Vereen emerges as the 3rd down/receiving back over Woodhead

- The offense will suffer a few injuries but will not miss a beat (spread heavy if a TE gets injured/2TE heavy if a WR or 2 gets injured)

- Brady wins MVP and offensive player of the year

- Hightower finishes as a finalist for ROY

- Secondary improves as McCourty improves and Dowling emerges

- A Brady-Manning showdown will take place in the divisional round and comes down to the wire, Patriots get a scare from the Broncos

- Pats beat the Steelers in the AFC championship and will face GB in the Super Bowl

- Pats win Super Bowl

Non-Patriot predictions:

- Big Ben will have one of his best passing seasons with a better offensive line and weapons galore

- Bills will be a disappointment and the Texans take a step backwards

- Giants will barely miss the playoffs because of their schedule and the improving teams in the division

- 49ers will be just like last year's team with a more explosive offense and Moss will have a resurgence

- Packers offense will still carry the team to wins

- Falcons/Lions will barely miss the playoffs

- Peyton Manning and the Broncos offense starts off slow early in the season and heats up around the end of the year

- Michael Vick and the Eagles have a huge bounce back year and the defense becomes top 5 in the league

- San Diego quietly wins the AFC West

- Drew Brees and the offense carries the Saints into the postseason

 

[ausbacker]

[B]AFC EAST     AFC North     AFC South     AFC West[/B]
Patriots     Ravens        Texans        Chiefs
Bills        Steelers      Titans        Broncos
Jets         Bengals       Colts         Chargers
Dolphins     Browns        Jaguars       Raiders
 
[B]NFC EAST     NFC North     NFC South     NFC West[/B]
Eagles       Packers       Saints        49ers
Giants       Bears         Falcons       Seahawks
Cowboys      Lions         Buccaneers    Cardinals
Redskins     Vikings       Panthers      Rams
 
[B]MVP:[/B]         Aaron Rodgers               
[B]OPY:[/B]         Calvin Johnson             
[B]DPY:[/B]         DeMarcus Ware               
[B]DRY:[/B]         Dont'a Hightower           
[B]ORY:[/B]         Trent Richardson            
[B]CTY:[/B]         Romeo Crennel               
[B]CPY:[/B]         Peyton Manning

If time has proven anything it's that you should trust the quality organisation with an elite (or approaching) QB. I'll stick to the reasonably safe model for projections.

 

[Ring 6]

Patriots #1 in points scored
Patriots #6 in points scored against

Gronk has fewer catches
Welker has fewer catches

Carter returns
Mayo has more sacks

Hightower is a week one starter, or at least a major contributor (high snap count)
Dennard makes the team as CB4

OK Deus, admit it, KoolAid tastes pretty good

 

[Deus Irae]

OK Deus, admit it, KoolAid tastes pretty good

 

[ivanvamp]

Lloyd becomes target #1

The "hurry up" becomes an even bigger component of the offense. Patriots are #1 in points and 32rd TOP.

The defense gives up some useless yards up 4 TD's in several games.

The useless yards and TOP once again become a source of hysteria for mediots and various marginal types at patsfans.com.

As long as they can make the big stops when they need them, I don't care if they finish 32nd in points and yards allowed, and in TOP.