The 2011 media NFL prediction thread.

[PATSNUTme]

I was waiting for my wife to get a prescription this morning and looked at the Sporting News NFL Season Preview magazine.

They had the Patriots beating the Jets and Ravens in the Playoffs and going to the Super Bowl. But they predict the Packers win the Super Bowl.

Another I glanced at had the Ravens beating the Eagles in the Super Bowl.

So now it starts even without the Fa's being signed. Let's post and discuss the media predictions on this thread as they start coming out, on line, magazines, sports shows, or just hearing it on a sports radio station (WEEI will be consumed with the Red Sox so you won't hear anything there until October.

 

[Calciumee]

I really don't see the Ravens getting to the SB, nevermind winning it!

I don't feel Flacco is good enough, and he can't ride on the D forever!

Once Lewis retires, the D is going to be missing not only a HoFer, but also massive leader and a huge heart!

 

[jah]

he can't ride on the D forever!

Sanchez can ride "the D" forever, though, so watch out for the Jest.

 

[Uncle Rico]

Manish Mehta, who covers the Jests for the NY Daily News, has a Jets-Eagles Super Bowl -- a sickening thought but I expect we'll see it more. (Mehta also picks Randy Moss for Comeback Player, FWIW).

Twitter

 

[Calciumee]

Sanchez can ride "the D" forever, though, so watch out for the Jest.

He can ride young girls forever

This might sound bias, but it isn't, but I can see the Jest imploding! They can't have so many egos without incident!

 

[BlueThunder]

I thought the Jets were in cap hell and were going to lose some key players to FA......they can only tag one I believe (Harris) and will have to choose wisely between the ones they can re-sign....

With the loss of rookie camps, even if they start TC on time, their top picks will be behind the 8 ball ....

I can see them going 8-8 just as easily as winning 10 or 11 games.....it depends on who they can retain and who they sign in FA......

Pats are getting younger and more experienced after a 14-2 run vs a tough schedule.....Jets had an easier schedule, got dammmmm lucky in a couple of games and still finished behind Patriots....I don't see gang green suddenly becoming contenders in the SB....JMHO

 

[PatsFanSince74]

Manish Mehta, who covers the Jests for the NY Daily News, has a Jets-Eagles Super Bowl -- a sickening thought but I expect we'll see it more. (Mehta also picks Randy Moss for Comeback Player, FWIW).

Twitter

The Daily News columnists and beat reporters are usually pretty good, but Mehta is definitely the weakest. A Jets Eagles SB is easy to pick because both teams have been knocking at the door and an SB with Michael Vick at QB up against Rex Ryan would probably make fans everywhere but New England and the NFC East happy.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

If Brady is still playing at or close to 100% both physically and mentally, then it's hard not to pick the Pats to win the Conference (except for the lingering problem with the pass rush).

As for the Packers. Yeah, these are the years when Aaron Rodgers will either prove or not that he is as good a many say he is. If he is that good, then he's going to win another ring or two in the next few years.

 

[Rob0729]

Manish Mehta, who covers the Jests for the NY Daily News, has a Jets-Eagles Super Bowl -- a sickening thought but I expect we'll see it more. (Mehta also picks Randy Moss for Comeback Player, FWIW).

Twitter

At this point, how can you even know what the Jets are at this point. Assuming the new CBA has it that the UFA period goes back to 4 years of service, the currently donnot have seven starters on their roster from last year (Ellis, Woody, Cromartie, Edwards, Tony Richadson, Holmes, and Brodney Pool). Also, several key back ups are unsigned too like Brad Smith (who was a huge impact on special teams), James Ihedigbo, Eric Smith, and Drew Coleman. Right now the only safety they have on their roster is Jim Leonhard.

Yes, the Jets will resign some of them and will have some players step up to replace them, but right now there are a lot of question marks on their roster at key positions like WR, safety, CB, and offensive and defensive tackle.

They are a team that you really need to wait to free agency to see what they do because depending on the free agency frenzy, it is conceivable that Jerricho Cotchery will be the best WR on their roster (not likely, but possible). Holmes wants to be paid and the Jets are rumored to not want to fight too hard to keep Edwards. They focus on Holmes and lose him, they could left out in the cold for plan B.

Besides, Metha is a homer. I bet he picks Moss as the comeback player because he he thinks the Jets will sign him and Mehta probably feels that Moss will have the best QB he ever had in his career throwing to him in Sanchez. Yes, I think Mehta is enough of a homer to think Sanchez is better than Brady.

 

[RelocatedPatFan]

I predict most of the experts get it wrong.

Any other prediction on my part would (likely) be wrong unless you went with the (hopefully) obvious ones like the Patriots will having a winning season (meaning 9-7 or better).

 

[Rob0729]

I thought the Jets were in cap hell and were going to lose some key players to FA......they can only tag one I believe (Harris) and will have to choose wisely between the ones they can re-sign....

With the loss of rookie camps, even if they start TC on time, their top picks will be behind the 8 ball ....

I can see them going 8-8 just as easily as winning 10 or 11 games.....it depends on who they can retain and who they sign in FA......

Pats are getting younger and more experienced after a 14-2 run vs a tough schedule.....Jets had an easier schedule, got dammmmm lucky in a couple of games and still finished behind Patriots....I don't see gang green suddenly becoming contenders in the SB....JMHO

I don't know if the Jets will be in cap hell, but they are going to be close to the cap. Harris was franchised and signed his tender. I looked at the Jets' version of Miguel's site and their cap number is incomplete (They don't have Harris' $10 million franchise tender against the cap which does count since he signed the tender) so I cannot tell what it will be. It was my understanding they would be close to the projected cap, but they do have some room to play with numbers like converting part of Sanchez' $14.7 million base into a bonus.

That said, they currently do not have a starting WR on their roster and only one safety on their roster. As I said in the last post, they currently do not have seven starters from last year on their roster. They got a lot of work to do to restock their team.

 

[BlueThunder]

Agree with above.....the Jets seem to have more ???? than Pats re-signing key players, less money and a tougher schedule....

and no matter how hard I try, I can't see Sanchez being Brady's equal at QB.....

Unless Patriots implode, or are hit with the injury bug at key positions, I don't see Jets overtakling them for the AFC East.....just hope the Pats can get their act together in the playoffs.....watching their last 2 playoff games was pure torture....