It looks like it is time for preseason predictions

Since the preseason is done and the season kicks off in just under a week, I figured it would be time to kick off some predictions.

Full disclosure, I rarely get anything right in my preseason predictions which means I am pretty much on par with everyone else's preseason predictions.

Random Patriots Predictions

• Now that Amendola has Brady throwing to him, he will play a full 16 game season (unless he is rested week 17 to save him for the playoffs). My theory is that with Brady, Amendola won't be taking nearly as many unprotected hits because Brady puts the balls in the right spot.
• I think Amendola will have 96 catches for about 1,200 yards and 7 TDs.
• Gronk will not be PUPed and will play by week 4. He will have over 1,000 yards and 10 or more TDs.
• The Pats will have the most sacks they have had since 2008. Jones will have double digit sacks. Ninkovich will have a career high. Kelly will have 6 or 7 sacks. The LBs will have about 12 sacks between them.
• Kembrell Thompkins will be in the discussion of rookie of the year although won't win it. He will have 1,000 yards and 5 TDs.
• Aaron Dobson will have 550 yards and 5 TDs.
• Shane Vereen will have over 800 all purpose yards.
• The Pats will have a top 10 offense and a top 10 defense for the first time in a long time.

AFC Records
AFC East
Pats 12-4
Dolphins 9-7
Jets 4-12
Bills 4-12

AFC Playoffs
1.) Patriots 12-4 (Pats win tie breaker with a win in Foxboro)
2.) Broncos 12-4
3.) Bengals 11-5
4.) Texans 11-5

5.) Colts 11-5
6.) Ravens 9-7

Wild Card Round
Bengals over the Ravens
Colts over the Texans

Division Round
Pats over the Colts
Bengals over the Broncos

Championship
Patriots over the Bengals

NOTE: My Pats to the Super Bowl is a bit homerish, but it is more a testiment to how bad the AFC is rather than my homerism is. I think there is no clear cut AFC favorite and you can make a good argument for about 5 teams to be the AFC representative in the Super Bowl.

NFC Playoffs
1.) Atlanta 13-3
2.) San Fran 12-4
3.) Green Bay 10-6
4.) Dallas 10-6

5.) Seattle 11-5
6.) Saints 10-6

Wild card round
Green Bay over the Saints
Seattle over Dallas

Division Round
Atlanta over Seattle
San Fran over Green Bay

NFC Championships
Atlanta over San Fran

Super Bowl

Atlanta over Patriots

MVP - Brady - considering his receiver situation to go into the season, he will be the favorite if the offense doesn't miss a beat
OPOY - Drew Brees
DPOY - JJ Watt
OROY - Eddy Lacy
DROY - Ziggy Ansah
COY - Sean Payton

Not really feeling my rookie picks, but really haven't been following other teams' preseason.

Interesting. I like Seattle coming out of the NFC, but interesting nonetheless.

JackBauer said:

Interesting. I like Seattle coming out of the NFC, but interesting nonetheless.

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I originally had Seattle beating Atlanta and winning the Super Bowl, but switched it in the last minute. I am still thinking this whole mobile QB/Pistol Offense movement may collapse by the end of the season. Even though I think for some reason that Seattle will be the Wild Card, I think the true NFC Championship will be in the division round of Atlanta vs. Seattle.

Rob0729 said:

I originally had Seattle beating Atlanta and winning the Super Bowl, but switched it in the last minute. I am still thinking this whole mobile QB/Pistol Offense movement may collapse by the end of the season. Even though I think for some reason that Seattle will be the Wild Card, I think the true NFC Championship will be in the division round of Atlanta vs. Seattle.

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I'll need to take a closer look at their roster as I don't follow them as much as other teams but I'm still skeptical of Atlanta's defense.

They may have added some pieces that I missed, though.

the patriots will make it to the superbow.

Brady will be the runner up for the MVP, despite everyone knowing hes the best

thompkins will win the offensive rookie of the year

Chandler jones will be in the running for defensive player of the year

Danny amendola will play 14 games, and be healthy as a player can be in the playoffs.

OK, I'll put down the roach and bite.

Patriots 13-3
Dolphins 8-8
Bills 4-10
Jets 1-15 (Their one was against the Patriots in a WTF game.)

Playoffs AFC:
Patriots east
Texans south
Steelers (?) north
Chiefs (?) west
Wildcards
Browns (?)
Broncos

Steelers over Broncos
Browns over Chiefs

Patriots over Browns
Texans over Steelers

Patriots over Texans

NFC Playoffs
Green Bay north
Saints south
Cowboys east
Seattle west
Wildcards Atlanta and Vikings (49ers are last out and wishing they were in AFC)

Vikings over Cowboys
Seahawks over Falcons

Saints over Seahawks
Vikings over Packers

Vikings over Saints

Patriots over Vikings in Super Bowl

Yes, after going 0-4, the Vikings start Cassel and barely make the playoffs then become unstoppable.

BTW, Rex Ryan is fired by week 5 and hired by the Raiders who end up 8-8. Rex gets coach of the year and is fired by the Raiders.

OK, the roach is calling.

AFC
East
Patriots 13-3
Fish 7-9
Bills 6-10
Trainrex 6-10
AFC Playoffs
1. Patriots 13-3
2. Broncos 12-4
3. Houston 11-5
4. Ravens 10-6
5. Colts 10-6
6. Steelers 10-6
WC:Houston 27, Pittsburgh 16
Ravens 23, Colts 17
Divisionalatriots 31, Ravens 23
Houston 31, Broncos 27 (with Broncos driving to win the game Peyton lobs a pass to Wes that is tipped up into the hands of Johnathan Joseph to seal the deal)
AFCCGatriots 24, Houston 20
NFC
1.Seattle 12-4
2.Atlanta 12-4
3.Green Bay 11-5
4. Dallas 9-7
5. San Fran 12-4
6. Tampa Bay 10-6
WC:Green Bay 34, Tampa Bay 20
San Fran 41, Dallas 7 (not over the hump yet...)
Divisional:Seattle 17, San Fran 13
Green Bay 34, Atlanta 23
NFCCG:Seattle 23, Green Bay 16
Non homer prediction:Super Bowl 48:Seattle 24, New England 20 (but we win super bowl 49)

Rob0729 said:

I originally had Seattle beating Atlanta and winning the Super Bowl, but switched it in the last minute. I am still thinking this whole mobile QB/Pistol Offense movement may collapse by the end of the season. Even though I think for some reason that Seattle will be the Wild Card, I think the true NFC Championship will be in the division round of Atlanta vs. Seattle.

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Really hard to buy into the falcons but had they not gotten screwed on that defensive holding they are probably in the super bowl last year. I still want to see more from Matt Ryan. I think Seattle would have won the title had they completed the comeback vs the falcons. Way more afraid of their d than falcons and niners.

Preseason can be deceiving in some respects, but when your defense line gets pushed around in the preseason, there's not a lot that you can do to coach your way around that. There's just not enough talent or depth along the defensive line for this team be make it very far in the playoffs. Brady and the offense may win them a wild card or a division game at home, but that's about as far as it goes. This defense is a far cry from the 2001-2004 teams.

Rob0729 said:

I originally had Seattle beating Atlanta and winning the Super Bowl, but switched it in the last minute. I am still thinking this whole mobile QB/Pistol Offense movement may collapse by the end of the season. Even though I think for some reason that Seattle will be the Wild Card, I think the true NFC Championship will be in the division round of Atlanta vs. Seattle.

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You would be right since all those pistol-Read Option QBs will be on IR by the 12th game...:snob:

Spiral said:

Preseason can be deceiving in some respects, but when your defense line gets pushed around in the preseason, there's not a lot that you can do to coach your way around that. There's just not enough talent or depth along the defensive line for this team be make it very far in the playoffs. Brady and the offense may win them a wild card or a division game at home, but that's about as far as it goes. This defense is a far cry from the 2001-2004 teams.

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When did the starting defensive line get pushed around?

AFC East:
Patriots 12-4
Bills 8-8
Dolphins 8-8
Jets 3-13

AFC:
1. Patriots 12-4
2. Houston 11-5
3. Broncos 11-5
4. Bengals 10-6
5. Colts 10-6
6. Chiefs 9-7

Wild Card:
Chiefs over Broncos
Bengals over Colts

Divisional:
Patriots over Chiefs
Colts over Texans

AFCCG:
Patriots over Colts

NFC:
1. Bears 13-3
2. Falcons 12-4
3. Seahawks 11-5
4. Cowboys 9-7
5. Green Bay 11-5
6. 49ers 11-5

Wild Card:
Seahawks over 49ers
Green Bay over Dallas

Divisional:
Falcons over Seahawks
Green Bay over Chicago

NFCCG:
Falcons over Packers

Super Bowl XLVIII:
Patriots over Falcons

Yes, I am your average homer

AndyJohnson said:

When did the starting defensive line get pushed around?

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Eagles had two long scoring drives early in the first game. The Lions had their way against the Patriots all night (starters and backups). If you want to say that the Patriots' starting DL wasn't in there for much of that, OK, but that's basically my point. Anytime Wilfork and Kelly aren't in there, you're getting pushed around up front.

Spiral said:

Eagles had two long scoring drives early in the first game. The Lions had their way against the Patriots all night (starters and backups). If you want to say that the Patriots' starting DL wasn't in there for much of that, OK, but that's basically my point. Anytime Wilfork and Kelly aren't in there, you're getting pushed around up front.

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Just cant tell from preseason games. Saying the DL will be pushed around is a huge overreaction.
By the way, the Eagles did not run all that well on us, and Reggie Bush had 6 carries for 1 yard.

I'm not going to argue anything here...it's the same merry -go-round every season.

We'll know what the defense IS halfway into the season. It's always been like this and it will continue.

The first two preseason games tell you NOTHING about the defense's regular season potential.Not anything. The staff is just looking at one on one matchups and winners and losers. The third preseason game showed a first team defense under stress. Still playing vanilla, they performed well, keeping the point total that easily could have been 28 to 13. That was a good SIGN but until the defense plays a REAL game with REAL blitzing, D line stunts and disguised coverages, one can only make an uninformed guess as to how good or bad this year's D will be.