Bold Predictions and Insanity

Clearly, anyone attempting to predict the next 21 weeks is a madman.
But like someone said - I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy every minute of it.

So here's my picks by division.

NFC East.
I see Philly being better, and Washington. Dallas is a fashionable pick, but there's too much drama.
I like Eli's progression and I see the Giants taking it again, but with some conviction this time. Philly could be a wild card.

NFC South
At first glance it seems like a tough division, but NO is rebuilding, TBay lost some key players and Atlanta is insisting on using an inferior QB, just because he's the highest paid player in history.
So I pick Carolina in a cakewalk.

NFC Norris
Fugly division with Minny continuing its downward slide, GBay is just a sorry team and Detroit - wow! If Thomas wasn't so entertaining in running the Knicks into the ground then Matt Millen would be anointed as the sorriest excuse for a GM.
Bears, even if they don't use the right QB, will easily win the division.

NFC West
Now this is interesting.
Seattle has 2 curses going against it - the Super Bowl loser has never won 8 games the following season in the 21st Century & the Madden Cover Jinx.
So Seattle wins 7 games, in large part because of a leg injury to Alexander in the 3rd week or so.
SF has tiny hands at QB, so forget about them.
Arizona is a fashionable pick, and with a new stadium and actual fans, plus Edge and the best passing attack from last year ... I see a Wild Card spot.
That leaves STL as the division winner. Ugh ... That's nasty.
But they have solid players all around, just no one sexy. Martz is gone, so is a lot of the drama.

So:
1- Carolina
2- NY Giants
3- Chicago
4- St. Louis
5- Philly
6- Arizona

Carolina over Chicago in the NFC Championship (Unless Eli breaks through - I can honestly see him in the SB this year or the next, he's much better under pressure than Peyton).

AFC West
This is the toughest of all divisions.
3 teams have a legitimate shot.
Sorry Al Davis (but unless Jeff George starts slinging it downfield to Moss on every other pass, it just won't be any good).
KC has the best runner in the league in Johnson (plus Green is so underrated). A revitalized defense and a new head coach that won't cry all the time.
SD has a new QB, but any team with BLT has a shot. Plus Gates is the best TE (Sorry to burst your bubble Kellen).
Denver has a very good team that were very close last year. But I think they're the weakest of the 3. The running game will have to fail eventually. 2 Bells does not sound like a ring will be coming to Mile High.

AFC South
Houston is better, but poor drafting and a QB who pines to play with an offensive line will keep them down (I do look forward to the Lundy era).
The Flaming Thumbtacks are going with a mediocre offense at best - not good enough.
The Colts and Jags are true contenders. Look for both of them to be in, with the Colts having a great regular season once again, except that Addai is no Edge - Wild Card for them.

AFC North
Would be more intriguing if not for the recovering QBs.
Cincy and Pittsburgh crowd the top, but inspire little confidence in me. Cleveland is a train wreck waiting to happen and the least said about Baltimore the better (McNair to Mason will be the only thing keeping the fans from ritual mutilation).

AFC East
The crown jewel of course.
Buffalo sucks big time - no QB a HB so full of himself it's laughable and no real offensive weapons - just rejects.
Plus a failed head coach and a GM so old he remembers Prohibition - not good!
The Jets are even worse, with a bad QB, no RB even though Martin begged them to pick one and an all around bucket of yuck all over the field.
The Pats have had a great run, but they narrowly took the division last year and lost key players - heroes and MVPs without replacing them.
The player people are most excited about - the backup RB, Maroney. Good luck.
Miami won the last 6 last year, and despite losing the opening game at the home of the defending champs, they are a mortal lock for the postseason. They improved on both sides and just need their Secondary to step up to be a legitimate contender.

One word to SI - how in H-E- double hockey sticks can you have a team lose the Super Bowl at home???? There's no way that ever happens.

So:
1- Jacksonville
2- Miami (look at the schedule)
3- KC
4- Cincy
5- Indy
6- SD (or Pittsburgh - depends on Rivers)

This pick is too tough. I see the match ups and Miami looks to win - a last hurrah for Thomas/Taylor and an aging defense. But picking your favorite team to win it all is just ridiculous. So I will say nothing and only say that if Miami makes it to Miami - there's no way they lose that game.

Oh, and Indy takes a pounding.

Super Bowl favorites not called Miami:
1- Carolina
2- Giants
3- Jags
4- Bengals
5- KC & Philly

The reason Philly will do well: The Ewing Theory.
Look it up - it's the theory that shows how a team will suddenly get much better when the star player leaves.
Ewing gets hurt - the Knicks win.
A-Rod leaves - The Mariners get better.
A-Rod leaves - The Rangers get better and the Yanks start losing more in the postseason.
There's many more examples.

Enjoy the season!