Some NFL Predictions

I figured I would throw out some predictions for this upcoming football season.  Why not?  The "experts" have a similar batting average as I do.

-The New York Giants, despite all of the tumult this offseason and the injuries this preseason will make the playoffs.

-Mike Vick will throw 14 or more INT's this year.  He also won't play in all 16 Eagles games.

-The returns of kickoffs will drastically go down.  Currently kicks are being run back from the halfway point of the endzone.  Much of this can be attributed to guys trying to make NFL rosters and the only way they can do that is if they return the kicks for big yardage.  Expect more touchbacks once the season starts.  Currently, this preseason has seen 37% of kickoffs end up as touchbacks, up from 10% last year.  That rate will only increase, probably somewhere close to 50% once the regular season starts.

-The Eagles will win the NFC East but won't get very far in the playoffs and certainly won't win the Super Bowl.

-The Raiders will not continue to improve and instead will regress this year.  An 8-8 record is not gonna happen.  4-12 maybe, not 8-8 or 7-9.

-The Lions will make the playoffs IF Matthew Stafford stays healthy.  Since he probably won't the Lions will once again miss the playoffs.  But they are on the rise.

-Plaxico Burress will have more TD catches than Santonio Holmes.

-Eli Manning will throw less than 20 INT's this year.  Hakeem Nicks will be a Pro Bowl WR and Mario Manningham will have over 1,000 yards receiving.  And, Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs will each have 1,000 yards rushing.

-The Chicago Bears will not make the playoffs.

-The Green Bay Packers will not repeat as Super Bowl Champions but will win the North handily.

-Colt McCoy will show people he can be a QB in this league and will have better numbers than Joe Flacco.

-The Dallas Cowboys will finish the year 8-8.

-The Cleveland Browns will make the playoffs.  Their toughest games are against division opponents (except the Bengals) and if the Browns can go .500 in their division they could sneak into a Wild Card spot.

-The Denver Broncos will improve, by 2 games on last years 4-12 record and finish ahead of Oakland.

-The San Diego Chargers will win the AFC West.

-Nobody will care who wins the NFC West.

-The NFC South will represent the NFC in the Super Bowl.

-The Redskins will win less than 5 games.

-Ray Rice will lead the league in rushing.

-Larry Fitzgerald will lead the league in receptions.

-There won't be any arrests of New York Jets players during the regular season.

-Kansas City will go 8-0 at home.

-The loss of Terrell Thomas will hurt the Giants but it won't kill them.  Prince Amukamara, Aaron Ross, and Corey Webster will be able to fill the void well enough making this unit a huge strength going into 2012.

-Jason Pierre-Paul will have 13 sacks.  Justin Tuck will have 12. And Osi Umenyiora will rack up 10 as the Giants lead the NFL in sacks.


Well, that's all for now.  Got your own predictions?  Click on the comments link and share 'em.

I Thought this Was the Holiday Season?

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving so first let me wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving.  It is this reason that I am writing.  Thanksgiving is the holiday we gather with our families and remember why we should be thankful for the things in life.  Tomorrow is also a big football day.  However, the NFL has not been in a very nice to its fans these past few years.  Tomorrow, just before everyone sits down to eat their bountiful feast the NFL is going to make everyone watch the winless Detroit Lions take on the Tennessee Titans who are coming off their first loss of the season to the New York Jets.  The Detroit Lions have not been good since Barry Sanders retired yet they are a staple on Thanksgiving.  Why?  Why must we be subjected to a Lions team that hasn't made the playoffs since 1999.  The same Detroit Lions that haven't had a winning season since 2000.  What makes this even more of an insult is there is a game with playoff implications on the NFL Network at 8:15 PM when the Eagles take on the Cardinals in Philly.  Most people don't get the NFL Network.  I'm lucky enough to get it but the NFL is really doing their fans a disservice.  The nation is subjected to the Lions while the NFL Network takes the good game for itself.  I guess the NFL is not thankful for its loyal fanbase.  I guess the NFL doesn't remember that the fans are the money.

Perhaps one day the fans will be treated with enough respect that the NFL will cast aside the putrid Lions in favor of a team that has been consistently good, or at least competitive every year.  Is the Steelers too much to ask for?  How about the Giants?  How about the Redskins?  How about any other team but the Lions?  Are the Lions the NFL's way of making everyone sick so they don't eat too much?  Either way, the NFL can stuff this turkey itself.  I'm refusing to watch!