It’s August everybody. And that’s means a few things. First and worst, it is the hottest and stickiest month of the year. But don’t tell Al Gore global warming isn’t the reason for that. Second and by far more important, it’s time for football. Training camp is over and we are midway through preseason which means one thing. Football is officially unofficially back. It’s preseason. It’s backups versus backups. Ratings typically aren’t skyrocketing and tailgates aren’t as fun. But with the NFL season coming back so do many questions and concerns. With some teams on the bubble of breaking through and players on the brink of greatness comes organizations trying to keep from drowning and self-implosion. There are questions, concerns, standards and hopes for every team in the National Football League. Let’s start with the AFC.
AFC East
- New England Patriots
Repeat Super Bowl champs? I don’t think so. While Tom Brady has just had one of the better years of his established career he is still almost 40 years old. Of course playing in New England’s system would be possible for an NCAA Lacrosse player but it is impressive nonetheless. But let’s be real for a second. The Patriots trip to the Super Bowl last February wasn’t too treacherous. Houston was without a quarterback and Pittsburgh was without Bell for most of the game. Looking back Brady’s numbers were not as impressive in those games leading to the Super Bowl by his own standards. He had a terrible half against Atlanta. Take away 10 out of 12 quarters and the guy was stellar. This aside the Pats have loaded the roster this offseason and look once again as a Super Bowl favorite. I think they win the division easily due to the loss of Tannehill for Miami and fight once again for the one seed and home field advantage.
2. Miami Dolphins
Injuries injuries injuries. It’s not even September yet and Miami has a full list on the injured report. The loss of Tannehill was crucial as he helped the Dolphins go on a 7 game win streak midway through last season which helped them secure a playoff spot. The spotlight will be on Jay Cutler as he is coming back to the NFL to replace Tannehill. Before we count him out remember he had his best year as a quarterback with Gase running the offense back in 2015. Players like Jay Ajayi, Kenny Stills and Jarvis Landry will be depended on to help carry the offense with the loss of Tannehill while DeVante Parker will attempt to breakthrough as one of the elite NFL receivers. The defense will be looked at with a microscope as it still remains a looming question. With rookie McMillan and Lippett out for the year the Dolphins will hope for someone to step up from inside the organization. I see Gase and Cutler finding a rhythm midseason and Miami clinching its second wildcard spot in a row with Gase at the helm but it’ll be an uphill fight the whole season.
3. New York Jets
Do the Jets have any fuel left? No. They don’t. The Jets are going to win 2-4 games this year. The quarterback situation is a mess and it looks like it will be until around week 6. McCown, Petty and Hackenberg are competing for the starting job which sounds as appealing as it looks. The defensive side of the ball isn’t much better as Todd Bowles and his defense are a hot mess. Revis Island has become a tourist attraction and it’s a favorite vacation spot for receivers. The Jets have no true identity as a unit on defense with no leaders. With severe problems on both sides of the ball it looks like the Jets will be fighting for the number 1 pick in the draft.
4. Buffalo Bills
With Rex Ryan being fired the Bills will look for Sean McDermott to right the ship of wrongs for this franchise. No snacks will be had and I have to admit I’ll miss Ryan being an NFL coach. The Bills don’t have too many expectations heading into the 2017. They just traded their best receiver to the Rams for nothing and Tyrod Taylor isn’t exactly Jim Kelly under center. While LeSean McCoy is still one of the top backs in the league he will not be able to carry this offense by himself. With a few more options on offense Taylor could prove to be one of the better quarterbacks in the league. Until then it seems like the defense will take most of the heavy lifting. It’s a good thing the Buffalo defense should be better than last year even with the loss of star corner Stephen Gilmore. The Bills are going to win no more than 8 games and will attempt to trick everyone into thinking they are actually fighting for a playoff spot.
AFC West
- Oakland Raiders
The Raiders were probably the only team that looked able to take down the Patriots in the AFC. Then Carr went down with a broken leg late in the season dashing their hopes in bringing the Raiders back to glory. They made the playoffs and were quickly taken out as their season ended like on an unfortunate note. But Jack Del Rio is back and this year he has Beast Mode with him. Sure Marshawn probably won’t be the same guy that he was a few years ago but I believe he is the second best back in his division. Either way he is an improvement from Latavius Murray. And we can’t forget the current DPOY in Khalil Mack on the other side of the ball. With Mack’s leadership and Carr healthy with his reloaded offense the Raiders will be tough to beat when they get rolling. I have them competing with New England once again for the one seed. The only difference is I believe the Raiders will be headed to Super Bowl 52 because of number 52. So grab some skittles and enjoy the Raiders bloom into a championship team.
2. Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers are interesting. Phillip Rivers continues to be a consistent quarterback and the Chargers have a legitimate running back in Melvin Gordon. He’s no LT but the guy is good. If Keenan Allen can stay healthy and Mike Williams can start strong after his injury the Chargers could make a run for a wildcard spot come December. If you look at Phillip Rivers December stats over his career the guy might as well be Peyton Manning for that month. But if you’re a realist you see them winning 7 or 8 games and feeling silly about picking them to make the playoffs back in August.
3. Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs are like that ex you just keep going back to. You just convince yourself they’ve changed. They’ve become predictable. They start slow and end the season like a. Their schedule leading up to their bye is tough. They open the season in New England and go into their bye after facing the Cowboys in Dallas. Many questions surround KC. Alex Smith is atop that list in whether or not he can truly lead his team to a Super Bowl. Patrick Mahomes was drafted and if the Chiefs don’t like what Smith is doing the reins could be given to the rook. Tyreke Hill’s explosive will help the Chiefs as they are without Charles and Maclin for the first time in years. He has proved he can open a game up at any moment. Their defense has been a sold point for them in the past but their front seven are a question this year. Last season the Chiefs weren’t good against the run. Eric Berry signed a massive contract in the offseason and they are hoping to reap the benefits quickly. The chiefs will could easily take a spot in the playoffs just as easily as they could go 7-9.
4. Denver Broncos
The Broncos need a quarterback desperately. Their defense can win them some games but without a strong quarterback the defense will be looking at another .500 season. Vance Joseph is a new head coach in the NFL and will look to give the Broncos organization the shift it needs to get back into becoming a championship contender once again. In order for Denver to get far Siemian must get better from last season. He went 8-6 as a starter and threw for 18 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Paxton Lynch is another candidate for the job but one question remains. If the offense can’t get things together will Denver be wasting the true talent their defense possesses? I think the answer is yes and they will go no more than .500 and miss the playoffs for the second year in a row after winning Super Bowl 50.
AFC South
1. Houston Texans
The Texans are going to be interesting this season. Last season they were without the best defensive player in the league in JJ Watt. Yet they still had the best defenses in the entire league. Unfortunately they suffered the same situation Denver had. They were without a strong quarterback. Signing Brock Osweiler might have seemed a good idea at the time but so was drinking the kool-aid. Savage might be the starter for the opener but that doesn’t by any means Watson won’t find his way under center for most of the season. With Will Fuller out Houston will need Hopkins and Miller to help carry the offense if the quarterback situation is messy. While all these indicators may seem to count Houston out I would not. They are in the easiest division in the NFL and have a good chance at repeating as AFC South champs.
2. Tennessee Titans
The Titans missed the playoffs last season but barely. They started heating up and Mariota showed what hopes to be a glimpse of the future for what has been a bad team the past few years. The Titans are will be the team to look out for this season. A 4th seed is not out of question as their division is easy and Houston still has qb issues to work out. The Titans have a promising run game with DeMarco Murray and Derrick Henry. Adding Corey Davis, Eric Decker and Rishad Matthews will only help Mariota as he now has the help he needs. Their offensive line was stellar and if Mariota has time in the pocket he can be deadly. All eyes will be on the offense this season. I see the Titans winning 10-11 games and giving Houston a run for their money for the AFC South title.
3. Indianapolis Colts
It’s strange to think just a few years ago that Luck and his colts were in the playoffs and he looked like the next MVP. The Colts have been .500 the last two seasons. Luck has been consistent as their quarterback and last season T.Y. Hilton finished in the top 3 among receiving yards but after Hilton the Colts don’t have any other real weapons. Their defense is bad. It’s really bad. I don’t see Luck and the colts making any progress this season. They finish 3rd in the division and win no more than 7 games.
4. Jacksonville Jaguars
Remember last year when everyone said the Jags were gonna make the playoffs? Crazy how things work out. After their second preseason game head coach Doug Marrone stated that the starting quarterback job was up for grabs. Blake Bortles, Chad Henne and Brandon Allen will all be in contention and in all honesty there isn’t a clear favorite. While Bortles has shown the potential to be a great qb in this league as of recently it looks as if that potential might be fading. Of course his team has done him no favors as he doesn’t have the arsenal others possess. With Robinson being the only somewhat established receiver and bad run game things have been quite difficult. Fournette should be able to lighten the load as he looks to help shake up the offense. Their defense was bad and they have a new coaching staff. They’re going to be last in the division and they might win 4-5 games.
AFC North
1. Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers are one of the clear favorites to win the AFC. The Steelers have the best receiver running back duo and Big Ben is still somehow in the league after the past 30 years. The Steelers have more than enough offensive power in Brown and Bell alone but their defense will be what makes or breaks them. With the loss of Lawrence Timmons to Miami they will need players to step up and lead at the linebacker position. Their run defense will have to improve as they’ve dropped rapidly the past seasons from being in the top five to barely top fifteen in total run defense. While these are all concerns the secondary will be the true test. Their secondary has been shown to be weak at times and has allowed big plays. Now that they have more experience it should improve but still a concern nonetheless.
2. Baltimore Ravens
Joe Flacco was once one of the elite quarterbacks in the NFL. Making the playoffs his first five years and winning at least one game, Super Bowl MVP and recently voted most attractive player in the NFL Flacco has been atop the league. As of late he seems to be fading and the Ravens have fallen off. Maclin will be coming in this season hoping to help the receiving corp that desperately needs it. The run has been a staple of their success in the past and has lacked lately. The Ravens will however succeed in their secondary as Tony Jefferson joins Eric Weddle. I see the Ravens struggling too much and falling out of playoff contention with 8-9 wins.
3. Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals have been better the past few seasons but recently they look like the Mean Machine without Adam Sandler. When A.J. Green scores a touchdown they win significantly more. If I were them I would get the guy the ball. Their run game has been ultimately split by Hill and Bernard over the past few years but rookie Joe Mixon will look to take it over this season as the primary back. The offense needs adjustments while the defense is in their own world. I think we should take bets on the next defensive player to be suspended. The Bengals won six games last season and they are probably going to do the same again this year.
4. Cleveland Browns
0-16? Not this year. The Browns have been the butt of all the jokes in recent years but that will come to change in a few seasons. The Browns went defensive heavy in the draft and it seems that given time to develop, their defense could be solid. As for now they’re doomed if the Brocketship is starting for them. Kizer will be fighting for the job and if he can make the transition into a starting NFL qb then the Browns might have something going for them. But they are still rebuilding. They win 2-4 games this year and have a couple close losses to some better teams.
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