NFL 2009 Divisional Predictions

Sep 16

After I’ve luckily seen quite a lot of the first Weeks games, here are my bold predictions for the final Rankings in the divisions:

AFC East
1) New York Jets
With an already strong but still maturing Mark Sanchez at QB and a bold strong Defense my #1 Candidate for winning the AFC East
2) New England Patriots
Too many starters lost on Defense and with a Tom Brady who hasn’t mentally overcome his knee injury completely
3) Buffalo Bills
Strong Performance vs the Patriots but couldn’t keep them out of the end-zone when it really counted. The No-Huddle will definitely win them some games but also lose some…
4) Miami Dolphins
Wildcat’s no surprise no more, the other teams have had a whole season to prepare for it, not an advantage anymore: last place again.

AFC North
1) Pittsburgh Steelers
Strong Defense, solid offense the reigning Superbowl Champ will find enough ways to win to capture the #1 spot in the AFC North
2) Baltimore Ravens
With Joe Flacco in his 2nd year and a still strong Defense
3) Cleveland Browns
No offensive TD in the last 6 games of the 2008 season, and none when it still counted vs the Vikings, no match for the Steelers or the Ravens
4) Cincinnati Bengals
They’ll always find a way to lose – Their only score with less than a minute to go gives them actually the lead, and yet throwing (or rather deflecting) it away on the very next defensive play…

AFC South
1) Indianapolis Colts
Manning had his troubles vs the Jaguars, but his Defense helped him out, just as already in the last seasons… Peyton Manning will always find ways to score just enough to win most games…
2) Tennessee Titans
A tough overtime loss vs the Steelers, and yet this year Collins even another year older will win quite some games for them but not enough to rank above the Colts
3) Jacksonville Jaguars
You can’t let the Colts perform so poorly and still lose… Well, the Jags can…
4) Houston Texans
Maybe better than last year, but that’s not too difficult… but better than any other team in the AFC South – no way…

AFC West
1) San Diego Chargers
Even though it wasn’t that dominating win over the Raiders it still was a win and Thomlinson and Rivers will win the AFC East with ease this year
2) Denver Broncos
You won’t be that lucky every week, and with that last years letdown in the 2nd half of the season – a new Head Coach might overcome that, but not completely in his first season… And no Touchdown until that “holy deflection-reception”…
3) Oakland Raiders
Solid performance vs the Chargers but not good enough in the end, something we probably will see a few more times this season. May be they’ll even make it to 2nd place – depending how often the Broncos will run out of luck…
4) Kansas City Chiefs
Maybe… maybe… on the way to improvement, but that will take time, more than one season, thus last place in the AFC West – again.

NFC East
1) Dallas Cowboys
Tony Romo with lots of big plays despite – or because – without T.O. – good defense, IMHO the strongest Team in the NFC East (even though it’s tough to see who’ll be on the first three spots. But again it might be enough to make NFC East’s #3 spot to reach the playoffs…)
2) Philadelphia Eagles
Would have been my favorite for #1 – but with all those uncertainties at the Quarterback position: McNabb hurt (cracked Rib), Vick definitely not ready (and currently still
suspended), Garcia coming back from unemployed/retired also not really ready to play…
3) New York Giants
Restrengthened Defense with Osi Umenyiora back in the lineup, but a too shaky performance vs the still lowly playing Redskins… seems to end up on #3 – but as already said: hard to say.
4) Washington Redskins
This seems to be the only pretty much given spot: Redskins currently in this tough devision just team #4

NFC North
1) Minnesota Vikings
If Adrian Peterson keeps healthy and running like that, Favre will soon get into effect with looking at Defenses with 8 or even 9 Defenders having to play run first and if he’s able to hold his waters he’ll win games vs Teams playing “too” much run-first – on the other hand with just 7 in the Box the Vikings and Peterson will simply run over their opponents.
2) Green Bay Packers
Aaron Rodgers probably the best QB in the NFC North, but with a lot less run game to complement, the Packers will come up second in the NFC North.
3) Chicago Bears
Jay Cutler, well, need I say more? He’ll lose quite some more games for the Bears like this, and with Brian Urlacher out for the season (dislocated wrist) there’ll be a lot more weaknesses in the Bears defense. – Actually they haven’t won a game without Urlacher on the field for 1o years, they’ll over come that at least 1 game more often than the Lions will win this season…
4) Detroit Lions
Can’t do any worse than last year… but no more than 2 wins I predict => AFC North 4th place

NFC South
1) New Orleans Saints
Dreew Brees phenomenal! But will that be enough? I guess yes. Actually the whole division is so unpredictable, that I consider these rankings just as good as any other sequence.
2) Atlanta Falcons
Ryan’s 2nd year will prove if he’s really got what it take to become not only a solid QB but a real winner… now with even with Tony Gonzales on the TE spot.
3) Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Actually good performance vs the Cowboys, but can they always play at that level and can they really win enough to get into the playoffs, let’s see.
4) Carolina Panthers
They got steamrolled by the Eagles… were the Eagles that good? or the Panthers so bad? Well, future will tell…

NFC West
1) San Fransico 49ers
With Mike Singletary at the helm, are the 49ers on their way back to the old days of glory? At least they looked a lot more confident and solid than in the recent past, and I think it will be enough to capture the NFC West crown.
2) Seattle Seahawks
A 28-0 win over the Rams who found various ways to shoot themselves into the foot, knee, and other body parts… How much is it worth? Future has to show, maybe they’re even good enough for #1 – naw, I don’t think so…
3) Arizona Cardinals
Good old tradition of the last decade: SuperBowl-Loser won’t make it to the Playoffs in the ensuing season…
4) St. Louis Rams
They don’t have to find ways to lose games in the last second (like the Bengals), no, they know ways during the whole game – blocking a kick, returning it for a TD just having it nullified because you can’t count ’til eleven. 12 are definitely 1 too many!