Early 2015 NFL Predictions Thread

[LODemolition]

Anyone care to predict the upcoming NFL season regular standings, awards, and playoffs? It's never too early in my opinion. Playoff teams are in bold and

AFC

East:

Buffalo 11-5 (#3)
New England 11-5 (#5)
Miami 10-6 (#6
NY Jets 6-10

North:

Baltimore 10-6 (#4)
Pittsburgh 9-7
Cincinnati 9-7
Cleveland 2-14

South:

Indianapolis 13-3 (#1)
Houston 10-6
Jacksonville 5-11
Tennessee 1-15

West:

Denver 11-5 (#2)
San Diego 9-7
Oakland 7-9
Kansas City 6-10


NFC

East:

Philadelphia 10-6 (#3)
Dallas 10-6 (#6)
NY Giants 9-7
Washington 3-13

North:

Green Bay 14-2 (#1)
Minnesota 9-7
Detroit 7-9
Chicago 3-13

South:

New Orleans 9-7 (#4)
Carolina 8-8
Atlanta 5-11
Tampa Bay 4-12

West:

Arizona 12-4 (#2)
Seattle 12-4 (#5)
St. Louis 9-7
San Francisco 2-14

Most Valuable Player: Aaron Rodgers
Coach of the Year: Rex Ryan
Comeback Player of the Year: Carson Palmer
Offensive Player of the Year: Adrian Peterson
Defensive Player of the Year: JJ Watt
Offensive Rookie of the Year: Amari Cooper
Defensive Rookie of the Year: Shane Ray

2016 NFL Playoffs


Wild Card Round:

#3 Buffalo over #6 Miami
#5 New England over #4 Baltimore

#3 Philadelphia over #6 Dallas
#5 Seattle over #4 New Orleans


Divisional Round:

#1 Indianapolis over #5 New England
#2 Denver over #3 Buffalo

#5 Seattle over #1 Green Bay
#2 Arizona over #3 Philadelphia


Conference Championships:

#1 Indianapolis over #2 Denver
#5 Seattle over #2 Arizona


Super Bowl XL:

Indianapolis 13
Seattle 24

 

[Akhilleus]

AFC

East:

New England 11-5 (#3)
Bills 10-6 (#5)
Miami 8-8
Jets 6-19

North:

Pittsburgh 12-4 (#2)
Baltimore 10-6 (#5)
Cincinnati 9-7
Browns 4-12

South:

Indianapolis 12-4 (#1)
Houston 8-8
Jacksonville 8-8
Tennessee 3-13

West:

Denver 11-5 (#4)
San Diego 9-7
Kansas City 7-9
Oakland 5-11


NFC

East:

NY Giants 11-5 (#3)
Dallas 10-6
Philly 9-7
Washington 5-10

North:

Green Bay 13-3 (#1)
Detroit 8-8
Chicago 7-9
Minnesota 6-10

South:

Tampa Bay 10-6 (#4)
Carolina 9-7
Atlanta 8-8
New Orleans 7-9

West:

Seattle 12-4 (#2)
Arizona 11-5 (#5)
St. Louis 10-6 (#6)
San Francisco 6-10


Most Valuable Player: Andrew Luck
Coach of the Year: Pete Carroll
Comeback Player of the Year: Adrian Peterson
Offensive Player of the Year: Le'Veon Bell
Defensive Player of the Year: JJ Watt
Offensive Rookie of the Year: Melvin Gordon
Defensive Rookie of the Year: Bud Dupree



2016 NFL Playoffs



Wild Card Round:

#6 Ravens @ #3 Patriots
Winner: Patriots

#5 Bills @ #4 Broncos
Winner: Bills

#6 Rams @ #3 Giants
Winner: Giants

#5 Cardinals @ #4 Buccaneers
Winner: Cardinals


Divisional Round:

#5 Bills @ #1 Colts
Winner: Colts

#3 Patriots @ #2 Steelers
Winner: Steelers

#5 Cardinals @ #2 Seahawks
Winner: Seahawks

#3 Giants @ #1 Packers
Winner: Packers

#2 Seahawks @ #1 Packers
Winner: Packers


Conference Championships:

#2 Steelers @ #1 Colts
Winner: Steelers


Superbowl 50

Green Bay Packers vs Pittsburgh Steelers
Winner: Pittsburgh Steelers


I usually always intentionally not homer up and pick my favorite teams to win. Which are my two home town teams, the Seahawks and Steelers. But this year I'm leaving the 'Hawks out of it because one I want them to win more and don't want to jinx it, and two I think the Steelers have a legit chance of having a good year. They have some holes like every team, but their offense might be one of the most dominant ones in the AFC this year. I'm picking them and the Packers to face off in a Superbowl rematch five years later, and for the Steelers to come out on top and get their revenge. Probably won't happen, but dammit this is my fantasy let me enjoy it.

As long as Adrian Peterson is his half his old self, he will win comeback player of the year. In fact that award is his to lose. And Peterson is very much the type of player that when he comes back from something like that, he has a lot to prove. His best year was coming off a torn ACL injury. This is different, he's healthy but yet it's going to be the same mindset. I think he could be rushing for 1700-1900 yards. At least 1500, which will definitely earn him that award.

I'm picking the Giants to win the NFC East. I don't know why I just have a feeling. I don't like Philly at all, Chip Kelly has single handedly destroyed that team. If anyone else wins it'll be Dallas. Tampa Bay is another team I like. If it wasn't for their lack of overall experience I would have had them finish even higher and go further in the postseason. I think Winston is going to be a beast. They have Mike Evans out there who is going to be a beast, and if Doug Martin can bounce back their offense in general will be solid.

Manning will choke in the playoffs as always, this time to the Bills. I'm picking Andrew Luck to win the MVP award, just because I wanted to be different. Think he could very well do it, but who knows. Bell is my offensive player of the year, but his suspension is holding him back from that a little. However I think that'll be more motivation for him to do even better than the amazing year he had last year. Bud Dupree was a homer pick simply because I don't know many of the defensive rookies, especially the ones expected to start out of the gate. In fact I hate that pick for the Steelers, they should have taken secondary.

Pete Carroll will win Coach of the Year? Who knows...I could see it, if they Seahawks do how they usually do. The media would throw Pete a bone after his bonehead move in the Super Bowl. It's a good storyline, and they sure do love their storylines.

That's all I have. Will any of it come true? Possibly, probably not.

 

[Akhilleus]

I was going to make my own prediction thread for this season like I usually do around August, but then I remembered this thread. I looked over my predictions from just two months ago, and they are generally exactly the same. But preseason is always the hardest to predict.

So I am going to bump this thread for people to predict the season now that we are closer, as well as a few more discussion questions for people to answer if they wish.

1. Will Tom Brady's suspension be reversed or reduced?

2. Going into the season, who has the best offense in the league? What about the best defense?

3. Jameis Winston vs Marcus Mariota, who will be better?

4. Who will be the best breakout non rookie star?

5. Will Adrian Peterson have more than or less than 1500 yards rushing?

My answers:

Will Tom Brady's suspension be reversed or reduced?

My prediction is that Tom Brady's suspension will stay the same, and he will be sitting out the first four games of the season. I'm predicting them to lose the opening game to Pittsburgh in a close game, defeat Buffalo in another close game. Defeat the Jaguars in by more than a possession, and then lose to Dallas on the road to start the season 2-2 without Brady.

Going into the season, who has the best offense in the league? What about the best defense?

The best offenses in the league, it's between Green Bay, Pittsburgh, and Denver for me. Green Bay has Aaron Rodgers, Eddie Lacy, Randall Cobb, Davante Adams, and Jordy Nelson. That is a high powered high offense. Pittsburgh has Ben Roethlisberger, Le'veon Bell, Antonio Brown, Martavis Bryant, and even Marcus Wheaton who appears ready to break out. Then of course there's the consistent Denver offense with Peyton Manning, D. Thomas, Julius Thomas, Emmanuel Sanders, and Cody Latimer about to break out, and CJ Anderson who has been acclaimed this offseason. Those are the top three in my eyes going into the season in no order.

Best defenses. this one will be less detailed on my part as offense is more my specialty. Obviously Seattle has to be named, there is no explanation required there. Another one is their NFC West rival St. Louis Rams. Last but no least I think the Houston Texans are going to be one of the top three defenses this season spotlighted around JJ Watt and Jadevon Clowney.

Jameis Winston vs Marcus Mariota, who will be better?

This one is easy. Winston all the way around, I think he has the potential to be a Pro Bowl caliber player, and is going to be very solid in his career. He has some weapons to throw to with Vincent Jackson and Mike Evans. Marcus Mariotta is on a much weaker offense first of all. Secondly, I am very very anti Oregon players in the NFL. That is a very good system for college football, but it does not translate over well for productivity in NFL players, specifically Quarterbacks. I don't think he is going to be a Dennis Dixon caliber bust, but I don't think his ceiling is as high as Winston's.

Who will be the best breakout non rookie star?

There are so many players that this could be, so this question is very hard to answer. Martavis Bryant, Travis Kelce, Davante Adams, all good names. But I am going to go and say Tyler Eifert is going to be one of the best breakout stars this year. He may not put up the numbers a couple of the guys I named above will, but I think he is in for a very good season, and could be one of the Top 5 tight ends this year. He is in a good offense on a good team, and now looks to have the starting job locked up. I'm rooting for him to have a good outing this year.

Will Adrian Peterson have more than or less than 1500 yards rushing?

Coming off a season where he sat our nearly the entire time, Adrian Peterson has a lot to prove coming into this 2015 campaign. Anyone remember the last time Adrian Peterson had a lot to prove? That was after tearing his ACL at the end of the 2011 season. He came back in 2012, and went on to win the MVP award rushing for 2,097 yards.

But he is 30 years old, in an offense that is no longer as dependent in the running game as they were used to...although that second fact may be even more to Peterson's benefit.

Will he rush for more than 1500 yards? I think there's a damn good chance. I don't think he's going to replicate his 2012 season, but I think he's looking at about 1700 this season.

 

[rbv13]

RBV’s 2015 NFL Predictions (Regular Season/Playoffs/Super Bowl 50)

AFC EAST
New England Patriots (10-6)
Miami Dolphins (10-6)
Buffalo Bills (7-9)
New York Jets (5-11)

AFC NORTH
Cincinnati Bengals (10-6)
Baltimore Ravens (10-6)
Pittsburg Steelers (9-7)
Cleveland Browns (5-11)

AFC SOUTH
Indianapolis Colts (12-4)
Houston Texas (9-7)
Jacksonville Jaguars (5-11)
Tennessee Titans (3-13)

AFC WEST
Denver Broncos (11-5)
Kansas City Chiefs (9-7)
San Diego Chargers (8-8)
Oakland Raiders (6-10)

AFC Playoff Seeding
01) Indianapolis Colts 02) Denver Broncos 03) New England Patriots
04) Baltimore Ravens 05) Cincinnati Bengals 06) Miami Dolphins

AFC Playoff Round One
New England Patriots d. Miami Dolphins
Cincinnati Bengals d. Baltimore Ravens

AFC Playoff Round Two
Indianapolis Colts d. Cincinnati Bengals
Denver Broncos d. New England Patriots

AFC CHAMPIONSHIP
Indianapolis Colts d. Denver Broncos

NFC EAST
Philadelphia Eagles (9-7)
Dallas Cowboys (8-8)
New York Giants (6-10)
Washington Redskins (4-12)

NFC NORTH
Green Bay Packers (13-3)
Minnesota Vikings (9-7)
Detroit Lions (6-10)
Chicago Bears (5-11)

NFC SOUTH
Carolina Panthers (9-7)
New Orleans Saints (9-7)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-8)
Atlanta Falcons (4-12)

NFC WEST
Seattle Seahawks (11-5)
Arizona Cardinals (10-6)
St. Louis Rams (8-8)
San Francisco 49ers (5-12)

NFC Playoff Seeding
01) Green Bay Packers 02) Seattle Seahawks 03) Carolina Panthers
04) Philadelphia Eagles 05) Arizona Cardinals 06) Minnesota Vikings

NFC Playoff Round One
Carolina Panthers d. Minnesota Vikings
Arizona Cardinals d. Philadelphia Eagles

NFC Round Two
Green Bay Packers d. Arizona Cardinals
Seattle Seahawks d. Carolina Panthers

NFC CHAMPIONSHIP
Green Bay Packers d. Seattle Seahawks

SUPER BOWL 50
Indianapolis Colts d. Green Bay Packers