We are inching closer and closer to preseason football starting, which means it's time for some predictions! First off will be about which playoff teams of 2011 won't come back to the NFL's 2nd season this time around. Since there's normally a good amount of teams that don't make it back two (or more) years in a row, there will possibly be multiple answers for this poll. Just to refresh, these are the 12 playoff teams from last season:
AFC - New England (East Champs), New York (Wild Card #2), Pittsburgh (North Champs), Baltimore (Wild Card #1), Indianapolis (South Champs), and Kansas City (West Champs)
NFC - Philadelphia (East Champs), Chicago (North Champs), Green Bay (Wild Card #2), Atlanta (South Champs), New Orleans (Wild Card #1), Seattle (West Champs)
Out of these 12, you have your regulars who you'd be more surprised if they weren't there then if they were, some hot and cold teams, and some serious surprises. Of these teams, I have the Patriots, Jets, Steelers, Colts, Eagles, Packers, and Falcons returning. Why don't I have the other 5 returning? Well...
Baltimore - Getting up there in age. I know they drafted a guy who I think will be a nice CB in Jimmy Smith, but there's always one team you don't expect to miss the playoffs that do, and I think even though this is a ten win team, they'll lose out on some sort of tiebreaker to Houston for the other WC spot (I know people have been on the Texans bandwagon for what seems like 5 years now, but they added Joseph and Wade Phillips is a very good D-Cordinator. If they don't make it Gary Kubiak could be in trouble.)
Kansas City - Simple. San Diego is just better, and they lost their O-Coordinator (Charlie Weis) to the NCAA. The Chargers lost a few of their games because of their special teams problems, and that should be fixed soon. The Chiefs seem like a 2008 Dolphins to me were 8-8 or 7-9 seems more likely.
Chicago - They played exceptionally well in close games. 10 of their 16 games were decided by a TD or less, and they were 7-3 in those games. They had some luck on their side as well (the two Lions games still sting a bit) and yes, I think the Lions have improved enough to take over the Bears as the #2 team in the division. Drinking the cool aid a bit? Probably. But I still have thoughts on Jay Cutler being a great QB.
New Orleans - I think Tampa Bay leaps over them for at least one year, since the Saints do have a rough schedule until about the last month. I don't wanna bet against Brees, but I think (for this year) Josh Freeman will get his team over the hump and take 2nd from the saints and get one of the WC spots.
Seattle - They have (at best) the 3rd best QB in their own division. It's arguable that Alex Smith is even better then the Whitehurst/Jackson combination. Obviously the benefited from a bad division, but I'd put my chips in a young Rams team that was only a game away from winning the division as well with an improving Bradford as we speak. Their offseason deals just don't stand out to me that much. had they brought Hasselbeck back or got someone like Orton or McNabb I could consider them, but not with the garbage they're playing with.
AFC - New England (East Champs), New York (Wild Card #2), Pittsburgh (North Champs), Baltimore (Wild Card #1), Indianapolis (South Champs), and Kansas City (West Champs)
NFC - Philadelphia (East Champs), Chicago (North Champs), Green Bay (Wild Card #2), Atlanta (South Champs), New Orleans (Wild Card #1), Seattle (West Champs)
Out of these 12, you have your regulars who you'd be more surprised if they weren't there then if they were, some hot and cold teams, and some serious surprises. Of these teams, I have the Patriots, Jets, Steelers, Colts, Eagles, Packers, and Falcons returning. Why don't I have the other 5 returning? Well...
Baltimore - Getting up there in age. I know they drafted a guy who I think will be a nice CB in Jimmy Smith, but there's always one team you don't expect to miss the playoffs that do, and I think even though this is a ten win team, they'll lose out on some sort of tiebreaker to Houston for the other WC spot (I know people have been on the Texans bandwagon for what seems like 5 years now, but they added Joseph and Wade Phillips is a very good D-Cordinator. If they don't make it Gary Kubiak could be in trouble.)
Kansas City - Simple. San Diego is just better, and they lost their O-Coordinator (Charlie Weis) to the NCAA. The Chargers lost a few of their games because of their special teams problems, and that should be fixed soon. The Chiefs seem like a 2008 Dolphins to me were 8-8 or 7-9 seems more likely.
Chicago - They played exceptionally well in close games. 10 of their 16 games were decided by a TD or less, and they were 7-3 in those games. They had some luck on their side as well (the two Lions games still sting a bit) and yes, I think the Lions have improved enough to take over the Bears as the #2 team in the division. Drinking the cool aid a bit? Probably. But I still have thoughts on Jay Cutler being a great QB.
New Orleans - I think Tampa Bay leaps over them for at least one year, since the Saints do have a rough schedule until about the last month. I don't wanna bet against Brees, but I think (for this year) Josh Freeman will get his team over the hump and take 2nd from the saints and get one of the WC spots.
Seattle - They have (at best) the 3rd best QB in their own division. It's arguable that Alex Smith is even better then the Whitehurst/Jackson combination. Obviously the benefited from a bad division, but I'd put my chips in a young Rams team that was only a game away from winning the division as well with an improving Bradford as we speak. Their offseason deals just don't stand out to me that much. had they brought Hasselbeck back or got someone like Orton or McNabb I could consider them, but not with the garbage they're playing with.