The Extremely Early Forecast of the NFL Season

It is said that baseball is America's pastime. While that may have been true 20 or so years ago, it is now clear that the NFL is the sport of choice for most of the country. Everything the league does is news regardless of if it occurs in season or during the off season. The league had another holiday a couple of days ago with the release of the schedule. It is the time of year where fans go through and count the winnable games for their teams. It gives people a chance to either get a good feeling for how their team might do, or in some cases a sinking feeling that the season may be lost even before it starts. As I did last year, I am going to give you a forecast of how I see each team doing in the upcoming season. There are still plenty of moves left to be made. Teams still have to draft their future stars, training camp, players will get signed and cut, and there will inevitably be a major injury or two before the season kicks off on September 5. Remember, it is the extremely early forecast of the season.

How did I do last season? Well, Giants fans are always quick to point out that I struck out on the NFC East. I had the Eagles winning that division and the Giants finishing 7-9. We all saw how that one worked out. I did accurately predict the AFC East winner, calling for the Patriots to finish 12-4 while they actually finished 13-3. I also was correct with the NFC North although I grossly underestimated the dominance that the Packers would display. I had them at 12-4, they went 15-1. I also got the AFC North correct, and correctly predicted both 12-4 records for the Ravens and the Steelers. However, I was incorrect for the AFC and NFC Wests, while being correct for the NFC and AFC Souths. In all, I did a decent job in predicting how the season would turn out. So, here is the extremely early forecast of the NFL season. 

NFC East

Dallas Cowboys	10-6
New York Giants	9-7
Philadelphia Eagles	10-6
Washington Redskins	4-12

This is not an indictment on what I think Robert Griffin III will be as a NFL quarterback. I actually think he will be better than Luck. However, the schedule is brutal and as good as RGIII will be, he will still take his lumps. Giants fans will be happy to know that I have their team missing the playoffs this year, and they will surely point out what happened last year when I predicted the same thing. Consider Tha WeathaMan a good luck charm if that is the case. The Giants' schedule is the toughest in the league, and if they manage to make the playoffs they will have earned it. I'm putting faith in Michael Vick (always a risky proposition) and Tony Romo (ditto) to get it done. 

AFC East

Buffalo Bills	11-5
Miami Dolphins	5-11
New England Patriots	13-3
New York Jets	8-8

If any of you can figure out the New York Jets, please let me know. They are a pure case of an enigma wrapped inside of a riddle encapsulated by a conundrum. I have them going 8-8 but they have an equal chance of going 11-5 or 12-6. The Buffalo Bills are my surprise team as I truly feel that they will turn a corner this season. This division still belongs to The Hoodie and Mr. Brady until someone comes along to change that, and I do not see that happening this upcoming season. 

NFC North

Chicago Bears	10-6
Detroit Lions	10-6
Green Bay Packers	13-3
Minnesota Vikings	6-10

 I see this being an extremely competitive division. Green Bay should repeat as champs, but it should not be a runaway like it was last year. Even Minnesota will be competitive, but with their rebuilding project in full swing it will take them a couple of seasons to get back on the winning side of things. 

AFC North

Baltimore Ravens	10-6
Cincinnati Bengals	7-9
Cleveland Browns	4-12
Pittsburgh Steelers	11-5

I see the Steelers doing just enough to squeak out the division by a game over the Ravens. I think the Bengals will come back to Earth a little bit as they have only qualified for the playoffs in back to back seasons once in their franchise's history (1981 & 1982). Cleveland will have a tough go of it as they determine whether Colt McCoy is the answer behind center or not. Their difficult schedule does them no favors. 

NFC South

Atlanta Falcons	10-6
Carolina Panthers	6-10
New Orleans Saints	10-6
Tampa Bay Buccaneers	4-12

Count me as one of the few individuals that do not think the "bounty-gate" scandal will single the end for the Saints. They still have Drew Brees, whose contract situation will be settled before training camp, and the rest of that dynamic offense. Brees is essentially the coach on the field, and the Saints will be fine. However, if the rest of the NFC South is going to overtake New Orleans this is the season to do it. 

AFC South

Houston Texans	11-5
Indianapolis Colts	4-12
Jacksonville Jaguars	3-13
Tennessee Titans	5-11

This division now belongs to the Houston Texans. The rest of the division will be in competition for high draft picks in the 2013 draft. I do believe the Titans will be a better team than last year's edition, but their schedule is brutal. Their first four games are against the Patriots, at the Chargers, the Lions, and then their first division game at Houston. That's a 0-4 slate that is staring them in the face. Andrew Luck will steadily improve throughout the season, but the cupboard is bare in Indy. As far as the Jaguars are concerned, at least Tim Tebow will visit Jacksonville as a member of the Jets in week 14. That's something to look forward to right? 

NFC West

Arizona Cardinals	5-11
St. Louis Rams	6-10
San Francisco 49ers	12-4
Seattle Seahawks	7-9

Just as the Houston Texans owns the AFC South, the San Francisco 49ers appear to be the class of the NFC West. Matt Flynn will help the Seahawks, but a lack of play-makers will doom the team. I'm not sold Kevin Kolb can make Arizona winners, while in St. Louis Jeff Fisher will have the Rams heading in the right direction. 

AFC West

Denver Broncos	9-7
Kansas City Chiefs	8-8
Oakland Raiders	7-9
San Diego Chargers	11-5

If you have any idea on what is going to happen in this division please raise your hand. Now put it down because it is clear that you are lying. This is arguably the most confusing division in the NFL. Which San Diego team is going to show up from week to week? Is Peyton truly back? What is going on in the always eventful land of Oakland? Is Kansas City contenders or pretenders? All of these and many more questions pop up when thinking about the AFC West. I believe all these teams will be competitive week in and week out, and the division will not be clinched until week 15. Then again, who knows when you are talking about these four teams?