We’re about a week away from the start of NFL training camp. At this point, we’re starving for some football talk, as things have been all but officially dead for the last month. So, let’s project the season. Where does each division stand entering training camp?
Inevitably, a team that no one sees coming will surprise. A couple of teams could fill that role this season. I like what the Cincinnati Bengals have done – people seem to be sleeping on just how close they are. Likewise, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are improving and sneak up on the rest of the NFC. Let’s jump on in and take a look at each division in the NFL and where I’m leaning for the 2017 season.
AFC East
The Miami Dolphins are the only team in this division with a shot at catching the New England Patriots, and even that is a remote shot. The Patriots have added more firepower to an already electric offense. They’ll continue to play underrated defense. When it’s all said and done, I will be shocked if they don’t win this division by three or four games. The Buffalo Bills are intriguing. They have a lot of talent on that roster and could compete for a wild card, but 9-7 is the ceiling. The New York Jets could be the worst team in football this year, as they appear to be in complete “tank and rebuild” mode.
AFC North
This still looks like the Pittsburgh Steelers’ division to lose, but it’s much more competitive than it may seem. In fact, there are several holes on that Steelers defense. If they can’t score points, they’re in trouble. The Patriots completely shut them down in last season’s AFC Championship. The Baltimore Ravens aren’t too far behind ’em. The Cincinnati Bengals have a lot of talent, and I love the addition of John Ross to that offense. The Cleveland Browns will be scrappier than they were last season. Hue Jackson has that franchise turning in the right direction, but they’re still a couple of seasons away from even sniffing the playoffs. That said, I actually think the Cincinnati Bengals return to the throne of the AFC North. I’m not ready to close the book on Andy Dalton – that Bengals offense should be explosive.
AFC South
The Tennessee Titans are definitely the sexy pick here this season, but I don’t know that I’m ready to buy into the hype just yet. People forget that Andrew Luck is still the best quarterback in this division and the Houston Texans have the best defense in the NFL. The Jacksonville Jaguars are loaded with talent. If they could ever put it all together, they’d be a tough out. This division is going to be competitive, and as we’ve seen in the past, 9-7 may be good enough to win it. Ultimately, I am going to cave in to the hype and go with the Tennessee Titans. They’re the only team in the division that doesn’t have an obvious Achilles heel right now.
AFC West
The AFC West is the most competitive division in the AFC. Realistically, there are three teams that could win it, and the Los Angeles Chargers are a much better team on the field than their 2016 record would suggest. But, with Denver, Kansas City, and Oakland all fielding good defenses, the difference-maker will be offense. The Oakland Raiders have the best offense in the division. They are the most talented team in the division. So, they get the nod. Before Derek Carr’s injury, they were on pace for a first-round bye. This year, they finish what they started in 2016.
AFC Wild Card Race: Pittsburgh Steelers, Kansas City Chiefs, Baltimore Ravens, Houston Texans, Denver Broncos, Miami Dolphins, Indianapolis Colts, Buffalo Bills
Might as well start talking about 2018: Los Angeles Chargers, Cleveland Browns, Jacksonville Jaguars, New York Jets
NFC East
The Dallas Cowboys should repeat as NFC East Champions in 2017. Outside of them, the rest of the field is wide open. The New York Giants figure to have another stout defense, and with the addition of Brandon Marshall and Evan Engram, should have a dynamic offense. But, the problem is they didn’t address the offensive line. The Washington Redskins may have the best vertical passing attack in the division, but it hasn’t translated to success quite yet. Carson Wentz has the Philadelphia Eagles trending in the right direction, but it’s too early to consider them legitimate contenders. All things considered, the Dallas Cowboys look like the best team in the division.
NFC North
It took an amazing finish for the Green Bay Packers to wrestle the NFC North from the Detroit Lions last season, and I expect the division to be just as competitive again this year. The Packers have serious issues on defense. If not for the heroics of Aaron Rodgers, they don’t make it very far. The Detroit Lions aren’t going away under Jim Caldwell, and Mike Zimmer should have a tough squad in the Minnesota Vikings. The Chicago Bears are far from a division contender. But, all things considered, this is Rodgers’ division until proven otherwise.
NFC South
Outside of the AFC West, this may be the most competitive division in the NFL. The winner of the NFC South has made it to the Super Bowl in each of the last two seasons. Right now, it looks like a two-team race between the defending NFC Champion Atlanta Falcons and the Carolina Panthers, but the Tampa Bay Buccaneers could sneak up and steal it. I’m not going to count out the New Orleans Saints until Drew Brees and Sean Payton are no longer with the team. This could be the tightest race in the entire NFL this season, but Atlanta walks away with the title.
NFC West
The Seattle Seahawks offense underwent a transition to more of a vertical passing attack in 2016, and they encountered obvious growing pains. They’ll be better with more time to develop chemistry, but the biggest thing going for them is that the division looks to have two of the worst teams in the league in it. The Arizona Cardinals will be the biggest threat, but it’s one that the Seahawks are built to overcome.
NFC Wild Card Race: Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Washington Redskins, Carolina Panthers, Detroit Lions, Arizona Cardinals, New York Giants, Minnesota Vikings, Philadelphia Eagles, New Orleans Saints
Might as well start talking about 2018: San Francisco 49ers, Los Angeles Rams, Chicago Bears
So, hell – we’re making lofty predictions, why not go ahead and outline the playoffs and get my Super Bowl picks in as well???
Wild Card Round
(3) Tennessee Titans over (6) Kansas City Chiefs
(5) Pittsburgh Steelers over (4) Cincinnati Bengals
(3) Atlanta Falcons over (6) Washington Redskins
(6) Tampa Bay Buccaneers over (3) Green Bay Packers
Divisional Round
(1) New England Patriots over (5) Pittsburgh Steelers
(2) Oakland Raiders over (3) Tennessee Titans
(1) Seattle Seahawks over (6) Tampa Bay Buccaneers
(2) Dallas Cowboys over (3) Atlanta Falcons
AFC Championship: (1) New England Patriots over (2) Oakland Raiders
NFC Championship: (2) Dallas Cowboys over (1) Seattle Seahawks
Super Bowl LII: (1) New England Patriots over (2) Dallas Cowboys
Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network. A strong advocate of GSD (get shit done) and #BeBetter, he’s down to talk Tennessee Titans and Alabama Crimson Tide football over a beer any day. Check him out covering the WWE for WrestlingNews.co. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley, @WrestlingNewsCo
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