Welcome to our annual NFL season preview picks. We'll be the first to admit that we don't have a lot of confidence in many of these picks. How can we (or anyone else)? The NFL has become such a competitive league that the difference between 10-6 and a Super Bowl win, and 6-10 and a Top 10 draft pick, can be one missed field goal and one dropped interception.
It's no big surprise that we both pick our favorite team to win the Super Bowl. But, when your two favorite teams are the two best teams over the last 10 years, it's almost difficult not to.
AFC PREVIEW
| Cyd's Picks | Jim's Picks | |
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AFC EAST AFC NORTH AFC SOUTH AFC WEST |
AFC EAST AFC NORTH AFC SOUTH AFC WEST |
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The entire AFC South is the biggest toss-up to me, but let me add this caveat: If the Colts can all stay healthy this year, they will win the division. But with so many question marks on the team (and I don't count Manning's health as a question mark), I can see ANY of the other three teams winning the division. I give the Jags the nod because of their running game and their defense. Potential surprise teams this year are the Buffalo Bills and the Oakland Raiders. I could see either of them making the playoffs. I just love the Raiders' pick of McFadden in the draft, and I think JaMarcus Russell could be heavy on the upswing this year. My scientifically determined chance that the New England Patriots go 16-0 again: 3%. |
I see the Colts and Patriots as Teams 1 and 1A and everyone else fighting for third. New England has an absurdly easy schedule and should win 12 games just by showing up. The Colts are loaded on both sides of the ball and the defense has added some key rookies. The X factior is the health of Dwight Freeney -- with him the Colts can rush the passer, without him they can be one and done again in the playoffs. San Diego wins the West by default, but I see slippage from last year. Cleveland has added enough new bodies on defense to get by the Steelers, who are rebuilding their offensive line. I see the Jets being a wild card in keeping with tradition -- they have made the playoffs in 2002-04-06 and missed them in odd years. Brett Farve wears No. 4 and it is 2008, which is good enough for me. Miami and Oakland will not be easy outs and will improve, but that's not saying a whole lot.
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NFC Preview
| Cyd's Picks | Jim's Picks |
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NFC EAST NFC NORTH NFC SOUTH NFC WEST |
NFC EAST NFC NORTH NFC SOUTH NFC WEST |
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I see a lot of weird stuff in the NFC this year. My ultimate "vibe" pick this year is the Chicago Bears sitting atop the NFC North. I just think the rest of the division is mediocre, they get a favorable schedule, and they still have some key pieces from their Super Bowl run. I see them going 6-2 at home and, with road games at Carolina, Atlanta, Detroit and St. Louis, eeking out a 9-7 record. There's an addage about old football players: Drop them a year before it's too late. That's my feeling about the Seahawks. Their head coach is a lame duck and will be gone next year; their receivers are hurting (and weren't that good in the first place), Shaun Alexander is long gone, and their QB isn't 100%. While everyone is high on the Cowboys, I can't get Wade Philips' befuddled sideline expressions out of my head. Plus, news from their camp is that it was like Club Med with few two-a-days and even less hitting. Are they ready for the season? I see some 21-20 losses in their future. |
This is the Go Figure Conference, the land where the No. 5 seed Giants can get hot and make a playoff run for the ages. It's not a stretch to argue that the 2007 Giants would have missed the playoffs in the AFC. Hope springs eternal in the NFC, where a little luck can have you dreaming of still playing in February. I see the Giants falling back this season, being in a tough division and suffering some key injuries (losing pass rusher Osi Umenyiora was a killer). The Cowboys have too many head cases and a quarterback in Tony Romo who has yet to prove he can win in December and January. This leaves the Eagles as my pick in the East, with a last hurrah for Donovan McNabb and a rising star in receiver DeSean Jackson. I think Aaron Rodgers is good enough to carry the Packers over a weak NFC North lineup. The Vikings and Bears each need a quarterback and the Lions are, well, the Lions. Somebody has to win the crapola West, so pencil in Seattle. In the South, the Saints have a terrific offense and an improved-enough defense to make a legit Super Bowl run. |
How we see the Playoffs
| Cyd's Picks | Jim's Picks |
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AFC Wild Card Round Divisional Round Conference Championship NFC Wild Card Round Divisional Round Conference Championship SUPER BOWL New England over Carolina |
AFC Wild Card Round Divisional Round Conference Championship NFC Wild Card Round Divisional Round Conference Championship SUPER BOWL Indianapolis over New Orleans |
