With the pre-season drawing to a close this upcoming weekend it’s time to fasten the ol’ chinstrap, buckle down, and prepare for battle. Unlike college football my NFL cynicism seems to have plateaued. With the help of instant replay we finally have a handle on what a catch actually is, and I no longer have the intestinal fortitude to become emotional about silly roughing the passer penalties, players kneeling in protest, or the divisive singing of two national anthems. I know who Fidel Goodell is & understand that we are in the era of big business kowtowing to special interests to improve their social credit score. Follow the money is a rule of life that has never & will never change, and with our nation on the verge of giddily embracing full blown communism the way the NFL conducts business is just a small piece of the impending implosion of the United States. Read your Bible, specifically the Book of Revelation, and you will begin to recognize the reality. In the meantime, I will continue my growing immersion into the hermit lifestyle, part of which entails happily watching “seven hours of commercial free football” each Sunday afternoon on RedZone, as well as games of varying interest on Sunday, Monday, & Thursday nights.

East

NY Jets (7-10) 10-7

Miami Dolphins (11-6) 9-8

Buffalo Bills (11-6) 9-8

New England Patriots (4-13) 2-15

Brady…gone. Belichick…gone. The Patriots are essentially a mediocre cover band, wearing the same uniforms as the (allegedly) most successful franchise of the past quarter century with none of the talent. They may right the ship someday, but not this year. I foresee the Bills dropping off just a bit after losing receiver Stefon Diggs. That leaves the Jets & Dolphins to battle for the division crown. Odds are Aaron Rodgers’ season will last longer than five minutes, which instantly improves his team’s chances. I opined that last year was a pivotal season for Dolphins’ QB Tua Tagovailoa, and his success led to a four year, $200+ million contract extension, so now he has to earn that. Unfortunately for him Rodgers, if he can remain healthy, is motivated by something bigger than money.

West

Kansas City Chiefs (11-6) 15-2

LA Chargers (5-12) 10-7

Las Vegas Raiders (8-9) 9-8

Denver Broncos (8-9) 3-14

The Chiefs had the talking heads buzzing for all the wrong reasons last year, going 4-4 in the second half of the season. Then they made all the doubters look stupid by winning the Super Bowl yet again. Don’t doubt them. The Raiders seem to be treading water, while the Broncos have the most unappealing quarterback room in recent memory unless rookie Bo Nix acclimates to the NFL very quickly. Nix may grow into a very good pro quarterback, but I believe it might take awhile for a great team to be built around him. I won’t go so far as saying that Sean Payton is an overhyped mid coach, but he needs to prove he can win without Drew Brees. New coach Jim Harbaugh, fresh off of winning a National Championship with Michigan, will transform the Chargers into a playoff contender, though they aren’t ready for the Super Bowl yet.

North

Cincinnati Bengals (9-8) 11-6

Baltimore Ravens (13-4) 10-7

Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7) 9-8

Cleveland Browns (11-6) 7-10

This is always my least favorite division to ponder because I know I’m too emotionally invested. No one is expecting much from my Steelers, but if the QB tag team of Russell Wilson & Justin Fields can atleast be decent and the defense stays healthy I honestly don’t think predictions of doom & gloom are accurate. Conversely, I cannot get onboard with the high expectations & praise for the Browns. I don’t give a damn what anyone says…TJ Watt > Myles Garrett. I believe we’ll see the Bengals rebound from a mediocre season to once again be a serious conference title contender as they were the previous couple of years. The Ravens have been getting all the preseason hype & Super Bowl love after adding wrecking ball RB Derrick Henry, but my vibes are telling me something is amiss or perhaps something will occur during the season to prevent them from fulfilling that potential.

South

Houston Texans (10-7) 11-6

Jacksonville Jaguars (9-8) 10-7

Indianapolis Colts (9-8) 7-10

Tennessee Titans (6-11) 4-13

The Texans have received all the offseason attention, and rightfully so. After adding WR Stefon Diggs, defensive end Danielle Hunter, and RB Joe Mixon to a squad that won the division & a playoff game a season ago, high expectations are understandable. However, let’s pump the brakes just a bit and not forget the Jags. QB Trevor Lawrence is just hitting his prime, and will now have former Bills receiver Gabe Davis & first round pick Brian Thomas as top targets. I like Jacksonville’s defense too, with Travon Walker & Arik Armstead up front and an underrated secondary. The Colts get QB Anthony Richardson back after he missed most of his rookie season with a shoulder injury. The kid has potential, but don’t get too excited yet…it might take him another year or two, and I’m not sure the defense is good enough to carry their team to many victories. I believe things will get worse for the Titans before they get better. Second year QB Will Levis doesn’t have Derrick Henry to tote the rock & draw the attention of opposing defenses anymore, and his receivers are a mix of has-beens & never weres. Tennessee’s defense will need to come up big, and much like their counterparts in Indy I doubt they’re up to the task.

Playoffs: Chiefs, Bengals, Texans, Jets, Ravens, Jaguars, Chargers

AFC Champion: Jacksonville Jaguars

East

Dallas Cowboys (12-5) 14-3

Philadelphia Eagles (11-6) 10-7

NY Giants (6-11) 8-9

Washington Commanders (4-13) 7-10

Okay, so I was wrong. Last year I predicted that Dallas would finish below .500 & head coach Mike McCarthy would be fired before Halloween. Obviously that did not happen, but I believe I have the Cowboys figured out now. They are as good as everyone says they are thru the season, but won’t win a Super Bowl as long as the Jones Family is running the franchise. The underrated story in the division though was Philly, who imploded down the stretch, losing 5 of their final 6 games. I don’t know exactly what happened, but it might be a struggle for them to regain the mojo necessary to be a legit Super Bowl contender. The Giants & Commanders just sort of exist. They’ll win some & lose some, but no one will really notice or care all that much. Washington’s first round pick, QB Jayden Daniels, has the opportunity to be special, but that won’t happen right out of the gate.

West

San Francisco 49ers (12-5) 13-4

LA Rams (10-7) 9-8

Seattle Seahawks (9-8) 9-8

Arizona Cardinals (4-13) 6-11

As a Steelers fan I am all too aware of the offseason drama in ‘Frisco, but I doubt it’ll affect the team that much. Their Top 10 defense got younger & deeper in the offseason, so the offense doesn’t need to be fancy…just control the clock and don’t do anything stupid. That formula may not be sexy, but it is effective. The Rams & Seahawks will battle for a wildcard spot, but I think it’ll take new Seattle coach Mike MacDonald a season or two to get things going. I’m not concerned about QB Geno Smith losing his job to new backup Sam Howell because I think he has potent weapons & a good offensive line, but their defense was one of the worst in the league a season ago and I don’t believe it’ll be that much better in 2024. Cardinals QB Kyler Murray missed half of last season, but the team only improved slightly upon his return. It just feels like they are in one of those cycles that pro sports franchises go thru where everything they do & everyone currently associated with the team is meaningless & forgettable and things won’t improve until there is a total reboot.

North

Detroit Lions (12-5) 10-7

Green Bay Packers (9-8) 10-7

Chicago Bears (7-10) 8-9

Minnesota Vikings (7-10) 5-12

The Lions will win the division again, but it won’t be easy. A year ago I counseled Packers fans to not worry because the powers-that-be will figure things out eventually. In hindsight, considering the injuries & turmoil they had to overcome last season, finishing above .500 was impressive. Now QB Jordan Love has a year of starting experience and a hefty $200+ million contract extension, plus new RB Josh Jacobs to ease the pressure. The Bears are getting alot of preseason attention, mainly due to #1 overall pick & new starting quarterback Caleb Williams. I’m not as sold on Williams as many others, but will reluctantly admit that the team will probably see some improvement with him under center. The Vikings lost QB Kirk Cousins and will replace him with journeyman Sam Darnold after rookie JJ McCarthy suffered a knee injury in training camp. McCarthy has potential and will likely seize the job when healthy next season, but that’s not going to help much right now. Expect some lean years in a tough division for Minnesota.

South

Atlanta Falcons (7-10) 9-8

New Orleans Saints (9-8) 8-9

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-8) 7-10

Carolina Panthers (2-15) 5-12

It’s always a tough grind to win this division, and this year will be no different. The Falcons going from Desmond Ridder & Taylor Heinecke at quarterback to Kirk Cousins is like trading in a ‘75 Pinto for a 2002 Camry. He may not be elite, but it’s still a hell of an upgrade. Will it be enough?? The Saints have been rather mediocre the past few seasons, and I don’t expect that to suddenly change. They won’t be awful, but there’s just no WOW factor in New Orleans right now. I may be underestimating the Bucs, but don’t see what the big deal is about QB Baker Mayfield, and the skill players around him aren’t moving any needles. Their defense won’t save them either. The Panthers, despite having the #1 overall draft pick two years in a row (okay, they traded into that spot in 2023 & out of it in 2024), continue to be one of the league’s worst teams. I do not believe that Bryce Young is the answer at quarterback, and new head coach Dave Canales probably isn’t going to work any miracles.

Playoffs: Cowboys, 49ers, Lions, Falcons, Eagles, Packers, Rams

NFC Champion: Detroit Lions

Detroit Lions 22

Jacksonville Jaguars 20

Top 5 Picks in the 2025 NFL Draft 

1 New England Patriots 

2 Denver Broncos 

3 Tennessee Titans 

4 Minnesota Vikings 

5 Carolina Panthers