Pick and roll
Just for fun, I went week by week in the 2007 schedule and made quick predictions on winners for each week. These are very rudimentary, and perhaps I’ll try this again near the start of the season, but here are my predicted standings for 2007:
AFC EAST
Patriots 10-6
Jets 8-8
Bills 7-9
Dolphins 5-11
AFC NORTH
Bengals 13-3
Steelers 12-4
Ravens 11-5
Browns 3-13
AFC SOUTH
Colts 12-4
Jaguars 10-6
Titans 7-9
Texans 3-13
AFC WEST
Chargers 13-3
Broncos 11-5
Chiefs 9-7
Raiders 3-13
NFC EAST
Eagles 10-6
Redskins 9-7
Giants 8-8
Cowboys 8-8
NFC NORTH
Bears 13-3
Packers 6-10
Lions 4-12
Vikings 4-12
NFC SOUTH
Saints 11-5
Panthers 9-7
Falcons 5-11
Buccaneers 3-13
NFC WEST
Seahawks 8-8
49ers 7-9
Cardinals 7-9
Rams 7-9
Looking at the predicted standings, I’m unusually optimistic for the Steelers and Bengals, probably too hard on the Titans, Cowboys, Falcons and Lions. The NFC East looks cannaballistically even, the NFC West appears the be evenly mediocre, and the AFC North looks pretty dominant.
As far as the playoffs go, the Panthers and Redskins are wild cards in the NFC, the Steelers and Broncos or Ravens in the AFC, but I’ll say the Ravens get it via tiebreaker. In the NFC, if I extrapolate further, the Eagles and Seahawks advance out of the first round, the Bears and Eagles advance to the NFC championship, the Bears make the Super Bowl. In the AFC, the Steelers and Colts make it out of the first round, the Chargers and Bengals make the conference championship and the Chargers make the Super Bowl. I’m going to homer a little and say the Bears win Super Bowl XLII.
Of course, this doesn’t take into account some surprise team that will shock everybody (Go Texans!). I’m curious to see how much I amend these before the season starts.
I agree pretty much with all of your picks except for the patriots and the bills. I think both will do a lot better. Bills will be 10-6 and Pats will go 12-4 easily. Belichick will straighten out Moss like he did with Corey Dillon. I’m excited to see the Bills make a wild card race this year.
July 14th, 2007 at 12:15 pm
If Randy Moss does have a renaissance, if Laurence Maroney does step into the featured back role and has a good year, and if the team keeps buying into the Bill Belichick team concept, you’re right, the Pats could go 12-4. The Bills at 10-6, I’m not so sure of though. I still think I overestimated the Steelers, but if the Bengals stay out of trouble, I think they’ll win the division. The AFC is going to be really tough. The NFC is the Bears and maybe the Eagles and a bunch of 8-8 teams again. Weird — remember when the NFC dominated Super Bowl after Super Bowl?
July 16th, 2007 at 2:32 am
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