Sep 12, 2013
The 2013 NFL season is finally upon us and it is about time. Finally, we can stop talking about the trades and the movement throughout the league and we can start talking about what really matters, the Games.
Now I know that Week 1 is already over but my picks aren’t going to change after only one week.
This season begins with many teams believing that they can make a playoff push this season and many teams believing that a Super Bowl is within arms reach.
The up and comers consist of teams such as the Buccaneers, Lions, Rams, Panthers, Browns, and Dolphins. These are teams that did not make the Playoffs last season but with upgrades in talent and improvement last season, they expect to make a push into the Postseason this coming season. The Lions actually were much worse last year than the year before but with a healthy Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson and the newly acquired Reggie Bush, I expect this Lions team to be back in contention this season.
You then have the teams from last season that tasted the Playoffs for the first time in a while such as the Redskins, Seahawks, Broncos, Vikings, and Colts (only missed the playoffs for one season but entirely new team last year).
You also have the teams that are used to being in the playoffs but missed out last season such as the Giants, Saints, and the Steelers, three teams that will be hungry and ready to get back there this year.
And then finally, the teams who can actually win it all such as the Ravens, Patriots, 49ers, Seahawks, Broncos, Texans, Bengals, Giants, Steelers, Falcons, and Packers.
With that said, here are my 2013 NFL Season Predictions.
NFC East
1. N.Y Giants 10-6
2. Dallas Cowboys 9-7
3. Washington Redskins 8-8
4. Philadelphia Eagles 6-10
The Giants reclaim the top of this division with a stellar season from Eli Manning and a rejuvenated running game led by David Wilson. The defense will be better with a motivated Justin Tuck in a contract year but the offense will score enough points that the defense will not have as much pressure as it is used to having. The Redskins will take a step back because it is very difficult to repeat as division champs in this division since not one team has done it since the Eagles did it from 2001-2004. The Cowboys will compete and fight but until Tony Romo proves that he can win a big game, I can’t pick them and for the Eagles, they will be better, but they are not ready for prime time yet.
NFC North
1. Green Bay Packers 11-5
2. Chicago Bears 10-6
3. Detroit Lions 9-7
4. Minnesota Vikings 7-9
The Packers have Aaron Rodgers and nobody else in this division has Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers is the best Quarterback in the league right now, or maybe 2nd best after Peyton Manning threw for seven touchdowns on Thursday night against Baltimore, which in this NFL gives the Packers a huge advantage because the NFL is now a passing league. Matthew Stafford, Jay Cutler, and Christian Ponder need to show me something to make me believe that they can overthrow Rodgers and the Packers to win this division. If they can’t than just enjoy the ride because it will be the Packers division to lose for a long time.
NFC South
1. New Orleans Saints 12-4
2. Atlanta Falcons 10-6
3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 9-7
4. Carolina Panthers 7-9
No team has ever won this division two years in a row since the realignment in 2002 and I do not see it happening this year as well. The Saints are back and away from all of the drama involving the bounty scandal from a couple of years ago. They have their coach, Sean Payton, back and everybody else who may have been suspended last season. This is a team with a chip on its shoulder and looking to show it this season. The Falcons have not proved that they can be dominant in back to back seasons. They are a great home team but can Matt Ryan bring his team from behind in a big game on the road? I haven’t seen that yet and until I do, I don’t think that they will repeat as division champs.
NFC West
1. Seattle Seahawks 13-3
2. San Francisco 49ers 12-4
3. St. Louis Rams 6-10
4. Arizona Cardinals 4-12
This division can go either way between the Seahawks and 49ers. They are just that good. It is probably going to come down to head to head play unless they split but whatever does happen, those games should be a lot of fun to watch.
AFC East
1. Patriots 11-5
2. Dolphins 9-7
3. Bills 6-10
4. Jets 3-13
The Patriots will again win this division and win at least 11 games because they play in the worst division in football. The NFL just gives them 6 wins every year because the Bills, Dolphins, and Jets stink. I do believe that the Dolphins will be a lot better this year since they started looking a lot better towards the middle and end of last season. They now have a true number 1 wide receiver in Mike Wallace so that means that Brian Hartline should be wide open at times and should have an even better season than last. Ryan Tannehill, their Quarterback also looked good last year for a rookie. The Dolphins will not beat the Patriots but look for them to be in the mix come December.
AFC North
1. Cincinnati Bengals 10-6
2. Pittsburgh Steelers 9-7
3. Cleveland Browns 8-8
4. Baltimore Ravens 7-9
The Bengals have had back to back postseason appearances and are finally ready to take the next step and get home field advantage in the first round by winning their division. The Steelers are getting old, the Browns are up and coming but not there yet, and the Ravens have lost some huge pieces due to free agency, trades, and retirement (Ray Lewis). The Bengals have the talent and youth to take that next step and I believe that this is the year for them to do it.
AFC South
1. Houston Texans 11-5
2. Indianapolis Colts 10-6
3. Tennessee Titans 7-9
4. Jacksonville Jaguars 2-14
If the Texans are ever going to win a Super Bowl, during the Matt Schaub and Gary Kubiak era, it needs to happen soon because these guys aren’t getting any younger (Matt Schaub just turned 32 in June). Also, the very talented and entertaining Colts, led by Andrew Luck, are going to be very good for a very long time very soon.
AFC West
1. Denver Broncos 14-2
2. Kansas City Chiefs 9-7
3. San Diego Chargers 8-8
4. Oakland Raiders 4-12
The Broncos are clearly the team to beat this year in the AFC West and possibly the entire AFC. As long as Peyton Manning is your quarterback, division titles are pretty much guaranteed. Also, Alex Smith, Terrell Pryor, and Phillip Rivers just aren’t very good.
Wild Card Round
49ers over Giants
Packers over Falcons
Texans over Steelers
Bengals over Colts
Divisional Round
49ers over Saints
Seahawks over Packers
Texans over Patriots
Broncos over Bengals
Championship Round
49ers over Seahawks
Broncos over Texans
Super Bowl
49ers over Broncos
