YCS NFL Predictions

With the season opener tomorrow, I guess it's about time we gave our two cents. These predictions are virtue of a three-man prediction crew (Myself and the two Matts). Gavin was supposed to weigh in as well, but I can't hold out any longer. Besides, suprisingly, there was very little variation between our predictions (For example, the Jaguars were unanimously picked to win the AFC South). Of course, the one division that no one can agree on is the NFC East.

These is just the simple, basic version of our predictions. Over the next 36 or so hours, I expect all you clowns to post your more in depth and insightful division-by-division predictions as they are assigned:
East Divisions - Zuch
North Divisions - Gavin
South Divisions - Bechtel
West Divisions - Nate

NFC EAST
1. The New York Football GiantsThis is a very tenative first-place pick. New York could be the best team in the division, but their schedule is brutal.
2. Dallas Cowboys For the record, I personally picked them to finish dead last.
t-3. Philadelphia Eagles What do you do when your top two returning receivers are a tight end and a running back? You go out and get a damn wide receiver!
t-3. Washington Redskins Don't read into the preseason. Read into the fact that their quarterback is Mark Brunell.

NFC NORTH
1. Daaaa Bears Probably at 7-9 in this division.
2. Green Bay Packers With two of the three voters being Packer fans, this may be a homer/hopeful pick, but they do have the second easiest schedule in the NFL (behind the Bears)
3. Minnesota Vikings We'll see how long this "character first" routine keeps up if the Vikings continue to...well...be the Vikings.
4. Detroit Lions All the experts are saying that the Lions' season is in the hands of Jon Kitna. Uh oh.

NFC SOUTH
1. Carolina Panthers All you have to do to stop the Panthers' offense is stop Steve Smith...just like all you have to to stop a train is stop the front car.
2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers With their first three games being against the Ravens, Falcons and Panthers, the Bucs could enter their bye week with 30 total points and 3 wins.
3. Atlanta Falcons "This is the year that Vick stays healthy." We've all heard THAT before.
4. New Orleans Saints Reggie should boost ticket sales and Brees should boost optimism for a week or two. But how much can they help an offense that only scored 14.7 points per game last year (only the Browns scored less)?

NFC WEST
1. St. Louis Rams Mike Martz is finally, finally gone. That should make Rams fans very happy.
2. Seattle Seahawks There's still tons of talent in Seattle, but will they become yet another victim of post-Super Bowl trauma?
3. Arizona Cardinals With Pretty Boy Leinart waiting in the wing, the over/under on starts by oft-hurt Warner is around three.
4. San Francisco 49ers As if it wasn't bad enough that Leinart stayed at USC for his senior year, the would-have-been 49er now plays for another team in their division. Well, have fun with Alex Smith.

AFC EAST
1. New England Patriots Branch or no Branch, Brady will find someone to throw his touchdowns to.
2. Miami Dolphins I love it when the Super Bowl host enters the season with halfway decent expectations and everyone is juiced to win the Lombardi in their hometown...oh yeah, that's never happened.
3. Buffalo Bills Former Wisconsin Badgers Chris Chambers and Lee Evans are the premire wide receivers in this division. Look out for Brandon Williams in San Fran.
4. J-E-T-S, SUCK, SUCK, SUCK! (Sorry Danny) Jets fans are right up there with Packer fans as far as dedication and team loyalty goes...and they're going to need it.

AFC NORTH
1. The Superbowl Champion Pittsburgh Steelers Forget that Big Ben's offseason has gone the way of Job. Roethel-somthing and the defending champs will be just fine.
t-2. Cincinnati Bengals Chad Johnson is either going to get even more creative with his celebrations to exploit any loopholes in the new rules, or he's going to willingly open his pocketbook.
t-2. Baltimore Ravens The Ravens have a real quarterback for the first time since...since...
4. Clevlend Browns Kellen Winslow is a fucking warrior, and he don't give a hell what you think.

AFC SOUTH
1. Jacksonville Jaguars Byron Leftwich wants to be mentioned in the same breath as Peyton Manning and Carson Palmer. First step: knock Peyton's team off the top of your division.
2. Peyton Mannings, er, Indianapolis Colts Even Zuch, who we all agree would make out with Peyton Manning if given the opportunity, predicted the Edge-less Colts to finish second.
3. Tennessee Titans Allow me to be the first to say it...I may have been wrong about Vince Young as a pro.
4. Houston Texans Dom Davis being out for the season won't help Houston fans forgive the Texans for passing on Reggie.

AFC WEST
1. San Diego Chargers 75 percent of Phillip Rivers' success will be in his ability to get L.T. the ball. Of course, he has to hold on to the ball for a second or two to do that.
2. Kansas City Ch(i)efs The "ESPN Shop" online ad still features a Priest Holmes jersey...um, did anyone send the ad department the memo?
3. Denver Broncos Don't let last season fool you. Jake the Snake is garbage, and Jay Cutler will be taking over at some point in 2006.
4. Oakland Raiders Daunte Culpepper boosted his reputation (and stats) with the "Randy Go Deep" play. Aaron Brooks might not even be able to do that right.

Super Bowl XLI: Panthers over Chargers Both Zuch and Bechtel picked this Super Bowl, so nothing I think makes a damn difference. Philip Rivers a Super Bowl QB, guys? Been smoking that rock again?