The Rest of the NFL

Sorry to everyone out there who has been waiting for the rest of my NFL predictions, although I think that number is close to zero. School's a killer of free time, so it's been tough to get around to doing this. But, I finally give you the rest of my predictions for the 2007 NFL season, with a very brief description about each division instead of each team, just to save time and space.

NFC WEST

St. Louis (11-5)
San Francisco (9-7)
Seattle (7-9)
Arizona (6-10)

Probably the toughest division to predict only because these teams are either a year away from serious contention or on the decline from their best years. The 49ers and Cardinals are a few pieces away from making serious noise in the NFC, while Seattle's window of opportunity passed when they let Steve Hutchinson leave for Minnesota before last year. That leaves St. Louis and their potent offense. With Steven Jackson a year older and Marc Bulger throwing the ball all over the park to Torry Holt, expect them to put up lots of points and win a lot of football games. Next year, though, look for San Fran and Arizona to be at the top of this division, and Seattle will continue to fall unless they can conjure up the success they had a few years ago.


AFC EAST

New England (13-3)
New York Jets (10-6)
Buffalo (6-10)
Miami (5-11)

Well, with the Patriots spying on people, I guess I should have them at 16-0, but I'm going to stay conservative and say 13-3. Clearly the best team in the division, they are Super Bowl favorites. While the Jets are going to prove last year was no joke, we saw on Sunday that they are nowhere near New England's caliber. The Jets will compete for the playoffs, no matter who is behind center. Buffalo has the exciting Marshawn Lynch in the backfield, and J.P. Losman is becoming a very good quarterback, but he only has Lee Evans to throw to. Miami is kind of like a lost hope. They have the aging Trent Green at QB, and you just don't get the feeling that this team is going to do much this year. Watch for the Pats and Jets to be in the AFC playoffs and for New England to compete for the Super Bowl, cameras not included.

AFC NORTH

Cincinnati (12-4)
Baltimore (10-6)
Pittsburgh (8-8)
Cleveland (4-12)

Long live Ocho Cinco!! I love this guy. He talks the talk and then walks the walk. He has led the league in receiving yards for the past four years, and you can expect that continue this year with Carson Palmer still at the helm. While it will hurt that Chris Henry is suspended for the first 8 games of this year, you can bet that Cincy will still put up points and win games. Baltimore proved the other night they can hang with the Bengals, but with Steve McNair looking shaky in the first game, they look vulnerable on offense again. The Steelers will look to get into the playoffs, but I'm still not sold on Big Ben and the offense outside of Willie Parker. Cleveland is pretty much losing all the time, so 12 losses is probably pretty close to correct, although you can expect Brady Quinn to be starting sooner rather than later, and the future looks bright in the Dawg Pound.

AFC SOUTH

Indianapolis (12-4)
Tennessee (9-7)
Jacksonville (8-8)
Houston (6-10)

The defending Super Bowl champs will win their 5th consecutive AFC South championship, but watch out for Vince Young and the Titans in the future. I admit that I didn't like VY when he was at Texas, and I thought he was incredibly overrated and a product of playing in the weak Big 12, but consider me a believer now. This team is my sleeper pick for the AFC playoffs, not that I think they are quite there yet, but I think they will make some noise. He lead them to a 6-1 record down the stretch last year, going 3-1 against playoff teams, and beat another team in the Jaguars that were in the playoff hunt until the end. He may not have it all just yet, as witnessed by his 66.7 passer rating last year, but he finds ways to win ball games, and that's what counts. The Jags are turning a new page with the departure of Byron Leftwich, which means David Garrard will have to step up and have a huge season in order to justify his starting position. I'm not so sure he can do it, so expect them to struggle and hover around .500. Houston begins the Matt Schaub era with new hopes and the same problems on the offensive line. Until they figure out that you have to build a team from the bottom up, they will be stuck with high draft picks.

AFC WEST

San Diego (11-5)
Denver (10-6)
Kansas City (5-11)
Oakland (3-13)

The Chargers should win this weak division, as Kansas City and Oakland are just plain terrible. While I think firing Marty Schottenheimer was a mistake, they still have the talent to win a lot of football games. They won't be as good as last year, but anytime you have LDT (I can't call him LT, there is only one LT) you have a chance of winning every game. Just ask the guys in my fantasy football league. Denver begins year 2 of the Jay Cutler project, and he should improve from last year, which bodes well for those in Denver who were crushed after they blew their chance at the playoffs last year. Management of KC- what were you thinking trading Trent Green? He has been one of the best QBs in the league the past few years, and outside of my boy LJ, has been by far the best player on the team. Instead you go with Damon Huard? And all you got for Green was a 5th round pick? Seriously? Stunning. Tamba Hali should have another stellar season at DE, as he got 8 sacks in his rookie campaign, representing that Penn State defense of 2005. Oakland seems to be destined for failure again, but the good news is they finally signed JaMarcus Russell, but the bad news is they decided to start Josh McCown over Daunte Culpepper this season. Culpepper vastly outperformed McCown in preseason, and has had a much better career than McCown, but they went with McCown instead. Not sure about that one. They could use a running back and an offensive line and better receivers, but look for Ronald Curry to have a breakout year and for Culpepper to be starting and kick-starting that slumbering offense.