Friday, January 2, 2009

Revisit: NFL Predictions

The National Football League's playoffs begin tomorrow with a pair of wildcard games.

I felt it was time to revisit my preseason predictions - since I was totally wrong about the Super Bowl champion, I feel it's ok to do it a little prematurely.

Anyway here were my predictions:

Conference Champions
NFC East: Dallas Cowboys
NFC North: Green Bay Packers
NFC West: Arizona Cardinals
NFC South: New Orleans Saints

AFC East: New England Patriots
AFC North: Pittsburgh Steelers
AFC West: San Diego Chargers
AFC South: Indianapolis Colts

Wildcards
NFC: Philadelphia Eagles, Carolina Panthers
AFC: Jacksonville Jaguars, NY Jets

SUPER BOWL
Dallas Cowboys vs. San Diego Chargers

SUPER BOWL WINNER
Dallas Cowboys
My Super Bowl prediction was obviously way off - guess I shouldn't have watched the Dallas Cowboys on HBO's Hard Knocks before the season started.

The Cowboys were one of the many disappointing teams this season that had high expectations. Also among them were the Cleveland Browns, Denver Broncos, Seattle Seahawks, Tampa Bay Bucs, Green Bay Packers, N.Y. Jets and even the San Diego Chargers.

I will leave out the 0-16 Detroit Lions, who no one thought would be good - but they were flat out terrible.

Like every season there were certainly some surprises. I bet nobody thought the Tennessee Titans would be the best team in the NFL - led by backup Kerry Collins. The horrible Atlanta Falcons with a rookie QB Matt Ryan at the helm making the playoffs - as are the Baltimore Ravens, also with rookie QB Joe Flacco.

The biggest surprise may be the Miami Dolphins, however, who won just one game a year ago and made through the tough AFC East - including a valiant effort from the Tom Brady-less New England Patriots - to make the playoffs.

I know one person who is a little upset about that. Disgruntled Jason Taylor who was traded to the Washington Redskins in the offseason because he wanted a chance to win as the Dolphins rebuild. The Dolphins are in the playoffs - while the Redskins all have tee times this weekend.

Anyway, the regular season finished like this.

Conference Champions
NFC East: N.Y. Giants
NFC North: Minnesota Vikings
NFC West: Arizona Cardinals
NFC South: Carolina Panthers

AFC East: Miami Dolphins
AFC North: Pittsburgh Steelers
AFC West: San Diego Chargers
AFC South: Tennessee Titans

Wildcards
NFC: Philadelphia Eagles, Atlanta Falcons
AFC: Baltimore Ravens, Indianapolis Colts

So, I got three teams correct in each conference - perhaps not in their correct position - but not too bad, selecting exactly half of the playoff field.

I correctly picked the Steelers winning the AFC North, Chargers winning the AFC West - and had the Colts winning the South, which was wrong, but they still got in. I missed on the Dolphins, Titans and Ravens.

In the NFC, I correctly picked the Cardinals winning the West and the Eagles being a wildcard team. I selected the Panthers as the second wildcard team, but they ended up winning the South. I missed on the Falcons, Vikings and Giants.

This weekend looks to be a series of 'upsets' in my opinion.

Colts vs. Chargers. Falcons vs. Cardinals. Eagles vs. Vikings. Ravens vs. Dolphins.

I am picking a straight visiting-team victory. The Colts, Falcons, Eagles and Ravens will all move on to next weekends battles - while the Steeers, Titans, Giants and Panthers await their next foes.

Enjoy the games.

2 comments:

  1. 0 for 1. ;) Don't doubt them Cardinals!

    Haha, not that I care that much. I'm a Niner fan. Still, nice win for the Cards today. They ought to have no chance next week against either the Giants or the Panthers...

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  2. I was 50% this weekend. But, both games I lost were close - if you can count that.

    I was hoping for a Dolphins win so that the Steelers wouldn't have to play the Chargers - I am not too psyched about seeing them again.

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