User:Bob rulz/2008 NFL season predictions

My predictions for the 2008 NFL season! Probably way off, but meh, it's all in good fun.

UPDATE: I originally said that week 1 wouldn't affect my predictions, but the season-ending injury to Tom Brady changed the dynamic of the season. I never thought that it was a bad thing to wait until after week 1 for the predictions anyway, to get a feel for each of the teams and to allow yourself to settle into "football mode". I don't feel like the season really gets underway until after week 1.
UPDATE II: My regular season predictions are now final. Playoff predictions will come by September 12. See? Only minor changes anyway. Moved the Browns out the playoffs and the Broncos into the playoffs. Minor seeding changes. Knocked the Patriots' record down, as well as other minor record changes.
UPDATE III: My playoff predictions, and therefore all of my pre-season predictions, are now complete!

Pre-season predictions

**AFC East**
Team	W	L	Analysis
New England Patriots	10	6	(4)	Tom Brady is injured. This changes the whole AFC picture, but they'll still be the team to beat in the division. They're a good team. I'm going to go the safe route and put them just barely into the playoffs.
Buffalo Bills	10	6	x	Will fall just short of the playoffs in a competitive playoff race. Trent Edwards will become a solid quarterback, however. With the Tom Brady injury they will compete for the division title.
New York Jets	7	9	x	Brett Favre won't bring the magic to the Jets. They will still be the same mediocre team. Favre will retire. I mean really retire.
Miami Dolphins	3	13	x	They'll be better. Bill Parcells has the right idea with this team, but there's just not enough to make them a respectable team yet.

**AFC North**
Team	W	L	Seed	Analysis
Pittsburgh Steelers	13	3	(2)	Ben Roethlisberger will continue to improve and the Steelers seem to have all of the pieces to make another deep playoff run.
Cleveland Browns	9	7	x	Derek Anderson will have another solid year, but the defense will continue to have struggles and they'll fall just short of the playoff race.
Baltimore Ravens	4	12	x	The defense will really show its age and the offense will show its inexperience. Destined for failure this year, unless Joe Flacco is the next Roethlisberger.
Cincinnati Bengals	4	12	x	The defense will continue to suck and the offense will start showing its immaturity. There's just too many holes in this team.

**AFC South**
Team	W	L	Seed	Analysis
Indianapolis Colts	13	3	(3)	They held up very well despite the injuries last year. If anything, their team is better than ever and Peyton Manning will continue to be solid.
Jacksonville Jaguars	10	6	(5)	The cinderella team this year just doesn't have enough weapons to topple the powerhouse Colts, but they will become one of the best wild card teams in years.
Tennessee Titans	8	8	x	Vince Young will continue to struggle and the team's miraculously winning ways will start to run dry.
Houston Texans	8	8	x	Stuck at the bottom of a very competitive division, the Texans will post a record not deserving of their talent. The Texans are still a year or two away from really capitalizing on their potential.

**AFC West**
Team	W	L	Seed	Analysis
San Diego Chargers	13	3	(1)	The juggernaut of the AFC will achieve home field advantage. They have all the weapons and have a weak division in their favor.
Denver Broncos	10	6	(6)	Their offense will soar, but their defense will continue to have its up-and-downs. Jay Cutler will be a force to be reckoned with. They'll barely scrape into the playoffs with the Tom Brady injury.
Oakland Raiders	4	12	x	Maybe they'll improve. Possibly. They're on the right track, but, come on, they're the Raiders. Unforeseen problems will continue to plague them.
Kansas City Chiefs	2	14	x	The worst team in the league? Maybe. Larry Johnson is pretty much the only bright spot on this team that is now in full-fledged rebuilding mode.

**NFC East**
Team	W	L	Seed	Analysis
Dallas Cowboys	14	2	(1)	The juggernaut of the NFC has all the weapons to dominate the conference despite improving competition. They will be the best they've been in years.
New York Giants	11	5	(5)	Questions on defense will plague them throughout the season, but they'll have enough to make it as a wild card. They are very talented and Eli Manning will become not only a good quarterback, but a respectable one.
Philadelphia Eagles	10	6	x	They will be greatly improved but are faced with a competitive division. Donovan McNabb still has fuel in the tank, but not like he did 5 years ago.
Washington Redskins	7	9	x	They will post a record undeserving of their talent thanks to a competitive division. However, there's far more holes in this team than in any other in the division.

**NFC North**
Team	W	L	Seed	Analysis
Minnesota Vikings	10	6	(4)	Will make the best of a weak division and dominate the conference. However, they won't be as great as predicted. Tarvaris Jackson will continue to struggle and the pieces won't come together quite as planned. Adrian Peterson will have an MVP-quality year.
Detroit Lions	8	8	x	Will push the Vikings for the division title. The surprise resurgence team will actually become the surprise resurgence team for once!
Green Bay Packers	7	9	x	Aaron Rodgers will be decent but all of the pieces of this team will struggle to come together, and with the continuing Favre fallout, will drastically underperform.
Chicago Bears	4	12	x	Their defense will struggle as last year and they pretty much have NO offense. None. Nada. How are they going to be able to put up points? I may be generous with this record.

**NFC South**
Team	W	L	Seed	Analysis
New Orleans Saints	11	5	(3)	They've patched their holes from last year and their offense continues to have incredible explosive potential. Will return to their glory of two years ago.
Carolina Panthers	11	5	(6)	As long as Jake Delhomme stays healthy, their newfound running attack will propel them into the last wild card spot of a very competitive wild card race.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers	6	10	x	Jeff Garcia will begin to run out of fuel and will be replaced midseason, while continuing offensive questions hold them back in a tough division.
Atlanta Falcons	4	12	x	Running game will dominate but they will by no means be a good team. They're on the right track though, for sure.

**NFC West**
Team	W	L	Seed	Analysis
Seattle Seahawks	11	5	(2)	They will continue to be overlooked and will once gain dominate a consistently weak division.
Arizona Cardinals	8	8	x	There's nothing here to think that they will improve over last year. Their offense hasn't improved and Kurt Warner will begin to show signs of his age. Matt Leinart will continue to struggle.
San Francisco 49ers	4	12	x	J.T. O'Sullivan will surprise, but the rest of the offense and the defense continue to be a mess. Expect little improvement overall.
St. Louis Rams	2	14	x	They will take a step backwards. Marc Bulger will be better but will never return to his former heights, and aside from Steven Jackson there's nothing else here that warrants any mention. This team will compete with the Chiefs and the Dolphins as the worst in the league.