Post FA 2020 NFL Standing Predictions

[Kieran]

It's that time of year for nfl standing predictions. I write these with the assumption the full schedule will be played this year. Few things to note:

 

- I went through every game and picked a winner. I believe everything mathematically lines up, but I could've made mistakes. I'll mention certain matchup results if they are relevant.

- I'm assuming there will be a full NFL season this year even with corona.

- I didn't really focus too much on the draft (obviously), but I made some assumptions about what positions each team will focus on in the draft if it is pretty likely.

- I put seeds next to playoff teams. Non-playoff teams don't have anything next to their record. There are going to be three wildcards this season.

- The schedule is still 16 games per team, those changes haven't been implemented for this season.

- I'll have notes summarizing each division at the bottom

 

Anyways, lets get started.

 

AFC East

 

Buffalo Bills: 10-6 - #3 Seed

New England Patriots: 7-9

Miami Dolphins: 6-10

NY Jets: 4-12

 

Notes: The Patriots are finally dethroned. The Bills, while they still have problems, are well coached, have a good defense, and have an exciting quarterback in Josh Allen. Adding a weapon in Stefon Diggs and some defense pieces will help them. They also get the #3 seed over the Titans due to winning the head-to-head matchup. The Patriots have a mess of a quarterback situation, and whoever starts doesn't have much to work with. The Dolphins are getting betters, and will get a future franchise QB in the draft, but they're not ready to win now. The Jets took an L in Robby Anderson, and while they did add some other pieces, I don't think they're very good. I was high on them last year, but this year is a different story.

 

AFC North

 

Baltimore Ravens: 11-5 - #2 Seed

Pittsburgh Steelers: 10-6 - #5 Seed

Cleveland Browns: 9-7 - #7 Seed

Cincinnati Bengals: 3-13

 

Notes: Ravens claim their third consecutive division title. While I think they won't be the hottest team in the league, as teams now have a year of film to counter them, they're still very talented. Lamar Jackson is coming off an MVP season. He has a strong team around him, and good drafting could make them better. I think they're championship caliber, but they have to be able to prove they can perform in the playoffs, especially now they don't have a bye round. The Steelers, without Big Ben, almost made the playoffs last year. They get him back and I think they'll bounce back and be a solid playoff roster, getting the #5 seed over the Broncos due to winning a head-to-head matchup. The Browns finally manage to break the playoff drought after adding MORE talent/strength around Baker Mayfield. They'll face their division rival in the playoffs and probably get wiped though. The Bengals will likely get their future QB (probably Joe Burrow), but the team around him will suck. God pray for whichever quarterback gets sent to Cincinnati.

 

AFC South

 

Tennessee Titans: 10-6 - #4 Seed

Houston Texans: 8-8

Indianapolis Colts: 7-9

Jacksonville Jaguars: 5-11

 

Notes: The only playoff team from this division is the division winner Titans. Derrick Henry is elite, Tannehill is serviceable, and they're a well run team. They lose out on the #3 seed due to losing to the Buffalo Bills head-to-head. The Houston Texans are being poorly run by Bill O'Brien. Sure, they won a playoff game last year, and then they go ahead and trade away their best receiver, and perhaps player, in franchise history in Hopkins... who is entering his prime... for nothing. They took on David Johnson's shitty contract while failing to adequately address glaring problems. O'Brien should lose his job. The Colts will be decent, but Rivers singlehandedly lose games at times. He's old and not elite anymore. The Jaguars should blow it all up at this point and start the long rebuild.

 

AFC West

 

Kansas City Chiefs: 13-3: #1 Seed

Denver Broncos: 10-6 - #6 Seed

Los Angeles Chargers: 5-11

Las Vegas Raiders: 4-12

 

Notes: Kansas City essential brought back most of their championship roster. Patrick Mahomes is the best player in the league, and I don't see any reason to say they'll take a step back. I think the Broncos are a serious playoff team. Drew Lock will likely take a giant step forward, as the team around him has improved. Add a WR in the draft and they'll be scary. In this prediction, they drop to the #6 seed because they lost their matchup against the Steelers. The Chargers have some talent, but their quarterback situation is messy. Same for the Raiders. I don't think the Raiders are 4-12 bad, and they added some decent pickups and have the chance to add more in the draft. I think they're decent, it's just a lot of their opponents in 2020 got better too. Even if they aren't 4-12 I don't think they'll be very relevant this year.. maybe they'll prove me wrong.

 

NFC East

 

Philadelphia Eagles: 12-4 - #3 Seed

Dallas Cowboys: 9-7

New York Giants: 5-11

Washington Redskins: 3-13

 

Notes: I give the Eagles the edge because they are the only squad coming in under the same coach, and he's a proven winner. Wentz proves himself every year to be able to win. They addressed a huge need in their secondary, and people are over-exaggerating the WR position. They don't need a true #1, and they'll likely get a good receiver in the draft. If they stay healthy, they'll be scary. Dallas lost some valuable pieces, and while they did add a few good players, they'll choke in Dallas fashion. New York still has some issues to address, but at least they addressed some things. The Redskins had a decent free agency, but I don't think they have an NFL-ready QB in Haskins. They're not a great team yet. All of the bottom three teams getting new coaches were the right moves, though.

 

NFC North

 

Green Bay Packers: 11-5 - #4 Seed

Chicago Bears: 9-7 - #7 Seed

Minnesota Vikings: 8-8

Detroit Lions: 2-14

 

Notes: Green Bay still has some great players, and while I don't think they're championship caliber (they were a bad 13-3 team last year and should've lost to the Seahawks), they still have the power to win their division. I think Foles will actually thrive to an extent, reuniting with some former coaches he's worked under. Foles is a great QB under the right system, the Jags didn't provide him that. They get the #7 seed over the 49ers and Cowboys due to having a better conference record than both of them in my predictions. Minnesota didn't get to keep quite a few value players and lost a strong weapon for Cousins in Diggs. They take a step back this year. The Lions are trash, keep losing experienced players, and will be the joke of the NFL next year. Patricia should lose his job, he can't win for shit.

 

NFC South

 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 13-3 - #1 Seed

New Orleans Saints: 11-5 - #6 Seed

Carolina Panthers: 7-9

Atlanta Falcons: 6-10

 

Notes: The Buccaneers are finally a legit contender once again. Tom Brady, while old, is motivated and will thrive with a plethora of weapons around him (Godwin, Evans, Howard). Bruce Arians is a good coach too, and no more Jameis to help the other team score. New Orleans is still good, I think Brees might regress a bit, but they're well run and despite being a low seed could do damage in the playoffs. The Panthers actually made some great moves. I think bringing in Bridgewater was a decent idea. They're not playoff bound, but they'll be a fun team to watch and could pull off some upsets. The Falcons will be a victim to the strength in their division. They're not bad, but they're certainly weaker than the other teams in their division.

 

NFC West

 

Arizona Cardinals: 12-4 - #2 Seed

Seattle Seahawks: 12-4 - #5 Seed

San Francisco 49ers: 9-7

Los Angeles Rams: 5-11

 

Notes: This is the hot take shocker division. I chose the Cardinals to be my worst to first pick for this season. They got an ELITE receiver for Murray and addressed a BUNCH of positions in free agency. Address the OL in the draft and they will be seriously scary. They get the division win over the Seahawks due to a better division record (they split head-to-head matchups). They also get the #2 seed over the Eagles due to a head-to-head matchup win. The Seahawks are still a very good team, and like the Saints, still are capable of doing damage in the playoffs. The shocker is the defending NFC champs, the 49ers, will miss the playoffs. I think there is certainly a target on the back and their film will be studied. Jimmy G is above average at best, and I think in a strong division, strong NFC, and having a first place schedule instead of last place schedule, they'll miss out. The Rams window is closed. They lost a bunch of players. They took a gamble and will flunk next year.

 

AFC Playoff Standings:

#1 - Kansas City Chiefs

#2 - Baltimore Ravens

#3 - Buffalo Bills

#4 - Tennessee Titans

#5 - Pittsburgh Steelers

#6 - Denver Broncos

#7 - Cleveland Browns

 

NFC Playoff Standings:

#1 - Tampa Bay Buccaneers

#2 - Arizona Cardinals

#3 - Philadelphia Eagles

#4 - Green Bay Packers

#5 - Seattle Seahawks

#6 - New Orleans Saints

#7 - Chicago Bears

[Kieran]

Oops, I didn't finish the predictions and accidentally hit post... give me a second to finish the rest.

 

EDIT: Predictions finished

[Atrix]

I cant hop on that Bucs train yet, I gotta see Brady perform before I believe the hype. I do like yours Bills prediction though, that division is wide open for a new contender and the Bills have what they need to take a step forward. Only thing wrong about this post is Ravens not being predicted to be 16-0, Lamar the Goat, Lamar > Wentz.

[Chad]

I cant hop on that Bucs train yet, I gotta see Brady perform before I believe the hype. I do like yours Bills prediction though, that division is wide open for a new contender and the Bills have what they need to take a step forward. Only thing wrong about this post is Ravens not being predicted to be 16-0, Lamar the Goat, Lamar > Wentz.

 

The one time I'll agree with "Disparity". Wentz is ass and so is his team

[Kieran]

Wentz will win another superbowl before Lamar wins one, you heard it here first.

 

Also

 

I cant hop on that Bucs train yet, I gotta see Brady perform before I believe the hype. I do like yours Bills prediction though, that division is wide open for a new contender and the Bills have what they need to take a step forward.

 

The Bucs are more of a contender than the Bills right now. Josh Allen still has stuff to improve and I need to see him take that step forward. Brady is already established as a clutch performer.

[Chad]

Wentz will win another superbowl before Lamar wins one, you heard it here first.

 

Also

 

 

 

The Bucs are more of a contender than the Bills right now. Josh Allen still has stuff to improve and I need to see him take that step forward. Brady is already established as a clutch performer.

 

Allen is a good QB. Just needs to work on accuracy deep and have more faith in his passes lol. Also, Wentz will never win one before Lamar unless he's a backup.

[Kieran]

Allen is a good QB. Just needs to work on accuracy deep and have more faith in his passes lol. Also, Wentz will never win one before Lamar unless he's a backup.

 

Exactly what I think about him. He's a bit wild and needs to get more experience.

 

Lamar gets banged up week 1, Wentz wins MVP

[Atrix]

Wentz will win another superbowl before Lamar wins one, you heard it here first.

 

Also

 

 

 

The Bucs are more of a contender than the Bills right now. Josh Allen still has stuff to improve and I need to see him take that step forward. Brady is already established as a clutch performer.

 

The Bucs have a Tom Brady who regressed last year is like 73 years old. The Bucs defense is terrible as well so unless Brady is amazing which I doubt the overall team is still pretty poor. Also Lamar MVP x2 repeat.... also Super Bowl MVP of the 16-0 Ravens.

[starbucks]

Green Bay wins superbowl and that's already confirmed

Matt LaFleur 13-3 in his rookie season so it's 16-0 this year and that's facts