by NFC Power Rankings
VIA Cole McDaniel – Channel 19 News.
- Arizona Cardinals
Predicted record: 3-13
When your same GM selects a coach and picks a quarterback then the next year decides to get another new coach and draft another QB in the first round, you’re going to end up at the bottom of the rankings.
This one is on you Steve Keim. Maybe the Kliff Kingsbury and Kyler Murray pairing is better than Steve Wilks and Josh Rosen but we will have to wait and see. Wilks is a defensive minded coach which is different from Kingsbury’s offensive mind.
I believe Wilks is a better coach in general though and Rosen will be a better professional quarterback. Even if Kingsbury and Murray do mesh, I feel like Keim didn’t have enough of a plan to get talent on both sides of the ball. It is 100 percent still a rebuild and a bad one at that.
David Johnson is an important offensive piece and the running back will see plenty of touches again this year. In games the Cardinals win, Johnson will probably have some big numbers. That will be necessary to score points because Kyler Murray might be running for his life behind a poor pass blocking offensive line.
When Murray does have time to throw his targets are an older Larry Fitzgerald, a third year player, a second year player and rookies. Hakeem Butler and Andy Isabella do have potential but something feels like Murray’s connection with them won’t click in the first Season.
This is what I have to say about the defense… at least they have Patrick Peterson. Have fun giving up 35 every game.
With the first pick in the 2020 NFL Draft the Arizona Cardinals select…
- Carolina Panthers
Predicted record: 4-12
Cam Newton’s shoulder problems are the sole reason I believe the Panthers will crash and burn. We have seen Cam struggle with throwing more and more. By the end of last season, it was rough and he honestly should just run the ball every play of the game.
If Cam stays healthy they will have a better record than 4-12 but if he cannot perform to his full potential, it spells trouble. He continues to be a work in progress with his recovery and he is way late to starting drills. Will Grier and Taylor Heinicke better be prepared because they might have to step up sooner than later.
Another problem could be the fact that the Panthers want to increase the usage rate of Christian McCaffrey. McCaffrey is a super talented running back because he is quick, shifty and can catch well. His body type doesn’t say it can handle the ground and pound game.
Running it over 30 times a game seems risky and it is a bold move that might not pay off. Cam being hurt is horrible but if McCaffrey gets added to that list, the Panthers season is over.
The Panthers front seven is a good group. The addition of Gerald McCoy is huge because when performing at a high level, he is hard for the offensive line to handle.
Shaq Thompson and Luke Kuechly will continue to make plays but that won’t save them from their secondary. I do not think the secondary is up to par with the majority of the league and Matt Ryan and Drew Brees will enjoy playing against the Panthers this season.
If the Panthers finish below the Buccaneers like I think they might, it’s time to rethink some things.
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Predicted record: 5-11
Jameis Winston is one of the worst starting quarterbacks in the league not only as a player but as a leader as well. Tampa Bay has desperately needed to move on from Winston yet he remains the starter for the near future.
All the other starting quarterbacks in the NFC South are more talented but the one thing going for Winston is the fact that he is healthier than Newton going into the season. That is certainly an advantage for the Bucs and new head coach Bruce Arians.
The offense has some weapons for Winston. Mike Evans is a talented wide receiver who is often underrated. Evans has an argument to be considered a top 10 receiver in the league.
Chris Godwin, OJ Howard and Breshad Perriman are also viable targets. The running game will be below average though so Winston needs to find his targets many times to keep the ball moving.
The Bucs defense replaced Gerald McCoy with Ndamukong Suh and Kwon Alexander with rookie Devin White out of LSU. After drafting White, Tampa Bay went defense heavy throughout the rest of the draft. Adding depth will greatly help the secondary specifically. Vernon Hargreaves now has some much needed help.
I still just don’t trust Winston and think things won’t click in the first season for Arians. Bucs will still be drafting in the top 10 but at least they might not finish last in their division.
- New York Giants
Predicted record: 6-10
The Giants would be better without Eli Manning. He might be a good leader and sure he has won some Super Bowls but the fact is he doesn’t have anything left in the tank. Manning has no mobility and he doesn’t have nearly the velocity he once had on his throws.
The Giants organization refuses to give up on him though despite drafting Daniel Jones. Now I’m not saying Jones is going to have a better career than Eli, but he is better right now.
Jones being drafted so high was a reach but the Giants got their guy. Jones will have good moments and will have some bad moments. His ceiling is not nearly as high as fellow rookie QBs Kyler Murray, Dwayne Haskins and Drew Lock.
The offensive line is actually a good one and the addition of Kevin Zeitler at right guard is huge. Former teammate of Zeitler, Browns guard Joel Bitonio always said Zeitler was more of the power guard.
Zeitler’s power will help open up holes for the run game. Nate Solder, Will Hernandez, Jon Halapio and Mike Remmers make up the rest of the line that looks to improve their protection this season.
Running back Saquon Barkley is the star of the offense. His power, speed, agility, ability to catch and freak athleticism makes him a dangerous threat to any defense. In his rookie year he had 1,307 yards and 11 touchdowns off of 261 carries. Those numbers were good enough to win him Offensive Rookie of the Year.
The Giants are hopeful that he can not only match but improve on those numbers. Expect Saquon to have another good year but opposing defenses will be keyed in on him.
The pressure is on the ground game especially since the offense no longer has Odell Beckham Jr. Sterling Shepard has dealt with injuries recently and Golden Tate is facing a suspension. Tight end Evan Engram must step up as crucial piece to the passing game this season.
The Giants defense has seen some improvement in the secondary. Getting safety Jabrill Peppers from Cleveland, signing veteran free agent safety Antoine Bethea and drafting corners DeAndre Baker and Julian Love greatly assists Janoris Jenkins.
Adding rookie corner Corey Ballentine from Washburn (Division II university in Kansas) also adds to that depth. Ballentine was my favorite small school prospect in this year’s draft.
The Giants made a good move by acquiring Ballentine. Despite having a good secondary, I don’t expect them to generate much pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Stopping the run will not be an issue with BJ Hill, Dalvin Tomlinson and Dexter Lawrence up front but don’t expect high sack numbers.
The Giants biggest problem is the fact that they might only win three division games at max in six total games versus the Eagles, Cowboys and Redskins.
- Detroit Lions
Predicted record: 7-9
The Lions are once again fighting an uphill battle. The NFC North could turn into a battle between the Packers and Bears while the Vikings still appear to have more talent on their roster than the Lions.
The Lions will win some games and upset a couple teams but it’s not enough to get out of the bottom half of the league.
Matthew Stafford is an experienced quarterback who can win games with stars around him. The problem is there aren’t enough stars. Expect quality play from the tight end position with Jesse James and rookie T.J. Hockenson.
The receivers are nothing like the level of Calvin Johnson years ago. Danny Amendola is well past his prime and Marvin Jones, Kenny Golladay and Jermaine Kearse are nothing more than average.
The Lions defense will be the worst one in the NFC North. They aren’t going to have success stopping the run or the pass. They just need to keep the game close enough for Stafford to make something happen on offense.
- Washington Redskins
Predicted record: 7-9
The Redskins will be a confusing team this season. When is the last time that hasn’t been said about this franchise though? Their bad luck with serious injuries to the quarterback position keeps putting them in this spot. We might see three different quarterbacks this season, lots of different running backs and once they get momentum it will go away quickly.
The quarterbacks will be the headline in Washington all season. Colt McCoy is a veteran that knows the Redskins system but won’t put up huge numbers, Case Keenum has the most starting experience but is still learning the system and Dwayne Haskins is the most talented of the group but he only had one year starting at Ohio State so he has a lot to learn.
McCoy was tabbed as the unofficial starter in the preseason and although it seems surprising, the logic makes sense due to the fact that he does know this offensive scheme. McCoy isn’t the future for this team and he probably won’t lead them to the playoffs so expect him to be on a short leash.
I would be surprised to see him starting past week 3. I would take Keenum over McCoy any day because he has put up better numbers. In 2017 he had a good year in Minnesota with 22 TDs and only 7 INTs.
He then moved to Denver to be the starter in 2018 and he struggled with only 18 TDs and 15 INTs. Since then his confidence seems to be shaken. He doesn’t look confident in the pocket and he is staring down his receivers.
Despite being slightly better than McCoy, he isn’t the answer either. Expect him to get some starts this season and replace McCoy early.
Keenum will again have his struggles and then everyone looks to Dwayne Haskins. Haskins is big, has a strong arm and has some great potential. Haskins is young though and has a lot to learn especially with reading everything at the line of scrimmage.
He can throw for big yardage and lots of touchdowns and he can also throw dangerous balls that get intercepted. Haskins will have the highest of highs and the lowest of lows out of these QBs. It will be that way until he has a year of experience under his belt.
Haskins is the future and I believe he will have the best career out of this rookie class of QBs. Ohio State is known for putting productive players in the NFL at really every position besides quarterback.
That will change with Haskins. Expect to see Haskins halfway through the season. Washington isn’t making the playoffs so why not just start him and give him the time to develop by gaining experience? That likely won’t happen so the QB carousel begins now.
The Redskins have a mess at one other position and that’s running back. Derrius Guice can never seem to be healthy so don’t expect much from him this year because who knows when we will actually see him on the field.
Washington drafted Bryce Love who had a torn ACL too… Does Washington specifically look for running backs with bad knees?
Samaje Perine and Chris Thompson will get plenty of carries this season and Adrian Peterson will also touch the ball some. Peterson isn’t even one-third of what he once was in Minnesota though.
There are some good targets for the quarterback on the field. Tight end Jordan Reed is a physical presence and will be a main focus. Josh Doctson and Paul Richardson are adequate receivers that won’t wow you but can get the job done.
Trey Quinn is becoming a valuable slot receiver as well. I like the additions of Terry McLaurin and Kelvin Harmon in the draft. When Haskins gets his snaps he will be looking towards his favorite target and fellow Buckeye McLaurin.
Not only is McLaurin a good receiver but he is great on special teams. Harmon will also get some receptions this year and helps inject more talented young blood in the offensive game plan.
The Redskins defense is not the talking point of this team because they don’t have nearly as many questions. Alabama products Johnathan Allen and Da’Ron Payne will be the forces trying to stop the run.
Ryan Kerrigan will look to provide pressure off the edge opposite of either Ryan Anderson or rookie Montez Sweat.
The big addition for the defense is safety Landon Collins. Collins and Josh Norman will be in charge of leading the secondary.
Overall this defense is not the best but not the worst. If the offense can figure things out they will have opportunities to win some games.
This team will play hard versus their division rivals but isn’t ready to challenge for even a Wild Card spot.
- Minnesota Vikings
Predicted record: 8-8
The Vikings are by definition a middle of the pack team this year. This roster could make the playoffs but their problem is that the Bears are still better and it looks like the Packers have improved. This team will shake things up in the NFC North and keep it interesting.
Kirk Cousins is an average NFL starter and can make the throws. He’s smart and been fairly consistent since 2015 in Washington. Cousins will give you over 4,000 yards, 25+ TDs and less than 15 INTs.
His offensive line will do fine and the addition of Garrett Bradbury at center is huge. This line will be challenged again this year especially against the Bears but all they need to do is give Cousins enough time to quickly find his talented duo Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs. Theilen and Diggs continue to show why they are a great combination and will have another successful year.
Kyle Rudolph is still the star tight end but drafting Irv Smith Jr. gives the offense another element. Expect some two tight end sets this season on passing plays and on running plays. Dalvin Cook looks to take the bulk of the carries this season and lead the ground game.
Everson Griffen will look to generate pressure in the backfield for the defense. Anthony Barr and Eric Kendricks once again will take the field as the leaders of the linebackers.
The secondary is the strength of this defense with Trae Waynes and Xavier Rhodes as the starting corners and Harrison Smith and Anthony Harris as the starting safeties. This defense has depth at every position and will cause problems for opposing offenses.
If the Vikings were in a different division like the South, they would probably make the playoffs. They do not get to switch divisions and therefore they will miss out on a playoff bid.
- Atlanta Falcons
Predicted record: 8-8
Since Atlanta infamously blew that big lead in the Super Bowl versus the Patriots, they have not returned to the level they were once at and have fallen in the shadows of the Saints.
It’s hard to see the Falcons getting out of the Saints shadow as long as Drew Brees is still playing and in a gauntlet of quality teams in the NFC this season it will be challenging to make the playoffs.
Matt Ryan is still the second best quarterback in the NFC South and has the ability to win big games. He is that traditional QB1 that doesn’t make waves and just does his job. Often times Ryan is undervalued and not talked about enough.
Last year he put up nearly 5,000 yards with 35 TDs and only 7 INTs. There is a possibility that those numbers get even better now that Calvin Ridley has more experience.
Ridley and Mohamed Sanu will both have big seasons and be outstanding compliments to Julio Jones. Not only is Jones a top receiver in the league but the Falcons receiving corps might be the best in the NFC.
Devonta Freeman is an important factor for the Falcons offense. Last season he only had 19 total touches before his season was cut short.
This year if everything goes according to plan for Atlanta, Freeman will see over 200 touches. Brian Hill has impressed in training camp and will likely be the second running back on the depth chart.
The Falcons defense is another one with plenty of depth and full of veterans. Takkarist McKinley and Vic Beasley will look to pressure the quarterback and create havoc while Desmond Trufant and Keanu Neal look to hold down the back end of the defense.
I believe the Vikings have the better defense but the Falcons have a slightly better offense. Overall the Vikings might have the better team this year but their week 1 matchup is the key factor in these power rankings.
Matt Ryan will get off to a great start to the season and lead the Falcons to a win on the road. The end of the season won’t be as great for Atlanta.
- Dallas Cowboys
Predicted record: 8-8
This Cowboys team has all the potential to not only make the playoffs but also go on a run. There is usually at least one team expected to be really good that falls off of expectations. For me the Cowboys fit that role this season for several reasons.
First of all, they have a brutal schedule that includes road trips to New Orleans, New England and Chicago. Green Bay and the LA Rams visit Dallas in addition to the two division games versus the stacked Philadelphia roster.
The Redskins and the Giants will also put up a fight in at least one game versus their division rivals. Dallas might have the toughest schedule in the whole league this year.
The second factor is Ezekiel Elliott. Elliott wants his money and did not report to camp. If he doesn’t get paid the Cowboys run the risk of a Steelers situation with Le’Veon Bell.
The problem for the Cowboys is that they don’t have a James Conner. Alfred Morris, Darius Jackson, Mike Weber and Tony Pollard are the other options.
Sure, they can still pick up yards but the run game will not nearly be as threatening to opposing defenses. Elliott is a rare talent at running back and Dallas needs to give him the money because he is so important. Without Elliott it will be hard to win. Negotiations do not seem to be making progress though…
The third factor is Dak Prescott. I’ve heard the arguments that he wins games and he has done it without Zeke before. The fact is that he hasn’t gone without Zeke for a full season.
If that happens the focus of the offense will be on the air attack. Dak has not thrown for over 4,000 yards or 25 touchdowns in a season yet in his young career.
Dallas has had such a balanced offense with the running and passing game but if that changes this year Dak could be in trouble. Dak’s success could be dependent on Zeke because it adds pressure to perform on his shoulders in addition to the pressure he already had in stepping up as a leader.
The fourth and final factor is players missing time on defense due to suspension or injuries. Defensive end Robert Quinn faces a suspension for the first two games and Taco Charlton’s injury problems and having two surgical procedures this offseason is a major red flag.
The linebacker group will have to use six bodies regularly because Sean Lee already sprained his MCL early in camp. It seems that Lee has injury problems every season now.
There are still plenty of positives for the Cowboys though. They have the best offensive line in the entire league. Tyron Smith, Connor Williams, Travis Frederick, Zack Martin and La’El Collins will provide Dak plenty of time in the pocket and will battle hard in the trenches every week.
Amari Cooper and Randall Cobb will do well as the main receiving targets and fantasy owners should really consider picking up Cooper. Jason Witten is also back at tight end after a short retirement and everyone is curious to see if he can still play like he did several years ago.
On defense DeMarcus Lawrence will have to shoulder the weight of rushing the passer especially with the suspension of Quinn. Jaylon Smith and Leighton Vander Esch will be the linebackers to focus on this season. Smith is great but Vander Esch has the ability to be on the Pro Bowl roster once again.
The Cowboys will miss the playoffs but with their schedule an 8-8 record isn’t actually that bad. Just not what Cowboys fans are hoping for.
- Seattle Seahawks
Predicted record: 9-7
Going into the 2018 season, I doubted the ability of Russell Wilson to win games with that roster. I was wrong and won’t doubt them again. They will probably have a winning record again.
But making the playoffs will come down to the very end of the season due to the 49ers taking huge strides and the Rams still looking tough.
Wilson got paid and for good reason. He is an outstanding franchise quarterback and can win games with little talent around him. He is intelligent, an outstanding leader and no play is dead due to his mobility.
Wilson does not have Doug Baldwin to throw to this year but D.K. Metcalf was drafted to give Wilson a nice option. Tyler Lockett and tight end Nick Vannett will also be main targets for Wilson. Chris Carson and Rashaad Penny will be the one-two-punch in the backfield and look to do more of the same in 2019.
The strength of the defense is the linebacker group. Bobby Wagner will be in pursuit of 1,000 career tackles this season as he sits only 84 away.
Wagner has had over 100 tackles each season in his seven-year career so it appears that he will pass that mark. He will remain the anchor of the defense but hopes to get plenty of help from K.J. Wright. Wright’s season was cut short last year but he too can make over 100 tackles in a season when healthy.
I believe this team will miss the playoffs ever so slightly this year… That’s because of a division rival.
- Los Angeles Rams
Predicted record: 9-7
The Rams are hoping for a big year after losing in the Super Bowl but they appear to be on the decline while a handful of other teams are on the rise.
Sean McVay has proven that he is an excellent head coach but his offensive game plan revolves heavily around Todd Gurley. Gurley is the most important player on the Rams offense and he is a top running back in the NFL.
The Rams offense often times goes stagnant when Gurley isn’t able to take many carries and put up huge numbers. With Gurley’s health becoming a greater factor and questions surrounding whether he can take the punishment of such a huge work load game in and game out, the offensive scheme could get blown up.
Jared Goff is the definition of a system quarterback. He is good enough to make the throws and lead the offense but without the running game taking pressure off of him, he often times struggles.
If Gurley doesn’t have great success this year, Goff will be required to make more throws. Cooper Kupp, Robert Woods and Brandin Cooks will find ways to get open and catch plenty of passes from Goff but expect to see some more struggles this year in the passing game.
Despite the offense likely not having as much success, the defense is going to have an outstanding year. Aaron Donald was named the number one player in the entire NFL last season and
I would expect him to be in the top 10 again after this season. Donald is an incredible talent and can do it all. He will stop the run and pressure the quarterback all game long. Opposing offensive lines will once again hate going up against him.
Michael Brockers and Dante Fowler Jr. will also find ways to get into the backfield. Veteran Clay Matthews is a new addition to the linebackers and despite not being as explosive as he once was, it is nice to have another veteran.
Also maybe Matthews can bring back some of his USC days playing at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
The secondary of Markus Peters, Aquib Talib, John Johnson and Eric Weddle will be a tough one to break. Nickell Robey-Coleman and rookie Taylor Rapp will also get plenty of playing time as depth in the secondary.
The Rams defense will help lead them to most wins this year and still make it possible to make the playoffs. I believe the Seahawks and Rams will not only split the season series but also finish with the same record. When it comes down to tiebreakers the Rams will get the Wild Card spot.
- Chicago Bears
Predicted record: 10-6
The Bears will not win the NFC North this season but getting a playoff spot shouldn’t be a problem at all. This is virtually the same team as last year that got double-doink-dropped from the playoffs last season. Special teams cost the Bears a season but they hope that won’t be a problem this year.
I was not high on Mitchell Trubisky when he first came into the league but he is better than I initially expected. Trubisky still is towards the bottom of the rankings of starting quarterbacks in the league but has proven he is sufficient. He will not but up gaudy numbers but expect him to throw for over 3,000 yards.
Allen Robinson and Taylor Gabriel are the top two targets while slot receiver Anthony Miller, free agent signing Cordarrelle Patterson and tight end Trey Burton will also be solid options for Trubisky. Mike Davis, Tarik Cohen and David Montgomery will all get touches out of the backfield as well. With three good running backs, the Bears will look to use the run game frequently.
The best defense in the NFL could very well be Chicago. Khalil Mack is the star of Chicago and the best pass rusher in the entire NFL. He is explosive off the edge and part of the best group of linebackers in the league. Danny Trevathan, Roquan Smith and Leonard Floyd make up the rest of the starting group.
This is a team that is very successful running a 3-4 defense and these linebackers are tackling machines. Kyle Fuller and Prince Amukamara once again will look to lock down the opposing wide receivers while Eddie Jackson and new addition Ha Ha Clinton-Dix will start as the safeties.
Chicago also signed veteran corner Buster Skrine who spent the last several seasons with the Jets. This defense is what they call a championship caliber defense.
Hopefully for the Bears sake they have the kicker position figured out and they can be prepared for a run in the playoffs. Chicago will have another good season only this team won’t be as much of a surprise.
- San Francisco 49ers
Predicted record: 10-6
The 49ers will be the most improved team in 2019. To go from the second overall pick to months later winning the division sounds nearly impossible but the front office has done great work and getting Jimmy Garoppolo back is massive.
Garoppolo went down with an ACL tear early last season and it completely derailed the entire season. Garoppolo has his critics but I believe he can have a great career with the 49ers.
We haven’t seen him get a full season as a starter yet but perhaps this could be the year. If it is expect some impressive numbers. In his career he has only 17 touchdowns and under 3,000 yards. Just this year Garoppolo will likely surpass those numbers.
A good chunk of his completions will go to tight end George Kittle who will have a Pro Bowl type of season. Kittle is not only one of the best tight ends in the league but also the best receiver for San Francisco.
Marquise Goodwin and Dante Pettis will be the top two receivers on the depth chart and rookie Deebo Samuel will likely see some of the field this season.
The 49ers receiving corps might be considered one of the weakest in the league but a good quarterback can throw guys open. Garoppolo will prove that this year.
Jerrick McKinnon, Tevin Coleman and Matt Breida will all get their fair share of carries and relieve the air attack. Last season Breida carried the ball over 150 times and has plenty of experience under his belt.
He is sturdy and reliable but not the best talent of the three. Jerrick McKinnon should be the regular number one but he is returning from an ACL injury and had a minor setback in camp.
He should still be available at the beginning of the season. Tevin Coleman also saw his fair share of touches in Atlanta and looks to be a solid addition to this roster.
San Francisco drastically changed their defense in free agency and got an incredible player with the second pick in the draft. Dee Ford signing with the 49ers was a huge loss for Kansas City. Ford’s pressure off the edge is outstanding and the 49ers hope he can put up the same numbers he did last year for the Chiefs.
Getting linebacker Kwon Alexander is another big deal. Alexander will be the star of the group of linebackers and be the WILL while Malcolm Smith will be the SAM. Drafting Nick Bosa with the number two overall pick will be important for many years to come.
Bosa is one of the best young pass rushers and is expected to be a star. San Francisco also still have DeForest Buckner, Arik Armstead and Solomon Thomas. The weakness of this defense will be the secondary led by Richard Sherman.
Although this team has the ability to win the division, they probably won’t make a deep playoff run.
- Green Bay Packers
Predicted record: 10-6
The Pack is back with a new head coach in Matt LaFleur. The cheeseheads will be out in full effect in January and Aaron Rodgers will have a great year. Rodgers might throw more interceptions than the mere two he threw last year but it will be less than 10. Rodgers hasn’t even thrown 10 combined interceptions between 2017 and 2018.
Although he only played 6 games in 2017… THAT IS STILL RIDICULOUS! Also shows how efficient Rodgers is every game. You know that any time Rodgers takes the field that he can have few receivers that most people haven’t heard of but will still pass the ball over 40 times per game.
Davante Adams is undoubtedly the number one wide receiver in Green Bay and will be the main target for Rodgers. Expect a 1,000 yard season for Adams. Jimmy Graham and Mercedes Lewis are the top two tight ends and will have a presence in the receiving game and also blocking for the running game.
Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams will be the main running backs working behind a strong offensive line composed of David Bakhtiari, Lane Taylor, Corey Linsley, Billy Turner and Bryan Bulaga.
The defensive line is young with Dean Lowry, Kenny Clark and Montravius Adams but their main jobs are to stop the run and eat up blockers so huge free agent additions Preston Smith and Za’Darius Smith can create havoc from the outside linebacker spots.
Former starter Kyler Fackrell and rookie Rashan Gary will provide backup strength at the outside linebacker position. The secondary is well balanced with young talent and veterans as the majority of snaps will go to a strong group of seven in Kevin King, Tramon Williams, Jaire Alexander, Tony Brown, Josh Jackson, Adrian Amos and Darnell Savage Jr.
The coaching change and the improvements to the defense will change Green Bay immensely. Bears-Packers games will be interesting this year and week 15 will be in Green Bay which is great for fans of cold games with aggressive defenses. The Packers will not be an easy game for anyone this season.
- New Orleans Saints
Predicted record: 12-4
The New Orleans Saints have been incredible the past couple years and it doesn’t look like that will change. They have choked or had the officials cost them games in the playoffs though. It’s hard to expect that to continue.
Drew Brees is going into his 19th year in the league and is now 40-years-old. Brees continues to put up great numbers though and continues to win. Brees has so many positive qualities. He is intelligent, talented, a good leader, a good dad and a class act. It’s hard not to root for Brees no matter what team you support.
Last year he passed for 3,992 yards, 32 TDs and had a passer rating of 115.7 (highest of his career). With how he looked last season, I don’t think this is the year he drastically declines. Brees will continue to win and wow us all.
Michael Thomas is now the highest paid wide receiver in the NFL for good reason. Thomas is a top five receiver and continues to improve on his numbers every year. He hauled in 125 receptions for 1,405 yards and 9 TDs in 2018 so perhaps we see 130 receptions, 1,500 yards and 10 TDs…
It’s possible if the Saints make it to the Super Bowl and have an extra game to work with this season. Fellow Ohio State Buckeye Ted Ginn Jr. still has incredible speed at 34 and will be the other starting receiver. Austin Carr, Keith Kirkwood, Tre’Quan Smith, tight end Josh Hill and tight end Jared Cook are the other targets for Brees.
Alvin Kamara is the star running back and is coming off of an outstanding 2018 considering he is kept on a “pitch count” to keep him healthy. Even with Mark Ingram gone, Sean Payton wants Kamara to play only around 60% of the offensive snaps to keep his workload on the lighter side.
Kamara will have another good season but new signing Latavius Murray will fill the role Ingram had last year. Quarterback Taysom Hill will also be brought in to add another dynamic on offense as well as be a playmaker on special teams.
The front four on the Saints defense will be led by defensive ends Cameron Jordan and Marcus Davenport. Jordan and Davenport combined for 16.5 sacks last season and New Orleans fans are hoping they can only improve and get over 20.
The linebackers are once again A.J. Klein, Alex Anzalone, and Demario Davis. Veteran Craig Robertson and Vince Biegel add valuable depth in an already strong linebacker squad. The Ohio State secondary is made up of Marshon Lattimore, Eli Apple, Vonn Bell… The Saints must really love Buckeyes and Thomas on the offense alone shows why.
The former Buckeyes on the defense though make up one of the best secondaries in the league. Lattimore is a lockdown corner and Apple on the other side has reached new levels in New Orleans.
Bell also has been effective at strong safety. Now there are players from other schools in the secondary and they are good too. Marcus Williams is the other safety and PJ Williams is the nickel. Drafting Chauncey Gardner-Johnson out of Florida adds some valuable depth at safety.
The combination of a great offense and great defense will lead to another year of success. New Orleans will be rocking and has Super Bowl potential written all over them.
- Philadelphia Eagles
Predicted record: 13-3
The Eagles will fly high and soar their way to winning the division and the top seed in the playoffs. The Eagles schedule is not easy by any means but most of the toughest games are at home.
New England and Chicago both visit Philadelphia and Philly plays at Green Bay early in the season before the place turns into the frozen tundra. The schedule is favorable for a team with Carson Wentz back and a solid defense.
Wentz has had his fair share of injuries but he is an incredible talent. Not only is he mobile but he has a strong arm and can make things happen. If Wentz puts together a complete season he will probably pass for over 4,000 yards and 30 TDs.
Without Nick Foles as a backup it is crucial that Wentz stays healthy. It is always easier for a QB to stay healthy when they have an outstanding line in front of them. That is what Wentz has with Jason Peters, Isaac Seumalo, Jason Kelce, Brandon Brooks and Lane Johnson.
Even if there are injuries on the line, the depth is good with rookie Andre Dillard, and veterans Stefen Wisniewski and Halapoulivaati Vaitai.
Wentz has a plethora of weapons to work with every game. Alshon Jeffery and Nelson Agholor return as regular starters and DeSean Jackson comes back to Philly where he began his career in 2008.
The Eagles also drafted JJ Arcega-Whiteside who sometimes is referred to as a power forward playing wide receiver. He is big, strong, long and can fully control passes even with lots of contact. Zach Ertz is a star tight end who pulled in 116 catches last season. Expect those numbers to go down but he might still reach 80 receptions. Dallas Goedert is also a great second tight end.
The Eagles running back room is the best one in the league. Jordan Howard will be the starter and will prove to be an important addition to the team. Howard’s first three years in the league saw him being the workhorse for the Bears. In each of those seasons he carried the ball more than 250 times.
Those numbers will go down due to the depth in Philadelphia. Rookie Miles Sanders did not receive the hype Saquon Barkley did coming out of Penn State but he is the best running back from this past draft class. He is explosive and a hard runner which is great for the Eagles to have another great option.
Sanders has impressed in camp and will be one of the steals of the 2019 NFL Draft. Corey Clement and Darren Sproles will be the third and fourth running backs respectively. Clement has plenty of carries in his young career and Sproles is nearing the end of his career but still has some explosiveness and can catch the ball.
The Eagles defense will be a top 10 defense this year and like the Browns, it all starts up front. Derek Barnett, Malik Jackson, Fletcher Cox and Brandon Graham will be feared by every single offensive line. Vinny Curry is a backup and on many teams would start so that shows how good Philly is again.
Timmy Jernigan also adds depth at defensive tackle. Nigel Bradham once again anchors the middle of the defense and the linebacker will likely have about 100 tackles.
The Eagles might also have the most depth of any secondary in the league with Rodney McLeod, Sidney Jones, Malcolm Jenkins, Ronald Darby, Andrew Sendejo, Tre Sullivan, Cre’von LeBlanc, Jonathan Cyprien and Orlando Scandrick. Jalen Mills will also be returning from injury at some point.
The Eagles roster is one that looks incredible on paper. This is another serious Super Bowl contender.
