Today is July 8th. Training camp for the reigning Super Bowl Champion New England Patriots kicks off in just under three weeks, just as it does for many other NFL teams. Now is the time when you'll start seeing Fantasy Football mock draft articles and season predictions for who will win the Super Bowl. Well, what's one more going to hurt right? Here is the Boston Sports Barrage version of the "Way too early NFL Predictions"
AFC East 1. New England Patriots (15-1) This one is just a given. The Patriots have been a lock at the top of the AFC East for virtually the entire time Bill Belichick and Tom Brady have been at the helm. Not to mention, seven straight trips to the AFC Championship game dating back to 2011, and three of those times resulting in a trip to the Super Bowl, and two of those resulting in wins (2014, 2016). With the revamped offense including stars, Brandin Cooks and a healthy Gronk, the Pats will once again be division champs. 2. Miami Dolphins (9-7) After breaking through and reaching the playoffs last season, I think the Dolphins will still be a good team, just not good enough. With the amount of additions teams on Miami's schedule has made, including the likes of the Titans, Raiders, Chiefs, and of course the Patriots, have made, it's tough to see Miami retaining the level of success they saw in 2016. 3. Buffalo Bills (7-9) Buffalo just doesn't have the level of talent quite yet to compete with the rest of the league. Their defense was ranked in the top half of the league but, their offense was ranked 30th, next to last in the NFL. With the continued injuries to WR Sammy Watkins, Buffalo struggles to find targets to throw the ball to, which leads to struggles to putting points on the board. 4. New York Jets (4-12) This record may even be generous. The Jets are by far one of the worst teams in the league, their offense and defense ranking in the bottom third of the league in 2016. The Jets are starting the long, slow, rebuilding process, and won't sniff the playoffs anytime soon. AFC South 1. Tennessee Titans (11-5) The Titans really started to show some promise towards the end of 2016, and if not for the injury to QB Marcus Mariota, Tennessee may have been able to slide into the playoffs. In 2017, the Titans are hungry and looking for a breakthrough year. With the addition of WR Eric Decker and another year of experience under Mariota's belt, along with RB Demarco Murray, look for Tennessee to finally regain the throne at the top of the AFC South. 2. Houston Texans (10-6) The duo of first round pick Deshaun Watson and star WR DeAndre Hopkins will put up a significant amount of points for the Texans in 2017. Along with a healthy J.J Watt, who missed all but 3 games in 2016, will go right back to being a matchup nightmare for any lineman to match-up with and will have quarterbacks shaking in their cleats. But, three players aren't a whole team. With that being said, I don't believe Houston has the fire power to compete with the best of the best in the AFC, however, it will give Texans fans something to cheer about, 3. Indianapolis Colts (8-8) Once again in 2017, the Colts will have no defense to speak of, and Andrew Luck still does not have that big name receiver he needs to really break through and take the Colts to the promise land. Indy will be a very mediocre team in 2017, who by the end of the season will just be looking to play spoiler for potential playoff teams. 4. Jacksonville Jaguars (5-11) Jacksonville is yet another team that is not yet close to being in the hunt for the playoffs. QB Blake Bortles and an offense full of mediocre talent along with a defense that is gaping with holes just isn't going to the the Jags anywhere in 2017. AFC West 1. Oakland Raiders (13-3) This is the year that Oakland will cement themselves as a real powerhouse in the AFC. This is the team that I believe has the best chance to challenge the Patriots for a trip to Minnesota in February. With QB Derek Carr becoming the highest paid quarterback in NFL history with a 5yr/$125M deal, and the addition of "Beast Mode" Marshawn Lynch, Oakland will roll into the playoffs with their sights set on Foxboro and the man who is gunning for ring number six, Tom Brady. 2. Kansas City Chiefs (11-5) The Chiefs have been one of the more consistent teams in the NFL over the past few years, always making it to the playoffs, but never having enough fire power to get to the top. Unfortunately for Kansas City, this trend will continue in 2017, as there are just too many other teams that will have too many weapons for the Chiefs to match up with. 3. Denver Broncos (8-8) Don't expect this to be a promising year for the Broncos. Yes, their defense is stellar, but let me present this piece of information to you: their QB in week one will either be Trevor Siemien or Paxton Lynch. That should tell you all you need to know. 4. Los Angeles Chargers (5-11) The Chargers are a team that have some talent on the offensive side of the ball with QB Phillip Rivers and RB Melvin Gordon. However, this is still a team that has a lot of holes and a team that is still years away from sniffing the postseason. AFC North 1, Pittsburgh Steelers (13-3) The Steelers seem to be a team that has a strong regular season year, after year, after year, but come up short when it really matters in the playoffs. Look for the regular season trend to continue, with Pittsburgh having a relatively easy schedule. 2. Baltimore Ravens (10-6) Baltimore is a team looking to win games by putting up a lot of points. Joe Flacco will have plenty of targets, including new acquisition Jeremy Maclin, along with veteran Mike Wallace. Look for Baltimore to be in the hunt for a Wild Card all season long. 3. Cincinnati Bengals (8-8) The Bengals have been one of the teams in the NFL that you just never know what's coming. This year, that will prove to be true. I predict injuries will take a toll on Andy Dalton and the Bengals season. 4. Cleveland Browns (1-15) One would say the Browns somehow got worse this offseason. We're not entirely sure that's even possible. AFC PLAYOFFS Bye: New England Patriots (1), Oakland Raiders (2) WILD CARD WEEKEND Pittsburgh Steelers (3) v.s Houston Texans (6) Tennessee Titans (4) v.s Kansas City Chiefs (5) DIVISIONAL ROUND New England Patriots (1) v.s Tennessee Titans (4) Oakland Raiders (2) v.s Pittsburgh Steelers (3) AFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME New England Patriots (1) v.s Pittsburgh Steelers (3) AFC CHAMPION: New England Patriots
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If you had told me ten years ago after Tom Brady completed one of the best passing seasons in NFL history while shattering rival Peyton Manning's touchdown pass record in 2007 that he would finish his career somewhere else, I would have been insulted. Now, in 2017, Brady is still playing football at the highest level, maybe even better than he was in 2007. However, Brady turns 40 years of age this August, and one thing we know about NFL quarterbacks is that they usually do not hold up well past that age. Young stud Jimmy Garoppolo is also staring down Brady in the rear-view mirror. The 25 year old has showed the Patriots coaching staff that he can play, and is very capable of leading an offense. During Brady's 4 game suspension to open last season, Garoppolo showed great pocket presence and poise, as well as the ability to drive the ball downfield.
Garoppolo's contract expires at the end of this upcoming season, and it will really put the Patriots in a tough spot. On one hand, you have the future, gift-wrapped and all, right in the palm of your hand. But, how can you say "we're going to go with the kid" to the greatest quarterback to ever play the game, while he's still playing? If the Patriots decide to let Garoppolo walk and they stick it out with Brady, they run the risk of Brady's decline coming upon him very quickly. But, this could go one of two ways: Brady plays at a consistent high level until he's 45 like he says he plans on doing or, Brady finally starts to show his age and he begins his decline. The worst case scenario for the Patriots is, obviously, an injury to Brady. But, New England also has the option to franchise tag Garoppolo and wait another year to make their decision about what to do with Brady. However, this option will hurt not only Jimmy's trade value, but the Patriots wallet, as a franchise tag will likely be $24 million in the 2018 offseason. However, the Patriots did the same thing with Matt Cassel in 2009 before trading him to the Kansas City Chiefs. A team trying to acquire Garoppolo would likely need to part with a hefty amount of draft picks to get New England to part with the future. Garoppolo has said, according to multiple reports that he is open to signing a long term deal that would keep him in a Patriots uniform, likely until Brady retires. This is going to be quite a decision for Bill Belichick to make, and a decision this big may also require the input from the men really running this whole operation: Robert and Jonathan Kraft. This is the biggest decision the Patriots will have to make since Brady was in the same place as Garoppolo back in 2001 when he took over for Drew Bledsoe, who many people thought would finish his career in New England as well. The only difference? Bledsoe wasn't already the best of all-time. |