2013 NFL PREDICTIONS
NFL 2013 PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS are in the “ABOUT US” Section
AFC EAST
New York Jets
If you read my prediction LY, I was right on with the Jets @ 6-10. They should have been 5-11 if it wasn’t for a gift from MIA. On the Hot Seat, HC Rex Ryan. This is definitely his last season w/the Jets. The Jets need help everywhere. Key losses, CB Darelle Revis, S Laron Landry & TE Dustin Keller will surely be missed. The Jets drafted QB Geno Smith out of WV to compete w/QB Mark Sanchez who is probably also in his last yr w/the Jets. Sanchez had 52 turnovers in the L2yrs. Tim Tebow experiment was a total failure and he’s gone too. WR Santonio Holmes has started out on the Inactive list. Jets have no receivers, no RBs and the DEF has been picked apart. Looks like a long year for the J-E-T-S. Rebuilding yr for the Jets and a lot of empty seats masquerading as fans at MetLife Stadium.
2012 (6-10)√ PROJECTED 2013 (4-12)
New England Patriots
LY the PATS made it to the AFC Champ game where they were beat badly @Home vs BALT. Since 2005, they have lost 2 SueprBowls and have lost deep in the playoffs. I had them @ 13-3 LY, they ended up 12-4. Anyway, TY, who is Brady going to throw to? Hernandez is never playing again, Welker is in DEN (still don’t know why) & Gronkowski is healing from his 4th surgery on his arm. They did pick up WR Danny Amendola from STL but he’s no Welker and he’s injury prone. The PATS need help w/their PASS DEF which was #29 LY. They drafted a CB & S & picked up S Adrian Wilson fromArizona. CB Aqib Talib needs to come back strong but will all this be enough? Also, PATS picked up Tim Tebow, maybe he could play WR. MIA is getting better but the Bills & JETS are going nowhere & otherwise their schedule is not that tough. PATS should go deep into the playoffs or SuperBowl bound.
2012 (12-4) PROJECTED 2013 (12-4)
Buffalo Bills
After another sub-par season inBuffalo, they got rid of their coach, Chan Gailey & their QB Ryan Fitzpatrick. Now Doug Marrone fromSyracuseis at the helm. LY, their six wins were against teams that finished under .500. For the QB they signed Kevin Kolb & drafted EJ Manuel out ofFloridaState. DE Mario Williams got some big money LY to play in BUFF & so far it hasn’t worked out as planned. The RUN DEF for BUFF was #31 LY & that has to be improved if they want to make any headway in the wins column. C.J. Spiller & Fred Jackson will be back as part of A RUN OFF that was #6 LY, so that’s at least one bright spot. BUFF also drafted 2 WRS to right away help out their anemic #25 PASS OFF. Their schedule TY is not as difficult as others but BUFF needs to improve their wins, they have not had a winning season since 2004.
2012 (6-10) PROJECTED 2013 (8-8)
Miami Dolphins
LY, FISH went 7-9, I had them @ 8-8. If not for the gift vs. JETS they would have been 8-8. This is a big yr for Tannehill. Fish spent a lot of money and are expecting big things this yr. LB Danny Ellerbee is supposed to be the new leader on D. Reggie Bush is gone to DET. WR Mike Wallace is a nice big target for Tannehill & TE Dustin Keller should help too. The RUN DEF for MIA was great at times #13 LY but, the PASS DEF was atrocious @ #27. If Former ATL CB Brent Grimes is full recovered from his torn Achilles and the other DBs can step it up the FISH can improve on their win total from LY & make a run into the playoffs.
2012 (7-9) PROJECTED 2013 (9-7)
AFC SOUTH
Houston Texans
I had them pegged perfectly LY @ 12-4. HOU started out strong @ 11-1 then they lost 3 out of their last 4. They ended up having to play a WC game @Home, then NE on the road where they lost. JJ Watt had an ALL-World Yr, but with LB Brian Cushing hopefully coming back strong, it will take a little pressure of Watt so he can go all over. The problem here is not the DEF which picked up S Ed Reed from BALT. The problem is QB Matt Schaub. At times he looks like a deer in the headlights. He gets paid big time money but doesn’t lead like one. Arian Foster can’t be the only option on OFF. We know he’ll get it done but Schaub has to be the leader. This team has to be thinking SuperBowl or at least AFC Champ game with the talent they have. It’s all up to Schaub.
2012 (12-4) √ PROJECTED 2013 (13-3)
Indianapolis Colts
QB Andrew Luck & the Colts had a better yr than expected. But, they had a 2-14 schedule and they beat teams with QBs that were horrible. Any time they went up against a good QB, they lost. This is a telling yr for Luck & the Colts. Key additions for the Colts, RB Ahamd Bradshaw, WR Darrius Heyward-Bey, S Laron Landry, CB Greg Toler & LB Erik Walden. Luck has to cut down on his TURNS 27, 18 Ints & 9 Fums. This team needs to keep the emotion going that it did in 2012. The RUN DEF was #29 LY & couldn’t stop anyone. This needs to be corrected, plus their PASS DEF was #21 LY too which led to some shoot outs. Let’s see what happens.
2012 (11-5) PROJECTED 2013 (10-6)
Jacksonville Jaguars
This team was just awful in everything LY. 2-14, #29 TOT DEF, #30 TOT OFF. Only bright side 7-9 ATS. New GM & HC. They didn’t sign any high-priced FA but they let some Vets go. It’s like starting from scratch. Maurice Jones-Drew is the only highlight on this team and it looks like the QB situation will be battled out by Henne & Gabbert once again. Look for teams to throw against the JAGS as CB Derek Cox was not re-signed. Also, JAGS need to put more pressure on the opposing QB as they were picked apart LY. Looks like a long yr inJacksonville.
2012 (2-14) PROJECTED 2013 (4-12)
Tennessee Titans
Since winning 13 gms in 2008 theTENNhas been a on a roller coaster. One yr up, one yr down, you get the picture. The addition of RB Shonn Greene should give RB Chris Johnson some rest so that he can be fresh at all times. The OFF Line has to be tough enough to create holes for these two and give QB Jake Locker some time, otherwise it will be a long yr. On DEF they added SS Bernard Pollard from BALT who should help the secondary tremendously. The PASS DEF was #26 LY and needs help. They give too many opposing QBs too much time to figure things out back there. Their RUN DEF was not that much better @ #24. They drafted where they had a lot of holes on DEF so we’ll see how they pan out. This team could sneak into the playoffs as a wild card. Rollercoaster says up.
2012 (6-10) PROJECTED 2013 (9-7)
AFC NORTH
Cleveland Browns
LY, started out 0-5, ended up 5-11 but was 8-7-1 ATS. The biggest move after last season was probably the signing of OC Norv Turner. This team hasn’t had a winning season since 2007 & that’s the only winning record since 2002. Even the owner said that this team isn’t going 13-3. They did pick up LB Paul Kruger from BALT to help on DEF. RB Trent Richardson has to step it up TY. With OC Turner the OFF will not be predictable. QB Weedon has to step up as well. The PASS DEF LY was #25 and definitely has to improve. New DC Ray Horton has to shake things up and be more aggressive with this bunch. Hoping for some respectability but not an easy 2013 schedule.
2012 (5-11) PROJECTED 2013 (5-11)
Cincinnati Bengals
I had them @ 10-6 LY. QB Andy Dalton has led them to 2 straight wild-card loses, both @HOU. CIN is 0-6 on the road in the playoffs. If they want to get over that hump they must be able to get over an away playoff game. They started out the season 3-5 and had a nice compact to get them into the playoffs. This team actually played better on the road (6-2), then on the road (4-4). But which team will show up TY? The one that lost to MIA, CLEVE & PITT or he one that beat BALT,WASH& the G-MEN? A.J. Green has becomeDalton’s favorite receiver &Daltonhas to learn not to focus too much on him. RB Green-Ellis gave Andy some great ground yds and should have another stellar yr. Big was LB James Harrison formerly of PITT. He brings an added intensity that had a team best 51 sacks in 2012. Looking at BALT having a down yr, CLEVE really not going anywhere and PITT already been figured out, CINNCY should have enough to win the AFC North but, it comes down toDalton. He needs to step up in critical situations and be more of a leader. Yes, he has lead this team to the playoffs in his first 2 yrs but they’ve been one & done. They need to go further.
2012 (10-6)√ PROJECTED 2013 (11-5)
Pittsburgh Steelers
LY, PITT was cruising, 6-3 after 9, then Big Ben got injured & they went 2-5 to end 8-8. Pitt plays very hard but to go anywhere they need to avoid the big injuries. Gone are LB James Harrison, G Willie Colon, RB Rashard Mendenhall, WR Mike Wallace, just to name a few. SS troy Palamalu needs to be healthy otherwise that is a big hole in the secondary. LB Lamar Woodley needs to be there as well. With all their injuries they still had #1 TOT DEF. This team only gave up 19.6 pts a game. If this team is healthy on both sides of the ball, they could make another SuperBowl run. Still terrible ATS.
2012 (8-8) PROJECTED 2013 (12-4)
Baltimore Ravens
In 2012, the Ravens lost the last 4 out of 5 games but went on a hot streak to beat INDY, DEN, NE & SF in the SuperBowl. Flacco got his big contract but here’s the problem. There’s no money for anyone else. A lot of player losses on Defense will make this a long year for BALT. Now gone on D, Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, Brendon Ayanbadejo, Daniel Ellerbee, Paul Kruger, Bernard Pollard, Cary Williams and CB Asa Jackson has been suspended the first eight games for PEDs. On OFF Anquan Boldin is gone too. The only big replacement is the signing of OLB Elvis Dumervil. I see seven wins maybe for BALT w/their tough schedule.
2012 (10-6) PROJECTED 2013 (7-9)
AFC WEST
Oakland Raiders
After another bad season in OAK, they again cleaned house. QB Carson Palmer was shipped to ARZ & in comes QB Matt Flynn from SEA. Also, a lot of dead-money was removed from the roster in attempt to get younger & under the salary cap to sign some free agents. Do the Raiders strike fear in their opponents like they used to? Not really, teams look at the schedule and figure against OAK it’s a win. QB Matt Flynn will be the #1 QB in OAK so he needs to be able to show everyone why he did get the big money in SEA. Raiders have a bunch of no-bodies at WR but RB Darren McFadden needs to help out by staying healthy and running wild. On DEF a lot of free agents were signed so they’ll have all of training camp to get accustomed together. Right now K Janikowski is the only bright spot. Another long season for the Black & Silver.
2012 (4-12) PROJECTED 2013 (4-12)
Denver Broncos
The problem w/the Broncos is Peyton’s record in under 40 degree weather, 0-4. They had a chance to put BALT away early & blew it. Big pickup in the off-season has to be WR Wes Welker. But will he be as productive w/ Peyton as w/Tom? AFC still pretty weak although, KC won’t be a rollover TY as LY. The DEF on this team can’t give up late points like it did in some games LY, giving teams hope. The only thing that matters for this team is a SuperBowl win which Manning was brought in for. LY #4 TOT OFF & #2 TOT DEF. CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie was signed to shore up the secondary. The RUN OFF needs to improve to keep pressure off Manning. I see a good yr for DEN.
2012 (13-3) PROJECTED 2013 (13-3)
San Diego Chargers
In 2012 SD only won 1 gm against a team w/a winning record, Wk 14 vs PITT. Well, they cleaned house w/the coaching staff after a disappointing 7-9. Norv Turner finally got the boot along with his coaching staff. The OFF LINE has been a big problem for SD as Rivers has absolutely no protection & he forces the ball. 22 Turnovers for Rivers in 2012. Combine that w/no running game and they were #31 TOT OFF in 2012. Their DEF was solid LY as they had #9 TOT DEF but, they get tired when it’s always 3 and out. SD has vowed to build through the draft & not through FA, so this may be a tough yr for the BOLTS. They had a great draft but they won’t make the playoffs here.
2012 (7-9) PROJECTED 2013 (7-9)
Kansas City Chiefs
After the disastrous 2012, KC cleaned house. Andy Reid takes over for Crennel and he brought in QB Alex Smith for the QB combo of Cassel & Quinn. WR Donnie Avery was signed from INDY & TE Anthony Fasano was brought in form MIA. On DEF CB Dunta Robinson was brought in from ATL. However, there are some quality players on KC even though they are coming off a terrible year. Look for WR Dwayne Bowe & RB Jamaal Charles to have big years if the OFF line gives the protection that they did not give LY. C Rodney Hudson is back & should give Alex Smith time. KC schedule not as easy as you would think after 2-14. It will be an interesting year.
2012 (2-14) PROJECTED 2013 (8-8)
NFC EAST
Washington Redskins
RG III had a great rookie yr for the Skins LY. But his reconstruction of his ACL and repair of his lateral collateral ligament & medial meniscus are what’s keeping him from very limited action in training camp. QB Kirk Cousins is being prepare to fill right in if RG III is not ready. Also, SKINS were over the salary cap & could not make any big time FA acquisitions. They managed to resign their veterans and shore up their oFF LINE which had the #1 RUN OFF LY thanks in part to RG III & RB Alfred Morris. The PASS DEF was atrocious LY @ #30 so they drafted secondary guys to help patch the holes. LB Brian Orakpo is back from his season ending injury and if RGIII is healthy this team could go deeper into the playoffs. If he is not they may just make .500.
2012 (10-6) PROJECTED 2013 (11-5)
New York Giants
Last year I said G-Men would not make it back to the SuperBowl & I had them at 10-6. I was right, they didn’t even make it to the playoffs & I was close on the W-L. Giants have been to the playoffs once in last four years & that was their Superbowl run. Some games they looked like world beaters, others they looked lost. WR Cruz got his big contract but WR Nicks health is still questionable and the RB position is being given to David Wilson after Ahmad Bradshaw signed w/INDY. The problem w/the G-Men is their secondary. They brought back CB Aaron Ross, big deal. It was 28th LY & I don’t see any improvements. Gone on D, Osi Umenyiora, Chris Canty, Chase Blackburn, Kenny Phillips & Michael Boley. GM Jerry Reese gave the team an ultimatum but I don’t see things a changing. The G-Men get off to a great start and then almost always falter in the 2nd half of the season. Could be Tom Coughlin’s last season.
2012 (9-7) PROJECTED 2013 (9-7)
Dallas Cowboys
This team always looks great on paper. I had them at 9-7 but they ended up 8-8. LY, they didn’t beat anyone impressively and then in the off-season Romo gets some very big money. TY their schedule is tougher & the question still remains, can Romo get them to the promised land? LY, horrible record @HOME 4-4 SU & 1-7 ATS. If DAL goes anywhere, they need to win in Big D. Also, they need to stay healthy. Team was very beat up LY & replacements didn’t fare well. LY, 3 games went to OT, 2-1 SU, 1-2 ATS. The OFF line is always a question mark here so they drafted C Travis Frederick. We’ll see.
2012 (8-8) PROJECTED 2013 (9-7)
Philadelphia Eagles
LY, the bottom fell out for Philly, after predictions had them going to the SuperBowl, they ended up 4-12 SU, 3-12-1 ATS. HC Andy Reid is gone & Oregon HC Chip Kelly is in. Right now Kelly is going w/QB Michael Vick over Nick Foles. Their draft was very good and they signed USC QB Matt Barkley to a four yr contract. Is he the heir apparent? Philly has brought in a lot of new players (FA) & Chip Kelly wants to implement his style of offense that he ran atOregon. This team could go either way. They have the potential to be great or very bad but, I think they will improve on their record from LY mainly because their schedule is a little weaker. Also, WR Jeremy Maclin is out for the yr which is a big blow to the OFF.
2012 (4-12) PROJECTED 2013 (6-10)
NFC SOUTH
New Orleans Saints
LY it was obvious that HC Sean Payton’s suspension affected this team more than anyone could imagine. They had the worst DEF in the NFL at #32 TOT DEF which was #32 RUN DEF & #31 PASS DEF (can’t get worse than that). On OFF RB Mark Ingram has to step it up to take pressure off QB Drew Brees, otherwise it’s going to be a long season for the Saints. On D, new DC Rob Ryan instills a 3-4 which combined with mostly DEF FA & draft choices should definitely improve a DEF that seemed lost under DC Steve Spagnuolo in 2012. This team should make the playoffs but, will not challenge for the NFC Championship.
2012 (7-9) PROJECTED 2013 (10-6)
Carolina Panthers
This team starts and ends with Cam. LY, they started 1-6 & the season was over. They ended up 7-9 but Camcannot get frustrated and stick his head under the towel. TY, the Panthers have a very tough schedule and cannot afford to get off to a slow start. They play their DIV decent but you know N.O. is coming back strong. 7 of their 9 losses LY were by 6 or less points. They were in it to the end in most cases but, again they need a strong CAMfor some 4th qtr comebacks.
2012 (7-9) PROJECTED 2013 (8-8)
Atlanta Falcons
QB Matt Ryan is 1-4 in the playoffs. They almost lost to SEA(didn’t cover) & lost to SF in the NFC Champ game both @ HOME. TE Tony Gonzalez has stated that this is definitely his last season after another ALL-World season in 2012. The RUN OFF for ATL LY was #29 but w/the addition of RB Steven Jackson from STL, we’ll see what he has left in the tank. It can’t be all on Ryan’s shoulders. I said LY that HC Mike Smith is going into his 5th season and only a deep run into the playoffs will keep his coaching staff together. Well this year it’s SuperBowl or bust but it won’t happen. Who will pass rush now that DE john Abraham is gone? ATL drafted well on D to improve their PASS DEF which was #23 LY. Rookie CB Desmond Trufant has the size & knowhow to start right away. Should be interesting.
2012 (13-3) PROJECTED 2013 (11-5)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
LY, TB was 6-4 & the roof caved in. They lost 5 straight & then salvaged a win @ATL to finish the season 7-9. The PASS DEF was #32 & the RUN DEF was #1, what a contrast. The good news for TB is that they picked up CB Darelle Revis (hopefully he is fully recovered from his injury) & S Dashon Goldson from SF. Injured players that also decimated the DEF hopefully will be back TY fully strong. This team now has an answer for ATL & NO passing games. But again it comes down to QB Freeman. Look for RB Doug Marting to help balance the attack on OFF. He had some breakout games LY & should continue TY. If he & Freeman are consistent, TB should have a good year and make the playoffs. Their schedule is not that bad.
2012 (7-9) PROJECTED 2013 (10-6)
NFC NORTH
Green Bay Packers
LY, there was no Matt Flynn looking over Rodger’s shoulders in 2012. However, the problem for the PACK is injuries. DB Woodson & LB Mathews were out for significant time and they were both leaders on D. It also seems that SF has become a major nemesis for the PACK as well. PACK lost @HOME 1st gm of the season & @SF in the playoffs. Plus a 4-4 record on the road will not cut it. At times their run gm was non existent, #20 Run OFF, this needs to change instantly or Rodgers is going to be lying on his back a lot more in 2013. Injuries are a big problem for GB & already WR Jordy Nelson is out for training camp, LT Bryan Bulaga is out for the season, WR Randall Cobb a biceps injury & RB Dujuan Harris has yet to practice because of a knee injury. WR Greg Jennings, C Jeff Saturday & S Charles Woodson are all gone just to name a few but if the Packers run game doesn’t emerge from the dust of LY, Defenses around the league will just wait for Rodgers to throw it their way. This team is solid but to keep teams off their mark the running game has to step up.
2012 (11-5) PROJECTED 2013 (12-4)
Chicago Bears
This team went 10-6 LY & Lovie Smith still lost his job. I had them at 11-5. Smith took the Bears to their only SuperBowl appearance since the 1980s but a winning record still couldn’t save him. Maybe their 3-3 record vs the NFC North had something to do with it. They brought in CFL HC Marc Trestman to turn things around. However, CHI OFF line is one of the problems that this team has had for yrs. QB Jay Cutler has been running for his life & every yr he gets knocked around. If he ever gets any time in the pocket, watch out. New OC Aaron Kromer is going to run his version of the West Coast OFF but again it all depends on the OFF LINE. LB Brian Urlacher called it quits after 13 seasons rather than sign with another team. DEF is not the problem with this team. A lot of new personnel on this team and anything but a playoff berth would a major disappointment for CHI after barely missing the playoffs in 2012.
2012 (10-6) PROJECTED 2013 (11-5)
Detroit Lions
After a nice 10-6 record & a playoff appearance in 2011, the bottom fell out in 2012. DET went 4-12 and the OFF became one dimensional. ON OFF it wasStaffordto Johnson which produced a yds receiving record for Johnson but little else. The PASS OFF was #2 but the RUN OFF which at times was non-existent was #23. This team ended the season with an 8 gm losing streak during which they collapsed @HOME vs INDY & HOU after leading late in those gms. RB Reggie Bush was signed in the Off-season to give this OFF another option and to stop DEFs from barreling over QB Stanton. 2011 was supposed to be the turnaround season for DET & they had high expectation in 2012. A lot of veterans left after 2012 and it seems as though DET is back to rebuilding. 2011 was the first winning season since 2000 and this is a franchise that is tired of losing. But going into TY their schedule doesn’t look like it will be easy.
2012 (4-12) PROJECTED 2013 (6-10)
Minnesota Vikings
LY RB Adrian Peterson came back & ran for 2,097 yds. They were #31 in PASS OFF & #2 RUN OFF. TY that has got to change. QB Matt Cassel was brought in from KC where he had 25 turnovers, we’ll see who starts. It’s an upgrade over Ponder who might become the backup but, which Cassel will show up? Vikes played well in the dome 7-1 but horrible away & outdoors, 3-5. That has to change if they are going to make a serious run @GB. WR Percy Harvin is in SEA but they signed WR Greg Jennings from GB. DEF has to stay strong so that Peterson can get a breather. Tougher road schedule for MINN TY who have never been good away from HOME.
2012 (10-6) PROJECTED 2013 (9-7)
NFC WEST
San Francisco 49ers
This team has no holes. I predicted they would make the SuperBowl and I was right about having only four losses. QB Colin Kaepernick will have a full training camp to work with TY. They have actually added CB Nnamdi Asomugha for free and are talking to CB Eric Wright. Their only drawbacks are that they need to play better in their division better, LY 3-2-1 SU, & increase their passing efficiency so that Defenses don’t unload on Kaepernick running the ball. Their DEF has 9 of 11 starters returning so there shouldn’t be any problems. Look for the 49ers to be back in the SuperBowl.
2012 (11-4-1) √ PROJECTED 2013 (14-2)
Arizona Cardinals
LY I had ARZ at 6-10, not bad considering they went 5-11. But that was after they started 4-0 & looked like they were world beaters but only won one more game the rest of the season. They have a new HC Bruce Arians & a new QB Carson Palmer. This is a big upgrade from an OFF that was #32 LY. The DEF did not give up a lot of points last season except for the blowout in SEA. There are a lot of new players in ARZ TY and they need to get back on the winning track. Everyone in the NFC West is better which makes it tougher for ARZ to get some wins but a few improvements here & there and the CARDS could be in the thick of things but, they have a very tough schedule.
2012 (5-11) PROJECTED 2013 (6-10)
St. Louis Rams
Jeff Fisher’s 1st yr went surprisingly better than expected. RAMS went 7-8-1 & were 4-1-1 vs the DIV. Their only loss was against SEA in the final. In the off season RAMS improved their OFF LINE by adding T Jake Long. But longtime RB Steven Jackson signed w/ATL & WR Danny Amendola signed w/NE. The OFF LINE for the RAMS is getting much better when they yielded 55 sacks in 2011 & then 35 in 2012. This will give QB Bradford more time to make better decisions and hopefully win more ball games. Right now the RB situation is by committee but that should straighten out by the beginning of the season. The RAMS had a very good draft leading he way w/TavonAustin out ofWest Virginia. This team is making headway and putting the NFC on notice but is not contending for the title just yet. Team could go 9-7 but that’s asking a lot.
2012 (7-8-1) PROJECTED 2013 (8-8)
Seattle Seahawks
LY QB Russell Wilson played like a man on a mission. I really didn’t know where this team was going but they definitely impressed everyone. QB Matt Flynn was shipped to OAK so Russell knows the job is all his. However, we know they can win @Home 8-0 but on the road that another story, 3-5. LY they lost games on the road that they should have won and their schedule on the road TY doesn’t get any easier. The PASS RUSH of SEA needs to improve so that the secondary is not getting hit w/bombs away passes late in games. Russell also needs to improve his accuracy as they need to win on the road and the only time since 2002 that SEA had a winning record on the road was the yr they went to the SuperBowl, 2005, 5-3. If anything it will be interesting for SEA.
2012 (11-5) PROJECTED 2013 (11-5)
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