NFL: NFC Preview (And More)

September 8, 2010
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It’s been over a week since my last post, which is okay, since I’ve decided that I only have enough to talk about concerning the NFL to stretch out into two posts. Considering that the NFL season starts tomorrow, I have just enough time to give my preseason predictions before the season kicks off. However, remember that thing that took place a couple of nights ago? The really big game that people had been talking about for months? Yea; I think I should address that first.

For all of you doubters, I told you so. You tried to pretend like Boise State was still this little podunk school with no athletes capable of matching up with the big boys. If that were true, then why exactly does no one want to schedule them? San Jose State, Marshall, Rice, Miami (OH), and Utah State all fit the bill, and the big boys do schedule them. Do you really want to know why? Because it’s false. Boise State isn’t a little podunk school with no athletes anymore. They can go into the hostile crowds, on the road, and play heads up with these power conference teams. The others can’t. But Boise can, and that’s why they’re the biggest fish in the smallest pond. They can’t help it right now that they’re in that small pond, but they can prove that when they’re thrown into the Mississippi, they can swim just as fast as the big fish. Sure, Virginia Tech may not be a truly elite team this year, but they aren’t bad, and they’re the only team that was willing to stand up and take a punch from the Broncos. The Broncos K.O.’d ’em, and now everyone else is looking around, trying to figure out what happened, and trying to figure out who’s going to stand up next. Boise deserves and is ready for another fight, but the sad truth is, there probably isn’t anyone with enough down low to stand up and challenge them.

For all of you believers, this proved nothing, and I mean that in two ways. Firstly, we all knew that Boise State was capable of winning this game. It’s no surprise to us that they won, and it won’t be any surprise to us if they beat Oregon State in two weeks. However, we also know that this didn’t prove anything to the doubters, either. We can say “we told you so”, but they’ll just come back with their slew of rationalizations. Virginia Tech wasn’t really a Top 10 team. They didn’t win convincingly enough. They still only play one tough opponent all season. As hypocritical as those rationalizations are, they are the words of the majority, and in college football, the majority wins. That’s also why Boise’s win was a win for the majority. It sounds contradictory, but here’s why it is. Boise is still an outside shot to play for the national title, even with an undefeated season. Many of the same people arguing against Boise now will be the ones arguing on Boise’s behalf if they get overlooked for a national title bid in favor of a one loss power conference team. Further conference re-alignment is coming. A college football playoff is inevitable. The majority wants it, and Boise State is helping speed up the process.

Also, on another note, the SEC was impressive this past weekend. Florida looked sharp. Ole Miss looked really good. Kentucky just rolled right over always tough Louisville. LSU had no trouble holding off North Carolina’s second defense. Oh, wait. What? That isn’t what happened at all? Well, I guess after the week the SEC had, they really proved to the country that Boise State would finish fourth or fifth in their conference. Give me a break.

For the NFL previews, I’m basically just going to predict each team’s record and tell you why I think a team will win their division, as well as give you my predictions for the playoffs. I couldn’t really think of much else to cover, so if there is something you’d like to hear my opinion on, let me know, and I’ll include a section for it in one of my upcoming posts.

NFC Preview

NFC East

1. Dallas Cowboys (10-6)
2. New York Giants (9-7)
3. Philadelphia Eagles (6-10)
4. Washington Redskins (4-12)

Why They’ll Win: I think that Dallas is a little bit over-hyped coming into this season, but when I look at every other team in the NFC East, I don’t feel comfortable putting them in the top spot. New York is hit or miss, Philadelphia has to prove they have a quarterback, and Washington has a slew of issues. With all that being said, Dallas is the only team I feel confident putting at number one in this division.

NFC North

1. Green Bay Packers (13-3)
2. Minnesota Vikings (11-5)
3. Chicago Bears (5-11)
4. Detroit Lions (3-13)

Why They’ll Win: Aaron Rodgers is finally ready to become an elite quarterback in the league, and he has a team around him that is ready to accept elite status as well. Minnesota will be hard pressed to have as good a season as they did last year without another career year from Brett Favre, and Chicago and Detroit (who is getting better and could surprise) just aren’t there. Green Bay will be back in the playoffs with home field advantage throughout.

NFC South

1. New Orleans Saints (13-3)
2. Atlanta Falcons (11-5)
3. Carolina Panthers (7-9)
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-14)

Why They’ll Win: I don’t see anything, other than that post-Super Bowl slump myth, that suggests that New Orleans can’t win this division again. Atlanta would have to beat New Orleans on the road and hope for some other things to go their way to steal the division, and I just don’t see the former happening. After New Orleans and Atlanta, the division drops off quite a bit.

NFC West

1. San Francisco 49ers (10-6)
2. Arizona Cardinals (7-9)
3. Seattle Seahawks (4-12)
4. St. Louis Rams (1-15)

Why They’ll Win: Considering the Cardinals quarterback situation, the 49ers are now my confident pick to win this division. Other than Arizona, there isn’t much here, and as long as San Francisco doesn’t stub their toe against a lesser division rival or other opponent, they should be able to win this division with some breathing room. They’re not the most talented team in the NFC, but they have enough to win here.

Playoffs

Wild Card

Atlanta (Wild Card) vs. San Francisco
Winner: Atlanta
Minnesota (Wild Card) vs. Dallas
Winner: Minnesota

Divisional

Atlanta vs. Green Bay
Winner: Green Bay
Minnesota vs. New Orleans
Winner: New Orleans

Conference Championship

New Orleans vs. Green Bay
Winner: Green Bay

Remember to vote on all the new polls I just added. There are fifteen or so active polls, so if you haven’t voted on any of them (or haven’t visited the site in awhile and can’t remember which ones you’ve voted on and which ones you haven’t), just vote on them all. It makes it look like more people read the blog. Thanks everyone.

– K. Becks

2 Responses to NFL: NFC Preview (And More)

  1. Jack on September 8, 2010 at 9:01 pm

    Question: When will the lions be good? and y r they so bad currently? I am not the kind of person who watches the NFL draft all day, but isn't it set up so the worst team gets the best player? By my count they should have three or four play makers to carry their team into at least a 5 win season.

  2. K. Becks on September 9, 2010 at 5:23 pm

    I think that the Lions are on their way up. Unfortunately for them, they are in a division that features two teams that are very talented this year, so it will be hard for them to contend for a playoff spot, at least for the time being. However, Matthew Stafford is a very capable quarterback, and if they can continue to improve their defense, then in a few years Detroit may be a playoff caliber team.

    To answer your question, yes, the draft is set up so that the team with the worst record the previous season picks first. Of course, due to negotiations and trades, teams often swap draft spots, but the team with the number one pick rarely trades that position.

    Detroit got in the position they were in partly because GM Matt Millen made some questionable decisions, especially in the draft. Now that Millen is gone, the Lions really have nowhere to go but up (and seem headed in that direction). So, saying that they could win five games this season isn't crazy. When you look at their schedule, you'd have to expect some upsets in order to acheive the five win status, but they are very capable of doing it.

    Like I said, Matthew Stafford is a solid quarterback, and WR Calvin Johnson is as close to a star as you can become in Detroit. If Ndamukong Suh is a successful draft pick, then the Lions defensive line should be much improved, allowing for them to build on the success they had in 2009.

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