Yeah, I'm a known troll guys. Obviously, because two weeks ago I said I believed in the Jets offense (outdueled the Falcons' offense), Chicago and Cutler is extremely overrated (two straight blowout losses where Cutler played poorly), and that the Texans were average and would miss the playoffs (Preposterous!). Protip: if my predictions are doing well, don't accuse me of trolling :)
In fact, I'll put my (figurative) money where my mouth is. Here's my predictions for the rest of the 2013 season.
NFC East:
Philadelphia 12-4
Dallas 6-10
NY Giants 4-12
Washington 2-14
This is mostly due to strength of schedule. Philly's got a great home field advantage and a creampuff road schedule, plus they've contended in every game of their tough schedule so far besides @ Denver. 2-3 is deceiving, they could easily be 4-1 right now. If Vick stays healthy, watch out, NFL. Dallas has no defense, and the Giants and Redskins have dug themselves a hole too deep to get out of. Not to mention RG3's reluctance to run.
NFC West:
Seattle 14-2
San Francisco 13-3
Arizona 6-10
St. Louis 2-14
San Francisco's remaining schedule is so easy it's unfair. Expect to see this team vying for the division for the rest of this year, but Seattle'll take it thanks to the best home field advantage in the NFL, the most complete roster in the NFL, and a joke of a road schedule. St. Louis is young and rebuilding, while Carson Palmer is obviously not the answer in Arizona. Arizona is where quarterbacks go to die, you know.
NFC South:
New Orleans 15-1
Carolina 7-9
Atlanta 4-12
Tampa Bay 4-12
The second-worst offense in the league will understand why Mike Glennon is not the answer. Atlanta's injured beyond belief and obviously not very good judging by their 1-4 record. Carolina's a pretty average team, and New Orleans is a Super Bowl contender with a cakewalk of a schedule.
NFC North:
Green Bay 13-3
Detroit 12-4
Chicago 8-8
Minnesota 5-11
I've hated on Chicago, but I'll give them a little credit. Brandon Marshall is a baller, the running game is great, and the defense is okay too. I'm not sold on Cutler. Detroit's remaining schedule is no problem for them (look at who they play at home and on the road!), they'll lock up the second NFC wild card with ease. Same case with Green Bay, the only game I see them losing in the future is @ Detroit. Ponder's hurt, Freeman's new (has to learn the offense), and Cassel's bad. I'm sorry, Adrian Peterson.
AFC North:
Cincinnati 12-4
Cleveland 7-9
Pittsburgh 6-10
Baltimore 3-13
Baltimore has a monster schedule, a pick-happy QB, and too many injuries. Will they lose out? Probably not, but I can't see a game on their schedule that they'll win. Pittsburgh will get healthier and Big Ben will get out of the funk he's in, but the ship has sailed on this team. Cleveland isn't bad, but they're not particularly good either. It's tough being a team that's all set except at QB since they'll likely play themselves out of a high draft pick. Maybe Hoyer is the QB of the future in Cleveland! Cincinnati isn't 12-4 good, but that's the benefit of playing in one of the NFL's worst divisions.
AFC East:
NY Jets 11-5
New England 9-7
Miami 7-9
Buffalo 5-11
The Jets are for real. The Jets are for real. The Jets are for real. There, okay. They win that division. New England will regress to the mean, but they're still a winning football team. The Dolphins, eh, I'm not sold. Two straight losses including a woeful choke job against a Baltimore team I have no faith in have tempered my expectations for the Dolphins. Bills are too hurt to accomplish anything this season, they have actually let Jeff Tuel see the field in the regular season and are banking on Thaddeus Lewis to bail them out. If you're asking who Jeff Tuel and Thaddeus Lewis are, well, so is Doug Marrone.
AFC West:
Denver 15-1
Kansas City 14-2
San Diego 7-9
Oakland 2-14
The Chiefs lose both their games against Denver, but can easily win out thanks to being in a meh division (AFC West), playing against a bad division (NFC East), and having a last-place schedule. Denver's nearly unstoppable, though I don't think they win at Indy. SD's a good team and Phil Rivers is having a bounce-back year, but having to play KC and DEN four times will sting. Oakland is a fun team to watch, but their offense is pitiful. Pryor has a future in this league though.
AFC South:
Indianapolis 13-3
Tennessee 9-7
Houston 8-8
Jacksonville 0-16
The Texans aren't a bad team, to be honest. Schaub's having a down year, but he's been a traditionally underrated player and I think he'll bounce back. Andrew Luck's a sophomore sensation with a great coach, and Trent Richardson will help them get over the hump. Tennessee is not a bad team, I've always liked Ryan Fitzpatrick (HE IS NOT A GREAT QB. HE IS GOOD ENOUGH TO START. I DO NOT THINK HE IS GOOD, JUST LIKE I DON'T THINK PONDER IS GOOD. I THINK THEY ARE AVERAGE. OKAY.) and Locker, when he comes back, has shown promise. Look me in the eye and tell me the Jags will win a game. You can't. Because they won't.
Playoffs:
AFC:
1. Denver
2. Indinapolis
3. NY Jets
4. Cincinnati
5. Kansas City
6. Tennessee (tie-breaker will go to TEN>NE)
NFC:
1. New Orleans
2. Seattle
3. Green Bay
4. Philadelphia
5. San Francisco
6. Detroit
Wild Card Round:
3. NY Jets>6. Tennessee
4. Cincinnati>5. Kansas City
3. Green Bay>6. Detroit
4. Philadelphia> 5.San Francisco
Divisional Round:
1. Denver>4. Cincinnati
2. Indianapolis>3. NY Jets
1. New Orleans> 4. Philadelphia
2. Seattle> 3. Green Bay
Conference Championships:
1. Denver>2. Indianapolis
1. New Orleans>2. Seattle (SEA is the better team but NO does not lose playoff games at home lol)
Super Bowl:
Denver>New Orleans