With Super Bowl 52 over(Fly Eagles Fly), it’s time to start preparing for next year! Well, maybe not yet. But that can’t stop us from trying! We will predict the standings for next year and discuss every team for next year. It may take 357 days, but these predictions will come true!
AFC East
Patriots 13-3
Bills 11-5
Dolphins 8-8
Jets 2-14
Things are falling apart for the Pats. There are disagreements up front, Brady is regressing, they lost Matt Patricia, and Gronk is going to become an actor. The Bills, however, will build on their success of last year and use their draft picks to earn a playoff spot again. As for the Dolphins and Jets, the rebuild will continue. Tannehill will leave Miami, and be replaced by Baker Mayfield. As for the Jets, things will only get worse.
AFC North
Steelers 15-1
Ravens 9-7
Browns 6-10
Bengals 3-13
6-10 Browns?! If they draft Josh Allen. They should also pick up Saquon Barkley. Combined with Josh Gordon and new OC Todd Haley, they should do well. The Ravens will again fall just short of the playoffs. The Steelers will finally beat the Pats and get the top seed. And the Bengals will do terribly after cutting Andy Dalton.
AFC South
Texans 11-5
Colts 10-6
Titans 8-8
Jaguars 7-9
You heard it here first: the Jags will miss the playoffs. Blake Bortles is just not good enough. Meanwhile, Deshaun Watson will rebound and lead Houston to a solid year. Andrew Luck will play again, and Indianapolis will have a solid year. Marcus Mariota will again keep the Titans in the playoff hunt, but this time, they’ll fall just short.
AFC West
Chargers 11-5
Raiders 9-7
Chiefs 8-8
Broncos 3-13
Philip Rivers will finally have a good team behind him, and LA will make it past the first round of the playoffs. Kansas City will finally avoid a playoff collapse–because they won’t make the playoffs. The Raiders will have a solid year, giving Vegas fans reason for hope. And the Broncos will draft a bust.
NFC East
Eagles 11-5
Cowboys 10-6
Redskins 4-12
Giants 0-16
The Giants misery continues, as they will draft a bust. Philadelphia will have a disappointing title defense, as they will almost hand over the division to Dallas. Without Kirk Cousins, Washington will look bad, and they will get a good draft pick.
NFC North
Packers 10-6
Vikings 10-6
Lions 9-7
Bears 5-11
With Aaron Rodgers back, Green Bay will once again have a shot at a Lombardi. Minnesota, on the other hand, will barely miss the postseason after making the NFC title game. Detroit will have an up-and-down year under Matt Patricia, and the Bears will do what they did last year: lose. Mitchell Trubisky will improve, but Chicago will have a rough year.
NFC South
Panthers 12-4
Falcons 12-4
Saints 11-5
Buccaneers 7-9
Carolina will have another good year, as Cam will lead them to a bye. Atlanta and New Orleans won’t be far behind, as Matt Ryan and Julio Jones will put up more big numbers. However, as Drew Brees gets older, the Saints window is closing. And it will be another long season in Tampa.
NFC West
49ers 14-2
Rams 13-3
Cardinals 10-6
Seahawks 8-8
Jimmy Garoppolo will give San Fransisco a top seed, and if they use their high draft pick to get Denzel Ward, the Super Bowl could be in sight. LA will also have a great year, and will unfairly not have a home playoff game. If Arizona can land Kirk Cousins, they’ll come close to making the playoffs. And despite Russell Wilson’s efforts, Seattle will finish last.
Playoffs
AFC
Wild Card
5 Buffalo @ 4 Houston
28-10, Houston
6 Indianapolis @ 3 LA
29-27, LA
Divisional
4 Houston @ 1 Pittsburgh
23-17, Pittsburgh
3 LA @ 2 New England
35-24, New England
Conference Championship
2 New England @ 1 Pittsburgh
24-14, Pittsburgh
NFC
Wild Card
6 Atlanta @ 3 Philadelphia
28-22, Atlanta
5 LA @ 4 Green Bay
47-42, LA
Divisional
6 Atlanta @ 1 San Fransisco
38-22, San Fransisco
5 LA @ 2 Carolina
28-23, Carolina
Conference Championship
2 Carolina @ 1 San Fransisco
31-27, Carolina
Super Bowl LIII
Pittsburgh vs Carolina
32-28, Pittsburgh
Super Bowl MVP: Ben Roethlisberger
