2005 NFL Predictions

2005 NFL Predictions
By Adam Nelson

Who will go from worst to first? Can Pittsburgh possibly win 14 or 15 games? Can the Patriots win a fourth title in five years? A lot of questions remain unanswered, but one thing is stuck in most fans’ minds- the dominance of New England the past four years. Although they should be a favorite to win it all again, they very likely won’t, and the absence of Tedy Bruschi will be a huge reason why. Here’s my predictions for how the standings will end. I may be far off, but this is how I see it:AFC East

1. New England (11-5): The Patriots have a very rough early season schedule (six 2004 playoff teams in first eight weeks), but they still dominate at home (one loss at home in last two seasons- in 2004 preseason), and have a strong defense, so they should prevail again as division champs. The Jets and Bills will be tough competition, though. They will very sorely miss Tedy Bruschi’s heart and talent.

2. New York (9-7): A playoff team from last year should be back in the playoffs again, if Pennington’s shoulder is healed and Curtis Martin puts forth another great rushing season. Their brutal schedule (10 games against teams with 8-8 or better records in 2004) will hold them back from a better year.

3. Buffalo (9-7): J.P. Losman will face growing pains this year. Willis McGahee will be a 1000-yard rusher again. Their defense and special teams talent is in the top 10 of the NFL. Were it not for a loss to Pittsburgh near the end of the 2004 season, they would have been in the playoffs.

4. Miami (5-11): Ronnie Brown won’t put up numbers as good as “Cadillac” Williams will in Tampa. Their qb situation is a complete mess right now, and if you don’t have a decent qb, you can’t win often in this league.

AFC North

1. Baltimore (10-6): If their offense plays as well as their defense, they will be a force to be reckoned with. If Kyle Boller is gonna produce, the time is now.

2. Pittsburgh (9-7): The only reason the Steelers won’t do well this year: their schedule. Games against New England, Jacksonville (twice), Baltimore (twice), Green Bay, Indianapolis and Minnesota are on the horizon.

3. Cincinnati (6-10): Their defense isn’t that good, but their offense is very talented.

4. Cleveland (4-12): What a stupid move it was to draft Kellen Winslow. New coach Romeo Crennel will make a positive impact for the Browns, but it won’t be felt till 2006.

AFC South

1. Indianapolis (11-5): Peyton Manning provides an encore to his amazing 2004 season with a first-round bye in 2005.

2. Houston (10-6): My surprise team of the year. Only five games against 2004 playoff teams, and two of those games are against the Colts. They’ll take advantage of one of the AFC’s easiest schedules.

3. Tennessee (8-8): Signing Travis Henry will end up being the best free-agent pickup of the year. They will compete for a playoff spot.

4. Jacksonville (5-11): They dropped the ball in not pulling off the trade for Travis Henry. Hopefully, Fred Taylor will recover in time to start in Week One.

AFC West

This is the toughest division of them all to pick a winner. It is completely wide open. If Randy Moss plays without any controversy, the Raiders could pull out this division. But will he?

1. Kansas City (10-6): Their defense bounces back, Dante Hall continues to be the league’s best kick returner, and Priest Holmes threatens for 20 touchdowns.

2. San Diego (9-7): Seven games against playoff teams, with five of them coming on the road. Ouch!

3. Denver (8-8): They will miss Reuben Droughns, and Jake Plummer just isn’t living up to his potential.

4. Oakland (7-9): Their running game just isn’t there (32nd in the NFL in 2004), and their defense isn’t good enough to slow down the point-machine teams of the AFC West.

NFC East

1. Philadelphia (9-7): It’s only a matter of time before this team starts struggling- they’ve dominated the NFC the last four seasons. They’ll win the division, but this is the year they miss the NFC Championship game. Terrell Owens is very unhappy in Philly, but hopefully he will put his bitter feelings towards the Eagles aside and just go out and show the talent that he has. Losing Pinkston for the year is a killer to that offense.

2. New York (7-9): Eli is no Peyton.

3. Dallas (6-10): The finale for Bill Parcells. This is the year where the team breaks down.

4. Washington (4-12): QB situation is unresolved; Sean Taylor’s legal woes continue to escalate; Portis doesn’t have the offensive line he had in Denver; should I go on? It’s gonna be a long year for the `Skins.

NFC North

1. Minnesota (11-5): They will be a lot better without Randy Moss than they would have been with him in 2005. Troy Williamson is speedy, but he can’t fill the shoes of Moss.

2. Green Bay (10-6): Javon Walker was involved in a lengthy holdout and is frustrated with his current contract, but that won’t be enough to cause Brett Favre to struggle. This could be Favre’s last year.

3. Detroit (8-8): Joey Harrington will never be as talented a player as he was at Oregon.

4. Chicago (4-12): As if losing Grossman for the year wasn’t bad enough, Benson’s holdout is only adding to the misery.

NFC South

1. Carolina (11-5): In my mind, I’m going with Carolina. They have too much talent to not get past Atlanta. Injuries destroyed the team last year, but if they stay relatively healthy, the South will be theirs.

2. Atlanta (10-6): They continue to rely too much on Vick. One man is not the whole team.

3. New Orleans (8-8): Deuce will run loose, but Saints won’t be running into the playoffs.

4. Tampa Bay (6-10): A huge fall-off from their title team of three years ago, but “Cadillac” is something special.

NFC West

1. Arizona (9-7): Kurt Warner’s back, and this will be one of the most surprising teams of the year.

2. Seattle (8-8): Gotta start winning the close games, and gotta keep pounding away with Shaun Alexander to wear out their opponents.

3. St. Louis (8-8): Last in the league in turnover differential last year, -24. It’s keeping them from being at the top of the NFC.

4. San Francisco (6-10): Injuries were brutal to the team in 2004. 2005 will be a better year for them, but they’re at least a year away from competing for the division title.

Playoff Seeds:
AFC
1)Indianapolis (11-5)
2)New England (11-5)
3)Kansas City (10-6)
4)Baltimore (10-6)
Wild Cards: Houston (10-6) and Pittsburgh (9-7)

NFC
1)Minnesota (11-5)
2)Carolina (11-5)
3)Philadelphia (9-7)
4)Arizona (9-7)
5)Atlanta (10-6)
6)Green Bay (10-6)

Playoffs
AFC
Kansas City over Pittsburgh, Houston over Baltimore
Indianapolis over Houston, New England over Kansas City
Championship: Indianapolis over New England

NFC
Philadelphia over Green Bay, Atlanta over Arizona
Minnesota over Atlanta, Carolina over Philadelphia
Championship: Minnesota over Carolina

Super Bowl XL
Indianapolis 31, Minnesota 21
MVP: Peyton Manning