By Jordan Long
The NFL season starts tonight when the Chicago Bears host the Green Bay Packers. Kickoff is at 6:20 Mountain Time. With that, it is time for my NFL preview on who will win all the divisions and wild cards.
The NFC East is a tough division. The Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys look like the two best teams in the division. The Eagles offense is going to rely on the health and arm of Carson Wentz. Wentz hasn’t played in all 16 game since 2016, his rookie year. If he can stay away from being injured, they have a shot at winning the division.
The defense must help the offense out by causing turnovers. If they do that, Wentz and the offense will have short fields to score points which could increase their lead, putting pressure on the opposing offenses to score quickly if they want to keep the game close.
The Cowboys’ offense, led by Dak Prescott, can march down the field. He rarely turns the ball over and he finds open receivers. They have one of the top offensive lines in the NFL that rarely gives up sacks. When they block, it opens up holes for the running backs to gain yards on the ground. The running game, especially now that they have signed Ezekiel Elliott, is the key for them.
The Cowboys will be able to score points with the offense, but the defense has to stop opponents. They can’t allow teams to score at will. If they do, it could be a long season. In the end the Eagles are built better than the Cowboys to win the division. They capture the NFC East.
In the NFC South, the Saints should end up on top for the 3rd straight year. They have one of the best quarterbacks to ever play the game in Drew Brees. He can find his open receivers for 1st downs or longer. They have a chance to be the team with the most average passing yards this season. They will be running the football with Alvin Kamara which will tire defenses out.
The Saints know the offense is going to lead them. The defense will have its’ say as well. They should be able to sack quarterbacks and turn the ball over, giving Brees and that high powered offense more chances to put points on the scoreboard. The Saints win the division.
The Atlanta Falcons missed the playoffs last year. That won’t happen this season. Quarterback Matt Ryan will toss the ball to Julio Jones and Mohamed Sanu, keeping the defenses guessing about which side of the field Ryan will throw to. This offense is going to be too hard to keep out of the playoffs. Atlanta earns a wild card spot
The NFC North will have two teams who make the postseason, the Chicago Bears and the Green Bay Packers. The Bears have one of the top linebackers in the game in Khalil Mack. He is going to make plays every game for the defense. He pressures the quarterback, leading to sacks or turnovers.
The offense can score points. Quarterback Mitch Trubisky is going to help them march down the field and move the chains to add more points for the Bears. The only way their season is derailed is if Trubisky starts to turn the ball over and the Bears’ offensive line can’t protect him. On paper, they are the best team in the NFC North.
Green Bay knows how to make the playoffs with Aaron Rodgers at quarterback. If healthy, Rodgers can lead this team to a division title. For them though, it comes down to the defense. Rodgers can score the ball at will but the defense must stop teams from scoring. If they don’t, it will be a long year. They should make it back to the postseason.
The NFC West won’t be a competitive division. The Rams are built for the playoffs and to make another run at the Super Bowl. The other teams in the division don’t have the talent to knock them off. The Rams win this division easily.
The New England Patriots have taken home the AFC East crown an impressive 11times in a row. Quarterback Tom Brady is difficult to beat because he has a quick release, helping him avoid being sacked. Brady also sees the field well and will not force the ball into double coverage. With that, New England can score quickly. Even if the defense struggles, the offense will score points. The other teams in the division are not at the Patriots’ level yet. New England wins another AFC East Division title.
The AFC South is wide open now that Andrew Luck retired from the Colts. Each team has a chance. The Texans have the defense to shut opponents down headed by JJ Watt. Deshaun Watson is their quarterback. When healthy, he can help this offense go up and down the field. He has weapons in DeAndre Hopkins and Will Fuller to make plays. Duke Johnson is going to help him on the ground. The offense and defense will be the difference for them to win the AFC South.
The AFC North could be one of the most competitive in the NFL. The Browns look like a team ready to make the next step with their offseason moves. Baker Mayfield is in his second year as the starting quarterback. The offense will not be a problem for the Browns. The defense still needs work and they are a year or two away from being a threat to make a run at the playoffs as a wild card team.
The Baltimore Ravens are always tough to beat because of their defense. They don’t let rival offenses dictate the play. The defense can cause turnovers and sacks which could be the difference. They have a young quarterback in Lamar Jackson who guided this team to a 6-1 record at the end of last season when he started.
Jackson might be better this year. He doesn’t have the pressure of competing to be the starter and hopefully that will help him shine. Jackson is the key to staying on top of the division.
The only other team that has a chance is Pittsburgh. Head Coach Mike Tomlin always has a defense who can compete with anybody. They blitz and cause turnovers. On offense, they have a veteran quarterback in Ben Roethlisberger. He needs to stay away from interceptions. If he can, that can go along way for them. Baltimore is the better team and they win the AFC North while Pittsburgh is one of the wild card teams.
The AFC West is a difficult division. The Broncos have a new Head Coach, Vic Fangio. His defense is going to create pressure which may end up in sacks or turnovers. The offense is the question mark. In the preseason they haven’t shown the ability to score touchdowns.
The Raiders are still rebuilding. They have been better in the preseason, but they are still a year or two away from reaching the playoffs.
This leaves the Kansas City Chiefs and the L.A. Chargers. The Chiefs made it all the way to the AFC Championship game only to be knocked off by the New England Patriots in overtime. They are hoping for a run to the Super Bowl. They have Patrick Mahomes under center who rarely turns the football over. He can make plays with his legs and arm. These lead to long gains and touchdowns.
The Chargers know they can compete with anybody because of quarterback Philip Rivers. His problem comes when pressure is in his face. Rivers gets frustrated, causing turnovers and overthrows.
The better team is Kansas City. Their defense is a step ahead of the Chargers. The Chargers won’t be denied the playoffs because they earn a wild card spot. The NFL season starts tonight. It will be one great year of competitive football. 01088 8f
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