🏈 2020 NFL Season Preview 🏈

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Before I go on with the preview, I would like to point out that whoever wrote this piece on supposedly bold predictions made the claim that nobody in the 21st century has managed to win back-to-back Super Bowls, and that it had not been done since the Denver Broncos did it in the late nineties. It takes just a tiny bit of research, a glance at the internet that takes maybe a minute or two at most, to realize that this is wrong.

The New England Patriots won two straight Super Bowls when they won their third overall Super Bowl title in a four year span following the 2004-05 season. It has been done in the 21st century. They came close again in 2017, but lost to the Philadelphia Eagles in that one. Also, the Seattle Seahawks came close in 2014, but lost to those same New England Patriots in the big game, in what everyone remembers as “2nd and one.” So, if the Chiefs were to win it all again, they would be the second team in the 21st century to win back-to-back Super Bowls.

Just wanted to clarify that before going on, because it bothers me when people get factual information wrong that could easily be looked up and confirmed with a brief glance on the internet. So, just wanted to set the record straight.


So, now let me begin this obviously abbreviated NFL division by division preview, and make my predictions.  

Here goes:

AFC West:  

1.      Kansas City Chiefs – Sorry, but this is not a good time to dislike the defending Super Bowl champions. They were 13-3 with an unstoppable offense two seasons ago, and still had a very explosive offense, plus a tougher defense, that helped them capture the title last year. They did not lose any major personnel, and Andy Reid will likely have this team ready to go. They may or may not win another Super Bowl. But they sure have enough to come out of this division as the top team.  

2.      Las Vegas Raiders – Feels weird saying that city name before the Raiders, but it is reality now. Yes, I think the Raiders will start to get it in gear this season. Not quite enough to dethrone Kansas City and take the AFC West, but they are getting better, and should emerge as a serious team, quite possibly even a playoff team. Coach Jon Gruden will have this team on the rise, and they may challenge the Chiefs more seriously in the future.  

3.      Denver Broncos – John Elway may finally have gotten his wish, and obtained a quarterback for this franchise. That is good news for a team that won the Super Bowl just a few seasons ago, and have not looked anything like that team ever since. But they still have some great talent on this team, and should get better. But they are too far behind other teams even just in this division for anything resembling a real run at the playoffs.  

4.      Los Angeles Chargers – The Chargers are so inconsistent, that it is hard to make any predictions for them. Two seasons ago, they surprised many by challenging the seemingly unstoppable Chiefs, and reaching the divisional round of the playoffs. It seemed that they might go somewhere, but they went nowhere with that last season. Without the continuity of Rivers at the helm, it is hard to see this team making much real noise this year.

AFC East  

1.      Buffalo Bills – Yes, this is the year that this finally happens, I think. Buffalo has been getting better and better consistently now for several seasons, having qualified for the playoffs in two of the past three seasons. They have a fine defense, and quarterback Josh Allen is coming along. Plus, they have Steffon Diggs at wide receiver, which should give them added depth. They look like the most complete team in the AFC East. When was the last time that you could say that about any team other than New England in this division?  

2.      Miami Dolphins – The Dolphins were improving as well, although they had a longer way to go than the Bills in this off-season. But they are improving consistently, even if they still have a bit to go. With the decline of the Patriots, combined with their own improvement, they may now be able to take another leap in the right direction, and a playoff spot is not out of the question. Still, they probably are not yet in position to challenge the Bills for the AFC East title this season.          

3.      New England Patriots – No, I do not believe that the Patriots will overcome so many obstacles and win this division yet again. That said, I also do not expect them to suddenly collapse, either, and have the kind of bottoming out year that some are predicting (and seemingly hoping for). How the Cam Newton experiment will work out is anyone’s guess, but Belichick will likely maximize his strengths. The offense really was struggling mightily in the second half last season, right around the time that their seemingly historic defense (through the first half of the season, anyway) also began to show evidence of serious leaks. The defense lost some talent in the off-season, and will be even more compromised, and the offense is riddled with uncertainty and question marks. It would be a little too much to expect for them to maintain the level of play that they are accustomed to, but it is also unfair to simply expect Bill Belichick to not have this team well-prepared, and likely earning a decent number of victories.  

4.      New York Jets – Indeed, I am predicting a last place finish for Gang Green. Nothing against them, because I would definitely love to see them succeed. Darnold should continue to improve, and may be ready for a breakout season. But they also just have too many weaknesses remaining all around to expect some kind of miracle run to the division title, or even the postseason. Unless the Pats really bottom out, or some other team also collapses in this division, it feels like last place in the AFC East will, once again, belong to the New York Jets.  

AFC North  

1.      Baltimore Ravens – Many feel that the Steelers or the Browns could contend for this division title. Maybe. But the Ravens had a hell of a team last season, and they still have many of the same assets going into this year. The Ravens usually have a solid defense, and so they should be good on that front. They also have an incredibly dangerous offense, with a historically good running game, and a very mobile quarterback in Lamar Jackson who poses the double-threat of killing you either with his arm or with his legs. No reason to believe that the Ravens should not be able to win this division title again this year.

2.      Pittsburgh Steelers – The Steelers are still here, despite having gone through some of the peaks and valleys in recent seasons. Injuries have been a killer. Right now, though, they have their biggest and most consistent weapon: quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. Now, I should mention here that personally, I do not respect him on a personal level, based on his frankly criminal behavior in the past (why sugarcoat it?). That said, he is definitely an asset for this team on the field of play, and his return should help this team get back at or near the top. They have more experience, and usually more luck, than the Browns, although that will not necessarily get them past the Ravens for the division title. That is why I am predicting them as the second place team.

3.      Cleveland Browns - I would love to believe that the Cleveland Browns could take this division, or at least second place with a playoff position to boot. But whenever I pick them to do something…well, they don’t. Last season, many prematurely crowned them the rising team. Then, they disappointed. So while I do believe that the Browns are, overall, heading in the right direction, it seems like it is a painful growing process in their case. Given the nature of the history of infamous disappointments linked with sports and the city of Cleveland, perhaps we should expect nothing less. But the Browns should show improvement, and hopefully, this prediction of third place finish is wrong, and that they will in fact place higher, either second or first, and qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 2002. They now own the longest active playoff drought, and it would be wonderful for this team, and for that city, to finally see that streak end on their terms.

4.      Cincinnati Bengals – This team is in a transition. They are in rebuilding mode, and they may be a force to be reckoned with in a few seasons. For now, however, they likely will have to take their lumps. It hopefully will not be as bad as last year’s 2-14 disaster, but this team clearly looks like the worst team in this admittedly brutal division otherwise. Hard to see how they escape last place here.   

      

AFC South

1.      Indianapolis Colts – This is another team that I hesitate to pick, based on past experience. But I like head coach Frank Reich, who seems to have the Colts going in a generally positive direction, despite the setback of late last season. They looked really good at times with him at the helm, and this season, they should be the best in this division. I am not saying that they will jump to be a serious Super Bowl contender or anything, but they should be able to survive in a division famous for being inconsistent.

2.      Houston Texans – I wanted to publish this before the season actually began, yet we already saw the Texans get rocked. Now, they have to host the Baltimore Ravens next, and that is brutal. The Texans could very well get off to an 0-2 start. But they actually could recover, because what are the odds that they keep having to play tough games like this, one after the other? They still have more or less the same type of team that they had last season, when they won the division title. Expect them to be in the running for the playoffs at least, and possibly in the division title race, even.

3.      Tennessee Titans – Despite their playoff run to the AFC Championship Game last season, I do not expect great things from the Titans. They remind me of the Jacksonville Jaguars a few seasons ago, when they made it all the way to the AFC title game, despite not showing much before, or let’s face it, since. The Titans had their chance. They knocked off the Patriots dynasty in Foxboro, and then stunned the Ravens. But now, the weight of expectations are on them, and they will not sneak up on anyone. And they still have a team that finished 9-7 during the regular season. I just do not see why they would dramatically improve upon that and, in fact, they could return to a losing record. That is why my prediction is no higher than third.

4.      Jacksonville Jaguars – Well, the Jaguars briefly seemed to flirt with being one  of the better teams in the league, but quickly sank back down to the pack in recent seasons. The Jaguars showed glimpses here and there last season, but there was a reason that they finished the season 6-10, and in last place in the division. They have a defense that appears leaky too often, and an offense that just does not seem capable of rising to the occasion of overcoming the defensive lapses enough to be a contender. All of that adds up to a likely last place finish.           

NFC West  

1.      Seattle Seahawks – Yes, I am going with the Seahawks over the 49ers in this race. Why? Because Seattle still has a tough defense, an experienced coach with terrific energy and enthusiasm, and one of the best quarterbacks in the business. They are a terrific team that always seems on the verge of breaking out for a great season. And this might be the year that they finally do it. At the very least, I suspect that a quick start could give them traction, and they can ride that to an NFC West title.  

2.      San Francisco 49ers – How can I pick them second after such an impressive season last year? Well, I think that the pressure will increase, as opponents will be fired up, motivated to beat them this season. Plus, I suspect that the 49ers might not escape the bad luck, or the hangover, that many teams seem to have after losing the Super Bowl. With the exception of the Patriots two seasons ago, most losing Super Bowl teams lately seem to run into some very tough times afterward. Think of the Seahawks, the Panthers, the Falcons, and the Rams. All of them suffered serious declines the very next season, a decline that lasted for years in each case. Not sure if that will happen to the Niners, but I do see them dipping a bit – possibly quite a bit – this season.  

3.      Los Angeles Rams – I know that some are predicting the Rams to collapse all the way to last place in the NFC West this season. But this was a Super Bowl team just a year and a half ago, and they still have most of those pieces in place. Sure, they suffered through a disappointing year last season, but they also have had an entire off-season to think about it. Personally, I suspect that the Rams are better than what they showed last season, and expect them to make a push for the playoffs this season, possibly even getting back to the postseason. They may even sneak past one of the two bigger favorites within the division.  

4.      Arizona Cardinals – Yes, this team is on the rise, as well. But like some other teams learned, such as the Brown and Dolphins, these things take time. The Cardinals showed some signs of life last season, but they may be in the most brutal division in the league. Kyle Murray looks like the real deal, and this team is likely heading in the right direction right now. But it should not all come together for them quite that quickly, which is why I am predicting another last place finish for Arizona.

NFC East  

1.      Dallas Cowboys – This team has a lot of pieces of the puzzle together already. Now, they have to make it work. Yes, it seems that this franchise always gets big names and, thus, big attention. Under Jerry Jones, they often seem to have the big name talent that generates a lot of preseason championship discussion. Yet, they have not done much of anything since the days of their nineties dynasty. Still, they have quite a talented team there right now, and at some point, you have to figure they should enjoy a breakout season. And right now, in a modestly weak division, there really is no reason that “Big D” cannot take advantage and take the division. The only team that may challenge them for supremacy in the division would be the Eagles, and they just have not been very consistent since their Super Bowl season.

2.      Philadelphia Eagles – The Eagles are a solid, playoff level team. They have now qualified for the postseason in each of the past three seasons, and they are good enough to make it four this season. Plus, remember that this team is the only team in the NFL that has managed to win at least one playoff win in each of those three seasons. Yes, they are dangerous. But they are also too inconsistent, and there are lingering question marks for this team still. That is the reason why I had to predict them finishing second to the Cowboys in the divisional race this season.

3.      Washington – Well, they finally changed their name. Some even have predicted that they will surprise a lot of people this season. Maybe. But it does not feel right. No, I suspect that they cannot quite keep up with either the Eagles or especially the Cowboys. But that said, they have some talent on this team, and should be better than last season. As a fan of the Giants, it pains me to say this, but it would be surprising if they fall behind the G-Men for last place this year, as they did last year.

4.      NY Giants – I guess it’s not a good time to be a Giants fan right now. They have been admittedly awful for quite a few seasons now, and there is little reason to believe that they will be good enough to radically change that this season. Their defense is atrocious, just as it has been now for far too many seasons. And despite some high profile talent on offense, the offensive line remains a big question mark, also like it has now for many, many seasons. Until they plug up those glaring holes, this is a last place team. They managed to avoid that last season, despite a 4-12 mark, only by default, because Washington suffered through an even worse season. But the Giants are likely a last place team in the NFC East this season right from the get go.           


NFC North  

1.      Chicago Bears – Yes, I am picking the Bears to win the division. They have some real talent on this team and, just like with the Dallas Cowboys, you kind of have to figure that they will enjoy some kind of a breakout season at some point or another. Why not this season? Well, it is true that the Packers have traditionally been the best team in this division most of the time for the past few decades now, since the nineties. But the Bears should be able to break through, even if Green Bay is decent. My guess is that the Bears do just that, just squeaking past the Pack for the NFC North division title, probably with a record in the neighborhood of 11-5 or so.

2.      Green Bay Packers – Yes, the Pack finished 13-3 last season, and went to the NFC Championship Game (where they got killed in San Francisco). But my suspicion is that they were not quite as good as their record indicated, and that luck was very much on their side. They played in a weak division, and also played some weak teams, like the Giants and Washington and others, which kind of padded their record. This season, with a tougher schedule and without any ability to sneak up on people, they should come down to earth a bit. They are not bad, I am not suggesting that. A playoff spot would not surprise me at all. But they should slip from where they were last season, which accounts for the second place pick.

3.      Minnesota Vikings – The Vikings seem to be one of those teams that generates a lot of attention and bold predictions, yet they rarely meet those often high expectations. This season, those kinds of bold predictions seem muted, and with good reason. They had a good season last year, and played well in the playoffs, stunning the Saints in New Orleans, and then fighting the 49ers in what was ultimately a losing battle. But my expectation is that they slip a bit, down to third, and likely out of the playoff race. This one may come back to bite me, but yes, this will be my prediction for now.

4.      Detroit Lions – Sorry, Lions fans. Detroit deserves a break, and that is true in sports, particularly for their NFL franchise. None of the Detroit teams seems especially good right now, but at least the Red Wings and Pistons win championships every now and again. Hell, even the Tigers got to the World Series once or twice in recent years, right? But the Lions just seem always to have obvious limitations. There was only one season that I can remember – this would be 1991 – when this team surprised many for the right reasons, finishing 12-4 and going to the NFC Championship Game. Yet even then, you kind of just knew that they were going to get crushed, and they did. And that was the best season that I ever saw them have! Right now, the Lions are again going through hard times. They finished 3-12-1 last season. Hate to say this, but I do not see why their fortunes should radically change this season. Hope that I am wrong, but last place sounds about right as far as predictions for this season go.   
      

NFC South  

1.      New Orleans Saints – Not sure whether the Saints will continue to appear as a legitimate Super Bowl contender again this season, as they have been for the past few seasons. One thing for sure, they likely want to avoid the Minnesota Vikings in the playoffs, since they do not seem to have good luck against them. But they still have Drew Brees and an explosive offense, which means that they will have a chance. And they should be able to take this relatively weak division.

2.      Tampa Bay Buccaneers - I do not believe that the addition of former Patriots Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski automatically makes this team one of the favorites in the NFC. But it also should not hurt them. And, let’s face it: the NFC South is a weak division, for the most part. The Panthers are struggling, and so are the Falcons. Neither of those teams ever really recovered from devastating Super Bowl losses, especially the Falcons. So the Bucs, who already had an explosive offense, should be able to get past them for a second place finish, and quite possibly even a playoff spot. But no championship run seems likely for them, Tom Brady or no Tom Brady.

3.      Atlanta Falcons – I still am a bit stunned that the Falcons have been as largely mediocre and uninspiring ever since the now infamous Super Bowl collapse. They came so close, only to blow it late, and this haunted them. Seemed almost to define the franchise. And clearly, this has continued to weigh them down. They never looked so good again, and it has been a few years since that game. The window of opportunity is closing, frankly. They have talent, yet somehow, it is hard to picture them overcoming their past obstacles and once again becoming a force in the league again. Which is why I am predicting this third place finish.

4.      Carolina Panthers – Too much major change in recent seasons. Their old quarterback, long the face of this franchise, is gone. So is the head coach. Their defense is awful, and their offense is hardly great, either. Just too many question marks for this franchise, and so it makes it difficult to predict anything but a last place finish for this once very promising franchise.

So, there are my predictions within each division. Tomorrow (hopefully), I will aim to make my official predictions not just for each division, like this post, but for the playoffs, and who will ultimately reach the Super Bowl, not to mention who will ultimately win the title.

Until then, enjoy the games today!








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