Time for my annual NFL picks. Let’s hope I do better with these than I did with my baseball picks. I may have really blown those picks, but I did have this little nugget way back in April:
And look out for the Rays. You heard it here first: in two years, they’ll be contending for a championship.
OK, so I was off by a year. But did you have the Rays running away with this division. Yeah, I didn’t think so.
Back to football, I love the NFL. In fact, I follow the NFL more closely than college football. I know, that’s heresy here in the deep South, but that’s how I roll. Without further adieu, here are my division picks for the season.
NFC East: Dallas Cowboys
This has to be the best division in the NFL. Last season, three of these four teams were playoff bound. I don’t know if that’ll happen again, but I expect each of these teams to be solid. Despite the Giants’ improbable Super Bowl run last year, I still see the Cowboys as the class of this division and the conference. The offense is high octane, the defense is solid, and 13 Pro Bowlers return. I know this is the consensus pick, but I don’t expect anybody to push them. Philly comes in second and vies for a wild card spot.
NFC North: Minnesota Vikings
With the much balleyhooed departure of #4 in Green Bay, this division is completely wide open. Enter the Minnesota Vikings. This is a football fan’s football team: a great running game bolstered by five hawgmollies up front; a tough run-stuffing defense to dominate the line of scrimmage. If Tarvaris Jackson can continue to progress at QB, this team could be one of the best in the conference.
NFC South: New Orleans Saints
If the NFC East is football’s best division, this might be one of the worst. Who do you pick here? By default, I’m going with N’Awlins, another consensus picks. I could see Carolina contending here, too, but everything has to go right for them and I think they just have too many question marks (Delhomme’s health? Steve Smith’s temper? Julius Pepper’s return to form?). The Saints’ trot out a high-powered offense and the addition of Jeremy Shockey only makes them better.
NFC West: Seattle Seahawks
This seems like an easy pick. The last time anyone other than Seattle won this division was 2003. And I can’t see how either of the other teams in the division can seriously challenge them again this season. Ho hum.
NFC Wild Card picks: Philadelphia Eagles, Tampa Bay Bucs
This is where it gets dicey. Philly is already banged up and Donovan McNabb hasn’t stayed healthy for a full season since a gallon of gas was less than $2. Still, I think they’ll emerge from the NFC East battle-tested and playoff-bound. As for the Bucs, yeah, they’re old. But this veteran team won the division last season and I think they’ll have one more good one in the tank. Carolina or New York could also vie for this final spot.
AFC East: New England Patriots
The easiest pick of the lot. I know Tom Brady hasn’t taken a snap all preseason. Big deal. The Pats will roll.
AFC North: Pittsburgh Steelers
This is a division in disarray. I think the Browns played way over their heads last season; the Ravens always seem to have quarterback issues; and the Bengals are just a mess. Pittsburgh boasts a well-rounded squad and I see them beating up on the weaker sisters in this division.
AFC South: Indianapolis Colts
This pick assumes Peyton Manning’s surgically repaired knee is OK. If it’s not, this pick is out the window. But if Peyton continues his Iron Man routine at the helm of the good ship Indy, I expect the Colts to contend for another Super Bowl. Look out for the Jags, though. They could play the spoiler here.
AFC West: San Diego Chargers
I’d have a lot less heartburn over this pick if Shawne Merriman weren’t playing hurt. As it is, I still see San Diego as one of the better teams in the league with plenty of talent on both sides of the ball. Plus they play in a weak division. Another easy pick.
AFC Wild Card picks: Jacksonville Jaguars, New York Jets
Jacksonville is another solid squad: good D, solid running game, efficient QB. They could win the division outright, but it’s more likely they earn a wild card berth. Either way, I think they’ll be one of the better teams in the NFL. As for the final AFC Wild Card spot, the addition of Brett Favre could be enough to push the Jets into the playoff picture. I say they go 9-7 and sneak in by a hair.
Super Bowl pick: New England over Dallas. Not really going out on a limb there, I know. But I gotta pick something. I’ll be making my real playoff picks at the end of the season. Hopefully I can convince Sunny to pick again, too!
already & not yet 
Since the Titans made it to Tennessee a few years ago, I as well have become more of a NFL guy than college. I still love the Crimson Tide, but Sundays are awesome now with Titans Football.I pretty much agree with your picks, although I’m not so sure about whether it will be Jacksonville or the Titans in the playoffs. The biggest factor there is Vince Young, and I was not impressed in the preseason…although it is the preseason.And I say the NFC South just forfeits the season. Really, why bother?
Only disagreement I have is Jets will not make playoffs, Titans/Broncos will instead. Also Patriots don’t go back to super bowl, but do think Dallas does. Otherwise I agree with everything you picked.
Lane,I’d love it if the Titans made the playoffs, but Vince Young will have to make some pretty dramatic strides this season for them to make it. I think they’ll run the ball pretty well, the defense will be solid, and maybe Alge Crumpler will bring some solidity to the passing game. Like I said, I’d love to see it. Kenny,I like what Shannahan does in Denver, but a lot of people seem to think they’re another year away. I think the Titans are better, but I don’t know if they’ll be able to sneak in, along with Jacksonville and Indy.
Lane, we will have to have you, Kristen and Josie over for some Titans football!I’m really excited to see how my Fantasy Football Team will do against all of the boys!
I agree that it will be difficult for the Titans to make the playoffs again, even though I think they will actually be a better team this year. The problem is that the rest of the conference has improved. the Jets, Ravens, Browns, Jags, Texans, and Broncos could all contend for those two wild card spots. It will be difficult for the Titans to leap frog all those teams, and it will be hard to get back to 10-6 in the tough AFC South. I hope I’m wrong though!
I think 10-6 would earn you a playoff berth in the AFC, but I’m not sure the Titans can pull it off. Like I said, I’d love to see it, but I need to see more consistency from Vince before I make that prediction. I do like your Cowboys, though.