NFL Prediction Thread

[Sir Dropham Pants]

It seems we've neglected the annual NFL prediction thread. And while the season has technically already begun, there's still time to place your bets.
Who's the surprise player this year?
Which team pulls a surprise playoff run this season?
Does Favre wish he would have stayed retired?
What happens to New England?
I predict a surprise year for the Cardinals. Not sure why - seems like they might be ready.
I think Favre will have a very average year and hang it up (permanently) at the end of a 7-9 Jets season.
Please add some predictions.
Viva sportsline! (I need a break from the all-Palin all the time openline)

[adam & doctor drew]

Who's the surprise player this year?
Jonathan Stewart, RB, Carolina

Which team pulls a surprise playoff run this season?
Buffalo

Does Favre wish he would have stayed retired?
Not sure what his goals are.... if he's hoping for a Super Bowl, then yes.

What happens to New England?
11-5, loses in AFC playoffs, no Super Bowl

(that open line is ridiculous.... do we need 37 threads on the same thing?)

[Diggin' Bear]

Life support never needed more! The answers:

1. Kolby Smith, Chiefs. When Larry Johnson blows out a hammy....
2. Lions. I don't think they'll go better than 9-7, but that may be enough for a wild card.
3. Yes. The porous Jets line will make him run for his life, and he'll throw a career high number of picks.
4. 10-6, wild card, lose in the second round.


Now, a challenge for you:

MVP
Comeback Player of the Year
Rookie of the Year
Super Bowl Champ

Fire away!

[Kace]

Panthers win the Super Bowl! :rockon:

[adam & doctor drew]

MVP
LaDainian Tomlinson

Comeback Player of the Year
Ricky Williams

Rookie of the Year
Jonathan Stewart

Super Bowl Champ
Colts

[Diggin' Bear]

Panthers win the Super Bowl! :rockon:

Step away from the hotel minibar. I repeat! STEP AWAY FROM THE MINIBAR!

[Diggin' Bear]

Hmm..

MVP - Adrian Peterson Vikes make the playoffs, get beat. He runs for 1500 yds

Comeback - I agree; Ricky Williams

Rookie - Matt Ryan

Super Bowl: San Diego

[Kace]

Step away from the hotel minibar. I repeat! STEP AWAY FROM THE MINIBAR!

Don't mind me, I'm just being a fan. ;)

[southwesternguy]

surprise player-Aaron Rodgers

surprise playoff run-Jets

Does Favre wish he'd stayed retired-No

New England-13-3, gets to Super Bowl

MVP-Tony Romo

Comeback POY-Pacman Jones

Super Bowl Champ-New England Patiots

[Sir Dropham Pants]

I like it!
Actual responses in the sportsline!
Keep 'em coming... and don't feel like you have to stick to the few questions I posed in the original post.
What else can we expect to see this year?
Kickoff is only a few hours away, so make those predictions!

[Sir Dropham Pants]

You never know. I'm sure there were Patriot fans figuring the season was over a back in '01 when their big time QB went down and some 6th round backup QB came in to take his place.
NFL Network showed an interesting game the other night. It was from Sept. of 1992 - Brett Favre's first comeback. Don Majkowski went out with a bad injury and in came a backup no one knew about.
I'm not saying this will happen with Brady, but I thought Cassel played well. He's got enough talent around him to keep that team afloat.

[mothball]

I know, I am late. Sorry about that.

Who's the surprise player this year?
David Garrard. Has a fantastic year and actually takes the team somewhere.

Which team pulls a surprise playoff run this season?
Atlanta, though they will fizzle in the first round.

Does Favre wish he would have stayed retired?
Nah. He has a good time throwing to some decent receivers, wonders why he ever started screwing around with retirement, then will get angry in the off-season when people start pushing him for an answer again.

What happens to New England?
They stay in Foxboro.

MVP
Anyone except Chad "I'm a total ass" Johnson-Ocho Cinco

Comeback Player of the Year
Drew Brees comes back... again.

Rookie of the Year
Glenn Dorsey. It could happen.

Super Bowl Champ
It's way, way too early to guess.

[Kace]

And the Panthers are Undefeated! :rockon:

[commercial hack]

Looks like there's a suicide watch in the New England region...

[The Thrill]

And the Panthers are Undefeated! :rockon:

Must be good karma from you choosing a Packer avatar for today.

WOW, what a throw by Delhomme. That was unbelievable. :worship:

[Diggin' Bear]

Rookie of the Year
Glenn Dorsey. It could happen.
[/I]

Not many D guys win that award - but if I had a favorite, Dorsey is it. If he's healthy, he's a force. We in the SEC are glad he's moved to the lower level league.

[Kace]

Yes, Thrill! Let's roll that beautiful bean footage...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOJVMpYTiuE

The Maddenized version...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqHsaNNH9oM&feature=related

[Sir Dropham Pants]

With the end of the regular season, it's time to bring this one back.
Some of the predictions were right on... some not so much.

[Calvin]

Diggin' Bear wins the "overly optimistic" prediction award for having Lions at 9-7 and a wild card berth.

[Tripe Face]

Diggin' Bear wins the "overly optimistic" prediction award for having Lions at 9-7 and a wild card berth.

Yea but he more than makes up for it by nailing the "Rookie of the Year" choice... Matt Ryan.

I never saw that coming.

OK my predictions for the playoffs.

Eagles become the latest Wildcard team to make the run all the way to the Super Bowl... but they lose to the Colts.

[The Thrill]

Yes, Thrill! Let's roll that beautiful bean footage...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOJVMpYTiuE

The Maddenized version...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqHsaNNH9oM&feature=related

I prefer the Tecmo Super Bowl (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsC4eM5oEEs) version...even if it is the SNES version.

Lemme take a flyer here: Panthers-Ravens Super Bowl, and Steve Smith makes an amazing catch to just barely beat the Ravens D.

There, you happy!? :-)

[Diggin' Bear]

Diggin' Bear wins the "overly optimistic" prediction award for having Lions at 9-7 and a wild card berth.

Hey! I was only....uh....seven...games off. And, BTW, even though the post [/i]has mysteriously disappeared,[/i] RANDY also agreed at one point that the Deestroyt Kitties would likely make a run at the playoffs.

I should also point out that along with Ryan, I'm not that far off on New England and the possible MVP, (although Brees, Manning and Warner all make a strong case) and if San Diego runs the table (yeah, I know, long shot) I can still pick the winner.

So...a solid gentleman's C+ on predictions, maybe?

*****it, Calvin! You gotta cut me a break!

[Sir Dropham Pants]

I'm sticking with my earlier Giants v. Steelers prediction.
However, I am officially rooting for the Eagles. I'd like to pull for the Cards because they're the ultimate underdog, but they quit playing a few weeks ago. I think the Falcons will run them off in the first half.
Does Kurt Warner get a nod for comeback player?

[Calvin]

DB, I'll cut a break to anyone brave enough to make pre-season predictions. Besides, no one can truly predict that much awfulness, even when the Lions are involved.

And as for my fellow mod Randy, I'll ask him where his post went... he'll probably say his kid ate it.

[Desert Rat]

The Playoffs...

NFC
Cards over Falcons, I've got my tickets for this one...:)
Eagles over Vikings

Giants over Eagles
Cards over Panthers

NFC Championship
The Giants beat the Cards

AFC
The Colts over the Chargers
Ravens over the Dolphins

Ravens over the Titans
Steelers over the Colts

AFC Championship
Steelers over the Ravens


Super Bowl
The Giants beat the Steelers in Tampa to repeat...:)

[Clever Login Name]

That sounds about right, DR. Except that I'd put the Panthers over the Cards in that second round game.

And I still say Giants-Steelers would be a huge ratings bonanza ... even by Super Bowl standards. But could you imagine Giants-Colts?

[Diggin' Bear]

The Playoffs...DB version:

NFC
Falcons win the Battle of the Birds over Da Cards. Sorry, Kurt.
Eagles over Vikings. They're hot at the right time, and besides, I need to make that prediction come true.

Giants over Eagles
Panthers <squeak> over Da Falcons

NFC Championship
The Giants own tha Panthers. Sorry, Kace.

AFC
Chargettes {shock} the Colts
Ravens over the Dolphins

Titans over the Ravens
Stealers over the Chargettes

AFC Championship
Titans over the Stealers


Super Bowl
The Giants beat the Titans in Tampa to repeat.

[tater]

All right how things will really happen.

NFC

I'm going with the upset...Cardinals beat the Falcons, yeah Matt Ryan is good but a rookie QB in the playoffs on the road? Unless he is Ben Rothlinsburger-like I have to go with the veteran Kurt Warner in the desert.

Whoever has the fewest bonehead plays will win the Eagles-Vikes game. I'd go with the Iggles.

Giants take care of the Iggles as McNabb will be harassed by one Justin Tuck.

The Sex Panthers will DeAngelo Williams their way through the Cards.

Panthers on a Jake Delhomme hail mary to Steve Smith that he invariably won't catch lose to the Giants.

AFC
I know Baltimore has a good defense and Ed Reed is probably going to pick at least two balls (eww) from Pennington, but I see the Dolphins winning...only because dolphins are much more friendly than Ravens.

Upset #2...while Mr. Not Eli Manning and the Colts are hot, the Chargers are red hotter. Phillip Rivers does his best Dan Fouts impersonation, while LT shuns his injured groin and runs for 75 and a TD. Chargers win in spite of Norv Turner.

Titans will LenDale White their way through the Chargers howevah I think it will be close.

The Dolphins play at a snowy Heinz Field, and realizing they are a warm weather team...completely forget how to play good football and lose to the Stillers.

In a defensive battle Steelers get revenge over the Titans...probably with a score of something like 6-2.

Steelers defeat the Giants on a pick 6 from the long haired guy Polomananau or something. The end.

[Diggin' Bear]

Does Favre wish he would have stayed retired?



3. Yes. The porous Jets line will make him run for his life, and he'll throw a career high number of picks.

From ESPN's article on Mangini's firing:

"The 39-year-old Favre had just two touchdown passes and nine interceptions in those final five games. He led the league in interceptions with 22..."


Oh, yeah, baby. The Bear was readin' the crystal ball correctly back in the late summer!

[News Is Broken]

All right how things will really happen.

NFC

I'm going with the upset...Cardinals beat the Falcons, yeah Matt Ryan is good but a rookie QB in the playoffs on the road? Unless he is Ben Rothlinsburger-like I have to go with the veteran Kurt Warner in the desert.

Whoever has the fewest bonehead plays will win the Eagles-Vikes game. I'd go with the Iggles.

Giants take care of the Iggles as McNabb will be harassed by one Justin Tuck.

The Sex Panthers will DeAngelo Williams their way through the Cards.

Panthers on a Jake Delhomme hail mary to Steve Smith that he invariably won't catch lose to the Giants.

AFC
I know Baltimore has a good defense and Ed Reed is probably going to pick at least two balls (eww) from Pennington, but I see the Dolphins winning...only because dolphins are much more friendly than Ravens.

Upset #2...while Mr. Not Eli Manning and the Colts are hot, the Chargers are red hotter. Phillip Rivers does his best Dan Fouts impersonation, while LT shuns his injured groin and runs for 75 and a TD. Chargers win in spite of Norv Turner.

Titans will LenDale White their way through the Chargers howevah I think it will be close.

The Dolphins play at a snowy Heinz Field, and realizing they are a warm weather team...completely forget how to play good football and lose to the Stillers.

In a defensive battle Steelers get revenge over the Titans...probably with a score of something like 6-2.

Steelers defeat the Giants on a pick 6 from the long haired guy Polomananau or something. The end.

And poo-holes will suck. Oh wait...wrong sport.

[Desert Rat]

I'm picking the Cards over the Panthers because they played them well in the regular season....in fact were up in the second half by 14 until they gave the game away.

They know they can beat the Panthers.....and I'll take Warner over Delhomme any day of the week.

[mothball]

I know, I am late. Sorry about that.

Who's the surprise player this year?
David Garrard. Has a fantastic year and actually takes the team somewhere.

Which team pulls a surprise playoff run this season?
Atlanta, though they will fizzle in the first round.

Does Favre wish he would have stayed retired?
Nah. He has a good time throwing to some decent receivers, wonders why he ever started screwing around with retirement, then will get angry in the off-season when people start pushing him for an answer again.

What happens to New England?
They stay in Foxboro.

MVP
Anyone except Chad "I'm a total ass" Johnson-Ocho Cinco

Comeback Player of the Year
Drew Brees comes back... again.

Rookie of the Year
Glenn Dorsey. It could happen.

Super Bowl Champ
It's way, way too early to guess.



Well, other than the Garrard and Dorsey bits, I think I did okay. Who'd a guessed I'd get the bit about the Falcons right? Or the Pats?

[Diggin' Bear]

Well, other than the Garrard and Dorsey bits, I think I did okay. Who'd a guessed I'd get the bit about the Falcons right? Or the Pats?

I don't think you have the Falcons right. Arizona is fizzling as we speak - they haven't done a thing in the last 6 weeks!

[tater]

Holy cow my two upset specials came to fruition.

That means I won't get any other games right.

[adam & doctor drew]

Whoever has the fewest bonehead plays will win the Eagles-Vikes game.

isn't that true of every game?

[tater]

isn't that true of every game?

Yes but Childress's and Reid's teams seem to have bucketfuls of them per game.

[adam & doctor drew]

Yes but Childress's and Reid's teams seem to have bucketfuls of them per game.

understood but that's hardly a "prediction."

in other news, Kentucky's playing Louisville today in college hoop.
I predict the team that scores more points will win.

[tater]

understood but that's hardly a "prediction."


Hence why I picked the Eagles because I felt like they would have less bonehead plays than the Viks.
...and that pick 6 the Vikings just gave up puts them up 1-0 in bonehead plays.

[sonorandesert]

The Playoffs...

NFC
Cards over Falcons, I've got my tickets for this one...:)
Eagles over Vikings

Giants over Eagles
Cards over Panthers

NFC Championship
The Giants beat the Cards

AFC
The Colts over the Chargers
Ravens over the Dolphins

Ravens over the Titans
Steelers over the Colts

AFC Championship
Steelers over the Ravens


Super Bowl
The Giants beat the Steelers in Tampa to repeat...:)

I'm picking the Cards over the Panthers because they played them well in the regular season....in fact were up in the second half by 14 until they gave the game away.

They know they can beat the Panthers.....and I'll take Warner over Delhomme any day of the week.
Cardinals are one and done.
Carolina won't bury them, but they will show the Cards that the Panthers are a much more superior team in a playoff situation.
GO CATS.

[Kace]

Yeah, if the Panthers lose it totally screws up my prediction.

[Desert Rat]

We shall see Sonoran

I will stick by my prediction....

[tater]

Well I will stick with my predictions of Carolina and NY.

For the games I screwed up...upset special, Chargers over Steelers. I just have a feeling about that team.

And I look for the Ravens to take care of business in Tennessee.

AFC Championship....Chargers over Ravens.

[sonorandesert]

We shall see Sonoran

I will stick by my prediction....
Desert Rat, allow me to humble myself and congratulate you on a Cards win over the Panthers.
I expected a much closer game but it seems, the Cats just liked turning the ball over. Turnovers will hurt any team, but the five or six they gave up was incredible.

Good call.

[Desert Rat]

Thanks Sonoran...

5 for 6 so far...

If my picks hold to form...the Giants will beat the Cards for this reason alone...

The Cards could have put away the game in the 3rd quarter, and they didn't...they had to settle for fieldgoals when they should have scored TD's.

As a season ticket holder, one of the reasons that the Cards can't get to the next level is that they can't put away games...

The Giants can.

Simple as that..

[Kace]

There's something oddly amusing to me about both Kerry Collins and the Panthers getting bounced out of the Playoffs the same day. Oh well, on to the 2009 Season.

[cinehead]

Bye, bye Giants.

Are we looking at an all Pennsylvania Super Bowl this year?

[Desert Rat]

Hats off to the Eagles....they played a good game...

McNabb outplayed Manning...the Giants had their chances and had to settle for FG's instead of TD's..

The Giants had a good year so nothing to complain about...

A good consolation prize, I'm going to the Cards/Eagles game next week.

[The Thrill]

There's something oddly amusing to me about both Kerry Collins and the Panthers getting bounced out of the Playoffs the same day. Oh well, on to the 2009 Season.

You and me both, pally. :hug:

[sonorandesert]

So, who's going to the Super Bowl?
The window is now open.

[Bandit]

I'm going with the home teams in both cases ...

Arizona over Philly

Steelers over BAL

[tater]

So, who's going to the Super Bowl?
The window is now open.

I'd say the two teams who score the most points in the upcoming games.

Who you ask?

I'm rooting for a Cards-Ravens match up. So that we can be spared of a civil war breaking out in Pennsylvania.

[adam & doctor drew]

I'd say it's doubtful that anyone in America, much less anyone here, had Eagles/Cards/Ravens/Steelers as their final 4....... so any predictions we make here will be fairly useless as well.

[Desert Rat]

NFC....

Cards 31 Eagles 17 The Eagles blitz doesn't get to Warner.....Warner picks them apart.


AFC

Steelers 16 Ravens 13.....A last second field goal wins the defensive struggle.

[Desert Rat]

I'd say the two teams who score the most points in the upcoming games.

Who you ask?

I'm rooting for a Cards-Ravens match up. So that we can be spared of a civil war breaking out in Pennsylvania.

NBC would cry if that is the matchup

[adam & doctor drew]

NBC would cry if that is the matchup
respectfully disagree.
the Super Bowl's now an event and I'm not sure it matters much which 2 teams are in it.

[Desert Rat]

Here are two articles of interest.....both games included the New York Giants..which is the largest TV market in the country..

Notice the difference between the ratings when they played Baltimore and when they played New England last year...

I'm also referring to rating, not total number of people estimated that watched the game.

Teams do matter, in my opinion...

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/nfl/super/2001-01-29-ratings.htm

http://www.wsls.com/sls/sports/professional/professional_football/article/super_bowl_ratings/4927/

[adam & doctor drew]

then why was the highest rating and share 49ers-Bengals in 1982?

[Desert Rat]

The only rational reason that I can see was the aftereffects of the 1982 NFC Championship game where the 49ers came from behind to beat the Cowboys...with Joe Montana pulling it out on the last drive of the game...catching the nation's fancy.

That combined with SF being a large market may have have been the reason, in my opinion.

It was an exception to the rule, in my opinion

[adam & doctor drew]

anything's possible
Pittsburgh-Seattle a few years ago did a 41 rating/62 share. (http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/11205332/)

plus remember, sports ratings are bogus.
college dorms and sports bars aren't measured... and there might be 30-40 people watching at a party but that only counts as 1 home.

it's pretty safe to say that whatever the numbers are for a sports event, the actual number of people watching was even higher.

[Desert Rat]

I agree but it is the only measuring stick there is...

[Sir Dropham Pants]

I predict a surprise year for the Cardinals. Not sure why - seems like they might be ready.
I think Favre will have a very average year and hang it up (permanently) at the end of a 7-9 Jets season.


Now I'm usually not one to brag - but I sure did get some stuff right in the first post of this topic. I did predict a NYG v. Pittsburgh Super Bowl, so I wasn't far off on that either. I don't do the fantasy football thing, but if you guys want to consult me on your picks next year, I'll completely understand.

[The Thrill]

then why was the highest rating and share 49ers-Bengals in 1982?

No Fox network, no CW Network, no Internets, no DirecTV.

What else were ya gonna watch?

[sonorandesert]

As much as I dislike the Bidwills (much like the contempt some held for Jerry Colangelo at one point of his association with local sports), I was impressed by the numbers for the NFC playoff game.

42.5 rating/73 share, locally.
In the AFC race, the Ravens/Steelers game came in at 21.8/36.
What were the numbers for the Steelers market?

Other than local, will NBC make out like a bandit in viewership with a Cardinals/Steelers lineup for the Super Bowl?

[adam & doctor drew]

No Fox network, no CW Network, no Internets, no DirecTV.

What else were ya gonna watch?

ok, then shouldn't the 83/84/85/86/87/88 games all been ratings monsters too?