2020 NFL Preview

 

Fear not, Confessions of a Sportscaster is back from hiatus!

The COVID-19 pandemic threw a huge monkey wrench into the world of sports that... I'm still not totally over. I kind of feel bad that I haven't written anything since feeling compelled to address a race issue on North Central's campus, but for a long time there wasn't anything to watch except for old sporting events. Then the NBA and NHL set up some bubbles and got started, which I took in some of.

But now the NFL season is upon us, and by some miracle (and largely timing of everything) the season appears to be going on as planned, with the only difference being a ton of empty stadiums for the time being.

So it's time to get back into the swing of things. With the college football season largely in shambles even though some FBS conferences are playing on as if nothing is happening, this means we won't see a 2020 Death to the BCS Playoffs, though I still have to simulate through the 2019 iteration. I have ideas for a pseudo-Tournament of Champions for the Death to the BCS Playoffs of the past that, time permitting, I may try to undertake. But more importantly... the COAS Pigskin Pick 'Em contest is back for its ninth season as I try to maintain even year magic and retake my crown from Adam.

So with that in mind, I need to power through some NFL previews. Last year I condensed the eight posts, one for each division, down to two. This year I'm cutting it down to one and cutting back because I haven't paid a ton of attention to preseason training camps, and without preseason games or anything, it's hard to get a read on some things. But even so, I'm willing to put my neck out there and make predictions that almost certainly will go wrong.

2019 NFC Preview

With the NFL season just days away, I figure it's time to get on the preview train!

I'm doing this a little bit differently compared to prior years. In the past I've done a post for each division, and I used to do one a day for eight days leading up to the season. This year I'm condensing it down from divisions to one post for each of the two conferences. It will make these posts a little bit longer, so I'll try to keep my thoughts about the individual teams brief.

Part of the reason I'm condensing this down is due to time; I think it's easier to build out two long posts especially given when I had a chance to sit down and write this out. But I'm also doing this because in talks with Adam we may have another NFL preview feature coming to lead up to my favorite series in Confessions of a Sportscaster: the Pigskin Pick 'Em contest.

For now, let's take a look at the NFC.

2018 NFC West Preview

In October of 2011, I started this blog as a way to market myself and have some fun writing about sports. And today, August 30, 2018, marks a milestone for me: the 1000th Confession of a Sportscaster.

Most of these confessions have been about one of the seven Tournaments of Champions I've run, the most recent of which is awaiting its championship game this weekend. I'm also picking up a seventh year of my Pigskin Pick 'Em contest, renewing my weekly column with Adam Quinn where we pick NFL games.

But the honor of being my 1000th Confession goes to my preview series for the 2018 NFL season, in particular my picks for the NFC West. Let's get to it!

2017 NFC West Preview

It's Wednesday, and we're shifting things over to the West Coast as we continue our preview series for the upcoming NFL season.

Today is day three of eight straight weekdays of going division by division, alternating conferences, until I've hit all 32 NFL teams. So far, we've done both the NFC and AFC North, and no wild card spots are accounted for quite yet. We'll see if that changes today.

Before I get into the previews, I'm making yet another shameless plug for the upcoming season and my continuing Pigskin Pick 'Em series that Adam Quinn will join me for once again. You can come pick against us here.

And now, onto the NFC West.

2016 NFC West Preview

We've finally worked our way west in my series of NFL previews as we're now just two days away from the official start of the NFL season.

After years of rumblings, the NFL has also finally returned to Los Angeles, so I've had to alter one of my labels for this post. Sorry, St. Louis football fans. I hate a lot of the economics of the sport that forced the Rams out. They and the rest of the NFC West get their preview on today.

You still have a couple days to get in on the spread picking action. Adam Quinn returns to defend his crown in our annual ESPN Pigskin Pick 'Em contest, which you can join at the link provided. We weren't very good last year... or the year before... so you have a decent shot at beating us.

Without further ado, let's hit up the NFC West.

2015 NFC West Preview

One day after a quick college football break, I'm back to previewing the NFL.

You can read a little more in-depth previewing over at UKEndZone, where Ollie Connolly and Andrew Symes are hard at work going division by division as well. In addition to that, Adam and I will be picking NFL games against the spread all season, and I would enjoy having a few extra people in on the fun. You can join our group here with a free ESPN account and see if you can best our scores (neither of us had a very successful 2014 season, so you could win). We're actually up to three people now, as my dad has decided to join the fun.

With the shameless plugs out of the way, let's get to work.

NFC West

Common opponents on schedule: NFC North, AFC North

1. Seattle Seahawks
2014: 12-4 (1st), lost Super Bowl XLIX
The best defense in the NFL reloaded once again, keeping most of its core intact (including the Legion of Boom, obviously), with really the only notable change on that end being the addition of Cary Williams to start opposite Richard Sherman at cornerback. The Seahawks also pretty heavily upgraded their offense by trading for Jimmy Graham. He gives Russell Wilson a go-to target in the passing game while Marshawn Lynch continues to be Marshawn Lynch. The NFC continues to go through Seattle.
2015 Prediction: 12-4

2. Arizona Cardinals
2014: 11-5 (2nd), lost in NFC Wild Card Game
The Cardinals rode a strong defense to contention for the NFC West for much of the season. Patrick Peterson and Tyrann Mathieu headline a secondary that isn't quite as talented as Seattle's, but is still very good. They're going to do some damage defensively again, but the question mark is on offense. Carson Palmer should be ready to go after missing a chunk of 2014, and if he's hurt, Drew Stanton is the backup, so Palmer's health is a major concern. I'm not sure what to expect on the ground out of Andre Ellington, though the Cardinals did add Chris Johnson in the offseason, and we'll have to see if he can break into the rotation. The Cardinals will be good, and Bruce Arians will have this team competing for the division title. I just think they don't quite have enough talent to surpass Seattle.
2015 Prediction: 10-6, Wild Card

3. St. Louis Rams
2014: 6-10 (4th), missed playoffs
The Rams finally parted ways with Sam Bradford after he couldn't stay on the field, and I do think Nick Foles is a bit of an upgrade. He's not going to replicate his 2013 season, especially not with this receiving corps, but he's much more likely to stay on the field than Bradford is. The defense, however, is absolutely terrifying. The Rams just keep adding talent to their defensive line, most recently signing Nick Fairley away from the Lions. With all the bodies they can throw at opposing quarterbacks, they're going to be a tough out. They still need to build their offense around Foles or whatever future quarterback they pick, but they're going to be a decent team this year.
2015 Prediction: 8-8

4. San Francisco 49ers
2014: 8-8 (3rd), missed playoffs
Has any team ever had a worse offseason than the 49ers did this past few months? Jim Harbaugh wore out his welcome and left for Ann Arbor, Chris Borland decided to hang it up, as did Justin Smith and Patrick Willis, while Ahmad Brooks is in legal trouble and Aldon Smith is no longer with the Niners after additional legal trouble. The offense will probably be decent, as the Niners signed Torrey Smith to play opposite Anquan Boldin and give the Niners a couple good wideouts, but I'm not sold overall on Kaepernick, and I don't know that Carlos Hyde and Reggie Bush can replicate the success Frank Gore has had. It's going to be a long year in the Bay Area.
2015 Prediction: 4-12

Now that we're back on schedule, I'll be back at this tomorrow with the AFC West.

NFC West Preview

Tomorrow night we begin! With just the one day left, I have only the NFC West left to preview. Some people argued that this division should have had three teams make the playoffs last year, but they only managed Seattle and San Francisco. This year, one wild card still remains, but who will get it?

With the season kicking off tomorrow night, you still have a little time to join in on the COAS Pigskin Pick 'Em contest. This is your last chance to join in, but it is free to join. It's also a lot of fun. I've enjoyed it a lot... though maybe it's had something to do with being able to crack numerous jokes. I already have a couple in mind, though more will show up as the season goes on.

But enough about that. Let's predict the NFC West.

Common opponents on schedule: NFC East, AFC West

1. Seattle Seahawks
2013: 13-3 (1st), won Super Bowl XLVIII
The defending champs come into the new season without a ton of lost personnel. Most of the defense returns, with the one major notable departure being Brandon Browner. Other than him, the Legion of Boom is still around. Super Bowl MVP Malcolm Smith might start at linebacker, and the defensive line is one of the best in football. On offense, Russell Wilson remains the best value in the league and doesn't need to be a world beater with the talent around him. Golden Tate is gone, but he still has Percy Harvin and Doug Baldwin to throw to, plus Marshawn Lynch to wreak havoc on the ground. There hasn't been a repeat champion in a decade, but the Seahawks could be the ones to break the streak.
2014 Prediction: 13-3

2. Arizona Cardinals
2013: 10-6 (3rd), missed playoffs
The Cardinals had an excellent 2013, but missed the playoffs because of the strength of the rest of the conference. The league's top run defense returns, and adds some pieces to bolster the pass defense. Adding Antonio Cromartie as your #2 corner across from Patrick Peterson will help, as will the return of Tyrann Mathieu. The question is if Carson Palmer can cut down on the turnovers (22 picks in 2013). Michael Floyd and Ted Ginn should be good pieces to take some pressure off of Larry Fitzgerald, while Andre Ellington will be the top running back this year. This year, they won't miss out.
2014 Prediction: 11-5, Wild Card

3. San Francisco 49ers
2013: 12-4 (2nd), lost in NFC Championship Game
Am I crazy? The team that has made three straight NFC title games won't make the playoffs? Colin Kaepernick has a ton of weapons to throw to, yet the Niners had the third fewest passing yards in 2013. There are ground weapons galore though too, with rookie Carlos Hyde backing up veteran Frank Gore. Problem is, there are some questions on the offensive line, and the defense is a question mark. NaVorro Bowman is out to start the year, and Aldon Smith is facing a lengthy suspension. The secondary has also lost a ton of pieces. All these things won't totally kill this talented team, but I think it torpedoes their playoff hopes significantly.
2014 Prediction: 10-6

4. St. Louis Rams
2013: 7-9 (4th), missed playoffs
The RGIII trade gave the Rams a ton of picks to work with, but it hasn't done much for their offense. Sam Bradford will miss the season, which means at least for now Shaun Hill is the Rams' 2014 quarterback. Zac Stacy and Tre Mason will make for a good 1-2 rushing punch, but the passing game will have issues. But you look at that defense... my goodness. The defensive line is probably better than Seattle's, and I really like the linebacking corps. It should help a secondary that I'm not totally convinced of, since quarterbacks will need to throw a little quicker than normal. I just don't know that they can score enough points to make a difference.
2014 Prediction: 7-9

Now that the whole NFC has been predicted, here's how the playoffs will unfold in my vision:

1. Seattle Seahawks: 13-3
2. Green Bay Packers: 11-5
3. New Orleans Saints: 11-5
4. Philadelphia Eagles: 10-6
5. Arizona Cardinals: 11-5
6. Chicago Bears: 10-6

Tomorrow the season starts, and since it's the beginning of a week, I'll have the Week 1 picks of the COAS Pigskin Pick 'Em contest. I have a new guest picker this year as well, and I'll introduce him tomorrow morning. Rest up, football fans: tomorrow night should be amazing!

NFC West Preview

We're halfway through the NFL previews so far, with 4 more to go. I also still have one more wild card pick to reveal from each conference, so there's that. But today I'm focused on the NFC West.

This is a division that got a lot stronger in the past year or so as Seattle made a jump that I'm not sure a lot of people were totally expecting (I know I didn't) that made this division very top heavy, but St. Louis was no slouch, and Arizona was... well, not very good. Still, this is arguably the best division in football (I think the NFC North might be the best top to bottom, though the overall talent at the top here might outweigh it). Let's see how this goes.

Common opponents on schedule: NFC South, AFC South

1. San Francisco 49ers
Last year: 11-4-1 (1st), lost Super Bowl XLVII
They battled through a quarterback "controversy" to make the Super Bowl, then addressed it by shipping off Alex Smith in the offseason. A full year of Colin Kaepernick is a pretty terrifying prospect. The biggest question mark I have on offense for these guys though is their receiving corps. Michael Crabtree is out until at least November recovering from a torn Achilles, and Mario Manningham will start the year on the PUP list with a knee injury. Anquan Boldin will be good at one wideout spot, but I'm not sure about Kyle Williams on the other end. That defense though... if Justin Smith is healthy, Aldon Smith will be a factor again, and this defense can be feared. If Nnamdi Asomugha regains his form from his Oakland days... oh man.
2013 Prediction: 13-3

2. Seattle Seahawks
Last year: 10-6 11-5 (2nd), lost in NFC Divisional Round
Sorry, I had to repress the urge to fix their record. I'm not still bitter or anything... Anyway, as long as Russell Wilson avoids the Sophomore Slump, offensively these guys will be fine. Marshawn Lynch is still one of the better backs in the league, and the receiving corps isn't bad. If Percy Harvin can play for any of 2013, these guys could end up in New Jersey for the Super Bowl pretty easily.
2013 Prediction: 11-5, Wild Card

3. St. Louis Rams
Last year: 7-8-1 (3rd), missed playoffs
The departure of longtime running back Steven Jackson leaves a hole in that aspect of the Rams' game, which could pose some problems, but the passing game shouldn't be bad with some new weapons added via the draft in Tavon Austin to give Sam Bradford someone to throw to. Alec Ogletree will certainly help the defense out, so while they may not end up in the playoffs, they're certainly not a bad team. They just happen to be in the wrong division at the wrong time.
2013 Prediction: 7-9

4. Arizona Cardinals
Last year: 5-11, missed playoffs
Arizona addressed one of their most pressing needs in the offseason in getting Carson Palmer to be their field general, which should make Larry Fitzgerald a little happier. They tried to address their biggest need via the draft though in picking Jonathan Cooper 7th overall, but he broke his leg and will likely be gone for the year. Palmer might be lucky to survive back there. If there's any redeeming quality about this team though, it's their defense. Teams found it hard to throw on them last year, and adding Tyrann Mathieu will provide an interesting spark either defensively or on special teams, assuming continues to stay out of trouble.
2013 Prediction: 6-10

Even though tomorrow is a holiday, based on the schedule I'll have another preview up, this time on the AFC West.

NFC West Preview

For the NFC East preview, click here.
For the AFC East preview, click here.
For the NFC South preview, click here.
For the AFC South preview, click here.

There's a full slate of games today to round out the preseason and my last day of work for the week. Four more divisions left, and it's time for us to head out west.

NFC West
Common opponents on schedule: NFC North, AFC East

1. San Francisco 49ers
2011 Record: 13-3, lost in NFC Championship game

Last year was a perfect storm for the Niners. Alex Smith turned into a competent quarterback and he had backup from a phenomenal defensive unit that picked up a ton of takeaways. I think both of these things will regress to the mean, but in a weak division the Niners should still come away with another crown. Alex Smith may not put up the same numbers as last year but he does have nice new weapons in Randy Moss and Mario Manningham. That defense still has great guys like Pat Willis and Justin Smith. They'll be a force to be reckoned with, especially in their second year under Harbaugh, but they won't have as inflated a record.

2. Arizona Cardinals
2011 Record: 8-8, missed playoffs

I debated back and forth about this spot after San Francisco, given that they should be the clear runaway in the division. The Cardinals have a pretty good defense with guys like Calais Campbell and Darnell Dockett on the defensive line, and I like the look of their secondary on paper. What worries me is how they'll score points. Patrick Peterson can only return so many punts for touchdowns, so it rests with an offense led by either Kevin Kolb or John Skelton, and we saw last year how that worked out. Pencil them in for a competitive season, but no playoff dreams this time around.

3. Seattle Seahawks
2011 Record: 7-9, missed playoffs

It will be interesting to see what Russell Wilson can do as the presumptive starter under center. I'm not entirely sold on the offense other than Marshawn Lynch because he causes earthquakes. The tight ends are decent in Zach Miller and Kellen Winslow, if a bit old, and the wideouts are largely young and unproven. But this team was decent last year, and with a slightly easier schedule (playing Carolina and Dallas as opposed to division winners) might give them a decent edge, assuming they survive playing the NFC North and a few tough games against the AFC East.

4. St. Louis Rams
2011 Record: 2-14, missed playoffs

Sam Bradford is healthy, which always helps. But he doesn't have a lot of help on offense. Danny Amendola and the younger Steve Smith as your best wideouts isn't a great package and Stephen Jackson is 29 now. But with Bradford under center this team will do better than the 2-14 they suffered through last year. It probably won't save them from a top 10 pick, but this is a league where often times baby steps are needed to climb out of a hole.

It won't be up as early in the day, but tomorrow I'll get to the AFC West. I get to sleep in a bit as my 4 day weekend begins for Labor Day. Enjoy the last of preseason football! Or, if you prefer, rejoice that the real deal is almost here!