NFL Predictions - 2011

[BillJasper]

After thinking about it, here are my predictions for the 2011 NFL season:

NFL Predictions 8-14-11

AFC East:

New England - Bill Belichick doesn’t rebuild, he reloads.
New York Jets - Losses in the WR corps and no upgrade to the pass rush.
Buffalo - Fitzpatrick seems to be a better QB than most scouts give him credit for.
Miami - Chad Henne is the starting QB. Enough said.

AFC North:

Pittsburgh - Joe Flacco just hasn’t made enough strides for the Ravens to catch up.
Baltimore - Even with Lee Evans and Ricky Williams, I don’t think they did enough to catch the Steelers.
Cleveland - They aren’t the Bengals.
Cincinnati - Unfortunately for the people of the Cincinnati, they are the Bengals.

AFC South:

Houston - Shift to 3-4 and emergence of Arian Foster should push them past the Colts.
Indianapolis - Not convinced that Manning is going to be anywhere near 100%.
Tennessee - CJ2K will not be enough to push this team above .500.
Jacksonville - They just don’t have a good enough passing game or defense.

AFC West -

San Diego - The 2010 season was an aberration. Having Vincent Jackson and Antonio Gates back will have the offense solidified from day one.
Kansas City - Todd Haley is calling the plays this year. No way they repeat the success they had with Charlie Weis calling plays last year.
Oakland - Lack of stability at the QB position continues to hurt this team.
Denver - John Fox just doesn’t have anywhere near enough pieces to compete.

Playoff teams:

1. New England
2. Pittsburgh
3. San Diego
4. Houston
5. Baltimore
6. NY Jets

NFC East:

1. Philadelphia - Hard not to like the talent the Eagles have amassed. Especially the depth at CB.
2. Dallas - Tony Romo returns. In the midst of rebuilding offensive line. Does Miles Austin return to form?
3. NY Giants - Can Eli Manning rebound from a poor 2010. Especially after losing WR Steve Smith and TE Kevin Boss.
4. Washington - Problems abound. Probably a new coach and a top 5 spot in the 2012 NFL draft.

NFC North:

1. Green Bay - Not much changes for the Super Bowl XLV champs. Need to avoid injuries and championship hangover.
2. Detroit - Defense continues to get better. If Stafford stays healthy, the Lions are a wild-card threat.
3. Chicago - Even though they made the NFC championship, there is just something that I don’t like about the 2011 edition of the Bears and it has nothing to do with Jay Cutler.
4. Minnesota - Aging defense and a QB who struggled in 2010 and will be going through his third offensive coordinator in three years. Poor Adrian Peterson can’t do it all.

NFC South:

1. Tampa Bay - Young and hungry team that only continues to get better. Josh Freeman has made a believer out of me.
2. New Orleans - Does Brees return to form or does he continue to slip?
3. Atlanta - Got torched by the Packers in the playoffs. But didn’t seem too concerned about improving the defense.
4. Carolina - Even if Cam Newton is the real deal, they have too many other deficiencies to get out of the basement.

NFC West:

1. St. Louis - Might as well just picked a name out of a hat here. If Bradford continues to develop the Rams improve marginally. Which might just be enough to win the West.
2. Arizona - Brought in Kevin Kolb to solidify the QB position, but are still lacking a running game and have a below average defense.
3. Seattle - Tarvaris Jackson looked dreadful in his first pre-season start after spending five years with the same Offensive Coordinator. Will LT Okung miss any substantial time with another ankle injury.
4. San Francisco - Jim Harbaugh inherited a mess at the QB position. They’re so desperate that Daunte Culpepper is coming in for a try-out.

Playoff teams:

1. Tampa Bay
2. Green Bay
3. Philadelphia
4. St. Louis
5. Dallas
6. Detroit

[molson]

I haven't really gotten into reading about 2011, prepping for my fantasy football draft, etc. (things which could only decrease my accuracy really), so this is based on feel, with a few hunch surprise teams (good and bad).

AFC East:
Patriots
Jets - they miss the playoffs as the Rex Ryan act gets a little old
Dolphins
Bills

AFC North:
Ravens
Steelers
Browns
Bengals - 1-15

AFC South:
Colts
Texans
Jaguars
Titans

AFC West
Raiders - Just a hunch, they win the division at 9-7
Broncos
Chargers
Chiefs

Playoff teams:
1. Patriots
2. Ravens
3. Colts
4. Raiders
5. Texans
6. Steelers

NFC East:
Eagles
Giants
Cowboys
Redskins

NFC North:
Bears
Packers - a little TOO much love out there for a team that barely made the playoffs last year...super bowl hangover and they miss the playoffs at 10-6
Vikings
Lions - NFL's most disappointing team

NFC South
Falcons
Saints
Buccaneers
Panthers

NFC West:
Rams - they surprisingly dominate an otherwise weak division enough to grab a playoff bye
Cardinals
49ers
Seahawks

Playoff teams:
1. Eagles
2. Rams
3. Falcons
4. Bears
5. Giants
6. Cowboys

AFC Championship Game: Patriots over Texans
NFC Championship Game: Giants over Eagles
Super Bowl: Patriots over Giants

[RendeR]

NFL Predictions 8-14-11

AFC East:
New England - No one else is consistent enough in this division to stop the Pats.
New York Jets - Defense is not what it was. If they can't rush the passer those corners will get exposed for the "good not great" cover guys they are.
Buffalo - Fitzpatrick is solid, but not stellar, running game is mediocre, this team can score though and will live and die with its front 7.
Miami - No real QB, nothing exceptional on defense, can they win more than 1 at home? Just too many questions.

AFC North:

Baltimore - Aging on Defense, questions with some of their offensive lineman's health. Still should be enough to take the north.
Pittsburgh - Last year was such a fluky season. This team won games it had no right staying close in. There are chinks in teh defensive armor and this year I'm betting someone sees them.
Cleveland - They are getting close. Tons of talent on this squad.
Cincinnati - Until they get an owner who has a brain and flush the Brown Family out of the system entirely they will continue to flounder as a "what could have been". On the Upside, Andy Dalton is going to be a damn fine QB.

AFC South:

Indianapolis - Manning isn't a young stud anymore, receiving corps isn't all that anymore...Colts aren't really the Colts anymore, but hey, they play in the South. This is their division until someone actually steps up and wants it more.
Houston - New names, new styles, usually means good things, Texans are becoming another Seattle or CIncinnati or Buffalo..."One day, one day it will happen." They'd best do something soon or all this talent will be too old to do anything at all.
Jacksonville - They have just a good enough passing game and defense to keep them out of the cellar.
Tennessee - CJ2K will not be enough to push this team above .500. Ditto.

AFC West -

San Diego - The 2010 season was an aberration. Nuff said.
Kansas City - Young team, not staying consistant in the coaching staff. Gonna hurt them, but hell they still play in the Werst err west division...
Oakland - The corpse in the front office is still running the show....
Denver - This team will live and die by random chance. LUCK will decide almost every game for them because they don't know which end is up in Denver.

Playoff teams:

1. New England
2. Baltimore
3. San Diego
4. Indianapolis
5. Houston
6. Pittsburgh

I'll add the NFC later.

[Julio Riddols]

I'll give it a shot.. I think this season is going to be a wild one early on due to the lockout. Some teams are just going to be more prepared than others.

AFC EAST:

New England: Might go 16-0 again.

Buffalo: Surprise. Fitzpatrick channels Doug Flutie and Buffalo flirts with the playoffs, but barely misses.

New York: Santonio Holmes plays well, but the D just doesn't cut it this year. Sanchez doesn't quite have enough to give them the firepower they need to better 9-7.

Miami: Henne to Marshall fares better this year, but too many mistakes and a shaky defense keep the Fins from rising above 6-10.

AFC NORTH:

Pittsburgh: I hate these guys, but this may be the one franchise besides New England that always has a shot. They know how to pick a coach. Doesn't matter what personnel they have, they still bring it every Sunday.

Cleveland: Colt McCoy and the west coast Browns find their way into 2nd, but miss the playoffs, going 9-7.

Baltimore: Ray Rice has a down year, and despite a strong performance by Flacco, the defense isn't quite as good as it has been. Reed can't stay healthy and Ray Lewis finally starts to show his age. They finish 8-8 after a fast start.

Cincinnati: After flirting with an 0-16 year, the Bengals win a couple to end the season. Dalton gets beat to a pulp during the year, but Bengals fans are optimistic because he doesn't let it slow his progress. By the end of the year, He is finding A.J. Green and Jerome Simpson with regularity and showing his promise.

AFC SOUTH:

Houston: They finally overtake Indy to win the division. They are one and done in the playoffs, but they finally make it. The Defense finally comes around.

Indianapolis: Manning still wills these guys to the postseason as a wild card, but the team is falling apart. After "taking a pay cut" for the Colts to keep their talent, Manning finds that there just isn't enough there to support his otherworldly ability. Austin Collie just can't stay on the field enough.

Jacksonville: Garrard plays well, but eventually is replaced by a "rapidly improving" Gabbert, who plays up and down the rest of the year after a 4-4 start. They finish 6-10.

Tennessee: Another rookie QB led team struggles through growing pains. Chris Johnson, after getting paid, struggles even more than 2010. They stumble to 4-12.

AFC WEST:

San Diego: Philip Rivers might be the best QB in the league. He just absolutely gets it done. The only thing slowing down the Chargers is a shaky ground attack, but Rivers and the defense find the Chargers with a bye and the #2 seed.

Kansas City: The offense is stellar, and they're able to take a young team to the postseason as a wild card. Cassel begins to establish himself as a starting QB as the lingering doubts about him begin to fade.

Denver: This team has 2 QBs they can use, and I think both can win games. Orton still takes a majority of the snaps behind center, but a form of the wildcat makes things exciting in Denver as Knowshon Moreno finally pays dividends on his draft position. The ball control offense helps minimize the defenses shortcomings, but not enough to get them above .500.

Oakland: Another new coach and more struggles for the Raiders. McFadden is performing but still sits out at least 4 games with injuries and the defense is not good enough. 5-11.

Playoffs: New England: 15-1
San Diego: 13-3
Pittsburgh: 12-4
Houston: 10-6
Indy: 10-6
K.C.: 10-6

NFC East:

N.Y. Giants: Eli Manning is one of the best QBs in the league, turnovers be damned. I expect a bounce back of sorts for him, and the running game will be strong, meaning the defense really needs to only be average or slightly better for them to win this division.

Dallas: Romo stays healthy and the offense is strong, but they just barely make the postseason due to a defense that lets them down often.

Philly: Vick regresses and the Philly D under a new D.C. is not what it was under the legend they had there before, even with the new pieces. Andy Reid throws it too much and turnovers sink the ship.

Washington: With John Beck or Rex Grossman, I wouldn't expect much. I think Washington ends up with Luck in 2012.

NFC North:

Green Bay: Still the class of the NFC. They battled a myriad of injuries to a lot of their key players and still won the title last year. If they stay healthy this year, they will only have a few losses. Aaron Rodgers is unflappable. He performs against every opponent.

Chicago: Cutler still eats turf regularly, and the D is not as good as it was in 2010. I still believe Matt Forte is extremely overrated. He is good out of the backfield, but is a negative as a runner.

Detroit: Theyre almost there. The defense is improving, and the offense looks good, but fans and the media all want to know how they recover from yet another season with limited contribution from Matt Stafford. They have a decent backup in Hill, but theyre not quite the same team scheme wise with Stafford out of the lineup.

Minnesota: I don't expect the Vikings to perform well at all. McNabb is a shell of what he was at his best, and just comes off as an extremely hard to like person to me. I just don't think his presence will contribute to a winning locker room, which will translate to mediocrity on the field. Adrian Peterson is the only thing fans have to be proud of when its all said and done.

NFC West:

St. Louis: This team is improved on the 2010 team that flirted with the postseason. They barely edge out a pretty good Seattle team for the division in another close race, But the combo of Sam Bradford and the offensive coordinator skills of Josh McDaniels makes the offense better while giving Jackson and Williams room to run. Jackson has his last good year and the Rams see the postseason.

Seattle: Tavaris Jackson plays like a slightly more skilled Seneca Wallace and the Seahawks aren't bad at all, just not good enough to see the postseason. Mike Williams completes one of the better comeback stories in recent years by becoming the better Mike Williams and has a top 10 season, but there just isn't enough firepower to win consistently with an average defense.

Arizona: Kolb helps this team improve, but will need another year to fully learn the offense and to produce what he is capable of. With the loss of Rodgers-Cromartie and a ground game that still has a lot of question marks, the only constant in Arizona remains Larry Fitzgerald in a year that comes in somewhere around 6-10.

San Fran: Its gonna take a year for this team to go up, IMO. They're kind of handcuffed from a QB standpoint, although I believe they were holding out for Carson Palmer and missed out on any FA signings they could have made. The offense is still mediocre, Crabtree still hasn't truly shown up, and Frank Gore is a year older at the end of a disappointing 2011.

NFC South:

Atlanta: In a division that produces three playoff teams, the going is rough. A virtual stalemate among the top 3 teams takes several tiebreakers to sort out, and Atlanta comes out on top. Roddy White is one of the best in the game, and I expect a bit stronger performance from Matt Ryan. The defense is challenged in a tough division, but don't have to do a lot of heavy lifting given the teams offensive prowess, and the lack of pressure allows them to perform admirably.

New Orleans: This team still seems to me like a near mirror image of the 2005 Bengals from a toughness standpoint. Theyre just too soft defensively and too much finesse on offense. They trounce many teams, but when they meet up with the smash mouth types, they struggle. Theyre still a playoff squad, but barely miss out on the division.

Tampa Bay: Josh Freeman is a very good QB, and should only get better. Blount establishes himself as a strong candidate for top 10 RB consideration in 2012 fantasy drafts, and the always tough Tampa D remains true to itself. They finish tied by overall record with New Orleans and Atlanta, but lose on the tiebreakers based on conference record. Still, the postseason awaits.

Carolina: Tough for these guys to be stuck in this division while trying to rebuild. They go 0-6 in the division, but win a few outside it with a ball control run game and a few big plays from Cam Newton and his strong group of TEs. They begin to resemble a TE-fortified version of the Kordell Stewart era Steelers by the end of the year.

Playoffs: Green Bay: 13-3
NYGiants: 11-5
Atlanta: 11-5
St. Louis: 9-7
New Orleans: 11-5
Tampa Bay: 11-5

[JediKooter]

I'll try, but, I haven't really been caught up with all the teams yet. Nor have I looked at any teams' schedule, so I reserve the right to be way off on these predictions.

AFC West:

San Diego - Historically, Norv Turner teams where he is the head coach, have progressively gotten worse. I don't see the trend changing. He has a magical ability to coach the team down to the talent level of the other team. Philip Rivers will probably get screwed out of another MVP award barring any injuries. At best, 8-8 (It's called the Norv Handicap).
Oakland - Haven't been paying them much attention other than their secondary just got worse and the swinging saloon door that is Robert Gallery, is now in Seattle. So, sacks should be down this year for Raiders QBs. At best, 8-8.
Kansas City - Here is the mid west's New England Patriots. Unfortunately, they benefited from being in the same division as the Chargers, Raiders and Broncos and now have a 1st place schedule. I think the playoff streak is over this year for them. 7-9.
Broncos - Denver fans rejoice! The Tebow era is nigh. This team is just meh and not sure the defense will be able to keep pace with teams that can throw the ball. 6-10.

AFC North:

Pittsburgh - Ben the Rapist got married, so there should be no 4 game suspension this year. Not that it mattered last year. So, ladies, be careful when you go out to party. I see no reason why this team won't win its division this year, unless the Ravens have something to say about it. 12-4.
Baltimore - They better protect their QB or it's going to be a long, long season. If they do, it could be a long, long season for the other teams. I see no reason why this team won't be in the playoffs. 11-5.
Cleveland - Not much to say here. 4-12.
Cincinnati - Cincinnati, meet Cleveland, Cleveland, meet Cincinnati. World class organization, ran by a world class owner. What could possibly go wrong? Oh...that's right. Never mind. 2-14.

AFC South:

Tennessee - Welcome to the Matt Hasselbeck show. Wait, where's coach Fisher? Doh! 8-8.
Texans - Not really sure about this team. They improved that secondary yet? 7-9.
Jacksonville - They really made some headlines during free agency. Look out Colts! Eh, who am I kidding? 6-10.
Indianapolis - If Mannings' neck is alright and he doesn't keep getting sacked, this division is theirs to lose. 12-4.

AFC East:

Miami - Are they still in the same division as the Jets and Patriots? They are? Oh, well in that case, 6-10.
Buffalo - Here's to a 4-10 season. 4-10.
New York - What's to say that hasn't already been said by their head coach? If you go by what he's said, they'll finish the regular season with a 24-0 record. 11-5.
New England - Bill is back. Brady is back. They're the Lennon/McCartney of football, like it or not. Do they have a running game though? Do they even need one? 13-3.


NFC West:

San Francisco - San Fran Fans are creaming all over themselves over the Jim Harbaugh signing. Unfortunately, Niners management forgot that Jim doesn't play quarterback anymore. 5-10.
St. Louis - They have a good young quarterback. They have...they have...Damn, not sure what else they have. 8-8.
Arizona - Kolb is very thankful to be in the NFC West. Not sure how he will do though. If he limits his mistakes, 9-7. If he has Leafitis, 4-10.
Seattle - Someone better watch the quarterback's blind side now that Gallery is there. The Swiss named a cheese after him. 6-10.

NFC North:

Chicago - I heard that Philip Rivers sent Cutler a get well card, since he knows how painful those knee injuries can be. Especially in the playoffs. This team is in a tough division and it won't be easy for them to get back to the post season this year. 10-6.
Detroit - I don't think they will make the playoffs this year, but, I do believe they will play spoiler to a few teams. They have the potential to have a Cinderella season though. 8-8.
Minnesota - I really don't know about this team. They seem to have the potential, but, I just don't see it happening this year. 7-9.
Green Bay - The winner of the most boring Super Bowl, this past season. I'm sure it was great for Green Bay and Pittsburgh fans to watch though. I didn't see this team get better in the off season, but, I didn't see them get worse. 12-4.

NFC South:

Tampa Bay - Lets see. The Saints and Falcons are in the same division...and can't really say they made a big splash in offseason improvements...8-8.
Carolina - 2-10 last season. 4-10 this season.
New Orleans - The Bush experiment is done. This is still a dang good team, even though they got lazy in the playoffs last year. 12-4.
Atlanta - Good team, good quarterback, good receivers, good coach. 12-4.

NFC East:

Philadelphia - This team got a whole lot better in the offseason. Can Vick keep it up? If he can't, I don't think Young will be able to bail them out. Vick stays on fire, this team is going deep in the playoffs. 13-3.
New York - I just don't think they will be able to keep up with the Eagles and Asomugha is going to make Eli wish his big brother was there to beat him up. 10-6.
Washington - I can't even remember who is coaching this team. Oh, the Shan Man, that's right. They are the NFC's version of the Bengals, with a bigger asshole of an owner. 5-11.
Dallas - Could someone put this team in the NFC South and put the Panthers in the NFC East please? Anyway...Romo stays healthy this year, they have a shot at a Wild Card. 10-6.


- Super Bowl -
Eagles vs Colts

I would like to see where all these teams stand, when pre-season is over though.

[Suburban Rhythm]

Why not...

AFC North

Pittsburgh (11-5) Even among all that went wrong last season, seems like, in-game, just about everything went right. The offense should actually be a little better with Roethlisberger for 16 games (barring injury)...everyone on defense another year older though. Slight step back.

Baltimore (10-6) Just can't get past the Steelers. Flacco needs to win some games, not just manage them, to make a move up the QB hierarchy. Like Pittsburgh, everyone on D another year older. Slight step back.

Cleveland (7-9) Should be an improved team, but still not a playoff contender. Maybe a little higher if they can somehow split with Pittsburgh and/or Baltimore. Step up.

Cincinnati (2-14) Considered 1-15, but somehow they'll steal one. Arguably the worst team in the league. 1+ steps back.

AFC South

Indianapolis (11-5) Somehow, they keep winning. Manning coming off surgery, does he finally start breaking down? Seem to always be a regular season champ, but postseason chump. Steady

Houston (10-6) Great offense, and defense has nowhere to go but up. I think this is the year they finally break through...but probably one-and-done in the postseason. Step up.

Tennessee (7-9) I don't know their schedule off the top of my head, but might do OK outside the division, but a 2-4 or 1-5 record inside the division sinks them. Step back

Jacksonville (6-10) Just meh all around. After MJD, not sure what there is to like a whole lot on either side of the ball. Step back

AFC East

New England (13-3) Last year was supposed to be the down year, and it never happened. The key still is rattling Brady, otherwise chances of beating them are slim. Steady

NY Jets (10-6) Not buying the hype...cause it's the same as last year. Pittsburgh's average (at best) O-line exposed them in two games that they can be run on, and passed on when they get no pressure. Slight step back.

Buffalo (6-10) Underrated defensively, but lost Poszlusny. Were putting up some points last year, but Evans gone. Will be close in alot of games...and lose at the end. Steady

Miami (4-12) Brandon Marshall and...umm...hmmm...err....I have no idea who on offense to help bail out Henne. Step back

AFC West

San Diego (12-4) I don't feel they are as good as that record indicates, but they could conceivable go 6-0 in the division. Somehow, they break the Norv Turner curse. Slight step up

Kansas City (8-8) Probably as good as they were last year, but the record was an aberration. Trending up, but 1st place schedule catches them. Steady (but decline in record)

Oakland (7-9) Until proven otherwise, I can't make myself believe anything good will come out of Oakland. Steady

Denver (4-12) Overmatched. Orton, assuming he gets to start all year, will lead a decent offense, but the defense is in transition. Step back.



NFC to come...

[Suburban Rhythm]

Originally Posted by JediKooter

Buffalo - Here's to a 4-10 season. 4-10.

Blizzard in December and 2 games get cancelled?

[JediKooter]

i don't count the games they don't play in United States. That, or I had a flashback to the 1972 season.

[RainMaker]

NFC North - Best division in football in my opinion and the most intriguing. Should be an epic season.

Packers (11-5) - I do think they've gotten a bit too much love this offseason. They barely made the playoffs last year and kind of just got hot at the right time. Reminds me a bit of the Giants Super Bowl team in that regard. Then again, they did this with a ton of injuries last year. I still think they are the clear cut favorites in the North as they have the best QB in the division by a mile.

Bears (9-7) - Sort of the same team they had last year. The offensive line is still trash but I think their defense is really good. The D-Line should be better and they might actually get some help out of the safety position for the first time in awhile. My concern is that the team was relatively injury-free last season. I think that helped them a lot. They can't afford an injury to Cutler at all as they have no competent backup. And losing Peppers for any time would be a huge blow to the defense.

Vikings (8-8) - They actually weren't that bad last year for a team that went through a ton of turmoil. I could easily see them going 9-7 or 10-6. They still have one of the most dangerous offensive players in the league.

Lions (7-9) - I know everyone is jumping on the bandwagon, but I still don't know if Stafford is good yet. He can't stay healthy and they need something from the QB position. This is one of those teams that I think can fluctuate from a 5-11 team to a 10-6 team depending on how good Stafford really is (and whether he can be healthy). I just don't think you can win consistently in the league without quality QB play.

[Suburban Rhythm]

Originally Posted by Suburban Rhythm

NFC to come...

NFC North

Green Bay (12-4) Alot like the Steelers of 2005, they were so close to not even making the playoffs, and stumbled the next year. But, this team is talented. Steady

Chicago (8-8) Still not sure about the offense, and the whole kickoff thing hurts Hester. Slight step back

Detroit (8-8) Could this be the start of something big? The offense will score, and Suh-Fairley could dominate. Still questions about the back 7. Step up

Minnesota (7-9) I could really see any order for the 2-4 in this division, all around .500. Steady

NFC South

New Orleans (11-5) Ingram probably makes them more balanced, making them even tougher to defend, and allows them to control the ball with the lead, and not force the D back on the field. Slight step up

Atlanta (11-5) Green Bay exposed the secondary in the playoffs. Loading up to get Julio Jones and ignoring the DBs reminded me of Indy in the past loading up on more offense and standing pat on defense. slight step back

Tampa Bay (9-7) Didn't do anything to hurt themselves, but playing in a tough division. As NO slides back as they age, TB challenges Atlanta. Steady

Carolina (1-15) Challenging Cincy for #1 pick. Even if Newton is great, there's not much around him. An almost guaranteed 0-6 in the division doesn't help. Steady...and that's a bad thing

NFC East

Philadelphia (11-5) Not buying all the hype, but they are loaded. And an easier divisional schedule than NO and ATL gets them a bye. Slight step up

NY Giants (9-7) A clear step behind Philly, but a wild card possibility. Washington and Dallas being a little improved might cost them a game. Slight step back

Washington (7-9) Get a schedule break with Miami, SF, Carolina. Slight step up

Dallas (7-9) Not sure what's on D outside of Ware. DBs weren't great last year, and now a year older. Steady

NFC West

St. Louis (10-6) Record probably inflated by terrible division, but best talent of the 4 teams. Step up

Arizona (7-9) Kolb has to be an improvement on Leinart, right? Expect alot of 38-34 games. slight step up

Seattle (6-10) Not many changes, outside of QB, which was a downgrade. Steady

San Francisco (4-12) Reall, Alex Smith?? If a 5-11 can be inflated, same reasoning as St. Louis. They can probably going 3-3 in the division. Steady