D4H's 2018 NFL Season Preview

[Dobbs 4 Heisman]

So after taking in the preseason as well as the latest roster moves, here are my predictions for the upcoming NFL season.

Enjoy.

AFC East
1. New England Patriots (10-6)
2. Buffalo Bills (9-7)
3. New York Jets (7-9)
4. Miami Dolphins (4-12)

AFC North
1. Pittsburgh Steelers (13-3)
2. Cincinnati Bengals (12-4) - wildcard playoff team
3. Baltimore Ravens (7-9)
4. Cleveland Browns (6-10)

AFC South
1. Houston Texans (10-6)
2. Tennessee Titans (9-7) - wildcard playoff team
3. Jacksonville Jaguars (8-8)
4. Indianapolis Colts (4-12)

AFC West
1. Oakland Raiders (11-5)
2. Los Angeles Chargers (8-8)
3. Denver Broncos (5-11)
4. Kansas City Chiefs (3-13)

NFC East
1. Washington Redskins (11-5)
2. Dallas Cowboys (11-5) - wildcard playoff team
3. Philadelphia Eagles (10-6) - wildcard playoff team
4. New York Giants (4-12)

NFC North
1. Green Bay Packers (14-2)
2. Detroit Lions (9-7)
3. Minnesota Vikings (7-9)
4. Chicago Bears (6-10)

NFC South
1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (11-5)
2. Atlanta Falcons (7-9)
3. Carolina Panthers (6-10)
4. New Orleans Saints (6-10)

NFC West
1. Los Angeles Rams (13-3)
2. Seattle Seahawks (7-9)
3. San Francisco 49ers (5-11)
4. Arizona Cardinals (3-13)

NFL Regular Season Awards
NFL MVP: QB Aaron Rodgers (Packers)
Offensive Player of the Year: QB Deshaun Watson (Texans)
Defensive Player of the Year: DE Myles Garrett (Browns)
Offensive Rookie of the Year: RB Rashaad Penny (Seahawks)
Defensive Rookie of the Year: DE Arden Key (Raiders)
NFL Coach of the Year: Jon Gruden (Raiders)
Comeback Player of the Year: QB Deshaun Watson (Texans)

AFC Playoff Seedings
1. Pittsburgh Steelers (13-3)
2. Oakland Raiders (11-5)
3. Houston Texans (10-6)
4. New England Patriots (10-6)
5. Cincinnati Bengals (12-4)
6. Tennessee Titans (9-7)

NFC Playoff Seedings
1. Green Bay Packers (14-2)
2. Los Angeles Rams (13-3)
3. Washington Redskins (11-5)
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (11-5)
5. Dallas Cowboys (11-5)
6. Philadelphia Eagles (10-6)

Wildcard Weekend
#3 Houston Texans def. #6 Tennessee Titans
#5 Cincinnati Bengals def. #4 New England Patriots
#6 Philadelphia Eagles def. #3 Washington Redskins
#5 Dallas Cowboys def. #4 Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Divisional Weekend
#1 Pittsburgh Steelers def. #5 Cincinnati Bengals
#3 Houston Texans def. #2 Oakland Raiders
#1 Green Bay Packers def. #6 Philadelphia Eagles
#2 Los Angeles Rams def. #5 Dallas Cowboys

Championship Sunday
#1 Pittsburgh Steelers def. #3 Houston Texans
#2 Los Angeles Rams def. #1 Green Bay Packers

Super Bowl 53
Pittsburgh Steelers def. Los Angeles Rams

Super Bowl MVP: QB Joshua Dobbs (Steelers)

 

[HoptownVol]

 

[BIG BOI 23]

Jags doing better then 8-8 it’s all but guaranteed with that defense. There’s all pro talent at every level lol If they can dodge the slow start they had last year I bet Jax wins 11 or 12 all those guys got big time exp last year beating the Seahawks beating the Steelers twice getting to afc championship and damn near beating Pats

There’s so many 2nd and 3rd year guys I just don’t see anyway they don’t build on 2017

 

[superdave1984]

Raiders ain't winning 11 games. Neither are the skins or Cowboys. You have the NFC South upside down and backwards. Good grief dude. Do you even watch football?

 

[Panthro]

Still with the Bucs winning the South. Yikes!

 

[GAVol]

Still with the Bucs winning the South. Yikes!

Not seeing the Falcons, Saints and Panthers combining for 17 wins.

 

[K-town Vol Fan]

As a Cowboys fan, no way they win 11 games. The don't have WRs and their defense is questionable.

How the heck do you have the Saints winning 4 games?

 

[TrueOrange]

 

[Dobbs 4 Heisman]

Raiders ain't winning 11 games. Neither are the skins or Cowboys. You have the NFC South upside down and backwards. Good grief dude. Do you even watch football?

Yes. I watch lots of football. I also have a pretty good memory. I remember at this time last year, the hot Super Bowl pick was Raiders vs Cowboys. Neither team ended up making the playoffs in 2017.

I think your problem is you are using too much of what happened last year to project what will happen this year. At this time last year, nobody had the Rams, Saints, or Jaguars anywhere near the playoffs. And yet all 3 team ended up winning their division and making the playoffs. The NFL changes greatly from year to year. Teams go from last to first and vice versa all the time.

The Raiders will win the AFC West this season. That is a weak division and they are the most complete team I see. Redskins and Cowboys are two of the most physical teams in the NFL. They might have the best combination of play along both lines of scrimmage of any two teams in the NFL. I'll be shocked if both aren't big time contenders in 2018. The NFC South is going to have a down year in 2018. They have to play the AFC North this season (which is the best division in football outside of the NFC East). I expect the AFC North to dominate those matchups. That should result in the NFC South having some surprising results.

 

[Dobbs 4 Heisman]

Not seeing the Falcons, Saints and Panthers combining for 17 wins.

My wins/losses were inbalanced after looking at the overall wins and losses across the whole league. I changed some of my predictions in that division. You'll see I now have the Saints winning 6 games.

 

[Dobbs 4 Heisman]

As a Cowboys fan, no way they win 11 games. The don't have WRs and their defense is questionable.

How the heck do you have the Saints winning 4 games?

Changed my Saints win total projection from 4 to 6 games. With that said, I have them having a down season this year. I think Drew Brees has a 2015 Peyton Manning-esque regression. I'm also not confident their defense can stay healthy. They're pretty thin at CB. If a guy like Marshon Lattimore goes down (and he has been prone to injury in the past), their entire defense could fall apart.

I actually love the Cowboys in 2018 because of their defense. In particular their defensive line. They are so deep along that front its crazy. They're gonna be an extremely physical team that nobody wants to play. I also like their young secondary. Chidobe Awuzie is set up for a big season. I could see him being an All-Pro. I also like Jourdan Lewis and Xavier Woods. They both have star potential as well. And then at linebacker they drafted Leighton Vander Esch this season who I loved before the draft and think will be a star as well once he gets healthy. Cowboys are also great along the offensive line. They just need Fredericks to come back.

Games are won along the line of scrimmage. The Cowboys are ELITE along the offensive and defensive line. Doesn't matter if they lack wide receivers. They're just gonna run on everyone and then the defense will lock people up. If the NFC East wasn't so strong, I would have had them winning 13 games this season.

 

[BIG BOI 23]

Explain how Bucs win 11? Lol I’m guessing a monster year from some newbies like Ronald Johnson Vita Vea, Carlton Davis JPP, Vinnie Curry etc


Gerald McCoy, Noah Spence etc are definitely getting some serious help on DL and 2 second rd picks at DB hopefully helps the back end

 

[GAVol]

My wins/losses were inbalanced after looking at the overall wins and losses across the whole league. I changed some of my predictions in that division. You'll see I now have the Saints winning 6 games.

Still not buying that 3 10+ win teams from the same division are all going to win 7 or less The next season.

 

[Dobbs 4 Heisman]

Still not buying that 3 10+ win teams from the same division are all going to win 7 or less The next season.

First of all, that's the nature of the NFL. Teams go from first to last every year.

Also you gotta look at their schedules. NFC South will be playing the 2 toughest divisions in football this season (NFC East and AFC North).

I expect the NFC East and AFC North teams to beat up on the NFC South.

 

[Dobbs 4 Heisman]

Explain how Bucs win 11? Lol I’m guessing a monster year from some newbies like Ronald Johnson Vita Vea, Carlton Davis JPP, Vinnie Curry etc


Gerald McCoy, Noah Spence etc are definitely getting some serious help on DL and 2 second rd picks at DB hopefully helps the back end

Bucs are a very talented team. Even before this draft class (which was one of my favorites across the entire league in 2018). Remember at this time last year, they were the trendy pick to win the NFC South. Nobody was looking at the Saints or Panthers as potential playoff teams from that division. It was all about the Falcons and Bucs.

Don't let last season fool you. Tampa is a very talented team.

 

[95 Vol Alum]

Explain how Bucs win 11? Lol I’m guessing a monster year from some newbies like Ronald Johnson Vita Vea, Carlton Davis JPP, Vinnie Curry etc


Gerald McCoy, Noah Spence etc are definitely getting some serious help on DL and 2 second rd picks at DB hopefully helps the back end

Don’t they have ELITE lines?

How do they look in their uniforms?

Please answer these questions before coming in with this nonsense.

 

[n_huffhines]

I actually agree that the Jags are going to be average. Bortles has even less to throw to and the Jags D was amazingly healthy last year. No way they have that kind of luck again.

Flip the Raiders and the Chiefs.

Bills are going to be terrible.

Outside of the West, D4H's whole NFC is wacky.

 

[Dobbs 4 Heisman]

I actually agree that the Jags are going to be average. Bortles has even less to throw to and the Jags D was amazingly healthy last year. No way they have that kind of luck again.

Flip the Raiders and the Chiefs.

Bills are going to be terrible.

Outside of the West, D4H's whole NFC is wacky.

Bills have a great coaching staff. They will win more than people think.

And I can't believe how much people are sleeping on the Raiders. At this time last year they were the popular pick to make it to the Super Bowl out of the AFC.

Jon Gruden and the Raiders are better than people think.

 

[BIG BOI 23]

Bucs are a very talented team. Even before this draft class (which was one of my favorites across the entire league in 2018). Remember at this time last year, they were the trendy pick to win the NFC South. Nobody was looking at the Saints or Panthers as potential playoff teams from that division. It was all about the Falcons and Bucs.

Don't let last season fool you. Tampa is a very talented team.

I mean ya I agree lavonte David Kwon Alexander etc and and a few others get slept on big time

 

[BigOrangeTrain]

The Patriots the #4 seed in the weak AFC? Cincinnati beating the Pats in the playoffs? The Raiders just traded one of the best defenders in the NFL. Their defense will be complete garbage. D4H these projections may be your most insane yet. You continue to slide down the troll slide.

 

[BigOrangeTrain]

Bills have a great coaching staff. They will win more than people think.

And I can't believe how much people are sleeping on the Raiders. At this time last year they were the popular pick to make it to the Super Bowl out of the AFC.

Jon Gruden and the Raiders are better than people think.

Yeah, maybe before Gruden screwed himself by trading Mack. He just torpedoed his season.

 

[Dobbs 4 Heisman]

The Patriots the #4 seed in the weak AFC? Cincinnati beating the Pats in the playoffs? The Raiders just traded one of the best defenders in the NFL. Their defense will be complete garbage. D4H these projections may be your most insane yet. You continue to slide down the troll slide.

I actually wanted to knock the Patriots completely out of the playoffs but the AFC East is just too weak. If Buffalo didn't have such a bad o-line, I would have picked them. At some point the Patriots dynasty will end and Tom Brady will start looking like a 40 year old. It'll be either this year or next. They have no receivers anymore and their defense lacks play-makers. I think the Texans beat them in Week 1.

With regard to the Bengals, they are my surprise team of 2018. They looked incredible in the preseason. Joe Mixon looks like the best RB in the NFL right now to me. And their defensive line might be the best in the league. If Big Ben stays healthy and Dobbs doesn't take over as the starter for the Steelers, don't be surprised if the Bengals win the division. They are that good in my eyes.

The Raiders will be fine without Khalil Mack. They did a great job this year in the draft when it came to defensive lineman. Arden Key has a good chance at being Defensive Rookie of the Year. And interior lineman PJ Hall and Maurice Hurst were great picks as well. I have faith in Jon Gruden fixing the offense. I believe Derek Carr will have a bounce back season. The Raiders will run away with the AFC West. They are one of the teams I'm most confident will win their division in 2018.

 

[peaygolf]

As a Steelers fan...I hope you're right. But if L Bell sits out the first 10 games....no way they have home field. AFC Champion should be Jacksonville.

Tampa 11 wins? Come on. Zero chance. Doug Williams and Lee Roy Selman aren't walking thru the door.

 

[Dobbs 4 Heisman]

As a Steelers fan...I hope you're right. But if L Bell sits out the first 10 games....no way they have home field. AFC Champion should be Jacksonville.

Tampa 11 wins? Come on. Zero chance. Doug Williams and Lee Roy Selman aren't walking thru the door.

James Conner is better than Le'Veon Bell is right now. Steelers won't lose a beat. Especially when Dobbs is in there. Dobbs ability to run with hold the backside defensive end and allow the running backs to have more room to run. Look for the Steelers run game to improve in the games Dobbs plays.

 

[firestorm]

My NFL All teams records predictions.

AFC South
Titans 11-5
Jaguars 10-6
Texans 7-9
Colts 6-10



AFC North

Ravens 11-5
Steelers 10-6
Bengals 6-10
Browns 5-11

AFC West

Raiders 11-5
Broncos 10-6
Chargers 9-7

Chiefs 7-9

AFC East
Patriots 12-4
Bills 7-9
Dolphins 6-10
Jets 5-11


NFC North

Vikings 12-4
Packers 10-6
Lions 9-7
Bears 6-10

NFC South 

Panthers 11-5
Saints 10-6
Falcons 9-7
Bucs 7-9

NFC East
Eagles 11-5
Cowboys 10-6
Giants 9-7
Skins 9-7


NFC West

Rams 12-4
49ers 7-9
Seahawks 7-9

Cards 5-11