Colin Cowherd's 2018 NFL Season Predictions

Colin Cowherd has put together his list of predictions for the upcoming NFL season broken down by division!

NFC North

  • Green Bay Packers 11-5
    • Will win the division
    • Aaron Rodgers returns with a chip on his shoulder
    • Addressed cornerback issues
    • Strengthened defensive front
  • Minnesota Vikings 9-7
    • Will pull back a little this year
      • New QB
      • New coordinator
      • Injuries
      • Brutal starting schedule
  • Detriot Lions 7-9
    • Won't be a homerun season
    • I like Matt Stafford
    • Bad offensive line
    • Meh off-season
  • Chicago Bears 5-11
    • Like players but don't trust ownership
    • Season could be decided in the first 7 games
    • Mitch Trubisky is unproven
    • Don't have great vibes about them

AFC North

  • Pittsburgh Steelers 12-4
    • Number ONE seed
    • Best Offensive personnel when you combine:
      • QB-RB-TE and O-Line
    • No more Todd Haley
    • Getting a lot of breaks in home games
  • Baltimore Ravens 7-9
    • EITHER-OR Team in the League
      • EITHER Lamar Jackson will motivate Joe Flacco
      • OR will Lamar Jackson's popularity will push him to QB if Flacco struggles
    • Tough games will be on the road
  • Cleveland Browns 6-10
    • Most improved team in the NFL
    • No pressure/expectations
    • Nick Chubb will be Offensive ROY
    • Tyrod Taylor 
      • Took Buffalo to the playoffs...
      • Miles ahead of Baker Mayfield
      • Reliable and makes no mistakes
      • Nice passer rating
  • Cincinnati Bengals 6-10
    • Needs a reboot
    • Tough first-month schedule
    • Likable defensive line
    • Pacman Jones?
    • Can't beat the Steelers

AFC East

  • New England Patriots 10-6
    • Will win the division but pulls back significantly
    • Lost several good players
    • Dont'a Hightower is their only special player in the front 7 defensively
    • Still searching for a pass rusher (That's why Eagles beat them)
    • O-Line is the weakest it's been
    • Lost Matt Patricia
    • Tough games in September
  • New York Jets 8-8
    • I like Todd Bowles
      • Disciplined, no non-sense team that overachieved last year
    • Upgraded at QB with Sam Darnold
    • 3 of their 5 wins were against playoff teams and robbed in one other loss
    • Workable schedule (Toughest games are mostly at home)
  • Miami Dolphins 7-9
    • The return of Ryan Tannehill?
    • Lost so many players in FA
    • Tough games are on the road
  • Buffalo Bills 5-11
    • No QB.
      • AJ McCarron is a backup
      • Josh Allen is an inaccurate rookie (possible bust)
    • LeSean McCoy could be out the league...
    • First 8 games are brutal without a QB

NFC East

  • Philadelphia Eagles 11-5
    • Will win the division but will pull back a bit from 13 wins (Stronger NFC)
    • Defensive line is still the strength of this team
  • Dallas Cowboys 9-7
    • They have issues
    • Not Dynamic on the outside offensively
    • Rough road schedule in the first 8 weeks
  • New York Giants 8-8
    • Most improved team
    • Improved LT, HC & RB
    • They've got "REAL" players in every unit
  • Washington Redskins 6-10
    • They've got stars and beasts in the O-Line
    • New QB will take time
    • Sean McVay is still missed especially for their offense

AFC West

  • Los Angeles Chargers 11-5
    • QB, O-Line, and RBs are a B+
    • They have something almost no one in the NFL has...DUAL pass rushers
    • Early schedule is workable
    • Missing Electricity in their Receivers 
  • Kansas City Chiefs 9-7
    • TE Travis Kelce is the next Gronk
    • Patrick Mahomes II?
    • Lost several decent players
    • BRUTAL early schedule.
  • Denver Broncos 7-9
    • They have two great pass rushers
    • 19th rated O-Line 
    • Case Keenum is NOT in Minnesota anymore.
  • Oakland Raiders 5-11
    • This team has trainwreck written all over it
    • Jon Gruden hasn't coached in a decade
    • Gruden and GM aren't on the same page
    • Lame stadium and the poorest owner in the league
    • Messy secondary and not loving the LBs
    • Marshawn Lynch?? Really?

NFC West

  • Los Angeles Rams 11-5
    • This Rams roster is filthy GOOD
    • Only concern is how long can Andrew Whitworth play LT
    • Most of the division is rebuilding
    • Peters & Suh could be a problem
  • San Francisco 49ers 8-8
    • Rebuilding
    • O-Line needs help
    • Secondary needs work
    • Grade A Coach
    • Grade B+ QB
    • Grade B/B+ defensive line
    • Talented Rookie WR
  • Seattle Seahawks 7-9
    • O-Line is not good
    • Rooke RB is questionable
    • Lost their WR
    • Team has lost momentum in general
    • Too many questions marks
    • Brutal Nov & Dec Schedule
  • Arizona Cardinals 6-10
    • I like the future of Arizona
    • Josh Rosen will be interesting
    • O-Line is old and un-athletic
    • Sam Bradford and Rosen can be Brittle
    • Rough final six games

AFC South

  • Houston Texans 10-6
    • Will win the division with the return of Deshaun Watson
    • Limited in the O-Line but returning players should help them win the division
    • Workable schedule
  • Indianapolis Colts 9-7
    • Andrew Luck is BACK with an Offensive coach
    • Massively underrated
    • Solved O-Line issues
    • Defensive line is better than people think
    • Won't leave Indy in November!
  • Jacksonville Jaguars 8-8
    • Benefited from injuries in their division last season
    • No chance they repeat their sweep of Colts and Texans
  • Tennessee Titans 6-10
    • New coordinator and coach will take time to gel
    • Decent RB decided to retire
    • Tough November schedule 
    • Marcus Mariota is just okay
    • I don't buy this team... 

NFC South

  • Atlanta Falcons 11-5
    • Wins the division
      • Stable ownership
      • Good Roster
      • Good QB
      • Good Coach
    • Most underrated O-Line
    • Depth at RB and WR
    • 5 of their first 7 games are at home
  • New Orleans Saints 10-6
    • Best HC, QB GM combo in the league
    • Drafted very well
    • O-Line is below ATL, but it's elite
    • Bound for the Playoffs
  • Carolina Panthers 8-8
    • Cam Newton has never had back-to-back winning seasons
    • Front 7 defensively is fantastic
    • O-Line is not as good as Falcons or Saints 
  • Tampa Bay Buccaneers 3-13
    • Not sure if team thinks Jameis Winston is the future 
    • O-Line is a work in progress
    • Winston isn't ready to be an NFL QB
    • Rough beginning in their schedule
    • Good division, bad team.

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