Astute readers (and you -- singular -- know who you are!) will notice that I've chosen not to use a Roman numeral in my title. That's because this year the NFL has chosen not to use a Roman numeral in its naming of the Big Game. Super Bowl 50 on February 7, 2016, not Super Bowl L.
We have now gone beyond Deflategate, and are coming up upon the real thing--256 games of real pro football, followed by 11 playoff games. I for one am glad the legal wrangling is over, though Tom Brady again proved a major principle of American justice. If you have a wealthy lawyer, you can win anything in court. A guilty conscience, and friends with a pin to let the air out, are just not enough. Roger Goodell is a bigger loser than the Cleveland Browns (with their 24 starting quarterbacks since 1999).
With tonight's game between the Super Bowl champions almost a foregone conclusion (Patriots, zero suspensions, Steelers, two, plus All-Pro center Pouncey out; over/under for Patriots offense is 38), it's time for me to predict again the winners for the 2015 NFL season. But not before a look back.
As that great (former) football blogger Gregg Easterbrook wrote often, "All predictions wrong or your money back." Last year I only got five of 12 playoff teams correct. But, amazing of amazing, I did pick Brady & Belechik and company to win the Lombardi. And they did, in beyond-exciting fashion over the Seattle "I'll pass again and again on the one-yard line" Seahawks. My prediction was that the Patriots would beat the Saints. Ha! The Saints didn't even make the playoffs!
But then again, I predicted our Steelers would go 6-10, and a wonderful, bewildering season resulted in 11-5, more brilliance by Big Ben and Baby Bell, and a division championship over Baltimore and Cincinnati, which both crept into the January tourney as wild cards.
This year, again, I'm cannot be blinded by the offensive brilliance, Ben's magic touch, and Coach Tomlin's Tomlinisms. All I see is a defense that is at least one year away, and maybe three more skilled personnel additions, away from playoff caliber. Steelers, 7-9.
So here are my predictions for the 2015 NFL season:
NFC EAST: Eagles (3)
NFL NORTH: Packers (1)
NFC SOUTH: Saints (4)
NFC WEST: Seahawks (2)
Wild cards: Rams (6) and Cowboys (5)
Eagles over Rams
Saints over Cowboys
Packers over Saints
Eagles over Seahawks
Packers over Eagles
AFC EAST: Patriots (1)
AFC NORTH: Ravens (4)
AFC SOUTH: Colts (3)
AFC WEST: Chargers (2)
Wild Cards: Bills (6) and Broncos (5)
In such a super competitive league, I am picking the two Super Bowl participants to win their respective divisions. But I can't see either New England or Seattle making it back to Five-Oh in Santa Clara. Too many distractions, too great a possibility of the wrong injuries. The surprises in the league will be the Rams, making it back into the playoffs for the first time in more than a decade, similarly with the Bills. This will be the swan song for the great Peyton Manning, alas. And I think Aaron Rogers and Mike McCarthy (of St. Rosalia Parish, Pittsburgh, fame) will win their second big trophy.
Colts over Bills
Ravens over Broncos
Ravens over Patriots
Colts over Chargers
Colts over Ravens
SUPER BOWL 50: Packers over Colts
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