Yes, tonight a new NFL season begins. After a defensive blow-out Super Bowl 50, the Denver Broncos and the Carolina Panthers go at it again. As usual, there are a multitude of No Fun League story-lines. But since I'm a priest and not a sports writer, I only know two or three of them.
Like the St. Louis Rams becoming the Los Angeles Rams. Like a four game suspension for Tom Brady, and a three game sit-down for Le'Veon Bell. Like Peyton Manning retiring as a quarterback, and making a career as a couch potato. Like Roger Goodell hitting his tenth anniversary as commissioner, and his salary rising to over $30 million.
Last year's predictions were not pretty. I managed to get only two of six playoff participants right in both the AFC and NFC. My guess of the Packers over the Colts in Super Bowl 50 was way off. I missed the looming disasters of 7-9 Eagles, Saints and Rams (all which I thought would make the playoffs), the 5-11 Ravens and the 4-12 Chargers. I also missed the rising Cardinals, Broncos and Steelers. I just didn't see Big Ben and his fabulous receivers coming together as they did. I didn't see Cam Newton's incredible season. And nobody but nobody saw the QB disaster twins of Manning and Brock Osweiler be saved by the superb defense of Wade Phillips to carry Denver to victory in Santa Clara.
But that doesn't stop me from boldly predicting the winner of Super Bowl XI, and the 31 losers who fail to touch the Lombardi Trophy. I am really tempted to pick the Steelers to go all the way. Lots of internet predictors are. Sports Illustrated says they will reach the Super Bowl, but be taken down by the Cardinals--a reverse of Super Bowl 43. That same year Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins won their third Stanley Cup. There were two championship parades in Pittsburgh in 2009. Let's do it again. But, no, I don't think so. Lord, make me WRONG!
So here goes:
NFC East Washington (4)
NFC North Packers (3)
NFC South Panthers (1)
NFC West Cardinals (2)
Wild cards Seahawks (5) and Vikings (6)
In the playoffs:
Packers over Vikings
Seahawks over Washington
Panthers over Seahawks
Cardinals over Packers
Cardinals over Panthers
AFC East Patriots (1)
AFC North Steelers (2)
AFC South Texans (3)
AFC West Chiefs (4)
Wild cards Bengals (5) and Raiders (6)
In the playoffs:
Texans over Raiders
Bengals over Chiefs
Patriots over Bengals
Steelers over Texans
Patriots over Steelers
SUPER BOWL LI: Cardinals over Patriots
See you in Houston on February 5, 2017! Have a great season, everyone!
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