This season promises to continue on the wonderful warpath of parity. There’s a whole mess of favorites, an even larger mess of teams from which we have no idea what to expect, and surprisingly few guaranteed disasters. Even the Bills are looking to prove that a Harvard man can be a viable fantasy quarterback, and maybe War Damn Cam Newton will eagle his way through the toughest schedule in the NFL (insert groan). So without prolonging your wait any longer, here goes the 2011 dheerja.com season predictions!

NFC East: COWBOYS
Ohhhhh boy. Yeah I just did that. Way to start off with a doozy, eh? Well let’s be honest, the Giants are fading into complete insignificance in the shadow of Gang Green. They made zero offseason moves of note and lost entirely too many players to other teams and injury. 2007 might as well be 1969. The Redskins actually don’t seem that bad…wait did you say Rex Grossman? Isn’t he in the UFL by now?! It really boils down to the Eagles and Boys, and if the Miami Heat have taught us anything this year it’s that you can’t call yourselves a Dream Team before you’ve played a single game. The sporting gods do not approve and you will be doomed. DOOMED! But in all seriousness the Eagles have some serious holes on their team and I don’t see Vick lasting past week 10. Oh and didn’t Tony Romo get married this summer? That’s some pretty serious motivation to keep playing into January, nobody likes the ball and chain.

NFC West: CARDINALS
The NFL needs to take a serious look at adopting the EPL’s relegation system. You could make a strong case for kicking all four of these teams out, they’re a goddamn embarrassment! Neither the Niners nor Seahawks have a strong enough team to make up for their giant question mark at QB, and their tough schedules will only result in massacre. I think the Rams are a better team than the Cardinals, and I like Sam Bradford a lot more than unproven Kevin Kolb. But the Rams have a brutal early season schedule, while the Cards are coasting, and in the NFC West that’s pretty much the only thing that matters.

NFC North: PACKERS
The defending champs aren’t going anywhere. They have zero major changes in their roster from last year, and they’re only getting healthier and stronger. They won the Superbowl with a battered team, and their explosive offense and stellar defense will coast them to a division title barring any awful injuries. The Lions are the ultimate trendy “sleeper” pick right now, and I can’t say I don’t love the potential there but it’ll be tough to beat out the Pack. Stafford’s shoulder will single-handedly haunt the city of Detroit until he makes it through a season, and if he does I can see this team nabbing a coveted NFC wild card spot. I don’t think the Bears will surprise us again like last year, and the Vikings just aren’t going anywhere with McNabb. Rebuilding time!

NFC South: FALCONS
As much as I judge the Falcons for trading away everything they had in the draft for Julio Jones, I still really love this team, going three years strong now. If Julio pans out with the way he’s been performing this preseason he’ll be a welcome addition to an already threatening passing game. The Saints will always be in the running under the wonderful Sean Payton, but I think injuries will hold them back just enough to let Atlanta take the division. The Bucs would be my pick for the surprise of the NFC this year, but I think they need one more year to really get there. Carolina won’t be last year’s Carolina, but that’s pretty much the only positive thing we can say.

AFC East: JETS
Finally I’m taking the plunge. I can’t pick the Patriots this year, I just can’t. The Jets are in a position that I love – nobody has aggressively high expectations for us like last year, and we’ve finally settled into the mold of a consistent, solid team. Our offseason was average, especially compared to last year’s upgrades, and I still die a little inside every time I hear Nnamdi’s name, but we made some solid moves to build back weaker areas. The biggest concern here is sheer lack of depth, and any major injuries would completely tank this team. Obviously the Patriots are the favorite for this division, but I think our slightly easier schedule will edge us out over the evil team from the evil state. Oh and you heard it here first – the 2011 Panthers are the one and only Miami Dolphins! (mwauhahaha.)

AFC West: CHARGERS
This team has way too much going for it. Vincent Jackson looks stellar, as does the rest of the passing game, and the defense is solid as always. They’re also in the AFC West which is ALMOST as bad as the NFC West. Almost. The Chiefs could take it again but I think Matt Cassel severely under-performs this year, and last season was most definitely a direct product of a disgustingly easy schedule. The Raiders have somehow managed to make their team worse, but at least all their players have GREAT 40 times! Poor Jason Campbell is going into his second year in Oakland, over/under on how many games til Al Davis the dementor sucks the life out of him? Or how about the over/under on how many games til Denver succumbs to the golden boy and throws Orton to the dogs? No GQ cover for you Kyle.

AFC North: STEELERS
I hate this team. I hate that they stood in the way of our first Superbowl since 1969. I hate that they have an incredible ownership that leads this franchise to Superbowl after Superbowl, spoiling Pittsburgh fans yet again. It’s just impossible to not pick this team that will only improve from last year’s run. The Ravens look spotty this year and I think they lost their best shot at a Superbowl run last season. Both the Bengals and Browns have the potential to surprise us, but it won’t happen this season with an inexperienced Dalton and an annoying Colt McCoy. This is a great division though and will definitely provide some competitive games this year.

AFC South: TITANS
With Peyton out for the season this race will be a close one between the Texans and Titans. Houston is the fan favorite, as always, but the Titans have an incredible offensive line to protect Hasselbeck from his usual injuries. Chris Johnson is signed and ready to roll, and Tennessee has the potential to rival Houston’s explosive offense, whose running game will take a step down without Vonta Leach blocking for Foster.

Get pumped. Get your face on. Game time.

Now that I’ve simultaneously praised Detroit twice and had a Jets-related breakdown you must be very confused. Well that makes two of us, but before you hit that back button and return to normalcy, I’ll explain exactly why we pigskin fans have deteriorated into head cases.

This has been the most excruciating NFL offseason of all time. Instead of biding our time over-analyzing free agent signings we were relegated to halfheartedly pursuing replacement candidates for Sundays, Mondays, Thursdays, and hundreds of fantasy football hours. Hockey? Too many games. European soccer? Too much diving. Aussie rules football? Now we’re talking…oh wait we don’t wake up before noon on weekends. I’m sure with an awkward combination of these sports we could reach some level of enjoyment, but nothing would truly replace the presence that red-blooded American football holds in our hearts.

So what exactly have we missed out on since Aaron Rodgers hoisted his championship belt? Let’s take a look.

FEBRUARY
What we should have been doing: If you’re a Packers fan, reveling in the greatest fulfillment as a sports fan. If not, hating everyone that stood in your way. (My children will be allowed to say the f word before they can utter the name of the-football-team-from-the-other-town-in-Pennsylvania)
What we were actually doing: Sticking to the above as any *real* football fan would do and blatantly ignoring all signs pointing to an NFL Armageddon. This was the best season in a long time – why would they kill football?!

MARCH
What we should have been doing: Analyzing the free agent market and furiously telling anyone who will listen (inanimate objects included) why your team needs to add depth at OLB and why shelling out the cash for a veteran is totally worth it. I mean, this is our year right?
What we were actually doing: Stalking Twitter and all media outlets in an attempt to become pseudo legal analysts (Law and Order didn’t air this episode), until BAM. Lockout. What the hell just happened?

APRIL
What we should have been doing: Jumping on the NBA/NHL bandwagon juuuust in time for playoffs. Boo Miami! Yay for hockey being entertaining! Hold on – WHY did we trade away the pillar of our offensive line? To the Twitterverse!
What we were actually doing: That Nelson woman, we like her. We don’t really get it, but she lifted the lockout so yeah, we like her. So…does this mean we’re good? Or should we be auditioning a permanent NBA and NHL team? Crap.

MAY
What we should have been doing: The draft just ended, meaning there’s a whole slew of new players to analyze! Who’s the next Matt Ryan and who’s tanking Leinert-style? Does Atlanta seriously think giving up everything they had for a rookie receiver is the key to a Superbowl? And somehow the Suh-Fairley defensive line is catapulting the Lions into a trendy “sleeper” pick? This season is going to be awesome.
What we were actually doing: Lockout is back and we adopt a full-blown fatalistic mentality. At least our marriages will survive sans fantasy football?

JUNE
What we should have been doing: Enjoying the sun with a little pigskin on the beach. Hey I could totally be the next Danny Woodhead! When does training camp start again? Oh and now we’re 100% on this NBA/NHL bandwagon. Go underdogs, playoffs baby!
What we were actually doing: We’ve lost track but we think there’s a glimmer of hope. Nothing really makes sense anymore. I guess we’ll watch the Women’s World Cup, maybe this soccer thing won’t be so bad. It has to be better than watching Rog and DeMaurice walk across the street every day.

Now it’s July and the most agonizing week is upon us, but we’re oh…so…close. I can already smell the waves of garbage floating over the Meadowlands. I can hear Fireman Ed leading hair gel-ed masses in the most satisfying chant in sports, J-E-T-S! I can see that first kickoff, the ball spinning through the air as we rise in excitement for a brand new season.

Come on boys, don’t let us down.

• Teams went 127-129 covering the spread at a meager 49.6%, demolishing us all in pick’em.
• Out of 256 games, 90 were upsets (winner had the lower record) and 44 were played between teams with the same record. Here I’ll do the math for you – that’s over 50%.
• 103 games (40%) were decided by less than one touchdown, and 161 games (63%) were decided by less than two touchdowns.
• Not a single team rested their starters in Week 16, every game mattered.
• Only two teams (Jets and Eagles) rested their starters in Week 17.

It’s been a damn good season with some damn good football, and pigskin fans everywhere are salivating for the playoffs kickoff tomorrow. So without further ado, my wild card weekend picks:

Colts over Jets – Peyton at home in the playoffs is another level, and the Colts run D has significantly improved. I think resting in Week 17 will end up throwing Sanchez off his game a bit in an offensive shootout where he can’t afford a single misstep. The last time the Jets took a week off they returned to a nasty shutout. I don’t usually quote others in my posts (unless it’s Rex Ryan profanity), but Simmons literally took the words out of my mouth. “The Jets spent the offseason building their roster for this game specifically — if they blow it, they’d be remembered as the biggest collection of frauds and posers in recent New York sports history. And this is a city that has the Mets.” Scared? Petrified.
*Interesting matchup: Colts passing game vs. Jets secondary (Revis/Cromartie/Coleman)

Saints over Hawks – This needs no explanation, it’s a JV-Varsity scrimmage.
*Interesting matchup: Saints running game without Chris Ivory vs. Hawks run D that isn’t awful

Ravens over Chiefs – The Chiefs’ success (7-1) at home is entirely misleading, here are the teams they beat: Chargers, Browns, Niners, Jags, Bills, Cards, Hawks, Broncos, Rams, and Titans. Exactly ONE of those teams has a winning record. Baltimore will demolish them.
*Interesting matchup: #1 running game vs. #4 run D (i.e. Jamaal Charles vs. the formidable Ravens D line)

Packers over Eagles – How pumped are you for this game? This matchup is literally drool-worthy. The Eagles have been highly inconsistent, and the Packers have looked great recently. Vick will be under a lot of pressure, and I can see a meltdown similar to the Vikings game when he had no time in the pocket and threw some pretty awful passes. Rodgers has a great oline in front of him, giving him plenty of time to throw against an inconsistent secondary.
*Interesting matchup: Eagles passing game vs. Woodson and the Packers secondary

Let’s do this – PLAYOFFS BABY!

Which brings me to the purpose of this post. Fantasy football is a game. WE are the owners, GMs and commissioners of the NFL. We don’t have a dictator coughROGERcough telling us what rules to follow. I’ve been in both standard and customized leagues, and it’s time to revolutionize the standard. Just because the NFL allows ties in an awful set of overtime rules doesn’t mean you have to suffer as well! (Confusing McNabb further is a small price to pay for such freedom) Your league settings don’t let you get rid of kickers? Start a petition and wage war against such tyranny! Break the chains and take control of your fantasy! (yes, pun intended.)

Now that I’ve reached my exclamation point quota, here are my recommendations to optimize your fantasy football experience:

gimme my 0.9 points!

I…I don’t understand.

all I want is to be appreciated.

tonight…you die.

MORE DRAFTS! MOOOORE!!!!

This list is just a start, post your fantasy football fantasies below!

The Wack Factor Power Rankings are NFL division leaders ranked by level of “wackiness”, determined mostly by variation from preseason favorites. Here are my Week 6 rankings:
1. Kansas City
2. Washington
3. Chicago
4. Atlanta
5. Arizona
6. Houston
7. NY Jets
8. Baltimore
Note: consider this my official I-told-you-so! on the Chiefs call in my preseason predictions.

The Wack Factor Power Rankings are informative, but the real beauty is that the division leaders picture really just scratches the surface of the madness going on this season. Wackiness galore!

NFC East: This division race has been exciting for a while, but did anyone think the Skins would actually play a role in the competition they bottomed out the past two years? The Eagles are hanging on for dear life with their injury battles, and does anyone know what the hell is going on with the Giants offense? Dallas is second in the league in yards per game and hasn’t lost by more than a touchdown, yet they’re 1-3 and their hopes of a home Superbowl are quickly slipping away. Come on Boys, you knew it was over when Kim dumped Miles. You better hope she hates Jessica Simpson enough to rebound with Romo and resists her bad-boy urge for Vick. Never cross a Kardashian if you want a ring!

NFC West: Moment of silence for Niners fans. We feel your pain. At 0-5 in the NFC West you’re past the bottom rung of the ladder, you’re tunneling to China at this point. But you know what’s REALLY crazy? I still think the Niners will take this, and not because “Jed York” sounds so similar to “New York Jets” that I’ll listen to anything he says. They lost to New Orleans, Atlanta, and Philly by three points or less – heartbreaking losses to the defending champs, the team winning their division over the defending champs, and a team out for blood in one of the closest division races in the league. They have Oakland, Carolina, and Denver next with a pretty easy schedule after the bye. They’re gonna do it. Oh and can Niners fans please stop chanting for Carr? Do you realize how bad David Carr is? And then there’s Arizona. From the above rankings the biggest question is why Arizona is so wacky when they won their division the past two years, including one Superbowl run. Two words: Kurt Warner. Two more words: Matt Leinart. Last two: Max Hall. The NFC West might belong in Canada but it’s still shocking that the Cards are in the lead with the QB roulette they’ve been playing.

NFC North: Injuries make this division race more competitive than it looks. Mike Martz’s offense places the Bears’ success in Cutler’s hands, and without him they could easily lose key games in a tough schedule. Green Bay is riddled with injuries to Rodgers, Finley, Matthews, Lee, Martin, and Pickett, and they face the Dolphins, Vikings, Jets, and Cowboys before the bye week. The Vikings are impossible to predict. Brett Favre is the most agonizing player in the NFL, and Monday Night’s game was the perfect example. Playing like a rookie for the first half, he did a complete 180 after his 500th touchdown, and immediately started blatantly clutching his elbow so when he eventually threw the game-deciding interception he would have an excuse for retirement #216197 next year. Everyone hates him so much I don’t think a single person was excited for him after the milestone touchdown, including his family since we all know he’s a dirty, guilty old man. Simmons compared Randy Moss to the crazy girl you’d never marry, Favre is the cougar who’s REALLY good at what she um “does”, but gives you an STD every once in a while. Combine those two and I really have no idea what happens. There’s a great ring analogy somewhere in there but I think I’ve said enough.

NFC South: The Falcons coming out of nowhere to beat the reigning NFL champs, combined with Tampa Bay’s surprising and inexplicable success raises the wack factor of this division considerably. The Saints are trying to remedy their injury situation and it’ll be a close race with Atlanta, but I strongly believe in the Madden Curse and its season-ending powers. Come on people when are you gonna BELIEVE!

AFC East: Everyone knew this would be one of the closest divisional races in the league, so the wackiness is relatively low. This division is going to come down to head-to-head matchups between the Jets, Pats, and Fins. It’s easy to call this ending as it is now with the Jets taking it all, especially with their 3-0 divisional record, but a closer look raises some interesting points. The Jets dominated New England at home and barely won a nail-biter at Miami, while New England crushed Miami in Florida. It’s tough to win at Gillette, and the Pats could beat both the Jets and Fins at home. The AFC East title is still up for grabs between these three teams, and each game promises to be a headliner. At least everyone can bond over steamrolling the Bills! Woo!

AFC West: I’m sorry, what? The Chiefs are winning their division and the Raiders, Chargers, and Broncos are tied at 2-3? Wait no, the Raiders win the tiebreaker and are in second? What is going ON?! Unfortunately this is just bad football and whatever team comes out on top isn’t making it out of the first round of the playoffs, but it’s fun to root for the Chiefs and Raiders out of compassion for their remaining fans and hatred for Philip Rivers the d-bag. Seriously, it must suck to be his teammate. This is the wackiest division in the NFL right now and I love it.

AFC North: The Ravens were a trendy Superbowl pick, so their success is probably the least surprising. The Bengals are a total mess, but the Ravens-Steelers race is going to be awesome, and the loser between the two should end up taking a Wild Card. Good football by two well-rounded teams.

AFC South: Four 3-2 teams is really pretty to look at, and it makes me shiver in excitement to watch all FOUR of these teams duke it out to the finish. What’s interesting is that each team has extreme strengths and weaknesses that balance out enough to throw the division race wide open. Houston is 5th in the NFL in rushing yards and run defense, but dead last in passing defense. The Colts are 4th in passing yards, but a lowly 28th in rushing yards and 29th in run defense. Jacksonville is 4th in rushing yards, but 26th in passing yards and 29th in passing defense. The Titans are 6th in rushing yards, but 27th in passing defense and 28th in passing yards.

2010 NFL season overall wack factor: 8/10
Here’s hoping it gets even better, cheers!

NFC East: GIANTS
Probably the toughest division call to make, but the Giants are way underestimated this year. Barring any injuries, both their offense and defense will be the most consistent in the division. The Eagles could be explosive with the success of Kolb and some great young receivers, but they can just as easily crash and burn. Shanahan will turn the Skins around but it won’t be this year, especially if McNabb is already somewhat injured and Haynesworth is well on his way to the infirmary. And I still have no faith in the Cowboys. Superbowl in a home stadium…ha.

NFC West: NINERS
NFC West? Who? What? Aw cute they think they belong in the NFL…
With a Warner-less Cardinals the Niners hold their fate in their pants…HANDS! I meant hands! Damn you Singletary. Alex Smith is the biggest and possibly only question on this team, and regardless there is absolutely no reason they should lose the title to the Seahawks, Rams, or Cards. I don’t even think there’s a time frame for how long those teams will take to rebuild. Don’t we all wish we could coast to the playoffs via the NFC West?

NFC North: PACKERS
As long as last year’s o-line issues are sorted out, this offense is as drool-worthy as a bacon explosion. (Will someone get Rex a napkin?) Favre is severely lacking receivers with Rice out and Percy with migraines that are probably symptoms of some STD. Berrian is way too slow and untalented to handle the gunslinger. The Bears might be the surprise of the division, depending on the success of Cutler with Knox and Aromashodu under a Mike Martz offense, but Cutler’s interception-prone hands could easily take it the other way. Things are slowly looking up for the Lions, but “Best is the BEST” chants have already gone from cute to annoying.

NFC South: FALCONS
I’m really skeptical of the Saints repeating their success, and I still love the Falcons. I think Ryan’s going to have a breakout season and prove everyone wrong, and with a healthy Turner this offense can take the title. The defense is stronger than the Saints, and will take advantage of a pretty easy schedule. Carolina and Tampa Bay aren’t coming close to either of those teams.

AFC East: DOLPHINS
I just cried a little inside. I can’t help being a pessimistic Jets fan, and don’t you dare judge me for it. I hate the ridiculously high expectations that I’m convinced were spawned by the Hard Knocks producers, and I hate that they’ve turned us all into giant drama queens. Curse you HBO! Our defense is going to dominate again this year, and I know all our opponents are cringing at the thought of a healthy Kris Jenkins addition to our already formidable defensive line. Unfortunately I’m cringing just as much at the thought of our offense trying to carry us into the playoffs. At best Sanchez is a decent game manager, at worst he’ll throw away the season. The loss of Alan Faneca is going to seriously hurt us at left guard, and both Ducasse and Slauson have the potential to give up way too many sacks. That hit on Brady is flashing before my eyes. I think we’ll have a rough start and finish strong, but not soon enough to take the lead in what could be the closest divisional race in the league. The Pats D is going to be their downfall from first this year, and I see the Dolphins being the most consistent team in the division. Their running game is solid and the Henne-Marshall combo has explosive potential. Oh and everybody welcome the next 2008 Lions and 2009 Rams…the 2010 Bills!

AFC West: CHIEFS
Matt Cassel, Jamaal Charles, Thomas Jones, Dwayne Bowe…Charlie Weis can do this. They have an easy schedule that can grab them a close finish in first over the Chargers, who I think are overrated. The Broncos aren’t doing anything – Kyle Orton sucks, their receivers suck, and don’t get me started on Brady Quinn or Tebow, savior of the NFL. It’ll be interesting to see how Campbell fares on another team, even if that team is the Raiders, but regardless he’ll be an upgrade from JaMarcus. The Raiders will get there eventually, maybe Disney can sign Al Davis to play Ursula’s husband in The Little Mermaid III and he’ll be lost in animated land forever!

AFC North: RAVENS
Love everything about this team. I want to hire Ray Lewis as a life coach, can you imagine waking up to him yelling at you every morning? Ed Reed out is a blow to the defense, but it’ll still be dominant, and Joe Flacco could be a sleeper MVP pick with a solid set of receivers. Palmer is going to self-combust this year while Ocho and TO tear each other apart, and I don’t see the Steelers recovering from a Big Ben-less four weeks to win a highly competitive division. I think the Ravens will take it all the way.

AFC South: COLTS
Oh Peyton we can never doubt you. The Texans with Schaub could have a great offensive year, but it won’t be enough to topple the Colts from their reign. I can’t see a single reason why the Colts won’t coast to the top of the division, the season will really start for them in the playoffs.

It’s the greatest time of the year, football is here!

* dheerja.com is a kid-friendly, mother-approved site. As much as I love Rexy, he didn’t survive the censor.

But that’s not to say it hasn’t been an eventful offseason. Thankfully our friends on the NFL payroll haven’t disappointed when it comes to criminal activity, diva behavior, and general debauchery. Not to worry Mothers Against Degenerate Athletes (MADA), you still have Tim Tebow to uphold the ridiculous concept of NFL role models!

Before we get to the upcoming season, here’s a breakdown of this year’s drama-filled offseason, complete with visual aids.

DELINQUENTS

DIVAS

Conspiracy Theory ALERT: HBO is behind it all. LT, Holmes, Jason Taylor, Cromartie…those Hard Knocks producers are drooling. $100 says all of Cromartie’s illegitimate children mysteriously show up at training camp. And it’s not hard to picture the LT vs. Kris Jenkins race to the buffet line (om nom nom nom nom). Or they’ll hire dozens of scam GQ photographers to surround the field so Sanchez and Taylor can scratch (yes scratch) each other to get in front of the camera.

All jokes aside it feels good to experience something that few sports fans can truly appreciate – satisfaction with your front office. Ask any Lions fan, the worst fan experience is to be utterly disgusted with your franchise. Records and Superbowl rings aside, true happiness comes with knowing that your team will do anything and everything it needs to do to win. The Lions aren’t winning a Superbowl anytime soon, but with the devil/He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named gone, their fans know that it can only go up from here. Isiah Thomas single-handedly ruined the NBA for me, and it’ll take years (or King James) to bring Knicks fandom back to its 90s stature. So hang in there Raiders fans, or take matters into your own hands and drop Al Davis in Loch Ness where he can be reunited with his next of kin.

Woody Johnson, Mike Tannenbaum, and good ol’ Rex have done a fantastic job of putting together a dangerous Gang Green. Quick breakdown of our offseason moves so far:

• Antonio Cromartie – The Cromartie/Revis pairing is the best in the league. Cromartie gives the Jets the flexibility to switch around matchups, which is what killed us last year against the Colts.
• LT – We essentially got another Thomas Jones for less money. He fits right into a great RB system with Shonn Greene and Leon Washington, so worst case scenario he’s an excellent complement to Greene as a 3rd down back and in passing scenarios.
• Santonio Holmes – Former Superbowl MVP for a 5th rounder? STEAL. Coming off his most productive season, Holmes fills the gaping hole at the #1 receiver spot. Sanchez finally has a solid receiving corps to boost our passing game.
• Jason Taylor – From a purely performance perspective, he’ll obviously be good to take some snaps from Calvin Pace and Bryan Thomas, and Vernon Gholston can learn from an experienced player. But let’s face it, the dude hates us and we hate him. He doesn’t want to play for the Jets, he expressed his desire to stay in Miami, and he’ll have a lot to prove when he puts on that uniform. I understand we’re a business at the end of the day and we need to take what we can get to win, but there’s a mutual hatred between Taylor and Jet nation that needs to be remedied, starting with him. Get over yourself. You’re a Jet now and it’s time you embraced the team and its fans.

So how will the Jets fare next season? The schedule’s out and I’m calling a 10-6 season to take the AFC East:

Week 1 – W vs. Baltimore
Week 2 – L vs. New England
Week 3 – L @ Miami
Week 4 – W @ Buffalo
Week 5 – L vs. Minnesota
Week 6 – W @ Denver
Week 7 – BYE
Week 8 – L vs. Green Bay
Week 9 – W @ Detroit
Week 10 – W @ Cleveland
Week 11 – W vs. Houston
Week 12 – L vs. Cincinnati
Week 13 – W @ New England
Week 14 – W vs. Miami
Week 15 – W @ Pittsburgh
Week 16 – L @ Chicago
Week 17 – W vs. Buffalo

Cheers!

The TRUE Defensive Player of the Year.

Jets over Bengals
From an objective perspective this game is a complete mystery to me, since I don’t think last week’s game is any sort of window to the way these teams will match up. Revis is going to shut down Ocho, so it’ll really come down to Benson versus our run D and how many interceptions Sanchez is allowed to throw. I do think the Jets D will frustrate Palmer in the pocket and force some mistakes. It’ll be a close one but I’m taking the J-E-T-S!

Ravens over Pats
Wes Welker out is a huge blow to the Pats offense. I recall a time early in the regular season when the Pats were a dazed and confused team, which also happened to be the time Welker was out. Edelman is decent, but without Welker and a perfectly healthy Brady the Pats aren’t in the position they need to be in. I’ve been disappointed with the Ravens D, but Ed Reed is back and ready to dominate.

Packers over Arizona
Arizona always does well in the postseason, but I have a lot of faith in the Packers. Their game has improved tremendously the second half of the season and they have the potential to take it all the way. Aaron Rodgers may be a rookie but he’s waited a lot of years for this moment and he’s not going to let Arizona get in the way of meeting the Vikings in the playoffs.