With the NFL season about to get underway I wanted to step forward and make a few bold predictions…
- It all starts with the unlikely (becoming more likely) retirement of Darelle Revis. I expected him to sign with his hometown Steelers while secretly hoping he’d don Giants blue. Both teams made other moves at corner, signaling an end to Revis Island.
- From there we visit Kaepernick Island. The forlorn QB has been a castaway from the NFL thanks to his kneeling for the pledge. In a nation that prides itself so heavily on the right to free speech, we put a lot behind the power of the public and the media. CK is better than at least 10 starting QBs in the league right now and cannot even find a job as a lowly backup.
- Speaking of backing people up, the number of aging defenders who cannot find good work has climbed dramatically. One look at the Madden slush pile is a reminder that teams are preparing for the future while trying to maximize their profit with younger (read: cheaper) players.
- The Jets, Bills, and Browns have all actively tanked this season before it started. The same can be surmised for the Vikings and Colts, but they were not nearly as obvious as the first three–especially the first two. Still, I expect each of these teams to eek out a win or three on their race to the bottom, proving that there is some level of parity in the main grouping of the NFL. Still, the elite teams will continue to be elite.
- That list includes the Patriots who are without their go-to receiver in Edelman. This promises more work for Gronk who will have a record year on the way to another playoffs. In the end they won’t have the chops to knoc off the Raiders.
- On the other side of the rock, the Giants will tough it out and meet team Beast in the big show.
- I’m taking the Giants 24-12