I wanna play!! Here's my observations! I'd love to see my predictions compare with yours next year! I don't have the wherewithall to make fancy graphics though, at the moment.
AFC
New England - 9 or 10 - Brady is declining yes, but he's still smart enough to game manage at this point like Peyton was. Belichek is the real star of this team, and he will find a way to win with declining talent.
Buffalo - 8 - This team is finally on the rise. Allen is better than most think, and McDermot also. They are on the way up, but not there just yet.
New York Jets - 8 - LeVeon and the O line and Darnold will do the same for Gase that Carolina's talent did for John Fox. Good talent carries a medicore coach here.
Dolphins - 5 - Fitzmagic will get them five wins, but not much more.
AFC east additional thoughts - Buffalo and the Jets could easily be 2 more, and NE could be two less, just from these teams all playing each other twice. Miami will still be bad.
Cleveland - 12 - Mayfield and Kitchens are magic. A new dynasty being born. you heard it here.
Pittsburgh - 11 - Team will do better without its diva distractions
Baltimore - 7 - Not a fan of Miller, or this teams chances. mediore
Cincinnati - 4 - Maybe less. decent contender for 1st overall 2020 pick
Cleveland is the new New England. They will rise up and be around for the next ten years.
Indy - 11 - Reich will have this team up at the top, like last year, IF Luck stays healthy. otherwise, .500 ish
Houston - 10 - Same thoughts at you. Same as last year. Dr. Watson carries the team, but other talent can't stay healthy enough to help
Jacksonville - 5 - would push it 8 if Foles and Fournette actually step up and play like they are rated
Tenessee - 5 - Mariotta is injured again and Tannehill ends up carrying this team to another medicore season
I pretty much agree with you on this division, I think.
Kansas City - 12 - The foot will remain on the gas pedal. As long as Mahomes isnt' hit by the Madden curse, this team will be at the top
San Diego - 10 - I still see them as San Diego. And I like Rivers, personally. He can take them up to 10 wins, but doesn't have the coaching or talent around him to finish.
Denver - 8 - Fangio can get this team back to winning seasons, if Elway will stay out of his way. Flacco is decent enough to get them to .500 and they may surprise with Fangio's D.
Oakland - 7 - Get rid of AB and they will do better.
Disclaimers for AFC West - This is honestly my most volatile division for trying to predict. I'm a firm believer in the Madden curse. Sure some have beat it, but more often than not it rears its ugly head. I cringed when Mahomes appeared there, because I was hoping to see what he could do as an encore. If he beats it, this team is at the top for a while. If Cleveland is the new New England, this team will be the new Pittsburgh. IF Mahomes stays healthy. San Die- I mean, Los Angeles, (dang thats gonna be hard to get used to) , they hinge on Rivers carrying them. Rivers is like an older Mayfield, without a good coach. If Rivers fails, the team will fall miserably. I'm hoping he has one or two more years. Denver I think will do well with Fangio's Defensive mind, like when they won the Super Bowl. They did it on a great D, with a smart veteran QB that managed the offense just enough to score. They could easily do that again, with a little luck. Defense wins championships, we all know that, and Fangio is a great D mind. Oakland has the talent, and Mayock is great at evaluating it. I'm not sure about Spider 2 Y Banana though, and AB is just a cancer/diva that will bring down a team way further than his talent will bring them up. If they let him go and Jon can get the rest of the team to work together, the talent is there to do better than 7. But Jon is no Belichek.
Any team in this division could swing 5 wins either direction, because of my thoughts, and the fact they play each other twice.
NFC
Eagles - 12 - If Wentz can just stay healthy, they'll figure it out
Cowboys - 9 - This is dependent upon them getting Zeke signed
Giants - 7 - They will win about half the games, on Barkley's back
Redskins - 3 - Either the skins or the Bengals get the first overall pick in 2020
I can honestly see the Cowboys and Giants flip flopped, with the Giants at 9 and the 'boys at 7.
Green Bay - 12 - McCarthy is gone. Rodgers is happy again. Lefluer will let Rodgers be Rodgers and a a happy healthy Rodgers wins.
Minnesota - 10 - Cousins has to prove he was worth it, and does.
Chicago - 8 - Fangio is gone, and people will wonder what happened to the defense.
Detroit - 7 - more of the same.
Carolina - 11 - This team is back. They look good, all they need is confidence. If they can beat the rams in week 1 they may run the table.
Atlanta - 9 - They will do good, but this division will get them.
Tampa Bay - 9 - Arians is a great coach. His losses will be within the division though.
New Orleans - 8 - Brees will finally start falling off, and the team will find it hard to win in this division
Basically what I'm saying is that all the teams in this division have enough potential, they will cancel each other out, but the Panthers will squeak out on top. Unless they beat the Rams in week 1. Then they win 14 or 15.
Rams - 13 - They stay at the top.
San Fran - 8 - who knows?
Seattle - 8 - Wilson tries, but can't carry the whole team.
Arizona - 6 - They will win a couple and squeak out a few more. But overall, Murray will be overwhelmed with lots of blitzes and faster players than he's ever seen.
