NFL Predictions: Week 16

Last Week: 7-8-1
Overall: 105-112-7

San Diego Chargers @ Oakland Raiders (OAK -5.5) -> Oakland Raiders
Washington Redskins @ Philadelphia Eagles (PHI -3) ->  Washington Redskins
New York Giants @ Minnesota Vikings (MIN -5.5) -> Minnesota Vikings
Chicago Bears @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (TB -3) -> Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Carolina Panthers @ Atlanta Falcons (CAR -7) -> Carolina Panthers
Dallas Cowboys @ Buffalo Bills (BUF -6) -> Buffalo Bills
Jacksonville Jaguars @ New Orleans Saints (NO -3.5) -> Jacksonville Jaguars
San Fransisco 49ers @ Detroit Lions (DET -9.5) -> Detroit Lions
Cleveland Browns @ Kansas City Chiefs (KC -11) -> Kansas City Chiefs
Indianapolis Colts @ Miami Dolphins (MIA -2.5) -> Indianapolis Colts
New England Patriots @ New York Jets (NE -3) -> New England Patriots
Houston Texans @ Tennessee Titans (TEN -4.5) -> Houston Texans
Green Bay Packers @ Arizona Cardinals (ARI -4.5) -> Arizona Cardinals
St. Louis Rams @ Seattle Seahawks (SEA -13.5) -> St. Louis Rams
Pittsburgh Steelers @ Baltimore Ravens (PIT -10) -> Pittsburgh Steelers
Cincinnati Bengals @ Denver Broncos (DEN -3.5) -> Denver Broncos

A couple notes...
- Charles Woodson's last game in Oakland. He is the GOAT of defensive backs. That's my take, feel free to disagree, but he is a surefire Hall-of-Famer and a legend.
- The Washington Redskins will probably be your 2015 NFC East champs. That's weird. I don't know if I like that... But they have been the best team in the Tony Romo-less division, and deserve it more than the Eagles, Giants and 'Boys.
- Why do I keep picking Jacksonville? I love their offense and the spreads are usually pretty enticing. Oh well, two weeks left in the regular season and I am definitely going down with this ship. Blake Bortles and Allen Robinson, I'll take that all day especially if he's lined up against Brandon Browner at all. Also Brees may be out so that makes it even better.
- The Colts without Luck against the Dolphins. This has all the makings of a really ugly game. Ugh, I'll take the Colts I guess. With that being said I want no part of this game for betting purposes.
- Packers @ Cardinals, oh hell yeah! As a football fan I love it. This should be a terrific game. Every logical part of my mind says go Cardinals, but at the same time, it seems like a game where Aaron Rodgers will remind all of us why he is the best player in the world, and that nothing can stop him, not even mediocre (at best) weapons and going up against a great defense. Still picking the Cardinals, but I'm not that confident.
- Another great game between the Bengals and Broncos, but this one is less about two great QB's facing off against one another. This is about two deep rosters, and two great defenses. Nevertheless a terrific game ahead, and I'll take the team with the slightly better QB and more opportunistic defense.
- Lock of the Week: Pittsburgh Steelers @ Baltimore Ravens. Pittsburgh just torched the Broncos defense, so I'm pretty sure they will find a way to score a few points against the injury riddled Ravens defense. Big Ben + Antonio Brown = Touchdowns. Simple math.
- Upset of the Week: St. Louis Rams @ Seattle Seahawks. The Rams probably won't win this game. But 13.5 points is a big spread, and Jeff Fisher coached teams weirdly play better against good teams. They have faired well against Seattle in recent years, and the Seahawks demolition on offense will start to die down sooner or later. on top of that, the Rams offense consists of Gurley, Gurley and more Gurley, which could keep Seattle's offense off the field and keep the score relatively close.

NFL Predictions: Week 15

Last week: 7-9
Overall: 98-104-6

Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ St. Louis Rams (STL -2.5) -> Tampa Bay Buccaneers
New York Jets @ Dallas Cowboys (NYJ -3) -> New York Jets
Chicago Bears @ Minnesota Vikings (MIN -5.5) -> Minnesota Vikings
Atlanta Falcons @ Jacksonville Jaguars (JAX -3) -> Jacksonville Jaguars
Houston Texans @ Indianapolis Colts (IND -1) -> Houston Texans
Kansas City Chiefs @ Baltimore Ravens (KC -7.5) -> Kansas City Chiefs
Buffalo Bills @ Washington Redskins (BUF -1) -> Buffalo Bills
Tennessee Titans @ New England Patriots (NE -14) -> New England Patriots
Arizona Cardinals @ Philadelphia Eagles (ARI -3.5) -> Arizona Cardinals
Carolina Panthers @ New York Giants (CAR -5) -> Carolina Panthers
Cleveland Browns @ Seattle Seahawks (SEA -14.5) -> Seattle Seahawks
Green Bay Packers @ Oakland Raiders (GB -3) -> Oakland Raiders
Miami Dolphins @ San Diego Chargers (SD -1.5) -> Miami Dolphins
Denver Broncos @ Pittsburgh Steelers (PIT -6.5) -> Denver Broncos
Cincinnati Bengals @ San Fransisco 49ers (CIN -4.5) -> Cincinnati Bengals
Detroit Lions @ New Orleans Saints (NO -3.5) -> New Orleans Saints

A couple notes...
- Definitely an entertaining Thursday night game, but the St. Louis still doesn't have a QB. I'm going to have a hard time picking them to win especially when they go up against a team with a good young quarterback like Jameis Winston.
- I thought Tennessee would keep it close with the Jets last week. I was very, very wrong. And frankly, without Romo, Dallas isn't that much better off then the Titans. I'll take the Jets.
- What is going on Falcons? I'm sure they're asking themselves those same questions. Matt Ryan hasn't been good all season, even when they were winning, but now they are just spiralling. I like the Jags. I probably take them way too much, but they're a fun team, and I genuinely like their offense. Putting up 50 in one of Bortles weaker games can also help with my view on them too.
- The Patriots and Seattle both have brutal lines, but I still have no confidence in either the Titans or Browns to keep it at all close. Part of me wants the Browns to beat Seattle because the narrative with Manziel would be hilarious after that, but let's be realistic, these are two blowouts waiting to happen.
- Two amazing games this week; Green Bay @ Oakland, and Denver @ Pittsburgh. I think Oakland will take a close shootout of a game, and I think Denver will keep it close with Pittsburgh but end up losing. I can't wait to see the Steelers offense going up against the Broncos defense. That is just elite football right there.
- Another great game is Arizona @ Philadelphia. Are the Eagles a great team right now? No, but they're playing with a sense of urgency that was missing earlier this season. Arizona also looked more vulnerable then they have most of the year against Minnesota last Thursday night. Arizona will still give Bradford a tough time, which is why I'm taking the Cardinals.
- Lock of the Week: Carolina Panthers @ New York Giants. OBJ will be Norman's toughest test of the year, but apart from that battle, Carolina lines up terrifically with the rest of a mediocre Giants roster. The Panthers offense will be way to much for a lacklustre Giants defense to handle, and the Panthers will be one step closer to an undefeated season. The only thing that worries me is that they are the Giants and they know a thing or two about breaking up undefeated seasons.
- Upset of the Week: Green Bay Packers @ Oakland Raiders. Do I think Green Bay's season is looking up? Yeah. Was it right to give Mike McCarthy play-calling duties back? Definitely. Should they be considered a real Super Bowl contender? They're getting there. With all this being said, Oakland is a very talented team. Their offense is a huge threat to any team, and while I think this should be a really high scoring affair, and a very close game, Oakland playing at home tilts it a little in their favor for me.

NFL Predictions: Week 14

Damn... A few bad weeks have caught up to me, and I'm below .500 once again. Nothing comes easy in football, and apparently that holds true with predicting football too. Close predictions with the Giants and Miami would have left me .500 if I won them both, but that's how it goes. Hopefully I'm in for a better week. On the bright side though, holy hell what an amazing finish on Thursday Night Football last week!
Last Week: 6-10
Overall: 91-95-6

Minnesota Vikings @ Arizona Cardinals (ARI -10) -> Arizona Cardinals
Pittsburgh Steelers @ Cincinnati Bengals (CIN -2.5) -> Pittsburgh Steelers
Buffalo Bills @ Philadelphia Eagles (BUF -1) -> Buffalo Bills
Atlanta Falcons @ Carolina Panthers (CAR -8.5) -> Carolina Panthers
San Fransisco 49ers @ Cleveland Browns (CLE -1.5) -> San Fransisco 49ers
Washington Redskins @ Chicago Bears (CHI -3.5) -> Chicago Bears
Detroit Lions @ St. Louis Rams (DET -2.5) -> Detroit Lions
San Diego Chargers @ Kansas City Chiefs (KC -10) -> Kansas City Chiefs
New Orleans Saints @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (TB -4) -> Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Indianapolis Colts @ Jacksonville Jaguars (JAX -1) -> Jacksonville Jaguars
Tennessee Titans @ New York Jets (NYJ -7) -> Tennessee Titans
New England Patriots @ Houston Texans (NE -3.5) -> New England Patriots
Oakland Raiders @ Denver Broncos (DEN -7.5) -> Denver Broncos
Dallas Cowboys @ Green Bay Packers (GB -7) -> Green Bay Packers
Seattle Seahawks @ Baltimore Ravens (SEA -10) -> Seattle Seahawks
New York Giants @ Miami Dolphins (NYG -1) -> New York Giants

A couple notes...
- Unless the spread is absolutely insane, I'm going with the Panthers the rest of the season. I think this team has a great shot at 16-0, and frankly I want to see it happen. Facing New Orleans on the road should be there toughest game for the rest of the season (I know, crazy soft schedule to end a year), and facing Atlanta 2 times, along with Tampa Bay and the Giants once is a winnable schedule for the best team in football now. Give me the Panthers.
- Lock of the Week: Atlanta Falcons @ Carolina Panthers. This is a really boring pick, but Carolina is a great football team and Atlanta right now is not a good football team. No need to complicate things, this is the state of these two teams.
- Upset of the Week: Pittsburgh Steelers @ Cincinnati Bengals. I took a flyer on the Colts against the Steelers as they were playing really well going into last week. Then the Steelers decimated them in all facets of the game. Give me the Steelers as the underdogs as I don't think anybody can stop their offense right now. Big Ben is so hot right now... (queue Will Ferrell Zoolander meme)
- Speaking of that Pittsburgh/Indianapolis game last week, give me the Jags. As long as Luck is out, this is a flawed team. Sure they'll have their fair share of decent performances, but the inconsistency is to much for me to bet on them upsetting a very good Jags offense right now (their defense is another story).
- Non-picks related, the Bills/Eagles game is going to have huge implications on the playoff picture in the NFL. Should be a must watch this week, even if both teams have been very inconsistent this year.
- I finally got a Green Bay pick right, but I probably shouldn't have. That was an insane win, and looking at the big picture, it wasn't a great team performance considering how they started. Nevertheless, they should still be able to handily beat a Dallas team without Romo at home; I don't care that Dallas just beat Washington either.
- There's a reason I'm always so tentative choosing Washington to win and it's because they are so damn inconsistent. Any given week they can beat a good team or lose to a bad team, it's basically a coin flip.
- This Thursday night is a game between two good teams, but Minnesota is really hurting. Missing the best player on all three levels of their defense will cripple their ability to stop Arizona's potent offense. I do wish the spread was a little lower, but either way I'm taking Arizona.

NFL Predictions: Week 13

Back to .500. Started off the week well, and then missed on both 4 pm games, the Sunday Night Football game, and Monday night too. Football is a cruel, cruel mistress and I love it.
Last Week: 7-9
Overall: 85-85-6

Green Bay Packers @ Detroit Lions (GB -3) -> Green Bay Packers
San Fransisco 49ers @ Chicago Bears (CHI -7) -> Chicago Bears
Cincinnati Bengals @ Cleveland Browns (CIN -9.5) -> Cincinnati Bengals
Jacksonville Jaguars @ Tennessee Titans (TEN -2.5) -> Jacksonville Jaguars
Houston Texans @ Buffalo Bills (BUF -3) -> Houston Texans
Baltimore Ravens @ Miami Dolphins (MIA -4) -> Miami Dolphins
Carolina Panthers @ New Orleans Saints (CAR -7) -> Carolina Panthers
Seattle Seahawks @ Minnesota Vikings (Even) -> Seattle Seahawks
Arizona Cardinals @ St. Louis Rams (ARI -6) -> Arizona Cardinals
Atlanta Falcons @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (TB -1.5) -> Atlanta Falcons
New York Jets @ New York Giants (NYJ -2) -> New York Giants
Denver Broncos @ San Diego Chargers (DEN -4) -> Denver Broncos
Kansas City Chiefs @ Oakland Raiders (KC -3) -> Kansas City Chiefs
Philadelphia Eagles @ New England Patriots (NE -9.5) -> New England Patriots
Indianapolis Colts @ Pittsburgh Steelers (PIT -7) -> Indianapolis Colts
Dallas Cowboys @ Washington Redskins (WAS -4.5) -> Washington Redskins

A couple notes...
- Why does Green Bay do this to me every single week... I have absolutely no confidence that they will win this Thursday, but I don't have any confidence that Detroit will either. The Packers have been "in" every game this year, except for the Broncos, until the last minute, and the loss against the Lions at home was a botched kick, the loss to the Bears was an absolute brutal game for their wide receivers, and Carolina was actually almost a pretty impressive comeback for that GB offense. I don't think they are as bad offensively as they have been so far this year, and as long as they have Aaron Rodgers then I will keep betting for them.
- Da Bears are lacking talent, but damn are they a well coached team. John Fox should be up for coach of the year because of how well he is getting his guys to play. I'll take the Bears at home against the 49ers even if the spread is a touchdown.
- Houston and Kansas City are two teams trending up, and I'm probably taking both of these teams until they lose.
- Lock of the Week: Carolina Panthers @ New Orleans Saints. Are the Panthers going 16-0 this year? Probably not, but they will be 12-0 after this week. Cam is going to torch a weak Saints defense, and Carolina's D will pounce on a saints offense that has struggled in the past couple weeks.
- Upset of the Week: Indianapolis Colts @ Pittsburgh Steelers. The Colts are playing inspired under Hasselback, and Roethlisberger may not even play. Even if he does end up playing, this isn't a walk in the park for the Steelers as the Colts have won 3 straight games against pretty solid teams.
- Seattle vs. Minnesota should be a great game. Normally I'll take the home team in a toss up, but Seattle, and more importantly Russell Wilson, has been playing really well lately, so give me the Seahawks.
-

NFL Predictions: Week 12

Better week, and now we have Thanksgiving Day to get this up. Hopefully I can finally get a Green Bay game right again after 4 weeks of missing on it. 
Last Week: 8-5-1
Overall: 78-76-6

Philadelphia Eagles @ Detroit Lions (DET -3) -> Detroit Lions
Carolina Panthers @ Dallas Cowboys (Even) -> Carolina Panthers
Chicago Bears @ Green Bay Packers (GB -8) -> Green Bay Packers
New Orleans Saints @ Houston Texans (HOU -3) -> Houston Texans
Minnesota Vikings @ Atlanta Falcons (ATL -1) -> Minnesota Vikings
St. Louis Rams @ Cincinnati Bengals (CIN -9) -> St. Louis Rams
Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Indianapolis Colts (IND -3) -> Indianapolis Colts
New York Giants @ Washington Redskins (NYG -2.5) -> New York Giants
Oakland Raiders @ Tennessee Titans (OAK -2) -> Oakland Raiders
Buffalo Bills @ Kansas City Chiefs (KC -6.5) -> Buffalo Bills
Miami Dolphins @ New York Jets (NYJ -3.5) -> New York Jets
San Diego Chargers @ Jacksonville Jaguars (JAX -4) -> Jacksonville Jaguars
Arizona Cardinals @ San Fransisco 49ers (ARI -10.5) -> Arizona Cardinals
Pittsburgh Steelers @ Seattle Seahawks (SEA -4) -> Pittsburgh Steelers
New England Patriots @ Denver Broncos (NE -3) -> New England Patriots
Baltimore Ravens @ Cleveland Browns (CLE -3) -> Cleveland Browns

A couple notes...
- I do think it's disrespectful to have the Panthers even with the Cowboys. I don't think they should be major favourites, but 3 or 4 points seems reasonable even with Romo back. It Should be a great game, but Cam has been playing incredibly and that defense is for real, so I lean the Panthers way.
- Minnesota and Atlanta, two teams I can't really figure out, but I''m going to give it up to Minnesota even though they are on the road.
- I'm disappointed Manziel isn't starting, just as a football fan he is way more fun to watch then McCown.
- Buffalo vs. KC should actually be a pretty enjoyable game. I think it will be a closer game than people seem to think, but Kansas City is the superior team in this game and they are at home. Expect a defensive battle with KC winning.
- Upset of the Week: Pittsburgh Steelers @ Seattle Seahawks. Seattle is a good team, but they are far from great. They also don't have the same home field advantage as they used to have, and Big Ben is just too good for their team to shut down, so if they are going to win, it will fall onto Russell Wilson's shoulders, which isn't the best thing to bet on this year.
- Lock of the Week: Dare I say it. Chicago Bears @ Green Bay Packers. I know, I know. It's dangerous to pick the Packers as a lock after just two weeks ago they lost to the Lions at home. My logic is there is no way they're going to lose to the Lions and Bears at home in the same year. Right? RIGHT?
- The greatest holiday of the year is this Thursday... All day football! So enjoy!

NFL Predictions: Week 11

Two consecutive bad weeks. All of the supposed "blowout" games last week were either upsets or extremely close. Hopefully this week can break the streak and get us back above .500. Hopefully...
Last Week: 5-9
Overall: 70-71-5

Tennessee Titans @ Jacksonville Jaguars (JAX -3) -> Jacksonville Jaguars
Washington Redskins @ Carolina Panthers (CAR -7) -> Carolina Panthers
Oakland Raiders @ Detroit Lions (OAK -1.5) -> Oakland Raiders
Dallas Cowboys @ Miami Dolphins (Even) -> Dallas Cowboys
Indianapolis Colts @ Atlanta Falcons (ATL -6) -> Atlanta Falcons
St. Louis Rams @ Baltimore Ravens (BAL -2.5) -> St. Louis Rams
New York Jets @ Houston Texans (NYJ -2.5) -> Houston Texans
Green Bay Packers @ Minnesota Vikings (MIN -1) -> Minnesota Vikings
Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Philadelphia Eagles (PHI -5.5) -> Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Denver Broncos @ Chicago Bears (CHI -1) -> Denver Broncos
Cincinnati Bengals @ Arizona Cardinals (ARI -5) -> Arizona Cardinals
San Fransisco 49ers @ Seattle Seahawks (SEA -12.5) -> Seattle Seahawks
Kansas City Chiefs @ San Diego Chargers (KC -3) -> Kansas City Chiefs
Buffalo Bills @ New England Patriots (NE -7) -> New England Patriots

A couple notes...
- The Seattle San Fran game is probably the hardest pick this week. The spread seems insane, but Seattle is still a tough team to beat at home and San Fran on the road has been so, so bad this year. I'm picking Seattle even with the crazy spread, but I won't be shocked in the slightest if San Fran keeps it close or even if they somehow win after their bye week.
- So I think the smartest thing for me to do is to pick against Green Bay until they figure their shit out. Last game was awful. Denver and Carolina were rough, but they are at least good teams. Detroit is not, and it was so bad. Minnesota at home after 5 wins in a row, that's going to be a tough one for Green Bay.
- I am weirdly on board for the Jaguars and Titans game on Thursday. Should be very entertaining. I think Jacksonville might be able to actually blow this one out, but I've been high on the Jags all year so who knows.
- Cincinnati vs. Arizona should be incredible. Game of the week potential here, and the trash talking has already started too. I don't think Cincinnati was necessarily exposed on Monday night against the Texans, but they'll definitely have to up their game A LOT to beat the Cardinals on the road.
- Romo's back! I'm not a Cowboys fan but it's just good for football to have one of the ore underrated QB's back healthy. Should be able to beat a lacklustre Dolphins squad.
- Upset of the Week: Denver Broncos @ Chicago Bears. Chicago is a substantially better team then I thought, but this is still Denver we're talking about. Manning is out, which might end up being good for them. As long as Osweiler doesn't put them in an enormous hole, this defense will find a way to win.
- Lock of the Week: Washington Redskins @ Carolina Panthers. Carolina is a great team, and I am completely on board. Washington has it's moments, but they capitalized on a very weak New Orleans defense and aren't that good. Carolina should handily beat them, and Carolina's defense should absolutely eat up Kirk Cousins and an inconsistent offense.

NFL Predictions: Week 10

Ugh, brutal week. This has to be a week where I revisit my outlooks on teams, as there were a handful of teams in which I am completely baffled by week-in/week-out. So much inconsistency out of teams this year, but that's what the NFL is. Hopefully I can bounce back from a rough week 9.
Week: 5-8
Overall: 65-62-5

Buffalo Bills @ New York Jets (NYJ -2.5) -> New York Jets
Detroit Lions @ Green Bay Packers (GB -11.5) -> Green Bay Packers
Dallas Cowboys @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (TB -1.5) -> Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Carolina Panthers @ Tennessee Titans (CAR -4.5) -> Carolina Panthers
Chicago Bears @ St. Louis Rams (STL -7.5) -> Chicago Bears
New Orleans Saints @ Washington Redskins (NO -1) -> New Orleans Saints
Miami Dolphins @ Philadelphia Eagles (PHI -6.5) -> Philadelphia Eagles
Cleveland Browns @ Pittsburgh Steelers (PIT -5.5) -> Cleveland Browns
Jacksonville Jaguars @ Baltimore Ravens (BAL -5.5) -> Jacksonville Jaguars
Minnesota Vikings @ Oakland Raiders (OAK -3.5) -> Oakland Raiders
Kansas City Chiefs @ Denver Broncos (DEN -6.5) -> Denver Broncos
New England Patriots @ New York Giants (NE -7) -> New England Patriots
Arizona Cardinals @ Seattle Seahawks (SEA -3) -> Arizona Cardinals
Houston Texans @ Cincinnati Bengals (CIN -11) -> Cincinnati Bengals

A couple notes...
- I have no idea what to think of the Saints, but when it comes down to it, I would still be surprised if they lose to Washington. Should be a high scoring game, but I think the Saints pull away with this one.
- Green Bay is in desperate need of a win, and it doesn't get much easier than facing the 1-7 Lions at home. Lambeau Field should provide some life into this Green Bay team after two tough losses to two great teams on the road, and I predict Rodgers to absolutely light up a struggling Lions defense.
- Carolina, New England and Cincinnati all have fairly easy games this week and should continue their undefeated seasons going into week 11 (although everybody always loves a Patriots Giants grudge match).
- Upset of the Week: Arizona Cardinals @ Seattle Seahawks. This is also my game of the week, as these two teams should feel a sense of urgency in this game, as Arizona is now fighting for a first round bye with Green Bay, and winning in Seattle would go a long way to help that, and Seattle is a few more losses away from being ousted from playoff contention all together. Seattle feels like they've lost their home field dominance (see game versus Lions, one extremely close play and they lose to the worst team in the NFL) and Arizona is a more complete, talented team.
- Lock of the Week: Detroit Lions @ Green Bay Packers. I explained it above, but Rodgers is going to blow up Detroit's defense, and a struggling Lions offense is just what this Packers D needs to regain it's early season form.
- With Big Ben out, I think Cleveland will be able to keep it close with the Steelers. Although I still think it's ridiculous the Browns aren't playing Manziel, McCown has been good this year and he should outplay Landry Jones.
- Kansas City seems like a team to play Denver well (west coast offense, which alleviates pressure from the QB by getting the ball out of his hands quickly) but Denver is just too good. If Manning has an okay game, this one shouldn't be that close.

NFL Predictions: Week 9

Not a bad week, but four huge misses with the Packers, Jets, Lions and Titans all losing by a lot. Still solid, and next week there are some good spreads so hopefully we can pick up some momentum with a winning week.
Last Week: 6-6-2
Overall: 60-54-5

Cleveland Browns @ Cincinnati Bengals (CIN -12) -> Cincinnati Bengals
Oakland Raiders @ Pittsburgh Steelers (PIT -4.5) -> Oakland Raiders
Jacksonville Jaguars @ New York Jets (NYJ -7.5) -> New York Jets
St. Louis Rams @ Minnesota Vikings (MIN -2) -> Minnesota Vikings
Miami Dolphins @ Buffalo Bills (BUF -3) -> Miami Dolphins
Tennessee Titans @ New Orleans Saints (NO -8) -> New Orleans Saints
Washington Redskins @ New England Patriots (NE -14) -> New England Patriots
Green Bay Packers @ Carolina Panthers (GB -2.5) -> Green Bay Packers
Atlanta Falcons @ San Fransisco 49ers (ATL -7) -> Atlanta Falcons
New York Giants @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (NYG -2.5) -> Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Denver Broncos @ Indianapolis Colts (DEN -5) -> Denver Broncos
Philadelphia Eagles @ Dallas Cowboys (PHI -2.5) -> Philadelphia Eagles
Chicago Bears @ San Diego Chargers (SD -4) -> San Diego Chargers

A couple notes...
- I haven't been able to get a Falcons pick right for a few weeks now, but San Fransisco has been atrocious as of late, so I think the Falcons should pull through this week and cover the spread.
- Oakland vs. Pittsburgh should be a great game, as the Raiders have proven to me that they are for real. I think this game will end up being a toss up, as both these teams have great offenses, but it should be close between them.
- The undefeated Bengals against Johnny F****** Football in week 9 on Thursday night. Just like we all drew up this past offseason right? Should be a slaughter by the Bengals, but for some reason that makes me think it will be close. Still putting my money on Cincinnati though.
- Green Bay vs. Carolina, hell yeah! That's what Sunday's should be. I'm expecting Green Bay to come out and try and punch Carolina in the mouth. Mainly so they can get the taste of blood out of their respective mouth's after Denver destroyed them in all facets of the game. Either way, two great teams facing off is what every football fan should want.
- Speaking of marquee games, the undefeated Broncos are facing off against the struggling Colts, but Manning is on the verge of breaking a huge record (passing yards), and it seems fitting that he would do it against his old team.
- Another toss-up for me, St. Louis against Minnesota, should be a hard hitting game. St. Louis' D-line matches up extremely well against Minnesota's O-line, but I think Minnesota's D is more well-rounded and will feast on Nick Foles. They're also at home, so that makes me lean there way. Either way, Gurley vs. Peterson should be incredibly exciting.

NFL Predictions: Week 8

So close... I was so close to an 11-3 week, come on Atlanta and Arizona, cover the spread! Oh well. I'm coming off of a good week, and hopefully I can keep that up in week 8.
Last Week: 9-5
Overall: 54-48-3

Miami Dolphins @ New England Patriots (NE -8) -> New England Patriots
Detroit Lions @ Kansas City Chiefs (London) (KC -5) -> Detroit Lions
Minnesota Vikings @ Chicago Bears (CHI -1) -> Minnesota Vikings
Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Atlanta Falcons (ATL -7) -> Atlanta Falcons
New York Giants @ New Orleans Saints (NO -3) -> New Orleans Saints
San Fransisco 49ers @ St. Louis Rams (STL -8) -> St. Louis Rams
Arizona Cardinals @ Cleveland Browns (ARI -4.5) -> Arizona Cardinals
Cincinnati Bengals @ Pittsburgh Steelers (PIT -1) -> Cincinnati Bengals
San Diego Chargers @ Baltimore Ravens (BAL -3) -> San Diego Chargers
Tennessee Titans @ Houston Texans (HOU -4) -> Tennessee Titans
New York Jets @ Oakland Raiders (NYJ -2.5) -> New York Jets
Seattle Seahawks @ Dallas Cowboys (SEA -6) -> Seattle Seahawks
Green Bay Packers @ Denver Broncos (GB -3) -> Green Bay Packers
Indianapolis Colts @ Carolina Panthers (CAR -7) -> Indianapolis Colts

A couple notes...
- Very interesting Thursday Night Football game. Miami has been playing with a sense of urgency that we didn't see under Joe Philbin, and they have a lot of momentum on their side. They've been playing good defense, and have a new found running game too. Historically, defense and running the football have been keys to winning on short weeks, but they run into New England at home as well as Bill Belichick who doesn't take too kindly to rookie coaches. He's on an 11-0 streak against rookie coaches and I think that will be extended this week.
- I don't know how Chicago is favoured, but okay, I'll take that all day long.
- Cincinnati and Pittsburgh is another terrific game. Big Ben is coming back, but the Bengals have been on fire. It should be a close one but I think Cincinnati picks up the win in a shootout.
- My vote for game of the week will go to the Packers and Broncos. Both coming off of bye weeks, the Packers offense got healthier and both are undefeated. I do think that Green Bay will win, but not because of Rodgers this week. Green Bay's defense has been quietly incredible this year, and Manning is hurting. All Rodgers has to do is limit the mistakes against the best defense in the league this year, and Green Bay should be 7-0 after this week.
- I'm also taking Detroit after the change in offensive coordinator. Surprise me Detroit, surprise me.
- The Jets vs. the Raiders should be a great game too. A very talented young offense in Oakland, and an extremely talented young defense in New York. It's a good week for football folks.
- Lock of the Week: Minnesota Vikings @ Chicago Bears. This is a tough one, as Adrian Peterson is banged up, but Chicago is just not as talented as Minnesota. Mike Zimmer will bring the heat against Jay Cutler, and Minnesota should capitalize, especially if Peterson plays well.
- Upset of the Week: Tennessee Titans @ Houston Texans. Houston is bad. They are just flat out bad. Both of these teams are bad, but Houston shouldn't have a 4 point advantage, so I'm going with Tennessee who kept it close with Atlanta last week.
- Apparently I'm just a masochist when it comes to the Colts. I won't give up on Luck. I actually still think the Panthers are going to win this game, but it will be close. Cam Newton has been terrific, but there offense isn't built to put up points against teams like the Pats offense is. Luck hasn't been good this year, but he is still a very talented quarterback and at some point it should turn around. The deciding factor for this game will be the Colts O-line against the Panthers D-line. I don't expect the Colts O-line to win that matchup, but if they can be solid for some of the game, the Colts have a chance.

NFL Predictions: Week 7

Interesting week last week. Just in general a great week of football, and I picked a great upset for Seattle and Carolina but I am absolutely shocked at the outcome of Arizona and Pittsburgh. Shocked. Martavis Bryant is a game changer.
Last Week: 7-6-1
Overall: 45-43-3

Seattle Seahawks @ San Fransisco 49ers (SEA -6.5) -> San Fransisco 49ers
Buffalo Bills @ Jacksonville Jaguars (BUF -4) -> Jacksonville Jaguars
Cleveland Browns @ St. Louis Rams (STL -6) -> St. Louis Rams
Pittsburgh Steelers @ Kansas City Chiefs (PIT -2.5) -> Kansas City Chiefs
Houston Texans @ Miami Dolphins (MIA -4) -> Miami Dolphins
New York Jets @ New England Patriots (NE -9) -> New York Jets
Minnesota Vikings @ Detroit Lions (MIN -2.5) -> Minnesota Vikings
Atlanta Falcons @ Tennessee Titans (ATL -4.5) -> Atlanta Falcons
Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Washington Redskins (WAS -3.5) -> Tampa Bay Buccaneers
New Orleans Saints @ Indianapolis Colts (IND -4.5) -> Indianapolis Colts
Oakland Raiders @ San Diego Chargers (SD -4) -> San Diego Chargers
Dallas Cowboys @ New York Giants (NYG -3.5) -> New York Giants
Philadelphia Eagles @ Carolina Panther (CAR -3) -> Carolina Panthers

Baltimore Ravens @ Arizona Cardinals (ARI -9) -> Arizona Cardinals

A couple notes...
- I'm predicting a lot of upsets against the spread this week. I'm going with my gut and I think there will actually be a lot of close games this week.
- I don't think Seattle will lose to San Fransisco, but I think they will win by less than a touchdown.
- Jacksonville is going to keep it close with Tyrod Taylor out, and they even have a shot at winning if Bortles is on his game.
- The Rams are going to have a huge week behind a monster game from Todd Gurley. Coming off of a bye week, the Rams should be in a good position to hold off the Cleveland Browns shockingly solid passing attack and come away with a big win.
- Both the Pats and Panthers should come out with wins this week, although I think the Jets and Pats game will be really close.
- Lock of the Week: Atlanta Falcons @ Tennessee Titans. The Falcons are coming off of a loss so I think they should have a fire lit under them against a struggling Titans squad.
- Upset of the Week: Pittsburgh Steelers @ Kansas City Chiefs. KC has been really struggling, and many are calling for a switch at QB, but I just can't see them losing to a Steelers squad led by Landry Jones.

NFL Predictions: Week 6

That was a pretty crazy week. I got a lot of the teams right, most of them actually, but I missed some of the spreads by as close as 1.5 points. I still leave week 5 with a record above .500, and some momentum having not had a negative week since week 2.
Last Week: 7-6-1
Overall: 38-37-2

Atlanta Falcons @ New Orleans Saints (ATL -3.5) -> Atlanta Falcons
Denver Broncos @ Cleveland Browns (Den -4) -> Denver Broncos
Cincinnati Bengals @ Buffalo Bills (CIN -3.5) -> Cincinnati Bengals
Kansas City Chiefs @ Minnesota Vikings (MIN -4) -> Minnesota Vikings
Houston Texans @ Jacksonville Jaguars (JAC -1) -> Jacksonville Jaguars
Chicago Bears @ Detroit Lions (DET -3) -> Detroit Lions
Washington Redskins @ New York Jets (NYJ -6) -> New York Jets
Arizona Cardinals @ Pittsburgh Steelers (ARI -3.5) -> Arizona Cardinals
Miami Dolphins @ Tennessee Titans (TEN -2.5) -> Miami Dolphins
Carolina Panthers@ Seattle Seahawks (SEA -7) -> Carolina Panthers
San Diego Chargers @ Green Bay Packer (GB -10.5) -> Green Bay Packers
Baltimore Ravens @ San Fransisco 49ers (BAL -2.5) -> San Fransisco 49ers
New England Patriots @ Indianpolis Colts (NE -10) -> New England Patriots
New York Giants @ Philadelphia Eagles (PHI -4) -> Philadelphia Eagles

A couple notes....
- Am I crazy to think Seattle has just kind of lost it? They're still a good team, but they don't have that same X-factor or whatever it was that they had the last couple years. They never would have lost a seventeen point lead in the 4th quarter last year or two years ago. I think this game will be close, but I actually think Carolina has a good shot to beat Seattle at home.
- Lock of the Week: Denver @ Cleveland. This one just seems to be served on a silver platter. I get it, Josh McCown is coming off of a great week, but there is a difference between the injury plagued Ravens defense, and this Broncos defense. They are decimating way better quarterbacks than Josh McCown, and this game will only be close if the Broncos offense can't put points on the board.  Even still, only 4 points? I'll take it.
- Upset of the Week: Carolina @ Seattle is clearly the upset of the week, but because I already went over that, I'll talk about Miami @ Tennessee. The Dolphins have a new coach, and a new philosophy: Get Tough. They ran the Oklahoma drill in their first practice, and even though I doubt they are going to be able to turn the season around, the Titans are a beatable team even for the struggling Miami Dolphins. Off a bye week, I'm expecting to see some sort of life out of these Miami Dolphins.
- One more thing, why is Arizona and Pittsburgh so close? Are people really expecting Big Ben to play? Even if he does, have people been watching the 2015 Arizona Cardinals? This is a team that is running shop through everybody they face (barring the St. Louis Rams for some strange reason). This is another lock of the week, as it just seems like free money.

NFL Predictions: Week 5

Back to .500! After the hole I dug myself in the first week, I'm back with a vengeance and on a bit of a streak. Two solid upset picks against the points with Minnesota keeping it close against Denver and Detroit keeping it very close against Seattle. Hopefully I can keep it up this week.
Last Week: 8-6-1
Total Record: 31-31-1

Indianapolis Colts @ Houston Texans (HOU -4.5) -> Houston Texans
Jacksonville Jaguars @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (TB -3) -> Jacksonville Jaguars
Buffalo Bills @ Tennessee Titans (BUF -2.5) -> Buffalo Bills
Cleveland Browns @ Baltimore Ravens (BAL -6.5) -> Baltimore Ravens
Washington Redskins @ Atlanta Falcons (ATL -7.5) -> Atlanta Falcons
Chicago Bears @ Kansas City Chiefs (KC -9.5) -> Chicago Bears
New Orleans Saints @ Philadelphia Eagles (PHI -4.5) -> Philadelphia Eagles
St. Louis Rams @ Green Bay Packers (GB -9) -> Green bay Packers
Seattle Seahawks @ Cincinnati Bengals (CIN -3) -> Cincinnati Bengals
Arizona Cardinals @ Detroit Lions (ARI -2.5) -> Arizona Cardinals
New England Patriots @ Dallas Cowboys (NE -9) -> New England Patriots
Denver Broncos @ Oakland Raiders (DEN -5) -> Denver Broncos
San Fransisco 49ers @ New York Giants (NYG -7) -> San Fransisco 49ers
Pittsburgh Steelers @ San Diego Chargers (SD -3) -> San Diego Chargers

A couple notes...
- Luck isn't playing tonight, makes the Houston game easier, but the Texans have been dreadful on offense this year. Tough one either way.
- Lock of the Week: Give me the Cincinnati Bengals. I have been so unimpressed with the Seahawks at the start of this season, and it took me awhile but I am firmly on this Bengals bandwagon. Cincinnati is a great team, and their strengths can take advantage of Seattle's weaknesses. They're a much better team then the Detroit Lions and they should handily win against a Seattle team that has struggled to achieve any success on offense this year. Honorable mention: Denver against Oakland.
- Upset of the Week: Jacksonville Jaguars. Once again I'm picking the Jaguars in an upset, and hopefully I can be right for the second time too. Tampa Bay is a young team, and Jameis will make his fair share of mistakes, so Jacksonville just needs to capitalize on that. Blake Bortles has been much better this season, and their team as a whole is playing more sound football. Should be a competitive game between two young teams but I think Jacksonville is just better.
- There are a lot of lopsided games this week, as the Packers, Patriots, Denver, Atlanta and Baltimore should all win handily.
- New Orleans @ Philadelphia should be a terrific game. I clearly am a glutton for punishment when it comes to the Eagles, but I still think they are a good team. Bradford played arguably his best game of the year last week, and it should be very competitive against Drew Brees (if he's healthy) and the Saints.

NFL Predictions: Week 4

Coming off of a terrific week last week, we finally have some momentum with us. We're already almost back to .500, and hopefully this week can push us ahead.
Last week: 12-4
Total Record: 23-25

Baltimore Ravens @ Pittsburgh Steelers (BAL -3) -> Baltimore Ravens
New York Jets @ Miami Dolphins (in London) (NYJ -1.5) -> New York Jets
Jacksonville Jaguars @ Indianapolis Colts (IND -9) -> Indianapolis Colts
Houston Texans @ Atlanta Falcons (ATL -6.5) -> Atlanta Falcons
Carolina Panthers @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (CAR -3) -> Carolina Panthers
New York Giants @ Buffalo Bills (BUF -5.5) -> Buffalo Bills
Oakland Raiders @ Chicago Bears (OAK -3) -> Oakland Raiders
Philadelphia Eagles @ Washington Redskins (PHI -3) -> Philadelphia Eagles
Kansas City Chiefs @ Cincinnati Bengals (CIN -4) -> Cincinnati Bengals
Cleveland Browns @ San Diego Chargers (SD -7.5) -> San Diego Chargers
Green Bay Packers @ San Fransisco 49ers (GB -8.5) -> Green Bay Packers
Minnesota Vikings @ Denver Broncos (DEN -6.5) -> Minnesota Vikings
St. Louis Rams @ Arizona Cardinals (ARI -7) -> Arizona Cardinals
Dallas Cowboys @ New Orleans Saints (NO -4) -> New Orleans Saints
Detroit Lions @ Seattle Seahawks (SEA -10) -> Detroit Lions

A couple notes...
- It's sad that I'm taking the favourite in every game except for Minnesota vs. Denver and Seattle vs. Detroit, but I just can't see any other big possible upsets this week. One more game to keep an eye on is Houston and Atlanta. I wouldn't be surprised if the Texans pull out a victory even on the road.
- Baltimore. Baltimore. Baltimore. The Ravens on Thursday are going to be playing with a sense of urgency, they have to. They're going to have a hard enough time making the playoffs after an 0-3 start, but it's virtually impossible in their division to make it after an 0-4 start. Expect them to show up ready to play Thursday.
- Cleveland vs. San Diego, I want nothing to do with this line. I think San Diego is going to win, but by over a touchdown? I don't feel confident at all in that bet.
- Upset of the Week: Minnesota Vikings @ Denver Broncos. Yes I think that Denver's undefeated streak is going to come to an end, at home, to Mike Zimmer's tough ass defense. He has that D playing hard right now, and Adrian Peterson finally looks like he's back. The wildcard is Teddy Bridgewater. This Denver D is scary good right now, like best in the league good, and Minnesota is going to need Teddy Bridgewater to be smart even with a ground and pound offense led by All Day.
- Lock of the Week: St. Louis Rams @ Arizona Cardinals. Arizona is playing like they want to destroy every team in their path, and St. Louis is looking like it will be another casualty this week. The Rams aren't bad, but Arizona at home is just too much, and they will suffocate Nick Foles with Tyrann Mathieu and their D playing the way they are playing.

NFL Predictions: Week 3

Last week was much better as we left with a 7-9 record, but there is still a lot to be desired. I hit a huge upset in the Jacksonville Jaguars/Miami Dolphins game, and my lock of the week stood strong as the Packers overcame the Seahawks. My notes and outlook for the week were much better than my record shows, but we can hopefully build off of that to a winning record for this week.
Last Week: 7-9
Total: 11-21

Washington Redskins @ New York Giants (NYG -3.5) -> New York Giants
Pittsburgh Steelers @ St. Louis Rams (PIT -1.5) -> Pittsburgh Steelers
San Diego Chargers @ Minnesota Vikings (MIN -2.5) -> Minnesota Vikings
Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Houston Texans (HOU -6.5) -> Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Philadelphia Eagles @ New York Jets (NYJ -2) -> Philadelphia Eagles
New Orleans Saints @ Carolina Panthers (-6.5) -> New Orleans Saints
Jacksonville Jaguars @ New England Patriots (-13.5) -> Jacksonville Jaguars
Cincinnati Bengals @ Baltimore Ravens (BAL -2.5) -> Baltimore Ravens
Oakland Raiders @ Cleveland Browns (CLE -3.5) -> Oakland Raiders
Indianapolis Colts @ Tennessee Titans (IND -3) -> Indianapolis Colts
Atlanta Falcons @ Dallas Cowboys (ATL -1.5) -> Atlanta Falcons
San Francisco 49ers @ Arizona Cardinals (ARI -6.5) -> Arizona Cardinals
Chicago Bears @ Seattle Seahawks (SEA -14.5) -> Seattle Seahawks
Buffalo Bills @ Miami Dolphins (MIA -3) -> Buffalo Bills
Denver Broncos @ Detroit Lions (DEN -3) -> Denver Broncos
Kansas City Chiefs @ Green Bay Packers (GB -6.5) -> Green Bay Packers

A couple notes...
- I have Jacksonville, Tampa Bay, and the Saints all covering the spread, but I still have all three of these teams losing.
- Lock of the Week: Seattle Seahawks. The spread they have is absolutely ridiculous, and even though I think it's more likely the Cardinals or Atlanta Falcons hit their spread, this matchup is just too perfect. The Seahawks have their home opener, with Kam Chancellor back, against the Chicago Bears, arguably one of the worst teams in the NFL. This game would be a disappointment for Seattle if it isn't a blowout.
- Upset of the Week: Philadelphia Eagles. I am going down with this ship. I still believe Chip Kelly is a good coach, and I like what he did this offseason. The Jets are a really tough team and this is more of a gut call than anything, but the Eagles should step up this week, and I predict a big impact from their running game, even against this incredible Jets defensive line.
- Another Packers game at home, should be a solid bet, but Kansas City is a good team, and they have a very good defense.
- Bills vs. Dolphins should be a great game this week, but Buffalo has been flat out outplaying Miami so far this season, and I think Buffalo comes away 2-1 from this.
- Cleveland vs. Oakland is an interesting game, mainly because McCown is playing. I have not been shy about my feelings toward McCown, and I think this will be the game where he officially loses his job to Manziel, as I think Oakland will beat up on Cleveland.
- Another great game should be Cincinnati @ Baltimore. The Ravens are 0-2, the Bengals are 2-0, out of pure desperation I have the Ravens winning this game.

NFL Predictions: Week 2

Well... According to the Vegas odds (that's what I'm going by, I'll make it more clear this week) I'm 4-12 in week 1. Damn do I suck. Hopefully this week will be better.

Denver Broncos @ Kansas City Chiefs (KC -3) -> Kansas City Chiefs
New England Patriots at Buffalo Bills (NE -1) -> New England Patriots
Houston Texans @ Carolina Panthers (CAR -3) -> Houston Texans
Arizona Cardinals @ Chicago Bears (ARI -1.5) -> Arizona Cardinals
San Diego Chargers @ Cincinnati Bengals (CIN -3) -> San Diego Chargers
Tennessee Titans @ Cleveland Browns (TEN -1) -> Tennessee Titans
Detroit Lions @ Minnesota Vikings (MIN -2.5) -> Minnesota Vikings
Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ New Orleans Saints (NO -10) -> New Orleans Saints
San Fransisco 49ers @ Pittsburgh Steelers (PIT -6) -> Pittsburgh Steelers
St. Louis Rams @ Washington Redskins (STL -3.5) -> St. Louis Rams
Atlanta Falcons @ New York Giants (NYG -2.5) -> Atlanta Falcons
Baltimore Ravens @ Oakland Raiders (BAL -6) -> Baltimore Ravens
Miami Dolphins @ Jacksonville Jaguars (MIA -6) -> Jacksonville Jaguars
Dallas Cowboys @ Philadelphia Eagles (PHI -5) -> Philadelphia Eagles
Seattle Seahawks @ Green Bay Packers (GB -3.5) -> Green Bay Packers
New York Jets @ Indianapolis Colts (IND -7) -> Indianapolis Colts

A couple notes...
- I'm picking the Minnesota Vikings, Pittsburgh Steelers and Philadelphia Eagles all because I predict them to show a sense of urgency and come out attacking. They all had less then ideal starts to their respective seasons, and I think that they should all bounce back well because they are all very good teams.
- Lock of the Week: Green Bay Packers. This isn't a shot at Seattle, but Aaron Rodgers was once again magnificent last week (nobody seems to be talking about it) and he hasn't lost a home game since week 1... of 2012. Packers at Lambeau Field is virtually a lock every single week.
- Denver and Kansas City should be a terrific game regardless of the score. I'm just going to enjoy that one, but I still do think KC comes out on top at Arrowhead.
- Upset of the Week: Jacksonville Jaguars beat the Miami Dolphins. Yes, I said beat them. Week one was rough for both of these teams (even though Miami still came out on top), but I still believe in the Jaguars. I think Blake Bortles is going to take a huge step forward this season, and I predict Gus Bradley to just out-coach Joe Philbin.

NFL Predictions: Week 1

These Predictions will be coming weekly. I'll keep track of my record by seasons end and hope for the best!

Team – Predicted Score/Winner

Pittsburgh Steelers @ New England Patriots – 31-21 New England Patriots

Indianapolis Colts @ Buffalo Bills – 28-13 Indianapolis Colts

Cleveland Browns @ New York Jets – 17-14 New York Jets

Carolina Panthers @ Jacksonville Jaguars – 23-21 Jacksonville Jaguars

Green Bay Packers @ Chicago Bears – 41-10 Green Bay Packers

Kansas City Chiefs @ Houston Texans – 16-13 Houston Texans

Miami Dolphins @ Washington Redskins – 33-12 Miami Dolphins

Seattle Seahawks @ St. Louis Rams – 23-16 Seattle Seahawks

Detroit Lions @ San Diego Chargers – 27-21 San Diego Chargers

New Orleans Saints @ Arizona Cardinals – 24-23 Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens @ Denver Broncos – 34-30 Denver Broncos

Cincinnati Bengals @ Oakland Raiders – 23-20 Oakland Raiders

Tennessee Titans @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers – 25-20 Tampa Bay Buccaneers

New York Giants @ Dallas Cowboys – 33-24 Dallas Cowboys

Philadelphia Eagles @ Atlanta Falcons – 37-21 Philadelphia Eagles

Minnesota Vikings @ San Francisco 49ers – 24-10 Minnesota Vikings

NFL Quarterback Rankings 2015

How about some quarterback power rankings right before the season starts! There's no way this could go badly...

http://bhamsportspub.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/draft_kit_QB_090514_WIDE.jpg

Tier 1 – The best of the bunch. These players will make their respective teams Super Bowl contenders year in and year out. They raise the level of play of their teammates, and cause havoc to opposing defenses on a weekly basis.

1. Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers

Who else but Rodgers? I'm not trying to make some controversial choice for the best quarterback in football; I'm trying to make the right one. I don't care what stats or metrics you use to measure the best QB, but Rodgers is just that, the best QB. He played on one leg all throughout the playoffs and still would have made it to the Super Bowl if the Packers stopped a 2-point conversion or recovered an onside kick by Seattle. He has the best arm in the league (strength and accuracy), he is very mobile and athletic, he is one of the smartest QB's in the league and he has one hell of a hard count too. He makes plays that no other QB in history could make, and he is a no brainer choice for the best QB in the league.

2. Tom Brady, New England Patriots

After Aaron Rodgers at number 1, I have 4 players ranked pretty close, but the reigning Super Bowl MVP edges out the rest of them. I don't care about DeflateGate or any of the crazy drama of the 2015 offseason; Brady is still one of the best QB’s in the NFL. His deep ball is below league average, but he hasn’t relied on that in since the Randy Moss days and he wins through short-intermediate passes up the seams to Gronk, or at the sidelines. The past few years he really hasn’t had much offensively to work with other than Gronk, yet he raises the level of play of his teammates, and finds ways to pick apart opposing defenses with Josh McDaniels and Bill Belichick. 

3. Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers

This was actually a tough ranking. Big Ben had an unbelievable year last season. Statistically, it was better then one of the guys I ranked ahead of him (Mr. Brady), yet there should be a bit of an asterisk when comparing stats with Brady. Ben has arguably the best running back and wide receiver in the NFL with Le’Veon Bell and Antonio Brown, and he also has a surprisingly good O-line with a big contribution from rookie Martavis Bryant too. But this is about Roethlisberger not his teammates. Ben is an elite QB, and should be treated as one by opposing defensive coordinators.

4.  Andrew Luck, Indianapolis Colts

The young buck is ready to run with the bulls now. I don’t even know if that’s an actual saying, but my point is Andrew Luck is a top tier QB today. Throughout his first 3 years, the most highly touted QB prospect since Peyton Manning has gone through his lumps, yet he has shown so much promise that everyone knew he would eventually become the face of the NFL (with his fancy neck beard). Luck has had to throw the football a ton, as his defense has never been that good, yet he finds ways to score. He has the arm, the vision, the mobility, the accuracy (for the most part) and the intangibles that every single coach loves to work with. That’s not to say he doesn’t go through some struggles, as

Tier 2 – These players have the talent to win a Super Bowl and step up for their team when they need them most, but they can’t do it all by themselves. They need some help from teammates for their teams to be considered real Super Bowl threats.

5. Peyton Manning, Denver Broncos

Is it tough to put Manning in anything but the elite tier? Yup. Manning is still an incredible quarterback, and he will continue to pick apart defenses no matter how much his arm lacks in strength. Manning is always the smartest player on any side of the ball, and he is a year removed from breaking both the passing yards and passing touchdowns record. What is giving me pause about putting Manning in the elite tier is that he has come down to earth from his record breaking season two year ago and even though his raw numbers can be deceiving (stat friendly offense), he has shown some regression in his play.

6. Tony Romo, Dallas Cowboys

The always polarizing Tony Romo is fun to rank. Spoiler alert, he’s good people. Really good. Sure, Romo played behind an elite offensive line last year, with a great running back, and one of the best wide receivers in the NFL. That doesn’t mean he’s bad though. Romo stepped up and was the biggest piece in the 2014 Dallas Cowboys playoff team. He has an incredible feel in the pocket, an arm that can make all the throws and is one of the toughest players in the NFL. Romo can win the ‘Boys a Super Bowl. I’m not saying he will, but with him at the helm they have their guy, they just need a good supporting cast (*cough* Defense *cough*).

7. Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints

I’m not entirely sure what the Saints are trying to do with their identity change, because they still have one of the better QB’s in the NFL Brees’ collapse just like Manning’s is way overblown, as he can still sling it. Brees wasn’t as sharp as he has been in the past last year, but most NFL teams would much rather have him as their QB. He’s such a smart quarterback, with incredible pocket presence and still can make all the throws on the field.

8. Phillip Rivers, San Diego Chargers

My personal favorite throwing motion of a quarterback comes from this man. Rivers may look like he’s shot-putting the football, but he has the best touch in the NFL. Whether it’s a fade or a bullet pass on a slant, he can get it where it needs to be. Rivers was an MVP candidate for the first half of last season, and even though he slowed down in the second half quite a bit, he has the ceiling to be an MVP candidate. San Diego should be really working to lock up their franchise QB, because they can win with this man behind center.

9. Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks

Two Super Bowl appearances in the last two years and I have him 9^th? Well there was slight regression from 2013-2014, which was very troubling because he was on the verge of the elite tier if he built of his Super Bowl winning season. He still isn’t asked to do too much, and it definitely works for Seattle so this isn’t a shot at the team because they clearly can win with non-elite QB play, but Wilson still has to evolve in the pocket to move up into the elite tier for me. Nevertheless, he is a terrific quarterback, and should continue to grow to a point where he is firmly set in the elite tier.

10. Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers

This might be my most polarizing ranking, but screw it I like Cam Newton. He has gotten almost no help on offense, yet Cam somehow keeps this team competitive. His offensive line is atrocious, and he still doesn’t have any receivers that can stretch the field for him, but he is one of the hardest players to game plan for. He is one of the few people that can actually beat you with his arm and legs, and he is only getting better. Cam could eventually move into the elite tier if he begins to master the mental side of the game.

Tier 3 – Good quarterbacks, but to really be considered as playoff contenders, they need the rest of their team to step up too. They can play at a high level but don’t raise the level of play of their teammates as much as the guys ahead of them. Will help their team more then they will hurt them, but consistency can be an issue.

11. Matt Ryan

Ryan is a stat-sheet monster, and two years ago he would have been on the verge of the elite tier, but he has struggled to help keep Atlanta competitive. He’s still a very good QB, and is definitely Atlanta’s franchise quarterback, and even though he won’t wow you in any one aspect of his game, he is more than solid across the board.

12. Ryan Tannehill

The $96 million man surprised me last year. He’s really evolved in all aspects of his game, and even though he still struggles with his deep ball accuracy, he is learning to pick apart defenses with short accurate throws. Tannehill also is extremely athletic (former WR at Texas A&M) and can use his legs to keep opposing defenses on their toes. I wouldn’t be surprised if Tannehill moved into the top 10 at QB this coming season.

13. Matthew Stafford

Stafford to me is an enigma. He is one of the most talented QB’s in the league, yet his poor mechanics and decision-making keep him from being elite. He has arguably the strongest arm in all of football, and his accuracy has been surprisingly good these past few years. Stafford does a good job at getting his playmakers (Calvin Johnson, Golden Tate) the ball, yet this season I want to see if Stafford can raise the level of play of the rest of his teammates and cut down on the atrocious decisions.

14. Teddy Bridgewater

The funniest part of the 2014 NFL draft was when Teddy Bridgewater slipped to the end of the 1^st round. Just to clarify, I don’t mean it’s funny that he fell, I mean that it’s funny so many QB teams passed on such a talented young QB, and someone who could end up being a perennial Pro Bowl player for years to come. Bridgewater doesn’t have elite arm strength, but what he does have is excellent decision-making, and terrific accuracy. As he continues to develop his game, he should be a premier starting NFL quarterback.

15. Carson Palmer

Palmer has had a strange career. Drafted 1^st overall by Cincinnati, he became one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL in his second season. Then his unfortunate violent knee injury seemingly derailed his career. Yet here he is, once again a very good NFL QB (not necessarily elite, but still good). Palmer has one hell of an arm; the only thing really holding him back is his inconsistent decision-making.

16. Eli Manning

Eli should really send Odell Beckham Jr. and Ben McAdoo each a nice gift basket because they are going to help make him a very rich man (even more so then he already is). Eli put forth a very nice bounce back season partially due to the fact he had one of the best receivers in the league now catching passes for him and a new, much more efficient offensive strategy in place. He still has his struggles and he can be very inconsistent, but Eli shows flashes of that same Super Bowl winning quarterback.

17. Joe Flacco

Joe Flacco struggled at times this past year, but he also wasn’t asked to do much more then stretch the field, and manage an efficient offense. He is lucky to play behind an elite offensive line, but Flacco takes advantage of that and knows how to play to the best of his abilities. He has a low ceiling but a high floor, just a solid QB.

18. Alex Smith

Alex Smith fits this tiers description, but consistency isn’t his issue. There aren’t many questions about Smith going into the season he just is an average quarterback at best. He’s a game manager and that’s about it. He’s very reliant on the talent around him, as he’ll play up or down to that level.

Tier 4 – There are a lot of questions here. Whether it’s health or consistency, most of these players are in prove it years.

19. Sam Bradford, Philadelphia Eagles

Bradford could (and should) skyrocket up these rankings. He needs to stay healthy, but he is in a great situation with Chip Kelly, a good offensive line, and what should be a great run game. He showed in preseason that he still has the tools that made him the top pick years ago, and I expect him to shoot up these rankings. At the same time, there isn’t enough of a sample size of him being a successful NFL quarterback.

20. Andy Dalton, Cincinnati Bengals

I’m not a big fan of Andy Dalton whatsoever. Frankly I questioned putting him this high, but he has his moments. He’s surrounded with great talent with the Bengals, yet is very inconsistent. This is a put up or shut up year for the Bengals, and I don’t know if he’s up for the tall task ahead of him.

21. Jay Cutler, Chicago Bears

The Bears are in for a long season, but Jay Cutler isn’t as bad as most people seem to think. Before last season there were some people picking him as a dark horse MVP candidate. Now I think he is far away from that level, but he’s a passable QB that can put up some big numbers. Bears definitely need to find their QB for the future because Cutler isn’t it, but it could be worse for them too.

22. Colin Kaepernick, San Francisco 49ers

I’m curious as to what Kaep we will get in 2015. My guess is not the Super Bowl appearance one. Kaep struggled last year, and I don’t know if Jim Tomsula will be the guy to get the most out of him in 2015. San Fransisco is also in for a long year.

23. Nick Foles, St. Louis Rams

Foles is not the 27 touchdown 2 interception quarterback that he was with the Eagles a couple years back. He’s not even close to that (granted nobody really is except for Aaron Rodgers). Yet I’m actually a fan of the situation he’s in in St. Louis. For the most part, what he’s going to do is stretch the field for them to open up what should be a run first-run often offense. If he can successfully stretch the field, then St. Louis will be able to win some games this year. He still folds under pressure from opposing defenses though and he needs to improve to be thought of as even a league average quarterback.

Tier 5 – These are the young guns. This tier is very fluid, as these players could move up much higher as soon as this season, yet as of now they haven’t shown enough to truly threaten NFL defenses.

24. Geno Smith, New York Jets

I’m putting Geno Smith here over Fitzpatrick even though Fitz is starting the season because Geno should be the guy when he’s back. I don’t know what the issues are in the Jets locker room, but when Geno is on the field he can be very inconsistent, but he can also look like a star. The last month of last season Geno Smith was terrific and he should look to build off that momentum this season. He’s still young enough to become a very good QB, but the jury is out on him at this point so he has to prove people wrong.

25. Jameis Winston

Will Winston take the league by storm like RGIII or Andrew Luck did in their rookie seasons? I doubt it. That also doesn’t mean I don’t think he’s going to be a star either. Jameis will move up these rankings at some point in the future, whether that’s the first month of the season, or next year. He’s a very talented young quarterback with a great arm and a terrific head for the game and soon enough he should be at least a second tier QB.

26. Marcus Mariota

I actually think Mariota will put up better numbers than Jameis earlier on, but it’s a little bit of Alex Smith syndrome. He won’t be asked to do much, at least early on, with the Titans, but Mariota should move up these rankings as well. He’s a talented quarterback that will play on the safer side but also limit interceptions. I do think that the Titans found their franchise quarterback.

27. Derek Carr

Depending on whom you talk to, Carr either had a spectacular rookie season or a train wreck of a rookie season. I lean more towards the former, as I was impressed with the poise of the former 2^nd round draft pick. Derek Carr had arguably the worst weapons in the NFL last season, and even though the offense asked very little of him, he still shined at times. Don’t get me wrong, he has to improve his game a lot but it was a great start, and Oakland fans should be very happy with their young quarterback.

28. Blake Bortles

I am very excited for Blake Bortles in 2015. He looked great in the preseason, and seemingly is starting to put his tools together. His mechanics seemed greatly improved, and he was getting through his reads while also handling pressure from opposing defenses well. Granted, last year was really rough at times, and he needs to stick with these changes he’s made this offseason. I’m a fan of his, and hope to see him shoot up these rankings one day.

Tier 6 – You know what you have in these players, and it’s not good. These teams will not be able to win while starting these quarterbacks unless a miracle happens. A team with a QB in this tier should be actively looking to replace them.

29. Kirk Cousins

RGIII would have been ranked higher. It seems as if Washington really likes to stand in their own way. I don’t think RGIII would have had a very successful season with Washington, and a split between the two is definitely for the best, but this is Kirk Cousins we’re talking about. He’s the younger Josh McCown and that’s not a compliment to him. It’s going to be a long year in Washington.

30. Josh McCown

Oh boy. I am not a fan of Josh McCown as a starting NFL quarterback. I think he is a good backup, but you definitely don’t want him as your starter. He is not the same player he was for half a season with Chicago a couple years ago, and NFL teams seem blind to this fact. I’m very excited for the new and improved Johnny Manziel to start at some point this season though (which he will).

31. Brian Hoyer

This guy eventually lost his job to the 2014 version of Johnny Manziel. So basically what I’m saying is he’s not an ideal starting quarterback for an NFL team. On the bright side, next year’s QB class should be good though.

32. Tyrod Taylor

Tyrod Taylor intrigues me. I think he could be solid because he fits into what the Bills want to do on offense. Unfortunately he also has a very low floor and could get lit up by opposing defenses. So pick your poison Buffalo, pick your poison.

Immediate Impact Rookies: Landon Collins

http://img.bleacherreport.net/

The Giants traded up in the draft to select Landon Collins with the first pick in the 2nd round. I think this was one of the most brilliant moves in the draft, to select a player that many (including myself) thought should have gone in the first round. Collins seems as if he was on a consistent slide down draft boards throughout the entire draft process, which really surprised me. It seemed as if certain analysts thought he was something he wasn't, which was more of a ball hawking safety, yet the more tape they saw they knocked him down for it. I still believe he should have been at least a late first round pick based on what he actually is.

Collins is a physical, hard-hitting safety that can set a tempo for an entire defense, and works best when he can play in attack mode. His weaknesses are well known. He can be inconsistent in coverage, and he doesn't have that high end speed you would like in a safety. I have a fairly simple solution that can help cover up some of his weaknesses. Don't ask him to be Earl Thomas, let him play more like Kam Chancellor. He has the skill level to turn into a player that strikes fear into opponents just like Kam Chancellor, and the Giants would be smart to let him play that role for them.

I'm clearly a believer in Collins' skill set, but I also firmly believe that the Giants will use put him in positions to succeed. For the last several years, the Giants have seemingly needed to draft a linebacker. Drafting Landon Collins is just like drafting a linebacker, because he can have that impact against the run. They'll need to rely on him to make a difference in the run game more than the passing game, because the Giants might actually be pretty solid against the pass. They have a pair of great cornerbacks in Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Prince Amukamara, to go along with what should be a stellar pass rush. Another thing that is really good and really bad for Landon Collins is that the Giants have such little safety depth. The reason why it is good is because Landon Collins will be playing all year (barring injury) with no real threat to his playing time. Obviously the bad is that they are weak at safety, and they need Collins to step up immediately to help cover up the weaknesses they have there. Even though they are relying on Collins to make an impact immediately, I think the Nick Saban coached safety will step up and have a positive impact for the New York Giants right away.

Immediate Impact Rookies: Quandre Diggs

fansided.com

From the first overall pick in the NFL Draft to a 6th round pick by the Detroit Lions. I am all over the board here, damn. Well it's a good thing Diggs is helping my cause, as he is already turning heads at the Lions camp. The reason why Quandre Diggs was a 6th round pick, is because scouts say he lacks the ideal size and speed to play outside. With that being said, the importance of a slot cornerback is only increasing in todays NFL, and I believe that he is going to make a really good one too.

I've glazed over the negatives, which is he lacks ideal size and speed to play outside. What he does have are incredible instincts and he attacks the ball. He is a very intelligent player on the field and has quick feet and fluid hips too, which are ideal characteristics for a slot cornerback. He is a fairly polished product (four year starter at Texas) and can come in and contribute immediately for the Lions.

He is also in a great situation with the Detroit Lions too. Detroit had a top 3 defense last season, and even though they lost Suh and Fairley, they should still be very good. They are getting Stephen Tulloch back from his injury, and they get another year of development out of a lot of key players like Darius Slay, Ezekiel Ansah and Kyle Van Noy. Detroit also lacks a good slot cornerback (sorry Bill Bentley) and they desperately need one in a division with Randall Cobb. Diggs can learn from Rashean Mathis who is an incredible veteran presence and has clearly taught Darius Slay a lot. They also have an incredible defensive coordinator in Teryl Austin, who will be able to utilize Quandre Diggs to his strengths and put him in positions to succeed.

The big thing holding Quandre Diggs back from becoming a star, is he has a limited ceiling. His lack of elite athleticism and size will keep him inside, and keep his ceiling limited. This article isn't about whether he will become a star or not, but instead it's that he will have a huge impact for the Detroit Lions straight out of the gate. Diggs is a physical playmaker that fits what Detroit is trying to do on defense, and he will impress people with his ability in the slot in 2015.