Tuesday, September 05, 2006

Hitman's NFL Picks

No pomp, no circumstance. Here we go:

AFC
:

East:
1. New England - Pats still have too many weapons and too much experience. Absent major changes, this is their last year as a serious contender.
2. Miami - Playoff contender and great sleeper choice...if Daunte stays off the ocean.
3. Buffalo - Aiming to become the worst third-place team in league history.
4. NY Jets - J-E-T-S! Blech! Blech! Barf!

South:
1. Indianapolis - Where there is Peyton, there is hope. The team nobody ever, ever wants to face.
2. Jacksonville - Just good enough to stir the pot, but don't expect too much.
3. Tennessee - Look out, Buffalo!
4. Tampa Bay Devil Rays Golden State Warriors Houston Texans.

North:
1. Cincinnati - The most complete team in the NFL, but can they put it all together?
2. Pittsburgh - Good team that isn't good enough to repeat.
3. Baltimore - Possible darkhorse, but in this division, don't count on it.
4. Cleveland - The newest Mistake by the Lake.

West:
1. Denver - Why not? Nobody else in this division is good enough.
2. Kansas City - Serious darkhorse, if Edwards can motivate this squad. Lots of talent here.
3. San Diego - Everything is in place but the QB, and Rivers might not be far off.
4. Oakland - The Silver and Black could surprise a few teams, but it's a heavy burden.


NFC:

East:
1. NY Giants - The team most likely to be good, in the league's toughest division.
2. Washington - Another squad that is rapidly improving.
3. Dallas - If T.O. is not the distraction I think he'll be, Dallas moves up real quick.
4. Philadelphia - Hard to imagine Philly not winning 10 games, but somebody's got to finish last here.

South:
1. Carolina - The same team that's probably been the NFC's best over the last 32 games.
2. Tampa Bay - It'll all come down to intra-division games. Can the Bucs beat the Falcons? It's up to Mr. Simms.
3. Atlanta - Pretty soon, we're going to write this team off, if we haven't already. But this team is good enough to go far.
4. New Orleans - Finally, a Bush that might actually help New Orleans...

North:
1. Chicago - Ok, I'm biased. But there's no serious challenger in the Norris. Though unlikely, solid QB play puts the league's best defense in the Super Bowl.
2. Detroit - Somewhere, Wayne Fontes is grinning.
3. Minnesota - They'll need a year to get their, um, ship in order.
4. Green Bay - A sad way for one of the all-time greats to bow out.

West:
1. Seattle - Another very talented team with little competition, and the team most likely to grab home-field.
2. St. Louis - Sorry, Arizona, but I'll believe in your arrival only if and when it happens. Too much crappin' on the Rams without good reason.
3. Arizona - No, no, THIS is their year. Right.
4. San Francisco - They're making the right moves, but it'll be 2007 or 2008 before they hit .500.


Playoffs:

AFC:
#3 New England over #6 Miami
#5 Pittsburgh over #4 Denver

#1 Indianapolis over #5 Pittsburgh
#2 Cincinnati over #3 New England

#1 Indianapolis over #2 Cincinnati

NFC:
#3 NY Giantsover #6 Washington
#4 Carolina over #5 Tampa Bay

#4 Carolina over #1 Seattle
#3 NY Giants over #2 Chicago

#4 Carolina over #3 NY Giants

Super Bowl XLI: Indianapolis over Carolina. Truth is, you can roll the dice with the NFC, and the winner there loses to Indy or Cincy.

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