Bold NFL Predictions For The Last Weeks Of Regular Season
Posted by Eric Williams on Tuesday,November 29, 2016 11:08, EDT in
If you’re looking for some bold NFL predictions that have a strong possibility of actually happening over the final five weeks of the 2016 NFL regular season, then you’ve come to the right place! Will another team besides the New England Patriots make the playoffs in the AFC East.
Which teams in the ultra-competitive AFC West will reach the playoffs and which ones will be left on the outside looking in? Can the Tennessee Titans win the AFC South or will the Green Bay Packers get back into contention to win the NFC North? Let’s find out the answers to these questions and much more!
Here’s A Closer Look At The Bold NFL Predictions For The Last Weeks Of Regular Season
AFC East
Bold Prediction: Miami Dolphins sneak into the playoffs
Believe it or not Fins fans, your Miami Dolphins could very well sneak into the playoffs this season to make their first postseason appearance since Dan Marino was still under center. Okay, okay, while it hasn’t been that long, it has been ages since Miami was competitive – or hell, competent for that matter.
Now sitting at 7-4, Miami has won six straight games for the first time since 2005 and holds the final wild card spot in the AFC. Miami is ranked an uninspiring 18th in scoring at 22.6 points per game, but has been really solid in limiting the opposition to just 21.8 points per game defensively to rank 16th in points allowed. Call me crazy, but I’m predicting Miami makes the playoffs.
AFC West
Bold Prediction: The Broncos Don’t Make the Playoffs
The Broncos (7-4) are currently in third place in the competitive AFC West one game behind Kansas Coty and two games behind Oakland. While Denver still has an elite defense that ranks ninth in points allowed (19.9 ppg) I’m thinking the Broncos 20th overall offense (337.3 ypg) will keep them out of the playoffs this postseason.
AFC North
Bold Prediction: Marvin Lewis Gets Fired
While Marvin Lewis has compiled a solid 115-101-3 record in 14 seasons as the head coach of the Cincinnati Bengals, he’s also gone 0-7 in the postseason while losing in the first round in each of the last five seasons. While I’ve always liked Lewis, I say now is the time or the Bengals, who won’t participate in this year’s playoffs, to jettison their longtime head coach.
AFC South
Bold Prediction: Tennessee Titans Win the AFC South
At 6-6, Marcus Mariota and the Tennessee Titans re currently a half-game behind Houston (6-5) and one game in front of Indianapolis (5-6). However, with a blossoming quarterback in Mariota and the league’s third-best rushing attack (142.1 ypg), I like the Titans to win the AFC South in a stunner to reach the playoffs for the first time in ages.
NFC East
Bold Prediction: The Giants Make the Playoffs
The Giants (8-3) are sitting two games behind red-hot Dallas in the NFC East, but they are also the only team in the league to beat the Cowboys this season. While the G-Men rank an uninspiring 21st in scoring at 21.0 points per game, New York has also been phenomenal in ranking seventh in points allowed defensively (19.3 ppg). Maybe it’s me, but I’m thinking this year’s Giants look an awful lot like the ‘mediocre’ teams that has won two Super Bowls since 2007. New York gets into the playoffs and I believe Eli Manning and company will be dangerous at the very least.
NFC West
Bold Prediction: Seattle – One and Done
I picked the Seahawks (7-3-1) to win it all this season and I guess it’s possible that they still could. However, Seattle’s 23rd-ranked scoring offense (20.3 ppg) leads me to believe they could be a one-and-done team this postseason, particularly if they don’t get a bye in the wild card round and have to play on the road. The Seattle Seahawks are still outstanding defensively and rank first in points allowed (17.0 ppg), but I’m thinking their pedestrian offense is no longer an aberration and simply who they are this season.
NFC North
Bold Prediction: Packers Run the Table
The Packers (4-6) may be in the midst of their toughest season since Aaron Rodgers took over as the starting quarterback, but right now, I’m thinking it’s quite possible they run the table to finish at 10-6 and in the playoffs.
Green Bay visits Philly this week then hosts Houston and Seattle before hitting the road against to take on the lowly Bears in a divisional matchup. Green Bay finishes up its regular season schedule at home against division-leading Minnesota before hitting the road one final time to face the Lions in another division matchup. Maybe it’s me, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see Rodgers and company run the table, although I have to admit that this is arguably the boldest prediction out of all eight divisions.
NFC South
Bold Prediction: Tampa Bay Gets in Postseason
After watching Jameis Winston and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-5) beat the Kansas City Chiefs on the road in Week 11 before spanking the Seattle Seahawks this past weekend, I believe the Bucs have a great opportunity to reach the playoffs this season.
The Bucs rank 17th in scoring (22.6 ppg) and 19th in points allowed (24.0 ppg), but they’ve also heated up t the perfect time and ride a three-game winning streak into their Week 13 matchup against dangerous San Diego. Tampa Bay is just one game behind NFC South leader Atlanta (7-4), but I’m thinking they’ll get in if the Falcons stumble, which is definitely a possibility.
