Rise and Fall

[WERC82]

Which teams that did very well and very poor last year do you think will rise and fall this year? One from each division if you think there is one.

[shasta519]

I think LAC, PHI and TB will be the improved teams.

 

[RollerColt]

I'll say that the Bengals may rise as long as Dalton stays healthy, and I think the Saints will also rise thanks to a decent draft, an improved defense, and of course the always stellar Drew Brees. 

 

I'm picking the Dolphins to flatline. Jay Cutler is a hot and cold kind of guy. He will have some good games, and then some really ugly ones. The inconsistency will cost them dearly. In addition, I actually think the Broncos will end up at the bottom of the AFC West this year. The Chiefs and Raiders are stacked, and the Chargers have Philip Rivers. The Broncos have no answer for their QB, and their defensive coordinator is not name Wade Philips anymore. 

[csmopar]

Texans will fall this year

[DaColts85]

I will go bold with some of these predictions. 

Teams that will rise:  Panthers, Eagles, Chargers, and Bengals

 

Panthers - this is an improved team that took a huge hit last year with having little secondary depth and it showed.  Had some injuries and just played poorly.  Will bounce back pretty well IMO.  They will go 10-6 and just get beat by the Falcons for the division but make the playoffs.

 

Eagles - This team will win the division IMO.  Made some solid improvements and I think they will finally put together things to get those close game wins.  Solid WR's now for Wentz who should only improve.  I am saying 10-6 which with key wins in the division gives them the NFC East

 

Chargers - I think this team can be very sneaky good this year.  Have some solid players on both sides of the ball but they need to stay healthy for a change.  If they can get healthy they will win the close games they lost last year and get a good improvement.  I say they are 9-7 this year.

 

Bengals - Lost 2 key linemen but should be ok still.  Dalton will have a better year and with health their offense will put up numbers.  Mixon will prove to be a solid pick and Hill will be the short yardage stud. I say Pitt wins the division but the Bengals finish at 9-7 and pull a Wild Card spot.

 

Teams that will fall:  KC Chiefs, Bucs, and Cowboys

 

Chiefs - I see them getting the injury bug and being in close games that they will lose.  Every year there is a team that wins or loses all of these close games and they are my 2017 pick.  They were 12-4 last year so as a fall I am saying they go 8-8 or 7-9.  Not a drastic drop but not a playoff team.

 

Bucs - They have a solid offense but I still feel like they need more on the D side.  They end up falling due to their division getting better.  Even the Saints have a better team.  I think they go 7-9 this year.

 

Cowboys - Everyone knows what they have in Prescott, and teams will be better prepared.  Elliott will miss some games (not sure on the number) and this will hurt them.  They have some injury concerns and other players facing suspensions early and I think they start the season slow and it hurts them.  They go 8-8!

[DaveA1102]

I just have a gut feeling the Cowboys will struggle this year.  Just felt like everything went right for them last year and, from memory, Cowboys seem to have a poor year after a good one in the recent past.

 

Zeke missing doesn't bother me so much as McFadden is a quality back.  I just think that defense is very vulnerable and, if the offense doesn't keep rolling like it did last year, they could struggle.

 

I think the Chargers will have a good run this year.  Some good young talent on their roster and so predict them to push on from last year.

[TKnight24]

AFC North:

 

Rise: Bengals 

 

Fall: Ravens 

 

Tough division to choose with that cause the Steelers aren't going anywhere and the Browns are building so they can't really rise 

 

AFC East: 

 

Rise: Bills 

 

Fall: Dolphins 

 

AFC South: 

 

Rise: Colts 

 

Fall: Titans 

 

AFC West: 

 

Rise: Raiders 

 

Fall: Chargers 

 

NFC North: 

 

Rise: Bears 

 

Fall: Lions 

 

NFC East:

 

Rise: Eagles 

 

Fall: Skins 

 

NFC South:

 

Rise: Saints

 

Fall: Falcons 

 

NFC West:

 

Rise: Cardinals 

 

Fall: Seahawks 

 

Alot of these were tough to choose given the criteria of how to pick them 

[Coltsman1788]

AFC East

Rise: Patriots---they will be better than last year even without Edelman.

Fall: Dolphins

 

AFC East

Rise: Titans

Fall: Colts--in for a rough ride due to Luck uncertainty.

 

AFC North

Rise: Ravens

Fall: Steelers

 

AFC West

Rise: Chargers

Fall: Broncos

 

NFC East

Rise: Eagles

Fall: Redskins

 

NFC South

Rise: Bucs

Fall: Falcons

 

NFC North

Rise: Lions

Fall: Vikings

 

NFC West

Rise: Rams

Fall: Cardinals