NFC 2007 Predictions

August 23, 2007 | By Chris White | Discuss

A Non-Scientific Breakdown by Whitey

I’ve gone over each squad, written out their schedules for the year, and have made my best, estimated guess on wins and losses.  I probably know less now about the state of the NFL then I did when I began this process, but as always it is a labor of love.

NFC North
Chicago Bears (12-4)
I think the Bears will be streaky this season, and will overcome their opening day loss at San Diego to rail off five wins in a row.  One of the NFC’s biggest games of the season on paper looks to be the Week 7 thriller right here in Philadelphia.  I’ve already gone on record with a Philly victory, and that loss could be the difference between home field throughout the playoffs and a potential road game for ‘Da Bears’.

Anyway you slice it; this team has 6 games vs. sub .500 teams in their own division.  I think Grossman will improve in the consistency department this season, and you know the defense will be solid, as will special teams.

Minnesota Vikings (6-10)
Selecting Adrian Peterson in the draft was a nice pickup.  This kid has looked like a man among boys in college, and if healthy could be a dominant back as a rookie.  I also think Tarvaris Jackson is a decent quarterback with a rifle arm.  Other then that, the rest of the skill positions are iffy, and I wasn’t impressed in last year’s defense.  Decent secondary, but without push up front we all know how well that works.

Green Bay (5-11)
Brett Favre, why did you come back LAST YEAR, let alone this year?  It is going to be a long season in Green Bay, with a chance that Mr. Favre doesn’t finish out the 07’ string.  I’ve got them at 0-5 out of the box.  Not good.  Decent offensive line, but who will be running through it?  Let this be a lesson to Michael Strahan.  Finishing your career on a shitty team really sucks.

Detroit Lions (3-13)
When you open the season with a road loss in Oakland, how good can your season turn out?  Where is the running game?  Tatum Bell and TJ Duckett could be upgrades to last year, but are still castoffs. Where is the defense?  Jon Kitna will put up gaudy numbers, but so did Dan Fouts.  He had some good backs in the 70’s and they still didn’t win anything.  Why is Matt Millen still employed?  Who is the best Junior or Senior college wide receiver that will be picked with the Lions’ first selection in 2008?

NFC South
New Orleans (9-7)
For the life of me, I can’t sort this division out.  The Saints will sneak up on nobody this year, but are still stacked offensively.  Outside of the division, they have tough road games vs. Indianapolis, Seattle, and Chicago.  However, I see coach Sean Payton, Drew Brees, and Reggie Bush all benefiting from a successful 06’ run, and continue the good vibe this season.  They are fun to watch.

Carolina Panthers (9-7)
Most of these victories I’ve penciled in are due to John Fox’s coaching, and a stiff run defense.  The offensive line has zero cohesiveness together, I’ve never been a big fan of either Deshaun Foster or DeAngelo Williams, and don’t think they’re major contributors this year.  That means Jake Delhomme will have to get the ball to his crafty receiving corps, which is solid.  Unfortunately, every defense they will face has the same information.  This team is not fun to watch.

Tampa Bay (5-11)
I see nothing but mediocrity for this team again in 2007, in every facet of the game.  Jeff Garcia won’t find anywhere near the magic he benefited from as an Eagle last year.  Plus, it’s really hot down there.

Atlanta Falcons (4-12)
This off-season the Falcons let go of perhaps the NFL’s best backup quarterback in Matt Schaub, lost their starter to the slammer, and Warrick Dunn is recovering from injury.  The receivers weren’t that good to begin with.  I don’t see Atlanta scoring a lot of points, and actually feel bad for first year coach Bobby Petrino. 

Just a side note on Michael Vick:  Anyone that reads this column during the season knows I’m no fan of Vick, both on and off the field.  Dick Vitale said it best “Mr. Saturday – No class”.  Anyway, a colleague asked me the other day if anyone would ever sign him again.  Of course somebody will.  He can play in this league, and that offsets any wrongdoing a player can accomplish.

One team that won’t be in line for his services of course is the Cleveland Browns.  He wouldn’t fare well in “the dog pound”.  Bud-ump-bump!

NFC West
Seattle Seahawks (11-5)
Tougher division this year, but the Seahawks still have the pieces to stay competitive.  Of course, a lot of that depends on Shaun Alexander’s foot problems from last year.  I think Deion Branch will benefit from beginning the season on the club, and his taking to the system could be the difference in making the playoffs this year, or staying home.

San Francisco 49ers (11-5)
I must be completely insane. Last year my surprise team was the Cardinals, and that blew up in my face on national TV when Arizona suffered their meltdown to the Bears.  I don’t know what it is, maybe Mike Nolan’s cool suits, Frank Gore’s hard running, or Alex Smith’s development.  The schedule isn’t easy either with tough road games at Pittsburgh, Giants, Carolina, and home contests vs. Baltimore, New Orleans and Cincy (I have them at 3-3 in those games).  Call me crazy, maybe its Bill Walsh’s passing, but I think these are an improved bunch in 2007.

St. Louis Rams (8-8)
Always an offensive powerhouse, the Rams addressed their porous defense with the 13th pick in the draft of Adam Carriker.  Will that be enough to improve from 28th overall in the NFL?  Can’t hurt.  As per usual, expect the offense to continue their great turf show, but they are still too thin at too many positions.

Arizona Cardinals (5-11)
I love Matt Leinert and his receivers, however Edgerrin James needs to think about pulling a Michael Strahan.  He looked two steps slower last year.  This however, leaves them short in the backfield.  I think new coach Ken Whisenhunt will get his guys to play hard for him, but don’t like the defense at all.  Could be a season full of ‘over’ losses for the boys in red and white.

NFC East
Philadelphia (12-4)
What would you say if I predicted a 10-0 start for the
Birds this year?  Is that completely insane or what?
That’s exactly how I see McNabb and company emerging
from the blocks this year.  

Week one at Green Bay could be trickier than
anticipated in that it will be Brett Favre’s final
home opener.  Lots of rust to knock off for both
teams, but especially with McNabb returning to the big
stage.  I think the cream will rise to the top though,
with Philadelphia showing their class in the 2nd half
and walking away from Lambeau Field with the W.

Next up, two cupcakes at home with wins against both
Washington and Detroit.  The Giants lost their best
player to retirement, and Michael Strahan has already
begun whining for more money.  Unless Eli Manning has
a coming out party this year (and you won’t find a
Giant fan in the tri-state area expecting that), this
team has all the makings of hitting mid-season with no
wheels remaining.  Chalk up a win at the Meadowlands.

After the ‘bye’ in week five, they return to East
Rutherford to take on the Jets.  This game could be
dicey, but I’ll give a slight nod to Coach Reid.
Bears at home, another tough game but like most people
feel, Rex Grossman can throw in a clunker anytime,
especially in front of a very hostile crowd at the
Linc.

Wins in Minnesota against old buddy Brad Childress,
followed by a home win in the grudge match vs. TO and
the Cowboys.  The Redskins follow.  When the Miami
Dolphins invade South Philly on November 18th, Trent
Green will already be out of commission.

Now the troubling part of the schedule.  At New
England, Seattle and Giants home, at Dallas and New
Orleans.  Of those five, I think the best chance is a
division victory again against New York.  Toss ups
with Seattle and New Orleans.  There’s a good chance
of looking at 1-4 during that span, but by then the
season is on ice, with the Birds easily covering the
regular season finale in Buffalo, where the Bills had
quit a month earlier.

Dallas (10-6)
Can Dallas without Bill Parcells be better off with
Wade Phillips?  Didn’t think so.  Look for a rosy
training camp in Big D, and an opening season win
against the Giants, but then things take a turn for
the worse.

Pencil in more wins vs…
St. Louis (H), Minnesota (H), @ Giants, Washington
(H), Green Bay (H), @ Detroit, Philadelphia (H).

Likely losses vs…
@ Chicago, New England, @ Philadelphia, @ Washington.

Toss Ups…
At Miami week 2 (remember, Trent Green will probably
still be playing in week 2), at Buffalo (always tough
territory up there, especially when the Bills are
still in the hunt), Jets home (Jets could contend all
season with a healthy Pennigton), at Carolina
(especially if John Fox can figure out a way to
squeeze some offensive life into his team).  Let’s say
they split those four.

Even with the coaching change and not a whole lot of
personnel additions this year, Dallas could put
together a win streak late in the season to make the
playoffs, after what looks to be a 3-4 mark at their
bye week.

Giants (8-8)
And they aren’t that good.  Here are a few things we
know about the Giants in no particular order.  They
have no leadership on that team.  Michael Strahan, if
he decides to return with the bad wheel is probably as
much a distraction anymore then the All-Pro player he
was.  Tiki Barber will be missed.  Jeremy Shockey
won’t play 16 games.  Coach Coughlin is another year
closer to wearing out his welcome.

Within the division, they lose both to Philly and
Dallas and split with Washington.  I’ll pencil them in
for a 3-1 record vs. the NFC North.  The rest, losses
to the Jets and SF in Jersey.  Wins in Atlanta, London
(vs. Miami), and Buffalo.  To win the 8th, I think
they beat New England at home the last game of the
season, which is meaningless to the Patriots who
should clinch by Thanksgiving.  Could be meaningless
as well though to Coughlin, and serve as his final
head-coaching job in the NFL.

Washington (6-10)
Again, I don’t think the Skins are even this good, but
the schedule makers were kind.  Clinton Portis is
already nicked up, and his mouth is in mid-season
form.  Let’s break down the logical wins and losses…

Victories against…
Detroit (H), Buffalo (H), Dallas (H).

Losses vs...@ Philadelphia, @ New England, @ Jets,
Philadelphia (H), @ Dallas, Chicago (H), @ Giants.

Toss ups…
Miami (H) in the season opener.  The Dolphins made
some nice off-season moves, but how well they gel this
early in the season remains to be seen, and FedEx
Field’s 91,000 plus will be rockin.  Giants (H), @
Green Bay, Arizona (H), @ Tampa Bay, @ Minnesota.
Splitting the difference once again in these six
games, combined with the above results in the
Washington Redskins season at 6-10.  Not good enough
for Daniel Synder, Coach Gibbs, or even big mouth
Clinton Portis.  Two of the three won’t remain heading
into the 2008 campaign.  Any guess who they are?

So there you have it.  The Eagles will win the
division, and will earn home field advantage
throughout the playoffs courtesy of that week seven
defeat of fellow 12-4 Chicago Bears.

All that being said, here is the 1-6 for the NFC playoffs come early January (you’re gonna like what you see)…

1. Philadelphia Eagles
2. Chicago Bears
3. Seattle Seahawks
4. New Orleans Saints
5. San Francisco 49ers
6. Dallas Cowboys

I’ll be back next week with a look at the AFC.
Bored? Stop in for a mental cocktail at Whitey’s Pub!
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