OT: NFL Worst-to-First Predictions, 2015 Version

Or Oakland.  

Rams but that division is tough. The most probable is the Titans or Bucs if one of the two new QBs are legit.

All of those teams will blow again this year.

If Oakland can land Jim Harbaugh as their coach they should have a good shot of winning their division. 

I honestly don't think Bears will be close. Packers still dominate the NFC north and the lions are still gonna be good (just not as good). Similarly Vikings have year two of the coach and QB so they should only get better (along with AP maybe). I honestly see Bears as 3rd or maybe 4th again in the league.

New QB in Foles is a solid pickup.

Always been a Jeff Fisher fan. Good crop of young talent too.

Clearly Cleveland.  But then again we're last every year so the law of averages are on side.

No way the Bears finish above the Packers who only got better unless there is a major run of injuries (or one major injury to Rogers). 

Rams is possible with the Seahawks likely taking a small step back if the Rams take a big step forward but I would still be surprised. 

Browns is also possible now that they have a functional quarterback (probably). 

know who is on any of those teams.  I did not like the NFL before Hernandez/Incognito/Rice/Hardy/Deflate-gate and the last year has done nothing to endear it to me.  College football is my favorite sport on the planet.  The NFL does not even register with me.  Go figure.

I predict the Patriots will be good, Peyton Manning will throw for a lot of yards, and there will be lots of pass interference and defensive holding calls.  Also, the Super Bowl will happen.

What about the Niners headed in the opposite direction?

I don't like either of your picks, OP.  When this tends to happen, it does so in a division that doesn't have a clear cut favorite, one that is more wide open, like the NFC South as you mentioned.  

For this year, I'd say the Bucs, Raiders or Redskins have the best chance.

I don’t think any of these teams have a real shot at going worst to first. They were all that bad last year for a reason, but if I had to pick, I think it’d come down to between two teams:

Bucs – the NFC South is such a mess that really anything is possible. The Bucs do have some nice pieces in the Jackson/Evans combo, and McCoy/David could be two of the best at their respective positions. Lovie will field good defenses like he always did in Chicago, but they’ve got a rookie QB in Winston that will have a pretty effing big target on his back all year. With a patchwork offensive line full of rookies and career backups that won’t be able to protect him very well. Improvement from 2-14? Yes. Getting past Drew Brees, Matt Ryan, and Cam Newton? Not so much.

Titans – no, I do not think the Titans will overtake the Colts. But they’ve only got one real team to go through, unlike the other teams on this list, who have multiple contenders in their division. The Texans have arguably the best player in the league in Watt, but essentially no one else. And no QB. The Jaguars are what they are. The only way I could see the Titans moving up is if Mariota has an RGIII-esque rookie year where teams don’t know how to game plan for him, and they catch the Colts by surprise in at least one of their games against each other.

Thought about the Rams, as they’re probably the best team on this list and should be improved from last year, but they also have to contend with the Cardinals, the Seahawks, and a 49ers team that still has a good amount of talent despite buffoonery running throughout its coaching and management ranks. Good luck with that.   

I'll say the Bears or the Bucs, more likely the Bucs. No one in that division is great and they have a superb defense. If the Bucs even have an average o line that gives Winston time to find Evans, Jackson, etc their offense could have some big play potential. Unless Doug Martin comes back to life their run game will probably still be pedestrian but the run game in Carolina isn't much better. Give me Tampa Bay.

Yeah... near zero percent chance that the Bears win the division. They have not gotten much better if at all and the rest of the division could be playoff-caliber.

but would pick the Rams based on a solid D and I do think Fisher is a pretty good coach.  This is all based on having read some stuff somewhere and gut feeling, nothing you know, factual. 

Rams or Bucs.

The Rams for 100 Alex.

I don't think Manning stays healthy, and the Chargers and Chiefs strike me as 8-8 kind of teams this year. The rest all have major questions at QB (save the Bears, but I honestly think they're still the worst team in the North)

I'd say Tampa Bay has the best shot

Raiders or Rams have the best shot, IMO. Bucs a close third. I think Seattle falls a bit (can't keep them all) but the Cardinals are the real threat there to the West. 49ers pick in the top 5, IMO. Cutler will Cutler. Packers walk with the NFC North, Vikings being the next in line. I have Carolina winning the South but NO is still a threat and it's looking so bad again that the Bucs wouldn't shock me. I think Oakland is legit in 2 more years but I don't see them overtaking Den or SD. The Rams have a crazy D-line, though! I'd still bet we don't see a worst to first for 2 years in a row.

I'd pick these two as the most likely, but I think we'll go another year without a "worst-to-first" team.  If the Rams played in a different division, I think they'd have a real shot.  The Raiders' division will be down this year, but Manning, Rivers, and even Alex Smith are all pretty damn good QBs, and Denver and KC have reloaded on defense.  That division is going to be a mess, IMO.

with the Redskins it all comes down to RG3 and his make or break year. well also depends on if they even have enough players to play in the secondary with all the injuries they have suffered this month.

If Brady's suspension stays at 4 games, I'll take the Jets.  Their defense looks scary good.

 

Tampa