Way-too-early 2017 predictions

[Everlong]

So the draft is done, free agents are signed... we've got OTAs starting up in a little bit, but after that we're in the long stretch of nothingness until late July.

So let's hear your predictions that are WAY too early about what you think will happen this year!

SUPER BOWL

For the AFC, it's hard for me to pick anyone other than the Patriots pretty much every year. As boring as it is, I'm going with them again, just because they keep getting better somehow, and you know the're a lock to play in the AFC Championship game anyway.

For the NFC, it's much tougher, which makes the conference much more interesting. If the Packers are able to go from having a bottom-three defense to even the 15th-20th ranked defense, they have a good shot. They've improved their offense this offseason with the exception of offensive line, which was one of the league's best units last year. However, I think the loss of TJ Lang shouldn't be too much for them to handle in that regard. Then there's the Seahawks, who are still perennial contenders but need a lot more help on the offensive line/offense in general. Then you've got the Falcons. To me, the Falcons scream "flash in the pan," because I just can't imagine them sustaining that same level of offensive efficiency, which they need to do if they're going to hope to have a shot at the Super Bowl. Dallas is a contender as well, but needs to work on that defense more.

So, it's though. I think ultimately I'll be picking Dallas, but Dallas/Green Bay are probably the frontrunners with Atlanta right behind them and Seattle far off. It'll be interesting to see if teams like Detroit, Minnesota, Tampa Bay, New York and Carolina can make a push as well.

MVP: I mean, basically Aaron Rodgers is as good a guess as you can have pretty much every year. But if I'm going to pick someone other than Rodgers or Brady, I'll take Andrew Luck. He played well last year despite the Colts' record, and if he puts up big numbers again this year and the Colts make the playoffs, he'll be in the thick of the MVP race for sure.

[The Legend]

Well, I mean the only prediction that matters is that the eternal hell finally ends. The Browns not only make the Super Bowl, but win the whole damn thing. DeShone Kizer shocks the world and grabs the league by the throat from the get go and has such a good year he's the first player after one season to be named Rookie of the Year, MVP, Super Bowl MVP and granted guaranteed access to the Hall of Fame once his career is over.

As for real life predictions. The Shittsburgh Squeelers are probably going to make the Super Bowl out of the AFC pretty easy and win the whole thing as well. That offense is ridiculous and their defense is better than anticipated. As good as last season was for New England, Father Time is undefeated and Brady is going to be 40 this year. Remember how quickly Manning's career went from it's a career year to he's the one holding the Broncos back. It can and probably will happen in a season where he just falls off a cliff.

In the NFC, Dallas is a lock to make the Super Bowl to me. That offense is ridiculously efficient and well run and I liked a lot of what they did this off-season defensively and think they will be significantly improved on that side of the ball. Green Bay will be in the mix as well, but something just always seems to get in their way.

As for MVP, it's going to be Derek Carr. The MVP race is kind of political in that you have to be someone on the radar already and Carr put himself directly on the radar last season doing what he did with that offense and then watching that offense struggle like it did without him in the lineup for the playoff game. I think last season went a long way to determining just how highly ranked Carr should be and if he just maintains his level of play to be like it was again this year he should run away with it.

[The Legend]

Well, I mean the only prediction that matters is that the eternal hell finally ends. The Browns not only make the Super Bowl, but win the whole damn thing. DeShone Kizer shocks the world and grabs the league by the throat from the get go and has such a good year he's the first player after one season to be named Rookie of the Year, MVP, Super Bowl MVP and granted guaranteed access to the Hall of Fame once his career is over.

As for real life predictions. The Shittsburgh Squeelers are probably going to make the Super Bowl out of the AFC pretty easy and win the whole thing as well. That offense is ridiculous and their defense is better than anticipated. As good as last season was for New England, Father Time is undefeated and Brady is going to be 40 this year. Remember how quickly Manning's career went from it's a career year to he's the one holding the Broncos back. It can and probably will happen in a season where he just falls off a cliff.

In the NFC, Dallas is a lock to make the Super Bowl to me. That offense is ridiculously efficient and well run and I liked a lot of what they did this off-season defensively and think they will be significantly improved on that side of the ball. Green Bay will be in the mix as well, but something just always seems to get in their way.

As for MVP, it's going to be Derek Carr. The MVP race is kind of political in that you have to be someone on the radar already and Carr put himself directly on the radar last season doing what he did with that offense and then watching that offense struggle like it did without him in the lineup for the playoff game. I think last season went a long way to determining just how highly ranked Carr should be and if he just maintains his level of play to be like it was again this year he should run away with it.

[DBSoT]

NFC Champs: Giants. They have really upgraded their offense with some a very good amount of talent. If they sign Blount, it could be even better. Dallas is a close 2nd, but I could see a sophomore slump for Dax.

AFC Champs: New England. Until shown otherwise, they are my pick.

NFC Surprise: Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The NFC South is going to be really tough and the Bucs may be the best of them.

AFC Surprise: Tennessee Titans. They will need improvement in their secondary, but other then that, they are set to be a top team. They have the 2 best young OTs in the game and I expect Corey Davis to win ROY.

Detroit Lions: If the Lions don't win the division, It will be a disappointment. They took a playoff team and upgraded at positions of need. This is another team that could be even more dangerous with the services of Blount. The division comes down to Green Bay and Detroit. Chicago and Minnesota are playing for 3rd.

[Everlong]

I don't know about your assessment of Brady and the Pats, John. Brady may be about to turn 40, but he's shown absolutely no signs of slowing down, and unlike Manning, he's extremely healthy and in some of the best football shape of his career. When Manning had his sudden collapse, he'd already had neck surgeries and had even started to drop off the year before.

[The Legend]

I don't know about your assessment of Brady and the Pats, John. Brady may be about to turn 40, but he's shown absolutely no signs of slowing down, and unlike Manning, he's extremely healthy and in some of the best football shape of his career. When Manning had his sudden collapse, he'd already had neck surgeries and had even started to drop off the year before.

Manning went from throwing for 4,727 yards and 39 TD's in 2014 (his second to last year) to throwing for 2,249 yards and 9 TD's in his final season. If 2014 is slowing down just because it was 40 yards and 1 TD per game away from the greatest QB season of all time the year before, OK I'll take slowing down. Also, most people in discussing Manning didn't bring up neck surgeries for his biggest reasons for slowing down. They talked about a quad and calf injury that came from a couple simple sacks late in 2014 and 2015. That's the thing, recovery gets harder and the hits that can cause lasting issues become more common place the older you get. One wrong hit at one wrong angle is going to end Brady's effectiveness in an instant. That's just the way it goes.

[Everlong]

If 2014 is slowing down just because it was 40 yards and 1 TD per game away from the greatest QB season of all time the year before, OK I'll take slowing down.

Not the whole year in and of itself, but the last four to six weeks and the postseason. He was clearly not the same player any more, unable to handle the wear and tear of an entire season.

Ultimately, yeah, father time is undefeated, but there haven't been any warning signs with Brady yet like there were with Manning.

[CMPUNKFAN]

IMO when Brady starts to regress, its gonna happen very very quickly.

[The Legend]

If 2014 is slowing down just because it was 40 yards and 1 TD per game away from the greatest QB season of all time the year before, OK I'll take slowing down.

Not the whole year in and of itself, but the last four to six weeks and the postseason. He was clearly not the same player any more, unable to handle the wear and tear of an entire season.

Ultimately, yeah, father time is undefeated, but there haven't been any warning signs with Brady yet like there were with Manning.

I guess you are making my point for me in a weird way. Manning has an all-time great season in 2013. He starts 2014 the same way and gets sacked a couple of times in which the hits seemed benign, but they had a cumulative effect that from one week to the next he wasn't even quite the same player at some point in the 2014 season and then in 2015 it all went away. There weren't really warning signs with Manning either, considering it was leg problems not neck that really sank his career. One day Tom Brady is going to wake up and simply not be able to play QB any more.

[The Legend]

BUMP, how's everyone feeling about their way too early predictions halfway through the year?