Front Runners Next Year?

[SteelCity]

Since the season is over, I just wanted to see who everybody liked to be the front runners next year?
NFC
I have to think that the Rams and Eagles will be front runners again. Neither team loses alot and should get better. I would look for the Central to be strong again but maybe no to the elite level yet.
AFC
This conf should be similar to this year. I see the Raiders doing well for Grudens last stand. I do feel that if the Pats sign Smith or get another RB, they will play my Steelers again in the Conf Championship. Hopefully with a different result but we will see.

I would be interested to hear some real backing to choices not just team favorites.

Congrats to the Pats fans and Backers!!!!!

 

[thunderdoll]

I think it is too early to pick next years favorites. Things seem to change so fast and with the pairity being what it is a player or two and the schedual can have a lot to do with it.

 

[TheShrimp]

As far as teams that probably provide good value for a futures bet, I'd go with Detroit, Dallas, Arizona, and Buffalo. I even like Seattle (another year under Holmgren in a division getting weaker after finishing the season strong), and really like Cleveland who will get that O working soon to go along with a good, young, fast D.

They'll all have weak schedules. They all had a lot of youth this year, and they all pulled some big upsets (not really detroit, but they weren't getting killed either), and showed flashes of good defense, and maybe a quarterback that was coming into his own (well, not Plummer, but he's decent anyway). Getting a couple of those big wins (dall d. nyg; cle d. bal; zona d. phi; bills d. nyj; sea d. oak) can really give you something to build on.

You might be able to get anyone of them at 50-1 to win the conference (well, maybe not that high).

Are they changing the divisions next year? If so, I'd probably like the Zona bet even more.

I think Steelers might be a good bet if getting at least 10-1 to win the AFC, but they won't get that much. Bell will be a froce next year, though they have secondary problems, and even if bettis is hurt, they have another good back. Kordell seemed to find himself this year. If he keeps that up, they'll be dangerous.

Raiders would be a *terrible* bet. Raiders are another year older, and another big playoff loss sadder. Woodson's got a bad toe, and those never heal. Rice and Brown are really getting up there in years. Their defense just fell apart atrociously this year, and I doubt they have the money to fix it. Because they're the Raiders, there's no way you get a good future on them.

Teams that are likely to be there, but you won't get good odds on include all of the ones that were there this year: CHI, PHI, PATS, PIT, SF, STL, TB. I don't like the Jets or the Dolphins getting back.

TheShrimp

 

[bigbagrat]

Seattle and Arizona move into the NFC West with San Francisco and St. Louis so they aere not going to win anything. Plus, the scheduling will not reflect the "5th place finish" bonus any more. Still a little too early to predict this stuff, but not too early to talk about it!

 

[TheShrimp]

Thanks for the info. That is troubling for SEA and ZONA because I did think they were on the verge of turning it around.

Of course before placing any futures, I'll need to check out the new alignments, scheduling, and playoff picture.

Do you have a link to the new alignment picture, and playoff scenarios?

Is it 4 divisions per conference, with the 4 division winners, and 2 wild cards from each conference or what?

Thanks

TheShrimp

 

[thunderdoll]

I stand corrected in my post about it being too early. Sorry, actually I have been thinking about it since posting it was too early.
I am looking at teams that finished high that had easy scheduals, Pitt especially. Teams like Oakland that fell apart. And seriously thinking of betting the under on them. But I don't know what the number will be yet. At the same time have to look for some long shots to win conference etc. There always seems to be a couple.Parity can be a good thing.

 

[yyz]

I think you might get a decent shot at the seasons wins going "over" for Detroit.

I am not sure how low the number will be, but I would think 4 or 5 would still be reachable.

 

[bigbagrat]

The NFL's 2002 realignment:

http://www.nfl.com/news/2001/realignment.html

 

[pacerfan]

Colts

Colts

Gotta like the Colts chances w/ Dungy coming in...offense has always been there..."d" has had issues for the last 2 or 3 years. I do believe that Dungy will turn this team into a contender.:brows:

 

[bigbagrat]

Gotta like the Colts chances

..............especially since they have two freebies with the Texans...

 

[JT]

Not to mention a slipping Jacksonville and Titan team. Colts should take the AFC South easily.

 

[bigbagrat]

...............maybe I better go buy a Peyton Manning jersey...........while they're still on sale..............

 

[GM]

Well, these are vague predictions...but things that I see happen pretty much every year....

?A team that was 8-8 or worse will get a bye through the first round. Pretty good chance an 8-8 or worse team from this year will make it to the Superbowl next year.

?At least two of the four teams that got playoff byes this year will fail to even make the playoffs next year. One of those two teams (minimum) will be a team that played in the Superbowl this year.

?A team that finished in last place in their division this year will win their division next year.

?On season win totals props, bet the Under on the 6 highest posted totals, and the Over on the 6 lowest, and there is absolutely no way you lose money. Chances are very good you'll come out with 8-9 winning tickets out of the 12. Teams that are supposed to win 12 or more don't, just as teams that are supposed to lose 12 or more don't.

And, while I can't say I've seen it happen before (because we haven't yet seen an 8-division NFL), here is something I see very likely to happen...

?Some team will win it's division with a losing record. Maybe not in '02, but very soon. With only 4 teams in a division, it certainly opens up the possibility. Had we had 8 divisions this year, it would have happened in the AFC South (Indy, Tenn, Jax, Hou). Regardless, this new divisional format is going to cause a LOT of bitching and moaning. Every year you are now going to see the best non-division winner seeded 5th instead of 4th, a team that is likely 13-3 or 12-4. And a REALLY weak division winner will get a home playoff game against that 12-4ish team as the #4 seed....9-7 at best, but maybe 8-8 or even 7-9. And 10-6 won't necessarily get you a playoff spot anymore. There's gonna be a lot of angry people out there and we're going to hear about it from the media a LOT.

As for which ~specific~ teams do all these things....damned if I know. LOL But I'd say it's all stuff to be kept in mind, 'cause most if not all of it will happen again.