Three Playoff Teams That Are Not Being Talked About (NFL)
The Detroit Lions
As long as Aaron Rodgers is the QB of the Packers, Detroit’s chances of winning their division or simply earning a Wild Card spot won’t be easy. That being said this is a very talented roster. They have the second best QB in the division with Matthew Stafford at the helm, and they have a decent O-line, good offensive weapons, and an above average defense. The sneakiest weapon on the team is scat back Theo Riddick who is very Darren Sproles like. He can take over a game when he gets the rock. Their not perfect, but they’re talented. Pencil them in for a Wild Card Playoff spot in 2017. I don’t think that The Vikings are going anywhere with QB Sam Bradford. Sorry Vikings fans, but RB Dalvin Cook is not enough. Any hope for The Bears? They could be a decent team in a year or two. Not this year. I previously wrote that I didn’t think much of QB Mitch Trubisky. (This was after I spoke with him at The Draft.) He is currently proving me wrong. QB Mike Glennon is a band aid that will eventually be ripped off. My prediction for The Detroit Lion’s 2017 Regular season record: 10-6.
The Philadelphia Eagles
We already know that they have Their Franchise QB with Carson Wentz, who has looked like a stud in training camp, and the preseason. They needed to build around him, and saying that they have accomplished this feat is an understatement. They have upgraded at WR with Alshon Jeffry, Torrey Smith, and rookie late round pick Mack Hollins. They have likely upgraded at RB with LeGarrette Blount. According to my fellow writer, and colleague Ralph Uriate watch out for second year RB Wendell Smallwood, who’s been having a great camp. They upgraded their already stout D-Line with their first round pick DE Dereck Barnett, and with an underrated trade with The Baltimore Ravens for DT Tim Jernigan. Then they won a trade with The Buffalo Bills for CB Ronald Darby. This particular trade has erased any doubt I still had about them making The Playoffs this season. Ronald Darby was Buffalo’s best CB and has looked great in camp, and against his former team In The Eagle’s second Pre-Season Game against The Buffalo Bills. (He nearly had a pick six.) The biggest piece to the puzzle is really just how disorganized the rest of their division looks. The New York Giants added some weapons but may be the most over hyped team in The NFL. It looks like QB Eli Manning‘s arm is falling off whenever he throws, and he has no O-line to protect him as he ages. The Washington Redskins can’t seem to sign their best option at QB (Kirk Cousins), and their defense is very average. On top of all that I’m not impressed with what they have at WR. Terrelle Pryor is a good player, but he’s no Desean Jackson or Pierre Garcon. The Dallas Cowboys have no defense and will lose their best player RB Ezekiel Elliot for at least six weeks due to a 6 game suspension he has received for violating The NFL’s personal conduct policy. He won’t win in court to overturn his suspension and could be punished further for even more idiocy such as hitting a man in a bar and exposing a woman’s breasts on TMZ during a parade. He is not a player I would want any young NFL fan looking up to. The Philadelphia Eagles should win their division. Key word: should. They’re my pick to do so. They will be in The Playoffs this year either as NFC East Champions or as a Wild Card Team. (The Wild Card being worst case scenario) My prediction for The Philadelphia Eagle’s 2017 Regular season Record: 11-5.
The Miami Dolphins
Yes I know. QB Ryan Tannehill is out, and newly signed QB Jay Cutler is in. They still have a better O-Line than last year. WR Kenny Stills looks even better in camp this year than last year, and they went heavy in the draft on defense. They are the only team in their division that can wallop The Patriots in an NFL football Game. The Buffalo Bills are quietly tanking for next years NFL Draft, and The New York Jets tanked months ago by cutting WR Brandon Marshall who is not in his prime but is still a decent option, and WR Eric Dekker who is better than people outside of New York think he is. The Buffalo Bills made The Dolphins better by trading WR Sammy Watkins, and then gift wrapping their best CB Ronald Darby to The Eagles for WR Jordan Matthews who is limited to the slot. They may have picked up a 2018 NFL Draft pick in the process, but that is the definition of tanking. It is possible that QB Jay Cutler is a better QB in The AFC than he is in The NFC. He was underwhelming when he played for The Chicago Bears but was great when he played for The Denver Broncos. I think that carries over. He has been looking good since being signed by The Dolphins in Adam Gase’s system. They would have won the division with QB Ryan Tannehill this year. Yes, they would have posted a better record than the Pats! Here’s why: Their young QB was finally starting to play like The New England Patriots old QB Tom Brady in the second half of last season. With QB Jay Cutler at the helm, I’m going to pencil them in as a Wild Card Playoff team for this season. My prediction for The Miami Dolphin’s 2017 Regular Season Record: 10-6.
Honorable mention: The San Francisco 49ers, and The Baltimore Ravens.
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