2009 NFL Predictions, Revisited

So I had Saints + 5 1/2, and the under. Let's get that out of the way, as it takes a little of the sting off of my mediocre predictions from September. And let me also say that while my picks were lame, they weren't Peter King bad. (Sure, anything can happen, but the Bears in the Super Bowl? The Bears???)

But saying I'm better than Peter King would be like pushing the weakest kid in school in the mud. Everybody knows you basically go in the exact opposite direction of whatever Peter King says. Let's look at how I did...(Predicted records in parenthesis.)

AFC EAST

New England 10-6 (12-4)
NY Jets 9-7* (9-7)
Miami 7-9 (8-8)
Buffalo 6-10 (8-8)

TOTAL: 32-32 (37-27)

GRADE: B+. Got the order and Jets' record right, but overestimated overall division strength. And bonus points for predicting the Dolphins' backslide after a cinderella 2008. As for the Bills, they wish they could have a .500 season!


AFC NORTH

Cincinnati 10-6 (6-10)
Baltimore 9-7* (10-6*)
Pittsburgh 9-7 (11-5)
Cleveland 5-11 (5-11)

TOTAL: 33-31 (32-32)

GRADE: C+. Close on division record. Predicted the Steelers' struggles. Said the Browns would be 5-11, but really, how hard is that? On the other hand, I sure didn't see the Bengals coming.


AFC SOUTH

Indianapolis 14-2 (10-6*)
Tennessee 8-8 (11-5)
Houston 8-8 (7-9)
Jacksonville 7-9 (8-8)

TOTAL: 37-27 (36-28)

GRADE: C. The Titans got red hot and almost made the playoff run I thought they would, but it was too little, too late. The Colts didn't take the moderate slide I expected. But, again I was close on overall division strength.


AFC WEST

San Diego 13-3 (9-7)
Denver 8-8 (5-11)
Oakland 5-11 (3-13)
Kansas City 4-12 (4-12)

TOTAL: 30-34 (22-42)

GRADE: C-. Almost had the order right, and was close on KC and Oakland. But when it comes to those teams, who cares? I'll avoid giving myself a "D" by virtue of saying the Chargers would again make a quick playoff exit in spite of winning their division easily.

----------------------

NFC EAST

Dallas 11-5 (11-5)
Philadelphia 11-5* (11-5*)
NY Giants 8-8 (11-5*)
Washington 4-12 (8-8)

TOTAL: 34-30 (41-23)

GRADE: C. This was looking like the best division in the league, as I predicted, but that fell apart in December thanks mostly to the Giants. Still, I hit the Cowboys' and Eagles' 11 win records and playoff appearances.


NFC NORTH

Green Bay 11-5 (11-5)
Minnesota 12-4 (9-7)
Chicago 7-9 (7-9)
Detroit 2-14 (4-12)

TOTAL: 32-32 (31-33)

GRADE: B. I've got to hand it to the ol' Gunslinger on a fine regular season. I was correct on Green Bay, and Chicago (take that Peter King, I just put your retainer on top of the chalkboard where you can't reach it), and was close on the Lions and total division record.


NFC SOUTH

New Orleans 13-3 (11-5)
Atlanta 9-7 (10-6)
Carolina 8-8 (10-6)
Tampa Bay 3-13 (5-11)

TOTAL: 33-31 (36-28)

GRADE: B-. Finishing order is essentially correct. And Atlanta took that projected, Miami-like step back. The Bucs were predictably awful, and Saints predictably good. But I sure didn't have the Saints winning it all.


NFC WEST

Arizona 10-6 (7-9)
San Francisco 8-8 (5-11)
Seattle 5-11 (5-11)
St. Louis 1-15 (5-11)

TOTAL: 24-40 (22-42)

GRADE: C. Predicted Arizona would win the division. (Woo, that was hard.) Pinpointed this would be again the worst division in the NFL. (Woo, hard again, really went out on a limb.) I think even the Matt Leinart-led Cardinals can continue to win this slop with their eyes closed for years to come.

So in general, a very average set of regular season predictions. Let's see how I did in the...

PLAYOFFS!???

AFC: 4 of 6 teams correct - Patriots, Ravens, Colts, Chargers.
NFC: 4 of 6 teams correct - Cowboys, Eagles, Packers, Saints.

Preseason Super Bowl prediction of Titans vs. Packers:
It didn't come close, but I'm not completely embarrassed. For a while the Titans were the hottest team in the league, and the Packers had a nice year. (And if they hadn't been hurt by a couple bad calls in their wild card game, who knows, they could have gone much farther.)

At least I didn't pick the Bears.