{"id":81422,"date":"2018-08-13T20:21:02","date_gmt":"2018-08-13T20:21:02","guid":{"rendered":"\/rcntv\/?p=81422"},"modified":"2023-02-14T21:39:45","modified_gmt":"2023-02-14T21:39:45","slug":"pro-football-predictions-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.astound.com\/atvn\/pro-football-predictions-1\/","title":{"rendered":"Pro Football Predictions #1"},"content":{"rendered":"

The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of RCN or any other agency, organization, employer or company.
\n<\/strong><\/em>
\nThe Super Bowl<\/a>\u00a0champion Eagles<\/a> will start the NFL<\/a> season in Philadelphia on Thursday, September 6, against the Atlanta Falcons<\/a>.\u00a0 Around here, there is no better way to open the new football year. \u00a0NBC<\/a> will have the match-up.\u00a0 Do I think the Eagles can overcome the hangover from winning the 2018 Super Bowl?\u00a0 You will have to wait until next week for my NFC predictions.\u00a0 For this week, the focus is on the AFC.<\/p>\n

AFC West<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Kansas City Chiefs<\/a> \u2013 There\u2019s a new quarterback here \u2013 Pat Mahomes (Alex Smith went to the Redskins<\/a>), but Andy Reid remains with a new defense.\u00a0 This team is a regular in the playoffs and this division is not strong.<\/li>\n
  2. Los Angeles Chargers<\/a> \u2013 They finished a surprising second last year. Their defense is improved.\u00a0 They play Kansas City in Week 15 in a game that could seal the fate of their conference standing.<\/li>\n
  3. Oakland Raiders<\/a>\u2013 Jon Gruden leaves the safety of the broadcasting booth and returns to the NFL sidelines. He is certainly not an analytics guy (he specifically said that) and it may take him a while to get comfortable as a head coach again.\u00a0 This team has a young defense.\u00a0 The good news is their schedule is pretty weak to start the season.<\/li>\n
  4. Denver Broncos <\/a>\u2013 The defense was solid last year, but the offense was not. This team could not win on the road at all.\u00a0 The offense has to be better.\u00a0 Don\u2019t bet on it.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    AFC South<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Jacksonville Jaguars<\/a>\u2013 If defense wins championships, give this team a chance. Their linebacker\/secondary group is outstanding.\u00a0 QB Blake Bortles\u2019s numbers should impress due to an improved offensive line.\u00a0 With veteran Tom Coughlin around again this year in the front office, the Jaguars are solid.<\/li>\n
    2. Houston Texans<\/a> \u2013 The last three offensive seasons have been run by three different quarterbacks. This year, it\u2019s Deshaun Watson\u2019s turn.\u00a0 Bill O\u2019Brien\u2019s team had the worst scoring defense in the league last year, but they can only go up in those stats.\u00a0 Dare I say, they may actually contend for a division title?<\/li>\n
    3. Tennessee Titans<\/a> \u2013 I really enjoy watching Marcus Mariota at quarterback. He is always exciting, but he threw 15 interceptions last year.\u00a0 They look strong enough in all aspects and this could be my worst prediction, but I have more confidence in the two teams above them.<\/li>\n
    4. Indianapolis Colts<\/a> \u2013 Andrew Luck? Andrew Luck?\u00a0 What can he do coming off shoulder surgery?\u00a0 He was shut down last season.\u00a0 They open with the Bengals<\/a> and with any Luck (see what I did there?) they might win and get rolling.\u00a0 Without any Luck (I know \u2013 knock it off), their season looks dismal.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      AFC North (PS \u2013 this is the same order I picked last year)<\/strong><\/p>\n

        \n
      1. Pittsburgh Steelers<\/a> \u2013 Ben, Bell, and Brown make the offense superior. There\u2019s a new defensive coordinator (Randy Fichter) and some defensive additions make them better on the other side, too.\u00a0 This should be a lock.<\/li>\n
      2. Baltimore Ravens<\/a> \u2013 The Ravens continue to be desperate for a playoff berth \u2013 it\u2019s been three straight years that they have not played in the post season. Joe Flacco will be aided by the additions of three new receivers.\u00a0 They shored up their defense last year. Ravens fans are desperate for a winner \u2013 so is Coach John Harbaugh.\u00a0 They\u2019re better and desperate \u2013 could be a winning combination.<\/li>\n
      3. Cincinnati Bengals \u2013 Here we go again – I never know what to do with the Bengals. This team should be good \u2013 maybe even very good.\u00a0 They often do not play to their capability, but, also, seem better than their record.\u00a0 I picked them third last year and see no reason to change this year\u2013 so be it.<\/li>\n
      4. Cleveland Browns<\/a> \u2013 Three years \u2013 four wins: I always know where to pick the Browns. Dead last.\u00a0 But they have another new starting quarterback \u2013 the #1 pick in the draft, Baker Mayfield, but it might take him awhile to become the starter.\u00a0 The offensive line remains from last season, the receiving crew is adequate and their young defense is back and should be better.\u00a0 They have not won a road game since 2015.\u00a0 They will remain dead last.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        AFC East<\/strong><\/p>\n

          \n
        1. New England Patriots<\/a> \u2013 This is a lock! They have won 15 East titles in the last 16 years.\u00a0 Ten straight!\u00a0 Even though they lost a number of players since last year, the division remains weak; but there is a Brady and a Gronkowski.\u00a0 Oh, and there\u2019s Bill Belichick.\u00a0 They may have lost a bit of their luster, but not enough to lose this division.<\/li>\n
        2. New York Jets<\/a> \u2013 #3 draft pick QB Sam Darnold is in the fold and I have moved the Jets from a last place pick last year to second. The schedule doesn\u2019t help any of the teams below the Patriots because they crossover with the AFC South and the NFC North.\u00a0 Because of that, the Jets will improve, but they will not make the playoffs.<\/li>\n
        3. Miami Dolphins<\/a> \u2013 Is Ryan Tannehill healthy after knee surgery? If so, can he last a season?\u00a0 They added Danny Amendola from New England to aid the offense, but lost some key defensive players.\u00a0 They will not contend for the playoffs either.<\/li>\n
        4. Buffalo Bills<\/a> \u2013 There are no positives to report on here. Josh Allen was spotty at QB last season and with a porous offensive line, there will not be much improvement. They will not make the playoffs for the eighth straight year.\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

          ABOVE THE EARS (SOME MUSINGS)<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

            \n
          1. What would you pay for a signed baseball with the names Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Cy Young, and Walter Johnson on it? This was the first group inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame<\/a>.\u00a0 It was sold this past week for a record $623,369.\u00a0 The previous high was $388,000 for a Babe Ruth ball.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
              \n
            1. The Red Sox<\/a> (85-35) have the same number of wins as the Orioles<\/a> (35-84) have losses. They are 50 games over .500.\u00a0 Their season has been phenomenal.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
                \n
              1. Years ago, we broadcast the PIAA s<\/a>tate baseball championships from Williamsport\u2019s Bowman Field. It was adjacent to the Little League complex where the Little League World Series<\/a>\u00a0is played.\u00a0 The Phillies<\/a> will play the Mets<\/a> there Sunday, August 19, in what is being called the Little League Classic.\u00a0 Phillies infielder Scott Kingery played in the World Series in 2006.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
                  \n
                1. Lafayette<\/a> football media day is this week. The Leopards open their season at Sacred Heart<\/a>, September 1, at 6:00pm.\u00a0 Sacred Heart beat Lafayette 38-24 last year, racking up 504 yards of total offense.\u00a0 RCN-TV\u2019s first Lafayette game will be at Delaware<\/a> with a 3:35pm start on September 8.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
                    \n
                  1. We will start the high school season on Friday, August 24, when Southern Lehigh<\/a> hosts the Saucon Valley Panthers<\/a>. These two teams should be in the hunt for a Colonial League<\/a> title.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                     <\/p>\n

                     <\/p>\n

                     <\/p>\n

                    \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

                    The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of RCN or any other agency, organization, employer or company. The Super Bowl\u00a0champion Eagles will start the NFL season in Philadelphia on Thursday, September 6, against the Atlanta Falcons.\u00a0 Around here, there is no…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"Yoast SEO Relevanssi index exclude","inline_featured_image":false,"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"episode_type":"","audio_file":"","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","itunes_episode_number":"","itunes_title":"","itunes_season_number":"","itunes_episode_type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-81422","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-behind-the-mic"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nPro Football Predictions #1 - ATVN<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Pro Football Predictions #1 - ATVN\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of RCN or any other agency, organization, employer or company. 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