Five Bold NFL Predictions

The year seems to be flying by quickly. Before you know it, the Philadelphia Eagles will begin their title defense with a date against the Atlanta Falcons. Anyways, here are five bold predictions that I have for the NFL season.

1. The NFC South Will NOT Produce Three Playoff Teams This Season: Yes, the NFC South is the toughest division in the NFL. Three of the four teams in the division are Super Bowl-caliber. However, many teams in the NFC have gotten better. Minnesota added Kirk Cousins, Green Bay is getting Aaron Rodgers back, and San Francisco added Richard Sherman and many other pieces to their team. Chances are that the NFC South will send two teams to the postseason at best. If this is the case, it'll likely be Carolina on the outside looking in. The Panthers have a suspect offensive line that can't keep Cam Newton upright.
   
2. Jordy Nelson Will Not Have as Good of a Season as Expected: Nelson (7,848 career receiving yards, 69 receiving touchdowns, 14.3 yards per catch) benefited from having Aaron Rodgers as his quarterback in Green Bay. When Rodgers went down last year, so did Nelson's stats. In 15 games played, Nelson had 53 receptions for 482 yards and six touchdowns. Nelson will be in a different offense, one that expects to utilize all their weapons. That includes Amari Cooper, Martavis Bryant, Doug Martin, and Marshawn Lynch. Expect Nelson to not have a seismic year.
   
3. Jimmy Garappolo's Efforts as the 49ers' Quarterback Won't Be Enough to Get Them to the Playoffs: A quarterback that changes the dynamic of a team is a rare find. When Jimmy Garappolo came to the Niners from New England, he turned a hapless 1-10 squad into a team that dismantled the likes of AFC Championship contender Jacksonville. His first true test will come this season, where he'll have to compete in the tough NFC conference. Trying to usurp teams like Green Bay, Minnesota, Philadelphia, New Orleans, and the like will be tough. Plus, there are still questions offensively for San Francisco. Thus, San Francisco will be on the outside looking in come January. However, that shouldn't discourage Niner fans, for this team does have a solid future ahead of them.
   
4. The Tennessee Titans Will Also Miss the Playoffs: Nothing against the Titans. Marcus Mariota is an exciting quarterback who had a rough 2017 campaign and Derrick Henry is a big body the Titans need at running back. However, the Houston Texans will be getting Deshaun Watson and J.J. Watt back. If Tennessee's passing attack doesn't get better and injuries claim key players, the Titans will not be playing football in January.
   
5. The AFC Will Have a New Representative for the Super Bowl: As good as Tom Brady is, he is not getting younger. He turns 41 in a couple weeks and there was some underlying tension between him, Bill Belichick, and owner Robert Kraft. Also losing defensive mastermind Matt Patricia will hurt New England, too. If there is a new AFC champion, it'll be the Pittsburgh Steelers. Yes, Ben Roethlisberger is getting older like Tom Brady. However, a dynamic offense featuring Antonio Brown and LeVeon Bell cannot be overlooked.