2017 Season Overview

Here are my predictions for the 2017 NFL Season. I'm really excited for the year.

This, by the way, is the TL:DR page. You can find my detailed discussions at my divisional breakdowns.

Here are my divisional breakdowns NFC East: https://robhowell.org/blog/?p=814 NFC North: https://robhowell.org/blog/?p=818 NFC South: https://robhowell.org/blog/?p=816 NFC West: https://robhowell.org/blog/?p=820 AFC East: https://robhowell.org/blog/?p=804 AFC North: https://robhowell.org/blog/?p=812 AFC South: https://robhowell.org/blog/?p=810 AFC West: https://robhowell.org/blog/?p=806

NFC Playoffs by Seed 1. Seattle Seahawks (NFC East champion) 2. Dallas Cowboys (NFC West champion) 3. Green Bay Packers (NFC North champion) 4. Atlanta Falcons (NFC South champion) 5. Washington Redskins (Wildcard 1) 6. Minnesota Vikings (Wildcard 2)

AFC Playoffs by Seed 1. New England Patriots (AFC East champion) 2. Kansas City Chiefs (AFC West champion) 3. Pittsburgh Steelers (AFC North champion) 4. Tennessee Titans (AFC South champion) 5. Los Angeles Chargers (Wildcard 1) 6. Denver Broncos (Wildcard 2)

Wild Card Round Green Bay over Minnesota Washington over Atlanta Pittsburgh over Denver Los Angeles over Tennessee

Divisional Round Dallas over Green Bay Washington over Seattle New England over Los Angeles Kansas City over Pittsburgh

Championship Dallas over Washington New England over Kansas City

Super Bowl Dallas over New England

I look back at my predictions for 2015 and I see much the same things. That makes me worried. However, I really do think this Dallas team is far deeper than I've ever seen. Had Tony Romo stayed healthy in 2015 and they had average luck on fumble recoveries (they were extremely unlucky), I think they'd have done really well.

I don't like my predictions in the NFC. All four of the division winners are the same as 2016. In all honesty, the Cowboys are the most vulnerable, though perhaps the Packers. I simply don't see anyone taking the division titles from the Seahawks and Falcons. Still, the two wildcard teams are different and that's about right.

In the AFC, I have three new playoff teams, which is again about right. Tennessee is the only new divisional winner, though. Still, I just can't see anyone dethroning the Patriots or Steelers, though I could see anyone win the AFC West.

Still, there's too much chalk. It's too close to what it was last year. I'm not seeing my mistakes, but they're there.

However, I'll stick with this as it's what my process ends up saying. It'll give me a chance to examine my process next year. By the way, I explain that process here: https://robhowell.org/blog/?p=301.

Welcome to the new season, everyone!