With the Bears & Packers due to kick off, literally, the NFL's 100th season in about 12 hours as I write this, and before we finish previewing the season, NBC thought it'd be cute to have former Packers (& Vikings & Jets) QB Brett Favre sit down with a pair of "Bears Superfans" (Robert Smigel & George Wendt, reprising from Saturday Night Live):
The Superfans were last seen in a State Farm commercial with Favre's successor in Green Bay, Aaron Rodgers, a few years ago.
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NFC South:
It's been 10 years since Drew Brees led the New Orleans Saints to the Super Bowl. Since then, Brees has had endorsement deals with Wrangler and other advertisers, but hasn't gotten back to the big dance. As has been documented here, Saints fans are still butt hurt over the NFC title game, but karma came a'callin' on the Rams in the Super Bowl. Still, at last check, a few dweebs wanted to file suit against the league (good luck with that). The only thing that'll mollify the Doug & Wendy Whiners of New Orleans is the Saints getting back to the Super Bowl, in what might very well be Brees' career coda.
In Atlanta, Matt Ryan begins his 11th season at QB, and another Matt, Bryant, that is, has re-upped to do the kicking since attempting to replace him this pre-season has been an epic fail. The Falcons could fly high, especially if they can generate some momentum from a Braves post-season run.
Tampa Bay reportedly has soured on Jameis Winston, but having Ryan Fitzpatrick as the alternative isn't so bad. It's just that he turns the ball over too much. Carolina has to hope Cam Newton can be healthy for the whole season.
Projected order of finish:
1. New Orleans.
2. Atlanta.
3. Tampa Bay.
4. Carolina.
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NFC West:
Seattle got some much needed defensive help in getting JaDaveon Clowney from Houston last week. They had seen Michael Bennett pack up and leave (New England), and they don't have defensive & spiritual leader Earl Thomas anymore (Baltimore). The offense has to be more than just Russell Wilson and a cloud of dust.
San Francisco has to hope Jimmy Garappolo stays healthy for the entire season, but their defense was boosted as well, after drafting Nick Bosa (Ohio State), the brother of the Chargers' Joey Bosa. They could also do all of America a favor by hiring ESPN bloviator Stephen A. Smith to motivate defensive back Richard Sherman. By being tied to a tackling dummy, that is. Smith, remember, was paired with Sherman in a series of beef jerky ads a couple of years back, with Smith as the voice in Sherman's stomach. Gross!
I actually know someone here in the 518 who is a Rams fan, but is not a fan of Jared Goff, probably because of the choke job in the Super Bowl. Goff was outplayed, pure & simple. If the AFC representative was anyone other than New England, maybe it's a different story. Arizona gave up on Josh Rosen after just one season as Carson Palmer's successor. Turning to former Texas Tech coach Kliff Kingsbury to run the team isn't exactly brain salad surgery, but they have to address the issue of getting the right talent on the field for Kingsbury to succeed. Rome wasn't built in a day, and neither was an NFL team.
Projected order of finish:
1. San Francisco.
2. Los Angeles.
2 (tie). Seattle.
4. Arizona.
Of course, I could be wrong.
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