NFL 2018 preview

As the season starts tonight, here's a thumbnail on all 8 divisions. Your actual mileage may vary.

AFC East:

1. New England. Until Tom Brady finally decides to retire and/or Bill Belichick does the same, the division will always be the Patriots' to lose.

2. Jets. First round draft pick Sam Darnold is being asked to not only get Gang Green back to the playoffs, but save Todd "Pro" Bowles' job at the same time.

3. Buffalo. Wild card last year, back to an also ran this year. They let Tyrod Taylor walk (Cleveland), then stupidly gave up on AJ McCarron (now Derek Carr's backup in Oakland). Josh Allen is not ready for primetime.

4. Miami. They traded their best running back, Jay Ajayi, to Philadelphia, and he wins a Super Bowl.  Don Shula would never have approved.

AFC North:

1. Pittsburgh. LeVeon Bell doesn't want to play, listening to his leeches instead. Martavis Bryant chose to chase the money and go to Oakland, but he's likely suspended again. The Steelers still have plenty of weapons.

2. Baltimore. Their defense will carry them as far as they can, but Joe Flacco, in his 11th season, may be showing signs of wear.

3. Cincinnati. All Marvin Lewis needs to do is find someone to instill discipline in his defense when they're off the field. Offensively, they're fine.

4. Cleveland. At least they'll win some games this year, but color Hue Jackson gone if they don't get out of the cellar (and they won't). Last year's QB, DeShone Kizer, is suddenly an afterthought after the Brown-outs drafted Baker Mayfield (Oklahoma) and picked up Tyrod Taylor from Buffalo.

AFC South:

1. Houston. Hopefully, DeShaun Watson can last the season. Unfortunately, the Texans have to play the Evil Empire (Patriots) first. In Foxborough.

2. Tennessee. Time for the Titans to rise again.

3. Jacksonville. The Jaguars won't sneak up on anyone this time.

4. Indianapolis. Andrew Luck is trying to make a comeback. Emphasize trying.

AFC West:

1. Oakland. Jon Gruden's back, and will probably have an order of Corona on call if/when the Raiders win the division.

2. Kansas City. Andy Reid let Alex Smith go (Washington), putting his trust in second year QB Patrick Mahomes II. Not a good idea.

3. Denver. They've given up on Paxton Lynch already. John Elway should've traded for Baker Mayfield, but didn't, and now he'll regret it.

4. Los Angeles. The Chargers had to bring back Antonio Gates this week due to injuries. That says a lot about the team in 2018, doesn't it?

NFC East:

1. Philadelphia. The defending champs are the Beasts of the East. And Carson Wentz isn't ready to return yet.

2. Giants. Saquon Barkley, the 1st round pick out of Penn State, can help the running game, and can catch passes out of the backfield to take some pressure off shampoo salesman Odell Beckham, Jr., but this may be the last ride for Eli Manning.

2. (tie) Dallas. What was Jerry Jones thinking, letting Dez Bryant walk? They'll be lucky to get a Wild Card, if at all.

4. Washington. Swapping out Kirk Cousins (Minnesota) for Alex Smith (Kansas City) ain't my idea of improving the team. Napoleon Snyder should be showing Donald Trump how to run the country.

NFC North:

1. Minnesota. If Dalvin Cook can stay healthy, the 2nd year RB from Florida State can help Cousins finally reach the playoffs.

2. Green Bay. They need to have Aaron Rodgers & Clay Matthews, Jr. focus on the games, not on their comedy act for State Farm.

3. Chicago. Mitch Trubisky, in his second year, has to overcome the roadblock in front of him. No, not on the field. In the standings.

4. Detroit. Meh.

NFC South:

1. New Orleans. Drew Brees has one last playoff run in him, and this is it.

2. Atlanta. The Falcons want to atone for their Super Bowl blunder of a couple of years ago. They'll contend for a Wild Card, but not much else.

3. Carolina.
4. Tampa Bay. The two are interchangeable.

NFC West:

1. Los Angeles. A new dynasty was born in Southern California last year.

2. Arizona. Sam Bradford succeeds the retired Carson Palmer at QB. They just rewarded RB David Johnson with a contract extension. A wild card awaits.

3. San Francisco. Richard Sherman leaves the Legion of Boom in Seattle. That's the good news for Niners fans. The bad? They're still not making the playoffs.

4. Seattle. The mighty have fallen.

Wild cards:

AFC: Jets, Kansas City.
NFC: Giants, Green Bay.

Of course, I could be wrong.