FMQB

 

I’m back, wow, Season 7 of Friday Morning Quarterback! Expect a few changes this year, fewer dissertations and more quick hitting fun facts. We all watch the games, I don’t need to turn into Joe Buck 2.0 and explain what happened. I know I promised to go back to the goofy team names last year, and like Digiorno I didn’t deliver. So I’ll try again folks!

 

 

Quick Recap from Last year’s Predictions

 

The Good:

• Predicted Packers Patriots Super Bowl. Got one right, the second lost in the NFC Championship
• “Last year as starting QB for Jay Cutler (I’ve held onto him too long)”…I was close until he was yanked out of retirement
• Picked 6 of 32 records dead on
• Picked both Offensive and Defensive rookies of the year, that’s a first!
• Predicted the QB controversy in Dallas, said Dak would keep the starting job
• Said Jared Goff would get and keep the starting job in Week 9, happened in Week 10!

 

The Bad

 

• “Blake Bortles is a top 5 QB in either yards or TD’s.” Nope, #15 in both
• “RGIII sees a resurgence this year before getting injured at the end of the season. Comeback player of the year.” Call it a push, his resurgence (if you want to call it that) essentially came in preseason but he got hurt way too early.
• “Kelvin Benjamin is back with a vengeance. Top 5 receiver in the league” He showed promise, but was 31^st in yards, 16^th in TDs

The Ugly:

• Andrew Luck is his old self, bringing the team to the AFC Championship game…ouch
• Brock Osweiler becomes the real deal for Houston…double ouch
• Bears WR Kevin White is a household name after this year

 

 

Fact of the Week:

In 2012 after mortgaging their future for RGIII, the Redskins took Kirk Cousins in the 4^th round as an afterthought. On the exact same day in 2017, the Browns released RGIII and Kirk Cousins signed a $24M deal.

 

Fact of the Week #2:

Derek Carr signed the richest deal in NFL history, only to be surpassed 3 weeks later by Matthew Stafford. Keep in mind that Tim Tebow has more playoff wins than both of these QB’s combined.

 

Stat of the Week:

The Jets have the worst odds in NFL history to win the Super Bowl, at 1000-1. For reference, last year the Browns and 49ers were at 200-1.

 

 

Quick Hits:

 

• Am I missing something about the Chiefs and Alex Smith? Seems like his replacement was brought in about 3 years too early. The Chiefs won their division last year, this doesn’t make sense.
• The Mike Glennon saga in Chicago has been a disaster and the season hasn’t even started. Mitch Trubiskey had a strong preseason and Glennon signed an Osweiler-esque deal to come and now likely not even start.
• So odd to me that 18 months ago, Brock Osweiler was a Bronco. Left on terrible terms, signed a record deal, did horribly, got traded to the Browns and couldn’t even win a starting job there, and now is back with the Broncos! One of the weirder NFL stories out there.
• What happens if Teddy Bridgewater is actually healthy? The offensive line is rough for the Vikes, so good chance Bradford either gets hurt or struggles.

 

 

2017 Predictions:

 

Rookie of the Year
Christian McCaffrey on offense, Reuben Foster for defense

 

Player Predictions:

• Blake Bortles last year as a starting QB
• Cutler leads Dolphins to the playoffs
• Jets get the #1 pick
• Alex Smith starts all 16 games
• Osweiler is starting for the Broncos by Week 9
• DeShone Kizer surprises the league and the Browns, better stats than Deshaun Watson
• Jared Goff shows some promise, more TD’s than INT’s
• Carson Palmer’s final year, same with Fitzgerald
• Ty Montgomery a Top 10 RB in the league, breaks 1000 yards

 

MVP- Aaron Rodgers

 

Team By Team

 

Jets: I literally had to Google who the Jets QB was, that’s how dire their situation is. 1-15

Bills: After years of mediocrity, could this be the year? They seem to go 4-2 every year just to finish 6-10. Expect the same. 6-10

Dolphins: They made the playoffs last year, but Tannehill’s injury was devastating. I’m higher on Cutler than 99% of fans out there, but think they could squeak in again. 5-11

Patriots: This is the easiest division to pick, and quite frankly has been the past 15 years. Very strong chance to repeat. 13-3

 

Browns: Apparently Osweiler was bad, then the starter, then bad again, then hyped up in a video. Who will we get? They also lost their top receiver, don’t expect much. 2-14

Ravens: It all comes down to Flacco, who’s injury is confusing. Apparently after all the Kaepernick hype, he’s still starting Week 1. 10-6

Steelers: Roethlisberger makes this team Super Bowl caliber every year he plays. Shoe in for the playoffs. 12-4

Bengals: Last year was shockingly disappointing after 4 straight playoff runs. I see them bouncing back. 8-8

 

Broncos: QB is their only issue, as they have one of the strongest defenses in the league. I still see them missing the playoffs at 8-8.

Raiders: Team to beat in the division for sure, hard to find any weaknesses with the team. 12-4

Chiefs: I keep forgetting they won this division last year. My opinion is the only way they can derail this is if they try to insert Mahomes at QB too soon. 11-5

Chargers: The relocation is quietly extremely tough on teams, which really never get an offseason. They struggled last year as is. 7-9

 

Colts: The Andrew Luck situation is bizarre, nobody seems to know if he’ll play Week 1 or not at all. 6-10

Texans: Bill Obrien is about to have his 4^th QB in 4 years, yet he’s made the playoffs in each season with a different QB. 10-6

Titans: Titans were a surging team late last year before Mariotta’s injury, and I think they win the division this year. 11-5

Jaguars: As if they couldn’t get any worse, they just named Bortles the starter. 2-14

 

 

 

Giants: The quiet team in the division that won 11 games last year. Still should be solid at 10-6.

Cowboys: Still the team to beat even with Elliot out, as long as Dak doesn’t have a sophomore slump. 11-5
Redskins: I feel like this team should be much better with a QB that throws for 4900 yards, yet they’re not. 9-6

Eagles: I’d expect some improvement from Wentz, but it’s such a crowded division. 8-8

 

Vikings: Don’t hate me people, this team will regress with their awful offensive line. 5-11

Lions: Another shot to make the playoffs at 9-7

Packers: Easily the team to beat, Rodgers takes them on another 10-6 run after starting the season 2-5.

Bears: Don’t get me started, only their RB is a proven position, everything else is up in the air. 2-14

 

Rams: The Rams didn’t win a game with Jared Goff as QB, that’s bad news bears. 5-11

49ers: Expect another very rough year. 3-13
Seahawks: Should be an easy division win. Not elite, but better than mediocre. 11-5

Cardinals: Such an odd team, rough year even though they were in the NFC Championship the year before. Look for 9-7.

 

Saints: Very tough division, essentially the only reason why they’re not a playoff team. 8-8

Buccaneers: This is the surprise team in the league (if you want to call it that). 10-6

Falcons: Repeats as division champs, their offense is just too strong. 12-4

Panthers: Slight bounceback, possible Super Bowl darkhorse. 9-7

 

 

Playoffs:

 

AFC:

• Patriots
• Raiders
• Steelers
• Titans
• Chiefs
• Texans

 

NFC:

• Packers
• Seahawks
• Falcons
• Cowboys
• Buccaneers
• Giants

 

 

Super Bowl:

My longshots (and what I betted on in Vegas back in February) are Steelers and Panthers. Realistically, I have Patriots vs. Packers AGAIN. Backup choice (and the two to lose their respective championship games) are Raiders vs. Cowboys

 

 

Games of the Week:

Raiders at Titans

Seahawks at Packers

Giants at Cowboys