The 2017 NFL regular season is approaching fast, and fans are busy setting up their fantasy football leagues and league drafts. Yes, the preseason is still going on, but nobody is really paying attention to it. All eyes will be on the September 7 regular-season kickoff matchup, featuring the defending Super Bowl champs the New England Patriots. Led by Tom Brady and Bill Belichick, the Pats are aiming to repeat as champs for the first time since…. They three-peated from 2001-2003. Unlike previous Super Bowl winners, New England restocked and reloaded their roster, by acquiring wide receiver Brandin Cooks (formerly of the Saints), cornerback Stephon Gilmore and running back Mike Gilisle(Bills), among other moves. But New England will have some competition in the AFC, looking to take them down: the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Oakland Raiders and potentially the Houston Texans. Pittsburgh upgraded their roster with two of college football’s premiere names in the draft: Pittsburgh Panthers running back James Conner, Tennessee quarterback Joshua Dobbs and Wisconsin linebacker T.J. Watt, younger brother of Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt.
In the NFC, the Green Bay Packers would like to wipe away the terrible taste of last season’s NFC championship game loss to the Atlanta Falcons, and there is no reason that they can’t this year. Aaron Rodgers, a perennial MVP candidate, will take charge of the offense, plus with the free agent addition of tight end Martellus Bennett, he should once again excel. The defense for Green Bay is still suspect, though, and will have to rely on the offense to bail them out in games yet again. The Seattle Seahawks and Dallas Cowboys, as well as the Matt Ryan-led Falcons, will be looking to challenge Green Bay and reach the Super Bowl.Dallas will have to make up the loss of sensational second-year running back Ezekiel Elliott, suspended for the first six games for violating the NFL’s domestic violence policy, as well as the losses of key playmakers in free agency (guard Ronald Leary, safety Barry Church) and retirement (Tony Romo).
Now onto the playoff predictions: In the AFC, I see the Tennessee Titans and the Baltimore Ravens as the two wild card teams. The Titans went 9-7 last season, barely missing out on the postseason. Their franchise quarterback, Marcus Mariota, returns from a devastating torn ACL injury.
In the NFC, I have the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, led by Jameis Winston, and the Philadelphia Eagles, with the acquisitions of LeGarrette Blount, Alshon Jeffery, and Chris Long, making the playoffs as wild-cards, both with 10-6 records.
However, when the Super Bowl comes around next February in Minnesota, it will be Tom Brady’s Patriots and Aaron Rodgers’s Green Bay Packers squaring off the Vince Lombardi Trophy. The dynasty will still live on. The game itself will be high-scoring, and the game will come down to who comes up big in the clutch.Final score- Patriots 31, Packers 28.
