My 2009 NFL Predictions

In the past, I have indulged myself by predicting not only the divisional and ultimately Super Bowl winners in each National Football League season, but also the orders of finish for each and every team within their divisions. Well, I really don't know that much about who is good and who isn't. But I have my hunches, so I will give it a "partial" go with my predictions. By this, I mean that this year I will predict the divisional winners and wild card teams (and Super Bowl participants and winner), but not the also-rans. Well, here goes my predictions for the 2009 NFL season, which is slated to begin this weekend.

My favorite team (by far) is Miami. The Dolphins made an incredible turnaround last year, going from 1-15 to 11-5 and winning a division title. But although I see them possibly making the playoffs this year as a wild card entry, I think that New England, with a healthy Tom Brady as quarterback, will be too much for the Dolphins and win the American Football Conference East this year. In the AFC South, I see Indianapolis coming back and taking their division back after finishing second in it in 2008. In the AFC North, Baltimore will continue its improvement and win going away. The AFC West will see San Diego repeating as champions with little serious competition. As for the two wild card teams for the AFC, I'm hoping the Dolphins make it, but I'm predicting that they will be Pittsburgh and Tennessee instead.

In the National Football Conference East, Dallas will make an unexpected comeback and live up to their previously failed expectations by winning the division. The same goes for New Orleans, my pick for the NFC South. I want Tampa Bay to win it, and win it they may in this (to me) balanced division. But I think that this is the Saints' year, finally. Minnesota simply looks too strong in the NFC North, while Arizona, last year's NFC champion, still looks like the cream of the crop in the West. I see Atlanta and Philadelphia making it as the NFC's wild card entries for the post-season playoffs.

And what about the playoffs for 2009? I'll just say who I predict will make it to the Super Bowl: Baltimore and Minnesota, with Baltimore winning it all.

If you're a gambler, you would be well-advised to take my predictions with a grain of salt; I have been horrendously off with them for the last couple of years! But still, I get a get of kick out of throwing in my "two cents' worth".