Finally, the long winter is over. We did it. We survived the long night filled with terrible things that aren't football. Finally, football is back.
On Thursday, the 2017 NFL season will begin. It'll be a pit of chaos, like every NFL season, so we've decided to try to sort through the chaos with our official predictions. Earlier this week, we gave you our expert picks for every division. Today, we bring you our expert picks for the Super Bowl, individual awards like MVP and Coach of the Year, and some team predictions like which team will be the last to win a game (spoiler alert: the Jets).
Remember to bookmark this page so you can heckle us on Twitter when our predictions go completely off the rails.
Before we get to the predictions, a couple of highlights:
- As expected, the Patriots were the most popular Super Bowl pick, with three of our seven experts choosing them.
- Aaron Rodgers -- not Tom Brady -- garnered the most regular season MVP votes.
- Anthony Lynn was the only coach to get multiple Coach of the Year votes.
- Five of our seven experts picked Myles Garrett to win Defensive Rookie of the Year.
- Two of our experts picked Jay Cutler -- yes, Jay Cutler -- to win Comeback Player of the Year.
- We all think the Jets are going to suck.
OK, let's get to it.
Super Bowl champions
Jason La Canfora: Seahawks
Top defense. They will run the ball and yeah, who needs a left tackle? They'll overcome.
Pete Prisco: Patriots
They have Tom Brady and Bill Belichick. That's all that matters. With a healthy Rob Gronkowski back, they will be able to handle the loss of Julian Edelman for the season. They will roll again.
Will Brinson: Cardinals
Consider this a post-hype situation for Arizona, a trendy team to win it all leading up to the 2016 NFL season. Arizona fell short of the playoffs last year after a sluggish start and battled injuries for much of the season, particularly on offense. There were losses in free agency, but the front office brought in a ton of young, early impact talent and this is a fun, dangerous, versatile defense. Carson Palmer looked strong down the stretch and has changed his throwing program. Palmer, Larry Fitzgerald and Bruce Arians might be all in on this year as one final run. I'm a sucker for a great story.
Sean Wagner-McGough: Patriots
At this point, picking against the Patriots is like betting against a Jon-Daenerys alliance. The Patriots might've lost one of their dragons (Julian Edelman), but Tom Brady can still ride Rob Gronkowski and Brandin Cooks all the way to the Super Bowl. Of course, it helps that they have the best mastermind in the business, Bill Belichick, running the show. The Patriots have been the best team in football for the past 15 or so years and they went out and got better this year. I can't pick against them.
Jared Dubin: Packers
It was tempting to go with the Patriots here -- they're the favorites and it's easier to get through the AFC than it is the NFC. In the end, though I had to pick the team with the best quarterback, which is always an appealing option. Nobody in the league has can touch the level that Aaron Rodgers can reach when he's at his best, and we saw over the second half of last season that he's still got a ton of magic in his arm. With a more consistent running game and a defense that actually has NFL-caliber cornerbacks, the Packers should be good from start to finish this season.
Ryan Wilson: Steelers
The Patriots are the obvious choice but this will be the season the Steelers finally find a way to get past their AFC nemesis. Ben Roethlisberger has the league's most dynamic offense -- one that again includes Martavis Bryant. And an improving young defense doesn't have to be great -- just good enough to keep opponents to fewer than 25 points per game the Steelers averaged the last two seasons.
John Breech: Patriots
For the past three years, the Super Bowl champion has been quarterbacked by either Tom Brady or Peyton Manning, and Manning's retired, so I don't really think that leaves me with much of a choice here.
Super Bowl MVP
Jason La Canfora: Russell Wilson
I have the Seahawks winning it all and it's a safe bet the QB would have something to do with it.
Pete Prisco: Tom Brady
Who else? The guy is a machine. At 40, would it be the end if they won it again and he was MVP?
Will Brinson: Larry Fitzgerald
Fitz has a heralded career already and is one of (?) the best players in Cardinals history and, even at the age of 34, remains the face of the franchise. His postseason performance is always mentioned but it might be underrated: He has more games with over 100 receiving yards (5) than he does games under 100 (4) and showed two years ago against the Packers he was capable of carrying the Cardinals in the postseason. The belief here is he can get white hot for another big stretch and pull in the award with a Cardinals title.
Sean Wagner-McGough: Tom Brady
If the Patriots win the Super Bowl, Brady will likely play well. And voters love to give MVP awards to quarterbacks even if another player is deserving. See: James White in last year's Super Bowl.
Jared Dubin: Aaron Rodgers
The quarterback pretty much always wins.
Ryan Wilson: Ben Roethlisberger
He'll notch his third Lombardi Trophy and his first Super Bowl MVP, and then pull a Jerome Bettis and retire on top.
John Breech: Tom Brady
If the Patriots win the Super Bowl, there's a 99.8 percent chance that Brady is going to be named the MVP, which would be his fifth MVP award overall. At that point, the NFL should probably just name the award after him.
Regular Season MVP
Jason La Canfora: Aaron Rodgers
The supporting cast remains questionable and the defense has issues, but this guy can and will carry Green Bay into January.
Pete Prisco: Aaron Rodgers
He showed last season when he turned it around how great he is as a passer. His numbers will be even better this season. The Packers will roll to the Super Bowl.
Will Brinson: Aaron Rodgers
The stretch of football Rodgers played to finish out 2016 was one of the most impressive performances in recent years, and he would have netted this award last year had he played like that over a full season. The Packers lose a little consistency on the offensive line, but Rodgers' mobility can mitigate that. Jordy Nelson will be healthy for a full season, Davante Adams has matured and Randall Cobb has returned to being underrated. The addition of Martellus Bennett only makes this offense more dangerous, particularly in the red zone. Rodgers is going to have a massive, massive year with his mind cleared and a renewed focus on his diet.
Sean Wagner-McGough: Tom Brady
Best player on the best team. A year ago, Brady lost to Matt Ryan because he was suspended at the beginning of the season. There's no suspension to stop him this year and, despite the loss of Julian Edelman, the Patriots' offense might be even better than it was a year ago after adding Brandin Cooks.
Jared Dubin: Aaron Rodgers
I might as well put my (figurative) money where my mouth is, given what I said about Rodgers above, right? We're talking about a guy that completed 66 percent of his passes and threw a league-leading 40 touchdowns against only seven interceptions last season -- and it was almost universally considered a bit of a down year for him considering his relatively slow start. If he's really right, there's no player in the league that's better.
Ryan Wilson: Tom Brady
Yes, he's 40 but he's also the unofficial spokesman for the "Age is nothing more than a number!" campaign. Brady remains the NFL's best player, as evidenced by the second half of Super Bowl LI -- and before that, 17 seasons of mostly dominant football. There's a chance the '17 Patriots offense could be just as explosive as the '07 group that featured Randy Moss and Wes Welker.
John Breech: Russell Wilson
A quarterback has won this award for nine of the past 10 years, so I'd be crazy to pick not to pick a quarterback here. Although I really like Aaron Rodgers' chances of winning MVP in 2017, I'm going with Russell Wilson because the Seahawks' schedule consists of every bad defensive team that you could possibly think of.
Offensive Player of the Year
Jason La Canfora: Tom Brady
He won't slow down.
Pete Prisco: Aaron Rodgers
This will be another of his special seasons: 45 TD passes, 4,800 yards.
Will Brinson: David Johnson
1,000 rushing yards and 1,000 receiving yards are on the table, mainly because Johnson himself has said that he can pull it off. Staying healthy for the course of 16 games is paramount to doing it, but even if Johnson doesn't hit the milestones, he can still win this award. He should have won it last year after leading the NFL in yards from scrimmage (2,118) and total touchdowns (20). Johnson is a dynamic rusher, a beast in the receiving game and maybe the most dynamic weapon in football.
Sean Wagner-McGough: David Johnson
Johnson wants to become the third player in NFL history to notch 1,000 rushing and receiving yards in one season and he's good enough to do it. The Cardinals' win total being lower than other teams will hurt his chance to win MVP, just like last year.
Jared Dubin: Le'Veon Bell
If Bell hadn't been suspended, he might have won this award a year ago. His level of production on a per-game basis last year was insane -- he became the only player in NFL history to average at least 100 rushing yards and at least 50 receiving yards per game. There is absolutely zero reason to suspect that he won't be every bit as involved in the Steelers offense in 2017 as he was a year ago, and if he puts up those kind of numbers again, he's going to be right in the mix for all of the end-of-season awards.
Ryan Wilson: Le'Veon Bell
He's playing on a $12.1 million franchise tag that might seem like a bargain if he can stay healthy for an entire season. Not only is Bell the league's most dynamic runner, he'd probably be a top-10 wide receiver if he focused solely on that position. Instead, his versatility and dynamism is a weekly headache for opponents.
John Breech: Matt Ryan
I fully expect the Falcons offense to put up huge numbers for the second year in a row, only this time around, Ryan won't win the MVP, so voters will give him the OPOY award as a consolation prize
Defensive Player of the Year
Jason La Canfora: Marcus Peters
Always around the ball, makes a ton of big plays on what should be a top defense.
Pete Prisco: Von Miller
He continually makes things bad for opposing defenses. There is no better edge rusher in the league.
Will Brinson: Joey Bosa
Bosa could have won this award during a rookie season in which he only played 12 games, thanks to his incredible play, which yielded 10.5 sacks during a season that was shortened by contract negotiations. Now Bosa is shifting back to being a 4-3 defensive end in Gus Bradley's defense, which is where he slots more naturally. It's not fair to just extrapolate his statistics across 16 games, but it's not unreasonable to project a massive sack-filled season rushing from the 4-3 with Melvin Ingram across the way.
Sean Wagner-McGough: Von Miller
Best player on the best defense. Miller's going to get his sacks. He's the best pass rusher in the game.
Jared Dubin: Aaron Donald
There are a lot of good candidates for this award. Reigning champ Khalil Mack should be in the mix. Von Miller could win. Joey Bosa could take a step forward and snag the trophy. Three-time DPOY J.J. Watt could reclaim the crown. His teammate Jadeveon Clowney could steal it away. A wild card could surprise us all. But my bet is on Donald, who has been one of the two or three best defensive players in football every year he's been in the league and now gets to work with Wade Phillips, who always seems to push even the best defensive talents to a higher level.
Ryan Wilson: Joey Bosa
Remember when Bosa held out before his rookie season and the concern was that he'd never be ready to contribute? That line of thinking lasted right up till the moment he took the field because the 2016 third-overall pick was damn near unstoppable last season. In 12 games he registered 10.5 sacks and a forced fumble, and it's hard to imagine he won't improve on those numbers in Year 2.
John Breech: J.J. Watt
When training camp started, I promised myself I wouldn't pick J.J. Watt here because it's such an easy choice. However, I'm almost hoping that he wins it now after everything he did to help Houston during Hurricane Harvey relief efforts.
Coach of the Year
Jason La Canfora: Mike Tomlin
Steelers could be the top seed in the AFC.
Pete Prisco: Dirk Koetter
He will get his young team to the playoffs and maybe push the Falcons for the division title in the NFC South.
Will Brinson: Anthony Lynn
My prediction that the Chargers will win the AFC West (and make a deep run in the playoffs) sets up well for Lynn, the first-year coach who has made a quick leap from leading the running backs under Rex Ryan. This is not so much a bet about Lynn's ability to be an excellent coach as it is a bet on the setup around him, including a veteran quarterback in Philip Rivers and smart coordinators in Ken Whisenhunt and Gus Bradley. That stability will help the Chargers succeed, and Lynn will get a lot of credit for it.
Sean Wagner-McGough: Mike Mularkey
If this award was given to the best coach, Bill Belichick would always win. But that's not how the award is decided. Mularkey will get the Titans into the playoffs for the first time since 2008 and he'll be rewarded with Coach of the Year.
Jared Dubin: Anthony Lynn
I'll get into this more with some of my later picks, but I see the Chargers crashing the playoff party this year. If they manage to get into the dance after going 5-11 a year ago, their first-year coach is going to get a lot of the credit.
Ryan Wilson: Hue Jackson
This isn't a joke. The Browns managed a single win in Jackson's first season and if this group can win six or seven games, he deserves the honor.
John Breech: Mike Zimmer
For some reason, I think the Vikings are going to make the playoffs this year, and if that happens, I feel like there's a good chance that Zimmer will walk away with the Coach of the Year award. If I thought the Texans were going to make the playoffs this season, I would definitely pick Bill O'Brien here, but I don't see that happening.
Offensive Rookie of the Year
Jason La Canfora: O.J. Howard
I love all the pieces on that offense and he's positioned to soar. Freak of nature talent.
Pete Prisco: Christian McCaffrey
His ability to play in space will be a dynamic part of their offense. He's going to get a combined 1,500 yards -- not counting returns.
Will Brinson: Christian McCaffrey
Really difficult call here with all the talent at the running back position (not to mention the quarterbacks: DeShone Kizer is waltzing to this award if the Browns win five games or more), but no one can make an impact on this season like McCaffrey in Carolina. I firmly believe he will flirt with 3,000 total yards (including kick and punt returns) and will end up totaling somewhere between 1,200 and 1,500 rushing and receiving.
Sean Wagner-McGough: Christian McCaffrey
McCaffrey's going to be used in a variety of ways -- as a runner and pass catcher -- so he's going to rack up touches even if he doesn't garner more than 10-15 carries per game. He's a game-changer in space, so expect him to accumulate his fair share of big plays.
Jared Dubin: Kareem Hunt
Christian McCaffrey is likely to be a popular pick here, but he's unlikely to play quite as large a role in his offense as Hunt. McCaffrey will see fairly heavy usage as a receiver but he's probably going to split carries and snaps with Jonathan Stewart. Hunt, meanwhile, has already been announced as the top option to become the feature back in Kansas City after Spencer Ware's injury. Winning one of these awards is all about opportunity, and Hunt's got the inside track on that.
Ryan Wilson: Christian McCaffrey
The former Stanford star fits perfectly into the Panthers' offense and he'll immediately make life easier for Cam Newton. McCaffrey, like Le'Veon Bell, is a legit threat in both the running and passing game and defenses are doing to have a hard time accounting for him.
John Breech: Kareem Hunt
I picked the Chiefs to win the AFC West this year, and since we know Alex Smith isn't going to carry that offense, someone has to. I think that person is going to be Hunt. With Spencer Ware now out for the season, I fully expect Hunt to have a huge year that will end with him taking home the OROY award.
Defensive Rookie of the Year
Jason La Canfora: Myles Garrett
Sometimes you just don't need to overthink it.
Pete Prisco: Myles Garrett
He showed some explosive edge-rush ability in the preseason, looking like a veteran player. He will get double-digit sacks as a rookie.
Will Brinson: Reuben Foster
Foster fell in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft, but it wasn't because of his ability to play football. On the field, Foster is a heat-seeking missile, a devastating linebacker with the intelligence and instincts to make an impact on the field right away. He is set up well to succeed with a strong group of defensive linemen (Arik Armstead, DeForest Buckner, Solomon Thomas, Elvis Dumervil) in front of him to allow his pursuit skills to flourish. Foster will end up looking like a top-five pick by the time the season is done.
Sean Wagner-McGough: Myles Garrett
There's a reason why he was the consensus top pick.
Jared Dubin: Myles Garrett
Garrett was the No. 1 prospect in this year's draft for a reason. He's a preposterous physical specimen -- his spider graph over at Mockdraftable is hilarious. He's going to get plenty of opportunities to get after the quarterback while starting for the Browns, and if the way he's performed during training camp and preseason is any indication, he'll do a damn good job of getting there.
Ryan Wilson: T.J. Watt
Currently known as "J.J. Watt's younger brother," T.J. has a chance to step out from that shadow with a big rookie season. He's in a great situation in Pittsburgh, and the defense is in desperate need of a pass rusher. Watt is a quick learner and earned the starting job midway through the preseason.
John Breech: Myles Garrett
Garrett looked unstoppable during the preseason and I have no reason to think that that's going to change during the regular season. For a team that has zero first-round picks left on their roster from their 2008 thru 2014 drafts, a big year for Garrett would be huge news in Cleveland.
Breakout Player
Jason La Canfora: Terrelle Pryor
I suppose I will buy the hype and add to it. He has the chance to put up big numbers and set himself up for a monster contract.
Pete Prisco: Bud Dupree
He flashed big time when he returned from a groin injury last season, and now he's ready to take over as their lead edge rusher. Dupree has worked hard this offseason and he could be in the DPOY race.
Will Brinson: Hunter Henry
Despite leading all tight ends in touchdowns last year as a rookie, Henry is a little under the radar in terms of people talking about talented tight ends. Henry was an early round pick (the Bolts took him in the second round) and still defers to Antonio Gates on the depth chart, but that may be primarily about making sure that Gates is properly respected. Henry is the guy on this roster who can really take a leap forward in his second year and become the target of the future for Philip Rivers as he heads into the final stretch of his career.
Sean Wagner-McGough: Leonard Floyd
Technically he already sorta broke out last year with seven sacks in 12 games, but I'm expecting Floyd to turn into one of the game's elite pass rushers in his second season. The raw talent is there. Now, he just needs to refine certain aspects of his game while staying healthy.
Jared Dubin: Dak Prescott
It feels like a cheat to pick the 2016 Offensive Rookie of the Year as my breakout player; but with so many people predicting a sophomore slump for Dak, I felt the need to push back. Prescott still has a great infrastructure around him in Dallas, and any review of his 2016 tape will show a poised, confident, accurate quarterback making the most of his surroundings. He should continue to do the same in 2017, but with more volume. The average team attempted 572 passes last season, but Dak threw only 459. If he nudges up toward the NFL average, he'll blow past 4,000 yards passing and could approach 30 TD passes as well.
Ryan Wilson: Isaiah Crowell
Crowell will make life eminently easier for rookie quarterback DeShone Kizer. The running back rushed for 952 yards in '16 (4.8 YPC) and caught 40 passes coming out of the backfield. He ranked eighth in value-per-play among all running backs, according to Football Outsiders, which is all the more impressive given that Cleveland's offense was the league's second-worst, ahead of only the Jets.
John Breech: Isaiah Crowell
The Browns have been so bad lately that I pretty much hate picking any Browns player to have a big season, and now I'm doing it twice (because I also picked Garrett to win DROY). As for Crowell, to have a big year in Cleveland, all he needs is a somewhat competent quarterback, and it looks like he finally has that with DeShone Kizer. I won't be surprised if the Browns' offensive line ends up bulldozing opposing defenses this season, which will mean big things for Crowell.
Comeback/Most Improved Player
Jason La Canfora: Jameis Winston
He will take a major step forward and join the conversation of best QBs in the game.
Pete Prisco: J.J. Watt
When one of the best defensive players in the league misses most of a season with a back injury, then comes back, he's a lock to win this award.
Will Brinson: J.J. Watt
No-brainer decision here and all Watt needs to do is stay healthy for the full season. If he does that and produces 75 percent of a normal Watt season, he'll have this award wrapped up by Thanksgiving. Comeback player usually goes to a guy who dealt with an injury-shortened season the year before and Watt barely saw the field. Add in his inspiring work to raise money for the city of Houston after Hurricane Harvey and there are a lot of people rooting for Watt to play well in 2017. He'll be rewarded if he stays on the field.
Sean Wagner-McGough: Jay Cutler
Cutler's not as safe of a bet as J.J. Watt, Keenan Allen, and Rob Gronkowski, but considering Cutler is coming off a dreadful, injury-plagued season and even retired for a couple of months, this isn't out of the question. Cutler's thrived in Adam Gase's offense before and if he can get the Dolphins into the playoffs, he'll garner some consideration. Besides, this seems like the most fitting way for Cutler to end his uneven yet underappreciated career.
Jared Dubin: Keenan Allen
Allen's only played nine games the last two seasons, but he's apparently fully healthy now and he should go right back to being as wildly productive in the Chargers' offense as he was before. He had 67 catches through eight games two years ago before getting hurt, then six grabs before halftime of Week 1 last year prior to his ACL tear. He'll again be Philip Rivers' No. 1 option in the passing game, and as long as he stays on the field, he should put up huge numbers for a team that I envision exceeding consensus expectations.
Ryan Wilson: Jay Cutler
Honestly, we don't expect much from Cutler in Miami, but he's coming out of retirement -- and from a team that won just three times last season. If he can hold this Dolphins' offense together, there's a chance Miami could make back-to-back playoff appearances for the first time since 2000-01.
John Breech: Rob Gronkowski
Before Julian Edelman got injured, I had already thought that Gronk would put up huge numbers this season, and now that Edelman's out, I'm almost certain of it.
Freefall Teams
Jason La Canfora: Cowboys and Dolphins
Cowboys have no pass rush, a poor defense, suspensions, injuries, a tougher division and schedule. The Dolphins' offense might be quite better, but I have concerns about the defense and a much tougher road ahead.
Pete Prisco: Cowboys
They just don't have the defense to win the division. Where is the pass rush?
Will Brinson: Cowboys, Texans, Lions, and Giants
The NFC East teams are all facing difficult schedules and should beat up on one another; it's hard to imagine the Giants or Cowboys both winning double-digit games this year, particularly if Dallas is without Ezekiel Elliott for six games. The Lions were one of the luckiest teams in all of football last year and won't get quite as many Matthew Stafford come-from-behind wins this season. The Texans could win sweep the division and still have trouble missing the playoffs thanks to a brutal out of division schedule.
Sean Wagner-McGough: Raiders, Bills, and Lions
I don't think the Raiders are going to be a bad football team. I think they'll wind up with somewhere around eight or nine wins. But considering they won 12 games a year ago, reaching a single-digit win total and missing the playoffs does qualify as a freefall. The Raiders were lucky to get to 12 wins a year ago -- their Pythagorean win total, per Football Outsiders, was 8.8 -- so that's one reason why I'm expecting a regression. Plus, they play in a stacked division. As for the Bills, I think they're in for a rough year after trading away Sammy Watkins. Meanwhile, the Lions won't get nearly as lucky as they did a year ago when they won too many one-score games to count.
Jared Dubin: Dolphins, Chiefs, Broncos, and Washington
I can't in good conscience pick a Jay Cutler quarterbacked team to make the playoffs, which by definition means I'm picking the Dolphins to fall off. The Chiefs lost Spencer Ware for the season, drafted Alex Smith's future replacement, cut Jeremy Maclin, and have an aging defense. I think they drop out of the playoffs, too. Denver didn't make the postseason last year but I see the Broncos falling off even more after the loss of DeMarcus Ware and the lack of improvement to the offense. Washington is my bet for the year's biggest crisis team, what with the Kirk Cousins situation hanging over the team's heads all season. It doesn't help that they lost both Pierre Garcon and DeSean Jackson this offseason, either.
Ryan Wilson: Raiders
Look, we love what this group accomplished last season and feel like they're a legit Super Bowl team in 2017 ... except that they're traveling almost 33,000 miles this season, which is the most in the league. By comparison, the Steelers will travel an NFL-low 6,800 miles.
John Breech: Lions and Giants
After picking both of these teams to make the playoffs last season, I've decided to jump off both of their bandwagons this year. Every time I watch the Giants' offense play, I keep thinking that I'm staring at a team that's only going to win six games this year. As for the Lions, it's been more than 20 years since they went to the playoffs in consecutive years and I just don't feel like picking against history.
Bounceback Teams
Jason La Canfora: Browns, 49ers, and Chargers
The Browns and 49ers won't be great, but both will flirt with respectability and each could win six games. If the Chargers avoid more catastrophic injuries, they could be in the playoffs.
Pete Prisco: Chargers
I think with their good pass rush featuring Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram, coupled with a pair of top corners, and a quarterback in Philip Rivers to lead the offense, they will win the AFC West.
Will Brinson: Cardinals, Chargers, Eagles, and Panthers
Arizona and Carolina both fell victim to slow starts last year and heightened expectations following a tough out in 2015; both teams are good enough to win the Super Bowl this year and will top the 10-win marker. The Eagles have a filthy defensive line and will cause havoc in the NFC East en route to winning the division. The Chargers will finally get some good luck their way and are sneaky loaded on both sides of the ball.
Sean Wagner-McGough: Cardinals, Browns, Panthers, and Titans
The Cardinals are going to get a better Carson Palmer this year and with David Johnson leading the way, they're poised to get to at least 10 wins. I don't have the Browns making the playoffs, but I still think they're going to win five or six games, which is a huge improvement after a one-win season. I have the Titans making the playoffs with a double-digit win total, so this won't be a case of winning a division title due to weak competition. Marcus Mariota is legit and so is that running game. As for the Panthers, I don't have them making the playoffs, but I love what they did this offseason in getting more weapons for Cam Newton. They'll be better and in the hunt for a playoff spot.
Jared Dubin: Chargers and Panthers
The Chargers finished last season seventh in defensive DVOA and should be even better on that side of the ball this season with a full year from Joey Bosa and a healthy Jason Verrett. If they can stay even moderately healthy on offense, I see them surprising a lot of people to win the AFC West. The Panthers slumped to six wins last season but still have much of the core of the previous year's 15-1 squad in town; they also added Christian McCaffrey and Curtis Samuel to bring some variety to their offense. They should be able to get up to nine wins or more in 2017.
Ryan Wilson: Cardinals
Arizona slipped to 7-8-1 last season after winning at least 10 games the three previous years. But the defense should be improved and Carson Palmer has looked sharp in training camp. It also doesn't hurt to have David Johnson in the backfield.
John Breech: Bengals and Vikings
After watching the Bengals go 6-9-1 last season, pretty much everyone in America has given up on them -- except for me (and probably everyone in Cincinnati). This actually might be the most offensive talent that Andy Dalton has had in his entire career. The only question is whether or not the Bengals' offensive line will hold up after losing two key starters. As for the Vikings, this team started 5-0 last season even though they were forced to start a quarterback (Sam Bradford) who wasn't even on the roster two weeks before the season started. With an entire offseason under his belt, I expect Bradford to actually produce this year, which means the Vikings defense won't have to carry the team.
Teams still undefeated after Week 4
Jason La Canfora: Patriots, Steelers, and Seahawks
Just looking at the schedules, I'll go with these three teams, but it'll probably end up being a club off everyone's radar in there as well.
Pete Prisco: Patriots, Falcons, and Cardinals
The Patriots are the best team and have an easy schedule to start, while the Falcons' toughest challenge is Green Bay in Week 2, but it's the home opener. The Cardinals play two on the road to open the season -- two I see them winning -- and I think they beat the Cowboys at home in Week 3.
Will Brinson: Patriots, Chargers, Cardinals, and Packers
The Packers and Patriots will be the most popular teams to win the Super Bowl by far, especially in the media. With good reason as both teams will start out the year hot. The Chargers and Cardinals coming out with a strong start is just part of the prediction package here, but both teams will surprise everyone.
Sean Wagner-McGough: Patriots
The Patriots are going to flirt with a 16-0 record.
Jared Dubin: Patriots and Steelers
The Patriots are the obvious choice. I'd be surprised if they didn't appear on every single person's list. They're likely to finish the season with the best record in the NFL with or without Julian Edelman, and the first four weeks of their schedule see them face the Chiefs, Saints, Texans, and Panthers. I don't see a loss in there. The Steelers are likely the second-best team in the AFC, and they start the year with a preposterously easy slate: Browns, Vikings, Bears, Ravens. They've got a really good chance to go undefeated through that stretch.
Ryan Wilson: Patriots, Cowboys, and Buccaneers
The Patriots could be better than last year's Super Bowl champs, and a Bill Belichick-coached team has never suffered from early season rust or a Super Bowl hangover. That's bad news for the Chiefs, Saints, Texans and Panthers. The Cowboys have a tougher first month of the season but they remain the team to beat in the NFC East, even without Ezekiel Elliott -- and with games against the Giants, Broncos, Cardinals and Rams. And the Buccaneers, with games against the Dolphins, Bears, Vikings and Giants, have a chance sport a winning record through their first four games for the first time since 2010 -- which was also the last time they won more than nine games in a season.
John Breech: Cowboys, Steelers, and Patriots
As crazy as it sounds, I don't actually think any teams out there are going to be undefeated after Week 4. However, leaving this space blank wouldn't any fun, so I'm going with three teams who never get any publicity and who have the fan bases who will appreciate this pick the most.
Last team to get a win
Jason La Canfora: Jets
They may seriously flirt with 0-16.
Pete Prisco: Jets
They won't win. They are going 0-16.
Will Brinson: Jets
This is one of the worst teams assembled in the last decade and there is a greater than reasonable chance the Jets end up going 0-16 and we're asking this same question in our preview for next year about the 2018 Jets.
Sean Wagner-McGough: Jets
The Jets are going to flirt with a 0-16 season.
Jared Dubin: Jets
If the Jets can't manage to beat the Bills in Week 1, they might not get a win until Week 5 (at Browns). If they lose that game, the Jets' first win might not come until the Bills visit New Jersey for these teams' annual Thursday Night Football bore-fest. I firmly believe this is going to be the worst team in the NFL, and we'll see it right from the start.
Ryan Wilson: Jets
It's not even that their schedule is that tough (they face the Bills in Week 1), it's just that the Jets look to be historically bad.
John Breech: Bears
Although I think the Bears are going to be horrible this year, that's not why I'm putting them here. I pretty much believe that anyone playing Chicago's schedule would have a tough time getting a win through the first few weeks. The Bears' first six games are against teams that finished .500 or better in 2016, which includes the Falcons, Steelers and Packers.
