Season Predictions

[Raven07]

By Patrick Gutierrez

Sun Reporter

Originally published July 3, 2007, 2:30 PM EDT

As NFL prediction season gets under way, at least four national football publications are touting the Ravens as early favorites to repeat as AFC North champions.

Read the rest of the story at:

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/footbal...sports-football

Edit note: please follow rules of Code of Conduct proscribing the verbatim copying of articles:

Please include your original thoughts and opinions when referencing and/or quoting outside sources. Not only do copyright laws need to be respected when crediting an outside source, but we want to hear from you! Please be sure to include your own original thoughts and opinions when posting a URL to another site to help initiate discussion over the content. If you would like to respond to part of a particular post, you may quote the sentence or idea that you are commenting upon without re-posting the entire thread.

[Jesse Conroy]

Didn't some(if not all) of those "previewers" who predicted the Panthers to go all the way last season? It really doesn't matter, I hope their predictions are right about the Ravens regardless.

[Raven07]

lol yea me 2, none the less, its still July....still too early to tell anything, the preseason hasnt even started yet haha i just thought it was intregueing.....since we're raven fans here LOL ;)

[Jesse Conroy]

Yeah of course, right now when we all are drooling and impatient for the smell of cleats grinding up the fresh grass neatly laid in the middle of the stadium, the sound of shoulder pads hitting against each other, and the taste of the adrenaline emitting from the sweat of the hollering crowd.... Well I guess anything about the Ravens that keeps the anticipation up is great.

I cant wait for the preseason to observe on all the new players and all the new abilities learned by old players ready for the new season.

Sorry I seemed a little 'down' by the source. Thanks for the link!

[Guest Birdfan]

impatient for the smell of cleats grinding up the fresh grass neatly laid in the middle of the stadium

No fresh grass in our stadium. You're more likely to smell rubber burning.

[willis mcgahee run u over]

here are my predictions

AFC North

1 Ravens

2 Bengals

3 Browns

4 Steelers

AFC South(hardest division next year)

1 Titans

2 Jaguars

3 Colts

4 Texans

AFC East

1 Patriots

2 Jets

3 Dolphins

4 Bills

AFC West

1 Broncos

2 Chiefs

3 Chargers

4 Raiders

Buffalo and Oakland will be the 2 worst teams in the AFC

playoffs

1 Ravens

2 Patriots

3 Titans

4 Broncos

5 Bengals

6 Chiefs

WILDCARD

Chiefs @ Titans

TEN 21

KAN 20

Bengals @ Broncos

DEN 24

CIN 14

DIVISIONAL

Titans @ Patriots

NWE 30

TEN 13

BAL 20

DEN 6

CHAMPIONSHIP

BAL 31

NWE 17

yep Ravens beat Patriots

Pats end Titans chances of the superbowl again

i do believe the Colts will fall off because that run defense will not be like it was in the playoffs and any receiver will torch those corners they have since they got rid of their best 2

[Guest Birdfan]

I find it hard to believe the Browns will surpass the Steelers and that the Colts end up in 3rd place.

[Jesse Conroy]

No fresh grass in our stadium. You're more likely to smell rubber burning.

Thats right, we have turf.

Well they use to have real grass, I was talking about the old days.

[Neil]

I find it hard to believe the Browns will surpass the Steelers and that the Colts end up in 3rd place.

Yep. The Browns won't turn into contenders until next year at the earliest. Even though they had an amazing off-season, their two big pickups are still rookies. Indeed, the AFC North is going to be ridiculous in a few years, since the Bengals will still have their talented QB and receivers, the Browns will finally be getting it right, the Steelers will probably be at least OK, and the Ravens will be, of course, great. But the only way that the Steelers will slip to 4th this season is if Tomlin fails spectacularily, or if he brings in a passing attack that depends on Roethlisberger to make good decisions with the ball.

As for the Colts in 3rd, that's just ridiculous. The Jags aren't any better than when they couldn't unseat them the last few years, and the Colts aren't any worse. All that talk about their lack of run D doesn't really matter. They won't be as bad as they were at the beginning of last season, and they won't be as good as they were in the playoffs. As for the Titans, it's not happening. Sure, they have Vince Young, who is the new Mike Vick, but the Titans have lost some valuable players in the offseason. They're not going to threaten the division crown. As it has been, the AFC South is going to stay the private playground of the Colts. The biggest threat remains Jacksonville, but I'm not sure that even the fact that Del Rio is a sharp-dressed man will unseat the Colts.

Also, I'd switch the Chargers and Chiefs, and maybe the Dolphins and Jets. I know all the good things that the Chargers have going for them, but at this point the Chiefs are looking pretty weak. Dolphins over Jets is just this irrational feeling I have, especially since they're playing musical quarterbacks, musical coaches, and now have this Culpepper mess to distract them. The Jets have just always been that for me: When you think they're about to turn the corner, they go into the toilet. But nothing would make me happier than someone in that division wiping out the Patriots and taking that division.

[willis mcgahee run u over]

i predict the colts falling into 3rd place just like the steelers

not because peyton will become a turnover machine but because of that defense

and 3rd for the browns is not contenders

[Neil]

i predict the colts falling into 3rd place just like the steelers

not because peyton will become a turnover machine but because of that defense

If they overcame their defense last year, they can overcome anything.

and 3rd for the browns is not contenders

I just don't think that the Steelers will be that awful next year.

[CP1]

I love the Ravens but I don't think they will be the AFC North champs this year. The Bengals will be the team to beat in 07. Carson Palmer could be the best QB ever when his career is over. I say the Ravens make the playoffs but do so with out the AFC North title.

[PuppyPuncher]

I love the Ravens but I don't think they will be the AFC North champs this year. The Bengals will be the team to beat in 07. Carson Palmer could be the best QB ever when his career is over. I say the Ravens make the playoffs but do so with out the AFC North title.

A terrible defense means Carson Palmer can be kept off the field. I don't feel that Leon Hall is that much of an upgrade at cornerback. He had trouble in Michigan defending against some of the taller receivers.

[Reed_4_President]

I love the Ravens but I don't think they will be the AFC North champs this year. The Bengals will be the team to beat in 07. Carson Palmer could be the best QB ever when his career is over. I say the Ravens make the playoffs but do so with out the AFC North title.

That comment is quite uneducated sorry.. Defense wins games and when Carson is 3 and out everytime, or getting picked off doesn't matter how good he is when he plays a Defense like "OURS" BEST EVER NUFF SAID.

[Marcus]

I think we will finish 12-4.