NFL Preview
NFL Extravaganza Featuring Standings, MVP Prediction and the Eventual Path to a Champion

Drake and Future’s collaboration album might be a few years old now, but I still can’t stop saying the title: “What a Time to be Alive.” There is no other way to view life right now; football is back, baby, football is back. The NBA, the New York Yankees, and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish take up the majority of my sports watching experience throughout the year, but when fantasy football gets popping, and the NFL comes knocking, there is nothing like it in the world of sports. No matter what you think about the NFL and the political issues that surround the shield, there is no denying that football brings people together for good or bad. So pass the cheese doodles and the Bud Light, find your favorite armchair and throw on Red Zone. Your Sunday’s are booked. Here is the Popcorn & Cleats NFL Preview and I’m your host: Ryan Fasciano.
AFC East
New England Patriots: 13–3
Buffalo Bills: 6–10
New York Jets: 5–11
Miami Dolphins: 3–13
The AFC East is arguably the weakest division in football and is entirely in a stranglehold by the Patriots. There is not a single chance for another team to win this division, though I expect Buffalo and New York to be better than most think. Both Buffalo and Jets’ rookie quarterbacks (Josh Allen, Sam Darnold) have looked pretty darn solid in the preseason. Only Darnold is starting Week 1, and I expect to see some flashes of greatness throughout the season. Let’s say Darnold isn’t the future? The elder statesman Josh McCown is waiting in the wings, and honestly, he can win some games in the National Football League.
AFC North
Pittsburgh Steelers: 10–6
Baltimore Ravens: 8–8
Cleveland Browns: 7–9
Cincinnati Bengals: 6–10
Yep. You are reading the standings correctly. I think the Browns will win seven games this year. I believe pundits, fans and non-football heathens will be talking about the Browns this season. They will be a feel-good story for America to sink their teeth into; Hard Knocks was only the beginning. Browns’ quarterback Tyrod Taylor barely ever coughs up the ball, and the team upgraded immensely at the skill positions with the additions of running back Carlos Hyde and wide receiver Jarvis Landry.
AFC South
Houston Texans: 11–5
Jacksonville Jaguars: 10–6
Indianapolis Colts: 5–11
Tennessee Titans: 4–12
This division is a tough one to predict. If Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson stays healthy all season and plays like he did last year, it should shock no one if the Texans win the division. The Jaguars will be in the mix with the best defense in football, but the main trump card is Andrew Luck. What if he plays like the Andrew Luck of old again? Then the Indianapolis Colts could be a contender for the division crown. I expect Luck to play at a high level, but I don’t expect any of the surrounding players to be good enough to win the Colts a division title.
AFC West
Los Angeles Chargers: 11–5
Denver Broncos: 10–6
Kansas City Chiefs: 9–7
Oakland Raiders: 6–10
I know what your thinking. There is no way the Broncos will finish the season 10–6, but I ask you, why not? They still have dynamic wide receivers in Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders, they still have all-world defensive talent, Von Miller, along with Brandon Marshall and Derek Wolfe manning up. Enter a capable quarterback like Case Keenum, and the Broncos could make some serious noise this season. I’m not ballsy enough to say they will win the division, though. It has to go to the Chargers, who should be really, really good this season with a super improved defense led by freak Joey Bosa.
NFC East
Philadelphia Eagles: 10–6
New York Giants: 8–8
Dallas Cowboys: 7–9
Washington Redskins: 5–11
The NFC East is the defending Super Bowl champions Eagles’ division to lose. You can count on the division to be better than last year, especially the Giants. The G-Men added arguably the best running back prospect ever in Saquon Barkley and improved their offensive line to the point where it might not be a laughingstock anymore, with the addition of Nate Solder. Quarterback Eli Manning should have some time to wing it this year.
NFC North
Minnesota Vikings: 12–4
Green Bay Packers: 10–6
Detroit Lions: 6–10
Chicago Bears: 4–12
There aren’t too many holes in this year’s reincarnation of the Minnesota Vikings. They have a defense that can compete with anyone and now an improvement at the quarterback position with Kirk Cousins. Expect the Vikings to win the division, but it should be difficult with a healthy Aaron Rodgers slinging the ball for the Packers.
NFC South
New Orleans Saints: 12–4
Atlanta Falcons: 10–6
Carolina Panthers: 8–8
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 3–13
New Orleans might be the most complete team in football. With all the talent and promise around quarterback Drew Brees, he doesn’t have to do as much heavy lifting as in past years. So, now an always dangerous Brees can pick his spots to take over the game. Scary for the opposition.
NFC West
Los Angeles Rams: 12–4
Seattle Seahawks: 8–8
Arizona Cardinals: 7–9
San Francisco 49ers: 7–9
Here is another super tricky division to predict. I think the Rams will win the division rather easily, but I think the rest of the three spots are hard to shake out. Arizona should be pretty good if quarterback Sam Bradford stays healthy, but that’s a huuuuuuuuuge if. Seattle’s defense is getting older by the second, they have no o-line, and quarterback Russell Wilson needs to do everything. I love Jimmy Garoppolo as much as the next guy, but San Francisco is all in on a QB that has only started seven games (though won them all). The 49ers could turn into a dumpster fire at any second, and would it surprise anyone?
MVP Prediction
It has to be Aaron Rodgers. If he stays healthy all season, performs like the most talented quarterback in football and the Packers make the playoffs after not reaching them last year, Rodgers will be a shoo-in for his third MVP award.
Playoffs
AFC: 1. New England (13–3) 2. Los Angeles (11–5) 3. Houston (11–5) 4. Pittsburgh (10–6) 5. Denver (10–6) 6. Jacksonville (10–6)
Wild Card Round:
New England and Los Angeles get the bye first round. Jacksonville heads to Houston to play the Jags, where I think the struggles of Jags quarterback Blake Bortles rear their ugly head. Texans win.
Denver heads to Pittsburgh to face the Steelers. At home, the high powered Steelers offense will be too much for the Broncos to handle.
Divisional Round:
Pittsburgh heads to Gillette Stadium to face the Pats, where Tom Brady, Bill Belichick are ready with a more complete team. Pats win.
Houston heads to Los Angeles to face veteran quarterback Philip Rivers and the Chargers. The bright lights could inspire young phenom quarterback Watson even more. Texans win in a close one.
Championship Round:
Guess who? The Pats are back hosting the AFC Championship game. Who would have thought? Everyone. Like Week 1 should go, I expect Belichick to be able to find a way to stop Watson. Tom Brady will be Tom Brady, and the Pats make it to the Super Bowl.
NFC: 1. Minnesota (12–4) 2. New Orleans (12–4) 3. Los Angeles (12–4) 4. Philadelphia (10–6) 5. Atlanta (10–6) 6. Green Bay (10–6)
Wild Card:
Minnesota and New Orleans get the bye. Green Bay heads to Los Angeles to deal with the high powered Rams. As good as Rodgers is, I don’t expect the Packers to be able to pull out the victory.
I predict we will see a rematch of tonight’s game in the Wild Card between the Falcons and Eagles. I predict the Falcons win tonight because Nick Foles is starting, but Wentz should be rolling once they play again in the playoffs. Eagles pull out the win.
Divisional Round:
In a rematch of the 2018 NFC Championship match (just now the Eagles are the road team), Philadelphia heads to Minnesota to face the Vikings and their loaded squad. The Vikings should be better than they were last season and with home field on their side, I expect them to make it to the conference championship for the second year in a row.
In what might be the matchup of the two most potent offenses in all of football, the Rams face New Orleans. This game should be an absolute slugfest, but my money is on the experience and brilliance of Brees and Sean Payton over the inexperience of Rams head coach Sean McVay and Jared Goff. Saints win.
Championship Round:
Doesn’t Drew Brees feel like he should be the quarterback of the Vikings? Brees looks like a Viking to me. I have always felt this way. Besides the point, Brees will be leading his Saints into the Vikings’ fortress known as U.S. Bank Stadium. As loud as the Gjallarhorn will get, I expect Alvin Kamara, Michael Thomas and the rest of “Who Dat?” to stay poised and ready. Saints make it to the Super Bowl.
Super Bowl
Brady, Belichick, and Robert Kraft are back in the Super Bowl for the third straight year. I think the AFC is just too weak for the Patriots not to get to the big game. Will it be tiresome? Sure, but who else will come out?
The Saints are going to be a worthy opponent for the Pats, and we will have the oldest quarterback battle ever in a Super Bowl, and whoever wins will be the oldest quarterback ever to win the game, surpassing Peyton Manning in 2015 at 39 years old. When the match happens, Drew Brees will be 40, and of course, “Tom Terrific” will be 41. Yep. A pair of forty something-year-old quarterbacks battling it out for the championship? Count me in. I’m going with the Saints to win. I think they are just too talented.
