Surprises of the 2015-2016 season

Overseasfan · May 27, 2015

There will always be a few certainties that will perform. It is highly likely that all 4 teams that played in the championship games will return to the play-offs one way or another.

However, every season has it's upsets. Teams making it to the play-offs out of nowhere or just improving a lot in general. I personally think that the Falcons and the Chiefs will surprise. The Falcons have a legit shot at winning the NFC South division title, the Panthers didn't improve much this off-season and the Saint even got worse after Graham left. The Chiefs could capitalize on a declining Broncos team to take over the AFC West. I'd also take the Jets into consideration for upset, they probably won't make the play-offs but they could be able to double their wins from last year.

Your picks for next season's upsets?

Ramfan128 · May 27, 2015

Saints win the South.

Rams to make the playoffs.

Giants win the East.

Heard a lot about the Chiefs, but I don't see them getting past the Broncos. I think they'll fight it out for 2nd place with the Chargers.

I think Peyton Manning will kill it this year.

rideaducati · May 27, 2015

San Diego and Buffalo in the AFC. Vikings and Lambs in the NFC.

Fisher averages taking his teams to the playoffs once every five years and needs to make it this season to keep up the streak.

RedAlice · May 28, 2015

Without looking into any team too much yet, I say Jets.

I prolly won't put much effort into looking at other teams until pre-season. But, Jets seem to have something.

MizzouHawkGal · May 28, 2015

NFC

Seahawks
Green Bay
Dallas
Atlanta

New Orleans
St. Louis

AFC

Denver
Indianapolis
Baltimore
New England

Pittsburgh
Jets, Jets, Jets!

Hasselbeck · May 28, 2015

I don't think the Falcons winning the South would be a big surprise at all.. after all 7-8-1 won that division a year ago.

Usually about half of the playoff teams from the year before don't make it the following year.. so going off of that..

New England - I think even with the Brady suspension and a depleted secondary, they find a way to win the division
Denver - Should win division relatively easily
Indy - Should win division relatively easily
Baltimore - Personally speaking, they're my favorite to come out of the AFC this year.
Pittsburgh - They have a really tough sched this year and some question marks on defense, I think they are on the bubble
Cincinnati - I think they finally have a down year and miss the playoffs

Seattle - In, barring another major rash of injuries
Green Bay - In and strong contender for Super Bowl
Dallas - I think they're a paper tiger, that defense is a sieve and they're one good shot on Romo away from being very bad.
Carolina - Out. Shouldn't have been in the playoffs a year ago anyway.
Arizona - Out.
Detroit - Out.

So that is 5 of 12 I see not returning to the playoffs, which is pretty much in line with the usual thing in these playoff races. To replace Pittsburgh and Cincy, I can see any combination of Houston, Kansas City, Buffalo, Miami, San Diego or the Jets getting those two spots. To replace Carolina, give me Atlanta to win that division. To replace Detroit and Arizona, give me St. Louis and the Giants. To win the East.. swap Dallas for Philly.

ClutchDJ · May 28, 2015

Chargers win the AFC West.

Bucs finish 2nd in the NFC South.

Rams still somehow manage to find a way to finish last in the NFC West, yes, even below the Niners. Fisher gets fired.

Dolphins win the AFC East.

ctrcat · May 28, 2015

Hasselbeck":1sppwtar said:
I don't think the Falcons winning the South would be a big surprise at all.. after all 7-8-1 won that division a year ago.

Usually about half of the playoff teams from the year before don't make it the following year.. so going off of that..

New England - I think even with the Brady suspension and a depleted secondary, they find a way to win the division
Denver - Should win division relatively easily
Indy - Should win division relatively easily
Baltimore - Personally speaking, they're my favorite to come out of the AFC this year.
Pittsburgh - They have a really tough sched this year and some question marks on defense, I think they are on the bubble
Cincinnati - I think they finally have a down year and miss the playoffs

Seattle - In, barring another major rash of injuries
Green Bay - In and strong contender for Super Bowl
Dallas - I think they're a paper tiger, that defense is a sieve and they're one good shot on Romo away from being very bad.
Carolina - Out. Shouldn't have been in the playoffs a year ago anyway.
Arizona - Out.
Detroit - Out.

So that is 5 of 12 I see not returning to the playoffs, which is pretty much in line with the usual thing in these playoff races. To replace Pittsburgh and Cincy, I can see any combination of Houston, Kansas City, Buffalo, Miami, San Diego or the Jets getting those two spots. To replace Carolina, give me Atlanta to win that division. To replace Detroit and Arizona, give me St. Louis and the Giants. To win the East.. swap Dallas for Philly.

I respect opinion, but 75-13 is convincing. It doesn't guarantee anything this year, but why shouldn't the Panthers have been in the playoffs last year when they beat the Saints and Falcons in their own buildings by a combined score of 75-13 when the playoffs were on the line?

Also not sure why people don't consider the Panthers improved. Is it because Greg Hardy wasn't resigned? He didn't play last year anyway. The fact is that either mild or major improvements have been made on every single unit on the team, including special teams and QB, since Cam will be healthy on paper.

I realize that this thread is about surprise teams, and you and others could be right, the Falcons and Saints could surprise, but again, 75-13, and the Panthers 2014 season was Hollywood bizarre. Both games could have been much worse as well, the dogs were let off as well.

original poster · May 28, 2015

Dolphins and Jets will both make the playoffs!

JSeahawks · May 28, 2015

Seattle vs Philly in NFC title game. Seattle wins of course.

Thread Killer · May 31, 2015

Overseasfan":3rr6gilb said:
There will always be a few certainties that will perform. It is highly likely that all 4 teams that played in the championship games will return to the play-offs one way or another.

Highly likely, but I'm not sure that's actually happened in the past few years.

Quick guesses:
Tampa Bay wins the NFC South
NFC West produces 3 playoff teams.

hawknation2015 · May 31, 2015

Buffalo wins the AFC East . . . ahead of New England.

Denver misses the playoffs.

Chapow · May 31, 2015

ctrcat":2vh75g3o said:
Hasselbeck":2vh75g3o said:

I don't think the Falcons winning the South would be a big surprise at all.. after all 7-8-1 won that division a year ago.

Usually about half of the playoff teams from the year before don't make it the following year.. so going off of that..

New England - I think even with the Brady suspension and a depleted secondary, they find a way to win the division
Denver - Should win division relatively easily
Indy - Should win division relatively easily
Baltimore - Personally speaking, they're my favorite to come out of the AFC this year.
Pittsburgh - They have a really tough sched this year and some question marks on defense, I think they are on the bubble
Cincinnati - I think they finally have a down year and miss the playoffs

Seattle - In, barring another major rash of injuries
Green Bay - In and strong contender for Super Bowl
Dallas - I think they're a paper tiger, that defense is a sieve and they're one good shot on Romo away from being very bad.
Carolina - Out. Shouldn't have been in the playoffs a year ago anyway.
Arizona - Out.
Detroit - Out.

So that is 5 of 12 I see not returning to the playoffs, which is pretty much in line with the usual thing in these playoff races. To replace Pittsburgh and Cincy, I can see any combination of Houston, Kansas City, Buffalo, Miami, San Diego or the Jets getting those two spots. To replace Carolina, give me Atlanta to win that division. To replace Detroit and Arizona, give me St. Louis and the Giants. To win the East.. swap Dallas for Philly.

Click to expand...

I respect opinion, but 75-13 is convincing. It doesn't guarantee anything this year, but why shouldn't the Panthers have been in the playoffs last year when they beat the Saints and Falcons in their own buildings by a combined score of 75-13 when the playoffs were on the line?

Also not sure why people don't consider the Panthers improved. Is it because Greg Hardy wasn't resigned? He didn't play last year anyway. The fact is that either mild or major improvements have been made on every single unit on the team, including special teams and QB, since Cam will be healthy on paper.

I realize that this thread is about surprise teams, and you and others could be right, the Falcons and Saints could surprise, but again, 75-13, and the Panthers 2014 season was Hollywood bizarre. Both games could have been much worse as well, the dogs were let off as well.

75-13 is a lot less convincing when you consider that they struggled to grind out a win by 2 points at home to the worst team in the league in the Bucs and then struggled to grind out a 4 point win against the Browns at home in between those Saints and Falcons games. They also lost at home against both the Saints and Falcons in the 2nd half of the season.

I don't really think any of that matters much though and it's actually pretty simple. Anytime a team wins their division with a losing record, there are going to be an awful lot of people that don't think they deserve to be in the playoffs.

ctrcat · May 31, 2015

^ Is the Hawks 2013 Lombardi any less impressive when considering the struggles against the Texans, Rams, and Bucs? I'd say not. Not to mention Cam didn't play against the Bucs and was ginger with two back fractures against the Browns. Last season it was offseason surgery, rib fractures, ankle twists by Vontaze Burfict, and car accidents for Cam. This year, so far, it's health and all smiles. We'll see.

Tical21 · May 31, 2015

The Jags surprise everybody and make the playoffs
The Dolphins win the AFC East, Parker is OROY
The Rams win the NFC West, winning a tie-breaker with Seattle at 11-5, riding Gurley
Sam Bradford puts up 4500 yards and the Eagles win the NFC Least
Shaq Thompson plays a little RB

MizzouHawkGal · May 31, 2015

Tical21":d33kliyz said:
The Jags surprise everybody and make the playoffs
The Dolphins win the AFC East, Parker is OROY
The Rams win the NFC West, winning a tie-breaker with Seattle at 11-5, riding Gurley
Sam Bradford puts up 4500 yards and the Eagles win the NFC Least
Shaq Thompson plays a little RB

The OP said surprise not silliness. You should have left the Jaguars out at least given the Sam Bradford and Rams insanity. Otherwise you have a shot.

RedAlice · May 31, 2015

I am going with : Surprise!!! Sam Bradford plays 8 games in one single season.*

*ok a surprise!!! and a wish. That would mean Rams pay zero to Eagles.

Go Sam go! Go Sam, Go!!! Say it all together now: Go Sam, go!!! Go Sam, go!!!

MizzouHawkGal · May 31, 2015

RedAlice":3o27hogk said:
I am going with : Surprise!!! Sam Bradford plays 8 games in one single season.*

*ok a surprise!!! and a wish. That would mean Rams pay zero to Eagles.

Go Sam go! Go Sam, Go!!! Say it all together now: Go Sam, go!!! Go Sam, go!!!

Never going to happen Alice. You know that already, just be happy you got rid of him. I never thought that would be possible until 2017.

He'll play something like eight games and be completely awesome as Philadelphia goes 4-4 and he goes down with some other season ending injury. It's just how it works trust me.

RedAlice · May 31, 2015

MZou: What?

I thought we were having mimosas this week.

Don't you like my chant, let's all get it going: Go Sam Go!! Go Sam Go!

It's kinda cute.

YES I know it's a pipe dream. I will still pay for your several mimosas and enjoy your company. I'm selfish like that.

MizzouHawkGal · May 31, 2015

RedAlice":2qwebdp7 said:
MZou: What?

I thought we were having mimosas this week.

Don't you like my chant, let's all get it going: Go Sam Go!! Go Sam Go!

It's kinda cute.

YES I know it's a pipe dream. I will still pay for your several mimosas and enjoy your company. I'm selfish like that.

Ok, I'm in!

Go Sam Go! (don't hurt yourself worse on the way to the way to the hospital). Sorry but I couldn't help it.

Seriously, thinking Sam Bradford can play 16 NFL games in a row in a single year is akin to thinking the Seahawks won't sign Russell Wilson to an extension. Nice to fantasize about depending on your viewpoint but not happening.

He's got a shot though given he's in the NFCE now.

Foles? I kind of fear for his life in reality. Man, imagine the pressure he's under? And now he gets to play in a division that actually prioritizes defense....good luck Nick.

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