Welcome to NFL 2020 -- the year of COVID-19. All stadiums will play the first two to three weeks without fans, some have already said that seats will be empty all season. Some teams have banned tailgate parties in the parking lots (let's see how much that is enforced). It's the year of the armchair quarterback (or armchair commissioner, for the fans of fantasy football).
AFC North
1. Baltimore Ravens (13-3/5-1 in division): The Ravens roster remains relatively unchanged from the team that was the top seed in the AFC last season, and will compete for that again. QB Lamar Jackson is looking strong, and his running ability may draw defenders to him, opening some potential holes for Mark Ingram. Jackson has a strong receiving corps to back him up. The defense lost some strength, but they gained some capable players who should be easily inserted into their strong defensive scheme.
2. Pittsburgh Steelers (8-8/4-2): Big Ben is slowing down, so expect to see QB Mason Rudolph under center this year, either to replace an injured starter or to allow Ben to rest for a series. Either scenario will likely be needed, as a stable offensive line is countered by a weaker receiving corps, so opposing defenses will be playing much closer to the line. As always, a stable defense, but no real standouts.
3. Cleveland Browns (6-10/3-3): Some people are predicting the playoffs for the Browns, but I don't see it. A new coach often struggles in the position, and Kevin Stefanski has some rough edges to smooth over before he has a fluid team. QB Baker Mayfield still needs work, and backup Case Keenum is not reliable enough as a long-term solution if Mayfield stumbles or gets injured. That situation could happen, as offensive line is one area that needs work.
4. Cincinnati Bengals (2-14/0-6): Starting a rookie quarterback in a year without preseason games in this black-and-blue defensive division? Not a good idea, no matter how good egocentric Joe Burrows thinks he is. Welcome to the NFL, guy! Try to keep the turf out of your mouth (actually, that might shut you up).
AFC East
1. Buffalo Bills (10-6/5-1): What's this, a new team on top? Yessir! QB Josh Allen looked good last year, the offense was clicking, and they plugged some defensive holes in the off-season. The Bills excel at fast-paced game play, something many of the defenses in this division struggle against.
2. New England Patriots (7-9/4-2): The Pats suffer a losing season, but not just due to the loss of star QB Tom Brady. Who the hell thought bringing Cam Newton here was a good idea? Cam is a free spirit who likes to improvise on the field, while Bill Belichick is the ultimate control freak. QB and coach will clash, and Newton will still do whatever he wants, leading to a chaotic offense. Fortunately the defense is good enough to get them out of some scrapes, but his will be a tough year for Pats fans.
3. New York Jets (5-11/2-4): QB Sam Darnold is not developing as quickly as the Jets hoped, so we might see some of Joe Flacco before the season is over. RB Le'Veon Bell will become the offensive star, making the Jets look even more like their stadium-sharing NFC counterparts, who have Saquon Barkley (more on him later).
4. Miami Dolphins (2-14/1-5): QB Ryan Fitzpatrick looked good last season, but he's getting old. He's lost some zip on the ball. This means we'll see Tua long before he is ready. That will require a completely different offensive scheme, as Tua likes long passes and quick play while the cerebral Fitzpatrick likes the short yardage ground control game. Tua will force too many plays, and the defense isn't strong enough to hold back opponents.
AFC South
1. Houston Texans (10-6/5-1): QB DeShaun Watson has a great stable of receivers to throw to, and these guys can rack up lots of yards after catch. For the ground game, Watson will be the top rusher. A strong defense makes this team a threat in every game.
2. Tennessee Titans (7-9/3-3): QB Ryan Tannehill is capable, but not outstanding. Fortunately, he has a great slate of receivers to help him. If any get injured, though, their corps is thin and weak. The defense is decent but has some holes, especially on the line.
3. Jacksonville Jaguars (5-11/2-4): A great defense, but no outstanding receivers. That does help inconsistent QB Gardner Minshew.
4. Indianapolis Colts (3-13/2-4): Geez, how little faith do the Colts place in QB Jacoby Brissett? They won't place him on the top of the depth chart (their unofficial chart has him at #2 with NOBODY at #1!). Makes you wonder if they are shopping for a starting QB among the teams' 53-man roster cuts. The Colts have a bunch of great receivers, who really support Jacoby, but lack of support from the team office may demoralize the QB and his receivers.
**UPDATE: Now that the Indianapolis Colts' website has updated their roster (with the start of the semester I've been a little too busy to keep up with personnel changes), Jacoby is Number Two because the Colts got Phillip Rivers to be starting QB. That will push the Colts to second place in this division, but the Texans are still too talented for the Colts to get past.
AFC West
1. Kansas City Chiefs (14-2/6-0): The defending Super Champs will look like it. This team gelled during the playoffs. Unpredictable QB Patrick Mahomes has "catch-all" tight end Travis Kelce and three quick receivers to help run the top scoring offense in the league.
2. Los Angeles Chargers (8-8/3-3): QB Tyrod Taylor is capable but not outstanding. He has a bunch of stable receivers, but no real standouts. This team will live and die on their defense, and the corners need some work.
3. Las Vegas Raiders (7-9/2-4): The NFL Outlaws travel to Las Vegas! If there was ever a more appropriate location for a particular team in ANY professional sport, I can't think of it. The Raiders have a good offense behind QB Derek Carr. The defense has holes, both on the line and in the backfield. Their linebackers are going to be running all over the place.
4. Denver Broncos (4-12/1-5): This team is still coming together. Of all of the teams in the AFC, this one could have definitely used the four preseason games. While they will improve as the season progresses, they suffer from a tough schedule.
NFC East
1. Philadelphia Eagles (12-4/5-1): The Eagles have the best receiving corps in the division. With Jalen Hurts there to back up oft-injured QB Carson Wentz, this team has all the firepower to win this division again, and compete for the top seed.
2. Dallas Cowboys (9-7/5-1): The Cowboys have a great offense except where they need it the most -- offensive line. QB Zac Prescott needs time to set up his plays, and I don't know if this line will provide him that. The defense needs some time to gel, too.
3. New York Giants (5-11/2-4): Saquon Barkley will still be the star of this offense. New coach Joe Judge has his hands full honing the talents of this raw squad. At least he has a good corps of wide receivers to help QB Daniel Jones, and then Colt McCoy. Why both? This porous offensive line is going to get Jones hurt. On the other side of the ball, they have plenty of linebackers, but most of them are only mediocre.
4. Washington (2-14/0-6): This is a team in search of an identity. They don't even have a team name yet! Their new uniforms look like they stole them from the USC Trojans (perhaps they did. After all, the Trojans aren't playing this fall). With owner Daniel Snyder under investigation for sexual assault and harrassment, I don't think COVID would be necessary to keep the crowds away. This is a tough spot for QB Dwayne Haskins, who loves to show off for a crowd. How will he perform without one?
NFC North
1. Chicago Bears (10-6/4-2): The Bears on top? Am I crazy? Especially since they played journeyman QB Mitchell Trubisky ahead of Philadelphia phenom Nick Foles on the depth chart? Yes, I think the Bears will win the division. The other teams are down a bit this season, and coach Matt Nagy had these guys working during the offseason. Trubisky worked especially hard, working with the same guru who has bolstered Kurt Cousins and Ryan Fitzpatrick. While the offensive line still needs a little work and the receiving corps is thin (the starters need to stay healthy), a favorable schedule helps give this team a shot at the divisional title.
2. Minnesota Vikings (9-7/4-2): Trubisky's workout partner, QB Kurt Cousins, improved over the off-season, but the offensive line didn't. He'll still have to do most of his work on the run. The defensive line has concerns of their own, especially on the ends.
3. Green Bay Packers (9-7/4-2): Definitely a capable team, but no really standouts (other than QB Aaron Rodgers) and thin in places. This team often fights injury problems, and that could hurt them badly this season. Also, Lambeau Field will be devote of the fierce crowd that fuels this team.
4. Detroit Lions (3-13/0-6): This team has two fragile 12-year veteran QBs in Matthew Stafford and Chase Daniel, and they have to work behind the worst offensive line in the division (and this year, that is really saying something!). They might as put a bunch of quarterbacks on speed dial, as they'll need to find 3rd and 4th quarterbacks at some point this season. Kearse's suspension cracks an already fragile defense.
NFC South
1. New Orleans Saints (11-5/5-1): Could this be the final season for Drew Brees? There's talk that might be true. If so, you know this team will work extra hard to reach the Super Bowl. Despite some questions about the strength of the right side of the offensive line, this is a solid offense. The defense was overhauled, but strong corners and talented depth makes this team a contender.
2. Tampa Bay Bucs (10-6/4-2): Florida welcomes Tom Brady and Gronk to their team, and the offense wakes up. Gronk will be Brady's favorite target, but Brady likes to spread the wealth, and there are enough hands to catch his passes. Let's hope his off-season conditioning was good, because there are questions about the strength of his offensive line, so opponents might get into his backfield. The defense is a patchwork of players who starred on other teams. If they can reach a level close to their past, this will be a stiff defense indeed.
3. Atlanta Falcons (6-10/2-4): The offense has great running backs, but the receiving corps is thin after Julio Jones and Calvin Ripley. Short passes and dump-offs seem to the key to success. The "twin Matt" quarterbacks of Ryan and Schaub have a total of 30 years of NFL experience. Tom Brady is ageless, but I'm not sure the same can be said of these two. Since the offensive line has some questions, the team better hope they are healthier than their age would suggest.
4. Carolina Panthers (4-12/1-5): QB Teddy Bridgewater is back, but he has some slim pickings among the receiving corps. Like the Falcons, I see plenty of dump-off passes in this team's future. The Panthers have a better offensive line, but a much weaker defense means they will be playing "catch-up" ball most of the season.
NFC West
1. San Francisco 49ers (13-3/5-1): A return trip to the Super Bowl seems likely for this well-honed and experienced team. I don't see any concerns anywhere -- not a claim I can frequently make.
2. Seattle Seahawks (11-5/4-2): The defense is not what we are used to seeing from this squad, which puts more pressure on Russell Wilson's offense. We might even see some trick plays when Geno Smith goes under center, I figure will happen a few times each game.
3. Los Angeles Rams (7-0/2-4): QB Jared Goff likes fast play, but I'm not sure he has the receiving corps to make that work. The defense looks good, but they can be beat. Consistent speed seems to be a concern on both sides of the ball on this team.
4. Arizona Cardinals (6-10/1-5): This team has issues with its offensive line. If QB Kyler Murray can prevent getting the tar beaten out of him, he might succeed, as he is surrounded with talented wideouts.
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