EAST
1)  Washington  10-6

              Something clicked for Kirk Cousins last year, and flanked by a great crew of receivers and a good offensive line, he should make the offense hum this year.  The defense got better with the big addition of Josh Norman.

2)  New York  8-8

The Giants will be able to stay in any game with their potent passing attack.  The defense got better, especially on the line, but it will still hold the team back from the playoffs.

3)  Dallas  6-10

              The Cowboys cannot stay healthy or out of their own way.  With a healthy Romo, and a fully-eligible defense including Randy Gregory, Demarcus Lawrence, and Rolando McClain, this would be one of the best rosters in the NFC.  Dak Prescott will be serviceable, but not effective enough to put the Cowboys in postseason contention.

4)  Philadelphia  4-12

              The Eagles are clearly focused on the long-term future.  Carson Wentz is talented, but the offense will be a mess at times, especially with a fragile offensive line.  There is not enough on defense to get serious about contention.

NORTH

1)  Minnesota  10-6

              The trade for quarterback Sam Bradford after the Teddy Bridgewater injury will help and shows the Vikings win-now mindset.  All the ingredients for a run are there, including a top-notch defense.

2)  Green Bay  10-6

              The Packers will look more like their normal selves after a bumpy 2015.  A healthy Jordy Nelson returning will allow Aaron Rodgers to work his magic.  The defense is solid, but not great.

3)  Detroit  6-10

              The loss of Calvin Johnson will obviously hurt the offense.  The Lions will see this year what Matthew Stafford is truly capable of.  On defense, the front four looks great, but everything behind them looks concerning.

4)  Chicago  5-11

              A much improved offensive line should allow a healthy Bears offense to be very dangerous.  The defense looks very questionable however.

SOUTH

1)  Carolina  10-6

              A lot went right for the Panthers in 2015 while they won their first 14 games.  Their luck figures to turn negatively.  The Broncos exposed their weakness on offense which is their pass protection from the tackles.  On defense, the loss of Josh Norman makes the secondary look very weak.

2)  New Orleans  9-7

              The offense will always be fine, but the Saints could be much improved on defense.  The addition of James Lauriniatis at linebacker will solidify the defense, and open up more plays for second-year linebacker Stephone Anthony.

3)  Tampa Bay  9-7

              The Buccaneers are ready to make a leap under Jamies Winston’s leadership.  There are enough additions on the defense to expect it to improve, including rookies Vernon Hargreaves and Noah Spence.

4)  Atlanta 5-11

              The Falcons offense will be able to score enough, but the defense looks questionable all around.

 

WEST

1)  Arizona  12-4

              The most complete team in the NFL, the Cardinals will go as far as Carson Palmer can take them in the playoffs.

2)  Seattle  10-6

              The Seahawks have enough skill on offense to make up for the loss of Marshawn Lynch, but the offensive line should be a major concern.  The defense will get back to their bullish ways, but the overall intimidation factor this team had two years ago is gone now.

3)  Los Angeles  7-9

              Not enough has changed on this team to expect different results.  The passing game is still anemic.  The defense is still stout but must be able to prevent big plays.

4)  San Francisco  5-11

              New coach Chip Kelly will have to take a patient, rebuilding approach.  The 49ers have to figure out their quarterback situation.  The defense is good, but not good enough to carry the entire team.

 

EAST
1)  New England  11-5
The Patriots, when fully assembled, are the best team in the AFC.  But the Brady suspension, and now the suspension of Rob Ninkovich on defense will hurt their record.  Jimmy Garoppolo will be solid in Brady’s absence, but they will still probably lose a game or two in the first few weeks that they otherwise would not.  Expect them to hit their full stride right as the playoffs approach.

2)  New York  9-7
There are some sustainability questions for the Jets on offense.  The addition of Matt Forte at running back is intriguing, but it gives the offense an overall aging look, so health will be a crucial factor.  The defense will be stout again, but it has its older players as well.  The Jets, much like last year, will just miss out on the playoffs.

3)  Buffalo  7-9
The Bills have a lot of firepower on offense, but their three main players all have injury histories: Tyrod Taylor, LeSean McCoy, and Sammy Watkins.  The injury bug has already hit the defense as first and second round picks from this past draft, Shaq Lawson and Reggie Ragland respectively, have already been sidelined, the latter for the entire season.  In the competitive AFC, especially in this division, being less than full strength is a death sentence.

4)  Miami  7-9

              The trade for Kiko Alonso and the signing of Mario Williams suddenly makes the defense look very imposing.  There are nice pieces on offense, but with Ryan Tannehill at quarterback it is tough to envision the Dolphins making a strong move up the standings.

NORTH
1)  Cincinnati  10-6

              The offense, and by extension quarterback Andy Dalton, flourished under coordinator Hue Jackson who left to take the head coach position with the Browns.  Regression may occur on that side of the ball with the loss of Jackson and a couple of receivers.  The defense is still very stout, the loss of Reggie Nelson may be offset with the addition of Karlos Dansby.  Their record might not be as sterling as last season because it is doubtful that they start off 8-0 again, but this is still the team to beat in the division. 

2)  Baltimore  9-7

              Everything that could have gone wrong last season did for the Ravens, mainly injuries.  The luck figures to bounce back positively this year.  Health for guys like Joe Flacco, Steve Smith, and Terrell Suggs would go a long way towards regaining a playoff berth. 

3)  Pittsburgh  9-7

              The offense gets a lot of attention, but Martavis Bryant is suspended for the year, LeVeon Bell will miss at least 3 games, and tight end Ladarius Green is starting the year on the PUP list.  How many games will Ben Roethlisberger play?  No offense can sustain personnel losses like that.  The defense is solid, but there are questions in the secondary.  No team will look forward to playing the Steelers, but it is difficult to see them stringing an entire season together with enough wins for a playoff appearance.

4)  Cleveland  5-11

              The offense will be vastly improved.  If Robert Griffin III can stay healthy, he will have a nice season.  There is breakout potential among the skill players, and the offensive line has always been good.  There is not much to be excited about on defense however.

SOUTH

1)  Houston  9-7

              The offense will have a totally revamped look with additions Brock Osweiler, Lamar Miller, Will Fuller, and Braxton Miller.  How the Texans’ talented offense gels will be the key to their season.  The defense is obviously talented, but it might not be quite good enough to carry the entire team.

2)  Indianapolis  8-8

              After a disappointing season, the Colts did not make enough personnel changes to prevent more disappointment.  The only new piece on offense is a rookie center, Ryan Kelly.  The secondary was overhauled, but is it that much better?  Andrew Luck can only carry this team so far.

3)  Jacksonville  8-8

              A breakout season will come up just short of a playoff bid.  The offense is ready to go.  The addition of Chris Ivory will provide a nice complement to T.J. Yeldon and the passing game.  The defense will be better, but it is still a little green, and has not caught up to the offense yet. 

4)  Tennessee  6-10

              The Titans will be much tougher than their win total will indicate.  Their commitment to the run with DeMarco Murray, Derrick Henry, and Marcus Mariota will cause nightmares for opponents.  The defense is not quite postseason-caliber, but this team is headed in the right direction.

WEST

1)  Kansas City  10-6

              The Chiefs roster looks a lot like last year’s, and the results will be more of the same.  They will have a similar record, although it is doubtful that they will achieve it by winning ten straight games immediately after losing five in a row as they did last season.  No reason to believe this team can get over the hump into the AFC championship game, however.

2)  San Diego  9-7

              The Chargers could surprise many after a nightmarish 2015; they lost nine of their twelve games by one possession, including five in a row at one point.  Melvin Gordon should continue to progress and help the offense cash all their yards in for touchdowns, and the defense will be boosted by several upgrades.  Philip Rivers has another run in him.

3)  Oakland  8-8

              The Raiders finally have all the tangibles on paper.  The offense is ready to take another step after a promising 2015.  On defense, the linebacking corps has gotten very good, and the addition of Reggie Nelson at safety will be huge.  Can Derek Carr win games when something is at stake?

4)  Denver  7-9

              The Broncos have too many ingredients for a Super Bowl hangover year.  They are breaking in a new quarterback and there was enough turnover on defense to cause concern.  The defense will still be very salty, but last season they played almost unbelievably good, so it is difficult to imagine a repeat performance.  Without Peyton Manning they will run more with C.J. Anderson, and the new strategy will pay off at first, but it ultimately will not be enough to keep them in the playoff hunt the entire season.