2011 SFL Season Predictions- AFC
AFC East
Buffalo Bills
Summary: I think the Bills are the most complete team in the division. They are not without their flaws but they have a veteran QB, good WR core, and a good defense. I think that gives them the edge.
Fun Fact: DeShaun Foster will be playing for his 7th team in 10 seasons in the league. He is coming off his best season where he ran for 1652 yards at 4.98 YPC.
New England Patriots
Summary: The Patriots have Tom Brady. This prediction is solely based on his presence on this team. The Patriots are going to have pickup their roster replenishment if they want to stay up here much longer.
Fun Fact: The Patriots acquired 0 players in the offseason outside of the actual draft. This means they signed no players in free agency nor did they trade for anyone.
Miami Dolphins
Summary: I love this Dolphins team. They’ve got two elite WR’s and talent all over the roster. This third place prediction is based on Jordan Palmer at QB. I think they are division winners if they sign a player the quality of Jake Delhomme.
Fun Fact: The Dolphins used back-to-back 2nd overall picks in 2007 and 2008 to draft two 6’5” superstar WR’s in Calvin Johnson and James Hardy.
New York Jets
Summary: The Jets are typically one of the most talented rosters in the league. This 2011 roster does have much of that talent, but I’m concerned about the WR and CB positions. Two key positions in Madden. I’m also not entirely sure about QB though I think there is sufficient quality there just maybe not elite.
Fun Fact:The 2010 season was the first season the Jets finished with a below .500 record
AFC North
Cleveland Browns
Summary: I think the Browns have the best talent on the roster of any team in the division. I think Matt Schaub is the best QB and is coming off a breakout season in 2010 that he should be able to replicate.
Fun Fact:Rookie WR-Kris Durham is as tall or taller than any of the Browns starters on the offensive line.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Summary:I almost put the Steelers as division favorites. I think their offense is the best in the division but I’m a little worried about the caliber of the defense though I do really like the Stanford Routt acquisition.
Fun Fact: All three QB’s on the Steelers current roster are listed as scramblers
Baltimore Ravens
Summary: I think the Ravens could make a case for them winning the division this season. Thigpen is rounding in to good form and they are a team known for winning. I just feel like they are slightly less likely to do than either the Browns or Steelers. It will be interesting to see if WR-Jarrett’s contract creates any long-term problems for the Ravens cap. Particularly with DT-Bryant’s huge cap figure already on the books.
Fun Fact: For the first time in SFL history the Ravens did not win the draft gem.
Cincinnati Bengals
Summary: The Bengals have the talent to win at pretty much every position except QB. The front seven on defense looks pretty imposing for example. And it’s not that QB-Stanback won’t get there, it’s just that he is not there yet and so while they could certainly win the division with Stanback playing well, it’s more likely that he will not be up to what they need for 2011.
Fun Fact: WR-Chad Johnson returns to Cincinnati after 7 years in Oakland. Johnson began his career with the Bengals in 2002.
AFC South
Indianapolis Colts
Summary: I really like how the Colts have improved this offseason. Champ Bailey is a great acquisition as is David Carr. QB and CB are key positions in Madden and the Colts addressed both of them. The WR combination of Baldwin, Lafell, and Moss is also very formidable. It’s hard to make drastic improvement in a season but I think the Colts do so in 2011.
Fun Fact: This is a bit of a homer fact, but the Colts have 5 players on their 2011 roster who were formerly on the Vikings roster in 2010.
Tennessee Titans
Summary: The Titans also were a team of dramatic player movement. And there’s a lot to like about this team as well. I think the different here is that though they have the best QB in the division, they lack the CB and WR core you would normally see in a division champion. It doesn’t mean they can’t win, I just don’t think they match up on paper with the Colts.
Fun Fact: Rookie HB-Alex Green is looking to become the first ever 5th round pick to rush for 1000 yards in a season.
Houston Texans
Summary: The Texans were a legit team last season and they still have many good players left from that team. I think the challenge for them will be to replace the QB. Rodgers and Stafford really don’t stack up to either Carr or Manning. It’s pretty much the reason I have them in 3rd in these predictions.
Fun Fact: The Texans acquired two very similar offensive guards this offseason in Ben Wyss and Daniel Dye. Both are very light, 260 and 280 lbs. respectively but are very athletic. Two players have been and will continue to be comparables for each other.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Summary: The Jaguars have a lot of good pieces as well. They are thin at CB though with only Rolle being ready right now. Ras-I Dowling is good, but his 56 AWR is not likely to play well this season. I’m also not as bullish on Brian Brohm as others. I’m wondering if Jaguar management feels similar since he has not yet been signed to an extension and he’s in the last year of his deal.
Fun Fact: Despite a 5-11 season in 2010, the Jaguars set the team record for fewest points given up in a season with 340.
AFC West
Denver Broncos
Summary: The Broncos are the most complete team in the AFC West. They made several moves this offseason that have really put together a fully competitive team. Now next season they are projected to have the highest salaried roster in the league, but next season is for next season. This season the Broncos are ready to go!
Fun Fact: The Broncos have acquired 19 new players from 15 different teams.
Oakland Raiders
Summary: The Raiders are one of if not the most reliable team in the SFL. Year after year they are there when it matters the most. They have very little roster turnover season to season and I think that probably helps. They could easily win the division this season, but I think the Broncos are as good as they have been. It’s really more about the Broncos improvement than any slide on the part of the Raiders.
Fun Fact: Sebastian Janikowski is a first ballot Hall of Fame kicker. Here’s just one example of how incredible he is. He has a career touchback percentage of 57.72. The raw number of touchbacks in 445. To give you an idea how phenomenal that stat is, the next best active kicker in touchbacks is Neil Rackers with 83. Janikowski has 5.4 times as many touchbacks as him. Incredible stuff!
San Diego Chargers
Summary: The Chargers have a ton of potential, particularly on the offensive side of the ball. Basically it boils down to the fact that I don’t trust their roster like I do the Broncos and Raiders. They can still make noise and can in fact still win the division. It just seems less likely to me.
Fun Fact: The only team the Chargers have yet to beat in the regular season is the New Orleans Saints. The Saints are the team the Chargers lost to in Super Bowl VI.
Kansas City Chiefs
Summary: The Chiefs are one the teams that keep the SFL interesting and fun. There’s always a plan in Kansas City and though that plan tends to change significantly from year to year. The Chiefs management is fully committed to any plan they have. The plan this year is to build around QB-John David Booty. This is the biggest reason for me why they will likely finish last in the division. Young QB’s have rough spots.
Fun Fact: The Chiefs boast having the league’s worst punter on their roster. Matt Dodge has a league worst 61 OVR. He’s actually 17 points behind the next worst punter in OVR. Fortunately for the Chiefs he’s not the starter.
This is a look at my AFC predictions for the 2021 season. I don’t know if I will do the NFC since I’m part of that conference, but it was fun to take a look at the AFC.
