Finally, we made it to football.
The Bears kick off their much-anticipated 2019 season with the Green Bay Packers Thursday night, one plenty of folks around Chicago believe will end with this team hoisting the Lombardi Trophy in Miami in February. But will they?
Here are my 2019 NFL predictions,:
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*Wild card
**First-round bye
NFC North
1. Bears (10-6)
2. Vikings (10-6)
3. Packers (9-7)
4. Lions (5-11)
This sets up for the last weekend of the year to be a play-in game for the playoffs. The Vikings were in a win-and-in situation last year against the Bears and played a horrendous game. Even though Kirk Cousins should be better in a run/play-action heavy scheme, it’s tough to trust him in a big game. The Bears will win, and get in the playoffs for the second consecutive year.
NFC East
1. Eagles (13-3)**
2. Cowboys (9-7)
3. Giants (4-12)
4. Washington (3-13)
NFL
The Eagles have the best roster in the NFC, and so long as Carson Wentz can stay healthy, they’ll cruise to a first-round bye and home field advantage in the playoffs. Dallas has a good roster, so their record — and lack of inclusion in the playoffs — was one of the tougher calls here.
NFC South
1. Saints (12-4)**
2. Falcons (11-5)*
3. Panthers (10-6)*
4. Buccaneers (5-11)
This shapes up to be the NFL’s toughest division and best division — not the NFC North. The Saints will emerge with a first-round bye but a Panthers team with a good roster will lock down a wild card, while Matt Ryan will lead the Falcons to the playoffs, too, behind an improved offensive line.
NFC West
1. Rams (11-5)
2. Seahawks (8-8)
3. 49ers (7-9)
4. Cardinals (4-12)
The Rams will have to successfully replace a few key players on defense, but still have Aaron Donald and Sean McVay, so they’ll win their division for the third consecutive year. Seattle’s run-first offense will limit Russell Wilson’s impact to the point of missing the playoffs. And while the 49ers are a trendy playoff pick, there are too many questions surrounding Jimmy Garoppolo to truly pick them to make noise in a crowded NFC playoff picture.
AFC North
1. Browns (11-5)
2. Steelers (10-6)*
3. Ravens (9-7)
4. Bengals (3-13)
The Browns have a ton of roster talent, and Baker Mayfield will contend for the MVP in Year 2. The Steelers will get into the playoffs, and play the Browns…and, well, if you know anything about Browns history, you can see where that’s going.
AFC East
1. Patriots (13-3)**
2. Bills (7-9)
3. Jets (6-10)
4. Dolphins (2-14)
Bill Belichick and Tom Brady win a bad division (again) and aren’t really challenged in it (again). Maybe Sam Darnold takes a big step forward or the Bills’ salty defense gets them into the playoff picture. But neither of those teams are close to dethroning the Patriots so long as Brady is still slinging it.
AFC South
1. Texans (10-6)
2. Colts (10-6)*
3. Titans (7-9)
4. Jaguars (5-11)
The Texans are a better team today than they were a week ago, even if their comical lack of a general manger led to trades you might do in Madden dynasty mode but aren’t exactly recommended with an actual NFL franchise. The Colts were a Super Bowl contender before Andrew Luck retired, but still have a roster good enough to make the playoffs.
AFC West
1. Chiefs (13-3)**
2. Chargers (9-7)
3. Broncos (7-9)
4. Raiders (4-12)
The Chiefs again are the class of this division, and the Chargers will struggle to overcome losing star safety Derwin James for a significant chunk of the season (their offense will be fine for as long as Melvin Gordon’s holdout lasts). Denver’s defense should be stout with Vic Fangio calling the shots — and Von Miller and Bradley Chubb rushing the quarterback. Check Antonio Brown’s Instagram for updates on the Raiders.
Playoffs
NFC byes: Eagles (No. 1), Saints (No. 2)
AFC byes: Patriots (No. 1), Chiefs (No. 2)
Wild card round
(6) Panthers over (3) Rams
(4) Bears over (5) Falcons
The Bears will be able take care of the Falcons on a cold day along Lake Michigan in the first round. Carolina has a sneaky good team, and as long as Cam Newton can stay healthy (which is always a big ‘if’), they’ll have a good shot at a first-round upset.
(6) Steelers over (3) Browns
(5) Colts over (4) Texans
The Browns, blessed with their best team in years, will be cursed to face the Steelers in the playoffs. Oh well. The Texans will have traded two first-round picks (and a second round pick) for Laremy Tunsil while paying $7 million to Jadeveon Clowney to play in Seattle just to lose to the Colts in the first round of the playoffs for the second straight year.
Divisional round
(1) Eagles over (6) Panthers
(4) Bears over (2) Saints
The Saints have had crushing playoff exits in each of the last two seasons, from the Minneapolis Miracle to the Pass Interference That Wasn’t. Who’s up for a Mitch Trubisky last-second Hail Mary falling incomplete, only to have a booth review show blatant pass interference, overturning the non-call and giving the Bears the ball at the one-yard line and leading to a wacky Matt Nagy play on which Tarik Cohen passes to Khalil Mack to send the Bears to the NFC Championship? Meanwhile, the Eagles will cruise past Carolina. It won’t be nearly as fun.
(1) Patriots over (6) Steelers
(2) Chiefs over (5) Colts
Same as last year, only with the Patriots throttling the Steelers instead of the Chargers.
Championship round
(1) Eagles over (4) Bears
(1) Patriots over (2) Chiefs
The Bears’ run will end in Philadelphia, with Doug Pederson’s stacked roster beating his friend Matt Nagy’s side to advance to the Super Bowl for the second time in three years. Meanwhile…until the Patriots don’t make the Super Bowl, why pick against them?
Super Bowl: Eagles 38, Patriots 35
A Super Bowl rematch ends in thrilling fashion, even if Trey Burton isn’t around to throw a Philly Special touchdown. The Eagles, for the second time in three years, hoist the Lombardi Trophy.
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