Revised 2011 Predictions and Cheat Sheet

I love to write a predictions column about the NFL season as early as possible. One of the main reasons why I usually write that column in early August is because I am so excited to start writing and talking about the NFL season. My predictions in early August were the following:

AFC

1-San Diego: 12-4 (West)

2-New England: 11-5 (East)

3-Pittsburgh: 10-6 (North)

4-Houston: 10-6 (South)

5-Indy: 10-6 (Wild Card)

6-Oakland: 9-7 (Wild Card)

AFC Playoffs:

Wild Card Round

Pittsburgh over Oakland

Indy over Houston

Divisional Round

San Diego over Indy

New England over Pittsburgh

AFC Championship

San Diego over New England

Now, I know it is a little bit of hindsight here, but after watching the first three games of the preseason, it is time to make a slight change in my predictions. I have not been impressed at all after watching Oakland in the preseason. I can't buy into Jason Campbell, and I simply can't buy into the Raider hype. So here is what I am going to do: I am going to take the Raiders out of the playoffs, and I'm going to add the Cleveland Browns. I'm swapping the Browns and Raiders records in 2011. I had Cleveland at 7-9, and the Raiders at 9-7, but now I will switch it and give the Raiders the 7-9 record, and give the Browns the 9-7 mark and the wildcard spot. I know I just picked the Browns to make the playoffs, but here are my reasons:

1-Colt McCoy has looked good enough to make me jump on the bandwagon. I'm buying stock on McCoy, and I think he will play well enough to make his team competitive in every game.

2-The Browns are due to make the playoffs after missing out for the last eight seasons. They should have made it in 2007, but the Titans got a gift from the Colts in Week 17 and the Browns missed out. Throw in the fact that no one is really picking them, and they have all the makings of a surprise team that comes out of nowhere.

3-The Browns schedule is favorable for a run to the postseason. Their first three out of four are at home (Cincy, Miami, and Tennessee.) They play the NFC West and the AFC South (Indy in Week 2 and maybe Peyton Manning is still out with a neck injury), and they can build a nice little cushion heading into December when they face Baltimore and Pittsburgh four times in the last five weeks.

So here are my revised 2011 AFC Standings

AFC

1-San Diego: 12-4 (West)

2-New England: 11-5 (East)

3-Pittsburgh: 10-6 (North)

4-Houston: 10-6 (South)

5-Indy: 10-6 (Wild Card)

6-Cleveland: 9-7 (Wild Card)

AFC Playoffs:

Wild Card Round

Pittsburgh over Cleveland

Indy over Houston

Divisional Round

San Diego over Indy

New England over Pittsburgh

AFC Championship

San Diego over New England