My name is Nover not Nostradamus so with that in mind here are five predictions for the upcoming 2015 NFL season:
No. 5: The Bills will end their streak of 16 consecutive years without making the NFL playoffs. The Bills have playoff-caliber talent on defense, special teams and at running back. They’ve upgraded at receiver and have a new energy and vitality with Rex Ryan. The only thing they are missing is a good starting quarterback. Tyrod Taylor could surprise, though. He’s better than perceived and gives the Bills another outstanding running dimension to go with LeSean McCoy.
No. 4: The Cowboys leading rusher for the season is not on the their roster yet. Jerry Jones is delusional if he believes Joseph Randle and Darren McFadden can adequately replace DeMarco Murray. Randle isn’t starting-caliber and McFadden has averaged 3.3, 3.3 and 3.4 yards per carry during the past three seasons while missing a combined 19 games the past four seasons.
No. 3: Mike Pettine, not Jay Gruden, will be the first NFL head coach fired. Since 2009 the Browns have had four head coaches. None has lasted more than two years. This is Pettine’s second season. Not only has Pettine failed to impress as a head coach, but he doesn’t have a good brain trust around him. Losing offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan is going to expose the Browns’ offensive weaknesses even more.
No. 2: The Bears will have their worst record since 1973 when Bobby Douglass was their quarterback. Chicago’s defense is a mess. It’s going to take at least a year for even defensive wizards John Fox and Vic Fangio to rebuilt and fix. The Bears have a cluster injury problem at wide receiver and a quarterback, Jay Cutler, they can’t stand. It wouldn’t shock if the Bears semi-tanked in order to land a high enough draft pick to get a potential franchise quarterback.
No. 1: Brock Osweiler will finish the season as Denver’s No. 1 quarterback. Age and injuries have zapped the great Peyton Manning of his physical skills. Manning still may be the smartest quarterback, but at 39 and off multiple neck surgeries he no longer can drive the ball or throw long. This is going to become more evident as the season progresses.
