'08-'09 NFL Playoff Predictions

Derek Lofland, NFL director at Fantasy Football Maniaxs

Since I wrote each NFL division predictions, there have been a few major transactions. First, the Saints acquired Jeremy Shockey, which helps bolster my confidence in the New Orleans pick.

Second, Jason Taylor became a Redskin. While he does make the defense better, I don’t expect a big improvement from my 7-9 prediction, due to the questions I have on offense. The final move is Brett Favre being reinstated by the Packers and traded to the Jets for a conditional fourth-round pick.

The bottom line is that it would be foolish to project the Jets as a playoff team at this point. Favre is 38-years old going on 39. He is late getting into camp. He needs to learn a new offensive system.

I believe this will work out and he will make the Jets a better team. Still, they have about a 1 percent chance of overtaking the Patriots in that division. The Jets will be competing for a wild-card spot, most likely the No. 6 seed.

Jacksonville and Indy are both better than the Jets and one of those teams will be the No. 5 seed. 

Favre is an exciting signing, but whether that allows them to beat out the Browns, Broncos, and Titans for the final wild card is another story.

Therefore, I am just doing my predictions as I did this summer, with the acknowledgement that the Jets could scare some people of this media circus and could be nothing more than preseason excitement that will not yield any meaningful advancement in the standings. 

I have already released my eight NFL Division Previews. If you missed any of them, the links are as follows:

a) AFC East
b) NFC East
c) AFC South
d) NFC South
e) AFC North
f) NFC North
g) AFC West
h) NFC West

These are the teams I had making the 2008 NFL Playoffs:

AFC Playoff Teams

1) Jacksonville Jaguars 13-3
2) New England Patriots 13-3
3) San Diego Chargers 12-4
4) Pittsburgh Steelers 11-5
5) Indianapolis Colts 12-4
6) Cleveland Browns 10-6

NFC Playoff Teams

1) Dallas Cowboys 12-4
2) Minnesota Vikings 11-5
3) New Orleans Saints 10-6
4) Arizona Cardinals 9-7
5) Philadelphia Eagles 10-6
6) New York Giants 9-7

Here is how I see the playoffs going based on where the 32 teams in the NFL stand at this moment.

AFC Wild Card Round

Cleveland Browns (10-6) at San Diego Chargers (12-4)

I would expect this one to be a lopsided game. The Browns have a great offense, but Derek Anderson didn’t always take care of the ball in 2007. While the Browns will be improved at stopping the run with Williams and Rodgers on the defensive line, they won’t be good enough to stop LaDainian Tomlinson.

I think the big-play defense of the Chargers and a healthy Tomlinson put up a bunch of points on the Browns, who will be making their first playoff appearance since 1994.

Score: San Diego Chargers 35–Cleveland Browns 17

Indianapolis Colts (12-4) at Pittsburgh Steelers (11-5)

This would be a very interesting matchup. It was a classic back in the 2005 playoffs. Both quarterbacks have won Super Bowls. The Steelers were the champions in 2005. The Colts brought home the trophy in 2006. My concern about picking the Colts is that they usually stop playing their best football once the calendar turns to January.

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