NFL Preview: Random Predictions and Awards

To close out the annual NFL preview, I will predict the Super Bowl winner, who will take home all of the major awards, and some of the winners of the NFL's "lesser known" prizes. 

PLAYOFF SEEDINGS AND PICKS

NFC

1. Dallas (12-4)
2. Seattle (11-5)
3. New Orleans (10-6)
4. Green Bay (10-6)
5. Philadelphia (10-6)
6. Minnesota (9-7)

AFC

1. New England (13-3)
2. San Diego (12-4)
3. Jacksonville (11-5)
4. Cleveland (9-7)
5. Indianapolis (10-6)
6. Houston (10-6)


Wild-Card Round: Jacksonville over Houston, Indianapolis over Cleveland, Minnesota over New Orleans, Green Bay over Philadelphia

Divisional Round: San Diego over Jacksonville, New England over Indianapolis, Dallas over Minnesota, Seattle over Green Bay

Conference Championships: San Diego over New England, Dallas over Seattle

SUPER BOWL XLIII: San Diego Chargers over Dallas Cowboys

One player does not a team make. The potential loss of Shawne Merriman for the season will be huge, but the Chargers are talented enough on both sides of the ball to get revenge on the Patriots for their loss in Foxboro last January, before upsetting Dallas in Tampa.

As a Cowboys fan, I hope the team can win the Super Bowl this year, but I am not sure if it is possible. 


AWARDS

MVP: Tony Romo, Dallas

Playoff blunders in the past, Romo is ready to take the next step as a quarterback. 

Super Bowl MVP: LaDainian Tomlinson, San Diego

L.T. has been the league's best back for years and finally is able to get a ring. 

Offensive Player of the Year: Adrian Peterson, Minnesota

Peterson continues to ascend up the list of the NFL's greatest running backs. 

Defensive Player of the Year: Jared Allen, Minnesota

Allen joins an already great D-line in Minnesota and uses that to his advantage for a monster campaign. 

Offensive Rookie of the Year: Kevin Smith, Detroit

The UCF rookie has razzled and dazzled in his short time in Motown. 

Defensive Rookie of the Year: Sedrick Ellis, New Orleans

The USC product will be expected to immediately step in and help a rebuilding defense.

Coach of the Year: Gary Kubiak, Houston

Kubiak finally delivers the Texans their first ever playoff appearance in his third year at the helm. 

Comeback Player of the Year: Dwight Freeney, Indianapolis

Freeney missed the second half of last season with an injured foot and comes back with a vengeance. 


OFF-THE-CUFF AWARDS

The Terrell Owens Team Chemistry Award: Chad Johnson, Cincinnati

Awarded to the player most likely to be a distraction in the upcoming campaign with on and off-the-field antics. Johnson is clearly not happy in Cincy, and assuming he is healthy enough to play, he will be sure to let everyone know at the first sign of trouble. 

The Gary Gaines Award: Wade Phillips, Dallas

Gary Gaines was the coach of the 1988 Permian Panthers, a Texas 5A high school football team in the small town of Odessa followed in Friday Night Lights (both the book and movie based off the book).

In Odessa, it was win states or find a new job. If the fruit of Bum's loins doesn't give Dallas a record sixth Lombardi Trophy in 2008, Jerry Jones very well may send him packing, with promising O-coordinator Jason Garrett essentially the head coach in waiting. Needless to say, Gaines didn't win states in 1988, but still kept his job. 

The Ryan Leaf First-Round Bust Award: Joe Flacco, Baltimore

I hate to pick on Flacco, seeing how he played college ball about 10 minutes from where I live. The kid has all the right tools, but his stock never seemed to rise until he led Delaware to the FCS Championship game last December. That always throws up a red flag. Plus, Baltimore hasn't exactly been a quarterbacking nirvana. 

The Emmitt Smith "Debacled" Award: Cincinnati Bengals

The arrests. Chad Johnson. Bad defense. No results. Sooner or later, Marvin Lewis is going to lose his job, and unless there is some massive improvement, that will likely be after this season.

This situation is looking more and more volatile by the day. For goodness' sake, they brought back Chris Henry, who spends more time in the police station than on the football field. 

The Phil Luckett Golden Whistle Award: Hopefully nobody

Phil Luckett was an NFL official for many years, and a controversial one at that. We all remember the coin-toss in 1998's Thanksgiving showdown between the Steelers and Lions, right? He was the referee responsible for that confusion.

Luckett hung up the whistle this offseason, and, in his honor, we'll give an award to an official most likely to screw up big-time in the new campaign. The award will go to nobody, because NFL officials are the best in professional sports, and do a commendable job.

Their criticism comes from the intense scrutiny they are under. I'd like to see one of us try and do a comparable job. It's almost impossible. So here's to a great and safe season for the NFL's 120 zebras in 2008. 


10 RANDOM PREDICTIONS

1. Coaches fired at the end of the season: Mike Nolan, Marvin Lewis, Scott Linehan, and Lane Kiffin, who does a great job but doesn't exactly see eye-to-eye with Al Davis.

2. Brett Favre's numbers are more in line with his 2005-'06 stats and not his 2007 stats, meaning the Jets cannot force their way into the playoffs. But he decides to return in 2009.

3. Tarvaris Jackson is still not the answer for the Vikings.

4. Matt Ryan struggles but shows improvement as the season moves forward.

5. Adrian Peterson leads the league in rushing yards.

6. Tony Romo leads in passing yards.

7. San Francisco and Baltimore both use three starting QBs over the course of the season.

8. Emmitt Smith suffers from diarrhea of the mouth on ESPN once again this year (and the sky is blue).

9. Most of us won't miss the fired Sean Salisbury from ESPN.

10. In an effort to one-up Chad Johnson, Steve Smith utilizes the Soulja Boy Dance as part of a touchdown celebration and gets a 15-yard personal foul for making us live with that image the rest of our lives.