NFL Predictions: Three Questionable Super Bowl Picks

At the start of each season when every team is 0-0 we allow ourselves to dream big.

In a league full of parity we think that this year could be our year, even if last year wasn't so hot.

Despite our dreams, reality soon sets in (for some of us it's week one or two).

However, sportswriters aren't suppose to dream these dreams.  We're suppose to objective and unbiased, and not get caught up in they hype.

This doesn't seem to always work though.  There are three teams out there that are getting a lot of Super Bowl love and honestly I just don't see it. 

So I've gathered the three teams who I think are vastly overrated and give you my reasons why they won't make the Super Bowl.

The Baltimore Ravens

Of the three teams on this list I think the Baltimore Ravens have the best chance of hoisting the Vince Lombardi Trophy in Dallas.

However, they don't face an easy road getting there.

As of right now they might be playing in the most competitive division in the AFC if not the entire NFL.

Despite Ben Roethlisberger's suspension (which will probably be knocked down to four games after his meeting with Commissioner Roger Goodell on Friday) the Steelers are going to return to Super Bowl form this season.

Those first four games the Steelers host the Falcons, go to the Titans and Bucs, and then host the Ravens.

I think at worst the Steelers are 2-2 when they get to their bye-week with wins over the Falcons and Bucs.

The Ravens though can take a huge advantage over their division rival and steal a road win against them.

That will go along way to helping the Ravens win the division, but even without Ben the Steelers are sill the Steelers and their defense is going to get all over Flacco in that game.

Another division foe the Ravens will have to worry about are last years AFC North Champs, the Cincinnati Bengals.

They've only gotten better on offense by adding Terrell Owens to the mix.  Carson Palmer is going to be spoiled with targets to throw at this year.

The Ravens' shaky secondary will be tested in week two when they travel to the Bengals.

In spite of having two tough divisional foes to compete with I still thing the Ravens will make it back to the post season. 

However, once there they're going to have to worry about the defending AFC Champions, the Indianapolis Colts, and the ever looming New England Patriots.

I know the Ravens destroyed the Pats in the Wild Card round last season, but the Pats are the Pats and you can never count them out.

Like I said, of these three teams on my list they have the best shot at reaching Dallas but the road is long and hard.

The New York Jets

The luckiest team in the playoffs last season, the New York Jets, have a ton of Super Bowl talk surrounding them.

Why?

This team shouldn't have even made the playoffs last year.

They got lucky and had week 16 and 17 opponents who had everything wrapped up and were resting starters.

Granted, the Jets beat the Bengals in consecutive weeks so even if the Bengals had tried in week 17 the Jets might have still won that game.

However, it wouldn't have even mattered if not for the dreadful second half play of Colts backup quarterback Curtis Painter.

The Jets, unfortunately won't have that kind of luck this year.

Three of their last four opponents might be fighting for playoff spots as well.

Week 14: Home against the Miami Dolphins

Week 15: At the Pittsburgh Steelers

Week 16: At the Chicago Bears

Week 17: Home against the Buffalo Bills

The first three games are all playoff hopefuls, and even if the Jets only need to beat the Bills to make it, the Bills will be much improved over last year and will want nothing better than to spoil the Super Bowl dreams of Rex Ryan and company.

The Jets, like the Ravens, play in a really tough division and have one of the toughest non-divisional schedules out there.  With the exceptions of playing at Detroit and at Cleveland in weeks nine and ten, the rest of the Jets non-division game are against play-off hopefuls.

The Jets did add some pieces in the offseason but they won't be enough.

They're defense is tough (even without Darrelle Revis), but I'm not sold on quarterback Mark Sanchez being more than just a game manager.

They say defenses win championships, but a team also needs a quarterback who can win a game or two in the postseason and Sanchez isn't that guy yet.

Honestly though, if I were to only pick two teams to make the playoffs out of the AFC East it would be the Pats winning the division and the Dolphins getting the Wild Card.

Sorry J-E-T-S Jets, Jets, Jets fans.

The Dallas Cowboys

Maybe it’s because their stadium is hosting the Super Bowl, or maybe it’s because all of the hype spewing out of Jerry Jones’s mouth, but where do people get off picking the Dallas Cowboys to go to the Super Bowl.

Let me start out by saying they play in the toughest division in the NFC and maybe in all of football.

Also the Philadelphia Eagles, New York Giants, and even the Washington Redskins look to be really tough opponents this season.

Has everyone forgotten about the last meaningful game the Cowboys played?

It was a 34-3 beating handed out by the Minnesota Vikings.

A game in which Tony Romo was either running for his life or on his back.  And judging the preseason so far not only has the Cowboys offensive line not gotten any better, but they seem to have gotten worse.

The Eagles and Giants have always been blitz crazy, and now with Jim Hasslett at the defensive helm for the Skins they too have taken on that same mentality.

Tony Romo is going to have six games at least where linebackers are going to be out for his blood.

Outside of the division the 'Boys are going to have to deal with extremely tough non-divisional opponents.

They have home games against the Bears, Titans, and Saints.

And also have to go on the road to Houston, Minnesota (bet Romo can’t wait for that one), Green Bay, and Indianapolis.

What also goes against Dallas is their head coach.  Wade Phillips may know how to run a defense, but he’s a terrible coach, especially in the postseason. 

Congrats you won your first postseason game in twelve years and Wade won his first postseason game ever, that doesn’t make you a favorite to knock off the New Orleans Saints.

Dallas might be the hands down favorite to win the NFC East, but I don’t think they’ll win it by much, not with their brutal schedule.

Even if they do they’re still not better than the Packers, Saints, and Vikes. 

Unless they’re hosting a game in the Wild Card round I don’t see them making it to the divisional round where they are most likely to get bounced again.

Three Sleepers

Since I've eliminated three hyped up teams, let me replace them, quickly, with three teams I think have an outside shot at the big dance.

1. The Green Bay Packer:  They're not that much of a risky pick.  Their offensive line will have to do a better job of protecting Aaron Rodgers this year.  It they do though, you're going to see a ton of points put up by this team.  Plus just look at Rodger's beard.  Now that is a beard of a champion.

2.  The Cincinnati Bengals:  AFC North Champs last season and they got better in the offseason, might not be able to over come the Colts but they're going to be fun to watch.

3.The Miami Dolphins:  Brandon Marshall is going to help the Dolphins offense become more vertical this season and I think Bill Parcells has really molded a winning team this year.  They're going to challenge the Pats and keep the Jets out of the playoffs.