NFL Predictions 2011: Over/Under Win Predictions for All 32 NFL Teams

The NFL season is just hours away. The season that was in doubt is finally here. Football fans rejoice!

Even if you don't like football and you have a "problem" with some activity that is prevalent in Vegas, you can rejoice too. Betting on NFL games is back.

This may mean just friendly pick 'ems on websites or fun pools with your friends. It could mean losing a bunch of money on some activity frowned on by society, and likely your spouse.

Either way, here are the over/unders for win totals for all 32 of the NFL teams according to a popular betting website. I also offer up my predictions and a very brief analysis of why I predicted what I did.

Let me know what you think about the win total for your favorite team, or any team for that matter.

(Note: I went through all 17 weeks and picked a winner in each game to come up with my win totals for each team. The numbers should work out.)

Arizona Cardinals: 7

Prediction: Under (six wins)

I think the Cardinals will be better than last season. Better, but still not great. 

Kevin Kolb is a huge question mark. He didn't really prove anything in Philly. I think he will be somewhere in between where people are projecting him. He won't be great in his first season in Arizona, but he won't be awful either.

I think the Cards will win six games. This still isn't a great team. I don't care that the NFC West is terrible; so are the Cardinals.

Atlanta Falcons: 10

Prediction: Over (11 wins)

I love the Falcons this year...as a regular season team. I do not consider the Falcons a serious Super Bowl contender, which may go against my 11-win prediction.

The Falcons should score a lot of points on a lot of teams. They will have more trouble against the top-tier teams, which is why I don't see them as a real serious threat in the playoffs. However, I think they will get there, led by an explosive offense.

Matt Ryan is tough at home, Roddy White and Julio Jones should be exciting and Michael Turner is always reliable. Expect double-digit wins.

Baltimore Ravens: 10

Prediction: Over (11 wins)

This isn't a copy of the previous slide. I think the Ravens will be the exact same thing as the Falcons: a very good regular season team that will bow out early in the playoffs. 

The Ravens are a team I am not in love with, but their schedule is set up for them to win a lot of games. I think they start 0-3 and then go on a hot streak that will turn some people into believers.

Starting in Week 3, they go at St. Louis, vs. the Jets, vs. Houston, at Jacksonville, vs. Arizona, at Pittsburgh, at Seattle, vs. Cincinnati, vs. San Francisco, at Cleveland, vs. Indianapolis, at San Diego, vs. Cleveland and at Cincinnati. That sets up for a bunch of wins.

Is it good enough for 11 wins? Maybe not. But I'm taking the over.

Buffalo Bills: 5.5

Prediction: Under (five wins)

I really do like the Bills this year, but not enough to predict six wins.

Ryan Fitzpatrick is extremely underrated. He isn't Tom Brady, but he is a lot better than people give him credit for.

Buffalo not only has to deal with New England and the Jets for four games; it also has to deal with the NFC East for four games. That is an NFC East that I really like this season.

Sorry Bills fans, but look at the bright side—at least it isn't 2009.

Carolina Panthers: 4.5

Prediction: Under (two wins)

Why are some people expecting better things from Carolina? Cam Newton may be an upgrade from the Matt Moore/Jimmy Clausen disaster of last year, but his accuracy is still atrocious, and he is still a rookie.

The biggest loss for the Panthers in my mind is coach John Fox. I really liked Fox in Carolina. He always answered a bad season with a bounce-back year. This 2011 version isn't a John Fox-coached team.

I think the Panthers will struggle both in the NFC South and out of conference. They could be looking at the first pick in the draft for the second straight year.

Chicago Bears: 8

Prediction: Push (eight wins)

I was the first person to discount the Bears' NFC North-winning season last year. They caught every break they possibly could last season. They always seemed to be playing against teams that were on their second-string QB or playing on the University of Minnesota's field or something like that. This year, their luck runs out.

I still think the Bears have enough talent to finish .500. A lot of people are way down on Chicago, even predicting five or six wins. I think they get to eight by getting at least two wins from Minnesota or Detroit and then stealing one of the other four NFC North games. They also have Carolina, Kansas City and Seattle at Soldier Field.

I'm not expecting the playoffs, but I do think they see eight wins.

Cincinnati Bengals: 5.5

Prediction: Under (five wins)

Some people are high on the Bengals due to their solid defense and running game. I am not one of those people.

The absence of Carson Palmer forces Andy Dalton to start. That is not a good thing for the Bengals. They are in a fairly tough division, and although their out-of-conference games are against subpar teams, they still have tough places to play (Seattle, St. Louis).

I just can't see the Bengals winning more than five games, especially considering their top offensive weapon, Cedric Benson, is not around for two games.

Cleveland Browns: 7

Prediction: Push (seven wins)

The Browns are an interesting team. I like their makeup. Peyton Hillis is a beast, Colt McCoy seems like a better option than anything the Browns have had in a long time and Mike Holmgren seems to have some direction he is trying to take the team in.

I think the Browns will be very competitive this season. I could easily see them winning eight or even nine games and finishing over .500. However, I think they are destined to win only seven this season.

Hillis was questionable for almost every game in the second half of last season. If he is hurt at all, the Browns are in trouble. Let's not forget: Hillis is the Madden cover boy.

I hope they do better than seven wins, but I doubt it.

Dallas Cowboys: 9

Prediction: Over (12 wins)

This is one of my bolder predictions. I know a lot of people like the Cowboys, but not enough to pick them for 12 wins. I really think this team could break out this season and challenge the Eagles for the NFC East title.

The offense should be explosive. Dez Bryant and Miles Austin are one of the better one-two receiver combos in the NFL. Tony Romo is healthy, which is a huge upgrade. Most importantly, Wade Phillips is gone.

With all that being said, I am by no means a Cowboys fan. Quite the opposite, really. I grew up during the Troy Aikman-Emmitt Smith-Michael Irvin era and despised the 'Boys. I hope they don't win double-digit games, but they will.

Denver Broncos: 6

Prediction: Under (five wins)

I don't know what to make of the Broncos. Their passing game was solid last year when Kyle Orton was under center, but that was with a different coaching staff that loved the pass.

I really like John Fox as a coach, but he has always been a run-first coach. The Broncos running game, highlighted by Knowshon Moreno, isn't anything to write home about.

Orton is back at the starting position, which is a positive for Denver, but I think they will struggle this season.

Detroit Lions: 8

Prediction: Push (eight wins)

The Lions are everybody's sleeper pick. The defensive line should be great. The offense, if Matt Stafford stays healthy, should be very good.

Even with all that, I don't like the Lions to win more than eight games. The NFC North is exceptionally strong this year. Assuming they split with Chicago and Minnesota and get swept by Green Bay, they still have to go 6-4 in their other games to finish .500. That is doable. 7-3 in those games may not be.

I hope the Lions do make the jump at some point in the near future and give Lions fans a taste of playoff football. I just don't think it is this year.

Green Bay: 11.5

Prediction: Over (12 wins)

The Packers were a tricky team to pick. I had a hard time picking against them in ANY game, but I was remembering the way they played in the playoffs instead of the regular season.

Last season, they barely squeaked into the playoffs. They were extremely unhealthy last season, however. If they stay healthy this season, they should be a 10-win team for sure, and I am predicting 12 wins.

If I had to pick right now, I would probably pick the Packers to go to the Super Bowl out of the NFC. However, they were a roller coaster in the regular season last year. If that happens again, in the improved NFC North, who knows what their win total will be?

Houston Texans: 9

Prediction: Under (seven wins)

We are entering year four of people picking the Texans as a potential playoff team. I drank the Kool-Aid for a year or two, but I am out on the Texans, which probably means they will finally take that step this season.

I had picked Houston for only seven wins even before hearing that Peyton Manning will not be starting against them Sunday. I think the Texans start 2-0 and then run into some tougher games and do not respond.

I'll be happy for Houston if it finally does make the playoffs, but I just don't think it will.

Indianapolis Colts: N/A (10)

Prediction: Under (eight wins)

This line was unavailable because of the Peyton Manning situation. It was 10 at one point, so I went with that.

A lot of people have written off the Colts season just because Manning will miss a couple games. Let's not forget that Kerry Collins was a starting quarterback coming into last season.

The Colts will likely struggle coming out of the gate, and Manning will likely take some time to get his timing down, but I still think they can pull off eight or nine wins.

The receiving corps is very good when they are healthy. I'm looking at you, Austin Collie and Dallas Clark. Joseph Addai is due for a better year than in 2010. The defense should be healthier and more experienced than last year, even without the often-injured Bob Sanders.

They may not be on their game in September, but don't sleep on the Colts.

Jacksonville Jaguars: 6.5

Prediction: Under (four wins)

I am way down on the Jaguars. The release of David Garrard doesn't help matters. This is Blaine Gabbert's team, like it or not.

The Jags were not very good last season, and I think they will be worse this year. Maurice Jones-Drew will still be MJD, but they will be hurting after that.

As an Iowa fan, I saw Gabbert perform in the Insight Bowl last December. I came away unimpressed. Apparently so did a lot of NFL teams, which is why he slipped to the Jags in the draft. He may surprise some, including me, but I doubt it. At least for this year, Gabbert is too young to lead the Jags to many wins.

Kansas City Chiefs: 7.5

Prediction: Under (seven wins)

The Chiefs were the surprise winner of the AFC West last year. That won't be the case this year.

The Chiefs have a pretty decent offense. Matt Cassel is a year older. Jamaal Charles is a stud. Dwayne Bowe is either fantastic or awful. They are not bad, but they are not good enough to repeat last year's performance.

The loss of tight end Tony Moeaki hurts. The Chiefs are always tough at Arrowhead but struggle on the road. I don't expect anything different this year.

Miami Dolphins: 7.5

Prediction: Under (three wins)

2011 will be a terrible season in Miami. I liked the Dolphins coming into last season, and then Chad Henne laid a stinker and Brandon Marshall was only so-so.

The Dolphins are still under the direction of Henne. Apparently Marshall is playing better and acting better. The big offseason addition was Reggie Bush.

Those things add up to not a lot of wins in the tough AFC East. I am not feeling the Dolphins this year.

Minnesota Vikings: 7

Prediction: Push (seven wins)

My Vikings. I have mixed feelings about the Vikes this year. I am somewhat optimistic and somewhat awaiting the inevitable turn to Christian Ponder and what that means for the future of the team.

The Vikes should be better than last year. They are healthier at least. Donovan McNabb can't be as bad as the Brett Favre-Tarvaris Jackson-Joe Webb disaster of 2010. Adrian Peterson is still Adrian Peterson. Percy Harvin and Visanthe Shiancoe are both healthy, which could be huge.

The Vikings could surprise some people. Remember, this team was a 12 men on the field penalty away from likely going to the Super Bowl two seasons ago, and then the Vikings and their fans had the worst 12-month stretch in franchise history, which can be read about here.

Who knows what these guys will do for Leslie Frazier? Hopefully they can at least play the whole season without the roof falling again.

New York Giants: 9

Prediction: Push (nine wins)

The Giants are coming off a 2010 season that saw them underachieve in the eyes of many. They still have a great receiving corps, led by Hakeem Nicks and Mario Manningham. Eli Manning is still there.

The NFC East is very good this season. The Giants should be better than only Washington in the division. I think they win nine games, but less than that wouldn't shock me. Over nine wins would shock me.

New York Jets: 10

Prediction: Push (10 wins)

Yes, that is three pushes in a row. The Jets are a year older, which is a good thing on offense and possibly a bad thing on defense.

The defense has to lapse at some point, and the offense, namely Mark Sanchez and Shonn Greene, has to pick it up a little bit. Sanchez and Greene haven't been bad, but they both could have been better at points last season.

Sanchez has a new target in Plaxico Burress, and Santonio Holmes will be there for the whole year. The Jets should compete with the Patriots for the AFC East crown.

New England Patriots: 11.5

Prediction: Over (14 wins)

They are not the 2007 Patriots, but they are pretty good. The Pats should have the best regular season mark in football this year.

The offense will be as explosive as ever (and more so if they re-sign Randy Moss at some point). The defense is always a question mark, but Bill Belichick always comes up with some schemes to make the defense a lot better than many expect.

The Patriots are just the Patriots, and they will be tough for anybody to beat in 2011.

New Orleans Saints: 10

Prediction: Over (11 wins)

I love the Saints this year. They seem to be the forgotten team in the NFC. Last year they faced an onslaught of injuries at the running back position and had a target on their back all year. That is gone this season.

Drew Brees is still an elite quarterback. Sean Payton is one of the best coaches in football. The running game got a boost with the addition of Mark Ingram.

I fully expect the Saints to be in the playoffs again and challenge for another trip to the Super Bowl.

Oakland Raiders: 6.5

Prediction: Over (seven wins)

Call me crazy, but I think the Raiders win seven games. The AFC West has Denver and Kansas City, who are very beatable, and San Diego, which has been known to take a game off at times.

Jason Campbell was a much better quarterback during the last four or five games of last year, and he is returning with the same playbook as last year. This is the first time since high school that Campbell has had the same playbook two years in a row.

I don't necessarily see this Raiders team as an up-and-comer, like a Detroit or Tampa Bay, but I think it is good enough to win seven games this year. No more and no less. Well, maybe less.

Philadelphia Eagles: 10.5

Prediction: Over (12 wins)

Philly has talent. Is that news to anybody? Michael Vick, DeSean Jackson and LeSean McCoy are enough talent to win some games on their own. The guy who made the "Dream Team" comment, Vince Young, isn't even in the same class as these guys. All he did was put a target on their back.

The Eagles will probably have some games where their timing is off, but their speed can make up for that.

Barring injuries to some of the key players (Vick), I expect the Eagles to be very, very good.

Pittsburgh Steelers: 10.5

Prediction: Over (13 wins)

Remember how good the Steelers were last year? Now, remember all the off-field issues they had last year? Those are all gone.

If I had to pick a Super Bowl team out of the AFC right now, it will be real hard for me to pick between Pittsburgh and New England.

Big Ben Roethlisberger is playing from Week 1 this year. Mike Wallace and Hines Ward are healthy. Rashard Mendenhall is set for another big year. The Steelers defense is always a wall.

They will be real good this year. They are not the flashiest of teams, but they win a lot more than they lose.

San Diego Chargers: 10

Prediction: Over (11 wins)

As long as the Chargers don't take September off, like they have done in the past, they will cakewalk through the AFC West.

The good news: Philip Rivers established himself as an elite quarterback last year. Antonio Gates is the best tight end in football. Vincent Jackson will be there from the start.

The bad news: Norv Turner is still there.

The Chargers will have no trouble making the playoffs out of the AFC West. What they do in the playoffs is anybody's guess.

San Francisco 49ers: 7.5

Prediction: Under (four wins)

Why is the line so high on the 49ers? 7.5 is incredibly high for a team quarterbacked by Alex Smith. This guy isn't young anymore. This is his seventh year in the league already.

Has anybody considered the fact that Jim Harbaugh wouldn't mind a terrible season and a shot at Andrew Luck? I know Harbaugh wouldn't tank on purpose, but he may not be too disappointed in a four-win season.

It will take work to win fewer than five games in the NFC West, but I think the 49ers can do it.

Seattle Seahawks: 6

Prediction: Under (five wins)

Another stinker of a team. The Seahawks have a decided home-field advantage; I will give them that. I really think, however, it will be hard for any NFC West team, outside of St. Louis, to win an out-of-division game.

The Seahawks made major moves in the offseason; I just don't know if they were the right moves. I watched Tarvaris Jackson in every appearance he made in Minnesota. I watched Sidney Rice miss half the season last year and come back and miss some more.

People in Minnesota were not too sad to see Rice go and were downright giddy to see Tarvaris go. Doesn't that make the Seattle people wonder why?

St. Louis Rams: 7.5

Prediction: Under (seven wins)

My pick to win the NFC West by default: the St. Louis Rams. I like Sam Bradford, and I like Steven Jackson. I also feel the Rams are well coached.

Can they win eight or nine games? Sure they can. Will they have to to win the West? Probably not. I think they go under .500 and still win the West.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 8

Prediction: Over (10 wins)

I love the Bucs this year. A lot of people are waiting for them to drop off from last year. I am expecting the opposite.

Josh Freeman is a real starting quarterback. LeGarrette Blount is a legit running back. Mike Williams is a pretty good No. 1 wide receiver. The Bucs are not messing around.

I am excited to see how their defense performs this year, especially their rookie from Iowa, Adrian Clayborn. If the Bucs defense can be in the top half of NFL defenses, I think the Bucs win double digits.

Tennessee Titans: 6.5

Prediction: Over (10 wins)

I may be going overboard with 10 wins, but I really like the Titans this year. They had a lot of issues last season. Kenny Britt had off-field trouble. Vince Young was a disaster. Jeff Fisher had lost the team.

Now, the Titans have a healthy, out of trouble Britt, a happy Chris Johnson and a veteran quarterback in Matt Hasselbeck. They also have a more settled coaching situation.

I think the Titans will surprise this year. The AFC South is up for grabs, especially with the Peyton Manning injury. Watch out for the guys in the baby blue.

Washington Redskins: 6

Prediction: Under (five wins)

The Redskins are back. They are back without Donovan McNabb and Albert Haynesworth. Rex Grossman is apparently the starting quarterback, and Tim Hightower is the starting running back. Santana Moss is still there.

The Redskins may not be as bad as some think. Grossman may be a gunslinger, but it could be worse. It could be John Beck.

The 'Skins will have a tough game week in and week out in the NFC East and could steal a couple of them, but they won't steal many. Don't expect many wins in Washington.