2013 Cleveland Browns Preview!!!!!!!

2013 Cleveland Browns

By the end of the season, it is this piece of writing you are reading right now that will label me either a genius or a clown. I am so excited for the Cleveland Browns this year. Which is especially hysterical to me for a few reasons: 1. God hates Cleveland; 2. Last year, it was me who picked the Browns to be the worst team in all of the NFL; 3. It requires me putting trust in Brandon Weeden; 4. As I’ve learned many times from my good friend (or more like man crush) Bill Simmons, God hates Cleveland. But I don’t care. I can make just enough of a good argument to make me believe that I’m not crazy. if Florida Gulf Coast can make the Sweet 16, then the 2013 Cleveland Browns can make the playoffs. Right? No? Okay. I’m proceeding anyway.

I’ll get to the Brandon Weeden thing in a little bit. For now, I want to focus on the coaching staff. Rob Chudzinski will take over as head coach, and he has a great track record. He coached at the University of Miami (the U!), which is my favorite NCAAF team. He was the offensive coordinator of the Browns the year Derek Anderson (Derek Anderson!) went to the Pro Bowl. He was the tight ends coach in San Diego while Antonio Gates was in his prime. He was the offensive coordinator in Carolina for Cam Newton and helped mold him into a star. He has a last name that sounds like an incredible fast food cheeseburger. I’m all in on this guy. Norv Turner is their new offensive coordinator, and even though he was suspect as the lead man, he won’t be making those same key decisions anymore, and heaven knows, he can coach the hell out of an offense. Ray Horton will be the defensive coordinator, the same guy who used the 3-4 scheme in Arizona and turned the Cardinals into a top 10 defense. His personnel in Cleveland is arguably better. Phil Taylor will be the monster nose tackle in the middle, and the pass rush will be revitalized, too. Horton loves to attack, and the Browns signed Paul Kruger away from Baltimore and drafted Barkevious Mingo to do just that. Joe Haden will be the Patrick Peterson of this defense, and if you want to know how good D’Qwell Jackson can be at middle linebacker, go look up what Daryl Washington’s numbers were with the Cardinals last year under Horton. Plus, his name is D’Qwell; he’s got to be the defensive captain of the all-name team, to join Anquan Boldin (captain of the offense). Trent Richardson, if he could stay healthy (PLEASE!!!!!!), will be the “beast mode” of the AFC, with respect to Marshawn Lynch. He could total 2,000 total yards from scrimmage and rack up 15 touchdowns if everything breaks right (that’s a stretch, but as a ceiling, that isn’t inconceivable, is it?). It all comes down to the passing game, but like I said before, they have the right coaches to get it done. Josh Gordon will be suspended for two games, but when he’s back, he will be their main downfield threat; Davone Bess is a poor man’s Amendola-type slot receiver; maybe Greg Little will arrive (maybe? no again?); and some people are on the Jordan Cameron bandwagon, as, given his coaches, he could see some opportunity to put up Antonio Gates-like production (I know, he won’t be that good, but it’s the increased targets that matter). If, by some miracle, Brandon Weeden and his geezer-for-a-second-year-player-but-maybe-that-means-he-will-learn-faster self can make some sort of stride, then Cleveland will be the shocker of the NFL and finally start to win something. If he’s Brandon Weeden like we saw him last year, and any shred of credibility I hypothetically have will be gone before I have a chance to get any. That’s a big prayer, but you have to admit, is it really that much of a stretch of the imagination? Maybe this next part will convince you.

Schedule

In 2012, the Cleveland Browns finished 5-11 with crappy coaching, an inexperienced team, and bad luck, as they lost seven of those games by ten points or less. They will be much more competitive this year, and as they finished in last place in 2012, they will have a relatively easier schedule. I’m going to go game by game to show you how Cleveland can become a playoff team.

Week 1: W vs MIA

Week 2: W at BAL (they will win one of the Baltimore games no matter what)

Week 3: L at MIN (possible win)

Week 4: W vs CIN

Week 5: W vs BUF (look at that, 4-1!)

Week 6: L vs DET (another possible win)

Week 7: L at GB

Week 8: W at KC

Week 9: L vs BAL

Week 10: Bye (5-4 at the bye? very possible)

Week 11: L at CIN

Week 12: W vs PIT

Week 13: W vs JAC

Week 14: L at NE

Week 15: W vs CHI

Week 16: W at NYJ

Week 17: L at PIT

Let’s look at this again. I have the 2013 Cleveland Brown finishing 9-7. They will go 3-3 in the division, 1-3 (if not better) against the NFC North, 3-1 vs the weak AFC East, and 2-0 in their two games against fellow bottomfeeders KC and JAC. Tell me which part of that is outlandish. I’ll wait. They might make me look bad, but I am all in on this Cleveland Browns team to win at least nine games. I said in my NFL preview, there are always teams 6-10 or worse who make the jump to the postseason the following year. The Browns have new pieces, both on the field and in leadership positions; they have a manageable schedule and are under the radar; they have a workhorse to base their offense around (Richardson); and they have a fan base who will relish the opportunity to be good again, kind of like with the Golden State Warriors in the NBA last year. Look out for the Browns.

Bold Prediction: Josh Gordon will have 1,100 yards and 8 receiving TDs. More importantly, though, the Cleveland Browns will make the playoffs!!!!!!!! (I have them right now as a wild card team).

2013 Cincinnati Bengals Preview

2013 Cincinnati Bengals

I’m sick of the Bengals. For two years now, we’ve seen a struggling, one-dimensional offense (throw it up to AJ Green), trying to keep up with an aggressive, hard-nosed defense. For two years, we’ve seen the Bengals barely sneak into the playoffs as a wild card. For two years, we’ve had to sit through an atrocity of their opening playoff game because neither they nor Houston could move the ball on each other. No more. I will not pick the Bengals to make the playoffs only for them to make everyone fall asleep. Their division is loaded and I have already confessed my love for the Browns this year. I have also already predicted the Ravens to finish 10-6. As of right now, I do think the AFC North will provide three playoff teams (the division winner plus two wild cards); the question is, will the final team in be the Bengals or Steelers? Hint: not the Bengals, I hope to God. Well, the Football Gods, anyway.

Of course, this could also be the year that Cincinnati actually finds some offense, in which case, watch out, AFC! The Bengals’ defense is already championship caliber with a vicious defensive line headlined by Carlos Dunlap, Michael Johnson, that dude with the crazy hair, and of course, Geno Atkins, the best defensive tackle in the NFL not named JJ Watt. They now will add James Harrison to their already terrifying pass rush. The reason the Bengals have not been able to get over the hump is because of the offense, notably the limitations of Andy Dalton at quarterback. Now, he is still growing, but it is hard to put faith in a quarterback who has no soul (allegedly). The good news for him is, he finally has some competent weapons besides AJ Green. Green, already, is a top four (or better) receiver in the league; the Bengals hope that Mohamed Sanu will turn into a legit number two man, and that Jermaine Gresham will become a top tight end. Cincy also drafted tight end Tyler Eifert and running back Giovani Bernard (who I really like) with their first two selections this past year. With multiple suitable bodies to throw out on the field, Cincinnati has no excuses to not make the playoffs again this year. Except, you know, an injury to AJ Green. Or unless Andy Dalton has Mark Sanchez syndrome and completely sucks ass after two successful years.

Schedule

This schedule is no joke, and the Bengals got no favors; in addition to not having a bye until Week 12, Cincinnati has to play on the road four times in five weeks during a stretch at the end of October. Last year they finished 10-6, but miraculously won seven of their final eight games of the season to get there, with their one loss coming to Dallas by one point. I don’t see them repeating that run; I think they will get swallowed up in the gauntlet of the AFC North, where their rivals will take away Green by any cost and make someone else beat them. Maybe, however, they’ll prove me wrong. Let’s see.

Week 1: L at CHI

Week 2: L vs PIT

Week 3: W vs GB (GB o-line sucks, CIN D-line doesn’t. I’m guaranteeing this one.)

Week 4: L at CLE

Week 5: W vs NE (they will swallow up Brady. gut call.)

Week 6: L at BUF

Week 7: W at DET

Week 8: W vs NYJ
Week 9: W at MIA

Week 10: L at BAL

Week 11: W vs CLE

Week 12: Bye

Week 13: L at SD
Week 14: L vs IND (this one will be decided in the final two minutes)

Week 15: L at PIT

Week 16: W vs MIN

Week 17: W vs BAL

Wow. Even though I wanted to have one team in the AFC North struggle to balance out the records, I still have the Bengals going 8-8. I guess I’m just really high on this division this year. The 2013 Cincinnati Bengals have some promise, and will be a strong contender to make the playoffs again, but hey, someone has to struggle from that division, and I really hope it isn’t the team of my next preview...

Bold Prediction: Giovani Bernard will have 1,300 yards from scrimmage this year but not more than 5 touchdowns.

2013 Baltimore Ravens Preview

2013 Baltimore Ravens

MANDATORY SELF-PROMOTING FIRST SENTENCE BECAUSE I PICKED THE BALTIMORE RAVENS TO WIN THE 2012 SUPER BOWL IN MY PRESEASON PREDICTIONS. That’s the last I’ll bring that up, don’t worry (in this piece, anyway). The Baltimore Ravens did, of course, hoist the Lombardi Trophy at the end of last season by defeating the San Francisco 49ers in a wild Harbaugh Bowl. Since then, however, they have undergone somewhat of a face lift. On offense, Joe Flacco received a monstrous contract extension (which I think he deserves), but Anquan Boldin went to join the red and gold out West, while emerging star tight end Dennis Pitta will be out for the year with an injury. This means that Torrey Smith will be the lone focal point of the passing offense, and could mean an increased role for backup running back Bernard Pierce (who I’ve loved since last year). Defensively, they are an entirely new team, after the departures of key leaders Ray Lewis (retirement) and Ed Reed (Houston). Bernard Pollard is gone, Paul Kruger vaulted to Cleveland, while Dannell Ellerbe took a nice deal with the Dolphins. However, Baltimore has reloaded tremendously and shouldn’t miss a beat. Ozzie Newsome once again did a great job at bringing in free agents to go along with their two top draft picks, Arthur Brown and Matt Elam. Chris Canty is a nice addition to the defensive line; Daryl Smith has been a very underrated linebacker for a few years because he was stuck in Jacksonville; Michael Huff will help sure up the safety position; and Elvis Dumervil came over from Denver to lead the pass rush. Couple them with the fact that Haloti Ngata, Terrell Suggs, Courtney Upshaw, and the returning LaDarius Webb are still in black and purple, and you’ve got a mighty defensive unit. Even though the Ravens took care of business last year to win the AFC North, the division is even stronger this year, and, since Cleveland improved handily, any of the four teams could come out on top. This is undoubtedly the toughest and the best defensive division in the AFC (and the NFL, along with the NFC West), so a few injuries, missed field goals, or costly turnovers could go a long way in determining who makes the playoffs out of the North. Of course, all these teams are good, so maybe two or even three clubs will get to the postseason. With that said, the road to the playoffs goes through Baltimore, so let’s see how the Ravens will follow up their championship run.

Schedule

The Ravens weirdly open up the season on the road, in Denver of all places, which hardly seems fair. They have an absolutely brutal first two months of the season, but once the calendar turns to November, we could see a major surge.

Week 1: L at DEN

Week 2: L vs CLE (a classic Ravens game that they should win but don’t)

Week 3: W vs HOU (Ed Reed returns)

Week 4: W at BUF

Week 5: L at MIA

Week 6: L vs GB

Week 7: W at PIT

Week 8: Bye

Week 9: W at CLE

Week 10: W vs CIN

Week 11: W at CHI

Week 12: W vs NYJ

Week 13: W vs PIT (Thanksgiving Throwdown!)

Week 14: W vs MIN

Week 15: L at DET

Week 16: W vs NE (no Pollard makes me sad but they still win)

Week 17: L at CIN

Even though I think the Ravens will stumble into the playoffs somewhat, I still think that they will finish 2013 with a solid 10-6 record, presumably good enough to repeat as AFC North Champions. Remember, this would tie them with the Patriots, but since I have Baltimore beating New England in their Week 16 matchup, the Ravens would receive a higher seed (I also have them beating Houston which could prove vital down the road as well). A lot of pressure will be put on Joe Flacco to produce, since he signed that mammoth deal (roughly 6 years, $120,000,000), but I think he will perform well, as evidenced by that run after the bye week. Many people expect the 2013 Baltimore Ravens to stumble, but I say buy their stock, because they aren’t going anywhere. Another ten wins and a playoff berth for Baltimore.

Bold Prediction: Bernard Pierce will lead the Ravens in rushing yards with 955 and TDs with 9.

2013 New York Jets Preview

2013 New York Jets

*Sigh*...where to begin with the New York Jets. How they managed to win six games last year is beyond me. This preview is tough for me to do, because it’s making me choose between my head and my heart. I have lived in New York my whole life, so I want the Jets to do well so bad. My head is telling me that unfortunately, this is a four win team. However, that isn’t my prediction, because my heart is telling me...that four wins is four too many. Just kidding. It’s only three too many. That’s right, the 2013 New York Jets will go 1-15! I really don’t have anything to say about this sorry mess of a team. They are simply awful. That game last year when they beat Arizona 7-6 was one of the worst displays of football I’ve ever seen in my life. Rex Ryan will be fired immediately after the season at the very latest. Mark Sanchez will be replaced within the first...six games of the season, let’s say. I’m not even hopeful about the future because I’m not a fan of Geno Smith. Fellow AFC East rookie quarterback EJ Manuel, I believe, is better than Smith, and will have a better career than Smith. That’s all I have to say. The only thing left to do is for you to try and guess which one game the Jets are going to win all year! Here’s the schedule for you.

Schedule

Week 1: L vs TB (Revis returns, not needed since NYJ have no receivers worth his time)

Week 2: L at NE (on short week, no less. i would take NE still if the line was -25.5)

Week 3: L vs BUF

Week 4: L at TEN (could be win, but on road, they will screw it up)

Week 5: L at ATL (in ATL. on MNF. why is this even on TV.)

Week 6: L vs PIT

Week 7: L vs NE (Tebow will outperform any Jets QB no matter where he plays)

Week 8: L at CIN (the 6-3 game that will make us scratch our eyes out)

Week 9: L vs NO (the 55-3 game that will make us scratch our eyes out)

Week 10: Bye (Most successful week of the season so far)

Week 11: L at BUF (can they do it? go 0-16?)

Week 12: L at BAL

Week 13: L vs MIA (75% there...)

Week 14: W vs OAK (NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!)

Week 15: L at CAR

Week 16: L vs CLE

Week 17: L at MIA

If you picked Oakland as your sucker, then congratulations! The best news about this whole nightmare of a season: THE JETS WILL GET CLOWNEY OUT OF SOUTH CAROLINA WITH THE NUMBER ONE PICK IN THE DRAFT. Then, suddenly, this will be a complete, young, fierce defense. Unfortunately, the offense will still blow chunks.

Bold Prediction: Is picking them to go 1-15 even bold? No? Ok...how about this. Antonio Cromartie will finish in the top 5 on the Jets in TDs scored this season (not counting QB, of course).

Next preview: we head to the AFC North, and the defending Super Bowl champions.

2013 New England Patriots Preview

2013 New England Patriots

The 2013 New England Patriots offense looks very different from the one we were enamored with in 2012. Wes Welker has left to join his team’s number one nemesis for the last decade (Peyton Manning in Denver); Rob Gronkowski, for such an imposing frame, has turned out to be quite fragile over his first few years in the NFL and could miss multiple games if he does not recover properly; we all know the story about Aaron Hernandez, whose main focus now has transitioned from not dropping footballs to not dropping the soap; finally, New England finds itself smack in the middle of TEBOWMANIA!!!!!!! (Note: I’m actually glad he went to the Pats. Now we won’t have to hear about him on ESPN 24/7). Of course, as long as the core of Belichick and Brady are leading the way in Foxborough, New England will always be one of the favorites to make it to the Super Bowl. The running game in New England is also vastly underrated, mainly because people don’t realize exactly how many plays the Pats run over the course of the season, and how many times they pound it in the red zone. With Brady’s main targets (Hernandez, Welker, maybe Gronk) departed for the forseeable future, I see a huge season coming for Stevan Ridley at RB, as well as a very nice year out of Shane Vareen who will be used in a variety of ways. One thing is certain about the Patriots: even though the parts have been changed, the offense will still be high-octane and a force of nature. The obvious question is how the receiving corps will step in; the outside men of Amendola and Edelman (slot, mostly), and rookie Aaron Dobson hardly strike fear into opposing defensive coordinators. Even though production should decline, Belichick will find ways to incorporate his new toys to put them in the best scenario to succeed. The defense, meanwhile, is overlooked which is understandable, but is a very solid group. Their pass defense is atrocious overall, but they forced enough turnovers last year to counteract that deficiency. Whether or not the secondary can repeat that is debatable, as one of the most volatile statistics in the game is turnover margin. The front seven is monstrous and hungry; New England will trot out Chandler Jones (who could easily break out), Vince Wilfork (a behemoth), Donta Hightower, Brandon Spikes, Jerod Mayo, and Rob Ninkovich among others, any of whom have enough talent to be named Pro Bowlers. Ninkovich is especially frustrating to deal with, as he’s one of those guys who can sense the right time to attack, and will make a huge play while the fate of the game is resting the balance (ex: up by four, two minutes left, gets a sack-fumble to ice the game). He’s the perfect role player who is good at a variety of dimensions of the game, like the Shane Battier of football. I still think the New England Patriots are the class of the AFC East, and I will keep picking them to win the division until I see them fall. Also, I can’t believe how much praise I’m giving this team right now. I still hate them, don’t worry.

Schedule

Last year the Patriots grabbed the number two seed in the AFC and was rewarded with a first round bye even though that spot was viciously choked away by the Houston Texans who started the year 11-1. They won 12 games last year (and have succeeded every year) based on several factors: they are second half warriors, they rarely lose at home, and they also rarely lose back to back games. This season, however, could prove very challenging for them, as in addition to having a slightly depleted offense, they face arguably the AFC’s four toughest defenses: Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Denver, and Houston. The Pats must endure the gauntlets that are the AFC North and NFC South as their two full divisional matchups, and have to travel to Atlanta, Houston, and Baltimore. Let’s take a look at the games and try to project their win total.

Week 1: W at BUF (will be surprisingly close; one possession)

Week 2: W vs NYJ

Week 3: L vs TB

Week 4: L at ATL

Week 5: L at CIN

Week 6: W vs NO

Week 7: W at NYJ

Week 8: W vs MIA

Week 9: L vs PIT

Week 10: Bye

Week 11: W at CAR

Week 12: L vs DEN (Brady vs Manning, return of Welker...can’t wait!)

Week 13: W at HOU (they have the Texans figured out)

Week 14: W vs CLE

Week 15: W at MIA (like I said previously: they will want to shut the Dolphins up)

Week 16: L at BAL (the Ravens know how to beat this team)

Week 17: W vs BUF

I have the 2013 New England Patriots finishing at 10-6, which is not up to their usual standard, but will be plenty enough to win the division with an adjusted passing game. The big question mark here is the health of Rob Gronkowski, because if he is on the field, he will make all the other lesser receivers open. I feel that 10 wins is a fair amount. Some observations: first, they won’t beat the toughest defenses this year, including the games against Tampa Bay (#1 rush D last year, adds Revis to sure up secondary) and Cincinnati on the road (whose defense is simply swarming). They will absolutely smoke their divisional rivals, and I can’t wait until Belichick toys with the Jets by having Tebow score like four touchdowns against them in their two battles. 10-6 will most likely ensure New England a top four seed, but not a first round bye, meaning that the Pats will have to host an opening weekend game in the playoffs. Also, like I said, I expect Ridley to have a monster year. That doesn’t mean Brady will suck, but like, who is he going to throw any touchdowns to? Even if you spot Gronk 10, he would still need 20 between Vareen, Edelman, Amendola, Dobson, and others to barely get to 30. But even if he doesn’t get as many scores through the air, I expect him to still be the Golden Boy. And as long as Bernard Karmell Pollard doesn’t get traded by the Titans to a team on the Patriots’ schedule, all the Pats and their trainers and agents should be able to sleep easy.

Bold Prediction: Steven Ridley will lead the NFL in rushing TDs with 14, to go along with 1,300+ yards

2013 Miami Dolphins Preview

2013 Miami Dolphins

The Miami Dolphins were supposed to be a rebuilding team last year, having just brought in first time head coach Joe Philbin and selected quarterback Ryan Tannehill in the first round of the 2012 draft. Instead, they pleasantly surprised a lot of people by immediately establishing themselves as the second best team in the AFC East. A big run in free agency that included the signing of Mike Wallace, Dustin Keller, Dannell Ellerbe, along with the drafting of Dion Jordan and the possible explosion of Cameron Wake make the Dolphins legitimate contenders to challenge the Patriots for the division title. I say, hold off on the Miami bandwagon for now. This is still a young team that hasn’t proven it could win anything, and we’ve seen time and time again where some big free agent signings do not translate to wins. New England may be hurting, but they still have more talent than this confident bunch from South Beach, and I think there are too many question marks surrounding the Dolphins for them to overtake the Pats. Lamar Miller could break out, and Ryan Tannehill could take the next step at quarterback, although it would have to be a giant leap since he did average less than one touchdown per game last year. The defense will probably be slightly above average but borderline top 10. There is no doubt that the 2013 Miami Dolphins are a team with promise that should contend for a playoff spot in the AFC, but I think it will have to be only for a wild card.

Schedule

The Dolphins finished 2012 with a 7-9 record, which is impressive considering they had a rookie coach and quarterback. They will look to build on their success from a year ago, and will need at least two extra wins to vault themselves into playoff position. But will they be able to get there?

Week 1: L at CLE

Week 2: L at IND

Week 3: W vs ATL

Week 4: L at NO

Week 5: W vs BAL

Week 6: Bye

Week 7: W vs BUF

Week 8: L at NE

Week 9: W vs CIN

Week 10: L at TB

Week 11: W vs SD

Week 12: W vs CAR

Week 13: W at NYJ

Week 14: L at PIT

Week 15: L vs NE

Week 16: L at BUF

Week 17: W vs NYJ

I think that the 2013 Miami Dolphins will finish the season 8-8. This would be disappointing in their eyes, as it is hard to imagine them grabbing a wild card with only eight wins. The crucial stretch for them is weeks 12-15, when they have four tough but winnable games in a row. If they are truly a playoff team, then the Dolphins should be able to take away three of those four matchups. You might be able to throw Miami an extra win Week 1 against Cleveland, but I think the Browns will steal it something like 21-19 or so. Also, Week 15 against the Pats is a huge game for them, but I think with all the talk the Dolphins have done this offseason, Brady and New England will take it personally, and make it a mission to embarrass Miami in front of their home crowd. This team is on the rise, but they aren’t quite there yet. My next preview: the dreaded New England Patriots. I still hate them.

Bold Prediction: Lamar Miller will rush for 1,172 yards and 7 TDs, with some quiet receiving production as well.

2013 Buffalo Bills Preview

2013 Buffalo Bills

The 2013 Buffalo Bills are a team in transition. They haven’t won anything in years, but no matter how much they rebuild, they were never quite good enough to compete with the Patriots this last decade. Usually, the problem was either quarterback play; one can only win so many games with the likes of JP Losman and Ryan Fitzpatrick running the offense. Last season, the defense was atrocious, allowing 3o or more points in nearly half their games. While this season should be another rebuilding campaign for the Bills, there is a real sense of hope for the first time in recent years. A new regime has taken over, led by former Syracuse coach Doug Marrone and their first round draft pick, former Florida State QB EJ Manuel. It looks like Kevin Kolb will get the Week 1 start, but Manuel is the signal caller of the future, someone whose ceiling could be a career like Donovan McNabb (although that, to me, is unlikely). There are a few stars on this team (Spiller, Mario Williams), but there isn’t enough talent to realistically compete in the AFC, yet. Let’s take a look at the schedule to see how many games the Bills could win in 2013. The offense looks promising, but the defense will hold this team back.

Schedule

Week 1: L vs NE

Week 2: L vs CAR

Week 3: W at NYJ

Week 4: L vs BAL

Week 5: L at CLE

Week 6: W vs CIN

Week 7: L at MIA

Week 8: L at NO

Week 9: W vs KC

Week 10: L at PIT

Week 11: W vs NYJ

Week 12: Bye

Week 13: L vs ATL

Week 14: L at TB

Week 15: W at JAC

Week 16: W vs MIA

Week 17: L at NE

Obviously, trying to predict every single game is a feat destined to fail. However, this exercise is more of a big picture thing: I think the 2013 Buffalo Bills will be 6-10 this season, after a 6-10 2012. This does not mean, however, that they will not improve in a way. With a new coach and quarterback (I think Manuel will become the starter sometime during the second half of the season) there will be growing pains, and I still think that the defense will struggle. This team will continue to get better in the coming years, but as for right now they are solidly locked in to the third place spot in the AFC East, behind the Dolphins but ahead of the Jets. The brightest spot on this roster is the running back, CJ Spiller, who is a candidate for the top overall RB in the NFL. He has incredible breakaway speed and top level elusiveness, which is a deadly combination for defenses. I think that he will be a top 10 fantasy back, in the bottom half, at about number 8. However, if Spiller does break out in a big way, that could steal Buffalo a couple of extra wins. The Bills have an uphill climb, and therefore I don’t think they will win more than 6 games. So now, I’ll leave you with a bold prediction, and the next team preview coming up will be for the Miami Dolphins. Until next time.

Bold Prediction: Rookie WR Robert Woods will lead the team in receptions and reception TDs (66 and 7, respectively).