The NFL season is
happening? Really? They know there’s a pandemic going on, right? They do but they just don't care? Oh. Well… this
seems like a disaster waiting to happen. I mean, there is just no way the
league avoids a wide-spread outbreak of COVID-19. There are over 1,500 players on
active NFL rosters. And those players are in close contact with one another
constantly. They share locker rooms. They contact and breathe on each other
constantly throughout games. And good luck keeping each and every one of them
from interacting with their friends and families for 17+ weeks.
And beyond just the active players, there are hundreds more on practice squads, waiting to get called up to an active roster once the injury bug (or COVID-19 bug) hits. And there are hundreds more vying for practice squad spots to replace the players that make it onto an active roster. So even if the league does a good job of isolating players, how do you safely bring replacement players onto a roster? Two week quarantine period? That’s simply not feasible. However, anything less will be sure to introduce COVID-19 into a locker room.
So, there is only one way this ends. Players are going to get COVID-19. Those players are going to spread it to their entire team. That team will have to miss two weeks quarantining. And how is that quarantining process going to work? Two weeks off for the affected team? That’s an incredibly significant portion of the season! Is it fair that a team gets a two week long Bye in the middle of the season? That extra rest is very advantageous.
And we haven’t even considered the ethical questions. Sure, the odds of any one of these players dying from COVID-19 are minuscule, but the long-term effects are undeniable. Multiple reports have indicated that a significant number of young athletes run the risk of developing Myocarditis after contracting COVID-19, which can lead to significant future health complications. And then we have to consider the greater impact/spread that playing this season will bring. Football players are in no way isolated from the community. In fact, many coaches who will be interacting with these players on a near-daily basis are in high-risk categories, due to health and age.
So what is the argument for not cancelling this season? As you may have guessed, the only one is financial. The NFL is a massive industry. While we all imagine that every NFL player is rich, this is far from the case. The average NFL career is 3-4 years. And the average salary is $2.7 Million. Sure, that may seem like a lot, but that’s for the average player. If you are below average or just trying to make a team, every season is critical for your financial well-being. And beyond the players, there are thousands of people that work for the NFL outside of the high-paid players and coaches. And beyond that, there are many industries intertwined with the NFL in the form of Food Vendors, Advertisement, TV, etc. But is this adequate justification for a league that is at such high risk for an outbreak to continue the season? It sure doesn’t seem like it.
But maybe the issue isn’t the people who make these decisions of whether or not to play. The problem is inherent to the system. An NFL season will never be canceled. The NFL defines America. It’s ugly. It’s unforgiving. It abuses. It entertains. It destroys dreams. It creates the fallacy of dreams. It’s the poor feeding the rich. It’s ugly.
Last season, I discussed how alienated I felt from the NFL, due to its abusive nature and disregard for players and fans. With the Raiders heading out of town, it really felt like there was little keeping me attached to the NFL. Going to the games was my guilty pleasure. Without that pleasure, this season will undoubtedly be a huge letdown. Obviously, with the pandemic, there would have been no games to attend even if the Raiders were still playing in Oakland, so maybe it’s a moot point. But with all that being said, even with my motivation waning, I decided to at least put something out there for my two followers to read. Something to help make everything feel a bit normal again. So, in an effort to at least keep the blog alive, I figured I would give each team a one or two sentence blurb, along with a regular season prediction.
You may notice something interesting in my predictions, which is that none of the records add up to 16 games. That’s because I highly doubt any team is able to complete a season totally unaffected by COVID-19, whether it be due to a COVID-19 outbreak of their own or that of their upcoming opponent (and also the distinct possibility that entire weeks of the season are canceled due to so many games needing to be canceled in a given week). You’ll probably also notice that more dysfunctional franchises are predicted to play even fewer games. My reasoning for that should be self-explanatory. For simplicity’s sake, I have also included my non-pandemic predictions, which reflect each team’s expected record in a world where every game is actually played. As always, playoff teams are shown in italics. Check ‘em out.
2020 NFL Regular Season Predictions
2020 NFL Regular Season (Hypothetical, Non-Pandemic) Predictions
AFC West
Kansas City Chiefs (Last Season: 12-4)
2020 Prediction: 11-3
It used to be the Colts and Patriots who ruled the AFC. However, as the era of Manning vs. Brady finally ends, there are two new perennial powerhouses who have emerged in Kansas City and Baltimore. Let the era of Mahomes vs. Jackson begin.
Los Angeles Chargers (Last Season: 5-11)
2020 Prediction: 6-6
In my opinion, Tyrod Taylor is one of the most underrated QBs in the NFL. Let’s see if he can prove himself in Los Angeles.
Denver Broncos (Last Season: 7-9)
2020 Prediction: 6-8
Joe Flacco is elite. But actually, who is starting at QB for Denver this season? Drew Lock? Really? Lol.
Oakland Raiders (Last Season: 7-9)
2020 Prediction: 5-7
Nothing could be more on-brand for the Raiders than finally opening their shiny new stadium in Las Vegas to no crowd. After multiple years of struggling to find a home, then two years of semi-displacement, the Raiders will have the most anti-climactic start to their Vegas tenure. I look forward to seeing them back in Oakland in 20 years.
AFC North
Baltimore Ravens (Last Season: 14-2)
2020 Prediction: 10-4
Is Lamar Jackson ready to take the next step? Chiefs may have dibs on the moniker of "Next Dynasty,” but I wouldn’t count out the Jackson-led Ravens just yet. This may be the beginning of a great rivalry for years to come.
Pittsburgh Steelers (Last Season: 8-8)
2020 Prediction: 9-6
Is the Big Ben era almost over? It has to be, right?
Cleveland Browns (Last Season: 6-10)
2020 Prediction: 4-7
At least the Browns can be proud of the fact that they are no longer the laughing stock of the AFC North. The Bengals slid seamlessly into that role.
Cincinnati Bengals (Last Season: 2-14)
2020 Prediction: 3-10
Joe Burrow is likely to become the latest first overall pick bust. A quarterback on such a horrible team is always destined to fail. Should be a brutal year for him.
AFC South
Houston Texans (Last Season: 10-6)
2020 Prediction: 10-4
Why is everyone so low on the Texans this year? I mean, they were certainly a bit overrated last season, but this division isn't exactly full of powerhouses. With Deshaun Watson still leading the way, I like Houston's chances of defending their AFC South crown.
Indianapolis Colts (Last Season: 7-9)
2020 Prediction: 8-7
This was supposed to be the year where Rivers got to play in a stadium with an actual homefield advantage for the first time since the Chargers left San Diego. COVID-19 had other plans. At least it’s better than feeling like the road team in your own stadium?
Tennessee Titans (Last Season: 9-7)
2020 Prediction: 7-7
Brady’s final throw of his New England career was a pick-six. Thank you, Tennessee. I am eternally grateful.
Jacksonville Jaguars (Last Season: 6-10)
2020 Prediction: 3-10
The Jaguars are all in on Gardner Minshew and all out on Leonard Fournette. Sounds like a recipe for disaster.
AFC East
New England Patriots (Last Season: 12-4)
2020 Prediction: 11-4
No Brady? No problem. Cam wins MVP en route to a Super Bowl Championship.
Buffalo Bills (Last Season: 10-6)
2020 Prediction: 7-7
I’m not a believer in Josh Allen or any team other than the Patriots in the AFC East, even sans Brady.
New York Jets (Last Season: 7-9)
2020 Prediction: 4-5
Sam Darnold is no savior. Even without Brady around, the Jets have no chance to win this division.
Miami Dolphins (Last Season: 5-11)
2020 Prediction: 4-10
Ryan Fitzpatrick is the best quarterback in this division, but no one could lead this atrocious Dolphins team to a winning season.
NFC West
Los Angeles Rams (Last Season: 9-7)
2020 Prediction: 10-4
Maybe I’m just being stubborn, but I’m a believer in McVay. Let's see if the Rams return to their NFC Champion form this season.
San Francisco 49ers (Last Season: 13-3)
2020 Prediction: 9-5
The Niners are good, but last season seemed kinda fluky. Do it again, and I’ll become a believer.
Seattle Seahawks (Last Season: 11-5)
2020 Prediction: 8-7
No homefield advantage this season? That’s kinda all the Seahawks have.
Arizona Cardinals (Last Season: 5-10-1)
2020 Prediction: 4-10
I’m thinking it’s time for Kyler Murray to reconsider baseball, but maybe I am being overly harsh (I am).
NFC North
Green Bay Packers (Last Season: 13-3)
2020 Prediction: 11-4
As long as Aaron Rodgers is around, Green Bay will be vying for the NFC North title.
Minnesota Vikings (Last Season: 10-6)
2020 Prediction: 9-5
The Vikings were really good before they signed Kirk Cousins. Now they aren't as good. Maybe it's just a coincidence.
Chicago Bears (Last Season: 8-8)
2020 Prediction: 5-7
Is Trubisky still the starter for Chicago? I honestly don’t know. If so, no way he lasts the whole season with his job.
Detroit Lions (Last Season: 3-12-1)
2020 Prediction: 3-10
It really seemed like the Lions were starting to figure out how to be relevant a few years ago. I guess that’s faded, just like Matt Stafford’s career.
NFC South
New Orleans Saints (Last Season: 13-3)
2020 Prediction: 11-4
When are the Saints going to be bad again? Brees can’t throw the ball more than 15 yards down the field, yet here they are as NFC South favorites again.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Last Season: 7-9)
2020 Prediction: 9-7
With the best offensive weapons of his career at his disposal, Brady will learn the problems that come with having a totally unreliable defense, and the challenges of having a coach other than Belichick.
Atlanta Falcons (Last Season: 7-9)
2020 Prediction: 8-6
The Falcons live in mediocrity. Will Matt Ryan ever realize his MVP form again?
Carolina Panthers (Last Season: 5-11)
2020 Prediction: 2-12
This is the worst team in the league.
NFC East
Dallas Cowboys (Last Season: 8-8)
2020 Prediction: 9-5
This division is horrible. If the Cowboys can’t find a way to win it, then they just have to fire Jason Garrett. Wait, he’s not Dallas' head coach anymore? Mike McCarthy is the head coach? Lol.
Philadelphia Eagles (Last Season: 9-7)
2020 Prediction: 6-8
I can’t believe Carson Wentz almost won MVP once. Bring back Nick Foles! Wentz is trash!
Washington (Last Season: 3-13)
2020 Prediction: 2-8
Remove Dan Snyder!
New York Giants (Last Season: 4-12)
2020 Prediction: 2-9
The bad thing about reaching for a quarterback early in the first round of the draft is that you end up looking like an idiot no matter what. Either you bench him and admit your mistake, or you keep losing until you finally bench him and admit your mistake. Let the Daniel Jones era continue!
Super Bowl Prediction:
On the off chance that this season makes it to the Super Bowl, I’ll just go with two perennial powerhouses for my Super Bowl prediction.
Prediction: New England Patriots defeat Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl LV, 13-10
The Patriots don’t need Brady! Brady is a fraud! Cam is great! Awww... Just the thought of this nonsense makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
So, I guess this is happening… Football 2020! Go team! Enjoy the season?
