MY 2014 POST-FREE AGENCY, PRE-DRAFT NFL PREDICTIONS

With free agency largely behind us and the draft starting up next Thursday, it's time I reevaluated my initial predictions for the 2014 NFL season.

For reference, here's what I thought would happen shortly after the Super Bowl ended. Let's see what's different.

AFC EAST
1. New England Patriots*
2. New York Jets*
3. Buffalo Bills
4. Miami Dolphins

No real change except that the Jets will now make the playoffs and the Dolphins will take a major step back.

AFC NORTH
1. Cincinnati Bengals*
2. Baltimore Ravens
3. Pittsburgh Steelers
4. Cleveland Browns

The Ravens will be so-so again this year and won't make the playoffs based on tiebreakers. The Bengals are still the best team in the division by a large margin. The Steelers are about the same or slightly worse, the Browns are about the same or slightly better, neither of which will make much of difference.

AFC SOUTH
1. Indianapolis Colts*
2. Houston Texans
3. Jacksonville Jaguars
4. Tennessee Titans

I said in my original assessment that the Colts are a great passing offense and not much else and that that would hurt them. With about two-and-a-half months to let that thought ruminate a bit, I haven't changed my mind on that being what the Colts are. But I don't think that's going to make much of a difference in the regular season.

I think the Texans and Jaguars will show noticeable improvement, but it won't be enough for playoff berths. And I think I've mentioned before how little a pulse I have on the Titans, so my thoughts on them could shake out exactly or be radically wrong.

AFC WEST
1. Kansas City Chiefs*
2. Denver Broncos*
3. San Diego Chargers
4. St. Louis Rams

I think the Chiefs have a slightly easier schedule than the Broncos, which will make the difference. (The Chiefs get the Patriots and Seahawks at home while the Broncos have to travel to both.) The Chargers and Rams are about the same, but the Chargers will be contending for a wild card spot in the weak AFC.

NFC EAST
1. Philadelphia Eagles*
2. Washington Redskins
3. New York Giants
4. Dallas Cowboys

The Eagles and Redskins will go at it all year for the division title while the Cowboys and Giants will be noticeably worse than those teams while still being in it themselves. Because the NFC East is terrible.

NFC NORTH
1. Chicago Bears*
2. Green Bay Packers*
3. Detroit Lions
4. Minnesota Vikings

If the Bears' defense can improve even slightly, they can win the division. The Packers are slightly behind the Bears but will make the playoffs. The Lions and Vikings may look better, but they won't be competitive in the division.

NFC SOUTH
1. New Orleans Saints*
2. Atlanta Falcons
3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
4. Carolina Panthers

Remember when I said that I wasn't a fan of the Panthers' receivers? Well now they don't even have THOSE players. Now it's Jerricho Cotchery and not much else. Nothing against Cotchery who IS a fine receiver. But if he's your number one option, that's not going to go well.

The Saints dramatically improved their defense in free agency (signing Jairus Byrd and Champ Bailey as just two examples) and I think they'll have home field advantage throughout the playoffs as a result. I still maintain that the Falcons will be better, but it won't translate into a playoff spot.

NFC WEST
1. Seattle Seahawks*
2. Arizona Cardinals*
3. San Francisco 49ers
4. St. Louis Rams

Because everyone will be gunning for the Seahawks, their record won't be as good as it was last season, but it won't impact their standing atop the NFC West. Everything else remains the same with my earlier predictions.

***

As for the playoffs...

AFC: Indianapolis Colts at Kansas City Chiefs
NFC: Seattle Seahawks at New Orleans Saints

Yeah, these are radically different match-ups. The way I figured things out, the Colts will have the number two seed, which will help immensely while the Chiefs will be the top dog in the AFC. As I mentioned above, the Saints will be number one in the NFC while the Seahawks will be a road team in the later stages of the playoffs. The home field advantage will help propel both the Chiefs and Saints advancing to the Super Bowl.

Super Bowl XLIX: Kansas City Chiefs at New Orleans Saints

In a vacuum, the Saints could beat the Chiefs. They'll have a more explosive offense and their defense, while probably not as good as the Chiefs' will be good enough to limit Kansas City. So yeah, two Super Bowl titles in six seasons for the team that used to be known as the Ain'ts. And the first Super Bowl berth for the Chiefs since they won Super Bowl IV after the 1969 season. Don't cry for either team.