Are you ready for some football?!!
Ready or not we're on the eve of the 2019 NFL season, and outside of Tom Brady and the Patriots, the league looks more up for grabs than ever before.
Being from the Seattle area (live roughly 45 miles southwest of the Emerald City) naturally my interests start with team I've been rooting for since the mid-1980s when first got interested in NFL football: the Seattle Seahawks. So I guess I'll begin this preview and prediction post talking about them.
The 2019 Seattle Seahawks are a slightly above the middle of the pact team--even by my own rose covered glass of their analysis.
2019 Seattle Seahawks reasons for optimism:
- Russell Wilson is fun to watch play. He throws one of the best long balls in the NFL, and is, for my $$ the best quarterback in the NFL when the play breaks down and the quarterback is forced to ad lib.
- The Seattle Seahawks have a running game again. No, Marshawn Lynch is no longer on the team, but we have a guy that's on the uptick. His name is Chris Carson, and he he's shown flashes that he's capable of being a top-flight NFL back. Not so sold on his back-up Rashard Penny, but so long as Chris Carson is toting the rock for the Seahawks, I think we're in good hands.
- Improved team speed. I think our special teams kick-off, punt, and punt return game will be at the top of the league by years end. One guy to keep an eye on in that department is a guy named Ben Bur-kirven. He was a stud at the University of Washington last year. Kinda undersized to be a regular on defense, BUT put him on kick coverage? I THINK Ben Burkervin is going to pop and deliver some of the best coverage hits you're going to see in the upcoming 2019 season. I know I'll be looking for that, at least.
- Pete Carroll's coaching. A proven winner, with a proven track record. Upbeat guy who I think gets the most out of his talent. He's no Bellichek, who is the game's best and most feared head coach, but outside of the curmudgeon that Bill Bellicheck is, I feel good with who we got. If the 2019 Seattle Seahawks under-perform, I highly doubt it will be because of their head coach.
2019 Seattle Seahawks reasons for concern:
- Will the 2019 Seattle Seahawks defensive line hold up? Sure adding Jadeveon Clonwey is a nice shot in the arm to begin the season, but for my $$ it all starts of the offensive and defensive line. Can you win the battle on the line of scrimage. Not sure if the Seahawks can or can't. Don't trust their depth. Not enough proven players, in my opinion. Bobby Wagner has played a lot of football. Hate to say it, but this may be the year where you see a drop in his play, and the Seahawks can't afford for that to happen.
- Without Doug Baldwin how will the wide receiver group fare? The receivers who made it through the pre-season cuts really didn't show much to inspire confidence for the upcoming season. D.J. Metcaff looks like a body-builder--but that's not what you need on the NFL field of play. You need a guy that can get open and catch passes. Outside of Tyler Lockett, the Seahawks have NO PROVEN wide receivers. Something tells me, the 7th round pick, John Usra from Hawaill is going to emerge as a top target for Russell Wilson in 2019, but I worry about the rest -- including Tyler Lockett who is a slight, short, wide receiver, who I worry about making it though the hard hits of 16-game season.
- The Seahawk secondary is no legion of boom. It's more like "legion comprised by whom?" We have NO STARS back there, just guys trying to prove they belong in the league. Doesn't inspire a lot of confidence. Did some play by new Seahawk players in the secondary: Marquise Blair and another rookie who's name escapes me. But our safety blanket of Earl Thomas and Kam Chanellor is GONE! Teams can pass on the 2019 Seattle Seahawks.
Okay, so enough of the local angle. I'm also a big picture NFL fan. So what else am I looking forward to in the upcoming 2019 NFL Season.
Now THIS is going to take some getting used to!
- How will Joe Flacco do in Denver? It is so ingrained that Joe Flacco is a Baltimore Raven. He won Super Bowl with them, and has just been such a mainstay for YEARS. I have hard time picturing a horse on side his helmet instead of a bird! I can't believe Baltimore gave up on Flacco in favor of LaMarr Jackson. For my $$ Joe Flacco is 10 times the thrower that LaMarr Jackson is, YET Baltimore chose Jackson over Flacco. Hmmm... Will be interesting to see how those two compare as the season plays out.
- How much is in the tank for members of the old guard of quarterbacks? Rothlisburger, Brady, Brees, and Rivers. O my gawd, have these guys been in the league for-ever or what?! Why I bet Drew Brees was still wearing a leather helmet with no face guard when he first started! (That was a joke) Still, it's hard to imagine a time where these four weren't taking snaps under center -- or at least in the shotgun! That said, for three of these four: Brees, Rivers, and Rothlisburger; I think it's the end of the line. As you get up there, your speed drops. I especially worry about Big Ben. This guy is already slow as molasses, and I for one don't think he's going to make it through another season. I think he's going a big hit, and that's going to be it for him. I also think this is Phillip Rivers' last shot at getting to the Super Bowl. LOVE Phillip Rivers as a quarterback. I think he's the best pure passer in football right now, but Father Time has caught up with him. It's time to win it all or go home.
- Can the Minnesota Vikings take the next step and advance to the Super Bowl? I think their year all boils down to their running game. Can the develop a consistent one with Dalvin Cook? That's a real archilies heel for this team. If they flounder, my $$ would be that's because they can't run the ball consistently. But I LOVE watching the Vikings passing attack: Cousins, Diggs and Thielen. All three are in the prime of their career, and ultimately THAT'S what I think is going to carry this team...
- How will the darling of the AFC, the Cleveland Browns do now that they can no longer hide and sneak up on the competition? It all starts with Baker Mayfield. Are you sold on him as a top-10 quarterback? I'm not. Haven't really watched enough Browns games to see if they're legit or not, but this year I see their division rivals are all BAD so I think the stage is set for the Cleveland Brown to LIVE UP to expectations and comfortably win their division by two to three games over their nearest rival. And with this BOLD prediction --
E.C. Henry's predictions for the 2019 NFL Season:
I think Aarron Rodgers is in for a very rough season in 2019
Worst teams:
AFC: Miami (this team looks a TOTAL trainwreck) 2-14, Indianapolis Colts 3-13, Pittsburgh 4-12, Cincinatti 5-11, NY Jets 5-11, Oakland 6-10.
NFC: Arizona 3-13, Green Bay 4-12, NY Giants 4-12, Washington 5-11, Detroit 6-10, San Francisco 6-10, Tampa Bay 6-10, Carolina 6-10.
AFC Player of the year: Patrick Mahomes
NFC Player of the Year: Kurt Cousins
Playoffs: (Why not just zip ahead)
Phillip Rivers: Will the 2019 Playoff run be his last... ?
Wild Card Round: Los Angeles Chargers at Cleveland Browns. 26-20 in Overtime. Buffalo Bills at Houston Texans: 13 - 9. Los Angeles Rams at Seattle Seahawks: 15-20 Philedelfia Eagles at New Orleans Saints: 6-38
Divisional Round: Los Angles Chargers at Kansas City Chiefs: 40-51 Buffalo Bills at New England Patriots: 5 - 43 Seattle Seahawks at Minnesota Vikings: 9 - 22. New Orleans Saints at Dallas Cowboys: 26-37.
Championship Games: Kansas City Chiefs at New England Patriots: 30-16. Minnesota Vikings at Dallas Cowboys: 31-28 in Overtime.
2020 Super Bowl: Kansas City Chiefs vs. Minnesota Vikings: 44-48.
E.C. Henry's pick to be the "last man standing" the end of the year -- as a Super Bowl MVP
