Life as a sportswriter presents quite a lot of uncertainty. Nevertheless it additionally offers for some readability.
Particularly this: You can be requested to make predictions, and you might be positive to get the vast majority of these improper.
In that spirit, and with the NFL season coming into the ultimate stretch, we thought it was value a couple of minutes to look again at a few of our preseason predictions, figuring out which of these we acquired spectacularly improper.
And, as you may think, there have been some true head-scratchers.
All 4 AFC East groups will end above .500
Um … yeah. Massive swing and a miss right here.
In our preseason “Daring Predictions” piece, I made the case that each one 4 groups within the AFC East would end above .500. Positive, the case was straightforward to make when it got here to the Buffalo Payments and the Miami Dolphins, two playoff groups from a season in the past.
Nevertheless, was a a lot more durable case to make when it got here to the New York Jets, and the New England Patriots. Relating to the Jets, it got here right down to the addition of Aaron Rodgers. A younger, gifted group that was on the cusp of the playoffs a season in the past with an enormous improve at QB? Positive, a profitable file made sense.
However New England?
The argument I made on the time was that the Patriots have been constructing a group that would win within the new NFL we have been going to see this 12 months. Scoring down, defenses mattering, and offenses combating on extra of a degree taking part in area. New England was going to have a protection that stored them in video games, and an offense that may just do sufficient to win these video games.
Early within the 12 months, the protection did their half. A one-score recreation within the season opener towards the Philadelphia Eagles. A one-score recreation in Week 2 towards the Dolphins.
However in every case, the offense didn’t just do sufficient to win these recreation, and so they began 0-2.
Then, a win over the Jets — now led by Zach Wilson — provided a glimmer of hope. Solely to see the wheels fully fall off within the subsequent few weeks, with a 38-3 loss to the Cowboys and a 34-0 loss at residence to the Saints, the 2 worst losses of the Invoice Belichick Period. Now the Patriots sit at 2-9, assured of ending with a shedding file and on the cusp of playoff elimination.
I didn’t get this one improper.
I acquired this spectacularly improper. — Mark Schofield
The Rams usually are not as dangerous as we thought
Forward of the 2023 NFL season, we ranked all 32 NFL groups by their possibilities to win the Tremendous Bowl.
Checking in at 31 … the Los Angeles Rams.
“Look on the brilliant facet: USC QB Caleb Williams gained’t must journey far for his subsequent residence,” is what we wrote on the time.
Nevertheless, with Thanksgiving within the rearview mirror, the Rams sit at 5-6, three video games out of first place within the NFC West. But they’re only one recreation out of the playoffs within the win column, behind the 6-6 Minnesota Vikings. Positive some robust video games stay, comparable to this weekend towards the visiting Cleveland Browns and one of many NFL’s finest defenses. Additionally they face the Baltimore Ravens on the highway in Week 14, and shut out the season with a visit to play the 49ers.
However they’re miles forward of the place we thought they’d be this 12 months. — Mark Schofield
The Giants win will the NFC East
AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! I used to be so dumb. Now look, I’ll defend making that declare earlier than the season started, as a result of it actually seemed like this group was poised to place all of it collectively to take an enormous step ahead in 2023.
In spite of everything, the Giants snuck into the playoffs at 9-7-1 and beat the Vikings within the Wild Card spherical. New York gained the video games they have been presupposed to, and with a mid-tier offense and protection this was a group poised to take an enormous step ahead beneath Brian Daboll.
My assumption in making this name was that the Giants would maintain getting higher, and the Eagles — by a mix of Tremendous Bowl hangover and misplaced workers — would take a step again. Neither occurred, and now I seem like an fool. — James Dator
The Lions will let everybody down
I’m actually glad I used to be improper on this one. Detroit being good this 12 months has been a lot enjoyable, and simply probably the most heartwarming a part of the 2023 season.
After I made this name again in September there have been a few key elements I overestimated: Firstly, how deep the locker room playing points would go. Secondly, Frank Reich poaching large chunks of the Lions’ place coaches to deliver to Carolina.
On the finish of the day Detroit stored the three most essential folks to make all of it click on: Dan Campbell, Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn are all unbelievable at their respective jobs and have been teaching their asses off all season lengthy. I’m so very glad I screwed this one up. — James Dator