College students at Harvard University are really intelligent, overall, right? Otherwise it’s difficult to believe they would get into such a prestigious school. But Kurt Ballard’s findings may throw some doubt on that because this particular Harvard student’s 2015 NFL predictions won’t come true.
Harvard Student’s 2015 NFL Predictions Won’t Come True
Kurt Ballard developed a model for predicting the odds for each NFL team to make the playoffs in 2015, and his findings were published on the Harvard College Sports Analysis Collective webpage. Ballard’s selection for the NFC team with the best chance to make the playoffs in 2015 is pretty sound (Seattle Seahawks, followed by the Green Bay Packers) even if it may be difficult to believe the Seahawks will make it to a third straight Super Bowl. But his pick for the top AFC team needs to be questioned.
According to Ballard’s findings the Miami Dolphins are the AFC team with the best chance of making the playoffs in 2015. The Dolphins? Look, Miami could improve upon last season’s 8-8 record, especially if quarterback Ryan Tannehill stays healthy and continues to improve, and the addition of wide receiver Greg Jennings should prove to be a positive one. But let’s not kid ourselves. The Dolphins aren’t even the best team in their division. The New England Patriots should be the favorites once again in the AFC East, and the Buffalo Bills could improve in 2015 as well and they could also finish with a better record than the Dolphins.
Off the top of my head, in the rest of the AFC, in no particular order, teams like the Pittsburgh Steelers, Cincinnati Bengals (maybe the Dolphins would have an edge in the playoffs given the fact the Bengals can’t win in the postseason, but still), Baltimore Ravens, Indianapolis Colts, Houston Texans, Denver Broncos and San Diego Chargers are all probably safer bets than the Dolphins to make the Super Bowl heading into 2015.
I will be making my 2015 NFL season predictions next week (without the use of statistics or regressions) and I might have the Dolphins in the playoffs, but it is safe to assume I will not have them in the Super Bowl.
MIAMI GARDENS, FL – DECEMBER 28: Quarterback Ryan Tannehill #17 of the Miami Dolphins passes during a NFL game against the New York Jets at Sun Life Stadium on December 28, 2014 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Ronald C. Modra/Sports Imagery/ Getty Images)
