With August right around the corner, football talk is beginning to heat up. Fans everywhere are wondering if this is the year for their team. Free agency opened up the owner’s check books most definitely. Just as it also supplied a vision of playing time for arriving and departing players alike. The draft necessarily filled a lot of holes for most of the teams across the league. But there are only a handful of true contenders that have the roster construction, team chemistry, and coaching necessary to win Super Bowl 51.
Way Too Early Super Bowl 51 Prediction
NFC Championship Game
Dallas Cowboys at Green Bay Packers
Lambeau Field, the scene of the crime where wide receiver Dez Bryant infamously caught/dropped the ball with the season on the line for Dallas in January of 2015. This time around, the Packers taste defeat at the hands of the Cowboys. A stellar performance by quarterback Tony Romo and a monster workload for rookie running back sensation Ezekiel Elliot leads Dallas into Super Bowl 51.
AFC Championship Game
Pittsburgh Steelers at Houston Texans
After the offseason acquisitions of Brock Osweiler and Lamar Miller, Houston goes on to claim home field advantage throughout the post season with the best overall record in the NFL during the regular season. J.J. Watt will make his presence felt early and often as always. On the offensive side of the ball, big plays will be made on a regular basis. The bottom line is that Pittsburgh’s defense won’t have an answer for Texans’ wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, and Houston will go on to hoist the Lamar Hunt trophy.
Super Bowl 51
Dallas Cowboys vs. Houston Texans
A Texas Two-Step rides into Houston as NRG Stadium hosts the Dallas Cowboys and the Houston Texans on February 5th, 2017. Looking to become the team to win the Super Bowl in their home stadium, the Texans and their elite defense aim to stifle Tony Romo and the Cowboys’ high powered offense.
Early on in this matchup, look for Houston’s coaching staff to try and dictate the tempo and keep the weak Dallas’ defense on the field as much as possible. Out of all three facets of the game, the Cowboys’ defense would be the worst unit on display in the Super Bowl.
The Texans will go on to exploit areas of weakness in that Dallas defense to carry a lead into halftime. However, Jason Garrett and the Cowboys have been pretty consistent at making games interesting in the second half. Tony Romo and Dez Bryant connect on two fourth quarter touchdowns to seal the Super Bowl victory for the Cowboys.
To conclude, Houston and Dallas are both highly intriguing teams to follow heading into the 2016 NFL season. So much is in the air on both teams and they could both win their division or finish last and neither outcome would really be surprising to either fan base. Nonetheless, the biggest factors in this scenario are the starting quarterbacks for each team. Tony Romo staying healthy and playing 16 games would be a huge benefit to a Cowboys team needing his leadership and poise on the field. Brock Osweiler limiting his turnovers and continuing to grow and develop as a pocket passer showcasing his deep ball to DeAndre Hopkins could be the key for the Texans’ offense lacking consistency over the past few seasons. Regardless of the outcome, all the players will be looking forward to finishing the season in Houston come February.
Main Photo:
