The preseason games are finally over and the 2017 NFL season is set to kickoff next Thursday when the Kansas City Chiefs take on the reigning Super Bowl champion New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium on Sept. 7. The start of a new NFL season brings a lot of excitement, and also a good number of predictions (some bold, some not, some correct, some way off). Below are some NFL 2017 season predictions.
NFL 2017 Season Predictions
Individual Awards
Most Valuable Player
Tom Brady
The MVP award rightfully went to Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan last season. This season Patriots signal caller Tom Brady, who might have been named MVP in 2016 if not for his four game suspension to start the season, will take home the honor this year. In 12 games last season Brady threw for 3,554 yards and 28 touchdowns while only throwing two interceptions.
And the former Michigan quarterback has not shown any signs of slowing down and he has some weapons to throw to this year (including Brandin Books, who was acquired via a trade with the New Orleans Saints this off-season) despite Julian Edelman being lost for the season due to an ACL tear. Brady will put up incredible numbers in 2017 and be named the league MVP as a result.
One sleeper (everyone is talking about Brady or Aaron Rodgers) to keep in mind is David Johnson.
Offensive Player of the Year
David Johnson
If Brady doesn’t take home this award, Arizona Cardinals running back David Johnson probably will. Arizona is somewhat thin on talent on offense and Johnson will get plenty of touches. Last season Johnson had 293 carries for 1,239 yards (4.2 yards per carry) and 16 rushing touchdowns, along with 80 catches for 879 yards and four receiving touchdowns. The versatile back does everything on offense for the Cardinals and he may see even more action in 2017. Johnson just might join Roger Craig and Marshall Faulk and amass at least 1,000 rushing yards and 1,000 receiving yards.
Defensive Player of the Year
J.J. Watt
Overthinking this would be a mistake. Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt won this award in 2015 when he posted 17.5 sacks and he wasn’t completely healthy. After going through two back surgeries last year Watt appears to be 100% healthy which should strike fear in opposing quarterbacks and offensive linemen throughout the league. Having Jadeveon Clowney at the other defensive end should help take pressure off of Watt as well.
Offensive Rookie of the Year
Christian McCaffrey
Last season the Dallas Cowboys quarterback, Dak Prescott, took home this award, and deservedly so. Multiple offensive rookies are worthy candidates to take home this award this season, including Leonard Fournette and Dalvin Cook, but it will be Carolina Panthers rookie running back Christian McCaffrey who will be this season’s Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2017.
To say McCaffrey was good at Stanford is an understatement. As a freshman he only rushed for 300 yards on 42 attempts and caught 17 passes for 251 receiving yards. But in his sophomore and junior seasons McCaffrey put up a total of more 6,000 yards all-purpose yards, including 3,622 rushing yards and 955 receiving yards. McCaffrey has great value as a runner, receiver and kick returner. He’s not a big, physical back like Fournette or Cook, but his ability to catch the ball out of the backfield will be a tremendous addition to the Carolina Panthers offense. McCaffrey is the type of back that the NFL is moving to; a versatile, quick player who can make gain good yardage as a runner and receiver. He will be a huge part of the Panthers offense in 2017 and Carolina will be better than their 6-10 clunker of a 2016 season.
Defensive Rookie of the Year
Reuben Foster
Last season Joey Bosa took home this award, despite missing the first four weeks of the season due to injury. In the 12 games in which he played Bosa tallied 10.5 sacks and that’s a large reason he was named the 2016 Defensive Rookie of the Year. This award has largely been dominated by defensive ends and linebackers. Since 2009 Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Marcus Peters is the only non linebacker or defensive end to win the award.
It will probably be another defensive end or linebacker this season too. And if the pre-season is any indication it will be San Francisco 49ers linebacker Reuben Foster taking home the honor this season. The 49ers selected Foster with the 31st pick in this year’s draft and that pick could wind up proving to be a steal. The former Alabama linebacker has proven he has great power, explosiveness, range, closing speed and instincts, despite missing all of OTAs.
If his surgically-repaired shoulder holds up and Foster stays healthy, he’ll be the 2017 Defensive Rookie of the Year.
Comeback Player of the Year
J.J. Watt
There are a lot of candidates, including Adrian Peterson, Tyrann Mathieu, and Keenan Allen that could legitimately win this award. But en route to being named the Defensive Player of the Year Watt will also earn Comeback Player of the Year honors.
Coach of the Year
Anthony Lynn
Bill Belichick is one of the best coaches of all-time and when the Patriots inevitably win their eighth game this season The Hoodie will pass Tom Landry for third all-time. But Belichick and the Patriots have set the bar so high during his tenure and there are extremely lofty expectations in New England going into the season. It will be difficult for Belichick to stand out and take home this honor, even if the team’s production proves he deserves it.
Oakland Raiders head coach Jack Del Rio has a great shot at being named this season’s Coach of the Year. The Raiders have drafted well in recent years and they are talented. There is a good chance that Oakland is even better this season than they were in 2016. But their schedule is tough so it’s possible that Del Rio is passed over too.
The Los Angeles Chargers have some tough games on their schedule, including the Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs and Raiders twice each and New England on the road. But Keenan Allen is back and Philip Rivers is still a top-10 quarterback. Plus, the Chargers won only five games last season (when they were still in San Diego). There’s almost nowhere to go but up and if Anthony Lynn can turn the Chargers into a 9-10 win team he just might be this year’s Coach of the Year.
If Lynn doesn’t take home the award, a somewhat dark-horse on which to keep an eye is Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Mularkey.
Season Predictions
AFC
AFC East: New England Patriots
AFC North: Pittsburgh Steelers
AFC South: Houston Texans
AFC West: Oakland Raiders
AFC Wild Card: Kansas City Chiefs
AFC Wild Card: Tennessee Titans
AFC Championship Game
Patriots vs. Chiefs
NFC
NFC East: New York Giants
NFC North: Green Bay Packers
NFC South: Atlanta Falcons
NFC West: Arizona Cardinals
NFC Wild Card: Seattle Seahawks
NFC Wild Card: Dallas Cowboys
NFC Championship Game
Packers vs. Cowboys
Super Bowl LII
Patriots vs. Packers
Super Bowl LII winner
Patriots
It will be interesting to see how many, if any, of these predictions prove to be correct, but the season should be entertaining regardless.
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