It’s almost that time again for our favorite sports season of the year: football season. There have been a lot of fascinating moves this offseason, leading to one of the most exciting and anticipated seasons in a long time. Additionally, there are numerous players and teams looking to repeat their spectacular 2018 seasons. Let us take a look at some notable teams and players in some divisions to look out for this season.
2019 NFL Season Expectations
NFC East
The Dallas Cowboys are picked to win the East again this year after finishing with another 10+ win season at 10-6. The offensive weapons are all back together after Ezekiel Elliot, who was the league’s leading rusher last year, finally reached an agreement with the team and signed a six-year extension worth $90 million. Some other key offensive players who will return with the star running back are Dak Prescott, Amari Cooper, and Jason Witten, who is coming back after recently retiring last year. Although the New York Giants finished last in the East last year they are looking to be a top division contender by making improvements to the offensive line, defense, and returning running back sensation Saquon Barkley, who was named the 2018 rookie of the year and finished with over 2,000 all-purpose yards and 15 total touchdowns.
NFC South
Last year’s division winner New Orleans Saints had another devastating loss in the conference championship over a controversial pass interference no call. They finished the season with a 13-3 record and are looking to have another great season with their explosive offense with players that include Drew Brees, Alvin Kamara, and Michael Thomas, who just became the highest-paid receiver this offseason.
NFC West
The 13-3 division winner Los Angeles Rams are coming off a disappointing Super Bowl loss to the New England Patriots. As they look to start their journey back to the Super Bowl, they are led by one of the highest-paid quarterbacks in Jared Goff. Additionally, standout running back Todd Gurley and defensive tackle Aaron Donald look to help get the Rams back to the big game.
AFC North
The Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cleveland Browns are two of the top teams who are looking to win this year’s division. The Steelers have star quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, JuJu Smith-Schuster, and James Conner, who are all coming back to put together a great season. On the other hand, the Browns have Baker Mayfield, Kareem Hunt, Jarvis Landry, and key pickup Odell Beckham Jr. to try and stir up the division.
AFC East
With the recent retirement of Rob Gronkowski, Tom Brady and the Patriots have a more difficult path to another Super Bowl title. Guys like Julian Edelman and Josh Gordon will have to pick up the slack if they want to keep producing an explosive offense. Especially when teams like the Jets have acquired offensive firepower with players like Le’Veon Bell, who will surely alleviate some pressure from the young and talented Sam Darnold.
AFC West
There is no doubt NFL MVP Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs are the favorite to win the west. They have all of their returning offensive stars in Tyreek Hill, Travis Kelce, and the defending NFL MVP quarterback Patrick Mahomes. However, the Oakland Raiders will look to challenge the division with Hall of Fame coach Jon Gruden, Derek Carr, and newly acquired talented wideout Antonio Brown.
Heading into the 2019 season, these are some of the top teams and players to be on the lookout for. With multiple notable offseason pickups, a lot of teams have acquired players that can put their team over the hump to contend for a division title or even a Super Bowl appearance. Guys like Antonio Brown, Le’Veon Bell, and Odell Beckham Jr. are looking to be that missing piece to help get their team to a championship game. Make sure you tune in for the 2019 NFL season to catch all the big plays and games that will make this season one for the books.
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