I'm Sorry, I was Terribly Wrong - AFC Predictions Review

We have a week and a half until Super Bowl XLI. That will give this post, and next week to review the results of my NFL regular season predictions, and then the week after the Super Bowl to finish up with a review of my postseason predictions.

I do this mostly because it's a humbling experience, and because I'm annoyed at members in the mainstream media who make outlandish predictions and then don't revisit them to show what big idiots they are. While it's obvious to most what a big idiot I am, I still like to do this, for posterity's sake.

Onward...

AFC East:
My predicted order of finish: Miami, New England, Jets, Buffalo

Actual order of finish: New England, Jets, Buffalo, Miami

Comments:

Yes, I was drinking the Kool-Aid like the majority of football fans, and bought into all the Nick Saban hype. I at least got the order of the other three teams correct, and at least correctly picked that the Jets would push the Patriots.

Grade: C-


AFC North:

My predicted order of finish: Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Cleveland

Actual order of finish: Baltimore, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Cleveland

Comments:

Pittsburgh and Cincy actually tied for 2nd in the division, with a slight edge going to Cincy for points scored. I'll give myself some points for getting this division mostly right. Baltimore turned out to be better than expected, and Cleveland worse than expected, and I totally whiffed on Pittsburgh as a playoff team.

Grade: B


AFC South:

My predicted order of finish: Indy, Jacksonville, Tennessee, Houston

Actual order of finish: Indy, Tennessee, Jacksonville, Houston

Comments:

Tennessee and Jacksonville tied for 2nd, so I will give myself points again, just like in the North. I nailed Tennessee being tough to play during the last portion of the season, although for all the wrong reasons. Indy is still alive as my Super Bowl contender, and if they win it all, I will have correctly predicted the Super Bowl winner two seasons in a row. Stretching, as all that patting myself on the back is making me sore. I pretty much missed on the Jaguars, although I noted that brain farts during the easy games would hurt them.

Grade: B


AFC West:

My predicted order of finish: San Diego, Denver, Kansas City, Oakland

Actual order of finish: San Diego, Kansas City, Denver, Oakland

Comments:

Once again, the middle two teams tied, nullifying their order. I absolutely and unequivocally nailed the San Diego pick, and I am going to give myself mad props for that. I also correctly predicted Jay Cutler taking over at QB for the Broncos before the end of the season. I see no major misses, so I feel happy with this division.
Grade: A


Overall, I'm pleased with the way my predictions went for the AFC. Miami was really my only glaring mistake, aside from the middle picks in each division tying instead of finishing in the actual order that I had them. I consider San Diego the only major success from my picks here, because Indianapolis wasn't that tough to figure out.

Overall Grade: B+ I feel that that the success on San Diego outweighs the loss on Miami, and the overall goodness of the picks add up.