This year, our NFL preview would go into long lists about who will win what games in Week 9, but it's the NFL. A predictable team (Cleveland) could be 0-9, or they could be 5-4. We don't know.

But what it going to be predictable is that Tom Brady is going to be adored, people are going to mention L'Veon Bell's contract, a few Cowboys fans are going to want to fire their head coach, Odell Beckham Jr is going to drop a pass, Jalen Ramsey is going to talk crap, and a very important quarterback is going to get injured.

Also predictable are going to be YouTube videos of Bills fans getting drunk and jumping onto tables (why we'll never know) and fans of opposing teams fighting each other in stadium concourses. Hey, we might even see a player or two 'get into it' with a fan.

Oh, and we're sure some guy called Kaepernick will do the rounds.



So here we go with our 20 things about the NFL this season.


1. Cleveland will win a game. Even two. If you're a Browns fan, you've seen your team win recently. In fact, they've gone a mighty 7-1 in the last two preseasons. Unfortuntely, the four straight victories in August in 2017 ended with 16 straight losses. This year they are 3-1. This year, the Browns have two capable QBs in Tyrod Taylor and No.1 pick Baker Mayfield, a great receiving tandem in Jarvis Landry (if he stays healthy) and Josh Gordon (if he stays out of trouble). Defensively, Myles Garrett and Emmanuel Ogbah are beasts coming off the end. Listen, we don't think this teams winning a Super Bowl, but they'll be better.

2. Odell Beckham Jr's numbers won't be what you think they will be. Everyone who's a fantasy owner has decided that Odell Beckham Jr will be the top receiver in the country, and a 'must pick'. And while there's no denying OBJ's talent, there are other receivers on this team that can also do damage in Sterling Shepard, TE Evan Engram....and RB Saquon Barkley's going to be used as a receiver-type too. But Giants fans will pray he's going to stay healthy.

3. The Patriots will be just fine. A lot of people - generally outside of New England - are wondering if the Super Bowl loss is the end of an era. This hasn't been helped by a 4-game suspension to key WR Julian Edelman (cheating), and the departure of Danny Amendola (Miami). But listen: They've still got Rob Gronkowski. James White and Rex Burkhead are going to frighten defenses. Bill Belichick's D always finds a way. They are helped by the poverty that is the AFC East. And MORE'S THE CASE, THEY'VE GOT TOM BRADY. Pencil them to win the East. Now.

4. The Eagles have a great two-QB problem. In a league where most teams seem to only have one good QB, the Super Bowl Champions are in an awesome quandry: They have two of them. Nick Foles, who won it all for Philly, and Carson Wentz, who was amazing until his injury. Foles will start Week 1 while Wentz continues to recover from his knee injury. If his knee's fully recovered, there will probably be a QB controversy. Right now, that's not a problem.

5. Jerry Jones will continue to baffle you. We get that it's a money thing, but why get rid of Dan Bailey, your best kicker? Jerry Jones, we're still trying to work that out. Earlier in the offseason, the team also offloaded Dez Bryant, their best WR, and have replaced him with....nothing. With the retirement of Jason Witten, the 'Boys are going to have their problems.

6. None of the first round 2018 QBs will start on Week 1. Baker Mayfield was No.1, Sam Darnold (Jets) was No.3, Josh Allen (Bills) No.7,  Josh Rosen (Cardinals) No.10, Lamar Jackson (Baltimore) No.32. Here's how bad Josh Allen was in preseason - Nathan Peterman is going to be the Bills' starter for Game 1. Yes, that Nate Peterman who threw for 5 INTs in 14 attempts last season. Rosen will probably play at some time because Sam Bradford can't stay healthy for a whole season. Mayfield's going to be a back-up, and he's OK with it, and Lamar Jackson feels a little to me like trade bait if he fails to beat Robert Griffin III to the back-up role.

7. Atlanta's going to have one heck of a receiving corps. Julio Jones and Mohamed Sanu are already one of the deadliest 1-2 punches in the NFL. They have two receivers coming in in Calvin Ridley (Alabama) and Russell Gage (LSU) who are speedsters. Ridley is awesome, and Gage is under-the-radar talented, too. Oh, and Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman can catch Matt Ryan's passes, too.

8. Pittsburgh has major problems on both sides of the ball. On one hand, the Pittsburgh Steelers don't have their star running back, because L'Veon Bell is arguing over a contract. That's causing some disruption in the locker room, too (James Connor will be entrusted with duties). On the other hand, the Steelers are still recovering from the loss of Ryan Shazier, and the secondary is dreadful.

9. Welcome back, Aaron Rodgers. Green Bay's star man must like the cold, because he's signed a four-year, $130 million contract ($180 m if everything else comes in) to stay in the icy tundra. He'll be well supported for 2018, too, with Davante Adams, Randall Cobb and Jimmy Graham all back. Jordy Nelson's gone, but Rodgers - and his numbers - won't miss a beat.

10. Even without Marqise Lee, the Jags will be good again. Losing one of their best WRs in preseason was hardly a great start for Jacksonville, but they'll be fine....even though we don't particularly rate Blake Bortles. The Leonard Fournette/TJ Yeldon combination will continue to improve at RB, the WRing corps is still very strong with Dede Westbrook and rookie DJ Shark to come through and supplant Donte Moncrieft. Oh, and defensively the team will be anchored by the country's best corner, Jalen Ramsey. Oh, and it helps the Jags that the AFC South remains poor, too.

11. The Pats will win the AFC East. Mainly because Buffalo, the Jets and Dolphins aren't very good.

12. Baltimore will win the AFC North. Mainly because Pittsburgh has no defense. And Joe Flacco's a steady QB. I think Pittsburgh gets the Wild Card.

13. Jacksonville will win the AFC South. The games against Houston - particularly if DeShaun Watson's back and fit - could be awesome, but we'll take Jacksonville's offense.

14. The Chargers will win the AFC West. The team who used to play in San Diego has a red-hot offense....even without injured TE Hunter Henry. Anchored by Philip Rivers, the duo of Keenan Allen and Travis Benjamin - as well as the return of Antonio Gates - will cause defenses fits. Patrick Mahomes (great name there!), starting QB for Kansas City will have to fare better than he did in the preseason, where he was dreadful. Kansas City will get the Wild Card.

15. Philadelphia will win the NFC East. They are the best team in that division. The Giants will get the Wild Card. 

16. Green Bay will win the NFC North. When you're competing with Detroit, Minnesota and Chicago, and you've got Aaron Rodgers back, so you should.

17. Atlanta will win the NFC South. This will be a division will be fun. Three out of four of the teams (New Orleans, Carolina, ATL) are legit, and Tampa Bay might well be legit if their QB can stay out of trouble and their best WR stays away from injury. I would be surprised if the best team in the division comes out with a 9-7 record. Despite the loss of Mark Ingram for the first four games of the year (cheating) New Orleans will get the Wild Card.

18. The Rams will win the NFC West. Jared Goff was great last year, and the Rams have got the talent to really hurt teams. It'll be a close thing with the Seahawks and a risen-again San Francisco team, but the Rams seem pretty settled.

19. Your Championship Games will be: Philadelphia vs Green Bay and Jacksonville vs New England.  Green Bay beats Philly and New England beat Jacksonville. 

20. Your 2018 Super Bowl winners are.......Green Bay. Aaron Rodgers and the Packers beat Tom Brady and the Patriots in a mammothly-fun shoot-out.