Sports: Column

Schelling: Predicting rest of NFL season

With this weekend marking the beginning of the second half of the NFL season, teams are beginning to separate themselves from the rest of the pack, in both good ways and bad.

The Titans, Giants and Steelers are the class of the league, while the Lions, Chiefs and Bengals will fight it out for the top pick in the 2009 draft.

With eight weeks remaining on the schedule, here’s a division-by-division breakdown of the rest of the season:

NFC East

The G-Men have rolled thus far, but they now run into arguably the league’s toughest remaining schedule. They’ll be lucky to go 4-4 the rest of the way to take the division at 11-5. Washington has just seven games remaining and will easily win five more to finish in a virtual tie with New York. Philadelphia also will win five of its last eight to finish just behind at 10-6. The once-mighty Cowboys will get a strong performance from Tony Romo when he returns next week, but they will come up short in a Week 17 battle in the City of Brotherly Love, leaving them on the outside looking in at 9-7.

NFC North

If the Chicago Bears can survive the next two weeks, they’ll be in a great position to take the division. Unfortunately, they will lose both games and five of their last eight to finish 8-8. The Packers will leapfrog the Bears by winning five of eight — including two against the Bears — to finish 9-7 and take the division. Minnesota’s tough finish will have Adrian Peterson and co. sitting at home in January after a 2-6 finish leaves them at 6-10. Finally, the Detroit Lions will get their first win this week against Jacksonville before reeling off seven more losses to finish 1-15 and making their bid for the top pick in the draft.

NFC South

The Carolina Panthers’ favorable schedule over the next two weeks (Raiders, Lions) will have them at 8-2 and thinking home field advantage before losing four of their last six and finishing at 10-6, barely beating out the Eagles for a playoff spot. The Bucs keep finding ways to win and should be able to win five of their last seven to edge the Panthers at 11-5. Atlanta continues to surprise, but a 9-7 finish won’t be enough to earn them a spot in the playoffs. The Saints haven’t stopped anybody defensively so far other than the Raiders, and their poor defense will lead to a disappointing 6-10 finish.

NFC West

With MVP candidate Kurt Warner at the helm, the Arizona Cardinals will finish 10-6 to take the worst division in football. The 49ers’ losing streak will hit six this week, and they will finish 4-12, going through another quarterback in the process. The disappointing Seattle Seahawks will win just one more game this season, finishing at 3-13 and snapping their division title streak at four. The aforementioned Rams will go 2-6 the rest of the way, managing to escape the cellar of the NFC West at 4-12.

AFC East

The New York Jets will need better performances out of Brett Favre if they even want to win half their remaining games, finishing at 9-7. The Pats have a soft schedule remaining and will edge the Jets by a game at 10-6, continuing their reign as the best team in the division. The surprising Bills also will win five of eight to finish in a virtual tie with the Patriots at 10-6. Miami will continue to play well, winning five of eight as well to finish 9-7.

AFC North

Pittsburgh is far and away the best team in the division, and they will continue to roll, finishing at 12-4 and clinching a first round bye. The Ravens will upset the Steelers at home but manage only a 9-7 record to narrowly miss the playoffs. Even Brady Quinn can’t save the Browns’ miserable season as they finish 5-11. The Bengals contemplate throwing the final game of the year to steal the top pick from Detroit, but alas, they snatch victory from the jaws of defeat against the Chiefs in their final game to finish 2-14.

AFC South

If the Tennessee Titans can get through this week against the Bears, they’ll have analysts wondering how long they can go undefeated. Ultimately, with the division wrapped up after feasting on the Lions on Turkey Day, they’ll finish 15-1 with their only loss coming at Indy. The Colts are slowly turning their season around, and a five-game winning streak to end the regular season will have them at 10-6 and in the playoffs. Jacksonville has to be the biggest disappointment this year, and it will continue to struggle, finishing 6-10. Houston took a huge step back this year as well and will finish 5-11.

AFC West

Denver has looked awful at times and will look worse with Champ Bailey out of the lineup. The Broncos will win just three of their last five to finish at 7-9. The Chargers are ready to turn their season around and will win six of eight to finish 9-7, taking the division as many expected. Al Davis’ Raiders are in a downward spiral and will win just one more game to finish 3-13. In the race for the No. 1 pick the Kansas City Chiefs will make it interesting, extending their losing streak to 12 games and finishing 1-15.

Jordan is a junior majoring in journalism and political science. What do you think will happen during the final six weeks of the NFL season? E-mail him at jschelling@wisc.edu.