2019 USFL Preview: Part 2: Looking Ahead

Here we go, predictions, previews, positives and negatives for all 28 teams. It is all right here as we prepare for Week 1 action. Who made the most of the offseason? Who is on the way up and who is possibly struggling after a rough offseason? We will break down the players to watch, the moves that could determine the season, and make all our picks for the divisions, the playoffs, and the league awards. It is all right here, and it is all a total guess. Yup, you know by now that we do not endorse betting the ranch on anything we say. We are often wrong, and teams surprise us every single year. So, while we think we have done our best to look into the crystal ball, we recommend you take a cynical stance on any prediction we might make. That said, let’s get to it.

Ten Immediate Impact Players for 2019

As we look ahead to the USFL’s 37^th season, one of the stories we know we will be following is how new acquisitions impact their teams, from rookies who impress from Day 1 to free agents and NFL imports who slot right in and improve their teams beyond expectations, new seasons provide opportunities for players to stand up and be counted. As we look at all the moves, from the first free trade of the offseason to the final draft pick signing or the recent NFL additions, more than 200 new players are found on USFL rosters, and while some may not get a chance to impress in the opening weeks, and others may find themselves struggling to maintain their roster spots, we expect that there will be some who make their GMs look like geniuses for signing them. Here is our pick of 10 players we think we will be hearing from this year, players who could well move the needle on their team’s success this season.

10- Blake Martinez, LB-LV (NFL Import)

Two new Vipers made our list this year, one on offense and one on defense. The Vipers, in our opinion, had one of the better NFL signings in LB Blake Martinez. This is a player who had over 140 tackles in each of the past two seasons with the NFL Packers. He steps into the Vegas LB group as the starting MLB, with DeAndre Levy and Nate Irving flanking him. We think he has a shot at being a Top 5 tackler in his new role with the Vipers.

9- Nick Bosa, DE-LA (Rookie)

We must be excited about Bosa’s potential if we are making him the cover boy for our USFL Draft Report. The truth is that we think LA will be a huge story all year, and while QB Kyler Murray may struggle to pick up the pro game, that transition is much easier for an edge rusher who will have one job only, get to the QB.

8- Bud Dupree, DE-ARZ (NFL Import)

Dupree showed some flashes in the NFL, but now he is in a position that will open up options for him. With Calais Campbell absorbing most of the double teams, Dupree could well see his opportunities for QB sacks open wide up, and we well could see something akin to the Campbell-Moats double 20-sack season of 2017.

7- Aaron Dobson, WR-LV (Free Agent)

Las Vegas’s other big signing is a receiver who just gets open. With over 100 receptions each of the past 3 years, that is just fact at this point. Now, he will have a new system to learn and a new QB in Matt McGloin to build rapport with, but we think that the combo of McGloin to Dobson is very likely one that could blossom by midseason.

6- Clay Matthews, LB-DAL (Free Agent)

Dallas needed a leader on defense. Matthews needed out of what he saw as a toxic culture in LA, so, is this a match that will work? Well, we know that Matthews has talent, with 100+ tackles for 9 straight seasons, the proof is there. But, will Dallas be a good fit for him?

5- Kyler Murray, QB-LA (Rookie)

No pressure, Kyler, but more or less the entire franchise is in your hands. What LA did this offseason, particularly in trading away Sam Bradford, along with a good number of future draft picks, is to swing for the fences, but sometimes those swings produce huge strikeouts. Murray cannot afford to swing and miss.

4- Brian Orakpo, LB-PIT (Free Agent)

Orakpo left Tampa Bay after season after season of frustration as his outstanding individual effort did not get seconded by a defense around him that could hold its water. Now, in Pittsburgh, there is more talent, more focus, and a coach in Vic Fangio who understands how to turn defensive talent into results.

3-Josh Jacobs, HB-BAL (Rookie)

Very often a big-name back like Jacobs will end up with a team that has few other weapons on offense. That is certainly not the case with the Blitz trading to get the rights to Jacobs. In the Blitz, Jacobs has an offense that is prolific in the passing game, but needed a solid 3-down runner to help keep pressure off their QB. Now, with Jacobs in the fold, defenses facing the Blitz will simply have to prepare for a broader range of possibilities. Good for Jacobs, good for Roethlisberger, and good for the Blitz offense in general.

2- Ryan Nassib, QB-WSH (Free Agent)

No quarterback comes to a new team with a guarantee, but in what we saw of Nassib last year, there certainly seems to be a pretty good chance that the Federals have found themselves a decade-long franchise QB. It will be an adjustment of styles from what David Garrard offered, but if Coach Bradley can cater the offense to Nassib’s strengths (accuracy, decision making, and mid-range targets), Washington could be set at QB for quite a while.

1-Calais Campbell, DE-ARZ (Trade)

There is no way Campbell’s production in Arizona won’t be a story all season long, no matter what happens. We tend to think he will have a career year, which is a lot considering the career he has had so far. We just think he has more talent around him, will be playing with a lead more often, which means more straight-up pass rush focus, and we could see him reaching for his own record. He may not again be expected to finish the year with 100 tackles, like in Orlando, but 30 sacks, that may well be a target for the future Hall of Famer.

Taking the Helm: New USFL QBs Under Pressure

We have 10 new quarterbacks in a league of 28 teams, that means more than a third of all teams are rolling the dice with someone new under center. That can be a gamble, the kind of gamble that can lead a coach towards a Coach of the Year award or towards a pink slip on Black Monday. So, who are the new signal callers across the league, which are under pressure right away, and which are in the best position for early success. We took all 10 QBs and put them in one of three categories: Sitting Pretty, Control their Fate, and Hoping for Help. Here is our assessment of all ten in these three categories.

SITTING PRETTY

San Diego—Christian Ponder

Technically a new starter this year, since he did not begin the 2018 season as the starter, Ponder is in a very solid position after putting up great numbers last year, leading San Diego to a 9-3 record and a home playoff win, and surrounded by talent like WRs Marques Colston, Nick Toon, and DeVante Parker, and a run game led by Ryan Williams.

Washington—Ryan Nassib

Unlike Ponder, Nassib comes to a new team this year, but the Feds are not a team sitting at 2 or 3 wins last season and desperate for talent. They were 9-7 and have a lot to offer Nassib to make him successful, from strong outside receivers in Keenan Allen and Brandon LaFell, to newly added TE Rob Housler, Nassib will not lack for weapons in the passing game. It may take a few games for him to build rapport, but we think the situation is a very good one for him to find that success quickly.

New Orleans—Geno Smith

You are puzzled. What makes us think that Geno Smith is in a solid spot? After all, he fizzled out quickly with the NFL Jets, failed to find success when he moved to the Giants and now joins the Breakers with no offseason rest. Yes, all true, and all could make it a tough transition, but look at what Smith inherits in New Orleans, an offense that averaged nearly 30 points a game last year, has one of the league’s best receivers in Jordy Nelson, a solid 2^nd option in Kenny Britt, a really strong slot receiver in Tyler Lockett, and the best pass-catching TE in the league in Coby Fleener. What more could a QB need to be successful? How about an All-USFL left tackle like Willie Colon? Yup, he has that too.

CONTROL THEIR FATE

Denver—Josh Allen

After sitting for his rookie season, the keys to the Gold were handed to Allen this offseason. Word is he has been working all offseason with Jordan Palmer to improve his weaknesses, and he has an offense that will not demand that he win single-handedly. He has reliable receivers in Golden Tate and Michael Crabtree. The Gold also landed a very nice security blanket in TE T. J. Hockenson, and he has Ryan Clady defending his blind side. So, with all that, it really is up to Allen to prove his detractors wrong and show that he can go from Jr. College to Wyoming to a starting position in Denver.

Las Vegas—Matt McGloin

The only reason we think McGloin is here and not in the “Sitting Pretty” group is because as good as his 2018 season was in Seattle, he did spend his first five seasons as a backup, which generally does not happen if a player has the stuff. There are some who think last season was a fluke and McGloin will be at best a serviceable bridge QB until Vegas finds a better option. Viper management and Head Coach Rick Neuheisel believe more is possible, but McGloin will still need to win over many.

Los Angeles—Kyler Murray

This status is about all any rookie QB can hope for. So many questions, so many possible ways for either him or others around him to screw up his head space. It is just not easy to step from college to the pros and be immediately successful. Even some of the greats needed 1-2 bad years under their belt before the game really started to slow down for them. Honestly, if we expect Murray to immediately make LA a contender, we are setting him up for failure. A solid year, a growth year, and signs of what is to come should be the hope.

HOPING FOR HELP

Chicago—Sam Bradford

We like Bradford, really, we do, but in stints with both the Generals and the Express he has struggled to put together complete seasons. His best years were early on in New Jersey, but in LA he struggled to find receivers and to make plays on key downs. With the Machine, he may find the same issues, especially with Aaron Dobson no longer there to reliably be available on 3^rd down. The Machine will still be a run-first club, but Bradford will need to get more out of Michael Floyd, Kenny Golladay and Will Fuller if he wants to change his image as a serviceable, but not a contending QB.

Dallas—Josh Freeman

Freeman began last season as the starter in St. Louis, got benched, and watched as the Skyhawks fell in love with Lamar Jackson. By season’s end he was in Dallas, trying to play with little to no preparation. He will be in a better situation this year, but Dallas is not a particularly talented offense, and Freeman may find he just does not have the tools he needs to return to his 2012 MVP status.

Jacksonville—Teddy Bridgewater/Jeff Tannehill

The fact that we are listing 2 different QBs here tells you all you need to know about the Bulls’ QB situation. Both Bridgewater and Tannehill are viewed as renovation projects. The Bulls got both relatively cheap (for former NFL starters) and their hope has to be that one of them proves them right. But we have to say, we are not all that excited about the weapons they have to work with, receivers Mike Williams, Equanimeous St. Brown, and Tajae Sharpe are not exactly a killer trio that defenses cannot handle. Tight end Gavin Escobar is adequate, but hardly a game breaker, and the line still has some issues, particularly at center and right guard. So, is either QB good enough to find success with that crew in support?

St. Louis—Lamar Jackson

We get why fans in St. Louis are excited about Jackson and the 2019 offense. We saw some really impressive flashes last year, and Jackson was just so much more dynamic in and out of the pocket than Freeman had been, but is St. Louis depending too much on their young QB? They did very little to improve their roster this year. We like the addition of HB David Montgomery in the draft, and Stevie Johnson is still a solid target, but there is not a lot behind him in the receiver group and TE Rob Gronkowski has simply not produced as expected since coming over from the Wranglers.

Five 2nd Year Players to Watch Out For

Preseason is a time when we tend to focus on the new arrivals, free agents, and rookies, but there is another group who can be huge for a team’s progress, second year players. These are the members of the prior year’s rookie class who now take on a bigger role, find their groove, or just mature into valuable contributors. We ran through the Draft Class of 2018 and we think we have found five players who are ready to emerge in their second year. Some were solid last year and could become special this season, others did not have much of a chance to shine last year but now find themselves in a position to prove their worth. So, here are five 2^nd year players to keep watch on this year, because we think they could break out.

LB Roquan Smith (STL)

2018 Stats: 92 Tackles, 2 Sacks, 1 FF

Absolutely nothing wrong with 92 tackles from a rookie, and the Skyhawks had to be overjoyed that Smith was able to do so much in his first year, but he was playing mostly on instinct. Now, with a full offseason of training and coaching he could easily become a 100-tackle guy, and St. Louis is also hoping to have him take on a larger role as a pass rusher.

OG Quenton Nelson (OAK)

2018 Stats: 16 starts, 41 pancakes, 0 sacks allowed

There is not much more you can ask from a guard than to have 16 starts and not give up a single sack, but while Nelson was certainly one of the better first year players in 2018, the Invaders run game did not get where they wanted it, and so they are hoping that Nelson can expand his repertoire and become a more dynamic run blocker in 2019.

LB Tremaine Edmunds (WSH)

2018 Stats: 1 start, 12 tackles, 1 sack, 1 FF

Edwards played mostly on special teams as a rookie, with only 1 start. That will not be the case in 2019, where Edwards is penciled in to replace Shawne Merriman as the starting MLB. Those are big shoes to fill, and there will certainly be some growing pains, but Edwards’s aggressive and athletic style could be a good fit for Gus Bradley’s defense.

WR Calvin Ridley (MGN)

2018 Stats: 49 receptions, 543 yards, 5 TDs

Ridley saw action in all 16 games last year, and his numbers were very solid, but this season we expect to see him take a step up as he takes on the swing role for all 3 receiver positions. There is even a chance he will take over for oft-injured slot receiver Jerrel Jernigan.

TE Mark Andrews (OKL)

2018 Stats: 22 receptions, 155 yards, 1 TD

Andrews saw limited action behind Julius Thomas last season, but Coach Stoops has already indicated that Andrews will see a larger snap count, more starts, more 3^rd downs, and a lot more targets. We could easily see Andrews jump from 22 receptions to 50, 60 or more in Stoops’s offense.

Are you ready to get into the weeds with all 28 teams? So much news, so many storylines, and so much potential, there is a lot to talk about. We are going to divide the 28 USFL teams by their 6 divisions, give you a short division projection and then talk up each team, its potential, strengths, weaknesses, and biggest offseason story. We will finish up each team assessment with our ceiling and basement for each team based on their roster, coaching, and overall vibe. So, here we go, a deep dive into all 28 clubs as we prepare for this week’s season openers.

Always a tough division to call, the NE has not had a repeat champion since 2013-2014 (Stars), and this year looks like it could be another scramble with a lot of teams looking solid, but not dominant once again. We think Philadelphia will be improved, Washington could also take a step forward with Ryan Nassib at QB, and Baltimore added a new wrinkle in HB Josh Jacobs, so, who will take it? Our prediction is parity:  

New Jersey   10-6*

Philadelphia    9-7*

Washington    9-7*

Baltimore         7-9

Pittsburgh       7-9

BALTIMORE BLITZ

Head Coach: Jim Caldwell

2018 Record: 6-10 (5^th in NE)

Biggest Offseason Story: While many expected the defense to be the focus of the offseason, the biggest story had to be the pick-for-pick swap of Territorial Draft number ones with Birmingham, and the subsequent selection and signing of Alabama tailback Josh Jacobs. Jacobs was the clear number one back in the draft and his presence in the Blitz backfield could dramatically alter the Baltimore offense, freeing up receivers, forcing safeties to play closer to the line, and keeping pressure off Roethlisberger. Will that improve their defense? Well, if they can possess the ball more, have fewer 3-and-outs, and play with a lead more often, yes, it actually can.

Biggest Strength: As intriguing as the Jacobs signing is, the strength remains the passing game, led by Big Ben with a solid 4-man receiver group of Darrius Heyward-Bey, Brian Hartline, TE C. J. Uzomah, and newly acquired 100-reception receiver Denarius Moore. Adding Moore means that Baltimore can now rotate receivers situationally while also creating mismatches inside and outside. This offense could now be special with this group plus Jacobs in the fold.

Biggest Weakness: We want to say “defense” in general, but it is more accurate to say that the nickel defense is the issue. Baltimore had huge issues getting off the field on third down last year, and that was largely because the nickel package could not pressure the QB or cover receivers beyond the initial 3 seconds of a play. Beyond Jabari Greer the CB group is suspect, there is a rookie in Nasir Adderley at Strong Safety, Eric Weddle is not the greatest cover safety in the FS spot, and the 3-man line of DE’s Da’Quon Bowers and Olivier Vernon and DT Angelo Blackson just does not pose enough of a threat without committing blitzers.

Outlook: The offense could be special, and we are all excited to see Josh Jacobs mixed in, but it just does not look like the Blitz have done enough to improve on defense. This could mean a lot of shootouts and “who has the ball last” games, but could also mean a lot of playing from behind, which could limit the benefit of having a runner like Jacobs on the squad.

Predicted Finish: We do think that if the Blitz offense is as strong as it could be, Baltimore could surprise, so we are putting their ceiling at 11 wins, with a floor of 5 wins. Where do we think they will fall, well, 7-9 feels just about right to us.

NEW JERSEY GENERALS

Head Coach: Norv Turner

2018 Record: 9-6-1 (1^st in NE)

Biggest Offseason Story: The defending NE Division champs very much held serve this offseason, without any major signings, deals, or even big name draft picks. Is that enough in such a tight division? The loss of Chase Blackburn will hurt, even with a quality addition like Akeem Ayers coming to the squad. Honestly, when we look at the roster, the key may well be whether 2^nd year MLB Matt Milano can truly take over for Blackburn as the QB of the defense. He is a high motor guy, but does he have the vision to make the right adjustments at the line?

Biggest Strength: You might expect us to focus on MJD, but as good as Jones-Drew is, when we look at the Generals’ roster, it is the cornerback group that stands out. Aqib Talib is one of the true shut down corners in the league, and if you try to throw to the other side you have Devin McCourty, who is a ballhawking corner who has the make-up speed to recover if he misreads a route. The nickel and dime slots are also solid with Rashard Robinson and Isaac Yladom more than capable of playing both effective zone coverage and strong bump & run on the slot receiver. This is a tough group to break down, and that helps Aaron Kampman and Vic Beasley find time to reach the QB.

Biggest Weakness: Coach Turner seems to be satisfied with his receiving group, but outside of OBJ, we are not seeing what he sees. Flanker Muhamed Sanu has good hands but struggles to find space, and slot receiver Zay Jones has found it difficult to make catches in traffic. TE John Carlson is serviceable but hardly a game breaker. We are honestly surprised New Jersey did not go after Denarius Moore, Aaron Dobson, or even a top rookie receiver in the draft, landing only T-draft “afterthought” Jeff Smith from BC.

Outlook: Despite our concern about their receivers, the Generals have a pretty solid squad top to bottom. They likely will play a conservative offensive game, focused on running the ball and creating makeable 3^rd downs, while the defense focuses on stuffing the run and keeping passing in front of them. That can win you a lot of games, but as we saw in the Eastern Title Game against Houston, it may not be enough to beat a truly talented team.

Predicted Finish: We think the NE Division is too balanced for New Jersey to rattle off 12 or 13 wins, so we are going to say 11 wins is the cap, with a basement of perhaps 8 games, because they are too talented to drop below .500, at least without major injury issues. We have picked them to win the division again, but it will be a dogfight that has them barely overtaking Washington and Philadelphia at 10-6.

PHILADELPHIA STARS

Head Coach: Jim Harbaugh

2018 Record: 7-9 (4^th in NE)

Biggest Offseason Story: Another team that largely focused on retaining talent, Philadelphia did not make any splashy moves, but when we look over their roster for 2019, we do notice two signings that could produce results, both on defense with the additions of MLB Channing Crowder and safety Ha Ha Clinton Dix. Both will start from Day 1, and both will be upgrades as the Stars look to follow the defensive pathway to victories. Crowder’s arrival allows Coach Harbaugh to move Kirk Morrison to the strong side as a run-stuffing specialist. This will not be the fastest LB group in the league, but it may be one of the best tackling threesomes in the league.

Biggest Strength: No question, it is the O-line. With every single member of the Star’s O-line graded at a B+ or better by Athlon, who we trust in these matters, there is not a weak link, and this is a group that not only keeps Matt Gutierrez in a clean pocket, but they are outstanding in creating quick gaps in the line, gaps that Derrick Henry can exploit to great effect. They say games are won in the trenches, and the Stars’ line regularly wins the battles that win the war.

Biggest Weakness: Depth, simple as that. We saw what happened when Derrick Henry went down last year. Zac Stacy just could not substitute. We think the same is true with backup QB P. J. Walker, any receiver outside of the starting 2, and all across the defense. This is a team that is deeply impacted by almost any injuries, and that is a problem when we know that a USFL season is rarely injury-free.

Outlook: It is hard to picture Philadelphia winning the division, but easy to see them in a Wild Card hunt, especially if they can stay healthy. Outside of Henry, we don’t see a lot of All-USFL performers, but what we see is a well-coached, cohesive, and veteran squad that knows how to avoid self-harm and force other teams to play mistake free football to beat them.

Predicted Finish: We think Philadelphia tops out at 10 wins, and, again, if they stay healthy, likely won’t dip below 7 wins, so we are saying 9-7 with a Wild Card game in the works.

PITTSBURGH MAULERS

Head Coach: Vic Fangio

2018 Record: 8-8 (3^rd in NE)

Biggest Offseason Story: No team did a better job of dealing with offseason departures than the Maulers. They lost Paul Posluszny and Victor Cruz, but between the NFL import of speedy Jarvis Landry and the brilliant signing of Bryan Orakpo, the Maulers have not only filled those roster spots, but possibly improved in both cases. We love the Orakpo signing, especially when the athletic and whip-smart LB can stand behind Aaron Donald and get free pathways into the backfield. That is going to be fun to watch.

Biggest Strength: Straight up the middle on that defense. You start with Donald and Gabe Wright in the center of the line, place Orakpo behind them, and then follow up with the duo of Tyvon Branch and Robert Sands at safety and you have just a gauntlet of big hitters, smart players, and a heck of a lot of natural talent to get past. The Maulers are not quite as talented on the fringe, but their middle can basically dominate anything between the two sets of hashmarks.

Biggest Weakness: As strong as the middle is on defense, it may well be the biggest weakness on offense. Vandervelde, Caldwell, and Ehinger are not a particularly effective guard-center-guard combo, not particularly athletic in the run game, and too predictable in protection. The HB duo of Sony Michel and Marcus Lattimore are also not particularly effective on the inside, and TE Anthony Hill, while a solid blocker, is not a dynamic weapon over the middle. Pittsburgh has to live on the outside, with Thielen and Landry, and a run game overdependent on pitches, sweeps, screens and swing routes. That is a concern in a division with some solid outside defenders.

Outlook: More and more it looks like the offensive explosion that produced 13 wins in 2015 is not returning. Pittsburgh, like so many NE Division clubs, needs to play close games, grind out wins, and keep scores under 20-24 points to have a chance. That is a tough thing to do regularly, especially when playing teams from other divisions who don’t share that philosophy.

Predicted Finish: We picked the Maulers to bring up the rear at 7-9, and that may actually be their cap. Could they reach .500, sure, if all goes well, but can then surprise us and go 11-5? We don’t think so. More likely they surprise us in a bad way and finish 3-13.

WASHINGTON FEDERALS

Head Coach: Gus Bradley

2018 Record: 9-7 (2^nd in NE)

Biggest Offseason Story: Winning the Ryan Nassib derby. The Feds outbid, outwooed and outhustled the Breakers, Machine, Vipers and maybe 3-4 other teams to land the very coveted Arizona QB. They now feel like they could again be set at the position for another decade. Nassib is very different from David Garrard, so the offense may look quite different this year, but with the talent around him, particularly out wide, this could be a very good match.

Biggest Strength: The receiver group is deep, fast, and good. It starts with a very dynamic and polished pair of starters in Keenan Allen and Brandon LaFell. Add in slot receiver Tyreek Hill, who is one of the fastest men in the league, and who may see more outside snaps this year, and you have a very strong trio. But it does not end there. In Jalen Saunders and rookie Kavontae Turpin you have more speed, more quickness, and some great YAC moves. And while the loss of Kellen Davis inside is tough, we love that Washington recognized the need to have that inside option and signed former Panther Rob Housler. He is not as dynamic as Davis was, but he is a reliable safety valve for Nassib.

Biggest Weakness: Defensive playmaking. While we like the front 4 quite a bit, behind them there are just not many players capable of turning an offensive mistake into a takeaway or a defensive score. They have an unproven MLB in Tremaine Edwards, slower outside backers in Ogletree and Jackson, and both safeties (Kyshoen Jarrett and Adrian Amos) are mid-grade at best in the league. The lack of defensive dynamism could be a huge issue for the Feds this year.

Outlook: Despite our concerns about the Federals’ back 7 on defense, we still think that they are one of the better teams in the division, helped by the arrival of Nassib. We are concerned that we are off base here and Washington could backslide, but our gut tells us they will again be in that 9-10 win range and that should get them a playoff spot (though it did not last year.)

Predicted Finish: Washington is another team we think caps out at around 10 wins, maybe 11 if Nassib really gets going. But they do have greater potential to struggle on defense, so that could drop them into the 5-6 win range. We are being optimistic, so we have them at 9-7 and this time that gets them a Wild Card.

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With three 10-loss teams, the SE is viewed as one of the league’s weaker divisions, but both Atlanta and Charlotte were solid clubs last year. Will the gap close between them and the three Florida clubs? Hard to see it, though we do like some of the changes made. It looks to us like Orlando has taken a big hit this offseason, Jacksonville needs to solve their QB situation, and Tampa Bay hired an offensive coach to fix a pretty terrible defense, one that also lost their best player in Bryan Orakpo. Our prediction: Another clear Top v. Bottom split.

Atlanta             9-7*

Charlotte          9-7

Jacksonville     5-11

Tampa Bay      5-11

Orlando           5-11

ATLANTA FIRE

Head Coach: Bruce Arians

2018 Record: 10-6 (1^st in SE)

Biggest Offseason Story: Fire fans are still trying to figure out their team’s offseason. The Fire lose 3 starters on their D-line and essentially don’t do anything about it. That has fans worried. Chris Kelsay, Sylvester Williams, and Nick Fairley are essentially being replaced by their backups, Sione Pouha, Jarron Gilbert, and Mario Edwards. That feels like a major downgrade on a club that is not dominant elsewhere.

Biggest Strength: The one group we are not worried about in Atlanta is the LB group. The three-man wrecking crew of Kuechley inside and Dannell Ellerbe and Patrick Willis outside is aggressive, fast, and they tackle well. They may need to do even more this year with the unproven D-line, but this is a group that is trouble for offenses.

Biggest Weakness: Line play. We are concerned about the D-line, yes, but the O-line is also a possible issue. Despite the success the offense had last year, this is not a line that consistently wins battles, and it can be overpowered by better edge rushers, which must make Aaron Murray a bit nervous.

Outlook: In any other division we might be picking Atlanta to go 8-8 and finish third, but in the Southeast, they are still perhaps the most likely team to take the division. Can they do anything with that or will they be one and done in the playoffs? That is a very valid question for a team that does feels weaker now than 6 months ago.

Predicted Finish: While we pick Atlanta to go 10-6 and win the division, if any of the Florida teams can put the pieces together, we could also imagine them slipping quite a bit. We think 11 wins is possible, but so is 5, and that should worry Coach Arians.

CHARLOTTE MONARCHS

Head Coach: Jim Mora Jr. 

2018 Record: 9-7 (2^nd in SE)

Biggest Offseason Story: Unlike most teams, the big story this offseason for Charlotte was not player acquisition but cap space management. The Monarchs simply did not have money available, and unlike some teams, they did not effectively alter current contracts to build more. They found enough to sign Latavious Murray, but at a lower salary than NFL import (and now export) Adrian Peterson, so basically, they just gave Murray some of Peterson’s money. Beyond that, the moves were largely trying to stand pat, and that does not seem like a winning formula.

Biggest Strength: Is it a problem that we identify only one half of the O-line as the strength of an entire team? There is no question that the combination of center Mike Pouncey, right guard Jonathan Cooper, and right tackle Kelvin Beachem is as good as you will find in the league, but that is not even an entire line. So, while Nick Chubb will love running over the right side, what happens if he wants to go to the left? And can that side of the line help shift defensive pressure enough to allow Trubisky a solid pocket?

Biggest Weakness: If there is one thing that sunk the Monarchs last year, it was the tendency by their QB to make throws he knew were too risky. Mitch Trubisky has thrown 47 picks in his first two years in the league, and while Charlotte has overcome them to have back-to-back playoff seasons, it has to be a concern for them. You just cannot give other teams the momentum and the field position that a pick so often does. If the Monarchs’ coaches cannot coach that tendency out of their QB, they may have to look for another option at the position.

Outlook: While there are individual players on the Monarchs who are special, players like HB Nick Chubb, center Mike Pouncey, MLB Rolando McClain and DE Chandler Jones, they are not backed up well enough by other talented players to become a real force. Yes, this Charlotte team is talented enough to knock off many sub-.500 teams, but that won’t get you to a Summer Bowl, and likely not even to a Conference Title Game either.

Predicted Finish: We have Charlotte finishing at 9-7 and losing a tie-breaker to Atlanta. But here is the thing. If Mitch Trubisky can cut his picks from 24 to 16 (still bad, but not horrid) then the Monarchs could win 11 games. But if he cannot, and if any of the Florida teams is improved this year, then Charlotte, like Atlanta could be on the outside looking in come playoff time.

JACKSONVILLE BULLS

Head Coach: Brian Flores

2018 Record: 4-12 (4^th in SE)

Biggest Offseason Story: The biggest story for Jacksonville actually happened before the offseason officially began when the club decided they would move on from Robert Griffin III and not re-sign the talented, but oft-injured QB. It seemed clear that Coach Flores was not excited by the prospect of a running QB who just could not consistently operate a pocket-offense. Despite the struggles from NFL import Teddy Bridgewater last year, the Bulls let Griffin go. He would eventually end up back in the NFL with the Ravens, and after pursuing a 2^nd option in Ryan Nassib (and to a lesser extent Matt McGloin) they brought in Ryan Tannehill from the NFL just 2 weeks ago. They now have 2 NFL QB reclamation projects, with the hope being that one of them will prove to be effective in a more traditional offense.

Biggest Strength: The defensive front 7 is the key to the Bulls’ defense and maybe their season. The three-man line of Robert Ayers, Kedric Gholston, and Barkevious Mingo can be disruptive at the line, can penetrate, and can disrupt running lanes. Behind them MLBs Sean Lee and Alex Anzelone are more than happy to take on the backs who make it out of the backfield, freeing up Jordan Hicks and Jarret Johnson on the outside to play coverage or pressure the QB. That is a nice start to a very solid defense.

Biggest Weakness: While we have criticisms of the secondary (the reason Jacksonville is not a Top 5 defense), the bigger issue is an offense that simply cannot sustain drives or create enough big plays. Matt Jones is a serviceable halfback, but not a guy who will bust a lot of 20-yard plays. Jacksonville hopes the addition of HB Devin Singletary will add a bit more of that big play capacity. The receiving corps is also equally unintimidating. Mike Williams leads a group that is largely unknown and largely unimpressive. There just is not enough bang for the buck with the group, requiring long drives and sustained possession rather than the very necessary occasional quick strike.

Outlook: Of the division’s 3 Florida clubs, the Bulls are perhaps closer than the other two, at least on defense, but unless they can get more out of their offensive squad, it is hard to picture this team surpassing .500. It may require that they spend a bit, perhaps lose a good player, to make a deal to get a true playmaker on offense or they again could be looking at 10 losses.

Predicted Finish: We have all 3 Florida clubs sitting at 5-11 in our divisional pick. We think Jacksonville could do better, but if the offense is as troubled as we think, then a lot of 17-13 losses seem to be on the menu. An 8-8 season would have to be considered a success, while anything below 6 wins would be trouble for Coach Flores.

ORLANDO RENEGADES

Head Coach: Ron Rivera (1^st Yr)

2018 Record: 6-10 (3^rd in SE)

Biggest Offseason Story: This one is obvious, right? The most talented player on the team, perhaps the most talented player in the entire league over the past decade declared he had had enough of mediocrity and demanded a trade to a contender. He got his wish, as Calais Campbell joins the Arizona Wranglers. So what does that mean for Orlando? Well, it means they need to reimagine what kind of team they are. Bring in a new head coach in Ron Rivera, perhaps focus on more offensive explosiveness with Russell Wilson and Brashad Perriman, and hope the defense can work more as a team with others stepping up. Short term, this may be rough, but give Rivera another year and some talent added to the roster, and it may help the Renegades overcome their “underachiever” culture.

Biggest Strength: Chunk play capacity. Orlando does not have a solid 3-yards-and-a-cloud-of-dust power game, not with Knile Davis and Rashad Jennings as their backs, but with those two in the backfield, and a pretty dynamic receiver group (Perriman, Bowe, Maclin and TE Njoku), all led by an elusive and accurate QB in Russell Wilson, this is an Orlando offense that could and should be looking for big plays regularly. Get the backs in space with pitches, screens and swing passes, open up single coverage for the receivers, and you could see a team that is the exact opposite of what the Bulls offer, a team built to put up yards in chunks and have a lot of 3-6 play drives.

Biggest Weakness: Defensive fortitude. We wanted to highlight the LB group as particularly problematic, but the real issue is that if Orlando does become a quick-strike offense, can this defense hold up if the opposition get the ball for 33-38 minutes per game? That seems unlikely. We will see if the combo of rookie Montez Sweat and veteran Arthur Moats can get to the QB, but even if they can, the defense of the Renegades may still struggle to keep teams from slowly moving down the field and owning the clock. The big worry is that by the 4^th quarter they may well have played too many downs and be wearing down, allowing for a lot of late comebacks.

Outlook: There were mixed feelings about the Renegades in our bullpen. Some thought the style of offense they have the potential to create could be a real problem for defenses in their division, and give them a shot at 10 wins, others worry that the defense is just not stalwart enough and think 5 wins is where they end up. So, while we say they will be a 5-11 team, they are on our radar as a possible surprise team this year.

Predicted Finish: We just laid this out for you, that there is potential here for the offense to carry Orlando to a winning record, but there is also potential for them to just wear down on defense and lose a lot of late leads. We tend to lean towards the more conservative estimation of their abilities and that means 5-11 along with the Bulls and Bandits.

TAMPA BAY BANDITS

Head Coach: Mark Trestman (1^st Yr)

2018 Record: 3-13 (5^th in SE)

Biggest Offseason Story: The weak get weaker. That is the impression of what happened to the Bandit defense this offseason. A squad already seen as the major flaw in the Bandit roster, a flaw that sent them to 3-13 despite a pretty solid offensive set of weapons, is not looking any better after losing both DE Jerry Hughes and LB Bryan Orakpo. The loss of arguably their two best defenders leaves the Bandits looking like a team that just does not have what it takes to keep their opponents under 25 points, maybe not even under 30 per game.

Biggest Strength: If Orlando is seeking a quick strike offense, they just need to look at Tampa Bay for inspiration. Though the Bandits want to use HB Dalvin Cook more inside, they are at their best when they get the ball out of Dak Prescott’s hands quickly, get receivers in space, and keep defenses spread thin. They have weapons in Dez Bryant, Ryan Grant, and now Ted Ginn Jr. who can do just that, and Cook is also a capable receiver, so this offense should again be Top 5 in yards, but can they also add Top 5 in points as well?

Biggest Weakness: The front 7 is just not scaring anyone. While a secondary that includes Jalen Ramsey, Trumaine McBride, Derwin James and Xavier Woods is as talented as any in the league, the front 7 is just a mishmash of players who are too slow, too mistake-prone, and too unsure of themselves. Maybe NFL imports Preston Brown and Pernell McPhee will help with that, but overall this looks very much like a team that will struggle to get teams into the 3^rd and long situations that make their secondary’s strength useful.

Outlook: While we think it is possible for Tampa Bay to improve on their 3-win season in 2018, we don’t think they have enough on defense to get to .500. They just don’ t have the tools needed to keep offenses off the field, and if they lose the time of possession battle, their offense does not have the possessions it needs to outpace the opposition.

Predicted Finish: We think Mark Trestman will be challenged to get this group past 4-5 wins. He may well be innovative on offense, but what will he bring to the defense? What can be done with the talent he has there? We gave Tampa Bay 5 wins, but we think they have a good chance at picking first in the 2020 draft.

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With Memphis rising from 6 wins to 11 last year, we got a really fun division to watch, with even 4^th place Birmingham a better team than their 7-9 record showed. A lot of change, of course, as Drew Brees has retired from the Breakers, Birmingham brings in a new coach to try to get more out of the offense, but one constant, the Gamblers look stacked. Our Prediction: The defending USFL Champions have an easier go in the division this year as the Breakers drop without Brees.

Houston          13-3*

Memphis        10-6*

Birmingham     8-8

New Orleans  7-9

BIRMINGHAM STALLIONS

Head Coach: Todd Haley (1^st Yr)

2018 Record:7-9 (4^th in S)

Biggest Offseason Story: There was not a lot of press thrown towards Birmingham this offseason, but what is clear is that the coaching search was both disappointing for fans and confusing for pundits. While we like Todd Haley as an offensive play caller, pretty much everyone felt like what Birmingham needed was a Rex Ryan type, someone who would push the defense and demand more from every player. Haley is a play designer, not a motivator. Can he really get more out of this team?

Biggest Strength: Birmingham’s receiver group is very much an overlooked squad in league circles. They have four receivers who have the potential to be a lot of concern for defenses, with Amari Cooper and Dontrelle Inman outside and Julian Edelman and TE Hunter Henry inside. They need for Newton to stay in the pocket longer before giving up and taking off, because if he can get the ball to them, they will make plays for him.

Biggest Weakness: The biggest issue when the offseason began was the linebacker group, and it is still a huge issue. Outside of DeMeco Ryans, this is a group that simply does not tackle well and makes far too many mistakes in their angle of approach and their coverage. With a Front 3 that also struggles to win on the line of scrimmage, you need an aggressive linebacker group that takes the right approach to the ballcarrier and tackles well. That is not this group.

Outlook: While not a bad team overall, the Stallions are just not competitive with the best teams in the division. Houston and Memphis should dominate the division and if Geno Smith is even mediocre, Birmingham could once again find itself bringing up the rear in perhaps the toughest division in the league.

Predicted Finish: We are pretty skeptical about Smith in New Orleans, so we do have Birmingham moving to 3^rd place, but we just don’t see them making the postseason. That feels like an unreasonable goal for a team with a new head coach, and no significant upgrades in the offseason.

HOUSTON GAMBLERS

Head Coach: Wade Phillips

2018 Record: 12-4 (2^nd in S)

Biggest Offseason Story: The league champions spent a good part of the offseason celebrating their 5^th title, but they did have a mission to complete, rebuilding a D-line that lost two starters. We think the additions of DTs Nick Fairley and rookie Ed Oliver will produce a solid interior, though that may take half a season to gel, but replacing Antwan Applewhite with a rotation of Tm Crowder and Tashawn Bower feels very much like a significant downgrade. Coach Phillips will need to do more to generate QB pressure, which leaves his secondary more exposed. If Houston has a backslide, we think it starts in the line.

Biggest Strength: The best way to help your D-line is to play with a lead, and Houston has every possibility of doing that with one of the most diverse and dangerous offenses in pro football. Colt McCoy, Carlos Hyde, and that receiver group, led by Mike Evans and JuJu Smith-Schuster, is just nasty. Few teams can keep them down for long, but if they can start fast, they set up the defense to just pursue the QB and ignore the run, and that is something any defense would love.

Biggest Weakness: We already gave you the answer to this, it’s the D-line. We are not sure how they will generate pressure, not with every O-line able to focus on Dante Fowler. Unless Tim Crowder or Tashawn Bower can prove to be effective against single blockers, the Gamblers may find that they are giving QBs a lot of time to make throws, and that is never a good thing.

Outlook: Despite our concerns about the pass rush, we still think Houston is one of the best teams in the league and has a real shot at repeating as champion. They will likely find Memphis a tough foe in the division, but with Drew Brees gone, New Orleans likely cedes the division crown to the Gamblers, and if they can get home field, well, that is just a formula for another Summer Bowl appearance.

Predicted Finish: This is not a team we think can go 16-0, but we also don’t think they drop below 11 wins this year, not unless we are wrong about the issues in New Orleans and Birmingham. Expect them to be in the hunt, and perhaps the favorite, to earn the 1-seed and home field in the East.

MEMPHIS SHOWBOATS

Head Coach: Rex Ryan

2018 Record: 11-5 (3^rd in S)

Biggest Offseason Story: For a defensive-minded coach, Rex Ryan surprised many with his offseason priorities. The Showboats lost two important pieces from Ryan’s defense (CB Patrick Robinson and DE Mario Williams), but spent most of their offseason improving the offense by signing OT Jordan Pugh from the NFL, center Phillip Blake, WR Devin Funchess (another NFL import) and QB Ryan Fitzpatrick to back up and mentor Paxton Lynch. It was only in the draft that the team addressed the CB and DE positions. That seems like a very interesting strategy for a head coach who spends all of his time focused on the D.

Biggest Strength: The inside run game is the key to everything Memphis does on offense. The line is focused on creating holes for Todd Gurley, the play action pass game depends on having 2^nd and 5 or 3^rd and 2 to surprise defenses with quick throws to Woods and Patterson. Adding Funchess as an NFL import just adds to the play action capacity because he can win those 50/50 balls in man coverage. Fullback Roosevelt Nix is one of the best in the game, which is why you will see us predict Gurley as the OPOTY this year, because we think he has a real chance to top 1,600 yards and propel Memphis back to the playoffs.

Biggest Weakness: As much as Rex Ryan might protest, we have to say the edge rush capability of the Showboats without Mario Williams. Unless rookie Chase Winovich is the second coming of Phil Hansen, we just don’t see how he and Sam Acho can even equal the sack total that Williams gave the club last year, much less the needed pressure from the front 4 to avoid dependence on blitzes. If, as we predict, Ryan will have to send either MLB NaVorro Bowman or safety Jordan Richards on blitzes, then Memphis could be vulnerable to inside throws, especially against teams with above average receiving tight ends or slot receivers, and that is quite a few teams.

Outlook: While we are concerned that Memphis has something of a single gameplan to victory (run the ball, play action passing, stuff the run), we still think they can be a 10-11 win team. The formula is likely to work more often than it doesn’t, but we are concerned that the very team they need to overcome to have any shot at a division title is the team best-suited to overpower their defense. I mean, if you cannot pressure Colt McCoy, what chance do you have to beat the Gamblers?

Predicted Finish: We have Memphis solidly in 2^nd place in the South, and that seems about as solid a pick as we ever make in the preseason. It just feels like that is where they are and where they belong.

NEW ORLEANS BREAKERS

Head Coach: Lamar Lathon

2018 Record: 12-4 (1^st in S)

Biggest Offseason Story: As soon as Drew Brees announced he would be retiring after the 2018 season, we knew the QB position would be the focus of the Breaker offseason. There was no heir apparent in waiting. Pat White, despite getting the Week 1 start this week, was not going to be the man, and Chad Kelly is still very much a player being developed. And so, New Orleans went hard after both Ryan Nassib and Matt McGloin. They failed in both cases and that left them with few options. They did not have an inside track on Kyler Murray, and no other QB in the draft class felt like a Year One starter. So, they waited, hoping that there would be options in the NFL pool. They toyed around with the idea of pursuing Blake Bortles or Ryan Tannehill but settled on former Jet and Giant Geno Smith. Was that smart, or are they going to struggle this year and then make a deal for a better option next year?

Biggest Strength: Perhaps the best thing going for Geno Smith, who we expect will be starting by Week 2 or 3 at the latest, is that he inherits an incredible receiver group. You start with Jordy Nelson, who still dreams of being the league’s first 2,000-yard receiver. Then you have Kenny Britt, king of the 30-yard fly or fade route, and lightning quick slot receiver Tyler Lockett. Oh, and did we forget to mention the only 1,000-yard tight end in the league last year? Oh yeah, the best receiving tight end in the USFL, Coby Fleener is your safety valve. If you believe Geno Smith struggled in the NFL because he played for the Jets, and they always destroy their QB talent, then you have to like what Smith might be able to do with this group as his targets.

Biggest Weakness: If you think we are going to buy in on the theme that Geno Smith is overrated, even after struggling so much in the NFL, well, yes, you are right. We just don’t see Smith as the answer. We can honestly imagine a scenario where he ends up splitting starts not only with Pat White this year but with Chad Kelly by season’s end. If things go badly, as many think they will, New Orleans could drop to 4^th in the division despite their stellar defensive talent, and then all eyes turn to Coach Lathon and the Personnel team as they look for a better option for 2020. Do you think we are kidding? After only 1 season at LSU, you can already find “Burrow 4 the Breakers” t-shirts throughout the Big Easy. That is an amazing thing and not a confidence builder for Geno Smith.

Outlook: We love the Breaker D. And there is talent on the offense, so if we are wrong about Geno Smith, this is a team that can battle Houston for the title. But we don’t think we are, so we have picked the Breakers to finish 4^th and, yes, very possibly, use their T-Draft to bring in the very popular Joe Burrow next year.

Predicted Finish: I feel like we are picking on Geno Smith. Is it his fault he spent those years with the QB-crushing NY Jets? No. But for now, we have to say that while we give New Orleans the biggest possible swing range in wins (from 11 to 3), we think the most realistic situation is that they hang around .500 on defense alone and then find a new QB next year. Sorry, Geno. We hope we are wrong, because you seem an upstanding guy, but the confidence is just not there.

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This is perhaps our favorite division just because there are cases to be made that any team can finish first or last. We love the energy that Lamar Jackson has brought to the Skyhawks, but he cannot play defense (can anyone in St. Louis?), and we think the late trade that brought Sam Bradford to Chicago makes the Machine a much more interesting team, but in the end we think it still comes down to Michigan and Ohio. Our prediction: The Panthers rebound in a tight race.

Michigan     11-7*

Ohio                10-6*

Chicago         8-8

St. Louis          6-10

CHICAGO MACHINE

Head Coach: Lovie Smith

2018 Record: 7-9 (3^rd in C)

Biggest Offseason Story: Is luck better than talent? That is what fans are asking about the Machine front office. Chicago made the choice to let Ryan Fitzpatrick walk, frustrated with the boom or bust nature of his Fitz-magic.  The hope was that the Machine would do what they needed to in pursuit of Ryan Nassib. When that failed, they moved on to Plan B, trading with the Federals to select Duke’s Daniel Jones. But Jones did not sign, and for the Machine Maniacs it seemed like their club would go into the season with Trevor Siemian at the helm of the offense, but when LA started calling clubs about Sam Bradford, the Machine front office seemed to stumble into a perfectly suitable option. Machine fans may not be happy to get a 3^rd choice at QB, but ending up with Bradford is certainly a better option than standing pat with Siemian, so the Machine may have actually just stumbled into an upgrade at the game’s most important position.

Biggest Strength: As tempting as it would be to praise the HB duo of Matt Forte and Jeremy Hill, we would be doing an injustice if we did not point to the Machine secondary as the strongest part of the roster. Safeties Lano Hill and Micah Hyde are outstanding and Tavon Wilson may be the best swing safety (able to sub for either starter or play the nickel) in the game. Then you add on Josh Norman, one of the best man coverage corners in the business, and Jordan Poyer, who is outstanding in zone coverage and may well transition to safety in the future due to his willingness to play the run game, and you have a last line of defense that can produce takeaways, shut down a team’s best receiver(s) and be a factor in run defense as well. That is a great positive for any team.

Biggest Weakness: Slot receiver. This is not a knock on Kenny Golladay, who is a very solid receiver, he is just not a natural slot guy. Chicago essentially has a roster of outside receivers in Michael Floyd, Kenny Stills, Golladay, and Will Fuller. Only rookie Miles Boykin really looks like the kind of quick, shifty, fast-twitch receiver who should be lined up in the slot. So, how does Chicago use the receivers they have if no one is well suited to run those slants and crossing routes?

Outlook: We like what Coach Smith is building on the defensive side. The Machine added Arik Armstead at DT, giving them a very solid front 4. They have a talented LB group led by Manti Te’o and Kevin Minter, and that secondary. So, if Sam Bradford can turn this offense into a Top 10 or even Top 14 offense, this Chicago team could be a real contender in a division that has strong teams but teams that are not clearly dominant. Add Chicago to our list of possible dark horses for 2019.

Predicted Finish: We have the Machine at 8-8, mostly because we are just not sure if Sam Bradford is the answer. Honestly, we had folks in our staff picking them to win 12 games, and no one picked them to be worse than 7-9, so maybe we are being too negative here.

MICHIGAN PANTHERS

Head Coach: Sean McDermott

2018 Record: 9-7 (2^nd in C)

Biggest Offseason Story: Honestly, we are having trouble finding a storyline for the Panthers. They were essentially non-factors in free agency, with only the Antonio Bryant signing creating any press at all. They pretty much decided to focus on the draft, signing some good players in LB Devin Bush, DE L. J. Collier, and HB Alexander Mattison, but is that enough to create buzz? Doesn’t seem so.

Biggest Strength: As much as we risk offending LeVeon Bush for a second time (after picking Gurley as our OPOTY), we think we have to say that the strength of the Panthers is the defense. They have perhaps the best 3-man LB group in the league with Odell Thurman, Sean Porter and DeVonte Holloman, and now they add in Devin Bush, who could push Holloman for snaps very soon. They have a solid 4-man line with Vickerson and Troupe clogging up the middle so that Dee Ford and Justin Tuck can crash the outside. And then you have Dre Kirkpatrick and Jabril Peppers in the secondary. That is one nasty combination of talented players on the defensive side.

Biggest Weakness: I guess we have to address the elephant in the room. For all the talent on this team, they seem to play down to the level of their opposition. Some of that falls on QB Kirk Cousins, who will have some great games and some real head scratchers. But it is more than Cousins. Last season in particular, Michigan just never seemed to be prepared for their games. They let teams hang around, and that produced some bad losses and upsets. This is a team that found their groove in the 2017 playoffs, a run that saw them capture a title, and if they could play like that each week they could win another, but their inability to stay focused and to be prepared for when things don’t go as planned holds them back.

Outlook: I know we just ripped Michigan for not playing up to their talent, but we also recognize just how much talent they have, which is why we are picking them to reclaim the division title from Ohio. They are just the better team, they just have to play like it week in and week out.

Predicted Finish: Michgan playing their best ball could go 15-1 or even 16-0, but that is not what we usually see, so we have them more in the 10-12 win range. It is all about focus. If they have it we think they dominate the division. If not, then Ohio, and maybe Chicago as well, can catch them.

OHIO GLORY

Head Coach: Tom Coughlin

2018 Record: 10-6 (1^st in C)

Biggest Offseason Story: Glory fans are still angry and frustrated with management’s decision to trade away the pick that essentially gave Nick Bosa to the LA Express. Ohio did not have a dominant pass rush last year, and with Kamerion Wemberley leaving, it seemed a natural fit to add Bosa out of Ohio State. But the personnel team had other priorities and the offer from LA was just too good to pass up, so Bosa is now on the West Coast, and Ohio is going to have to figure out another plan to improve their pass rush.

Biggest Strength: While the safety duo of Tyran Matthieu and LaRon Landry is perhaps the best in the league, the real key to Ohio’s success is a concept, not a position. It is discipline. Coach Coughlin demands it, and the Glory provide it. This is a team that rarely beats itself. They are not flashy, not explosive, not all household names, but they know their roles, they play those roles, and they don’t make mistakes, and that helps them win a lot of games.

Biggest Weakness: The biggest issue we have with Ohio is that they are reliant, perhaps over-reliant on the maintained drive model of offense. Penalties, sacks, poor first down play calls, all of these can derail a drive because Ohio is not a team that can escape a 3^rd and 15 and they are not a team that is going to get a lot of 1-play 70-yard scores. They wear you down, they stick around, and they win at the end, but sometimes you just need that one big play and this offense rarely finds those.

Outlook: Ohio is not going to wow anyone, and will rarely come away with a 20-point win, but you don’t need either to be successful, at least to a point. We like Ohio as a playoff team this year, but just as with last year, once you get to the postseason, you are going to have to do more than just plug along to make a run, and we wonder if this Ohio squad can produce the magic needed to win 3 or 4 playoff games.

Predicted Finish: We picked Michigan to edge past the Glory for the division, but it will be close. It could go either way. With Ohio we see stability without a huge upside or a big dip, but with Michigan the ceiling is just higher.

ST. LOUIS SKYHAWKS

Head Coach: Frank Reich

2018 Record: 5-11 (4^th in C)

Biggest Offseason Story: As much as we believe in the “build through the draft” philosophy, it is rare that a team goes all in on the draft to the absolute absence of any other plan. But that is exactly what the Skyhawks did. They signed only a few “camp bodies” in free agency, made no signing from our top 100 free agents, no NFL imports, and their only trades involved draft picks. Essentially they just put it all on the draft, which is so risky when the NFL snaps up 50% of all picks. They did come away with a larger-than-normal draft class, but that also means they have a rookie-heavy roster, which may mean that improvement will come too late for Coach Reich, unless they can surprise this year.

Biggest Strength: I guess we should say “youth”, but the real answer may be “unfamiliarity”. Teams just don’t know this team well, from QB Lamar Jackson, entering his first full season as the starter, to the crop of rookies who will likely see a lot of action, there is just not a lot of film on these guys, and that could be a strength if the Skyhawks can keep from playing vanilla football and can throw some unexpected twists at the opposition.

Biggest Weakness: With such a focus on youth, the obvious answer would seem to be “inexperience” but when your run defense is one of the worst not only in the league, but in league history, we cannot ignore it. The Skyhawks simply could not stop anyone on the ground. They gave up more 200-yard games to teams than most teams do in a decade. We honestly feel for LBs Roquon Smith and Trey Hendrickson, who were asked to run from sideline to sideline to chase down backs who went through the line untouched. It is an area that has to improve or this club will simply not be competitive, no matter what magic Lamar Jackson has.

Outlook: We just don’t see enough improvement on defense to have St. Louis escape the basement of the division. This is a team that needed to go after Ndamukong Suh or Sedrick Ellis in free agency, but did not. They need more out of their front 4, but we just don’t think they will get it, and that means another season of halfbacks licking their chops every time they see the Skyhawks on the schedule for the week.

Predicted Finish: We fell on 6-10 for St. Louis, but beware, this could be a 2-win team, seriously. We think Lamar Jackson, Eddie Lacy, Stevie Johnson and Rob Gronkowski can keep that from happening, but even 6 wins seems generous unless that defense has a major upgrade in output.

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Arizona is just stacked on defense, but we have to believe that even with Victor Cruz coming over, the WR group will miss Fitzgerald and Bryant. Does that create space for another team? Well, Denver is starting an untested QB, Oklahoma did very little to improve their roster from 2018, and Dallas, well, a bit of a mess still, so we look at Las Vegas, with Matt McGloin and Aaron Dobson added as the most likely challenger. Will they have enough? Our prediction: Arizona holds on, but Las Vegas, Oklahoma, and Denver are in the mix.

Arizona           12-4*

Las Vegas       10-6*

Oklahoma        9-7

Denver             7-9

Dallas               5-11

ARIZONA WRANGLERS

Head Coach: Jim Tomsula

2018 Record: 12-3-1 (1^st in SW)

Biggest Offseason Story: It may seem a bit crass to put it this way, but the story for the Wranglers this summer was throwing money around to maximum effect. With the retirements of Larry Fitzgerald, Frank Gore and Troy Polamalu, Arizona shot to the top of the big spenders, with nearly $30 million available to use to restock their roster, and man, oh, man, did they use it. The highlight, of course, was the deal struck with the Orlando Renegades to land Calais Campbell, and to give him a contract that will have him finish his career in the desert. But it did not stop there. Arizona knew they had needs to fill and they used every tool available to do so.

Through free agency they added WR Victor Cruz, CB Jeremy Lane, and FB Andy Janovich. From the NFL they brought in HB Isaiah Crowell, DEs Bud Dupree and Terrance Fede, and OT D. J. Humphries. They added WR N’Keal Harry through the draft, and they acquired SS Corey White in a second deal with Orlando in which they moved out of the first round of the draft. In other words, Arizona had money to spend and they did just that.

Biggest Strength: We could point to several position groups, but the overwhelming theme is that this is a club that has veteran leadership up and down the roster, perhaps less than in recent years, as there has been a steady turnover the past two offseasons, but there is still a wealth of savvy leadership across this roster. It starts with QB David Carr on offense, where the line is also supported by veteran left tackle Brandon Scherff. And while Arizona has lost a lot of longstanding team captains on defense, they still have solid experienced leaders in LB A. J. Klien, CB Joe Haden, and safety Nate Allen. You can count Calais Campbell in that group as well, though new to the Wranglers, he will bring in a huge career wealth of experience, knowledge, and motivation to the club.

Biggest Weakness: Depth is a concern. With the exodus of talent through free agency and retirements in the past two years, the big hit has been depth. The Wranglers have filled a lot of gaps but have not necessarily backfilled the bottom 20 spots on the roster. We see this in the secondary, where key injuries to Haden or Nate Allen could produce issues. The same is true if any of their starting D-Linemen go down. And, unlike last year when Ryan Nassib was able to step in for David Carr and lead the Wranglers to a Summer Bowl, this year they will have two very inexperienced and unsure players behind Carr (Brandon Allen and Tom Savage).

Outlook: If the key figures for Arizona can stay healthy, this will be a Summer Bowl contender. Fans of the rest of the SW Division as well as the entire Western Conference had to be distraught to see the Wranglers acquire Campbell, a once-in-a-lifetime talent. They also did well to restock their receiver group, though we don’t expect that Victor Cruz can truly replace Larry Fitzgerald. All in all this looks like a team ready to once again make a run at a title.

Predicted Finish: We gave Arizona 4 losses purely out of deference for a pretty solid division, expecting that Las Vegas, Denver, or Oklahoma will at some point find a way to upend the Wranglers at some point, but we still don’t see any of them being able to match Arizona’s season-long success.

DALLAS ROUGHNECKS

Head Coach: Kliff Kingsbury

2018 Record: 3-13 (5^th in SW)

Biggest Offseason Story: Kliff Kingsbury now leads a very different team from the one he inherited a year ago. He has a new QB in former MVP Josh Freeman, and, now, after two solid free agent moves, they have veteran leaders on the O-line (guard Chance Warmack) and on defense (MLB Clay Matthews). The addition of both veterans and veterans with strong locker room and on-field leadership skills can only help the Roughnecks as they try to get a foothold in a very tough division.

Biggest Strength: Dallas has been very intentional the past two years, focusing on adding veterans who can still play at a high level. Think about these recent additions in the Kingsbury run: QB Josh Freeman, WR Sammy Watkins, OG Chance Warmack, OT Cordy Glenn, DT Domato Peko, DE Connor Barwin, LB Clay Matthews, LB Jamie Collins, and CB Patrick Peterson. This has not only been an infusion of talent, but one of quality locker room guys. Will it now start to pay off?

Biggest Weakness: The one area where we look at the Roughnecks and wonder if they have what it takes is the run game. The RB room of Perine, Charles Sims, and Myles Gaskin is just not one most defensive coordinators are going to gameplan around. That means a lot of pressure still sits with the QB, and while Josh Freeman has skills, he may not be able to salvage wins without a viable run game.

Outlook: Dallas could make a leap this year, but we are not feeling comfortable saying that right now. There is talent on this team, but the SW Division is a brutal gauntlet and we have yet to see enough out of the Roughnecks to think they can survive it. We think they still sit in the basement, but if they do come together and if others, particularly Denver and Oklahoma, struggle more than anticipated, they could find themselves in a Wild Card hunt.

Predicted Finish: We gave Dallas 5 wins in our division prediction. That may be lowballing their potential a bit, but again, there are just not going to be many divisional games where they are favored, perhaps not a single one. If we are wrong, we will see it early on as Dallas faces Denver twice in the first 5 weeks as well as Oklahoma and Arizona. If they can get even 2 wins in that run, they may well be better than we are giving them credit for.

DENVER GOLD

Head Coach: John Hufnagel

2018 Record: 9-7 (2^nd in SW)

Biggest Offseason Story: Trusting the process. That was the story we heard out of Denver all offseason. Despite some calling for the Gold to go after one of the break out QBs available, the Gold stuck to their plan to have Josh Allen take over after Matt Leinart. They signed a solid backup in Kyle Orton, a player whose experience can benefit Allen, whose style would be similar (though not nearly as mobile) and whose presence is not a threat to the 2^nd year QB. They signed a quality safety valve, trading to acquire rights to T. J. Hockenson from St. Louis, and they did not panic after losing Ndamukong Suh in free agency. Coach Hufnagel exudes competence and confidence and so a stay the course plan is one Denver fans are buying into.

Biggest Strength: There are several position groups we would call strengths of the Gold, but the O-line is the one that seems to be ahead of all the others. It is a veteran group, one that will have played together for the better part of 3 years, and they can do it all. They can open holes for DeMarco Murray and Phillip Lindsay. They excel in the screen game, and they will provide solid protection for their young QB. That is a good place to start for any new starting QB, but especially for one who just has not seen the kind of talent on the field that the USFL will throw at him.

Biggest Weakness: It has to be Allen. Denver fans just do not know what they will get from the former Wyoming Cowboy. Will he be the next Cam Newton? The next Joe Flacco? Or the next Ryan Leaf? He has arm strength to compare with the best in the game. He can be physical and is an effective runner like Newton, but accuracy has always been a concern. And what about his psychological makeup? This is a player who no one wanted out of HS. He had to send tapes to coaches out of Jr. College to get any interest at all, and then it was only Wyoming that took a shot on him. What happens if his first month is rough? If fans start calling for Kyle Orton to play? Will he develop a thick skin or crumble under the pressure. This is a reality that playing in Laramie just does not prepare a player to handle.

Outlook: Denver has a solid roster, with a few highlight players like DE Von Miller, SS DaJuan Morgan, and the always reliable Golden Tate at WR. It also has some young talent like HB Phillip Lindsay and rookie TE T. J. Hockenson, but when push comes to shove, Coach Hufnagel is putting this team in the hands of his 2^nd year QB and how Josh Allen responds will make or break the season.

Predicted Finish: We cannot imagine that this will be an easy season in Denver. We think they hover around .500 because they have good talent on the roster, but we think it is a growing year with a new QB and that means you have to measure success based on growth rather than the final record.

LAS VEGAS VIPERS

Head Coach: Rick Neuheisel

2018 Record: 7-9 (4^th in SW)

Biggest Offseason Story: Viper fans may have been laser focused on the QB position after Eli Manning’s retirement, but inside the personnel room at Wynn Arena, the Viper front office was not. They understood that to be successful in 2019 they needed to be better across the board. Yes, they addressed the QB position, locking in 2018 breakout player Matt McGloin with a 4-year deal, but they also added talent all over the roster, bringing in 100-reception possession receiving stud Aaron Dobson, luring tackling machine Blake Martinez over from the NFL, beefing up the line with DT Sylvester Williams, and then drafting for depth with another DT in Dre’Mont Jones and a promising young wideout in Darius Slayton. Yes, the QB is important, but he cannot do it alone. That seems to be the message from Coach Neuheisel.

Biggest Strength: Don’t look now, but it seems that Las Vegas has built themselves quite an impressive front 4. Adding Sylvester Williams and rookie Dre’Mont Jones to the middle of the line, pairing Mario Addison and Matthew Judon outside, and having solid depth with DE Malik Jackson and DT Nate Orchard, and we could see 7 or 8 players rotating in and out on the line to keep the group fresh and wear down the opposing O-line. They are not the biggest name group, but they could be a handful for offenses to manage.

Biggest Weakness: We love the Dobson signing, but there is still concern that the rest of the Vegas WR group is just not going to be able to step up. Arrelious Benn has never lived up to his potential. Darius Slayton is an unknown commodity, and neither Derek Hagan nor Arnold Brown are going to take the top off the defense. And that may be the biggest issue here. We just don’t see anyone here who is going to pull a safety deep and allow underneath receivers to play the gaps in the zone.

Outlook: We like Las Vegas as the likely 2^nd place team, though it is close and either Oklahoma or Denver could be right there as well. Why do we prefer Las Vegas? They have solid talent on both lines, they play within themselves, and they don’t take too many risks. That can be enough in a close game to give them an edge.

Predicted Finish: The Vipers are not a team that can rattle off 12 or 13 wins, but that 10-win threshold which usually produces playoff berths seems very much within their capabilities. They would love more, but this year that feels like a good target for them.

OKLAHOMA OUTLAWS

Head Coach: Bob Stoops (1^st Yr)

2018 Record: 7-9 (4^th in SW)

Biggest Offseason Story: Outside of the signing of Bob Stoops, there was not much news out of Oklahoma City this offseason. Fans are excited about Stoops, but he is a first-time pro coach, so there will be a learning curve. He has great veteran leadership in Joe Flacco, but the team has not done much to add talent to a roster that seemed overmatched quite a few times last season.

Biggest Strength: Oklahoma does not have the most impressive roster in the league, but what they have is personnel who fit what they want to do, especially on offense. Coach Stoops wants to use a lot of 2-TE, 1-back formations, run the ball inside, throw off play action, and protect his QB. The Outlaws should be able to do just that with 2 solid receiving tight ends in Mark Andrews and Julius Thomas, along with an inside run game led by Marshawn Lynch. Flacco’s lack of mobility could be an issue, but not if an effective run game keeps teams from overcommitting to the pass rush.

Biggest Weakness: We are having trouble seeing how Oklahoma will generate pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Neither DE (Chris Harrington or Jordan Willis) has what it takes to be a consistent 10+ sack guy, and their LB group is just not built for blitzing. So, if the Outlaws cannot put pressure on the opposing QB, how do they get teams off the field?

Outlook: The Outlaws had a shot at a playoff spot up until the final week last year, and that could be the situation again this year, but while 8 wins seems very viable, we struggle to see how the Outlaws can do much better without addressing their somewhat limited capacity to make big plays and their defensive concerns.

Predicted Finish: We put Oklahoma at 9-7, but it could just as easily prove to be 7-9 again. They have a veteran in QB Joe Flacco who gives them stability at the most important position, but last year they struggled to get Marshawn Lynch any space in the run game. If that happens again, it is hard to see how Oklahoma finishes in playoff position.

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The story of the offseason has been the LA Express, but they are a team now built on rookies, so don’t expect immediate success. Oakland and San Diego still look like the best all around teams in the division, and we think both Seattle and Portland will again hover around .500, but this is a division that could certainly bring surprises. Our prediction: We like the Thunder to edge out Oakland for the title, but it will be a battle of near equals between these two. We are going to also say that Seattle does not go 0-5 to start the year, so they have a shot as well.

San Diego        11-5*

Oakland         10-6*

Seattle             9-7

Portland           8-8

Los Angeles     6-10

LOS ANGELES EXPRESS

Head Coach: Marvin Lewis (1^st Yr)

2018 Record: 3-13 (5^th in P)

Biggest Offseason Story: The way the new Express front office gamed the 2-tier USFL draft process will be studied for years. They worked every angle to perfection and what that got them was the consensus top pick at three vital positions, QB, DE, and WR. That was a coup, plain and simple, and what a way for former Seattle head coach Marvin Lewis to make a splash with a very cynical fanbase. LA may struggle this year, as most teams with rookies in key positions of leadership do, but there is a clear sense that the Express are not messing around anymore.

Biggest Strength: It has been a while since we have said this, but LA could have a truly outstanding D-line. That has not been the case in a long time, but now, with Chris Jones inside, with Nick Bosa on the left end and with a rotation of Laurence Jackson and Andy Studebaker on the right side, the Express present offenses with some tough choices. Throw in veteran LB Keith Rivers calling the defensive adjustments and we could see a revival of some tough front 7 play with this Express team.

Biggest Weakness: For all the excitement about the rookie haul of the Express, the offense is likely to be a work in progress as Murray adjusts to the speed of the USFL. We love that the Express added C. J. Anderson in the past 2 weeks, because they need a better option on 3^rd and 3 than Reggie Bush can provide, and we hope that Murray and Jason Whitten are getting a lot of reps together, because we fully expect Murray to have happy feet and to need some emergency escape valves as he learns how tough USFL coverage can be on a young QB.

Outlook: Does anyone want to hazard a guess? While we love the aggressive stance the Express took this offseason, it did focus mostly on the draft, which means this will be a team that needs time to mature, to grow together, and to learn the pro game. So, we expect a slow start, and improvement over the 2^nd half of the season.

Predicted Finish: We have LA finishing last in the division once again, but we think the vibe coming out of the 2^nd half of the season will be one of great promise. Rome was not built in a day, but with a fresh start, this franchise feels like one that is going to build towards something special. It just takes time.

OAKLAND INVADERS

Head Coach: Gary Kubiak

2018 Record: 11-5 (1^st in P)

Biggest Offseason Story: The 2019 offseason was all about building depth on an Oakland roster that took them to the Western Conference finals. Yes, they did suffer a couple of big losses in center Matt Light and DT Sedrick Ellis, but their focus in talent acquisition was far more on backups who can contribute than on immediate impact players. Whether it is Bryce Love at halfback, J. J. Arcega-Whiteside at WR, or Christian Wilkens at DT, the moves made, particularly in the draft, were about adding to the depth on some key player rotation positions.

Biggest Strength: The Invader blitz game is one of the best in the league, perhaps the best. Cliff Avril and Michael Bennett are a solid left-right end combo, but they are made even better because of the capacity of LBs Bobby Wagner and Junior Galette to crash the line, the willingness of Coach Kubiak to send either Jaiquawn Jarrett or Jahleel Addae from the safety slot, or even to send Chris Gamble from the CB position on blitzes, and, oh yes, the Invaders just added Shaq Barrett on the weak side LB position, another LB blitz option with speed and ferocity. Have fun Pacific Conference QBs. Oakland is going to be coming for you.

Biggest Weakness: With the only addition being mid-round rookie J.J. Arcega-Whiteside, it looks like the Invaders have once again forgotten the WR position in the offseason. Sure, Davante Adams is an elite receiver, but he would benefit so much from having a true number two on the field. Davone Bess and Taylor Gabriel are both better as slot receivers, and Donte Moncrief has just not developed as hoped. Had Oakland gone after a possession guy like Aaron Donald, they could be dominant in the air, but at present it feels very much like Jimmy G has to look deep for Adams and then settle for a dump down to Ertz over the middle as the primary offensive plan.

Outlook: When you have a defense like the one Oakland puts on the field, led by DPOTY Bobby Wagner, you are going to be in every game and very likely you will win far more than you lose. Add a full offseason of rest and preparation for Jimmy Garoppolo and we again see Oakland as not only a playoff contender but a team that could make it all the way to Las Vegas and Summer Bowl 2019.

Predicted Finish: We all but flipped a coin between Oakland and San Diego, as we think either one could win the division. Oakland is the more conservative call, and they could well step up to the 12-13 win plateau, but we felt like there is slightly more “pop” coming out of San Diego right now, so we gave it to them.

PORTLAND STAGS

Head Coach: Matt LaFleur

2018 Record: 9-7 (3^rd in P)

Biggest Offseason Story: Portland fans are over the moon about the signing of Ndamukong Suh to solidify the D-line, but after losing both Channing Crowder (free agency to Philadelphia) and Lance Briggs (retirement), we wonder who is going to play behind Suh in the LB group. The Stags need for either Justin Hollins or David Hawthorne to step up at MLB, because right now that looks like a big need area for them, even with a stud like Suh at nose tackle.

Biggest Strength: The Stags have a brutal 1-2 punch at halfback with Doug Martin and Ben Tate. We could actually be seeing a backfield with two 1,000-yard backs if the offense can stay on the field to give each enough carries. Portland will lean on that running duo all season long, allowing Mariota to play 2^nd fiddle and pick and choose his chances against a defense that will be forced to creep the safeties to the line. That could be very good news for Brandin Cooks once again.

Biggest Weakness: The Stags MLB position is an unknown quantity, but we are actually more concerned about the options at tight end. Neither Trey Burton nor Pharaoh Brown provides much to QB Marcus Mariota. They are also not outstanding blockers, so the run game does not benefit as much as they would from a dedicated run-blocking end on the line. It is a glaring issue for an offense that wants to play power football with a mix of play action.

Outlook: Portland feels like a team that could surprise us with 10-11 wins or with 5-6 wins. We choose to think that Coach LaFleur will get something between those two poles from this club. They tend to play very well at home, but struggle on the road. That feels like an 8-win season more or less, which is what we predicted.

Predicted Finish: Until Portland proves that the MLB and TE positions are stronger than what we see, we cannot put them at more than 8-8. There are a few other areas that worry us, but those two are the big and obvious question marks.

SAN DIEGO THUNDER

Head Coach: Dick LeBeau

2018 Record: 10-6 (2^nd in P)

Biggest Offseason Story: The Thunder became the masters of the double down this summer. They saw need areas and they added not one but two possible solutions. Take HB for example. There was not much behind starter Ryan Williams, so San Diego added not only scatback Taiwan Jones in free agency but also brought in a big thumper in Miami big back Travis Homer in the draft. They did the same thing at OT with Jack Conklin the free agent and Jacob Skule in the draft, and at DT with Damon Harrison in free agency and Dexter Lawrence in the draft.

Biggest Strength: The San Diego receiver group can do it all. They have one of the best deep ball receivers in football in Marques Colston, a quality possession guy in Nick Toon, and an elusive slot receiver in DeVante Parker. Add depth with Chris Givens and David Clowney and you have more than enough weapons for Christian Ponder to have success with.

Biggest Weakness: Killer instinct. That is what the Thunder seem to lack. At least that is what head coach Dick LeBeau stated as his biggest concern after the Thunder were knocked from the playoffs last year. Has he addressed that in the offseason? Can he teach that to his team? We are not exactly sure how you address that.

Outlook: We like San Diego to challenge Oakland for the Pacific Division, and after going 0-1 two years ago and 1-1 in last year’s playoffs, we wonder if they can string together 3-4 solid games to make a Summer Bowl run this year. If Coach LeBeau can build that killer instinct he wants to see, they have the talent to make the run. It is one of the reasons we have them as our dark horse Summer Bowl contender.

Predicted Finish: We put San Diego just ahead of Oakland in the division. If they can do just a bit better, maybe secure a 1 or 2 seed, they could be a real contender.

SEATTLE DRAGONS

Head Coach: Mike Riley

2018 Record: 8-8 (4^th in P)

Biggest Offseason Story: While there were some in the PNW demanding that Seattle make a deal with Matt McGloin, that was not the sentiment in the personnel room for Mike Riley’s team. They are sticking with Jacoby Brissett as their starter, bringing in a bit of a Brissett doppleganger in former NJ quarterback Brett Hundley as the backup. So, while fans clamored for something very different, the Dragons spent the offseason focused on becoming a top tier defense. The additions of DE Jerry Hughes and rookies Josh Allen (LB) and Taylor Rapp (S), could have them headed in that direction.

Biggest Strength: If you think speed and aggression should be the hallmark of a linebacker group, you will love the Seattle Dragons. From Kahlil Mack and Carl Ihenacho outside to Calvin Pace at MLB, and now the addition of Josh Allen, who could sub both inside or outside, you may have the most violent and pursuit-minded LB group in the league. Expect Coach Riley to use them in coverage, in blitz schemes, and as run blitzers as well. It should be fun to watch.

Biggest Weakness: As much as we love Coach Riley’s devotion to his 2017 starter, we are just not sold on Jacoby Brissett as a franchise quarterback. But with Brett Hundley and Brad Gradkowski behind him, we think Brissett will get every chance to prove himself, with a very slow hook if he struggles. We saw how effective Matt McGloin could be in this offense last year, so if Brissett struggles this year, we think they will address the position in 2020, but that is not what fans want to hear if they are buying tickets in 2019.

Outlook: It is simple, if Seattle had gone 3-2 or even 2-3 in each of the prior seasons, they would have been right in the hunt for the division title. Fans are antsy, but the reality is that another 0-5 start will have people questioning just what Mike Riley is doing in camp. If Seattle can get off to even a mediocre start, they could be a factor, so just win the opener and go from there.

Predicted Finish: We ended up giving Seattle the benefit of the doubt, mostly because we think their defense has potential to be elite this year. If they can avoid the slow start, they could be right there at the end, but if they start off with even just a few losses to start the year, we could see a full-on panic set in.

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OUR 2019 PLAYOFF PICKS

Our divisional picks give us New Jersey, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Houston and Memphis in the East with San Diego, Oakland, Arizona, Las Vegas, Michigan, and Ohio in the West. Houston and Arizona earn the top seeds, and we see both as very strong contenders for another Summer Bowl matchup. And while we tried out all kinds of scenarios, we realized that we simply were looking for ways to avoid a Summer Bowl rematch. Why? There has never been a rematch year-to-year in the Summer Bowl, maybe we are due? Yes, we are due. The Gamblers and Wranglers are in strong positions to return to the title game, and so we are going to predict two very rare occurrences. We are predicting a Summer Bowl rematch of the Gamblers and Wranglers, and we are predicting only the 2^nd back-to-back title in league history as the Gamblers take it again for their 6^th title.

And, for those who hate this scenario, who do we see as the most likely spoilers? We give the best odds to San Diego in the West and Atlanta in the East, but, like we said, why fight the rematch if it seems the logical choice?

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OUR 219 AWARD PREDICTIONS

We have predicted the divisions, each team’s possible record, and our choice for a rematch in the Summer Bowl. All that is left to decide is who walks away with the individual honors. We will give you our favorite and two very likely contenders for each award as we look ahead to the 2019 season.

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER

Our Pick: Colt McCoy, QB-HOU.  No shock here. The QB of the defending champions, heading up one of the league’s most dynamic offenses and picked to go back-to-back as champions, yes, a pretty solid choice if we say so ourselves.

Contenders: This is still a QB category, and we have two intriguing picks for you, both out of the Northeast. Ryan Nassib proved last year that he could win with Arizona’s outstanding receivers, and now, as the starter for Washington, he does not lose much with Keenan Allen and Brandon LaFell to throw to. If the Feds can make a run at the division, Nassib could get a lot of looks. The other pick is a bit of a dark horse, but if Josh Jacobs has the kind of rookie season he is capable of, that could really open up the coverages, and Big Ben Roethlisberger, a former MVP, can have a field day if that happens. Baltimore needs help on defense if they want to top .500, and that could hold Big Ben back, but on stats alone he could be a contender.

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Our Pick: Todd Gurley, HB-MEM. Did you all just hear LeVeon Bell punch a wall? Yes, this pick will upset him, but we think Coach Ryan and the Showboats want to turn Gurley into a consistent 1,600 yard back, and we think that they will feed him the ball in a way that we suspect Coach McDermott does not want to do with Bell.

Contenders: Bell, of course, so let’s just assume that. Our other pick is Houston WR Mike Evans, a serious contender last year and likely to be one again this year.

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Our Pick: Calais Campbell, DE-ARZ. Look, the only reason he has not won every single year for a decade is that his Renegade teams could not support him with more wins. He will not have that issue with Arizona. What is more, we think he has a real chance of breaking his own record of 34 sacks in a season because Arizona’s other defenders are solid enough to force QBs to hold the ball, and that will make Campbell grin from ear to ear.

Contenders: If we imagine a world where Calais Campbell somehow takes a step backwards, then who is around to challenge? Well, we have 2018 winner LB Bobby Wagner of the Invaders. He is a very strong contender. Our dark horse is Bryan Orakpo, moving from Tampa Bay to Pittsburgh, where he has Aaron Donald in front of him, could help him set a league record in tackles and tackles for loss. We love his potential as a Mauler.

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

Our Pick: Josh Jacobs, HB-BAL. We love Jacobs to the Blitz. They have dynamic receivers, a proven QB, and a solid line. That all means that defenses will simply not be able to stack the box or overcompensate for Jacobs, and we saw what he could do against top competition in the SEC. We think he could be a huge difference maker and a 1,200-yard rusher as a rookie.

Contenders: If the LA Express’s huge offseason gambits pay off, we could imagine either DE Nick Bosa or QB Kyler Murray being in the mix simply because we will be talking about them all season long. Murray would need to improve LA’s win total to have a shot, but Bosa, with big individual numbers could certainly be in the running.

COACH OF THE YEAR:

Our Pick: This is always tough because it is essentially asking us to figure out which team that everyone expects to be mediocre that completely outplays their talent and ends up in the playoffs. Look back at the COTY award and that is what you see almost every year. That is tough, but if we have to pick someone with that model, we think the potential is there for Baltimore to rise up in the NE and that means Jim Caldwell could win his second COTY.

Contenders: Marvin Lewis has to be on this list even if LA only wins 6 or 7 games, because he is well-respected around the league and he worked with the Express to reimagine what an offseason could look like. We also think Jim Harbaugh in Philadelphia and potentially 1^st year coach Todd Haley in Birmingham could sneak in if their clubs exceed expectations.

Is it time for kickoff yet? Nearly there. Friday starts us off on a week of firsts, new faces in new places, rookies making their pro debut, and a long list of new QBs taking the field. It is exciting, it is about time, and, based on the weather forecast for this week, it may be one of the better opening weekends in league history (at least for folks that like to stay dry and avoid scraping the ice off their car after the game. Here is every matchup for the weekend ahead. Enjoy, and let’s get this season going!!!

Friday @ 7pm ET           Ohio @ Michigan                     NBC

The season kicks off with a huge Central Division opener as the last two division champs go head to head on opening night.

Friday @ 9:30pm ET       New Jersey @ Houston             ABC

The late game gives us a rematch of the Eastern Conference Title Game as Houston hosts the Generals.

Saturday @ 12pm ET     Washington @ Memphis             ABC

Ryan Nassib steps in as Washington’s new field marshal as the Feds face a very different-looking Rex Ryan defense without Patrick Robinson or Mario Williams.

Saturday @ 12pm ET     Chicago @ Pittsburgh                   FOX

Sam Bradford will don the Machine maroon as Chicago heads into Pittsburgh to face Andy Dalton and NFL import wideout Jarvis Landry for the Maulers.

Saturday @ 4pm ET       Philadelphia @ Birmingham     ABC

Coach Todd Haley has his first test as his Stallions host Jim Harbaugh and the Philadelphia Stars.

Saturday @ 4pm ET       New Orleans @ Seattle               FOX

NFL Import Geno Smith gets the start at QB as the Breakers head to Seattle, where Jacoby Brissett has a lot to prove to Dragon fans.

Saturday @ 7pm ET     Charlotte @ Orlando                 NBC

A SE Division clash as Mitch Trubisky and the Monarchs head to Orlando, who hope rookie Montez Sweat can help fill the gap left by Calais Campbell.

Saturday @ 9pm ET     Los Angeles @ Oakland            ESPN/EFN

Kyler Murray, Hollywood Brown and Nick Bosa all begin their pro careers for LA, and no easy task taking on the 2018 Division Champ Invaders.

Sunday @ 12pm ET      Jacksonville @ Atlanta              ABC Regional

Teddy Bridgewater gets the start over newly-arrived Ryan Tannehill as the Bulls head into Atlanta to face Nick Chubb and the Fire.

Sunday @ 12pm ET        St. Louis @ Baltimore                  ABC Regional

Lamar Jackson and the Skyhawks taken on the Blitz, but how will St. Louis’s defense handle rookie Josh Jacobs?

Sunday @ 12pm ET        Las Vegas @ Tampa Bay              FOX

Matt McGloin steps into Eli Manning’s shoes and Aaron Dobson gets a new start as the Vipers travel to Tampa Bay to face Dak Prescott and the Bandits.

Sunday @ 4pm ET         San Diego @ Portland                ABC

Marcus Mariota and Christian Ponder will duel at Columbia Sportswear Stadium as the Stags and Thunder kick off their 2018 campaigns.

Sunday @ 4pm ET         Arizona @ Oklahoma                 FOX

David Carr is back under center, and Calais Campbell dons the copper helmet of the Wranglers for the first time as they face Joe Flacco and the Outlaws.

Sunday @ 8pm ET         Denver @ Dallas                           ESPN/EFN

After a year in apprenticeship behind Matt Leinart, QB Josh Allen takes over the reins of the Denver offense as they face Josh Freeman and the Dallas Roughnecks on Sunday night.