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After four weeks it’s becoming obvious which teams will win their divisions. The NFL sought parody for years but with free agency destroying many team’s opportunities for a Super Bowl win, most teams have no chance of achieving their goals. I am ready to predict division winners based mostly on their consistent performances and outstanding leadership.

Although the San Francisco 49ers have displayed impressive improvement in the NFC West, the Seattle Seahawks have a new defensive lineup which is formidable. On the offensive side of the ball, they have Russell Wilson who has not thrown an interception through his first five games. The Los Angeles Rams are already proving they were a “one-year wonder.” The Arizona Cardinals offer little talk about; Curt Warner retired years ago.

The NFC North is competitive, but the winner will be the Green Bay Packers. The Chicago Bears have an excellent defense but their offense is questionable. If the Minnesota Vikings decide on a quarterback and a consistent offensive scheme their defense could take them into the playoffs. Mathew Stafford has not been able to lead the Detroit Lions to the playoffs and will continue to disappoint.

The New Orleans Saints are the class of the NFC South. If they can win 50 percent of their games until Drew Brees returns from thumb surgery, they will win their division. The Buccaneers, Falcons, and Panthers are playing like division two college teams.

Which brings us to the NFC East. The Washington Redskins are a joke, and the New York Giants have a rookie quarterback who will be good and maybe great, but not this year. Carson Wentz is not the savior of the Philadelphia Eagles; they will be losers once again in 2019. Unless Jerry Jones fires head coach Jason Garrett mid-season, the Dallas Cowboys will go deep into the playoffs. They are well-balanced and barring serious injury should easily be at the top of their division in December.

Unless disaster befalls the Kansas City Chiefs, they will once again win the AFC West. Patrick Mahomes is the most exciting quarterback since Joe Namath. He is talented, plays with great intelligence, and is totally fearless. The Denver Broncos are horrible and Joe Flacco is not the answer to their quarterback problems. All I can say is that Phillip Rivers remains the quarterback of the Los Angeles Chargers. No playoffs, and once again not a division winner. The biggest problem with the Oakland/Las Vegas Raiders is their head coach, John Gruden. He traded away some of the best players in the NFL and they often appear disorganized.

The AFC North was one of the toughest divisions in football. The Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers frequently won the division. However, with the loss of Ben Roethlisberger, the Steelers will finish in the cellar unless the Cincinnati Bengals continue to lose every game. The Cleveland Browns are better, but their young quarterback, Baker Mayfield just wishes he was Patrick Mahommes; he makes too many mistakes. Baltimore will win the division but lose in the first round of the playoffs.

The Houston Texans will win the AFC South. It’s not worth talking about the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Indianapolis Colts, or the Tennessee Titans. They are all incapable of making the playoffs and boring to watch.

Lastly the AFC East; the worst division in the NFL. Of course the New England Patriots will win the division. The Miami Dolphins are the worst team in football, and the New York Jets and Buffalo Bills remain wannabes but never will. Bill Belichick is the most corrupt and the best coach in the league today and possibly the best of all time. He took a better than average quarterback and make him appear great. The truth is Tom Brady would never have been successful if Belichick had not been the team’s coach.

Finally, the real Super Bowl will be when the Chiefs and Patriots meet each other once again in the AFC Championship game. Although the Seahawks, Saints, and possibly the Cowboys will shine in the NFC playoffs, I doubt that any of them can defeat Kansas City or New England in February.

Op-ed by James Turnage

Photo courtesy of Erin Costa

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