The 2016 season kicks off tonight with the Panthers traveling to Denver to take on the Broncos in a Super Bowl 50 rematch. Here are some thoughts on each division in the NFC and who I think will come of the conference. 

NFC East

1. New York Giants: The Giants have a new coach in Ben McAdoo and they spent a lot of money on defense. There will be some growing pains early on but I think they are the best team in this division.  

2. Washington Redskins: The Redskins need Kirk Cousins to repeat 2015 but more importantly, they need their defense to step up and play at a higher level. If they can stay healthy, the Skins will be in this division race until the end.

3. Dallas Cowboys: It’s a shame Tony Romo is hurt again because the Cowboys had the potential to be explosive on offense. I think there will be too much pressure on Dak Prescott and the offense to score because the Cowboys defense is subpar.

4. Philadelphia Eagles: The Eagles aren’t admitting this but they are rebuilding. Despite that, if Carson Wentz plays well, this team has enough overall talent to compete for a Wild Card spot.

NFC North

1. Green Bay Packers: If Jordy Nelson stays healthy for the entire season healthy and the offensive and defensive lines play better than they did last season, the Packers could find themselves in Houston in February.

2. Minnesota Vikings: At the risk of sounding like a jerk, the Vikings might be better with Sam Bradford at quarterback than they were with Teddy Bridgewater. Mike Zimmer has Adrian Peterson and a good defense to work with. The Vikings are a dark horse in the NFC.

3. Chicago Bears: John Fox’s teams have shown dramatic improvement in year two. I expect the Bears to take the next step and get one step closer to returning to the playoffs. As usual, it’s all on Jay Cutler.

4. Detroit Lions: The Lions will find that life without Megatron is tough. With a solid running game and a good defense, life will be tough for Matt Stafford at times.  

NFC South

1. Carolina Panthers: The Panthers won’t go 15-1 again but they have a good core of players in place and they are built for long term success. Philosophically, the Panthers believe in running the ball and playing good defense. You can’t go wrong with that formula.

2. New Orleans Saints: Drew Brees and the Saints should bounce back now that he has a couple of more weapons to work with in tight end Coby Fleener and wide receiver Mike Thomas. The Saints will score plenty of points but its a suspect defense that could keep them out of the playoffs. 

3. Atlanta Falcons: The Falcons will be better, especially on offense but the defense is still an issue. Either Dan Quinn needs to change philosophically and blitz more or he better hope Vic Beasley develops and adds juice to the pass rush. Either way, the Falcons need to improve defensively in order to rebound.

4. Tampa Bay Bucs: The Bucs have enough pieces in place to compete for a division title. The problem is they are young, inexperienced and have a first year coach in Dirk Koetter. The Bucs are on the rise but I don’t see a playoff run this season. 

NFC West

1.Seattle Seahawks: The Seahawks will be a better team without Marshawn Lynch because they won’t be handcuffed to the running game anymore. They will be more balanced on offense. This is Russell Wilson’s team now. I expect him to have a big year under center. I also see the Seahawks defense bouncing back. There’s too much talent not too. 

2. Arizona Cardinals: The Cardinals will take a step back but I still think they are a playoff team. Provided Carson Palmer stays healthy, the offense will score plenty. The onus will be on the defense and an improved pass rush. If the D plays at a championship caliber level, the Cards could end up back in the NFC Championship game. 

3. Los Angeles Rams: Yaaaay! The Rams are in L.A!!!!! That’s about as excited as I am about this team. I love Todd Gurley and the defense but the Rams don’t have a quarterback right now. Jared Goff needs a year to marinate and the receivers and tight ends are mediocre. Just like death and taxes, the Rams are guaranteed to go 8-8 again.  

4. San Francisco 49ers: The Niners have gone from having the best roster in the league to the worst roster in the league. Chip Kelly has been labeled a genius through the years. We’ll see how good a coach he is now that he’s coaching a team with no talent. The Niners will struggle to win five games. 

Predictions
Playoff Teams: Giants, Packers, Panthers, Seahawks, Cardinals, Vikings
Wild Card Round: Panthers over Vikings, Cardinals over Giants

Divisional Round: Packers over Panthers, Seahawks over Cardinals

Conference Championship: Seahawks over Packers